Numbers Chapter 21 Discussion



 
  • GiGi on Numbers 21 - 9 months ago
    NUMBERS CHAPTER 21

    Cont...

    The people sang a song, "Spring up, O well, sing ye unto it. "So apparently, they sang to the well to open up the springs. Then they traveled to Mattanah, Nahaliel, Bamoth, in the valley, then to the top of Pigsah, which looked towards Jeshimon. These places are all on the east side of the Jordan valley and river. They were traveling north ward. From there the leaders of Israel sent messengers to the king of the Amorites, Sihon, to ask to pass through their land, going along the king's highway until they leave the border of the Amorites. But Sihon would not allow them to do so and went against them with his armies at Jahaz. Israel overcame the Amorites and took possession of the king's land from the Arnon to the Jabbok rivers. They dwelled in the Ammonite cities, including the king's city of Heshbon. c

    They continued to push out the peoples of the Amorites until they came to Bashan east of the sea of Galilee. Og, the king of Bashan, (was a giant-14 ft.) came against Israel at Edrei. The LORD told Moses not to fear because the people of King Og will be delivered to Israel just like the people of king Sihon. And so it happened and none of the people of Bashan were left alive. Israel took possession of this land.

    God continued to be faithful to Israel and His promises despite the rebellion and unbelief of the people. When they repented, He blessed them, giving them victory after victory of the people along the east side of the Jordan valley. They possessed this land. But the Edomites were still in possession of their land. God must have had a reason for Edom remaining in control of their land. Perhaps it was due to them being close kinsmen, being descended from Esau, Jacob's twin brother, a descendant of Abraham, though not the lineage of the chosen nation of God, but nonetheless, blessed by God on account of Abraham, just like Ishmael was blessed by God because of Abraham, though not the people of the promise as Isaac was.
  • GiGi on Numbers 21 - 9 months ago
    NUMBERS CHAPTER 21

    Continued...

    They asked Moses to pray to the LORD and have Him remove these serpents. They must have been very prevalent and not just a few here and there. I would say they were overrun by the serpents, just as sin overruns those who are careless towards God. Perhaps the serpents just dropped out of the sky, since elsewhere in Scripture they are described as flying fiery serpents, (dragons)

    Moses prayed and God instructed Moses to create a bonze serpent and place in on a pole. Those who followed his instructions to look upon the snake on the pole would be healed of their bite, but those who refused to look upon the snake would die from their bite. Interesting in that the serpents were sent upon them due to their sin. And the image on the pole was the object God used to punish them for their sin. They had to look upon the object that brought their punishment to be healed.

    Jesus said compared Himself to the serpent on the pole in this chapter and that any who look to Him and believe on Him will not perish, but have eternal life. ( John 3:14-15) He became sin on the cross, he took our sin upon Himself, and took the punishment for our sin from the Father, and nailed our sin to the cross, so that we could have eternal life in Him.

    After this episode with the serpents and God removing the serpents, the Israelites set out and camped in Oboth, then Ije-abarim, in the wilderness of Moab, east of Jordan. Then move on to the valley of Zared. From there they camped on the other side of the Arnon River, in the Amorite territory where it borders Moab. Verse 14-15 mentions a book of wars that tell of what the LORD did in these areas for the Israelites. This must have been a book scribed by another Israelite and was not preserved or discovered yet.

    From the brooks of the Arnon River (Ar) they went to Beer, were there was a well without water. God promises to bring forth water from the well after the princes and nobles dug up the well at God's direction.
  • GiGi on Numbers 21 - 9 months ago
    NUMBERS CHAPTER 21

    Since the king of Edom would allow the Israelites to passthrough their region to enter the promised land, the Israelites had to backtrack to the Red Sea at the Gulf of Aqaba and traverse around the region Edom controlled to then draw near to the Jordan River. It seems that Edom possessed the land south of the Dead Sea and somewhat westward from that since the Israelites were at the border of Edom at Kadesh/Mt. Hor. While at Mt. Hor where Aaron died, the king of Arad, which was north of them in Canaan,, heard that the Israelites were coming the way that the spies had come 40 years earlier. These Aradites occupied the southern portion of the promised land. They came against the Israelites, taking some prisoners. The Israelites vowed to the LORD that they would utterly destroy these Aradites if the LORD would deliver them into their hands. And so it happened that God gave them the Aradites and this people were utterly destroyed by the Israelites along with the destruction of their cities. The Israelites name the place Hormah meaning destruction or broken rock.

    From this area in the wilderness of Zin near Mt. Hor, the Israelites then set out by way of the Red sea, going around Edom to the East. This was a circuitous route and the Israelites soon became weary and began to grumble once again against Moses and the manna and wishing to have stayed in Egypt. All of their "go-to" complaints revived.

    So, again, the LORD brings judgment upon them by way of sending fiery serpents who bit them and many died. It is unclear if these were truly natural poisonous snakes that inhabited that area or if these were seraphs since the word seraph translates to fiery serpent. Either way, the serpents were real and the bites real, and the deadliness was real. Sin is deadly! Soon after this serious punishment, the Israelites came to Moses and confessed that they had sinned with their grumbling against the LORD and Moses.
  • Chris - In Reply on Numbers 21 - 1 year ago
    Deuteronomy 3:1,3,4,10,11,13.
  • Destiny - In Reply on Numbers 21 - 1 year ago
    Zechariah 1-14

    Joel 2 - 28

    Acts 2 -17
  • T. Levis - In Reply on Numbers 21 - 1 year ago
    Please see: Numbers 21:35,
  • Jim on Numbers 21 - 1 year ago
    When I search for 'Og' you don't find it. Yet it's in Numbers 21:33. Where else in the Bible is it listed?
  • Chris - In Reply on Numbers 21 - 1 year ago
    Onto Numbers chapter 23.

    We now see a 'converted' Balaam, one who goes to the Lord to receive His Word & then speaks it with boldness, even to a king who has the power to take his life in an instant. When once he thought he could make gain by getting God to change His Mind, Balaam now learned to heed every Word of God & to declare it without fear or shame.

    The lesson: For us as well, when we know God's Word & what His Spirit directs us to do, we must not fail to heed it and do it. God will be pleased, we will be blessed, and those who stand in opposition against us will one day know the word brought to them is of the Lord & He will indeed bring it to pass. And they need to heed it & not be foolish & resistant like Balak.

    In this chapter, we see a changed Balaam, one who confidently gave God's Word to Balak & brought it out in a series of parables (actually, poems). Balak tried hard to convince Balaam to bless Moab, but each time was given a clear Word from the Lord. As Balaam said, "All that the LORD speaketh, that I must do." ( Numbers 23:26); we see a very different Balaam now.
  • Mukula Makasa on Numbers 21 - 1 year ago
    What would be the Object Lesson of Numbers Chapter 23.

    Kind Regards

    Mukula
  • Mukula Makasa - In Reply on Numbers 21 - 1 year ago
    Thank you very much Chris for the feedback.

    God bless your Ministry

    Kind Regards

    Mukula
  • Chris - In Reply on Numbers 21 - 1 year ago
    Hello Mukula. I see that the main lesson in Numbers chapter 21 is: Much of the pain we suffer is because we don't want to do what God has plainly told us to do. And we add even more pain because we refuse to recognize God's Voice & Call for us to listen to Him instead of listening to our voice or other voices.

    We see two situations in this chapter:

    a. Numbers 21:1-3. God heard the cry of those willing to do His will - and God then provided.

    b. Numbers 21:4-35. God then heard the people's anger when they were unwilling to be content in His Plan for them - and God had to give them a harsh lesson. Sometimes we need such lessons to bring us back into correct position of trusting Him fully. When we really look to Him & not ourselves, then He opens the way ahead, so that even the enemy will be overcome. Here we see a typical lesson: we allow Discontentment or anger - leads to our Complaining - leads to Pain through God's correction - leads to Lesson Learned with repentance. And God is always faithful: He forgives & renews us - we can enjoy His victory in life & against the enemy.

    I hope this outline will be useful in your studies.
  • Mukula Makasa on Numbers 21 - 1 year ago
    What is the Object Lesson from Numbers Chapter 21
  • David - In Reply on Numbers 21 - 2 years ago
    Hi phillip You got to love the fact that God new if someone would be sent to nineveh they would believe because God



    doesn't do anything haphazardly specifically making a living submarine for Jonah and like you said right place right time. The same in our lives as we believe and walk, God will deliver right place and time. Thanks phillip
  • David - In Reply on Numbers 21 - 2 years ago
    Phillip The statement that God gave permission is really true because the enemy has to work within the boundaries that God set up, when The true God lifts his hand of grace and protection the enemy goes to work. Everytime the children of Israel rebelled and went after idolatry even after all the warnings Gods hands were tied because of their choice of sin witch eventually leads to destruction and death. When they rebelled and murmured against moses same deal.
  • Philip Christian Parks on Numbers 21 - 2 years ago
    Re. Numbers 21:6 = And the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died.

    Of great interest, even though the term "fiery" reads like an adjective in the English, it actually translates from the Hebrew noun saraph (Eng. transliteration; pronounced "saw-RAWF").

    The same Hebrew word translated here into "fiery" also translates into the word "seraphims" twice in Isaiah (note: the modern proper spelling of this plural noun is "seraphim").

    In Isaiah, the term "seraphim" identifies a certain class of angelic entities of whom Prophet Isaiah witnessed as recorded in Isaiah Chapter Six. Other than having "six wings " ( Isa. 6:2), Isaiah provided no additional information regarding their personal appearance.

    If Isaiah witnessed the holy seraphim honoring and praising JEHOVAH GOD, Bible students must also conclude a certain number of seraphim followed Satan in his rebellion and fall.

    The very Hebrew word "saraph" literally means "the burning ones". If these angelic seraphim have a visual appearance of fire (cp. 2Ki. 6:17), then these "fiery serpents" may have been demonic in nature. It is not considered a stretch to wonder if GOD gave seraph demons permission to punitively torment the Israelites much like HE gave Satan permission to test Job ( Job 1:12; 2:6).

    If this scenario were true, then the term "fiery" may describe their visual nature and appearance rather than the painful intensity of their bite.

    Since GOD's Word contains no coincidences, and HIS Word communicates HIS earthly and Heavenly Designs, Purposes, and Will, then Bible students, expounders, hermeneutics, and commentarians simply cannot overlook and ignore the terminology of the word "fiery" in this context. It certainly demands deep examination and exploration while avoiding being overly dogmatic.

    The bite of these "fiery serpents" typifies "the fiery darts of the wicked" ( Eph. 6:16).
  • Philip Christian Parks on Numbers 21 - 2 years ago
    Re. Numbers 21:6 = And the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died.

    The descriptive word "fiery" implies these "serpents" were far more sinister than the common venomous snake indigenous to the area. These were very out-of-the-ordinary serpents indeed.

    Did The LORD especially prepare these "fiery serpents", much like when HE caused the "great fish" to swallow Jonah? Both events describe The LORD's punitive discipline.

    Of note, the great fish did not swallow Jonah out of mere opportunity simply because it was in Jonah's immediate proximity. Rather, "The LORD prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah" ( Jon. 1:17). The "great fish" and Jonah were put there together by DIVINE Appointment because GOD put them there in precisely the same vicinity, and at precisely the same time.

    In like manner, these "fiery serpents" did not invade the camp of the Israelites by happenstance of their own accord, for "The LORD sent [them] among the people" (v.6).

