Numbers 13:1

Numbers 13:1 says, And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,  Verse two adds, Send thou men, that they may search the land of Canaan, which I give unto the children of Israel: of every tribe of their fathers shall ye send a man, every one a ruler among them.  God told Moses to send spies, one from each of the tribes of Israel, into the land of Canaan.  God already knew what was there, but He wanted the people to see for themselves that they could defeat the people of Canaan under God's power.  God still knows where He is sending us today, so the question is whether we see the power of the world or the power of God in every situation.  Verse three continues, And Moses by the commandment of the LORD sent them from the wilderness of Paran: all those men were heads of the children of Israel. Moses did as God instructed him to do, and so must we today.  Verse four states, And these were their names: of the tribe of Reuben, Shammua the son of Zaccur.  We are then given the names of those sent in the next few verses, beginning here with man from the tribe of Rueben, Shammau.  Verse five adds, Of the tribe of Simeon, Shaphat the son of Hori.  Verse six continues, Of the tribe of Judah, Caleb the son of Jephunneh.  Verse seven says, Of the tribe of Issachar, Igal the son of Joseph.  Verse eight adds, Of the tribe of Ephraim, Oshea the son of Nun.  Verse nine continues, Of the tribe of Benjamin, Palti the son of Raphu.  Verse ten states, Of the tribe of Zebulun, Gaddiel the son of Sodi.  Verse eleven adds, Of the tribe of Joseph, namely, of the tribe of Manasseh, Gaddi the son of Susi. Verse twelve continues, Of the tribe of Dan, Ammiel the son of Gemalli.  Verse thirteen says, Of the tribe of Asher, Sethur the son of Michael.  Verse fourteen adds, Of the tribe of Naphtali, Nahbi the son of Vophsi.  Verse fifteen continues, Of the tribe of Gad, Geuel the son of Machi.  Verse sixteen concludes, These are the names of the men which Moses sent to spy out the land. And Moses called Oshea the son of Nun Jehoshua.  Moses called and renamed Oshea, which means the prayer of salvation to Joshua, which mean the promise of salvation, according to Matthew Henry.  If we are praying for salvation today, we can claim the promise of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord. 

Numbers 12:10

Numbers 12:10 says, And the cloud departed from off the tabernacle; and, behold, Miriam became leprous, white as snow: and Aaron looked upon Miriam, and, behold, she was leprous.  When the cloud, which represented God's presence, moved away from the tabernacle, Miriam was leprous, and Aaron saw it.  Since both had been questioning why Moses alone could speak for God, I can't really say why only Miriam was leprous, unless it was because Aaron had been called to speak for him when God spoke to Moses, and Miriam hadn't.  Whatever the case, their jealousy did not go unnoticed by God, and neither will ours.  Verse eleven adds, And Aaron said unto Moses, Alas, my lord, I beseech thee, lay not the sin upon us, wherein we have done foolishly, and wherein we have sinned.  Aaron asked Moses to not hold them accountable for their foolish sin, acknowledging that they were both accountable, but Moses hadn't punished them.  God had.  We will be held accountable for even our foolish sins as Christians I believe.  We will not lose our salvation, but we may lose the joy of our salvation and some of our heavenly rewards, though I do't profess to know how that works exactly.  Verse twelve continues, Let her not be as one dead, of whom the flesh is half consumed when he cometh out of his mother’s womb.  Aaron asked that Miriam be healed of her leprosy.  I personally believe that he may have been feeling guilty that they were both guilty and only she seemed to be being punished.  Feeling guilty because someone else seems to be being punished for a sin that we are guilty of as well does not relieve them or use from the consequences of that sin.  In such a situation, we can only confess our sin and pray for their forgiveness as well.  It is up to God how He deals with each individual.  Verse thirteen states, And Moses cried unto the LORD, saying, Heal her now, O God, I beseech thee.  Moses cried out to God begging God to hear him.  God is always there to hear the prayers of His people, those who have accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord, and I don't believe we ever have to beg Him to listen to us.  Verse fourteen adds, And the LORD said unto Moses, If her father had but spit in her face, should she not be ashamed seven days? let her be shut out from the camp seven days, and after that let her be received in again.  God told Moses that if Miriam had spit on her earthly father that she would have been shamed for seven days, so she would be punished for seven days by being shut out of the camp, and then she would have been received again.  Her punishment may have seemed harsh, but it was temporary.  Whatever earthly punishment we may receive as a consequence of our sins as Christians, it is temporary, even if it last the rest of our life.  Verse fifteen continues, And Miriam was shut out from the camp seven days: and the people journeyed not till Miriam was brought in again.  Miriam was shut out of the camp for seven days, but she was not left behind.  Even if we are shut out of fellowship with other Christians because of some sin we have committed, we will not be left behind when Jesus Christ returns for His people, if we have truly put our faith in Him.  Still, it is not up to us to decide which Christians we will associate with and which we won't, because we are all but sinners saved by grace.  Verse sixteen concludes, And afterward the people removed from Hazeroth, and pitched in the wilderness of Paran.  After the seven days when Miriam was healed, the people moved once more by God's direction.  Our sins as Christians affect the whole congregation of God's people, whether they ever know it or not.  Whatever the situation, we should never question God.

