Prayer List• Michele Todd – St. Mary’s #385 after surgery for a broken ankle.• Imogene Taylor – St. Mary’s #380. She had surgery for a bowel

obstruction. • Karen Scott – knee surgery December 22. • David Smith – had recent successful eye surgery.• Betty Spears – is cancer free!• Doris Wood (Paula Tarte’s grandmother) St. Mary’s #243 after hip

surgery last week.• Mildred Brown (Johanna Kenner’s mother) St. Mary’s ICU after a

bowel resection.• Willanna Jones (Linda Lambert’s step-daughter) UAMS #616-H,

after cancer surgery.• Teresa Cothren (Erin Cothren’s mother-in-law) diagnosed with

pancreatic cancer.• Bonnie Krantz came home from the hospital December 21 after

back surgery. She is waiting on test results from a back biopsy.

Announcements• Sympathy to Robert Wilcox and family in the loss of his

brother, Gerald Wilcox, who passed away December 14. The funeral was in Columbus, MS.

• The church office is closed until Monday, December 27. Please contact one of the elders, deacons or preachers for any news to be announced Sunday, December 26.

• Congratulations to Corey and Tiffanie Walker! Their adoption of Caleb was finalized December 20.

• It’s time for Secret Sisters to let the cat out of the bag and reveal themselves to their 2010 Secret Sister.

• Beginning January 5, Wednesday Bible classes will meet at 6:30 PM.

• 2011 Communion servants are needed for February and March. Sign the list in the hallway.

NumbersWeek Date Topic

1 08 Dec10 Numbers: An Introduction

2 15 Dec10 Census and Organization: 1:1-4:49

3 22 Dec10 Purity of the Camp: 5:1-6:27

4 29 Dec10 Dedication of the Tabernacle: 7:1-10:10

5 05 Jan 11 Failure of Israel: 10:11-12:16

6 12 Jan 11 Pinnacle of Failure at Kadesh: 13:1-14:45

7 19 Jan 11 Failure of Israel in the Wilderness: 15:1-19:22

8 26 Jan 11 Failure of Israel enroot to Moab: 20:1-25:18

9 02 Feb 11 Reorganization of Israel: 26:1-27:23

10 09 Feb 11 Regulations of Offerings and Vows: 28:1-30:16

11 16 Feb 11 Division of the Land: 31:1-33:49

12 23 Feb 11 Further Division of the Land: 33:50-36:13

13 02 Mar 11 Review

References

• Constable Notes - Primary• Halley’s Bible Handbook• JFB Bible Commentary• ISBE (Encyclopedia)

Key Points for Today’s Lesson

• Israelites were to observe commands and rituals in preparation for entering the land

• The journey through the wilderness will become the process through which the covenant promise is connected to the covenant possession

• Nazarite vow is given for those that have an increase dedication of service to God

• God directs Moses, Aaron, and his sons in how to bless Israel

Last Week’s Lesson

• Reviewed the detailed timeline of the Book of Numbers

• Took a look at last week’s class which provided an overview of the Book of Numbers

• Reviewed Chapter 1-10 covering Israel’s preparation for entering the promised land

• Reviewed Chapters 1-4 covering Israel’s first census of those who were part of the exodus from Egypt and how they were organized

Historical Background• The book opens as the Israelites were in the

second month of the second year after they departed Egypt (1:1)

• Chapters 7:1-10:10 occurred before the timeline of the events of the book of Numbers– Events occurred as Moses finished setting up the

tabernacle– Tabernacle was set up on the 1st day of the 1st month

of the 2nd year; Numbers started on the 1st day, 2nd month, 2nd year

– Read Numbers 7:1, then Numbers 7:84, then Exodus 40:17, then Numbers 1:1 to better understand the timeline

Historical Background Continued

• Scholars determined the book had been written close to Moses’ death, around 1406 BC– Exodus happened around 1446 BC (1 Ki 6:1)– Israelites were in the wilderness 40 years (Num 32:13)– Moses died shortly before they entered the Promised

Land (Deut 34:5)

• Numbers closes out when the Israelites were in the 10th month of the 40th year (see Deut 1:3)– The book of Numbers covers about 39 years

Hebrew Calendar

TimelineEvent Year Hebrew Day Month

Departure from Egypt 1446 Nisan 15 April

Quail and Manna provided 1446 Iyyar 15 May

Ten Commandments in the Sinai 1446 Sivan ? Jun

Tabernacle Built 1445 Iyyar 1 April

Depart from Sinai 1445 Iyyar 20 May

At Kadesh-Barnea – second time 1406 Nisan 1 March

At Mt. Hor – Aaron Dies 1406 Ab 1 Jul

Moses Death 1406 Shebat 1 Jan

Cross Jordan 1405 Nisan 10 Apr

Keep Passover and Manna ceases 1405 Nisan 14 Apr

Geographical Background• Israelites traveled from Mt. Sinai to the plains of

Moab– East of Jericho and the Jordan River

• However, not a direct route– Proceeded from Sinai to Kadesh Barnea– On Canaan’s southern border

• Failed to proceed to the Promised Land from Kadesh Barnea because of unbelief– Wondered 38 more years in the wilderness

• God finally brings them back to Kadesh, then led them to the Plains of Moab on Canaan’s eastern border

Key Lessons Of Numbers

• Show how God dealt with the Israelites as they anticipate entrance into the Promised Land

• Events that led to the destruction of the older generations of Israelites in the wilderness

• Preparation of the new generation for entrance into the Promised Land

• Provided a warning to younger members of the community of Israel about the wrath of God on their parents because of their failure to obey the covenant

Purity of the Camp (5:1-4)

• At this point in Numbers, Israel’s leaders, to include Moses and Aaron, were following God’s will– However, they soon stop trusting in God

• God directs that ceremonially unclean people should not live in tribal camps– Must reside outside of the camp– Need to separate clean from unclean

Treachery Against God (5:5-10)

• Review of restitution and compensation for violations against a neighbor– Also found in Leviticus 5:14 through 6:7– Sins by a person or sins against a person

• Additional issues are addressed– Cases where a person could not fulfill responsibility– Person and kinsman had died– Restitution and compensation to the priests (vs. 8)

• Sins against a neighbor were to be atoned

Law of Jealousy (5:11-31)

• Importance of purity in marriage relationships required to preserve God’s blessing on Israel

• Steps an Israelite man must take when he suspects an unfaithful wife– Wife was responsible to her husband– Special meal offering, in the form of barley flour– Process determined the woman’s guilt– Physical symptoms of God’s judgment resulted

from her guilt (vs. 23, 27)– He incurred no guilt for the accusation

Nazirite Vow (6:1-21)• Importance of maintaining purity in the camp

continues in this section• Nazirite vow– Normally voluntary and temporary vow– Two biblical examples of life-long vows

• Samson and Samuel, possibly John the Baptist– Male or female could take the vow

• Did not withdraw from society but lived an active life of service

• Served God more directly than did the common Israelite, similar but not the same as the priests

Nazirite Vow (6:1-21)

• Three commitments were made– Abstention from any products of the grape vine (vs. 4)

• Linking strong drink with neglect of God’s law (Gen 9)

– Nazirite would leave his or her hair uncut (vs. 5)• Represented strength (Judg 16:17, 2 Sam 14:25-26)

– Avoid any physical contact with the dead• Should avoid contact with sin, death was a result of sin

• If a Nazirite broke a vow, he had to follow the prescribed ritual for cleansing and begin the vow again (vs. 9-12)

Nazarite Vows (6:1-21)

• Expired Nazirite Vows– Had to go through a prescribed ritual– Peace offering of cut hair on the brazen altar

• Nazirite vows not required under Mosaic Law (see Lev 27)

• Paul took a Nazarite vow (Acts 18:18)– But not under the Law of Moses, but why?– Practicing Jewish custom to win Jews to Jesus

Christ

Aaronic Blessing (6:22-27)

• Blessing addresses the purification of Israel– As the nation prepared to enter the Promised Land

• God gave this blessing to the priests to offer sanctification of the people– Priests were the mediators of the blessing from God to

the Israelites• Three part blessing– First blessing is His goodness poured out to them– Second blessing is God’s favor and grace in life– Third blessing called for God to manifest His power for

His people, producing peace

Review• Israelites were had to observe specific commands

and rituals in preparation for entering the Promised Land

• The journey through the wilderness would become the process through which the covenant promise is connected to the covenant possession

• Nazarite vow is given for those that have an increase dedication of service to God

• God directed Moses, Aaron, and his sons in how to bless Israel

• Next week: Numbers 7-10