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RETURN TO SYLLABUS
NUMBERS 2
LESSON #03
YOUR IDENTITY AND BEING A MOVE-ER
v MEMORYVERSE: 1COR 1:18 For thepreaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved itis the power of God.
v IN THE PREVIOUS CHAPTER MOSES AND AARON COUNTED ALLTHE FIGHTING MEN. FROM THESE NUMBERS, WE CAN DEDUCE THE TOTAL NUMBER OF ISRAELITES THATCAME OUT OF EGYPT.
Ø 600,000 FIGHTING MEN
Ø 400,000 WOMEN
Ø 200,000 SENIOR CITIZENS AND THE ILL
Ø 800,000 CHILDREN
Ø 100,000 MIXED MULTITUDE (PEOPLE WHO TAGGEDALONG AFTER THE ISRAELITES (EXO 12:38).
Ø 2,100,000 PEOPLE EXCLUDING THE TRIBE OF LEVI
§ THEREFORE, THERE WEREBETWEEN 2,000,000 AND 3,000,000 WHO CAME OUT OF EGYPT.
v READ NUM 2:1-4,9
Ø THE CHAPTER DETAILS THE ARRANGEMENT OF THECAMP. WHEN THE ISRAELITES WERE NOT MARCHING THROUGH THE WILDERNESS, THEY WERE SUPPOSED TOCAMP AROUND THE TABERNACLE IN A SPECIFIC ORDER. EACH TRIBE IS LISTED AND THE POSITION OFTHEIR CAMP IS SPECIFICALLY STATED. WHY IS GOD SO CONCERNED HOW THE PEOPLE ARRANGED THEIRCAMP?
§ IT IS BECAUSE THERE ISSOMETHING VERY SPECIAL ABOUT THIS ARRANGEMENT THAT CARRIES A SPECIAL MESSAGE.
· LATER IN OUR STUDY OF NUMBERS WEWILL SEE THAT BALAAM, A PROPHET WAS HIRED TO CURSE THE ISRAELITES. HOWEVER WHEN HE CLIMBEDA MOUNTAIN AND LOOKED DOWN AT THE CAMP, HE SAW THIS SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT AND INSTEADBLESSED THE ISRAELITES. (NUM 24:1-10)
¨ IF, LIKE BALAAM, WE WERE TO SEE THEARRANGEMENT OF THE CAMP FROM A MOUNTAIN TOP, WE WOULD EASILY RECOGNIZE THE PATTERN BECAUSEIT APPEARS IN THE SHAPE OF A CROSS.
Ø MANY COMMENTARIES AND TEACHERS WILL SHOW YOUA SQUARE DIAGRAM OR A CIRCULAR DIAGRAM ARRANGED AROUND THE TABERNACLE. HOWEVER, THESE ARENOT ACCURATE BECAUSE THEY DO NOT TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THE NUMBERS OF THE PEOPLE.REMEMBER I TOLD YOU LAST WEEK THAT THE NUMBERS OF PEOPLE IN THE TRIBES IS IMPORTANT. IF WETAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THE NUMBERS, WE SEE THAT THE TRIBES TO THE WEST AMOUNTED TO108,100, THE SHORTEST LEG OF THE CROSS. THE TRIBES TO THE EAST AMOUNTED TO 186,400, THELONGEST LEG OF THE CROSS. THE 2 SIDE ARMS OF THE CROSS ARE ABOUT EQUAL WITH 151,450 PEOPLETO THE SOUTH AND 157,600 PEOPLE TO THE NORTH.
Ø THE BANNERS OF THE TRIBES
§ EACH OF THE 12 TRIBES HADTHEIR OWN BANNER WITH A SYMBOL THAT REPRESENTED THE PROPHECIES GIVEN TO THE TRIBES INGENESIS 49. HOWEVER, WHILE EACH TRIBE HAD HIS OWN BANNER, THE CAMP IS ARRANGED SO THAT THETRIBES ARE CLUSTERED INTO FOUR GROUPS OF THREE TRIBES EACH. THESE FOUR GROUPS WERE TO CAMPUNDER THE BANNER OF THE DOMINANT TRIBE IN THAT GROUP.
· THE DOMINANT TRIBE TO THE WESTWAS EPHRAIM WHOSE BANNER WAS THE OX. THE DOMINANT TRIBE TO THE EAST WAS JUDAH WHOSE BANNERWAS THE LION. THE DOMINANT TRIBE TO THE NORTH WAS DAN WHOSE BANNER WAS THE EAGLE. THEDOMINANT TRIBE TO THE SOUTH WAS REUBEN WHOSE BANNER WAS A PICTURE OF A MAN.
¨ IT IS INTERESTING THAT IN THE BOOK OF EZEKIELTHERE IS A DESCRIPTION OF (EZE 1:5-10) FOUR LIVING CREATURES (ANGELS). THESE ANGELS EACHHAVE 4 FACES THAT SHOW THE SAME 4 BANNER PICTURES.
¨ IT IS ALSO INTERESTING THAT THE MESSAGES OFTHE FOUR GOSPELS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT ALSO DEPICT THE SAME 4 BANNERS.
Ø OX = MARK
§ MARK PRESENTS JESUS AS THEBEARER OF MAN’S BURDENS.
