Confessional Lutheran Ministerium

Numbers 19:1-22 NKJV 19 Now the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, ² “This is the ^[a]ordinance of the law which the Lord has commanded, saying: ‘Speak to the children of Israel, that they bring you a red heifer without ^[b]blemish, in which there is no defect and on which a yoke has never come. ³ You shall give it to Eleazar the priest, that he may take it outside the camp, and it shall be slaughtered before him; ⁴ and Eleazar the priest shall take some of its blood with his finger, and sprinkle some of its blood seven times directly in front of the tabernacle of meeting. ⁵ Then the heifer shall be burned in his sight: its hide, its flesh, its blood, and its offal shall be burned. ⁶ And the priest shall take cedar wood and hyssop and scarlet, and cast them into the midst of the fire burning the heifer. ⁷ Then the priest shall wash his clothes, he shall bathe in water, and afterward he shall come into the camp; the priest shall be unclean until evening. ⁸ And the one who burns it shall wash his clothes in water, bathe in water, and shall be unclean until evening. ⁹ Then a man who is clean shall gather up the ashes of the heifer, and store them outside the camp in a clean place; and they shall be kept for the congregation of the children of Israel for the water of ^[c]purification; it is for purifying from sin. ¹⁰ And the one who gathers the ashes of the heifer shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until evening. It shall be a statute forever to the children of Israel and to the stranger who dwells among them.

¹¹ ‘He who touches the dead ^[d]body of anyone shall be unclean seven days. ¹² He shall purify himself with the water on the third day and on the seventh day; then he will be clean. But if he does not purify himself on the third day and on the seventh day, he will not be clean. ¹³ Whoever touches the body of anyone who has died, and does not purify himself, defiles the tabernacle of the Lord. That person shall be cut off from Israel. He shall be unclean, because the water of purification was not sprinkled on him; his uncleanness is still on him.

¹⁴ ‘This is the law when a man dies in a tent: All who come into the tent and all who are in the tent shall be unclean seven days; ¹⁵ and every open vessel, which has no cover fastened on it, is unclean. ¹⁶ Whoever in the open field touches one who is slain by a sword or who has died, or a bone of a man, or a grave, shall be unclean seven days.

¹⁷ ‘And for an unclean person they shall take some of the ashes of the heifer burnt for purification from sin, and ^[e]running water shall be put on them in a vessel. ¹⁸ A clean person shall take hyssop and dip it in the water, sprinkle it on the tent, on all the vessels, on the persons who were there, or on the one who touched a bone, the slain, the dead, or a grave. ¹⁹ The clean person shall sprinkle the unclean on the third day and on the seventh day; and on the seventh day he shall purify himself, wash his clothes, and bathe in water; and at evening he shall be clean.

²⁰ ‘But the man who is unclean and does not purify himself, that person shall be cut off from among the assembly, because he has defiled the sanctuary of the Lord. The water of purification has not been sprinkled on him; he is unclean. ²¹ It shall be a perpetual statute for them. He who sprinkles the water of purification shall wash his clothes; and he who touches the water of purification shall be unclean until evening. ²² Whatever the unclean person touches shall be unclean; and the person who touches it shall be unclean until evening.’ ”

God instructs Moses to have a priest (Eleazar) kill a perfectly red — unblemished — heifer outside the camp. The priest is then to sprinkle the heifer’s blood seven times towards the Tabernacle, then burn the animal along with cedar wood, hyssop, and scarlet yarn. A clean person is to gather the ashes of the heifer and store them in a clean place outside the camp. 

These ashes were then used to create what was known as a “water of separation” or “water for impurity” to purify any who came into contact with a dead body or other sources of ritual uncleanness. The person who is unclean must be sprinkled with the water of separation on the third and seventh days and then wash their clothes and bathe in water to be cleansed.

This chapter, clearly, emphasizes the importance of maintaining ritual purity in the eyes of God and highlights the serious nature of ceremonial uncleanness. Some scholars interpret the red heifer and its ritual as a well-focused foreshadowing. An example of such an interpretation comes from Bede (an early Church Monk and Scholar from the 8th century), who states:

“Now [Moses] declares that the ashes of the victims (which ought to be taken as a great mystery) are “the sprinkled ashes of a red heifer,” which (as the apostle also bears witness) sanctified “those who have been defile, so that their flesh is made clean.” (Heb. 9) He also understands that the sacrament of the Lord’s passion, which saves us by purifying us forever, is prefigured in these ashes. Thus, the burning of a red heifer designates the actual time and event of Christ’s passion, and the burnt ashes which were kept for the cleansing of those who were unclean suggest the mystery of that same passion which has already been completed, by which we are daily purged from our sins.” (Ancient Christian Commentary, pg. 333, IV) Such a rite of purification can also foreshadow the cleansing power of Holy Baptism as well. Let us pray: O Lord, thank You for the sending of Your Son, Jesus Christ, in whom we have forgiveness of sins. Amen.

