Come Follow Me 20: Numbers 11-14; 20-24

 Come Follow Me Lesson 20: Numbers 11-14; 20-24

Introduction:

Are you covering the spiritual distance the Lord wants you to cover, or are you taking your own sweet time?

During the 40 year period that Israel was in the wilderness there were lessons they needed to learn to become the people that the Lord wanted them to become.

Some of the lessons:

Be faithful to the Lord’s chosen servants; Learn about and trust the Lord’s power; Repent and look to Jesus for healing.

Are you preparing for the promised land? Are you helping to build Zion? Are you looking forward to Eternal Life with your Father?

We can all learn lessons as we study what the Lord wanted the Israelites to learn, and as we turn to Him and follow His Spirit in what He wants us to learn, do, and overcome.

Individual Study and Reading Numbers 11 & 12:

What do I lust after? How does lusting cause death?

Are we satisfied with the daily bread that we’ve been given? Do we recognize that we have sufficient for our needs? Or do we always want more?

Vs 11-14 Moses feels overwhelmed the the responsibility to be in charge of so great a number of people. He cannot supply their needs (wants) alone. It’s too much.

16-17 Seventy called. They will bear the burden with Moses.

18-20 The people are to sanctify themselves, so that they can received what they asked for.

Do we ever press our will upon the Lord, without considering His will, or without thanksgiving for our blessings. He would give them meet every day, until they were sick of it.

23 And the Lord said unto Moses, Is the Lord’s hand waxed short? thou shalt see now whether my word shall come to pass unto thee or not.

The Lord is a God of miracles. He who created all things can command all things. They would have their meat.

Vs 25 The Seventy are given of the spirit that the Lord had given Moses. They too can prophesy.

Two other men were prophesying or teaching within the camp. Moses’s reaction:

29 And Moses said unto him, Enviest thou for my sake? would God that all the Lord’s people were prophets, and that the Lord would put his spirit upon them!

Heavenly Father wants us all to learn to hear Him. He wants us to share light and truth. He wants us to be firm in our testimonies, convictions, and the covenant. He wants us to gather scattered Israel. He wants us to stand in holy places and be not moved.

President Russell M. Nelson said: “Does God really want to speak to you? Yes! … Oh, there is so much more that your Father in Heaven wants you to know.”

Are we willing to seek for the hidden treasure of wisdom and knowledge the Lord has for us?

Why is there only one person called as the prophet to all the world? And why does the Lord command us all to seek after the best gifts, including the gift of prophecy?

1 Nephi 10:17 Nephi sought and received the same gift of prophecy as his father.

; Doctrine and Covenants 28:1–7 Oliver was given the Spirit to teach and to exhort, but he did not have the same keys and authority as Joseph to speak for the Lord to the entire church and the world.

Numbers 12:

Aaron and Miriam complain against Moses, the most meek of all men—The Lord promises to speak to Moses mouth to mouth and to reveal to him the similitude of the Lord—Miriam becomes leprous for a week.

2 And they said, Hath the Lord indeed spoken only by Moses? hath he not spoken also by us? And the Lord heard it.

We are on truly dangerous ground when we speak against the prophet and defy the message and messenger of the Lord.

Vs 4-8 The Lord meets with Moses, Aaron, and Miriam. Aaron and Miriam are sorely chastened.

6 And he said, Hear now my words: If there be a prophet among you, I the Lord will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream.

 

8 With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of the Lord shall he behold: wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?

Miriam was shut out of the camp for seven days.

Family for chapter 11 & 12

Doctrine and Covenants 59:15–21

The Lord desires to bless us with all good things. What things does He delight for us to do when we receive blessings from Him?

12:3 How was Moses meek? What things can you do to develop meekness?

3-10-22 I did read the lesson and the material that pertains to chapters 13 and 14 yesterday, but unfortunately I delete this document file on accident, so I just have to move on.

Reading: Numbers 20

The people continued to murmur against Moses and Aaron, and the Lord. They complained they didn’t have water, so the Lord told Moses and Aaron to take the rod and have water come out of the rock.

Moses didn’t give the glory to God and as a result, he and Aaron were not permitted to enter the promised land.

10 And Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together before the rock, and he said unto them, Hear now, ye rebels; must we fetch you water out of this rock?

11 And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he smote the rock twice: and the water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beasts also.

12 ¶ And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them.

Edom would not allow Israel to pass through their country on the king’s highway.

Aaron stripped of priesthood clothes before his death; Eleazar takes his place. The people mourn for Aaron 30 days.

Independent Study and Reading Numbers 21:

Numbers 21:5 The people again murmur because they don’t trust that their wants will be supplied.

