The Last Chapter

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Deuteronomy 34:1-9

TO CHEW ON: "And Moses the servant of the Lord died there in Moab, as the Lord had said." Deuteronomy 34:5

God had told Moses he would die soon. So Moses did some last things. He gave his last talk to the people. He chose a new leader, Joshua. Then one day God told him to climb Mount Nebo.

When he got to the top he was treated to an amazing view. Before him was the whole land of Canaan, the land that would soon be home to the Israelites. Though God didn’t allow him to lead the people into it, he gave Moses a last wish by showing him what beautiful Canaan was like.

Moses views the promised land - James Tissot

And then Moses died.

When the Israelites realized that he was never coming back, they cried. They spent 30 days (a whole month) thinking about him, missing him and crying for him. But then life had to go on – even though they were without him

Has someone close to you died? How did it happen? How did you feel?

Death is always a sad time for those of us who are left here without someone we loved. We miss the person. We cry.

But like the Israelites, life goes on for us too. Though the passing of time slowly helps us feel better, we know we will never totally forget the people who were once a part of our lives. And we look forward to the time we will be with them again in heaven.

PRAYER: Dear God, please help me feel Your comfort and hope when death touches my life. Amen.

MORE: A death "celebration"
Doctors tell us that looking at death squarely is healthier than ignoring it and pretending it never happened. To do this, people celebrate or honor the person who has died in different ways. The Israelites did it by setting aside thirty days to mourn and feel sad. Our customs are different.


1. If someone close to you has died, what things did you, your family and friends do to remember that person and grieve for them?

2. If you haven’t experienced the death of someone close to you, what are some things you’ve heard about and seen people do to grieve someone’s death?

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.


Adult readers - DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR ADULTS  are available too at Other Food: daily devo's. 

More Than Skin Deep

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Deuteronomy 6:1-12

TO CHEW ON: "These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates." Deuteronomy 6:6-9

Moses knew that after forty years of wandering in the desert, it was finally time for the Israelites to go into Canaan. But Moses wouldn’t be leading them. Because it was also time for him to die.

He gathered the people together to hear his last words. We can still read them today. They are the book of Deuteronomy.

Moses speaks to the people - Paul Hardy

In this long speech Moses reminded the people how God had helped them in the past. He challenged them to obey God always. He warned them against ever praying to idols. He talked about their covenant with God. He begged them to honor God and stay faithful to Him by following God’s rules and worshiping the way God had told them.

Some of these people probably couldn’t read. So how would they know and remember what God had said? Moses told them how. What three things could the people do to help them remember and pass on God’s words? (Deuteronomy 6:6-9):
1.
2.
3.

If the people did what Moses said, they would be reminded of God all day long. Could we also be doing some of these things to help us remember God?

PRAYER: Dear God, please help me to think of You often, to learn what pleases You, and then to do it. Amen.

MORE: Bible Verse Flash GameWhat you need: 10 index cards, Bible, pen.


What you do:
1. Write ten Bible verses, one on each card. Write the verse and reference on one side. Write only the reference on the other side. Choose ten favorite verses of yours, or write out the eight memory verses we've learned so far in Bible Drive-Thru plus two more, or look up and copy these:
John 3:16; Romans 3:23; Romans 6:23; Matthew 11:28; John 10:14; Ephesians 2:10; Proverbs 16:3; Joshua 1:8; Jeremiah 23:29; Hebrews 4:12

2. Memorize each verse with its reference.

3. Play games with the cards

* Use the cards to test yourself. Show only the reference side and see if you can remember which verse it goes with and then recite it.

* Use the cards with one other person. Have that person hold up the reference and you say the verse. Then switch. See who says the most verses correctly.

*Use the cards with two or more people. Have one person hold up the reference side while others race to see who can recite the verse first. That person gets the card. After all cards are done, person with the most cards wins and gets to hold up cards for the others on the next round.

Answers

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.


Adult readers - DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR ADULTS  are available too at Other Food: daily devo's. 

What's wrong with grumbling anyway?

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Numbers 21:4-9

TO CHEW ON: "But the people grew impatient on the way; they spoke against God and against Moses, and said, 'Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? There is no bread! There is no water! And we detest this miserable food!' ” Numbers 21:4,5

Have you ever grumbled about any of these things: food, clothes, the weather, too much to do, not enough to do, the things you have, the things you don’t have?

I have to admit, I have – and I’d be surprised if you haven’t as well.

Grumbling and complaining are pretty common ways people react to things they don’t like. And that’s what the Israelites did as they continued their travels. They complained about God, Moses, the food, no water. Instead of trusting in what God had said about their future, they doubted and wailed, “We’re going to die in this desert.”

So God sent poisonous snakes among them. These snakes bit them and many of the people died – just for complaining! The only way they could be saved after they had been bitten was to look at the bronze snake Moses had mounted on a pole in the middle of the camp.

