Don’t settle for second best.

Numbers 33:50-34:29 'Drive out all the inhabitants of the land' (52): We must drive out the enemy (Satan) if we are to enter more fully into our salvation in Jesus Christ (Ephesians 5:3-14). Idolatry is to be banished (52). It has no place among God's people. God wants us to 'possess the land' (53): a …

Redeemed by God, let us live in obedience to Him and enjoy His blessing.

Numbers 35:1-36:13 Cities of refuge were provided for those who had killed someone accidentally. This is a good illustration of fleeing to Christ for refuge. He is our 'strong tower'. We 'run' to Him and we are 'safe' (Hebrews 6:18; Proverbs 18:10). God gave Israel a 'land'. They were not to 'defile the land' (34). …

Better a minority with God than a majority without Him

Numbers 32:1-42 Some look for an easy life. They know that there will be conflict on the other side of the Jordan. They opt out - 'do not take us across the Jordan' (5). They think they've travelled far enough. God says, 'Let us go on to maturity' (Hebrews 6:1). 'My happiness' - This is …

Jesus Christ, God’s Son, gave Himself for our sins. Then, God raised Him from the dead.

Numbers 28:1-31  -  The sacrifices, offered to God, were to be ‘a pleasing odour’ to Him (2,6,8,13,24,27). These sacrifices are no longer required. A greater Sacrifice has been offered and accepted. Jesus Christ, God’s Son, has offered Himself as a Sacrifice for sin (Hebrews 9:23-26). This Sacrifice is ‘a pleasing odour’ to God. It is …

To those whom we serve, we say, “We say, “We are your servants, but you are not our lords.” Jesus is our Lord.

Numbers 8:1-26 The Levites were 'set apart' for God (14). They were 'a gift to Aaron... to do the service for the people of Israel at the tent of meeting... ' (19). We are to work together as a team. 'Yield yourselves to God... ' (Romans 6:13): Help each other to be better servants of …

When He comes, our glorious King… Hallelujah! What A Saviour!

Numbers 15:1-41 We read of offerings for ‘atonement’(25,28). We think of Christ: He went ‘outside the camp’ for us (35-36; Hebrews 13:12) - to bring us forgiveness (25,28). We are to ‘be holy to our God’, the God of our redemption (40-41). Obedience to God is of the utmost importance: We need to be reminded …

Words, Spoken By God, For Our Blessing

Numbers 6:22-27  These are more than words spoken about God. They are words spoken by God. They are spoken to Moses before they are spoken by him. They are not spoken in the name of Moses. The are spoken in the Name of the Lord. He is the One who speaks His Word to us. …

No man or woman is indispensable. God’s work goes on, with or without us.

Numbers 20:1-29 No man or woman is indispensable. God's work goes on, with or without us! (a) Miriam (Moses' sister) served and worshipped the Lord (Exodus 2:7-8; 15:20-21). Now, her time had come. She was not to enter the land. She 'died' (1). (b) Moses had been the leader of God's people. He sinned, and …

Without worship, we are weak. When we worship God, we will grow strong.

Numbers 1:1-54 'Every man able to go forth to war': This is the key phrase in verses 1-46. God is looking for 'soldiers': Soldiers of Christ! To live for Christ is to be engaged in warfare. It is spiritual warfare. We need 'the whole armour of God' (Ephesians 6:10-20). We must remember that 'the weapons …

When we’re suffering, let’s remember Jesus: in love for us, He suffered for us.

Numbers 19:1-21:3; Luke 5:33-6:11; Proverbs 8:1-11 The wilderness years were not easy. The pathway from Egypt (the land of oppression) to Canaan (the land of promise) was not an easy pathway. For Jesus, the pathway between Bethlehem and Calvary was not easy. Jesus’ suffering did not begin at Calvary. There was suffering from the very beginning …

Let Christ enter your heart, destroying Satan’s strongholds and taking possession of your life.

Numbers 21:1-35 In verses 5-9, there is an illustration of God's salvation (John 3:14-15). There is sin and death (Romans 5-6; 3:23, 6:23). Christ prays for our forgiveness (7; Luke 23:34). Lifted up on the Cross, He dies that we might have eternal life. In love, He appeals to us, 'Look to me and be …

God Is Speaking. Are You Listening To Him? God Is Listening. Are You Speaking To Him?

