I had been planning for some time to start a series on Numbers this fall — but the building project makes it even more appropriate. The opening chapters of Numbers are all about the arrangement of the people of God as the Wilderness Camp — the War Camp of the Great King. They are sojourners on the way from Sinai to the Promised Land. God has rescued them from Pharaoh and he continues to provide bread from heaven for them in the wilderness — but they are not yet what they will be.
As it turns out, the opening chapters of Numbers will set us up nicely for our building dedication service on October 27 — as we should be at Numbers 10 by then, when Israel has everything set up and ready, and now embarks on its journey across the wilderness.
Of course, some might say, “But Pastor, don’t you know what happened next?!! Israel disintegrated!” Yes, but keep reading. The book of Numbers includes the story of Israel’s rebellion — but the overarching narrative is that God had mercy on his people, and in spite of their rebellion, he renewed and sanctified his people, and by the end of the book, there is a faithful generation that is ready to enter the Land. So yes, I fully expect that we will disintegrate — that we will sin against each other — that we will grumble against each other (and against God!) — but I also expect that God will show mercy, that God’s people will repent and forgive, and that by the end of our stories there will be a faithful generation that will be ready to the enter the Land. There is no way to the Promised Land except the way of the cross.
