That was a long hike!

Numbers

First impression: finding the context

What do you see in this book that tells you about the original reader?

   The book is written to the Israelites, by now, you would imagine that they are no longer hard headed and rebellious, but they bring it to a whole new level in Numbers. 

   They have heard all sorts stories about God walking side by side with their ancestors, they have seen all of this powerful acts of the Lord with their very own eyes, yet they needed to trust more on God and follow Him always.

   They are whiners crying constantly; now that's an old habit, and those die hard. (Numbers 11:4-6)

What do you see in this book that tells you about the author?

   Moses keeps surprising me with his incredible memory. He listens from God and tells the people what they need to do. Moses keeps being one of God's favorites, the Lord talks to him a lot in this book. I wonder how a man like this, walking so close with God, did not make it into the promise land. It makes me wonder if we can  even attempt to come closer than he did... 
   The one thing I really like about Moses in this book is to see how much he has grown in his "speaking in public" skills! Remember when he asked God not to send him, to send someone else to talk to Pharaoh, back in Exodus 4:10? And here he is now, listening from God (Num. 7:4,5) and acting on it right away (Num. 7:7,9).

What are the main themes, and repeated ideas in this book, and what is a one sentence summary of the “main idea”?
  The census was repeated several times. (Num. 1:2-16 & 26:2) Both references are for soldier count, all the men who were 20 and above who could go to war! That should tell you something big was about to happen: they were going to enter the promise land, but it was occupied by other people!

    I was amazed to read the offerings each of the tribes brought, basically I read the same thing 12 times (Num. 7:12-88), and that was really testing my patience! I feel like I want to rewrite Numbers in 2 paragraphs... but I feel the repetition was necessary for the sake of order and for the people who were collecting the offerings to make sure that each tribe brought what was asked of them, right? 

   

What is the primary reason this book was written?

   This book is a very detailed account of the years of wandering of the people of Israel. It includes their past (for example family trees in Num. 3:16-37), their present (Num. 5:1) and it is helping shape their future in the promise land (Num. 33:50-56). One of our other resources (Nelson's Bible Maps and Charts) says "It has been said that it took God only one night to get Israel out of Egypt, but it took forty years to get Egypt out of Israel." (Page 37) And it seems to be so true as they kept stumbling before getting to the promise land.
   If you think about it for a minute, it would make more sense: if your head is full of rules, sacrifices for other gods, you need to get rid of that first to then be able to upload some new info into your hard drive! Then, it looks like this process is not entirely and uniquely the work of this book, but of the first 5 books of the Bible. From "the fall" to the final conquest of the promise land, it's all a walking school!

Theme tracing

What does this book show about the character and nature of God?

   Faithful - He took them from slavery to the promise land (Num. 1:1 & 36:13)

   Giver of life - "O Lord you are the God who gives breath to all creatures." (Num. 27:15)
   Merciful - He spared the lives of the Israelites several times (Num. 14:20). However, He killed a few thousand here and there when they got completely out of line (the earth opened and swallowed a whole family and their 250 followers) (Num. 16:32)

    Just - He does not wait to discipline His people when they commit a crime or sin. (Num. 16:21)

What does this book show about God’s redemptive plan for mankind?

   The story tells us that God took the slaves and turned them into free, holy people, but the process was really hard and long. It took them 40 years of wandering for them to get ready to enter the promise land. Did you know that the 40 years of wandering was actually not the original plan of God? God was ready to give the promise land to the Israelites, and then, they decided to send spies into the land they were to capture first. This for me represents lack of trust in God, and this is the sin they are punished for. Because their spies explored the land for 40 days, they were to walk around in the wilderness for 40 years, and none of the people who were 20 years of age or older would come into the promise land, they were going to die in the wilderness before stepping into the promise land. (Num. 14:34)

Personal application

Is there a timeless truth, or maybe a specific verse, or perhaps the main idea of the book you are studying that is challenging you in your life?

   I am a very impatient person, and I don't like walking that much, so I feel the pain of the Israelites who have been wandering for 4 decades before getting to their promise land. And I believe we all have "promise lands" of our own, and those things sometimes come faster to us than we expected, but most of the time it takes time. God's faithful and I know He'll come through with whatever He promised me, but waiting is the area I need to work in. I feel challenged to wait on God's timing and not my timing.

What area of your life is God encouraging you, convincing you or empowering you in through this book?

    To walk more. Just kidding!!!
   I feel like God keeps revealing that patience is a great area to grow in for me. Even when some people might disagree on this, because I seem to go with the flow, the truth is that I want things to happen NOW! I want to be at the finish line today, even before starting the race! But, reading about the Israelites, I don't feel so alone, there are maybe millions of people who are like that. I just need to keep working on it. 

Point of passion

Whether it is a people group or a sphere of society, God’s word can speak into all areas of life. Share in a paragraph or two how the message of this book, or a truth from this book relates to your  point of passion, and how your ministry to this area can use the message from this book to share Christ in your passion.

   I keep searching for food and/or miraculous provision in the Bible and it seems like in every book there's at least one reference to add to this section. Remember that time when the food fell from heaven? Manna was coming from heaven every day at its regular times. People did not have to work for it, or even ask for it! It just rained on them! Every day for 40 years!! Now, that's good and bad. On one hand, you know you are going to have your meals no matter what, on the other hand, you already know the menu. So, the obvious thing happened... people started to complain about Manna. That reminded me of the time when I cooked "gallo pinto" for the homeless in Costa Rica. Gallo pinto is the traditional meal in my native country, it is rice, beans, spices and a special sauce. And I was so proud of myself for my delicious gallo pinto, so I approached one of the homeless and asked him if he liked the dish (you know, I was ready to tell him that I had cooked it, I wanted to boast about my cooking skills!) and he said "it lacks salt". My initial reaction was "this man is so ungrateful!" But on a closer look I felt God was trying to tell me something, I needed to be a little more humble and remember that I was cooking for them to bless them and not to show how much of a cook I am. Lesson learned: now I put more salt in my gallo pinto!
   One we are thirsty we get water from the tap... but they did not have that in the wilderness, so God provided water from a rock for them... He told Moses to strike the rock and then water would come out of. I wish I could do that, especially on long hikes. I hope someday God will ask me to get some water out of a rock!