Tag: Numbers

Numbers 35-36 Deep Diving Bible Study by Gordon Ramsay

GOOD MORNING SIBLINGS!

Today’s readings are Numbers 35-36

Rabbit Trails

We finish Numbers today!

🌿Some of these passages we read today will go on to be quoted by judges and noted historical figures as the reason why two or more witnesses are required to condemn a person for a crime. Much of our judicial system was originally founded on Biblical principles.

🌿It is important to note – and this cannot be stressed enough – that you will often see people in the Bible behaving in ways that YHWH does not sanction. We must be careful to pay attention to the difference between what YHWH says to do versus what people decide to do.

In the Bible we will often see people going against YHWH’s commandments, adding to His commandments, taking away from, or even creating their own ways out of the blue.

Just because we see Believers doing things like this in the Bible does not mean this is sanctioned by YHWH.

Just because we see Believers doing things like this in the world today does not mean this is sanctioned by YHWH.

🌿In fact, we need to pay careful attention to the stories in the Bible in which YHWH’s people disobey Him – and His response. We have seen in our reading that YHWH gives us ample details in order to be able to worship Him as He desires, live Holy according to His instructions, and mature in our faith by following His teachings and wisdom.

🌿When something is done by a key figure in the Bible that does not mean it is automatically a good example – We have to keep our eyes open and diligently study YHWH’s teachings so that we recognize when man is going against Him, rather than treating disobedience as license to replicate that behavior just because it appears in the Scriptures.

🌿A few Key verses to recall in Numbers (by no means an exhaustive list):

🌿The Aaronic Blessing (an excellent blessing to say over your children and loved ones!)

The Lord bless you and keep you;

the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you;

the Lord lift up his countenance[a] upon you and give you peace.

Numbers 6:24-26

🌿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. Numbers 9:21

🌿YHWH is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it? Numbers 23:19

🌿“One law and one rule shall be for you and for the stranger who sojourns with you.” Numbers 15:16

🌿Then YHWH came down in the cloud and spoke to him, and took some of the Spirit that was on him and put it on the seventy elders. And as soon as the Spirit rested on them, they prophesied. But they did not continue doing it. Numbers 11:25

🌿We have wandered in the dessert. We’ve eaten manna, quail, and gone through two censuses. We’ve learned how the priests are to handle the ark of the Covenant and the Wilderness Tabernacle. We’ve seen where the tribes were instructed to camp and how. We’ve had YHWH guide us by day with a cloud and by night with a fire. We’ve seen rebellion, fast and mass death, Grace, and the Holy Spirit being put into people. A massive group of rag tag individuals have become a cohesive nation under YHWH’s instruction. And now it is time to prepare for the Promised Land.

❤️❤️One additional takeaway not to be missed: God’s love language is obedience – He delights in His children when they obey Him- and details most definitely do matter to Him.

Tomorrow, we begin my favorite book in the whole Bible. Things are about to get even more exciting!

Test everything, hold tight to what is good.~ 1 Thess 5:21

We are saved by Grace alone: Obedience is not the root of our salvation, it is the fruit!

May YHWH bless the reading of His Word!

Today’s recipe: Homemade Hot Chocolate Mix

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Numbers 33-34 – Southern Plate by Gordon Ramsay

GOOD MORNING, SIBLINGS!

Today’s readings are Numbers 33-34

Moses wrote down their starting places, stage by stage, by command of YHWH, and these are their stages according to their starting places. Numbers 33:2

The people were taking two journeys in these books. They were on a physical journey and a spiritual journey.

YHWH’s plan was for them to make progress in both journeys along the way: Towards the promised land and towards their destiny as His chosen people. In both ways, there were a lot of miles to cover!

However, the Israelites were not happy with the Father’s pace. They wanted to move at their own pace. They would become restless when they camped in one place too long and then be glad to be moving again, despite the direction.

Have you ever been this way? I sure have! When I first dedicated myself to reading the Bible, I had so many questions that I wanted immediate answers for. Sometimes I’d find a person or a website to give me that quick fix answer but those were shallow sprouts, with no foundational roots to cement them in my mind or my understanding. My wisest friends, the ones I am most grateful for to this day, simply nodded in understanding of my questions and encouraged me to keep reading. BOY, did they frustrate me at the time!

But this forced me to continue in the Word. And sure enough, it wasn’t long before I began to see that understanding some answers required a depth and wisdom that is lost when we take them out of context. The wholeness of His wisdom is gleaned from the whole book and, as frustrating as it may be at times, the Father has been so very patient that it is a small thing for Him to ask us to be patient with Him and with ourselves we continue in His word. He will reveal in His time.

I’ve learned that it is better to focus on what He is teaching us rather than what we want to know. That will come later. YHWH first.

