Bible Reading Plan

Author: Jon Green

  • Numbers 5

    Numbers 5

    Read Numbers 5

    The Purity of the Camp

    5 The Lord said to Moses, 2 “Command the Israelites to send away from the camp anyone who has a defiling skin disease or a discharge of any kind, or who is ceremonially unclean because of a dead body. 3 Send away male and female alike; send them outside the camp so they will not defile their camp, where I dwell among them.” 4 The Israelites did so; they sent them outside the camp. They did just as the Lord had instructed Moses.

    Restitution for Wrongs

    5 The Lord said to Moses, 6 “Say to the Israelites: ‘Any man or woman who wrongs another in any way and so is unfaithful to the Lord is guilty 7 and must confess the sin they have committed. They must make full restitutionfor the wrong they have done, add a fifth of the value to it and give it all to the person they have wronged. 8 But if that person has no close relative to whom restitution can be made for the wrong, the restitution belongs to the Lord and must be given to the priest, along with the ram with which atonement is made for the wrongdoer. 9 All the sacred contributions the Israelites bring to a priest will belong to him. 10 Sacred things belong to their owners, but what they give to the priest will belong to the priest.’”

    The Test for an Unfaithful Wife

    11 Then the Lord said to Moses, 12 “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘If a man’s wife goes astray and is unfaithful to him 13 so that another man has sexual relations with her, and this is hidden from her husband and her impurity is undetected (since there is no witness against her and she has not been caught in the act), 14 and if feelings of jealousy come over her husband and he suspects his wife and she is impure—or if he is jealous and suspects her even though she is not impure— 15 then he is to take his wife to the priest. He must also take an offering of a tenth of an ephah of barley flour on her behalf. He must not pour olive oil on it or put incense on it, because it is a grain offering for jealousy, a reminder-offering to draw attention to wrongdoing.

    16 “‘The priest shall bring her and have her stand before the Lord. 17 Then he shall take some holy water in a clay jar and put some dust from the tabernacle floor into the water. 18 After the priest has had the woman stand before the Lord, he shall loosen her hair and place in her hands the reminder-offering, the grain offering for jealousy, while he himself holds the bitter water that brings a curse. 19 Then the priest shall put the woman under oath and say to her, “If no other man has had sexual relations with you and you have not gone astray and become impure while married to your husband, may this bitter water that brings a curse not harm you. 20 But if you have gone astray while married to your husband and you have made yourself impure by having sexual relations with a man other than your husband”— 21 here the priest is to put the woman under this curse—“may the Lord cause you to become a curse among your people when he makes your womb miscarry and your abdomen swell. 22 May this water that brings a curse enter your body so that your abdomen swells or your womb miscarries.”

    “‘Then the woman is to say, “Amen. So be it.”

    23 “‘The priest is to write these curses on a scroll and then wash them off into the bitter water. 24 He shall make the woman drink the bitter water that brings a curse, and this water that brings a curse and causes bitter suffering will enter her. 25 The priest is to take from her hands the grain offering for jealousy, wave it before the Lord and bring it to the altar. 26 The priest is then to take a handful of the grain offering as a memorial offering and burn it on the altar; after that, he is to have the woman drink the water. 27 If she has made herself impure and been unfaithful to her husband, this will be the result: When she is made to drink the water that brings a curse and causes bitter suffering, it will enter her, her abdomen will swell and her womb will miscarry, and she will become a curse. 28 If, however, the woman has not made herself impure, but is clean, she will be cleared of guilt and will be able to have children.

    29 “‘This, then, is the law of jealousy when a woman goes astray and makes herself impure while married to her husband, 30 or when feelings of jealousycome over a man because he suspects his wife. The priest is to have her stand before the Lord and is to apply this entire law to her. 31 The husband will be innocent of any wrongdoing, but the woman will bear the consequences of her sin.’”

    Go Deeper

    While Moses and the Israelites are wandering through the Desert of Sinai, Moses passes on the laws that the Lord had given him for the Israelite people. The first laws we read in Numbers 5 are laws on how to keep the camp pure. It can appear cruel that those who are declared unclean are cast out of the camp. Why would God make such laws? There are a few verses in this chapter that give us greater insight.

    Verse 3 says that those who are unclean must be sent away “… so they will not defile their camp, where I dwell among them.” God lives in the midst of the Israelites. His presence dwells with the people there. Because of God’s holiness, there cannot be sin in His presence. The ceremonial uncleanliness of people through disease is a reminder of the consequences of sin that separate us from God. Just like leprosy or other skin diseases that can spread and infect others, sin has consequences that are far reaching. 

    To be near to God we must be cleansed from the disease of sin we’ve all had since Adam and Eve. Verse 6 tells us, “Say to the Israelites: ‘Any man or woman who wrongs another in any way and so is unfaithful to the Lord is guilty.” This verse tells us that our sin is against the Lord and our guilt lies with Him. Our sin is ultimately against God because it causes separation from Him. Our sin not only affects those around us, but it keeps us from the relationship and oneness with God that we were created for.

    The law is only a temporary fix for this problem. The Israelites fall short again and again and are required to continually make sacrifices that attempt to pay the cost of their sinful condition. In God’s mercy and grace, He made a way for us to be with Him for eternity by sacrificing His Son in our place. Jesus came, fully man and fully God, to live a perfect life and die on the cross. He did what the law could not do by raising from death to life to give us new life, allowing us to live in relationship with our holy God for eternity. The law God gives the Israelites highlights our desperation for a Savior. Instead of leaving us separated, Jesus paid the cost of our sin.

    Questions

    1. What does it mean that God is holy?
    2. What sin has been keeping you separated from a right relationship with God and those around you? Take time to confess that to your community and seek repentance.
    3. Take a moment to thank God for the price He paid for you to be with Him for eternity.

    By the Way

    Hebrews 12:15 says, “See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled,” This verse reminds us that many can be defiled by the sin of one person. We are each called to pursue holiness and to help the community of believers around us to pursue holiness.

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  • Numbers 4

    Numbers 4

    Read Numbers 4

    The Kohathites

    4 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron: 2 “Take a census of the Kohathite branch of the Levites by their clans and families. 3 Count all the men from thirty to fifty years of age who come to serve in the work at the tent of meeting.

    4 “This is the work of the Kohathites at the tent of meeting: the care of the most holy things. 5 When the camp is to move, Aaron and his sons are to go in and take down the shielding curtain and put it over the ark of the covenant law. 6 Then they are to cover the curtain with a durable leather, spread a cloth of solid blue over that and put the poles in place.

    7 “Over the table of the Presence they are to spread a blue cloth and put on it the plates, dishes and bowls, and the jars for drink offerings; the bread that is continually there is to remain on it. 8 They are to spread a scarlet cloth over them, cover that with the durable leather and put the poles in place.

    9 “They are to take a blue cloth and cover the lampstand that is for light, together with its lamps, its wick trimmers and trays, and all its jars for the olive oil used to supply it. 10 Then they are to wrap it and all its accessories in a covering of the durable leather and put it on a carrying frame.

    11 “Over the gold altar they are to spread a blue cloth and cover that with the durable leather and put the poles in place.

    12 “They are to take all the articles used for ministering in the sanctuary, wrap them in a blue cloth, cover that with the durable leather and put them on a carrying frame.

