Readings
- Numbers 1:1–4:20
- Hosea 1:9–2:23
- Romans 9:22–33
Bemidbar-related studies
Unclean skins covering the holy Tabernacle? Pagan name for the LORD? (Numbers 1:1–4:20)
Prepare now to stand and be counted on the Day of the LORD (Numbers 1–4; Luke 12, 15)
When God’s people need a ‘timeout’ — and a heart-to-heart restoration (Hosea 1–3)
Numbers 1:1–4:20: Counting the nations in Heaven’s inheritance
What are we going to eat? What are we going to wear? What’s going to protect us from the elements? Where do we belong? These four important questions are behind the census of ancient Israel described in Torah reading בְּמִדְבַּר Bamidbar (“in the wilderness,” Num. 1:1–4:20). Through this object lesson, we learn how Messiah Yeshua (Christ Jesus) is Israel’s ultimate inheritance, and we discover why bringing Israel and all nations into what the Land represents leads us to true rest for our restless hearts. ““Take a census of all the congregation of the sons of Israel, by their families, by…
Numbers 1:1–4:20: Adopted into God’s family
You want to be one of God’s firstfruits
Important messages behind the censuses, travelogues
The book of Numbers is more than just a collection of long lists of numbers of people in the tribes and families of Israel and of places where the people camped for 40 years. It shows us how God prepares His people then and now to move forward into the tasks He has for them. Numbers contains lessons of character refinement of a people.
Numbers 1
Meaning behind the names; Moses’ first census teaches us about Yeshua’s burdensome cup
Num. 1:1-16 foretells Yeshua’s burden, the burden He tried to give up three times in the garden before His crucifixion (Matt. 26:39–44). That message is embedded in the meanings of the names of the tribes and clans, and that message becomes clear when the meanings are read together.
From freedom to war
The lists of numbers in the book of Numbers can be somewhat overwhelming. The first chapters are talking about how they are to count and assemble an army, not the entire community. We don’t pay attention to Numbers 1 because it is “just a bunch of names and a bunch of numbers,” but these were real men who had to be ready to fight in a real war (Num. 1:17-54).
Were there hundreds of thousands or thousands in the army of Israel?
The book of Numbers immediately starts out with a census, with lots of numbers. The book is named very well. If you just think of numbers for the sake of numbers, this chapter is very easy to skip. However, there are some important lessons we can glean from this chapter. First, notice the names of the heads of these families. Many of them have the name of “El” or “Shaddai” in their own names. This shows us that they know. [part 1, part 2]
Does אלף ’elef mean ‘thousand’ or ‘clan’ in Exodus and Numbers?
Some have asserted that the huge numbers of people listed in various places in Exodus and Numbers are impossible or unlikely for a number of real-world reasons. Rather than exegesis — a critical examination of a text from the text — this is eisegesis — a critical examination of a text from considerations outside the text.
Numbers 2–3
How the army of Israel surrounds the Tabernacle and prepares for war
Numbers 1 told us the names of the leaders of the tribes of Israel and the numbers of their fighting men. Numbers 2 places them in rank and shows us how they were strategically camped around the Tabernacle and in what order they are to move in case of danger or battle. The names of these men not only shows us how the Messiah fights His own battle but how God’s army is going to fight His battle.
Lessons in the numbers of men and their order around the Tabernacle
For many, the book of Numbers is the most boring book of the Bible because it seems to focus so much on numbers. God did not put this book in the Bible to bore us but to educate us.
Becoming Levites in the Spirit
Even if you aren’t a literal descendant of Aaron this chapter is about you. If you are joined to the High Priest Messiah Yeshua, you are joined, in a spiritual sense to the priestly Levites. Numbers 3 tells you how.
Numbers 4–5
How to take care of holy things; judgment beings in God’s house
God is careful to make sure that holy things are treated with respect and covered up. Anyone who touched a holy thing unworthily would die. However, if God’s holy people — His assembly — sins, that sin will be uncovered and dealt with by Him. He will make sure it’s exposed. However, if someone is falsely accused, He will vindicate them too.
Function of priests with the holiest Tabernacle items; test of jealousy of a husband
The inner sanctuary items were so holy that the sons of Aaron had to cover them before the Levites could come an carry them away. The chapter goes on to mention the names of the families of Levi who were designated to perform the various tasks of the sanctuary. Chapter 5 seems to take a divergent path with instructions on how a jealous husband can find out whether his wife committed adultery. In chapter 6, that will be a little more clear.