← Don't Miss This Study
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Hi there. Welcome to Don't Miss this, a scripture study podcast with Dave Butler and Grace Freeman.
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Each week we point out things in the scriptures that we love and think you don't want to miss.
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Thanks for listening. Hi there. I'm Dave Butler.
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And I'm Grace Freeman.
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Welcome to Don't Miss this. You guys. We're moving through the Old Testament. If it's your first week with us, we just move through different segments of the Old Testament and we point out things we think you don't want to miss. And our hope is that this time together, you feel hope, you feel encouragement. You learn more about the heart and character of God. If you love Jesus more at the end of this lesson, then we did our job and we're so happy to study the scriptures together this year, especially the Old Testament. We are in the Book of Numbers today, if you can believe it. What is the date?
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It does feel like we kind of. Well, I guess it's May.
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It's May. It's your wedding.
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It's my wedding.
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It's your wedding month, Grace, by the time this. Will you be married by the time this comes out?
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B
No.
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What? No. Well, by the time people watch it. What's your wedding day?
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May 2nd. May be a surprise. No, everyone knows.
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No, it's okay. By the time this comes out, everyone. Everyone will know. Wow, that's so exciting.
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I know. Isn't that fun?
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Should we talk about the wedding instead of the Book of Numbers? We're tempted anyways. We're so happy that you're here. Let's jump into the Book of Numbers. But this week we have a timeline piece. If you don't know, we have a time of the Old Testament that you can be working on. It's only May. If you're just starting the Old Testament now, it's fine. Just jump in and join us. If you go to don't missthudy.com, you can sign up for our newsletter or if you already have it, look in it because there'll be a link to this. Or it's in the app and it's little feet. You're adding feet because this is the spot where they are wandering in the wilderness for 40 years. It started at the end of. Or the beginning of Exodus was the leaving, and then they were close by at Mount Sinai, you remember? And then now Leviticus was an instruction manual, essentially. And now numbers is really the main part of their journeyings and wandering through the wilderness before they get into the promised land. I'm going to set that over there. It's fine. In fact, y', all, you might want to write this in your scriptures. In the Hebrew Bible, this book called Numbers is actually called Journey in the Wilderness. So whoever did the translation of the English one failed on that one because whoever. This book has such rad stories, but no one reads it. No one knows that they're even in there, because it's called Numbers. Unless you're a math person and then you're disappointed to lose.
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Lose.
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Yeah. One way or the other. So really, it's called Journey in the Wilderness. But I. Okay, I will say I do love partially that it's called the Book of Numbers because of what happens in Numbers, Chapter one, where everybody is numbered, everybody is counted. And there's something about that that just. That is so reflective of the heart of Jesus, where he's just like, I want to make sure everybody is here. This one reminds me of jumping in the car when you're on vacation and, like, just numbering off or like an HXP trip where you're just like, everybody. Yeah. Everybody say your number. Is everybody here? Or when I go on my tours. Do you do this on your tours where you're like, I divide people into groups. Like group one. Are we here? Group two.
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B
Yeah. Leave no one behind.
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Exactly. So I. It's called Numbers, but maybe a new name could be Leave Nobody Behind. And so there's something that's really, really sweet about that. Numbers, chapter 6 is not included in our reading, but I'm going to come back to it at the end because it is my favorite verse in all of the scriptures. But let's jump to Numbers nine to start. And this you remember at the end of last time, they've dedicated the tabernacle, and a cloud came over it by day and a fire by night to signify to the people that God was among them. That's just so awesome, so cute. And I think that, too, is. I drive at night and I see a temple lit up. I think of that same symbolism. It says to me whenever I see it, God is among us. He's here. He is among us. And I. And I love that it's at night because nighttime is the scary time. And it's the time that you worry and you get in your head about things. And I love that, especially at night, there is a. A. A physical symbol that you can look to that says, God is here. God is among us. Everything's going to be okay, is what it says. And here in Ch. Chapter 9, it says this in verse 16. So it was always Is that so great? So it was always the cloud covered it by day and the appearance of fire by night. And when the cloud was taken up from the tabernacle, then after that the children of Israel journeyed. And the place where the cloud abode or stopped there the children of Israel pitched their tents that the commandment of the Lord, the children of Israel journey. This line's great in verse 18. As long as the cloud rested upon the tabernacle, they rested in their tents. And when the cloud tarried long upon the tabernacle, many days, then the children of Israel kept the charge of the Lord and journeyed not. And so it was when the cloud was just a few days or many days or whatever it was. Oh, that's verse 22, where it says that whether it were two days or a month or a year that the cloud was there, the children of Israel stayed in their tents and journeyed not. But when it was taken up, they journeyed. And I just love the in this time, they physically followed the Lord just wherever. And when he said to stay, they stayed. And sometimes there were seasons of waiting for two days, and sometimes those seasons of waiting were a month and sometimes they were a year. And then there were seasons of journeying. And I just love that. This section, the Book of Numbers, is what it looks like to journey with the Lord in life, what it looks like to to follow him, what different seasons look like. So open up your journal to your digging deeper page in here. And there are 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 different stories that we're focusing on. We're not. We're optimists, just so everybody knows. But we're focusing on the distraction, the different distractions that come in life as we're trying to journey with the Lord and trying to follow him and what he does to wake us up from those distractions and the grace that's in all of those. And this will just. These are all messy, but so is life. So that's why they're just perfect. So let's go to numbers 11 and go into our first story.
