Sun.’s Devo - God is a God of Justice

Read: Numbers 16:41-18:32; Mark 16:1-20; Psalm 55:1-23; Proverbs 11:7
Yesterday, we read where God killed the men who opposed Moses. Today we read that the people were mad at Moses and gave him the credit for killing Kohath and his followers. That was the core of their sin - they wouldn’t give to God credit for what he did and the fact that they didn’t approve of who God chose to lead them. (That sounds familiar.) So, the whole camp rose up against Moses and blamed him. God wanted to kill them all so Moses told Aaron to run and take a burning censor of incense and make atonement for the people before God could kill them all. God had already killed 1,400 of them.
Then God told Moses to tell each of the heads of the tribes to present a rod that they themselves had carved their name on. The one that sprouted would be the one God chose. They each brought their staff and Moses laid them before the Lord. In the morning, Aaron’s staff had not only budded but it had bloomed and had almonds on it. That was supernatural proof that God had chosen him and his family to be their ministers. Anyone else that came near the sanctuary would be put to death.
Then, God gave them detailed instructions about what theywages for being Levites and working for Him would be. They were to be well taken care of but even they had to tithe. This is a good reminder to us of how God is our employer and he will take care of us and bless us.
Mark gives us the resurrection in a nutshell. The women went to the tomb to anoint Jesus body and found the stone rolled away and an angel who told them to tell the disciples to go to Galilee and there they would see Jesus.
Jesus appeared to the two men on the road to Emaeus and the disciples didn’t believe them. Then Jesu appeared to the eleven disciples and this time they did believe. He commissioned them to go preach the good news and baptize the believers. Then he listed the signs that would accompany them. They would drive out demons, speak in new tongues, pick up poisonous snakes, during deadly poison and none of this would hurt them. They would also lay their hands on the sick and heal them. (In the book of Acts, they did every one of these things.)
Lord, thank you that you sustain us and you never let the righteous fall. We pray for our nation that you would put an end to your enemies and that the deceitful men would not live out half of their days. Put a hedge about the bodies and hearts of your leaders and make them strong in You.