Desert Wandering: Numbers and Deuteronomy

God’s law was meant to bring: - Life - Human flourishing - Blessing and fullness - Knowing God more - Know that they are deeply loved - Represent God’s goodness to other nations

Numbers 15: Once, while the Israelites were still in the wilderness, a man was found gathering firewood on the Sabbath. 33 He was taken to Moses, Aaron, and the whole community, 34 and was put under guard, because it was not clear what should be done with him. 35 Then the Lord said to Moses, “The man must be put to death; the whole community is to stone him to death outside the camp.” 36 So the whole community took him outside the camp and stoned him to death, as the Lord had commanded.

Numbers 27:1-3 Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah were the daughters of Zelophehad son of Hepher, son of Gilead, son of Machir, son of Manasseh, son of Joseph. 2 They went and stood before Moses, Eleazar the priest, the leaders, and the whole community at the entrance of the Tent of the Lord's presence and said, 3 “Our father died in the wilderness without leaving any sons. He was not among the followers of Korah, who rebelled against the Lord; he died because of his own sin.

Numbers 27:4-7 4 Just because he had no sons, why should our father's name disappear from Israel? Give us property among our father's relatives.”5 Moses presented their case to the Lord, 6 and the Lord said to him, 7 “What the daughters of Zelophehad request is right; give them property among their father's relatives. Let his inheritance pass on to them.

You can take the Israelites out of Egypt, but you can’t take Egypt out of the Israelites

1 Corinthians 10:11 These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us

1) Quail

Numbers 11:4-5 The rabble with them began to crave other food, and again the Israelites started wailing and said, ‘If only we had meat to eat! 5 We remember the fish we ate in Egypt at no cost – also the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic. 6 But now we have lost our appetite; we never see anything but this manna!’

Numbers 11:10 10 Moses heard the people of every family wailing at the entrance to their tents. The Lord became exceedingly angry, and Moses was troubled.

Numbers 11:18 18 ‘Tell the people: “Consecrate yourselves in preparation for tomorrow, when you will eat meat. The Lord heard you when you wailed, ‘If only we had meat to eat! We were better off in Egypt!’ Now the Lord will give you meat, and you will eat it. 19 You will not eat it for just one day, or two days, or five, ten or twenty days, 20 but for a whole month – until it comes out of your nostrils and you loathe it – because you have rejected the Lord, who is among you, and have wailed before him, saying, ‘Why did we ever leave Egypt?’”’

1) Quail Warning against: moaning and complaining Encouragement for: Thankfulness and appreciation

2) Moses Wife

Numbers 12:1-8 Moses had married a Cushite woman, and Miriam and Aaron criticized him for it. 2 They said, “Has the Lord spoken only through Moses? Hasn't he also spoken through us?” The Lord heard what they said. (3 Moses was a humble man, more humble than anyone else on earth.)4 Suddenly the Lord said to Moses, Aaron, and Miriam, “I want the three of you to come out to the Tent of my presence.” They went, 5 and the Lord came down in a pillar of cloud, stood at the entrance of the Tent, and called out, “Aaron! Miriam!”

Numbers 12:1-8 The two of them stepped forward, 6 and the Lord said, “Now hear what I have to say! When there are prophets among you, I reveal myself to them in visions and speak to them in dreams. 7 It is different when I speak with my servant Moses; I have put him in charge of all my people Israel. 8 So I speak to him face-to- face, clearly and not in riddles; he has even seen my form! How dare you speak against my servant Moses?”

2) Moses Wife Warning Against: Gossip and being overly critical of leaders Encouragement to: Honour leaders and be careful how we talk of others and jealously?

Famous biblical names Shammua son of Zaccur Shaphat son of Hori Igal son of Joseph Palti son of Raphu Gaddiel son of Sodi Gaddi son of Susi Ammiel son of Gemalli Sethur son of Michael Nahbi son of Vophsi Geuel son of Machi Joshua son of Nun Caleb son of Jephunnuh

3) Spies

Numbers 13: When Moses sent them out, he said to them, “Go north from here into the southern part of the land of Canaan and then on into the hill country. 18 Find out what kind of country it is, how many people live there, and how strong they are. 19 Find out whether the land is good or bad and whether the people live in open towns or in fortified cities. 20 Find out whether the soil is fertile and whether the land is wooded. And be sure to bring back some of the fruit that grows there.”

Numbers 13: After exploring the land for forty days, the spies returned 26 to Moses, Aaron, and the whole community of Israel at Kadesh in the wilderness of Paran. They reported what they had seen and showed them the fruit they had brought. 27 They told Moses, “We explored the land and found it to be rich and fertile; and here is some of its fruit. 28 But the people who live there are powerful, and their cities are very large and well fortified. Even worse, we saw the descendants of the giants there.

Numbers 13:30 30 Caleb silenced the people who were complaining against Moses, and said, “We should attack now and take the land; we are strong enough to conquer it.”

Numbers 14:1-4 All night long the people cried out in distress. 2 They complained against Moses and Aaron, and said, “It would have been better to die in Egypt or even here in the wilderness! 3 Why is the Lord taking us into that land? We will be killed in battle, and our wives and children will be captured. Wouldn't it be better to go back to Egypt?” 4 So they said to one another, “Let's choose a leader and go back to Egypt!”

Numbers 14:5-9 5 Then Moses and Aaron bowed to the ground in front of all the people. 6 And Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh, two of the spies, tore their clothes in sorrow 7 and said to the people, “The land we explored is an excellent land. 8 If the Lord is pleased with us, he will take us there and give us that rich and fertile land. 9 Do not rebel against the Lord and don't be afraid of the people who live there. We will conquer them easily. The Lord is with us and has defeated the gods who protected them; so don't be afraid.”

3) Spies Warning against: Letting fear dictate, doubting God’s promise and character, having a perspective on life without God Encouragement to: Trust God, step out for him

4) Snakes

Numbers 21:4-5 4 The Israelites left Mount Hor by the road that leads to the Gulf of Aqaba, in order to go around the territory of Edom. But on the way the people lost their patience 5 and spoke against God and Moses. They complained, “Why did you bring us out of Egypt to die in this desert, where there is no food or water? We can't stand any more of this miserable food!”

Numbers 21:6-7 6 Then the Lord sent poisonous snakes among the people, and many Israelites were bitten and died. 7 The people came to Moses and said, “We sinned when we spoke against the Lord and against you. Now pray to the Lord to take these snakes away.” So Moses prayed for the people.

Numbers 21:8-9 8 Then the Lord told Moses to make a metal snake and put it on a pole, so that anyone who was bitten could look at it and be healed. 9 So Moses made a bronze snake and put it on a pole. Anyone who had been bitten would look at the bronze snake and be healed.

4) Snakes Warning against: Blaming everything on God, Being negative all the time Encouragement to: Seek God for ourselves, see what God is doing when it is tough

John 3: As Moses lifted up the bronze snake on a pole in the desert, in the same way the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15 so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life. 16 For God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not die but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to be its judge, but to be its savior.

5) Water and the Rock

Numbers 20:2-5 2 There was no water where they camped, so the people gathered around Moses and Aaron 3 and complained: “It would have been better if we had died in front of the Lord's Tent along with the other Israelites. 4 Why have you brought us out into this wilderness? Just so that we can die here with our animals? 5 Why did you bring us out of Egypt into this miserable place where nothing will grow? There's no grain, no figs, no grapes, no pomegranates. There is not even any water to drink!”

Numbers 20:6-8 6 Moses and Aaron moved away from the people and stood at the entrance of the Tent. They bowed down with their faces to the ground, and the dazzling light of the Lord's presence appeared to them.7 The Lord said to Moses, 8 “Take the stick that is in front of the Covenant Box, and then you and Aaron assemble the whole community. There in front of them all speak to that rock over there, and water will gush out of it. In this way you will bring water out of the rock for the people, for them and their animals to drink.”

Numbers 20:10-11 Aaron assembled the whole community in front of the rock, and Moses said, “Listen, you rebels! Do we have to get water out of this rock for you?” 11 Then Moses raised the stick and struck the rock twice with it, and a great stream of water gushed out, and all the people and animals drank.

Numbers 20:12 12 But the Lord reprimanded Moses and Aaron. He said, “Because you did not have enough faith to acknowledge my holy power before the people of Israel, you will not lead them into the land that I promised to give them.”

6) Water and the Rock Warning against: Claiming God’s glory for ourselves, not obeying God, not dealing with our stuff Encouragement to: See that sin effects us all and no one is immune, obey God and not always lean on the way things have been done before

Balaam

Phineas

Deuteronomy 1)God is with you and for you 2) There is one God: avoid idolatry 3) God has provided for you 4) Cherish, mull over, discuss and apply God’s word 5) Life and flourishing come from following the law 6) Remember and help the poor, orphan and foreigner

Moses and Joshua Who is a Moses for us? Who is a Joshua for us?