MONDAY 19TH JULY – NUMBERS 1-2 – Why was the number of Israelites significant (a) looking back (Gen 15:5) and (b) looking forward (Duet 1:8)? Why was the Levites’ job of tending and guarding the tabernacle so important? What does the position of the tabernacle in the camp show? As Christians, what battles do we need to be ready to fight? How should we be organised to fight them?
TUESDAY 20TH JULY – NUMBERS 3 – Why was it important that the firstborn of exactly each Israelite family was paid for by a Levite (or in cash)? How could one man (Jesus) replace every Christian and thus redeem all of us?
WEDNESDAY 21ST JULY – NUMBERS 4 – Why was it so important that the tabernacle was well taken care of? Why was access so tightly restricted, especially to the items that went in the sanctuary? How do we have access to God today? What are the tasks of Christians as God’s “royal priesthood”?
THURSDAY 22ND JULY – NUMBERS 5 – How was having God in their midst supposed to affect the private lives of the Israelites? What should it mean to us that God does not overlook our “secret” sins?
FRIDAY 23RD JULY – NUMBERS 6 – How does a person ‘get holy’ in our day and age? How does a person ‘get blessed’ in our day and age? What does that look like?
MONDAY 26TH JULY – NUMBERS 7 – Why do you think the writer emphasises (perhaps painfully for us!) that every tribe gave exactly the same offering? How important is it to you to have the Lord with you, speaking to you?
TUESDAY 27TH JULY – NUMBERS 8 – Why were the Levites necessary? How has God made it possible for us to have Him with us? How can we appreciate our substitute more?
WEDNESDAY 28TH JULY – NUMBERS 9:1-14 – Why was celebrating the Passover so essential to being one of God’s people? How important is it for us to keep remembering our Passover Lamb? Do we need ritual for this?
THURSDAY 29TH JULY – NUMBERS 9:15-10:10 – Why was it so important for Israel that God was the one taking the initiative? How does God guide his people today?
FRIDAY 30TH JULY – HEBREWS 3:7-4:13 – What did it take for Israel to follow God and enter his “rest” in the Promised Land? What would stop us from entering God’s ultimate, eternal rest?
MONDAY 2ND AUGUST – NUMBERS 10:11-36 – What was the basis for Moses’ optimism here? What reasons do Christians have for being optimistic about what is to come?
TUESDAY 3RD AUGUST – NUMBERS 11:1-15 – Given where they had been and where they were going, why was Israel’s complaining so shocking? What do you think of Moses reaction? What have you been whingeing about lately? What do our complaints have to say about us?
WEDNESDAY 4TH AUGUST – NUMBERS 11:16-35 – Why did God grant the people’s request for meat? Is it always good to get our way? How do God’s provision and Moses’ wish (v29) anticipate the blessings of the new covenant (Eg. seen in Acts 2)?
THURSDAY 5TH AUGUST – NUMBERS 12:1-16 - What does this passage say about the stature of Moses amongst God’s people? How does he anticipate our greater leader, Jesus?
FRIDAY 6TH AUGUST – MATTHEW 14:13-21 – How does the background in Numbers add meaning to this episode? What reassurance is there here for those who doubt God’s provision?
MONDAY 9TH AUGUST – NUMBERS 13:1-24 – What was the purpose of sending the spies? How good is the “land” that God has promised to us?
TUESDAY 10TH AUGUST – NUMBERS 13:25-33 – What stood behind the spies’ bad report about the land? How should they have been thinking? What is the answer to a Christian’s feeling that “it’s all too hard”?
WEDNESDAY 11TH AUGUST – NUMBERS 14:1-12 – What were the Israelites getting wrong? Was the Lord’s response justified? Why might a Christian begin to wish they weren’t a Christian? How does this process take place?
THURSDAY 12TH AUGUST – NUMBERS 14:13-25 – On what basis does Moses plead for the people here? How can we be sure that God will keep his promises to us, despite our sinfulness?
FRIDAY 13TH AUGUST – NUMBERS 14:26-45 – Had the Israelites learned their lesson? What does God want from his people, beyond mere remorse about our sins?
MONDAY 16TH AUGUST – NUMBERS 15:1-41 – What offering are we to make as a response to the Lord? (See Romans 12:1-2) What does the person who sins “with a high hand” (such as the man in vv32-36) think about the Lord? Why did God need to give the people memory-prompts?
TUESDAY 17TH AUGUST – NUMBERS 16:1-50 – Why did God deal with the sin of Korah, Dathan and Abiram so publicly? What saved the people of Israel in the end?
WEDNESDAY 18TH AUGUST – NUMBERS 17:1-13 – Why was it so important that God protected his priesthood? Was the people’s reaction justified?
THURSDAY 19TH AUGUST – NUMBERS 18:1-32 – In what ways were the Levites special? In what way were they the same as everyone else? Does God set people apart for special service today? In what sense are we all to be like Levites?
FRIDAY 20TH AUGUST – NUMBERS 19:1-22 – What did this new law achieve? What did it teach people about themselves? What does it point forward to for us?
MONDAY 23RD AUGUST – NUMBERS 20:1-13 – What should the people have done when faced with no water? What was wrong with what Moses did? Why such a strict penalty for Moses?
TUESDAY 24TH AUGUST – NUMBERS 20:14-21 – Why was Israel so courteous towards the Edomites compared with other nations (such as the Canaanites)? Is there a time/place for Christians to be aggressive? How does the death and replacement of Aaron highlight the blessing of have Jesus as our high priest?
