Numbers 16:42 Contradictions and Paradoxes

According to Moses, when the people were upset with Moses and Aaron, they looked at the special tent where God was, and a cloud covered it, showing that God was there with them. God was reminding everyone that He was in charge and watching over them.

Contradiction with Matthew 18:20

Numbers 16:42 speaks of God's presence as visibly manifested in a specific place, whereas Matthew 18:20 suggests that God's presence is not limited to a particular location but can be where two or three gather in His name.

Matthew 18:20: For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

Contradiction with 1 Kings 8:27

While Numbers 16:42 shows God's presence localized in the tabernacle, 1 Kings 8:27 questions whether God can dwell on earth, emphasizing His omnipresence beyond any single location.

1 Kings 8:27: But will God indeed dwell on the earth? behold, the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house that I have builded?

Contradiction with Isaiah 66:1

Numbers 16:42 suggests God's glory filling a specific tabernacle, while Isaiah 66:1 indicates that heaven is God's throne and the earth is His footstool, challenging the confinement of His presence.

Isaiah 66:1: Thus saith the LORD, The heaven [is] my throne, and the earth [is] my footstool: where [is] the house that ye build unto me? and where [is] the place of my rest?

Contradiction with John 4:21

Numbers 16:42 emphasizes worship at a specific site (the Tabernacle), but in John 4:21, Jesus indicates that true worship will not be confined to any particular mountain or location.

John 4:21: Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.

Contradiction with Acts 17:24

Numbers 16:42 has God's presence associated with the tabernacle, while Acts 17:24 teaches that God does not dwell in temples made with hands, suggesting a contradiction with physical localized presence.

Acts 17:24: God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;

Contradiction with 1 Corinthians 3:16

In Numbers 16:42, God's presence is in the tabernacle. 1 Corinthians 3:16 states that believers themselves are the temple of God, dwelling place of His Spirit, indicating a shift from physical spaces to spiritual.

1 Corinthians 3:16: Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and [that] the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

Contradiction with Hebrews 9:24

Numbers 16:42 implies the presence of God in the earthly tabernacle, whereas Hebrews 9:24 points out that the true presence of God is in heaven, with earthly replicas being mere copies.

Hebrews 9:24: For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, [which are] the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us: