Numbers 29

Numbers 29

Numbers 29:1 “On the first day of the seventh month you will have a sacred convention. You will not do any ordinary work. It is a day for you to blow the trumpets,

Numbers 29:2 and you will offer an ascending offering, for a pacifying aroma to Yahveh: one bull from the herd, one ram, seven male lambs a year old — all perfect;

Numbers 29:3 also their tribute offering of fine flour mixed with oil, three-tenths of an ephah for the bull, two-tenths for the ram,

Numbers 29:4 and one-tenth for each of the seven lambs;

Numbers 29:5 with one male goat for a failure offering, to provide reconciliation for you;

Numbers 29:6 besides the ascending offering of the new moon, and its tribute offering, and the regular ascending offering and its tribute offering, and their drink offering, according to the rule for them, for a pacifying aroma, a fire offering to Yahveh.

Numbers 29:7 “On the tenth day of this seventh month you will have a sacred convention and discipline your throats. You will do no work,

Numbers 29:8 but you will offer an ascending offering to Yahveh, a pacifying aroma: one bull from the herd, one ram, seven male lambs a year old: See that they are perfect.

Numbers 29:9 And their tribute offering will be of fine flour mixed with oil, three-tenths of an ephah for the bull, two-tenths for the one ram,

Numbers 29:10 a tenth for each of the seven lambs:

Numbers 29:11 also one male goat for a failure offering, besides the failure offering of atonement, and the regular ascending offering and its tribute offering, and their drink offerings.

Numbers 29:12 “On the fifteenth day of the seventh month you will have a sacred convention. You will not do any ordinary work, and you will keep a feast to Yahveh for seven days.

Numbers 29:13 And you will offer an ascending offering, a fire offering, with a pacifying aroma to Yahveh, thirteen bulls from the herd, two rams, fourteen male lambs a year old; they will be perfect;

Numbers 29:14 and their tribute offering of fine flour mixed with oil, three-tenths of an ephah for each of the thirteen bulls, two-tenths for each of the two rams,

Numbers 29:15 and a tenth for each of the fourteen lambs;

Numbers 29:16 also one male goat for a failure offering, besides the regular ascending offering, its tribute offering and its drink offering.

Numbers 29:17 “On the second day twelve bulls from the herd, two rams, fourteen male lambs a year old — all perfect,

Numbers 29:18 with the tribute offering and the drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, in the prescribed quantities;

Numbers 29:19 also one male goat for a failure offering, besides the regular ascending offering and its tribute offering, and their drink offerings.

Numbers 29:20 “On the third day eleven bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs a year old — all perfect,

Numbers 29:21 with the tribute offering and the drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, in the prescribed quantities;

Numbers 29:22 also one male goat for a failure offering, besides the regular ascending offering, its tribute offering, and its drink offering.

Numbers 29:23 “On the fourth day ten bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs a year old — all perfect,

Numbers 29:24 with the tribute offering and the drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, in the prescribed quantities;

Numbers 29:25 also one male goat for a failure offering, besides the regular ascending offering, its tribute offering and its drink offering.

Numbers 29:26 “On the fifth day nine bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs a year old — all perfect,

Numbers 29:27 with the tribute offering and the drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, in the prescribed quantities;

Numbers 29:28 also include one male goat for a failure offering, in addition to the regular ascending offering, its tribute offering, and its drink offering.

Numbers 29:29 “On the sixth day eight bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs a year old — all perfect,

Numbers 29:30 with the tribute offering and the drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, in the prescribed quantities;

Numbers 29:31 also include one male goat for a failure offering, in addition to the regular ascending offering, its tribute offering, and its drink offerings.

Numbers 29:32 “On the seventh day seven bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs a year old — all perfect,

Numbers 29:33 with the tribute offering and the drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, in the prescribed quantities;

Numbers 29:34 also include one male goat as a failure offering, in addition to the regular ascending offering, its tribute offering, and its drink offering.

Numbers 29:35 “On the eighth day you will have a solemn assembly. You will not do any ordinary work,

Numbers 29:36 but you will offer an ascending offering, a fire offering, with a pacifying aroma to Yahveh: one bull, one ram, seven male lambs a year old — all perfect,

Numbers 29:37 and the tribute offering and the drink offerings for the bull, for the ram, and the lambs, in the prescribed quantities;

Numbers 29:38 also include one male goat for a failure offering, in addition to the regular ascending offering, its tribute offering, and its drink offering.

