PLEASE READ THIS FIRST: Numbers 7-9
What do you sense the Lord saying to you in this passage?
“Whether by day or by night, whenever the cloud lifted, they set out.” (Numbers 9:21)
I sense the Lord challenging me on how I am to follow Him.
The Moses instructions would be very difficult to follow (it seems to me).
But God was training the people to follow instructions, for their own protection.
I do not follow the cloud, but the Spirit of Jesus is my fiery cloud that leads me.
“Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.” (Galatians 5:25)
The sacrifices, the temple service, the passover, these are not commands I must follow.
But the humility and devotion and trust they symbolize still apply.
How does the Lord speak to me and lead me?
“When Moses entered the tent of meeting to speak with the Lord, he heard the voice speaking to him from between the two cherubim above the atonement cover on the ark of the covenant law. In this way the Lord spoke to him.” (Numbers 7:89)
Jesus now stands at the Father’s throne, He is my ‘atonement cover’, in God’s presence.
As I pray to Jesus and bring my day to Him, His Spirit does lead and guide me, step by step.
But do I want to follow Jesus like this?
PRAYER
Lord, unless I seek Your direction and guidance, I cannot follow. Help me to work out my daily decisions and choices with You, so that I can keep in step with Your Spirit.
A couple things came to mind – my children watching a big bull being sacrificed on Eid – at the breaking of the fast – and how horrified my kids were. The second, visiting a killing plant – watching as hundreds of animals are killed and butchered. Also the stunning numbers at the first Passover – when thousands of Israelite families sacrificed lambs for the blood on the doorposts and the Passover meal. And then in this passage to consecrate the tabernacle and those ordained to it’s service. So much blood or ‘life’ given for making things holy. There must of been rivers of blood! Jesus gave his life-blood to end this all – once and for all. Today, animals still give their lives for us to sustain us – but their blood is no longer offered to purify us – their blood pointed to Jesus blood – and his blood purifies us once and for all.