Numbers

Supernatural Selection

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Numbers 27:18
“And the Lord said to Moses: ‘Take Joshua the son of Nun with you, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand on him; . . .’”

There seems to be a simple pattern to the work of God: He chooses a man, fills him with His Spirit, and surrounds him with others. While the work is done through a man, it is always accomplished by the Spirit of the Lord. When Moses’ time on earth had run its course, the mantle was passed to another man. Out of the entire congregation of Israel, we read God chose Joshua, the son of Nun. I think it is worth considering why Joshua was selected.

First, we must consider the Sovereignty of God.
1Corinthians 12:11 states:
“But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.”

Each one of us has been uniquely designed, gifted, and called by God, to play a particular role in the body of Christ. Like the Apostle Paul, we should each seek the Lord and discover what He wants us to do.

Second, Joshua was selected because of his prior faithfulness. We were introduced to Joshua years before he was selected to lead the nation. In the early years, we read he was a soldier who lead Israel to victory against the Amalekites (Exodus 17:10). From this, it is clear God selects those for service, who are already serving. Jesus said when we are faithful with little, we will be given more (Luke 19:17). We also read that Joshua was a faithful assistant to Moses (Numbers 11:28). The New Testament equivalent to the term assistant, would be disciple. Like Timothy, Paul’s assistant,  Joshua learned to serve the Lord by coming alongside Moses, the man of God.

Third, Joshua was a man who spent time getting to know the Lord. Since serving Jesus has a lot to do with representing Him to others, it is critical that we spend time getting to know Him better. Paul declared that his greatest desire was to know Christ in the power of the resurrection and the fellowship of His suffering (Philippians 3:10). To get to know Christ, Joshua did not depart from the Tabernacle (Exodus 33:11).

Joshua was also a man of great faith. When Moses selected men to spy out the land, Joshua was chosen. It is clear from the story, this selection had much to do with his great faith. Having spent time with Moses and the Lord, Joshua believed there was nothing too hard for God. He did not see the giants as an obstacle to the work of God, but as an opportunity for the Lord to show Himself strong on behalf of His people. Joshua even sought to instill this kind of faith in others. When the nation was filled with fear, Joshua referred to the Canaanites as food laid out for Israel to devour (Numbers 13).

As we await Christ’s return, let’s be men and women fit for the Master’s use. Take some time to sit before the Lord to determine how He wants to use you in the body of Christ. Keep in mind, what you do for Him today, has an impact on eternity, and prepares you for that which He will call you to in the future.

Pastor Jim


Inheritance 

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Numbers 26:54
“To a large tribe you shall give a larger inheritance, and to a small tribe you shall give a smaller inheritance. Each shall be given its inheritance according to those who were numbered of them.”

Israel’s inheritance in the Promised Land was determined by two factors. First, where they would live was chosen by the Lord. Second, how much land they had was determined by the size of the tribe. One of the main factors affecting the size of the tribe was how much they grew during the wilderness years. These same factors will determine what our experience of the Lord will be as well. 

Much of life is outside of our control. Like Israel having to trust God with what part of the land they would inhabit, we have to trust God through the things in life that are beyond our control. When we lose our job, come down with an illness, or are impacted by the decisions of political leaders whose ungodly practices directly affect our livelihood, we must trust that the Lord will care for us, regardless of what the land is like in which we find ourselves living. Some of the tribes lived in desert-like surroundings, and would have to struggle to provide for themselves in an arid climate. Others lived among the mountains, and found them to be strongholds for the enemy. Reliance upon the Lord was necessary, regardless of where the lot took them. 

While much of life is outside of our control, there remains a great deal that we do control. The decisions each tribe made during the difficult years in the wilderness  directly impact the size of the land they inherited. Those who grew received a larger portion than those who shrank or stayed the same. None of us can control what life throws at us, but all of us can control how we react to it. If we choose to take the godly route, we will find that no matter how challenging the circumstances become, we will be growing closer to Christ and experiencing more of His grace. 

Pastor Jim 


What God Has Done

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Numbers 23:23
“For there is no sorcery against Jacob,
Nor any divination against Israel.
It now must be said of Jacob
And of Israel, ‘Oh, what God has done!’

IMG_4239.jpgOnce we get past the fact that God allowed a man as carnal as Balaam to speak some of the Old Testament’s most poetic and amazing prophecies, we can begin to appreciate what was being said. In addition to looking forward to the coming of the Messiah, Balaam also looked back at the Lord’s accomplishments in the nation of Israel. His commentary on all of it was that God worked in such a way, when it was all concluded, people would have no other choice than to declare “Oh what God has done.” 

This seems to be a pattern with God. Not only does He want to work in and through the lives of His people, but He also desires to do it in a way that He alone will receive the glory. We see this concept declared in both principle and practice throughout Scripture. The principle is declared in 1Corinthians 1:27-29 “But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence.”

 When God wants to accomplish something, He chooses people who are less than qualified, so when the task is achieved, it is clear they were guided and gifted by His Spirit. We see this principle carried out time and time again, within the pages of Scripture. In fact, there is not a generation that goes by where this principle is not practiced. Moses will face the Red Sea, Joshua has his Jericho, Gideon has only three hundred men, David goes before Goliath, Solomon is a young man with no experience, taking over a kingdom, Nehemiah has his wall, the Apostles are sent into a hostile world, armed with nothing more than the Spirit and the Word of God. Within every generation, God is looking for men and women who will trust Him enough to respond to His call, regardless of the obstacles that we might face. When we live like that we will find that:

“For there is no sorcery against Jacob,
Nor any divination against Israel.
It now must be said of Jacob
And of Israel, ‘Oh, what God has done.'”

 

Pastor Jim

 

 

 

 

Different Point Of View 

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Numbers 23:21
“He has not observed iniquity in Jacob,
Nor has He seen wickedness in Israel.
The Lord his God is with him,
And the shout of a King is among them.”

Balaam is an enigma. While he is clearly a false prophet who does great harm to the people of God, he is also responsible for some of the greatest Old Testament sermonettes. Here, he is taking a second look at the camp of Israel, attempting to find a way for Balak, king of Moab, to overthrow Israel. Instead, he learns how God sees His people.

Numbers 23:21
“He has not observed iniquity in Jacob, nor has He seen wickedness in Israel.”

If you or I were standing on Mount Pisgah, remembering the actions of Israel, we would not find it difficult to observe iniquity. We might call to memory their constant complaining about food and water, their continual doubts and fears, which compelled them to long for Egypt, their obstinate disregard for the Word of God in the worship of a golden calf, or their unwillingness to enter the Promised Land. When God looks at His people, He looks through the lens of His covenant. Because of the Altar, Israel’s sins were pardoned, and God saw nothing but a forgiven people.

The same is true of the child of God. We are fully aware of our sins, and how guilt often keeps us from moving forward with the Lord. The devil is fully aware of our sins, and is quick to bring charges against us. But because of the cross, the Lord has chosen to use His omniscience to forget our sins. If you have trusted Christ, God does not observe iniquity, because it has been washed in the blood of the Lamb.

Pastor Jim

 

Look At That

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Numbers 21:8
“Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Make a fiery serpent, and set it on a pole; and it shall be that everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, shall live.'”

Unknown.jpegThe sins of the people put them under the curse. One by one, they watched as their loved ones fell ill and died. At some point, they realized there is no cure for the plague and they beseech Moses to seek God for the solution. As Moses cries out to the Lord, he is instructed to forge a brass serpent on a pole. Any who look upon the serpent will be healed. One only need use a little imagination to understand the joy which filled the hearts of all who would look upon the pole. Instantly, the effects of the curse were removed and they were safe. At the same time, imagine the folly of one who is plagued and yet refuses to look. Imagine his friends and loved ones, who had been on the verge of death themselves, but they looked upon the pole and were redeemed. They plead with him to simply look. They might declare, “I was once as your are, sickly and dying, but I looked upon the pole and I have been healed and my life restored.” Imagine the heartache of mothers, brothers, sisters, fathers and friends, as some, with obstinate hearts refuse to look, and as a result, suffer death under the curse.

Years later, under the veil of the night sky, Jesus met with a religious leader who was interested in understanding the ways of Christ. During their conversation, Jesus referred to the serpent in the wilderness and compared it to His work on the cross.

John 3:14-15
“And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.”

God has made salvation as simple as looking at a serpent on a pole. All we must do is look to the cross, believing we are sinners, and Christ is the Savior. When we do, ALL the effects of the curse are removed. We are no longer under the wrath of God, but are the recipients of His divine favor and blessing. Sin that kept us from God, has been removed, we are forgiven, and given eternal life.

Imagine the folly of those who refuse to believe. Those who continue under the curse, heading toward eternal destruction, all because they refuse to look to the cross. Do not be among those who remain under the curse, to your own destruction, and to the anguish of those who love you. Look to the cross and have your sins forever forgiven.

Sadly, as time moved forward, Israel took the serpent on a pole and made it into a religious relic. People even began to bow down to the pole and worship it. The same thing is true of the cross. Rather than seeing the cross for what it is; the way of salvation for all who believe, many look to the cross as a religious symbol. We see crosses as jewelry, artwork and tattoos. We should see the cross as a reminder of the fact that God alone can save us from the curse.

