Numbers Chapters 1-14

Little Faith, Lots of Miracles

• Moses as intercessor• 10 commandments and rules • Punishing to the 4th generation• God comes to kill• Tabernacle, parts I and II

• “You have stayed long enough at this mountain. Break camp and move on.” (Deuteronomy 1:6,7 – GN)

Numbers

• “On the twentieth day of the second month in the second year after the people left Egypt, the cloud over the Tent of the LORD’s presence lifted, and the Israelites started on their journey out of the Sinai Desert…” (Numbers 10:11-13 – GN)

• Census – 603,550 men over 25• Complaining and trouble• 12 Spies• 40 year wandering – all over the age of 25 died– Korah’s rebellion– Moses strikes the rock

• Nearing the promised land• Balaam• Census – 601,730 men over 25 – “There was not even one man left among those whom

Moses and Aaron had listed in the first census in the Sinai Desert. The LORD had said that all of them would die in the wilderness, and except for Caleb son of…and Joshua son of Nun they all did.” (Numbers 26:64,65 – GN)

Complaining and Trouble

• The people complain– “There is nothing at all to eat – nothing but this

manna day after day!” (Numbers 11:6 – GN)

• Moses complains– “Moses heard all the people complaining as they

stood around in groups at the entrances of their tents. He was distressed because the LORD had become angry with them, and he said to the LORD, ‘Why have you treated me so badly? Why are you displeased with me? Why have you given me the responsibility for all these people? I didn't create them or bring them to birth! Why should you ask me to act like a nurse and carry them in my arms like babies all the way to the land you promised to their ancestors? Where could I get enough meat for all these people? They keep whining and asking for meat. I can’t be responsible for all these people by myself; it’s too much for me! If you are going to treat me like this, have pity on me and kill me, so that I won't have to endure your cruelty any longer.’” (Numbers 11:10-14 – GN)

The 12 spies• “The LORD said to Moses, ‘Choose one of the

leaders from each of the twelve tribes and send them as spies to explore the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the Israelites.’” (Numbers 13:1,2 – GN)

• “But the people who live there are powerful, and their cities are very large and well fortified. Even worse, we saw the descendants of giants there.” (Numbers 13:28 – GN)

• “Caleb silenced the people who were complaining against Moses, and said, ‘We should attack now and take the land; we are strong enough to conquer it.” (Numbers 13:30 – GN)

• “All night long the people cried out in distress. They complained against Moses and Aaron, and said, ‘It would have been better to die in Egypt or even here in the wilderness. Why is the LORD taking us into that land? We will be killed in battle, and our wives and children will be captured. Wouldn’t it be better to go back to Egypt?’ So they said to one another, ‘Let's choose a leader and go back to Egypt!’” (Numbers 14:1-4 – GN)

The 12 spies• “Then Moses and Aaron bowed to the ground

in front of all the people. And Joshua…and Caleb…two of the spies, tore their clothes in sorrow and said to the people, ‘The land we explored is an excellent land. If the Lord is pleased with us, he will take us there and give us that rich and fertile land. Do not rebel against the Lord and don't be afraid of the people who live there. We will conquer them easily. The Lord is with us and has defeated the gods who protected them; so don't be afraid.’

• The whole community was threatening to stone them to death, but suddenly the people saw the dazzling light of the Lord's presence appear over the Tent. The Lord said to Moses, ‘How much longer will these people reject me? How much longer will they refuse to trust in me, even though I have performed so many miracles among them?’” (Numbers 14:5-10 – GN).

Elijah

• Fire from heaven consumes the altar • The people bow down, “The LORD is God; the

LORD alone is God!” (1 Kings 18:39 )• “I am the only one left, and now they are

trying to kill me, too.” (1 Kings 19:10)

The miracles of Elisha• Parts the river Jordan with his coat• Purified spring water with salt• Called rain down • Oil continuously poured from widows jar• Raises to life a boy who died after complaining of a

headache• Cures poison in the stew with some flour• Feeds 100 men with 20 loaves of bread• Naaman cured of leprosy• The floating ax head• Syrians struck blind and led to the king of Syria

The miracles of Elisha

• “Elisha died and was buried. Every year bands of Moabites used to invade the land of Israel. One time during a funeral, one of those bands was seen, and the people threw the corpse into Elisha’s tomb and ran off. As soon as the body came into contact with Elisha’s bones, the man came back to life and stood up.” (2 Kings 13:20-21 – GN)

• “From that day on the Jewish authorities made plans to kill Jesus” (John 11:53 - GN).

• “Even though he had performed all these miracles in their presence, they did not believe (trust) in him” (John 12:37 – GN).

Job• “Then the LORD asked Satan, ‘Have you noticed

My servant Job? He is the finest man in all the earth. He is blameless—a man of complete integrity. He fears God and stays away from evil.’” (Job 1:8 NLT)

• “If only my life could once again be as it was when God watched over me. God was always with me then and gave me light as I walked through the darkness. Those were the days when I was prosperous, and the friendship of God protected my home.” (Job 29:1-3)

• “Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him” (Job 13:15 KJV)

Paul

• “But to keep me from being puffed up with pride because of the many wonderful things I saw, I was given a painful physical ailment, which acts as Satan's messenger to beat me and keep me from being proud. Three times I prayed to the Lord about this and asked him to take it away.” (2 Corinthians 12:7-8 GNB)

Miracles

• “The people of Israel are as stubborn as mules. How can I feed them like lambs in a meadow?” (Hosea 4:16, GNB)

• “This second beast performed great miracles; it made fire come down out of heaven to earth in the sight of everyone. And it deceived all the people living on earth by means of the miracles…” (Revelation 13:13-14 – GN)

• “The Wicked One will come with the power of Satan and perform all kinds of false miracles and wonders, and use every kind of wicked deceit on those who will perish. They will perish because they did not welcome and love the truth so as to be saved” (2 Thessalonians 2:9,10 - GN).

