Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

Today’s devotion comes from Numbers 14:39-45.

“When Moses spoke these words to all the sons of Israel, the people mourned greatly.  In the morning, however, they rose up early and went up to the ridge of the hill country, saying, “Here we are;  we have indeed sinned, but we will go up to the place which the Lord has promised.”  But Moses said, “Why then are you transgressing the commandment of the Lord, when it will not succeed?  Do not go up, or you will be struck down before your enemies, for the Lord is not among you.  For the Amalekites and the Canaanites will be there in front of you, and you will fall by the sword, inasmuch as you have turned back from following the Lord.  And the Lord will not be with you.”  But they went up heedlessly to the ridge of the hill country;  neither the ark of the covenant of the Lord nor Moses left the camp.  Then the Amalekites and the Canaanites who lived in that hill country came down, and struck them and beat them down as far as Hormah.”  Numbers 14:39-45.

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We may not like what the LORD has provided for us, but it is foolish and dangerous for us to rebel against God and go it alone.

And, if we humbly submit to the LORD and what He has provided, He will give us grace to deal with whatever He has provided for us.

“But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, “God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”  James 4:6.

“You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”  1 Peter 5:5.

“Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.  Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.  But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world.  After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you.  To Him be dominion forever and ever.  Amen.”  1 Peter 5:6-11.

Today’s devotion comes from Numbers 14:20-38.

“20 So the Lord said, “I have pardoned them according to your word;  21 but indeed, as I live, all the earth will be filled with the glory of the Lord.  22 Surely all the men who have seen My glory and My signs which I performed in Egypt and in the wilderness, yet have put Me to the test these ten times and have not listened to My voice, 23 shall by no means see the land which I swore to their fathers, nor shall any of those who spurned Me see it.  24 But My servant Caleb, because he has had a different spirit and has followed Me fully, I will bring into the land which he entered, and his descendants shall take possession of it.  25 Now the Amalekites and the Canaanites live in the valleys; turn tomorrow and set out to the wilderness by the way of the Red Sea.”

26 The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, 27 “How long shall I bear with this evil congregation who are grumbling against Me?  I have heard the complaints of the sons of Israel, which they are making against Me.  28 Say to them, ‘As I live,’ says the Lord, ‘just as you have spoken in My hearing, so I will surely do to you;  29 your corpses will fall in this wilderness, even all your numbered men, according to your complete number from twenty years old and upward, who have grumbled against Me.  30 Surely you shall not come into the land in which I swore to settle you, except Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun.  31 Your children, however, whom you said would become a prey—I will bring them in, and they will know the land which you have rejected.  32 But as for you, your corpses will fall in this wilderness . 33 Your sons shall be shepherds for forty years in the wilderness, and they will suffer for your unfaithfulness, until your corpses lie in the wilderness.  34 According to the number of days which you spied out the land, forty days, for every day you shall bear your guilt a year, even forty years, and you will know My opposition.  35 I, the Lord, have spoken, surely this I will do to all this evil congregation who are gathered together against Me. In this wilderness they shall be destroyed, and there they will die.’”

36 As for the men whom Moses sent to spy out the land and who returned and made all the congregation grumble against him by bringing out a bad report concerning the land, 37 even those men who brought out the very bad report of the land died by a plague before the Lord.  38 But Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh remained alive out of those men who went to spy out the land.”  Numbers 14:20-38.

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“8 Do not harden your hearts, as at Meribah,
As in the day of Massah in the wilderness,
9 “When your fathers tested Me,
They tried Me, though they had seen My work.
10 “For forty years I loathed that generation,
And said they are a people who err in their heart,
And they do not know My ways.
11 “Therefore I swore in My anger,
Truly they shall not enter into My rest.”  Psalm 95:8-11.

“Take care, brethren, that there not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God.  But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called “Today,” so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.  For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end, while it is said,

“Today if you hear His voice,
Do not harden your hearts, as when they provoked Me.”

For who provoked Him when they had heard?  Indeed, did not all those who came out of Egypt led by Moses?  And with whom was He angry for forty years?  Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness?  And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who were disobedient?  So we see that they were not able to enter because of unbelief.”  Hebrews 3:12-19.

