This trip should take two weeks by foot... it takes forty years
It took 40 days to get Israel out of Egypt
It took 40 years to get Egypt out of Israel
So we covered about one year and 2 months since Israel left Egypt through the wilderness of Sinai (Numbers 1:1), through the receiving of the Law, the golden calf, the building of the tabernacle, consecration of the priests and all those laws. The end half of Exodus and all the way through Leviticus and the first half of Numbers covers about 1 year and 2 months. The second half of Numbers covers 40 years (Deuteronomy 1:3)
"on the first day of the second month, in the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt," (Numbers 1:1)
"In the fortieth year, in the eleventh month, on the first day of the month" (Deuteronomy 1:3)
A good understanding of Numbers will help you to have a good understanding of the rest of the Bible
We see the generational impact of people who are given the choice to take God's word, or choose not to obey God.
We see that God always finds a way to spare those who are loyal to Him, and spare a whole new generation and allow them to make their own decisions
Structure
Three locations, with travel sections between them; three groups of character focal points at each stage
Chapter 1-10: Mt Sinai
Taking the first census and arranging the tribes (1-4)
Laws about ritual purity (5-10)
Characters
Israel: Numbered and arranged
Levites: Not numbered; arranged at the tabernacle
God: Provides shelter when Israel moves, center of the camp when Israel stops - Protector and Guide
Chapter 10-12: Traveling
Complain about Manna (11)
Miriam and Moses complain (12)
Characters
Israel: Complaining
Levites: Complaining (Aaron and Miriam)
God: Punishes the complaints
Chapter 13-19: Wilderness of Paran
Twelve Spies (13-14)
Rebellion of Korah (16-17)
Characters
Israel: Rebel (kill Moses and go back to Egypt)
Levites: Rebel (Korah)
God: Bans first generation, Affirms Moses and Aaron
Chapter 20-21: Traveling
Complain about water and Moses (20)
Bronze Serpent (21)
Characters
Israel: Complains
Levites: Aaron and Miriam die; Moses will die too
God: Judges, heals, fights
Chapter 22-36: Plains of Moab
Balaam (22-25)
New Generation Census (26)
Tribes begin to settle (32-36)
Characters
Israel: Numbered again
Levites: Phineas is chosen
God: Blessing Israel through Balaam
Themes
Israel's Rebellion vs God's Faithfulness
This book contains the majority of Israel's complaining:
Complain about Manna (11)
Complain about priesthood (Aaron, Miriam) (12)
Complain about the land (13-14)
Complain about Priesthood (Korah, Dathan) (16-17)
Complain about water (20)
God still provides and has mercy
Gives them Manna and water
Gives them the bronze serpent
Promise of the Messiah
OT References
Isaiah 63
Ezekiel 20
Jeremiah 7
Psalm 78
Psalm 95
Psalm 106
NT References
1 Corinthians 10
Hebrews 4-5
God brings judgment... AND shows mercy
"Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off." (Romans 11:22)
Judgment by prohibiting them from entering the Promised Land, and yet mercy by leaving it open for their children
Judgment by serpents, and yet mercy by the bronze serpent
Judgment on Korah and his followers, and yet the sons of Korah author some of the Psalms in our Scripture
Judgment on Miriam with leprosy, and yet mercy when it went away in seven days