    13 “They are to remove the ashes from the bronze altar and spread a purple cloth over it. 14 Then they are to place on it all the utensils used for ministering at the altar, including the firepans, meat forks, shovels and sprinkling bowls. Over it they are to spread a covering of the durable leather and put the poles in place.

    15 “After Aaron and his sons have finished covering the holy furnishings and all the holy articles, and when the camp is ready to move, only then are the Kohathites to come and do the carrying. But they must not touch the holy things or they will die. The Kohathites are to carry those things that are in the tent of meeting.

    16 “Eleazar son of Aaron, the priest, is to have charge of the oil for the light,the fragrant incense, the regular grain offering and the anointing oil. He is to be in charge of the entire tabernacle and everything in it, including its holy furnishings and articles.”

    17 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, 18 “See that the Kohathite tribal clans are not destroyed from among the Levites. 19 So that they may live and not die when they come near the most holy things, do this for them: Aaron and his sons are to go into the sanctuary and assign to each man his work and what he is to carry. 20 But the Kohathites must not go in to look at the holy things, even for a moment, or they will die.”

    The Gershonites

    21 The Lord said to Moses, 22 “Take a census also of the Gershonites by their families and clans. 23 Count all the men from thirty to fifty years of agewho come to serve in the work at the tent of meeting.

    24 “This is the service of the Gershonite clans in their carrying and their other work: 25 They are to carry the curtains of the tabernacle, that is, the tent of meeting, its covering and its outer covering of durable leather, the curtains for the entrance to the tent of meeting, 26 the curtains of the courtyard surrounding the tabernacle and altar, the curtain for the entrance to the courtyard, the ropes and all the equipment used in the service of the tent. The Gershonites are to do all that needs to be done with these things.27 All their service, whether carrying or doing other work, is to be done under the direction of Aaron and his sons. You shall assign to them as their responsibility all they are to carry. 28 This is the service of the Gershonite clans at the tent of meeting. Their duties are to be under the direction of Ithamar son of Aaron, the priest.

    The Merarites

    29 “Count the Merarites by their clans and families. 30 Count all the men from thirty to fifty years of age who come to serve in the work at the tent of meeting. 31 As part of all their service at the tent, they are to carry the frames of the tabernacle, its crossbars, posts and bases, 32 as well as the posts of the surrounding courtyard with their bases, tent pegs, ropes, all their equipment and everything related to their use. Assign to each man the specific things he is to carry. 33 This is the service of the Merarite clans as they work at the tent of meeting under the direction of Ithamar son of Aaron, the priest.”

    The Numbering of the Levite Clans

    34 Moses, Aaron and the leaders of the community counted the Kohathitesby their clans and families. 35 All the men from thirty to fifty years of agewho came to serve in the work at the tent of meeting, 36 counted by clans, were 2,750. 37 This was the total of all those in the Kohathite clans who served at the tent of meeting. Moses and Aaron counted them according to the Lord’s command through Moses.

    38 The Gershonites were counted by their clans and families. 39 All the men from thirty to fifty years of age who came to serve in the work at the tent of meeting, 40 counted by their clans and families, were 2,630. 41 This was the total of those in the Gershonite clans who served at the tent of meeting. Moses and Aaron counted them according to the Lord’s command.

    42 The Merarites were counted by their clans and families. 43 All the men from thirty to fifty years of age who came to serve in the work at the tent of meeting, 44 counted by their clans, were 3,200. 45 This was the total of those in the Merarite clans. Moses and Aaron counted them according to the Lord’s command through Moses.

    46 So Moses, Aaron and the leaders of Israel counted all the Levites by their clans and families. 47 All the men from thirty to fifty years of age who came to do the work of serving and carrying the tent of meeting 48 numbered 8,580. 49 At the Lord’s command through Moses, each was assigned his work and told what to carry.

    Thus they were counted, as the Lord commanded Moses.

    Go Deeper

    In this chapter we see three clans of the tribe of Levi getting assigned their priestly duties for the service of the tent of meeting. The sons of Kohath were given the task of carrying the most holy things. The sons of Gershwin were given the task of carrying the curtains of the tabernacle and the screen for the entrance of the tent of meeting. The sons of Merari were to carry the frames of the tabernacle. Moses arranged the Levitical families according to the holiness of the articles that they managed, not the age of their ancestors as in earlier chapters in Numbers. 

    This chapter helps paint the picture of the separation between the Israelites and God. The curtains marked the boundaries of which the people could not cross. Only certain people at certain times could enter God’s presence. Even the Kohathites, who were responsible for carrying the holy things, were not able to look inside or directly touch the items or they would die (v. 15, 20). 

    In Mark 15 when Jesus breathed his last breath, the curtain of the temple was torn from top to bottom. This symbolizes that the barrier between God and sinful humanity has been removed and we have access to God in a new and different way because of Jesus’s finished work on the cross. 

    When we believed upon Jesus for the forgiveness of our sins, we received the Holy Spirit. We see in John 4 Jesus tells the woman that a time is coming when we will worship the Father neither on a sacred mountain nor in Jerusalem at the temple. We now have access to God; we don’t have to go through any human to access the divine because the divine came to us and the Holy Spirit dwells within us!

    Though we can talk to and sit in the presence of our Heavenly Father whenever we want, this chapter teaches us, we should have reverence for the things associated with God and that service for the Lord is Holy, no matter how mundane it may appear in human standards.

    Questions

    1. How can you show greater honor and respect to the things of God?
    2. Do you take the access you have to God for granted? 
    3. What time today will you set aside to intentionally talk with God?

    Keep Digging

    For more on the tabernacle, check out this helpful article from GotQuestions.org!

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  • Rest Day + Family Guide (Leviticus 25-Numbers 3)

    Rest Day + Family Guide (Leviticus 25-Numbers 3)

    Rest Day

    Each Sunday is a Rest Day. There is no new Bible reading to do. Today, the goal is simple: rest in the presence of God. Maybe you need to use today to get caught up on the reading plan if you’re behind, maybe you want to journal what you’re learning so you don’t forget what God is teaching you, or maybe you want to spend time in concentrated prayer–do that. Above all, just spend time in God’s presence.

    Each Rest Day, we will have an additional element to help you dig deeper. Sometimes it will be extra resources to further your study, a video to watch, or a podcast to listen to. Sometimes we’ll have a verse to commit to memorize to help you hide God’s Word in your heart. 

    If you have kids, our Family Guide will help you discuss what you’re reading and learning with them! It’s a great opportunity for your family to read God’s Word together and review what we read the previous week!

    Read This

    As we move from Leviticus to Numbers, another book in the Pentateuch (or first five books of the Bible), it’s important to understand what we’re supposed to learn we’re reading Numbers. Check out this helpful summary from The Bible Project on what this book teaches us! 

    Family Guide

    Check out this week’s Leviticus 25-Numbers 3 Family Guide!

  • Numbers 3

    Numbers 3

    Read Numbers 3

    The Levites

    3 This is the account of the family of Aaron and Moses at the time the Lord spoke to Moses at Mount Sinai.

    2 The names of the sons of Aaron were Nadab the firstborn and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar. 3 Those were the names of Aaron’s sons, the anointed priests, who were ordained to serve as priests. 4 Nadab and Abihu, however, died before the Lord when they made an offering with unauthorized fire before him in the Desert of Sinai. They had no sons, so Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests during the lifetime of their father Aaron.

