Tag: Numbers

Numbers 34:1 Daily Visit with God

Numbers 34:1 (KJV)
And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

None of us have the same sort of personal conversations with God that Moses had.[1] He is one of a kind in human history.

This conversation had to do with what would happen when Israel came into the Promised Land

It was specific
The land God gave Israel was Canaan.

It was detailed
God laid out the borders with a surveyor’s precision.

It was prophetic
They didn’t have it yet, but these details assured them they would have it.

It was personal
God spoke to Moses.

It was shareable
What Moses heard was meant to be passed on.

Moses was unique to human history, but we too, can have these conversations with God. We can have them every day – through the Bible.

[1] Deuteronomy 34:10 (KJV)
And there arose not a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face,

To my readers:
Thank you! It is a great joy to me to know you read the thoughts and lessons God has given me in His word. I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to leave comments.

Donate to Bible Baptist Church every time you make an Amazon purchase through this link, https://smile.amazon.com/ch/91-1265824

Donate to our cause of “Reaching a world of souls with the Word of God.”

For this and, more than 5600 earlier Daily Visits with God, visit https://mckenzie-visit-with-god.blogspot.com. There you will find daily visits going back to 2005.

If you have been blessed by this blog, please subscribe to my feed and share it with others.

For more resources from Pastor Marvin McKenzie visit http://puyallupbaptistchurch.com.

My books, and other resources, are available at:
https://marvinmckenzie.org

Merch at my Teespring store https://macz.creator-spring.com/
Be a witness with hats, mugs, t-shirts, sweat shirts, and more

Let’s have coffee?
The link to Ko-fi  is an opportunity to support this effort to reach a world of souls with the Word of God. I would appreciate any gift you can give. 

Numbers 34:1 Daily Visit with God

Numbers 28:2 Me, My, Mine

Numbers 28:2 (KJV)
Command the children of Israel, and say unto them, My offering, and my bread for my sacrifices made by fire, for a sweet savour unto me, shall ye observe to offer unto me in their due season.

We can’t place upon God the same standards we would put on others because God is the standard setter.

God can be jealous and righteous. I cannot.
That’s because there is none like or beside God. I could never expect someone to put me above all else in the world because I am not above all else in the world. God is.

God can be vengeful and righteous. I cannot.
That’s because God is the standard of righteousness. He is sinless, just, and holy. He alone determines good and evil and the consequences and rewards of each.

I notice in our text that God speaks of

  • My offering
  • My bread
  • My sacrifice
  • Unto me

God can claim these things and focus our attention on Him alone because He is alone. There is none else besides Him.

The temptation to compare ourselves with God results from the original sin and a product of the corrupt nature. Satan was correct when he said that the day Adam and Eve ate the fruit, they would become “as gods, knowing good and evil.” They did not become Gods, only as gods.

Everything belongs to God. Praise God! He graciously provides for us.

May we then obediently worship Him.

To my readers:
Thank you! It is a great joy to me to know you read the thoughts and lessons God has given me in His word. I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to leave comments.

Donate to Bible Baptist Church every time you make an Amazon purchase through this link, https://smile.amazon.com/ch/91-1265824

Donate to our cause of “Reaching a world of souls with the Word of God.”

For this and, more than 5600 earlier Daily Visits with God, visit https://mckenzie-visit-with-god.blogspot.com. There you will find daily visits going back to 2005.

If you have been blessed by this blog, please subscribe to my feed and share it with others.

For more resources from Pastor Marvin McKenzie visit http://puyallupbaptistchurch.com.

My books, and other resources, are available at:
https://marvinmckenzie.org

Merch at my Teespring store https://macz.creator-spring.com/
Be a witness with hats, mugs, t-shirts, sweat shirts, and more

Let’s have coffee?
The link to Ko-fi  is an opportunity to support this effort to reach a world of souls with the Word of God. I would appreciate any gift you can give. 

Numbers 28:2 Me, My, Mine

Numbers 23:10 The Death of the Righteous

Numbers 23:10 (KJV)
Who can count the dust of Jacob, and the number of the fourth part of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his!

Balaam had several things about him with which we would have trouble. Peter[1] and Jude[2] both call him out for selling out his ministry. On the other hand, God did speak through him (something Balak was perturbed about). Whether Balaam got to see the answer to the request of this verse in his own life is doubtful. He asked, “Let me die the death of the righteous.”

