My daughter recently studied the ancient Greek gods and goddesses at school. She wrote a paper, dressed up as her assigned goddess, and then read it aloud to her classmates and their parents. Each child in the class did the same, and every paper ended with the words, “This god/goddess is different from the true God because…” They studied the idolatry of the ancients but were able to recognize that idols and fake gods will never be enough.
In Numbers 25, the Israelites turned to worship the false god, Baal—a famous god who would show up repeatedly throughout the Old Testament as a tempter for God’s people. A plague fell on the Israelites because of God’s wrath, and twenty-four thousand people died. This is not a new story; it is neither the first nor the last time God’s people would seek to be filled by someone or something other than their Creator. God’s anger burned against His people—the same people He had rescued from Egypt, sustained in the desert, and already punished for rebelling before.
Even here in the wilderness, in the middle of this bleak chapter, we see a few glimpses of God’s promised plan to rescue us. God offered a way to be free of the plague—the leaders of Israel who worshiped Baal had to be killed, and this sacrifice would lead to the salvation of God’s people. Those punished were guilty, but God would later send Jesus, the perfectly righteous One, to die for the sins of all of God’s people.
Phinehas, son of Aaron the priest, was rewarded for his zeal, and God gave him a covenant of peace. God said, “I grant him my covenant of peace. It will be a covenant of perpetual priesthood for him and his future descendants, because he was zealous for his God and made atonement for the Israelites” (Numbers 25:12–13). A covenant of peace is referenced throughout the Old Testament, usually referring to the Lord’s giving people a place to live safely. This reflects the covenant of peace God offers to all who believe in Jesus—a future restored, a perfect dwelling place with God for all eternity with no more suffering and no more tears. We can cling to God’s promises when worldly idols tempt us or when we believe our own righteousness can stop the endless plague of sin in our lives and its impact on the world around us. And we can read these tricky passages of Scripture to remind us of God’s ancient covenants, allowing them to buoy our faith.
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71 thoughts on "Israel Worships Baal"
Why is Day 26 not posted on the app? Thank you for posting the scriptures here in the comments. So thankful God keeps His promises!
Hi Patsy! Day 26 is now available in the App! We are so grateful you are here and reading alongside us!
Will wonders never cease – I found it. Thank you, JULIA C! I have NEVER scrolled down on the home page before :)
Thank you JULIA C, ERB & KELLY (NEO) for looking after us ❤️
If you go to the Home page and scroll down, you will see Day 26 come up. By clicking on “continue reading” you can access the complete devotional and see the comments. Hope that helps!
Or directly search for it by typing: she reads truth com /the-second-census/ (without spaces)
Yea❤️
Thank you!
Thank you Julia C.for sharing how to access today’s reading. I love this community and reap so much reading all the God given insights.
Day 26
The Second Census
Numbers 26:1-65, Deuteronomy 2:14-15, Psalm 95:10-11
DEVOTION up on He Reads Truth
Day 26 The Second Census from HRT:
Scripture Reading:
Numbers 26:1-65
Deuteronomy 2:14-15
Psalm 95:10-11
I’ll admit, reading a list of names that are difficult to pronounce alongside the census data of how many were in each tribe is hardly the stuff I am eager to wake up and read. Maybe the accountants among us are ecstatic with this kind of reading, but why couldn’t we spice it up with an inspiring and motivational message?
Yet in the documentation of a national census, there are some valuable insights for us. Moses identified two men, Dathan and Abiram specifically, who were leaders in the rebellion of Korah against Moses and Aaron. We remember that God stepped in, split the earth in two, and swallowed these rebels and all their followers. It was a significant loss for the people of Israel. We are reminded at the end of the chapter that this census covered an entirely new generation of men aged twenty and older. Moses reported that “among them there was not one of those who had been registered by Moses and the priest Aaron when they registered the Israelites in the Wilderness of Sinai” (Numbers 26:64). God had kept His word to the unbelieving prior generation. Not one person from the preceding generation remained alive—except Caleb and Joshua—to enter the promised land. The generational turnover was complete, total.
