Video teaching coming soon
There is no online teaching for this study yet, but the written notes and any available study resources are still below.
These are the original teaching notes from this passage.
Review…
- Numbers 1-12 – Organize the Children of Israel to travel / Journey to the Promised Land…
- Numbers 13-16 – Refusing to enter the Promised Land / Rebellion of Korah…
- Numbers 17-21- Rod of Aaron / The role of the Priests-Levites / Red heifer / 40th year…
- Numbers 22-25 – Balaam the prophet…
- Numbers 26 – The 2nd Census…
- Numbers 27-29 – A new leader for Israel…
- The Law of inheritance – the five daughters of Zelophehad…
- God told Moses to go to Mt. Nebo – there he would see the Promised Land – then die…
- Moses didn’t argue with the Lord – instead he asked for God to raise up a shepherd…
- God gave Israel Joshua – a man full of the Holy Spirit – to lead them into His land!
- The many required sacrifices of Israel…
- Numbers 30-31 – True to your word / Wiping out a nation…
- God commanded Israel to be men of their word – vows / promises / idle conversation
- Women were under the covering of their father’s / Husband’s…
- If a daughter/wife made a rash vow – the father/husband had the right to over rule it…
- But if the father/husband said nothing – the vow/promise stood
- God commanded Israel to wipe out the Midianites – Moses sent 12,000 men…
- They killed all the men – taking all the women / children / and cattle as spoils of war…
- In the fight they did not loose a single man – a perfect victory over their enemies!
Chapter 32 – Living on the fence… (3 things)
- 1st – The danger of complacency… vs. 1-5 Read: Numbers 32:1-18
- Israel had already conquered the lands east of the Jordan River… – MAP (12 Tribes)
- The nations of the Amorites – King Og of Bashan / King Sihon – Numbers 21…
- The lands there was pastureland – ideal for grazing cattle and livestock…
- The 3 tribes of Reuben / Gad / ½ of Manasseh all had a LOT of livestock…
- They were content to stay there – they saw no reason to go across the Jordan…
- So they asked Moses if they could settle there…
- There is a great danger in the Christian walk of becoming complacent/comfortable…
- We believe in Jesus / we are going to heaven / we go to church / read our Bible…
- So we come to a place where to feel like we are safe – we don’t need to go any further…
- Yet part of growing in God – is continuing to step out in faith – doing new things…
- Like a muscle that atrophies when it is not used – faith needs to be exercised…
- When the things that were once a step of faith – praying in public – no longer stretch us…
- We need to step out again – reaching out further – going beyond our comfort zone…
- The moment we stop stepping out – stretching our faith – we start to drift from the Lord
- We run the risk of loosing our excitement – falling into an empty routine of Christianity!
- 2nd – Check your heart… vs. 6-27
- Moses was furious with the request…
- Assumed the request was motivated by fear – there were powerful nations in the Land…
- And it was because of fear – Israel not to enter into the Land 40 years earlier…
- The 10 spies (not Joshua or Caleb) had given a bad report and the people rebelled…
- The cost was enormous – everyone over 20 had died during the 40-year wandering…
- Now here were their children – about the commit the same mistake again!
- A fool learns from his own mistakes – a wise man learns from the mistakes of others…
- We certainly can learn from our mistakes – but then we also have consequences…
- It is far wiser to learn from the mistakes of others – rather than repeating them…
- The compromise…
- Rueben / Gad / and Manasseh clarified their position to Moses…
- They would build fortified cities for their children and wives – for protection…
- They would build barns for their flocks and livestock…
- But then all the men of war would march with Israel into the Promised Land…
- They would fight along side their brothers – till they also had victory!
- Only then would they return to the east side of the Jordan and settle down…
- It is easy to justify ourselves – even as we are drifting away from the Lord…
- We reassure ourselves that we attend Bible studies along with everyone else…
- But where is our heart – are we excited / or just going through the motions…
- II Corinthians 13:5 – “Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you.”
- If we are not drawing closer to the Lord – then we are drifting away…
- We run the danger of falling back into the world – returning to our old ways…
- 3rd – Don’t fall off the fence… vs. 28-42
- Moses agreed to their request – so long as they fought with Israel…
- Moses commanded Joshua and Eleazar the high Priest to give them the east side…
- So long as they fought with their brothers – till the whole nation had victory…
- They kept their word – they’d enter into the Land – and stay till Israel had victory…
- But when they left – they’d make an altar by the Jordan River – Joshua 22:10…
- A memorial – because they feared future generations of Israel would forget them…
- They feared Israel would no longer accept the ‘Eastern tribes’ as part of the nation…
- Because they were far away – they feared they would fall away from God…
- It was a prophetic concern – the eastern tribes are not mentioned again until…
- We read again of Reuben / Gad / ½ tribe of Manasseh in the NT…
- They came to be known as the Gergesenes (from the Hebrew – Gergishite)…
- Gergishites were the original Canaanite dwellers of the east side of the Galilee…
- Because they were content to settle in the grazing lands east of the Jordan River…
- They lacked the natural barrier of the river – making them vulnerable…
- So they were the first of the 12 tribes to be conquered – II Kings 10:32-33…
- They tried to live on the fence – close to God / but still in the world…
- As a result they fell off the fence on the wrong side – they fell back into the world!
- Often we try to reason with God – how far away from the world do we need to be…
- Can we at least look at the world – how about touch – just a light touch…
- We don’t want to be in the world – just really close – is that OK God…
- There is no compromising – there is no middle ground – no fence…
- The danger of living life on the fence – is falling off on the wrong side…
- It is not worth the danger to play around with the love of this world…
- It is far too easy to fall in love with this world – and miss Jesus!
- Chapter 33 – The path to Freedom… (4 things)
- 1st – Out of Egypt… vs. 1-5 Read: Numbers 33:1-4
- God had Moses record the journey from Egypt to the Promised Land…
- The purpose of the ‘journal’ was to recall what God had brought Israel from…
- And to look forward to where God was going to take them!
- It is a good idea to ‘record’ or ‘journal’ your walk with Jesus…
- There are times when your circumstances can overwhelm you – it is easy to forget…
- And it is REALLY helpful to be able to look back at all God has done in your life…
- To see the answered prayers – see His provision – how He has guided your every step…
- It gives you confidence – the Lord has always been faithful – and He always will be!
- The journey began on the 15th day of the 1st month – the day after Passover…
- With all the Egyptians still burying the bodies of those the death angel had killed…
- They marched out like a conquering nation – a mighty people (rather than slaves)…
- God had proved He was greater than the gods of Egypt – the true and living God!
- You may recall all 10 plagues were directed against one of the gods of Egypt…
- God wanted Israel and Egypt to know – there is no God like the Lord!
- 2nd – From Egypt to Mt. Sinai… vs. 6-15
- God took Israel to the edge of the Red Sea – where He parted the waters…
- Leading Israel into the wilderness – where there was no water – and they complained…
- Arriving at Mt. Sinai – and after the ‘golden calf’ – God entrusted Israel with His Law…
- Right from the beginning Israel was a rebellious and stubborn people…
- They would follow great acts of faith – with unbelievable acts of failure!
- Yet God never gave up on them – His patience and Love for Israel was unshakable…
- The good news is God has not changed – He is still very patient and loving with us!
- He choose us knowing exactly who we were – the foolish – I Corinthians 1:26-28…
- He is not surprised when we fall – it comes as no shock when we make mistakes…
- God is always there for us – to pick us up and dust us off – send us on our way again!
- 3rd – From Mt. Sinai for the Promised Land… vs. 16
- They camped at the ‘graves of lust’ – where they had demanded meat to eat…
- And in a short 11 day journey made it to the border of the Promised Land…
- It had already taken a year to get Israel this far – and it would take another 40…
- But God was not interested in taking Israel on the fastest path…
- God was looking to make Israel into a nation / people who knew and loved the Lord!
- God has a plan for each an every one of our lives – but He is not is a rush…
- Before God can fulfill His plans for our lives – He has to prepare us…
- If God told you would become a pastor / or a missionary to a muslim country…
- If God told you were He was taking you – you might turn around and run away!
- So God takes us the long way – so we spend time with Him – learn to depend on Him…
- So He can prepare us for the work He wants to do in our lives…
- It does not matter to Him if it takes 40 minutes or 40 years – He is a patient God…
- He will wait for us to learn to depend on Him – so He can do amazing works through us!
- Psalms 86:15 – “You, O Lord, are a merciful and gracious God, slow to get angry, full of unfailing love and truth.”
- 4th – 40 years in the wilderness… vs. 17-38
- At the end of the 40 years – all of those who had rebelled were dead… vs. 19-49
- God took Israel to the border of the Promised Land – across from the city of Jericho…
- God commanded Israel to destroy the all the idols of the people in the Land…
- And to kick the pagan nations out – so they could inherit the Promised…
- If they did not remove the people/idols – they would become a thorn in Israel’s side…
- They would influence Israel – dragging them into their sinful lifestyles…
- In the end they would become like the pagan nations they were to have kicked out…
- Then God would do to Israel – what He had intended to do to the pagan nations!
- We often have a light hearted attitude towards sin – as though its no big deal…
- After all – Jesus forgives us – all we have to do is ask!
- But are playing with fire – sin is deadly – it has the power to harden our heart to God…
- Sin is a dangerous enemy – either we destroy it – or it will come back to destroy us…
- Chapter 34 – The boundries of the Land…
- The map of the Promised Land… vs. Read: Numbers 34:1-2
- North / South / East / and West… vs. 1-15
- The boundaries of the Promised Land were to follow the Land of Canaan…
- On the East the boundary would be the Mediterranean Sea…
- On the West the boundary would be the Jordan River…
- On the North the boundary would be to Mt. Herman…
- On the South the boundary would be to the southern end of the Dead Sea…
- All of this Land Israel was to divide up among the 9 ½ ‘western tribes…
- God choose one leader from each of the 9 ½ tribes to oversee the division…
- A permanent possession for Israel… – MAP (Israel History)
- As Israel rebelled against the Lord – they slowly lost territory to other nations…
- Until they were finally completely conquered by the Romans in 132 A.D.
- But Israel was declared a nation again on May 14th, 1948…
- At first they were only given a small portion of the Promised Land back…
- But – after 7 wars – and in spite of constant debate in the U.N. – Israel has the Land again!
- When God gives a promise – there is no question – He will keep His Word!
- II Corinthians 1:20 – “For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us.”