A Record of Remembrance (Numbers 33:1–56)

As a church, we recently concluded a worship service by singing, “Onward Christian Soldiers,” a song that some denominations have removed from hymnals over concerns that it sounds “too militant.” Biblically speaking, it is meant to be “militant.” Not physically or politically, of course, but the church is called to a spiritual militancy. The church is called to stand in the strength of the Lord (Ephesians 6:10) as it fights the world, the flesh, and the devil, which oppose the church in its mission of making disciples of Jesus Christ. Until the church stands in the fullness of Christ’s glory, it will be the church militant. We have seen something of this in our studies of Numbers. And the next couple of chapters remind us again of the responsibility of God’s people to keep marching, motivated by God’s faithfulness, confident of his promises. One way to strengthen such faith is by remembering what God has done in the past.

I believe that this matter of remembrance is a primary reason for this otherwise less-than-spectacular chapter. Once again, there is more in Numbers 33 than initially meets the eye.

Numbers 33 is not exactly stimulating reading, until one understands the context. For those handful of Israelites from the first generation along, with the multitude of the second and new generation, this travel itinerary served as a record of remembrance, which was intended to lead to reverence. It is a journey journal, serving as a mnemic device to jar the memory of God’s people concerning God’s faithfulness to his promises and to his people. As Currid comments, “As the Israelites get ready to invade the land of promise, they are not to forget that they have come this far by the grace and mercy of God to them.”

But, in many ways, it was equally important for this record to remind the people of their failures, not to bludgeon them with guilt but to remind them of God’s grace. It is for these reasons that this chapter should be studied by God’s new covenant people.

I had initially planned to combine chapters 33–34 into one study but, for various reasons, we will consider each on its own. Here, we will study chapter 33 under the title “A Record of Remembrance” as we trace the children of Israel over the preceding forty years as they marched to Zion. Next time, God willing, we will spend our time looking at the boundaries of the so-called holy land. Both of these chapters, with their tedious details, are relevant to the church in 2022.

Among other things, I trust that our time in chapter 33 will yield a greater appreciation of God’s grace to us in our journey of life, both encouraging us to look for more of his grace and motivating us to live for his glory in view of his grace.

The material of chapter 33 can be divided in a few legitimate ways. I have chosen to divide it broadly according to the stages of Israel’s journeys from Egypt to the Jordan River: from Egypt to Sinai (vv. 1–15), from Sinai to Kadesh (vv. 16–36), and from Kadesh to the plains of Moab (vv. 37–49). The chapter closes with the record of Israel standing on Jordan’s banks, just opposite Jericho, Israel’s soon-to-be first conquered city in the Promised Land of Canaan (vv. 50–56). Our four major headings are:

1. A Glorious Exodus (vv. 1–15)
2. A Groaning Experience (vv. 16–40)
3. A Great Expectation (vv. 41–49)
4. A Grave Exhortation (vv. 50–56)

Let’s jump in.

A Glorious Exodus

The chapter opens with a reminder of God’s grace to his people in the Exodus (vv. 1–15).

The Written Record

Under the “command of the LORD,” Moses pens this record of the journey of Israel. “These are the stages of the people of Israel, when they went out of the land of Egypt by their companies under the leadership of Moses and Aaron. Moses wrote down their starting places, stage by stage, by command of the LORD, and these are their stages according to their starting places” (Numbers 33:1–2).

It has been observed that this chapter serves as Moses’s obituary, recounting his long leadership of Israel. This makes good sense since the text emphasises Moses’s and Aaron’s leadership. It even records Aaron’s death (vv. 38–39). It could therefore be argued that this is also the obituary of Aaron. The point is that, with the mention of each stage—each place—there was a memory concerning God’s people under Moses’s leadership. Though some of these names are lost to us, they were not to Moses or to God. Some memories, as we will see, were not so pleasant, while others were very pleasant. Rather than a vague fondness for Moses, there were historical here connections that would serve to honour the memory of Moses, the man of God. This points to the Lord’s kindness. Though he would not permit Moses to cross into Canaan, nevertheless he wanted Moses to be remembered. His biggest failure was not what defined him. God would honour him.

