NUMBERS 10 – 11

10:1-10 The two silver trumpets were used to coordinate the tribes as they moved through the desert.
To keep so many people in tight formations required clear communication and control. Trumpet blasts
also reminded Israel of God’s protection over them.

10:21 Those who travel, move, or face new challenges know what it is to be uprooted. Life is full of
changes, and few things remain stable. The Israelites were constantly moving through the desert. They
were able to handle change only because God’s presence in the tabernacle was always with them. The
portable tabernacle signified God and His people moving together. For us, stability does not mean lack
of change, but moving with God in every circumstance.

10:29-32 By complimenting Hobab’s desert skills, Moses let him know he was needed. People cannot
know you appreciate them if you do not tell them they are important to you. Complimenting those who
deserve it builds lasting relationships and helps people know they are valued. Think about those who
have helped you this month. What can you do to let them know how much you need and appreciate
them?

11:1, 4-15 The Israelites complained, and then Moses complained. But God responded positively to
Moses and negatively to the rest of the people. Why? The people complained to one another, and
nothing was accomplished. Moses took his complaint to God, who could solve any problem. Many of us
are good at complaining to each other. We need to learn to take our problems to the One who can do
something about them.

11:4 The “rabble” refers to a mixed crowd of Egyptians and others who had followed Israel out of Egypt
(Exodus 12:38).

11:4-6 Dissatisfaction comes when our attention shifts from what we have to what we don’t have. The
people of Israel didn’t seem to notice what God was doing for them — setting them free, making them a
nation, giving them a new land — because they were so wrapped in what God wasn’t doing for them.
They could think of nothing but the delicious Egyptian food they had left behind. Somehow they forgot
that the brutal whip of Egyptian slavery was the cost of eating that food. Before we judge the Israelites
too harshly, it’s helpful to think about what occupies our attention most of the time. Are we grateful for
what God has given us, or are we always thinking about what we would like to have? We should not
allow our unfulfilled desires to cause us to forget God’s gifts of life, food, health, work, and friends.

11:4-9 Every morning the Israelites drew back their tent doors and witnessed a miracle. Covering the
ground was white, fluffy manna — food from heaven. But soon that wasn’t enough. Feeling it was their
right to have more, they forgot what they already had. They didn’t ask God to fill their need; instead,
they demanded meat, and they stopped trusting God to care for them. “If only we have meat to eat!”
they complained to Moses as they reminisced about the good food they had in Egypt. God gave them
what they asked for, but they paid dearly for it when a plague struck the camp (see vv. 18-20, 31-34).
When you ask God for something, He may grant your request. But if you approach Him with a sinful
attitude, getting what you want may prove costly.

11:21-22 Moses had witnessed God’s power in spectacular miracles, yet at this time, he questioned
God’s ability to feed the wandering Israelites. If Moses doubted God’s power, how much easier it is for
us to do the same. But completely depending upon God is essential, regardless of our level of spiritual
maturity. When we begin to rely on our own understanding, we are in danger of ignoring God’s
assessment of the situation. By remembering His past works and His present power, we can be sure that
we are not cutting off His potential help.

11:23 How strong is God? It is easy to trust God when we see His mighty acts (the Israelites saw many),
but after a while, in the routine of daily life, His strength may appear to diminish. God doesn’t change,
but our view of Him often does. The monotony of day-by-day living lulls us into forgetting how powerful
God can be. As Moses learned, God’s strength is always available.

11:26-29 This incident is similar to a story told in Mark 9:38-41. The disciples wanted Jesus to forbid
others to drive out demons because they were not part of the disciples’ group. But this type of narrow
attitude was condemned by both Moses and Jesus. Beware of putting limits on God — He can work
through whomever He chooses.

11:34 Craving or lusting is more than inappropriate sexual desire. It can be an unnatural or greedy desire
for anything (sports, knowledge, possessions, influence over others). In this circumstance, God punished
the Israelites for craving good food! Their desire was not wrong; the sin was in allowing their desire to
turn into greed. They felt it was their right to have fine food, and they could think of nothing else. When
you become preoccupied with something until it affects your perspective on everything else, you have
moved from desire to lust.

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PSALM 51

51:1-7 David was truly sorry for his adultery with Bathsheba and for murdering her husband to cover it
up. He knew that his actions had hurt many people. But because David repented of those sins, God
mercifully forgave him. No sin is too great to be forgiven! Do you feel that you could never come close
to God because you have done something terrible? God can and will forgive you of any sin. While God
forgives us, however, He does not always erase the natural consequences of our sin — David’s life and
family were never the same as a result of what he had done (see 2 Samuel 12:1-23).

51:4 Although David had sinned with Bathsheba, David said that he had sinned against God. When
someone steals, murders, or slanders, it is against someone else — a victim. According to the world’s
standards, extramarital sex between two consenting adults is acceptable if nobody gets hurt. But people
do get hurt — in David’s case, a man was murdered, and a baby died. All sin hurts us and others, but
ultimately, it offends God because sin in any form is a rebellion against God’s way of living. When we
tempted to do wrong, remember that you will be sinning against God. That may help you stay on the
right track.

51:7 Hyssop branches were used by the Israelites in Egypt to place the blood of a lamb on the
doorframes of their homes. This would keep them safe from death (Exodus 12:22). This act
demonstrated the Israelites’ faith and secured their release from slavery in Egypt. This verse calls for
cleansing from sin and readiness to serve the Lord.

51:10 Because we are born as sinners (v. 5), our natural inclination is to please ourselves rather than
God. David followed that inclination when he took another man’s wife. We also follow it when we sin in
any way. Like David, we must ask God to cleanse us from within (v. 7), clearing our hearts and spirits for
new thoughts and desires. Right conduct can come only from a clean heart and spirit. Ask God to create
a pure heart and spirit in you.

51:12 Do you ever feel stagnant in your faith, as though you are just going through the motions? Has sin
ever driven a wedge between you and God, making Him seem distant? David felt this way. He had
sinned with Bathsheba and had just been confronted by Nathan the prophet. In his prayer, he cried,
“Restore to me the joy of Your salvation.” God wants us to be close to Him and to experience His full and
complete life. But sin that remains unconfessed makes such intimacy impossible. Confess your sin to
God. You may still have to face some earthly consequences, as David did, but God will give back the joy
of your relationship with Him.

51:13 When God forgives our sin and restores us to a relationship with Him, we want to reach out to
others who need this forgiveness and reconciliation. The more you have felt God’s forgiveness, the more
you will desire to tell others about it.

51:17 God wants a broken spirit and a broken and contrite heart. You can never please God by outward
actions — no matter how good — if your inward heart attitude is not right. Are you sorry for your sin?
Do you genuinely intend to stop? God is pleased by this kind of humility.

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MARK 14:1-21

14:1 The Passover commemorated the night the Israelites were freed from Egypt (Exodus 12), when God
“passed over” homes marked by the blood of a lamb while killing firstborn sons in unmarked homes. The
day of Passover was followed by a seven-day festival called the Feast of Unleavened Bread. This, too,
recalled the Israelites’ quick escape from Egypt when they didn’t have time to let their bread rise, so
they baked it without yeast. This holiday found people gathering for a special meal that included lamb,
wine, bitter herbs, and unleavened bread. Eventually, the whole week came to be called Passover.