Numbers 18:8-32 NKJV

⁸ And the Lord spoke to Aaron: “Here, I Myself have also given you charge of My heave offerings, all the holy gifts of the children of Israel; I have given them as a portion to you and your sons, as an ordinance forever. ⁹ This shall be yours of the most holy things reserved from the fire: every offering of theirs, every grain offering and every sin offering and every trespass offering which they render to Me, shall be most holy for you and your sons. ¹⁰ In a most holy place you shall eat it; every male shall eat it. It shall be holy to you.

¹¹ “This also is yours: the heave offering of their gift, with all the wave offerings of the children of Israel; I have given them to you, and your sons and daughters with you, as an ordinance forever. Everyone who is clean in your house may eat it.

¹² “All the best of the oil, all the best of the new wine and the grain, their firstfruits which they offer to the Lord, I have given them to you. ¹³ Whatever first ripe fruit is in their land, which they bring to the Lord, shall be yours. Everyone who is clean in your house may eat it.

¹⁴ “Every devoted thing in Israel shall be yours.

¹⁵ “Everything that first opens the womb of all flesh, which they bring to the Lord, whether man or beast, shall be yours; nevertheless the firstborn of man you shall surely redeem, and the firstborn of unclean animals you shall redeem. ¹⁶ And those redeemed of the devoted things you shall redeem when one month old, according to your valuation, for five shekels of silver, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, which is twenty gerahs. ¹⁷ But the firstborn of a cow, the firstborn of a sheep, or the firstborn of a goat you shall not redeem; they are holy. You shall sprinkle their blood on the altar, and burn their fat as an offering made by fire for a sweet aroma to the Lord. ¹⁸ And their flesh shall be yours, just as the wave breast and the right thigh are yours.

¹⁹ “All the heave offerings of the holy things, which the children of Israel offer to the Lord, I have given to you and your sons and daughters with you as an ordinance forever; it is a covenant of salt forever before the Lord with you and your descendants with you.”

²⁰ Then the Lord said to Aaron: “You shall have no inheritance in their land, nor shall you have any portion among them; I am your portion and your inheritance among the children of Israel.

²¹ “Behold, I have given the children of Levi all the tithes in Israel as an inheritance in return for the work which they perform, the work of the tabernacle of meeting. ²² Hereafter the children of Israel shall not come near the tabernacle of meeting, lest they bear sin and die. ²³ But the Levites shall perform the work of the tabernacle of meeting, and they shall bear their iniquity; it shall be a statute forever, throughout your generations, that among the children of Israel they shall have no inheritance. ²⁴ For the tithes of the children of Israel, which they offer up as a heave offering to the Lord, I have given to the Levites as an inheritance; therefore I have said to them, ‘Among the children of Israel they shall have no inheritance.’ ”

²⁵ Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ²⁶ “Speak thus to the Levites, and say to them: ‘When you take from the children of Israel the tithes which I have given you from them as your inheritance, then you shall offer up a heave offering of it to the Lord, a tenth of the tithe. ²⁷ And your heave offering shall be reckoned to you as though it were the grain of the threshing floor and as the fullness of the winepress. ²⁸ Thus you shall also offer a heave offering to the Lord from all your tithes which you receive from the children of Israel, and you shall give the Lord’s heave offering from it to Aaron the priest. ²⁹ Of all your gifts you shall offer up every heave offering due to the Lord, from all the best of them, the consecrated part of them.’ ³⁰ Therefore you shall say to them: ‘When you have lifted up the best of it, then the rest shall be accounted to the Levites as the produce of the threshing floor and as the produce of the winepress. ³¹ You may eat it in any place, you and your households, for it is your reward for your work in the tabernacle of meeting. ³² And you shall bear no sin because of it, when you have lifted up the best of it. But you shall not profane the holy gifts of the children of Israel, lest you die.’ ”

The Levites, from the tribe of Levi, were to assist Aaron and his sons in their priestly duties, performing the work of the tabernacle and bearing their iniquity. The priests and Levites were not given land inheritance like the other tribes, but instead, they are to receive tithes and offerings from the people as their support. The priests and Levites were to ensure the offerings were pure and without blemish, reflecting the holiness required in worship and service to God, and they were to eat the holy portions in the holy place. 

