Heavy Load!!!

Intro to numbers

called to renew series

do your part?

Work to do

will to work

worthy God

Numbers 4:46–49 ESV

All those who were listed of the Levites, whom Moses and Aaron and the chiefs of Israel listed, by their clans and their fathers’ houses, from thirty years old up to fifty years old, everyone who could come to do the service of ministry and the service of bearing burdens in the tent of meeting, those listed were 8,580. According to the commandment of the Lord through Moses they were listed, each one with his task of serving or carrying. Thus they were listed by him, as the Lord commanded Moses.

EXAMINE - The LORD gave Moses detailed plans of what each Levitical clan’s responsibilities were. The Kohathites carried the sacred articles of the Tabernacle only after the priest covered and packed up everything (Numbers 4:1-20). The Gershonite clan carried the curtains of the Tabernacle and related equipment (Numbers 4:21-28). The Merarite clan carried all the frame and metal parts of the Tabernacle (Numbers 4:29-33). The LORD even gave the age of the workers to be between thirty and fifty years old (Numbers 4:34-48). The priests were given the leadership responsibilities to supervise and hold everyone accountable and to keep everyone safe and alive (Numbers 4:17-20). APPLY -  The workers were given a task to do with detailed responsibilities, training to keep everyone safe and a time span (20 years) to work. We need workers in the Church. There are numerous jobs to do including someone editing these Devotional Blogs to make sure I am grammatically accurate. Our BMBC model is that we are a “staff-equipping, lay-driven” ministry according to Ephesians 4:11-12.  What’s the “load” that the LORD wants you to carry at your church? As we celebrate our 139th Church Anniversary, will you complete your registration by reclaiming your membership and by signing up to take on a task to help carry the load of ministry? If you have family members not in church, then send this to them and invite them to be part of BMBC as we change lives and make a difference.

Numbers 4:46–49 ESV

All those who were listed of the Levites, whom Moses and Aaron and the chiefs of Israel listed, by their clans and their fathers’ houses, from thirty years old up to fifty years old, everyone who could come to do the service of ministry and the service of bearing burdens in the tent of meeting, those listed were 8,580. According to the commandment of the Lord through Moses they were listed, each one with his task of serving or carrying. Thus they were listed by him, as the Lord commanded Moses.

Wiersbe’s Expository Outlines on the Old Testament (Introduction)

II. ThemeNumbers is the wilderness book of the OT. It describes the failure of the nation at Kadesh-Barnea and their wanderings in the wilderness until the unbelieving older generation died. Someone has described Israel’s wilderness wanderings as “the longest funeral march in history.” Only Caleb and Joshua of the older generation were permitted to enter Canaan, because they had trusted God and opposed the decision of the nation to turn back at Kadesh-Barnea. Even Moses was forbidden to go into the Promised Land because of his sin when he smote the rock instead of speaking to it.

Wiersbe’s Expository Outlines on the Old Testament (Introduction)

III. Spiritual LessonNumbers has an important spiritual lesson for Christians today, as explained in Hebrews 3–4 and 1 Cor. 10:1–15. God honors faith and punishes unbelief. At the root of all of Israel’s sins in the wilderness was unbelief: they did not trust God’s Word. At Kadesh-Barnea they doubted God’s Word and failed to enter into their inheritance. Instead of claiming Canaan by faith, they wandered in the wilderness in unbelief. Many Christians today are “in between” in their spiritual lives. They have been delivered from Egypt by the blood of the Lamb, but they have not yet entered into their inheritance in Christ. Canaan is not a picture of heaven. Rather, it is an illustration of our spiritual inheritance in Christ (Eph. 1:3), an inheritance that must be claimed by faith. Canaan was a land of battles and blessings, as is the Christian life today. Alas, too many Christians come to the place of decision (their own Kadesh-Barnea), and they fail to enter into their inheritance by faith! Instead of being conquerors (as described in Joshua), they become wanderers, as described in Numbers. Yes, they are saved, but they fail to fulfill God’s purpose for their lives. They will not trust God to overcome the giants, knock down the walls, and give them the inheritance that He has promised. They will not cross Jordan (which illustrates death to self) and step out by faith to claim what Christ has promised them.

Summary of chapter 4

Numbers—God's Presence in the Wilderness (The Ordering of the Levites)

Essentially the chapter breaks down into four parts. The first three assign to each of the Levite clans their respective responsibilities as part of the moving crew, while the fourth sums up the chapter and the entire unit that runs from chapter 1 to chapter 4 by recording the numbering of the three clans. The order of the clans in Numbers 4 matches the location each was assigned to camp around the tabernacle in the previous chapter. The clan of Kohath came first and carried the most important objects. They were to camp on the south side of the tabernacle, the position second only in rank to the priests, who camped on the east. Next came the clan of Gershon, who camped on the west and carried the middle-rank sacred objects. Finally, the clan of Merari was introduced, who camped on the least important north side and carried the odds and ends of the tabernacle.

Work to do

we have so many things to do as followers of christ. build the kingdom. . grow believers. . missions to the ends of the earth

youth and young adult

teachers- tudors-mentors

evangelism

discipleship

will to work

Orr talks about the staff equipping, lay driven ministry at bmbc.

all of us must do our part.

the text lines up all the tasks and the tribes to accomplish set task. we must be

Worthy God

he will work it out