Meditate

Numbers 9

9. The Passover

¹ The LORD spoke to Moses in the Desert of Sinai in the first month of the second year after they came out of Egypt. He said, ² “Have the Israelites celebrate the Passover at the appointed time. ³ Celebrate it at the appointed time, at twilight on the fourteenth day of this month, in accordance with all its rules and regulations.”

    ⁴ So Moses told the Israelites to celebrate the Passover, ⁵ and they did so in the Desert of Sinai at twilight on the fourteenth day of the first month. The Israelites did everything just as the LORD commanded Moses.

    ⁶ But some of them could not celebrate the Passover on that day because they were ceremonially unclean on account of a dead body. So they came to Moses and Aaron that same day ⁷ and said to Moses, “We have become unclean because of a dead body, but why should we be kept from presenting the LORD’s offering with the other Israelites at the appointed time?”

    ⁸ Moses answered them, “Wait until I find out what the LORD commands concerning you.”

    ⁹ Then the LORD said to Moses, ¹⁰ “Tell the Israelites: ‘When any of you or your descendants are unclean because of a dead body or are away on a journey, they are still to celebrate the LORD’s Passover, ¹¹ but they are to do it on the fourteenth day of the second month at twilight. They are to eat the lamb, together with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. ¹² They must not leave any of it till morning or break any of its bones. When they celebrate the Passover, they must follow all the regulations. ¹³ But if anyone who is ceremonially clean and not on a journey fails to celebrate the Passover, they must be cut off from their people for not presenting the LORD’s offering at the appointed time. They will bear the consequences of their sin.

    ¹⁴ “‘A foreigner residing among you is also to celebrate the LORD’s Passover in accordance with its rules and regulations. You must have the same regulations for both the foreigner and the native-born.’”

The Cloud Above the Tabernacle

    ¹⁵ On the day the tabernacle, the tent of the covenant law, was set up, the cloud covered it. From evening till morning the cloud above the tabernacle looked like fire. ¹⁶ That is how it continued to be; the cloud covered it, and at night it looked like fire. ¹⁷ Whenever the cloud lifted from above the tent, the Israelites set out; wherever the cloud settled, the Israelites encamped. ¹⁸ At the LORD’s command the Israelites set out, and at his command they encamped. As long as the cloud stayed over the tabernacle, they remained in camp. ¹⁹ When the cloud remained over the tabernacle a long time, the Israelites obeyed the LORD’s order and did not set out. ²⁰ Sometimes the cloud was over the tabernacle only a few days; at the LORD’s command they would encamp, and then at his command they would set out. ²¹ Sometimes the cloud stayed only from evening till morning, and when it lifted in the morning, they set out. Whether by day or by night, whenever the cloud lifted, they set out. ²² Whether the cloud stayed over the tabernacle for two days or a month or a year, the Israelites would remain in camp and not set out; but when it lifted, they would set out. ²³ At the LORD’s command they encamped, and at the LORD’s command they set out. They obeyed the LORD’s order, in accordance with his command through Moses.

Luke 6:41-42

6. Teachings of Jesus

⁴¹ “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? ⁴² How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

A Tree and Its Fruit

   

Psalm 10

10. Psalm 10

¹ Why, LORD, do you stand far off?
   Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?

    ² In his arrogance the wicked man hunts down the weak,
   who are caught in the schemes he devises.
³ He boasts about the cravings of his heart;
   he blesses the greedy and reviles the LORD.
⁴ In his pride the wicked man does not seek him;
   in all his thoughts there is no room for God.
⁵ His ways are always prosperous;
   your laws are rejected by See Septuagint; Hebrew / they are haughty, and your laws are far from him;
   he sneers at all his enemies.
⁶ He says to himself, “Nothing will ever shake me.”
   He swears, “No one will ever do me harm.”

    ⁷ His mouth is full of lies and threats;
   trouble and evil are under his tongue.
⁸ He lies in wait near the villages;
   from ambush he murders the innocent.
His eyes watch in secret for his victims;
    ⁹ like a lion in cover he lies in wait.
He lies in wait to catch the helpless;
   he catches the helpless and drags them off in his net.
¹⁰ His victims are crushed, they collapse;
   they fall under his strength.
¹¹ He says to himself, “God will never notice;
   he covers his face and never sees.”

    ¹² Arise, LORD! Lift up your hand, O God.
   Do not forget the helpless.
¹³ Why does the wicked man revile God?
   Why does he say to himself,
   “He won’t call me to account”?
¹⁴ But you, God, see the trouble of the afflicted;
   you consider their grief and take it in hand.
The victims commit themselves to you;
   you are the helper of the fatherless.
¹⁵ Break the arm of the wicked man;
   call the evildoer to account for his wickedness
   that would not otherwise be found out.

    ¹⁶ The LORD is King for ever and ever;
   the nations will perish from his land.
¹⁷ You, LORD, hear the desire of the afflicted;
   you encourage them, and you listen to their cry,
¹⁸ defending the fatherless and the oppressed,
   so that mere earthly mortals
   will never again strike terror.