february 29

February 29, 2012
Numbers 14-15; Psalm 90
It is truly a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God! Especially when He is angry. The Israelites discovered this truth when they had finally went too far. His anger burned for forty years. Yet, even in this, they were still able to realize His grace. As the Psalm says, with the Lord a thousand years is but a day. When their punishment would come to an end, they could take comfort in knowing that their children would inherit the promised land. In this short span of time, God's anger would cool. He does not stay mad.

Could this possibly mean that Edward Fudge is right in his theory of what hell and eternal judgment is all about? Perhaps we have a glimpse of what is to come. The Israelites knew what they were being denied, and there was nothing they could do about it. All they had to look forward to was death, and that death would be final. It would never be reversed. I suppose that it would be hell to know what the glories of heaven are to be, while being denied those privileges, with only an eternal destruction in the lake of fire for your future.

February 28

Numbers 11-13
If I had to give tody's reading a title, it might go something like this, "The Valley of Tears!"  First, we have the people crying out against God because they want meat, then Moses cries out to God because the burden is too great, next is Marum and Aaron crying out against Moses because they are jealous of his power, and finally there are the ten spies out of twelve who cry that the promised land is full of giants that can't be overcome.  Wow!  One would be hard-pressed to find a better soap opera.  Is it any wonder that God's anger was aroused?

The primary cause of all the wailing was a lack of trust in the Lord.  They were not content to let God do things in His own way, and in his own time.  Aren't we often guilty of the same?  Paul encourages us to be content in every circumstance.  He does this because he knows our inclination is to cry.  We would do well to remember Israel when circumstances are less than ideal.

February 27

   
Numbers 8-10
As we read through these first books of the Bible, it's hard to escape the repetitiveness. My wife does this to me. There are times when she will repeat something as many as three or four times. This often concerns me, because I wonder if she's losing her memory. But, I've discovered that it has nothing to do with her memory. She's concerned about mine, and what she wants me to remember is important to her.

There are some things that God finds to be so important that He wants to impress them upon the minds and hearts of His people, so that they might not forget. We would do well to pay special attention to those things He repeats. He just might be telling us that it is important to Him that we don't forget.

February 26

 
Numbers 7
The priests of God brought their offerings to the Lord, thus providing an example to the people. It does little good to lead and instruct others in the ways of the Lord if those same leaders are not themselves being led by and instructed of the Lord. I praise God for the godly leaders in our church who practice what they preach, humbly living the truth as it is given. When leaders don't lead by example, they don't lead at all!

February 25

Numbers 5-6

There are those who the scriptures for exhibiting male chauvinism. Today's reading lends credence to that charge. It would seem that God held Israelite women to a different standard concerning adultery than what He did for men. Indeed, if a man just suspected his wife of infidelity, she was treated as one guilty until proven innocent! And then, to add injury to insult, if she were proven to be innocent, her husband suffered no ill for the false charge!


I don't pretend to fully understand what clearly seems to me to be an unjust law. Who can know the mind of God? However, it would appear that the Israelite women of old did understand. As vocal as they were, we never read of them levying a charge that God was treating them unfairly. To the contrary, it would seem that they had complete confidence in His decrees and statutes. I don' believe they were weak, brainwashed, robitrons. These were strong women, able to bear any load. Perhaps they were more in touch with God than we realize!

February 24

Numbers 3-4

Henry Ford gets credit for the modern assembly line system of manufacturing. Indeed, he totally revolutionalized the production of cars, bringing the down substantially. Due to his efforts factories are able to supply what is needed so efficiently that the final product can be priced low enough so as to make it affordable to nearly everyone. Prior to Ford's assembly line the cost associated with manufacturing was so high that only the rich could afford to buy. Furthermore, without this efficient process many things would go undone because the cost and the man-hours involved is beyond comprehension.


Such is the case with the tabernacle. Without the organization of the Levite clans, and the assembly line process of assigning particular duties to each individual clan, the dismantling, assembling, and use of this massive tabernacle for the nomadic Israelites would have been nearly impossible. But, God, through Moses, establishes an effective assembly line process to get the job done, and it works! I don't know if this is where Henry Ford drew his inspiration, but I do know that he was not the first to come up with, and implement, the assembly line process!

February 23

Numbers 1-2
As we begin the book of Numbers, we see God's direction for the armies if Israel. I am struck with the many similarities with respect to America's armed forces, and I am once again reminded of our nation's foundational principles, as drafted by men who were persuaded that we should be "one nation, under God." High and lofty ideals that have made our nation great are currently under attack. It's a tricky thing to mix politics with religion. Israel was God's nation, formed by Him, and for His service; with a purpose to play an integral part in the fulfilment of God's great scheme for the redemption of mankind. Contrary to what some might believe, America is not God's nation! It is good that our forefathers sought His guidance, and it would be good if our current leaders would do the same. But, let us never fall into the heresy of exalting any nation to a position that God has not given.