"Plague of fiery serpents" from Treasures of the Bible

Wasn’t death an awfully harsh punishment for something as simple and common as grumbling? But the Israelites’ grumbling showed they had a bigger problem than simply being ungrateful for their leader and not liking what they had to eat and drink. It showed they weren’t trusting God’s character. They didn’t believe that He was in everything that happened to them. They didn’t trust that He really loved them and would work everything that happened to them into something good. They didn’t believe His promises.

Isn’t our grumbling the same? Even though God has given us some amazing promises in the Bible, when we grumble we are saying, “I don’t believe God is good. I don’t believe He will keep His promises to me.”

Let’s change our ways. When we are tempted to grumble, let’s remember God’s promises and choose to trust Him and believe that He will make something good out of even hungry, thirsty, anxious, boring or uncomfortable times.

PRAYER: Dear God, next time I feel like grumbling, help me remember promises of Your goodness. Amen.

MORE: Grumbling Antidote
An antidote is a medicine that cancels out the effect of poison. People who get bitten by snakes need to take an antidote called anti-venom.


The antidote to grumbling is God’s Word. Three verses which give us promises of God’s love and good plans for us are: Jeremiah 29:11, Jeremiah 31:3 and Hebrews 13:5.

Look them up on the internet or in your Bible. Then write out your favorite on a card or piece of paper. You might want to memorize it. Next time you are tempted to grumble, you can remind yourself about it. It can be your grumbling antidote.

Adult readers - DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR ADULTS  are available too at Other Food: daily devo's. 

No Favorites

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Numbers 20:1-13

TO CHEW ON: "But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, 'Because you did not trust in me enough to honor me as holy in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land I give them.' ” Numbers 20:12

Now the Israelites kept traveling from place to place. While in the desert of Zin they ran out of water. As usual the people came to Moses to complain. “Why did you bring us here,” they whined. “There is no grain. There are no figs, grapes, and pomegranates. Now we have no water.”

When Moses and Aaron asked God what to do, God said to Moses, “Take your staff, gather the people and speak to that rock.”

So Moses did exactly as God had said – almost. He took his staff, gathered the people at the rock but then, instead of speaking to the rock, he hit it with his staff.

Water gushed out and the people stopped complaining and began drinking and filling up water jugs.



God had answered Moses’ prayer. But He was not pleased with Moses’ disobedience. Even though he was the leader God had chosen, and God had often talked to him like a friend, still God didn’t play favorites or make an exception for him. Instead He said, “Because of what you have done, you will not lead these people into the land I’m giving them.”

What a disappointment for Moses. After all this time, he would not be able to enter Canaan and live in the land God had promised.

Still today God doesn’t have favorites. He hates sin and won’t have anything to do with it no matter who does the sinning.

PRAYER: Dear God, thank You for always being fair. Help me to obey You always. Amen.

MORE: What is “holy”?
In this story God showed He wouldn’t have anything to do with sin (and Moses’ disobedience was sin), even if His friend did the sin. In this way “God showed himself holy among them.” Numbers 20:13.

When we say God is holy, we mean that He is separate from and above everything He has made. We also mean that He is separate from bad things (evil) and sin.

Holiness is a characteristic or attribute of God. We can say God is other things as well.

Choose the qualities or attributes of God, below, that tell us what God is like. Can you add any more to the list?
(Check these verses if you’re not sure: Psalm 89:14; Mark 10:18; Romans 2:4; Ephesians 2:4-5).

God is:

Answers

Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.


Adult readers - DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR ADULTS  are available too at Other Food: daily devo's. 

More Mutiny

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Numbers 16:1-7

TO CHEW ON: "Then he (Moses) said to Korah and all his followers: 'In the morning the Lord will show who belongs to him and who is holy and he will have that person come near him. The man he chooses he will cause to come near him.'” Numbers 16:5

The Israelites had refused to trust God to help them enter Canaan. Now they were doomed to live as nomads for 40 more years. They weren’t happy and it didn’t take long before rebellion broke out again.

This time Korah, one of the Levites (the tribe which took care of the holy things in the tabernacle) was the ringleader. One day he came with friends and 250 leaders to confront Moses. “Who said you should be the boss over us? We’re just as good as you are and God chose us too.”

“Let’s have a test,” Moses replied. “Tomorrow God will show whom He has chosen to be the leader.”

The next day Moses and Aaron came with their censers and stood outside the Tabernacle. Korah and his friends and fellow leaders came too. All the rebellious leaders stood with him, their censers full of burning incense.

Then Moses explained to them how everyone would know if Korah should be the leader or not. “If Korah lives and dies a natural death like any other person, then God hasn’t sent me to lead you,” he said. “But if the earth splits apart and swallows him, then you’ll know he is wrong.”

No sooner had he finished talking than the earth opened up right under Korah. It swallowed him, his family and all their possessions. Then fire from God came down and burned every one of the leaders who had opposed Moses. That day God showed that Moses was the leader He had chosen.


Our spiritual leaders are pastors, ministers, elders, deacons and teachers. Do we treat them with respect as people picked by God to lead us? Or do we have a Korah attitude toward them? We need to remember that if our leaders have been put over us by God, when we rebel against them we’re really rebelling against God ... not a safe thing to do.

