ERCC DEVOTIONAL (TEKAN) DAILY SPIRITUAL DIET; TUESDAY 10TH OCTOBER, 2023

TEXT: NUMBERS 11: 24 - 35.

SPIRITUAL FOCUS: WE ARE SINNERS.

We have already heard that the Lord set apart 70 men to help Him when He took the spirit upon Moses and put it on them. This did not reduce the strength of Moses. 

So, while they were talking, a man who was not one of the seventy, who was not aware of the subject matter, came up with the news that some were prophesying in the camp. The brethren, even the disciples of Jesus said something like that (Lk. 9:49, 50). We should not worry if someone acts in the name of the Lord Jesus. 

But we must be careful not to be found among those standing against the work of God (Acts 5:38, 39). This man's reaction provoked the Lord and so, He judged the people. If a man sins, and commits a trespass against the LORD, and he runs to the Lord sincerely, he shall be forgiven. In our reading today, these people did not repent so, the Lord punished them. 

He will do the same for us when we sin against Him and refuse to repent. Brethren, when we have run away from the Lord, we should hasten to return to Him. Fortunately, the Lord God does not always act swiftly, but He does give the opportunity for repentance because He does not want sinners to perish.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT: Today is the day of repentance, not tomorrow.

PRAYER: Lord God, thank that You have forgiven me all my sins for the sake of Christ Jesus, Amen.

                            NUMBERS 11:24 - 35 (MSG).

24 So Moses went out and told the people what GOD had said. He called together seventy of the leaders and had them stand around the Tent.

25 GOD came down in a cloud and spoke to Moses and took some of the Spirit that was on him and put it on the seventy leaders. When the Spirit rested on them they prophesied. But they didn't continue; it was a onetime event.

26 Meanwhile two men, Eldad and Medad, had stayed in the camp. They were listed as leaders but they didn't leave camp to go to the Tent. Still, the Spirit also rested on them and they prophesied in the camp.

27 A young man ran and told Moses, "Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp!"

28 Joshua son of Nun, who had been Moses' right-hand man since his youth, said, "Moses, master! Stop them!"

29 But Moses said, "Are you jealous for me? Would that all GOD's people were prophets. Would that GOD would put his Spirit on all of them."

30 Then Moses and the leaders of Israel went back to the camp.

31 A wind set in motion by GOD swept quails in from the sea. They piled up to a depth of about three feet in the camp and as far out as a day's walk in every direction.

32 All that day and night and into the next day the people were out gathering the quail--huge amounts of quail; even the slowest person among them gathered at least sixty bushels. They spread them out all over the camp for drying.

33 But while they were still chewing the quail and had hardly swallowed the first bites, GOD's anger blazed out against the people. He hit them with a terrible plague.

34 They ended up calling the place Kibroth Hattaavah (Graves-of-the-Craving). There they buried the people who craved meat.

35 From Kibroth Hattaavah they marched on to Hazeroth. They remained at Hazeroth.