Temptation & Anger 02.21.08

Hello My Friend/Guest,

It is Thursday February 21, 2008 and today we are continuing our studies on the book of Numbers. Please read, Numbers 19 -- 20. In today's lesson we will read and learn about the red heifer sacrifice; Miriam's death; Moses striking the rock; Edom refusing Israel's passage; and Aaron's death.

The red heifer sacrifice was instituted in the wilderness of Paran at a time when all Israel was under the sentence of death due to 14,700 unburied corpses. "And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, This is the ordinance of the law which the LORD hath commanded, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring thee a red heifer without spot, wherein is no blemish, and upon which never came yokeAnd ye shall give her unto Eleazar the priest, that he may bring her forth without the camp, and one shall slay her before his face:.....He that toucheth the dead body of any man shall be unclean seven days. He shall purify himself with it on the third day, and on the seventh day he shall be clean: but if he purify not himself the third day, then the seventh day he shall not be clean. Whosoever toucheth the dead body of any man that is dead, and purifieth not himself, defileth the tabernacle of the LORD; and that soul shall be cut off from Israel: because the water of separation was not sprinkled upon him, he shall be unclean; his uncleanness is yet upon him." (Numbers 19:1-3,11-13).

The blood of the red heifer was burned with the carcass and its ashes were mixed with running water and sprinkled upon the defiled ones in order to restore them to the holy God. The Hebrew word for "running" also means "living" implying not only cleansing from sin but renewal of life. The water of purification was made from the ashes of just one heifer, which was sufficient for all the people. Through the red heifer ordinance, God gave a new revelation of the importance of cleansing from defilement.

Today, whether it be through our thoughts, the books we read, or our association with unbelievers, we face temptations that must be avoided. In order to avoid such temptations we must ask for the power of the Holy Spirit to fill us and shield us from them. The red heifer sacrifice was symbolic of Christ. Through His death on the cross He has given us a great gift, that gift is His devine presence to be able to overcome any temptation we are faced with.

Moses led the chidren of Israel into the desert of Zin, and the people abode in Kadesh. There was no water in the area so once again they began to complain about leaving all they had in Egypt for nothing in the wilderness. Moses took the rod as the Lord commanded him, "And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Take the rod, and gather thou the assembly together, thou, and Aaron thy brother, and speak ye unto the rock before their eyes; and it shall give forth his water, and thou shalt bring forth to them water out of the rock: so thou shalt give the congregation and their beasts drink. And Moses took the rod from before the LORD, as he commanded him. And Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together before the rock, and he said unto them, Hear now, ye rebels; must we fetch you water out of this rock? And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he smote the rock twice: and the water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beasts also. And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them. " (20:7-12). Moses was angry when he followed God's command to strike the rock and give water to the people. Moses was not "obedient" when he angrily shouted: "Must we fetch you water"; nor was he obedient when he smote the rock twice.

Anger destroys lives and is often accompained by bitterness and unforgiveness. We can not expect to be happy and healthy if we hold on to grudges. Jesus said we are to forgive others trespasses just as the Lord has forgiven ours, if we do not forgive them, God will not forgive us. "For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." (Matthew 6:14-15)

We can learn to live peaceful no matter what we are faced with, I know that some things are unforgivable, but in order to move on one must forgive. The second you forgive God will intervene and they will be punished. "If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink: For thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the LORD shall reward thee." (Proverbs 25:21-22).

In today's lesson Jesus Christ is revealed through the rock that Moses stuck. Jesus is our Rock who when we come to Him we will never thirst. "And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ." (I Corinthians 10:4).

Today's Psalm:18:2
"The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower."

Today's Prayer: From Psalm 28
Dear Lord,
Unto thee will I cry, O LORD my rock; be not silent to me: lest, if thou be silent to me, I become like them that go down into the pit. Hear the voice of my supplications, when I cry unto thee, when I lift up my hands toward thy holy oracle. Draw me not away with the wicked, and with the workers of iniquity, which speak peace to their neighbours, but mischief is in their hearts. Give them according to their deeds, and according to the wickedness of their endeavours: give them after the work of their hands; render to them their desert. Because they regard not the works of the LORD, nor the operation of his hands, he shall destroy them, and not build them up. Blessed be the LORD, because he hath heard the voice of my supplications. The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him. The LORD is their strength, and he is the saving strength of his anointed. Save thy people, and bless thine inheritance: feed them also, and lift them up for ever. In Jesus' name, I pray.....Amen.

Enjoy the rest of your day/night and God Bless You.

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