The Bible Series Numbers
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Transcript
The book we are looking at today is titled “Numbers”. Accurately so, as when you look over it’s pages there is a great deal of information, counting, statistics, and figures in this book. The original name of the book in Hebrew however derives it’s name from the first sentence in the book meaning… Numbers 1:1-3
Then the Lord spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the tent of meeting, on the first of the second month, in the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt, saying, “Take a census of all the congregation of the sons of Israel, by their families, by their fathers’ households, according to the number of names, every male, head by head from twenty years old and upward, whoever is able to go out to war in Israel, you and Aaron shall number them by their armies.
“In the Wilderness”. This is a far more appropriate title as I see it. This book encompasses the period of time that the nation of Israel spends in the wilderness.
“In The Wilderness”
“In The Wilderness”
The word wilderness simply means: an uninhabited, uncultivated region or area. Often associated with grazing lands where people and culture were absent. It is not necessarily a desert.
A wilderness would NOT have your comforts or ease associated with civilizations standards
Yet often we see care given and provided for
God would often use the wilderness for periods of FOCUSED teaching or purpose.
Israel, Elijah, David… many others.
Even Christ Himself would spend a period of 40 days in the wilderness.
An uninhabited region would often be free of distractions but not temptation
We often see STRONG TEMPTATION in the wilderness for the Desires & Thought Process of the world
This is often contrasted with OBEDIENCE to God’s desires, commands, and HIS WAY of thinking
The lesson of Numbers is clear. While it may be necessary to pass through wilderness experiences, one does not have to live there. For Israel, an eleven-day journey became a forty-year agony due to their disobedience and lack of faith.
One of the key words is “wandering”… when we deviate from God’s plan wandering is exactly what we find ourselves doing!
Crucial CHOICES are made in the wilderness times, those choices have outcomes or consequences.
The Overview of Numbers
The Overview of Numbers
The book itself encompasses… over 40 years!
Deals with the Old Generation coming out of Egypt
Prepares the New Generation for going into the promised land
Three Sections Geographical Areas [Show Map]
Mt Sinai - this is where God sets things in ORDER
Kadesh-Barnea - This is where we see disorder begin
11 days = 40 years
Sin always brings disorder into peoples lives
Plains of Moab - Dealing with the New Generation more at this time
Reorder is established by God and recieved by the people
Numbers 14:22-23 establishes the sad summary of this book of Numbers...
“Surely all the men who have seen My glory and My signs which I performed in Egypt and in the wilderness, yet have put Me to the test these ten times and have not listened to My voice, shall by no means see the land which I swore to their fathers, nor shall any of those who spurned Me see it.
Chapters 1-10
Counted… total number is 603,550 (estimates place the nation around several million)
God get’s the People Organized
Around the Tabernacle worship is central
For travel ease and order (God, Levites, 12 Tribes)
God established responsibilities for the Levites and for the tribes.
Chapters 11-20
As they travel they grumble right away (Egypt was better, we want meat, Moses we don’t like you)
Numbers 11:10 records God’s thoughts on this
Now Moses heard the people weeping throughout their families, each man at the doorway of his tent; and the anger of the Lord was kindled greatly, and Moses was displeased.
So God gives them what they want… Numbers 11:32-34
The people spent all day and all night and all the next day, and gathered the quail (he who gathered least gathered ten homers) and they spread them out for themselves all around the camp. While the meat was still between their teeth, before it was chewed, the anger of the Lord was kindled against the people, and the Lord struck the people with a very severe plague. So the name of that place was called Kibroth-hattaavah, because there they buried the people who had been greedy.
I want us to get a better understanding of their leader… this man Moses… Numbers 12:1-9
Then Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman whom he had married (for he had married a Cushite woman); and they said, “Has the Lord indeed spoken only through Moses? Has He not spoken through us as well?” And the Lord heard it. (Now the man Moses was very humble, more than any man who was on the face of the earth.) Suddenly the Lord said to Moses and Aaron and to Miriam, “You three come out to the tent of meeting.” So the three of them came out. Then the Lord came down in a pillar of cloud and stood at the doorway of the tent, and He called Aaron and Miriam. When they had both come forward, He said, “Hear now My words: If there is a prophet among you, I, the Lord, shall make Myself known to him in a vision. I shall speak with him in a dream. “Not so, with My servant Moses, He is faithful in all My household; With him I speak mouth to mouth, Even openly, and not in dark sayings, And he beholds the form of the Lord. Why then were you not afraid To speak against My servant, against Moses?” So the anger of the Lord burned against them and He departed.