    5 The Lord said to Moses, 6 “Bring the tribe of Levi and present them to Aaron the priest to assist him. 7 They are to perform duties for him and for the whole community at the tent of meeting by doing the work of the tabernacle. 8 They are to take care of all the furnishings of the tent of meeting, fulfilling the obligations of the Israelites by doing the work of the tabernacle. 9 Give the Levites to Aaron and his sons; they are the Israelites who are to be given wholly to him. 10 Appoint Aaron and his sons to serve as priests; anyone else who approaches the sanctuary is to be put to death.”

    11 The Lord also said to Moses, 12 “I have taken the Levites from among the Israelites in place of the first male offspring of every Israelite woman. The Levites are mine, 13 for all the firstborn are mine. When I struck down all the firstborn in Egypt, I set apart for myself every firstborn in Israel, whether human or animal. They are to be mine. I am the Lord.”

    14 The Lord said to Moses in the Desert of Sinai, 15 “Count the Levites by their families and clans. Count every male a month old or more.” 16 So Moses counted them, as he was commanded by the word of the Lord.

    17 These were the names of the sons of Levi:

    Gershon, Kohath and Merari.

    18 These were the names of the Gershonite clans:

    Libni and Shimei.

    19 The Kohathite clans:

    Amram, Izhar, Hebron and Uzziel.

    20 The Merarite clans:

    Mahli and Mushi.

    These were the Levite clans, according to their families.

    21 To Gershon belonged the clans of the Libnites and Shimeites; these were the Gershonite clans. 22 The number of all the males a month old or more who were counted was 7,500. 23 The Gershonite clans were to camp on the west, behind the tabernacle. 24 The leader of the families of the Gershonites was Eliasaph son of Lael. 25 At the tent of meeting the Gershonites were responsible for the care of the tabernacle and tent, its coverings, the curtain at the entrance to the tent of meeting, 26 the curtains of the courtyard, the curtain at the entrance to the courtyard surrounding the tabernacle and altar, and the ropes—and everything related to their use.

    27 To Kohath belonged the clans of the Amramites, Izharites, Hebronites and Uzzielites; these were the Kohathite clans. 28 The number of all the males a month old or more was 8,600. The Kohathites were responsible for the care of the sanctuary. 29 The Kohathite clans were to camp on the south side of the tabernacle. 30 The leader of the families of the Kohathite clans was Elizaphan son of Uzziel. 31 They were responsible for the care of the ark, the table, the lampstand, the altars, the articles of the sanctuary used in ministering, the curtain, and everything related to their use. 32 The chief leader of the Levites was Eleazar son of Aaron, the priest. He was appointed over those who were responsible for the care of the sanctuary.

    33 To Merari belonged the clans of the Mahlites and the Mushites; these were the Merarite clans. 34 The number of all the males a month old or morewho were counted was 6,200. 35 The leader of the families of the Merarite clans was Zuriel son of Abihail; they were to camp on the north side of the tabernacle. 36 The Merarites were appointed to take care of the frames of the tabernacle, its crossbars, posts, bases, all its equipment, and everything related to their use, 37 as well as the posts of the surrounding courtyard with their bases, tent pegs and ropes.

    38 Moses and Aaron and his sons were to camp to the east of the tabernacle, toward the sunrise, in front of the tent of meeting. They were responsible for the care of the sanctuary on behalf of the Israelites. Anyone else who approached the sanctuary was to be put to death.

    39 The total number of Levites counted at the Lord’s command by Moses and Aaron according to their clans, including every male a month old or more, was 22,000.

    40 The Lord said to Moses, “Count all the firstborn Israelite males who are a month old or more and make a list of their names. 41 Take the Levites for me in place of all the firstborn of the Israelites, and the livestock of the Levites in place of all the firstborn of the livestock of the Israelites. I am the Lord.”

    42 So Moses counted all the firstborn of the Israelites, as the Lordcommanded him. 43 The total number of firstborn males a month old or more, listed by name, was 22,273.

    44 The Lord also said to Moses, 45 “Take the Levites in place of all the firstborn of Israel, and the livestock of the Levites in place of their livestock. The Levites are to be mine. I am the Lord. 46 To redeem the 273 firstborn Israelites who exceed the number of the Levites, 47 collect five shekels for each one, according to the sanctuary shekel, which weighs twenty gerahs.48 Give the money for the redemption of the additional Israelites to Aaron and his sons.”

    49 So Moses collected the redemption money from those who exceeded the number redeemed by the Levites. 50 From the firstborn of the Israelites he collected silver weighing 1,365 shekels, according to the sanctuary shekel.51 Moses gave the redemption money to Aaron and his sons, as he was commanded by the word of the Lord.

    Go Deeper

    As you read Numbers 3, recall the Israelites are embarking on their journey to God’s promised land for them. Their exodus requires significant organizational instructions which are often recorded as “the Lord spoke to Moses.” Thus far, the Lord has instructed the Israelite tribes to be counted, and the specific location of each tribe determined, (except for the tribe of Levi.) Today’s reading reveals God’s plan for the role of this tribe. Aaron and his two sons were designated by God as the priests for the Israelites, but it was impossible for them to handle all the religious needs of the tribes. 

    God directed Moses to gather the Levites, setting them aside to serve the priests (Aaron and his sons) and accomplish the daily work of the tabernacle. As details of the specific duties are assigned, God’s instructions are clear and precise. Take note of Moses’ obedient response to God’s words. Without hesitation (or offering another perspective), he followed God’s directions totally and precisely: from separating the Levites, to counting every Levite male one month old or more, to registering the first-born Israelite males, to collecting a redemption payment for extra Israelite males not covered by the Levite number, and to giving the redemption payment to Aaron. Moses’ obedience reflects his wholehearted trust in God – the God who provides, rescues, brings order, who knows and redeems. His full obedience serves as a great encouragement and challenge for us.

    As in many Old Testament passages, this chapter offers a shadow of God’s salvation plan. The Levites were set aside for lives devoted to practical service to God in place of each first-born Israelite male, who were previously designated as God’s possession after the rescue from Egypt. In other words, they served as a substitute for the other tribes, fulfilling the obligation of the first-born males. This act of substitution is a shadow of Jesus’ substituting His life for ours, sacrificing his life by dying in our place. 

    Second Corinthians 5:21 describes it this way: “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” God’s plan to substitute His own Son and redeem us will be revealed throughout our reading of Numbers and other Old Testament books, often in shadows pointing us to Jesus. As we read, let’s ask God to open our eyes and hearts to catch glimpses of His incredible redemption story fulfilled in Jesus. Then, let’s respond with thanks!

    Questions

    1. How does Moses’ totally obedient response to God’s words challenge your obedience to God?
    2. How does your trust in God influence your obedience to Him?
    3. What does Jesus’ substitution of His life for yours mean to you? How can you express your thankfulness to Him today?

    Did You Know?

    It was the job of the Levites to serve the needs of Aaron and the priests, but according to Deuteronomy 24:8 the Levites has another important job: teaching and explaining the Word of God to the Israelites.

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  • Numbers 2

    Numbers 2

    Read Numbers 2

    The Arrangement of the Tribal Camps

    2 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron: 2 “The Israelites are to camp around the tent of meeting some distance from it, each of them under their standardand holding the banners of their family.”

    3 On the east, toward the sunrise, the divisions of the camp of Judah are to encamp under their standard. The leader of the people of Judah is Nahshon son of Amminadab. 4 His division numbers 74,600.

