Archives for February 2018

OVERVIEW:

A recounting of the Ten Commandments; the greatest commandment; instructions for new homes; instruction for the new land; admonitions to remember the Lord.

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

As Moses begins his second address to the people in chapter 5 in preparation for their entrance into the land of Canaan, he reminds them of their responsibility to HEAR the Word of God: to LEARN it, to KEEP it, and to DO it! As we are pursuing God on a SPIRITUAL journey into the land of abundance and fruitfulness that He’s designed for us “in Christ,” may we heed these admonitions with the same fervor and passion we would expect the children of Israel to have had in anticipation of God leading them in their PHYSICAL journey into the land of promise. May we likewise be passionate to HEAR, LEARN, KEEP, and DO the Word of God!

Moses then reminds the children of Israel of the importance of them taking PERSONALLY the covenant God had made with them. He says in 5:3, “The Lord made not this covenant with our fathers, but with us, even us, who are all of us here alive this day.” May Moses’ words to the children of Israel serve as a great reminder that the covenant of grace, and to which those of us who comprise His church have entered, are spiritual realities God intends for each of us to take very PERSONALLY, making certain we have made PERSONAL APPLICATION of all of His commands and promises. The promises of the new covenant God made aren’t just intended for our forefathers, they are for US!

Moses then begins to recount to the people the infamous ten commandments that he had previously received. Deuteronomy 5:29 gives us a beautiful glimpse into the heart of God and the desire He has for His people: “O that there were such an heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children for ever!” Our Lord Jesus Christ expressed this same heart and sentiment in Matthew 23:37, saying, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!” May we always be certain that our HEARTS are set upon the Lord; to fear Him, and to ALWAYS keep ALL of His commandments.

In chapter 6:4–5, Moses gives what Jesus referred to as the “Great Commandment.” It is simply this: based off of our firm belief that the God of the Bible is the one and only God and Lord, we are to love Him with all of our heart, all of our soul, and all of our might.

Moses then instructs the people to make sure that they took responsibility for taking the words God was using him to speak to them that day and teaching them to their children. Obviously, this screams to us the responsibility we have of teaching our children the Word of God. (Eph. 6:4) We must recognize, however, that the responsibility of teaching our children the Word of God does not simply mean taking them to church for someone else to teach them. It can certainly be a wonderful blessing to have others come alongside of us in this task, but we must understand that the responsibility to teach our children the Word of God was given solely to us as their parents! Notice in verse 7 of chapter 6, we must not only “teach them” the Word of God, but “teach them DILIGENTLY!” We must not take this responsibility flippantly, or approach it haphazardly! He continues in verse 7 to explain what it looks like in real life for us to “DILIGENTLY” teach our children. He tells us that it should include the times when we are simply sitting with them in our house; when we’re with them on our way somewhere (walking, or driving); when we’re putting them to bed at night; and in the morning when they wake up. Perhaps it shouldn’t surprise us that it is these very times that the clamor of this world and the distractions of the devil have sought to take from us. Oh, may we seek to reclaim these special times for the Lord and our children!

But, also, recognize that this passage lets us know that it’s not simply enough to “TELL” our children all the right stuff about God, and simply to “TELL” our children how to have a relationship with Him. This passage tells us that these things must be MODELED for them! Perhaps the most IMPORTANT instruction God gives to parents in this passage about how to instruct their children is also the most OVERLOOKED instruction in this passage! God says to parents in verse 6, “And these words, which I command thee (parents) this day, SHALL BE IN THINE HEART!” The fact is, many parents teach their children, and even “DILIGENTLY” teach their children, and yet, it ultimately “doesn’t work,” for the simple fact that the things they were teaching their children weren’t, first and foremost, “IN THEIR HEART!” The right words were coming out of their LIPS but the right words weren’t being modeled through their LIFE! We must recognize the instruction God intends for our children to receive from us must not only be TAUGHT to them it must also be CAUGHT by them! Oh, my dear brothers and sisters, God’s Word must be in our HEARTS!

Notice also that God warns the children of Israel (and us!), of the tendency we have as humans to FORGET GOD. God warns that there is a danger that after struggling in our journey to get to the place God intends for us to be, that we will become COMFORTABLE and COMPLACENT, and forget God, and all HE did to bring us into the place where His promises are being fulfilled in our lives.

As Moses then points them toward the future, he also warns of the danger of making COMPROMISES with the enemy, and tells us that we must likewise instill this disdain for the enemy into our children. Oh parents, may we both TEACH verbally and MODEL practically for our children, God’s instruction in 2 Corinthians 6:17–18: “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.”

CHRIST IS REVEALED:

• As THE EVERLASTING COVENANT – Deuteronomy 5:2 (Heb. 13:20,21; John 3:16; 5:24; 6:47)
• As MEDIATOR – Deuteronomy 5:5 (1 Tim. 2:5; Heb. 8:6)
• As WELL-PLEASING – Deuteronomy 6:18 (Matt. 3:17; 17:5; Luke 3:22)
• As CALLED OUT OF EGYPT – Deuteronomy 6:21 (Matt. 2:13–15)
• As ONE WHO WILL SMITE THE NATIONS – Deuteronomy 7:2 (Rev. 19:15)
• As REDEEMER – Deuteronomy 7:8 (Rom. 3:24; Eph. 1:7; Heb. 9:12)
• As ONE WHO WILL REPAY FACE TO FACE – Deuteronomy 7:10 (Rev. 1:7)

OVERVIEW:

Moses’ history lesson: From the Ten Commandments to the Spies; the wilderness; the nations avoided; the nations conquered; Joshua charged to be the next leader; the people compelled to heed God’s word.

