Page 103 - Pentateuch - Student Textbook

Study Section 13: Pentateuch Part V:
The Plains of Moab – The Prophet of God: Numbers 20:1-36:13

13.1 Connect

Israel has made it once again to Kadesh (20:1). Several chapters and almost forty years earlier,
they were in the same area (13:26). The older generation is almost all dead, but they have a
few more opportunities to complain about God’s treatment of them before they pass from the
face of the earth. Their “song” has not changed much. “Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to
this terrible place? It has no grain or figs, grapevines or pomegranates. And there is no water
to drink” (20:3).

13.2 Objectives

1. You will link the failures of Israel to the failure of Moses.

2. You will follow the prophecies of Balaam to his vision of a coming Messiah.

3. You will scan the end of Numbers and ponder the emphasis on inheriting the land.

4. You will note the theology of Scripture in the Pentateuch.

5. You will wrestle with the issue of true and false prophecy.

6. You will evaluate modern prophecies.

13.3 The Plains of Moab

The unceasing criticism has affected Moses and Aaron. God instructs them to speak to a rock in
the sight of the people, and it would pour out water. This is something that has happened
before (Exodus 17:1-4), and Moses should be familiar with the pattern. Instead of obedience,
Moses says to the people, “Listen, you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock
(20:10)?” Now Moses and Aaron join the rest of their generation under the judgment of God.
“Because you did not trust in me enough to honor me as holy in the sight of the Israelites, you
will not bring this community into the land I give them” (20:12).

In short order Aaron dies, his place in the community taken over by his son Eleazar (20:22-29). God
begins to defeat nations along the way (21:1-3 10-35), but the grumblers continue. “Why have you
brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness” (21:5)? God continues to judge them (21:6-9).

Now the narrative shifts. All the material so far has focused on Israel from Israel’s point of view. In the
next several chapters, the focus is on Israel from the point of view of one of the nations God intends to
destroy. King Balak and his Moabite nation are terrified. Israel has started to defeat other nations in the
area. He hires a prophet all the way from ancient Babylon to come and curse Israel. Balaam must have
been well-known. The distance is great, and the offer of money is significant.

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