    If the word "fiery" qualifies the bite of these serpents as exceedingly severe beyond the norm, then these were out-of-the-ordinary serpents indeed. This implies these serpents were not of the type the Israelites would have ordinarily encountered during their trek across the wilderness.

    Moreover, the "fiery serpent of brass" which Moses manufactured and erected upon a pole (v.8) more likely represented their fiery visual appearance rather than the severity of their bite.
  • Mishael - In Reply on Numbers 21 - 3 years ago
    BRENDLYN:

    Genesis 35:10. And God said unto him, Thy name shall not be called ANYMORE Jacob, but Israel shall be thy name: and He called his name Israel.

    You'll want to read all of that about the inheritance.
  • Brendalyn on Numbers 21 - 3 years ago
    Why did the the bible refer to Israel as a person?
  • Chris - In Reply on Numbers 21:9 - 3 years ago
    Yes, as Jesus also used this event in Numbers to speak of Himself in Jn 3:14,15. The Numbers account would make the serpent an idol, if it was worshipped. I believe worship didn't take place, only if those bitten by the physical snakes, would express faith in God's provision of a serpent on a pole, would they experience healing from the wound.

    This speaks to me that there could have been some there who despised God & Moses to such an extent, that even though they got bitten, they would have refused to look upon the snake on the pole, as if to say, "I don't believe in this God of Israel or His servant Moses, so I would rather die than submit". This is the same stubbornness that grips the unsaved: they hear of God's love, they hear of the Sacrifice of His Son for sin, but refuse to look upon Him in faith for spiritual healing, simply because they don't believe in His Plan & would rather perish in hell than submit to the Holy One.
  • Susannah - In Reply on Numbers 21:9 - 3 years ago
    It sounds a bit like a model of Jeshua to me. The Israelites who looked upon it and believed God would forgive and save them survived, even though they had sinned against and doubted Him. Sound familiar?
  • William mathis - In Reply on Numbers 21 - 3 years ago
    our Elohim sent in fiery serpants to bite the people not because of idols it was because they complained and murmured against God and his servant moses and did not appreciate the heavenly manna food given to them by the mosthigh it has nothing to do with idols there hearts were still in egypt.
  • Walter - In Reply on Numbers 21 - 4 years ago
    How so?
  • Frank on Numbers 21 - 4 years ago
    9 And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived. This sounds like a idol to me.
  • Stanjett - In Reply on Numbers 21 - 4 years ago
    The book of life is in Heaven. And only those found in the book can enter in. Read in Revelations about this book.
  • BSP on Numbers 21 - 5 years ago
    Verses 2,3~The Israelites made a vow to Jehovah God and God fulfilled his part of the deal and so the Israelites carried out their vow.
  • Alex on Numbers 21 - 6 years ago
    Jesus said even as Moses lifted up a serpent in the wilderness even so must the SON OF MAN be lifted up.We are still in a spritual wilderness, we get bit sometimes,( Sin) but we do not die spritually if we behold the lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world, the spirit of life in CHRIST JESUS has made us FREE from law of SIN AND DEATH (snake bite ) th bronze serpent WAS A TYPE O CHRIST
  • CDEvans on Numbers 21 - 6 years ago
    This chapter continues to reveal that no matter how many signs God gives us and he proves to us that he is to be obeyed, we still continue to go against his wishes and his commands.
  • Phyllis Johnson on Numbers 21 - 6 years ago
    Hello Christ Head,
    Yes, their are books in heaven, and one on all of us. Pray and fast, and ask God to reveal his will for your life. Books, courts, Wow!
  • Jean on Numbers 21 - 7 years ago
    Jehovah loves us obey him and we will be alright in Jesus name
  • Jane on Numbers 21 - 8 years ago
    Edom their blood brother refuse isreal passage and made their journey longer and frustrating to sin against God and bitten by snakes. Isreal did not fight them and Edom and Isresl God will not support the fight.


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