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Sharper Iron, hosted by Rev. Timothy Appel, looks at the text of Holy Scripture both in its broad context and its narrow detail, all for the sake of proclaiming Christ crucified and risen for sinners. Two pastors engage with God’s Word to sharpen not only their own faith and knowledge, but the faith and knowledge of all who listen. Sharper Iron is underwritten by Lutheran Church Extension Fund, where your investments help support the work of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Visit lcef.org.
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The LORD continues to prepare His people for their entry into the Promised Land. He lays out the boundaries of the land He is giving to them as a definite and concrete fulfillment of what He has spoken. The fact that the LORD gives these boundaries before the people have entered the land further solidifies the certainty of His promise, as does the …
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Now that the LORD has led His people to the brink of the Promised Land, Moses recounts the places Israel has camped since the Exodus from Egypt. Each place mentioned along the way is a place where the LORD led His people. Throughout this history, Moses highlights God’s gracious work for His rebellious people. From Egypt to Sinai through the wildern…
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The tribes of Reuben and Gad, along with half of the tribe of Manasseh, approach Moses with a request to inherit land on the east side of the Jordan River, because that area is fitting for raising their livestock. Moses initially reacts with anger against this request, remembering how Israel’s refusal to go into the Promised Land forty years ago ha…
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The LORD commands His people to bring His vengeance upon the idolatry of Midian, by which Midian had led Israel into idolatry. Zealous Phineas, who previously has stopped the idolatrous worship, leads Israel in this battle, serving as a reminder that the LORD is the One who fights and wins for His people. Israel puts to death the five kings of Midi…
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Moses gives Israel instructions concerning vows. As the LORD does according to His Word, so the LORD’s people also should do according to their word. The provisions for men and women making vows serve two purposes. First, the LORD’s commands are given priority and govern what His people might vow. Second, the vows of an individual are not to underc…
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The LORD continues to give His people instructions for their life of worship when they get to the Promised Land. This chapter turns their attention to the festivals in the second half of Israel’s religious calendar. The Feast of Trumpets was a harvest celebration that marked the beginning of these holy days. The Day of Atonement was a central obser…
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The LORD instructs His people concerning their life of worship when they get into the Promised Land. He gives them daily sacrifices as a foundation for His grace among them. He adds grace to grace by giving further weekly sacrifices every Sabbath day. At the beginning of every month, the LORD gives more grace through additional sacrifices. In this …
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The new generation of Israelites who will enter the Promised Land begins to show itself faithful to the LORD’s Word. The daughters of Zelophehad know what the LORD has promised concerning the land as the family’s inheritance, and so they approach Moses in faith with a question about what will happen in their family, since their father has no sons. …
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The old generation of those Israelites who refused to go into the Promised Land has now died, and the new generation of those Israelites who were younger than twenty years old stands ready to enter the LORD’s inheritance. Because Aaron has already died, Eleazar assists Moses in taking this second census. Whereas the first census in Numbers focused …
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Although Balaam was unable to get the LORD to curse Israel, the false prophet finds success in getting Israel to curse itself. By engaging in adulterous acts with the idolatrous daughters of Moab, the people Israel join themselves to the idolatrous worship of Baal of Peor. The LORD’s wrath against His rebellious people is swift; He sends a plague a…
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The Word of the LORD continues to speak through Balaam for blessing upon Israel rather than curses. Neither the evil intentions of the false prophet or the pagan king will stop God from being present for His own people for their good. Balak grows angrier at Balaam, and yet the LORD continues to speak. He gives His Word to Balaam so that even this f…
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Balaam instructs Balak to prepare seven altars with seven bulls and seven rams in preparation for a word from God. Although Balak has paid Balaam to curse Israel, the LORD’s first word to Balaam is one of blessing over His people. Balak protests, but he has Balaam move to a different spot with a different view over Israel, hoping that this will all…
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For a few chapters, Moses turns our attention toward the camp of Israel’s enemy. King Balak of Moab realizes that physical force will not succeed against Israel, so he attempts spiritual warfare against Israel’s God. Balak offers to pay the false prophet Balaam to curse Israel. Balaam agrees to go, saying that he will only be able to say what has b…
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The people of Israel continue their journey toward the Promised Land from one place to the next according to the LORD’s direction. In contrast to previous parts of their trip, in this section, Israel joyfully follows the LORD. They even sing His praises for giving them water instead of grumbling that there isn’t any! As Israel draws closer to the P…
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Israel’s journey toward the Promised Land continues to meet external opposition. When a Canaanite king comes out against Israel, Israel turns to the LORD for His help, and He is faithful to His promise. However, when Israel’s journey turns in a seemingly wrong direction due to Edom’s lack of cooperation, the people are quick to grumble again. In re…
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The book of Numbers fast-forwards thirty-eight years to the last part of Israel’s wilderness wanderings. They come back to the same place where they had previously refused to enter the Promised Land. Miriam’s death signals that the older generation is almost at its end. When the people grumble once more about the lack of water and think they had it…
