PRAYER - "Declaring the Mighty Works of God" 

This does not look like a prayer, but Moses declared a miracle against Korah and 250 rebels. Without knowing how God would judge them, Moses declared an earthquake, and it happened! 

Numbers 16:30,31 - "But if the LORD make a new thing, and the earth open her mouth, and swallow them up, with all that appertain unto them, and they go down quick into the pit; then ye shall understand that these men have provoked the LORD. ...And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that appertained unto Korah." 

PRINCIPALS - "Blood" 

God sanctified everything about blood. He said the life of the flesh is in the blood. In Leviticus 17, He formally banned all profaning of anything pertaining to blood, and forbade people to eat blood. The ONLY sacrifices of blood were to be made unto Him for atonement. He promised to destroy anyone who sacrificed blood to devils. 

Leviticus 17:11 - "For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul." 

PRINCIPLES - "Touching the Unclean" 

Touch is one of the five senses. As ears hear, eyes see, noses smell, and tongues taste, the body feels. It receives input from anything it touches. It is impacted and influenced by what it touches. God repeatedly told Israel not to touch unclean (forbidden) things. Holy things become defiled and unholy by touch. Only sanctified things may touch the holy. Once defiled, one had to go through a purification process. In the New Testament, one must repent and be washed in Jesus' blood. 

Leviticus 15:27 - "And whosoever toucheth those things shall be unclean, and shall wash..." 

PROPHECIES - "Atonement" 

God requires all men to make atonement for their sins. Sins are forgiven, dismissed, purged, and washed away. Offenses are repaired, appeased, compensated, and remedied. People are reconciled, excused, exonerated, acquitted, and sanctified. The blood of an innocent sacrificial animal temporarily bought atonement. The sins of Old Testament supplicants were put off until the precious blood of the spotless Lamb of God perfectly atoned at Calvary. ONLY Jesus' blood truly atones. 

Leviticus 16:30 - "...on that day shall the priest make an atonement for you, to cleanse you, that ye may be clean from all your sins before the LORD."

PRAYER - "Seeking Counsel from Men of God"

Sometimes, God wants us to consult with those men He has ordained as ministers. They walk with God. They study His ways. They know His will. You can pray and search all over the place, but the answer may be in the house of God. They are only men, but God uses men. Men of God certainly know better than laymen. God made it that way.

Deuteronomy 17:9 - "And thou shalt come unto the priests the Levites, and unto the judge that shall be in those days, and enquire; and they shall shew thee the sentence of judgment."

PRINCIPALS - "Tithes for Ministers"

Abraham paid a tenth of his earnings to Melchizedek the Priest. Jacob vowed to pay tithe continually. Moses called the tithe "holy unto the Lord," (Leviticus 27:30). Israel paid tithes to the Levites, and Levites tithed to the High Priest. God appointed tithes to support the ministry.

Numbers 18:26 - "Thus speak unto the Levites, and say unto them, When ye take of the children of Israel the tithes which I have given you from them for your inheritance, then ye shall offer up an heave offering of it for the LORD, even a tenth part of the tithe."

PRINCIPLES - "Enemies Cannot Succeed"

In one chapter, three wars are documented. In the wilderness journey, Canaanites fought Israel, taking hostages. But Israel fought back and destroyed them at Hormah. Sihon and the Amorites, followed by Og, king of Bashan fought against Israel, too, but were soundly defeated. The enemies of God's people often launch unprovoked attacks, but God will never let it go unanswered. Sooner or later, all God's enemies will be defeated. Stay on God's side!

Numbers 21:35 - "So they smote him, ...and all his people, until there was none left him alive: and they possessed his land."

PROPHECIES - "The Ashes of the Red Heifer"

The Lord ordered a spotless red heifer to be sacrificed and burned, and its ashes mixed with water to create a "holy water," to sprinkle, for purification, on people and places defiled by touching the dead. In modern times, this purification will be necessary before a newly built third Temple can be dedicated. A red heifer is now being raised in Israel for this purpose. It is a type of Christ.

Numbers 19:9,10 - "...gather up the ashes of the heifer, ...for a water of separation: it is a purification for sin. ...for a statute forever."

PRAYER - "Prayer for a Successor" 

Moses would soon die, so he asked God to provide a new leader for Israel. God selected Joshua. Moses laid hand on him before the priest and congregation. God will answer you, too. 

Numbers 27:15-17 - "And Moses spake unto the LORD, saying, Let the LORD, the God of the spirits of all flesh, set a man over the congregation, Which may go out before them, and which may go in before them, and which may lead them out, and which may bring them in; that the congregation of the LORD be not as sheep which have no shepherd." 

PRINCIPALS - "Feast of First fruits" 

The first three feasts; Passover (blood of lamb), Unleavened Bread (broken body), and Firstfruits (new life) were springtime celebrations, and represented the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Israel brought sheaves from their firstfruits with meat and drink offerings on the first day after the Sabbath following Passover. Jesus rose from the dead on that same day - firstfruit from the dead. 

Leviticus 23:10 - "When ye be come into the land which I give unto you, and shall reap the harvest thereof, then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest." 

PRINCIPLES - "Homosexuality" 

God did not stutter or mince words when He ordered men NOT to lay with other men as they do with women. He said it is an abomination worthy of death. How much plainer could it be? 

Leviticus 18:22,30 - "Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination. ...defile not yourselves therein: I am the LORD your God." Leviticus 20:13 - "If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them." 

