Read Deuteronomy 9-11:1
 
Deuteronomy 9:16-18 There below me I could see that you had sinned against the Lord your God. You had melted gold and made a calf idol for yourselves. How quickly you had turned away from the path the Lord had commanded you to follow! 17 So I took the stone tablets and threw them to the ground, smashing them before your eyes. 18 Then, as before, I threw myself down before the Lord for forty days and nights. I ate no bread and drank no water because of the great sin you had committed by doing what the Lord hated, provoking him to anger.
 
THIS wasn’t planned, but perhaps God has directed this “40-day” scripture for this day. On the church calendar February 17 is Ash Wednesday, which begins the 40 days of Lent in the church calendar. “Lent”, which means “lengthening of days” is often considered a time of fasting, dedication and/or preparation for Resurrection Day – Easter Sunday. The purpose is to find a way each day you more personally consider Jesus’ suffering, death and resurrection for your life. The period actually covers 48 days before Easter, ending on Good Friday. Sunday’s are not counted. Perhaps you might personalize this lesson for your next 40 days.
   Moses gives us quite an example, doesn’t he? How does one grasp the reality of Moses’ passionate petitions for Israel? Praying prostrate on the ground with no food and water for 40 days is not humanly possible. Most of us can’t get past one minute of prayer. How did he do this?
   Certainly God’s presence empowered Moses to love Israel so much he would pray so deeply for them and live through this ordeal.
   One thing we learn of Moses is his consistent desire to protect Israel and others from God’s wrath. In addition to this 40-day prayer, he interceded for Israel at several critical junctures in the 40-year wanderings. He prayed for them when they rebelled against him. Moses prayed for God to forgive Aaron when he formed the golden calf. Moses prayed for Miriam in God’s judgment of leprosy for her envy against Moses. Moses had harsh words for Israel in their sins. He also had passionate prayers for God to forgive their sins. As a good shepherd, Moses was angry over the sin while still loving the sinners.
   The number 40 is one God had chosen to demonstrate devotion, repentance, worship and cleansing. Forty days of rain washed the sin from  the earth (Genesis 7). Israel was judged to 40 years of Wilderness wandering for disobeying God’s command to conquer the Land. In his despair, Elijah traveled 40 days to meet with and find renewal in God’s presence (1 Kings 19). Jesus battled the devil 40 days in the wilderness (Luke 4). Forty days of cleansing, of resisting evil, of repentance…the struggle is enormous…the struggle is for life…the struggle is constant.
   Consider, also, how God has transformed Moses’ resistant, judging heart to a great, sacrificial love for Israel. Yes Moses was angry and often very frustrated with Israel’s lack of faith. Yet, love is why Moses didn’t quit. To Israel, Moses reflected the holy love God had extended to him. When you know God loves you even as you are a sinner, how can you not love sinners? God’s will was done on earth as he forgave Israel and moved them toward their future.
   Do you need to meet with God? Who in your family needs your loving intercession? Might you devote yourself to pray for someone – even yourself – for the next 40 days?
 
1 Thessalonians 5:17 pray continually.

 

Read Numbers 27:15-23, 32, and 34-35:8
 
Numbers 27:15-19 Then Moses said to the Lord, 16 “O Lord, you are the God who gives breath to all creatures. Please appoint a new man as leader for the community. 17 Give them someone who will guide them wherever they go and will lead them into battle, so the community of the Lord will not be like sheep without a shepherd.”18 The Lord replied, “Take Joshua son of Nun, who has the Spirit in him, and lay your hands on him. 19 Present him to Eleazar the priest before the whole community, and publicly commission him to lead the people.”
 
THIS week is a series of sermons from Moses as his life ends, and Israel’s new life will begin in the Promised Land. The LORD as a Commander, Father, and Shepherd has led Israel to the eastern bank of the Jordan River. Moses used his final days to remind Israel of who God is and who they are as God’s inheritance. He taught a new generation of Israel how to faithfully live in love with the Lord their God.
   Before Moses spoke, he prayed that God would choose one who will lead them into battle. Moses knew the first challenge in Canaan would be war. God said it would happen. The soldiers had been counted. Most nations in Canaan would not simply give their territory to Israel. Some did. But Israel needed to conquer. God often requires us to fight for what he has given us.
   It is unlikely any of us have prayed for a new pastor or new church leaders as ones who would lead us to into battle. But perhaps we should. The church needs leaders who are willing to enter the war Satan began in Eden. We stand down too often against a foe who is relentless to destroy us. Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your Christian brothers and sisters all over the world are going through the same kind of suffering you are. (1 Peter 5:8-9)
   Let’s know that our first order of business as a church each day is to conquer evil. We are to do so with a firm confidence God has anointed us to his purpose. When we understand El Shaddai is our strength, we know we will be victorious as God promised.
 
1 John 2:13-14 I am writing to you who are mature in the faith because you know Christ, who existed from the beginning. I am writing to you who are young in the faith because you have won your battle with the evil one. 14b I have written to you who are young in the faith because you are strong. God’s word lives in your hearts, and you have won your battle with the evil one. 
  

Read Numbers 26
 
Numbers 26:11 The line of Korah, however, did not die out.
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52-53 Then the Lord said to Moses, 53 “Divide the land among the tribes, and distribute the grants of land in proportion to the tribes’ populations, as indicated by the number of names on the list.”
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64-65 Not one person on this list had been among those listed in the previous registration taken by Moses and Aaron in the wilderness of Sinai. For the Lord had said of them, “They will all die in the wilderness.” Not one of them survived except Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun.
 
AS El Shaddai prepares to lead Israel into the Promised Land, he commands a second census to distribute the grants of land in proportion to the tribes’ populations. It was time to for Israel to remember, “Who is counted out? Who is counted in?”
   God had counted 40 years as Israel’s punishment. They did not count on God’ provision and protection to conquer the Promised Land. A generation had died in the desert – counted out.
   A new generation had matured and was born to enter the land of God’s promise - counted in. The Levite Korah rebelled against Moses and Aaron. Korah and his immediate family were swallowed up into the earth – counted out. But some of Korah’s descendants would go on to lead worship in Israel – counted in.
   Caleb and Joshua 40 years before were the two spies who urged Israel onward: “Do not rebel against the Lord, and don't be afraid of the people of the land. They are only helpless prey to us! They have no protection, but the Lord is with us! Don’t be afraid of them!”  “You can count on God’s power.” they might have said. In response, Israel wanted to count out Caleb and Joshua. The whole community began to talk about stoning Joshua and Caleb. God then stepped in to save his faithful leaders. Then the glorious presence of the Lord appeared to all the Israelites at the Tabernacle. (Numbers 14:9-10) Today these two faithful men are counted among the leaders of God’s covenant nation to establish their presence in the Promised Land.
   The unfaithful are counted out of God’s promises and our Christian heritage. The faithful are counted in to receive God’s blessings and become our ancestors of the faith.
   What do you think? Would God count you out or in? Can the church count you in to be a faithful member, servant and leader. Are you counted as courageous and to do as the LORD has appointed you?
 
Revelation 7:9 “After this I saw a vast crowd, too great to count, from every nation and tribe and people and language, standing in front of the throne and before the Lamb. They were clothed in white robes and held palm branches in their hands. 10 And they were shouting with a mighty shout, “Salvation comes from our God who sits on the throne and from the Lamb!”
 
 

Read Numbers 25, 31
 
Numbers 25:1-3 While the Israelites were camped at Acacia Grove, some of the men defiled themselves by having sexual relations with local Moabite women. 2 These women invited them to attend sacrifices to their gods, so the Israelites feasted with them and worshiped the gods of Moab. 3 In this way, Israel joined in the worship of Baal of Peor, causing the Lord’s anger to blaze against his people.
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Numbers 31:1-2 Then the Lord said to Moses, 2 “On behalf of the people of Israel, take revenge on the Midianites for leading them into idolatry.”
 
