Immerse: Bible Reading Experience - NLT Daily Bible In A Year

Day 136: Purifying the Levites, Passover Instructions, and Israel's Journey - Immerse Daily Bible Reading Experience

In this episode of Immerse: the Daily Bible Reading Experience, we delve into Day 136 of our journey through the scriptures. This reading covers several key topics related to the early days of the Israelites in the wilderness. The Lord instructs Moses to purify and dedicate the Levites for service in the tabernacle, substituting them for the firstborn sons of Israel. Detailed procedures for the purification and offerings are described, emphasizing the Levites' unique role in serving the community and ensuring no plague strikes them when approaching the sanctuary. The Lord also commands Moses to relay specific guidelines for celebrating the Passover, even accommodating those who are ceremonially unclean or on a journey. The narrative continues with the movement of the Israelites, guided by the cloud of the Lord, and specific instructions on the use of silver trumpets to coordinate the community's activities. A significant portion of the reading addresses the Israelites' complaints about their hardships and craving for meat, highlighting Moses' plea to God for assistance and God's provision of quail, followed by a severe plague as a consequence of their gluttony. The episode concludes with the journey of the Israelites to Hazera. This reading offers rich insights into the early organizational structure, religious practices, and communal challenges of the Israelite people.

00:00 Introduction and Setting the Scene
00:04 Ceremonial Cleansing of the Levites
02:51 Instructions for the Levites
03:17 Celebrating the Passover
05:35 The Cloud and the Tabernacle
07:04 Trumpets and Signals
08:27 Journey from Sinai
11:43 Complaints and Quail
17:30 Conclusion and Farewell

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Malcom: Welcome to Immerse: the
Daily Bible reading Experience.

Day 100 and 36

then the Lord said to Moses, now
set the Levites apart from the

rest of the people of Israel and
make them ceremonially clean.

Do this by sprinkling them with the water
of P purification and have them shave

their entire body and wash their clothing.

Then they will be ceremonially clean.

Have them bring a young bowl and
a grain offering of choice flour

moistened with olive oil, along with a
second young bowl for a sin offering.

Then assemble the whole community
of Israel and present the Levites

at the entrance of the tabernacle.

When you present the Levites before
the Lord, the people of Israel

must lay their hands on them.

Raising his hands.

Aaron must then present the Levites
to the Lord as a special offering

from the people of Israel, thus
dedicating them to the Lord's service.

Next, the Levites will lay their hands
on the heads of the young bulls present,

one as a sin offering and the other as a
burnt offering to the Lord, to purify the

Levites and make them right with the Lord.

Then have the Levites stand in
front of Aaron and his sons.

And raise your hands and present them
as a special offering to the Lord.

In this way, you will set the Levites
apart from the rest of the people of

Israel, and the Levites will belong to me.

After this, they may go into
the tabernacle to do their work

because you have purified them and
presented them as a special offering.

Of all the people of Israel,
the Levites are reserved for me.

I have claimed them for myself.

In place of all the firstborn sons of the
Israelites, I have taken the Levites as

their substitutes for all the firstborn
males among the people of Israel are

mine, both of people, and of animals.

I set them apart for myself.

On the day I struck down all the
firstborn sons of the Egyptians.

Yes, I have claimed the Levites in place
of all the firstborn sons of Israel and

of all the Israelites I have assigned
the Levites to Aaron and his sons.

They will serve in the tabernacle
on behalf of the Israelites and

make sacrifices to purify the
people so no plague will strike them

when they approach the sanctuary.

So Moses, Aaron, and the whole community
of Israel dedicated the Levites carefully.

Following all the Lord's instructions to
Moses, the Levites purified themselves

from sin and washed their clothes,
and Aaron lifted them up and presented

them to the Lord as a special offering.

He then offered a sacrifice to purify
them and make them right with the Lord.

After that, the Levites went into
the tabernacle to perform their

duties, assisting Aaron and his sons.

