The Amazing Aspects of the Bible (Part 3)

"Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment" (John 7:24).

Having discussed some of the interesting features of Genesis through Leviticus, we now want to look at Numbers through Ruth, which will show the way that God dealt with His people and their enemies after He delivered them from slavery in Egypt. They were saved from the intolerable situation that had developed as they remained in a nation that had once been grateful to Joseph. As time passed, the Egyptians grew suspicious of the Israelites, enslaving them, making their lives bitter with hard bondage (Ex. 1:14), and forcing them to cast every son born to them into the river (Ex. 1:22). The Israelites observed the power of God that He showed in the ten plagues upon Egypt and again when they passed through the Red Sea.

They now had a holy law and were to be God's holy people, but their obedience began to diminish. The people rebelled against God several times, and these are recorded in the book of Numbers. What that book shows us is that God did not excuse His people from punishment. The privilege of being His child did not exempt anyone from chastisement (Heb. 12:5-11). Several instances of rebellion and God's punishment are noted in the book of Numbers. In addition to this general lesson is one that is quite remarkable—in terms of what God had in mind that would occur later.

In Numbers 21:4-9, the people complained about the lack of food and water, and they began to loathe the manna that God provided. This grumbling showed a lack of faith in God, as well as a lack of gratitude for what they were receiving from Him. God did not argue with them, He simply sent fiery serpents that bit the people, causing them to die. They humbly confessed their sins and asked for relief. God could have solved this problem in a number of ways, but in this instance He told Moses to make a fiery serpent and set it on a pole. Anyone bitten, when he looked upon the serpent, would live. Such is a strange but reasonable solution to the problem, and it kept the people from dying.

One might wonder why God chose to use such a method. In the New Testament, Jesus explains: "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life" (John 3:14-15). God had this comparison in mind when He had Moses lift up the brass serpent. Once again, the Bible is amazing in that only God could devise the first act to represent the second one when it would not occur for 1,500 years. Skeptics search for flaws in the Bible yet miss such gigantic proofs of inspiration in the process—kind of like straining out the gnat to swallow the camel.

God knew that raising up Jesus on the cross would get the attention of everyone. Jesus foretold: "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to Myself" (John 12:32). We are drawn to Jesus and His crucifixion because we know that this is God's method of saving us. Jesus died on the cross to make salvation available. Certain actions must be taken on our part to respond properly, but the first step is in getting our attention. All who dwell on earth, whether they believe and obey ultimately, are nevertheless drawn to the event of the crucifixion. Jesus being lifted up has proven to be the means of drawing sinners to Him.

Numbers also provides a portrait of Balaam, an unprincipled man who desired gold and silver more than God and salvation. He so wanted the bribe that he had been offered by King Balak that he was willing to do almost anything to get it. But there was one thing he could not do. He could not by inspiration speak what was not true. Balaam replied to criticism of his failing to do his job by reminding the king of what he had said earlier: "Though Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the word of the Lord, to do either good or bad of my own will; but what the Lord says, that I must speak" (Num. 24:13). Balaam was a true prophet but a rotten human being.

As a true seer, he was careful to speak only those things that God told him to speak. He could not go beyond the truth. Now, if a man who proved, in the final analysis, to be so wicked was constrained to speak words of truth, as God's prophet, then we must conclude that the other prophets were also careful not to tamper with the Word in any way. They would undoubtedly agree with what David would later write: "The Spirit of the Lord spoke by me, and His word was on my tongue" (2 Sam. 23:2). In fact, all the way through the Scriptures, whether Old or New, the accuracy of inspiration is stressed.

Deuteronomy

The new generation that had grown up in the wilderness needed to hear God's laws; they are recorded in Deuteronomy. The Ten Commandments are repeated, along with several other laws. Among the writings of this book are three solutions to the problem of sin. Satan tempted Eve with the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life (Gen. 3:6; 1 John 2:15-17). He also tempted Jesus with those same attractions, and Jesus answered him with principles from this book.