WEDNESDAY 25TH AUGUST – NUMBERS 21:1-9 – What are we to learn about how to be saved from the bronze snake incident? (see also John 3:14-15)
THURSDAY 26TH AUGUST – NUMBERS 21:10-35 – As Israel once again neared the Promised Land, what encouragements were there for them? What encouragements has God given you lately as you journey towards your inheritance with him?
FRIDAY 27TH AUGUST – 1 Peter 1:3-9 – What is the Christian’s journey towards the heavenly inheritance supposed to be like?
MONDAY 30TH AUGUST – NUMBERS 22:1-21 – In view of Genesis 12:1-3, what was the king of Moab likely to discover? In what ways does our Christian faith threaten people?
TUESDAY 31ST AUGUST – NUMBERS 22:22-35 – Are donkeys really that smart? In what areas of your life are you possibly sinning without knowing it? How is such sin uncovered?
WEDNESDAY 1ST SEPTEMBER – NUMBERS 22:36-23:12 – What temptation was there for Balaam to tell Balak what he wanted to hear? On what issues (or in what circumstances) are we tempted to tell the world what it wants to hear?
THURSDAY 2ND SEPTEMBER – NUMBERS 23:13-30 – Why were Balak’s efforts so futile according to Balaam’s words here? In what ways do people try to get God to do what they want? How should Christians be different?
FRIDAY 3RD SEPTEMBER – NUMBERS 24:1-25 – How is the picture of Israel in Balaam’s oracles compared with what we have seen of Israel in Numbers? What does this say about God and his purposes?
MONDAY 6TH SEPTEMBER – NUMBERS 25:1-5 – How did the movement towards false gods begin here? Where might you face similar dangers? Why was severe action required?
TUESDAY 7TH SEPTEMBER – 1 CORINTHIANS 5:1-13 – How should sexual immorality be treated inside and outside the church?
WEDNESDAY 8TH SEPTEMBER – NUMBERS 25:6-15 – How did the actions of Phinehas save all of Israel? How does this parallel our salvation?
THURSDAY 9TH SEPTEMBER – NUMBERS 25:16-18 – Who or what should Christians regard as enemies?
FRIDAY 10TH SEPTEMBER – 1 CORINTHIANS 10:1-14 – Why should Israel’s example in Numbers stop Christians from being complacent in their faith?
MONDAY 13TH SEPTEMBER – NUMBERS 26:1-65 – What do the numbers here tell you in comparison to the numbers in ch 1? What was the extra purpose to this census compared to ch 1? In the context, is this a positive or negative chapter?
TUESDAY 14TH SEPTEMBER – NUMBERS 27:1-11 – Was it just greed motivating the daughters of Zelophehad? What was the principle being preserved here?
WEDNESDAY 15TH SEPTEMBER – REVELATION 3:1-6 – How important is it that our name be preserved in heaven? How is it that our name can be remembered there?
THURSDAY 16TH SEPTEMBER – NUMBERS 27:12-23 – How did Moses seem to feel about his impending death? In what ways is the leadership of God’s people like shepherding?
FRIDAY 17TH SEPTEMBER – JOHN 10:11-18 – How should God’s people respond to their shepherd? What are the benefits of having a good shepherd?
MONDAY 20TH SEPTEMBER – NUMBERS 28:1-15 – What do these daily sacrifices show about (a) us and (b) God?
TUESDAY 21ST SEPTEMBER – HEBREWS 10:1-18 - How do Christians have their sins dealt with on an ongoing basis? How does our access to God differ from that of the Israelites?
WEDNESDAY 22ND SEPTEMBER – NUMBERS 28:16-29:40 – How do Christians celebrate the big events that have shaped us as the people of God?
THURSDAY 23RD SEPTEMBER – HEBREWS 13:10-18 – What sacrifices ought Christians make to God?
FRIDAY 24TH SEPTEMBER – NUMBERS 30:1-16 – Why would God have given a woman’s father/husband power of veto over the vows she makes? What part should the making of vows play in a Christian’s life?
MONDAY 27TH SEPTEMBER – NUMBERS 31:1-24 – What was the Israelites’ mission? How should God’s people feel about the idea of God’s vengeance?
TUESDAY 28TH SEPTEMBER – ROMANS 12:14-21 – How are Christians instructed to treat their enemies?
WEDNESDAY 29TH SEPTEMBER – NUMBERS 31:25-54 – What principles are behind the dividing of the plunder? What did the officers recognise in the outcome of the campaign?
THURSDAY 30TH SEPTEMBER – NUMBERS 32:1-15 – Why was Moses so touchy? How might Christians “discourage the hearts” of their brethren?
FRIDAY 1ST OCTOBER – NUMBERS 32:16-42 – Was the arrangement with the Reubenites and Gadites a positive or a negative thing overall?
TUESDAY 5TH OCTOBER – NUMBERS 33:1-56 – How would you characterise the journey of Israel from Egypt to the Promised Land? What was the priority to be on entering the Land? How should our priorities be similar?
WEDNESDAY 6TH OCTOBER – NUMBERS 34:1-29 – What does it tell you that Israel never actually occupied the land as defined by these boundaries? Should Christians therefore be pessimistic?
THURSDAY 7TH OCTOBER – NUMBERS 35:1-34 – Why was the land to be considered holy? Why was it so important that blood-guilt be resolved appropriately? How should a concern for holiness be expressed by Christians?
FRIDAY 8TH OCTOBER – NUMBERS 36:1-13 – What does this chapter say about Israel’s life in the land, making it a fitting conclusion to Numbers? What is the encouragement for the Christian there?