PROPHECIES - "Sabbath of Rest for the Land" 

The Sabbath also applied to the land. Every seventh year the land should rest - no crops planted. God promised to bless the sixth year enough to sustain the people throughout an off year. Prophetically, after six millennia, God will soon declare a millennium of rest for the earth while Jesus reigns. 

Leviticus 25:1-2 - "And the LORD spake unto Moses in mount Sinai, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye come into the land which I give you, then shall the land keep a sabbath unto the LORD."

PRAYER - "Thou Shalt Rejoice"

Here is one of the earliest directives for praise and worship. God certainly delights to hear our prayers, but He also wants us to bring our offerings and rejoice about what He has already done. Try that today! 

Deuteronomy 12:18 - "But thou must eat them before the LORD thy God in the place which the LORD thy God shall choose, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy manservant, and thy maidservant, and the Levite that is within thy gates: and thou shalt rejoice before the LORD thy God in all that thou puttest thine hands unto."

PRINCIPALS - "Aaron's Rod That Budded"

Korah and his company tried to usurp Aaron's priesthood. God killed 250 of them. But Israel accused Moses, saying, "Ye have killed the people of the Lord." God told every tribe to lay a wooden rod on the ground. Overnight, the rod that budded would testify to which tribe God chose. God eventually vindicates His chosen.

Numbers 17:8 - "And it came to pass, that on the morrow Moses went into the tabernacle of witness; and, behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded, and brought forth buds, and bloomed blossoms, and yielded almonds."

PRINCIPLES - "God Looks Forward"

Numbers 14 chronicles the miserable failure of the men of Israel to move into the Promised Land. God rejected them in sore displeasure. Amazingly, Numbers 15 opens with God saying, "WHEN YE COME INTO THE LAND..." followed by a list of offerings, sacrifices, and feasts that He wanted Israel AND the strangers in their midst to perform. God quickly bypassed the failures of one generation and began fulfilling His promises in the next.

Numbers 15:2 - "...say unto them, When ye be come into the land of your habitations, which I give unto you, ...thus shall it be done..."



PROPHECIES - "Earth Filled With God's Glory"

Modern skeptics dismiss the Bible as a self-serving Jewish fabrication bent on legitimizing the nation of Israel and discrediting its neighboring nations. They deny that it was divinely inspired. But make no mistake about it: Moses did not invent God. God invented Moses and all the rest of us. Men have always doubted God. The fearful spies doubted the land could be conquered, but God swore that He would eventually conquer the whole world without them.

Numbers 14:21 - "But as truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the LORD."

PRAYER - "When God Obeyed a Man"

It does not matter how God made the sun and moon stand still for Joshua, nor that some scientists refute that it ever happened. This epic event is eclipsed by the fact that God obeyed the voice of a man. The CEV version says, "Never before and never since has the LORD done anything like that for someone who prayed." Your problems are no problem for God. Pray on.

Joshua 10:14 - "And there was no day like that before it or after it, that the LORD hearkened unto [obeyed] the voice of a man: for the LORD fought for Israel."

PRINCIPALS - "The Men of Israel"

God required the men of Israel to faithfully execute their religious duties three times a year during the feasts of Unleavened Bread, Weeks, and Tabernacles, bringing their sacrifices to the Priests at the Tabernacle. He also instructed them to establish judges and officials in every city, who would judge with just judgment, having no respect of persons, not taking gifts or bribes, nor perverting the words of righteous men, not allowing idolatry in Israel. God is not the God of slackers, but of duty-driven men.

Deuteronomy 16:18 - "Judges and officers shalt thou make thee in all thy gates."

PRINCIPLES - "No Markings On Your Flesh"

God claims the human body as His property, and gives instructions concerning its appearance. "Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am the LORD," (Leviticus 19:28). Markings, cuttings, tattoos, and piercings, etc. were condemned as the ways of the heathen. Consecrate your body in holiness. 

Deuteronomy 14:1,2 - "...ye shall not cut yourselves, ...For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God, and the LORD hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people unto himself, above all the nations that are upon the earth."

Year of Jubilee

PROPHECIES - "Forgiving Loans and Releasing Servants"

God commanded Israel to forgive loans and release their servants every seventh year. He called it "the LORD'S release." He promised to bless and prosper those who obeyed this law, and to make Israel a lender and not a borrower; a ruler and not a servant, if they would comply. It reminds me of Jesus' words: "My yoke is easy, and my burden is light." In His coming Kingdom, Jesus will release us from all our debts and oppress-ions  FOREVER FREE - at last!

Deuteronomy 15:1 - "At the end of every seven years thou shalt make a release."

PRAYER - "The Word Is In Thy Mouth"

Moses prophesied lavish blessings on the people if they obeyed God's commandments, but cruel curses if they rebelled. Our divine purpose can only be realized through faithful obedience to God. Disobedience wrecks that. But obedience is entirely possible by believing and speaking the word of God. Speak the word daily. Life and blessing is in it.

Deuteronomy 30:11,14 - "For this commandment which I command thee this day, it is not hidden from thee, neither is it far off, ...But the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it."

PRINCIPALS - "Holy Convocation"

The Sabbaths and Feasts of Israel were generally referred to as convocations. They were "called out" to come together for each event. Once each year, the entire nation was called to the "Holy Convocation," which was a week-long time of fasting and sacrificing for their sins. In that tradition, the modern church would do well to come together annually for fasting and prayer.

