The One Year Chronological Bible - Week 10 Reflection Questions

Week 10 (Mar 1-8): Numbers 11:1-29:40

As you read through these passages of the Bible, reflect upon these questions individually, through journaling, in pairs, or in small groups...

1. In Numbers 11, we read that the people complained in the hearing of the LORD and His anger was aroused.  This led to fire that consumed some of the outskirts of the camp.  The people then cried out to Moses and Moses prayed to the LORD and then the fire died down.  Moses served as an intermediary between the people and God.  How is this similar and/or different from our experience of God today?
2. Moses became overwhelmed with the people's complaining and the burden that they were to him.  In response, God took some of the spirit that was on Moses and divided it among other leaders who would share the burden with Moses.  In what ways do we practice this approach to leadership in our modern context?  Are there ways in which we could be more intentional about "sharing the burden?"
3.  After the LORD shared the spirit with the elders, two of the elders who remained in the camp began to prophesy.  Joshua became anxious about this and requested that Moses stop them from doing this.  Yet Moses replied, "Are you jealous for my sake?  I wish that all the LORD's  people were prophets and that the LORD would put his Spirit on them!"  How is this reality different for us today within the body of Christ?  How does noticing this contrast inform your perspective about the role of the Holy Spirit?
4. At the LORD's instructions, Moses sent twelve men, a representative of each tribe, to explore the land of Canaan and report back on what they found.  They explored the land for forty days and reported that the land was plentiful but that it was occupied by powerful people and fortified cities.  This report led the people to rebel and ask for a leader who would take them back to Egypt.  When have you or the church faced similar fears of where God was taking you?  Did the fears win out?  What did this mean for the following years?  What might you do differently looking back?
5. Joshua and Caleb offered a different point of view from the other ten scouts. They affirmed the goodness of the land and believed that with the LORD's favor that the Israelites could over come those living there.  When have you taken a stand against the crowd?  Were your words heard or did they fall on deaf ears?  Would you make the same choice now?
6. The LORD became frustrated with the people of Israel and threatened to destroy them with a plague and to make a greater and stronger nation out of Moses.  But Moses offered God a reality check, a look at the bigger picture of how the other nations would perceive this action.  Because of this, the LORD forgave the people but decided that none of the people living then would see the promised land except for Caleb and Joshua.  All of the other scouts were then killed by a plague because of the bad report that they spread.  When have you experienced a person or people spreading "a bad report" to change the minds of the people?  What was the outcome?  How might things had been different?
7. The people challenged Moses' leadership and many died even after Moses and Aaron tried to intercede on their behaves.  Where is the balance between healthy authority with the freedom to question and over bearing authority or criticism of leadership?
8. The people were to tithe of what they had and this served as payment to the Levites who were then to tithe from what they received.  Whether we follow "the tithe" or not, in what ways is this instructive to us in our modern setting?
9. After all Moses did and how faithful he was to God, he was not allowed to enter the promised land because he struck the rock rather than simply speaking to it.  In what ways do we perceive this as judgment?  Are there ways in which we might see grace in the midst of this decision?
10. In Genesis 36:8 we read that the descendants of Esau became Edom.  Then in Numbers, we read that the people of Edom would not allow the Israelites (descendants of Jacob) pass through their land.  How much of this do you imagine was current/political and how much of this do you imagine could have been historical family dynamics playing out through the generations?
11.  Moses was instructed to transfer Aaron's garments to his son, Eleazar, who would succeed him.  Aaron then died on Mount Hor.  Imagine yourself in the place of Eleazar as this transfer and death took place.  What do you imagine that would have been like?  How do you think that would have shaped your ministry from there?
12. When the Israelites were bitten by snakes, Moses was instructed to make a bronze snake on a pole.  The people who were bitten and looked at the snake were healed.  Jesus then referred back to this story in John 3:14.  What are we to learn from this comparison?
13. Balak was afraid of the Israelites and tried to have them cursed.  He called upon Balaam to do it for him.  God told Balaam not to go but Balak called upon Balaam again.  This time the LORD allowed Balaam to go, but only to do as he was told.  Yet on the way, God became angry and tried to kill Balaam.  How are we to interpret of understand this change from giving limited permission to attempting to kill Balaam?
14. Balaam's donkey saved him three times and then the donkey spoke asking why Balaam had beat him.  Balaam conversed with the donkey as if there was nothing unusual about this.  Then God opened Balaam's eyes and he saw the angel who was to kill him.  When have your eyes been blind to the danger ahead of you?  Who or what knowingly or unknowingly intervened and saved you?
15. Balaam blessed Israel multiple times rather than cursed them because that is what God told him to do.  He even said to Balaak, "Did I not tell you I must do whatever the LORD says?"  Yet Balaak tried to work the angles, literally, moving from spot to spot. In Acts 5:29 we read that Peter and the other apostles replied, "We must obey God rather than human beings."  When have you faced a situation in your life in which you had to choose between obeying God or human beings?  What was that like for you?  What did you do?  Would you still make the same choice?
16. Phinehas was praised for his decisive action against Zimri and Kozbi in response to Israel's unfaithfulness.  How do you feel or think about this approach to what happened?
17. When Moses' time came, he laid hands on Joshua and commissioned him to lead the Israelites.  How have you experienced transitions in leadership?  When has this gone well and when were there things that could have made the process go more smoothly?

 May the Lord bless and shape us through our individual reading and corporate study of His word this year.