Numbers 21

3 September 2019


Opening Remarks

  • It has been a long long arduous journey for God’s people (many decades as slaves in Egypt, then 40 years in wilderness as sojourners) to the promised land. Journeys in wilderness continues - How does YOUR journey on earth feel like? Have you found meaning and purpose in it? Are you also complaining and grumbling like Israelites did? Do you tend to loose track of God’s ongoing plan of redemption, and instead get fixated on what all is not going right, like the Israelites here?


Potential Discussion Questions:-

  • Does God lead His people to land grab / invasion / mass killing in current times?
  • You may have heard individuals committing murders, saying God told them. Is that possible, in current times?
  • What are today’s battles / invasions for a Christian? What do you learn from here, as to how to tackle them?
  • Do we (say in prosperous, powerful, free America today) complain less or more than the Israelites (in wilderness for decades) did (v4-v9)?
  • In what ways Israelites sinned (v4-v9)? What would be “corresponding sins and punishments” in today’s time? In general, how does God punish one for sinning in current times?
  • Any more comments?


Suggested Commentary to Potential Discussion Questions:-

  • Does God lead His people to land grab / invasion / mass killing in current times?

Here, God was also using Israel to bring judgement upon unrepentant and defiant nations. Judgement will always be due on unrepentant and defiant (i.e., Luke 13:1-5). But the way judgement is brought upon by God has changed. Jesus said in John 5:11:- "For the Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son". Jesus also said in John 18:33 - "My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.” Hence you won't see anymore God using his people to bring judgement on unrepentant and defiant, like we see here. Remember, Jesus did not allow the Jews to stone (according to the Old Testament laws) the woman caught in the act of adultery (John 8:11).

Remember, Jesus is the one who would bring upon the final judgement on the unrepentant - Revelation 20:11-15.


  • You may have heard individuals committing murders, saying God told them. Is that possible, in current times?

(See commentary above).


  • What are today’s battles / invasions for a Christian? What do you learn from here, as to how to tackle them?

Prominent battles for a Christian are:- (1) Battle against one's own sinful nature, (2) Spiritual warfare, (3) Suffering inflicted, arising from the broken nature of the world and sin of others in the world.

Numbers 21:1 suggests God will often allow us to suffer in these battles. Read this article of "Spiritual warfare" on ways from Scriptures to tackle such battle.


  • Do we (say in prosperous, powerful, free America today) complain less or more than the Israelites (in wilderness for decades) did (v4-v9)?

Is it hard to say if we in prosperous, powerful, free America today, complain any less that those Israelites in wilderness for decades?!


  • In what ways Israelites sinned (v4-v9)? What would be “corresponding sins and punishments” in today’s time? In general, how does God punish one for sinning in current times?

Israelites made false accusations against Moses (v5) - In-fact they were in wilderness for 40 years because of sin (Numbers 14). Calling God's great food manna as "worthless" (v5) was false accusation and great offense. So, they were wrongfully rebelling against God appointed authority (Moses) and hence God. They became impatient with God (v4). They lost track of God's great plan of redemption for them and started believing that they were brought to wilderness out of Egypt to die. They stopped trusting God.

In today's time, how often do we tend to wrongfully blame fellow brethren when circumstances are bad? How often do we tend to loose track of ongoing God's plan of redemption and become fixated at what all is not going well in the moment? How often do we tend to stop trusting God? How often do we take for granted God's blessings and provisions (such as here, they wrongfully "trashed" manna which was actually a super-food - food of angels - Psalm 78:25)?


On "corresponding punishments" / "In general, how does God punish one for sinning in current times?", see commentary on "How Church members are disciplined for sin in today’s time? ".


  • Any more comments?
    • We see a picture of salvation, through Jesus, here. How people sinned and were doomed to death. But God mercifully provided a way for their redemption (Numbers 21:8-9). This way was so simple and did not require any work (say, good deeds or compensation) to be done to negate the sins, apart from the fact that they confessed their sins and asked for forgiveness (v7).