Daily Bible Portion (Thursday)
Daily Bible Portion – 5 of 7
"WHEN YOU KINDLE"
(Weekly Reading>>Numbers 8:1 to 12:16, Zechariah 2:14 to 4:7, John 19:31–37, Hebrew 3:1-6)
Notice it was not the Israelites who caused the disturbance but the rabble that had rejected the Lord/Yahweh and His Promises. This brought an unclean influence, which threatened to fragment the whole camp. It also revealed that whatever the rabble had in their physical or spiritual diet previously caused them great withdrawal, to the point of complaining over the "Living Bread". This begs the question: Do we worship forbidden idols or foods, or do we have a deeper heart issue preventing the Living Word from satisfying us?
Rejecting Torah/Instruction will cause death, spiritually, emotionally and/or physically. If others became infected by this slander (unclean/tzaris infection -verbal discharge), the whole camp suffers bringing a death upon the people. How can Israel be God’s mighty army if she listens to gossip and slander profaning His Name [authority]? We are learning that those who even listen to lashon hara, are in violation to the Lord and His Word. When the rabble spoke this among the community of Israel disease spread until it infected the whole camp. Lust of the eye, lust of the flesh and pride of life were the three ways that tzaris brought contamination. These people lusted after other food just as Eve had. This was the contamination in the camp.
The Lord had Moses bring seventy leaders who were officials and elders from the tribes of Israel. He then anointed these men with the same Spirit that was on Moses. He then brought a strong wind in from the ocean that flooded the desert floor with quail. The people who craved other food began to gather and consume the quail. While the meat was still between their teeth the Lord caused a severe plague to come over them and they died. The place was called Kibroth Hattaavah, which means the graves of craving (1 Peter 1:10-11).
The Lord is a very jealous God. He knows what will tempt and lead believers astray. There is a reason why He had the Israelites eat unleavened bread for this period of time. Besides being a food for survival in the wilderness, the manna was there to build relationship with the Lord. When the Bride is totally dependent on Him for her very sustenance it builds trust, honor, belief and hope. The manna was for consistency to purify and build Israel up physically, emotionally and spiritually to be a strong holy nation before Him.
The Lord was purifying the Israelites by having them eat only manna, an unleavened bread in the wilderness during the fifty days, called the counting of the omer. He was also preparing them to enter the land, a land full of unclean people. Craving other food like meat, which is harder to digest, would influence a discontentment in the camp inviting the Lord’s anger. Yahweh was trying to instill order into the lives of the Israelites. Residual effects of the slave mentality and life in Egypt all needed to be cleansed out of His people before they could conquer the land. Manna was the perfect food for this. Not until the purification was complete could the Israelites be taught how to walk among an unclean people and not become contaminated.
Miriam and Aaron Oppose Moses - Numbers 12:1-16
It was one thing to have the rabble oppose the authority of Moses – but when the opposition comes from within your own family - and that of a Kohath line of priests– it is significant. Miriam and Aaron were siblings of Moses. The Scriptures say that Moses was the most humble man on the face of the earth. Because of this, Moses did not defend himself or argue back when Miriam and Aaron spoke against his wife. How many of us live in families where there is opposition? The question is: what is our response? Do we answer back in the same manner they have spoken to us or do we take Moses’ example of humility? Moses knew he was in God’s will and as such God would defend and cover him. What examples do we set for our family and the body of Christ today? Remember the three things that contaminate: lust of the eye, lust of the flesh and the pride of life. Moses stood on the Lord’s Word. This was his protection and the Lord blessed him for his steadfastness.
What we sow, we reap. Many of us pray for a deeper experience with the Lord, but does our body language, thoughts or verbal response promote this? Is our experience with the Living God sporadic where we are often placed outside the camp like Miriam or are we learning to apply these Torah lifestyle examples that we read about in Scripture? The humbleness and faith of Moses brought him into the very presence of God. This is our pattern for believers today.
Miriam and Aaron were not only speaking badly about Moses but also about God, as Moses was God’s appointed representative. God dwells in those who believe in Him. When believers think or speak against a family member or fellow man, they are accountable to God and will reap the consequences. It appears that Miriam spoke a stronger judgment than Aaron as she bore the skin affliction/tzaris. Moses had compassion on his sister. He forgave her instantly and reminded God of the great things she did for him as a baby. Even though Miriam repented, she still had to fulfill the consequences of her sin and contamination time outside the camp for those seven days before being allowed to return. This is an example for all to see and it is still God’s pattern and order for today. If believers speak slander to one another or have slanderous thoughts – even small ones –they contaminate themselves and forgo blessings for seven days, meaning they will be taken outside the camp. Miriam’s story is for our benefit to instruct us how to keep healthy families, communities and lifestyles. Learning to elevate others, as Moses exampled for us, even when faced with opposition or adversity, is wisdom.
continues tomorrow...
