Sunday School Lesson

1. Numbers 32–36
God Expects
Lessons from Moses
January 12, 2020
First Baptist Church
Jackson, Mississippi
USA

2. What’s the number one thing?
The Glory of God!
1 Corinthians 10:31 NKJV
31 Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you
do, do all to the glory of God.

3. References
•MacArthur, John, The MacArthur Study Bible
(Nashville, Nelson Publishing, 1997).
•Palmer, Edwin H., The NIV Study Bible (Grand Rapids,
Zondervan, 1985).
•Swindoll, Charles R., MOSES, The Man of Selfless
Dedication (Nashville, Word Publishing, 1999).
•www.GotQuestions.org

4. Goals of Lesson Today
1. Review the journey of the Israelites from Egypt to
arriving at the Jordan River (gateway to the
Promised Land), in the Plains of Moab.
2. Read the over-reaction of Moses to an unusual
request from some tribes of Israel.
3. Look at the personality difficulties of Moses.
4. Learning from Moses’ reactions.

5. Introduction to Book of Numbers
• Written by Moses in 1405 BC during his last year of life to
describe the journey of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt
to arrival at Canaan.
‒ The Promised Land.
• Israel initially refused to enter Canaan because of fear of
the enemies living there.
‒ Numbers 14:1-10
• The Israelites wandered in the wilderness 40 years.
‒ Until those who were 20 years or older had died.
‒ Numbers 14:26-38

6. Introduction to Numbers 32-36
• The Israelites began their journey to Canaan to claim the
Promised Land.
‒ Numbers 20:1-13
• The king of Edom refused to allow Israel to pass through
their land.
‒ Descendants of Esau, the brother of Jacob.
‒ Numbers 20:14-21
• God had forbidden Israel from engaging in warfare with
Edom.
‒ Deuteronomy 2:4-6

7. Introduction to Numbers 32-36
• The Israelites detoured around Edom and complained to
the point of blasphemy, and God sent biting serpents as
punishment.
‒ Numbers 21:4-8
• They were saved from death from the serpents’ bites by
looking at a bronze serpent on a pole that Moses lifted up
for them to see.
• The arrival at Moab required the destruction of the
Amorites to continue the journey into the Promised Land.
‒ Numbers 21:21-35

8. Introduction to Number 32-36
• King Balak of Moab hired Balaam to put a curse on the
Israelites.
‒ Numbers 22:1-21
• God intervened through a talking donkey and Balaam
ended up blessing the Israelites.
‒ Numbers 22:22-24:25
• God commanded Moses and the Israelites to take
vengeance on (destroy) the Midianites for Balaam leading
the Israelites into harlotry with the Moabite women.

9. Numbers 32:1-4 NIV
1 The Reubenites and Gadites, who had very large herds
and flocks, saw that the lands of Jazer and Gilead were
suitable for livestock. 2 So they came to Moses and
Eleazar the priest and to the leaders of the community,
and said, 3 “Ataroth, Dibon, Jazer, Nimrah, Heshbon,
Elealeh, Sebam, Nebo and Beon— 4 the land the Lord
subdued before the people of Israel—are suitable for
livestock, and your servants have livestock.

10. Numbers 32:5 NIV (The Request.)
5 If we have found favor in your eyes,” they said, “let
this land be given to your servants as our possession.
Do not make us cross the Jordan.”

11. Numbers 32:6-7 NIV (Moses is upset!)
6 Moses said to the Gadites and Reubenites, “Should
your fellow Israelites go to war while you sit here?
7 Why do you discourage the Israelites from crossing
over into the land the Lord has given them?
‒ Moses saw this request as a conspiracy against God’s
promise to Israel.

12. Numbers 32:8-9 NIV (Moses is upset!)
8 This is what your fathers did when I sent them from
Kadesh Barnea to look over the land. 9 After they went
up to the Valley of Eshkol and viewed the land, they
discouraged the Israelites from entering the land the
Lord had given them.
‒ Moses saw this as a repeat of 40 years ago.