Pastor Jim

 

Striking The Rock

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Numbers 20:11
“Then Moses lifted his hand and struck the rock twice with his rod; and water came out abundantly, and the congregation and their animals drank.”

‘The end justifies the means’ is the governing principle in the life of many. The implication is very clear, it does not matter how something is done, as long as positive results are reached. However, Moses would learn, though this is a common principle among men, it is not a principle for ministry.

Numbers 20 opens by recording the death of Miraim, the sister of Moses and Aaron. It seems her death hit Moses rather hard, and he may have even blamed the people. It was, in fact, their disobedience that resulted in her never entering the Land of Promise. Directly on the heels of her burial, we find the congregation once again facing a great dilemma; they marched to a place without a sufficient water supply for their vast numbers. As their custom was, they did not look to the Lord, but to Moses, and as usual,began to complain. Moses quickly cried out to the Lord, who promised to provide for the needs of the people. His instruction to Moses was quite clear; “speak to the rock” and water will be supplied. It is here, where Moses allows his emotions to get the better of Him. Instead of speaking to the Rock, he yells at the people and beats on the rock. Sure enough, water is supplied, but not without consequences. Moses would soon learn he and Aaron would be forbidden from entering Canaan.

Why such grave consequences for what seems to be such a minor infraction? I think two things must be kept in mind. The first, Moses represents God. Moses was Israel’s pastor. It was his job to rightly reflect the way God felt about His people. When his voice was raised in anger, and his staff flying about, the people would no doubt conclude God was angry with them, when He was not. All those who stand before men, on behalf of God, should take careful stock of this event. Preachers who constantly yell at, and demean their congregations for failing to live to the standard of God, would do better to simply wash them with the water of the Word.

Second, the consequences were so great because of what the Rock represented. Paul would later refer to this event by calling Christ the Rock. It was on Calvary where he was beaten to provide living water for all who believe. Now that He has been crucified, we need only to speak to the Rock, and this living water will be given to us. A second beating of the same rock was unnecessary.

Whatever you may be facing today, you can call on the Rock of Ages and He will provide living water to satisfy your thirsty soul.

Pastor Jim

 

Behind The Scenes 

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Numbers 18:7
“Therefore you and your sons with you shall attend to your priesthood for everything at the altar and behind the veil; and you shall serve…”

While it is clear Moses is being instructed regarding the role of the priests who would care for the articles within the Tabernacle, this statement is also a beautiful picture of the ministry of Jesus. He takes care of everything that happens behind the veil. Just as the curtain would serve as a divider between the outside world and what happened within the holy chambers of the Tabernacle, so we have a veil that separates heaven’s proceedings from our view. Paul spoke of the fact that our vision of God is marred by the experiences of life.

1 Corinthians 13:12
“For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.”

Just because we are looking through the stained glass of the natural world, does not mean Jesus is not at work in the heavens, behind the scenes. In fact, the Bible goes into great detail to explain what our heavenly High Priest is doing daily, as He “attends to everything behind the veil.”

First, He watches. Like a loving parent who watches over a child, so Jesus observes all that we do. Nothing is ever really done in secret, but openly, before the eyes of the One to whom we all must give account. Even those things that no one seems to notice, like the widow offering her mites, can not sneak past the watchful eye of Christ.

Second, He prays. In fact, we are told, “He always lives to make intercession for us,” that He might save us to the uttermost(Hebrews 7:25). In every trial we face, or temptation we struggle with, we can be assured, Christ is at the right hand of the throne of God interceding on our behalf.

Third, he represents us. Like a defense attorney, Jesus stands between us and the accusations that fly out of the devil’s mouth. Instead of believing the worst about us, he remembers that we are blood-bought children of God, and defends us before the Father.

Finally, he waits for us. Hebrews 12 speaks of the great cloud of witnesses that have gone into glory before us. Jesus is awaiting our arrival into that assembly. On the day Stephen died, we are told Jesus arose from His seat to welcome him into eternity (Acts 7:55). What a beautiful picture! I can imagine every time a believer steps into glory, Jesus arises to meet him with a heavenly multitude at His side.

Pastor Jim

 

Oops, I Did It Again!

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Numbers 15:22-24
‘If you sin unintentionally, and do not observe all these commandments which the Lord has spoken to Moses— all that the Lord has commanded you by the hand of Moses, from the day the Lord gave commandment and onward throughout your generations— then it will be, if it is unintentionally committed, without the knowledge of the congregation, that the whole congregation shall offer one young bull as a burnt offering, as a sweet aroma to the Lord, with its grain offering and its drink offering, according to the ordinance, and one kid of the goats as a sin offering.”

