Números 27

Números 27

Morris - God's judgment against Moses here, in spite of his almost incredible spiritual and military leadership for forty years, indicates the seriousness of rebelling against God's Word. In one sense, however, it was appropriate for Moses, now 120 years old, to turn the responsibilities of leadership over to a younger man who was well prepared for the rigors of the Canaanite conquest looming ahead of them (Nu 20:7-13). Meribah (04809)(meribah from riyb = to strive, contend) means place of strife or quarreling. This name is used of two places, both sites of Moses' striking a rock, the first being at the beginning of the 40 years of wandering and at the foot of Mount Horeb (Sinai) (Ex 13:7, Nu 20:13, Nu 20:24) and the second (Meribah-Kadesh - see notes on Nu 20:1-13) in the desert of Zin near Kadesh, (map) near the end of the 40 years of wilderness wandering when Moses disobeyed God and instead of speaking to the rock (Nu 20:8), in anger struck the rock twice. Because of Moses' disobedience at Meribah-Kadesh God said he would not enter the promised land (Aaron was also included in this punishment - Nu 20:24). Meribah - 11x - Exod. 17:7; Num. 20:13; Num. 20:24; Num. 27:14; Deut. 32:51; Deut. 33:8; Ps. 81:7; Ps. 95:8; Ps. 106:32; Ezek. 47:19; Ezek. 48:28 Numbers 27:15 Then Moses spoke to the LORD, saying, MOSES' RESPONSE TO HIS DISQUALIFICATION! Moses forgets what lies behind and presses on to what lies ahead. No self pity. No expression of grief. No voicing of regrets. He owned the consequences of his own sin. A good reminder to all of us for sin always has consequences. A spiritual leader has a short memory regarding disappointments and Moses refused to dwell on the past that he could not dwell in the land, but to move on toward the future for the sake of the sons of Israel. Then Moses spoke to the LORD, saying - We can read this quickly and forget that this is at its very essence descriptive of prayer to God and do not miss that Moses does not begin by says "But God..." or by grumbling or complaining about his fate. By so doing he showed himself to be blameless and innocent (Php 2:15). His prayer is not ego-centric (focused on himself) but is others-centric (focused on the congregation of Israel for their good). Moses reminds me of Paul's words in Philippians 2 Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; 4do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. (Phil 2:3-4+) Brian Bell comments on in this seamless transfer of power Moses was "Selfless - As always Moses’ greatest concern was the people & not himself. He doesn’t leave grudgingly. He doesn’t host a pity party. His staff didn’t need to be pried from his hand. He accepted God’s decision with obedience & humility. He even let God select his successor. Stubb - The law that Moses represented could bring Israel to the borders of the new land, but could not bring them in. This could only be accomplished by Joshua a type of the Saviour, though in Moses leading the people out of Egypt there are some similarities to Joshua bringing them into the land. The Lord Jesus as the Captain of salvation is bringing many sons to glory and will not fail to complete His great work for His people (Heb 2:10). What is especially to be noticed here in vv. 15-17 is the beautiful way in which Moses responded to this word from Jehovah. The incident in ch. 20 had taken place months or even a year before. At that time the land was still some distance away, but now it is much nearer and therefore it must have been all the harder for Moses to have God's announcement repeated to him. Then God had first announced to Moses that he was not to enter the land, and there is no indication of how he had received that message. In Deuteronomy 3:25, however, he tells Israel that he had privately appealed to the Lord to let him go over into the land. The Lord refused him, and without a complaint he submits. Here his immediate reaction is to pray to God. The true nobility and unselfishness of this great servant manifests itself. The lovely spirit he shows is all the more remarkable given the great disappointment he suffered. The people of God and their need are so much upon the heart of Moses that he accepts his own lot. In Moses' prayer notice how he addressed God, what he requests, and the way in which he describes the congregation. (What the Bible Teaches) Numbers 27:16 "May the LORD, the God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the congregation, the God: Nu 16:22 Heb 12:9 set a man: De 31:14 1Sa 12:13 1Ki 5:5 Jer 3:15 23:4,5 Eze 34:11-16,23 Eze 37:24 Mt 9:38 Joh 10:11 Ac 20:28 1Pe 5:2-4 Related Passage: Numbers 16:22 But they fell on their faces and said, “O God, God of the spirits of all flesh, when one man sins, will You be angry with the entire congregation?” A PRAYER OF A GODLY LEADER May the LORD, the God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the congregation - What a response from a man just reminded "No Entrance" into the Promised Land! "Here is the Moses of old!" (Allen) Moses used a similar description of God in Nu 16:22+ when he went before God in the face of the rebellion of Korah, which was another time when there was the potential for a "crisis in leadership," even as there was now that Moses would soon die. God of the spirits of all flesh surely speaks to His sovereignty over every person. "He is the master of the universe who can thwart even the ways of a pagan diviner like Balaam and accomplish His desires for His people." (HCSB) Allen adds that "If God is sovereign of all, then surely God will wish to show his sovereignty over his people in their evident need for a shepherd to follow Moses." (EBC) It is interesting that Moses did not submit his "candidate of choice," but totally yielded to the good pleasure and wisdom of Yahweh. The Hebrew verb for appoint is pequddah/pāqadh/paqad the same verb used 103x in Numbers most often for "numbering" the people. The Septuagint translates paqad with the verb episkeptomai (a command in aorist imperative) which pictures Joshua as diligently attending or watching over, even as used in the New Testament to describe the pastor-shepherd in 1 Peter 5:2+ who was to "shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight (episkeptomai in present tense) not under compulsion, but voluntarily, Believer's Study Bible - The expression "the God of