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Out of Step with God: Orthodox Christian Reflections on the Book of Numbers
Many modern readers think of the Book of Numbers with a groan. And it does begin slowly, with several chapters detailing the census of Israel. But once we get past those chapters, Numbers becomes a thrilling narrative of Israel's journey through the desert as well as a cautionary tale about how not to respond to the saving mercies of God. Fr. Patrick Reardon's chapter-by-chapter analysis will help the reader glean the greatest possible profit from this oft-neglected book.
168 pages, Paperback
Published August 5, 2019
About the author
Patrick Henry Reardon
16 books39 followersPatrick Henry Reardon is pastor of All Saints' Orthodox Church in Chicago, Illinois, and a senior editor of Touchstone magazine.
Father Patrick was educated at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (Louisville, KY), St. Anselm's College (Rome), The Pontifical Biblical Institute (Rome), and St. Tikhon's Orthodox Seminary (South Canaan, PA).
He has authored many books including: Christ in the Psalms, Christ in His Saints, The Trial of Job: Orthodox Christian Reflections on the Book of Job, Chronicles of History and Worship: Orthodox Christian Reflections on the Books of Chronicles, and Creation and the Patriarchal Histories: Orthodox Reflections on the Book of Genesis.
In addition, Father Patrick has published over a thousand articles, editorials, and reviews, in "Books and Culture", "Touchstone", "The Scottish Journal of Theology", "The Catholic Biblical Quarterly", "Pro Ecclesia", "St. Vladimir's Theological Quarterly", and other journals on three continents over the past forty-plus years.
Father Patrick was educated at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (Louisville, KY), St. Anselm's College (Rome), The Pontifical Biblical Institute (Rome), and St. Tikhon's Orthodox Seminary (South Canaan, PA).
He has authored many books including: Christ in the Psalms, Christ in His Saints, The Trial of Job: Orthodox Christian Reflections on the Book of Job, Chronicles of History and Worship: Orthodox Christian Reflections on the Books of Chronicles, and Creation and the Patriarchal Histories: Orthodox Reflections on the Book of Genesis.
In addition, Father Patrick has published over a thousand articles, editorials, and reviews, in "Books and Culture", "Touchstone", "The Scottish Journal of Theology", "The Catholic Biblical Quarterly", "Pro Ecclesia", "St. Vladimir's Theological Quarterly", and other journals on three continents over the past forty-plus years.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
August 21, 2020
Through a bit of serendipity, I was actually reading through the Book of Numbers when this crossed my path and it greatly enhanced that experience. Father Patrick helps you dive deep into a usually dry read and brings it to life. Well done.
Now that I'm on Deuteronomy, I need to find a similar book for that.
Now that I'm on Deuteronomy, I need to find a similar book for that.
October 1, 2019
Once upon a time, Numbers was one of those books that I could take or leave. It’s a census with a lot of repetitive stuff that is neither here nor there for my walk with God. I mean, seriously, why does it matter where who marched? They were probably all in a crowd a la The Ten Commandments movie, anyway, right?
Wrong.
Fr. Reardon opened up the meaning of this book for me in so many ways, turning one of the books I had the least interest in to a book with powerful imagery for what it means to walk with God.
Each chapter of this book is a summary and exposition of the corresponding chapter in Numbers with a number of intermediate excursuses in which Fr Reardon calls out a particular point in the text, say, the Growth of Aaron or the Structure of the March, for further reflection. His style is easy to read and engaging and I took notes throughout the book. Out of Step would work very nicely as a church Bible study.
In sum: Numbers is a book chock full of proof that God “is a God not of disorder but of peace” (1 Corinthians 14:33). It also presupposes Christ’s admonition that we should not be afraid because God even knows the number of hairs on our heads (Luke 12:7). We aren’t supposed to mill about willy-nilly (a short form, by the way of the phrase “will He or nil He”). We are to be orderly in our lives and in our worship, both of which God Himself leads from the midst of us.
5 stars
Full Disclosure: I was given a copy of this book in return for an honest review. Thank you for the opportunity to do this, AFP!
Wrong.
Fr. Reardon opened up the meaning of this book for me in so many ways, turning one of the books I had the least interest in to a book with powerful imagery for what it means to walk with God.
Each chapter of this book is a summary and exposition of the corresponding chapter in Numbers with a number of intermediate excursuses in which Fr Reardon calls out a particular point in the text, say, the Growth of Aaron or the Structure of the March, for further reflection. His style is easy to read and engaging and I took notes throughout the book. Out of Step would work very nicely as a church Bible study.
In sum: Numbers is a book chock full of proof that God “is a God not of disorder but of peace” (1 Corinthians 14:33). It also presupposes Christ’s admonition that we should not be afraid because God even knows the number of hairs on our heads (Luke 12:7). We aren’t supposed to mill about willy-nilly (a short form, by the way of the phrase “will He or nil He”). We are to be orderly in our lives and in our worship, both of which God Himself leads from the midst of us.
