Numbers 16:41-18:32 ~ Mark 16:1-20 ~ Psalm 55:1-23 ~ Proverbs 11:7
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Old Testament - Today in Numbers chapter 17 verse 8 we read how God stopped the questioning of the Israelite community about Aaron and his houses' unique priestly authority - "When Moses went into the Tabernacle of the Covenant the next day, he found that Aaron's staff, representing the tribe of Levi, had sprouted, blossomed, and produced almonds!"
The 2nd sentence in Numbers chapter 18 verse 20 stood out to me today: "And the LORD said to Aaron, "You priests will receive no inheritance of land or share of property among the people of Israel. I am your inheritance and your share." What a beautiful thing to hear from God! I am your inheritance and your share. In your life today, is God your inheritance and your share? Do you want God to be your inheritance and share? Does anything else at all compare to this glorious inheritance?
New Testament - Today we finish up the Gospel of Mark! The Gospel of Luke starts tomorrow. In Mark chapter 16 verse 6 is the key to our Christian faith: "The angel said, "Do not be so surprised. You are looking for Jesus, the Nazarene, who was crucified. He isn't here! He has been raised from the dead!" Do you believe this angel's proclamation? Do you truly believe that Jesus rose from the dead? Below is "The Resurrection" by the northern German Renaissance painter Matthias Grünewald from the year 1515:
Jesus' resurrection is the key to the Christian faith. The resurrection is the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy and of Jesus' own statements. The Christian faith stands or falls on the bodily resurrection of Jesus. We can read more about this important point from Paul in 1 Corinthians 15. The One Year Bible Companion outlines these 5 points in their commentary that the resurrection guarantees:
1. Jesus was truly the Son of God. (Romans 1:4)
2. God the Father accepted what Jesus did at Calvary on the basis of the resurrection. (Romans 4:25)
3. Jesus as our Risen Lord pleads for his people before the Father. (Romans 8:34)
4. Believers have the hope of eternal life. (1 Peter 1:3-5)
5. Believers will also rise and have resurrected bodies like that of Jesus. (1 Corinthians 15:49, Philippians 3:21, 1 John 3:2)
Bible.org's commentary on yesterday & today's readings in Mark titled "A Follower's Opportunity" is at this link.
Psalms - Today we read Psalm 55 verse 22, which is a beautiful reminder to all who believe in the risen Lord! "Give your burdens to the LORD, and he will take care of you. He will not permit the godly to slip and fall." Please do meditate on this verse a bit. Do you make it a habit of giving your burdens to the Lord? Or do you try to carry your burdens on your own strength? Is there a burden you are carrying today that you can give to the Lord? Will you? And do you trust that he will take care of you and not permit you to slip and fall?
Proverbs - Proverbs chapter 11 verse 7 today teaches us: "When the wicked die, their hopes die with them, for they rely on their own feeble strength." This is a great reminder of why we should not only not carry our burdens on our own, but we should also not rely on our own strength. Our strength is fleeting... Will you instead rely on the Eternal Strength that will never fail you?
Worship God: Psalm 55:22 above reminded me of the fun but great message song by MercyMe called "So Long Self." Enjoy!
Have you said "so long self?" Click here to meet your true Self!
Please join us in memorizing and meditating on a verse of Scripture this week: ""Don't be alarmed," he said. "You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him." Mark 16:6 NIV
Prayer Point: Pray that you will know truly in your heart that Jesus is risen and that He sits at the right hand of the Father until he comes again in Glory.
Comments from You & Questions of the Day: Based on our Proverb today, have you seen in your life how your own strength can fail you? Have you ever been strengthened by the Holy Spirit? How are you able to discern when you are doing things from your own strength compared to when you are being strengthened by the Holy Spirit? How do you surrender your own strength and instead rely on God's strength? Also, what verses or insights stand out to you in today's readings? Please post up by clicking on the "Comments" link below!
