February 26 - Leviticus 27:1-34, Numbers 1:1-54

Good morning everyone,

Today we come to the final chapter in the book of Leviticus which deals with how to get back gifts that had been promised to God. The Israelites were required to dedicate certain things to the Lord; portions of their first born animals, crops, and even their first born sons, along with a tithe for any increase they may have had. Some, in their generosity, would give more than the required, gifting additional property, animals, or perhaps even themselves other family members to God.  On occasion someone would get caught up in the moment and make a vow, a promise, that they just couldn’t keep and need to make arrangements to buy it back. To discourage this there was a penalty fee to buy back their gift, chapter 27 lays out the provisions for all of that.

Also today we will begin the book of Numbers. The Israelites have spent just over a year at the base of Mount Sinai receiving instructions on how they were to live their lives in the new land God was giving to them but before they could leave they needed to take a census to determine the size of their armies.

The book of Numbers is divided into three parts. Chapters 1-12 will deal with the old generation. The people who actually left Egypt and camped a little over a year at the base of Mount Sinai which, fyi, is but a mere 11 day journey to the land of milk and honey promised to them by God. However for reasons we will get into later on, they will wander in circles about the wilderness for near 40 years. 

The second part is chapters 13-20, the transition. We’ll see how the old generation will fail to believe in God’s promise. They will become grumblers and whiners and while still children of God they will never receive the full glory of God because of their doubt and disbelief.

The third part, chapters 21-36 will speak to the new generation. All those who were just little rug rats and curtain climbers or some not even born yet, when they left Egypt. They will be the ones to enter the land of milk and honey. 

Right off the bat in chapter one we read that God spoke to Moses in the wilderness in the tent of meeting (NIV). Years ago I did a women’s Bible study by Jeannie McCullough who would often encourage us to go to our “tent of meeting”, pointing out it could be anywhere; your favorite chair in the den, a table on the back porch, the kitchen counter, anywhere that you could sit and be still and meet with God to praise Him, read His Word, talk to Him, and listen to what He has to say to you. 

Please don’t get discouraged with all the repetition and, if you’re like me, trying to get your mind to say the names your eyes are seeing; oh boy but that slowed me down a bit today. It makes me chuckle a little because I liken it to whenever I am at the grocery store, the cashier will always say “Thank you Mrs. Severns” though it may come our Seeeverns, or Sevreeens or any number of ways because they are not familiar with it, but their hearts are in the right place and they always try. God doesn’t care how we botch the names, He just loves that we try. Right on?!
I am really looking forward to this book and what God has to show me, to show us through it, I hope you are too. 

I don’t usually do this, but the Lord has pressed it upon my heart to make a special request. So it is in obedience that I ask if you would please stop what your doing right now and take a moment to pray for a woman named Naya, that the Lord would heal her and free her from the enemy's clutches. And as the Lord brings her to your mind today and the tomorrows will you continue to pray for her? To God be the glory!

I pray you have a really good day.
God bless you all …