Chukat חֻקַּת - Law
Numbers 19:1-22:1
Reading #2 - Numbers 19:18–20:6
My Thoughts:
There is a shortage of water and the people go into a crisis. Instead of praying and believing they lose hope and want to turn around and go back to Egypt. This happens a few times with the people. But remember this. They had been slaves and it is not known if they really remembered Hashem, the Elohim of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. They were beginning to learn about Him and know Him in their journey out of Egypt and the wilderness. So, quickly they despair when a crisis comes. It’s easy for us to judge them, but what would we do if we were in this situation? Hopefully, not give up.
Challenge:
What do Moses and Aaron do in this situation? They fall on their faces and pray. And that is my challenge to you today. When you get in a situation of despair, don’t give up, pray. And believe and trust that Hashem hears your prayers and will work things out. It may not end up looking the way you wanted, but if you have prayed and trusted -- it will end up the way Hashem wanted it. Our eternal life will not look like our earthly life. We must remember that. So, let’s spend our time getting ready for the Olam Haba! Amen!
Reading #2 - Numbers 19:18–20:6
19:18 A clean person shall take hyssop, dip it in the water, and sprinkle it on the tent, on all the vessels, on the persons who were there, and on him who touched the bone, or the slain, or the dead, or the grave. 19 The clean person shall sprinkle on the unclean on the third day, and on the seventh day. On the seventh day, he shall purify him. He shall wash his clothes and bathe himself in water, and shall be clean at evening. 20 But the man who shall be unclean, and shall not purify himself, that soul shall be cut off from among the assembly, because he has defiled the sanctuary of Hashem. The water for impurity has not been sprinkled on him. He is unclean. 21 It shall be a perpetual statute to them. He who sprinkles the water for impurity shall wash his clothes, and he who touches the water for impurity shall be unclean until evening.
22 “Whatever the unclean person touches shall be unclean; and the soul that touches it shall be unclean until evening.”
20 The children of Israel, even the whole congregation, came into the wilderness of Zin in the first month. The people stayed in Kadesh. Miriam died there, and was buried there. 2 There was no water for the congregation; and they assembled themselves together against Moses and against Aaron. 3 The people quarreled with Moses, and spoke, saying, “We wish that we had died when our brothers died before Hashem! 4 Why have you brought Hashem’s assembly into this wilderness, that we should die there, we and our animals? 5 Why have you made us to come up out of Egypt, to bring us in to this evil place? It is no place of seed, or of figs, or of vines, or of pomegranates; neither is there any water to drink.”
6 Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly to the door of the Tent of Meeting, and fell on their faces. Hashem’s glory appeared to them.
