Numbers 1:1—How could Moses have written Numbers when critics claim it was written centuries after his death?

Problem: Many modern critics claim that Moses did not write the first five books of the Bible traditionally attributed to him

Expanded from Ex. 24:4:
PROBLEM: Modern critical scholars following Julius Wellhausen (19th century) claim that the first five books of the OT were written by various persons known as J (Jehovist), E (Elohimist), P (priestly), and D (deuteronomist), depending on which sections reflect the literary characteristics of these supposed authors. However, this verse declares that “Moses wrote all the words of the Lord.” Indeed, many other verses in the Bible attribute this book to Moses (see points 6-9 below).

SOLUTION: Here is another example where negative criticism of the Bible is wrong. There is very strong evidence that Moses wrote Exodus. First of all, no other person from that period had the time, interest, and ability to compose such a record.

Second, Moses was an eyewitness of the events and as such was qualified to be its author. Indeed, the record is a vivid eyewitness account of spectacular events, such as the crossing of the Red Sea and receiving the Ten Commandments.

Third, the earliest Jewish teaching ascribes this book to Moses. This is true of the Jewish Talmud, as well as Jewish writers like Philo and Josephus.

Fourth, the author reflects a detailed knowledge of the geography of the wilderness (cf. Ex. 14). This is highly unlikely for anyone, unlike Moses, who did not have many years of experience living in this area. The same is true of the author’s knowledge of the customs and practices of the people described in Exodus.

Fifth, the book explicitly claims that “Moses wrote all the words” (Ex. 24:4). If he did not, then it is a forgery which cannot be trusted, nor could it be the Word of God.

Sixth, Moses’ successor Joshua claimed that Moses wrote the Law. In fact, when Joshua assumed leadership after Moses, he exhorted the people of Israel that “This Book of the Law” should not depart out of their mouths (Josh. 1:8) and that they should “observe to do according to all the law which Moses ... commanded” (Josh. 1:7).

Seventh, a long chain of OT figures after Moses attributed this book to him, including Joshua (1:7-8), Josiah (2 Chron. 34:14), Ezra (6:18), Daniel (9:11), and Malachi (4:4).

Eighth, Jesus quoted from Exodus 20:12, using the introduction “for Moses said” (Mark 7:10; cf. Luke 20:37). So either Christ is right or the critics are. Since there is strong evidence that He is the Son of God, the choice is clear.

Ninth, the Apostle Paul declared “Moses writes about the righteousness which is of the law” (Rom. 10:5, citing Ezek. 20:11). So we have it on apostolic authority, as well as on the authority of Christ, that Moses wrote Exodus.

. But the Bible declares here that “the Lord spoke to Moses” (1:1) and that “Moses wrote down” the events of this book (33:2).

Solution: The critics have no real evidence for their claim, either historical or literary. The fact that Moses used different names for God (Elohim, Jehovah [Yahweh]) is no proof. Each name of God informs us of another characteristic of God that fits the narrative in which it is used

Expanded from Gen. 2:4:
Problem: Many critics insist that Genesis 2 must have been written by someone different from the one who wrote Genesis 1, since Genesis 2 uses a different name for God. However, conservative scholars have always insisted that Moses composed Genesis, as indeed both Jewish and Christian scholars have down through the centuries. Indeed, the first five books of the OT are called “the Books of Moses” (2 Chron. 25:4) or “Law of Moses” (Luke 24:44) by both OT and NT writers.

Solution: Moses did write the first five books of the OT . The use of a different term for God in the second chapter of Genesis does not prove there was a different author; it simply shows that the same author had a different purpose . In chapter 1, God is the Creator, whereas in chapter 2 He is the Communicator. First, man is seen in his relation to the Creator (hence, the use of “God” or elohim, the mighty one). Next, God is seen as the Covenant-maker, thus, the use of “Lord God,” the One who makes covenants with man. Different names are used of God since they designate a different aspect of His dealings with man (see Gen. 15:1; Ex. 6:3).

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Furthermore, there is strong evidence that Moses wrote the Book of Numbers. First, there is all the evidence mentioned earlier (in comments on Ex. 24:4) that the book reflects a detailed, first-hand knowledge of the time, places, and customs of the period it describes—all of which Moses possessed.

Second, the book claims to have been written by Moses (1:1; 33:2). This would make the book an outright fraud, unless Moses is really its rightful author.

Third, there are a number of NT citations from the Book of Numbers which are associated with Moses (Acts 7; 13; 1 Cor. 10:2–8; Heb. 3:7–16). If Moses did not write Numbers, then these inspired NT books would be in error too.

Fourth, our Lord quoted from Numbers and verified that it was indeed Moses who lifted up the serpent in the wilderness (John 3:14; cf. Num. 21:9). This places the stamp of Christ’s authority on the authenticity of the question.

Numbers 1:1–4:49—How accurate is this census of the tribes of Israel?

Problem: According to the census taken in chapters 1–4 of Numbers, the newly formed nation of Israel must have numbered about 2 million people. According to Numbers 1:1, this census was taken while the people were in the wilderness of Sinai at the beginning of their 40 years of wandering. However, the dry and desolate conditions of the Sinai desert would have made it impossible for such a large group to survive. So, is the census inaccurate?

Solution: The naturalistic presupposition of this criticism is contrary to the historic facts. Although there has been some controversy over the meaning of the Hebrew word which is translated “thousand,” the evidence is clear that this is the proper understanding of this word in this context. For example, Numbers 1:21 does not say, as some have claimed, that the children of Reuben numbered 46 families and 500. The verse clearly states that the number of individual men from twenty years old and up was 46 thousand and 500. According to the census in these chapters, the total number of male Israelites from 20 years old and up was 603,550. This number is confirmed by the passage in Exodus 12:37 which states that 600,000 males, along with women and children, departed from Egypt.

The fact that the arid and barren desert would not be able to sustain such a large group of people is a valid observation. However, the problem which modern scholarship has with the size of the multitude and the possibility of their survival in the wilderness rests upon an unwillingness to consider the supernatural element. Modern scholarship is decidedly anti-supernatural. Since the Book of Exodus records the divine judgments upon Egypt, and the miraculous deliverance of Israel from bondage, the daily provision for the people by the mighty hand of God is sufficient to explain the survival of the people of God in that destitute land. Indeed, many passages record the miraculous provisions which God made for His people, from the daily supply of manna (Ex. 16), which was provided for the whole nation until the new generation ate the food of the Promised Land (Josh. 5:12), to the miraculous provision of water from that supernatural rock which followed them (1 Cor. 10:4; Ex. 17:6), to the miraculous provision of meat in Numbers 11:31, to the fact that neither their clothes nor their sandals wore out in all their wanderings (Deut. 29:5). God was able to meet all their needs. Although the desert was not able to sustain, the Lord God of Israel certainly was (see also discussion on Deut. 32:13–14).