The census reminds us through its data of two things. First, God will fulfill His words against unbelief and rebellion, and He will not leave the guilty unpunished (Exodus 34:7). And secondly, God is faithful to His people forever. The names and calculations of Numbers 26 should stun us—we should expect a major decline and even a significant subtraction of the people of Israel after forty years of the toils and turmoil of wandering in the wilderness. We should expect this census to reveal a nation half the size of what it was a generation earlier. But the numbers tell a different story. The total of the men of Israel at the second census is nearly identical to the number of men at the first census (just compare Numbers 26:51 with Numbers 1:46).
God kept His promises and showed His faithfulness to His people despite their failure and sin. This is good news for us because we are reminded that the Lord keeps His promises for us too. In Christ, we have God’s promise to those who hear and believe in Him that we are His forever. So let the numbers encourage you. The data demonstrates His faithfulness to all of His promises.
Written by Jeremy Writebol
You beat me to it ❤️
Haha! Our minds & hearts think alike!! ❤️
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Here are my notes from today:
Psalm 95:10
*help us Lord NOT to go astray, but let our hearts, eyes, ears and actions be tuned into You, let us actively serve and reflect You alone!! We thank you Father that You COMPLETE the work You start!! You are Faithful and True and You ALWAYS follow through!! Let us REMEMBER this and be encouraged!! Amen!!
Thank you Emily for pulling out these points out of a “dull reading,” …albeit I having read it yet…lol!! (thanks for the heads up!)
It’s not up for me either.
When reading this passage- the second census- and at the end it says how none of the people who had been (around when they were complaining about Canaan 30 years earlier), it just reminds me how God ALWAYS keeps His promises. Amen.
Day 26 is not up!
Gives me time to lift up..
MIA FAITH..Continued prayers for peace of heart and the Lords comforting arms around you and yours. ❤️
MICHELLE P.. Sorry for your troubles and struggles. Psalm 34 came to mind, He is near dear heart, and He will see you through. Hold fast..❤️
VICTORIA E.. hoping and prsying life is being kind to you and yours. ❤️
MARTHA HIX.. ❤️
TRACI GENDRON.. Hope you are knowing peace.. ❤️
GRAMSIESUE.. continued prayers for you and Steve.. much love..❤️
TAYLOR G. sending you love and hugs wrapped in prayers for today to be a good day..❤️
LYNNE FROM ALABAMA..Holding Jack and yourself up in prayer, hopeful for today to be a good day for you both..❤️
CATHERINE MCVEY.. Its been a while, hope you are okay and that life is being kind to you and that you are recovering well from your stem cell surgery❤️
RHONDA J..If He has said it, then He will do it! He sees, He knows, He is in it..! Hugs dear sister..❤️
GAIL CRAIK.. prayerful all is well and thst today you feel and know the love and presence of God around you..❤️
TRICIA C. ❤️
GWINETH52.. you are being held close in prayers..❤️
FOSTER MAMA.. Sending you much love across the pond covered in prayers of hope, strength, wisdom and grace..❤️
KELLY NEO..❤️
SHARON JERSEY GIRL..❤️
SEARCHING.. always encouraging! God bless you from your head to your toes, I love you..❤️
TERESA DONLEY..you are in my prayers.. God bless you.❤️
ADRIENNE..always here, thank you..❤️
ERB.. For your encouraging words, bless you!❤️
JULIA C.. Your prayers, thank you.!❤️
CEE GEE ❤️
THERESA.. checking in on Arlo. I am sure he is back to normal and back to mischief..❤️
MERCY..Not sure where on your travels you are, but prayerful all is well..❤️
KIMBERLEY Z..praying it is well, over you..❤️
CLAIRE B. ❤️ right backatcha!❤️
TAYLOR.. Hope life is being kind to you.❤️
Love to all..❤️
DEAR RYAN MEYERS,
MORNING!
Still glitches for me, but thankful for what I can see.
