Don’t Forget The Spiritual Dimension.

Numbers 33:1-34:29Much of what we have here is geographical. There is also, however, a spiritual dimension. God is leading His people to their new land, the land He had promised to them. In all the names of the places, we must see the hand of God directing His people according to His perfect plan. In …

Listen to what God is saying. Do what He has said.

Numbers 1:1-4:49God spoke, Israel obeyed (Numbers 1:1,54). This is the constant pattern of the life of faith - hearing and obeying the Word of God. The names of God's people differ from place to place. The pattern of their life remains the same. This pattern is also emphasized in Numbers 2, which begins with God …

Live In The Will Of God – Within The Boundaries Set By His Word.

Numbers 33:50-34:29‘Drive out all the inhabitants of the land’(52): We must drive out the enemy (Satan) if we are to enter more fully into our salvation in Jesus Christ (Ephesians 5:3-14). Idolatry is to be banished (52). It has no place among God’s people. God wants us to ‘possess the land’(53) - a fuller enjoyment …

Sin Can Lead To A Withdrawal Of God’s Blessing.

Numbers  5:1-6:27We must take sin seriously. It can lead to a withdrawal of God's blessing. This is the important and challenging message of Numbers 5. We must not lose sight of God's purpose for our lives. We are to be "dedicated to the Lord" (Numbers 6:6). It is God's intention to bless. In His love …

Words of unbelief – and words of faith …

"Isn’t it enough that you (Moses) have brought us up out of a land flowing with milk and honey to kill us in the wilderness?" (Numbers 16:13). These are words of unbelief. The people couldn't see past Moses - and that's why they couldn't see past the wilderness. When we can't see past the preacher, we'll …

We Find Happiness When We Aim At Holiness.

Numbers 32:1-42Some look for an easy life. They know that there will be conflict on the other side of the Jordan. They opt out - ‘do not take us across the Jordan’(5). They think they’ve travelled far enough. God says, ‘Let us go on to maturity’(Hebrews 6:1). ‘My happiness’- This is what concerns the self-centred …

The whole of life is to be arranged according to God’s perfect plan.

Numbers 35:1-36:13 The whole of life is to be arranged according to God's perfect plan. This principle underlies all the detailed instructions given here. We see it, first, in Numbers 35:1 - "The Lord spoke to Moses ... " It is repeated in Numbers 35:9 - "The Lord said to Moses ... " It is …

How can we enjoy our Saviour more fully?

Numbers 35:1-36:13  -  Cities of refuge were provided for those who had killed someone accidentally. This is a good illustration of fleeing to Christ for refuge. He is our ‘strong tower.’ We ‘run’ to Him and we are ‘safe’ (Hebrews 6:18; Proverbs 18:10). God gave Israel a ‘land’. They were not to ‘defile the land’ …

Let Christ Enter Your Heart And Take Possession Of Your Life.

Numbers 21:1-35In verses 5-9, there is an illustration of God’s salvation (John 3:14-15). There is sin and death (Romans 5-6; 3:23, 6:23). Christ prays for our forgiveness (7; Luke 23:34). Lifted up on the Cross, He dies that we might have eternal life. In love, He appeals to us, ‘Look to me and be saved’(John …

‘Do Not Get Drunk With Wine, … Be Filled With The Spirit.’

Numbers 5:1-31 ‘The Lord said...’(1): Let us hear and obey His Word. God is holy: His people are not to be defiled (3). Sin is not merely moral. It is spiritual. It is not only a deviation from law. It is an offence against God - ‘breaking faith with the Lord’(6). God is holy: ‘Atonement’ …

We Are Saved To Serve.

Numbers 25:1-26:22Read of Israel’s adultery and idolatry and remember God’s Word of warning: ‘Don’t let the world squeeze you into its mould’(25:1-5; Romans 12:2). God is looking for people who have the ‘same zeal’ as He has (25:11). Those who are zealous for God may be few in number, but we must not be discouraged. …

Let Your Life Be Centred On The Word Of The Lord – Listen, Read, Study, Memorize, Meditate!

Numbers 1:1-54‘Every man able to go forth to war’: This is the key phrase in verses 1-46. God is looking for ‘soldiers’: Soldiers of Christ! To live for Christ is to be engaged in warfare. It is spiritual warfare. We need ‘the whole armour of God’(Ephesians 6:10-20). We must remember that ‘the weapons of our …

Before We Can Speak For God, He Must Speak To Us.

Numbers 23:1-30 Our words are to be an echo of God’s Word. We are to speak only what God says (8,12). Before we can speak for God, He must speak to us. ‘God’s Word is truth’(John 17:17). God does not lie. He does not change His mind. What He says, He does. He fulfils His …

How long will we be in this wilderness? …

Sometimes, we feel like we're in a wilderness - and we can't get out of it! The first half of the book of Exodus tells of the deliverance of the people of Israel from their time of bondage in the land of Egypt. Things were looking up! Surely, there were better days ahead for them. …

The Completeness Of Christ’s Work For Us – ‘For All Time A Single Sacrifice For Sins’

Numbers 19:1-22The sacrifice was to be ‘without defect’. There was to be ‘no blemish’(2). Here, we have a picture of the Lord Jesus Christ - ‘without sin’, He offered Himself ‘for the sins of the people’(Hebrews 4:15; 2:17). The gathering of ‘the ashes’(9-10) speaks of the completeness of Christ’s work for us - ‘for all …

Let us go on to maturity …

Numbers 32:1-42  -  Some look for an easy life. They know that there will be conflict on the other side of the Jordan. They opt out - ‘do not take us across the Jordan’ (5). They think they’ve travelled far enough. God says, ‘Let us go on to maturity’ (Hebrews 6:1). ‘My happiness’ - This …

Hearing and obeying the Word of God … (Learning From God’s Word: Numbers)

Numbers 1:1-4:49 God spoke, Israel obeyed (Numbers 1:1,54). This is the constant pattern of the life of faith - hearing and obeying the Word of God. The names of God's people differ from place to place. The pattern of their life remains the same. This pattern is also emphasized in Numbers 2, which begins with …

Pressing on to a greater enjoyment of God’s blessing … (Numbers 30-31)

Numbers 30:1-31:20  -  Vows (30:1-16): Be careful what you say - You may live to regret it (Ecclesiastes 5:2, 4-6; Matthew 12:36-37; James 3:6-11). Learn from Balaam. Full of good intentions about speaking God’s Word (22:18; 23:12), he hoped to ‘die the death of the righteous’ (23:10). He did not live up to his good …

Is there light at the end of the tunnel? … (Numbers 14-15)

Numbers 14:1-45  -  ‘All the congregation raised a loud cry...’, ‘all the people of Israel murmured...’, ‘all the congregation said to stone them...’ (1-2,10). Was there any ‘light at the end of the tunnel’? Yes! - ‘The Lord... will bring us into this land’ (8). With the promise, there was also the warning: ‘Do not …

Link to Rev James Philip’s notes on Numbers

Numbers

Past Redemption, Present Obedience, Future Hope

Numbers 15:1-41God’s work among His people was directed toward the future – “Once you’re settled in the land I’m giving you” – and it was grounded in the past – “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt to be your God” (Numbers 15:2,41). Our present obedience draws strength from our …

In the wilderness – living for you, Lord, is not easy … (Praying Through God’s Word: Numbers).

Numbers 1:1-54 Living for You, Lord, is not easy. We face determined opposition from Satan. He keeps coming back at us, again and again. We thank You, Lord, that we do not stand against him in our own strength. We stand in Your strength, in the victory of our risen Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, …

The Lord Blesses Those Who Serve Him Faithfully Each Day.

