Scriptural Highlights

• The Lord answers the Israelites' desire for meat by sending them quail and smiting them with a plague.
• The Lord chastens Miriam and Aaron for speaking against Moses.
• Moses instructs 12 men to search the land of Canaan.
• Moses makes a serpent of brass and tells the people that if they look at it they will be healed.

A study of this lesson should encourage us to overcome worldly desires and fears and look to the Savior and his prophets for guidance.

The Book Of Numbers

1. A previous Gospel Doctrine teacher's manual makes the following statement:
• "The book of Numbers recounts a great national tragedy. Within just a few months of their deliverance from Egypt, the children of Israel had an opportunity to inherit the promised land. But this inheritance was delayed for forty years because of their contentions, divisions, and lack of faith. By the time Israel finally showed enough faith to be able to enter the promised land, most of this faltering generation had died." (1989 & 1993 Old Testament Gospel Doctrine Teacher's Manual, p13)
2. Source of the name Numbers:
• Semitic custom - use the first word of a book as its title.
• Example: Bereshith = "in the beginning", Hebrew title for Genesis.
• Wayedabber = "and he spoke", Hebrew for 1st words in Numbers, similar to opening of Deuteronomy.
• Bamidbar = "in the desert", additional Hebrew title for book.
• The translators of the Greek version of the scriptures wanted the title to be even descriptive of the content of the book.
• Arithmoi = "Numbers", because of the repeated use of census figures and counting of Israelites.
• Numeri = "numbers", Latin title.
3. Contents of the book:
• a) The census.
• b) Majority of book includes:
• Israel's encounter with God and his prophet.
• Lessons painfully learned in the desert.
• Records the 38 year period from the time Israel left Mt. Sinai until they arrived at Mt. Pisgah on the east side of the Jordan River.
• The route by way of the Gulf of Aqaba takes 11 days.
• A more direct route would take even less time.
4. The Census:
• In Chapter 1 the Lord commanded Moses to number all males in all the tribes of Israel over 20 years of age, "all that are able to go for to war".
• Total numbered from all tribes = 603,550.
• Levites not numbered in census.
• Based on above number, total population of Israel = 2 to 3 million.
• There is some question to the validity of the above census figures.
• As we know, not all has been translated correctly.
• We know the difficulties of moving modern Israel west to Utah in companies of hundreds to a few thousand (although a further distance).
• Other scholars have problems with these numbers and indicate that the total number was closer to 500,000.
• Whatever the number, what Moses faced was a monumental task. It must have been one of the largest single migrations in the history of the world.
5. The Camp of Israel begins it's migration following the census and various instructions including the organization of the camp.