PRAYER: Dear God, teach me how to respect and obey godly leaders. Amen


MORE: Government 101
There are different types of government. Government by one person, as the Israelites were led by Moses, is called autocracy.

But Moses got his direction from God, so their government should really be called theocracy.

When a country is governed by a king or queen, it is ruled by monarchy.

In our times countries where every adult can vote for leaders are a democracy.

- Can you name more kinds of government?

- What do you think - does God have control over who leads a church or who governs a country in an autocracy, a monarchy, a democracy? (Check out Psalm 75:6,7 and Daniel 2:21)

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.


Adult readers - DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR ADULTS  are available too at Other Food: daily devo's. 

Banned

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Numbers 14:1-12, 20-23

TO CHEW ON: "Not one of them will ever see the land I promised on oath to their ancestors. No one who has treated me with contempt will ever see it." Numbers 14:23

When the twelve spies came back from Canaan, only two thought they could conquer the people and move in. The ten others saw only walled cities and fierce, tall people. They were afraid and refused to trust God and Moses.

When the people in the camp heard their report, they started to grumble and cried, “We don’t want to die in a war. We want to go back to Egypt. We want a new leader.”

Joshua and Caleb tried to change the peoples’ minds. “The land is wonderful,” they said. “God isn’t afraid of those people. If He is with us, those people should be afraid.”

But the people wouldn’t change their minds. Instead they ganged up on Moses, Aaron, Caleb and Joshua. “Let’s kill them!” they shouted, and began picking up stones.

Then God’s glory came to the tabernacle and God said to Moses, “I'm going to destroy these people!”

“Please don’t kill them,” Moses begged. “Forgive them instead.”

God answered Moses’s prayer. He did forgive the people that day. But there were consequences. What were they? Pick the right answer (Numbers 14:20-23).

1. Manna stopped appearing each morning
2. None of the rebellious people would see or go into the land God had promised them.
3. An earthquake split the ground and swallowed up every rebellious person.

Rebellion against God is still wrong and still dangerous. Like the Israelites, if we don’t change rebellious ways, there will be consequences to us too.

PRAYER: Dear God, please teach me the danger of being stubborn and rebellious toward You. Amen.

MORE: Choices and Consequences
God is patient with us. He will forgive us for wrong things we’ve done if we ask Him.

Even then we will sometimes have to suffer consequences for bad choices we’ve made. Match the choice a person could make (left) with a possible consequence (right).


Answers

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.


Adult readers - DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR ADULTS  are available too at Other Food: daily devo's. 

A Can-do Attitude

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Numbers 13:26-33

TO CHEW ON: "Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, 'We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.' But the men who had gone up with him said, 'We can’t attack those people; they are stronger than we are.'” Numbers 13:30,31



The Israelites had been traveling through the desert for a long time. Now they were near the land God had promised them. To prepare for going in and settling there, Moses sent twelve spies to explore their new home. For forty days these men went from place to place in Canaan, secretly checking out the country.

When they got back, they told of the amazing orchards and farms. They brought back grapes, dates and pomegranates to prove how rich the land was. But they also told of huge walled cities and people who looked as big and strong as giants.

Ten of the spies didn’t think they would ever be able to live there. “The cities are too protected,” they said, “and the people are too tall.”

But two of the spies, Joshua and Caleb, didn’t agree. “We should go up and take possession of the land, for we certainly can do it,” said Caleb.

Why do you think Joshua and Caleb disagreed with the other spies?
1. Joshua and Caleb needed their eyes checked.
2. Joshua and Caleb were taller, fiercer and braver than the other spies.
3. Joshua and Caleb remembered the ways God had helped them in the past and knew He could help them again.

Joshua and Caleb may have been braver than the others. But I’m sure that another reason they knew they could win over the people of Canaan was 3. They remembered all the times God had helped them in the past. They knew that with God they could do anything.

Things around us sometimes look impossible too. At those times it’s important that we remind ourselves of the times God has helped us. This will give us courage and confidence that He will be with us in whatever we’re facing now.

PRAYER: Dear God, please remind me of how You have helped me in the past and know that together we can get through hard things now. Amen

MORE: Story time
1. Pretend you are Caleb or Joshua. What stories could you tell the ten spies to remind them of God’s help in the past?

2. What stories could you tell a friend or family member about how God has helped you and your family?

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.


Adult readers - DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR ADULTS  are available too at Other Food: daily devo's. 

No-Whine Zone

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Numbers 11:4-6, 31-34

TO CHEW ON: "But while the meat was still between their teeth and before it could be consumed, the anger of the Lord burned against the people, and he struck them with a severe plague." Numbers 11:33

The Israelites camped at Mount Sinai for a long time. Then one day the cloud lifted from over the tabernacle. Quickly the people packed up their tents and belongings while the Priests and Levites took down the tent church. It was time to move on.

The cloud led them from place to place. Though their feet got tired from walking, they were never hungry for long. Each morning they awoke to a new supply of manna on the ground.

Israelites gathering manna - A. F. Pearse

The manna kept them from getting hungry but after a while they got bored. “We’re so tired of this manna,” they whined. “We want the food we had in Egypt – the fish, cucumbers, melons, leeks onions and garlic.” As the wailing spread through the whole camp, Moses prayed for God’s help.

