Numbers 25-26 As noted yesterday, Numbers 31:16 tells us that Balaam is behind Israel’s sin here. He advises the Moabites and Midianites to lure the Israelites into idolatry and sexual immorality. (See also Rev. 2:14.) The Moabites and Midianites take that advice and, given Israel’s proclivities toward rebellion against the LORD, they successfully entice many …
Category Archives: RTB 2023 – Chronological Bible
February 15 / Numbers 21-24
Numbers 21-24 Balaam is an interesting figure. His story occupies three full chapters of today’s reading, and he is referenced multiple times later in the Scriptures. (See Num. 31:8,16; Deut. 23:3-5; Josh. 13:22; 24:9-10; Neh. 13:2; Mic. 6:5; II Pet. 2:15; Jude 11; Rev. 2:14.) Balak, the king of Moab, hires Balaam to curse Israel. …
February 14 / Numbers 17-20
Numbers 17-20 Does the story of “The Waters of Meribah” in Num. 20:2-13 feel like déjà vu? Perhaps that is because we have a very similar story in Exodus 17:1-7. In both cases, the people of Israel quarrel with Moses, grumbling about the lack of water. In both cases Moses pleads with the LORD to …
February 13 / Numbers 15-16
Numbers 15-16 Today envy again raises its ugly head. Korah, a Levite of the clan of Kohath, leads a company against Moses and Aaron. Not content to be one of the chosen few designated to carry the most holy things, Korah aspires to the priesthood, thinking that Moses and Aaron have exalted themselves over everyone …
February 12 / Numbers 13-14
Numbers 13-14 And they said to one another, “Let us choose a leader and go back to Egypt.” Numbers 14:4 There you have it: the birthplace of democracy! Don’t get me wrong. Looking at current and historical forms of government, I’ll take the Constitution of the U.S.A. over just about any other, and I’m quite …
February 11 / Numbers 9-12
Numbers 9-12 Discontent. Grumbling. Envy. It’s not pretty. It’s not pretty in the Israelites as they complain about the menu. It’s not pretty in Aaron and Miriam as they imagine themselves on par with Moses. And it’s not pretty in us, either. Day after day the Israelites receive manna from the LORD, all that they …
February 10 / Numbers 7-8
Numbers 7-8 But to the sons of Kohath he gave [no wagons], because they were charged with the service of the holy things that had to be carried on the shoulder. Numbers 7:9 The LORD’s way is often not the easy way. A few chapters back, in Numbers 4:1-20, the Kohathites are given the duty …
February 9 / Numbers 5-6
Numbers 5-6 So, what to discuss today… We could talk about the importance of confession of sin, along with how making restitution might compare with penalties like prison time. (Num. 5:5-10) Or we could dive into the quagmire of the “test for adultery” with its attendant battle of the sexes coupled with a hint of …
February 8 / Numbers 3-4
Numbers 3-4 And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “Behold, I have taken the Levites from among the people of Israel instead of every firstborn who opens the womb among the people of Israel. The Levites shall be Mine, for all the firstborn are Mine. On the day that I struck down all the firstborn …
February 7 / Numbers 1-2
Numbers 1-2 Congratulations! You made it through Leviticus. Today we start the book of Numbers, which gets its name from, well, all the numbers. We pick up the story of the Israelites just a month after where Exodus left off. (See Ex. 40:2; Num. 1:1.) It’s been a year since the Israelites walked out of …