Numbers 29 & 30: How Is Your Soul Today?
Verse of the Day: (30:2) If a man vow a vow unto the LORD, or swear an oath to bind his soul with a bond; he shall not break his word, he shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth.

1. Seven (29:1-5)
And in the seventh month, on the first day of the month, ye shall have an holy convocation; ye shall do no servile work: it is a day of blowing the trumpets unto you. (29:1)

Seven is mentioned many times in the Bible as it is God’s number, and it means completion. God through Moses commanded Israel to offer burnt offerings before Him on the first day of the seventh month, and that they must worship Him for who He is and what He had done for them, and so find rest and completion in their lives and souls. Indeed, God’s desire is that all His creatures, especially man, make in His image, please and live for Him and Him alone. However, God gives man choices, and the first couple, Adam and Eve, chose to sin against God. As a result, we are born sinners and our final destination is hell because of our sins. The only way we can be reconciled with God is to repent our sins and believe in and receive Jesus Christ, His Son, as our personal Saviour. Before Jesus came, the people offered sacrifices to God to atone for their sins, and by faith believe that Jesus shall one day come to this earth and be the ultimate sacrifice to die for the sins the world. Today, Jesus already came, and had died for us, and when we by faith believe in Him, our souls shall be with Him in heaven forever. (Ephesians 2:8-9)
  
2. Sacrifice (29:6-40)
Beside the burnt offering of the month, and his meat offering, and the daily burnt offering, and his meat offering, and their drink offerings, according unto their manner, for a sweet savour, a sacrifice made by fire unto the LORD. (29:6)

God desired Israel not just to offer their sacrifices to Him, but to trust and obey Him, so that their sacrifices shall be sweet smelling and well pleasing to Him. Today, let us offer our lives as the sweet smelling sacrifice to God, by trusting and obeying Him, because He truly loves us and gave His only Son as the final sacrifice for our sins. (Philippians 4:18)

3. Soul (30:1-16)
Every vow, and every binding oath to afflict the soul, her husband may establish it, or her husband may make it void. (30:13)

People may break their vows and promises, but as God’s people, we must be very careful when we make our vows and promises, because we must keep them. Indeed, God always keep His promises, especially, when He promises us eternal life with Him as we believe in Him. Let us therefore commit our lives and souls to Him forever. (Ecclesiastes 5:1-7)

Prayer of the Day: 
Dearest God, thank You that my soul is well as I am bound for heaven, Your home.
 

Numbers 27 & 28: Who Is Your Shepherd?
Verse of the Day: (27:17) Which may go out before them, and which may go in before them, and which may lead them out, and which may bring them in; that the congregation of the LORD be not as sheep which have no shepherd.

1. Son (27:1-11)
Why should the name of our father be done away from among his family, because he hath no son? Give unto us therefore a possession among the brethren of our father. (27:4)

God is fair, and He treats everyone equally. Even though Adam is the head of the family, with Eve as his wife, yet He blessed both of them. Though God blessed the sons of Israel with inheritance, yet He also loved the daughters of Israel. Indeed, whether the sons or the daughters received the inheritance, they must all use them for God’s glory, because everything belongs to Him. The daughters of Zelophehad did the right thing when they asked God for their inheritance since their father had no son. God then blessed them not only with their father’s inheritance, but also commanded Israel to adhere to the law of inheritance whereby the priority of inheritance would begin with the sons, followed by the daughters, the brothers, the uncles and finally the relatives. Today, our inheritance is eternal life with God in heaven when we believe in Jesus Christ, God’s Son. (John 3:16) 
  
2. Shepherd (27:12-23)
And the LORD said unto Moses, Take thee Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit, and lay thine hand upon him; (27:18)

Though the church or the pastor himself may appoint his successor, ultimately, it must be God who appoints His leader for His church, just like He appointed Joshua to succeed Moses. God knows the hearts and spirit of man, and He knew the heart and spirit of Joshua, that he had the heart after His heart. Indeed, the sheep must have their shepherd to lead them to green pasture and still waters, and so must man have God appointing them His leader to lead them to higher ground of holiness and humility. (Psalms 23)

