Numbers 11:4–12:16 ; Proverbs 7:21-27 ; Luke 3:23-4:13 "Dark Dream in the Woods" © by Terri L. Stricker - Original Ink & Watercolor on Paper Our readings today emphasize the problems of evil influences. In Numbers 11:4–12:16, we see that, after things seemed to be going along so well for the Israelites, they began to “ complain – arousing the anger of the LORD” (cf., Numbers 11:1). As a result, God “consumed some of them” (verse 2). In our section for today, we also rea

Numbers 9:15-11:3 ; Psalm 35:19-28 ; Luke 3:1-22 "Moroccan Woman" © by Eric C. Stricker - Original Oil on Canvas Numbers 9:15-11:3 opens with a cloud that represents the presence of the LORD appearing to cover the tabernacle. “From evening till morning the cloud … looked like fire” (verses 15-16). Here we see that “whenever the cloud lifted from above the tent, the Israelites set out; whenever the cloud settled, the Israelites encamped” (verse 17). Having a visible repre

Numbers 7:66-9:14 ; Psalm 35:11-18 ; Luke 2:41-52 "Tylie at 10" © by Terri L. Stricker - Original Watercolor on Paper Today’s readings should encourage us because God “knows how we are formed, and He remembers that we are dust” (Psalm 103:14). Numbers 7:66 continues the record of the tribal offerings to the tabernacle and gifts presented to the Levites. Verses 84-88 itemize and summarize these gifts, and as we pointed out yesterday, the voice of God Himself came to meet

Numbers 7:1-65 ; Psalm 35:1-10 ; Luke 2:21-40 "Double Tree" © by Terri L. Stricker - Original Pen & Ink on Paper Numbers 7 is all about faithfulness, consecration, and dedication. Today in verses 1-65, we see that Moses “finished setting up the tabernacle, anointed it, and consecrated it and all its furnishings” (verse 1). After this, the Israelites “brought gifts before the LORD” Who instructed Moses to “accept these gifts from the people” (verses 3-5). The gifts from e

Numbers 5:11-6:27 ; Proverbs 7:6-20 ; Luke 2:1-20 "The Beauties of Creation" © by Terri L. Stricker - Original Colored Pencil on Paper Today we come to Numbers 5:11-6:27. This section begins with “the law of jealousy” (cf., verse 29). This was the test for an unfaithful wife, and at first reading, we wonder about the implications of this test and why it was even necessary. Its procedures seem almost superstitious, although the Bible itself condemns superstitious beliefs.

Numbers 4:1-5:10 ; Psalm 34:11-22 ; Luke 1:57-80 'Cabin in the Forest" © by Terri L. Stricker - Original Watercolor on Paper We come today to Numbers 4:1-5:10. In Numbers 4, we see that God commanded Moses to assign specific tabernacle tasks and duties to the sons of Levi, and to count their members between the ages of 30 and 50 years of age – the Kohathite clans (verses 1-20); the Gershonite clans (verses 21-28); and the Merarite clans (verses 29-33). The Kohathite cl

Numbers 2:10–3:51 ; Psalm 34:1-10 ; Luke 1:39-56 "Hear My Prayer, O LORD" © by Terri L. Stricker - Original Pen & Ink on Paper In chapter two of the book of Numbers, God reveals to Moses and Aaron the physical arrangement that He wants for the entire Israelite camp around the tent of meeting – each tribe “under its standard and banners” (verses 1-2). Our readings today in Numbers 2:10-3:51 begin with the continuation of these instructions. So far, the Israelites in the b

Numbers 1:1-2:9 ; Psalm 33:12-22 ; Luke 1:26-38 "Wagon Wheel Farm Pond" © by Terri L. Stricker - Original Acrylic on Panel Today we begin the book of Numbers – the fourth book of Moses. Genesis is the book of beginnings ; Exodus is the book of redemption . Leviticus, the book we just completed, is the book of worship , whereas the book of Numbers is the book about counting the people, testing the people, and the people wandering in the wilderness . The Israelites have be