13. Numbers 32:10-12 NIV (A Reminder.)
10 The Lord’s anger was aroused that day and he swore
this oath: 11 ‘Because they have not followed me
wholeheartedly, not one of those who were twenty
years old or more when they came up out of Egypt will
see the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and
Jacob— 12 not one except Caleb son of Jephunneh the
Kenizzite and Joshua son of Nun, for they followed the
Lord wholeheartedly.’

14. Numbers 32:13 NIV (A Reminder.)
13 The Lord’s anger burned against Israel and he made
them wander in the wilderness forty years, until the
whole generation of those who had done evil in his
sight was gone.

15. Numbers 32:14-15 NIV (Here we go again!)
14 “And here you are, a brood of sinners, standing in the
place of your fathers and making the Lord even more
angry with Israel. 15 If you turn away from following
him, he will again leave all this people in the
wilderness, and you will be the cause of their
destruction.”
‒Moses was upset and called them a ‘brood of sinners.’

16. Numbers 32:16-18 NIV (A Solution Presented.)
16 Then they came up to him and said, “We would like
to build pens here for our livestock and cities for our
women and children. 17 But we will arm ourselves for
battle and go ahead of the Israelites until we have
brought them to their place. Meanwhile our women
and children will live in fortified cities, for protection
from the inhabitants of the land. 18 We will not return
to our homes until each of the Israelites has received
their inheritance.

17. Numbers 32:19 NIV (A Solution Presented.)
19 We will not receive any inheritance with them on the
other side of the Jordan, because our inheritance has
come to us on the east side of the Jordan.”
‒ This would mean that there would be more land in
Canaan to be divided among the other tribes.

18. Numbers 32:20-22 NIV (Moses Agrees!)
20 Then Moses said to them, “If you will do this—if you
will arm yourselves before the Lord for battle 21 and if
all of you who are armed cross over the Jordan before
the Lord until he has driven his enemies out before
him— 22 then when the land is subdued before the
Lord, you may return and be free from your obligation
to the Lord and to Israel. And this land will be your
possession before the Lord.

19. Numbers 32:23 NIV (A Warning.)
23 “But if you fail to do this, you will be sinning against the
Lord; and you may be sure that your sin will find you out.
‒ Verse 23 is often quoted to demonstrate that secret sins
will eventually come to light, but it really means that the
sin of unfulfilled promises to God and others will be
known eventually.
‒ Your past sins will eventually be the cause of your present
troubles.
‒ “Chickens come home to roost.”

20. Numbers 32:24-27 NIV
24 Build cities for your women and children, and pens
for your flocks, but do what you have promised.”
25 The Gadites and Reubenites said to Moses, “We your
servants will do as our lord commands. 26 Our children
and wives, our flocks and herds will remain here in the
cities of Gilead. 27 But your servants, every man who is
armed for battle, will cross over to fight before the
Lord, just as our lord says.”

21. Numbers 32:28 -30 NIV
28 Then Moses gave orders about them to Eleazar the
priest and Joshua son of Nun and to the family heads of
the Israelite tribes. 29 He said to them, “If the Gadites
and Reubenites, every man armed for battle, cross over
the Jordan with you before the Lord, then when the
land is subdued before you, you must give them the
land of Gilead as their possession. 30 But if they do not
cross over with you armed, they must accept their
possession with you in Canaan.”

22. Numbers 32:31-33 NIV
31 The Gadites and Reubenites answered, “Your servants will
do what the Lord has said. 32 We will cross over before the
Lord into Canaan armed, but the property we inherit will be
on this side of the Jordan.”
33 Then Moses gave to the Gadites, the Reubenites and the
half-tribe of Manasseh son of Joseph the kingdom of Sihon
king of the Amorites and the kingdom of Og king of
Bashan—the whole land with its cities and the territory
around them.

23. Numbers 33:1-49 Summary
•The Lord commanded Moses to write a list of Israel’s
encampments between Egypt and the Plains of Moab.
•Moses lists 40 places reflecting the 40 years in the
wilderness.
•Some sites mentioned in other scriptures are not
listed here and others are only mentioned here.
•This chapter is more symbolic than historical.

