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:
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.
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.
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:
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.
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:
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:
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.
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.
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:
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.
2. As the children of Israel were journeying with God, the Angel of Jehovah took the lead—Exo. 32:34.
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.
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.
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.
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:
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.
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
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.
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.
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:
A. The first frustration was the exceeding lust of the mixed multitude among God’s chosen and redeemed people—11:4a, Psa. 106:14:
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.
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.
B. Numbers 11:4b-15, 31-35 speaks of the lust which came directly from God’s chosen and redeemed people:
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.
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.
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.
4. The anger of Jehovah burned greatly over the people, and He struck them with a severe plague—11:10b, 33.
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.
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.
2. Miriam took as a cloak for her rebellion the weakness of Moses in marrying a Cushite woman—v. 1.
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
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.
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:
1. The unbelief of the people provoked God’s anger toward them—14:11-12.
2. This unbelief also caused them to forfeit the right to enter the God-promised good land—vv. 22-23.
3. God punished the people by causing them to wander in the wilderness and to be consumed there—vv. 32-35.
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:
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.
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.
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.
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.
b. According to verse 35, fire came forth from Jehovah and consumed the two hundred fifty leaders.
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.
F. Another frustration to God’s chosen and redeemed people was Balaam’s plot and teaching—Num. 31:16, Rev. 2:14b:
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.
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.
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.
Ministry Excerpts:
HAVING A PICTURE OF GOD’S ECONOMY IN THE OLD TEATAMENT AND A CLEAR SPEAKING CONCERNING GOD’S ECONOMY
IN THE NEW TEATAMENT
The word economy is not used in the Old Testament, but it is found in the New Testament, especially in the writings of Paul, which strongly emphasize the matter of God’s economy. Although this word may not be used in Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers, the typology in these books unveils God’s economy. God’s economy is His administration with His plan, His purpose, and His arrangement to accomplish His plan and attain His purpose for the fulfillment of the desire of His heart. This desire is to have a people not only created by Him but also regenerated, sanctified, transformed, and conformed to the image of Christ as the embodiment of the processed Triune God. Eventually, this people will be brought into glory, into the expression of the Triune God. This is God’s economy. 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. (Life-study of Numbers, msg. 49)
Israel is a complete type of the history of the church. The Bible contains two histories — the history of Israel and the history of the church. The history of the children of Israel is a type, and the history of the church is the fulfillment of the type. Thus, the entire Bible gives us one revelation, the revelation of God’s economy. In the Old Testament we have a type, a picture, of God’s economy, whereas in the New Testament God’s economy is fulfilled. (Life-study of 1 Corinthians, msg. 47)
THE NEED OF GOD’S CHOSEN AND REDEEMED PEOPLE
TO BE FORMED TO A PRIESTLY ARMY TO CARRY OUT THE HOLY WAR
The book of Numbers as a whole reveals the need of God’s chosen and redeemed people to be formed into an army to carry out the holy war.
Being Numbered according to Maturity in Life
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).
Being Built Up into One Body
God’s chosen and redeemed people were also built up into one body (1:44-46). 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.
Journeying with God
After God’s people were numbered and built up into one body, they journeyed with God. This means that they traveled with Him.
With the Presence of God
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 (Exo. 33:14; 40:36-38; Num. 9:15-23). The cloud and the fire were both the expression of the Triune God. The presence of the cloud and the fire indicated that as the people were journeying in the wilderness, they were journeying with God. In this journey they were led by God Himself.
The Angel of Jehovah Taking the Lead
As the children of Israel were journeying with God, the Angel of Jehovah took the lead (Exo. 32:34). The title “the Angel of Jehovah” is a particular title of Christ in the Old Testament, as revealed in Exodus 3. The Angel of Jehovah took the lead, always walking in front of the army of Israel.
Moving, Walking, and Living Together with Jehovah, the Triune God
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. Day by day we are moving, walking, and living together with the processed and dispensing Triune God.
Passing through the Great and Terrible Wilderness with All Kinds of
Trials, Sufferings, and Divine Care, Supplies, and Discipline
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 (Deut. 1:19; 8:2-5). This also is a picture of our Christian life today. Some say that the Christian life is wonderful. However, according to typology, the Christian life is a life of passing through a great and terrible wilderness. In this wilderness we have all kinds of trials and sufferings, but we also have the divine care and supplies. Moreover, because we, like the children of Israel, are often “naughty children,” in addition to God’s care and supplies we also have His discipline.