God was angry with the Israelites for their grumbling. Even so, He sent a great wind. It brought quail from the sea. Quickly news spread around the camp: “Birds have landed all around.” The people went out and caught the quail – dozens and dozens. At last they would have their feast of meat!

Israelites capture quail to eat - Artist unknown

But God wasn’t through with them. As the people were stuffing themselves with quail, they become ill. Many died that day. And God taught them that sometimes the things we want most are not the things that are good for us.

Do you ever grumble and complain about things like your clothes, the stuff you want but can’t afford, the food your Mom makes? Learn from the Israelites. Instead, choose to be thankful for all the good things you have.

PRAYER: Dear God, I’m sorry for whining, complaining and grumbling. Help me to be thankful. Amen.

MORE: Blessing surprise.
An old song goes: “Count your blessings, name them one by one, and it will surprise you what the Lord has done.”

Give yourself a blessing surprise by making a list of things for which you’re thankful. Can you think of 20?

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.


Adult readers - DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR ADULTS  are available too at Other Food: daily devo's. 

Blood Sacrifice

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Leviticus 17:11

TO CHEW ON: "For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one’s life." Leviticus 17:11

Moses had been up on the mountain with God for a long time and God had told him many things. One of the things God gold Moses was a way to deal with sin.

What is sin? It is missing the target. If we think of doing everything God has said we should do, and not doing anything God has said we shouldn't do as the target, sin is missing that target.



For example, when God told Adam and Eve not to eat of the special tree in the garden and they did – that was sin. And when God told the people they were not to worship any other God but Him and they made a calf idol and worshiped it – that was sin. God gave the people a list of rules (we call them the Ten Commandments) which told them what was sin for each area of life, from how they treated parents and neighbors to how they treated God. The trouble was, no one could keep all these rules.

The punishment for breaking these rules – even one of them – was death. Period.

But on the mountain, God told Moses that He would make a way for the people to come back into His good favor – make atonement. It was a way they didn’t have to take the punishment of death themselves. They could substitute the blood of an animal. The blood would show that the animal had died (for no living thing, human or animal, can live without blood going through its body). The blood showed that the death penalty had been paid – for now. God accepted as a temporary punishment for sin, the death of an animal instead of the death of the sinful person.

Bringing the lamb as an offering - Picture from CC-Art.com

PRAYER: Dear God, thank You for making a way for people to be right with You – through animal sacrifices, and then through Jesus. Amen.


MORE:  Sin’s Wages
God’s punishment for sin hasn’t changed. Paul, in the New Testament book of Romans calls this punishment ‘wages.’ Those wages are still death. Every one of us earns these wages every time we sin. But Someone – not an animal – took the punishment of death for the sins each one of us has committed.
1. Who was that Someone? (I Corinthians 15:3) ____________
2. What penalty did He pay? _____________

Here is a verse to memorize. It will remind you of sin’s wages and God’s gift to us through Jesus:

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
- Romans 6:23

Answers

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Adult readers - DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR ADULTS  are available too at Other Food: daily devo's. 

A Job Well Done

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Exodus 40: 1-16, 34, 35

TO CHEW ON: "Then the cloud covered the Tent of Meeting and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. Moses could not enter the Tent of Meeting because the cloud had settled on it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle." Exodus 40:34,35

After Moses had cleaned up the golden calf, God rewrote the smashed tablets of stone. Then Moses asked the people to collect things for building the tabernacle. People brought gold jewelry, beautiful cloth, colorful thread, dyed animal hides, gem stones, spices, incense and oil. Soon there was enough.

Israelites bring treasures for the Tabernacle - Artist unknown

Next God told Moses which talented artists and builders to put in charge of building the tabernacle. They organized and taught volunteers who made all the parts of the tabernacle and its furniture and tools.

Finally the tent church and all its furniture was built. On the first day of the first month God told Moses to put up the tabernacle. He also told him exactly where to put each piece of furniture along with each utensil and tool.

God told Moses to dress Aaron and his sons in the special priest clothes. As they stood before him, Moses poured oil on their heads (anointed them) as a way of setting them apart to be priests who would always serve God.

Anointing Aaron as High Priest - Treasures of the Bible (Moses)

How exciting that day must have been for Moses. After months of only imagining how the tabernacle would look, it was all coming together. I wonder if Moses ever worried, during those months of building and making. Perhaps he asked himself, did I really hear God right? Did the workmen follow all the instructions? Will God be pleased with His tent church?

He didn’t have long to find out. No sooner was the last piece in place than God’s presence came down! His glory cloud filled the tabernacle. It was so awesome and wonderful and terrifying that Moses couldn’t go inside.


Do you ever get instructions from God and yet while you’re doing them you wonder, did God really tell me this? Is He pleased with what I’m doing? Will He bless my work?

If you are doing what God has told you to do, be like Moses and stick with the job until it’s done. Then watch how God fills what you did with His power and glory. You will be amazed!

