Archives for February 2021

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, as He has designed in Christ (i.e., Canaan), is dependent upon us overcoming “every weight and the sin which doth so easily beset us.” (Hebrews 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.” (Hebrews 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! (Matthew 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^nd Corinthians 5:17)

CHRIST IS REVEALED:

In the PROMISED LAND — Numbers 33:50–54 (Note that the 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 (Hebrews 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 (Ephesians 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. (Matthew 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. (Matthew 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^st Corinthians 6:19–20; Matthew 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! (Numbers 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. significant things stand out:
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 (Galatians 5:17), and to war against our SPIRITUAL enemy, the devil and his principalities and powers. (Ephesians 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 land that was promised, that required the “eyes of faith”. From a human and 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. (Deuteronomy 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^st Chronicles 5:18–26 and 2^nd 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 (Colossians 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 Numbers 29:12 with Leviticus 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 (Revelation 16:5; 19:11; 2^nd Thessalonians 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” (Proverbs 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 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 Canaan. 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^st Peter 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 Numbers 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^st Corinthians 10:4. That wasn’t just any rock; that Rock was Christ! The Rock had already been smitten once (Exodus 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 Canaan. 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! (Ephesians 5:22–32) Unless your relationship with your wife is right, it will be just 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. (Numbers 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. (Romans 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^st Corinthians 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^st Corinthians 10:4; Romans 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 (Hebrews 1:8 – scepter; Revelation 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 Abiram. 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. (Psalm 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, Abiram, 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 every one 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^st Corinthians 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 (Isaiah 53:4–7; Titus 2:14)

In the RED HEIFER, which was to be offered as a cleansing from defilement.

• It was to be without spot or blemish. (Numbers 19:2) (Christ was “without blemish and without spot” – 1^st Peter 1:19)
• It was to have never born a yoke. (Numbers 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” – Hebrews 10:7)
• It was to be red. (Numbers 19:2) (A picture of the blood of Christ – Hebrews 9:14; 1^st Peter 1:2, 19)
• It was to be slain without (outside) the camp. (Numbers 19:3) (Christ was crucified on Golgotha, a place outside of the city of Jerusalem – John 19:17)
• Its blood was to be sprinkled seven times before the tabernacle. (Numbers 19:4) (Seven is the number of completion and perfection in the Bible.  Christ offered one complete and perfect sacrifice for sin – Hebrews 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 Canaan, the land that was promised; 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 in to 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 ten put the DIFFICULTY between themselves and God. The two put GOD between themselves and the difficulty; the ten 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 was 38 years of wandering in the wilderness. (Note: A total of 40 years, one year for each day the spies were in Canaan – Numbers 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 die 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 (Hebrews 1:3; John 1:14; 2^nd Corinthians 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.” (Numbers 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…” – Numbers 11:1
• “And Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses…” – Numbers 12:1
• “And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron…” – Numbers 14:2
• “Now Korah…took men: And they rose up before Moses…and they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron…” – Numbers 16:1-3
• “But on the morrow all the congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron…” – Numbers 16:41
• “And the men, which Moses sent to search the land…made all the congregation to murmur against him…” – Numbers 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! (Numbers 11:4–9) Once again, we may need to remind ourselves of what Paul tells us in 1^st 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^nd Timothy 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. (Exodus 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 21^st 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 (Matthew 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^st Peter 2:9; Revelation 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^nd 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. (Ephesians 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…” (Romans 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^st Corinthians 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^st Thessalonians 4:16)
2. The signal of ADVANCE, as our corruptible, mortal bodies put on incorruption and immortality. (1^st Corinthians 15:52)
3. The sounding ALARM in Zion (Joel 2:1) as God declares war in the Tribulation Period. (Revelation 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^st Corinthians 5:7; John 1:29)

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^nd Timothy 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 calls 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 land God had promised, therefore, died in the wilderness. The other generation is the group of people who grew up in the wilderness, but were permitted to enter Canaan because they were under their parent’s authority at the time of Israel’s failure to trust God. (Deuteronomy 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 its INWARD CONDITION. 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^nd 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^nd Corinthians 9:7), and though He doesn’t NEED our treasure, He TREASURES the fact that our heart of love for Him prompts us to give to Him! (Matthew 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; Matthew 26:39, 42)

OVERVIEW:

The first numbering (census) of the Israelites; the encampment location of each tribe in relation to the tabernacle; the census and duties of the Levites, the Kohathites, the Gersonites, and the Merarites.

