Numbers Moses' Error at Kadesh Read Numbers 20:1-13

Transcription

1 Numbers Moses' Error at Kadesh Read Numbers 20: Thirty-eight years have passed since the children of Israel were previously at Kadesh (see Numbers 14:2-3) and almost everyone who was over the age of twenty at that time has since died in the wilderness. Who now dies and is buried at Kadesh (v. 1)? Who is this person to the children of Israel? (See Exodus 15:20, Numbers 26:59, Micah 6:4) 2. When the next generation of Israelites comes to Kadesh on the border of the Promised Land, they gather together against Moses and Aaron (v. 2). What is the premise of their contention with Moses and Aaron (vv. 3-5)? 3. The congregation contends with Moses and Aaron in their characteristic way (see Exodus 17:1 2, Numbers 14:2 3). What is Moses and Aaron's response to their contention, and how is this characteristic of Moses and Aaron (v. 6)? (See Numbers 14:5, 16:4, 22, 45) 4. After Moses and Aaron fall on their faces before the Lord, the Lord responds in His characteristic manner by providing a solution to those who humble themselves before Him. What is the Lord's solution to this contention (v. 8)? Numbers Page 1

2 5. What does Moses say to the congregation as he and Aaron gather them together before the rock? What does his speech indicate about his attitude toward the congregation's contention (v. 10)? (See also Psalm 106:32-33) 6. What does Moses do to the rock (v. 11)? Was Moses instructed to do this (v. 8)? What happens when Moses does this (v. 11)? 7. What is the Lord's perspective on Moses' actions toward the rock (v. 12)? (See also Numbers 27:14, Deuteronomy 1:37, 3:26) 8. What are the consequences for both Moses and Aaron because of Moses' actions (v. 12)? 9. Places along Israel's journey to the Promised Land are renamed according to events that happened to them and often mark their failures. What does this place become known as (v. 13)? What does this name mean? (See also Deuteronomy 33:8, Psalm 106:32) Numbers Page 2

3 Passage Through Edom Refused Read Numbers 20: Moses sends messengers to the king of Edom requesting safe passage through his land. What do the messengers commit to the king of Edom if he allows them safe passage (v. 17)? 11. What is the king of Edom's response to Moses' request for safe passage through his land (v. 18)? 12. The messengers make a second commitment to the king of Edom if he will allow them safe passage. What is it (v. 19)? 13. What is the physical response of the Edomites to the request for safe passage by the children of Israel (vv )? Death of Aaron Read Numbers 20: The Lord tells Moses and Aaron that Aaron would be gathered to his people. To be gathered to his people means that he would die and join his ancestors. Why is Aaron, the high priest and brother of Moses, not going to be allowed to enter the Promised Land (v. 24)? Numbers Page 3

4 15. Because Aaron is going to be gathered to his people, the Lord instructs Moses to transfer the role of the high priest from Aaron to Aaron's son Eleazar. How is this accomplished (vv )? 16. Aaron dies on the top of Mount Hor four months after his sister Miriam dies at Kadesh (Numbers 33:38). What does the congregation do for Aaron's death that they apparently didn't do for Miriam's (v. 29)? 17. Miriam and Aaron both die in the fortieth year after the children of Israel had come out of the land of Egypt. (See Numbers 33:38-39) In what year does Moses die, and how old is he when he dies? (See Exodus 7:7, Deuteronomy 34:7) 18. The phrase "Aaron shall be gathered to his people" is the usual way of describing the death of a righteous person at a ripe old age. It is used of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Aaron, and Moses. What can you infer happens to a person who dies and is "gathered to his people"? (See also Matthew 22:31-32) Numbers Page 4

5 Canaanites Defeated at Hormah Read Numbers 21: The king of Arad fights against the children of Israel and takes some of them prisoners. What is their response to this attack (vv. 1-2)? 20. What two things does the Lord do in response to the children of Israel's vow (v. 3)? 21. Places along Israel's journey to the Promised Land are renamed according to events that happened to them and often mark their failures though not always. After their fight with the Canaanite king, the place of Arad is renamed. What is its new name and what does this name mean (v. 3)? The Bronze Serpent Read Numbers 21: As the children of Israel are denied passage through Edom and turn to journey from Kadesh to Mount Hor (See Numbers 20:21-22), what happens to the morale of the congregation? (v. 4)? 23. In their detour by the Way of the Red Sea, the people not only complain about the delay of entering the Promised Land, they also complain, yet again, about what (v. 5)? Numbers Page 5

6 24. What does the Lord Himself send in response to the children of Israel's complaining (v. 6)? (See also 1 Corinthians 10:9, Deuteronomy 8:15) 25. The people come to Moses, admitting that their complaints against the Lord and him were sin. They ask Moses to pray for the Lord to take away the serpents from them. Moses prays for the people (v. 7), but does the Lord grant them their request? 26. The Lord instructs Moses to make a fiery serpent and put it on a pole, thus giving the children of Israel a way to live, despite the deadly bites of the fiery serpents. What do the children of Israel who were bitten have to do in order to live (v. 9)? 27. What becomes of the bronze serpent on a pole? (See 2 Kings 18:4) 28. Jesus uses the bronze serpent as an illustration of Himself when talking to Nicodemus. (See John 3:14-15) Name some ways that the bronze serpent on the pole is a picture of Jesus Christ. Numbers Page 6

7 From Mount Hor to Moab Read Numbers 21: The children of Israel move several times in their fortieth year out of Egypt (vv ), after Aaron and Miriam die. When they arrive at Beer, they sing a song (vv ). Why do they sing this song (v. 16)? King Sihon Defeated Read Numbers 21: Israel sends messengers to Sihon, the king of the Amorites, requesting safe passage through the Amorite territory (vv ). What is Sihon's response to this request (v. 23)? 31. What do the children of Israel do to Sihon and the Amorites (vv )? (See also Deuteronomy 2:32-36, Judges 11:20-22, Amos 2:10) 32. The defeat of Sihon is poetic justice since all this land south to the Arnon had originally belonged to the Moabites and had been stolen by Sihon. Sihon's former conquest had also been immortalized in poetry (vv ). According to this interpretation, Moses uses an Amorite poem ironically to describe Israel's destruction of the Amorites. In other words, a boastful Amorite song celebrating their victory over the hapless Moabites now is sung by Israel to celebrate her victory over the Amorites. What do the children of Israel do with the Amorite territory after they defeat Sihon (v. 31)? Numbers Page 7

8 King Og Defeated Read Numbers 21: Og, the king of Bashan, goes out to war against the children of Israel at Edrei (v. 33). Og and his people are a remnant (sole survivors) of what people group? (See Deuteronomy 3:11, Joshua 13:12) 34. What does the Lord say to Moses about the ensuing battle against King Og (v. 34)? 35. What do the children of Israel do to King Og of Bashan and his people (v. 35)? (See also Deuteronomy 3:1-7) Numbers Page 8