The Old Testament liturgy was from God, by the priests, and for the people. In other words, it was from God, mediated by the priests, and for the salvation of God’s people. Especially on the annual Day of Atonement (Lev. 16), one man embodied every man as he entered the Holy of Holies and sprinkled the blood of the atonement for Israel. That one man was pointing forward to Christ. As Hebrews proclaims, that Christ, your great high priest, “entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption” (Heb. 9:12).

The Levites were also required to offer a tithe of their tithes to Aaron and his sons, demonstrating their commitment to supporting the priesthood. This chapter clearly shows that the obligation of the Israelites to give was far more than just the tithe (the giving of ten percent). The Israelites also had to give firstfruits (Numbers 18:12) of all their produce and the firstborn (Numbers 18:15) of their flocks and herds. Neglecting to give the priests their tithes and offerings was considered a sin, and failure to do so could result in death.

In the New Testament, God inspired St. Paul to write: “But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.” (2 Cor. 9:6-7) Let us pray: O Lord, bring me to be a cheerful giver out of Gospel love, not begrudgingly out of Law. Amen.

Numbers 17:1-13; 8:1-7 NKJV

17 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: ² “Speak to the children of Israel, and get from them a rod from each father’s house, all their leaders according to their fathers’ houses—twelve rods. Write each man’s name on his rod. ³ And you shall write Aaron’s name on the rod of Levi. For there shall be one rod for the head of each father’s house. ⁴ Then you shall place them in the tabernacle of meeting before the Testimony, where I meet with you. ⁵ And it shall be that the rod of the man whom I choose will blossom; thus I will rid Myself of the complaints of the children of Israel, which they make against you.”

⁶ So Moses spoke to the children of Israel, and each of their leaders gave him a rod apiece, for each leader according to their fathers’ houses, twelve rods; and the rod of Aaron was among their rods. ⁷ And Moses placed the rods before the Lord in the tabernacle of witness.

⁸ Now it came to pass on the next day that Moses went into the tabernacle of witness, and behold, the rod of Aaron, of the house of Levi, had sprouted and put forth buds, had produced blossoms and yielded ripe almonds. ⁹ Then Moses brought out all the rods from before the Lord to all the children of Israel; and they looked, and each man took his rod.

¹⁰ And the Lord said to Moses, “Bring Aaron’s rod back before the Testimony, to be kept as a sign against the rebels, that you may put their complaints away from Me, lest they die.” ¹¹ Thus did Moses; just as the Lord had commanded him, so he did.

¹² So the children of Israel spoke to Moses, saying, “Surely we die, we perish, we all perish! ¹³ Whoever even comes near the tabernacle of the Lord must die. Shall we all utterly die?”

God reveals how He works through men selected by His doing to be in oversight of God’s children, to lead them into and through the way of life. As high priest, Aaron would also be head of the tribe of Levi. Aaron’s rod was to be placed “before the testimony” (That is, the ark of the covenant) and preserved there as a warning for those rebellious Israelites in their grumblings against the Lord.

To demonstrate the validity of Aaron’s ordination, the Lord brings Aaron’s rod to blossom during the night, while the other eleven rods (representing the eleven other tribes) showed no signs of having life come through them.  This miraculous sign was to convince the people to “make an end of their grumblings” against the Lord (see v 10).

God provides a visual reminder of God’s seal of approval on the Levitical priesthood. Properly ordained and installed leadership is a blessing from God. Proper respect is due to God’s rightly called and ordained servants, mainly because they should be viewed as having been selected by God Himself — sent as a blessing, not a curse.

Aaron’s rod was revealed as having life come through it — reflecting what Aaron would be bringing as well. God reveals His strict (narrow) way to bring about that life — not desiring that there be any kind of loose understanding. To veer from the narrow way God established would lead to death — to the Israelites this was very clear. Rejoice that the Lord Himself reigns among you by His life-giving Word — working through the faithful called, ordained, and installed pastors, who utilize the means of grace that God has established to create and sustain life-giving faith through the narrow way of Jesus Christ and Him crucified and risen! Let us pray: Almighty God, Grant that we, who celebrate with joy the day of our Lord’s resurrection, may be raised from the death of sin by Your life-giving Spirit; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Psalm 107:10-22 NKJV

¹⁰ Those who sat in darkness and in the shadow of death,
Bound in affliction and irons—
¹¹ Because they rebelled against the words of God,
And despised the counsel of the Most High,
¹² Therefore He brought down their heart with labor;
They fell down, and there was none to help.
¹³ Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble,
And He saved them out of their distresses.
¹⁴ He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death,
And broke their chains in pieces.
¹⁵ Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness,
And for His wonderful works to the children of men!
¹⁶ For He has broken the gates of bronze,
And cut the bars of iron in two.

