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February 13 + Daily notes & readings

DAY 44

The promise that God has spoken of is so close!  Some of the people actually see it.  But something about what they saw disturbs them and lets loose a chain of events that impedes on these people from ever experiencing God's promise.  

DAILY READINGS

Numbers 14-16 & Psalm 44


DAILY NOTES

Numbers 14:1-4
  • The peoples' lament quickly turns to a major complaint against Moses & Aaron.  
  • Their initial thought is to return to Egypt.
  • They would rather choose a "head" to lead them back where they came from.
Numbers 14:6
  • Caleb and Joshua tear their clothes.  Is this a form of lament, too?
Numbers 14:10
  • They can't defeat the people of the land. So, they threaten to stone the 2 men of their camp.
Numbers 14:13-19
  • Moses' rationale also harkens back to Egypt.  
Numbers 14:34
  • God's rationale for keeping the Israelites wandering for 40 years.  
Numbers 14:41
  • The people plan to go forward without God (the ark of the covenant).  Moses recognizes that this idea "will not succeed" because they would be disobeying what God had told them to do (not to do).
Numbers 15:32-36
  • A man was found gathering sticks on the sabbath day; he was working, not resting.  His punishment is death by stoning, carried out by the "whole congregation."  
Numbers 16:1-3
  • There have been complaints raised before.  This, however, is an attempted revolt.  
  • It seems as if they're jealous of the status of Moses and Aaron.  
Numbers 16:20
  • Is this the first time God has spoken to Aaron, too?

Numbers 16:23-35
  • Those that opposed Moses & Aaron perish.
Numbers 16:41-50
  • Even after what just transpired, the people quickly turn against Moses and Aaron again.  
  • The 2 leaders are able to thwart the plague that had begun among the rebellious people.
Psalm 44
  • The psalmist considers the turmoil of his people and knows that God has allowed these things to happen.  Still, his trust, his peoples' trust, remains in God's ability to deliver them.
    • His prayer is that God would wake up to help them.

OTHER OBSERVATIONS

Remember we said that the first results of Adam and Eve's disobedience was shame and fear.

Well, they are a part of these passages from Numbers, too.  A group of the people are able to enter the land God has repeatedly promised would be theirs.  They, except Caleb & Joshua, offer a troublesome report to the rest of the people.  For fear's sake, they help to begin a revolt against Moses and Aaron.

Later, the people would recognize their sin.  As a result they are full of shame, my interpretation, and come up with an idea that actually disobeys God even further.

Our fear and shame are big opponents against our faith and freedom.

You have to be willing to live by one side.  In the Bible, who is ever discredited because of their faith or willingness to live as God has called them?  No one, that I can tell.  But we often read the results of fear and shame.  Unfortunately, we often live them out, too.

Part of the good news from today's reading is that there is always someone(s) who is willing to live by faith and freedom.  Today it's Caleb and Joshua (and Moses and Aaron).  What about you?

Stay blessed...john

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