Prayer List
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Announcements
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Numbers
Week
Date
Topic
1
08 Dec10 Numbers: An Introduction
2
15 Dec10 Census and Organization: 1:1-4:49
3
22 Dec10 Purity of the Camp: 5:1-6:27
4
29 Dec10 Dedication of the Tabernacle: 7:1-9:23
5
05 Jan 11 Failure of Israel: 10:1-12:16
6
12 Jan 11 Pinnacle of Failure at Kadesh: 13:1-14:45
7
19 Jan 11 Failure of Israel in the Wilderness: 15:1-19:22
8
26 Jan 11 Failure of Israel enroot to Moab: 20:1-25:18
9
02 Feb 11 Reorganization of Israel: 26:1-27:23
10
09 Feb 11 Regulations of Offerings and Vows: 28:1-30:16
11
16 Feb 11 Division of the Land: 31:1-33:49
12
23 Feb 11 Further Division of the Land: 33:50-36:13
13
02 Mar 11 Review
References
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Constable Notes - Primary
Halley’s Bible Handbook
JFB Bible Commentary
ISBE (Encyclopedia)
Key Points for Today’s Lesson
• Review the supplementary laws of sacrifice
• Read about how those that actively defy God
were destroyed
• Learn about Korah and those that followed
him in his defiance of God
• Learn about the punishment of Korah
• Learn about the selection and confirmation of
Aaron as the leader of Israel
• Learn about the water of cleansing
Last Week’s Lesson
• Events of Chapter 13 and 14 occurred in Kadesh
• The Team of 12 spies traveled through the
promised land for 40 days
• The spies found that the land was filled with
many natural resources
• Some spies reported that the land was occupied
by very strong forces, prompting the Israelites to
rebel
• God punishes those that rebel and declares that
all older than 20 would die in the desert during
their 40 year sojourn, except for Caleb and
Joshua
Timeline
Event
Year
Hebrew
Day
Month
Departure from Egypt
1446
Nisan
15
April
Quail and Manna provided
1446
Iyyar
15
May
Ten Commandments in the Sinai
1446
Sivan
?
Jun
Tabernacle Built
1445
Iyyar
1
April
Depart from Sinai
1445
Iyyar
20
May
At Kadesh-Barnea – second time
1406
Nisan
1
March
At Mt. Hor – Aaron Dies
1406
Ab
1
Jul
Moses Death
1406
Shebat
1
Jan
Cross Jordan
1405
Nisan
10
Apr
Keep Passover and Manna ceases
1405
Nisan
14
Apr
Historical Interlude
• Egypt is still the primary power during the
time (1445-1443 BC)
• Thutmose III is the pharaoh of Egypt from
1479-1425 BC, so many events of the 40 year
wondering occurs during his reign and
influence
– For 22 years he was co-regent with Hatshepsut,
stepmother and aunt
• Created the largest empire of the entire
Egyptian dynasty
Offerings and Defiant Sin (15:1-31)
• God supplements and completes the laws of
sacrifice provided already – related to life and
land
• Provides seven laws
– Connection between meat offering and drink
offerings (vs. 1-16)
– Required presentation of cake made from the first
fruits of the land (vs. 17-21)
– Sin offering, specifically sins of omission (vs. 22-29)
– Offerings did not cover sins committed in defiance
of God, death was the payment (vs. 30-31)
Defiant Sabbath-breaker (15:32-36)
• Illustrates the fate of Israelites or foreigners
who deliberately violate the law of the Sabbath
– Clarifies the meaning of defiant sin
– Clarifies what it meant to be cut off from the people
– Unforgivable sin (read Lev 20:2, Matt 12:31)
• God’s will was not expressed in finality, Israel
played a role in the process
• Eleven sins punishable by stoning according to
Old Testament scripture
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Offenses Punishable by Stoning
Idolatry – Deut 17:2-7
Encouragement of Idolatry – Deut 13:6-10
Child sacrifice – Lev 20:2-5
Prophecy in the name of another god – Deut 13:1-5
Divination – Lev 20:27
Blasphemy – Lev 24:15-16
Breaking the Sabbath – Num 15:32-36
Murder of an ox – Ex 21:28-29
Adultery – Deut 22:22
Rebellion of a son – Deut 21:18
Violation of God’s ban on plunder – Josh 7:25
Visual Reminders (15:37-41)
• Israelites were to wear tassels on the four
corners of their upper-outer garments (Deut
22:12)
– Tassels were an extension of the hem
– A hem made an important social statement
– Usually very ornate as an individual grew in
importance
• Made of blue cord as the tabernacle coverings
used blue colors, symbolizing heavenly origin
and royalty
Hebrew Tallit with Tassels
Traditional Tallit
