Deuteronomy 1

Deuteronomy 1

The book opens by setting itself up as a continuation of the story that has already been told. Through Moses’ first speech, Deuteronomy reminds readers of all that has gone before. He mentions their refusal to enter the Promised Land, which ended up causing an entire generation of Israelites to be lost. He then mentions their victories over some of the surrounding nations as they made their way toward Jericho. As Moses is speaking, the Israelites are still waiting to enter the land, and the rest of this book will serve as Moses’ final words to the Israelites.

This book is basically a repeat of what has gone on in the previous three books of the Bible. However, the people that Moses is speaking to did not experience what Moses is about to tell them. It was their fathers that encountered the many miracles of God as they exited Egypt. It was their fathers who refused to the enter land (and were punished). So this retelling of the story is actually a reminder for the new generation of what their fathers had been through, stories which many of them had probably grown up listening to. This practice is vital for us today. By reading these stories in Scripture and even hearing of great stories from our own ancestors, we are able to see how big and great God really is. We realize that He is not just the God of our small town or our circle of friends. It helps us understand that God has been working before us, and that He will continue to work after us. It is always good to be reminded of how God has worked in others’ lives.

Moses begins with the Israelite’s departure from Egypt. As they began their journey, he soon realized that God had indeed blessed Israel, allowing them to grow to an enormous number, as He had promised Abraham. As a result, Moses knew that there was no way that he could manage all the concerns and problems that would arise (for there were probably close to 2 million people at the time). Therefore, they set up leaders in each tribe that could help Moses in dealing with the problems. In essence, a hierarchy was established, with Moses as the human head and God as the ultimate head (for Moses went to God for discernment).

But everything changed when Israel prepared to enter the Promised Land the first time. God was going to give them the strength to overcome all of the people groups already living there; He just needed to know that they trusted Him. The people were rightfully fearful of the giant task before them, but they should have known that there was no cause for fear. To help, Moses allowed them to let a select group of men spy it out. So he chose one man from each tribe to see how the land was. They came back singing praises about the land. They even brought back some of the food, showing the Israelites how great it was. But when they brought back a report of how big the people were that were living there, the Israelites became fearful. In the end, they chose to not enter the land, ultimately displaying a lack of trust in God.

As a result, God declared that none of that generation would reap the benefits of His promise; none of them would see the Promised Land. Only Caleb and Joshua, who reported that they knew God would give them the strength they needed to conquer the land, would now be allowed to enter. This upset the Israelites, and they decided that they would go in and take the land themselves. God then warned them not to do so, telling them that He would not go with them, and that they would surely fail. Once again, they did not listen, and many Israelites died that day. When they came back weeping to God over the battle, He did not hear their cries. It is such a depressing end to the Israelites’ story. All because of a lack of faith and disobedience, God took their inheritance away and gave it to their children. This story should serve as a reminder of the importance of trusting God. It is not always easy, and there are large battles in life. Sometimes the task will seem too great, but when He gives us His word that He will be with us through it all, we can count on Him. We have nothing to fear and no reason to turn our backs on Him. Instead of focusing on this great mistake the Israelites made, we must realize that we could fall victim to the same sin. Therefore, we should guard ourselves against that possibility by clinging to Christ, trusting completely in Him for all of life’s decisions and battles.

Matt

Numbers 35:9-36:13

Numbers 35:9-36:13

The rest of Numbers 35 specifically deals with murder in light of the cities of refuge. God wanted the Israelites to create 6 of these cities where people who accidently killed another man could flee. There is a distinction made in this passage about killing, for some is considered murder, and some is not. Since the Israelites were previously commanded to not commit murder, that is once again prohibited in this passage and not condoned. But God takes into consideration the fact that some people might kill on accident, not having the attention to kill or using an instrument in such a way that it kills someone who may casually be walking by unknowingly. For these accidents, the cities of refuge were established, and the one who killed would flee there. They would not be sought out with vengeance, and they would be allowed to live their normal lives without the fear of someone trying to avenge the life that was lost. The only rule was that they had to remain in that city until the death of the high priest. Then they were free to go back to their home land.

But like every good rule, people try to take advantage of it and find loop holes. God did not allow them to do that with this command. He made it clear that murder would not be tolerated. If someone was murdered, then the city of refuge had not effect. In fact, the people closest to the murdered man could seek vengeance on the murderer. These two contrasting images show that God does not take sin lightly. He will always punish those who do evil, but He is also a compassionate God who looks out for others. Although killing is never good, He understood that there would be those accidents (verse 23 is an example of one of those). So God took this into consideration, showing that although He is a God of wrath, He is also a God of justice.

This book ends by concluding the discussion of Zelophehad’s daughters. In Numbers 27 they had acquired their father’s land, due to the fact that he had no male heirs. Now they are once again worried that they might lose that land. If they marry within another tribe of Israel, their inheritance would transfer to the other tribe and not their own. This led to a command for them to marry within their own tribe so that their inheritance would remain with them. Whereas in this story, Numbers 36 serves as a conclusion (a wrap-up of sorts), the closing verse still leaves the story open. This is not the end, for the Israelites have still not entered into the Promised Land. The only thing keeping them from going is Moses. God was continuing to use Moses in these last few matters (dealing with murder and Zelophehad’s daughters), but Moses’ days were about done. God is a God who keeps His promises, and that being true, Moses will soon die, which will usher in the Israelites inheriting the land (the land promised to them).

Matt

Numbers 34:1-35:8

Numbers 34:1-35:8

I left out one important detail of Numbers 33 that I want to mention real quick. The closing verses stress the importance of the Israelites driving out all of the inhabitants in the Promised Land. When they conquered a city, they were required to destroy everything that God had commanded. God would punish them if they did not follow all of His commands by leaving those various people groups in the land to cause problems. Once again, God expected full obedience rather than partial obedience, because as noted previously, partial obedience is actually disobedience.

As the end of Numbers begins, some of the logistics about the Promised Land are mentioned. This chapter begins by marking off the boundaries of the land. God gives them their northern, southern, eastern, and western borders, making it clear as to what land will be theirs. They will not be allowed to inherit land outside of these boundaries. The only exception was for the two and a half tribes that had already inherited their land just east of the Jordan River. Coupled with the idea of full obedience, this section stresses the importance of staying within the boundaries God has given. He gives us free reign to do as we please, as long as we remain within the boundaries He has given us in life. Those boundaries are His commands. Within those commands, we have freedom in Him, but in living outside those commands come consequences. The Israelites had their spiritual boundaries through the law, but they were also receiving at this time, their physical boundaries.