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

We have now made our way to the fifth Book of the Bible, the Book of Deuteronomy. “Deuteronomy” simply means “second law.” But understand, that it’s not actually “another law” that is being given in this book, it’s simply a “second giving of the law” that is being given for a generation that had not heard the “first giving of the law” at Sinai. Notice, however, that there is a marked difference between this second giving of the law and the first. When God gave the law the first time in the Book of Exodus, it was pretty much: “OBEY ME because I’m God and because I SAID!” It was a RESPONSIBILITY and that responsibility was connected to DUTY. But in the Book of Deuteronomy, when God gave the law the second time, it is beautifully associated with a different word. This time it’s connected to LOVE! For the first time, God talks about His LOVE for His PEOPLE and the desire in His heart for His people to LOVE HIM! God lets His people know in this Book, that yes, He wants us to OBEY Him, but He wants us to do it, NOT because we feel that it is our RESPONSIBILITY, NOT out of a sense of OBLIGATION or DUTY, NOT out of FEAR, or because of the CONSEQUENCES if we don’t, but because of LOVE! Sure, it is a RESPONSIBILITY, but it is to fulfill the LAW of LOVE!

It should be noted that the Jews referred to the first five Books of the Bible as the Torah, meaning “teaching, doctrine or instruction.” Christians commonly refer to these same Books as “the Pentateuch,” which comes from a compound Greek word that means “five books.” Jesus referred to these first five Books of the Old Testament in at least three ways:

1) As “the law.” (Matt. 5:17, 18; 7:12; 11:13; 12:5; 22:40; Luke 10:26; 16:16; John 7:19)

2) As “the law of Moses.” (Luke 24:44; John 7:23) 3)

3) As “Moses.” (Luke 16:29; John 5:45, 46)

It is also interesting to note that the New Testament writers quote the Book of Deuteronomy more than any Old Testament Book, at least 80 times! In our Lord’s temptation in the wilderness, with each one, He quoted a verse relevant to the temptation, and, interestingly enough, each of the three verses He quoted were from the Book of Deuteronomy! (Matt. 4:4/Deut. 8:3; Matt. 4:7/Deut. 6:16; Matt. 4:10/Deut. 6:13)

By comparing the LAST verse of the Book of Numbers with the FIRST verse of the Book of Deuteronomy, it helps us to contextualize and summarize God’s intention through both books. In short, the Book of Numbers is Gods “commands and judgments” given through Moses while the children of Israel were in the plains of Moab; and the Book of Deuteronomy is a series of addresses Moses gave to the children of Israel as they prepared to enter into the land of promise in Canaan.

1) Moses’ first address. (Deut. 1–4) 2)

2) Moses’ second address. (Deut. 5–26)

3) Moses’ third address. (Deut. 27–30)

4) Moses’ parting words. (Deut. 31–34)

The urgency and passion behind Moses’ words in these addresses is more than apparent. He “preaches” as a man fully aware that his death is imminent. Oh, may we likewise preach as a dying man to dying men!

It is believed that the date of the writing of this book was sometime shortly AFTER delivering the addresses, and sometime shortly BEFORE his death (34:5) in approximately 1405 B.C. Obviously, the record of Moses’ death and of what took place after it in Deuteronomy 34 is a divinely inspired appendix to the book that was written by another author, most likely, his successor and longtime partner in ministry, Joshua.

Keep in mind that the children of Israel in the Old Testament are a picture of the individual believer in the New Testament. Just as has been pictured through the children of Israel in the books of Exodus to Deuteronomy, AFTER being delivered out of the bondage of “Egypt” (our deliverance from our bondage to sin, Satan and self: i.e. the world), BEFORE we can actually enter into the promised land of “Canaan” (the victorious Christian life: the life of fullness, fruit-bearing and abundance in Christ!), there is a WILDERNESS to go through! It is the part of our journey where we, like the children of Israel, must learn to submit our stubborn wills to the will of our Lord as it is revealed through His Word. None of us will enter into the life of abundance God intended our salvation to bring (John 10:10) without experiencing this absolute surrender of ourselves and our wills. It has been said that it took God approximately 40 HOURS to bring the children of Israel out of EGYPT, but it took approximately 40 YEARS to bring EGYPT out of the children of Israel! (Remember, it was only an 11-day journey through the wilderness — Deut. 1:2!)
Note in chapter 3 and verse 24 that Moses refers to God’s wondrous works in Israel’s exodus as only what He had “begun” to do to show Moses and the children of Israel His “greatness” and His “mighty hand.” So, it is with our exodus! Paul said in Philippians 1:6, “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath BEGUN a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ!” Yes, God did a mighty work in delivering us out of Egypt (the world/sin), but He has great and mighty works He still intends to perform in our lives in bringing us into the “Promised Land” (the life of abundance and fullness in Christ).

Take special note that Moses’ words to the children of Israel, in Deuteronomy 4:29, are the words chosen as the theme verse to inspire us and direct us through the 365 Days of Pursuit. Obviously, this is a promise given specifically to the children of Israel, and yet, the general principle revealed in this verse is one that has application for people in every generation and in every dispensation. God has always desired that His people see Him
through the revelation of His holy Word, and when our pursuit of Him is so passionate that it involves all of our heart and all of our soul, the reality is, we will find Him! May that continue to be our passionate pursuit in the remaining 43 weeks of our 365 Days of Pursuit!