¹⁷ Fools, because of their transgression,
And because of their iniquities, were afflicted.
¹⁸ Their soul abhorred all manner of food,
And they drew near to the gates of death.
¹⁹ Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble,
And He saved them out of their distresses.
²⁰ He sent His word and healed them,
And delivered them from their destructions.
²¹ Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness,
And for His wonderful works to the children of men!
²² Let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving,
And declare His works with rejoicing.

Psalm 107 describes a series of trials and tribulations suffered by God’s servants, along with His continued intervention to deliver them out from all such adversities. As the psalm — through the use of waterless, trackless wasteland language — brings to remembrance the return from the Babylonian Exile as well as to the earlier wandering of the Exodus generation, it may also include any experience of being lost and trying to find one’s way back home. Also applicable would be any one or all of us, exiled from the Garden and wandering away from the face of God. That part of the psalm could then be seen as a parable of ourselves “without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.” (Eph. 2:12)

It’s not hard to have this palm speak to us in our frustrating lives within this valley of sorrows. Our good and gracious Lord knows that this is a life of hardship and suffering and that’s exactly why he gives us these inspired words to cry out to Him.

The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther writes this: “The 107th psalm is a psalm of thanks for the help that God shows to all people in their distress, whether they are Gentile or Jew. This help the heathen have sought by various idols and we Christians and the heathen have sought by various saints up until now (and to a great extent still do): For example, “St. Leonard has released the prisoners , St. Bastian delivers from pestilence, St. George protects in battle, St. Erasmus makes one rich, and St. Christopher has become the god of sea and water.” We have thus divided all of God’s help among the saints, as the heathen among their idols, and have stolen and robbed from God —to whom alone this psalm is dedicated and to whom alone the psalm calls on us to thank.” (Readings the Psalms with Luther, CPH, pg. 257)

Let us pray: Lord, continue, in Your mercy, to keep the love of Christ Jesus’ merits before our eyes, to let us know of Your ever-sufficient grace in our on-going times of need. Amen.

Psalm 106:37-48 NKJV

³⁷ They even sacrificed their sons
And their daughters to demons,
³⁸ And shed innocent blood,
The blood of their sons and daughters,
Whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan;
And the land was polluted with blood.
³⁹ Thus they were defiled by their own works,
And played the harlot by their own deeds.

⁴⁰ Therefore the wrath of the Lord was kindled against His people,
So that He abhorred His own inheritance.
⁴¹ And He gave them into the hand of the Gentiles,
And those who hated them ruled over them.
⁴² Their enemies also oppressed them,
And they were brought into subjection under their hand.
⁴³ Many times He delivered them;
But they rebelled in their counsel,
And were brought low for their iniquity.

⁴⁴ Nevertheless He regarded their affliction,
When He heard their cry;
⁴⁵ And for their sake He remembered His covenant,
And relented according to the multitude of His mercies.
⁴⁶ He also made them to be pitied
By all those who carried them away captive.

⁴⁷ Save us, O Lord our God,
And gather us from among the Gentiles,
To give thanks to Your holy name,
To triumph in Your praise.

⁴⁸ Blessed be the Lord God of Israel
From everlasting to everlasting!
And let all the people say, “Amen!”

Praise the Lord!

In the wickedness of their idolatry, the Israelites sacrificed their children to false gods, an abomination that grieved the heart of the Lord. This is not just a moral failure; it is a rejection of the one true God. It’s a picture of the total corruption that can happen when people forget God’s covenant and turn to idols.

As we hear about the shedding of innocent blood, we are reminded of the significance of sin, which often comes with consequences that defile not only the sinner but also the land and the people around them. The wrath of God is kindled, and His people are handed over to their enemies. Their distress becomes unbearable, but even in the depths of their rebellion, God does not abandon them.

Just as Israel turned to idols, so do we. While we may not sacrifice our children to Canaanite gods, we sacrifice our time, resources, and hearts to the idols of our modern world – whether they are money, power, or pleasure. We, too, are often bent on rebellion, and our sins are like the ones described here: grave, distressing, and deserving of God’s wrath.

But notice the mercy of God. Even in the midst of His people’s sin, when they cried out to Him in their distress, He responded with compassion. “Nevertheless, He regarded their affliction, When He heard their cry” (verse 44). God’s people were delivered not by their own strength or goodness, but by the mercy of the Lord. In the same way, we have been delivered through Jesus Christ. Christ’s sacrifice on the cross is the ultimate fulfillment of God’s covenant promises. His blood was shed, not to appease idols, but to cleanse us from the guilt of sin and restore our relationship with the Father. In our baptism, we are joined to Christ’s death and resurrection. Through faith in Him, we receive forgiveness, and God’s mercy triumphs over judgment. Let us pray: Heavenly Father, we have placed idols in our hearts, and we have not followed Your commands. Have mercy on us, forgive our sins, and renew a right spirit within us. We thank You for Your great love shown to us in Christ. We trust in His sacrifice for our salvation. Hear our cry, O Lord, and deliver us for Jesus’ sake, in whose name we pray. Amen.

Numbers 16:26-50 NKJV

²⁶ And he spoke to the congregation, saying, “Depart now from the tents of these wicked men! Touch nothing of theirs, lest you be consumed in all their sins.” ²⁷ So they got away from around the tents of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram; and Dathan and Abiram came out and stood at the door of their tents, with their wives, their sons, and their little children.

²⁸ And Moses said: “By this you shall know that the Lord has sent me to do all these works, for I have not done them of my own will. ²⁹ If these men die naturally like all men, or if they are visited by the common fate of all men, then the Lord has not sent me. ³⁰ But if the Lord creates a new thing, and the earth opens its mouth and swallows them up with all that belongs to them, and they go down alive into the pit, then you will understand that these men have rejected the Lord.”

³¹ Now it came to pass, as he finished speaking all these words, that the ground split apart under them, ³² and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, with their households and all the men with Korah, with all their goods. ³³ So they and all those with them went down alive into the pit; the earth closed over them, and they perished from among the assembly. ³⁴ Then all Israel who were around them fled at their cry, for they said, “Lest the earth swallow us up also!”

³⁵ And a fire came out from the Lord and consumed the two hundred and fifty men who were offering incense.

³⁶ Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: ³⁷ “Tell Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, to pick up the censers out of the blaze, for they are holy, and scatter the fire some distance away. ³⁸ The censers of these men who sinned against their own souls, let them be made into hammered plates as a covering for the altar. Because they presented them before the Lord, therefore they are holy; and they shall be a sign to the children of Israel.” ³⁹ So Eleazar the priest took the bronze censers, which those who were burned up had presented, and they were hammered out as a covering on the altar, ⁴⁰ to be a memorial to the children of Israel that no outsider, who is not a descendant of Aaron, should come near to offer incense before the Lord, that he might not become like Korah and his companions, just as the Lord had said to him through Moses.

⁴¹ On the next day all the congregation of the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron, saying, “You have killed the people of the Lord.” ⁴² Now it happened, when the congregation had gathered against Moses and Aaron, that they turned toward the tabernacle of meeting; and suddenly the cloud covered it, and the glory of the Lord appeared. ⁴³ Then Moses and Aaron came before the tabernacle of meeting.

⁴⁴ And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ⁴⁵ “Get away from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment.”

And they fell on their faces.

⁴⁶ So Moses said to Aaron, “Take a censer and put fire in it from the altar, put incense on it, and take it quickly to the congregation and make atonement for them; for wrath has gone out from the Lord. The plague has begun.” ⁴⁷ Then Aaron took it as Moses commanded, and ran into the midst of the assembly; and already the plague had begun among the people. So he put in the incense and made atonement for the people. ⁴⁸ And he stood between the dead and the living; so the plague was stopped. ⁴⁹ Now those who died in the plague were fourteen thousand seven hundred, besides those who died in the Korah incident. ⁵⁰ So Aaron returned to Moses at the door of the tabernacle of meeting, for the plague had stopped.

Our reading for today brings a conclusion to the people’s rebellion against Moses and Aaron, God’s appointed leaders. Korah, Dathan, Abiram, and 250 men rose up to question God’s authority, leading to a deadly confrontation. For their part, Korah, Dathan, and Abiram were swallowed by the earth as the ground beneath them split asunder. Verse 35 tells us that fire came forth from the Lord to consume the other 250 men of the rebellion. God commanded Moses to warn the people to distance themselves from the rebels, lest they too suffer the consequences of sin. Yet, the rebellion continued, with the congregation of the people of Israel murmuring against Moses and Aaron and ultimately God prompting an outbreak of a plague which led to the death of 14,700 people. This section of Scripture serves as a grave reminder of the seriousness of rebellion against God’s authority. It’s a sobering picture of God’s holiness and justice.

