Numbers 15:37-4137 The Lord said to Moses, 38 “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘Throughout the generations to come you are to make tassels on the corners of your garments, with a blue cord on each tassel.

39 You will have these tassels to look at and so you will remember all the commands of the Lord, that you may obey them and not prostitute yourselves by going after the lusts of your own hearts and eyes.

40 Then you will remember to obey all my commands and will be consecrated to your God. 41 I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt to be your God. I am the Lord your God.’ ”

As Things Change: RememberNumbers 15-21

“Don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater”

As things change we are to…Keep a hold of what is important,

rudimentary, essentialThe core of the faith

For the Hebrew peopleAs they prepare to enter the land

Remember What you learned in the desert

GodRemain faithful

Numbers 152 “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘After you enter the land I am giving you as a home 3 and you present to the LORD offerings made by fire, from the herd or the flock, as an aroma pleasing to the LORD—

22 “ ‘Now if you unintentionally fail to keep any of these commands the LORD gave Moses— 23 any of the LORD’s commands to you through him, from the day the LORD gave them and continuing through the generations to come— 24 … then…

38 “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘Throughout the generations to come you are to make tassels on the corners of your garments, with a blue cord on each tassel. 39 You will have these tassels to look at and so you will remember all the commands of the LORD…

Remember We have an established order

A processThe authority of the priesthood

Numbers 16Korah son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, and certain Reubenites—Dathan and Abiram, sons of Eliab, and On son of Peleth—became insolent 2 and rose up against Moses. With them were 250 Israelite men, well-known community leaders who had been appointed members of the council.

31 As soon as he finished saying all this, the ground under them split apart 32 and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them, with their households and all Korah’s men and all their possessions.

39 So Eleazar the priest collected the bronze censers brought by those who had been burned up, and he had them hammered out to overlay the altar, 40 as the LORD directed him through Moses. This was to remind the Israelites that no one except a descendant of Aaron should come to burn incense before the LORD…

Numbers 172 “Speak to the Israelites and get twelve staffs from them, one from the leader of each of their ancestral tribes. Write the name of each man on his staff.

8 The next day Moses entered the Tent of the Testimony and saw that Aaron’s staff, which represented the house of Levi, had not only sprouted but had budded, blossomed and produced almonds.

10 The Lord said to Moses, “Put back Aaron’s staff in front of the Testimony, to be kept as a sign to the rebellious. This will put an end to their grumbling against me, so that they will not die.”

Clarification for priests and LevitesRemember

Responsibilities Rights

Numbers 18The LORD said to Aaron, “You, your sons and your father’s family are to bear the responsibility for offenses against the sanctuary, and you and your sons alone are to bear the responsibility for offenses against the priesthood.

20 The LORD said to Aaron, “You will have no inheritance in their land, nor will you have any share among them; I am your share and your inheritance among the Israelites. 21 “I give to the Levites all the tithes in Israel as their inheritance in return for the work they do while serving at the Tent of Meeting”.

Remember Be holyBe cleanBe pure

Be remorseful

Numbers 192 “This is a requirement of the law that the LORD has commanded: Tell the Israelites to bring you a red heifer without defect or blemish and that has never been under a yoke.

9 “… They shall be kept by the Israelite community for use in the water of cleansing; it is for purification from sin.

God, not simply, remembersGod keeps His promises

Rewards and punishments

Numbers 20… Miriam died and was buried.

5 Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to this terrible place? It has no grain or figs, grapevines or pomegranates. And there is no water to drink!”

8 “Take the staff, and you and your brother Aaron gather the assembly together. Speak to that rock before their eyes and it will pour out its water.”

10 … “Listen, you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock?” 11

Then Moses raised his arm and struck the rock twice with his staff. Water gushed out, and the community and their livestock drank.

12 But the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not trust in me enough to honor me as holy in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land I give them.”

They are just outside the land that was promised to them

DifficultiesBattles and successes

14 Moses sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom, saying: “This is what your brother Israel says: 17 Please let us pass through your country. 18 But Edom answered: “You may not pass through here…

24 “Aaron will be gathered to his people."

Numbers 213 The LORD listened to Israel’s plea and gave the Canaanites over to them. They completely destroyed them and their towns; so the place was named Hormah.

6 Then the LORD sent venomous snakes among them; they bit the people and many Israelites died.

9 So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, he lived.

Sihon king of the Amorites

24 Israel, however, put him to the sword and took over his land from the Arnon to the Jabbok, but only as far as the Ammonites, because their border was fortified. 25 Israel captured all the cities of the Amorites and occupied them, including Heshbon and all its surrounding settlements.

Og king of Bashan

35 So they struck him down, together with his sons and his whole army, leaving them no survivors. And they took possession of his land.

Putting it all togetherWe suffer from memory loss

Ritual is importantRitual helps us remember

Putting it all togetherGod is God no matter where we

find ourselvesGod is constant and consistent

We are to honor, serve, worship and trust God wherever we find

ourselves

Putting it all togetherThe Lord remembers well

Unlike us, he does not forgetGod keeps His promises

God is faithfulGod can be counted on