“Therefore, let us fear if, while a promise remains of entering His rest, any one of you may seem to have come short of it.  For indeed we have had good news preached to us, just as they also;  but the word they heard did not profit them, because it was not united by faith in those who heard.  For we who have believed enter that rest …”  Hebrews 4:1-3.

We are not at the edge of the physical land of Canaan.  But, we are at the edge of the heavenly land of Canaan.

Are we going to believe the good news of God’s work of salvation (“TULIP”) and enter that rest?  Or, are we going to harden our hearts?

Today’s devotion comes from Numbers 14:11-19.

“11 The Lord said to Moses, “How long will this people spurn Me?  And how long will they not believe in Me, despite all the signs which I have performed in their midst?  12 I will smite them with pestilence and dispossess them, and I will make you into a nation greater and mightier than they.”

13 But Moses said to the Lord, “Then the Egyptians will hear of it, for by Your strength You brought up this people from their midst, 14 and they will tell it to the inhabitants of this land.  They have heard that You, O Lord, are in the midst of this people, for You, O Lord, are seen eye to eye, while Your cloud stands over them;  and You go before them in a pillar of cloud by day and in a pillar of fire by night. 15 Now if You slay this people as one man, then the nations who have heard of Your fame will say, 16 ‘Because the Lord could not bring this people into the land which He promised them by oath, therefore He slaughtered them in the wilderness.’ 17 But now, I pray, let the power of the Lord be great, just as You have declared, 18 ‘The Lord is slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, forgiving iniquity and transgression;  but He will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generations.’  19 Pardon, I pray, the iniquity of this people according to the greatness of Your lovingkindness, just as You also have forgiven this people, from Egypt even until now.”  Numbers 14:11-19.

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We can see that Moses pleads for the people using the qualities of the LORD.  “Pardon, I pray, the iniquity of this people according to the greatness of Your lovingkindness, just as You also have forgiven this people, from Egypt even until now.”  Verse 19.

Let us use today’s Scripture to meditate on these qualities.  “The Lord is slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, forgiving iniquity and transgression;  but He will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generations.”  Verse 18.

The LORD proclaimed His own qualities to Moses in Exodus 34:6-7:  “Then the Lord passed by in front of him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth;  who keeps lovingkindness for thousands, who forgives iniquity, transgression and sin;  yet He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished, visiting the iniquity of fathers on the children and on the grandchildren to the third and fourth generations.”

And in Joel 2:13-14, we read:

“12 “Yet even now,” declares the Lord,
“Return to Me with all your heart,
And with fasting, weeping and mourning;
13 And rend your heart and not your garments.”
Now return to the Lord your God,
For He is gracious and compassionate,
Slow to anger, abounding in lovingkindness
And relenting of evil.
14 Who knows whether He will not turn and relent
And leave a blessing behind Him,
Even a grain offering and a drink offering
For the Lord your God?”  Joel 2:13-14.

“8 The Lord is gracious and merciful;
Slow to anger and great in lovingkindness.
9 The Lord is good to all,
And His mercies are over all His works.
10 All Your works shall give thanks to You, O Lord,
And Your godly ones shall bless You.
11 They shall speak of the glory of Your kingdom
And talk of Your power;
12 To make known to the sons of men Your mighty acts
And the glory of the majesty of Your kingdom.
13 Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
And Your dominion endures throughout all generations.

14 The Lord sustains all who fall
And raises up all who are bowed down.
15 The eyes of all look to You,
And You give them their food in due time.
16 You open Your hand
And satisfy the desire of every living thing.

17 The Lord is righteous in all His ways
And kind in all His deeds.
18 The Lord is near to all who call upon Him,
To all who call upon Him in truth.
19 He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him;
He will also hear their cry and will save them.
20 The Lord keeps all who love Him,
But all the wicked He will destroy.
21 My mouth will speak the praise of the Lord,
And all flesh will bless His holy name forever and ever.”  Psalm 145:8-21.

In conclusion, due to these glorious qualities of God summarized in Psalm 145:8 (“The Lord is gracious and merciful;  Slow to anger and great in lovingkindness.”), there is hope for the humble of heart and repentant of receiving forgiveness.  But, for the proud, unrepentant wicked, all of these Scriptures clearly show that God will punish them.  As stated in Psalm 145:20:  “The Lord keeps all who love Him, But all the wicked He will destroy.”

Today’s devotion comes from Numbers 14:1-10.

“1 Then all the congregation lifted up their voices and cried, and the people wept that night.  2 All the sons of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron; and the whole congregation said to them, “Would that we had died in the land of Egypt!  Or would that we had died in this wilderness!  3 Why is the Lord bringing us into this land, to fall by the sword?  Our wives and our little ones will become plunder; would it not be better for us to return to Egypt?”  4 So they said to one another, “Let us appoint a leader and return to Egypt.”

5 Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces in the presence of all the assembly of the congregation of the sons of Israel.  6 Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, of those who had spied out the land, tore their clothes;  7 and they spoke to all the congregation of the sons of Israel, saying, “The land which we passed through to spy out is an exceedingly good land.  8 If the Lord is pleased with us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us—a land which flows with milk and honey.  9 Only do not rebel against the Lord;  and do not fear the people of the land, for they will be our prey.  Their protection has been removed from them, and the Lord is with us;  do not fear them.”  10 But all the congregation said to stone them with stones.  Then the glory of the Lord appeared in the tent of meeting to all the sons of Israel.”  Numbers 14:1-10.

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The “exceedingly good land” is out there for us too.  It is called heaven. 

And the LORD will also “bring us into this land and give it to us”.

“For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, in order that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit”. 1 Peter 3:18.

“For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to perfect the author of their salvation through sufferings.”  Hebrews 2:10.

“For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren;  and these whom He predestined, He also called;  and these whom He called, He also justified;  and these whom He justified, He also glorified.”  Romans 8:29-30.

“The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed, and will bring me safely to His heavenly kingdom;  to Him be the glory forever and ever.  Amen.”  2 Timothy 4:18.

Whereas, some teach salvation is dependent on man either working enough or willing enough until his death to get to heaven, Reformed Doctrine teaches salvation is dependent on God.  God will do all that is necessary for salvation from “Unconditional Election” to “Limited Atonement” to “Irresistible Grace” to “Preservation of the Saints” in “TULIP”, the Five Points of Calvinism, the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation.  In the language of the following Canons of Dordt, God will “bring them (the elect) infallibly to salvation”.

Article 8.   For this was the sovereign counsel, and most gracious will and purpose of God the Father, that the quickening and saving efficacy of the most precious death of his Son should extend to all the elect, for bestowing upon them alone the gift of justifying faith, thereby to bring them infallibly to salvation:  that is, it was the will of God, that Christ by the blood of the cross, whereby he confirmed the new covenant, should effectually redeem out of every people, tribe, nation, and language, all those, and those only, who were from eternity chosen to salvation, and given to him by the Father; that he should confer upon them faith, which together with all the other saving gifts of the Holy Spirit, he purchased for them by his death; should purge them from all sin, both original and actual, whether committed before or after believing; and having faithfully preserved them even to the end, should at last bring them free from every spot and blemish to the enjoyment of glory in his own presence forever.  Canons of Dordt – SECOND HEAD OF DOCTRINE Of the Death of Christ, and the Redemption of Men Thereby.

Today’s devotion comes from Numbers Chapter 13.  Here is a link to this Scripture – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Numbers+13&version=NASB

I quote the following verses.

“1 Then the Lord spoke to Moses saying, 2 “Send out for yourself men so that they may spy out the land of Canaan, which I am going to give to the sons of Israel;  you shall send a man from each of their fathers’ tribes, every one a leader among them.”  3 So Moses sent them from the wilderness of Paran at the command of the Lord, all of them men who were heads of the sons of Israel.  …

23 Then they came to the valley of Eshcol and from there cut down a branch with a single cluster of grapes;  and they carried it on a pole between two men, with some of the pomegranates and the figs. 24 That place was called the valley of Eshcol, because of the cluster which the sons of Israel cut down from there.

25 When they returned from spying out the land, at the end of forty days, 26 they proceeded to come to Moses and Aaron and to all the congregation of the sons of Israel in the wilderness of Paran, at Kadesh;  and they brought back word to them and to all the congregation and showed them the fruit of the land.  27 Thus they told him, and said, “We went in to the land where you sent us; and it certainly does flow with milk and honey, and this is its fruit.  28 Nevertheless, the people who live in the land are strong, and the cities are fortified and very large;  and moreover, we saw the descendants of Anak there.  29 Amalek is living in the land of the Negev and the Hittites and the Jebusites and the Amorites are living in the hill country, and the Canaanites are living by the sea and by the side of the Jordan.”

30 Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses and said, “We should by all means go up and take possession of it, for we will surely overcome it.”  31 But the men who had gone up with him said, “We are not able to go up against the people, for they are too strong for us.”  32 So they gave out to the sons of Israel a bad report of the land which they had spied out, saying, “The land through which we have gone, in spying it out, is a land that devours its inhabitants;  and all the people whom we saw in it are men of great size.  33 There also we saw the Nephilim (the sons of Anak are part of the Nephilim);  and we became like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight.”  Numbers Chapter 13:  Verses 1-3 and 23-33.

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Do we focus on God and His promises? 

Or, do we focus on man?

In today’s Scripture, God had again reaffirmed:  “I am going to give (the land of Canaan) to the sons of Israel”.  Verse 1.  In addition to knowing that God had promised Israel this land, the spies knew God’s promises that this land was good:  “it certainly does flow with milk and honey, and this is its fruit.”  Verse 27.

Caleb focused on God and His promises:  “We should by all means go up and take possession of it, for we will surely overcome it.”  Verse 30.

“But the men who had gone up with him (Caleb) said, “We are not able to go up against the people, for they are too strong for us.”  Verse 31.  They focused on man.

We too are faced with these two basic alternatives in life.  Are we going to focus on God and His promises?  Or, are we going to focus on man? 

“And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.  Hebrews 11:6.

“If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!”  Matthew 7:11.

“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.

“And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”  Romans 8:32.

Question 26.  What believest thou when thou sayest, “I believe in God the Father, Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth”? 

Answer.  That the eternal Father of our Lord Jesus Christ (who of nothing made heaven and earth, with all that is in them;  who likewise upholds and governs the same by his eternal counsel and providence) is for the sake of Christ his Son, my God and my Father; on whom I rely so entirely, that I have no doubt, but he will provide me with all things necessary for soul and body:  and further, that he will make whatever evils he sends upon me, in this valley of tears turn out to my advantage; for he is able to do it, being Almighty God, and willing, being a faithful Father.  Heidelberg Catechism.

In final summary and conclusion, in panoramic language, fitting to these two basic alternatives in life, Psalm Chapter 33 leads us to be like Caleb, to focus on God and His promises, to hope for His lovingkindness.

“13 The Lord looks from heaven;
He sees all the sons of men;
14 From His dwelling place He looks out
On all the inhabitants of the earth,
15 He who fashions the hearts of them all,
He who understands all their works.
16 The king is not saved by a mighty army;
A warrior is not delivered by great strength.
17 A horse is a false hope for victory;
Nor does it deliver anyone by its great strength.

18 Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him,
On those who hope for His lovingkindness,
19 To deliver their soul from death
And to keep them alive in famine.
20 Our soul waits for the Lord;
He is our help and our shield.
21 For our heart rejoices in Him,
Because we trust in His holy name.
22 Let Your lovingkindness, O Lord, be upon us,
According as we have hoped in You.”  Psalm 33:13-22.

Today’s devotion comes from Numbers Chapter 12.

“1 Then Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman whom he had married (for he had married a Cushite woman);  2 and they said, “Has the Lord indeed spoken only through Moses?  Has He not spoken through us as well?”  And the Lord heard it.  3 (Now the man Moses was very humble, more than any man who was on the face of the earth.)  4 Suddenly the Lord said to Moses and Aaron and to Miriam, “You three come out to the tent of meeting.”  So the three of them came out.  5 Then the Lord came down in a pillar of cloud and stood at the doorway of the tent, and He called Aaron and Miriam.  When they had both come forward, 6 He said,

“Hear now My words:
If there is a prophet among you,
I, the Lord, shall make Myself known to him in a vision.
I shall speak with him in a dream.
7 “Not so, with My servant Moses,
He is faithful in all My household;
8 With him I speak mouth to mouth,
Even openly, and not in dark sayings,
And he beholds the form of the Lord.
Why then were you not afraid
To speak against My servant, against Moses?”

9 So the anger of the Lord burned against them and He departed.  10 But when the cloud had withdrawn from over the tent, behold, Miriam was leprous, as white as snow.  As Aaron turned toward Miriam, behold, she was leprous.  11 Then Aaron said to Moses, “Oh, my lord, I beg you, do not account this sin to us, in which we have acted foolishly and in which we have sinned.  12 Oh, do not let her be like one dead, whose flesh is half eaten away when he comes from his mother’s womb!”  13 Moses cried out to the Lord, saying, “O God, heal her, I pray!”  14 But the Lord said to Moses, “If her father had but spit in her face, would she not bear her shame for seven days?  Let her be shut up for seven days outside the camp, and afterward she may be received again.”  15 So Miriam was shut up outside the camp for seven days, and the people did not move on until Miriam was received again.

16 Afterward, however, the people moved out from Hazeroth and camped in the wilderness of Paran.”  Numbers Chapter 12.

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We see the contrast between the jealousy and dissension shown by Miriam and Aaron and the humility and intervention shown by Moses.

“Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are:  … jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, …, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.”  Galatians 5:19-21.

It is better that Miriam was shut outside the camp for seven days than shut out of the kingdom of God.

As we learned in the last daily devotion:  “Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.  Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall.   No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.”  1 Corinthians 10:11-13.

And, there is more hope!

We saw a glimpse of that hope earlier in the last chapter when we read about the LORD putting His Spirit on some of the elders and then Moses desiring in Numbers 11:29:  “Would that all the Lord’s people were prophets, that the Lord would put His Spirit upon them!”

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.  Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.  Let us not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another.”  Galatians 5:22-25.

Today’s devotion comes from Numbers 11:31-35.

“Now there went forth a wind from the Lord and it brought quail from the sea, and let them fall beside the camp, about a day’s journey on this side and a day’s journey on the other side, all around the camp and about two cubits deep on the surface of the ground.  The people spent all day and all night and all the next day, and gathered the quail (he who gathered least gathered ten homers) and they spread them out for themselves all around the camp.  While the meat was still between their teeth, before it was chewed, the anger of the Lord was kindled against the people, and the Lord struck the people with a very severe plague.  So the name of that place was called Kibroth-hattaavah, because there they buried the people who had been greedy.  From Kibroth-hattaavah the people set out for Hazeroth, and they remained at Hazeroth.”  Numbers 11:31-35.

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We have seen the greed and grumbling earlier in the chapter.  “The rabble who were among them had greedy desires;  and also the sons of Israel wept again and said, “Who will give us meat to eat?  We remember the fish which we used to eat free in Egypt, the cucumbers and the melons and the leeks and the onions and the garlic, but now our appetite is gone.  There is nothing at all to look at except this manna.”  Numbers 11:4-6.

Israel was warned.  “Now the people became like those who complain of adversity in the hearing of the Lord;  and when the Lord heard it, His anger was kindled, and the fire of the Lord burned among them and consumed some of the outskirts of the camp.”  Numbers 11:1.

But, the greed and grumbling still continued.  And this time, as we read in today’s Scripture:  “the Lord struck the people with a very severe plague.  So the name of that place was called Kibroth-hattaavah, because there they buried the people who had been greedy.”

So, let us not be greedy:  “Nor grumble, as some of them did, and were destroyed by the destroyer.  Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.  Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall.  No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man;  and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.”  1 Corinthians 10:10-13.

And, there is more hope!

We saw a glimpse of that hope earlier in the chapter when we read about the LORD putting His Spirit on some of the elders and then Moses desiring in Numbers 11:29:  “Would that all the Lord’s people were prophets, that the Lord would put His Spirit upon them!”

“But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.  For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please.  But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law.  Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are:  immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.  Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.”  Galatians 5:16-24.

“Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am.  I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity;  in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need.  I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.”  Philippians 4:11-13.

Today’s devotion comes from Numbers 11:24-30.

“24 So Moses went out and told the people the words of the Lord.  Also, he gathered seventy men of the elders of the people, and stationed them around the tent.  25 Then the Lord came down in the cloud and spoke to him;  and He took of the Spirit who was upon him and placed Him upon the seventy elders.  And when the Spirit rested upon them, they prophesied. But they did not do it again.

26 But two men had remained in the camp; the name of one was Eldad and the name of the other Medad.  And the Spirit rested upon them (now they were among those who had been registered, but had not gone out to the tent), and they prophesied in the camp.  27 So a young man ran and told Moses and said, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.”  28 Then Joshua the son of Nun, the attendant of Moses from his youth, said, “Moses, my lord, restrain them.”  29 But Moses said to him, “Are you jealous for my sake?  Would that all the Lord’s people were prophets, that the Lord would put His Spirit upon them!”  30 Then Moses returned to the camp, both he and the elders of Israel.”  Numbers 11:24-30.

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Moses’ desire was granted.  The LORD did not only put His Spirit upon His people, the Jews;  He “poured” forth of His Spirit “on all mankind“, Jews and also Gentiles.

“14 But Peter, taking his stand with the eleven, raised his voice and declared to them: “Men of Judea and all you who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you and give heed to my words.  15 For these men are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only the third hour of the day; 16 but this is what was spoken of through the prophet Joel:

17 ‘And it shall be in the last days,’ God says,
‘That I will pour forth of My Spirit on all mankind;
And your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
And your young men shall see visions,
And your old men shall dream dreams;
18 Even on My bondslaves, both men and women,
I will in those days pour forth of My Spirit
And they shall prophesy.
19 ‘And I will grant wonders in the sky above
And signs on the earth below,
Blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke.
20 ‘The sun will be turned into darkness
And the moon into blood,
Before the great and glorious day of the Lord shall come.
21 ‘And it shall be that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’”  Acts 2:14-21.

And, the LORD’s Spirit did more than just cause people to prophesy and make wise decisions for the people.

“Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit.  And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord.  There are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons.  But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.  For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit;  to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, and to another the effecting of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another the distinguishing of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues.  But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills.”  1 Corinthians 12:4-11.

Today’s devotion comes from Numbers 11:18-23.

“18 Say to the people, ‘Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow, and you shall eat meat;  for you have wept in the ears of the Lord, saying, “Oh that someone would give us meat to eat!  For we were well-off in Egypt.”  Therefore the Lord will give you meat and you shall eat.  19 You shall eat, not one day, nor two days, nor five days, nor ten days, nor twenty days, 20 but a whole month, until it comes out of your nostrils and becomes loathsome to you;  because you have rejected the Lord who is among you and have wept before Him, saying, “Why did we ever leave Egypt?”’”  21 But Moses said, “The people, among whom I am, are 600,000 on foot;  yet You have said, ‘I will give them meat, so that they may eat for a whole month.’  22 Should flocks and herds be slaughtered for them, to be sufficient for them?  Or should all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them, to be sufficient for them?”  23 The Lord said to Moses, “Is the Lord’s power limited?  Now you shall see whether My word will come true for you or not.”  Numbers 11:18-23.

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9 “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,
10 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’;
11 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.

“3  “Listen to Me, O house of Jacob,
And all the remnant of the house of Israel,
You who have been borne by Me from birth
And have been carried from the womb;
4 Even to your old age I will be the same,
And even to your graying years I will bear you!
I have done it, and I will carry you;
And I will bear you and I will deliver you.”  Isaiah 46:3-4.

“12 “Listen to Me, you stubborn-minded,
Who are far from righteousness.
13 “I bring near My righteousness, it is not far off;
And My salvation will not delay.
And I will grant salvation in Zion,
And My glory for Israel.”  Isaiah 46:12-13.

So, whether it be meat or care in old age or salvation, God will provide.

Question 26.  What believest thou when thou sayest, “I believe in God the Father, Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth”? 

Answer.  That the eternal Father of our Lord Jesus Christ (who of nothing made heaven and earth, with all that is in them; who likewise upholds and governs the same by his eternal counsel and providence) is for the sake of Christ his Son, my God and my Father;  on whom I rely so entirely, that I have no doubt, but he will provide me with all things necessary for soul and body:  and further, that he will make whatever evils he sends upon me, in this valley of tears turn out to my advantage; for he is able to do it, being Almighty God, and willing, being a faithful Father.  Heidelberg Catechism.

Today’s devotion comes form Numbers 11:10-17.

“10 Now Moses heard the people weeping throughout their families, each man at the doorway of his tent; and the anger of the Lord was kindled greatly, and Moses was displeased.  11 So Moses said to the Lord, “Why have You been so hard on Your servant?  And why have I not found favor in Your sight, that You have laid the burden of all this people on me?  12 Was it I who conceived all this people?  Was it I who brought them forth, that You should say to me, ‘Carry them in your bosom as a nurse carries a nursing infant, to the land which You swore to their fathers’?  13 Where am I to get meat to give to all this people?  For they weep before me, saying, ‘Give us meat that we may eat!’  14 I alone am not able to carry all this people, because it is too burdensome for me.  15 So if You are going to deal thus with me, please kill me at once, if I have found favor in Your sight, and do not let me see my wretchedness.”

16 The Lord therefore said to Moses, “Gather for Me seventy men from the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people and their officers and bring them to the tent of meeting, and let them take their stand there with you.  17 Then I will come down and speak with you there, and I will take of the Spirit who is upon you, and will put Him upon them;  and they shall bear the burden of the people with you, so that you will not bear it all alone.”  Numbers 11:10-17.

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People have needs.  People complain.  People have burdens.  It is too much for one minister to handle alone.

But, there is hope!

God provided elders and deacons.  Today, we focus on elders.

We noticed from today’s Scripture the importance of the Spirit (“Him” – verse 17) to be upon the elder.

In addition, we assume from what today’s Scripture states about them from their existing, maybe informal, positions as elders that they were perceived by the people to be wise and already accepted by the people as leaders.

We read the qualifications of an elder in Titus 1:6-9:  “namely, if any man is above reproach, the husband of one wife, having children who believe, not accused of dissipation or rebellion.  For the overseer must be above reproach as God’s steward, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not addicted to wine, not pugnacious, not fond of sordid gain, but hospitable, loving what is good, sensible, just, devout, self-controlled, holding fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, so that he will be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict.”  Titus 1:6-9.

We also read the qualifications of an elder in 1 Timothy 3:1-7.  “It is a trustworthy statement:  if any man aspires to the office of overseer, it is a fine work he desires to do.  An overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, prudent, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not addicted to wine or pugnacious, but gentle, peaceable, free from the love of money.  He must be one who manages his own household well, keeping his children under control with all dignity (but if a man does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of the church of God?), and not a new convert, so that he will not become conceited and fall into the condemnation incurred by the devil.  And he must have a good reputation with those outside the church, so that he will not fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.”  1 Timothy 3:1-7.

We also read the following from the Belgic Confession in the following Articles 30 and 31.

Article 30:  Concerning the Government of, and Offices in the Church.

We believe, that this true Church must be governed by that spiritual policy which our Lord hath taught us in his Word;  namely, that there must be ministers or pastors to preach the Word of God, and to administer the sacraments;  also elders and deacons, who, together with the pastors, form the council of the Church:  that by these means true religion may be preserved, and the true doctrine everywhere propagated, likewise transgressors punished and restrained by spiritual means:  also that the poor and distressed may be relieved and comforted, according to their necessities.  By these means everything will be carried on in the Church with good order and decency, when faithful men are chosen, according to the rule prescribed by St. Paul in his Epistle to Timothy.

As today’s Scripture recognized the use of elders to relieve the distress and comfort the people, so does Article 30 recognize that use.

Article 31:  Of the Ministers, Elders, and Deacons.

We believe, that the ministers of God’s Word, and the elders and deacons, ought to be chosen to their respective offices by a lawful election by the Church, with calling upon the name of the Lord, and in that order which the Word of God teacheth.   Therefore every one must take heed, not to intrude himself by indecent means, but is bound to wait till it shall please God to call him; that he may have testimony of his calling, and be certain and assured that it is of the Lord.   As for the ministers of God’s Word, they have equally the same power and authority wheresoever they are, as they are all ministers of Christ, the only universal Bishop, and the only Head of the Church. Moreover, that this holy ordinance of God may not be violated or slighted, we say that every one ought to esteem the ministers of God’s Word, and the elders of the Church, very highly for their work’s sake, and be at peace with them without murmuring, strife or contention, as much as possible.

The fact that elders “ought to be chosen to their respective offices by a lawful election by the Church” (as stated above in Article 31) is consistent with what we read in today’s Scripture by which we assumed that from their existing, maybe informal, positions as elders that they were perceived by the people to be wise and already accepted by the people as leaders.

Because elders are elected, that fact would also help the people “esteem the ministers of God’s Word, and the elders of the Church, very highly for their work’s sake, and be at peace with them without murmuring, strife or contention, as much as possible.”