When Satan tried to talk Jesus into turning stones to bread (because He had been fasting for 40 days), the Lord cited Deuteronomy 8:3. This verse is simply a summary of what had happened in the wilderness, so that the new generation would not forget it:

So He humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna which you did not know nor did your fathers know, that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.

Of course, Eve could have used the same answer to the serpent, but it would not be written for another 2,500 years. Living by God's Word would have kept her from the physical fruit that He had forbidden. Eve had never heard that she should only worship and serve God, either (Deut. 6:13), but she should have known that the One Who created her was trustworthy. (Jesus quoted this verse to overcome the second temptation.) God might have said to Eve, "If I tell you the truth, why don't you believe Me?" Jesus would say those words to His critics 4,000 years later: "Which of you convicts Me of sin? And if I tell you the truth, why do you not believe Me?" (John 8:46). A truthful source (as is the Father or the Son) should always be believed. Satan's slanderous attack against the Creator is wrong. It is evidence, not words, that matters.

The third temptation involved the pride of life. In Eve's case, the serpent appealed to the fact that the fruit would make her wise. (How could she pass that up?) In Jesus' case, Satan argued that He was too important for God not to save Him if He jumped off the temple. Jesus responded appropriately from Deuteronomy 6:16: "You shall not tempt the Lord Your God."

The Word of God has an answer to every problem that human beings face. It is truly one of the amazing features of the Bible; it provides principles that deal with every spiritual, social, and moral problem. It will not make one a nuclear physicist, but it will enable a scientist to make ethical decisions. Jesus reached into Deuteronomy to pull out the wisdom needed to defeat Satan. He also reached back to this book to identify as the greatest commandment loving God with all one's heart soul, and mind (Deut. 6:4-5, Matt. 22:37-38).

Moses records a prophecy in this book that is only fulfilled in Jesus. He writes about a prophet who will arise from the midst of His brethren who would be like Moses (Deut. 18:15). Moses was a prophet, but he also delivered God's Law, the first covenant. The One to come is likewise going to bring a law (the new covenant). God would put His words into His mouth, and He would speak what God told Him. Whoever would not listen to that Prophet, God would require it of him. Jesus is the One intended, and Peter confirms it (Acts 3:22-23). Before Peter declared Jesus to be the fulfillment, the reader could have already formed that conclusion by reading what Jesus Himself said:

"For I have not spoken on My own authority; but the Father who sent Me gave Me a command, what I should say and what I should speak. And I know that His command is everlasting life. Therefore, whatever I speak, just as the Father has told Me, so I speak" (John 12:49-50).

The people had not forgotten this prophecy in Deuteronomy—not even after 1,400 years. When John the Baptizer came, they asked him, "Are you the Prophet?" (John 1:21). He denied it, of course, but he was preparing the way for the Prophet. So, what have we seen in the first five books of the Bible?

1. A prophecy of one who will conquer Satan (Gen. 3:15).
2. A prophecy that one will come through whom all nations of the earth will be blessed (Gen. 22:18).
3. Moses, who gave God's law, foretelling of one who would come who was like him (Ex. 20; Deut. 18:15, 18-19).
4. A figure of Christ being lifted up on the cross (Num. 21:4-9).
5. Two pictures of salvation (the Flood, 1 Peter 3:21, and Israel being baptized in the cloud and in the sea, Ex. 14; 1 Cor. 10:1).
6. The Day of Atonement (Lev. 16), which typifies what Jesus would do for us.
7. The means to overcome man's greatest problem—sin (Deut. 6:13, 16; 8:3).
8. A great law—to be replaced by a greater one.

While critics are looking for tiny flaws somewhere in these first five books of the Bible, they might pause long enough to explain how all of these wondrous things exist in a book written only by men, apart from inspiration. Certainly, if God knows the end from the beginning (a truth recorded later on by Isaiah in 46:10), then it is easy to understand how the prophecies and types could be declared in advance. But how could these things be recorded and fulfilled apart from inspiration? Truly, the Bible is an amazing Book, and men ought to respect it for its contents.

