Day 13 ~ Shrek did not have the first talking donkey

I so enjoyed the worship service this morning. I really like when we have one service so you get to see more people, and the worship energy was great. I hope the Lord was blessed by the worship, and that our church, community and the House family are blessed through his being set-apart to the Eldership. Complete the morning with a dessert bonanza followed by a nap, and it was nearly the perfect day! I saw some more have turned in cards accepting the 90 Day Bible Reading Challenge. The number received is in excess of 180 people. Isn't that awesome!

• The red heifer instructions were something new. I had to look up what a heifer was. I thought it was a female cow, which it is, but it also has not had a calf. Other than a few places in Leviticus where a female lamb or goat is acceptable, there has been no description of a female as acceptable for a large animal offering. Also, it is killed outside the camp. The ashes from the burning of this offering are put in water to purify the unclean. It doesn't say when to do this or how often.
• 20:1 is the start of a first month of another year. Which year of the 40? Who knows, other than it's the year that the Israelites complain. Oh, yes, that could be any year. This time the complaint is about water again, and Moses loses his temper. Rather than speaking the water from the rock as instructed by God, he strikes the rock two times. This sudden choice out of anger and frustration costs Moses and Aaron the ability to set foot in the promised land as well.
• Edom. Remember from whom the Edomites descended? Esau, the twin of Jacob. The two branches of the family but heads and the Edomites flatly refuse to allow the Israelites to pass through their land on the highway. (20:21)
• The Lord tells Aaron he is going to die - Moses passes the priestly garments to Aaron's son, Eleazar.
• Edom, let the Israelites off easily. After Arad, the king in the south of Canaan, refused their passage, he attacked them and captured some Israelites. God allowed Israel to utterly destroy them and their cities.
• The Israelites play the "b" side of their broken record, which includes the unpopular tune "we don't like this lousy bread." The Lord highly disapproves, and sends a plague of fiery snakes. To stop the plague, Moses is instructed to make a serpent on a stick that they can look at and be saved. This looks like something the Israelites will try to make into an idol.
• 21:14 What is the "book of War of the Lord"?
• Hey, they've marched so much they've arrived back where they were the first time they complained about water.
• Unlike Hormah (21:3), where the Israelites destroyed the city, when attacked by and the king of Sihon (after refusing the Israelites pass), the Israelites defeated the king of Sihon and took possession and live in the defeated cities. They also defeat King Bashan of the Amorites. I think this will come back to haunt the Israelites. Later in the Old Testament, God will provide instructions to completely wipe out the peoples where they take over the land - perhaps they will do something here that will require the strict rules (which you know they won't follow!).
• I couldn't remember where the Amorites came from. A quick search revealed in Genesis 14 that they were allies with Abram. In chapter 15 of Genesis, it states "But in the fourth generation they shall return here, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete" - is that Numbers 21? Will we see the Amorites again? We'll hear the story recounted Deuteronomy, but I think this is the end of them. Oh, they came from the lineage of Noah's grandson Canaan, through Ham.
• The Israelites are beginning to get a reputation to be feared. In chapter 22, King Balak of Moab is scared and knows that he can't take on Israel without some backup. He speaks to the elders of Midian (wasn't Jethro an elder of Midian?) and they sought out Balaam. Was Balaam a worshipper of God, or just used by God? At any rate, unlike the Israelites, Balaam actually listened to God (for the most part). He doesn't specifically follow God's instructions to only go to Balak if they come for him again in the morning, instead he just gets up and goes, but through a talking Donkey, God made quite an impression on Balaam and he did what God said to a T.
• Why did Balak seek out Balaam? Was he a known majician of some sort? I thought Balak just wanted the forces Balaam could provide, but it sounds like Balaam had some sort of conjuring power to curse the Israelites. He takes up his "oracle" - a majic ball of some sort? - several times, but speaks the blessing from God.
• 24:14 - we are not only told that Balak will be defeated, but also the downfall to come for the Amalekites and Kenites.
• Is 24:17 Messianic?Star out of Jacob, Scepter out of Israel.
• Didn't take long - the Israelites already fall to the women and gods of the Moabites in chapter 25. 24,000 are struck down in their sin. Phinehas, son of Eleazer from the Levites gets a gold star for his actions.
• Chapter 26 calls for - another census of those 20+ who can go to war results in 601,730 (51), excluding the Levites. According to 26:74, this also excludes those who are not able to enter the promised land - so it appears the size of this group is probably pushing a million men at this time. Why were the ladies singled out in Manasseh?
• 26:52 - the land will be divied out in the promised land according to the census - larger tribes will get more land.
• Rules for inheritance are laid out in chapter 27. It also explains why the daughters of Manasseh are discussed earlier.
• The mysterious "urim" shows up again in 27:21
• Moses' death is close at hand, and Joshua is chosen by God to give "some" of his authority (27:29).
• Moses gives the Israelites one final reminder about the sacrifices, offerings, and feasts. I'm sure he knows this will be a long road for the Israelites to travel, and gives them the instructions one last time in hopes that this time they will actually absorb what is expected of them.
• 29:6 - new moon offering - I don't remember this one. I noticed one detail in the feat of tabernacles, which goes for 7 days. From the first to the last day, one less bull is offered.