# 16 2026 Dev. Isa.42.  Here is My Servant! Read all of chapter forty-two 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.

Isaiah 42 “Be silent before me, you islands! Let the nations renew their strength Let them come forward and speak; let us meet together at the place of judgment.

Vs.1-4. “Here is my servant…”  God upholds him, he is chosen, God delights in him, God puts his Spirit on him, he will bring justice, he will not announce his coming, he will be compassionate, he will practice justice, in his teaching the world will hope. The Prophet is describing Jesus Christ. He is our hope, in our broken world!

Vs.5-9. “This is what God the Lord says-” I have created the heavens and the earth, the people on it and the breath of life. “I, the Lord, have called you in righteousness;” Here the prophet is referring to the servant, God protects him, he will be a covenant, a light also for the Gentiles, he will open eyes, physically and spiritually, free captives from dungeons and from sin. This continues to this day. We have a covenantal relationship with Him, he has opened our eyes spiritually and He has set us free!  God says to us “ I am the Lord”, I am He and I declare a new  thing to you. Are we listening?

“Song of Praise to the Lord”

Vs.10-17 “Sing to the Lord a new song, his praise from the ends of the earth”. God calls the earth, and all that is in it, to praise. The Lord is in a battle with his enemies, Satan and his fallen angels, but God will triumph. “For a long time, I have kept silent”, yet his prophets have proclaimed, including this prophet, and now God himself proclaims that nature will do his bidding, the blind will see, there will be light. “I will make the rough places smooth, a voice crying in the wilderness,” said John the Baptist, the last Old Testament prophet. Mk.1:3. But this only applies to those who trust in the Lord. Where are you today? We have plenty of idols, stumbling blocks in our lives. Where is your trust?

“Israel Blind and Deaf”

Vs.18-25. “Hear, you deaf; look, you blind, and see!” The prophets here speak of those who have rejected God’s rule, rejected his righteous laws, and his grace. The Israelites are God’s servants from the beginning, “A light to the Gentiles, a blessing to all the families of the earth.” In that sense Israel is God’s servant, a type of Christ. That was God’s plan all along, beginning with the “mother promise” Gen 3:15, to redeem His creation, to take it back, all of it! This is the question for us today: “Which of you will listen to this or pay close attention in time to come?” Today, are we listening to God’s voice, the voice of nature all around us, the voice of the scriptures, the voice of the Holy Spirit in our hearts and the voice of the church? Blessed are those who see and hear!

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#  15 2026 Dev. Numbers 7. The Offering! Read all of chapter seven 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.7 “Offerings at the dedication of the Tabernacle.” this chapter highlights the dedication of the Tabernacle. This event happened around 3500 years ago. The workmanship of the Tabernacle and the accompanying furniture is amazing for that time period. It is true that God granted people working on the Tabernacle His Spirit to be able to accomplish it as God wanted. Ask yourself this question: What does this event, the dedication, and the offerings mean for us today?

Vs. 1-9 “When Moses finished setting up the tabernacle, he anointed and consecrated it and all its furnishings.” Then the Israelites brought; “They brought as their gifts before the Lord six covered carts and twelve oxen—an ox from each leader and a cart from every two. These they presented before the tabernacle.” Moses assigned these to the Levites to be used to transport the tabernacle. But the Holy things were to be carried by those assigned to do so. The whole event, the moving of the tabernacle, is so regulated, as God had directed to Moses. The Tabernacle represented God with them, living among them! That is happening today in the person of Jesus and the Holy Spirit! When one looks back at how it was then, do we appreciate, Emanuel, God with us today?

Vs.10-83 “When the altar was anointed, the leaders brought their offerings for its dedication and presented them before the altar.” For the next 12 days each tribe brought an offering, beginning with Judah. The offerings were basically the same for each tribe.

Vs.84-88 This is the total of what was brought: “These were the offerings of the Israelite leaders for the dedication of the altar when it was anointed: twelve silver plates, twelve silver sprinkling bowls and twelve gold dishes. ⁸⁵ Each silver plate weighed a hundred and thirty shekels, and each sprinkling bowl seventy shekels. Altogether, the silver dishes weighed two thousand four hundred shekels according to the sanctuary shekel. ⁸⁶ The twelve gold dishes filled with incense weighed ten shekels each, according to the sanctuary shekel. Altogether, the gold dishes weighed a hundred and twenty shekels. ⁸⁷ The total number of animals for the burnt offering came to twelve young bulls, twelve rams and twelve male lambs a year old, together with their grain offering. Twelve male goats were used for the sin offering. ⁸⁸ The total number of animals for the sacrifice of the fellowship offering came to twenty-four oxen, sixty rams, sixty male goats and sixty male lambs a year old. These were the offerings for the dedication of the altar after it was anointed.” This was a very large offering to the Lord. We also make offerings to the Lord. Through our churches, or other Christian organizations. What do our offerings go for? Some goes for the maintenance of the building and for the staff. A workman deserves his/her wages! 1 Tim 5:18. What about the poor, the homeless, those disenfranchised, the persecuted, the hostage, those who do not yet know Jesus? We are bombarded every day to give for one cause or another. Are we paying attention to who and to what we give to?

V. 89 Moses entered the tent (tabernacle) and God spoke to him. Does God speak to us today? Yes! He speaks by the work and the Spirit of Jesus, our Lord and Savior!

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^“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Eph. 2:10.

# 14 2026 Dev. Isa.41. God Judges and God Helps! Read all of chapter forty-one 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.

Isaiah 41 “Be silent before me, you islands! Let the nations renew their strength Let them come forward and speak; let us meet together at the place of judgment.

Vs.1-9 God calls people to account. God is in control, he calls those who will judge. “One from the east…and subdues nations…and subdues kings…I, the Lord-with the first them and with the last-I am he.” Idolatry is condemned, “but you Israel, my servant…I have chosen…I took you from the ends of the earth…I have called you.” So also, God calls us from among those who refuse to believe, we are called to be His servants by the power of the Spirit and by God’s Grace! How are you serving today?

Vs.10-20 Here God’s comforts us: “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” The rest of this section tells us that God is active on our behalf and ends with this: “so that people may see and know, may consider and understand that the hand of the Lord has done this, that the Holy One of Israel has created it.” God is with us, forgiving, protecting, providing, giving us His Grace. Amen!

Vs..21-29 “Present your case,” says the Lord. “Set forth your arguments,” says Jacob’s King. “Tell us, you idols, what is going to happen.” God challenges all those who reject Him and think they know how life works, how God has ordained everyone’s life. No one knows the future but God knows and he ordains it for the benefit of his people. Without God’s purpose in our lives, life, is meaningless. “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose…What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?” Rom 8:28-39. There is no argument against this passage. This is what Easter is all about. “Our resurrected Savior lives, the first born of the dead.” And God’s purpose for us is to follow Jesus into everlasting life. Amen!

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 ^“Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given.” Jn. 1:16

#  13 2026 Dev. Numbers 5-6. The Blessing! Read all of chapter 4,5 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.5 “The Unclean, Wrongs, an Unfaithful Wife.”

Vs.1-4. God ordered Moses to remove those unclean from the camp. This is a time when very little medication was available. We read in the former chapter that if there was healing, the person could be deemed clean by the priest. In those days prayer and dependence on God was in the forefront of healing. This still is important today, even with all the medications we have, God always answers our prayers, we are healed in this life or when God calls us home.

Vs.5-10. “The Lord said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites: ‘Any man or woman who wrongs another in any way^. and so is unfaithful to the Lord is guilty.” Restitution must be made and a fifth of the value is added on plus a ram sacrificed which is atonement for the wrong. That is how the court system works today, the guilty person must make restitution. But it appears that all wrong, large or small, “in any way,” is an affront to God.

Vs.11-13. The unfaithful wife: if she is suspected of adultery, but there is no witness, the priest must perform the ceremony for wrong doing. She must confess or face the test of drinking water mixed with dust from the temple floor. If not guilty the curse will not harm her. This still goes on in some cultures, I know of it in the African context. The question I have is; what about an unfaithful husband. It seems that since polygamy was allowed, he is never questioned. Thank God we have laws today that treat women and men alike when it comes to unfaithfulness.

Nu.6 “The Nazirite, The Blessing.”  

Vs.1-21 “The Lord said to Moses, ‘Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘If a man or woman wants to make a special vow, a vow of dedication to the Lord as a Nazirite, they must abstain from wine and other fermented drink…”’ Further they may not cut their hair for the duration of their vow and they must keep themselves ceremonially clean.