Through Forty-two Stations
Entering into Rest in the Good Land Promised by God
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).
Fighting Together with God and for God
As a priestly army, God’s chosen and redeemed people fought together with God and for God. If we would fight together with God and for God today, we must first move, walk, and live with Him and also pass through many things in the wilderness. Only in this way can we be qualified to fight together with 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. This indicates that our church life is actually for God and not mainly for us. However, our feeling concerning the church life may be too subjective and selfish. In the meeting someone may testify, saying, “Before I came into the church life, I was homeless. Now in the church I am at home. Oh, how good is the church life!” Yes, we are at home in the church life. Nevertheless, we need to realize that the church life is not mainly for us but for God. We should be able to say, “Lord, the church life is actually Your life. You want to live this way, and we are living together with You. If we did not live and move with You, You would not have Your satisfaction. You do not want to be alone. You have chosen, redeemed, and saved us to accompany You in Your move. Our church life, Lord, is really for You.”
Defeating the King of Arad and Destroy His People
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). By doing this, they overcame the first enemy among the Canaanites.
Defeating Sihon King of the Amorites with His People
and Og King of Bashan with His People
God’s people also defeated Sihon king of the Amorites with his people and Og king of Bashan with his people (21:21-35). This means that they overcame Canaan’s two gate guards.
Defeating the Midianites with Their Five Kings
The children of Israel also defeated the Midianites with their five kings (31:1-12). By defeating the Midianites the people overcame Canaan’s gate army.
The kings defeated by God’s chosen and redeemed people signify the spiritual powers, rulers, and authorities in the air. Today we need to fight against these powers and defeat them.
For the Entrance into the God-promised Good Land That the Kingdom of God Might Be Spread and Established There
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. The principle is the same with us today. When we defeat the rulers, powers, and authorities in the air, the kingdom of God surely is spread and established.
Bearing with Them God’s Dwelling, the Tabernacle
of the Testimony with the Ark of the Testimony
As the priestly army carrying out the holy war, God’s chosen and redeemed people bore with them God’s dwelling, the tabernacle of the testimony with the ark of the testimony. This indicates that in the church life today we are bearing God’s testimony with God Himself. Upon our shoulder we not only have God’s dwelling place but also the dweller, God Himself. As long as the church bears the testimony of God, the church is God’s dwelling place. Actually, the dwelling place of God is the testimony of God. Today, this testimony of God, this dwelling place of God, is upon our shoulder.
The Tabernacle of the Testimony
Signifying God’s Chosen and Redeemed People
Built Up with Him as His Dwelling on the Earth
The tabernacle of the testimony signifies God’s chosen and redeemed people built up with Him as His dwelling on the earth (the church in the New Testament).
Here we would point out that, spiritually speaking, the history of Israel and the history of the church are one. The history of Israel is a prefigure, and the history of the church is the reality of the prefigure. This means that what is recorded in Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers prefigures what is recorded in Acts and in the Epistles.
The Ark of the Testimony Signifying Christ as the Center
of God’s Economy among His Chosen and Redeemed People
The ark of the testimony signifies Christ as the center of God’s economy among His chosen and redeemed people. Today we have the ark among us; that is, we have Christ with us in a personal way.
The Testimony Signifying the Law, Which Is the Portrait of What God Is
The testimony signifies the law, which is a portrait of what God is. Because the testimony, the tables of the law, was put into the ark, the ark was called the ark of the testimony.
The Tabernacle with the Ark Being the Testimony
Borne by God’s Chosen and Redeemed People
The tabernacle with the ark was the testimony borne by God’s chosen and redeemed people. During the years in the wilderness, the children of Israel, who were more than two million in number, did not do anything except take care of God’s testimony. They did not engage in commerce or work to make a living. God cared for their living by sending them manna and by giving them water from the rock. For a period of forty years, God’s people, with the Angel of Jehovah taking the lead, camped and journeyed in the wilderness. In the eyes of the nations, the children of Israel were wasting their time. Likewise, in the eyes of the worldly people, we in the church life who have given ourselves to bear and to care for the testimony of God are also wasting our time. In the sight of God, however, it is actually the worldly people who are idle and who are wasting their time (Matt. 20:3). Others may think that we are wasting our time, but we in the Lord’s recovery are happy to use our time to care for and to bear God’s testimony.