So they carried out all the
commands that the Lord gave

Moses concerning the Levites.

The Lord also instructed Moses.

This is the rule the Levites must follow.

They must begin serving in the tabernacle
at the age of 25, and they must retire

at the age of 50 after retirement.

They may assist their fellow Levites by
serving as guards at the tabernacle, but

they may not officiate in the service.

This is how you must assign
duties to the Levites.

A year after Israel's departure
from Egypt, the Lord spoke to

Moses in the wilderness of Sinai
in the first month of that year.

He said, tell the Israelites to
celebrate the Passover at the

prescribed time at Twilight on
the 14th day of the first month.

Be sure to follow all my decrees and
regulations concerning this celebration.

So Moses told the people to celebrate
the Passover in the wilderness

of Sinai as twilight fell on the
14th day of the month, and they

celebrated the festival there just
as the Lord had commanded Moses.

But some of the men had been ceremonially
defiled by touching a dead body, so they

could not celebrate the Passover that day.

They came to Moses and Aaron that day
and said, we have become ceremonially

unclean by touching a dead body.

But why should we be prevented
from presenting the Lord's

offering at the proper time
with the rest of the Israelites?

Moses answered.

Wait here until I have received
instructions for you from the Lord.

This was the Lord's reply to Moses.

Give the following instructions
to the people of Israel.

If any of the people now or in future
generations are ceremonially unclean at

Passover time because of touching a dead
body, or if they are on a journey and

cannot be present at the ceremony, they
may still celebrate the Lord's Passover.

They must offer the Passover sacrifice.

One month later at twilight on the
14th day of the second month, they

must eat the Passover lamb at that
time with bitter salad, greens,

and bread made without yeast.

They must not leave any of the lamb
until the next morning, and they

must not break any of its bones.

They must follow all the normal
regulations concerning the Passover,

but those who neglect to celebrate
the Passover at the regular time, even

though they are ceremonially clean
and not away out, a trip will be cut

off from the community of Israel.

If they fail to present the Lord's
offering at the proper time, they will

suffer the consequences of their guilt.

And if foreigners living among you want
to celebrate the Passover to the Lord?

They must follow these same
decrees and regulations.

The same laws apply both to
native born Israelites and to

the foreigners living among you.

On the day the tabernacle was
set up, the cloud covered it.

But from evening until morning,
the cloud over the tabernacle

looked like a pillar of fire.

This was the regular pattern.

At night, the cloud that covered the
tabernacle had the appearance of fire.

Whenever the cloud lifted from over
the sacred tent, the people of Israel

would break camp and follow it,
and wherever the cloud settled, the

people of Israel would set up camp.

In this way, they traveled and
camped at the Lord's command

wherever he told them to go.

Then they remained in their camp as long
as the cloud stayed over the tabernacle.

If the cloud remained over the tabernacle
for a long time, the Israelites stayed

and performed their duty to the Lord.

Sometimes the cloud would stay over
the tabernacle for only a few days,

so the people would stay for only
a few days as the Lord commanded.

Then at the Lord's command, they
would break camp and move on.

Sometimes the cloud stayed only
overnight and lifted the next morning.

But day or night, when the cloud lifted,
the people broke camp and moved on.

Whether the cloud stayed above the
tabernacle for two days a month

or a year, the people of Israel
stayed in camp and did not move on.

But as soon as it lifted,
they broke camp and moved on.

So they camped or traveled at the
Lord's command and they did whatever

the Lord told them through Moses.

Now the Lord said to Moses, make
two trumpets of hammered silver for

calling the community to assemble and
for signaling the breaking of camp.

When both trumpets are blown,
everyone must gather before you

at the entrance of the tabernacle.

But if only one trumpet is blown,
then only the leaders, the heads

of the clans of Israel must present
themselves to you When you sound the

signal to move on, the tribes camped
on the east side of the tabernacle

must break camp and move forward.

When you sound the signal a
second time, the tribes camped

on the south will follow.

