We tackle the next block of chapters from numbers. Fair bit of complaining goes on here…
Numbers 10: The Silver Trumpets
1 The LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
2 "Make two silver trumpets. Of hammered work you shall make them, and you shall use them for summoning the congregation and for breaking camp.
3 And when both are blown, all the congregation shall gather themselves to you at the entrance of the tent of meeting.
4 But if they blow only one, then the chiefs, the heads of the tribes of Israel, shall gather themselves to you.
5 When you blow an alarm, the camps that are on the east side shall set out.
6 And when you blow an alarm the second time, the camps that are on the south side shall set out. An alarm is to be blown whenever they are to set out.
7 But when the assembly is to be gathered together, you shall blow a long blast, but you shall not sound an alarm.
8 And the sons of Aaron, the priests, shall blow the trumpets. The trumpets shall be to you for a perpetual statute throughout your generations.
9 And when you go to war in your land against the adversary who oppresses you, then you shall sound an alarm with the trumpets, that you may be remembered before the LORD your God, and you shall be saved from your enemies.
10 On the day of your gladness also, and at your appointed feasts and at the beginnings of your months, you shall blow the trumpets over your burnt offerings and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings. They shall be a reminder of you before your God: I am the LORD your God."
Israel Leaves Sinai
11 In the second year, in the second month, on the twentieth day of the month, the cloud lifted from over the tabernacle of the testimony,
12 and the people of Israel set out by stages from the wilderness of Sinai. And the cloud settled down in the wilderness of Paran.
13 They set out for the first time at the command of the LORD by Moses.
14 The standard of the camp of the people of Judah set out first by their companies, and over their company was Nahshon the son of Amminadab.
15 And over the company of the tribe of the people of Issachar was Nethanel the son of Zuar.
16 And over the company of the tribe of the people of Zebulun was Eliab the son of Helon.
17 And when the tabernacle was taken down, the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari, who carried the tabernacle, set out.
18 And the standard of the camp of Reuben set out by their companies, and over their company was Elizur the son of Shedeur.
19 And over the company of the tribe of the people of Simeon was Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai.
20 And over the company of the tribe of the people of Gad was Eliasaph the son of Deuel.
21 Then the Kohathites set out, carrying the holy things, and the tabernacle was set up before their arrival.
22 And the standard of the camp of the people of Ephraim set out by their companies, and over their company was Elishama the son of Ammihud.
23 And over the company of the tribe of the people of Manasseh was Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur.
24 And over the company of the tribe of the people of Benjamin was Abidan the son of Gideoni.
25 Then the standard of the camp of the people of Dan, acting as the rear guard of all the camps, set out by their companies, and over their company was Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai.
26 And over the company of the tribe of the people of Asher was Pagiel the son of Ochran.
27 And over the company of the tribe of the people of Naphtali was Ahira the son of Enan.
28 This was the order of march of the people of Israel by their companies, when they set out.
29 And Moses said to Hobab the son of Reuel the Midianite, Moses' father-in-law, "We are setting out for the place of which the LORD said, 'I will give it to you.' Come with us, and we will do good to you, for the LORD has promised good to Israel."
30 But he said to him, "I will not go. I will depart to my own land and to my kindred."
31 And he said, "Please do not leave us, for you know where we should camp in the wilderness, and you will serve as eyes for us.
32 And if you do go with us, whatever good the LORD will do to us, the same will we do to you."
33 So they set out from the mount of the LORD three days' journey. And the ark of the covenant of the LORD went before them three days' journey, to seek out a resting place for them.
34 And the cloud of the LORD was over them by day, whenever they set out from the camp.
35 And whenever the ark set out, Moses said, "Arise, O LORD, and let your enemies be scattered, and let those who hate you flee before you."
36 And when it rested, he said, "Return, O LORD, to the ten thousand thousands of Israel."
Numbers 11: The People Complain
1 And the people complained in the hearing of the LORD about their misfortunes, and when the LORD heard it, his anger was kindled, and the fire of the LORD burned among them and consumed some outlying parts of the camp.
2 Then the people cried out to Moses, and Moses prayed to the LORD, and the fire died down.
3 So the name of that place was called Taberah, because the fire of the LORD burned among them.
4 Now the rabble that was among them had a strong craving. And the people of Israel also wept again and said, "Oh that we had meat to eat!
5 We remember the fish we ate in Egypt that cost nothing, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic.
6 But now our strength is dried up, and there is nothing at all but this manna to look at."
7 Now the manna was like coriander seed, and its appearance like that of bdellium.
8 The people went about and gathered it and ground it in handmills or beat it in mortars and boiled it in pots and made cakes of it. And the taste of it was like the taste of cakes baked with oil.
9 When the dew fell upon the camp in the night, the manna fell with it.
10 Moses heard the people weeping throughout their clans, everyone at the door of his tent. And the anger of the LORD blazed hotly, and Moses was displeased.
11 Moses said to the LORD, "Why have you dealt ill with your servant? And why have I not found favour in your sight, that you lay the burden of all this people on me?
12 Did I conceive all this people? Did I give them birth, that you should say to me, 'Carry them in your bosom, as a nurse carries a nursing child,' to the land that you swore to give their fathers?
13 Where am I to get meat to give to all this people? For they weep before me and say, 'Give us meat, that we may eat.'
14 I am not able to carry all this people alone; the burden is too heavy for me.
15 If you will treat me like this, kill me at once, if I find favour in your sight, that I may not see my wretchedness."
Elders Appointed to Aid Moses
16 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Gather for me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people and officers over them, and bring them to the tent of meeting, and let them take their stand there with you.
17 And I will come down and talk with you there. And I will take some of the Spirit that is on you and put it on them, and they shall bear the burden of the people with you, so that you may not bear it yourself alone.
18 And say to the people, 'Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow, and you shall eat meat, for you have wept in the hearing of the LORD, saying, "Who will give us meat to eat? For it was better for us in Egypt." Therefore the LORD will give you meat, and you shall eat.
19 You shall not eat just one day, or two days, or five days, or ten days, or twenty days,
20 but a whole month, until it comes out at your nostrils and becomes loathsome to you, because you have rejected the LORD who is among you and have wept before him, saying, "Why did we come out of Egypt?"'"
21 But Moses said, "The people among whom I am number six hundred thousand on foot, and you have said, 'I will give them meat, that they may eat a whole month!'
22 Shall flocks and herds be slaughtered for them, and be enough for them? Or shall all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them, and be enough for them?"
23 And the LORD said to Moses, "Is the LORD's hand shortened? Now you shall see whether my word will come true for you or not."
24 So Moses went out and told the people the words of the LORD. And he gathered seventy men of the elders of the people and placed them around the tent.
25 Then the LORD came down in the cloud and spoke to him, and took some of the Spirit that was on him and put it on the seventy elders. And as soon as the Spirit rested on them, they prophesied. But they did not continue doing it.
26 Now two men remained in the camp, one named Eldad, and the other named Medad, and the Spirit rested on them. They were among those registered, but they had not gone out to the tent, and so they prophesied in the camp.
27 And a young man ran and told Moses, "Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp."
28 And Joshua the son of Nun, the assistant of Moses from his youth, said, "My lord Moses, stop them."
29 But Moses said to him, "Are you jealous for my sake? Would that all the LORD's people were prophets, that the LORD would put his Spirit on them!"
30 And Moses and the elders of Israel returned to the camp.
Quail and a Plague
31 Then a wind from the LORD sprang up, and it brought quail from the sea and let them fall beside the camp, about a day's journey on this side and a day's journey on the other side, around the camp, and about two cubits above the ground.
32 And the people rose all that day and all night and all the next day, and gathered the quail. Those who gathered least gathered ten homers. And they spread them out for themselves all around the camp.
33 While the meat was yet between their teeth, before it was consumed, the anger of the LORD was kindled against the people, and the LORD struck down the people with a very great plague.
34 Therefore the name of that place was called Kibroth-hattaavah, because there they buried the people who had the craving.
35 From Kibroth-hattaavah the people journeyed to Hazeroth, and they remained at Hazeroth.
Things to think about…
1. We always told our kids as they were growing up to listen to our voices. If they didn’t hear it they were in trouble because they weren’t tuned in. In the same way the silver trumpets were to signal God’s call either to move out and march or a call to worship, or to war Num10:1-10. Christ will descend from heaven with a shout and a trumpet blast, 1 Thess 4:16. The main point here is, be ready ‘I am the Lord your God’, Num 10:10.
2. The wilderness of Paran in Arabia is north of Sinai and on the southern-most part of the land the Israelites were to inherit. The cloud leads the camp and they set out in the pattern that was given to Moses. The cloud led the Israelites and it was obvious where He was leading them, they simply had to follow. We of course are called to be led by the Holy Spirit. How do you discern when it is the Holy Spirit that is calling and leading in your life? Pray for wisdom and discernment from the Holy Spirit in these days to know how to minister to yourself and others who are in isolation.
