Day 85 - Numbers 16-17 & Psalm 85

 Julie

In today's reading I interpreted that Korah thought that he deserved more and it seemed was jealous of what Moses and Aaron have with God. He accuses them of wrongdoing and of bringing them out of the land of milk and honey instead of into it. He also complains that they have received nothing of God's promises. So God smites him. The explanation was a little different in that it said that they wanted to enter the tabernacle of God and were smited. That is not really how I read that, but I guess I could have missed that. It did seem like they were still complaining and not trusting.

Psalm 85 sounds like a prayer that Moses would have made during his time and with what he was experiencing in chapters we have been discussing. He seems to always be asking for God to have mercy in his anger and to forgive them for their grumbling. 

Michelle

I don’t understand why Korah  is questioning but yes it seems he harbors some jealousy and has rallied others to his cause. How far ahead have we jumped cuz we just had Gods wrath against these people and here we are again. They should have learned by now. Something I am wondering about too is the incredible things that happen to these people who are smited by God. In this time they would be unbelievable as they may have been them too. But to be standing in judgment before the masses and see someone swallowed up by the earth as Gods punishment I feel like this should be proof enough. Or even what happened before should have been proof enough. Believing is not easy and it is a choice allowed us so I understand the difficulty and questioning some of the things we read. But actually standing in the presence of these things, to me, would be enough to make me stop grumbling. Or so I think. What in this time has been by Gods hand that we do not realize is his will and power being presented to us?

The psalm does seem to be asking God to forgive and restore his people. It makes me think about what would it have looked like it God had just kept doling out punishment over and over. Would it be more like now?  It seems like the world we live in has strayed so much and that bad after bad thing happens to people all around the world in various ways. Could this be punishment and redemption all happening together like in this days passages?