Numbers 34

God gives the Israelites the boundaries of their new land. God draws an imaginary line around the land which He is giving them. This is the place where God's people will live.

The people receive the land as a gift from God. But as the years go by the people forget that what they have was given to them by God. So God takes it away and sends them into exile.

Then God gives it back to them. But they forget again, so God takes it away again.

Finally, in 70 AD God takes it away for good when the Romans destroy Judah and Jerusalem and for the first time ever Judaism ceases to exist politically... until the 1940's. But they are still fighting for the land to this day.

It would be easy to think that since God's people are removed from their land that God would no longer be worshipped. That's how it worked back then. When a nation overtook another nation the god of that nation overtook the other nation's god. (That was a busy sentence!)

But that's not what happened.

Instead of God being erased when His people were taken into exile, God's glory grew. And in Jesus, God became the God of all nations and races.

Today there are no borders for God's people because they are everywhere. There are no borders for God's church because it is everywhere.

Even in Iran, where a Christian pastor has decided that he would rather be executed than deny Jesus. His courage has become worldwide news, his witness is what the church is built on.

The kingdom keeps growing. The boundaries are gone.

And God's glory keeps growing.

Numbers 33

For the first 47 verses Numbers 33 all the writer tells us is all the places that the Israelites visited on their long journey. It is a looooong list. It reminded me of this song.



(WARNING... I get a little preachy from here to the bottom)

Then, at the end of the chapter God tells the Israelites to take the land that He has given them by driving out all the inhabitants and destroying all their idols. A common theme of the Old Testament is the Israelites and their worship of idols, or idolatry. (God commands them to have no other gods, then they build a golden calf... and Charlton Heston gets mad)

I think idolatry is alive and well today. We worship idols everyday. I remember watching Sportcenter a couple years ago when a new statue of Michael Jordan was unveiled and people were on their knees worshipping it.

Some idolatry is not so obvious. I think the idol we are most guilty of worshipping in is our self.

Desmond Tutu once said "It must be very hard to be a Christian in America because you have so much."

Americans aren't real needy. We take pride in providing for ourselves and our families. We pray "give us this day our daily bread" but we don't really trust that God will, because we can get our own bread.

We don't need God to provide our basic neccessities. We look to God for love, forgiveness, meaning and purpose, but we have the rest covered.

If we have it covered, why do so many have so little?

Because we have forgotten that it is all a gift from God. Every week I throw away groceries that we didn't eat... while others have nothing to eat.

We don't have it covered. We have abused God's blessings. We need God to show us how to be good stewards.

We need to tear down the altars we have built for ourselves.

Numbers 32

The Israelites have been wandering for 40ish years and are ready to put down some roots... they are ready to be home. A couple of the Israelite tribes (the Gadites and Reubenites) think that the land they are passing through is good enough and are ready to build cities. Moses agrees to let them live there if the men continue on and fight with all the Israelites for the promised land.

In the past 8 years I have moved 12 times. I felt like a nomad, like a plane that has been circling an airport for a decade. I couldn't wait to have a place to unpack and finally be able to throw the boxes away.

But all my moving was for a reason. I was following the call that God has placed on my life. A call that is bigger than me. It was a journey through the wilderness of corporate America, seminary, camp, CPE, internship, and finally here, to Southlake, Texas. How long will I be here? I have no idea... 3 years? 30 years? I'm not sure because I still must follow God's call.

In my journey I have come to realize that home is not a place... Home is about the people you are with. For the first 30 years of my life home was wherever my parents were. Now, home is whenever I'm with my wife Michelle.

And I have always been home when I'm in the presence of God.

Nothing feels better than being home.

Numbers 31

God tells Moses to wipe out the Midianites... every one except the "women who had never slept with a man." These women are to be collected as plunder along with all the livestock and treasures. Then they are all to be divided equally among the tribes with a small portion going to the priests.

The definition of plunder is to "take goods by force." The Israelites take by force that which they did not earn, almost like bullies. But they are more than bullies because they murder and steal, like the vikings on the Capital One commercials. (not be confused with the not-so-scary vikings that live in Minnesota)

The most troubling part of the story is that they don't just take goods, they take women and girls. 32,000 women were gathered and divided as plunder; 32 were given to the priests. Women are treated as possessions and divided like livestock all in the name of God.

In the name of the God we still worship today. In our preaching we say that God is on the side of the oppressed, but sometimes it doesn't feel like it, sometimes it doesn't sound like it. So how do we make sense of it?

