Christ is the greatest example of all (Luke 22:31-32; John 17:20-21), interceding on our behalf in many ways, including acting as our High Priest (Hebrews 7:25; 1 John 2:1-2). Commentary and Background Information. Of the more than 600,000 men who came out of Egypt, only Joshua and Caleb were allowed to enter Canaan. Numbers is so named because a census of Israel is taken twice in the book. The Law includes the Books of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. PLACE. Much of chapter 7 deals with the offerings that the leaders of Israel brought to the tabernacle when the altar was dedicated. Andre van Belkum currently serves as the pastor of the Church of God, a Worldwide Association, in New Zealand and the Pacific region. The Bible warns us not to lean on our own understanding (Proverbs 3:5-7). Because of the Israelites’ complaining, “fiery serpents” entered the camp. The book chronicles the events of the Israelites refusal to trust God and enter the Promised Land because of unbelief (Numbers 14:32-34) and their subsequent wandering in the wilderness. So God gave them their wish! There are various references to the book of Numbers in the New Testament. God's people had learned some hard lessons since their parents had crossed the Red Sea forty years ago. Chapter 32: Land on the east side of the Jordan River was given to Reuben, Gad and half of the tribe of Manasseh. (Leviticus, which interrupts the flow of narration, consists almost entirely of legislation independent of historic precedent–with the exception of Lev. All rights reserved. As a result, many did not enter the Promised Land (Hebrews 3:7-11). This coming Christ would a blessing to all nations. Was God too harsh with Moses? But he expects us to think carefully about our actions and get in the habit of choosing right over wrong. What does God see in our hearts? Consider Moses and the lessons we can learn from what he experienced. We must be careful about how we express anger. Lesson 62: Numbers 11–12. day: Sinai: Ten Commandments, Covenant, … When Zimri worshiped a Moabite god, he directly opposed the Lord. Below are a few examples: Chapter 1: Numbering (census) of the people. As it does for the rest of the Pentateuch, universal Jewish and Christian tradition attributes the authorship of the book of Numbers to When transporting the Ark of the Covenant, the priests (and no one else) first covered it. As the name implies, it also documents the two censuses conducted (Numbers 1:2, 3; 26:2). At the end of the Book of Leviticus, they have been out of Egypt for a little more than … We cannot blame him for getting angry and frustrated. Authorship: The first 5 book of the Bible, called the Law, of which Numbers is the fourth, are ascribed to Moses throughout Scripture (Joshua 8:31; 2 Kings 14:6; Neh. The first census was completed while the Israelites were still at Mount Sinai (chapters 1-2), and the second one came 38 years later when they arrived at the borders of Canaan at the end of their wanderings in the wilderness (chapter 26). When someone wrongly criticized us, we can be as forgiving as Moses when we let God guide our hearts. The second part of chapter 10 pictures Israel departing Mount Sinai (verses 11-13), with the Ark of the Covenant leading the way (verses 33-34). The Israelites were finally done wandering throught he desert. Numbers 32:23 reminds us, “Be sure your sin will find you out.”. The celebrations mentioned in this chapter provided specific times for the people to be refreshed spiritually, mentally, and physically. Sinai only to rebel against God at every step. Rarely, though, is violence the power reaction for our anger. Today, we offer gifts to God when we give our time and money to our churches. Its narrative begins at the point where Exodus leaves off. God told Moses to speak to the rock; but instead, Moses in anger spoke to the people and then struck the rock twice (20:12). Numbers was written in the final year of Moses’ life. Synopsis The complete audio series of ‘Lessons from the Book of Numbers’. An overview of the book of Numbers narrative spans 40 yrs. After the had lessons the Israelites had recently learned, they were due some encouragement. The first part of the message is a blessing for the people, but an even more promising message follows in verses 17-19. When we feel like complaining, let's stop and thank God for what he has done for us and given us. While the first half of the book is plagued with complaints, there is a change in tone in the second half of the book. The Book of Numbers - YouTube A road-trip gone bad. He did not do this here. The book of Numbers was written to demonstrate that God’s covenant plan stays on track even when His people don’t. 22) seemed to have had more sense than Balaam, a prophet who sold himself for money (see Jude 11). It is the fourth book of the Pentateuch. Those who took the vow were separated for a period of special service to God with strict limitations. At first glance, the name Numbers may not sound appealing and interesting. Chapters 34-36: Eleazar the priest and Joshua divided up the inheritance of the land (chapter 34); specific cities for the Levites were set aside (chapter 35); and judgments regarding inheritance were refined (chapter 36). 