24th January Morning
Numbers 1-2
Now we are in the book of Numbers. It is the fourth book of the Pentateuch. We know God redeemed the slaves from Egypt and he pledged to lead them to the land of Canaan where they have not reached so far. The book of Numbers Is about the Journey and what we are going to see in this book is what happens on your way to Canaan. It is a very interesting book whose lessons are classic but with present implications. To understand this book in the context of the Pentateuch, you need to review all the other books we have looked at so far:
- In Genesis: God deals with the religion of the Patriarchs like Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and their descendants who through Jacob end up in Egypt. Genesis – is a Book of creation and the fall
- In Exodus: we see a God who delivers his people from the slavery of Egypt and the book winds up when the delivered are at Mount Sinai. A place where the structures of worship are established and the worship system launched. Exodus – is a book of redemption
- In Leviticus: the instruments of worship and the regulations of worship services are set forth and explained. Leviticus – is a book of worship and fellowship
- In Numbers: we embark on the Journey towards Canaan and the content of this book is all that happens on their way to Canaan. Numbers – is a book of service and walk
Some time back, I said that God had his travel map according to Exodus 13:17. He took them through not the nearest but one which was not known to them. Between chapters 19 and 20 of Numbers, there are at least thirty-eight years of wandering in the wilderness. We all know it never took this long for Jacob and his twelve sons to arrive in Egypt. However, going out of Egypt took years and lives. The people who did finally enter the land of promise were not the original slaves who left Egypt but their children. Reasons for this will be revealed to the reader of the book at the point of chapter 14:22-35. This is actually one of the main points of the book that applies to them and to us today.
The book concerns whoever considers himself a traveler on the journey. For the Israelites, it was from Egypt to Canaan, and for us today, it is from this sinful world to the promised eternal new world. The book is called ‘Numbers’ because of the two counting, or population censuses. The book has one census at the beginning and the other at the end of the book.
Here are two references: Numbers 1:2: “Take a census of the whole Israelite community by their clans and families, listing every man by name, one by one.” And the other is in Numbers 26:2: “Take a census of the whole Israelite community by families–all those twenty years old or more who are able to serve in the army of Israel.”
The first census was taken at Sinai and the second at the border of Canaan. I will come to this later but first, let me first outline the book so that we follow it through easily:
| THE JOURNEY OF THE ISRAELITES FROM SINAI TO CANAAN | |||
| Preparations 1-10:12 | Journey 10:13-14 | Wanderings 15-26 | Final Organizations 27-36 |
| v First Census chapter 1. The numbering of fighting men. Vss.47-50.
v Plan of Movement chapters 2-4. Arrangement of the Camp: numbering fighting men and camp arrangement for military purposes. Chapters 3-4: The duties of the Levites and their families. The Priestly tribe was given charge of moving the Tabernacle. v Purity of travelers chapters 5-9. Segregation of lepers for health and spiritual reasons; trespass and sins like adultery, Jealousy. Chapter 6:1-21: The Nazarite Vow. This is for one wholly separated unto the Lord; voluntarily done. (Samson and John the Baptist are examples). Chapters 7-8: Deal with free-will offerings and consecration of the Levites. Chapter 9: the keeping of the Passover. v Moving faster chapters 10:1-12 |
v Plan implementation chapters 10:13-36
v Disgruntlement chapter 11. v Jealousy in Leadership chapter 12 v Unbelief chapter 13 v Presumption chapter 14 |
v Leadership Issues chapters 15-19. God gives a second set of instructions
i. chap 16 – instructions about offerings ii. chap 17 – instructions about Aaron & family being chosen as the priestly family iii. chap 18 – confirmation of Levites and priestly family of Aaron iv. chap 19 – instructions concerning the red heifer and water of purification v Pressure at the Borders chapters 20-26. Chapter 20:8-12: The Sin of Moses. Chapter 21: The Serpent of Brass. Vs. 5-9: Israel is still Complaining.
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v Women’s Rights in the Law of Inheritance. Joshua appointed as the successor of Moses (18-22). Chapter 27
v Daily offerings. Chapter 28 v Convocations. Chapter 29 v Vows. Chapter 30 v First Victory. Chapter 31. v First Settlement. Chapter 32. v Recapitulation. The Law of the possessions. Chapter 33 v Boundaries. Chapter 34. v Cities of Refuge. Chapter 35 v Women’s Rights Revisited. Chapter 36. |
The name Numbers is not given by the Hebrews but it is a translation of Arithmoi, which is a Septuagint (Greek translation of the Old Testament) title. The term can be translated as arithmetic. The Greeks named the book so because they realized the book contains many statistics, population counts, tribal and priestly figures, and other numerical data.