3. Sacrifice (28:1-31)
Command the children of Israel, and say unto them, My offering, and my bread for my sacrifices made by fire, for a sweet savour unto me, shall ye observe to offer unto me in their due season. (28:2)

Let us thank God for His Son, Jesus Christ, who became the ultimate sacrifice for the sins of the world when we repent of our sins, and believe and receive Christ as our personal Saviour. Before Christ became the final sacrifice, the people of Israel, with the service of their priests, had to offer daily, weekly, monthly and yearly sacrifices to atone for their sins at the tabernacle before God. Indeed, Christ is our everything! (Hebrews 9:28)

Prayer of the Day: 
Dearest God, thank You that You are my great Shepherd, my personal Saviour.
 

Numbers 25 & 26: Are You Zealous For God?
Verse of the Day: (25:13) And he shall have it, and his seed after him, even the covenant of an everlasting priesthood; because he was zealous for his God, and made an atonement for the children of Israel.

1. Plague (25:1-9)
And he went after the man of Israel into the tent, and thrust both of them through, the man of Israel, and the woman through her belly. So the plague was stayed from the children of Israel. (25:8)

Though the false prophet Balaam and Balak the king of the Moabites failed to curse and destroy Israel, yet they persisted in their evil deeds by deceiving the men of Israel into marrying the daughters of Moab thus resulting in widespread idolatry. Immediately, God judged Israel, and many were destroyed for their sins of rebellion and idolatry. However, God stopped His judgment when Phinehas, the grandson of Aaron the priest, destroyed the couple who had blatantly disobeyed God by their intermarriage as they presented themselves before Moses and Israel. God then blessed Phinehas, and covenanted with him that his descendants shall be blessed with an everlasting priesthood. (Hebrews 7:11)
 
2. Phinehas (25:10-18)
Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, hath turned my wrath away from the children of Israel, while he was zealous for my sake among them, that I consumed not the children of Israel in my jealousy. (25:11)

God commended Phinehas as he was zealous for Him and His Word, and he did what was right before Him. Let us be like Phinehas, and especially, Jesus, God’s Son, who was obedient to His Father, even the death on the cross, which was the most humiliating death, though He did not sin, yet He bore the sins of the whole world. (Philippians 2:5-8)
 
3. People (26:1-65)
Take the sum of the people, from twenty years old and upward; as the LORD commanded Moses and the children of Israel, which went forth out of the land of Egypt. (26:4)

This was the sad and tragic history of Israel when God commanded Moses to take the census of Israel, and thereafter He had to destroy all those who were twenty years old and above, except for Joshua and Caleb and those nineteen years old and below, because they kept rebelling against Him, and doubted that He was able to bring them to the Promised Land. In fact, God gave them many opportunities to repent of their sins, but they persisted to disobey and rebel against Him. Let us therefore trust and obey God, and believe that He can do anything and everything, even saving our souls from eternal condemnation, and promoting us to be with Him in heaven glory land! (Hebrews 3:12-19)  

Prayer of the Day:
Dearest God, please help me to be zealous for You and Your Word now and forever.

Numbers 23 & 24: Will You Believe In The Star?
Verse of the Day: (24:17) I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth.

