RETURNING BLESSINGS

Can I pray for you in any way?

Send any prayer requests to TheChristianWalkPrayers@gmail.com.

In Christ, Mark

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

** Follow The Christian Walk on Twitter @ThChristianWalk

** Like posts and send friend requests to the author of The Christian Walk, Mark Cummings on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/mark.cummings.733?ref=tn_tnmn

** Become a Follower of The Christian Walk at http://the-christian-walk.blogspot.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

When Moses finished setting up the tabernacle, he anointed it and consecrated it and all its furnishings. He also anointed and consecrated the altar and all its utensils. Then the leaders of Israel, the heads of families who were the tribal leaders in charge of those who were counted, made offerings. They brought as their gifts before the Lord six covered carts and twelve oxen—an ox from each leader and a cart from every two. These they presented before the tabernacle.

The Lord said to Moses, "Accept these from them, that they may be used in the work at the Tent of Meeting. Give them to the Levites as each man's work requires."

So Moses took the carts and oxen and gave them to the Levites. He gave two carts and four oxen to the Gershonites, as their work required, and he gave four carts and eight oxen to the Merarites, as their work required. They were all under the direction of Ithamar, son of Aaron, the priest. But Moses did not give any to the Kohathites, because they were to carry on their shoulders the holy things, for which they were responsible. When the altar was anointed, the leaders brought their offerings for its dedication and presented them before the altar. For the Lord had said to Moses, "Each day one leader is to bring his offering for the dedication of the altar."

The one who brought his offering on the first day was Nahshon, son of Amminadab of the tribe of Judah. His offering was one silver plate weighing a hundred and thirty shekels, and one silver sprinkling bowl weighing seventy shekels, both according to the sanctuary shekel, each filled with fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering; one gold dish weighing ten shekels, filled with incense; one young bull, one ram and one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering; one male goat for a sin offering; and two oxen, five rams, five male goats and five male lambs a year old, to be sacrificed as a fellowship offering. This was the offering of Nahshon, son of Amminadab.

On the second day, Nethanel, son of Zuar, the leader of Issachar, brought his offering. The offering he brought was one silver plate weighing a hundred and thirty shekels, and one silver sprinkling bowl weighing seventy shekels, both according to the sanctuary shekel, each filled with fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering; one gold dish weighing ten shekels, filled with incense; one young bull, one ram and one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering; one male goat for a sin offering; and two oxen, five rams, five male goats and five male lambs a year old, to be sacrificed as a fellowship offering. This was the offering of Nethanel, son of Zuar.

On the third day, Eliab, son of Helon, the leader of the people of Zebulun, brought his offering. His offering was one silver plate weighing a hundred and thirty shekels, and one silver sprinkling bowl weighing seventy shekels, both according to the sanctuary shekel, each filled with fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering; one gold dish weighing ten shekels, filled with incense; one young bull, one ram and one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering; one male goat for a sin offering; and two oxen, five rams, five male goats and five male lambs a year old, to be sacrificed as a fellowship offering. This was the offering of Eliab, son of Helon.

On the fourth day, Elizur, son of Shedeur, the leader of the people of Reuben, brought his offering. His offering was one silver plate weighing a hundred and thirty shekels, and one silver sprinkling bowl weighing seventy shekels, both according to the sanctuary shekel, each filled with fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering; one gold dish weighing ten shekels, filled with incense; one young bull, one ram and one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering; one male goat for a sin offering; and two oxen, five rams, five male goats and five male lambs a year old, to be sacrificed as a fellowship offering. This was the offering of Elizur, son of Shedeur.

On the fifth day, Shelumiel, son of Zurishaddai, the leader of the people of Simeon, brought his offering. His offering was one silver plate weighing a hundred and thirty shekels, and one silver sprinkling bowl weighing seventy shekels, both according to the sanctuary shekel, each filled with fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering; one gold dish weighing ten shekels, filled with incense; one young bull, one ram and one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering; one male goat for a sin offering; and two oxen, five rams, five male goats and five male lambs a year old, to be sacrificed as a fellowship offering. This was the offering of Shelumiel, son of Zurishaddai.

