Lesson 61 Numbers 1-10 Tues 11-17 Speed Dig TEACHER
1.
Imagine you are attending a major sporting event in a large arena or stadium. There are no assigned seating arrangements, no limitations on those who can attend, no ticket agents, no parking restrictions, no security, and no officials or referees.
---Would you be interested in attending this sporting event? Why or why not?
---Why do you think those responsible for organizing sporting events do it with order?
The book of Numbers begins with the Lord directing Moses to number the children of Israel. The Lord then directed Moses to use this information to organize the camp of Israel. Consider during today’s lesson what the Lord’s commands to Moses teach us about the blessings that can come from organization and order.
[pass out diagrams]
---Read Numbers 2:1–2 aloud to discover how the camp of Israel was organized.
---What was to be at the center of their encampment (verse 2, footnote b)? Label the center rectangle on the diagram.
---Why do you think it is significant that the tabernacle was to be in the center of the camp? What does the tabernacle represent?
[Remind them that the tabernacle represented the presence of the Lord.]
2.
Divide up the verses between you and your partner(s). Read your verses silently and determine which tribes were to be camped on their assigned side of the tabernacle. Share with your partner(s) and label your diagrams.
East: Numbers 2:3–8
South: Numbers 2:10–15
West: Numbers 2:18–23
North: Numbers 2:25–30
---What did each tribe have?
[An appointed captain.]
---According to the verses you read and the chapter heading of Numbers 2, how was each camp organized?
[According to their armies. See Numbers 2:3, 9–10, 16, 18, 24–25.]
---How would having the camp organized with an army on all sides be a blessing to the Israelites?
---How might you complete this statement based on the example of the camp of Israel?
The Lord organizes His people in order to … [protect and guide them.]
3.
---The Israelites were surrounded by hostile nations. What are some threats we face today that jeopardize our spiritual safety and morality?
---What are some examples of how the Lord has organized His people today in order to provide guidance and protection in the face of spiritual challenges?
(Students might mention families, wards and stakes, quorums and classes, prophets, and other leaders.)
---In what ways have you felt guidance or protection because of how the Lord has organized His people?
---Read Numbers 1:50–53 aloud looking for where the Levites camped and what they were to do.
---According to verses 50–53, what responsibility did the Lord give the tribe of Levi?
---Where were they placed in the camp?
---Write Sons of Levi near the tabernacle in the diagram.
The Levites’ responsibilities to care for the tabernacle are described in Numbers 3–4.
4.
Numbers 3:25–26
Numbers 3:29, 31
Numbers 3:36–37
Numbers 3:38
---Divide up the verses between you an your partner(s). Read your passages silently and identify the specific duties different families in the tribe of Levi were assigned.
---Report what you discovered to your partner(s).
5.
---Read Numbers 4:49 aloud looking for phrases that indicate that each person had different responsibilities in the camp of Israel.
The Lord organized some of the Israelites to serve in the armies and some to serve in the tabernacle. The Levites were asked to bear the priesthood in the service of others according to the Lord’s will.
---Using the Levites as an example, what can we learn about how the Lord organizes His children to fulfill responsibilities in His Church today?
[The Lord assigns specific responsibilities to individuals in His kingdom.]
---What are some examples of responsibilities the Lord assigns to individuals in His Church today?
---Read aloud the following statement by President Dieter F. Uchtdorf of the First Presidency and listen for why the Lord assigns us different responsibilities at different times:
“The Lord organized the Church in a way that offers each member an opportunity for service, which, in turn, leads to personal spiritual growth. …
“You may feel that there are others who are more capable or more experienced who could fulfill your callings and assignments better than you can, but the Lord gave you your responsibilities for a reason. There may be people and hearts only you can reach and touch. Perhaps no one else could do it in quite the same way” (“Lift Where You Stand,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2008, 56).
---When have you grown or observed someone else grow as a result of serving in a calling or assignment?
6.
---Summary of Numbers 5 :The Lord gave additional instructions to the children of Israel concerning disease, repentance and forgiveness, and cases of immorality and infidelity.
---What are some of the differences between the lifestyle of a full-time missionary and your own current lifestyles?
[These might include guidelines regarding dress and grooming, companionships, entertainment, relationships with the opposite sex, and daily schedules.]
---How might many people throughout the world view the standards and expectations that missionaries are asked to meet?
---What are some reasons why full-time missionaries are asked to meet these standards and expectations?
In a similar way, a group of Israelites known as Nazarites made vows to dedicate themselves to God for indefinite periods of time.
