I personally would like to thank you if you have been reading the Bible. I know it is not an easy thing. The Bible is not an interesting book to read until the reader (man) is in love with the author (God) of the Bible.
So far we have finished reading three books (Genesis, Exodus and Leviticus), though we have not exhausted the three books am sure in all our deliberations we have at least come to grips with what the Bible is about in principle. Here we are now face to face with the book of Numbers.
One scholar in introducing this book wrote these words:
Exodus concentrates on the deliverance from Egypt, the covenant at Sinai, and the erection of the tabernacle. Leviticus highlights the nature of true worship and holiness.
Numbers focuses on the Land of Promise and Israel’s journey toward it. Leviticus emphasizes the importance of holiness and cleanness. Numbers reiterates the value of faith and obedience. Leviticus stresses the role of sacrifice in creating and maintaining right relations between God and man, whereas Numbers accentuates the indispensability of the priesthood for preserving the nation’s spiritual health.
As I usually do, I consider it important in my brief introductions to each of the books we begin to read to ensure that I say a few things about the title of the book on the spot. Now allow me to remind you again what I have said in my earlier submissions.
The Old Testament is a Jewish library. However, for purposes of public consumption it was translated into Latin (Vulgate) and Greek (Septuagint) and it is from these two languages that 99 percent of our English book titles come from. For example, the Greek title of the book we are reading is ARITHMOI which can be translated as FIGURES/MATHS.
It was this Greek (LXX) arithmoi that the Latin Vulgate translated as NUMERI and that is where the English formulates the title of the book as NUMBERS. The book was named so because of the two major censuses, one in chapter one and the other in chapter 26. By this name, we might mistake the book to be about counting but not until we ask the Jews the title of this book.
The Jews had two names for this book; the first and popular one was and still is BEMIDHBAR which translates: IN THE WILDERNESS, and the other name was: WAYEDHABBER which means AND HE SPOKE. According to the Jews, the book title is almost saying: and he spoke in the wilderness. While our title is concerned with the numbers, that of the Jews is focused on the geography of the journey.
It is important that the reader of the book of Numbers understands that it is about the Journey. And this journey began the day these people left Egypt (Exodus 1-13), and then for a whole year camped at Sinai (Exodus 19, Numbers 10), where God gave the law, then they built the sanctuary, and God spoke the content of Leviticus to them, and then the journey resumed and they banked at Kadesh (Numbers 13-20), and finally to the Plains of Moab (Numbers 22-36).
I would like to point out that the book of Numbers is your book. It is a book in which by all means you will see yourself. Your life too with your God has been and still is a Journey. Two things, however, matter in this Journey; what happens to your relationship with your God through this Journey and secondly, where exactly you intend to reach.
In essence, the book of numbers is about:
- Relationships and
- Destiny
Numbers can only be outlined based on the three major wildernesses on the travel map, chapters 1-10 are in the wilderness of Sinai, and then chapters 12 it is a family power struggle, then they move on to another wilderness known as Paran and Zin which includes Kadesh (Numbers 13-19). We have them again wandering in chapters 20-21, then finally the entire generation perishes by the time we get to the wilderness of Moab.
The book of Numbers tells of a story of Journey which in distance was an 11 Days walk but lasted for 40yrs and all those (except 2) who were rescued from Egypt including their major leader (Moses) didn’t make it. The book of Numbers will give all of us both the explanation and the reasons as to why.
Because I emphasized that the book of Numbers is about two things: 1-the Relationship and 2- the Destiny, this then triggers four central themes throughout the book of which two are under relationship and the remaining two are under the destiny.
In the book of Numbers, the pilgrims relate with their God based or actually through two modules:
- Covenant and
- Faith
The Israelites are not just any other people but the COVENANT people of God.
This covenantal relationship between God and the Israelites was inaugurated by God at Mount Sinai beginning with the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:1-17). Throughout the rest of Exodus, all of Leviticus and Numbers (1:1–10:10), commandments, statutes, and judgments were added.
These laws were focused particularly on worship, emphasizing instructions concerning the tabernacle and sacrifice. More laws were added at Kadesh (chapters 15; 18-19), and again in the plains of Moab (chapters 27-30; 35-36).
Though there is a covenant between God and these pilgrims, the functionality of their relationship hangs on nothing but upon the FAITH of these pilgrims. Any breach of this faith results not just into the violation of the relationship but also into fatal consequences to them.
Israel’s crisis of faith came at Kadesh. That is when the people rebelled against Moses and the Lord upon hearing the evil report of the 10 faithless spies. A report of insurmountable problems in the land (chapters 13 and 14) and many died that day.
That is it for the Relationship but as for the Destiny, the pilgrims expect nothing less than LAND. It is the land that the Lord promised to Abraham and his descendants forever (Genesis 12:7; 13:15; 15:7-21), was the land of Canaan, and the people were to possess what had been promised to them. The destiny is not any other thing but the former slaves are headed to a destiny of being landlords. Their destiny is that land and without that land, their journey is a roundabout.
Finally, their destiny hangs on nothing but the PROMISES of God. They don’t know nothing but what God has promised them. The book of numbers magnifies the power in a promise. These are pilgrims whose destiny is just but a promise to them by their God. These pilgrims will mess-up through the journey as will shall see but the promises of God are not invalidated by the failures of humanity.
People’s actions can delay the realization of God’s promised blessing but not cancel them. God’s promise to them will not be frustrated by their behaviour and choices, they might not be around or even not part of the fulfilment of these promises due to their wayward choices but he is faithful and he will fulfil anyway.
That is what the book of Numbers is about.
God bless you as you read, I invoke TRUTH, REASON and FAITH.
Pr. ITM White
The *Gospel Hawker*
iTiS Well of Worship Fellowship (John 4:24) 