Sermon and Worship Resources

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Num 20:14-29

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Joe M. Sprinkle

Big Idea: Leaders’ plans fail and leaders die, but God’s work goes on. Understanding the Text Three things form obstacles to the goal of progress toward the promised land in Numbers 20: death, rebellion, and opposition. Numbers 20:1–13 shows that not only are there still voices of discontent and rebellion against Moses and Aaron, but also that Moses and Aaron themselves are not immune to falling...

2. A Lifestyle of Holiness and Love

Leviticus 19:1-37

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Joe M. Sprinkle

Big Idea: The basis of biblical ethics is God’s holiness and love. Understanding the Text Leviticus 19:2 emphasizes the theme that gives the laws of holiness (Lev. 17–27) their name: “Be holy, because I, the Lord your God, am holy” (v. 2). Leviticus 19 marks a conceptual center of Leviticus. It is surrounded by chapters with similar themes (Lev. 18; 20) to highlight the centrality of this passag...

3. Aaron Begins His Duties

Leviticus 9:1-24

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Joe M. Sprinkle

Big Idea: God uses imperfect ministers to lead his people to see and joyfully worship him. Understanding the Text In this passage Aaron and his sons are directed by God through Moses to commence sacrificing. Leviticus 9 continues the account of the inauguration of worship under the Aaronic priesthood that began in Leviticus 8 and goes through Leviticus 10. In Leviticus 8 the ordination of priest...

4. Balaam’s Donkey

Numbers 22:21-41

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Joe M. Sprinkle

Big Idea: Speak only what the Lord says. Understanding the Text In Numbers 22:1–19 Balak king of Moab sends dignitaries to try to hire Balaam, a Mesopotamian diviner, to come curse Israel, who has recently come to occupy the plains of Moab. Although Balaam does not object in principle to cursing Israel, Yahweh, apparently in a dream, forbids him to go. But Balak finds Balaam’s refusal unacceptab...

5. Balaam’s Final Prophecies: The Star and the Scepter

Num 24:15-25

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Joe M. Sprinkle

Big Idea: God and Israel’s coming king will overcome Israel’s enemies. Understanding the Text The prophecies of Numbers 24:14–25 conclude the Balaam cycle (Num. 22–24). Three times Balak king of Moab brings the Mesopotamian diviner Balaam to a mountain height to give Israel the evil eye and curse it. Three times God makes Balaam bless Israel instead. Now Balaam foresees how Israel under its star...

6. Balaam’s First Three Oracles

Num 23:1–24:14

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Joe M. Sprinkle

Big Idea: God’s will is to bless his people. Understanding the Text Balak king of Moab hires the sorcerer Balaam to curse Israel (Num. 22). Yahweh informs Balaam that Israel is blessed, not cursed (Num. 22:12), and that trying to curse Israel will place Balaam himself under God’s judgment (Num. 22:22–38). Nevertheless, God allows Balaam to go to Balak on condition that he say nothing other than ...

7. Balak to Hire Balaam

Numbers 22:1-20

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Joe M. Sprinkle

Big Idea: God protects his people from those determined to harm them. Understanding the Text In Numbers 21 the Israelites move out of the desert to the western edge of Canaan. They have passed around Edom and gone through Moab into territory north of Moab claimed by Amorites Sihon king of Heshbon and Og king of Bashan, whom they defeat. Though Israel has passed by Moab without attacking, Balak k...

8. Blood: Right and Wrong Uses

Leviticus 17:1-16

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Joe M. Sprinkle

Big Idea: Blood and sacrifice are important, though they can be abused. Understanding the Text Leviticus 17–27 forms a major unit in Leviticus in which “holiness” is emphasized, for which reason it has come to be labeled the “laws of holiness.” Leviticus 17 introduces this unit by emphasizing the holiness of proper sacrifice, the prohibition of idolatry (sacrifice to goat-demons), and the proper...