---Turns reading aloud from Numbers 6:1–8 looking for living standards associated with the vow of a Nazarite. You might want to mark what you discover.
---What Nazarite living standards did you find?
In these verses the word separation is used in relation to those following the Nazarite vows.
---What word is used in verse 8 to describe the Israelites who chose to follow the Nazarite vows?
A vow is a promise or covenant. Those who entered into the Nazarite vow did so to dedicate themselves to the Lord and His work. These vows were most often for a designated time (much like missionaries setting aside one and a half to two years to serve the Lord).
---What can we learn about showing dedication to God from the Nazarite vow?
[We show our commitment to God when we strictly observe His standards.]
---Besides serving as full-time missionaries, what can we do to separate ourselves from the world and dedicate ourselves to the Lord?
Separating ourselves from the world does not mean refusing to interact with others. Rather, we are to separate ourselves from practices and beliefs that are contrary to the Lord’s commandments and standards.
---How can we stay separate from the world but still work to make it better?
7.
---Summary of Numbers 7–8 :These chapters contain the example of an additional group of people who separated themselves from the world and dedicated themselves to God. This group, the Levites, prepared themselves to do the Lord’s work in the tabernacle by following certain rules and practices.
Numbers 9 marks the beginning of the second year of the Israelites’ journey from Egypt to the promised land. we read that the Lord revealed what the children of Israel should do to stay committed to the Lord and how they could know He was with them.
---Read Numbers 9:15–16 aloud listen for one indicator that the Lord’s presence was with the children of Israel.
---According to verses 15–16, how did the Lord show the children of Israel He was with them?
---What evidence have you seen that the Lord is with you? with His people?
Read the chapter heading for Numbers 10.
As the camp of Israel went forward according to the way the Lord had organized them, the Lord was with them. The cloud going before them was a constant reminder that He was in their midst and guiding them.
8.
Return to own seats.
---What examples have you seen of others dedicating themselves to God?
---Complete the following statements in your class notebooks:
I will separate myself from the world by …
I will dedicate myself to God by …
[Numbers 6:1–21. What was a Nazarite?
The term Nazarite comes from a Hebrew word that refers to someone who is consecrated, devoted, or dedicated through the making of a vow. It does not have anything to do with the word Nazareth or necessarily those who came from Nazareth. The Nazarite vow could be of short or long duration, a temporary or a lifetime commitment.
“A Nazarite took three vows: he would abstain absolutely from wine or strong drink, including any products of the vine in any form; he would not let a razor touch his head, but would let his hair grow naturally as a crown to God; and he would not allow himself to draw near a dead person, even a member of his own family. His life and all his efforts were completely and expressly dedicated to the Lord. This consecrated life bore some resemblance to that of the high priest. Those who seem to have taken such vows, or had parents who made the vows for them, include Samson, Samuel, and John the Baptist. In some cases, these Nazarite vows were for life, but more often they were for a specific period of time, after which the person returned to a normal life.]
Lesson 61 Numbers 1-10 Tues 11-17 Speed Dig STUDENT
1.
Imagine you are attending a major sporting event in a large arena or stadium. There are no assigned seating arrangements, no limitations on those who can attend, no ticket agents, no parking restrictions, no security, and no officials or referees.
---Would you be interested in attending this sporting event? Why or why not?
---Why do you think those responsible for organizing sporting events do it with order?
The book of Numbers begins with the Lord directing Moses to number the children of Israel. The Lord then directed Moses to use this information to organize the camp of Israel. Consider during today’s lesson what the Lord’s commands to Moses teach us about the blessings that can come from organization and order.
---Read Numbers 2:1–2 aloud to discover how the camp of Israel was organized.
---What was to be at the center of their encampment (verse 2, footnote b)? Label the center rectangle on the diagram.
---Why do you think it is significant that the tabernacle was to be in the center of the camp? What does the tabernacle represent?
.
Divide up the verses between you and your partner(s). Read your verses silently and determine which tribes were to be camped on their assigned side of the tabernacle. Share with your partner(s) and label your diagrams.
East: Numbers 2:3–8
South: Numbers 2:10–15
West: Numbers 2:18–23
North: Numbers 2:25–30
---What did each tribe have?
---According to the verses you read and the chapter heading of Numbers 2, how was each camp organized?
---How would having the camp organized with an army on all sides be a blessing to the Israelites?
---How might you complete this statement based on the example of the camp of Israel?
The Lord organizes His people in order to …
3.
