Agere Sequitur Esse

Numbers

Book of Numbers

Notes.. .

. ..Introduction. By Moses to tell how the people entered the promised land. People include Moses, Aaron, Miriam, Joshua, Caleb, Eleazar, Korah, and Balaam. Places include Mt. Sinai, the promised land, Kardesh Barnea, and Plains of Moab.
. ..Themes. Census, Rebellion, Wandering, and Canaan.
. ..Outline. “This fourth book carries on God’s redemptive dealings with His covenant people. From the time of their departure from the southern end of the Sinai peninsula to the triumphal entrance into Jordan and the marshaling of their troops at the east side of the Jordan river for the conquest of Canaan is a remarkable story of repeated failure in faith on the part of these freed slaves who were delivered by the miracle working power of God constantly accompanied by the glory cloud which is symbolic of God’s divine presence” (William Seay 2019, L3 15:35–16:19).
. ..Application. “God’s principles of divine power and grace can overcome the failure of imperfect but developing faith. These principles are of utmost importance to all those who would take seriously the teaching of holy Scripture” (Seay 2019, L3 26:04–26:23).
. ..Timeline. First census in 1450. Aaron dies in 1430. Second census, Moses is appointed, and directions for settling in Canaan are given in 1410.
Introduction. 11:52 – Written by Moses to the people of Israel. The purpose was to tell the story how Israel entered the promised land. It also told the story about how the Israelites sinned and were punished and how they prepared to try again. Some of the key people are Moses, Aaron, Miriam, Joshua, Caleb, Eleazar, Korah, and Balaam. Some of the key places are Mt. Sinai, the promised land, Kardesh Barnea, and Plains of Moab.

Themes. 12:55 – There are four major theological themes. (i) Census. Moses counted the Israelites twice. The first census organized the people into marching units to better defend themselves. Te second census was to prepare them to conquer the countries east of the Jordan river. (ii) Rebellion. At Kardesh Barnea, 12 spies were sent into the land of Canaan to report on the fortifications of the enemy. When the spies returned, 10 said they would give up and go back to Egypt. As a result, the people refused to enter into the land. Faced with this choice, Israel rebelled against God. Rebellion did not start with an uprising but with griping and murmuring against Moses and God. (iii) Wandering. Because they rebelled, the Israelites wandered for 40 years in the wilderness. This shows how severely God can punish sin. Forty years was enough time for all those who held onto Egypt’s customs and values to die off. It gave them time to regenerate and rededicate themselves to the ways of God. (iv) Canaan. It is the promised land. It is the land God promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. It was the land of the covenant. Canaan was to be the dwelling place of God’s people. These were the people who were to be set apart for true spiritual worship.

Outline. 15:20 – How does God lead a rebellious people? This fourth book of Moses carries on God’s redemptive dealings with His covenant people. From the time of their departure from the southern end of the Sinai peninsula to the triumphal entrance into Jordan and the marshaling of their troops at the east side of the Jordan river for the conquest of Canaan is a remarkable story of repeated failure in faith on the part of these freed slaves who were delivered by the miracle working power of God constantly accompanied by the glory cloud which is symbolic of God’s divine presence. And yet, given to repeated relapse, distrust, self-pity, and rebellion in the face of any problem or crises that arose. Numbers addresses a people who were actually a sorry excuse for an army of the Lord. Indeed, they were materialistic self-centered warriors who lost courage to almost every challenge to faith and complained bitterly in the face of any testing that came their way. They lamented that God had drawn them into destruction in the desert and that their innocent helpless children would die with them in the wilderness or be slaughtered by the pagan foes unless they return in disgrace to the land of their oppressors. God had condemned them to wander in the wilderness until every last rebellious adult had died in the desert. He promised to render victory and complete conquest to those children who death they woefully predicted. The difference in their military effectiveness would not result from an increase in numbers but an increase in their faith and quality to the obedience to God’s command and Joshua’s leadership.

A new generation of promise tasked with settling the land after facing the battalions of their enemies and after their rebellion first received numbers as its marching orders. Important options lay before them. Either they could accept the status que and not accept the risk of entering the promised land or retreat to the security of the past even if it meant eternal slavery to foreign powers even if it meant forfeiture of God’s promises. Their third option was that they could continue complaining and fighting among themselves for leadership positions and power and prestige without facing the task God had given. Their fourth option was to try and establish their own isolated religious community following leaders, rituals, and worship patterns that they invented themselves rather than what God had commanded. This way, they could avoid the contamination of the world and also avoiding the challenges of obeying God. Their fifth option was to find the faith to cut themselves off from the pattern of the fathers and search out God’s will as revealed in His inspired Word by crossing into the promised land while depending on God to fulfill His promise and commit themselves to become the people of God; the people God always wanted them to be despite their rebellious spirit.

