major feasts in the Bible

YOUTHS STS LESSON 111 NEW GENERATION OF ISRAEL NUMBERED

TEXT: Numbers 26:1-65

MEMORY VERSE: “Take the sum of all the congregation of the children of Israel, from twenty years old and upward, throughout their fathers’ house, all that are able to go to war in Israel (Numbers 26:2)

 

As the children of Israel progressed in their journey to the land of Canaan, their enemies devised means of hindering them from possessing their God-given inheritance. The previous chapter gave an account of a sad incident in which the daughters of Moab and Midian enticed them to sin and twenty-four thousand people of Israel were destroyed in the plague (Numbers 25:1-9). God frowns at sin and will always execute judgment whenever it is committed. Notwithstanding, God continued with His plans for the faithful after destroying the sinning Israelites. In this chapter, we see that God commanded Moses to take the number of the children of Israel. Only those who sinned among them were cut off from the plan of God. They will not be counted among His heritage.

Question 1: Will sinning youths be part of God’s kingdom?

Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Corinthians 6:9,10). An doubt, sinning youths, like the fallen Israelites who were hindered from proceeding into the Promised Land, would be disallowed from partaking in the rapture and possessing eternal life. If they turn from their sins now without further delay, they shall be numbered among the saved boys and girls that shall make it to the city of gold (heaven). As we go through the study before us, we shall discover

(i) Moses’ promptness was in obeying God;

(ii) the faithfulness of God in preserving posterity for Abraham as He promised;

(iii) how He has greatly increased Israel and

(iv) the reason God commanded Moses to number Israel.

  1. PROMPT OBEDIENCE TO DIVINE ORDER TO RE-NUMBER ISRAEL

Numbers 26:1-4; 1:1-3,19; 1 Samuel 3:8,9; 15:22,23; Exodus 34:10,11; Deuteronomy 6:24; Jeremiah 7:23; Acts 4:19.

And it came to pass after the plague, that the LORD spoke unto Moses and unto Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest, saying, Take the sum of all the congregation of the children of Israel, from twenty years old and upward, throughout their fathers’ house, all that are able to go to war in Israel” (Numbers 26:1,2). Moses carried out God’s instruction without delay. Delayed obedience is not God’s perfect will for us. As Christian youths, once we receive God’s instructions, our response should be immediate. The children of Israel had earlier been numbered by Moses as commanded by God at Mount Sinai (Numbers 1:1-3). Now he is instructed him to do the same thing again. He did not murmur nor question when God instructed him to repeat it. He obeyed and carried out the instruction.

Question 2: How do some boys and girls react when they are assigned a task more than once?

Moses disposition is different from what many youths display when given an instruction to do the same task more than once. This could be at home, church or in the school. They murmur, grumble and complain. It is not godly but an act of disobedience. Even when the instruction is later carried out, it becomes imperfect obedience. And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, but not with a perfect heart” (2 Chronicles 25:2). We have an account of the young Samuel who thought Eli was calling him to be attended to at night, despite being tumed back twice. His perseverance and faithfulness to his assigned task marked him out. His persistent spirit made Eli to realise that he must have been called by the Almighty. And the LORD called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me. And Eli perceived that the LORD had called the child. Therefore Eli said unto Samuel, Go, lie down: and it shall be, if he call thee, that thou shalt say, Speak, LORD; for thy servant heareth…(1 Samuel 3:8,9). Many youths forget that God wants them to always obey Him. Obeying God is keeping His commandments. He also commands youths to obey their “parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord” (Colossians 3:20). The same should be done to authorities in the society, school and church (Romans 13:1-3).

Question 3: What are the consequences of disobeying God’s instruction? 

“And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king (1 Samuel 15:22,23). Youths should learn to obey God promptly, because disobeying Him has terrible outcomes. It’s leads to loss of relationship with God, sickness, backwardness, failure, rejection and damnation in hell fire. However, obedience brings divine blessings (Deuteronomy 28:1-13).

