Numbers (Part 14)
Bible Study Time 4-13-08
(From James Roberts 5-2-99)
Bible Study Time 4-13-08
(From James Roberts 5-2-99)
This morning we are going be looking at several different aspects of Numbers, Chapter 20. We have already seen in the first few verses how that the children of Israel were in the wilderness with no water. As far as they could see, they were going to die of thirst. They began to complain against God and against Moses and Aaron.
God told Moses to gather the people around the rock so that they could receive water. All of this was very familiar to Moses because this same situation had occurred earlier. On the first occasion, God told Moses to strike the rock to produce water. When Moses did strike the rock, water came gushing out. There was enough water to satisfy all of the people and their cattle. But on this second occasion, God told Moses to speak to the rock.
Like so many of the things that we read about in the book of Numbers, these events picture spiritual truths which are so important for us to understand. The rock points to the Lord Jesus Christ. He was first smitten upon the cross of Calvary. He came to the earth as the Rock of Ages to die on the cross for our sins.
On the cross, the Lord Jesus cried out, it is finished, because the work of redemption had been accomplished. Nothing that we do today can add to what Christ accomplished on the cross. To receive God’s gift of eternal salvation, we must simply put our faith in the finished work of Christ upon the cross.
Oh, how God loves you and me. He proved His love by sending His Son to die on the cross for our sins. John 3:16 says:
John 3:16 NKJV
16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
Romans 8:32 assures us further that God not only saves us, but He is willing and able to supply our every need. It says:
Romans 8:32 NKJV
32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?
Christ as the Rock of Ages was smitten to bring us the living water that flows from the Holy Spirit of God. His blood was shed to open the floodgate of God’s blessings to those who believe. However, there are times even after we are saved when we get thirsty and need to be refreshed. At such times we can go to the Rock, but we don’t have to smite the Rock again. Christ died once for all, and now we have the privilege of speaking to the Rock. John says that:
1 John 1:7 NKJV
7 . . . if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.
It may be that there is one listening today who has never experienced the living water that flows from Jesus Christ. To experience this living water, you must first put your faith in the effectiveness of Christ’s death, burial and resurrection. You must believe that His shed blood can cleanse you from all sin. Then after you believe, if you find yourself in a spiritual wilderness with no water to quench your thirst, you can go to the Lord Jesus and speak to Him, and He will refresh you with more of the living water that satisfies the thirsting soul.
Now, we see in Numbers, Chapter 20, that Moses came to the rock the second time and struck the rock instead of speaking to the rock as he had been told to do. This was an act of disobedience before the Lord, but God did not allow Moses’ disobedience to keep Him from supplying the needs of His chosen people. God caused water to flow from the rock, but Moses was told that he would not be allowed to take the children of Israel into the Promised Land.
Moses is a picture of the Law which has no power to take its followers into the realm of God’s blessing. Even the most ardent followers of the Law will fall short of its perfect standard of righteousness. Many people will be disappointed when they stand before the Lord Jesus on the Judgment Day because all of their attempts to live a righteous life will prove futile without a personal faith in work of Christ on the cross.
Moses did not inherit the Promised Land during his lifetime, but we know that he did ultimately enter into the land. In Mark, Chapter 9, we read about Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration where Peter, James and John were allowed to see the true glory of Jesus Christ. As they beheld His glory, suddenly Moses and Elijah appeared in their midst.
Clearly, Moses had entered into the Promised Land, but he did not enter in by the power of the Law. He was ushered in by the Spirit of God after his death. He entered in because of His relationship with Jesus Christ. The only way that anyone can gain access to the blessings of God is by coming to God through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Christ is the smitten Rock who paid for our sins. He is the way, the truth and the life, and no man comes to the Father except through Him. Only after we accept by faith the smitten Rock can we have fellowship with the Rock. Only then can we speak to the Rock of Ages and experience the joy of a relationship with Him.
Now, as we move on in our study of Numbers, Chapter 20, we see that Moses sent messengers to the king of Edom. They told the king of the hardships of the children of Israel in their wilderness journey. They asked the king to let the people of Israel pass through the land of Edom, and they assured the king that the children of Israel would not take anything from the land as they passed through. They said that the cattle that belonged to the Jews would not even graze upon the pastures of Edom.
Now, the Edomites were the children of Esau, who was Jacob’s brother, so the Edomites were relatives of the children of Israel. But the king of Edom still refused to allow the Jews to pass through his land. He said that if they did pass through, he would meet them with his sword drawn. As a result, God judged the Edomites.
This is a picture of the period of great tribulation which the Jews will go through before they enter into the Promised Land of the worldwide earthly kingdom. In the book of Daniel and in the book of the Revelation, we read a great deal about this period of great tribulation. During this time, the antichrist will try to completely destroy the nation of Israel because he will be aware of God’s plan to use the nation of Israel to establish His worldwide kingdom of peace and righteousness.