Ø LION = MATTHEW
§ MATTHEW PRESENTS JESUS ASTHE KING WHO CAME THROUGH THE TRIBE OF JUDAH. THE LION IS THE KING OF BEASTS.
Ø EAGLE = JOHN
§ JOHN PRESENTS JESUS AS THESON OF GOD, HIGHER THAN ANY OTHER PERSON. THE EAGLE FLIES HIGHER THAN ANY OTHER BIRD.
Ø MAN = LUKE
§ LUKE PRESENTS JESUS AS THEPERFECT HUMANITY WITHOUT SIN.
v READ NUM 2:17 THE TABERNACLE AND THE LEVITES
Ø NOTICE THAT THE LOCATION OF THE TABERNACLE ISIN THE MIDDLE OF THE CAMP. EVERYTHING IN THE CAMP WAS IN RELATION TO THE POSITION OF THETABERNACLE. THE TABERNACLE WAS THE PLACE WHERE GOD MET WITH MAN. THIS WAS THE PLACE OF HISVISIBLE PRESENCE IN THE FORM OF A CLOUD OF SMOKE.
§ JUST AS THEIR IDENTITY WASIN RELATION TO THEIR TRIBE, AND THEIR TRIBE WAS LOCATED IN RELATION TO THE TABERNACLE, OURIDENTITY IN GOD IS IN RELATION TO JESUS CHRIST AND WHAT WE BELIEVE ABOUT HIS CROSS.
· YOU CAN ONLY HAVE A RELATIONSHIPWITH GOD THROUGH JESUS CHRIST (JOH 14:6).
· YOU CAN ONLY COME TO JESUS CHRISTBASED ON WHAT YOU BELIEVE ABOUT THE CROSS ON WHICH HE DIED. (1CO 1:17-25)
Ø THE TRIBE OF LEVI WAS TO CAMP AROUND THETABERNACLE TO TAKE CARE OF ITS PIECES AND PROTECT IT FROM DEFILEMENT. WE WILL TALK MOREABOUT THE TRIBE OF LEVI LATER IN OUR STUDY.
v SUMMARY:
Ø CHAPTER 2 OF NUMBERS MAY SEEM DULL ANDREPETITIVE ON THE SURFACE, BUT IN REALITY IT HAS A GREAT DEAL OF BEAUTY TO IT. IT HAS ARELATIONSHIP BACK TO GENESIS 49 AND THE PROPHECIES FOR THE 12 TRIBES. IT HAS ARELATIONSHIP FORWARD TO THE PROPHETS LIKE EZEKIEL, AND IT HAS A RELATIONSHIP TO THE 4GOSPELS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT THAT GIVE US THE MEANING OF THE PATTERN OF THE CROSS WHEREJESUS WAS CRUCIFIED AND DIED FOR OUR SINS. THE PATTERN OF THE CROSS WAS NOT NEW IN THE NEWTESTAMENT. IT EXISTED BACK IN THE MIND OF GOD WITH THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL IN THE WILDERNESS.
Ø CHAPTER 2 OF NUMBERS ALSO RELATES TO HEAVENAND THE ANGELS THERE, AS WELL AS TO THE 4 POINTS OF THE COMPASS ON EARTH.
§ YOUR MEMORY VERSE IN 1CO1:18 TELLS US THAT THE PREACHING OF THE CROSS IS THE POWER OF GOD TO SALVATION. THAT’S WHYBALAAM COULD NOT HELP BUT BLESS ISRAEL FROM THE MOUNTAIN TOP EVEN THOUGH HE PROBABLY DIDNOT FULLY UNDERSTAND THE PATTERN OF THE CROSS THAT HE SAW IN THE VALLEY.
v APPLICATION:
Ø IN RELATION TO OUR THEME, “STAND UP ANDBE COUNTED”:
§ THE FIRST STEP IN BECOMINGA “MOVE-ER” IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS TO KNOW YOUR IDENTITY.
· DO YOU HAVE A PERSONALRELATIONSHIP WITH GOD THROUGH JESUS CHRIST BASED ON THE PREACHING OF THE CROSS? THIS ISTHE FIRST STEP.
HOMEWORK
NUMBERS 3 THIS IS A SELF-STUDY. PLEASE DO NOT SEND HOMEWORK ANSWERS TO THE TEACHER.v APPLICATION OF NUM 2
Ø IF YOU HAVE DETERMINED THAT YOU DO IN FACTHAVE A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD THROUGH JESUS CHRIST, WRITE A PARAGRAPH ABOUT WHATTHE CROSS MEANS TO YOU.
Ø HOW IMPORTANT IS IT TO YOU TO BE IN THE RIGHTPLACE WHERE GOD WANTS YOU TO BE EVERY DAY OF THE WEEK?
Ø HOW IMPORTANT IS IT TO YOU TO BE IN CHURCH ONSUNDAYS?
Ø HOW IMPORTANT IS IT TO YOU TO BE IN CHURCHDURING THE WEEK?
v PREPARATION FOR NUM 3
Ø READ NUM 3
Ø WHAT WAS THE JOB OF THE FAMILY OF GERSHON?
Ø WHAT WAS THE JOB OF THE FAMILY OF KOHATH?
Ø WHAT WAS THE JOB OF THE FAMILY OF MERARI?
Ø READ 1CO 12:1-31
§ HOW DOES 1COR 12 RELATE TONUMBERS 3?
v MEMORY VERSE: 1COR 12:4
