Introduction To The Book of Numbers

Before we begin to look at the book of Numbers I wish to quote from Warren Wiersbe’s Commentary on the book of Numbers.

            “The code name for the enterprise was ‘Operation Overlord.’  The more popular name was ‘D-Day’—June 6, 1943, when the combined Allied forces landed on ‘Omaha Beach’ and signaled the beginning of the end of the war in Europe.  It was the largest assembly of military personnel and materiel in the history of warfare.  Historian Samuel Eliot Morison wrote, ‘The allied forces of soldiers, sailors, aviators and supporting services amounted to 2.8 million men in England.’

            “Moses was about to launch his own ‘Operation Overload,’ and his greatest desire was that Jehovah, the Lord of Hosts, truly be Lord over the whole enterprise.  More than 2 million Jews were anticipating entering Canaan, conquering the inhabitants, claiming the land, and enjoying their promised inheritance.  But before all of this could happen, Moses had to organize this assembly of former slaves who had been enjoying their freedom for only a year.  It wasn’t an easy task.

            “His preparation for stages: celebrating the Passover (9:1-14), numbering the soldiers (chapter 1), organizing the tribes (chapter 2), and assigning the priestly duties. (chapters 3-4).”

            So be begin the study of the book of Numbers, named because of all of the counting that is done in the book.  This is the forth book of the Old Testament, that was written by Moses, inspired by the Holy Spirit, and if the Jews had not disobeyed the Lord they would have been moving into the Promised Land by the end of this book.  However they did not obey the Lord and thus they had to walk around the wilderness for another 38 years.  I hope all will enjoy this study and that it will help believers grow in their faith and most of all glorify the Lord Jesus Christ.

P.S.  This introduction was more for the first chapter in Dr. Wiersbe’s book on Numbers, but worth reading.