Wednesday, March 11  Numbers 19-21; Colossians 4

Numbers 19: What was the significance of the red heifer?

Numbers 20: Why did the people rebel (this time!)? Why did the Lord tell Moses and Aaron they would not go into the Promised Land?  Who did not allow the Israelites to pass through their land?

Numbers 21:  What areas did the Israelites pass through? Who was the next king who did not grant them passage through his land?

Colossians 4: What does Paul exhort the Colossians (and us) to remain steadfast in?

Journal Prompt:   From Colossians 4, what does it mean that our speech should be gracious and seasoned with salt?  What does that look like in your life?

Numbers 19: The red heifer’s ashes were mixed with water to provide a means of cleansing after contact with dead bodies.

Numbers 20:  The people rebelled because there was no water and they blamed Moses of misleading them.  Moses struck the rock with the rod, rather than just speak words as they had been instructed.  The Edomites did not allow the Israelites to pass through on the highway through their territory.

Numbers 21:  The Israelites went to Mount Hor by the Way of the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom.  After defeating Arad the Canaanaite, they went to: Oboth, IjeAbarim, Valley of Zered, the other side of the Arnon, Beer, Mattanah, Nahaliel, Bamoth in Moab.  The King of Sihon of the Amorites would nto allow them to pass through. Israel defeated him with the edge of the sword and took possession of his land from the Arnon to the Jabbok. They settled in Heshbon, they went to Edrei and defeated Og the King of Bashan.

Colossians 4: We are to remain steadfast in prayer and “watchful in it with thanksgiving”.  The second part of this is very interesting – watchful in prayer.