06/01/2026
This is kind of funny to me. I write this little devotional thought based on where I happen to be reading on my Bible reading plan. Whatever is up for the day I am writing, that is what you get some thoughts about. There are SO MANY WONDERFUL parts of the Bible to study, to examine like a jewel.
But...although ALL the Scripture is inspired of God, there are portions that we all respond to...differently. When I saw what was on the schedule to read today, I actually laughed and told Sherry in the outer office that today's read was the most BORING passage in all of Scripture. Numbers 7. All of it.
Now, the Book of Numbers, despite the name, is pretty cool. A lot of interesting information in there. Lots to consider if you ask the right questions. But Numbers 7 I call the "ditto chapter." Let me pull a portion from its' middle. Verses 60-65 says "On the ninth day Abidan the son of Gideoni, leader of the children of Benjamin, presented an offering. His offering was one silver platter, the weight of which was one hundred and thirty shekels, and one silver bowl of seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering; one gold pan of ten shekels, full of incense; one young bull, one ram, and one male lamb in its first year, as a burnt offering; one kid of the goats as a sin offering; and as the sacrifice of peace offerings: two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs in their first year. This was the offering of Abidan the son of Gideoni."
Was this the emotional heart, the teaching center of this passage? Nope. It is EXACTLY the same as eleven other sections, other than the name of the person included. Exactly the same. Same animals, same plates and bowl, same weights of precious metals. All organized and reported EXACTLY the same, I call it the ditto chapter because in my own way of telling the story, it would be more efficient to have said "these twelve leaders, one from each tribe, named (give the list) EACH gave the same items (list included ONCE) for the start of the Tabernacle service on twelve successive days. That would have cut about 55 verses, all repetitive, from the chapter. And at the end, is it really necessary to SUM UP THE LIST? To say that there is twelve of each thing given (or multiples as those apply) isn't really necessary, is it? We can add (or multiply!).
Pastor, aren't you being a bit arrogant here? God decides what goes into Scripture, not you. He MUST have had a purpose for the way He chose to have this reported by Moses. Yes, I know. I am sure that God DID have a purpose. Here are a few of the issues God may have been thinking about.
All these items were given for the initial start of the service of the Tabernacle, the religious center given by God's direction. Despite the fact that the tribes were NOT all the same size and thus, had the same wealth, ALL PARTICIPATED equally. All looked to the Tabernacle, ALL had an equal part in it. The fact that each tribe was listed shows us that the leaders of each tribe probably did not give all these items PERSONALLY out of their own resources...it is likely a tribal effort. When the gifts were all given, there was ENOUGH. ALL of the equipment needs of the Tabernacle were met. The initial sacrifices were all made appropriately.
Also, it is kind of cool that each leader's name gets mentioned. I know that we aren't related to any of them, and we know nothing else about them. To US, all these thousands of years later, these names mean nothing. But God saw them. He counted them faithful. He had commanded certain things, and they delivered. For that obedience, their names are included in Scripture.
In the same way, God counts YOU faithful when you do what He asks. It won't be to give offerings to start a Tabernacle, but it is no less important in YOUR life and situation. And...someone else might see MY story and be bored in the reading of it, but it matters to me. God cares, and grants the story notice. Kind of cool, right?
I will probably never find the Ditto Chapter terribly interesting, but God placed it in Scripture and made sure it got carried on to today. Everything I have done, or THOUGHT I have done in life will probably be QUICKLY forgotten. Maybe this isn't as boring as I claim...