God next set up tribal chiefs for each of the tribes of Israel. These men would be in charge in dividing the land once they arrived. What is important to note here is that God had already selected who would fill these roles. He had chosen these specific men, enabling them with the wisdom to make the decisions, and trusting them to follow His commands in making the decisions. They would be the ones in charge of dividing the land according to the number of people in each tribe (which came from the census).

The Levites are the only people left out of the discussion in Numbers 34, but God gives instructions on how the other tribes should provide for the Levites in Numbers 35. The Levites were God’s priests, those who worked in and around the tabernacle. In the new land, the Israelites would no longer be camped in one tight area. They would become much more scattered, which meant that they would no longer be as close to the tabernacle. So God told the tribes to create cities of refuge for the Levites. Part of each tribe’s inheritance (proportionally to their size) would be given up for the Levites. As a result, every tribe would have access to the Levites, and the Levites could continue to serve God as they had always done. This just shows how organized God is. He had thought of every possible detail that needed to be taken care of. He was not allowing the Israelites to enter the land clueless. He had given them every command that they would need to live in the Promised Land. In the same way, He provides for every detail of our lives. We must learn to pay attention to His intentions, His will, and not our own wants and desires. There are times that our desire will line up with His will, but we must also be willing to follow Him when He calls us for something that may be outside of our comfort zone, knowing that He will continue to take care of us.

Matt

Numbers 32-33

Numbers 32-33

Israel keeps getting closer and closer to being able to inherit the Promised Land. In Numbers 32, it appears as if the only member of the older generation who has not yet died is Moses. He is still aiding Joshua and Eleazar in learning how to lead Israel. The Israelites are now just east of the Jordan River, ready to enter the Promised Land. However, both Reuben and Gad decided that they would rather not enter into the land but stay just east of it. Moses immediately questions their intentions, comparing their actions to that of their father’s who would not enter the land because of how big the people were. He compared them to the older generation that was wiped out by God, a generation who chose not to trust that God would aid them in battle. Reuben and Gad, however, prove that their intentions were pure. They wanted the land because it would be good for their livestock, but they did not want to abandon Israel. They promised that they would enter the Promised Land with Israel and help their fellow brothers conquer the land. Then, once every tribe had their own inheritance, Reuben and Gad would return to the other side of the Jordan River for theirs.

Moses allowed these two tribes, along with half of Manasseh, to inhabit the land, going ahead and building their cities. But they were held to their promise, and both Joshua and Eleazar knew that they were to take all the men on these two and a half tribes to battle when they entered the Promised Land. It appears as if the motives of these men were pure. It was not that they did not want the Promised Land, they had just found nice land right outside. The land in which they settled was the land that they had just won in the battles in the previous chapters. Unlike the generation before them, these men trusted that God would indeed give their brothers the land, and they were willing to help. They were willing to stand by their brothers’ side in battle, willing to fight with them to help them. It is a great picture of how we are to look out for our brothers and sisters in Christ. We must realize that we all have different callings in life, but none of us can accomplish God’s plans on our own. We need the help of others, and we should always be willing to help our fellow Christians whenever they are in need. For one day, we might be the ones in need of their help. God knew that we could not live this life alone, which is why He gave us the Holy Spirit, but it is also why He gave us each other. Look to the opening chapters Acts for a great picture of what the Church should look like. We were meant to live life together.

At this point Israel has gone about as far as they can go with Moses. There is still in the entire book of Deuteronomy to go, but Israel is now right outside the Promised Land, ready to enter into Jericho. The rest of this book will set up some of the boundaries of the new land, and Deuteronomy will be Moses’ farewell speech to Israel as he hands over his leadership role to Joshua. Numbers 33 begins this transition by recounting Israel’s journey up to this point. Going all the way back to Egypt, their route is revisited, showing every city that they stopped in along the way. Reading this chapter by itself would be confusing. But if you pay attention to each city’s name, you might remember some of the previous stories from Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers. It was important for the Israelites then to realize how far they had come. None of them had personally witnessed God’s power at the Red Sea, and many of them had probably not seen the water from the rock or the manna from Heaven. This was a way for the new generation to begin to understand what God had done for their parents, to help them know that God would do the same for them. It is always good to reflect on God’s provisions in our lives. We need to be reminded of what He has done for us in our past. These moments can give us comfort and confidence, that He will continue to look out for us in our future, even if the future looks uncertain. Israel did not know what their future held exactly, but they knew that the same God who had brought them this far would be faithful to carry them through.

Matt

Numbers 30-31

Numbers 30-31

The importance of keeping your word is discussed in Numbers 30, beginning with men’s vows. Anytime a man made a vow to God or made a pledge not to do something, he was bound by his word. He was not allowed to break the vow or pledge. This goes along with the idea of the different covenants and how they were not to be broken. God made a big deal about covenants and promises, expecting people to keep their word and not decide to go back on it if some situation in life changed. There was no excuse good enough to break either a covenant or a promise. As for women, they were bound by the same standards. The only exceptions were if they were not yet married and their father opposed the vow that they made, or if they were married and their husband opposed the vow that they made.

After these commands, God instructs Israel to go to war against Midian. What is interesting is that he only asks for 1,000 Israelites from each tribe. So with 12,000 men, God is preparing to go up against an entire nation. Now while Scripture does not mention how many Midianites they were fighting against, the results of the battle show that the Israelites were probably outnumbered. The point of the battle was to punish the Midianites for what they had done to Israel. The women of the nation had seduced Israel, and this battle was God’s way of punishing those women. But god was also demonstrating His power, once again showing Israel and Midian who He was and what He could do. He wanted them all to be clear that He was the only God, and through Israel’s victory, His name was made known within those nations.

The Israelites messed up in only killing the men of the nation and leaving the women alive for themselves, when it was many of those women who had been the ones that deceived Israel in the first place. God became upset with Israel for not destroying the nation as He had commanded and had them go back and finish their job. This may sound really simple, but we must always finish whatever we start, especially when we know it is a command from God. We cannot do only half of the job and expect things to work out. Time and time again we have seen the importance of following all of God’s commands, every specific detail. God expects full obedience, for partial obedience is actually disobedience. The Israelites ended up following God’s commands, and they went back and killed every woman who had been involved in Balaam’s trickery.

What is interesting here is that Balaam is mentioned once again, but this time not in a positive manner. It is unclear what happened to him between Israel’s first encounter with Balaam and this second encounter, but he had apparently drifted from God’s commands and had turned on Israel in some way. Numbers 31 suggests that it was Balaam who advised the women to seduce Israel. That being the case, this war was as much against Balaam as it was Midian. This also shows the importance of continual obedience. We may, like Balaam, do well in serving God in one area of our lives, but when a different situation comes up later on, we must make sure that we continue to give Him our full obedience, for if we do not, that too is disobedience.

There is one final note on the size of Midian. Remember that Israel only took 12,000 men to battle. The end of Numbers 31 says that they came back with 32,000 women who had been spared since they had not been involved in the treachery instituted by Balaam. Who knows how many other women there were that had been killed, and there were at least that many, if not more, men in Midian as well. It is possible, that Israel had to go up against nearly 100,000 Midianites (which includes women and children) that day. They were most definitely outnumbered, but God gave them the victory. In leaving the Israelites outnumbered, He made sure that the glory would go to Him and not to Israel. He wanted them to once again recognize His power so that they would not depend on their own strength.

Matt

Numbers 27-29

Numbers 27-29

One purpose of the census of Numbers 26 was to figure out who would possess each portion of the Promised Land. Based on the numbers that they gathered, Moses and Joshua would be able to determine how much land to give to each tribe of Israel, and how much to give to each clan within those tribes. Numbers 27 deals with a special case, with a group of women who had not been counted in the census. The census was a count of all the men in Israel, not women and children. So this group of sisters found themselves not represented since their father had died in the wilderness. They asked Moses what could be done to ensure that they had their father’s inheritance, since they had no brothers. So God gave Moses a new command that dealt with a person’s inheritance. He outlined a series of steps that they were to take in the case that a man had no son to which he would give his inheritance.

After this episode, God told Moses that he was going to be allowed to see the land, but that he would never get to enter into it. God was going to allow Moses to go up on the top of a mountain that overlooked the Promised Land, but because of his sin, he too would die before Israel entered the land. So Moses asked God about a successor. He knew that the people of Israel needed someone who could lead them, a man who followed God’s commands. God picked out Joshua from among the people of Israel and told Moses to commission him in front of the Israelites so that they would know that he had been chosen by God. He would then work alongside Eleazar when Israel entered the land.

Think of how far Joshua had come at this point. He had once been an ordinary man who happened to live in “Israel.” He grew up hearing the stories of what God had done in Egypt. He knew who God was and did not question His authority. In today’s terms, he would have been “raised in a Christian home.” He was then chosen to join the spies that would scout out the Promised Land. Out of that group, he was only one of two who came back with a good report, trusting that God would indeed enable them to take back the land. Then, when the people rebelled immediately after the spies came back, he did not join in their rebellion. He stood by his beliefs and continued to trust that God would keep that promise. Now, God has chosen to use him to lead Israel into that land. Joshua was just an ordinary man, but he placed his faith in God, and as a result, God was able to use him in mighty ways. It did not mean that his life was always easy, for like Moses, people hated him because of what he said and stood for. But Joshua continued to follow God.

Although Joshua was promised this leadership role, Moses was still in charge for a time. There were still some laws that God needed to give Israel, and He had chosen to give them through Moses. Leviticus was all about the different laws, and it began by describing the different types of offerings that were to be made. Now, in Numbers 28-29, God outlines a series of required offerings. There were two types of offerings in Israel, freewill offerings, and this list of required offerings. The freewill offerings were given whenever they needed to be given. For instance, there were certain offerings used to give praise or to ask for forgiveness. The offerings listed in these two chapters were primarily used at the times of the various feasts. They aided in worship, helping the Israelites in giving thanks to God for all He had provided them. Although we do not make sacrifices as the Israelites did, we still give to God. Like Israel, there is a sense in which we should give so much back to God, what we call the tithe. But our giving should not end with just what think is “expected” of us. We should give above and beyond the tithe, freely (freewill offerings). When we have the ability to give more, and living in America, we all really do, we need to consider giving more than our tithe. If God has blessed us with much, then we ought to help those in need. In fact, we see all throughout the Bible how God commands His children to take care of the poor.

Matt

Numbers 25-26

Numbers 25-26

Although Israel had definitely been blessed by God, which ultimately led to God becoming known among the surrounding nations, Numbers 25 reminds us that they still had consequences to pay. They had previously decided that they no longer trusted God, and He in turn took away their possession of the Promised Land. In the newly conquered land of Moab, Balak’s territory, several of the Israelites began living with and marrying the Moabites. This was their first mistake, for it was mentioned many times in Genesis how they were to marry within their own people. One of the primary reasons Abraham did not let Isaac marry a Canaanite was so that he would not be influenced by their culture that would draw him away from God. The same was true for Jacob, which is why he left Canaan for so long to find a wife back in their home lands. When the Israelites began living with the Moabites in Numbers 25, they fell to the cultural practices of the Moabites, once again forsaking God. They turned to the gods of the Moabites and angered God greatly. As a result, he had all those who had turned to Baal killed. The total was 24,000 Israelites. God takes His name and His glory seriously. They were specifically commanded to have no other “gods” before Him. He is all they needed, and He had proven that time and time again. We too need to take this command seriously in our own lives. How many times do we place our own “gods” above the only God? It is clear in this passage that God does takes idol worship seriously, and we need to really think about what might be idols in our own lives.

The end of Numbers 25 provides two contrasting images: a man jealous for God and men and women jealous of God. Consider these two distinctions and think about where you might currently stand. First, Aaron’s grandson, Phinehas, is blessed because of how he stood up for God. He did not allow the distractions of the Moabites to deter him from what he knew was right. He instead made atonement on the Israelites behalf, seeking forgiveness from God, recognizing the sin, and trying to set things right between God and Israel. He did not try to cover the sin; he did not try to pretend it did not exist. He instead confronted the sin and sought reconciliation with God. On the other hand, the Moabites were possibly jealous of Israel’s allegiance to God. They had just been overtaken by this God of the Israelites and could have some spite in their actions as well. As a result, they attempted and succeeded in drawing the Israelites away from Him. This led to their own demise in that God punished them for those actions. So the question for us is whether we are living a life that is jealous for God, where He is the only one we live for and we seek forgiveness when sin does come up in our lives, or jealous of God, where we are seeking after some other idol thinking that it will bring more pleasure and security in life than God? If we are not already, we need to be sure and live a life like that of Phinehas.

Most of Numbers 26 records a second census of the people of Israel. The difference between the two censuses is the generation. Whereas Numbers 1 reported what is now known as the older generation, Numbers 26 reported the new generation, the generation that will now inherit the Promised Land. Over those 40 years, the total number of “male” Israelites (for women and children are not counted in this total) only decreased by 2,000. But only Joshua and Caleb would have been in both censuses. So Israel is basically the same size as before, and this is the nation that will receive the fulfillment of God’s promise, the promise to enter the Promised Land. The last verse of the chapter makes note of the new generation, making it clear that everyone except Moses, Joshua, and Caleb had now died off as a result of their disobedience in the wilderness. Before the Israelites can enter the land, however, Moses too would have to die. But God was still using him in making the final preparations for Israel’s journey into the Promised Land. This is such a clear picture of the importance of obedience. It has taken several chapters to get to this point, but it is obvious that God does not put up with disobedience, and when He makes a promise He intends to keep it.

Matt

Numbers 23-24

Numbers 23-24

After everything that Balaam had been through, he was finally committed to God. He was where God wanted him, with Balak, and he was there to show Balak who God is. Balak wanted nothing more than to see Israel cursed. He was afraid of what Israel could do to his country. But Balaam knew that Israel was God’s chosen people, and he knew that he could not go against God’s commands. Balak took Balaam up on a mountain, where they offered sacrifices to God. Balaam then spoke with God, only to find that God desired him to bless Israel rather than curse them. So that is what Balaam did, and as a result, Balak was not pleased. From Balak’s perspective, Israel was the enemy, so he could not understand why one of his most trusted people would defy him. What he did not understand was that God’s authority far surpassed him. Balaam was adhering to a higher authority that Balak did not recognize. There are times in our lives in which we are called to do the same. When someone is asking us to do something contrary to God’s word (whether that be a close friend or an authority figure in our lives), we are to follow God’s commands over theirs.

Not recognizing God’s authority, Balak puts Balaam to the test again. They go to another portion of the mountain where they see another fraction of the people of Israel. Remember that Israel was a large nation at this point, and the fact that Balak and Balaam could only see a portion of them at any point of the mountain speaks of their great number. Indeed God had truly blessed Israel, fulfilling His promise to Abraham about how they would be as many as the number of stars in the sky and the number of grains of sand on the beach. This size is what frightened Balak, so he asked Balaam to once again meet with God. In Balaam’s second meeting, God gave him another word. This time God spoke out against Balak, telling him that He does not change His mind. He had already stated that He would not curse Israel, that He had told Balaam to bless them.

Yet as Numbers 24 opens, Balak is testing Balaam and ultimately God, a third time. Balak asks Balaam to go through the entire process again, offering up sacrifices and meeting with God to see if he can curse Israel. Balaam, however, refuses to listen to Balak. He had already questioned God twice and was not willing to ask a third time. He knew that God had spoken and would not change His mind, so he stood up against Balak. God then spoke through him a third time once again blessing Israel. In fact, God promised that Israel would rise up in the land, overtaking the lands around them, which could very well include Balak’s land. Through Balak’s constant desire to curse Israel, he ended up cursing himself. If he had left Israel alone, not trying to provoke them, he may have never had to of dealt with them. But after testing God these three times, he in essence cursed himself and his own nation. Balaam is a great example of one who stood for God no matter what he was offered. He did not allow fear or money shake his faith. He struggled along the way, but in the end, he was sure to stand for God. It might not always be easy to do what is right, but when God calls for us to stand against the world (whether it is that close friend or authority figure), we have no other option.

This portion of the story of Balaam concludes with a promise against the other surrounding nations. Moab would indeed to fall to Israel. Israel had already defeated both Arad and Og, and God promised that Moab would be next. Furthermore, Edom, who had prohibited Israel from passing through their land, would be conquered as well. Then, several other nations would fall. One might question why God was allowing Israel to have all this success when He had previously cursed the current generation. Despite their faults, God was using His children for His glory and His purposes. He was making Himself known to the surrounding nations. Remember that He is not and was not just the God of Israel, but the God of the entire world. His desire is that all men would come to know Him. Moab had now experience who God truly was through Balaam, and the rest of the nations would soon see Him as well. But despite all this success, Israel was still going to be punished. The generation that failed to trust God would ultimately not see the Promised Land.

Matt

Numbers 22

Numbers 22

Even in the darkest days that Israel faced, God was still making Himself known to all the nations. After Israel’s victories over Arad and Og, the people of Moab began to worry that the Israelites would defeat them next. They labeled the Israelites as “a group of people that came out of Egypt.” They recognized the power that they had, but did not know its source. So they prepared to defend themselves for an attack, an attack that was not even coming. In doing so, they called up Balaam to give a curse against Israel. Balaam went to God for advice. Now notice that Balaam was not an Israelite, but he was speaking with God, the same God of Israel. Many times we think that the Old Testament is only about the Israelites and that all the other nations are enemies. But God worked in the other nations as well. He worked in Egypt, drawing many Egyptians to Himself when Joseph was there. He later used Rahab in Jericho. He also chose to use Ruth, a Moabite. This instance is no different. So He commanded Balaam to not place a curse on the Israelites, for they were a chosen nation.

As a result, Balaam found himself in a situation that we are in every day. He was caught between God’s commands and the command of his earthly king Balak. He had to choose who he would serve and obey, and he told Balak that nothing in this world (money or anything) would cause him to disobey God’s commands. Once God knew where he stood, He commanded Balaam to go ahead and travel with Balak, but he was to be sure and only follow God’s commands. Now I am not really sure why God condemns Balaam in the next verse, because it appears as if Balaam followed his command to go with Balak. The only thing I can figure out is that God told him to go if they asked him to. Since there is no record of the servants coming back to him, then maybe he was not supposed to go. This part of Numbers 22 is fairly confusing, but the story that follows shows explicit disobedience on Balaam’s part.

This is the famous story of the talking donkey. Balaam’s donkey saw an angel in the road directing them another way, for Balaam was not supposed to go with Balak at this time. Although the donkey obeys the angel’s commands, Balaam does not, and he strikes the donkey. The question is why did Balaam not see the angel as well? I think this helps clarify what happened previously and suggests that Balaam was not fully following God at this time. Maybe he was blinded by some sin in his life, and because of that sin, he was not listening to God’s commands. It took a talking donkey to set him straight. Imagine that, a talking donkey! What if God chose to speak to us through an animal? Would that get your attention? Despite the confusion in this passage, the point is clear, we are to obey God. God should never have to use some dramatic act, such as a talking donkey, to grab our attention. This is a charge for us to check up on ourselves, see if we are obeying God in our lives, and choose to live for Him if we are not.