    5 The tribe of Issachar will camp next to them. The leader of the people of Issachar is Nethanel son of Zuar. 6 His division numbers 54,400.

    7 The tribe of Zebulun will be next. The leader of the people of Zebulun is Eliab son of Helon. 8 His division numbers 57,400.

    9 All the men assigned to the camp of Judah, according to their divisions, number 186,400. They will set out first.

    10 On the south will be the divisions of the camp of Reuben under their standard. The leader of the people of Reuben is Elizur son of Shedeur.11 His division numbers 46,500.

    12 The tribe of Simeon will camp next to them. The leader of the people of Simeon is Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai. 13 His division numbers 59,300.

    14 The tribe of Gad will be next. The leader of the people of Gad is Eliasaph son of Deuel. 15 His division numbers 45,650.

    16 All the men assigned to the camp of Reuben, according to their divisions, number 151,450. They will set out second.

    17 Then the tent of meeting and the camp of the Levites will set out in the middle of the camps. They will set out in the same order as they encamp, each in their own place under their standard.

    18 On the west will be the divisions of the camp of Ephraim under their standard. The leader of the people of Ephraim is Elishama son of Ammihud. 19 His division numbers 40,500.

    20 The tribe of Manasseh will be next to them. The leader of the people of Manasseh is Gamaliel son of Pedahzur. 21 His division numbers 32,200.

    22 The tribe of Benjamin will be next. The leader of the people of Benjamin is Abidan son of Gideoni. 23 His division numbers 35,400.

    24 All the men assigned to the camp of Ephraim, according to their divisions, number 108,100. They will set out third.

    25 On the north will be the divisions of the camp of Dan under their standard. The leader of the people of Dan is Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai.26 His division numbers 62,700.

    27 The tribe of Asher will camp next to them. The leader of the people of Asher is Pagiel son of Okran. 28 His division numbers 41,500.

    29 The tribe of Naphtali will be next. The leader of the people of Naphtali is Ahira son of Enan. 30 His division numbers 53,400.

    31 All the men assigned to the camp of Dan number 157,600. They will set out last, under their standards.

    32 These are the Israelites, counted according to their families. All the men in the camps, by their divisions, number 603,550. 33 The Levites, however, were not counted along with the other Israelites, as the Lord commanded Moses.

    34 So the Israelites did everything the Lord commanded Moses; that is the way they encamped under their standards, and that is the way they set out, each of them with their clan and family.

    Go Deeper

    Numbers 2 outlines the arrangement of the camp for the tribes. The general structure is there are three tribes in each cardinal direction. The tribes are situated around the tabernacle; God is at the center of all of this, He is who they are oriented from. While we orient our maps to the north, that is not the case for this culture. God starts their layout from the east with Judah. 

    We see that God is clear with His instructions for them of where they will go, how they will do it, and who they will be led by. He is kind in His order, but it isn’t always clear why each camp is placed where they are at. Sometimes the biggest camps are on the outside, which is good for military protection since they will march in this same order. However, other times it’s the smaller ones on the outside. It is possible that this had a symbolic shape–some scholars even believe that it could possibly be in the shape of the cross. Whatever the reason is, He doesn’t explain it to them (but that doesn’t mean there isn’t one). He is intentional in His order, even if it’s for reasons that we ourselves cannot see.

    “The standard” is mentioned often in this text and it is a banner or flag. There is speculation for what exactly the standards for each tribe is, but the four main banners are normally agreed to be a lion for Judah, a man for Reuben, a calf for Ephraim, and an eagle for Dan. In Revelation, there are these same four creatures described to be surrounding the throne of God. “The first living creature was like a lion, the second living creature like a calf, the third living creature had a face like a man, and the fourth living creature was like a flying eagle” (Revelation 4:7). 

    These are the same Ezekiel 1:10 prophecies about and the four gospel authors are assigned one of these same animals to symbolize them. This is yet another reminder of how the whole Bible is connected. It isn’t accidental that these symbols are seen all throughout the scriptures. Only our God could beautifully connect His story from Genesis to Revelation!

    Questions

    1. What does this reveal about God to you?
    2. Read Genesis 49:8-12. How do you see this prophecy fulfilled in this chapter?
    3. Re-read verse 34. What does this say about the Israelites? What does it look like for you to “obey all the Lord commanded” today?

    Keep Digging

    For more about the camp arrangement, check out this article.

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  • Numbers 1 + Introduction

    Numbers 1 + Introduction

    Numbers Introduction

    For some people, the title of Numbers alone is enough to make them not want to dive into this book! As we read over the next few weeks, this isn’t a math book, but a narrative of God’s people and God’s faithfulness to them. 

    God’s people have just received the Law at Sinai and now they are journeying to the Promised Land. While the book of Numbers begins with a census of Israel, the rest of the book has little to do with actual numbers. Numbers is about the journey towards the land flowing with milk and honey just east of the Mediterranean Sea. The people head to Kadesh and God leads them through a cloud by day and fire by night. When the cloud that covered the tent moved, the Israelites packed up camp and followed it. When the cloud stopped, the people stopped and set up camp again. God provided for his people giving them manna from heaven, which is bread, and quail. From there, there are stories of trust and disobedience, complaining and wandering. God’s promises hold true throughout. 

    The book of Numbers is in our Bible for a reason. Not only does it move the storyline of Scripture along, but it also points to the coming Savior. Amidst all of Israel’s failures, there was still hope. God’s wrath and judgment in this book might seem harsh, but we see God marked by both judgment and mercy in the Old Testament and New Testament. Look for yourself in the story.

    Like the Israelites, when are you tempted to complain? When are you tempted to question God’s promises to you? In what ways are you acting in disobedience to the Word of God? Take a note on Moses’ leadership throughout Numbers. Where does he do well? Where does he fall short? What can we apply to our own lives? Don’t be afraid of the names you don’t know and the places you may be unfamiliar with–focus on the overall story!

    Join us through the book of Numbers, as we see the unfolding of God’s big story and the rocky journey to the Promised Land!

    Read Numbers 1

    The Census

    1 The Lord spoke to Moses in the tent of meeting in the Desert of Sinai on the first day of the second month of the second year after the Israelites came out of Egypt. He said: 2 “Take a census of the whole Israelite community by their clans and families, listing every man by name, one by one. 3 You and Aaron are to count according to their divisions all the men in Israel who are twenty years old or more and able to serve in the army. 4 One man from each tribe, each of them the head of his family, is to help you.5 These are the names of the men who are to assist you:

    from Reuben, Elizur son of Shedeur;

    6 from Simeon, Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai;

    7 from Judah, Nahshon son of Amminadab;

    8 from Issachar, Nethanel son of Zuar;

    9 from Zebulun, Eliab son of Helon;

    10 from the sons of Joseph:

    from Ephraim, Elishama son of Ammihud;

    from Manasseh, Gamaliel son of Pedahzur;

    11 from Benjamin, Abidan son of Gideoni;

    12 from Dan, Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai;

    13 from Asher, Pagiel son of Okran;

    14 from Gad, Eliasaph son of Deuel;

    15 from Naphtali, Ahira son of Enan.”

    16 These were the men appointed from the community, the leaders of their ancestral tribes. They were the heads of the clans of Israel.