Hope-filled, one day sooooooooooooon, all technical issues will be solved!
Thank you, dear Tina. Sending hugs ❤️
Looks like my first reply got deleted..trying again..
Bless YOU Tina!! You are always so thoughtful, intentional and kind!! A steadfast encouragement!! Truly appreciate you dear sister!! ❤️
Tina, thank you. My family and I are in such need of prayer. We are struggling in every area.
Oh Mia Faith,
Extra prayers spoken over you and your family today. My heart hurts for you. ❤️
Rainy hugs across the pond, dear sister! ❤ love you!
I hope you all are having a wonderful week! All your comments are so insightful and I’m very thankful for them! Praying for you all ❤️
♥️
Only seeing 5 of over 30 comments. Thinking of you all.❤️
Happy Thursday ladies!! Thankful for this study and all of you!
Hello Shes. I have been reading along this week as well, but haven’t had much to share.
I am going through another emotionally challenging time, right now. My family seems to be in a transition. It has got me thinking about the future… as most of my siblings have moved out besides one.
I want to believe and hope for a good future, but I am struggling to be thankful for the place God has me.
I so deeply long for a family of my own…
Please pray for me. Thank you. I really appreciate it. ❤️
Prayers Michelle for this difficult season.
Thank you, Donna ❤️
You got it, sister. I am sorry you are struggling so much.
Praying steadfastly for you sweet Michelle. I’m so sorry for your pain during this long season of waiting but trust that our God goes before you and has the perfect plan just for you. He does!
I’m so thankful for this study! Today’s reading was a truth that I needed to help talk with my grandchildren about. The world is trying to pull them in and you can’t ride the fence between God and the Devil. So much of scripture pointed that out today!
Yes, so true. They get pulled in so easily.
Hi ladies. I’ve been here but not posting so much. I’m a few days behind. Your comments as always are so insightful (when I can read them)
I am having issues with the app/site and have sent several emails to which I always get the same reply “we are working on it”. Are you all experiencing similar issues? This was my latest email: I am still being logged out of the app daily, forcing me to use the browser on my phone which does not allow me to click on the scriptures. Now, I am using my PC and I can only scroll to see a few comments although it says there are over 30.
I don’t want to grumble, I just want to read alongside of all of you. I know sometimes Ryan Meyers pops on here and I’m hoping he will see it.
Have a blessed day!
Yes, not getting even a third of comments. Each time I comment, I have to go back into beginning reading and start again.
Same here Tami. I haven’t been able to see anything on the app except blank pages for weeks. I have been able to read the devotional on the web page but all the comments don’t come through so while it may say 66 comments, I might get 14. Yesterday everything was back up and running on my app. I was able to get each days reading, devotional and comments. Today like many of you, it seems stuck on yesterday’s reading. I did go to He reads truth and get the devotional reading but only the comments on the previous day. Praying for the tech team. It’s not easy getting theses glitches fixed. I have been part of this community over 5 years. While I dont5comment often, I pray for your requests and glean so much from your insights.
Everyone’s thoughts are so good! Exchanged the truth of God for a lie and served the creature more than the Creator. Wilt b out even pointing fingers at our world, how easy it is to let the “lies” into our life. I pray we stay in the Word, Pray, Worship and guard our hearts against the lies of the enemy!
Praying for all of my beautiful sisters! God is good!
Thank you everyone for the prayers. I feel slightly more at peace today. Forgiveness is tough, and sometimes the road to forgiveness feels like an up and down rollercoaster.
❤️
I find hope today in Exodus 34:10 “…I will perform wonders that have never been done in the whole earth or in any nation. All the people you live among will see the Lords work, FOR WHAT I AM DOING WITH YOUIS AWE-INSPIRING”. Praising God this morning that everyday He is making me new- that everyday He is working through my life! Thank you Lord for this opportunity, my prayer is that I continue to cling to you, that I continue to pour Your Word into my soul and that my life is a testimony for Your goodness!!! Happy Thursday She’s! ☮️❤️ to you all!!
