Daily Truthbase: complaining

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2 Chronicles 25-28 Starting and Finishing Well

2 Chronicles 25-28 Starting and Finishing Well

Psalm 63:8-11 Rejoicing in God

Ps 63:8 “(3 Because your hesed/loyal covenantal love is better than life, my lips shall praise you.) 8 My soul stays close to you. Your right hand holds me up. 9 But those who seek my soul, to destroy it, shall go into the lower parts of the earth. 10 They shall be given over to the power of the sword. They shall be jackal food. 11 But the king shall rejoice in God. Everyone who take their oaths by him will praise him, for the mouth of those who speak lies shall be silenced."

Observations: 63:1-7 See post on Judges 1 for vv 1-7, in which David thirsts after the God who satisfies.

63:8-11 God's loyal hesed to David is better than life to him. God delivers those who trust Him, and they praise Him for delivering them. David stays close to God and He upholds him, fights his battles for him, and destroys his enemies. Then the king (David) can rejoice in God; in fact, all who call on His name will praise Him for His help and deliverance. But those who lie shall be silenced and eaten by jackals.

Application: Stay close to God (don't let your mind, heart, and emotions wander), and He will protect and prosper you as promised. Then all you have to do is praise Him.

Prayer: God, thanks for loyally loving me, and protecting me and my interests; may I stick close to You and see You work mightily on my behalf. Amen.

Proverbs 16:22-33 Life or Death

Pr 16:22 “Understanding is a fountain of life to one who has it, but the punishment of fools is their folly. 23 The heart of the wise instructs his mouth, and adds learning to his lips. 24 Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones. 25 There is a way which seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death. 26 The appetite of the laboring man labors for him; for his mouth urges him on. 27 A worthless man devises mischief. His speech is like a scorching fire. 28 A perverse man stirs up strife. A whisperer separates close friends. 29 A man of violence entices his neighbor, and leads him in a way that is not good. 30 One who winks his eyes to plot perversity, one who compresses his lips, is bent on evil. 31 Gray hair is a crown of glory. It is attained by a life of righteousness.

32 One who is slow to anger is better than the mighty; one who rules his spirit, than he who takes a city. 33 The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from Yahweh.“

Observations: 16:22-31 In Pr 14:27 the fear of the Lord was the fountain of life that turned one away from the snares of death; in Pr 13:14 it was the law of the wise. These are related, since the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and understanding (Pr 1:7; 2:5; 9:10). Understanding/insight guide the words, ways, and work of the wise, leading them to righteous life and glory, rather than folly and death. Those who follow folly (what comes naturally -16:25) do damage to themselves and others. Note the negative consequences above.

16:32-33 The last two verses deserve special note, containing another of the “betters” in Proverbs. Self-control, the ability to rule one's passions and desires by focusing them on the correct objectives is better than conquering a city. Sometimes, casting a lot (as when the land of Israel was apportioned among the tribes), is the best way to determine God's will. Other times, we need to use the means God has given us to seek His will (His word and Spirit) see Will of God outline on Truthbase.net under TOYL.

Application: Rule the kingdom of your passions to reap the rewards of righteousness.

Prayer: Lord, thanks for revealing truth that leads me to the abundant life; help me avoid any foolish steps into the dark that leads to death. Amen.

2 Chronicles 25-28 These chapters describe three kings who started out right, and one who was bad to the bone. Two of the good kings took wrong turns, because they failed to ask for or listen to directions. One king (a guy you never heard of) finished in the winners circle, but was unable to bring Judah along with him. The Northern Kingdom of Israel acts more righteously than Judah in an unprecedented heeding of a prophetic warning.

2 Chronicles 25 Right, but Not Quite, then Wrong

25:1 "Amaziah was twenty-five years old when he began to reign; and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem: and his mother’s name was Jehoaddan, of Jerusalem. 2 He did that which was right in the eyes of Yahweh, but not with a perfect heart. 3 Now it happened, when the kingdom was established to him, that he killed his servants who had killed the king his father. 4 But he didn’t put their children to death, but did according to that which is written in the law in the book of Moses, as Yahweh commanded, saying, "The fathers shall not die for the children, neither shall the children die for the fathers; but every man shall die for his own sin." 5 Moreover Amaziah gathered Judah together, and ordered them according to their fathers’ houses, under captains of thousands and captains of hundreds, even all Judah and Benjamin: and he numbered them from twenty years old and upward, and found them three hundred thousand chosen men, able to go forth to war, who could handle spear and shield.

6 He hired also one hundred thousand mighty men of valor out of Israel for one hundred talents of silver. 7 A man of God came to him, saying, "O king, don’t let the army of Israel go with you; for Yahweh is not with Israel, with all the children of Ephraim. 8 But if you will go, take action, be strong for the battle. God will overthrow you before the enemy; for God has power to help, and to overthrow." 9 Amaziah said to the man of God, "But what shall we do for the hundred talents which I have given to the army of Israel?" The man of God answered, "Yahweh is able to give you much more than this." 10 Then Amaziah separated them, the army that had come to him out of Ephraim, to go home again: therefore their anger was greatly kindled against Judah, and they returned home in fierce anger. 11 Amaziah took courage, and led forth his people, and went to the Valley of Salt, and struck ten thousand of the children of Seir. 12 The children of Judah carry away ten thousand alive, and brought them to the top of the rock, and threw them down from the top of the rock, so that they all were broken in pieces. 13 But the men of the army whom Amaziah sent back, that they should not go with him to battle, fell on the cities of Judah, from Samaria even to Beth Horon, and struck of them three thousand, and took much spoil.

14 Now it happened, after that Amaziah had come from the slaughter of the Edomites, that he brought the gods of the children of Seir, and set them up to be his gods, and bowed down himself before them, and burned incense to them. 15 Therefore the anger of Yahweh was kindled against Amaziah, and he sent to him a prophet, who said to him, "Why have you sought after the gods of the people, which have not delivered their own people out of your hand?" 16 It happened, as he talked with him, that the king said to him, "Have we made you one of the king’s counselors? Stop! Why should you be struck down?" Then the prophet stopped, and said, "I know that God has determined to destroy you, because you have done this, and have not listened to my counsel."

17 Then Amaziah king of Judah consulted his advisers, and sent to Joash, the son of Jehoahaz the son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, "Come, let us look one another in the face." 18 Joash king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, "The thistle that was in Lebanon sent to the cedar that was in Lebanon, saying, ‘Give your daughter to my son as his wife; then a wild animal that was in Lebanon passed by, and trampled down the thistle. 19 You say to yourself that you have struck Edom; and your heart lifts you up to boast. Now stay at home. Why should you meddle with trouble, that you should fall, even you, and Judah with you?’" 20 But Amaziah would not listen; for it was of God, that he might deliver them into the hand of their enemies, because they had sought after the gods of Edom. 21 So Joash king of Israel went up; and he and Amaziah king of Judah looked one another in the face at Beth Shemesh, which belongs to Judah. 22 Judah was defeated by Israel; and they fled every man to his tent. 23 Joash king of Israel took Amaziah king of Judah, and brought him to Jerusalem, and broke down the wall of Jerusalem from the gate of Ephraim to the corner gate, four hundred cubits. 24 He took all the gold and silver, and all the vessels that were found in the house of God with Obed-Edom, and the treasures of the king’s house, the hostages also, and returned to Samaria. 25 Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah lived after the death of Joash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel fifteen years. 26 Now the rest of the acts of Amaziah, first and last, behold, aren’t they written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel? 27 Now from the time that Amaziah turned away from following Yahweh, they made a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem. He fled to Lachish; but they sent after him to Lachish, and killed him there. 28 They brought him on horses, and buried him with his fathers in the city of Judah."

Observations: 25:1-5 Amaziah does what's right, but not with a perfect heart (wholeheartedly), an apt description of many modern believers. He doesn't put the children of his father's assassins to death because he is following the law of Moses. He numbers the warriors, in preparation for battle, to defend Judah, and doesn't get rebuked for it, but does get a prophetic reproof in the next section.

25:6-13 As the kings before him, Amaziah doesn't seek God's will in his decisions, and hires mercenaries from Israel. Thus he aligns himself with the people who weren't following Yahweh, and therefore would not be blessed. God sends a prophet to expose his folly, and to his credit Amaziah listens, and sends the mercenaries back. God is able to make up whatever losses we incur in following Him. God gives victory over the Edomintes, but the mercenaries, angry at missing out on the spoil, wantonly despoil Judah's cities on their way home. This was a consequence from Amaziah not seeking God's will, nor fully trusting Him, but aligning himself with unholy people. There should be a lesson in this, but Amaziah misses it.

25:14-16 Because Amaziah hadn't fixed his heart on following only Yahweh, he stupidly adopts the “new and different” Edomite gods and bows down to them. Excuse me, but weren't these the gods who couldn't protect the Edomites from Judah? Now God gets angry and sends a prophet to rebuke Amaziah, but rather than listening to him (which gave success last time), Amaziah threatens him, and asks “Who appointed you as my counselor?”. God had. Doing what was wrong, and refusing to listen to God's messenger, his choices, now activate God's sovereign purpose to destroy him. Note the order of decisions to understand Biblical sovereignty.

25:17-24 Flexing his puny muscles, Amaziah decides to listen to ungodly counsel and take on the king of Israel, who wisely responds: “You don't have a chance.” Amaziah doesn't listen, and Israel defeats Judah, breaks down the wall protecting Jerusalem, and takes all the stuff out of the temple and treasury. Why didn't Amaziah leave well enough alone and listen to reason?

25:25-28 Amaziah turns away from following Yahweh; his own people conspire to kill him; he flees but is assassinated anyway. And another person blessed by God winds up cursed because they wouldn't listen to, nor obey His word.

Application: If we're not wholeheartedly devoted to God, the un-devoted part of our heart will lead us away from obedience and blessing into unfaithfulness and destruction.

Prayer: God, help me be receptive to Your voice, through Your word, and Your people, so I won't follow folly. Thanks. Amen.

2 Chronicles 26 Prospered then Punished

26:1 "All the people of Judah took Uzziah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king in the place of his father Amaziah. 2 He built Eloth, and restored it to Judah, after that the king slept with his fathers. 3 Sixteen years old was Uzziah when he began to reign; and he reigned fifty-two years in Jerusalem: and his mother’s name was Jechiliah, of Jerusalem. 4 He did that which was right in the eyes of Yahweh, according to all that his father Amaziah had done. 5 He set himself to seek God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding in the vision of God: and as long as he sought Yahweh, God made him to prosper.

