Long before Jesus commands it, we see Moses actively loving his enemies and praying for those who persecute him.

This familiar verse is spoken by Moses, reminding God that God’s nature is to love and forgive, not to punish. It comes at a time when the people are giving in to fear and doubt: two of our most potent enemies.

It seems that the Israelites complained more when things were good than when there was real hardship. That sounds uncomfortably familiar.

After preparing the Tabernacle and setting up the sacrificial system, it’s now time for the long journey to begin.

As we read about the Levites being set apart to serve God, it’s worth reminding ourselves that we have all been called to be part of a royal priesthood.

Sometimes people feel the need to especially dedicate themselves to God for a time. The nazirite vow is one of the ways to accomplish that.

Chapter 5 has rules for maintaining the purity of the camp.

The Levites serve as an offering to God, taking the place of the firstborn male of each woman.

The position of the Tabernacle at the center of the camp was practical to allow access to all and also symbolic of God’s central place in the community.

Numbers begins with a census…much like the birth narrative in the Gospel of Luke. Both remind us that these events took place in history, real events lived by real people.