March 5 - Numbers 19:1-21:35

Good morning everyone,

This morning in our reading we learn about the “red heifer”. Interestingly, this sacrifice has an entire chapter devoted to it. It was introduced years and years after all of the other sacrifices were already being offered, it was unique in as much as it was to be presented outside the camp rather than in the tabernacle; it was to be spotless and never yoked and to be offered by someone other than the priest. After the entire heifer was reduced to ashes, they were to be gathered and brought inside for the purpose of purification of those who had come into contact with a dead person. At face value, this ceremony may seem a bit much to us, but again, we need to remember that they were very uninformed, that only God was privy to the destruction bacteria could cause if allowed to spread throughout the camp. So as always God was looking out for them and put in play a plan to keep them clean.

In chapter 20 we are nearing the end of the forty years of wandering. The kiddos are growing up being prepared for the Promised Land, changes are taking place. Unceremoniously we’re told Miriam dies in the wilderness of Zin. It is there too that once again the people will complain that there is no water, blaming Moses. This should serve to show us that time, in and of itself, does not change a person. More than wanting to be changed we must work at being changed. It is not enough to merely read the Bible we must make conscious decisions to make positive changes in our lifestyle, our behavior to live the Bible. When we do, God’s light will shine through us; sadly if we don’t, if we merely go through the motions there will be no growing in Christ.

Everyone has a breaking point. You, me, everyone comes to crossroads in life, times where we have taken as much as we can possibly take before something gives. It is how we choose to behave at those pivotal times in our lives which could determine what our future will look like. Here we have Moses one of the greatest men in history, a man who has interceded on behalf of the people over and over again for their lives, a meek and humble man, an obedient man, a godly man who has been leading this massive group of over two million grumbling, complaining, selfish, ungrateful back packers around the desert for nearly forty years. His brothers wife has just died, it’s hot, he’s tired, his back and feet may quite possibly be aching and yet again the people are sniveling. They come knocking at Moses’ door, “we want water!” So Moses prays and God tells him to take the staff and go speak to the rock and water they shall have. But Moses lost his temper, allowed the enemy do have his way with it all and shouted “Listen, you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock?” Then Moses raised his arm and struck the rock not once but twice with his staff. 

There is a lot going on in that one action, Moses was taking credit for something the Lord did, he was allowing them to believe the Lord was mad at them and He was not, Moses misrepresented God and it is that bad choice that would keep him from ever seeing the Promised Land. 

Like Moses we too will make poor choices in our lifetime. Some choices will hurt others, some choices will hurt just ourselves; and while we will often have to deal with consequence of choice, we may even think God must really be exhausted with me, Romans 5:20 tells us that where sin increased, grace increased all the more. 
So it is important that we remember that God loves us very much and His mercies are new every morning. Kind of like groundhog day … right?

Have a most awesome day and to God be the glory!
God bless you all.