Bible Stories for Adults

Moses' Farewell & Death and Balaam Blesses Israel

Deuteronomy 1-4; 34 and Numbers 22-24

Next Week - God Chooses Gideon (Judges 6-7)
Bible Words to Remember:
Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. Deuteronomy 6:4-5

How early in Moses' life did it become apparent that he was chosen by God for a life of faith?
Hebrews 11:23 = From birth; his parents hid him by faith; no ordinary child
Was Moses blessed with the pleasures and treasures of Pharaoh's home because of faith?
Hebrews 11:24-26 = No, it was his faith that allowed him to leave to do God's work
How was Moses' faith revealed through his work as leader of Israel? = when failure was certain
Hebrews 11:27-29 = Through these and many other stands of faith

What does the last chapter of Moses' books (probably added by Joshua) say about Moses' faith?
Deuteronomy 34:10-12 = No one else has since God face-to-face or done such deeds
Assuming this last chapter was added by Joshua, how did Joshua believe he got his faith?
Deuteronomy 34:9 = From working with Moses and by receiving the spirit from Moses

How enjoyable was it for Moses to be the leader of God's chosen people?
Numbers 20:2-4 = Not much, the people complained & easily turned from God
What kind of help did Moses have to deal with these difficult people?
Numbers 20:6-8 = God was always there for him and would always save the day
How well did Moses follow God's instructions?
Numbers 20:9-11 = He hit the rock rather than just speaking, didn't show God's power
How did God severely punish Moses for not trusting only in God's word?
Numbers 20:12 = Moses would not get to enter the Promised Land

What did God command Moses to do when Israel was camped east of the Jordan ready to go in?
Deuteronomy 32:48-52 = Climb up Mount Nebo to see the land and then die
How did Moses react to this command to go to his death?
Deuteronomy 34:1, 4-5 = He did as God told him, including dying
Did Moses die from the strenuous mountain climb's effects on an frail old man?
Deuteronomy 34:6-8 = No, he still had his strength and sight, it was God's time

Knowing that he was nearing death, what did Moses feel was most important to do?
Deuteronomy 1:3 = He reminded the Israelites of what God had done & commanded
Why is this book called Deuteronomy (Second Law)? = Hebrew name is These are the words
Deuteronomy 1:5 = Moses gives God's Law a second time, before Israel goes into land

What was God's basic message for the Israelites on Mount Sinai?
Exodus 19:3-6 = Obey Me & keep My covenant, you will be My priests & holy nation
How long had Israel traveled when they reached Mount Sinai?
Exodus 19:1 = Three months to the day
How long did Israel stay at Sinai?
Numbers 10:11 = 1 week shy of two years (Left 2/20/2)
How did Israel know it was time to go and where to stop?
Numbers 10:12-13 = God's command, Cloud led them to Desert of Paran
What did God want them to do when they left Mount Sinai (Horeb)?
Deuteronomy 1:6-8 = Go into Canaan and take the Promised Land from the people

What did Moses do before leaving Mount Sinai?
Deuteronomy 1:9, 15 = He appointed leaders over the people
What were the Israelites to do as soon as they arrived in the hill country of the Amorites?
Deuteronomy 1:20-21 = Go in and take the Promised Land given by God
How trusting were the Israelites in God's command to just go in and take the land?
Deuteronomy 1:22-25 = They decided to send in spies first

How well did the spies help strengthen their faith and boost their confidence?
Deuteronomy 1:26-28 = They were scared by the human strength of those the spies saw
How did God respond to this lack of trust?
Deuteronomy 1:32-36 = He punished them by saying none would enter the Promised Land
Would anyone else besides Caleb get to enter the Promised Land?
Deuteronomy 1:37-40 = Joshua and the children would, Moses wouldn't
How did the Israelites react to this punishment?
Deuteronomy 1:41-44 = They decided to fight after all, defeated without the Lord's help

What did the Israelites do after seeing that the Lord would not allow them to take the land?
Deuteronomy 2:1 = They went back in the desert and wandered around Seir for a long time
How did Israel decide when it was time to head back north?
Deuteronomy 2:2-3 = Gold told them
Why did God protect the Edomites from conquest by the Israelites?
Deuteronomy 2:4-5 = I have given Esau the hill country of Seir
How did Edom respond to Israel's request to pass through on the King's Highway?
Numbers 20:14, 17-18, 21 = Wouldn't let them through, Israel went around
Why did God protect the Moabites from conquest by the Israelites?
Deuteronomy 2:9 = I have given Ar to the descendants of Lot
Why did God protect the Ammonites from conquest by the Israelites?
Deuteronomy 2:19 = I have given it to the descendants of Lot
How long had passed when Israel reached Moab (Zered brook)?
Deuteronomy 2:14-15 = 38 years since Kadesh, Entire generation had died

How and why was Israel to capture the land east of the Jordan River?
Deuteronomy 2:24-25 = Given Sihon & country, Other nations will hear of you and tremble
Who was responsible for the victory over Sihon, king of Heshbon?
Deuteronomy 2:32-33 = God gave Sihon to Israel at Jahaz
Who was responsible for the victory over Og, king of Bashan?
Deuteronomy 3:3-4 = God gave Og to Israel at Edrei

What territory did Israel claim after these two victories?
Deuteronomy 3:8 = Territory covers Arnon Gorge to Mount Hermon
What did Moses do with this territory?
Deuteronomy 3:12-13a = Gave it to Reuben, Gad and Manasseh
What commitment did these tribes have to make before Moses gave them this land?
Deuteronomy 3:18, 20 = Men from tribes must fight with rest of tribes until land is taken

What did Moses want to do more than anything at this time?
Deuteronomy 3:23-25 = To go across the Jordan and into the Promised Land
How did God respond to this request?
Deuteronomy 3:26,28-29 = Told Moses to stop asking, Told Moses to appoint Joshua as leader
What did Moses tell Joshua?
Deuteronomy 3:21-22 = To stay brave and strong by remembering what God has done

What did Moses want the Israelites to remember?
Deuteronomy 4:32-34 = Everything God had done for them
Why had God done all of this for the Israelites?
Deuteronomy 4:35, 40 = So they might know that the Lord is God and would trust in Him

Would the Israelites have this land and blessings forever?
Deuteronomy 4:25-27 = They would lose it and be scattered if they turned from Him
How would the Israelites be able to receive and keep this Promised Land?
Deuteronomy 4:1-2 = Keep the Lord's commands as taught through Moses
How were the Israelites to remember all of these things over many years?
Deuteronomy 4:9; 6:6-9 = Teach your children and constantly remind yourself

How did Moab feel about this huge group of Israelites as neighbors?
Numbers 22:2-6 = They were afraid of them, King Balak asked Balaam to curse them
How did Balaam respond to the request?
Numbers 22:12-13 = He said God wouldn't let him go, they were blessed, not cursed
Was Balak good at accepting rejection?
Numbers 22:15-17 = He asked Balaam again and said he would be well paid
Did the money help?
Numbers 22:18, 20 = It interested Balaam enough to ask again, God said he could go

How did God feel about Balaam asking again after He had already said no once?
Numbers 22:22 = He was upset with Balaam and send an angel to oppose him
How was Balaam protected from this angel and how did Balaam react to this protection?
Numbers 22:23-27 = The donkey tried to stay away from the angel, Balaam beat it

How did the donkey feel about this?
Numbers 22:28-30 = The donkey actually asked Balaam why he was beating her
How did Balaam finally realize what was happening?
Numbers 22:31-33 = He saw the angel, who told how the donkey had saved him
Did Balaam keep going or did he turn back?
Numbers 22:34-35 = He kept going, but with the warning to only say what God wants

Did Balaam obey and say only what the Lord directed?
Numbers 23:5, 7-8, 10 = Yes, he ended up blessing Israel's numbers & faithfulness
How did Balak react to Balaam giving a blessing instead of a curse?
Numbers 23:11-13 = He didn't like it and decided to try a change of scenery

Did Balaam curse the Israelites this time?
Numbers 23:19 (18-24) = No, he blessed them again, said God won't change His mind
How did Balak react this time?
Numbers 23:25-27 = Told Balaam to shut up, Tried another change of scenery

What did Balaam say this third time?
Numbers 24:9b (3-9) = He again blessed them, those who bless Israel be blessed
Where did Balak want Balaam to go after this third blessing?
Numbers 24:10-11 = He told him to go home, wouldn't pay him

Was Balaam finished?
Numbers 24:14, 17-19 = No, he had one more oracle - a prophesy of the Messiah