The antichrist will know that his time is short, and he will throw all of his fury against the nation of Israel. In the book of Matthew, Chapter 25, we see that there will be certain nations that will be kind to Israel during this tribulation period. These nations will feed the Jews and clothe them and visit them, and because of their willingness to do this, God will invite them into Israel’s glorious kingdom.
Other nations, like Edom and Moab, will not be kind to Israel during the tribulation period, and they will therefore be judged by God. They will not be allowed to enter into the kingdom.
Now, as we move on in Numbers, Chapter 20, we see the death of Aaron. Moses was not allowed to enter into the Promised Land and neither was Aaron. Miriam and Aaron both had to die and be buried in the wilderness. The significance of Aaron’s death is the subject of Hebrews, Chapter 7, where we read that:
Hebrews 7:22-28 NKJV
22 . . . Jesus has become a surety of a better covenant.
23 Also there were many priests, because they were prevented by death from continuing.
24 But (Christ), because He continues forever, has an unchangeable priesthood.
25 Therefore (Christ) is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.
26 For such a High Priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens;
27 (Christ) does not need daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the people's, for this He did once for all when He offered up Himself.
28 For the law appoints as high priests men who have weakness, but the word of the oath, which came after the law, appoints the Son who has been perfected forever.
Aaron symbolizes the weakness of the Levitical priesthood which was established by the Law. Even though Aaron was the great High Priest of Israel, he was not able to take the children of Israel into the land of promise. All of the priests who followed after Aaron in the Levitical priesthood ultimately died. Because they were unable to continue in their priestly duties, other priests had to be appointed to take their place.
When the Lord Jesus Christ died, He died once for all. He died for all of the sins of all people. But then He was raised from the dead and taken up into heaven. He became Israel’s great High Priest in heaven, and He will continue as such forever. He is the High Priest who ever lives to make intercession for His people.
Today, the Lord Jesus Christ is not technically officiating as the great High Priest of the Church to which we belong to day. His duties as the High Priest relate specifically to the nation of Israel. However, Christ does make intercession for us today in His exalted position as the Head over all things to the Church which is His Body. Romans 8 says:
Romans 8:34 NKJV
34 . . . It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.
What a comfort it is to know that Christ ever lives to make intercession not only for the nation of Israel but for us as well.
Well, I see our time is gone for this morning. Thank you for studying with me in this another broadcast of Bible Study Time.
Church links:
God told Moses to gather the people around the rock so that they could receive water. All of this was very familiar to Moses because this same situation had occurred earlier. On the first occasion, God told Moses to strike the rock to produce water. When Moses did strike the rock, water came gushing out. There was enough water to satisfy all of the people and their cattle. But on this second occasion, God told Moses to speak to the rock.
Like so many of the things that we read about in the book of Numbers, these events picture spiritual truths which are so important for us to understand. The rock points to the Lord Jesus Christ. He was first smitten upon the cross of Calvary. He came to the earth as the Rock of Ages to die on the cross for our sins.
On the cross, the Lord Jesus cried out, it is finished, because the work of redemption had been accomplished. Nothing that we do today can add to what Christ accomplished on the cross. To receive God’s gift of eternal salvation, we must simply put our faith in the finished work of Christ upon the cross.
Oh, how God loves you and me. He proved His love by sending His Son to die on the cross for our sins. John 3:16 says:
John 3:16 NKJV
16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
Romans 8:32 assures us further that God not only saves us, but He is willing and able to supply our every need. It says:
Romans 8:32 NKJV
32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?
Christ as the Rock of Ages was smitten to bring us the living water that flows from the Holy Spirit of God. His blood was shed to open the floodgate of God’s blessings to those who believe. However, there are times even after we are saved when we get thirsty and need to be refreshed. At such times we can go to the Rock, but we don’t have to smite the Rock again. Christ died once for all, and now we have the privilege of speaking to the Rock. John says that:
1 John 1:7 NKJV
7 . . . if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.
It may be that there is one listening today who has never experienced the living water that flows from Jesus Christ. To experience this living water, you must first put your faith in the effectiveness of Christ’s death, burial and resurrection. You must believe that His shed blood can cleanse you from all sin. Then after you believe, if you find yourself in a spiritual wilderness with no water to quench your thirst, you can go to the Lord Jesus and speak to Him, and He will refresh you with more of the living water that satisfies the thirsting soul.
