Daily Bible Devotionals

Grab your Bible & experience the Groundworks Ministries Podcast as Steve Wiggins leads us through the full chapter of Deuteronomy 2. Click the links below to watch or listen now!

“The daughters of Zelophehad did as the Lord commanded Moses. Mahlah, Tirzah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Noah, the daughters of Zelophehad, married cousins on their father’s side. They married men from the clans of the descendants of Manasseh, son of Joseph, and their inheritance remained within the tribe of their father’s clan. These are the commands and ordinances the Lord commanded the Israelites through Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan across from Jericho.” Numbers 36:10-13 (HCSB)

Middle and Far Eastern cultures don’t have the best reputation when it comes to women’s rights. The images of women in the Arab world, broadcast in recent years, have been very demeaning, to say the least.  

Personally, I can understand why men would be interested in Islam. It favors them greatly. But I can’t understand why any woman (who had a choice) would choose the Moslem way if they were aware of the freedom offered to them by Messiah Jesus. Women get nothing out of Islam, even in paradise, their version of heaven.

Similarly, Hindu and Buddhist communities give women a humiliated place in their cultures. In India, baby girls are so devalued that some tribes wrap them in honey-soaked clothing and set them outside to be devoured by insects or wild animals. Abortion of female babies is encouraged in Communist China, where parents of boys receive tax credits unavailable to the families of baby girls.

Of all religions, the Judeo-Christian view of women is the most honoring. Religious rabbis consider the woman sacred partially because they believe every Jewish womb has the potential of birthing the Messiah. Of course, we know Messiah has already come, and His name is Jesus.  

The New Testament also speaks kindly of women. Jesus showed respect, compassion, and friendship to many women. The Scriptures reveal that “many prominent women” followed Him. His apostles, especially Paul, showed a similar consideration to women, which must have been a foreign idea in ancient Middle Eastern culture.

The last thought of the Book of Numbers is the well-being of women. The daughters of Zelophehad came seeking justice, and they received it from the Lord. God is understanding and considerate of even the most remote outcast in society. There is no person, need, or detail too trivial for Him. He is the defender and comforter of the weak, meek & lowly. Rest assured that He is involved in our lives today to ensure the well-being of generations to come, should He tarry. Even so, come quickly, Lord!

“When the Lord heard the sound of your words, He grew angry and swore with an oath: ‘None of these men in this evil generation will see the good land I swore to give your fathers, except Caleb the son of Jephunneh. He will see it, and I will give him and his descendants the land on which he has set foot, because he followed the Lord completely.’ The Lord was angry with me also because of you and said: ‘You will not enter there either. Joshua son of Nun, who attends you, will enter it. Encourage him, for he will enable Israel to inherit it.’” Deuteronomy 1:34-38 (HCSB)

Some say, “I’ll believe in Jesus if I could see Him.” That is, they would believe if they could understand Him. When it comes to following Jesus: Seeing is not believing. Believing is seeing. Joshua and Caleb believed God’s promise and saw the victory BEFORE the battle.

I love roller coasters, but I used to be terrified of them. Even as an adult, I would perform concerts at theme parks and watch my bandmates enjoy the rides. They’d say, “Come on!” But I’d always find some excuse not to. All the while, I was paralyzed by the terror of being out of control and something tragic happening. Isn’t that silly?

Here’s how I overcame that phobia. My wife made me! We were given VIP (meaning we didn’t have to wait in line) passes to the Universal theme park, and she made me ride the rides with her! After a few rides, I was having the time of my life. All it took was for me to BELIEVE everything would be OK, then I SAW the fun I had missed out on all those years.

It’s much the same with following Jesus. Many are paralyzed by the fear of what might happen if they left everything familiar in the world and trusted Jesus. Some things cannot be known “this side of the cross.” You simply have to trust the Bible and the testimony of believers around you, matched by their observably changed lives. Then, you must believe and go for it!

Like Caleb and Joshua, believing is seeing. Because they believed God’s Word, despite the overwhelming odds, they saw the victory. God honored their faith, and He punished the faithlessness of those of Israel whose fear overrode their faith.