Do we just give a cop-out answer and say that it was a different world back then? Do we let God off the hook?

No. We state the truth. We point out injustice, even if it is in the name of God.

And as God's people we do whatever we can to make sure it never happens again.

Numbers 30

Numbers 30 is about making pledges or taking an oath. Or what we might call today making a promise.

I have heard it said that in the good old days all that someone needed was a handshake to make a deal and a man's word was as good as gold. But we don't live in the good old days anymore and people don't fulfill their promises all the time.

I don't think that people are bad, I think they expect too much of themselves. Many times I will try and squeeze 12 hours of work in to a 9 hour day. Obviously things are going to get left out. It's the same with our social obligations. We promise to do something with the best of intentions, but there is only so many hours in a day.

Former Notre Dame Head Football Coach Lou Holtz once said, "never promise more than you can deliver, but deliver more than you can promise."

Promise less, deliver more. Sounds familiar to me.

God has made us promises. Promises in our Baptism and in the Lord's Supper. God has promises us that sin, death, and the devil have been defeated. God has promised to be with us always to the end of the age.

God has not promised to heal us when we are sick and provide wealth to live on... God's promises are eternal, not temporal. Yet God blesses us.

God delivers more than He promises.

Numbers 29

Verse 7 "On the 10th day of the seventh month hold a sacred assembly. You must deny yourselves and do no work."

God demands that the people stop working and take a break to worship. This text can be understood in two ways. Denying oneself probably means to fast, which means to not eat. It also could mean that when we stop working we are denying ourselves of the opportunity for gain. (Money, status, etc.) I'm not really sure what it means, but since it's my blog I'm going to suggest it's the second meaning.

Americans are hard workers. They work long days and long weeks. They take fewer and shorter vacations then most of the world... and definitely shorter vacations than their parents did.

Why do we feel like we have to work so hard? Because we like big, expensive stuff. Houses are getting bigger, cars are getting more expensive and everything else is following suit. Yesterday I just re-newed my satellite subscription for my truck... who would have thought of that 10 years ago? Paying to listen to the radio? I got it free for a year, now I can't live without ESPN radio and all the NFL games. I was able to listen to the Lions' game on Sunday while driving around Texas... it was great!

To afford our chosen way of living we work hard. My wife and I both.

Taking a break from work is in fact denying ourselves. When we stop working, we stop earning. Many of us are on salary so our pay isn't tied directly to our effort, but our bonus is, or our promotion.

It's true that we were created to work. Adam was given a job in the garden. But we were also created to rest and re-charge. We were created to enjoy what this playgorund that God created and to enjoy what we have earned.

So take a break. Deny yourself. And enjoy every second of it.

Numbers 28

Numbers 28 is all about the offerings God expects from the Israelites. God wants bulls, lambs, goats and rams. In the final verse of the chapter God says "Be sure the animals are without defect."

Animals without defect are prized possessions. There was a fair close to where I grew up, it was in Armada, Michigan. Every year people would bring their best pigs, chickens and other farm animals to be judged, with one animal being the winner. They were looking for perfect animals. (This is an assumption, I never competed. But my sister was runner-up Ms. Armada Fair... yes, they even judged the girls.)

The animal without defect is the one the one that is worth the most, the one that everybody wants...it is not the runt of the litter, it is not the left over.

We don't give animals today, but we pass the plate and give God money. God is not interested in brand new dollar bills without defect, the kind that are crisp and smell really good. God is not intertested in what's left over either. If you are going to give to God, God wants what everyone else wants. God wants the best chicken at the fair... God wants you to sacrifice something important.

For a long time I gave what was left over after I made my budget every month. Maybe I had $20 or $30 extra after I spent $50 on dinner and a movie. Giving to God is bigger than that. It means the budget starts with God and everything is filled in after that. God comes first. It took me a long time to get to that point in my life.

What has God done to earn it?

God sacrificed something important. His one and only son.

His one and only unblemished lamb.

Numbers 27

The Lord tells Moses to go to the top of a mountain so that he can see the land that God is giving them. Finally, after years of wandering the in the wilderness the Israelites are about to enter their new home... but Moses doesn't get to come in.

The Lord tells Moses that there upon that mountain he will die. Moses has been a faithful servant for 40 years but he doesn't get to enter the promised land, the land of milk and honey.

