passing on the blessing

Posted on February 19, 2018 by Jefferson Vann

marmsky Feb (19)

devotional post # 2297

Numbers 10:29-36

Num 10:29 And Moses said to Hobab the son of Reuel the Midianite, Moses’ father-in-law, “We are setting out for the place of which Yahveh said, ‘I will give it to you.’ Come with us, and we will do good to you, because Yahveh has promised good to Israel.”
Num 10:30 But he said to him, “I will not go. I will depart to my own land and to my kindred.”
Num 10:31 And he said, “Please do not leave us, because you know where we should camp in the wilderness, and you will serve as eyes for us.
Num 10:32 And if you do go with us, whatever good Yahveh will do to us, the same will we do to you.”
Num 10:33 So they set out from the mount of Yahveh three days’ journey. And the ark of the covenant of Yahveh went before them three days’ journey, to seek out a resting place for them.
Num 10:34 And the cloud of Yahveh was over them by day, whenever they set out from the camp.
Num 10:35 And whenever the ark set out, Moses said, “Arise, O Yahveh, and let your enemies be scattered, and let those who hate you run away before you.”
Num 10:36 And when it rested, he said, “Return, O Yahveh, to the ten thousand thousands of Israel.”

passing on the blessing

How did Moses know that Hobab would experience blessing just by accompanying the Israelites on their journey? For that matter, how could he be confident that the Israelites would receive good from the LORD, to pass on to Hobab’s family?

God had made a commitment to their ancestor — a man he named Abraham. If Abraham obeyed God and went where he told him to go, he would be blessed. He was responsible to pass on that blessing to the nations he passed through.

LORD, make us a blessing to the nations where you send us.

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ready to go

Posted on February 18, 2018 by Jefferson Vann

marmsky Feb (19)

devotional post # 2296

Numbers 10:11-28

Num 10:11 Then in the second year, in the second month, on the twentieth day of the month, this happened: the cloud lifted from over the tabernacle of the testimony,
Num 10:12 and the sons of Israel set out by stages from the Sinai desert. And the cloud settled down in the wilderness of Paran.
Num 10:13 They set out for the first time at the command of Yahveh by Moses.
Num 10:14 The standard of the camp of the people of Judah set out first by their companies, and over their company was Nahshon the son of Amminadab.
Num 10:15 And over the company of the tribe of the people of Issachar was Nethanel the son of Zuar.
Num 10:16 And over the company of the tribe of the people of Zebulun was Eliab the son of Helon.
Num 10:17 And when the tabernacle was taken down, the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari, who carried the tabernacle, set out.
Num 10:18 And the standard of the camp of Reuben set out by their companies, and over their company was Elitsur the son of Shedeur.
Num 10:19 And over the company of the tribe of the people of Simeon was Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai.
Num 10:20 And over the company of the tribe of the people of Gad was Elyasaph the son of Deuel.
Num 10:21 Then the Kohathites set out, carrying the holy things, and the tabernacle was set up before their arrival.
Num 10:22 And the standard of the camp of the people of Ephraim set out by their companies, and over their company was Elishama the son of Ammihud.
Num 10:23 And over the company of the tribe of the people of Manasseh was Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur.
Num 10:24 And over the company of the tribe of the people of Benjamin was Abidan the son of Gideoni.
Num 10:25 Then the standard of the camp of the people of Dan, acting as the rear guard of all the camps, set out by their companies, and over their company was Achiezer the son of Ammishaddai.
Num 10:26 And over the company of the tribe of the people of Asher was Pagiel the son of Ochran.
Num 10:27 And over the company of the tribe of the people of Naphtali was Achira the son of Enan.
Num 10:28 This was the order of march of the people of Israel by their companies, when they set out.

ready to go

There is always a first time, and these words record the first time that the nation of Israel dismantled their tabernacle, and set out as a nation to their next destination. Every group had its purpose, and the transport worked as designed. It took a great deal of planning and training to get this mobile nation going.

Christianity is a mobile nation as well. When God signals for us to go, we need to be prepared for the next satge of his plan.

LORD, make us ready to go where you want us to go next.

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trademark trumpets

Posted on February 17, 2018 by Jefferson Vann

marmsky Feb (17)

devotional post # 2295

Numbers 19:1-10

Num 10:1 Yahveh spoke to Moses, and this is what he said,
Num 10:2 “Make two silver trumpets. You will make them of hammered work, and you will use them for convening the congregation and for breaking camp.
Num 10:3 And when both are blown, all the congregation will gather themselves to you at the entrance of the conference tent.
Num 10:4 But if they blow only one, then the leaders, the heads of the tribes of Israel, should gather themselves to you.
Num 10:5 When you blow an alarm, the camps that are on the east side will set out.
Num 10:6 And when you blow an alarm the second time, the camps that are on the south side will set out. An alarm is to be blown whenever they are to set out.
Num 10:7 But when the assembly is to be collected, you will blow a long blast, but you will not sound an alarm.
Num 10:8 And the sons of Aaron, the priests, will blow the trumpets. The trumpets will be to you for a permanent prescription throughout your generations.
Num 10:9 And when you go to war in your land against the adversary who oppresses you, then you will sound an alarm with the trumpets, that you may be remembered in the sight of Yahveh your God, and you will be saved from your enemies.
Num 10:10 On the day of your gladness also, and at your appointed feasts and at the beginnings of your months, you will blow the trumpets over your ascending offerings and over the sacrifices of your offering for healthy relationshipss. They will be a reminder of you in the sight of your God: I am Yahveh your God.”

trademark trumpets

Some sounds are almost universally recognizable: the horns of trains or boats, a siren, a church bell. The two silver trumpets for the Israelite community were like that. They were blown in a variety of circumstances, but every time the Israelites heard them, they were to remember the LORD, and the LORD would remember them. It was like an advertising jingle that would spark recognition and memory.

LORD, your silver trumpets are silent today, but we await the sound of the trumpet that will announce the second coming of your Son. Come, Lord Jesus.

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guidance for the day

Posted on February 16, 2018 by Jefferson Vann

marmsky Feb (16)

devotional post # 2294

Numbers 9:15-23

Num 9:15 On the day that the tabernacle was set up, the cloud covered the tabernacle, the tent of the testimony. And at evening it was over the tabernacle like the appearance of fire until morning.
Num 9:16 So it was always: the cloud covered it by day and the appearance of fire by night.
Num 9:17 And whenever the cloud lifted from over the tent, after that the people of Israel set out, and in the place where the cloud settled down, there the people of Israel camped.
Num 9:18 At the command of Yahveh the people of Israel set out, and at the command of Yahveh they camped. As long as the cloud rested over the tabernacle, they remained in camp.
Num 9:19 Even when the cloud continued over the tabernacle many days, the people of Israel kept the charge of Yahveh and did not set out.
Num 9:20 Sometimes the cloud was a few days over the tabernacle, and according to the command of Yahveh they remained in camp; then according to the command of Yahveh they set out.
Num 9:21 And sometimes the cloud remained from evening until morning. And when the cloud lifted in the morning, they set out, or if it continued for a day and a night, when the cloud lifted they set out.
Num 9:22 Whether it was two days, or a month, or a longer time, that the cloud continued over the tabernacle, staying there, the people of Israel remained in camp and did not set out, but when it lifted they set out.
Num 9:23 At the command of Yahveh they camped, and at the command of Yahveh they set out. They kept the charge of Yahveh, at the command of Yahveh by Moses.

guidance for the day

From one day to the next, the Israelites did not know what their focus was going to be. It all depended on what God did. If his presence — symbolized by the cloud and fire — stayed put, The Israelites would stay put. But when God moved, they moved. The nation stood on the ready to respond to the guidance of its God.

You and I need to learn to do that. We need to spend time in prayer, and ask God to give us the day’s mission. Then, whether the mission is to go or stay, we need to obey.

LORD, we are ready. Give us our guidance for today.

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seeking his solution

Posted on February 15, 2018 by Jefferson Vann

marmsky Feb (15)