Numbers 7:1-47 Why do we bring our offerings to the Lord? - ‘that they may be used in doing the service of the tent of meeting’(5). We give ourselves to the Lord - ‘Love so amazing, so divine, Shall have my soul, my life, my all’- and we ask Him to put our gift to …

Our God is the Lord of hosts, the God of the individual, the God of all who love Him.

Numbers 26:12-27:11; Luke 7:36-50; Proverbs 8:12-21 Our God is the Lord of hosts – “The total number of the men of Israel was 601,730” (Numbers 26:51). He is also the God of the individual – “Jesus said to the woman, ‘Your faith has saved you; go in peace'” (Luke 7:50). He is the God of …

Christ saves to the uttermost. How dare we shrink back from Him? Have faith. Be saved.

Numbers 19:1-22 The sacrifice was to be 'without defect'. There was to be 'no blemish' (2). Here, we have a picture of the Lord Jesus Christ - 'without sin', He offered Himself 'for the sins of the people' (Hebrews 4:15; 2:17). The gathering of 'the ashes' (9-10) speaks of the completeness of Christ's work for …

In all of our service, one thing must take priority: Worship.

Numbers 4:1-49 'The sons... from thirty years old up to fifty years old' (2-3,22-23,29-30...): The service of the Lord calls for maturity. Long before we ever offered ourselves to God, He had His hand upon us. If, however, we are to prove worthy servants of the Lord, we must press on to spiritual maturity. Why …

Responding to God’s Word (4): Guide me, O Thou great Jehovah.

We are journeying to the place of which the Lord said, "I will give it to you" (Numbers 10:29). Forward-looking; this is what God is calling us to be. Forward-looking: what does this mean? Forward-looking: how are we to be forward-looking? Does it mean that everything's going to be wonderful in the future? No! It …

The Lord has blessed us – and there’s so much more still to come.

"The Lord bless you and keep you" (Numbers 6:24). "The Lord is your keeper" (Psalm 121:5). We are "kept by the power of God" (1 Peter 1:5). "Now to him who is able to keep you from falling" (Jude 24). "The Lord bless you and keep you." (Numbers 6:24). God loves us - and he …

Our words are to be an echo of God’s Word.

Numbers 23:1-30 Our words are to be an echo of God's Word. We are to speak only what God says (8,12). Before we can speak for God, He must speak to us. 'God's Word is truth' (John 17:17). God does not lie. He does not change His mind. What He says, He does. He fulfils …

How long will we be in this wilderness?

Sometimes, we feel like we're in a wilderness - and we can't get out of it! The first half of the book of Exodus tells of the deliverance of the people of Israel from their time of bondage in the land of Egypt. Things were looking up! Surely, there were better days ahead for them. …

We have received so much blessing from the Lord. May we never forget this: “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”

Numbers 21:4-22:20; Luke 6:12-36; Psalm 37:21-31 The people of Israel had been “blessed” by the Lord (Numbers 22:12). Jesus also speaks of the way of blessing (Luke 6:20-22). Psalm 37:2 tells us that “those the Lord blesses will inherit the land.” Psalm 37:25-26 reminds us of how much blessing we have received from the Lord: …

Some Simple Thoughts From The Scriptures

Genesis When I was writing these words, I was thinking of some of the stories in the book of Genesis (the book of beginnings). I was thinking about Adam, Abraham and Joseph - and I was thinking about Jesus!___________________________________________ It was the genesis of my life.Things were looking so good.Then, it all went badly wrong.What …

The Lord Bless You And Keep You.

Numbers 6:22-27 There’s nothing better than God’s blessing. It’s nice to have friends. People like you. It feels good. God’s blessing – That’s so much better. Friends come and go. God’s blessing remains. You can be surrounded by friends – and still feel very lonely. Sometimes, they’re great friends. Sometimes, they disappoint us. When you’re …

Problems Among God’s People

Numbers 11:1-35 There were problems among God’s people. The spirit of complaint had spread among them. This brought the “fire” of judgment (Numbers 11:1). The spirit spirit of complaint comes when people don’t like what God is doing among His people.We see this in Numbers 11:26-28. The words of prophecy are described as the result …

Let us speak words of encouragement, not words of discouragement.