6 He went forth and warred against the Philistines, and broke down the wall of Gath, and the wall of Jabneh, and the wall of Ashdod; and he built cities in the country of Ashdod, and among the Philistines. 7 God helped him against the Philistines, and against the Arabians who lived in Gur Baal, and the Meunim. 8 The Ammonites gave tribute to Uzziah: and his name spread abroad even to the entrance of Egypt; for he grew exceeding strong. 9 Moreover Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem at the corner gate, and at the valley gate, and at the turning of the wall, and fortified them. 10 He built towers in the wilderness, and dug out many cisterns, for he had much livestock; in the lowland also, and in the plain: and he had farmers and vineyard keepers in the mountains and in the fruitful fields; for he loved farming. 11 Moreover Uzziah had an army of fighting men...14 Uzziah prepared...shields, and spears, and helmets, and coats of mail, and bows, and stones for slinging. 15 He made in Jerusalem engines, invented by skilful men, to be on the towers and on the battlements, with which to shoot arrows and great stones. His name spread far abroad; for he was marvelously helped, until he was strong.

16 But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up, so that he did corruptly, and he trespassed against Yahweh his God; for he went into the temple of Yahweh to burn incense on the altar of incense. 17 Azariah the priest went in after him, and with him eighty priests of Yahweh, who were valiant men: 18 and they resisted Uzziah the king, and said to him, "It isn’t for you, Uzziah, to burn incense to Yahweh, but for the priests the sons of Aaron, who are consecrated to burn incense. Go out of the sanctuary; for you have trespassed; neither shall it be for your honour from Yahweh God." 19 Then Uzziah was angry; and he had a censer in his hand to burn incense; and while he was angry with the priests, the leprosy broke forth in his forehead before the priests in the house of Yahweh, beside the altar of incense. 20 Azariah the chief priest, and all the priests, looked on him, and behold, he was leprous in his forehead, and they thrust him out quickly from there; yes, himself hurried also to go out, because Yahweh had struck him. 21 Uzziah the king was a leper to the day of his death, and lived in a separate house, being a leper; for he was cut off from the house of Yahweh: and Jotham his son was over the king’s house, judging the people of the land. 22 Now the rest of the acts of Uzziah, first and last, Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, wrote. 23 So Uzziah slept with his fathers; and they buried him with his fathers in the field of burial which belonged to the kings; for they said, "He is a leper." Jotham his son reigned in his place."

Observations: 26:1-5 A sixteen year old follows God and gets blessed, and the nation gets blessed through him. His secret? “26:4 he did what was right in the eyes of Yahweh...5 He set himself to seek God...and as long as he sought Yahweh, God made him to prosper.” Does anyone see a cause and effect here?

26:6-15 He becomes exceedingly strong because God marvelously helped him. Then he doesn't need to rely upon God.

26:16-21 Just like his father (25:19), his heart is lifted up and he does what is not right in the sight of the Lord, and gets angry when rebuked rather than seeking God's will. Judgment swiftly follows, and he dies a lonely leper. And another person blessed by God winds up cursed because they wouldn't listen to, nor obey His word.

Application: Never think you don't need God; for He has way of making you think again.

Prayer: God, thanks that You bless Your people who walk in Your ways; may I never stop depending upon You, and may I walk with You all my days. Amen.

2 Chronicles 27 Unsung Hero, Unrepentant People

27:1 "Jotham was twenty-five years old when he began to reign; and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem: 2 He did that which was right in the eyes of Yahweh, according to all that his father Uzziah had done: however he didn’t enter into the temple of Yahweh. The people still did corruptly. 3 He built the upper gate of the house of Yahweh, and on the wall of Ophel he built much. 4 Moreover he built cities in the hill country of Judah, and in the forests he built castles and towers. 5 He fought also with the king of the children of Ammon, and prevailed against them. The children of Ammon gave him the same year one hundred talents of silver, and ten thousand measures of wheat, and ten thousand of barley. The children of Ammon gave that much to him in the second year also, and in the third.

6 So Jotham became mighty, because he ordered his ways before Yahweh his God. 7 Now the rest of the acts of Jotham, and all his wars, and his ways, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah. 8 He was five and twenty years old when he began to reign, and reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. 9 Jotham slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David: and Ahaz his son reigned in his place."

Observations: 27:1-5 Jotham has to be the most unsung hero among the kings. He started and ended well. He followed the good things his father Uzziah did, but not the bad. Perhaps seeing his father suffer with leprosy during the seven years their reigns overlapped, made him conscious of the consequences of disloyalty to Yahweh. He built a lot, but not the people, and didn't destroy the high places, but overall he did extremely well.

27:6-9 The prophets Isaiah, Hosea, and Micah, all ministered during his reign, and he must have listened to them (unlike his predecessors and contemporaries). But the stated secret of his success is found in verse 6

“he became mighty because he caused his way to be established before the face of Yahweh his God.”

No other king is said to have done this. In 2 Chronicles 19:3 Jehoshaphat was spared judgment because he did something similar “and have prepared/set your heart to seek God.”

The verb used is in the Hiphil stem, stressing that the subject causes the action to happen. The action is to be stable, firm, or established, which doesn't happen by accident, hence the meaning of prepare.

Application: If you want help in preparing not just your heart, but your ways to be firmly established in what is right in the sight of the Lord, visit the Purpose and Objectives worksheets in TOYL, and order your everyday ways before the Lord.

Prayer: God, thanks that doing what is right in Your sight all of my days is possible, give me insight into making all of my ways pleasing to You every day. Amen.

2 Chronicles 28 Ahaz Serves the Dark Side

28:1 "Ahaz was twenty years old when he began to reign; and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem: and he didn’t do that which was right in the eyes of Yahweh, like David his father; 2 but he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, and made also molten images for the Baals. 3 Moreover he burnt incense in the valley of the son of Hinnom, and burnt his children in the fire, according to the abominations of the nations whom Yahweh cast out before the children of Israel. 4 He sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places, and on the hills, and under every green tree. 5 Therefore Yahweh his God delivered him into the hand of the king of Syria; and they struck him, and carried away of his a great multitude of captives, and brought them to Damascus. He was also delivered into the hand of the king of Israel, who struck him with a great slaughter.

6 For Pekah the son of Remaliah killed in Judah one hundred twenty thousand in one day, all of them valiant men; because they had forsaken Yahweh, the God of their fathers. 7 Zichri, a mighty man of Ephraim, killed Maaseiah the king’s son, and Azrikam the ruler of the house, and Elkanah who was next to the king. 8 The children of Israel carried away captive of their brothers two hundred thousand, women, sons, and daughters, and took also away much spoil from them, and brought the spoil to Samaria. 9 But a prophet of Yahweh was there, whose name was Oded: and he went out to meet the army that came to Samaria, and said to them, "Behold, because Yahweh, the God of your fathers, was angry with Judah, He has delivered them into your hand, and you have slain them in a rage which has reached up to heaven. 10 Now you purpose to keep under the children of Judah and Jerusalem for bondservants and bondmaids for yourselves. Aren’t there even with you trespasses of your own against Yahweh your God? 11 Now hear me therefore, and send back the captives, that you have taken captive from your brothers; for the fierce wrath of Yahweh is on you." 12 Then some of the heads of the children of Ephraim...stood up against those who came from the war, 13 and said to them, "You shall not bring in the captives here: for you purpose that which will bring on us a trespass against Yahweh, to add to our sins and to our trespass; for our trespass is great, and there is fierce wrath against Israel." 14 So the armed men left the captives and the spoil before the princes and all the assembly. 15 The men who have been mentioned by name rose up, and took the captives, and with the spoil clothed all who were naked among them, dressed them, gave them sandals, and gave them something to eat and to drink, anointed them, carried all the feeble of them on donkeys, and brought them to Jericho, the city of palm trees, to their brothers. Then they returned to Samaria.

16 At that time king Ahaz sent to the kings of Assyria to help him. 17 For again the Edomites had come and struck Judah, and carried away captives. 18 The Philistines also had invaded the cities of the lowland, and of the South of Judah, and had taken...19 For Yahweh brought Judah low because of Ahaz king of Israel; for he had dealt wantonly in Judah, and trespassed severely against Yahweh. 20 Tilgath Pilneser king of Assyria came to him, and distressed him, but didn’t strengthen him. 21 For Ahaz took away a portion out of the house of Yahweh, and out of the house of the king and of the princes, and gave it to the king of Assyria: but it didn’t help him. 22 In the time of his distress, he trespassed yet more against Yahweh, this same king Ahaz. 23 For he sacrificed to the gods of Damascus, which struck him; and he said, "Because the gods of the kings of Syria helped them, so I will sacrifice to them, that they may help me." But they were the ruin of him, and of all Israel. 24 Ahaz gathered together the vessels of the house of God, and cut in pieces the vessels of the house of God, and shut up the doors of the house of Yahweh; and he made altars in every corner of Jerusalem. 25 In every city of Judah he made high places to burn incense to other gods, and provoked to anger Yahweh, the God of his fathers. 26 Now the rest of his acts, and all his ways, first and last, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel. 27 Ahaz slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city, even in Jerusalem; for they didn’t bring him into the tombs of the kings of Israel: and Hezekiah his son reigned in his place."

Observations: 28:1-5 The pendulum swings from one of the best Jotham, to one of the worst, Ahaz (and back again in the next chapter). There is almost nothing evil that Ahaz didn't do, wholeheartedly.

28:6-15 So God responds to Ahaz's choices with destruction and slaughter, as promised, forsaking those who have forsaken Him. Even Israel, who had taken many captives from Judah, (and yet were themselves under Yahweh's wrath for their sins), were more responsive to God than Judah. Obed, a very brave prophet of Yahweh goes out to confront the army bringing back two hundred thousand women and children of Judah, whose husbands and fathers the army of Israel had slain. Amazingly some of the leadership respond to his words, and then the whole army responds, and they send the captives back to Judah, treating them kindly. Israel is being more righteous than Judah (a reversal of 2Ch 13). There is no mention of the Spirit of God causing the repentance, but for a victorious army to give back the spoil, something supernatural has to be going on.

28:16-27 Not one to learn from his mistakes, Ahaz compounds them. For more detail see 2Kings 16. He looks for help to everyone but Yahweh, and gets harm instead, and in the process angers Yahweh even more. Even the prophet Isaiah gave Ahaz personal messages from Yahweh (Isa 7-11), but he persisted in his folly. He dies (unfortunately no gruesome details, for he certainly deserved such) and was not buried honorably in the tombs of the kings.

Application: Once someone starts serving Satan, it's almost impossible to turn back; so avoid it in the first place.

Prayer: God, You are patient and just in dealing with Your people; help me see error so I won't embrace it, and may I quickly learn from my mistakes before much damage is done. Thanks. Amen.

Digging Deeper:

God in a nutshell: God is eager to protect and prosper those who wholeheartedly seek Him, and sends them warnings when they are getting off-track. When they refuse to listen, He brings devastating judgment upon those He had previously prospered, even using those He had previously punished. It's clear that God's posture towards us changes from blessing to cursing when we change from obeying to disloyalty. God punishes those who forsake Him, and specifically stirs up enemies against them.

Us in a nutshell: We can start and finish well, but it doesn't happen often, thus the need for constant daily dependence. We need to fix our hearts in the direction of wholeheartedly following God, and then order our steps every day, so we follow through. Then we will experience blessing and prosperity. We have a tendency to stop trusting and following God when He has prospered us, just like He warned in Deuteronomy 8:11-20. We will surely perish in pain, as He promised (Dt 8) if we forget God (for He has promised to forget us). If we listen to His messengers, we can spare ourselves, and those around us a lot of grief.

Where to Go for More:

Truthbase.net

2 Chronicles complete text

2 Chronicles 25

25:1 Amaziah was twenty-five years old when he began to reign; and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem: and his mother’s name was Jehoaddan, of Jerusalem. 2 He did that which was right in the eyes of Yahweh, but not with a perfect heart. 3 Now it happened, when the kingdom was established to him, that he killed his servants who had killed the king his father. 4 But he didn’t put their children to death, but did according to that which is written in the law in the book of Moses, as Yahweh commanded, saying, "The fathers shall not die for the children, neither shall the children die for the fathers; but every man shall die for his own sin." 5 Moreover Amaziah gathered Judah together, and ordered them according to their fathers’ houses, under captains of thousands and captains of hundreds, even all Judah and Benjamin: and he numbered them from twenty years old and upward, and found them three hundred thousand chosen men, able to go forth to war, who could handle spear and shield. 6 He hired also one hundred thousand mighty men of valour out of Israel for one hundred talents of silver. 7 A man of God came to him, saying, "O king, don’t let the army of Israel go with you; for Yahweh is not with Israel, with all the children of Ephraim. 8 But if you will go, take action, be strong for the battle. God will overthrow you before the enemy; for God has power to help, and to overthrow." 9 Amaziah said to the man of God, "But what shall we do for the hundred talents which I have given to the army of Israel?" The man of God answered, "Yahweh is able to give you much more than this." 10 Then Amaziah separated them, the army that had come to him out of Ephraim, to go home again: therefore their anger was greatly kindled against Judah, and they returned home in fierce anger. 11 Amaziah took courage, and led forth his people, and went to the Valley of Salt, and struck ten thousand of the children of Seir. 12 The children of Judah carry away ten thousand alive, and brought them to the top of the rock, and threw them down from the top of the rock, so that they all were broken in pieces. 13 But the men of the army whom Amaziah sent back, that they should not go with him to battle, fell on the cities of Judah, from Samaria even to Beth Horon, and struck of them three thousand, and took much spoil.

14 Now it happened, after that Amaziah had come from the slaughter of the Edomites, that he brought the gods of the children of Seir, and set them up to be his gods, and bowed down himself before them, and burned incense to them. 15 Therefore the anger of Yahweh was kindled against Amaziah, and he sent to him a prophet, who said to him, "Why have you sought after the gods of the people, which have not delivered their own people out of your hand?" 16 It happened, as he talked with him, that the king said to him, "Have we made you one of the king’s counsellors? Stop! Why should you be struck down?" Then the prophet stopped, and said, "I know that God has determined to destroy you, because you have done this, and have not listened to my counsel."

17 Then Amaziah king of Judah consulted his advisers, and sent to Joash, the son of Jehoahaz the son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, "Come, let us look one another in the face." 18 Joash king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, "The thistle that was in Lebanon sent to the cedar that was in Lebanon, saying, ‘Give your daughter to my son as his wife; then a wild animal that was in Lebanon passed by, and trampled down the thistle. 19 You say to yourself that you have struck Edom; and your heart lifts you up to boast. Now stay at home. Why should you meddle with trouble, that you should fall, even you, and Judah with you?’" 20 But Amaziah would not listen; for it was of God, that he might deliver them into the hand of their enemies, because they had sought after the gods of Edom. 21 So Joash king of Israel went up; and he and Amaziah king of Judah looked one another in the face at Beth Shemesh, which belongs to Judah. 22 Judah was defeated by Israel; and they fled every man to his tent. 23 Joash king of Israel took Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Joash the son of Jehoahaz, at Beth Shemesh, and brought him to Jerusalem, and broke down the wall of Jerusalem from the gate of Ephraim to the corner gate, four hundred cubits. 24 He took all the gold and silver, and all the vessels that were found in the house of God with Obed-Edom, and the treasures of the king’s house, the hostages also, and returned to Samaria. 25 Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah lived after the death of Joash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel fifteen years. 26 Now the rest of the acts of Amaziah, first and last, behold, aren’t they written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel? 27 Now from the time that Amaziah turned away from following Yahweh, they made a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem. He fled to Lachish; but they sent after him to Lachish, and killed him there. 28 They brought him on horses, and buried him with his fathers in the city of Judah.

2 Chronicles 26

26:1 All the people of Judah took Uzziah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king in the place of his father Amaziah. 2 He built Eloth, and restored it to Judah, after that the king slept with his fathers. 3 Sixteen years old was Uzziah when he began to reign; and he reigned fifty-two years in Jerusalem: and his mother’s name was Jechiliah, of Jerusalem. 4 He did that which was right in the eyes of Yahweh, according to all that his father Amaziah had done. 5 He set himself to seek God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding in the vision of God: and as long as he sought Yahweh, God made him to prosper. 6 He went forth and warred against the Philistines, and broke down the wall of Gath, and the wall of Jabneh, and the wall of Ashdod; and he built cities in the country of Ashdod, and among the Philistines. 7 God helped him against the Philistines, and against the Arabians who lived in Gur Baal, and the Meunim. 8 The Ammonites gave tribute to Uzziah: and his name spread abroad even to the entrance of Egypt; for he grew exceeding strong. 9 Moreover Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem at the corner gate, and at the valley gate, and at the turning of the wall, and fortified them. 10 He built towers in the wilderness, and dug out many cisterns, for he had much livestock; in the lowland also, and in the plain: and he had farmers and vineyard keepers in the mountains and in the fruitful fields; for he loved farming. 11 Moreover Uzziah had an army of fighting men, who went out to war by bands, according to the number of their reckoning made by Jeiel the scribe and Maaseiah the officer, under the hand of Hananiah, one of the king’s captains. 12 The whole number of the heads of fathers’ households, even the mighty men of valour, was two thousand and six hundred. 13 Under their hand was an army, three hundred thousand and seven thousand and five hundred, who made war with mighty power, to help the king against the enemy. 14 Uzziah prepared for them, even for all the army, shields, and spears, and helmets, and coats of mail, and bows, and stones for slinging. 15 He made in Jerusalem engines, invented by skilful men, to be on the towers and on the battlements, with which to shoot arrows and great stones. His name spread far abroad; for he was marvellously helped, until he was strong.

2 Chronicles 27

27:1 Jotham was twenty-five years old when he began to reign; and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem: and his mother’s name was Jerushah the daughter of Zadok. 2 He did that which was right in the eyes of Yahweh, according to all that his father Uzziah had done: however he didn’t enter into the temple of Yahweh. The people still did corruptly. 3 He built the upper gate of the house of Yahweh, and on the wall of Ophel he built much. 4 Moreover he built cities in the hill country of Judah, and in the forests he built castles and towers. 5 He fought also with the king of the children of Ammon, and prevailed against them. The children of Ammon gave him the same year one hundred talents of silver, and ten thousand measures of wheat, and ten thousand of barley. The children of Ammon gave that much to him in the second year also, and in the third. 6 So Jotham became mighty, because he ordered his ways before Yahweh his God. 7 Now the rest of the acts of Jotham, and all his wars, and his ways, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah. 8 He was five and twenty years old when he began to reign, and reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. 9 Jotham slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David: and Ahaz his son reigned in his place.

2 Chronicles 28

28:1 Ahaz was twenty years old when he began to reign; and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem: and he didn’t do that which was right in the eyes of Yahweh, like David his father; 2 but he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, and made also molten images for the Baals. 3 Moreover he burnt incense in the valley of the son of Hinnom, and burnt his children in the fire, according to the abominations of the nations whom Yahweh cast out before the children of Israel. 4 He sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places, and on the hills, and under every green tree. 5 Therefore Yahweh his God delivered him into the hand of the king of Syria; and they struck him, and carried away of his a great multitude of captives, and brought them to Damascus. He was also delivered into the hand of the king of Israel, who struck him with a great slaughter.

6 For Pekah the son of Remaliah killed in Judah one hundred twenty thousand in one day, all of them valiant men; because they had forsaken Yahweh, the God of their fathers. 7 Zichri, a mighty man of Ephraim, killed Maaseiah the king’s son, and Azrikam the ruler of the house, and Elkanah who was next to the king. 8 The children of Israel carried away captive of their brothers two hundred thousand, women, sons, and daughters, and took also away much spoil from them, and brought the spoil to Samaria. 9 But a prophet of Yahweh was there, whose name was Oded: and he went out to meet the army that came to Samaria, and said to them, "Behold, because Yahweh, the God of your fathers, was angry with Judah, he has delivered them into your hand, and you have slain them in a rage which has reached up to heaven. 10 Now you purpose to keep under the children of Judah and Jerusalem for bondservants and bondmaids for yourselves. Aren’t there even with you trespasses of your own against Yahweh your God? 11 Now hear me therefore, and send back the captives, that you have taken captive from your brothers; for the fierce wrath of Yahweh is on you." 12 Then some of the heads of the children of Ephraim, Azariah the son of Johanan, Berechiah the son of Meshillemoth, and Jehizkiah the son of Shallum, and Amasa the son of Hadlai, stood up against those who came from the war, 13 and said to them, "You shall not bring in the captives here: for you purpose that which will bring on us a trespass against Yahweh, to add to our sins and to our trespass; for our trespass is great, and there is fierce wrath against Israel." 14 So the armed men left the captives and the spoil before the princes and all the assembly. 15 The men who have been mentioned by name rose up, and took the captives, and with the spoil clothed all who were naked among them, dressed them, gave them sandals, and gave them something to eat and to drink, anointed them, carried all the feeble of them on donkeys, and brought them to Jericho, the city of palm trees, to their brothers. Then they returned to Samaria.

