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Writer's pictureDeborah

Lay Up These Words

Series: Inspired



Deuteronomy 11:18 ESV

Exodus 12:40-41 ESV

Joshua 5:6 ESV

Numbers 14:34 ESV

Numbers 32:23, ESV

Numbers 11:1 ESV

Numbers 11:4-6 ESV

Numbers 11:10 ESV

Numbers 11:18-21 ESV

Numbers 11:33-34 ESV

The Shema (Deuteronomy 6:4–9 and 11:13–21, and Numbers 15:37-41)


As we begin a new series we will look at the Word of God from a specific viewpoint.


From a young age children are taught to memorize send study scripture in Sunday School and little by little, inch by inch we gain an understanding of who God is and how God related to us.


While every word, phrase, sentence, and section of scripture has meaning and purpose in and of itself, we will look at the background that sets the “scene”.


In other words, context counts.


The background for Deuteronomy 11 is a perfect example. We know from Deuteronomy 11:18, “You shall therefore lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul, and you shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.”


Leading up to Deuteronomy 11 the Children of Israel were enslaved, Moses was born and called by God, Moses returned to Egypt, Moses confronted Pharaoh and after much ado, Israel was released. They were delivered from slavery and were allowed to leave Egypt.


Leading up to Deuteronomy 11 the children of Israel had to deal with Pharoah. The struggle that occurred makes sense. Pharoah had a good thing going. He did not want to let them go.


According to Exodus 12:40-41, “The time that the people of Israel lived in Egypt was 430 years. At the end of 430 years, on that very day, all the hosts of the Lord went out from the land of Egypt.”


However, even after Israel left Egypt they wandered in the wilderness for 40 years before they were allowed to enter the Promised Land.


Joshua 5:6 says, “For the people of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness, until all the nation, the men of war who came out of Egypt, perished, because they did not obey the voice of the Lord; the Lord swore to them that he would not let them see the land that the Lord had sworn to their fathers to give to us, a land flowing with milk and honey.”


In Numbers 14:34 we read, “According to the number of the days in which you spied out the land, forty days, a year for each day, you shall bear your iniquity forty years, and you shall know my displeasure.’”


Numbers 32:13 tells us, “And the Lord's anger was kindled against Israel, and he made them wander in the wilderness forty years, until all the generation that had done evil in the sight of the Lord was gone.”


To give us an idea why the Lord was angry with Israel we turn to Numbers 11:1, “Now the people complained about their hardships in the hearing of the LORD.”


Then Immediately following in Numbers 11:4-6 we are told,“The rabble with them began to crave other food, and again the Israelites started wailing and said, "If only we had meat to eat! We remember the fish we ate in Egypt at no cost--also the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic.But now we have lost our appetite; we never see anything but this manna!"


Again in Numbers 11:10 we are told, “Moses heard the people of every family wailing, each at the entrance to his tent. The LORD became exceedingly angry, and Moses was troubled.”


So in Numbers 11:18-21 God told Moses, “Tell the people: `Consecrate yourselves in preparation for tomorrow, when you will eat meat. The LORD heard you when you wailed, "If only we had meat to eat! We were better off in Egypt!" Now the LORD will give you meat, and you will eat it. You will not eat it for just one day, or two days, or five, ten or twenty days, but for a whole month--until it comes out of your nostrils and you loathe it--because you have rejected the LORD, who is among you, and have wailed before him, saying, "Why did we ever leave Egypt?"'" But Moses said, "Here I am among six hundred thousand men on foot, and you say, `I will give them meat to eat for a whole month!'”


But they still weren’t satisfied so God sent quail for them to eat.


In Numbers 11:33-34 we are told, “While the meat was yet between their teeth, before it was consumed, the anger of the Lord was kindled against the people, and the Lord struck down the people with a very great plague. Therefore the name of that place was called Kibroth-hattaavah, because there they buried the people who had the craving.”


Are you getting the idea why God was frustrated with Israel?


In spite of all that happened, God continued to provide for Israel.


There is a beautiful Hebrew Prayer that Israel still recites today that reminds them of their history.


The Shema is a Jewish Prayer that begins with, “Hear, O Israel, the L-rd is our G‑d, the L-rd is One.” The Hebrew text is from Deuteronomy 6:4–9 and 11:13–21, and Numbers 15:37–41. Even today, remember.


The prayer gives a sense of the importance of the holiness of this moment today, and the holiness in all of scripture.


In Deuteronomy 11:18 the instruction to us gives a sense of the broader purpose of the text,“You shall therefore lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul, and you shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.”


Lay up the words and hold them close. They are Holy words…inspired.


Spiritual Practice: Hold them CLOSE


Choose a scripture or a section or even a word from scripture. Sit with it. Hold it in your heart. Let God bless you with it. Be inspired.


In God, Deborah

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