Numbers 12:1

Numbers 12:1 says, And Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married: for he had married an Ethiopian woman.  Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses, God's chosen leader, because he had married an Ethiopian woman.  We may at times want to criticize those whom God has put in power today because we don't like who they are married to, but if God called them, He knew all about them, as He did about Moses, so we need to simply support them.  Verse two adds, And they said, Hath the LORD indeed spoken only by Moses? hath he not spoken also by us? And the LORD heard it.  Miriam and Aaron were basically jealous of Moses, and that is where a lot of problems in the church, the family of God, come from today.  They asked if God spoke only through Moses, or if He didn't speak through them too.  We should never be jealous of anyone because the fact that God is doing more through them than He is through us.  God heard what they were saying, just as He hears our complaints about others today.  Verse three continues, (Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth.)  Moses was the most meek man in the world, yet God chose him to lead the nation of Israel out of bondage and to the promised land.  We sometimes may feel that a preacher should be a more forceful person, but they just need to be who God wants them to be.  Verse four states, And the LORD spake suddenly unto Moses, and unto Aaron, and unto Miriam, Come out ye three unto the tabernacle of the congregation. And they three came out.  God called Moses, Aaron, and Miriam into the tabernacle of the congregation.  Since they were the three people involved in this, God called them all together.  God may call us together with those we have a problem with if we are listening to Him.  Verse five adds, And the LORD came down in the pillar of the cloud, and stood in the door of the tabernacle, and called Aaron and Miriam: and they both came forth.  God came down in the pillar of cloud and stood in the door of the tabernacle and called Miriam and Aaron to Him, and they stood before Him.  One day, God is going to call everyone before Him, but in this lifetime He may call us together spiritually if not physically with those that we have problems with, and if He does, we would be wise enough to respond.  Verse six continues, And he said, Hear now my words: If there be a prophet among you, I the LORD will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream. God said that if there was a prophet among them, it would be because God had spoken to them first through a vision or dream.  Verse seven declares, My servant Moses is not so, who is faithful in all mine house.  God then said that He had not spoken to Moses through dreams or visions, but had spoken to him face to face.  As followers of Christ today, we can speak directly to God and He can speak directly to us.  That doesn't mean that He will never speak to us through dreams or visions though.  We just have to make sure that we know beyond a doubt that is really God Who is talking to us.  Verse eight adds, With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of the LORD shall he behold: wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?  God continued to tell Miriam and Aaron how He spoke personally with Moses, then asked how they were not afraid to speak against Moses.  We should never speak against anyone that God has called to serve Him because we don't like the way they are doing it, or because we feel that we can do it better.  Verse nine continues, And the anger of the LORD was kindled against them; and he departed.  God was angry with Miriam and Aaron and departed from where the were.  We need to pray that our actions as Christians will never cause God to leave our presence.  Though we are saved forever if we have put our faith in Jesus Christ, we can still act in such a way that we lose His direction in life at times.  We should never act out of envy or jealousy for how God is using someone else. 

