Numbers

It took God only one night to bring Israel out of Egypt, but forty years to get Egypt out of Israel. Numbers recorded the tragic consequences of the unbelief and stiff-necked rebellion of an old generation (1-12) as they faded into oblivion during the thirty-eight years of wandering in the desert (13-20), only to be replaced by a new generation (21-36) that was eager to trust God and ready to depend on Him to lead them into the promised land.

In this painful account, we see how God disciplined His erring people, yet remained faithful to His covenant promises despite their stubborn and self-willed ways. In the same way, God deals with our old man, the Adamic nature, by putting it to death because flesh and blood can never inherit His kingdom (1 Corinthians 15:50). The old nature with its sin and rebellion must die in order that the new nature can live to its fullest in total obedience to the will of God.

Murmurings, complaints, ingratitude, lust, insolence, defiance, rebellion—these are the trademarks of the old generation and that of our old nature. Burning, epidemic, leprosy, pestilence, judgment and death—these are the consequences that befell the old generation and all who refuse to let God deal with their old self with its sinful nature.

The failures of the first generation were a grim reminder and also a stern warning to the next generation not to follow the footsteps of their parents, but to implicitly trust God before they could enter to possess the land. There are no shortcuts to obtaining God's blessings—obedience does come with a price, but the price of disobedience is even higher.

1 Corinthians 10:11
Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, especially for those living in the last days.

OUTLINE OF NUMBERS

1. The Old Generation (1:1-12:16)

a. The First Census (1:1-4:49)

Numbering the People

Arrangement of Tribes around the Tabernacle

Numbering the Priests

Assignment of Levites to duties of the Tabernacle

b. Sanctification of the People (5:1-10:10)

Separation | Nazarite Vow | Worship

Divine Guidance

c. Fumbles and Failures (10:11-12:16)

People Complained | Moses Complained

God's Provision for Moses and the People

Moses's Authority Challenged | Miriam Punished

2. The Transition (13:1-20:29)

a. The Kadesh-Barnea Incidence (13:1-14:45)

12 Spies | Evil Report | Disobedience

Defiance | Judgment | Defeat

b. The Korah-Israel Incidences (15:1-19:22)

Offerings Reviewed | Korah Rebelled

Israel Rebelled | Priesthood Reaffirmed

c. Incidences en-route to Moab (20:1-29)

Miriam's Death | Moses and Aaron Disciplined

Edom Denied Passage | Aaron's Death

3. The New Generation (21:1-36:13)

a. Victories and Failures (21:1-25:18)

Canaanites | Serpents | Ammonites | Bashan

Moabites | Balak and Balaam

b. The Second Census (26:1-27:23)

Land Allotment | Joshua Appointed

c. Regulations of Offerings and Vows (28:1-30:16)

Daily | Weekly | Monthly | Yearly

d. Conquest and Division (31:1-36:13)

Midianites Destroyed | Land East of Jordan

Journeys Recounted | Land West of Jordan