Monday, November 9, Numbers 26
Vv. 63-65 — Sin certainly is no joke. It can rob a person of happiness in this life and of eternal happiness in heaven if we involve ourselves in it. It can take a big bite of happiness out of this life as is evident from v. 65 and Chapter 14:29-35. The biggest bite is to lose eternal life. To live a peaceful, happy life and not lose eternal life, we need to live in daily repentance, and continually strengthen our faith in the Gospel and Sacraments.
Tuesday, November 10, Numbers 27
Vv. 1-7 — That the daughters of Zelophehad didn’t want their inheritance denied revealed great faith on their part. They were concerned because they had no male heir to receive a portion of the Promised Land. They did not want their descendants to be outside God’s covenant. It was through their nation that God promised to send the Savior to the world.
Vv. 15-21 — The Lord appointed Joshua so that the people would not be like “sheep without a shepherd.” The name “Joshua” is actually the Hebrew form of the name “Jesus.” Jesus is the Good Shepherd. Read Ps. 23 and John 10:14-18.
Wednesday, November 11, Numbers 28
Vv. 3, 9, 11, 19, 31 — Take note how God mentions over and over again to the Jews that the animals used in all their offerings were to be without blemish or defect. This was to impress upon their minds that someday God would supply the Perfect Sacrifice in His Son, Jesus Christ. Unblemished by sin, Jesus’ holy, precious blood, poured out for us on the cross, would free them and us from all sin, and open to everyone again Paradise.
Thursday, November 12, Numbers 29
Vv. 1-6 — The Feast of Trumpets was an opportunity for the people to express their joy in the Lord.
Vv. 7-11 — The Day of Atonement, explained more fully in Lev. 16, was the “Good Friday” of the Old Testament. The goat chosen as the
“scapegoat” for the people was a picture of Jesus, our “scapegoat” being made sin for us. Read Heb. 9:11-15 and II Cor. 5:21.
Vv. 12-40 — The Feast of Tabernacles was a week of thanksgiving to God. What similar festival do we celebrate in November?
Friday, November 13, Numbers 30
- 2 — The Lord wanted His people to take the oaths they make very seriously. He still does. The promises we make at Confirmation, our marriage vows or the oath to tell the truth in court are all important. Cf. Matt. 26:63, 64. The Lord wants us to be people of our word because we are people of “The Word.” The oaths that God forbids are careless oaths (when we don’t really know what we are promising) and unnecessary oaths. Read Matt. 5:33-37; Mark 6:21-29.
Saturday, November 14, Numbers 31
- 2 — God’s vengeance upon the Midianites is terrifying (vv. 7-8). Yet when nations do this against other nations today, no one blinks an eye. Some also use this as an argument and say this proves the Old Testament wasn’t written by God, but just by men. God couldn’t be so cruel. However, God will inflict even worse punishment upon the unbelievers on Judgment Day. Read Matt. 25:41. To escape God’s awesome wrath and anger against sin, we need to put our faith and trust in Jesus, as St. Paul did, who so comfortingly assures us, “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus.” (Rom. 8:1)
- 18 — These young girls were spared because they had not seduced Israelite men and involved themselves in idolatry and immorality.