Numbers 11:24

Numbers 11:24 says, And Moses went out, and told the people the words of the LORD, and gathered the seventy men of the elders of the people, and set them round about the tabernacle.  Moses went out and told the people what God had said and gathered the seventy elders and placed them around about the tabernacle.  We aren't told who these seventy elders were, but know that they were the leaders of the people.  We need to do what God tells us to do today, especially the leaders of the nation.  Verse twenty-five adds, And the LORD came down in a cloud, and spake unto him, and took of the spirit that was upon him, and gave it unto the seventy elders: and it came to pass, that, when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied, and did not cease.  God came down in the cloud and spoke to Moses, then took the Spirit that was on Moses and gave the Spirit to these seventy elders as well.  When this happened, they began to prophesy and did not stop.  When we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord, we have the Holy Spirit come to indwell us and we should proclaim His word without stopping.  Verse twenty-six continues, But there remained two of the men in the camp, the name of the one was Eldad, and the name of the other Medad: and the spirit rested upon them; and they were of them that were written, but went not out unto the tabernacle: and they prophesied in the camp.  Two men, Eldad and Medad, didn't go to the tabernacle but remained 8n the camp and started prophesying.  For whatever reason, they did not come to the tabernacle even though they were two of the seventy, but the Spirit found and enabled them where they were.  We are fortunate that we don't have to be in a certain place for God to use us, and if He chooses us, He will find and equip us wherever we are.  Verse twenty-seven states, And there ran a young man, and told Moses, and said, Eldad and Medad do prophesy in the camp.  A young man ran and told Moses what Eldad and Medad were doing, for whatever reason.  Some people today may still run to religious leaders if they see someone that they don't believe should be doing so proclaiming God's word, but it is not up to us to judge.  Verse twenty-six adds, And Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of Moses, one of his young men, answered and said, My lord Moses, forbid them.  Joshua, who would later be noted for his faith in God, told Moses to tell them to stop.  We may be faithful to God, but at times we may still be wrong in what we personally believe should happen in the Church, God's people.  Verse twenty-nine continues, And Moses said unto him, Enviest thou for my sake? would God that all the LORD’s people were prophets, and that the LORD would put his spirit upon them!   Moses asked Joshua if he was opposed to Eldad and Medad prophesying out of envy for Moses, and then said that he would like for all God's people to be prophets and the Spirit of the LORD be on all of them. As Christians today, the Spirit of the Lord is in all of us, and we should proclaim His word wherever we are.  Verse  thirty says, And Moses gat him into the camp, he and the elders of Israel.  Moses went into the camp with the elders.  We as followers of Christ need to go where the people are and share the gospel with them.  Verse thirty-one adds, And there went forth a wind from the LORD, and brought quails from the sea, and let them fall by the camp, as it were a day’s journey on this side, and as it were a day’s journey on the other side, round about the camp, and as it were two cubits high upon the face of the earth.  God then basically rained down quail all around the camp, piling them up high.  God did what He had said He would do and provided them with more meat than they could eat.  If we quit complaining and simply look to God to provide our needs, He will bless us beyond measure.  Verse thirty-two continues, And the people stood up all that day, and all that night, and all the next day, and they gathered the quails: he that gathered least gathered ten homers: and they spread them all abroad for themselves round about the camp.  It took the people two days to gather all the quail.  Verse thirty-three declares,  And while the flesh was yet between their teeth, ere it was chewed, the wrath of the LORD was kindled against the people, and the LORD smote the people with a very great plague.  As they were eating, God's wrath was kindled against them, because they had not been satisfied with His provision for them but had demanded more, and He sent a plague on them.  Just because we may get more in this world than we we really need and that God has already provided for us doesn't mean that this is a sign of God's blessing us.  Verse thirty-four adds, And he called the name of that place Kibrothhattaavah: because there they buried the people that lusted.  God named the place Kibrothhattaavah, because the people had lusted there.  I don't believe that we as Christians should ever lust after the things of this world.  Verse thirty-five continues, And the people journeyed from Kibrothhattaavah unto Hazeroth; and abode at Hazeroth.  The people left there and went to Hazeroth, where they abode for awhile.  If we have been envying the things of this world, we need to leave the place of envy behind and move on by faith.

