Not another Census!

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

When reading through the Bible together, one of people's greatest fears are genealogies and censuses. All those long names unlike names we have today, and how to pronounce them! But they are there for a reason. This one was taken just before entering the promised land. After listing all twelve tribes Moses notes that no one was on this list that was on the list before the wilderness wanderings (except two), and to note the changes in size of the tribes, which would affect the size of their lots in the promised land. Most did not have a big change, but one did have quite a decrease (quite possibly due to their sin during the false teaching of Balaam covered in the previous chapters.) At any rate, changes had taken place and needed to be noted.  The past would influence the future. So it does today. 

All That the Lord Says...

Numbers 23:25 And Balak said to Balaam, “Do not curse them at all, and do not bless them at all.” 26 But Balaam answered Balak, “Did I not tell you, ‘All that the Lord says, that I must do’?” 27 And Balak said to Balaam, “Come now, I will take you to another place. Perhaps it will please God that you may curse them for me from there.” 28 So Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor, which overlooks the desert. 29 And Balaam said to Balak, “Build for me here seven altars and prepare for me here seven bulls and seven rams.” 30 And Balak did as Balaam had said, and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.

We saw yesterday Balaam's persistence to go where God kept throwing roadblocks in his way. Finally, he was able to hear, but he did not listen very well.  The same was true of Balak who had hired him to curse God's people. He did everything possible to make the right setting for Balaam, but three times (once before and once after this one) Balaam's prophecy went against Balak and for God's people. How often do we try to find loopholes, other ways, to not listen to God? 

Do You Hear Me Now?!?

 Numbers 22:24 Then the angel of the Lord stood in a narrow path between the vineyards, with a wall on either side. 25 And when the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, she pushed against the wall and pressed Balaam's foot against the wall. So he struck her again. 26 Then the angel of the Lord went ahead and stood in a narrow place, where there was no way to turn either to the right or to the left. 27 When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, she lay down under Balaam. And Balaam's anger was kindled, and he struck the donkey with his staff. 28 Then the Lord opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?”

Balaam had it in his heart and mind to speak against God's people as they moved toward the promised land.  He should have known better, but he was set on this course of action.  Three times God' tried to stop him, and three times Balaam took it out on the donkey.  That number three of course is repeated often in scripture to show God is done waiting.  Peter had three opportunities to proclaim Christ in the courtyard when Jesus was being tried.  How slow we are to give up our ways.  Sometimes God has to throw all sorts of obstacles in our way.  We hit a brick wall. He is talking to us, but we just won't listen. We take it out on other people, even on God.  He is speaking. Do you hear Him now?

A Temporary Base...

Numbers 21:21 Then Israel sent messengers to Sihon king of the Amorites, saying, 22 “Let me pass through your land. We will not turn aside into field or vineyard. We will not drink the water of a well. We will go by the King's Highway until we have passed through your territory.” 23 But Sihon would not allow Israel to pass through his territory. He gathered all his people together and went out against Israel to the wilderness and came to Jahaz and fought against Israel. 24 And Israel defeated him with the edge of the sword and took possession of his land from the Arnon to the Jabbok, as far as to the Ammonites, for the border of the Ammonites was strong. 25 And Israel took all these cities, and Israel settled in all the cities of the Amorites, in Heshbon, and in all its villages. 26 For Heshbon was the city of Sihon the king of the Amorites, who had fought against the former king of Moab and taken all his land out of his hand, as far as the Arnon. 

After a couple more interruptions in their trip due to disobedience, Israel came to the Amorites, requesting safe passage through their land. This was not where they wanted to stay nor did they want to take anything.  That wasn't good enough for Sihon; he wanted to show his strength, so he attacked. This was not a wise move and Israel, used to camping out, ended up using the capital as a "motel." This left them in control of a stopping point on the King's Highway, but this was not where they were to stay. They were still heading for the Promised Land. 

Passing On...

Numbers 20:22 And they journeyed from Kadesh, and the people of Israel, the whole congregation, came to Mount Hor. 23 And the Lord said to Moses and Aaron at Mount Hor, on the border of the land of Edom, 24 “Let Aaron be gathered to his people, for he shall not enter the land that I have given to the people of Israel, because you rebelled against my command at the waters of Meribah. 25 Take Aaron and Eleazar his son and bring them up to Mount Hor. 26 And strip Aaron of his garments and put them on Eleazar his son. And Aaron shall be gathered to his people and shall die there.” 27 Moses did as the Lord commanded. And they went up Mount Hor in the sight of all the congregation. 28 And Moses stripped Aaron of his garments and put them on Eleazar his son. And Aaron died there on the top of the mountain. Then Moses and Eleazar came down from the mountain. 29 And when all the congregation saw that Aaron had perished, all the house of Israel wept for Aaron thirty days.

Aaron had been with Moses throughout this eventful journey. He was not just a sidekick; he and his heirs carried the burden to representing God's people and their sins before Him. But now it was time for him to pass off the scene and his ministry to be passed on to his sons. This was God's plan, planned and prepared for, but also appropriately mourned.  The nation would not move on for a month.  They wept not for their inconvenience, but the loss of his leadership and his inability to see the Promised Land. Do we know how and why to mourn?

The Tithe of the Tithe

Numbers 18:25 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 26 “Moreover, you shall speak and say to the Levites, ‘When you take from the people of Israel the tithe that I have given you from them for your inheritance, then you shall present a contribution from it to the Lord, a tithe of the tithe. 27 And your contribution shall be counted to you as though it were the grain of the threshing floor, and as the fullness of the winepress. 28 So you shall also present a contribution to the Lord from all your tithes, which you receive from the people of Israel. And from it you shall give the Lord's contribution to Aaron the priest. 29 Out of all the gifts to you, you shall present every contribution due to the Lord; from each its best part is to be dedicated.’

Just to make sure they understood that being sanctified for service did not mean they were so special they were exempt from tithing or any other acts expected of their fellow Israelites, God explained to the Levites that they too were to give a tithe to the Lord.  They were just as dependent upon God (and maybe more so) and were called to be fully dedicated to God. Whatever privileges God gives us in His service, we never become so special we are exempt from His commands.

Step Away; Don't Be Swept Away

 Numbers 16:25 Then Moses rose and went to Dathan and Abiram, and the elders of Israel followed him. 26 And he spoke to the congregation, saying, “Depart, please, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest you be swept away with all their sins.” 27 So they got away from the dwelling of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. And Dathan and Abiram came out and stood at the door of their tents, together with their wives, their sons, and their little ones. 28 And Moses said, “Hereby you shall know that the Lord has sent me to do all these works, and that it has not been of my own accord. 29 If these men die as all men die, or if they are visited by the fate of all mankind, then the Lord has not sent me. 30 But if the Lord creates something new, and the ground opens its mouth and swallows them up with all that belongs to them, and they go down alive into Sheol, then you shall know that these men have despised the Lord.”

Moses was not one who wanted to be leader and get all the credit.  Indeed, he did not even want the job in the first place. (See Exodus 3)  But he accepted this position as go between for God and His people Israel. It was hard enough in the beginning: convincing people to trust God's plan when that involved the task of making bricks in Egypt even harder. One would think that as God proved Himself over and over again as He sent the plagues, delivered His people out of Pharoah's hand, through the sea, and the provided food and water to sustain them that they would trust both God and Moses. But different parties kept rebelling. Moses was careful to step back when God showed His power, holiness, and righteous judgment in His way. May we learn to do the same.