16 At that time king Ahaz sent to the kings of Assyria to help him. 17 For again the Edomites had come and struck Judah, and carried away captives. 18 The Philistines also had invaded the cities of the lowland, and of the South of Judah, and had taken Beth Shemesh, and Aijalon, and Gederoth, and Soco with its towns, and Timnah with its towns, Gimzo also and its towns: and they lived there. 19 For Yahweh brought Judah low because of Ahaz king of Israel; for he had dealt wantonly in Judah, and trespassed severely against Yahweh. 20 Tilgath Pilneser king of Assyria came to him, and distressed him, but didn’t strengthen him. 21 For Ahaz took away a portion out of the house of Yahweh, and out of the house of the king and of the princes, and gave it to the king of Assyria: but it didn’t help him. 22 In the time of his distress, he trespassed yet more against Yahweh, this same king Ahaz. 23 For he sacrificed to the gods of Damascus, which struck him; and he said, "Because the gods of the kings of Syria helped them, so I will sacrifice to them, that they may help me." But they were the ruin of him, and of all Israel. 24 Ahaz gathered together the vessels of the house of God, and cut in pieces the vessels of the house of God, and shut up the doors of the house of Yahweh; and he made him altars in every corner of Jerusalem. 25 In every city of Judah he made high places to burn incense to other gods, and provoked to anger Yahweh, the God of his fathers. 26 Now the rest of his acts, and all his ways, first and last, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel. 27 Ahaz slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city, even in Jerusalem; for they didn’t bring him into the tombs of the kings of Israel: and Hezekiah his son reigned in his place.

Numbers 15-17 - Wrecking the Rebels

Numbers 15-17 - Wrecking the Rebels

Psalm 23:1-6 Sticking with the Shepherd

Psalm 23:1 “The LORD (Yahweh) is my shepherd: I shall lack nothing. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. 3 He restores my soul. He guides me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake. 4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me. Your rod and your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil. My cup runs over. 6 Surely goodness and hesed/loyal love shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in Yahweh's house forever."

Observations: 23:1 Being a happy sheep is pretty simple: follow the Shepherd. If you feel you're suffering lack, you might need to snuggle closer to the Shepherd. 23:3 God tends and guides His sheep for a higher purpose than their survival, His glory. 23:4 Shadows happen. As the Shepherd guided the sheep through the scary mountain passes to higher summer pastures, dangers abounded. But sticking close to the Shepherd resulted in fertile, abundant pasture on the higher ground when they came out into the sunshine. 23:5 Oil kept away the nostril gnats; table prep eliminated nose nipping vipers and leg breaking holes. See Phillip Keller's A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 for great insights.

Application: If you're running ragged, you're not following the Good Shepherd.

Prayer: Shepherd of my soul and life, keep me close to You; use Your rod or staff if I stray. Amen.

Proverbs 6:20-22 Led By Truth

Pr 6:20 “My son, keep your father’s commandment, and don’t forsake your mother’s teaching. 21 Bind them continually on your heart. Tie them around your neck. 22 When you walk, it will lead you. When you sleep, it will watch over you. When you awake, it will talk with you.“

Observations: 6:20-22 Parenting is a team sport, combining commands and teaching (how to implement the commands). The commands of godly parents are the commands of God. The wise person keeps the commands in front of them, so they will do them, be led by them, and protected by them. God actually talks to us through His word if we are totally focused on it.

Application: We talk to God in prayer, and He talks to us through His word.

Prayer: Lord, lead me throughout today by Your truth. Don't let me lose sight of your commands and teaching. Thanks. Amen.

Chapter 15 True Blue Fringe

14 If a stranger sojourn with you, or whoever may be among you throughout your generations, and will offer an offering made by fire, of a sweet savor to Yahweh; as you do, so he shall do.

22 When you shall err, and not observe all these commandments, which Yahweh has spoken to Moses, 23 even all that Yahweh has commanded you by Moses, from the day that Yahweh gave commandment, and onward throughout your generations; 24 then it shall be, if it be done unwittingly, without the knowledge of the congregation, that all the congregation shall offer one young bull for a burnt offering...and one male goat for a sin-offering. 25 The priest shall make atonement for all the congregation of the children of Israel, and they shall be forgiven; for it was an error, and they have brought their offering, an offering made by fire to Yahweh, and their sin-offering before Yahweh, for their error: 26 and all the congregation of the children of Israel shall be forgiven, and the stranger who sojourns among them; for in respect of all the people it was done unwittingly.

30 But the soul who does anything with a high hand, whether he be home-born or a sojourner, the same blasphemesYahweh; and that soul shall be cut off from among his people. 31 Because he has despised the word of Yahweh, and has broken his commandment, that soul shall utterly be cut off; his iniquity shall be on him.

32 While the children of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man gathering sticks on the Sabbath day. 33 Those who found him gathering sticks brought him to Moses and Aaron, and to all the congregation. 34 They put him in custody, because it had not been declared what should be done to him. 35 Yahweh said to Moses, The man shall surely be put to death: all the congregation shall stone him with stones outside of the camp. 36 All the congregation brought him outside of the camp, and stoned him to death with stones; as Yahweh commanded Moses.

37 Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 38 Speak to the children of Israel, and bid those who they make them fringes in the borders of their garments throughout their generations, and that they put on the fringe of each border a cord of blue: 39 and it shall be to you for a fringe, that you may look on it, and remember all the commandments of Yahweh, and do them; and that you not follow after your own heart and yourown eyes, after which you use to play the prostitute; 40 that you may remember and do all my commandments, and be holy to your God. 41 I am Yahweh your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: I am Yahweh your God.

Observations: 15:1-13 It seems strange that God would give instructions for offerng sacrifices in the land, but He is reiterating that He will bring the next generation in. Offerings were to be accompanied by grain and wine offerings.

15:14 Non-Israelites could offer sacrifices if they did it correctly.

15:30 No sacrifice existed for deliberate sin. You were out.

15:32-36 The congregation starts taking sin seriously and dealing with it.

15:39 Somehow a fringe seems like a fragile safeguard against following one's own heart and eyes (lust). We'll see if this reminder works.

Application: It's good to remind ourselves of our past so we don't repeat it. It's better to victoriously follow God with all our heart and eyes.

Prayer: Gracious God, thank You that You are true to Your promises; may I always remember from where You brought me so I won't repeat my folly and will be true to You. Amen.

Chapter 16 Korah and Company's Rebellion

20 Yahweh spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying, 21 Separate yourselves from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment. 22 They fell on their faces, and said, God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, shall one man sin, and will you be angry with all the congregation? 23 Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 24 Speak to the congregation, saying, Get away from about the tent of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. 26 He spoke to the congregation, saying, Depart, I pray you, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest you be consumed in all their sins. 29 If these men die the common death of all men...then Yahweh hasn`t sent me. 30 But if Yahweh make a new thing, and the ground open its mouth, and swallow them up, with all that appertain to them, and they go down alive into Sheol; then you shall understand that these men have despised Yahweh. 31 It happened, as he made an end of speaking all these words, that the ground split apart that was under them; 32 and the earth opened its mouth, and swallowed them up, and their households, and all the men who appertained to Korah, and all their goods. 33 So they, and all that appertained to them, went down alive into Sheol: and the earth closed on them, and they perished from among the assembly. 34 All Israel that were round about them fled at the cry of them; for they said, Lest the earth swallow us up. 35 Fire came forth from Yahweh, and devoured the two hundred fifty men who offered the incense.

41 But on the next day all the congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron, saying, You have killed the people of Yahweh. 42...the glory of Yahweh appeared. 43 Moses and Aaron came to the front of the tent of meeting. 44 Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 45 Get you up from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment. They fell on their faces. 46 Moses said to Aaron, Take they censer, and put fire therein from off the altar, and lay incense thereon, and carry it quickly to the congregation, and make atonement for them: for there is wrath gone out from Yahweh; the plague is begun. 47 Aaron took as Moses spoke, and ran into the midst of the assembly; and, behold, the plague was begun among the people: and he put on the incense, and made atonement for the people. 48 He stood between the dead and the living; and the plague was stayed. 49 Now those who died by the plague were fourteen thousand and seven hundred, besides those who died about the matter of Korah. 50 Aaron returned to Moses to the door of the tent of meeting: and the plague was stayed.

Observations: 16: Just like Miriam, Korah and company aren't content with their blessings and challenge Moses' authority.

16:13 As in most demonically inspired disobedience (rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft 1Sam 15:23) lies abound and repeat (a trademark of Satan). Note the major history re-write. Egypt wasn't exactly milk and honey.

16:21,26 Safety is found in separation from sin and sinners.

16:32 The families suffered for the sins of their fathers. The kids would probably have grown up just like dad.

16:41 The people Moses just spared, murmur against him, and Moses and Aaron have to intercede again for them. So much for the blue fringe.

Application: Hebrews 12:28-29 “Therefore, receiving a Kingdom that can't be shaken, let us have grace, through which we may serve God acceptably, with reverence and awe/caution, for our God is a consuming fire.”

Prayer: God of Love and Wrath, may I draw on Your grace to serve You in a manner that pleases You, not resenting anything You've allowed in my life for my benefit. Amen.

Chapter 17 Aaron's Almond Joy

17:1 Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 2 Speak to the children of Israel, and take from them rods, one for each fathers` house, twelve rods: write every man`s name on his rod. 3 You shall write Aaron`s name on the rod of Levi; 4 You shall lay them up in the tent of meeting before the testimony, where I meet with you. 5 It shall happen, that the rod of the man whom I shall choose shall bud: and I will make to cease from before me the murmurings of the children of Israel, which they murmur against you. 8 on the next day, Moses went into the tent of the testimony; and, behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded, and put forth buds, and produced blossoms, and bore ripe almonds. 9 Moses brought out all the rods from before Yahweh to all the children of Israel: and they looked, and took every man his rod. 10 Yahweh said to Moses, Put back the rod of Aaron before the testimony, to be kept for a token against the children of rebellion; that you may make an end of their murmurings against me, that they not die. 11 Thus did Moses: as Yahweh commanded him, so did he. 12 The children of Israel spoke to Moses, saying, Behold, we perish, we are undone, we are all undone. 13 Everyone who comes near, who comes near to the tent of Yahweh, dies: shall we perish all of us?

