N U M B E R S

A Devotional Look at How God Led Israel Through

the Wilderness

F. Wayne Mac Leod

Light To My Path Book Distribution

means without written permission of the author.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise specified, are taken from the New International Version of

A special thank you to the proof readers without whom this book would be much harder to read:

Diane Mac Leod, Suzanne St. Amour

CONTENTS
Title Page
Copyright
Introduction to Numbers
- A Census is Taken
- The Arrangement of the Camp of Israel
- The Priests and Levites
- A Census of the Levites
- Purity in the Camp
- Nazirite Vows
- The Dedication of the Altar
- The Dedicationof the Levites
- The Passover and God's Leading
- Leaving Sinai
- Israel Complains
- Miriam and Aaron Speak Against Moses
- Different Perspectives
- Obedience Too Late
- Offerings, Sins and Tassels
- A Lesson Never Learned
- Confirmation of Aaron as Priest
- The Water of Cleansing

- Trouble in the Desert
- The Conquest East of the Jordan
- Balak and Balaam
- Balaam's Prophecies
- Sin, Judgment and Blessing
- Moses Prepares to Die
- Israel's Offerings
26- Vows
- The Defeat of the Midianites
- Land Allotted to Gad and Reuben
- The Way to the Promised Land
- The Allotment of the Land of Canaan
- The Problem of Zelophehad's Daughters
About The Author

INTRODUCTION TO

NUMBERS

Author:

oses is traditionally considered to be the author of the book of

Numbers. While the book does not clearly state this, the

phrases, “the Lord spoke to Moses,” or “the Lord said to

Moses,” occurs about seventy times in Numbers, indicating that the

material for the book came from Moses and his conversations with God.

Numbers 33:2 is also strong evidence of Moses being the author when it

states:

At the Lord’s command Moses recorded the stages of their

journey. This is their journey by stages.

In this verse, we not only have the command of God given to Moses to

record the journey of the people of Israel through the wilderness but also

evidence that Moses obeyed that command and put it in writing. While it is

certainly possible that Moses had a secretary to help write the material, the

content of this book comes from Moses who faithfully recorded what God

had given him.

Background:

The book likely gets its name from the various censuses taken in the book.

Chapter 1 begins with a census of the people who had come out of Egypt.

Chapter 2 lists the number of people by tribal divisions. Chapters 3 and 4

give the number of Levites in the service of the Lord. Finally, chapter 26

contains a census of the number of people who were ready to go into the

land of Canaan thirty-eight years later.

Numbers begins in the second year of Israel’s release from captivity in

Egypt (1:1). It is a record of Israel’s wandering in the wilderness and God’s

requirements for them at this time. The book not only gives us a sense of

the number of people who were in the nation at the time but also their

character. Israel is portrayed as a complaining people, discontent with the

purpose of God. The book ends with the people of God camped beside the

Jordan River ready to enter the land God had promised their fathers.

Throughout the book, we catch a glimpse of the requirements of God for

His people and although they often failed Him, God continued to walk with

them, provide for them and watch over their needs.

Importance Of The Book For Today:

Numbers has much to teach us about God. In the arrangement of the

Israelite camp we see that He is a God of order who has a purpose for each

of His children. As we note the size of the nation through the censuses

taken in the book, we are conscious of his unlimited resources as He

provided food and provisions for each Israelite. We see His justice when He

punishes those who rebel against Him and His chosen leadership. The book

gives us a better understanding of the mercy of God when we see Him

patiently endure the grumbling of His people on an ongoing basis. His

protection is evident in the victory over Balaam and King Balak who

wanted to curse Israel. We understand more of His power as we watch Him

use Israel to overcome nations more skilled at war than themselves.

Demonstrating incredible generosity and favour, God uprooted nations and

gave their land to His people. He provided them with a means of

forgiveness and intimacy with Him though the sacrifices and vows He

ordained; showing His people the wonderful love He had for them despite

their unworthiness.

The favour of God rested on a grumbling and disobedient people. He

brought Israel from the land of their captivity, through the wilderness, to the

border of the land He had promised their fathers. Israel often chose to walk

away from God’s purpose. They would suffer the consequences of their

disobedience and many would die in the wilderness without ever seeing the

land God had promised; but God was still faithful to His word.

We can see ourselves in this book. We too have often fallen short of God’s

standard but He does not give up on us. Sometimes, like Israel, through our

disobedience, we have lost opportunities and blessings but God continues to

work in our lives drawing us day by day closer to His side and His purposes

for our lives. The book of Numbers speaks of lost opportunities,

consequences of sin, and judgment. It also speaks to us about a God of

mercy who proves faithful even when we have failed.

1 - A CENSUS IS TAKEN

Read Numbers 1:1-54

he book of Numbers continues the story of God leading His people

on the journey from Egypt to the Promised Land. As we begin the

book of Numbers, the Lord is speaking to Moses. Verse 1 gives us

some important details about the timing of events that take place in the

book. The Israelites were camped in the Desert of Sinai on their way to the

land God had promised their fathers. They were two years into a journey

that would take forty years to complete.

Notice in verse 1 that Moses was in the Tent of Meeting or the Tabernacle

when the Lord spoke to him. Moses had a very important role to play in

leading the people to the Promised Land, and he would often come to the

Tabernacle to hear from God. Moses did not trust in his own wisdom. It was

in this place of quiet with God that Moses would find the wisdom and

direction he needed to lead the people.

On this occasion, the Lord told Moses that He wanted him to take a census

of the Israelite community, “listing every man by name, one by one” (verse

2). Moses and his brother Aaron were to count all the men in Israel twenty

years of age and older who could serve in the army (verse 3). This reveals

the purpose of the census. It was to determine how many men were able to

fight for Israel. Every healthy man over the age of twenty was a candidate

for the army. Notice that there was no option for these men. They were to

serve their country and be ready to lay down their lives for their people.

What are you willing to lay down your life for today? These men were

expected to be ready to serve the Lord by advancing His purpose for His

people. There would be difficult times coming for the people of God and

these men would be required to stand firm against the enemy to protect their

families and bring God’s people to the place He had prepared for them. In

the spiritual battle before us, God is looking for men and women who will

do the same.

Moses could not take this census alone. In verses 4-15 God told him that

one man from every tribe in Israel, the head of his family, was to help him.

The following chart shows who God chose from each tribe to help Moses

with this census.

Tribe Family Head

Reuben Elizur, son of Shedeur (verse 5)

Simeon Shelumiel, son of Zurishaddai (verse

Judah Nahshon, son of Amminadab (verse 7)

Issachar Nethanel, son of Zuar (verse 8)

Zebulun Eliab, son of Helon (verse 9)

Ephraim Elishama, son of Ammihud (verse 10)

Manass

Gamaliel, son of Pedahzur (verse 10)

Benjami

Abidan, son of Gideoni (verse 11)

Dan Ahiezer, son of Ammishaddai (verse

12)

Asher Pagiel, son of Okran (verse 13)

Gad Eliasaph, son of Deuel (verse 14)

Naphtali Ahira, son of Enan (verse 15)

All of the men chosen by God to help Moses were leaders of their tribes and

heads of the various clans of Israel (verse 16).

The census was taken on the first day of the second month (verse 18). The

whole community was called together at that time. As they came, they were

asked to give their family details (tribe, clan and family names). They were

to inform the head of the tribe how many men over twenty years of age

there were in their family. These names were listed one by one. Verses 20-

46 give the results of this census. The following chart summarizes these

findings:

Tribe Men Over 20 years of age

Reuben 46,500 (verses 20-21)

Simeon 59,300 (verses 22-23)

Gad 45,650 (verses 24-25)

Judah 74,600 (verses 26-27)

Issachar 54,400 (verses 28-29)

Zebulun 57,400 (verses 30-31)

Ephraim 40,500 (verses 32-33)

Manasseh 32,200 (verses 34-35)

Benjamin 35,400 (verses 36-37)

Dan 62,700 (verses 38-39)

Asher 41,500 (verses 40-41)

Naphtali 53,400 (verses 42-43)

TOTALS 603,550

All of these men were twenty years old or more and were fit to serve in

Israel’s army.

Notice in verse 47 that the tribe of Levi was not counted with the others.

The Levites were excluded from military service. They were instead to

work with the priests and had various responsibilities in the care of the

tabernacle and its furnishings. They were not to leave their responsibilities

to go to battle. The worship of the Lord was not to be neglected in time of

battle.

How easy it is for us to neglect our spiritual responsibilities when things get

busy or when we are facing struggles in life. The Levites were to maintain

the worship of God at all times. This was one matter that was never to be

neglected. They were excused from military duty to care for the things of

the Lord. In reality, their role was just as important as the role of those who

went to battle. We see throughout the history of Israel that when her

spiritual duties and worship of God were neglected, she did not have victory

over her enemies. The role of maintaining the tabernacle and the worship of

God was vital if Israel was going to be victorious. The same principle

applies today. We dare not neglect our spiritual walk and our time with

God. If we are to be all that God wants us to be, worship and obedience is

essential.

For Consideration:

We see in this passage how Moses spent time with the Lord

seeking His wisdom and guidance to lead the people. How

important is your time with the Lord? Do you find direction

and guidance in the Lord for your life and ministry in that

time?

God chose men to help Moses in taking a census. Who are

those who stand with you in your service of the Lord?

The men of Israel were to be ready to lay down their lives for

their country and the purpose of God. What are you willing to

lay down your life for today?

We see in this passage the importance of not neglecting our

spiritual responsibilities. What keeps us from our time with

the Lord? Have you ever found yourself so busy that you did

not seem to have time with God? What was the result?

For Prayer:

Thank the Lord that He desires to give us wisdom and

guidance for our lives and ministries.

Take a moment to thank the Lord for the people He has put

on your path who have helped and encouraged you.

Ask the Lord to help you to spend the time you need with

Him in worship and seeking His wisdom. Ask Him to help

you not to neglect this time.

Ask God to forgive you for the times you have failed to see

the importance of your time with God. Ask Him to forgive

you when you have not sought His heart in the situations you

encountered in life.

2 - THE ARRANGEMENT

OF THE CAMP OF ISRAEL

Read Numbers 2:1-34

ave you ever wondered if God has a special purpose for you in

your daily activities? Is He interested in the ordinary, everyday

affairs of your life? In chapter two, we learn of the special

arrangement of the tribes and how they were to camp as they wandered

through the desert. God had a special place for each family to camp. While

the details of this arrangement may not be particularly interesting to the

modern reader, it does show us that God is concerned for even the

seemingly small details of our lives.

In verses 1 and 2, the Lord told Moses and Aaron that He wanted the

Israelites to camp all around the Tent of Meeting or the Tabernacle. In other

words, the Tabernacle was to be in the centre of their camp. The importance

of this cannot be overlooked. God’s desire was to be the centre of Israel’s

life. God expects nothing less in our day.

Notice from verse 2 that while the Israelites were to camp all around the

Tent of Meeting, they were also required to be “some distance from it.” We

need to understand that the Tabernacle was holy and God’s people were to

hold it in high regard. The people of Israel were not perfect. They were

often guilty of complaining against God or disobeying His commands. The

people of God were to camp some distance from the tabernacle so they did

not defile it by their evil. There was a distance between Israel and their

God. Their sins kept them from being in His presence, but His mercy kept

His presence in their midst.

Notice also from verse 2 that God wanted each family to identify

themselves with a family banner. This implies that each extended family

unit had a banner that represented them. Families would camp together

under that banner.

In verses 3-4, God commanded Moses to place each tribe in a specific place

around the tabernacle. The arrangement of the tribes is shown below in the

following chart:

Notice that the Levites were to live next to the tabernacle on three sides.

According to Leviticus 3:38, Moses and Aaron lived on the east side of the

camp in front of the tabernacle entrance.

Notice also how the Lord provided for the organization of the camp. It

appears the twelve tribes were organized into four camps. Each camp had a

leader and one tribe out of the three was chosen to be the head tribe.

Camp Tribes Tribal Leader Head Tribe

Eastern

Camp

Judah

Issachar

Zebulun

Nahshon

Nethanel

Eliab

Judah (2:9)

Southern

Camp

Reuben

Simeon

Gad

Elizur

Shelumiel

Eliasaph

Reuben (2:16)

Western

Camp

Ephraim

Manasseh

Elishama

Gamaliel

Ephraim (2:24)

Benjamin Abidan

Northern

Camp

Dan

Asher

Naphtali

Ahiezer

Pagiel

Ahira

Dan (2:31)

This arrangement of the tribes was particularly useful when the people of

God were moving from one place to another in the wilderness. God

designed a particular order for the tribes to set out when He called them to

move to another location. When the Lord led His people to pack up and

move to another location, the eastern camp led by Judah (Judah, Issachar,

and Zebulun) would be the first to leave (2:9). The southern camp led by

Reuben (Reuben, Simeon and Gad) would follow (2:16). Then the tribe of

Levi would follow carrying the tabernacle and all its furnishings. The

western camp led by Ephraim (Ephraim, Manasseh and Benjamin) would

follow behind the Levites (2:24). The northern camp led by Dan (Dan,

Asher and Naphtali) would be the last camp to move out (2:31). As they

moved, each tribe would carry a standard to identify itself.

The results of the census showed that the total number of men over twenty

ready to fight was 603,550. Not included in this number were men who

were too old to fight, women and children, and the Levites who were not

counted (verse 33). We can safely assume that there were at least two

million people travelling through the wilderness with their animals and

supplies. It was important that they be organized so that the move from one

place to another would flow smoothly.

All the details of how Israel was to camp in the wilderness, the order in

which they would travel, and who would be their leaders had been carefully

worked out by God. The Israelites were careful to follow these directions

and did everything as God commanded Moses (verse 34).

This chapter shows us that the Lord God is concerned about our daily lives.

He does have a purpose for us. He is a God of order and it is important that

we seek Him and His purpose in all we do, just as Israel did in this chapter.

For Consideration:

What does this chapter teach us about God and His purposes?

Does God have a purpose and plan for your life?

Each tribe and family in Israel had its place to camp. Are you

in the place God has designated for you?

The tabernacle was to be in the centre of the camp of Israel.

How important is it that the worship of God and obedience to

Him be at the centre of our lives?

For Prayer:

Ask God to show you if you are where He wants you to be.

Ask Him to show you if you are doing what He has called

you to do.

Thank the Lord that He has a purpose and plan for your life.

Ask the Lord to help you to make worship and obedience to

Him more central in your life.

Thank the Lord for brothers and sisters around you who all

have a role to play in the advancing of God’s kingdom.

3 - THE PRIESTS AND

LEVITES

Read Numbers 3:1-51

e have seen that the tabernacle was located in the middle of the

camp of Israel. Worship and obedience to the Lord God were

to be central in the lives of God’s people. The work of the

tabernacle was done by the priests and Levites. Chapter 3 introduces us to

these important men.

God chose Moses’ brother Aaron and his sons, Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar and

Ithamar to serve as priests. Verse 4 reminds us, however, that Nadab and

Abihu died when they made an offering using incense that was not

authorized by the Lord. According to Leviticus 10:1-2, fire came down

from the Lord and consumed them. As a priest of God, Aaron knew what it

was like to have rebellious children who wandered from the Lord and His

ways. Aaron’s two remaining sons Eleazar and Ithamar would serve with

him as priests.

While Aaron and his sons served as priests, they were assisted by the

descendants of Levi. Verses 6-9 tell us that the tribe of Levi assisted Aaron

and his sons in a variety of roles at the tabernacle. This included taking care

of the temple furnishings (verse 8) and a number of other service duties we

will examine at a later point in this chapter. Although the Levites assisted

Aaron and his sons, they could not approach the inner part of the tabernacle

or they would be put to death, like Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu (verse 4).

This role was reserved for the priests alone. Each person knew their place

and the role God had given him.

Verses 11-13 show us why God chose the Levites to be servants at the

tabernacle. According to verse 12, God’s choice went back to the days

when the Israelites were in Egypt. At that time, the Lord moved over the

land of Egypt destroying every firstborn male child. Only those families

who had painted their doorposts with the blood of a lamb were saved from

this terrible devastation. This story is recorded in Exodus 12. Instead of

killing the firstborn male of each Israelite, God asked that the descendants

of Levi be set aside in their place to serve Him. Notice from verse 13 that

even the firstborn of every animal was to belong to the Lord because He

had spared their firstborn through the blood that was painted on the

doorposts.

The Lord commanded Moses to count the Levites by families and clans.

While the census of the other Israelite men was of men twenty years of age

and older (ready to be a soldier), every male descendant of Levi one month

old or more was to be included in this census (verse 15).

Levi had three sons. Their names were Gershon, Kohath and Merari. From

the descendants of these three sons of Levi came a number of clans. A clan

can be defined as a group of related families. Verses 18-20 give the names

of these various clans and related families.

Aaron’s Son Clan Name Related Families

Gershon Gershonites Family of Libni (verse 18)

Family of Shimei (verse 18)

Kohath Kohathites Family of Amram (verse 19)

Family of Izhar (verse 19)

Family of Hebron (verse 19)

Family of Uzziel (verse 19)

Merari Merarites Family of Mahli (verse 20)

Family of Mushi (verse 20)

Notice from verses 21-37 that God had a special role for each clan to play.

He also told Moses where each clan was to set up their tents. Verses 21-37

can be summarized in the following chart:

Clan # Camp Leader Responsibilit

Gershonites

(vs. 21-26)

7,5

00 West behind tabernacle Eliasaph

Tabernacle,

coverings and

curtains

Kohathites

(vs. 27-32)

8,6

00 South of tabernacle Elizaphan, Eleazar

Ark, table,

lampstand,

altars and

inner curtain

Merarites

(vs. 33-37)

6,2

00 North of tabernacle Zuriel

Crossbars,

posts, bases,

tent pegs,

ropes

Verses 21-37 tell us that there were a total of 22,300 Levite males devoted

to the service of the tabernacle. While many of these were much too young

to serve (as the census was of males one month of age and older) it does

give us a sense of the number of active Levites involved in the care of the

Tabernacle on a daily basis.

Aaron and his sons camped to the east side in front of the main entrance,

along with Moses. They served as priests. Verse 38 makes it clear that these

priests were given a special responsibility before God on behalf of the

Israelites. They were responsible for the general care of the sanctuary.

Anyone else who dared to approach this innermost sanctuary was to be put

to death. One thing that is quite clear from these verses is that the work of

God was to be done in a particular way by those who had been called of

God for that purpose.

After the Levites had been counted, God then told Moses to count the

firstborn Israelite males one month old or more and make a list of their

names (verse 40). For every firstborn male Israelite child there was to be a

Levite who represented him in the service of the Lord. Notice also that the

firstborn of all livestock was to be counted and there was to be an animal in

the Levite herd for every firstborn of the livestock of Israel (verse 41).

Moses obeyed and discovered that there were 22,273 firstborn Israelite

males (verse 43) compared to 22,000 Levites in the service of the Lord (see

verse 39). This meant that there were 273 firstborn males in Israel not

represented by a Levite. The Lord told Moses that he was to collect 5

shekels for each of the 273 remaining firstborn males in Israel. This money

was to be given to the Lord and His service to cover the firstborn not

represented by a Levite (verses 49-51).

God demanded precision. Every firstborn male was to have his debt to God

covered down to the last one. A special offering was required for those who

were not covered by a Levite in the service of the Lord. Not a single one

was to be missed. This precision on the part of God is important for us to

notice. He was concerned for each individual. No sinner would be ignored.

No righteous person would be forgotten. He sees every sin, every sinful

attitude and demands that payment be made to cover each one.

For Consideration:

In the camp of Israel, every Levite had a special role to play.

In fact, they risked death if they chose to do what God had

reserved for someone else. Does God have a specific role for

us to play in His kingdom today? Have you discovered what

He has called you to do?

Aaron’s sons died because they offered unauthorized incense

to the Lord. Does God have principles today that we need to

live by? What are some of those principles?

Aaron’s sons rebelled against the Lord, but God still chose

Him to be the High Priest. Do children of Christian leaders

rebel against the Lord today? Can God still use a leader

whose children are not following Him?

Every firstborn needed to be represented either by a Levite in

the service of the Lord or by an offering given to the Lord.

What does this tell us about God’s concern for every person?

Does God care for you particularly?

For Prayer:

Ask the Lord to help you to see the importance of worship

and obedience. Ask Him to help you to keep Him central in

your life each day.

Ask the Lord to show you His purpose for you in particular.

Ask Him to help you to be obedient to that purpose.

Take a moment to pray for the families of Christian leaders.

Ask that God would touch the lives of their children so that

they walk with Him.

Thank the Lord that He is concerned for each individual.

Thank Him that He is interested in you personally.

4 - A CENSUS OF THE

LEVITES

Read Numbers 4:1-49

he descendants of Levi had the responsibility to help as servants to

the priests in the work of the tabernacle. Levi’s three sons Kohath,

Gershon, and Merari were all heads of their families and their

descendants were chosen by God for various roles in the work of the

tabernacle. In this chapter God commanded Moses and Aaron to do a

census of the Levites. They were to count all the Levite men thirty to fifty

years of age who were able to serve in the tabernacle.

The purpose of the census seems to be to organize and instruct each family

with regard to their responsibilities when the camp of the Lord moved from

one place to another. This would insure that there was no confusion and that

the tabernacle articles were treated with respect and dignity.

Kohathites

The descendants of Kohath were the first to be counted (verse 2). Verse 15

tells us that their responsibility was to carry the sacred articles of the

tabernacle from one place to another. In verses 15 and 20, God warned the

Kohathites that if they touched these articles or even looked at them they

would die. This was a clear reminder to them of the tremendous

responsibility they had been given as God’s servants. The priests were to

carefully wrap up each of the holy articles so that they could be carried by

the Kohathites without actually being touched.

Aaron and his sons were to take down the curtain in front of the Holy of

Holies and use it to wrap around the ark and its covers. They were then to

cover this with hides of sea cow and a solid blue cloth. When the ark and its

cover were wrapped, the priests were to put the long poles in place that had

been designed to carry the ark. In this way the Kohathites could carry the

ark without seeing it or even touching it.

The next piece of furniture prepared was the Table containing the bread.

The priests were to spread a blue cloth over the table and put the dishes,

bowls and jars on it. Notice that the bread was to remain on the table while

it was being transported (verse 7). A scarlet cloth was used to cover the

table and its articles. Over that the priests were to put a hide of sea cows.

The poles were then put in place so that the table could be carried without

touching it or seeing it.

Next, the priests covered the lampstand and all its accessories with a blue

cloth (verse 9). It was put on some kind of carrying frame (verse 10) and

covered with a hide of sea cows. The lampstand and its accessories were

carried in this way by the Kohathites.

The golden altar used for incense was also covered with a blue cloth and a

hide of sea cows (verse 11). Poles were put into place and the Kohathites

would carry the altar by the poles without touching it or even seeing it. All

the other articles used for ministering in the Holy Place were wrapped in

blue cloth and a hide of sea cows and put on a carrying frame to be

transported by the Kohathites (verse 12).

The larger bronze altar used for sacrifices was covered with a purple cloth

(verse 13). All the utensils used with the altar were carefully placed on the

altar (firepans, meat forks, shovels, sprinkling bowls). They were covered

with a hide of sea cows. As with the other articles, poles were put in place

so that the ark could be carried by the Kohathites.

Aaron’s son Eleazar was to be in charge of the oil for the light, the incense,

the grain offering and the anointing oil. He was to supervise all that took

place with these holy articles. The Kohathites would be directly responsible

to him.

Moses and Aaron were to warn the Kohathites of their responsibility before

the Lord with these holy articles. If they dared to come near them or touch

them they would die. If they dared even to look at the articles covered by

the cloths and hides they would die. All these articles were carried with

great dignity and respect.

How important it is for us today to carry the name of the Lord God with

respect and dignity as well. We are temples of the Holy Spirit. The Lord has

set us apart as representatives of His name. We must respect the name we

represent.

The Gershonites

The next family to be counted was the family of Gershon. Moses and Aaron

were to count the number of men between the ages of thirty and fifty

(verses 21-22). The Gershonites had the responsibility of carrying the

tabernacle curtains and coverings (verses 25-26). Aaron’s son Ithamar was

to oversee their work, so they were directly responsible to him (verse 28).

Merarites

The Merarites, descendants of Aaron’s son Merari, were also counted. Their

obligation was to carry the poles, frames, bases, crossbars and posts that

held up the tabernacle. They were under the direction of Ithamar, Aaron’s

son (verses 29-33).

Moses and Aaron, with the help of the community leaders, counted the

number of Levites in each family. The following chart shows their findings:

Family Totals: 30-50 years old

Kohathites 2,750 (verses 34-37)

Gershonites 2,630 (verses 38-41)

Merarites 3,200 (verses 42-45)

TOTAL 8,580 (verses 46-49)

There are a couple of important details we need to see from this passage.

Notice first how God required that His people treat His holy things with

respect. The Kohathites, in particular, had an awesome privilege of carrying

the holy articles, but they were not to take their responsibility lightly. God

was a holy God and they needed to respect Him as such. To touch or even

look at the articles they transported from place to place was an offense

punishable by death. The Lord God is still holy. He still demands respect.

To dishonour Him is a serious matter. In a day when we have begun to lose

sight of the holiness and majesty of God, we would do well to consider the

teaching of this passage again.

Notice also that the Lord God is a God of order. Each Levite family had a

specific responsibility. This was given to them by God. They were under

the responsibility of the priests and were accountable to them for their

actions. In a similar way, we are to work together as the body of Christ.

Each person has a special role to play and is accountable to each other for

the good of the body as a whole. In this way the Lord God is honoured.

For Consideration:

What does this passage teach us about treating the things of

God with respect? How do we show respect for God, His

servants and His purposes?

What does this passage teach us about how God has given us

each different responsibilities and called us to work together

for His glory? What part does He want you to play?

God placed the Levites under the responsibility of the priests.

How important is it for us to be responsible to each other in

the body of Christ? What happens if we choose not to be

responsible to each other?

For Prayer:

Thank the Lord for the spiritual leaders He has given you.

Ask God to lead and direct them for His glory.

Ask God to show you His particular purpose for your life.

Ask Him to help you to be faithful to that purpose.

Ask God to help you to know how to work more effectively

with your brothers and sisters for the expansion of His

kingdom.

Thank the Lord that He is a God of order.

5 - PURITY IN THE CAMP

Read Numbers 5:1-31

n the first part of this book we saw how the Lord organized the camp

of Israel. As we move into chapter 5 we see that order is not enough.

God also expected that the camp be pure and undefiled. It is good for

local assemblies of believers to be well organized with each person

knowing his or her responsibility, but God also expects that those who serve

Him be right with Him and live lives that are compatible with His holiness.

Ceremonial Uncleanness

In verses 1-2, the Lord commanded Moses to send anyone with an

infectious skin disease or discharge from their body away from the camp.

The same was true for anyone who was ceremonially unclean because they

had touched a dead body. These individuals were to live outside the camp

as long as they were impure so that they did not defile the camp where God

had chosen to dwell (verse 3).

Notice that while God is everywhere, His presence was particularly evident

in the camp of Israel. He chose to reveal Himself in a special way within

the camp. God will make His presence known to us in special ways.

Because God’s presence was evident in their midst, the people of God

needed to exercise special care not to offend Him. They were to respect

Him and remove anything that was offensive to His character. The place

where God dwelt was to be holy. God’s people were to walk in respect and

honour of His name. No unclean or unholy thing was allowed in His

presence. In a similar way, we who are now God’s children need to exercise

great caution not to offend His Holy Spirit who is present in our lives and

ministries. It is God’s desire to dwell with us, but we must walk in holiness

and purity before Him if we are to make Him welcome in our midst.

Personal Relationships

Purifying the camp required the removal of anyone who was ceremonially

unclean but this was not the only thing that needed to be addressed in the

camp if it was to remain pure. God also expected that any broken

relationship between His children would be addressed. Notice what God

says in verse 6:

Say to the Israelites: ‘When a man or woman wrongs another

in any way and so is unfaithful to the LORD, that person is

guilty

It is particularly important that we see from this verse that when we hurt a

brother or sister in any way we sin against God. He holds us accountable for

any sin against our brother or sister.

Notice that God required two things from those who had wronged a brother

or sister. The first requirement is found in verse 7. Those who wronged

another were to confess the sin they had committed. This meant admitting

to what they had done. In some cases this would require naming the sin

before the person they had offended. You can’t truly confess something and

hide it at the same time. True confession requires honesty and

understanding our sin. It is to recognize that we have wronged someone in a

particular area and an admission of our guilt before that person.

Notice from verses 7-10 that confession was not enough. Something had to

be done to make restitution. In other words, the person who had offended or

wronged another needed to make things right again. Admittedly, there are

times when it is impossible to repair the damage our sins have caused. The

reality of the matter, however, is that the Lord required that steps be taken

to this end. The guilty person needed to pay for what he or she had done. In

this case, the guilty party was to calculate how much damage had been

done, pay for that damage and add one-fifth more (verse 7). In the event

that the person who was wronged died and had no relative to receive the

restitution, the contribution was given to the Lord and would belong to the

priest (verse 8). Notice that the individual who had wronged another was

not only to pay for what he or she had done but also bring a ram to the Lord

to cover their offence (verse 8). Restitution was not only to be made to the

person offended but also to the Lord God.

