Transcript Slide 1

Prayer List
• Text
Announcements
• Text
Numbers
Week
Date
Topic
1
08 Dec10 Numbers: An Introduction
2
15 Dec10 Census and Organization: 1:1-4:49
3
22 Dec10 Purity of the Camp: 5:1-6:27
4
29 Dec10 Dedication of the Tabernacle: 7:1-9:23
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05 Jan 11 Failure of Israel: 10:1-12:16
6
12 Jan 11 Pinnacle of Failure at Kadesh: 13:1-14:45
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19 Jan 11 Failure of Israel in the Wilderness: 15:1-19:22
8
26 Jan 11 Failure of Israel on the way to Moab: 20:1-25:18
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02 Feb 11 Reorganization of Israel: 26:1-27:23
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09 Feb 11 Regulations of Offerings and Vows: 28:1-30:16
11
16 Feb 11 Division of the Land: 31:1-33:49
12
23 Feb 11 Further Division of the Land: 33:50-36:13
13
02 Mar 11 Review
References
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Constable Notes - Primary
Halley’s Bible Handbook
JFB Bible Commentary
ISBE (Encyclopedia)
Key Points for Today’s Lesson
• God provides for the Israelites in the Desert of
Zin
• Edom’s refuses to let Israel pass as they travel to
the promise land, causing further division
• Aaron’s dies before reaching the Promise Land
• Israel’s succeeds in multiple battles enroot to
Moab
• Balaam provided seven oracles glorifying God
and His people
• Moab seduces Israel and God’s punishes Israel
Last Week’s Lesson
• Reviewed the supplementary laws of sacrifice
• Read about how those that actively defy God
were destroyed
• Learned about Korah and those that followed
him in his defiance of God
• Learned about the punishment of Korah
• Learned about the selection and confirmation
of Aaron as the leader of Israel
• Learned about the water of cleansing
Timeline
Event
Year
Hebrew
Day
Month
Departure from Egypt
1446
Nisan
15
April
Quail and Manna provided
1446
Iyyar
15
May
Ten Commandments in the Sinai
1446
Sivan
?
Jun
Tabernacle Built
1445
Iyyar
1
April
Depart from Sinai
1445
Iyyar
20
May
At Kadesh-Barnea – second time
1406
Nisan
1
March
At Mt. Hor – Aaron Dies
1406
Ab
1
Jul
Moses Death
1406
Shebat
1
Jan
Cross Jordan
1405
Nisan
10
Apr
Keep Passover and Manna ceases
1405
Nisan
14
Apr
Background on 20-25
• Fourth part of the Israelite journey from Egypt
to the Promised Land, about 1407-06 BC
– Egypt to Sinai (Ex 21-19)
– Sinai to Kadesh (Num 11-12)
– Kadesh to various locations back to Kadesh (Num
15-19)
– Kadesh to Transjordan (Num 20-21)
• First two journeys began with triumph but end
tragically
• Third and fourth journey began with tragedy
but end in triumph
Rebellion at Kadesh (20:1-13)
• At the end of 37 years, the Israelites return to the
wilderness of Zin and Kadesh
– God previously judged older generations of Israelites
for not believing in Him
– Now he judges Moses for the same thing (vs. 11-12)
• Miriam and Aaron die in the wilderness for their
sin of unbelief
– Aaron dies in the first day of the fifth month of the
40th year
• Moses draws water from the rock after the
people complain
Moses strikes the rock
Moses’ Sins
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Harshly rebukes the people (vs. 10)
Took credit for what God had done (vs. 10)
Resented the Israelites (vs. 10)
Lost his temper (vs. 11)
Disobeyed God (vs. 11)
Did not trust God’s power (vs. 12)
Failed to glorify God (vs. 12)
Rebelled against God (vs. 24)
God still provided for the people
Edomite Resistance (20:14-21)
• Israel’s path leads them to the territory of
Edom
– Moses sends messengers to the King of Edom
requesting the right to pass through
– Edomites were decedents of Esau (remember Jacob
and Esau story, Gen 25 – an angel names Jacob
“Israel”) and were historically an agitator of Israel's
– They would have traveled along the King’s Highway,
a major trade route from Aqabah to Syria
• Edomites refuse to allow the Israelites passage
Death of Aaron (20:22-29)
• Aaron dies in the 40th year (Num 33:37-38)
– 123 years old (Num 33:39)
– Moses removes his priestly garments and puts
them on Eleazer
– Eleazer was Aaron’s son
– Israel now has a new high priest
– Compare to Joshua replacing Moses (Deut 34:9)
• God does not reveal how Aaron died
– He died prematurely partly due to disobedience at
Meribah near Kadesh
Journey Toward Moab (21:1-20)
• Destruction of Arad (vs. 1-3)
– In the northern Negeb, Canaanite country
– Earlier defeat of Israelites near Arad
– Israel’s first victory over Canaanites
• Bronze snake (vs. 4-9)
– Israelites travel to southern border of Edom
– God sends serpents to discipline the rebellious
Israelites
– Israel confesses their sins
– Copper serpent provided deliverance from the
plague of snakes – read John 3:14
Moses and the bronze snake
Journey Toward Moab (21:12-35)
• Israelite route
– Around Edom in a counterclockwise direction
– To Wadi Zered (vs. 12)
– “Way of the Wilderness” generally running parallel
but east of the Kings Highway (vs. 17, 19)
– Crossed through Moab, to the east side of the
Dead Sea, bordering the Moabite and Amorite
territory (vs. 13)
• Israelites receive direction from God to make
war with the Sihon
• Defeat Sihon and then Og
Balak and Balaam (22:1-20)
• Moab had not yet attacked Israel as they
moved along Moab’s eastern border
– Even sold them goods (Deut 2:28-29)
– Balak hoped that others would dispose of them
– With Israel’s defeat over the Amorite kings filled
Balak with fear (vs 5-6)
– Decides to seek help from Balaam, a famous
magician, to curse the Israelites
• Balaam was thought to be an idol-worshipping
false prophet whom God uses to help Israel;
however, his character is incidental to the story
Balak and Balaam (22:1-20)
• Balaam submitted to God and received
revelations from him (Ch 22-24)
– Similar to Jewish exorcists of Jesus’ day who cast
out demons (Mark 9:38-39)
• God announces through Balaam blessings for
Israel
– Israel would receive a the land of Canaan west of
the Jordan river
– Weakens the will of Israel’s Moabite enemies
• Balak’s plan had backfired
Balaam’s Seven Oracles (23-24)
• Balaam offered seven burnt offerings to God on
seven altars (23:1-12)
– Balak becomes angry because he thought Balaam
could control the gods
– Balaam acknowledged that God controlled him
– Balak wants the ceremony at a new site
• A new site provides a better view of Israel (23:1326)
– Balak repeats the same ritual of sacrifice
• Balaam continues to prophesy
– Again saw Israel as blessed and God as King (vs 21-24)
Balaam’s Seven Oracles (23-24)
• Balak, still hopeful, took Balam to a 3rd site from
which he could view the entire Israelite camp
– Offers sacrifice as before
– Balaam sees again that God would bless Israel
– He simply proclaims the message of the Holy Spirit
revealed in him (vs. 24:2)
• Blessing of God on all who bless Israel (vs. 24:9)
– Original promise of God to Abram
• Balaam gives four more revelations dealing with
the future of Israel, Moab, and Israel’s other
neighbors (24:15-25)
Final Rebellion (Ch 25)
• Israel’s greatest failure followed by their greatest
blessing
• Israel was in Shittim
– Last encampment before crossing the Jordan
– Joshua launched spies into the Promised Land from
here
• Fell into the trap set for them by the Moabites
– Sacrificed to the Moabite gods and bowed before
them
– Set themselves in bondage to Baal of Peor (similar to
Chemosh or the god of Moab)
Final Rebellion (Ch 25)
• God becomes very angry with the Israelites (vs. 3)
– Orders the leaders of the Baal worshipers to be
executed
– A Simeonite leader even brought a Midianite women
into the camp passing by the Tabernacle
– Phinehas kills the Israelite man and the Moabite
– God’s anger ceases, but not after 24,000 more
Israelites lay dead from a plague
• God provides a lasting covenant of peace and as
lasting priesthood for Phinehas
• God orders the Midianites to be killed
Review
• God miraculously provided water for the
Israelites in the Desert of Zin
• Edom’s refused to let Israel pass, further dividing
these distantly related nations
• Aaron dies before reaching the promised land
• Israel had success in battle on multiple occasions
• Despite Balak’s wishes Balaam’s seven oracles
glorified God and the people of Israel
• Moab seduced Israel into sin and God’s caused
24,000 more Israelites to die as a result
• Next week: Israel to Moab: Numbers 26:1-27:23