“Ministering Angels In The Desert” Num. 20:16

Posted on June 22, 2016 by The Scarlet Worm

“Ministering Angels In The Desert”

“And when we cried unto the LORD, He heard our voice, and sent an angel, and has brought us forth out of Egypt; and behold we are in Kadesh, a city in the uttermost of thy border.” Num. 20:16

When we cry unto God, He sends His angels to minister unto us. The Hebrew word for cry in this verse is (tsa-ak) to cry out for help, because you are in distress or need; and who are they crying out to? The LORD, YeHoVaH, the Self-Existent One, The Great I AM, The One True GOD, and He heard (shema) to hear with attention and interest. Not just hear, but listen to, to pay attention too! He heard the (kole) sound of their voice, the noise it makes, not just the image it represents, but the very words themselves, everyone of them! That is incredible, but we are speaking of an incredible GOD are we not? He not only hears our cries but gives His undivided attention to every word and syllable we utter to Him in prayer, every word! Incredible! And He sent (sha-lach) to send off, to shoot off, to impel or dismiss and angel (malak) messenger, representative, theophanic angel; a messenger from God, that is an angel!

Now this particular angel is distinguished in the Bible from all the other angels and is referred to in Gen. 16:9; 22:11; 48:16; Ex. 3:2; 14:19; Num. 22:22; Jud. 2:4; 6:11; 13:3;  2 Kings 19:35; Isa. 63:9; Zech. 1:2; 12:8; He is named, “The angel of God,” in Gen. 21:17; “The angel of God’s presence,” in Isa. 63:9; and is probably, “The messenger (angel)of the covenant” in Mal. 3:1. He is clearly identified with the LORD in His Self-Manifestation to man-kind. In Ex. 3:2-6 this same angel said to Moses, “I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham.” Divine attributes are ascribed to this angel, in fact He told Hagar, “I will multiply thy seed exceedingly,” in Gen. 16:10; and Hagar spoke of Him as the all-seeing God in v.13. Jacob referred to Him as, “An angel who redeemed me from all evil,” Gen. 48:16. The place where the angel appeared was holy ground and He was to be worshipped; Ex. 3:5-6. Whereas, worship is sternly forbidden in the case of ordinary angels, Rev. 22:8-9. “The angel of the Lord was the keeper of Israel, and His voice had to be obeyed, for the name of God was in him.” Ex. 23:20-23.

However, in light of the Newer Testament, this Older Testament angel may properly be identified with the pre-incarnate ‘Son of God.’ In Jud. 13:18, the angel referred to his name as ‘Secret’ or literally, “Wonderful” (Pele) in Hebrew. Isaiah 9:6 gives this name to the predicted Messiah of Israel. The Jewish Midrash states that the Son in Isaiah 7:14 is the same Son in Isaiah 9:6 with eight names and that Christians do a terrible injustice by combining them into four names. In fact it is the only verse I know of in their Bible that they don’t translate but only transliterate. Malachi affirmed that “the LORD” who would “Suddenly come to His temple” would also be, “The messenger of the covenant.” Mal. 3:1. The identification of this angel with our Lord harmonizes with His distinctive function in relation to the Godhead for He is the eternal Word through whom the invisible God speaks and manifests Himself, John 1:1; 18. It is significant however, that in the Newer Testament there are no further references to the ‘angel of the Lord.’ Christ is conceived, crucified, crowned and sitting next to His Father; He is not walking on earth any longer, not until His second coming. He is seen standing to receive Stephen’s spirit, He is seen in the clouds talking to Paul in the Hebrew language, but He is not appearing as an angel, but He does send His angelic messengers to minister to us the heirs of His kingdom, Heb. 1:14.

Daniel prayed for 21 days, Dan. 10:2 waiting for an answer to his prayers. Gabriel was dispatched on the very first day but the prince of Persia stopped him and Michael the archangel, had to come and help Gabriel do battle and Gabriel finally got to Daniel with the message from God, and a very important message it was, too! So, Daniel prayed and Satan fought; does that tell you anything about your prayer life? Twenty one days fasting and praying and never letting up, never quitting, never giving in, NEVER!! How long would you go without food and water for a prayer request? How long? The problem with prayer today is the lack of importunity, Luke 11:8.  We need to ask with a beggars craving, seek with a servant’s carefulness and knock with a friends confidence and keep on knocking until He opens the door!

Jesus prayed in the garden of the ‘Olive Press’ and His Father sent angels to minister unto Him and strengthen Him, Lk. 22:43.  This was when He suffered (hematohidrosis) a bloody sweat, a medical term only used by Dr. Luke.  His Father also sent angels to minister unto Him after His temptation in the wilderness by Satan, Matt. 4:11; Mark 1:13.  As Zacharias was offering incense, a type of prayer (Rev. 5:8 & 8:3-5) the angel Gabriel appeared to  him and made him deaf and dumb, because he doubted God’s Word and power.  The disciples of Christ are scattered abroad preaching the Word, and Phillip goes to Samaria and back to Jerusalem when an angel tells him to go to Gaza and take the Gospel to the Ethiopians!

In Acts 10 Cornelius is on his roof praying at the ninth hour, 3;00 P.M. ‘The Hour of Prayer’ the same time Zacharias was offering incense, David killed Goliath, Christ gave up His Spirit, the evening offering was made in the Temple, Elijah called down fire from heaven, etc., etc:  And an angel came to Cornelius saying, v.4b “Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God.”  A memory of a person or thing preserved before God in remembrance.  Your prayers and gifts to God are not a passing thought or momento to God, they are engraved in His memory forever!  Meditate on that for a while, it will impact your giving and your praying, if it doesn’t something is wrong!  Cornelius is told to send for Simon-Peter who is upon his roof praying in Joppa at noon and he came and gave them the Gospel and they were all saved and baptized.

Herod goes on a rampage against the church and kills John’s brother James and arrests Peter but prayer was made for him without ceasing, Acts 12:5.  He is bound with chains to two soldiers and an angel awoke him, touched his side and the chains fell off and the prison doors opened and he walked out to John Mark’s mother’s home where the believer’s were praying for him and Rhoda answered the  door, Acts 12:13.  Paul and Barnabas are there – Mary is Barney’s sister, Col. 4:10, and when they leave they take John Mark with them on a mission’s trip.  In v.17 Peter tells them to tell James he is released, so he doesn’t know James is dead.  In v. 19, 16 Roman soldiers were put to death for Peter’s escape.  So this was no light matter or miracle.  In Acts 23:8-9 Paul used his belief in angels as his defense against the Sadducees.  There are many references to angels ministering to mankind in the Scriptures in fact the book of Revelation has over 75 references to angels and every church in Rev. 2 & 3 has an angel assigned to it.  Rev. 2:1, 8, 12, 18; 3:1,7,14.

Heb. 13:2 warns us, “Be not forgetful to entertain strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.”  Gen. 18:1-22, Abraham and his three guests.  I wonder how many times we have had the chance to help an angel on the side of the road with a sign “Homeless, Please Help” and we did nothing. 🙂  I have even turned my car around and gone back to help on occasion.  Just ask God, is this one of Your Messengers, do You want me to help?  Their power is inconceivable, 2 Kings 19:35; 185,000 Assyrians slain by one angel in one night.  They are exceedingly numerous Ps. 68:17; Heb. 12:22; Rev. 5:11; Their place is about the throne of God, Rev 5:11; &:11; Their relation to believers in Christ is one of, “ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation.” This ministry has reference largely to the physical safety and well-being of the children of God.  Heb. 1:14.

