In the context of the Bible, the term "stages" often refers to the various phases or periods in the journey of the Israelites, particularly during their exodus from Egypt and their subsequent wanderings in the wilderness. This concept is primarily detailed in the Book of Numbers, where the Israelites' journey is meticulously chronicled.

Biblical References:

1. Numbers 33:1-2 : "These are the stages of the Israelites when they came out of the land of Egypt by their divisions under the leadership of Moses and Aaron. At the LORD’s command, Moses recorded the stages of their journey. These are the stages listed by their starting points."

This passage introduces the concept of "stages" as a divinely ordained and recorded sequence of movements. Each stage represents a specific location and time in the Israelites' journey, highlighting God's guidance and provision throughout their travels.

2. Numbers 33:3-49: This section provides a detailed list of the stages from Rameses in Egypt to the plains of Moab by the Jordan across from Jericho. Each stage marks a significant event or location, such as the crossing of the Red Sea, the giving of the law at Mount Sinai, and various encampments in the wilderness.

Theological Significance:

The stages of the Israelites' journey serve as a metaphor for the spiritual journey of believers. Just as the Israelites moved from bondage in Egypt to the Promised Land, Christians view their spiritual journey as a progression from the bondage of sin to the promise of eternal life through Jesus Christ. Each stage in the wilderness represents trials, growth, and reliance on God's provision and guidance.

Spiritual Lessons:

1. Dependence on God: The stages underscore the necessity of relying on God's direction and timing. The Israelites moved only at God's command, teaching believers the importance of seeking and following divine guidance in their own lives.

2. Faith and Obedience: The journey required faith in God's promises and obedience to His commands. The Israelites' experiences at each stage, including their failures and triumphs, serve as lessons in faithfulness and the consequences of disobedience.

3. Transformation and Growth: The stages represent a process of transformation. The Israelites were shaped by their experiences, learning to trust God more deeply. Similarly, believers undergo spiritual growth and transformation through the various stages of their lives.

Historical Context:

The stages of the Israelites' journey are not only spiritual but also historical, reflecting the real challenges and experiences of a nomadic people. The detailed record in Numbers 33 provides valuable insights into the geography and culture of the ancient Near East, as well as the logistical challenges faced by a large group traveling through the wilderness.

Application for Believers:

The concept of stages encourages believers to view their lives as a journey with distinct phases, each with its own challenges and opportunities for growth. By reflecting on the Israelites' journey, Christians are reminded of God's faithfulness and the importance of perseverance, trust, and obedience in their own spiritual walk.5046. teleios -- having reached its end, ie complete, by ext. ...
... Cognate: 5046 (an adjective, derived from 5056 , "consummated goal") -- (consummated)
from going through the necessary stages to reach the -, ie into a ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5046.htm - 8k

2851. kolasis -- correction
... 1 Jn 4:17,18: " 17 By this, love is [brought to its higher stages] with us, so that
we may have confidence in the day of judgment; because as He is, so also ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2851.htm - 7k

5047. teleiotes -- completeness, perfection
... See 5056 (). 5047 ("") particularly then suggests the of truths (stages of spiritual
growth), the culmination of which also supports future consummation. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5047.htm - 7k

5048. teleioo -- to bring to an end, to complete, perfect
... Cognate: 5048 -- to consummate, reaching the , ie working through the entire
process (stages) to reach the phase (). See 5056 (). ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5048.htm - 9k

4605. maal -- above, upwards
... 2), older (2), onward (2), over (4), over* (1), severe (1), successive story (1),
top (9), upside down (1), upward (53), upward by stages (1), upwards (2 ...
/hebrew/4605.htm - 6k

4550. massa -- a pulling up, breaking (camp), setting out, a ...
... from nasa Definition a pulling up, breaking (camp), setting out, a journey NASB
Word Usage journey (1), journeys (7), order of march (1), set (2), stages (1). ...
/hebrew/4550.htm - 6k

The First Stages. Ch. 9:51 to 13:21
... V. THE JOURNEYS TOWARD JERUSALEM. CHS. 9:51 TO 19:28 A. The First Stages. Ch.
9:51 to 13:21. 1. The Inhospitable Samaritans. Ch.9:51-56. ...
/.../erdman/the gospel of luke an exposition/a the first stages ch.htm

The Four Stages of the Christian's Life, and the Four ...
... Chapter 118."The Four Stages of the Christian's Life, and the Four
Corresponding Stages of the Church's History. When, sunk in ...
/.../augustine/the enchiridion/chapter 118 the four stages of.htm