Numbers 29:39 “These you will offer to Yahveh at your appointed feasts, in addition to your solemn pledge offerings and your spontaneous voluntary offerings, for your ascending offerings, and your tribute offerings, and your drink offerings, and your offering for healthy relationships.”

Numbers 29:40 So Moses told the people of Israel everything just as Yahveh had commanded Moses.

Numbers 29 quotes:

“The lawgiver now passes in the most logical method, to define the limits of the land which Israel should regard as its inheritance, so that it should not seek to go out beyond these limits and
found a world empire (2 Sam. xxiv. ), nor rest within these boundaries until it has acquired and
occupied all the territory within them.”

Lange, Johann Peter, and Samuel T. Lowrie. Numbers: Or, the Fourth Book of Moses. New York: C. Scribner, 1899. p. 181.

“an assembly. The Heb . word ‘azereth contains nothing which implies that the assembly was of a specially solemn character. Before the exile an ‘azereth was held on the seventh day of the Feast of Unleavened Cakes (Dt. xvi. 8 ); and see Is. i . 13 (R.V. solemn meeting ‘), Am . v. 21. After the exile it was used , as here, of an assembly on the additional eighth dayof the Feast of Booths (Lev. xxiii . 36 , Neh . viii . 18 ) , and on a special fast day ( Joel i . 14, ii. 15) ; and the Chronicler relates that such an assembly was held as the climax of rejoicing on the eighth day ( contrast i K. viii. 66) at the dedication of Solomon’s temple (2 Ch . vii. 9) .”

McNeile, A. H., and A. F. Kirkpatrick. The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges. Cambridge: University Press, 1911. p. 169.

“The offerings described are those pertaining to the feast of trumpets, the day of atonement, and the feast of tabernacles.”

Steele, Daniel, and John W. Lindsay. Leviticus and Numbers. New York: Eaton & Mains, 1891. p. 391.

Numbers 29 links:

a costly walk
a seven day feast
take a bow
Yom Teruah

The NUMBERS shelf in Jeff’s library

Numbers 28

Numbers 28

Numbers 28:1 Yahveh spoke to Moses, and this is what he said,

Numbers 28:2 “Command the people of Israel and say to them, ‘My offering, my food for my fire offerings, my pacifying aroma, you will be careful to offer to me at its appointed time.’

Numbers 28:3 And you will say to them, This is the fire offering that you will offer to Yahveh: two perfect male lambs a year old, day by day, as a regular offering.

Numbers 28:4 The one lamb you will offer in the morning, and the other lamb you will offer at twilight;

Numbers 28:5 also a tenth of an ephah of fine flour for a tribute offering, mixed with a quarter of a hin of beaten oil.

Numbers 28:6 It is a regular ascending offering, which was ordained at Mount Sinai for a pacifying aroma, a fire offering to Yahveh.

Numbers 28:7 Its drink offering will be a quarter of a hin for each lamb. In the Holy Place, you will pour out a drink offering of strong drink to Yahveh.

Numbers 28:8 The other lamb you will offer at twilight. Like the tribute offering of the morning, and like its drink offering, you will offer it as a fire offering, with a pacifying aroma to Yahveh.

Numbers 28:9 “On the Sabbath day, two perfect male lambs a year old, and two-tenths of an ephah of fine flour for a tribute offering, mixed with oil, and its drink offering:

Numbers 28:10 this is the ascending offering of every Sabbath, besides the regular ascending offering and its drink offering.

Numbers 28:11 “At the beginnings of your months, you will offer an ascending offering to Yahveh: two bulls from the herd, one ram, seven male lambs a year old — all perfect;

Numbers 28:12 also three-tenths of an ephah of fine flour for a tribute offering, mixed with oil, for each bull, and two-tenths of fine flour for a tribute offering, mixed with oil, for the one ram;

Numbers 28:13 and a tenth of fine flour mixed with oil as a tribute offering for every lamb; for an ascending offering with a pacifying aroma, a fire offering to Yahveh.

Numbers 28:14 Their drink offerings will be half a hin of wine for a bull, a third of a hin for a ram, and a quarter of a hin for a lamb. This is the ascending offering of each month throughout the months of the year.

Numbers 28:15 Also one male goat for a failure offering to Yahveh; it will be offered besides the regular ascending offering and its drink offering.

Numbers 28:16 “On the fourteenth day of the first month is Yahveh’s Passover,

Numbers 28:17 and on the fifteenth day of this month is a feast. Seven days will unleavened bread be eaten.

