Two Obstacles to Understanding the OT

As we come to Numbers 1-2 hoping to hear from God, we face two great challenges.

Two Challenges to Understanding the Text

It is narrative. Not only is it narrative, but it is a part of a large, grand narrative. Numbers 1:1 begins this book but it certainly does not begin the story. When we drop into the story at Numbers 1:1 , we do something akin to finding a movie flipping through the channels that is 1 hour and 3 minutes into the story. When this happens to some of us, it strengthens our focus as we watch the next few minutes hoping to piece together enough context to make sense of the scenes as they unfold. Others of us go the much easier and much more annoying route by verbally expressing all of our questions. Who is that guy? Why is she sitting on that? Where are they?

You may find yourself wanting to do the same thing as you scan through Numbers 1-2 .

Who is Moses?

Why are they at Mt. Sinai?

What in the world is the “Tent of Meeting?”

What have they been doing for a year in the wilderness?

If you are new to Christianity you might even be asking, who is the LORD and why are all the letters in His name capitalized?

As these questions or the questions you might have in your head demonstrate, dropping right into the middle of a story presents a great challenge or obstacle to our understanding the text.

It is foreign. When we come to this text we find characters that are far removed from out time, traditions, culture, and experiences.

Have any of you ever been to the “Tent of Meeting?” Do you know what it smells like? Looks like?

Have you ever camped out in the wilderness for a night? How about a year?

Have any of you ever heard the LORD speak?

Most of us if any have been numbered for war.

Chances are that none of your relatives have been sanctified by God and your pastors to regularly slaughter animals on your behalf and for your sins.

At we trek through the book of numbers, we will certainly encounter some very odd scenes. Scenes that seem more like fanciful dramas rather than everyday life. If we are not careful the lack of commonality between us and our experiences and the characters and events in the book of Numbers may temp us to conclude that what we read and study in this great book has very little if any relevance.

To that tendency I say just a couple of things:

Is this you? Of course you might say that all Scripture is relevant and good and should be studied. You would never say other wise. But still, I must ask, “Have you studied Numbers?” “Do you know what it says?” Have you treated it like it is the Word of God written to you for your good? Or have you treated it like seemingly unimportant, not worth your time portion of an email sent to you by one of the pastors? Is it possible that although we all may affirm that All Scripture is profitable and God breathed, that some of it seems a little irrelevant and unproductive?

Repent! Usually the calls for repentance happens at the end of the sermon but I want us to hear this right up front. God has spoken to us. He has spoken to our church. He has done so in this form, the book of Numbers. I urge you! I compel you to dive in with us with diligence. Mark out time to do your CG Journal! Show up to CG meeting ready to share your insights and hear from others. Walk into your Family will ready to testify to what God has said through this amazing record of God’s work.

Look! Look for God. What makes this text relevant is God. God wrote Numbers to teach you and I about Himself. How does he relate to His people? How does He respond to grumbling? How does he compare to the gods of other nations? What is He pursuing in all His actions? The text is relevant to us because God is the same today as He was back then. The setting has changed. The characters have changed. The plot has had many twist and turns and they will continue to take unexpected redirections. But, through it all God is God. He is as the theologians call Him - immutable - he is unchanging.

The moment you get your eyes off God will be the moment the text returns to feeling irrelevant. However, if we can hear God’s Word and see Him with the eyes of faith, we will be changed. So I encourage you Do not take an approach to Numbers that counts it as irrelevant. If you have or when you do over the next several weeks and months, I call you to repent! And then, i call you to fix your eyes on God as you listen and as you study and as you discuss this amazing text.