What Does Numbers Teach about Obedience?
That God delivered Israel from Egypt did not absolve their need to obey him. Instead, their newfound freedom from enslavement and their increased exposure and closeness to him heightened their need to obey him even more. For the fledgling nation of Israel, life between bondage in Egypt and settlement in Palestine hinged closely on their obedience (or lack thereof) to God. As such, obedience served as the litmus test for whether they were ready to enter the Promised Land which God had promised them.
This study will demonstrate the necessity of Israel’s obedience to God in the wilderness as recorded in the book of Numbers. To do this, it will trace (1) the hierarchy of obedience, (2) the parameters of obedience, (3) acknowledge some examples and results of obedience, (4) acknowledge some examples and results of disobedience, and (5) identify the opportunity for obedience that Israel faced.
The Hierarchyof Obedience
Numbers presents a clear “chain of command” for Israel, not a haphazard, unregimented society akin to a Wild West town. In this hierarchy, Yahweh occupied the uppermost position. He answered to no one and everyone answered to him. He guided Israel through the wilderness directly by means of a cloud by day and a fire by night (9:15-23). To further guide his people, God spoke to the man Moses as an intermediary authority.
In this arrangement, he relayed instructions to Moses, who in turn relayed these instructions to the people. So then, Moses would obey God first, then people would obey Moses and would thereby obey God as well (Num 1:54). The phraseוַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהוָ֖ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר (“and the LORD spoke to Moses, saying”) appears thirty-two times throughout this book, demonstrating the way that God conveyed his authority through Moses (1:48; 3:5, et al.). Corresponding statements also corroborate this arrangement, such as “at the command of the LORD by the hand of Moses” (9:23; 10:13).
Moses did not exercise governing authority over Israel unassisted. On eight occasions, the text specifies that “the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron” (emphasis added), depicting Aaron as an auxiliary authority, second to Moses (2:1; 4:1, et al.). Even their sister Miriam seems to have exercised some measure of authority in association with them (11:2). In addition to Moses and his siblings, God also delegated decision-making authority to seventy men whom Israel recognized as respected civil leaders among them (11:16ff).
Ultimately, when the nation prepared to enter Palestine without Moses, Yahweh instructed Moses to transfer some of his authority to Joshua his aide, who would lead Israel in the place of Moses and in concert with Eleazar, the son of Aaron (27:18-21). Together, these two men would exercise authority over Israel, especially in dividing the land for an inheritance among the twelve tribes (34:17). They would do so with the assistance of the twelve military officers who served as leaders over each tribe (34:18; cf. 1:4, 16).
The Parametersof Obedience
God required every Israelite to obey him explicitly. Consider, for instance, the detailed instructions given to Moses in the opening lines of Numbers (1:2-5ff). God instructed Moses to: (1) take a census, (2) according to families and fathers’ houses, (3) of every male individually, (4) of those 20 years and older who could fight in battle, (5) with the assistance of Aaron and the presiding officer over each tribe (each of whom are designated by name). Meticulous instructions like this occur throughout Numbers regarding censuses, tabernacle and holy day protocol, civil and domestic laws, and more. Furthermore, God required obedience even when disobedience even in those instances when disobedience may have occurred without public knowledge and/or unintentionally (15:22-24). What’s more, as some men discovered, to disobey God’s delegated authorities (i.e., Moses and Aaron) was tantamount to disobeying God (16:11).
Most importantly, God’s refusal to let neither Aaron nor Moses enter the Promised Land due to their own disobedience to God affirms that not even God’s delegated, intermediary authorities may disobey him (20:7-12, 22-24). Another prophet, Balaam, demonstrates this further by exhibiting a complete inability to prophesy anything other than what God allowed, despite his attempts to do otherwise (22:1-24:25). What makes this especially remarkable is that not even the most humble, faithful leader who enjoys a most intimate relationship with God is exempt from God’s demand for complete obedience (cf. 12:3, 6-8). Finally, Israel’s belated but failed attempt to obey Yahweh by invading Palestine demonstrates that delayed obedience is not obedience at all (14:39-45).
Examples of Obedience
Examples of obedience abound. Moses obeyed God’s census protocol exactly as God had commanded him to do (1:19); in fact, he did so immediately, on the same day that he received the instructions (1:1, 18). In conjunction with his obedience, the people of Israel complied with the census and obeyed God’ instructions as well. The same is true for the Levitical census (3:14-16ff) and the second census was taken at the end of the wilderness wanderings (26:1-62).