Observations: God attempts to end the rebellious murmurings against the leadership of Moses and Aaron. God goes beyond buds to flowers and almonds. Will it end the rebellious murmurings?

17:11-13 The people's response doesn't sound too positive.

Digging Deeper:

God in a nutshell: God is gracious to remember His promises, even though He feels like wiping rebels off the face of the earth. Fortunately He always doesn't do as He feels, and gives us reminders and incentives to obey Him. When confronted with bare-faced rebellion, He justly cuts off the rebel, before the infection spreads. He is clearly not to be treated with contempt.

Us in a nutshell: Unless we purpose to remember and do God's commands, we will default to following the desires/lusts of our own heart and eyes, and reap judgment. We're most likely to resent and rebel against spiritual authority when we have no spiritual worth in God's sight. Rebellion opens the door for Satan to deceive us even more, to the point that we live in a world of lies, blinded to the Truth. We wind up resisting the very ones God uses to save us from our stupidity, which makes sense, since we are resisting God.

Where to Go for More:

Truthbase.net

Numbers complete text

Chapter 15

15:1 Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 2 Speak to the children of Israel, and tell them, When you are come into the land of your habitations, which I give to you, 3 and will make an offering by fire to Yahweh, a burnt offering, or a sacrifice, to accomplish a vow, or as a freewill-offering, or in your set feasts, to make a sweet savor to Yahweh, of the herd, or of the flock; 4 then shall he who offers his offering offer to Yahweh a mealoffering of a tenth part [of an ephah] of fine flour mingled with the fourth part of a hin of oil: 5 and wine for the drink-offering, the fourth part of a hin, shall you prepare with the burnt offering, or for the sacrifice, for each lamb. 6 Or for a ram, you shall prepare for a meal-offering two tenth parts [of an ephah] of fine flour mingled with the third part of a hin of oil: 7 and for the drink-offering you shall offer the third part of a hin of wine, of a sweet savor to Yahweh. 8 When you prepare a bull for a burnt offering, or for a sacrifice, to accomplish a vow, or for peace-offerings to Yahweh; 9 then shall he offer with the bull a meal-offering of three tenth parts [of an ephah] of fine flour mingled with half a hin of oil: 10 and you shall offer for the drink- offering half a hin of wine, for an offering made by fire, of a sweet savor to Yahweh. 11 Thus shall it be done for each bull, or for each ram, or for each of the he-lambs, or of the kids. 12 According to the number that you shall prepare, so shall you do to everyone according to their number. 13 All who are home-born shall do these things after this manner, in offering an offering made by fire, of a sweet savor to Yahweh. 14 If a stranger sojourn with you, or whoever may be among you throughout your generations, and will offer an offering made by fire, of a sweet savor to Yahweh; as you do, so he shall do. 15 For the assembly, there shall be one statute for you, and for the stranger who sojourns [with you], a statute forever throughout your generations: as you are, so shall the sojourner be before Yahweh. 16 One law and one ordinance shall be for you, and for the stranger who sojourns with you. 17 Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 18 Speak to the children of Israel, and tell them, When you come into the land where I bring you, 19 then it shall be that when you eat of the bread of the land, you shall offer up a heave- offering to Yahweh. 20 Of the first of your dough you shall offer up a cake for a heave-offering: as the heave-offering of the threshing floor, so shall you heave it. 21 Of the first of your dough you shall give to Yahweh a heaveoffering throughout your generations. 22 When you shall err, and not observe all these commandments, which Yahweh has spoken to Moses, 23 even all that Yahweh has commanded you by Moses, from the day that Yahweh gave commandment, and onward throughout your generations; 24 then it shall be, if it be done unwittingly, without the knowledge of the congregation, that all the congregation shall offer one young bull for a burnt offering, for a sweet savor to Yahweh, with the meal-offering of it, and the drink-offering of it, according to the ordinance, and one male goat for a sin-offering. 25 The priest shall make atonement for all the congregation of the children of Israel, and they shall be forgiven; for it was an error, and they have brought their offering, an offering made by fire to Yahweh, and their sin-offering before Yahweh, for their error: 26 and all the congregation of the children of Israel shall be forgiven, and the stranger who sojourns among them; for in respect of all the people it was done unwittingly. 27 If one person sin unwittingly, then he shall offer a female goat a year old for a sin-offering. 28 The priest shall make atonement for the soul who errs, when he sins unwittingly, before Yahweh, to make atonement for him; and he shall be forgiven. 29 You shall have one law for him who does anything unwittingly, for him who is home-born among the children of Israel, and for the stranger who sojourns among them. 30 But the soul who does anything with a high hand, whether he be home-born or a sojourner, the same blasphemes Yahweh; and that soul shall be cut off from among his people. 31 Because he has despised the word of Yahweh, and has broken his commandment, that soul shall utterly be cut off; his iniquity shall be on him. 32 While the children of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man gathering sticks on the Sabbath day. 33 Those who found him gathering sticks brought him to Moses and Aaron, and to all the congregation. 34 They put him in custody, because it had not been declared what should be done to him. 35 Yahweh said to Moses, The man shall surely be put to death: all the congregation shall stone him with stones outside of the camp. 36 All the congregation brought him outside of the camp, and stoned him to death with stones; as Yahweh commanded Moses. 37 Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 38 Speak to the children of Israel, and bid those who they make them fringes in the borders of their garments throughout their generations, and that they put on the fringe of each border a cord of blue: 39 and it shall be to you for a fringe, that you may look on it, and remember all the commandments of Yahweh, and do them; and that you not follow after your own heart and your own eyes, after which you use to play the prostitute; 40 that you may remember and do all my commandments, and be holy to your God. 41 I am Yahweh your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: I am Yahweh your God.

Chapter 16

16:1 Now Korah, the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, with Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On, the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took [men]: 2 and they rose up before Moses, with certain of the children of Israel, two hundred fifty princes of the congregation, called to the assembly, men of renown; 3 and they assembled themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said to them, You take too much on you, seeing all the congregation are holy, everyone of them, and Yahweh is among them: why then lift you up yourselves above the assembly of Yahweh? 4 When Moses heard it, he fell on his face: 5 and he spoke to Korah and to all his company, saying, In the morning Yahweh will show who are his, and who is holy, and will cause him to come near to him: even him whom he shall choose will he cause to come near to him. 6 This do: take you censers, Korah, and all his company; 7 and put fire in them, and put incense on them before Yahweh tomorrow: and it shall be that the man whom Yahweh does choose, he [shall be] holy: you take too much on you, you sons of Levi. 8 Moses said to Korah, Hear now, you sons of Levi: 9 [seems it but] a small thing to you, that the God of Israel has separated you from the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to himself, to do the service of the tent of Yahweh, and to stand before the congregation to minister to them; 10 and that he has brought you near, and all your brothers the sons of Levi with you? and seek you the priesthood also? 11 Therefore you and all your company are gathered together against Yahweh: and Aaron, what is he who you murmur against him? 12 Moses sent to call Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab; and they said, We won`t come up: 13 is it a small thing that you have brought us up out of a land flowing with milk and honey, to kill us in the wilderness, but you must needs make yourself also a prince over us? 14 Moreover you haven`t brought us into a land flowing with milk and honey, nor given us inheritance of fields and vineyards: will you put out the eyes of these men? we won`t come up. 15 Moses was very angry, and said to Yahweh, "Don`t respect their offering: I have not taken one donkey from them, neither have I hurt one of them." 16 Moses said to Korah, Be you and all your company before Yahweh, you, and they, and Aaron, tomorrow: 17 and take every man his censer, and put incense on them, and bring you before Yahweh every man his censer, two hundred fifty censers; you also, and Aaron, each his censer. 18 They took every man his censer, and put fire in them, and laid incense thereon, and stood at the door of the tent of meeting with Moses and Aaron. 19 Korah assembled all the congregation against them to the door of the tent of meeting: and the glory of Yahweh appeared to all the congregation. 20 Yahweh spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying, 21 Separate yourselves from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment. 22 They fell on their faces, and said, God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, shall one man sin, and will you be angry with all the congregation? 23 Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 24 Speak to the congregation, saying, Get you up from about the tent of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. 25 Moses rose up and went to Dathan and Abiram; and the elders of Israel followed him. 26 He spoke to the congregation, saying, Depart, I pray you, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest you be consumed in all their sins. 27 So they got them up from the tent of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, on every side: and Dathan and Abiram came out, and stood at the door of their tents, and their wives, and their sons, and their little ones. 28 Moses said, Hereby you shall know that Yahweh has sent me to do all these works; for [I have] not [done them] of my own mind. 29 If these men die the common death of all men, or if they be visited after the visitation of all men; then Yahweh hasn`t sent me. 30 But if Yahweh make a new thing, and the ground open its mouth, and swallow them up, with all that appertain to them, and they go down alive into Sheol; then you shall understand that these men have despised Yahweh. 31 It happened, as he made an end of speaking all these words, that the ground split apart that was under them; 32 and the earth opened its mouth, and swallowed them up, and their households, and all the men who appertained to Korah, and all their goods. 33 So they, and all that appertained to them, went down alive into Sheol: and the earth closed on them, and they perished from among the assembly. 34 All Israel that were round about them fled at the cry of them; for they said, Lest the earth swallow us up. 35 Fire came forth from Yahweh, and devoured the two hundred fifty men who offered the incense. 36 Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 37 Speak to Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest, that he take up the censers out of the burning, and scatter you the fire yonder; for they are holy, 38 even the censers of these sinners against their own lives; and let them be made beaten plates for a covering of the altar: for they offered them before Yahweh; therefore they are holy; and they shall be a sign to the children of Israel. 39 Eleazar the priest took the brazen censers, which those who were burnt had offered; and they beat them out for a covering of the altar, 40 to be a memorial to the children of Israel, to the end that no stranger, who isn`t of the seed of Aaron, comes near to burn incense before Yahweh; that he not be as Korah, and as his company: as Yahweh spoke to him by Moses. 41 But on the next day all the congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron, saying, You have killed the people of Yahweh. 42 It happened, when the congregation was assembled against Moses and against Aaron, that they looked toward the tent of meeting: and, behold, the cloud covered it, and the glory of Yahweh appeared. 43 Moses and Aaron came to the front of the tent of meeting. 44 Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 45 Get you up from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment. They fell on their faces. 46 Moses said to Aaron, Take they censer, and put fire therein from off the altar, and lay incense thereon, and carry it quickly to the congregation, and make atonement for them: for there is wrath gone out from Yahweh; the plague is begun. 47 Aaron took as Moses spoke, and ran into the midst of the assembly; and, behold, the plague was begun among the people: and he put on the incense, and made atonement for the people. 48 He stood between the dead and the living; and the plague was stayed. 49 Now those who died by the plague were fourteen thousand and seven hundred, besides those who died about the matter of Korah. 50 Aaron returned to Moses to the door of the tent of meeting: and the plague was stayed.