Numbers 11`18

Numbers 11;18 says, And say thou unto the people, Sanctify yourselves against to morrow, and ye shall eat flesh: for ye have wept in the ears of the LORD, saying, Who shall give us flesh to eat? for it was well with us in Egypt: therefore the LORD will give you flesh, and ye shall eat.  God told Moses that He had heard their complaints, even their saying that in Egypt they had meat to eat, and that tomorrow they would have meat to eat.  God did not have to do this, but He chose do so.  We also have another example of the fact that God gave people animals for food, which is a consistent fact throughout the Bible.  Verse nineteen adds, Ye shall not eat one day, nor two days, nor five days, neither ten days, nor twenty days;  Verse twenty adds, But even a whole month, until it come out at your nostrils, and it be loathsome unto you: because that ye have despised the LORD which is among you, and have wept before him, saying, Why came we forth out of Egypt?  God said that they wouldn't have meat to eat for one or two days, but for a month, until it was running out of their nostrils and they despised it, because they had despised the LORD by claiming that they were better off in Egypt.  If we began to moan about what we have given up to follow God, He may allow us to have so much that we begin to despise it, because no matter how much or the things of this world we accumulate, if we do so while questioning God's goodness, they will never satisfy us.  Verse twenty-one states, Moses said, The people, among whom I am, are six hundred thousand footmen; and thou hast said, I will give them flesh, that they may eat a whole month.  Moses said to the people that God knew the number of the people of Israel and that He was going to give them meat to eat for the whole month.  God knows the number of the followers of Christ today, and He will always meet our needs spiritually, and that is all that really counts.  We should never believe that we were better off before we accepted Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord, even if we lose everything in this world, even life itself.  Verse twenty-two adds, Shall the flocks and the herds be slain for them, to suffice them? or shall all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them, to suffice them?  Moses questioned whether everything, all the sheep, cattle, and fish, would have to be destroyed in order to feed this great number of people meat.  We need not question God's ability to provide what He promises to His people, nor should we.  Verse twenty-three declares, And the LORD said unto Moses, Is the LORD’s hand waxed short? thou shalt see now whether my word shall come to pass unto thee or not.  God asked Moses if he thought God's power was limited, and then told him to wait and see if what He had promised He would not deliver.  As Christians, we simply have to wait by faith to see the promises of God be fulfilled, and even if it isn't in our lifetime, they will definitely be fulfilled.  God never has nor never will fail to keep His promises.  

Numbers 11:10

Numbers 11:10 says, Then Moses heard the people weep throughout their families, every man in the door of his tent: and the anger of the LORD was kindled greatly; Moses also was displeased.  Moses heard the people weep because they didn't like what God was providing for them to eat.  God's anger was kindled greatly, and Moses was displeased.  What angers God should at least displease us as followers of Christ, whether we are the ones guilty or doing it or whether we see others doing it.  Verse eleven adds, And Moses said unto the LORD, Wherefore hast thou afflicted thy servant? and wherefore have I not found favour in thy sight, that thou layest the burden of all this people upon me?  Of course, Moses then basically tried to blame God for the situation.  Though God was providing for their every need, Moses asked why God afflicted him with all their burdens.  We too often want to complain to God when we feel that things are not going right, instead of thanking Him for His abundant love and mercy.  Verse twelve continues, Have I conceived all this people? have I begotten them, that thou shouldest say unto me, Carry them in thy bosom, as a nursing father beareth the sucking child, unto the land which thou swarest unto their fathers?  Moses asked God if he should be responsible for the people of Israel as if they were all his children.  Since God had entrusted Moses with this responsibility, the answer was yes.  Moses saw it as a terrible burden instead of as a great privilege.  I believe we too often complain about what God has given us the great privilege of doing because we see it as a burden instead.  Verse thirteen asks, Whence should I have flesh to give unto all this people? for they weep unto me, saying, Give us flesh, that we may eat.  Moses asked God where he could get enough meat for the people to eat instead of asking why God put up with their complaining.  I don't believe that we should ever claim that God will give Christians everything they want, but should instead profess the truth that He will give them everything they need.  We are too often a complaining people instead of a praising people as followers of Christ.  Verse fourteen adds, I am not able to bear all this people alone, because it is too heavy for me.  Moses said he couldn't bear all the responsibility alone, and he was right.  God was there to enable him to do what he had been called to do, and He will do the same for us today.  We are never alone in doing what God has called us to do, but as Christians always have the Holy Spirit is empower us.  Verse fifteen continues, And if thou deal thus with me, kill me, I pray thee, out of hand, if I have found favour in thy sight; and let me not see my wretchedness.  Moses then asked God if he had found favor in God's sight to just kill him.  At least Moses didn't say he was going to kill himself, but he put his fate in God's hands.  We may feel overwhelmed as Christians as we do what God has called us to do at times, and might even feel that we would be better off just leaving this old sinful world, but we should also know that whether we live or die is in God's hands.  Paul would later write of the same dilemma.  As Paul said, to die would be better from an everlasting perspective, but to live would be an opportunity to continue to share the gospel with others, and he placed it in God's hands, and so must we.  Verse sixteen declares, And the LORD said unto Moses, Gather unto me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom thou knowest to be the elders of the people, and officers over them; and bring them unto the tabernacle of the congregation, that they may stand there with thee.  God told Moses to bring Him seventy elders that he knew to be dependable elders to the tabernacle so they could stand with Moses.  God answered Moses's complaint, even though Moses was never alone in serving God.  He already had Aaron and his sons as well as the Levites to help him, but God was providing him additional help.  If we are doing what God calls us to do, He has already provided us with all the help we need to do it, yet we often complain, and He may give us additional help, whether we really need it or not.  Verse seventeen adds, And I will come down and talk with thee there: and I will take of the spirit which is upon thee, and will put it upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with thee, that thou bear it not thyself alone.  God told Moses that when these seventy were gathered that He would come down and put the same Spirit in them that was in Moses.  As followers of Christ, we already have the same Holy Spirit living in us, and we are never alone in bearing the burdens of life as we do God's work.  The Holy Spirit is there to equip and empower us to do whatever God calls us to do, and as long as we are following in faith, we really never should feel overwhelmed. 