Instead he is "gathered with his people."

It is a vision of heaven given from God. When we die, we go to be with the loved ones that have gone before us.

Is God being mean or not? I am having a hard time deciding.

Milk and honey is great, but I think I'd rather go be with my grandma.

Numbers 26

It's census time again... which is why the book of Numbers is named the Numbers.

All of the men aged 20 or older are counted and the land is divided up equally based on the amount of men in each tribe. Kind of like seats in the House of Representatives. They were so fair!

The Israelites were just given the land... for free. They didn't have to pay because they were taking it from those who were living on it. Maybe they weren't real fair. "Excuse me, it's time for you to leave your house because it is now my house... oh you have a problem with that? How about I kill you then?"

There is no free land in America, but there used to be. All a settler needed to do was come with a big gun and they could have tons of free land. "Excuse me, Mr. Native American, we are going to move you and your tribe to this plot of land in west South Dakota... enjoy!"

This seems so wrong, but has been going on since the start of time. It's still happening in Israel between the Palestinians and Israelis.

Millions of people have died for dirt.

And millions more will.

Numbers 25

I was on facebook yesterday when I came across a post from my dear friend Cory. He quoted someone lecturing about Jewish ethics that read, "it it's not fun, it's not sin."

In Numbers 25 the Israelites are sinning. They are indulging in sexual immorality with Moabite women. So God strikes them dead.

The bible says that the wage for sin is death. We sin, we die.

So why do we sin? Why do we do anything that could lead to death?

Why do we eat steak and pizza and french fries when we know it will kill us? Death tastes better.

Why do we drink alcohol when we know what it does to our liver? Death is more refreshing.

Why do we smoke when we know what it will do to our lungs? Death is more relaxing.

Why do we drive 100 mph and jump out of airplanes? Death is more exhilarating.

Why did they sleep with Moabite women? Death is more fun.

At least that is the lie the devil is telling us... and we are believing.

And if it wasn't for Jesus the devil would win.

But because of His death we have life.

His death is the truth.

Numbers 24

Verse 10 "I have summoned you to curse my enemies, but you have blessed them..."

One of the myths that we have created is that our enemies are God's enemies. I got an email the other day that said Christians could not possibly follow Obama because of his views on abortion and his friendliness with Muslims. I have heard other people say the opposite, they wonder how conservatives can actually claim to be christians?

Which side is Jesus on? Who is Jesus' enemy?

Jesus isn't on left or the right. He probably dislikes both parties for all the times they have misused his name. Jesus doesn't root against the football team you're playing this weekend and Jesus doesn't think all Muslims are to blame for 9/11.

Enemies are against God's plan. God's plan is unity.

The most united I have ever seen America was the days and weeks after 9/11... but as the news stopped covering the story we slowly drifted apart to where we are now. As divided as we have ever been. There is even a grassroots movement in Texas to secede from the US.

If unity can not be found under the flag, then perhaps it can be found under the cross. Where we realize we are all God's enemy because it was our sin that put the nails in Jesus hands and feet.

If there is anyone God doesn't like, it's me.

Numbers 23

Balaam is telling Balak what God has told him... and it's not what Balak wants to hear. In verse 12 Balaam says "must I not speak what the Lord has put in my mouth?"

Some days I don't want to hear what God has to say... because I know it's not what I want to hear. God usually has hard things to say.

But here is the truth, if you like your friends to be enablers then God is not going to be a good friend. Because God is not concerned with what you think is best, God is concerned with what He knows to be best.

We are used to people telling us what we want to hear. We hang out with people that look like us and talk like us and say similar things to us... and if people disagree with us then we just discard them and move on. How many friends do you have that you argue with all the time? Probably none.... or one but they have been your friend forever and maybe you don't really like them anymore but they are like family.

God is not going to agree with you. God calls you to agree with Him.

And it's hard, because we are spoiled, we are comfortable in our little clans. We like our own ideas.

But God is thinking bigger... which means we need to think bigger. It means getting outside of our comfort zone. It means listening to what God says.

It means saying things that other people don't want to hear.

It means loving those who are unlovable.

Numbers 22

Balaam is enlightened by his talking donkey. Balaam is riding his donkey and can not see the angel of the Lord standing in front of him, but his donkey can. So his donkey changes directions and Balaam beats it. This happens a couple times before the donkey finally starts talking.

I wonder if Balaam looked like Shrek?

