August 23, 2010 Lesson 22 of Numbers 30

How does this chapter show our responsibility in speech? Cf. Matt 5:33-37; 12:36. Answer: a vow, I believe, is deeper than a promise. The person who vows something to another will complete that vow really unto death. Promises, especially in today’s world, are too easily broken. So yes speech matters a great deal. “Careless words” as Matt 12:36 points out are going to have to be answered for on the day of judgment.


Do you think the woman’s relationship to father and husband should be viewed as merely local Israelite custom, or is there an implied principle that holds in the twentieth century too? Answer: I think that in the husband wife relationship this should still be the case. However, before everyone flips a switch let me add that the same should be in the opposite situation. The couple are one. Each decision should be agreed upon by both husband and wife. The daughter father thing I think yes, goes without saying. Until 18 the daughter is still under the complete authority of the father.

August 21, 2010 Lesson 20 of Numbers 27 and 36. Laws of inheritance

What was the principle laying behind the request of the daughters of Zelophehad, and to what did the request lead? What was the important of all this? Answer: They made the point that yes their father did die in the desert, however he was not one who sinned with Korah. For this reason they feel that, and God and Moses agreed, they should be entitled to their fathers land as an inheritance since there were no sons. The reason God commanded this, is that each fathers land was to remain in his own tribe. So, since the land went where the man of the house was from the daughters had to marry within their father’s clan.


What was Moses’ overriding concern before his death? How was Joshua’s commission different from that of Moses? Was it inferior? Answer: Moses’ concern was that of most good leaders, who will succeed me? God gave Moses that answer in Joshua. I am not sure how Joshua’s commission is any different than that of Moses, at least not from this passage. I see that Joshua will bring them into the Promised Land, that in some ways may be a bigger commission.

August 20, 2010 Lesson 19 of Numbers 25 and 26

Chapter 25. Why was God’s anger so fierce against the sins of his people? Cf. 1 Cor 10:6-12. In this situation what two complementary concerns stirred Phinehas to action? Who likewise was moved to action on our account by similar concerns? Answer: Not only had the Israelites spent way too much time “bucking” the will of God, they now had gone and broken the first of the ten commandments; though shall have no other gods before me. First it was the blatant disregard for God’s commands by the people, and then in the middle of the assembly an Israelite, Zimri, took a Midianite woman, Cozbi, to his tent.


Chapter 26. Compare the numbering in chapter 1. This is a new generation. See. Verses 64, 65. Notice which tribes had increased and which decreased. What explains the survival of Caleb and Joshua? Answer: The probably easiest one to answer without even reading the chapter is that Caleb and Joshua survived because they were to the two spies that brought back the correct and faithful report regarding the Promised Land. Once counted land would be divided amongst them according to size.

Note: 25:1-5. Num 31:16 and Rev 2:14 reveal that these developments were due to Balaam’s activities. The Israelites were seduced into idolatry and immorality.

August 19, 2010 Lesson 18 of Numbers 23 and 24 (second study)

What can we learn from Balaam about the demands of being a spokesman for God, and a steward of minister of his Word? Note carefully the answers which Balaam gives to Balak’s suggestions. Cf. 1 Cor 9:16-17. Answer: I do see that one more than one occasion Balaam is telling Balak, or his princes, that he must only say what God tells him to say or do. Balaam cannot and will not curse the people of Israel if God does not tell him to, and guess what God isn’t going to. The 1 Cor passage I find interesting considering this story. It is obvious that God is working through Balaam and that Balaam understands that there is a more powerful God in world than any other god. Paul points out here exactly how Balaam is behaving. Balaam is carrying out, or “discharges,” the “trust committed to” him.


23:19. What is said here to make God’s words different in character from those of men? When God gives us his word, of what else can we be sure? Cf. 1 Thess. 5:24. Answer: God never lies, never promises what He cannot deliver.

August 18, 2010 Lesson 17 of Numbers 23 and 24 (first study)

Two studies are to be give to these chapters. On this occasion concentrate attention on Balaam’s oracles. Make a list of the statements in them which indicate God’s special purpose for, and care of, the people of Israel. Answer:
Ch 23
V8 How can I curse those whom God has not cursed
V20 I have received a command to bless; He has blessed, and I cannot change it.
V21 No misfortune is seen I Jacob, no misery in Israel. The Lord their God is with them; the shout of the King is among them.
V22 God brought them out of Egypt; they have the strength of a wild ox.
V24 The people rise like a lioness; they rouse themselves like a lion that does not rest till he devours his prey and drinks the blood of his victims.
Ch 24
5-7 How beautiful are your tents, oh Jacob, your dwelling places, oh Israel. 6 Like the valleys they spread out, like gardens beside a river…7Water will flow from their buckets; their seed will have abundant water. “Their king will be greater than Agag; their kingdom will be exalted.”
9 Like a lion they crouch and lie down, like a lioness –who dares to rouse them? “May those who bless you be blessed and those who curse you be cursed.”
18-19. Edom will be conquered; Seir, his enemy, will be conquered, but Israel will grow strong. 19 A ruler will come out of Jacob and destroy the survivors of the city.


Seek to appreciate the full significance of each one of these statements. What were the grounds of Balaam’s assurance of Israel’s victory and success? What similar grounds have we for thankfulness of wonder? Cf. e.g. 1 Pet 2:9-10. Answer: Balaam’s assurance comes from God. Balaam sees this when he says that God has opened his eyes.


Note. 23:10. ‘The righteous’: the word is plural, and refers here to the Israelites.

August 17, 2010 Lesson 16 of Numbers 22. The story of Balaam

This is a difficult story. Before tackling it, it will probably be helpful to read 2 Pet 2:15, 16; Jude 11; Num 31:16 and Rev 2:14, which give a clue as to Balaam’s true character and motives.


Balaam’s influence and relationship to God are interesting. Think about them. Consider also Moab’s fear in the face of Israel’s advance. What does this show concerning the ways in which God works? Answer: I am not sure how this story ends, but if it is one thing I have learned is God is sovereign. He can stop anything that He wants any time He wants. He can cause anything to happen that He wants to happen. God uses this sovereignty to, in this story, make the donkey talk and open Balaam’s eyes to the angel of God.


What was the ‘chink’ in Balaam’s armor? Why did his ‘guidance’ seem all confused after that? Contrast v12 with verses 20, 22, 32, 35. What ought we to learn from his failure? Do you think Rom 14:22b, 23 and 1 Tim 6:9, 10 give us a similar warning? Answer: I am confused here. I do see the failure of Balaam, in that despite knowing and saying what he knows God commands he still eats the sacrificed animal. Other than that the only ‘chink’ that I see is that Balaam did not understand the seriousness of the situation. He only understood once the angel of God appeared to him with the donkey. Then, as I stated before, he ate the sacrificed foods. He still wants the riches, it appears. Having said that, yes, I think that the 2 other passages give very similar warnings.

August 16, 2010 Lesson 15 of Numbers 21. Conquest of the Amorite Kings

Israel’s reaction to adversity gets a little monotonous (v5), and it’s easy to say, ‘Why cannot they learn to trust God?’ But are not we often as unbelieving? Notice how Jesus uses this story (v6-9) as a ‘type’ in John 3:14, 15. What parallels are there in condition of the afflicted and in the means of salvation in each case? Why a serpent on the pole? Cf. 2 Cor 5:21. Answer: I am not sure why Israel could not learn to have faith in God. However, we do just the same. I am not sure why. Maybe it is as Paul says in Romans 7: 15 “I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. 16 And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. 17 As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. 18 I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19 For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do--this I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. 21 So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22 For in my inner being I delight in God's law; 23 but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. 24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? 25 Thanks be to God--through Jesus Christ our LORD! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God's law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.” I know that I have heard others talk of the snake on the pole and it being a ‘type’. However, I don’t recall, and can’t find, what that is right now.


It is worth tracing Israel’s journey on a map from 20:1 onwards. Notice how circuitous it was. What evidence is there, as against 20:2,3 and 21:4, 5, that Israel was learning trust and obedience through discipline? What discipline? Cf. Deut 8:2. Answer: Israel was, I believe being disciplined for their unbelief, I am not sure how it tells us here that they are really learning anything. Each time they are “disgruntled” and then God sends in the punishment.