Numbers 29:12 - "And on the fifteenth day of the seventh month ye shall have an holy convocation; ye shall do no servile work, and ye shall keep a feast unto the LORD seven days."

PRINCIPLES - "Reminders"

Immediately after making Joshua the new leader of Israel, Moses repeated several important commandments concerning offerings, sacrifices, Sabbaths, and feast days. It might have been easy to neglect their service to God while busily making their new homes in the Promised Land. That is why we need a man of God to remind us to fulfill our duties to God. 

Numbers 28:2 - "Command the children of Israel, and say unto them, My offering, and my bread for my sacrifices made by fire, for a sweet savour unto me, shall ye observe to offer unto me in their due season."

PROPHECIES - "Spoiling the Midianites"

After Sarah died, Abraham married Keturah, who had a son named Midian. His descendants dwelled among Lot's descendants, the Moabites. Both tribes became idolatrous pagans. The Midianites and Moabites solicited the prophet Balaam to curse Israel and bless them. God told Moses to avenge Israel of the Midianites. Israel warred victoriously over them and brought back spoils in great abundance. A precedent was set. God will avenge His saints of their enemies. Jesus will divide the spoils of the whole world with His saints someday (Isaiah 53:12).

Numbers 31:2 - "Avenge the children of Israel of the Midianites..."

PRAYER - "Worship at Passover"

The Israelites marked their doorposts with blood from the "passover" lamb. Those who observed the Passover feast were protected when God judged the Egyptians. At midnight, Egypt suffered calamity, as millions of firstborn died. But Israel lost not a soul. They bowed their heads and worshipped God. Thank God for His salvation.

"No Death Angel in Eygpt"

Exodus 12:27 - "That ye shall say, It is the sacrifice of the LORD'S passover, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt, when he smote the Egyptians, and delivered our houses. And the people bowed the head and worshipped.

"PRINCIPALS - "No Death Angel"
Maybe you heard somewhere that a death angel passed through Egypt, killing all the firstborn. But you heard wrong. God did not send a death angel. HE came down! "And it came to pass, that at midnight the LORD smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sat on his throne unto the firstborn of the captive that was in the dungeon; and all the firstborn of cattle," (Exodus 12:29).

Exodus 11:4 - "And Moses said, Thus saith the LORD, About midnight will I go out into the midst of Egypt.

"PRINCIPLES - "Phony Promises


What do you call a person who promises to do good as long as there is an impending threat of severe punishment, but as soon as they think they can get by with mischief, they quickly break their promises and return to their old tricks? A con-man? A politician? Pharaoh was more. He was a cold-blooded rebel against God. Sounds like many in our generation.

Exodus 9:34 - "And when Pharaoh saw that the rain and the hail and the thunders were ceased, he sinned yet more, and hardened his heart, he and his servants.


"PROPHECIES - "I Will See Thy Face No More"

Back in Noah's day, God said that His Spirit would not always strive with man. Sometimes God decides that He will not waste any more time with certain people. That is a frightening truth. After Pharaoh played diabolical games with Moses, God said, in effect, "that's all - no more!" God judged all the firstborn of Egypt. Pharaoh's son died. Egypt suffered profound judgment. Beware, lest YOU cross the point of no return.

Exodus 10:29 - "And Moses said, Thou hast spoken well, I will see thy face again no more

PRAYER - "Speak to the Rock"
The people needed water. God told Moses to speak to the rock and it would give water. In frustration, Moses smote the rock twice. It gave water, but Moses angered God for showing unbelief to Israel. God forbade Moses to enter the Promised Land because of it. The works of the flesh hinder the works of the Spirit. Trust God for your miracle, not brute force.

Numbers 20:8 - "Take the rod, and gather thou the assembly together, thou, and Aaron thy brother, and speak ye unto the rock before their eyes; and it shall give forth his water."

PRINCIPALS - "Highest Standards for Priests"

All of Aaron's male descendants were consecrated for ministry. They had to live by the highest standards. For example, they could not marry a widow, a divorcee, a profane woman or a harlot. They could not adapt other cultural trends pertaining to hair, beards, or markings in their flesh. They had to be in excellent health. Any notable infirmity of the flesh disqualified them from priesthood. Their model was Jesus Christ, the great High Priest, yet to come.

Leviticus 21:1 - "And the LORD said unto Moses, Speak unto the priests the sons of Aaron, and say unto them..."

PRINCIPLES - "After the doings of the land..."

Immediately before introducing the laws for sexual morality, God commanded them NOT to follow the ways of Egypt (from which they came) nor the ways of Canaan (to which they were headed). If ancient Egypt and Canaan were taboo, how much more taboo would our modern vile cultures be? Are you in love with "Egypt"?

Leviticus 18:3 - "After the doings of the land of Egypt, wherein ye dwelt, shall ye not do: and after the doings of the land of Canaan, whither I bring you, shall ye not do: neither shall ye walk in their ordinances."

PROPHECIES - "The Inheritance-Separation Connection"

God could save everybody in the world, but He does not want what He sees. He wants those who forsake the world for Him. His promises are inextricably linked to our consecration. Israel had to separate. If we cannot give up Egypt, there is no Promised Land.