What I’m drawn to is the account of Phinehas, his response to blatant sin in the camp. The Israelite man brought a Midianite woman into the camp for his relatives for the purpose of prostitution. But Phinehas attacked sin at it’s start. And it changed the trajectory of God’s wrath. How powerful is that!!! We too, can attack sin at it’s start, and change the results of the affects of sin. What I keep hearing thru this study is that God is dead serious about sin, and we should be too. Avoid it at all costs. Yes, there is forgiveness and grace, but we shouldn’t be so flippant about it and brush it off because we have access to forgiveness. Stop sin before it starts. Put on the armor of God and stand to fight against sin as to not commit it in the first place. Yes, we will err, but we don’t have to. We can stand firm in God’s power against sin before we commit it, and therefore change the trajectory of our own lives and the lives of generations after us. I want to leave a legacy of righteousness for my kids and grands to see. I am far from perfect, but I want to be moving in the direction where I sin less and rely more on God’s power and grace to KEEP me from sinning.
This is SO good, Kris! I agree- moving in that godly direction!
Amen!❤️
Well said, amen.
Very well said Kris! Amen!
Thank you Kris. Stop before it gets hold.
AMEN and AMEN…I too agree we are pretty flippant about grace and the ease of forgiveness…no we should hate sin just as the Lord hates sin and try to live our life as Holy as we can because of our love for Him. I know I fail…but darned if I’m not full in trying!!
Satan’s violence can have no lasting influence on the believer, but if he can lead us into sin, we can be destroyed. Thank you Jesus for the Holy Spirit that leads us on this journey to heaven.
Even when we sin, God made a way. So thankful, as He could have left us stuck but He provided Himself as the way out! And when we repent of our sins, He is always faithful and just to forgive us!
I love. Love. LOVE being able to reply to posts from other Shes. Thank you, SRT!
_
Our culture so often seems that it is exchanging His truth for a lie. Help me and my sweet sisters not do the same. Amen.
“They exchanged the truth of God for a lie” Romans 1:25.
That’s a costly trade for any of us to make. It was true for how they lived then, and for how I/we sometimes live now.
Father, show me where I’m trading Your truth for the lies of the enemy, and the culture around me in my life.
Yea I second this prayer!
I could hardly bear to write the title of today’s devo in my notebook – the chosen people of God, leaping from complaining about food and water to committing unmentionable sins against their own selves and the one, true Almighty God.
When I read Romans 1: 25 “who exchanged the truth of God for the lie,” it broke my heart and brought tears as I realized we are surrounded by people doing that very thing in today’s world.
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Lord, You know the intent of our hearts and our every thought. I pray that You would guide us every minute of every day to keep our focus on You and Your word, drawing us back to Your path when our focus shifts and we begin to drift away. So many of us have family and dear friends that have drifted away to the point of turning their backs on You, that have drifted and reject that they have as they justify their wrong choices, or have never known You and continue to reject any mention of You, Your love for them and the plan of salvation You have graciously made available. We pray, Lord, they will turn to You or turn back to You. Soon. That they will see their need and understand (or be reminded) that Your love and salvation are free, and freeing.
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TRICIA C – praying for the lost
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TINA – love that song! Thank you for your testimony yesterday, of how quickly the Lord honored your obedience in not reacting, and in bringing affirmation- setting things straight- the same day. I chuckled as you mentioned what the old Tina would have done … as the old Searching would have been rolling up her shirtsleeves to step into the fray, and admittedly it briefly crossed the mind of the new Searching :/ …
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JULIA C – joining you in praying for and missing those who haven’t posted recently
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EM – praying for healing of this hurt, that you would be able to hand it to the Lord, that He would guide you to forgive and move forward. Lord, I pray that EM will feel Your nearness and guidance today.
Amen ❤️thank you for sharing.
Amen
“So Israel yoked themselves to the Baal of Peor. And the Lord’s anger burned against them.”
Numbers 25:3 NIV
Yoked= Hebrew word tsamad = fastened together and to serve. Lord help me to recognize what false gods I have yoked myself to. (Shopping,overeating, career, etc) please forgive me.
Amen!
That’s good! Amen
Phinehas is praised in Psalm 106: 30-31:
“But Phinehas stood up and intervened,
and the plague was stopped.
It was credited to him as righteousness
throughout all generations to come.”
“Credited to him as righteousness.”
He had faith like Abraham. He went into the Promised Land and was faithful to the Lord
SEARCHING – agreeing with you in prayer for friend and her husband with questionable kidney cancer
diagnosis. And for comfort and wisdom for your other friend.
Thank you, KELLY. Praying for wisdom and guidance for them as the unknown of their situations is overwhelming.
So glad I am finally able to read this study. The daily topic would come up but not the content. I reached out to she reads truth and now it’s fixed.
I did,too, about a missing devotion a few days ago. No response. And now today’s is missing.
Thank you so much Lord for Your Word. The reminder that You have Your Son as a sacrifice for us. You are so Awesome Lord! I don’t need anyone or anything but You!
Tina- thank you for sharing that song. I remember it well!
Julia C- thank you for sharing!
Have a blessed Thursday, Sisters!
I am keeping you all in prayer. Feeling led to specifically pray for our prodigal children and grandchildren today.
Agreeing with you, dear Sister, as I picture our Precious Prodigals on a huge platter, lifted high to the LORD! So thankful that He loves them so much more than we do, and had plans for each one of them!
♥️Thank you
Thank you! Amen!
From Enduring Word:
– The mighthiest attack of Satan against us can never do as much damage as our own sin and rebellion against the Lord. Or as Psalm 16:4 says: “The sorrows of those who take another god for themselves will multiply”
– About Phinehas: God can honor just one righteous act and cause it to make a difference.
Dear Father,
may we “cling to Your promises when worldly idols tempts us or when we believe our own righteousness can stop the endless plague of sin in our lives and its impact on the world around us” (Melanie Rainer).
AMEN.
TINA – Happy to see you ❤️ Thank you for your testimony yesterday and the reminder of letting God fight your battles!
EM – Praying for God’s love and peace to surround you. Keep looking up ❤️
MOLLY R ❤️
MARI V – Congratulations to Alyssa! Praying for her relationship with Jesus as she enters college.
TRACI GENDRON – “You can’t run away from yourself…” I learned that the hard way!
SHARON – AMEN to your prayer from yesterday ❤️
SEARCHING – “God’s will be done”… AMEN
TRICIA C – Thank you for sharing the NLT commentary!
KRIS – Prayers for a quick recovery
ADRIENNE – Prayers for your in-laws and Fred & Sharon
MIA FAITH ❤️
VICTORIA E, LEXI B, TAYLOR, HEIDI, SARAH D, MICHELLE P, LAURA DIANNE – Missing you. Praying that all is well ❤️
Praying for you Julia, ty for all the wonderful prayers & support you offer for others ❤️
I need Thee, oh I need Thee, every hour I need Thee, bless me now my Saviour, I come to Thee.
Lord God, may I always look to You and only you in all situations, circumstances, good or bad.
I pray, my moments will always be BUT GOD moments.
Lord God, I pray no matter the temptations, I hold fast to You, knowing my hope is in You.. and only You..
Lord, in Jesus’s name I pray, AMEN.
Happy Thursday my dears..covered in love and prayers, wrapped in hugs..❤️
Yesss amen! that song!!
Hello Tina & Fellow Shes
Reminder: SRT once sold a coffee mug inscribed in beautiful script, “Every hour I need thee”. I know. I bought one. Indeed, coffee can be an idol. I confess. Other objects & preoccupations too: Acquiring stuff from Amazon Prime or scrolling Instagram!
Reminder: Check my ways. Call them out for what they are. Temptations. False gods. Traps. Things & routines that can never satisfy the true thirst & hunger. That only God by His Word in His Spirit can provide. Pray I see, hear & follow the righteous way to freedom. No cream. No sugar. By faith.
❤️