Beyond the censuses, Moses repeatedly obeyed God’s instructions many times throughout the entirety of Numbers (3:49; 7:1, et al.), and Aaron did likewise (8:1-4). The people obeyed God by encamping around the tabernacle according to God’s prescribed arrangement (2:1-2ff) and by observing the first Passover (9:5). They exhibited a keen desire to obey him by inquiring whether or not some men how had touched a dead corpse could observe the Passover (9:6-7), and they obeyed God by camping or traveling in response to his guidance via the cloud and fire in the sky (9:17-23).
When they departed from Sinai, the tribes traveled according to God’s prescribed pattern (10:14-28) and the Kohathites transported the tabernacle accordingly (10:17). At the border of Palestine, Caleb and Joshua obeyed God by affirming their confidence in his ability to deliver the land to them (14:6-9) and the daughters of Zelophehad exhibited an admirable desire to obey God’s law concerning real estate in the face of a difficult exception (27:1-11).
Results of Obedience
Just as Godrequires obedience, he blesses obedience as well. For instance, he permittedCaleb and Joshua to enter Palestine (14:24, 30, 38). He also welcomed theyounger generation to enter and settle the land, who had not rebelled againsthim as their fathers had done (14:31). Furthermore, God repeatedly defendedMoses – who repeatedly obeyed him – against dissent (cf. 11:1, 10; 12:2, 7-8;14:10, et al.). When the daughters of Zelophehad desired to obey establishedreal estate laws, God blessed them with a favorable ruling (27:6-11).
Examples of Disobedience
Numbers portrays Israel as an especially obedient nation when they were encamped at Sinai.[i] Once they disembarked for Palestine, however, they displayed an acute proclivity to disobey instead. They no sooner embarked, and they repeatedly resorted to complaining about their food supply (11:1, 4, et al.), shortage of water (20:2-5), and both altogether (21:4-5). A man disobeyed God by gathering kindling on the Sabbath (15:32-34), and nearly the entire adult nation disobeyed God by refusing to enter Palestine (13:31-32).[ii]
One on occasion, Miriam and Aaron entertained disobedience against Moses (12:1), and a band of leaders from tribe of Levi later incited disobedience against Moses as well (16:1-3), spawning an even broader sentiment of disobedience among the entire nation (16:41). Later in their wilderness escapades, a number of Israelites grossly disobeyed God by committing harlotry with Moabite women, worshipping their gods, and affiliating with the Baal of Peor (25:1-3).
Results of Disobedience
Nadab and Abihu died for disobeying tabernacle protocol (3:4). Any outsider who came near to the tabernacle would be executed (3:10), and so would anyone who violated the Sabbath (15:35-36). If someone sinned against Yahweh, they were required to confess their sin and make restitution (5:6-7). Some in the nation were consumed by the fire of Yahweh’s presence (11:1), while others died as the result of an extensive plague (11:33-34) due to their complaints. Miriam was afflicted with leprosy and banished from encampment seven days for inciting disobedience against Moses (12:10, 14).
The elder generation was not permitted to enter the promised land (14:22-23), but they would die in the wilderness instead (14:28, 32), including some who died immediately as the result of another plague (14:37). Others who attempted to obey God belatedly and presumptuously experienced military defeat at the hands of the Amalekites and Canaanites (14:45). Anyone who committed a presumptuous sin was to be expelled from the nation (15:30). In response to a rebellion incited by men from Korah, God opened the ground and swallowed up the entire households of those men (16:31-33), then he consumed 250 other men who had also challenged Moses’ authority (16:35).
Disobedience by the Israelites in the wilderness continued to proliferate. Not long after, the people in general revolted against Moses and Aaron, resulting in yet another plague and the death of 14,700 more people. Due to Moses and Aaron’s failure to obey Yahweh’s instructions before the people in procuring water from the rock at Meribah, God prohibited them from entering Palestine (20:12). Then once again, the people suffered many deaths for complaining against God and Moses, dying this time from the bites of venomous serpents (21:4-6).
On one intriguing occasion, the paradoxical prophet Balaam suffered an injured or broken foot due to disobedience (22:25).[iii] Beyond this, he incited an angry response from Israel’s adversary, Balak of Moab, coupled with a loss of honor and material blessing for disobeying the Lord (24:11, cf. 22:17, 37).[iv] Finally, God commanded the swift execution of all those who had associated themselves with the Baal of Peor, accompanying this death sentence with a plague that killed 24,000 dissidents (25:9).
