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The book of Numbers is honestly at times a tedious book to read, BUT important as it chronicles God's faithfulness to an often ungrateful people of Israel. Due to their rebellious nature a 9 day journey to the promised land took 38 YEARS.
CENSUS: The book of Numbers starts out quite appropriately doing a ROLL CALL . I found it interesting whenever a census was taken the count only included men over the age of 20 who could serve in the army.
Are we there yet?
3: Fire Hazard
5: Say it don't spray it.
HUSBANDS AND WIVES
5:11-15 Jealous Husbands
5:21 Unfaithful women!!
11 Campfires
MANNA
In chapter 11 is a continuation of the people whining. Freedom was I guess not appreciated. In the wilderness God had provided them with Manna, but they were tired of it and unapprciative so God was kind to them by sending a strong wind that blew in qual for the people to have meat.
11:5 Manna burgers? 
In 11:28 Jacob is introduced as the Son of Nun, not the Son of a Nun?
11:31 Crazy Weather?
MIRIAM and AARON
In chapter 12 Aaron and Miriam start complaining because Moses has a Cushite wife.
God was not pleased with their whining and so God made Miriam turn WHITE (v10). Moses asked God to heal Miriam and after 7 days outside the camp, Miriam was restored.
SECRET AGENT 007 X 12
13: The 12 spies are sent in to check out the promised land Canaan, and report back the ol' good news bad news findings. GOOD NEWS: (v 23) the land is flowing with milk and honey with .. a very nice Farmers Market. BAD NEWS: Only problem is the land is inhabited by a great people and the cities are fortified. Caleb who was one of the 12 spies was the only one who believed they should take the land. The other 11 spies were as they say in the spy biz.. CHICKENS.
DON'T MAKE GOD MAD!
Chapter 15 tells the story (v 32-36) of a man who collected firewood on the Sabbath. He was arrested and stoned. On a side note, I grew up in a logging community in Northern Wisconsin and can't imagine the death toll of firewood Sabbath violators if this law was being inforced now.
In chapter 16 Korah revolted against Moses with 250 men whining about being brought out of the 'good life' as Egyptian slaves to where they were now wandering in the wilderness. In response to their foolishness the ground opened up and swallowed Korah (v 31-32), and then fire came down from the Heavens to consume his 250 (now toasty) men (v 35)
HOW NOW RED COW
19:1-5 Red Cow Sacrifice
OH JUST GREAT!
20:12 Moses strikes the rock
20:24 Aaron gets bad news
21:5 Got Milk?
SNAKE BITES
21:6 Snake Bit
21:8 Bronze Snake
A NICE COLD BEER!
21:16 'Beer' Run
21:17-18 A Drinking Song?
SO LONG AARON
21: 27-29 Aaron Dies
BALAAM AND HIS DONKEY
22:21-35 Balaam's Donkey
23,24: Balak and Balaam
1,2,3..
26 Head Count
28 Counting Men
CHOOSING THE RIGHT WINE
28:7 Lamb and Wine
MAKE COOKIES, NOT WAR!!
31 Anti-war Crowd
31:14 AFter The Israelites defeated the Midianites, they were commanded to kill everyone and take no plunder for themselves.. BUT.. allowed 32,000 virgins to live.
Moses is mad, and I do not understand BUT they divide up the plunder which included (v35) 32,000 virgin girls... Let's just say they were not politicially correct in their disobedience and leave it at that. 
35:20 Shove to Death?
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Ok, I admit the above summary does over simplify a game that is a near perfect way to spend a summer evening with friends and family. For the athletes, athlete wannabes, softball groupies, and those people like my wife who like to socialize in the stands in the warm sun with the backdrop of softball .. it don't get no better than this.
In SOFTBALL Pitchers try to find the zone with a the well intentioned pitch. InBASEBALL there is the illintentioned spitball. In both sports fielders stretch for the ball, and at the plate you fine that perfect combination of power & grace... at least in the self-affirming eye of the batter..(THANK GOD FOR NO INSTANT REPLAY). Ultimately it is a team game which requires a player from time to time to take one for the team. To sum it all up the SLOW PITCH SOFTBALL experience is PRICELESS! .. even in April in MinneSNOWta!