Numbers 28:18 On the first day there will be a sacred convention. You will not do any ordinary work,

Numbers 28:19 but offer a fire offering, an ascending offering to Yahveh: two bulls from the herd, one ram, and seven male lambs a year old; see that they are perfect;

Numbers 28:20 also their tribute offering of fine flour mixed with oil; three-tenths of an ephah will you offer for a bull, and two-tenths for a ram;

Numbers 28:21 a tenth will you offer for each of the seven lambs;

Numbers 28:22 also one male goat for a failure offering, to provide reconciliation for you.

Numbers 28:23 You will offer these besides the ascending offering of the morning, which is for a regular ascending offering.

Numbers 28:24 In the same way you will offer daily, for seven days, the food of a fire offering, with a pacifying aroma to Yahveh. It will be offered besides the regular ascending offering and its drink offering.

Numbers 28:25 And on the seventh day, you will have a sacred convention. You will not do any ordinary work.

Numbers 28:26 “On the day of the firstfruits, when you offer a tribute offering of new grain to Yahveh at your Feast of Weeks, you will have a sacred convention. You will not do any ordinary work,

Numbers 28:27 but offer an ascending offering, with a pacifying aroma to Yahveh: two bulls from the herd, one ram, seven male lambs a year old;

Numbers 28:28 also their tribute offering of fine flour mixed with oil, three-tenths of an ephah for each bull, two-tenths for one ram,

Numbers 28:29 a tenth for each of the seven lambs;

Numbers 28:30 with one male goat, to provide reconciliation for you.

Numbers 28:31 Besides the regular ascending offering and its tribute offering, you will offer them and their drink offering. See that they are perfect.

Numbers 28 quotes:

“As the people are now approaching Canaan, they are once more numbered; the sacrifices and burnt offerings again enjoined; and the several services for every day, the Sabbath day, and the new moons, and the day of Passover, particularly again appointed.”

Hawker, Robert. The Poor Man’s Commentary on the Bible London: Printed by W. Nicholson, Warner Street, for Williams and Smith, stationers’ court, 1805. p. 412.

“In this and the next chapter the laws for the ordering of the worship of the people in their sacrifices and on their great festivals, most of which had been given already, are completed and presented in regular order. During the wanderings in the wilderness the Israelites could not have carried out fully so elaborate a system of ceremonial worship. And now, with their settlement in Canaan so near, the whole law for their sacrificial worship is appropriately promulgated.”

Jones, William. A Homiletical Commentary on the Book of Numbers: With Critical and Explanatory Notes, Indices, Etc, Etc. Pentateuch. 1880. p. 516.

“In these sacrifices the whole of time, measured out by the alternation of light and darkness, was acknowledged to be God’s ; through the priesthood the nation declared His right to each day, confessed obligation to Him for the gift of it.”

Watson, Robert A. The Book of Numbers. 1894. p. 344.

Numbers 28 links:

a costly walk
all the significance
God still matters

Maranatha Daily Devotional – Monday, May 6, 2019
Maranatha Daily Devotional – Monday, May 8, 2023
Maranatha Daily Devotional – Thursday, May 6, 2021

The NUMBERS shelf in Jeff’s library

Numbers 27

Numbers 27

Numbers 27:1 Then the daughters of Zelophehad the son of Hepher came near, Zelophehad was a son of Gilead, son of Machir, son of Manasseh, from the clans of Manasseh, the son of Joseph. The names of his daughters were: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah.

Numbers 27:2 And they stood at the face of Moses and the face of Eleazar, the priest and the face of the leaders and all the congregation, at the entrance of the conference tent, and this is what they said,

Numbers 27:3 “Our father died in the open country. He was not among the collection of those who collected themselves together against Yahveh in the collection of Korah but died for his failure. And he had no sons.

Numbers 27:4 Why should the name of our father be taken away from his clan because he had no son? Give us a possession among our father’s brothers.”

Numbers 27:5 Moses brought their case to the face of Yahveh.

Numbers 27:6 And Yahveh said to Moses,

Numbers 27:7 “The daughters of Zelophehad are correct. You will give them possession of an inheritance among their father’s brothers and transfer the inheritance of their father to them.

Numbers 27:8 And you will speak to the people of Israel, and this is what he you will say, ‘If a man dies and has no son, then you will transfer his inheritance to his daughter.

Numbers 27:9 And if he has no daughter, then you will give his inheritance to his brothers.

Numbers 27:10 And if he has no brothers, then you will give his inheritance to his father’s brothers.