Chapter 17

17:1 Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 2 Speak to the children of Israel, and take of them rods, one for each fathers` house, of all their princes according to their fathers` houses, twelve rods: write you every man`s name on his rod. 3 You shall write Aaron`s name on the rod of Levi; for there shall be one rod for each head of their fathers` houses. 4 You shall lay them up in the tent of meeting before the testimony, where I meet with you. 5 It shall happen, that the rod of the man whom I shall choose shall bud: and I will make to cease from me the murmurings of the children of Israel, which they murmur against you. 6 Moses spoke to the children of Israel; and all their princes gave him rods, for each prince one, according to their fathers` houses, even twelve rods: and the rod of Aaron was among their rods. 7 Moses laid up the rods before Yahweh in the tent of the testimony. 8 It happened on the next day, that Moses went into the tent of the testimony; and, behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded, and put forth buds, and produced blossoms, and bore ripe almonds. 9 Moses brought out all the rods from before Yahweh to all the children of Israel: and they looked, and took every man his rod. 10 Yahweh said to Moses, Put back the rod of Aaron before the testimony, to be kept for a token against the children of rebellion; that you may make an end of their murmurings against me, that they not die. 11 Thus did Moses: as Yahweh commanded him, so did he. 12 The children of Israel spoke to Moses, saying, Behold, we perish, we are undone, we are all undone. 13 Everyone who comes near, who comes near to the tent of Yahweh, dies: shall we perish all of us?

Numbers 12-14 Fatal Failure of Faith

Numbers 12-14 Fatal Failure of Faith

Psalm 22:6-31 A Psalm of Trust and Triumph

Ps 22:6 (1 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? 4 Our fathers trusted in you. They trusted, and you delivered them. 5 They cried to you, and were delivered. They trusted in you, and were not disappointed.) 6 But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised by the people. 7 All those who see me mock me. They insult me with their lips. They shake their heads, saying, 8 "He trusts in Yahweh; let him deliver him. Let him rescue him, since he delights in him." 9 But you brought me out of the womb. You made me trust at my mother’s breasts. 10 I was thrown on you from my mother’s womb. You are my God since my mother bore me.

11 Don’t be far from me, for trouble is near. For there is none to help. 12 Many bulls have surrounded me. Strong bulls of Bashan have encircled me. 13 They open their mouths wide against me, lions tearing prey and roaring. 14 I am poured out like water. All my bones are out of joint. My heart is like wax; it is melted within me. 15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd. My tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth. You have brought me into the dust of death. 16 For dogs have surrounded me. A company of evildoers have enclosed me. They have pierced my hands and feet. 17 I can count all of my bones. They look and stare at me. 18 They divide my garments among them. They cast lots for my clothing. 19 But don’t be far off, Yahweh. You are my help: hurry to help me. 20 Deliver my soul from the sword, my precious life from the power of the dog.

21 Save me from the lion’s mouth! Yes, from the horns of the wild oxen, you have answered me.

22 I will declare your name to my brothers. In the midst of the assembly, I will praise you. 23 You who fear Yahweh, praise him! All you descendants of Jacob, glorify him! Stand in awe of him, all you descendants of Israel! 24 For he has not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted, Neither has he hidden his face from him; but when he cried to him, he heard. 25 Of you comes my praise in the great assembly. I will pay my vows before those who fear him. 26 The humble shall eat and be satisfied. They shall praise Yahweh who seek after him. Let your hearts live forever. 27 All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to Yahweh. All the relatives of the nations shall worship before you. 28 For the kingdom is Yahweh’s. He is the ruler over the nations. 29 All the rich ones of the earth shall eat and worship. All those who go down to the dust shall bow before him, even he who can’t keep his soul alive. 30 Posterity shall serve him. Future generations shall be told about the Lord. 31 They shall come and shall declare his righteousness to a people that shall be born, for he has done it."

Observations: 22:1-5 See post on Exodus 11 for vv 1-5, 21-24 where it is clear that David is wrestling with apparent unanswered prayer, for God delivers David from death at the end. Jesus quoted this, not because God had forsaken Him, He knew it only looked that way. He wanted to bring His disciple's mind to the Psalm as encouragement, for in the end, God answered, delivering Him through death.

22:6-20 The events in David's life closely parallel those of Christ being mocked on the cross, yet David recalls that God has been his God from youth, and therefore won't abandon him now, and he continues to trust Him, regardless of how bad it gets or looks.

22:21 The psalm hinges on this verse with a change of verb tenses. Up until this point, David has been pleading (“cause me to be saved” – Hiphil Imperative), now, in the second half he has been delivered (“you have answered/heard – Qal Perfect) and his prayer turns to that of praise.

22:22-31 These are not the words of someone who has been forsaken, but of one who has been heard and delivered. The ascriptions of praise go beyond David, to a Davidic descendant who would rule over all nations in the Kingdom of Yahweh. All mortals, rich and poor would bow and worship. People yet to be born would declare His righteousness and of God's deliverance. See how this applies to the Messiah as a song of victory?

Application: Those who wholeheartedly trust and seek God can confidently expect Him to answer and save them regardless of how bad it gets, even through death. If God doesn't answer as you wish, know that He has a really good reason. (Resurrection to happily ever after anyone?)

Prayer: God, I praise You for being so trustworthy, and faithful to those who seek and trust You; thanks that You will never abandon me. Amen.

Proverbs 6:16-19 What God Hates

Pr 6:16 “There are six things which Yahweh hates; yes, seven which are an abomination to him:

17 arrogant eyes/proud look,
a lying tongue,
hands that shed innocent blood;
18 a heart that devises wicked schemes,
feet that are swift in running to mischief,
19 a false witness who utters lies,
and he who sows discord among brothers.“

Observations: 6:16-19 To avoid the judgment God heaps upon abominations, we need to understand why each of these items is so bad that they are singled out for God's specific displeasure. (Hint: look for the hoof prints.)

17 arrogance/pride – views oneself as the center of the universe, like Satan, independent of God (essence of sin) and considering oneself better than others, rather than their servant.
a lying tongue – following in the hoof prints of the father of lies, Satan, one who lies does so to gain advantage, rather than trusting God to bless them.
hands that shed innocent blood – God hates injustice, and those who kill the innocent usurp His role as the author and sustainor of life, operating independently of His mandates. Satan seeks to undermine God's rule.
18 a heart that devises wicked schemes – instead of having a heart wholly focused on obeying God, an evil heart departs from God's ways and schemes to do things contrary to His will.
feet that are swift in running to mischief – unrestrained willfulness is the mark of undisciplined toddlers and ungodly adolescents, and unsanctified adults.
19 a false witness who utters lies – people lie, operating in the dark rather than the light, for temporal advantage, and lose out on eternal gain.
and he who sows discord among brothers – God's plan is unity among believers, but Satan seeks to thwart that to prevent God's purposes from being accomplished. Satan appeals to our self-centeredness to create discord (see Ephesians).

Application: If God hates something, we'd be wise to figure out how to avoid it.

Prayer: Lord, I want to do the things that please You, know the things You hate, which will incur Your wrath. Amen.

Numbers 12-14 Skip to chapter 14 if you're short on time. It ties with Genesis 3 as the most significant chapter in the OT for understanding the triumphant Christian life. Don't miss it.

1 Corinthians 10:1 “Now I would not have you ignorant, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; 2 and were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea; 3 and all ate the same spiritual food; 4 and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of a spiritual rock that accompanied them, and the rock was Christ. 5 However with most of them, God was not well pleased, for they were strewn over the wilderness. 6 Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted...”

Numbers 12 Sibling Stupidity

12:1 Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman whom he had married 2 They said, Has Yahweh indeed spoken only with Moses? Hasn`t He spoken also with us? Yahweh heard it. 3 Now the man Moses was very humble, above all the men who were on the surface of the earth. 4 Yahweh spoke suddenly to Moses, and to Aaron, and to Miriam, Come out you three to the tent of meeting. They three came out. 5 Yahweh came down in a pillar of cloud, and stood at the door of the Tent, and called Aaron and Miriam; and they both came forth. 6 He said, Hear now My words: if there be a prophet among you, I Yahweh will make Myself known to him in a vision, I will speak with him in a dream. 7 My servant Moses is not so; he is faithful in all my house: 8 with him will I speak mouth to mouth, even manifestly, and not in dark speeches; and the form of Yahweh shall he see: why then were you not afraid to speak against My servant, against Moses? 9 The anger of Yahweh was kindled against them; and He departed. 10 The cloud removed from over the Tent; and, behold, Miriam was leprous, as [white as] snow...11 Aaron said to Moses, Oh, my lord, please don`t lay sin on us, for that we have done foolishly, and for that we have sinned. 13 Moses cried to Yahweh, saying, Heal her, God, I beg you. 14 Yahweh said to Moses, If her father had but spit in her face, shouldn`t she be ashamed seven days? Let her be shut up outside of the camp seven days, and after that she shall be brought in again. 16 Afterward the people journeyed from Hazeroth, and encamped in the wilderness of Paran.

Observations: 12:1 Cushites weren't verboten Canaanites. Moses had the closer and better relationship with God because of his better obedience (v7). God spoke to him face to face (v8), not in dreams and visions. His siblings weren't getting their worth and value from God, and therefore had to get it by being better than others. Seventy elders had just been given the Spirit in the last chapter. Folks with fragile self-worth are always threatened by not feeling special. The corrective is to be special in God's sight, via faithfulness.

12:3 Moses wrote these true words. He took no offense at the attack, God did, and he even prayed for his “enemy” (v13).

12:7-8 Because of his faithfulness, Moses saw God in the form of Yahweh.

Question: I wonder what life would be like if God was more active in immediately smiting sinners?

Application: Beware of criticizing people who follow God better than you do. If you want to feel better about yourself, follow God more closely.

