Bible Journaling: Numbers 16

Numbers 16 is a chapter of rebellion. In this chapter we see some prominent leaders inciting a rebellion against Moses and Aaron, placing themselves on equal footing with these two men selected by God. What was at play here, was jealousy and a lust for power. These men did not seek God's will - they simply used service to God as a ploy to gain power. When they got the people to back them, God's anger was aroused. If Moses had not intervened, God would have destroyed the whole nation on the spot. As it were, only the rebels were destroyed when the ground opened up and swallowed them alive. The very next day, even after witnessing this, the people again rebelled against Moses and Aaron, blaming them for what had happened. Moses again had to intervene when God smote the people with a plague, but not before 14 700 people had succumbed. I journaled this page in red as a reminder of the deaths suffered, but also as a reminder of the love of the leader for his people and the grace of God. I added a number of stickers dealing with prayer, because of the intercessory prayer that occurs so frequently in the chapter.

The chapter looks like this in the Inspire Praise Bible.

I treat the pages with Dala Clear Acrylic Gesso.

Once dry, the Gesso is not even visible.

I scrape some Faber-Castell Gelatos into a watercolour palette.

I dissolve it with water and pick it up with a damp sponge.

I then shade the whole page a feint red.

I bought this amazing book in the children's section, a couple of years ago. It is filled with fun stencils. I will be using some of these in my Bible today.

I choose a banner I like and use a Mont Marte Dual Tip Adult Colouring Marker to colour inside the stencil, over a passage I have selcted to highlight. The verses are from Nubers 16:8-11:

Then Moses spoke again to Korah: “Now listen, you Levites! Does it seem insignificant to you that the God of Israel has chosen you from among all the community of Israel to be near him so you can serve in the Lord’s Tabernacle and stand before the people to minister to them? Korah, he has already given this special ministry to you and your fellow Levites. Are you now demanding the priesthood as well? The Lord is the one you and your followers are really revolting against! For who is Aaron that you are complaining about him?”

Another passage I select to highlight is found in verses 28-30:

And Moses said, “This is how you will know that the Lord has sent me to do all these things that I have done — for I have not done them on my own. If these men die a natural death, or if nothing unusual happens, then the Lord has not sent me. But if the Lord does something entirely new and the ground opens its mouth and swallows them and all their belongings, and they go down alive into the grave, then you will know that these men have shown contempt for the Lord.”

I find two more passages to highlight. The first is in verses 41-42:

But the very next morning the whole community of Israel began muttering again against Moses and Aaron, saying, “You have killed the Lord’s people!” As the community gathered to protest against Moses and Aaron, they turned toward the Tabernacle and saw that the cloud had covered it, and the glorious presence of the Lord appeared.

The next is in verses 47-50:

Aaron did as Moses told him and ran out among the people. The plague had already begun to strike down the people, but Aaron burned the incense and purified the people. He stood between the dead and the living, and the plague stopped. But 14,700 people died in that plague, in addition to those who had died in the affair involving Korah. Then because the plague had stopped, Aaron returned to Moses at the entrance of the Tabernacle.

I then use one of the border stencils in the margins of the Bible.

Next, I go in search of some stickers I can use. I have received a number of stickers from a friend, after a prayer retreat she helped organize. My Bible also came with some stickers in an envelope at the back of the Bible. These are the ones I will be using today.

I arrange the stickers randomly to be visually appealing.

I then find a collection of die-cuts by Little Birdie, called Fairy Sparkle Embellishments. I will be using some flowers and a bird from this collection.

I stick these in my Bible with double-sided tape.

The completed chapter.

You can watch a short compilation video of the steps above on YouTube:
https://youtu.be/5hAyeF2TpT4

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.

Marietjie Uys (Miekie) is a published author. You can buy my books here:
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