Matt

Numbers 21:10-35

Numbers 21:10-35

The Israelites continue on their journey, and the text begins outlining some of the places they stopped along the way. Other than understanding the direction that they traveled, there is really not much mentioned in the middle portion of this chapter. But it is important to note the Israelite’s thankfulness for the water that they had been given. In the city of Beer, God blessed them with some water, and the Israelites made sure that they thanked God for His provisions. This is a fairly rare scene for the Israelites; they are typically found questioning God’s direction or complaining about their living situations. But there were those times in which they remembered who God was, what He had done for them, and they praised Him for it. We must never neglect to thank God for the blessings He gives us in life.

The Israelites had been denied passage through Edom and had to travel around that nation to continue on their journey. When they came to Sidon, they met the same fate; however, the king of Sidon took it one step further by bringing forces against them. God protected His people in this moment and allowed them to overthrow the king of Sidon. Now you might wonder why He would help them in this battle when He refused to help them when they fought against the Canaanites in Numbers 14. I believe the answer is in the nature of the battle. In Numbers 14 the Israelites took matters into their own hands and tried to conquer a land that God had not given them permission to take. He had just punished them, taking away their opportunity to inherit the land. So He allowed them to lose that battle in order to show that He was in control. In this instance in Numbers 21, another nation came up against Israel in battle. In order to show His power and control, God chose to allow Israel to have victory in this situation. Although He was still denying them access into the Promised Land, He was not denying them victory altogether. He still loved His children, even if He was upset with the choices they made. He still looked out for them, but notice that it was all for His glory. In this instance, it was obvious that God was the one who gave them the victory, and once again we see Israel praising God for what He had done for them.

The end of this chapter depicts another battle, this time with the king of Og. He too, like the king of Sidon, comes up against Israel. He threatens them, and so God allows Israel to have victory over him as well. Both of these battles are great pictures of God’s protection of His children. Forces will come against us in life, and not just in physical battles. We all face hard times; think about the early Christians in the book of Acts. But even in those tough times, even in the persecutions, God protects His children. He sometimes allows those persecutions in our lives, but even when they come, they teach us to depend on Him. We are never promised an easy life, but we are promised that He will never forsake us. Therefore, we must remain obedient to His commands, placing our trust in Him, knowing that whatever comes up in our lives, He is still in control. Finally, we must always give the praise and honor to Him, in the good times and the bad. May His name be praised in every area of our lives.

Matt

Numbers 20:14-21:9

Numbers 20:14-21:9

To add to the troubles of Israel, they next faced difficulty in reaching the Promised Land. They wanted to travel through Edom, which would have been a quicker route up the east side of the land, but the king of Edom would not allow it. Whether this was strictly the king of Edom’s idea or God’s judgment on Israel, it is not clear, but it really does not matter. There were still many within Israel (including Moses and Aaron) who had not yet died. They would not enter the land until that happened. So they took another road, on the east side of Edom and continued on their journey.

When they came to Mount Hor, they faced yet another tragedy. Remember that Numbers 20 began with a death (the death of Miriam). It now ends with a death, the death of Aaron. God had basically stripped him of all of his duties as high priest over Israel. He was the one that was the mediator between God and the people, and due to his lack of trust in God, God would no longer allow him to fill that role. So He gathered all of Israel together, and Aaron died. As a result, he passed on his duties to his son, Eleazar. Eleazar became the new high priest. Once more we see that God keeps His promises and that there are consequences for our sins. But in the same way, God had also promised that the people would one day enter the land. So in the midst of this earthly tragedy, God was also preparing the people for entrance into the land. Eleazar was not part of the older generation. He was still promised entrance into the land, and God had now established His high priest that would enter the Promised Land. So although it is sad to see Aaron die, knowing that it was his own disobedience that led to his death, it is also exciting to know that God always has a plan. He did not let Aaron’s mistake mess up His plans for Israel, and He set up a new high priest to fill Aaron’s role.

As they continued on their journey, they came to Arad, which was being ruled by a Canaanite. He took some of the Israelites captive, but they cried out to God for help. They recognized God’s power, the first time in quite a while, and knew that they could depend on Him for help. This story stands in contrast to the previous chapter when they questioned God’s ability to provide for their basic needs (needing water). Even though they knew that they would never see the land, it does appear as if some were beginning to understand how they should act. They began to realize what it meant to trust in God, and in this particular instance, they demonstrated their trust in Him.

Side note: This is all happening on the west side of Edom, not the east side as mentioned previously. They are now headed south toward the Red Sea, so the directions mentioned above are inaccurate. Since they could not pass directly through Edom, they are traveling south to go around and then head back north.

Now back to the story, after finally demonstrating faith in God, the people fall again. Due to the fact that they were having to go around Edom (which was really out of their way), they began to grow impatient and once again questioned both Moses and God on why they left Egypt in the first place. Now you would think that after they had already done this once where God had taken away their privilege of entering the Promised Land, they would not do it again. So this time God began killing them off, which He had already promised to do. He sent a judgment of snakes upon them, and many of them died due to the snake bites. This caught the attention of several of the Israelites, and they began begging for relief. So they asked Moses to ask God for help. Moses prayed to God for some relief, and God gave it to them, the Bronze Serpent. Anytime an Israelite was bitten, all they had to do was look up at the Bronze Serpent to receive relief. God was teaching them faith through this exercise.

The story of the Bronze Serpent would seem too good to be true in today’s culture. If someone told us to look at an object for healing, we would think that that person is crazy. We would have a hard time believing that healing could really be that simple. We would try to complicate the matter, finding some other avenue of relief, whether that be medicine or therapy or something else. But God made it simple for Israel, giving them a simple command that would demonstrate their trust in Him. This is why so many find it hard to believe that simple belief in Jesus provides salvation. Jesus compared Himself to the bronze serpent, pointing to His death and how it would bring spiritual healing to us. Many times people feel that there must be more to it, that they must earn that gift somehow. But once again, God made it simple, all it takes is faith. Now granted, that faith will be demonstrated through obedience for the rest of our lives, but all it takes is faith in God.