Now, we see in Numbers, Chapter 20, that Moses came to the rock the second time and struck the rock instead of speaking to the rock as he had been told to do. This was an act of disobedience before the Lord, but God did not allow Moses’ disobedience to keep Him from supplying the needs of His chosen people. God caused water to flow from the rock, but Moses was told that he would not be allowed to take the children of Israel into the Promised Land.
Moses is a picture of the Law which has no power to take its followers into the realm of God’s blessing. Even the most ardent followers of the Law will fall short of its perfect standard of righteousness. Many people will be disappointed when they stand before the Lord Jesus on the Judgment Day because all of their attempts to live a righteous life will prove futile without a personal faith in work of Christ on the cross.
Moses did not inherit the Promised Land during his lifetime, but we know that he did ultimately enter into the land. In Mark, Chapter 9, we read about Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration where Peter, James and John were allowed to see the true glory of Jesus Christ. As they beheld His glory, suddenly Moses and Elijah appeared in their midst.
Clearly, Moses had entered into the Promised Land, but he did not enter in by the power of the Law. He was ushered in by the Spirit of God after his death. He entered in because of His relationship with Jesus Christ. The only way that anyone can gain access to the blessings of God is by coming to God through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Christ is the smitten Rock who paid for our sins. He is the way, the truth and the life, and no man comes to the Father except through Him. Only after we accept by faith the smitten Rock can we have fellowship with the Rock. Only then can we speak to the Rock of Ages and experience the joy of a relationship with Him.
Now, as we move on in our study of Numbers, Chapter 20, we see that Moses sent messengers to the king of Edom. They told the king of the hardships of the children of Israel in their wilderness journey. They asked the king to let the people of Israel pass through the land of Edom, and they assured the king that the children of Israel would not take anything from the land as they passed through. They said that the cattle that belonged to the Jews would not even graze upon the pastures of Edom.
Now, the Edomites were the children of Esau, who was Jacob’s brother, so the Edomites were relatives of the children of Israel. But the king of Edom still refused to allow the Jews to pass through his land. He said that if they did pass through, he would meet them with his sword drawn. As a result, God judged the Edomites.
This is a picture of the period of great tribulation which the Jews will go through before they enter into the Promised Land of the worldwide earthly kingdom. In the book of Daniel and in the book of the Revelation, we read a great deal about this period of great tribulation. During this time, the antichrist will try to completely destroy the nation of Israel because he will be aware of God’s plan to use the nation of Israel to establish His worldwide kingdom of peace and righteousness.
The antichrist will know that his time is short, and he will throw all of his fury against the nation of Israel. In the book of Matthew, Chapter 25, we see that there will be certain nations that will be kind to Israel during this tribulation period. These nations will feed the Jews and clothe them and visit them, and because of their willingness to do this, God will invite them into Israel’s glorious kingdom.
Other nations, like Edom and Moab, will not be kind to Israel during the tribulation period, and they will therefore be judged by God. They will not be allowed to enter into the kingdom.
Now, as we move on in Numbers, Chapter 20, we see the death of Aaron. Moses was not allowed to enter into the Promised Land and neither was Aaron. Miriam and Aaron both had to die and be buried in the wilderness. The significance of Aaron’s death is the subject of Hebrews, Chapter 7, where we read that:
Hebrews 7:22-28 NKJV
22 . . . Jesus has become a surety of a better covenant.
23 Also there were many priests, because they were prevented by death from continuing.
24 But (Christ), because He continues forever, has an unchangeable priesthood.
25 Therefore (Christ) is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.
26 For such a High Priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens;
27 (Christ) does not need daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the people's, for this He did once for all when He offered up Himself.
28 For the law appoints as high priests men who have weakness, but the word of the oath, which came after the law, appoints the Son who has been perfected forever.
Aaron symbolizes the weakness of the Levitical priesthood which was established by the Law. Even though Aaron was the great High Priest of Israel, he was not able to take the children of Israel into the land of promise. All of the priests who followed after Aaron in the Levitical priesthood ultimately died. Because they were unable to continue in their priestly duties, other priests had to be appointed to take their place.
When the Lord Jesus Christ died, He died once for all. He died for all of the sins of all people. But then He was raised from the dead and taken up into heaven. He became Israel’s great High Priest in heaven, and He will continue as such forever. He is the High Priest who ever lives to make intercession for His people.
Today, the Lord Jesus Christ is not technically officiating as the great High Priest of the Church to which we belong to day. His duties as the High Priest relate specifically to the nation of Israel. However, Christ does make intercession for us today in His exalted position as the Head over all things to the Church which is His Body. Romans 8 says:
Romans 8:34 NKJV
34 . . . It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.
What a comfort it is to know that Christ ever lives to make intercession not only for the nation of Israel but for us as well.
Well, I see our time is gone for this morning. Thank you for studying with me in this another broadcast of Bible Study Time.
Church links:
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