Leviticus 20:24,26 - "...Ye shall inherit their land, and I will give it unto you to possess it, a land that floweth with milk and honey: ...And ye shall be holy unto me: for I the LORD am holy, and have severed you from other people, that ye should be mine."  

PRAYER - "What About Your Altar?"
The tribes of Reuben, Gad and Manasseh lived east of Jordan, so they built their own altar unto the Lord. All Israel panicked for fear that it was a pagan altar. Phinehas the Priest, and ten princes of the tribes went to investigate. The three tribes insisted that the altar was unto the true God. Phinehas was appeased. Such matters deserve to be confirmed.

Joshua 22:29 - "God forbid that we should rebel against the LORD, and turn this day from following the LORD, to build an altar..., beside the altar of the LORD our God that is before his tabernacle."

PRINCIPALS - "Diviners, Witches and Wizards"

Never forget that God chose to raise up a holy people because He hates the ways of the heathen: paganism, idolatry, spiritualism and that whole lot (including Disney and Potter).

Deuteronomy 18:10-12 - "There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. ...and because of these abominations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee."

PRINCIPLES - "Two or Three Witnesses"

The laws of justice wield a heavy blow to a convicted wrong-doer. Because of its enormous power, the law must not be abused. God set safeguards to protect the innocent from unfair accusations and convictions. God would not allow a criminal to be convicted on the testimony of only one man. Multiple witnesses were required.

Deuteronomy 19:15 - "One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin, in any sin that he sinneth: at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established."

PROPHECIES - "Blessings and Cursing"

God's blessings are inextricably linked to obedience. Jesus said, "If you love me, keep my commandments." You have to obey God to be blessed. He curses disobedience.

Deuteronomy 28:1,2,15 - "...if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments..., ...all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe to do all his commandments..., ...that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee."

Sheep Knuckles

PRAYER - "Casting Lots"To find the will of God, several Bible characters resorted to the equivalent of a "coin toss." Joshua cast lots to decide which tribes inherited which lands. Aaron cast lots between the scapegoat and the goat for atonement. Casting lots saved Jonathan from his father's rash fury. Priests, teachers, musicians and porters cast lots in King David's courts to establish chains of authority. Nehemiah did a similar thing while rebuilding Jerusalem. Jonah's sin was revealed by casting lots.

Joshua 18:10 - "And Joshua cast lots for them in Shiloh before the LORD: and there Joshua divided the land."

PRINCIPALS - "Deuteronomy"

One year before his death, Moses had thirty-nine years of experience leading Israel. His perspective was mature, and in Deuteronomy (meaning "repetition of this law"), he covered all the bases one more time. This book is very rich. Many primary codes and laws are explicitly documented. Moses emphatically admonished the people that God would bless them if they obeyed the commandments of the Lord, but warned of horrific curses if they rebelled. Even under New Testament grace, that principle still stands.

Deuteronomy 11:26 - "Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse."

PRINCIPLES - "Transgressing His Covenant"

Christians love talking about "covenant" as if God's covenant means irrevocable blessings. From the beginning, the covenant was God's promise to bless His people IF they would faithfully love and obey Him. So covenant is a two-way agreement. You owe your part to the covenant. Covenant with God is worthless if you still love the world, the flesh or the devil.

Deuteronomy 17:2,3 - "If there be found among you, ...man or woman, that hath wrought wickedness in the sight of the LORD thy God, in transgressing his covenant, And hath gone and served other gods..."

PROPHECIES - "A Prophet Like Moses"

Moses prophesied that a prophet like himself would come. Peter said that Jesus Christ is that prophet (Acts 3:20; 7:37). Jesus is the greatest prophet of all times, revealing the Kingdom of God.Deuteronomy 18:15,18 - "The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken; ...I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him."

PRAYER - "Shout Unto God"Israel's first conquest inside the Promised Land was at Jericho. They marched around the city wall daily for a week, then seven times on the seventh day. When the trumpets sounded, the people shouted. The wall fell down. That victorious, one-syllable shout was as effective as a 1,000-word prayer. Shout unto God with a voice of triumph.

Joshua 6:16,20 - "...Joshua said unto the people, Shout; for the LORD hath given you the city. ...and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat, ...and they took the city."

PRINCIPALS - "Cities of Refuge"

God gave Israel six "cities of refuge" where accused murderers could run for asylum and find safety until they could get a fair hearing. Even today, Jesus is longsuffering; not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. Run to Him.

Numbers 35:11-12 - "...ye shall appoint you cities to be cities of refuge for you; that the slayer may flee thither, which killeth any person at unawares. And they shall be unto you cities for refuge from the avenger; that the manslayer die not, until he stand before the congregation in judgment."

PRINCIPLES - "Marrying Within The Tribe"

Some families had no male heirs, and Moses gave the inheritance to the daughters. But if they married outside their tribe, the tribal inheritance would remove to another tribe. To prevent this, Moses taught the women to marry within their own tribe. The New Testament version of this is "be not unequally yoked together with unbelievers."

Numbers 36:8 - "And every daughter, that possesseth an inheritance in any tribe of the children of Israel, shall be wife unto one of the family of the tribe of her father, ...Neither shall the inheritance remove from one tribe to another tribe."

PROPHECIES - "He Shall Fight For You"

In the fortieth year of their wilderness journey, Moses stood before the Israelites and reminded them of their successes and failures since leaving Egypt. Although they were about to engage the Canaanites in many wars of conquest, Moses did not speak of military tactics. Instead, he preached to them about the rewards of trusting God and the evils of doubting God. Then, he prophesied: "God is going to fight for you!" God STILL fights for His people.