At the end of their vow they must do the following: “‘Now this is the law of the Nazirite when the period of their dedication is over. They are to be brought to the entrance to the tent of meeting. There they are to present their offerings to the Lord: a year-old male lamb without defect for a burnt offering, a year-old ewe lamb without defect for a sin offering, a ram without defect for a fellowship offering, together with their grain offerings and drink offerings, and a basket of bread made with the finest flour and without yeast—thick loaves with olive oil mixed in, and thin loaves brushed with olive oil.” The person presents himself to the priest, he/she is shaved and the hair is burned in the fire under the alter. The priest makes a sin offering. Do we make vows today? Yes, I think we do, we dedicate ourselves to a ministry or a worthy project or a financial commitment to a worthy cause. And God blesses us accordingly!

Vs.22-27. ^“The Lord said to Moses, Tell Aaron and his sons, ‘This is how you are to bless the Israelites. Say to them:             The Lord bless you and keep you;
the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you;
the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace. So they will put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them.”  Today God puts His Name on us and blesses us” Thanks be to God!

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#  11 2026 Dev. Numbers 3-4. The First Born! Read all of chapter thee and four 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.3. “This is the account of the family of Aaron and Moses at the time the Lord spoke to Moses at Mount Sinai.”

Nu. 4. “In this chapter we have an account of those of the tribe of Levi who were in the prime of their time for service, between thirty and fifty years old.”

Vs.1-13 The tribe of Levi is designated to assist Aron and his sons in the work, the maintenance and the transportation of the sanctuary. The tribe was taken by God to replace the first born of the Israelites. Why? “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.” Yet, during the time of the Patriarchs, God did not choose the first born, also at the time of King David.  Today, we have the freedom to choose what one does for a living and also how we want to serve the Lord. Today, the Holy Spirit guides us, Amen!

Vs.14-39 This is basically the division of labor, who was to do what and where they would be allowed to pitch their tents. The total of the males six months and above was 22,000.

Vs.40-51 Moses was told to count all the first born of all the Israelites, and they counted 22,273. But this exceeded the Levites by 273, so, God wanted to redeem them as well. God told Moses to collect five shekels per person to redeem them as the first born. The redemption of the first-born points us to Jesus; “The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. Colossians 1:15”The creation that God is redeeming is ongoing, but Christians are now redeemed in Jesus Christ!

Chapter 4 The three clans of the Levite’s are assigned their tasks.

Vs.2-20 First, no one could look at the holy things in the tabernacle, only the priests are to take the articles, cover them with a blue cloth and then cover them with leather only then the people designated to carry would be allowed to pick up the article. The Kohathites were assigned this task.

Vs.21-28 The Gershonites were to carry all the curtains that made up the tabernacle.

Vs.29-33 The Merarites were to carry all “the frames of the tabernacle, its crossbars, posts and bases, as well as the posts of the surrounding courtyard with their bases, tent pegs, ropes, all their equipment and everything related to their use.”

Vs.34-49 “The numbering of the Levite clans.” The total number of the clans was 8,580. God assigned everyone their task. This was important, because they ended up wandering in the desert for forty years. God redeemed them all, those who stayed faithful to God and to their task. It is no different today; faithfulness, belief in Jesus, results in integrity to what God has assigned to us, amen!

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#  10 2026 Dev. Isa.38:1. Does God Change His mind? Read all of chapter thirty-eight 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.

Isaiah 38:2-3 “Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord, ‘Remember, Lord, how I have walked before you faithfully and with wholehearted devotion and have done what is good in your eyes.’ And Hezekiah wept bitterly.’”

Isaiah.38 Stands in juxtaposition to Ch.37; Jerusalem is saved but the King, in the strength of his life, is going to die. Hezekiah’s prayer changes God’s mind. If that wasn’t enough, God sends him an amazing sign. God moves the sun back, or the earth forward 10%, unbelievable! Hezekiah, asks for the sign, but the prophet asks God to do it. (2kings 20:10-11). This chapter continues with Hezekiah’s reaction to the miracle of healing. Note that God uses a natural means to heal Hezekiah.