---The Israelites were surrounded by hostile nations. What are some threats we face today that jeopardize our spiritual safety and morality?
---What are some examples of how the Lord has organized His people today in order to provide guidance and protection in the face of spiritual challenges?
---In what ways have you felt guidance or protection because of how the Lord has organized His people?
---Read Numbers 1:50–53 aloud looking for where the Levites camped and what they were to do.
---According to verses 50–53, what responsibility did the Lord give the tribe of Levi?
---Where were they placed in the camp?
---Write Sons of Levi near the tabernacle in the diagram.
The Levites’ responsibilities to care for the tabernacle are described in Numbers 3–4.
4.
Numbers 3:25–26
Numbers 3:29, 31
Numbers 3:36–37
Numbers 3:38
---Divide up the verses between you an your partner(s). Read your passages silently and identify the specific duties different families in the tribe of Levi were assigned.
---Report what you discovered to your partner(s).
5.
---Read Numbers 4:49 aloud looking for phrases that indicate that each person had different responsibilities in the camp of Israel.
The Lord organized some of the Israelites to serve in the armies and some to serve in the tabernacle. The Levites were asked to bear the priesthood in the service of others according to the Lord’s will.
---Using the Levites as an example, what can we learn about how the Lord organizes His children to fulfill responsibilities in His Church today?
---What are some examples of responsibilities the Lord assigns to individuals in His Church today?
---Read aloud the following statement by President Dieter F. Uchtdorf of the First Presidency and listen for why the Lord assigns us different responsibilities at different times:
“The Lord organized the Church in a way that offers each member an opportunity for service, which, in turn, leads to personal spiritual growth. …
“You may feel that there are others who are more capable or more experienced who could fulfill your callings and assignments better than you can, but the Lord gave you your responsibilities for a reason. There may be people and hearts only you can reach and touch. Perhaps no one else could do it in quite the same way” (“Lift Where You Stand,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2008, 56).
---When have you grown or observed someone else grow as a result of serving in a calling or assignment?
6.
---Summary of Numbers 5 :The Lord gave additional instructions to the children of Israel concerning disease, repentance and forgiveness, and cases of immorality and infidelity.
---What are some of the differences between the lifestyle of a full-time missionary and your own current lifestyles?
---How might many people throughout the world view the standards and expectations that missionaries are asked to meet?
---What are some reasons why full-time missionaries are asked to meet these standards and expectations?
In a similar way, a group of Israelites known as Nazarites made vows to dedicate themselves to God for indefinite periods of time.
---Turns reading aloud from Numbers 6:1–8 looking for living standards associated with the vow of a Nazarite. You might want to mark what you discover.
---What Nazarite living standards did you find?
In these verses the word separation is used in relation to those following the Nazarite vows.
---What word is used in verse 8 to describe the Israelites who chose to follow the Nazarite vows?
A vow is a promise or covenant. Those who entered into the Nazarite vow did so to dedicate themselves to the Lord and His work. These vows were most often for a designated time (much like missionaries setting aside one and a half to two years to serve the Lord).
---What can we learn about showing dedication to God from the Nazarite vow?
We show our commitment to God when we …
---Besides serving as full-time missionaries, what can we do to separate ourselves from the world and dedicate ourselves to the Lord?
Separating ourselves from the world does not mean refusing to interact with others. Rather, we are to separate ourselves from practices and beliefs that are contrary to the Lord’s commandments and standards.
---How can we stay separate from the world but still work to make it better?
7.
---Summary of Numbers 7–8 :These chapters contain the example of an additional group of people who separated themselves from the world and dedicated themselves to God. This group, the Levites, prepared themselves to do the Lord’s work in the tabernacle by following certain rules and practices.
Numbers 9 marks the beginning of the second year of the Israelites’ journey from Egypt to the promised land. we read that the Lord revealed what the children of Israel should do to stay committed to the Lord and how they could know He was with them.
---Read Numbers 9:15–16 aloud listen for one indicator that the Lord’s presence was with the children of Israel.
---According to verses 15–16, how did the Lord show the children of Israel He was with them?
---What evidence have you seen that the Lord is with you? with His people?
Read the chapter heading for Numbers 10.
As the camp of Israel went forward according to the way the Lord had organized them, the Lord was with them. The cloud going before them was a constant reminder that He was in their midst and guiding them.
8.
Return to own seats.
---What examples have you seen of others dedicating themselves to God?
---Complete the following statements in your class notebooks:
I will separate myself from the world by …
I will dedicate myself to God by …
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