Deuteronomy 1:30 - "The LORD your God which goeth before you, he shall fight for you, according to all that he did for you..."

PRAYER - "Praying About Legal Matters"
God will show you how to resolve a legal matter. Moses numbered the men of each tribe just before they were to go over Jordan. The land would be apportioned accordingly. Several women complained, because their fathers died without sons to inherit. They wanted an inheritance. Moses prayed and God showed him a plan that satisfied everyone.

Numbers 27:4 - "Why should the name of our father be done away from among his family, because he hath no son? Give unto us therefore a possession among the brethren of our father. And Moses brought their cause before the LORD."    
   

PRINCIPALS - "Passover and Unleavened Bread"

The first two annual feasts began in Egypt - Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Together, they teach the blood and broken body of Jesus Christ, and deliverance from sin and worldly bondage thereby. The lamb was spotless and the bread was unleavened. Leavening is the yeast that agitates and causes the dough to rise. It is likened to sin. Jesus, bread of life, had no leavening - no sin.

Leviticus 23:5,6 - "In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the LORD'S passover. And on the fifteenth day ...is the feast of unleavened bread."

PRINCIPLES - "Incest"

The law clearly defined what is now called incest. "It is wickedness." A person must never have sexual intercourse with parents or step-parents. A man must never have intercourse with sisters, half-sisters, daughters, granddaughters, aunts, daughters-in-law, or sisters-in-law, and he must not take both a woman and her daughter or granddaughter. God's laws are responsible for the integrity of civilization. Without them, society would have already completely disintegrated.

Leviticus 18:6 - "None of you shall approach to any that is near of kin to him, to uncover their nakedness: I am the LORD."

PROPHECIES - "Seven Feasts"

God set forth seven major feasts which spoke prophetically to Israel. Passover taught the doctrine of salvation by the blood. The Feast of Unleavened Bread taught the broken body of Jesus Christ. The Feast of Firstfruits taught the resurrection of Christ. The Feast of Pentecost taught the baptism of the Holy Ghost. The Feast of Trumpets teaches the second coming of Jesus. The Day of Atonement teaches redemption through Christ. The Feast of Tabernacles teaches the kingdom of Christ.

Leviticus 23:4 - "These are the feasts of the LORD, even holy convocations, which ye shall proclaim in their seasons."   

PRAYER - "Too Late for Repentance" God sentenced every Israelite over the age of twenty (except Joshua and Caleb) to wander in the wilderness forty years because they doubted they could conquer the Promised Land. Everyone panicked and suddenly wanted to repent and go on to war. But it was too late. God's mind was made up. Be careful lest it happen to you.

Numbers 14:40 - "...And Moses said, Wherefore now do ye transgress the commandment of the LORD? but it shall not prosper. Go not up, for the LORD is not among you; that ye be not smitten before your enemies." 
PRINCIPALS - "Childbirth"

Under the law, an issue of blood made one unclean. Therefore, childbirth rendered the mother unclean - seven days for a male child, two weeks for a female. Her purification process was 33 days for a male, 66 days for a female. After purification, she must bring a sacrificial offering for atonement to the tabernacle. After Jesus' blood made atonement at Calvary, these laws expired.

Leviticus 12:4 - "And she shall then continue in the blood of her purifying three and thirty days; she shall touch no hallowed thing, nor come into the sanctuary, until the days of her purifying be fulfilled."

 
PRINCIPLES - "Clean and Unclean Foods" 

    "Kosher" laws forbade eating "unclean" foods. The New Testament ended these laws. Paul said of various meats, "...for neither, if we eat, are we the better; neither, if we eat not, are we the worse." (1 Corinthians 8:8). He countermanded teachings to "abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving." (1 Timothy 4:3).

Leviticus 11:46 - "This is the law of the beasts, and of the fowl, and of every living creature that moveth in the waters, ...the unclean and the clean, ...the beast that may be eaten and the beast that may not be eaten."

PROPHECIES - "Fire from the LORD"

God gloriously validated the new tabernacle with supernatural manifestations, including fire from Heaven to consume the sacrifices. God sent fire upon consecrated sacrifices numerous times in the Old Testament. Fire is a symbol of the Holy Ghost. 120 New Testament believers consecrated themselves in prayer in the Upper Room at Jerusalem. God sent His Spirit with tongues of fire falling on them all.

Leviticus 9:24 - "And there came a fire out from before the LORD, and consumed upon the altar the burnt offering and the fat: which when all the people saw, they shouted, and fell on their faces."  

PRAYER - "Respect Not Their Offering"
Korah, Dathan and Abiram led an epic rebellion of 250 powerful men against Moses. They intended to overthrow Moses. It was a frightful occasion. Moses ordered them to appear with incense at the door of the Tabernacle, then he prayed God not to favor them. God declared He would destroy Korah and company. Moses warned the people to separate themselves from Korah. The earth opened and swallowed Korah's household alive. Fire fell from heaven and consumed all the 250 rebels.

Numbers 16:15 - "And Moses was very wroth, and said unto the LORD, Respect not thou their offering."
PRINCIPALS - "Leprosy"

The King James translators saw the Hebrew "tzaraath" and translated it "leprosy." Many of the Biblical symptoms do not accompany what we now know as leprosy, but actually a variety of diseases. The ancients simply did not know what they were dealing with. Only God knew the potential risks to the general population, so these rituals of quarantine and purification were enormously important. Sin was always suspected as the first cause of disease, so religious rites were applied first.

