NUMBERS

When faced with the conquest of the promised land, Israel refuses to obey and is sentenced by God to 40 years of wandering in the wilderness until a new generation has come up, who will be faith-filled obedient.

Moses writes Numbers as the fourth of his five books (called Pentateuch) during Israel’s forty years in the wilderness. In the Pentateuch, which is a description of both historical events as well as the Law of God, Moses is repeatedly mentioned to be ‘writing everything down’. The later Biblical writings of both Old and New Testament and Jesus himself refer to the Pentateuch as ‘the books of Moses’, thus establishing him as the author.

Like the other books of the Pentateuch, Numbers is a foundational book, telling the history from Israel’s departure from Sinai, their journey towards the promised land, their utter refusal to conquer it and the subsequent forty years of wandering in the wilderness.

Numbers starts with Israel still camping at Sinai. God builds the nation further by having Moses do a military census, by organizing their camp order and marching order and by giving them further law. God accepts the tribe of Levi as a substitute for Israel’s firstborn and ordains and organizes their responsibilities regarding the tabernacle. A communication system with trumpets is put into place. Israel is willing and obedient.

When the cloud that is the visible presence of God among Israel lifts, Israel departs and starts heading North towards the promised land.

During their travel problems start showing. Their faithless grumbling and complaining tires Moses and angers God. They let their minds descend into negativity, discontent and unbelief. When they are actually standing at the Southern border of the promised land, they have lost sight of the power and faithfulness of God and cannot muster the faith to go forward. They refuse the conquest point blank.

God implements consequences according to their words: they will not enter the promised land (as they wished), but rather die in the wilderness (as they complained), whereas their children will achieve what they just failed at.

Numbers does not give many details about the forty long years of wandering, but the story picks up again with the second generation, who starts moving North, approaching the promised land on the East side of the Jordan. They circumnavigate Edom, Moab and Ammon, but conquer the Amorites. Moses distributes the conquered land to three tribes and so promises start fulfilling. The second generation also have their share of troubles, especially when the soothsayer Balaam, after being thwarted at cursing them, suggests to involve Israel in adultery and idolatry. He partially succeeds, but Israel repents and retaliates by defeating Moab. Numbers closes with Israel camping East of the Jordan, ready to start the conquest of Canaan.

Authorship, Date and Place of Writing

Moses writes Numbers as the fourth of his five books (called Pentateuch) during Israel’s forty years in the wilderness. In the Pentateuch, which is a description of both historical events as well as the Law of God, Moses is repeatedly mentioned to be writing (Ex 17:14, 24:4, 34:27, Nu 33:2, De 31:9). In Nu 33:1-2 we find Moses making a log of the places Israel camped at during their journey, and Numbers concludes with a summary statement about Moses writing down the commandments given (Nu 36:13). It is therefore likely that Numbers was written over the time span the book covers, from 1445 BC at Sinai till 1406 BC, when Israel reaches the plains of Moab, camping East of the Jordan.

The later Biblical writings the Old Testament continually refer to the Pentateuch, including Genesis as ‘the Law of Moses’ or the ‘Books of Moses’, thus confirming Moses as the author (Jo 1:7-8, 1 Ki 2:3, 2 Ki 14:6, De 9:11-13, Ez 6:18, Ne 13:1, Ma 4:4). In the same way the New Testament authors and also Jesus himself refer to the Law or quote from the Law identifying Moses as the author (Mt 8:4, 22:24, Mk 1:44, 12:26, Lu 16:29-31, Jn 1:17, 7:19, Ac 3:22, 26:22, Ro 10:19, 1 Co 9:9, 2 Co 3:15).

The importance of this book for Israel

Like the other books of the Pentateuch, Numbers is a foundational book, telling the history from Israel’s departure from Sinai, their journey towards the promised land, their utter refusal to conquer it and the subsequent forty years of wandering in the wilderness. It is giving God’s view of those events, teaching the second generation Israel exactly how and why their parents deprived themselves of seeing the promised land by refusing the conquest. It explains why Israel is now wandering in the wilderness. It challenges the second generation to not make the same mistake as their parents, who by constant complaining and a faithless view landed themselves in unbelief and paralysis. Moses disciples the second generation and challenges them to rise up in faith and obedience so that when they will face the same challenge as their parents faced, the conquest of the promised land, they will not fail but go forward.

Censuses

When Israel is still camping at Sinai, God prepares them mentally and practically for battle by ordering a military census by tribes. They are around 600’000 men above 20 years old, the cut off age for soldiers (Nu 1). Forty years later, when the second generation of Israel camps East of the Jordan ready to conquer the promised land, a second census is taken (Nu 26). When in Egypt Israel grew strongly (Ex 1:7), but it is sad to see that in these forty years in the wilderness their number actually reduces slightly. This could be due to the wars they fight, but more likely due to God’s judgments when Israel sins (Nu 11, 13-14, 16, 21, 25) and a general faithlessness and visionlessness, resulting in them having less children.

Organizing Israel

God initiates a re-arrangement of the camp order of Israel, with God and the tabernacle at the exact center, the priestly and Levitical families around the tabernacle, and then four camps with three tribes each to the North, East, South and West. The new arrangement is beautiful, orderly, more efficient, easier for orientation or organization and shows what makes Israel unique: God dwells in the very midst of them (Nu 2).

With the camp arrangement comes a newly arranged marching order. Whenever the cloud of God’s presence lifts from the tabernacle, the priests very carefully and respectfully pack up the tabernacle (Nu 4). The ark of the covenant sets out first, followed by the first camp (three tribes with Judah in the lead), followed by the Levites carrying the tabernacle (structural elements, curtains, coverings), followed by the second camp (three more tribes), followed by the Levites carrying the holy furniture, followed by the remaining two camps. The cloud with the ark leading the train is a powerful picture of God being their guidance and their protection (for who would send the most pricey golden item in front unless there was safety, Nu 2).

God also puts a set of signals with silver trumpets in place, to ensure better communication (Nu 10).

Ordination of the Levites

Ever since God killed Egypt’s first born in the tenth plague He has made clear that he will demand Israel’s first born for himself as well. In Leviticus he accepts the whole tribe of Levi as a substitute for the frist born of each family and each tribe of Israel. The choosing of the Levites goes back to Ex 32:29, where they showed especial zeal and a putting of God over their own family in the affair with the golden calf. In Nu 3 they are officially ordained for service by a ceremony involving, sin offerings, burnt offerings and the Levites themselves being give as an elevation offering to God. God gives them the responsibility for supporting the Aaronitic priesthood and the care of the tabernacle. The thee clans of the Levites are given roles in the transport of the tabernacle: the Kohathites carry the most holy furnishings of the tabernacle, the Merarites carry the structural components and the Gershonites carry the curtains, hangings and coverings.

It is interesting that this would practically limit the wealth that Levites can accumulate privately, as everything has to be transported besides the tabernacle items. Later their income will be fixed to the Israelites relative wealth (tithes and offerings, Nu 18) and still later they will receive limited land holding among the tribes (Nu 35:1-8, Jos 21). It seems that God wants the spiritual leadership of Israel to have a similar economic status as the people they serve and also puts an upward ceiling to their income.

Laws

God also restates or elaborates on the laws. Newly instituted is the camping of unclean persons outside the main settlement, a detail on who to pay restitution money to in case of a death, the procedure of ascertaining whether a wife was unfaithful and the possibility of any normal Israelite, man or woman, to take a Nazirite vow and consecrate themselves to God for a time.

Moving towards the Promised Land

After camping about eleven months at Sinai (thirteen months after the Exodus) Israel sets out again under the guidance of God heading North toward the promised land. Soon problems start to show: People are crying about their misfortunes, remembering fresh food in Egypt, complaining about Manna and pressuring Moses to give them meat (Nu 11:4-9). God does give them meat, a huge flock of quails lands around the camp, but when Israel greedily devours the meat, God sends a plague. It seems that because of Israel expresses neither gratefulness, nor is in awe at the miracle nor is there any repentance about their attitude that God thus judges them. To support Moses, who is truly under pressure, God gives his Spirit on seventy elders (presumably the ones already chosen in Ex 18 and Ex 24).

On top of that there are tensions in the leadership team (Mic 6:4): Aaron, and especially Miriam turn on Moses (Nu 12), resenting his marriage to a Cushite woman, his authority and his closeness to God. God rebukes Miriam by hitting her with leprosy. Moses, letting go of all resentment or anger he may have felt, intercedes for her, successfully.

Refusing the conquest

When Israel reaches Kadesh-Barnea, the southernmost outpost of Canaan, Moses sends out twelve tribal leaders to spy out the land. They come back with the accurate report of the land being good, the people being tall and the cities being fortified. Ten of the spies conclude that the conquest is impossible and upset Israel further with senseless remarks ‘the land devours its inhabitants’ fueled out of unbelief ‘to ourselves we seemed like grasshoppers, and so we seemed to them’ (Nu 13:25-33). The two other spies, Joshua and Caleb counter by reminding Israel of what God is with them: if God humbled mighty Egypt, Canaan will fare no better (Nu 14:5-10). The people, after a night of giving themselves to self-pity, emotional overreaction and faithless words like ‘would that we had died in this wilderness’, simply refuse to obey God and decide to appoint another captain to bring them back to Egypt.

God responds: ‘How long will this people despise me? And how long will they refuse to believe in me, in spite of all the signs that I have done among them?’ Upon Moses’ intercession, reminding God of his glory and character, God brings the judgment down to giving people exactly what they had asked: not to go to the promised land and rather to die in the wilderness. God judges them with their own faithless words. He imposes a forty year wilderness time in which the current generation will slowly die off, and he promises that to the children of Israel, the second generation, he will surely give the promised land.

Korah’s rebellion

Even though Moses and Aaron have faithfully interceded and mediated for the people, Korah, a Levite, charges them with usurping power and the priesthood: ‘all the congregation are holy, … so why then do you exalt yourselves above the assembly?’ Moses and Aaron again fall on their faces in intercession. The next morning (again giving them time to repent) God has the defiant Levites, Korah and a group of 250 men, together with ring leaders from Reuben appear with censers in hand before God. He warns Israel to stand back, and the ground opens up, killing exactly those men (Nu 16:1-40).