When you compare Heb. 1:14, Matt. 18:10 and Ps. 91:11, it appears that this care for ‘the heirs of salvation’ begins in infancy and continues through life.  This is where the concept of ‘Guardian Angels’ comes from.  The angels observe us Ecc. 5:6, 1 Cor. 4:9, Eph. 3:10, a fact which should influence our conduct, they are watching us “all the time.”  In my family we had a ‘Family Devotional Element’ where we took our first names and reversed the spelling to get a name for our guardian angels; for instance my name is Roger, so reversed it would be Regor; Becky would be ykceb etc.  It just gave a Personal touch to our personal angel.  There are books on angels and it would do us all good to read a couple.  However, my point is they cried unto the LORD, He heard their voice, and He sent an angel and delivered them.  Has He ever rescued you, delivered you, saved you, protected you?  I put a lot of His angels in the E.R. before I came to Christ, and since then! I should have died 6 or 7 times before 8/27/72.  Vietnam, car wrecks, robberies gone bad, as a cop. People even prayed for me to die before that date but God sent His angels because He knew on that day I would cry out for His Son to save me, and I’m sure there were many in your life too.  So, when you bow your head and say, “Father, I come to You in Jesus Name…” there are an innumerable company of angels anxiously waiting to be dispatched on an errand from God; watching, waiting, listening.  You have the attention of the entire spiritual world, then why in heaven aren’t you availing yourself of it’s power? Till next time, I’ll see you,…”Between The Lines…”

“Ministering Angels In The Desert” 6/12/16

Posted in Ancient Judaism, Christianity, Communion With God, Devotional, Family Altars, Gateway To God, Heart After God, Holy Ground, Judaism, ministering angels in prayer, Portraits of Prayer, Practicing The Presence of God, Prayer, Prayer Closet, Prayer Dialogue, Prayer In The Book of Numbers, Prayer Journey, Prayerology, Prayers In The Desert, Scarlet Worm, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

“Speak To The Rock” Num. 20:8

Posted on April 13, 2016 by The Scarlet Worm

“Speak To The Rock”  Num. 20:8

In Numbers 17 God tried to put the children of Israel’s murmurings against Him and Moses to rest with a ‘dead stick‘ that budded, blossomed, and bore almonds in one night. It wasn’t grafted, planted, watered or nurtured it was just a dried up, old piece of wood, but it came to life! In Numbers 18 He told them He gave them the priest’s office as a ‘gift of service’ and they were not to meddle with it.  We also see the “Tithe of the Tithes” in chapter eighteen, along  with the ‘Salt covenant,’ one of the three covenants spoken of in the Torah.  The other two are, the “Shoe covenant” and the “Blood covenant.”  Then we come to Numbers 19 and the (Parah Adumah) or the “Red Heifer,” or as some have referred to her as, ‘The Holy Cow.’  Her purpose was cleansing of defilement contacted on the pilgrim walk through the wilderness, primarily from being near a dead person, or burying a dead person, touching a dead person on their property or killing a person in battle.  You see for the next 38+ years everyone over 20 years old out of 2.5 to 3 million people were going to die.  So how many funerals a month would that be? 6,000/month or 200/day plus!  There is no indication in Num. 19 that the high priest had to be sprinkled with the ashes of the (Parah Adumah) to enter the ‘Holy of Holies,’ that came much later through ‘Rabbinic Tradition.’

Then there is an ‘Interlude’ between Num. 19-20, because when you get to Num. 20 the wandering in the wilderness is over.  Starting in Num. 20 they either stop or march but they don’t wander any more, and in Num. 20:1 Miriam dies, and is buried in Kadesh, she is about 132 years old.  Ever since her rebellion over the Ethiopian wife of Moses, Num. 12:1, she is not mentioned again until here where she dies.  Immediately after her funeral the people have no water and they chode, strove, quarreled, contended physically with Moses, Num. 20:3: The root of this word is the same root for the word ‘Meribah’ where they were. Then they said, “Would to God we had died when our brethren died before the LORD!”  So, obviously 1.5+ million Israelites were already dead and buried at this point, that’s a lot of funerals and a lot of ashes from the ‘Red Heifer.’.

So, Moses and Aaron went to the door of the tabernacle and ‘fell on their faces’ back in the dirt again, humble before YeHoVaH! (they spent a lot of time in a mud-puddle)  Then the glory (ka-vode) the splendor, the glorious abundance, the “Shekinah Glory” of YeHoVaH appeared unto them. (Very Imp!)  And “He, YHVH, spoke unto Moses,” Num. 20:7; When was the last time the Lord appeared to you, or spoke to you in an audible or distinguishable way? Maybe in your heart, or mind, through a verse, testimony, sermon, sign, song, DMI, creation, etc.  You say, ‘God doesn’t speak to people,’ really Peter?  Have you read John 10:27; 1 Kings 18:12; 1 Sam. 3:1-10 lately? Or so many other passages where God spoke to people.  The LORD told Moses to, “Take the rod,” I believe the one that budded, “and gather the assembly and Aaron,” and, “speak to the rock before their eyes, and it shall give forth water…”  Num.20:8.  Now you can pick Moses’ own rod if you want, it does not matter a wit to me but I believe it was Aron’s rod which the LORD used to silence their murmurings.

So, Moses took the rod out of the ark, gathered the people and Aaron and his anger got the best of him and he said in v.10, “Hear now, you rebels (Marah – Ex. 15:22-26, he reminds them of the waters of Marah 38 years earlier when their parents rebelled) must we (not the LORD) fetch you water out of this rock?”  And Moses lifted up his hand, with the rod and he smote the rock twice, not once but twice and water came out abundantly and the congregation drank and their beasts also.” He struck the ‘Rock’ at Meribah in Ex. 17:1-7 once at the start of their journey and now he strikes the ‘Rock’ again in Meribah in Num. 20: 7-13 twice at the end of their journey.

Moses struck a rock in Horeb in Exodus 17:6 right after the ‘Manna’ experience with his rod and they got water at “Massah in Meribah” because they tested the LORD and said, “Is the LORD among us or not?”  Here, Moses struck the rock twice with the LORD’s rod in anger; He spent 40 years in Egypt; 40 years in Midian; 40 years in the wilderness; and with one act of rebellion, he was not allowed to enter the promised land – ‘Almost’ but not quite:  Webster says, ‘almost is very nearly, but not completely.’  Ps. 106:32-33 says, “They angered him also at the waters of strife, so that it went ill with Moses for their sakes; Because they provoked his spirit, so that he spoke inadvisably  with his lips.”  Be careful my friend, don’t let them anger you to this point!  And because of this, “Because you believed Me not, to sanctify Me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this congregation into the (Promised Land) which I have given them.”  He was speaking to Moses and Aaron.

In fact Aaron also dies in Num. 20:23-29 on Mt. Hor and is stripped of his priestly garments and Eleazar his son takes his place because he rebelled with Moses at the waters of Meribah and his death really marked the end of the ‘Wilderness Wanderings.’  No plea for mercy here from Moses; no crying out for another chance; no offering for forgiveness; no ashes of the ‘Red Heifer;’  You rebelled against God, you are going to die; but there is more;  you took My glory, “Must we,  Moses and Aaron fetch you water out of this rock?” So, in essence they took God’s glory from Him for a moment, be careful my friend, God shares His glory with No One!  Not with me, not with  you, not with Moses, not with anyone!  They ‘fell on their faces’ in Num. 20:6 before the LORD’s tabernacle and the ‘Shekinah Glory‘ appeared unto them and told them what to do, and they took matters into their own hands and were angry at His congregation, and hit the ‘Rock!” Whose congregation? God’s!  “Moreover, brethren I would not that you should be ignorant, that all our fathers were under the cloud and all passed through the sea;….  And did all drink the same spiritual drink; for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ.”  1 Cor. 10:1-6. When you ask God for something, you need to do exactly what He tells you to do, not what you ‘THINK’ He wants you to do!  Especially not what you want to do to please Him.