Numbers 17:1-18:32The call comes from God - to Aaron, to Christ (17:5; Hebrews 5:4-6). Christ is both the Offering for sin and the Great High Priest (Hebrews 5:7-10; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 7:25). We look at ourselves, and we say, ‘We perish, we are lost, we are dead’(17:12). We look to Christ, and everything changes …

Travelling towards the promised land

Numbers 9:1-10:36The Israelites were travelling towards the promised land. As they travelled, they were to celebrate the Passover (Numbers 9:1-14). In their journey, they were being led by the Lord (Numbers 9:15-23). In the course of their journey, they faced opposition from their enemies, the enemies of the Lord. In this situation, they looked to …

Let go and let God have His wonderful way …

“Take the staff, and you (Moses) and your brother Aaron, gather the assembly together. Speak to that rock before their eyes and it will pour out its water. You will bring water out of the rock for the community so they and their livestock can drink” (Numbers 20:8). Speak to the rock – this is what the Lord told Moses to do. What did Moses do? – he “struck the rock twice with …

In The Wilderness …

"In the wilderness (or the wild country)" (Numbers 1:1)."Stage by stage" (Numbers 33:2) - Moses kept a record of Israel's journey."In the wilderness", "stage by stage" - When we read these two phrases, and think about our own journey through life, we are invited to think about where we've been, where we are, and where …

When we feel like we’ll never get out of this wilderness …

The people of Israel had been brought out of Egypt, the land of bondage - but, after that, things seemed to do from bad to worse. there were forty years of wilderness wanderings. We read, in the book of Numbers, of Israel's time in the wilderness. Reading about life in the wilderness is not encouraging. …

Blessed In The Past – What About The Future?

Numbers 20:1-29  Neither Moses nor Aaron were to enter the land, promised by God to His people (Numbers 20:12,24). This is a reminder to us that we dare not presume on God’s continued blessing. The fact that He has blessed us in the past does not mean that He will always bless us. We can …

The Lord Speaks. We Do What He Says.

“All that the Lord speaks, I must do” (Numbers 23:26). There needs to be obedience to God’s Word. This is not only speaking God’s Word. It’s doing what God’s Word says.

Hearing and obeying the Word of God

Numbers 1 - 14 Numbers 1:1-4:49 God spoke, Israel obeyed (Numbers 1:1,54). This is the constant pattern of the life of faith - hearing and obeying the Word of God. The names of God's people differ from place to place. The pattern of their life remains the same. This pattern is also emphasized in Numbers …

Ready To Do The Lord’s Work

Numbers 7:1-8:26  From each tribe, the gifts came. The Levites had a special ministry. For this ministry, they needed to be made “clean” (Numbers 8:5). Through cleansing, they were made “ready to do the Lord’s work” (Numbers 8:11). In a very special sense, God said of them, “the Levites will be Mine” (Numbers 8:14). Between …

God leads us in His way of truth.

"God is not human, that He should lie, not a human being, that He should change His mind. Does He speak and then not act? Does He promise and not fulfill?" (Numbers 23:19). God is faithful. He speaks His Word. He does not break His Word. He keeps His Word. He does not lead us …

Victory in the wilderness

The book of Numbers tells us the story of Israel's journey through the wilderness. What can we learn from their journey?  The people of Israel had been delivered from their bondage in Egypt. They were going to be brought to the Promised Land. For a long while, they were in the wilderness. For forty years, …

Stop Speaking Against God – And Start Listening To Him.

“We have spoken against the Lord” (Numbers 21:7).Before we can hear the Lord speaking to us, we must stop speaking against Him. How can we hear what the Lord is saying to us if we keep on speaking against Him? If we are to speak for God, we must begin with listening to Him.

We Will Do As The Lord Has Said.

Numbers 30:1-32:42 In the various areas of life – -personal faithfulness (chapter 30), our relationship with the world (chapter 31), our relationship with the Lord’s people (chapter 32), there is one thing which is of the utmost importance: “we will do as the Lord has said” (Numbers 32:31). This is the most important thing: obedience …

Jesus Christ is "the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world" (John 1:29).

