This week we
shall begin the study of the book of Numbers in the Old Testament.
Introduction
The book of Numbers is so named because of the two censuses recorded in the book: The first took place at Mount Sinai on the first day of the 2nd month of the 2nd year after their departure from Egypt (1:1), which means that they had spent some 13 months at Mount Sinai already, learning the many instructions of the Lord. Now as they got ready to embark on their journey into the Promised Land, more specific instructions are given and a census is taken to prepare them for battle (chapters 1:1-10:10). And the second census took place in chapter 26 some 37 years later, also for military purposes (Only Joshua and Caleb were counted in both censuses. See below.).
The original Hebrew title uses the first word of the Hebrew text which means “in the wilderness” which appropriately describes the setting of the whole book. Their journey would take them to the edge of Canaan, a place called Kadesh Barnea. There they could have simply entered Canaan if not for their lack of faith and disobedience, spurred by the ten naysayers who opposed Joshua and Caleb and who persuaded the entire population to rebel against the Lord (chapters 10:11-14:45). This resulted in God’s judgment in that they would wander in the wilderness for the next over 38 years, and everyone who was twenty years and older would die in the wilderness and not be able to enter into the Promised Land except Joshua and Caleb (chapters 15-36).
While this is a long chapter, the bulk (from vv. 20-43) is composed of statistics. This book begins with the word of the Lord spoken to Moses at the 1st day of the 2nd month of the 2nd year telling him to conduct a census.
(1) When was the tabernacle set up so that God would appear to the Israelites in it? (See Exod. 40:17)
(2) Apart from giving direct instructions through Moses, how did the Lord choose to guide them day and night? (Exod. 40:36-38)
(3) What was the purpose of taking this census? (Num. 1:3)?
(4) Why were the Levites not counted in this census?
(5) What were the specific tasks assigned to the Levites as their sole responsibility? (Num. 1:50-51)
(6) Why couldn’t others do the job of the Levites?
(7) What would the result be if any non-Levite could do the job of the Levites? Why? (Num. 1:51)
(8) Would you prefer to be a Levite, devoted to serving the Lord full-time, or a non-Levite being engaged in the realization of the promise of God by fighting for the people? Why?
(9) Which of the above, in your opinion, was more important to God and His purpose for Israel? Why?
(10) Did these people have a choice of being a Levite or not? Do you think it is also up to you to choose to serve God full-time or not?
(11) How many men of twenty years or over were counted?
(12) By extrapolation, how many men, women and children were there to be led into the Promised Land?
(13) With such a huge population, what might be the key to Moses’ success in leading them into the Promised Land?
(14) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
Although it may not have any spiritual significance, it is still helpful to better inform yourself with the following observations on the Israelite encampment:
(1) East:
a. Which tribes are to camp toward the east?
b. Which tribe is assigned to be their leader?
c. What is their total number?
(2) South:
a. Which tribes are to camp toward the south?
b. Which tribe is assigned to be their leader?
c. What is their total number?
(3) West:
a. Which tribes are to camp toward the west?
b. Which tribe is assigned to be their leader?
c. What is their total number?
(4) North:
a. Which tribes are to camp toward the north?
b. Which tribe is assigned to be their leader?
c. What is their total number?
(5) Apart from the fact that the Levites are to help Aaron and his sons serve in the Tabernacle (Num. 3:21-37), what other practical reason might there be for them to camp near (in fact around) the Tabernacle? (see Num. 3:21-37)
(6) This census was meant to arm and train men twenty years and over to do battle for the Lord in claiming the Promised Land. Why did it turn out to be a census of death? (see Num. 14:29-30) What important lesson can you learn from it?
(7) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
After the census of the 12 tribes of Israel, it was time to count the Levites for a different purpose:
(1) Before the Levites were counted, the priests were first mentioned:
a. Why does the Bible mention the death of Nadab and Abihu, the two sons of Aaron?
b. Was their death a result of unauthorised “drawing near to God” (Num. 1:51) or the use of unauthorised “fire”?
c. What lesson can we learn from their death?
(2) What was the reason given by the Lord for choosing the Levites from among the Israelites to serve (or assist) the priests in the Tabernacle? (Num. 3:11-13)
a. What is meant by “all the firstborn are mine”? (3:13) Shouldn’t all Israel belong to the Lord?
b. In what way then should we understand “The Levites are mine”? (3:12)
(3) In order to better inform ourselves, let’s also make the following observations of the divisions among the Levites:
a. Which clans were to camp on the west behind the tabernacle?
b. What was their total number?
c. Which clans were to camp on the south side of the tabernacle?
d. What was their total number?
e. Which clans were to camp on the north side of the tabernacle?
f. What was their total number?
g. What about the east?
(4) Why did God ask Moses to also take a census of the total number of the first born of all Israelites (i.e. those one month or older)?
(5) The redemption of the excess of the number of first-born Israelite males over that of the Levites has to be symbolic: Why did God take the trouble to make sure each first-born of Israel was either accounted for by a Levite or was redeemed by the paying of five shekels (the general price established by the law—see 18:16)?
(6) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
Now Moses was to number the Levites and assign them specific duties for the transportation of the Tabernacle:
(1) The Bible does not explain the reason behind the age qualification, but it does stress it seven times (4:3, 23, 30, 35, 39, 43, 47) and later reduces the starting age to 25 in 8:23. What might be the reason(s) for setting this qualification?
(2) For the sake of better informing ourselves, make the following observations concerning the transportation of the Tabernacle:
a. Before the actual transportation, what were the sons of Aaron to do? (vv. 5-14)
b. What were the precise duties of the Kohathites? (vv. 15-20)
c. What was their total number? (v. 36)
d. What were the precise duties of the Gershonites? (vv. 21-28)
e. What was their total number? (v. 40)
f. What were the precise duties of the Merarites? (vv. 29-33)
g. What was their total number? (v. 44)
(3) Why couldn’t the Kohathites do the job for the sons of Aaron? (v. 15)
(4) The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “See that the Kohathite tribal clans are not destroyed from among the Levites” (v. 18).
a. Why did God single out the Kohathite clans in giving such a warning?
b. What then were Moses and Aaron supposed to do? (v. 20)
(5) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
5:1-4—Removing of Uncleanness
(1) While detailed regulations concerning uncleanness have been given in Leviticus, why do you think God would choose such a time to ensure their enforcement? (v. 3)
(2) What spiritual principle is being emphasized here?
5:5-10—Restitution for Wrongs
(3) Why is the sin of wronging one another considered “unfaithful to the Lord”? (v. 6)
(4) What are the steps needed for “full restitution”?
(5) What is the meaning behind each of the steps?
(6) What spiritual principle is being emphasized here and how may we apply it to our life within the church?
5:11-31—Testing of an Alleged Unfaithful Wife
(7) Whether we agree with such a method of testing or not, we have to assume that at least during the time of Moses, God did honor the results (of whether or not the womb will miscarry and her abdomen will swell) of the priest’s action:
a. What might happen in the Ancient Near East setting, if no such provision was being made for Israel? What would the jealous husband likely do?
b. How similar was this method of testing with the use of Urim and Thummim by the priest to seek God’s will? (see Exod. 28:30; 1 Sam. 14:41)
(8) In what way does the unfaithfulness of a wife constitute the combined sin of uncleanness and wrong-doing?
(9) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
(1) Can you think of the possible reasons or circumstances under which a person would want to make a Nazirite vow?
(2) Why were the following necessary in order for one to fully dedicate oneself to the Lord as a Nazirite?
a. Abstaining from fermented drink (vv. 3-4)
b. Not cutting one’s hair (v. 5 — see end of v. 7 and vv. 11, 19 in particular)
c. Not going near a dead body (vv. 6-8 — see Lev. 21:11)
(3) Although not everyone could be a priest or Levite in Israel, who could be a Nazirite?
(4) Since being a Nazirite was a voluntary act, why would an accidental defilement of oneself (as in v. 9) require such a tedious process of cleansing including the offering of a “sin” offering? Why is it even considered a “sin” or “guilt”?
(5) What is the spiritual principle behind these requirements?
(6) The procedures for ending the period of Nazirite vow were equally elaborate:
a. It must be conducted at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting.
b. He must present a burnt offering, a sin offering and a fellowship offering.
c. Additionally, there must be grain and drink offerings and bread.
d. He must shave off the hair.
e. The priests make a wave offering.
Why would the ending of such a vow of dedication require the above?
(7) What might be the modern-day equivalent of the making of a Nazirite vow?
(8) The priestly blessing (vv. 22-27)
a. How does this blessing reveal the heart of God to His people?
b. Why does God say that this blessing “will put my name on the Israelites”?
c. Is this blessing real or just a formality? Why?
(9) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
Although it is a very lengthy chapter, the bulk of it (from vv. 12-83) describes the presentation of gifts by the leader of each of the twelve tribes according to the order of the tribes in the camp (described in chapter 2):
(1) Can you recall what the purpose of the Tabernacle was?
(2) Why did it have to be “anointed and consecrated” before offerings by the people to the Lord could be made?
(3) Now the Tabernacle is ready to function as the place where the people could come into His presence through the bringing of sacrifices. Before the presentation of sacrifices, the tribal leaders (obviously on behalf of their respective tribes) gave gifts before the Lord: six covered carts and 12 oxen (not for sacrifice, but for pulling the carts). They were assigned by Moses to the Gershonites and the Merarites “as their work required”: What work was being referred to here that required the use of these carts and oxen?
(4) Now, each tribe took their turn to present their offerings, one tribe per day; and their offerings were identical. Let’s consider the offerings of say, Judah (vv. 13-17)
a. Grain offering was contained in:
- one silver plate weighing a hundred and thirty shekels
- one silver sprinkling bowl weighing seventy shekels,
- both according to the sanctuary shekel, each filled with the finest flour mixed with olive oil as a grain offering;
b. Incense contained in:
- one gold dish weighing ten shekels, filled with incense;
c. Burnt offering:
- one young bull, one ram and one male lamb a year old
d. Sin offering:
- one male goat for a sin offering;
e. Fellowship Offering:
- two oxen, five rams, five male goats and five male lambs a year old
Since the altar was anointed and sanctified by Moses already (7:1), how would you answer the following?
- Why did it need to be dedicated? (7:11)
- What might be the significance of having each tribe bring their respective offerings for this dedication, especially with their own silver plate, bowl and dish (i.e. the censer)?
(5) After this elaborate ceremony, there was no fire from heaven to consume the sacrifices. How did they know that the Lord had accepted their offerings and dedication? (7:89)
(6) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
Note:
“this presentation took place at the time…when
Moses, after having completed the erection of the tabernacle, anointed and
sanctified the dwelling and the altar together with the furniture (Lev. 8:10,
11). Chronologically considered, this
ought to have been noticed after Lev. 8:10. But in order to avoid interrupting the connection of the Sinaitic laws,
it is introduced for the first time at this point, and placed at the head of
the events which immediately preceded the departure of the people from Sinai…”
(K&D, 678)