PRAYER: Dear God, thank You that You use people to accomplish what You want to do. Please use me today. Amen.

 MORE: When you don’t quit
God doesn’t often show that He is pleased with a glory cloud. Some ways that we sense God is happy with us may be:
1. He answers ‘yes’ to our prayers.
2. We get encouragement from unexpected places.
3. We read, in the Bible or a different book, words that give us courage and keep us from quitting.
4. A friend accepts Jesus.

Can you think of more?

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Adult readers - DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR ADULTS  are available too at Other Food: daily devo's. 

Gold Frappuccino

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Exodus 32:7,8, 15-26

TO CHEW ON: "They have been quick to turn away from what I commanded and have made themselves an idol cast in the shape of a calf. They have bowed down to it and sacrificed to it and have said, 'These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt'.... And the Lord struck the people with a plague because of what they did with the calf Aaron had made." Exodus 32:8, 35

While the people were worshiping and celebrating around the idol, God told Moses, “It’s time for you to go down. The people are doing something bad.”

So Moses went down the mountain, carrying the tablets of stone on which God had written. But even God’s warning hadn’t prepared him for the sight that met his eyes when he got back to camp. There, in the middle of everything, was the gold calf idol. Around it the people were dancing, singing and celebrating.

Moses stormed into camp. He threw down the stone pieces he was carrying and they shattered.

"Moses Breaks the Tablets of Stone" from Treasures of the Bible (Moses)

Then he tore the calf idol off its stand and heaved it into a fire. When it had melted, he ground it up to fine powder, mixed the powder with water and forced the people to drink it (YUCK!)

Then he called for Aaron. “What happened?”

“Uh... the people told me to make them a god,” Aaron said. “So I collected their jewelry, put it in the fire, and out came this calf.”

Moses scolded Aaron for letting the people get out of control. Later, God sent a plague (sickness) that destroyed many of the rebellious Israelites.

God had commanded the people to worship only Him. They had disobeyed Him by making an idol and worshiping it. Now they had to suffer the consequences of disobedience.

Sin still has consequences. Sometimes consequences are natural – like getting suspended from school for stealing. Sometimes God Himself causes them – like the sickness from which these people died.

PRAYER: Dear God, help me remember that each thing I do (each action) has a consequence. Amen.

MORE: I told you so!

Consequences word search

Below the word search are five statements about consequences. Find each bold word in the word search.

Created with Puzzlemaker on DiscoveryEducation.com

1. You don't clean your room so you can't find your ipod.
2. You tell secrets you promised to keep so your friends don't trust you.
3. You keep up with your homework so you make good marks even on surprise tests.
4. You always defend your friends so your friends are loyal to you.
5. You don't read your Bible much so you're not sure how God feels about most things.

Answers

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Adult readers - DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR ADULTS  are available too at Other Food: daily devo's. 

Gold God

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Exodus 32:1-6

TO CHEW ON: "He took what they handed him and made it into an idol cast in the shape of a calf, fashioning it with a tool. Then they said, “These are your gods, Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.' ” Exodus 32:4

Moses was on Mount Sinai for a long time. When he didn’t come back, and didn’t come back, the Israelites camping at the bottom of the mountain wondered what was taking so long. Maybe God had destroyed Moses in the fire that rested on the top of the mountain. Maybe a wild animal had killed him. Who could help them if Moses never came back? They remembered Egypt. There the people had prayed to statues or idols.

The people went to Aaron. “Make us a god idol!” they demanded.

“Give me your jewelry,” he said. Then Aaron melted the gold he collected and cast it into the shape of a calf.

“This is our god,” the people shouted to each other. “This is the god who brought us out of Egypt.” They offered sacrifices to the idol and then they began to party.

Israel celebrating around the calf idol - Artist unknown

Which statement, below, tells why this happened?
- The people were impatient.
- It’s easier to believe in a God you can see than one who is invisible.
- The people were really trusting in Moses, not God. When Moses didn’t come back, they thought they were on their own.

Did you choose them all? Like the Israelites we too can get impatient when we think God isn’t working quickly enough. We can find it hard to believe in a God who is invisible. We can put our trust in people instead of God. Ask God to show you if you are trusting anyone or anything else besides Him.

PRAYER: Dear God, help me to trust in You totally and completely. Amen.


MORE: Modern Idols
In some places people still worship idols as God. We may not do that in our culture. But could we still be in danger of putting things in the place of God? Circle the things that may be modern idols. Can you name more?

- Money

- Being the most popular, best athlete, smartest in the class

- Having the latest and best stuff and fashions

- Wanting to be famous like a movie or rock star

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.


Adult readers - DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR ADULTS  are available too at Other Food: daily devo's. 

Priestly Fashion

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Exodus 28:1-5

TO CHEW ON: "Make sacred garments for your brother Aaron to give him dignity and honor." Exodus 28:2

What clothes would you choose?

Match the activity on the left to the clothes you would choose to wear for it on the right:




We dress differently for different activities and seasons. Though there are no right or wrong answers to the quiz above, if you answered honestly you probably didn’t say you would wear a swim suit to play in the snow or your formal dress clothes to go swimming.