As if the judgment wasn’t clear enough, the next day Israel charges Moses with killing these men himself, calling them ‘the people of the Lord’ (Nu 16:41). Again Moses and Aaron fall on their faces in intercession, knowing that God will judge. And indeed, a plague starts. Moses sends Aaron to stand in the middle of the people, making atonement for them so they will not die in the plague, and Aaron stops the advance of the plague. What a clear picture and endorsement of Aaron as the true high priest, interceding successfully for the people (Nu 16:41-50).

To further make his choice of Aaron as the high priest clear, God has the tribal leaders put their staffs in the tent of meeting. By the next morning Aaron’s staff has sprouted, producing leaves, blossoms and ripe almonds. Upon seeing this people cry out ‘We are perishing, we are lost, all of us are lost. Everyone who approaches the tabernacle of the LORD will die. Are we all to perish?’. This emotional outburst is better than the rebellion before, but this fear betrays that Israel has not understood God at all. It is a senseless fear, even insulting to God, for God is not willfully or arbitrarily judging anyone. In contrast to that Moses and Aaron, having the true fear of God on them, stand like rocks in all the madness of these events, understanding what is coming, agreeing with God and interceding selflessly and successfully.

Re-affirming God’s relationship with his people

After these devastating events and as the reality of the forty year sentence starts settling in, God graciously re-affirms his desire to be in relationship with his people: The sacrifices are re-stated as the appropriate way to come before God, asking for forgiveness and giving oneself to him (Nu 15). The Sabbath is re-affirmed, as time set aside for God (Nu 15:32-36). The roles of Levites and priests is restated, as both institutions have been under attack (Nu 18). The water of purification is instituted, which is needed for cleansing after touching dead bodies, and Israel has to clean up many dead after the dramatic recent events (Nu 19).

Wandering in the Wilderness

The long years of wandering are barely stated in the Numbers account, but two important events are mentioned: When another discouraging complaint about water comes to Moses, he strikes the rock (like many times before) to bring forth water, saying ‘Listen, you rebels, shall we bring water for you out of this rock?’. He does not acknowledge God as the Giver and also was actually commanded to speak to the rock, not striking it. God responds by saying to both Moses and Aaron that they, too, will not reach the promised land but die before God takes Israel there. This seemingly hard judgment of the leaders shows the high standard God holds them accountable to (Nu 20:1-13).

At yet another wave of faithless complaints, God judges Israel by bringing poisonous snakes on them. When they cry to God, he gives a peculiar remedy: He has Moses raise up a bronze snake on a pole and whoever is bitten and looks towards it, is healed. That the very symbol of death would become the reason for life is a powerful picture foreshadowing Jesus, dying on the cross, bringing salvation to all who have faith (Nu 21:1-9).

During the 40 years of wilderness wanderings slowly the first generation dies off. Miriam dies (Nu 20:1) and eventually Aaron (Nu 20:22-29), who is replaced by his son Eleazar as the high priest.

Signs of hope

But there are slowly but surely signs of hope: The second generation is coming up, and follows Moses into several battles, all of which they win. They first battle the Canaanite king of Arad, then the Amorite king Sihon of Heshbon, then the Amorite king Og of Bashan (Nu 20:14-21, 21:1-3). They thus start conquering land and the first three tribes of Israel (Reuben, Gad and a part of Manasseh) receive their allotted lands (Nu 32). Promises are starting to fulfill before the very eyes of the second generation .

It is important to notice that Israel doesn’t conquer any and all land that comes before them, several times God commands them to respect the borders of countries: Edom, Moab and Ammon (Nu 21:10-20). The point is that Israel are not allowed to dispossess anybody they want because they happen to be the chosen nation, rather it is seven specific peoples that they will dispossess because these peoples have turned very unjust, oppressive and violent.

Israel ends up camping in the plains of Moab, East of the Jordan, ready to head over to Canaan.

Events in plains of Moab

Israel, having thus stepped out of the wilderness onto peopled lands, creates a wave of fear. The nations had heard of the humbling of Egypt (Ex 15:14-16, Jos 2:8-11), then Israel seems to have disappeared off the map, camping in lands where no numerous people can survive, and here they are, standing on the doorstep!

Two countries, Moab and Midian, decide to instigate a spiritual attack on Israel, as a physical attack seems dangerous. This is sad, as Moab’s borders have already been respected by Israel and Midian is too far south to be threatened by Israel. But they hire a famous and feared soothsayer, Balaam, to curse Israel.

Even though God speaks clearly to Balaam to let him know his mission is futile, Balaam, used to trying to manipulate the spiritual world and convinced by money, goes anyway. Upon trying to unleash his power to curse Israel from a nearby mountain, he finds himself utterly powerless. He actually ends up prophesying a future event: ‘a star shall come out of Jacob; and a scepter shall rise out of Israel’, fulfilled in the future king David, and ultimately in Jesus.

Moab and Midian, who called Balaam, are incensed, but are rewarded by a shrewd advice: to curse Israel they need to separate Israel from God. Midian responds by sending women to strike up relationships with Israelite men, inducing them to adultery and idolatry, the worship of Baal Peor. God strikes Israel with a plague, which is stopped when Phinehas, the son of the high priest Eleazar, zealously executes a death sentence on a Simeonite man and his Midianite lover. Yet the plague leaves twenty-four thousand Israelites dead. The Baal-Peor crisis is the lowest point of the second generation of Israel.

Israel’s leadership

Moses takes another census, readying them for the coming conquest of Canaan. The names of the current tribal leaders are recorded. It shows that the old generation has died off, but also it is striking that none of the current leaders happens to be the son of an earlier leader. In the realm of government Israel has fresh leadership, chosen by the people, not family dynasties (Ex 18, De 1:9-18).

God has made it clear to Moses that he will not lead Israel into the promised land. Moses accepts God’s judgment and also God’s the decision as to who the new leader will be: Joshua, son of Nun, of the tribe of Ephraim (Nu 13:8,16). Joshua is a godly and devoted leaders, zealous for God and loyal to Moses. He already has served Moses for decades as his right hand man. The significance of the choice of Joshua is also in the fact that it is not the sons of Moses that are chosen. In the realm of government leadership needs to be chosen by merit, not family relations. The political leadership doesn’t stay in the family, not in the clan, not even in the tribe. Moses is of Levi, Joshua is of Ephraim. Joshua is instituted as the future leader and Moses starts handing over responsibilities to his slowly. God ensures a smooth and healthy transition of leadership (Nu 27:12-23).

Onlooking instructions

God gives Israel practical instructions as to the reality of land possession: Israel is to have three, later six cities of refuge, where a person who accidentally killed someone might flee to escape avenge from the family of the dead. The three cities on the East of the Jordan are already fixed: Bezer in Reuben’s tribal land, Ramoth in Gad’s tribal land and Golan in East Manasseh’s tribal land. Once Canaan is conquered, three cities will be chosen on the West of the Jordan.

Besides this God puts the concept of Levitical cities in place: the Levites will live in forty-eight cities interspersed among the twelve tribes. They will own the cities as well as a limited strip of land around the cities for pasturing flocks, but their main income is to come from the tithe of Israel.

Moses further solves an issue about inheritance rights if there are only female heirs (Nu 27:1-11, Nu 36), affirming the woman’s free choice in marriage, their ability to inherit land and the need to maintain the distribution of tribal lands. All these onward looking instructions are preparing Israel for the reality of the promises: they will own the land, and they will need to keep the law to maintain themselves in it.

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

Who wrote?

• Num 33:1-2     Moses writing the stages of journey in the wilderness
• Num 36:13      “This are the commandments and the ordinances that the LORD commanded through Moses to the Israelites in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho …”
• Num 1:1           “The Lord spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai …”
• Other than that: same arguments as for Genesis / Exodus / Leviticus:

Evidence from the Pentateuch itself

• Exo 17:14        “Then the LORD said to Moses, Write this as a reminder in a book and recite it in the hearing of Joshua: I will utterly blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.”
• Exo 24:4          “And Moses wrote down all the words of the LORD …”
• Exo 34:27        “The LORD said to Moses: Write these words; in accordance with these words I have made a covenant with you and with Israel.”
• Num 33:2        “Moses wrote down their starting points, stage by stage, by command of the LORD …”
• Deu 31:9         “Then Moses wrote down this law, and gave it to the priests…and to all the elders of Israel.”
• Deu 31:24       “When Moses had finished writing down in a book the words of this law to the very end …”

Evidence from the OT

• 1 Kin 2:3, 2 Kin 14:6, Dan 9:11-13 Referring to the Pentateuch as the “Law of Moses”
• Eze 6:18, Neh 13:1     Referring to the Pentateuch as the “Books of Moses”
• Mal 4:4             Referring to the Pentateuch as the “Teaching of Moses”

Evidence from the NT

• 1 Cor 9:9           Referring to the Pentateuch as the “Law of Moses”
• Mrk 12:26         Referring to the Pentateuch as the “Book of Moses”
• Luk 16:29-31, Act 26;22, 2 Cor 3:15   Referring to the Pentateuch by the metonymy ‘Moses’
• Jhn 1:17, Jhn 7:19    says “Moses gave the law”
• Mth 8:4, 22:24, Mrk 1:44, Rom 10:19         says “Moses spoke the words of the Lord”

Written to whom?

• Israel
  • still to the first generation (at Sinai / during the 40y wilderness) to give them God’s perspective on the current events
  • to the second generation to let them know why they are where they are and what god’s promise is …
  • to future generations in history and all the everlasting statutes

Written when and where from?