In this message we have seen a bird’s-eye view of the book of Numbers. According to this view, Numbers is a record of God’s chosen and redeemed people being formed into a priestly army to fight for God and to journey with God so that they may be prepared by God to possess the all-inclusive Christ as the good land. (Life-study of Numbers, msg. 50)
THE FRUSTRATIONS SUFFERED BY GOD’S CHOSEN AND REDEEMED
PEOPLE ON THEIR JOURNEY TO THE GOD-PROMISED GOOD LAND
We have seen that God’s people need to receive the divine revelation concerning God Himself and His economy and also that they need to be formed into a priestly army. Now we will see that God’s chosen and redeemed people also need frustrations. Do you believe that you need frustrations? Whether you believe this or not, the fact remains that frustrations occur and, in a sense, actually are needed. Let us now consider the different kinds of frustrations suffered by God’s chosen and redeemed people on their journey to the God-promised good land.
The Exceeding Lust of the Mixed Multitude
among God’s Chosen and Redeemed People
The first frustration was the exceeding lust of the mixed multitude among God’s chosen and redeemed people (Num. 11:4a). Were those who were of this mixed multitude saved? This is a difficult question to answer.
Perhaps you are wondering how there could be such a mixture among God’s pure people. But even among the twelve disciples chosen by the Lord Jesus there was one who was a mixture—Judas. Furthermore, the parable of the tares (Matt. 13:24-30, 36-43) indicates that in the world there is a mixture of tares and wheat.
Stirring Up the Lust of the God-chosen and God-redeemed People
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. It is easy for the lust among God’s people to be stirred up by the mixed ones.
As a Little Leaven That Leavens the Whole Lump
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.
The Lust of God’s Chosen and Redeemed People
Numbers 11:4b-15, 31-35 speaks of the lust which came directly from God’s chosen and redeemed people.
Remembering the Egyptian Food, Which Suited Their Lust
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.” Here we see that God’s people remembered the Egyptian food (the worldly taste), which suited their lust. God’s people were lusting for the worldly taste.
Abhorring the God-given Manna
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. This manna was very tasteful. However, it had a heavenly taste, not an Egyptian taste. Instead of liking the heavenly taste of the God-given manna, the people abhorred it.
Everyone Weeping at the Entrance of His Tent
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.
The Anger of Jehovah Burning Greatly over Them,
and Jehovah Striking Them with a Severe Plague
The anger of Jehovah burned greatly over the people (v. 10b), and He struck them with a severe plague (v. 33).
The Rebellion of Miriam
Numbers 12:1-15 records the rebellion of Miriam, who was Moses’ older sister. Moses was the God-chosen leader, and Miriam was a prophetess who, after the crossing of the Red Sea, led the women in praising God (Exo. 15:20-21). Although she was Moses’ sister and served together with him, she still rebelled against him. This indicates that even those who are very close to one who takes the lead among God’s people may rebel against him.
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?” (Num. 12:2).
Miriam took as a cloak for her rebellion the weakness of Moses in marrying a Cushite woman (v. 1). I do not know why Moses did this or when he did it. Perhaps this was a weak point in Moses’ life, but this weakness did not spoil his function. Miriam used this weakness as an excuse, as a standing, to rebel against Moses.
God came in to deal with Miriam’s rebellion. She was condemned by God and suffered the punishment of leprosy (vv. 6-15a), a disease which indicates that one’s sickness is inward. Suffering such a punishment, Miriam was shut up outside the camp for seven days.
As a result of Miriam’s rebellion and punishment, the journey of the people was delayed for seven days (v. 15). Her rebellion surely was a frustration to God’s people.
The Unbelief of God’s Chosen and Redeemed People
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, saying, “The land, through which we have gone to spy out, is a land that devours its inhabitants; and all the people that we saw in it are men of great size. And there we saw the Nephilim (the sons of Anak are from the Nephilim); and we were in our own sight like grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight” (13:32-33). When the people heard this, they wept. Their weeping was not only a matter of unbelief but also of rebellion.