🌿Numbers 34:55 The Father is telling His people to drive out the Canaanites from the land they would inherit. If they don’t do this, He says, He will give them the same punishment He had planned for the Canaanites. The Father knows that if Israel lives among the Canaanites they will end up worshipping idols and committing other travesties. Later, we will see all of this taking place as we find the Israelites intermarrying with these people in direct opposition to the word of YHWH – which leads to the first mass divorce when YHWH cleans house. If only we did it His way the first time around!

🌿Yesterday I touched on the western (Greek) way of thinking and how we struggle with some things when we approach the Word from this mindset. I want to elaborate on that some today. This is a concept I came across some years ago and as I delved deeper into it I found that my mindset had played a significant role in putting up roadblocks between myself and the Father. It’s a great rabbit trail for you to take but I wanted to share this graphic I found to introduce and further explain the concept. Unfortunately, while I was able to find this graphic many places, I was unable to find an original source to credit. The ministry logo in the corner yielded no fruit and so I’m sharing it directly with you here.

Can you recognize our culture in this chart? The world teaches us to utilize Greek thinking but the Father teaches us to utilize a Hebrew mindset, trusting in Him first.

Take some time to think over this today and examine yourself. In what areas are you utilize a Greek mindset when it comes to the Father? In what ways is it easier for you to utilize a Hebrew mindset?

Father, we praise you and thank you for your Word.

Please give us the wisdom and desire to trust wholeheartedly in you first and above all else.

Test everything, hold tight to what is good.~ 1 Thess 5:21

We are saved by Grace alone: Obedience is not the root of our salvation, it is the fruit!

May YHWH bless the reading of His Word!

Today’s recipe: Crock Pot Turkey Breast

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Numbers 31-32 Deep Diving Bible Study by Gordon Ramsay

Good Morning, Siblings!

Today’s readings are Numbers 31-32

🌿Today we open with what we are told is to be Moses’ last mission for the Father. We will hear more from Him as He authored Deuteronomy as well. The Father tells him to raise up an army, one thousand from each tribe, to go against Midian in order to avenge Israel because of Midian’s efforts (and success) in causing Israel to sin.

Sinning is bad enough, but to cause someone else to sin is even worse. I’ll never forget the first time I read Matthew 5:19 with my eyes open to actually see what Messiah was saying.

“Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 5:19 NASB

Did you catch that? Whoever annuls, relaxes, or breaks the least of these commandments – and teaches others to do the same. This is referencing leading others into sin. Leading others to believe that they can treat the commandments like multiple choice. (As a bonus round, read the verse directly before it and take time to digest what Messiah clearly stated He did not come to do).

More verses to consider:

⁶but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea. Matthew 18:6

⁸But you have turned aside from the way. You have caused many to stumble by your instruction. You have corrupted the covenant of Levi, says the Lord of hosts, Malachi 2:8

🌿Balam

It is important to know that the Midianites have an allegiance with Moab. We see in Numbers 31 that these Moabite women actually worked together with the Midianites, under the direction of Balaam, to infiltrate Israel and cause them to sin.

¹⁶Behold, these, on Balaam’s advice, caused the people of Israel to act treacherously against the Lord in the incident of Peor, and so the plague came among the congregation of the Lord. ¹⁷Now therefore, kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman who has known man by lying with him. Numbers 31:16-17

Numbers 25:1-9 is a pretty graphic account of their debauchery as well.

This is also mentioned in Revelations 2:14 ¹⁴

But I have a few things against you: you have some there who hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, so that they might eat food sacrificed to idols and practice sexual immorality.

🌿So why kill the children? This is something our western mindsets struggle with. It was a male child’s duty, if his father were killed in battle, to avenge his father’s death once he grew up. The Israelite men had just killed all of their fathers.

Further, have you ever seen those videos of the little kids in war zones being trained by terrorists to kill as many people as possible? They have hate taught to them from such a young age that it becomes the wheel that turns their whole lives. I am not saying they are not redeemable, we have all been redeemed from many things, but we are speaking in generalizations here. These were people who, for generations, had nurtured their idolatry, hate, and sin. It is a hard thing for us to consider from either angle, but the Father knew what these people were capable of when it came to leading Israel astray and in His wisdom, He offered Israel instruction that would save them heartache and condemnation for them and their children as well.

Did they heed His advice? Nope. And this group of people would go on to be a thorn in their side. We will read about their constant harassment in Judges 6:3. But we’ll also see that Israel intermarried with these people and, as YHWH said, began taking on their ways, worshipping false gods and committing great sins. This will eventually lead to the first mass divorce in the book of Ezra.

🌿As the people draw closer to entering the promised land we will see an entire generation denied the ability to see it but two key figures will go in, Joshua and Caleb. What is special about these two? YHWH tells us that they sought Him with their wholehearts.

