Our God is a promise keeper Number 1

August 12, 2020

📖 The book of Numbers 📖

📝 This book relates the story of Israel’s ( 38 years ) wandering in the desert. Some scholars called this book as :
~ The Book of Wandering.
~ The Book of Murmuring .

📝 This book presents God’s unchanging Character as he responds with both mercy and justice.
💫 In mercy He heard their complaints and supply their needs.
💫 In justice He allowed them to reap the consequences of their lack of trust and disobedience.

📝 This book can be divided into three sections :
(i) 1:1-10 These chapters describes how God organised the people to prepare them to enter and possess the promised land.

(ii) 11:1-25:18 These chapters narrates how the Israelites behave ( disobedience and rebellion) as they began the journey to the promised land.

(iii) 26:1-36:13 These chapters portrays how God refined and prepared the second generation to conquer and possess the promised land.

📌 Paul in his first letter to the church at Corinth writes , “For God is not the God of disorder ..” 14:33. In other words He is the God of order who organize the things in such a way that no human beings can think of it. His orderly commands in the book of Numbers includes :

1) The Census (1:5-46)
~ For military preparation .
~ Preparation for distributing the promised land according to the tribe, clan and family ( in the later part )

2) Camp Organization (1:48-54)
~ Levites are to set up their tents around the tabernacle
~ Israelites are to camp around the Tent of Meeting maintaining a specific distance . The tribes are arranged in 4 divisions of 3 tribes each positioned at East , West , South and North .

3) Duties of Levites (3:14-48)
The Lord said to Moses , “I have taken the Levites from among the Israelites… the Levites are mine..” 3:11-13

They have a special role and responsibilities in and around the tabernacle.
They were divided in three clans /groups : Gershonites , Kohathites and Merarites.
Age permissible were 30-50 years (4:3,23,30).

4) Purity in the camp :
✅ Ceremonial Uncleanness (5:1-4) . Send them outside the camp so that their presence will not defile God’s Sanctuary.
✅ Restitution ( 5:5-10) . Need to confess and make amends for wrongs done to others.
✅ Adultery ( 5:11-31) . Unfaithful woman was to stand before the Lord .

5 ) Nazirite Vows (6:1-21)
~ It focus on the purity of an individual who voluntarily dedicates himself/herself to the Lord.
~ Nazirite means separated or set apart .
~ They were bound by three rules :
(a) Abstain from all types of drinks
(b) Not allowed to cut their hairs
(c) Not to go near a dead person.

💕 Beloved, as we read and study the book of Numbers, may we learn to stand firm by trusting God for provision and protection ; accepting His anointed leaders and submitting to His discipline.

Glory to God🙏🏼
✍🏾 Mark Boje, ArP 🇮🇳