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Okay. And this is going to begin with, I think, like, to be honest, sometimes Scripture, you read it and it just doesn't make any sense. And sometimes you read Scripture and it's like, oh, yeah, no, been there. Like, it's just like, you can't say it better than Scripture. And I, like, can hear the tone that chapter 11, verse 6 is in. And all of the Lord's people are all sitting there and they say this dead series, which I just love it Starts in verse five. And we remember the fish which we ate in Egypt freely. The cucumbers and the melons and the leeks and the onions and the garlic. But now our soul is dried away. There is nothing at all besides this manna before our eyes. And like, how, like, three lessons ago, we were like, the blessing. The greatest blessing ever is the manna. And they're so thankful.
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And they thought they were taking care of every day.
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Every single day a blessing. And it was so good. And, like, I think the scriptures say it, like, was, like. Tasted like a wafer with honey. And it's like, oh, it's gonna be fine, and they are gonna be okay. And now by the time we're in numbers 11, they, like, are, like, we are drying away. Everything is terrible. And I love the line that. It's like, all that we can see is the manna. And if I see one more piece of mana, like, that's gonna be it for me. I can't survive. And then, like, this part, they are so drama, and I just. I just love them for it. And they went about, and they did try, okay? They gathered it, they ground it, they beat it, they baked it, they made cakes of it. They did whatever they possibly could for that manna, which I do respect. I do respect a group of people that's like, if we have to eat the manna, let's switch things up a little.
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Be creative.
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Yeah, let's use it for whatever we need. And over and over, the manna would come. And then this one just kills me. Then Moses heard the people weep throughout their families. Every man in the door of his 10. And the anger of the Lord was kindled greatly. And Moses was also displeased. What I love is, like, those families standing at the door of the tent, and they see the manna, they're sobbing. They're like, no. They're like, not one more piece of manna. And then they go through. And Moses is upset. The Lord's upset. The Lord's like, I'm giving you wafers that tastes like honey every single day. And like, you are weeping at the sight of it, like, you hate me so much. And Moses is like, what more do you want from me? Like, I'm trying so hard, and the Lord is feeding you, and I am my very best. And I truly think that one of the most tender verses of Scripture is found in Numbers 11, Verse 14. And Moses is praying, and he says, listen, I've given my all to these people. I have done my very best my entire life to help these people. And I've wandered with them, and I've prayed with them, and I've done miracles with them. I've witnessed what you can do with them. And nothing is ever enough, is never enough for them. And I think that there are probably people that when they read this story, that will seem all too familiar, that maybe they are in a relationship or in a situation when they think, I have given 150% to this and it still doesn't seem to ever be enough. And every time I try and every time I do something, the result is always good for a moment. And then next thing you know, the complaints start again, and they are angry and they are upset at me, and it is never, ever enough. And then verse 14, I am not able to bear all this people alone because it is too heavy for me. And in all reality, the story of mortality is that we are going to be faced with things that make us say the same thing as Moses. This is too heavy for me. I can't do this by myself. It's too much. I can't do this all alone. I am done. I'm done. If it's gonna keep being like this, I can't go on any further. It is too much. And then the Lord's answer is so sweet to me because he looks at Moses and he says, you find yourself 70 men, and you gather together, and I will come down and I will talk with you, and I will take the spirit which is upon you, and I will put it upon them. The burden you are carrying, you will no longer carry it anymore. I will distribute it evenly among that you will not bear it yourself alone. And I think that there will be moments in our life when we say, this is too heavy for me, and I can't do this on my own. And it's not working out anymore. And it makes me want to think in my head, who are the 70 people that the Lord has given me? And I'm going to be honest, usually he does not give me 70 people, okay? I'm not popular, and I'm not extroverted. So I'm like, I'm not taking 70. And the Lord knows that about me. But nonetheless, I just am thinking about all the things in my life that feel too heavy for me to carry on my own. And it makes me want to just sit down for a second and make a list of my people, who are the people the Lord has given me that he says, because