Numbers 22

Study Guide 17: Numbers 21-36 NO ENCHANTMENT AGAINST ISRAEL Overview With Numbers 21:1-35 we begin a new and positive chapter in the history of redemption. God’ s people are not suddenly perfect. They still fail. But a new generation takes over from the old. The generation that would not trust or obey is dying out. In Numbers 26:1-65 we read about “ those numbered by Moses and Aaron . . . in the wilderness of Sinai. For the Lord had said of them, ‘ They shall die in the wilderness.’ There was not a man left of them, except Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun” (Numbers 26:64-65). The new generation began to respond to God’ s voice. And they made a great discovery. When God’ s people live in right relationship with Him, they are fully protected! HOPE. There are two Hebrew words translated “ hope” in the Old Testament. Each invites us to look ahead eagerly, with confident expectation. Each also calls for patience; the fulfillment of hope lies in the future. “ Hope” in the Old Testament is based on relationship. It affirms trust in God. We are confident, not because we know the future, but because we know God is wholly trustworthy. The new generation we meet now in Numbers is confident, expecting victory, for this is a people with trust in the Lord. THE STORY OF REDEMPTION. The last four books of Moses tell a single story: the story of redemption. In this unit you’ ll find a chart tracing the story of redemption, and summarizing its vital messages to you and to me.

Commentary There is a definite unity to the story of redemption related in the events of the Exodus. The experiences of God’ s Old Testament people, in fact, parallel our individual experiences with God. The redemption they knew is ours too. And just as the new generation of Israel that we meet in Numbers 26:1-65 learned to anchor its faith in redemption history, we too need to anchor our faith in an understanding of what God has done for us. So before we move on to look carefully at Numbers 21-36, we can profit from an overview of the four Old Testament books that tell redemption’ s story, and an overview of their messages to you and to me. That overview, and a summary of their messages, is incorporated in the chart, “ Understanding Redemption.” Use it now to look back over the experience of the old, disobedient generation of Israelites. Use it to look ahead to the challenge God gives to the new, fresh generation that would trust Him and through faith would take the Promised Land.