Twelve Spies...
They arrive at the door of Canaan… not a long journey.
God directs them in a POWERFUL ENCOURAGING WAY… Numbers 13:1-2
Then the Lord spoke to Moses saying, “Send out for yourself men so that they may spy out the land of Canaan, which I am going to give to the sons of Israel; you shall send a man from each of their fathers’ tribes, every one a leader among them.”
They return back and report… land is flowing with milk and honey massive fruit production
This should have brought rejoicing at God’s provision
But they looked at the obstacles… giants in the land, powerful people!
Look at their sad and sinful response… Numbers 14:1-4
Then all the congregation lifted up their voices and cried, and the people wept that night. All the sons of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron; and the whole congregation said to them, “Would that we had died in the land of Egypt! Or would that we had died in this wilderness! “Why is the Lord bringing us into this land, to fall by the sword? Our wives and our little ones will become plunder; would it not be better for us to return to Egypt?” So they said to one another, “Let us appoint a leader and return to Egypt.”
Joshua and Caleb!!!
God has got this!!
Let’s go and take what God has given us!!
The people’s lack of faith and disobedience brought on themselves God’s Just Anger!
They spied out the land for 40 days so for 40 years they would suffer their choice!!!
ALL PEOPLE 20 and over would die in the wilderness in this time
In a book of counting we need to COUNT the cost of disobedience… it is a high price to pay!
God will let you waste your life… He will honor the choice you make!
Later in the wilderness Moses and Aaron would grow frustrated with the people and disobey God as well Numbers 20,
God directs them to speak to the rock and water will come
Moses hits the rock two times yelling at them saying: “Listen now, you rebels; shall we bring forth water for you out of this rock?”
DEATH...
Our sin brings death Romans 6:23 “for the wages of sin is death” and God was over the course of 40 years wiping out this old generation...
Fire, opened up the earth and swallowed many, disease, plagues…
At one time God sent poisonous vipers… they cried out to God for mercy and God had Moses put a bronze serpent on a pole and all who looked to it were spared
Chapters 20-36
We begin to see a shift occur… God is REORDERING THINGS:
God establishes a new High priest
God establishes Joshua as Moses’ successor
God establishes His people in the eyes of the people of Canaan as well
As they encamp in the plains of Moab God extends mercy and protection even as they are unaware...
Balaam a pagan prophet tries to curse Israel… BUT GOD will not allow it
In turn he blesses Israel three times
In his last blessing he prophesies of a coming King out of Judah!
Israel engages in battles and God gives victories
God begins to establish His people in this new land
God has them counted once again and the number is almost the same…
The people begin to settle and take hold of God’s Promise!
The Scarlet Thread
The Scarlet Thread
As we think of God’s Promise… we continue to remember the promise of a coming blessing...
We see beautiful pictures of Christ in Numbers in
The Rock that provided water in the wilderness 1 Corinthians 10:4
and all drank the same spiritual drink, for they were drinking from a spiritual rock which followed them; and the rock was Christ.
Jesus Himself relates Himself to the bronze snake John 3:14
“As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up;
All who look to Christ in faith will be saved as well!!!
And the coming King that Balaam spoke of… the ONE who would rule and bring blessing to ALL who believe!
Numbers shows a sad reflection of man’s heart. We see these threads of the coming Christ who brings salvation and extends His mercy… yet we must see God for who He is, He is HOLY, and His mercy does NOT come to us at the expense of His Justice!
Our Holy God Is:
Our Holy God Is:
We see in powerful ways a clearer picture of this God we serve. HE IS:
Orderly… God has a way He wants us to live… and it is for the BEST!
He is both JUST and SOVEREIGN… serve Him with fear and reverence!
He requires Faith… will you trust Him?
He demands our obedience… anything short of it is SIN!
He remains FAITHFUL even when we… fail, fall short, screw up, sin
God has extended His mercy… and delivered justice. His justice was poured out on His Son Jesus Christ at the cross!
Sin has a cost, our choice to sin cost Him dearly
YET… He offers His son as a gift.
The Choice Is Yours
The Choice Is Yours
The wilderness of a lost and wandering soul is a difficult place… BUT GOD Romans 5:8
But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
What choice is He wanting you to make
Where is He leading you to go
How is He wanting you to respond to His direction in your life… BE CAREFUL how you choose to respond to Him!