So, what “P.F.P.” or “Principle For Prayer” do we take away from this event with Moses and Aaron, in the mud, on their faces before God? Do exactly what God tells you to do and not read into it, or try to interpret it, in your own paraphrase, or liberal translation, or try to allegorize it.  To often we hear God’s instruction through His Word or His messengers and we say, “I know what He said, but that can’t be what He really meant!”  He can’t want me to go to Africa or Asia, He can’t want me to marry that person, He surely doesn’t want me to quit my job and go to Bible School, right?  Maybe that wasn’t God talking to me, let me read another chapter, let me pray some more, let me strike that ‘Rock’ again! Let me bury my father first, let me care for my aged mother, or grandmother, let me, let me, let me… Listen, if He told you to speak to that ‘Rock’ then put down your rod and do what he told you to do and do it, NOW!  Till next time, I’ll see you in my prayer closet or, “…..Between The Lines…..”

“Speak To The Rock”  Num. 20:8

Posted in Christianity, Communion With God, Devotional, Groaning In Prayer, Olivet Ministries International, Portraits of Prayer, Prayer, Prayer Closet, Prayer Dialogue, Prayer Journey, Prayerology, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

“Prayer For The Sons of Korah”

Posted on March 9, 2016 by The Scarlet Worm

“Prayer For The Sons of Korah’ (Num. 14-16) 3/9/16

Things seem to be moving along well in the Numbers 15 other than the man gathering sticks on the Sabbath in Num. 15:32, and they stoned him. Then they had to put a blue cord in their (tzitzit) to remind them of their obligation to follow God’s commandments, all 1,521 of them. That’s right, there were not 10, nor 613, but 1,521 of them, at least that’s what the Rabbi’s list included. Then we come to Numbers 16, just one more chapter and we find the “Rebellion of Korah,” and here we go again. They rose up before Moses and Aaron, 250 princes, famous men, men of renown and they declared, “You take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation is holy!” Moses, oi gevault!

Moses falls on his face in the mud again and cries out to God! For a humble, old man of about 100 years old, he spends a lot of time on his face in the dirt. So, Moses tells them all to go get a censer, put some incense in it and stand before the LORD, YeHoVaH tomorrow and then put some fire in it and we will see who the LORD has chosen to be holy because, “You take too much upon you; you sons of Levi.” Then Moses goes on rebuking them in v. 9 saying, “Does it seem like a small thing to you, that the God of Israel has separated you from the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to Himself, to do the service of the Tabernacle of the LORD, and to stand before the congregation to minister unto them?” v.10, “And seek ye the priesthood also?” How much more do you want?

Who is Korah, the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi anyway? Well you have to go back to Num. 3:17-20 where you have the descendants of of Levi and then onto Num. 3:27-32 for what for what the Kohathites were in charge of in the Tabernacle. They had charge of the ark, the tables, the lamp-stand, the altars, the vessels, the hangings and all the holy implements. They covered some of them, carried all of them, cared for them, and set them up. They were in charge of ‘all the service of them’ and they were the closest to YeHoVaH of any family or clan of Israel or the Levites except for Moses and Aaron, but they wanted more, they wanted the priesthood too. They were to bear the ‘holy things’ but not to touch them lest they die, Num. 4:15. They also had to be 30 years old to serve and they had to retire from service at the age of 50, Num. 4:3.

In Jude v. 11 in the Newer Testament, Jude talks about the “gainsaying of Korah” which was intrusion into the priest’s office and Heb. 5:4 says, “No man takes this honor unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron.” It was a rebellion against the divine order in the theocratic kingdom. The sin of Korah was the denial of the authority of Moses as God’s chosen spokesman and intrusion into the priest’s office. Why else would Moses have them all bring censers and incense which was a priest’s duty? Moses then sends for Dathan, Abiram, and Eliab who refuse to come up from their camp, but they reply in v. 13, “It is a small thing that thou hast brought us up out of the land that flows with milk and honey…” A play on Moses’ words in v. 9 and on God’s promise, mocking them both. Moses then responds, not to them but to the LORD in v. 15, “Respect not their offering, I have not taken one donkey from them, neither have I hurt one of them.”

Moses tells the sons of Korah to get their 250 censers ready with incense and fire and to stand before the door of the Tabernacle and they gathered the congregation together to rebell and the LORD wanted to kill them all and consume them in a moment, v. 21. Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces again in prayer and God pardoned them, but He is going to punish the rebellion of Dathan, Abiram and Eliab and their families. Then the earth opened up and swallowed them alive down into (sheol) v. 30, “And there came out fire from the LORD and consumed the two hundred and fifty men that offered incense.” Then the LORD told Eleazar, the son of Aaron to make a plate out of the censers to cover the altar, and it shall be for a sign to all who enter the Tabernacle never to offer incense before the LORD. Num. 16:40. There it sat, leaning against the wall for hundreds of years as a sign of, ‘the gainsaying of Korah.’

“But the very next day (good night!) all the congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron saying, “You have killed the people of the LORD!” No they didn’t, the LORD killed them! But the LORD spoke unto Moses saying, “Get up from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment!” And they fell on their faces again, WOW!! How Moses and Aaron must have like the dirt! I wonder how many times your pastor would fall on his face in the dirt for you? However, Moses tells Aaron to take a censer, put some incense on it, take some fire from off the altar and ‘RUN’ into the midst of the congregation and make an atonement for them, for there is wrath already gone out from the LORD, because the plague, the slaughter has already begun, Num. 16:48, “And he stood between the dead and the living and the plague was stayed.” 14,700 died in that plague, besides the 250 holding censers and the families of Dathan, Abiram and Eliab, probably about 20,000 in all. However, without a gap man, an intercessor to stand in the gap and make up the breech all 2.5 to 3 million would have died. Does prayer work? Ask Miriam when you see her or Aaron or Eleazar!

Things seem to calm down for a little while, in chapter 17 of Numbers we have Aaron’s rod that buds, a sign against the rebels, Num. 17:10, “The children of Israel spoke unto Moses saying, Behold we die, we perish, we all perish. Whosoever cometh anywhere near unto the Tabernacle of the LORD shall die, shall be consumed with dying!” It’s about time they got it! Aaron’s rod that budded was a type of Christ in the resurrection, acknowledged by God as high priest. Aaron’s priesthood had been questioned in the rebellion of Korah, so God Himself would confirm it, listen to Num. 17:5, “And it shall come to pass that the man’s rod, whom I shall choose, shall blossom; and I will make to cease from Me the murmurings of the children of Israel, whereby they murmur against you.” Aaron’s rod not only budded over night, but it also bloomed blossoms and yielded almonds. The head of each tribe brought a dead stick, but God breathed life into Aaron’s stick only for a sign to Israel.

However, the bigger sign to me anyway was God’s intercessor who never gave up, never quit, never got weary, never got tired of wiping the dirt off his face, never grew tired of picking himself up, was always ready to step into their mud-puddle again, always ready to step in the gap, to repair the breech, to restore the path, to make up the hedge; a real gate-keeper, a watchman on the wall, a prayer warrior, an intercessor, a mediator, etc, etc, Where are you on that list for your church, your pastor, your country, your missionaries? Better yet where am I on that list? Well till next time with the ‘Red Heifer’ I’ll see you in my closet on my knees or, “…Between The Lines…”

“Prayer For The Sons of Korah” (Num. 14-16) 3/9/16

Posted in Portraits of Prayer, Prayer, Prayer Dialogue, Prayerology, Scarlet Worm, Uncategorized | Tagged | Leave a comment

“God’s Pardon For Moses’ Prayer” – Num. 14:20-35

Posted on February 24, 2016 by The Scarlet Worm

God answers Moses’ prayer, while Moses holds God to His promises in Num. 14:11-19 and God’s answer continues from Numbers 14:20 through v. 35. Then the ten men who gave the evil report, “died by the plague before the LORD,” in v.37. However, the LORD started out in vv. 20& 21, by saying, “I have pardoned according to thy word,” according to Moses’ plea or prayer. So, in answer to your question, “Does God answer prayer?” Here He says, that He does! “And as truly as He lives, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the LORD.” As a result of His mercy, grace and pardon for answered prayer.

Webster defines pardon as: a means to release from further punishment; to cancel or not exact a penalty; to excuse or forgive for some minor fault or discourtesy; to overlook, forgive, or a mild apology; “Pardon me.”  God’s pardon on the other hand always involves payment of some sort and usually the life of something or someone; and the bigger the pardon, the bigger the payment. We have two basic words in Hebrew for pardon, (sa-lakh) #5545 – to forgive, pardon, spare, the primary idea seems to be that of lifting up; Num. 14:20: And (na-sa) #5375 – to lift up, bear up, carry away or off, to be swept away or taken away. So, we can see where we get the concept for (Tashlikh) to take away their sins. This word is found in Micah 7:8. These two words go back and forth through out the Hebrew Scriptures, except in II Chron. 30:18-19, there we have the word (ka-far) #3722 translated pardon, this word means to cover, purge, make atonement, reconciliation, propitiation: to cover with pitch or blood. “But Hezekiah prayed for them saying, The good LORD pardon (ka-far) every one, Who prepares his heart to seek God, the LORD God of his fathers, though he be not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary.” The LORD had already told them at Mt Sinai the cost of atonement, the price for a pardon, Lev. 17:11. These men died by ‘the plague’ (mag-gepa) #4046 – blow, strike, slaughter, before the LORD in Num. 14:37, I get the idea that this was not very pleasant.

In Micah 7:18-19, it says, “Who is a God like unto Thee, (this is a play on Micah’s name which means, ‘Who is like the LORD’) who pardons iniquity, and passes by transgression of the remnant of His heritage? He retains not His anger forever because He delights in mercy. He will turn again; He will have compassion upon us; He will subdue our iniquities; and Thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.” Then He puts up a sign that says, “No Fishing!” On ‘Rosh Hashanah’ the ‘Jewish New Year’ the orthodox Jewish people will go to a river or a running stream and empty their pockets of crumbs into the water to symbolize the casting of their sins into the sea. By the way, the ‘Mariana trench’ in the Pacific Ocean near the Philippines is over 36,000 feet deep. Many have thought of it as a nuclear waste dump site, not a good idea. The Jewish people call this religious ritual on ‘Rosh Hashanah’ (Tashlikh) which means, casting off. I wish removal of our sins was as easy as going to the beach and emptying our pockets of some crumbs once a year and reciting Micah 7:18-20 and the Lord’s prayer. However, His Son had to die on a cross and we have to believe it and ‘Be – Live‘ it! Before God can pardon our sins, something or someone must die!

Now the LORD says He will pardon Israel and not wipe them out. However, all of those men and women over the age of 20, who have seen His glory and His miracles in Egypt and in the wilderness and have put Him to the test these “Ten Times” shall not see the ‘Promised Land.’ I have tried to trace those ‘ten times’ mentioned in Num. 14:22 and have found most of them but not all of them. What is significant is the fact that God says in v. 27 that all the murmuring and complaining by the children of Israel was not against Moses and Aaron but it was really against God! So, when we murmur and complain about the leadership in our churches or our churches in general, if it is not heresy, or unorthodox procedures, then we may be, “kicking against the pricks,” like Paul in Acts 9:4-5. Where we see that anything done against the body of Christ, it is done against Christ Himself! It is important to remember that although these Jewish people had obeyed God by killing the lamb and applying its blood to the lentil and door posts of their homes in Exodus 12 and came out of Egypt, they did not enter into Canaan’s rest due to unbelief, Heb. 3:18-19.

Therefore, although they were members of a redeemed nation, they were for 40 years a grief to the heart of the LORD! In the same sense we can march all the way to Calvary and apply the “Blood of God’s Lamb” to the lentil and door posts of our hearts, but then do we ‘Walk the Walk’ or do we just, ‘talk the talk?’ Are we a member of a redeemed congregation, but a grief to the very heart of God? The wilderness is part of the necessary discipline of a redeemed people, but not necessarily the wandering, that is the result of unbelief which leads to rebellion which is as the sin of witchcraft, I Sam. 15:23. The Red Sea, the waters of Marah, the wells of Elim, Mt Sinai, the Manna, the Quail, etc, etc. These were all ways God used to develop and discipline His people, to mature them and help them grow. We see their counterpart in our Christian experience; the Red Sea suggests the cross which was the death to Christ but life for the Christian; Marah is where God’s power turns bitterness into blessings; Elim is where God’s grace and mercy give us rest and refreshment on our journey with Him; in Mt Sinai we see God’s holiness and our unholiness. We are just pilgrims on a journey, foreigners as Paul said, “For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we look, (eagerly wait) for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.” Are you, “Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior, Jesus Christ?” Or are you complaining, murmuring, groaning, and griping? Till next time, I hope to meet you in my prayer closet on my knees or, “…Between The Lines…” 

“God’s Pardon For Moses’ Prayer” Num. 14:20-35 2/10/16

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“Praying Back God’s Promises” (Num. 14)

Posted on February 10, 2016 by The Scarlet Worm

In Numbers 13 twelve spies are sent into the ‘Promised Land’ to check it out at the time of the “first-ripe grapes’ v.20.  They came to the brook of Eshcol which means ‘cluster’ and cut down a branch with one cluster of grapes and bore it between two men on a staff, some cluster of grapes, Amen?  They searched the land for 40 days and said, “Surely it flows with milk and honey and this is the fruit of it.”  Nevertheless, the people are strong that dwell there and the children of Anak the giants are there and we are as grasshoppers in their sight and ours.’  Joshua and Caleb disagreed and said, “No!  Let us go up and possess it, for we are well able to overcome it.”  Then all the children of Israel had a ‘boo-hoo’ pity party all night and murmured against Moses and Aaron, and voted to elect a new Captain to lead them back to Egypt; ‘Oh No!’

“Then Moses & Aaron fell (na-fal) to fall prostrate, on their faces before all the assembly of the congregation of the children of Israel.” Num. 14:5 – This was a sign of ultimate humility.  At first I thought it was before God but on further examination I believe they were humbling themselves before the congregation of Israel.  Then Joshua and Caleb rent or tore their clothes which was a sign of mourning and extreme grief, and pleaded with the assembly not to rebel against the LORD or fear the people of the land, because ‘they were bread for us.’ However, the Israelites chose to stone them instead.

Then the glory (ka-bowd) splendor, honor, Shekinah of the LORD appeared before all the children of Israel.  You see, they were not rebelling against the leadership of Israel, they were rebelling against the LORD YeHoVaH!  Think of that the next time you mount a charge against your pastor.  It better be for heresy and you better be on your face when you begin the charge!  Then the LORD YeHoVaH says, “How long will this people provoke Me?  How long before they believe Me?”  Here comes Moses’ test – “Step aside Moses and I will smite them, disinherit them and make a great and mighty nation of you.”

Then Moses begins to intercede for this rebellious nation, v. 13-19.  Would to God we had more leaders in America praying like this today for our nation.  “And Moses said unto the LORD…” What a prayer, you need to read it, study it, write it on the walls of your homes. “If you smite them LORD, the Egyptians will hear it and tell the Amalekites, the Jebusites, the Amorites, the Canaanites and the children of Anak and they won’t be, “bread for us.”  They have heard your “cloud” goes before us by day and your “fire” by night and you are among your people and are seen “face to face.”

