Our reading opens with another instance of Israelite rebellion, and this time, the Lord punishes them by sending poisonous snakes into their camp. In order to be healed, they must lift their eyes upward to look at a bronze snake mounted to a pole. You’ve probably seen an image of this on the side of an ambulance as a symbol of healing. By acknowledging their need for salvation and looking upon that their curse, they would be saved. We’ll also begin the side story of Balaam the professional soothsayer. King Balak hires him to curse Israel, but the Lord opens the mouth of his donkey to warn him of an angelic assassin. This serves as a parallel to Balaam and Balak; if the Lord can speak to a man through a donkey, surely he can speak to a king through a pagan like Balaam.

Numbers 21 - 1:01 .

Numbers 22 - 7:29 .

Numbers 23 - 14:43 .

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Christian Standard Bible translation.

All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.

Co-produced by the Christian Standard Bible.

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In our last episode, Korah and his posse decided that they wanted to present offerings to the Lord, but the Lord God has made clear, that Aaron and his sons were to receive the priesthood as an inheritance. When this rebellious cohort presented offerings, the ground beneath them opened up and swallowed them alive. Today, the Lord makes it clear that Aaron and his sons are to guard the tabernacle and the priesthood from iniquity. Later, the people rebel again when there is no water to be found. God instructs Moses to speak to a rock so that it will produce water, demonstrating God’s holiness, but Moses fails to trust the Lord’s instruction. In so doing, he is told that he and Aaron will not enter the land with the next generation.

Numbers 18 - 1:01 .

Numbers 19 - 8:01 .

Numbers 20 - 12:28 .

Psalm 55 - 17:59 .

:::

Christian Standard Bible translation.

All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.

Co-produced by the Christian Standard Bible.

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You’d think that by this point, the people of Israel would have settled on the well-established conclusion that Moses is in charge by command of the Lord and by the signs and wonders performed that confirm he is God’s chosen leader. Even so, in today’s reading, a man named Korah incites a rebellion against Moses, questioning his authority. Armed with the conclusion that the entire community of Israel is holy, he contends that Moses and Aaron have no right to go before the Lord exclusively. Korah and 250 men appear before the Lord, and what happens next is unprecedented. Later, God gives Israel a symbol in the tabernacle to remind them of what took place and to discourage future challenges to the authority of Moses and Aaron.

Numbers 16 – 1:01 .

Numbers 17 – 10:49 .

Psalm 53 – 13:05 .

Psalm 54 – 14:22 .

:::

Christian Standard Bible translation.

All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.

Co-produced by the Christian Standard Bible.

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instagram.com/commuter_bible

twitter.com/CommuterPod

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admin@commuterbible.org