I can think of men of God who were present and impactful and who helped me in the various stages of my Christian life. This is how it should be. We should not forget those whom the Lord has used to bring us to him and to grow us in him. Review before the Lord those he has placed in your life for your spiritual good to the glory of God.

This first stage of the journey records the march of God’s redeemed army away from false gods (v. 4) to the covenantal establishment of the worship of the true God at Sinai (v. 15). This is important because, apart from this, there is little value in such a journal. The thing that makes this written record significant is that Israel has been rescued to serve the one and true living God.

The word “stage” occurs four times in the opening two verses. The word means “to pull up,” as when one pulls up tent pegs. Israel was a people on the move going from “camp” to camp, having repeatedly “set out” from one place another, led by the cloudy pillar by day and the fiery pillar at night (Exodus 13:17–22).

The language points to a military formation (“companies”) and so, once again, we should be thinking of warfare. The Israelites were, of course, going to engage in military conquest, which explains the military tone of the passage.

The Wonderful Redemption

Verses 3–15 record a summary of the events of the exodus.

They set out from Rameses in the first month, on the fifteenth day of the first month. On the day after the Passover, the people of Israel went out triumphantly in the sight of all the Egyptians, while the Egyptians were burying all their firstborn, whom the LORD had struck down among them. On their gods also the LORD executed judgements.

 

So the people of Israel set out from Rameses and camped at Succoth. And they set out from Succoth and camped at Etham, which is on the edge of the wilderness. And they set out from Etham and turned back to Pi-hahiroth, which is east of Baal-zephon, and they camped before Migdol. And they set out from before Hahiroth and passed through the midst of the sea into the wilderness, and they went a three days’ journey in the wilderness of Etham and camped at Marah. And they set out from Marah and came to Elim; at Elim there were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees, and they camped there. And they set out from Elim and camped by the Red Sea. And they set out from the Red Sea and camped in the wilderness of Sin. And they set out from the wilderness of Sin and camped at Dophkah. And they set out from Dophkah and camped at Alush. And they set out from Alush and camped at Rephidim, where there was no water for the people to drink. And they set out from Rephidim and camped in the wilderness of Sinai.

(Numbers 33:3–15)

The journey of Israel to the land of promise began, of course, with the exodus from Egypt. No event in the Old Testament receives more ink than this historical event. It was prophesied as far back as Genesis 15 and was anticipated throughout Israel’s sojourn and slavery in Egypt for four hundred years. God’s deliverance of his people from Egypt, however, was not merely redemption from the bondage of physical slavery. Rather, its ultimate goal was spiritual deliverance from false worship of false gods. The opening verses of Numbers 33 remind us of this, particularly v. 4: “on their gods also the LORD executed judgements.”

These thirteen verses remind the reader of God’s wonderful work of the exodus. In a just a few verses, Moses records place-names rehearsing the history of Israel’s redemption from Rameses to Sinai, including the glorious event of crossing the Red Sea. He records how the Israelites “went out triumphantly” with a “high hand” (literally). They left Egypt “defiantly” under the blessing of God wrought through judgement.

The biblical story line is God’s glory in salvation through judgement (Lawrence). The ten plagues, culminating in the Passover night, in which the firstborn sons of the Egyptians—those not atoned for by the blood of a sacrificial lamb—were killed. It was “while the Egyptians were burying all their firstborn” that the Israelites “went out.”

With no ambiguity, Moses records that it was Yahweh who did this. He struck down the Egyptians while saving the Israelites. But what lay behind this was his determination to destroy Egypt’s false gods, which no doubt many of the Israelites had also embraced.

The statement of v. 4 is the first of two thematic brackets in which this long chapter is recorded. False worship is a theme both at the beginning and at the end (vv. 50–56). In the beginning, God monergistically destroyed the false gods while, at the end of the chapter, the Israelites were expected to synergistically destroy the false gods in Canaan. That is, they were to destroy them aided by God. This is the Christian life.

Without getting too far ahead, remember, brothers and sisters, that we have been rescued from slavery to sin, self, and Satan, by the sovereign work of God alone. “Salvation is of the Lord” (Jonah 2:9) is unambiguous. We are saved completely by God’s grace without any reference to our own efforts. Salvation—that is, regeneration and justification—is monergistic. God saves without the individual’s cooperation. However, sanctification is a synergistic work, in which we cooperate with the Spirit. Perhaps no Scripture makes this more clear than Philippians 2:12–13: “Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.”