The Hebrew name comes from the first sentence of the book and means “in the desert of”; it is perhaps an even more accurate description of the book’s content, which follows the Israelites through almost forty years of wandering in the desert. The big Idea in the book of Numbers is A WALK WITH GOD. This is what in the New Testament we call, the Christian Walk.
In this book, the people of Israel tested God’s patience, and He in turn, tested their endurance and faithfulness. Though the people failed many times, God showed His own faithfulness by His constant presence leading the way: through a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. More than just a history lesson, the book of Numbers reveals how God reminded Israel that He does not tolerate rebellion, complaining, and disbelief without invoking consequences.
He taught His people how to walk with Him—not just with their feet through the wilderness but with their hearts in faith and trust, with their minds in knowledge, with their mouths in worship, hands in service, and lives as witnesses to the surrounding nations. He was their God, they were His people, and He expected them to act like it.
That walk is the big idea we will be looking at every now and then throughout the book, but for now allow me to share with you the period in the History of Israel that this book covers. Numbers covers a period of time known as the wilderness wanderings which lasted 38 years, nine months and ten days.
Hill and Walton offer the following timetable for events after the Exodus:
| Exodus from Egypt | 15th day of 1st month | Exod. 12:2, 5; Num. 33:3
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| Arrival at Mount Sinai | 1st day of 3rd month | Exod. 19:1
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| Yahweh reveals himself at Sinai | 3d day of 3rd month | Exod. 19:16
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| Completion of tabernacle | 1st day of 1st month of 2d year | Exod. 40:1, 16
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| Command to number Israel | 1st day of 2nd month of 2d year | Num. 1:1
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| Departure from Sinai | 20th day of 2nd month of 2d year | Num. 10:11
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| Arrival at Kadesh | 1st month of 40th year? | Num. 20:1
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| Death of Miriam | 1st month of 40th year? | Num. 20:1
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| Death of Aaron and thirty days of mourning | 1st day of 5th month of 40th year | Num. 20:29
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| Departure for Moab | 1st day of 6th month of 40th year? | Num 20:22; 21:4
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| Moses Addresses Israel in Moab | 1st day of 11th month of 40th year | Deut. 1:2-3
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| Death of Moses and thirty days of mourning | ? | Deut. 34:8
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| Joshua and Israel enter Canaan | 10th day of 1st month of 41st year | Josh. 1:19 |
Since the book of numbers is about the walk, let us also look at the journeys, journeying and the stops of the Israelites as the entire report is recorded in the Bible. The following charts are adapted from Wenham, Numbers, 16-17:
| EXODUS TO NUMBERS |
| Egypt (Exodus 1—13), Sinai (Exodus 19—Numbers 10), Kadesh (Numbers 13-20), Plains of Moab (Numbers 22-36) |
| JOURNEYS | ||
| Red Sea to Sinai | Sinai to Kadesh | Kadesh to Moab |
| Led by cloud Exodus 13:21 | = Nu 10:11ff | |
| Victory over Egypt 14 | cf. 21:21-35 | |
| Victory song 15:1-18 | cf 10:35f | 21:14-15 |
| Miriam 15:20-21 | = 12 | = 20:1 |
| People complain 15:23-24 | = 11:1 | = 21:5 |
| Moses’ intercession 15:25 | = 11:2 | = 21:7 |
| Well 15:27 | = 21:16 | |
| Manna and quails 16 | = 11:4-5 | |
| Water from rock 17:1-7 | = 20:2-13 | |
| Victory over Amalek 17:8-16 | cf. 21:1-3 | |
| Jethro 18:1-12 | cf. 10:29-32 | |
| STOPS | |||
| Topic | Sinai | Kadesh | Moab |
| Divine promises | Exodus 19:5-6; 23:23ff. | Numbers 12:2 | 22:24 |
| 40 days | 24:28 | 13:25 | — |
| Rebellion | 32:1-8 | 14:1ff | 25:1-3 |
| Moses’ intercession | 32:11-13 | 14:13-19 | — |
| Judgment | 32:34 | 14:20-35 | 25:4 |
| Plague | 32:35 | 14:37 | 25:8-9 |
| Law of sacrifice | 34:18ff; Leviticus. 1-7 etc. | 15:1-31 | 28-29 |
| Trial | Leviticus.24:10-23 | 15:32-36 | 27:1-11 |
| Rebellion against Priests | Leviticus. 10:1-3 | 16:1-35 | — |
| Atonement through priests and Levites | Exodus 32:26-29 | 16:36-50 | 25:7-13 |
| Priestly prerogatives | Leviticus. 6-7; 22 | 17-18 | 31:28-30; 35:1-8 |
| Impurity rules | Leviticus. 11-16; Nu.9:6-14 | 19 | 31:35-9ff. |
| Census | Numbers. 1-4 | — | 26 |
David Malick presents a chronological order of the travel of the Israelites as follows:
- The Passover occurred on the fourteenth day of the first month of the year and the nation departed from Egypt on the fifteenth day of the first month (Numbers 33:3; Exodus 12:2, 6)
- The tabernacle was erected at Mount Sinai exactly one year after the Exodus (on the first day of the first month of the second year; Exodus 40:2, 17)
- One month later the nation prepared to leave Sinai for the Promised Land (on the first day of the second month of the second year; Numbers 1:1)
- On the twentieth day of the second month of the second year “the cloud was lifted from over the tabernacle of the testimony and the sons of Israel went out on their journeys from the wilderness of Sinai” (Numbers 10:11-12).
