dangerous discontent

Posted on March 11, 2018 by Jefferson Vann

marmsky March 2018 (11)

devotions from Jefferson Vann # 2317

Numbers 16:25-50

Num 16:25 Then Moses got up and went to Dathan and Abiram, and the elders of Israel followed him.
Num 16:26 And he spoke to the congregation, and this is what he said, “Get away, please, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing that belongs to them, or else you will be swept away with all their sins.”
Num 16:27 So they got away from the staying of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. And Dathan and Abiram came out and stood at the door of their tents, together with their wives, their sons, and their little ones.
Num 16:28 And Moses said, “Hereby you will know that Yahveh has sent me to do all these works, and that it has not been of my own accord.
Num 16:29 If these men die as all men die, or if they are visited by the fate of all mankind, then Yahveh has not sent me.
Num 16:30 But if Yahveh creates something new, and the ground opens its mouth and swallows them up with all that belongs to them, and they go down alive into Sheol, then you will know that these men have despised Yahveh.”
Num 16:31 And as soon as he had finished speaking all these words, the ground under them split apart.
Num 16:32 And the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, with their households and all the people who belonged to Korah and all their belongings.
Num 16:33 So they and all that belonged to them went down alive into Sheol, and the earth closed over them, and they were destroyed from the midst of the collected assembly.
Num 16:34 And all Israel who were around them ran away at their cry, because they said, “Or else the earth will swallow us up!”
Num 16:35 And fire came out from Yahveh and consumed the 250 men offering the incense.
Num 16:36 Then Yahveh spoke to Moses, and this is what he said,
Num 16:37 “Tell Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest to take up the censers out of the blaze. Then scatter the fire far and wide, because they have become holy.
Num 16:38 As for the censers of these men who have sinned at the cost of their souls, let them be made into hammered plates as a covering for the altar, because they offered them in the sight of Yahveh, and they became holy. Thus they will be a sign to the people of Israel.”
Num 16:39 So Eleazar the priest took the bronze censers, which those who were burned had offered, and they were hammered out as a covering for the altar,
Num 16:40 to be a reminder to the people of Israel, so that no outsider, who is not of the descendants of Aaron, should draw near to burn incense in the sight of Yahveh, or else he will become like Korah and his company– as Yahveh said to him through Moses.
Num 16:41 But on the next day all the congregation of the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and against Aaron, and this is what he said “You have killed the people of Yahveh.”
Num 16:42 And when the congregation had collected against Moses and against Aaron, they turned toward the conference tent. And notice, the cloud covered it, and the impressive appearance of Yahveh appeared.
Num 16:43 And Moses and Aaron came to the front of the conference tent,
Num 16:44 and Yahveh spoke to Moses, and this is what he said
Num 16:45 “Get away from the midst of this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment.” And they fell on their faces.
Num 16:46 And Moses said to Aaron, “Take your censer, and put fire on it from off the altar and lay incense on it and carry it quickly to the congregation and provide reconciliation for them, because wrath has gone out from Yahveh; the plague has begun.”
Num 16:47 So Aaron took it as Moses said and ran into the midst of the collected assembly. And notice, the plague had already begun among the people. And he put on the incense and made atonement for the people.
Num 16:48 And he stood between the dead and the living, and the plague was stopped.
Num 16:49 Now those who died in the plague were 14,700, besides those who died in the affair of Korah.
Num 16:50 And Aaron returned to Moses at the entrance of the conference tent, when the plague was stopped.

dangerous discontent

Those rebellious pretenders spread their dangerous discontent about Moses and Aaron were swallowed up by the ground. The would-be priests who were self appointed were struck down by fire from the sky. Even as we read these things, our minds have difficulty conceiving of them. But the hardest to believe is what is recorded in verse 41. How can the community continue to complain? Where is their fear of God? Without the courageous intervention of Moses and Aaron, the whole community would have died of the plague.

FATHER GOD, give us the wisdom to learn from the mistakes of those people — to fear you and follow you, because you are holy, and your will is supreme.