of them, you will not have to carry all of this alone and maybe reach out to them. Maybe it makes me want to sit down and write their names and say, who can I reach out to for strength right now? Who can I offer a little bit of the spirit that's weighing on me to them? And who can pray for me? And who can fast with me? And who can show up for me? And my list is not gonna be 70 people. And so maybe you're thinking, I don't even have 70 people. That is a dream. If I could have 70 people. Maybe you just have three, or maybe you have five, or maybe you feel like Moses and you're saying, I'm actually all alone right now. But I love the promise of chapter 11, is that the Lord will give you people, so you do not have to carry that on your own. And then I love that the Lord actually just shows up and he says, you know what? Your people are sad about the manna. I will give them meat, because what I have always done is save your people. And it is what I will continue to do time and time and time again. And I love that cute Moses. Like, at that point, Moses should know that the Lord is actually gonna show up and do what he says he's gonna do, but he just doesn't. He's like, well, where's it even gonna come from? And is it even gonna be enough? And I don't even know how you're gonna do it. And it's not even seeming possible. And then the Lord just says to Moses, is the Lord's hand waxed short? You will see now whether my word shall come to pass or not. And Moses should have already known that. He had experienced that time and time and time again. But that doesn't. Doesn't stop the Lord from looking down and saying, no, trust me, I still know how to save your people. I am capable of saving an individual, and I am capable of saving a nation. And I can do both at once. And I. Chapter 11 is so, so good. Everyone needs to study it. I am obsessed with it. It's so good to me.
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So, yeah. So in your. In your journal.
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I did not.
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Oh, no, no, no, no. It's okay. You got two sides. One is like, okay, what was the distraction? What was the wake up call? And then where is God's grace in it? And this one, you actually have two, which I thought that was awesome that you taught. One is this appetite. And in gratitude. I don't. I don't know what you want to call the mana thing with them, where a blessing all of a sudden is. Is a curse. To them like something is wrong, you know, and. And the wake up call is, he gives them quail like crazy. Still it comes out of their nostrils.
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Yeah, that was the funniest verse ever. I forgot about that verse.
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But then also another distraction is when things feel heavy and things feel like dried up or whatever, where you're just like, I can't do this. And then God's grace is. Is the 70. And then also that verse 23 is, is the. Is not the Lord. Watch what he can do. Watch what he can do. Also, I love that the manna just continues after this into chapter 12. Right? Because the, the petty thing to do would be, you don't like. You don't like the manna. Fine, great, I'll take it then.
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Yeah. Have fun. Yeah, Survive.
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And the manna continues, which is also another, you know, a manifestation, I think, of God's grace there. You get into chapter 12 and it's interesting. It starts off with Miriam and Aaron, and they for some reason are ma, Moses's wife. We don't really know what's happening there. And then this question. Had the Lord indeed spoken only by Moses? Had he not also spoken by us? And the Lord heard it, and I, for my distraction here is comparison, or what about us? So they look at Moses and interestingly, it seems like they're jealous of him. How come he gets to be the prophet? Can the Lord not speak through all of us? Can he not do all of those things? And Moses, I love later is just like, yes, I wish everybody was a prophet is what I wish, because I don't actually want this job.
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And that is the best part, is that he's like, great. Be one habit. Yeah.
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And they have gotten their mind, which it's so easy to do, is to think less of myself because of an opportunity God has given to somebody else. And they're doing what is what we all do. And they're just like, well, how come us I'm just as good or, you know, or whatever, whatever those feelings are that we have. How come. How come no good thing is, you know, happened, you know, to us? And the Lord gives a wake up call to miriam in verse 10 after a little lecture. It's. It's actually interesting because he says, Moses, I mean, Aaron, Miriam, come here. Come to the temple. You know, I want to talk to you. And I just think my parents had these white chairs in their bedroom. And if they said, David, come in and sit down, you were like, it just was. You knew it wasn't. It was not going to be a blessing. But.
