NUMBERS

Numbers Chapter 33

• Numbers 33:1 These are the journeys of the children of Israel, which went forth out of the land of Egypt with their armies under the hand of Moses and Aaron. 
• 2 And Moses wrote their goings out according to their journeys by the commandment of the LORD: and these are their journeys according to their goings out. 
• 3 And they departed from Rameses in the first month, on the fifteenth day of the first month; on the morrow after the passover the children of Israel went out with an high hand in the sight of all the Egyptians. 

Starting back to the beginning of Exodus they wrote down the date, and how they were quickly expelled from the land of Egypt. The first Passover feast was kept commemorating the day when death passed over their households if the commandment to place the blood of the lamb upon the doorposts of each household was obeyed. All these were written down for future generations to keep the feasts in remembrance of all these events. It was to help them remember who God is and it is God that provides salvation and none other. 

We know today that the feast of the Passover was the season of the year when Christ the true Passover lamb of God was sacrificed for the sins of all mankind. Just as the blood on the door ways of each home saved the lives of all within the house, the blood of Jesus applied to our hearts cover the sin of each and every individual who believes in Jesus as savior and is willing to forsake sin and follow Christ. 

• Numbers 33:4 For the Egyptians buried all their firstborn, which the LORD had smitten among them: upon their gods also the LORD executed judgments. 

Actually we see a salvation by faith even in the Old Testament although the salvation is for the physical lives of the firstborn instead of the spiritual souls that come by way of faith in Jesus Christ.

The Egyptians could have been spared this judgment if they would have believed as the Israelis believed and placed the blood of the lamb on their doorposts by faith. True saving faith produces action. True faith is not passive. If we say we believe a tidal wave is coming and we fear drowning, we wouldn't sit in its path doing nothing, we would run. We can sit in its path and say "I believe, I believe" all we want but that kind of faith saves no one.

To truly believe means that we act like we believe by doing what the Lord says to do. If He says repent and believe the gospel then we repent and believe the gospel to be saved. 

It is not a passive, "Yes, I believe someone named Jesus died on the cross and rose again," but we do not really believe in Him to the point that we are willing to turn from sin and trust Him to cleanse us from all sin and clothe us in His righteousness. True faith in Christ will bring a change in our conduct, attitude and lifestyle, done not in our own strength but by His Holy Spirit that He gives to all that believe. 

• Numbers 33:5 And the children of Israel removed from Rameses, and pitched in Succoth. 
• 6 And they departed from Succoth, and pitched in Etham, which is in the edge of the wilderness. 
• 7 And they removed from Etham, and turned again unto Pihahiroth, which is before Baalzephon: and they pitched before Migdol. 
• 8 And they departed from before Pihahiroth, and passed through the midst of the sea into the wilderness, and went three days' journey in the wilderness of Etham, and pitched in Marah. 

It was at the waters of Marah that was the first time the children of Israel were tested when they were dwelling in the wilderness. The waters there were bitter and instead of looking to the Lord for help, they began to murmur and complain to Moses. In that instance a tree was thrown into the waters and it made them sweet. 

I do notice one thing about the miracles in the wilderness and that is that the solution is never the same solution. They are different. That tells me that we are not to trust in methods but the Lord to deliver. He may use different methods but He is the one to gives gifts and supplies the need. 

Jesus used different methods in healing and such. God doesn't seem to favor formulas and rituals when demonstrating His power. He does show us only one way of salvation and all offerings and sacrifices were after the pattern shown to Moses pointing to the fact that God would provide the right way of salvation that is not by the works of man but of God. That perfect sacrifice was Jesus Christ and His death on the cross for sins.  However, in doing the works of the Lord and bringing people to Christ we do not trust in methods and techniques but in the power of the Holy Spirit to do the actual saving of souls and the other work He calls us to do. 

He may tell us one time to use a certain method to reach a certain person for example but we can't then use that same method and look to the method as the way of salvation but trust in the Holy Spirit to teach us to walk by the spirit and keep relying on Him instead of our methods. What may work in one instance may fail in another. The Holy Spirit though never fails. We must keep going "Back to the drawing board, " and look only to the Lord for our guidance. The trouble with most of us is that we make our plans and put forth our ideas and then ask the Lord to bless them. Instead we should seek the Lord first for the ideas and plans.  

A pastor that use to pastor a church I attended at one time, was giving a good example. He said he has seen people sing a certain song that caused the whole congregation to burst forth in praise and worship spontaneously and then the very next meeting they would want to mimic that event and sing the same song over and over trying to recreate the same praise and worship of the previous meeting. They were trusting the particular song and thought the Holy Spirit was in the song rather than the Holy Spirit Himself.  

I heard another preacher say that God gave him a certain Sunday School program that was a big success. He tried the same program at another church and it failed. Its not in programs but in God's leadership that we must trust. What works one place may fail in another. 

