God's Loving Provision for Us - Numbers 18-20 and Mark 6:30-56
God created us, and He always knows exactly what we need. He has made provision to meet our needs, because of His great love for us. This is true for mankind in general and for each of us specifically. There is nothing we need that God has not thought about beforehand. We should all praise Him for His loving forethought and thank Him for His provision for us.
We have read several times about how God provided for the Levites, since they were the ones in charge of the worship in God's House. In Numbers 18 we are told again about how they were to receive parts of the offerings and the tithes from the people. This was a gracious provision for them. Then, they were to present God with a tithe of the tithes to show Him their faith in Him and their love for Him. Numbers 19 outlines God's provision for cleansing or purification from coming into contact with the unclean things of this world. God knew that this would happen, so He made provision for cleansing. I think of I John 1:9 when I read this, since that is the New Testament way of cleansing for us. Then, Numbers 20 tells us how God once again provided water for the people in the wilderness. This was His gracious provision, and Moses was supposed to supply it by speaking to the Rock this time, instead of hitting the Rock. He disobeyed. God still sent the water, but Moses and Aaron were told they would not enter the Promised Land. This seems harsh unless we realize the symbolism. The Rock was Jesus. He gives the Living Water. However, Moses struck the Rock to get water the first time. That symbolized Jesus dying on the Cross, being struck for our sins. Then, he was to speak to the Rock, because now we go to the Lord in prayer for cleansing and for His provision. Jesus is not crucified again. That is what God was trying to teach Israel, and Moses messed it up because of his anger and impatience with the people. I pray that each of us knows that we can go to the Lord in prayer to ask Him for all of our needs, and we can do this since Jesus died for our ultimate need, which is forgiveness for sins.
Then, Mark 6 relates the story of the feeding of the 5,000 because Jesus had a heart of compassion for them. They ate until they were full. This was very uncommon in those days. He was showing His love and His perfect provision. The people did not really understand, nor did His disciples, but He was trying to get through to them. He wanted them to trust Him for the spiritual things and their physical needs, but they were focused on the physical. We need to see Jesus as our Loving Savior and Lord, who provides for all of our needs. We need to trust Him, instead of trying to provide for ourselves. He has already thought of what we need, and His provision is perfect based on His perfect knowledge and power.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Numbers 21-24 and Mark 7.
We have read several times about how God provided for the Levites, since they were the ones in charge of the worship in God's House. In Numbers 18 we are told again about how they were to receive parts of the offerings and the tithes from the people. This was a gracious provision for them. Then, they were to present God with a tithe of the tithes to show Him their faith in Him and their love for Him. Numbers 19 outlines God's provision for cleansing or purification from coming into contact with the unclean things of this world. God knew that this would happen, so He made provision for cleansing. I think of I John 1:9 when I read this, since that is the New Testament way of cleansing for us. Then, Numbers 20 tells us how God once again provided water for the people in the wilderness. This was His gracious provision, and Moses was supposed to supply it by speaking to the Rock this time, instead of hitting the Rock. He disobeyed. God still sent the water, but Moses and Aaron were told they would not enter the Promised Land. This seems harsh unless we realize the symbolism. The Rock was Jesus. He gives the Living Water. However, Moses struck the Rock to get water the first time. That symbolized Jesus dying on the Cross, being struck for our sins. Then, he was to speak to the Rock, because now we go to the Lord in prayer for cleansing and for His provision. Jesus is not crucified again. That is what God was trying to teach Israel, and Moses messed it up because of his anger and impatience with the people. I pray that each of us knows that we can go to the Lord in prayer to ask Him for all of our needs, and we can do this since Jesus died for our ultimate need, which is forgiveness for sins.
Then, Mark 6 relates the story of the feeding of the 5,000 because Jesus had a heart of compassion for them. They ate until they were full. This was very uncommon in those days. He was showing His love and His perfect provision. The people did not really understand, nor did His disciples, but He was trying to get through to them. He wanted them to trust Him for the spiritual things and their physical needs, but they were focused on the physical. We need to see Jesus as our Loving Savior and Lord, who provides for all of our needs. We need to trust Him, instead of trying to provide for ourselves. He has already thought of what we need, and His provision is perfect based on His perfect knowledge and power.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Numbers 21-24 and Mark 7.