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But it is cute when you read scripture and like, God is just such a dad.
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Yeah.
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Like he's just being a dad.
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So great. So verse 10, the wake up call is she actually becomes leprous. Says white as Snow in verse 10. And I think it's interesting because leprosy was this disease of just like your skin rotting away. And I think a lot of these. There's this outward manifestation that is showing of what's happening inside the heart where God is almost saying to Miriam, if you let this continue as it is, your heart is going to rot away. You have got to just like you would see like a spot on your arm starting to grow. You have got to solve that right away or it's going to spread and it's going to continue. And you've got to get rid of that immediately. So he gives this wake up call to her, which in the end is the blessing to her. And Aaron, even in the next verse says, oh, please, please, we have sinned and we have done foolishly. I see it. I got caught up like you do in life, and I'm sorry for that. And I love this. Even though he needs that. The Lord needs Miriam to experience this for whatever lesson he's trying to teach her. And there is a request in verse 13, Moses, Christ of the Lord, heal her now, O God, I beseech thee. And she has to wait seven days because of the rules and the laws with leprosy. But this is such a tender verse in verse 15. And Miriam was shut out from the camp for seven days, that that was the consequence of her decision. And it says this. And the people journeyed not till Miriam was brought in again. And I love that God does allow consequences for our mistakes. He does, he does want to root out those things that are going to rot our. Our souls. But that verse is so great where it's like, but we're not leaving without her. So we're gonna wait here until all of this is settled and all of this is cleared up. And then we're gonna move on, which I think is so sweet, so good.
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And then they kind of continue after that. They figure everything out and they begin to move on. And Moses decides to send 12 spies. And they go searching in the land of Canaan. And they have this mission and they're like, okay, we're gonna go.
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Which is the promised land. If you. If that. That's what it's called is Canaan. That is the land. Remember that God promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and Said, one day, this is the land. This is your promised land. Canaan is their promised land.
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And so they go and they're like, okay, Moses is like, I'm gonna send you 12 spies. You're gonna go and you're gonna scope it out and see if it's ready, if we can take it over, if it can be our land, if it's finally time. And so he sends the spies. And it's so interesting to me. This is chapter 13, verse 25. And they searched for 40 days. And 40 days is symbolic, a lot of the time in scripture to represent, like, kind of like a spiritual journey. A lot of the things and experiences that you find in scripture will have to do with the number 40. The flood was 40 days. The. What else was 40?
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The journey in the wilderness is 40 years. Jesus fasted for 40 days.
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Yeah, it's like. It just is, like, kind of, like, representative of a journey, a spiritual journey. And it's interesting to me that they compare this story, what we're about to read, to a spiritual one, because the result is very fascinating. So they send the spies and they come back and they're like, okay, yeah, like, it is a really good land. Like, we'll tell you what we, like, brought. They brought fruit back, just like Moses said. So, like, they should. They could show, like, what is happening in the land, like, the growth of the land. And they're like, here's the fruit, and it is good. It's flowing with milk and honey. Verse 27. Like, it's going to be great. But numbers 13, this is verse 28. Nevertheless, the people be strong that dwell in that land, okay? And the cities are walled. And, like, it is not. It's not going to be, like, an easy situation. And they kind of, like, start a little bit, like, chill about it, honestly. Like, they're like, the people are strong. It's like a good place. Like, there's walls, and the people are strong. It's like, I don't even know if it's possible. And then in verse 30, all the people started, like, getting a little worked up. And then verse 30, Caleb stilled the people before Moses and said, listen, let us all go up right now. We can possess it. We are able to overcome it. And then what happens is the men that went up with him. I think that's really interesting. I would underline that in my journal. What I think is interesting, that Caleb and all the other men had the same spiritual journey. They all experienced the same thing. Their response was very different. All the men were like, okay, it's walled, and they're strong. We're nervous. Caleb is like, let's go right this second. We can do it. We can really do it. And then all the other guys are