Passing Through Edom and the Death of Aaron

4 weeks ago

Succession in the Priesthood “And Moses sent messengers from Kadesh unto the king of Edom” (Numbers 20:14, ASV). Israel was at Kadesh, where Moses just made a terrible mistake at Meribah. This Kadesh should be distinguished from Kadesh Barnea which is in the Wilderness of Paran. Kadesh is in the Wilderness of Zin and probably near the location of the modern city of Petra in Jordan.1 (1) http://www.thetorah.com/article/solving‑the‑problemof‑kadesh‑in‑the‑wilderness‑of‑paran Israel was now ready to move. Since it was the 40th year of their […]

News and Views

4 weeks ago

Religious Russian authorities continue their campaign of religious persecution in occupied Ukraine. Ukrainian Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights Dmytro Lubinets reported that Russian security services searched the homes of an unspecified number of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Armyansk, Simferopol, Saky, and Dzhankoi (cities north and northeast of Sevastopol) in occupied Crimea. Lubinets reported that Russian forces have initiated more than 100 criminal cases based on religious discrimination and persecution against citizens in occupied Crimea. — ISW, 8/22/23 When several hundred Lutherans in […]

The Fiery Serpents

4 weeks ago

Deliverance From Sin “And Jehovah sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died” (Numbers 21:6, ASV unless otherwise indicated). The Canaanites had been watching the Israelites for decades. At the beginning of Israel’s wilderness journey, Amalek challenged Israel militarily, but was defeated (Exodus 17). Amalek even seemed to know about what Jehovah had done to the Egyptians. Perhaps they even knew about the 40-year curse. If so, it would explain the military aggression […]

Battles with the Amorites and the Moabites

4 weeks ago

“And Israel sent messengers unto Sihon king of the Amorites, saying, Let me pass through thy land: we will not turn aside into field, or into vineyard; we will not drink of the water of the wells: we will go by the king’s highway, until we have passed thy border” (Numbers 21:21, 22, ASV used in this article). As he did with the King of Edom, Moses requested permission of the Amorite1 King to travel through the land and promised no damage […]

The Death of Moses

4 weeks ago

A Blessed Reward Pending “And there hath not arisen a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses, whom Jehovah knew face to face” (Deuteronomy 34:10, texts from ASV). Moses had served Jehovah faithfully for more than 40 years. His leadership of the nation was almost an impossible task. Yet he persevered through the people’s complaints, murmurings, and unbelief. Very few others could have borne the weight. For good reason, Jehovah chose the “meekest” man on the face of the earth! (Numbers 12:3). […]