Prayer: God Who Fights My Battles, may I be so faithful in following You and feeling good about it, that I don't even think about being better than someone else as the basis of my worth and value. Amen.

Numbers 13 Short-Sighted Spies

13:1 Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 2 Send your men, that they may spy out the land of Canaan, which I give to the children of Israel: of every tribe of their fathers shall you send a man, everyone a prince among them...4 These were their names:...6 Of the tribe of Judah, Caleb the son of Jephunneh. 8 Of the tribe of Ephraim, Hoshea the son of Nun. 16 These are the names of the men who Moses sent to spy out the land. Moses called Hoshea the son of Nun Joshua. 18...see the land, what it is; and the people who dwell therein, whether they are strong or weak, whether they are few or many; 20 Be of good courage, and bring of the fruit of the land. Now the time was the time of the first-ripe grapes. 25 They returned from spying out the land at the end of forty days. 26...and brought back word to them, and to all the congregation, and showed them the fruit of the land. 27 They told him, We came to the land where you sent us; and surely it flows with milk and honey; and this is the fruit of it. 28 However the people who dwell in the land are strong, and the cities are fortified, [and] very great: and moreover we saw the children of Anak there. 30 Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it. 31 But the men who went up with him said, We aren`t able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we. 32 They brought up an evil report of the land which they had spied out to the children of Israel, saying, The land, through which we have gone to spy it out, is a land that eats up the inhabitants of it; and all the people who we saw in it are men of great stature. 33 There we saw the Nephilim, the sons of Anak, who come of the Nephilim: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.

Observations: 13:2 God promised to give the land. All Israel had to do was trust and obey.

13:16 Dt 1:22 says it was the people's idea to send out the spies. The emphasis here is on the failure to obey, not the sending of the spies. Hoshea/Joshua, Moses' assistant, used to hang around in the Tent of Meeting even after Moses left. He helps fulfill Jacob's blessing of the per-eminence of Ephriam. Funny how we only remember Joshua and Caleb. What about the other ten?

13:27 The land was good as God had promised. The spies could see the goodness of the land, and the giants who lived there. They could see their own inability to reap the promises of God. What they didn't see was that the God who promised was faithful to perform (Rm 4:21).

13:32-33 The land was so good, that the biggest and baddest took it over for themselves, eating up the previous inhabitants. The Nephilim would have been destroyed by the flood. If you think you're a grasshopper, you'll think everyone else sees you as one.

Application: If the part of God's promises that we can see is true, then it stands to reason that the part we can't see will also be true.

Prayer: Almighty God, help me keep Your promises, and not my problem in attaining them, in front of my eyes. Never let me doubt Your ability to do what You have promised. Amen.

Numbers 14 The Folly of Fear and the Failure of Faith

14:1 All the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night. 2 All the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron: and the whole congregation said to them, Would that we had died in the land of Egypt! or would that we had died in this wilderness! 3 Why does Yahweh bring us to this land, to fall by the sword? Our wives and our little ones will be a prey: wouldn`t it be better for us to return into Egypt? 4 They said one to another, Let us make a captain, and let us return into Egypt.

5 Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly of the congregation of the children of Israel. 6 Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, who were of those who spied out the land, tore their clothes: 7 and they spoke to all the congregation of the children of Israel, saying, The land, which we passed through to spy it out, is an exceeding good land. 8 If Yahweh delight in us, then He will bring us into this land, and give it to us; a land which flows with milk and honey. 9 Only don`t rebel against Yahweh, neither fear you the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defense is removed from over them, and Yahweh is with us: don`t fear them. 10 But all the congregation said stone them with stones. The glory of Yahweh appeared in the tent of meeting to all the children of Israel. 11 Yahweh said to Moses, How long will this people despise Me? And how long will they not believe in Me, for all the signs which I have worked among them? 12 I will strike them with the pestilence, and disinherit them, and will make of you a nation greater and mightier than they. 13 Moses said to Yahweh, Then the Egyptians will hear it; for you brought up this people in your might from among them; 14 and they will tell it to the inhabitants of this land. They have heard that You Yahweh are in the midst of this people; for You Yahweh are seen face to face, and Your cloud stands over them, and You go before them, in a pillar of cloud by day, and in a pillar of fire by night. 15 Now if You shall kill this people as one man, then the nations which have heard the fame of You will speak, saying, 16 Because Yahweh was not able to bring this people into the land which He swore to them, therefore He has slain them in the wilderness.

17 Now please let the power of the Lord be great, according as You have spoken, saying, 18 Yahweh is slow to anger, and abundant in hesed/loyal love, forgiving iniquity and disobedience; and that will by no means clear [the guilty], visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and on the fourth generation. 19 Pardon, please, the iniquity of this people according to the greatness of Your hesed/loyal love, and according as You have forgiven this people, from Egypt even until now. 20 Yahweh said, I have pardoned according to your word: 21 but indeed, as I live, and as all the earth shall be filled with the glory of Yahweh; 22 because all those men who have seen My glory, and My signs, which I worked in Egypt and in the wilderness, yet have tempted Me these ten times, and have not listened to My voice; 23 surely they shall not see the land which I swore to their fathers, neither shall any of those who despised Me see it:

24 but My servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him, and has followed Me fully, him will I bring into the land into which he went; and his seed shall possess it.

25 Now the Amalekite and the Canaanite dwell in the valley: tomorrow turn, and go into the wilderness by the way to the Red Sea. 26 Yahweh spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying, 27 How long [shall I bear] with this evil congregation, that murmur against me? I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel, which they murmur against me. 28 Tell them, As I live, says Yahweh, surely as you have spoken in my ears, so will I do to you: 29 your dead bodies shall fall in this wilderness; and all who were numbered of you, according to your whole number, from twenty years old and upward, who have murmured against me, 30 surely you shall not come into the land, concerning which I swore that I would make you dwell therein, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun. 31 But your little ones, that you said should be a prey, them will I bring in, and they shall know the land which you have rejected. 32 But as for you, your dead bodies shall fall in this wilderness. 33 Your children shall be wanderers in the wilderness forty years, and suffer for your infidelity (prostitution), until your dead bodies be consumed in the wilderness. 34 After the number of the days in which you spied out the land, even forty days, for every day a year, shall you bear your iniquities, even forty years, and you shall know my alienation. 35 I, Yahweh, have spoken, surely this will I do to all this evil congregation, who are gathered together against me: in this wilderness they shall be consumed, and there they shall die. 36 The men, whom Moses sent to spy out the land, who returned, and made all the congregation to murmur against him, by bringing up an evil report against the land, 37 even those men who did bring up an evil report of the land, died by the plague before Yahweh. 38 But Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, remained alive of those men who went to spy out the land. 39 Moses told these words to all the children of Israel: and the people mourned greatly. 40 They rose up early in the morning, and got them up to the top of the mountain, saying, Behold, we are here, and will go up to the place which Yahweh has promised: for we have sinned. 41 Moses said, Why now do you disobey the commandment of Yahweh, seeing it shall not prosper? 42 Don`t go up, for Yahweh isn`t among you; that you not be struck down before your enemies. 43 For there the Amalekite and the Canaanite are before you, and you shall fall by the sword: because you are turned back from following Yahweh, therefore Yahweh will not be with you. 44 But they presumed to go up to the top of the mountain: nevertheless the ark of the covenant of Yahweh, and Moses, didn`t depart out of the camp. 45 Then the Amalekite came down, and the Canaanite who lived in that mountain, and struck them and beat them down, even to Hormah.

Observations: 14:1 People responded to their fearful obstacles with their feelings rather than faith. Fatal.

14:8 Most believers encounter failure in their walks because they fail to faithfully follow (obey) God and therefore have no confidence that He delights in them (He doesn't delight in disobedient rebels).

14:11 They had daily manna, and the cloud/pillar was visibly with them, but the focus on themselves, made it impossible to focus on God. Signs are no substitute for trust (14:22. cf Mt 12:39; 16:4).

14:12-13 This is the second time God offers Moses this deal, and again he declines, because he is concerned about the glory and reputation of God more than his own.

14:17-20 These verses are KEY!!! They are rooted in the very essence of the glory of God (Ex 34). God pardons and forgives His redeemed people for their repeated rebellion and disobedience, YET because He is also just, they miss out on the blessing/reward/inheritance in the Promised Land. They are not unforgiven, nor are they re-enslaved in Egypt.

Spoiler Alert: In six chapters (Num 20) Moses will miss the promised blessing as well, because of his disobedience.

14:24 Caleb and Joshua fully follow God and reap their reward (Book of Joshua). See Caleb A Whole-hearted Believer on Truthbase.net (It will be on the Sunday Post in a couple of weeks). My sons' middle names are Caleb and Joshua. Hopefully they won't be the only ones in their generation to go against the flow by following God.

14:31-45 God likens their unfaithfulness to Him to prostitution, and brings upon them the very thing they feared. Even acknowledging their sin, they continue to sin by disobeying God's command to go back to the wilderness. As a result, God isn't with them and they get beat up. That's presumption, presuming they know better than God. Tragic.

Application: Disobediently focusing on our fears leads to failure. Obediently focusing on God's promises leads to pleasures forevermore. Is there anything too difficult to understand about that?

Prayer: Faithful Father, You forgive and bless for Your glory's sake. May I faithfully follow You all of my days, with my eyes on You and Your promises, and not on my fears and problems. Amen.

Digging Deeper:

The ten times Israel tested God (cf Ten Plagues)
1. At the Red Sea (Ex 14:11-12)
2. At Marah (Ex 15:23)
3. In the wilderness of Sin (Ex 16:2)
4. In the wilderness of Sin (Ex 16:20)
5. In the wilderness of Sin (Ex 16:27)
6. At Rephidim (Ex 17:1-2)
7. At Horeb (Ex 32)
8. At Taberah (Num 11:1-3)
9. At Kibroth-hattaavah (Num 11:4-34)
10. At Kadesh (Num 14:1-3)

Each time God graciously forgave them (although He did smite the ringleaders sometimes).

God in a nutshell: God requires and blesses obedience, and forgives yet punishes disobedience. He forgives the death penalty of eternal separation from Him in the lake of fire (Rev 20:15), but does not spare us the consequences of our actions, indeed He will bring curses upon the disobedient (Lev 26). This is totally consistent with His glory as revealed to Moses in Ex 34 (and repeated in Num 14). He graciously forgives multiple times, yet reaches a point where He lets us go our own way and reap the consequences of being separated from Him. He'd rather it not be that way, but He's given us the choice. Remember a Sovereign sets the rules, and dem's the rules.