• 1446-1406 BC … first parts (written at Sinai) are about a year into the exodus, the last parts (plains of Moab) are past the wilderness years, so clearly 1406 BC
• Num 1:1           … 1st day 2nd month, 2nd year is the date for the census
• Num 10:11      … 20th day 2nd month, 2nd year is the date of departure from Sinai
• Repeat: Exodus covers Egypt > Sinai (80 years), Leviticus is at Sinai (one year), Numbers covers Sinai > plains of Moab (40 years), Deuteronomy is at plains of Moab (farewell meeting).

Significance?

• Continuation of the constitution, law, building of the nation of Israel: censuses, camp organization, communication pathways, leadership structures, further laws
• History from Sinai to Plains of Moab from God’s view, warning and teaching the second generation as to the reason for the rejection of the first generation and for the 40 years delay. They may not hear that from their grumbling parents.

Main Characters in Numbers?

• Moses, Aaron … powerful examples of understanding God’s heart, intercession, mediators … proving their humility and right motivation for leadership amidst rebellion and trouble
• Miriam … prophetess, co-leader turned jealous of Moses, hook: Cushite woman, influencing Aaron, together challenge Moses > punished with temporary leprosy
• Joshua & Caleb … 2 of the 12 spies, with a different spirit, with faith, courage, God’s perspective
• Korah, Dathan & Abiram, On (all Reuben) … vying for influence, desiring the priesthood, rebelling against Moses … all judged by ground opening up … cause a plague that kills 14’000. Simeonite Zimri taking Cozbi of Midian into his tent > Baal Peor.
• Balaam … proud and self-seeking soothsayer that is defeated by God into obedience, gives counsel of idolatry & fornication, which leads to the Baal of Peor crisis

Surrounding nations?

1445 BC      See handout

• Canaan / Amalek … defeated by them after self-ordained attempt (Num 14)

1406 BC

• Edom (of Esau) … Gen 36:1, 9, 19 … forbidden to conquer … respected by Israel, walked around
• Midian (of Abraham) … Gen 25:2 … not attacked, teams us with Moab, wiped out after Baal Peor
• Moab (of Lot) … Gen 19:36-37 … not attacked, walked around, not attacked though Baal Peor
• Canaan king of Arad (Negeb) … utterly destroyed Num 21:2-3
• Amorites Sihon of Heshbon … utterly destroyed, land taken for settling
• Ammonites (of Lot) … Gen 19:36-37 … not attacked Deu 2:37, Num 21:24
• Amorites Og of Bashan … utterly destroyed, land taken for settling

Spiritual Life?

• At Sinai and when mostly 2nd generation > quite obedient (first and third division)
• After Sinai, facing Canaan and during 40 years > unbelief, visionlessness, disobedience, rebellion

Literary Kind?

• Mostly prose > literal interpretation
• Some poetry > figurative interpretation:
  • Num 10:35-36    Moses blessing
  • Num 12:6-8        God’s rebuke to Miriam / recommendation of Moses
  • Num 14:18          Moses quoting God’s slow to anger from Exo 34:6-7
  • Num 21:15          Arnon and Wadi Arnon (Moab border)
  • Num 21:27-30   quote of Ballad singers about Heshbon
  • Num 23, 24       Balaam’s oracles

Structure?

• Historical narrative, geographically arranged

Composition?

• censuses, lists, geography > repetition
• negative climax in Num 13-14: Israel refuses to enter the promised land

Main Thoughts?

• Further building up, constituting, developing Israel ahead of the challenge to come
• God is holy, just, faithful … angry at sin, judging evil, merciful & forgiving, grace & punishment mixed
• Wilderness, Canaan challenge is revealing wrong heart’s attitudes & human unfaithfulness > unbelief, disobedience, rebellion
• Humans can ruin their calling but God remains faithful to his promises

Main Reasons?

• Warning & challenging the 2nd generation (facing their very own Canaan conquest) to not repeat the mistakes, unbelief, disobedience of the 1st generation
• Giving the 2nd generation God’s view on the history, events they have heard told so often or have partially experienced themselves

OVERVIEW READING OR BIG PICTURE

• Census, Organization, Administration
• Focus on Levites (in substitute for first born, tithes, calling, duties …)
• Grumbling, Complaining, Disobedience, Rebellion > leading to loss of calling, 40 years of wilderness
• 1st generation forfeits calling > 2nd generation receives calling
• 38 year gap … with only few important events
• conflict with neighboring states Edom, Moab, Midian
• beginning of the conquest in Transjordan (Amorites)
• geography / borders / land rights…
• Moses > Joshua, Aaron > Eleazar … transfer of leadership into 2nd generation

NUMBERS CHAPTER 1 & 26               Military Census

First census – Num 1

• At Sinai on the 1st d, 2nd m, 2nd y … on the 20th of the same month they will leave Sinai and approach Canaan (Num 10:11)
• They seem to have some familial or tribal structure which allows them to do this fairly rapidly
• Males from twenty upward … census is to ascertain numbers of soldiers available for the coming conquest
• Num 1:2-3 … If this is so, 20 is the earliest age for soldiers. Soldiers don’t seem to have retirement age or fixed retirement age
• People as a whole would easily number 2 Mio (600’000 women, 800’000 children assumed)
• For that time of history, they are indeed a formidable group of people
• The terrain can / could have never supported this many people > supernatural intervention is a must (water & food)
• Significance of this first census?
  • Readying 1st generation Israel for war (mentally, emotionally)
  • Readying 1st generation Israel for war (strategically, militarily, administratively)
  • Judah is by far the most numerous tribe, the natural and also indicated leader of his brothers … fulfilled promises
  • Ephraim already outstrips his older brother Manasseh … fulfilled promises
  • Joseph is split into Ephraim & Manasseh, so even without counting Levi, there remain 12 tribes
• Importance, Significance, Principles
  • God has blessed, has made them into a large people already as promised to Abraham … fulfilled promises
  • God affirms growth, his Genesis command to multiply is affirmed, obeyed, celebrated …fulfilled >building faith
  • Importance of family and extended family and tribe
  • Importance of administration, organization, record keeping
  • God knows Mathematics!
  • Know well the condition of your flocks, give attention to your herds … Prv 27:23-27

Second Census – Num 26

• Second census is after the plague punishing the sin, idolatry, fornication of Baal Peor
• Location is the plains of Moab, the launching pad for the conquest of Canaan
• Again they are heading to soon conquer Canaan, but this time the 2nd generation, and from E, not S
• Immediately after the plague > the effects of the plague will be visible within the census (the connection is clearly made)

• The devastating overall picture is that they did not increase over these 40 years at all, actually a 0.3% decrease of the total population … this is after multiplying under slavery in Egypt!
• Pretty much the last 40 years were a fruitless detour, both geographically and populationally, we’re back to square 1, so to speak > showing the fruit of disobedience
• Also interesting are the tribe-wise distribution of increase or decrease … it turns out that several tribes increased greatly (Manasseh, Issachar, Asher) while other increased slightly (Judah, Zebulun, Dan) … while yet others decreased dramatically (Simeon, Ephraim, Naphtali) and others decreased some (Reuben)
• Population change = increase – decrease = total births = total deaths … maybe some had less children … or maybe they had a lot more deaths (associated with the punishments or plagues of God).
• But then again everyone of the old generation dies except Caleb & Joshua, so why does this make such a difference? That the punished would have had children if they had lived longer?
• Num 16:1-2         … Korah of Levi, Dathan and Abiram of Reuben are the ring leaders, 250 Israelites (unspecified) with them, 14’700 die in total (Num 16:49)
• Num 25:9, 14      … shows that a Simeonite was leading in the Baal Peor disaster, and 24’000 died right there (though not specified who exactly)
• Maybe its not so much deaths (as deaths would occur anyway, though earlier deaths means less children), but less births, and maybe a lower birth rate is a true indicator for annoyance / visionlessness / hopelessness, disobedience …
• Maybe ungodliness always results in a lower view of humans / family / future … like the current West
• We don’t know … when charting things like that > put down as possible options / explanations / thoughts

NUMBERS CHAPTER 2               Camp Order

• Num 1:48-54        Levites …
• Num 2:1-34          The twelve tribes …
• Num 3:14-39       Levites around tabernacle

PICTURE CAMP ORDER

Observations, Significance

• Tabernacle is at the center of Israel’s camp > God fulfilling his dream of living in their midst > God as the center, the core, the source, the focal point, the identity, the heart of Israel .. all tribes grouped around it.
• If somebody would look from afar: smack middle of a 1000 tents > tabernacle. God is their midst. Greek temples were always set aside on a hill. Canaanites also knew ‘high places’, special places, set apart, special things like old tree groves, hill tops, special rocks etc. … all though out history … God chooses a different way or lay out
• Tabernacle open towards East … Why? Maybe towards sunrise > sunrise means beginning, light … God acknowledged as the beginning, the source, the light …
• East of the tabernacle: priests (Aaron’s family) … they have most close contact and most direct access. They are nearest to the presence of God … priesthood as called apart, are given to God’s service and mediators for others … spiritual picture and probably also practical issues as their workplace is the tabernacle
• Levites are a circle around the tabernacle … they are given to God instead of firstborn > God gives them to the priesthood as helpers … they are set a part for God, called out, given to service … spiritual picture and also practical issues
• All tribes have equal access or distance to the tabernacle (except Levi) … > equal access to God / picture of the equality of men or picture of God’s affirmation of different ethnic groups and cultures
• All tribes have easy and equal access to ‘outside’, which they need for assigned toilet areas etc.
• Some think the camps would have to be laid out as in the picture on the right: > would result in a picture of a cross
• The camps of Judah is right behind the priests, of the tribes closest to access to tabernacle … > his principality, his representing Israel, him being the acknowledged leader, the first to lead out, the first to stand before God of the tribes (already in Jacob’s blessing in Gen 48)… though I think the equality thing is stronger
• Organization and reasonable lay-out > easily getting your bearing, easily knowing your way around > efficiency, clarity, ease of organization
• Principles for city building? architecture?

NUMBERS CHAPTER 4 & 10              Levites & Marching Order

Levites duty of Carrying                   Num 4:1-49

• Num 4:1-49 … priests pack up ark of the covenant & holy furniture
  • Kohathites carry the ark and the holy furniture
  • Gershonites carry curtains of tabernacle & court
  • Merarites carry frames, pillars, bases of the tabernacle & court
• See how carefully the holiness and fear of God is maintained: they are ‘forbidden to see’, even in the practical issues of packing up, never should awe be lost!
• Holiness is not temporal, not optional!
• Observations / Significance
  • Why carrying? Why not pack it up well into an oxen chart?
  • Attitude of respect, care, carefulness … animals are not good enough to pull / move this …
  • Limited wealth, weight, finely distributed, all contribute … Levites cannot own a huge amount as they have to bring their own stuff plus carry tabernacle items … of course division of labor but still a principle?
  • Limited wealth for ecclesiastical domain, spiritual leadership

Camp Marching Order                   Num 10:11-27

PICTURE

Observations / Significance

• Why this sequence? What would it symbolize to Israel? What would it remind them of? What would it communicate to those who see them?
  • Israel is lead by God … literally the priests with the ark are the lead … God knows the way, God directs their coming & going, God inspires, God leads, God sets the example
  • This is a military nonsense. You would put spies, runners, military host, auxiliary forces up front … obviously precious things like the ark would be kept at the middle for safety
  • God is the security or safety, he doesn’t need to be shielded by human military … He takes care of the ark or “The ark takes care of itself”. Later a wonderful story illustrating this in 1 Samuel, where the ark is captured by the Philistines and takes care of itself 🙂
  • Looking unto Israel: clearly military strategy / human wisdom does not rule and protect this people. God does.
  • For Israel: giving first place to God in everything, following, obeying, walking behind this God … no reason for doubt, no reason for fear, no reason for worries about getting lost or getting into trouble … God with them. Immanuel.
  • Levites are distributed in 3 hosts … marching before and behind. Maybe for practical reasons: so that Gershonites & Merarites can set up the tabernacle and be ready upon arrival of the holy furnishings … but that’s not true for the ark, the tabernacle is presumably built around the ark … the ark as the center, the anchoring point, the climax, the focal point, the presence of God … always with the cloud hovering on top
  • Serial of Camps around might also be mostly practical in nature > avoiding traffic jam with the cow-carts.
  • Imagine 2 Million people with children, baggage, cattle, flocks and wagons … all trying to figure out where to camp before nightfall!

NUMBERS CHAPTER 3                      Levites

Levites set aside for service                 Num 3:1-39

• • Num 3:1-4     Aaron and family (of Kohathites, actually … Exo 7:18-20) ordained for the priesthood
  • Num 3:5-10   Levites ordained for service of God > service of the priesthood
  • Num 3:11-13   God accepts the tribe of the Levites as substitute for the male firstborn of all Israel …
• Was Levi ‘worthy’ of this?
  • Gen 34:25      Simeon and Levi are mainly responsible for the genocide of Shechem in breech of covenant
  • Gen 49:5-7     Simeon and Levi’s violence condemned and cursed by father Jacob … prophecy: “I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel.”
  • This comes true negatively for Simeon: Simeon is quickly absorbed into Judah and never has a separate tribe identity later. Or maybe not so negative? They dissolve into the strongest and most long lasting tribe of Israel.
  • This comes true positively for Levi: through their eagerness and taking sides with God in Exo 32 the Levites are chosen as replacement of the firstborn of Israel > they receive 48 Levitical cities (Jo 21) spread out among the Israelites to fulfill their special function.

Where does this ‘firstborn theme come from?

• Exo 4:22 -23   God claims Israel – his first born – from Pharaoh,
• Exo 11:5           “All the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die … man and animal.” God smites all firstborn of Egypt
• Exo 13:2            God claims all the firstborn of Israel, man and animal … sanctify unto me … redeem
• Exo 32:29          Levites “ordaining themselves for the service of the LORD” by their zeal for God after the golden calf
• Num 8:17        “For the firstborn of the children of Israel are mine, both man and beast: on the day that I smote every firstborn in the land of Egypt I sanctified them for myself.”
• Num 3:12            “I have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel instead of all the firstborn”

Messianic / NT aspects to ‘firstborn’

• Psa 89:27       “I will make him my firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth.”
• Rom 8:29       “Jesus as firstborn among many brothers”
• Col 1:15           “Jesus, the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature”
• Col 1:18           “he is the head of the … church … the firstborn from the dead … that … he might have the preeminence”
• Heb 12:22-23 “You have come to the … general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven”
• Num 3:13           “when I killed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, I consecrated for my own all the firstborn of Israel, both human and animal, they shall be mine, I am the LORD.”
• Num 3:14-39    Census and Camping arrangements of the 3 families of Levi and the priests: E > Priests … S > Kohathites … W > Gershonites … N > Merarites

First born redeemed through accepting the Levites

• Num 3:40-51 … total number of firstborn in Israel = 22’273 … total number of Levites 22’000 … for these 273 a redemption of 5 shekel each must be paid > 1365 shekels paid to Aaron and sons.

• Observations, Significance?
  • This is very exact maths! What is this showing to Israel about God?
  • He is holy, he is perfect … no corruption is compatible with him, no cutting corners, no imperfections … fear him, respect him and obey him … he is serious about his laws!
  • This also lets us calculate an approximate number of children per family ratio: 22’273 firstborns for 600’000 men. This would mean 27 children per family in average > unlikely. What is this number referring to then? > probably firstborns since the Exodus.

NUMBERS CHAPTER 5                     Laws

Unclean persons                    Num 5:1-4

• Num 5:1-3 … unclean, leprous, discharge, contact with corpse … male or female > put outside camp / do not defile camp where God dwells > principle of separation / washing / time
• Now that the camp is organized, this arrangement is more possible, finally clear, what is inside, what is outside.
• Not to punish or ostracize but to prevent disease transmission … it is not forbidden to become unclean in the care of an unclean person, it just means special precautions need to be made.
• Num 5:4 … Israel is obedient … a repeated theme at Sinai!

Confession & restitution             Num 5:5-10

• Num 5:5-10 … like Lev 6:1-7 about the guilt offering
• Only addition … that restitution plus 20% must be paid to the person. If died to next of kin. If no kin to priest.

Unfaithful wife / spirit of jealousy     Num 5:11-31

• Procedure
  • go to the priest … sin offering (of cereals) … brought before God
  • holy water combined with tabernacle floor dust
  • dishevel hair … a sign of sorrow, possibly an ‘adultery’ thing, but also of a woman not under authority
  • oath of innocence … if not spoken truth, may uterus drop / womb miscarry … punishment is in the area of the sin: reproductive problems
  • written curses washed into water
  • drink this ‘water of bitterness’ (dust + holy water + curses)
  • elevate & burn sin offering (cereal)
  • God will cause curses to take effect if indeed guilty
• How to understand this? … This is not as the usual ordeal trials in other cultures (touch hot iron) … God’s intervention is needed to prove guilt, not innocence!
• Tabernacle floor dust would have been the cleanest available around (first tabernacle set up when new place)
• Naturally water like this would at best have caused diarrhea, but definitely no uterus dropping and womb miscarrying
• What is this law to accomplish?
  • Goal? … to show the severity of adultery … a way for a wife to prove her faithfulness … cutting off and laying to rest the spirit of jealousy / mistrust, that is a very very destructive thing in a relationship, and that has the tendency to ‘automatically prove itself’ > dominion, narrowness, no breath
  • Why only on the woman? Gender issue? … are men more faithful? … no, adultery is with somebody after all, often laws are addressed to men
  • Gender issue? … are men more prone to jealousy? … not sure, not necessarily, not generally
  • … maybe in this area though? Bengali hurt male pride? Women more willing to believe? Men’s own weakness and temptation projected unto the woman, creating doubt about her?
  • Warning of jealousy, of giving one’s thoughts to jealousy > downward spiral, more and more unjustified, stifling
• Application? … importance of premarital faithfulness on both sides … ‘he only wanted that’ … ‘she is easy after all’
• Application? … peace that comes with faithfulness … ‘I have seen his self-control in this area’ … ‘she knows how to defend her boundaries’ … > peace, trust, freedom, unity

Repeated Theme – Jealousy

• H7065 qana jealous, envious, zealous, provoke to jealousy
  • Gen 26:24    Philistines jealous of Isaac
  • Gen 30:1       Rachel jealous of Leah
  • Gen 37:11     Brothers envy Joseph
  • Num 5:5-31 * unfaithful wife procedure 🙁
  • Num 11:29  * Joshua jealous for Moses 🙂
  • Num 12:1-16 Miriam & Aaron jealous of Moses 🙁
  • Num 16:3     Korah’s rebellion is jealousy based 🙁
  • Num 25:1-13 * Phinehas is jealous / zealous for God 🙂
  • Deu 32:16    God provoked to jealousy with strange gods
  • Deu 32:21    as above, I will move them to jealousy with what is not a people
• H 7067 qanna
  • Exo 20:5, Deu 5:9    “I, the LORD your God am a jealous God”
  • Exo 34:14                  “for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God”
  • Deu 4:24                   “For God is a consuming fire, a jealous God”
  • Deu 6:15                   “the LORD your God is a jealous God”
• God describes himself not as immutable, but as deeply affected by our actions. He is humbling himself to desire us so much that we could actually upset the living God, and do so deeply. This is God’s humility. This is our honor. This should motivate Israel to the highest. This should move us to wholeheartedness.
• Jealousy on a lower level is unbelief: God didn’t give me what I need, deserve, is due me, others have …self-centered, demanding, blaming mind-set. Stay far away from jealousy … never seeing what I got, always seeing what I didn’t get … > destruction of relationship

NUMBERS CHAPTER 6            Nazirite vow

• voluntary vow of devotion to God … separation & consecration
• variable length, usually limited time (Paul) … though there are Nazirites from birth (Simson, John the Baptist?)
• any Israelite, man or woman, Levite, priest … a voluntary setting oneself apart. Reminding of Exo 19:4-6, to be that a royal priesthood
  • 1 abstinence from alcohol, grapes, raisins temperance, contra idolatry (Hos 3:1, raisin cakes), sensual
  • 2 no cutting of hair self-denial? Time set aside? Separation? Or strength? Vitality?
  • 3 separation from dead cleanliness, set apart, God of life
• Nazirite vow had (high) priestly restrictions Lev 8:10-12 forbids alcohol for ministering high-priest and priests
• Why? Voluntary priestly life, self-consecration, betrothed to God
• Message? No outward restrictions, conditions for consecration, just willingness
• Message? Priesthood of all Israel or all believers (1 Pet 2:9). After all this family-bound spiritual leadership (Aaronitic priests, Levites by tribe). Option for normal Israelites and interesting counter points. Basic devotion is required, higher devotion is optional and by freewill decision and desire.

NUMBERS CHAPTER 7            Offerings of the leaders

• highly repetitive, meticulous list of the gifts of the 12 leaders of the tribes
• Why this list? Significance?
  • > Importance of each gift, of each individual, importance on each tribe
  • > All owning things, all taking part, ownership, engagement, partnership
  • > Equality of the tribes, whether big or small, not hierarchical structure but confederation
• Application? … value & encourage & acknowledge everyone’s contribution, involvement, giving, partaking … > ownership
• Num 7:6-9 6 wagons donated, Moses gives 4 to Merarites (carrying frames, pillars, bases … presumably most heavy) and 2 to the Gershonites (carrying court hangings, tabernacle coverings, curtains, screens … a bit less heavy), none to Kohathites (carrying holy things). Distribution makes sense.
• Picture of limiting the wealth the Levites can acquire > spiritual leader’s wealth should not vary much from the people they serve. Accumulation of wealth limited for additional tabernacle materials need to be carried also.
• Generally the priests & Levites income is limited to the wealth and the spiritual state of the people (tithes, offerings)

NUMBERS CHAPTER 8           Seven lamps & Consecration of the Levites

• Num 8:1-5 Lampstand and 7 lamps
• Num 8:6-13 Cleansing the Levites as firstborn … sprinkle water of purification, bull for sin offering with Levites laying on hands, then bull for a burnt offering. Then offering the Levites themselves as elevation offering
• Num 8:14-19 God takes Levites for himself in exchange of the firstborn for service at the tent, given to Aaron
• Num 8:20-22 Israel does so, is obedient and willing
• Num 8:23-26 Levites duty from 25 years till 50 years old (Priests: 30-50 years old)

NUMBERS CHAPTER 9          Passover at Sinai, Pillar of cloud, fire

• Num 9:1-8     1 year has passed since the Exodus > Passover as during the Exodus as a remembrance feast
• Num 9:9-14   those unclean (touching a corpse) or away on a journey shall keep the Passover but in the 2nd month
• Num 9:15-23  Cloud / fire on tabernacle since the day set up … cloud by day … fire by night. When lifted > set out. When settled > camp there. Israel obeys the Lord.
• Very direct visible representation of God in their midst. Daily guidance and clear commands. This is how we want it, and sometimes we wish these times back. But it will be seen that this in itself, this present miraculous revelation of God cannot inspire faith ultimately.

NUMBERS CHAPTER 10         Silver Trumpets / Departure

• Num 10:1-10 … Silver trumpets
  • 1 trumpet > leaders called
  • 2 trumpets > congregation called to tabernacle
  • 1st alarm > E camp Judah to set out
  • 2nd alarm > S camp Reuben to set out
• war alarm > God remembers you
• festivals > rejoicing
• month start > blown over monthly burnt offering / offering of well-being at New Moon
• Why? Significance? … signals for organization, communication, clarity of command > no confusion / no inefficiency
• Why? … unity, remembrance, regular intercession & prayer & bringing before God
• Application? … need for good communication / clarity / organization … God loves order / efficiency
• Num 10:11-36 Israel sets out for the first time by the new organization. What excitement! Preparation time is over! Now we are moving again. And organizedly so. The time for the fulfillment of promises is coming!

NUMBERS CHAPTER 12             Miriam & Aaron jealous of Moses

• Complaints about Cushite wife … black skinned … is this Zipporah? A later marriage after her death?
• Complaints about the darkness of skin > punishment of leprosy, which is whitening of the skin Medical book
• Application a sore warning not to criticize God’s creation, diversity, things people can’t change … how more direct do you want it? Do not criticize people of darker skin tones!
• Num 12:2       “Has the Lord spoken only through Moses? Not through us also?”
• Conflict? Jealous of Moses’ leadership, principality, honor, importance, closeness to God
• Actually God has spoken to them, they have lead (Micah 6:4), they have tremendous influence, but competing, tearing at Moses’ authority … the problem is not in the words (the words are true) but in the implied meaning & the attitude in which this is said.
• God’s answer in Num 12:7-8 … he calls the three to the tabernacle, descends (a more visible appearance than the usual cloud, a light in the cloud?). He talks to them straight, taking them serious, wants to once for all assure them. Confusion over leadership is not good, but here also a fruit of unwilling hearts. It happened at Exo 32, now Num 12, then Num 13-14, then Num 16.
• God’s answer to Moses God speaks not in visions and dreams but face to face
• God’s punishment Miriam leprous, punished as a leader (Micah 6:4)
• Aaron? again he seems to only ‘come along’, struggles to resist, he is not the conspiracy leader
• Num 12:11-12 Aaron immediately humbles himself, confesses their foolishness and sin, intercedes for Miriam, calls Moses ‘lord’
• Num 12:13 Moses immediately forgives, releases resentment, intercedes for Miriam, the humility attested to him in Num 12:3: “Moses was very humble, the more than anyone else on the face of the earth” … How long did God fight with him to make him write this down ?? 🙂
• Num 12:14-16 Metaphor: ‘Father spat at her’, she will carry the shame for 7 days … shorter than Lev 13
• As all Israel has to wait for the 7 days to pass and Miriam to rejoin, this could not be hid > strong message to Israel
• Why this story? Significance?
  • > showing Moses’ character, warning of attacking Joshua, God backing up his faithful, warning of jealousy, ‘small sin’
  • > All owning things, all taking part, ownership, engagement, partnership
  • > Equality of the tribes, whether big or small, not hierarchical structure but confederation

NUMBERS CHAPTER 11             Cravings, Quails, 70 Elders

• Num 11:1-3    people complain about misfortunes > fire on camp edge … avoiding center? Avoiding God? Camping wild outside the order? … people cry out > Moses intercedes > stops … name Taberah (‘Burning’)
• Num 11:4-9   people crave meat, weeping … remember the fish, cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions, garlic … now only manna, strength dried up … actually strength was not dried up / nutrition was not suffering, otherwise how could they survive the next 40 years and come out a strapping nation? They are just tired of manna … and also there would be the meat of the animals … if they are so desperate, why not slaughter one? (When arriving in Bashan, they have many herds)
• Num 11:10    God getting angry at weeping … emotions are emotions, but this is a willing complaining self-pitying weeping … can crying be sin? Yes, like here … if it not a simple emotion running over, but a sulking, willful self-pity
• Application? … Bangladesh culture tends to excuse emotion, extreme emotion, even demand extreme emotion … weeping at a grave. Careful, not all emotional expression is harmless or sinless
• Num 11:11-15 … Moses very displeased, complains to God about his burden, wishes for death rather than this misery … a little bit self-pity even with Moses (this time he doesn’t get concerned about God’s honor) …
• God is not angry at Moses, rather provides him with help, an acknowledgment of the pressure that is on Moses
• Num 11:31-34 … 2 days journey wide, 2 hat deep quails … collection & slaughtering > grand mess
• God sends a plague … What is this? God is generous but punished when people take the gift?
• Israel seems to have taken the meat greedily, but without awe, without acknowledging God, nor asking forgiveness for their unbelief and ungratefulness, not even with thankfulness > wrong attitude > plague so they get the message, otherwise more ‘under the girdle line manipulation’ upon the next craving, which is probably a week away only.
• Num 11:16-30 … 70 elders chosen to ease the load of responsibility on Moses, given the spirit … 2 don’t show up, but receive the Spirit anyway … Joshua upset, concerned & jealous for Moses’ leadership & honor
• Moses is humble indeed he doesn’t perceive this as a threat, competition, offense, dishonor … he is not excluding, not afraid, not in need of controlling anything
• Joshua is concerned indeed the faithful / motivated / high performing wanting to exclude the careless / unfaithful .
• Grumbling? View without gratefulness, forgetting what was given before, no faith, ‘realistic’ but god-less in its perspective, self-focused, momentary, tendency to self-pity, demanding
• Instead? Thankfulness for past faithfulness, praising & remembering who God is and what he did for us, > awareness of God’s power / blessing / hand … > hope, expectancy, faith, obedience in the meantime … this is also ‘realistic’ 🙂
• Application the forever option to see my life with or without faith, the challenge to have faith based on past, … at any moment you can do either … focus on what God did or on ‘what is not’

NUMBERS CHAPTER 13                       Spies & their report: a progression

• Num 13            Spies sent out to gather information (people, land, cities, weather) and told to bring fruit
• Num 13:27-29   Spies report truthfully that the land is good. The people strong. The cities fortified. Anakites present. … true information, all of it … but a problem with the selection of information, dwelling on the negative, the scary.
• Num 13:30     Caleb & Joshua quieten the people. Go at one. We are well able to overcome … conclusion, faith-filled
• Num 13:31-33 Conclusion: not able, because they are stronger. Land devours its inhabitants (what’s this nonsense? If so good!). All people are great size (maybe to a malnourished, stunted slave generation that look so, but all? All great? Or just an extrapolation from Nephilim?). Nephilim (‘giants’). To ourselves we seemed like grasshoppers …. that is a true though subjective thing to say. And so we seemed to them … how do you know? A projection on them, my inferiority makes me think all think that way … > Faithless conclusion. To support it false or exaggerated information, selectively negative, interpreted.
• What is the difference between Joshua & Caleb and the others? What did they see that the others didn’t see? … the issue is not in the facts / information … the issue is with the worldview from which I interpret a given information … Same with science, the scientific facts are never a problem, though the interpretations may be.
• Careful with the faithless view … catch yourself on totally one-sided arguments.

NUMBERS CHAPTER 14             Israel refuses the conquest of Canaan

• Num 14:1-4    loud cry, complain against Moses & Aaron. Why God bringing us to die into this land? Wives will be booty. Better in Egypt. > Choose captain to return back …
• Num 14:1      that night. Total pity party and encouraging each other in discouragement, outdoing each other in upset-ness and faithless assessments.
• God does not give his verdict of 40 years wandering till the next morning. Why? God gives them time to repent. God doesn’t seem to mind an ‘initial feeling overwhelmed’, a ‘caving in at hearing this’, but he does mind a persistent and willful progression into complaining and self-pity.
• There is no recovery after the initial reaction … no cooling down, no re-thinking, no willingness to allow for the other viewpoint … time to repent is wasted, rather politics are going all night and the ghosts are getting bigger.
• God hopes that eventually conscience will kick in, that eventually another voice arises, that memory would speak, that a ‘temperance’ of emotions would occur, that people would reign in their running worries. But they don’t. So next morning:
• Num 14:5-10   Moses & Aaron fall on their faces (well understanding that this amounts to a serious offense against God) … Joshua & Caleb reassure the people: God is with us … almost get stoned. Clearly: heart choice has happened, now trying to silence all dissenting voices.
• Num 14:11-12   God’s glory appearing at tent … that should have a sobering / awe-inspiring / faith-rising effect, but it doesn’t … How long will this people despise me … that is what this unbelief amounts to, a willful choice to not believe in spite of much evidence (plagues, Egypt humbled, Red Sea, Manna, Cloud) … God announces a pestilence, and a restart of the nation from Moses
• Num 13-19    Moses’ intercession: God’s glory tarnished. Forgive! … right & effective intercession, acknowledging sin, concerned with God’s honor, appealing to his mercy
• Num 14:20-25   God: forgive, but won’t see promised land … God will come through with his plans (Promised Land, a nation for himself) … but not now with you. It is possible to ruin one’s calling … this generation didn’t learn obedience nor faith in spite of all they have seen, but fall apart before the challenge of Canaan.
• Num 14:26-35   I will do as you say: dead bodies in wilderness … but your children (all below 20y) > to them I will give Canaan (14:3, 14:31) … God takes our words seriously, here he makes sure the words of faith-less self-pity are fulfilled
• Num 14:36-38   10 spies die of the plague
• Num 14:39-45   people mourn, but don’t repent nor obey. “Admit” sin, but decide to go conquer against God’s proclaimed will (!!) … so we are not that worried about defeat after all?? We had no faith to go with God, now will have courage to go against the will of God … unbelief is illogical!
• This is the great anti-climax of Numbers: a generation loosing its calling through unbelief and disobedience
• Exactly how did this happen? … they fell apart at a great challenge. Why? Was God too fast?
• If they had trained themselves in the disciplines of thankfulness, remembering, acknowledging, praising & holding fast to God’s character, learning from the negatives and accepting revelation, pursuing & desiring God … then faith would have grown, and obedience would have been trained
• Application the daily little choices, unawareness, carelessness, faithlessness > it prevent growth & development and sets me up for failure, when the real rests come.

NUMBERS CHAPTER 15               Offerings

• Num 15:2   “When you come into the land I am giving you” … gracious affirmation of God’s faithfulness to Israel right after a great offense of Israel … to Israel / the 2nd generation … God is building Israel, he will fulfill his promises, he is committed to do as he said
• Why offering instruction now? … > re-establishing basic truth … > as a means of atonement
• Num 15:32-36   sabbath offender, inquiry held > stoned … the importance of sabbath, of rest, of time with God for the nation. Maybe the not following of this has set them up for failure: no time to listen to God, to let conscience kick in, to worship.
• Num 15:37-41   blue cord in fringes of garments > remember the commandment / prevent lust … This is adultery prevention, practical helps / educational reminders, one couldn’t commit adultery without a blue cord being touched / overstepped …
• Application? … set for yourselves limits that make sure you will not loose control, exit situations where you are not sure you can handle it.

NUMBERS CHAPTER 16            Korah’s rebellion

• Num 16:1-11    Korah (Levite) says ‘all are holy, why have you exalted yourself, Moses?’ Levites seeking the priesthood
• Num 16:4             Moses falls on his face. Who is Aaron to rail against? … Korah refuses the plain instruction of God, Aaron is priest by God’s specific instruction, not by his own will … to go against Aaron is to go against God. Obviously there were people who doubted Moses’ instructions as God-given and thought Moses’ appointment of Aaron was a family-corruption / nepotism thing.
• Num 16:12-19   Dathan & Abiram refuse to come. They attack Moses: You didn’t bring us into the country … now whose mistake was that?? … You kill us in the wilderness … Moses making the plague? The burning? … You lord it over us … that could appear so.
• Num 16:19-35    God appearing. Command to Moses & Aaron to separate themselves from Israel. Moses and Aaron fall on their faces and intercede: Will you destroy all for one person’s sin?
• God instructs the people to get away from Korah, Dathan & Abiram. If swallowed by ground > they despised God. Ground opens and swallow the three and their families. Fire on 250 men … this is a death that Moses in no way could have made.
• Num 16:36-40    Censers of 250 men have become holy by their death > covering for altar as reminder … if so many died, let it at least warn / educate others not to do the same mistake.
• Num 16:41-44    Israel rebels against Moses & Aaron: ‘You have killed the people of the LORD’ … completely non-sensical! Moses couldn’t have opened up the ground. The specificity speaks for itself. And no, they weren’t the people of the Lord.
• Num 16:45-50   God: get away from people. Moses and Aaron again on their faces. Moses sends Aaron to make atonement for people. Plague starts killing, Aaron standing between the dead and the living. 14’700 people die. Plague stopped.
• Can there be a clearer picture of who God endorses? Who really is the priest who mediates? … Reaction of people matters now > if they seek out Aaron (who IS God’s priest!) they will be saved.
• God gives proof after proof of what he has said, who he has ordained, what he wants … strong, miraculous, immediate evidence and affirmation of truth … what else do you want God to clarify? What is not understood?? > The problem is not lack of knowledge, but lack of obedience.
• Same with us … how often do we blame God for ‘lack of clear communication’ and ‘I didn’t know’ … really? Didn’t you?

NUMBERS CHAPTER 17         Aaron’s budding rod

• Num 17:1-11   Budding rods > proof (yet again!) that Aaron (Levites) are chosen by God. Now with everybody cooled down … Again God is educating / proving / showing. God hates confusion. How much more clear do you want it???
• Num 17:12-13    Israel: We are perishing! We are lost! All lost! All coming to tent will die. Shall we all perish?
• They are totally over emotional. They are finally getting the message that God is holy, that God is speaking, that have offended God.
• They are NOT getting the message, that God wants relationship still and always, he is just, not arbitrary, all this was totally predictable
• Israel makes a flip-flop between unbelief, rebellion, stubborn refusal … and self-pity, misery on the other hand
• Israel makes a flip-flop between being not afraid enough of God … and then overly afraid of God. Neither is good, and both dishonor God.
• What is ‘the fear of God’? … it is not self-condemning, self-pity that ultimately blames God for being so harsh
• The fear of God is to agree with God and to obey his ways
• Moses has the fear of God … and he stands like an anchor in the middle of the madness … he knows God’s character, he knows what action will call for what reaction with God … he knows God is totally just and principled in his wrath > he can stand there, intercede and obey.
• Application?

NUMBERS CHAPTER 18           Responsibilities of Priests & Levites

• Nu 18 responsibilities and right of the priests & Levites
• Why this topic now in the middle of these events?
• Priesthood and Levites have been under attack, have been misunderstood, rebelled against > confusion created.
• God re-establishes and re-teaches the basic truths / instructions, their role, their duties, their rights.
• Levites live off tithe, Priests off some parts of the sacrifices and tithe of tithe

NUMBERS CHAPTER 19              Red heifer > water of purification

• Num 19:1-3 Red heifer sacrifice. All burnt outside the camp. Ashes & cedar & hyssop & crimson yarn > water of purification > purification
• Hyssop, a weed-like plant growing ‘everywhere’ (12x in the Bible, 1 Kin 4:33) is used in the Passover (Exo 12:22), in purification rites (Lev 14:4,6,49,51-52, Heb 9:19) and to create the water of purification (Num 19:6,18). When Jesus is on the cross it is a nearby weed used to put a sponge to Jesus’ mouth.
• Num 19:10b-20 When is purification water needed? > after touching dead things.
• Why this here? … many died! People will need to handle dead bodies > need for cleansing
• Death is foreign to God, unwanted by God, therefore unclean … and requires a sacrifice, purification
• God kindly makes way to deal with the mess, to pick things back up
• Application? Sometimes hard consequences maybe needed, but the goal is never to shame, to put down, to ‘have them have it’, but to make people see what went wrong, where they chose wrongly and put a path of redemption in front of their feet.

NUMBERS CHAPTER 20 Meribah > Moses & Aaron sin

• Num 20:1-5 no water. People quarreled. Better died like those in the rebellion. Why did you bring us to this wretched place? … again: faithless, ungrateful, complaining, no view of faith, not thanks for sustaining. Blaming Moses as if this was his will, wearing out leaders.
• Num 20:6-8 Glory of the Lord appears, again this should have a sobering, fear of God, awe-inspiring effect. Moses and Aaron on their faces yet again, well knowing what this means. God gives a command to command the rock
• Num 20:9-11 Moses and Aaron: Shall we bring water out of the rock? Moses strikes two times with staff. Water comes out … God doesn’t let down nor endangers his leaders, he gives water though he is dishonored by the way Moses did it.
• Num 20:12-14 God to Moses & Aaron: Because you did not trust in me to show my holiness before Israel > no entering the promised land
• Only Moses struck the rock twice, but both are equally blamed for disobeying God here. Must have had same attitude. Both get same consequences: will not enter the promised land
• Much higher standard for leaders! … people can get away with much more than Moses and Aaron!
• What exactly is the sin? … “We can do this”, being dramatic? Not giving God the honor? Self-appointed action? Relying on past experience over obeying?
• It seems a very harsh punishment > maybe also a retirement for the tired leaders 🙂
• Though there is a warning in this for people to not tire out their leaders … on the other hand the leaders are fully responsible for their action and accountable to God
• There is no record of Moses of Aaron asking God for forgiveness, in Deu 3:26 there is a hint of blaming in Moses, not taking responsibility for his action … maybe that’s why it’s not forgiven?
• Num 20:14-21 Edom refuses passage > later

NUMBERS CHAPTER 21                    Bronze Serpent

• Num 21:4-5 Israel complains of no food. No water. We detest this miserable food (manna). Why brought us here to die in the wilderness? Impatient going around Edom
• Num 21:6-7 God sends poisonous snakes > many die. Israel confesses: We have sinned, pray for us. Moses prays.
• Num 21:8-9 God instructs him to make a bronze serpent on a pole > if they look to it, they will be healed
• If they humble themselves and look to God for salvation > he will give it, they will live
• Extremely pictorial, symbolical, educational, a powerful picture towards Jesus on Calvary, who was also ‘put up on a pole’ (see Jhn 12:32), so that all who look to him for help would receive it.
• Just as the symbol of suffering (serpent) becomes the symbol of hope, also with Jesus the symbol of suffering (cross) becomes the symbol of hope.

NUMBERS CHAPTER 20                 Relationship with surrounding Nations

• Num 20:1-5 no water. People quarreled. Better died like those in the rebellion. Why did you bring us to this wretched place? … again: faithless, ungrateful, complaining, no view of faith, not thanks for sustaining. Blaming Moses as if this was his will, wearing out leaders.

Surrounding Nations

Death list nations

• Gen 15:19 Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites, Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaim, Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites, Jebusites
• Exo 3:8    xxxxxxx, xxxxxxxxx, xxxxxxxxxx, Hittites, Perizzites, xxxxxxxx, Amorites, Canaan
• Exo 17:14 Amalek puts itself on the death list
• Exo 23:23 xxxxxxx, xxxxxxxxx, xxxxxxxxxx, Hittites, Perizzites, xxxxxxxx, Amorites, Canaanites, xxxxxxxxxx, Jebusites, Hivites (same death list as in Exo 3).
• Gen 15:16 the measure of sin of the Amorites is not yet complete
• Lev 18:24-30 Dont’ follow their practices, or the land will vomit you out
• Num 21:21-32, Deu 2:24-25    Amorites (King Sihon of Heshbon) > utterly destroy, land taken for settling
• Num 21:23-35 Deu 3:1-17        Amorites (King Og of Bashan) > utterly destroy, land taken for settling

Other nations

• Edom     (of Esau)           Gen 36:1,9,19 Num 20:14-21, Deu 2:4-5     Prohibition to conquer, border respected, walk around
• Moab      (of Lot)             Gen 19:36-37 Num 21:10-13, Deu 2:9-13     Prohibition to conquer, border respected, walk around, Baal Peor
• Ammon (of Lot)              Gen 19:36-37 Deu 2:19-23                              Prohibition to conquer, border respected, walk around
• Midian   (of Abraham)  Gen 25:2 Num 31:1-24                                     Engage Balaam, create Baal Peor > kill people, booty, no land
• Canaan  (of Ham)          Gen 9:18 Num 21:1, 33:40                               attacks Israel, Israel counter-attacks and utterly destroys

NUMBERS CHAPTER 22-25, 31       Balaam, Baal Peor, War against Midian

Setting of this Story

• Israel is camped in the Transjordan on conquered Amorite land, opposite Jericho.
• Moab, who was spared, and Midian, who was never touched nor in the line of advance, are afraid of Israel, having heard the reports of their was of annihilation against the Amorites.
• Remember, Moab is related through Lot, Midian is derived from a son of Abraham’s third wife Keturah. Also Moses used to stay in Midian, his father-in-law is Midianite
• We do not know what exactly brings about the hostility, there seems to be no great reason, but Moab’s king Balak and the elders of Midian conspire together.
• They decide that Israel cannot be beaten militarily, so they decide to attack spiritually: They bring in a most famous soothsayer from far away Mesopotamia, to curse Israel. His name is Balaam. Jos 13:22 calls him a soothsayer.
• Num 22:6 Balaam has a reputation of being able to manipulate things in the spiritual: Balak says to him: “I know that he whom you bless is blessed and he whom you curse is cursed”.
• Soothsayers were thought to have irresistible power with the gods by their incantations to manipulate them. They were thought to be able to redirect favor / luck / blessing or the opposite misfortune / bad luck / curses from one person to another, even from one nation to another.
• Soothsayers were used to curse enemies, for divination by kings, deciding on battles and other matters.
• Balaam, even as far away as Mesopotamia, would have heard rumors running about mighty Egypt being humbled 40 years ago, about this huge horde Israel somehow surviving in the desert that couldn’t possibly sustain them, and their re-appearance and recent conquest of the Amorites.

This is a confusing story … is he a prophet of God? is he hearing God? If God tells him to go, why is he angry at him going?

• Balaam is never called by the normal Hebrew word for ‘prophet’, only by the word ‘soothsayer’ … soothsaying being forbidden in the law of Moses … Lev 19:26, 19:31, 20:27
• But never the less God quite directly speaks to this soothsayer.
• What would have gone on in Balaam’s mind?
• Balaam did not deny that Yahweh had a degree of power, neither that he was the god of the Israelites. Balaam may have even called on Yahweh as the local god concerned in this matter.
• But to Balaam, Yahweh was just another god to be used, and Balaam’s motive was power, fame and money.
• What Balaam did not believe … and even when the story goes on he refuses to realize, that this God is of a different kind, all-powerful, far above all gods, and not manipulatable.
• Num 22:9-12 … When the Moab-Midianite delegation comes for the first time, God comes to him in the night. This may have been a new experience for him, he hears not through incantations or schemes from human side, but by direct sovereign intervention from God’s side.
• Num 22:12 … God tells him 3 things very clearly: Don’t go! Don’t curse them! They are blessed.
• Num 22:13 … When he answers the delegation, he only mentions the first command “God is refusing to give me leave”, which implies that God might give him leave in the future.
• Num 22:15 … So eventually Moab and Midian send the 2nd delegation, even more dignified emissaries, even higher fees of divination, even higher promises of honor.
• He asks God again, tempted by the benefits, trying his luck at manipulating this god. Num 22:20 … God says for him to go, but to say and do only as he instructs. 2 Pet 2:15 says “he loved the ages of unrighteousness” Jud 11 he was “greedy for reward.”
• Has God changed his mind? Balaam probably believed that he had accomplished the work of a soothsayer and manipulated this god’s will. He probably was proud of his apparent power he had as a soothsayer, controlling this deity.
• Num 22:22 … Then is says: “But God’s anger was kindled as he went with the delegation.” God was angry, probably not because Balaam went, but because of the attitude and spirit in which he went – in pride and for financial reward. Balaam thought he was on great terms with God, since he had persuaded God to change his mind about going. Balaam also was probably planning his further manipulations, in order to pronounce the curse that God had forbidden. For only then would he get the benefits.
• Num 22:23-35 … On the way, therefore, God challenges him with the story of the donkey: God shows Balaam his total ignorance of God’s ways and zero power over God. ‘Balaam, your donkey has more spiritual perception and awareness of God than you. You control nothing’. Literally God says: “your way is perverse.”
• But Balaam is still playing games: “If it is evil in thy sight, I will go back again!” well God has just told him that his way is perverse … what does the ‘if’ do there?
• Num 22:34 … Balaam ends up confessing his impotence. Then God sends him on. Num 22:38 … Balaam tells Balak: “I have no power to say anything but the word God puts in my mouth.”

The “Curses”

• Num 23:1-24:9 … They end up standing on different mountains, 3x, Balak hoping to achieve the requested curse.
• And three times God puts a word in Balaam’s mouth, blessing Israel, foretelling the future accurately, even making a prophecy about Jesus “A star shall come forth out of Jacob and a sceptre shall rise out of Israel” (Num 24:17).
• In his oracles Balaam also speaks accurately on the character of God: “God is not a man, that he should lie” (Num 23:19) God does not lie, he is the covenant keeping God who will not go back on his word … “God is not a man that he should repent” God will not change his mind concerning his people, he will not change his mind through the manipulation of man … talk about Balaam preaching to himself!
• Num 23:23 … God says that there is no enchantment against Israel and no divination against Israel. In other words Balaam’s magic and witchcraft will not work against God’s people
• Now, in spite of all this revelation from God, out of his own mouth, Balaam actually never repents nor believes nor really obeys … That’s scary: to know so much, to be used so much, and yet to not heed it.
• He does far worse: he gives a vicious counsel to Moab and Midian and earns his divination fees in another way:
• Num 25, Num 31:16 He instigates Moab and Midian to send women to seduce the Israelites into fornication and idolatry … “you can only beat Israel by separating them from their God” … true. Great Satanic strategy ever since Eden.
• Num 25 … ‘worship of Baal-Peor’, Israel sins, and God responds with a plague that kills 24’000 Israelites … the scheme succeeds at least so far: it robs 24’000 people of their calling and their lives
• As often as Balaam is mentioned later in the Bible (another 8+ times), Balam’s name stands for deception, for greed, for throwing others into temptation (Jud 8, 11, 2 Pet 2:15, Rev 2:14)
• Did you ever wonder how Israel comes to know this story, even the very words of it? maybe later? maybe after the ‘Baal-Peor’ incident? Maybe some Midianite who converted? … it sure seems they are blissfully unaware while its happening … Maybe God revealed it to Moses? By Num 36:16 he knows.

What can we learn from this story?

