Thoughts and Reflection

Today Numbers 7 is an account of all the events prior to Numbers 1 where the people bring their offerings to bless the Tabernacle. The twelve tribes of Israel came with their representatives to Moses and Aaron with gifts and sacrifice. It is important to note that every tribe contributes equally to the worship of the Tabernacle.

The Israelites plan to take possession of the Promised Land and spare none of the current residents. God knows that the Israelites will want to be like the people around them but they cannot. They have to be set apart. God is playing the “long game” to bring salvation to his people.

Thinking back I am sure there have been times we have all been singled out for our faith at some point in our lives. What happened and how did you respond?

Daily Readings

Numbers 7

¹ On the day Moses finished erecting the Dwelling, he anointed and consecrated it and all its furniture, as well as the altar and all its equipment. When he had anointed and consecrated it all,

² the leaders of Israel made an offering; they were the heads of their families, the tribal leaders who had presided over the census.

³ They brought their offering before Yahweh: six covered wagons and twelve oxen, one wagon for every two leaders and one ox each. They brought them in front of the Dwelling.

⁴ Yahweh spoke to Moses and said,

⁵ ‘Accept these from them, and let them be set apart for the service of the Tent of Meeting. You will give them to the Levites, to each as his duties require.’

⁶ Moses took the wagons and oxen, and gave them to the Levites.

⁷ To the Gershonites he gave two wagons and four oxen for the duties they had to perform.

⁸ To the Merarites he gave four wagons and eight oxen for the duties they had to perform under the direction of Ithamar, son of Aaronthe priest.

⁹ But to the Kohathites he gave none at all, because the sacred charge entrusted to them had to be carried on their shoulders.

¹⁰ The leaders then made an offering for the dedication of the altar, on the day it was anointed. They brought their offering before the altar,

¹¹ and Yahweh said to Moses, ‘Each day one of the leaders must bring his offering for the dedication of the altar.’

¹² On the first day an offering was brought by Nahshon son of Amminadab, of the tribe of Judah.

¹³ His offering consisted of: one silver bowl weighing a hundred and thirty shekels, one silver sprinkling bowl weighing seventy shekels (sanctuary shekels), both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil as a cereal offering,

¹⁴ one golden bowl weighing ten shekels, full of incense,

¹⁵ one young bull, one ram and one male yearling lamb as a burnt offering,

¹⁶ one he-goat as a sacrifice for sin,

¹⁷ and two bulls, five rams, five he-goats and five male yearling lambs as a communion sacrifice. Such was the offering of Nahshon son of Amminadab.

¹⁸ On the second day an offering was brought by Nethanel son of Zuar, leader of Issachar.

¹⁹ His offering consisted of: one silver bowl weighing a hundred and thirty shekels, one silver sprinkling bowl weighing seventy shekels (sanctuary shekels), both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil as a cereal offering,

²⁰ one golden bowl weighing ten shekels, full of incense,

²¹ one young bull, one ram and one male yearling lamb as a burnt offering,

²² one he-goat as a sacrifice for sin,

²³ and two bulls, five rams, five he-goats and five male yearling lambs as a communion sacrifice. Such was the offering of Nethanel son of Zuar.

²⁴ On the third day an offering was brought by Eliab son of Helon, leader of the Zebulunites.

²⁵ His offering consisted of: one silver bowl weighing a hundred and thirty shekels, one silver sprinkling bowl weighing seventy shekels (sanctuary shekels), both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil as a cereal offering,

²⁶ one golden bowl weighing ten shekels, full of incense,

²⁷ one young bull, one ram and one male yearling lamb as a burnt offering,

²⁸ one he-goat as a sacrifice for sin,

²⁹ and two bulls, five rams, five he-goats and five male yearling lambs as a communion sacrifice. Such was the offering of Eliab son of Helon.

³⁰ On the fourth day an offering was brought by Elizur son of Shedeur, leader of the Reubenites.

³¹ His offering consisted of: one silver bowl weighing a hundred and thirty shekels, one silver sprinkling bowl weighing seventy shekels (sanctuary shekels), both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil as a cereal offering,

³² one golden bowl weighing ten shekels, full of incense,

³³ one young bull, one ram and one male yearling lamb as a burnt offering,

³⁴ one he-goat as a sacrifice for sin,

³⁵ and two bulls, five rams, five he-goats and five male yearling lambs as a communion sacrifice. Such was the offering of Elizur son of Shedeur.

³⁶ On the fifth day an offering was brought by Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai, leader of the Simeonites.

³⁷ His offering consisted of: one silver bowl weighing a hundred and thirty shekels, one silver sprinkling bowl weighing seventy shekels (sanctuary shekels), both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil as a cereal offering,

³⁸ one golden bowl weighing ten shekels, full of incense,

³⁹ one young bull, one ram and one male yearling lamb as a burnt offering,

⁴⁰ one he-goat as a sacrifice for sin,

⁴¹ and two bulls, five rams, five he-goats and five male yearling lambs as a communion sacrifice. Such was the offering of Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai.

⁴² On the sixth day an offering was brought by Eliasaph son of Reuel, leader of the Gadites.

⁴³ His offering consisted of: one silver bowl weighing a hundred and thirty shekels, one silver sprinkling bowl weighing seventy shekels (sanctuary shekels), both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil as a cereal offering,

⁴⁴ one golden bowl weighing ten shekels, full of incense,

⁴⁵ one young bull, one ram and one male yearling lamb as a burnt offering,

⁴⁶ one he-goat as a sacrifice for sin,

⁴⁷ and two bulls, five rams, five he-goats and five male yearling lambs as a communion sacrifice. Such was the offering of Eliasaph son of Reuel.

⁴⁸ On the seventh day an offering was brought by Elishama son of Ammihud, leader of the Ephraimites.

⁴⁹ His offering consisted of: one silver bowl weighing a hundred and thirty shekels, one silver sprinkling bowl weighing seventy shekels (sanctuary shekels), both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil as a cereal offering,

⁵⁰ one golden bowl weighing ten shekels, full of incense,

⁵¹ one young bull, one ram and one male yearling lamb as a burnt offering,

⁵² one he-goat as a sacrifice for sin,

⁵³ and two bulls, five rams, five he-goats and five male yearling lambs as a communion sacrifice. Such was the offering of Elishama son of Ammihud.

⁵⁴ On the eighth day an offering was brought by Gamaliel son of Pedahzur, leader of the Manassehites.

⁵⁵ His offering consisted of: one silver bowl weighing a hundred and thirty shekels, one silver sprinkling bowl weighing seventy shekels (sanctuary shekels), both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil as a cereal offering,

⁵⁶ one golden bowl weighing ten shekels, full of incense,

⁵⁷ one young bull, one ram and one male yearling lamb as a burnt offering,

⁵⁸ one he-goat as a sacrifice for sin,

⁵⁹ and two bulls, five rams, five he-goats and five male yearling lambs as a communion sacrifice. Such was the offering of Gamaliel son of Pedahzur.

⁶⁰ On the ninth day an offering was brought by Abidan son of Gideoni, leader of the Benjaminites.

⁶¹ His offering consisted of: one silver bowl weighing a hundred and thirty shekels, one sprinkling bowl weighing seventy shekels (sanctuary shekels), both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil as a cereal offering,

⁶² one golden bowl weighing ten shekels, full of incense,

⁶³ one young bull, one ram and one male yearling lamb as a burnt offering,

⁶⁴ one he-goat as a sacrifice for sin,

⁶⁵ and two bulls, five rams, five he-goats and five male yearling lambs as a communion sacrifice. Such was the offering of Abidan son of Gideoni.

⁶⁶ On the tenth day an offering was brought by Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai, leader of the Danites.

⁶⁷ His offering consisted of: one silver bowl weighing a hundred and thirty shekels, one silver sprinkling bowl weighing seventy shekels (sanctuary shekels), both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil as a cereal offering,

⁶⁸ one golden bowl weighing ten shekels, full of incense,

⁶⁹ one young bull, one ram and one male yearling lamb as a burnt offering,

⁷⁰ one he-goat as a sacrifice for sin,

⁷¹ and two bulls, five rams, five he-goats and five male yearling lambs as a communion sacrifice. Such was the offering of Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai.

⁷² On the eleventh day an offering was brought by Pagiel son of Ochran, leader of the Asherites.

⁷³ His offering consisted of: one silver bowl weighing a hundred and thirty shekels, one silver sprinkling bowl weighing seventy shekels (sanctuary shekels), both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil as a cereal offering,

⁷⁴ one golden bowl weighing ten shekels, full of incense,

⁷⁵ one young bull, one ram and one male yearling lamb as a burnt offering,

⁷⁶ one he-goat as a sacrifice for sin,

⁷⁷ and two bulls, five rams, five he-goats and five male yearling lambs as a communion sacrifice. Such was the offering of Pagiel son of Ochran.

⁷⁸ On the twelfth day an offering was brought by Ahira son of Enan, leader of the Naphtalites.

⁷⁹ His offering consisted of: one silver bowl weighing a hundred and thirty shekels, one silver sprinkling bowl weighing seventy shekels (sanctuary shekels), both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil as a cereal offering,

⁸⁰ one golden bowl weighing ten shekels, full of incense,

⁸¹ one young bull, one ram and one male yearling lamb as a burnt offering,

⁸² one he-goat as a sacrifice for sin,

⁸³ and two bulls, five rams, five he-goats and five male yearling lambs as a communion sacrifice. Such was the offering of Ahira son of Enan.

⁸⁴ Such were the offerings made by the leaders of Israel for the dedication of the altar on the day it was anointed: twelve silver bowls, twelve silver sprinkling bowls, and twelve golden bowls.

⁸⁵ Each silver bowl weighed a hundred and thirty shekels, and each sprinkling bowl seventy, the silver of these objects weighing in all two thousand four hundred sanctuary shekels.

⁸⁶ The twelve golden bowls full of incense each weighed ten shekels (sanctuary shekels), the gold of these bowls weighing in all a hundred and twenty shekels.

⁸⁷ The sum total of animals for the burnt offering: twelve bulls, twelve rams, twelve male yearling lambs, with their cereal offerings. For the sacrifice for sin, twelve he-goats.

⁸⁸ The sum total of animals for the communion sacrifice: twenty-four bulls, sixty rams, sixty he-goats and sixty male yearling lambs. Such were the offerings for the dedication of the altar, after it had been anointed.

⁸⁹ When Moses went into the Tent of Meeting to speak with him, he heard the voice speaking to him from above the mercy-seat on the ark of the Testimony, from between the two great winged creatures. He then spoke to him.

Deuteronomy 7

¹ ‘When Yahweh your God has brought you into the country which you are going to make your own, many nations will fall before you: Hittites, Girgashites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites, seven nations greater and stronger than yourselves.

² Yahweh your God will put them at your mercy and you will conquer them. You must put them under the curse of destruction. You must not make any treaty with them or show them any pity.

³ You must not intermarry with them; you must not give a daughter of yours to a son of theirs, or take a daughter of theirs for a son of yours,

⁴ for your son would be seduced from following me into serving other gods; the wrath of Yahweh would blaze out against you and he would instantly destroy you.

⁵ Instead, treat them like this: tear down their altars, smash their standing-stones, cut down their sacred poles and burn their idols.

⁶ For you are a people consecrated to Yahweh your God; of all the peoples on earth, you have been chosen by Yahweh your God to be his own people.