Deuteronomy 4:30 is a very significant verse for our times. Many (most?) Christians from an “evangelical” persuasion (meaning, fundamentally sound regarding the need for and means of salvation) are now teaching that God is finished with the Jew, and that the church has replaced Israel. The ramifications and dangers of this teaching are huge. One of the strongest indictments in the entire New Testament is related to this very teaching! In dictating to John, the letter to the church in Smyrna in Revelation 2, our Lord Jesus Christ said that those who say they are Jews when they are not (and as Gentile, church age believers, we most definitely are not!), make themselves of “the synagogue of Satan!” In other words, this is a satanically-inspired teaching! The most popular violator is, no doubt, the Roman Catholic Church who believes that their first, so-called “Pope,” Peter, the Apostle to the Jews, was the one given the keys to the kingdom of heaven which is the literal, physical, governmental kingdom promised to the Jews (the nation of Israel — Acts 1:7). But the teaching that the church has replaced Israel in God’s program has now also made its way into most, quote-unquote, “evangelical” churches and institutions of higher learning. What usually accompanies this teaching is that there will be no Rapture, and, subsequently, no Tribulation Period and Millennium. Way back in Deuteronomy 4:30–31, however, the Bible very clearly spells out something completely different! Verses 30 and 31 say, “When thou art in tribulation, and all these things are come upon thee, even in the latter days, if thou turn to the Lord thy God, and shalt be obedient unto his voice; (For the Lord thy God is a merciful God;) he will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which he sware unto them.” In other words, once the church has been removed at the Rapture, which then ushers in the Tribulation Period, God will fulfill His promises to the Nation of Israel! Please note that maintaining this distinction is vital to properly understand the Bible and to remain steadfast in sound doctrine.

CHRIST IS REVEALED:

• As THE RIGHTEOUS JUDGE – Deuteronomy 1:17 (2 Tim. 4:8)
• As DELIVERER – Deuteronomy 1:30; 2:33; 3:3 (Rom. 8:21; Gal. 1:4)
• As THE FAITHFUL ONE – Deuteronomy 2:9, 12, 19 (1 Cor. 10:13; 2 Thess. 3:3; 1 John 1:9)
• As TEACHER – Deuteronomy 4:14 (John 8:28)
• As THE ONE TRUE GOD – Deuteronomy 4:35, 39 (John 14:6; Acts 4:12; Col. 2:9)
• As THE LOVER OF MEN – Deuteronomy 4:37 (John 15:13; Titus 3:4, 5)

OVERVIEW:

A summary of Israel’s 40 years in the wilderness; the dividing of the land of Canaan; the inheritance of the Levites; the cities of refuge; the laws concerning female inheritance within the patriarchal tribe.

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

In chapter 33, God provides us with a summary of Israel’s journeys from Egypt to the Jordan. Note God’s stern warning in 33:55: “But if ye will not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you; then it shall come to pass, that those which ye let remain of them shall be pricks in your eyes, and thorns in your sides, and shall vex you in the land wherein ye dwell.” In the New Testament equivalent, God is picturing here the fact that living in the fullness of victory that He has designed in Christ (i.e. Canaan) is dependent upon us overcoming “every weight and the sin which doth so easily beset us.” (Heb. 12:1) We must be sure we understand that any area of our flesh that we refuse to deal with will become pricks in our eyes, and thorns in our sides, and shall vex us in our walk with Christ!

In chapter 34, God caused the children of Israel to look ahead to the time when they would possess Canaan, as He assigned to each tribe the portion of their inheritance in the land. The Levites were also assigned their special cities, and perhaps most importantly, the cities of refuge are defined in chapter 35. We will talk further about the cities of refuge as we move into the Book of Joshua, but do note some beautiful pictures of Christ, to Whom we “have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us.” (Heb. 6:18)

The cities of refuge were:

1. APPOINTED BY GOD, NOT MOSES.
   Moses did not choose these cities, picturing the fact that the Law (Moses) cannot save anyone. Just as these cities were appointed by God to be a shelter or refuge from judgment as an act of His grace, so Christ, as an act of God’s grace (John 3:16), was appointed by God to be our shelter of refuge from the judgment of sin. (John 1:29)
2. ANNOUNCED BY GOD IN HIS WORD.
   The six cities are specifically named in Joshua 20:7–8, and could never be changed. There were other cities that were larger and more prominent, but none of them could shelter the sinner. God has also specifically named Christ as the one and only shelter from sin, though many of the world’s religions are larger or more prominent. Based on the authority of God’s Word, God’s “Refuge,” Christ, will never change! (John 4:6; Acts 4:12)
3. ACCESSIBLE TO ALL MEN.
   The six cities were arranged by God so that no tribe was very far away from the place of safety. They were all very accessible. We are told by the rabbis that there were signposts that pointed the way to the cities of refuge, and that the gates of these cities were never shut. God has made Christ accessible to all men, even children! (Matt. 18:3) The Holy Spirit is given to point men to Christ (John 16:13-14), and all who come will find His gates open wide! (John 6:37)
4. THE GUILTY HAD TO APPROPRIATE GOD’S PROVISION TO ESCAPE PUNISHMENT.
   It wasn’t enough to know that the cities of refuge existed, or even to believe that they could provide refuge from judgment. The guilty had to actually enter into the city. So, it is not enough that a sinner believe that Christ, as God, existed, or even that they believe that He is God’s Refuge from the judgment of sin: the sinner must be “IN CHRIST!” (2 Cor. 5:17)

