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NUMBERS
Studies in the Pentateuch
A Play with 3 characters
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The
The
The
The
Title: Israel in the Wilderness
anti-hero: Israel
stooge: Moses
critic: God
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1. Israel
– A complaining people
– Lack of food (Num. 11:4-35)
– Lack of water (Num 20:2-13)
– A rebellious people
– Against Moses (Num 12:1-15)
– Against God ( Num 16:1-40)
– A cowardly people
– Afraid of Canaan (Num. 13:25-14:38)
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Rebellion against Moses
– By Aaron and Miriam (Num. 12:1-15)
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Moses' marriage to a Cushite woman is
mentioned as the cause of tension (Num.
12:1) but in reality Aaron and Miriam
wondered why God did not speak through
them since they were Moses' brother and
sister respectively
God settled the dispute by confirming the
special role of Moses and then punished
Miriam with leprosy - Moses interceded for
his sister and the leprosy was removed
although she had to go through a period of
cleansing - Aaron was not plagued with
leprosy probably because as priest, Israel
could not afford to have him unclean - in a
sense he shared in Miriam's disgrace
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Rebellion of the people after the
spies' report (Num. 13:25-14:38)
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The 12 spies who returned from investigating Canaan
all agreed it was a beautiful and rich place and that it
was defended by seasoned, strong warriors
Two of the spies, Caleb and Joshua, argued God
would give Israel the land if Israel had faith - the
other 10 spies disagreed not believing that Israel even
with God's help could take the land
When Moses sided with Caleb and Joshua, the people
wanted to elect a new leader and return to Egypt they preferred "safe, known" slavery to "dangerous,
facing the unknown" freedom
God punished the rebellion by allowing only Caleb and
Joshua from that entire generation to enter Canaan the others would die in the wilderness
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Rebellion of Korah, Dathan,
and Abiram (Num. 16:1-40
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Again the question was if all the
people were chosen, why did Moses
have such a special place - Korah in
particular was a Levite who worked in
the tabernacle and apparently wanted
more authority
God again confirmed the special
position of Moses and caused the
earth to swallow up Korah, Dathan,
Abiram, and their entire families (cf.
Josh 7:22-26)
Any rebellion against Moses can also
be considered a rebellion against God
since Moses was God's chosen leader
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2. Moses
Moses the rebel (Num.
20:2-13)
 Moses the Intercessor
(Exodus 32)
 Moses the humble
servant
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Moses the rebel?
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Moses' rebellion (Num. 20:2-13)
When the people complained of the lack of water, God
instructed Moses to speak to a rock and water would come
out
Moses instead struck the rock twice with his rod much like he
had done earlier (Exod. 17:2-7)
Interestingly enough water still gushed forth - Moses'
disobedience did not preclude God meeting the people's need
Moses' disobedience prevented him from entering Canaan - the
punishment has always seemed extreme to many since Moses
spent 40 years obeying God and leading and interceding for a
recalcitrant people
The entire chapter speaks of death - Miriam' death is reported
at the beginning (Num. 20:1) and Aaron's at the end (Num.
20:22-29) - Edom's refusal to allow Israel to pass through its
territory meant the death of any hope that even distant
relatives would rejoice in Israel's homecoming (Num. 20:14-21)
- the announced death of Moses fits the morose nature of the
chapter
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Moses the Intercessor
– As an intercessor Moses represented God
to the people and the people to God - the
best example of this role is Exodus 32 - in
this account Moses pled with God for
mercy upon His people but then angrily
denounced Aaron and the people to show
them how angry God was with their
behavior and lack of faith
– Moses was one of the few people in
history who were willing to stand between
God and the people and negotiate with
both sides - the role of intercessor is a
dangerous and thankless one which
requires courage and genuine concern
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3. God
– God of concern and patience
Providing
 Forgiving
 Guiding
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– God of wrath
Numbers 11
 Numbers 21
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God of concern and patience
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Provided for their physical needs with
manna, meat, and water
In at least one instance, He overlooked
the people's sin and simply warned
them again (Exod. 16:27-30)
Willing to give the people second
chances - but it was Moses'
intercession which accomplished this Moses twice appealed to God's honor
and name to prevent God from
destroying the people (Exod. 32:11-14,
Num. 14:13-19)
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A God of wrath and destruction
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Once when the people complained, God sent a
fire to consume some of the people (Num. 11:13) :just the complainers?
When the people craved meat, God gave it to
them - but when He sent the quails, He changed
His mind and sent a plague upon the people
while the meat was still in their mouths
Another time when the people complained about
the food, God sent fiery serpents which bit and
killed the people - a bronze serpent was made
and placed atop a pole so that those who were
bit could look at the bronze serpent and not die
(Num. 21:5-9)
Twice God declared that He would destroy Israel
and begin again with Moses (Exod. 32:9-10, Num
14:12) - only Moses' intercession for the people
spared them (also see Num. 16:20-24)
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Balaam and his donkey
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(Num. 22:1-24:25)
– Balaam was a non-Israelite
prophet hired by King Balak
of Moab to curse the
Israelites who were
approaching Moab - Balaam
refused to go unless God
stated that would be
acceptable - God finally
agreed to let Balaam go but
warned Balaam to say only
what God told him
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Concerning the donkey
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Chief problem is why God commanded
Balaam to go and then tried to stop him (cf.
Exod. 4:24-26) - perhaps God simply
wanted to emphasize His power and
Balaam's responsibility to obey completely
Text plays down the fact that the donkey
talked - crucial point is that Balaam listened
and heard God (as in the account of Moses
and the burning bush - Exod. 3:1-4)
Perhaps to the Hebrews, Balaam's
instruction by his donkey was a joke - "Who
guides non-Israelite prophets? Donkeys.
Who guides Israelite prophets? God of the
Heavens and the Earth."
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Balaam in later thought
– God used this non-Israelite prophet to
demonstrate that His influence extended
not only over Egypt and Israel but over the
other nations as well
– There is nothing in the account to suggest
Balaam was an obstacle to Israel (cf. Micah
6:5) although later writers implied as much
(e.g., Deut. 23:4-5, Josh. 24:9-10, Neh.
13:2, 2 Peter 2:15-16, Rev. 2:14)
– It seems that later (Christian) thought
developed the idea of Balaam into a symbol
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THEOLOGICAL SUMMARY
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The two major genres, law and journey report (cf. 36:13), each
speak to the question of a dynamic (changing) relationship between
God and people.
The laws (differing in this respect from Exodus and Leviticus) are
subject to modification as a result of circumstances. Even laws are
contingent.
The itinerary, while straightforward (from Sinai to the land of
Canaan), becomes tortuous, given Kadesh Barnea. So the way of the
journey is also contingent.
The portrait of this interaction, very much two-way in Numbers,
differs markedly from Exodus, Leviticus, or Deuteronomy, where it is
predominantly one-way (God to people).
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So what is the theology of Numbers?
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The agenda is about cult and governance. Hence, the
theology turns about purity, but also about authority and
leadership—its legitimation through appointment and
enablement, procedures for transfer of leadership, and
designation of responsibilities.
God is a God of order (cf. 1 Cor. 14:40). From the book’s
structure, attention is on God as lawgiver, guide, and promisekeeper, and on a people’s defections from God.
In short, the theology of Numbers centers on God as caring
and so fully involved with his people en route to their
destination that even people’s defections from him cannot
thwart his promise to them.
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CANONICAL CONTEXT (1)
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In some ways Numbers with its laws anticipates
Deuteronomy, and with its journey to the land, including
military campaigns, anticipates the book of Joshua.
Single themes in Numbers reappear elsewhere. Israel’s poets
incorporate the rebellion motif (Pss. 78:12-55 [note v. 52];
106:13-33).
The prophets have less to say about sacrifice than Numbers
and more to say about repentance, a subject on which
Numbers is virtually silent.
The subject of Yahweh’s holiness (marked in Leviticus) is
echoed by Ezekiel, who also has much to say about “glory”
and the presence of Yahweh (cf. 40-48).
Wilderness themes, oppositely assessed, appear in the
prophets (Jer. 2:2; Ezek. 20:10-26). {62}
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CANONICAL CONTEXT (2)
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As for the New Testament, Christ is the “star” out of Jacob and the
“scepter” out of Israel (Num. 24:17).
Following the interpretation model of typology, Christ is said to
embody in a fuller way that represented by the manna (John 6:2259) and the water from the rock (John 4:1-15; 7:37-39), being
himself the rock (1 Cor. 10:4).
The lifting up of the Son of man is compared to the raising of a
bronze snake (John 3:14; cf. Num. 21:4-9).
On a more structural basis, W. Swartley (7, 44-94, 95-113) argues
that Israel’s larger story, including the wilderness segment, is
reflected in the structuring of the synoptic Gospels and in the journey
motif there.
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CANONICAL CONTEXT (3)
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Like Israel, the church is a chosen people (1 Pet. 2:9).
Leaders are to teach the word and be examples of holiness (1
Tim. 3; Titus 1:5-9);
They are entitled to material rewards (1 Cor. 9:13-14; 1 Tim.
5:17-18).
Tithing is reiterated (Matt. 23:23; cf. Num. 18).
Warnings to the Corinthians about wrong behavior are
illustrated from Numbers (1 Cor. 10:1-11).
The Kadesh Barnea incident is also the basis for a warning in
Hebrews 3:17-19 (cf. Jude 5).
Jude’s warnings about rejecting authority and about
covetousness are each grounded in Numbers (Jude 11).
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Bibliography
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Clines, D. J. A. The Theme of the Pentateuch, JSOTSup 10, 1978.
Coats, G .W. The Murmuring Motif in the Wilderness Traditions of the Old Testament:
Rebellion in the Wilderness, 1968.
Douglas, M. In the Wilderness: The Doctrine of Defilement in the Book of Numbers,
JSOTSup 158, 1993.
Gray, G. B. A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on Numbers, {63} International Critical
Commentary, 1903.
Harrelson, W. “Guidance in the Wilderness: The Theology of Numbers,” Interpretation 13
(1959): 24-36*.
Levine, B. Numbers 1-20, Anchor Bible 4, 1993.
Merrill, E. H. “A Theology of the Pentateuch.” In A Biblical Theology of the Old
Testament, ed. Roy Zuck, 1-87 [59-62]*, 1991.
Milgrom, J. Numbers, The Jewish Publication Society Commentary, 1990*.
Olson, D. T. The Death of the Old and the Birth of the New: The Framework of the Book
of Numbers and the Pentateuch, Brown Judaic Studies 71, 179-86*, 1985.
Swartley, W. M. Israel’s Scripture Traditions and the Synoptic Gospels: Story Shaping
Story, 1994.
Tunyogi, A. C. The Rebellions of Israel, 1969.
Wenham, G. Numbers, Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries, 39-49*, 1981.
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