• God is a Redeemer, he takes bad situation and turns them into good, he takes bad happenings and wrenches good out of them. There is hope. He is powerful to turn things around.
• God will not be manipulated. Do not try to twist God’s arm.
  • First of all because you will fail.
  • Second because even if you seem to succeed, you only succeed in bringing deception and trouble on yourself.
  • Third because the very fact that you try to twist his are shows you have not understood his character nor ways at all. God is more than willing to do the good. You don’t have to manipulate him to do good. He is bound and set to do it. But just maybe you do not have full understanding what good really is?
• God does speak even to the very undeserving, scheming, wrongly motivated ones, … he speaks giving chances even to unlikely candidates. Balaam gets a revelation of God. So does Barak. What he does with it is another matter.
• Truth may be spoken by very unlikely candidates, in this story a donkey, and Balaam himself. Be willing to hear the truth in anybody’s words. Be willing to learn from anyone. Be perceptive though, not all things spoken are truth.
• He does speak truth, though he does not obey it. In a perverse way Balaam even understands a lot about God’s character: he realizes the only way to sway God against Israel is to make them sin, so God has to turn from them.
• To know, to understand alone is not enough. You must obey. Remember Jam 2:19 “You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe – and shudder.” To know but not to act on it, is self-deception and dangerous. Pursue knowledge, even more so pursue obedience. Be careful to apply. Be mindful of the last promptings of your conscience. Do not act against conscience. it is not wise nor safe.
• Do not be overly worried about ‘spiritual attacks’, ‘curses’ and the like … this is in a sense a quite carefully and powerfully mounted ‘spiritual attack’, if you think about it … but it does not succeed.
• Prv 26:2 says … “Like a swallow in its flitting, like a swallow in its flying, and undeserved curse goes nowhere.”
• Far weightier than curses and spiritual attacks is my daily choice to obey or to disobey God.
• It is my own choices that separate me from God. It is by my choice to repent that my relationship with God is restored, God is always willing and ready in his grace.
• Sometimes we are over-impressed or too fearful about spiritual attacks, curses, Satan, etc. Did you know that in the entire Old Testament there are less than 2 pages on Satan? But there are pages over pages over pages appealing to your heart and mind to choose to love and obey God.
• The one thing in this universe God does not own and control is the one thing he wants is the one thing you have the power to give: your heart.

NUMBERS CHAPTER 27, 36       Inheritance, Marriage of female heirs

• Daughters of Zelophehad of the tribe of Manasseh
• Land inheritance went to the sons of a family, not to daughters it seems. Sons then stayed on the land, it seems. All the more important is Gen 2:24.
• Num 27 the case of a family with only girls comes up, their father died > they come to Moses, claiming to be heirs.
• The case is brought to the entrance of the tent, to Moses, Aaron, whole congregation
• “Why should the name of our father be taken away from his clan because he had no son? Give to us a possession among our father’s brothers.”
• Moses inquires of God … God says the daughters are right … God gives a permanent law to Israel:
  • If a man dies, and has no son > inheritance to daughter
  • If no daughter > inheritance to his brothers
  • If no brothers > inheritance to father’s brothers
  • If no father’s brothers > inheritance nearest kinsman
• Later in ch 36 the tribal leaders of Manasseh come to Moses again with their concern of permanently losing tribal lands through the marriage of female heirs.
• What is contested is whom they can marry, for they will bring their inheritance into the tribe they marry into > would lead to permanent transfer of land from tribe to tribe > eventual blurring of the borders of the tribes
• Moses inquires of God … God says the tribal leaders are right … God gives this ruling
• Num 36:6-9 “Let them marry whom they think best; only it must be into a clan of their father’s tribe that they are married, so that no inheritance of the Israelites shall be transferred from one tribe to another … Every daughter who possesses and inheritance in any tribe … shall marry one from the clan of her father’s tribe … no inheritance shall be transferred from one tribe to another …”
• Choice of whom to marry is with the person married, here only slightly restricted due to a special case, but the implication is generally: free choice of partner by the person married.
• Gen 2:24 “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother …” … choice with person married, authority of new family with persons married, not respective parents.
• This is a model case of questions coming up when applying God’s principles to concrete situations. Israel is taught here: > Think from principle, inquire of God, do accordingly.
• We also need to apply God’s principles to our current situations > Holy Spirit’s guidance is needed.

NUMBERS CHAPTER 27              Joshua appointed as Successor

Need for a leader

• Num 27:12-15 God restates that Moses will see but not enter the promised land (West portion) due to not showing God’s holiness at the Meribath-Kadesh incidence, like Aaron
• This story comes repeatedly in Numbers and Deuteronomy, and at no time it is recorded that Moses asked for forgiveness, … maybe he did, or maybe he didn’t.
• Deu 3:26 Shows the aspect of Moses pleading with God to enter, but being refused. It also shows him basically blaming Israel for the incidence … maybe that is why he isn’t asking for forgiveness? Isn’t being heard?
• But also: it’s a well-earned retirement, he has lead them for 40 years, has built this nation, has lead them successfully in the first part of the conquests, has seen 3 tribes getting their promised inheritance.
• Num 27:16-17 Moses accepts God’s verdict, keeps thinking for Israel, keeps being responsible, doesn’t “throw the towel”: They will need a leader after him. Leaders should be introduced, trained up now for a smooth handover … and Moses does not presume who it will be, he asks who it should be.
• Num 27:18-19 public ceremony, in the eyes of everybody, before the high priests, commissioned (by Moses?)
• Num 27:20 “some of your authority” … not a full handover yet, but the beginning of it, so Joshua can take on the role
• Num 27:21 Joshua will not talk with God as Moses did, he will inquire of God by the High priest and Urim-Thummim … Israel is commanded to obey him … this will be the ‘normal state’ from now on. Moses was a special state, an initial thing.
• Num 27:18 An important point: Which tribe is Joshua from? … Ephraim (Num 13:8, 16). The political leadership is NOT bound to a tribe / a racial condition like the priesthood & the Levites. The political leadership moves from Moses to Joshua, from Levi to Ephraim, and that is a good thing. Political leadership is NOT inherited! God does not make Moses’ son the next ruler of Israel, neither does Moses. This is vitally important!
• Later we will see in the time of the Judges that the political leadership will switch quite randomly between tribes, and that is good so

NUMBERS CHAPTER 30          Vows made by women

• Num 30:1-2 In general vows, utterances of the mouth, pledges , promises basic word must be fulfilled, even if foolish, and later remorse.
• Again: the tremendous focus on the weight of our words … I cannot say: “oh, I didn’t mean it!”, “oh, that was just a joke!”, “oh, I was just angry” … your word stands.
• Again: our use of words must align itself with God’s use of words: trustworthy, sure, reliable, eternal, steadfast, the God of kept covenants, the God of fulfilled promises.
• Meditate on this / let it sink in. No inflation of words: your word must mean something, your word is meant to have weight.
• Lev 27 … way to redeem things or people somebody made vows about … clean animals > sacrifice, unclean animals / humans > redeem and add 20%, things > give or redeem with adding 20%
• Num 30:6-15 young women (still under father’s authority) and married woman (husband present), father or husband can nullify the vow > woman forgiven and no further demand. If in their knowledge but not expressed disapproval > vow stands.
• Why this? … Women never fully adult? Woman cannot be trusted? Women less careful with words? Women more emotional? More easily made to agree? More manipulatable? More abusable? More forceable?

NUMBERS CHAPTER 32     Conquest of Transjordan

• Again hitting home the difference between nations on the black list and other nations. Edom, Moab, Ammon are respected, Amorites & Canaanites are conquered.

NUMBERS CHAPTER 33            Journey from Egypt / Conquest

• Instead of charting, trace their journey on a Sinai Map, hand that in with the chart.
• Num 33:50-56 Instructions about the conquest > will be taught when doing Deuteronomy.
• Importance of mapping, record keeping, history, geography, land, geography.

NUMBERS CHAPTER 34             Boundaries / Tribal Leaders

• Map of the Promised land Find the approximate coordinates …big! More than they ever conquer!
• Tribal leaders leadership has gone into the next generation.
• Num 34:26 Note that Joshua is not Ephraim’s leader, since he has national function, there is a need
  for another tribal leader. Prevention of a favoritism?

NUMBERS CHAPTER 35               Levitical Cities / Cities of refuge

Levitical Cities

• Explain Tribal allotment Map
• Explain Levitical cities 48 cities interspersed among the 12 tribes, big tribes > give more Levitical cities, smaller tribes > give less Levitical cities
• Pasture lands Levites’ inheritance is God himself. God provided 10th of Israel for them. No major land, just these cities with a bit of surrounding land to keep a herd or flock on. 1000 cubits all around (roughly 450 m). This is not much!
• Why would God want Levites to live interspersed? > connection with people, representing different areas, later rotational duties, all tribes equal access to spiritual leadership.
• It seems priests were equally interspersed (being Levites). Priests had health related functions as well.

Cities of refuge

• Num 35:9-12 function as temporary refuge for those fleeing an avenger of blood after an unintentional killing … 12 to prevent further bloodshed without trial
• Num 35:13-15 3 cities in Transjordan, later 3 more cities in Canaan.
• Num 35:16-21 murder: intentional, planned (lying in wait), motive of hatred or enmity > death penalty > hand over
• Num 35:22-28 killing: unintentional, accidental, no prior enmity, no bad will > no death penalty > protection of cities of refuge
• Jos 20:7-8 Bezer (Ruben), Ramoth (Gad), Golan (E Manasseh), Kedesh (Naphtali), Shechem (Ephraim), Hebron (Judah)
• Num 35:28 slayer must live in the city of refuge until the death of the High priest
• Num 35:33-34 innocent blood flow > pollutes the land … only way to undo that: punishment of the murderer. Unsolved / unaddressed / un-judged murder cases bring blood guilt on land / defile the land
• Further innocent bloodshed prevented. Prevention of escalation of violence.
• Concept of distance, access, proportional thinking.
• Modern day Bangladesh: unaddressed murders … > life is cheap. Many western countries: Lawfulness but now legal abortion till 3 months.