    17 Moses and Aaron took these men whose names had been specified,18 and they called the whole community together on the first day of the second month. The people registered their ancestry by their clans and families, and the men twenty years old or more were listed by name, one by one, 19 as the Lord commanded Moses. And so he counted them in the Desert of Sinai:

    20 From the descendants of Reuben the firstborn son of Israel:

    All the men twenty years old or more who were able to serve in the army were listed by name, one by one, according to the records of their clans and families. 21 The number from the tribe of Reuben was 46,500.

    22 From the descendants of Simeon:

    All the men twenty years old or more who were able to serve in the army were counted and listed by name, one by one, according to the records of their clans and families. 23 The number from the tribe of Simeon was 59,300.

    24 From the descendants of Gad:

    All the men twenty years old or more who were able to serve in the army were listed by name, according to the records of their clans and families. 25 The number from the tribe of Gad was 45,650.

    26 From the descendants of Judah:

    All the men twenty years old or more who were able to serve in the army were listed by name, according to the records of their clans and families. 27 The number from the tribe of Judah was 74,600.

    28 From the descendants of Issachar:

    All the men twenty years old or more who were able to serve in the army were listed by name, according to the records of their clans and families. 29 The number from the tribe of Issachar was 54,400.

    30 From the descendants of Zebulun:

    All the men twenty years old or more who were able to serve in the army were listed by name, according to the records of their clans and families. 31 The number from the tribe of Zebulun was 57,400.

    32 From the sons of Joseph:

    From the descendants of Ephraim:

    All the men twenty years old or more who were able to serve in the army were listed by name, according to the records of their clans and families. 33 The number from the tribe of Ephraim was 40,500.

    34 From the descendants of Manasseh:

    All the men twenty years old or more who were able to serve in the army were listed by name, according to the records of their clans and families. 35 The number from the tribe of Manasseh was 32,200.

    36 From the descendants of Benjamin:

    All the men twenty years old or more who were able to serve in the army were listed by name, according to the records of their clans and families. 37 The number from the tribe of Benjamin was 35,400.

    38 From the descendants of Dan:

    All the men twenty years old or more who were able to serve in the army were listed by name, according to the records of their clans and families. 39 The number from the tribe of Dan was 62,700.

    40 From the descendants of Asher:

    All the men twenty years old or more who were able to serve in the army were listed by name, according to the records of their clans and families. 41 The number from the tribe of Asher was 41,500.

    42 From the descendants of Naphtali:

    All the men twenty years old or more who were able to serve in the army were listed by name, according to the records of their clans and families. 43 The number from the tribe of Naphtali was 53,400.

    44 These were the men counted by Moses and Aaron and the twelve leaders of Israel, each one representing his family. 45 All the Israelites twenty years old or more who were able to serve in Israel’s army were counted according to their families. 46 The total number was 603,550.

    47 The ancestral tribe of the Levites, however, was not counted along with the others. 48 The Lord had said to Moses: 49 “You must not count the tribe of Levi or include them in the census of the other Israelites. 50 Instead, appoint the Levites to be in charge of the tabernacle of the covenant law—over all its furnishings and everything belonging to it. They are to carry the tabernacle and all its furnishings; they are to take care of it and encamp around it. 51 Whenever the tabernacle is to move, the Levites are to take it down, and whenever the tabernacle is to be set up, the Levites shall do it.Anyone else who approaches it is to be put to death. 52 The Israelites are to set up their tents by divisions, each of them in their own camp under their standard. 53 The Levites, however, are to set up their tents around the tabernacle of the covenant law so that my wrath will not fall on the Israelite community. The Levites are to be responsible for the care of the tabernacle of the covenant law.”

    54 The Israelites did all this just as the Lord commanded Moses.

    Go Deeper

    The book of Numbers begins with a census. There are two censuses that take place in Numbers, one at the beginning of the book and one at the end. This census is for men over twenty who can go to war, which is why women weren’t included. Note the Levites were not included because they were chosen as the priestly tribe. Moses and Aaron divide the people into their tribes and appoint leaders for each one, to prepare to journey towards the Promised Land. Most of us look at these chapters in the Bible and are tempted to skip over them. However, this is more than just a list of names. There is so much we can learn! In this chapter, there are three main takeaways. 

    The first thing we see is that God is dwelling with His people. The book begins saying, “The Lord spoke to Moses in the tent of meeting in the Wilderness of Sinai, on the first day of the second month of the second year after Israel’s departure from the land of Egypt” (v. 1). Exodus ended with Moses outside the tent of meeting where God’s presence dwelt, and now Numbers begins with Moses inside the tent of meeting talking to God. Why is this important? It means that the book of Leviticus worked! The problem we see at the beginning of Leviticus is how a holy in God could dwell with a sinful people. This is solved through sacrifices, feasts, and the priests. It also shows us that from the beginning, God desires to be with His people. 

    The second thing we see is that God keeps His promises. We see the unfolding of God’s promises through this first chapter in Numbers. In Genesis 12, God promised Abraham: land, seed (descendants), and blessing. This is known as the Abrahamic Covenant. God tells Abraham that “all the nations of the earth will be blessed by [his] offspring.” Already in the book of Numbers we see God coming through. They were heading towards the Promised Land, their numbers were many as we see through the census, and God’s blessing was upon them. What started with Abraham and Sarah is now generations of Israelites. God is faithful!

    The third thing we see through this chapter is that God’s Word is reliable. This book is not a fairytale that took place thousands of years ago. These are real people with real stories. It says their total number was 603,5oo people (v. 46). This implies a total population of about 2.4 million! Census’ shows us the reliability of Scripture and the historical accuracy of what took place. The Bible is the Word of God (2 Timothy 3:16), and it has been preserved unlike any other text. Let this census remind you that God’s Word is trustworthy and true. It is authoritative and sufficient. We can and should depend on it. 

    Questions

    1. What stands out to you about this chapter?

    2. Numbers 1 begins with the Lord speaking to Moses and giving him clear instructions for the census. What does this show you about the character of God? What does this show you about the character of Moses? 

    3. This census likely would have been tedious and taken a long time. When is a time you have been obedient to the Lord, even when it was tedious or burdensome? 

    Watch This

    Check out this video overview of the book of Numbers from The Bible Project!

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  • Leviticus 27

    Leviticus 27

    Read Leviticus 27

    Redeeming What Is the Lord’s

    27 The Lord said to Moses, 2 “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘If anyone makes a special vow to dedicate a person to the Lord by giving the equivalent value, 3 set the value of a male between the ages of twenty and sixty at fifty shekels of silver, according to the sanctuary shekel; 4 for a female, set her value at thirty shekels; 5 for a person between the ages of five and twenty, set the value of a male at twenty shekels and of a female at ten shekels; 6 for a person between one month and five years, set the value of a male at five shekels of silver and that of a female at three shekels of silver; 7 for a person sixty years old or more, set the value of a male at fifteen shekels and of a female at ten shekels. 8 If anyone making the vow is too poor to pay the specified amount, the person being dedicated is to be presented to the priest, who will set the value according to what the one making the vow can afford.

    9 “‘If what they vowed is an animal that is acceptable as an offering to the Lord, such an animal given to the Lord becomes holy. 10 They must not exchange it or substitute a good one for a bad one, or a bad one for a good one; if they should substitute one animal for another, both it and the substitute become holy. 11 If what they vowed is a ceremonially unclean animal—one that is not acceptable as an offering to the Lord—the animal must be presented to the priest, 12 who will judge its quality as good or bad. Whatever value the priest then sets, that is what it will be. 13 If the owner wishes to redeem the animal, a fifth must be added to its value.

    14 “‘If anyone dedicates their house as something holy to the Lord, the priest will judge its quality as good or bad. Whatever value the priest then sets, so it will remain. 15 If the one who dedicates their house wishes to redeem it, they must add a fifth to its value, and the house will again become theirs.

    16 “‘If anyone dedicates to the Lord part of their family land, its value is to be set according to the amount of seed required for it—fifty shekels of silver to a homer of barley seed. 17 If they dedicate a field during the Year of Jubilee, the value that has been set remains. 18 But if they dedicate a field after the Jubilee, the priest will determine the value according to the number of years that remain until the next Year of Jubilee, and its set value will be reduced. 19 If the one who dedicates the field wishes to redeem it, they must add a fifth to its value, and the field will again become theirs. 20 If, however, they do not redeem the field, or if they have sold it to someone else, it can never be redeemed. 21 When the field is released in the Jubilee, it will become holy, like a field devoted to the Lord; it will become priestly property.

    22 “‘If anyone dedicates to the Lord a field they have bought, which is not part of their family land, 23 the priest will determine its value up to the Year of Jubilee, and the owner must pay its value on that day as something holy to the Lord. 24 In the Year of Jubilee the field will revert to the person from whom it was bought, the one whose land it was. 25 Every value is to be set according to the sanctuary shekel, twenty gerahs to the shekel.

    26 “‘No one, however, may dedicate the firstborn of an animal, since the firstborn already belongs to the Lord; whether an ox or a sheep, it is the Lord’s. 27 If it is one of the unclean animals, it may be bought back at its set value, adding a fifth of the value to it. If it is not redeemed, it is to be sold at its set value.

    28 “‘But nothing that a person owns and devotes to the Lord—whether a human being or an animal or family land—may be sold or redeemed; everything so devoted is most holy to the Lord.

    29 “‘No person devoted to destruction may be ransomed; they are to be put to death.

    30 “‘A tithe of everything from the land, whether grain from the soil or fruit from the trees, belongs to the Lord; it is holy to the Lord. 31 Whoever would redeem any of their tithe must add a fifth of the value to it. 32 Every tithe of the herd and flock—every tenth animal that passes under the shepherd’s rod—will be holy to the Lord. 33 No one may pick out the good from the bad or make any substitution. If anyone does make a substitution, both the animal and its substitute become holy and cannot be redeemed.’”

    34 These are the commands the Lord gave Moses at Mount Sinai for the Israelites.

    Go Deeper

    Leviticus 27 serves as an appendix for the book, a way to wrap up “the commands the LORD gave Moses at Mount Sinai for the Israelites.” This chapter deals with, basically, funding the sanctuary and what happens with things redeemed and offered to the LORD. In all honesty, this can be a confusing chapter, and that’s okay. Read verses 28-29 again:

    “But nothing that a person owns and devotes to the LORD—whether a human being or an animal or family land—may be sold or redeemed; everything so devoted is most holy to the LORD. No person devoted to destruction may be ransomed; they are to be put to death.”

    Notice, first, that there are multiple things one can devote to the LORD: a person (often themselves), an animal, or land. The only people allowed to serve in the sanctuary proper were the Levites, so the devoting of these things allowed participation in the life and work of the sanctuary by the entire community. It gave everyone the opportunity and ability to make their faith their own, to invest in it. It was no longer something they passively participated in but rather took active ownership of. It made their faith real in a very tangible way.

    But what do we do with v. 29? Remember that, in the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them” (Matthew 5:17). Think about it. Those who were to be “set aside for destruction” had to die. God is just; He cannot and will not let justice be circumvented. Someone had to die. It was because of this very sense of justice that Jesus stepped down into our midst, became fully human while remaining fully God, and died this necessary and just death on our behalf. Someone from the “tribe of humanity,” if you will, had to die, so Jesus decided it would be Him.

    It is because of this sacrifice that we can now go and serve the LORD as “a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession” (1 Peter 2:9). Jesus, ultimately, served as the One “devoted to destruction” that we might love and serve the LORD. Praise God! 

    Questions

    1. What are some ways you enjoy getting to “make your faith your own”? It could be a skill you enjoy cultivating or a way of serving that really stirs your affections for the Lord. Take inventory of 3-5 things that answer this question. 
    2. Look at your list from the question above. What is one way you can actively pursue using these skills or filling these needs?  
    3. As you reflect on all that you’ve read in Leviticus, what is your main takeaway from this book? 

    A Quote

    Author and theologian Frederick Buechner said once of one’s calling to serve the Lord, “The place God calls you is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet.” 

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  • Leviticus 26

    Leviticus 26

    Read Leviticus 26

    Reward for Obedience

    26 “‘Do not make idols or set up an image or a sacred stone for yourselves, and do not place a carved stone in your land to bow down before it. I am the Lord your God.

    2 “‘Observe my Sabbaths and have reverence for my sanctuary. I am the Lord.

    3 “‘If you follow my decrees and are careful to obey my commands, 4 I will send you rain in its season, and the ground will yield its crops and the trees their fruit. 5 Your threshing will continue until grape harvest and the grape harvest will continue until planting, and you will eat all the food you want and live in safety in your land.

    6 “‘I will grant peace in the land, and you will lie down and no one will make you afraid. I will remove wild beasts from the land, and the sword will not pass through your country. 7 You will pursue your enemies, and they will fall by the sword before you. 8 Five of you will chase a hundred, and a hundred of you will chase ten thousand, and your enemies will fall by the sword before you.

    9 “‘I will look on you with favor and make you fruitful and increase your numbers, and I will keep my covenant with you. 10 You will still be eating last year’s harvest when you will have to move it out to make room for the new.11 I will put my dwelling place among you, and I will not abhor you. 12 I will walk among you and be your God, and you will be my people. 13 I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt so that you would no longer be slaves to the Egyptians; I broke the bars of your yoke and enabled you to walk with heads held high.

    Punishment for Disobedience

    14 “‘But if you will not listen to me and carry out all these commands, 15 and if you reject my decrees and abhor my laws and fail to carry out all my commands and so violate my covenant, 16 then I will do this to you: I will bring on you sudden terror, wasting diseases and fever that will destroy your sight and sap your strength. You will plant seed in vain, because your enemies will eat it. 17 I will set my face against you so that you will be defeated by your enemies; those who hate you will rule over you, and you will flee even when no one is pursuing you.

    18 “‘If after all this you will not listen to me, I will punish you for your sins seven times over. 19 I will break down your stubborn pride and make the sky above you like iron and the ground beneath you like bronze. 20 Your strength will be spent in vain, because your soil will not yield its crops, nor will the trees of your land yield their fruit.

    21 “‘If you remain hostile toward me and refuse to listen to me, I will multiply your afflictions seven times over, as your sins deserve. 22 I will send wild animals against you, and they will rob you of your children, destroy your cattle and make you so few in number that your roads will be deserted.

    23 “‘If in spite of these things you do not accept my correction but continue to be hostile toward me, 24 I myself will be hostile toward you and will afflict you for your sins seven times over. 25 And I will bring the sword on you to avenge the breaking of the covenant. When you withdraw into your cities, I will send a plague among you, and you will be given into enemy hands.26 When I cut off your supply of bread, ten women will be able to bake your bread in one oven, and they will dole out the bread by weight. You will eat, but you will not be satisfied.