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

The book of Numbers was written by Moses in approximately 1445 to 1405 B.C. (Numbers 33:2; 36:13) The book gets its name from the ancient Greek title of this book, ARITHMOI, from which we obviously get our English word ARITHMETIC. Later, Latin translators of the Old Testament gave the book the title NUMERI, from which we get our English word NUMBERS. Interestingly, the word “NUMBERS” (or some form of it) is found 127 times in this book, but it actually gets its name from the two “numberings” (censuses) of the men of war in chapters 1–4 and chapters 26–27. The first “numbering” (census) took place the second year after the Jews’ exodus from Egypt. The second “numbering” was made 38 years later, just as the nation of Israel was about to enter into Canaan.

The book of Numbers actually picks up the history of the Israelites where the book of Exodus left off. Just one month had passed between the completion of the tabernacle in Exodus 40:17 and God’s command to number the people in Numbers 1:1–2. During that one-month period, the instruction in the book of Leviticus was given. Whereas the book of Leviticus deals primarily with the believer’s WORSHIP, the book of Numbers deals primarily with the believer’s WALK. Whereas PURITY is the central theme of Leviticus, PILGRIMAGE is the central theme of Numbers. 

The book of Numbers has incredible implications and applications for believers today.  God makes that abundantly clear in 1^st Corinthians 10:1–12, and Hebrews 3 and 4. In this book, we will see the nation of Israel, after being gloriously delivered from the bondage of Egypt by the blood of the lamb, failing to take God at His word, and thus, wandering in the wilderness of unbelief rather than entering into their inheritance in Canaan.

As has been mentioned repeatedly in this 365 Days of Pursuit, don’t ever lose sight of the fact that Israel of the Old Testament is a picture of the individual believer in the New Testament. Just like Israel, after being gloriously delivered out of the bondage of Egypt (sin/Satan/self…the world!) by the blood of the Lamb, failing to take God at His word, we too, wander in the wilderness of unbelief rather than entering into the fullness of our inheritance in Christ. (Ephesians 1:18; Colossians 1:12) The lessons to be learned in Numbers are “numerous”!

Note that the census that God commanded Israel to make was not of the entire nation, but only the men age 20 and above who were able to go to war. The total was 603,550. (Numbers 1:46) One of the saddest realities in the entire Bible is that of these 603,550 men, 603,548 of them would die in the wilderness, having never experienced God’s purpose for their exodus! As God made abundantly clear from the beginning, the purpose for the exodus wasn’t just to bring them OUT of EGYPT, it was to bring them IN to CANAAN! (Exodus 3:8; Deuteronomy 6:23) As God warns us to learn from Israel’s failure in the wilderness in 1^st Corinthians 10:5–6, it makes one wonder whether out of every 603,550 believers today, would there be more than two who actually fulfill God’s purposes for their exodus by allowing God to bring them into their “Canaan”, the fullness of life in Christ? What an incredibly sobering reality! If those statistics are right, will you be one of the two? Will you trust God, not only to save you from the PENALTY of sin, but from the POWER of sin? Will you rise above the spiritual discouragement, disillusionment, defeat, and death of the wilderness, and live in the spiritual peace, productivity, and power of Canaan?

Note also, that if there were 603,550 men at the time of the census, it would strongly suggest that Israel’s’ total population would have been somewhere around 2 million to 2.5 million people! It has been estimated that it would have required nearly 50 railroad box cars full of manna per day just to feed the people on a daily basis! The land mass needed to accommodate this multitude when they camped at night would have exceeded 100 square miles!

As we come through the first four chapters of Numbers, one of the things that is very apparent is that God always does things “decently and in order.” (1^st Corinthians 14:40) God gave specific instruction for Israel to arrange itself into an orderly camp with its “mobile worship center” (the tabernacle) at the very center. God did not want Israel to be a chaotic mob in the midst of their journeys, but rather, intended Israel’s orderliness, organization, and structure to be one of the key ways His people stood out from the rest of the world, so they would have the opportunity to tell them of their God! (See Numbers 1:52; 24:2, 5)

As we journey through the midst of the chaotic world of the 21^st century, with the lives of its people in such disarray, God wants the orderliness of the lives of His people, as we arrange them according to the instruction of His word with worship at the very center, to be one of the key ways our lives stand out from the rest of the world, so we might have the opportunity to tell them of our God! (1^st Peter 3:15)

CHRIST IS REVEALED:

Through MOSES as he led the people – Numbers 1:54 (John 10:14, 27)

Through AARON, the high priest, who was served by the Levites – Numbers 3:6 (As a holy and “royal priesthood”, we serve Christ, our great High Priest – John 12:26; 1^st Peter 2:5–9; Hebrews 4:14)