"We see, in many a land, the proudest dynasties and tyrannies still crushing, with their mountain weight, every free motion of the Consciences and hearts of men. We see, on the other hand, the truest heroism for the right and the greatest devotion to the Truth in hearts that God has touched. We have a work to do, as great as our forefathers and, perhaps, far greater. The enemies of Truth are more numerous and subtle than ever and the needs of the Church are greater than at any preceding time. If we are not debtors to the present, then men were never debtors to their age and their time. Brethren, we are debtors to the hour in which we live. Oh, that we might stamp it with Truth and that God might help us to impress upon its wings some proof that it has not flown by neglected and unheeded." -- C.H. Spurgeon . . . "If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." John 8:31, 32 . . . . .

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Monday, October 17, 2022

NUMBERS – From SINAI To The PROMISED LAND: Chapters 33

Contributing commentaries by pastors Sonny Islas, Albert Lopez, and James Fire

NUMBERS 33: “NOTE TO SELF” by Albert Lopez, check out the complete audio teaching here!

INTRODUCTION: Do you own a Planner, Journal, or a Diary? Do you use them regularly? We often need reminders for important appointments and dates; reminders to get certain tasks going and completed. We need to send notes to self on our duties GOD has granted to us, His children, His laborers, His soldiers and ambassadors.

“CAME OUT OF THE LAND OF EGYPT”:

NUMBERS 33:1
1 These are the journeys of the children of Israel, who went out of the land of Egypt by their armies under the hand of Moses and Aaron
.

God has taken us out of this world and brought us into his Kingdom

For He rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”
COLOSSIANS 1:13-14
13 He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, 14 in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.
The question is are you willing to let go of the world and its false security and false promises? Are you willing to be under the domain of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords

Our starting place for this journey before being disciples of Christ was in the domain of darkness, we were once children of disobedience (EPH 2:2; 5:6; COL 3:6) but thanks be to our Lord who took us out of it!

The Queen of England passed away and there is now her son Charles as the King of England, sitting on the throne here on earth

But as Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world” (JOHN 18:36) and there is right now, a King who sits on the throne of heaven, and his kingdom and reign will come to earth and have no end; even if most of this lost and dying world rejects that reality!

Under the leadership: God raises up kings and sets down kings in the same way he raised up Moses and Aaron to be instruments in rescuing his people from bondage and bring them into freedom in the place of milk and honey- Canaan

NUMBERS 33:2
Now Moses wrote down the starting points of their journeys at the command of the LORD. And these are their journeys according to their starting points:


Recorded by Moses most likely for the purpose of looking back and reviewing for the latter generation of the people of Israel as a reminder, a mental note! We do this all the time when we write reminders for ourselves on sticky notes Although now and days our sticky notes are on our phones

We don’t want to miss an appointment, or we don’t want to forget something important

How much more important is what God has done for you and if you look back at your starting place when you were taken out of Egypt (this sinful world system).
1. Can you look back with a sense of awe towards God and his faithfulness?

PSALM 33:8
Let all the earth fear the LORD; Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him.


2. Is this motivating you to keep going?

1 THESSALONIANS 4:1
Finally then, brethren, we urge and exhort in the Lord Jesus that you should abound more and more, just as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God;


3. If not, may I suggest that you ask the Lord to bring to remembrance your starting place as a born again believer!

HEBREWS 10:32
But recall the former days in which, after you were illuminated, you endured a great struggle with sufferings:

1 PETER 1:23
having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever,
If you can’t do any of these things, may I encourage you to ask the Lord to free you and take you out of Egypt and right now, this can be your starting place!

Pharaoh started out boldly: defiantly, with a high hand, oppressing and resisting GOD’s people, and challenged the LORD, denouncing Him!

But God’s people, as it says, left Egypt under God’s protection!

You think the President’s body guards are keeping him secure and enabling him to walk boldly? God’s powerful right hand, the same hand that took them out of the house of bondage, was with them and that same hand is with you, His church.

He is still with you, and you are under His protection even if you are suffering and going through difficult times!

NUMBERS 33:3-4
3 They departed from Rameses in the first month, on the fifteenth day of the first month; on the day after the Passover the children of Israel went out with boldness in the sight of all the Egyptians. 4 For the Egyptians were burying all their firstborn, whom the LORD had killed among them. Also on their gods the LORD had executed judgments. While the children of Israel are taken out of Egypt, Egypt’s first borns are taken from them.


God brought down judgment on Egypt and he will one day bring down judgment on this unbelieving modern day Egypt

There is nothing false that will remain standing! As God brought judgment on their gods so to he will bring judgment on this false world system

NUMBERS 33:5-8
5 Then the children of Israel moved from Rameses and camped at Succoth. 6 They departed from Succoth and camped at Etham, which is on the edge of the wilderness. 7 They moved from Etham and turned back to Pi Hahiroth, which is east of Baal Zephon; and they camped near Migdol. 8 They departed from before Hahiroth and passed through the midst of the sea into the wilderness, went three days' journey in the Wilderness of Etham, and camped at Marah.


