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| NUMBERS NUMBERS WAS WRITTEN TO TELL THE STORY OF HOW ISRAEL PREPARED TO ENTER THE PROMISED LAND, HOW THEY SINNED AND WERE PUNISHED, AND HOW THEY PREPARED TO TRY AGAIN. OF ALL ACCOUNTS, MOSES WAS THE AUTHOR OF THIS BOOK IN THE BIBLE, AND HE WROTE IT TO THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL DURING THE TIME OF 1450 - 1410 BC. THEY WERE IN THE VAST DESERT OF THE SINAI REGION, AS WELL AS LANDS JUST SOUTH AND EAST OF CANAAN. THE KEY VERSES IN THIS BOOK ARE: 14: 22, 23 "BECAUSE ALL THOSE MEN WHICH HAVE SEEN MY GLORY, AND MY MIRACLES, WHICH I DID IN EGYPT AND IN THE WILDERNESS, AND HAVE TEMPTED ME NOW THESE TEN TIMES, AND HAVE NOT HEARKENED TO MY VOICE; SURELY THEY SHALL NOT SEE THE LAND WHICH I SWARE UNTO THEIR FATHERS, NEITHER SHALL ANY OF THEM THAT PROVOKED ME SEE IT: THE KEY PEOPLE IN THIS BOOK ARE MOSES, AARON, MIRIAM, JOSHUA, CALEB, ELEAZAR, KARAH, AND BALAAM THE BOOK OF NUMBERS IS A CONTINUATION OF ALL THE THINGS THAT GOD WAS TRYING TO TEACH THE ISRAELITES WHEN THE BOOK OF LEVITICUS WAS WRITTEN. THE BASIC LAWS AND RITUALS THAT WERE TO BE FOLLOWED IN ORDER TO BE LOYAL TO GOD. HE WANTED THEM TO BE A HOLY PEOPLE AND WANTED THEM TO HAVE A LIFESTYLE DISTINCT FROM THE NATIONS AROUND THEM. IN CHAPTERS 1 THROUGH 10, GOD THROUGH MOSES IS PREPARING THEM FOR THE JOURNEY. THE FIRST CENSUS OF THE NATION THE ROLE OF THE LEVITES THE PURITY OF THE CAMP RECEIVING GUIDANCE FOR THE JOURNEY. IN CHAPTERS 10:11 THROUGH 14:45 WAS THEIR FIRST APPROACH TO THE PROMISED LAND THE PEOPLE COMPLAIN MIRIAM AND AARON OPPOSE MOSES THE SCOUTS INCITE REBELLION IN CHAPTERS 15:1 THROUGH 21:35 THEY ARE WANDERING IN THE WILDERNESS ADDITIONAL REGULATIONS WERE GIVEN MANY LEADERS REBEL AGAINST MOSES DUTIES OF PRIESTS AND LEVITES WERE MADE AND THE START OF A NEW GENERATION IN CHAPTERS 22:1 THROUGH 36:13 WE HEAR THE STORY OF BALAAM THE SECOND CENSUS OF THE NATION INSTRUCTIONS CONCERNING OFFERNGS VENGEANCE ON THE MIDIANITES THE TRANSJORDAN TRIBES CAMPED ON THE PLAINS OF MOAB @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ PREPARING TO GO As a parent we all know The shrill whine our child shows. That slow high pitched complaint, That grates on our ears and aggravates. ~*~*~ The tone of voice is difficult to bear, Especially when it's discontentment shared. A disobedient reply to our discipline, Or just a bit of rebellion to our whims. ~*~*~ The children of Israel, camped at Mt. Siani Reflected this behavior in God's eyes. They grumbled and complained at every turn, Making quite a trek of their sojourn. ~*~*~ So here we are again, in the same position, Maybe they thought they couldn't change tradition. It makes me wonder how Moses withstood the trouble, Of trying to convey to them, straighten up on the double. ~*~*~ I can hear him saying now, "what will it take?" Can't you see, you're making mistakes." Don't you understand that God is our friend, And that He has come to rescue us from sin." ~*~*~ God did force his authority unto them, And punished the wrong lot, and began again. This continued for and added forty years, They circled round and round in their stupid fears. ~*~*~ So Numbers ends as it begins, with prepartion, More preparation for an ignorant and sinful generation. We learn as we go through the rest of the old books They wandered in the wastelands, and more time it took. Written by Shirley Barr January 16, 2005 All Rights Reserved |
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| SONG: 'WHERE COULD I GO' USED WITH PERMISSION |
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