The long list of names, rituals, and places in numbers might cause us to miss its theological teachings. God’s faithfulness and wisdom provided reason for hope, even in the darkest situations. History depends on God’s leadership and human obedience and not on military statistics or human expectations. Stubborn human rebellion faces punishment. Even faithful leaders must expect punishment for disobedience. God’s people need proper organization and leadership to accomplish God’s mission. Proper worship is an identifying mark of God’s people. God has a future for His people that their rebellion cannot destroy. The only hero in the whole operation in the wilderness was Yahweh; the God of Israel. At times, Moses, Aaron and others arose to heroic action but at other times they failed miserably. God’s protecting and leading presence symbolized in the cloud and the tent persisted in leading Israel to their goal even when they begged to return to slavers in Egypt. God provided physical needs for a rebellious people. History in numbers is a narrative of God’s amazing ability to salvage victory out of a failure and to maintain the basic requirements of righteousness and holiness even in the face of an unstable and double-minded generation. An increase in military numbers did not promise victory. An increase in faith and quality of obedience to God gave hope for history. God’s prophetic Word announced the direction of history. No amount of human resources or human deception could overthrow the Word. As God’s people faced the mission of conquering the land they faced the call to unity and obedience to God.

It is important to understand that this matter of rebellion was not taken lightly by God. Several episodes of rebellion showed that Israel was dedicated to its own goals and depended on their own capabilities, but they learned that faithfulness and His graciousness do not nullify His willingness to punish a generation who consistently resisted His leadership. This danger of rebellion also extended to the leaders of God’s people. Moses and Aaron had to miss the moment of victory because they disobeyed God and His instructions in moments of anger. No leader is indispensable to God. No leader grows beyond the need to trust and obey God who grows new leaders to replace the disobedient ones. God rewards faithful leaders. Thus, numbers call the leaders of God’s people to faithfulness even when they must lead a rebellious people and even when their decisions go against the majority view.

Organization is a must for God’s people. Numbers shows this through it long list of people and places. God organized the people to fulfill their mission to take the land. God’s people do not fulfill their mission through chance or fortunes, they plan and organize to do what God called them to do. When victory does come, they are prepared to distribute the rewards of victory and to settle down for life with God when His mission is accomplished. Life on the land is life with God. God’s people must know how to respond to God in gratitude and regular worship. Worship leaders must be selected and provided for. Because of their preparation in the wilderness, the priesthood survived national disasters such as the exile and provided leadership for Israel even when political leaders were no longer available.

Rebellion, lamentation, self-pity and death filled the pages of numbers. These things do not dominate the message of numbers. Numbers is book of hope for a people with a history of rebellion. Event the rebellious Israelites found God providing for their physical needs. As God carried out His punishment of His rebels, He prepared with and planned for a new generation to realize His hope and to fulfill His mission. God’s history is one of hope. A hope with a future. It is a call to victory even in the face of defeat.

Application. 25:55 – God’s principles of divine power and grace can overcome the failure of imperfect but developing faith. These principles are of utmost importance to all those who would take seriously the teaching of holy Scripture. In a frailty or confusion of these ancient Israelites, we may see a mirror of ourselves and the warfare of faith. We can come to an ever clearer understanding that our redeeming God is equal to every crisis, and every need we may encounter in our own pilgrimage through rebellion and faith. Numbers calls us away from an overly reliant confidence on self to a humble confession of our tendency to rebel against and complain to God.

From numbers, we can learn eight different things. (i) Despite our rebellion, God will fulfill His promise and His purpose. (ii) Although God remains faithful to His promises, He will punish an unfaithful generation. (iii) Punishment administered by God can prepare us for greater task. (iv) God’s faithful and wise presence is the center of all life. (iv) Faith in God brings physical necessity. (vi) We are to respect ordained leaders but know that unfaithful leaders face God’s discipline. (vii) Worship is the central activity of God’s people and should be properly planned and organized. (viii) Hope is God’s lasting Word and it will motivate His people even though we may go through the darkest times in our lives.

Timeline. 28:30 – The first census was takin in c. 1450 BC. Aaron dies in c. 1430 BC. The second census was taken in c. 1410 BC. Joshua is appointed as Moses’ successor in c. 1410 BC. The directions for settlement in Canaan are given in c. 1410 BC.

Ref.

Seay, William. 2019. Old Testament Theology [MP3]. Andersonville Theological Seminary (ATS). Camilla, GA: ATS