Date Written: 1450-1410 B.C.

Author: Moses

Setting: The vast desert of the Sinai region, as well as lands just south & east of Canaan.

Key People: Moses, Aaron, Miriam, Joshua, Caleb, Eleazar, Korah, Balaam

Purpose: To tell the story of how Israel prepared to enter the promised land, how they sinned & were punished & how they prepared to try again.

Key Verses: The Lord bless you & keep you; the Lord make His face shine upon you & be gracious to you; the Lord turn His face toward you & give you peace. 6:24-26

Not one of the men who saw My glory & the miraculous signs I performed in Egypt & in the desert but who disobeyed Me & tested Me ten times-not one of them will ever see the land I promised on oath to their forefathers. No one who has treated Me with contempt will ever see it. 14:22-23

Chapter Outline:

1-10:10 Preparing for the journey

10:11-14 First approach to the promised land

15-21 Wandering in the desert

22-36 Second approach to the promised land

Importance of reading Numbers:

• We read in Numbers: As part of their preparations, the Lord gave strict guidelines to the Israelites regarding purity in the camp. He wanted them to have a life style distinct from the nations around them. He wanted them to be a holy people. What we can learn from this: We should be concerned with purity in our churches, in our homes & in our lives.
• What we read: At Kadesh, 12 spies were sent out into Canaan to report on the enemy. When they returned, 10 said that they should give up & go back to Egypt. As a result, the people refused to enter the land. Faced with a choice, Israel rebelled against God. Rebellion didn’t start with an uprising, but with griping & murmuring against Moses & God. What we can learn: Rebellion against God is always a serious matter. It isn’t something to take lightly, for God’s punishment for sin is often very severe. Our rebellion usually starts in subtle ways – with griping & criticizing. Make sure your negative comments are not coming from a rebellious spirit.
• What we read: Because they rebelled, the Israelites wandered 40 years in the desert. This shows how severely God can punish sin. 40 years was enough time for all those who held on to Egypt’s customs & values to die off. It gave time to train up a new generation in the ways of God. What we can learn: God judges sin harshly because He is holy. The wanderings in the desert demonstrate how serios God considers flagrant disobedience of His commands. Purging our lives of sin is vital to God’s purpose.
• What we read: The Moabites & Midianites couldn’t get Balaam to curse Israel, but they did get him to give advice on how to draw the Israelites to idol worship. Balaam knew what was right, bet he gave in to the temptation of material rewards & sinned. What we can learn: Knowing what is right is never enough. We must also do what is right.
• What we read: Canaan is the promised land. It was the land God had promised to Abraham, Isaac & Jacob – the land of the covenant. Canaan was to be the dwelling place of God’s people, those set apart for true spiritual worship. What we can learn: Although God’s punishment for sin is often severe, He offers reconciliation & hope. His love is truly amazing. Just as God’s love & law led Israel to the promised land, God desires to give purpose & destiny to our lives.

Things to think about as you read Numbers:

• Ponder everything you have learned from Moses’ life & then pray about how it applies to your own life.
• Remember, God is the same yesterday, today & forever. His character didn’t change between the OT & the NT. Think about what you have learned about God from the book of Numbers. Are you living according to His standard of righteousness?
• Do you envy the children of Israel because they had a cloud to guide them? Have you realized that God’s presence in the form of the indwelling Holy Spirit is there to guide you? Do you seek & ask for His Spirit to lead & guide you just as He led the children of Israel? What can you learn from the Israelites so you won’t make the same mistakes?

Link to Teaching Video: https://youtu.be/7IxaTipSi40?si=QucdN9_B3CWhtJyD

Blessings,

Nichole Henson

Fullness of Joy Ministry