1The Lord said to Moses:
2"Make two trumpets of hammered silver, and use them for calling the community together and for having the camps set out. - P40
9When you go into battle in your own land against an enemy who is oppressing you, sound a blast on the trumpets. Then you will be remembered by the Lord your God and rescued from your enemies. - P41
10Also at your times of rejoicing—your appointed festivals and New Moon feasts—you are to sound the trumpets over your burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, and they will be a memorial for you before your God. I am the Lord your God." - P41
God instructs Moses to make two silver trumpets. These are used to summonthe congregation or signal camp movements, and sounded during battlesor festivals. God says that the trumpets are sounded so that the Israelites areremembered before the Lord, - P41
The Lord devises for Israel distinct trumpet calls for when the community or its leaders should gather, and another distinct call for when the nation should break camp. It is amazing that God chooses to use human administration to carry out His plans. - P42
The Lord is forming Israel into a nation and an army ready to take the promised land. God sometimes uses mundane human means to train His people and make sure that, when the time comes, they are ready for what He leads them into. - P42
Every time they step out into battle, they will remember that the Lord fights for them. In times of peace, they will remember that they have gladness because the Lord is their God. - P42
The Christian life is about remembering well: remembering who our God is and, in turn, who we are. Our God gave us His Son so that we might become His children. - P42
We are favored and cherished by the living God. Remember this well. - P42
Lord, cure my mind of its forgetfulness. In every battle may I remember that You fight for me, and in times of rejoicing, may I remember that every good and perfect gift is from Your hands. May my remembering become worship unto You. In Jesus’ name, amen. - P42
Romans 12:1-2 NLT [1] And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. [2] Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. - P43
Thanksgiving God was the initiator and builder of the Mosaic covenant, and He is theinitiator and builder of the new covenant through Christ. Thank Him for accomplishing the workof salvation on behalf of those who believe. - P43
Numbers 10:11 NLT [11] In the second year after Israel’s departure from Egypt—on the twentieth day of the second month—the cloud lifted from the Tabernacle of the Covenant. - P46
Numbers 10:14 NLT [14] Judah’s troops led the way. They marched behind their banner, and their leader was Nahshon son of Amminadab.
- P46
Numbers 10:17 NLT [17] Then the Tabernacle was taken down, and the Gershonite and Merarite divisions of the Levites were next in the line of march, carrying the Tabernacle with them. - P47
Numbers 10:21 NLT [21] Next came the Kohathite division of the Levites, carrying the sacred objects from the Tabernacle. Before they arrived at the next camp, the Tabernacle would already be set up at its new location. - P47
Numbers 10:29-32 NLT [29] One day Moses said to his brother-in-law, Hobab son of Reuel the Midianite, "We are on our way to the place the Lord promised us, for he said, ‘I will give it to you.’ Come with us and we will treat you well, for the Lord has promised wonderful blessings for Israel!" [30] But Hobab replied, "No, I will not go. I must return to my own land and family." [31] "Please don’t leave us," Moses pleaded. "You know the places in the wilderness where we should camp. Come, be our guide. [32] If you do, we’ll share with you all the blessings the Lord gives us." - P48
Numbers 10:34-36 NLT [34] As they moved on each day, the cloud of the Lord hovered over them. [35] And whenever the Ark set out, Moses would shout, "Arise, O Lord, and let your enemies be scattered! Let them flee before you!" [36] And when the Ark was set down, he would say, "Return, O Lord, to the countless thousands of Israel!" - P49
We see the Israelites moving camp for the first time. Different groups carryout their respective duties as the nation moves. As they move, the Israelitesare like a body with many parts functioning for a common goal. And whatmakes this picture most beautiful is that this common goal is God. - P50
The arkof the Covenant goes before them-God leads them. - P50
The people of Godfunction by heeding the commands of God. This is a representation ofwhat the church should look like today. As 1 Corinthians 12 reminds us, the church, too, is a body with many parts responsible for different tasks. - P50
And when those parts function for the glory of the head, Christ, we allget a greater sense of the beauty and glory of the God who still leads Hispeople today. - P50
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