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Information Input
The fourth book of the law was called Numbers because it contains two great censuses (Chapters 1 and 26) which were taken for military and economic reasons. Originally called "In the Wilderness", this book covers a forty year period in the desert, but not evenly. The first nineteen days are covered in detail with the long remaining period highlighted here and there with lessons learned in the struggle to survive in a bitterly hostile environment. Remember the great purpose of God behind it all was to make out of the migrating horde, a model community embodying God's ideal way of life-A Kingdom of God, in fact! Therefore the perspective of the book is not that of an ancient historian, but that of a visionary preacher.(This is why Israel's numerical size was never seen in scripture as a vital issue to its survival).
Speaking of Numbers
Scholars argue (don't they always) that a fighting force of 600,000 men eligible for military service implies a population of one and a half million! That was the migration which alarmed all Middle Eastern countries and caused them to arm their frontiers.
Priorities at Sinai - Chapter 1 verse 1 to Chapter 10 verse 10
So the real enemy was not Pharoah after all, but their own lawlessness, hence the need for law and order as set out in this first part of Numbers.
Quick Overview of Contents of this Section:
Chapter 1-Census
Chapter 2-Tribal Positions
Chapters 3, 4, 6 and 8-The Place of Priests
Chapter 5-Health Regulations
Chapters 7 and 9-The Community's True Centre
Chapter 10 verses 1 to 10-Fanfare
Output
Speed read Chapters 1 to 2 to grasp the numbers involved in Sinai.
Read together as much as you feel necessary of Chapter 7 in order to discuss the concept:
"To motivate a community, living is found in giving, rather than getting"
Question - Is this true today, or false?
In your Prayer Time Together
Focus on the ancient blessing recorded in Numbers,Chapter 6 verses 22 to 26.
Optional preparation for next session Speed read Numbers, Chapters 20 to 27.
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