CHRIST IS REVEALED:

• In the PROMISED LAND — Numbers 33:50–54 (Note that the Promised Land was filled with abundance and protection for those who took God at His Word. In John 10:10, Jesus said, “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”)
• In the CITIES OF REFUGE — Numbers 35 (Heb. 6:18–20 – Christ is our Refuge from the judgment of God and the curse of the Law.)
• In the INHERITANCE of the children of Israel — Numbers 36:7 (Eph. 1:10–11)

OVERVIEW:

The daily and weekly offerings; the sabbath and monthly offerings, and the offerings to be given at the appointed feasts; God’s instruction concerning vows; God’s judgment upon the Midianites; the division of the booty obtained from the Midianites; the officers and captains bring an offering to the Lord; Reuben, Gad and half of the tribe of Manasseh settle east of the Jordan.

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

Chapters 28 and 29 deal with the subject of the Lord’s offerings, and are actually an amplification of the instructions already given in Leviticus 23. Keep in mind that all of the offerings speak of Christ and find their fulfillment in Him. (Matt. 5:17) Understanding that makes Numbers 28:2 beautifully significant as God speaks of these offerings as “My bread.” Christ is the One in whom the Father has found His delight and perfect satisfaction. (Matt. 3:17)

In chapter 30, God talks about the seriousness of making vows to Him. He wants to make certain that His people did not take ENTERING into a vow with Him lightly, or take the BREAKING of a vow lightly. Though we are not instructed to make vows, as such, as New Testament believers, wasn’t our very salvation a sacred “vow” of sorts, as we recognized that our lives were not our own because of the price Christ paid to redeem us, and so we exchanged our life for His? (1 Cor. 6:19–20; Matt. 16:24)

The purpose of God’s command to go to war against Midian in chapter 31 was two-fold:

1) To “avenge the children of Israel of the Midianites.” (31:2)

2) To “avenge the Lord of Midian.” (31:3)

It served that two-fold purpose because the Midianites had devastated Israel, not as “ENEMIES” in a PHYSICAL war, but as “FRIENDS” in a SPIRITUAL war. The idol-worshipping Midianites seduced the Children of Israel into committing “SPIRITUAL ADULTERY” against the Lord, and became involved in “PHYSICAL ADULTERY” with their women. It had resulted in the death of 24,000 Israelites! (Num. 25:9)

In this war that God designed to provide HUMAN RETALIATION and DIVINE RETRIBUTION, three significant things stand out:

1) The easiness of the victory.

2) The enormity of the spoil.

3) The absence of the loss of life. (Not one of the Israelites was killed!)

Keep in mind that like Israel, we, too, have been called to war against our PHYSICAL enemy, the flesh (Gal. 5:17), and to war against our SPIRITUAL enemy, the devil and his principalities and powers. (Eph. 6:10-17) When we walk in obedience to the Word of God and appropriate the victory that Christ has already won, we can expect the same result as the children of Israel in Numbers 31!

In chapter 32, the tribes of Reuben and Gad approach Moses for permission to settle in a piece of property recently acquired on the east of Jordan. They had set their affection on what they could see with their “physical eyes” (note in 32:1 – “and when they saw”), rather than what God had in store for them in the Promised Land that required the “eyes of faith.” From a human/financial standpoint, their request was very reasonable and made all the sense in the world, but spiritually, it was an act of selfishness, compromise and lack of faith. Israel’s place was INSIDE Canaan, not OUTSIDE! That was the whole purpose for the exodus: to bring them into a new land. (Deut. 6:23) God wanted the entire nation to enter the land as one, and for all of Israel to desire to be near the tabernacle, and thus, constantly living in His presence. We see the result of their choice in 1 Chronicles 5:18–26 and 2 Kings 15:29. It wasn’t long before they bowed themselves to the gods of the people around them, and they were the first to go into captivity.
Obviously, these tribes are a graphic picture of self-indulgent, worldly Christians who foolishly set their affection on things on earth rather than on the things above (Col. 3:1–2), allowing physical or financial advantages to be their first consideration, and the key factor in making the decisions of life. Like Israel, our place is in CANAAN, not in this WORLD! We are to be living in this world, but all the while, our affection driving us to seek the things which are above, lest we, like Reuben, Gad, and half of Manasseh, be overtaken by the world, the flesh, and the devil.

CHRIST IS REVEALED:

• In the OFFERINGS of the FEAST of TABERNACLES – Numbers 29:12–39 (Compare Num. 29:12 with Lev. 23:24) – John 1:14 (“The Word was made flesh and DWELT among us…” Note that the word “dwelt” is the word “tabernacle,” meaning “to temporarily live in a tent.”)
• In MOSES, the RIGHTEOUS JUDGE of the wicked – Numbers 31:1–17 (Rev. 16:5; 19:11; 2 Thess. 1:7–9; Jude 14–15)

OVERVIEW:

Israel’s sin of fornication; God’s judgment in the plague of death; the plague halted because of the zeal of Phinehas; the second numbering (census) of Israel; the law of inheritance; Moses views the Promised Land; Moses installs Joshua as Israel’s leader.

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

As we saw in yesterday’s reading, Balak was bound and determined to get Balaam to curse Israel. Because Balaam wanted the money and honor that Balak promised him for doing so, he repeatedly tried to curse them, but God would only allow him to speak blessing.

