In a sense, the story in Numbers is a dramatic but tragic drama, a story of unrequited love. On one hand we witnessed the infinite kindness and covenant love for His covenant people; He literally would not let Israel go. One the other hand we witness Israel's difficulty with receiving and appreciating God's offer to make of her His peculiar treasure, His holy nation of kings and priests, queens and priestesses. In addition, Jehovah straightened His people for their rebellion and chastened them for their failure to heed His word and the directives of His anointed servants." -Robert L. Millet
One sign of spiritual maturity is the capacity to receive revealed truths and act upon them in a balanced and appropriate manner. The children of Israel had just learned the importance of every man a woman becoming a prophet within his or her own sphere and that it is the privilege of each person to be guided and enlightened by the Spirit of God. Now they needed to learn order in this matter of revelation, and the significance of sustaining the one person given keys-directing power, the right of presidency- over the whole church." God molds his prophets, and God alone stands in judgement upon His prophets. The prophets words are to be received as if from the very mouth of the Lord and the Saints are to receive it in all patience and faith." -Robert L. Millet
To have faith in Christ is not merely to believe that he is who He says He is. Many in the church believe that Jesus is the Son of God, that He is the Savior of the world but that He cannot save them. They believe in His identity but not in His power to cleanse and purify and save them. To have faith in His identity is only half the process; to have faith in His ability, in HIs power to cleanse and to save, that is the other half. We must not only believe in Christ when He says I can cleanse you and make you celestial. Spiritually there are some that are petrified by the questions, am I Celestial? Am I going to make it? Was I good enough today? We are so worried that we cannot make any progress. It's those times that the Savior graves us, throws His arms around us and says, I've got you. I love you. I'm not going to let you die. If we can relax and trust Him and believe Him as well as believe in Him then together we can begin to live the gospel. He puts His arms around us and we begin to make progress. -Stephen E. Robinson
