Numbers 14 - 25: A talking donkey, ripe almonds, & the gathering

This morning I set out to do my reading and I was distracted by the newspapers lying on the table. For some reason, the newspapers beckoned and I had a hard time concentrating. This was my first day of being really tempted to break my vow of reading my Bible first and leaving the papers until the end of the day, if I have time. I did not give in to temptation! But it was a struggle.

The reading today was extremely intense. Lots of death and disobedience. I got a real sense of the struggle against sin and the difficulty of living a holy life in those times.

- Back to slavery?  The Israelites were in an uproar when the scouting party returned with their report after surveying the Promised Land. Rumors abounded regarding the power of the land's occupants. The Israelites lost their nerve and wanted a new leader. "Let's head back to Egypt," they said (Numbers 14:4). This shocked me. Head back into their oppressive slavery under a brutal pharoah?
- Voices of courage:  But Joshua and Caleb, two of the scouts, spoke up and vouched for God's plan. They believed the Israelites could take the land from the occupants: "They have no protection and God is on our side," they said. "Don't be afraid of them!" (Num 14:6-9).

- Cycles of disobedience:  I could not believe how, time after time, the Israelites forgot God's supremacy and decided to go their own way. Each time, God's anger flared and Moses had to intercede for them. Some of the results of their disobedience: the current generation of adults would not get to enter the land, they were sentenced to wander in the wilderness for 40 years, and at one point the earth opened up and swallowed a group of insurgents, along with their families. God also used lightning to destroy 250 men who were part of a conspiracy to get rid of Moses. (Numbers 16).
- Almonds from a staff:  God caused Aaron's staff to sprout buds, blossoms, and ripe almonds as a demonstration that he was God's chosen priest. A beautiful story of life coming from something quite dead (Numbers 17).
- The gathering:  When the time came for Aaron's death, God directed him to ascend Mount Hor, explaining that "Aaron will be gathered there." What a great way to describe a godly person's death (Numbers 20:26).
- Talking donkey:  Love, love, love the story of Balaam and the talking donkey (Numbers 22). It also appeared that Balaam was a godly man chosen and used as a prophet, even though he was not an Israelite (Num 23:26). Balaam blessed Israel and said this about God: "Only what he speaks, I speak."
- Wow:  I don't know what else to say about the story of Phinehas. It's in chapter 25, and I don't remember ever reading it before. Suffice it to say that you could not make this story up. It really came alive in the Message version.

Elena's Verse of the day:  "Show us your great power, Lord. You promised that you love to show mercy and kindness" (Numbers 14:17-8 CEV)

Exodus 8-20: Frog invasion, God the healer, & a kingdom of priests

Sharing a few thoughts from each day's reading. Feel free to jump in and share your own!

- Frog invasion: The plagues God sent on the Egyptians--I had forgotten there were so many, and how horrible they were. Frogs in the beds, pots and pans, and on the people? Yuck! On a trip to Cuba we had a frog in the shower. Just one frog. That was enough.
- God on guard:  I was struck by how present God was in the exodus from Egypt. I love this verse: as the Israelites left Egypt, "God kept watch all night." I love that. God keeps watch over us.
- Celebrate good times:  I was amazed by the detailed instructions on how to celebrate the Passover. I also was reminded of how much God likes celebrations. Do you celebrate often? It's a godly thing to do and commemorates important events. God instructs the people to tell their children "This is what God did for me."
- Enshrouded in darkness:  God took on the form of a pillar of clouds by day and a pillar of fire by night. He told his people that he would fight the battle for them. Then, when he was ready to part the Red Sea, the pillar of clouds moved and blocked the Egyptians from seeing what was happening. He enshrouded them in darkness, while the Israelite camp was bathed in light. I want my camp to be bathed in light. How about you?
- The Healer:  "I am God your healer." (Ex 15:26)
- God hears our complaints (Ex 16:9)
- Teambuilding:  Moses was burned out from administrating and judging, so he took some advice from his father-in-law Jethro, and built a team of people to help share the load. Jethro told him this was so "you have the strength to carry out whatever God commands you." Do you have a team of people to help you? Do you help others carry out God's will?
- You are a priest:  Israel was a kingdom of priests and a holy nation (Ex 19:3-6). They were special and set apart. Love this. We are grafted in to the nation of Israel through Jesus, so this description applies to us, as well. Did you know you are holy, set apart, and a priest?

Genesis 44 - Exodus 7: Sobbing, righteous disobedience, & snakes

Sharing a few thoughts from each day's reading. Feel free to jump in and share your own!

Notes: If you do Twitter, Elena is tweeting on Bible Boot Camp at www.twitter.com/casmarele. Also, I'm doing Friday's reading early because I'll be gone all day tomorrow.

- Violent sobbing:  Joseph was de facto ruler of Egypt, yet he had a tender heart. When he finally identified himself to his brothers, he dismissed all of the Egyptians so they could have some privacy. But he wept so loudly that everyone heard anyway (the MSG version called it "violent sobbing.")
- Forgiveness:  I'm stunned at Joseph's authentic forgiveness for his brothers, who sold him into slavery and told his father that he'd been killed by wild animals. He kissed each one and wept over them. Could I have done this? I don't know.
- Deliverance:  God turned evildoing into deliverance and a blessing. "Don't you see, you planned evil against me," said Joseph. "But God used those same plans for my good, as you see all around you right now--life for many people" (Exodus 50:19-21).
- Righteous Disobedience:  There is such a thing as righteous disobedience. The Hebrew midwives Shiphrah and Puah defied the Egyptian Pharoah and refused to let the Hebrew babies die (the Pharoah was trying to reduce the Hebrew population through infanticide). God blessed them.
- God cared about the Egyptians, too:  The signs and wonders, the mighty acts of judgment such as the staff turning into a snake, and the water of the Nile turning into blood, were for the Egyptians: "The Egyptians will realize that I am God when I step in and take the Israelites out of their country."