11 Life Lessons from The Book of Second Chronicles | Second Chronicles Bible Study Second Chronicles continues the history of Israel that was begun in 1 Chronicles. These are good lessons for God's people to remember today. The most notable death was that of Miriam, the sister of Moses. The Israelites would follow God's instructions, and keep their faith in him. Other occasions are described, such as calling leaders (Numbers 10:4), an alarm of war (verse 9) and announcing festival days (verse 10). Yet, God's Spirit "took control of him" (24.2) and used Balaam to speak a message to the Israelites. The book of Judges tells how the Israelites kept rejecting the Lord and worshiping idols. Here are 14 Lessons from The Book of Numbers A God of Order 1 # Short Commentary & Lesson From Numbers 9.15-23 When the cloud that covered the scared tent moved, the Israelites packed up camp and followed it. The people soon forgot the hardships of Egyptian slavery and lusted after the foods of the land of their captivity (Numbers 11:4). Through Numbers there are two shining examples of obedience and faith in God. 1445 BC: Census, Tribes, Duties: Numbers 1 - 6: 1445 BC: Tabernacle Dedication: Numbers 7 - 10: 1445 BC: The People Complain: Numbers … Chapters 17-20: The incident of the budding of Aaron’s rod is described. In the Hebrew Bible the book is referred to by a Hebrew phrase in the first verse of chapter 1 that means “in the wilderness.” This is a more complete designation, since Numbers contains the history of Israel wandering in the desert from the time they left Mount Sinai, in the second month of the second year after the exodus, until they arrived in Moab, near the borders of the Promised Land, in the 10th month of the 40th year of their journeying. The apostle Paul referred to this incident and others with a warning that we should not follow the bad example of the sinning, murmuring, complaining and griping Israelites (1 Corinthians 10:10-11). The Book of Numbers. However, Balaam advised the Moabite women to entice the men of Israel into adulterous pagan rites so God would punish them (Numbers 25:1-9; Revelation 2:14). The people lamented, “If only we had died in the land of Egypt! They lacked faith in God’s power and might to fulfill His promises, and they feared human beings more than Him (Numbers 13:28). Today we don’t have a tabernacle with God’s presence as the ancient Israelites did, but Christians are encouraged to draw near to God, and He promises to respond in a very personal way (James 4:8; 2 Chronicles 15:2). What does the failure to enter the promised land teach us about distrusting God when it comes to the major decisions in life? If God has disciplined us for sins, we should learn from our mistakes and recommit ourselves to trusting God for a great future. Learning this lesson requires a spoiler alert, the Israelites will get to the promised land. The Character of Numbers. EVENTS. Someone once said that promises were made to be broken. Ten of the spies brought back an “evil report,” which resulted in the entire nation rebelling against God. NUMBERS SUMMARY. Aaron and Miriam resented Moses' leadership. But those who study the book may be surprised to discover it teaches many spiritual principles and lessons. Used by permission. The Levites were chosen to do God’s service in place of the firstborn, and in these chapters the duties of the families of Levi—Gershon, Kohath and Merari—are identified (Numbers 3:25-39). These links will give you more about this inspiring future that God wants to motivate us. As we read about the various incidents in the book of Numbers, we notice how ingratitude undermines faith and produces a chain reaction in human nature. They had arrived near the banks of the Jordan River. Chapters 3-4: Assignments of the priests and Levites. , Miriam alone was struck with leprosy, and it separates us God. 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