How small was the remnant of Israel from the generation that Moses led out of Egypt? The remnant consisted of 2 guys: Caleb and Joshua. Many were left out, and very few entered. So, let’s focus on our generation. Will you receive the reward that awaits the faithful, or will you suffer the rebuke of most faithless people in our midst... those who lay aside God’s Word in favor of their own “expert analysis”...those deceived, who claim to have faith in Jesus, yet have practiced only Jesus-themed paganism?

“Many will say to in Me that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’” Matthew 7:22-23 (NKJV)

“Do not defile the land where you are, for bloodshed defiles the land, and there can be no atonement for the land because of the blood that is shed on it, except by the blood of the person who shed it. Do not make the land unclean where you live and where I reside, for I, the Lord, reside among the Israelites.” Numbers 35:33-34 (HCSB)

Following the institution/instruction concerning cities of refuge, the Lord completed the thought by stating that murder is more than a sin against humanity & Himself. Murder is also a sin against the land itself.

In the book of Genesis, the Lord told Cain He knew about Abel’s murder because his blood cried out from the ground.

“Then He said, ‘What have you done? Your brother’s blood cries out to Me from the ground! So now you are cursed, alienated, from the ground that opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood you have shed. If you work the ground, it will never again give you its yield. You will be a restless wanderer on the earth.’” Genesis 4:10-12 (HCSB)

Leviticus tells us of a Sabbath rest for the land every 7th year.

“But there will be a Sabbath of complete rest for the land in the seventh year, a Sabbath to the Lord: you are not to sow in your field or prune your vineyard.” Leviticus 25:4 (HCSB)

At the end of the 2 Chronicles, the Lord tells Israel that He has expelled them from the land to give the LAND the “Sabbath rests” that had been denied by Israel.

“This fulfilled the Word of the Lord through Jeremiah, and the land enjoyed its Sabbath rest all the days of the desolation until 70 years were fulfilled.” 2 Chronicles 26:31 (HCSB)

Why is there such an intimate link between mankind and the land? Perhaps it is because Adam came from the ground (God-breathed dust). Either way, ever since the fall of man, creation has groaned!

Our sin has ripple effects that we may never understand. In many ways, our environment is groaning from the way people who came before us have mismanaged it and how we are mismanaging it ourselves. Inversely, our faithful commitment to Messiah has positive ripple effects. When we follow Jesus as He commands, we may never fully realize our long-term positive Kingdom impact, but we should continue to follow Him faithfully.  

While the world does not revolve around us individually, our personal righteousness (or lack thereof) leaves its mark wherever we go. Your impact on the world can be very profound. Isn’t it interesting how Jesus’ righteous blood fell to the ground, atoning for our sin, including our sins that affect the land? I look forward to that day when this sin-stained earth passes away, and the New Jerusalem descends from heaven! (Revelation 21:1)

“So Moses commanded the Israelites, “This is the land you are to receive by lots as an inheritance, which the Lord commanded to be given to the nine and a half tribes. For the tribe of the Reubenites and the tribe of the Gadites have received their inheritance according to their ancestral houses, and half the tribe of Manasseh has received its inheritance. The two and a half tribes have received their inheritance across the Jordan from Jericho, eastward toward the sunrise.” Numbers 34:13-15

My wife and I used to be members of the Biltmore Society, a group of individuals who share a common concern over the preservation and continuance of Biltmore Estate in North Carolina. Built by George Vanderbilt at the turn of the 19th Century, Biltmore Estate is truly America’s castle.

Society members received invitations to exclusive events and activities on the estate grounds. I recall wandering the mansion one evening, gazing into an oil portrait of George Vanderbilt. I wondered what he was like that he would leave such a beautiful architectural legacy.

A friend of mine, close to the Vanderbilt family today, shared some personal insight into the “old family.” He said, “Of all the wealthy industrialist families of the 19th and 20th centuries, the Rockefellers, Fords, Gettys, Guggenheims, Carnegies, and such, the Vanderbilts were the least charitable. Except for a few college endowments and buildings, Vanderbilt money was mostly spent on the Vanderbilts. Their enduring legacies are monuments to themselves; hence, compared to their potential impact, their contribution to society was primarily benign.” It is one thing to inherit great wealth. It is a whole other thing to shrug your shoulders at (or squander) an inheritance, having not realized its purpose and great potential for the community.

