Book of Numbers
numbers.. what an interesting name for a biblical book..
isnt it more suited for lets say.. a maths study guide..
ok anyway the book Numbers came about due to the 2 census of the Isrealites taken
as usual i have no idea how we can gain from the numbers of ppl in different tribes which is explicitly stated in various chapters
Numbers 11:1-2
1 Now when the people complained, it displeased the LORD; for the LORD heard it, and His anger was aroused. So the fire of the LORD burned among them, and consumed some in the outskirts of the camp. 2 Then the people cried out to Moses, and when Moses prayed to the LORD, the fire was quenched
i wonder how difficult the people then was as it displeased the LORD so much that he caused fire to burn among them.. what made the LORD burn them.. i have to figure it out
further on in numbers.. the people continued to complain and time and time again it was Moses who interceded for them..
we can see how loving Moses was to the Lord's people
the people were stubborn and did not learn from their mistakes..
this is something we can learn from bible history..
to keep an open mind.. NEVER to reject our good Lord and learn from our past mistakes and not keep carrying our mistakes and sins
while i was reading through all the ceremonial laws.. i was thinking why would a loving God punish its people with cruelty..is it because their disobedience? or why were people being stoned..
i have yet to seek an answer but i believe many of my frens have the answer.. (:
interesting to note is Numbers 6:24-26 which is what we sing as congregational response in balestier church
24 " ' "The LORD bless you and keep you;
25 the LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you;
26 the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace." '
ok.. this aside.. i find it very interesting to note that the presence of the Lord is so obvious in the past(eg.manna from heaven, Lord's presence as a cloud in day and fire in night above the tabernacle)
and the people still sin and not repent..even after the Lord punished them with plagues and all..they took the forgiveness for granted and continued to do against God's will
in the context of the modern world.. even though God is not as "obvious" amongst us..in many of us who believe the existence of our Lord.. many of us still sin time after time and not repent with knowledge of our mistakes..
sometimes we really have to think about what would we do if the Saviour stood beside us..
would we think and act the way we act now?
guess we have to start using this as a way to live our lives..
thats pretty much what ive learned from Numbers (: