SUMMARY OF TODAY'S READING
Numbers 7 Summary
The Leaders of Israel Offer Gifts to God for the Tabernacle and for the Altar in a 12 Day Celebration
Number 8 Summary
The Levites are Dedicated, Cleansed, Received just as the Lord commanded as the Tabernacle begins.
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Numbers 7
Numbers 8
NOTES
MOSES CONSECRATES THE TABERNACLE - Numbers 7:1
The tabernacle was finally finished being setup and now it was time to with great gifts and offerings and ceremonies symbolically offer it all to the Lord to be used for sacred purposes only. The most important and valuable earthly possession of Israel, the tabernacle and all there in, had one single purpose - service to the Lord for the good of His people.
A HOUSEWARMING GIFT FOR GOD - Numbers 7:2-5
The Leaders were moved to present a general offering that the Lord accepted for the use of the Levites service as they moved the temple - carts and oxen. A housewarming gift for God used practically. God had to give permission to accept it and to tell Moses how to use it.
THE 12 DAYS OF DEDICATION - Numbers 7:6-83
It is important to note that God did not command the housewarming gift nor the 12 days of dedication offerings, it was the leaders of Israel that gave without command. It was 12 days of celebration of this great occasion. God was symbolically getting a movable temple, so to speak to "dwell" and thus teh people were going to be able in a more organized and secure way know that God was reachable and their God. Temple to "gods" were big in that day. But God allowed a long time without such a earthly "dwelling" proving himself to be not a creation of man, but the unseen God of all creation.
GOD DEDICATES, CLEANSES, RECEIVES THE LEVITES BASED ON OBEDIENT-FAITH TO HIS WORD
The Levites were cleansed, dedicated, and symbolically received as substitutes of the first born of Israel - all according to God's command. What I note throughout chapter 8 is the Lord's repeated use of, "you shall". Yet, in chapter 7, God does not commanding the giving of gifts but receives gift that come out of the overflow of the hearts of the leaders of His people. God commands the dedication of the Levites according to His ways in chapter 8 and is glorified in the obedience. There is no powerful, mystical divine "BOOM" that occurs as they follow the ceremonial, detailed instructions - just faithful obedience to the Word of the Lord from His people. The ceremony accomplished nothing on its own - one distinction about our God and those created by man, is our God does not infuse with mystical power procedures. Even baptism does not save us, even communion doe snot have divine power - these are only symbolic. The Lord's response to our obedience is the key. What Israel was doing was all symbolic - it represented the true God and His children's response to Him. There is no "mystical" power in this dedication of the tabernacle or the priests - these are merely an expression of the obedient faith of His people. Our God did not and still does not want His people to worship an image or a ritual, but Himself - we approach him by faith and always, which will express itself through obedience!
End with Prayers of:
- Adoration - Praise Him and Boast in Him for who He is in today's reading.
- Thanksgiving - Offer humble gratitude for big and small blessings in your life - at least 3 new things
- Confession - Admit to the Lord areas you have resisted him or grieved him privately or in relationship.
- Petition - Ask him for specific help for the many needs of others and you - that you may have power to do His will and see it today.
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