9. Cities of Refuge

Numbers 35:6-34, Numbers 35:1-5

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Joe M. Sprinkle

Big Idea: Bloodshed is an offense against humankind for which God requires expiation. Understanding the Text The last chapters of the book of Numbers are concerned with the division of the land. Numbers 32 describes how Reuben, Gad, and half of the tribe of Manasseh will settle in the Transjordan, and Numbers 34 describes the borders of the land of Canaan that Israel is to conquer for the nine a...

10. Condemned to Wilderness Wandering

Numbers 14:1-45

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Joe M. Sprinkle

Big Idea: Disobedience can bring about forfeiture of God’s blessings. Understanding the Text Numbers 14 constitutes the tragic climax of the Israelites’ grumbling and rebelliousness. They send scouts into the land (Num. 13), but the majority have concluded that the enemy is too powerful to conquer. The people are again in revolt and ready to go back to Egypt (Num. 14:1–9). This rebellion will come...

11. Diagnosing “Leprosy”

Lev 13:1-59

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Joe M. Sprinkle

Big Idea: God is associated with life and wholeness. Understanding the Text Leviticus 13–14 continues the section of Leviticus on ceremonial uncleanness (Lev. 11–15). Unclean animals (Lev. 11) and uncleanness due to childbirth (Lev. 12) have been discussed, and discussion of uncleanness due to sexual emissions follows (Lev. 15). The present chapter concentrates on the identification of skin cond...

12. Failure to Enter the Land

Num 13:1–14:9

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Joe M. Sprinkle

Big Idea: Trust that God can overcome great difficulties. Understanding the Text The people had begun complaining at Taberah and Kibroth Hattaavah (Num. 11). At Hazeroth Moses’s own sister and brother had expressed resentment against Moses and undermined his spiritual authority (Num. 12). In each of these cases God had intervened with a mixture of punishment and grace. Now they come to Kadesh (or ...

13. Following God’s Leading

Num 9:15–10:10

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Joe M. Sprinkle

Big Idea: God leads his people both supernaturally and through his ministers. Understanding the Text In this unit the narrative flashes back to the first day of the first month of year two of the exodus (Exod. 40:17), when the pillar of fire had entered the tabernacle (Num. 9:15–23; cf. Exod. 40:34–38). This reminds the people that it is God himself who has led them in the wilderness. Jumping pa...

14. Grain Offerings

Leviticus 2:1-16

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Joe M. Sprinkle

Big Idea: All people, rich and poor, can please God through giving their best. Understanding the Text Leviticus 1–7 gives Israel instruction concerning sacrifices at the tabernacle that Israel had just completed (Exod. 40). The instruction about the grain (or cereal) offering follows the burnt offering probably because it could serve as the poor person’s burnt offering. The sequence in the burn...

15. Gratitude, Forgiveness, and Obedience

Num 15:1-41

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Joe M. Sprinkle

Big Idea: Fellowship with God and defiant sinning are incompatible. Understanding the Text Numbers goes from a narrative about scouts (Num. 13–14) to a seemingly unrelated chapter of laws concerning sacrifices, unintentional sins, Sabbath breaking, and tassels. Why this material is placed here rather than with similar material in Leviticus has mystified interpreters. Numbers 15 does contribute ...

16. Holiness of Priests

Lev 21:1–23:2

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Joe M. Sprinkle

Big Idea: Those who lead God’s people in worship must show a special degree of separation to God. Understanding the Text Leviticus 21 is the first of two chapters on the holiness of priests, teaching how, as servants of Yahweh’s holy things, they must maintain a special degree of holiness or else be disqualified from serving the sanctuary. This is thus a continuation of the theme of holiness found...

17. Holy Days and Festivals

Le 22:17–23:22

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Joe M. Sprinkle

Big Idea: God uses religious occasions and holidays to teach his people to be holy. Understanding the Text Leviticus 23 continues the theme of holiness in the holiness code (Lev. 17–27) and the broader theme in Leviticus of maintaining an equilibrium between the human and the divine (see the introduction to Leviticus). Leviticus 21–22 deals with holy priests and holy offerings. Now the text moves ...

