The theme throughout these chapters is one with which I am intimately familiar: complaints. My husband jokes that I like it whatever temperature it’s not.  I like my food to be burning hot, my water to be ice cold, and my socks to be fuzzy and warm. But God’s word clearly shows that He is not fond of those who complain against His blessings.  The Israelites whined for meat instead of manna, so He sent them more quail than they knew how to use…along with a devastating, quick-acting plague that killed many who had complained about the food. When Miriam … Continue reading Numbers 11-13: Removing the giants

After Moses consecrated the Tabernacle, the Israelites clans each provided grain, incense, burnt, sin, and fellowship offerings, one clan per day, for twelve days, to dedicate the altar. This gets me to thinking about the offerings I bring to the Lord.  I am thankful that we are no longer bound by the types of offerings we can bring!  I’d be hard pressed to locate an ox…nor do I even know what differentiates “choice” flour from “non-choice” flour.  Time, treasure, and especially love are offerings that I gratefully give back to the Lord! Continue reading Numbers 7

Sometimes I come across passages in the Bible that I just don’t like.  They seem unfair. Numbers 5 contains one of these passages.  The Bible provides a way for a jealous husband to determine whether or not his wife has been unfaithful.  She’s brought before the Lord along with an offering.  The priest gives her “bitter water,” which is translated from the Hebrew as “bitter water,” so I’m not sure what was in the water that made it bitter.  One meaning of the word used for water is “water of the feet,” or, in other words, urine. If she was … Continue reading Numbers 5-6: The Bitter Water