    27 “‘If in spite of this you still do not listen to me but continue to be hostile toward me, 28 then in my anger I will be hostile toward you, and I myself will punish you for your sins seven times over. 29 You will eat the flesh of your sons and the flesh of your daughters. 30 I will destroy your high places, cut down your incense altars and pile your dead bodies on the lifeless forms of your idols, and I will abhor you. 31 I will turn your cities into ruins and lay waste your sanctuaries, and I will take no delight in the pleasing aroma of your offerings. 32 I myself will lay waste the land, so that your enemies who live there will be appalled. 33 I will scatter you among the nations and will draw out my sword and pursue you. Your land will be laid waste, and your cities will lie in ruins. 34 Then the land will enjoy its sabbath years all the time that it lies desolate and you are in the country of your enemies; then the land will rest and enjoy its sabbaths. 35 All the time that it lies desolate, the land will have the rest it did not have during the sabbaths you lived in it.

    36 “‘As for those of you who are left, I will make their hearts so fearful in the lands of their enemies that the sound of a windblown leaf will put them to flight. They will run as though fleeing from the sword, and they will fall, even though no one is pursuing them. 37 They will stumble over one another as though fleeing from the sword, even though no one is pursuing them. So you will not be able to stand before your enemies. 38 You will perish among the nations; the land of your enemies will devour you. 39 Those of you who are left will waste away in the lands of their enemies because of their sins; also because of their ancestors’ sins they will waste away.

    40 “‘But if they will confess their sins and the sins of their ancestors—their unfaithfulness and their hostility toward me, 41 which made me hostiletoward them so that I sent them into the land of their enemies—then when their uncircumcised hearts are humbled and they pay for their sin, 42 I will remember my covenant with Jacob and my covenant with Isaac and my covenant with Abraham, and I will remember the land. 43 For the land will be deserted by them and will enjoy its sabbaths while it lies desolate without them. They will pay for their sins because they rejected my laws and abhorred my decrees. 44 Yet in spite of this, when they are in the land of their enemies, I will not reject them or abhor them so as to destroy them completely, breaking my covenant with them. I am the Lord their God. 45 But for their sake I will remember the covenant with their ancestors whom I brought out of Egypt in the sight of the nations to be their God. I am the Lord.’”

    46 These are the decrees, the laws and the regulations that the Lordestablished at Mount Sinai between himself and the Israelites through Moses.

    Go Deeper

    Today’s chapter outlines the rewards for obedience and consequences for disobedience for the Israelites, but, more than that, it foreshadows the impending journey of their people and of us as Christians. When we read Leviticus 26, we may be reminded of a child’s rewards and consequences chart (just on a national scale). 

    In Leviticus 26, God was sharing what had happened before and what would happen again, both in times of obedience and times of disobedience. These two sections often have the title Blessings and Curses, and there is a symmetry to them, outlined here with verse references by Leviticus scholar Mark Rooker. 

    Blessings

    Curses

    Fertile land (4-5, 10)

    Unproductive land (16, 19-20, 26)

    Live in safety (5)

    Live in foreign nation (33)

    Savage beasts removed (6)

    Beasts will devour (22)

    Sword removed (6)

    Sword avenges (25)

    Victory over enemies (7)

    Defeated by enemies (17, 25)

    God’s favor (9)

    God’s disfavor (17)

    Remember: Israel already struggled to follow the rules. For example, Exodus 23 describes how, before Moses scaled Mount Sinai and brought back the Ten Commandments, the Lord told the Israelites not to worship idols. But they grew impatient while Moses was on the mountain, and, by Exodus 32, they made a golden calf to worship. 

    This would be their story, again and again, over and over, throughout the Old Testament, but it’s also the story of humanity (and of us today).  We know what’s right, but we grow impatient and do something selfish again and again, over and over. 

    Throughout the chapter, the verses often start with “if.”

    • Verse 3: If you follow my decrees . . . rewards
    • Verse 14: If you will not listen to me . . . consequences
    • Verse 15: If you reject my decrees . . . consequences
    • Verse 18: If after all this you will not listen to me. . . consequences

    And the list goes on. Through these “if” statements and the resulting outcomes, God provides clarity for both rewards and consequences. The Israelites were directly told who God was, what they were supposed to do, what they were not allowed to do, and what would happen if they did it. 

    Compare this to descriptions of the Egyptian gods around which the Israelites had lived for hundreds of years: 

    • Their true characters were mysterious.
    • They were unpredictable in giving favor or wrath.
    • Multiple deities controlled the same natural force.
    • Some gods were more powerful than others.
    • The gods gave the world order and without them or in their anger, it would turn to chaos. 
    • Pharaoh had divine power as the connector of humans and the gods, but he was subject to human weakness and was fallible.

    God, in His infinite wisdom and mercy, set up His relationship with His people clearly and directly. He did this with the Israelites, and He does this with us. God gave us the Scriptures so we will know His character, His power, and His love. There is no question of who He is or what we, as His followers, are supposed to do. 

    Armed with clear directions and guarantees of His goodness, we can break free from the bonds of impatience and selfishness, follow His Word and will, and claim the rewards of God’s peace and love as His children. 

    Questions

    1. The idols of today may not look like those of ancient Egypt, but they share some of the same traits. What are some of the things worshiped in our society today? How do the descriptions of the ancient Egyptian deities apply to these things?
    2. Why was it important to the Israelites for God to clearly state the behaviors and resulting outcomes?
    3. What does this passage tell us about God’s character?

    Keep Digging

    Why did God use a system of blessings and curses for the Israelites? Check out this article on GotQuestions.org for more information.

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  • Leviticus 25

    Leviticus 25

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    The Sabbath Year

    25 The Lord said to Moses at Mount Sinai, 2 “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘When you enter the land I am going to give you, the land itself must observe a sabbath to the Lord. 3 For six years sow your fields, and for six years prune your vineyards and gather their crops. 4 But in the seventh year the land is to have a year of sabbath rest, a sabbath to the Lord. Do not sow your fields or prune your vineyards. 5 Do not reap what grows of itself or harvest the grapes of your untended vines. The land is to have a year of rest.6 Whatever the land yields during the sabbath year will be food for you—for yourself, your male and female servants, and the hired worker and temporary resident who live among you, 7 as well as for your livestock and the wild animals in your land. Whatever the land produces may be eaten.

    The Year of Jubilee

    8 “‘Count off seven sabbath years—seven times seven years—so that the seven sabbath years amount to a period of forty-nine years. 9 Then have the trumpet sounded everywhere on the tenth day of the seventh month; on the Day of Atonement sound the trumpet throughout your land. 10 Consecrate the fiftieth year and proclaim liberty throughout the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a jubilee for you; each of you is to return to your family propertyand to your own clan. 11 The fiftieth year shall be a jubilee for you; do not sow and do not reap what grows of itself or harvest the untended vines.12 For it is a jubilee and is to be holy for you; eat only what is taken directly from the fields.

    13 “‘In this Year of Jubilee everyone is to return to their own property.

    14 “‘If you sell land to any of your own people or buy land from them, do not take advantage of each other. 15 You are to buy from your own people on the basis of the number of years since the Jubilee. And they are to sell to you on the basis of the number of years left for harvesting crops. 16 When the years are many, you are to increase the price, and when the years are few, you are to decrease the price, because what is really being sold to you is the number of crops. 17 Do not take advantage of each other, but fear your God. I am the Lord your God.