Vs.1-6 “In those days Hezekiah became ill and was at the point of death.” God sends Isaiah to inform the king, “Put your house in order, because you are going to die; you will not recover.” Hezekiah prayed: “Remember, Lord, how I have walked before you faithfully and with wholehearted devotion and have done what is good in your eyes. ‘And Hezekiah wept bitterly.’” Are there many of us who could pray a prayer like that?  God hears his prayer, Isaiah is sent back to Hezekiah to tell him he will live fifteen more years. But Hezekiah asks for a sign, not just any sign; “It is a simple matter for the shadow to go forward ten steps,” said Hezekiah. “Rather, have it go back, ten steps.”

Vs.7-8  “‘This is the Lord’s sign to you that the Lord will do what he has promised: I will make the shadow cast by the sun go back the ten steps it has gone down on the stairway of Ahaz. ‘So, the sunlight went back the ten steps it had gone down.’” There is no archaeological evidence that there was a sun dial or steps that could measure time, nor is there any astrological evidence but by faith we know that this happened.

Vs.9-22 “A writing of Hezekiah king of Judah after his illness and recovery:” Hezekiah, here uses one metaphor after another to describe what he has gone through; “The gates of death… I will not again see the Lord himself in the land of the living… like a shepherd’s tent my house had been pulled down… Like a weaver I have rolled up my life… like a lion he broke all my bones… I moaned like a morning dove…What can I say?… I will walk humbly all my years… Lord, by such things people live… You restored me to health and let me live…in your love you kept me…you have put all my sins behind my back… The living, the living they praise you, as I am doing today… The Lord will save me…” Isaiah tells them to “prepare a poultice of figs and apply it to the boil and he will recover.” This is an amazing event, God changing his plan for Hezekiah. How many times has God changed His mind for us, because of our prayers? I believe many times. Keep on praying!

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#  09 2026 Dev. Numbers 1-2 The Chosen! Read all of chapter one and two.  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.1. God orders a census after the rules and commandments in Leviticus, God establishes a Theocracy, a Kingdom with God as King.

 Nu. 2. God sets the order of assembly, where to pitch their tents in relation to the tabernacle. Also, the order of marching when moving from one area to another.

Vs.1-19 God gave Moses the names of the men to conduct the census one from each tribe. But Ephraim replaces Joseph and Manasseh replaces Levi, they are to tend the tabernacle as Priests, responsible for maintenance, break down and setup. They are the only ones who are allowed to carry the tabernacle, only the Levites can touch the holy things. They are to count “every man 20 yr. old and above who are able to serve in the army.” And every man was to be written down by name and tribe.

Vs. 20-46 All the tribes are counted, men, 20 yrs. old and above and there were 603,550 total. It appears the count included men ready for military service, plus the Levies were not counted, most scholars estimate a total population of two million plus.

Vs. 47-54 Basically lays out the role of the tribe of Levi. This chapter highlights the importance of organizing, and setting direction when God is in their midst 24/7. What about us? Are we thinking about God in our midst, living in us by His Spirit 24/7?  “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.” They are a hedge as Jesus is our hedge today, “by His stripes we are healed!”

Chapter 2 God, appoints the who and the what will comprise the composition of the groups of the tribes and progression of travel. Judah is first, he will camp east of the Tabernacle. He will be joined by two tribes, Issachar and Zebulun, making up group one. Moving counter clockwise, Reuben will be south of the camp. He is joined by the tribe of Simeon and Gad making up group two. At the west of the camp, the tribe of Ephraim. He will be joined by the tribe of Manasseh, and Benjamin making up group three. At the north of the camp will be the tribe of Dan. And he will be joined by the tribe of Asher and Naphtali making up group four. These are the groups God chose to camp around the Tabernacle and the order of departure, Judah being first. Of all the children of Jacob, Judah is the one chosen to be in the line of Christ, in spite of his indiscretion with Tamar a Canaanite woman who was married to Judah’s son. God works all things for the good of His people. Throughout, the long genealogies God added many persons from different tribes and peoples into the line of Jesus. Therefore, every kind of person is acceptable to God in Christ Jesus. That includes you!

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#  08 2026 Dev. Isa.37:3 God’s Assurance! Read all of chapter thirty-seven 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.

Isaiah 37:3 Hezekiah sends his official, in sack-cloth, to Isaiah: “This is what Hezekiah says: This day is a day of distress and rebuke and disgrace, as when children come to the moment of birth and there is no strength to deliver them.”