Leviticus 26:14–27:34 ; Proverbs 7:1-5 ; Luke 1:1-25 "They Neither Toil Nor Spin ..." © by Terri L. Stricker - Original Ink & Watercolor on Paper Once again today, all our readings contain incredible truths for us to apply to our hearts and lives. Earlier in Exodus, and here in the book of Leviticus thus far, we have observed God’s sovereign power against disobedience. As we come to the end of Leviticus, I think it is sad that this book is the least read book of all the B

Leviticus 25:1–26:13 ; Psalm 33:1-11 ; Mark 16 "Er Ist Auferstanden" © by Terri L. Stricker - Original Acrylic on Canvas Our readings today reflect the complete, unfailing love of God for us beyond all our capacity for understanding. From eternity past, God designed and planned to remove us from our slavery to sin to a place of forgiveness , freedom , and fellowship – enabling us to rejoice and to serve Him. I am amazed how contemporary man fights so strongly against the

Leviticus 23-24 ; Psalm 32 ; Mark 15:33-47 "Still Life With Straw Hat" © by Terri L. Stricker - Oil on Canvas Today’s readings focus on the topic of forgiveness . We see this clearly in Leviticus 23-24 which emphasizes the different kinds of feasts, sacrifices, and offerings that – under the law – were necessary to bring Israel back into a right relationship with God. “These are the LORD’s appointed feasts, the sacred assemblies you are to proclaim at their appointed time

Leviticus 21-22 ; Psalm 31:19-24 ; Mark 15:1-32 "Boxes, II" © by Terri L. Stricker - Original Pencil Sketch on Paper Leviticus 21-22 begins with God’s revelations about His particular rules for the priesthood. These regulations include maintaining ceremonial cleanliness regarding the death of relatives. A priest might become unclean for the death of a close family member (i.e., mother, father, brother, son, or daughter, etc., cf., verses 1-2). They were not to shave their

Leviticus 19-20 ; Proverbs 6:30-35 ; Mark 14:43-72 "Other Side of the Hill" © by Terri L. Stricker - Original Felt Tip Marker on Paper Today, in each of our passages, we read practical wisdom to which we should all attend and commit to our everyday practices. For example, in Leviticus 19-20, we recognize that God is now giving the Israelites a series of criminal laws after having already covered ritual laws regarding sacrifices and offerings, religious laws that governe

Leviticus 17-18 ; Psalm 31:9-18 ; Mark 14:17-42 "Girl With Random Thoughts" © by Terri L. Stricker - Original Pen & Ink on Notebook Paper Yesterday, we saw how Leviticus reveals that – no matter how hard we try – we just cannot keep God’s requirements for obedience or for holiness. This is why God provided the annual Day of Atonement for the Israelites – a day that contemplates God’s then-future provision for His sacrifice of the Lamb of God Who takes away the sins of the

Leviticus 15-16 ; Psalm 31:1-8 ; Mark 13:32–14:16 "Young Girl, I" © by Terri L. Stricker - Original Oil Crayon on Paper Yesterday, in our Leviticus readings, we were reminded of mankind’s two main difficulties – obedience and holiness . Today, our readings in Leviticus 15-16 reveal that, of the two, man’s greater problem is holiness. Obedience means simply to do what we’re told to do. A person can be obedient without being holy, but a person can never be holy without ob

Leviticus 14 ; Psalm 30:8-12 ; Mark 13:1-31 "The Runner" © by Terri L. Stricker - Original Pen & Ink on Paper Earlier, we said that one of the most important lessons to be learned from the book of Leviticus is bound up in the question – Will the Israelites simply obey God ? Will they carry out all the tedious laws and complex regulations found in this book? This is the test set forth by this book. Ultimately, this is God’s test for us all – will we obey Him? Often, G

