Chapter 8 continuted

Law and Wandering in the Wilderness

Numbers and Deuteronomy

The Sin of Moses and Aaron

• Moses and Aaron will not be allowed to enter the Promised Land.– Why?• Nm 20: 6-12

• What happened here that was a sin?– Disobeyed God and lacked faith. How?• He was told to speak to the rock, instead he struck it twice

(probably twice due to lack of faith)– Did not attribute the miracle to God alone. Huh?• Notice in verse 10 Moses says “we”, this is referring to Moses

and Aaron, not to God

The Sin of Moses and Aaron

• Result of this sin?– Moses and Aaron are not allowed to enter the

Promised Land– Aaron dies ten verses later, while Moses will live

to view the Promised Land from across the River Jordan

Balaam

• Numbers 22– What happens?• Yes, Balaam’s donkey talks to him

Wandering

• The people of Israel continued wandering. • Over the course of their entire journey there were

revolts (which are quashed by God), miracles (Aaron’s staff blooming), a plague, an attack by fiery serpents, and many battles against neighboring nations.

• Also, the sin of worshipping Baal of Peor (Nm 25) was a result of encounters with the Moabite women (think “sons of God” and “daughters of men” all over again). – This incident is cited by the textbook as the reason for the

Book of Deuteronomy

Book of Deuteronomy• Deuteronomy meaning?

– “Second Law”• Format/Style of Deuteronomy?

– Moses speaking (speech/oration). You may call it a “farewell address”• Is there any new information in Deuteronomy?

– Not really• The laws are explained in greater detail and the events that occurred in

Egypt and in the wilderness are briefly recapped.• There are some rules given for what Israel must do when they enter the

Promised Land.• Also, Moses presents the people with a “prophetic roadmap” of what is to

come in the future.

Book of Deuteronomy

• The primary purpose of this speech by Moses is to exhort the people of Israel to remember all that God has done for them in order to be faithful to their covenant obligations amid the temptations in Canaan.– The underlined words are important themes

present in Deuteronomy. • Dt 7: 6-11 contains all these themes and can be viewed

as a brief summary of why Deuteronomy was written

End of Deuteronomy

• Moses installs Joshua as his successor (Nm 27:22-23; Dt 31: 7-8)

• The people of Israel reach the River Jordan and are now a stone’s throw away from the Promised Land– Everyone who began the journey in Egypt is dead by

this point (save for Joshua, Caleb, and Moses) • Moses then ascends Mt. Nebo to view the

Promised Land– It is there that he dies and is buried by God