Moses, The Spirit of Prophecy, & Israel Tires of Manna

1. READ NUMBERS 11:4-10. Israel tires of manna & complains again.
• One can understand the situation of these people. Imagine eating the same thing day after day. Even your favorite meal. Although, I did know a man on my mission that insisted on brown beans everyday.
• WHAT SINS WERE THE ISRAELITES GUILTY OF WHEN THEY TIRED OF MANNA AND DESIRED MEAT INSTEAD?
• WHY IS GRATITUDE IMPORTANT?
• D&C 59:7: "Thou shalt thank the Lord thy God in all things . . . ."
• Lorenzo Snow: "I have thought sometimes that one of the greatest virtues the Latter-day Saints could possess is gratitude to our Heavenly Father for that which he has bestowed upon us and the path over which he has led us. It may be that walking along in that path has not always been of the most pleasant character; but we have afterwards discovered that those circumstances which have been very unpleasant have often proved of the highest advantage to us." (CR, Apr. 1899)
• Neal A. Maxwell: "Bearing one's testimony and expressing gratitude are like periodic inventories; counting our blessings is both healthy and invigorating. Counting is better than commiserating." (Deposition of a Disciple, p74)
• IF WE ARE UNGRATEFUL, HOW DOES IT AFFECT:
• OUR ATTITUDES?
• Gordon B. Hinckley: "Absence of gratitude is the mark of the narrow, uneducated mind. It bespeaks a lack of knowledge and the ignorance of self-sufficiency. It expresses itself in ugly egotism and frequently in wanton mischief." (CR, Oct. 1964)
• "Where there is gratitude, there is humility, as opposed to pride." (CR, Oct. 1964)
• OUR RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHERS?
• OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD?
• HOW CAN WE BECOME MORE GRATEFUL?
2. READ NUMBERS 11:11,14. Moses unable to carry the burden alone.
• Moses is struggling to deal with these Israelites, these children. It is more than he can bear. In verse 15 he plead with the Lord, "And if thou deal thus with me, kill me, I pray thee, out of hand, if I have found favour in thy sight".
• Moses' calling was more than he could handle. To him, there seemed to be no way out and he asked the Lord for an out.
• HOW DID THE LORD RESPOND?
• READ NUMBERS 11:16-17. The Lord calls seventy to assist Moses in the work.
• The Lord also assured Moses that he would provide meat (v18).
• In v25 we read that the Lord gave the spirit to the seventy and they prophesied.
3. When Joshua saw these men speaking the words of prophecy he said, "My lord Moses, forbid them" (Numbers 11:28:).
• READ NUMBERS 11:29. Moses' reply to Joshua.
• Robert L. Millet: "Indeed, 'would God that all the Lord's people were prophets, and that the Lord would put his spirit upon them!' When every man or woman--whether ancient or modern Israelite--has the testimony of Jesus, the spirit of prophecy burning within his or her soul, then the work of the Lord moves forward by leaps and bounds. The strength of the kingdom of God at any time is not to be found alone in the power and strength of its leaders, but more important in the individual testimonies of the members. Members who gain the witness and enjoy the gifts lift heavy burdens from the shoulders of the leaders, for they now perform their labors in the Church with intelligent obedience." (Studies In Scripture, 3:188)
• Brigham Young: "I am like Moses when a messenger came to him saying, 'The people are prophesying in their tents.' Said Moses, Well, what of that? I would to God that the Lord's people were all prophets! I would to God that they all had revelation! When they receive revelation from heaven the story is told, they know for themselves." (JD 13:336)
4. READ NUMBERS 11:31-34. The Lord sends quail and a plague.
• The Israelite's growing tired of manna and wanting meat, and other foods they had in Egypt, might symbolize their constant turning from the things of heaven to the things of the world.
• HOW MIGHT SOME OF US BE DOING THIS TODAY?
• Paul cautions us in his epistle to the Galatians: "And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not" (Gal. 6:9)
• Do we grow weary of attending our meetings, doing home teaching, reading the scriptures, or saying our daily prayers? Do we every find ourselves longing for the things of the world?
• Consider a favorite piece of music. I think we have all had the experience of purchasing a CD containing music that we enjoy. When we first obtain that CD, we may play it frequently, even repeatedly. But over time, we seem to grow "weary" of the music. We play it less often and the CD seems to work its way down the pile. Did the nature of the music change? No. It is constant, but our desire to hear it has diminished.
• We must strive to not let this happen with the works of righteousness. Like a fitness program, if we "faint not", in time we will "reap" the rewards which may be reduced weight, feeling better, or increased discipline. The reward for eternal vigilence is much greater.

The Complaint of Miriam and Aaron

1. READ NUMBERS 12:1-2. Miriam & Aaron speak against Moses.
• According to Josephus, Moses had married Tharbis, the daughter of the king of the Ethiopians at a time when Moses was a commander of the Egyptian armies.
2. The Lord's response (see Numbers 12:5-14):
• The Lord descended in a cloud & summoned Miriam & Aaron before him.
• The Lord explained that Moses was his Prophet (v8) "With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of the Lord shall he behold: wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?" (11:8).
• Miriam was stricken with leprosy.
• Aaron pleads with Moses to intercede in Miriam's behalf.
• Moses pleads with the Lord. The Lord says: "let her be shut out from the camp seven days, and after that let her be received in again" (11:14).
3. Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses as their presiding authority, pointing out that they too had received revelation (11:2).
• WHAT ARE THE LIMITS TO OUR RIGHT TO RECEIVE REVELATION?
• James E. Faust: "The prophets, seers, and revelators have had and still have the responsibility and privilege of receiving and declaring the word of God for the world. Individual members, parents, and leaders have the right to receive revelation for their own responsibility but have no duty nor right to declare the word of God beyond the limits of their own reponsibility." (Ensign, Nov. 1989, p8)
4. WHAT HAPPENS WHEN CHURCH MEMBERS THINK OR SPEAK NEGATIVELY, AS DID MIRIAM AND AARON, ABOUT THE LORD'S PROPHET AND OTHER LEADERS THE LORD HAS CALLED TO SERVE IN HIS KINGDOM?
• Among other things, a spiritual leprosy.
• Spencer W. Kimball: "There is the man who, to satisfy his own egotism, took a stand against the authorities of the Church. He followed the usual pattern, not apostasy at first, only superiority of knowledge and mild criticism. He loved the brethren, he said, but they failed to see and interpret as he would like. He would still love the Church, he maintained, but his criticism grew and developed into ever-widening circles. He was right, he assured himself; he could not yield in good conscience; he had his pride. His children did not accept his philosophy wholly, but their confidence was shaken. In their frustration, they married out of the Church, and he lost them. He later realized his folly and returned to humbleness, but so very late. He had lost his children…. 'The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge.' (Ezekiel 18:2.)" ( Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, p184)
5. Hopefully, we can assume, that Miriam and Aaron came to appreciate in dramatic way that which President Lee stated: "One is not truly converted until he sees the power of God resting upon the leaders of this Church, and until it goes down into his heart like fire." (Stand Ye In Holy Places, p63)

Spies and The Land of Canaan

• Israel approaches the land of Canaan (see Numbers 13-14).
• The Lord commands Moses to send out an intelligence mission to scout out the land of Canaan.
• One man from each tribe was sent on this mission, including Joshua.
• They were to check on:
• The strength of the inhabitants.
• Quality of the land.
• Check out the cities and the dwellings.
• Lumber and crops.
• The 12 spies returned from searching the land after 40 days. They reported:
• It was a land that flowed with "milk and honey".
• The strength of the people who inhabited the land.
• One of the 12 spies, Caleb of the tribe of Judah, reported, "Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it" (Numbers 13:30).
• 10 of the 12 reported the opposite, "We be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we" (Numbers 13:31).
• Gordon B. Hinckley: "Ten of the spies were victims of their own doubts and fears. They gave a negative report of the numbers of stature of the Canaanites.... They compared themselves as grasshoppers to the giants they had seen in the land.
  "We see some around us who are indifferent concerning the future of this work, who are apathetic, who speak of limitations, who express fears, who spend their time digging out and writing about what they regard to be weaknesses which really are of no consequence. With doubt concerning its past, they have no vision concerning its future." (Ensign, Nov. 1995, p71)
• READ NUMBERS 14:2-4. The response of the Israelites to the report of the spies.
• READ NUMBERS 14:6-9. Joshua and Caleb stand up for the Lord.
• Seventeen years ago, my wife and I named our first son Joshua. We picked the name because we liked it, not for any Biblical reasons. When we visited with my father, Joshua's grandfather, he always referred to Joshua as the "son of Nun". We have often referred to that great prophet in the Bible and have taught my son that he should be a man like Joshua of old. A few months ago, my second son was born. When my wife and I discussed names, I suggested the name Caleb. I referred to this story of Joshua and Caleb in Numbers and said that this would be a good pair of names for our sons. These are the kind of men we want to raise our sons to become. Men who are willing to stand up for the Lord and "go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded" (1 Nephi 3:7). My wife didn't like the name Caleb, but I thought it was a good idea.
• HOW DID ISRAEL RESPOND TO THE STAND OF JOSHUA AND CALEB?
• "But all the congregation bade stone them with stones" (Numbers 14:10).
• READ 14:11-12. The Lord irritated against Israel.
• READ 14:19-20. Moses pleads for Israel.
• Inspite of Moses' frustration with these people, he pleads for them before the Lord. It is fascinating to look at the prophets through religious history and see their love for the people, even when they are weak and sinful.
• READ 14:29,33. Israel to wander in the wilderness 40 years.
• The Lord had given this generation of Israelites the privilege of assuming their rightful inheritance. By their actions they lost this privilege and would be left to wander in the desert for 40 years.
• READ 14:36-37. The men of evil report - died of the plague.
• It never pays to be negative.
• "The Israelites had been led out of the power of the greatest empire in the world at that time. They had been personal witnesses to plagues that afflicted the Egyptians but left Israel untouched. They had with their own hands smeared blood on the doorways of their homes and then heard the cries of the Egyptians as their firstborn fell. They had walked between towering walls of water that divided at the command of Moses, then watches as those walls collapsed on the armies of the pharaoh. They ate bread that miraculously appeared each morning, drank water gushing from a rock, felt Sinai quake, and saw it glow with fire. What people in all history had greater witness that God was with them and would use his unsurpassable power in ther behalf? They had so much and were promised so much more. Then came the choice. In one foolish, blind, faithless choice this generation of Israel lost it all." (Old Testament Student Manual, p205)
• The time for modern Israel to possess Zion has been postponed.
• READ D&C 105:5-6, 9, 13. The redemption of Zion postponed due to the transgressions of the people.
• READ D&C 84:54-59. The children of Zion under condemnation.
• Ezra Taft Benson: "Watchmen--what of the night. We must respond by saying that all is not well in Zion. As Moroni counseled, we must cleanse the inner vessel, beginning first with ourselves, then with our families, and finally with the Church.... Now we not only need to say more about the Book of Mormon, but we need to do more with it. Why? The Lord answers: 'That they may bring forth fruit meet for their Father's kingdom; otherwise there remaineth a scourge and a judgement to be poured out upon the the children of Zion.' We have felt that scourge and judgement!" (CR, Apr. 1986)
• It is easy to look at the story of ancient Israel and say that we would not act as they did when they lost this great opportunity. Each of us must look into our hearts, and repent of necessary, in order to see that the tragedy of ancient Israel is not repeated in our lives.
• Gordon B. Hinckley: "There is no place in this work for those who believe only in the gospel of doom and gloom. The gospel is good news. It is a message of triumph. It is a cause to be embraced with enthusiasm.
  "The Lord never said that there would not be troubles. Our people have known the afflictions of every sort as those who have opposed this work have come upon them. but faith has shown through all their sorrows. This work has consistently moved forward and has never taken a backward step since its inception....
  "This is an age of pessimism. Ours is a mission of faith. To my brethren and sisters everywhere, I call upon you to reaffirm your faith, to move this work forward across the world. You can make it stronger by the manner in which you live." (Ensign, Nov. 1995, pp71-72)