Death is a certainty for us all. Because of the nature of the corrupt human flesh, there is none righteous,[3] no not one,and all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.[4] Therefore, to die the death of the righteous is virtually impossible… Except for Jesus.

Jesus, the only man ever tempted in all points like as we are, yet without sin,[5] died in the sinner’s place. “He became sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.”[6] And now, because of the substitutionary sacrifice of Jesus Christ, “Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”[7]

[1] 2 Peter 2:15 (KJV)
Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;

[2] Jude 1:11 (KJV)
Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core.

[3] Romans 3:10 (KJV)
As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:

[4] Romans 3:23 (KJV)
For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

[5] Hebrews 4:15 (KJV)
For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

[6] 2 Corinthians 5:21 (KJV)
For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

[7] Romans 10:13 (KJV)
For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

To my readers:
Thank you! It is a great joy to me to know you read the thoughts and lessons God has given me in His word. I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to leave comments.

Donate to Bible Baptist Church every time you make an Amazon purchase through this link, https://smile.amazon.com/ch/91-1265824

Donate to our cause of “Reaching a world of souls with the Word of God.”

For this and, more than 5600 earlier Daily Visits with God, visit https://mckenzie-visit-with-god.blogspot.com. There you will find daily visits going back to 2005.

If you have been blessed by this blog, please subscribe to my feed and share it with others.

For more resources from Pastor Marvin McKenzie visit http://puyallupbaptistchurch.com.

My books, and other resources, are available at:
https://marvinmckenzie.org

Merch at my Teespring store https://macz.creator-spring.com/
Be a witness with hats, mugs, t-shirts, sweat shirts, and more

Let’s have coffee?
The link to Ko-fi  is an opportunity to support this effort to reach a world of souls with the Word of God. I would appreciate any gift you can give. 

Numbers 23:10 The Death of the Righteous

Numbers 19:5 The “One”Must Be There

Numbers 19:5 (KJV)
And one shall burn the heifer in his sight; her skin, and her flesh, and her blood, with her dung, shall he burn:

I am interested in the “one.” 

The word is in italics, indicating that the translators of the King James Bible supplied it. It is not physically in the Hebrew text but is implied by the text. The “one” must be there. It is impossible for the action of the text to exist without this “one.”

The context has three or four persons involved
Eleazar, the priest, supervises the action.
All that takes place happens before his eyes.

The “one” who is implied
He is found twice; he slays the sacrifice in verse three, and he burns the sacrifice in verse five.

The priest who casts in cedar, hyssop, and scarlet[1]
This may be Eleazar, but I don’t think so. Eleazar is named twice. I can’t imagine why he would not be named here if it was still him.

A man that is clean[2]
His job was to gather the ashes and remove them from the camp. He was clean when he began. This function necessarily made him unclean until the evening.

There is the “one” whose work was so important it must be performed in the sight of Eleazar, who, I believe, is looked forward to as the high priest.  The “one” is not said to be a priest. We know nothing of his background, breeding, or qualifications. We do not have a name. He is not even called “a man that is clean.” But he must be there.

In all that God does, you have to be there. I have to be there. We have to be there. We may seem invisible, barely noticeable. We are often simply implied. But the fact is, the eyes of the Great High Priest[3] are upon us.

[1] Verse 6

[2] Verse 9

[3] Jesus Christ

To my readers:
Thank you! It is a great joy to me to know you read the thoughts and lessons God has given me in His word. I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to leave comments.

Donate to Bible Baptist Church every time you make an Amazon purchase through this link, https://smile.amazon.com/ch/91-1265824

Donate to our cause of “Reaching a world of souls with the Word of God.”

For this and, more than 5600 earlier Daily Visits with God, visit https://mckenzie-visit-with-god.blogspot.com. There you will find daily visits going back to 2005.

If you have been blessed by this blog, please subscribe to my feed and share it with others.

For more resources from Pastor Marvin McKenzie visit http://puyallupbaptistchurch.com.

My books, and other resources, are available at:
https://marvinmckenzie.org

Merch at my Teespring store https://macz.creator-spring.com/
Be a witness with hats, mugs, t-shirts, sweat shirts, and more

Let’s have coffee?
The link to Ko-fi  is an opportunity to support this effort to reach a world of souls with the Word of God. I would appreciate any gift you can give. 