Numbers 27:11 And if his father has no brothers, then you will give his inheritance to the nearest kinsman of his clan, and he will possess it. And it will be for the people of Israel a prescription and rule, as Yahveh commanded Moses.'”

Numbers 27:12 Yahveh said to Moses, “Go up into this mountain of Abarim and see the land that I have given to the children of Israel.

Numbers 27:13 When you have seen it, you also will be gathered to your people, like your brother Aaron was,

Numbers 27:14 because you rebelled against my word in the open country of Zin when the congregation quarreled, failing to uphold me as holy at the water in the sight of their eyes.” (These refer to the water of Meribah of Kadesh in the open country of Zin.)

Numbers 27:15 Moses spoke to Yahveh, and this is what he said,

Numbers 27:16 “Let Yahveh, the God of the breath of all flesh, appoint a man over the congregation

Numbers 27:17 who will exit in the sight of them and enter in the sight of them, who will lead them out and bring them in, that the congregation of Yahveh may not be like sheep that have no shepherd.”

Numbers 27:18 So Yahveh said to Moses, “Take Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the Breath, and lay your hand on him.

Numbers 27:19 Make him stand at the face of Eleazar, the priest, and all the congregation and you will commission him to their face.

Numbers 27:20 You will invest him with some of your authority, that all the congregation of the people of Israel may obey.

Numbers 27:21 And he will stand at the face of Eleazar the priest, who will inquire for him by the judgment of the Lights[1] at the face of Yahveh. At his word, they will go out, and at his word, they will come in, both he and all the people of Israel with him, the whole congregation.”

Numbers 27:22 And Moses did as Yahveh commanded him. He took Joshua and made him stand at the face of Eleazar, the priest, and the whole congregation,

Numbers 27:23 and he laid his hands on him and commissioned him as Yahveh directed through Moses.

[1] אוּרִים = lights.

Numbers 27 quotes:

“They were happy in being able to make this plea on the ground of the good character nof their faither. … Here we may see what a comfort, what a credit and glory, honest parents be to their children”

Bush, George. Notes Critical and Practical on the Book of Numbers. New York: [publisher not identified], 1858. p. 424.

“All efforts to exclude woman from her properly adjusted rights must fail. God is on her side, and his word is on her side. The efforts of some Churches to padlock their lips, to refuse them permission to say, even in the house of God, that Christ died for them, or to speak upon religious questions in the presence of their lords must come to an end.”

DUNN, Lewis R. The Gospel in the Book of Numbers. Hunt & Eaton: New York, 1889.

“It is to be observed that the spiritual qualifications of Joshua did not supersede the necessity of an outward consecration to his office. Nay, more ; it seems that pecial qualifications for the office were bestowed in connection with the imposition of the hands of Moses (Deuteronomy 34:9).”

Ellicott, C. J. The Fourth Book of Moses, Called Numbers. London: Cassell & Co, 1850. p. 179.

“Blessed Lord ! make me as anxious for an inheritance among all them that are sanctified , as those daughters of Israel were for an inheritance among their brethren.”

“Hawker, Robert. The Poor Man’s Commentary on the Bible. London: Printed by W. Nicholson, Warner Street, for Williams and Smith, stationers’ court, 1805. p. 411.

Numbers 27 links:

“To be gathered to his people”
a cooperative walk
Excursus- “To Be Gathered”
introducing the breath of God
the weight of leadership
they are right

The NUMBERS shelf in Jeff’s library

Numbers 26

Numbers 26

Numbers 26:1 After the plague, Yahveh said to Moses and Eleazar the son of Aaron, the priest,

Numbers 26:2 “Take a census of all the congregation of the people of Israel, from twenty years old and older, by their fathers’ houses, all in Israel who are able to go to war.”

Numbers 26:3 And Moses and Eleazar, the priest spoke with them in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho, and this is what he said

Numbers 26:4 “Take a census of the people, from twenty years old and older,” as Yahveh commanded Moses. The people of Israel who came out of the land of Egypt were:

Numbers 26:5 Reuben, the firstborn of Israel; the sons of Reuben: of Hanoch, the clan of the Hanochites; of Pallu, the clan of the Palluites;

Numbers 26:6 of Hezron, the clan of the Hezronites; of Carmi, the clan of the Carmites.

Numbers 26:7 These are the clans of the Reubenites, and those listed were 43,730.

Numbers 26:8 And the sons of Pallu: Eliab.