  1. POSTERITY OF ISRAEL NUMBERED ACCORDING ΤΟ THEIR FAMILIES

Numbers 26:5-51,57-65; Exodus 32:32; Jude 1:5; Hebrews 3:8-13; Revelation 13:8; 20:12

Though the Israelites had not entered into the Promised Land, God started perfecting His plans to take them there and how the land would be distributed among them. “Take the sum of the people, from twenty years old and upward; as the LORD commanded Moses and the children of Israel, which went both out of the land of Egypt. Unto these the land shall be divided for an inheritance according to the number of names (Numbers 26:4,53). The counting took this form: the descendants of the the Reubenites were 43,730 (Numbers 26:5-8); the Simeonites were 22,200 (Numbers 26:11-14); the family of Gad were 40, 500 (Numbers 26:15,18); the families of Judah were 76,500 (Numbers 26:20-22), the sons of Issachar were 64,300 (Numbers 26:23-25), the descendants of Zebulun were 60,500 (Numbers 26:26,27); the family of Joseph was (52,700) (Numbers 26:34); the families of Ephraim were 32,500 (Numbers 26:28-37); the sons of Benjamin were 45,600 (Numbers 26:38-41); the families of Dan were 64,400 (Numbers 26:43); the families of Asher were 53,400 (Numbers 26:44-47); and the sons of Naphtali were 45,400 (Numbers 26:48-50). “These were the numbered of the children of Israel, six hundred thousand and a thousand seven hundred and thirty” (601, 730) (Numbers 26:51). The Levites were counted separately and summed 23,000. They were not to have any inheritance because God was their portion. Only saved youths have their names in the book of life in heaven. Is your name in the book of life?

 

Question 4: Why were some Israelites missing in the head count?

 

Looking carefully into the families and names of those counted, the names of those destroyed in the wilderness because of sin were missing, and they did not make it to the end. The Bible says, But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness(1 Corinthians 10:5). The same way, records are kept in heaven of truly saved youths (Revelation 20:12).

  1. PURPOSEFUL ORDER AND PATTERN OF DISTRIBUTING INHERITANCE

Numbers 26:52-56; Ezekiel 18:25; Psalm 99:4; Acts 6:2.3; Matthew 14:16-20

Unto these the land shall be divided for an inheritance according to the number of names” (Numbers 26:53). The reason God ordered the numbering of the children of Israel, at this time, was for the distribution of the land of their possession. In doing this, God designed a pattern to be followed by the leaders. The rule was that those who were many were to have more inheritance, and the few should have less (Numbers 26:54). The land was to be divided by lot according to the names of the tribes of their fathers (Numbers 26:55). From the pattern God gave Moses in distributing the land, we see one of His attributes as an impartial Judge. “The king’s strength also loveth judgment; thou dost establish equity, thou executest judgment and righteousness in Jacob’’ (Psalm 99:4). Also, He is a God of order. In our own time, we do not cast lot when we need to distribute anything among youths, but we have the Holy Ghost to guide us. “Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables. Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business” (Acts 6:2.3). All the same, the pattern God gave them was necessary in order to avoid argument, discontent and strife. We should also learn to be content with whatever the Lord chooses to give us. Envy and jealousy should not be in our lives. Whatever God gives us is best for us. Like Paul the apostles, we should learn to be content (Philippians 4:11).

Question 5: Has there been occasions that prompted the need for distribution of anything among youths in our church and how was it done?

The retreat and Success Camp periods are times we share together and youths are expected to sit down quietly till they are served their meal. It is always a time of caring and sharing together. Youths should always submit to the pattern of food, water and hostel distributions in all future programmes, the Lord tarries, and divine blessings shall be theirs. “Let all things be done decently and in order” (1 Corinthians 14:40).

0 thoughts on “YOUTHS STS LESSON 111 NEW GENERATION OF ISRAEL NUMBERED

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