Bible Commentaries
Numbers 26

Verses 1-65

1. INTRO:
   1. I’d like to read a clip from the Los Angeles Times, Monday, August 14, 1995 - Mickey Mantle, an almost mythical baseball star who feared he had failed to fulfill career expectations because of alcohol abuse and whose recent years were haunted by self-recrimination, died of cancer early Sunday. He was 63.
      The former New York Yankees center fielder and a member of baseball’s Hall of Fame said at a July 28 news conference that he had squandered a gifted life and warned admirers he was no role model. “God gave me the ability to play baseball. God gave me everything,” he said. “For the kids out there, don’t be like me.”1. Tonight we bid farewell to Moses, but was an exact opposite of Mickey Mantle.
   2. Time to ready Israel for victory! (going into & taking The Land)
2. 2ND CENSUS! (Ch.26)
   1. ​​​​​​​IDENTIFYING ISRAEL’S ARMY!
   2. The taking of the 2nd census was a sign that the nation’s wanderings were soon to end.
      1. Take a census of all the men of Israel who are 20 years old or older, to find out how many of each family are of military age.
      2. 38 years have passed since the 1st census (Num.1) & only Joshua, Caleb, & Moses remain from the 1st counting.
   3. Note the people in this list who are given special attention:
      1. Dathan & Abiriam - who rebelled against the Lord. (9-11)
      2. Nadab & Abihu - who defiled the Lord. (61)
      3. Joshua & Caleb - who believed the Lord. (65)
   4. The 2nd generation served the Lord effectively. Read Judges 2:7
      1. They also conquered the Promised Land.
      2. No subsequent generation ever accomplished more under such difficult circumstances! (Shepherds Notes; pg.77)
      3. Good book for teenagers by Alex & Brett Harris, “Do Hard Things”, A Teenage Rebellion Against Low Expectations. (Great Blog www.therebelution.com)
         1. Great challenge to our next generation to “Transform average teenagers into world-changers, to accomplish incredible things.”
         2. i.e. The teen years aren’t for goofing off.