Numbers 12:1-13:33  -  Miriam and Aaron complained (12:1-2). Caleb and Joshua encouraged (30; 14:6-9). Thank God for encouragers! How did Moses react to criticism? He ‘was very meek’ (3). He was like Jesus - ‘When He was reviled, He did not revile again’ (1 Peter 2:23). Moses - ‘a servant’ - was  ‘entrusted with all …

Catching a glimpse of Jesus Christ, and being changed by Him

Numbers 24:1-25 When 'the Spirit of God came upon him', Balaam's 'oracle' was described as 'the message of the man who sees clearly'. His 'eyes are opened'. He sees 'with far-seeing eyes'. He 'hears the words of God'. He 'sees the vision of the Almighty' (2-4,15-16). Balaam looks beyond his own time. 'With far-seeing eyes', …

Numbers 28:1-31

The sacrifices, offered to God, were to be 'a pleasing odour' to Him (2,6,8,13,24,27). These sacrifices are no longer required. A greater Sacrifice has been offered and accepted. Jesus Christ, God's Son, has offered Himself as a Sacrifice for sin (Hebrews 9:23-26). This Sacrifice is 'a pleasing odour' to God. It is 'good news' for …

Numbers 26:23-27:23

Numbers 26:23-65  -  There is real sadness in the final words of this chapter: ‘There was not left a man of them, except Caleb and Joshua’ (65). There is also a sense of expectation. So many had died in the wilderness. This was now a new generation. We’re living in changing times. A new generation …

Numbers 8-9

Numbers 8:1-26  -  The Levites were ‘set apart’ for God (14). They were ‘a gift to Aaron... to do the service for the people of Israel at the tent of meeting...’ (19).  We are to work together as a team. ‘Yield yourselves to God...’ (Romans 6:13): Help each other to be better servants of Christ. …

Numbers 7:48-89

At the end of this long chapter, we have Communion with God: 'When Moses went into the tent of the meeting to speak with the Lord, he heard the voice speaking to him from above the mercy seat...' (89). This is what it's all about: We 'draw near to the throne of grace'. We 'receive …

Numbers 3:1-51

The Levites were to 'minister at the tabernacle' (5-8). Different people were given different responsibilities. They were not to compete with each other. There was to be no overlapping. One was not to interfere with the work of another. The call comes from God. 'Every male from a month old and upward' (15,24,28,34,39-40,43): Long before …

Numbers 2:1-34

'The Lord said to Moses': These words appear more than eighty times in Numbers. Let your life be centred on the Word of the Lord - Listen, Read, Study, Memorize, Meditate! God's people were 'facing the tent of meeting on every side' (2). There were to be no gaps in the ranks. We are not …

Love so amazing, so divine, shall have my soul, my life, my all. O use me, Lord, use even me, just as Thou wilt, and when, and where.

Numbers 7:1-47 Why do we bring our offerings to the Lord? - 'that they may be used in doing the service of the tent of meeting' (5). We give ourselves to the Lord - 'Love so amazing, so divine, Shall have my soul, my life, my all' - and we ask Him to put our …

“Be sure your sin will find you out” (Numbers 32:23).

Achan’s sin affected the whole people of Israel: ‘the anger of the Lord burned against the people of Israel’ (Joshua 7:1). Sin is like infection - it spreads! What kind of effect do your actions have on other people? Cain asked, ‘Am I my brother’s keeper (Genesis 4:9). His question was an expression of callous …

Overview Of The Old Testament: Numbers

Numbers 1-8 ‘Every man able to go forth to war’ (1:3): God is looking for ‘soldiers’: Soldiers of Christ! ‘The Lord said to Moses’ (2:1): Let your life be centred on the Word of the Lord - Listen, Read, Study, Memorize, Meditate! ‘Every male from a month old and upward’ (3:15): ,24,28,34,39-40,43): Long before we …

From the wilderness – a word of encouragement

"God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfil?" (Numbers 23:19). In the wilderness - that's where the people of Israel were during the whole of the book of Numbers. What can we …

The Battle May Be ‘Fierce.’ The ‘Victory Is Secure.’

