Feb 27: Numbers 8-10

Feb 27, Numbers 8-10

Numbers 8 starts out detailing the seven lamps. Note that these lamps give light in the tabernacle, that the Lord designed and told Moses to make out of gold. Then God sets forth how to get the Levites ready to serve - cleaned (purified) and ready to serve Yahweh. Very detailed steps in preparation which would have them ready when the time to serve came (like our hearts being ready to serve God - we prepare our hearts by confessing sin and putting Him in His rightful spot - first). Then they are instructed on how to do offerings to the Lord. They were specially designated for these roles before the Lord. The Levites are set apart to the Lord to serve Him as a firstborn among all the Israelites. Historically speaking, the firstborn carries a lot of weight and importance. The chapter ends with putting age restrictions on the Levites in service - 50 years old. Mainly because transporting heavy items is a young mans job. When they were done with that at 50, they still served as guards of God’s property. 

Numbers 9 is the second Passover for the Israelites, to remember what God had done for them a year earlier in Egypt. They had to get some rules established as some of them had been in contact with a dead body (remember the strict rules about being clean before Passover? A dead body was considered dirty).They wanted to partake in Passover but were unable to, so Moses said for them to wait while he went and sought the Lord. God honored Moses and his prayer and told Moses to tell the Israelites that they could keep the Passover but they had to wait a month. For everybody else, they were to observe Passover as directed.

The cloud - no, not the cloud that backs up all of our data, the cloud of God (much cooler). The cloud covered the Tabernacle and at night it had the appearance of fire! When the cloud rested over the Tabernacle, the people were to stay. When the cloud moved, the Israelites were to follow it (pack up camp and trust that Yahweh was leading - this is what we are supposed to do with the Holy Spirit in us). 

Numbers 10. God tells Moses to make some silver trumpets. These trumpets served as war calls, when to move with the cloud in succession with how it was blown. I think of the army back in the day with the bugle and how it had various sounds that the troops new what was what and what to do - it was kind of like that. I love this - ‘They shall be a reminder of you before your God: I am the Lord your God.’ God sets it up so that we remember what He is doing because He is our God. As discussed earlier, the cloud is now moving and the Israelites are obeying (at least for now!). The cloud lifted, they obeyed.

The chapter concludes with Moses and his father-in-law discussing plans and Moses wants his father-in-law to stay and not go home. Then the Israelites set out on a journey (3 days) and the Lord was with them. God was in control of the Israelites and their enemies. 

To sum it all up:

• Is God your God? If not, I am sure that these portions of Scripture are boring. But if you love God - you will see that all of this is in here for a reason. 
• Are you following God or are you following something else? Intuition, money, lust, self… You know the answer and be honest with yourself so that you can repent if you are not fully following just Him.
• Also - do you believe that God is in control of you and your enemies like He was for the Israelites? He is there for us now in the same way.