    18 “‘Follow my decrees and be careful to obey my laws, and you will live safely in the land. 19 Then the land will yield its fruit, and you will eat your fill and live there in safety. 20 You may ask, “What will we eat in the seventh yearif we do not plant or harvest our crops?” 21 I will send you such a blessing in the sixth year that the land will yield enough for three years. 22 While you plant during the eighth year, you will eat from the old crop and will continue to eat from it until the harvest of the ninth year comes in.

    23 “‘The land must not be sold permanently, because the land is mine and you reside in my land as foreigners and strangers. 24 Throughout the land that you hold as a possession, you must provide for the redemption of the land.

    25 “‘If one of your fellow Israelites becomes poor and sells some of their property, their nearest relative is to come and redeem what they have sold.26 If, however, there is no one to redeem it for them but later on they prosperand acquire sufficient means to redeem it themselves, 27 they are to determine the value for the years since they sold it and refund the balance to the one to whom they sold it; they can then go back to their own property.28 But if they do not acquire the means to repay, what was sold will remain in the possession of the buyer until the Year of Jubilee. It will be returned in the Jubilee, and they can then go back to their property.

    29 “‘Anyone who sells a house in a walled city retains the right of redemption a full year after its sale. During that time the seller may redeem it. 30 If it is not redeemed before a full year has passed, the house in the walled city shall belong permanently to the buyer and the buyer’s descendants. It is not to be returned in the Jubilee. 31 But houses in villages without walls around them are to be considered as belonging to the open country. They can be redeemed, and they are to be returned in the Jubilee.

    32 “‘The Levites always have the right to redeem their houses in the Levitical towns, which they possess. 33 So the property of the Levites is redeemable—that is, a house sold in any town they hold—and is to be returned in the Jubilee, because the houses in the towns of the Levites are their property among the Israelites. 34 But the pastureland belonging to their towns must not be sold; it is their permanent possession.

    35 “‘If any of your fellow Israelites become poor and are unable to support themselves among you, help them as you would a foreigner and stranger, so they can continue to live among you. 36 Do not take interest or any profit from them, but fear your God, so that they may continue to live among you.37 You must not lend them money at interest or sell them food at a profit. 38 I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt to give you the land of Canaan and to be your God.

    39 “‘If any of your fellow Israelites become poor and sell themselves to you, do not make them work as slaves. 40 They are to be treated as hired workersor temporary residents among you; they are to work for you until the Year of Jubilee. 41 Then they and their children are to be released, and they will go back to their own clans and to the property of their ancestors. 42 Because the Israelites are my servants, whom I brought out of Egypt, they must not be sold as slaves. 43 Do not rule over them ruthlessly, but fear your God.

    44 “‘Your male and female slaves are to come from the nations around you; from them you may buy slaves. 45 You may also buy some of the temporary residents living among you and members of their clans born in your country, and they will become your property. 46 You can bequeath them to your children as inherited property and can make them slaves for life, but you must not rule over your fellow Israelites ruthlessly.

    47 “‘If a foreigner residing among you becomes rich and any of your fellow Israelites become poor and sell themselves to the foreigner or to a member of the foreigner’s clan, 48 they retain the right of redemption after they have sold themselves. One of their relatives may redeem them: 49 An uncle or a cousin or any blood relative in their clan may redeem them. Or if they prosper, they may redeem themselves. 50 They and their buyer are to count the time from the year they sold themselves up to the Year of Jubilee. The price for their release is to be based on the rate paid to a hired worker for that number of years. 51 If many years remain, they must pay for their redemption a larger share of the price paid for them. 52 If only a few years remain until the Year of Jubilee, they are to compute that and pay for their redemption accordingly. 53 They are to be treated as workers hired from year to year; you must see to it that those to whom they owe service do not rule over them ruthlessly.

    54 “‘Even if someone is not redeemed in any of these ways, they and their children are to be released in the Year of Jubilee, 55 for the Israelites belong to me as servants. They are my servants, whom I brought out of Egypt. I am the Lord your God.

    Go Deeper

    In Leviticus, we have read so many regulations and rules. In this passage, however, we see some celebrations occurring for all the hard work done. This chapter breathes rest within the Sabbath and celebration of freedom and debt being paid. Both are things that were celebrated then and can be celebrated now! 

    The Lord is speaking about the Sabbath and how His followers need to keep it holy. In the current day and age of technology, individualism, and busyness, the Sabbath is sometimes lost in it all. Keeping the Sabbath doesn’t need to mean a whole day set aside of not speaking to anyone, but rather a day or a big portion of the day spent doing something that stirs your affections for the Lord. This may look like curling up on the couch and reading your Bible or taking a drive while listening to music to admire the creation of the Lord. Maybe for you it looks like going on a walk or sharing a meal with other followers of Jesus. 

    All of those things, if done to the glory of God, are worshiping the Lord! It’s interesting that in verse 4, the wording to describe the Sabbath is “a Sabbath to the Lord.” The Sabbath is regarded as an action towards the Lord not of ourselves. The Sabbath is not a time for us to just have the day off or to keep working outside of our work week hours, but rather an action to be taken towards the Lord. The Sabbath is an act of worship. 

    Starting in verse 8, the Lord speaks on the Year of Jubilee. The Year of Jubilee can also be referred to as the Year of Release. This is a year where debts would be released, prisoners were freed, and the mercy of God would be seen. In this year, the Israelites would celebrate freedom and the harvest sown. This celebration signifies our celebrations today! That we have freedom in Christ and we can celebrate the wins of the fruit being produced around us. Jesus, on the cross, beat death, and because of that we are released of our sinful debt, are prisoners of death set free, and have seen the mercy of God! What a celebration!

    Questions

    1. What stirs your affections for the Lord? 
    2. What does keeping the Sabbath look like for you? How much intentionality do you put into the practice of Sabbath?
    3. Have you told someone about the celebration of freedom in Christ that you have lately?

    Listen Here

    Check out the song “Good Things” by SEU Worship and then pray this over your day: 

    Lord, 

    You are the living well. You are the one I have true rest in. Teach me to worship you through the Sabbath. Teach me how to celebrate the wins in my life. Teach me to celebrate (even when it’s hard). Lord, I want to rest in you and with you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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  • Rest Day + Family Guide (Leviticus 19-24)

    Rest Day + Family Guide (Leviticus 19-24)

    Rest Day

    Each Sunday is a Rest Day. There is no new Bible reading to do. Today, the goal is simple: rest in the presence of God. Maybe you need to use today to get caught up on the reading plan if you’re behind, maybe you want to journal what you’re learning so you don’t forget what God is teaching you, or maybe you want to spend time in concentrated prayer–do that. Above all, just spend time in God’s presence.

    Each Rest Day, we will have an additional element to help you dig deeper. Sometimes it will be extra resources to further your study, a video to watch, or a podcast to listen to. Sometimes we’ll have a verse to commit to memorize to help you hide God’s Word in your heart. 

    If you have kids, our Family Guide will help you discuss what you’re reading and learning with them! It’s a great opportunity for your family to read God’s Word together and review what we read the previous week!

    Read This

    It’s important to understand the Jewish festivals that we read about this week. For a quick refresher and a helpful explainer for why these are important, check out this article from GotQuestions.org!

    Family Guide

    Check out this week’s Leviticus 19-24 Family Guide!