Numbers: Desultory Musings and Notes. (1) Living in the Wilderness and (2) Sometimes, with
difficult choices, one must be different than parents, living by faith and
embracing Divine Promises when they don’t. In such a case, "live the faith and respect
them," despite parental unbelief, failures, and/or disorders. See the
Heidelberg Catechism on the 5th commandment for moral orientation. Now,
to the book itself.
1.
Mosaic authorship based upon internal testimony
from the Pentateuch (argued and defended elsewhere)
2.
Mosaic authorship based upon “clear witness” of
the Old and New Testaments ascribing these books to Moses (argued and defended elsewhere)
3.
Moses was engaged in “literary activity,” e.g.
Numbers 33.1-2 (inter alia):
These are the
journeys of the children of Israel, who went out of the land of Egypt by their
armies under the hand of Moses and Aaron. Now Moses wrote down
the starting points of their journeys at the command of the Lord. And
these are their journeys according to their starting points.
4.
Numbers was written late in the wilderness
wandering, but before Moses’ death
5.
Preps for journey, experiences in wilderness,
the failure of the first generation (= don’t be like your unfaithful parents),
preparations for conquest, and implicit warning to second generation—faith, fidelity
and perseverance
6.
God is the ever-faithful Covenant God,
comforting, keeping, saving, and delivering His people according to His
infallible and sure promises
7.
By contrast to God’s faithfulness, there is
substantial failure. Even Moses is not
permitted to enter Canaan. See 20.9-11;
27.12-14. Even the big guys—the celebs—the
bishops—including the Romanist popes—are sinners. Salvation is always by grace alone, by faith
alone, and by Christ alone.
8.
God’s sovereignty is always all-sufficient for
everything and every obstacle, danger and failure…including profound
generational failures. We live in such
times.
9.
Chaps 1-10: Journey through the desert. Chaps 10.11-22: Sinai to Moab. Chaps 22-25.18: Balaam, the Talking Ass, and
God’s Sovereign Promises. Chaps 26-36:
Preps to Enter the Land
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