Numbers 31:21-54 If we are to be ‘soldiers of Christ’, we need to be ‘purified’, made ‘clean’. There is purification by ‘fire’ and ‘water’. Purification may be painful, but we have the promise of God’s protective presence. He says, ‘I will be with you’. He assures us, ‘the waters... shall not overwhelm you... and the …

Learning From The Past

Numbers 22:1-41 Learn from the past. In 2 Peter 2:15-16, Jude 11 and Revelation 2:14, we are encouraged to learn from the events of this chapter. Each passage contains a warning. (a) 2 Peter 2:15-16 - Don’t leave ‘the straight way’ and follow the crooked way! (b) Jude 11 - Don’t let making a profit …

The Names Change. The Lord Remains The Same.

Numbers 27:1-23 Joshua was to lead the  people beyond the point to which Moses had led them. Joshua was chosen and empowered by God. Reading the story of God’s people, from one generation to another, we find that the names change – but the Lord remains the same. Moses played his part. Joshua played his …

A spiritual harvest (Numbers 29:1-40)

Between the feast of weeks (Pentecost) and the feast of trumpets (28:26-29:6), there was the harvest. Pentecost - the outpouring of the Holy Spirit - has ushered in the time of Harvest - the saved are being gathered in as men and women are being won for Christ. During this time of harvest, we 'blow …

Link to Rev James Philip’s notes on Numbers

Numbers

Words of unbelief – and words of faith

"Isn’t it enough that you (Moses) have brought us up out of a land flowing with milk and honey to kill us in the wilderness?" (Numbers 16:13). These are words of unbelief. The people couldn't see past Moses - and that's why they couldn't see past the wilderness. When we can't see past the preacher, we'll …

Live In The Will Of God – Within The Boundaries Set By His Word.

Numbers 33:50-34:29 ‘Drive out all the inhabitants of the land’(52): We must drive out the enemy (Satan) if we are to enter more fully into our salvation in Jesus Christ (Ephesians 5:3-14). Idolatry is to be banished (52). It has no place among God’s people. God wants us to ‘possess the land’(53) - a fuller …

Numbers 15-24

Numbers 15:1-41 God's work among His people was directed toward the future - "Once you're settled in the land I'm giving you" - and it was grounded in the past - "I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt to be your God" (Numbers 15:2,41). Our present obedience draws strength from …

God leads us in His way of truth.

"God is not human, that He should lie, not a human being, that He should change His mind. Does He speak and then not act? Does He promise and not fulfill?" (Numbers 23:19). God is faithful. He speaks His Word. He does not break His Word. He keeps His Word. He does not lead us …

In the wilderness – living for you, Lord, is not easy (Praying Through God’s Word: Numbers).

Numbers 1:1-54 Living for You, Lord, is not easy. We face determined opposition from Satan. He keeps coming back at us, again and again. We thank You, Lord, that we do not stand against him in our own strength. We stand in Your strength, in the victory of our risen Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, …

Numbers

NUMBERS 1:1-54  -  ‘Every man able to go forth to war’: This is the key phrase in verses 1-46. God is looking for ‘soldiers’: Soldiers of  Christ! To live for Christ is to be engaged in warfare. It is spiritual warfare. We need ‘the whole armour of God’ (Ephesians 6:10-20). We must remember that ‘the …

Don’t Forget The Spiritual Dimension.

Numbers 33:1-34:29 Much of what we have here is geographical. There is also, however, a spiritual dimension. God is leading His people to their new land, the land He had promised to them. In all the names of the places, we must see the hand of God directing His people according to His perfect plan. …

Blessed In The Past – What About The Future?

