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The Message of Numbers (Part One) on Tue 14 Jul 2009, 12:47 am
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Number of posts: 364
Age: 58
Location: United Kingdom
Profession: Church of Scotland Minister
Marital Status: Married
Registration date: 2007-10-22
Points: 3951
Reputation: 1
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Numbers is the fourth book of (i) the Pentateuch; (ii) the Old Testament; and (iii) the Bible.
(i) Numbers is the fourth book of the Pentateuch.
It follows on from Genesis, Exodus and Leviticus. It is followed by
Deuteronomy. The word, ‘Pentateuch’, is a Greek word. It
means ‘five books’. In the Pentateuch, there are five books
– Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. To
understand Numbers, we must go back to Genesis, Exodus and Leviticus
and we must move beyond Numbers to Deuteronomy.
Genesis is
‘the book of beginnings’. It tells us about the beginning
of creation (chapters 1-2). It tells us about the beginning of sin
(chapter 3). It tells us about the beginning of salvation. In 3:15, we
have the first promise of the Saviour.
Following
the flood of judgment and the ark of salvation (chapters 6-9), the
story moves on to God’s choice of Abraham. God’s promise
was given to Abraham – ‘I will make of you a great
nation’ (12:2). The nation of Israel, to whom the book of Numbers
is addressed, is the fulfilment of this promise of God. Behind the
nation of Israel, there is the God who chooses. As we read the book of
Numbers, we must remember that God addresses Israel as His chosen
people.
In Exodus, we see God as the God of redemption and Israel as His redeemed people. The people of
Israel have been chosen by God. They have been redeemed by Him. He has brought them out of their slavery in Egypt.
Leviticus emphasizes
that God’s chosen people are called to be holy. Redeemed by the
Lord, they are called to live as His holy people. The key idea in
Leviticus is expressed in 11:45 – ‘you shall be holy, for I
am holy’.
In
Genesis, Exodus and Leviticus, the people of Israel are described as a
chosen people, a redeemed people and a holy people. In the opening
chapter of Numbers, we learn that the people of God are to
wage war for God. Notice the recurring phrase – ‘every man
able to go forth to war’. If God’s purpose is to be
fulfilled among the people of Israel, His people must be ready for
warfare – spiritual warfare in which ‘the tabernacle of the
testimony’ is to be at the heart of Israel’s life. The
worship of God and the work of God are to be the chief priorities among
the people of God.
Following Numbers, we have the fifth book of the Pentateuch – Deuteronomy.
Numbers takes Israel to the borders of the Promised Land. Deuteronomy
contains further instructions given to Israel as they prepared to enter
the Promised Land. Deuteronomy provides the link between the first four
books of the Pentateuch and the remainder of the Old Testament.
(ii) Numbers is the fourth book of the Old Testament. Following
its first five books, the Old Testament story continues, in the book of
Joshua, with the conquest of Canaan. As we read of Israel’s
warfare for God, we will understand why the first chapter of Numbers
laid such emphasis on ‘every man able to go forth to war’.
The Old Testament story continues through times of rebellion and times
of revival. It ends with the distinct impression of incompleteness. The
final words of the Old Testament are words of promise concerning what
God is going to do in the future.
(iii) Numbers is the fourth book of the Bible. We
do not look back to the book of Numbers because we want to become Old
Testament Jews. We look back to the book of Numbers because it is part
of the context out of which the Christian Faith has grown. To
understand our Christian Faith, we need to go back to the Old
Testament. We need to go back to the Pentateuch. As we do this, we will
come to the book of Numbers.
-----
This is the first part of an article which was published in Evangel.
(i) Numbers is the fourth book of the Pentateuch.
It follows on from Genesis, Exodus and Leviticus. It is followed by
Deuteronomy. The word, ‘Pentateuch’, is a Greek word. It
means ‘five books’. In the Pentateuch, there are five books
– Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. To
understand Numbers, we must go back to Genesis, Exodus and Leviticus
and we must move beyond Numbers to Deuteronomy.
Genesis is
‘the book of beginnings’. It tells us about the beginning
of creation (chapters 1-2). It tells us about the beginning of sin
(chapter 3). It tells us about the beginning of salvation. In 3:15, we
have the first promise of the Saviour.
Following
the flood of judgment and the ark of salvation (chapters 6-9), the
story moves on to God’s choice of Abraham. God’s promise
was given to Abraham – ‘I will make of you a great
nation’ (12:2). The nation of Israel, to whom the book of Numbers
is addressed, is the fulfilment of this promise of God. Behind the
nation of Israel, there is the God who chooses. As we read the book of
Numbers, we must remember that God addresses Israel as His chosen
people.
In Exodus, we see God as the God of redemption and Israel as His redeemed people. The people of
Israel have been chosen by God. They have been redeemed by Him. He has brought them out of their slavery in Egypt.
Leviticus emphasizes
that God’s chosen people are called to be holy. Redeemed by the
Lord, they are called to live as His holy people. The key idea in
Leviticus is expressed in 11:45 – ‘you shall be holy, for I
am holy’.
In
Genesis, Exodus and Leviticus, the people of Israel are described as a
chosen people, a redeemed people and a holy people. In the opening
chapter of Numbers, we learn that the people of God are to
wage war for God. Notice the recurring phrase – ‘every man
able to go forth to war’. If God’s purpose is to be
fulfilled among the people of Israel, His people must be ready for
warfare – spiritual warfare in which ‘the tabernacle of the
testimony’ is to be at the heart of Israel’s life. The
worship of God and the work of God are to be the chief priorities among
the people of God.
Following Numbers, we have the fifth book of the Pentateuch – Deuteronomy.
Numbers takes Israel to the borders of the Promised Land. Deuteronomy
contains further instructions given to Israel as they prepared to enter
the Promised Land. Deuteronomy provides the link between the first four
books of the Pentateuch and the remainder of the Old Testament.
(ii) Numbers is the fourth book of the Old Testament. Following
its first five books, the Old Testament story continues, in the book of
Joshua, with the conquest of Canaan. As we read of Israel’s
warfare for God, we will understand why the first chapter of Numbers
laid such emphasis on ‘every man able to go forth to war’.
The Old Testament story continues through times of rebellion and times
of revival. It ends with the distinct impression of incompleteness. The
final words of the Old Testament are words of promise concerning what
God is going to do in the future.
(iii) Numbers is the fourth book of the Bible. We
do not look back to the book of Numbers because we want to become Old
Testament Jews. We look back to the book of Numbers because it is part
of the context out of which the Christian Faith has grown. To
understand our Christian Faith, we need to go back to the Old
Testament. We need to go back to the Pentateuch. As we do this, we will
come to the book of Numbers.
-----
This is the first part of an article which was published in Evangel.
_________________
