Tag Archives: Numbers 10

Chapter-a-Day

Trumpet Sound

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“The sons of Aaron, the priests, are to blow the trumpets. This is to be a lasting ordinance for you and the generations to come.”
Numbers 10:8 (NIV)

I was saddened yesterday to hear of the death of Chuck Mangione. The jazz trumpeter made famous by playing his iconic flugelhorn, was among the best trumpet players of the late 20th century. His Live at the Hollywood Bowl album (and yes, I owned the vinyl LP), in which he played his most memorable works with full orchestra, was a regular part of the rotation on the playlist of my bedroom stereo as a teenager. There’s just something about the sound of a trumpet being played well.

In today’s chapter, God commands Moses to have two, special silver trumpets made. He then commands that the priests use these trumpets for multiple purposes:

  1. Calling all of the people to gather.
  2. Calling the leaders of the twelve tribes to gather.
  3. To let the tribes know when it’s time to begin marching.
  4. Before you go into battle against an opposing army.
  5. When you rejoice and make offerings at one of the prescribed festivals.

God is, here in the early chapters of the Great Story, establishing a metaphor that will be thematically used throughout the entirety of Story. In fact, the first mention of a trumpet came two-years before today’s chapter when the freed Hebrew slaves reached Mount Sinai and first camped beneath the mountain. God’s presence descended on the top of the Mountain:

“On the morning of the third day there was thunder and lightning, with a thick cloud over the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast. Everyone in the camp trembled.”
Exodus 19:16 (NIV)

While it’s certainly possible God had an angel sound the trumpet (as He does throughout the Great Story), from the Hebrews’ perspective, it was God Himself playing a trumpet blast on top of the mountain announcing His presence and it send chills down their spine.

God even calls one of the prescribed regular national festivals for His people the Festival of Trumpets. God regularly uses the metaphor of trumpet blasts through the prophets most often to signal that God is speaking or has something to say through His messenger. Jesus told His followers that in the end times Father God will “send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.” In the Revelation given John of the end times there are seven judgements on the earth marked by a trumpet blast. In fact, the trumpet is used more in Revelation than any other book in the entire Story, and the final trumpet blast prompts the Hallelujah Chorus by heaven’s angelic choir:

 “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Messiah, and he will reign for ever and ever.”

So, as I get to the end of another work week, I find myself meditating on the sound of trumpets. The sound of the trumpet brings to mind the words of the Sage of Ecclesiastes because the trumpet blast typically marked that it was “time”…

Time to gather.
Time to move.
Time to rejoice.
Time for God to speak.
Time for a long appointed event to take place.

In the quiet, my mind travels back to yesterday’s thoughts on learning to go with the flow of what God is doing. Just as I mentioned, much of this spiritual journey has been about waiting, being patient, and awaiting the moment for the right moment. In other words, I have found that this life journey has been learning to spiritually listen for the sound of God’s trumpet.

There’s just something about the sound of a trumpet.

R.I.P Chuck.

If you know anyone who might be encouraged by today’s post, please share.

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Chapter-a-Day

Planning and Embarkation

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On the twentieth day of the second month of the second year, the cloud liftedfrom above the tabernacle of the covenant law. Then the Israelites set out from the Desert of Sinai and traveled from place to place until the cloud came to rest in the Desert of Paran.
Numbers 10:11-12 (NIV)

For those who regularly follow along with  these posts, do you happen to remember the first post on this journey through the book of Numbers? I talked about the fact that we were setting off on a journey with the ancient Hebrews into the wilderness. Just last night on my way home from a meeting I was thinking about that post and the reality that here we are a couple of weeks later and the journey hasn’t even begun.

For the first ten chapters of our Numbers journey we’ve been making preparations. There’s the organization of how the nation would  camp and in what order the people would organize for the march. There’s been the organization of how the portable temple tent would be taken down, transported and set back up again. There has been the preparation and organization of how to mobilize and communicate through the use of banners and trumpets. It’s been over two years of preparation and we’re finally setting out on the journey.

This morning I am reminded of two key life lessons in the chapter.

First, sizable tasks require thorough planning and preparation. As a right-brained, go-with-the-flow type I have always been susceptible to spontaneous embarkation on different adventures and pursuits. I have steadfast faith in my ability to “figure it out” as I go along. This mindset serves me well in relatively small, isolated individual circumstances. It’s not a big deal if I’m on my own. It can, however, be disastrous in larger group settings in which the welfare and emotions of more people are involved. Lady Wisdom has taught me that there are times when my go-with-the-flow temperament must hold its horses and take the time to plan and get organized (and fight the urge to throw a passive aggressive fit in doing so).

The second life lesson would fit neatly with the author of Ecclesiastes (and the Byrds) memorable lyrics, “there is a time for every purpose under heaven.” There is a time planning and organization, and there is a time to embark. While there are times for planning and organization, there is also foolishness in endless preparation if you can never pull the trigger and set out. This life journey is filled with well intentioned endeavors that are ceaselessly talked about, planned for, and prepared but never executed. There comes a time when you have to call the preparations good and set out. Lao Tzu famously said, “the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” At some point, you have to take that step.

God, grant me the wisdom to know when to plan and when to step.

Chapter-a-Day

Chapter-a-Day Numbers 10

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The flag of the camp of Judah led the way, rank after rank under the command of Nahshon son of Amminadab. Numbers 10:14 (MSG)

Tower of Power sings one of the best funk songs I’ve ever heard, and one of my all time favorites. The lyric of the chorus goes:

“The more things change, the more they stay the same.
It may be a different age, but I’m on the same page.”

I’m humming those lyrics this morning as I read today’s chapter. It continually strikes me how these ancient stories remind me that, in some ways, things haven’t changed that much. I picture all of the people gathered together under their flag. The trumpets blow and tribes march out.

What were we doing yesterday on the 4th of July? Gathered under our flag listening to the trumpets and marching out in parade.

Change is constant, and yet some things never change. Life is spent developing the discernment required to accept the things we cannot change, find contentment within the never ending changes we cannot control, and seek courage in changing the things we can.

And, it doesn’t matter what I been through…. I’ll still be diggin’ on James Brown.