Numbers 19:1-22When we read about being made clean, we must look beyond what we read in the Old Testament. From the sprinkling of the blood of "a red cow that is perfect, with no defects", we must look on to the New Testament, where we read of "the blood of Jesus Christ which cleanses us …

The Battle May Be ‘Fierce.’ The ‘Victory Is Secure’ (Numbers 31:21-54).

Numbers 31:21-54 If we are to be ‘soldiers of Christ’, we need to be ‘purified’, made ‘clean’. There is purification by ‘fire’ and ‘water’. Purification may be painful, but we have the promise of God’s protective presence. He says, ‘I will be with you’. He assures us, ‘the waters... shall not overwhelm you... and the …

Learning From The Past

Numbers 22:1-41 Learn from the past. In 2 Peter 2:15-16, Jude 11 and Revelation 2:14, we are encouraged to learn from the events of this chapter. Each passage contains a warning. (a) 2 Peter 2:15-16 - Don’t leave ‘the straight way’ and follow the crooked way! (b) Jude 11 - Don’t let making a profit …

Sin Needs To Be Removed If We Are To Press On To A Greater Enjoyment Of God’s Blessing (Numbers 30:1-31:20)..

Numbers 30:1-31:20 Vows (30:1-16): Be careful what you say - You may live to regret it (Ecclesiastes 5:2, 4-6; Matthew 12:36-37; James 3:6-11). Learn from Balaam. Full of good intentions about speaking God’s Word (22:18; 23:12), he hoped to ‘die the death of the righteous’(23:10). He did not live up to his good intentions. He …

Thank God for encouragers!

Miriam and Aaron complained (Numbers 12:1-2). Caleb and Joshua encouraged (Numbers 13:30; 14:6-9). Thank God for encouragers!

The Lord Bless You And Keep You …

Numbers 6:22-27 There’s nothing better than God’s blessing. It’s nice to have friends. People like you. It feels good. God’s blessing – That’s so much better. Friends come and go. God’s blessing remains. You can be surrounded by friends – and still feel very lonely. Sometimes, they’re great friends. Sometimes, they disappoint us. When you’re …

When He comes, our glorious King … Hallelujah! What A Saviour!

Numbers 15:1-41 We read of offerings for ‘atonement’(25,28). We think of Christ: He went ‘outside the camp’ for us (35-36; Hebrews 13:12) - to bring us forgiveness (25,28). We are to ‘be holy to our God’, the God of our redemption (40-41). Obedience to God is of the utmost importance: We need to be reminded …

Words, Spoken By God, For Our Blessing

Numbers 6:22-27  These are more than words spoken about God. They are words spoken by God. They are spoken to Moses before they are spoken by him. They are not spoken in the name of Moses. The are spoken in the Name of the Lord. He is the One who speaks His Word to us. …

We Need The Power Of The Holy Spirit.

“The Spirit of God came upon him” (Numbers 24:2). There needs to be empowering by the Spirit of God. Without His power, our words will never speak to people as the Word of the living God. With His power, everything changes. It is His power that carries home His Word to the hearts of our …

“Be sure your sin will find you out” (Numbers 32:23).

Achan’s sin affected the whole people of Israel: ‘the anger of the Lord burned against the people of Israel’ (Joshua 7:1). Sin is like infection - it spreads! What kind of effect do your actions have on other people? Cain asked, ‘Am I my brother’s keeper (Genesis 4:9). His question was an expression of callous …

The Message of Numbers

Numbers is the fourth book of (i) the Pentateuch; (ii) the Old Testament; and (iii) the Bible.(i) Numbers is the fourth book of the Pentateuch. It follows on from Genesis, Exodus and Leviticus. It is followed by Deuteronomy. The word, ‘Pentateuch’, is a Greek word. It means ‘five books’. In the Pentateuch, there are five …

Walking around in the desert …

Numbers Walking around in the desert,It seems such a waste of time,Or, was there something more than that?Is there a way out of the wasteland?Yes! There is the promised land.The Lord is with us in the desert.He will not leave us there.

Some Simple Thoughts From The Scriptures

Genesis When I was writing these words, I was thinking of some of the stories in the book of Genesis (the book of beginnings). I was thinking about Adam, Abraham and Joseph - and I was thinking about Jesus!___________________________________________ It was the genesis of my life.Things were looking so good.Then, it all went badly wrong.What …

God Speaks To Us. We Speak For Him.

“Speak only the Word that I tell you” (Numbers 22:35).If we are to bring the Word of God to others, we must pray that He will speak to us. We must pray that He will give to us His Word – “the Lord put a word in Balaam’s mouth” (Numbers 23:5). At the heart of …

If there is to be real blessing among God’s people …

Numbers 21:1-35 The Israelites are journeying with the Lord. He is leading them from victory to victory. Salvation for Israel, salvation from the God of Israel, the true and living God, meant "destruction" (Numbers 21:3) for those who opposed God and His people - "How horrible it is for you, Moab! You are destroyed, you …

God hasn’t stopped speaking to us through His Word – but have we stopped listening to Him?

Some people say, “Surely, you don’t believe the Bible.” They say that the Bible belongs to the past. It’s not for us today. This kind of talk takes us right back to the Garden of Eden – “Did God really say?” (Genesis 3:1).  The Bible says that “all Scripture is given by inspiration of God?” …

Weak in ourselves, strong in the Lord – this is meekness, and it is blessed by the Lord.

"The meek shall increase their joy in the Lord" (Isaiah 29:19).  "Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth" (Numbers 12:3). "Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth" (Matthew 5:5). The work "meek" rhymes with the word, "weak" - but the two words are …

Before we can hear the Lord speaking to us, we must stop speaking against Him …

"We have spoken against the Lord" (Numbers 21:7).Before we can hear the Lord speaking to us, we must stop speaking against Him. How can we hear what the Lord is saying to us if we keep on speaking against Him? If we are to speak for God, we must begin with listening to Him."Speak only …

The Lord bless you and keep you …

"He placed a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see this and worship. They will trust the Lord. 4 Blessed is the person who places his confidence in the Lord ... " (Psalm 40:3-4). Our worship brings joy to the heart of the Lord - and it, also, brings blessing …

From Victory To Victory

Numbers 21:1-35 The Israelites are journeying with the Lord. He is leading them from victory to victory. Salvation for Israel, salvation from the God of Israel, the true and living God, meant “destruction” (Numbers 21:3) for those who opposed God and His people – “How horrible it is for you, Moab! You are destroyed, you …

Exactly What The Lord Commanded

Numbers 17:1-18:32 Moses, the priests, the people – All of them were to honour the Lord in everything. (i) “Moses did exactly what the Lord commanded him to do” (Numbers 17:11). (ii) The priests were “a gift, given by the Lord, to do whatever work is necessary at the tent of meeting” (Numbers 18:6). (iii) …

Beyond our suffering …

Times of suffering change the way we look at life. What kind of change does suffering bring to us? Does it make us bitter? or Does it make us better? When we're going through hard times, it is difficult to "always look on the bright side of life." What does suffering do to us? Does …

Listen To God. Learn From Him. Live For Him.

Numbers 1:1-4:49God spoke, Israel obeyed (Numbers 1:1,54). This is the constant pattern of the life of faith – hearing and obeying the Word of God. The names of God’s people differ from place to place. The pattern of their life remains the same. This pattern is also emphasized in Numbers 2, which begins with God …

Not An Easy Pathway

Numbers 12:1-13:33  In his leadership of God’s people, Moses faced problems. It was not an easy pathway towards the promised land. There was opposition from Miriam and Aaron (Numbers 12:1). There was an unbelieving report, brought back from the land of Canaan by most of the spies (Numbers 13:31). Alongside these problems, there was the …

In the wilderness …

Numbers 9:1-23 God's people were 'in the wilderness' (1) - No longer in the land of bondage, not yet in the land of promise. This is our situation - We look back to what the Lord has done for us. We look forward to what the Lord will yet do for us. The Passover directs …