Fri.’s Devo - The Sign of the Cross

Read: Numbers 2:1-3:51; Mark 11:27-12:17; Psalm 47:1-9; Proverbs 10:24-25 The tribes marched in the sign of the cross. The bottom of the cross went first with Judah, Issachar and Zebulun. The top of the cross was Ephraim, Manasseh and Benjamin and the sides were Reuben, Simeon, and Gad on one side and Dan, Asher and Naphtali on the other. In the middle of the cross was the Levites and the Tabernacle. They camped in this order also. Aaron and his sons and the Levite tribe were in charge of the Tabernacle. Levi had three sons: Gerson, Kohath and Merari. The Gershonites camped west of the Tabernacle and their job was to carry and set up the tent and all the curtains. The Kohath’s camped south of the Tabernacle and were in charge of the things that had to do with the Ark itself and all its furnishings. The Merari clan camped north of the Tabernacle and were responsible for the frames and all the equipment to build the base for the Tabernacle. Moses and Aaron and their sons camped east of the Tabernacle at its entrance. God had told the people that every first born son and animal was his but he substituted the Levites for the first born and their animals for their first born animals. There were not enough Levites to exchange for every first born son of all the tribes. They were lacking 273 Levites so God told Moses to collect redemption money for them. They would be worth 5 pieces of silver a piece. Moses was to collect this money and give it to Aaron and his sons. Everyone needed to be redeemed to be saved just like all who want to be redeemed from the curse of the law have to be redeemed through the cross of Christ. Everything they did was pictures to teach a greater lesson to us now. In Mark, they tried to trick Jesus by asking him whose authority was he under to do such things as miracles. He turned the trick on them and asked them whose authority did John come under. They couldn’t answer for fear of the arousing the people against them so Jesus told them he wouldn’t answer their question either. Then Jesus told the parable about the man who planted a vineyard, built a wall around it and dug a pit for pressing the grapes. He leased the vineyard to tenant farmers and moved to another country. When it was time to harvest the grapes he sent one of his servants to collect his share of the crop. Instead of giving it to the servant the tenant farmers beat him up. The owner sent others and they were either beaten or killed. He finally sent his son thinking they would respect him but they murdered him and threw his body out of the vineyard. Jesus asked them what they thought the tenant farmer should do. He should come and kill the farmers and lease the vineyard to others. The Pharisees knew he was talking about them. They were with wicked tenant farmers who had killed the prophets and would now kill God’s son. Instead of repenting, this just made them more determined to kill Jesus. Since they couldn’t get Jesus on terms of the law, they decided to get him on something that would pit the Romans against him so they came up with a question about taxes. They asked Jesus was it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not. Jesus saw through their hypocrisy and asked them to bring him a Roman coin. He asked them whose picture and title was on it. Then he told them to give Caesar what belongs to him and give God what belongs to Him. Once again, his answer amazed them. Lord, thank you that you give us an answer for everything Satan brings against us. You are the answer to everything we are facing and you are the cornerstone of our existence. Thank you!