the Third Week of Advent
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Bible Commentaries
Grant's Commentary on the Bible Grant's Commentary
Census of Israel's Warriors Conducted.Chapter 2
Israelites' Camp Arrangement Around the Tabernacle.Chapter 3
Levites' Duties and Census Described.Chapter 4
Duties of the Kohathites, Gershonites, Merarites.Chapter 5
Laws on Purity, Restitution, and Jealousy.Chapter 6
Nazirite Vow and Aaronic Blessing Established.Chapter 7
Offerings of the Tribal Leaders Presented.Chapter 8
Consecration of the Levites; Lampstand Instructions.Chapter 9
Passover Observed; Cloud Guides Israelites.Chapter 10
Silver Trumpets Used; Israel Departs Sinai.Chapter 11
Israelites Complain; Quail Provided, Plague Strikes.Chapter 12
Miriam and Aaron Oppose Moses; Miriam Punished.Chapter 13
Spies Sent to Canaan; Report Given.Chapter 14
Israelites Rebel; Punishment of Wilderness Wandering.Chapter 15
Laws on Offerings and Sabbath Breakers.Chapter 16
Korah's Rebellion; God's Judgment and Plague.Chapter 17
Aaron's Rod Buds, Affirming Priestly Authority.Chapter 18
Duties and Provisions for Priests and Levites.Chapter 19
Purification Laws Using the Red Heifer.Chapter 20
Miriam's Death, Moses' Sin, Aaron's Death.Chapter 21
Victories Over Canaanites; Bronze Serpent.Chapter 22
Balaam's Donkey Speaks; Balaam Blesses Israel.Chapter 23
Balaam's Blessings Over Israel Pronounced.Chapter 24
Balaam's Final Prophecy and Blessing.Chapter 25
Israel's Sin with Moabites; Phinehas' Zeal.Chapter 26
Second Census of Israel's New Generation.Chapter 27
Daughters of Zelophehad; Joshua Appointed Successor.Chapter 28
Daily, Sabbath, and Festival Offerings Listed.Chapter 29
Offerings for Additional Festivals Detailed.Chapter 30
Laws on Vows and Commitments Given.Chapter 31
Vengeance on Midian; Spoils Distributed.Chapter 32
Reuben and Gad Settle East of Jordan.Chapter 33
Israel's Journey Stages from Egypt Reviewed.Chapter 34
Boundaries of Canaan Described; Leaders Appointed.Chapter 35
Cities of Refuge and Levite Towns Assigned.Chapter 36
Inheritance Laws for Daughters Clarified.
- Numbers
by L.M. Grant
Numbers is the book of Israel's wilderness wanderings. A journey that normally would take 11 days (Deuteronomy 1:2) was stretched out to nearly forty years because of Israel's faithless disobedience. Genesis is the book of life, that is, God's beginning His work with mankind in vital, living power. Exodus is the book of redemption, with God's authority established among the redeemed people. Leviticus then brings those people into the presence of God, for it is the sanctuary book which lifts us altogether above the level of the world. However, Numbers brings our feet down to earth again, where we are tested by the experiences of the wilderness. Four is the number of testing, so Numbers is the fourth book of scripture, and Israel's forty years in the desert emphasize this lesson.
During Israel's years of slavery their enemy was Egypt, typically the world. When eventually they came into the promised land, their enemies were the Canaanites, etc., who are symbolical of satanic opposition to the truth of God. But in the wilderness, the enmity came from the flesh within them, not from without. This is seen in their incessant complaining against Moses and Aaron and therefore against God. If there had been faith to fully judge the flesh earlier, they might not have taken so long to learn the needed lessons of the wilderness. But all the generation of people over 20 years who came out of Egypt died before Israel entered the land, except for Joshua and Caleb (Numbers 14:29-30). Therefore, though it was the same nation that entered Canaan, yet it was a numbering the people, in chapter 1:2-46 and chapter 26:4-65.
The New King James Version is generally used in this commentary, but occasionally the translation of J. N. Darby is used, indicated by the initials (JND), or if other translations are used, this will be indicated.