If the camp was to be pure before the Lord then sins against brother and

sister were to be confessed and relationships repaired. In doing this, God’s

people would continue to walk in purity and God’s presence would not be

offended.

Marriages

The third area that needed to be addressed in the camp of Israel had to do

with marriage relationships. Verses 12-13 speak of suspected unfaithfulness

between a wife and another man. In the illustration given in these verses, a

husband suspected that his wife has been unfaithful but had no witnesses to

prove it. The tension in the marriage would be obvious and the problem

needed to be resolved. Notice that the issue is not just about unfaithfulness,

which was an obvious sin, but also about trust between the husband and the

wife.

It was the desire of God that a man and his wife walk in harmony, trust and

mutual respect. If the camp of Israel was to be pure, then husbands and

wives needed to walk in faithfulness and live with confidence and trust in

each other as God intended. This shows us not only how much God values

marriage but also the importance He places on husbands and wives living in

harmony with each other. For the camp to be pure, the relationship between

husband and wife needed to be strong.

In verses 14-31 the Lord shows Moses what the priest was to do in the case

of a husband suspecting his wife of unfaithfulness. The ceremony involved

a number of steps. When a husband suspected his wife of unfaithfulness he

was not to allow this to continue. Verse 15 tells us that he was to take his

wife with him to see the priest so that the matter could be resolved. It is the

intention of God that husbands and wives deal with the conflicts that exist

between them. Any unresolved matters in their relationship were to be

resolved between them. If these matters could not be resolved them they

were to be taken to the priest who would help them to work them out. How

easy it is to allow matters to come between us as married couples. The

challenge of this verse is to deal with anything that comes between us.

When the husband came with his wife to the priest he was to bring an

offering. It was the husband who was to bring the offering on his wife’s

behalf. His concern was for his wife and her purity before God. According

to verse 15, the offering was not to have oil or incense on it because it was

an offering brought to the Lord as a result of jealousy and possible

infidelity.

The woman was to stand before the Lord (verse 16). This was not taken

lightly. Standing in the presence of the Lord, she would be aware that He

would be her judge. He knew all about her and nothing could be hidden

from Him.

As the woman stood in the presence of the Lord, the priest would put some

holy water (possibly from the basin in the outer court used for washing) in a

clay jar. He would then gather dust from the floor of the tabernacle and put

it in the water. It is unclear why dust from the tabernacle floor was put in

the jar.

The priest would approach the woman and let down her hair so that it fell

on her shoulders and back (verse 18). Many women spent time preparing

their hair. In fact, in Bible times a woman’s hair was a symbol of honour.

Here in this situation the woman would stand with humility before God.

Her hair would not be done up nicely but would hang down uncombed as a

symbol of her humility before God.

As the woman stood in the presence of the Lord, the priest would put the

grain offering in her hands. With the grain offering in her hands, the priest

would place the woman under an oath before God (verse 19). The oath

stated that if she had been faithful to her husband then nothing would

happen to her. If, however, she had been unfaithful to her husband by

sleeping with another man, then her people would curse and denounce her,

and the water she was about to drink would cause her thigh to waste away

and her abdomen swell. The woman was to agree to this curse by saying

“Amen. So be it.”

The priest would then write the words of the curse on a scroll and wash

them off into the water mixed with dust from the tabernacle floor (verse

23). By washing off the words of the curse into the water, the priest was in

reality placing the curse in the water the woman was about to drink.

The offering would then be taken from the woman’s hands, waved before

the Lord and offered on the altar as a sacrifice for sin (verses 25-26). The

woman was given the water to drink. Verse 24 tells us that it would enter

her and cause bitter suffering (if she had been unfaithful). If, however, she

was not guilty, the Lord would protect her and she would be clear of all

guilt. Verse 28 tells us that she would be able to have children if she was

cleared of guilt. This may be because the Lord would bless her for her

faithfulness and normal relations would be restored between her and her

husband.

Notice one final matter in verse 31. If the woman was found guilty, she

would suffer the consequences for her sin, but her husband would be

innocent. From the beginning of time people have tried to put the blame for

their actions on others. Adam did this in the Garden of Eden when he told

the Lord that his wife gave him the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of

Good and Evil. We are not told why the woman was unfaithful to her

husband. Maybe he did not care for her and her needs as he should have.

What is clear, however, is that her husband’s possible neglect did not excuse

the wife’s unfaithfulness. This principle is the same for men. We cannot

excuse our actions by blaming them on someone else. God calls us to be

accountable for our own sins.

Purity in the camp of Israel required that God’s people keep themselves

from sin. It also required healthy and trusting relationships between friends

and loved ones. It is not enough to have a well-run church. God also

expects holiness in our relationship with Him and with others.

For Consideration:

What do we learn here about God's expectation for us to walk

in purity before Him? Are you walking in purity before God

today?

How do our sins against each other affect our relationship

with God?

What are the two steps required in this passage for restoring

relationships with our brothers and sisters?

How important is it that we deal with problems in our

marriage? What is God’s expectation for us as marriage

partners in this passage?

Have you ever blamed someone else for your sinful actions?

What do we learn in this passage about this?

For Prayer:

Ask the Lord to show you if there is anything in you that

offends His presence in your life. Confess that sin and ask

Him to give you complete victory over it.

Ask God to forgive you for the times you have wronged a

brother or sister in Christ.

Ask the Lord to help you to confess your sins to your brother

or sister and show you how to make restitution for the things

you have done.

Take a moment to pray that the Lord would reveal any issues

in your marriage or other significant relationships that need to

be resolved. Ask God to show you how those problems can

be resolved so that your marriage brings honour to His name.

Ask for forgiveness for any time you have tried to justify

your sin by blaming someone else.

Thank the Lord that He is a holy God. Ask Him to give you

grace to walk in purity and holiness before Him.

6 - NAZIRITE VOWS

Read Numbers 6:1-27

here are times in the life of the believer when he or she feels

compelled to draw closer to the Lord for a period of time. This

may be for the purpose of seeking deeper intimacy with Him or for

seeking His wisdom or favour about a particular situation in life. The Old

Testament provided a means by which God’s people could draw closer to

Him for this purpose. A special vow of separation could be made for a

period of time. While this vow was made freely and the individual could fix

the time and the duration of the vow, certain requirements still had to be

met. A person taking such a vow was called a Nazirite.

Notice in verse 1 that the Nazirite vow could be made by either a man or a

woman. Verse 1 calls the Nazirite vow a “vow of separation.” This implies

that the individual would separate himself or herself from certain things for

the duration of the vow with the purpose of seeking the Lord.

Verses 3-8 tell us that the Nazirite was to abstain from three things during

the period of the vow.

First, the Nazirite was to abstain from wine or any fermented drink. He or

she was not to eat or drink vinegar, grape juice, or eat grapes or raisins. The

Nazirite was to abstain from anything that came from the grapevine. The

fruit of the vine was a wonderful blessing for the people of God. We can

only imagine what it would have been like to have tasted grapes as they

wandered through the wilderness. Wine was used in celebrations with

family and friends. All these luxuries were sacrificed by Nazirites as they

turned their attention to God.

The second requirement of God for those under a Nazirite vow was that no

razor be used on their head (verse 5). This meant that their hair was to grow

long. This long hair identified them as Nazirites. As long as they were

under their vow their heads would be covered with this long hair.

The third requirement God had for the Nazirites was that they never go near

a dead body. To go near a dead body would make them ceremonially

unclean. This rule applied even when the Nazirite’s immediate family died

(verses 6-8). Their obligation to God at this time was more important that

their obligation to their own families.

If someone died suddenly in the presence of one who was under such a

vow, verse 9 tells us that his or her hair would be defiled. This shows us

that the long hair was a symbol of their vow. In this situation, the Nazirite

was to go through a seven day ceremonial purification. On the seventh day,

the individual was to shave his or her head. Two doves or two young

pigeons were brought to the priest on the eighth day and offered as a sin

offering to the Lord (verse 11). The priest would then set the Nazirite apart

again for his or her vow with the sacrifice of a one year old male lamb as a

guilt offering (verse 12). The Nazirite was then cleansed from his or her

defilement and could start the vow all over again. The time spent prior to

defilement by the dead body could not be counted toward the time vowed to

the Lord.

When the time of the vow was over the Nazirite was to bring offerings to

the priest at the entrance of the tabernacle. These offerings were to include

the following:

A one year old male lamb without defect for a burnt offering

A one year old ewe lamb without defect for a sin offering

A ram without defect for a fellowship offering

Grain offerings

Drink offerings

A basket of bread made without yeast, cakes made with fine

flour mixed with oil and wafers spread with oil

Verses 16-17 tell us that the priest would present these offerings to the Lord.

The Nazirite would have his or her hair cut and put on the fire, offering it to

the Lord (verse 18). The priest would place a boiled shoulder of the ram, a

cake and a wafer in the hands of the Nazirite and wave them before the

Lord as a token of giving them to Him. Only when this ceremony was

completed could the Nazirite drink wine and return to his or her regular

lifestyle (verse 20). While the vow was a voluntary one, God still expected

that Nazirites be faithful to their promises and act in accordance to His

requirements (verse 21).

Chapter 6 concludes with a blessing that God gave to the priests to be said

over the people at special times. The blessing communicates the heart of

God for His people. Notice that the blessing contains three separate

statements.

The Lord Bless You And Keep You

By speaking this blessing over the people of God, the priests were in reality

praying that the Lord would bless His people with all good things. Notice

also that the priests were to ask the Lord to keep His people. God would

keep them from harm. He would protect them and keep them as His own,

surrounding them with His care and provision.

The Lord Make His Face Shine Upon You And Be

Gracious To You

The second part of the blessing asks God to make His face shine on His

people. When the Lord’s face shines on someone, He is in reality showing

them His favour. The request is that the Lord would be gracious, kind and

compassionate toward His people and that He would prosper them in their

ways.

The Lord Turn His Face Toward You And Give

You Peace

Finally, the blessing calls for God to turn His face toward His people and

give them peace. When the Lord turns His face toward someone He is

turning His attention to them. He is seeing their needs and reaching out to

them. The opposite of turning ones face toward someone is to turn ones

back. By turning His face toward His people God reaches out to them and

ministers to their needs. He strengthens them in the face of their enemies.

With God’s face turned toward them, God’s people would have nothing to

fear. They could live at peace.

Notice from this that it is the heart of God to bless His people. He wants to

provide for their needs and show them His favour. He wants to care for

them in the presence of their enemies and give them peace.

This chapter shows us how God wanted to bless and favour His people. He

also provided a way for His people to draw nearer to Him through a

Nazirite vow. He is a very personal God who delights in fellowship with

His people.

For Consideration:

Have you ever felt the need to take time apart to be with the

Lord in a special way? What was it that brought you to that

place in your life?

The Lord provided a means by which His people could

voluntarily commit their time to seeking Him in a special

way. What does this tell us about God’s desire for deeper

fellowship with us?

What does the blessing God gave to Aaron teach us about the

desire of God for us?

For Prayer:

Thank the Lord that He delights to draw close to us.

Ask the Lord to strengthen you in your relationship with

Him. Ask Him to show you what you can do to strengthen

your relationship with Him.

Take a moment to thank the Lord for how He has blessed you

in your life.

Thank the Lord for the times He has turned His face toward

you and kept you from spiritual, emotional and physical

harm.

Ask the Lord to continue to keep you as you face the

difficulties that this life will bring.

7 - THE DEDICATION OF

THE ALTAR

Read Numbers 7:1-89

hen the tabernacle was set up, Moses anointed and consecrated

the altar and all its utensils. To celebrate this occasion, the

family heads of Israel brought gifts for the Lord. From verse 2

we understand that each tribe gave an ox and every two tribes gave a cart

load of offerings. All these gifts were brought to Moses at the tabernacle

(verse 3).

The Lord was pleased with the gifts brought to Him and told Moses to

accept them for the work of the tabernacle. He was to divide the gifts

received among the Levites, as their work required (verses 4-5).

Moses divided the gifts as follows among the Levite family clans:

Levite

Family Carts Oxen

Gershonites 2 4

Merarites 4 8

Kohathites 0 0

Notice that each Levite family received a different amount. This was due to

the responsibilities that had in the tabernacle. Verse 9 tells us that the

Kohathites did not receive any of these gifts because their responsibility

was to carry the holy things on their shoulders and so their responsibilities

did not require these offerings from the people. Each of us has a different

responsibility before God. God gives us what we need for the

responsibilities He has given us.

Verses 10-88 describe for us what took place when the altar for sacrifices

was dedicated to the Lord. The dedication took twelve days and on each of

those days the leader of one of the tribes of Israel brought an offering to the

Lord and presented it before the altar (verses 10-11). Verses 10-88 can be

summarized in the following chart:

Who

Brought

Offering

Tribe Offered by Each Tribe

1Nahshon Judah

- 1 silver plate

- 1 silver bowl of flour & oil

- 1 gold dish of incense

- 1 young bull

- 1 ram

- 1 male lamb a year old

- 1 male goat (sin offering)

- 2 oxen

- 5 rams

- 5 male goats

- 5 male lambs a year old

2Nethanel Issachar

3Eliab Zebulun

4Elizur Reuben

5Shelumiel Simeon

6Eliasaph Gad

7Elishama Ephraim

8Gamaliel Manasseh

9Abidan Benjamin

0Ahiezer Dan

1Pagiel Asher

2Ahira Naphtali

Notice that each tribe brought their offering on a different day. The offering

was brought by the leader of the tribe. Each tribe brought the same offering.

Verses 84-88 gives us an account of the total number of gifts brought for the

dedication of the altar over those twelve days. These verses can be

summarized as follows:

Article #Weight Purpose

Silver

plates

22,400

shekels Filled with flour/oil for grain offering

Silver

Sprinkling

bowls

Gold

dishes

2120 shekels Filled with incense

Young

bulls

Burnt offering

Rams 1

1 year old

male

lambs

Male goats 1

2Sin offering

Oxen 2

Fellowship offering

Rams 6

Male

Goats

1 year old

male

lambs

In those twelve days 252 animals were sacrificed on the altar at the

tabernacle. These offerings were for the sins of the people and expressed

their worship and thankfulness to God for His forgiveness and mercy in

their lives.

It is important that we note the importance of the altar in the life of the Old

Testament believers. The dedication of the altar took twelve days and

involved a significant number of sacrifices. It was by means of this altar

that sins would be cleansed and people restored to a right relationship with

God. This altar pointed to the even greater sacrifice that would be made by

the perfect Lamb of God, the Lord Jesus, who died for our sins on the cross

of Calvary, ending forever all further sacrifice for sin.

Notice how verse 89 concludes the chapter. Moses entered the tabernacle

and heard the Lord speaking to him from between the two carved cherubim

on the cover of the Ark of the Covenant. God’s presence came down to the

tabernacle. What made this tabernacle special was not all the sacrifices and

service that took place there but the presence of the Lord who spoke to His

people through Moses from between the cherubim on the Ark of the

Covenant. In the midst of a chapter that counts the number of sheep and

goats that were offered to God and weighs the amount of gold and silver

that was contributed, it is refreshing to see that this chapters ends by

focusing our attention on what is most important, the Lord God and His

presence in the midst of His people. May that be our focus in ministry as

well.

For Consideration:

Each tribe of Israel was expected to contribute to the work of

the Lord and the dedication of the altar. What does this tell us

about the importance of our contribution to the work of the

Lord today? How have you been contributing to the

expansion of God’s kingdom?

Each Levite family clan was given a different amount of the

offering contributed by God’s people. God gave each one

according to His need. What does this tell us about God’s

desire to provide all you need to accomplish the purposes He

has for you? How has God been providing for your need?

The dedication of the altar took twelve days and required a

significant number of animal sacrifices. What does this tell us

about the importance of the altar for Israel?

The chapter ends with a statement about how God revealed

His presence in the tabernacle between the wings of the

carved angels on the Ark of the Covenant. How easy is it for

us to get caught up in counting people and offerings? What

does the conclusion of this chapter teach us about what is

really important?

For Prayer:

Ask the Lord to show you what he wants you to contribute

toward the work of His kingdom.

Thank the Lord that He is willing to provide all that you need

for the ministry and life He has called you to live.

Take a moment to thank the Lord that He came to be the final

sacrifice for sin. Thank Him that His sacrifice paid for your

sins in full.

Ask the Lord to forgive you for the times your ministry has

been focused on numbers and not on the Lord and His

presence.

8 - THE DEDICATIONOF

THE LEVITES

Read Numbers 8:1-26

s we begin chapter 8, the Lord is speaking to Moses and giving

him instructions about the lampstand in the Holy Place of the

tabernacle. Moses was to instruct his brother Aaron to be sure to

set the lamps on the stand in such a way that they would light up what was

in front of the lampstand (verse 2). We need to remember that the Holy

Place where the lampstand was located contained a table on which bread

was placed and an altar of incense. The Holy Place was very dark as there

were no windows, and thick curtains kept any outside light from coming in.

The only light in the Holy Place was from the lamp which was to be kept

burning at all times. Aaron was to be careful in how he placed the lamps in

the lampstand.

Aaron placed the lights in the lampstand so they gave the best possible light

to the Holy Place. The lampstand on which those lights shone was made of

a piece of hammered gold decorated with carved golden flower blossoms

(verse 4).

It is interesting to note that this chapter begins with a comment about the

importance of the lamps on the lampstand shining as brightly as possible in

the holy place. The chapter continues to speak about the Levites who were

God’s representatives in the worship of the tabernacle. Just as the lamp was

to shine brightly in the presence of the Lord in the Holy Place, so the

Levites were to shine brightly and purely for the Lord they represented.

If the Levites were to shine brightly for the Lord and be His true servants in

the tabernacle they would need to be set aside in a special way for the Lord

and His purposes. In this chapter, the Lord gives instructions to Moses

concerning His requirements for the dedication of a Levite to the service of

the Lord.

All serving Levites were to be made ceremonially clean (verse 6). Several

things needed to happen for this to take place. Notice first in verse 7 that

they were to be sprinkled with “the water of cleansing.” Leviticus 19:1-10

speaks about the water used for purification. A red heifer was slaughtered.

The priest placed cedar wood, hyssop and a scarlet thread on the sacrifice

and burned it all to the Lord. The ashes were then gathered, put in water and

used to sprinkle the people. The Levites were sprinkled with this water that

represented the sacrifice made for their sin.

When the Levite had been sprinkled with water he was to shave his whole

body and wash his clothes. Notice in verse 7 that these Levites were to

“purify themselves.” What is interesting about this is that the water of

purification had already been sprinkled on them, but they were still required

to wash and purify themselves. This is a picture of our salvation. The Lord

Jesus has died and our sins are forgiven through his work on the cross, but

we are still required to live each day in victory over our sins. We are to

purify ourselves and discipline ourselves to live in the reality of what He

has done. By washing themselves and shaving their bodies, the priests were

agreeing to live in what God had done by cleansing them with the water of

purification.

In verse 8, two young bulls and a grain offering were brought to the Lord.

The Levites came and stood in the front of the tabernacle and the people of

Israel stood around them (verse 9). Those who gathered would lay their

hands on the Levites in the presence of the Lord. Aaron presented them to

the Lord as a wave offering. A wave offering was brought to the Lord and

waved before Him as a reminder that it belonged to Him. By laying their

hands on the Levites, the people recognized them as their representatives.

The Levites then laid their hands on the heads of the bulls that had been

brought. One of the bulls was sacrificed as a sin offering and the other as a

burnt offering to the Lord. By laying their hands on the heads of these bulls,

the Levites were recognizing that these bulls were being sacrificed for them

and because of their sins.

The ceremony for dedicating a Levite was important because of what it

symbolized. These Levites were sprinkled by the water of purification and

set apart for God and His service. As His servants, they were to be clean

before Him, walk in His forgiveness and represent His people well.

Speaking to the people in verses 15-19, the Lord reminded them of how He

had chosen the tribe of Levi to represent them. When Israel was in Egypt,

the Lord struck down every firstborn male child in the land. Only those

whose door posts had been painted with the blood of a lamb were spared.

At that time, God claimed the firstborn of every animal and Israelite male

child as His own (verse 17). Instead of taking the firstborn from every

family, however, God chose to have one tribe represent them. The Levites

were chosen as His servants in the place of the firstborn from every family.

Their role was an important one. They were to help the priests in their daily

responsibilities at the tabernacle and to make atonement for the people. In

other words, they were to make the necessary sacrifices so that the holy and

just anger of God against the sin of His people would be kept from them.

Notice in verse 19 that the priests, assisted by the Levites, were the only

ones who could approach the Holy Place and perform the duties required by

God for the cleansing of His people’s sin. Anyone else who dared to

perform these sacred duties or approached the Holy Place would bring a

plague on the nation.

Moses and the Levites did everything God had commanded them to do. The

Levites purified themselves, washed their clothes and Moses presented

them before the Lord and offered the sacrifices required for their sin. Only

when a Levite was ceremonially clean and dedicated to the service of the

Lord could he begin his work in the tabernacle. He would begin his work at

the age of twenty-five and serve until he was fifty. At the age of fifty a

Levite was required to retire from service. During their retirement, they

could assist their brothers but they could not be responsible themselves

(verse 26). They were to be willing to hand over the responsibility to the

next generation to carry on for the glory of God.

For Consideration:

What do we learn in this chapter about our responsibility to

be a light for the Lord God?

The Levites were to be ceremonially clean as they served

Him in the tabernacle. How important is it that we, as God’s

servants, walk in purity? What happens when God’s servants

are not walking in obedience and truth?

What role has God given you in His kingdom? Have you

been faithful in what He has called you to do? Have you been

serving Him with a clean and pure conscience?

For Prayer:

Ask the Lord to help you to shine brightly for Him. Ask Him

to forgive you for the times you have not been the witness

you should have been.

Ask the Lord to show you what role He has for you. Ask him

to help you to be faithful in that role.

Thank God that He has provided a way for you to be forgiven

and cleansed of your sin.

Take a moment to pray for your spiritual leaders. Ask the

Lord to strengthen them and help them to be faithful servants

for His glory.

9 - THE PASSOVER AND

GOD'S LEADING

Read Numbers 9:1-23

s we begin chapter 9 we discover that it was now the second year

since the people of Israel had come out of Egypt. The Lord spoke

to Moses at that time and told him that the people were to

celebrate the Passover. As you will recall, the Passover looked back to the

escape from Egypt and how the angel of the Lord had “passed over” the

land of Egypt and struck the firstborn of each home. The firstborn male

children of Israel were spared by painting the blood of a lamb on their

doorposts. That act of judgement caused the Pharaoh to give permission for

the Israelites to leave his country. The Passover was a celebration of God’s

goodness and compassion toward His people in setting them free from their

bondage. God reminded Moses that His people were to be careful to

celebrate this Passover exactly as He had commanded from twilight on the

14th day of that month.

God knows how easy it is for us to forget His goodness in our lives. The

Passover was a reminder of what the Lord had done for His people. It

caused them to remember their obligation to God for what He had done for

them. God gave His people special times in their calendar year to stop and

remember their God and His goodness. It is good for us as well to stop

what we are doing for a time to remember God and His work in our lives.

These times help us to refocus our priorities and remember who and why

we are serving.

From verses 4-5 we see that on the 14th day of the 1st month, Israel stopped

its normal activities and took the time in the Desert of Sinai, to celebrate the

Passover in remembrance of the goodness and compassion of God.

We see in verse 6 that a problem arose. Some of the people were not

ceremonially clean because they had touched a dead body. They wanted to

bring their offerings to the Lord but could not do so because of this

uncleanness. These individuals came to Moses to see what they were to do

(verses 6-7).

Moses told the individuals concerned to wait until he had consulted the

Lord to see what He said about their problem. It is important that we see

what Moses is doing here. He is seeking the will of the Lord for the

situation. He could have made a decision himself based on what he felt

would be to the glory of God but he didn’t. He wanted to know the heart of

God. All too many decisions are made in human wisdom and not according

to the clear teaching of the Word of God or the leading of His Spirit. Moses

leaves us with a powerful example here. He wanted to know God’s will for

this situation and so he spent time with God seeking His will.

God honoured Moses’ decision to seek Him in this matter and responded to

his prayer. God told him that when an Israelite was unclean or away on a

journey at the time of the Passover, he was to celebrate it on the 14th day of

the 2nd month (one month later). They were to do everything as God

required. They were to eat the lamb with unleavened bread and bitter herbs.

No bone was to be broken and nothing was to be left over until the morning

(verses 11-12).

Notice that while God made provision for those who were unclean to

celebrate the Passover at a later date, His people were to be careful not to

neglect this celebration. If a person failed to celebrate the Passover at the

appointed time he would be cut off from the people of God and would be

guilty of serious sin (verse 13). God makes provision for our weaknesses

and obligations but we must be sure that these weaknesses and earthly

obligations do not provide us with an excuse to ignore our spiritual

obligations.

Notice also in verse 14 that the foreigner living in Israel who wanted to

celebrate the Passover was permitted to do so; provided that he did so in

accordance with all the rules and regulations God had given Moses. They

were not permitted to celebrate the Passover in any other way. This was

particularly important for the foreigner who may have been tempted to add

things from his own cultural background or add significance to the

celebration other than what was originally intended.

What we see from this is that the Lord wanted the Passover celebration to

be kept pure and undefiled. God knew that there would be a temptation for

His people to neglect the celebration of this important day. He also knew

that they would be tempted to add or take away from the purpose of that

day. For this reason He demanded that it be celebrated exactly as He had

prescribed on the day and time He prescribed. We are left to wonder if we

have been guilty of adding or taking away from God’s Word and His

purpose for His kingdom. Have we, like Moses, been seeking God’s will,

and doing exactly what He desires or have we been seeking to advance His

kingdom in our own ways and for our own purposes? Moses was careful to

do exactly what God required. In the same way, the Word of God must also

be our guide in all things. We must never compromise or follow our own

wisdom.

In verse 15, the Lord’s presence came down and covered the tabernacle. His

presence was revealed in the form of a great fiery cloud (verses 15-16).

When God wanted His people to move from their camp to another location,

He would lift up the cloud and the people would follow it (verse 17). The

people of God stayed wherever that cloud was whether it was for a

prolonged period of time or for a few days only (verses 18-23).

There are some important truths in these verses for us to grasp. God’s

people followed His leading. Notice that God did not stay in one place.

Sometimes His presence would remain in a place for a few days and other

times for longer periods of time. In the course of my life God has led me to

different places and given me different opportunities to serve. It is easy for

us to get settled into one thing and believe that this is what God wants us to

do forever, but God sometimes has different purposes for us. He may use us

for a time in one way and then move us to something completely different.

We need to be ready always for whatever He leads us to do.

Notice also that the people of God were not in control of their own future. I

find it interesting how many Christian workers set out their goals and plans

for ministry and expect God to submit to their human agendas. This is not

how it was for the people of Israel. They submitted to the purpose and plan

of God. They did not set the agenda; they only listened to God and followed

His leading. When God moved, they moved with Him. When God stayed,

they stayed. We need to understand that more than anything else we need

people who will put aside their own plans and simply follow the leading of

the Lord.

Sometimes we fail to move when God moves. There are churches that

continue to exist even when the presence of the Lord has been removed.

There are Christian workers who stubbornly persevere in ministry when

God’s presence has moved somewhere else. These ministries are often

without power. They are maintained in human strength and vision but are

not under the direct blessing and presence of the Lord. God is calling for a

people who will follow His leading. He is looking for a people who will set

aside their own goals and agenda and seek Him and His will. We would do

well to examine our lives and ministries in light of the teaching of this

passage.

For Consideration:

What was the Passover? What did it celebrate?

How important is it that we stop and take time to remember

the goodness of God?

God expected His people to follow His purposes exactly as

He had commanded. How often have we been tempted to

compromise in our spiritual life? How often have we done

things in our own wisdom without following the clear

teaching of the Word of God?

What do we learn here about the importance of following the

Lord’s leading?

For Prayer:

Take a moment to consider the goodness and compassion of

the Lord in your life. Thank Him for what He has done for

you?

Ask the Lord to help you to put aside your own goals and

plans. Ask Him to help you to follow His leading. Ask Him

to forgive you for the times you have been slow to follow His

leading.

Take a moment now to ask the Lord to show you His purpose

for your life and ministry. Ask Him to show you if you are

where He wants you to be and under His blessing and

presence.

10 - LEAVING SINAI

Read Numbers 10:1-36

n the last chapter, we saw how the presence of the Lord came down in

the form of a fiery cloud that covered the tabernacle. As long as the

presence of God was over the tabernacle, the people of God stayed

where they were. When God’s presence moved, they moved with it.

The Lord commanded Moses to have two silver trumpets made to let the

people know when it was time to move (verse 1). If both of the trumpets

were sounded, the people would gather together in front of the tabernacle

for instructions (verse 3). If just one of the trumpets were sounded, only the

leaders (the heads of the clans) would gather (verse 4).

