Numbers aren't always boring

Numbers
Well, Leviticus is done!  I must admit, it got a little boring reading all those laws.  I thought Numbers would be similar, seeing as the first three chapters were about counting the fighting men.  However, I read a footnote in my bible that made these numbers seem a little more interesting.  It was saying that this census, which occurs at the beginning and end of Numbers, was more than just taking a count of the nation.  They were only counting the fighting men because at both times they were preparing to invade the promised land (the first attempt failed because they weren't courageous enough to go through with it).  In addition, the men were counted within family units, and organized into family units, so that they're co-fighters would be close family, and more precious to them than simply an acquaintance from some other tribe within Israel.  These numbers can actually teach us a lot about God and his people, if we know what to do with them.

Matthew
Today's reading in Matthew (latter part of ch. 21) reminded me of an Adventures in Odyssey episode.  This is a children's radio drama show that has been going on for about 25 years.  The episode that I'm referring to is a re-enactment of some of the parables in Matthew - the parable of the tenants, the parable of the two sons, and also the section on the authority of Jesus questioned.  The episode is called Over the Airwaves, and it originally aired on January 19, 1991.  You can read mroe about the episode here.

Sacrifices

Leviticus
As I was reading about the sacrifices that the Israelites had to make to appear holy before God, I honestly started wondering, why all these sacrifices?  Why the slaughtering and the blood?  What's the point?
This is just a picture of what God truly wants.  He wants us to understand that approaching him is a serious business.  Animal sacrifices are no longer necessary.  God desires mercy instead.  But mercy is a sort of sacrifice.  We're giving up what we would want to do to others, and offering them something else in return.  We're giving up what we would want to do in life, and taking up God's will instead.  Like it says in Psalm 51:17, "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise."  Instead of breaking animals on the altar, we're breaking ourselves, and that is usually a whole lot harder to do.