Understanding Redemption ScriptureEventsMessageKey Words Ex. 1-4Enslaved in EgyptMan needs redemptionHelpless Ex. 5-12Plagues on Egypt PassoverGod acts to redeem Redemption comes through deathYahweh Passover Ex. 13-19Red Sea crossed Murmuring on way to SinaiRedeemed people must be godlyRebelliousness Ex. 20-24Ten Commandments and case lawRedeemed people must be holy, in relationship with God, other personsLaw/God’ s character Ex. 25-40Tabernacle builtRedeemed people need cleansingTabernacle Lev. 1-17Sacrificial system Priesthood system institutedRedeemed people are to worship, draw near to GodSacrifice Priesthood Lev. 18-27Regulations givenRedeemed people are to live holy livesFellowship Num. 1-20Camp organized People disobey God’ s voiceRedeemed people are responsible to obey GodResponsibility Num. 21-36New generation wins victoriesRedeemed people who obey are under God’ s protectionProtection Deut. 1-4Moses reviews historyRedeemed people are reminded of God’ s faithfulnessRemembrance Deut. 5-11Moses teaches the meaning of Law to the new generationRedeemed people are loved — and are to be lovingLove Deut. 12-26Godly practices are taught the new generationRedeemed people are to live to please GodLaw/holiness Deut. 27-34Moses calls the new generation to personal decisionRedeemed people are to be fully committed to GodCommitment Transition: Numbers 21-25 Lessons from the recent history of Israel provided a firm foundation for the new generation’ s view of God. Yet there were still struggles. The old, untrusting generation was still with the new. In these transition chapters we see struggle: a struggle in which the tendency to reject God’ s ways is matched against a tendency to respond. Sometimes the nation sins, sometimes it obeys. In the outcome of each course of action, the new generation is taught the results of sin — and given a taste of the fruit of obedience. Numbers 21:1-35 shows the uncertainty and the fluctuations. First Israel vows to do battle “ if You will deliver these people into our hands.” Confidently they go into battle — and win (Numbers 21:1-3). Yet shortly after that the people became impatient and returned to their old habit of murmuring against Moses. In discipline God sent poisonous snakes among them. Many died. Then the Lord told Moses to erect an image of a serpent and lift it high up on a pole. Moses was to announce to all that anyone bitten could look at the bronze serpent and live (Numbers 21:4-9). There was no healing power in the image. Clearly the healing was from God — and any individual who trusted God enough to seek out what must have seemed a ridiculous remedy actually was healed. Individuals as well as the nation had the power to choose. The new generation was being taught that they had to take their destiny into their own hands! LINK TO LIFE: YOUTH / ADULT Jesus looked back on this Old Testament incident and said, “ Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in Him may have eternal life” (John 3:14-15). Brainstorm with your group. How is this incident, in which deliverance from the serpent’ s deadly bite came through faith’ s look at a bronze serpent lifted up on a pole, like Christ’ s death on Calvary? The final incident in Numbers 21:1-35 again shows Israel in battle, and again victorious (Numbers 21:33-35). God’ s promise (“ Do not be afraid of him, for I have handed him over to you, with his whole army and his land.” ) was now enough. Protected from enemies without (Num. 22-24). As fear of Israel struck the region, the peoples there began to look desperately for weapons to use against them. The king of Moab, Balak, frightened at the “ horde” which seemed to him to “ cover the face of the land,” attempted to call in spiritual powers to defeat Israel. He sent for a man named Balaam, saying, “ I know that those you bless are blessed, and those you curse are cursed” (Numbers 22:6). Balak wanted to use Balaam to lay a curse on Israel, and thus drain their strength. There is no reason to doubt that Balaam had some spiritual powers. Israel was warned that when they entered the land they were to destroy all those who were spiritualists, possessed by evil spirits, and necromancers (cf. Deuteronomy 18:1). Though Balaam clearly used omens, as did pagan seers, in his divinations (cf. Numbers 24:1), it is possible that Balaam was a channel for God to speak to a pagan people. But it is more likely that the roots of Balaam’ s spiritual power were in the demonic than the divine. Throughout the Bible Balaam is spoken of in a negative way, and held up as a negative example. His ways and his motives are condemned in the New Testament, and his death is recounted in Numbers 31:1-54 as a divine judgment. At any rate, Balak called on Balaam to curse Israel for him. The word translated “ curse” here is qabab, which suggests the idea of binding, to reduce ability, or to render powerless. Peoples in the ancient world considered curses magic tools to be used to gain power over enemies. Balak was attempting to mount a supernatural attack on this people against whom natural resources seemed inadequate. But Balak was ignorant of the fact that the source of Israel’ s power was itself supernatural: Israel’ s strength came from the presence of Yahweh Himself in their camp. God spoke to Balaam and told him not to go with Balak’ s messengers. Yet greed moved Balaam to ask God’ s permission again. This time God did permit Balaam to go, but warned him sternly that he must speak only the words God would give him. We can picture Balaam’ s arrival. Balak had been waiting anxiously. Angrily he insisted that Balaam hurry and curse his enemy. Balak took Balaam to a range of hills that looked down over Israel’ s encampment. There the Moabite offered the sacrifices that Balaam called for — and waited. Balaam finally spoke. But rather than speaking a curse, Balaam was forced by God to pronounce a blessing! From the rocky peaks I see them, from the heights I view them. I see a people who live apart and do not consider themselves one of the nations. Who can count the dust of Jacob or number the fourth part of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous, and may my end be like theirs! Numbers 23:9-10Three times the sequence was repeated. Balak took Balaam to a different height, hoping that from a different viewpoint Israel might be cursed. Yet no matter from where the attack was launched, it returned not as a curse but as a blessing on this people that God has chosen and whom He protects. God has dealt with Israel’ s sins in sacrifice and forgiveness. Thus: No misfortune is seen in Jacob; no misery observed in Israel. The Lord their God is with them; the shout of the King is among them. God brought them out of Egypt; they have the strength of a wild ox. There is no sorcery against Jacob, no divination against Israel. It will now be said of Jacob and of Israel, “ See what God has done!” Numbers 23:21-23It is God who is at work in His people. We are His workmanship. Protected by His very presence, there is no enchantment against us now. The attack from without had failed. But Balaam made an effort to earn his fee. He suggested a strategy which he felt might force God to curse Israel against His will! Balaam reasoned that God could not bless a sinning people — and so he recommended to Balak that his women attempt to corrupt Israel and lead them into idolatry! LINK TO LIFE: YOUTH / ADULT The New Testament makes three references to Balaam, identifying his “ way” (2 Peter 2:15), his “ error” (Jude 1:11), and his “ teaching” (Revelation 2:14). Turn your group members into detectives. Assign teams to look for clues to the meaning of each of these terms by comparing the Old Testament story and each New Testament context. Your group members will conclude that Balaam’ s “ way” is taken by false teachers who see religion as a way to make money. Balaam’ s “ error” is also characteristic of false teachers, who are so dominated by greed that they view obedience to God as irrelevant. And Balaam’ s “ teaching” involves any religious sanctioning of immorality, for whatever reasons. After the teams report, discuss: “ How can we guard ourselves against the way, error, and teaching of Balam?” Protected from enemies within (Numbers 25:1-18). This chapter begins, “ While Israel was staying in Shittim, the men began to indulge in sexual immorality with Moabite women, who invited them to the sacrifices to their gods. The people ate and bowed down before these gods” (Numbers 25:1-2). As in most religions of Canaan, ritual prostitution and sexual excess was an intrinsic part of the religion of Moab. In this the Moabites followed the strategy suggested by “ Balaam’ s advice” (Numbers 31:16). As in the past, God’ s anger now flared against His people. But at this time the sin was dealt with in a way which indicated a distinct change in the character of the people of Israel. A plague began among the people, but Moses was told that the people themselves must “ put to death those of your men who have joined in worshiping the Baal of Peor” (Numbers 25:5). (Baal is a Semitic word meaning “ lord” that designated pagan deities in Canaan.) At that moment an Israelite man was openly leading a Midianite woman to his family. A priest, Phinehas, followed the two into the tent and drove a spear through them both. The plague was stopped, and Phinehas was rewarded by God “ because he was zealous for the honor of his God” (Numbers 25:13). The incident is important, because for the first time Israel is dealing with sin by self-discipline! The new generation is demonstrating its difference from the old. The choice to follow God completely was being made now — and the price of self-discipline was being paid. Protected from enemies without, and cleansed by self-discipline within, the people of Israel were nearly ready to enter the land of rest. LINK TO LIFE: YOUTH / ADULT Not long ago a church was sued by a member whom it attempted to expel for openly living with a man to whom she was not married. Ask your group: “ If you were a member of that church board, would you vote to expel her, or not?” After the votes are counted, let each person express his or her reasons. Then study the incident reported in Numbers 25:1-18, first putting it in historical perspective with a minilecture. Then together also look at 1 Corinthians 5:1-12, a parallel incident in the New Testament. Go back now to the original situation and evaluate. What should the church board do? What are the reasons why they should take that action? In what areas should Christians exercise church discipline today? When should and when should we not discipline?

