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Numbers 35: God Provides Refuge For The Innocent

Numbers 35: God Provides Refuge For The Innocent Collin Leong. June 1, 2026 (v1-8) Cities for the Levites (v1-3) The LORD spoke to Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan, "Command the people of Israel to give to the Levites some of the inheritance of their possession as cities for them to dwell in. And you shall give to the Levites pasturelands around the cities. The cities shall be theirs to dwell in, and their pasturelands for their cattle and and livestock and all their beasts.  (v4-5) The pastureland of the cities, which you shall give to the Levites, shall reach from the wall of the city outward a 1000 cubits all around. And you shall measure, outside the city, on the east side 2000 cubits, south side 2000 cubits, west side 2000 cubits, north side 2000 cubits, the city in the middle. This shall belong to them as pastureland for their cities.  Exp:  In biblical usage, the “common cubit” is usually taken as 18 inches, while the “long cubit” (Ezekiel) was closer to...
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Numbers 34: Boundaries Set By God

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Numbers 34: Boundaries Set By God Collin Leong. May 30, 2026 (v1-15) Boundaries of the Land (v1-2) The LORD spoke to Moses, "Command the people of Israel, and say: 'When you enter the land of Canaan (this is the land that shall fall to you for an inheritance, the land of Canaan as defined by its borders),  (v3-5) Your south side shall be from wilderness of Zin alongside Edom, and your southern border shall run from the end of the Salt Sea [Dead Sea] on the east. And your border shall turn south of the ascent of Akrabbim, and cross to Zin, and its limit shall be south of Kadesh-barnea. Then it shall go on to Hazar-addar, and pass along to Azmon. And the border shall turn from Azmon to the Brook of Egypt, and its limit shall be at the sea.   (v6) For the western border, you shall have the Great Sea and its coast. This shall be your western border.  (v7-9) Your northern border: from the Great Sea you shall draw a line to Mount Hor. From Mount Hor you shall draw a line...
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Numbers 33: Journey In The Wilderness With God

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Numbers 33: Journey In The Wilderness With God Collin Leong. May 29, 2026 (v1-49) Recounting Israel's Journey (v1-2) These are the stages of people of Israel, when they went out of the land of Egypt by their companies under the leadership of Moses and Aaron. Moses wrote down their starting place, stage by stage, by command of the LORD, and these are their stages according to their starting places.  Exp: Moses did not record their journey on his own accord; it was the instruction from God himself, to document all the details in the Torah. Similarly the rest of the scriptures (OT and NT) are also instructed and inspire by God or the Holy Spirit.  (v3-4) They set out from Rameses on the 15th day of the 1st month. On the day after the Passover, the people of Israel went out triumphantly in the sight of all Egyptians, why they were burying all their firstborn, whom the LORD had struck down among them. On their gods also the LORD executed judgement.  Exp: In v4 , the phras...
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Numbers 32: Balancing Personal Interest and Duty For God

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Numbers 32: Balancing Personal Interest and Duty For God Collin Leong. May 28, 2026 (v1-42) Reuben and Gad Settle in Gilead (v1) The people of Reuben and Gad had a great number of livestock. And they saw the land of Jazer and the land of Gilead, and behold that was a place for livestock.  Exp:   Jazer is first mentioned in Num 21:32 , when Israel took its villages from the Amorites, and Gilead appears earlier in Genesis 37:25 as a region associated with traders.   Gilead stretches from the Yarmuk River in the north down toward the territory of Moab in the south. Jazer is a specific city/area located near the northern edge of Gilead, close to the border with Ammon. (v2-5) So the y came and said to Moses and Eleazar and chiefs of the congregation, “Ataroth, Dibon, Jazer, Nimrah, Heshbon, Elealeh, Sebam, Nebo, and Beon, The land that the Lord struck down before the congregation of Israel, is a land for livestock, and your servants have livestock. If...
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Numbers 31: God's Vengeance On Sources Of Sin

Numbers 31: God's Vengeance On Sources Of Sin Collin Leong. May 19, 2026 (v1-54) Vengeance on Midian (v1-5) The LORD spoke to Moses: "Avenge the people of Israel on the Midianites. Afterward, you will be gathered to your people. So Moses told the people: "Arm your men to go against Midian to execute the LORD's vengeance on Midian. You shall send a thousand from each tribes of Israel to the war." So they provided twelve thousand men armed for war.  Exp: God had told Moses to "strike down" the Midianites in Num 25:16-18 , after the sin at Peor. It didn't happen immediately, but only in this chapter. The Midianites had deliberately enticed Israel into idolatry at Peor, leading to a plague that killed 24,000 Israelites. This was not just a political offense but a spiritual assault against the covenant. By framing it as " the LORD’s vengeance" , he emphasizes that this is God’s justice, not personal retaliation. In Scripture, vengeance is c...
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Numbers 30: Seriousness of Vows to God

Numbers 30: Seriousness of Vows to God Collin Leong. May 14, 2026 (v1-2) Men and Vows (v1-2) Moses spoke to the heads of the tribes, "This is what the LORD has commanded. If a man vows a vow to the LORD, or swears an oath to bind himself by a pledge, he shall not break his word. He shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth. Exp:  The chapter deals with vows or pledges made to God — promises of devotion, sacrifice, or self-denial (e.g., fasting, dedicating offerings).  Deut 23:21-23 ( and   briefly mentioned in Num 15:3 and 29:39) emphasize a vow made directly to God must be fulfilled; breaking it is sin. This chapter focus on whether vows are binding before God, depending on family authority structures. For men, there are no options to null their vows. These vows are not related to marriage vows , for this is a vow to God; whereas marriage vows are made between two people before God and the community - they are relational and mutual.  (v3-16) W...
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Numbers 29: God is the Source Of Joy

Numbers 29: God is the Source Of Joy Collin Leong. May 7th, 2026 (v1-6) Offerings for the Feast of Trumpets (v1-2a)  "On the 1st day of the 7th month, you shall have a holy convocation. You shall not do any ordinary work. It is a day for you to blow the trumpets, and you shall offer a burnt offering, for a pleasing aroma to the LORD: Exp:  The Feast of Trumpets (also called Y om Teruah or Rosh Hashanah ) falls on the 1st day of Hebrew month of Tishri (7th month). It is the start of the civil Jewish year. In Gregorian calendar for the year 2026,  this corresponds to Saturday, September 12, 2026 (beginning at sunset on September 11). Some Christians believe that the Feast of Trumpets is when the rapture will happen. This is because there is a sound of trumpet during the rapture. 1 Thess 4:16–17   says "For the Lord himself will descend from heaven.., and with the sound of the trumpet of God ... and we who are alive... will be caught up together... to meet the Lor...
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