Numbers 11-12 PREVIEW: In Numbers 11-12, the mixed multitude incites the children of Israel to cry out against the Lord for flesh, which He obliges in a miraculous, yet sobering, way. Miriam and Aaron challenge Moses leadership and learn a humbling lesson. The People Complain - Read Numbers 11:1-15 1. After the three-day journey just described (see Numbers 10:33 36), the people began to complain in the hearing of the Lord. How did the Lord feel about the people s complaining (see v. 1)? What was His response (see v. 1)? 2. Complaining about what the Lord is doing in your life amplifies the negative. It is often contagious and is displeasing to Him. What does God's Word say about complaining? (See Philippians 2:14, 1 Corinthians 3:3, 10:10, 2 Corinthians 12:20, and 1 Peter 4:9.) 3. The people cried out to Moses because of what the Lord had done, and he acted as an intercessor on their behalf. What was the result of Moses intercession (see v.2)? 4. Moses performed the role of priest, interceding for the people and representing them to the Lord. We are members of the royal priesthood (see 1 Peter 2:9-10). When other believers around us are complaining and grumbling, how can we do what Moses did? (See James 5:16, Colossians 1:9, Ephesians 2:18 and 3:12, and Hebrews 4:16 and 10:19-22) Numbers 11-12 Page 1
5. Places on the map of the children of Israel are established by events that happened to them, often marking their failures. What does Moses call this place where the fire of the Lord burned among them (see v. 3)? What does it mean? 6. The mixed multitude (see Exodus 12:38) was comprised of non- Israelites who left Egypt with Israel in the Exodus. The word used to describe these people is ēreb, literally mixed company. What did the mixed multitude do (see v. 4)? 7. What did the actions of the mixed multitude cause the children of Israel to do (see v. 4)? 8. Complaining and grumbling can result from yielding to intense desires of your flesh. What else can yielding to intense desires result in? (See James 4:1-6) 9. What were the children of Israel and the mixed multitude remembering that caused them to complain and grumble () against God s provision (see vv. 5-6)? (See also Numbers 21:5.) What was their focus on? (See Philippians 3:19.) Numbers 11-12 Page 2
10. The things that the children of Israel and the mixed multitude were focused on were things of Egypt. Egypt is a type of the world. Manna is a type of Jesus Christ (see John 6:33), the Word of God (John 1:1). We too can fall into this trap. Instead, what should we make our focus? (See Colossians 3:1-10, Matthew 6:19-20, Luke 12:15, and 1 John 2:15-17.) 11. Manna, which meant What is it? (see Exodus 16:15), was God s divine provision for the children of Israel. What did it look like (see v. 7)? (See also Exodus 16:14.) What did it taste like (v. 8)? (See also Exodus 16:31.) 12. What did Moses hear in the camp? Who else obviously heard this? What was their response (see v. 10)? 13. Make a careful list of what Moses perspective was concerning what he had heard (see vv. 11-15). The Seventy Elders - Read Numbers 11:16-30 14. Moses was deeply and adversely affected by the complaining and grumbling of the children of Israel and the mixed multitude, and he cried out to the Lord (vv. 11-15). What solution did the Lord offer to Moses (vv. 16-17)? Numbers 11-12 Page 3
15. Although it appears that the Lord acquiesced to the people, He did not. What would the month s worth of meat be like to the children of Israel and the mixed multitude (vv. 18-21)? 16. After the Lord said He would give the children of Israel a month s worth of meat, Moses considered only the natural provision of the flocks, herds, and fish of the sea, instead of God's supernatural abilities. This is a common thing for people to do when God says something that is seemingly impossible. Read Romans 4:3,19-22. What did Abraham not consider and not waver at? What was he fully convinced of? 17. What was the Lord s response to Moses logic and reasoning, thinking that the Lord would have him slaughter all the flocks and herds in order to provide meat for the children of Israel (v. 23)? 18. Oftentimes when we look at the natural circumstances and situations in our life, we consider the commands of the Lord impossible. How can we know that what He commands is possible, despite our seemingly impossible circumstance? (See Genesis 18:14, Jeremiah 32:17, 27, Matthew 19:26, and Luke 18:27.) Numbers 11-12 Page 4