Love, Trust and Obey Jesus,
Mike
Numbers 16:41-18:32
There is something in today’s Old Testament reading that stopped me dead in my tracks. There is something I thought was a modern day phenomena even though I know that the “blame game” began back in the “Garden.” No where in the readings of the remainder of chapter 16 and the 17th chapter do the people take responsibility for their unbelief, their disobedience and their out right rebellion against the Word of God, they challenge leadership ordained by God every step of the way. No wonder they wondered for forty years. God couldn’t allow that kind of “murmuring” and complaining into the Promise Land.
A very funny evangelist said, “If you don’t believe the prophet of the house (meaning the Church you are attending) leave ‘cause your going broke if you don’t.” Well, the way she said it was very funny. How many of us tell the Pastor what to do or mummer against him because he should be doing it like this? And is our guide and model godly wisdom? No, it is the imagination of our own minds; after all I did get a degree from what of the top MBA programs (or the lowest) in the country. Shouldn’t that qualify me to run the church? A Medical Doctor once offered his services to serve in the ministry of my church. Now you must be a member for one year and have taken several required classes (New members; Spiritual Growth and a Service class) before you can serve and they have added a three-month boot camp to insure that you can be submitted to leadership. Well anyway they told him they would gladly use him but the only thing that had an opening for was to patrol the parking lot. He quickly withdrew his offer.
We jockey for church positions thinking that it will make us closer to God or that we will have influence, respect and power in the midst the people we serve. But we are not really looking to serve using the model Jesus put forth; we are really looking to be served. And with the responsibility that leadership demands, I’m not sure if I would want the job! Bottom line: We want the authority but we don't want the responsiblity that comes with it. But God says, "Sorry, they are a package deal!"
Leviticus 18:
1The LORD now said to Aaron: "You, your sons, and your relatives from the tribe of Levi will be held responsible for any offenses related to the sanctuary. But you and your sons alone will be held liable for violations connected with the priesthood.
… 3 But as the Levites go about their duties under your supervision, they must be careful not to touch any of the sacred objects or the altar. If they do, both you and they will die.
Whoa! Back up just a minute. These people won’t listen to God yet those Aaron must supervises he’s responsible for if they don’t follow the command not to “touch” the sacred objects? The comment Jesus made about the generation always needing a “sign” becomes clearer about why he said what He said. The Miracles God worked through Moses and Aaron in Egypt weren’t good enough; the parting of the Red Sea wasn’t good enough and the Manna, the quail, the ground opening up and taking Korah and his crowd didn’t convince them that God was the true God and that Moses and Aaron was His representative couldn’t convince them then what would?
This is the statement that really has me stunned,
Numbers 17:
12 Then the people of Israel said to Moses, "We are as good as dead! We are ruined! 13 Everyone who even comes close to the Tabernacle of the LORD dies. We are all doomed!"
No, the reason they died was because they disobeyed, they were rebellious and they complained against God and accused Him of only wanting to take them out in the dessert to kill them. WOW! How much of this do I do? I need to stop and take stock of my activities and my self-talk. Am I following after this pattern? Do I need to fall on my face and ask forgiveness for seditious behavior?
Some thoughts of Paul to Timothy:
Desiring leadership (teaching)
6 But some teachers have missed this whole point. They have turned away from these things and spend their time arguing and talking foolishness. 7 They want to be known as teachers of the law of Moses, but they don't know what they are talking about, even though they seem so confident. 8 We know these laws are good when they are used as God intended.(1 Timothy 1)
What James states:
1 Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. 2 We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check.(James 3)
Although I’ve read all the readings for the day, I’m just blown away by Numbers 16 and 17 and must spend more time mediating on these two chapters,
Grace and peace,
Ramona
Posted by: Ramona | March 11, 2010 at 09:06 PM
The Gospel of Mark is very similair to the gospel of Matthew. Jesus goes to the sea to start receiving his disciples. HE does numerous miracles from healing the sick, driving out demons, feeding the four thousand, people are drawn to HIM wherever HE goes in the land. HE walks on water and calms the storm. Many people believe in HIM, become HIS disciples and are saved. No one who met HIM could go away without having been changed. HE taught in parables and told HIS disciples there meanings. HE predicted HIS death more then once and tried to prepare HIS disciples for what was to come. The people of Jeruselum welcomed HIM with singing and praises one day and a week later HE was dead everyone having turned against HIM in the span of a single week. Praise God HE ascended on the third day to HEAVEN. I thoroughly enjoyed reading the Gospel of Mark.