Us in a nutshell: We tend to have a difficult time understanding a God who pardons yet punishes. That's partly because we underestimate the magnitude and effects of our sin. If we whole-heartedly set our focus on God and faithfully following Him in light of His promises, everything is good. If we focus on our flawed value system, faulty feelings and fears, we will fail, and then nothing will be good, even though God forgives us.

Where to Go for More:

Truthbase.net

Caleb: A Whole-hearted Believer

Numbers Complete Text

Chapter 12

12:1 Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman whom he had married; for he had married a Cushite woman. 2 They said, Has Yahweh indeed spoken only with Moses? Hasn`t he spoken also with us? Yahweh heard it. 3 Now the man Moses was very humble, above all the men who were on the surface of the earth. 4 Yahweh spoke suddenly to Moses, and to Aaron, and to Miriam, Come out you three to the tent of meeting. They three came out. 5 Yahweh came down in a pillar of cloud, and stood at the door of the Tent, and called Aaron and Miriam; and they both came forth. 6 He said, Hear now my words: if there be a prophet among you, I Yahweh will make myself known to him in a vision, I will speak with him in a dream. 7 My servant Moses is not so; he is faithful in all my house: 8 with him will I speak mouth to mouth, even manifestly, and not in dark speeches; and the form of Yahweh shall he see: why then were you not afraid to speak against my servant, against Moses? 9 The anger of Yahweh was kindled against them; and he departed. 10 The cloud removed from over the Tent; and, behold, Miriam was leprous, as [white as] snow: and Aaron looked at Miriam, and, behold, she was leprous. 11 Aaron said to Moses, Oh, my lord, please don`t lay sin on us, for that we have done foolishly, and for that we have sinned. 12 Let her not, I pray, be as one dead, of whom the flesh is half consumed when he comes out of his mother`s womb. 13 Moses cried to Yahweh, saying, Heal her, God, I beg You. 14 Yahweh said to Moses, If her father had but spit in her face, shouldn`t she be ashamed seven days? Let her be shut up outside of the camp seven days, and after that she shall be brought in again. 15 Miriam was shut up outside of the camp seven days: and the people didn`t travel until Miriam was brought in again. 16 Afterward the people journeyed from Hazeroth, and encamped in the wilderness of Paran.

Chapter 13

1 Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 2 Send your men, that they may spy out the land of Canaan, which I give to the children of Israel: of every tribe of their fathers shall you send a man, everyone a prince among them. 3 Moses sent them from the wilderness of Paran according to the commandment of Yahweh: all of them men who were heads of the children of Israel. 4 These were their names: Of the tribe of Reuben, Shammua the son of Zaccur. 5 Of the tribe of Simeon, Shaphat the son of Hori. 6 Of the tribe of Judah, Caleb the son of Jephunneh. 7 Of the tribe of Issachar, Igal the son of Joseph. 8 Of the tribe of Ephraim, Hoshea the son of Nun. 9 Of the tribe of Benjamin, Palti the son of Raphu. 10 Of the tribe of Zebulun, Gaddiel the son of Sodi. 11 Of the tribe of Joseph, [namely], of the tribe of Manasseh, Gaddi the son of Susi. 12 Of the tribe of Dan, Ammiel the son of Gemalli. 13 Of the tribe of Asher, Sethur the son of Michael. 14 Of the tribe of Naphtali, Nahbi the son of Vophsi. 15 Of the tribe of Gad, Geuel the son of Machi. 16 These are the names of the men who Moses sent to spy out the land. Moses called Hoshea the son of Nun Joshua. 17 Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan, and said to them, "Get you up this way by the South, and go up into the hill-country: 18 and see the land, what it is; and the people who dwell therein, whether they are strong or weak, whether they are few or many; 19 and what the land is that they dwell in, whether it is good or bad; and what cities they are that they dwell in, whether in camps, or in strongholds; 20 and what the land is, whether it is fat or lean, whether there is wood therein, or not. Be you of good courage, and bring of the fruit of the land." Now the time was the time of the first-ripe grapes. 21 So they went up, and spied out the land from the wilderness of Zin to Rehob, to the entrance of Hamath. 22 They went up by the South, and came to Hebron; and Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai, the children of Anak, were there. (Now Hebron was built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.) 23 They came to the valley of Eshcol, and cut down from there a branch with one cluster of grapes, and they bore it on a staff between two; [they brought] also of the pomegranates, and of the figs. 24 That place was called the valley of Eshcol, because of the cluster which the children of Israel cut down from there. 25 They returned from spying out the land at the end of forty days. 26 They went and came to Moses, and to Aaron, and to all the congregation of the children of Israel, to the wilderness of Paran, to Kadesh; and brought back word to them, and to all the congregation, and showed them the fruit of the land. 27 They told him, and said, "We came to the land where you sent us; and surely it flows with milk and honey; and this is the fruit of it. 28 However the people who dwell in the land are strong, and the cities are fortified, [and] very great: and moreover we saw the children of Anak there. 29 Amalek dwells in the land of the South: and the Hittite, and the Jebusite, and the Amorite, dwell in the hill-country; and the Canaanite dwells by the sea, and along by the side of the Jordan." 30 Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, "Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it." 31 But the men who went up with him said, "We aren`t able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we." 32 They brought up an evil report of the land which they had spied out to the children of Israel, saying, "The land, through which we have gone to spy it out, is a land that eats up the inhabitants of it; and all the people who we saw in it are men of great stature. 33 There we saw the Nephilim, the sons of Anak, who come of the Nephilim: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight."

Chapter 14

1 All the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night. 2 All the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron: and the whole congregation said to them, Would that we had died in the land of Egypt! or would that we had died in this wilderness! 3 Why does Yahweh bring us to this land, to fall by the sword? Our wives and our little ones will be a prey: wouldn`t it be better for us to return into Egypt? 4 They said one to another, Let us make a captain, and let us return into Egypt. 5 Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly of the congregation of the children of Israel. 6 Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, who were of those who spied out the land, tore their clothes: 7 and they spoke to all the congregation of the children of Israel, saying, "The land, which we passed through to spy it out, is an exceeding good land. 8 If Yahweh delight in us, then He will bring us into this land, and give it to us; a land which flows with milk and honey. 9 Only don`t rebel against Yahweh, neither fear you the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defense is removed from over them, and Yahweh is with us: don`t fear them." 10 But all the congregation bade stone them with stones. The glory of Yahweh appeared in the tent of meeting to all the children of Israel. 11 Yahweh said to Moses, "How long will this people despise me? and how long will they not believe in me, for all the signs which I have worked among them? 12 I will strike them with the pestilence, and disinherit them, and will make of you a nation greater and mightier than they." 13 Moses said to Yahweh, "Then the Egyptians will hear it; for You brought up this people in Your might from among them; 14 and they will tell it to the inhabitants of this land. They have heard that You Yahweh are in the midst of this people; for You Yahweh are seen face to face, and Your cloud stands over them, and You go before them, in a pillar of cloud by day, and in a pillar of fire by night. 15 Now if You shall kill this people as one man, then the nations which have heard the fame of You will speak, saying, 16 "Because Yahweh was not able to bring this people into the land which He swore to them, therefore He has slain them in the wilderness." 17 Now please let the power of the Lord be great, according as You have spoken, saying, 18 "Yahweh is slow to anger, and abundant in lovingkindness, forgiving iniquity and disobedience; and that will by no means clear [the guilty], visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and on the fourth generation." 19 Pardon, please, the iniquity of this people according to the greatness of Your lovingkindness, and according as You have forgiven this people, from Egypt even until now." 20 Yahweh said, "I have pardoned according to your word: 21 but in very deed, as I live, and as all the earth shall be filled with the glory of Yahweh; 22 because all those men who have seen My glory, and My signs, which I worked in Egypt and in the wilderness, yet have tempted Me these ten times, and have not listened to My voice; 23 surely they shall not see the land which I swore to their fathers, neither shall any of those who despised Me see it: 24 but My servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him, and has followed Me fully, him will I bring into the land into which he went; and his seed shall possess it. 25 Now the Amalekite and the Canaanite dwell in the valley: tomorrow turn you, and get you into the wilderness by the way to the Red Sea." 26 Yahweh spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying, 27 "How long [shall I bear] with this evil congregation, that murmur against Me? I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel, which they murmur against Me. 28 Tell them, As I live, says Yahweh, surely as you have spoken in My ears, so will I do to you: 29 your dead bodies shall fall in this wilderness; and all who were numbered of you, according to your whole number, from twenty years old and upward, who have murmured against Me, 30 surely you shall not come into the land, concerning which I swore that I would make you dwell therein, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun. 31 But your little ones, that you said should be a prey, them will I bring in, and they shall know the land which you have rejected. 32 But as for you, your dead bodies shall fall in this wilderness. 33 Your children shall be wanderers in the wilderness forty years, and shall bear your prostitution, until your dead bodies be consumed in the wilderness. 34 After the number of the days in which you spied out the land, even forty days, for every day a year, shall you bear your iniquities, even forty years, and you shall know My alienation. 35 I, Yahweh, have spoken, surely this will I do to all this evil congregation, who are gathered together against Me: in this wilderness they shall be consumed, and there they shall die." 36 The men, whom Moses sent to spy out the land, who returned, and made all the congregation to murmur against him, by bringing up an evil report against the land, 37 even those men who did bring up an evil report of the land, died by the plague before Yahweh. 38 But Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, remained alive of those men who went to spy out the land. 39 Moses told these words to all the children of Israel: and the people mourned greatly. 40 They rose up early in the morning, and got them up to the top of the mountain, saying, "Behold, we are here, and will go up to the place which Yahweh has promised: for we have sinned." 41 Moses said, "Why now do you disobey the commandment of Yahweh, seeing it shall not prosper? 42 Don`t go up, for Yahweh isn`t among you; that you not be struck down before your enemies. 43 For there the Amalekite and the Canaanite are before you, and you shall fall by the sword: because you are turned back from following Yahweh, therefore Yahweh will not be with you." 44 But they presumed to go up to the top of the mountain: nevertheless the ark of the covenant of Yahweh, and Moses, didn`t depart out of the camp. 45 Then the Amalekite came down, and the Canaanite who lived in that mountain, and struck them and beat them down, even to Hormah.

2 Chronicles 25-28 Starting and Finishing Well

Numbers 15-17 - Wrecking the Rebels

Numbers 12-14 Fatal Failure of Faith

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