There are times in our lives when we are headed down the wrong road. Everyone we know can see that we are going the wrong direction but no one can convince us to turn around.

Sometimes we just need to fall on our face to see that we have been acting like a fool.

For Balaam, the rock-bottom moment came when his donkey was smarter than him.

We can learn a lot about life from our pets. We can learn about uncondtional love and loyalty... but we have to be observant, because they can't talk.

But we have friends and family that can talk, and that love us enough to tell us the truth. (Do not surround yourself with people that tell you what you want to hear, but surround yourself with people who will speak the truth in love.)

Acting like a fool is a universal problem. We all do it.

What we don't all do is listen when people are trying to help.

How much heartache could would we be spared if we did?

Numbers 21

The Israelites complain again... and God is mean again.

This time God sends poisonous snakes to bite them. Many are bitten and die. God tells Moses to put a bronze snake on a pole and have the bitten people look at the pole. By looking at the pole the Israelites were healed.

God creates an emergency for the Israelites, so that they can change their way of thinking... to make them trust in God.

The truth is that death comes for everyone, whether it be from a snake bite when we are 30 or from a disease at 85. No matter where we are in life though, we should always trust in God... but we don't. We have doubts, we try to take control and we reserve God for an hour on Sunday mornings.

In our moments of need we don't look to a bronze snake on a pole, we look to a bleeding man on a cross. For it is through the cross that we are healed, maybe not in body but in spirit.

Which is convenient, because it is the spirit that lives on forever.

Numbers 20

Guess what the Israelites are doing in Numbers 20? They are complaining again. I'm starting to think that the book of Numbers should have been named Complainers.

They are complaining because they don't have any water to drink or to give to their livestock. So God tells Moses to strike a rock with his staff and water will pour out... so he does and water appears from the rock.

The water doesn't come until the people complain. Did God need to hear their complaints before doing something about it? God is actually angered because of the Israelites lack of faith.

The people who live in the Horn of Africa are experiencing a terrible drought and famine. It hasn't rained there in 8 years. Thousands of people a day are dying because they don't have water. They can't grow their crops and their livestock is dying.

Should they be complaining louder? It's hard to have faith when you are holding your dead child.

Where is their rock?

Numbers 19

The Lord told Moses and Aaron that they must bring a red heifer and slaughter it so that the sins of the people may be forgiven. Then the blood is to be sprinkled toward the tent where they meet, and the remains of the heifer burned.

In chapter 18 God tells them that the cow, sheep and goat are holy animals... more holy than humans. How is it fair that the unholy humans get to slaughter the holy heifer and their sins are forgiven? The heifer deserves better than that!

In our bible study last week the questions came up, what does God really need to forgive humans? Does God need a slaughtered heifer to forgive the Israelites? Could you imagine getting to heaven and God asking you how many heifers you slaughtered? No.

God can forgive because God wants to forgive. The Israelites have just gone through a rebellious stretch and are now fearing God. They need something that they can point to and say "because of that we know that we are forgiven." That is why the Israelites need the heifer.

Jesus is holy, set apart from all creation. He is sacrificed by the unholy, for the unholy. Did God need Jesus to be sacrificed for us to be forgiven?

No.

But we needed to sacrifice Jesus so that we could point to something and say "because of that we know that we are forgiven." There is a reason so many people wear crosses around their neck.

In turn, God showed the world just how deep His love really goes. It's a win-win.

Except for the heifer and Jesus.

Numbers 18

God places Aaron and his sons in charge of the altar. They are the only ones that are to come up and do the Lord's work there. Anyone else who comes up will meet their demise at the hand of the Lord.

God does this because of the people's rebellion. God does not want to kill any more people. So he puts it all on Aaron. If there is a problem now, it is Aaron's fault... and he would get the axe.

God places and Aaron and his sons in charge not to lift them up, but so save the Israelites from God's wrath. (v. 5 in case your're reading along)

So what happens? Well, eventually the priests get carried away with themselves and place themselves above the people. They make the people buy their unblemished livestock for sacrifices at outrageous costs. They become the oppressors. (That's what they were doing when Jesus flipped their tables... has any human ever been given power and not oppressed?)

When Jesus dies the curtain in the temple is torn in two. The curtain is what separated the people from the priests. That is where they would go and do their work... and that is where God was. But not any more.

The corrupt priests were no longer the only way to God. God was everywhere now and everyone had access.

And we still do.