Expectation: Numbers 26-36 The old generation was gone now, the last of them carried away in the plague of Baal Peor. Some 600,000 men are numbered: the new generation matched in number the numbers of their fathers, who by now had fallen in the wilderness (Numbers 26:64-65). With the old generation gone, a new spirit infused Israel. In fellowship with God, sure of divine protection, and confident that they would choose what was right, the new generation looked forward to victory with optimism and hope. This is shown strikingly in Numbers 27:1-23. Before a single battle had been fought in Palestine, five women approached Moses. Their father had died in the wilderness, and they had no brothers. They felt it would be unfair for their family to have no possession in the land, even though no son was alive to inherit. What a striking faith! They never doubted the ultimate victory of Israel. They looked beyond the warfare to the time when the land would be divided among God’ s people, and believed so confidently that they treated inheritance as a present possession. God’ s protected people had a right to this kind of confidence. We too can look forward with complete assurance to victories that will surely be ours. The census (Numbers 26:1-65). All the first generation was now dead, their bodies scattered in the wilderness Israel had wandered for 38 years (Numbers 26:64-65). The census established the number of Israel’ s fighting men at 601,730 (not counting the 23,000 Levites who were set aside to serve the Lord). The census was important. On the journey, if the deaths were averaged across the years, there would have been some 200 funerals a day! The new census established the fact that there was no loss of strength. The new generation numbered within a few thousand of the generation that had left Egypt! How faithful God is, even in the years that we must wait for Him to act. Zelophehad’ s daughters (Numbers 27:1-23). The five daughters of Zelophehad not only demonstrated faith, but they helped to establish the rights of women in Israel. The command that “ if a man dies and leaves no son, turn his inheritance over to his daughter” (Numbers 26:8), is not reflected in the law codes of other peoples of that era. Offerings (Num. 28-29). The offerings to be made on Israel’ s special feast and festival days are reviewed. For the significance of the religious year, see Study Guide 15. Vows (Numbers 30:1-16). In both Testaments a “ vow” is a pledge or a promise that is made to God, never to other persons. Vows were, as in this chapter, expressions of special devotion or commitment, and were usually voluntary. There was a limitation placed on women, whose vow could be overruled by a husband or father. This is because in the Old Testament era the men were legally responsible for their wives and their children. One special vow described in Numbers 6:1-27 is that of the Nazirite, which was a vow of separation. The Old Testament views faithfulness in keeping vows as an indication of the piety and faithfulness of God’ s people (cf. Psalms 50:14; Psalms 56:12; Psalms 76:11; Isaiah 19:21; Jeremiah 44:25; Jonah 2:9; Nahum 1:15). Transjordan tribes (Numbers 32:1-42). Two of the Israelite tribes, who had very large herds and flocks, noted that the lands east of the Jordan were suitable for livestock. So they requested permission to settle in those lands, which had been taken in battle. Permission was granted on the condition that the men fit for war go with their brothers to battle for the Promised Land, which lay beyond the Jordan River. What faith the men of these tribes exhibited! They were willing to build cities for their families and flocks, and then leave them unprotected as they traveled across the river to fight! God would take care of their families while they were away. They would do their duties, and trust Him. Cities of refuge (Numbers 35:1-34). This chapter establishes a very important feature in Israel’ s legal justice system. To sense their significance, we need to understand how criminal justice was to be handled under Old Testament Law. The Expository Dictionary of Bible Words gives this summary: The Mosaic Law established a system in which responsibility to deal with criminal matters was distributed throughout the society. Each community was to have its own panel of elders who would serve as judges in civil and criminal matters. The Old Testament emphatically enjoins the judges to show no partiality and to accept no bribes (Deuteronomy 16:18-20). Rules of evidence were established for serious cases (Deuteronomy 17:1-7; Deuteronomy 19:15) and a “ supreme court” of priests was established to inquire of the Lord in cases “ too difficult” for the judges. Later, when the monarchy was established, the king be came the chief judicial officer. In biblical times, all governing functions were considered to be located in the king as the head of the nation. But the king, like the lower courts, was to be subject to God. The law itself established the standards according to which the ruler must judge. How were criminal matters dealt with? The Old Testament justice system, unlike our own, did not rely heavily on imprisonment to punish criminals. The Old Testament does report a number of cases of imprisonment — many of them under foreign jurisdiction (Genesis 39:20-22; Genesis 40:3, Genesis 40:5, Genesis 40:14; Genesis 42:16, Genesis 42:19; Judges 16:21, Judges 16:25; 2 Kings 17:4; 2 Kings 25:27, 2 Kings 25:29; Jeremiah 52:11, Jeremiah 52:31, Jeremiah 52:33; Ezekiel 19:9) and some under rulers in Israel and Judah (1 Kings 