Since Balaam couldn’t curse them, he suggests a way to put the children of Israel in a situation where God Himself would curse them. God outlines Balaam’s simple plan in His commentary on Numbers 25:1–8 found in Revelation 2:14 that He calls, “the doctrine of Balaam.”

1. He taught Balak how to cause the children of Israel “to eat things sacrificed to idols.”

2. He taught Balak how to cause the children of Israel “to commit fornication.”

Though Balaam wasn’t successful in getting GOD to turn away from ISRAEL, he was successful in getting ISRAEL to turn away from GOD. He wickedly suggests to Balak, king of Moab, that the Moabite women make friends with the men of Israel. (Keep James 4:4 in mind: “Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that friendship with the world is enmity with God?”) The “friendliness” of the Moabite women quickly led the Israelite men “as an ox goeth to the slaughter” (Prov. 7:22), right into sexual immorality and idol worship. Israel’s disobedience resulted in a plague of death that swept through the camp of Israel. When it was all said and done, 24,000 people had been killed! (25:9)

The hero of this whole tragedy was Phinehas, the grandson of Aaron. One Israelite was as so bold in his sin and lust, he actually brought one of the Midianite women into Israel’s camp to have a sexual relationship with her right in Moses’ face, as it were. Phinehas came into the tent and thrust both of them through with a javelin while in the very act. God honors the zeal of Phinehas by turning away the plague of death before any others were killed, and by giving him a “covenant of peace” and an “everlasting priesthood.” Phinehas gives new meaning to “Blessed are the peacemakers!”

In chapter 26, God calls for the second “numbering,” or census, of the children of Israel in the Book of Numbers. At this point, all of the 603,550 men included in the first census were dead, with the exception of Joshua, Caleb, and Moses, and at this point, Moses wasn’t long for this world either! The total of the second census was 601,730…1820 fewer than the first census taken some 38 years previous. Catch the pitifulness of Numbers 26:63–65: “These are they that were numbered by Moses and Eleazar the priest, who numbered the children of Israel in the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho. But among these there was not a man of them whom Moses and Aaron the priest numbered, when they numbered the children of Israel in the wilderness of Sinai. For the Lord had said of them, They shall surely die in the wilderness. And there was not left a man of them, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun.”

Another significant event was to take place before Israel was to enter the Promised Land. God wanted Moses to do two things:

1. To go up to Mount Abarim so that he could view the land he had been forbidden to enter. (27:12–14) Just imagine what must have been going through Moses’ heart at that moment!

2. To install Joshua as the new leader. (26:15–23)

Chapter 27 ends with Moses blessing Joshua, and laying his hands upon him, symbolically transferring the leadership that God had entrusted to him.

CHRIST IS REVEALED:

In JOSHUA, who would lead people likened to sheep which have no shepherd – Numbers 27:17 (Mark 6:34; 1 Pet. 2:25)

OVERVIEW:

Miriam’s death; Moses strikes the rock twice; Edom refuses to allow Israel passage on their land; Aaron’s death; the judgment of the fiery serpents; the serpent of brass; Israel defeats King Arad, the Amorites, and the Moabites; Balaam is hired to curse the Israelites; the prophecies of Balaam.

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

Chapter 20 marks the end of Israel’s wandering in the wilderness. The death of Aaron, which takes place in this chapter, happened in the fortieth year after the children of Israel came up out of Egypt (see Num. 3:38), and from this point, Israel either marched or halted, but did not wander.

It is significant that this chapter groups together three significant events: 1) Miriam’s death; 2) Moses sin (striking the rock twice); 3) Aaron’s death. These three events point to the fact that Aaron, representative of the priesthood, could not successfully lead Israel into the land of promise and rest; nor could Miriam, representative of the prophets; nor could Moses, representative of the law. The way into the Promised Land was to be led by Joshua, whom, we will see as we study the Book that bears his name, is an incredible type of the Lord Jesus Christ! (Note: “Joshua” is the Hebrew rendering of the name “Jesus,” and is actually translated “Jesus” in Acts 7:45!)

The reason God was so stern with Moses about disobeying His command to speak to the rock is revealed in 1 Corinthians 10:4. You see, that wasn’t just any rock. That Rock was Christ! The Rock had already been smitten once (Ex. 17:5), and God didn’t want it smitten again. Striking it again would imply that Christ’s one sacrifice on the Cross wasn’t sufficient to pay for man’s sin. Because of Moses’ defilement of the type, he was not permitted to enter the Promised Land. Husbands, take note, God does not take kindly when someone spoils the picture of His Son! You, too, are a picture of Christ in your relationship to your wife! (Eph. 5:22–32) Unless your relationship with your wife is right, it will be as impossible for you to enter Canaan (the fullness of life in Christ) as it was for Moses!

Chapter 21 presents another incredible picture of Christ. The people had been bitten with the fiery serpents because of two sins: 1) They spoke against God; and 2) They spoke against Moses. Because of their sin, they were dying. (Num. 21:5–6) In like fashion, we are sinners because we have sinned against God, and because we have sinned against our fellow man. (Mark 12:30–31) Because of our sin, we have been bitten by the fiery serpent of sin, and are destined to die. (Rom. 6:23a – “the wages of sin is death!”)

God’s remedy in Israel was a serpent of brass that was to be lifted up on a pole among the people, and all who looked to it were delivered from death to life. In John 3:14, Jesus said, “And AS Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him (i.e. looks to Him in faith) should not perish, but have eternal life.”

Note several things comparing the physical salvation provided through the serpent of brass lifted up on the pole, to the spiritual salvation provided through the Lord Jesus Christ, lifted up on the cross:

1. Their salvation was BY FAITH. It wasn’t by anything they did, the command was simply to “LOOK and LIVE!”

2. It was BY FAITH ALONE. Israel was not saved by looking at the serpent AND keeping the Law…or bringing a sacrifice…or by promising reform. They were saved by faith alone. Likewise, our salvation is not Christ PLUS anything! If anything needs to be ADDED to Christ, it is to say that Christ is not sufficient in Himself to provide our salvation. God forbid!

3. There was only ONE REMEDY. We have all heard countless times that, “There are many roads to heaven.” There was only ONE REMEDY in the camp of Israel, and there is only ONE REMEDY today! Jesus said in John 14:6, “I am THE WAY (not “a” way)…no man cometh unto the Father but my me.” Unless a person looks to Christ by faith, the sting of death (1 Cor. 15:56) is inevitable and eternal.

4. Their salvation was IMMEDIATE. Just as there was an immediate miracle when the bitten victim in Israel looked to the serpent of brass, so every sinner bitten by the fiery serpent of sin receives the immediate miracle of eternal life when He looks to Christ by faith.

Chapters 22–24 record the strange story of Balaam and Balak. Balak tried to hire Balaam to curse the Children of Israel, but every time he opened his mouth to do so, much to Balaam’s surprise, and Balak’s anger, out came blessing!

CHRIST IS REVEALED:

• In the ROCK which Moses struck – Numbers 20:8–11; Exodus 17:6 (Christ, the Rock was struck once through His death on the cross and does not need to be struck again – 1 Cor. 10:4. Rom. 6:10 – “For in that he died, he died unto sin once.”)
• In the SERPENT OF BRASS – Numbers 21:8–9 (John 3:14)
• In the prophesied STAR and SCEPTER – Numbers 24:17 (Heb. 1:8 – scepter; Rev. 22:16 – star)

OVERVIEW:

Korah leads a rebellion against Moses and Aaron; the plague of judgment sent by God; duties for the priests; the tithe offering; the sacrifice of the red heifer.

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

The complaints that were hurled against Moses in chapter 12 came from his own brother and sister. The uprising against him in chapter 16 comes from his own cousins, Korah, Dathan, and Abram. The sad thing is that Korah, the ringleader of the rebellion, was able to negatively influence 250 of the leaders of Israel against Moses and Aaron.
Their accusations against Moses and Aaron, the God-ordained authorities in Israel, was that they assumed too much authority, and that there were others, namely THEM(!), who were deserving of an equal voice in the decisions that were made for the nation. They, no doubt, were assured that they were right, and that they were only seeking to champion the “Lord’s cause,” and a cause that was for the “good of the people.” The only problem was, they were wrong; dead wrong! In fact, verse 11 reveals that their actual rebellion wasn’t against the authority of Moses and Aaron, but against the authority of the Lord Himself! In chapter 16 and verse 11, Moses says to Korah, “…both thou and all thy company are gathered together against the Lord.” (16:11) As the Lord recounts this story in Numbers 26:9, He also says that, “they strove against the Lord.”

It is interesting to note in this whole rebellious debacle that Moses and Aaron did not seek to defend themselves. They, rather, let God be their defense. (Psa. 59:9) Moses instructs Korah and his 250 rebels to bring censers (the pots used for burning incense) to the tabernacle so that God could reveal who was right in the dispute. The object lesson was incredible. The ground opened up and swallowed Korah, Dathan, Abram, and as the 250 princes offered their incense, God breathed out fire and they also went up in smoke!

One would think that the supernatural intervention of God confirming the authority of Moses and Aaron would have certainly caused the people to willfully and joyfully submit. Rather, they murmured once again, actually blaming Moses and Aaron for killing Korah and all of his cohorts! Wow! Needless to say, God was not pleased. He instructs Moses and Aaron to back away so He could consume everyone of the murmurers. Moses, rather than relish in God’s judgment upon the people, instructs Aaron to offer atonement for them so that the people would be spared. Before Aaron can offer the atonement, however, 14,700 people were killed!!!

Evidently, even the events of chapter 16 weren’t enough to convince the people of Aaron’s authority in the priesthood. In chapter 17, God wants to settle the issue once and for all. God instructs Moses to tell each tribe to present a rod (a dead stick) to be placed in front of the Ark in the tabernacle. The rod that blossomed would indicate the one He had chosen for the priesthood. Obviously, Aaron’s rod was the only one that budded. But not
only did it bud, in a single day, it also blossomed and bore fruit! The other rods were still as dead as a door nail. While each of the princes took back his lifeless rod, the rod of Aaron was placed in the tabernacle before the Ark to be a constant reminder to these rebels, and all of the children of Israel, who the high priest of Israel actually was!
Aaron’s rod, of course, is a beautiful picture of the Lord Jesus Christ. Many religious leaders and teachers have arisen throughout the course of time. They all had one thing in common: they died! Today, they are nothing but a “dead stick,” as it were. Only One rose from the dead! He alone is the Source and Giver of life, our great High Priest!

CHRIST IS REVEALED:

• In AARON’S BUDDING ROD – Numbers 17:1–8 (1 Cor. 15:20; Acts 17:3: 26:23)
• In AARON AND HIS SONS who were responsible to bear the iniquity of the people in the sanctuary – Numbers 18:1 (Isa. 53:4–7; Titus 2:14)
• In the RED HEIFER, which was to be offered as a cleansing from defilement.

1. It was to be without spot or blemish. (Num. 19:2) (Christ was “without blemish and without spot” – 1 Pet. 1:19)
2. It was to have never born a yoke. (Num. 19:2) (A yoke is put on an animal to subdue its wild nature and compel subjection. Christ needed no yoke, but came saying, “Lo, I come to do thy will, O God” – Heb. 10:7)
3. It was to be red. (Num. 19:2) (A picture of the blood of Christ – Heb. 9:14; 1 Pet. 1:2,19)
4. It was to be slain without (outside) the camp. (Num. 19:3) (Christ was crucified on Golgotha, a place outside of the city of Jerusalem – John 19:17)
5. It’s blood was to be sprinkled seven times before the Tabernacle. (Num. 19:4) (Seven is the number of completion and perfection in the Bible. Christ offered one complete and perfect sacrifice for sin – Heb. 10:12, 14)

OVERVIEW:

The 12 spies sent into Canaan; their report; Moses’ intercessory prayer for the children of Israel; God’s pardon, but refusal to allow Israel to enter the Promised Land; laws concerning offerings, sins, and the Sabbath.

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

Leaving the wilderness of Sinai, the children of Israel were led northward until they reached Kadesh-Barnea, the southern tip of the land of Canaan. For the first time, they were actually able to see the land God had promised to them. Before going into possess the land, a leader from each of the 12 tribes was chosen to spy out the land for 40 days.

As the 12 spies brought back their report, there was complete agreement that Canaan was, indeed, “a land that flowed with milk and honey” (13:27), but 10 said that overcoming the obstacles in the land was an utter impossibility. Only Joshua and Caleb said, “Let us go up at once, and possess it for we are able to overcome it.” (13:30) As someone so aptly put it, “The 10 put the DIFFICULTY between themselves and God. The two put GOD between themselves and the difficulty; the 10 saw with the eye of the FLESH; the two saw with the eye of the FAITH.”

The outcome is history. Israel first refused to believe, then rebelled, even suggesting that Joshua and Caleb be stoned, and that a new leader be appointed to lead them all back to Egypt. The result? 38 years of wandering in the wilderness. (Note: A total of 40 years, one year for each day the spies were in Canaan – Num. 14:33-34.) What a tragedy! The entire generation of people who were age 20 and above at the time of their glorious exodus from Egypt was condemned to die in the wilderness, having never experienced God’s purpose in bringing them out. They picture many (shall we go as far as to say most?) believers today, who like Israel, refuse to trust God’s promise to grant them victory over their enemies (the world, the flesh, and the devil), and refuse to trust God to grant them entrance into the fullness of life, rest, fruit, and blessing in Christ (Canaan).

As we enter chapter 15, God begins the transitional part of the Book of Numbers (chapters 15-20), which covers the 38 years of wilderness wanderings where the old generation died off. To help us understand just how much “dying” actually took place, Dr. Leon Wood (A Survey of Israel’s History) notes: “Figuring 1,200,000 (600,000 of both men and women) as having to die in 14,508 days (38½ years), gives 85 per day. Figuring 12 hours per day maximum for funerals, gives an average of seven funerals per hour for all 38½ years, a continuous foreboding reminder of God’s punishment upon them.”

CHRIST IS REVEALED:

As the GLORY OF GOD – Numbers 14:22 (Heb. 1:3; John 1:14; 2 Cor. 4:6)

OVERVIEW:

The complaint of the people; the lust of the people; the complaint of Moses; the 70 elders chosen; the plague of the quail; Aaron and Miriam speak against Moses; Miriam is stricken with leprosy; Moses prays on her behalf.

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

As the blessed observance of the Passover ended in chapter 9, the guiding cloud lifted from the tabernacle in chapter 10, sending the entire camp of Israel in motion. What an exciting time it must have been as “the ark of the covenant of the Lord went before them in the three days’ journey, to search out a resting place from them,” (Num. 10:33) moving them ever closer to Canaan! Surely this was a time when the children of Israel were filled with praise, lifting their voices with triumphant singing and rejoicing! One would certainly think that would be the case! But sadly, the opening words of chapter 11 begin this way… “And when the people COMPLAINED.” In fact, complaining and murmuring becomes one of Israel’s favorite pastimes! Check this out…

• “And when the people complained…” – Num. 11:1
• “And Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses…” – Num. 12:1
• “And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron…” – Num. 14:2
• “Now Korah… took men: And they rose up before Moses… and they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron…” – Num. 16:1-3
• “But on the morrow all the congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron…” – Num. 16:41
• “And the men, which Moses sent to search the land…made all the congregation to murmur against him…” – Num. 14:36

There is so much complaining in this Book, some have even suggested that rather than being called the Book of Numbers, perhaps the fourth Book of Moses might more aptly be called, “The Book of Murmurs!”

But not only did the people fall into the trap of murmuring and complaining, they also fell into the trap of lusting. It seems unthinkable, especially coming off the heels of the glorious reminder of their deliverance from the AFFLICTION of their flesh in Egypt that they had just celebrated in the Passover, that only a few days later they would be lusting for the ways their flesh was GRATIFIED in Egypt! (Num.11:4–9) Once again, we may need to remind ourselves of what Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 10:6, “Now these things were our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.” Sometimes it’s easy for believers to forget that this world’s system (Egypt) was the snare Satan used to hold us captive at his will! (2 Tim 2:26) Forgetting that it was that very system of evil that almost sent us to Hell, we begin to lust for the ways our flesh was gratified when we were in it. May God help us!

Note the disastrous results of the complaining and carnality of the people upon their leader. Moses himself is thrust into great discouragement, and begins to voice his complaint to the Lord. (11:10–15) He basically cries out, “I can’t do this, God! The burden is too heavy. Just kill me!”

In the remainder of chapter 11, God answers the complaints of both Moses and the people. He gives Moses 70 elders to assist him in his work, and he gives the Jews the meat for which they lusted. Note, however, that in both cases, THEY GOT WHAT THEY WANTED, BUT LOST WHAT THEY HAD! The Spirit of God anointing Moses to lead the people was divided among the 70 elders, and the meat the children of Israel lusted after was a curse that led to their death. (“But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.” James 1:14–15) Perhaps the key lesson here is, be careful what you ask God for!

In chapter 12, the murmuring has ascended to yet another level. Now it flows from Moses’ own brother and sister, Aaron, the high priest, and Miriam, Israel’s prophetess. (Ex. 15:20) They state that their complaint against Moses was the Ethiopian wife he had selected, but note that it is only the smokescreen to mask their own jealousy and pride. Their complaint wasn’t really against Moses’ selection of a wife, it was against Moses’ AUTHORITY! What they really wanted was the authority of Moses’ position. Verse 2 makes their motive abundantly clear. Once again, don’t miss the fact that the more things change, the more they stay the same! Human nature still employs the same tactics in the 21st century.

Note that in his meekness (12:3), Moses doesn’t seek to vindicate himself but rather trusts God to handle the situation. God was well able to do His job!

CHRIST IS REVEALED:

In MOSES who “was very meek above all the men which were upon the face of the earth” – Numbers 12:3 (Matt. 11:29 – Jesus said, “I am meek and lowly in heart.”)

OVERVIEW:

Consecration of the Levites; observance of the second Passover; the Lord’s guiding presence in the cloud and fire; the two silver trumpets; the children of Israel leave Sinai.

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

As we move into Numbers 8, God unfolds for us the consecration of the Levites. God reveals that before these priests were to render their service to God, they were first to be cleansed! (8:7)

There were three different aspects of the cleansing of the Old Testament priests that were certainly binding upon them:

1. The sprinkling of water upon them.
2. The shaving of all hair from their flesh.
3. The washing of their clothes.

These three aspects of their PHYSICAL cleansing, however, serve to picture our SPIRITUAL cleansing as New Testament priests, which as we have previously seen, is inclusive of every born-again believer in Christ! (1 Pet. 2:9; Rev. 1:6) Before offering God our deeds of service, just like the Levites of Numbers 8, we too, are to be cleansed! In perfect fulfillment of the type, the New Testament teaches that our cleansing is likewise:

1. By the sprinkling of water upon us. Hebrews 10:22 says, “Having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water!”

2. By the cleansing (shaving) of “all filthiness of the flesh.” From 2 Corinthians 7:1 we know that these are those deeds of the flesh that are as much a part of us as the very hair on our body!

3. By the washing of our clothes. Ephesians 5:26 talks about “the washing of water by the word!”
Just as the Levites’ acceptance with God was based on the SIN offering and the BURNT offering (8:8–12), so our acceptance with God is based solely on the atoning offering for sin provided by our Lord Jesus Christ! (Eph. 1:6)

Just as the Levites were to be presented before the Lord and completely surrendered to Him (8:13–16), we too, are commanded to “present our bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God!” (Rom. 12:1) In Numbers 9, God deals with the issue of FELLOWSHIP and GUIDANCE. In 9:1–14, God details the celebration of the first anniversary of the Passover, which speaks of FELLOWSHIP. In 9:15–23, God explains the pillar of cloud and of fire, both of which speak of His GUIDANCE. The Passover, of course, relates to the New Testament believer in the Lord’s Supper, where we, like Israel, are put in remembrance of God’s work of redemption, and thus, FELLOWSHIP through the blood of the Passover Lamb. (1 Cor. 5:7) The pillar of cloud and of fire which provided GUIDANCE to the Old Testament saints, is representative of the indwelling Spirit in the New Testament believer in Christ. Just as the children of Israel were to be totally surrendered and dependent upon God’s GUIDANCE for their every move, making absolutely no plans of their own accord, so we are to be completely surrendered to the supernatural GUIDANCE of the Spirit of God in us as He directs us through the pages of His Word!

In chapter 10, Moses is told to make two trumpets. These trumpets, like the pillar of cloud and fire, were also for GUIDANCE. Whereas the cloud and fire gave guidance for the EYES, the trumpets provided guidance through the EARS. The trumpets were used for four specific purposes:

1. To be a summonsing call to ASSEMBLE the people.
2. To be a signal to ADVANCE the people.
3. To be a sounding blast at a time of war to ALARM the people.
4. To be a melodious song to provide the people with a continued AWARENESS (memorial) of the sacrifices of God.

The sounding of these trumpets point prophetically to:

1. The summonsing call to ASSEMBLE the church of Jesus Christ at the rapture! (1 Thess. 4:16)
2. The signal of ADVANCE, as our corruptible, mortal bodies put on incorruption and immortality! (1 Cor. 15:52)
3. The sounding ALARM in Zion (Joel 2:1) as God declares war in the Tribulation Period! (Rev. 8–9)
4. The melodious song that will be ever-sounding in our ears throughout eternity as a memorial of God’s glorious sacrifice on our behalf through His Son!

CHRIST IS REVEALED:

In the PASSOVER – Numbers 9:2 (1 Cor. 5:7; John 1:29)