The Small Branch

 Numbers 1-15 (These are my notes from my reading.) (1-4) God continues to set up an orderly nation.  The warriors are numbered and the camp set up in an orderly fashion so that the tabernacle and, therefore, God, is at the center of Israel and is guarded well.  The Levites are also numbered and assigned specific duties.  They are dedicated to God and represent the firstborn of the nation, given to God because of the Passover and because the first of everything should be given to God. (5-10) Laws are reiterated and new laws given.  Tests and punishments are set out so that the people can judge guilt or innocence.  Women are protected by these tests for adultery so that their husbands cannot just make accusations and be rid of them.  Every tribe gives an offering to the Lord for the tabernacle and the priests to use.  There are rules for the lamps and trumpets made for signaling the camp. (11-12) The Israelites, like most humans, are huge complaine...

 There are a lot of things I wish I could tell my younger self.  I probably wouldn't have listened.  I mean, you are at your smartest from 15 years old  to 30 years old, right?  That's probably what I would start with (although the rest are in no particular order): 1. Listen to people.  You can always learn something  from  everyone.  You don't know nearly as much as you think you do. 2. It is almost impossible to get back to your "ideal" weight or to "get back in shape" so maintain and stay in shape.  This is especially true with flexibility. 😊 3. It is much easier to teach your kids the right way the first time rather than to go back and correct things you let them get away with because it was cute when they were tiny.  Set the standard from the beginning and do the work to teach them from the beginning.  It may seem hard, but it is harder if you put it off. 4. From the moment you are saved you should be studying Scripture, ...

 This morning I was listening to Owen Strachan speak on Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God from February's G3 conference.  I've also been reading the Old Testament (as you can see from other posts).  The two combined to get me thinking about idol worship.  If you are a student of history and of the Bible, you know that idol worship centuries ago involved sacrifices (from which everyone got their meat), temple prostitutes, human sacrifices, etc.  We always talk about how horrible idol worship was then, how pagan.  But are we really any better today?  Today, we are just as pagan, just as sin sick, just as much into idol worship as people have always been.  With the media today, we don't even look at it as a bad thing, but something to boast about endlessly.  We even worship using the same methods that the ancients did.  We have food everywhere and with everything.  We eat and drink to excess all in the name of entertainment.  ...

 Leviticus 15-27  (These are my notes from my reading.) (15)Like the laws concerning leprosy, the laws concerning a discharge have a parallel for us today - hidden sin (see Search the Scriptures , edited by Alan Stibbs).  Discharge (hidden sin) must also be dealt with for the well being of God's children.  This chapter makes it sound like menstruation and sex are both "unclean" things.  Puzzlement . . . I know that the chapter is dealing with ceremonial uncleanness rather than something being "dirty", so that may be the answer.  These things made one ceremonially unclean and unable to come to the tabernacle.  Perhaps their very "humanness" was the issue?? (16)The Day of Atonement - once a year, the priest was to make atonement for himself, the place and articles of worship, and the people.  This had to be done every  year with blood sacrifices - until Jesus.  Jesus is the only One to make perfect, permanent atonement for us. (17)All meat...

 Leviticus 1-14 (These are my notes from my reading.) Burnt, grain, peace, sin, guilt offerings - these offerings teach us about the importance of pure, undefiled worship and offerings to the Lord.  They also teach about the necessity of blood to make atonement for sin.  These point us to Jesus, who was the ultimate sacrifice and the perfect and final atonement for our sin.  The priests were told very specifically how to do each sacrifice.  Some of it was food for them, other parts were only for the Lord.  They had to obey God's way.  He wants to be worshipped His  way, not ours.   The priests and the tabernacle are prepared for service - everything must be clean, pure, and holy.  Sacrifices must be made for sin to bring atonement for Aaron and his sons, followed by sacrifices to make atonement for the people.  Only then can God "tabernacle" with them and His presence fills the holy of holies.  Worship must be done properly. ...

 Exodus 26-40  The tabernacle has very specific instructions and very specific pieces of furniture that God wants built very specific ways.  This is God's dwelling place, where He will meet with His people.  All must be holy and perfect because He is holy and perfect.  If not, His presence will destroy whatever is not perfect.  All of these things are to point us to Christ - our need for Him, His intercession and atonement for us, etc.  God provided all that was needed so that the people could build the tabernacle just as God provided Christ so that we could be with Him eternally.    While Moses is getting the instructions for the tabernacle, the Israelites are very impatient and show the weakness of their faith.  This is a constant battle for them.  Without strong, godly leadership, they flounder.  Isn't this true today?  We need strong, godly leaders - ones like Moses - who hold the people accountable and also intercede ...

 Exodus 11-25 (These are my notes from my reading.)  The Passover - only by the blood of the lamb is each household spared.  God gives specific instructions for salvation.  Anyone who does not follow these exactly will not be saved.  Now, we are saved eternally by the blood of the Lamb, Jesus Christ.  He is the only way to be saved.  Anyone who does not turn to Him (repent and believe) will not be saved.  It is important that we remember what Christ has done for us, just as the Israelites were instructed to remember.  We also dedicate ourselves to Him because we are saved, just as Israel dedicated the first born to God because they were saved by God's grace.  Crossing the sea - God arranges for the final destruction of Egypt.  The people are fearful.  Even after all they have seen God do, they doubt His ability to save them.  They grumble in fear, but He saves them anyway.  They praise the Lord and give Him glory, but...