We will look at this later but, for now, be reminded that God holds us responsible for our discipleship. We are to dosomething.

The people of Israel set out from Rameses and travelled until they came to the Red Sea, which they miraculously crossed (vv. 5–8). From there, they came to Marah (Exodus 15), where God, who made the bitter waters, now made them sweet. From there, they moved to Elim, a place of twelve springs of water (v. 9) followed by a sojourn to Rephidim “where there was no water for the people” (v. 15). Moses seems to have had water on the brain. Why? Because water testified to God’s care for his people.

Until I moved to South Africa, I gave little thought to water supply. I cannot recall experiencing drought where I grew up. I have since learned not to take water for granted. Imagine some two million people in the wilderness without infrastructure to provide a consistent flow of water, and yet God met their need for this essential. Christian, God can meet your need. He supplies what his sons and daughters need. But more than physical water, by the Holy Spirit, God supplies the water of life that flows from the wounded side of his Son (see John 4; 8; 1 Corinthians 10:4).

Verse 15 concludes this section with Israel at Sinai. This would conjure memories for generations to come. It was here that Israel was constituted as a nation, receiving God’s law through the hands of a mediator, sealed with blood (Exodus 19–24). The nation was at a hight point. And after a year at this place, they set out on their march to Canaan, anticipating the Promised Land. Unfortunately, the next stage would not be such a happy one.

A Groaning Experience

Verses 16–40 record Israel marching towards Canaan until they arrived in Kadesh.

And they set out from the wilderness of Sinai and camped at Kibroth-hattaavah. And they set out from Kibroth-hattaavah and camped at Hazeroth. And they set out from Hazeroth and camped at Rithmah. And they set out from Rithmah and camped at Rimmon-perez. And they set out from Rimmon-perez and camped at Libnah. And they set out from Libnah and camped at Rissah. And they set out from Rissah and camped at Kehelathah. And they set out from Kehelathah and camped at Mount Shepher. And they set out from Mount Shepher and camped at Haradah. And they set out from Haradah and camped at Makheloth. And they set out from Makheloth and camped at Tahath. And they set out from Tahath and camped at Terah. And they set out from Terah and camped at Mithkah. And they set out from Mithkah and camped at Hashmonah. And they set out from Hashmonah and camped at Moseroth. And they set out from Moseroth and camped at Bene-jaakan. And they set out from Bene-jaakan and camped at Hor-haggidgad. And they set out from Hor-haggidgad and camped at Jotbathah. And they set out from Jotbathah and camped at Abronah. And they set out from Abronah and camped at Ezion-geber. And they set out from Ezion-geber and camped in the wilderness of Zin (that is, Kadesh). And they set out from Kadesh and camped at Mount Hor, on the edge of the land of Edom.

 

And Aaron the priest went up Mount Hor at the command of the LORD and died there, in the fortieth year after the people of Israel had come out of the land of Egypt, on the first day of the fifth month. And Aaron was 123 years old when he died on Mount Hor.

 

And the Canaanite, the king of Arad, who lived in the Negeb in the land of Canaan, heard of the coming of the people of Israel.

(Numbers 33:16–40)

Except for the last few verses, no commentary is added to the travelogue. And yet these verses record a stage in Israel’s history that was one of the most sinfully significant of their existence.

It was here where the people grumbled and complained incessantly. It was here where the awful rebellion of Korah and his followers rose up against Moses and Aaron. It was here where Moses would sin, thereby excluding him from entering Canaan. And it was here where the people would look for new leadership to take them back to Egypt, having rejected the land of promise through unbelief. Yet nothing is said of this. Why?

As we have seen, this is an itinerary rather than a full record of events. The book of Numbers fulfils that task. However, some of these place-names would live on as reminders of Israel’s faith failures. They would live on in infamy and yet would helpfully serve as warnings to God’s people both then as well as in the future.

Each of us experience painful failures and setbacks in our faith journey. Our own sinful stumbles, betrayals, mean-spirited behaviour from others—including professing Christians—and a host of other disappointments are indelibly etched into our memories. We pray to be forgiven, and we pray to forgive those who have chosen to set themselves against us as our enemies. And yet like Kadesh, we struggle to overcome our history. Why is this? What can we do about it?

