Feb 17, 2010 Numbers 17-20

Today is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent. I am going to give up various and sundry possessions which I will pass on to others. I need a plan...
The power struggle continued among the Israelites. God gave them a sign of His will by having each leader from each tribe bring a staff with their name on it to the Tent of Meeting. Moses placed the twelve staffs inside the Tent of the Testimony overnight. Whoever had the staff which budded was the leader God had chosen. Aaron's staff not only budded, but it blossomed and produced almonds! Aaron's staff was to be kept in front of the Testimony (the ark holding the stone tablets) to remind the Israelites who is in charge and to stop complaining.

The priests were responsible for many things. From offenses against the sanctuary, and against the priesthood, to the care of the sanctuary. The Lord told them to bring other members of the Levites to help them in their duties. They were to obey what the priests asked of them. Along with responsibility comes privelege. One of the privileges was that God gave Aaron and his sons and their families who were ceremonially clean the offerings from the altar to eat. All they had the Lord gave them. They were to offer a tenth of what they received as a tithe to the Lord.

In ch 19 instructions are given for making the water of cleansing by slaughtering and burning a red heifer without defect. The ashes were collected and placed in a ceremonially clean place outside the camp. It was to be used purify a person after touching a dead body. When someone needed the water of cleansing they were to take a jar, place some of the ashes into it and pour fresh water over them. The water was sprinkled over possessions and people using a bunch of hyssop (an herb with purple flowers.)

The Israelites arrived at Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin. Miriam died and they buried her. There was no water for the animals or the people to drink and the people started complaining. Moses and Aaron went to the Tent of Meeting and fell facedown and the Lord appeared to them. God told Moses to take his staff and gather the assembly and talk to the rock and enough water would come from it to satisfy the thirst of all. Instead, Moses scolded the people and hit the rock with the stick twice and water poured out just as God had said it would. The problem was that Moses did not follow God's commandments exactly as he was told to. God told Moses that because he didn't trust Him, Moses wouldn't be the one to bring the Israelites into the promised land.
Remember Jacob's twin brother Esau? He was the father of the Edomites. They were back to where the Edomites were and needed to pass through their land. Moses sent messengers with a very nice request to allow them to pass and the Edomites denied them. They asked again and were denied again and this time they came out with their swords. The Israelites left Kadesh and went to Mount Hor.
God told Moses that Aaron's life was going to end. God wanted Eleazar to replace him. So that everyone would see the transfer of authority, God told Moses to take Aaron and Eleazar up on the mount and remove Aaron's priestly garments and place them on Eleazar. After this was done Aaron died on the mountain. The entire community mourned him for 30 days.

Tomorrow read Numbers 21-23