Posted by: Raeann | March 12, 2010 at 03:29 AM
I am blown away in say context as Ramona on the Numbers readings today. What I got out of it was this: Chapter 16, Here the Israelites were muttering again, accusing Moses and Aaron of killing the Lords people, the blame game 101, how many times have we done the same thing for something we did but won't live up to our admitting we were wrong and the guilt and thus the repentance of it all. They didn't feel any remorse! How sad!! What I got going further into this where Aaron with his incense stood between the living and the dead, was in coorelation with Jesus interceding for our behalf. Here we are born of our Mothers womb and then reborn into His creation, reborn again through the Blood and Sacrifice of Jesus. Aaron showed very well what it is like to mediate for the lost and dying world and God's wrath simmered down, and in Chapter 17, the budding of Aarons staff-this brought to my thoughts the verse in New Testament: Matthew 7:16, By their fruit you will recognize them. What kind of fruit were the Israelites producing back then? What kind are we? hmmm..In Chapter 18, the tithing principle was still relevent even for the priests(ministers) of the day even though the only thing they were given (which is the most awesome as Mike said in commentary above) was they were given covenent of God-He was their inheritance! How Awesome!!Even though they don't get paid, the money(s) that come into the tabernacle, some was given to the priest as a tithe, and then the priests were to give a tithe of a tithe to the Lords work and in ministry to the other Levites and daily needs of the temple. 1/10 was the Lords from the Levites inheritance, how awesome is that.. seed, time, and harvest shall occur..
Mark 16:1-20, This always amazes me when reading about the ladies going to the tomb and the grave being revealed and this time in Mark, there was only one angel there and spoke to go tell the disciples "and Peter" that Jesus isn't there, He rose from the dead just as He said He would. The part about Peter being added in addition to just telling the disciples of Jesus' whereabouts makes me feel humbled and blessed to be a Child of God. We aren't perfect..Peter had his shortcomings and everybody had to be told about it for years on end, however Christ was saying, Peter, I know you did what I said you were going to do and I forgive you..You're forgiven..I love you..I love my disciples and Yes even You Peter!! That is so precious, because without Christ being in the midst of us all we would all be so lost and wicked and blinded to the worldly influence and be alot worse off than we already are..Be Blessed! Isaiah 60:1, "Arise, shine, for your 'light' has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you."
Ps 55: 1-23 I like verses 16-19, But I will call on God, and the Lord will rescue me. Morning, noon, and night. I cry out in my distress, and the Lord hears my voice. He ransoms me and keeps me safe from the battle waged against me, though many still oppose me. God, who has rules forever, will hear me and humble them.
That is truly a blessing to hear.. Our Lord is with us morning, noon and night(oh the nights, when satan tries to tempt and try us) but we have been redeemed because our Lord is with us, we can take courage and strength from that ..He hears us when we are hurt or distressed, he comforts us, even in the midst of our dreams..God hears and listens to us carefully and will humble our enemies for our sake. Reminds me of 23rd Psalm, He preparest a table in the presence of our enemies..well, are we going to have enemies in Heaven? No!! Our tables will be set and we will have favor and be blessed right here, in the midst of these worlds events, God is going ot anoint us to do great and might things..much greater than He did while He was here, He said we will do greater!! Take that to heart and be blessed..
Prov 11:7, when the wicked die, their hopes die with them, for they rely on their feeble strength.
And God's people, say,,"The Joy of The LORD Is OUR STRENGTH!!" Hallulujah..
Amen..Amen..
Dee
Posted by: Dee | March 12, 2010 at 08:17 AM
Two verses that really stood out to me (one from yesterday) in Num 16 were vss 22 & 45 where we see Moses and Aaron falling face down on the ground, pleading with God for mercy. I doubt this would have been my reaction. "Smite away," I probably would have thought, along with "These people are such a burden." No wonder God calls him friend (Ex 33:17).
Posted by: Chris D | March 12, 2010 at 05:36 PM