22 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 23 “Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, Thus you shall bless the people of Israel: you shall say to them,
24 The Lord bless you and keep you;
25 the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you;
26 the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.
REFLECTION:
Stand up to read this passage. Raise up hands just as Moses would have when he blessed the Israelites. Read a few more times to have the blessings sink in.
Our God is a God who purposes and desire to bless His people. Thus, the community of God is a blessed community. As His representatives, God directed the priests to bless the people. As part of the priesthood of all believers, we are all now God’s representatives. We are all called to bless others. We are called today, not to repay evil for evil or to return abuse for abuse, but to repay evil with blessings (1 Pet 3:9).
What farewell blessing is most common to my family? What do I like about it?
In what ways has God’s power been evident in my life recently? How does that reflect the three-fold blessing here? What does this priestly blessing say about what God wants for me?
PRAYER:
Ask God for a couple of names of people that I know. Ask God’s help to learn to pray for God’s blessings and grace for them.
5 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 6 “Speak to the people of Israel, When a man or woman commits any of the sins that people commit by breaking faith with the Lord, and that person realizes his guilt, 7 he shall confess his sin that he has committed. And he shall make full restitution for his wrong, adding a fifth to it and giving it to him to whom he did the wrong. 8 But if the man has no next of kin to whom restitution may be made for the wrong, the restitution for wrong shall go to the Lord for the priest, in addition to the ram of atonement with which atonement is made for him.
REFLECTION:
Read this passage aloud as if I am hearing from God directly.
Ritual contamination by an infectious skin disease was visible. Moral failures were more difficult to ascertain. Any person who wronged another “in any way” was guilty and “must” confess the wrong and make full restitution. We are each responsible to maintain a right relationship with God and with others in the faith community.
Sharing our deepest weaknesses and failures with God and trusted others, so that we may enter into God’s grace and mercy and experience his ready forgiveness and healing (Ref I John 1:9).
PRAYER
Ask the Holy Spirit to examine my relationship with God and other people. Is it good without any ill feeling or grudge? If there is, ask God for courage to confess and to compensate when necessary.
21 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 22 “Take a census of the sons of Gershon also, by their fathers’ houses and by their clans. 23 From thirty years old up to fifty years old, you shall list them, all who can come to do duty, to do service in the tent of meeting. 24 This is the service of the clans of the Gershonites, in serving and bearing burdens: 25 they shall carry the curtains of the tabernacle and the tent of meeting with its covering and the covering of goatskin that is on top of it and the screen for the entrance of the tent of meeting 26 and the hangings of the court and the screen for the entrance of the gate of the court that is around the tabernacle and the altar, and their cords and all the equipment for their service. And they shall do all that needs to be done with regard to them. 27 All the service of the sons of the Gershonites shall be at the command of Aaron and his sons, in all that they are to carry and in all that they have to do. And you shall assign to their charge all that they are to carry. 28 This is the service of the clans of the sons of the Gershonites in the tent of meeting, and their guard duty is to be under the direction of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.
REFLECTION:
Read this passage slowly. Read the whole chapter if possible noting the work done by the Levites.
As the Israelites were moving from place to place in the wilderness, specific Levitical clans were enlisted to take down the tabernacle, carry it to the new site, and reassemble it. Scripture refers to these tasks as “serving” or “carrying”.
This week make an effort to help those people in your life whose duties include serving and carrying: for example, help serve coffee to business associates, help carry a heavy piece of furniture.
Have I ever thought of the tables and chairs arranged orderly every Sunday morning? There are a group of faithful brothers and sisters who come early on Sunday morning for this. Try coming to church at 9:00AM next Sunday and give a hand to the worship setup team? Or better yet, ask if I may join the team to “serve” and “carry” as these Levites.
PRAYER:
Thank God for the Setup team for their sacrificial and dedicated work week after week. Pray for God’s blessings on them.
Pray that I and other brothers and sisters may want to share the early Sunday morning set-up work and actually commit to it regularly.
5 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 6 “Bring the tribe of Levi near, and set them before Aaron the priest, that they may minister to him. 7 They shall keep guard over him and over the whole congregation before the tent of meeting, as they minister at the tabernacle. 8 They shall guard all the furnishings of the tent of meeting, and keep guard over the people of Israel as they minister at the tabernacle. 9 And you shall give the Levites to Aaron and his sons; they are wholly given to him from among the people of Israel. 10 And you shall appoint Aaron and his sons, and they shall guard their priesthood. But if any outsider comes near, he shall be put to death.”
11 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 12 “Behold, I have taken the Levites from among the people of Israel instead of every firstborn who opens the womb among the people of Israel. The Levites shall be mine, 13 for all the firstborn are mine. On the day that I struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, I consecrated for my own all the firstborn in Israel, both of man and of beast. They shall be mine: I am the Lord.”
REFLECTION:
Read this passage slowly paying attention to the identity and duties of the Levites.
God set the Levites apart as His own and claimed them for His service. The Levites are to replace the first male offspring. For God said, “for all the firstborn are mine. When I struck down all the firstborn in Egypt, I set apart for myself every firstborn in Israel, whether man or animal. They are to be mine. I am the LORD.”(v13)
Does God still require my “first” or my “best”? In what sense do I give God my first or best?
How much faith in God would it take for me to let Him have my children? Do I have that much faith?
PRAYER:
Sit quietly before God and consider: What do I offer to God? What does God want of me? Meditate on what Jesus did for me and what I will do for Him.
What can I give when I am no longer young? What about my attitude? Give to God all my youthful passion and strength regardless of my age.
1 The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, 2 “The people of Israel shall camp each by his own standard, with the banners of their fathers’ houses. They shall camp facing the tent of meeting on every side.
17 “Then the tent of meeting shall set out, with the camp of the Levites in the midst of the camps; as they camp, so shall they set out, each in position, standard by standard.
32 These are the people of Israel as listed by their fathers’ houses. All those listed in the camps by their companies were 603,550. 33 But the Levites were not listed among the people of Israel, as the Lord commanded Moses.
34 Thus did the people of Israel. According to all that the Lord commanded Moses, so they camped by their standards, and so they set out, each one in his clan, according to his fathers’ house.
REFLECTION:
Read this passage with continued imagination that I am in the throng of people milling around camps; men, women, children, dogs, cats, cattle, sheep, and all the vessels and equipment.
When the Israelites escaped from Egypt, they left hurriedly. Now, as they began their lives in the wilderness, they needed structure and organization. God directed Moses and Aaron to begin such massive undertaking in specific instructions and with good purposes.
Is God concerned about the everyday aspects of my life? How does He show me this concern (or lack of it)?
PRAYER:
Slowly read or sing the following song. Pay special attention to lyrics where it depicts my own experiences. Go through the verses slowly as my wrestling with God and self. Then sing triumphantly the chorus with conviction (if applies). Otherwise, dwell on the questioning verses, and have a conversation with God. Don’t rush it. Give God time to respond.
The book of numbers is largely Narrative History as far as its genre. It was written by Moses about 1450-1410 B.C. Key personalities include Moses, Aaron, Miriam, Joshua, Caleb, Eleazar, Korah, and Balaam.
The purpose of the book of Numbers is to tell about how Israel prepared to enter the promise land, but sinned and was punished. It describes Moses taking two population censuses, hence the name Numbers.
From chapters 1-9 the Israelites are preparing for their journey and entry into the promise land. Moses begins by taking a census of all the tribes, primarily to see how many men are available and in shape for military service. Next, Moses dedicates the Levites and instructs the Nazirite vows and laws. During this time, the Israelites celebrate the 2nd Passover one year after their exit from bondage.
In chapters 10-12, the Israelites travel from the wilderness in Sinai to approach the promise land. The people complain about their food, God gives them quail, and because of their greed, He also sends them a plague. Miriam and Aaron learn a lesson about whom God places in leadership.
In chapters 13-19, we see severe punishment for disobedience and unfaithfulness to God. Moses sends out 12 spies to perform reconnaissance on the promise land. The 12 spies return and only two of them bring good news. The people fear the occupants and rebel against taking the land. For this God punishes them and sends them into the wilderness for forty years to roam.
The last chapters of Numbers, from 20-36, the new generation of Israelites again attempt to enter the land to take it as God promised. This time they easily destroy two nations that confront them as they are entering. Balak uses his prophet Balaam to learn to seduce the Israelites to worship Baal. Because of this disobedience, about 24,000 people die, including Balaam. Before the book of Numbers ends, Moses again conducts a census, and Joshua assumes the leadership of Israel in place of Moses who is banned from the promise land, due to his disobedience.
1 The Lord spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the tent of meeting, on the first day of the second month, in the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt, saying, 2 “Take a census of all the congregation of the people of Israel, by clans, by fathers’ houses, according to the number of names, every male, head by head. 3 From twenty years old and upward, all in Israel who are able to go to war, you and Aaron shall list them, company by company. 4 And there shall be with you a man from each tribe, each man being the head of the house of his fathers. 5 And these are the names of the men who shall assist you. From Reuben, Elizur the son of Shedeur; 6 from Simeon, Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai; 7 from Judah, Nahshon the son of Amminadab; 8 from Issachar, Nethanel the son of Zuar; 9 from Zebulun, Eliab the son of Helon; 10 from the sons of Joseph, from Ephraim, Elishama the son of Ammihud, and from Manasseh, Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur; 11 from Benjamin, Abidan the son of Gideoni; 12 from Dan, Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai; 13 from Asher, Pagiel the son of Ochran; 14 from Gad, Eliasaph the son of Deuel; 15 from Naphtali, Ahira the son of Enan.” 16 These were the ones chosen from the congregation, the chiefs of their ancestral tribes, the heads of the clans of Israel.
