The Old Testament is difficult at times to read yet isn’t that where the learning comes from? Through hardships and difficulties in life?
The New Testament is easier to understand and takes my Splendid Spiritual Self to higher levels. But the groundwork, the refinement of the underlying spiritual principles, through struggle, is to be found in the Old Testament.
The Old prepares us for the New just like TROML extracts the inspiration from our past and allows us to format the world, to keep the world in check, while the New lifts us higher and higher and ultimately transforms us and transitions us to the New World ahead called the Kingdom of Heaven!
“What, are ye of the Old Testament?” will be my challenge to those who try to format me with a law-and-order, no heart perspective.
“What, are ye of the New Testament? will be my rejoice to those with an open and loving heart but no sense of discipline or rules or boundaries.
In reality, we are of both the Old and New Testament so let’s get on with our journey in life!
And the Lord came down in a cloud, and spoke to him, taking away of the spirit that was in Moses, and giving it to the seventy men. And when the spirit had raised on them they prophesized, nor did they cease afterwards.
Prophesy means to foretell or predict; to indicate beforehand; to declare or foretell by or as if by divine inspiration; to utter in prophecy or as a prophet.
O that all the people might prophesy, and that the Lord would give them his spirit!
Moses had had enough and had reached his human limitations dealing with all the children of Israel who were acting like children. So God saw he needed help and transferred some of Moses’ leadership spirit and responsibilities to seventy men known as ancients of Israel.
So even Moses, so close to God’s direction and power can get overwhelmed. So can I and so can you too!
Now God started going through the sins—jealousy, envy, pride—to give us some practical insights to their evil and how they do not help us prosper in life, Though remember that God is open that He is jealous and revengeful God. Cross him or step out of line and there will be consequences. And in the Old Testament, pre-Jesus’ human love and heart, they were severe.
Are ye of the Old Testament? Don’t be. Be both Old and New extracting spiritual principles and applying them to your life.
Mary and Aaron were jealous and spoke against Moses.
Hath the Lord spoken by Moses only? Hath he not also spoken to us in like manner?
But God knew Moses was a man exceeding meek above all men that dwelt upon the earth and challenged Mary and Aaron of their denial, justification, and rationalization.
Why then were you not afraid to speak ill of my servant Moses?
And being angry with them he went away and Mary appeared white as snow with a leprosy.
Aaron repented and prayed for Mary: “I beseech thee, my Lord, lay not upon us this sin, which we have foolishly committed.”
Moses prayed for Mary too: “O God, I beseech thee heal her.”
God relented and healed Mary. A foretelling of Jesus’ healing in the New Testament?
God’s details of lust were not given but killed many that had lusted before giving orders to move forward to the Promise Land.
The wrath of the Lord being provoked against the people, struck them with an exceeding great plague. And that place was called The Graves of lust” for there they buried the people that had lusted. And departing from the graves of lust, they came unto Haseroth, and abode there.
God’s example of pride was a bit more complicated as the children of Israel came close the Promise Land.
And the Lord spoke to Moses saying: Send men as spies to view the land of Chanaan, which I will give to the children of Israel, one of every tribe, of the rulers—Sammua, Saphat, Caleb, Igal, Osee, Phalti, Geddiel, Gaddi, Ammiel, Sthur, Nahabi, and Guel.
View the land of what sort it is; and the people that are the inhabitants thereof.
Be, of good courage, and bring us of the fruits of the land. Now it was the time when the first ripe grapes are fit to be eaten.
And they that went to spy out the land returned after forty days, having gone round all the country.
Telling everyone when they returned that the land “in very deed floweth with milk and honey.” But it hath very strong inhabitants, and the cities are great and walled.
But one of the twelve spies named Caleb said: “Let us go up and possess the land, for we shall be able to conquer it.”
Josue agreed but the ten others disagreed: “No, we are not able to go up to this people, because they are stronger than we. The people are of a tall statue. We saw certain monsters of the giant kind; in comparison of whom, we seemed like locusts.”
Upon hearing this the children of Israel wanted mutiny against Moses: “Is it not better to return to Egypt? Let us appoint a captain, and let us return into Egypt.”
But Celeb and Josue argued: “The land which we have gone round is very good. If the Lord be favorable, he will bring us into it, and give us a land flowing with milk and honey. Be not rebellious against the Lord: and fear ye not the people of this land, for we are able to eat them up as bread. All aid is gone from them: the Lord is with us, fear ye not.”