As von der Kolk’s book title says, “the body keeps the score.” The muscle memory of our hurts is hard to erase. I doubt Peter ever forgot his denial of Christ and the many times he put his proverbial foot in his mouth (e.g. Matthew 16:21–23). Do you think Paul was able to put out of his mind deaths for which he was responsible when he persecuted the church? Probably not. Why does God not allow us to experience a mental erasure of such things? I am sure there are several reasons, but one is certainly to keep us dependent upon him. Memories can be a means of keeping us humble.

When you consider your failures and God’s grace, you are being equipped to pursue holiness and to guard against making the same sinful choices. When you are reminded of a past, deep hurt, you are driven to prayer remembering that only the Lord can be your fully trusted defence. When we remember our failures and/or others’ faults, we are in a position to experience the sufficiency of God’s grace (2 Corinthians 12:9–10). For this reason, remembering a painful, even shameful, past can be good for our souls to the glory of God.

But there is something else here that we must not miss. Listen to the observation of Ronald Allen:

Most significantly, the document talks, not of rebellion, but only of continuity. Were one only to read this list of staging places, he would conclude that Israel marched faithfully from one place to another in an orderly progression from Egypt to Moab. This is the point: the new generation has become the replacement for the old. It is as through there had never been a first generation. The people who arrive at Moab are regarded as the people who left Egypt. The plan and purpose of God will be realized, despite the loss (and disappearance!) of an entire generation.

This has much relevance for you and me.

The march of God’s people throughout its long history is a story of triumph and of failure. Temptations, toils, tears and sometimes terrible outcomes mark the church of God. And yet, here we are!

The Lord Jesus Christ said that he would build his church and that it would succeed against the gates of hell (Matthew 16:18). There is a continuity of conquest. This is the point of this chapter.

This matter of continuity is reinforced with the record of Aaron’s death (vv. 38–39). The death of the high priest would become synonymous with a new generation (see chapter 35). The high priest died, and yet the people of God continued as the Lord appointed another. Thankfully, our High Priest—Jesus Christ—will never die and therefore our existence as his people will never cease (Hebrews 7:25).

The section closes with the historical reference to Israel’s approach to Canaan. The people of God were getting nearer and the Canaanites wer feeling threatened (see Numbers 21:1–4). They had good reason to be afraid, for the Lord delivered this people over to Israel. Again, following on the death of Aaron, there was a lesson of God’s continued faithfulness: His people would advance. This leads us logically to the next section.

A Great Expectation

Israel’s next move was from Kadesh to the plains of Moab (see Numbers 21:4ff).

And they set out from Mount Hor and camped at Zalmonah. And they set out from Zalmonah and camped at Punon. And they set out from Punon and camped at Oboth. And they set out from Oboth and camped at Iye-abarim, in the territory of Moab. And they set out from Iyim and camped at Dibon-gad. And they set out from Dibon-gad and camped at Almon-diblathaim. And they set out from Almon-diblathaim and camped in the mountains of Abarim, before Nebo. And they set out from the mountains of Abarim and camped in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho; they camped by the Jordan from Beth-jeshimoth as far as Abel-shittim in the plains of Moab.

(Numbers 33:41–49)

This stage covers the material from Numbers 21:5 to the present, including, significantly, the story of Balaam. You will remember that this false prophet sought to bring a curse upon God’s people, only to be repeatedly forced to pronounce a blessing. In fact, the blessing was one of perpetuity. With the sceptre arising from Judah (24:15–19), the Israel of God was assured of unending continuity while promising the destruction of her enemies (24:20–24).

After the death of 23,000 Israelites for idolatrous immorality (chapter 25), the new generation was numbered. Chapter 26 marks a new beginning for Israel. Great hope arose and grew as the nation saw the villages across the Jordan. Soon, the Promised Land would be in their possession! It is such a certainty that the daughters of Zelophehad made sure their inheritance was secured across the Jordan. They believed God.

