An Exemplary Example of…

The book of Numbers is somewhat painful…in a few ways.  I mean no disrespect to the Word of God, but over the last 16 days of reading through the book, I found myself daydreaming, skimming, and doing anything but soaking in the Scripture that calls itself “profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16).  So, in one sense, it was painfully boring – not because of the Word, but because of my heart attitude.

But, in another sense, if reading Numbers seemed to drag on and on, I can only imagine the 40 years that dragged on and on for the disobedient Israelites.  It must have been dreadfully painful for these Israelites.

And, in a very real sense, it was dreadfully painful for God.  2 Corinthians 10:5 says, “Nevertheless, with most of them [these very Israelites in Numbers] God was not pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness.”

So, why did God painfully record this painful account?  “Now these things took place as examples for us, that we might not desire evil as they did” (2 Corinthians 10:6).  Let’s feel the pain of Numbers.  Let’s allow the boredom of 36 chapters remind us of the boredom of 40 years of wanderings.  And, let’s be reminded that this painful account broke the heart of God.

And, let’s remember that it doesn’t have to be this way.  Let’s not neglect the Christ that faithfully ministered to that ungrateful generation (v. 4).  Let’s be painfully reminded of the sin of our ancestry (v. 1) and that we are not beyond their painful idolatry (v. 12).  And, that as we live among self-serving, sexualizing, immoral, self-exulting, materialistic, confused, and morally bankrupt people, we have a faithful God who will not allow us to be tempted beyond our ability, but will enable us to endure through temptation as He provides a way of escape – every time.  Because of the cross, we are children of a new ancestor – Christ – who lived a perfect obedience that we couldn’t live and died a death that we deserved.  And, who brings us into a relationship with himself that overcomes sin.