The Gospel According To Numbers

Welcome back to our ongoing series about the gospel of each book of the Bible. Our premise is a simple one—what if there was only one book from the Holy Bible, as our sole source of divine Scriptures? What would this one book teach us? What Gospel would we find there?

In this way, we not only find out that all the books in the Bible are useful for edifying and equipping, but we also see the consistent story that is found throughout all Scripture. We see that the Bible is a coherent story of God’s love for us, throughout the different eras, different authors, and different genres of writings.

Numbers is a strange book. Not just the title, but everything that the author recorded seems to be rather unordinary. It is a book of censuses, different lists of leader’s names, and the identification of future national borders. This is not a book that most would consider divine or spiritually authoritative based on such a description. But that is what the fourth book that Moses wrote is. That is what God desired to be a part of what the Jews call the Torah, or the Law. What was written in the book of Numbers may seem strange to our 21st century sensibilities, but what is recorded there is still of infinite worth. Between the censuses, the lists of names, and the towns with strange names, there are powerful and eternal truths for us to learn. While a person could rightfully spend a lifetime gleaning the truth of God from these pages, we will look at three things that we need to hear now.

The Gospel According To Leviticus

If Leviticus was a book all by itself, it would be a very strange book. Stranger than it is now for sure. If Leviticus was a book, not as part of the Bible, but of itself, it would seem very unorthodox compared to other literature. Think about it. Where would you put Leviticus on your book shelf, other than right beside the book of Genesis and Exodus? Would you put it with your medical textbooks, about leprosy and bodily discharges? Would you put it in the Do It Yourself section, beside the mold remover tips and tent making books? Or would it be better suited to sit with the history text books you had to buy for your Intro to Middle Eastern Affairs class? So where do you put it?

By itself, a separated book of Leviticus doesn’t seem to make a lot of sense. Or maybe it does?  The direction and purpose of the book isn’t self evident and only works in the context of the corresponding books, no? I don’t know. I thought so when I sat down to read the book of Leviticus. But upon reading it,  I found that there were amazing truths that I needed to be share. Some were things I was already aware of but didn’t realize they had their origins so far back in the biblical narrative.

There are more than this, but I noticed three truths in the book of Leviticus that can stand on their own feet. Three truths that all believers should know and understand in their hearts. Three life altering realities that Leviticus has to share with us, things that we would be able to hold onto if Leviticus was the only gospel book we ever read.

The Gospel According to Exodus

What if you only had the book of Exodus to read from?

What gospel or good news would you find?

If Exodus was a book all by itself, it would be a very strange book. Stranger than it is now for sure. If Exodus was a book, not as part of the Bible, but of itself, it would seem very unorthodox compared to other literature. Think about it. Where would you put Exodus on your book shelf, other than right beside the book of Genesis? Would it be with the Greek mythology, like the Odyssey or the Iliad? Or would it be better suited to sit with the history text books you had to buy for your Intro to Middle Eastern Affairs class? But it could also be a philosophy book, seeing as it is filled with life lessons and unique understandings as to how the world works. So where do you put it?

By itself, a separated book of Exodus doesn’t seem to make a lot of sense. Or maybe it does?  The direction and purpose of the book isn’t self evident and only works in the context of the corresponding books, no? I don’t know. I thought so when I sat down to read the book of Exodus. But upon reading it,  I found that there were amazing nuggets of truth that needed to be shared. Some were things I was already aware of but didn’t realize they had their origins so far back in the biblical narrative. Others I had never noticed before.

There are more than this, but I noticed three truths in the book of Exodus that can stand on their own feet. Three truths that all believers should know and understand in their hearts. Three life altering realities that Exodus has to share with us, things that we would be able to hold onto if Exodus was the only gospel book we ever read.

The Gospel According to Genesis

What if you only had the book of Genesis to read from?

What gospel or good news would you find?

Photo: S.A.L.

If Genesis was a book all by itself, it would be a very strange book. Stranger than it is now for sure. If Genesis was a book, not as part of the Bible, it would seem very unorthodox compared to other literature. Think about it.

Where would you put Genesis on your book shelf? Would it be with the Greek mythology, like the Odyssey or the Iliad? Or would it be better suited to sit with the history text books you had to buy for your Intro to Middle Eastern  Affairs class? But it could also be a philosophy book, seeing as it is filled with life lessons and unique understandings as to how the world works. So where do you put it? By itself, a separated book of Genesis, doesn’t seem to make a lot of sense. Or does it? The direction and purpose of the book aren’t self evident and only work in the context of the corresponding books, no?

I don’t know. I thought so when I sat down to read the book of Genesis. But upon reading  I found that there were amazing nuggets of truth that needed to be shared. Some were things I was already aware of but didn’t realize that they had their origins so far back in the biblical narrative. Others I had never seen before.

There are more than this, but I noticed two truths in the book of Genesis that can stand on their own feet. Two truths that all believers should know and understand in their hearts. Two life altering realities that Genesis has to share with us, things that we would be able to hold onto if Genesis was the only book we ever read.