Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

Today’s devotion comes from Numbers 33:50-56.

“50 Then the Lord spoke to Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan opposite Jericho, saying, 51 “Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them, ‘When you cross over the Jordan into the land of Canaan, 52 then you shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you, and destroy all their figured stones, and destroy all their molten images and demolish all their high places;  53 and you shall take possession of the land and live in it, for I have given the land to you to possess it.  54 You shall inherit the land by lot according to your families;  to the larger you shall give more inheritance, and to the smaller you shall give less inheritance.  Wherever the lot falls to anyone, that shall be his.  You shall inherit according to the tribes of your fathers.  55 But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then it shall come about that those whom you let remain of them will become as pricks in your eyes and as thorns in your sides, and they will trouble you in the land in which you live.  56 And as I plan to do to them, so I will do to you.’”  Numbers 33:50-56.

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In Joshua’s farewell address, we read similar Scripture, but it gives us a better idea of the meaning of today’s Scripture and how we can generally apply both Scriptures to us today.

“5 The Lord your God, He will thrust them out from before you and drive them from before you;  and you will possess their land, just as the Lord your God promised you.  6 Be very firm, then, to keep and do all that is written in the book of the law of Moses, so that you may not turn aside from it to the right hand or to the left, 7 so that you will not associate with these nations, these which remain among you, or mention the name of their gods, or make anyone swear by them, or serve them, or bow down to them.  8 But you are to cling to the Lord your God, as you have done to this day.  9 For the Lord has driven out great and strong nations from before you;  and as for you, no man has stood before you to this day.  10 One of your men puts to flight a thousand, for the Lord your God is He who fights for you, just as He promised you.  11 So take diligent heed to yourselves to love the Lord your God.  12 For if you ever go back and cling to the rest of these nations, these which remain among you, and intermarry with them, so that you associate with them and they with you, 13 know with certainty that the Lord your God will not continue to drive these nations out from before you; but they will be a snare and a trap to you, and a whip on your sides and thorns in your eyes, until you perish from off this good land which the Lord your God has given you.”  Joshua 23:5-13.

The lesson for us today is that we need to be very careful and diligent that we cling to the LORD our God and His Word and that we do not allow unbelievers to cause us to drift away from our devotion to God and His Word to draw closer to their customs and practices. 

“1 How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked,
Nor stand in the path of sinners,
Nor sit in the seat of scoffers!
2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord,
And in His law he meditates day and night.”  Psalm 1:1-2.

“Let your heart therefore be wholly devoted to the Lord our God, to walk in His statutes and to keep His commandments, as at this day.”  1 Kings 8:61.

“14 Do not enter the path of the wicked
And do not proceed in the way of evil men.
15 Avoid it, do not pass by it;
Turn away from it and pass on.
16 For they cannot sleep unless they do evil;
And they are robbed of sleep unless they make someone stumble.
17 For they eat the bread of wickedness
And drink the wine of violence.”  Proverbs 4:14-17.

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.”  Matthew 5:8.

“Now flee from youthful lusts and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.”  2 Thessalonians 2:22.

“I hate those who regard vain idols,
But I trust in the Lord.”  Psalm 31:6.

Today’s devotion comes from Numbers 33:1-49.  Here is a link to this Scripture – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Numbers+33&version=NASB

I quote only the following verses.

“1 These are the journeys of the sons of Israel, by which they came out from the land of Egypt by their armies, under the leadership of Moses and Aaron.  2 Moses recorded their starting places according to their journeys by the command of the Lord, and these are their journeys according to their starting places.  3 They journeyed from Rameses in the first month, on the fifteenth day of the first month; on the next day after the Passover the sons of Israel started out boldly in the sight of all the Egyptians, 4 while the Egyptians were burying all their firstborn whom the Lord had struck down among them.  The Lord had also executed judgments on their gods.

5 Then the sons of Israel journeyed from Rameses and camped in Succoth.  6 They journeyed from Succoth and camped in Etham, which is on the edge of the wilderness.  7 They journeyed from Etham and turned back to Pi-hahiroth, which faces Baal-zephon, and they camped before Migdol.  8 They journeyed from before Hahiroth and passed through the midst of the sea into the wilderness;  and they went three days’ journey in the wilderness of Etham and camped at Marah.  9 They journeyed from Marah and came to Elim;  and in Elim there were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees, and they camped there.  10 They journeyed from Elim and camped by the Red Sea.  11 They journeyed from the Red Sea and camped in the wilderness of Sin.  12 They journeyed from the wilderness of Sin and camped at Dophkah.”  Numbers 33:1-12.