God was not amused of their pride and cowardice of the children of Israel: “How long will they not believe me for all the signs that I have wrought before them?”
Moses pleaded” “The Lord is patient and full of mercy, taking away iniquity and wickedness, and leaving no man clear, who visitest the sins of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation. Forgive, I beseech thee, the sins of this people, according to the greatness of thy mercy, as thou hast been merciful to them from their going out of Egypt unto this place.”
God did not relent: “I have forgiven according to thy word. But yet all the men that have tempted me now ten times, and have not obeyed my voice, shall not see the land for which I swore to their fathers, neither shall any one of them that hath detracted from me behold it.”
He affirmed Caleb: “My servant Caleb, who being full of another spirit hath followed me, I will bring into this land which he hath gone round: and his seed shall possess it.”
But rendered harsh judgment on the children of Israel: “Tomorrow remove the camp, and return into the wilderness by the way of the Red Sea. In the wilderness shall your carcasses lie. But your children…will I bring in: that they may see the land which you have despised. Your children shall wander in the desert forty years, and shall bear your fornication, until the carcasses of their father be consumed in the desert. You shall receive your iniquities and know my revenge… in this wilderness shall it faint away and die.”
And the people mourned exceedingly, changed their minds and pleaded to God for mercy: “We are ready to go up to the place, of which the Lord hath spoken: for we have sinned.”
But Moses told them the truth: “Go not up, for the Lord is not with you: lest you fall before your enemies. Because you would not consent to the Lord, neither will the Lord be with you. But the soul that committeth anything through pride… for he had contemned the word of the Lord, and made void his precept: therefore shall be destroyed and shall bear his iniquity.”
God reaffirmed that he is God: “They may remember all the commandments of the Lord, and not follow their own thoughts and eyes going astray after divers things, but rather being mindful of the precepts of the Lord, may do them and be holy to their God. I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, that I might be your God.”
He might be our God, he is my God for sure.
An Old Testament story whose message is that if God gives you a vision, you better have the courage to act on it or risk withering away in the desert of life.
Through our human jealousy, envy and pride; listen to God and do as He says!
Day 49: Reading The Bible with a TROML Perspective; Through Jealousy, Envy & Pride; Listen to God and Do as He Says!
Read and inspired by the Old Testament, The Book of Numbers Chapters 11-15
Bible Notes:
This Book is so called, because it begins with a census of the Hebrew nations.
It describes their departure from Mount Sinai, their journey to Moab, and gives various rules for distribution of the Promised Land.
Numbers Chapter 11: The people murmur and are punished by fire; The people desire flesh to eat; Moses complains to the Lord; The Lord promises ample food; Seventy ancients appointed; The Lord provides quail; The People are punished for lust.
In the meantime there arose a murmuring of the people against the Lord, as it were repining at their fatigue
Repining—to be fretfully discontented; fret; complain.
And the fire of the Lord being kindled against them, devoured them that were at the uttermost part of the camp.
Kindled—to start (a fire); cause (a flame, blaze, etc.) to begin burning.
Who shall give us flesh to eat?
Our soul is dry, our eyes behold nothing else but manna.
Why hast thou afflicted thy servant? Wherefore do I not find favor before thee?
I am not able alone to bear all this people, because it is too heavy for me.
Gather unto me seventy men of the ancients of Israel
And thou mayest not be burdened alone.
Is the hand of the Lord unable? Thou shalt presently see whether my word shall come to pass or no.
And the Lord came down in a cloud, and spoke to him, taking away of the spirit that was in Moses, and giving it to the seventy men. And when the spirit had raised on them they prophesized, nor did they cease afterwards.
Prophesy—to foretell or predict; to indicate beforehand; to declare or foretell by or as if by divine inspiration; to utter in prophecy or as a prophet.
O that all the people might prophesy, and that the Lord would give them his spirit!
And a wind going out from the Lord, taking quails up beyond the sea brought them, and cast them into the camp…
The wrath of the Lord being provoked against the people, struck them with an exceeding great plague. And that place was called The Graves of lust” for there they buried the people that had lusted. And departing from the graves of lust, they came unto Haseroth, and abode there.
Numbers Chapter 12: Mary and Aaron rebuked for jealousy; Mary becomes leprous; Mary cured through prayer of Moses.