19. What was Moses response to the Lord s instructions (v. 24)? (See also Exodus 40:16.) 20. The Lord equipped 70 elders to help Moses bear the burden of the people. What did the Lord equip them with (v. 25)? 21. How is what the Lord equipped the 70 elders with the very same thing He has equipped you with to do the good works He has prepared in advance for you and called you to do? (See Ephesians 1:13-14, 2:8-10, 1 John 3:24, 4:13, 2 Corinthians 1:21-22, 5:5, and Romans 8:9, 16) 22. In addition to the 70, two other men, Eldad and Medad, received the Spirit. These men began prophesying in the camp (see v. 26). It so concerned a young man that he ran and reported it to Moses (see v. 27). What was Joshua s response to this young man s report (see v. 28)? What was Moses response to this young man s report (see v. 29)? Numbers 11-12 Page 5
The LORD Sends Quail - Read Numbers 11:31-35 23. The children of Israel and the mixed multitude cried out against the Lord for meat (see vv. 4-5). What kind of meat was provided? Where was it? How much of it did they collect (see vv. 31-32)? 24. Although the children of Israel and the mixed multitude received in exceeding abundance what they had cried out against the Lord for, what happened as they began to eat the meat (see v. 33)? Why did this happen? 25. What is the name given to the place where the wrath of the Lord was aroused against the people and they buried the people who had yielded to craving (see v. 34)? What does it mean? Dissension of Aaron and Miriam - Read Numbers 12:1-16 26. After the children of Israel settled down at Hazeroth (see Numbers 11:35), Miriam and Aaron, Moses elder siblings, began to challenge his authority. Why did they speak against him (see v. 1)? Numbers 11-12 Page 6
27. The fact that Miriam is listed first, as well as that the Hebrew word translated spoke is in the feminine form, indicate Miriam was the initiator of this challenge of Moses authority. What challenge did Miriam and Aaron present (see v. 2)? 28. Was Miriam and Aaron s challenge accurate? (See Exodus 15:20, Micah 6:4, and Numbers 14:26.) 29. The Lord heard when Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses (vsee. 2). Why should we carefully consider this when we speak about others? (See Psalm 94:9, Proverbs 6:14, 16-19, Jude 16 19, and Ephesians 4:29.) 30. When the Lord heard Miriam and Aaron s challenge to Moses authority, what did He command them to do (vv. 4-5)? 31. The Lord spoke to Miriam and Aaron about Moses (see vv. 6-8). How did the Lord differentiate Moses from all other prophets? Numbers 11-12 Page 7
32. The Lord asked Miriam and Aaron why they weren t fearful of speaking against Moses (see v. 8). (See also 2 Peter 2:10 and Jude 8.) What kind of fear were Miriam and Aaron lacking? (See Psalm 111:10 and Proverbs 1:7, 9:10, and 15:33.) 33. What became of Miriam once the visible presence of the Lord departed from above the tabernacle (see v. 10)? 34. What is the physical manifestation of Miriam s leprosy a vivid picture of (see vv. 10-12)? Hint: Aaron used the word twice as he beseeched Moses on behalf of Miriam. 35. Moses interceded for Miriam (see v. 13) and she was healed. (See Numbers 20:1.) Although she was healed, what was required of Miriam before she was allowed to return to the camp of the children of Israel (vv. 14-15)? 36. Romans 12:15 says we are to rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep. (See also 1 Corinthians 12:26.) Moses modeled this as he rejoiced for Eldad and Medad and wept (v. 13) for Miriam. How was Moses able to do this (v. 3)? Numbers 11-12 Page 8