When the people were packed and ready to leave, a first trumpet sounded.

When they heard this trumpet, the tribes camping on the east were to set

out. When the second trumpet sounded, the camps on the south were to

follow (verses 5-6). It should be noted from verse 7 that there were different

types of trumpet blasts. The call for leaving the camp was different from the

call to assemble before the tabernacle.

Verse 8 tells us that Aaron’s sons were to sound the trumpet. Not only

would they do so when it was time for the people to leave the camp but,

according to verse 9, they would also sound the trumpets to call the people

to war. Notice particularly in verse 9 that when the priest sounded the call to

battle, the Lord would remember His people and rescue them from their

enemies. Verse 10 tells us that the priests would also sound the trumpet to

call people together for times of rejoicing.

It is interesting to note the role God gave the priests in these verses. They

were to help the people to know the leading of the Lord. When the presence

of the Lord rose from the tabernacle and moved elsewhere, the priests were

to sound the trumpet. The priests were to lead the people of God into His

will and purpose. This meant seeking the purpose of God and watching

always for His leading. Their role was to discern where God was leading

His people and summon them to follow that will.

Second, the priests were to discern the heart of God regarding the enemies

that surrounded them. When it was time to take up arms against the enemy,

the priest would sound the trumpet. When the enemy was attacking, the

priest would warn the people. There are many enemies for the people of

God today. God’s servants need to be always watching out for those

enemies. Pastors and Christian workers need to be a people who are ready

to sound the alarm when the enemy comes to harm or weaken the faith.

Finally, notice the priests were to sound the trumpet to bring people to

worship and rejoicing. They would call them to worship God. They would

encourage them in glorifying His name and enjoying Him. As Christian

workers today, our purpose is to lead people into the celebration and

worship of the Lord God who is worthy of all praise and adoration.

Verse 11 tells us that on the twentieth day of the second month (two years

after leaving Egypt), the cloud lifted from the tabernacle. The people of

God set out from the Desert of Sinai and followed the cloud until it came to

rest in the Desert of Paran. The Desert of Paran was about 160 kilometres

(100 miles) north of the Desert of Sinai.

Verses 14 to 28 describe the way in which the people of God left the Desert

of Sinai. Each tribe knew its place and time to leave. Everything was done

in order. The following chart summarized verses 14-28 and shows how the

camp of Israel left and moved from Sinai to the Desert of Paran.

Departure

Order

Division

Head

Tribes in

Division

Tribal

Leaders

Task

1st Judah Judah Nahshon

Issachar

Zebulun

Nethanel

Eliab

2nd Levi Gershonites

Merarites

Take down

tabernacle,

carry it and

set it up

again.

3rd Reuben

Reuben

Simeon

Gad

Elizur

Shelumiel

Eliasaph

4th Levi Kohathites Carry holy

things

5th Ephraim

Ephraim

Manasseh

Benjamin

Elishama

Gamaliel

Abidan

6th Dan

Dan

Asher

Naphtali

Ahiezer

Pagiel

Ahira

As Moses prepared to leave the region of Sinai he spoke with his father-in-

law Hobab. Hobab was a Midianite. It may be that he felt somewhat out of

place in all the preparations because he was not an Israelite. Moses

reassured him, however, that if he came with them he would be treated well

and would prosper. Moses reminded his father-in-law that God had

promised good things for His people and that he could be part of those

blessings (verse 29).

Hobab did not want to go with Moses and the Israelites. He chose to return

to his own land and live out the rest of his days with his own people (verse

30). Moses did not accept his answer and pleaded with him not to leave

them. Notice how Moses told Hobab in verse 31 that because he was a

Midianite he would be able to show the people of God where to camp.

Obviously, Hobab had experience in living in the desert that Moses felt he

needed. He promised him again that if he came with them, he would share

in all the good things the Lord had promised to give His people (verse 32).

It is hard to know if this shows something of Moses’ lack of confidence as

he leads the people into the desert. God would certainly have led and

directed Moses even without the experience of Hobab; but Moses felt that

he needed the experience of another human being on this journey.

God’s leading and direction in our lives does not mean that we never have

to listen to advice or counsel from those who have had more experience

than us. Moses would follow the leading of the Lord but he would also

listen to the experience of his father-in-law.

Led by God, the people set out from the mountain of Sinai and travelled

three days. The Ark of the Covenant went before them and the cloud of the

Lord was over them leading them all the way (verse 34). Notice in verse 33

that it was the Ark of the Covenant that went before them “to find a place to

rest.” It would not be Hobab, the father-in-law of Moses who would lead

them by his experience, but the Lord God.

Whenever the people of God would rise in the morning to follow the cloud

and the Ark of God, Moses would pray:

Rise up, O LORD!

May your enemies be scattered;

may your foes flee before you. (verse 35)

His prayer was that the Lord God would go before them to protect them

from any enemy they might encounter on the way. When they came to rest

Moses would pray:

Return, O LORD, to the countless thousands of Israel. (verse

36)

In praying this, Moses was asking God to come and be in their presence,

protecting and keeping them as they waited on Him for the next step.

Moses' confidence was in the Lord. He knew the dangers that were before

them and felt inadequate to protect and guide the people himself. He also

knew, however, that the Lord was big enough to care for him and all the

people that had been placed under his care.

The Lord will often call us to something that is bigger than our wisdom and

resources. He does not leave us to fend for ourselves, however, but

promises to provide all we need to do his will and purpose. Moses knew the

immensity of the task before him, but he also knew that God would provide

all he needed. He lived in total dependency on God for the task he had been

called to do.

For Consideration:

This chapter shows us how the camp of Israel was ordered

and how each tribe knew its place and time to leave. How

important is it that the body of Christ have this same order?

What happens when there is no order in a church?

What does this chapter teach us about the role of the priests?

If you are a spiritual leader take a moment to consider if you

are following the example given in this chapter.

How did Moses see the role of his father-in-law? Does God

give us people to encourage and help us along the way? What

is the difference between accepting the encouragement and

advice of a brother and trusting in them and not in God? How

do you find the balance between accepting the advice of a

brother or sister and trusting in God’s leading?

As Moses set out from Sinai, he was fully aware of his

inability to lead the people in his own strength. Has God

brought you to a point where you knew that your own

strength or resources were inadequate for the task?

For Prayer:

Ask the Lord to show you your place and role in the body of

Christ. Thank Him that He has a particular purpose for you.

Take a moment to pray for your spiritual leaders, that they

would be able to guide those under them in seeking the will

of the Lord, warn them of the dangers before them and

encourage them to be true worshippers of God.

Thank the Lord for those who have been an encouragement

and support in your life.

Ask the Lord to increase your faith and confidence in Him.

Ask Him to give you faith to trust Him to do what seems

impossible with human strength and wisdom.

11 - ISRAEL COMPLAINS

Read Numbers 11:1-35

s the people of Israel wandered through the wilderness, the Lord

provided for their daily needs. That is not to say, however, that

they did not have difficulties along the way. The desert is not a

place of plenty. God’s people lived in tents and did not have the luxuries of

other nations. They also did not know when the cloud would move and they

would have to pack their tents and follow the leading of the Lord.

The Christian life will certainly not always be easy. God may move us from

our comfort zones. He may stretch us in ways we have never been stretched

before. The great comfort we have in these times is that the Lord God will

never leave us and will provide all we need to accomplish what He calls us

to do.

At this point in the life of Israel, however, they were not seeing things from

God’s perspective. They felt the hardships of the desert and did not like

them. In fact, in verse 1 we read that they began to complain about their

hardships before the Lord. The Lord became so angry with them that fire

came down and burned the outskirts of the camp (verse 1). The people were

afraid and cried out to Moses. He prayed to the Lord and the fire stopped.

There are several things we need to understand from this verse. First, we

need to recognize that the Lord God is God. This means that He has the

right to do as He pleases. We have no right to grumble and complain about

His purposes as if He owes us something. The fact that we are alive and that

He hasn’t destroyed us because of our sin is a sign of His great mercy and

compassion. What right do we have to complain because He hasn’t made

our life easier?

God’s people had lost sight of what God had done for them already. He had

set them free from the bondage of Egypt and the cruelties of that nation

toward them. He had opened the hearts and hands of the people of Egypt to

bless them with much wealth as they left the land. He had given them

victory over Pharaoh’s army. He had opened the sea for them so that they

could walk across on dry ground. He had placed His presence among them

and led them personally step by step through the desert. He provided them

with food to eat every day so that they were not hungry. Now Israel was

complaining because their lives were not easier. By complaining against

God, they failed to appreciate what He had already done.

By complaining, Israel failed to recognize that God had their best interests

in mind. He knew His people better than they knew themselves. He loved

them and had clearly demonstrated his love for them. His people did not

understand that love. They felt He didn’t love them because He didn’t give

them more. In fact, they were making their comfort more important than

God and His purposes. Instead of trusting God and worshipping Him for

His care and provision, they set their hearts on the pleasures and comforts

of this world. These things angered God and so He sent his fire as a

warning to them.

Notice from verse 3 that the place where God sent His fire against the camp

was called Taberah. The word itself means “burning.” This name would be

a reminder to the people of what God did when they complained against

Him.

Lessons are not easily learned. We see in verse 4 that God’s people still

longed for greater things. They had been eating manna every day and were

growing tired of it. They craved other food. Notice the use of the word

“wailing” in verse 4. This is a strong word. God’s people wailed for other

food. They cried out for meat to eat. They remembered the fish they had

enjoyed in Egypt as well as the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic

(verses 5-6). All they had to eat now was manna.

The manna God provided would be gathered, ground, cooked in a pot or

made into cakes. Verse 8 tells us that it tasted like something made with

olive oil. It was gathered each morning.

According to verse 10, Moses heard the people of “every family” wailing at

the entrance of his tent. The whole nation was unhappy with the provision

of the Lord. It wasn’t that they didn’t have enough to eat; it was that they

didn’t have the kind of things they wanted to eat. As one voice they lifted

up their cry of discontent to God, longing for the days when they had been

in the bondage of Egypt and had what they wanted to eat. Their perspective

was very shallow. They were not looking at anything beyond their present

appetite. They could not see what God was planning for them. They could

not focus on His promises and what He was doing through them. All they

could think about was their stomachs.

God became “exceedingly angry” at what He saw in the camp of Israel

(verse 10). Moses also became very troubled. He understood the holiness

and justice of God. He knew that God could wipe out His people in an

instant. Notice what Moses says to God in verse 12-15:

(12) Did I conceive all these people? Did I give them birth?

Why do you tell me to carry them in my arms, as a nurse

carries an infant, to the land you promised on oath to their

forefathers? (13) Where can I get meat for all these people?

They keep wailing to me, ‘Give us meat to eat!’ (14) I cannot

carry all these people by myself; the burden is too heavy for me.

(15) If this is how you are going to treat me, put me to death

right now — if I have found favour in your eyes — and do not

let me face my own ruin.”

What does Moses do in response to his people’s complaining? He

complains! In verses 12-15, he questions God about why He had brought

this trouble to him and why He had given him such a heavy burden to bear.

He questions God’s wisdom in choosing him to carry the nation to the land

promised to their forefathers. He questions whether God was able to

provide meat for this people to eat. He literally told God that if that was

how He was going to treat him, he didn’t want the job anymore. He would

rather die.

The whole nation is cast into confusion. From the leaders down to the

members of each family there is discontent with God and His purposes.

Notice how God responds to the complaint of Moses and the people. He

commanded Moses, in verse 16, to bring seventy of Israel’s elders to the

tabernacle (verse 16). He would meet with them and put the Spirit that was

on Moses on these leaders as well so that they could help him to carry the

burden. God recognized Moses’ complaint and did something about it.

Moses had been carrying a heavy burden. God now provides him with

seventy Spirit empowered men to help.

With regard to the people, God told Moses that He would provide them

with the meat they wanted the very next day. He had heard their

complaining. He would give them what they longed for, not just for one or

two days but for a whole month (verses 19-20). They would have more

meat than they could ever want. In fact, they would eat that meat until they

hated it as much as they hated the manna. God would use this abundance of

meat to teach His people an important lesson.

Have you ever longed for something but were disappointed when you

finally got it? One of the great lessons we need to learn as believers is

contentment. God wanted to show His people that earthly things can never

truly satisfy. They believed that if they had meat then things would be better

for them. God was showing them that they could become tired of eating

meat just as they had become tired of eating manna. Instead of complaining

and longing for something more, they needed to learn to be content with

what God had given them. The secret was not in having more, but in being

satisfied with what they had.

When Moses heard God say that his people would eat meat for a whole

month, he questioned God. He could not imagine where they would be able

to find a month’s supply of meat for 600,000 men (as well as women and

children). He reminded God that even if they slaughtered all their flocks

and herds it would not be enough. He could not even imagine being able to

catch that many fish in the sea. Moses was trying to understand things from

a human perspective. From a human point of view, what God was

suggesting was impossible.

Very likely Moses feared to go to the people to tell them what God had said.

He feared because he knew the people were angry. Perhaps he feared their

response. Would they feel he was mocking them? What would happen if

God did not provide all the meat He had promised? What would the people

do to him? Moses lacks faith at this point in his life. He seems to be feeling

tired and overwhelmed with the responsibilities God has given him.

In verse 23, however, the Lord reminded Moses that His arm was not too

short. In other words, He was able to reach down to him at this time. He

was fully capable of meeting the needs of His people. He would do

everything He said he would do. Nothing was impossible for Him. God told

Moses that he would see that what He said would come true.

With that assurance from God, Moses went to the people and told them

what the Lord said. He also brought seventy elders before the Lord at the

tabernacle as the Lord had requested. The Spirit of the Lord came down and

spoke to them. That day the Spirit came on the seventy elders in a very

special way to equip them for the ministry God had for them. When the

Spirit of God came on them, verse 25 tells us that they prophesied. Notice

that this was a onetime event. They prophesied the day the Spirit came on

them but never did so again. The passage does not explain the nature of this

prophesying. Obviously, the words spoken were special words given to

them by the Spirit of God. They may have been words of praise and

thanksgiving to God as their hearts were touched and moved by his Spirit.

They may have come in the form of songs of praise sung spontaneously to

the Lord in worship. Though the Spirit of God rested on them for ministry,

this particular type of prophesying would not be repeated in their lives.

Notice also in verse 26 that two of the seventy men chosen did not come to

stand before the Lord in the tabernacle. We are not told the reason why they

did not join the others. Eldad and Medad, however, were among those

chosen by God to lead the people. While they were not present with the

others in the tabernacle, the Spirit of God fell on them where they were.

They, too, began to prophesy just like the others.

A young man noticed what had happened to Eldad and Medad and ran to

Moses to speak to him about it. We understand from this that what was

happening that day was unusual. This young man did not know what to do

when he saw Eldad and Medad responding as they did. When Joshua,

Moses’ aid heard the young man’s report, he asked Moses to stop them

from prophesying (verse 28). Joshua was uncomfortable with what was

happening that day.

Moses understood that what was happening was from the Lord. He told

Joshua that he wished that every person in Israel could experience what

these men were experiencing that day. We will not always understand God’s

ways. Sometimes we will find ourselves fighting like Joshua against the

purposes of God. Moses had enough discernment, however, to recognize

that these strange events were truly from the Lord.

With regard to God’s promise of meat, that day God sent a wind that drove

large quantities of quail from the sea to the camp. Verse 31 tells us that so

many quail had been driven by the wind into the camp that they were piled

on top of each other to a height of about three feet for a distance of a day’s

walk in every direction of the camp. The Israelites gathered these quail all

day and night, prepared them and spread them out around the camp

(possibly to dry). Notice in verse 32 that no Israelite gathered less than ten

homers of quail (500 gallons or 2,200 litres). This was a phenomenal

amount of quail all at one time and enough for them to eat for a month.

Notice in verse 33 that while God provided the people with the food they

longed for, before all the quail had been eaten, a plague struck the camp and

many died. It is likely that the plague was the result of the large amounts of

quail in the camp. These quail may have brought diseases with them. It may

be that the meat had gone bad and bred bacteria. What is clear from verse

34 is that many people died from the plague that broke out because of the

quail. The Israelites named that location Kibroth Hattaavah with literally

means “graves of craving.”

We need to see from this that very often the things we crave for in our

human flesh can destroy us. How many people, craving for the things of

this world, have fallen and lost their way. This story is repeated in our day

as even God’s people set their eyes on things God has not provided. Not

content with the provision of God, these individuals seek their pleasure and

fulfilment in the things of this world only to become destitute in the end.

May God help us to see that His ways are right and best for us. May we

learn to be content with what He gives, understanding that there is reason in

what He does.

For Consideration:

What struggles have you had to face in your Christian life?

What was your response to those struggles?

How does complaining show our lack of trust in God and His

purposes? Have you ever complained about God’s purpose

for your life?

How does Moses demonstrate a lack of faith in this chapter?

Have you ever found yourself in what appeared to be an

impossible situation? How did you respond?

How did God equip the 70 elders in this chapter? How

important is the Holy Spirit in the Christian ministry?

How did Joshua fight against what God was doing in this

chapter? Have you ever fought against God’s purpose

because you did not understand it?

What do we learn in this chapter about the importance of

contentment?

For Prayer:

Thank the Lord that He knows what is best for you and

provides you with all you need to accomplish His purposes.

Ask the Lord to forgive you for times when you have

complained about His purpose for your life.

Ask the Lord to teach you to be more content with what He

has provided.

Thank the Lord that He has given His Holy Spirit to us to

guide and enable us in our ministry and life.

Ask the Lord to increase your faith so that you will not give

up when things become difficult.

12 - MIRIAM AND AARON

SPEAK AGAINST MOSES

Read Numbers 12

he ministry the Lord gave Moses was certainly not an easy one. As

the leader of God’s people, he was not always respected. In chapter

12, we read of an occasion where Moses’ brother and sister spoke

out against him.

Notice the accusation of Miriam and Aaron in verse 1. They complained

because of his “Cushite” wife. The region of Cush was located just south of

Egypt and is generally connected with the country of Ethiopia. While the

name of Moses’ wife is not given, the fact that she was a foreign wife

would have certainly been an issue. It was God’s intention that His people

marry people of their own faith so as not to be influenced by the gods of the

foreign nations. On the other hand, however, the Lord did make provision

for foreign women to marry Israelites and become part of the Israelite

nation. Consider the words of Deuteronomy 21:10-13 in this regard:

(10) When you go to war against your enemies and the LORD

your God delivers them into your hands and you take captives,

(11) if you notice among the captives a beautiful woman and

are attracted to her, you may take her as your wife. (12) Bring

her into your home and have her shave her head, trim her nails

(13) and put aside the clothes she was wearing when captured.

After she has lived in your house and mourned her father and

mother for a full month, then you may go to her and be her

husband and she shall be your wife.

What is interesting here is that while they were using the fact that Moses

was married to a Cushite woman as an excuse, in reality they seemed to be

complaining about something else. Listen to what they were complaining

about in verse 2:

“Has the LORD spoken only through Moses?” they asked.

“Hasn't he also spoken through us?”

Miriam and Aaron seem to be jealous that Moses was getting all the

attention. People were coming to Moses and seeking the will of the Lord.

Miriam and Aaron seemed to be left out. They felt they were just as good as

their brother and resented the fact that he seemed to have so much power

and authority in the nation. They felt they deserved some attention as well.

Aaron and Miriam appeared to understand that it would not look very

spiritual if they complained that God was speaking to Moses more than to

them. If they expressed their grievance this way it would become quite

obvious that they were jealous and things would look bad for them. They

began to look for something to use to accuse Moses and bring him down.

They took advantage of the fact that he was married to a Cushite woman

and used that against him. We are not sure how far their words travelled.

The intent of the words, however, was obviously not the glory of God but to

damage Moses' reputation in the eyes of the people.

Notice in verse 3 that Moses was a very humble man. In fact, the verse tells

us that there was no one as humble as Moses on the face of the earth. This

leads us to believe that Moses did not seek to get even or to defend himself

in the eyes of his brother or sister. God, however, heard what Miriam and

Aaron had said and told them to meet Him in the tabernacle. When they had

gathered, the presence of the Lord came down in a pillar and cloud and

stood at the entrance of the tabernacle as if to guard it against anyone

approaching. Moses had experienced this before, but this was likely a new

experience for Aaron and Miriam. They were perhaps quite afraid.

When the presence of the Lord descended on the tabernacle, God called

Miriam and Aaron to step forward. Obviously, they were to step closer into

His presence where God would speak to them. This was their complaint in

verse 2. Now God was going to give them what they wanted. He was going

to speak to them.

In verses 6-8, we have the words of God to Miriam and Aaron in the

presence of Moses. Notice that God reminds Miriam and Aaron that His

usual way of speaking to prophets was through dreams and visions. It was

through these dreams and visions that He would reveal His purposes. Often

these dream and visions had to be interpreted to make sense.

Things were different with Moses, however. God spoke to Moses face to

face. Notice in verse 7 that God reminded Miriam and Aaron that Moses

was faithful in his house. In other words, he was living in obedience and

walking with God. God does not condemn him for his Cushite wife. God

chose to speak to Moses face to face. He did not speak in riddles that

needed to be interpreted. He spoke clearly and plainly as a friend would

speak to a friend. He did this even though he had a Cushite wife.

This fact alone should have caused Miriam and Aaron to fear speaking out

against Moses as God’s servant. God had chosen him from among his

people. They were not merely complaining against Moses but against God’s

decision to use him.

How often have we complained against others? Maybe they belong to

another church and have a different understanding of Scripture. Maybe their

background has been less than ideal. God’s servants do not look the same.

They come from various theological positions and backgrounds. The early

church had a problem accepting the apostle Paul because of his anti-

Christian background. Some may have had problems with Peter preaching

the sermon at Pentecost because he had denied the Lord three times. How

easy it is for us to stand in judgement of others. Often we do this not

because we are concerned for the glory of God but because we want to look

good ourselves. God spoke clearly to Miriam and Aaron about their sin.

Verse 9 tells us that the anger of the Lord “burned” against Miriam and

Aaron and he left them. It is unclear what verse 9 means when it says that

the Lord left them. It may simply be that his presence left that tabernacle.

On the other hand, there may have been a sense of His blessing being

removed for a time due to their evil attitude toward Moses.

In the case of Miriam, we see that when the cloud lifted from the

tabernacle, she was leprous. Leprosy, in the Bible can refer to any number

of skin problems. In this case, Miriam’s skin was white as snow. This meant

that she was unclean and needed to be separated from the rest of the

community where she would live in isolation. This was clearly a judgement

of God against her for her complaining and angry words against Moses.

It is unclear why Aaron did not receive the same judgement. It is

interesting, however, to note the order in which the names appear in this

chapter and in the rest of Scripture. In verses 4 and 5 Aaron’s name is

mentioned first. This is true also in Micah 6:4:

I brought you up out of Egypt and redeemed you from the land

of slavery. I sent Moses to lead you, also Aaron and Miriam.

The only time in Scripture where Miriam’s name is mentioned first is found

in Numbers 12:1. There may be some significance to this. This has led

some to assume that the reason for this was that Miriam was the one who

initiated the criticism of Moses and Aaron simply followed along. If this is

the case, then this may explain why Miriam was punished and Aaron

escaped without harm.

Notice in verse 11 that while Miriam was the one to be judged by God,

Aaron recognized his part in the evil as well. In the verse, he pleaded with

Moses not to hold this sin they had so foolishly committed against them.

Aaron does not excuse himself from this sin, even though he may not have

started it. He pleaded with Moses to do something for Miriam and her

condition. In turning to Moses, he is recognizing his position before God

and that he has sinned against him by going along with Miriam in her

complaint.

Moses cried out to God for his sister. He does not hold her words against

her. He does not want to see her suffer for the things she has said about him

and his wife. He pleads with God to heal her. God heard Moses but

demanded that Miriam be punished for her evil words.

God reminded Moses in verse 14 that if Miriam’s father had spit in her face

she would have been in disgrace for seven days according to the Jewish

law. What she had done, however, made her even more unclean than if

someone had spit in her face. God demanded that she be confined outside

the camp for seven days for her evil. After those seven days she could

return to her family. God would heal her of her leprosy. According to verse

15, the people did not move from the camp until Miriam had completed her

seven days of punishment. There are three things we need to see from this.

First, God did not leave Miriam behind. The people stayed in their place as

long as Miriam was in confinement. Verse 16 tells us that as soon as Miriam

was restored, the Lord led them on to another region. God did not reject

Miriam or her position as a prophetess in the community. God did not

remove her from the community or her ministry because of her sin. She

needed to learn a lesson, but God still had a purpose for her and a role for

her in the community. How often do we reject people who fall when God

still has a purpose for them? God does not leave her behind or reject her.

Second, notice how God used this situation to teach the people of God a

lesson. In some ways, the whole community was held back because of

Miriam’s sin. During those seven days the whole nation of Israel was forced

to see what God had done to Moses’ sister who dared to complain and

question the authority of the leader God had placed over them. Miriam’s

situation would be a warning to everyone in the nation who dared to

complain against God’s choice of leader.

Finally, notice that the community could not move forward until Miriam’s

sin had been addressed. God held the whole community back until Miriam’s

judgement had been completed. Because of her uncleanness, she would

have to bring her sacrifices before the Lord and Aaron would offer them to

the Lord. She would then have to be ceremonially cleansed again before

being restored to the community of God’s people. Only when she was

cleansed again could the community move from where they were to the

next location God had for them (see verse 16). We are left wondering what

it is in our lives that holds back our brothers and sisters.

For Consideration:

Did Miriam and Aaron have a legitimate complaint against

Moses for marrying a foreign wife?

What was the real reason for the grumbling of Miriam and

Aaron?

Does God’s opinion of people differ from ours? Does He use

people we feel are unworthy of their position?

What evidence is there that Miriam may have been the person

to lead the complaint against Moses?

How does God show mercy and compassion on Miriam?

What was the effect of Miriam’s sin on the nation as a whole?

For Prayer:

Ask God to set you free from any form of jealousy or envy.

Take a moment to consider the people around you and the

ministries God has given them. Thank the Lord for the

various ways He is using your leaders and friends to expand

His kingdom.

Ask the Lord to help you to be content with the role He has

given you.

Ask God to give you greater acceptance of people around

you.

Ask God to show you if there is any way you have been

holding the community of God’s people back. Ask Him to

show you what you need to do to make things right.

13 - DIFFERENT

PERSPECTIVES

Read Numbers 13:1-33

n the last chapter, we saw how the Lord punished Miriam and Aaron

for complaining against Moses. After these events, the Lord led His

people into the Desert of Paran to the north.

When they arrived in the Desert of Paran, the Lord told Moses to send men

into the land of Canaan to explore it. He was to send leaders from each

tribe. It was God’s intention, according to verse 2, to show these leaders the

land He was giving to them. As they walked through the land, they would

see the wonderful blessings He was going to give. This should have been a

real encouragement to a people who had been wandering through the desert

living on manna. What an encouragement this should have been to these

leaders to think that this was going to be their new home. It should have

stirred their faith and produced praise and deep thanksgiving to God in their

hearts for His grace and generosity.

In obedience to the Lord’s command, Moses chose men from each tribe to

explore the land. The following chart lists the names of the leaders by tribe

who were chosen to explore the land of Canaan:

Tribe Leader

Reuben Shammua

Simeon Shaphat

Judah Caleb

Issachar Igal

Ephraim Hoshea (Joshua)

Benjamin Palti

Zebulun Gaddiel

Manasseh Gaddi

Dan Ammiel

Asher Sethur

Naphtali Nahbi

Gad Geuel

Moses gave these leaders some special commands as he sent them to

explore the land. He told them to go through the Negev and the hill country

and see what the land and the people were like. Moses wanted to know if

there were many people in the land and if they were strong. He also asked

them to see what their towns were like. Did they live in walled cities? Was

the land fertile and were there trees in the region? Notice in verse 20 that he

also asked the men to bring back some of the fruit of the land.

While the passage does not speak about the reason for Moses giving these

particular commands; we understand that as the leader of the nation he had

some very particular concerns. As leader, he assumed that he was going to

have to lead the people into the land and help them to settle. As any good

leader, he likely wanted to know what was ahead of him. His concern seems

to be about the type of obstacles they would have to face as they followed

the Lord into the land. Likely his request for fruit from the land was an

indication that he longed to have fresh produce to eat as he and his people

had only been eating manna through their time in the wilderness.

In verse 21, the men went out as the Lord commanded. When they reached

a certain valley in the region they cut off a single cluster of grapes that took

two men to carry. They also brought back pomegranates and figs. They

called that valley Eshcol which literally means “cluster” in reference to the

large cluster of grapes they had found there. Altogether they spend 40 days

exploring the land before they returned to the Israelite camp.