"WHEN YOU KINDLE"
(Weekly Reading>>Numbers 8:1 to 12:16, Zechariah 2:14 to 4:7, John 19:31–37, Hebrew 3:1-6)
Notice it was not the Israelites who caused the disturbance but the rabble that had rejected the Lord/Yahweh and His Promises. This brought an unclean influence, which threatened to fragment the whole camp. It also revealed that whatever the rabble had in their physical or spiritual diet previously caused them great withdrawal, to the point of complaining over the "Living Bread". This begs the question: Do we worship forbidden idols or foods, or do we have a deeper heart issue preventing the Living Word from satisfying us?
Isaiah 66:17 “Those who sanctify themselves and purify themselves, to go to the gardens after an idol in the midst, eating swine’s flesh and the abomination and the mouse, shall be consumed together,” says the Lord.
John 6:31-35 Jesus said, “Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread out of heaven to eat.’” Jesus therefore said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread out of heaven, but it is My Father who gives you the true bread out of heaven. For the bread of God is that which comes down out of heaven, and gives life to the world.” They said therefore to Him, “Lord, evermore give us this bread.” Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me shall not hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.”
John 6:63 The Spirit is the One who gives life. The flesh doesn't help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life.
Rejecting Torah/Instruction will cause death, spiritually, emotionally and/or physically. If others became infected by this slander (unclean/tzaris infection -verbal discharge), the whole camp suffers bringing a death upon the people. How can Israel be God’s mighty army if she listens to gossip and slander profaning His Name [authority]? We are learning that those who even listen to lashon hara, are in violation to the Lord and His Word. When the rabble spoke this among the community of Israel disease spread until it infected the whole camp. Lust of the eye, lust of the flesh and pride of life were the three ways that tzaris brought contamination. These people lusted after other food just as Eve had. This was the contamination in the camp.
“Moses heard the people of every family wailing, each at the entrance to his tent” (Numbers 11:10).
The Lord had Moses bring seventy leaders who were officials and elders from the tribes of Israel. He then anointed these men with the same Spirit that was on Moses. He then brought a strong wind in from the ocean that flooded the desert floor with quail. The people who craved other food began to gather and consume the quail. While the meat was still between their teeth the Lord caused a severe plague to come over them and they died. The place was called Kibroth Hattaavah, which means the graves of craving (1 Peter 1:10-11).
The Lord is a very jealous God. He knows what will tempt and lead believers astray. There is a reason why He had the Israelites eat unleavened bread for this period of time. Besides being a food for survival in the wilderness, the manna was there to build relationship with the Lord. When the Bride is totally dependent on Him for her very sustenance it builds trust, honor, belief and hope. The manna was for consistency to purify and build Israel up physically, emotionally and spiritually to be a strong holy nation before Him.
The Lord was purifying the Israelites by having them eat only manna, an unleavened bread in the wilderness during the fifty days, called the counting of the omer. He was also preparing them to enter the land, a land full of unclean people. Craving other food like meat, which is harder to digest, would influence a discontentment in the camp inviting the Lord’s anger. Yahweh was trying to instill order into the lives of the Israelites. Residual effects of the slave mentality and life in Egypt all needed to be cleansed out of His people before they could conquer the land. Manna was the perfect food for this. Not until the purification was complete could the Israelites be taught how to walk among an unclean people and not become contaminated.
Miriam and Aaron Oppose Moses - Numbers 12:1-16
It was one thing to have the rabble oppose the authority of Moses – but when the opposition comes from within your own family - and that of a Kohath line of priests– it is significant. Miriam and Aaron were siblings of Moses. The Scriptures say that Moses was the most humble man on the face of the earth. Because of this, Moses did not defend himself or argue back when Miriam and Aaron spoke against his wife. How many of us live in families where there is opposition? The question is: what is our response? Do we answer back in the same manner they have spoken to us or do we take Moses’ example of humility? Moses knew he was in God’s will and as such God would defend and cover him. What examples do we set for our family and the body of Christ today? Remember the three things that contaminate: lust of the eye, lust of the flesh and the pride of life. Moses stood on the Lord’s Word. This was his protection and the Lord blessed him for his steadfastness.
What we sow, we reap. Many of us pray for a deeper experience with the Lord, but does our body language, thoughts or verbal response promote this? Is our experience with the Living God sporadic where we are often placed outside the camp like Miriam or are we learning to apply these Torah lifestyle examples that we read about in Scripture? The humbleness and faith of Moses brought him into the very presence of God. This is our pattern for believers today.
Miriam and Aaron were not only speaking badly about Moses but also about God, as Moses was God’s appointed representative. God dwells in those who believe in Him. When believers think or speak against a family member or fellow man, they are accountable to God and will reap the consequences. It appears that Miriam spoke a stronger judgment than Aaron as she bore the skin affliction/tzaris. Moses had compassion on his sister. He forgave her instantly and reminded God of the great things she did for him as a baby. Even though Miriam repented, she still had to fulfill the consequences of her sin and contamination time outside the camp for those seven days before being allowed to return. This is an example for all to see and it is still God’s pattern and order for today. If believers speak slander to one another or have slanderous thoughts – even small ones –they contaminate themselves and forgo blessings for seven days, meaning they will be taken outside the camp. Miriam’s story is for our benefit to instruct us how to keep healthy families, communities and lifestyles. Learning to elevate others, as Moses exampled for us, even when faced with opposition or adversity, is wisdom.
continues tomorrow...