Then Moses reminds the LORD (YeHoVaH) of something He had said, a promise He had made to Moses and the children of Israel when He gave them the second tables of the law in Ex. 34:5-9 on Mt. Sinai, in Num. 14:18.  We have already dealt with that prayer, so we won’t spend a lot of time on it here.  However, Moses reminds God of His promises and prays them back to Him, holding Him to His Word.  Sort of like, “Yeah but, You said God in Exodus 34:5-9….”  We need to pray God’s promises back to Him, David did, Moses did, the prophets did, the apostles did, the early disciples did, our Christian leaders did and we should.

Moses reminds the LORD in v. 18 that He is ‘long-suffering’ (arak-af) slow to anger, patient (arak) before he flairs His nostrils (af) and of great (raba) much, abounding, abundant, exceedingly, chief, mercy (kheh-sed) goodness, kindness, faithfulness, lovingkindness, pity; forgiving (na-sa) to lift up, to bear up, carry or take away or off; forgiving what?  Iniquity (a-von) perversity, depravity, guilt or punishment of iniquity, a depraved action or crime; and transgression (peh-shah) transgression, rebellion, defection, which they were guilty of.  Moses doesn’t mention the third major category of sin in Hebrew culture (chet or chata) ‘missing the mark’, the way, the goal or the path, to stumble or make a false step.   So there are your three main categories of sin in the Hebrew culture (avon) iniquity; (pesha) rebellion and (chet) missing the mark.

After Moses names the two big ones to God, he clarify’s by stating, “And by no means (na-ka) to be pure, clear, free, exempt.  The words ‘means and clearing’ are the exact same words in the Hebrew text (an-ka; na-ka) and the words “the guilty” are in italics showing they are not in the original text.  This could be translated, “forgiving iniquity, and transgression, and sin, but will not always pardon,”  (Gesenius’s Lexicon)  You have the same Hebrew construction in Nahum 1:3, “The LORD is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked!  On Calvary, one sinner was saved so that no one would despair, but only one so no one would presuppose!  Moses goes on reminding God He visits (pa-kad) attends to, reckons, punishes, appoints the iniquity (a-von) perversity and depravity of the fathers upon the children (ben) sons, grandsons, unto the third and fourth; generation is in italics in the text.  How does all this work?  I’m not quite sure, and how long is a generation, 40 years, 100 years, does anybody really know?   I have learned a few things in 70+ years raising four children and watching them raise twelve grand-children; “Whatever you do in moderation, your children will do in excess.” They don’t become more conservative from one generation to the next but more liberal, more worldly, more socially minded and seem to (chet) veer off the mark., the paths you have set for them.  Four generations, I won’t live to see that, two and maybe a little of the third but not the fourth.

Moses goes on in v.19, “Pardon, (sa-lakh) pardon, forgive, be merciful, propitious, show Yourself, gentle; I beseech Thee, the iniquity (a-von) the perversity and depravity of this people.  Not, Your people, or My people, just ‘this people’ (am) this nation, these kinsmen according to the greatness (go-del) magnitude, magnificence, Majesty of Thy Mercy (kheh-sed) goodness, kindness, faithfulness, love; Just as Thou have forgiven (na-sa) this people, from Egypt (mits-ray-im) even until now.”  Doesn’t the Hebrew word for Egypt ‘Miz-ray-im’ sound like misery or miserable?  They were glad to be out of there but as soon as it got tough they longed for those leeks and onions, are we any different?

As soon as Moses finishes his prayer in v.19, the LORD answers in v. 20 and listen to YeHoVaH’s response, “And the LORD said, I have pardoned (sa-lakh), according to thy word (da-bar) speech, utterance, words, prayer (Moses).  The LORD continued and said in v. 21, “But truly, (u-lam) but in deed, a strong adversative, I live, (chay) alive, living, life, all the earth shall be filled (ma-la) filled full, abundance, with the glory of the LORD.  Then He goes on to tell them that everyone over 20 will die in the wilderness and only their children will enter the promised land.  Ten of the spies except for Calab and Joshua are struck with a plague and die; a bunch go up to fight the Amalekites and Canaanites without  the Ark and they die, due to the sin of presumption.  So, there are about 2.5 to 3 million people in the camp and about 5,000 will die every month or 60,000 every year for 40 years; that would be about 2 million, 400 thousand.  Plus a lot of new births and marriage’s happening for 40 years, hence the need for the ashes of the ‘Red Heifer’ in Num. 19 and we will get there.

Question, have you ever prayed like this for your pastor or your congregation?  What a blessing they are missing out on, as well as you.  Imagine God talking to you like He talked to Moses in Num. 14:20-21, that would give you something to put in your “Blessing Journal.” Amen?  These people struck the lentil and the door posts with the blood of the lamb, marched out of Egypt victorious but failed to enter the “Promised Land” due to unbelief, Heb. 3:18-19.  How many of us have marched up to Calvary to be washed in the blood of the Lamb but have never entered into His “Promises” laid out for us in His Word, shame on us.  Till next time, I’ll see you on my knees or, “…Between The Lines…”

“Praying Back God’s Promises – Num. 14” (Part #3) 2/5/16

Posted in Ancient Judaism, Christianity, Communion With God, Devotional, Family Altars, Gateway To God, Groaning In Prayer, Heart After God, Portraits of Prayer, Practicing The Presence of God, Prayer, Prayer Closet, Prayer Dialogue, Prayer Journey, Prayerology, Unbroken Fellowship, Uncategorized | Tagged | Leave a comment

“Prayer For Siblings” Num. 12:13

Posted on December 19, 2015 by The Scarlet Worm

“Prayer For Siblings“

“And Moses cried unto the LORD, saying, Heal her now, O God, I beseech Thee.” Num. 12:13

Numbers 12:1, “And Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Ethiopian/Cushite woman whom he had married; for he had married an Ethiopian/Cushite woman.” Now was this Zipporah, the daughter of the Midianite priest from Exodus 2:21? Remember, he was forty years on the backside of the desert before the exodus from Egypt and twenty plus years now wandering with the children of Israel. So, he could have been married to Zipporah for 50-60 years and she could have died and he could have married an Ethiopian/Cushite woman or it could have been Zipporah, your guess is as good as mine. However, then did it take 50-60 years for his siblings to bring it up if it was Zipporah? God didn’t have a problem with the marriage just Miriam and Aaron and notice who is named first, Miriam! This is a major problem in Israel even today with the Ethiopian Jewish people making (aliyah).

The word ‘Ethiopian’ is made up of two words meaning “burnt face or black face” and Ethiopia is known in history as the land of the ‘Blacks.’ Herodotus, an ancient Greek historian describes them as, “The tallest and handsomest of men,” and they are frequently represented on Egyptian monuments, and their history is interwoven with Egypt’s.  So, it was only natural for Moses to take one for a wife coming out of Egypt, whether it is Zipporah or not. Although Reuel/Jethro a Midianite priest was from northern Saudi Arabia. In fact he or his decedents Hobab is with Moses in Num. 10:29 as they begin their journey from the Mt. of God. Another indication that they were not camped in the Sinai peninsula but in Northern Saudi Arabia at Mr. Jabal, check it out. So, you have a choice to make, but either way Miriam is upset and so is Aaron, in Num. 12:1.

We also learn here that Moses is more then a prophet to God, Num. 12:6-8. God speaks to His prophets in dreams and visions, but He spoke to Moses, “mouth to mouth in plain speeches.” So, Moses was more then a prophet, he was God’s special spokesman, a special agent, a faithful friend of God. Then God asks Miriam and Aaron the inevitable question, point blank, “Wherefore then, were you not afraid to speak against My Servant Moses?” Even though he is your kid brother, or the middle child, and has a speech impediment and is very “meek” v.3! (anav – humble, pious, gentle) “above all men on the face of the earth.” They also thought they should have a voice or opinion in the daily direction and affairs of the goings on in v.2. And the Lord heard it and in v.4, He spoke suddenly (pith-om – with intensive power and sudden terror, in a moment with determination, and surprise!) I take it He was not happy with Miriam and Aaron!