Posted in criticism, discernment, fear | Tagged | 1 Comment

going too far

Posted on March 10, 2018 by Jefferson Vann

marmsky March 2018 (10)

devotional post # 2316

Numbers 16:1-24

Num 16:1 Then Korah the son of Izhar, son of Kohath, son of Levi, and Dathan and Abiram the sons of Eliab, and On the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took men.
Num 16:2 And they rose up in the sight of Moses, with a number of the people of Israel, 250 leaders of the congregation, chosen from the collection, well-known men.
Num 16:3 They collected themselves together against Moses and against Aaron and said to them, “You have gone too far! Because all in the congregation are holy, every one of them, and Yahveh is among them. Why then do you exalt yourselves above the collected assembly of Yahveh?”
Num 16:4 When Moses heard it, he fell on his face,
Num 16:5 and he said to Korah and all his company, “In the morning Yahveh will show who is his, and who is holy, and will bring him near to him. The one whom he chooses he will bring near to him.
Num 16:6 Do this: take censers, Korah and all his company;
Num 16:7 put fire in them and put incense on them in the sight of Yahveh tomorrow, and the man whom Yahveh chooses will be the holy one. You have gone too far, sons of Levi!”
Num 16:8 And Moses said to Korah, “Hear now, you sons of Levi:
Num 16:9 is it too small a thing for you that the God of Israel has separated you from the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to himself, to do service in the tabernacle of Yahveh and to stand in the sight of the congregation to minister to them,
Num 16:10 and that he has brought you near him, and all your brothers the sons of Levi with you? And would you seek the priesthood also?
Num 16:11 Therefore it is against Yahveh that you and all your company have collected. What is Aaron that you grumble against him?”
Num 16:12 And Moses sent to call Dathan and Abiram the sons of Eliab, and they said, “We will not come up.
Num 16:13 Is it a small thing that you have brought us up out of a land flowing with milk and honey, to kill us in the wilderness, that you must also make yourself a prince over us?
Num 16:14 Moreover, you have not brought us into a land flowing with milk and honey, nor given us inheritance of fields and vineyards. Will you put out the eyes of these men? We will not come up.”
Num 16:15 And Moses was very angry and said to Yahveh, “Do not respect their offering. I have not taken one donkey from them, and I have not harmed one of them.”
Num 16:16 And Moses said to Korah, “Be present, you and all your company, in the sight of Yahveh, you and they, and Aaron, tomorrow.
Num 16:17 And let every one of you take his censer and put incense on it, and every one of you bring in the sight of Yahveh his censer, 250 censers; you also, and Aaron, each his censer.”
Num 16:18 So every man took his censer and put fire in them and laid incense on them and stood at the entrance of the conference tent with Moses and Aaron.
Num 16:19 Then Korah collected all the congregation against them at the entrance of the conference tent. And the impressive appearance of Yahveh appeared to all the congregation.
Num 16:20 And Yahveh spoke to Moses and to Aaron, and this is what he said
Num 16:21 “Separate yourselves from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment.”
Num 16:22 And they fell on their faces and said, “O God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, will one man make a mistake, and will you be angry with all the congregation?”
Num 16:23 And Yahveh spoke to Moses, and this is what he said
Num 16:24 “Say to the congregation, Get away from the staying of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.”

going too far

The 250 men who challenged the leadership of Moses and Aaron accused them of exalting themselves above Yahveh’s assembly. The men had positions of leadership within their own clans, companies and tribes, but they envied the ministry positions of Moses and Aaron.

In the church today, we are often tempted to criticize those who serve with more prominence. We all have equal status before the LORD. But it is the Holy Spirit who decides where and how we will serve. When we use our equal status to criticize and rebel, we anger him. We go too far.

LORD, show us how to respect those whom you call to serve.

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distinctive loyalty

Posted on March 9, 2018 by Jefferson Vann

marmsky March 2018 (9)

devotional post # 2315

Numbers 15:37-41

Num 15:37 Yahveh said to Moses,
Num 15:38 “Speak to the people of Israel, and tell them to make tassels on the corners of their garments throughout their generations, and to put a cord of blue on the tassel of each corner.
Num 15:39 And it will be a tassel for you to look at and remember all the commandments of Yahveh, to do them, not to follow after your own heart and your own eyes, which you are inclined to prostitute yourselves for.
Num 15:40 So you will remember and do all my commandments, and be holy to your God.
Num 15:41 I am Yahveh your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt to be your God: I am Yahveh your God.”

distinctive loyalty

In between two stories of rebellion, this instruction about tassels appears. In Jesus’ day, the people assumed that his tassels had power to heal them (Matthew 9:20; 14:26). But apparently the tradition was initiated in order to remind the Israelites that they were to be distinctively loyal to Yahveh.

The blue cords represented the sky, although not part of the original prescription) the tassels came to have four strings, each representing a letter in Yahveh’s name (YHVH). The spaces around the tassels came to be associated with the five books of Moses.

LORD, make us –as a people– distinctive in our loyalty to you.

