By: Kenneth B. Alexander J.D.
Book Four-Bible Book By Book Series
Table of Contents
Title Page - The Book of Numbers - In the Wilderness; By: Kenneth B. Alexander J.D.
Table of Contents
Preface
Introduction to Series - Bible Book By Book
Introduction to Numbers
Outline of Contents – the Book of Numbers
Israel Sets Out
Spies
Complaints and Judgment
The Almond Branch
Moses’ Sin
Disagreements and Conquests
Balek and Balaam
Census Taken
Duties of the Levitical Priests
Further Events and Laws
Journey Through the Wilderness
Instructions
Bibliography – End Notes
Preface
Thanks to John Robert Stevens, Pastor and My Mentor, deceased; Pastors Gary and Marilyn Hargrave; The Living Word, a World Wide Fellowship of Churches (thelivingword.org); Logos Bible Study System 5; Fellow Believers
©Author: Kenneth B. Alexander, JD
Web: www.christianfreelance. vpweb.com
Scripture references: The New American Standard, 95 ed; The New American Standard, 1977 ed.; King James Authorized Version; Unless Otherwise Noted
“Scripture References In Italics” and “quotation marks”
Bold Emphasis Author’s Discretion
CAPS USED FROM BIBLE SCRIPTURES or PER AUTHOR’S DISCRETION
Man or Men when used alone is gender negative and is meant to include: men, women, mankind, humanity etc.
Bible Book By Book
This Series of Books will treat the scriptures and the Bible as the full and complete Word of God compiled by God through the pens of men inspired by the Holy Spirit. The Bible says this about itself: “All Scripture is inspired [God breathed] by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17). God left for us a record of all that is needed to be known to enable His people full access to His salvation and entrance to His glorious Kingdom. Each scripture, group of scriptures, each Book as a whole has a point; it is saying something from God that we can take away with us just as if God Himself descended and spoke to us in person. It speaks both to the beginner in Christ and to the most mature. Its meaning is ever expanding according to the spiritual growth of the individual.
Christ Himself quoted scripture on many occasions. In his very first public appearance He spoke scripture. “THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS UPON ME, BECAUSE HE ANOINTED ME TO PREACH THE GOSPEL TO THE POOR. HE HAS SENT ME TO PROCLAIM RELEASE TO THE CAPTIVES, AND RECOVERY OF SIGHT TO THE BLIND, TO SET FREE THOSE WHO ARE DOWNTRODDEN, TO PROCLAIM THE FAVORABLE YEAR OF THE LORD” (Lk 4:18–19). He quoted Old Testament scripture written down by Isaiah from the Book of Isaiah 61:1-2. Christ went on to say: “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” Amazingly enough Isaiah spoke this scripture a millennium before Christ and a millennium before Christ fulfilled the words. Many, many times you will read in the scriptures of Christ fulfilling a prophecy that was spoken millenniums before His birth.
The authenticity of the Bible is the subject of great dispute among men, mainly Biblical scholars and scientists. Many see the Bible as a book of myths or moralistic stories. Many hold that the named authors of the Books of the Bible were not their true authors. Others notice inconsistencies in the Bible and criticize the text of those grounds (for a full history of the Bible with criticisms see The Bible and history - From Wikipedia).
The scriptures, Old Testament and New, speak exclusively of Christ. He said to the Pharisees: “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me; (John 5:39). They had been deceived into thinking that life, peace and happiness could be found by following rigid rules and traditions, such as rituals of washings and Sabbath day rests. They studied the Torah endlessly trying to find its secrets when the real secret was its revealing of the Messiah to come. The purpose of the Scriptures was to point mankind to Christ wherein dwells life, but they were not willing to come to Jesus so that they might have this life. The direct topological references to Christ in the Old Testament are much too many to enumerate here (see “References to Christ In the Old Testament Scriptures” by this author at lulu.com).
The first thing to learn about the Bible is that it is incapable of human mental interpretation. It is unique in that respect out of all books written. John 1:1 makes that clear: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being”. The Word is just not a collection of literary works; it is and conveys the Spirit of God - it IS God.
The Word of God is recorded in the Bible. The operative Greek word is “Logos” meaning “The Word”. Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words partially defines Logos as: “…the phrase “The word of God” i.e. the revealed Word of God is used as a direct revelation of Christ (1 Thessalonians 4:15) of the gospel…(citations)… in this respect it is the message from the Lord, delivered with His authority and made effective by His power…The personal word is a title of the Son of God…His distinct super-finite personality…His relation to the Godhead, His creative power… (Vine’s Page 1241-1242).
So the Word is God Himself as revealed by the Word (Jesus Christ) appearing on the earth. Human interpretation or mental understanding is not God; the Bible can only be understood spiritually by revelation from God. John 4:23-24 says that God is a Spirit and we can only know Him or relate to Him in the spirit. The Word is literally God’s power and authority going out from Him and “made effective” through the Word. Christ is the Word, God made manifest. All things were created in and through Him. God created the heavens and the earth through a creative Word (Genesis 1:3-“let there be”). [i]
In Christianity, and in fact in any search for the truth, one must look to the Word of God to gain an understanding of the truth. You must seek it and find it but God promises that “if we seek and keep on seeking” you will find”. One thing we learn quickly is that truth is not special knowledge, wisdom or concepts separate from God. Truth is not a thing or a state of being—it is a person-Jesus Christ. In the Gospel of John he quotes Jesus as saying: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me” (v. 14:6). In order to understand truth, we must keep this “definition” in mind. Nowhere else in the Bible is “truth” defined. It is not a moral concept; it is not doing good so you can “go to heaven; it is not a philosophy; it is not a set of church doctrines and it’s not found in your conscience. It is found in Jesus Christ, in His nature, His body and His blood.[ii]
The Bible is Divine revelation from the Father. In Matthew 16:13-19 Jesus asked His disciples “Who do you say I am?”