Numbers

In the past I have remembered the book of Numbers as only containing seemingly uninteresting lists of procedures, names and numbers. After a careful second look I have found some exciting events and verses capturing the hearts of Moses, the people of Israel and God each for one another. Other information it contains are laws regarding vows, offerings, feasts, and complaints of Israel.

Numbers records six major instances of complaints against God by Israel during their time in the wilderness from the first census in chapter three. The format for most of their griping is as follows: the people complain; Moses has a reaction; God sends a judgment; the people repent.
These are the complaints:
The people complain to Moses about their circumstances and some are consumed by fire until Moses prays for them. They complain about having no meat so God sent quail—lots of quail. Moses complains to God about the people here (11).
Aaron and Miriam complain about not being used by God like Moses, Miriam is then struck with leprosy. Moses demonstrates great compassion toward her in asking for her healing (12).
The people complain about the spies' report and their fear of dying—those who complained are sentenced to die in the wilderness. Moses' response is to ask for forgiveness on the people from God noting that God's reputation might be damaged (14).
In a rebellion similar to Miriam, Korah rebels complaining about Moses and Aaron being in charge and having special access to God. Korah, Dathan, and Abiram with others were swallowed up by the earth. Here, Moses asks God not to honor Korah and the rebels' offerings to show that they are not the ones chosen to represent God to the people. The people complain about Korah being judged and a plague kills 14,700 of them before Moses instructs Aaron to make atonement for the people (16).
The people complain about having no water. Here, Moses strikes the rock twice and receives the sentence of not being able to lead the people into the promised land (20).
The people complain about being in the wilderness and God judges them with the fiery serpents. Moses prays for the people at their request, then makes a bronze serpent at which they may look to receive healing (21).
God notes that including their complaining in chapter 14 some of the people had already tested him ten times.

My initial reaction to their complaining is to ask, "Why didn't they just trust God to provide their food, land and leadership?" Then I realize that whenever I sin, I am not trusting God to provide for my needs. If my sin is to lie, perhaps my complaint is, "God, why did you put me in this situation where I might look bad?" If I commit adultery my complaint might be, "God, why haven't you satisfied me with a wife or a wife that pleases me?"
I think I will try to verbalize these complaints when I am tempted to sin in the future. God will likely respond to my complaint which may cause me to cling to Him.

Concerning Moses' reactions the only pattern I see is the frequency with which he turns to God, falling on his face and seeking counsel from God. He truly had a personal relationship with God and was consistent in seeking God's will. During half of the instances he shows great compassion for the people and the other half he shows his anger. One interesting verse on the matter is in 12:3 "(Now the man Moses was very humble, more than all men who were on the face of the earth.)"

There are several illustrative stories in Numbers: the guiding of the cloud with the appearance of fire around the tabernacle (9), Miriam being struck with leprosy (12), the spying out of the land (13), the Amalekites defeating Israel (45), Korah and his followers being swallowed by the earth (16), Aaron's blossoming rod confirming his divine calling (17), the donkey speaking to Balaam, Phinehas thrusting a man and woman through with a spear to stop a plague (25), and information on the cities of refuge (35).

Some of my favorite verses from this book are below.

11:23 "And the LORD said to Moses, 'Has the LORD's arm been shortened? Now you shall see whether what I say will happen to you or not.'"

14:12 "I [God] will strike them with the pestilence and disinherit [Israel], and I will make of [Moses] a nation greater and mightier than they."

Personally, I would have taken the deal God was offering Moses above. Moses ended up asking God to forgive them. Moses may have shown grace in knowing his own tendency to sin.

14:18 "The LORD is longsuffering and abundant in mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression: but He by no means clears the guilty visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation."