Consequences

“And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus. Php. 4:19.”

# 27 2026 Dev. Numbers.19-20. Consequenced! Read all of chapters nineteen and twenty first.  We invite you into God’s space, to read His Word, to think on and interact with. This is God’s Story. Do you believe that this may also be part of our story, in our time? All passages are taken from the NIV.

Nu.19 “The water of Cleansing.”

Vs.1-8 “…the Lord has commanded: Tell the Israelites to bring you a red heifer without defect or blemish and that has never been under a yoke.” It was to be slaughtered outside the camp, all of it burned, and while burning, “The priest is to take some cedar wood, hyssop and scarlet wool and throw them onto the burning heifer.”

Vs.9-10 The ashes were to be gathered and stored outside the camp, and used to add to the water for cleansing.

Vs.11-16 “Whoever touches a human corpse will be unclean for seven days. They must purify themselves with the water on the third day and on the seventh day; then they will be clean. But if they do not purify themselves on the third and seventh days, they will not be clean.”

 Vs.17-22 This is how it was done. “For the unclean person, put some ashes from the burned purification offering into a jar and pour fresh water over them.” After that a ceremonially clean person sprinkles the water using hyssop on the tent, the furniture and all the people who were there. Today, we do more than being ceremonially clean; we strive to be clean of heart, but we know that is not possible for us humans in our broken condition. Do not despair, Jesus, by His grace, makes us clean, thanks be to God!

Nu. 20 “Water from the Rock”

Vs.1-11 “In the first month the whole Israelite community arrived at the Desert of Zin, and they stayed at Kadesh. There Miriam died and was buried.” But there was no water for them or their flocks. They complained bitterly to Moses and Aaron, blaming them, they forgot that God was leading them and they forgot how God had taken care of them ever since they had left Egypt. How often don’t we forget how God has taken care of us?  Moses and Aaron fell facedown before the Lord. God answered “Take your staff, and you and your brother Aaron gather the assembly together. Speak to that rock before their eyes and It will pour out its water.” But Moses did not do as the Lord had commanded; “Moses said to them, ‘Listen, you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock? Then Moses raised his arm and struck the rock twice with his staff. Water gushed out, and the community and their livestock drank.”’  

Vs.12-13 “But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, ‘Because you did not trust in me enough to honor me as holy in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land I gave them.’”

Vs.14-21 Twice Moses sent a request to the King of Edom, giving him their history of slavery and persecution, but the King would not let them go through his land on the King’s Highway that ran from Egypt to Bagdad. “Since Edom refused to let them go through their territory, Israel turned away from them.” The conflict between Jacob and Esau continues to this day. Not only Esau, but many other people around the world despise the Jews, even in our own country. Satan cannot stop his attack on the people of God, those who participate in their persecution are guilty. The New Israel is the Christian church but the people of God (Jews) are still His!  

The Death of Aaron

Vs.22-29. “The whole Israelite community set out from Kadesh and came to Mount Hor.” Because both Aaron and Moses had rebelled at Meribah, Aaron was to die on the mountain. God said to Moses; “get Aaron and his son Eleazar and take them up Mount Hor. Remove Aaron’s garments and put them on his son Eleazar, for Aaron will be gathered to his people; he will die there.” The whole community, mourned for him thirty days. Aaron was forgiven but he would not get to the promised land in this life. How many times have we rebelled against the Lord? Many times, but by faith, by the love and sacrifice of Jesus, we are forgiven and we are saved to enter the land (heaven). Praise Him! 

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