Chapter 34 describes the boundaries of the Promised Land, the Israelites inheritance. The boundaries were larger than the actual area occupied by the Hebrews - God gives generously, always giving more than we could ask or think, which reminds me of one of my favourite verses...
Ephesians 3:20-21 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
Another of the many examples of God's orderliness - He explained to Moses exactly what to do, communicating clearly, assigning specific people to oversee things - showing us how our jobs are to be completed. I've got stuff to learn in this area - no job is complete until every part of it is done. I have no problem starting projects, it's the finishing of them that's the problem!
Chapter 35 shows both God's justice and mercy - for killings that were judged to be acciental, the person could stay in the city of refuge until the death of the high priest at which time he would be free to move back home. If it was not accidental, the person would be executed. It is unjust to overlook wrongdoing, and it is unjust to jump to conclusions about guilt - both extremes are to be avoided. We need to keep an open mind about people's guilt/innocence until we have heard all sides of the story.
Chapter 36 starts off with a little add-on to the daughters of Zelophehad. In order to ensure that the property they inherited stayed with the tribe, they were commanded to marry within their own tribe so that each tribe would be able to keep it's original inheritance.
From the Life Application Study Bible...
The book of Numbers covers 39 years and closes with the Israelites poised near the banks of the Jordan River with the promised land in sight. The wanderings in the desert have come to an end, and the people are preparing for their next big move - the conquest of the land. The apostle Paul says that the events described in Numbers are examples that warn us and help us avoide the Israelites' mistakes (1 Corinthians 10:1-12). From their experiences we learn that unbelief is disastrous. We also learn not to long for the sinful pleasures of the past, to avoid complaining, and to stay away from all forms of sexual sin. We must not weaken our biblical beliefs by compromising them with our culture's values. If we choose to let God lead our lives, we should not ignore his message in the book of Numbers.
1 Corinthians 10: 1-12
Warnings From Israel's History
For I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers, that our forefathers were all under the cloud and that they all passed through the sea. They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. They all ate the same spiritual food and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ. Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them; their bodies were scattered over the desert.Now these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did. Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written: "The people sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in pagan revelry." We should not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did—and in one day twenty-three thousand of them died. We should not test the Lord, as some of them did—and were killed by snakes. And do not grumble, as some of them did—and were killed by the destroying angel.
These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come. So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall!
2 comments:
You notice how in SO many of these posts for Exodus and Numbers, the theme seems to be, "REMEMBER"?
Wow, you think God's trying to tell us something?!
I know - we never seem to learn!
It reminds me a bit about parenting. We need to repeat the same instructions over and over and over again with our kids, and sometimes they still don't get it. But sometimes they finally do! I really think that's how it is with God and us. He's trying to teach us and we need things repeated over and over in order to finally get it through our thick skulls!
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