- Deuteronomy opens with a reference to the first day of the eleventh month of the 40th year. This is 38 years, eight months and ten days after the nation departed from Sinai (Deuteronomy 1:3; cf. Numbers 10:11-12)
In the book of Numbers, chapters 1-2 are about census and the work plan. Israelites have been traveling ever since they left Egypt and here they are now. They need to settle and focus on what is important for their travel. And the first thing that God commands is to count the people and get to know who is who. These are twelve tribes from Jacob, but it is important that we break down this general umbrella mode of identity and get to know who is who, has what and can what. What the Israelites will be doing in the book of Numbers is what modern political and civil states have emulated. There is always a need for population census. According to Malick, the reasons of this Census were:
- To ascertain and recruit manpower for war (Numbers 1:3)
- To allot work assignments in the forced labor gangs and the religious cult (Numbers 3:4)
- To establish a basis for taxation (cf. Exodus 30:11-16)
- To order the Hebrew tribes in marching and camping formations (Numbers 2)
- To contribute to the organization of former slaves into a unified people
He continues to say that: Two census are taken in Numbers (1; 26): “The first census was taken in the second month of the second year after the Exodus (Numbers 1:1) numbering the first generation of post-Exodus Israelites. The second census was taken in the fortieth year after the Exodus numbering the second generation of post-Exodus Israelites (Numbers 20:1, 22-29; 33:38). Both census were taken of Israelite men who were of fighting age (twenty years of age and older) Numbers 1:1-4; 26:1-4.”
And after these two censuses we develop another table that will be of use as we read the entire Old Testament and the Bible at large. As you read the table below I want you to understand that the population census brings to attention two important factors: first the society of the Israelites was an androcentric (Chauvinist). In the two countings, only men were counted and not women. This theme will continue appearing as we read the Bible and its significance will be explained.
The second element of the population census of the book of Numbers is the preferential treatment of the majority over the minority. We all have had the tribe of Judah to have dominated the leadership of these twelve tribes, and the reason for this was fundamentally in their numbers compared to others. This also will be key through the study of the Bible as we continue.
Meanwhile here is the statistical table of the Israel Population Census:
| Tribe | Reference | Figures | Reference | Figures |
| Reuben | 1:20-21 | 46,500 | 26:5-11 | 43,730 |
| Simeon | 1:22-23 | 59,300 | 26:12-14 | 22,200 |
| Gad | 1:24-25 | 45,650 | 26:15-18 | 40,500 |
| Judah | 1:26-27 | 74,600 | 26:19-22 | 76,500 |
| Issachar | 1:28-29 | 54,400 | 26:23-25 | 64,300 |
| Zebulun | 1:30-31 | 57,400 | 26:26-27 | 60,500 |
| Ephraim | 1:32-33 | 40,500 | 26:35-37 | 32,500 |
| Manasseh | 1:34-35 | 32,200 | 26:28-34 | 52,700 |
| Benjamin | 1:36-37 | 35,400 | 26:38-41 | 45,600 |
| Dan | 1:38-39 | 62,700 | 36:42-43 | 64,400 |
| Asher | 1:40-41 | 41,500 | 36:44-47 | 53,400 |
| Naphatali | 1:42-43 | 53,400 | 26:48-50 | 45,400 |
| Totals | 603,550 | 601,730 | ||
| Average | 50,296 | 50,144 | ||
| High | 74,600 | 76,500 | ||
| Low | 32,200 | 22,200 |
| Greatest increase: | Manasseh (20,500) |
| Greatest decrease: | Simeon (37,100) |
24th January Evening
Numbers 3-4
Chapter 3 is one that emphasizes the seriousness of WORSHIP in the lives of the Israelites. The relationship between the people and their God was what all life, success, and progress depended upon. It was not merely a theocracy but it is a spiritually bound nation. For the Israelites to prosper, the worship system, its structures, and instruments had to be in order.