Verse 8: “…they passed through the midst of the sea.”

“Then Moses led Israel from the Red Sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur; and they went three days in the wilderness and found no water. When they came to Marah, they could not drink the waters of Marah, for they were bitter; therefore it was named Marah.”
EXODUS 15:22-23
22 So Moses brought Israel from the Red Sea; then they went out into the Wilderness of Shur. And they went three days in the wilderness and found no water. 23 Now when they came to Marah, they could not drink the waters of Marah, for they were bitter. Therefore the name of it was called Marah.
Verse 8: Camped at Marah – which means “bitter”.

They could not drink the waters of Marah. This didn’t take God by surprise, but God was ready, willing and able to meet their needs!

There He made for them a statute and regulation, and there He tested them.”
EXODUS 15:25
25 So he cried out to the LORD, and the LORD showed him a tree. When he cast it into the waters, the waters were made sweet. There He made a statute and an ordinance for them. And there He tested them,
How do we know God was testing them? God through Moses says this”

“And He said, “If you will give earnest heed to the voice of the Lord your God, and do what is right in His sight, and give ear to His commandments, and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have put on the Egyptians; for I, the Lord, am your healer.””
EXODUS 15:26
…and said, "If you diligently heed the voice of the LORD your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have brought on the Egyptians. For I am the LORD who heals you."
So after Moses says to the people, Listen to God and obey Him. Moses tells the people what God will be to them: their healer. What God did for them, make provisions according to His will and purpose.

Jesus was transfigured and the disciples heard the voice of God the Father saying, This is my beloved son, listen to him! (MATT 17:5)

Church, He tells us the same thing: This is my beloved Son, listen to Him, trust Him, follow Him, live for Him and if need be, die for Him!

He will provide and bring healing to you spiritually and if it’s his will even physically!

NUMBERS 33:9
They moved from Marah and came to Elim. At Elim were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees; so they camped there. Came to Elim and camped there:


First, God had then in a desolate place where they would be in need of water, however the water was undrinkable; He led them there in order to test them

Then God took them to a place of abundance in Elim to show His people that He is their healer and just as He healed their thirsty mouths He would provide if they trust and heed or listen to His voice

God may have you in a place like Marah where it seems He is not providing for your needs. Be encouraged that He may be testing you and He will turn the bitter experience into something good and sweet for your good and his glory!

NUMBERS 33:10-13
10 They moved from Elim and camped by the Red Sea. 11 They moved from the Red Sea and camped in the Wilderness of Sin. 12 They journeyed from the Wilderness of Sin and camped at Dophkah. 13 They departed from Dophkah and camped at Alush.


Verse 11: “They camped in the wilderness of Sin…”

This place, and what happened in this place, is significant enough for the children of Israel to record Why, you ask? This is where the Lord will rain down manna from heaven as it is told in EXODUS 16.

EXODUS 16:14-15
“When the layer of dew evaporated, behold, on the surface of the wilderness there was a fine flake-like thing, fine as the frost on the ground. When the sons of Israel saw it, they said to one another, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was. And Moses said to them, “It is the bread which the Lord has given you to eat.”


Our Manna is our Lord Jesus!

Jesus gives the Jews a history lesson in JOHN 6 and reminds them that He is the real manna from heaven:
JOHN 6:48-50
“I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. This is the bread which comes down out of heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die.”
Just like the children of Israel were fed in their journey, so to are you fed with the Jesus through the living Word!

That is why we say we will eat manna; so please no outside food

NUMBERS 33:14-15
14 They moved from Alush and camped at Rephidim, where there was no water for the people to drink. 15 They departed from Rephidim and camped in the Wilderness of Sinai.


Rephidim…it was there that the people had no water to drink; this again caused the people to complain and accuse Moses of taking them out of Egypt to kill them of thirst. Despite this the Lord responded graciously
EXODUS 17:6
“Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock at Horeb; and you shall strike the rock, and water will come out of it, that the people may drink.” And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel.”
Verse 15: “From Rephidim and camped in the wilderness of Sinai”

This part of the journey would be something Moses would have highlighted if he was able to and really make it stand out! Why you ask?

Listen to these powerful words from your God that will help you when you doubt who you are and doubt what your purpose is:

EXODUS 19:5-6
5 'Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. 6 'And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.' These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel."


This echoes what Peter writes in 1 Peter, reminding the Church :
1 PETER 2:9-10
“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.”
NUMBERS 33:16-39
16 They moved from the Wilderness of Sinai and camped at Kibroth Hattaavah. 17 They departed from Kibroth Hattaavah and camped at Hazeroth. 18 They departed from Hazeroth and camped at Rithmah. 19 They departed from Rithmah and camped at Rimmon Perez. 20 They departed from Rimmon Perez and camped at Libnah. 21 They moved from Libnah and camped at Rissah. 22 They journeyed from Rissah and camped at Kehelathah. 23 They went from Kehelathah and camped at Mount Shepher. 24 They moved from Mount Shepher and camped at Haradah. 25 They moved from Haradah and camped at Makheloth. 26 They moved from Makheloth and camped at Tahath. 27 They departed from Tahath and camped at Terah. 28 They moved from Terah and camped at Mithkah. 29 They went from Mithkah and camped at Hashmonah. 30 They departed from Hashmonah and camped at Moseroth. 31 They departed from Moseroth and camped at Bene Jaakan. 32 They moved from Bene Jaakan and camped at Hor Hagidgad. 33 They went from Hor Hagidgad and camped at Jotbathah. 34 They moved from Jotbathah and camped at Abronah. 35 They departed from Abronah and camped at Ezion Geber. 36 They moved from Ezion Geber and camped in the Wilderness of Zin, which is Kadesh. 37 They moved from Kadesh and camped at Mount Hor, on the boundary of the land of Edom. 38 Then Aaron the priest went up to Mount Hor at the command of the LORD, and died there in the fortieth year after the children of Israel had come out of the land of Egypt, on the first day of the fifth month. 39 Aaron was one hundred and twenty-three years old when he died on Mount Hor.


Verse 38-39
Then Aaron at the edge of the land of Edom went up at the command of the Lord and died there on Mount Hor

This was another journey to put in bold letters or underline as this would be were one of the 2 in leadership we read about in verse 1 would finish his journey; Aaron the high Priest would die and Eleazer his son would take his place: Something of the changing of the guards

Verse 40:
The king of Arad (Canaanite) heard of the coming of the sons of Israel

This again is another written record of their journey worth looking back at. Here they remember the highs and lows as recorded in Numbers 21: how some were captured but then they cried out to the Lord to have their enemies delivered into their hands and the Lord again responded graciously doing just that.

However shortly after, their complaining especially the part about hating or detesting the manna went up to the Lord’s ears and struck them with fiery serpents killing many. At the end God saved them by having them look to a bronze serpent and they lived!

We are no different when you think about it; the Lord gives us victory and shortly after we are complaining about how the Lord has forsaken us and doesn’t care about our lives! He does care about our lives church but his purpose is for us to look to Jesus high and lifted up and live for him and not only for our physical needs!

NUMBERS 33:41-49
41 So they departed from Mount Hor and camped at Zalmonah. 42 They departed from Zalmonah and camped at Punon. 43 They departed from Punon and camped at Oboth. 44 They departed from Oboth and camped at Ije Abarim, at the border of Moab. 45 They departed from Ijim and camped at Dibon Gad. 46 They moved from Dibon Gad and camped at Almon Diblathaim. 47 They moved from Almon Diblathaim and camped in the mountains of Abarim, before Nebo. 48 They departed from the mountains of Abarim and camped in the plains of Moab by the Jordan, across from Jericho. 49 They camped by the Jordan, from Beth Jesimoth as far as the Abel Acacia Grove in the plains of Moab.


Speaking of thinking of only your physical needs

Verse 49: They camped by the Jordan as far as Abel-shittim in the plains of Moab

Here they would remember how the people played the harlot or prostituted themselves with the woman of Moab and with their false gods. This idolatrous action would be addressed further later in this chapter

NUMBERS 33:50-56
50 Now the LORD spoke to Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan, across from Jericho, saying, 51 "Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: 'When you have crossed the Jordan into the land of Canaan, 52 'then you shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you, destroy all their engraved stones, destroy all their molded images, and demolish all their high places; 53 'you shall dispossess the inhabitants of the land and dwell in it, for I have given you the land to possess. 54 'And you shall divide the land by lot as an inheritance among your families; to the larger you shall give a larger inheritance, and to the smaller you shall give a smaller inheritance; there everyone's inheritance shall be whatever falls to him by lot. You shall inherit according to the tribes of your fathers. 55 'But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then it shall be that those whom you let remain shall be irritants in your eyes and thorns in your sides, and they shall harass you in the land where you dwell. 56 'Moreover it shall be that I will do to you as I thought to do to them.'"


INSTRUCTIONS FOR CONQUEST OF CANAAN

Verse 51: When you cross over from the desert to the promise land:

Here is what I command you to do, and along with these instructions came a very serious warning!

Verse 52-53 First the instructions:

Drive out the people, destroy their idols both stone and metal ones. Destroy their places of worship to their false gods. Divide the land according to needs depending on the size of families

Then the warning:

If you don’t drive out the people; it will be bad and painful for you; how painful? Splinters in your eyes, and thorns in your sides kind of painful! “Not only that but if you don’t do what I command, I will drive you out of the land for a time!”

We know that came to pass as the Jews were enslaved once again later on. The people of God were being taken into the promise land, but they needed to be prepared to go into this land.

The church is promised to be taken by the bridegroom because she is his bride but let us not forget that we need to be prepared to go to this place as we are being sanctified and one day we will be glorified!

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