Another significant variation on this simple game of balls & strikes is FAST PITCH SOFTBALL where the ball is pitched underhand but with the pace and movement found in baseball. It is a sport primarily played by girls and dominated by good pitching . Then there is the OPPONENT the ENEMY.. no not the other team, I am talking about the UMPIRE. To be fair, and to no one's surprise just like their are bad athletes, there are bad umpires. Those who are unapproachable, indecisive with their calls that make calls that sound like.. SAA-OUT, their strike zones are either too tolerant or simply they would not know a ball from a strike if it hit them on top of the head.
Make no mistake about it umpires are in control and we will not be late for dinner no matter if the pitcher can't throw the ball in the ocean from the shore! Just like the Love of God has no limits, neither does an umpire's strike zone when he is hungry! so get used to it, assimilate to the zone, or prepared to be OUT!
and just like the MAILMAN.. neither rain, nor sleet, nor gloom of night.. nor 100 DEGREE TEMPS with 80% HUMIDITY will keep umpires from their appointed games. |
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What if Jesus lived today, and went CAMPING? I am sure he would easily convey the teachings of The Kingdom of God with a campfire, a coleman's lamp, and DEET.
But since Jesus did not teach specifically using camping as a spiritual metaphor I will get up off my BACK PEW and do my best to glean golden nuggets of God honoring truths while going on this little cartoon ... CAMPING TRIP. So come on, pack your sleeping bag, your fishing rod, fixings for s'mores and what ever else like as the Back Pew goes camping.
In the Beginning... the road to the campsite was void and darkness, and mosquitoes hovered over the face of the waters.
Then God said let there be light, and after a few smokey attempts with damp kindling a campfire was built by man.
The Fall of Man!! Now it was decided it was not good for man to camp alone, so God provided a helper. And just like every woman since the original Eve in the Garden, camp woman was just what camp man needed but was afraid to ask for. She cooks, she cleans, and she helps with setting up the tent or pop up camper.
Of course just like Eve did not follow God's instructions to NOT eat the forbidden fruit, camp woman did not read the setup instructions for the pop up camper which resulted in THE FALL OF MAN or at least a temporary fall of the camper roof onto camp man.
God is Faithful.. Throughout the pilgrimage of man recorded in our bibles we learn God's people were not always faithful to follow the well marked path to the promised land, but God in his infinite grace was always there with manna, water, and shelter in an otherwise dark and dangerous world. This is also true in the journey of camp man. God has provided him with light on the paths marked to the restrooms, the boat landing, and the beach,
When the people of Israel set up camp after their exodus from Egypt, they would take time to honor God with sacrifices that He required, and it was a pleasing Aroma for the Lord. This is also true of Camp Man who after setting up camp will set aside time to build a fire where the whole family can gather around gazing into the power, light, and warmth of a blazing CAMPFIRE. This is where camp man will roast hot dogs, and make s'mores for the family to feast until full. <pause> This also is a pleasing aroma to the Lord.
Umm.. Fire Good!
Also, this smokey fire altar helps ward of the enemies of the night. Mosquitoes much like we are taught about Satan, roar about (ok actually it is high pitch buzzing) seeking a soul to devour.. and the Racoons like a thief in the night will enter your campsite in the darkness to steal and attempt to kidnap the family dog. BEWARE! BEWARE!
This completes my Back Pew Camping Pilgrimage. Just like the Bible stories are full of life and lessons for each of us,
in the same way I have much still to learn from camping adventures with my family and plan on repeating my Camping Mecca
each summer after our Minnesota Glacial season subsides each year in LATE MAY.
May God bless each of you on your journeys whether you are a camper or not. May you also find comfort in the following
23rd Psalm for Campers and 23rd Deut for Campers.
The 23rd Psalm for Campers
and
The 23rd Deut for Campers
