Numbers

This book was written in 1445-1440 B.C. with the purpose of teaching that actions have consequences that even the forgiven cannot escape. The theme is God’s guiding presence for the journey from Sinai across the Jordan River. The title of this book “numbers” is referring to the two times in which Moses took a census of the people. The book itself is really about the period of time between the two censuses. After the Hebrews were released from slavery in Egypt they went directly to the promised land, it took them about 24 months or 2 years and just as they were about to enter they became fearful and literally freaked out. The consequence for their lack of faith was that they put the camels in reverse and travelled the wilderness for almost 40 hot, long, dry years. This book tells about what we bring on ourselves when we refuse to believe in Gods promise. It is about the weak parts of us that don’t believe when God has been faithful. It is about us wanting all of Gods glory but not wanting to have to work for it. Mostly, this book teaches us to learn from the Hebrew mistakes so that we can hopefully avoid making the same ones and therefore avoid walking through our own personal dessert for years and years when we could have been in Gods Promised Land much sooner through the power of faith.