5 stars
Full Disclosure: I was given a copy of this book in return for an honest review. Thank you for the opportunity to do this, AFP!
September 10, 2019
I have read through the book of Numbers a couple of times over the years as part of my attempts to read the bible in a year. I confess though that my eyes would glaze over, I would skim through verses not really understanding anything.
One of the things I failed to grasp when reading Numbers on my own is that the people God is speaking to are the ones wandering in the desert and they will not enter the promised land. I knew this but I didn’t stop and think about that fact.
I didn’t notice the significance of the type of census taken of the tribes or that the tribe of Levi was numbered differently. I didn’t pay attention to the significance of the placement of the tribes around the tabernacle when camped or that different branches of the Levitical tribe were assigned different duties. It is there but because my eyes would glaze over and I just skimmed I never put it together.
Patrice Henry Reardon points these things out. He points out that in Numbers 15 the rules for sacrifices are for those who will enter the Holy Land and that these adults wandering in the desert are not going to be the ones who need these instructions.
If you are looking to start a read-through-the-Bible-in-year program and you follow a liturgical calendar that starts in Septemeber or you are looking ahead to start in January, you’ll want to include Out of Step with God: Orthodox Christian Reflections on the Book of Numbers by Fr Patrick Henry Reardon. I think this is a valuable look at Numbers even if you are not Eastern Orthodox. Christians of all denominations would benefit from reading this book!
This softcover book is not a long read at 166 pages, but it is eye-opening for those of us, like me whose eyes glaze over and end up skimming while reading Numbers.
One of the things I failed to grasp when reading Numbers on my own is that the people God is speaking to are the ones wandering in the desert and they will not enter the promised land. I knew this but I didn’t stop and think about that fact.
I didn’t notice the significance of the type of census taken of the tribes or that the tribe of Levi was numbered differently. I didn’t pay attention to the significance of the placement of the tribes around the tabernacle when camped or that different branches of the Levitical tribe were assigned different duties. It is there but because my eyes would glaze over and I just skimmed I never put it together.
Patrice Henry Reardon points these things out. He points out that in Numbers 15 the rules for sacrifices are for those who will enter the Holy Land and that these adults wandering in the desert are not going to be the ones who need these instructions.
If you are looking to start a read-through-the-Bible-in-year program and you follow a liturgical calendar that starts in Septemeber or you are looking ahead to start in January, you’ll want to include Out of Step with God: Orthodox Christian Reflections on the Book of Numbers by Fr Patrick Henry Reardon. I think this is a valuable look at Numbers even if you are not Eastern Orthodox. Christians of all denominations would benefit from reading this book!
This softcover book is not a long read at 166 pages, but it is eye-opening for those of us, like me whose eyes glaze over and end up skimming while reading Numbers.
September 6, 2019
The Book of Numbers isn’t new territory for me. I enjoy reading and studying the Bible. I’ve taught Bible surveys with women’s groups and developed a 7th grade Christian school curriculum on the Pentateuch. The Book of Numbers isn’t new territory for me, but in working through the Pentateuch my time in its company has been relatively brief, in comparison to the other books, with only Leviticus receiving shorter shrift. I’ve always felt a bit guilty walking so quickly through its pages, and it was with anticipation that I slowed my pace to reflect on Numbers in the company of Father Patrick Henry Reardon.
Parts of Numbers are, frankly, tedious and repetitive, but even in the Numbers’ passages I found most arid Fr. Reardon’s reflections engaged me with needed context, unexpected insights, and related biblical trails to explore. Interspersed amongst the thirty-six reflections (corresponding to each chapter of Numbers) are eight short excursuses; I particularly appreciated the excursus “Understanding Anger” and his discussion of connections between Moses and Job which was new territory for me.
At just 166 pages, Out of Step with God: Orthodox Christian Reflections on the Book of Numbers is a very readable companion piece that will make a journey through the book of Numbers less daunting and more accessible for the average layperson than a more technical commentary.
Parts of Numbers are, frankly, tedious and repetitive, but even in the Numbers’ passages I found most arid Fr. Reardon’s reflections engaged me with needed context, unexpected insights, and related biblical trails to explore. Interspersed amongst the thirty-six reflections (corresponding to each chapter of Numbers) are eight short excursuses; I particularly appreciated the excursus “Understanding Anger” and his discussion of connections between Moses and Job which was new territory for me.
At just 166 pages, Out of Step with God: Orthodox Christian Reflections on the Book of Numbers is a very readable companion piece that will make a journey through the book of Numbers less daunting and more accessible for the average layperson than a more technical commentary.
September 3, 2019
Several times I have successfully read through the Scriptures from cover to cover. Each time it begins well, but after finishing Genesis and Exodus the reading becomes quite difficult. One of the more difficult books of the Old Testament to read is the book of Numbers. The seemingly unending lists of names, tribes, and goods make reading slow and painful.