Moses & The Brass Serpent

1. READ 21:4-5. The people complain again. [
• READ 21:6. The Lord's response, snakes. I would not like this plague.
2. READ 21:8-9. How the people could save themselves. READ 1 NE 17:41.
• Nephi's commentary: "And he did straiten them in the wilderness with his rod; for they hardened their hearts, even as ye have; and the Lord straitened them because of their iniquity. He sent fiery flying serpents among them; and after they were bitten he prepared a way that they might be healed; and the labor which they had to perform was to look; and because of the simpleness of the way, or the easiness of it, there were many who perished" (1 Nephi 17:41).
• READ JOHN 3:13-15. A type of the crucifixion.
3. Just as the children of Israel needed to look at the brass serpent to live, we need to look to Jesus Christ to receive eternal life.
• WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO LOOK TO CHRIST?
• HOW DO MANY PEOPLE TODAY MAKE THE SAME ERROR AS THE ISRAELITES WHO WOULD NOT LOOK AT THE BRASS SERPENT?
• Boyd K. Packer: "And today many say, 'How silly! How could accepting Christ save me?' They will not turn their heads to look nor incline their ears to hear. They ignore the great witness that comes from these conferences. We ought to, indeed we must, heed the counsel of these men, for the Lord said, 'What I the Lord have spoken, I have spoken, and I excuse not myself; and though the heavens and the earth pass away my word shall not pass away, but shall all be fulfilled, whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same'." (CR, Oct. 1968)
• As Elder Packer has stated, we must turn to the Brethren and heed their counsel. They hold the truth, which for us is like the brass serpent. If we seek to do the will of the Lord, as espoused by these men, we will be saved from the unnecessary pain of mortality and find the eternal happiness.

Summary

We see in this lesson the consequences of turning away from the will of the Lord and seeking to do the things of the world. The children of Israel lacked faith in the Lord and seemed to long for Egypt and the security it seemed to provide. This group of people had tremendous opportunities placed before them and yet they didn't have the faith to go forward.

In the midst of this group of negative Israelites, we see the shining example of Joshua and Caleb. They had vision and faith. They were willing to plunge ahead and do the will of the Lord. How are we doing? Are we willing to look to God and his servants and find success during our mortal probation or are we going to spend our time murmuring and miss the great opportunities placed in our path.

"And thus they have been called to this holy calling on account of their faith, while others would reject the Spirit of God on account of the hardness of their hearts and blindness of their minds, while, if it had not been for this they might have had as great privilege as their brethren." (Alma 13:4)

Next Lesson

Lesson 16: Number 22-24; 31

Additional Reading: 2 Peter 2:15-16; Jude 1:11; Revelation 2:14