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In this chapter, the LORD first instructs His people in how they will make water for purification, and second, He describes situations for that water’s use. A red heifer without defect is sacrificed and burned along with other specific items in order to make ashes for use in the water for purification. Such water is used especially when an Israelit…
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Although Levites were the primary leaders of a recent rebellion against the LORD, He does not reject their ongoing service in His midst. Instead, He confirms that He will continue to use the ministry of both Levites and priests for service in His holy sanctuary. The priesthood given to Aaron and his sons is a gift from the LORD, both to Aaron and t…
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Only one day after watching the earth swallow up Korah and his company, the rest of Israel still grumbled against Moses and Aaron, thinking that they could approach the LORD apart from His chosen mediators. When the LORD began to send a plague against Israel, Moses interceded for the people by sending Aaron with burning incense to stand between the…
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Although not every event in Israel’s wilderness wandering is recorded, the rebellion led by Korah, Dathan, and Abiram typifies the rebelliousness of the older generation. Although the descendants of Kohath already hold the honored position of carrying the holy things of the tabernacle, still they desire for themselves the priestly service given to …
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Although the older generation of Israelites has just heard the LORD decree that they will die in the wilderness, this does not mean Israel will not possess the Promised Land. The LORD reminds His people that He will keep His promise by turning to give them instructions that they will need for their life in Canaan. The LORD doesn’t say “if” you get …
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The bad report of the ten unfaithful spies leads Israel into utter rebellion against the LORD, as they look for someone to lead them back to Egypt. When Joshua and Caleb remind the people that they do not need to be afraid because the LORD is with them, the people of Israel are ready to stone them along with Moses and Aaron until the LORD intervene…
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The LORD brings His people to the wilderness of Paran, the brink of the Promised Land. He commands Moses to send twelve spies into Canaan, one spy from each tribe. Moses sends them into the land and asks them to bring back a report concerning the people of the land, their cities, and their produce. He tells them to be of good courage because he kno…
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The grumbling in Israel spreads all the way to the leadership as Miriam and Aaron complain that their little brother isn't the only one through whom the LORD speaks. The LORD comes quickly to remind these two that Moses is, in fact, the LORD's chosen prophet among them. With faithful Moses, the LORD speaks not simply in visions but mouth-to-mouth. …
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Even though the people of Israel dwell with the LORD in their midst, they quickly fall into their familiar grumbling on their way to the Promised Land. They long for the food of Egypt, despite the versatility of manna. Moses responds to the people's grumbling by bringing the matter before the LORD and asking for help in leading the people. The LORD…
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Just over a year after the Exodus from Egypt, the people of Israel leave Mount Sinai. They move into the wilderness of Paran, traveling according to the order the LORD had given them before leaving the mountain. The LORD leads them by His presence in the cloud, and the Levites carry His moveable dwelling in the midst of Israel. Moses employs his br…
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The LORD provides final travel instructions for His people before they set out from Mount Sinai. The cloud of the LORD's presence is the visible sign that Israel follows the LORD. However long the cloud remains in a place, the people remain. When the cloud moves, the people move behind the LORD. Two silver trumpets give an audible signal for the LO…
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Before the people of Israel leave Mount Sinai, the time arrives for them to celebrate the Passover. They do so according to the LORD's instructions, a fitting way to prepare for their journey toward the Promised Land. When some men become unclean through contact with a dead body, Moses and Aaron seek the LORD's counsel as to whether these men can c…
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The LORD keeps His people's focus on the tabernacle by reminding them of the lampstand in the holy place, which shone constantly in His presence. He next gives instructions for cleansing of the Levites in order that they may be set apart for service before Him in His dwelling place. Moses, Aaron, and the people of Israel carried out these instructi…
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The second-longest chapter of the Bible takes us back chronologically to focus our attention on the LORD's tabernacle, where He dwelled among His people. When the tabernacle was set up, the chiefs of the tribes of Israel brought an offering to assist the Levites in their service of carrying the tabernacle from place to place. When Moses recounts th…
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God gave His people the Nazirite vow as an opportunity for an individual Israelite to set himself apart for a particular task for the LORD for a limited period of time. Open to both men and women, the Nazirite was to remain separate from three particular things. First, Nazirites were not to partake of alcoholic drinks or anything made from grapes. …
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The LORD desires that His people approach His holiness according to His will and Word. Those who are unclean through a skin disease or contact with the dead must be put outside the camp until they are made clean again. Someone who comes to realize a sin after the fact must not ignore it. Instead, he must make restitution to the one he wronged or to…
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As the LORD assigns duties to the Levites, He now has Moses number only those who are physically able to complete their service in the tabernacle, that is, those between thirty and fifty years of age. The sons of Kohath will care for the holy items within the tabernacle. The priests must make special preparations for the Kohathites so that they do …
