[Linux4christians] Sunday - Numbers 1-4

[pastordavid at bibleseven.com]

    Sunday


      Numbers 1-4


We have pasted-in the NET Bible text to this point but that is making 
these studies very large. While we base our studies on the text as found 
in the NET Bible we are aware that some use a different translation. We 
will not continue posting the entirety of the NET Bible text in every 
Study, though we may do so in some Studies, but we will instead include 
the URL's for the links to that online Bible text. (If this creates a 
significant problem for anyone please E-mail me privately. I do not want 
to create a stumbling block to your studies.)

The http://bible.org <http://bible.org/> site creates an automatic link 
to text whenever it detects a Bible reference. They have begun posting 
these Studies there, beginning with the Gospels in Chronological order. 
We will be submitting Studies for the entire Bible to them, first 
completing the NT and then the OT.

The NET Bible translator's introduction to the Book of Numbers (or 
another similar introduction) is very important to understand the role 
of the Book in the OT and in the Bible as a whole. Here is the text of 
the NET translators introduction to Numbers followed by links to text of 
Chapters 1-4 online.

"/The book of Numbers is the fourth book of the Pentateuch, 
traditionally called the Law of Moses. It provides a rec/o/rd of the 
experience of the Israelites during the wilderness wanderings, and 
records the laws for the camp as they traveled from place to place. The 
book focuses on the difficulties of the Israelites due to their lack of 
faith, rebellion, and apostasy. It also records God's protection of his 
people from opposition from without. The book makes a fitting 
contribution to the collection of holy writings as it shows the 
spiritual and physical progression of the company of the redeemed toward 
the promised land. The book has to be studied in conjunction with the 
other books of the Pentateuch. It builds on the promises made to Abraham 
in Genesis and the redemption from bondage in Exodus; it completes the 
cultic instructions for Israel that were laid down in Leviticus, and it 
concerns the worship in and the movement of the tabernacle that was 
built in Exodus. But the information here, both legal and historical, 
was not the major concern in those books. The book gets its title in 
English (following the Greek tradition) from the two censuses taken of 
the people, one at the beginning of the wanderings and the other at the 
end (although the Hebrew title is taken from the beginning of the book, 
//???????????? //[bammidbar], "in the wilderness"). In these lists 
particular emphasis is given to the leaders of the clans, a theme that 
will continue in the book as the focus is on how the leaders function in 
all the trials and temptations of the journey. The material in this book 
is essentially a theological interpretation of historical events, and as 
such it stands as an integral part of the revelation of God. In the 
study of the book of Numbers, when these issues of the nature of the 
text are significant to the interpretation and acceptance of the text, 
the notes will comment on them briefly. The indication at the outset of 
the book is that Moses had a good number of people who were able to help 
him compile the statistics and the facts of the wandering community. In 
Num 11:16-18 there is a group of leaders known as 
//??????????//(shottÿrim). This term was used in Exod 5:16-19 to 
describe the officers or foremen of the Israelites. They were appointed 
supervisors of the clans by Moses, and by the time of Joshua (Josh 1:10) 
they were a literary guild. The Hebrew word, cognate with Akkadian 
sataru, means "to write." These people were to Israel what the scribes 
and chroniclers were to the pagan nations. They assisted Moses and the 
priests in their keeping of records. So no matter what they were called 
from time to time, there was a group of literate people who could keep 
the records and preserve the information from the very beginning. Their 
work matches the activities of scribes in the ancient world who used all 
the literary devices to preserve the material. There is no reason to 
doubt that the events recorded were attested to and preserved by such 
eyewitnesses. But their work would have been essentially to serve the 
leader, Moses. The book essentially follows the order of the events 
chronologically, more or less. Where it departs from that order it does 
so for literary or theological reasons. At the center of the theological 
concern is the tabernacle, its significance to the faith, and therefore 
the care in using it and in moving it. Its importance explains the 
presence and the arrangement of the ritual laws. With the records and 
statistics provided for him, Moses could then introduce into the record 
the great events in the wilderness experience of Israel, which were to 
become warnings and encouragements for all time. Most of this material 
comes from the two years at the beginning of the experience and the two 
years at the end. But this itself may be a literary device (merism) to 
show the nature of the wanderings throughout. The Hebrew text of the 
book of Numbers has been preserved fairly well. It has not been 
preserved as well as Leviticus, which was most important to the ministry 
of the priests and Levites. But in comparison with some of the prophetic 
writings, Numbers represents a well-preserved text. The problems will be 
discussed in the relevant passages. So Numbers is essentially a part of 
the unfolding revelation of the Torah, the Law. It shows God's 
faithfulness to his covenant plan and to his covenant people, but it 
also shows the problems incurred by the people's lack of faith and 
obedience. The book focuses frequently on the nature of the holy Lord 
God, for at the center of all this material is the person and the works 
of the Lord. This provided the standard for the faith and practice of 
the people./"



_http://net.bible.org/bible.php?book=Num&chapter=1 
<http://net.bible.org/bible.php?book=Num&chapter=1>_

_http://net.bible.org/bible.php?book=Num&chapter= 
<http://net.bible.org/bible.php?book=Num&chapter=1>_2

_http://net.bible.org/bible.php?book=Num&chapter= 
<http://net.bible.org/bible.php?book=Num&chapter=1>_3

http://net.bible.org/bible.php?book=Num&chapter=4



      Prayer


Lord, may I be found of some small value in Your great plan so that I, 
like the Levites, may be Your hands and feet in this world.



      Commentary


The Lord God instructed Moses to conduct a census of the Israelite people.

When Moses had counted the Levites God called them apart and numbered 
them as replacements for the firsborn of all of Israel until the number 
of Levites ran out -- then Moses assessed 5 sheckels for each firstborn 
beyond that and the number was 273 -- that money was given to the 
Levites to meet their needs. [The NET translators observe that this was 
equal to about 2 ounces of silver per 5 shekels, or converted to US 
Dollars at a value (in late 2010) of $21. per ounce, or approximately 
$28,665.]

The Levite men, aged 30 to 50 numbered 8,580, we assigned to the 
transport and care of the tabernacle.



      Interaction


        Consider this:

The Book of Numbers tells the story of the organization of this 
moving-city of around a million people, how they would transport and 
maintain the tabernacle, and how they would interact with God through 
the covenant to which they had agreed.


        Discuss this:

Imagine being one of the 8,580 men to whom it was assigned, in great 
detail, the transport and care for the Lord God's tabernacle. How would 
you react to such an assignment?



        Reflect on this:

The Lord God essentially bought the Levites from the rest of Israel -- 
counting them as the fee owed to Him -- then placing them in service to 
the tabernacle.


        Share this:

When have you been given an assignment to serve God in a specific and 
tangeable way?



      Faith in Action


        Prayer:

Ask the Holy Spirit to show you where and how He is either using you 
right now, or where He wants you to be His hands and His feet.


        Action:

Today I will praise God for allowing me to be a part of His plan. I will 
prepare myself as He directs, I will serve with a heart of joy and an 
eye to excellence, and I will prayerfully ask that I am continuously 
valuable in His service.


        Be Specific ______________________________________________________



    Monday's text will be:


      Numbers 5-8



-- 

Have an http://Ultrafidian.com Day!  Pastor David
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Personal Site: http://bibleseven.com
Bible Resources: http://bible.org
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