Leviticus 13:9 - "When the plague of leprosy is in a man, then he shall be brought unto the priest."

PRINCIPLES - "Be Ye Holy"

God is holy - "sacred, hallowed, sanctified, consecrated, virtuous." God is one of a kind. Unique. Untainted. The opposite of holy is "profane, foul, vulgar, impure." Someday, He will purge all the universe of everything that was begotten of sin. Only God, His holy kingdom and His holy ones will remain. Put away everything carnal, worldly, and profane. Come out. Be separate. Touch not the unclean thing. Be HOLY.

Leviticus 11:45 - "For I am the LORD that bringeth you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: ye shall therefore be holy, for I am holy."   

  

PROPHECIES - "The Scapegoat"

Annually, on the Day of Atonement, the High Priest presented two goats to the Lord. He sacrificed one on the altar for the people. He laid hands upon the head of the second goat and transferred the sins of the people to it. This scapegoat was taken into uninhabited wilderness and abandoned - prefiguring Jesus, our scapegoat. Isaiah 53:4 says, "Surely he hath borne our griefs and carried our sorrows..."

Leviticus 16:22 - "And the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities unto a land not inhabited and he shall let go the goat in the wilderness." 

Relationship

PRAYER "Vowing Unto The Lord" God commanded that a man fulfill his vows unto the Lord. If a young girl made a vow, it could be confirmed or voided by her father. If a married woman made a vow, it could be confirmed or voided by her husband. A single woman had to fulfill her vows. God requires us to perform our promises.

Numbers 30:2 - "If a man vow a vow unto the LORD, or swear an oath to bind his soul with a bond; he shall not break his word, he shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth."  

 PRINCIPALS - "Feast of Pentecost"

"Pentecost" means fifty. Fifty days after Israel escaped Egypt, and celebrated the feast of unleavened bread, God gave the law at Sinai, birthing a NATION on Pentecost. Fifty days after Jesus' body was broken at Calvary, the Holy Ghost was given to 120 believers in the Upper Room, birthing a CHURCH on Pentecost. Old Testament laws were written on stone tablets. New Testament laws are written by the Spirit on our hearts.

Leviticus 23:16 - "Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the LORD."

PRINCIPLES - "Sexual Perversions"

God hated the sexual perversions He saw among heathen nations and demanded that His people not engage in any of them. He forbade incest, homosexual acts, acts with beasts, acts committed unto false gods or idols, and acts with anyone who was married to someone else. At the core of these commands was God's insistence that human seed and human sexuality be sacred and undefiled, reserved only for a man and his wife.

Leviticus 18:24 - "Defile not ye yourselves in any of these things: for in all these the nations are defiled which I cast out before you."   

    PROPHECIES - "Jubile (Jubilee)"

After seven sabbath years (49 years), a Jubile was celebrated. The ram's horn was sounded. The land rested for a year. Leased land returned to its owner. Hired slaves were freed. It was a year of liberty. Jubile corresponds to Pentecost (fifty). It is a reminder that everything belongs to God and will someday revert back to His possession. 2000 AD was the seventieth jubile year since Moses' day.

Leviticus 25:10 - "And ye shall hallow the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof: it shall be a jubile unto you."  

PRAYER - "God Hears It All" God hears more than just the prayers we pray. He hears everything we say. It is possible to say all the right things in prayer, and then nullify them with negative talk. Let your words be "Yes, Yes," or "No, No." Make your everyday conversation support your prayers. Otherwise, your prayers will be rendered worthless.

Deuteronomy 1:34,35 - "And the LORD heard the voice of your words, and was wroth, and sware, saying, Surely there shall not one of these men of this evil generation see that good land, which I sware to give unto your fathers."      PRINCIPALS - "Feast of Trumpets"

The first four feasts, (Passover, Unleavened Bread, Firstfruits and Pentecost), were in the spring-time and have already been fulfilled prophetically. The Feast of Trumpets, Atonement and Feast of Tabernacles will soon be fulfilled in this end-time. John described Seven Trumpets that would sound in the last days, in the book of Revelation. Jesus Christ will return to earth at the Seventh Trumpet.

Leviticus 23:24 - "Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall ye have a sabbath, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, an holy convocation." 

   

PRINCIPLES - "Provision for the Gleaners"

God instructed Israel not to thoroughly harvest their fields, but to leave small amounts unharvested around the edges and corners of the fields so the poor could glean and take freely from the remains of the harvest. In the book of Ruth, Boaz instructed his workers to leave "handfuls of purpose" for the young widow, Ruth. God will remember you in your hour of affliction.

Leviticus 19:10 - "And thou shalt not glean thy vineyard, neither shalt thou gather every grape of thy vineyard; thou shalt leave them for the poor and stranger: I am the LORD your God."

PROPHECIES - "The Land is Mine"

This single verse would solve the entire Middle East crisis. God says, "the land is mine and shall not be sold forever." Leviticus listed several real estate laws that were intended to guarantee that the promised land would ALWAYS be home to the twelve tribes of Israel. Although God anciently drove Israel out because of their sins, He PROMISED to bring them back - and He did in 1948! Jesus will reclaim every inch of it very shortly.

