Day #59

Sermon - Audio
Num 11-13 - Audio
Num 11-13 - Daily Reading

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Numbers 11-13

Numbers 11 is a very important chapter. It begins a sequence of rebellion (often against authority) and and complaining that will characterize most of the rest of the book of Numbers.

Vs 1-3 It doesn't take long before the Israelites begin to complain after leaving Mt. Sinai. The reason for this complaint is not specified: “hardship” does not even appear in the Hebrew (if you're using the NIV). Possible options include 1) they are responding to the requirements God has put on them in the first 10 chapters 2) They begin to complain about their living conditions now that they have entered the barren wilderness away from the more fertile area around Sinai.

More important than the substance of the complaint is its function. This marks an important transition in the book of numbers away from the initial excitement the Israelites felt after leaving Egypt and the covenant of Sinai toward constant grumbling. When the going got tough, the Israelites got moaning. “Resentment, frustration, discomfort – whatever it all involved – led to complaining and not gratitude (NET bible).”

The exhilaration and intention of obedience of the Israelites died out when they entered the real world. It is not a far leap to attribute this kind of attitude shift in our attitudes today when we move away from planning and toward doing, especially when things stop being easy.

vs 4-6 Here, instead of looking forward to the promised land of Canaan, the Israelites are looking nostalgically back toward Egypt. Their orientation is in the wrong direction.

Though their complaint is misguided (they seem to have forgotten the bitterness of slavery), the content of their complaint deserves a second look. Israel was led out of a land of prosperity. Land in the Middle East that can produce cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions, garlic, and free fish is very good land. In fact, as we learn in Deuteronomy 11.10, the land of Egypt is even better land than the promised land. “The land you are entering to take over is not like the land of Egypt, from which you have come, where you planted your seed and irrigated it by foot as in a vegetable garden.” The promise of God is not “the easy life” as some of us would prefer. What God does promise is freedom from slavery to serve him and of his faithfulness to us. What makes the Israelite camp in the wilderness (and later Canaan) is not because of the land's productivity, but because God dwells with his people there.

Vs 14 “I cannot carry all these people by myself; the burden is too heavy for me.” Like Moses appointment of judges in Exodus 18, this episode gives us a helpful paradigm for leadership in a covenant community. Once more the pressures and responsibilities are too great for one person. The Lord commands Moses to assemble seventy leaders in the community to help share his burden.

Vs 18-20: I certainly did not learn in sunday school that the sending of the quail was more judgment than blessing. In this case, God gives the people exactly what they ask for, but they pay for it. I suppose the moral of the story might be: be careful what you wish for.

Vs 25 Prophesy is a sign of God's spirit throughout the Bible (1 Samuel 10:6-13, Joel 2.28, Acts 2.4, 1 Corinthians 12.10).

Vs 28 This is the first mention of Joshua in the book of Numbers. Here we find that all this time Joshua (the future leader of Israel) had been under the mentorship of Moses all this time. It may be that his God-given leadership ability needed nurture from the older, wiser Moses.

Vs 29 “I wish that all the Lord's people were prophets and the Lord would put his spirit on them!” It is difficult to know Moses' tone. It is possible he is emphasizing the burden that prophets must carry (prophets speak the truth into the present). Prophets are rarely popular. Regardless of his tone, it is clear that one of the things that makes Moses a great leader is his humility. Instead of hoarding power or wanting fame for himself, his first priority is obedience to God. Also: compare this to Galatians 6.2: “Bear one another's burdens.”

Vs 33 Although it looks like God has his temper flare up in this verse, do not think that God is subject to the same sort of emotions we experience. He is certainly not a victim of them. According to the Belgic Confession, God is immutable (never changing). This topic, however, is much bigger than we have time/space for here. It is certainly a hot topic of theology today.

Numbers 12

vs 3: For all you Hebrew nerds out there (and I know there's at least one of you out there) this is a parenthetical disjunctive. Who cares? Well, this seemingly unimportant fact informs the story later on. In this case, Moses' humility is emphasized. It not only points out part of his good leadership is partly due to his not thinking too highly of himself, but also the silent response Moses gives to his siblings. Rather than becoming defensive, Moses takes the criticism (he is teachable). It is God who speaks on behalf of Moses warning Aaron and Miriam not to subvert his God-given authority.

Vs 4-8 It seems Miriam and Aaron are trying to “climb the ladder” in an attempt to claim that their authority is equal with Moses'. God speaks out against this attempt: God's relationship with Moses is special. He speaks face to face with Moses. They should have not been so quick to criticize their brother.

Vs 10 God's punishment for this subversion is immediate. Miriam has leprsoy, which makes her unclean (Leviticus 13-14). Even though both Miriam and Aaron were guilty, Aaron was most likely spared because of his status as high priest.

Vs 13 Once again, God listens to Moses' appeals for mercy.

Vs 15 The fact that the whole camp waits for Miriam attests to her high standing in the nation.

Numbers 13 is the famous account of the 12 spies. This important portion explain why it took 40 years for the people to reach the promised land.

Vs 21-23 The land dscribed here is larger than what we consider modern Israel. It includes large sections of modern day Syria and Lebanon.

Vs 22 A famous descendant of Anak is the giant Goliath. They are very interestingly associated with the Nephilim of Genesis 6.4

Additionally, the spies gives special attention to Hebron (the place God first promised Abrham that he would inherit the land).

Vs 23 Do not read too much into these verses that is not there in the text. Certainly the single cluster of grapes was put on a pole with the pomegranates and figs to emphasize its size, but you should not envision watermelon-sized grapes.

Vs 25 The relatively short forty days the spies spent searching the land will be contrasted with the 40 years the Israelites will have to wander in the wilderness for their lack of faith.

Vs 27 Although also metaphorical, the milk and honey likely refer to very specific things the spies found: goats milk preserved and baked in the sun (milk) and the sweet dates found on palm trees (honey).

Vs 30 Caleb is right. The other spies show their lack of faith because they compare the size and strength of the Canaanites to themselves rather than to God, who has promised to fight for them. They get the facts right, but the faith wrong.

Vs 31 A foreshadow of the people's rebellion in chapter 14, we see juts how powerful propaganda is in shaping the way people think when the spies spread the bad report.