Numbers is like a lavish art gallery adding more portraits of Christ to this wonderful Bible museum.
In Luke 24:13-35, two disheartened disciples are wending their way homeward. Their friend, Jesus, had been murdered. They were sure He was the Messiah, but after this, they wondered how they could go on. But then a Stranger appeared and, seeing their dejection, knew just the antidote. “Beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself” (v 27). Did it work? “Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us…and while He opened the Scriptures to us?” (v 32), they said. In a way, we’ve been making the same journey. Our teacher, Jesus said, would be “the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me” (Jn 15:26). The pictures of Christ in Numbers have been both instructive and inspiring. Along with those already discussed in Exodus and Leviticus—the tabernacle, priesthood, sacrifices, and festivals—there are many more word pictures in this book. Moses and Aaron represent Him as Prophet and Priest. The Passover looks forward to “Christ, our Passover,…sacrificed for us” (1 Cor 5:7). The manna speaks of the self-humbling of His incarnation when He “came down from heaven,” taking a body He would “give for the life of the world” (Jn 6:51). The red heifer shows the believer’s ongoing cleansing from His once-for-all sacrifice. The Rock providing water is clearly Christ (1 Cor 10:4) giving the Spirit. The bronze serpent portrays God sending “His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh” (Rom 8:3). And recall Aaron’s budding rod, the Star and Scepter from Jacob, and the cities of refuge, to name a few others. May God touch our hearts with the attractiveness and accomplishments of His Son! Oh, to love and serve Him more!