⁷ ‘Yahweh set his heart on you and chose you not because you were the most numerous of all peoples — for indeed you were the smallest of all-

⁸ but because he loved you and meant to keep the oath which he swore to your ancestors: that was why Yahweh brought you out with his mighty hand and redeemed you from the place of slave-labour, from the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt.

⁹ From this you can see that Yahweh your God is the true God, the faithful God who, though he is true to his covenant and his faithful love for a thousand generations as regards those who love him and keep his commandments,

¹⁰ punishes in their own persons those that hate him. He destroys anyone who hates him, without delay; and it is in their own persons that he punishes them.

¹¹ Hence, you must keep and observe the commandments, laws and customs which I am laying down for you today.

¹² ‘Listen to these ordinances, be true to them and observe them, and in return Yahweh your God will be true to the covenant and love which he promised on oath to your ancestors.

¹³ He will love you and bless you and increase your numbers; he will bless the fruit of your body and the produce of your soil, your corn, your new wine, your oil, the issue of your cattle, the young of your flock, in the country which he swore to your ancestors that he would give you.

¹⁴ You will be the most blessed of all peoples. None of you, man or woman, will be sterile, no male or female of your beasts infertile.

¹⁵ Yahweh will deflect all illness from you; he will not afflict you with those evil plagues of Egypt which you have known, but will inflict them on all who hate you.

¹⁶ ‘So, devour all the peoples whom Yahweh your God puts at your mercy, show them no pity, do not serve their gods: or you will be ensnared.

¹⁷ ‘You may say in your heart, “These nations outnumber me; how shall I be able to dispossess them?”

¹⁸ Do not be afraid of them: remember how Yahweh your God treated Pharaoh and all Egypt,

¹⁹ the great ordeals that you yourselves have seen, the signs and wonders, the mighty hand and outstretched arm with which Yahwehyour God brought you out. This is how Yahweh your God will treat all the peoples whom you fear to face.

²⁰ And what is more, Yahweh your God will send hornets to destroy those who are left and who hide from you.

²¹ ‘Do not be afraid of them, for Yahweh your God is among you, a great and terrible God.

²² Little by little, Yahweh your God will clear away these nations before you; you cannot destroy them all at once, or wild animals willbreed and be disastrous for you.

²³ But Yahweh your God will put them at your mercy, and disaster after disaster will overtake them until they are finally destroyed.

²⁴ He will put their kings at your mercy and you will blot out their names under heaven; no one will be able to resist you — until you have destroyed them all.

²⁵ ‘You must burn the statues of their gods, not coveting the gold and silver that covers them; take it and you will be caught in a snare: it is detestable to Yahweh your God.

²⁶ You must not bring any detestable thing into your house: or you, like it, will come under the curse of destruction. You must regard them as unclean and loathsome, for they are under the curse of destruction.’

Psalm 92

¹ [Psalm Song For the Sabbath] It is good to give thanks to Yahweh, to make music for your name, Most High,

² to proclaim your faithful love at daybreak, and your constancy all through the night,

³ on the lyre, the ten-stringed lyre, to the murmur of the harp.

⁴ You have brought me joy, Yahweh, by your deeds, at the work of your hands I cry out,

⁵ ‘How great are your works, Yahweh, immensely deep your thoughts!’

⁶ Stupid people cannot realise this, fools do not grasp it.

⁷ The wicked may sprout like weeds, and every evil-doer flourish, but only to be eternally destroyed;

⁸ whereas you are supreme for ever, Yahweh.

⁹ Look how your enemies perish, how all evil-doers are scattered!

¹⁰ You give me the strength of the wild ox, you anoint me with fresh oil;

¹¹ I caught sight of the ambush against me, overheard the plans of the wicked.

¹² The upright will flourish like the palm tree, will grow like a cedar of Lebanon.

¹³ Planted in the house of Yahweh, they will flourish in the courts of our God.

¹⁴ In old age they will still bear fruit, will remain fresh and green,

¹⁵ to proclaim Yahweh’s integrity; my rock, in whom no fault can be found.