Today’s passage: Numbers 9

Helpful thoughts:

• A year after the Israelites were redeemed from their bondage, they celebrated the Passover for the first time outside of Egypt.  The events of this chapter happened in between what we read from chapters 7-8 and 1-4.
• All those who were “unclean” or away from the rest of the nation on a long journey (Unable to attend) were given the provision of celebrating the Passover one month after everyone else.
• God’s presence and leadership over the people of Israel was made visible through the cloud.  There was a continual opportunity for the people to know He was with them and for them to be obedient to the Lord, whether that meant going or staying put.

Questions to consider:

1. Why was the appeal by those who were presently “unclean” so appropriate and honored by the Lord?  What was their heart to do?  Why were they hesitant?  How did God honor their request?
2. What assurances do we have today that God is with us (Matthew 28:19-20, Romans 8:9-11)?
3. Why is the promise of God’s Word enough to communicate God’s presence with us?  How does the Word of God also fulfill the role of helping us know what to do (2 Timothy 3:16, 2 Peter 1:3-4, 2 Peter 1:20-21)?  In other words, why don’t we need a pillar of cloud or pillar of fire today?

Today’s passage: Numbers 8

Helpful thoughts:

• More information on the lampstand can be found in Exodus 25:31-40 and 37:17-24.
• The Levites were devoted to the Lord “in exchange” for all the firstborn in Israel.  They were “waved” before the Lord as an offering, giving themselves in service for Him.
• The Levite men were able to serve in carrying the articles of the tabernacle from the ages of 25-50.
  • The ages 25-30 may have been an apprenticeship time period (Numbers 4:23).
  • After the age of 50, men could continue to guard the temple and help others, but the task of carrying the articles of the tabernacle was given to the younger men.

Questions to consider:

1. What do we see as the big picture purpose of this chapter?  How was it helpful to Israel and the Levites?
2. In what way would the rest of the Levites have been a “gift” to Aaron and his sons/descendants (Verse 19)?  What did the Levites do that made the work of the tabernacle possible?
3. In what ways have you served within the church?  How does the service of every member make the whole body of Christ function and flourish (1 Corinthians 12:12-20)?

Today’s passage: Numbers 7

Helpful thoughts:

• The first several chapters in Numbers are not given in chronological order.  The beginning of Numbers is written in thematic order.  Now, in chapter 7, we go back to about a month before what we read in the beginning of the book to see how the nation of Israel came together to provide what was needed to establish the workings and worship of the tabernacle.
• The gifts came to the tabernacle on twelve successive days, one for each tribe.  All the gifts from each tribe were brought by their chief and all the gifts were identical.  Each tribe and all the tribes were communicating their shared responsibility and commitment to the worship of the Lord and, subsequently, provision for the Levites in their service.

Questions to consider:

1. Which tribe went first in these donations?  What are we continuing to learn about the place of this tribe in Israel?
2. With all that was given by the nation brought to the tabernacle, what does the end of the chapter show the people were receiving?  What was God graciously giving to the people?
3. Do we bring a bunch of gifts and offerings to the Lord to get Him to speak to us or to earn his blessing?  Or, did the Lord speak to us through His Word and therefore it is right to bring offerings and gifts?  How does having the right perspective keep our worship truly worship and not a bartering system?

Today’s passage: Numbers 6

Helpful thoughts:

• A Nazirite was a non-Levite Israelite who was specially separated or dedicate to the Lord.
• Samson, Samuel and John the Baptist were to be life-long Nazirites.  Any other men or women were able to serve in this way for an established period of time.
• There is much said in this chapter about those who take the Nazirite vow, but God’s blessing was to be for all of Israel.  God gives the wording specifically for the priestly (Or “Aaronic”) blessing.
  • The LORD (Yahweh) wanted the priest to speak the blessing of provision, guardianship, favor, grace, love, enjoyment and peace (An all around “good life”) for the nation.  Israel was to know that all these things came from their Lord.

Questions to consider:

1. How does the information from the passage help us to better understand the downfall of Samson from Judges 13-16?  In what ways did God show patience and mercy?  What could Samson have done at different points of his life to get a fresh start with the Lord and in his vows?
2. In what ways was the hair of the Nazirite used as a sign for the people?  What would seeing a Nazirite with long hair remind other people of?  What would the burning of the hair at the end of the vow remind the Nazirite of?
3. What is stated three times in the Aaronic Blessing?  Who is the giver of every good and perfect gift (James 1:17)?  How does remembering this impact our prayer life?  Our worries and fears?  Our well wishes that we share toward others?

Today’s passage: Numbers 5

Helpful thoughts:

• The people are reminded that those who are considered “unclean” for a time must be set apart from the rest of the camp until they become “clean” again.
• Verses 5-10 are an extension of Leviticus 6:1-7.
  • The order of events here is to make things right with your fellow man before you come to God (Matthew 5:23-24).
• The test detailed in verses 11-31 are in the case of any suspicion of adultery (When there were no eye-witnesses but legitimate cause for suspicion).  The negative effects for the guilty would render them barren, childless for the rest of their life.