devotional post # 2293

Numbers 9:1-14

Num 9:1 And Yahveh spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the first month of the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt, and this is what he said
Num 9:2 “Let the people of Israel keep the Passover at its appointed time.
Num 9:3 On the fourteenth day of this month, at twilight, you will keep it at its appointed time; according to all its prescriptions and all its rules you will keep it.”
Num 9:4 So Moses told the people of Israel that they should keep the Passover.
Num 9:5 And they kept the Passover in the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month, at twilight, in the wilderness of Sinai; according to all that Yahveh commanded Moses, so the people of Israel did.
Num 9:6 And there were certain men who were contaminated because they had touched a dead soul, so that they could not keep the Passover on that day, and they came in the sight of Moses and Aaron on that day.
Num 9:7 And those men said to him, “We are contaminated because we have touched a dead soul. Why are we kept from bringing Yahveh’s offering at its appointed time among the people of Israel?”
Num 9:8 And Moses said to them, “Wait, that I may hear what Yahveh will command concerning you.”
Num 9:9 Yahveh spoke to Moses, and this is what he said,
Num 9:10 “Speak to the people of Israel, and this is what you should say: If any one of you or of your descendants is contaminated because he has touched a dead soul, or is on a long journey, he will still keep the Passover to Yahveh.
Num 9:11 In the second month on the fourteenth day at twilight they will keep it. They will eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs.
Num 9:12 They will leave none of it until the morning, nor break any of its bones; according to all the prescription for the Passover they will keep it.
Num 9:13 But if anyone who is pure and is not on a journey fails to keep the Passover, that person will be eliminated from his people because he did not bring Yahveh’s offering at its appointed time; that man will pay for his mistake.
Num 9:14 And if a foreign guest sojourns among you and wants to keep the Passover to Yahveh, according to the prescription of the Passover and according to its rule, so will he do. You will have one prescription, both for the sojourner and for the native.”

seeking his solution

This story records a test case in which two sets of instruction from the LORD contradict each other. After what happened to Nadab and Abihu (3:4), nobody presumed they knew what the LORD wanted in this case, so Moses went into the LORD’s presence and asked. God’s solution preserved the sanctity of the ritual, while allowing those excluded to be included a month later.

Fearing God means letting him solve our problems we encounter in serving him. He is the king; we defer to his judgment.

LORD, give us the wisdom to fear you, seeing your solution to our problems, not presuming things based on our own logic.

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serving while we can

Posted on February 14, 2018 by Jefferson Vann

marmsky Feb (14)

Happy Valentine’s Day –

devotional post # 2292

Numbers 8:20-26

Num 8:20 This is what Moses and Aaron and all the congregation of the people of Israel to the Levites did. The people of Israel did for them all that Yahveh commanded Moses concerning the Levites, .
Num 8:21 And the Levites purified themselves from any mistake and washed their clothes, and Aaron offered them as a presentation offering in the sight of Yahveh, and Aaron made atonement for them to purify them.
Num 8:22 And after that the Levites went in to do their service in the conference tent in the sight of Aaron and his sons; as Yahveh had commanded Moses concerning the Levites, so they did for them.
Num 8:23 And Yahveh spoke to Moses, and this is what he said,
Num 8:24 “This applies to the Levites: from twenty-five years old and upward they will come to do duty in the service of the conference tent.
Num 8:25 And from the age of fifty years they will withdraw from the duty of the service and serve no more.
Num 8:26 They can minister to their brothers in the conference tent by keeping guard, but they will do no service. This is what you will do for the Levites in assigning their duties.”

serving while we can

When the Levites were mustered for service earlier in the story, only those from 30-50 were counted. Now, Moses is instructed to allow those from 25-29 to begin participating in the work, and those who have reached the retirement age are allowed limited involvement as well. While the age requirements are designed to ensure peak performance, concessions are put into place to avoid age discrimination.

LORD, thank you for graciously allowing all of us to serve you and to share your gospel. Teach us how to make best use of our time and limited abilities and strength to serve you while we can.

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a presentation offering

Posted on February 13, 2018 by Jefferson Vann

marmsky Feb (13)

devotional post # 2291

Numbers 8:13-19

Num 8:13 And you will set the Levites in the sight of Aaron and his sons, and will offer them as a presentation offering to Yahveh.
Num 8:14 “Thus you will separate the Levites from among the people of Israel, and the Levites will be mine.
Num 8:15 And after that the Levites will go in to serve at the conference tent, when you have purified them and offered them as a presentation offering.
Num 8:16 Because they are wholly given to me from among the people of Israel. Instead of all who open the uterus, the firstborn of all the people of Israel, I have taken them for myself.
Num 8:17 Because all the firstborn among the people of Israel are mine, both of human and of animal. On the day that I struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt I consecrated them for myself,
Num 8:18 and I have taken the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the people of Israel.
Num 8:19 And I have given the Levites as a gift to Aaron and his sons from among the people of Israel, to do the service for the people of Israel at the conference tent and to provide reconciliation for the people of Israel, that there may be no plague among the people of Israel when the people of Israel come near the sanctuary.”

a presentation offering

The Levites were an exclusive special forces army dedicated to doing the LORD’s work. They assisted the priests by carrying out functions that supported the upkeep, transport and protection of the tabernacle. The LORD described as living sacrifices, substituting the firstborn of Israel. Paul would later encourage the Roman Christians to offer themselves as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, focused on learning the will of God and doing it (Rom. 12:1-2).

lord, we are a presentation offering to you. Teach us your will, that we may do it.

