(2015 Spring) Numbers - Adventures in the Wilderness

Adventures in the Wilderness await the children of Israel as they camp toward Canaan.

Numbers Chapters 1 - 10 reveal last minute (month) preparations before they begin the march from Sinai to Kadesh.

Chapters 11 - 12 Finds the 603, 550 men of fighting age and their families marching toward Canaan.

Chapters 13 and 20 are the sight of a faithless rebellion and the attendant consequences.

After approximately 39 years of wandering around in circles until a faithless generation of men die, the people are back at Kadesh.

Chapters 20:14 - 22:1 Now a new generation marches from Kadesh to the Plains of Moab, east of Canaan.

Chapters 22:2 - 32:42 A second generation has assembled east of Jordan and dispossesses kings and conquers land areas. Balak, king of Moab, seeks the prophet Balaam to curse the children of Israel. Although unsuccessful with his pronouncements, Balaam does share with Balak the deceitful plan to tempt the Israelites into idolatry. After the plague is stopped a second census is taken. All but two of the men of fighting age that left Egypt have died in the wilderness. A new generation must be trained for war and then peace as they carry out God's orders (Gen. 15:6) against wicked inhabitants. God is about to fulfill His promise regarding a land given the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

The book concludes (33 - 36) with a review of the journey and matters of land inheritance.

Deuteronomy finds the children of Israel in the plains of Moab awaiting the orders to cross into the land of promise. Moses is 120 years old and gives final instructions to a new generation to love and obey God. Failure to do so would result in a similar destruction as that experienced by their fathers. Once again God offers a covenant and the people are called upon to accept the terms. These include the blessings of obedience and curses of disobedience (27 - 30).

The document can be divided into three major addresses:
First address: (1:1 - 4:43)
Second address: (4:44 - 28:68)
Third address: (29 - 33)
Moses' death (34)

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