Joshua, Judges, and Ruth

God's people were ready now to receive the inheritance He had promised to Abraham more than 400 years previously. They would have to fight for that land, but the bulk of the work was done by God. The battle of Jericho was one of the most unusual in all history. God fought with and for Israel until they possessed most of the land and were able to apportion it to each of the twelve tribes. Joseph's sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, both had a portion, but the Levites, who served as priests, were scattered throughout the territory.

Joshua and Judges serve as a contrast to each other. The former shows what can be done when God's people are obedient to Him; the latter demonstrates what happens when His people forsake Him. The reader rejoices in the former but is stunned at how foolish people are, having seen what obedience yields. How can they repeatedly fall back into idolatry, knowing what the consequences will be? Joshua could be subtitled: "The Blessings of Obedience" and Judges: "The Misery of Disobedience."

The secret of Joshua's success is found in the admonition God gives him at the outset of the book: "Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go" (Joshua 1:7). He was further admonished to meditate on the Book of the Law day and night—and to observe it all (v. 8). Because Joshua and his contemporaries did so, we see the greatest period in the history of the Israelites. Few times will ever match its greatness. Before Joshua died, he charged the people to choose whom they would serve, the true and living God or various idols scattered all over the nations (Joshua 24:14-15). They chose their Maker, Jehovah.

Yet only a little ways into the book of Judges, the reader finds that conditions are abominable. How sad to know the way that works—and depart from it! But it happens over and over again. The last five chapters could well be titled: "Life Without God." In one incident, the reader sees how off base the people are. Micah had his own son being priest to him, which completely lacks authority. Then he hires a Levite, who may not have even been qualified to do priestly duties. The man then deserts him for a better offer.

In turning away from God and living by their own resources (every man did what was right in his own eyes), it is obvious that the only law respected was MIGHT MAKES RIGHT! Micah was told that, if he tried to get his priest back, they would harm him. He does not have a strong enough force to resist his fellow Israelites; so the tribe of Dan leaves with Micah's former employee. God is not mentioned or thought of at all.

The last event is even worse. A city of homosexuals abuses a woman all night (they wanted the man), and she dies. When the nation calls the tribe of Benjamin to account, they refuse to turn the men over and fight to protect them! Eventually, the entire tribe nearly becomes extinct; only 600 men survive. How could such a horrible thing occur in a land ruled by God's Law? The answer is that both God and His Law had been largely forgotten. This sordid account serves as a poignant reminder of what happens to society when each person is his own authority and does what he wants. When human beings put their own feelings, judgment, and wisdom above God, such wickedness inevitably occurs.

At least one bright spot appears during this awful era. While the Israelites are behaving savagely, a foreign lady sets an example that remains worthy to this day. Paul tells us that God had given up the Gentiles (and apparently Lot's descendants) because they had turned to idolatry (Rom. 1:21-32). Into this setting is born Ruth, a Moabite. While many Israelites are following the ways of their neighbors into idolatry, Ruth is being impressed by an Israelite family that is faithful to God, although they suffer great losses. Naomi eventually lost both of her sons and her husband. Ruth refuses to leave her and is ultimately rewarded for her kindness. At least one born into a nation of idolatry was wise enough to leave it behind—and at a time while many Israelites were forsaking their holy God and His holy laws. No matter how bad situations become, one can always find one individual who does right, thus inspiring others to do likewise. Ruth was honored in becoming the great-grandmother of David—one of the greatest kings of Israel, and from whom the Messiah comes.

Although these three books are mainly historical, they reveal a great deal about God's willingness to love and provide for His people when they honor and obey Him. But when they disobey and dishonor Him, He allows them to be conquered and treated severely for their sins. When they repent, He delivers them with a judge. This principle is not difficult to understand, although one would think it was complicated, since it had to be repeated frequently for 300 years.

Could it be that skeptics reject the Bible, not because it makes no sense, but because it makes too much sense? Man's problem has always been that he tends to want to reject God's holiness and His holy ways. Man also has a problem obeying; we usually are willing to trust our own judgment rather than that of our Maker. The Bible reveals us to ourselves; perhaps that is what some do not like about it. However, we ought not to deprive ourselves of all the beauty in the Word.