On the sixth day, Eliasaph, son of Deuel, the leader of the people of Gad, brought his offering. His offering was one silver plate weighing a hundred and thirty shekels, and one silver sprinkling bowl weighing seventy shekels, both according to the sanctuary shekel, each filled with fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering; one gold dish weighing ten shekels, filled with incense; one young bull, one ram and one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering; one male goat for a sin offering; and two oxen, five rams, five male goats and five male lambs a year old, to be sacrificed as a fellowship offering. This was the offering of Eliasaph, son of Deuel.

On the seventh day, Elishama, son of Ammihud, the leader of the people of Ephraim, brought his offering. His offering was one silver plate weighing a hundred and thirty shekels, and one silver sprinkling bowl weighing seventy shekels, both according to the sanctuary shekel, each filled with fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering; one gold dish weighing ten shekels, filled with incense; one young bull, one ram and one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering; one male goat for a sin offering; and two oxen, five rams, five male goats and five male lambs a year old, to be sacrificed as a fellowship offering. This was the offering of Elishama son of Ammihud.

On the eighth day, Gamaliel, son of Pedahzur, the leader of the people of Manasseh, brought his offering. His offering was one silver plate, weighing a hundred and thirty shekels, and one silver sprinkling bowl weighing seventy shekels, both according to the sanctuary shekel, each filled with fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering; one gold dish weighing ten shekels, filled with incense; one young bull, one ram and one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering; one male goat for a sin offering; and two oxen, five rams, five male goats and five male lambs a year old, to be sacrificed as a fellowship offering. This was the offering of Gamaliel, son of Pedahzur.

On the ninth day, Abidan, son of Gideoni, the leader of the people of Benjamin, brought his offering. His offering was one silver plate weighing a hundred and thirty shekels, and one silver sprinkling bowl weighing seventy shekels, both according to the sanctuary shekel, each filled with fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering; one gold dish weighing ten shekels, filled with incense; one young bull, one ram and one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering; one male goat for a sin offering; and two oxen, five rams, five male goats and five male lambs a year old, to be sacrificed as a fellowship offering. This was the offering of Abidan, son of Gideoni.

On the tenth day, Ahiezer, son of Ammishaddai, the leader of the people of Dan, brought his offering. His offering was one silver plate weighing a hundred and thirty shekels, and one silver sprinkling bowl weighing seventy shekels, both according to the sanctuary shekel, each filled with fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering; one gold dish weighing ten shekels, filled with incense; one young bull, one ram and one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering; one male goat for a sin offering; and two oxen, five rams, five male goats and five male lambs a year old, to be sacrificed as a fellowship offering. This was the offering of Ahiezer, son of Ammishaddai.

On the eleventh day, Pagiel, son of Ocran, the leader of the people of Asher, brought his offering. His offering was one silver plate weighing a hundred and thirty shekels, and one silver sprinkling bowl weighing seventy shekels, both according to the sanctuary shekel, each filled with fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering; one gold dish weighing ten shekels, filled with incense; one young bull, one ram and one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering; one male goat for a sin offering; and two oxen, five rams, five male goats and five male lambs a year old, to be sacrificed as a fellowship offering. This was the offering of Pagiel, son of Ocran.

On the twelfth day, Ahira, son of Enan, the leader of the people of Naphtali, brought his offering. His offering was one silver plate weighing a hundred and thirty shekels, and one silver sprinkling bowl weighing seventy shekels, both according to the sanctuary shekel, each filled with fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering; one gold dish weighing ten shekels, filled with incense; one young bull, one ram and one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering; one male goat for a sin offering; and two oxen, five rams, five male goats and five male lambs a year old, to be sacrificed as a fellowship offering. This was the offering of Ahira, son of Enan.

These were the offerings of the Israelite leaders for the dedication of the altar when it was anointed: twelve silver plates, twelve silver sprinkling bowls and twelve gold dishes. Each silver plate weighed a hundred and thirty shekels, and each sprinkling bowl seventy shekels. Altogether, the silver dishes weighed two thousand four hundred shekels, according to the sanctuary shekel.

The twelve gold dishes filled with incense weighed ten shekels each, according to the sanctuary shekel. Altogether, the gold dishes weighed a hundred and twenty shekels.

The total number of animals for the burnt offering came to twelve young bulls, twelve rams and twelve male lambs a year old, together with their grain offering. Twelve male goats were used for the sin offering. The total number of animals for the sacrifice of the fellowship offering came to twenty-four oxen, sixty rams, sixty male goats and sixty male lambs a year old.