Yet, amid the judgment, there is also God’s mercy. In verse 50, we see that after Aaron made atonement, the plague was stopped. God provided a way for the Israelites to be saved, even in the face of their disobedience. This foreshadows the ultimate atonement made by Christ, who stood in the gap for us by dying on the cross to take the punishment for our sins. Although we deserve judgment for our rebellion, Christ’s atoning work on the cross brings us peace with God. Through His death and resurrection, we are spared from the eternal consequences of our sin. His grace covers all our failings.

God is holy and just, and He will not tolerate rebellion. But He is also merciful, offering us forgiveness through Jesus Christ. We, like the Israelites, are called to heed His Word, trust in His mercy, and live according to His will.

Let us pray: Almighty God, we confess that we have often rebelled against Your Word, just as the Israelites did. Forgive us for the times we have disregarded Your authority and walked in our own ways. Thank You for sending Jesus, our Savior, who atoned for our sins on the cross. Through His sacrifice, we are reconciled to You, and we have eternal life in His name. Help us to live in obedience to Your Word, trusting in Your justice and Your mercy. Strengthen our faith, and guide us in all things to Your glory, through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord. Amen.

Numbers 16:1-25 NKJV

16 Now Korah the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, with Dathan and Abiram the sons of Eliab, and On the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took men; ² and they rose up before Moses with some of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty leaders of the congregation, representatives of the congregation, men of renown. ³ They gathered together against Moses and Aaron, and said to them, “You take too much upon yourselves, for all the congregation is holy, every one of them, and the Lord is among them. Why then do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the Lord?”

⁴ So when Moses heard it, he fell on his face; ⁵ and he spoke to Korah and all his company, saying, “Tomorrow morning the Lord will show who is His and who is holy, and will cause him to come near to Him. That one whom He chooses He will cause to come near to Him. ⁶ Do this: Take censers, Korah and all your company; ⁷ put fire in them and put incense in them before the Lord tomorrow, and it shall be that the man whom the Lord chooses is the holy one. You take too much upon yourselves, you sons of Levi!”

⁸ Then Moses said to Korah, “Hear now, you sons of Levi: ⁹ Is it a small thing to you that the God of Israel has separated you from the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to Himself, to do the work of the tabernacle of the Lord, and to stand before the congregation to serve them; ¹⁰ and that He has brought you near to Himself, you and all your brethren, the sons of Levi, with you? And are you seeking the priesthood also? ¹¹ Therefore you and all your company are gathered together against the Lord. And what is Aaron that you complain against him?”

¹² And Moses sent to call Dathan and Abiram the sons of Eliab, but they said, “We will not come up! ¹³ Is it a small thing that you have brought us up out of a land flowing with milk and honey, to kill us in the wilderness, that you should keep acting like a prince over us? ¹⁴ Moreover you have not brought us into a land flowing with milk and honey, nor given us inheritance of fields and vineyards. Will you put out the eyes of these men? We will not come up!”

¹⁵ Then Moses was very angry, and said to the Lord, “Do not respect their offering. I have not taken one donkey from them, nor have I hurt one of them.”

¹⁶ And Moses said to Korah, “Tomorrow, you and all your company be present before the Lord—you and they, as well as Aaron. ¹⁷ Let each take his censer and put incense in it, and each of you bring his censer before the Lord, two hundred and fifty censers; both you and Aaron, each with his censer.” ¹⁸ So every man took his censer, put fire in it, laid incense on it, and stood at the door of the tabernacle of meeting with Moses and Aaron. ¹⁹ And Korah gathered all the congregation against them at the door of the tabernacle of meeting. Then the glory of the Lord appeared to all the congregation.

²⁰ And the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, ²¹ “Separate yourselves from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment.”

²² Then they fell on their faces, and said, “O God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, shall one man sin, and You be angry with all the congregation?”

²³ So the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ²⁴ “Speak to the congregation, saying, ‘Get away from the tents of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.’ ”

²⁵ Then Moses rose and went to Dathan and Abiram, and the elders of Israel followed him.

Rebelling against authority is a common occurrence in many facets of our lives. It happens in families, schools, government, and even in the church. In our reading for today, we hear of a serious act of rebellion against God’s appointed leadership. Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, along with 250 men of Israel, challenge Moses and Aaron, questioning why they have been chosen to lead God’s people. They wanted power and position, claiming that all the people of Israel are holy, but they fail to recognize the authority of God’s chosen leaders. Their accusation isn’t just against Moses and Aaron; it’s against God Himself. They forget that God, not man, establishes authority.

Moses responds with humility. Instead of defending himself, he falls on his face, recognizing that it is God who will reveal His chosen leaders. This is a key lesson for us. In a world that promotes self-assertion and pride, Moses’ humility teaches us that leadership, authority, and greatness in God’s eyes come through service and submission to His will.

