Responsibilities
- Venus Jackson
- 3 days ago
- 4 min read
Upcoming week (01/13/26) Numbers Ch.16 Next week (1/20/25) Numbers Ch.17 |
Questions for Numbers Chapter 16 - 01/13/2025
Why do you think God is asking for these offerings?
Was the stoning of the man too harsh?
Recap from 1/06/2026
Sandra gave a great summarization of Numbers chapter 15. She discussed what God expected of the Israelites once they entered “the land which I am taking you into” (v.18).
But why were these instructions given at this moment?
Because the people had repeatedly shown ignorance, forgetfulness, and outright defiance—to the point that disobedience had already resulted in death.
As a parent, there comes a time when discipline becomes necessary. We don’t punish because we enjoy it; we discipline because not doing so would be irresponsible. Without boundaries, children self-destruct. They grow up without the discipline needed to function well in a world that can be unfair and unforgiving. The earlier good habits are taught, the easier it is to cope with whatever life brings.
God could not have His people running unchecked in a dangerous land He was leading them into. That kind of disorder would have gotten the entire community killed. He needed them alive—because He had a plan.
So when we come to the man who broke the Sabbath by gathering wood in verse 32, God’s punishment of death may seem harsh (v.35), especially since just a few verses earlier God had declared:
30 “‘But anyone who sins defiantly, whether native-born or foreigner, blasphemes the Lord and must be cut off from the people of Israel.31 Because they have despised the Lord’s word and broken his commands, they must surely be cut off; their guilt remains on them.’”
Cut off.
What does that mean?
I assumed it meant the man would be sent into the wilderness. Apparently, so did the people who captured him, since they placed him under guard “because it was not clear what should be done to him” (v.34).
But no—God instructed that the man be put to death.
Zero tolerance.
That sounds harsh. Unrelenting. Judgmental. Done in anger… or was it?
I believe it was the opposite.
God used the phrase “cut off” intentionally. It allowed room for different forms of judgment, depending on the nature of the sin. “Cut off” could have meant:
being sent away to fend for himself
isolation from the camp
continued confinement
or death
God chose death.
Why?
After miracle upon miracle, after repeated mercy, after Moses interceding again and again—and even after witnessing people die because of disobedience—this man openly violated a well-established holy day. Not in secret. Not out of confusion. But publicly.
This was not ignorance. This was defiance.
Had the act been an honest mistake, a misunderstanding, or committed by someone newly joined to the camp, mercy may very well have been shown. But deliberate rebellion, in front of everyone, demanded a response.
In the previous chapter, we saw how a handful of men stirred fear and rebellion that ultimately led to the deaths of many. That mentality was already present. Allowing such open defiance to go unaddressed would have been irresponsible—it would have planted another seed of corruption and death within the community.
And God is not one to neglect His responsibilities.
He keeps His promises even when doing so is painful. One of those promises was to bring the Israelites out of Egypt and into a land of freedom (Exodus 5:6–8). To fulfill that promise, He sometimes had to save His people from themselves.
Like any good parent, this was likely not the path God preferred—but it was the one required to ensure that His promise, and His responsibility to His people, were fulfilled.
Prayer requests:
Jamaican families during and after the Hurricane Melissa - a catastrophic storm that hit Jamaica and other islands. With sustained winds of up to 185 mph, It was the most powerful hurricane to approach the island in recorded history
Safety, protection and healing over all Walk and Talkers (past present and future) and their families
Quick healing over Sammantra's son. He is looking as handsome and unbothered as ever but he did miss out on basketball this season.
Healing and repairing of Frances' ankle and neck, Neck surgery is comlete! Praying for full recovery. Frances carrying herself with her usual grace and has even returned to work though she still has to be careful.
For God to not only physically provide for Joan's friend and her family but also provide physical and mental strength - update: prayerfully she has a new job!
A quick recovery for Joan's friend who broke her hip - can't have surgery because of her heart so she is doing therapy.
Venus' dad who has recovered from cancer but needs all malignant small nodes on lungs to be destroyed (update - Dad is doing well. He will have to go through treatment over the next year but he is thankful)
Praying for all of us to have an encounter with God in our own unique ways especially during this fasting month.
Renee is trying to get back to Ga. Please keep her family in your prayers. Her daughter who recently had a baby is trying to get a job in Georgia.
Send up prayers for those of us who are leading small groups for the upcoming semester. Sandra is especially asking for a prayer of covering. Please pray for all of us - that we are obedient, wise and protected as we help to lead in God's Word.
Trail Walk
Saturday
Date: TBA
Sandy Creek Park
Time: TBA
Potluck Tuesday was also a suggestion from last semester. Anyone interested in doing a Potluck once a month? Open to suggestions on an ideal day and time we can do this.
Health goals
Pray and think about the goals that God has for your life. He has many, but one of the areas we concentrate on in Walk and Talk is our health. How do you think God wants us to care for ourselves? What steps are we taking to be the best person we can be?
See you Tuesday!!
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