Numbers:Journey to the Promised Land26 April 2020

The Helpful and Unhelpful Title of “Numbers”

The Place of Numbers in the Pentateuch

Morales, L.M., Who Shall Ascend the Mountain of the Lord?: A Biblical Theology of the Book of Leviticus (NSBT)

Genesis: Offspring

Exodus: Pattern of Salvation

Leviticus: Entering God’s presence and Dwelling with a Holy God

Morales, L.M., Who Shall Ascend the Mountain of the Lord?: A Biblical Theology of the Book of Leviticus (NSBT)

Structure of Numbers

Numbers 1-10: God Prepares Israel to Travel into the Promised Land with Himself

Numbers 1-4: Camp Arrangements for Dwelling and Travelling with a Holy God: The Levites’ Role in Guarding God’s Holiness

Numbers 5-6: Regulations for Everyone to Guard God’s Holiness

Numbers 7-10: Flashback on Their Initial Obedience that Secured God’s Presence

Crossway Bibles, The ESV Study Bible (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008), 276–277.

Numbers 11-25: God Destroys the Old Rebellious Generation, but is Still Determined to Fulfil His Promises

Israel’s Cycles of RebellionCycle 1 (Numbers 11-14)

They get to the theological heart of what is at stake: “Do not rebel against the Lord; and do not fear the people of the land … the Lord is with us; do not fear them” (14:7–9). In the end, the issue is not competing estimates about the human strength of the Israelite army versus the Canaanites. The question is not who is taller or who has larger fortifications or who has more weapons. Ultimately, all such reliance on human power and estimates is irrelevant.The issue is trusting in the power of Israel’s God. God is with the Israelites in the midst of their camp; God can be trusted to make good on God’s promise to bring the Israelites into the land. God’s promise and presence alone are more than adequate basis for their confidence. But the response of the Israelites to Caleb and Joshua is unanimous in its negative verdict: “the whole congregation threatened to stone them” (14:10).Dennis T. Olson, Numbers, Interpretation, a Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching (Louisville, KY: John Knox Press, 1996), 80.

Laws as Promise (Numbers 15)

Application

Discussion Questions:1. How will you take God’s love and justice seriously?2. How will you live holy and pleasing lives to God now?