like, no, no, no, no. We are not able to do that because they are so much stronger than us. And now they are such dramatic people. They've been dramatic people. We already knew that about them. And they go. And their entire report is evil. And they're like, no, let us tell you what's actually going on there. They are gigantic. They are huge. The men there are so strong. They are animals. Like, they are so much bigger than us. When they look at us, us compared to them, they are giants. We are grasshoppers. They will stomp all over us. And I immediately am so intrigued that Caleb and those men saw the same thing. They had the same experience, but something was different. And what I think is interesting is all of those men were so worried about what they could do, what they were capable of. But Caleb knew what the Lord was capable of, and he said, no, we will be able to do it, because look at what the Lord has done in our life before. And all of them were like, no, no, no, no. Like, we see something so different, and it goes through. And it's interesting because all of the people start crying. They weep that entire night. They're like, we're never getting the promised land. This is a nightmare. All of us are gon get dead. We're going to get stomped all over by these giants. They were terrified, and rightly so. Like, it was going to be low odds. And then what's going to happen is they have this moment where Caleb looks and he's like, no, you don't understand. You don't understand. I was there. I saw it. Trust me. And he goes through. And this is chapter 14, verse 23 and 24. And this is what's gonna happen next is all of a sudden, Caleb and Joshua, both of these guys are like, no, like, we really think it's good, and we really thought it was worth it. And we know it is. And none of the people believe them. And so Moses kind of becomes the mediator, and he's like, okay, like, I'm gonna resolve what's gonna happen. And the Lord shares the new plan. And he looks at all the kids that are so scared and terrified and believing the report that's based in fear. And he looks and he says, listen, they are never going to see the land which I have promised their fathers. They will never experience the Promised land. But my servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him and has followed me fully, him, will I bring into the land. And then if you go to the next page, verse 30 and 31 and 32, you shall not come into the land which I promised you. Only Caleb and Joshua and your little ones which said, should be a prey, them will I bring in. And they shall know the land which you have despised. But all of you will die before you ever get out of the wilderness. And it is so, so interesting to me because I just want to go back to the very beginning and think, what am I experiencing that I have the choice to either look at with fear or look at with faith? Because that is going to determine whether or not I get to see the Promised Land. The only difference was perspective. If all of those men were like, no, we can do it, just like Caleb, they all would have experienced the Promised Land. But their fear got in the way. That's what stopped them, is they had the same experience, they saw the same thing. The only difference was believing. And the only people that got to experience it were the little ones that they thought were going to get stomped all over by the giants and Caleb and Joshua. And all that mattered there wasn't what they experienced. It's how they reflected on the experience. And my friend always says this quote and he always talks about how in life it matters less what you experience and more about how you reflect on that experience. And this is evidence to me of that is that you can look back and you can experience whatever you have possibly experienced, but your reflection is what will shape your future.
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A
Yeah, it just makes me think about, this is the first time that I've ever thought through what lesson. I mean, not the first time, but I think it kind of came more clearly, I should say. What lesson is it that God wanted to teach him with that wake up call where he says, then you can't go into the Promised land. And it made me just think that almost a follow up line could have been like, if you can't see the Promised land right here where you are, you'll never be able to see it. Right. If you don't see it in the manna, then you'll never see God's goodness. And your fear and your perspective you have will keep you from God's promises. And it seems to be the lesson that he's teaching to future generations. Their fear kept them out of the promised land the same way that our fear and refusal to believe that God can be that good will keep us from his, from his promises. Fear seems to be the opposite of, of what belief can be. So that's such a good, good lesson. And that distraction is one that everybody has fear. And then I think their problem was the spreading of the fear. Yeah. Where there's like nothing's going to work out.
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B
And that it got dramatic so quick.
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A
Right.
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That it's just like, oh yeah, like they're pretty strong and then they're getting stomped all over and then the people are crying all night.