Vs 6 The Lord sent fiery serpents.

The people acknowledged they sinned against Moses and against God and asked Moses to ask God to take the serpents away.

God directed Moses on how they could be healed. The people wouldn’t believe it.

Sihon wouldn’t allow Israel to pass through their land, but went out to war against them.

Israel won the war and took the land. Israel also took the land of Bashan.

1 Nephi 17:40–41 Nephi recounts the history of the fiery serpents to his rebellious brothers.

Do we sometimes fail to follow simple instructions that will heal us, because the way seems too simple?

Alma 33:18–22 A type was raised up, that whosoever would look might live.

So we focus our eyes on Jesus Christ so that we might live now and have eternal life eventually?

If we refuse to look, we cannot be healed. So first of all, we need to believe in Jesus Christ, His atonement, His love for us, and His power to save us.

21 O my brethren, if ye could be healed by merely casting about your eyes that ye might be healed, would ye not behold quickly, or would ye rather harden your hearts in unbelief, and be slothful, that ye would not cast about your eyes, that ye might perish?

22 If so, wo shall come upon you; but if not so, then cast about your eyes and begin to believe in the Son of God, that he will come to redeem his people, and that he shall suffer and die to atone for their sins; and that he shall rise again from the dead, which shall bring to pass the resurrection, that all men shall stand before him, to be judged at the last and judgment day, according to their works.

 

Helaman 8:13–15 13 But, behold, ye not only deny my words, but ye also deny all the words which have been spoken by our fathers, and also the words which were spoken by this man, Moses, who had such great power given unto him, yea, the words which he hath spoken concerning the coming of the Messiah.

14 Yea, did he not bear record that the Son of God should come? And as he lifted up the brazen serpent in the wilderness, even so shall he be lifted up who should come.

15 And as many as should look upon that serpent should live, even so as many as should look upon the Son of God with faith, having a contrite spirit, might live, even unto that life which is eternal.

John 3:14–15 14 ¶ And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:

15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

Doctrine and Covenants 6:36 36 Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not.

Independent Study and reading Numbers 22-24:

I Can Follow God’s Will:

How does Balaam respond to Balak trying to get him to curse Israel?

Later Balaam may have given in to Balak’s persuasions. Numbers 31:16 Jude 1:11

How will you remain faithful to the Lord now and in the future despite forces that seek to pull you away from Him?

Numbers 22: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/ot/num/22?lang=eng

Balak offers money, cattle, and great honors to Balaam to curse Israel—The Lord forbids Balaam to do so—An angel opposes Balaam on the way.

12 And God said unto Balaam, Thou shalt not go with them; thou shalt not curse the people: for they are blessed.

12 And God said unto Balaam, Thou shalt not go with them; thou shalt not curse the people: for they are blessed.

Balaam is ready to slay his donkey, because his donkey can see the angel with the sword on the path, but Balaam cannot.

What was blinding Balaam’s view? What is blinding yours?

Numbers 23: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/ot/num/23?lang=eng

The Lord commands Balaam to bless Israel—He does so, saying, Who can count the dust of Jacob? and, What hath God wrought!

 

8 How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? or how shall I defy, whom the Lord hath not defied?

9 For from the top of the rocks I see him, and from the hills I behold him: lo, the people shall dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned among the nations.

10 Who can count the dust of Jacob, and the number of the fourth part of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his!

11 And Balak said unto Balaam, What hast thou done unto me? I took thee to curse mine enemies, and, behold, thou hast blessed them altogether.

12 And he answered and said, Must I not take heed to speak that which the Lord hath put in my mouth?

 

Numbers 24: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/ot/num/24?lang=eng

 

Balaam sees in vision and prophesies of the destiny of Israel—He prophesies of the Messiah: There will come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre will rise out of Israel.

 

10 ¶ And Balak’s anger was kindled against Balaam, and he smote his hands together: and Balak said unto Balaam, I called thee to curse mine enemies, and, behold, thou hast altogether blessed them these three times.

11 Therefore now flee thou to thy place: I thought to promote thee unto great honour; but, lo, the Lord hath kept thee back from honour.

12 And Balaam said unto Balak, Spake I not also to thy messengers which thou sentest unto me, saying,

13 If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the commandment of the Lord, to do either good or bad of mine own mind; but what the Lord saith, that will I speak?

 

17 I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth.

18 And Edom shall be a possession, Seir also shall be a possession for his enemies; and Israel shall do valiantly.

19 Out of Jacob shall come he that shall have dominion, and shall destroy him that remaineth of the city.

 

23 And he took up his parable, and said, Alas, who shall live when God doeth this!