In our own lives, we may also feel tempted to challenge authority, to question why things are the way they are, or to desire control. Like Korah, we can sometimes struggle with pride, wanting to elevate ourselves above others or question God’s perfect plan for us.

This passage serves as a reminder to us about humility and trust in God’s sovereignty. God is sovereign, and He has appointed leaders and authorities for our benefit. Our role is not to seek to control or question, but to follow with a humble heart, trusting that God’s plan is always for our good and His glory.

As we reflect on this, let us examine our own hearts. Are there areas where we challenge authority or fail to trust God fully? May we surrender our pride and ambitions to God, remembering that He is in control, and He leads us with wisdom and love. Let us follow His guidance with humility, knowing that His ways are always best.

Let us pray: Heavenly Father, forgive us for the times we’ve resisted Your authority. Help us to trust in Your plan, to walk in humility, and to submit to Your will. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Numbers 15:22-41 NKJV

²² ‘If you sin unintentionally, and do not observe all these commandments which the Lord has spoken to Moses— ²³ all that the Lord has commanded you by the hand of Moses, from the day the Lord gave commandment and onward throughout your generations— ²⁴ then it will be, if it is unintentionally committed, without the knowledge of the congregation, that the whole congregation shall offer one young bull as a burnt offering, as a sweet aroma to the Lord, with its grain offering and its drink offering, according to the ordinance, and one kid of the goats as a sin offering. ²⁵ So the priest shall make atonement for the whole congregation of the children of Israel, and it shall be forgiven them, for it was unintentional; they shall bring their offering, an offering made by fire to the Lord, and their sin offering before the Lord, for their unintended sin. ²⁶ It shall be forgiven the whole congregation of the children of Israel and the stranger who dwells among them, because all the people did it unintentionally.

²⁷ ‘And if a person sins unintentionally, then he shall bring a female goat in its first year as a sin offering. ²⁸ So the priest shall make atonement for the person who sins unintentionally, when he sins unintentionally before the Lord, to make atonement for him; and it shall be forgiven him. ²⁹ You shall have one law for him who sins unintentionally, for him who is native-born among the children of Israel and for the stranger who dwells among them.

³⁰ ‘But the person who does anything presumptuously, whether he is native-born or a stranger, that one brings reproach on the Lord, and he shall be cut off from among his people. ³¹ Because he has despised the word of the Lord, and has broken His commandment, that person shall be completely cut off; his guilt shall be upon him.’ ”

³² Now while the children of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man gathering sticks on the Sabbath day. ³³ And those who found him gathering sticks brought him to Moses and Aaron, and to all the congregation. ³⁴ They put him under guard, because it had not been explained what should be done to him.

³⁵ Then the Lord said to Moses, “The man must surely be put to death; all the congregation shall stone him with stones outside the camp.” ³⁶ So, as the Lord commanded Moses, all the congregation brought him outside the camp and stoned him with stones, and he died.

³⁷ Again the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ³⁸ “Speak to the children of Israel: Tell them to make tassels on the corners of their garments throughout their generations, and to put a blue thread in the tassels of the corners. ³⁹ And you shall have the tassel, that you may look upon it and remember all the commandments of the Lord and do them, and that you may not follow the harlotry to which your own heart and your own eyes are inclined, ⁴⁰ and that you may remember and do all My commandments, and be holy for your God. ⁴¹ I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: I am the Lord your God.”

Today’s Word presents us with a profound reminder of both the seriousness of sin and the grace of God. Even when we sin unintentionally or unknowingly, we remain accountable to God. The law required an offering for atonement, pointing to the reality that sin—no matter how unintentional—separates us from God and requires restoration. This may seem like a heavy burden, and it is. God is holy, and His commands are not to be taken lightly. Yet, for us as Christians, we know the full story. Our atonement is no longer made by bringing a physical offering, but by the perfect sacrifice of Jesus Christ. He is the Lamb who takes away the sin of the world, even those sins we may not consciously be aware of. In Him, we are forgiven.

In verses 32-36, we encounter the story of a man who intentionally broke the Sabbath. This incident illustrates the seriousness of transgressing the law of God. While we may not always feel the weight of our sin, Scripture reminds us that God’s commands are not arbitrary, and His holiness is not something we can casually disregard. We cannot live according to our own rules. Yet even here, the law leads us to Christ, who fulfilled the law on our behalf and bore our punishment on the cross of Calvary.