 Isaiah.37 This Ch. continues from Ch.36. In this chapter we see the fulfillment of prophecies of the forgoing chapters in Isa. We see Hezekiah humble himself before God. God answers his prayer. “Sennacherib sent messengers saying, ‘don’t be fooled, your god can’t save you, he is like all the other gods of the nations I have conquered!”‘ “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall. Pr.16:18.” He will be surprised and overwhelmed!

Vs.1-7 “When King Hezekiah heard this, he tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and went into the temple of the Lord. He sent Eliakim the palace administrator, Shebna the secretary, and the leading priests, all wearing sackcloth, to the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz…When King Hezekiah’s officials came to Isaiah, Isaiah said to them, “Tell your master, ‘This is what the Lord says: Do not be afraid of what you have heard—those words with which the underlings of the king of Assyria have blasphemed me.’” This all came down to the blaspheming of God’s name and His power by the field commander and Sennacherib as well. “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.Gal.6:7”

 Vs.8-20 Sennacherib sent messages to Hezekiah, laying out to him all he had done to many countries. “Hezekiah received the letter from the messengers and read it. Then he went up to the temple of the Lord and spread it out before the Lord. And He prayed; ‘You have made heaven and earth. Give ear, Lord, and hear; open your eyes, Lord, and see; listen to all the words Sennacherib has sent to ridicule the living God.’ He continues; ‘Now, Lord our God, deliver us from his hand, so that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you, Lord, are the only God.'”The Lord God is the only Living God, He created us in our mother’s wombs, he has sustained us, guided us, protected us and lives in us by His Spirit!

Vs.21-38 Isaiah sends a response to Hezekiah in writing; “Virgin Daughter Zion despises and mocks you…By your messenger you have ridiculed and blasphemed…And you have said, I have ascended the height of the mountains…I have dug wells and drunk water there…Have you not heard long ago I ordained it…But I know where you are and when you come and go, and how you rage against me…I will put my hook in your nose and my bit in your mouth, and I will make you return, by the way you came…By the way that he came he will return; he will not enter this city, declares the Lord. I will defend this city and save it, for the sake of David my servant!’ Then the angel of the Lord went out and put to death a hundred and eighty-five thousand in the Assyrian camp.” Sennacherib returned to Nineveh and his two sons killed him. This was the end of the Assyrian empire. There are forces in the world today to kill Christians, to oppose Christianity in our own country, to discredit churches and the message of salvation. This is blasphemy, we hear it every day. Beware people, God is not mocked! Pray for God’s protection!

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“If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. Jn.15:10

#  07 2026 Dev. Lev.26-27.Obedience and Disobedience! read all of chapter twenty-six and twenty-seven 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.

Lev. 26 is all about obedience; obeying God’s decrees and commands “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.” The blessings of obedience! If Obedience is important then also disobedience, that would result as the opposite of above.

Vs.1-13 Obedience is rewarded. “Observe my Sabbaths and have reverence for my sanctuary. I am the Lord.” As Christians we do set aside a day for the Lord, for most of us it is Sunday. In contrast to the Sabbath in Moses day, Christ has given us freedom in our service to God. The rewards “‘I will look on you with favor and make you fruitful and increase your numbers, and I will keep my covenant with you. You will still be eating last year’s harvest when you will have to move it out to make room for the new.  I will put my dwelling place among you, and I will not abhor you. I will walk among you and be your God, and you will be my people.” That promise has been given to us in Christ Jesus. He lives in us by His Spirit, guiding, protecting, and growing our faith

Vs.14-46 Disobedience. The results; “You will plant seed in vain, because your enemies will eat it. 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.” God is always ready to give second changes. But, “‘If after all this you will not listen to me, I will punish you for your sins seven times over.”

“Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near. Isaiah 55:6.”

Lev.27 Redeeming, what is vowed to the Lord. This chapter is about going above and beyond what is required. People can be dedicated, children, property, animals. The price of each is set, and can be redeemed, if the person wants to redeem, one fifth of the price is added.  Today we have much more freedom, we decide how much we give to God, through our churches, some, think that it should 10% but that should not limit us we should give according to our blessings. We should also give to special projects to meet needs. Example, housing, money for wells, for education in third world counties, money for transportation for missionaries. People are free to go above and beyond, we have experienced that as missionaries. God is Good!

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