Numbers 26:9 The sons of Eliab: Nemuel, Dathan, and Abiram. These are the Dathan and Abiram, chosen from the congregation, who contended against Moses and Aaron in the company of Korah when they contended against Yahveh

Numbers 26:10—The ground opened its mouth and swallowed them up together with Korah when that company died, when the fire devoured 250 men, and they became a warning.

Numbers 26:11 But the sons of Korah did not die.

Numbers 26:12 The sons of Simeon according to their clans: of Nemuel, the clan of the Nemuelites; of Jamin, the clan of the Jaminites; of Jachin, the clan of the Jachinites;

Numbers 26:13 of Zerah, the clan of the Zerahites; of Shaul, the clan of the Shaulites.

Numbers 26:14 These are the clans of the Simeonites, 22,200.

Numbers 26:15 The sons of Gad according to their clans: of Zephon, the clan of the Zephonites; of Haggi, the clan of the Haggites; of Shuni, the clan of the Shunites;

Numbers 26:16 of Ozni, the clan of the Oznites; of Eri, the clan of the Erites;

Numbers 26:17 of Arod, the clan of the Arodites; of Areli, the clan of the Arelites.

Numbers 26:18 These are the clans of the sons of Gad as they were listed, 40,500.

Numbers 26:19 The sons of Judah were Er and Onan; Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan.

Numbers 26:20 And the sons of Judah according to their clans were: of Shelah, the clan of the Shelanites; of Perez, the clan of the Perezites; of Zerah, the clan of the Zerahites.

Numbers 26:21 And the sons of Perez were: of Hezron, the clan of the Hezronites; of Hamul, the clan of the Hamulites.

Numbers 26:22 These are the clans of Judah as they were listed, 76,500.

Numbers 26:23 The sons of Issachar according to their clans: of Tola, the clan of the Tolaites; of Puvah, the clan of the Punites;

Numbers 26:24 of Jashub, the clan of the Jashubites; of Shimron, the clan of the Shimronites.

Numbers 26:25 These are the clans of Issachar as they were listed, 64,300.

Numbers 26:26 The sons of Zebulun, according to their clans: of Sered, the clan of the Seredites; of Elon, the clan of the Elonites; of Jahleel, the clan of the Jahleelites.

Numbers 26:27 These are the clans of the Zebulunites as they were listed, 60,500.

Numbers 26:28 The sons of Joseph according to their clans: Manasseh and Ephraim.

Numbers 26:29 The sons of Manasseh: of Machir, the clan of the Machirites; and Machir was the father of Gilead; of Gilead, the clan of the Gileadites.

Numbers 26:30 These are the sons of Gilead: of Iezer, the clan of the Iezerites; of Helek, the clan of the Helekites;

Numbers 26:31 and of Asriel, the clan of the Asrielites; and Shechem, the clan of the Shechemites;

Numbers 26:32 and of Shemida, the clan of the Shemidaites; and of Hepher, the clan of the Hepherites.

Numbers 26:33 Now Zelophehad, the son of Hepher, had no sons but daughters. The names of the daughters of Zelophehad were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah.

Numbers 26:34 These are the clans of Manasseh, and those listed were 52,700.

Numbers 26:35 These are the sons of Ephraim according to their clans: of Shuthelah, the clan of the Shuthelahites; of Becher, the clan of the Becherites; of Tahan, the clan of the Tahanites.

Numbers 26:36 And these are the sons of Shuthelah: of Eran, the clan of the Eranites.

Numbers 26:37 These are the clans of the sons of Ephraim as they were listed, 32,500. These are the sons of Joseph, according to their clans.

Numbers 26:38 The sons of Benjamin according to their clans: of Bela, the clan of the Belaites; of Ashbel, the clan of the Ashbelites; of Achiram, the clan of the Achiramites;

Numbers 26:39 of Shephupham, the clan of the Shuphamites; of Hupham, the clan of the Huphamites.

Numbers 26:40 And the sons of Bela were Ard and Naaman: of Ard, the clan of the Ardites; of Naaman, the clan of the Naamites.

Numbers 26:41 These are the sons of Benjamin according to their clans, and those listed were 45,600.

Numbers 26:42 These are the sons of Dan according to their clans: of Shuham, the clan of the Shuhamites. These are the clans of Dan, according to their clans.

Numbers 26:43 All the clans of the Shuhamites, as they were listed, were 64,400.

Numbers 26:44 The sons of Asher according to their clans: of Imnah, the clan of the Imnites; of Ishvi, the clan of the Ishvites; of Beriah, the clan of the Beriites.

