The Gospel in Numbers

The Christian life is a wilderness journey of unpredictable transition and testing on the way to our final destination. Numbers narrates the arduous wilderness journey of Israel, fraught with trials and failures every step of the way, on the way to the Promised Land. The "wilderness life" only requires that the people of God exercise faith by trusting daily in his guidance and provision.

The wilderness journey testifies to God's faithfulness in the following ways:

1. God's saving grace in delivering them out of slavery in Egypt.
2. God fulfilling his gracious promises he swore to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (Gen 12:1, 7; 26:2-4; 35:12).
3. That God provided for them and sustained them for forty years reveals that God is indeed their Shepherd (Ps 23:1).
4. To be among them in the wilderness meant, above all, to have the Lord dwelling in their midst with his tabernacle pitched at the heart of the Israelite encampment to atone for their sins and to guide them into the land flowing with milk and honey.

The life of the church is also "in the wilderness." The Christian is one who has been delivered out of the bondage of sin an brought through the waters of baptism into the pilgrim life of the church, journeying to the promised new heavens and earth. Hebrews warns the church that many in the wilderness never entered into God's rest due to the disobedience of unbelief (Heb 3:7-4:13). Paul similarly explains that the wilderness generation serves as an example for us: the Israelites were baptized in the sea, had eaten spiritual food and how, remarkably, the spiritual Rock from which they drank was Christ himself (1 Cor 10:1-11). Then those who did not enter the Promised Land failed because they neglected God's gracious provision for the wilderness journey--namely Christ. Thus, while plagued by the deceptions and enticements of the world, Christians should avail ourselves of the "means of grace" God has provided for sustaining us throughout this journey.

God has determined to bless his people and not curse them (Num 22:12; 23:20). In the wilderness, the dysfunction and sinfulness of God's people was expressed repeatedly as murmuring or grumbling against the Lord. While many were judged for their rebellion, God is the God of long suffering patience and love. Jesus--by his righteous obedience in the wilderness (Mt 4:1-11), and by his atoning death on the cross for our sins--likewise assures God's people that they will enter the eternal splendors of the new creation. Balaam's inspired acknowledgment expresses well God's love for his people: "How beautiful are your tents, Jacob, your dwelling places, Israel!" (Num 24:5)

1. The Gospel in Genesis.
2. The Gospel in Exodus.
3. The Gospel in Leviticus.
   

ESV Gospel Transformation Bible.