Rebellion (16:1-3)
• Leaders of the rebellion
– Korah, a Levite of the Kohathite branch of the tribe
and a kinsman of Moses and Aaron
– Dathan, Abiram, and On, who were Reubenites
– Along with 250 other men
• Intended to overthrow the laws God had
handed down and replace it with their own
– Actions based upon the truth that the whole
congregation was holy (Ex 19:5-6
– Inferred that all Israelites could serve as priests
– Also jealous of Moses and Aaron
Moses Intercedes (16:4-14)
• Moses is distressed and took the matter to
God in prayer
– Tested them by letting them offer incense
• Men had wanted to have a more important
role in the tabernacle
– They attributed the trials they had endured to
Moses personally rather than to God
– Their failure to perceive the will of God led them to
regard Moses’ leadership as inadequate and
unacceptable
Korah
• Korah is important because it became
associated with Biblical villains and traitors for
two reasons:
– In the case of Korah son of Esau, both Esau and
Korah waged war against Israel, and Esau was
hated by God because of it (Malachi 1:3)
– In the case of Korah son of Izhar (Numbers 16), he
is remembered for the rebellious action together
with Dathan and Abiram against Moses
• Jude 11 in the NT also references Korah
Judgment (16:15-35)
• God provides a graphic lesson to the rest of the
nation concerning rebellion against His will
– Sin always leads to death
– Men of Korah would pay the price for their
rebellion
– Not all of his sons died (Num 26:58)
• Lists Korathites
– 250 leaders destroyed with fire (see Lev 10:2)
• Nadab and Abihu
Reminders (16:36-50)
• God creates another reminder for the Israelites
that the offering of incense was the ministry of
the priests only
– Priests overlaid the altar of burnt offering with a
second layer of bronze hammered out of the
rebels’ censers (Ex 27:2 as a reference)
• God’s judgment of Korah did not cause all to
submit to God, some accused Moses and Aaron
– Even though Moses had intervened on behalf of
the people
– God sends a plague upon the people; 14,700 die
Confirmation of Aaron (17:1-13)
• 12 Staffs
– God directs Moses to obtain 12 staffs, one from each
tribe of Israel
– Aaron’s name would be on one of the staffs
– They are placed in the Tent of Meeting in front of the
Testimony where God meets them
– Staff of the one chosen to lead Israel would sprout
• The following day, the staff of Aaron,
representing the house of Levi, sprouted,
budded, and blossomed, producing almonds
• All Israel trembled and fear death for irreverence
Service and Income of Priests (18:1-32)
• Following Aaron’s confirmation, duties and
revenues of the priesthood are explained
– Describes a major institution of the OT
– Describes the controls and direction God ordains
– Provides general knowledge about the work of the
priests
– Provides insight into the work of Jesus Christ (see
the book of Hebrews)
• Contrast with our lives today, priests with direct
contact God
Instructions (18:1-32)
• Lines between Israelites, Levites, and priests
• Priests received all heave offerings brought to
the tabernacle – gifts of the people to God
• Everything placed under ban and the first-born
of man or beast redeemed or offered were holy
• Aaron, the high priest received a special
portion
• Tithes of Israelites became Levite possessions
• Levites were to give a tithe of the tithe to the
priests, including the best of what was given
Water of Cleansing (19:1-22)
• God gives this law so the nation might maintain
purity as the older generation died off
• Purpose was not to remove sin itself, but to
remove uncleanness that death represented
• Especially appropriate after the death of
15,000 (result of Korah’s rebellion in Num 16)
• Red heifer is burned
– Ashes added to the water of purification
– Symbolically strengthened the life of the living
Israelites and removed the uncleaness
Review
• Reviewed the supplementary laws of sacrifice
• Read about how those that actively defy God
were destroyed
• Learned about Korah and those that followed
him in his defiance of God
• Learned about the punishment of Korah
• Learned about the selection and confirmation of
Aaron as the leader of Israel
• Learned about the water of cleansing
• Next week: Israel to Moab: Numbers 20:1-25:18