Sun.’s Devo - The Promise Fulfilled

Read: Numbers 26:1-51; Luke 2:36-52; Pslam 60:1-12; Proverbs 11:15 All the people who came out of Egypt and sinned against the Lord were now dead, so the Lord called Moses to recount the people. There were 601,730 registered troops in Israel. When they came out of Egypt and were in their second year there were 600,000 foot soldiers (Numbers 11:21). In their first census when they came out of Egypt the total number of men who could go to war were 603,550 (Numbers 1:45). So their numbers had ebbed and flowed and were a little less than when they came out of Egypt. If thousands hadn’t died because of disobedience there would have been so many more. In this list of the tribes it reminds us of what happened to the rebels from Reuben, Dathan and Abiram who rebelled with Koran and were swallowed by the earth. Their children survived. In the tribe of Manasseh, the Hepherites had no sons so their daughters were named. When it came to Asher’s tribe, the daughter, Sarah was named first. *** I just point these out because they are discrepancies that you usually don’t see in a genealogy back then. *** How ironic, our reading in Luke begins with a woman from the tribe of Asher named Anna. She is a prophet whose husband died seven years after they married. She had lived as a widow after his death until she was now 84 years old. She had never left the Temple but stayed there praying and fasting. She walked up as Simeon was prophesying over Jesus. She began praising God and mentioned him to all who had been waiting for the redemption of Israel. *** Mary and Joseph returned home and Jesus grew in wisdom and the grace of God. When he was 12, he went with his parents to Jerusalem for the Passover. After the feast, they began traveling home. Mary and Joseph assumed Jesus was with their company but found he was not and returned to Jerusalem. *** They finally found him in the Temple sitting in the midst of the doctors asking them questions and giving them answers that astonished them. When Mary asked him why he was still there, he answered, “How is it that you sought me? Did you not know that I must be about my Father’s business?” *** At 12, every Jewish boy began to be employed in his father’s business. His father was God so he was doing God’s business. Mary and Joseph didn’t understand what he was saying and brought him home where he was subject to them. He grew in wisdom and matured. He also grew in God’s favor. *** Lord, may we grow in wisdom, maturity and grace for your business. We pray for the redemption of the world.