The Message of Numbers

Journey To The Promised Land

Raymond Brown

• Publisher: IVP
• Year: 2021
• ISBN:
  9781783596348

What does it mean to be pilgrims in a confusing world? What vision of the good life drives us?In this thoughtful exposition, Raymond Brown explores how the book of Numbers offers a picture of a better life. He shows how its message is eminently suited to our contemporary world, a world without firm spiritual and moral foundations. In contrast to contemporary thinking, Numbers pictures life as an accompanied journey, and not a meaningless maze.Part of the loved and trusted The Bible Speaks Today series of commentaries, The Message of Numbers offers an insightful, readable exposition of the Biblical text and thought-provoking discussion of how its meaning relates to contemporary life. Used by Bible students and teachers around the world, The Bible Speaks Today commentaries are ideal for anyone studying or preaching Numbers and who want to delve deeper into the text. This beautifully redesigned edition has also been sensitively updated to include modern references and use the NIV Bible text.Readable and reliable, The Message of Numbers will help for anyone looking for a commentary on the book of Numbers that make clear its meaning both in its original context and for twenty-first century readers.

A. Getting ready (1:1 – 10:10)

Numbers 1:1 – 2:34

1. God’s people prepare

Numbers describes some of Israel’s hopes and fears during a crucial half-century of its corporate life. We recognize the importance of history for the Israelite people; its very identification of the different tribes in this introduction recalls the patriarchal story of Jacob’s sons. Nevertheless, a narrative that describes the enforced head-count of their thirteenth-century successors suggests that we may have opened a book that is certainly antiquated, possibly irrelevant, even boring.

It would be a mistake, however, to hurry beyond these opening chapters in the hope of stumbling across something more interesting. Here are people in community, recalling their roots. All this may not be quite as far from the contemporary scene as it first appears. The fascination with family history and genealogy is fast becoming an obsession. Over 80,000 internet websites are devoted to it and, if the number of hits is anything to go by, the subject is second only to sex in popularity. People are interested in their past. These Israelite registers preserve the convictions and ideals of the world’s most significant people; here in narrative form is an exposition of their God-given theology of an ideal spiritual community.

1. A privileged community

The opening verse encapsulates the central truth that the Lord is a God who speaks and acts. Here are the two massive doctrinal themes of Scripture: revelation and redemption.

a. God speaks

The Israelite people were privileged because God communicated with them. In stark contrast to the silent gods (Isa. 44:9–20) of their surrounding neighbours, The Lord spoke (1:1). This initial statement is characteristic of the entire book, where over 150 times and in about twenty different ways we are told that Israel’s God said something special to his people.

God spoke through a chosen servant, Moses. Here was a man designated and equipped for an epoch-making task: to lead God’s people from enslavement to freedom, from the old to the new. He was given unique authority to receive and communicate this revelation preserved in Scripture.

God spoke in an appointed place, the tent of meeting. The intricate details concerning the measurements, construction and furnishings of this portable worship-centre are preserved in the exodus narrative (Exod. 25 – 31, 35 – 40). The early chapters of Numbers deal with its location (2:2), care (3:5–8, 21–38), protection (3:9–10), transportation (4:33), maintenance (7:1–89) , lighting (8:1–4) and uniqueness (9:15–23). Several key events in later chapters take place at this Tent of Meeting, where God gave his orders, revealed his will, vindicated his servants, expressed his displeasure and manifested his mercy.

God spoke at a crucial time. He conversed with Moses in this tent in the Desert of Sinai just over a year after the Israelites had been delivered from Egyptian tyranny. They had waited at Mount Sinai while Moses communicated God’s covenant promises to his people, an agreement enshrined in the law and commandments. Their enforced stay had been marred by impatience, idolatry, disrespect, disloyalty, ingratitude, syncretism, irreverence and debauchery (Exod. 32:1, 2, 4, 5, 6), but, graciously forgiven, the restored people were now ready for their long trek across the desert. The wilderness ahead was fraught with danger, and few among them could have viewed the prospect with unshadowed delight; but if God was among them to speak with them and they, in turn, were given the grace of obedience, all could be well.

This opening verse conveys a salutary reminder to the contemporary reader that God continues to address us, uniquely through the pages of Scripture. In several narratives, Numbers reminds us to guard against indifference, flippancy or the arrogant rejection of this word. The message may not be initially palatable or particularly welcome, but several encounters in this book indicate that refusal to accept God’s word robs the disobedient of happiness, usefulness and peace.

b. God acts

God spoke clearly to them in the second year after the Israelites came out of Egypt (1:1). He did not simply issue his orders; he acted mightily on their behalf. The uniqueness of the revelation is attested by the miracle of their redemption. Only God could have achieved a speedy and complete emancipation from four centuries of despotic oppression. The Lord is more than a majestic voice thundering from the distant heights of Sinai. The God who had miraculously delivered them ‘from the hand of the Egyptians’ was intent on fulfilling the second half of the promise made at the foot of that same mountain when Moses saw the bush aflame with unquenchable fire. The Lord had not only brought them out of captivity but would bring them into ‘a land flowing with milk and honey’ (Exod. 3:7–8). He is a redeeming God, always acting powerfully and mercifully in the lives of those intent on listening to what he says.

So, in the opening words of this record of their momentous journey, the reader is reminded that this privileged community was brought out of Egypt. The people would need further deliverances in the course of their travels, occasionally from external perils, more often from inward foes. The dangers of hunger, thirst and menacing armies would be overcome by their mighty God, but there would be times ahead when they would not turn to him for help with more threatening adversaries such as grumbling discontent (11:1–9), pride and insubordination (12:1–3), fear (13:27–29), doubt (13:30–33), despair (14:1–4), unbelief (14:5–10), disobedience (14:39–45), insurrection (16:1–14), persistent complaining (16:41; 17:5), a quarrelsome spirit (20:2–5), idolatry and immorality (25:1–2). The recollection of their redemption out of Egypt in this narrative’s introductory sentence reminds every reader that, once delivered from the condemnation of sin, every believer needs Christ’s continuing work of salvation. Like those Israelite slaves, we have been gloriously delivered, but we need that continuing deliverance promised and made possible by the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit. Salvation in biblical terms is three-dimensional: we have been saved from sin’s judgment and are being saved from sin’s tyranny; ultimately, in heaven, we shall be saved from sin’s presence (1 Cor. 1:18; Rom. 8:12–13).

2. A vulnerable community

The narrative goes on to describe the event from which the book takes its present name. Moses is commanded to number all the Israelite men over twenty years of age: ‘Take a census . . . listing every man by name . . . all the men in Israel who are . . . able to serve in the army’ (1:2–3). Given the wealth they had brought out of Egypt (Exod. 11:2; 12:35–36), the people might be attacked by marauding bandits. An army was necessary for their immediate defence, but much more for the forthcoming invasion of Canaan. God’s plan was that they should steadily make their way across this vast wilderness and, given suitable travelling conditions, they could be on the threshold of Canaan in a matter of weeks (1:2). Then troops would certainly be necessary if they were to conquer the Promised Land.

Sadly, these prospective soldiers died in the wilderness; it is the book’s second census (26:1–65) that preserves the names of those who entered Canaan. The first list became a tragic catalogue of grumblers, doubters and rebels, people who did not fulfil their potential, a sad reminder of life’s lost opportunities. Between the first and second censuses in this book lies the tragic tale of Israel’s failure to believe the God who speaks and acts. Her people would not obey his voice and did not trust his power.

Christian readers of Numbers are confronted with the conflict theme in its first paragraph. To be given a place in the life of God’s people is an immense privilege, but Scripture constantly emphasizes that it is also a costly experience (John 15:18–21; 16:33; 2 Tim. 3:12). There is no discipleship without discipline. Jesus did not shield his followers from the harsh realities that awaited them. If vicious opponents had harassed Jesus, they were not likely to leave his partners in peace. Trusting in what was uniquely achieved by his cross, they must take up their own (Mark 8:34). Paul told the early Christian people that they must fight as well-equipped soldiers committed to arduous conflict.

3. A valued community

The records emphasize the significance of the individual, listing every man by name, one by one (1:2, 18, 20, et passim). The needs of the wider community did not obscure the value of the distinctive person whose name was listed. The census was a remarkable achievement. Although its purpose was to calculate the troops, it made Israel aware of its ancestry. Individuals belonged to families, each family was part of a clan, and numerous clans made up the various tribes. They could trace their story back through history to Jacob’s sons (Gen. 49:1–28), who began their life in the land their successors were meant to occupy. The pilgrims were on their way home, and every one mattered to God.

We live in a depersonalized society. Brilliantly intricate technology has reduced almost everything to pin numbers and barcodes. Face-to-face meeting is in danger of becoming a social rarity. The internet chatroom has replaced the personal encounter. Business partners engage in conversation across the world without meeting in person; we have computerized contact with people on the other side of the world but remain ignorant of the crying needs of a next-door neighbour. Numbers preserves the story of a vast community, but it also confronts us with the influence of the individual. The one by one element is not overlooked.

The striking narratives of Numbers illustrate the influence of consecrated individuals such as those who took the Nazirite vow (6:1–8), compassionate individuals such as Moses (12:13), depressing individuals such as the ten spies (14:31–33), encouraging individuals such as Caleb (13:30), resourceful individuals such as Joshua (27:18–23), disappointing individuals such as Miriam and Aaron (12:1–12), insolent and damaging individuals such as Korah, Dathan and Abiram (16:1), and venturesome individuals such as Zelophehad’s daughters (27:1–11). No person lives to himself or herself; others are affected by our thoughts and actions. Jesus taught that, in God’s sight, every single person is of infinite value with great potential for good or evil (Matt. 6:25–34; 10:30). Moses recognized that immense harm can come to the ‘entire assembly when only one man sins’ (16:22).

4. An interdependent community

Although the significance of the individual is frequently heightened in this book, the people are taught from the start that each has a supportive and interdependent role in the community. If they are to complete this hazardous desert crossing successfully, task definition is vital. Many of the mistakes and failures that are recorded later can be traced to individuals who refused to acknowledge this basic fact. Moses and Aaron were to conduct the census with the help of one man from each tribe, each of them the head of his family . . . the heads of the clans of Israel (4, 16). Moses could not accomplish this immense task without the help of a loyal team. He valued the supervisory gifts of Ithamar (4:27–28, 33), the practical skills of a traveller familiar with the desert’s inhospitable terrain (10:29–32), the wholehearted partnership of Caleb (14:24) and the dependable support of Joshua and of Eleazar the priest (27:15–23). Precise tasks are assigned to clan leaders (1:16), the role of the pri...