Blogging the Bible: Numbers

Numbers has lots of numbers. It start with various censuses of the people, but in my thinking, this book is sort of depicts the overall quantitative exactitude of God. Numbers goes into extensive details about the modes, means and measures God required of the children of Israel in the matters of various offerings, rituals of cleanliness, and additional laws.

This book reminds me a little of the watchmaker, the calculating creator of the universe, who had a plan from the beginning: to love people, and for people to love and worship Him through their freewill choice, but in the only manner acceptable to such a God: in perfect holiness.

There are some narrative elements in the middle of the book, including Aaron and Miriam's dissension, a few rebellions and complaints, and the initial refusal to enter into the promised land, the prophesies of Balaam, and a few battles, deaths, and consequential errors, among them the forty years of wandering that are the setting of the last two books of the Pentateuch.

There is plenty of meat (mostly quail) and manna in the pages, but they're laden with the numbers the title speaks of, and while it remains God's Word, and as such I cannot speak against it, I was glad to reach the other side. I prefer the arts to the maths and sciences, but try to understand the importance of all in turn.