Numbers 26:45 Of the sons of Beriah: of Heber, the clan of the Heberites; of Malchiel, the clan of the Malchielites.

Numbers 26:46 And the name of the daughter of Asher was Serah.

Numbers 26:47 These are the clans of the sons of Asher as they were listed, 53,400.

Numbers 26:48 The sons of Naphtali according to their clans: of Jahzeel, the clan of the Jahzeelites; of Guni, the clan of the Gunites;

Numbers 26:49 of Jezer, the clan of the Jezerites; of Shillem, the clan of the Shillemites.

Numbers 26:50 These are the clans of Naphtali according to their clans, and those listed were 45,400.

Numbers 26:51 This was the list of the people of Israel, 601,730.

Numbers 26:52 Yahveh spoke to Moses, and this is what he said,

Numbers 26:53 “Among these the land will be divided for inheritance according to the number of names.

Numbers 26:54 To a large tribe, you will give a large inheritance, and to a small tribe, you will give a small inheritance; every tribe will be given its inheritance in proportion to its list.

Numbers 26:55 But the land will be divided by lot. They will inherit according to the names of the tribes of their fathers.

Numbers 26:56 Their inheritance will be divided according to lot between the larger and the smaller.”

Numbers 26:57 This was the list of the Levites according to their clans: Gershon, the clan of the Gershonites; Kohath, the clan of the Kohathites; and Merari, the clan of the Merarites.

Numbers 26:58 These are the clans of Levi: the clan of the Libnites, the clan of the Hebronites, the clan of the Mahlites, the clan of the Mushites, the clan of the Korahites. And Kohath was the father of Amram.

Numbers 26:59 The name of Amram’s wife was Jochebed, the daughter of Levi, who was born to Levi in Egypt. And she bore to Amram Aaron and Moses and Miriam, their sister.

Numbers 26:60 And to Aaron were born Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.

Numbers 26:61 But Nadab and Abihu died when they offered unauthorized fire to the face of Yahveh.

Numbers 26:62 And those listed were 23,000, every male from a month old and upward because they were not listed among the people of Israel, because there was no inheritance given to them among the people of Israel.

Numbers 26:63 These were those listed by Moses and Eleazar the priest, who listed the people of Israel in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho.

Numbers 26:64 But among these there was not one of those listed by Moses and Aaron the priest, who had listed the people of Israel in the open country of Sinai.

Numbers 26:65 Because Yahveh had said of them, “They will die in the open country.” Not one of them was left except Caleb, the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua, the son of Nun.

Numbers 26 quotes:

“The Lord is a God who knows people by name. The recitation of names is boring only when one expects to know no one on the list. Contrast this with the breathless excitement of reading lists for good or ill where one might expect to see a familiar name, such as a roster for teams, a blotter for criminals, or a roll call of faithful donors. What is most remarkable about this list is that everyone on it is known by God and is being used by God to move this story forward. For a people of faith, we should read this listing as we would read the faint script of a long-lost family genealogy, for it is through this generation that we gain a link with all the promises that have gone before. Not only will a single person not disappear from the Lord’s roster without some accounting, but everyone on the list also will be known by name by God and be properly sorted into clans and tribes. The Lord does not work through humanity in general, but through tribes and disciples with names and particular stories.”

Boyce Richard Nelson. Leviticus and Numbers. 1st ed. Westminster John Knox Press 2008. p. 233.

“The names of those enrolled in this second census follow precise instructions about the Midianites who, on Balaam’s advice, had ‘deceived’ the Israelites (25:16-18; 31:16) and were the cause of widespread death in the camp. All the men twenty years old or more who were able to serve in the army of Israel were to be enlisted as the community’s soldiers, preparing themselves for conflict not only with Midian’s forces in the Transjordan region (31:1-24) but aiso on a more widespread scale when they entered Canaan. After such huge losses in the Baal-Peor apostasy, Israel’s leaders needed to know exactly how many able-bodied men they could count on in the inevitable conflicts of the future.”

Brown Raymond. The Message of Numbers : Journey to the Promised Land. InterVarsity Press 2002. p. 234.

“All those who rebelled in the wilderness died according to the word of the Lord—indeed, to the very last man. Caleb and Joshua, who displayed courage and went against the popular sentiment, did cross over into the land the Lord gave Israel and were rewarded for their faith Qosh. 15:13-19; 19:49-50).”

Martin, Glen, and Max E. Anders. Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers. Broadman & Holman, 2002. p. 355.

