Numbers 19 is mainly the burning of the red heifer (a young female cow that has not yet given birth to a calf). The ashes would be placed outside the camp so that people could use them for purification if they became unclean (for example if they touched a dead body). AI: “The red heifers in Israel are central to ongoing biblical prophecies, local breeding programs, and intense regional geopolitical tensions. Many religious Jews and Christian Evangelicals believe that performing this purification ceremony is the essential prerequisite step required to ritually cleanse worshippers and allow for the rebuilding of the Third Temple on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. The presence and potential sacrifice of these heifers have triggered profound alarm across the Muslim world.”

But let me be clear: the offering of all animals, including the red heifer, under the old covenant ceased when Jesus died and gave His blood for the new covenant. Hebrews 9:¹¹“But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things to come, He entered through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation; ¹² and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. ¹³ For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who have been defiled sanctify for the cleansing of the flesh, ¹⁴ how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse ^[p]your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” Jews who don’t believe in Jesus are still preoccupied with offering red heifers instead of believing in the eternal cleaning power of the blood of Jesus. Pray for them that they can come to believe in Jesus. Many Jews do believe in Jesus (Messianic Jews), groups like Jews for Jesus. Don’t get caught up in all the talk about what’s happening in Israel today as if it is part of Biblical prophecy being fulfilled. Many evangelical Christians are even saying that. Just ignore it and focus on getting the gospel of Jesus out to the lost.

Numbers 20 is the death of Miriam, the sin of Moses, and the death of Aaron. Miriam was Moses’ sister, the one who was struck with leprosy b/c she criticized Moses for the exalted position God had given him (Numbers 12). Aaron was Moses’ brother who was anointed the first Levitical high priest. He was Moses’ spokesman in dealing with Pharoah but he was also responsible for letting the people get out of control in building the golden calf at Mt Sinai (Numbers 13-14). Aaron’s son Eleazar took his place (Aaron’s first two sons, Nadab and Abihu, had been killed by God for offering “strange fire” in Numbers 10). The priesthood would remain in Eleazar’s family for many generations.

The sin of Moses (and Aaron) was not just striking the rock when God had told him to speak to the rock. Psalm 106:³²They also provoked Him to wrath at the waters of Meribah, so that it went hard with Moses on their account; ³³because they were rebellious against His Spirit, he spoke rashly with his lips.” Numbers 19:¹⁰ and Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly before the rock. And he said to them, “Listen now, you rebels; shall we bring forth water for you out of this rock?” God told Moses that he had not “treated God as holy in the sight of the people”. Moses basically lost his temper! You can understand why. He had just spent 40 years wandering in the wilderness with the complaining, unbelieving generation that came out of Egypt. He had watched about one million Israelites die in the wilderness during that 40 years. But now the new generation is about to enter Canaan and what are they doing? Complaining about the lack of water, wishing they had died in Egypt instead of coming to the wilderness. Moses is probably thinking, “Here we go again. God is probably going to make this new generation wander in the wilderness another 40 years. I don’t think I can handle that at the age of 120!” But he sinned, both by striking the rock instead of speaking to it and by his rash words. I’m sure God was displeased with this new generation complaining, but He was patient with them. Moses lost his patience. Moses was not allowed to enter the Promised Land b/c of this sin, but God actually did him a favor. Moses was 120, tired of leading disobedient, grumbling people. It would take 7 years of fighting, conquering 31 Canaanite kings, to conquer Canaan. Moses was spared all that and God would bury him. Instead Moses was able to die and enjoy a peaceful rest with God.

Life Lesson: Do people disappoint you and frustrate you at times? Do you lash out at them with words that you late regret? Are you patient with others when they let you down and when they do wrong things? Do you get tired of your friends complaining about things instead of being appreciative? Colossians 3:¹² So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; ¹³ bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you.”

Moses had been told by God not to kill the Edomites b/c they were relatives, descended from Esau (Jacob’s brother), so he politely asked Edom to allow Israel to pass through Edomite territory on the final stretch to Canaan. But the Edomites would not let them pass through their territory and “came out against him with a heavy force and with a strong hand.” The map shows how Israel then went around Edom territory to avoid conflict.

