Lack of Faith-the Book of Numbers

Bible Text: Book of Numbers

Objectives: The learner will be able to (1) tell about the importance of faith whenever God issues a challenge. (2) tell that murmuring is a sin against God (Numbers 12, I Corinthians 10:10). (3) tell about the need to follow God's leaders (Korah's rebellion, Numbers 16; Hebrews 13:17). (4) tell that any believer can fall if he allows himself to become overtaken with pride (Numbers 20; I Corinthians 10:12).

Map Study: Locate the wilderness of Zin, northeast part of the Sinai peninsula.

Time line: 1444-1405 B.C., thirty-nine years.

Pre-discussion.Only the first four chapters of Numbers deal heavily with the enumeration of all of the people of Israel. Much of the rest of the book deals more with the lack of faith that Israel had, and with God's frustration with the situation.

Israel's lack of faith in God's power to save is characterized as the relationship of a husband to a faithless wife in many places in the Old Testament. In the New Testament, the relationship is described in Ephesians 5, beginning in verse 22.

Dating and courtship are times of data gathering. The data-gathering is shrouded in romance and mysticism, of course, but the dating time in one's young life is a time of gathering data about another's eating habits, how he or she reacts under pressure, how honest one is, what one's foibles are, and what the other person considers to be the well-lived life. Every date yields more information. At some point, the people involved make a comparison and, if all standards and expectations are met, marriage results.

After the wedding, the comparisons are supposed to stop. This is a lesson that Israel evidently never learned. Throughout the book of Numbers, Israel continues to compare and ponder the "virtues" of living again in Egypt when they in fact should have left that drudgery behind and never looked back. It's like the wife who says the marriage vows but never stops looking at other men. After awhile, this gets really old.

It got old enough to God for him to swear in His wrath that none of them age 20 and older would enter the promised land. "How many times will they tempt me?" is His frustrated question. If there is any place in the scripture where man might be led to feel sorry for God, the book of Numbers may be it.

However, lest we be too hard on Israel, we should be aware that in this Christian age, we do the same when we sin.

The Bible Story:

I. The organization of Israel (1;1 - 4: 49)

II. The Sanctification of Israel (5:1- 10:10)

III. The Failure of Israel En Route to Kadesh (10: 11-12:16)

IV. The Climactic Failure of Israel at Kadesh (13: 1 -14: 45)

Compare to Hebrews 3: 7-19

V. The Failure of Israel in the Wilderness. 15: 1- 19: 22

VI. The Failure of Israel En Route to Moab (20: 1 - 25: 18)

VII. The Re-Organization of Israel (26: 1- 27: 23

VIII. The Regulations of Offerings and Vows (28: 1 - 30: 16)

IX. Conquest and Division of Israel

(31: 1 - 36: 13)

Applications:

I. Do we ever show a lack of faith in God's ability to provide?

1. Spiritual sustenance?

2. Daily food?

3. Shelter?

4. Clothing?

5. Happiness?

6. Marital happiness?

II. What should we do when we have such doubts?

Evaluative/reflective activity: Turn to your neighbor and (1) tell about the importance of faith whenever God issues a challenge. (2) tell that murmuring is a sin against God (Numbers 12, I Corinthians 10:10). (3) tell about the need to follow God's leaders (Korah's rebellion, Numbers 16; Hebrews 13:17). (4) tell that any believer can fall if he allows himself to become overtaken with pride (Numbers 20; I Corinthians 10:12).

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