Numbers Class 07 The prophecies of Balaam

Study of Numbers

Class 7The sin of Moses

The Brazen SerpentThe prophecies of Baalam

Preparations to enter Canaan

Study of Numbers – Chapter 20The sin of Moses

‘‘Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, "Take the rod; you and your brother Aaron gather the congregation together. Speak to the rock before their eyes, and it will yield its water; thus you shall bring water for them out of the rock, and give drink to the congregation and their animals.’’ (Numbers 20:7-8).


What recommendation did God give to Moses, the first time, when he had a similar opportunity in Horeb? God told Moses to strike the rock, a figure of the crucified Christ, the rock that was stricken to satisfy our thirst of life

But this time God commanded him to merely speak a command to the rock.


This time the rock speaks of the resurrected Christ from the dead, caught up to heaven.

‘‘But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God,” (Hebrews 10:12).

Now his body can never again be broken and his blood can never be poured out a second time, since his sacrifice was perfect.


a. Moses’ attitude of indignation Moses answered the congregation, and called them

rebels when God himself only commanded him to bring them refreshment.

Moses compromised God’s character, because he made God seem bad.


b. He suggested that his human power made the water come out

In verse 10, it appears that Moses boasted before the congregation, as if he had a type of power. God had told him to speak to the rock, however, Moses insinuated that he and Aaron could have caused the miracle.


c. Disobedience to God God did not command Moses to bring water out of the

rock. God merely told him to speak to the rock and the rock would produce water to refresh the people.

Just as the Lord Jesus said in John, ‘‘whoever believes in me ... from him will flow rivers of living water” (John 7:38). Once we have been reconciled to God, by the death of Christ, the stricken stone, we are saved by his life, the living rock.


When he struck the rock a second time, Moses symbolically declared the crucifixion of the rock, but not its resurrection. He became a man with half of a message, and a man with half of a message only fulfills half of a job.

For this reason he merely took the people out of Egypt but failed to bring them into Canaan. The life of Canaan is a life of resurrection, and the enjoyment of Christ within us.


But the Lord told Moses and Aaron: "Because you did not believe Me, to hallow Me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them." (Numbers 20:12). Because you did not believe me (unbelieving believers) this was the sin of Moses, the man who died before his time and was buried in the wrong place.


In one sense, Moses is a type of Christ, the Liberator. But there is also a sense in which Moses represents the law. That is why the Jews referred to the Old Testament as the “law of the prophets”.

Since Moses was a symbol or representative of the law he could not have brought the people into the land, since the law is too weak to lead the people to perfection and God’s will. The law is effective to reveal sin, but ineffective to introduce us into the life of victory.

Study of Numbers – Chapter 21The Bronze Serpent

Once again the people of Israel murmured against God and rejected the manna. As punishment, God permitted the fiery serpents to come among the people causing many to die. This event is a type of the Christ crucified, lifted up on the cross.


God provided the most simple solution which only requires faith. Remember: God commanded Moses to make a brazen serpent and whoever merely looked at the serpent, would be freed from the power of the venom.

It is possible that many Israelites had thought the solution to simplistic, deciding not to submit themselves to such a childish method, perhaps this is why many died. Many times the things of God are very simple, demanding a simple and complete faith.


The principal point of this event is that it is a type of the crucified Christ. Jesus said that he would be lifted up just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert.

And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up. John 3:14


Today we can be freed from the poison of the serpent. The only thing that we have to do is to look to Christ lifted up on the cross. Just a look of faith will remove the venom and save us from eternal death.

Both the serpent and the bronze are spiritual symbols that point to the work of Christ on the cross. The serpent that Moses lifted up in the desert was a serpent of bronze.


It had the form of a serpent, without the venom of the serpent. It represented the Lord Jesus who was lifted on the cross. When we look to him our sins are forgiven.


Naturally the serpent points to Satan (Genesis 3:1, Revelation 12:9). Therefore Satan was condemned on the cross. For this reason when we look to the cross our problem with the devil is also solved.

Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil. Hebrews 2:14


Romans 8:3 says that Jesus merely had the appearance of sinful flesh, yet without sin, thus he condemned sin on the cross.

For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh. Romans 8:3


a. The bronze In the first place, the serpent is a type of Christ crucified

because of the bronze. In Exodus we have already learned that bronze in the Bible is a symbol of God’s judgment, for the remission of sins. For this reason the altar is made of bronze.


b. The serpent Many people do not like to imagine a serpent as a type

of Christ. But we must understand that the death of the Lord condemned Satan to death itself. For this reason we were justified before God.

“For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.’’ (2 Corinthians 5:21).

Study of Numbers – Chapter 22 - 25The prophet Balaam

Without a doubt Balaam is one of the great mysteries of the Old Testament.

Not much has been written about him, but it is certain that he knew God, even though he was not from the nation of Israel. Balaam, however had no intimate knowledge of God.

The New Testament refers to Balaam in three ways: the error of Balaam (Jude 11), the way of Balaam (2 Peter 2:15) and the doctrine of Balaam (Revelation 2:14).

Study of Numbers – Chapter 22-25The prophet Balaam

a. The error of Balaam Woe to them! For they have gone in the way of Cain, have

run greedily in the error of Balaam for profit, and perished in the rebellion of Korah. Judes 1:11

The error of Balaam was to think that God would julge his rebellius people, while forgeting the power of the atonement.

He imagined that God was angry with his people because of the constant provocations in the desert and that it would be possible to curse God’s people.


b. The way of Balaam The way of Balaam is caracterized by the mercenary

worker or those who do the work for financial interests. In 2 Peter 2:15 Peter warns us against this way.

They have forsaken the right way and gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness 2 Peter 2:15


The great men of God in history, were very careful with respect to finances, and we should be radically opposed to those who want to make the ministry a profession to gain financial wealth.

As leaders we will receive greater discipline than those of the flock, since the life of the Saints weighs upon us.


c. The doctrine of Baalam Baalam was a Gentile, however God called him a

prophet. But I have a few things against you, because you have

there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality. Revelation 2:14.


Just as in the case of Saul, the Holy Spirit moved over Baalam, but didn’t enter in him.

Because the people of Israel were always victorious, Balak, King of the Moabites, became afraid and called Balaam. He said, “You are a prophet. Please curse the people of Israel.” Balaam wanted the money that Balak offered him so he agreed, and although God hindered him in the beginning, in the end allowed him to go.


However, Balaam founded no way to curse the people of Israel. But, since he had already accepted the money from Balak, he came up with a scheme. He counceled the Moabites to ask their women to draw near to the people of Israel.

Therefore the Moabite women drew near and the men of Israel took them as wives.


These Gentile women also brought their idols with them, introducing them to the people of Israel, that’s not only committing fornication, but also worshiping idols.

God became angry and killed 24,000 Israelites, but Moab was spared. In Numbers 25, we see that the Moabite women joined themselves to Israel, but only in chapter 31:16 do we discover that the plan was devised by Balaam.


Look, these women caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to trespass against the Lord in the incident of Peor, and there was a plague among the congregation of the Lord. Numbers 31:16

Balaam’s method is to destroy the separation between the church and the world, resulting in idolatry.

We must be very careful to not permit anything of the world to penetrate the church.


We must also be careful to guard against mixed marriages of believers with unbelievers, since this is the means of Satan to destroy many lives. May the Lord keep us from the error, the way and the doctrine of Balaam.

Study of Numbers – Chapters 26-36Preparations to enter the Promised Land

Between chapters 15 and 20, a period of 38 years transpired. Beginning in chapter 26, a new generation takes over. A new generation arose that had a new faith to destroy the enemy.

We have here a serious warning. God always passes over the generation that does not respond to his call. God has something to do through this generation, but how many of us have responded to him? May the move of God not pass over us in these days.


Again we see God commanding Moses to take a census of the children of Israel. The first census became useless because that generation failed to take possession of the land, therefore a new census became necessary.


1. Joshua succeeds Moses - Numbers 27 Between Joshua and Moses, we have one of the

greatest examples of discipleship in the Old Testament. When Moses climbed the mountain to receive the law,

Joshua remained at the base of the mountain waiting and observing.

During the war against Amalek, Moses climbed the mountain and Joshua went to the front of the battle.


When the spies were sent, Joshua and Caleb were the only two that assumed an attitude of faith and boldness.

When the 70 elders prophesied, Joshua was with Moses, observing everything and certainly learning from him.

In all the great moments, we see Joshua at Moses’s side.

God does not contradict his principles it would be very strange if at the end of the life of Moses, another name was chosen.


It was natural for Joshua to be chosen because in his discipleship with Moses, he learned everything. In all of the great moments we see Joshua at the right hand of Moses.

His discipleship with Moses certainly brought him great recognition among the congregation. The way that we establish leaders in the church is through discipleship.


Imagine if Moses had held an election in the desert. Elections are not God’s method.

New leaders must be formed through discipleship as Joshua was and they will naturally be recognized by the people.


2. The trans-jordan tribes - Numbers 32 In Chapter 32, we see the tribes of Ruben and Gad and

the half tribe of Manasseh’s asking Moses if they could settle in the land of Gilead, on the east side of the Jordan. This attitude demonstrates three things.

First, it demonstrates the selfishness of keeping the easiest part, without being concerned whether the others had received their inheritance or not.


In second place, it demonstrates laziness, the convenience of remaining in a place where there were no enemies to be defeated.

In third place, the attitude of these tribes points to those who live on the borderline between the church and the world. They are not exactly in the world, but they are very close to it (2 Timothy 4:10).


There is an enormous danger of living on the margins of the church, at the division between the church and the world. Such people do not have the safety of the church and are easy prey to the enemy, the final result is corruption. Ruben never again is mentioned as an important tribe, and the tribes of Dan and Manassas are never again emphasized in Israel’s history. The timid believer, fearful and worldly has no value in God’s work.

Numbers Class 07 The prophecies of Balaam

Spiritual

Transcript of Numbers Class 07 The prophecies of Balaam