Through all these examples and results of disobedience, an overarching result appears, namely that disobedience by a few (especially those who are adults or who hold positions of authority) easily breeds disobedience among many. For this reason, Yahweh could not tolerate such disobedience.[v]
The Opportunityfor Obedience
God required obedience from the entire nation of Israel whom he had delivered from Egypt, namely from those who were 20 or more years old. When they refused to the land, he had promised to give them, they relinquished their opportunity to obey. Even so, God did not apply this consequence unilaterally, for he continued to extend this opportunity to Caleb and Joshua due to their resolute obedience (14:30, 38). Furthermore, God extended this opportunity to the succeeding generation of Israelites who had not exercised disobedience due to their juvenile status at the time when the adults in the congregation rebelled (14:31).
This observation reveals that God did not hold one generation liable for a prior generation’s sins but considered each generation accountable for their own decision to obey or not, affirming that they would also suffer appropriate corresponding consequences for their own future, potential disobedience inside Palestine (33:55-56). Overall, obedience served as such a crucial factor in Israelite society that God required them to wear tassels on the corners of their garments as perpetual reminders of his commands (15:37-39).
Conclusion
The numerous insights into obedience and disobedience in Numbers should capture the reader’s attention. Having rescued the Israelites from Egypt, Yahweh expected them to obey him implicitly. This obedience served as the litmus test for whether or not they were ready to enter the land he had promised to give them. To facilitate this obedient relationship, he delegated intermediary authority to Moses, who benefited from an auxiliary chain of command to assist him in this role. Within this arrangement, God expected total obedience, even from Moses and his supporting cast.
Any disobedience, especially from those with seniority and influence, deserved and often received decisive consequences. Even so, God would occasionally extend mercy by alleviating or canceling the deserved result. Ultimately, God intended to bless those who obeyed his commands as the priestly blessing affirmed: “The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you; the LORD lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace” (6:24-26). With this perspective emblazoned on their hearts and dangling from the corners of their clothes, God intended for Israel to settle the land he would give them.
[i] Paul R. House,Old Testament Theology, Kindle ed. (Chicago: InterVarsity, 1998), 157.
[ii] Regarding thisincident, Yahweh said, “All these men…have put Me to the test now these tentimes, and have not heeded [obeyed] my voice” (14:22). The intended referentsof “these ten times” of disobedience is unclear. Cole interprets this as “anexpression that denotes consistent action over a long period of time.” DennisR. Cole, Numbers, vol. 3B, The New American Commentary (Nashville:Broadman & Holman, 2000), 232. Keil and Delitzsch interpret it “as thenumber of completeness and full measure.” They also recommend for considerationthe rabbinical proposal that “these ten times” refers to ten actual episodes ofrebellion, namely: “the murmuring (1) at the Red Sea, Ex. 14:11, 12; (2) atMarah, Ex. 15:23; (3) in the wilderness of Sin, Ex. 16:2; (4) at Rephidim, Ex.17:1; (5) at Horeb, Ex. 32; (6) at Tabeerah, Num. 11:1; (7) at the graves oflust, Num. 11:4ff.; and (8) here again at Kadesh, the twofold rebellion ofcertain individuals against the commandments of God at the giving of the manna(Ex. 16:20 and 27).” Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch, Commentary on theOld Testament, vol. 1 (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 1996), 714.
[iii] James Swanson,לָחַץ, Dictionaryof Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains: Hebrew (Old Testament) (OakHarbor: Logos Research Systems, 1997), entry 4315.
[iv] Technically,Balaam lost honor and material blessing as a result of obedience, notdisobedience. By “obeying” the Lord in giving good prophecies concerningIsrael, he suffered loss at the hands of Israel’s adversary. This demonstratesthat obeying Yahweh may lead to undesirable fallout from those who oppose him.Nevertheless, Balaam should not have attempted to fraternize with Balak in thefirst place. So then, in an unusual way, he ended up obeying God from adisobedient position, leading to a classic “lose-lose” (or “no-win”) situation.In a similar but nobler way, Caleb and Joshua suffered for their publicallegiance to God from a position of authentic obedience, facing anger and thethreat of execution from the crowd of disobedient Israelites (14:10).Ironically, obedience to God sometimes produces undesirable results.
[v] Even so, Goddid not always respond to disobedience to the degree that it deserved. Consider(1) how he spared Aaron from leprosy, even though he had dissented from Mosesalong with her (12:1, 11) and relented from punishing Israel to the full extentin response to Moses’ intercession (14:11-20; 16:19-23, etc.). In some ways, heeven responded opposite of expectations, as when he provided water from therock at Meribah despite both their complaints and Moses’ frustration (20:2-9,13).