Provoking God’s Anger toward Them
The unbelief of the people provoked God’s anger toward them (14:11-12).
Causing Them to Forfeit the Right to Enter the God-promised Good Land
This unbelief also caused them to forfeit the right to enter the God-promised good land (vv. 22-23).
God Punishing Them by Causing Them to Wander in the Wilderness
and to Be Consumed There
God punished the people by causing them to wander in the wilderness and to be consumed there (vv. 32-35). God said to them, “Your little ones, who you said would become a prey, I will bring in, and they shall know the land which you have rejected. But as for you, your carcasses shall fall in this wilderness” (vv. 31-32).
The Rebellion of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram,
with Two Hundred Fifty Leaders among the Assembly of God’s People
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.
Being Jealous of the High Position of Moses and Aaron
Korah, Dathan, Abiram, and two hundred fifty leaders of the assembly “gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said to them, You have gone too far! For all the assembly is holy, every one of them, and Jehovah is among them. Why then do you exalt yourselves above the congregation of Jehovah?” (16:3). This indicates that 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. Throughout the history of God’s people, rebellion has been caused by the combination of ambition and the lack of capacity. This was the situation in Numbers 16. Korah, Dathan, and Abiram were ambitious, but they did not have the capacity which Moses and Aaron had.
Korah Not Being Satisfied to Be a Leader in the Levitical Service,
and Dathan and Abiram Not Being Satisfied to Be Leaders in the Assembly
of God’s People
Korah was not satisfied to be a leader in the Levitical service, which was secondary to the priesthood, and Dathan and Abiram were not satisfied to be leaders in the assembly of God’s people (vv. 8-11). They all wanted a higher position, but according to God’s sovereignty, they did not have the capacity for such a position.
God’s Punishment upon the Rebels
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.
The Earth Swallowing Up Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, with Their Households and
All the Men That Belonged to Korah and All Their Goods
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). They went to Sheol without dying. I believe that they were the first group of people to perish in this way.
Fire Coming Forth from Jehovah and Consuming the Two Hundred Fifty Leaders
According to verse 35, fire came forth from Jehovah and consumed the two hundred fifty leaders.
The Wrath of Jehovah Going Forth to Consume
Fourteen Thousand Seven Hundred People with the Plague
Finally, the wrath of Jehovah went forth to consume fourteen thousand seven hundred people with the plague (vv. 44-49). This was a very serious judgment.
God’s judgment here was a threefold judgment, involving the earth, the fire, and the plague. To the rebels this was a judgment, but to the entire congregation of the children of Israel the whole matter was a frustration. But through this frustration, and especially through God’s judgment, the people were sifted, purged, and purified.
Balaam’s Plot and Teaching
Another frustration to God’s chosen and redeemed people was Balaam’s plot and teaching (Num. 31:16; Rev. 2:14b).
Teaching Balak to Stumble the God-chosen and God-redeemed People
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). It is hard to believe that a large number of God’s people could commit the sins of fornication, which damaged themselves, and idolatry, which insulted the person of God. Nevertheless, many of the people fell into these sins.
Through This, the God-chosen and God-redeemed People Provoking God to Consume Twenty-four Thousand of Them with the Plague
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 (Num. 25:3, 9). This was a great sifting, purging, and purification. Through this frustration the children of Israel were purified, and after this purification they were renumbered.
With respect to whatever is negative in our situation and condition, frustrations are needed. I have considered this very much as I have faced the recent rebellion among us. Whether we realize it or not and whether we understand it or not, we need the purification which comes through the frustrations.
All These Frustrations Being Considered as Means to Humble the God-redeemed People by Afflictions and Testing Them on Their Journey
in the Wilderness
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). This is our situation today. The different kinds of frustrations are used by God to humble us and to test us. As we make our journey through the great and terrible wilderness, we will suffer frustrations again and again. Just as some made themselves sacrifices for the benefit of the children of Israel, today some may become sacrifices for our benefit, in particular for our purging and purification. From this we see once again that the record of the journey of the children of Israel in the wilderness is a record of our journey today. The frustrations they experienced in their journey we will also experience in our journey. Therefore, it is helpful for us to consider the frustrations recorded in the book of Numbers. (Life-study of Numbers, msg. 51)