In fact, the Lord is very angry with Moses’ siblings in v.9, so much so that He strikes Miriam with “Leprosy” and Aaron confesses their sin to Moses and begs his forgiveness by asking for prayer (biy) for Miriam. Moses immediately cries out (tsa-ak) to cry out for help, this is to cry aloud in grief to the Lord (YeHoVaH) saying, Heal (ra-pha) to heal, to make healthful, this is a name Jehovah gave Himself in Ex. 15:26b, “For I am the Lord that heals thee.” (Jehovah-Rapha) Because healing is what I am! Here now, O God (El) God, O Mighty One, It is in the power of Your hand to do this! Now there is a short prayer for a woman with leprosy, only eight words, “Heal her now, O God, I beseech Thee!”

Do you think we have to pray long to get a message to God? When He knows what we have need of before we even ask! Moody used to say, “These who pray long in the pulpit, pray short in the closet.” Did you ever do a study of the prayers in the Bible? They are all very short, how about Peter sinking in the water, or the thief on the cross, or the Syrophenecian woman begging for her daughter, “Heal her now, O God, I beseech Thee!” To ‘beseech’ is to ask earnestly, to entreat, to implore, to solicit. A good synonym for this word would be ‘to beg’! “Heal her now! O God, I beg you!” That sounds earnest! When was the last time you prayed for your brother or sister like that with strong (ischyros) mighty tears (dakry), Heb. 5:7, like Jesus did for you in the Garden, or Moses did for Miriam?

Miriam obviously was the ring leader in this rebellion for more power and authority. I think the Ethiopian woman was just an excuse to get at the real underlying issue, “Has the Lord only spoken by Moses?” She’s the only one that gets hit with leprosy and after her judgement you don’t hear about her again until she dies and is buried in an unknown site in Num. 20:1. Soon after this incident, what happens to her during the seven days outside the camp?  No one knows, her strength was broken, and her gift of prophecy was taken away! I don’t believe she lived long after this event, and she did not die of old age or leprosy but of a broken heart and a crushed spirit. She like Moses and Aaron never entered the ‘Promised land’ either. Like Miriam we need to learn that it was envy and pride that crucified the Lord Who personified humility and meekness! “But whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister/servant (diakonos), And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant/slave (doulos);” Matt. 20:26-27. “For even the Son of Man came, not to be ministered unto but to minister, and to give His life a ransom for many.” Mark 10:45. Are we any better, are we? Till we meet again, I’ll see you on my knees or, “…Between The Lines…”

“Prayer For Siblings” 12/19/15

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“The Prayer Against Burn-out”

Posted on December 9, 2015 by The Scarlet Worm

“The Prayer Against Burn-out”

The ‘mixed multitude’ v.4  (sap-sup) rabble, collection of grumblers, fell to lusting which caused the children of Israel to weep and mourn and cry for flesh to eat.  This, “Mixed Multitude” or (sap-sup) always seem to be with us, even in the church today.  Christ talks about them as the ‘tares‘ only in Matt. 13;24-43 (zizanion) darnel, false grain.  Webster says, the word darnel is from the word (darnu), stupefied; so called from it’s supposed stupefying qualities, a weedy rye grass with poisonous seeds, often found in grain fields.  Jesus explained later that the ‘tares’ are the children of the ‘Wicked One,’  Sown by Satan who profess to be Christian’s in outward ways but inwardly they are lost. They talk the talk but they don’t walk the walk. Only the angels in the end can be trusted to separate them Matt. 13:40-43 and cast them into hell.  So great is Satan’s power that the ‘tares’ often themselves stupefied, really suppose they are children of God’s kingdom. Matt.7:21-23.  However, not all unbelievers are called children of the devil, only those who have willfully rejected the light are to be designated as such, Matt.13;38; Jn.8:38-44.  You don’t have to worry about the world or who is saved or not, just be a lighthouse and tell them all about Jesus and leave the results up to God!

In Num. 11:10 Moses hears the people weeping (ba-ka) – to wail, cry, shed tears, lament, a brew-ha-ha, to flow by drops; with theirs families (mish-pocheh) family, clan, tribe, because they were tired of the free manna. As they were standing in their tent doors and complaining, all three million of them, the anger (af) the nostrils of the LORD’s face begin to flare; here we go again; and His anger was greatly kindled (kha-ra) hot, furious, burning, incensed, ablaze; and Moses had a (ra-ah) (ah-yin) evil eye, seeing evil things!  In v. 1 the LORD heard the complaining (ra-ah) (o-zen) and an evil report entered His ear, but here He sees an evil report or thing, something displeasing, rebellious, or sinful.  Think about your life for a moment, what kind of reports does God get on you?  What does He see in the closets of your life, in the dark rooms?  What kind of displeasing reports does He have to listen to about your life, work, testimony or lack thereof? Doesn’t your Bible say, “That every idle word will be accounted for?” We might as well say, ‘Thought, word and deed or lack thereof!’

Moses now prays for himself and used the same word (ra-ah), “Why have You afflicted (ra-ah) me, your servant (eh-bed), Your bond-servant, man-servant, even Your slave.  Why have You thought evil, or bad of me?  What wrong have I done to You, LORD that You should treat me this wickedly, this ethically evil?  Did you ever feel like you are getting the short end of the stick from God wrongfully?  ‘Where or when have I not found (khan) grace, favor, good-will in Your sight; in your (ah-yin) eyes.’  Then why have You laid, or appointed, or placed this burden, this (mas-sa) load, tribute, on me?  It’s too heavy for me, I can’t bear it!  I am about to “Burn Out!”  This is a plea of pastor’s today, a cry for help because they are drowning!  It’s not the budget, or the sermons, or the administration, it’s the sheep.  They keep bleating or bleeding; Now you can stop one with a tourniquet but not the other.  🙂

Moses asks God, “Have I conceived, am I the progenitor, the father of all these people?  Did I conceive this nation, did I give birth to this ‘Mishpocheh,’ this clan or tribe?’  Have I begotten them, did I travail in birth with them, did I beget them that You LORD should say to me, “Carry (nasa) bear them up, lift them up, nurture and endure them; in thy bosom (khak) the breast with the arms, named for embracing; of a nursing father (a-man) to support, confirm, be faithful, and nourish them.  Now if you want to know more about whether a man can nurse a child, you can google it and you will get a lot of documented information.  God is talking here about a nursing father bearing a sucking child (ya-nak) to suckle, or nurse; unto the land which Thou did swear (sha-vah). This word is stronger then swear, it means to adjure, to command or charge solemnly under oath, to entreat solemnly unto their fathers or forefathers.

Moses goes on entreating the LORD, “Where am I going to get enough meat to feed all these people?”  It sounds like Jesus talking to Peter, “Feed My sheep!” Yet He gave Him nothing to feed them with, so let them chew on you. Sound familiar, pastor, deacon, elder, leader?  You see they cry to you, not to God, to feed them, to teach them, to care for them, to scratch their backs, to pick their bugs, etc.  And Moses tells God, “I’m not able to bear all this people alone, by myself, because this burden is too (ka-vad) too massive, too great, too burdensome, for me!” I have been there, I have ‘Burned Out, Crashed, Collapsed, Bottomed Out!’ Then it is time for a ‘Cabin, a Bible, a Canteen and a Blanket and just wait on God. How long, He will let you know, when you hear a knock on the door, open it! You are going to need help, just like Moses, human and divine.