Numbers 19:5 The “One”Must Be There

Numbers 16:3 Has He Lifted Himself Too Much?

Numbers 16:3 (KJV)
And they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said unto them, Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the LORD is among them: wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above the congregation of the LORD?

The argument of Korah and his followers seemed sound.

  • Moses and Aaron had taken too much upon them[1]
  • All the congregation was holy
  • The LORD was among them all

These observations made Korah feel like Moses and Aaron had “lifted up” themselves. Nothing could have been further from the truth.

Similar characters frequently make similar accusations against those in the ministry. The fact of the matter is,

  • No preacher is any better than the people of his congregation
  • Some of the people of his congregation might seem better suited to have the preacher’s position
  • The preacher does have a position of both prominence and power in the church

It can look like a lot for one man. Has he lifted himself too much?

When Korah accused Moses and Aaron, the LORD himself solved the matter. I’ve wondered why God doesn’t do the same for other preachers.

But then, He shouldn’t need to. The Bible gives instructions for a life of faith. It has never been God’s intention to slay every evil act of men. It is His intention to 

  • Point out what is evil, 
  • Offer men a better choice and 
  • Provide for man a way of salvation 

We shouldn’t have to have every evil abruptly and harshly handled.

What we should do is learn from the Bible and follow it.

[1] These are their arguments, not mine.

To my readers:
Thank you! It is a great joy to me to know you read the thoughts and lessons God has given me in His word. I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to leave comments.

Donate to Bible Baptist Church every time you make an Amazon purchase through this link, https://smile.amazon.com/ch/91-1265824

Donate to our cause of “Reaching a world of souls with the Word of God.”

For this and, more than 5600 earlier Daily Visits with God, visit https://mckenzie-visit-with-god.blogspot.com. There you will find daily visits going back to 2005.

If you have been blessed by this blog, please subscribe to my feed and share it with others.

For more resources from Pastor Marvin McKenzie visit http://puyallupbaptistchurch.com.

My books, and other resources, are available at:
https://marvinmckenzie.org

Merch at my Teespring store https://macz.creator-spring.com/
Be a witness with hats, mugs, t-shirts, sweat shirts, and more

Let’s have coffee?
The link to Ko-fi  is an opportunity to support this effort to reach a world of souls with the Word of God. I would appreciate any gift you can give. 

Numbers 16:3 Has He Lifted Himself Too Much?

November 11:2 Is Your Cry To God?

Numbers 11:2 (KJV)
And the people cried unto Moses; and when Moses prayed unto the LORD, the fire was quenched.

The Bible calls the people who followed Moses out of Egypt “a mixt multitude.” The mix must have had an Egyptian element; those who, for whatever reason, chose to align with the Jews rather than remain in Egypt. It doesn’t mean they were convinced believers. It just means they thought their opportunities were greater with the people whose Hod had accomplished the plagues in Egypt.

The mix would have included Jews of varying degrees of faith. It would be impossible to believe they all wanted to leave Egypt. Frankly, they were forced out, and Moses had experienced some Hebrew resistance even while confronting Pharaoh on their behalf.

The varying degrees of faith displayed themselves in murmuring and complaining. In our text, it revealed itself in whom they appealed for help. When the fire of the Lord began to consume some of them, they cried out to Moses, not God.

  • They blamed their problems on Moses
  • They cried to Moses for help

These people were not in communication with the Lord.

I note that Moses, rather than rebuking them, prayed for them. I note further that God heard his prayer.

  • A true man of God will go to God first
  • He will also go to God, even for those who won’t go themselves.

To my readers:
Thank you! It is a great joy to me to know you read the thoughts and lessons God has given me in His word. I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to leave comments.

Donate to Bible Baptist Church every time you make an Amazon purchase through this link, https://smile.amazon.com/ch/91-1265824

Donate to our cause of “Reaching a world of souls with the Word of God.”

For this and, more than 5600 earlier Daily Visits with God, visit https://mckenzie-visit-with-god.blogspot.com. There you will find daily visits going back to 2005.

If you have been blessed by this blog, please subscribe to my feed and share it with others.

