Books of the Bible - Numbers

Where does the title “Numbers” come from?

the need for a numbering of the people of Israel, both from the time of their exodus from Egypt to Mt Sinai to receive the Mosaic Law, versus how many people arrived in the promised land

What is the main theme of Numbers?

wandering

Who wrote Numbers?

Moses

When was Numbers written?

Around the 15th century BC

What is the setting of Numbers?

The people of Israel are in the wilderness and journeying the the outskirts of the land of Canaan

What are the key verses of Numbers?

Numbers 14:28-35

Say to them, ‘As I live, declares the LORD, what you have said in my hearing I will do to you: 29 your dead bodies shall fall in this wilderness, and of all your number, listed in the census from twenty years old and upward, who have grumbled against me, 30 not one shall come into the land where I swore that I would make you dwell, except Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun. 31 But your little ones, who you said would become a prey, I will bring in, and they shall know the land that you have rejected. 32 But as for you, your dead bodies shall fall in this wilderness. 33 And your children shall be shepherds in the wilderness forty years and shall suffer for your faithlessness, until the last of your dead bodies lies in the wilderness. 34 According to the number of the days in which you spied out the land, forty days, a year for each day, you shall bear your iniquity forty years, and you shall know my displeasure.’ 35 I, the LORD, have spoken. Surely this will I do to all this wicked congregation who are gathered together against me: in this wilderness they shall come to a full end, and there they shall die.”

How many chapters are in Numbers?

36

What are the 3 key sections of Numbers?

Numbers 1-14: Deals with the older generation that fled from Egypt to Mt Sinai. Deals with their journey from Sinai to the outskirts of Canaan, and when they arrived, they sent 12 spies into Canaan. 10 returned with reports of warning, citing seeing giants, 7 greater nations, walled cities etc. while the other 2 spies (Joshua and Caleb) returned with positive reports.

Numbers 15-20 The nation of Israel wanders the desert for 40 years

Numbers 21-26: Deals with the new generation, who came up and were allowed by God to cross the Jordan river, and enter the promised land

What are the 3 main purposes of Numbers?

1. To show what Israel did during the 40 years of wandering

2. To show the 2 lists, the old generation who fled Egypt, vs the new Generation, who entered the promised land

3. To show God’s faithfulness in the midst of man’s faithlessness

What are the main 2 messages of Numbers?

1. God will wait until He can accomplish His purposes

2. Disbelief and disobedience will keep us from entering into God’s perfect plan for us