26.3: Jesus in Numbers Part 1: The Journey in the Desert Starts for the Jews

<p>The Hebrews call the Book of Numbers “In the Wilderness”. It’s the beginning of the journey of the Jews to the <a href="https://giselleaguiar.com/2021/04/26/genesis-12-and-13-a-lesson-in-trust-faith-obedience-and-a-promise-from-god/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Promised Land — the Covenant that God made with Abraham</a>. First, let’s do a little recap on the story of the people of Israel until now.</p> <p>In <a href="https://giselleaguiar.com/2021/05/11/genesis-finale-what-man-intended-for-harm-god-intended-for-good/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Genesis 46</a>, &nbsp;we learned that there were 70 members of Jacob’s (aka Israel) family &nbsp;who moved from Canaan to Egypt because of the drought and famine in the &nbsp;area. Jacob’s son, <a href="https://giselleaguiar.com/2021/05/09/genesis-38-41-dreams-and-schemes-and-a-favored-son-josephs-story/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Joseph</a> was a high-ranking leader in Egypt.</p> <p>Fast forward 430 years and the Jews are <a href="https://giselleaguiar.com/2021/05/12/exodus-1-and-2-the-israeli-people-in-captivity-where-was-the-promise-of-god/">enslaved by a mean Pharaoh</a> who didn’t know Joseph. Enter Moses, who was called by <a href="https://giselleaguiar.com/2021/05/13/exodus-3-and-4-god-calls-moses-to-rescue-israel-through-a-burning-bush/">God to lead the Hebrews out of Egypt</a>. There were about <a href="https://giselleaguiar.com/2021/05/16/exodus-11-12-one-final-plague-and-the-first-passover-lead-to-freedom/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">600,000 men</a>, not counting women and children, who left Egypt to return to the Promised Land.</p> <p>It’s a year since they left Egypt and during that time, God gave &nbsp;Moses some rules and laws that they the Jews needed to follow to stay &nbsp;“right with God”. He also gave Moses detailed instructions on building &nbsp;their mobile “church” or tabernacle, as well as strict rules of <a href="https://giselleaguiar.com/2021/05/28/leviticus-16-jesus-is-our-scapegoat-n