For more resources from Pastor Marvin McKenzie visit http://puyallupbaptistchurch.com.

My books, and other resources, are available at:
https://marvinmckenzie.org

Merch at my Teespring store https://macz.creator-spring.com/
Be a witness with hats, mugs, t-shirts, sweat shirts, and more

Let’s have coffee?
The link to Ko-fi  is an opportunity to support this effort to reach a world of souls with the Word of God. I would appreciate any gift you can give. 

November 11:2 Is Your Cry To God?

Numbers 7:1-2 Purely, Plainly, and Purposefully

Numbers 7:1-2 (KJV)
And it came to pass on the day that Moses had fully set up the tabernacle, and had anointed it, and sanctified it, and all the instruments thereof, both the altar and all the vessels thereof, and had anointed them, and sanctified them;
That the princes of Israel, heads of the house of their fathers, who were the princes of the tribes, and were over them that were numbered, offered:

This chapter records the completion of the tabernacle and the first offerings given by the tribes of Israel.

Consider those offerings.

  • The tabernacle did not need them.
  • The construction and anointing were completed. 
  • They needed no materials with which to work. 
  • They required no finances for which to purchase more.

There were no regular expenses to cover. They were in the wilderness. They were obliged to no utility companies. There were no bills to pay. There was no government to tax them.

They were all on a fixed income. The priests were as well off as the heads of the tribes because none of them had the means to increase their substance. Their herds, I suppose, could be viewed as producing new revenue, but that was it. And they all had herds.

Giving offerings at this time would be no advantage to the tabernacle and was almost certainly a loss to them individually. Here we learn a crucial truth concerning offerings, properly given to the Lord; they are not of necessity. Today’s offerings should be given cheerfully and not of necessity. We should feel like we have to give them, and the house of God does not have to have them. 

They are offered purely, plainly, and purposefully out of worship. Even so should we give our offerings.

To my readers:
Thank you! It is a great joy to me to know you read the thoughts and lessons God has given me in His word. I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to leave comments.

Donate to Bible Baptist Church every time you make an Amazon purchase through this link, https://smile.amazon.com/ch/91-1265824

Donate to our cause of “Reaching a world of souls with the Word of God.”

For this and, more than 5600 earlier Daily Visits with God, visit https://mckenzie-visit-with-god.blogspot.com. There you will find daily visits going back to 2005.

If you have been blessed by this blog, please subscribe to my feed and share it with others.

For more resources from Pastor Marvin McKenzie visit http://puyallupbaptistchurch.com.

My books, and other resources, are available at:
https://marvinmckenzie.org

Merch at my Teespring store https://macz.creator-spring.com/
Be a witness with hats, mugs, t-shirts, sweat shirts, and more

Let’s have coffee?
The link to Ko-fi  is an opportunity to support this effort to reach a world of souls with the Word of God. I would appreciate any gift you can give. 

Numbers 7:1-2 Purely, Plainly, and Purposefully

Numbers 6:23-27 Be A Blessing. Give A Blessing

Numbers 6:23-27 (KJV)
Speak unto Aaron and unto his sons, saying, On this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel, saying unto them,
The LORD bless thee, and keep thee:
The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee:
The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.
And they shall put my name upon the children of Israel; and I will bless them.

This blessing is one of my favorite passages in the Old Testament. I can’t say that I always remember to do it, but I’ve always taken it as my responsibility to bless people. 

There are a few observations I make today.
Moses was instructed to teach Aaron and his sons this blessing
It wasn’t Moses who would give the blessing but Aaron and his sons. They, being the priests, are more representative of all Christians and not those in the ministry. Of course, preachers ought to bless people, but they are not the only ones who ought to do it.

This is a prayer
It is, in effect, not a statement we make to people but to the Lord on their behalf. Christians ought to be thoughtful in praying for others.

By doing this, we put the name of the Lord on people
What souls need more than anything else is the Lord. No good thing a man may have is better than having the name of the Lord upon them.

To my readers:
Thank you! It is a great joy to me to know you read the thoughts and lessons God has given me in His word. I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to leave comments.

Donate to Bible Baptist Church every time you make an Amazon purchase through this link, https://smile.amazon.com/ch/91-1265824

Donate to our cause of “Reaching a world of souls with the Word of God.”