My favorite country to visit is Israel. I love taking people there and watching the “lights come on” as they walk and minister in the footsteps of Jesus. Israel is the most disputed plot of real estate in history. Something that never comes up in world politics is disputes over the territories of Reuben, Gad, or Manasseh’s 1/2 tribe. The Lord allowed them to choose to settle before entering the Promised Land, but their choice was not a wise one. Eventually, that poor choice led to confusion and conflict between their Israelite brothers and themselves.  

Within a few generations, because of regional conflict spurred on by their separation from the greater community of Israel, these “settling tribes” were absorbed back into Israel properly, having spoiled their claims to any land inside Israel’s border.  

Just because God allows us to choose our path doesn’t mean it’s the path He’ll bless.

“A wicked man hardens his face, but as for the upright, he establishes his way.”  Proverbs 21:29 (NKJV)

“But if you don’t drive out the inhabitants of the land before you, those you allow to remain will become thorns in your eyes and in your sides; they will harass you in the land where you will live. And what I planned to do to them, I will do to you.” Numbers 33:55-56 (HCSB)

The image of the “promised land” can mean many different things to people. I was raised in the South. In many ways, the South always felt like my “promised land.” When I lived in Southern California, my wife and I watched “Gone with the Wind” every New Year’s Day. My wife made fried chicken and biscuits! Grief is good for the soul but bad for the waistline.    

For others, the “promised land” might be a relationship, a job, or anything so elusive that only God could provide it.

Have you ever considered the “promised land” as a metaphor for your own body? Consider that when God created man, he simply took a handful of dust and breathed life into it. We are, in essence, God-breathed land.

All of mankind is born into sin. Because of Adam’s sin, all flesh is corrupted. Before people enter into a saving relationship with Jesus, they are ruled by sinful fleshly desires. For the believer, those desires represent the “former inhabitants” of our “land.”  

Jesus bridged the gap between man’s sinful flesh & God’s holy standard by supplying what we lack in terms of holiness, a difference of 100%. When Jesus suffered on the cross, He paid our sin debt, and His resurrection proved the eternal value of His sacrifice. Furthermore, He is alive today and offers salvation (deliverance) free of charge to all who will turn from their sin and receive salvation.

For a moment, imagine salvation in terms other than “Heaven.”  Imagine deliverance as an opportunity to live life here on earth abundantly. Being “born again” is much the same idea as being delivered back to our “flesh,” but now as new creations. Same old flesh, brand new “you” inhabiting it, along with the Holy Spirit and Jesus as roommates.

Once delivered back into our “land,” it then becomes our job to drive out those “former inhabitants.”  The old sinful attitudes and actions cannot remain. They will torment us unless we destroy them completely.

Notable is how, when Jesus paid our sin penalty, He experienced the crown of thorns in His brow and the spear in His side, images from today’s chapter. Our iniquities were truly laid upon Messiah Jesus! (Isaiah 53)  We have been delivered. Now, fight to drive out those former inhabitants!

“The Gadites and the Reubenites replied, ‘What the Lord has spoken to your servants is what we will do. We will cross over (the Jordan) in battle formation before the Lord into the land of Canaan, but we will keep our hereditary possession across the Jordan.’ So Moses gave them – the Gadites, Reubenites, and half tribe of Manasseh son of Joseph – the kingdoms of Sihon king of the Amorites and Og king of Bashan, the land including its cities with the territories surrounding them.”  Numbers 32:31-33 (HCSB)

Ever since Abram left his hometown to follow the Lord to “The place I will show you,” one thought has been at the forefront of the Hebrew mindset. One thought sustained Isaac when he was about to be sacrificed; one thought sustained Jacob through his trouble. One thought gave birth to a nation, and one hope encouraged that nation to endure 400 years of slavery and 40 years in the desert: God’s promise can be trusted.  

God had promised Canaan to Abraham’s descendants.