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Which it's so easy to maximize. Maximize, you know, a fear to say, you know, you fail one test, you know, and then you're just like, I, I'm, I'm terrible at math. I've never been good at math. I probably never will. I probably will never graduate or get a job. I'll probably just live on the side of the road somewhere and never get married or have kids or, you know, it's so easy to just like spiral and maximize and spread those fears. And I love that you are. Were kept talking about Mike. They had the same experience, but what they saw was different. And this word is going to come up for our word of the week in the next story that we're going to look at in numbers 21. But it's already come up a couple of times this idea of look. That's our word and the Hebrew for that word is to see, of course, but also to see literally or figuratively and to appear, to behold, to consider, to discern, to perceive. I love this one. Or to experience something. And the question is not what they were seeing with their physical eyes, but what were they considering, what were they perceiving, what were they discerning and what were they experiencing with that? Same with the manna, right. You saw the manna, but you weren't seeing it for what it really was. You weren't experiencing the grace of God with it. Your ingratitude was making you incapable of experiencing God's goodness with that daily mercy that he was. Was giving. You see it really clearly in this story. It's numbers 21, probably the most famous story from the book of, of Numbers. And it's a complaint again. It's a complaint that they have two. One was, well, one is going to be with water in a second. But the food again. Right. Our soul loatheth this light bread. Like I just. And it's interesting because the wake up call is going to be first of all, I just think it's interesting. The distraction is whatever that is is happening again. And I love that it's happening again. This may be the third time we've seen it in scripture because it just feels like this doesn't go away. Jenny was talking to the kids the other day on Sunday and just trying to teach them that that concept and idea of your faith has to be renewed every day. Like your testimony has to be renewed often. You can't just battle against one of your weaknesses or sins or temptations today and then be done with it. It just is a part of the journey through life that that temptation is going to come up again and again and again. And it's interesting to me that there, that that miracle of God was not satisfactory to them anymore. Like there's something about that that I haven't quite worked through totally. But it was the same thing, Garden of Eden to Adam and Eve, where paradise wasn't good enough anymore. And the serpent got them to have, you know, partake of the fruit because of this distrust in who God was. They were in paradise and somehow the serpent made them think that it wasn't good enough for them. And, and it makes me think about that line and I can't remember who said it. It's a really famous philosopher about a God sized hole inside every human heart that only something as big as God could fill. Nothing else is going to be able to satisfy it. And it feels like that is what's happening with them. And as a wake up call, these fiery serpents come and they bite the people and a lot of the people die from that. And these are snakes that are in that area of the world. They're really quick. So some people think that's why they were fieries because they're like really, you know, I mean, flying because they just are, are super fast. And their poison causes like a burning inside a person that cannot be quenched. And again, that comes back to that whole idea of there's only one thing that can actually satisfy the human soul. And, and that is God. And it says they've sinned and they ask the Lord to please take away these serpents from us. And the Lord has Moses in verse eight, make a fiery. Take a fiery serpent made of brass and put it on a pole and lift it up. And everyone that is bitten when he looketh upon it shall live. So Moses did it and he put it up on a pole and everybody looked. And it's interesting that the, the thing that is the enemy is what is on top of the pole. When you read the story you're like, wait, we actually don't like the snakes, right? Now, so why would we want to look at one? And I've heard a couple people talk about this and, and in a couple ways that I like. One is when you put, when you've defeated something once and for all in the ancient times, like you, you put it up on a, on a stick. You know, this is kind of gruesome, but like you took the head of the enemy or whatever and you, and you put it on the stick and it was a sign that like, oh, the enemy has been defeated. And in this case that would be true too, right? That like, oh, this serpent has been defeated once and for all. Jesus in John chapter three, when he's talking with Nicodemus, will use this story and say, this is a story about me. It's a story about the serpent being defeated once and for all. And that will happen when I am lifted up as if I were the serpent. And in this case it seems that Jesus is teaching, I will become the enemy and then I will die as the enemy in order that sin might be defeated once and for all. And he says, and just as it was in the wilderness, if people will look to me, they can be healed. And the Book of Alma and the Book of Mormon teaches us that a lot of people didn't because it felt too simple to do. And that's a temptation, I think, of people to try and complicate this, to try and complicate the gospel and say, no, no, no, what do I need to do? I probably need to go get the broomstick of the Wicked witch of the west, or I need to do some great act. And it's not to defeat sin would require a great act. It just isn't you and I that have to do it. Jesus did that great act that defeated sin once and for all. And he says, if you just look to me, I can satisfy that God sized hole inside of you. I can quench that fire that burns. I can defeat the problem you actually had. You have a poison in you that your grit can't get out. It's going to need me. So that is the verse, by the way, that the word actually comes from where he says, and he that looketh upon it shall live. Jesus says, look to me, see me, behold me, consider me, experience me, and I can heal you. I can satisfy that. I can take whatever it is that poison is out of you that you can't get rid of on your own. And I love this story. I love that all it takes is to look again. Again in our minds we say, no, sin is Bigger than that. It's like, I know, I know. It required Jesus's life to defeat it. It was a gigantic enemy. But his invitation is, look to me and you can receive all that I've done for you. And anyone can look. Anyone. Kids can look. Uneducated people can look. Bankers can look, Teachers can look, Firefighters can look. Anybody can look. And in that way, God opened up the door for any and all people to be healed. When people are like, it's too easy. That was the point. God wanted it to be. He showed how desperately he wanted all of us back by being lifted up like that brazen serpent in the wilderness. And he says, just look to me and you will. You will live and not only not die, but you will actually experience life. Like we talked about last week, that eternal life is not a future thing. Experience the thrill of being alive, the thrill of miracles. That verse about Caleb is why we named our youngest Caleb, by the way, because God put in him another spirit. He was doing life differently and better than the rest of everyone else. And God says, look to me and, and. And your life will be like that. You'll have a different kind of. Of spirit. You'll see things differently. You'll see the miracles. You'll see me in everything. So that is going to be such an awesome word to have up all week long.
