OVERVIEW:
Laws concerning cleansing; laws concerning confession and restitution; laws concerning suspected immorality (jealousy); the princes’ offerings for the dedication of the tabernacle.
HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:
The Bible tells us very specifically and distinctly that we are to “rightly divide the word of
truth.” (2 Tim.2:15) This verse also tells us that in order to make those “right divisions,”
we must see ourselves as “workmen,” employing one of the most difficult tasks known to
man: “STUDY!” Through diligent “study” and hard “work”, God reveals to us the
“divisions” HE has made in His Word. In each Book of the Bible, there are certain keys
that help us to unlock the “divisions” that GOD has specifically set, what God likes to call
the “RIGHT DIVISIONS”!
As we study Numbers, what becomes the key to unlocking the divisions God has set in
this Book is understanding that there are two very distinct generations of people to whom
He is referring. The first group of people is the generation of people that came up out of
Egypt, but because of their unbelief, were forbidden to enter the Promised Land and died
in the wilderness. The other generation is the group of people who grew up in the
wilderness, but were permitted to enter into Canaan because they were under their
parent’s authority at the time of Israel’s failure to trust God. (Deut. 1:35–39) Quite simply,
they were too young to make an intelligent decision about trusting God, and so God did
not hold them “accountable.”
Identifying these two generations neatly divides the Book of Numbers into 3 sections:
- The “OLD” generation is covered in chapters 1–14.
- The “NEW” generation is covered in chapters 21–36.
- The chapters in between (15–20), record the period of transition during which the “OLD”
generation DIED OFF, and the “NEW” generation GREW UP.
Whereas the first four chapters of the Book of Numbers dealt with the OUTWARD
FORMATION of Israel’s camp, the next five chapters deal with the INWARD CONDITION
of it. God capsulizes the central theme of this section in chapter 5 and verse 3, saying,
“…that they defile not their camps, in the midst whereof I dwell.” Because God was in
their camp, it was to be HOLY; completely free from defilement! The New Testament
equivalent is 2 Corinthians 6:14–7:1. Because God now “DWELLS IN US,” we are to
“CLEANSE OURSELVES” (7:1) and “SEPARATE OURSELVES” (6:17) “from all
filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God!” (7:1b)
In Numbers 5, God gives the children of Israel several vital pieces of instruction:
- Lepers were to be quarantined outside of the camp. (5:1–4)
- Anything acquired through dishonesty must be confessed and recompensed. (5:5–10)
- Any suspected immorality must be tested before God. (5:11–31)
In short, God was showing THEM, and is picturing for US, the absolute necessity for
purity, honesty, and truth.
Chapter 6 deals with God’s instruction concerning the Nazarite vow. The implications are:
- When a man or a woman in the Old Testament wanted to be used in God’s service
but did not qualify because they were not a Levite or priest, they could voluntarily
take the “Nazarite Vow”. The word “Nazarite” is a Hebrew transliteration that
means “dedication by separation.” - The Nazarite separated himself from certain hindrances to holiness in order to be
wholly devoted to the service of the Lord. Although the outward characteristics of
the Old Testament “Nazarite Vow” no longer apply, they point to the priority God
places in the New Testament on our personal surrender and consecration in order
to be used to carry out His will and mission.
Chapter 7 records the “free-will offering” of the princes of Israel, who were the
representative heads of each of the tribes of Israel. Several things to note here are that
the gifts were totally voluntary, and although the gifts were identical, God took an
enormous amount of space to specifically and separately record each one! The New
Testament equivalent is the fact that, “God loveth a cheerful giver!” (2 Cor. 9.7), and that
though He doesn’t NEED our treasure, He TREASURES the fact that our heart of love
for Him prompts us to give to Him! (Matt. 6:21)
CHRIST IS REVEALED:
In the NAZARITE who “dedicated” himself “by separation” – Numbers 6:1–8 (Jesus
willingly dedicated Himself to serve the will of the Father, separating Himself from sin,
even to death – John 6:38; Matt. 26:39,42)