Numbers 11:1

Numbers 11:1 says, And when the people complained, it displeased the LORD: and the LORD heard it; and his anger was kindled; and the fire of the LORD burnt among them, and consumed them that were in the uttermost parts of the camp.  God had just delivered the people of Israel from bondage in Egypt with great reiches, and they complained.  God has delivered us as followers of Christ from the bonbage and penalty of sin, yet we often complain.  God was angry with them, and consumed some of them with fire in the outer edges of the camp.  God will hear our just complaints as Matthew Henry says, but will be angry at our unjust murmuring.  Verse two adds, And the people cried unto Moses; and when Moses prayed unto the LORD, the fire was quenched.  The people then cried out to Moses.  Matthew Henry says that though God knew of the murmuring of the people, Moses evidently wasn't aware of it, but after God began to punish them, they cried out to him.  We often do not cry out to God until He begins to deal with our grumbling from lack of faith.  Moses prayed to God for the people, and the fire was quenched.  If we have done something to anger God, and acting out of a lack of faith is one thing that might do this, we need to come to Him in prayer and repentance.  Verse three continues, And he called the name of the place Taberah: because the fire of the LORD burnt among them.  Moses gave the place where this occurred a name, Taberah, because the fire of God had burned against them there.  Verse four states, And the mixt multitude that was among them fell a lusting: and the children of Israel also wept again, and said, Who shall give us flesh to eat?  Even after all that God had done for them and the punishment for murmuring, some of the people began to lust for meat to eat.  We too often lust for more than God has provided for us as Christians, and I believe He is still disappointed when we do.  Verse five adds, We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlick:  Forgetting that they were slaves, the people simply remembered the good food that they had in Egypt.  We too often look back on the things of they world that we may have had before becoming followers of Christ and feel that we are missing something, but we are missing nothing that we will ever need.  Verse six continues, But now our soul is dried away: there is nothing at all, beside this manna, before our eyes.  They complained that all they had was manna, which they didn't have to work for and God supplied in abundance.  I believe we too often complain about what we don't have as Christians instead of praising God for what He does supply us with.  Verse seven says, And the manna was as coriander seed, and the colour thereof as the colour of bdellium.  Verse eight adds, And the people went about, and gathered it, and ground it in mills, or beat it in a mortar, and baked it in pans, and made cakes of it: and the taste of it was as the taste of fresh oil.  We are told a little more about the manna.  We know that even though God provided it, the people still had to gather and cook it.  I believe that we too often expect God to meet our needs and even go beyond that and fulfill our wants without any effort on our part.  Verse nine continues, And when the dew fell upon the camp in the night, the manna fell upon it.  At night, the manna fell like dew from heaven.  We also know that it could not be hoarded, but only what could be used that day was to be gathered. I believe we need to rely on God to meet our needs daily, and not attempt to hoard the things He blesses us with.