Numbers
Although the book of Numbers contains further laws about proper worship, it is mainly about the leading of God’s people to the edge of the promised land at the plains of Moab; and it is about the emergence of a new generation to occupy that land. It is called Numbers because of the two numberings or censuses that it records at the beginning and towards the end of the book. They are censuses of military men that are required to go in and occupy the land. Always remember that the promised land of Canaan represents our full salvation, our inheritance in Christ and we have to be ready to do battle for it, hence the numbering of military men. Worship is also central to their preparation and hence there is the setting apart of the Levites and the military formation of all the tribes around the tabernacle, that physical representation of God dwelling among them.
Preparation and Leadership
By the end of Leviticus, Moses has built the tabernacle and established a priesthood ready for that advance and now, as I have said, there is a military preparation because they are going to have to fight to possess the land. We must always remember that God gives us our inheritance out of the goodness of his grace, but we have to be willing to do spiritual battle to ‘possess’ or ‘lay hold of’ what God gives us. This is the fight of faith.
The people are now ready to advance to the land; Jehovah himself leads them by the pillar of cloud and fire, but he also anoints his servants, Moses and Aaron, as leaders. Numbers is, in many ways, the story of Moses, as a leader, leading the people of God through the wilderness to the promised land - but he is leading a rebellious and a stubborn people.
Rebellion
One of the things that sadly characterises the book of Numbers is the relentless complaints about God and his ordained leadership. One of its themes is about God keeping his part of the covenant in leading them to the land that he had promised to Abraham, but the people failing to keep their part of the covenant.
Most specifically, in relation to rebellion, is the story of when God has led them to Kadesh and he sends in the spies, to report back about the land of Canaan; when they report back the people refuse to believe Caleb and Joshua that they can go in and possess the land. The people are full of unbelief, disobedience and rebellion. It is faith and obedience that leads us into our inheritance; unbelief and rebellion brings only the judgement of God and prevents us from occupying and possessing our inheritance in Christ. So God’s judgement comes and that generation will not enter the promised land except, of course, Joshua and Caleb. Therefore, God has to raise up a new generation.
A New Generation
Numbers is consequently also about the passing of an old generation and the emergence of a new one. The old one was to pass away because they had refused to believe the report of men of faith. They had been characterised by grumbling and complaining and a rebellious spirit that had aroused God’s anger toward them. The apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 10 warns us to be careful that we don’t follow their example.
We witness, in Numbers, both the severity and the kindness of the Lord - his severity in his judgement on the rebellion of the old generation, and his kindness in preserving a new generation. We see God’s severity in his judgement also on Moses, as he tells him he cannot enter the land himself.
The old generation ends with the death of Aaron; and Joshua is named as Moses’ successor. But the new generation is going to rebel and have its challenges and testing as well. At the plains of Moab, the Moabite king tries intrigue against them by sending the pagan prophet Balaam to curse them. Although God prevents Balaam from cursing and turns his words into blessing, they are seduced away through sexual temptation and the worship of the false god, Baal. This also brings the judgement of God in a plague, a plague that is stopped only by the zealous devotion of Phinehas. This new generation, then, has also got to learn faith, obedience and devotion to God. They are themselves being made ready for battle at the edge of the promised land, ready to advance and occupy their inheritance.