Numbers 21 is the incident of the bronze serpent. As they pass around Edom, which just meant extra time in the wilderness instead of going. through Edom, the people began to complain again: no food and no water. They even “loathed” the manna God was giving them every day. Think how Moses must have felt. “I can’t believe this is happening again!” What will God do to these people? So God sent poisonous snakes and many died. The people begged Moses to intercede for them as he had done many times for the unbelieving generation, and he did. God told him to place a bronze serpent on a standard. Anyone bitten could look at that serpent and be healed. God’s patience with the Israelites is amazing. He becomes angry with them but over and over again he forgives them. Jesus used this incident to predict his crucifixion on the cross. John 3:¹⁴As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; ¹⁵so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life.” God already knew that one day His Son Jesus would be hung on a cross when this incident with Israel happened. Did God purposely, specifically choose this bronze serpent method of healing them to give a type of the crucifixion of Jesus? Probably so. He could have healed them many other ways, but He specifically chose this bronze serpent way.

Numbers 21 continues Israel’s journey to Canaan, defeating Sihon king of the Amorites and Og king of Bashan. Israel lived in Amorite lands for a while. (see the map)

Numbers 22: Israel comes to the plains of Moab (see the map), east of the Jordan river. This begins the story of Balaam the prophet. Balak, the king of Moab, saw the Israelites and heard what they had done to Sihon and Og. He sent messengers to hire Balaam to come curse Israel as they passed by Moabite land. AI: “Opinions among modern Bible readers differ on whether he “fell” from a state of true grace or was always a mercenary pagan whom God temporarily commandeered to protect His people.” Balaam does seem to have a speaking relationship with Yahweh as he consults with Yahweh, which might mean that he was indeed a true prophet of God at this time. Either way, God at first told Balaam not to go. Balak sent more messengers and more money. As if the Lord would change His mind on this, Balaam apparently is tempted by the offer of riches and consults the Lord again. This time the Lord tells him to go but only to speak what God tells him to speak.

So Balaam heads to Moab on his donkey. The Lord is angry with him for going even though He had told him to go. Perhaps the Lord had only allowed him to go so God could use this to bless Israel. The angel of the Lord stood in Balaam’s path with a sword and the donkey swerved off the road. Apparently only the donkey saw the angel at first. Balaam struck the donkey at least 3 times trying to get the donkey moving but the donkey just lay down. Then follows a conversation between Balaam and his donkey. The donkey talks to Balaam and Balaam answers him, even admitting that his donkey had never acted like that before. Then the Lord let Balaam see the angel and the angel told him that the donkey had saved Balaam’s life by stopping him. He warned Balaam to continue his journey to Moab but to only speak what God tells him to speak. So this incident was just a last warning to Balaam. “Skeptics point to the talking donkey as a clear indicator of folklore and fables, arguing that literal talking animals belong in fairy tales rather than historical records.” It is a strange story, but Moses who recorded it in Numbers tells it as an actual historical event.

Life Lesson: There are a lot of stories in the Bible that critics mock. The parting of the Red Sea, the walls of Jericho falling, Jesus turning water to wine and his other miracles, etc. But the Bible is the Word of God and is not full of fables and myths. If God can make a donkey from nothing, then He can make the donkey talk. If He made water, which He did, from nothing, then He can change that water to wine, which He also made from nothing. The Bible has been shown to be the Word of God by fulfilled prophecies and you can believe all the historical events recorded in the Bible. Don’t let some professor or atheist try to undermine your faith in the Bible.

Numbers 23: Balaam meets Balak and Balak carries him to a high place of the god Baal so that Balaam can curse Israel. Instead, the Sprit of God takes over and 3 times Balaam blesses Israel instead of cursing them. Balak is obviously angry at Balak and is not getting his money’s worth from him! To Balaam’s credit, he at least at this point is obeying what God and the angel told him to do. So why is Balaam condemned in the New Testament? More to follow.