Bound by Vows and Oaths

Vows and oaths are part of every community of people. In the marriage vow, husband and wife agree to observe specific behaviors. In a courtroom, the witnesses swear an oath that the words they speak are true. God told the children of Israel that they were bound by their vows and oaths. What does this commandment reveal about both God’s character and His people’s characters? What does Yeshua teach about vows and oaths? How important are vows and oaths?

Set a Man Over the Congregation

The children of Israel were camped in the plains of Moab right across the Jordan River from Jericho. They were ready to go into the land, but who would lead them. Miriam and Aaron had already died and God had told Moses that he would die soon. Moses was concerned for the people and who would be their next leader. Moses asked God to set a man over the congregation of Israel. What are the characteristics of this leader? We know this next leader will be Joshua, how did Joshua meet these characteristics? What was his mission? Where do we see Yeshua in Joshua, the man God set over the children of Israel?

 

The Spiritual Battlefield

After forty years of wandering, the children of Israel were finally at the borders of the Promised Land! They had carefully skirted around the land held by Edom, the descendants of Esau. They had fought and won battles against the Amorites. Now, poised on the edge of the territory of Moab, they turned their focus toward the Promised Land. However, danger was not to come from their enemies in the Promised Land, it was to come from an unexpected source behind them. Trouble was coming from the Moabites! It wasn’t a physical threat, though. This threat would turn out to be a spiritual threat. How did the children of Israel deal with this threat? What does this incident tell us about God’s protection from spiritual forces? How do we deal with spiritual threats?

The Water from the Rock

Ever since the second month after the Exodus from Egypt, God provided water for the children of Israel through a rock that followed them throughout their travels. Now, as their forty years in the wilderness is approaching an end, the rock suddenly stops giving water. The children of Israel arrive at the wilderness of Zin, Miriam dies, and there is no water. What happened? Why did God cut off the water supply just as they are getting ready to enter the land? What does this tell us about Yeshua?

You Shall Know that the LORD has Sent Me

After God told the children of Israel to turn away from the Promised Land after their refusal to go into the land, dissension rose up in the camp. Korah, a Levite and cousin of Moses and Aaron, accused Moses and Aaron of taking too much authority. As we shall see as we examine this passage, Korah’s motivation was his desire for power and position. He wanted to be both leader and high priest, the positions that Moses and Aaron held. The congregation was ready to follow Korah; after all wasn’t it time for a new leader? Moses and Aaron hadn’t led them into a land flowing with milk and honey as they had promised! But, God was about to demonstrate to the congregation just who belonged to Him and whom He had sent. Yeshua would face these same challenges; how were the people to know that God sent Him?

 

The Power of God

As the children of Israel approached the Promised Land they stopped and camped at Kadesh in the Wilderness of Paran. From there, they sent out twelve spies or explorers to discover what they could about the land and people living there. But ten of those sent out brought back a negative report of land and a frightful report about the inhabitants. There at the doorway to the Promised Land, they doubt the power of God to take them in. Yeshua sent out twelve disciples into the Promised Land. What does that tell us about their belief in the power of God? What does that tell us about our belief in the power of God? What happens when we doubt? What does it cost God to forgive us when we doubt?

 

Journey at the Command of God

When the children of Israel came out of Egypt, they arrived at Mt. Sinai and stayed there for nearly a year before continuing their journey to the Promised Land. The children of Israel began their journey from Mt. Sinai to the Promised Land when the cloud of the presence of God lifted off the tabernacle. When this happened, it was the signal to break camp and follow God. As we examine how the children of Israel knew when to camp and when to break camp, as well as where to go, we learn more about God’s guidance in our own lives.

The Sanctity of the Camp

As the second year after God delivered the children of Israel from Egypt began, the tabernacle was completed and God’s presence entered; He took up his residence in the middle of the camp of Israel! Because of God’s presence in the camp, the entire camp had to maintain a state of cleanliness. The tabernacle is long gone as is the temple that followed it. What does it mean today to maintain the cleanliness of the camp? Who is the camp?

 

Marching Orders

The Book of Numbers opens with a listing of the tribes of Israel, the number of men available as soldiers and where each tribe is located in the camp. The opening chapters of the book of Numbers makes for some dry reading. We wade through lists of names and families. Why did God include these disconnected names and endless numbers of people in the Bible? What does this reveal about God and His character? How does this point to Yeshua our Messiah?

 

The Land Shall Have Its Sabbaths

The weekly Sabbath was first observed by God on the seventh day of creation. He rested from all His work and set aside the seventh day as holy because of it. When the children of Israel entered the Promised Land God told them not only to observe the weekly Sabbath, but to observe a Sabbath for the land. Does the Sabbath of the Land, also, have its roots in the creation? What does the Sabbath of the Land tell us about God? What is its prophetic significance?