Leviticus 25:23 - "The land shall not be sold for ever: for the land is mine; for ye are strangers and sojourners with me."  

PRAYER - "Praying to the Wrong God"
Not long before the wilderness journey came to an end, Moses reminded the people of all the mighty works God did for them in the previous forty years. Then He issued a stern warning: do not EVER turn toward any other gods! In these modern times, there is no shortage of people who believe in prayer. But the problem lies in WHO they are praying to! Praying to the wrong god stirs God's worst wrath.

Deuteronomy 11:16 - "Take heed to yourselves, that your heart be not deceived, and ye turn aside, and serve other gods, and worship them."

PRINCIPALS - "The Nazarite Vow"

A Nazarite is one who is consecrated unto the Lord ("nazir" - consecrated). It has nothing to do with the city of Nazareth. Saying "I am a Nazarite," launched a period of 1) abstinence from the fruit of the vine, 2) avoidance from touching the dead, and 3) unshaven hair. At the end of the vow, the hair was shaved and offered as a sacrifice. The general purpose was to consecrate to the Lord during times of distress, affliction, or earnest prayer.

Numbers 6:8 - "All the days of his separation he is holy unto the LORD."

PRINCIPLES - "The Law of Jealousies"

If a man suspected that his wife had been unfaithful to him, he could bring her to the priest for judgment. The priest gave her a concoction of bitter water to drink. If certain symptoms developed, she was deemed guilty. If not, she was declared innocent and freed from the accusation. Immorality is wrong, but so is a false accusation. God intervened, and put an end to the matter. God always knows the truth from the lies.

Numbers 5:28 - "And if the woman be not defiled, but be clean; then she shall be free, and shall conceive seed."

PROPHECIES - "Keeping the Passover"

Certain men came to Moses because they had been exposed to dead bodies and were defiled. They wanted to know if God wanted them to keep the Passover in that condition. Moses talked to the Lord, and God said that everyone should take the Passover, even the strangers in their midst. Anyone who "forbeareth to keep the passover, even the same soul shall be cut off from among his people," (v. 13). Without the shedding of blood, there is no remission of sins.

Numbers 9:2 - "Let the children of Israel also keep the passover at his appointed season."

PRAYER - "What Does Your Heart Say?"   

    We usually think of prayer as the way we communicate our requests to God. In reality, God is influenced by all our words, spoken or not. He discerns our thoughts and intentions and acts accordingly. That is why we must be extremely careful of all our thoughts and words. God knows when our hearts are not pure. You do not have to say evil things out loud. God reads you like a book.

Deuteronomy 8:17,20 - "And thou say in thine heart, 'My power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth,' ...so shall ye perish." 

   
PRINCIPALS - "Numbers"    

   
The Book of Numbers is especially valuable for its historicity. Moses chronicled nearly forty years of wilderness journeying: the census, the camp, the Tabernacle, ordaining Levites, Passover and other ordinances. He reports rebellions, adventures, war, divine interventions and many miracles. Finally, Moses gave instructions for conquering the land of Canaan, including cities for Levites. Anybody who calls this a myth is a hardened skeptic. What other ancient nation has a better documented beginning? None!

Numbers 36:13 - "These are the commandments and the judgments, which the LORD commanded by the hand of Moses unto the children of Israel."

PRINCIPLES - "Purity"

The services of the tabernacle required continual supplies of oil for the golden candlestick, flour for the shewbread, and incense. God required the oil and the incense to be pure, and the flour refined. The oil represents the Holy Ghost; the bread, the body of Christ; and the incense, the prayers of the saints. Now the church is the tabernacle of God and functions by the Holy Spirit, the body of Christ and prayer.

Leviticus 24:2,5,7 - "Command the children of Israel, that they bring unto thee pure oil olive beaten for the light, ...fine flour, ...pure frankincense."

PROPHECIES - "Judah Shall First Set Forth"

When Israel pitched camp around the tabernacle, they pitched three tribes on each side. Every tribe posted their standard, their ensign for all to see; three on the east, three on the west, three on the north, three on the south. Judah, the lead tribe, "shall first set forth." This lead tribe would eventually produce Jesus, the captain of our salvation, lion of the tribe of Judah.

Numbers 2:9 - "All that were numbered in the camp of Judah were an hundred thousand and fourscore thousand and six thousand and four hundred, throughout their armies. These shall first set forth."    

PRAYER - "Forty Days of Prayer"
Most modern believers cannot comprehend a forty-day vigil of prayer and fasting. Nevertheless, it was the crucial key to Israel's survival. God had purposed to destroy the children of Israel for worshiping the golden calf, but Moses pressed hard on God. It worked. You can make excuses for anything, but when things get really critical, nothing works like prayer and fasting.

Deuteronomy 10:10 - "And I stayed in the mount, according to the first time, forty days and forty nights; and the LORD hearkened unto me at that time also, and the LORD would not destroy thee."



PRINCIPALS - "Gershon, Kohath and Merari"

Moses' great-grandfather, Levi, begat three sons: Gershon, Kohath and Merari. These comprised the Levitical priesthood. Aaron, the High Priest, and his sons were Kohathites. Kohath's other descendants transported and set-up the most holy furnishings of the tabernacle. Gershon's descendants were responsible for the curtains, cords and hangings. Merari's descendants attended the boards, bars, pillars and sockets of the tabernacle. God loves to use families.