18. Immorality and Apostasy

Numbers 25:1-18

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Joe M. Sprinkle

Big Idea: God’s people must deal with immorality and idolatry. Understanding the Text Numbers 25 moves from the story of the Balaam cycle to Israel’s last act of rebellion in the book of Numbers: its idolatry with Baal of Peor. At first glance, this story seems unrelated to Numbers 22–24, simply picking up where Numbers 21 left off with Israel camped on the plains of Moab after defeating Sihon a...

19. Impurity, Repentance, and Jealousy

Num 5:1-31

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Joe M. Sprinkle

Big Idea: God’s people must deal with ritual and moral impurities. Understanding the Text Following the census of priests and Levites in Numbers 3–4, Numbers 5 introduces laws that involve priests: 1. Cases of ceremonial impurity (vv. 1–4) (cf. Ezek. 44:33) 2. Restitution given to priests for false oaths (vv. 5–10) 3. A priestly ritual regarding a jealous husband (vv. 11–31) In each of these cases...

20. Ingratitude and Judgment

Num 11:1-35

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Joe M. Sprinkle

Big Idea: Ingratitude toward God can lead to forfeiture of blessings. Understanding the Text After nearly a year at Mount Sinai, Israel resumes its march toward the promised land (Num. 10:11; cf. Exod. 19:1–2). It is an auspicious start. Everyone lines up as God has commanded through Moses (Num. 10:13–28) and as directed by the blasts of silver trumpets (Num. 10:1–10). God himself guides the Isr...

21. Israel Celebrates the Passover

Numbers 9:1-14

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Joe M. Sprinkle

Big Idea: We need to recall how God saved us. Understanding the Text The book of Numbers begins with the census initiated twelve and a half months after the exodus (Num. 1:1, 18). But in Numbers 9 (and probably Num. 7–8 as well; see comments as Num. 7:1), the book flashes back to the previous month (Num. 9:1)—that is, to the very month when the tabernacle had been completed (Exod. 40:17). Preci...

22. Joshua Appointed as Moses’s Successor

Numbers 27:12-23

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Joe M. Sprinkle

Big Idea: God raises up new leaders for his people. Understanding the Text The decision allowing the daughters of Zelophehad to inherit land (Num. 27:1–10) is an appropriate occasion for God to remind Moses that he will not enter the promised land. Moses instead must appoint a successor in leadership. Moses is thus instructed about how he will soon die after viewing the land from atop the Abarim...

23. Keeping Promises

Numbers 30:1-16

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Joe M. Sprinkle

Big Idea: Take solemn promises and commitments seriously. Understanding the Text Following the first census in Numbers is a section dealing with vows, specifically Nazirite vows (Num. 6). Likewise, after the second census Numbers 30 deals with vows, especially women’s vows. Why would a section on vows follow Numbers 28–29, which is on offerings made on holy days? Perhaps because holy days are occa...

24. Korah’s Rebellion

Numbers 16:1-50

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Joe M. Sprinkle

Big Idea: Envy and pride lead to rebellion and destruction. Understanding the Text Israel’s record in the desert since leaving Sinai had been abysmal. The people had complained about hardships, the lack of meat, and the monotony of manna (Num. 11:1–6). Moses’s own sister and brother had challenged his leadership role (Num. 12:1–2). And worst of all, Israel had been condemned by its unbelief to w...

25. Lamps, Cakes, and the Blasphemer

Lev 24:1-23

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Joe M. Sprinkle

Big Idea: God, whose presence is in the midst of his covenant people, must be respected. Understanding the Text Leviticus 24 divides into two sections: Israel’s requirement to supply oil and bread to the tabernacle in its daily worship (vv. 1–9) and the execution of a blasphemer (vv. 10–23). Verses 1–9 move from the obligations for Israelites to worship on holy days (Lev. 23) to obligations to m...

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