Two Stages in the Dependence of the Apostles Upon Christ.
... CHAPTER III. CHRIST'S CHOICE AND TRAINING OF THE APOSTLES. Section 79.
Two Stages in the Dependence of the Apostles upon Christ. ...
/.../section 79 two stages in.htm

B. The Second Stages. Chs. 13:22 to 17:10
... V. THE JOURNEYS TOWARD JERUSALEM. CHS. 9:51 TO 19:28 B. The Second Stages.
Chs. 13:22 to 17:10. 1. The Narrow Door. Ch.13:22-30. 22 ...
/.../erdman/the gospel of luke an exposition/b the second stages chs.htm

C. The Last Stages. Chs. 17:11 to 19:28
... V. THE JOURNEYS TOWARD JERUSALEM. CHS. 9:51 TO 19:28 C. The Last Stages.
Chs. 17:11 to 19:28. 1. The Samaritan Leper. Ch.17:11-19. ...
/.../erdman/the gospel of luke an exposition/c the last stages chs.htm

Christ Appealed to the Miracles as Testimonies; John, xv. , 24 ...
... CHAPTER V. THE MIRACLES OF CHRIST. Section 95. Christ appealed to the Miracles
as Testimonies; John, xv., 24."Three different Stages of Faith. ...
/.../section 95 christ appealed to.htm

The Twofold Bearing of this Fact.
... The Second Coming of Christ will occur in two stages. ... There are not yet to
be two Returnings of Christ, but on Return in two stages. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/pink/the redeemers return/3 the twofold bearing of.htm

Chapter xiii
... 3, 4. So he went in stages from the Negeb to Bethel, to the place where his tent
had been in the previous instance between Bethel and Ai, to the place of the ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/leupold/exposition of genesis volume 1/chapter xiii.htm

The Gospel of Luke, An Exposition
... Ch. 9:1-50. V. THE JOURNEYS TOWARD JERUSALEM. CHS. 9:51 TO 19:28. A. The First Stages.
Ch. 9:51 to 13:21. B. The Second Stages. Chs. 13:22 to 17:10. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/erdman/the gospel of luke an exposition/

Petilianus Said: "For if the Apostles were Allowed to Baptize ...
... is what you said above, that there was not one baptism of John and another of Christ,
but that there was one baptism, consecrated in three stages, of which ...
/.../chapter 34 79 petilianus.htm

Stages (5 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance Stages (5 Occurrences). Exodus 17:1 And all the
congregation of the children of Israel journeyed from the ...
/s/stages.htm - 7k

Tower (74 Occurrences)
... and judging from the ruins of the various erections extant in those countries,
Babylonian towers were always rectangular, built in stages, and provided with an ...
/t/tower.htm - 52k

Eschatology
... of the prophecies for the present, that which the Old Testament depicted as one
synchronous movement is now seen to divide into two stages, namely, the present ...
/e/eschatology.htm - 70k

Galatia (6 Occurrences)
... THE NARRATIVE OF LUKE 1. Stages of Evangelization of Province 2. The Churches
Mentioned IV. PAUL'S USE OF "GALATIANS" I. Introductory. ...
/g/galatia.htm - 23k

Sanctuary (250 Occurrences)
... ri, sank'-tu-a-ri (miqdash, miqqedhash, qodhesh, "holy place"; hagion): 1. Nature
of Article 2. The Graf-Wellhausen Hypothesis The Three Stages 3. Difficulties ...
/s/sanctuary.htm - 63k

Excommunication
... principle. The New Testament finds a well-developed synagogal system of
excommunication, in two, possibly three, varieties or stages. ...
/e/excommunication.htm - 15k

Pass (1172 Occurrences)
... 7. (vi) To advance through all the steps or stages necessary to validity or
effectiveness; to be carried through a body that has power to sanction or reject ...
/p/pass.htm - 44k

Revelation (52 Occurrences)
... II. THE PROCESS OF REVELATION 1. Place of Revelation among the Redemptive
Acts of God 2. Stages of Material Development III. THE ...
/r/revelation.htm - 89k

Mouth (534 Occurrences)
... of the prophecies for the present, that which the Old Testament depicted as one
synchronous movement is now seen to divide into two stages, namely, the present ...
/m/mouth.htm - 91k

Locust (25 Occurrences)
... These words may therefore be regarded as different names of the locust,
referring to different stages of development of the insect. ...
/l/locust.htm - 34k

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