Search The Scriptures —Study 10— Numbers 15. Religious Laws

Study 10 From The Book of Numbers is: Numbers 15 Religious Laws

1.      What do verses 1-21 teach us about making offerings which are pleasing to God?

2.     Why as there no way of atonement for the person who sinned ‘with a high hand’? What does this mean? Cf. Mk. 3:28, 29; Heb. 10:26-31, 39; Ps. 19:13.

3.     Notice by whom the deliberate law-breaker had to be dealt with and in what way.  Cf. Mt. 18:15-17; 1 Cor. 5; Heb. 12:15. Why is such church discipline so little practiced?

Note.  Verse 38. ‘Tassels’: these were made of twisted thread and attached by a blue ribbon to the robe, to remind the wearer of the commandment of the Lord, and of his obligation to keep them.

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Search The Scriptures —Study 9 — Numbers 14:10b-45

Study 9 From The Book of Numbers is: Numbers 14:10b-45

1.      What can we learn from Moses’s prayer, especially concerning governing motives and grounds of appeal to God?

2.     Although forgiven, the people suffered the consequences of their sin. How? In what way do they show themselves throughout this story (Nu. 14 and 14) to be typical of us?

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Search The Scriptures —Study 8 — Numbers 13:1-14:10a. The Spies Are Sent Into the Land

Study 8 From The Book of Numbers is: Numbers 13:1-14:10a. The Spies Are Sent Into the Land

1. To what places in Canaan did the spies go? Look up Hebron and the Valley of Eschol on a map. What were they commissioned to discover, and what report did they give?
2. What lay behind the opposing views expressed in 13:30 and 31? Were Caleb and Joshua being unrealistically optimistic and refusing to face facts? What was the outcome of the people’s fear and unbelief? Notice how few believed, and the frequent occurrence of the word ‘all’ in 14:1-10. Heb. 4:1, 2

Note. 13:32. ‘A land that devours its inhabitants’: this probably refers to the constant wars between its people, and their ferocity in internecine strife.

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Search The Scriptures —Study 7 — Numbers 11 and 12. Complaints

Study 7 From The Book of Numbers is: Numbers 11 and 12.  Complaints

1.      What different attitudes are shown here by the people, the rabble, Joshua, Myriam and Aaron, and Moses? How does Moses stand out as ‘different’?

2.     How did God ‘deal’ with the various complaints made?

Note. 12:3 ‘Meek’: not concerned for his own interests or prestige, and so able to pay no attention to the unfair attacks upon himself.

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Search The Scriptures —Study 6 — Numbers 9:15 – 10:36. The journeying begins again

Study 6 From The Book of Numbers is: Numbers 9:15 – 10:36 

1.      Israel were made very sure of God’s guidance.  Without the actual symbols of cloud and fire can we claim the same assurance? Cf. Acts 16: 6-10; Rom. 8:14. Why the repetition of the word ‘at the command of the Lord’?

2.     Notice the correspondences and the differences between 10:14-28 and 2:3-31.  What is there in chapter 10 to show that, although God led and protected the children of Israel, He did not expect them to be utterly passive and to do nothing for themselves?

3.     What was the significance of the trumpets (10:1-10)? Cf. Lv. 23:24; Nu. 29:1. It has been said, ‘When God remembers, He acts’. Cf. Gn. 8:1; 19:29; 30:22.

Note. 10:35, 36.  These were the word uttered publicly by Moses at the beginning and end of each day’s journey. Note their expression of dependence upon God’s protection and desire for His abiding presence.

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Search The Scriptures —Study 5 — Numbers 8:1– 9:14. Observance of the Passover

Study 5 From The Book of Numbers is: Numbers 8:1– 9:14. 

1. Chapter 8 is a re-assertion of the ‘separatedness’ of the Levites. How was this made clear to Israel? What is a wave offering? Cf. Lv. 10:15; 23:20; a probable meaning is “contribution”. What was the relationship of the Levites to God, priests and people respectively?
2. 9:1-14. How is the importance of the Passover shown here? Cf. Ex. 12:24-27. What are we to learn from this?
3. What do we see here of Moses’ way of exercising leadership? How did the deal with practical problems when individuals brought them to him?

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Search The Scriptures —Study 4 — Numbers 6:22-7:89. Dedication of the Tabernacle

Study 4 From The Book of Numbers is: Numbers 6:22-7:89.

1. What did it mean for Aaron and his sons to ‘put’ God’s name upon the people of Israel? How did the blessing effect this? See Dt. 28:9, 10: Dn. 9:18, 19; and cf. 1 Cor. 6:11; 2 Cor. 13:14.
2. Notice how often the words ‘offering’ or ‘dedication offering’ are used in chapter 7. The solemnity is emphasized by repetition. In what way is 7:89 a fitting climax to this ‘build-up? What did it all mean to Israel? Do we ‘offer’ to God in this atmosphere of reverence? What similar climax may we expect when we thus approach God> Cf. Heb. 3:7; 4:16

Note. 6:26. ‘Peace’ (Heb. Shalom) does not mean simply ‘cessation of hostility’. It indicates ‘completeness’, ‘perfection’ or well-being’.

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Search The Scriptures —Study 3 — Numbers 5:1-6:21. Civil and religious laws

Study 3 From The Book of Numbers is: Numbers 5:1-6:21

Many of the civil and religious laws of Israel and the rites connected with them are hard for us to understand.  They may seem strangely abhorrent, sometimes inhumane or quasi-magical in character.  It is important to bear in mind (a) the authority of the priest in every sphere  of Israel’s life, including that of cleanliness and hygiene, which were as much a part of ‘religious’ ceremony as the worship in the Tabernacle ; (b)  the background of religious rites common to the whole of the ancient Near East and used by Israel, thought transformed both by her faith in the one true God, and in order to make them usable in His worship; and (c) the need that this new, God-chosen nation should be constantly reminded of the holiness and moral demands of her God.

1. What sort of people were to be ‘put out’ of the camp, and why? Cf. Lv. 13: 46; 15:31. What interests of humanitarian justice are satisfied in the commands of 5:11-31? These seem like purely magical rites, but note verses 16, 18, 21 and 30.
2. How did the Nazirites’s separation to God find expression? What was the point of it all, since it was apparently not and act of service which could be offered to God as acceptable in an of itself apart from the regular offerings of the Tabernacle? See 6:14-16; and cf. Lv. 1-7 for details. How far is there a similar challenge to consecration confronting the believer in Christ? Heb. 9: 10-14; Rom. 12:1, 2.

Note. 6:2.     A ‘Nazirite’ was a man who desired for a period to set himself apart for God in an unusual way. The Hebrew root, nazir, expresses the idea of separation or consecration.

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Search The Scriptures —Study 2 — Numbers 3 and 4. Work of the Levites

Study 2 From The Book of Numbers is: Numbers 3 and 4

For background details concerning the tribe of Levi, see Ex. 6:16-25; 32: 25-29; Lv. 10.

1. How was the work assigned to the Levites divided between the three ‘families’ of the tribe? How, if at all, might the command ‘each to his task’ (4:49) apply to Christians? Do these two chapters throw any light on the possible implications of such a command? See especially 3:5-10, 25, 31, 36, 45; 4:46-49.
2. Whom did the Levites represent? Why did the first-born belong to God? What does ‘redemption’ mean in this context? Is there a New Testament counterpart which involves us?
3. How does 4:1-20 bring out the ‘frighteningly’ sacred character of the Tabernacle? Cf.1:51b, 53; 2 Sa. 6:6-11; Rev. 4:8. What truths does this illustrate and enforce?

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Search The Scriptures —Study 1 — Numbers 1 and 2. Numbering and order of the Tribes

Study 1 From The Book of Numbers is: Numbers 1 and 2

1. Israel’s immediate future was to be characterized by war and worship. How is this shown in chapter 1? Can the two be separated in the daily life of the Christian? Cf. 2 Cor. 10:3-6; Eph. 6:10-13.
2. What point is there in the detailed ordering of the tribes as given in chapter 2? What are the central and governing interests? Cf. 1 Cor. 12:7, 11, 12; 14:40

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