“God now commands that Moses and the high priest number the people. You remember at Sinai, nearly forty years before, the children of Israel had been numbered. But all along the journey we have seen them falling by the wayside, sometimes one by one, and sometimes in large numbers together. “Their bleaching bones along the way tell the sad story of unbelief and disobedience.” Probably the last remnant of those who started from Egypt, and were numbered at Sinai, have been swept away in this plague. Those now to be numbered are the new generation, who started from Egypt as children, or were born in the wilderness. A large majority of them have never eaten anything but manna, and this is the generation who go over and conquer and possess Canaan. People who feed all their lives on the bread of life, which is the true manna (John 6), are always able to conquer and possess.”

Saxe, Grace. Studies in Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. Grace Saxe, 1921. p. 51.

Numbers 26 links:

a prepared walk
daughters of Zelophehad
overcomers who inherit
Serah
starting over
we count

The NUMBERS shelf in Jeff’s library

HIS MAJESTY EXTENDS

HIS MAJESTY EXTENDS

Psalms 148 NET.

¹ Praise the LORD! Praise the LORD from the sky! Praise him in the heavens! ² Praise him, all his angels! Praise him, all his heavenly assembly! ³ Praise him, O sun and moon! Praise him, all you shiny stars! ⁴Praise him, O highest heaven, and you waters above the sky! ⁵ Let them praise the name of the LORD, for he gave the command and they came into existence. ⁶ He established them so they would endure; he issued a decree that will not be revoked. ⁷ Praise the LORD from the earth, you sea creatures and all you ocean depths,⁸ O fire and hail, snow and clouds, O stormy wind that carries out his orders, ⁹ you mountains and all you hills, you fruit trees and all you cedars, ¹⁰ you animals and all you cattle, you creeping things and birds, ¹¹ you kings of the earth and all you nations, you princes and all you leaders on the earth, ¹² you young men and young women, you elderly, along with you children! ¹³ Let them praise the name of the LORD, for his name alone is exalted; his majesty extends over the earth and sky. ¹⁴ He has made his people victorious, and given all his loyal followers reason to praise — the Israelites, the people who are close to him. Praise the LORD!

We are now into our eleventh month of reading through the Scriptures, two chapters a day. So far, we have encountered four main types of literature. We have read about the history of God’s people starting in Genesis and continuing through the historical books, ending with Esther. Along the way, we have read some of God’s instructions for his people. The LORD has taught his people how to live rightly and how to worship appropriately. In Job, we got a glimpse of another type of biblical writing: wisdom literature. Now that we are nearly finished with the Psalms, we have sampled the poetry of the Old Testament.

The author of Hebrews wrote that God spoke long ago “in various portions and in various ways” (Hebrews 1:1). We should not be surprised that he did so. We learn different things through different teaching methods.

Some things are best learned through experience, but that doesn’t mean we have to have the experience. We can learn from other people’s experiences. That is what history is for. We should not all have to experience loss to know that loss is painful. The lessons of the past are there to help us in the future. Learning history is not like doing an autopsy, where all you can do is discover why the death happened. Learning history teaches us how to live today, without making the mistakes of the past. It helps us make wise choices. We imitate the best options and avoid the worst choices.

However, God has not given us a mere history book in the Bible. He has also taught us principles to help us live right and doctrines to help us think right. He has taught his people how to live rightly and how to worship appropriately. He has done this in the instructional and wisdom literature portions of the books we have read so far.

Some of you have struggled with what we have been reading for the past seventy-four days. Like me, you don’t read a lot of poetry, so it is hard to figure out what is being said and why. But I hope we all have learned to appreciate the creative way the biblical poets have communicated God’s truth. Like songs, poetry is designed to help us feel what we are learning. Poems make it easier to remember the things that we are being taught.

The Hebrew poetry of the Old Testament used repetition. It said the same thing in two or three different ways to ensure that the message sinks in. It painted pictures with words to give its readers images in their minds. It took some of those same historical stories taught in earlier passages of the Bible and poetically restated them. So, we relived the crossing of the Red Sea and the conquest of Canaan through the words of the psalmist.

It took some of the same doctrines taught in the Torah and expressed them using word pictures to help us apply them to our own lives. It taught us not the mere fact that God is everywhere. It expressed that truth by talking about the feeling of having nowhere to hide from the presence of God’s Spirit.

It took some of the wisdom literature and enabled us to understand not just the fact that we should live right, but the reasons we should. It taught us that living according to God’s truth would make us like a well-watered tree that never stops producing fruit.

