The last time I read the Bible in full, Numbers was my least favourite book. With apprehension, I started off, but having recently finished, my main thought is that it wasn’t as bad as last time!

I think I found it difficult because of the lists of names in the (not one but two) censuses in this book. But I challenged myself to read them out loud to keep myself from getting bored, and even made myself laugh sometimes with my terrible pronunciation!

But the rest of the narrative seemed more interesting this time. The dynamic between God and the people occasionally reminded me of my own family. I wonder if God felt like the parent of a toddler and teaching consequences. Over and over and over again. In this book especially, God has patience, but he is also keen on justice. It’s important that the people know what is expected of them.

It does make for uncomfortable reading though, all the consequences. I noticed that there were especially heavy punishments for lack of trust in God and lack of observation of the Sabbath. The biggest penalties were for when they didn’t trust or rest properly. How much time do we focus on trusting and resting well?

Numbers also features the famous talking donkey. Balaam was shown up by his donkey, and it just goes to show that God can speak through anyone and anything! This is a story I always enjoy reading, and I’d like to learn more about it.

There’s also Chapter 31, which I don’t think shows Moses at his finest. The troops came back from a battle with the women of those they fought, and Moses said,’What did you bring them here for?! Kill all the widows!’ (Poppy Paraphrase). Unfortunately, it was this passage that I chose to read aloud at bedtime, and, as Nathan said, ‘It’s not quite ‘Let my people go!’ is it?’

My favourite passage from this book is: Numbers 11.14 ‘I cannot carry all these people by myself; the burden is too heavy for me’. It’s very Frodo and Harry Potter and Moses and, of course, Jesus. It’s the cost of leadership and the cost of ministry, sometimes. 

The book of Numbers sent Sophia to sleep: three times.