Matt Brewer

Numbers 19:1-20:13

Numbers 19:1-20:13

Finishing up yet another section of laws, Numbers 19 details a series of laws dealing with purification. Still running on the theme of some of the duties of the priests, God gives a few more commands about purity within the tabernacle. He further deals with dead bodies and how to deal with becoming unclean. Although some of these laws are new, the application of these laws is not really a new idea. They follow the same guidelines that God had previously established in Leviticus. They are expected to be obeyed, which will keep the Israelites pure and holy before God.

The sad opening of Numbers 20 sets the tone for the rest of the chapter. It begins by mentioning when Miriam died, during the journey to the Promised Land. She, like so many of the other Israelites, was a part of the generation that God was no longer going to allow to enter the Promised Land. Although she was the sister of the leader of Israel, that did not guarantee her safe passage into the Promised Land. God does not look at what our human status is in life, to Him, we are really all the same. Miriam was just as sinful as the rest of the Israelites. Plus, we have already seen where she led a revolt against Moses, questioning his authority, ultimately questioning God’s authority. Although it is sad to see Miriam die, it shows how God sticks to His word. He did not change His mind about Miriam just because she was Moses’ sister.

After her death, the Israelites once again began speaking out against Moses and Aaron. The problem this time was that they had no water. Once again, they were questioning Moses and God, wishing that they had stayed in Egypt. But what they have already forgotten is that it is not Moses or God’s fault that they are about to die in the wilderness (like Miriam). It is their own fault that they will not see the Promised Land. Moses does not want to see them suffer, however, and he goes to God for help. He understood that God is our provider, and this is just one of multiple occasions in which He goes to God for help for their basic needs. Notice that Moses was not going to God for money or fame. He was not asking for God to meet his desires and wants. He was going to God for his most basic needs. Now although there is nothing wrong with having other “things” in life, we must be careful about how much we think about and pray about those “wants” in our lives. Like Moses, we must learn to go to God for our most basic needs. I think that there are many times in which I forget to ask God for those needs and try to provide them for myself. Like the Israelites, I forget about what He has done for me in the past and neglect to trust Him for my future.

The second lesson we can learn from Moses’ encounter with God is full trust in God. Moses knew that he should go to God when he was in need, and at first this appears to be just another case of Moses’ trust in God and obedience to God. But reading further, this story does not end so well. Whether it is because Moses is prideful or because he is angry at Israel, he decides that rather than speaking to the rock (as God had commanded), He will strike it twice in order to get the water. To show His faithfulness, God allows the rock to spring forth water (for Moses did speak to it). But because of Moses’ disobedience in striking the rock, God also shows His judgment once again. This time the judgment falls on Moses and Aaron for their lack of trust in God. For not following His commands (they followed “part” of His commands), He declared that they too will not inherit the Promised Land. They had been God’s chosen leaders to lead Israel back to Canaan, but now that role would have to be handed down to someone else.

I sometimes feel like the punishment given to Moses here is too harsh. The human side of me wants to defend Moses and say, “but he just hit the rock, what is so bad about that? It was such a small command. Is that really going to be the reason that he will not get to go to the Promised Land?” But it does not matter how “small” we may think the disobedience was, it was still blatant disobedience to God (sin). He was exhibiting his anger at the people, and he was also expressing anger toward God. It really did show a lack of trust. This should serve as a warning to us when we disobey God’s commands (which we do all the time). God does not tolerate sin, and there are consequences from our sin.

Matt

Numbers 17-18

Numbers 17-18

To settle all of the grumblings and attempts at overthrowing Moses and Aaron, God develops a way to prove that they are chosen. For Aaron, God asks that every tribe’s leader bring a staff to the tabernacle, Aaron would represent Levi. They would leave the staffs there for one night, and whichever staff budded over night would be the one that God had chosen. So the tribes agree and go through the process. The next day, they find that Aaron’s staff is the one that has budded. Then finally, for the first time since their rebellion, they understand what is about to happen. They see that Aaron is indeed the one who had been chosen from among them, and they also understand the fate that they face. They realize that what God told them about never entering the Promised Land was reality, and they were just going to have to deal with it.

How many times do we put God to the test in this way? We read His word, or hear His commands from other, but we do not let them change the way in which we live. We hear of possible consequences for our actions (it was a sure consequence for the Israelites), but we do not let that affect the way in which we live. We continue to rebel against God or try to figure out a way around His consequences. We must learn from the Israelites not to put God to the test in this way. Maybe there is a situation you are currently in, and you have not yet reached the dangerous consequences it could bring. Take it from the Israelites to turn back to God before it is too late. Do not wait too long, or you may endure similar consequences. Now of course, as Christians, there is still forgiveness (for God has indeed covered all sins you will commit if you truly are a Christian). But be careful not to use that as a crutch. First make sure that you are a Christian and use that situation to evaluate your life.

God then lays out the duties for the priests (those with Aaron) and the Levites (whom Aaron represents). Numbers 18 is primarily a listing of what they are to do with the different offerings and sacrifices brought to the tabernacle. It is not really a repeat of laws previously mentioned. It basically further clarifies what the duties are, urging the priests to follow them correctly. One obvious reason to follow these commands is to remain obedient to God, which God calls everyone to. But by following the commands, they were also receiving their inheritance, their part of God’s promise to Israel. Whereas the other tribes would receive the land, once they arrived in it, the tribe of Levi would inherit the priesthood and all that came with it. Their food and supplies would come from the offerings brought to the tabernacle. God would sustain them through their service to Him.

This discussion about the priests and Levites roles shows God’s provision for His people. However, just because in this instance it shows that provision being primarily through wealth, do not get the idea that wealth is the only way in which God provides or blesses His children. One thing I really learned last weekend was the fact that we are never promised to be wealthy just because of our obedience. God’s provision for our lives may come through wealth, but it may also come through having just enough to survive (God meeting our basic needs), or it may come through some type of suffering (where we see God working in our lives, providing protection). Remember that Jesus never promised that we would be wealthy if we followed Him. In fact, He was quoted on many occasions as to saying that we must give up everything to follow Him. So when you read that God provided for someone, do not immediately jump to thinking about being provided for monetarily, because although it may include being financially stable, it may not. God may provide for us in some other way. But one thing is for certain, for the children of God, obedience to His commands is evidence that He lives in us, and we can be assured of our eternal possessions.

Matt

Numbers 16

Numbers 16

It is interesting that Korah’s rebellion comes right after the rebellion of the nation of Israel. At this point, God had already told the Israelites that they would no longer be allowed to enter the Promised Land. Therefore, nothing they did would change His mind or change the situation. But as for Korah, he decided to lead another revolt against Moses, as well as Aaron. He and his group of followers already served in the tabernacle as part of the tribe of Levi. Now they desired more, wanting to be a part of the priesthood that God had given to Aaron. This is a classic example of greed. They were not only greedy for power in the nation, but they were also not satisfied with what they had been given. They had been specifically chosen by God to carry out some of the duties at the tabernacle, but they were not satisfied so they sought after more prestige. We must be careful to never question the tasks that God has given us or think that they are too small. We all serve a purpose, and God has given us all certain gifts and opportunities in order to serve Him according to His will and for His glory. Instead of being discontent with what we have been given, we should be more focused on using those gifts for His glory (not ours).

Another group from within Korah’s group also brought up the fact that Moses had led them out of Egypt only to die in the wilderness. In one sense this was a false claim, for that was never God’s intentions or Moses’ plans. Moses was only following God’s commands. But when the people rebelled, and God took that privilege away from the Israelites, Moses enforced that command as well. So in a sense, they were going to be left to die in the wilderness, but it was not because Moses had planned on this all along; it was because they rebelled.

The men still wanted to prove that they were more worthy of leading Israel or being the leaders of the priesthood than Moses and Aaron. So Moses asked them to come out the next morning and let God settle it. His glory would shine upon the ones whom He had chosen. God was furious with Korah and his followers and desired once again to just end it all, killing off every Israelite as He had wanted to before. But once again, Moses pleaded that He reconsider so that the other Israelites would not be punished for Korah’s sin. Although they would one day die without seeing the land, Moses asked that this not be that day. God then asked Moses to get everyone away from Korah and his 250 men, and He killed them all on the spot by causing the ground to swallow them alive. He once again made Himself known to the people of Israel and showed them that He had indeed chosen Moses to lead them.

Even after this powerful display of God’s power, for some reason, the people still rebelled. They still could not see or refused to see that God had chosen Moses to lead them, and that He still wanted to be their God. But when they rebelled this third time (all pretty close together), God began to send a plague on them to destroy them all. Now while He did not end up killing off all of Israel, He did kill 14,700 Israelites that day. This should have served as another sign of God’s power, but it still did not bring them back to God. Once again, before we jump on the Israelites for being so blind to the truth, go back and think of how you have rejected God. There are many times in life when we forget what God has done for us, we forget His power, we feel like we can run our lives better than He can, or that we do not need His help in life. During those times, we are living just like the Israelites. Instead of condemning the Israelites, we need to learn from their mistakes, lest we fall into the same sinful pattern.

Matt

Numbers 15

Numbers 15

When the Israelites enter the land, God knew that there would be new foods for the Israelites as well as new spices. As a result, He had to clarify some of the laws that He had previously given them. It is not that God changed the way in which they offered the different sacrifices that He gave them in Leviticus, but He is now adding a few more guidelines in order to cover for some of the new items they will have in the new land. One specific instance of this is seen with the bread, which some call the “Dough Offering.” Just as the Israelites were to give their first fruits back to God, they were to also give back the first of their bread. This was a further symbol of their dependence on, trust in, and worship of God.

Ever since the Israelites had left Egypt (up until this point in the story), God had given them many different laws to follow. The consequences for breaking any of those laws always ranged from death, to exile, and to being unclean. In order to be considered clean again or be forgiven, they were to bring forth certain offerings and make sacrifices to God. Now God accounts for those times in which the Israelites sinned unintentionally, when they either sinned unknowingly or did not know that what they were doing was a sin. There is still punishment, because a sin is a sin, but there were those times in which they did not realize that they had sinned and when others around them failed to notice it as well. So God explained how to go about offering sacrifices for these sins and once again gave a clear set of instructions for these instances. Remember that we do not go by these various laws any more, due to the New Covenant. But we might still have unintentional sins. We are still forgiven for these sins by the blood of Jesus, but the more we read and study God’s Word, the more aware we will be about what we can and cannot do. This should never be seen as an excuse for sin, because drawing closer to God will reveal these areas in our lives so that we can correct them.

Whereas Numbers 15 speaks a great deal on unintentional sins, it briefly mentions the intentional sins, assuming that the Israelites already knew the requirements and consequences for those sins. Near the end of the chapter, an example is given about one of these intentional sins. It shows a man who worked on the Sabbath. After being brought to Moses and Moses seeking God’s advice, God commands that he be stoned to death for breaking the Sabbath, which was the punishment God sat forth for breaking that commandment from that moment forward. Also notice, that once again this brief example further fulfills God’s promise that no one from that generation of Israelites would enter the Promised Land.

The end of Numbers 15 is to me a great idea that I think could be incorporated today, but I am not sure how. In order to help the Israelites have a physical reminder of God’s commands each day, He commanded them to wear a tassel on the corners of their garments. Then, every time that they saw that tassel, they would be reminded of His commands and if they were in the middle of doing something they knew to be wrong, they might think twice before going through with it. Now while God’s Word should be in the forefront of our mind at all times anyways, that is not always the case. We should not need a reminder, for it should come natural each day to follow God’s commands. But I still think that it would be a great idea if there was some way that we could always have a physical reminder for times such as this. One practical way that I can think of right now is having Scripture posted in different places in our lives, where we will be sure to see it: such as at your desk, in your car, on your bathroom mirror, on the kitchen table, etc. This incorporates both ideas together. Scripture would serve as that physical reminder and it would help you in learning Scripture, so that His Word would be in your mind at all times.

Matt

Numbers 14

Numbers 14

After the negative report from several of the spies, the people of Israel decide that it would have been best for them to have remained in Egypt. They no longer believe that they will one day inherit the land that God had promised them. So they cry out against Moses, and then Aaron, demanding to find a new leader that will take them back to their slavery in Egypt. So Joshua and Caleb step in to calm the people down, telling them that they believe that God will still give them the land. They knew that God had promised the Israelites that they would be able to overcome all the peoples that inhabited Canaan at that time so that the Israelites could re-inherit the land. So they asked the people to reconsider, remember what God had done for them, remember His promises to them, and get ready to conquer the land. But the people cried out against them as well, threatening to stone them. So God interceded by proclaiming that because of their lack of trust in Him, He was going to destroy the people of Israel and start over again with Moses. Look back at Numbers 13 for an explanation on why we must be careful at becoming angry with the Israelites (remember that we do the same thing sometimes).