- [36:59]
B
And it is interesting because it does feel like a lot of the stories that we're studying today do have to do with the idea of seeing things differently. And the last one that we're talking about is kind of along those same lines. And there's a king, and his name is Balak. Some say that's how you pronounce it, Balak. I don't know, I feel like it's like self explanatory, but someone might correct me. It's fine, everyone. And he wanted to curse Israel. So he's like, you know what? I'm gonna hire someone to curse him. And so he goes and he finds this guy named Balaam. Balaam. And he's gonna go, and he's like, listen, I'm gonna give you honor. I'm gonna give you money. I'm gonna give you so much, I need you to go curse these people. And Balaam's like, okay, like, that sounds nice. Like, I might as well, like, try. And so he goes to God and he's like, hey, I wanna curse these people. God says, no. Balaam's like, okay, easy as that. Like, I got it, no worries. And he goes back to Balak and he's like, hey, I can't curse these people because God said no. Like, it's not. It's not gonna work like that. I'm not in, I'm out. Thanks for the offer. It's not for me. And then, like, you know, like, Block is desperate because he looks back and he's like, no, no, no. Like, let me give you more. And he's like, I'll give you more honor. I'll give you more of everything you want. He's gonna give him an offer that he can't refuse. And Balam is hearing all this, and he's like, oh, this is good. Like, you are making it tempting. And he's like, you know what? I'll go back and check. Like, I might as well go ask again, because that sounds. Sounds good. And so Balaam goes back and he gets on his donkey and he's gonna go ask God. And as he's going, his donkey kind of, like, starts, like, freaking out and, like, being a little bit weird. And he's, like, trying to go on the road, and the donkey's not going straight down the road, and he's kind of like, taking him off and taking him sideways. And finally Balaam is like, dude, what are you doing? And the donkey starts talking. That's how you know it's the Old Testament, because you start thinking, like, this can't be real story. And then that is. That is a clue that you are in the Old Testament. Because the donkey does start talking to Balaam and he's like, dude, trust me. Have I ever led you astray? Like, I am your loyal donkey, like, you can trust me, as all donkeys usually say. And he's like, I've never led you astray. Why would you not trust me? And Balaam's. Because this is weird. Just like, let me go down the road. And finally, Balaam's eyes open, and he sees what the donkey saw. And the donkey saw there was an angel in the middle of the road stopping him. And Balaam sees it and he. And he's like, oh, God's telling me this isn't it. This isn't right. And so he goes back and he denies the offer of all the honor and all the glory and all the good things. And instead, in fact, he does the exact opposite. He blesses the children of Israel three times over. And what I am so intrigued by is that Balaam needed to see things differently. Just like so many times before in this section, he couldn't see what God needed him to see. That is his Wake up call is that he's like, wait, I need to open my eyes. This is crazy. This is different. My donkey is talking to me. He's never done that before. But it's because he needed to see things differently. And instead of a curse, they got blessings. And I think that that's true about us and our perspectives and in our lives is that it's so often that we expect to see curses. And in all reality, we're gonna get blessings. And I think that that is the lesson that I want to take from that story, is to expect a blessing and be ready for that. And that God can change your eyes for you to realize that instead of a curse, there's going to be a blessing.