22:27; 2 Chronicles 16:10; 2 Chronicles 18:26). Confinement could involve simply restriction to one’ s residence or city (1 Kings 2:36), but in other instances it seems to have been in a room or pit in some official’ s residence (Jeremiah 20:2; Jeremiah 32:2; Jeremiah 37:4, Jeremiah 37:15, Jeremiah 37:18; Jeremiah 38:6). The Old Testament justice system relied more on restitution than on imprisonment. A person who was responsible for another’ s loss was to reimburse the value of the property destroyed (Exodus 22:1-15). Property that was stolen or obtained illegally had to be returned, and a penalty of one to four times its value was added. Murder and accidental homicide were special cases with a distinct code to govern how they were to be judged. Other penalties were prescribed for various personal injury and civil violations, including provisions for covering a person’ s loss of income if an injury pre vented work. With many such guiding principles provided in the Mosaic Law, local judging elders were to call on witnesses with in the community to establish the facts of a case and to supervise payment of the appropriate restitution or penalty. The Old Testament justice system relied heavily on the existence of a community in which individuals were responsive to God and to His laws. History shows that, with few exceptions, God’ s kind of justice was not administered during the Old Testament era. The Numbers chapter dealing with homicide and establishing the cities of refuge must be understood in the context of the total system found in Old Testament Law. The family “ avenger of the blood” in this chapter is neither a vigilante nor an ancient Hatfield setting out to rid the world of a McCoy. Justice in Israel was a community responsibility, and there was no police force. Thus the one with primary responsibility to execute a murderer was the one in the community most affected by that crime: a member of the murdered person’ s family. Should such a person kill a murderer, he did not murder him but rather served as the executioner appointed by the Law to purify the holy community. At the same time, this passage makes a distinction between intentional, hostile killing, which is murder, and what we would call accidental homicide. The cities of refuge were established for the protection of a person who killed another accidentally. These were cities scattered throughout the land where such a person could flee an over-zealous relative whose motives might involve a desire for revenge, even if the death was an accident. The elders of the home city of the killer were to hear the arguments of the accused and the avenger, and to “ judge between” the one accused of murder and the “ avenger of blood” according to rules established in this chapter. If the accused was judged to have killed accidentally, “ the assembly must protect” him, and see him safely to one of the cities of refuge where he would live in safety until the high priest died, and he could return home. By then the anger of the avenger might have died, and the accidental killer would receive the full protection of law. Should he then be attacked by a family avenger, the avenger himself is to be put to death. LINK TO LIFE: YOUTH / ADULT This Numbers chapter draws us deeply into the Old Testament concept of legal justice. While not all features of that system could be reproduced in modern society, there are many elements which might guide reform of our own criminal justice system. Have group members read Numbers 35:1-34 to themselves. Then ask: “ Does this system seem fair and right?” Let everyone express his or her opinion. Then give a minilecture on the Old Testament legal justice system, as summarized. Show how the Numbers 35:1-34 instructions fit into and reflect that system. Break into teams to discuss the following questions. Should all lawbreakers be put in jail? How do we protect the rights of victims? What distinction should we make between crimes of violence and those which do not involve violence? What are the responsibilities of individuals for criminal justice? When you have finished team discussions, come together and see if you can outline a framework for improving our own criminal justice system.

Teaching Guide Prepare Read and meditate on Ephesians 1:1-14. How well protected Jesus’ people are, from enemies within and without.

Explore

1. Focus on Israel’ s protection from external and internal enemies. In a minilecture review Balaam’ s attempt to curse Israel. Then let your group members explore the attempt to destroy Israel by inner corruption. Have your members read and react to Numbers 25:1-18.
2. If you have non-Christians in your group you may wish to look at the parallels between Moses’ bronze serpent and Christ at Calvary.
3. How important is discipline in the church? Tell the story of the woman who sued the congregation that expelled her for openly living with a man to whom she was not married, and follow the process outlined in “ link-to-life” above.

Expand

1. Look together at Balaam and his tragic approach to religion. Explore his way, his error, and his teaching. How can we avoid these perversions in our own spiritual lives?
2. You may want to take the entire hour to look at the Old Testament legal justice system, suggesting ways we might be guided to reform our own justice system.

Apply

1. How can Christians today display the kind of confidence in God shown by the new generation of Israelites?
2. Examine the chart above. What seem to be the most important lessons that Christians today can learn from Israel’ s history?