|
Bible scholar and lecturer, Mary Jane Chapin
Chaignot, continues her review of each book
in the Bible with her examination of Numbers.
This should be a wonderful help to all of you
whether you are just starting or continuing your
own Bible study.
Numbers
Numbers is the fourth book of the Pentateuch.
Once again its name is derived from the Septuagint
via the Vulgate. In Greek this book is called
arithmoi; the Latinized translation became
numeri. The English version designated
it as Numbers. The title is probably derived
from the two occasions in the book where a census
is taken (Num. 1-4; 26). Although this census-taking
is an important aspect of the book, it is not
its prime focus. There is a theological import
that far exceeds mere "numbers." The
entire story is set "in the wilderness"
and describes the "wilderness" experience
of the Israelites. Hence, the Hebrew Bible captures
the essence of the book through its title: "In
the wilderness" or "In the desert."
(This phrase is only one word in Hebrew.) Perhaps
it would be best to think of Numbers as
being a link or a channel connecting the amazing
events of the Exodus story to the conquest in
Canaan. (Leviticus--third book of the Pentateuch--digresses
into the law code; Deuteronomy--fifth book of
the Pentateuch--is a more reflective piece.) It
is the narrative of Numbers that takes
the Israelites from the base of Mt. Sinai to the
Transjordan region, the land of Canaan. In the
process they are transformed from a people of
bondage to a free people. This is really the story,
then, of the journey from promise to fulfillment.
Even a cursory glance through this book, however,
will reveal that their transformation, their "journey"
is not easy. And so it is that being "in
the wilderness" has become a powerful metaphor
for challenging times, marginal living, and transitional
experiences. That was true then and it still is
now.
This book might hold some surprises for the modern
reader. Some of its themes seem all too relevant
even today. Consider, for example, the question
of second chances. What happens when God demands
obedience, and the people are blatantly disobedient
time and time again? Or how about -- how does
faith get passed from one generation to the next?
How do we balance the warnings of the past with
the promises of the future? In a world of competing
interests and many temptations, how does the church
define itself and its mission? This is not meant
to be an exhaustive list, but perhaps it will
pique one's interest in the potentially relevant
aspects of Numbers.
Who wrote this timeless masterpiece? Like its
predecessors comprising the Pentateuch, the book
was probably given its final shape during the
sixth century while the Israelites were in exile.
And like its predecessors, tradition states that
Moses was the author. The book actually never
says that, at least not directly. However, there
are those verses which claim Moses wrote things
down as they occurred (Num. 33:2). There are also
many statements that say, "God told Moses"
-- obviously with the intent that he would communicate
that message to the people. And even though scholars
detect a very strong Mosaic element, they generally
accept the post-exilic premise. This is not to
say that aspects of the oral tradition do not
go all the way back to Mosaic times. They do,
of course. But remembering that there was
a strong oral tradition lends credence to the
acceptance of many and, mostly, unknown authors.
First and foremost, the book of Numbers
is mostly a story about God and His relation to
a people He had chosen for Himself. Even when
these people grumbled, even when they engineered
an outright rebellion, God remained faithful and
loyal to them. He remained present with them in
tangible ways and cared for them in practical
ways. In return He asked for obedience -- which
is exactly what they didn't do every time they
faced some hardship. And let us not forget, that
these were the people who had just been delivered
out of bondage from Egypt. They had witnessed
many astounding saving events. But at the first
sign of difficulty, they grumbled against God
and Moses. Then they witnessed the theophany on
Mount Sinai and agreed to the covenant of the
Ten Commandments, which they immediately violated
-- and then repented for doing so.
Such behavior gives us a glimpse of how things
will unfold -- at least with the first generation.
The book of Numbers picks up the story
at Mount Sinai where they have been for fourteen
months. As the narrative opens, they're instructed
to prepare for the march to the Promised Land.
They are so ready and expectations are so high,
but...
Being in the wilderness is hard. Trusting Moses
(and God) is harder. Truthfully, they preferred
to go back to Egypt, back to the time before Moses,
before God, before any of this happened to them.
They rebel, return, rebel, return, over and over
again. God forgives, offers compassion, provides
hope and finally judgment when they blatantly
refuse to enter the Promised Land because the
"spies" thought it too dangerous. As
a result, the first generation was denied entry
into the Promised Land: hence, the wandering for
forty years. After refusing the Promised Land
in the first place, they would all be destined
to die in the wilderness. The fulfillment of the
promise would be experienced by the next generation.
The second generation would be the ones to carry
on.
The book, then, offers a uniquely parallel design
between the first or old generation and the second
or new generation. The trials, tribulations, and
sins of the old generation are told in chapters
1-25. The new generation experiences many of these
same events, but with a different outcome. Their
restored story is told in chapters 26-36. One
generation is cursed; the other is blessed.
A brief overview of this is presented in Dennis
Olson's commentary on Numbers, as part
of the Interpretation Series.1
|
