King Balak is afraid of the Israelites that are traveling near his country. He wants them to go away. He wants Balaam to speak a curse over them. Balaam talks to God about it, and God says not to go. He doesn't want Balaam to curse the Israelites, because they are blessed by God. So Balaam refuses to go with Balak's messengers. They come again, this time bringing even more money with them. Balaam goes with them this time, but God is angry. God sends an angel to stand in Balaam's way! Balaam is heading into danger! 

When God told Jonah to go to Ninevah and warn them to stop being bad, Jonah didn't want to go. He went down to the sea and bought a boat ticket. He tried to go as far away as he could get. A big storm came up and the boat was going to sink. Jonah told the sailors that if they threw him overboard, the storm would stop. He was right  But God wants to save Jonah! What will happen to him when he sinks down into the water?

God gave a special job to the Levites. The Levites got to work in the tent of meeting. They kept track of the incense, the bread, and the candles. They served as helpers to the priests. As payment for their work, the Levites received ten percent, or a tithe from each tribe. The priests, Aaron's family, served the Lord by actually offering the sacrifices. The Levites gave the priests ten percent and also the best part of the sacrifices to eat. Some people wished that God had chosen them to be priests, but God had them set up a test. Each tribe provided a staff with the leader's name on it. Whose staff would sprout? Which staff did God pick?

From Numbers 14. When the Israelites turned away from entering the land that God had promised, they brought a punishment on themselves.  God told them that everyone who had grumbled against God and had rejected his promise would not be able to enter the land, but would die in the wilderness. Their children would have to live as shepherds for forty years in the wilderness until the older generation had all died. Now, the Israelites wanted to change their minds and go into the land, but would they succeed without Moses, and without the Lord?

When the Israelites reached the border of the promised land, Moses sent in twelve men to see what it was like and report back. After forty days, they returned with good news and bad news. Yes, the land was good. No, they didn't think they were strong enough to go in and take it.  Only two of the men, Caleb and Joshua, voted for going into the land. God was so disappointed that the people didn't trust him. He told Moses that although he forgave them, none of the people who didn't believe him would get to enter the land.  Just Caleb and Joshua. What is going to happen to everyone else?

At the tabernacle, the priests offered animals as sacrifices to God. You could bring an animal, and let the animal's death be a substitute for the death that you deserved. 

The Israelites made a tent to contain sacred furniture and the ark of the covenant.  When the tabernacle was completed, the presence of God came and rested on the tabernacle, and the glory of the Lord filled the temple. 

In Exodus 34, Moses returns to Mt Sinai to get another copy of the Ten Commandments on stone tablets. He had broken the previous tablets when he saw the golden calf. This time, God reveals himself further to Moses, repeating his name and sharing more about his character. Moses' face was radiant when he came down the mountain after talking to God. We might experience the presence of God, too, when we worship him. 

After the golden calf, God tells Moses that he isn't going to go with them to the promised land.  Moses pleads with God to reconsider.  If God doesn't go with them, how will they be any different from any other people group? Moses wants to know God, and to please him. God sees Moses' heart, and tells him he will do what Moses asked. 

Moses was gone for forty days. The children of Israel said they didn't know what had happened to Moses.  They forgot about the 10 commandments. They gathered around Aaron and asked him to make a god that would lead them. Aaron made a golden calf.  They sacrificed to the golden calf and had a festival. When God saw it, he wanted to destroy them, but Moses talked him out of it. But they had disobeyed the commandment. What will their punishment be?