Problem: Many passages speak of Israel’s privations in the wilderness (cf. Ex. 16:2, 3; Num. 11:4–6). Yet here Moses declared that they “lacked nothing.”
07
Jun
2019
07
Jun
2019
Deuteronomy 1:13—Did Moses appoint the judges or did the people?
Problem: Exodus 18:25 declares that “Moses chose able men out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people.” However, here Moses told the people to choose their own judges (Deut. 1:13).
07
Jun
2019
Deuteronomy 1:6ff—How could any from the former generation be present when they all died in the wilderness?
Problem: According to Numbers 26:64–65, all the unbelieving generation of Israelites died in the wilderness, with “not a man of those who were numbered by Moses” remaining to go into the Promised Land. However, when Moses spoke to the people at the end of the wanderings he referred repeatedly to their being witnesses to what happened before the wanderings (cf. Deut. 1:6, 9, 14; 5:2, 5; 11:2, 7).
07
Jun
2019
Deuteronomy 1:1—How could Moses have written this when biblical criticism claims it was written many centuries later?
Problem: According to this verse, “these are the words which Moses spoke.” However, many biblical critics claim that Deuteronomy was written in the third century b.c., many centuries after Moses’ time.
14
Apr
2019
Numbers 35:30—Does the need for two witnesses mean that it is wrong to condemn someone on other evidence?
Problem: According to Numbers 35:30, a man accused of murder could be convicted and condemned on the testimony of two witnesses, but not on the testimony of only one witness. However, the great majority of crimes are not committed in the open for people to witness. Does this make it wrong to convict and condemn someone on the basis of other evidence when there have been no eyewitnesses?
14
Apr
2019
Numbers 35:19—Why did God permit avenging blood and yet forbid murder?
Problem: God forbade murder (Ex. 20:13). Yet here He says, “The avenger of blood himself shall put the murderer to death; when he meets him, he shall put him to death.”
14
Apr
2019
Numbers 33:44–49—Why is the list of places Israel stopped different here from the ones stated earlier (in Numbers 21)?
Problem: Numbers 21 speaks of the Israelites stopping off at Oboth, Ije Abarim, Zered, Arnon, Beer, Mattanah, Nahaliel, Bamoth, and Mt. Pisgah in Moab. But the Numbers 33 list of stopoffs includes Oboth, Ije Abarim, Dibon Gad, Almon Diblathaim, mountains of Abarim near Mt. Nebo, and the Plains of Moab.
14
Apr
2019
Numbers 31—How can it be morally right for the Israelites to totally destroy the Midianites?
Problem: According to the record of events in Numbers 31, Moses commanded the Israelites to utterly destroy the Midianites. Verse 7 states that they killed every Midianite male. Verse 9 records that they took all the women and children as captives, and verse 10 states that the Israelites burned all the cities and camps of the Midianites. Again, in verse 17, Moses commanded the people to kill every male child of the Midianites and every Midianite woman who had intercourse with a man, leaving only the female children and young virgins. How can such a total destruction be morally justified?
05
Apr
2019
Numbers 25:9—Why does this verse say that 24,000 died when 1 Corinthians 10:8 offers a different number?
Problem: The incident at Baal-Peor resulted in God’s judgment upon Israel, and, according to Numbers 25:9, 24,000 died in the plague of judgment. However, according to 1 Corinthians 10:8, only 23,000 died. Which is the correct number?
05
Apr
2019
Numbers 24:7—How could this oracle refer to Agag when he lived much later, in the time of Saul?
Problem: The oracle of Balaam makes reference to the exaltation of Israel over Agag and his kingdom. However, Agag was an Amalekite king during the time of Saul who was king of Israel in the 11th century, almost 400 years later. How could this oracle refer to Agag when he lived later in the time of Saul?