In his new book, Out of Step With God: Orthodox Christian Reflections on the Book of Numbers, Father Patrick Henry Reardon helps to avoid missing the forest for the trees. Father Patrick sets out to give us a lens through which we can approach this difficult-to-read, yet highly fruitful, book of the Scriptures. As he guides the reader through the book of Numbers chapter by chapter, Father Patrick focuses on the details that help to paint the bigger picture that is being painted. His commentary helps the reader to connect the dots, rather than become bogged down in the details, as the book of Numbers reveals several aspects of who God is and how His people are to know and worship Him.
I highly recommend this latest work by Father Patrick Reardon. For those struggling in the path of salvation this book will help avoid getting out of step with God.
(I was provided a complimentary copy for an honest review)
In his new book, Out of Step With God: Orthodox Christian Reflections on the Book of Numbers, Father Patrick Henry Reardon helps to avoid missing the forest for the trees. Father Patrick sets out to give us a lens through which we can approach this difficult-to-read, yet highly fruitful, book of the Scriptures. As he guides the reader through the book of Numbers chapter by chapter, Father Patrick focuses on the details that help to paint the bigger picture that is being painted. His commentary helps the reader to connect the dots, rather than become bogged down in the details, as the book of Numbers reveals several aspects of who God is and how His people are to know and worship Him.
I highly recommend this latest work by Father Patrick Reardon. For those struggling in the path of salvation this book will help avoid getting out of step with God.
(I was provided a complimentary copy for an honest review)
August 27, 2019
This isn't a traditional bible study. It doesn't dive in with a verse by verse interpretation. What it is, instead, is a chapter by chapter pastoral review of the book.
He reflects on each chapter a number of different ways - each very valuable. He comments on why the information matters within the story of the Jewish people. He connects the narrative to the New Testament, both by looking forward from the text of Numbers as well as at those passages in the NT that look back at Numbers. He ties the message to how we should respond to it in our contemporary lives.
There are also a few addendum essays interspersed within the book. The essay comparing Job and Moses I found to be particularly compelling.
Numbers isn't the book of the bible that any of us would call a favourite, but the rules and regulations, as well as the journey through the desert itself, have a huge impact on later books. Being familiar with the contents of Numbers helps illuminate those later stories.
This is a good guide to read along with a personal study of Numbers.
He reflects on each chapter a number of different ways - each very valuable. He comments on why the information matters within the story of the Jewish people. He connects the narrative to the New Testament, both by looking forward from the text of Numbers as well as at those passages in the NT that look back at Numbers. He ties the message to how we should respond to it in our contemporary lives.
There are also a few addendum essays interspersed within the book. The essay comparing Job and Moses I found to be particularly compelling.
Numbers isn't the book of the bible that any of us would call a favourite, but the rules and regulations, as well as the journey through the desert itself, have a huge impact on later books. Being familiar with the contents of Numbers helps illuminate those later stories.
This is a good guide to read along with a personal study of Numbers.
June 15, 2021
Great commentary
Fr Patrick is an outstanding writer and mind. His insights into this difficult text were so helpful. This book is recommended if you are going to study the Book of Numbers. The book of Numbers in the Bible is a journey through a wasteland. And it is easy to get lost in that desert. This guide helped me to keep going and understand what I was reading.
Fr Patrick is an outstanding writer and mind. His insights into this difficult text were so helpful. This book is recommended if you are going to study the Book of Numbers. The book of Numbers in the Bible is a journey through a wasteland. And it is easy to get lost in that desert. This guide helped me to keep going and understand what I was reading.
August 26, 2019
The book of Numbers have been a stumbling block in my daily bible reading plan and that is the exact reason I chose to read this book. The Pentateuch (or Torah) is the main source for the salvation history and the starting point that the apostles used for preaching the gospel about Christ (before it was written down).
The book of numbers is a hard reading both in literary style and content and fr. Reardon has made an arduous task in commenting it and bringing the dry censuses to life.
Out of step with God is not an academic book in the sense of discussing various text variations with the historical critical method but it do take to account various Christian and jewish sources and commentaries as well as the writings of the saints and even secular prose used as comparisons. Even notes about Mediterranean climate and archaeological sources are sometimes used explaining various parts of the book.
Reardon’s book follows the book of Numbers chapter by chapter and try to grasp the overall meaning historical and spiritual meaning of the text. The style is very accessible and can be read on its own apart from the biblical text.
While I do appreciate fr. Reardon’s explanations and interpretations, they often turn into preaching and his personal view of several contemporary issues such as the calendar question or clergy payments. This is not about the book of Numbers per se but an application of principles found in it which may be more or less valid (in my view more valid than not!).
I would recommend the book for any interested clergy and layman for knowledge and spiritual edifice, but no for academic purposes. It has enriched my reading of the Pentateuch and I will sure come back to it when the book of Numbers appears in my next bible reading cycle.
Tobias Rydqvist (ThM), Sweden
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews