Prayer List Gordon Dunn – St. Mary’s #450, scheduled to go home today Alex Reed – had a mandibular gland tumor removed Dec 13 Dan Lightfoot – neck surgery Dec 15, went well Dorothy Nickell – foot is healing well. She is wearing a boot and using her walker. James Foster (Sarah Foster’s husband) UAMS E-411. He is paralyzed on the left side after his third stroke. Dennis Lowe (Lowe’s Auto Parts) diagnosed with inoperable cancer.

Announcements Piano Recital – Thursday, Dec 16, 2010, at 7:00 pm, in the Rock, Piano students of Beth Sorrells. Refreshments will be served. Married Couples invited to the “Big Night Out” on Friday Dec 17, 2010 at 6:30 pm in the Cornerstone. RSVP to the Church Office. Parents and children who are between the ages of 2 years old and 4 th grade are invited to the unveiling of the brand new Children’s Ministry room Sunday, Dec 19, 2010, after morning service. Beginning Jan 5 th 2011, Wed bible class will start at 6:30pm. Congratulations to Charlie Davis who recently received the Volunteer of the Year award at St. Mary’s.

Numbers WeekDateTopic 108 Dec10Numbers: An Introduction 215 Dec10Census and Organization: 1:1-4: Dec10Purity of the Camp: 5:1-6: Dec10Dedication of the Tabernacle: 7:1-10: Jan 11Failure of Israel: 10:11-12: Jan 11Pinnacle of Failure at Kadesh: 13:1-14: Jan 11Failure of Israel in the Wilderness: 15:1-19: Jan 11Failure of Israel enroot to Moab: 20:1-25: Feb 11Reorganization of Israel: 26:1-27: Feb 11Regulations of Offerings and Vows: 28:1-30: Feb 11Division of the Land: 31:1-33: Feb 11Further Division of the Land: 33:50-36: Mar 11Review

References Constable Notes - Primary Halley’s Bible Handbook JFB Bible Commentary ISBE (Encyclopedia)

Key Points for Today’s Lesson Take a look at last week’s class which provided an overview of the Book of Numbers Chapter 1-10 covers Israel’s preparation for entering the promised land Chapters 1-4 covers the Israel’s first census of those who were part of the exodus from Egypt and how they were organized Later, we’ll see another census (Ch 26) is taken which focuses upon their descendants

Last Week’s Lesson Reviewed the impact of the first three books of the Bible upon the Book of Numbers Learned about the overarching purpose of the Book of Numbers Learned about the historical and geographical background in which the book was written Briefly reviewed each section of the book in relation to the theme Reviewed the detailed timeline of the Book of Numbers

Historical Background The book opens as the Israelites were in the second month of the second year after they departed Egypt (1:1) Chapters 7:1-10:10 occurred before the timeline of the events of the book of Numbers – Events occurred as Moses finished setting up the tabernacle – Tabernacle was set up on the 1 st day of the 1 st month of the 2 nd year; Numbers started on the 1 st day, 2 nd month, 2 nd year – Read Numbers 7:1, then Numbers 7:84, then Exodus 40:17, then Numbers 1:1 to better understand the timeline

Historical Background Continued Scholars determined the book had been written close to Moses’ death, around 1406 BC – Exodus happened around 1446 BC (1 Ki 6:1) – Israelites were in the wilderness 40 years (Num 32:13) – Moses died shortly before they entered the Promised Land (Deut 34:5) Numbers closes out when the Israelites were in the 10 th month of the 40 th year (see Deut 1:3) – The book of Numbers covers about 39 years

Hebrew Calendar

Timeline EventYearHebrewDayMonth Departure from Egypt1446Nisan15April Quail and Manna provided1446Iyyar15May Ten Commandments in the Sinai1446Sivan?Jun Tabernacle Built1445Iyyar1April Depart from Sinai1445Iyyar20May At Kadesh-Barnea – second time1406Nisan1March At Mt. Hor – Aaron Dies1406Ab1Jul Moses Death1406Shebat1Jan Cross Jordan1405Nisan10Apr Keep Passover and Manna ceases1405Nisan14Apr

Geographical Background Israelites traveled from Mt. Sinai to the plains of Moab – East of Jericho and the Jordan River However, not a direct route – Proceeded from Sinai to Kadesh Barnea – On Canaan’s southern border Failed to proceed to the Promised Land from Kadesh Barnea because of unbelief – Wondered 38 more years in the wilderness God finally brings them back to Kadesh, then led them to the Plains of Moab on Canaan’s eastern border

Overview of Chapters Chapters 1-4 – Numbering of the people Chapter 5:1-10:10 – Preparation for resuming the march Chapter 10:11-21:20 – Account of the journey from Sinai to Moab – Sending spies and their report back – People complain of the hardships they endure – People are exiled Chapter 21:21-36:13 – Events on the Plain of Moab before crossing the Jordan River

Key Lessons Of Numbers Show how God dealt with the Israelites as they anticipate entrance into the Promised Land Events that led to the destruction of the older generations of Israelites in the wilderness Preparation of the new generation for entrance into the Promised Land Provided a warning to younger members of the community of Israel about the wrath of God on their parents because of their failure to obey the covenant

The Tribes of Israel

Tribal Census (1:1-54) Purpose of the census – Identify adult males over 20 years old who could serve in battle when Israel entered the promised land (vs. 3) – Moses had taken a previous census in Ex 30:11-16 and 38:25-26 primarily centered on atonement money – Census excluded the Levites, God had exempted them from military service (vs )

Tribal Census (1:1-54) Census, continued – 12 tribes represented in the census – 603,550 available fighting men – Tribe of Judah at 74,600 was the largest and Benjamin at 35,400 was the smallest Other interpretations of the census results

Placement of Tribes (2:1-34) Organization – 12 tribes – Camped in four groups of three tribes on each of the tabernacles four sides – Levites camped on all fours sides but closer to the sanctuary than the other tribes (vs. 17) – Yahweh, then, was at the center of the nation as it moved forward – Contrast with secular armies of the days – kings or generals were at the center of the camp

Placement of the Tribes (2:1-34) Notes on placement – Tabernacle faced east toward the rising sun, with Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun in the lead – Rabbinical tradition held that the figure of Judah as a lion, Reuben as a man, Ephraim as an ox, and Dan as an Eagle – Early Christians used these symbols as well: Matthew as a lion, Mark as an ox, and Luke as a man, and John as an eagle

Placement of Tribes (1:1-34) Arrangement of tribes by ancestry – Judah, Issachar, Zebulun from Leah – Reuben, Simeon, Gad from Leah and Zilpah – Ephraim, Manasseh, Benjamin from Rachel – Dan, Asher, Naphtali from Bilhah and Zilpah Eastward direction is very symbolic – Gen 3:24, 4:16 Adam and Eve, then Cain cast to the east – Sodom was east of the promised land, 13:11

Levites and First Born (3:1-51) Special relationship – God exempted the Levites from military service – Because the entire tribe would assist the priests – Non-Levites could not assist with the service Their duty – Guard the holy things from misuse by unauthorized people – Ministers to the priests, assisting them in elements of the worship service

Levites and First Born (1:1-51) First born – On the first Passover night in Egypt, God set apart all the first-born of the Israelites to Him (vs ) – From that day to the one noted in Ch 3, Israelites had to dedicate their first-born sons for sanctuary service and their cattle in place of the first-born – God bestowed this privilege on Levites because they stood with God when the rest of the nation apostatized by worshipping the golden calf (Ex 32)

Levites and First Born (1:1-51) Tabernacle responsibilities – Gershonites, curtains and coverings (vs ) – Kohathites, Furniture and utensils (vs ) – Merarites, boards and bars (vs ) Total number of Levite males was 22,000 (vs. 39) – 273 had received redemption, had to pay five shekels to the priests for each of these men – Companion verse is 1 Pet 1:18-19

Tabernacle Service (4:1-49) Three Levitical families – Kohathites Including Moses, Aaron, and the priests Responsible for tabernacle furnishings including the ark – Gershonites (vs ) – Merarites (vs ) – 8580 Levites fit for service (vs. 48) – Had to be at least 30 and not more than 50

Review Took a look at last week’s class which provided an overview of the Book of Numbers Reviewed Chapter 1-10 covering Israel’s preparation for entering the promised land Reviewed Chapters 1-4 covering Israel’s first census of those who were part of the exodus from Egypt and how they were organized