You must sound short blasts
as the signal for moving on.

But when you call the people to
an assembly, blow the trumpets

with a different signal.

Only the priests errands.

Descendants are allowed
to blow the trumpets.

This is a permanent law for you to be
observed from generation to generation.

When you arrive in your own land and go
to war against your enemies who attack

you, sound the alarm with the trumpets,
then the Lord your God will remember

you and rescue you from your enemies.

Blow the trumpets in times of gladness
too, sounding them at your annual

festivals and at the beginning of each
month and blow the trumpets over your

burnt offerings and peace offerings.

The trumpets will remind your
God of his covenant with you.

I am the Lord your God.

In the second year after Israel's
departure from Egypt on the 20th day

of the second month, the cloud lifted
from the tabernacle of the covenant.

So the Israelites set out from the
wilderness of Sinai and traveled on

from place to place until the cloud
stopped in the wilderness of paren.

When the people set out for the first
time following the instructions,

the Lord had given through Moses
Judah's troops led the way.

They marched behind their banner and
their leader was Nashan, son of Amab.

They were joined by the troops of the
tribe of Issachar, led by Nathaniel

son of Zu, and the troops of the tribe
of Zebulon, led by Elia, son of Helen.

Then the Tabernacle was taken down and
the Gersen Knight and Maite divisions

of the Levites were next in the line of
March, carrying the Tabernacle with them.

Ruben's troops went next
marching behind their banner.

Their leader was Eliza, son of Shadier.

They were joined by the troops
of the tribe of Simeon, led by

Shaio, son of Zuru, Shadi, and
the troops of the tribe of Gad.

Led by Eliasoph, son of duel.

Next came the Koha fight division
of the Levites, carrying the

sacred objects from the tabernacle.

Before they arrived at the next
camp, the Tabernacle would already

be set up at its new location.

Ephraim's troops went next
marching behind their banner.

Their leader was Alima son of am Maud.

They were joined by the troops of the
tribe of Manasa, led by Emilio son of Pza,

and the troops of the tribe of Benjamin.

Led by a Biden, son of Gioni.

Dan's troops went last marching
behind their banner and serving as the

rear guard for all the tribal camps.

Their leader was Aiser son of Emma Shadi.

They were joined by the troops of
the Tribe of Asher, led by pa, son of

Akron, and the troops of the Tribe of
Naftaly, led by Ajara, son of Enon.

This was the order in which the
Israelites marched division by division.

One day Moses said to his brother-in-law,
Hoba, son of rule, the Midianite.

We are on our way to the place
the Lord promised us for.

He said, I will give it to you.

Come with us and we will treat you well.

For the Lord has promised wonderful
blessings for Israel, but Hoba

replied, no, I will not go.

I must return to my own land and family.

Please don't leave us.

Moses pleaded.

You know the places in the
wilderness where we should camp.

Come be our guide.

If you do, we'll share with you all
the blessings the Lord gives us.

They marched for three days after leaving
the mountain of the Lord with the Ark

of the Lord's covenant, moving ahead
of them to show them where to stop and

rest as they moved on each day, the
cloud of the Lord hovered over them.

And whenever the ark set out, Moses
would shout, arise, oh Lord, and

let your enemies be scattered.

Let them flee before you.

And when the ark was set down,
he would say, return, oh Lord, to

the countless thousands of Israel.

Soon the people began to complain
about their hardship, and the

Lord heard everything they said.

Then the Lord's anger blazed against
them, and he sent a fire to rage among

them, and he destroyed some of the
people in the outskirts of the camp.

Then the people screamed to Moses
for help, and when he prayed

to the Lord, the fire stopped.

After that, the area was known
astara, which means the place

of burning because fire from the
Lord had burned among them there.

Then the foreign rabble who were
traveling with the Israelites began to

crave the good things of Egypt, and the
people of Israel also began to complain,

oh, for some meat they exclaimed.