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cleansing before service

Posted on February 12, 2018 by Jefferson Vann

marmsky Feb (12)

devotional post # 2290

Numbers 8:5-12

Num 8:5 And Yahveh spoke to Moses, and this is what he said,
Num 8:6 “Take the Levites from among the people of Israel and purese them.
Num 8:7 Thus you will do to them to purify them: spritz the water of purification upon them, and let them go with a razor over all their body, and wash their clothes and purify themselves.
Num 8:8 Then let them take a bull from the herd and its tribute offering of fine flour mixed with oil, and you will take another bull from the herd for a mistake offering.
Num 8:9 And you will bring the Levites in the sight of the conference tent and collect the whole congregation of the people of Israel.
Num 8:10 When you bring the Levites in the sight of Yahveh, the people of Israel will lay their hands on the Levites,
Num 8:11 and Aaron will offer the Levites in the sight of Yahveh as a presentation offering from the people of Israel, that they may do the service of Yahveh.
Num 8:12 Then the Levites will lay their hands on the heads of the bulls, and you will offer the one for a mistake offering and the other for an ascending offering to Yahveh to provide reconciliation for the Levites.

cleansing before service

Before the Levites could begin the work they were called to do, they had to go through a ceremony of cleansing. Even though they were not to physically touch any of the holy objects, it was still necessary for them to be purified for service. No matter what we do for the LORD, we need to begin with his forgiveness and a right relationship with him.

LORD, we want to serve you. Cleanse and purify us.

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proper focus

Posted on February 11, 2018 by Jefferson Vann

marmsky Feb (11)

devotional post # 2289

Numbers 8:1-4

Num 8:1 Now Yahveh spoke to Moses, and this is what he said,
Num 8:2 “Speak to Aaron and say to him, When you set up the lamps, the seven lamps will give light in front of the lampstand.”
Num 8:3 And Aaron did so: he set up its lamps in front of the lampstand, as Yahveh commanded Moses.
Num 8:4 And this was the workmanship of the lampstand, hammered work of gold. From its base to its flowers, it was hammered work; according to the pattern that Yahveh had shown Moses, so he made the lampstand.

proper focus

I wonder why God gave additional instructions about setting up and lighting the lampstand at this time? Could it be that after all the careful taking down and setting up the furniture of the conference tent, that God wanted to make sure this crucial element does not get misplaced? We can have all the pieces of the worship experience, but not put the light on the right place.

LORD, as we prepare to worship you, show us what you want to focus on. We want to honor you with our worship.

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a voice from above

Posted on February 10, 2018 by Jefferson Vann

marmsky Feb (10)

devotional post # 2288

Numbers 7:84-89

Num 7:84 This was the dedication offering for the altar on the day when it was anointed, from the leaders of Israel: twelve silver plates, twelve silver basins, twelve golden dishes,
Num 7:85 each silver plate weighing 130 shekels and each basin 70, all the silver of the vessels 2,400 shekels according to the shekel of the sanctuary,
Num 7:86 the twelve golden dishes, full of incense, weighing 10 shekels apiece according to the shekel of the sanctuary, all the gold of the dishes being 120 shekels;
Num 7:87 all the animals for the ascending offering twelve bulls, twelve rams, twelve male lambs a year old, with their tribute offering; and twelve male goats for a mistake offering;
Num 7:88 and all the animals for the sacrifice of offering for healthy relationships twenty-four bulls, the rams sixty, the male goats sixty, the male lambs a year old sixty. This was the dedication offering for the altar after it was anointed.
Num 7:89 And when Moses went into the conference tent to speak with Yahveh, he heard the voice speaking to him from above the mercy seat that was on the ark of the testimony, from between the two cherubim; and it spoke to him.

a voice from above

Tacked on to the end of this twelve days of Christmas list, Moses adds the fact that when he entered the conference tent to speak with God, he heard God’s voice from above the mercy seat. If we are careful to listen when we pray, God’s voice can be heard, and we can have answers when we seek guidance. It may not be an audible voice, but we can be assured that he is there.

LORD, thank you for being there when we come to speak with you.

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