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At times, we may feel like we wander.  At times, we may feel like we are in the wilderness.  And, at times, we may actually be wandering and in the wilderness.

But, our journeys are not random.  Our journeys are not worthless.  Our journeys are not to be forgotten.  Today’s Scripture carefully shows that “Moses recorded their starting places according to their journeys by the command of the Lord.  …”.  Verse 2.

Our journeys are established by the LORD.  God cares about our journeys.  God leads us even when we feel like we are wandering.  God provides for us in the wilderness times of our lives.

“You shall remember all the way which the Lord your God has led you in the wilderness these forty years, that He might humble you, testing you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not.  He humbled you and let you be hungry, and fed you with manna which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that He might make you understand that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the Lord.  Your clothing did not wear out on you, nor did your foot swell these forty years.  Thus you are to know in your heart that the Lord your God was disciplining you just as a man disciplines his son.  Therefore, you shall keep the commandments of the Lord your God, to walk in His ways and to fear Him.”  Deuteronomy 8:2-6.

“23 The steps of a man are established by the Lord,
And He delights in his way.
24 When he falls, he will not be hurled headlong,
Because the Lord is the One who holds his hand.”  Psalm 37:23-24.

“The law of his God is in his heart;
His steps do not slip.”  Psalm 37:31.

“For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.”  Romans 8:14.

“2 He makes me lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside quiet waters.
3 He restores my soul;
He guides me in the paths of righteousness
For His name’s sake.”  Psalm 23:2-3.

“Have I not commanded you?  Be strong and courageous!  Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”  Joshua 1:9.

“8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go;
I will counsel you with My eye upon you.
9 Do not be as the horse or as the mule which have no understanding,
Whose trappings include bit and bridle to hold them in check,
Otherwise they will not come near to you.
10 Many are the sorrows of the wicked,
But he who trusts in the Lord, lovingkindness shall surround him.
11 Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, you righteous ones;
And shout for joy, all you who are upright in heart.”  Psalm 32:8-11.

Today’s devotion comes from Numbers Chapter 32.  Here is a link to this Scripture – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?dc=5&utm_expid=13466113-10.DRY5Q0U2TpaXvRe49bTgCA.5&search=Numbers+32&version=NASB&utm_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.biblegateway.com%2Fversions%2FNew-American-Standard-Bible-NASB%2F 

I quote only the following verses. 

“1 Now the sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad had an exceedingly large number of livestock.  So when they saw the land of Jazer and the land of Gilead, that it was indeed a place suitable for livestock, 2 the sons of Gad and the sons of Reuben came and spoke to Moses and to Eleazar the priest and to the leaders of the congregation, saying, 3 “Ataroth, Dibon, Jazer, Nimrah, Heshbon, Elealeh, Sebam, Nebo and Beon, 4 the land which the Lord conquered before the congregation of Israel, is a land for livestock, and your servants have livestock.”  5 They said, “If we have found favor in your sight, let this land be given to your servants as a possession;  do not take us across the Jordan.” 

6 But Moses said to the sons of Gad and to the sons of Reuben, “Shall your brothers go to war while you yourselves sit here?  7 Now why are you discouraging the sons of Israel from crossing over into the land which the Lord has given them?  8 This is what your fathers did when I sent them from Kadesh-barnea to see the land.  9 For when they went up to the valley of Eshcol and saw the land, they discouraged the sons of Israel so that they did not go into the land which the Lord had given them.  10 So the Lord’s anger burned in that day, and He swore, saying, 11 ‘None of the men who came up from Egypt, from twenty years old and upward, shall see the land which I swore to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob;  for they did not follow Me fully, 12 except Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite and Joshua the son of Nun, for they have followed the Lord fully.’  13 So the Lord’s anger burned against Israel, and He made them wander in the wilderness forty years, until the entire generation of those who had done evil in the sight of the Lord was destroyed.  14 Now behold, you have risen up in your fathers’ place, a brood of sinful men, to add still more to the burning anger of the Lord against Israel. 15 For if you turn away from following Him, He will once more abandon them in the wilderness, and you will destroy all these people.” 

16 Then they came near to him and said, “We will build here sheepfolds for our livestock and cities for our little ones;  17 but we ourselves will be armed ready to go before the sons of Israel, until we have brought them to their place, while our little ones live in the fortified cities because of the inhabitants of the land.  18 We will not return to our homes until every one of the sons of Israel has possessed his inheritance.”  Numbers 32:1-18. 

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We do know from verses 1-5 that the sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad originally only expressed their intent to get the land east and north of the Jordan river and “do not take us across the Jordan.”  It seems most likely that they had no intent to first go with their “brothers” into war to help clear out the land for them west of the Jordan river before they would settle into their own land, and that it took Moses’ harsh criticism of them in verses 6-15, to get them to do the right thing.  But, they did eventually look out for the interests of others in their offer in verse 17. 

“Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves;  do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.”  Philippians 2:3-4. 

Family and friends are integrated as a body, and each member relies on each other.  We tend to think that our selfish actions only mean that we will not help others.  But, we can see from Moses’ harsh criticism that such selfish actions do not only not help others, such selfish actions discourage others and hurt others.  

Moses said:  “Now why are you discouraging the sons of Israel from crossing over into the land which the Lord has given them?”.  Verse 7.  We do not read the sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad expressly discouraging their brothers, but Moses knew that such selfish actions would have the effect of discouraging their brothers.  

We tend to think of our selfish actions as only pleasing ourselves.  But, our selfish actions have negative ripple effects all around like a stone thrown in the middle of calm waters.  

And, our service to others can also do more than just helping the direct recipients of our help.  Our service can encourage the direct recipients that we care about them which will encourage them to do more to help themselves.  And, our service can encourage third parties (even though they are not receiving direct help from us) to help others.  Thus, our service to others can also have positive ripple effects all around like a stone thrown in the middle of calm waters.   

“We give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and the love which you have for all the saints;  because of the hope laid up for you in heaven, of which you previously heard in the word of truth, the gospel which has come to you, just as in all the world also it is constantly bearing fruit and increasing, even as it has been doing in you also since the day you heard of it and understood the grace of God in truth;  just as you learned it from Epaphras, our beloved fellow bond-servant, who is a faithful servant of Christ on our behalf, and he also informed us of your love in the Spirit.”  Colossians 1:3-8.

Today’s devotion comes from Numbers 31:25-54.  Here is a link to this Scripture – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Numbers+31&version=NASB

I quote only the following verses.

“25 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 26 “You and Eleazar the priest and the heads of the fathers’ households of the congregation take a count of the booty that was captured, both of man and of animal;  27 and divide the booty between the warriors who went out to battle and all the congregation.  28 Levy a tax for the Lord from the men of war who went out to battle, one in five hundred of the persons and of the cattle and of the donkeys and of the sheep; 29 take it from their half and give it to Eleazar the priest, as an offering to the Lord. 30 From the sons of Israel’s half, you shall take one drawn out of every fifty of the persons, of the cattle, of the donkeys and of the sheep, from all the animals, and give them to the Levites who keep charge of the tabernacle of the Lord.”  31 Moses and Eleazar the priest did just as the Lord had commanded Moses.  …

48 Then the officers who were over the thousands of the army, the captains of thousands and the captains of hundreds, approached Moses, 49 and they said to Moses, “Your servants have taken a census of men of war who are in our charge, and no man of us is missing.  50 So we have brought as an offering to the Lord what each man found, articles of gold, armlets and bracelets, signet rings, earrings and necklaces, to make atonement for ourselves before the Lord.”  51 Moses and Eleazar the priest took the gold from them, all kinds of wrought articles.  52 All the gold of the offering which they offered up to the Lord, from the captains of thousands and the captains of hundreds, was 16,750 shekels.  53 The men of war had taken booty, every man for himself.  54 So Moses and Eleazar the priest took the gold from the captains of thousands and of hundreds, and brought it to the tent of meeting as a memorial for the sons of Israel before the Lord.”  Numbers Chapter 32:  Verses 25-31 and 48-54.

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It is striking that after the LORD levied a tax on both the warriors and the congregation that the fierce warriors still freely gave beyond what was taxed.  The warriors were grateful that out of 12,000 warriors who fought the Midianites, “no man of us is missing.  So we have brought as an offering to the Lord what each man found, articles of gold …”

We have so much for which to be thankful.  Most importantly, we have salvation.  But, we have much “booty” that the LORD has given us in addition.  We have health.  We have family and friends.  We have employment skills to earn money.  We have spiritual gifts to bless people.  We have homes, cars, furniture, clothes, cash, stocks and bonds etc.

“For the Lord God is a sun and shield; The Lord gives grace and glory;  No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly.”  Psalm 84:11.

“He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?”  Romans 8:32.

“but just as it is written,
“Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard,
And which have not entered the heart of man,
All that God has prepared for those who love Him.”  1 Corinthians 2:9.

So, what will we do with all this “booty”? 

“Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. Freely you received, freely give.”  Matthew 10:8.

“He has given freely to the poor, His righteousness endures forever;  His horn will be exalted in honor.”  Psalm 112:9.

Today’s devotion comes from Numbers 31:1-24.  Here is a link to this Scripture – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Numbers+31&version=NASB 

I quote only the following verses. 

“Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Take full vengeance for the sons of Israel on the Midianites;  afterward you will be gathered to your people.”  Moses spoke to the people, saying, “Arm men from among you for the war, that they may go against Midian to execute the Lord’s vengeance on Midian.  A thousand from each tribe of all the tribes of Israel you shall send to the war.”  So there were furnished from the thousands of Israel, a thousand from each tribe, twelve thousand armed for war.  Moses sent them, a thousand from each tribe, to the war, and Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, to the war with them, and the holy vessels and the trumpets for the alarm in his hand.  So they made war against Midian, just as the Lord had commanded Moses, and they killed every male.  They killed the kings of Midian along with the rest of their slain:  Evi and Rekem and Zur and Hur and Reba, the five kings of Midian; they also killed Balaam the son of Beor with the sword.  The sons of Israel captured the women of Midian and their little ones;  and all their cattle and all their flocks and all their goods they plundered.  Then they burned all their cities where they lived and all their camps with fire.  They took all the spoil and all the prey, both of man and of beast.  They brought the captives and the prey and the spoil to Moses, and to Eleazar the priest and to the congregation of the sons of Israel, to the camp at the plains of Moab, which are by the Jordan opposite Jericho. 

Moses and Eleazar the priest and all the leaders of the congregation went out to meet them outside the camp.  Moses was angry with the officers of the army, the captains of thousands and the captains of hundreds, who had come from service in the war.  And Moses said to them, “Have you spared all the women?  Behold, these caused the sons of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to trespass against the Lord in the matter of Peor, so the plague was among the congregation of the Lord.  Now therefore, kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman who has known man intimately.”  Numbers 31:1-17. 

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Vengeance by man tends to be unjust.  Vengeance tends to be done through man’s anger rather than through God’s righteousness.  Vengeance tends to be done as a deed of the flesh rather than as a work of the Spirit. 

And so, we are commanded:  “Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.”  Romans 12:19.  

But less that reservation of vengeance for God will embolden the wicked, it is also stated:  “But I will warn you whom to fear:  fear the One who, after He has killed, has authority to cast into hell;  yes, I tell you, fear Him!” 

“‘Vengeance is Mine, and retribution, In due time their foot will slip;  For the day of their calamity is near, And the impending things are hastening upon them.'”  Deuteronomy 32:35.  

“If I sharpen My flashing sword, And My hand takes hold on justice, I will render vengeance on My adversaries, And I will repay those who hate Me.”  Deuteronomy 32:41.   

““And I will execute vengeance in anger and wrath On the nations which have not obeyed.”  Micah 5:15. 

“Say to those with anxious heart, “Take courage, fear not.  Behold, your God will come with vengeance;  The recompense of God will come, But He will save you.”  Isaiah 35:4. 

“He put on righteousness like a breastplate, And a helmet of salvation on His head;  And He put on garments of vengeance for clothing And wrapped Himself with zeal as a mantle.”  Isaiah 59:17. 

“1 O Lord, God of vengeance,
God of vengeance, shine forth!
2 Rise up, O Judge of the earth,
Render recompense to the proud.
3 How long shall the wicked, O Lord,
How long shall the wicked exult?
4 They pour forth words, they speak arrogantly;
All who do wickedness vaunt themselves.
5 They crush Your people, O Lord,
And afflict Your heritage.
6 They slay the widow and the stranger
And murder the orphans.
7 They have said, “The Lord does not see,
Nor does the God of Jacob pay heed.” 

8 Pay heed, you senseless among the people;
And when will you understand, stupid ones?
9 He who planted the ear, does He not hear?
He who formed the eye, does He not see?
10 He who chastens the nations, will He not rebuke,
Even He who teaches man knowledge?
11 The Lord knows the thoughts of man,
That they are a mere breath. 

12 Blessed is the man whom You chasten, O Lord,
And whom You teach out of Your law;
13 That You may grant him relief from the days of adversity,
Until a pit is dug for the wicked.
14 For the Lord will not abandon His people,
Nor will He forsake His inheritance.
15 For judgment will again be righteous,
And all the upright in heart will follow it.
16 Who will stand up for me against evildoers?
Who will take his stand for me against those who do wickedness? 

17 If the Lord had not been my help,
My soul would soon have dwelt in the abode of silence.
18 If I should say, “My foot has slipped,”
Your lovingkindness, O Lord, will hold me up.
19 When my anxious thoughts multiply within me,
Your consolations delight my soul.
20 Can a throne of destruction be allied with You,
One which devises mischief by decree?
21 They band themselves together against the life of the righteous
And condemn the innocent to death.
22 But the Lord has been my stronghold,
And my God the rock of my refuge.
23 He has brought back their wickedness upon them
And will destroy them in their evil;
The Lord our God will destroy them.”  Psalm Chapter 94. 

“46 The Lord lives, and blessed be my rock;
And exalted be the God of my salvation,
47 The God who executes vengeance for me,
And subdues peoples under me.
48 He delivers me from my enemies;
Surely You lift me above those who rise up against me;
You rescue me from the violent man.
49 Therefore I will give thanks to You among the nations, O Lord,
And I will sing praises to Your name.”  Psalm 18:46-49.
 

Today’s devotion comes from Numbers Chapter 30.  Here is a link to this Scripture – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Numbers+30&version=NASB 

I quote the following verses. 

“1 Then Moses spoke to the heads of the tribes of the sons of Israel, saying, “This is the word which the Lord has commanded.  2 If a man makes a vow to the Lord, or takes an oath to bind himself with a binding obligation, he shall not violate his word;  he shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth. 

3 “Also if a woman makes a vow to the Lord, and binds herself by an obligation in her father’s house in her youth, 4 and her father hears her vow and her obligation by which she has bound herself, and her father says nothing to her, then all her vows shall stand and every obligation by which she has bound herself shall stand.  5 But if her father should forbid her on the day he hears of it, none of her vows or her obligations by which she has bound herself shall stand;  and the Lord will forgive her because her father had forbidden her. 

6 “However, if she should marry while under her vows or the rash statement of her lips by which she has bound herself, 7 and her husband hears of it and says nothing to her on the day he hears it, then her vows shall stand and her obligations by which she has bound herself shall stand.  8 But if on the day her husband hears of it, he forbids her, then he shall annul her vow which she is under and the rash statement of her lips by which she has bound herself; and the Lord will forgive her.”  Numbers 30:1-8. 

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Vows tend to be rash.  Vows tend to be prideful.  Vows tend to be presumptuous.  Vows tend to be broken. 

But, what about wedding vows?  What about vows to tell the truth? 

Whatever vows are in nature or in emotion, Jesus gets the last word.  “Again, you have heard that the ancients were told, ‘You shall not make false vows, but shall fulfill your vows to the Lord.’  But I say to you, make no oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is the footstool of His feet, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.  Nor shall you make an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black.  But let your statement be, ‘Yes, yes’ or ‘No, no’;  anything beyond these is of evil.”  Matthew 5:33-37.    

Today’s devotion comes from Numbers Chapter 29.  Here is a link to this chapter – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Numbers+29&version=NASB 

I quote the following verses. 

“17 ‘Then on the second day:  twelve bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs one year old without defect;  18 and their grain offering and their drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams and for the lambs, by their number according to the ordinance;  19 and one male goat for a sin offering, besides the continual burnt offering and its grain offering, and their drink offerings. 

20 ‘Then on the third day:  eleven bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs one year old without defect;  21 and their grain offering and their drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams and for the lambs, by their number according to the ordinance;  22 and one male goat for a sin offering, besides the continual burnt offering and its grain offering and its drink offering.”  Numbers Chapter 29:  Verses 17-22.    

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Worship is not about what interests us.  Worship is about what God wants. 

We may think that the elements of worship are boring.  But, we remember Numbers 28:1:  “Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Command the sons of Israel and say to them, ‘You shall be careful to present My offering, My food for My offerings by fire, of a soothing aroma to Me, at their appointed time.’”  

