Journey Through The Bible Part 5Numbers: Crisis in the Desert

Readings: Numbers 20:22-29, 21:4-9 (page 110) John 3:5-21 (Page 752)

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GenesisExodus

Leviticus

Rebellion

“Now the people complained about their hardships in the hearing of the Lord, and when He heard them His anger was aroused. Then fire from the Lord burned among them and consumed some of the outskirts of the camp.” (Numbers 11:1, NIV84)

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Rebellion“The rabble with them began to crave other food, and again the Israelites started wailing and said, “If only we had meat to eat! We remember the fish we ate in Egypt at no cost—also the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic. But now we have lost our appetite; we never see anything but this manna!” The manna was like coriander seed and looked like resin. The people went around gathering it, and then ground it in a handmill or crushed it in a mortar. They cooked it in a pot or made it into cakes. And it tasted like something made with olive oil. When the dew settled on the camp at night, the manna also came down.” (Numbers 11:4–9, NIV84)

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Numbers

Numbers begins with a census of fighting men (Chapter 1)

Numbers ends 40 years later with a second census.

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Numbers

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Crisis in the DesertNumbers 11-20 describes a series of rebellions against God and against Moses.

Chapter 11:

The people complain that they are sick of manna and demand meat.

Moses gets overburdened with the responsibility of leadership and the people’s complaints and demands.

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Crisis in the Desert“Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, “We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.” But the men who had gone up with him said, “We can’t attack those people; they are stronger than we are.” And they spread among the Israelites a bad report about the land they had explored. They said, “The land we explored devours those living in it. All the people we saw there are of great size.” (Numbers 13:30–32, NIV84)

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Crisis in the Desert“That night all the people of the community raised their voices and wept aloud. All the Israelites grumbled against Moses and Aaron, and the whole assembly said to them, “If only we had died in Egypt! Or in this desert! Why is the Lord bringing us to this land only to let us fall by the sword? Our wives and children will be taken as plunder. Wouldn’t it be better for us to go back to Egypt?” And they said to each other, “We should choose a leader and go back to Egypt.”” (Numbers 14:1–4, NIV84)

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Crisis in the Desert

God was very angry with the people because:

The people refused to obey Him and His chosen leader Moses.

After all God had done they still did not believe or trust Him.

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Crisis in the DesertGod’s Punishment: They had to suffer the very thing they said they wanted; to die in the desert.

“If only we had died in Egypt! Or in this desert!” (Numbers 14:2)

“ I will do to you the very things I heard you say: In this desert your bodies will fall” (Numbers 14:28–29)

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Crisis in the Desert“In the desert they gave in to their craving; in the wasteland they put God to the test. So He gave them what they asked for, but sent a wasting disease upon them.” (Psalm 106:14–15, NIV)

“ He gave them their request; But sent leanness into their soul.” (Psalm 106:14–15, KJV)

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Crisis in the Desert

C. S. Lewis: “There are only two kinds of people in the end: those who say to God, “Thy will be done.” and those to whom God says, in the end, “thy will be done.””

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Learning from Numbers

Responding to hardships:

Complaining to God instead of praying to God.

Blaming other people.

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Learning from Numbers

The example of Moses response: Numbers 11:11-14

He told God exactly how he felt.

He does not reject God because life is so tough.

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Learning from Numbers

God’s response to Moses prayer:

He does not take Moses out of the hardship.

He provides a way to ease the burden.

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38 Years LaterThey travelled from Mount Hor along the route to the Red Sea, to go around Edom. But the people grew impatient on the way; they spoke against God and against Moses, and said, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the desert? There is no bread! There is no water! And we detest this miserable food!” (Numbers 21:4–5, NIV84)

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Numbers 21

God sent poisonous snakes.

The people repented of their sin and asked Moses to pray.

“The Lord said to Moses, “Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live.”(Numbers 21:8, NIV84)

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Jesus

Jesus said to Nicodemus:“Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in Him may have eternal life.” (John 3:14–15, NIV84)

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JesusThe snake was a visual representation of the sin.

Jesus identified Himself with the snake on the pole because He took our sin upon Himself.

“God made Him Who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Corinthians 5:21, NIV84)

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Jesus

Looking at Jesus on the cross believing He is the Son of God dying for your sins gives eternal life.

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