If You have to deal this way with me, after this fashion said Moses; kill me (ha-rag) slay, murder, destroy me; let me not see or look at or perceive my wretchedness, wickedness or malignant disposition.  He is “Burned-Out” and wants to die like Elijah in 1 Kings 19:4-7; or Job in Job 6:9; or Jonah in Jon. 4:8, and so many others.  Then the LORD answers Moses’ prayers and sends him help in the size of the first ‘Sanhedrin’ or “Seventy Men” to bear the burden with Moses. (Now remember, his congregation was three million strong, with a (sap-sup). Then the LORD took some of the Spirit which was upon Moses and put it upon the ’70’ so they could bear the burden of the people together. P.T.L. It is good to share the load with others, this helps to prevent ‘Burn-Out.’ Stop trying to push that wheel-barrow all by yourself, especially uphill, get some help and do it today. Your cabin is waiting and so is your God! I’ll see you on my knees next time or, “…Between The Lines…” 

“The Prayer Against Burn-Out”      (Num. 11:10-15)

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“The Back-row Baptist Prayers”

Posted on December 2, 2015 by The Scarlet Worm

Numbers 11:1-3

“And when the people complained, it displeased the LORD: and the LORD heard it; and his anger was kindled; and the fire of the LORD burned among them, and consumed those who were in the farthest parts of the camp. And the people cried unto Moses; and when Moses prayed unto the LORD, the fire was quenched. And he called the name of the place Taberah, because the fire of the LORD burned among them.”

They hadn’t marched but three days from Sinai to Kadesh-barnea when the complaining started probably due to the mixed multitude in v.4 or the ‘back-row’ Baptists sitting in the farthest or uttermost part of the camp. v.1,  “And when the people, God’s people, began to complain (anan) murmur and complain, to be sad, sorrowful and to begin to mourn, but you never do that, right?  This was not uncommon to the children of Israel, in Exodus 16:2 they murmured against Moses and Aaron till they received the (Manna – what is it) from heaven.  Then in Exodus 17:3 they murmured against Moses until they got water from the rock, but it doesn’t end there either as they wandered and were tested, they kept complaining and Moses kept interceding. Psalm 106:25 says, “They murmured in their tents and hearkened not unto the voice of the LORD.”  But that doesn’t speak of us, right?  1 Corinthians 10:10 says of the church, “Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed by the destroyer.”  Interesting He doesn’t say ‘Jewish People’ here in verse one, just people (am) in general; a people, a nation, a kindred, a multitude.  However, he does say, it displeased (rah) (o-zen) “to hear an evil report in one’s ears.”  So when we murmur, complain, or walk around with a puss on so low we can suck marbles out of a gopher hole without bending over, God gets an evil report in His ear and it displeases Him.  He doesn’t like mugwumps, back-row pew warmers, or lemon suckers. As it says in v. 1, “He hears it (sh-ma) and is paying  close attention.” So, be careful with your belly-aching at church!

Not only does He pay attention but His anger (af) the nostrils on His face flair up; in other words He gets angry, and it shows; In fact His anger is kindled (kha-ra) hot, furious, burning, incensed, and the fire (ash) flames, the supernatural fire of the LORD, burnt (ba-ar) or started burning, among them and consumed (akal) ate, devoured, burned up, those in the farthest (ka-tseh) end, extremity, or outskirts, of the camp or encampment. So, the people started complaining, and it was reported to God, and His anger was kindled set on fire and His wrath began to fall on them and consume those farthest from the Tabernacle because it was in the center of the camp and the mourners brigade was in the outskirts, the back rows, and people began to die again!  They never learn, but then do we ever lean? You say but they were stiff-necked and stubborn, ‘Hello!’

So, they call on their chief intercessor; well the only intercessor they know of, to go to God for them before they were all consumed and turned into crispy critters: “And the people cried (tsa-ak) to call out for help, to cry aloud, to summon, they were desperate.  Why?  Their family and friends were dying; that’s why!  They cried unto Moses, “Help us!”  How many people had to die first?  Two, one hundred, two thousand, two hundred thousand?  And Moses prayed (pa-lal) – intervened, interposed, interceded, stepped in the gap!  And the fire was quenched (sha-kah) subsided, collapsed, sunk down, or submergeded.  “And he called the name of the place Tab-erah (tav-a-ra) – Burning, in the wilderness of Paran.

You can’t help but wonder why so much prayer in the book of Numbers as compared to Leviticus, Exodus and Deuteronomy? From Exodus 12:1 when they left Egypt it was the first month, the tenth day of Nisan or Passover. Leviticus lasted 30 days at Sinai and then in Numbers 9:1 it is the first month of the second year and it’s Passover again.  So, from Exodus 12:1 to Numbers 9:1 only one year has passed.  Then from Numbers 9:1 to Deuteronomy 1:1, 38 more years pass as they are about to enter the “Promised Land.”  So, there are 38 more times or years for them to get into trouble and need their intercessor in Numbers than the other Books.  So, fasten your seat belt and grab a falafel and hang onto your yarmulke we have 27 chapters and 37 years to get through on camel yet.

Now as I was saying before their intercessor Moses had a tough row to hoe. You may have one person to intercede for or one congregation.  He had 3 million and a mixed multitude and they were stubborn, stiff necked, hard hearted and had chutzpa!  But you don’t know anybody like that right?  To intercede is to step between two people, to be a ‘Go-Between; a ‘Mediator.’  Inter is the prefix for between; and cede is suffix for ‘to go.’  A go between, to intervene.  Intercession requires sweat on your part, holy-sweat; it’s more perspiration then inspiration at times.  That’s why we have so few ‘intercessors‘ today and so, many ‘interferers, interrupters, interjectors, interlopers, and interrogators.’ in John 15:15.

Moses was a ‘Friend of God,’ Exodus 33:11 and Jesus called us His ‘Friends’ in John 15:15.  Only a ‘Friend’ can go to a Friend‘ on behalf of another to intercede.  We can go to the Father in the name of His Son based on His Son’s authority because He made the way possible.  We don’t come before God in our name and authority, we come in His Son’s name, who is our Friend!  I can intercede for you and you can intercede for me and just in case you are too overwhelmed by the circumstances or you don’t know how or what to pray for, the Holy Spirit who lives in you will make groaning’s for you “which can not even be uttered” because He knows the mind and the will of God!  It’s too bad most of us miss out on this vital ministry in our lives and in the lives of those around us.  Till we meet again, I’ll see you on our knees or “….Between The Lines….” 

“The Back-row Baptist Prayers” 11/25/15

 

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“The Lost Prayer Blessing”

Posted on November 18, 2015 by The Scarlet Worm

Numbers 10:35-36

“And it came to pass, when the ark set forward, that Moses said, “Rise up, LORD and let thine enemies be scattered, and let them that hate Thee flee before Thee.”

“And when it rested, he said, “Return, O LORD, unto the many thousands of Israel.”

Unfortunately I don’t hear many pastors or spiritual leaders praying a blessing over their congregations anymore except in the liturgical churches. It seems to be the “Lost Blessing” of the church age. It was the privilege of the father in the Jewish home to bless his children and this usually happened every Sabbath and generally on his death bed, watch ‘Fiddler on The Roof’ or read the book of Genesis. II Corinthians 13:14 was a popular blessing; you will hear it in movies and in liturgical churches or Numbers 6:24-27; Oh, that one was just for the Jewish people in Aaron’s day, really? How about Romans 15:13, my wife just shared that verse with me recently and it blessed my heart. I think we should re-discover this lost art so our wives, children and congregations can benefit from the rich blessings they are missing out on. Pick up a book on the subject, I think you will find it very enlightening and enriching. ( Now back to my blog…)

Well, it’s the second year, the second month, and they have built the Tabernacle, celebrated Passover and ‘Little Passover’ and mover out from ‘Camp Sinai’ and “the ark of the covenant went before them,” v.33 to find a resting place. The cloud was before them by day to give them guidance and protection from the sun in the hot desert and the pillar of fire by night to guide them and to give them warmth from the cold desert nights. You could not see a pillar of fire against a hot sun in the desert by day, hence the need for the cloud nor could you see the cloud in the night desert sky, hence the need for the pillar of fire. So, the cloud was upon them by day and the fire went before the by night.

“And it came to pass,” v.35, when the ark (aron) the chest, coffin, ark of the covenant, carrying the stone tablets with the law carved on them with the (kapporah) the mercy seat covered in blood and never cleaned with the two Cherubim where God, the (YHVH) would meet with His people and talk or commune with them; When the cloud or pillar of fire rose up they broke camp and when it stopped they made camp for as long as it stayed stationary. So, it came to pass, v.35 when the ark set forward, (nasa) to pull up, to spring up, to pluck up or to go up. Interesting, “NASA” is the acrostic for our ‘National Aeronautics Space Association’ and it is the Hebrew word for ‘lifting up,’ I wonder if there was any connection? Probably not!

Moses said, “Rise up, LORD, (kum) arise, stand up, become powerful, show Thy strength. WOW! What an invitation or declaration! He is not commanding God, you don’t command God, he is just saying, “Stand up, LORD, show them who You are, let them see Your power!” “Let Your enemies be scattered (puts) dashed to pieces, not just dispersed, but destroyed! Total Annihilation! He goes even further, “Let them that hate Thee (sana) are hateful toward Thee, flee (nus) disappear, hide, fly away on horse back, from before Thy (paneem) face!” Where can you flee from the presence of God? Psalm 1397 ff. He is omnipresent, so you can run, you can fly, you can sail, but you can’t hide from His presence!

When it rested (nu-akhh) settled down, set or laid down again, to take a breath, he said, “Return, O LORD (shuv) restore, refresh, return; this is the same word we use for repent but not for God, He doesn’t repent. His is more of a ‘Returning, Restoring & Refreshing’, unto the many thousands of Israel. How many? Why do you bother with the Hebrew words Roger? Unto the many (rev-a-va) multitude, myriad, tens of thousands, thousands is (eh-lef) thousand, ten thousand or 10,000 x 10,000 which equals millions. This verse verifys the fact that they had 2.5 to 3 million people as they set out from Sinai not 50,000 – 250,000 as some liberal scholars believe. This is why it’s important to look at the meaning of the Hebrew words, they give meaning to the context and authenticate God’s word and promises. God said it, that settles it, so I believe it!

“Rise up, O LORD, and let your enemies be scattered, and let them that hate You or Your word flee before You!” Till next time, we’ll see you “…Between The Lines…”

“The Lost Prayer Blessing” 11/18/15 

Posted in "Incense For Intercession - Num. 7:1-88" (Part #2), Communion With God, Family Altars, Gateway To God, Pastor's Prayer, Portraits of Prayer, Prayer, Prayer and Thanksgiving, Prayer Closet, Prayer In The Book of Numbers, Prayer Journey, Prayerology, Prayers In The Desert, The Power of The Blessing, The Prayer of The Blessing, Unbroken Fellowship, Uncategorized, Value of Prayer-Partners, Wilderness Prayers | Tagged | Leave a comment

“Intercession For Little Passover.” Num. 9:8 – 11/11/15

Posted on November 10, 2015 by The Scarlet Worm

It was the first anniversary of their “Passover Celebration” after their exodus from Egypt (Mizraim). They are in the wilderness of Sinai, the Tabernacle has been built, the Aaronic priesthood has been established to offer their sacrifices, but they have a problem.  Some of them have touched dead bodies or been near one and they are defiled and they are not at Numbers 19 yet where they get the, ‘Red Heifer’! So, they don’t have the ashes for purification, and what are they to do? Offer a sacrifice, skip the feast, fast and pray, what?  What they need is an answer from God, so they need a mediator, an intercessor, someone to stand in the gap between them and JeHoVaH.

Job had this problem and his book pre-dates Numbers and seems to have been written around the time of Genesis or there abouts.  He is looking for a ‘Daysman/Mediator’, a ‘Go-Between’ that might lay His hand on man and God,  Job 9:33.  Job’s reply to Eliphaz and his friends in Job  16:21 is, “Oh, that one might plead for a man with God, as a man pleads for his neighbor!”  Job longs for that person to be the ‘point man’, to be in the front, to make his case clear, to be his advocate and so are these men.  The problem is you only find the word ‘intercessor’ one time in the Scriptures in Isa. 59:16 and there it is used in a negative way as the LORD states, “He saw there was NO man, and wondered that there was NO intercessor…”  It sounds a lot like Ezk. 22:30, where the LORD says, “I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it, but I found none.”  No not one!  Jeremiah was in Jerusalem at that time, but what value were his prayers for a people who would not repent.  Jer. 11:14; Ps. 66:18.

So they needed an intercessor, someone to plead their case with God and there was only one man they knew of with that kind of experience, Moishe or Moses, because he had done it several times before.  So, Moses says unto them in v.8, “Stand still,’ (amad) ‘come forth and present yourselves before the LORD;’ ” And I will hear” (sha-mah) listen, obey and give heed to; “what the LORD (YeHoVah) will command (tsa-vah), order, command, appoint, ordain, for you to do.”  Moses hadn’t touched a dead body, only these men had, so only they had to follow the LORD’s divine commands, vv. 9-14; and thus we have the institution of (Pesach Shenei) or ‘Little Passover’, celebrated 30 days after the first Passover and still celebrated and observed today.

We have three levels of Intercessors today:

l –  The Son of God, who ever lives to make intercession for us, Heb. 7:25; 9:24; and Ro.8:34.

2 – The Spirit of God, who helps our weakness, inability and want of strength and makes intercessions for us with groanings which cannot be uttered, Ro. 8:26.

3 – The Saints of God – who are to help one another in need, 1 Tim. 2:1; especially in spiritual struggles.

There is a process here for us in 1 Tim. 2:1; Supplications – an entreaty to God of a need or want and in the New Testament times the suppliant carried an olive branch with him as a sign of peace; Prayers (proseuche) is used of prayer in general:  Intercession is to intercede, to go between on behalf of another; lighting upon or meeting with a King or with God for another person or persons because you have the right, the position or the privilege and it is offered in earnestness.  In Heb. 5:7 – Christ offered up “prayers and supplications for us with strong crying and tears.”  Strong (ischuros) – mighty, powerful, forceful, valiant crying (kra-gay) outcry, clamor, scream, shriek, tumult, grief and tears (daku).  I know Christ died for us on Calvary but did you know He cried for you on Golgatha?  This is interceding in earnestness,.  “Father, remove this cup from Me, nevertheless, not my will but thine be done!”  And He suffered hematohidrosis and the capillaries in His flesh burst from stress and grief and blood poured out of His pours; that’s what I call intense intercession.

Prayer is addressed to God the Father Matt 6:6; Through God the Son,  Jn. 16:23;’ By God the Holy Spirit, Ro. 8:26.  In no instance ever in the New Testament are believer’s ever instructed to pray to God the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit lives in and with believers Jn. 14:16-17; we are exhorted to pray at all seasons in the Spirit Eph. 6:18; Jude v. 20; James 5:16, “The effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much!”  This could be better translated, “the inwrought supplication, by the Holy Spirit, of a righteous man, greatly prevails (ischuo) W.E. Vine.  There’s that same word that we  have in Heb. 5:7 – supplication with strong crying and tears. Have you ever experienced that kind of praying?

So Moses steps forth to intercede for his people and tells them to, ‘Stand Still’ or “Present Themselves” before JeHoVaH, the (YHVH) the great “I AM” and He will give a command concerning them.  Are you willing to carry the olive branch before YeHoVaH for His people and be a GAP man or woman.  To stand in the breach, to carry the censer, to stay the hand of the judgement of the Almighty?  The nation of Israel only had one intercessor, but praise God we have many, many; and by God’s grace you my friend are one! So, till next time, I’ll see you on our knees or,  “…Between The Lines…”

“Intercession For Little Passover.” Num. 9:8 – 11/11/15

 

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