24. Numbers 33:50-53 NIV
(God’s Instructions for Conquest of Canaan.)
50 On the plains of Moab by the Jordan across from
Jericho the Lord said to Moses, 51 “Speak to the
Israelites and say to them: ‘When you cross the Jordan
into Canaan, 52 drive out all the inhabitants of the land
before you. Destroy all their carved images and their
cast idols, and demolish all their high places. 53 Take
possession of the land and settle in it, for I have given
you the land to possess.

25. Numbers 33:54 NIV
(Proportionate Distribution)
54 Distribute the land by lot, according to your clans. To
a larger group give a larger inheritance, and to a
smaller group a smaller one. Whatever falls to them by
lot will be theirs. Distribute it according to your
ancestral tribes.

26. Numbers 33:55-56 NIV (A Warning.)
55 “‘But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the
land, those you allow to remain will become barbs in
your eyes and thorns in your sides. They will give you
trouble in the land where you will live. 56 And then I will
do to you what I plan to do to them.’”
‒ We are all influenced by the culture and those
around us.

27. Summary of Numbers 34:1-15
(God gives Moses the boundaries.)
Summary of Numbers 34:16-29
(Leaders are appointed to divide the land.)

28. Summary of Numbers 35:1-9
(Cities for the Levites.)
•The Levites were the priests and leaders of worship
for Israel.
•The tribe of Levi did not receive a tribal allotment of
land but lived among the other tribes.
•48 cities throughout the land were allocated to the
Levites and grazing lands surrounding the cities were
designated for grazing their animals.
‒ Joshua 21:1-42

29. Summary of Numbers 35:9-34
(Cities of Refuge.)
•Six of the Levitical cities were to be established as
“cities of refuge.”
‒ Deuteronomy 19:1-13
•These cities were havens given for protection to any
person who accidently killed another person.
•The congregation judged the motive of the offender,
whether with or without hostility.
•The manslayer lived in the refugee city until the death
of the High Priest.

30. Summary of Numbers 36:1-13
(Marriage of Female Heirs.)
•Numbers 27:1-11
‒ Inheritance laws were provided that if there were
no male heirs in a tribe then the land could pass to
the female heirs.
•Numbers 36 states a tribe would lose allotted
inheritance in the year of Jubilee if an inheriting
woman married into another tribe.
•The woman of any tribe who inherited land must
marry within her own tribe.

31. Year of Jubilee in Leviticus 25:1-4, 8-10
•The year after 7 cycles of 7 years.
‒ The 50th year.
•All prisoners, captives and slaves were freed.
•All debts were forgiven.
•All property returned to the original owners.
•All labor ceased for one year to allow rest.
•Christ provides this freedom, forgiveness, mercy and
rest for believers.

32. What are some lessons from Moses?
• God creates each person with the distinct personality traits
needed to accomplish His purposes for our lives.
• Some of Moses’ personality traits displayed in Scripture:
‒ Faith.
‒ Endurance & Patience.
‒ Obedience.
‒ Courage.
‒ Anger & Impulsive.
‒ What we will study today.

33. Moses’ faith described in Hebrews:
Hebrews 11:24-27 NKJV
24 By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be
called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, 25 choosing rather to
suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the
passing pleasures of sin, 26 esteeming the reproach of Christ
greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to
the reward.
27 By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the
king; for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible.

34. Moses’ episode of anger results in murder.
Exodus 2:11-12 NKJV
11 Now it came to pass in those days, when Moses was
grown, that he went out to his brethren and looked at
their burdens. And he saw an Egyptian beating a
Hebrew, one of his brethren. 12 So he looked this way
and that way, and when he saw no one, he killed the
Egyptian and hid him in the sand.

35. What happened here?
•Moses did not control his anger and took the law into
his own hands.
•Moses fled and was in hiding until God called him
back to Egypt to approach Pharaoh and lead the
Israelites out of Egypt.
•God forgiving Moses for this murder is not presented
in scriptures.
‒ A private encounter between Moses and God.

36. Moses’ episode of anger at Kadesh:
Numbers 20:7-8 NIV
7 The Lord said to Moses, 8 “Take the staff, and you and
your brother Aaron gather the assembly together.
Speak to that rock before their eyes and it will pour out
its water. You will bring water out of the rock for the
community so they and their livestock can drink.