For this and, more than 5600 earlier Daily Visits with God, visit https://mckenzie-visit-with-god.blogspot.com. There you will find daily visits going back to 2005.

If you have been blessed by this blog, please subscribe to my feed and share it with others.

For more resources from Pastor Marvin McKenzie visit http://puyallupbaptistchurch.com.

My books, and other resources, are available at:
https://marvinmckenzie.org

Merch at my Teespring store https://macz.creator-spring.com/
Be a witness with hats, mugs, t-shirts, sweat shirts, and more

Let’s have coffee?
The link to Ko-fi  is an opportunity to support this effort to reach a world of souls with the Word of God. I would appreciate any gift you can give. 

Numbers 6:23-27 Be A Blessing. Give A Blessing

Numbers 35:8 God Is Fair

Numbers 35:8 (KJV)
And the cities which ye shall give shall be of the possession of the children of Israel: from them that have many ye shall give many; but from them that have few ye shall give few: every one shall give of his cities unto the Levites according to his inheritance which he inheriteth.

This world is not fair. A person is wise to understand that and deal with it. But God is abundantly fair. He is gracious, bestowing rain on the evil as well as the good.[1] Christ died for all, even those whom He knows will reject Him.[2]While the world’s systems favor those of wealth and power, God is no respecter of persons.[3]

Here is a demonstration of this equality. God required of the children of Israel to provide cities for the Levites. But He specified it ought to be done fairly. Those tribes that had many were to give many. Those tribes with few were to give few. 

Tithing is a formal practice of this principle. If all give ten percent, those with more give more and those with less give less. Still, everyone gives equally in the tithe. 

The offering Paul received for Jerusalem in 2 Corinthians 8-9 is of this same nature. Though he did ask them to give bountifully,[4] it was specified that they give according to their portion.[5]

God is generous, gracious, and no respecter of persons. 

[1] Matthew 5:45 (KJV)
That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

[2] Romans 5:8 (KJV)
But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
2 Corinthians 5:15 (KJV)
And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.

[3] Acts 10:34 (KJV)
Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:

[4] 2 Corinthians 9:6 (KJV)
But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.

[5] 1 Corinthians 16:2 (KJV)
Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.

To my readers:
First of all, thank you! It is a great joy to me to know you read the thoughts and lessons God has given me in His word. Secondly, I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to leave comments.

Donate to Bible Baptist Church every time you make an Amazon purchase through this link, https://smile.amazon.com/ch/91-1265824

For this and more than 5100 earlier Daily Visits with God visit https://mckenzie-visit-with-god.blogspot.com. There you will find daily visits going back to 2005.

If you have been blessed by this blog, please subscribe to my feed and share it with others.

For more resources from Pastor Marvin McKenzie visit http://puyallupbaptistchurch.com.

My books are available at:
https://marvinmckenzie.org

Numbers 35:8 God Is Fair

Numbers 31:8 He Failed the Fine Line

Numbers 31:8 (KJV)
And they slew the kings of Midian, beside the rest of them that were slain; namely, Evi, and Rekem, and Zur, and Hur, and Reba, five kings of Midian: Balaam also the son of Beor they slew with the sword.

Balaam attempted to walk this very fine line between obeying God and enjoying the rewards of worldliness. Although the Bible never says that he cursed Israel, it does say that he taught Israel to sin in compromise.[1] It also says he lived for reward.[2] Here it says he died with the Midianites. 

To stand with God means to separate from the world. It is not possible to be a friend of this world and a friend of God at the same time.

[1] Revelation 2:14 (KJV)
But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication.

[2] Jude 1:11 (KJV)
Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core.

To my readers:
First of all, thank you! It is a great joy to me to know you read the thoughts and lessons God has given me in His word. Secondly, I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to leave comments.

Donate to Bible Baptist Church every time you make an Amazon purchase through this link, https://smile.amazon.com/ch/91-1265824

For this and more than 5100 earlier Daily Visits with God visit https://mckenzie-visit-with-god.blogspot.com. There you will find daily visits going back to 2005.

If you have been blessed by this blog, please subscribe to my feed and share it with others.

For more resources from Pastor Marvin McKenzie visit http://puyallupbaptistchurch.com.

My books are available at:
https://marvinmckenzie.org

Numbers 31:8 He Failed the Fine Line