And so, Reformed Doctrine adheres to the Regulative Principle of Worship.  “The regulative principle of worship is the principle that God in His Word tells us how to worship Him. What God commands in worship must be done, and what He does not command in worship is forbidden.”  “The Regulative Principle of Worship (1)”  By Griess Cory, in O Come Let Us Worship Volume 88/2012 Issue: 14, 4/15/2012 of the Standard Bearer.  Here is a link to this article – http://standardbearer.rfpa.org/articles/regulative-principle-worship-1  

“Guard your steps as you go to the house of God and draw near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools;  for they do not know they are doing evil.  Do not be hasty in word or impulsive in thought to bring up a matter in the presence of God.  For God is in heaven and you are on the earth;  therefore let your words be few.”  Ecclesiastes 5:1-2. 

“Then Moses summoned all Israel and said to them: “Hear, O Israel, the statutes and the ordinances which I am speaking today in your hearing, that you may learn them and observe them carefully.”  Deuteronomy 5:1. 

“It will be righteousness for us if we are careful to observe all this commandment before the Lord our God, just as He commanded us.”  Deuteronomy 6:25. 

“Whatever I command you, you shall be careful to do;  you shall not add to nor take away from it.”  Deuteronomy 12:32.  

“This day the Lord your God commands you to do these statutes and ordinances.  You shall therefore be careful to do them with all your heart and with all your soul.”  Deuteronomy 26:16. 

“Only be strong and very courageous;  be careful to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you;  do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may have success wherever you go.  This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it;  for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success.”  Joshua 1:7-8.  

Today’s devotion comes from Numbers 28:11-35.  Here is a link to this Scripture – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Numbers+28&version=NASB 

I quote the following verses. 

“11  ‘Then at the beginning of each of your months you shall present a burnt offering to the Lord:  two bulls and one ram, seven male lambs one year old without defect;  12 and three-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering, for each bull;  and two-tenths of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering, for the one ram;  13 and a tenth of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering for each lamb, for a burnt offering of a soothing aroma, an offering by fire to the Lord.  … 

16 ‘Then on the fourteenth day of the first month shall be the Lord’s Passover.  17 On the fifteenth day of this month shall be a feast, unleavened bread shall be eaten for seven days.  18 On the first day shall be a holy convocation;  you shall do no laborious work.  19 You shall present an offering by fire, a burnt offering to the Lord:  two bulls and one ram and seven male lambs one year old, having them without defect.  … 

26 ‘Also on the day of the first fruits, when you present a new grain offering to the Lord in your Feast of Weeks, you shall have a holy convocation;  you shall do no laborious work.  27 You shall offer a burnt offering for a soothing aroma to the Lord:  two young bulls, one ram, seven male lambs one year old;  28 and their grain offering, fine flour mixed with oil:  three-tenths of an ephah for each bull, two-tenths for the one ram, 29 a tenth for each of the seven lambs;  30 also one male goat to make atonement for you.  31 Besides the continual burnt offering and its grain offering, you shall present them with their drink offerings.  They shall be without defect.”  Numbers Chapter 28:  Verses 11-13 and 16-19  and 26-31. 

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The animals to be used for the offerings shall be “without defect”.  They point to Christ Who offered Himself like a “lamb unblemished and spotless” as a perfect sacrifice to take away our sins.  

“For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who have been defiled sanctify for the cleansing of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?”  Hebrews 9:13-14. 

“knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ.”  1 Peter 1:18-19. 

But, God’s concern was not only for the offering.  God’s concern was also for whom the offering was made, His church.  

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him.  …”  Ephesians 1:3-4.  

“… Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing;  but that she would be holy and blameless.”  Ephesians 5:25-27. 

Today’s devotion comes from Numbers 28:1-10. 

“1 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Command the sons of Israel and say to them, ‘You shall be careful to present My offering, My food for My offerings by fire, of a soothing aroma to Me, at their appointed time.’  3 You shall say to them, ‘This is the offering by fire which you shall offer to the Lord:  two male lambs one year old without defect as a continual burnt offering every day . 4 You shall offer the one lamb in the morning and the other lamb you shall offer at twilight;  5 also a tenth of an ephah of fine flour for a grain offering, mixed with a fourth of a hin of beaten oil.  6 It is a continual burnt offering which was ordained in Mount Sinai as a soothing aroma, an offering by fire to the Lord.  7 Then the drink offering with it shall be a fourth of a hin for each lamb, in the holy place you shall pour out a drink offering of strong drink to the Lord . 8 The other lamb you shall offer at twilight; as the grain offering of the morning and as its drink offering, you shall offer it, an offering by fire, a soothing aroma to the Lord. 