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harmless or horrible?

Posted on March 8, 2018 by Jefferson Vann

marmsky March 2018 (8)

devotional post # 2314

Numbers 15:32-36

Num 15:32 While the people of Israel were in the desert, they found a man gathering sticks on the Sabbath day.
Num 15:33 And those who found him gathering sticks brought him to Moses and Aaron and to all the congregation.
Num 15:34 They put him in custody, because it had not been made clear what should be done to him.
Num 15:35 And Yahveh said to Moses, “The man will be put to death; all the congregation will stone him with stones outside the camp.”
Num 15:36 And all the congregation brought him outside the camp and stoned him to death with stones, as Yahveh commanded Moses.

harmless or horrible?

Our sensibilities are disturbed by such a story. It seems to reflect an overkill — a violent reaction to a rather harmless, victimless crime. Yet, we must remember that the entire community had been rescued from slavery by Yahveh God. He had required of his rescued people that they honor his rescue from slave labor by refraining from labor on the Sabbath. They all had agreed — including this man.

This minor act of rebellion was just that. It was rebellion. And it was right for the community to seek the judgment of the God who had commanded Sabbath observance.

LORD, show us how to honor you by doing what you ask us to do.

Posted in judgment, rebellion | Tagged | 1 Comment

God of grace and mercy

Posted on March 7, 2018 by Jefferson Vann

marmsky March 2018 (7)

devotional post # 2313

Numbers 15:22-31

Num 15:22 “But if you inadvertently make a mistake, and do not observe all these commands that Yahveh has spoken to Moses,
Num 15:23 all that Yahveh has commanded you by Moses, from the day that Yahveh gave a command, and onward throughout your generations,
Num 15:24 then if it was done inadvertently without the knowledge of the congregation, all the congregation will offer one bull from the herd for an ascending offering, a soothing aroma to Yahveh, with its tribute offering and its drink offering, according to the rule, and one male goat for a mistake offering.
Num 15:25 And the priest will provide reconciliation for all the congregation of the people of Israel, and they will be forgiven, because it was a mistake, and they have brought their offering, a fire offering to Yahveh, and their mistake offering in the sight of Yahveh for their mistake.
Num 15:26 And all the congregation of the people of Israel will be forgiven, and the foreign guest who lives temporarily among them, because the whole population was involved in the mistake.
Num 15:27 “If one soul inadvertently sins, he will offer a female goat a year old for a mistake offering.
Num 15:28 And the priest will provide reconciliation in the sight of Yahveh for the soul who makes a mistake, when he sins inadvertently, to provide reconciliation for him, and he will be forgiven.
Num 15:29 You will have one law for him who does anything inadvertently, for him who is native among the people of Israel and for the foreign guest who lives temporarily among them.
Num 15:30 But the soul who does anything presumptuously, whether he is native or a foreign guest, reviles Yahveh, and that soul will be eliminated from among his people.
Num 15:31 Because he has despised the word of Yahveh and has broken his command, that soul will be utterly eliminated; his violation will be on him.”

God of grace and mercy

Every one of the sacrifice regulations in the Mosaic law is a theological statement. Those listed in verses 13-21 speak of God as a God of grace. He will continue to bless, and the offerings prescribed are a way to respond to that grace. The regulations prescribed in verses 22-31 are a way to respond to God’s mercy. The LORD gives his people a way to be forgiven if they make a mistake as a people, or if an individual does.

But there are limits to God’s mercy. A person who willfully, defiantly rebels still bears the penalty for that rebellion.

LORD, thank you for being a God of mercy. We throw ourselves upon your mercy. We do not deserve your forgiveness, but we desperately need it.

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immutable God

Posted on March 6, 2018 by Jefferson Vann

marmsky March 2018 (6)

devotional post # 2312

Numbers 15:13-21

Num 15:13 Every native Israelite will do these things in this way, in offering a fire offering, with a soothing aroma to Yahveh.
Num 15:14 And if a foreign guest is sojourning with you, or anyone is living permanently among you, and he wishes to offer a fire offering, with a soothing aroma to Yahveh, he will do as you do.
Num 15:15 For the collected assembly, there will be one prescription for you and for the foreign guest who sojourns with you, a permanent prescription throughout your generations. You and the sojourner will be alike in the sight of Yahveh.
Num 15:16 One law and one rule will be for you and for the foreign guest who sojourns with you.”
Num 15:17 Yahveh spoke to Moses, and this is what he said
Num 15:18 “Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, When you come into the land to which I bring you
Num 15:19 and when you eat of the bread of the land, you will present a contribution to Yahveh.
Num 15:20 Of the firstfruits of your dough you will present a loaf as a contribution; like a contribution from the threshing floor, so will you present it.
Num 15:21 Some of the firstfruits of your dough you will give to Yahveh as a contribution throughout your generations.

immutable God

A couple of principles within the Mosaic law are highlighted here. They are not new regulations. They are just being highlighted at this point because the Israelites had just suffered a major setback, and they needed assurance that God was not going to change.

