Numbers Part 2

It is seen in The Book Of Numbers how God separated the children of Israel

·       In Ch 1 God separated the Levites from the other tribes.

·       In Ch 13&14 God separated those who were under 20 years old when he came out from Egypt from the older generation who rejected the LORD.

According to Ch 14:29-30, 33 over 1.500,000 Jews were going to die in the wilderness over a period of 40 years. God’s patience with this generation had run out [V22-23] 

He LORD had them turn back toward the Red Sea.

Ch 19 ordinance of the law of the red heifer, her ashes, and the water of separation: The cleansing of anyone who came in contact with a dead body. [Heb 9:13]

·       The perfect red was a unique creation of God. He had to have prepare this heifer months before [old enough to have been yoked as a beast of burden]

·       The water of separation cleansed the corruption of death from their bodied and their tents. Those who were going to enter the land had to be cleansed from the corruption of the sin of the generation was going to die in the wilderness because of their rejection of the LORD. The LORD was separating His generation.

·       2Cor 6:13-18, 7:1; Eph 5:25-27; Isa 52:11 What the water of separation did physically for Jew who came in contact with a dead body, Christ did spiritually for all who believe in Him.

·       John 17:15, 17; Rev 1:5; Heb 9:14 Being washed once in the blood of Christ keeps us separated from the corruption of the lost.

Ch 20, 33 The nation entered the desert if Zin where the congregation complained of no water. Moses was commanded to speak to the rock. Moses disobeyed and smote the rock. The LORD punished Moses and Aaron for striking the rock

·       (V12: Because ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel) [ye is a plural pronoun]. Moses and Aaron would not be able to lead the congregation into the land of Canaan.

·       Upon Mt. Hor, Moses stripped [V28] Aaron of his priestly garments and put them upon Eleazar his son and Aaron died there on mount Hor. [Ch 33:38] 40 years, 1month, 5 days after the exodus EX 13

Chs 21 The serpent on a stick

V1-3 The LORD delivered the people from the Canaanites and won a great victory.

V4-6 they soon forgot the hand of the LORD and became discourage in the way the LORD led them and spake against God and Moses. The LORD sent fiery serpents and many died because of their bite.

V8-9 The LORD had Moses make a brazen serpent and put it on a pole and when those whom were bitten beheld the serpent on the pole they lived.

·       They had to behold that which brought the judgment of death for their sin to be saved.

·       [1Co 15:56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.] The picture of Christ who was made to be sin for us and made a curse for us was nailed to the cross. He was made to be the very thing that brought the judgment of death to us all. John the Baptist said, “Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world.”  Christ fulfilled the law, defeated death and brings eternal life to all who look to Him.

·       What happened to the serpent on the stick: 2Kings 18:4 The people had grown to worship the brazen serpent and King Hezekiah broke it to pieces. They made something that represented their sin into an idol

·       Consider those who show Christ still upon the cross. They will kiss that idol of worship. When Christ was upon the cross He was made to be sin. When the Father looked upon His Son on the cross He was looking upon the sin of the world. When they kiss the cross they are really worshipping the sin that He was made to be.

·       The blasphemy of keeping Christ on the cross. We do not worship a Christ still on the cross. We worship the risen Christ.

22-24Israel had journeyed to Shittim in Moab on the east side of the Jordan River across from Jericho. Balak king of the Moabites hired Balaam to curse the Jews but the LORD would not allow him to curse Israel. What Balaam would not do the, Jews did to themselves:

 Ch 25 The Jews are corrupted by the Moabites they take wives of the them and worshipped the god of the Moabites.

·       The 24,000 men of Israel who worshipped Baalpeor were killed by a plague.

·       This could have been the end of the generation numbered in Ch 1

Ch 26 Moses numbered the men 20 and older who could go to war in the land of Canaan: 601,750 [V53]. They that were numbered in Ch1 had died [Ch 33:38]

Ch 27 Joshua is given charge to lead the people into Canaan

Chs 28-30 with Lev 23 the feasts commanded and other laws spoken

Ch 31 The battle with the Midianites and all the males of them were killed.

Ch 32 Reuben, Gad and Mannsseh were given land on the east side of the Jordan River.

Ch 34-36 Moses give orders for the division of the land. See V36:7