Moses then spoke with God, asking Him to reconsider. Moses did not intercede because of the people primarily. He did not intercede for his own life either. Moses interceded on their behalf primarily for God’s name, for His glory. He was concerned that if God struck down His own people that the nations around who had heard of His great power and how He provided for the Israelites would begin to question His power. God would lose credibility with the other nations, and they would not turn to Him. Remember that God had said all the nations would be blessed through Israel. God’s big picture plan was to redeem all the nations unto Himself, but He began with Israel. As a result of this discussion, God decided that He would pardon Israel for the sake of His name, for the sake of His glory. It is important to understand that He did not spare their lives because of something they had done or because they deserved it. He spared them in order to show that He will always uphold His end of the covenant (even when we break our end). He spared them in order to preserve His name among the nations.

Although God spared them from His wrath at this moment, He also let them know that there would be consequences for their actions. As a result of their continual lack of faith in God, He would no longer allow them to enter the land. He still held to His promise that Abraham’s descendants would one day enter the land, but that day would not come for another 40 years. God was going to kill off every person in Israel that was 20 years of age or older. That meant that all the children would become the new leaders of Israel by the time they entered the Promised Land. The only other exceptions were Moses, Caleb, and Joshua at this time. Because of their faithfulness to God, they would still be protected and allowed entrance into the land. It is not always easy to do the right thing, especially when everyone else around you is trying to lead you in the wrong direction. But these 3 men stood against the rest of the people and held fast to what they knew was true. As a result, God chose to protect them and allow them to lead His people in the coming years.

After hearing these words, the people were greatly distressed, and they decided that they would basically test God. Moses had just told them that they would never be able to inherit the land, but they decided to try it anyways. So they marched into the land for battle, only to find that the Lord did not go with them (as He had already told them). Many died that day, trying to possess the land that God had refused to give to that generation of people. Within a day of God’s judgment and Moses’ prophesy that none of them would inherit the land, a great number of Israelites died in the wilderness. As if the sudden lack of trust in God was not bad enough, now the Israelites were blatantly disobeying God’s Word.

Matt

Secret Church and Storms

So you may be wondering where I have been the last several days. Well it has been a wild adventure since last Wednesday. Thursday night was extremely hectic. Another guy and myself met with some our 6th graders from church for a fun night of games and a Bible study. After that, the two of us hung out for a while, just talking. That then led to me needing to finish some homework while getting ready for a room check the next day. Before I knew it, the night was gone.

I would have cleaned my room on Friday, but I left Union at 9:30 to head down to Birmingham, Alabama. So I did all my cleaning Thursday night. On Friday, two of us from West Jackson went to the Church at Brook Hills for Secret Church. Basically, this is a 6 hour sermon/worship service led by their pastor, David Platt. He does this twice a year, and this session's topic was "The Gospel, Possessions, and Prosperity." We looked at what the Bible says about our possessions from Genesis to Revelation. We then looked at what the "Prosperity Gospel" is and how it is really not the gospel at all. I may give a better summary of the night later. We only had about 100 pages of notes from the night, which actually carried over to a 7 hour sermon.

At 2:00 that next morning, were finally went to bed in the hotel room, and then at 3:30 I was up again. There was severe weather back at home, and since Madison County (a.k.a. Union) went under a tornado warning, I received the alert through my phone. On top of that, I had a friend camping, and his girlfriend was trying to get in touch with him, so I was also trying to help her out, again at 3:30 in the morning. It was hard to concentrate on what was going on when I was so tired and I was not actually going through the storm at that moment. After all that excitement was over, I went back to sleep, only to wake back up at 6:00 with more alerts about cancellations on campus. Then, at 8:00 I woke up for the final time to my dad telling me to come on home so that we could beat the storms.

We had planned on leaving between 9:00 and 10:00, but since the storms were on there way, we decided to go ahead and leave. I only got about 5 hours of sleep altogether. We had perfect weather for most of the trip home, that is until we got to Selmer, TN. The rain stared then, and just a few miles outside of Henderson, it was hard to see the road any longer. I finally made it out of that torrential downpour and got to South Jackson. We were just a few minutes from home, but that is when the floods came. It had rained so much down here, that parking lots and roads were flooded. I have never seen so much water on the streets before. This was my first flood, and what should have taken just a few minutes to get through took an hour!

I made it back to campus, hoping to get caught up on some work, when my Internet went out. A lightning strike knocked out the Internet for a big section of our campus. So that is why I have not posted for so long. The Internet just came back today! I enjoyed the night by watching the race, and then a new line of storms began making its way into TN again. I never went to bed Saturday night in fear of the storms that were coming. So I kicked back and played a few games and read for a while keeping an eye on the weather.

About 12:30 it seemed as if the worst of the storms were gone, so I went to bed. But I left my radio on so that I would hear any weather alerts, and I kept my cell phone turned up in case I got an alert from Union. Sure enough, I had not been asleep but about 40 minutes when I heard a tornado warning go in effect for my home county. I got up to see what was going on and realized it was not for my town in particular. I was just about to go back to bed when I noticed a strong cell coming to Madison County again. The guys on the weather station said that it would not effect Jackson, but it would cause us to go into a tornado warning. So I went ahead and got up, woke up my roommate, and when the sirens went off, we went downstairs. This was around 1:30-2:00.

Shortly after 3:00 we were able to go back to our rooms, but the weather was not done. I continued to watch the coverage, for there were a few last cells that had potential for producing tornadoes, and I did not want to go to bed just to be woken up again. By 5:00, I was back in bed, and I slept until 10:30 Sunday. Church was cancelled due to all the flooding in Jackson, so I got to sleep in. But I had a couple of friends trying to get home from Florida, and they were wondering the best way to go. So I got up and helped them out the best I could.

I am still pretty tired, but with no class tomorrow, I will be sleeping in late! From Friday morning at 6:30 (when I got up) to Sunday morning at 5:00 (when I went to bed), I only got 6 hours of sleep. I am glad this crazy weekend is over. It was both amazing (with Secret Church) and stressful/tiring (with the storms). But once again, God protected us. Please pray for those who did endure much worse weather. Many have lost homes through the floods and the tornadoes that did hit. I know how hard it is to go through one of those storms, so continue to pray for them as they all begin to rebuild.

Tomorrow, I will return to writing about Numbers, and I will try to write about Secret Church in a few days as well. Also, I bought David Platt's book at Secret Church, and from what I have read so far, it is really good, but also convicting. It comes out tomorrow, so go check it out!

Matt