NUMBERS

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NUMBERS

• Studies in the Pentateuch

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A Play with 3 characters

• The Title Israel in the Wilderness
• The anti-hero Israel
• The stooge Moses
• The critic God

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1. Israel

• A complaining people
• Lack of food (Num. 114-35)
• Lack of water (Num 202-13)
• A rebellious people
• Against Moses (Num 121-15)
• Against God ( Num 161-40)
• A cowardly people
• Afraid of Canaan (Num. 1325-1438)

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Rebellion against Moses

• By Aaron and Miriam (Num. 121-15)
• Moses' marriage to a Cushite woman is mentioned
  as the cause of tension (Num. 121) but in
  reality Aaron and Miriam wondered why God did not
  speak through them since they were Moses' brother
  and sister respectively
• God settled the dispute by confirming the special
  role of Moses and then punished Miriam with
  leprosy - Moses interceded for his sister and the
  leprosy was removed although she had to go
  through a period of cleansing - Aaron was not
  plagued with leprosy probably because as priest,
  Israel could not afford to have him unclean - in
  a sense he shared in Miriam's disgrace

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Rebellion of the people after the spies' report
(Num. 1325-1438)

• The 12 spies who returned from investigating
  Canaan all agreed it was a beautiful and rich
  place and that it was defended by seasoned,
  strong warriors
• Two of the spies, Caleb and Joshua, argued God
  would give Israel the land if Israel had faith -
  the other 10 spies disagreed not believing that
  Israel even with God's help could take the land
• When Moses sided with Caleb and Joshua, the
  people wanted to elect a new leader and return to
  Egypt - they preferred "safe, known" slavery to
  "dangerous, facing the unknown" freedom
• God punished the rebellion by allowing only Caleb
  and Joshua from that entire generation to enter
  Canaan - the others would die in the wilderness

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Rebellion of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram (Num.
161-40

• Again the question was if all the people were
  chosen, why did Moses have such a special place -
  Korah in particular was a Levite who worked in
  the tabernacle and apparently wanted more
  authority
• God again confirmed the special position of Moses
  and caused the earth to swallow up Korah, Dathan,
  Abiram, and their entire families (cf. Josh
  722-26)
• Any rebellion against Moses can also be
  considered a rebellion against God since Moses
  was God's chosen leader

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2. Moses

• Moses the rebel (Num. 202-13)
• Moses the Intercessor (Exodus 32)
• Moses the humble servant

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Moses the rebel?

• Moses' rebellion (Num. 202-13)
• When the people complained of the lack of water,
  God instructed Moses to speak to a rock and water
  would come out
• Moses instead struck the rock twice with his rod
  much like he had done earlier (Exod. 172-7)
• Interestingly enough water still gushed forth -
  Moses' disobedience did not preclude God meeting
  the people's need
• Moses' disobedience prevented him from entering
  Canaan - the punishment has always seemed extreme
  to many since Moses spent 40 years obeying God
  and leading and interceding for a recalcitrant
  people
• The entire chapter speaks of death - Miriam'
  death is reported at the beginning (Num. 201)
  and Aaron's at the end (Num. 2022-29) - Edom's
  refusal to allow Israel to pass through its
  territory meant the death of any hope that even
  distant relatives would rejoice in Israel's
  homecoming (Num. 2014-21) - the announced death
  of Moses fits the morose nature of the chapter

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Moses the Intercessor

• As an intercessor Moses represented God to the
  people and the people to God - the best example
  of this role is Exodus 32 - in this account Moses
  pled with God for mercy upon His people but then
  angrily denounced Aaron and the people to show
  them how angry God was with their behavior and
  lack of faith
• Moses was one of the few people in history who
  were willing to stand between God and the people
  and negotiate with both sides - the role of
  intercessor is a dangerous and thankless one
  which requires courage and genuine concern

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3. God

• God of concern and patience
• Providing
• Forgiving
• Guiding
• God of wrath
• Numbers 11
• Numbers 21

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God of concern and patience

• Provided for their physical needs with manna,
  meat, and water
• In at least one instance, He overlooked the
  people's sin and simply warned them again (Exod.
  1627-30)
• Willing to give the people second chances - but
  it was Moses' intercession which accomplished
  this - Moses twice appealed to God's honor and
  name to prevent God from destroying the people
  (Exod. 3211-14, Num. 1413-19)

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A God of wrath and destruction

• Once when the people complained, God sent a fire
  to consume some of the people (Num. 111-3) just
  the complainers?
• When the people craved meat, God gave it to them
  - but when He sent the quails, He changed His
  mind and sent a plague upon the people while the
  meat was still in their mouths
• Another time when the people complained about the
  food, God sent fiery serpents which bit and
  killed the people - a bronze serpent was made and
  placed atop a pole so that those who were bit
  could look at the bronze serpent and not die
  (Num. 215-9)
• Twice God declared that He would destroy Israel
  and begin again with Moses (Exod. 329-10, Num
  1412) - only Moses' intercession for the people
  spared them (also see Num. 1620-24)

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Balaam and his donkey

• (Num. 221-2425)
• Balaam was a non-Israelite prophet hired by King
  Balak of Moab to curse the Israelites who were
  approaching Moab - Balaam refused to go unless
  God stated that would be acceptable - God finally
  agreed to let Balaam go but warned Balaam to say
  only what God told him

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Concerning the donkey

• Chief problem is why God commanded Balaam to go
  and then tried to stop him (cf. Exod. 424-26) -
  perhaps God simply wanted to emphasize His power
  and Balaam's responsibility to obey completely
• Text plays down the fact that the donkey talked -
  crucial point is that Balaam listened and heard
  God (as in the account of Moses and the burning
  bush - Exod. 31-4)
• Perhaps to the Hebrews, Balaam's instruction by
  his donkey was a joke - "Who guides non-Israelite
  prophets? Donkeys. Who guides Israelite prophets?
  God of the Heavens and the Earth."