The poetry in the Psalms has a variety of styles. We have listened to the psalmists complain, train, and explain. We have read the Psalms of Lament and the Psalms of Ascent. Many of the Psalms in this final book (107-150) are songs of praise. They are designed to incite believers to worship and praise God for who He is and what he has done. That is what today’s Psalm is doing. Psalm 148 focuses on the majesty of Almighty God.

The LORD’s MAJESTY extends from the sky (1-6).

The poet encourages his readers to go out and look up into the sky. He is encouraging praise from God’s people, but he is not saying that if they go out and look hard enough at the sky, then they will see God. No, notice that the phrase is “Praise the LORD from the sky!” Here is what the psalmist is doing. He is telling us that a praise concert is going on right now, and it is going on in the sky and in the heavenly assembly.

Who is praising God? All God’s angels are praising him. The sun and moon are praising him. The shiny stars are praising him. The waters above the sky are praising him.

Why is this concert going on in the sky and in heaven? Because he gave the command, and they came into existence. He established them so they would endure; he issued a decree that will not be revoked.

In Genesis 1, we read that God created this expanse, which he called the “sky.” But it was empty, so he filled up all the empty spots with lights, planets, suns, moons, and flying creatures. We read elsewhere that the highest heaven is filled with angelic beings who serve the Lord and minister in his name. What we are seeing here is a picture of all these created things and created beings breaking out in song and praising their creator.

This dark world in which we live often forgets to praise God. But if we could only look up and realize that praising God is not an unnatural thing that only the intensely religious fanatics do. Praise is the regular, ordinary, typical activity of the sky and its inhabitants.

Worship is going on in the sky right now. Praise is regular for the sky beings because they recognize that their creator is worthy of that praise. The majesty of our LORD extends from the sky. His throne is there, so it is understandable that he is exalted there.

Now, the poet who wrote this Psalm is telling us that we, creatures of the land, are lagging. The LORD is our creator as well, and we should join in the celebration that began out in the sky.

The LORD’s MAJESTY extends from the land (7-14).

The poet introduces a new praise celebration. Its choir consists of the sea creatures, fire, hail, snow, clouds, storm wind, mountains, hills, trees, animals, kings and princes, young men and women, older people, and children. Everything and every person on this planet should join in the praise for the LORD.

The same creator who made an empty sky and then filled it with wonders also created an empty land and filled it with amazing things and wonderful beings. The psalmist urges all of us who are part of that creation to praise the name of the LORD, for his name alone is exalted; his majesty extends over the earth and sky.

The poet includes a final line in his writing, aimed at the people of Israel. His purpose is to add just one more thought. He reminds the Israelites that they have all the more reason to praise God, because they are the people who are close to him. Other nations hear about God’s miracles, but the Israelites have experienced those miracles. They of all people should be leading the praise celebration.

But this Psalm is for us as well. Each of us can look up and see a sky full of reasons to praise our creator. Each of us can look around at the fantastic world we were born into and find a reason to be grateful to its maker. But we must also ask the question of personal application:

Does the LORD’s MAJESTY extend to your life?

God lovingly created you, but he did not go on vacation afterward. He stayed around and taught you a few things. But he was not satisfied with even that. He saw you at your worst—after sin had turned you into someone repulsive and degenerate. He could have turned his back on you and abandoned you to the repercussions you deserved. But our great God decided to redeem you.

He sent his only Son, unspoiled, untouched by sin himself. God sacrificed the life of his Son to pay the debt that you owed. Through the shed blood of Christ, you had access to the miracle of the ages – forgiveness. God, your creator, became God, your redeemer. He decided to extend his majesty to bless you in your lowliness and lift you into his greatness.

But our heavenly Father is a perfect gentleman. He will not force forgiveness on anyone who does not ask for it, and He will withhold His blessing from anyone who refuses to approach His throne in repentance. The ground is level at the foot of the cross. We all need Christ’s atoning work, but the time to come to Him and request it is drawing to a close.

That is why my final point for today’s sermon is a question. I cannot answer the question for you. God is a God of glory whose majesty extends over the earth and sky. He is also a God of grace who has made forgiveness possible for whoever asks for it. But the sand in the hourglass is running out. The tickets to the great party in eternity are getting scarce.

Does the LORD’s Majesty extend to your life? It can. All that God has in store for you is available. You only have to come to him once. He is near, right now, even at the door. Will you open that door today?