^•10And the Lord‘s anger was kindled on that day, and he swore, saying, ¹¹‘Surely none of the men who came up out of Egypt, from twenty years old and upward, shall see the land that I swore to give to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, because they have not wholly followed me, ¹²none except Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite and Joshua the son of Nun, for they have wholly followed the Lord.’ Numbers 32:10-12

^{•About Caleb specifically: 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 shall possess it. Numbers 14:24

^{•About Joshua specifically: 8}But my brothers who went up with me made the heart of the people melt; yet I wholly followed the Lord my God. ~Joshua 14:8

Personally, this is something I need to check in with on a regular basis to discern the state of my heart. Am I wholeheartedly seeking Him or have I managed to get distracted by the trappings of the world yet again? We are so prone to idols, to noble busy-ness, to chasing our passions. And when that busy-ness is noble and those passions seem to be helping good causes we can chase them at full speed ahead and miss the fact that we are running away from the Father in our pursuit of them.

🌿Let’s read a few verses about wholeheartedness

You shall love YHWH your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. Deut 6:5

And he said to him, “You shall love YHWH your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. Matthew 22:37

…you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams. For the Lord your God is testing you, to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. Deut 13:3

And now start watching for the pattern of behavior when we seek the Father with our whole hearts…

“Moreover YHWH your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants, to love YHWH your God with all your heart and with all your soul, so that you may live. Deut 30:6

“It shall come about, if you listen obediently to my commandments which I am commanding you today, to YHWH your God and to serve Him with all your heart and all your soul, Deut 11:13

“Now, Israel, what does YHWH your God require from you, but to fear YHWH your God, to walk in all His ways and love Him, and to serve YHWH your God with all your heart and with all your soul, Deut 10:12

“As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve Him with a whole heart and a willing mind; for YHWH searches all hearts, and understands every intent of the thoughts If you seek Him, He will let you find Him; but if you forsake Him, He will reject you forever. 1 Chronicles 28:9

“But from there you will seek YHWH your God, and you will find Him if you search for Him with all your heart and all your soul. Deut 4:29

if you obey YHWH your God to keep His commandments and His statutes which are written in this book of the law, if you turn to YHWH your God with all your heart and soul. Deut 30:10

and you return to YHWH your God and obey Him with all your heart and soul according to all that I command you today, you and your sons,Deut 30:2

With all my heart I have sought You; Do not let me wander from Your commandments. Psalm 119:10

Y’all, I could go on and on. I encourage you to click here and read more verses about wholeheartedness. But here is my point, we are instructed over and over that we are to seek Him wholeheartedly and then we are given examples of what that will look like, so we can use those to check the status of our hearts. My problem is that I don’t naturally do this on my own and of my own accord. I naturally veer towards the world because that is how living in the flesh works. And so, each day, we have to wake up and step in line with the Holy Spirit’s leading instead. Our natural state is to satisfy flesh, so we have to SET our hearts on HIM each and every day, each and every moment.

In the words of Joshua

¹⁴“Now therefore fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. ¹⁵And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” Joshua 24:14-15

I’ve learned that this choice takes place daily. We have to realize that so that we take the time to make our choice again each day.

If we don’t consciously choose the Father, the Bible shows us that our default is the world.

🌿Another neat thing about Caleb

¹⁰And the Lord‘s anger was kindled on that day, and he swore, saying, ¹¹‘Surely none of the men who came up out of Egypt, from twenty years old and upward, shall see the land that I swore to give to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, because they have not wholly followed me, ¹²none except Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite and Joshua the son of Nun, for they have wholly followed the Lord.’ Numbers 32:10-12 Did you catch that? Caleb wasn’t an Israelite. However, not onl was He considered one of them. He had a special status among them due to His wholeheartedness towards YHWH and YHWH not only considered Him one of the inheritors of His promise but specifically designated Him as one of the chosen to pass over into the land. One law for the native and one law for the sojourner who is among you.

For the assembly, there shall be one statute for you and for the stranger who sojourns with you, a statute forever throughout your generations. You and the sojourner shall be alike before the LORD. One law and one rule shall be for you and for the stranger who sojourns with you.” Numbers 15:15-16

YHWH means every word He says and here we see a gentile counted among the chosen because they chose to follow YHWH with all their heart. HalleluYah!

Test everything, hold tight to what is good.~ 1 Thess 5:21

We are saved by Grace alone: Obedience is not the root of our salvation, it is the fruit!

May YHWH bless the reading of His Word!

Today’s recipe: My 2019 Thanksgiving Menu

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Visit the Faith Homepage • Read my statement of Faith • Print the reading plans

Begin at the beginning with our Genesis notes

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