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Balaam in later thought

• God used this non-Israelite prophet to
  demonstrate that His influence extended not only
  over Egypt and Israel but over the other nations
  as well
• There is nothing in the account to suggest Balaam
  was an obstacle to Israel (cf. Micah 65)
  although later writers implied as much (e.g.,
  Deut. 234-5, Josh. 249-10, Neh. 132, 2 Peter
  215-16, Rev. 214)
• It seems that later (Christian) thought developed
  the idea of Balaam into a symbol

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THEOLOGICAL SUMMARY

• The two major genres, law and journey report (cf.
  3613), each speak to the question of a dynamic
  (changing) relationship between God and people.
• The laws (differing in this respect from Exodus
  and Leviticus) are subject to modification as a
  result of circumstances. Even laws are
  contingent.
• The itinerary, while straightforward (from Sinai
  to the land of Canaan), becomes tortuous, given
  Kadesh Barnea. So the way of the journey is also
  contingent.
• The portrait of this interaction, very much
  two-way in Numbers, differs markedly from Exodus,
  Leviticus, or Deuteronomy, where it is
  predominantly one-way (God to people).

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So what is the theology of Numbers?

• The agenda is about cult and governance. Hence,
  the theology turns about purity, but also about
  authority and leadershipits legitimation through
  appointment and enablement, procedures for
  transfer of leadership, and designation of
  responsibilities.
• God is a God of order (cf. 1 Cor. 1440). From
  the books structure, attention is on God as
  lawgiver, guide, and promise-keeper, and on a
  peoples defections from God.
• In short, the theology of Numbers centers on God
  as caring and so fully involved with his people
  en route to their destination that even peoples
  defections from him cannot thwart his promise to
  them.

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CANONICAL CONTEXT (1)

• In some ways Numbers with its laws anticipates
  Deuteronomy, and with its journey to the land,
  including military campaigns, anticipates the
  book of Joshua.
• Single themes in Numbers reappear elsewhere.
  Israels poets incorporate the rebellion motif
  (Pss. 7812-55 note v. 52 10613-33).
• The prophets have less to say about sacrifice
  than Numbers and more to say about repentance, a
  subject on which Numbers is virtually silent.
• The subject of Yahwehs holiness (marked in
  Leviticus) is echoed by Ezekiel, who also has
  much to say about glory and the presence of
  Yahweh (cf. 40-48).
• Wilderness themes, oppositely assessed, appear in
  the prophets (Jer. 22 Ezek. 2010-26). 62

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CANONICAL CONTEXT (2)

• As for the New Testament, Christ is the star
  out of Jacob and the scepter out of Israel
  (Num. 2417).
• Following the interpretation model of typology,
  Christ is said to embody in a fuller way that
  represented by the manna (John 622-59) and the
  water from the rock (John 41-15 737-39), being
  himself the rock (1 Cor. 104).
• The lifting up of the Son of man is compared to
  the raising of a bronze snake (John 314 cf.
  Num. 214-9).
• On a more structural basis, W. Swartley (7,
  44-94, 95-113) argues that Israels larger story,
  including the wilderness segment, is reflected in
  the structuring of the synoptic Gospels and in
  the journey motif there.

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CANONICAL CONTEXT (3)

• Like Israel, the church is a chosen people (1
  Pet. 29).
• Leaders are to teach the word and be examples of
  holiness (1 Tim. 3 Titus 15-9)
• They are entitled to material rewards (1 Cor.
  913-14 1 Tim. 517-18).
• Tithing is reiterated (Matt. 2323 cf. Num. 18).
  
• Warnings to the Corinthians about wrong behavior
  are illustrated from Numbers (1 Cor. 101-11).
• The Kadesh Barnea incident is also the basis for
  a warning in Hebrews 317-19 (cf. Jude 5).
• Judes warnings about rejecting authority and
  about covetousness are each grounded in Numbers
  (Jude 11).

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Bibliography

• Clines, D. J. A. The Theme of the Pentateuch,
  JSOTSup 10, 1978.
• Coats, G .W. The Murmuring Motif in the
  Wilderness Traditions of the Old Testament
  Rebellion in the Wilderness, 1968.
• Douglas, M. In the Wilderness The Doctrine of
  Defilement in the Book of Numbers, JSOTSup 158,
  1993.
• Gray, G. B. A Critical and Exegetical Commentary
  on Numbers, 63 International Critical
  Commentary, 1903.
• Harrelson, W. Guidance in the Wilderness The
  Theology of Numbers, Interpretation 13 (1959)
  24-36.
• Levine, B. Numbers 1-20, Anchor Bible 4, 1993.
• Merrill, E. H. A Theology of the Pentateuch. In
  A Biblical Theology of the Old Testament, ed. Roy
  Zuck, 1-87 59-62, 1991.
• Milgrom, J. Numbers, The Jewish Publication
  Society Commentary, 1990.
• Olson, D. T. The Death of the Old and the Birth
  of the New The Framework of the Book of Numbers
  and the Pentateuch, Brown Judaic Studies 71,
  179-86, 1985.
• Swartley, W. M. Israels Scripture Traditions and
  the Synoptic Gospels Story Shaping Story, 1994.
• Tunyogi, A. C. The Rebellions of Israel, 1969.
• Wenham, G. Numbers, Tyndale Old Testament
  Commentaries, 39-49, 1981.