Leviticus 13 ; Proverbs 6:20-29 ; Mark 12:28-44 "Innocence" © by Terri L. Stricker - Original Pencil Sketch on Paper Today we come to Leviticus 13 which is a long chapter that contains the regulations which relate to various infectious skin diseases that might crop up within the camp of the Israelites. These skin diseases included sores, spots, rashes, swellings, raw flesh, burns, blemishes, and other possible skin ailments. Why such a concern about human skin? First of

Leviticus 11-12 ; Psalm 30:1-7 ; Mark 12:13-27 "Drei Tulpen" © by Terri L. Stricker - Original Watercolor on Paper In the first seven chapters of Leviticus, we have seen God’s requirements for holiness expressed through the ritual laws that relate to sacrifices. These sacrifices concerned sacred days, festivals, and issues that relate to justice before God. In chapters eight through ten, we have seen the laws that relate to the priesthood – the ordination of priests, the

Leviticus 9-10 ; Psalm 29 ; Mark 11:27-12:12 "Old Sitzenkirch Tree" © by Terri L. Stricker - Original Watercolor on Paper Today’s readings focus on the topic of “ authority ,” which needs to be understood biblically. In Leviticus 1-8, we have seen all the various offerings, confusing though they may be to us. Now we come to Leviticus 9, where we see in action exactly how these prescribed sacrifices were designed to bring about atonement for the people. By God’s authority ,

Leviticus 7:11–8:36 ; Psalm 28 ; Mark 11:1-26 "Still Life with Fruit" © by Eric C. Stricker - Original Oil on Canvas Today we come to Leviticus 7:11–8:36. In this section, we see the regulations concerning the fellowship offering and the ordination of Aaron and his sons as priests. The regulations are similar to those for the other offerings, although we notice that a fellowship offering can serve as “an expression of thankfulness” (verse 12), or “as the result of a vow or

Leviticus 5:1–7:10 ; Proverbs 6:12-19 ; Mark 10:35-52 "Little Girl" © by Terri L. Stricker - Original Fired Clay Sculpture Today in Leviticus 5:1–7:10, we see Lord saying to Moses, “If a person sins because he does not speak up …” (verse 1). This verse indicates that we have a responsibility to communicate the truth when we “hear a public charge” or “see or learn about something” that is clearly wrong. Man is a responsible creature. Naturally, a man may be “ unaware of

Leviticus 2-4 : Psalm 27 ; Mark 10:1-34 "Spring Garden" © by Terri L. Stricker - Original Colored Pencil on Paper In Leviticus 2-4, we see the grain offering which typifies Christ as the Bread of life and the perfect sinless Man, Who, like bread – fills and sustains us (cf., Psalm 16:11). The grain offering was to be made of fine flour, oil, and incense – a blend that portrays the Son and the Spirit working together to produce a fragrant aroma in the life of the believer

Leviticus 1 ; Psalm 26:9-12 ; Mark 9:33-50 "Hoping for Spring" by Terri L. Stricker - Original Ink & Watercolor on Paper People who love their children do not allow their children to play on the freeway. So it is with God. Today we come to the book of Leviticus, which is one of the least read books of the Bible. People usually say that Leviticus is boring – full of obscure laws, rules, rituals, and regulations that no longer seem to fit our times. Actually, Leviticus is

Exodus 39-40 ; Psalm 26:1-8 ; Mark 9:1-32 "A Young Girl, IV" by Terri L. Stricker - Original Pencil Sketch on Paper Today we come to Exodus 39-40 where we see the creation of the priestly garments for Aaron and his sons “ as the LORD commanded Moses ” (Exodus 39:1). This expression, “as the LORD commanded Moses,” is extremely important; it is repeated fifteen times in chapters 39 and 40 (cf., Exodus 39:1; 39:5; 39:7; 39:21; 39:26; 39:29; 39:31; 39:42; 40:16; 40:19; 40:21;