What we wear may also depend on what we think of the people we’re with. If you were picked to meet a king or president, would you choose to wear dirty, ripped play clothes? Probably not. Because what you wear says something about you and how you feel toward the person you’re meeting. Your respect for an important person would stop you from dressing in a sloppy way.

God used this rule of personal appearance when He told Moses what the workers in the tabernacle – the priests – should wear. Again God gave detailed instructions.

Aaron's priestly clothes

The priests were to wear special things – a breast piece, an ephod, a robe, a woven tunic, a turban and a sash. These things were to be made of the best linen, using gold, blue, purple and scarlet yarn. The priests were to dress that way so that the people would give them 1.____________ (ynidigt) and 2. _______________ (ronho).

If you go to this page, you will see a picture of the priest in his robe. Click on parts of the priest’s clothes to find out more about each part.

Does your minister or pastor wear special clothes? If he or she does, we see here that it was God’s idea to set apart people who served Him in special ways even by the clothes they wear. In that way, we are reminded to treat them with dignity and give them honor. Of course that is something we should do anyway, whether our pastor wears a robe, a suit or jeans!

PRAYER: Dear God, help me to always respect my pastor. Amen.

MORE: Church Wear

What I choose to wear to church says something about how I feel toward God.

Do you agree or disagree with that statement? Tell why.

Answers

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Adult readers - DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR ADULTS  are available too at Other Food: daily devo's. 

Only the Best

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Exodus 25:23-40

TO CHEW ON: "A talent of pure gold is to be used for the lampstand and all these accessories." Exodus 25:39

Next God gave Moses instructions to make more things for the tent church. He was to make a table and carrying poles out of the same special wood as the ark (acacia wood). He was to cover these things with pure gold.

Then he was to make plates, dishes, pitchers and bowls as well as a decorated lamp stand and all the tools for tending the lamps. These things were also to be made of pure gold. God told Moses to use a whole talent (75 pounds or 34 kilograms) of gold for these things.

Models of the ark accessories - Graphics from CC-Art.com

Why do you suppose God chose gold?

Some reasons might be:
1. Gold was the easiest metal to shape into designs.
2. Gold was long-lasting. It was unaffected by air, heat, moisture, and was hard to dissolve.
3. Gold was beautiful, with its bright yellow color and shine.
4. Gold decorations and jewelry showed royal power and honor.
5. God was rare, much wanted, and expensive.

In other words, gold was the best!

Still today God asks for our best – not gold furniture or dishes, not even our best or most beautiful possessions. Even the poorest of us has this and can give it to Him. It is our lives.

PRAYER: Dear God, help me to give You my life, and to live for You today. Amen.

MORE: Modern Gold
1. Gold is still a rare and valuable material, used in many ways:

Electronics. There is gold in washing machines, computers, televisions, even space craft.

Dentistry. Gold is mixed with other metals to make fillings for teeth.

Jewelry and watchmaking. ‘Plating’ is a way to cover jewelry and many other things like pens, frames for glasses and bathroom fixtures, with gold.

Gold leaf. Gold is hammered very thin and spread onto domes and roofs of public buildings. It lasts longer than paint!

2. Can you calculate how much a talent of gold (75 pounds or 34 kilograms) would be worth at today’s gold price?

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.



Adult readers - DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR ADULTS  are available too at Other Food: daily devo's. 

Just a Box?

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Exodus 25:10-22

TO CHEW ON: "There, above the cover between the two cherubim that are over the ark of the covenant law, I will meet with you and give you all my commands for the Israelites." Exodus 25:22

The first piece of furniture God told Moses to make for the inside of the portable church (Tabernacle) was just a box. But what a box! God told Moses how to make the box (or ark) to the last detail. Using today’s reading, choose the right answers below:

God told Moses to use 1. (pine, mahogany, acacia) wood.

He told Moses exactly how big to make this box. It was to be 2½ cubits long(3¾ feet or 1.1 meters), by 1½ cubits wide (2¼ feet or .7 meters), by 1½ cubits high (2¼ feet or .7 meters). This would make it a 2. (square, rectangle, pyramid) shape.

Moses was to cover the wood with 3. (gold, tin, silver).

God told Moses how to make the ark easy to carry – with rings on each side. Gold-covered poles would fit through these rings. Priests were to carry the ark on their shoulders.

The cover for the box was to be decorated with gold 4. (palm trees, cherubim, apples).

Finally, God told Moses that inside the box he should put 5. (the Testimony*, a jug of water, a pair of sandals).

*The Testimony was the Ten Commandments written on stone tablets.

Here is one artist's idea of what the ark looked like.

The Ark - Artist unknown

Why do you think God was so particular that this ark be made right?

One reason could be that it was going to be the special and holy place where God Himself would speak with Moses. There He would tell him how to lead the Israelites. The ark was a place where Moses would come close to God.

At the same time the special things about it – the gold, the beautiful decorations, the things that were inside it – reminded the people to respect God and think about how God had helped them in the past.

PRAYER: Dear God, You are a holy God Who loves me. Help me to understand what that means. Amen.