Instead we try to copycat. We visit a church that uses praise and worship songs singing them over and over and we see successful worship. We try that at our home church and it works for a while but gets old fast. Some may trust and prefer hymns.  

Why do we all have to be alike?  What works in one place may fail in another. Let's be led by the spirit not by methods. We don't all have to sing the same songs and do worship the same way. God knows what will work, we don't. All the trials in the wilderness was to show Israel who was their real provider. They needed God with them at all times. 

• Numbers 33:9 And they removed from Marah, and came unto Elim: and in Elim were twelve fountains of water, and threescore and ten palm trees; and they pitched there. 
• 10 And they removed from Elim, and encamped by the Red sea. 
• 11 And they removed from the Red sea, and encamped in the wilderness of Sin. 
• 12 And they took their journey out of the wilderness of Sin, and encamped in Dophkah. 
• 13 And they departed from Dophkah, and encamped in Alush. 
• 14 And they removed from Alush, and encamped at Rephidim, where was no water for the people to drink. 
• 15 And they departed from Rephidim, and pitched in the wilderness of Sinai. 
• 16 And they removed from the desert of Sinai, and pitched at Kibrothhattaavah. 
• 17 And they departed from Kibrothhattaavah, and encamped at Hazeroth. 
• 18 And they departed from Hazeroth, and pitched in Rithmah. 
• 19 And they departed from Rithmah, and pitched at Rimmonparez. 
• 20 And they departed from Rimmonparez, and pitched in Libnah. 
• 21 And they removed from Libnah, and pitched at Rissah. 
• 22 And they journeyed from Rissah, and pitched in Kehelathah. 
• 23 And they went from Kehelathah, and pitched in mount Shapher. 
• 24 And they removed from mount Shapher, and encamped in Haradah. 
• 25 And they removed from Haradah, and pitched in Makheloth. 
• 26 And they removed from Makheloth, and encamped at Tahath. 
• 27 And they departed from Tahath, and pitched at Tarah. 
• 28 And they removed from Tarah, and pitched in Mithcah.
• 29 And they went from Mithcah, and pitched in Hashmonah. 
• 30 And they departed from Hashmonah, and encamped at Moseroth. 
• 31 And they departed from Moseroth, and pitched in Benejaakan. 
• 32 And they removed from Benejaakan, and encamped at Horhagidgad. 
• 33 And they went from Horhagidgad, and pitched in Jotbathah. 
• 34 And they removed from Jotbathah, and encamped at Ebronah. 
• 35 And they departed from Ebronah, and encamped at Eziongaber. 
• 36 And they removed from Eziongaber, and pitched in the wilderness of Zin, which is Kadesh. 
• 37 And they removed from Kadesh, and pitched in mount Hor, in the edge of the land of Edom. 

It was a long journey but it could have been shortened had they not went into unbelief when the ten spies returned from the Promised land with an evil report stirring up strife among the people. Joshua and Caleb were an example of the narrow way that leads to life. Only two out of 12 believed. The others lost out. 

• Numbers 33:38 And Aaron the priest went up into mount Hor at the commandment of the LORD, and died there, in the fortieth year after the children of Israel were come out of the land of Egypt, in the first day of the fifth month. 
• 39 And Aaron was an hundred and twenty and three years old when he died in mount Hor. 

He had a long life but he and Moses failed to sanctify the Lord in the eyes of the children of Israel at the waters of Meribah which caused them not to be allowed to enter the promise land with the rest of Israel. 

To God be all glory. We must at all costs stop giving glory to men for what God does. We must hold up the name of Jesus and give Him all glory, honor and praise. 

We praise men far too much when a miracle occurs. God gives the gifts, He can use one vessel as well as another. We are not the healers. We are to be vessels of the message that God places upon our hearts. 

• Numbers 33:40 And king Arad the Canaanite, which dwelt in the south in the land of Canaan, heard of the coming of the children of Israel. 
• 41 And they departed from mount Hor, and pitched in Zalmonah. 
• 42 And they departed from Zalmonah, and pitched in Punon. 
• 43 And they departed from Punon, and pitched in Oboth. 
• 44 And they departed from Oboth, and pitched in Ijeabarim, in the border of Moab. 
• 45 And they departed from Iim, and pitched in Dibongad. 
• 46 And they removed from Dibongad, and encamped in Almondiblathaim. 
• 47 And they removed from Almondiblathaim, and pitched in the mountains of Abarim, before Nebo. 
• 48 And they departed from the mountains of Abarim, and pitched in the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho. 
• 49 And they pitched by Jordan, from Bethjesimoth even unto Abelshittim in the plains of Moab. 
• 50 And the LORD spake unto Moses in the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho, saying, 
• 51 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye are passed over Jordan into the land of Canaan; 
• 52 Then ye shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you, and destroy all their pictures, and destroy all their molten images, and quite pluck down all their high places: 

Idolatry is the most dangerous sin to the eternal soul. It replaces God with an image that has a spirit of Satan surrounding it. That is why people will feel a presence of some kind when they worship idols if the person is bent toward religious feelings. This is why so many are fooled into thinking it is God when it is a counterfeit. Do not use images even if they represent Christ or Mary. It is dangerous. God forbade the making of images to bow down and worship. 

