Numbers

Title

1. Hebrew rBe’d:y>w:

2. Greek avriqmoi, 3. Latin Liber Numeri

(arithmoi)

Author

Moses

Date of Writing

Between 1446 and 1406 BC

Theme

Punishment

Along with more instructions and laws, the bulk of the book tells the story of Israel’s rebellion against the Lord and his servants and of their consequent wanderings in the wilderness as a punishment. Along with displaying the punishment for sin, Numbers displays the mercy and lovingkindness and patience of God towards his people.

Purpose of Writing

To record the history of the Israelites 40 years in the wilderness (the journey should only have taken 11 days, according to most historians). Only the most important stories are recorded of those 40 years, which demonstrates the drudgery that it must have been. Future generations were to learn from the mistakes of Israel.

Christ in Numbers

Moses and Aaron

Numbers 14:19-21 “Pardon, I pray, the iniquity of this people according to the greatness of Your lovingkindness, just as You also have forgiven this people, from Egypt even until now.” 20 So the LORD said, “I have pardoned them according to your word; 21 but indeed, as I live, all the earth will be filled with the glory of the LORD.”

Christ in Numbers

The Water from the Rock

Numbers 20:9-11 9 So Moses took the rod from before the LORD, just as He had commanded him; 10 and Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly before the rock. And he said to them, "Listen now, you rebels; shall we bring forth water for you out of this rock?" 11 Then Moses lifted up his hand and struck the rock twice with his rod; and water came forth abundantly, and the congregation and their beasts drank.

1 Corinthians 10:4 4 and all drank the same spiritual drink, for they were drinking from a spiritual rock which followed them; and the rock was Christ.

Christ in Numbers

The Bronze Serpent

Numbers 21:9 And Moses made a bronze serpent and set it on the standard; and it came about, that if a serpent bit any man, when he looked to the bronze serpent, he lived.

John 3:14-15 14 "As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; 15 so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life.

Christ in Numbers

The Cities of RefugeNumbers 35:15 15 'These six cities shall be for refuge for the sons of Israel, and for the alien and for the sojourner among them;

Christ in Numbers

The Red HeiferNumbers 19:9 and the congregation of the sons of Israel shall keep it as water to remove impurity; it is purification from sin.

Christ in Numbers

The Prophecy of Balaam

Numbers 24:17-18 17 "I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near; A star shall come forth from Jacob, A scepter shall rise from Israel, And shall crush through the forehead of Moab, And tear down all the sons of Sheth. 18 "Edom shall be a possession, Seir, its enemies, also will be a possession, While Israel performs valiantly.

The Place of Numbers in the Canon

In the book of Numbers, the people of Israel are matured from being a group of whining rebels into being a disciplined force ready to take the Promised Land. Numbers is a historical perspective on the growth of the nation.

We are the redeemed people but we are not perfect; we experience the discipline of the Lord which more and more conforms us to the image of Christ; we are being slowly transformed from weak, wimpy, worldly people into mighty and disciplined soldiers of the cross; we are awaiting the day when we will cross the Jordan River and enter our Promised Land, the kingdom of Heaven.