Unintentional sin is sin committed simply because we’re sinners. The term “sin” is an interesting word. It actually means “to miss the mark.” The sport of archery is a good illustration of missing the mark. A few years ago, I took a group of high School students to a summer camp where, along with Bible studies and worship, they had a number of activities that would teach spiritual lessons. I decided to join a few of the young men as they were learning how to handle a bow and arrow. I watched as they pulled back on the bow and released the arrow. With all of their might, they were trying to hit the bull’s eye, but they missed. So, I decided to try my hand at it. I aimed, pulled back the bow, and shot the arrow clear over the target and into the hillside; the students all laughed at my terrible marksmanship. I was able to teach them a lesson on sin. I missed completely, some of them missed slightly, but we all missed. None of us were perfect, and all of us came up short. This is a good illustration of unintentional sin; attempting to do the right thing, but failing. Here, God tells the people who are seeking Him, they can offer a sin offering that would cover unintentional sin.

Let’s jump down to verse 15:30 in Numbers.

“But the person who does anything presumptuously, whether he is native-born or a stranger, that one brings reproach on the Lord, and he shall be cut off from among his people.”

The word “presumptuously” could be translated “defiantly.” Some versions read, “with a high hand.” We have an illustration of defiance, or presumption in Exodus 14:8. God brought plagues upon Egypt, one after another, each plague being more severe than the last, until finally, the first born of every family is put to death. At that point, Pharaoh finally allows Israel to leave. The Egyptians were so glad to get rid of Israel, they gave them gifts. “Here, take my wallet, my car keys, whatever you want just please, get outta here!” But after they traveled a short distance out of Egypt, Pharaoh changed his mind, and sent his army after Israel. It’s in that scene we pick up in Exodus 14:8,

“And the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued the children of Israel; and the children of Israel went out with boldness.”

In the King James version it reads, “went out with a high hand.” The Children of Israel looked back at Pharaoh, and Egypt, with disdain or even contempt. As if to say, “We were in subjection to you? We were your slaves?“ That word “boldness” is the same word translated, “presumptuous” in Numbers, Chapter 15. In other words, presumptuous sin, is sin committed when a person looks down at the Lord, as if to say, “I’m not going to be in subjection to you. I’m not going to do what you say. I don’t have to live in accordance with your Word.” It’s an attitude of contempt toward the Lord. That is the kind of sin he warns them about. He goes on to tell them there are two results that stem from that kind of sin, Numbers 15:30,

“. . . that one brings reproach on the LORD, . . .”

The person who sins defiantly brings reproach on the Lord. That is not said about unintentional sin. When you and I have the target in view, we’re seeking the Lord, but we miss the mark, it is unintentional. Often times, we feel like we’ve ruined our witness, and brought reproach upon the Lord. We feel like those who we have been praying for, and witnessing to, will never come to the Lord because of our failures. There is no hope for them, we have brought reproach on the name of the Lord. However, he didn’t say that about unintentional sin. He does say it about defiant sin. When we sin defiantly, when we look down and say, “I don’t care, I’m going to sin no matter what God says.” That’s when the name of the Lord is blasphemed. That is when our witness it truly weakened.

But there is a second result revealed in verse 30:

“. . .and he shall be cut off from among his people.”

The term “cut off”, is a term that we’ve seen a lot. In this particular case, it says that he will die. What is the by-product of sin with a high hand? Presumptuous sin? It’s death. We forget that. We listen so often to the enemy, as he dangles the carrot in front of us, and says, “If you eat this, then you will find life.” God says, “No, when you go after that, it can only produce death.” Jesus said, “if you save your life you will lose it, but if you lose your life for my sake, you will find life.” (Luke 9:24)

Verse 31 gives insight regarding why people sin presumptuously. Why we often look down upon the Lord with a high hand as if to say, “I’m not going obey You, Lord.” Look at verse 31:

“Because he has despised the word of the Lord, and has broken His commandment, that person shall be completely cut off; his guilt shall be upon him.”

They sinned presumptuously because they despised His Word. Our view of the Word of God, and its place in our life, will determine our view of the Lord. These guys despised the Word of God, and that gave rise to lifting a high hand against the Lord, and doing whatever they desired. They looked at the promises of the Word and said, “I don’t care what that says.” They looked at the warnings of the Word and said, “I don’t care, I’m going to do what I want to do.” They despised the Word of the Lord.

It would be good at this point to remember the prayer of David in Psalm 19:13, “Lord keep your servant from presumptuous sins.”