MORE: How well can you follow instructions?
Suppose you were Moses and had to make the ark. Draw your own picture of the ark or make a model with play clay using the instructions God gave Moses in Exodus 25.

Answers

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.


Adult readers - DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR ADULTS  are available too at Other Food: daily devo's. 

Covenant Close-up

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Exodus 24:1-18

TO CHEW ON: "Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read it to the people. They responded, 'We will do everything the Lord has said; we will obey.' " Exodus 24:7

Have you ever seen movies where the camera zooms in on a scene and a tiny far-off thing gradually gets closer? As it gets bigger, you see more and more details that you couldn’t make out when the scene was far away. That’s a lot like how God shows us His plans in the Bible. The special promise that God made with Abraham ( see January 19) was like that.

Hundreds of years back God had made a promise to the Israelite’s great-great-great- (and a whole lot more ‘greats’) grandfather Abraham. He said He would bless him, make a nation of his family, and give that nation a land of their own.

Now over 400 years had passed. The family of Abraham had become a nation – these Israelites. But in the years they were slaves, God was silent. During that time God’s blessing seemed far away and they certainly didn’t have their own land.

One day God called Moses to bring the leaders of the people with him up the mountain. As the leaders waited some distance away, God talked to Moses.

Moses on the mountain - Artist unknown

He talked about the Covenant again. This time He told Moses that there were two sides to it. God told Moses what He would do for the Israelites, but also what He expected them to do for Him. Moses wrote everything God said.

After God finished talking to Moses, they all went down the mountain. The next day Moses read God’s words to the people. Would they do what God asked? What was their reply? (Exodus 24:7)

God still tells us what He expects of us. We may not understand completely what that will mean. But when we say ‘Yes, I’ll do what I understand; I’ll obey,’ in time He’ll show us what the next thing will be.

PRAYER: Dear God, thank You for showing us Your plan in small bits. Help me to obey what I know, Amen.


MORE: Sealing a Covenant
God and people show how serious they are about keeping a covenant by sealing it. A covenant can be sealed in many ways. Fill in the correct answer from the words below.

1. God sealed his first covenant (the promise to never again destroy the earth in a flood) with a _______________ (Genesis 9:16).
2. In this story Moses sprinkled ____________ on the people to seal their covenant with God (Exodus 24:8)
3. Another Bible-time custom was to seal a deal by giving the other person your ______ (Ruth 4:7)
4. In our time we show we mean to keep our promise by putting our ______ on documents.
5. When people get married they show how serious they are about their promise by exchanging _________.

rings, blood, rainbow, signature, shoe

Answers

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

God's Mobile Home

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Exodus 25:1-9

TO CHEW ON: “Then have them make a sanctuary for me, and I will dwell among them. Make this tabernacle and all its furnishings exactly like the pattern I will show you.” Exodus 25:8,9

Do you go to church on Sunday? What is your church like?

Churches can be big or small, fancy or simple, a special set-apart building or a building that is used for other things the rest of the week.





Again God told Moses to come up to Him on the mountain. So Moses put Aaron and Hur in charge of the people. Then he took his assistant Joshua and again climbed Mount Sinai. God’s presence covered the top of the mountain with a glory cloud while God talked to Moses about many things.

In today’s Bible reading, we read how God told Moses to build Him a church or sanctuary. But this building wouldn’t be like the churches most of us know. This church would be a tent called a ‘tabernacle.’ It would be light and movable, like tents are.

1. Why was it a good idea for this church to be movable and not a solid building?

2. What materials would be used for this tabernacle and for the worship? (Exodus 25:5-7)

3. Where would Moses get these things? (Exodus 25:2)

4. How would Moses know how to make the tabernacle? (Exodus 25:9)

In the next few days we’ll see how particular and detailed God’s plan was. He thought of everything! The picture below is one artist's idea of how the tabernacle looked.

. Model of the Tabernacle - Graphics from CC-Art.com

The tabernacle God told Moses to make was very special. It was the place where He would live on earth.

Does God still live on earth today? Where? Though He is present everywhere, He especially lives in the hearts and bodies of people who love and obey Him. Does He live in you?

PRAYER: Dear God, please live in me. This is the best home I can give You. Amen

MORE: God’s Modern Mobile Home
God’s modern mobile home is you! If you have asked Jesus to forgive your sins, God the Holy Spirit lives in your body. Here are Bible verses to remind you about that. You might want to memorize them.

"Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; ²⁰ you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies." 1 Corinthians 6:19,20


Answers

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.


Adult readers - DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR ADULTS  are available too at Other Food: daily devo's.  

Instruction Manual

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Exodus 20:1-17

TO CHEW ON: "And God spoke all these words..." Exodus 20:1

Suppose you got a new wristwatch. The advertising on the package says it can not only tell the time but it’s also an alarm clock and a stopwatch.

You take it out of the package. You put it on your wrist. But when you look at it a few minutes later, it isn’t even showing the right time, let alone doing all that other stuff. What do you need to do to get it working?

a. Push and press the stem and buttons to see if you can get it to work.
b. Talk to the watch, telling it what you want it to do.
c. Read the manual, then follow the instructions on how to set and use it.