In our spiritual pilgrimage, we should have a growing and great expectation of what lies before us. We must not allow failures of the past—including failures by others—to hinder us from making advancements. Don’t be bogged down by the unbelief and disobedience of others. If they choose to dig their heals in and resist the direction of the church, graciously ignore them. If others have egregiously sinned, don’t let that hinder you from serving the Lord. After all, their failure is not the Lord’s failure.

I have heard many people over the years reject Christianity “because the church is full of hypocrites.” Let me say two things to this.

First, I am sorry that the testimony of the gospel has been dishonoured by those who profess to believe it. But the presence of hypocrites testifies that there the real deal exists.

Second, I probably know more hypocrites than you do, yet I still believe and still serve. This is true of the majority of faithful church members I know.

At the risk of repetition, this growing and great expectation is in the context of historical failure and sin. But it is also in the context of historical grace. As the writer of Psalm 136 repeatedly notes, God’s “steadfast love endures forever.” Therefore, let your expectations of knowing Christ, and of being like Christ, be great expectations. Let these expectations grow.

A Grave Exhortation

In the closing section, Moses pens a sobering command of great gravitas. In this sense, it is a grave exhortation.

And the LORD spoke to Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho, saying, “Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, When you pass over the Jordan into the land of Canaan, then you shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you and destroy all their figured stones and destroy all their metal images and demolish all their high places. And you shall take possession of the land and settle in it, for I have given the land to you to possess it. You shall inherit the land by lot according to your clans. To a large tribe you shall give a large inheritance, and to a small tribe you shall give a small inheritance. Wherever the lot falls for anyone, that shall be his. According to the tribes of your fathers you shall inherit. But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then those of them whom you let remain shall be as barbs in your eyes and thorns in your sides, and they shall trouble you in the land where you dwell. And I will do to you as I thought to do to them.”

(Numbers 33:50–56)

The people of Israel have been redeemed from a land of idols. Those false gods were seen to be completely impotent as God destroyed their influence by Yahweh’s ten plagues. Pharoah himself, who was worshipped as a god, was seen to be completely powerless to save his own son.

Then, after forty years in the wilderness, coming up against false gods, the first generation soon forgot, most tragically perhaps in the plains of Moab (chapter 25). Now, they were about to enter a land full of idolatry. The idolatrous iniquity of the Amorites was full to overflowing (Genesis 15:16) and therefore the time to destroy them had come. And though there was great expectation, there was also great temptation. Hence this exhortation.

The people were commanded to drive out all the inhabitants of Canaan and to demolish and destroy anything that was an idol or was used in false worship while taking possession of the land and to settle in it.

Moses concludes with a warning that, if they failed to do this, the inhabitants would prove to be a thorn in their side (see Judges!) and the Lord would dispossess and destroy them. That is, their sin of omission would find them out.

Don’t miss that there is a wonderful promise and opportunity in this passage. The Lord said that he was giving them this land, divided among the tribes according to size and divine lot. It was God’s gift to them and yet with this great privilege came great responsibility—and grave responsibility if they failed to fulfil it.

So, what is the point?

Do This in Remembrance of Me

God always keeps his promises, and the children of Israel would benefit from this inspired record, reminding them of both God’s faithfulness to his promises as well as alerting them to the temptations to their own unfaithfulness. This chapter was to old covenant Israel what 1 Corinthians 10 is to new covenant Israel: a record of remembrance to promote great reverence for God as well as to equip the nation with the mindset of corporate mission and continuity.

There are many ways in which we can helpfully remember and be equipped for the temptations that come our way: for example, communing with the saints, journaling, daily devotions, and a proper participation in the ordinances, baptism and the Lord’s Supper.

Baptism should serve as a reminder of gospel privilege and gospel responsibility, which will help against temptations that will arise. We should grab ourselves by our baptismal robes, and allow others to do so to us, to remind ourselves of our commitment because of God’s amazing grace. (Incidentally, this is a strong argument for adult baptisms.)

The Lord’s Supper is another means of remembrance. In fact, Jesus explicitly used that word (Luke 22:19). By proper observance, we remember our exodus, repent of our groaning, expect great grace, and are soberly exhorted to obey our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, realising the awfulness of apostasy.

As we close, let us be encouraged to often reflect on where God has brought us from, where he has brought us, and where he promises to bring us one day. And with this remembrance and reflection, let us respond with great reverence to the glory of God.

AMEN