SIN is easy to do, isn’t it? Believe in worldly treasures, and they replace God as your first pleasure. Israel’s armies had defeated armed foes. But then Israel’s men surrendered to the Moabite and Midianite women who led them to idolatry.
   The desert was dry. God gave water. Israel was hungry. God fed them daily. Israel was lost. God led them. Israel needed help. God empowered them. Sin tempted Israel. God told them how to be holy. Temptation became Moab’s deadly weapon.  
   The LORD’s just response describes his anger burned. Obeying his own law, the Holy God condemned the guilty. Do you think God was unfair to give his people no opportunity to repent? We have seen this several times throughout the journey. When sin corrupted the camp, the LORD immediately judged and removed the sinners.
   You might wonder, “Where is God’s forgiveness, his grace, his love?” in truth, you can find God’s love in his covenant with Israel. As you read through the Bible, keep in mind how God weaves his story into a picture displaying his glory. To know God’s grace, remember his promise in Exodus 19:4 “You have seen what I did to the Egyptians. You know how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. 5 Now if you will obey me and keep my covenant, you will be my own special treasure from among all the peoples on earth; for all the earth belongs to me. 6 And you will be my kingdom of priests, my holy nation.” God’s character – grace, justice, love, etc. – are in his promises. In love, God created Israel. He set them apart as his unique nation on earth. By grace they were saved to be blessed in every aspect of life. God had prepared a new Eden to give to them. He promised blessing for obedience and curses for disobedience. His Word is sure. But just as Adam and Eve, Israel refused to accept their God. God judged the sinners to save the nation.
   There are some very difficult judgments in Numbers 31. But this terror began five centuries before this event. Genesis 19:37 records Moab came Lot’s daughter’s perversion to have a son by her father. Genesis 25:2 records the Midianites were form Abraham’s concubine’s fourth son, Midian. Then Exodus 2-3 tells us Moses lived 40 years in the desert among the Midianites. His wife Zipporah was the daughter of a Midianite priest! Was Moses exposed to the same idolatry Israel faced? Was God’s judgment to completely erase the threat of future Midian influence?
   Perhaps God’s judgment illustrates the final judgment. Be extremely thankful “There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from  the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in sinful man.” (Romans 8:1-3)
  
 
 

Numbers 20-21, 33
 
Numbers 20:12-13 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 give them.” 13 These were the waters of Meribah, where the Israelites quarreled with the Lord and where he showed himself holy among them.
 
Numbers has much to do with counting the tribes, soldiers and priests in Israel. Perhaps one could also number the many accounts of needless trouble in the nation. These three chapters reveal God’s enduring efforts to transform a disobedient, angry Israel into a faithful nation who loves God above all. Remember, love is the moving force of God’s will. I AM had formed Israel to be an example of his loving blessings to a sin-troubled world. But Israel loved themselves first. Alas, they preferred the trouble.
    Even the now passionate Moses and Aaron missed the Promised Land because of their unneeded sin. Told to speak to a rock to draw water for the nation’s thirst, Moses angrily, forcefully and pridefully struck it twice. Two times he committed a purposeful direct act against God’s Word. Consequently, God kept Moses and Aaron from the Promised Land.
   Do you think God was too harsh? After all, they had diligently worked nearly 40 years to lead a rebellious people into God’s specific commands.  Worship was to be perfectly done. Aaron had learned of God’s precision through his sons’ deaths.
   For a moment Moses rejected God’s commands. That’s all sin needs – one moment when we put ourselves above God’s commands. The people saw Moses act, and the glory moved from God to the man.  
   A second trouble in this section is the plague of the snakes. Again, the people murmured against God and Moses. Had they forgotten their sin is the reason for the 40 yeas wandering? How quickly we name God as our enemy when we have betrayed him! There are two things we must know: our sin will reveal his judgment; our obedience will reveal his blessings.
   Third, Numbers 33 could be called a summary of Israel’s unneeded trouble. This roundabout, repetitious journey was not God’s first plan. The 40-year wandering was God’s punishment who rejected I AM’s judgment and blessing promises.
   Be thankful God is love. He came to earth to stop sin’s deadly plague on our souls: John 3:14 “Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up.” Jesus is the Father’s love to save you from death. Look to Jesus and remove the trouble of your soul.