Numbers 20:1-29  Neither Moses nor Aaron were to enter the land, promised by God to His people (Numbers 20:12,24). This is a reminder to us that we dare not presume on God’s continued blessing. The fact that He has blessed us in the past does not mean that He will always bless us. We can …

Past Redemption, Present Obedience, Future Hope

Numbers 15:1-41 God’s work among His people was directed toward the future – “Once you’re settled in the land I’m giving you” – and it was grounded in the past – “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt to be your God” (Numbers 15:2,41). Our present obedience draws strength from …

Victory in the wilderness

The book of Numbers tells us the story of Israel's journey through the wilderness. What can we learn from their journey?  The people of Israel had been delivered from their bondage in Egypt. They were going to be brought to the Promised Land. For a long while, they were in the wilderness. For forty years, …

A Welcome And A Challenge

Numbers 16:1-50 In this chapter, we read about the judgment of God upon those who sinned against Him. God is perfectly holy. He calls us to be holy. This is not to be a pretence. It is to be real. Those who came under God’s judgment claimed to be holy (Numbers 16:3). God saw what …

Ready To Do The Lord’s Work

Numbers 7:1-8:26  From each tribe, the gifts came. The Levites had a special ministry. For this ministry, they needed to be made “clean” (Numbers 8:5). Through cleansing, they were made “ready to do the Lord’s work” (Numbers 8:11). In a very special sense, God said of them, “the Levites will be Mine” (Numbers 8:14). Between …

Standing In Christ’s Strength Alone, We ‘Resist The Devil.’ Defeated By Christ, Satan Can Do Nothing But ‘Flee From Us.’

Numbers 11:1-35 The people complained in the hearing of the Lord’(1) - Remember: All our words are spoken ‘in the hearing of the Lord’! There was ‘a rabble among them’(4): What problems there are when such people are mingling with God’s people! What are we to do when this happens? - Pray for God’s help …

Sin Can Lead To A Withdrawal Of God’s Blessing.

Numbers  5:1-6:27 We must take sin seriously. It can lead to a withdrawal of God's blessing. This is the important and challenging message of Numbers 5. We must not lose sight of God's purpose for our lives. We are to be "dedicated to the Lord" (Numbers 6:6). It is God's intention to bless. In His …

Stop Speaking Against God – And Start Listening To Him.

“We have spoken against the Lord” (Numbers 21:7). Before we can hear the Lord speaking to us, we must stop speaking against Him. How can we hear what the Lord is saying to us if we keep on speaking against Him? If we are to speak for God, we must begin with listening to Him.

Single-Minded Devotion To Jesus Christ

Numbers 27:1-23 The daughters of Zelophehad were concerned about the continuation of the father’s name (1-11). Our first concern must be the glory of God, our Heavenly Father. We are to honour our parents, loving them deeply. We must not allow such love to compete with our love for Christ. He must come first. We …

The release of God’s Spirit among God’s people

Numbers 11:1-35 There were problems among God's people. The spirit of complaint had spread among them. This brought the "fire" of judgment (Numbers 11:1). The spirit spirit of complaint comes when people don't like what God is doing among His people.We see this in Numbers 11:26-28. The words of prophecy are described as the result …

We Find Happiness When We Aim At Holiness.

Numbers 32:1-42 Some look for an easy life. They know that there will be conflict on the other side of the Jordan. They opt out - ‘do not take us across the Jordan’(5). They think they’ve travelled far enough. God says, ‘Let us go on to maturity’(Hebrews 6:1). ‘My happiness’- This is what concerns the …

Let Your Life Be Centred On The Word Of The Lord – Listen, Read, Study, Memorize, Meditate!

Numbers 1:1-54 ‘Every man able to go forth to war’: This is the key phrase in verses 1-46. God is looking for ‘soldiers’: Soldiers of Christ! To live for Christ is to be engaged in warfare. It is spiritual warfare. We need ‘the whole armour of God’(Ephesians 6:10-20). We must remember that ‘the weapons of …

The Lord Blesses Those Who Serve Him Faithfully Each Day.

Numbers 17:1-18:32 The call comes from God - to Aaron, to Christ (17:5; Hebrews 5:4-6). Christ is both the Offering for sin and the Great High Priest (Hebrews 5:7-10; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 7:25). We look at ourselves, and we say, ‘We perish, we are lost, we are dead’(17:12). We look to Christ, and everything …