• “The man of sin will come with the power of Satan. He will use every kind of power, including miraculous and wonderful signs. But they will be lies. He will use everything that God disapproves of to deceive those who are dying, those who refused to love the truth that would save them.” (2 Thessalonians 2:9-10 GW)

• “The Anarchist's coming is all Satan's work. All his power and signs and miracles are fake, evil sleight of hand that plays to the gallery of those who hate the truth that could save them.” (2 Thessalonians 2:9-10 MSG)

• “They said, ‘Where is this so-called Father of yours?’ Jesus said, ‘You're looking right at me and you don't see me. How do you expect to see the Father? If you knew me, you would at the same time know the Father.’” (John 8:19 MSG)

• “When you lift up the Son of Man, you will know that 'I Am Who I Am'.” (John 8:28 GNB)

• “So Jesus said to those Jews who believed in him, ‘If you live by what I say, you are truly my disciples. You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.’” (John 8:31-32 GW)

• “You are the children of your father, the Devil, and you want to follow your father's desires. From the very beginning he was a murderer and has never been on the side of truth, because there is no truth in him. When he tells a lie, he is only doing what is natural to him, because he is a liar and the father of all lies.” (John 8:44 GNB)

• “They asked Jesus, ‘Were we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and have a demon in you?’” (John 8:48 GNB)

• “I am telling you the truth,’ Jesus replied, ‘Before Abraham was born, 'I Am'.’ Then they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and left the Temple.” (John 8:58-59 GNB)

George MacDonald• “Sadly, there are those who would have us

love Christ for protecting us from God, instead of leading us to God - the one home of safety. They imagine justice and love dwelling in eternal opposition in the bosom of eternal unity...'I and the Father are One' is the center-truth of the universe.”

• “This is eternal life: to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you sent. On earth I have given you glory by finishing the work you gave me to do…I made your name known…” (John 17:3-6 GW)

• The whole community was threatening to stone them to death, but suddenly the people saw the dazzling light of the Lord's presence appear over the Tent. The Lord said to Moses, ‘How much longer will these people reject me? How much longer will they refuse to trust in me, even though I have performed so many miracles among them?’” (Numbers 14:5-10 – GN).

• “Those who know you, LORD, will trust you; you…” (Psalm 9:10)

• “Go out and stand before me on top of the mountain,’ the LORD said to him. Then the LORD passed by and sent a furious wind that split the hills and shattered the rocks---but the LORD was not in the wind. The wind stopped blowing, and then there was an earthquake---but the LORD was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake there was a fire---but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire there was the soft whisper of a voice…(1 Kings 19:11-13 GNB)

• Gentle whisper, quiet whisper, still small voice

• “Not by strength and not by power, but by my Spirit, says the sovereign Lord.” (Zechariah 4:6 – NET)

• “On that same day two of Jesus’ followers were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, and they were talking to each other about all the things that had happened. As they talked and discussed, Jesus himself drew near and walked along with them; they saw him, but somehow did not recognize him.

• Jesus said to them, ‘What are you talking about to each other, as you walk along?’ They stood still, with sad faces. One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, ‘Are you the only visitor in Jerusalem who doesn’t know the things that have been happening there these last few days?’ ‘What things?’ he asked. ‘The things that happened to Jesus of Nazareth,’ they answered.

• ‘This man was a prophet and was considered by God and by all the people to be powerful in everything he said and did. Our chief priests and rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and he was crucified. And we had hoped that he would be the one who was going to set Israel free! Besides all that, this is now the third day since it happened.’” (Luke 24:13-21 GNB)

• “Then Jesus said to them, ‘How foolish you are, how slow you are to believe everything the prophets said! Was it not necessary for the Messiah to suffer these things and then to enter his glory?’ And Jesus explained to them what was said about himself in all the Scriptures, beginning with the books of Moses and the writings of all the prophets.” (Luke 24:25-27 GNB)

• “As they came near the village to which they were going, Jesus acted as if he were going farther; but they held him back, saying, ‘Stay with us; the day is almost over and it is getting dark.’ So he went in to stay with them. He sat down to eat with them, took the bread, and said the blessing; then he broke the bread and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, but he disappeared from their sight.

• They said to each other, ‘Wasn't it like a fire burning in us when he talked to us on the road and explained the Scriptures to us?’ They got up at once and went back to Jerusalem, where they found the eleven disciples gathered together with the others and saying, ‘The Lord is risen indeed!’” (Luke 24:28-34 GNB)

• Medicine – evidence based• Religion – “faith” based

• “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1 NKJV)

1st Coming

• Eagerly awaiting the coming of the Messiah • They kept “the list”: Sabbath, Bible reading,

tithe, church attendance, missionary work…• The Messiah would come and use power and

miracles to defeat their enemies • Highly susceptible to the “right” kind of

miracles• No one expected a suffering, dying Messiah

2nd Coming

• Eagerly awaiting the coming of the Jesus in the clouds

• “The list”: Sabbath, Bible reading, tithe, church attendance, missionary work…

• Jesus will use power and miracles to defeat our enemies

• Susceptible to the “right” kind of miracles?• No one is expecting….

Jesus

• “Then the Devil came to him and said, ‘If you are God’s Son, order these stones to turn into bread.’” (Matthew 4:3 GNB)

• “Save yourself if you are God’s Son! Come on down from the cross!” (Matthew 27:40 GNB)

• “They didn’t love their life so much that they refused to give it up” (Revelation 12:11)