GOD’S ECONOMY
SERIES THIRTEEN
GOD’S ECONOMY IN ALL THE BOOKS OF THE BIBLE
God’s Economy as Revealed in the Old Testament
Message Five
God’s Economy as Revealed in Numbers
Scripture Reading: Num. 1:3, 18, 44-46, 11:4-15, 31-35, 12:1-15, 13:28-14:4, 16:1-12, 31:16
I. The word economy is not used in the Old Testament books, but the typology in these books (such as Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers) unveils God’s economy—1 Cor 10:6, 11; Rom. 15:4: (2019 ST, msg. 1)
A. In the Old Testament we have a picture of God’s economy; in the New Testament we have a clear speaking concerning God’s economy. (2019 ST, msg. 1)
B. The history of the children of Israel in the Old Testament is a type of the history of the believers in the New Testament—1 Cor. 10:6, 11; Rom. 15:4. (2019 ST, msg. 1)
II. In the picture portrayed in Numbers, God’s move was in the Ark with the tabernacle, i.e., in Christ, the God-man, the mingling of God and man, with the church, the enlargement, the increase, of Christ as God’s dwelling place on the earth—Col. 2:9, 1 Cor. 3:16, Eph. 2:21-22, 1 Tim. 3:15: (Holy Bible Recovery Version, Num. 1:1, footnote 1)
A. The picture in Numbers shows the Triune God and His chosen people mingled together as one entity that God may move on the earth and conquer His enemy in order to regain the earth for the fulfillment of his eternal purpose—cf. Acts 1:8, Num. 21:1-3. (Holy Bible Recovery Version, Num. 1:1, footnote 1)
B. The book of Numbers reveals that the redeemed and sanctified Israelites were formed into a holy army of God, which was to proceed by following God’s leading and was to fight for Him throughout their journey—1:1-3: (2006 ITERO, msg. 4)
III. The need of God’s chosen and redeemed people to be formed into a priestly army to carry out the holy war—1:3, 18, 44-46: (Life-study of Numbers, msg. 50)
A. In order to be formed into a holy army, God’s people must first be numbered according to maturity in life—Num. 1:3, 18. (Life-study of Numbers, msg. 50)
B. God’s chosen and redeemed people were also built up into one body; if we consider how the children of Israel were in array at the foot of Mount Sinai, we will realize that they had truly been formed into one body—1:44-46. (Life-study of Numbers, msg. 50)
C. After God’s people were numbered and built up into one body, they journeyed with God; this means that they traveled with Him—9:15-23: (Life-study of Numbers, msg. 50)
1. In their journey with God, the children of Israel had the presence of God, signified by the cloud in the day and by the fire in the cloud at night; the presence of the cloud and the fire indicated that as the people were journeying in the wilderness, they were journeying with God—Exo. 33:14, 40:36-38, Num. 9:15-23. (Life-study of Numbers, msg. 50)
2. As the children of Israel were journeying with God, the Angel of Jehovah took the lead—Exo. 32:34. (Life-study of Numbers, msg. 50)
3. In their journey the children of Israel were moving, walking, and living with Jehovah, the Triune God; this is a type, a picture, of our living as Christians today. (Life-study of Numbers, msg. 50)
4. God’s chosen and redeemed people passed through the great and terrible wilderness with all kinds of trials, sufferings, and divine care, supplies, and discipline; this also is a picture of our Christian life today—Deut. 1:19, 8:2-5. (Life-study of Numbers, msg. 50)
5. On their journey through the wilderness, the children of Israel passed through forty-two stations to enter into rest in the good land promised by God—Num. 33:1-49, Josh. 1:2. (Life-study of Numbers, msg. 50)
D. As a priestly army, God’s chosen and redeemed people fought together with God and for God; the children of Israel fought not only with God but also for God; in the church life today, we should also fight for God—Num. 1:3, 18, 44-46: (Life-study of Numbers, msg. 50)
1. In their fighting together with God and for God, the children of Israel defeated the king of Arad and destroyed his people—Num. 21:1-3. (Life-study of Numbers, msg. 50)
2. God’s people also defeated Sihon king of the Amorites with his people and Og king of Bashan with his people; this means that they overcame Canaan’s two gate guards—21:21-35. (Life-study of Numbers, msg. 50)
3. The children of Israel also defeated the Midianites with their five kings; by defeating the Midianites the people overcame Canaan’s gate army—31:1-12. (Life-study of Numbers, msg. 50)
4. The fighting of God’s people against the kings was for the entrance into the God-promised good land that the kingdom of God might be spread and established there; when we defeat the rulers, powers, and authorities in the air, the kingdom of God surely is spread and established. (Life-study of Numbers, msg. 50)
IV. The frustrations suffered by God’s chosen and redeemed people on their journey to the God-promised good land—11:4-15, 31-35, 12:1-15, 13:28-14:4, 16:1-12, 31:16: (Life-study of Numbers, msg. 51)
A. The first frustration was the exceeding lust of the mixed multitude among God’s chosen and redeemed people—11:4a, Psa. 106:14: (Life-study of Numbers, msg. 51)
1. The mixed multitude lusted exceedingly, and this stirred up the lust of the God-chosen and God-redeemed people; lust was already present with God’s people, but it needed to be stirred up, and it was stirred up by the mixed multitude. (Life-study of Numbers, msg. 51)