Just like we need to read manuals (c.) to find out how to use our tools and gadgets, we also need a manual to tell us the best way to live. God has given us this manual in the Bible. One of the important places in the Bible where God clearly tells us how to live is in the Ten Commandments.

When God came down on Mt. Sinai, the people had to stay back. But God told Moses to climb the mountain and come close to Him. Then He told Moses ten rules for living. We call those rules the Ten Commandments. We still follow them today.

God gives Moses the Law - Artist unknown

Using the Bible references, write the Ten Commandments in your own words below:
1. Exodus 20:3
2. Exodus 20:4
3. Exodus 20:7
4. Exodus 20:8
5. Exodus 20:12
6. Exodus 20:13
7. Exodus 20:14
8. Exodus 20:15
9. Exodus 20:16
10. Exodus 20:17

PRAYER: Dear God, thank You that You know how we work best and tell us how to live so we can be happy. Thank You for these rules for living. Amen.

MORE: The Top Ten
Review God’s top ten rules for living. Which do you find the hardest to obey? Why?

Answers

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

The Fearful Otherness of God

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Exodus 19:16-25

TO CHEW ON: "On the morning of the third day there was thunder and lightning, with a thick cloud over the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast. Everyone in the camp trembled. Then Moses led the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain." Exodus 19:16,17

Who is the person you would most like to meet in the world?
Suppose you knew you were going to meet this person. What are some things you would do to get ready?

The day Moses and the people got to Mount Sinai in the Sinai Desert, God called Moses to meet with Him on the mountain. There He told Moses He Himself would come down and meet the people in three days. But first they had to get ready. They must wash their clothes and put a fence around the bottom of the mountain.

If you met the person you most wanted to meet, what are some of the things you might see?

limousine, flowers, police guards, red carpet, cheering fans, bands, parades

I wonder what the Israelites expected to see when they knew they would meet God. Perhaps they thought He might look like a fierce animal – a dragon or lion. Or perhaps they thought He would look like a royal king.

Finally it was the morning of the day God would appear. (Exodus 19:16-20)
1. What did the people hear?
2. What did they see?
3. How did they feel?

"The Giving of the Law Upon Mt. Sinai" by Gustave Dore

When God showed Himself, He was awesome, powerful and fearful. He was so bright, smoke had to shield His glory from their eyes. He was so holy, the people couldn’t touch the mountain where His presence rested or they would die (that's why God had told them to build a fence). And even so He had only shown a small part of who He was.

PRAYER: God, You are holy, fearful and awesome. I worship you. Amen


MORE: When God comes
Several stories in the Bible tell of times when God came to people in different ways.

Read these Scriptures if you need help:
1 Samuel 3:1-11
Daniel 5:1-7
Acts 5:1-10


Answers

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Taking Advice

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Exodus 18:13-27

TO CHEW ON: "Moses listened to his father-in-law and did everything he said." Exodus 18:24

One day Moses got some important visitors. His father-in-law Jethro brought Moses’ wife and two sons to be with him. They had a wonderful family reunion and Moses told them the incredible story of how God brought them out of Egypt

The next day, Moses took Jethro to work with him. Continue telling the story by choosing the best ending:

1. Jethro saw that all day: (Exodus 18:13):
a] Moses gathered manna.
b] Moses made plans for traveling.
c] Moses judged the people.

2. He said to Moses: (Exodus 18:17):
a] “What you are doing is not good.”
b] “The way you do this is brilliant.”
c] “Why are you so lazy?”

3. Jethro had a better way for Moses to do all that judging. He told Moses, he should: (Exodus 18:20-22):
a] let people decide things for themselves.
b] train others to judge the easy cases and Moses would judge only the hard ones.
c] scold the people for being so quarrelsome.

"Jethro and Moses" by James Tissot

4. When Moses heard Jethro’s advice he: (Exodus 18:24)
a] listened to it and did what Jethro said.
b] argued with Jethro about why he really needed to judge everyone.
c] was upset because Jethro had criticized him.

What do you think of Jethro’s advice? Can you think of other ways Moses’ problem could have been solved?

If even wise men like Moses can learn from the advice of others, we should do the same!

PRAYER: Dear God, help me to listen to the advice of parents, teachers and others who are wise. Amen.


MORE: Whose Advice?

Though asking for and taking advice is good, it’s also important to remember that we shouldn’t take the advice of just anyone.
Some things we can ask ourselves when choosing an adviser about a situation are:
1) does this person have special knowledge about this?
2) does this person have experience with this?
3) does this person care about me and have my interest at heart?
4) has this person given good advice in the past?

Whose advice would you ask for in these situations? Pick from the list of possible advisers at the bottom – or think of the name of someone you know.

1. You have bad stomach aches.
2. You can’t understand your math assignment.
3. There is a bully at school who constantly harasses you.
4. You want to know more about God.
5. Your friend is in trouble.

Doctor, Teacher, Pastor, Counselor, Parent, Grandparent, Friend, Sunday School teacher.

Answers

Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.