REFLECTION:
Read this passage as if I am among the multitudes of Israelites camped at Mount Sinai preparing for a journey through the wilderness to the land of Canaan.
Israel was in a holding pattern for 13 months following the major event of all time, the Exodus. Now they are ready to begin the journey into God’s Promised Land.
What was the most significant crossroads event that separates the “before” and “after” of my life’s journey?
How has God especially prepared me for a spiritual journey? In what sense has this preparation made my life’s pilgrimage easier? More difficult?
PRAYER:
Ask God to walk through my “Life’s Journey” with me. Where have I been? Any adventure? Turning points? Struggles, failures or successes? What do I want to tell God? Listen to what God wants to tell me.
13 That very day two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, 14 and they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened. 15 While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. 16 But their eyes were kept from recognizing him. 17 And he said to them, “What is this conversation that you are holding with each other as you walk?” And they stood still, looking sad. 18 Then one of them, named Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?” 19 And he said to them, “What things?” And they said to him, “Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people,20 and how our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him. 21 But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things happened.22 Moreover, some women of our company amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning, 23 and when they did not find his body, they came back saying that they had even seen a vision of angels, who said that he was alive. 24 Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see.”25 And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.
28 So they drew near to the village to which they were going. He acted as if he were going farther, 29 but they urged him strongly, saying, “Stay with us, for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent.” So he went in to stay with them. 30 When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. 31 And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight. 32 They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?” 33 And they rose that same hour and returned to Jerusalem. And they found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, 34 saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!” 35 Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread.
REFLECTION:
On that resurrection morning, as two of Jesus’ disciples walked along the dusty road to Emmaus, their faces were downcast. They were mournful and gloomy. Yet when Jesus joined them in the guise of a stranger, the two disciples revealed they had a lot of resurrection facts! They even told the stranger about the empty tomb.
So, as the two disciples trudged along, their faces sad, Jesus traced the Old Testament passages which predicted the Messiah’s death and foretold His resurrection. And even then, the two disciples couldn’t shake their gloom. Even though Jesus walked by their side, they were still mourning as though their God really were dead rather than with them, and triumphantly alive!
What about you? Do you find that you have a downcast mood that slips up on all of us now and then. But when it does, that’s the time to remember the lesson of the road to Emmaus. Our feelings do not fit the facts! We’re not alone anymore. Jesus lives, and our resurrected Lord walks our road with us.
When we shift our attention to Him and realize how close beside us He is, that downcast mood will be replaced by joy.
PRAYER:
Dear Lord Jesus, You are the resurrected Lord of life! Your power has overcome the power of death, and Your love has rescued me from death! I live in the world, and I want to follow You with all my heart and soul, and be Your faithful disciple. I know that on the journey of my life, there will often be bumps and hurdles, even violent storms, and my heart will often be full of doubts and fears. Please grant me wisdom and clear eyes and a humble and gentle heart, so that I can often see You walking with me by my side, so that I will no longer be alone and walk the heavenly journey with faith. I ask You to teach me every day, so that I can imitate Your life. Although my body is getting old day by day, my heart is renewed day by day, full of joy, peace, strength and love, and have more of Your glorious image. Amen!
26 And as they led him away, they seized one Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, and laid on him the cross, to carry it behind Jesus. 27 And there followed him a great multitude of the people and of women who were mourning and lamenting for him. 28 But turning to them Jesus said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. 29 For behold, the days are coming when they will say, ‘Blessed are the barren and the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!’ 30 Then they will begin to say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us,’ and to the hills, ‘Cover us.’ 31 For if they do these things when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?”
32 Two others, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him. 33 And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. 34 And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” And they cast lots to divide his garments. 35 And the people stood by, watching, but the rulers scoffed at him, saying, “He saved others; let him save himself, if he is the Christ of God, his Chosen One!” 36 The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine 37 and saying, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!” 38 There was also an inscription over him, “This is the King of the Jews.”
39 One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!”40 But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? 41 And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” 42 And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” 43 And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”
REFLECTION:
Jesus endured much suffering on the cross. And, for us, the road to follow Christ is one of the cross. We must be prepared to suffer and even to die just as Jesus did. Are you ready for it? Will you continue to go on this road?
Just before His death, Jesus prayed and asked God to forgive those who crucified Him. In fact, our attitudes toward Jesus are similar to those people on that day: rebellious, neglecting, even rejecting Him? Therefore, in some way, we were all among the crowd putting Jesus to death. So, Jesus’ prayer has included forgiveness for you and me, the sinners.
Continue to meditate on this thought. Afterward, offer a prayer of thanksgiving to God.
PRAYER:
Dear Lord Jesus, I reread today the scriptures depicting You crucified for us, and I feel as if I am standing beside Your cross, with those who put You to death, watching You suffer beyond measure. Your pain is not just physical pain, but bears all the iniquity of our world, allowing all the wrath of God the righteous Father to pour out upon you. Because of Your punishment we are at peace, and because of your stripes we are healed. Lord, thank You for Your sacrifice for me, saving me from sin and death. I ask You to make my behavior commensurate with my faith, and not to contradict, rebel against You, or even ignore or forsake You in my life. I beg You to make my heart fervent and try to live out Your love. Amen!
14 And when the hour came, he reclined at table, and the apostles with him. 15 And he said to them, “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. 16 For I tell you I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” 17 And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he said, “Take this, and divide it among yourselves. 18 For I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” 19 And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 20 And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood. 21 But behold, the hand of him who betrays me is with me on the table. 22 For the Son of Man goes as it has been determined, but woe to that man by whom he is betrayed!” 23 And they began to question one another, which of them it could be who was going to do this.
REFLECTION:
The actions of the Lord’s Supper – taking, giving thanks, breaking, and giving – are actions that those who eat the meal receive from the Lord as gifts of grace. Communion is a memorial, a remembrance. It’s an experience as we return, through the bread and cup that represent the body and blood of Jesus, to the foot of the cross. In the communion service we are united with Christ through faith to share His death and His resurrection and to experience the awesome moment when our salvation was accomplished.
What does sharing in Communion mean to you? What do you think about during communion?
PRAYER:
Lord, please forgive me for my sins, because I often ignore Your words and do not follow Your commands. When I partake the cup and bread, I was often indifferent to Your death, and sometimes I even treated the sacrament as a set of rituals and norms, with only superficial piety. Lord, today I would like to express my special thanks to You for Your amazing love, who paid a great price for me and set me free. I also want to confess my sins and repent to You, and ask You to forgive me for the sins that I had casually repent in the holy communion in the past. I pray that You will wake me up so that in every holy communion from now on, I may reverently receive Your grace, remember Your sacrifice, and be united with You by faith, dying with You, being buried with You, and being resurrected with You. I will carry my cross to follow You, and be Your faithful disciple. Amen!
25 “And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves, 26 people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world. For the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 27 And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28 Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”
The Lesson of the Fig Tree
29 And he told them a parable: “Look at the fig tree, and all the trees. 30 As soon as they come out in leaf, you see for yourselves and know that the summer is already near. 31 So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near. 32 Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all has taken place.33 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.
Watch Yourselves
34 “But watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a trap. 35 For it will come upon all who dwell on the face of the whole earth.36 But stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.”
37 And every day he was teaching in the temple, but at night he went out and lodged on the mount called Olivet. 38 And early in the morning all the people came to him in the temple to hear him.
REFLECTION:
Jesus mentioned a list of persecutions and disasters that were to come. Then He said, “Straighten up and raise your heads” because when these things happen, they know the Messiah’s return is near. He will rule the earth with righteousness and peace.
Jesus also told His disciples to be alert to wait for His coming back. Though it’s been 2,000 years, it’s still true, He is coming soon. We need to be prepared to welcome Him, to obey His commands faithfully, and not get lost in drinking, eating and entertainment. Nor should we be crushed under the heavy weight of worries for our lives.
What do the countless wars, diseases, disasters in recent years have to do with Jesus’ words in this passage? Are you waiting for Christ’s return with hope and anticipation? Or are you afraid of what’s happening in the world? If you truly believe that Christ is coming back soon, what does this fact change your daily life?
PRAYER:
Lord, help me to be vigilant at all times, to pray often, and to prepare for Your coming again. As You have revealed, You are who You are and everlasting. Heaven and earth will pass away, but Your words will not pass away. You are the way, the truth, and the life, and no one comes to the Father except through You. I live in a depraved and unjust world, but when I see spring come, the flowers are blooming, and the trees are budding, I see the beautiful work of Heavenly Father’s creation, and I understand that everything has Your grace and goodness. Lord, You went to prepare a place for us. In the future, we will have a more beautiful home in heaven. You will come and take me to eternal glory. You are faithful, Your word will not fail! Please make my heart not dizzy or sad, let me wait for Your coming again with strong hope. Amen!
