Tues.’s Devo - The Honor of the Priesthood

Read: Numbers 16:41-18:32; Mark 16:1-20; Psalm 55:1-23; Proverbs 11:7 Two hundred and fifty-four people had died as God poured out his vengeance on Korah and his rebels. The next day, Israel complained and blamed Moses and Aaron for killing them. God was so upset at the people he poured out a plague and people started dropping dead. Moses told Aaron to quickly go and get some coals from the altar in his incense burner and sprinkle incense on it and take it out among the people to stop the plague. He did, but not before 14,700 had died. *** God wanted to stop this arguing over who he had put in authority over them so he told every tribe’s leader to bring a staff with their name carved on it to the Tabernacle. Aaron brought his also. They put the staffs in the Tabernacle and the next morning only Aaron’s staff had leaves, buds and ripe almonds on it to prove that God had appointed him as the high priest and his sons to the priesthood. *** When the people saw what happened to Aaron’s rod they thought God would kill them all. God set Aaron’s rod up as a reminder to the people. *** The Lord told Aaron that he and his relatives, the Levites would be held responsible for any offenses related to the sanctuary but that Aaron and his sons would bear the sins of the priesthood. *** All of the offerings that are not to be totally burnt on the altar would go to the priests for their portion. Any one who was ceremonially clean of their family was allowed to eat them. Everything that was set apart for the Lord also belonged to them. *** Every first born of man and animal belonged to the priests but the people could buy them back for five shekels. The priests were to give the Lord one tenth of everything they received from the people. *** In Mark, as soon as the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James came with spices to put on Jesus’ body. They wondered who was going to roll away the stone for them but when the got there, it was already moved. A young man was in the tomb sitting on the right side of Jesus wearing a long white garment. They were afraid at first. Then the man told them that Jesus was risen and was not there. They were to go tell his disciples and Peter that Jesus has gone before them to Galilee and they would find him there. *** The Mary’s went to tell the disciples but they didn’t believe them. *** Jesus appeared in another form to two men who were walking through the country. No one would believe them either. Then Jesus appeared to the eleven disciples and they believed he told them to go into the world and preach his gospel to all people. In his name they would cast out devils, speak with new tongues, take up serpents and if they drank any deadly thing, it would not hurt them. They would lay hands on the sick and they would recover. They obeyed and God’s power confirmed his word with signs and wonders. *** Lord, as your priesthood, may we go and do the same that others would be blessed and brought into your family.