Readings for this week
Monday: Numbers 15
Tuesday: Numbers 16
Wednesday: Numbers 17
Thursday: Numbers 18
Friday: Numbers 19
Saturday: Numbers 20
Sunday: Numbers 21
Introduction to Numbers 15-21
Chapter 15
God tells Moses that the Israelites and the foreigners who
present offering sot God are to be considered the same. There is one law for them
both. He also tells them to make an offering if they sin unintentionally, not
just for willful sins. And he says that anyone who sins defiantly shall be cut
off. And example is giving a man working on the Sabbath out of defiance, and
the people stone him to death. The people also place tassels on their garments
as visual reminders to follow God’s laws every day.
Chapter 16
Moses’ first-cousin, a Levite named Korah, along with three Reubenites named Dathan, Abiram, and On started a rebellion. 250 council members joined them and confronted Moses and Aaron, claiming they had just as much right to be priests as Aaron did. Moses is like, “Be content with the special role God already gave you.” Moses summoned Dathan and Abiram, but they refused to come, and were like... “Moses is a slave-master!” and “It’s Moses’ fault that we’re not in the Promised Land yet!” The rebels tried to make their own offerings to God, and Moses got angry and told God not to accept them. God told Moses and Aaron to get out of the way so that He could wipe out all of Israel. Moses says, “Please don’t destroy the innocent along with the guilty!”
Moses’ first-cousin, a Levite named Korah, along with three Reubenites named Dathan, Abiram, and On started a rebellion. 250 council members joined them and confronted Moses and Aaron, claiming they had just as much right to be priests as Aaron did. Moses is like, “Be content with the special role God already gave you.” Moses summoned Dathan and Abiram, but they refused to come, and were like... “Moses is a slave-master!” and “It’s Moses’ fault that we’re not in the Promised Land yet!” The rebels tried to make their own offerings to God, and Moses got angry and told God not to accept them. God told Moses and Aaron to get out of the way so that He could wipe out all of Israel. Moses says, “Please don’t destroy the innocent along with the guilty!”
Moses declared a test for the people to see who
was Israel’s true leader: “If these men die a natural death then you will
know I am not, but if the earth opens its mouth and swallows them up then you
will know they were not.” As Moses was speaking, “the ground split open”
and “the earth opened its mouth and swallowed” the rebels and they went down
into “Sheol” alive. The other Israelites panicked and moved out of
the way, thinking they would also fall into Sheol.
Fire also came out from the LORD and consumed the 250 men offering incense. God told Moses to use the gold from the censers of the dead men to cover the altar so the people wouldn’t forget what had happened.
The very next day, the people surrounded Moses and accused him of “killing the LORD’s people.” “The Glory of the LORD” came down in smoke and began slaughtering the people. Moses had Aaron grab his censer and quickly go out and offer atonement for the people. The text says, “He stood between the living and the dead, and the plague stopped.” 14,700 people died from the plague in addition to the people who had died in Korah’s rebellion.
Chapter 17
God proposed a test for the Israelites to prove to them who the rightful priest was. Moses asked each of the leaders of the twelve tribes to give him a staff with the name of their leader on it. God told Moses to put the twelve staffs in front of the Ark of the Covenant, and said to Israel that the man whose staff sprouted was the man that He had chosen. In the morning, Aaron’s staff had not only sprouted, but had also budded, blossomed, and produced almonds. God told Moses to put Aaron’s staff in front of the Ark as a sign to Israel warning them not to rebel. This story ends with the Israelites convinced that God is going to kill them all... which is funny because they apparently only decided this after seeing Aaron's staff blossom and not after seeing all of the terrible ways God had already punished them for their rebellion.
Fire also came out from the LORD and consumed the 250 men offering incense. God told Moses to use the gold from the censers of the dead men to cover the altar so the people wouldn’t forget what had happened.
The very next day, the people surrounded Moses and accused him of “killing the LORD’s people.” “The Glory of the LORD” came down in smoke and began slaughtering the people. Moses had Aaron grab his censer and quickly go out and offer atonement for the people. The text says, “He stood between the living and the dead, and the plague stopped.” 14,700 people died from the plague in addition to the people who had died in Korah’s rebellion.
Chapter 17
God proposed a test for the Israelites to prove to them who the rightful priest was. Moses asked each of the leaders of the twelve tribes to give him a staff with the name of their leader on it. God told Moses to put the twelve staffs in front of the Ark of the Covenant, and said to Israel that the man whose staff sprouted was the man that He had chosen. In the morning, Aaron’s staff had not only sprouted, but had also budded, blossomed, and produced almonds. God told Moses to put Aaron’s staff in front of the Ark as a sign to Israel warning them not to rebel. This story ends with the Israelites convinced that God is going to kill them all... which is funny because they apparently only decided this after seeing Aaron's staff blossom and not after seeing all of the terrible ways God had already punished them for their rebellion.
Chapters 18-19
The LORD told
Aaron: "I have given you the Levites to work at the Tent of Meeting.
Everything that is devoted to the LORD is yours." He also tells him
to burn a heifer outside the camp for the water of cleansing. And anyone who is
unclean and does not cleanse themselves shall be cut off.
Chapter 20
Israel arrived in the Desert of Zin. Here Miriam died. There was no water and the people rebelled
against Moses again, saying, “We’d be
better off dying from God’s plagues, or dying in Egypt!” God told Moses and Aaron to gather the people at
a nearby rock. He said, “Speak to the rock…and it will pour out
its water.” But Moses screamed at the people, calling them
“marah.” He then wacked the rock twice with his staff and
water came out. God told Moses and Aaron they had represented
Him poorly, and he said, “Neither one of you will enter the Promised Land.”
Later, Moses sent a message to the Edomites to let them know that their “brother” Israel planned to pass through their territory. Edom told them not to come near. Moses responded that they would stay only on the main highway that went through their land. Edom again denied them, and sent out an army to block their way. Israel turned back and stayed away from Edom.
Later, God told Moses, Aaron, and Aaron’s son Eleazar, to go up to Mount Hor, and that there Aaron would die. Aaron “was gathered to his people,” and Eleazar took over as high priest. The people mourned 30 days.
Chapter 21
Moses led the Israelites through the desert to avoid going through Edom. They spoke against God and Moses. They wanted to go back to Egypt. They whined that there wasn’t enough food or water. God sent poisonous snakes to attack the Israelites. The Israelites confessed their sins and Moses prayed for them. God told Moses to make a bronze snake and put it on a pole. Anyone who had been bitten and looked at the bronze snake survived. In the New Testament, Jesus used the story of the bronze snake to explain his own death.
The Israelites moved from place to place:
Hormah, where they were raided by Canaanites
Oboth
Iye Abarim
Zered Valley
Alongside the Arnon, on the border between Moab and the Amorites
Beer, where Israel sang, “Spring up, O well!” and God gave them water.
Mattanah
Nahaliel
Bamoth
Moab, at the valley where the top of Pisgah overlooks the wasteland
Israel sent a message to Sihon of the Amorites and asked if they could pass through his land. Sihon gathered his army and attacked Israel. Israel defeated Sihon and claimed his territory, including territory he had previously stolen from the Moabites.
Moses sent spies to the city of Jazer. Israel then drove out the Amorites that lived there.
Israel then followed the road towards Bashan. Og, king of Bashan, and his army met Israel at Edrei and declared war on them. Israel defeated Og and took his land. Elsewhere, Og is described as a “giant.”
Beer, where Israel sang, “Spring up, O well!” and God gave them water.
Mattanah
Nahaliel
Bamoth
Moab, at the valley where the top of Pisgah overlooks the wasteland
Israel sent a message to Sihon of the Amorites and asked if they could pass through his land. Sihon gathered his army and attacked Israel. Israel defeated Sihon and claimed his territory, including territory he had previously stolen from the Moabites.
Moses sent spies to the city of Jazer. Israel then drove out the Amorites that lived there.
Israel then followed the road towards Bashan. Og, king of Bashan, and his army met Israel at Edrei and declared war on them. Israel defeated Og and took his land. Elsewhere, Og is described as a “giant.”
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