They were to destroy even their pictures of these idols or images. It was a false religion that would lead the soul to eternal hell. 

• Exodus 20:4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: 
• 5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; 
• 6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.

Notice first the warning and then the promise of mercy to those that love me and keep His commandments. No one can truly love God and not care about obeying the words of God.

• Leviticus 26:1 Ye shall make you no idols nor graven image, neither rear you up a standing image, neither shall ye set up any image of stone in your land, to bow down unto it: for I am the LORD your God. 

This is serious. It is an insult to our Holy God to set up substitutes in worship.

• Deuteronomy 4:15 Take ye therefore good heed unto yourselves; for ye saw no manner of similitude on the day that the LORD spake unto you in Horeb out of the midst of the fire: 
• 16 Lest ye corrupt yourselves, and make you a graven image, the similitude of any figure, the likeness of male or female, 
• 17 The likeness of any beast that is on the earth, the likeness of any winged fowl that flieth in the air, 
• 18 The likeness of any thing that creepeth on the ground, the likeness of any fish that is in the waters beneath the earth: 
• 19 And lest thou lift up thine eyes unto heaven, and when thou seest the sun, and the moon, and the stars, even all the host of heaven, shouldest be driven to worship them, and serve them, which the LORD thy God hath divided unto all nations under the whole heaven. 

If they would have seen God Himself they would have tried to make an image to look like God but He did not allow them to see His image. Images of God or the Son of God, Jesus or Mary or any of the apostles were not to be made and worshipped. We are not to bow down to a cross or any image. 

You might say, "That's the old law of Moses. We are not under the law but under grace." 

Okay then lets go to the New Testament.  The apostle John wrote:

• 1 John 5:21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen. 

God covers all these things in His word written in both old and new Testaments.

• Revelation 9:20 And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk: 

Worshipping idols is the same as worshipping devils. It is evil and it does not mix with God.  Choose one or the other. 

Evidently is seems that in the tribulation period or the latter days just before the Coming of Christ there is an increase or a return to idol worship in greater numbers than we see now in 2025. I do see an increase in images even coming back into churches. We need to get rid of these things. They are not harmless trinkets. God forbids them. Idolatry and God never has gotten along. We can't compromise on these things. God does not want us to look to images but to Him by faith. It is by faith that we are saved, not by sight, it is by faith that we receive anything from God not by sight, feeling or anything else but pure faith. 

• Numbers 33:53 And ye shall dispossess the inhabitants of the land, and dwell therein: for I have given you the land to possess it. 
• 54 And ye shall divide the land by lot for an inheritance among your families: and to the more ye shall give the more inheritance, and to the fewer ye shall give the less inheritance: every man's inheritance shall be in the place where his lot  falleth; according to the tribes of your fathers ye shall inherit. 
• 55 But if ye will not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you; then it shall come to pass, that those which ye let remain of them shall be pricks in your eyes, and thorns in your sides, and shall vex you in the land wherein ye dwell. 
• 56 Moreover it shall come to pass, that I shall do unto you, as I thought to do unto them. 

They had to drive them out because God cannot allow a mixture. We can't have God and have idolatry at the same time. If the evil people remained in the land, they would eventually lead Israel back into idolatry. As we read the Old Testament, that is exactly what happened over and over again causing Israel to bear severe judgment from God even losing their land to Assyria, Babylon, Rome and others. We can't serve God and the mammon of riches. We can't love God and love this present world at the same time. There is no mixture. It is all or nothing. A mixture is idolatry. 

The church became corrupt soon after the apostles died because of a mixture. They mixed church and state, they mixed pagan religion with Christianity and that brought forth the Roman Church with images, idols and such. It is a mixture. We can't pick only on them though. We have many teaching that we can be rich and increased with goods, mix with the world and still be right with God. It is idolatry and it is trying to have God and mammon at the same time. It is a mixture. 

Some claim to be filled with the spirit of God and sit in front of television watching filth and listening to men curse God. This is a mixture. We are not fully walking in the spirit and bringing forth the right kind of fruit. 

Any mixture of good and evil, the world and God, idol and image worship with Christianity, etc. is creating a mixture. It is not pure, it is not holy and we are into idolatry. 

• 1John 2:15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 
• 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 
• 17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever. 

God must be first because He is the one we look to for life, eternity and salvation. He is good. DC

• 1Timothy 6:3 If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; 
• 4 He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, 
• 5 Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself. 
  6 But godliness with contentment is great gain. 
• 7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. 
• 8 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. 
• 9 But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. 
• 10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. 
• 11 But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. 
• 12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.