The men brought their report to Moses and the camp of Israel, showing

them the fruit they had brought back (verse 26). They reported that the land

was flowing with milk and honey (verse 27). In other words, it was a land

of plenty. Notice also, however, from Numbers 13:28 that they reported that

the people were powerful and their cities fortified and large. They found

many different nations in the region. The Amalekites lived in the Negev, the

Hittites, Jebusites and Amorites lived in the hill country and the Canaanites

lived near the sea (13:28-29). They also reported that they saw the

descendants of Anak in the region (verse 28). From Numbers 13:33 the

descendants of Anak were also called the Nephilim. We first read about the

Nephilim in Genesis 6:4:

The Nephilim were on the earth in those days — and also

afterward — when the sons of God went to the daughters of

men and had children by them. They were the heroes of old,

men of renown.

Genesis 6:4 describes these men as “heroes of old” and “men of renown.”

In other words, they came from a long line of brave and mighty warriors.

The leaders who returned from exploring the land of Canaan described

themselves as “grasshoppers” compared to these mighty men (verse 33).

That is to say, they were small and insignificant before them.

Obviously what the leaders were reporting was beginning to discourage the

people. The Lord had promised this land to Israel, but the report of fortified

cities with mighty fighting men much superior in strength was causing the

people to wonder if it was even possible to obtain this land. Caleb, the

representative from Judah seemed to see what was happening and silenced

the other leaders. He told them that it was his opinion that they should go

up and take possession of the land. He was sure that God would give it to

them (verse 30).

Caleb saw what the other leaders saw, but his confidence was in the Lord

God and His promise. He believed that God would give them this land. He

knew that there were obstacles to overcome but he believed what God had

promised and was willing to take a step of faith. The other leaders,

however, did not see things that way. The saw an enemy army that was

stronger than their army. They saw fortified cities that were well protected.

They saw the descendants of Anak, who were famous and mighty warriors.

They believed that they would be devoured by the people of the land if they

attempted to take it from them. Notice in verse 32 that they “spread a bad

report” about the land among the Israelites discouraging them from even

attempting to settle in the land.

We cannot read this passage without seeing the difference of perspective

here. Caleb saw the same obstacles as the other leaders, but his focus was

on the promise of God. God had promised them this land and despite the

obstacles, Caleb knew that God would be faithful to His word. He was

willing to stand up against greater enemies because he believed what God

said was true. The other leaders knew the promise of God concerning the

land but focused on their own wisdom, experience and understanding more

than God’s promise. They were unwilling to risk everything on God’s

promise.

As believers today, there are two roads before us; the road of faith in God’s

promise and the road of human wisdom, reason and experience. What road

will we take? God’s promises will not always come easy. There will be

obstacles to overcome and enemies to fight. Sometimes the path of faith

will not make sense to our human minds. As we examine the picture before

us, we see a people who refused to take hold of the promise of God because

they were afraid. Before them was a land filled with more blessings and

riches than they had ever experienced. God was offering it to them but they

would not take it. They turned their back on His blessing because they were

unwilling to take the risk of trusting His word. Will we take that risk?

For Consideration:

What did the leaders find in the land of Canaan? What were

the blessings? What were the obstacles?

How was Caleb’s perspective different from that of the other

leaders?

Does the promise of God come without struggle? What are

some of the obstacles you had to overcome to see the promise

of God fulfilled in your life?

Have you ever trusted human wisdom and experience more

than God’s promise? How does ministry suffer when it is

based on human wisdom and experience?

For Prayer:

Thank the Lord for His promises. Thank Him that He is

always faithful to those promises.

Ask the Lord to give you more of Caleb’s perspective. Ask

God to help you to trust in Him and His Word more than in

your own human wisdom.

Take a moment to pray for your spiritual leaders. Ask God to

help them to be more like Caleb, trusting in His promises.

Ask the Lord to show you if there is any way that you need to

be more like Caleb in your ministry or Christian life. Ask

God to give you more confidence in His leading and

promises.

14 - OBEDIENCE TOO

LATE

Read Numbers 14:1-45

n chapter 13, we saw how the leaders of the twelve tribes came back

from exploring the land of Canaan. They had seen the blessings in the

land but they had also seen the enemy’s powerful armies and their

fortified cities. While Caleb wanted to go into the land and take it over, the

other leaders refused, discouraging the people.

Notice the response of the people when they heard the report from their

leaders. Verse 1 tells us that they wept aloud and grumbled against Moses

and Aaron, telling them that they wished they had died in Egypt. They

questioned why the Lord would bring them out of Egypt only to let them be

killed by the sword of a more powerful enemy who would have their wives

and children taken as plunder (verse 3). In fact, they even spoke in verse 4

about choosing another leader to take them back to Egypt.

All this grumbling about Moses and Aaron comes in the context of chapter

12 where Miriam was struck by God with leprosy for speaking out against

Moses. While the people had seen what had happened to her, they did not

learn a lesson from it. The fault lies not only with the people but also with

the leaders who discouraged them because of their lack of faith in God’s

promise to give them the land.

We can only imagine what an insult this would have been to God who had

delivered them from the bondage of Egypt and promised them their own

land. They refused to take the land, preferring instead to return to the place

of their bondage. How often has this been repeated in our day? How often

do we see those who have been set free from the bondage of sin, secretly

lust after it again? We see this temptation in our own hearts.

When Moses and Aaron heard what the people were saying, they fell face

down in front of them. Obviously, they were pleading with God to forgive

them for their attitude. Joshua and Caleb, who had explored the land with

the other leaders, tore their clothes in a sign of mourning. They reminded

the people that the land they had explored was a rich land filled with

blessings. They knew that if the Lord was pleased with them, He would

give it to them. They pleaded with the people not to rebel against the Lord.

The land was theirs because God was with them and He would give it to

them as He had promised.

Despite their pleading, the people refused to listen to Moses, Aaron, Caleb

and Joshua. In fact, the “whole assembly” spoke of stoning them. Notice the

use of the phrase “whole assembly.” This implies that there was a general

agreement among the people that they no longer wanted these men of God

to lead them. They wanted to go in another direction. They were no longer

happy with the Lord and His purposes and wanted to do things their way

instead. The fact that they actually spoke of stoning these men shows how

strongly they felt.

We get the impression that were it not for the fact that God came down into

their midst, the people would have carried through with their plan to stone

Moses, Aaron, Caleb and Joshua. As they were speaking about these things,

however, the glory of God appeared at the tabernacle in the sight of the

whole nation. The presence of God that day would certainly have brought

an end to the discussion.

That day the Lord spoke to Moses and asked:

(11) The LORD said to Moses, “How long will these people

treat me with contempt? How long will they refuse to believe in

me, in spite of all the miraculous signs I have performed among

them? (12) I will strike them down with a plague and destroy

them, but I will make you into a nation greater and stronger

than they.” (Numbers 14:11-12)

The Lord said three things to Moses that day. First, He told him that the

people were treating Him with contempt (verse 11). The word used here is a

strong word that could also be translated by “provoke,” “despise” or

“blaspheme”. In other words, by refusing to trust in God’s promise,

rejecting what He had done for them and threatening to kill His servants,

they were provoking the Lord and blaspheming His character and purpose

for their lives. This was the most serious crime a Jew could be guilty of

committing and was worthy of death.

Second, God accused His people of refusing to believe all the signs He had

performed in their midst. This is not the same as not believing because they

had never seen evidence. This was not the case for the people of Israel in

the days of Moses. They had seen miraculous demonstrations of God’s

power and love. He provided for every need. They had witnessed the

destruction of the nation of Egypt at God’s hands. They saw the fall of the

Egyptian army when God drowned them in the sea. God had provided for

them and overcame every enemy in their path. The people of that day did

not have an excuse. Their unbelief was not rooted in a lack of

understanding but a wilful choice not to believe.

Finally, notice what God intended to do. In verse 12, He told Moses that He

was going to send a plague to destroy the people and make another nation

from his descendants that would be greater and stronger. This shows us just

how angry God was at His people. He wanted to destroy them completely.

When Moses heard of God’s intentions in verse 12, he cried out to God on

behalf of the nation. He reminded the Lord of what the Egyptians would say

when they heard what had happened to the people of God in the desert. The

people would say that the Lord was not able to bring them into the land He

had promised so He killed them in the desert (verses 14-16). Moses’

concern here seems to be for what the people of other nations would think

about the Lord God. In this, he demonstrates a true missionary heart,

desiring that every nation see and understand the glory of God.

For the sake of God’s name, Moses pleads with Him to demonstrate His

great strength by forgiving His people’s rebellion. Notice the connection

between forgiveness and strength (verses 17, 18). It takes much more

strength of character to forgive than to punish. Moses pleads with God to

demonstrate that strength of character and forgive His people just as He had

done many times since their release from Egypt (19).

God heard Moses’ request that day and forgave His people for testing him

“ten times” (verse 20). We should not necessarily see here that God was

counting the number of times His people had tested Him. Most

commentaries agree the reference to “ten times” simply is God’s way of

saying that His people had tested Him many times. While God would

forgive His people and refrain from sending the plague He had spoken of,

they would pay for their evil and rebellion. In verse 22, God told Moses that

not one person who saw His miraculous signs in Egypt would see the

Promised Land. Every person twenty years old and over would die in the

desert (verses 28-29). An exception is made for Caleb in verse 24 and 30

because he wanted to follow the Lord in taking the land. An exception is

also made for Joshua in verse 30. God would not give the land to those who

treated Him with contempt (verse 23). Instead, it would go to the children

born to Israel during their wandering in the wilderness (verse 31).

For forty years Israel would live in the desert. Their children would suffer

for the unfaithfulness of the parents in rejecting the land God offered them

(verses 31, 33). Notice in verse 34 that their punishment was to spend one

year in the desert for every day their leaders spent in the land God had

promised them. During that time, every person twenty years of age and over

would die. Only then would God set them free to inherit the land.

Notice also that the sin of the parents had an impact on the lives of their

children. Because the parents rejected the Promised Land, the children had

to live in the desert. Our sins do not affect us alone. Our children and those

around us will suffer the consequences of our unfaithfulness.

As for the leaders who discouraged the people, verses 36-38 tell us that the

Lord struck them with a plague. With the exception of Caleb and Joshua all

the other leaders died from that plague. God held these leaders accountable

for misleading His people.

When the people heard the judgement of God they “mourned bitterly.” They

saw the price they had to pay for their rebellion. The next morning, they

confessed that they had sinned and decided to go up and take the land

(verses 39-40). Notice, however, that Moses told them that it was too late.

Because they had rejected the Lord, He would not go with them. Moses

warned them that if they did try, they would be slaughtered (verse 43). The

people did not listen to Moses. When the Amalekites and the Canaanites

saw them in their land they attacked and defeated them, and Israel was

chased out in shame.

There was no going back now. Though Israel tried to make things right,

their sentence had already been passed. They tried to obey, but it was too

late for that because the damage had been done. God’s presence had been

removed. What a sad picture we have here. The opportunity for victory had

been passed by and though they sought it now they could not have it.

By their rebellion and refusal to obey when God called them, Israel

forfeited the blessing and opportunity before them. This is a warning for all

of us. The challenge of this passage is for us to be faithful to the Lord when

He calls us. There are opportunities that will never come again. God is a

forgiving God but we have much to lose by our unfaithfulness.

In verse 25, God commanded Moses to take the people from the border of

the land of Canaan back into the desert where they were to travel along the

route to the Red Sea. There they would wander for the next forty years.

For Consideration:

Have you ever found yourself grumbling and complaining

about your spiritual leaders or the situations that God has

placed in your life? Why is it a serious matter to grumble and

complain about God’s purposes?

Moses interceded for his people and God saved them from

the plague He spoke of sending among them. What does this

teach us about the importance of prayer?

Does forgiveness mean that we do not have to suffer the

consequences of our sin?

What were the consequences of the sin of God’s people on

their children? How do our sins affect our children and those

around us?

God’s people missed an opportunity to enter the Promised

Land. Are their opportunities in your life that you missed?

For Prayer:

Ask the Lord to help you to accept the circumstances He

brings into your path without grumbling and complaining.

Take a moment to intercede and pray for those who are now

under God’s judgement. Ask Him to open their eyes to the

truth before it is too late.

Thank the Lord that He is willing to forgive us for our sins.

Ask the Lord to help you to obey Him when He calls so that

you will not miss out on opportunities for service. Ask Him

to give you grace to walk faithfully with Him.

15 - OFFERINGS, SINS

AND TASSELS

Numbers 15:1-41

he people of God had refused to enter the land that God had given

them as an inheritance. They did not trust the Lord to protect and

strengthen them. As a result, everyone over twenty years of age

would die in the wilderness and never see the land of Canaan. God would,

however, give the land to their children.

Notice as we begin that the Lord expected that when their children entered

the land He had promised, they would worship Him in a prescribed way.

The Lord told Moses that the Israelites were to bring a grain offering and a

drink offering with every burnt sacrifice they presented to the Lord. God

describes in verses 3-12 what He expected for each offering brought. The

following chart summarizes verses 3-12:

Verse Animal Grain Offering Drink

Offering

Flour Oil

3-5 Lamb 1/10 ephah

(2 quarts or

2 litres)

¼ hin

(1 quart or 1

litre)

¼ hin

(1 quart or 1

litre)

6 Ram 2/10 ephah

(4 quarts or

4.5 litres)

1/3 hin

(1 ¼ quarts

or 1.2 litres)

1/3 hin

(1 ¼ quarts or

1.2 litres)

8-12 Bull

3/10 ephah

(6 quarts or

6.5 litres)

½ hin

(2 quarts or

2 litres)

½ hin

(2 quarts or 2

litres

Notice that the larger the animal, the more grain and drink offerings were

required. God makes it quite clear in verses 13-16 that every native-born

Israelite as well as every foreigner living with them was to present these

grain and drink offerings with their sacrifices to the Lord. The rules for the

offerings were to apply to both the native-born Israelite and the foreigner

living with them.

It is interesting to note that God accepted the offerings of the foreigner

living in Israel who truly wanted to worship Him. God’s heart has always

been for the whole world. He has always accepted people of all nationalities

who come to Him with a sincere heart.

On top of these regular grain and drink offerings the Lord also expected that

when the Israelites entered the land He had promised, they would make a

cake with the first grain ground on the threshing floor and present it to Him

(verses 17-21). This offering was in recognition of the fact that He was the

provider of the harvest. It was offered in thanksgiving for His gracious

provision.

God knew that His people would sin against Him and in His mercy and

justice He provided a means by which those sins could be forgiven. Sin

against a holy God was a serious matter, worthy of death. Instead of taking

the life of the person who committed the sin, God allowed for an animal to

be sacrificed in his or her place. In verses 22-27, God lays out His

requirements for the sacrifices made for unintentional sin.

Notice in verses 22-27 that the Lord speaks of sacrifices for “unintentional”

sins. This is distinguished from “intentional” sins in verse 30-31.

Unintentional sins were committed without the person being aware that he

or she has sinned. For example, an Israelite may have touched something

unclean without knowing it. An unintentional sin might also be committed

due to lack of understanding. Maybe an individual did not have enough

understanding of the requirements of God to know they were sinning.

Unintentional sins could also be committed by accident or due to

circumstances. Imagine a Jewish man working with an axe and the axe head

comes off the handle striking another man and killing him. He is guilty of

killing his brother but it was not his intention to do so. He is guilty of an

unintentional sin. Human weakness might also cause an individual to

commit an unintentional sin. Maybe because of sickness a man is unable to

meet his obligations. This too would fall under the category of an

unintentional sin.

What is important for us to understand is that a sin does not have to be

intentional to be a sin. Even unintentional sins needed to be confessed to

God and required forgiveness.

Notice in verses 22-27 that the requirements of God varied depending on

the person or persons committing the sin. There was one requirement for

the sin of an entire community and another for an individual. The following

chart summarized God’s requirements as laid out in verse 22-27.

Who

Sinned?

Offering Required Purpose

Community Bull

Male Goat

Flour and Wine

Burnt

offering

Sin offering

Grain

offering

Individual 1 yr. Female goat Sin offering

While there were sacrifices for the forgiveness of unintentional sins,

intentional sins were quite different. Verses 30-31 tell us that anyone who

sinned intentionally (defiantly, NIV) was to be cut off from his people.

Intentional sins were those sins committed wilfully and rebelliously against

God, with full knowledge of the sin. There was no sacrifice for anyone who

committed an intentional sin. They were to be cut off from the people of

God.

We have an example of intentional sin in verses 32-36. The Israelites found

a man gathering wood on the Sabbath day. They confined him until Moses

had consulted the Lord to see what to do with him. God told Moses in verse

35 that the man had to die. He was to be taken outside the camp and stoned

to death. This was a clear example of a man who, knowing the command of

God regarding the Sabbath, chose to ignore it and wilfully defied God and

His purposes for that day. There was no sacrifice for his sin. He was to be

killed for wilfully defying the Lord God.

Chapter 15 concludes with a statement about the garments the Israelites

were to wear. God told Moses in verse 38 that the Israelites were to make

tassels for their garments from blue cord. It is significant that these tassels

were to be blue in colour. Blue cloth was used to wrap the Ark of the

Covenant when it was transported from one place to another (Numbers 4:6).

The curtain separating the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place was to be

made entirely of blue cloth (Exodus 26:31-33). The priestly ephod was to

be made of blue cloth (Exodus 28:31). The colour blue seemed to be used

for the holy things of God.

Notice that the purpose for the blue tassels hanging from their garments was

so the people of Israel would remember the commands of God and not

prostitute themselves by going after the lusts of their own heart (verse 39).

These blue tassels on their garments reminded them that they were a people

set apart for God. As they went about their daily routine and were tempted

to compromise in their faith, those blue tassels swinging from their

garments reminded them that they belonged to God and needed to follow

His commands and ordinances.

God expected His people to walk in obedience. He provided forgiveness for

those times when human weakness and circumstances caused them to fall.

He challenged them to wear tassels on their garments to remind themselves

of their obligation to His law. He also required the most severe punishment

for those who ignored and wilfully defied Him. As the people of God left

the border of Canaan to wander for forty years in the desert, God reminded

them afresh of His requirement of obedience and the consequences of

disobedience. He reminded them also, however, that through the sacrifices

He had provided they could be forgiven and restored to Him.

For Consideration:

God had specific requirements for how His people were to

bring their offerings. How important it is that we follow the

requirements of God as laid out in the Bible today? How easy

it is for us to do what we feel best and ignore the clear

teaching of Scripture?

What is the difference between unintentional sin and

intentional sin? Give some examples of each.

Is a person guilty of sin even if what he or she did was not

intentional?

Why did the people of Israel wear tassels? What can you do

to remind yourself of your obligation to God?

For Prayer:

Ask the Lord to help you to follow the requirements of His

Word. Ask Him to forgive you for times you have chosen to

ignore His Word in favour of your own way.

Ask the Lord to protect you from intentional sin and wilful

disobedience.

Thank the Lord that He has chosen you to belong to Him.

Ask Him to remind you of your obligation to Him and His

Word on a daily basis.

16 - A LESSON NEVER

LEARNED

Read Numbers 16:1-50

ne of the great sins of God’s people in the wilderness was their

grumbling and complaining against God and His purposes.

Moses and Aaron, as God’s representatives, often became the

target of this grumbling. As you will recall, God judged Miriam for this sin

when she spoke out against her brother Moses in Numbers 12. While the

Israelites saw the judgement of God on Miriam, it did not stop them from

repeating her sin.

In Numbers 16, we read of how a man by the name of Korah rose up

against Moses. We discover from verse 1 that Korah was a Levite from the

Kohathite clan. As a Kohathite, he was responsible for transporting the holy

articles (lampstand, Ark of the Covenant, altars, etc.) when the Israelites

moved camp. Korah, with the help of two others (Dathan and Abiram)

gained the support of 250 well known community leaders (verse 2).

Together these men approached Moses and challenged his authority.

Notice their argument in verse 3:

You have gone too far! The whole community is holy, every one

of them, and the LORD is with them. Why then do you set

yourselves above the LORD's assembly?

The argument is theological in nature, although it may have been more

about jealousy than theology. Korah’s argument was that no one person

should be considered more holy than another. Everyone in the community

belonged to God and on an equal standing with each other. They rejected

the idea of one man holding so much power and believed that everyone who

belonged to God should have the same privilege as Moses.

When Moses heard their complaint, he fell face down (verse 4). The

passage does not tell us why he did this. Moses knew, however, what God

felt about this kind of grumbling and may have been asking the Lord to

spare these individuals from judgement.

Moses told Korah and his followers that he would bring this matter to the

Lord for His decision. In the morning, they were all to bring a censer, put

fire and incense in them and stand before the Lord God. We need to

understand that the offering of incense was a task that only the priest was to

perform. Korah and his followers believed that they had the right to be

priests before the Lord and so Moses challenged them to see what the

response of the Lord would be if they took on this responsibility.

Notice in verse 6, however, that Moses did warn Korah and the other

Levites with him that they had gone too far. God had separated the Levites

from the rest of the community and given them a particular task in the

tabernacle. These men were not content with their roles, however, and

wanted to be priests as well (verse 10). Moses reminded them in verse 11

that their complaint was against the Lord and His will for their lives.

Korah and his followers wanted to be priests. This was the highest position

in Israel. It was a position of respect and honour in the community. These

Levites wanted position and respect more than they wanted God’s will for

their lives. This is a common temptation. Often our desires and ambitions in

life clash with God’s purposes. We can fool ourselves into believing that

what we want is for the glory of God. Korah justified his actions stating that

all of God’s chosen people were holy and had the privilege of serving Him

as priests. He placed his personal theology and his ambitions ahead of

God’s call and purpose.

Moses understood that this revolt did not only come from Korah, but also

from Dathan and Abiram, ordinary citizens of Israel. In verse 12, he

summoned them to speak about this matter. Dathan and Abiram refused to

come before Moses. Notice their response to him in verse 13-14:

(13) Isn't it enough that you have brought us up out of a land

flowing with milk and honey to kill us in the desert? And now

you also want to lord it over us? (14) Moreover, you haven't

brought us into a land flowing with milk and honey or given us

an inheritance of fields and vineyards. Will you gouge out the

eyes of these men? No, we will not come!”

Dathan and Abiram had clearly rejected Moses and his leadership. In these

two verses they accused him of taking them from a land of milk and honey

and bringing them into the desert to kill them. They accused him of

“lording it over” them and failing to bring them to the land of Canaan. In

their eyes, Moses was a failure as a leader and they would have nothing to

do with him. They failed to see their own sin. It was because they had

rejected God and that they had not been given the land of Canaan. They

chose to blame their leaders for their own sin and rebellion.

When Moses heard their response to his summons he became angry with

Dathan and Abiram. They opposed him and the position of leadership the

Lord had given him. Verse 15 tells us that he became so angry with them

that he asked the Lord not to accept their offering. If the Lord did not accept

their offering there would be no forgiveness for them. In reality, Moses was

sentencing these two men to death without the forgiveness of God.

Notice also in verse 15 that Moses reminded the Lord that he had not taken

so much as a donkey from these men or wronged them in any way. Moses

had a clear conscience before God with regard to his leadership. Moses

knew before God that he had led his people with honesty and sacrifice. He

left all judgement in the hands of the Lord God.

While Dathan and Abiram refused to appear before Moses, Korah and his

followers were quite free to do so. They came to the tabernacle with their

censers in hand. They prepared their incense and put fire in the censers and

stood with Moses and Aaron at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. About

250 men stood with their censers burning before the Lord (verses 17-18).

While Korah and his followers stood at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting,

the glory of the Lord appeared over the people. God spoke to Moses and

Aaron and told them to separate themselves from the people so that He

could kill them (verse 21). When Moses heard this, he fell face down and

begged the Lord to forgive the nation. He reminded him that the sin was the

sin of Korah and his followers and not the sin of the entire nation (verse

22). While, in a sense, it was Korah who had led this revolt against Moses,

the heart of the nation was not pure either. God saw the attitude of the entire

nation. These people had the same heart as Korah and often grumbled and

complained about Moses and Aaron (see Exodus 15:24; 16:2; 17:3;

Numbers 14:2; 14:27: 14:36).

While the whole nation was guilty, God did listen to Moses. In verse 24, the

Lord told Moses to have the people move away from the tents of Korah,

Dathan and Abiram. Moses went to the place where these families were

camped and told everyone to move away from them. As they did, Dathan

and Abiram came out of their tents and stood there with their wives and

children, separated from the rest of the people of Israel (verse 27).

Moses then made a prophetic declaration before all the people, saying:

This is how you will know that the LORD has sent me to do all

these things and that it was not my idea: (29) If these men die a

natural death and experience only what usually happens to

men, then the LORD has not sent me. (30) But if the LORD

brings about something totally new, and the earth opens its

mouth and swallows them, with everything that belongs to

them, and they go down alive into the grave, then you will know

that these men have treated the LORD with contempt. (Numbers

16:28-30)

Verse 31 tells us that as soon as Moses had made this declaration the ground

opened up underneath the tents of Korah, Dathan and Abiram and the

people fell alive into the great hole with all their earthly possessions. The

screams of those falling into this great opening created terror throughout the

camp. Many people fled from the scene, believing that they too would be

swallowed alive (verse 34). When all these families had been swallowed,

the earth closed over them, sealing their fate forever (verse 33).

While this was happening at the tents of Korah, Dathan and Abiram, the

two hundred and fifty men were still standing with their censers in hand

before the Tent of Meeting. The Lord judged them as well. Verse 35 tells us

that fire came down from the Lord and consumed all of them.

As a reminder of what had happened that day, the Lord asked Moses to get

Eleazar the priest to gather the censers “out of the smouldering remains”

and scatter the coals that were in them some distance away from the Tent.

He was then to have the censers hammered into sheets and use those sheets

to overlay the altar. Verses 38 and 40 tell us that these sheets overlaying the

altar were to be a sign to the people that no one except a descendant of

Aaron should burn incense before the Lord. If they did, they would be

punished and suffer the same fate as Korah and his followers.

What is particularly striking about this story is the response of the people to

what had happened that day. Verse 41 tells us that the community grumbled

and complained against Moses and Aaron saying: “You have killed the

Lord’s people.” You would have thought that the incidents of that day

would have taught them a lesson, but it didn’t. They still grumbled and

complained against God’s servants. Some lessons are never learned. Had

the Lord not opened our eyes, we, too, would certainly be like those people.

We understand from verse 42 that the people of God gathered together to

voice their discontent with Moses and Aaron. We are not told what their

intention was when they gathered. There had been other times when they

spoke of stoning Moses (see Exodus 17:4; Numbers 14:10). Whatever their

intention was at that moment, it was interrupted by the glory of God. A

great cloud suddenly appeared over the Tent of Meeting and the Lord told

Moses to get away from the people so he could kill them (verse 44).

When the Lord spoke to Moses, he and Aaron fell face down on the ground,

likely grief stricken and crying out to God on behalf of their people.

Immediately the judgement of God seemed to fall on the nation and a great

plague broke out. Moses told Aaron to take his censer, put incense and fire

in it and make atonement for the people. The intention here was to appease

the wrath of God on the nation. Notice in verse 47 that Aaron ran into the

midst of the people with his censer in an attempt to cover their sins and seek

God’s forgiveness. Verse 48 tells us that Aaron stood between the living and

the dead and stopped the plague through the incense he offered to the Lord.

Before the plague stopped and the wrath of God was appeased, however,

14,700 people lay dead before the Lord (verse 49). Were it not for Moses

and Aaron who sought the favour of God for these rebellious and

complaining people, many more would have died. We are left to wonder

how many people God will spare because of our prayers for them.

For Consideration:

What does this chapter teach us about respecting those the

Lord has put over us? Have you ever been guilty of

grumbling or complaining about your spiritual leaders?

Are you content with the role God has given you and the

circumstances He has put you in today?

Does God still call people to a particular service? Are you

where God wants you to be today? How can you know God’s

will for your life?

Have you ever felt jealous about the ministry God has given

to someone else?

Are there lessons you have trouble learning? What are they?

Aaron stood between the “dead and the living” seeking to

save his people. Are there people for whom you need to pray

and seek God? Who are they?

For Prayer:

Ask the Lord to give you the ability to honour those He has

placed in authority over you.

Ask the Lord to show you His purpose for your life. Ask Him

to help you to be faithful and content in that purpose.

Take a moment to pray for someone who is currently under

the judgement of God. Ask God to forgive and restore that

person to Himself.

17 - CONFIRMATION OF

AARON AS PRIEST

Read Numbers 17:1-18:32

t this time in the nation of Israel, there was much dissatisfaction

with the leaders God had given His people. Miriam had spoken

out against Moses (chapter 12). Korah and his followers had

rebelled against both Moses and Aaron, resulting in the anger of God

destroying their families (chapter 16). Also in the final section of Numbers

16, we read about how the nation as a whole was punished because of their

grumbling about Moses and Aaron as leaders.

We can only imagine what it was like for Aaron and Moses as leaders of

God’s people to have so many people dissatisfied with their leadership.

Certainly, if I were in their situation, I would be asking the Lord if I was

really where He wanted me to be. In these times, as leaders we often need a

confirmation from the Lord of His purpose for our lives and ministries. It is

interesting to note in Numbers 17 that the Lord speaks directly to this need

in Aaron and the leaders.

As we begin chapter 17, we see that God spoke to Moses and asked him to

tell the leaders of each tribe to get a staff and write their names on it. They

were to bring these staffs to the tabernacle and place them in front of the

Ark of the Covenant in the presence of God. God would look at these staffs

and cause the one belonging to the person He had chosen to be priest to

bud. Notice that the purpose of this demonstration was to get rid of the

constant grumbling against Moses and Aaron by the Israelites (17:5).

God was concerned about what the people were saying about Moses and

Aaron. He wanted all this grumbling to stop. He wanted to confirm them in

their calling before the eyes of the nation. We can only imagine how

encouraging this must have been to Moses and Aaron at this time in their

lives.

In obedience to the Lord, the leaders of the twelve tribes each brought a

staff and placed it before the Lord in the tabernacle. These staffs were left in

the presence of the Lord overnight.

The next day, Moses entered the tabernacle to examine the staffs. He

noticed that the staff which represented the tribe of Levi had not only

sprouted but budded, blossomed and produced almonds. There could be no

doubt that this was a miracle from God. Notice that God did far more than

cause the staff to bud. He went beyond what was necessary to communicate

to the people His purpose for this family. There could be no doubt that

Aaron was to be His representative before the people.

Aaron’s staff is a picture of what the Lord wants to do through each person

He calls. He wants to place His life in them so that they can blossom and

produce fruit for His name.

God told Moses to put Aaron’s staff in front of the Ark of the Covenant so

that it would be a sign to all who grumbled and complained about Aaron

and his position. Notice in Numbers 17:10 that the punishment for

continuing to grumble about the Lord’s choice of servants was death. To

grumble and complain about the servants that God had chosen was to take a

stand against God Himself.

Notice the response of the Israelites to this powerful sign in Numbers

17:12-13:

(12) The Israelites said to Moses, “We will die! We are lost, we

are all lost! (13) Anyone who even comes near the tabernacle

of the LORD will die. Are we all going to die?”

What they saw that day struck them powerfully. They realized that they had

been wrong and that Aaron was indeed God’s chosen servant. They feared

for their lives because they had stood against God.

It was clear that God had chosen Aaron and his sons to be His

representatives. God’s call came with its privileges and obligations. In

Numbers 18, the Lord spoke to Aaron and his sons about those privileges

and obligations. Notice in Numbers 18:1-7 that Aaron and his sons had a

two-fold obligation.

Care For The Holy Things

In Numbers 18:1, the Lord reminded Aaron and his sons that, as His chosen

representatives, they were to bear the responsibility for any offences against

the tabernacle or priesthood. They had a God-given obligation to see that

the tabernacle, its objects and its servants were honoured by God’s people

and that God’s purposes were being accomplished through them. God

would hold them accountable for any offences against His holy things.

Aaron and his sons were to be assisted by the Levites in this ministry (18:2,

4). The Levites, however, were not to go near the furnishings of the Holy

Place or the Most Holy Place lest they die. That privilege was reserved for

Aaron and his sons alone.

God calls us to take seriously the name of the Lord and His word. He gave

Aaron and his sons the responsibility to care for the holy things. They were

responsible for offences against everything God had set apart for His name.

In our day we too are called to lift high the things of God. How often have

we seen His Word depreciated or ignored in our churches? How often has

His name been blasphemed in word and deed? How often has His Spirit

been grieved in our midst? Has God not called us to stand up for these holy

things in our day as well? All who are called by God to minister in His

name would do well to honour these holy things.

Ministry To The People

God reminded Aaron and his sons in Numbers 18:5 that they also had a

responsibility for the work of the sanctuary and the altar so that His wrath

would not fall on the Israelites. This clearly involved the sacrifices that

were made on behalf of the people for the forgiveness of sin. As priests,

they stood between God and sinful Israel. Their role was to assure that the

people of Israel were walking in forgiveness and purity before God. This

continues to be a vital role for the spiritual leaders of our day. What is our

obligation as spiritual leaders before the people we serve? Is it not to help

them to walk in forgiveness of sin? It is not to teach and train God’s people

to walk in victory and righteousness? Aaron and his sons were responsible

for the care of the holy things of God and to minister to the people so that

they were living in the experience of God’s forgiveness and victory.

For their service, Aaron and the Levites would receive a portion of the

offerings brought by God’s people. Their needs would be provided for

through the people they served. In verses 8-32 God tells Aaron what

offerings he and the Levites could keep for themselves and the needs of

their families. Below is a summary in chart form of the offerings kept by

Aaron and the Levites for their personal needs.

Vers

eOffering

Who

Benefit

ted

Restrictions

8-10

Grain

offering,

Sin

offering,

Guilt

offering

Aaron

and his

sons

only

Could only eat the portion that was not

required to be sacrificed to God

11 Wave

offering

Priest’s

househ

old

Must be ceremonially clean

12-

Firstfruits

of oil,

wine and

grain

Priest’s

househ

old

14-

Firstborn

male

Priest’s

househ

Owner of the firstborn male child or

animal needed to buy it back from the

child and

unclean

male

animal

old priests at 5 shekels of silver. This

money belonged to the priests and

their families

17-

Firstborn

ox, sheep

and goat

Priest’s

househ

old

The fat and blood was placed on the

altar but the remainder of the animal

belonged to the priest and his family

25-

32 Tithes

Priest’s

househ

old

The priests needed to give a portion of

the tithe and the rest belonged to them.

The tithe they gave back to the Lord

needed to be the “best part.”

The priests were well provided for through the gifts of God’s people.

Notice, however, in Numbers 18:30-32, that God expected that His servants

the priests be generous in their giving as well. God required that they give a

portion of every tithe given to them. God makes it clear that they were to

present the “best part” of their tithe to the Lord. In fact, God tells the priests

that if they did not present the “best part” of their tithe to Him they would

be guilty of defiling the holy things of God and die (18:32).

The tribe of Levi would not receive any inheritance of land. They were to

be content to serve the Lord as His priests and devote themselves to this

work alone. As they devoted themselves to the work of the tabernacle, God

would provide for all their needs through the gifts of His people. Any other

Israelite who approached the tabernacle to serve the Lord as a Levite would

be struck dead by the Lord God.

God has a plan for the worship of His name. He has called out a certain

people to be His servants. He has honoured those people and expects that

those to whom they were ministering would honour them. The calling of

priest was a serious calling and required the complete dedication of their

lives, but God would enable and provide for their every need as they served

Him faithfully.

For Consideration:

In this passage the Lord God confirms His call to Aaron, His

sons, and the Levites. Have you ever needed God to confirm

your calling because of difficulties or obstacles that came

across your path? How did God confirm you in your calling

and ministry?

Why was it important that the Lord confirm Aaron and the

Levites in their calling before the people? How important is it

that we respect those called of God to be our leaders?

The priests and the Levites had the responsibility to care for

the holy things of God. Are the holy things of God being

despised today? Explain.

The priests and the Levites were called by God to help the

people of their nation walk in the forgiveness of God and

victory over their sin. Do you know individuals who are not

walking in the forgiveness of God and victory over their sin?

What can you do to help them?

God provided for the needs of His servants through His

people. Are the needs of your spiritual leaders being cared

for? What sacrifices do you need to make for your spiritual

leaders so that their needs are met?

For Prayer:

Ask the Lord to show you clearly His plan for your life and

ministry.

Thank the Lord for your spiritual leaders. Ask Him to show

you how you can be more respectful of them. Ask Him to

show you if there is anything you can do to provide for their

needs.

Ask the Lord to help you to walk in victory over sin and

temptations in your life.

Ask the Lord to teach you how to give Him the “best part” of

all you have.

18 - THE WATER OF

CLEANSING

Read Numbers 19:1-22

n the Old Testament, it was important that an individual remain

ceremonially clean before the Lord. Uncleanness could come in many

different forms, but Numbers 19 deals with uncleanness caused by

touching a dead body. When a person touched a dead body, he or she was

required to follow a procedure set out by God to become clean again. In this

chapter, we discover that an unclean person could be restored by being

sprinkled with special water.

The water of cleansing was a mixture of water, blood, ashes and wool. In

verses 1-10, the Lord instructed Moses and Aaron on how they were to

make this water of cleansing. A red heifer (cow), without defect which had

never been placed under a yoke, was to be taken outside the camp and

slaughtered in the presence of the priest (verse 2-3). Notice that the heifer

needed to be red. The passage does not tell us why it had to be this colour.

Notice also that the animal was not slaughtered in the tabernacle courtyard

but outside the camp. This heifer was to be used for the cleansing of those

who were unclean and who would normally be forbidden access to the

tabernacle because of their uncleanness. It is interesting to note that the

Lord Jesus came to identify with us as sinners. He left the glories of the

heavenly tabernacle to be slaughtered on the cross on this sinful earth for

us. He identified with us by going “outside the camp,” to the place where

He was crucified for our uncleanness. This heifer, slaughtered outside the

camp, in some ways, is a picture of what the Lord Jesus did for us.

When the heifer had been slaughtered, Eleazer the priest was to put some of

the blood on his finger and sprinkle it seven times toward the Tent of

Meeting (tabernacle). While the sacrifice took place outside the camp, it

was still a holy sacrifice and the blood was sprinkled toward the Tent of

Meeting in a gesture of offering to the Lord. In a similar way, although the

Lord Jesus was crucified outside the city of Jerusalem in the place where

unclean criminals were killed, His sacrifice was pleasing to the Father who

accepted it for the sins of His people.

Notice also that the heifer was to be completely burned. Normally the blood

of the animal sacrificed on the altar was spilled out at the base of the altar.

The hide, flesh and dung were cleaned out of the corpse before it was

burned in the presence of the Lord. This is not the case here. Verse 5 tells us

that the entire animal was burned with its blood, flesh, hide and dung.

Possibly this was the reason why the sacrifice could not take place in the

tabernacle.

As the animal was being burned, the priest would put some cedar wood,

hyssop and scarlet wool on the fire. This would mix in with the ashes that

fell to the ground. It is interesting to note the requirements of God for the

cleansing of a disease of the skin in Leviticus 14:1-4:

(1) The LORD said to Moses, (2) “These are the regulations for

the diseased person at the time of his ceremonial cleansing,

when he is brought to the priest: (3) The priest is to go outside

the camp and examine him. If the person has been healed of his

infectious skin disease, (4) the priest shall order that two live

clean birds and some cedar wood, scarlet yarn and hyssop be

brought for the one to be cleansed.

Notice the use of cedar wood, scarlet yarn and hyssop. It is obvious from

this that the ashes of the heifer mixed with the cedar, scarlet yard and

hyssop were to be used for the cleansing of an unclean person.

When the sacrifice had been made, the priest and the man who burned the

heifer were to wash their clothes and bathe themselves in water to remove

any impurities. They were to remain ceremonially unclean until evening

and as such would not be able perform any more duties until the next day

(verses 7-8).

Another man, who was ceremonially clean, would then gather the ashes that

remained after the animal had been completely burned. These ashes were to

be placed in a ceremonially clean place outside the camp. They would be

kept for use in the water of cleansing. When the man, who had gathered up

the ashes, had completed his task, he was to wash himself and his clothes

and, like the other men, was considered unclean until the evening (verse

10).

The focus of Numbers 19 is on the ceremonial cleansing of a person who

came into contact with a dead body. Even an indirect contact with a dead

body would make a person unclean. For example, if a person died in a tent

and someone went into that tent, they would be considered unclean because

they had entered the place where a person had died (verse 14). The law of

God stated that even the contents of an open jar found in a room where a

person died was unclean (verse 15). A person touching a dead body,

whether the person had died of natural causes or in a battle, was unclean.

Anyone who touched a human bone or a grave where a dead person was

buried needed to separate themselves from the whole community of Israel

for seven days (verses 11, 16). On the third day of separation, the individual

was to purify himself with the water of cleansing (the mixture of the ashes

of the red heifer and water). He was to do the same thing on the seventh day

(verse 12). Without this water of cleansing, the person would not become

clean. In fact, if he did not use this water of cleansing to purify himself, he

would be cut off from Israel (verse 13).

We learn from verse 17 that the ashes from the red heifer were put in a jar

and fresh water was poured over them. Someone who was ceremonially

clean would take a branch of hyssop, dip it in the water and sprinkle the

tent, its furnishings and every person who lived in it. He was also to

sprinkle the individual who had been defiled by the dead body (verses 17-

18). The unclean person was to be sprinkled in this manner on the third and

the seventh day of his separation. When the seven-day period of separation

was over the individual concerned was to wash his clothes and wait until

the evening when he could be ceremonially clean again. The person who

sprinkled the tent and the unclean person was himself unclean until the

evening.

What is important for us to note here is that there was a means provided by

God for the cleansing of an individual defiled through the touching of a

dead body. An animal was sacrificed outside the camp to cover this

defilement. Because there was provision made for the cleansing of this

defilement, God expected His people to take advantage of this to live lives

that were pure and undefiled before Him.

There are many things that can defile us in our day. We can speak hurtful

words that defile our mouths. We can think sinful thoughts that defile our

minds. We can do sinful things that defile our hands. We can watch things

that defile our eyes. There is a provision made for these defilements. The

Lord Jesus died outside the camp and His blood is sufficient to cleanse us

from the daily defilements of life. How important it is that we walk daily in

the cleansing He provides. Each day we need to trust in His sacrifice to

cover our defilements. It is by means of His blood that we can walk each

day in purity and holiness before the Father, cleansed of all our defilements

and sins.

For Consideration:

How is the red heifer, offered in this chapter, a picture of

Jesus and His work for us?

What kinds of things defile us today?

How important was it for the children of Israel to take

advantage of the provision of God for their cleansing?

Do you know people who have turned their backs on the

forgiveness of the Lord? What keeps them from accepting

His cleansing?

For Prayer:

Thank the Lord for the fact that He has provided for your

cleansing.

Ask the Lord to help you to live in His forgiveness and

cleansing on a daily basis.

Take a moment to pray for someone who has not yet accepted

the offer of forgiveness through the Lord Jesus. Ask God to

open their hearts to receive His forgiveness and cleansing.

19 - TROUBLE IN THE

DESERT

Read Numbers 20:1-2

here are times in our life when it seems that everything is going

wrong. Sometimes all these things seem to come at once. Numbers

20 speaks of such a time in the life of Moses. Even as the chosen

servant of God, he was not free from pain and regret in life.

Numbers 20 begins with the sad news of Miriam’s death. Miriam was the

sister of Moses and a very important female leader in Israel. This would

have been a very sad occasion for both Moses and his brother Aaron.

At the time of Miriam’s death the nation was in the Desert of Zin in the

region of Kadesh. Verse 2 tells us that there was no water in that region and

the community gathered “in opposition to Moses and Aaron” (verse 2). This

would have made their grieving for Miriam even worse.

Notice in verse 3 that the people “quarrelled” with Moses. They were angry

with him for leading them into a region where there was no water. In fact,

they told Moses that they would prefer to be dead like their brothers rather

than to be in this place without water. The reference to their dead brothers is

likely a reference to the rebellion of Korah, Dathan and Abiram in Numbers

16. After Korah and his followers revolted against Moses, the Lord opened

up the ground and swallowed them alive. The people who came to Moses

that day were openly defying God. They came in rebellion against the

leadership of Moses just as their brothers who had been killed by God, only

they didn’t care whether they died or not. In fact, they almost dared God to

take their lives because they detested their circumstances and did not like

where He had led them.

Notice in verses 4-5 that the people questioned why Moses had brought

them out of Egypt only to die in the desert. They described the place where

God had led them as a “terrible place” (verse 5, NIV). It was a place where

there was no grain, grapevines or pomegranates and certainly no water to

drink. They hated this place.

After the death of Miriam, the grumbling and rebellion of the people would

have been particularly difficult for Moses. As he usually did, Moses went to

the Lord to seek His wisdom. Where would we be if we could not, like

Moses, go to the Lord for wisdom? Notice that when Moses went to the

Lord, the Lord appeared to him and told him what he was to do (verse 6).

All too often we try to bear our burdens alone. We try to figure things out in

our own wisdom. Moses knew his wisdom was insufficient and chose to go

to the Lord. God met him and counselled him. He will do the same for us if

we wait on Him and seek His wisdom.

The solution to the problem the people were facing was really quite simple,

but it was not a solution that would ever have been discovered by human

wisdom. The Lord told Moses to take his staff and assemble the people

before a certain rock. Moses was to speak to the rock in front of the people

and God promised that when he did, water would pour out from the rock

and provide all the people and their livestock could drink.

In obedience to the Lord, Moses called the people to assemble before the

rock in Meribah. When everyone had gathered, Moses addressed them:

“Listen, you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock?” Notice two

things about these words of Moses in verse 10.

First, Moses calls the people rebels. He was angry with the people for their

rebellion against God. The people did not want God’s plan for them. They

were wandering in the desert because they had refused to take the land God

had promised them. They were grumbling against the leaders God had

given them. They longed to be back in the land of Egypt. These things

angered Moses and so he spoke of his people as rebels against God.

Notice second, that Moses asked the people if he would have to bring water

out of the rock for them to drink. In saying this, Moses seems to be

reminding the people that the Lord God they served was fully able to

provide their needs. He had given them manna each day. He had delivered

them from their enemies. He could now even bring enough water out of a

rock to quench the thirst of every person and animal in the entire nation.

God was the God of the impossible. Nothing was too difficult for him.

Moses was going to show his people just what God could do.

In verse 11, Moses raised his arm and struck the rock two times with his

staff and water gushed out. The whole community and their animals drank.

This was a tremendous blessing for the nation, but by striking the rock

instead of speaking to it, Moses had disobeyed the Lord’s direct command.

This angered God, and Moses and Aaron would suffer the consequences of

their disobedience. God told them in verse 12 that because they did not trust

Him enough to honour Him as holy before the Israelites, they would not

bring the nation into the Promised Land.

We can only imagine what this must have been like for Moses and Aaron.

They would die in the wilderness without ever stepping foot inside the land

God had promised His people. They would not see their people settle in the

land of Canaan. They would live out their days leading the people of God in

the wilderness. We all want to be able to see the fruit of our labours.

Imagine working all your life and never seeing the fulfilment of your

dream. Imagine working for over forty years on a project and not seeing it

completed. Imagine knowing that your whole ministry would be spent in a

desert wasteland. This is what the Lord was telling Moses would happen to

him because he had not honoured Him before the people that day.

So far in this chapter, we have seen how Moses had lost his sister, had to

deal with the rebellion of the whole nation against his leadership, and now

God told him that he would live out his days in the barren wilderness and

never physically enter the land God had promised his fathers. This would

have caused any normal person to give up and walk away. Moses does not

do this. He continues to serve faithfully despite these tremendous

discouragements.

Moses’ problems did not end there. In verses 14-21, Moses sent a message

to the king of Edom requesting permission for his people to pass through

their territory. He promised the king that they would simply pass through

the land but they would not drink water from their wells or go through their

vineyards (verse 17). Their intention was simply to pass through the land.

Moses also reminded the king of how difficult things had been from them in

Egypt but the Lord had sent His angel to deliver them (verse 15).

The king of Edom responded harshly toward Moses, telling him that if he

passed through his land, he would attack them with his army (verse 18).

When Israel heard this response they told the king of Edom that if their

animals even drank water from their land they would pay for it. They only

wanted to pass through their land and nothing else (verse 19). The Edomites

again refused to let the Israelites pass through their land. This time, to make

sure the Israelites understood that they were serious, they sent out their

powerful army against them; forcing Israel to turn away and go around their

territory (verse 21).

What is interesting to note here is that the God who brought water out of the

rock refused to give them favour with the Edomites or victory over their

army. While Moses and the Israelites wanted to pass through this territory,

the Lord had a different plan. There are times when we make our own

decisions and expect the Lord will bless what we have decided. There was

no question that the Lord could have given the Israelites victory over the

Edomites. He could have miraculously defeated Edom’s powerful army and

demonstrated His strength and mercy toward His people. This was not his

purpose. The unbelieving Edomites would watch God’s people retreat and

go deeper into the desert. There are times when we will have to retreat.

Moses led his unhappy people into the wilderness. This would be a

tremendous challenge for him. They had already been complaining about

his leadership and this would certainly not make things any easier.

The community set out from Kadesh and headed eastward toward Mount

Hor (verse 22). When they arrived in Mount Hor, the Lord spoke to Moses

and Aaron. That day, he told them that Aaron would die. Notice that the

reason Aaron would die was because of his part in what had happened at

Meribah when Moses struck the rock twice (verse 24). They were to take

Aaron’s son Eleazar and go up Mount Hor. Moses was then to take Aaron’s

priestly garments and put them on his son Eleazar who would take his place

in the service of the Lord (verse 26).

Moses obeyed the Lord and the three men went up the mountain in the sight

of all the people. There Moses put the priestly garments on Eleazar, and

Aaron died. It appears that they left Aaron on the mountain and Moses and

Eleazar returned alone. When the people of Israel heard that Aaron had

died, they mourned for him for thirty days (verse 29).

Consider what Moses has been going through in these days. He has lost his

sister. As he mourned for the death of his sister, the whole community of

Israel turned against him, telling him that they would rather see God strike

them dead than continue under his leadership. On top of that, God told

Moses that he would not let him go into the Promised Land but that the rest

of his ministry would be in the desert with a grumbling people. This was

due to a failure on the part of Moses to honour God before the people. If

you ever experienced public failure you know something of how humbling

this can be. The king of Edom refused to give them any support or

encouragement and stood against them, forcing the people to detour into the

desert. Moses is forced to walk away in what may have seemed to be

defeat. Now on top of this, the Lord took Aaron, his brother, co-worker and

faithful companion of many years. These were difficult days for Moses.

Many lesser men would have given up. Moses, however, continued to walk

faithfully and humbly before his God. He is a powerful example for us in

the trials we face in our day.

For Consideration:

Consider the response of the people in this passage to the

difficulties they were facing. Compare their reaction to that of

Moses. What is the difference?

Moses was guilty of not following the Lord’s instructions

completely. This led to God’s refusal to allow him to enter

the Promised Land. What does this teach us about the

importance of walking in complete obedience to the Lord?

Despite Moses’ disobedience, the Lord still provided water

for His people. What does this teach us about the mercy and

compassion of the Lord?

Does God promise that things will always be easy for us?

How do you respond when things are difficult? How is

Moses’ example an encouragement to you?

Have you ever found yourself asking God to bless your plans

and agendas instead of asking Him to lead you in His?

Explain.

For Prayer:

Ask the Lord to help you to walk faithfully with Him even

when things are difficult.

Confess to the Lord the times when you have not always

listened to Him and have chosen to walk in your own way.

Ask Him to help you to walk in complete obedience.

Thank the Lord that despite the fact that we have often failed

Him, He still blesses us despite the consequences of our sin.

20 - THE CONQUEST EAST

OF THE JORDAN

Read Numbers 21:1-35

ews of Israel’s presence in the desert spread. The people of the

region saw them as a threat and took an active stand against

them. We have an example of this in verse 1. When the king of

Arad heard that Israel was in his region, he attacked and was successful in

capturing some of them.

This attack caused the people to cry out to the Lord. That day, they made a

vow to Him saying that if He gave them victory over Arad and his people,

they would completely destroy their cities. God heard their cry and gave

them the victory they sought. Israel was faithful to their promise and

destroyed the people and their town. The place where Israel won this battle

would become known as Hormah which means “destruction.”

It is interesting to note that the attack of Arad caused God’s people to turn

to Him. God was pleased to show His power through His people that day

and give them the victory. Sometimes God needs to allow problems to come

our way before we seek Him and His victory. God’s people saw evidence of

the power of God at work. This was a foretaste of the great things He would

continue to do in them.

After that victory over King Arad, the Lord led His people along the route

to the Red Sea. Notice that it was God’s purpose that Israel travel around

Edom (verse 4). God gave His people victory over Arad but did not want

them to fight Edom. We cannot assume that we know God’s purpose. We

need to seek His direction for each new situation we encounter.

Notice also in verses 4-5 that the people of Israel grew “impatient on the

way.” This impatience revealed itself in their speaking out against Moses.

What is important for us to note is that not only was it important for the

people of God to see Him for each situation they encountered on their way

through the desert, but it was also important for them to wait on God’s

timing. Here in this verse, we see that the people of God were following the

leading of the Lord but they were not happy with His timing. How easy it is

for us to fall into this same trap.

As we seek to walk with the Lord, we must be careful not only to follow

His direction but also submit to His timing. While Israel was going in the

direction the Lord wanted them to go they failed because they were not

willing to wait on Him for His timing. All too many servants of God

become impatient with the Lord’s timing and fail to experience the fullness

of His blessing. Often their impatience will cause them to move from God’s

purpose and seek their own solution.

As we see from the context of this chapter, Israel’s impatience caused her to

become bitter with the Lord and Moses, His servant. In verse 5, they

grumbled against Him and expressed their discontent by speaking out

against both God and Moses saying:

Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the desert?

There is no bread! There is no water! And we detest this

miserable food!

Israel should have known better than to grumble and speak out against the

Lord and His servant. They had seen the Lord’s judgement in previous

times against this particular sin. Their impatience, however, caused them

not to care about this judgement. In their impatience, they carelessly risked

their lives.

In response to the complaints of God’s people, the Lord sent poisonous

snakes into their camp. These snakes bit the people and many of them died.

Seeing what was happening, the people cried out to God confessing their

sin and pleading with Him to take away the snakes. It is significant that the

people notice that the presence of these snakes was actually in punishment

for their sin. Their eyes were at least open to the fact that they were being

punished. The people knew that these snakes were from the Lord.

Moses prayed to the Lord for the people and the Lord told him what he was

to do. He commanded Moses to make a snake from bronze and put in on a

pole. Anyone who had been bitten and looked up to that pole would live

(verse 8-9). It is interesting that these snakes represented the judgement of

God on His people. A snake, as a symbol of God’s judgement was to be

lifted up on a pole so that anyone who looked to it would be healed and

live. This is in reality a wonderful picture of what the Lord Jesus did for us.

He took our judgement on Himself. He was lifted up on a pole (cross)

carrying our sins and died so that anyone who looked to Him could be

saved. In John 3:14-15, Jesus compared his crucifixion to the snake that

Moses lifted up that day in the wilderness:

(14) Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son

of Man must be lifted up, (15) that everyone who believes in

him may have eternal life.

While many did die as a result of these snakes, those who looked to the

snake on the pole were healed and experienced the forgiveness of the Lord.

God led His people from that place northward. They camped at Oboth, Iye

Abarim and the Zered Valley as they moved northward toward the territory

of the Moabites and the Amorites to the southeast of the land God had

promised them. A record of this route was found in a book called the Book

of the Wars of the Lord (verse 14). While this book was not part of Israel’s

Scriptures, it was obviously a reliable source of information on this account.

From the Valley of Zered, God led His people to the region of Beer where

He provided them water to drink (verse 16). It appears that Israel was quite

content to find water and so they sang a song about it. Notice that the song

tells us in verse 18 that the princes and nobles dug this well with sceptres

and staffs. We don’t have any clear indication as to why this well was dug

with sceptre and staffs, but it may be an indication of how easy it was to

find water in that region. Those digging did not have to use shovels but

were able to find the water close to the surface by uncovering it with their

staffs. This was indeed a real blessing from the Lord.

From the region of Beer, the Israelites continued to travel northward

through the desert and the regions of Mattanah and Hahaliel, finally

arriving at Bamoth in the valley of Moab. From there, they could see the

top of Mount Pisgah on the eastern side of the Jordan River across from the

city of Jericho (verses 19-20). They were now approaching the region of the

Amorites under the leadership of King Sihon.

As they arrived in the region of the Amorites, Israel sent messengers to

their king asking permission to pass through his country. They promised

that they would not take or eat anything from the fields or vines in his

country as they passed through nor would they drink water from any well.

They were simply passing through his country by way of the king’s

highway northward (verses 21-22).

When King Sihon heard that Israel wanted to pass through his land he

gathered his army and marched out against them (verse 23). A battle took

place in the region of Jahaz. That day, the Lord gave victory to Israel and

they defeated Sihon and his army and took control of a territory from the

Arnon River to the River Jabbok (a piece of land about 80 kilometres or 50

miles north to south on the east side of the Jordan River). Israel captured all

the cities of the Amorites and their surrounding settlements. They put King

Sihon to death and occupied the city of Heshbon where he had lived.

It should be noted that Sihon had fought against the nation of Moab (to the

south) and had successfully taken this piece of land for his own people (see

verse 26). A poem was written about the victory of Sihon over the king of

Moab. That poem is recorded in verses 27-30

Come to Heshbon and let it be rebuilt;

let Sihon's city be restored.

Fire went out from Heshbon,

a blaze from the city of Sihon.

It consumed Ar of Moab,

the citizens of Arnon's heights.

Woe to you, O Moab!

You are destroyed, O people of Chemosh!

He has given up his sons as fugitives

and his daughters as captives

to Sihon king of the Amorites.

But we have overthrown them;

Heshbon is destroyed all the way to Dibon.

We have demolished them as far as Nophah,

which extends to Medeba.

This poem was written to honour King Sihon and his great victory over

Moab. It speaks of how Sihon went out like a great fire and consumed

Moab, destroying the people who worshipped the god Chemosh. He took

their sons and daughters captive and overthrew the king of Moab

demolishing any resistance and taking over his land. It was this great king,

of whom songs were written, that Israel conquered that day. God gave them

victory not over an insignificant king but one who had already

demonstrated his power and might in that region.

God also gave Israel victory over the Amorites who lived in the region of

Jazer (verse 32). They continued northward toward the region of Bashan.

When Og, the king of Bashan, heard that Israel was marching toward his

land he sent out his army against them as well. He reached them in region

of Edrei (verse 33).

God promised Moses that He would give Israel victory over Og and his

army. Israel was to do to Og what he had done to Sihon, completely

destroying him (verse 34). By completely destroying this people, they

would not be a temptation to Israel. Verse 35 tells us that Israel obeyed the

Lord in this matter and struck down the army of Og, leaving no survivors.

They then took possession of his land extending the territory they controlled

possibly another 80 kilometres (50 miles) northward on the eastern side of

the Jordan River.

For Consideration:

In this chapter, we see how the Lord God gave His people

victory over three nations (Arad, Amorites, and Bashan). On

each occasion it was the will of the Lord that the Israelites

completely destroy these nations. Why do you suppose it was

so important for Israel to completely destroy their enemies?

How important is it that we seek complete victory over our

sin and its strongholds in our lives? Is God willing to give

you more victory than you have right now?

We learn in this passage that not only is it important that we

follow the direction of the Lord but also that we learn to wait

on His timing. Have you ever become impatient as you

waited on the Lord? What is the temptation when we become

impatient?

How was the bronze snake Moses put on the pole a symbol of

the Lord Jesus and His work?

For Prayer:

Ask the Lord to show you if there are areas in your life where

you need further victory. Ask Him to give you that victory.

Ask the Lord to give you more patience as you wait on His

timing in your life.

Thank the Lord that He took our judgement on Himself and

went to the cross so that we could be forgiven and healed

from the consequences of sin.

21 - BALAK AND

BALAAM

Read Numbers 22:1-41

he Israelites continued their journey on the eastern side of the

Jordan River where they camped just across the Jordan from

Jericho in the plains of Moab (verse 1). Their presence did not go

unnoticed by Balak the king of Moab. He had seen how Israel had defeated

the Amorites and was very afraid. It should be remembered that the

Amorite king Sihon had defeated Moab and taken their land. Now that

Israel had defeated Sihon, Balak had cause for fear. In fact, we read in verse

3 that the whole nation of Moab was afraid because of the presence of Israel

in their midst. They feared that Israel was going to gobble them up like an

ox eating grass. They knew they would not be able to stand against the

Israelites and feared that they would lose their land and their lives. The

people of Moab expressed this fear to their leaders (verse 4)

King Balak believed he could not fight the Israelites and win. He had seen

how they had destroyed their enemy, the Amorites and did not want to

engage them in battle. He decided, therefore, to take another path. He sent

messengers to a pagan prophet by the name of Balaam who lived in the

region of Pethor. He told his messengers to tell Balaam that a people had

come out of Egypt and had settled next to him. He wanted Balaam to come

and curse the people because they were too powerful for him to defeat.

Verse 6 tells us that the reasoning behind putting a curse on the people of

Israel was to gain an advantage over them so that Balak could drive them

out of the country. Balak shows his confidence in Balaam’s spiritual powers

when he told him: “For I know that those you bless are blessed, and those

you curse are cursed.”

Apparently Balaam was a well-known and respected prophet in the region.

As a prophet or holy man, he had likely been hired to pronounce blessings

or put curses on a number of people. He had obviously gained a reputation

in the region for his craft.

Notice in verse 7 that the elders of Moab and the region of Midian went to

find Balaam and brought with them “the fee for divination.” We should

notice two things here. First, Balaam made his money by blessing or

cursing people. Second, the term “divination” shows us the nature of what

Balaam did. Throughout the Old Testament the word is connected with

witchcraft, sorcery and magic. In fact, in Leviticus 19:26, God gave strict

orders not to practice divination. We see from this, therefore, that Balaam

made his money by practicing something that God strictly forbade in His

law.

When the messengers arrived and brought the message from King Balak,

Balaam told them that he would consult the Lord, bring them back and

answer (verse 8). While it was likely that Balaam had consulted many

different gods in his career as a diviner, it is interesting to note that he

chooses to consult the God of the nation he was going to curse before

responding to King Balak’s messengers.

While Balaam was not a true prophet of the Lord, the Lord did appear to

him. God was certainly concerned about His people and what King Balak

intended to do to them. When He appeared to Balaam, God asked Him what

these men had come to him about (verse 9). Balaam explained that Balak

had asked him to curse the Israelites so he would be able to drive them

away (verse 11). God told Balaam that he was not to go with Balak’s

messengers or put a curse on Israel. Balaam listened to the Lord God and

the next morning told Balak’s messengers that he would not return with

them to the king (verse 13). The men returned to King Balak with Balaam’s

response (verse 14).

Balak was not happy with Balaam’s refusal and sent a larger and more

distinguished group of princes and leaders to see him again. These

distinguished messengers showed Balaam just how important it was that he

return with the king. The security of the nation of Moab was at stake. King

Balak told Balaam that he was not to let anything keep him from coming to

him. He promised that he would pay him very well for his services (verses

15-17). King Balak stood against the Lord God of Israel in this statement. It

was the Lord who told Balaam not to return. The king is literally telling

Balaam to ignore the word of the Lord and come anyway.

Notice the response of Balaam to this important delegation that had been

sent to him. In verse 18, he told them that even if King Balak gave him his

palace filled with gold and silver he would not to anything contrary to the

command of the Lord God. He asked the messengers to stay there that night

until he could again consult the Lord (verse 19).

That night, the Lord God appeared again to Balaam. This time God told him

that he was to go with them but he was to be careful only to do what the

Lord told him to do. Notice the words of the Lord here, “Since these men

have come to summon you, go.” We get the impression that it was because

of King Balak’s insistence that God allowed Balaam to go. There are times

God will give us what we insist on having. He gave Israel an earthly king

when He wanted to be their King Himself. He did this after they insisted

that they needed to have a king like the rest of the nations. He allowed His

people to reject Him as King and gave them what they asked for, but Israel

paid the price for their rebellion. King Balak would receive what he asked

for, but things would not turn out the way he expected.

In the morning, Balaam saddled his donkey and went with the messengers

from Moab (verse 21). Notice, however, in verse 22 that the Lord was very

angry when he went and sent an angel to oppose him. We are left to wonder

why the Lord was angry. One thing is sure, while God allowed Balaam to

go, He was not pleased with the reason King Balak had called for him. God

did not make the way easy for Balaam and the king’s servants as they

returned. The Lord sent an angel to “oppose him.” The opposition here was

not because God had changed His mind but because he wanted to teach

Balaam a lesson.

Balaam was riding his donkey. The angel of the Lord stood in the road with

a sword in his hand. When the donkey saw the angel, it turned off the road

and went into the field. Balaam did not see the angel and was angered

because his donkey had strayed from the path. He beat her to get her back

on the road (verse 23).

The angel then moved from that place to a narrow path between two

vineyards with walls on both sides. As Balaam and his donkey continued

their route, they arrived at this second place where the angel of the Lord

stood. Again Balaam did not see the angel but the donkey did. This time, to

avoid the angel of the Lord, the donkey pressed close to the wall crushing

Balaam’s foot. Again Balaam became very angry with the donkey and beat

her (verses 24-25).

As he did the first time, the angel of the Lord moved again to another

location farther down the road. This time the angel stood in a very narrow

place where there was no room for the donkey to turn off the road or to get

around him (verse 26). When Balaam and the donkey arrived at this third

location the donkey saw that there was no way of getting around the angel

so she lay down on the road and refused to move forward. Again Balaam

did not see the angel of the Lord and became very angry with the donkey.

For the third time he beat her with his staff.

It is interesting to note that as a prophet and diviner, Balaam did not see the

angel. It is also interesting to note that he did not read anything from the

fact that the donkey had turned from the path and now was refusing to

move forward. As a diviner, he interpreted strange events and occurrences

but here for some reason his eyes were closed and he could not see any

significance to what the donkey had been doing.

God made things clearer to Balaam in verse 28 by opening the mouth of his

donkey so that she spoke to him. The donkey asked Balaam why he had

beaten her these three times. Balaam told her that it was because she had

made a fool of him and if he had a sword he would have killed her (verse

29). Verse 21 tells us that Balaam was travelling with the princes of Moab.

He also had some servants with him. It may be that Balaam was quite

embarrassed before these important officials by the behaviour of his

donkey.

In verse 30, the donkey asked Balaam if she had ever behaved this way

before. Balaam knew that his donkey usually was a well behaved donkey

and responded by saying, “No.” This would have given Balaam occasion to

think. Why had the donkey been acting so strangely? What did all of this

mean as he embarked on this journey to Moab?

As Balaam reflected on these things, the Lord opened his eyes so he could

see the angel of the Lord standing on the road with his sword drawn. When

he saw this, he fell face down before the angel (verse 31).

As Balaam lay face down on the ground, the angel of the Lord spoke to

him. He asked him why he had beaten his donkey those three times. The

angel told Balaam that he had come to oppose him because the path he was

on was a “reckless one.” The angel went on to tell Balaam that the donkey

had actually saved his life because if she had approached the angel, Balaam

would have been killed. When Balaam heard this, he confessed that he had

sinned because he did not know the angel had been in the road opposing

him. He told the angel that if he was displeased with his path, he would

even now return home (verse 34).

There are some very important details we need to see here in these verses.

Notice that the angel opposed Balaam. Balaam had left, according to verse

20, with the Lord’s permission and direction. God told him to go with the

princes of Moab. Balaam had made it quite clear to them in verse 18 that he

would not go with them unless the Lord made it clear that this is what he

was to do. Even in verse 34, when his eyes were opened to see the angel

opposing him, he told the Lord that he would return to his home without

going to see King Balak; if this is what he was asking him to do. The angel

of the Lord, however, told Balaam that he was to continue his path but only

speak what God told him to speak. From this, we understand that Balaam

was following what he knew to be the will of the Lord by going to see King

Balak. The question we need to answer here is why then did the angel of the

Lord oppose him?

Some have suggested that it was because Balaam was greedy or because he

secretly wanted to curse the Israelites. This does not seem to be the case as

Balaam had clearly refused the messengers who came the first time and told

the second group that even if the king offered them his palace filled with

gold and silver he would not go unless the Lord God told him to go. After

meeting the angel of the Lord, Balaam seemed to be quite willing to return

to his home and not follow the leaders of Moab. This indicates that he

wanted to do what God told him to do and was not rebelliously going to

Moab because of any secret desire to curse God’s people.

The opposition from the angel of the Lord and the incident with the donkey

seem to be God’s way of reminding and warning Balaam of the dangerous

path he was on. King Balak was expecting him to stand against God and his

people. Balak would offer Balaam great riches and wealth if he would curse

the Israelites. Balaam would have a place of honour in Moab if he obeyed

the king and Israel was successfully driven out of the land. There would be

great temptations ahead for Balaam. If he gave in to those temptations, he

would face the anger of the angel of the Lord who opposed him.

Sometimes God calls us into dangerous situations. This is the nature of

spiritual battle. There are times when we will have to face serious

temptations in life. In these times, we are going to have to be very strong

and cling to the Lord and His Word. Sometimes we will have to tread on

Satan’s territory and we will face his opposition and temptations. Balaam

was going into enemy territory. We can be sure that Satan was very much

aware of King Balak’s desire to curse the people of Israel. He would do his

utmost to bring that about.

In times of temptation and difficulty, many have fallen. We see David

standing on the balcony of his palace looking down at Bathsheba and

lusting after her. We see Peter denying Jesus before the group warming

themselves at the fire during Jesus’ trial. These men faced serious

temptation and dishonoured their Lord by falling. God was sending Balaam

into the midst of a great spiritual battle and the temptations would be great.

God did not send His angel to keep Balaam from going to Moab but to warn

him of the seriousness of not doing and saying exactly what God gave him

to say.

King Balak was very happy to hear that Balaam had agreed to come to see

him. In fact, he was so happy to see him that he went out to meet him. This

was not the usual behaviour for a king. Generally the person invited would

meet the king on his own terms. Balak does not wait for Balaam to come to

him. He goes out to meet him personally at the border of his territory.

Notice that Balak questions Balaam about why it took him so long to come

to him and why he had refused to come the first time. It appears from this

that King Balak is very worried about the presence of Israel. Notice also

that Balak reminds Balaam that he was able to reward him for his work.

Balaam would receive a very rich reward for his services in cursing the

people of Israel. This would be a temptation for many to compromise, but

Balaam makes it quite clear to the king that he could only speak what the

Lord put on his mouth to speak (verse 38).

On that day, Balak sacrificed cattle and sheep and gave the meat to Balaam

and those who had been travelling with him. They would obviously be

hungry from their trip. The next morning, Balak took Balaam to the region

of Bamoth Baal where he could see part of the nation of Israel camped in

the distance (verse s 40-41). The test of whether Balaam would obey the

Lord was about to take place.

For Consideration:

Notice Moab’s fear of the people of God when they

recognized that the favour of God was on them. Do people

see the favour of God on you today? Is there evidence that

God is with you?

Balaam sought the Lord’s will before going with the

messengers from Moab. Do you seek the will of the Lord in

what you do? How easy is it for us to do what will work best

for us without seeking the Lord’s will?

Did Balaam disobey the Lord by going with King Balak’s

messengers? Why did the angel of the Lord oppose Balaam?

What are the temptations you face in your life and ministry?

For Prayer:

Thank the Lord that He loves you and has forgiven your sin.

Ask Him to enable you to demonstrate His love and power

through your life.

Are you where God wants you to be? Ask the Lord to show

you His clear purpose for your life. Ask Him to help you to

walk faithfully in that purpose.

Ask the Lord to show you the areas where you have been

compromised in your walk with Him and in your ministry.

Ask Him to give you victory over the temptations you face so

that you can be a faithful servant.

22 - BALAAM'S

PROPHECIES

Read Numbers 23:1-24:25

alaam was now with King Balak of Moab. He had been invited to

curse the nation of Israel. It was Balak’s hope that if Balaam

cursed Israel, he would be able to drive them away from his

country.

In Numbers 22:41, King Balak took Balaam to the region of Bamoth Baal.

The name literally means “the high places of Baal.” Balak takes Balaam

into a place obviously known for its worship of the god Baal.

When they arrived in Bamoth Baal, Balaam asked King Balak to build him

seven altars and prepare a bull and a ram for each altar. When sacrifices

were also offered in the worship of God, they were done only by the priest.

The sacrifice offered here was not in accordance with the Law of Moses but

was likely intended to gain some favour with God.

When the rams and the bulls had been offered to the Lord, Balaam told

King Balak to remain beside the offerings while he went to meet with the

Lord. He told the king that he would tell him whatever the God of Israel

revealed to him. Balaam then left the king and went off to a barren place to

see what God would tell him (verse 3).

God did meet with Balaam. In verse 4, Balaam told the Lord that he had

prepared seven altars for Him and he had offered a bull and a ram on each

one. While we have no record of God saying anything about the offerings,

He did give Balaam a message for the king (verse 5).

When Balaam returned to the king, who was waiting with his officials by

the altars, Balaam opened his mouth and spoke what the Lord had given

him. We have a record of this in verses 7-10. In these verses, Balaam speaks

of how King Balak had brought him from his place in Aram to curse the

people of Israel. Balaam told King Balak and his officials that day that he

could not curse those whom God had not cursed (verse 8). In fact, Israel

was blessed by God in number and their end would be glorious. Balaam

only wished that his life would end with the blessing God’s people would

experience (verse 10).

Obviously, these were not the words that King Balak and his officials

wanted to hear. Balak was angry with Balaam, telling him that he had

brought him to Moab so he could curse his enemies but he had only blessed

them. Balaam reminded the king, however, that he could only speak what

the Lord gave him to speak.

King Balak decided to take Balaam to another place where he would only

see part of the nation of Israel. He took him to the field of Zophim on top of

Mount Pisgah. There they built another seven altars and offered a bull and a

ram on each of them as before (verses 13-14).

As he did the first time, Balaam told the king and his officials to remain

beside the altar while he went to meet with the Lord God. For the second

time, God gave Balaam a message to bring back to the king. When Balaam

returned, Balak was anxious to hear what the Lord had said this time.

Balaam’s answer is found in verses 18-24. In these verses, Balaam told

King Balak that the Lord God did not lie or change His mind (verse 18). He

had received a command to bless Israel and he could not change that (verse

20). There was no misfortune seen for Israel. Their God was with them

(verse 21). He had brought them out of Egypt and made them as strong as a

wild ox (verse 22). There would be no sorcery against them (verse 23). In

fact, as a people they were like a lioness who would wake up and hunt

down it prey until she had completely devoured them (verse 24).

Once again Balak is frustrated with Balaam. Balaam remains firm, however,

and reminded the king that he would only speak what the Lord God told

him to speak (verse 26).

King Balak was not willing to give up. He decided that he would take

Balaam to a third location. This location was on the top of Mount Peor and

overlooked a wasteland (verse 28). Obviously, the king believed that if he

could get the circumstances right, God would give Balaam another

message. He was hoping that seeing the wasteland would inspire Balaam to

bring a curse on Israel.

For the third time seven altars were built and another seven rams and bulls

were offered on those altars (verses 29-30). This time, however, Balaam did

not go aside to consult the Lord. Notice in Numbers 24:1 that he did not

resort to sorcery as he had done the other times when he spoke to the Lord.

We are not told what Balaam did or what the nature of that sorcery was but

it is astonishing that the Lord seemed to overlook those things to

communicate His message to Balaam.

This time Balaam turned his face toward the desert and tribes of Israel

camped there. As he looked out over them the Spirit of God came on him

and he spoke to Balak for the third time. He reminded King Balak that as a

prophet he could see clearly the purpose of the Lord for His people (verses

3-4). They were a beautiful people blessed of God. They spread out like

fertile valleys and well-watered gardens planted by the Lord (verse 5-6).

Their king would be greater than King Agag (a well-known and powerful

Amalekite king) and the nation of Israel would be exalted (verse 7). The

God of Israel had brought them out of Egypt and He had given them the

strength of an ox. They would devour nations, breaking their bones in

pieces and pierce them with their arrows (verse 8). Balaam compared Israel

to a sleeping lion. Whoever dared to wake such a lion would suffer the

consequences. Anyone who blessed Israel would be blessed but anyone

who cursed them would themselves be cursed (verse 9).

When he heard these words of Balaam, King Balak was very angry with

him. Striking his hands together in anger, Balak reminded Balaam that he

had asked him to curse his enemy but he had blessed them three times. He

told him to leave, reminding him that the Lord had kept him from receiving

the rich reward he was going to give him for cursing Israel. Balaam,

reminded the king, however, that he had already told his messengers that

even if the king had offered him his palace filled with gold and silver he

would not speak contrary the command of the Lord. He could only speak

what God had given him to speak (23:12-13). Before leaving the king,

however, Balaam prophesied to him about what the Israelites would do to

him in the days to come. In this prophecy, he also has words to speak to a

number of nations in that region. Let’s take a look at this prophecy as

recorded in verses 15-24.

Prophecy About Moab (24:15-17)

In verses 15-17, Balaam spoke to King Balak and told him what would

happen to his nation in the future. He began by reminding the king that as a

prophet he saw these things clearly (verse 15-16). Notice in verse 17 that

the prophecy would not be fulfilled for some time. The time was coming

when a “star” or “sceptre” would come out of Jacob and crush the foreheads

of Moab and the skulls of the sons of Sheth (believed to be a Moabite

leader). In other words, a great leader would come from Israel and conquer

the nation of Moab. Throughout the history of Israel in the Old Testament

there would be war between Israel and Moab. God promised, however, that

His people would one day defeat them.

Prophecy About Edom (24:18-19)

Speaking about the nation of Edom (the descendants of Esau), Balaak

prophesied that they would be conquered, while Israel would grow stronger.

A ruler would come out of Israel and destroy the survivors of their city. We

read in 2 Samuel 8:14 that King David would eventually bring Edom into

submission:

(13) And David became famous after he returned from striking

down eighteen thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt. (14) He

put garrisons throughout Edom, and all the Edomites became

subject to David. The LORD gave David victory wherever he

went.

Prophecy About Amalek (24:20)

In verse 20, Balaam spoke about Amalek the leader of the Amalekites and

told him that while he had occupied an important position among the

nations he would come to ruin. This nation had attacked God’s people as

they wandered in the desert. The Amalekites would be a constant enemy to

Israel throughout a good part of the Old Testament. 1 Samuel 14:47-48

recounts how Saul fought and defeated the Amalekites. King David also

fought against the Amalekites. It would not be until the reign of Hezekiah

however that the Amalekites would be completely destroyed (see 1

Chronicles 4:41-43) just as Balaam had predicted.

Prophecy About The Kenites (24:21-22)

Balak prophesied in Numbers 24:21-22 about the Kenite people. He told

them that while their dwelling place was secure and they lived in the rocks,

they would be taken captive by Asshur. Asshur was the son of Shem whose

descendant would become known as the Assyrians. These Assyrians would

conquer the Kenites and take them captive with them back to their nation.

Prophecy About Asshur (24:23-24)

The final prophecy Balaam spoke was about Asshur or the Assyrians who

would capture the Kenites. He prophesied that the day was coming when

ships would come from Kittim (located in the Mediterranean Sea in the

region of Greece and Italy. These ships would subdue Asshur (Assyrians)

so that they too would come to ruin. Historically, the Greeks and the

Romans would conquer the Assyrians. Notice, however, that those nations

that destroyed Assyria (Greeks and Romans) would themselves come to

ruin (verse 24).

Balaam’s prophesy predicted the ruin of many nations. These prophecies

would come true just as he predicted. When he had finished speaking,

Balaam left King Balak and returned to his home. He received no payment

for his services but he had faithfully proclaimed the truth that God had

given him to speak.

For Consideration:

What evidence do we have in these chapters that Balaam was

not familiar with the laws of God? Despite his lack of

understanding and his pagan ways, how does God use him?

Is God restricted to only using people whose lives are

completely in tune with His purposes?

What risk does Balaam take in speaking only the truth of

God’s word to King Balak? What does he sacrifice for

speaking the truth? Are you willing to take such risks and

make the same sacrifices?

What do Balaam’s prophecies teach us about how God sees

and cares for His people? Were the Israelites always walking

in obedience to the Lord God? How would you describe their

spiritual lives at this time? What does this teach us about

God’s faithfulness despite our unfaithfulness?

For Prayer:

Thank the Lord that He is willing to use us even when our

lives are not perfect.

Ask the Lord to give you more courage to speak and live out

His truth in your life, even when it costs you something to do

so.

Thank the Lord for His wonderful purpose and protection.

Thank Him for His mercy and that He continues to be faithful

to us even when we fail Him.

23 - SIN, JUDGMENT AND

BLESSING

Read Numbers 25:1-26:65

hrough Balaam, the Lord God had promised great blessing for His

people. They would become a powerful nation. Balaam had seen

God’s blessing on the Israelites. It is important that we realize that

while the blessing of God was indeed on His people, they were far from

perfect. After the glorious picture of Israel painted by Balaam we see

deeper into the reality of what the nation was really like in chapter 25.

While in the region of Shittim, the Israelite men became involved in sexual

immorality with the Moabite women. These women invited them to make

sacrifices to their gods. As a result, the people of Israel turned from the true

God to eating food sacrificed to idols. It is interesting to note Revelation

2:14 in this regard. Speaking to the church in Pergamum the Lord Jesus

said:

Nevertheless, I have a few things against you: You have people

there who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to

entice the Israelites to sin by eating food sacrificed to idols and

by committing sexual immorality.

There are two important details we need to see from this passage in

Revelation. First, notice that Numbers does not present the whole picture of

what Balaam did. He was not as honest a man as we may have pictured

from his story in Numbers 23-24. Revelation 2:14 tells us that he taught

King Balak how to entice the Israelites to sin by eating food sacrificed to

idols and committing sexual immorality. What was taking place in Israel

now was the fruit of Balaam’s efforts.

Notice second that Israel, who was blessed by God and about whom

Balaam had prophesied a glorious future, was unworthy of such blessing.

As a nation they often fell into sin and rebellion against God. The blessing

of God on their lives was unmerited. Despite their shortcomings, the Lord

God had a wonderful plan for them. He would be faithful to His promise

even when they were unfaithful to Him.

While God’s blessing was on the nation, their sin and rebellion did anger

Him. God would judge them severely for turning from Him to worship the

Baal of Peor. In verse 4, the Lord told Moses to kill the leaders who had

turned from Him and expose their dead bodies to the nation in broad

daylight (verse 4). These leaders were turning God’s people from Him. The

exposing of their bodies would be a reminder to the people of their sin and

God’s judgement. We learn also from verse 9 that the Lord sent a plague

against His people. While the leaders were killed by the sword, the people

themselves were dying as a result of the plague. Verse 9 tells us that this

plague killed 24,000 people before it was stopped.

This great judgement of God brought the people to their knees. In verse 6,

they gathered at the entrance to the tabernacle and wept. As they grieved

over the judgement of God for their sin, an Israelite, by the name of Zimri

took a Midianite woman and brought her into his tent (likely to have a

sexual relation with her). The context tells us that he did this in front of

Moses and the assembly that had gathered that day. Zimri was the head of

the Simeonite family (verse 14). He was an important leader in the nation.

As leader, he should have been with the people of God seeking forgiveness,

but he chose to openly defy the Lord. The Midianite woman he was with

that day was Cozbi, the daughter of a Midianite tribal chief. She too was a

person of influence.

When Phinehas, the son of Eleazar the priest, saw what Zimri and Cozbi

were doing, he followed them into the tent. He then drove the spear through

Zimri and into Cozbi’s body, killing them both (verse 7). His action stopped

the plague against Israel and appeased the wrath of God (verses 8-9). We

should note that killing these two individuals would not be a simple matter.

Phinehas was killing a tribal leader in Israel and the daughter of a tribal

leader in Midian. He did not know what the consequences would be, but he

knew that they were openly defying the Lord God and needed to be

stopped.

God was pleased with Phinehas. He saw how zealous he was for the glory

of God and promised that His peace would be on him and his family. The

actions of Phinehas actually saved the nation from greater destruction. Who

knows how many more people would have died had Phinehas not acted for

the glory of God in this matter.

It is one thing for us to grieve over the judgement of God and quite another

to do something about it. As Israel grieved, the sin and immorality

continued in their camp, driving away the presence of God and continuing

to stir up His anger. Something needed to be done to stop the sin. Phinehas

not only grieved about the evil in the camp, he took action to stop it. There

are times when we need to do more than just repent and grieve over the

condition of our nation. Sometimes God calls us to do something to stop the

things that grieve His heart.

It is uncertain what the response of Cozbi’s father, the tribal leader of

Midian was to Phinehas. It is interesting to note, however, that the Lord told

Moses that Israel was to treat the Midianites as enemies and kill them. They

had deceived and mislead Israel into sin (verses 16-18). Israel was to

completely cut off all ties with the Midianites, treat them as enemies and

destroy them because they had been turning them away from their God.

After the plague had stopped, the Lord asked Moses and Eleazar the priest

to take a census of all the Israelite families. They were to count those who

were twenty years old and older (26:1-4). This is now the second census

Moses took. The first census was in Numbers 1 when the people began their

journey. Notice what this second census revealed.

Tribe Verse 2nd

Census

1st

Census

Comment

Reuben 5-11 43,730 46,500 Some

descendants

were lost when

the earth

swallowed them

(see Numbers

16)

Simeon 12-14 22,200 59,300

Gad 15-18 40,500 45,650

Judah 19-22 76,500 74,600

Issachar 23-25 64,300 54,400

Zebulun 26-27 60,500 57,400

Manasseh 28-34 52,700 32,200

Zelophehad had

no sons so his

daughters are

listed in verse 33

Ephraim 35-37 32,500 40,500

Benjamin 37-41 46,500 35,400

Dan 42-43 64,400 62,700

All the

descendants of

Dan numbered

were from one

clan (the

Shuhamites)

Asher 44-47 53,400 41,500

Naphtali 48-51 45, 400 53,400

TOTALS 601, 730 603,550

Overall, the number of men 20 years and older had declined by 1,820 over

their years of wandering in the desert. Much of this had to do with the

judgement of God on them for their sin and rebellion.

The census of men over twenty years of age was to determine how many

men were able to fight for Israel. God was going to take His people across

the Jordan into the land He had promised and so these men were counted

and made ready for the battles that would be coming. God told Moses in

verses 52-56 that when He took the people across the Jordan to conquer the

land of Canaan, the territory would be given to each tribe based on this

census. The larger tribes would receive a larger portion and the smaller

tribes would receive a smaller piece of land.

The Levites were counted separate from the rest of the people because they

were not to be part of the army. They were to devote themselves to the

service of the Lord at the tabernacle. When a census was taken of the

Levites every male one month of age and older was numbered (as opposed

to 20 years old for the rest of the tribes). The total number of Levites

counted at that time was 23,000 (verse 62).

One of the punishments God imposed on His people was that not one of

them aged twenty and up would ever see the land He had promised their

fathers (see Numbers 14:20-23). When the census was completed, it was

discovered that not one of those numbered in the first census was alive,

with the exception of Caleb and Joshua. All had been fulfilled as God had

said and now the He was preparing His people to inherit their land.

What is particularly interesting about these two chapters is that they remind

us of the true nature of the people God was going to bless with this land.

They were like their parents who had sinned against God and died in the

desert. They fell into idolatry and sexual immorality. They were easily

tempted to stray from God and His principles. Despite their failures, God

was going to do a wonderful work in their midst. He would bless them even

though they were unworthy of that blessing.

For Consideration:

We discover that Balaam taught King Balak how to entice

Israel to sexual immorality and idolatry. Is this a problem

among believers today? What does idolatry look like today?

In this chapter, how does God punish His people for their sin?

Did this punishment mean that He had forsaken His people

and His promises toward them as a nation?

Does God punish us for our sins today? Is there evidence of

this in your society?

Do God’s blessings depend on our worthiness to receive

them? Have you experienced God’s blessing in your

unworthiness.

For Prayer:

Ask the Lord to protect you from immorality and idolatry in

all its forms.

Thank the Lord that He does not forget His promises when

He punishes us for our sin.

Thank the Lord that His blessings do not depend on our

worthiness to receive them.

Thank the Lord that despite our failures, He is still able to use

us.

Ask the Lord to help you to learn the lessons He wants to

teach you through His discipline and punishment of sin.

24 - MOSES PREPARES TO

DIE

Read Numbers 27:1-22

n Numbers 20:12, the Lord told Moses that he would not be the one to

lead the people into the land he had promised their fathers. The time

was fast approaching when God would bring His people into that land.

Before this happened, however, there were a few more things Moses needed

to do.

In Numbers 27, the daughters of Zelophehad came to Moses with a

particular problem they felt needed to be resolved. The daughters of

Zelophehad were from the tribe of Manasseh (verse 1). Their names were

Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah and Tirzah. Notice in verse 2 that Eleazar

the priest and the leaders were all present that day when they came with

their problem to Moses.

In verse 3, the ladies explained that their father had died in the desert.

While he had not been among the followers of Korah, who revolted against

Moses, he suffered a similar fate because of his own sin against God. When

he died, he had no male heir. In Old Testament times, the father’s

inheritance was passed on to his sons. Daughters did not receive an

inheritance. This meant that their father’s property would be taken from

them and given to the nearest male relative. There would be no more

remembrance of their father's name in the land and his daughters would be

left with nothing.

In verse 4, the daughters of Zelophehad pleaded with Moses to allow them

to have some property in the land; not only to carry on their father’s name

but also so that they would not be taken from their home and land.

It was quite important in Old Testament times that every family line

continue. Each family was important and it was a terrible thing to have any

family die without descendants. The name of the family continued through

the sons and through the property they held in the family name. While there

were no more sons to carry on Zelophehad’s name, the desire of his

daughters was that their father's name continue by means of his property.

Moses brought the case of Zelophehad’s daughters to the Lord in verse 5.

The Lord told him that what these women were saying was right. They

were to have their father’s property as their inheritance (verse 7). That day,

the Lord gave Moses a law regarding the transfer of inheritance when a

father died without a son.

God told Moses that if a man died without a son, his inheritance was then to

be turned over to his daughters (verse 8). If there were no daughters then

the following rules were to be applied:

If a man had no son, the inheritance was to go to his daughter

(verse 8)

If a man had no son or daughter, the inheritance would go to

his brothers (verse 9)

If a man had no brothers, the inheritance would go to his

uncles (verse 10)

If a man had no uncles, the inheritance would go to the

nearest relative in his clan (verse 11)

We can only imagine how encouraging this would have been for these

women. God had seen their need and responded to their request. They were

important in His eyes and so was their family. Admittedly, their father had

died because he had sinned against the Lord, but the Lord had not forgotten

them. Through Moses, God provided for the needs of these women and

every woman in a similar situation after them.

The daughters of Zelophehad give us an example to follow. They came to

Moses and to the Lord with their need. They could have just simply

accepted the way things were, but they didn’t. They wanted to see a change

and so they stood before Moses and the leaders of their community and

presented their case. They did not riot or revolt, they simply presented their

case and God answered.

We need to understand that this law regarding the right of the daughter was

not something God had overlooked. God knows all things and is concerned

for every person in society and their needs. He also expects that we have a

role to play as well, however. He did not give this law to protect the rights

of these women until the women came to Him and presented their case.

James 4:2 tells us that we often do not have because we do not ask. There

are things that God wants to give but He will not do so until we come to

Him and ask. There are things that God intends to do, but He will not do so

until we step out in faith. This is often how God works. We have the

privilege, like the daughters of Zelophehad, of taking steps of faith and

watching God work in response. May God give us more believers today like

these daughters of Zelophehad.

In verse 12, God told Moses to go up on the mountain in the Abarim range.

On that mountain he would look down on the Promised Land. God told

Moses that when he had seen the land he would be “gathered to his people.”

In other words, he would die. Moses would not take his people into the land

because he had disobeyed God at Meribah in the Desert of Zin (see

Numbers 20).

Moses offers no complaint to God about his coming death. Notice his great

concern, however, in verse 16. He asked the Lord God to appoint a man

over the nation to lead and be a shepherd to them. Moses had spent the last

forty years being a shepherd to these people. He knew their heart. He knew

that they would wander from the Lord and His laws. When he asked the

Lord for a shepherd for his people, he was asking a big thing. He was

asking for someone who would keep the people of God on the right path

and minister to them when they were hurting. This was a task that could

only be done in the power of the Spirit of God. It was essential for the

spiritual health of the nation that God provide them with such a leader.

God answered Moses’ prayer. He told him to take Joshua and set him aside.

Notice in verse 18 that the Spirit of God was on Joshua. Moses was to have

him stand before Eleazar the priest and the entire nation. He was to lay

hands on him and pass on to him some of his authority. He was to do this

before the nation so that the people would see that he was the Lord’s choice

to lead them and that God’s authority was on him. To assure the people that

Joshua was the leader God had chosen for them, Eleazar the priest was to

inquire of the Urim before the Lord.

We read about the Urim and the Thummim in Exodus 28:30:

Also put the Urim and the Thummim in the breastpiece, so they

may be over Aaron's heart whenever he enters the presence of

the LORD. Thus Aaron will always bear the means of making

decisions for the Israelites over his heart before the LORD.

The Urim and the Thummim were likely two stones used by the priests of

the Old Testament. Exodus 28:30 tells us two things about these stones.

First, they were kept in the breastplate that Aaron and his sons wore.

Second, they were a means of making decisions for the Israelites. It is

uncertain how these stones were used but the practice was something like

the casting of lots (see Leviticus 16:8-10; Acts 1:26). The Jewish people

believed that the Lord God was a sovereign God who had control over all

things. They believed that when they cast lots or used the Urim and

Thummim stones, the Lord determined the outcome. This is very evident in

Proverbs 16:33:

The lot is cast into the lap,

but its every decision is from the LORD.

God told Moses in verse 21 that Eleazar the priest was to determine the will

of the Lord by means of the Urim stone in the presence of the people. By

using the Urim stone, the people would know that the decision was from the

Lord and not a human decision. It was by this means that Joshua was

chosen to be the successor of Moses. He would lead the people into the land

God had promised their ancestors (verse 21). Moses laid hands on Joshua in

front of all the people and commissioned him to be his successor.

Notice that God had a purpose for each person. It was not his will that

Moses lead the people into the Promised Land. Moses was to take them to

the border and then hand the rest over to Joshua. We can only imagine how

difficult this must have been for Moses, who had led these people for over

forty years. Sometimes we want to go farther than God wants us to go.

Moses prepared the people for going into the land, but it would be Joshua

who would take them in. Are you content to simply be a link in the chain?

Are you ready to let God use someone else to harvest the crop you planted?

How often has God’s work been hindered by men and women who were not

willing to step down and let God use someone else?

Moses needed to be humble enough to let God use Joshua to harvest what

he had so diligently cared for in the desert. He needed to learn to be content

to do what God had called him to do. Now that Moses was completing the

work God had called him to do, God would take him to be with Himself.

May we complete what God has called us to do before God takes us.

For Consideration:

What problem did the daughters of Zelophehad bring to

Moses? Why do you suppose God waited until they came

with their problem to do something about it? Are there things

God wants to do but waits until we ask or step out in faith?

What does the law God gave Moses in this chapter teach us

about the importance God places on individuals (even when

they have sinned)? How do you treat those around you who

have fallen?

Why was it important that the Lord publicly confirm the

leadership of Joshua?

How important is it that we understand the role God has

given us in this life? Have you ever been tempted to go

beyond what God has called you to do?

Are you willing to hand over to others the harvest you have

planted? Do you have enough humility to let God choose

whoever He wants to complete the work He has begun

through you?

For Prayer:

Ask the Lord to give you courage to step out more boldly like

the daughters of Zelophehad in this chapter. When do we

simply do what has always been done and when do we seek a

change?

Thank the Lord for those He has placed in authority over you.

Take a moment to pray that the Lord would bless and give

them wisdom for the task He has called them to do.

Ask God to help you to understand more clearly the role He

has for you. Ask Him to give you humility to be content with

that role. Ask Him to give you grace to hand over your

responsibilities to others when the need arises.

25 - ISRAEL'S OFFERINGS

Read Numbers 28:1-29:40

he people of Israel were required to offer regular sacrifices to the

Lord. These sacrifices were for the sins of the people and in

gratitude for God's forgiveness and compassion toward them.

While it was possible for an individual to offer a sacrifice at any time, there

were special sacrifices required at regular times in the year. In Numbers 28-

29 we have a summary of the sacrifices and offerings God required of His

people in the course of a given year. I will summarize these offerings in the

form of a chart.

Occasion Type Animal Comments

Daily

(28:1-7)

Burnt

offering

1 lamb

Offered in the

morning with flour,

olive oil and

fermented drink

offering

1 lamb

Offered at twilight

with flour and olive

oil and a fermented

drink offering

Sabbath

(28:9-10)

Burnt

offering 1 lamb

Offered in morning

as the regular daily

offering with grain

and drink offerings

1 lamb

Offered at twilight as

the regular daily

offering with grain

and drink offerings

2 lambs As a special Sabbath

offering brought with

grain and drink

offerings

Monthly (28:11-

15)

Burnt offering

1 lamb

Offered in the

morning as the daily

offering with grain

and drink offerings

1 lamb

Offered at twilight as

the regular daily

offering with grain

and drink offerings

2 bulls Offered with a grain

offering of flour, oil

and a drink offering

of wine

1 ram

7 male

lambs

Sin offering 1 male

goat

Passover or Feast

Unleavened

Bread

(28:16-25)

Burnt offering

1 lamb

Offered in morning

as the regular daily

offering with grain

and drink offerings

1 lamb

Offered at twilight as

the regular daily

offering with grain

and drink offerings

2 bulls Offered with grain

offerings of flour and

oil

1 ram

7 lambs

Sin offering 1 male

goat

Feast of Weeks or

Pentecost

(28:26-30)

Burnt offering

1 lamb

Offered in the

morning as the

regular offering with

grain and drink

offerings

1 lamb

Offered at twilight as

the regular offering

with grain and drink

offerings

2 bulls Offered with a grain

offering of flour and

oil and a drink

offering

1 ram

7 lambs

Sin offering 1 goat

Feast of Trumpets

(29:1-6)

Burnt offering

1 lamb

Offered in the

morning as the

regular daily offering

with grain and drink

offerings

1 lamb

Offered at twilight as

the regular daily

offering with grain

and drink offerings

1 bull Offered with a grain

offering of flour and

oil and a drink

offering

1 ram

7 lambs

Sin offering 1 goat

Burnt offering

2 bulls Because this was at

the time of the

regular monthly

offerings, these

regular monthly

sacrifices were also

offered

1 ram

7 lambs

Day of

Atonement

(29:7-10)

Burnt offering

1 lamb

Offered in the

morning as the

regular offering with

grain and drink

offerings

1 lamb

Offered at twilight as

the regular daily

offering with grain

and drink offerings

1 bull Offered with a grain

offering of flour and

oil and a drink

offering

1 ram

7 lambs

Sin offering 1 male

goat

Burnt offering An additional burnt

offering was brought

on this special day

accompanied with a

grain and drink

offering (verse 11)

Sin offering

An additional sin

offering was brought

on this day

accompanied with its

grain and drink

offering (vs. 11)

Feast of

Tabernacles

(8 days)

(29:11-38) Burnt offering

8 lamb

1 lamb offered on

each of the 8 days in

the morning as the

regular daily offering

with grain and drink

offerings

8 lamb

1 lamb offered on

each of the 8 days at

twilight as the regular

daily offering with

grain and drink

offerings

71 bulls

Offered over the 8

days beginning with

13 bulls sacrificed on

the first day and

decreasing one bull

each day until the

seventh day. One

final bull was

sacrificed on the 8th

day. Each bull was

offered with a grain

offering of flour and

oil and drink offering

15 rams Two rams were

sacrificed each day

for seven days and

one final ram on the

8th day. Offered with

grain and drink

offerings.

105

lambs

14 lambs besides the

regular daily offering

were sacrificed each

day for 7 days and 7

lambs on the 8th day.

Sin offering 8 male

goats

1 male goat was

sacrificed on each of

the 8 days

Freewill offerings

(29:39)

Burnt,

Grain,

Drink or

Fellowship

offerings

Whatever the Lord

put on an individual’s

heart could be

brought to the

tabernacle as an

offering.

There are several things we need to learn from this list of offerings and

sacrifices.

First, notice that every day (both morning and evening) sacrifices needed to

be made for God’s people. This was a regular requirement to appease the

wrath of God for sin. God’s people were in need of daily, regular cleansing

for their sins. While the Lord Jesus has removed the requirement of animal

sacrifice, we still need to be cleansed of our sins against Him daily. His

blood covers all our sin and keeps us clean before the Father on a daily

basis.

Second, notice that these sacrifices were required of God from His people.

Sacrifice is a common theme in the Old Testament as well as the New

Testament. Every day required a sacrifice. In the New Testament, while we

no longer offer our sacrifices of animals, God still requires us to take up our

cross daily to follow Him. This requires the daily sacrifice of our time,

effort and ambitions. Are we ready to make these sacrifices each day? God

required them of His people in the Old Testament and He requires the

surrender of our lives to Him each day as well.

Notice finally, that there were special occasions in the life of Israel where

they were called to remember God's goodness toward them. The Passover

looked back to their deliverance from the bondage of Egypt and God’s

protection on their lives. Other celebrations gave thanks to God for His

bounty in the harvest. God called His people to remember what He had

done for them with thankfulness and gratitude. Their thankfulness to God

was shown by their sacrifice and offerings to Him in return. Whether it was

by bringing a grain offering as the first part of their harvest or a free will

offering for something else, God took delight in receiving these tokens of

thanksgiving from His people.

For Consideration:

Are you trusting in the work of the Lord Jesus on the cross

for your forgiveness? Have you come to Him for forgiveness

for your sin? How does His work end all animal sacrifice?

Does the church of our day understand the concept of

sacrifice (not the sacrifice of animals but of our lives)? What

sacrifices are we making for the cause of the Lord and His

kingdom?

What are you thankful to the Lord for today? Take a moment

to consider the goodness of God in your life? What can you

do to express your gratitude to Him for His goodness?

For Prayer:

Thank the Lord for the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross for you.

Thank Him that His sacrifice covers all your sins.

Ask the Lord to cleanse and forgive you for the sins of this

day. Ask Him to help you to live in His forgiveness and

cleansing.

Ask the Lord to show you if there are any sacrifices you

could make for His kingdom.

Take a moment to express your gratitude to the Lord for the

good things He has done for you.

26- VOWS

Read Numbers 30:1-16

here were many reasons why a person in Israel might make a vow

to the Lord God. We have the case of Jephthah in Judges 11:30-31,

who promised that if the Lord gave him victory over the

Ammonites, he would sacrifice whatever came out of the door of his house

when he returned. Hannah also made a vow promising that if the Lord gave

her a son, she would give him back to serve Him all the days of his life (see

1 Samuel 1:10-11). Even the Apostle Paul made a vow to the Lord in Acts

18:18.

A vow is a promise or commitment. God expected that those who made

commitments and promises to Him be true to their word and fulfil their

vows. This is quite clear in Deuteronomy 23:21-23:

(21) If you make a vow to the LORD your God, do not be slow

to pay it, for the LORD your God will certainly demand it of

you and you will be guilty of sin. (22) But if you refrain from

making a vow, you will not be guilty. (23) Whatever your lips

utter you must be sure to do, because you made your vow freely

to the LORD your God with your own mouth.

There was no obligation to making a vow to the Lord. Vows were generally

made freely by individuals who wanted to express their gratitude to God in

a very practical way. Those who did make a promise or vow to the Lord,

however, placed themselves under an obligation to fulfil that vow.

In Numbers 30, the Lord speaks to Moses about vows. According to verse

1, we see that the Lord expected that when a man made a vow to the Lord

he was not to break his word. The Lord took what an individual promised to

Him very seriously.

We need to consider this briefly before proceeding. In our day, we still

make vows before the Lord. The most common is the marriage vow spoken

before God and His people. We promise to love, honour and cherish our

partner until death parts us. How seriously have we taken this vow? Do we

truly love our partners, not just in word but also in action? Are we showing

honour by our words and actions? Remember that the wedding vows we

made were before God and He takes them seriously.

Wedding vows are not the only vows we make before the Lord. For those

who practice believer's baptism, remember the promise you made to walk

with the Lord and serve Him? Or when you joined your church, remember

the promise you made to be faithful with your gifts and resources? What

about the promises we make to the Lord in the quiet of our own homes.

There have been times in my life that I have offered myself afresh to the

Lord to serve Him with all my heart or to follow Him wherever He would

lead. God expects us to be true to our word. He hears our promises and

expects that we do what we promised. Numbers 30:1 makes it quite clear

that when a man made a vow to the Lord he obligated himself to do what he

said.

There are times when we make promises to God without thinking.

Sometimes our immaturity or lack of experience in life will make us

promise things that are unreasonable. The Lord made provision for these

types of vows in the law.

Overruling The Vows Of Children (Verses 3-5)

Consider, for example, the case of a young unmarried girl living with her

parents at home. She is still under her father’s care. Any vow she made to

the Lord would have to be approved by her father before she would be held

accountable to it. If she made a vow and the father heard about it and let it

stand, she would be obligated to fulfil what she promised before the Lord. If

on the other hand, when her father heard about her vow, he spoke out and

forbade it, she would be released from any obligation to fulfil what she

promised. In this case, the father is acting as a guardian for his daughter and

protecting her interests. He was responsible for her well-being before God

and as such had authority to break any vows she might make that were not

for her good.

In our day, we often have to do this for our children. God expects us to

watch out for their interests. Sometimes they commit themselves to things

that are not in their best interest. Sometimes as parents, we have to step in

and overrule the decisions of our children because we know they are not for

their good. God gives us this right and obligation as parents for the good of

our children.

Overruling The Vows Of A New Wife (Verses 6-8)

What was true of a father’s obligation in verses 3-5 was also true for a

husband. A husband had an obligation before God to care and provide for

his wife. If a man married a young girl who had made vows prior to being

married, he had the right to cancel those vows so that she would no longer

be responsible for their fulfilment. On the other hand, if he said nothing, the

young wife was required to follow through with her promises before the

Lord.

The idea here is that there may be vows that were made by the wife that

would hinder their relationship as a couple. It was the obligation of the

husband to deal with anything that would be detrimental to their marriage.

As a husband today, are you doing everything you can to assure that

nothing stands in the way of your marriage being what God intended?

God’s desire is that as husbands we take this role seriously. God’s desire is

for strong marriage relationships.

The Vows Of A Divorced Woman Or Widow

(Verse 9)

Notice in verse 9 that the vows of a widow or a divorced woman were

binding. That is to say, they were responsible for their own actions and

promises. It is important for us to note that God took the vows of women

seriously. They had as much a right to make a vow as a man and were

accountable to God for their fulfilment.

The Vows Of A Married Woman (Verses 10-15)

In the final section of chapter 30, God speaks to Moses about the vows of a

wife living with her husband. If a wife made a vow and her husband heard

about it and did not forbid it, her vow would stand and she would be

obligated to fulfil it. If on the other hand, when he heard about it he forbade

it, her vow would be cancelled and God would release her from it. Verse 13

makes it clear that a husband was given the right to confirm or cancel any

vow his wife might make.

The husband was accountable to God for the well-being of his wife and

family. Part of that responsibility was the right to cancel any vow he did not

feel was for her good or the good of the family. The husband would have to

answer to God for his family. With this responsibility came the right to

make or cancel decisions made by his family that he did not feel were in

their best interest. The family was expected to submit to his leadership as he

sought to honour God.

A husband needed to act immediately when he felt that a vow had been

made that was not in the best interest of the family or his wife. If he said

nothing, he confirmed his wife’s vow by his silence. If later he decided to

cancel her vow, he would be held responsible for her guilt in breaking it

(verses 14-15).

What is important to note here is that when a husband confirmed his wife’s

vow, he was entering that vow with her. He could not simply pass off the

blame to her when she did not fulfil her vow. When he confirmed her vow,

he obligated himself to seeing that it was fulfilled. It was as if he co-signed

the agreement and legally would be responsible for any failure to fulfil the

terms.

How easy it is to promise God that we will do something and not follow

this through. God expects that every promise we make will be fulfilled and

He will hold us accountable for each one.

The other important detail we see in this chapter is the obligation and

responsibility of the father or husband toward his family. God expects that

men will take their role as husbands and fathers seriously. They are given

the authority from God to intervene when they feel things are not for the

good of their family. They are to take the role of provider and caregiver

seriously. God expected that men be spiritual leaders who were concerned

for the well-being of their families. He also expected that they intervene

when things were not as they should be.

God is looking for fathers who will take an interest in the decisions made

by their children and who addresses those issues when they are not wise. He

is looking for husbands who will do all they can to be sure that nothing

stands in the way of a good relationship with their wives. How easy it is for

a man to leave the care of the family to his wife. God, however, has called

fathers and husbands to take seriously their role in the family and care for

their wives and children. He will hold them accountable for any failure in

this regard. They will have to answer to God for the condition of their

families.

For Consideration:

Have you ever made a promise or vow to the Lord? What

was that promise? Have you been faithful to your promise?

Have your children made wrong decisions and commitments?

What is your obligation toward them?

Are there things in your marriage that do not honour God or

your partner? What do you need to do about these things?

What do we learn here about the obligation of a father or

husband in his family?

For Prayer:

Ask the Lord to forgive you for vows and promises you have

not fulfilled. Ask Him to show you what He would have you

do.

Take a moment to pray for your children, the decisions and

commitments they have made. Ask the Lord to show you

how you can help them to walk more fully with Him.

Pray that the Lord would remove any obstacles in your

marriage that do not bring Him glory and honour.

Ask the Lord to give us men who will be the fathers and

husbands God wants them to be.

27 - THE DEFEAT OF THE

MIDIANITES

Read Numbers 31:1-54

s we begin Numbers 31, the Lord speaks to Moses and tells him

that one of his last tasks before dying would be to take vengeance

on the Midianites for what they had done to His people (verse 1).

It is important, in this context, for us to understand what the Midianites had

done to Israel.

In Numbers 22:4-7 we read how King Balak hired Balaam to curse the

people of Israel. While Balak was the king of the Moabites, the passage

tells us that the Midianites joined him in his effort to curse the people of

God. Midian sent their elders along with the elders of Moab to Balaam.

The elders of Moab and Midian left, taking with them the fee

for divination. When they came to Balaam, they told him what

Balak had said. (Numbers 22:7)

When we come to Numbers 25 we discover that the Israelites fell into the

sin of idolatry and sexual immorality with the Moabite women. God judged

them for their sin by sending a plague which would ultimately destroy

about 24,000 people. As the people gathered before the Lord God at the

tabernacle to repent of this great sin, Zimri, the leader of the Simeonites

took a Midianite woman in his tent to have sexual relations with her. He did

this in front of those who were repenting of this very sin (see Numbers

25:6-9). We see from this that the Midianites were a great temptation for

God’s people. They were leading them away from God and the

requirements of His law and turning them to sexual immorality and idol

worship. God’s anger and jealousy burned so deeply that He commanded

His people to treat the Midianites as enemies.

(16) The LORD said to Moses, (17) “Treat the Midianites as

enemies and kill them, (18) because they treated you as enemies

when they deceived you in the affair of Peor and their sister

Cozbi, the daughter of a Midianite leader, the woman who was

killed when the plague came as a result of Peor.” (Numbers

25:16-18)

It is quite clear from these verses that the reason the Midianites were to be

destroyed was because of how they were drawing God’s people away from

Him by their evil ways. God wanted to get rid of this temptation for His

people.

In obedience to the command of the Lord, Moses ordered the Israelites to

gather their men and go to war against the Midianites. One thousand men

from each tribe were to go out against the Midianites (12,000 men in total).

Also with them was Phinehas, the son of Eleazar the priest who took with

him trumpets for signalling and some articles from the tabernacle (verses 5-

6). The presence of the priest would be a reminder to the people that the

battle was a spiritual one. They were fighting to remove evil from their

midst.

We can only imagine what it would have been like for the men of Israel to

fight this enemy. They had been tempted by their women and some may

have worshipped their gods. The Lord God was calling them to take a stand

now against this great temptation. Sometimes we need to deal with sin and

temptation very severely. Perhaps as you read this, the Lord is speaking to

you about a sin in your life. He is asking you now, just as He did the

Israelite men in Moses’ day, to stand firm against this temptation and cut off

all ties. This would not be easy for the men of Israel who were strongly

tempted by these Midianite woman and their gods.

Verse 7 tells us that the Israelites fought against Midian and killed every

man. Included in those who were killed were five kings of Midian. Notice

that Balaam was also killed with the sword (verse 8). The killing of Balaam

seems to indicate that while he refused to curse God’s people in front of

King Balak, he was not innocent. Verse 16 tells us that he advised Israel’s

enemies in how to turn them against their God and bring His curse on them.

God judged him for his evil and he too was killed by the sword.

What is particularly striking in this passage is how the soldiers took the

Midianite women and children captive. They burned all their towns and

camps, took their wealth and returned with all their women and children

(verses 9-12). We need to be reminded that it was the women who had been

a temptation for the men of Israel. It was with these women they had

committed sexual immorality. It was these women who were leading them

away from God and into the worship of idols. The army of Israel went out

to battle against the Midianites. They took over their territory and destroyed

their men but returned to camp without dealing with the actual source of

temptation.

What would it have been like for Moses to go out to greet the returning

army only to find that they had brought all the women back with them?

Verse 14 tells us that when Moses saw this he was angry. “Have you

allowed all the women to live?” he asked in verse 16. Notice how he

reminded the men that these women had followed Balaam’s advice and

were the means of turning Israel away from the Lord. In verse 17, Moses

commanded that all the male children be killed along with every woman

who had ever slept with a man. Only the young virgin girls were to be saved

(verse 18). These women would very likely have to go through a special

ceremony before they could be accepted as Israelites and permitted to

marry. Deuteronomy 21:10-13 describe what these Midianite women would

have to do before being accepted as part of the nation of Israel:

(10) When you go to war against your enemies and the LORD

your God delivers them into your hands and you take captives,

(11) if you notice among the captives a beautiful woman and

are attracted to her, you may take her as your wife. (12) Bring

her into your home and have her shave her head, trim her nails

(13) and put aside the clothes she was wearing when captured.

After she has lived in your house and mourned her father and

mother for a full month, then you may go to her and be her

husband and she shall be your wife.

In reality, these young girls would renounce their former nation and ways

and be accepted into the nation of Israel. As such, they would be required to

follow the ways of the Lord and turn from their former gods.

When the men returned from battle, Moses required that anyone who had

killed anyone in that battle or even those who had touched someone who

had killed another person was to remain outside the camp of Israel for a

period of seven days. They were to purify themselves according to the law.

This was to be done by sprinkling themselves with a special water on the

third and the seventh days (see Numbers 19:11-13). Every garment or

anything made of leather, goat hair or wood was also to be purified (verses

19-20). Gold, silver, bronze, iron, tin, lead or anything that could withstand

fire was to be melted down and purified by the water of cleansing.

Whatever could not withstand fire was to be washed thoroughly in water

(verses 21-23). Nothing could be brought into the camp without first being

purified. On the seventh day, the men were to wash their clothes and only

then could they return to their homes to be with their families (verse 24).