Pastor Jim

 

Follow The Leader

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Numbers 13:2-3
“. . . you shall send a man, every one a leader among them. So Moses sent them from the Wilderness of Paran according to the command of the Lord, all of them men who were heads of the children of Israel.”

When Moses chose the men to spy out the land, he chose the leaders. Sadly, we know how that turned out. These supposed leaders, came back with an evil report, and stirred the hearts of the people against the mind of the Lord. I think there is a danger for someone who is naturally a leader; that danger is when they are not subject unto the Lord. I talk to my kids often about leadership. “Guys, you need to be leaders.” Then I’ll ask them, “What’s the most important thing about a leader?” I’ve trained them to respond, “To follow Jesus, Dad.” That’s the most important thing about a leader.

For example, if you are going to lead a group to an untraveled destination, the most important step for you to take, as a leader, is to follow the map. You can’t just do whatever’s right in your own eyes. You can’t be Sam the Toucan and “follow your nose.” If we are going to be godly leaders, we must follow Jesus. Do you remember the Roman soldier who came to Jesus and wanted healing for his servant? Jesus said to him, “I’ll come to your house.” The man responded, “Aw, you don’t need to come to my house. All You need to do is speak the word; because I’m a man in authority and I’m under authority.” You see, he said, “I know how to both give orders and receive orders.” (Matthew 8:5-13) He was a good leader because he was a man who knew how to follow. He knew the direction to go. The problem with ten of the twelve leaders chosen by Moses to spy out the Promised Land, was not that they weren’t leaders. The problem was an inability to follow. They were not subject to the real Commander-in-Chief. They had not put themselves under the authority of God.

Do you want to lead? Follow Jesus. If you want to lead people in the proper direction, to see people join forces in this furthering of the Kingdom, then follow Jesus. The most important thing about being a leader is to follow Christ. The key is, submitting to Christ and going wherever He is going. Ten of these men refused to do that, and led a nation into despair.

Pastor Jim

 

Living In The Outskirts

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Numbers 11:1
“Now when the people complained, it displeased the Lord; for the Lord heard it, and His anger was aroused. So the fire of the Lord burned among them, and consumed some in the outskirts of the camp.”

As the cloud begins to move, the Children of Israel take their first steps toward the Promised Land. It does not take long before they begin to complain about their circumstances. In response to their complaints, God sends a burning fire upon some who dwelt in the outskirts of the camp. Why is God so upset by their complaints? Why does He treat complaining so harshly? Keep in mind, God was in charge of their wilderness expedition. He was in the lead. He controlled the cloud, the fire, and the blowing of the horns. They were following His orders. They were not in the wilderness by accident or happenstance, but by God’s direction. By complaining, they were actually saying, “God, we gave you the lead and You’re simply not doing a good job.” or perhaps, “If I were God, I wouldn’t do it that way, I wouldn‘t treat my people like that.”  And as a result of their complaining, the anger of the Lord is aroused and they get burnt.

Notice where the complaining seems to start.

“. . . and consumed some in the outskirts of the camp.”

Back in Numbers 1 and 2, God organized the people to camp around the Tabernacle. Each tribe was given a specific location within the camp, no one was to dwell “in the outskirts of the camp.” Yet there were people living outside the fellowship, in the “outskirts.“ We are not told what caused them to depart from the fellowship of believers. Perhaps they didn’t feel like they fit in. They might have said, “I don’t really feel like I fit in there. I went to that camp, I sat under that banner, and nobody was friendly to me. I sat there and nobody said ‘Hello’, and afterwards, nobody even asked me my name, so forget it. I’m not going to camp under that banner, I’m going to camp in the outskirts.” But tragically, when they left the camp, they started to complain. Perhaps their complaints were about the camp. “They didn’t love me, and minister to me, nobody met my needs….”  The anger of the Lord is aroused, and those in the outskirts of the camp got burnt.

Like you, I have often had my feelings hurt by others who are part of the camp of God. But that is not good reason to abandon the camp and move to the outskirts. Living outside of fellowship is hurtful to the family of God as a whole, and is hurtful to you individually. Remember, it was those who lagged behind that the Amalekites attacked. Reuben, Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh who camped East of the Jordan, were the first to fall to Assyria. If you or I “forsake the gathering together of the brethren”, we will end up an easy target for the enemy, and will find ourselves getting burned.
Let me encourage you. If you have been drawn away from fellowship for some reason, forgive those who have hurt you, return to the gathering of the brethren, and pitch your tent as close as possible to the Tabernacle.

Psalm 92:13
“Those who are planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God.”

Pastor Jim