Questions to consider:

1. Remembering that God is preparing Israel for the Promised Land, what does it appear God is confirming for the people in these commands?  How was Israel to conduct itself before their holy God?
2. Though we are not under the Law of Moses, now being under the New Covenant, what principles would still apply today when we have wronged another person?  Would it make sense to be dishonest in our business dealings Monday-Friday and then worship the Lord on Sunday?  How does the Christian life change everything we do, every day of the week?
3. How seriously does God take adultery and sexual sin?  How should the threat of childlessness helps us to think more biblically about the joy of child-bearing (Psalm 127:3-5)?

Today’s passage: Numbers 4

Helpful thoughts:

• This chapter details the responsibilities of each clan in the tribe of Levi: The Kohathites, Gershonites and Merarites.
• Aaron and his sons (The priests) were part of the Kohathite clan.  This is why they were responsible for the initial handling, care and wrapping of the most holy things before anyone else in the clan was allowed to be near or see them (Verse 15).
• With these instructions and the knowledge of which Levites were to carry what objects, the Lord had prepared Israel to move (Themselves and the tabernacle).  They were still in the wilderness and now prepared to move toward the Promised Land.

Questions to consider:

1. How do these first few chapters fit into the greater narrative of Israel’s history and journey?  Where has Israel been?  Where are they going?  Why did this instruction need to be given?
2. In what ways were the Levites and priests to protect the items of the tabernacles and therefore Israel’s relationship with God (And their reverence of Him)?  Both practically and spiritually?

Today’s passage: Numbers 3

Helpful thoughts:

• The numbering of Israel now turns to the Levites, those who were the Lord’s possession for his service.
• Like the instruction for the rest of Israel, the different clans within the Tribe of Levi are assigned positions around the tabernacle where they are to camp.
  • The Levites were to guard the tabernacle and to minister at it.
• The number of the Levite males was 273 men short of the number of firstborns in the nation.  The Lord provided for the redemption of the remaining 273.
  • The total number of firstborns in Israel was probably taken from those who had been first born since the original Passover.
  • The price of redemption for the remaining 273 firstborn males was believed to be about a year’s salary for one man.  The cost was split among all Israel (Except the Levites), so no individual man had to pay that amount.  The cost was associated with the redemption of the child, not the father paying for his own child.

Questions to consider:

1. What does the need to redeem the 273 remaining firstborns tell us about the knowledge and exactness of God?  Is He careless or lax in His work?  Does He pay attention to detail?
2. How does God’s knowledge and care of all things help us to better understand the scope of His love, His forgiveness, and His redemption of us through Jesus Christ?
3. These different clans and tribes were given different assignments from the Lord.  Should they have found joy in getting the “most important” jobs, or should they have found joy in doing the job God gave them to do?  Is the stuff of life the sweetest part of living or knowing and following the giver of life?

Today’s passage: Numbers 2

Helpful thoughts:

• In this chapter, God gives instruction on how the nation of Israel was to set up camp and how to structure themselves while they were on the move.
  • Here is a helpful visual of the way God ordered the nation.
• The tribe of Levi served as a barrier to prevent people from the other tribes gaining unapproved access to the tabernacle.  Or, another way to look at it, the Levites served the Lord and the nation by protecting and carrying the tabernacle.
• Both in camp and on the march, the tribe of Judah served to lead the nation.  King David and King Jesus would later descend from the tribe of Judah.

Questions to consider:

1. What was God’s place (His presence in the Tabernacle) among the nation of Israel?  Why were they to face the center of the camp?  Of what should these instructions have reminded the people?  How is God to be the center of our lives still today (and forever!)?
2. Who were the leading tribes in each set of three?  What reasons can you think of from the history of Genesis which seem to point toward these aspects of leadership (e.g. Judah, Reuben, Ephraim over Manasseh)?
3. What would have been some practical reasons for this instruction?  Why did it matter how Israel camped or how they moved together?  What kinds of things does God care about and how would His love for His people have motivated and articulated these laws?

Today’s passage: Numbers 1

Helpful thoughts:

• God was continuing to fulfill his promise to Abraham.  With the Law of God communicated to the people, it was now time to take a census (To number the people) as they moved forward as a new nation.
• The number of able-bodies men 20 years old and upward in every tribe but the Levites was 603,550.  This was the size of Israel’s military.  Adding the Levites and all the younger and older men, and all the women and children would have totaled somewhere close to 2 million!
  • This should have given Israel reason to trust in their God, being a faithful keeper of promises.
  • This should have given Israel a head’s up concerning what God was going to tell them to do.  They were going to be sent in to conquer Canaan.
• The Levites were not to be counted among the fighting men in the census.  To know their number would be a temptation to pull them away from their greater task, the service of the Lord.
  • Israel was not to take find their confidence in the number of warriors they possessed, but in the Lord who redeemed them and would protect them.

Questions to consider:

1. What would the world think (Or, what would the news be reporting) if there was a group of 2 million freed slaves wandering around in open country today?  How would the surrounding countries respond?  How might they be preparing for the potential arrival of these “migrants?”
2. If Israel were to count the Levites in the census, what would they be saying about their confidence in warfare?  Who was their true safety and shield?  Who was their defender?  Why was the Levites’ role more significant than to send them to the battle field to boost the number of soldiers?
3. What are some things we might cling to today, before the Lord, to make us feel safe and secure?  How can we put what is most important first?