These were the offerings for the dedication of the altar after it was anointed.

Numbers 7:1-88

This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

At the end of Numbers, Chapter 6, we looked at the Aaronic benediction where the Lord told Aaron and his sons through Moses to bless the Israelite people.

As we turn the page to chapter 7, we see where the people of Israel return the favor by blessing the Lord with offerings in what had to be a magnificent procession across twelve days, one each for each tribal camp of Israel.

Before these offerings were presented to God by His people, the scriptures tell us that there were gifts presented to the Levites. These gifts included "six covered carts and twelve oxen—an ox from each leader and a cart from every two" which were presented "before the tabernacle". All that was donated was to be "used in the work at the Tent of Meeting" and we read where the Lord commanded Moses to "give them to the Levites as each man's work requires". And so in obedience to God’s tasking, Moses distributed the gifts as follows:

1. He gave “two carts and four oxen to the Gershonites, as their work required”.

2. He gave “four carts and eight oxen to the Merarites, as their work required”.

3. He did not give any to the Kohathites, because “they were to carry on their shoulders the holy things, for which they were responsible”. You see, the work of the Kohathites didn’t require a cart or oxen like the Gershonites and Merarites. You may remember that they had been commanded by God in chapter 4 of this book to "carry those things that are in the Tent of Meeting" (v.15b).

Once the Levites had received their gifts that were needed to transport the tabernacle items and "when the altar was anointed", the leaders of each of the twelve tribes "brought their offerings”, dedicating and presenting “them before the altar". The scriptures tell us that this was done in obedience to the Lord who had said to Moses, "Each day one leader is to bring his offering for the dedication of the altar."

And so it was.

For twelve straight days, one camp at a time brought their offerings before God. They came as they had been arranged, with the camps from the east coming first followed by the south, west, and finally the north. We should note that each day’s offerings were identical and while it could have been easier for the book’s author to simply say the other tribes each brought the same offerings over the next eleven days but that would have removed the visual appreciation for the reader over the celebrations that took place. Every day, the procession of gifts to the tabernacle was special, a show of devotion for the clan was presenting to the Lord.

And let’s not think for a moment that these camps were rich. We need to remember that they weren’t that far disposed from being delivered from their Egyptian captivity and were still nomads in the wilderness, journeying toward the land God had promised. With this, the tribes sacrificed what wealth they had in their giving and showed that their true affluence was found in their faith and obedience to God, the God who had richly blessed them, the God that they now were returning blessings to.

How should we apply this message to our own lives?

The starting point is first realizing just how much we have been blessed by our Lord. This assessment and inventory of blessings shouldn’t be limited to physical and tangible things like money, a job, a home to live in, a vehicle to drive, or food to eat. We should be careful to include spiritual gifts from our God, ones that we cannot assign an adequate value to. These include grace, mercy, forgiveness, love, and salvation, all critical to keep in the forefront of our minds if we are to fully appreciate all that the Lord has done for us.

Of course, Satan is also in the midst of this matter, ever trying to derail these efforts to realize blessedness and respond accordingly with thanksgiving and a desire to give back to God. The enemy would convince us that we don’t have enough, leading us to covet more than what the Lord has provided. He seeks to move people to where they aren’t satisfied with what they have, always thinking things would be better if they would just have more money, a better job, a bigger house, a fancier car...I could go on and on but you get the point. We typically fail to sit down and really appreciate how very blessed we are.

Going back to our passage for today in the seventh chapter of Number, I believe the people of Israel show us the beauty found in receiving blessings from God and then seeking to reciprocate those blessings. My prayer is that we follow their lead in the way we conduct ourselves before the Lord in response to all He does for us, giving back to Him as a sign of our adoration and gratitude. And frankly, we all have something to give back to Him, whether it be our time, talent, and/or treasure.  

In closing, I want to offer you these words from the Apostle Paul as he wrote to the church in Corinth:

"Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work." 2 Corinthians 9:6-8

Truly, our God has cheerfully given abundantly to us. Let us return blessings back to Him with gladness.

Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

PS: Feel free to leave a comment and please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it. Send any prayer requests to TheChristianWalkPrayers@gmail.com.