9 ‘Then on the sabbath day two male lambs one year old without defect, and two-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering, and its drink offering:  10 This is the burnt offering of every sabbath in addition to the continual burnt offering and its drink offering.”  Numbers 28:1-10. 

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“16 For You do not delight in sacrifice, otherwise I would give it;
You are not pleased with burnt offering.
17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
A broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.”  Psalm 61:16-17.  

“1 Thus says the Lord,

“Heaven is My throne and the earth is My footstool.
Where then is a house you could build for Me?
And where is a place that I may rest?
2 “For My hand made all these things,
Thus all these things came into being,” declares the Lord.
“But to this one I will look,
To him who is humble and contrite of spirit, and who trembles at My word.”  Isaiah 66:1-2. 

“6 With what shall I come to the Lord
And bow myself before the God on high?
Shall I come to Him with burnt offerings,
With yearling calves?
7 Does the Lord take delight in thousands of rams,
In ten thousand rivers of oil?
Shall I present my firstborn for my rebellious acts,
The fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?
8 He has told you, O man, what is good;
And what does the Lord require of you
But to do justice, to love kindness,
And to walk humbly with your God?”  Micah 6:6-8.

Today’s devotion comes from Numbers 27:12-23. 

“Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go up to this mountain of Abarim, and see the land which I have given to the sons of Israel.  When you have seen it, you too will be gathered to your people, as Aaron your brother was;  for in the wilderness of Zin, during the strife of the congregation, you rebelled against My command to treat Me as holy before their eyes at the water.”  (These are the waters of Meribah of Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin.) 

Then Moses spoke to the Lord, saying, “May the Lord, the God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the congregation, who will go out and come in before them, and who will lead them out and bring them in, so that the congregation of the Lord will not be like sheep which have no shepherd.”  So the Lord said to Moses, “Take Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand on him;  and have him stand before Eleazar the priest and before all the congregation, and commission him in their sight.  You shall put some of your authority on him, in order that all the congregation of the sons of Israel may obey him.  Moreover, he shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall inquire for him by the judgment of the Urim before the Lord.  At his command they shall go out and at his command they shall come in, both he and the sons of Israel with him, even all the congregation.”  Moses did just as the Lord commanded him;  and he took Joshua and set him before Eleazar the priest and before all the congregation.  Then he laid his hands on him and commissioned him, just as the Lord had spoken through Moses.”   Numbers 27:12-23. 

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When the LORD informed Moses of his upcoming death and that he would see (but not go in) the Promised Land, Moses could have asked for something for himself or could have sulked in silence, but Moses only asked for the LORD to appoint a successor to shepherd Israel. 

We certainly should fulfill our ministry. 

“Say to Archippus, “Take heed to the ministry which you have received in the Lord, that you may fulfill it.”  Colossians 4:17. 

“To this end also we pray for you always, that our God will count you worthy of your calling, and fulfill every desire for goodness and the work of faith with power,”  2 Thessalonians 1:11. 

“But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.”  2 Timothy 4:5. 

But, there comes a time when we need to leave the ministry, because we die or retire or move on to a different ministry such as is the situation described in today’s Scripture.  When that occurs, we can trust God to appoint successors, and we can trust God to orchestrate everything to cause success. 

“The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your countrymen, you shall listen to him.  This is according to all that you asked of the Lord your God in Horeb on the day of the assembly, saying, ‘Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God, let me not see this great fire anymore, or I will die.’  The Lord said to me, ‘They have spoken well.  I will raise up a prophet from among their countrymen like you, and I will put My words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him.”  Deuteronomy 18:15-18. 

Reformed Doctrine, which teaches God’s sovereignty and the total perfect triumph of God, helps us to rest in peace.  

“Remember the former things long past, For I am God, and there is no other;  I am God, and there is no one like Me, Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things which have not been done, Saying, ‘My purpose will be established, And I will accomplish all My good pleasure‘;  Calling a bird of prey from the east, The man of My purpose from a far country.  Truly I have spoken; truly I will bring it to pass. I have planned it, surely I will do it.”  Isaiah 46:9-11.