We remember the fish we used to
eat for free in Egypt, and we had

all the cucumbers, melons, leaks,
onions and garlic we wanted,

but now our appetites are gone.

All we ever see is this manna.

The manna looked like small coriander
seeds, and it was pale yellow like

gum resin that people would go
out and gather it from the ground.

They made flour by grinding it with
hand mills or pounding it in mortars.

Then they boiled it in a pot
and made it into flat cakes.

These cakes tasted like
pastries baked with olive oil.

The manna came down on the camp
with the dew during the night.

Moses heard all the family standing in
the doorways of their tents, whining,

and the Lord became extremely angry.

Moses was also very aggravated, and
Moses said to the Lord, why are you

treating me your servant so harshly?

Have mercy on me.

What did I do to deserve the
burden of all these people?

Did I give birth to them?

Did I bring them into the world?

Why did you tell me to
carry them in my arms?

Like a mother carries a nursing baby.

How can I carry them to the land
you swore to give their ancestors?

Where am I supposed to get
meat for all these people?

They keep whining to me
saying, give us meat to eat.

I can't carry all these people by myself.

The load is far too heavy.

If this is how you intend to treat
me, just go ahead and kill me.

Do me a favor and spare me this misery.

Then the Lord said to Moses, gather
before me, 70 men who are recognized as

elders and leaders of Israel bring them
to the tabernacle to stand there with you.

I will come down and talk to you there.

I will take some of the spirit
that is upon you and I will

put the spirit upon them also.

They will bear the burden of the
people along with you, so you will not

have to carry it alone and say to the
people, purify yourselves for tomorrow.

You will have meat to eat.

You were whining and the Lord
heard you when you cried.

Oh, for some meat we
were better off in Egypt.

Now the Lord will give you meat
and you will have to eat it, and

it won't be for just a day or
two or for five or 10 or even 20.

You will eat it for a whole month
until you gag and are sick of it for

you have rejected the Lord who is here
among you, and you have whined to him

saying, why did we ever leave Egypt?

But Moses responded to the Lord,
there are 600,000 foot soldiers here

with me, and yet you say, I will
give them meat for a whole month.

Even if we butchered all our flocks
and herds, would that satisfy them?

Even if we caught all the fish
in the sea, would that be enough?

Then the Lord said to Moses,
has my arm lost its power?

Now you will see whether
or not my word comes true.

So Moses went out and reported
the Lord's words to the people.

He gathered the 70 elders and stationed
them around the tabernacle, and the Lord

came down in the cloud and spoke to Moses.

Then he gave the 70 elders the same
spirit that was upon Moses, and when the

spirit rested upon them, they prophesied.

But this never happened again.

Two men, l, dad and me, dad
had stayed behind in the camp.

They were listed among the
elders, but they had not gone

out to the tabernacle yet.

The spirit rested upon them as well,
so they prophesied there in the camp.

A young man ran and reported to Moses.

L Dad and me dad are prophesying in the
camp Joshua, son of none who had been

Moses' assistant since his youth protested
Moses, my master, make them stop.

But Moses replied, are you jealous?

For my sake, I wish that all the Lord's
people were prophets and that the Lord

would put his spirit upon them all.

Then Moses returned to the
camp with the elders of Israel.

Now the Lord sent a wind that
brought quail from the sea and

let them fall all around the camp
for miles in every direction.

There were quail flying about
three feet above the ground.

So the people went out and caught
quail all that day and throughout

the night and all the next day too.

No one gathered less than 50 bushels.

They spread the quail all
around the camp to dry.

But while they were gorging themselves
on the meat, while it was still in

their mouths, the anger of the Lord
blazed against the people, and he

struck them with a severe plague.

So that place was called Kira Eva,
which means graves of gluttony because

there they buried the people who had
craved meat from Egypt, from Berth Heva.

The Israelites traveled to Hazera
where they stayed for some time.

This concludes today's
Immer Reading experience.

Thank you for joining us.