Welcome to this Daily PBJ devotional. Read Numbers 9, Isaiah 34, and Galatians 3 today. This devotional is about Numbers 9. in the first month of the second year after Israel had come out of the land of Egypt. The Lord spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai. The Israelites are to observe the Passover at its appointed time. You are to observe it at the appointed time, at twilight, on the fourteenth day of this month, in accordance with its statutes and ordinances. So Moses told the Israelites to observe the Passover, and they did so in the wilderness of Sinai, at twilight on the fourteenth day of the first month. The Israelites did everything just as the Lord had commanded Moses. But there were some men who were unclean due to a dead body, so they could not observe the Passover on that day. And they came before Moses and Aaron that same day, and said to Moses, We are unclean because of a dead body, but why should we be excluded from presenting the Lord's offering with the other Israelites at the appointed time? Wait here until I find out what the Lord commands concerning you, Moses replied. Then the Lord said to Moses, Tell the Israelites, When any one of you or your descendants is unclean because of a dead body, or is away on a journey, he may still observe the Passover to the Lord. Such people are to observe it at twilight on the fourteenth day of the second month. They are to eat the lamb, together with the unleavened bread and bitter herbs. They may not leave any of it until morning, or break any of its bones. They must observe the Passover according to all its statutes. But if a man who is ceremonially unclean, and is not on a journey, still fails to observe the Passover, he must be cut off from his people. because he did not present the Lord's offering at its appointed time. That man will bear the consequences of his sin. If a foreigner dwelling among you wants to observe the Passover to the Lord, he is to do so according to the Passover statute and its ordinances. You are to apply the same statute to both the foreigner and the native of the land. On the day that the tabernacle, the tent of the testimony, was set up, the cloud covered it, and appeared like fire above the tabernacle, from evening until morning. It remained that way continually. The cloud would cover the tabernacle by day, and at night it would appear like fire. Whenever the cloud was lifted from above the tent, the Israelites would set out. And wherever the cloud settled, there the Israelites would camp. At the Lord's command, the Israelites set out, and at the Lord's command they camped. As long as the cloud remained over the tabernacle, they remained encamped. Even when the cloud lingered over the tabernacle for many days, the Israelites kept the Lord's charge and did not set out. Sometimes the cloud remained over the tabernacle for only a few days, and they would camp at the Lord's command and set out at the Lord's command. Sometimes the cloud remained only from evening until morning, and when it lifted in the morning, they would set out. Whether it was by day or by night, when the cloud was taken up, they would set out. Whether the cloud lingered for two days, a month, or longer, the Israelites camped and did not set out as long as the cloud remained over the tabernacle. But when it was lifted, they would set out. They camped at the Lord's command, and they set out at the Lord's command. They carried out the Lord's charge according to His command through Moses. This is God's Word. Today's reading in Numbers 9 began with these words. The Lord spoke to Moses in the desert of Sinai in the first month of the second year after they came out of Egypt. That's verse 1, this time from the NIV. So one year has passed between Israel's first observance of the Passover which is when God's deliverance from Egypt happened, and then the things that we read about here today in Numbers 9, a year has passed. So here in Numbers 9, Israel is about to observe the Passover for the second time only, and verses two through 14, again here in Numbers 9, prescribe how that Passover was to be observed. What was Israel doing between that first Passover and a year later, the second Passover we read about here in Numbers 9? What happened was the people of Israel were delivered from Egypt, of course, and they came to Mount Sinai, and they've been there ever since. At Mount Sinai, they made a covenant with God, they received God's law, they set up the tabernacle and the office of priest, and then they began to worship God according to God's laws and its commands. All of this happened at Mount Sinai, so Israel has been camped here in the same place. throughout that year between their exodus from Egypt and the events of today's passage in Numbers 9. When Israel's religious structure was finally in place, God showed Israel that he was pleased with their obedience. And he did so by covering the tabernacle with a cloud during the day and it had the appearance of fire at night. Verses 16 and 17 say, On the day the tabernacle, the tent of the covenant law, was set up, the cloud covered it. From evening till morning the cloud above the tabernacle looked like fire. And then verse 16 goes on to say, That is how it continued to be. The cloud covered it, and at night it looked like fire. And again, those are the words of the NIV. But now after a year at Mount Sinai, God is ready to start moving Israel to the promised land. And the first move is described in the next chapter, but the general principle of how God moved them is described here in Numbers 9. The cloud slash fire showed God's people when it was time to go. Verses 17 and 18 in our passage today says, Wouldn't it be nice to see God's presence in your life like that? Wouldn't it be reassuring to see the Lord's presence in a visual way? and to see when he moves so we could follow. Yet, despite this visual display of God's presence, a miraculous display, a powerful one, Israel disobeyed the Lord again and again. This sight of his power did not cause people to have faith in him and obey his word. They could see that God was with them, watching them and leading them at all times. they still would not obey him. Although we don't visually see God's presence with us, God's word says that he is with us, that we do have his presence. At the end of the Great Commission, Jesus said, and surely I am with you always to the very end of the age. That's Matthew 28 verse 20. And in John 14, 16, and 17, Jesus said, And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever, the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. Those are the words of the NIV in both of those passages. God's presence is with you every bit as much as it was with Israel when they saw the cloud and fire over the tabernacle. You don't need to see God's presence. You and I need to believe the promise of his word that his presence is with us as believers, as followers of Christ. So ask for his help today when you need wisdom or when you feel anxious or afraid. Because he's with you. Ask him to help you share Christ with others, if the door opens for that, because he's with you. Remind yourself today that God's presence is with you always. Then live like that's true in the things you do and say, and in the decisions you make today. If you found this devotional helpful, go to my website dailypbj.com slash subscribe. And if you're not already subscribed by email, enter your email address in the box. And starting tomorrow, you'll receive an email from me every day that contains a link to the daily Bible readings to help you be in God's Word every day, but also it contains a link to the audio, video, and the transcript of these devotionals so that you can apply God's Word to your life every day and get something out of your readings. This is completely free and you can unsubscribe at any time. So why not try it out? Go to dailypbj.com slash subscribe. Would you consider becoming part of my financial support network so I can keep making content like this to help you and others in the Christian life? If you would, go to dailypbj.com slash support. And please share this with someone who might be encouraged to be reminded of God's presence with them today. And I'll see you next time. May God bless you. I hope you have a great day today.