Did You Notice It?

The title says it all--did you notice it? You probably didn't, and much as I'd like to wait and reveal it on March 11th, I think this could be more fun. It all centers on Numbers 20.

In Numbers 20:1, we're told that Miriam died and was buried at Kadesh. 20:2-12 tells how Moses disobeyed God by not producing water in the way the Lord instructed (after another complaint by the people of Israel), and he is told he won't enter the Promised Land. Finally, in 20:23-29, we learn of Aaron's death.

Still not notice it? Go ahead and jump ahead to Numbers 33:38 (the March 11th reading) and look at the verse. Do you notice it now? The events of Numbers 20 occurred in the "40th year after the Israelites came out of Egypt." It could have happened as early as Numbers 15, but my NIV Study Bible says it happened here.

What, what, WHAT, you ask? It's very simple--I can't state it definitively, but I'm not far off--the events of Numbers 1-13 occurred in the second year after leaving Egypt, they were condemned to wander the desert for 40 years in Numbers 14, and all of sudden in Numbers 20, we're in the 40th year. What happened? 38 years of history gone and unremarked upon (except for a recap in Numbers 33), 38 years of everyone except Caleb and Joshua dying (and remember, we're talking close to 2-3 million people at a minimum). 38 years of a people's history with only some cross-referencing to prove that it ever took place.

Seriously, did you notice it? I didn't think so.

Scott