Week 9 Day 7 Follow that Cloud

Numbers 7-9

Chapter 7
The Holy Tent
Moses finished setting up the Holy Tent. Then he poured olive oil over it. (Have I ever mentioned how much I LOVE olive oil???)

Then it was time to present each tribe to the altar.

The tribes brought needed materials like the oxen and the carts that would be needed to move the Holy Tent by the Levites.

They also brought forth sacrifices. Each day, a leader from one of the 12 tribes brought forth a sacrifice to the altar. Yes, there is that "sacrifice" word...did you hear my stomach turn?

The neatest part of this chapter though was in the last two verses. Moses went to the Meeting Tent to talk to God, and he heard God talking to instead! The voice was coming from over the winged creatures above the lid on the Ark of the Agreement. How cool would that be? To hear God? An audible God?

Chapter 8:
It was finally time for the Levites to being their tasks in the Holy Tent. But first...they had to be clean. So they had to have the cleansing waters sprinkled on them, shave themselves (it doesn't just faces...but bodies!), then wash their clothes (which makes me think clothes watching didn't happy regularly). Then there would of course be more sacrifice involved. Ugh. I can't escape the sacrifice.

One thing that stuck out to me in this chapter was again, the Bible mentions that while the firstborns of Egypt were taken by God, He set apart the firstborn of Israel for Himself. A substitution...reminds me of one who hung on the cross once upon a time. And then there is a further "substitution" when the Levites, separated from the other tribes in their service.

The other interesting detail was the job requirement for the Levite males. They had to be at least 25 years old but at age 50 were required to retire.

Chapter 9
The first part of this chapter was about celebrating Passover.

The second part of this chapter was about the cloud above the tent. In the daylight, it was a cloud. By night, it looked like fire. When the Lord was ready for the Israelites to move on to a new location, the cloud moved. When He wanted them to stay for a while, the cloud stayed

In some ways, I wish life still worked like that. When God wants me to move on, the "cloud" could move. And when I was in the right place, God would let me now that too...

Wouldn't it be nice?
Reba