the spirits of all flesh" reminds us of Korah (Nu 16:22), who tried to take for himself a position of leadership to which he had not been appointed by God. Moses' successor was appointed not by Moses but by God. Moses' involvement insured continuity of leadership. Joshua's qualification was the Spirit's power manifested in his life (Num. 27:18; cf. Acts 6:5). Merrill on God of the spirits of all flesh - This unusual title of God (occurring only here and in Num. 16:22) refers to God’s omniscient understanding of everyone, which guaranteed the wisdom of His choice. (BKC) Stubb on God of the spirits of all flesh - The God of the spirits of all flesh had given breath to Moses and preserved him thus far, and now very soon He would take his breath away. Moses had no say in when he would die, nor really had he any say in who was to succeed him as leader. All was under the control of the God of the spirits of all flesh. The God who knew the hearts of every individual among the 600,000 of the nation who had been numbered in ch. 26, and whose spirits belonged to Him, could be relied on to make no mistake in choosing a fit and true leader for His people. Moses knew this, and that is one great reason why he addressed God in this way. There are no grounds to believe that God is no longer to be regarded as the God of the spirits of all flesh. It is still as true today as it was in Moses' day. God alone can meet a need in a crisis among His people. (What the Bible Teaches) Numbers 27:17 who will go out and come in before them, and who will lead them out and bring them in, so that the congregation of the LORD will not be like sheep which have no shepherd." go out: De 31:2 1Sa 8:20 18:13 2Sa 5:2 1Ki 3:7 2Ch 1:10 Joh 10:3,4,9 like sheep: 1Ki 22:17 2Ch 18:16 Eze 34:5 Zec 10:2 Zech 13:7 Mt 9:36 10:6 Mt 15:24 Mk 6:34 1Pe 2:25 Related Passages: Matthew 9:36+ Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd. PROVISION OF A SHEPHERD FOR SENSELESS SHEEP! Who will go out and come in before them - In short, one who will truly be a leader brave and courageous as described by Yahweh in Deuteronomy. Deuteronomy 3:27-28 ‘Go up to the top of Pisgah and lift up your eyes to the west and north and south and east, and see it with your eyes, for you shall not cross over this Jordan. ‘But (TERM OF CONTRAST = A CHANGE OF DIRECTION, IN THIS CASE LEADERSHIP!) charge Joshua and encourage him and strengthen him, for he shall go across at the head of this people, and he will give them as an inheritance the land which you will see.’ And who will lead them out and bring them in - Out of the wilderness and into the promised land. They were like "sheep" and needed a strong, courageous leader (Josh 1:8-9+). Brian Bell - 3 requirements of leadership: 1. By Example - A brief, simple, but expressive eulogy was pronounce by Martin Luther upon a pastor at Zwickau in 1522 named Nicholas Haussmann. “What we preach, he lived,” said the great reformer. I would not give much for your religion unless it can be seen. Lamps do not talk, but they do shine. 2. By Leading - Matthew Henry went to London, met a young lady of the nobility, who was also wealthy, and they fell in love. She went to ask her father if she could marry him and he said, “He’s got no background, you don’t know where he’s come from.” She said, “Yes, I know, but I know where he’s going and I want to go with him.” 3. By Shepherding – 4. Joshua was: a son (of Nun); a slave (Egypt); a soldier (we all remember Moses hands raised & Aaron/Hur holding arms up...who was fighting the battle?); a servant (to Moses); a spy (A good one); a savior(Moses represented the Law, brought the people to the border of the land, but it took Joshua to take them into the land); a statesman; a saint (He was filled w/the Spirit of God; He enjoyed the presence of God; He was indwelt by the word of God; He was ever obedient to the will of God) So that - Purpose clause. The congregation of the LORD will not be like (term of comparison = simile) sheep which have no shepherd - No shepherd = great danger! After manifold rebellions by this people, one is surprised by Moses is so kind in his description! Joshua is clearly a foreshadowing of the Good Shepherd, the Messiah, about Whom Micah 5:2-4+ prophesied ("He will arise and shepherd His flock In the strength of the LORD, In the majesty of the name of the LORD His God. And they will remain, Because at that time He will be great To the ends of the earth.") Jesus declared "I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep." (John 10:11) THOUGHT - Is JESUS your Good/Great Shepherd or are you wandering around aimlessly, in constant danger of attack by the evil one? Like the little children's game "Follow the Leader!" Hebrews 13:20-21+ Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord, 21 EQUIP you (GOD'S SOVEREIGN PROVISION) in every good thing to DO (OUR SPIRIT ENABLED RESPONSIBILITY) His will, working (present tense - cf Php 2:13NLT+) in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen. Mt 9:36+ Seeing the people, He (JESUS) felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd. Shepherd was an image widely used of royalty in the ancient Near East. It was used for David, Israel’s shepherd-king and for the Lord himself (Ps 23:1-5), and it was quoted in Matt 9:36 and Mark 6:34+ (cf 1 Ki 22:17, Ezek 34:5-6), as well as echoed in John 10 (see above). HCSB Study Bible - Moses desired that the newly appointed leader would be just as concerned as he had been for the welfare of the nation Stubb - In the crisis then, as well as today, the people of God without a shepherd are like sheep, helpless, bewildered, losing all direction, and in danger of being scattered or devoured. In 1 Peter 5:2 the apostle views the assembly as a flock needing feeding and leading. Then in 1 Peter 5:8 he refers to the devil as a roaring lion. God's assembly is vulnerable to the attacks of the evil one. This is why there is all the more need for spiritual teaching as nourishment for the sheep. It is the responsibility of overseers to make such food available for the sheep and for themselves to be examples to the flock. There is a great lack in assemblies today of shepherds who will have a compassion for the flock and a desire to care for them. Each flock of God is in more danger today than ever it was and it is up to the shepherds to guide and guard them. (Ibid)