1. Seven (23:1-12)
And Balaam said unto Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven oxen and seven rams. (23:1)

Seven is God’s number and it means completion. Though Balaam completed all that God commanded him as he requested Balak to build him seven altars so that he could offer seven oxen and rams on each of the altar, yet he was actually conspiring with Balak to curse Israel. However, instead of cursing, God made Balaam to bless Israel. Many people, like Balaam, profess to be Christians actively serving God, but in fact, they are actually serving the Devil to get the best deal in their pursuit of material wealth. Indeed, only God knows our hearts, and let us search them that they be after His heart. (Acts 13:22-24)
 
2. Son (23:13-30)
God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good? (23:19)

No matter how much bribe Balak offered to Balaam, he could never get him to curse Israel, because God controlled Balaam’s mouth just like He controlled Balaam’s ass, and Balaam had to keep blessing Israel. Man, like Balaam, wavered between God and the Devil, the spiritual and the material, because man is a sinner and a creature made in God’s image. However, God is the Creator of everything, including man, and He never wavers but fulfils whatever He promises. We must therefore strive to be like Christ that we mean what we say from our hearts which are after God’s heart. (2 Corinthians 1:18-20)
 
3. Star (24:1-25)
And Balak’s anger was kindled against Balaam, and he smote his hands together: and Balak said unto Balaam, I called thee to curse mine enemies, and, behold, thou hast altogether blessed them these three times. (24:10)

Though Balaam conspired against Balak, and attempted to curse Israel three times, yet God was with Israel, and instead of cursing, God made Balaam to bless Israel three times. In fact, God also used Balaam to prophesy the great coming of the Star or the Sceptre out of Israel, who was none other than Jesus Christ, the Son of God, to die for the sins of the whole world. Whoever believes in Jesus shall have everlasting life with Him in glorious heaven, and shall escape eternal condemnation. Indeed, nothing not even death, and no one, not even the devil, shall separate us from God’s eternal love! (Romans 8:31-39)

Prayer of the Day:
Dearest God, thank You that I believe in You, the Star, God’s Son and my Saviour.

Numbers 21 & 22: Will You Look To The LORD?
Verse of the Day: (21:8) And the LORD said unto Moses, make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live.

1. Look (21:1-16)
And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived. (21:9)

Again, Israel murmured and complaint against God and Moses, as to why God delivered them out of Egypt and then to suffer and die in the wilderness. They failed to see God’s grace, and that God was testing their faith in Him. God then judged them by sending fiery serpents to bite and destroyed them. Israel pleaded with Moses, and he prayed to God to deliver them. God answered Moses, and commanded him to make a fiery serpent on a pole, and whoever was bitten shall be healed and live when they looked at the pole. Indeed, this was the prophecy that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, shall bear the sins of the whole world on the cross, and the fiery serpent represented the sins of the world, while the pole represented the cross that was lifted up, and whoever looks upon Jesus shall never perish in hell, but have everlasting life with Him in glorious heaven. (John 3:14-16)
 
2. Lawgiver (21:17-35)
The princes digged the well, the nobles of the people digged it, by the direction of the lawgiver, with their staves. And from the wilderness they went to Mattanah: (21:18)

After God healed Israel from the bite of the fiery serpents, they praised and sang to Him, and obeyed Moses, His lawgiver, who then directed them to dig wells for their own water consumption. Indeed, though we depend on God, yet we must do things for ourselves too. This was the very rare moment when Israel sang to God and obeyed His law as most of the time they murmured and rebelled against Him. Let us praise God, and obey and delight in His laws as they are good for us, and keep us safe and sound. (Romans 7:22-25)
 
3. LORD (22:1-41)
And the LORD opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam, What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times? (22:28)

God can do anything and everything as He is the Creator and Saviour of the world. Balak, the king of Moabites, had bribed Balaam, the false and greedy prophet, to curse Israel, God’s people, for they were a great threat to him and his people. However, God was with Israel, as He opened the mouth of Balaam’s ass to stop him from cursing Israel. In fact, the ass saved Balaam’s life not once but thrice as he could have been killed by God’s sword if not for his ass stopping him. Indeed, God shall protect His people as we call upon Him and He shall answer us, and show us great and mighty things. (Jeremiah 33:3)

Prayer of the Day:
Dearest God, please help me to look to You in everything as You are my Saviour.

Numbers 19 & 20: Water Out Of The Rock
Verse of the Day: (20:8) Take the rod, and gather thou the assembly together, thou, and Aaron thy brother, and speak ye unto the rock before their eyes; and it shall give forth his water, and thou shalt bring forth to them water out of the rock: so thou shalt give the congregation and their beasts drink.

1. Red (19:1-22)
This is the ordinance of the law which the LORD hath commanded, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring thee a red heifer without spot, wherein is no blemish, and upon which never came yoke: (19:2)

God commanded Israel to offer a red heifer without blemish and never been yoked as a sacrifice before Him. Eleazar the priest had to bring the sacrifice outside the camp to slay her and then sprinkled her blood directly before the tabernacle seven times. This ordinance signified that Israel had been spiritually cleaned and sanctified before the holy God. The heifer was red in colour to symbolise the blood of Jesus Christ, and this was the great prophecy that Jesus, the Lamb of God, shall be the ultimate sacrifice to die on the cross, and shed His precious blood for the sins of the whole world. (Hebrews 9:19-22)
 
2. Rock (20:1-21)
And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them. (20:12)

Israel again murmured against God, and this time they complained that they was no water for them and their flock. God then commanded Moses to speak to the rock, however, he disobeyed God, and instead, struck the rock twice. Nevertheless, God graciously allow water to flow miraculously out of the rock! Indeed, with God everything is possible, and He can even raise the dead and promote them to heaven if they trust in Him. (Luke 1:37)  
 
3. Rebel (20:22-29)
Aaron shall be gathered unto his people: for he shall not enter into the land which I have given unto the children of Israel, because ye rebelled against my word at the water of Meribah. (20:24)

God disciplined Moses and Aaron by forfeiting them from leading Israel to the Promised Land, because they had rebelled against Him, when Moses struck instead of speaking to the rock at the water of Meribah. Though they did not enter the Promised Land with Israel, yet God’s grace was with them, as when they died, they were promoted to Heaven, His Promised Land! Though they were imperfect, yet they believed in the perfect and loving God who chose Moses to be His greatest prophet in Israel, and appointed Aaron as His first High priest serving at His tabernacle. (Deuteronomy 34:10-12, Hebrews 5:1-4)

Prayer of the Day:
Dearest God, I believe in You, and that I can do all things through and in You.

Numbers 17 & 18: Will Your Rod Yields Almond?
Verse of the Day: (17:8) And it came to pass, that on the morrow Moses went into the tabernacle of witness; and, behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded, and brought forth buds, and bloomed blossoms, and yielded almonds.

1. Almond (17:1-13)
And the LORD said unto Moses, Bring Aaron’s rod again before the testimony, to be kept for a token against the rebels; and thou shalt quite take away their murmurings from me, that they die not. (17:10)

Time and again, there shall always be challenges for those who are in leadership or with special appointments. This was the case when the people murmured against Aaron and his descendants as they were appointed as the priests of Israel to serve God at His tabernacle. God then commanded Moses to have every prince of the twelve tribes of Israel to take a rod and laid it at the tabernacle. The next day, only Aaron’s rod miraculously budded, bloomed and yielded almonds, confirming that God had appointed Aaron and his descendants to be His priests. Indeed, Aaron’s rod yielding almonds symbolises resurrection, in other words, when we truly believe in Jesus Christ, we shall never die, but live forever, because He is the Resurrection and the Life. (John 11:25-26)
 
2. Altar (18:1-7)
And they shall keep thy charge, and the charge of all the tabernacle: only they shall not come nigh the vessels of the sanctuary and the altar, that neither they, nor ye also, die. (18:3)

While the tribe of Levi served at God’s tabernacle, only Aaron and his descendants, God’s priests, had the privilege to minister at God’s altar and vessels. Beside Aaron and his descendants, whoever would come near the altar, God shall judge and destroy them including Aaron and his descendants. Indeed, this is the high calling of the priests, as Jesus Christ, the High Priest, died for the sins of the world, and the third day, He rose again, and is now at the right hand of God’s throne interceding for us. (Hebrews 7:25-28)  
 
