There are several practical lessons here including doing good to those who have done good to you, avoiding shaming people publicly, and fighting the battle of this life with courage and complete trust in the work that the Lord will do for us.
This lesson teaches that sin exacts a heavy toll. It also teaches that one of the worst sins we can commit is to rebel against the known will of God in our lives. The sin of rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft and idolatry (1 Samuel 15:23). Examine your own heart and make certain that you are not rebelling against God’s will for you.<br />
<h4>Numbered List</h4>
<h4>Numbered List</h4>
One of the most difficult things in dealing with spiritual leaders is knowing how to deal with them when you believe they are wrong. As usual, there are two extremes: you can blindly follow a leader into even sin and heresy (Matthew 23:13-15), or you can rebel against him and bring upon yourself the wrath of God. This lesson gives an example of the second extreme.<br />
<h4>Numbered List</h4>
<h4>Numbered List</h4>
Consider again the progression of the themes of the five books of Moses. Genesis deals with creation; Exodus with redemption; Leviticus with holiness; Numbers with wilderness wanderings; Deuteronomy with obedience to and the love of God. The order is important. Exodus pictures salvation and Leviticus pictures sanctification. What is the purpose of Numbers? It portrays the importance that various trials have in the growth of the believer. No Christian matures until he or she goes through serious trials and remains faithful to the Lord (Romans 5:3-5; 1 Peter 1:6-7). Unfortunately, Numbers is mostly an illustration of what to avoid doing.<br />
<h4>Numbered List</h4>
<h4>Numbered List</h4>
This lesson deals with the importance of doing all things within God’s perfect timing and the troubles brought on by getting out of His timing. It also shows how strife (personified by Midian) works against us, and how God can use it for our benefit.<br />
<h4>Numbered List</h4>
<h4>Numbered List</h4>
Jacob’s time is short. It will not be long before he departs this world. Before he passes, he calls for his sons to gather together that he might tell them the things that will befall them in the last days. Some of the sons receive good news, while others hear of loss and condemnation.<br />
<h4>Numbered List</h4>
<h4>Numbered List</h4>
This lesson gives several examples, both negative and positive, of waiting on God. Isaac waited on the right bride. He also waits on the promised offspring (as opposed to his father who went in to Hagar). He seeks God’s help through prayer. Rebekah prays for an answer to the dilemma of the struggle in her womb and God gives her special insight into His plan.
Someone has counted seven different sets of instructions concerning the tabernacle in the book of Exodus. Each set of instructions repeats some things and adds others. This approach is part of God’s special design for the book of Exodus, but it can confuse the casual reader. In order to make the tabernacle more understandable, this lesson follows topics more than the text. However, the bulk of our text deals with the furniture in the tabernacle and you can follow it in order under that topic below.<br />
<h4>Numbered List</h4>
<h4>Numbered List</h4>
This lesson teaches us about the willingness of God’s people to give to Him when they are in a right relationship with Him. The church at Antioch was a giving church (Acts 11:27-30). The church at Philippi was a giving church (Philippians 4:14-19). We need to be a giving people.<br />
<h4>Numbered List</h4>
<h4>Numbered List</h4>
Israel comes to a way station in the wilderness and must fight some new battles. Her first battle is with the elements: there is no water. This shows us that the natural problems of life can be a great trial for us and can tempt us to murmur against God. The second battle is with a visible enemy: Amalek. Amalek grieves Israel through much of the Old Testament. We battle Amalek in the form of the flesh.<br />
<h4>Numbered List</h4>
<h4>Numbered List</h4>