First, within the community, God was accessible to all — even the foreign guests.
Secondly, God’s blessing will continue in spite of failure in the past. Particularly we are being assured that God will make good on his ultimate promises.

FAITHFUL FATHER, thank you for access to you, and for the ultimate blessing we will all share in Christ.

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perspective change

Posted on March 5, 2018 by Jefferson Vann

marmsky March 2018 (5)

devotional post # 2311

Numbers 15:1-12

Num 15:1 Yahveh spoke to Moses, and this is what he said,
Num 15:2 “Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, When you come into the land you are to inhabit, which I am giving you,
Num 15:3 and you offer to Yahveh from the herd or from the flock a fire offering or an ascending offering or a sacrifice, to fulfill a solemn pledge or as a spontaneous voluntary offering or at your appointed feasts, to make a soothing aroma for Yahveh,
Num 15:4 then the one who brings his offering will offer to Yahveh a tribute offering of a tenth of an ephah of fine flour, mixed with a quarter of a hin of oil;
Num 15:5 and you will offer with the ascending offering, or for the sacrifice, a quarter of a hin of wine for the drink offering for each lamb.
Num 15:6 Or for a ram, you will offer for a tribute offering two tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with a third of a hin of oil.
Num 15:7 And for the drink offering you will offer a third of a hin of wine, a soothing aroma to Yahveh.
Num 15:8 And when you offer a bull as an ascending offering or sacrifice, to fulfill a solemn pledge or for offering for healthy relationshipss to Yahveh,
Num 15:9 then one will offer with the bull a tribute offering of three tenths of an ephah of fine flour, mixed with half a hin of oil.
Num 15:10 And you will offer for the drink offering half a hin of wine, as a fire offering, a soothing aroma to Yahveh.
Num 15:11 “Thus it will be done for each bull or ram, or for each lamb or young goat.
Num 15:12 As many as you offer, so will you do with each one, as many as there are.

perspective change

This passage reminds me of some of the novels I read. Just when the action gets to fever pitch, the author starts a new chapter and spends a lot of time setting the stage for something new by going to a different aspect of the story. The author knows that readers are anxious to know who survived the attack, and what happened next. But the change of subject has its purpose.

Likewise, Moses’ change of subject here is intentional. God still has a plan to bring his people to the promised land.

LOVING FATHER, no matter what tragedies and setbacks we face, thank you for the glorious future that awaits us. Give us the perspective that comes from that future reality.

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all the right things

Posted on March 4, 2018 by Jefferson Vann

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devotional post # 2310

Numbers 14:39-45

Num 14:39 When Moses told these words to all the people of Israel, the people mourned greatly.
Num 14:40 And they rose early in the morning and went up to the heights of the hill country, and this is what they said, “Here we are. We will go up to the place that Yahveh has promised, because we have sinned.”
Num 14:41 But Moses said, “Why now will you be transgressing the command of Yahveh, when that will not succeed?
Num 14:42 Do not go up, because Yahveh is not among you, or else you will be struck down in the sight of your enemies.
Num 14:43 Because there the Amalekites and the Canaanites are facing you, and you will fall by the sword. Because you have turned your back from following Yahveh, Yahveh will not be with you.”
Num 14:44 But they presumed to go up to the heights of the hill country, although neither the ark of the covenant of Yahveh nor Moses left from the camp.
Num 14:45 Then the Amalekites and the Canaanites who lived in that hill country came down and defeated them and pursued them, even as far as Hormah.

all the right things

Grief over sin and fear of the LORD’s judgment are good things. Courage to meet the LORD’s challenge and face your enemies is a good thing. But for the Israelites, after they had rejected the LORD’s path and followed the majority report of the scouts, all those good and right things were wrong. The law of Moses is a testimony to faith. Once faith is gone, obedience is disobedience.

LORD, give us the wisdom to follow you in faith — first. Do not allow us to substitute a pretend obedience for a true faith.