2. In 1 Corinthians 5:6 Paul says, “A little leaven leavens the whole lump”; in Numbers 11 the mixed multitude was like leaven, and this leaven leavened the “whole lump” of God’s people. (Life-study of Numbers, msg. 51)
B. Numbers 11:4b-15, 31-35 speaks of the lust which came directly from God’s chosen and redeemed people: (Life-study of Numbers, msg. 51)
1. Numbers 11:5 says, “We remember the fish we ate in Egypt for nothing, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic”; God’s people were lusting for the worldly taste. (Life-study of Numbers, msg. 51)
2. In verse 6 the people went on to say, “Now our soul is dried up, and there is nothing at all but this manna before our eyes”; This indicates that they abhorred the God-given manna, which is a type of Christ as the bread of life. (Life-study of Numbers, msg. 51)
3. According to verse 10, everyone was weeping at the entrance of his tent; they wept because the food they had was not according to their taste. (Life-study of Numbers, msg. 51)
4. The anger of Jehovah burned greatly over the people, and He struck them with a severe plague—11:10b, 33. (Life-study of Numbers, msg. 51)
C. Numbers 12:1-15 records the rebellion of Miriam, who was Moses’ older sister; this indicates that even those who are very close to one who takes the lead among God’s people may rebel against him. (Life-study of Numbers, msg. 51)
1. Miriam rebelled because she was jealous of Moses’ position in the oracle of God. She, along with Aaron, said, “Has Jehovah indeed spoken only through Moses? Has He not spoken through us also?”—12:2. (Life-study of Numbers, msg. 51)
2. Miriam took as a cloak for her rebellion the weakness of Moses in marrying a Cushite woman—v. 1. (Life-study of Numbers, msg. 51)
3. God came in to deal with Miriam’s rebellion; she was condemned by God and suffered the punishment of leprosy, a disease which indicates that one’s sickness is inward— vv. 6-15a. (Life-study of Numbers, msg. 51)
4. As a result of Miriam’s rebellion and punishment, the journey of the people was delayed for seven days; her rebellion surely was a frustration to God’s people— v. 15. (Life-study of Numbers, msg. 51)
D. Numbers 13:28—14:4 speaks of the unbelief of God’s chosen and redeemed people; this took place at Kadesh-barnea, after the spies had come back from spying out the good land; with the exception of Caleb and Joshua, the spies brought back an evil report; when the people heard this, they wept: (Life-study of Numbers, msg. 51)
1. The unbelief of the people provoked God’s anger toward them—14:11-12. (Life-study of Numbers, msg. 51)
2. This unbelief also caused them to forfeit the right to enter the God-promised good land—vv. 22-23. (Life-study of Numbers, msg. 51)
3. God punished the people by causing them to wander in the wilderness and to be consumed there—vv. 32-35. (Life-study of Numbers, msg. 51)
E. In Numbers 16:1-12 we have the record of a corporate rebellion, the rebellion of Korah, Dathan, Abiram, and two hundred fifty leaders; Korah was a Levite, and Dathan and Abiram were leaders among the people; they convinced two hundred fifty of the leaders to join in a conspiracy to rebel: (Life-study of Numbers, msg. 51)
1. These rebellious ones were jealous of the high position of Moses and Aaron; this matter of jealousy concerning position and leadership has always been a problem among God’s people; Often, those who are jealous in this way have ambition but do not have the capacity to match their ambition. (Life-study of Numbers, msg. 51)
2. Korah was not satisfied to be a leader in the Levitical service; and Dathan and Abiram were not satisfied to be leaders in the assembly of God’s people; they all wanted a higher position, but according to God’s sovereignty, they did not have the capacity for such a position—16:8-11. (Life-study of Numbers, msg. 51)
3. In Numbers 16 we also see God’s punishment upon the rebels; although Moses was meek, he called on God to come in, and God came in to punish the rebels. (Life-study of Numbers, msg. 51)
a. The earth swallowed up Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, with their households and all the men that belonged to Korah and all their goods, so they and all that belonged to them went down alive into Sheol—vv. 31-33. (Life-study of Numbers, msg. 51)
b. According to verse 35, fire came forth from Jehovah and consumed the two hundred fifty leaders. (Life-study of Numbers, msg. 51)
c. Finally, the wrath of Jehovah went forth to consume fourteen thousand seven hundred people with the plague; this was a very serious judgment; through this frustration, and especially through God’s judgment, the people were sifted, purged, and purified—vv. 44-49. (Life-study of Numbers, msg. 51)
F. Another frustration to God’s chosen and redeemed people was Balaam’s plot and teaching—Num. 31:16, Rev. 2:14b: (Life-study of Numbers, msg. 51)
1. Balaam taught Balak to stumble the God-chosen and God-redeemed people by seducing them to commit fornication with the daughters of Moab, which led them into idolatry—Num. 25:1-2. (Life-study of Numbers, msg. 51)
2. Through this fall into fornication and idolatry, the God-chosen and God-redeemed people provoked God to consume twenty-four thousand of them with the plague; This was a great sifting, purging, and purification—vv. 3, 9. (Life-study of Numbers, msg. 51)
G. All the frustrations suffered by God’s chosen and redeemed people should be considered as means to humble God’s people by afflictions and to test them on their journey in the wilderness—Deut. 8:2, James 1:3. (Life-study of Numbers, msg. 51)