37. Moses’ episode of anger at Kadesh:
Numbers 20:9-11 NIV
9 So Moses took the staff from the Lord’s presence, just
as he commanded him. 10 He and Aaron gathered the
assembly together in front of the rock and Moses said
to them, “Listen, you rebels, must we bring you water
out of this rock?” 11 Then Moses raised his arm and
struck the rock twice with his staff. Water gushed out,
and the community and their livestock drank.

38. Moses’ episode of anger at Kadesh:
Numbers 20:12 NIV
12 But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you
did not trust in me enough to honor me as holy in the
sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this community
into the land I give them.”

39. What happened here?
•Moses’ anger caused him to disobey through his rash
action, for he did not show proper deference to God’s
presence.
•Moses struck the rock (a physical expression of anger)
instead of speaking as God commanded.
•Moses failed to trust God’s provisions for water just as
Israel did not trust God 40 years earlier to capture the
enemies in the Promised Land.

40. Moses’ episode of anger: (Today’s Scripture)
•Moses is approached about settling in the lands
already conquered that are east of the Jordan River.
•Numbers 32:6-7 NIV
6 Moses said to the Gadites and Reubenites, “Should
your fellow Israelites go to war while you sit here?
7 Why do you discourage the Israelites from crossing
over into the land the Lord has given them?”

41. Moses’ episode of anger: (Today’s Scripture)
•Numbers 32:14-15 NIV
•14 “And here you are, a brood of sinners, standing in
the place of your fathers and making the Lord even
more angry with Israel. 15 If you turn away from
following him, he will again leave all this people in the
wilderness, and you will be the cause of their
destruction.”

42. What happened here?
•Moses’ language and analogy in his reply indicates he
is angry and does not want to have any exceptions to
the plan.
•Moses was unwilling to “think outside the box”
•40 years of desert life with complaining people could
do this to you!!

43. A lesson from the Gadities and Rubenites:
•They offered to go with the other tribes to conquer
the land and not return home until the job was
finished.
•Remember:
‒ When you present someone with a problem, also
present a reasonable solution.
‒ If you present someone with choices, make sure all
choices are acceptable to you!

44. Reacting to situations and making decisions:
•The HALT Principle can help here.
•Guard your reactions or decisions when you are:
‒ H – Hungry or sick.
‒ A - Angry, emotional or in a bad mood.
‒ L – Lonely or vulnerable.
‒ T - Tired, sleepy, not awake yet or need to think.

45. Proverbs: 14-29 NIV
29 Whoever is patient has great understanding,
but one who is quick-tempered displays folly.

46. The Plan of Hope & Salvation:
John 3:16-17 NKJV
16 “For God so loved the world that He gave His only
begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not
perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His
Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the
world through Him might be saved.”
John 14:6 NKJV
6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No
one comes to the Father except through Me.”

47. The Plan of Hope & Salvation:
Romans 3:23 NKJV
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
Romans 6:23a NKJV
23a For the wages of sin is death,
• Death in this life (the first death) is 100%.
• Even Jesus, the only one who doesn’t deserve death, died in this
life to pay the penalty for our sin.
• The death referred to in Romans 6:23a is the “second death”
explained in Revelation 21:8.

48. The Plan of Hope & Salvation:
Revelation 21:8 NKJV
8 “But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral,
sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns
with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”
• Anyone who’s lifestyle is one or more of the sins listed in Revelation 21:8,
will experience the “second death,” if they do not repent.
• To Repent means to turn around, to go in the opposite direction, to turn
away from sin and believe in Jesus.
Romans 5:8 NKJV
8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still
sinners, Christ died for us.

49. The Plan of Hope & Salvation:
Romans 6:23b NKJV
23b but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our
Lord.
Revelation 21:7 NKJV
7 “He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will
be his God and he shall be My son.”
• Romans 10:9-10 explain to us how to be overcomers.

50. The Plan of Hope & Salvation:
Romans 10:9-10 NKJV
9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and
believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead,
you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto
righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto
salvation.
Romans 10:13 NKJV
13 For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

51. The Plan of Hope & Salvation:
Do you have questions?
Would you like to know more?
Please, contact First Baptist Church Jackson at 601-949-1900
or http://firstbaptistjackson.org/contact/