3. What was Moses’ father in law’s name? Is it Reuel OR Jethro OR Hobab? (Ex 2:18; Num 10:29 vs Ex 3:1 vs Judg 4:11). It could be all three, as the Midianites, his own people, would have had a name for him, the Israelites could have had a name for him and he could have had a common or nick name as well. Either way we know he was a Midianite who were enemies of Israel. Yet the line of Moses was woven with this man’s lineage. God’s grace overrules all.
4. Well here we are. The complaining starts. The people want meat, they are sick of the manna. Even though the manna was a miraculous provision from God, the people wanted more, Num 11:1-15. Note that it says “the rabble that was among them had a strong craving”, Num 11:4. Isn’t this the case with us more often than we would care to admit when we don’t like the Lord’s will at any given point and we begin to complain. Moses said the burden of this people is too great. The point of it all is that the people were the Lord’s concern, not Moses’ concern. We must remember this when we minister to those we care for, especially our children. It’s important to maintain a right balance of our responsibility and care for those under our care while also committing them into the hands of the Lord? It’s very easy to complain when we are in forced into situations we dislike, but others see our witness or what we post online and Christ is either honoured or dishonoured through our response. Paul tells us in the NT to rejoice always, 1Thess 5:16 and to do everything without complaining or arguing, Phil 2:14.
5. The Lord blesses Moses and the people by giving them seventy men who have the Lord’s Spirit to help with the work and the ministry of administration. Moses does not have a Messiah complex and is described as the humblest man on the face of the earth. When he is told, two other men did not come to the tent, but were prophesying in the camp, Moses is elated and wished everyone would experience the same. True ministers of Christ are not concerned about who gets the credit, so long as the Lord is glorified. Do others see this to be the case in your witness for Christ? Praise the Lord for godly wisdom when it is seen everywhere in the church body. CBC is very blessed in this regard I think – many quality leaders with maturity in Christ.
6. The old saying ‘Be careful what you wish for’, literally came true for the Israelites desiring meat. Quail in abundance was provided, Num 11:31. Was this a mercy of God or a judgement? Both really. Those who couldn’t control themselves were over filled due to their gluttony. The Lord consumed them with a plague as a result, Num 11:34. Telling people to be self-controlled in this pleasure-seeking generation is also very difficult, but self-control is a fruit of the Spirit and should be a characteristic of any Christian wanting to honour Christ.
Vision statement for CBC
CBC’s Vision :- To be a growing biblical church community, significantly influencing our city and beyond, through intentional outreach, fulfilling our mission.
Sermon:-“Living by faith” – Galatians 3:1-14
a. Abraham was called the friend of God and was considered righteous before the Law of Moses was ever in existence. How was this possible?
b. The Galatians had started well and had accepted and believed the gospel that Paul had preached. Miracles had occurred in their midst. They had ‘fuel in the tank’. What had happened where Paul says “O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you”, vs 1.
c. Jay used the example of his old ute not starting because of the fuel. He said imagine if he had been driving around a few months and then decided to try and start the car without fuel again. It would be foolish. How can we, like the Galatians, do the same with respect to faith and the influence and power of the Holy Spirit.
d. Pray for the gospel and your gospel witness to all those who live and work alongside of you.
Prayer Points
1. Continue to pray and Andy in Ipswich hospital and for Sally as she continues to battle Alzheimer’s. Give thanks for Andy’s brother Tad and a loving husband and example of Christ – Richard.
2. The processing of our insurance claim and the repurchasing of equipment.
3. That those who are new to the church are encouraged and settle in well into the church.
4. That we be bold in our witnessing for Christ. Pray for a heart to see those around you saved.
5. Pray for Kids@church and our Youth group.
6. How you can serve in ministry this year.
7. Growth, conversions, joy in the Word and Spirit to remain and increase.
Praise Points
1. The blessing of our Mother’s Day event on Saturday. Big thanks to Suzanne Willey and many other women who made the day a success. A special mention to Katelyn Gillert who was a great blessing in sharing on her role as a mother as well as a daughter.
2. Young adult’s ministry – keep praying as this ministry grows.
3. Kids@Church ministry is a great blessing. Pray for Rosie and balancing her teaching, family and church worlds.
4. Joy, peace and grace we see at CBC. Thankyou Lord
Announcements
1. Church information session 28th May after the morning service.
2. Remember to check your duty rosters for term 2.
3. Community Day Saturday 24th June at Church. More details to follow.
4. Church bank details bsb:- 704 913 and Acc number:- 4000 4388 1
5. Tune in again this week on our youtube page. Subscribe to the CBC channel Chuwar Baptist YouTube channel.
Catechism questions for May...
Q. 8. Who are they? A. The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Bible References – Matthew 28:19; 1 Corinthians 13:14; 1 Peter 1:2; Jude 20-21.
“Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known” Jer 33:3