3. Aaron (18:8-32)
Thus ye also shall offer an heave offering unto the LORD of all your tithes, which ye receive of the children of Israel; and ye shall give thereof the LORD’s heave offering to Aaron the priest. (18:28)

God through Moses commanded Israel to give their tithes or the tenth of all their harvests to the tribe of Levi, including Aaron and his descendants, the priests, because they had no inheritance of land, and were unable to provide for themselves and their families. Let us therefore financially support our full-time preachers and staff as they give their lives to serve God in peaching and ministering to the people in the church. (1 Corinthians 9:9-13)

Prayer of the Day:
Dearest God, like the rod that yields almonds, I trust in You and I shall live forever.

Numbers 15 & 16: Are You Going Against The LORD?
Verse of the Day: (16:2) And they rose up before Moses, with certain of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty princes of the assembly, famous in the congregation, men of renown:

1. Forgiven (15:1-41)
And the priest shall make an atonement for all the congregation of the children of Israel, and it shall be forgiven them; for it is ignorance: and they shall bring their offering, a sacrifice made by fire unto the LORD, and their sin offering before the LORD, for their ignorance: (15:25)

Whatever sins we have committed, whether they are ignorant or wilful, God shall forgive them if we confess and repent them, and believe in and receive Jesus, the Son of God, as our personal Saviour. Throughout the Old Testament, God commanded Israel and even the Gentiles, that by faith, they shall offer the different types of sacrifices for their sins, believing that one day, Jesus, shall be their ultimate sacrifice, the Lamb of God, who shall die and shed His precious blood for the sins of the whole world. (Hebrews 9:27-28)
 
2. Famous (16:1-15)
And they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said unto them, Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the LORD is among them: wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above the congregation of the LORD? (16:3)

In God’s eyes, nothing, not even fame or fortune matters except submission and yielding to Him. Korah, Dathan, Abiram and the two hundred and fifty famous princes challenged the leadership of Moses and Aaron that they should also allow them to be God’s leaders. However, Moses explained to them that God only chose and ordained him and Aaron to be His leaders, and that they should submit to them. Indeed, let us obey our leaders as they are ordained by God, and submit to them as they submit to God. (Hebrews 13:17)
 
3. Fire (16:16-50)
And there came out a fire from the LORD, and consumed the two hundred and fifty men that offered incense. (16:35)

God commanded Moses and Aaron as well as Korah and his rebels with their families and children to bring their censers with incense in them to offer before Him. The glory of God then appeared before them and He commanded Moses and Aaron to separate themselves from Korah and his rebels. God immediately opened the earth swallowing Korah and his rebels as well as their possessions. God also sent a fire to burn the two hundred and fifty famous princes who rebelled against Him. Though Korah and his rebels offered sacrifices to God, yet their hearts were filled with wickedness and pride. Let us therefore submit and yield to God than offering sacrifices to Him. (1 Samuel 15:22-23)

Prayer of the Day:
Dearest God, please help me to completely and willingly submit and yield to You.

Numbers 13 & 14: Will You Still The People?
Verse of the Day: (13:30) And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it.

1. Spy (13:1-29)
These are the names of the men which Moses sent to spy out the land. And Moses called Oshea the son of Nun Jehoshua. (13:16)

Today the world’s operation of spying are unlike that of God’s. The world’s motto is, The end justifies the means, which may include wicked deeds, while God’s motto is, Be truthful and honest. Moses sent out twelve spies, who were rulers from each of the twelve tribes of Israel, to search out the enemies’ land so that they would plan and execute their attack. After forty days, the spies returned, and ten of them, excluding Joshua and Caleb, reported to Moses that though the land was filled with milk and honey, they were too strong, and their walls too high, and there could never defeat them. Though they were right, they left out God. On the other hand, Joshua and Caleb, by faith believed that God was with them, and they could overcome their enemies. Sadly, Israel chose to believe the report of the majority, the ten spies, and refused to launch their attack. (Philippians 4:8-9)   
 