Numbers 4:3 - "...From thirty years old and upward even until fifty years old, all that enter into the host, to do the work in the tabernacle of the congregation."

PRINCIPLES - "The Poll"

God promised Abraham to "make of thee a great nation." At Mount Sinai, Moses counted every male Israelite older than twenty, who was fit for war. There were 603,550 warriors! From only seventy elders who migrated to Egypt, God raised up this powerful infant nation of at least two million souls! God will keep His promise to you, too. Believe it.

Numbers 1:2 - "Take ye the sum of all the congregation of the children of Israel, after their families, by the house of their fathers, with the number of their names, every male by their polls."

PROPHECIES - "Beaten Gold"

The Golden Candlestick with its seven lamps represented the seven spirits of God in the seven churches which were to come (Revelation 1:20). It was made of beaten gold. This is contrasted to a molten (molded) work. Saints of God are not molded. They are beaten into shape. They, like their Savior, are made perfect by the things they suffer.

Numbers 8:4 - "And this work of the candlestick was of beaten gold, unto the shaft thereof, unto the flowers thereof, was beaten work: according unto the pattern which the LORD had shewed Moses, so he made the candlestick."

PRAYER - "When God Says 'No'"
Moses desperately wanted to go into the Promised Land, but God's punishment stood. God loves to hear and answer prayer, but we must understand that even prayer must sometimes yield to His greater sovereign purpose.

Deuteronomy 3:24-26 - "O Lord GOD ...I pray thee, let me go over, and see the good land that is beyond Jordan, that goodly mountain, and Lebanon. But the LORD was wroth with me for your sakes, and would not hear me: and the LORD said unto me, Let it suffice thee; speak no more unto me of this matter."

PRINCIPALS - "Feast Day of Atonement"

The Feast of Trumpets announced ten days of preparation for the Day of Atonement, now known as Yom Kippur. It was an elaborate event, including fasting, sacrificing, and repentance. This most important ritual ransomed Israel from sin and restored pure fellowship with God. Now, atonement comes by "...the man, Jesus Christ; Who gave himself a ransom for all." (1 Timothy 2:5,6).

Leviticus 23:28 - "And ye shall do no work in that same day: for it is a day of atonement, to make an atonement for you before the LORD your God."   
   

PRINCIPLES - "Love Thy Neighbor"
God's word is profoundly good. What would we do, or where would we be without God's word? It is the ancient, historical, DIVINE source of priceless values. Things like: "...don't curse the deaf," "...don't stumble the blind," "...have no respect of persons," "...don't be a talebearer," "...don't hate your brother," and the best of all, "...love thy neighbor as thyself." Thank God for His word!

Leviticus 19:18 - "Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the LORD."

PROPHECIES - "I Will Walk Among You"

Incentives. People are motivated by incentives. God always offered marvelous incentives. He promised that if His people would love Him and obey His commandments, He would give rain in due season, harvests would increase, trees would bear fruit, their land would have peace, their enemies would be defeated, and so much more. Most valuable, is His promise to come and dwell among us. Jesus IS coming. We shall behold Him.

Leviticus 26:11,12 - "And I will set my tabernacle among you: ...And I will walk among you, and will be your God, and ye shall be my people."    

 PRAYER - "Seek Him, Find Him" 

 Moses knew that Israel would be sorely tempted by the gods of the heathen. He sternly warned them that if they worshiped idols or images of any kind, or if they worshiped such as the sun, moon or stars, God would drive them out of the land and destroy them. Moses urged them to always quickly turn back to God anytime they erred, and God would save them.

Deuteronomy 4:29 - "But if from thence thou shalt seek the LORD thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul."

PRINCIPALS - "Feast of Tabernacles"

The Feast of Tabernacles (also called Sukkot, or Feast of Ingathering) celebrates the final harvest. In late September or early October, various branches are waved before the Lord, presenting the harvest in this "Feast to the Lord." Israelites pitched tents in the fields, remembering the wilderness journey while celebrating the fruit of the Promised Land. In the Millennium of Jesus Christ, all nations will come to Jerusalem annually to celebrate Tabernacles (Zechariah 14:16). It celebrates redemption: God's harvest (ingathering) of mankind after atonement.

Leviticus 23:34,42 - "...the feast of tabernacles...Ye shall dwell in booths seven days."

PRINCIPLES - "Familiar Spirits"

God is the only uncreated spirit. All other spirits were created by Him; angels, men, and all living creatures. Angels who sinned became unclean spirits. They are diabolical enemies of God. They keenly observe humans to become FAMILIAR with them that they may imposter God. Foolish men and women confuse familiar spirits with God. God will destroy everyone who consults these evil, familiar spirits. Leviticus 20:6 - "...the soul that turneth after such as have familiar spirits, and after wizards, ...I will even set my face against that soul, and will cut him off from among his people."   

     

 PROPHECIES - "Seven Times More Plagues"  

 In contrast to God's promised blessings, He promised judgment if they rebelled. Even worse, He promised to multiply their punishment SEVEN TIMES if they did not repent when chastised. This actually happened several centuries later. God sentenced Israel to 70 years captivity in Babylon for their sins. But most did not repent, so the prophet Daniel proclaimed "Seventy Weeks" of years to finish the transgression - 490 years! (Daniel 9:24).

Leviticus 26:21 - "...if ye walk contrary unto me, and will not hearken unto me; I will bring seven times more plagues upon you according to your sins."