And Mary and Aaron spoke against Moses
Hath the Lord spoken by Moses only?
Hath he not also spoken to us in like manner?
For Moses was a man exceeding meek above all men that dwelt upon the earth
Why then were you not afraid to speak ill of my servant Moses?
And being angry with them he went away.
Mary appeared white as snow with a leprosy.
Aaron: I beseech thee, my Lord, lay not upon us this sin, which we have foolishly committed.
Moses: O God, I beseech thee heal her.
Numbers Chapter 13: Twelve spies sent into Chanaan; Moses instructs the spies; The acts of the spies; Report of the spies.
And the people marched from Haseroth, and pitched their tents in the desert of Pharan.
And the Lord spoke to Moses saying: Send men to view the land of Chanaan, which I will give to the children of Israel, one of every tribe, of the rulers—Sammua, Saphat, Caleb, Igal, Osee, Phalti, Geddiel, Gaddi, Ammiel, Sthur, Nahabi, and Guel.
View the land of what sort it is; and the people that are the inhabitants thereof.
Be, of good courage, and bring us of the fruits of the land. Now it was the time when the first ripe grapes are fit to be eaten.
And they that went to spy out the land returned after forty days, having gone round all the country.
Which in very deed floweth with milk and honey
But it hath very strong inhabitants, and the cities are great and walled
Caleb: Let us go up and possess the land, for we shall be able to conquer it.
No, we are not able to go up to this people, because they are stronger than we.
The people are of a tall statue
We saw certain monsters of the giant kind; in comparison of whom, we seemed like locusts.
Numbers Chapter 14: The people complain; Josue and Celeb encourage the people; The Lord threatens the people; Moses prays for the people; The Lord forgives the people; The Lord decrees forty years of wandering; Death of ten of the spies; Defeat by Amalecites and Chanaanites.
Is it not better to return to Egypt? And they said one to another: Let us appoint a captain, and let us return into Egypt.
Josue & Celeb: The land which we have gone round is very good. If the Lord be favorable, he will bring us into it, and give us a land flowing with milk and honey. Be not rebellious against the Lord: and fear ye not the people of this land, for we are able to eat them up as bread. All aid is gone from them: the Lord is with us, fear ye not.
How long will they not believe me for all the signs that I have wrought before them?
The Lord is patient and full of mercy, taking away iniquity and wickedness, and leaving no man clear, who visitest the sins of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation. Forgive, I beseech thee, the sins of this people, according to the greatness of thy mercy, as thou hast been merciful to them from their going out of Egypt unto this place.
I have forgiven according to thy word.
But yet all the men that have tempted me now ten times, and have not obeyed my voice, shall not see the land for which I swore to their fathers, neither shall any one of them that hath detracted from me behold it.
My servant Caleb, who being full of another spirit hath followed me, I will bring into this land which he hath gone round: and his seed shall possess it.
Tomorrow remove the camp, and return into the wilderness by the way of the Red Sea.
In the wilderness shall your carcasses lie.
Except Caleb and Josue
But your children…will I bring in: that they may see the land which you have despised.
Your children shall wander in the desert forty years, and shall bear your fornication, until the carcasses of their father be consumed in the desert.
You shall receive your iniquities and know my revenge… in this wilderness shall it faint away and die.
And the people mourned exceedingly
We are ready to go up to the place, of which the Lord hath spoken: for we have sinned.
Go not up, for the Lord is not with you: lest you fall before your enemies.
Because you would not consent to the Lord, neither will the Lord be with you.
Numbers Chapter 15: Laws concerning sacrifices; Offerings of firstfruit; Offering for sins through ignorance; Punishment for pride; Punishment for violating the Sabbath; Fringes on garments.
There shall be all one law and judgment both for you and for them who are strangers in the land.
And if through ignorance you omit any of these things…
But the soul that committeth anything through pride.. for he had contemned the word of the Lord, and made void his precept: therefore shall be destroyed and shall bear his iniquity.
Contemned—to treat or regard with disdain, scorn, or contempt.
Had found a man gathering sticks, violating the Sabbath. And the Lord said to Moses: Let that man die let all the multitude stone him without the camp.
They may remember all the commandments of the Lord, and not follow their own thoughts and eyes going astray after divers things, but rather being mindful of the precepts of the Lord, may do them and be holy to their God. I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, that I might be your God.
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