Bible Journaling: Numbers 8 & 9

We have reached two exciting chapters in Numbers. In Numbers 8 we find that the Levites are dedicated to serve in the Temple from the age of 21 to the age of 50. Then in Numbers 9, we find that instructions are given for keeping the ceremony of the Passover by Israelites who were unable to do so at the same time. The part that really excites me about these chapters follow on this. It is here that we learnt that God settled on the Tabernacle in the physical form of a cloud during the daytime, to provide shelter against the heat, and a pillar of fire during the night to provide light. The Israelites remained camped out as long as the cloud remained stationary, but when the cloud lifted up, they knew it was time to pack up and get moving. I focused on this passage for my journaling of these two chapters.

The two chapters look like this in the Inspire Praise Bible.

I treat the pages with Dala Clear Acrylic Gesso.

Once I am ready to work on the pages, they look like this.

I underline some pivotal verses with an Artline marker. The section can be found in Numbers 8:16-19.

“Of all the people of Israel, the Levites are reserved for me. I have claimed them for myself in place of all the firstborn sons of the Israelites; I have taken the Levites as their substitutes. For all the firstborn males among the people of Israel are mine, both of people and of animals. I set them apart for myself on the day I struck down all the firstborn sons of the Egyptians. Yes, I have claimed the Levites in place of all the firstborn sons of Israel. And of all the Israelites, I have assigned the Levites to Aaron and his sons. They will serve in the Tabernacle on behalf of the Israelites and make sacrifices to purify the people so no plague will strike them when they approach the sanctuary.”

Another passage I underline can be found in Numbers 9:15-23.

On the day the Tabernacle was set up, the cloud covered it. But from evening until morning the cloud over the Tabernacle looked like a pillar of fire. This was the regular pattern—at night the cloud that covered the Tabernacle had the appearance of fire. Whenever the cloud lifted from over the sacred tent, the people of Israel would break camp and follow it. And wherever the cloud settled, the people of Israel would set up camp. In this way, they traveled and camped at the Lord’s command wherever he told them to go. Then they remained in their camp as long as the cloud stayed over the Tabernacle. If the cloud remained over the Tabernacle for a long time, the Israelites stayed and performed their duty to the Lord. Sometimes the cloud would stay over the Tabernacle for only a few days, so the people would stay for only a few days, as the Lord commanded. Then at the Lord’s command they would break camp and move on. Sometimes the cloud stayed only overnight and lifted the next morning. But day or night, when the cloud lifted, the people broke camp and moved on. Whether the cloud stayed above the Tabernacle for two days, a month, or a year, the people of Israel stayed in camp and did not move on. But as soon as it lifted, they broke camp and moved on. So they camped or traveled at the Lord’s command, and they did whatever the Lord told them through Moses.

I then use Faber-Castell Gelatos to roughly draw a tent. This is to represent the Tabernacle.

I use a damp make-up sponge to blend the Gelatos with.

I fill in the background with another Gelatos stick and blend it.

Then I draw the cloud on one of the double page spread.

I draw my interpretation of the fiery pillar on the remaining half of the layout.

I am left to fill in the sky in the background.

I find some old-fashioned rubber stamps and a Memento stamp pad.

I stamp most of my journaling with the small rubber stamps.

The last word is intended to stand out and for this I use W&M clear stamps, mounted on a Chizwick stamp block.

My journaling reads: "Don't budge without GOD."

The completed layout.

You can watch a short compilation video of the steps above on YouTube:
https://youtu.be/g5nZNVMA78Y

Unless otherwise indicated, all scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2005,2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois, 60188. All rights reserved.

Inspire PRAISE South Africa edition copyright 2017 by Christian Art Publishers, PO Box 1599, Vereeniging, 1930, RSA. All rights reserved.

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