Wed.’s Devo - Rise Up

Read: Numbers 10:1-11:23; Mark 14:1-21; Psalm 51-19; Proverbs 10:31-32
God told Moses to make two silver trumpets to be used for assembling the people and marching forward. Each leaders groups were given a certain trumpet blow to summon them. Another alarm was blown to call them to war. The leaders were Judah, Reuben, Ephraim and Dan.
When the tribes traveled they traveled according to families in this order:
Judah
Issachar
Zebulun
(the Levite clan - Gershon)
Reuben
Simeon
Gad
(the Levite clan - Kohath)
Ephraim
Manasseh
Benjamin
Dan
Asher
Naphtali
When they went forward, Moses would announce, “Rise up, Lord, and let thine enemies be scattered; and let them that hate thee flee before thee.” (That is a good prayer to pray every morning.)
The people complained and God sent fire that consumed those on the outskirts of the camp. God gave them manna which was a sweet tasting seed that could be made into bread. They complained because they didn’t have meat.
Moses was so exhausted with the people and their grievances that he went to the Lord. God told him to appoint 70 leaders to act as judges over the people. He also told them that he was sending the gripping people some flesh to eat for a whole month. Moses wondered how many flocks and herds it would take to feed so great of a crowd but God told Moses that his arm was not short, he would do it.
Moses appointed the 70 men and God filled them with his Spirit
In Mark, it is two days before Passover and the chief priests and scribes tried to devise a plan to kill Jesus. They planned to wait till after the feast days to keep the crowds happy but we know that didn’t happen. Meanwhile, Jesus was at Simon’s house when Mary came in and anointed Jesus body for burial. When the disciples complained about the expense she was waisting, Jesus rebuked them. Jesus understood the importance of what she was doing.
Judas left to sell Jesus out. Jesus sent his disciples to find the man with the water pot and follow him. How interesting that Jesus would end his ministry with a man carrying a water pot. Remember his first miracle? He put water into pots and it turned to wine. The clay pots stand for humanity. Water stands for the Holy Spirit, and wine stands for the joy of the Holy Spirit. Jumping ahead, Jesus told his disciples that he would not drink at the Lord’s Supper because he said that the next wine he would drink would be new wine drunk in the kingdom of God. It was not the time for joy, but it would be when he rose.
Lord, may we drink of your water and your wine and always be full.