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The LORD purposely told Moses not to count the Levites as a part of the Israelite army, because the Levites have a different role among the people of Israel. Aaron and his sons are to serve as priests in the LORD’s house, and the Levites are to assist the sons of Aaron. The Levites also serve the people by guarding the tabernacle, lest the people g…
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The LORD orders His people both in the way they camp and in the way they march. As the tribe through which the line of the promised Christ will come, the tribe of Judah occupies the first place. At the same time, the tabernacle occupies the central place, for the LORD’s presence among His people is primary. Although the people surround the tabernac…
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The fourth book of Moses begins at the base of Mount Sinai in the second year after the LORD delivered His people from slavery in Egypt. There, the LORD continues to speak to Moses so that His people will listen to His Word. He names and numbers His army one tribe at a time in preparation for their conquest of the Promised Land. As the book of Numb…
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"Wilderness Wanderings” is a series on Sharper Iron that goes through the book of Numbers. After the LORD delivers His people from slavery in Egypt, He leads them toward the Promised Land. Although the first generation of Israelites proves faithless, the LORD remains faithful to His people and brings a new generation of Israelites to the plains of …
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In the final stanza of Psalm 119, we place before God’s face our desperate need so that He will give us understanding and deliverance according to His promise. In response, our mouths open to sing and chant back to God what He has first said to us. We long for His salvation, knowing that apart from Jesus, we are sheep doomed to destruction. We pray…
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In the twenty-first stanza of Psalm 119, God’s Word is our joy greater than any other treasure. The riches of God’s Word are so great that we sing His praises always and regularly. Although the enemies of God may attack us, His Word makes us stand firm and shapes our ways according to His. Rev. Mark Squire, pastor at Immanuel Lutheran Church in St.…
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In the twentieth stanza of Psalm 119, we pray that God would see us in our affliction to deliver us. He must be the one to stand up for our case and justify us by His promise. Although our adversaries are many, we need not waver from God’s Word, because His mercies far outnumber those who would harm us. This is our confidence, because God’s Word is…
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In the nineteenth stanza of Psalm 119, we call out to God with our entire being, asking for His salvation. Because we know that the morning will bring His salvation, we vigilantly wait for Him to keep His promise. Although our enemies draw near, God is nearer still in His promise, now and forever. Rev. Dr. Tim Saleska, Professor of Exegetical Theol…
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In the eighteenth stanza of Psalm 119, we praise God as the Righteous One who gives us His righteousness through His Word. He is faithful to His Word; He has never failed to keep His promises. Even though we are small, despised, troubled, and anguished, He gives us delight through His eternal righteousness. Rev. Andrew Belt, pastor at Christ Luther…
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In the seventeenth stanza of Psalm 119, we marvel at the wonder of God’s Word that gives light and understanding. As we long for His commandments, God turns His face toward us with grace and keeps our steps steady by His promise. Even as we mourn at those who do not keep God’s Law, we rejoice in His redemption from man’s oppression. Rev. Dr. Martin…
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In the sixteenth stanza of Psalm 119, we look to God to give us Himself as the pledge that He will act to fulfill His righteous promise. He deals with us according to His steadfast love, and so we long for His appointed time to bring about His salvation. In this confidence, we love His Words as the most valuable thing of all. Rev. Sean Daenzer, Dir…
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In the fifteenth stanza of Psalm 119, our attitudes toward evil are shaped by God’s. As God spurns all who go astray from His Word, so we too renounce all wickedness and double-mindedness. Standing in fear and awe before the holy God, we cling to Him and to His Word alone, knowing that He is our only Savior. Rev. Matt Wietfeldt, Assistant Vice Pres…
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In the fourteenth stanza of Psalm 119, we rejoice to walk in the light of God’s Word. Although our lives may be under constant attack by the enemies of God and His Church, still we know that the Word of God will give us life. As God has given us an inheritance of grace in His Word, we incline our hearts toward all that He says. Rev. Joel Heckmann, …
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In the thirteenth stanza of Psalm 119, we give thanks for the way God’s Word makes us wiser and gives us more understanding than anything or anyone else. For this reason, we love His Word but hate every false way. Rather than going astray to the right or the left, we seek to stay on the path God's Word gives us. Rev. Ian Kinney, pastor at First Lut…
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In the twelfth stanza of Psalm 119, we confess the eternal nature of God’s Word. Even as His Word stands fast in the heavens, He brings it to us so that it gives us joy and life. Apart from God’s Word, we would perish in the traps of the wicked; therefore, God keeps us as His by His grace. Rev. Harrison Goodman, content executive for Higher Things,…
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In the eleventh stanza of Psalm 119, our whole being longs for God to fulfill His promise. As we lament before God, we acknowledge that His promise is true by crying out for Him to be faithful as we see all that is not righteous in the world. His Word provides a sure refuge when we lament, so that our faith in Him is not put to shame. Rev. Jeremiah…
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In the tenth stanza of Psalm 119, we look to the One who created us for understanding from His Word. His steadfast love and mercy come to us to comfort us, to fill us with delight, and to give us life. When the insolent speak lies to their shame, the people of God speak His Word to each other so that they are not put to shame. Rev. Sean Kilgo, past…
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