2. Still (13:30-33)
And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight (13:33)

Joshua and Caleb believed that they were able to overcome their enemies, though they were giants before them. In fact, Caleb, the son of Jephunneh, from the tribe of Judah where the lineage of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, shall come forth, stilled the people and assured them that with God’s help, their enemies shall be like grasshoppers, and that they could easily overcome them. Indeed, let us be still, even when we are going through great storm knowing that our God is still on the throne, and He can do anything even raising the dead and promoting our souls to heaven if we truly believe in Him. (Psalms 46:10-11)
 
3. Signs (14:1-45)
And the LORD said unto Moses, How long will this people provoke me? and how long will it be ere they believe me, for all the signs which I have shewed among them? (14:11)

God loves Israel as He showed them all His signs, such as, when He sent the ten plagues to inflict the Egyptians so that Pharaoh freed them from slavery, and He opened the Red sea for them to cross dry so that they could escape from the Egyptians. However, Israel kept refusing to believe in God. As a result, God destroyed Israel who were aged twenty years and above, and only helped Joshua and Caleb and those who were nineteen and below, to overcome their enemies, and possessed the Promised Land. (Hebrews 3:16-19)  

Prayer of the Day:
Dearest God, please help me to be still, and know that I can do all things with You.

Numbers 11 & 12: Is The LORD’s Hand Shortened?
Verse of the Day: (11:23) And the LORD said unto Moses, Is the LORD’s hand waxed short? thou shalt see now whether my word shall come to pass unto thee or not.

1. Heavy (11:1-22)
I am not able to bear all this people alone, because it is too heavy for me. (11:14)

Pray for your leaders as it is not easy to lead a country, community, company, church or family. Moses, the leader of Israel, prayed to God to spare Israel as God sent fire to burn them for their continual rebellion against Him. The people complaint that they would rather be in Egypt enjoying the meat, than to eat manna from God as He led them through the wilderness to inherit the Promised Land. They failed to see God’s manna was the best, and He was bringing them to the Promised Land that shall be filled with milk and honey. Moses cried to God that he could not lead Israel anymore as he was too tired of the people’s rebellion. God answered him by counselling him to gather seventy leaders to help him in his leadership. Indeed, as leader we must mobilise godly leaders to help us in our leadership. Though the world may choose to pursue after material wealth and enjoy the pleasures of sin that eventually lead them to destruction, let us as God’s leaders and people choose to seek after His spiritual blessings and rewards. (Hebrews 11:24-26)   
 
2. Hand (11:23-35)
And the LORD came down in a cloud, and spake unto him, and took of the spirit that was upon him, and gave it unto the seventy elders: and it came to pass, that, when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied, and did not cease. (11:25)

When the leaders believed God, they shared His Word so that all might believe in their God that He is the true and living God. Indeed, when we believe God, we shall not only have great joy and contentment in receiving His Word and power, but we shall also be His witnesses to share the gospel, that Jesus saves, to all the people around us. (Acts 1:8)
 
3. Heal (12:1-16)
And Moses cried unto the LORD, saying, Heal her now, O God, I beseech thee. (12:13)

Do not be surprised when your loved ones oppose you as you serve God. This was the case with Moses as Miriam and Aaron, his siblings, rebelled against him by accusing him of marrying an Ethiopian wife when he should be marrying his own race. However, God was with Moses, and God disciplined them, and inflicted Miriam with leprosy. Moses then prayed to God to heal Miriam as he loved his siblings and people even though many times they rebelled against his leadership. Indeed, Jesus Christ is the perfect example of loving and forgiving His enemies, as even at the cross, suffering for the sins of the whole world, Jesus cried out, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. (Luke 23:34)  

Prayer of the Day:
Dearest God, thank You for extending Your hand to help me as I call upon You.