- [40:20]
A
Yeah, that's so awesome. And maybe there's just this underlying kind of thing. And there was like, a donkey can see it. You know, anyone can. Anybody can see this. And I love this verse in chapter 24, verse 1. It says this in the King James. And when Balaam, whatever his name is, saw that it pleased the Lord to bless Israel, he went. Not. The new living translation, which we all know I love so much, says it like this. And when Balaam saw that the Lord was determined to bless Israel because that other king, Balak, or whatever his name is, tried to get him to do it so many times. And every time he went, the Lord said, no, I want you to bless him. And he. And he had him look at it from another mountaintop. How about, okay, look at him now. And he says, no, the Lord still wants to bless him. Well, look at him from this angle. And he says, yeah, from that angle too. The Lord still wants to bless him. And the lesson here is what you were saying. Grace. 24. The Lord is determined to bless. There are. If our eyes could be opened, what we would see are angels, right? That is what God is want has. It was his whole intention. What else does he have to get out of this besides his generosity, besides him being just good? And I just love that. 24 1. Then he says, yeah, look. And I love that 24 happens after numbers 11, 12, 13, 14, and 21, all the other stories that we did that. If any chap, any book of scripture, they all show this. But this one in particular shows that God just does not give up on them. They've complained again and again and again and again. And then after all of that is when the verse 24:1 comes, it says, I am still determined to bless them. That's my intention. And yes, and yes. And look at this verse. It's so good. 24:17. I shall see him, but not now. It says, I shall behold him, but not close. There shall come a star out of Jacob and a scepter that will rise out of Israel. Yeah, they are of. They are a mess, these people. But from that mess a star will rise. Out of that family will come salvation himself. And. And that is so amazing to. To think of what God sees when he looks down on us. He sees the potential that is in us, the great and good things that will come. And there's actually a tip in this week in a chapter that we're not reading. It's numbers 26. And this is where the Lord divides out the land that each of the tribes and families are going to inherit in the promised land. They're not going in quite. They're not there yet. And the Lord's already giving them the deeds and the keys to their house. He's like, this is how determined I am to bless you, that I'm going to give you your mailing address now. And that. That little tip in. Of what. Where they're going to live in the land goes into. Into 26. I just want to end with where I said I was going to end. I actually remembered. That's good team. In Numbers, chapter six. This is not in our reading, but should, should have been, because almost as a. As a sign, as a way of saying what God's intentions are, he put into the pattern of their lives this, this ritual. And a priest would go into the temple. We looked at that temple last time, every single morning. And they would offer on that altar that was right in front of the holy of holies, the altar of incense. Incense. And it would rise up and it would be a symbol of the prayers of the people rising up into heaven. And then as part of that, after he did that, that priest was meant to go outside of the tabernacle doors. And there the congregation of Israel met every morning. People came and they just surrounded that temple entrance every morning for the morning prayers of the people, which is so sweet to think about. And he says, every single morning, I want you to give the people this blessing. It's known as the priestly blessing. There's a song that uses these same words. It's called the Blessing. And this is what he wants him to say in verse 23. Speak unto Aaron and to his son, saying, on this wise, ye shall bless the children of Israel and write in your Scriptures every morning, saying unto them, the Lord bless thee and keep thee. May his face shine upon thee. And be gracious to thee. The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee and give thee peace. And they shall put my name upon the children of Israel. That's a claiming line. And I will bless them. And that is a blessing that the priests came out and blessed the children of Israel with every single morning as a way to show them God is. What was the word? Determined? Is that it? God is pleased and determined to bless you. And I want everyone to wake up every morning and see that go read that blessing for the whole week, every single morning. That's his intention for your day. That's his intention for your life. That's his intention for your journey, for it to be a blessed journey. And do you want to know this amazing fact that I hope never changes? The oldest fragment of written scripture that any archeologist has found was numbers, chapter 6, 22, 27. It was inscribed on a silver amulet. And it's the oldest fragment of Hebrew scripture in its most original form that's ever been found. And you know what I want to say to all the archaeologists of the world? Stop looking, okay? Because I want that.
- [46:32]
B
Just leave it.
- [46:33]
A
Because there are a lot of verses that someone could have found right in these pages. There just are a lot. But the one. Isn't it divinely ironic that the one that was found, the oldest intention, the beginning intention, and the end intention of God will be, May the Lord bless you and keep you, and may his face shine upon you and be gracious to you. May he lift you up and give you peace. May the Lord put his name on you and bless you. That's what he wants to do above and above everything else. I know. It's so good. It's the best verses. All right, y'.
- [47:18]
B
All.
- [47:18]
A
And go listen to the song. It's so good. It's called the Blessing. All right, we'll see you next week. If you want to follow along in everything we're doing, you can find us on Instagram at. Don't miss this study, at this week's Grace, and at Mr. Dave Butler.
- [47:30]
B
And if you want to subscribe to the app or get our weekly newsletter, all of the information can be found at don'tmissthisudy. Com.
- [47:36]
A
See you next week.