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the price of failed leadership

Posted on March 3, 2018 by Jefferson Vann

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devotional post # 2309

Numbers 14:26-38

Num 14:26 And Yahveh spoke to Moses and to Aaron, and this is what he said,
Num 14:27 “How long will this wicked congregation complain about me? I have heard the complaints of the people of Israel, which they complain about me.
Num 14:28 Say to them, ‘As I live, declares Yahveh, what you have said in my hearing I will do to you:
Num 14:29 your dead bodies will fall in this desert, and of all your number, listed in the census from twenty years old and upward, who have complained about me,
Num 14:30 not one will come into the land where I swore that I would make you stay, except Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun.
Num 14:31 But your little ones, who you said would become a prey, I will bring in, and they will experience the land that you have rejected.
Num 14:32 But as for you, your dead bodies will fall in this desert.
Num 14:33 And your children will be shepherds in the desert forty years and will suffer for your faithlessness, until the last of your dead bodies lies in the desert.
Num 14:34 According to the number of the days in which you spied out the land, forty days, a year for each day, you will bear your violation forty years, and you will know my displeasure.’
Num 14:35 I, Yahveh, have spoken. Surely this I will do to all this wicked congregation who are collected against me: in this desert they will come to a full end, and there they will die.”
Num 14:36 And the men whom Moses sent to scout out the land, who returned and made all the congregation complain about him by bringing up a bad report about the land–
Num 14:37 the men who brought up a bad report of the land– died by plague in the sight of Yahveh.
Num 14:38 Of those men who went to scout out the land, only Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh remained alive.

the price of failed leadership

God’s judgment upon the Israelite scouts who gave the negative report was not immediate. He didn’t just strike those ten men down, regroup the Israelites, and have them march into Canaan. No, it took an entire generation before the Israelites would be given another opportunity to do what God wanted them to do. Such is the price of failed leadership.

LORD, give us the wisdom to trust you and do what you want us to do — the first time. Give us the courage to do what you have told us to do, no matter what challenges we face. We realize the consequences of disobedience.

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no alternative

Posted on March 2, 2018 by Jefferson Vann

IMG_0759

devotional post # 2308

Numbers 14:11-25

Num 14:11 And Yahveh said to Moses, “How long will this people despise me? And how long will they not believe in me, despite all the signs that I have done among them?
Num 14:12 I will strike them with the pestilence and disinherit them, and I will make of you a nation more influential and mightier than they.”
Num 14:13 But Moses said to Yahveh, “Then the Egyptians will hear of it, because you resurrected this people by your might from among them,
Num 14:14 and they will tell the inhabitants of this land. They have heard that you, O Yahveh, are in the midst of this people. Because you, O Yahveh, are seen face to face, and your cloud stands over them and you go before them, in a pillar of cloud by day and in a pillar of fire by night.
Num 14:15 Now if you exterminate this people as one man, then the nations who have heard your fame will say,
Num 14:16 ‘It is because Yahveh was not able to bring this people into the land that he swore to give to them that he has exterminated them in the wilderness.’
Num 14:17 And now, please let the power of Yahveh be great as you have promised, and this is what you said,
Num 14:18 ‘Yahveh is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, forgiving violation and transgression, but he will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the violation of the fathers on the children, to the third and the fourth generation.’
Num 14:19 Please pardon the violation of this people, according to the greatness of your steadfast love, just as you have forgiven this people, from Egypt until now.”
Num 14:20 Then Yahveh said, “I have pardoned, according to your word.
Num 14:21 But truly, as I live, and as all the earth will be filled with the impressive appearance of Yahveh,
Num 14:22 none of the men who have seen my impressive appearance and my signs that I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and yet have put me to the test these ten times and have not obeyed my voice,
Num 14:23 will see the land that I swore to give to their fathers. And none of those who despised me will see it.
Num 14:24 But my servant Caleb, because he has a different spirit and has followed me fully, I will bring into the land into which he went, and his descendants will possess it.
Num 14:25 Now, since the Amalekites and the Canaanites stay in the valleys, turn tomorrow and set out for the desert by the way to the Red Sea.”

no alternative

The LORD seems to have offered Moses an alternative to his divine plan. He told Moses that he was going to exterminate Israel and make a new, obedient, triumphant nation out of him. But Moses knew this offer was a test. Would Moses take him up on the offer? No, because Moses knew that God’s ultimate plan was to glorify himself among the nations through Israel. This rebellious, disobedient nation is his plan. Through them, he will introduce his Messiah to the world, and save it.

Heavenly Father, thank you for giving us your only Son, our Savior–redeemer of all humanity. There is no alternative to him.

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