Israel was standing at the banks of the Jordan, getting ready to receive the fulfillment of God’s promise, when a chunk of their fighting force said, “We’re good. We don’t need to enter in.” Why would they have such a lukewarm reaction to the Promised Land?

In a word, I would say their issue was “value.” They appraised their surroundings, compared Canaan, and then chose to value the land east of the Jordan. Their evaluation seemed to be void of anything spiritual. It simply made better human sense to them.

To understand this passage, we must consider the difference between “information” and “value.” Information is raw data. Value is determined by the degree of consideration (trust) you pay to the source of that data.  

When I was a kid, my dad said, “Rotate your car’s tires every 3000 miles.”  That was good information. Sadly, I didn’t value that information until I had to replace my 1st set of prematurely worn tires!!!

Reuben, Gad, and the warrior clans of Manasseh knew that Canaan was God’s provision. They knew many generations had longed to enter in, suffering to lay the foundation for what was now offered by grace. Yet, the “value” wasn’t transferred. Value is transferred by personal relationships or personal experience. Perhaps the blame goes to their parents.  

We know that sin kept the generation that left Egypt from entering Canaan. I suggest that Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh’s response was telling as to sin’s effects on their elders’ ability to communicate “value” for God’s Word. They knew God’s promise but simply did not esteem it. Perhaps it was because they did not esteem the source of God’s Word: their faithless parents.  

You can attend a church and participate in what worshippers do, leaving you unimpressed. But unless you surrender yourself to experience God in a personal way, you will never develop an enduring value for Him, His promises, or His people. And that is why we spend time with Him daily, reading His Word and getting to know Him (and His values) personally.

Grab your Bible & experience the Groundworks Ministries Podcast as Steve Wiggins leads us through the full chapter of Numbers 31. Click the links below to watch or listen now!

“But if her father prohibits her on the day he hears about it, none of her vows and none of the obligations she put herself under are binding. The Lord will absolve her because her father prohibited her.” Numbers 30:5 (HCSB)

“But if her husband prohibits her when he hears about it, he will cancel her vow that is binding or the rash commitment she made, and the Lord will forgive her.” Numbers 30:8 (HCSB)

“Every vow a widow or divorced woman puts herself under is binding on her.” Numbers 30:9 (HCSB)

“These are the statutes that the Lord commanded Moses concerning the relationship between a man and his wife, or between a father and his daughter in his house during her youth.” Numbers 30:16 (HCSB)

I’m betting that not many “women’s rights” rallies begin with citing these (above) passages…perhaps a closer look is in order. Numbers 30 gives practical direction for the time it was written and provides a greater metaphor of God’s relationship with Israel, extended to Messiah’s relationship with the Church. In short, it speaks to us.

Often in the Bible, Israel is referred to as a “virgin” (Jeremiah 31) or a “wife” (Hosea 2:19-20). The Church is called the “bride of Messiah” (Romans 7:4), and potential followers are depicted in the parable of 10 virgins. (Matthew 25:1-13)  God is known as both “Father” and “Husband.”

I believe Numbers 30 is less a commentary on the impetuous nature of females and more a testimony of the absolution and redemption God directs towards His “beloved.” Whenever a virgin (young girl) or a wife committed herself in a rash and binding manner, her father (or husband) had the option of canceling her vow, as long as he acted the moment he found out about it. This passage is not intended to shame females but to show God’s great grace & mercy. Numbers 30 is a picture of how we, the “virgin daughter” of God, or “bride” of Messiah, impetuously commit ourselves to sin. Yet, when we confess and make that sin known to God, He is willing to forgive us, canceling sin as if it never happened.

“If we confess our sin, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9 (HCSB)

You’ll never get yourself into some “deal with the devil” that God can’t undo. Who is NOT covered under this arrangement? Widows & divorcees. Keeping with the metaphor, Jesus is alive forever. His bride will never be widowed, but Satan’s will. Jesus promised never to leave or forsake us; hence, His bride will never be divorced. Satan will leave you in a heartbeat. In short, while salvation is offered to all who would receive it, those without a personal saving relationship with the Messiah have no access to absolution/forgiveness. Their vows to Worldliness are legally binding...along with the consequences thereof.