Only a year has passed since the exodus from Egypt when the Book of Numbers opens. Numbers, the book of divine discipline, shows the painful consequences of unbelief and irresponsible decisions on the part of God’s chosen people. Numbers begins with the old generation (chs. 1–12), moves through a tragic transition period (chs. 13–20), and ends with the new generation (chs. 21–36) poised at the doorstep to the land of Canaan. The book contains the records of two generations, two censuses, and two sets of instructions for enjoying the land of promise. God’s love is kind, but it can also be severe. His people must learn they can move forward only as they trust and depend on Him.
Introduction and Title
Numbers is the book of wanderings. It takes its name from the two numberings of the Israelites—the first at Mount Sinai and the second on the plains of Moab. Most of the book, however, describes Israel’s experiences as they wander in the wilderness. The lesson of Numbers is clear. While it may be necessary to pass through wilderness experiences, one does not have to live there. For Israel, an eleven-day journey became a forty-year agony.
The title of Numbers comes from the first word in the Hebrew text, Wayyedabber, “And He Said.” Jewish writings, however, usually refer to it by the fifth Hebrew word in 1:1, Bemidbar, “In the Wilderness,” which more nearly indicates the content of the book. The Greek title in the Septuagint is Arithmoi, “Numbers.” The Latin Vulgate followed this title and translated it Liber Numeri, “Book of Numbers.” These titles are based on the two numberings: the generation of Exodus (1) and the generation that grew up in the wilderness and conquered Canaan (26). Numbers has also been called the “Book of the Journeyings,” the “Book of the Murmurings,” and the “Fourth Book of Moses.”
Author
The evidence that points to Moses as the author of Numbers is similar to that for the previous books of the Pentateuch. These five books form such a literary unit that they rise or fall together on the matter of authorship.
External Evidence: The Jews, the Samaritans, and the early church give testimony to the Mosaic authorship of Numbers. Also a number of New Testament passages cite events from Numbers and associate them with Moses. These include John 3:14; Acts 7; 13; First Corinthians 10:1–1; Hebrews 3–4 and Jude 11.
Internal Evidence: There are more than eighty claims that “the LORD spoke to Moses” (the first is 1:1). In addition, Numbers 33:2 makes this clear statement: “Now Moses wrote down the starting points of their journeys at the command of the LORD.” Moses kept detailed records as an eyewitness of the events in this book. As the central character in Exodus through Deuteronomy, he was better qualified than any other man to write these books.
Some scholars have claimed that the third person references to Moses point to a different author. However, use of the third person was a common practice in the ancient world. Caesar, for example, did the same in his writings.
Date and Setting
Leviticus covers only one month, but Numbers stretches over almost thirty-nine years (c. 1444–405 B.C.). It records Israel’s movement from the last twenty days at Mount Sinai (1:1; 10:11), the wandering around Kadesh-barnea, and finally the arrival in the plains of Moab in the fortieth year (see 22:1; 26:3; 33:50; Deut. 1:3). Their tents occupy several square miles whenever they camp since there are probably over two-and-a-half million people (based on the census figures in chapters 1 and 26). God miraculously feeds and sustains them in the desert—He preserves their clothing and gives them manna, meat, water, leaders, and a promise (14:34).
Theme and Purpose
The theme of Numbers is the consequence of disbelief and disobedience to the holy God. The Lord disciplined His people but remained faithful to His covenant promises in spite of their fickleness. Numbers displays the patience, holiness, justice, mercy, and sovereignty of God toward His people. It teaches that there are no shortcuts to His blessings—He uses trials and tests for specific purposes.
Numbers was written to trace the history of Israel’s wanderings from Sinai to Moab. But the fact that there is almost no record of the thirty-eight years of wandering shows that Numbers is a very thematic history. It selects those events that are important to the development of God’s redemptive program. The sins of the first generation were written as a reminder and a warning to the second generation. They must implicitly trust God before they can possess the Land of Blessing.
Keys to Numbers—
Key Word: Wanderings
Key Verses (14:22–23; 20:12)—“Because all these men who have seen My glory and the signs which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have put Me to the test now these ten times, and have not heeded My voice, they certainly shall not see the land of which I swore to their fathers, nor shall any of those who rejected Me see it” (14:22–23).
“Then the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, ‘Because you did not believe Me, to hallow Me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them’ ” (20:12).
Key Chapter (14)—The critical turning point of Numbers may be seen in chapter 14 when Israel rejects God by refusing to go up and conquer the Promised Land. God judges Israel “according to the number of the days in which you spied out the land, forty days, for each day you shall bear your guilt one year, namely forty years, and you shall know My rejection” (14:34).
Christ in Numbers
Perhaps the clearest portrait of Christ in Numbers is the bronze serpent on the stake, a picture of the Crucifixion (21:4–9): “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up” (John 3:14). The rock that quenches the thirst of the multitudes is also a type of Christ: “they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ” (1 Cor. 10:4). The daily manna pictures the Bread of Life who later comes down from heaven (John 6:31–3).
Balaam foresees the rulership of Christ: “I see Him, but not now; I behold Him, but not near; a Star shall come out of Jacob; a Scepter shall rise out of Israel” (24:17). The guidance and presence of Christ is seen in the pillar of cloud and fire, and the sinner’s refuge in Christ may be seen in the six cities of refuge. The red heifer sacrifice (19) is also considered a type of Christ.
Survey of Numbers
Israel as a nation is in its infancy at the outset of this book, only thirteen months after the Exodus from Egypt. In Numbers, the book of divine discipline, it becomes necessary for the nation to go through the painful process of testing and maturation. God must teach His people the consequences of irresponsible decisions. The forty years of wilderness experience transforms them from a rabble of ex-slaves into a nation ready to take the Promised Land. Numbers begins with the old generation (1:1–10:10), moves through a tragic transitional period (10:11–25:18), and ends with the new generation (26–36) at the doorway to the land of Canaan.
The Old Generation (1:1–10:10): The generation that witnessed God’s miraculous acts of deliverance and preservation receives further direction from God while they are still at the foot of Mount Sinai (1:1–10:10). God’s instructions are very explicit, reaching every aspect of their lives. He is the Author of order, not confusion; and this is seen in the way He organizes the people around the tabernacle. Turning from the outward conditions of the camp (1–4) to the inward conditions (5–10), Numbers describes the spiritual preparation of the people.
The Tragic Transition (10:11–25:18): Israel follows God step by step until Canaan is in sight. Then in the crucial moment at Kadesh they draw back in unbelief. Their murmurings had already become incessant, “Now when the people complained, it displeased the LORD; for the LORD heard it” (11:1). But their unbelief after sending out the twelve spies at Kadesh-barnea is something God will not tolerate. Their rebellion at Kadesh marks the pivotal point of the book. The generation of the Exodus will not be the generation of the conquest.
Unbelief brings discipline and hinders God’s blessing. The old generation is doomed to literally kill time for forty years of wilderness wanderings—one year for every day spent by the twelve spies in inspecting the land. They are judged by disinheritance and death as their journey changes from one of anticipation to one of aimlessness. Only Joshua and Caleb, the two spies who believed God, enter Canaan. Almost nothing is recorded about these transitional years.
The New Generation (21–36): When the transition to the new generation is complete, the people mbiove to the plains of Moab, directly east of the Promised Land (22:1). Before they can enter the land they must wait until all is ready. Here they receive new instructions, a new census is taken, Joshua is appointed as Moses’ successor, and some of the people settle in the Transjordan.
Numbers records two generations (1–14; 21–36), two numberings (1; 26), two journeyings (10–14; 21–27), and two sets of instructions (5–9; 28–36). It illustrates both the kindness and severity of God (Rom. 11:22) and teaches that God’s people can move forward only as they trust and depend on Him.
Wilkinson, B., & Boa, K. (1983). Talk thru the Bible (pp. 27–31). Nashville: T. Nelson.