Today’s word concludes with the command to wear tassels on the corners of their garments (vv. 37-41). These tassels were to serve as a physical reminder of God’s commands and to live in holiness. As Christians, we may not wear tassels, but we are reminded daily through God’s Word and the sacraments to live in faithful obedience. We are called to remember that we belong to God and that His Word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path (Psalm 119:105).

Let us pray: Heavenly Father, we thank You for Your mercy and grace. Forgive us for the times we have sinned unintentionally and for the moments we have chosen disobedience. Remind us daily through Your Word, that we might live lives that honor You. Strengthen us through the work of Your Holy Spirit, and help us to live in faithfulness, looking always to the cross of Christ, our Savior. In His name, we pray. Amen.

Numbers 14:26-45 NKJV

²⁶ And the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, ²⁷ “How long shall I bear with this evil congregation who complain against Me? I have heard the complaints which the children of Israel make against Me. ²⁸ Say to them, ‘As I live,’ says the Lord, ‘just as you have spoken in My hearing, so I will do to you: ²⁹ The carcasses of you who have complained against Me shall fall in this wilderness, all of you who were numbered, according to your entire number, from twenty years old and above. ³⁰ Except for Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun, you shall by no means enter the land which I swore I would make you dwell in. ³¹ But your little ones, whom you said would be victims, I will bring in, and they shall know the land which you have despised. ³² But as for you, your carcasses shall fall in this wilderness. ³³ And your sons shall be shepherds in the wilderness forty years, and bear the brunt of your infidelity, until your carcasses are consumed in the wilderness. ³⁴ According to the number of the days in which you spied out the land, forty days, for each day you shall bear your guilt one year, namely forty years, and you shall know My rejection. ³⁵ I the Lord have spoken this. I will surely do so to all this evil congregation who are gathered together against Me. In this wilderness they shall be consumed, and there they shall die.’ ”

³⁶ Now the men whom Moses sent to spy out the land, who returned and made all the congregation complain against him by bringing a bad report of the land, ³⁷ those very men who brought the evil report about the land, died by the plague before the Lord. ³⁸ But Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh remained alive, of the men who went to spy out the land.

³⁹ Then Moses told these words to all the children of Israel, and the people mourned greatly. ⁴⁰ And they rose early in the morning and went up to the top of the mountain, saying, “Here we are, and we will go up to the place which the Lord has promised, for we have sinned!”

⁴¹ And Moses said, “Now why do you transgress the command of the Lord? For this will not succeed. ⁴² Do not go up, lest you be defeated by your enemies, for the Lord is not among you. ⁴³ For the Amalekites and the Canaanites are there before you, and you shall fall by the sword; because you have turned away from the Lord, the Lord will not be with you.”

⁴⁴ But they presumed to go up to the mountaintop. Nevertheless, neither the ark of the covenant of the Lord nor Moses departed from the camp. ⁴⁵ Then the Amalekites and the Canaanites who dwelt in that mountain came down and attacked them, and drove them back as far as Hormah.

We read today how the people of Israel faced the consequences of their lack of faith and disobedience. After the Israelites had heard the negative report from the ten spies, they grumbled and rebelled against God’s plan to take them into the Promised Land. Despite God’s constant provision and promises, they doubted and were afraid to trust His guidance. As a result, God pronounced judgment upon them. Their generation would not enter the Promised Land, except for Joshua and Caleb. The Israelites would wander in the wilderness for forty years, one year for each day the spies spent in the land.

Yet, even in the midst of their rebellion, God’s mercy is evident. He listens to Moses’ intercession, showing that while He is just, He is also merciful. The sin of the people brings consequences, but God does not utterly abandon them. His promise of a future for His people, though delayed, still stands.

We, too, are often quick to grumble or rebel when God’s timing or plans don’t align with our own. We may question His goodness or power in moments of trial, forgetting the cross where God displayed the ultimate faithfulness to His promises. Jesus, the true Joshua, went before us, leading us not into an earthly promised land, but into eternal life through His death and resurrection. The wilderness of sin and death was defeated, and in Christ, we have an eternal inheritance that no disobedience can take away.

Though we, like Israel, fall short of God’s perfect will, God does not leave us in our sin. He disciplines us, yes, but He does not destroy us. Like Moses who interceded on behalf of the people, Christ, our mediator, intercedes for us before the Father. Through His sacrifice on the cross, He secures for us the promise of forgiveness and eternal life. Even in the midst of our failures, God’s mercy is greater than our sin. Let us pray: Gracious God, we thank You for the mercy shown to us in Christ Jesus, our Savior, who intercedes for us and assures us of Your unfailing love. Help us to trust You more fully and to rest in the hope of the eternal promised land You have prepared for us through Your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.