Numbers 18 – 20

Chapter 18 reiterates what God had told Moses about the priests and Levites and further explains that All of the consecrated offerings brought by the people are given to the priests and their sons as their permanent share. They were allotted the portion of the most holy offerings that is not burned in the fire. As summarized in verse 14: “Everything in Israel that is specially set apart for the Lord also belongs to you.”

The priests were not to receive any allotment of land or property. Imagine – God said, “I am your share and your allotment.” The Levites, on the other hand, to compensate for their not getting an allotment of land, were to be given the tithes from the entire land of Israel. And a tithe of the tithes was to be given to Aaron the priest.

One thing they had to remember though was not to treat the holy gifts of the people as if they were common.

Did you notice the recipe for creating the water for purification? It involves a perfect red heifer, a stick of cedar, a branch of hyssop, some scarlet yarn and fire. According to The Temple Institute, there have already been nine red heifers. The tenth will be accomplished by the Messiah. You can read more about this at: http://www.templeinstitute.org/red_heifer/red_heifer_contents.htm

or hear a rabbi talk about it at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wBXaIBuRO3I .

Both are very interesting.

According to chapter 19, this red heifer was not sacrificed at the Tabernacle, but had to be taken outside of the camp to be slaughtered. Its blood was sprinkled by the priest toward the front of the Tabernacle and then the whole thing had to be burned together with the afore-mentioned items.

I think one of the saddest stories told in the Old Testament is found in Numbers 20, and not because it recounts the death of Miriam. It’s the first month of the year, the Israelites are camped at Kadesh, and once again, there is no water. Had the people learned their lesson? No, they griped and complained to Moses and Aaron, who sought the Lord. He told them to gather the people and speak to a certain rock. Water would gush forth.

Moses did as he was told, except he didn’t just speak to the rock, he struck it – not once, but twice. We aren’t told why he did it. He might have been angry – he did shout at the people -- and used his staff to vent a little of that anger. The Lord said it showed Moses and Aaron did not trust God enough to demonstrate His holiness to the people. In any case, it was because of this incident that Moses was not allowed to lead the people into the Promised Land.

Do you remember Edom? It was another name for Jacob’s brother, Esau. His descendants, headed by the king of Edom, would not let the Israelites pass through their land. They had to turn around.

Shortly after, Aaron dies and Eleazar takes his place. “All Israel mourned for him thirty days.”

Tomorrow, it’s Numbers 21 – 22.