Friday, January 17, 2025

2025.01.17 Hopewell @Home ▫ Numbers 33:1–49

Read Numbers 33:1–49

Questions from the Scripture text: What does Numbers 33:1 begin to summarize? How did these journeys begin? Who wrote them down (Numbers 33:2)? When had they departed (Numbers 33:3)? In what manner? Why were they able to do this (Numbers 33:4)? Upon whom had YHWH executed judgments? What movements do Numbers 33:5-9 cover? What did they have at Elim? What movements do Numbers 33:10-14 cover? What didn’t they have at Rephidim? What movements do Numbers 33:15-37 cover? What happened at Mount Hor (Numbers 33:38)? In what year, month, and day of their exodus? How old was Aaron (Numbers 33:39)? To what event does Numbers 33:40 refer (cf. Numbers 21:1–3)? What movements do Numbers 33:41-49 cover? What is special about the last location in Numbers 33:47 (cf. Deuteronomy 34:1–8)? 

What does the Lord emphasize, when giving us Israel’s itinerary through the wilderness? Numbers 33:1–49 looks forward to the evening sermon on the coming Lord’s Day. In these forty-nine verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that the Lord emphasized His own faithfulness and power, which would come to a climax for His people in Christ, even as He reviewed Israel’s itinerary through the wilderness.

Zooming out to see the Lord’s faithfulness. When we are zoomed-in to the history found in these verses, as we do in the rest of the book, we are overwhelmed by the sin of Israel throughout the wilderness. And the passage reminds us of this, ever so gently, by the reference to the water at Elim and the lack of it at Rephidim. Although the goodness of God never changes, it comes in varying providence. And because His people are not only finite, but sinners, their conduct often varies with His providence. But when we zoom out, what we see is the power and providence of God, faithfully taking Israel through all of these journeys. The story of the “numbers” of the book of Numbers is that, despite all opposition in creation and from men, and even/especially their own provoking the wrath of God… despite all of this, the Lord has completely replaced the first generation, and brought them into the land. His perfect faithfulness is the story of all of history. 

Zooming in to see the Lord’s power. We’ve already noted the extra details about Elim and Rephidim. In a chapter in which very few details are given, the ones that are included are magnified. And we have especially details about Egypt (Numbers 33:3-4), which is expected, and then about the king of Arad (Numbers 33:40), which is surprising, considering how little text was spent on that incident even in the main narrative of the book (cf. Numbers 21:1–3). By drawing our attention back to that passage, we are reminded not only of the Lord’s hearing the voice of His people (cf. Numbers 21:3), and enabling them to destroy this king whose domain included many cities, but also the vow between Israel and the Lord (Numbers 33:2) that anticipates what they must now do, when they enter the land. The Lord had not just judged and defeated the Canaanite king (Numbers 33:40), and even Egypt itself (Numbers 33:4a), but even Egypt’s gods (verse 4b). In every instance, as He established His visible church in the earth, the Lord exercised almighty power over the kingdoms and idolatries of men.

Looking forward for the Lord to use servants. There are a couple more details that stand out against the rest of the chapter. The language of v1 is interesting, when it says “by the hand of Moses and Aaron.” Clearly, it was ultimately by the hand of the Lord. But the point is that He is a Lord Who uses servants. And the details in Numbers 33:38-39 and Numbers 33:47 bring us back to that idea. The servants by which the Lord leads His people die, and must be replaced. Aaron was 123 years old, when He died, so there is an emphasis here on the Lord miraculously upholding him. This is also the case with the off-hand mention of Nebo, one of the names for the location at which Moses died. But in connection with this name, the Holy Spirit would give us Deuteronomy 34:1–9, where Numbers 33:7 also emphasizes the age and upholding of the Lord’s servant, “Moses was one hundred and twenty years old when he died. His eyes were not dim nor his natural vigor diminished.” 

One day, the Lord Himself would come as a Servant, Who has life in Himself (cf. John 5:26). He is not prevented by death from continuing forever in His priesthood (cf. Hebrews 7:23–25). Not only is the Lord faithful and powerful, but the Lord Himself has come as the Servant by Whose hand He leads His people. In times of plenty and want, facing enemies of whatsoever difficulty, even facing our own sin: we may rest in Him, and follow Him, with all confidence. 

Which of the types of things that Israel faced in the wilderness do you most need the faithfulness and power of the Lord to overcome? What is an example of each type of challenge that the church faces today? How does baptism, as a sign that the church now has Jesus as her Prophet, Priest, and King, encourage you about both what will come of the church and what will come of you yourself?

Sample prayer:  Lord, we praise You for Your faithfulness and power in which You have always led Your people. It is You Who overcome all of the challenges in our weakness, our circumstances, our enemies, and even the guilt of our sin and the power of our sin. And, we are all the more confident of this, for You have given us to have Christ as our Prophet, Priest, and King. By His intercession, through the power of His resurrection life, save us to the uttermost, we ask in His Name, AMEN!

Suggested songs: ARP46 “God Is Our Refuge and Our Strength” or TPH246 “Though Troubles Assail Us” 

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