All this shows us the requirements of God for His people. They were to be

pure and clean before Him with nothing that would offend Him. What a

contrast we seen here between the requirements of God for the purification

of the soldiers returning from battle and the picture of the men returning

with all the women who had led them astray.

Verses 25-26 describe how the plunder brought back from the battle was

divided. They were to count up the number of people and animals that had

been captured. One half of the plunder was to go to the soldiers who fought

the battle and the other half to the rest of the community. The Lord would

also receive a portion of each half. From the half that went to the soldiers,

the Lord required 1 out of every 500, whether people, cattle, sheep goats or

other animals (verse 28). This was to go to Eleazar the priest (verse 29).

From the half that went to the community, the Lord required 1 out of every

50, whether people, sheep, goats or other animals. This was given to the

Levites (verse 30). The following chart summarizes how the plunder of war

was divided according to verses 32-47.

Plunder Total

Captured

Soldier’s

Portion

Community

Portion

Lord’s Portion

From

Soldiers

From Community

Sheep 675,000 337,500 337,500 675 6750

Cattle 72,000 36,000 36,000 72 720

Donkeys 61,000 30,500 30,500 61 610

Virgin

women

32,000 16,000 16,000 32 320

Given to: Eleazar Levites

Notice in verse 48 that the officers who were in charge of the army counted

the soldiers under their command and found that not one of them was

missing. This would have been a significant undertaking as it required

counting all 12,000 men who went to battle. Generally a census was only

taken at the command of the Lord. David was severely punished by the

Lord for taking a census in 1 Chronicles 21. This may have been because

God wanted the people to learn to trust in Him for their victories and not in

their numbers.

When the officers discovered that not a single person was missing and there

was not one single death in this battle against the Midianites, two things

happened to them. First, they realized that the victory had been

miraculously given to them by the Lord who had protected every man in a

wonderful way. Second, they seemed to come under conviction for thinking

that their numbers had anything to do with their victory. As a result they

decided to bring another offering to the Lord, likely out of gratitude, but

also to make atonement for their sin of trusting themselves and taking the

glory from God. They came, therefore, with gold articles that had acquired

from the plunder and presented them to the Lord (verses 49-50). Moses and

Eleazar the priest accepted their offerings. The total weight of their

offerings was 16,700 shekels of gold (420 pounds or 190 kilograms).

The chapter shows us that there are times when we need to deal harshly

with sin. God expects that those who serve Him would walk in purity of life

and thought. We are challenged here to examine our lives and remove any

impurity that would hinder us in our walk with the Lord.

For Consideration:

What was the sin of the Midianites that God would require

that they be destroyed

What did the Israelite men have with them when they

returned from battle? What was the response of Moses to

this? What temptations still remain for you? How would the

Lord have you to deal with these temptations?

For seven days after their return from battle the soldiers

purified themselves and everything they had brought back

with them. What does this tell us about the importance of

walking in purity before God?

As an act of gratitude, the people offered back to the Lord a

portion of what He had given them. How do you express your

gratitude to the Lord for the victories He gives you?

For Prayer:

Ask the Lord to give you courage to take action against your

temptations today.

Ask the Lord to give you grace to desire His will in your life.

Ask the Lord to help you to walk each day in purity before

Him.

Take a moment to thank the Lord for the victories He has

given you. Ask Him to help you to be more thankful for those

victories.

28 - LAND ALLOTTED TO

GAD AND REUBEN

Read Numbers 32:1-42

he people of Israel were on the eastern side of the Jordan River.

They had conquered Sihon of the Amorites, Og of the Kingdom of

Bashan, and had been proven to be superior to Balak of Moab.

With God’s strength, Israel had taken over the region east of the Jordan,

causing all the nations to fear them. When the tribes of Reuben and Gad

saw that the land was very good, they decided that this was the land they

wanted as their portion.

In verses 1-5 they approached Moses, the priests and the community leaders

and asked to be given possession of a number of cities on that side of the

Jordan. Notice in verse 5 that they asked Moses and the leaders not to make

them cross the Jordan. There are some important details we need to see in

this statement.

Remember that before the people of God could settle in the land west of the

Jordan (the land promised to them), they had to overcome the people living

in the land. There would be great battles and loss of lives ahead before

Israel could inherit the land God had promised them. By asking for an

inheritance on the eastern side of the Jordan River, Gad and Reuben may

have also been trying to avoid the battles that they would have to fight

across the river. They had already fought and overcome their enemies in the

east and now they simply wanted to settle down and live in peace. Their

request shows that they were content with what had already been

conquered. It also shows that their concern was not for their brothers and

sisters who had not yet received a portion of land.

When Moses heard the request of the Gadites and Reubenites, he became

very angry with them. He challenged their selfish attitude in verses 6-7 by

saying:

Shall your countrymen go to war while you sit here? Why do

you discourage the Israelites from going over into the land the

LORD has given them?

Gad and Reuben were, in reality, discouraging the people of God by their

selfish attitude. Not only this, they were also encouraging them to settle for

something far less than what God had for them. They were saying: “Why

go over and risk our lives when we can have what we have already

conquered on this side of the Jordan?” How often have we been content

with far less than God’s purpose for our lives? Like the Gadites and

Reubenites, we are happy with where we are in our relationship with God.

We settle down and don’t grow any more. There is no new fruit being

produced in our lives. If we are going to become all that God wants us to

become and produce the fruit he wants us to produce, there will be battles to

fight. Many people are unwilling to face these struggles and content

themselves with where they are. They find a comfortable spot on the way to

the Promised Land and settle there. There they will stay.

Moses rebukes this attitude. He reminded the Gadites and the Reubenites

that this was the sin of their fathers who had explored the land of Canaan

and discouraged the people from taking it in Numbers 13. Because the

people refused to enter the land, God’s anger had burned against them and

He told them that not one person over twenty years of age would enter the

land He had promised their fathers except Caleb and Joshua (verses 10-11).

As a result of this sin, God’s people had to wander for forty years in the

desert (verse 12). Moses spoke harshly to the Gadites and Reubenites that

day calling them a “brood of sinners.” He told them that they were

repeating the sin of their fathers. He warned Gad and Reuben in verse 15

that if the Israelites turned away from God’s purpose as a result of their

proposal, God would leave them in the desert until they were destroyed.

These are very serious words. Gad and Reuben did not fully realize the

implications of their actions. They may have simply wanted to settle down

and be at peace. They had wandered for forty years in the desert and here

was a land that was good for their herds. They may have seen the land as

the blessing of the Lord. They were thinking of themselves and not of the

rest of the community. Their actions could have meant the destruction of the

entire nation. Our actions can have a profound effect on those around us.

To the credit of Gad and Reuben, when they heard what Moses said, they

modified their request. In verse 16, they told Moses that they would build

pens for their livestock and cities for their women and children on the

eastern side of the Jordan, but they were willing to take up arms and fight

so that their brothers could also have land on the western side of the river.

They requested, however, that their wives and children be allowed to stay in

the east and live in fortified cities for protection from their enemies until

they returned from conquering Canaan with their brothers. They promised

Moses that they would not return home to their wives and children until

every tribe had received its inheritance (verse 18-19).

Moses told the Gadites and the Reubenites in verses 20-22 that their request

for this portion of land would be granted them only on the condition that

they armed themselves for battle and went with the other tribes over the

Jordan to conquer the land. Notice from verse 22 that this was their

“obligation” to the Lord and to their brothers. How easy it is to see anything

we do for our brothers and sisters as something extra we do out of the

goodness of our hearts. We expect that they will in turn be indebted to us

for our kindness to them. What we see here, however, challenges this

attitude. Moses was telling the Reubenites and the Gadites that they had an

obligation to their brothers and sisters. None of us are to live for ourselves

and our own comforts alone. God had given us gifts that we are to use for

the good of our brothers and sisters. If we love God we will also love His

children.

Moses made it clear to the Reubenites and Gadites that if they failed to help

their brothers conquer the land, they would be sinning against the Lord and

they would be judged by God (verse 23). Moses told Reuben and Gad that

they could build their cities and pens for their flocks, but warned them very

clearly that they were to do what they had promised to help their brothers

(verse 24).

Reuben and Gad gave their word to Moses that while their wives and

children would live on the east side of the Jordan, every man would fight

with their brothers to conquer Canaan. There was a certain risk in this for

Reuben and Gad. They were leaving their wives and children without any

soldiers to protect them while they were away. They were willing to entrust

them into the Lord’s hands, however, to do what He required of them.

Moses knew that he would not be allowed to see the land God had promised

His people and would not live to see that Gad and Reuben fulfilled their

promise. Knowing this, he gave orders to Eleazar the priest and Joshua his

successor. He told them that if Reuben and Gad were faithful to what they

had promised that day then they were to give them the land of Gilead (east

of the Jordan) as they requested. If they failed to keep their promise, they

were to live with the rest of their brothers in the land of Canaan (verses 29-

30). That day, before God, Moses, Eleazar, Joshua and the leaders of Israel,

Gad and Reuben promised to cross the Jordan and fight with their brothers.

On the condition that they kept their promise, Moses gave Gad, Reuben and

Manasseh the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites and the kingdom of

Og king of Bashan. This would become their inheritance (verse 33). The

following chart lists the cities that each tribe built for their families on the

eastern side of the Jordan River:

Tribe Cities Verses

Gad Dibon

Ataroth

Aroer

Atroth Shophan

Jazer

Verses 34-

Jogbehah

Beth Nimrah

Beth Haran

Reuben Heshbon|

Elealeh

Kiriathaim

Nebo

Baal Meon

Sibmah

Verses 37-

Manasseh Gilead

Havvoth Jair

Kenath (Nobah)

Verses 39-

For Consideration:

Have you ever become content with less than the purpose of

God for your life? Does God have something greater for your

ministry and personal life?

How can our actions and attitudes discourage others in their

walk with God?

What obligation do we have toward our brother and sister?

Have you been living your life for yourself alone? What

concern do you have for your brother or sister?

For Prayer:

Ask the Lord to help you to not be content with anything less

than His will and purpose for your life.

Ask the Lord to help you to be a good example to your

brothers and sisters. Ask Him to open your eyes more to their

needs.

Ask God to give you faith to step out into the greater things

He has for your life and ministry.

29 - THE WAY TO THE

PROMISED LAND

Read Numbers 33:1-56

umbers 33 traces the route of the children of Israel over the forty

years they wandered through the desert. Many of these locations

are unknown to us today, so the exact route the Israelites took is

somewhat debated. It was important for the Lord, however, to record the

names of these locations. In this chapter, 42 locations are mentioned. While

we don’t want to make too much of this number, it is interesting to note that

this number does occur elsewhere in the Scriptures.

Matthew groups the ancestors of the Lord Jesus into three groups of 14

names each. This is a total of 42 names listed as Jesus’ ancestors (see

Matthew 1:1-17). It is also interesting to note that the beast of Revelation

13 is given 42 months to make war against the saints (see Revelation 13:5-

8). My purpose here is not to say that there is any connection between these

passages as the Bible itself does not connect them. It is merely of interest to

note that the number 42 does occur several times in the Scriptures.

Verses 1-2 introduce us to the content of the chapter. Here the author tells of

the various stages in the journey of Israel from Egypt under the leadership

of Moses and Aaron. Verse 2 makes it clear that the Lord commanded

Moses to record the stages of this journey. This means that this list was

inspired by God, who led Moses to write it down for the people of God to

remember.

It is important that we also remember the way God has led us in our lives.

We must never forget where we have come from and how He has led us.

The lessons learned at each stage of our life are all too easy to forget. God’s

purpose in having these details recorded was so that His people not forget

their time in the wilderness.

For the people of God, this time in the wilderness was one they would have

liked to forget. It was not an easy time. They often grumbled and

complained about God’s purposes for them. There were memories of

rebellion against God and His servants. While in the desert, they had made

a golden calf and bowed down to it. They had also fallen into immorality

and Baal worship. They had failed God by refusing to enter the Promised

Land. Some of them had lost their lives through plagues, fire, or on one

occasion when the earth opened up and swallowed them alive.

While there had been failures in the wilderness, God's people had also

experienced tremendous blessings. They had seen God provide their daily

food and water. He had given them miraculous victories over their enemies

and led them day by day by means of a pillar of fire. Through Moses, He

had given them His law and organized them into a nation. These days of

wilderness wanderings were very important for the people of God.

It was God’s intention that His people remember their failures and their

victories. He did not want them to forget the lessons learned in the

wilderness. By writing down the names of their camps, God led Moses to

keep a record for his people of these important times in their lives. Let me

summarize the details of verse 3-56 by means of a chart.

Verse Camp Comments

3-4 Ramses Location where they left Egypt in full view of the

Egyptians

5 Succoth

6 Etham This was on the edge of the desert

7 Pi Hahiroth They camped near Migdol

8 Marah To get to this location they passed through the sea

9 Elim God blessed them at this camp with 12 springs and 70

palm trees

10 Red Sea

11 Desert of Sin

12 Dophkah

13 Alush

14 Rephidim No water for the people to drink

15 Desert of Sinai

16 Kibroth Hattaavah

17 Hazeroth

18 Rithmah

19 Rimmon Perez

20 Libnah

21 Rissah

22 Kehelathah

23 Mount Shepher

24 Haradah

25 Makheloth

26 Tahath

27 Terah

28 Mithcah

29 Hashmonah

30 Moseroth

31 Bene Jaakan

32 Hor Haggidgad

33 Jotbathah

34 Abronah

35 Ezion Geber

36 Kadesh This was in the Desert of Zin

37-40 Mount Hor Aaron died here in this region forty years after leaving

Egypt, at the age of 123.

41 Zalmonah

42 Punon

43 Oboth

44 Iye Abarim This was on the border of the country of Moab

45 Dibon Gad

46 Almon Diblathaim

47 Abarim They camped near Nebo

48-49 Plains of Moab This camp was across the Jordan River from the city of

Jericho

While the Israelites were in the Plains of Moab, across the Jordan from the

Promised Land, the Lord spoke to Moses and told him what He required for

those who would cross the Jordan to inherit the land. In verses 52-55, God

tells His people that they were to do three things when they crossed the

Jordan.

First, they were to drive out the inhabitants, destroying their images and

idols and demolishing all their high places (where they worshipped their

pagan gods). There was to be no mercy shown. The pagans living in the

land were to be driven out and everything that remained of their pagan

religion was to be destroyed. God made it clear in verse 55 that if the

inhabitants of the land were not driven out they would be a constant thorn

in their sides. Notice also in verse 56 just how serious God was about this

matter. He told His people that if they did not do so, He would do to Israel

what He planned to do to the nations. That is to say, He would drive them

out and destroy them as a nation. God expects us as His people to renounce

sin in our lives and society.

Second, God told His people that when they entered the land they were to

take possession of it and settle in it (verse 53). To possess is to take control

and be responsible for something. Driving out and destroying the idols of

the people who lived in the land was only the first step. God also expected

that His people take control of the land. They were to bring it into

submission to the Lord and His laws. In a similar way, the Lord calls us to

bring our lives under submission to His purpose and plans. This will mean

surrendering each day to Him. It will mean forsaking our evil thoughts and

attitudes and bringing them into submission to the Lord. This is an ongoing

battle for the believer.

Finally, the people of God were to distribute the land by lot according to

their clans. Each tribe was to receive a portion in accordance with its size

(verse 54). God is asking His people to share their victory with each other.

Each person was to have what they needed for their families. No one person

was to have it all. What has the Lord given you? Has He blessed you with

spiritual gifts? Those gifts are not for you alone. There are others in the

body of Christ who need you to use those gifts for their benefit. Is there a

brother or sister in need? God is calling you to share what He had given you

with them so that they, too, will have enough. The people of God were to be

sure that everyone had what they needed. This meant moving away from

thinking only about themselves to thinking about each other. As God gave

them victory, they were to share the fruits of that victory with their brothers

and sisters so that everyone had all they required.

For Consideration:

Take a moment to consider the path God has laid out for your

life. What lessons has God taught you in your life?

Are there things in your life that still need to be conquered?

Are there sins you need to renounce? What are they?

Are you living each day in victory? Are you “taking

possession” of your attitudes and actions and submitting them

to the will of the Lord?

How have you been sharing the blessings God has given you

with others?

For Prayer:

Thank the Lord for the many lessons He has been teaching

you in life. Thank Him for the path He has laid out for you.

Ask God to give you courage and strength to conquer

anything that does not bring honour to His name.

Ask the Lord to show you how you can use what He has

given you to bless others.

30 - THE ALLOTMENT OF

THE LAND OF CANAAN

Read Numbers 34:1-35:34

he nation of Israel was preparing now to enter the land the Lord

had promised their ancestors. Moses has been preparing the people

for the months of conflict that were about to come. Here in

Numbers 34-35, he tells them about the boundaries God had set for them

and what God was willing to give them. It is important for us to note that

God had a place for His people. They were to take what He had given them

and possess that land, but they were to be content with the boundaries He

had set. In a similar way, it is important for us to seek the Lord regarding

what He has for us, and then possess that territory with contentment and

obedience. Sometimes we want what God has not given us. Sometimes we

have not truly possessed what He has given. It is up to us to seek God’s

purpose and learn to be everything He wants us to be within the boundaries

He has set for us.

Notice how God describes in great detail the limits of Israel’s boundaries in

verses 3-12. The details here show us that God knew exactly what He

wanted to give His people. I have summarized these boundaries in the

following chart:

Border Description

Southern

Some of the Desert of Zin along the border of Edom

From the Salt Sea, south of Scorpion Pass to Zin

South of Kadesh Barnea to Hazor, Addar and

Azmon

To the Wadi of Egypt and ending at the Sea

Western Great Sea (Mediterranean)

Northern From Great Sea to Mount Hor

From Mount Hor to Lebo Hamath

To Zedad past Ziphron to Hazar Enan

Eastern From Hazar Enan to Shepham

Down from Shepham to Riblah east of Ain

Along the slopes east of the Sea of Kinnereth

Along the Jordan River to the Salt Sea

The land described in the chart above was to be assigned to nine and a half

tribes. The other two and a half tribes (Reuben, Gad and the half tribe of

Manasseh) were to receive their inheritance on the eastern side of the

Jordan River as had been agreed (verses 13-15).

Moses appointed Eleazar, the priest and Joshua to be sure that the land was

divided fairly among the nine and a half tribes. They were to be assisted by

one leader from each tribe (verses 16-19). The following is a list of those

appointed from each tribe for the task of helping Joshua and Eleazar divide

the land:

Tribe Leader

Judah Caleb

Simeon Shemuel

Benjamin Elidad

Dan Bukki

Manasseh Hanniel

Ephraim Kemuel

Zebulun Elisaphan

Issachar Paltiel

Asher Ahihud

Naphtali Pedahel

These men would work together to assure that each tribe had the territory

they needed.

As for the Levites, they did not inherit land of their own as the other tribes.

Instead they were given towns throughout Israel with pastureland for their

cattle, flocks and livestock (35:1-3). Notice from Numbers 35:4 that the

Lord placed a limit on the amount of land the Levites could have. Their

pasture land around the town could extend out fifteen hundred feet from the

town wall on each side, giving them 3,000 feet on the outskirts of their

pasture land. The best way to understand this is by means of this

illustration:

In total, the Levites were to be given forty-eight towns throughout the

territory of Israel. The larger the tribe, the more towns they were to give to

the Levites within their territory (35:8). Of those forty-eight towns, six were

to be set aside as cities of refuge (35:6). Three of these cities were to be on

the eastern side of the Jordan and three in Canaan (35:14).

The purpose of these cities of refuge was to protect a man or woman in the

case of unintentional sin. If an Israelite or someone living in Israel

accidentally killed another person, they could flee to one of these towns

where they would be protected from anyone who wanted to avenge their

death until they were brought to trial (35:12).

The cities of refuge were not intended to protect murderers or those who

struck another person with intent to kill. Verses 16-25 make a distinction

between a murderer and someone who killed another without intent. If a

person struck someone with an iron object, a stone or a piece of wood and

he died, that person was guilty of murder and would be put to death by an

avenger of blood (35:16-18). The avenger of blood would likely be a

relative. It was only common sense that if you strike someone with this kind

of object the intent is to seriously harm or kill them. This was punishable by

death if the person died as a result of the blow.

Another example of murder would be if someone pushed another, threw

something at them intentionally or struck them with their fist so that the

person died. In this case the individual would be guilty of murder and as

such punished by death (35:20-21). Again, we can see that the intention is

quite obviously to harm or kill the victim.

Not all deaths were the result of intentional murder. Imagine two young

men playing together and one pushed the other without any intention of

harming him and he died. A person might also toss something to someone

without any intent to kill but the object strikes that person in such a way

that it kills them. Maybe a stone was dropped on someone without the

person who dropped it even being aware that there was a person below. In

these cases, the deaths were accidental. There was no hatred or intent to

harm involved.

When a case was tried and the death judged to be accidental, the guilty

person was to be protected from anyone who would seek to avenge the

blood of the one he had killed. For their protection, such individuals were

sent to a city of refuge where they would stay until the death of the High

Priest (35:25). If at any time the person left the city of refuge and the

avenger of blood killed him outside the city, he would not be guilty of

murder. The only protection for the one who accidentally killed someone

else was to remain inside the city of refuge until the death of the High

Priest. Only then could he return to his own property.

Murder was punishable by death, but only when there was more than one

witness to prove the guilt of the murderer (35:30). No one was to be put to

death for murder based on the witness of only one person.

When a person was judged guilty of murder, he or she was to be put to

death. God’s people were never to accept money to release a murderer or

spare him or her from death (35:31). Even if the death was ruled accidental,

a person could not pay to return to his own land. He was to remain in the

city of refuge until the death of the high priest. God made it clear to His

people that money was never to corrupt their decisions. They were to do

what was right and never allow themselves to be swayed for personal gain.

Notice in Numbers 35:33-34 that the reason God demanded punishment for

death was because bloodshed polluted the land. The only way the land

could be purified again was through the blood of the person who had

murdered another human being. The land the Lord was giving His people

was to remain pure. They were not to defile that land, and if it was defiled

by murder, they were to purify it by punishing the murderer. It is our

responsibility to keep what God has given us pure.

For Consideration:

What has God called you to do? What are the boundaries He

has given you? Have you been content with those

boundaries?

How important is it that we know the boundaries God has

placed on our ministries? Have you ever tried to go beyond

what God has asked you to do?

How does the establishing of cities of refuge show God’s

protection and mercy toward those who were guilty of

unintentionally killing another human being?

While those who unintentionally murdered another were

protected from the avenger of blood, they were still guilty

and had to remain in the city of refuge. Do we still have to

suffer the consequences even when we didn’t intend to sin?

How does money corrupt judgement? What does God say

about not allowing money to keep us from doing right?

For Prayer:

Ask the Lord to teach you how to be content with His

purpose for your life and ministry. Ask Him to forgive you

for the times you tried to go beyond His purpose.

Thank the Lord that He protects us even when we fall short

of His standard.

Ask the Lord to give you courage to face the consequences

for your sins, whether they be intentional or unintentional.

Ask God to keep you from being influenced by the things of

this world to turn from the path He has set out for you.

31 - THE PROBLEM OF

ZELOPHEHAD'S

DAUGHTERS

Read Numbers 36:1-13

n Numbers 27, the daughters of Zelophehad, the descendants of Makir

of Manasseh came to Moses with a problem. Their father had died

without leaving any sons to inherit his land. To that point, the

inheritance had been given only to male descendants. This meant that their

father’s land would be taken from them and given to someone else. When

Moses consulted the Lord about this, the Lord told him that when a man

died without having any sons, the inheritance would be passed on to his

daughters (Numbers 27:8).

In Numbers 36, the family heads of the clan of Gilead came to Moses with

a problem regarding the law that gave an inheritance to a daughter when

there was no son. The problem related particularly to the daughters of

Zelophehad. Let’s say that the daughters of Zelophehad were to marry men

from another tribe. The children born to that union would belong to the

tribe of their father. These children, now belonging to another tribe, would

inherit their mother’s land. This meant that the land would be transferred

from the mother’s tribe to the fathers through these children. The territory

allotted to that tribe by God would be taken away from them by marriage.

Moses brought the matter to the Lord. The Lord told Moses that in this case

the daughters of Zelophehad were free to marry anyone they pleased as

long as they married within the tribal clan of their father. Any daughter who

inherited her father’s land was to marry within her tribe so that the land

would remain in the possession of that tribe. No inheritance was to be

passed on from one tribe to another (verses 6-9). In this case, the daughters

of Zelophehad married their cousins on their father’s side and their

inheritance remained in the tribe of Manasseh (verses 10-12).

There are several details we should examine in this short chapter. First,

notice that the leaders brought their problem to the Lord. Obviously, God

was very much aware of this problem even before the leaders brought it to

Him. As the sovereign and all-knowing God, nothing takes Him by

surprise. It is impossible to think that the God who formed the world failed

to see this problem.

We will have to come to God on a regular basis for guidance and direction

in the various issues that present themselves each day. Just as God gave

manna each day to the children of Israel, He also provides us with what we

need for each day. The leaders came to Moses that day for wisdom and

direction from God for the problem they were facing, and God had the

answer they needed. We need to make it a habit to come to Him regularly

for guidance and solutions to the issues we face each day.

Notice in verse 6 that the Lord told Moses that the daughters of Zelophehad

were free to marry anyone they wished, provided it was someone from their

father’s clan. God gave these women freedom to choose within boundaries.

They could choose to marry any man they desired. God was willing to bless

their choice of husband, however, there were some restrictions. In this case,

the husband they married needed to be from the clan of their father. We see

from this that God does give us freedom as believers. He allows us to

choose and make decisions and He will bless those decisions as long as they

are within the boundaries He has set for us in His Word.

The daughters of Zelophehad had received the inheritance of their father

and as such were responsible to God for that inheritance. This meant certain

sacrifices for them. They were not free to marry someone outside their

family tribe. They could not allow their father’s inheritance to be lost. With

every blessing comes obligation and responsibility. A new child brings new

responsibilities. A greater blessing on our ministry means great obligation

before God. Sacrifices will be required of us. Zelophehad’s daughters were

responsible to God for their inheritance and needed to do all they could to

keep it in their family line. This meant sacrificing the privilege of marrying

someone outside their clan.

Notice, finally, that the allotment of God for each tribe could not be passed

on to anyone else. It was for that tribe alone. In a similar way, what God has

given to us is for us alone. He has particularly prepared us for the ministry

to which He has called us. No one else can do what God has called you to

do. He has placed you where you are. He has gifted you for a particular

purpose. He has made you the kind of person you are for a reason. He has a

purpose and place for each of us. This is not something we can hand off to

someone else. God expects us to be faithful with what He has called us to

do.

The chapter ends in verse 13 with the words:

These are the commands and regulations the LORD gave

through Moses to the Israelites on the plains of Moab by the

Jordan across from Jericho.

These were the last commands God would give to Moses for the people.

God had told him that He would not allow him to go into the land. He

would die before the people entered Canaan. God had set a boundary for

Moses as well. He had reached the border of that boundary and now the

ministry was to be handed over to someone else. Moses had accomplished

what God had given him to do. He had finished his work. We can only pray

that we would be as faithful as Moses in doing what God has called us to

do.

For Consideration:

How would the land given to the daughters of Zelophehad be

lost through their marriage to men of other tribes?

The men of the clan of Gilead came to Moses with a problem

related to his ruling on the matter of the daughters of

Zelophehad. What does this teach us about how God reveals

His purposes to us? Why do you suppose God reveals His

purposes a bit at a time?

Zelophehad’s daughters had freedom to marry within certain

boundaries. What freedom has God given us? What are the

boundaries of that freedom?

What sacrifices were the daughters of Zelophehad required to

make because of the inheritance they received? What

sacrifices does God expect you to make because of His

calling on your life?

For Prayer:

Ask God to help you to be faithful to His calling on your life.

Ask Him to show you clearly what He has given you to do.

Ask God to help you to walk within the boundaries He had

given you, and in accordance with the teaching of His Word.

Ask God to give you grace to make the necessary sacrifices

in your life so that His calling and purpose for you will be

accomplished.

Thank the Lord for the example of Moses in this book. Ask

God to help you to be faithful as he was to the purpose of

God for your life.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Light To My Path Book Distribution

Light To My Path (LTMP) is a book writing,

publishing and distribution ministry reaching out

to needy Christian workers in Asia, Latin

America, and Africa. Many Christian workers in

developing countries do not have the resources

necessary to obtain Bible training or purchase

Bible study materials for their ministries and

personal encouragement.

F. Wayne Mac Leod is a member of Action

International Ministries and has been writing

books with a goal to distribute them freely or at cost price to needy pastors

and Christian workers around the world. To date tens of thousands of books

are being used in preaching, teaching, evangelism and encouragement of

local believers in over forty countries. Books have now been translated into

a number of languages. The goal is to make them available to as many

believers as possible.

The ministry of LTMP is a faith based ministry and we trust the Lord for

the resources necessary to distribute the books for the encouragement and

strengthening of believers around the world. Would you pray that the Lord

would open doors for the translation and further distribution of these books?

For more information about Light To My Path visit our website at