Honouring Pledges

Numbers 28-30

Numbers 30 is a curious chapter, and feels like something of a clunky "c'mon it's in there somewhere" gear change! We go from issues of national religious importance in ch29 to (clunk clunk) these parochial family rules in ch30 only to return (clunk clunk) back to national strategy in ch31.

The Great Succession

Numbers 26-27

A new census is taken and preparations are made for conquering the promised land.

Joshua is officially named as Moses' successor and anointed such.

Moses led the people out of slavery and hands over to Joshua who would lead them in conquest of the land.

Jesus - through the cross - led a people out of slavery to sin and hands over to the Holy Spirit - who is the Spirit of the Father and the Son - to lead the people in conquest of the whole earth.

How to "Kill" a Christian

Numbers 23-25

Yes, I realise it's a (theologically) provocative title...

Balaam, far from cursing the Israelites as Balak wanted, blessed them 7 times! Publicly, he will do them no harm, but behind closed doors, it's a different matter.

Privately, he advises the Moabites to woo them into spiritual (and sexual) whoredom, bringing the judgement of God on them and making them so weak and ineffective as to be no significant threat to them.

Battles, A Bronze Snake & Balaam's Donkey

Numbers 21-22:

The people grumble again - becoming impatient with the lot they have been apportioned. Daily bread is not enough, they want daily... (Fill in gap with your personal regular craving.) Again, they do like Adam did, wanting ahead of time what was not theirs - yet.

Disqualification and Death, Succession and Conquest

Numbers 18-20

The first time, God told Moses to strike the rock, this time he is told to speak to it.

He is rebuked by God because in striking the rock twice, he did not obey the word of the LORD. To our modern ears, this sounds harsh. You'd think with all the flack Moses had received over these years from the Israelites that God might have cut him a bit of slack.

Death and New Life

Observations on Numbers 15-17

The observant will notice there's no provision of forgiveness for deliberate sin. Unintentional sins, yes, but not willful ones. These are the kind of sins that vex the Psalmist and they pose a problem for stubborn people like me. Does this mean that when I deliberately disobey a command of God, that there is no forgiveness? If that's true then only the most spiritual Christians will be in heaven, and I know me well enough to know that I don't rank in that category! I'm no Martin Luther or Brother Yun! Abandon all hope now!! Give up this religious charade!!

Again - Be Careful What You Wish For, You Might Just Get It!

Observations on Numbers 12-14

No matter how godly you may be, or to put it another way, because you are godly, people will take pot shots at you. Moses is no exception.  Even though he has been clearly raised up for the task of leading the people, even though God has done many mighty signs and wonders through him, even though his character track record is unimpeachable, he is challenged, and not by any old gangsta upstart Israelite, but by his very own brother and sister.

Royal Priesthood

In Numbers 7, the heads of the tribes bring their tribute to the Tabernacle.  They all bring the same thing and the ADHD kid in me that can't stay focussed fo.... Look there's a cloud that looks like a baboon on a moped!!... r more than 20 seconds, says "Why can't it just say: 'Each tribe offered...' rather than repeating the same list 11 times?" The good thing about the 11 repetitions is that it creates a sense of occasion. Moreover, God doesn't waste words, so if he has had it repeated 11 times, there is a reason, I just don't know what it is.

Communion and Conquest

Observations on Numbers 5-6:

The sending away of those with a defiling skin disease (not leprosy in this case - apparently) was not permanent, just for the time it was contagious.

There doesn't appear to be any occasion recorded in Scripture when a man actually used the test for an unfaithful wife on his spouse. Some have made connections between this test and Jesus' judgment on the woman caught in adultery.

Book of Numbers

So we have reached Numbers in this Bible Read Fest. A couple of observations.

• The Census is a military one - all the men 20yrs and older who can be conscripted into the national army, ready to go conquer the promised land.
• Jordan talks about how the camp is set out in ch2 as having parallels with the heavenly host and with the vision Ezekiel had. e.g. Judah who leads the East camp is symbolised by a Lion, Ephraim on the west - an ox.
• With Reuben having squandered his rights as firstborn son by defiling his father's concubine, another "firstborn" needs to be found to act as priests. The Levites are selected. They were the only ones who rallied to Moses' side to purge the camp after the idolatry incident with the golden calf. There are many fewer Levites, because they had to be at least 30yrs old to serve.