Chapter 3 is about the behavior of the Levites and their families. The book points out that the entire nation was upon the shoulders of these people. As they carried the tent and the Ark of the Covenant on which the Shekinah (presence of Yahweh) rested and all other sanctuary sacred instruments, they carried the past, present, and future of the entire nation.
I do not know whether we modern pastors take seriously the worship business. God is so obsessed with the concept of worship that he might not be always impressed by all the creativity that man would come up with. The two Priests faced it rough when they became creative beyond or beside the prescriptions. These were: Nadab and Abihu.
R Boatwright wrote: “God has chosen to give us some valuable lessons from the Old Testament. “For whatever things were written before were written for our learning” (Romans 15:4). Nadab and Abihu were priests in the tabernacle of God under the Old Testament. One of their duties was to burn incense in the tabernacle at 9:00 AM and 3:00 PM each day. “Then Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer and put fire in it, put incense on it, and offered profane fire before the Lord, which he had not commanded them. So fire went out from the Lord and devoured them, and they died before the Lord” (Leviticus 10:1-2). The KJV says “strange fire“. It was “profane” or “strange fire” because that fire was not authorized. Nadab and Abihu were told in offering the incense they were to “take a censer full of burning coals of fire from the altar” (Leviticus 16:12).
Apparently, they chose to ignore the Lord’s instructions and do as they saw fit and get the fire elsewhere. Because their sin was doing that which the Lord “had not commanded them“, they were struck dead for doing so. Doing that which the Lord “had not commanded” is prohibitive. If the Lord struck people dead today who are bent on pleasing themselves and not God by engaging in unauthorized religious practices the way He struck Nadab and Abihu, the world population might not be as large as it is.
“Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition” (1 Corinthians 10:11). We will all be held accountable (Romans 14:12). The warning we receive from the example of Nadab and Abihu is the Lord severely punishes those who act in the absence of His authorization.”
The error of Nadab and Abihu is not forgotten, nor should it be. In the census and genealogical records, when Nadab and Abihu are mentioned, a note is made of their error and its consequences (Numbers 3:2-4 26:60-61). The lesson was to be remembered by future generations and, indeed, is “written for our learning” (Romans 15:4). Let us worship God only as we have his word and authority to direct us. Let us not presume to add anything to our worship on our own initiative. Do not forget Nadab and Abihu. The wrath of God is upon all who presume to worship him in a manner he has not commanded. These two boys Nadab and Abihu turned the worship service into a playground.
We must, however, understand that the worship service is a battleground. It is a business of life and death. We cannot afford to dilly-dally with the righteous God in a critical sinful and fallen world like ours. When God instituted the system of worship he intended every symbol to have a fundamental significance on both the physical and spiritual survival of the people. God wants you to understand that your church is not just a holy ground where you have to take off your shoes and enter to dance and fart, or actually do all sorts of things.
However, the church or the worship service precisely is a battleground. And in that battleground we do not fight fellow men but all sorts of principalities against the exaltation of the Lord and our very survival. In our worship services, we must come to grips with the truth that: there is not just a tension between Worship and Celebration but that for sinners to be worshipping an offended God it is a risky business. When we are in church we are sinners who are exposed to the wrath of God but preserved by his gracious nature. No sinner should then assume safety if he abuses that grace awarded to him freely.
As we approach corporate worship, we must seek to do so with purpose. We dare not attend it casually. If there is one thing consistently observable in the Scriptures, it is surely the reality that meeting with a holy God is anything but casual. When men and women come into God’s presence, they know it. Moses takes off his shoes (Exodus 3), Israel is struck with fear (Exodus. 20), Isaiah quakes (Isaiah. 6), Job silences his lips (Job 40), John falls down as though dead (Revelation. 1). Even the elders and angels, who are worshiping day in and day out before the throne, aren’t casual in their worship (Isaiah. 6; Revelation. 4).
Casual worship of the living, true, holy, sovereign God of the universe just doesn’t exist. There is a seriousness that must mark it, a solemnity and honor that must attend it, a gravity that must saturate it. The temptation to treat worship as something casual is great. As part of our weekly activity, it lends itself to being treated as common and routine. We easily go through the motions, sing the songs mindlessly, and get our worship attendance card punched. May it never be. We are on holy ground. As we attend corporate worship, let us attend it with seriousness. I will talk about worship again in the future.
God bless you. I invoke TRUTH, KNOWLEDGE, and FAITH.
Am Pr. I.T.White. THE GOSPEL HAWKER
@Think and Become
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