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Day 40 – Thru the Bible
Today we begin the Book of Numbers and continue in Psalms.
Video- Read Scripture: Numbers
How does this video help you understand the structure of Numbers better?
Numbers 1 – Numbers begins with the Lord revealing His will to His people by speaking to Moses. God’s people always need a mediator, and Moses fills that office supremely in the Old Testament.
How is Jesus the new and greater Moses under the New Covenant? Hint: John 1:14-18.
Having delivered the Israelites out of Egypt, God now shows his ongoing grace as he prepares them to conquer the land.
What does the census remind the people of related to God’s gracious promise to Abraham? Hint: Genesis 12:1–2.
We too, having been delivered out of sin and death through the new exodus of Christ’s suffering and glory, are called upon to engage in battle spiritually.
How are we to fight this battle? Hint: Colossians 3:1-4; Ephesians 6:10–18.
In all of our spiritual struggles, how does our confidence remain in God’s gracious purpose demonstrated in the cross of Christ? Hint: Romans 5:8–10; 8:32; Hebrews 7:25).
Numbers 2 – Israel’s encampment is now organized for a military campaign, prepared for warfare. With the tabernacle as his royal tent pitched at the center of the camp, God is portrayed as the campaigner with the companies of Israel as his hosts—the battle belongs to the Lord.
Here the representations of grace are not of stereotypical gentleness. Rather, the descriptions remind God’s people that He provides all that is necessary to overcome the enemies that threaten us and His purposes.
Our battle, however, is not against flesh and blood, but against the spiritual forces of evil (Ephesians 6:10–18), and our assurance of victory comes from knowing that the Lord dwells in our midst.
How do we see people knowing our battle is not against them, but against spiritual forces?
Preeminence is given to the camp of Judah, stationed east of the tabernacle just beyond the priests (who entered the tabernacle from the east). This reflects God’s promise that from Judah’s line, the Ruler would come to deliver his people from their enemies (Genesis 49:8–12).
How is this promise ultimately fulfilled through Jesus Christ, who leads us in salvation? Hint: Hebrews 2:10.
Number 3-4 – The Levites were exempted from the census for war, as their duties lay primarily in serving through setting up and taking down the tabernacle and its furnishings, along with protecting its premises so that God’s “dangerous” goodness would not consume trespassers.
How is the Levites’ high and holy calling to serve ultimately accomplished by Christ? Hint: Mark 10:45
In His service to God, Christ is our substitute, fulfilling righteous obedience to the law and becoming the atoning sacrifice for our sins on the cross.
Gratefully looking to Christ, how are we enabled to live as “Levites” on earth, desiring to serve those around us? Hint: Hebrews 12:1–2; 1 Peter 2:9.
Psalm 40 – In its immediate context, this Psalm of David teaches that the Lord hears the cries of his children and responds, but they must wait “patiently” for him since their perception of timeliness is not always the same as his perfect providence.
More distantly, this is a Psalm that will be lived out by David’s Greater Son, Jesus. Throughout history, Christians have viewed the Psalter ultimately as a collection of Christ’s prayers. The way this Psalm occurs in the New Testament reinforces that conviction. In fact, Hebrews 10:5–7 quotes Psalm 40:6–7 and attributes the words to Christ.
The opening can be used to describe Christ being delivered from the “miry bog” of death and raised to “set [his] feet” upon a “rock” of God’s provision (vv. 1–2). From that place, our risen King empowers our worship (v. 3; cf. Heb. 2:12) and enables us to work “wondrous deeds” (Ps. 40:5; cf. John 14:12). As an obedient Son, Jesus humbled himself to save the world his Father loved (Ps. 40:6–8). Jesus the Prophet taught God’s “love” and “faithfulness” (Ps. 40:9–10; cf. John 17:8, 14).
Verses 12–17 poignantly anticipate Christ’s own Gethsemane experience and death on the cross. The Priest himself became sin on our behalf. That substitution moves our hearts to “love [his] salvation” and to “say continually, ‘Great is the Lord!’”
How does this Psalm help you see Jesus more clearly?
What other thoughts or questions does today’s video and reading bring up?
Some of these notes are from the ESV Gospel Transformation Bible study notes. We highly recommend this study Bible.
Videos produced by www.TheGospelProject.com.
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