Tag: Numbers

numbers

Week 7: Day 3- Numbers 32:25-27

On By Ben JenningsIn DevotionalLeave a comment

25 And the children of Gad and the children of Reuben spake unto Moses, saying, Thy servants will do as my lord commandeth. 26 Our little ones, our wives, our flocks, and all our cattle, shall be there in the cities of Gilead: 27 But thy servants will pass over, every man armed for war, before the Lord to battle, as my lord saith.

Numbers 32:25-27

Explanation:

In this text we see the response to Moses’ conditions in the past couple of verses. The leaders of the tribes of Gad and Reuben told Moses that they were on board. They would not abandon the other tribes of Israel. They would take care of their families, and then go fight with their brothers. They understood Moses commands and God’s commands for them, and they were willing to fight.

This seems like the obvious choice for them to make after all that they had seen over years following God through the wilderness. He had kept them wandering because of disobedience in this area before. He had help them win, and allowed defeat from their enemies because of disobedience. There’s a sense in which when we read this it seems obvious that they should make this choice. However, remember that obedience meant going to war. It meant suiting up for battle. It’s not exactly an easy thing to do. Obedience cost them something. They had to trust God that what they were doing was best and that He would provide for their safety, security, and for their families. They showed an obedient attitude in the face of this kind of circumstance. We can see their obedience in the book of Joshua.

12 And the children of Reuben, and the children of Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh, passed over armed before the children of Israel, as Moses spake unto them:

Joshua 4:12

Application:

Not only does God demand obedience, He also rewards it. These people promised to obey and that came with certain privileges. God always rewards obedience. We may not see immediate rewards to our obedience. We may not see earthly rewards to our obedience. But we will see heavenly rewards to obedience as long as we are faithful.

How do we know what to obey? We’ve got to be in God’s Word every day. We make decisions every day. To do that in continued obedience, I need God’s Word reminding me and informing my decisions so I will be in line with God’s desires.

Response:

  1. How have you been blessed by being obedient to God? Take a few minutes to “count your blessings”.
  2. How have you reaped bad consequences in disobedience?
  3. Where do you need to be obedient today?
numbers

Week 7: Day 2- Numbers 32:23-24

On By Ben JenningsIn DevotionalLeave a comment

23 But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the Lord: and be sure your sin will find you out. 24 Build you cities for your little ones, and folds for your sheep; and do that which hath proceeded out of your mouth.

Numbers 32:23-24

Explanation

As we read yesterday, Moses is conversing with the the Gadite and Reubenite leadership who wanted to stay on the East Side of Jordan. They had made a proposition to go in and help the rest of the children of Israel to subdue and conquer the land, and then to be able to come back and settle east of Jordan.

Moses told them in today’s verses the consequences of what would happen if they did not do what they had been commanded to do. He said that to not go would be disobedience against the Lord. What they would do in disobeying would not just effect their fellow countrymen, and Moses, but would be a sin against God himself.

Moses concludes the statement in verse 24, saying that they could start on building where they wanted to settle. This permission was given in the context of making sure they knew that they must fulfill the promises that they made and the command that God gave.

Application

Moses told the men, “Be sure your sin will find you out.” This is a principle that is still relevant today. God’s commands are not optional. Neither are our promises. God demands that we obey him. There are always consequences to disobedience, even if we do not see those consequences right away.

Response

  1. Is there a sin in my life that I need to confess today?
  2. Is there a place of disobedience that I need to confess, and then become obedient in?
numbers

Week 7: Day 1- Numbers 32:20-22

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Numbers 32:20-22
(20) And Moses said unto them, If ye will do this thing, if ye will go armed before the LORD to war,
(21) And will go all of you armed over Jordan before the LORD, until he hath driven out his enemies from before him,
(22) And the land be subdued before the LORD: then afterward ye shall return, and be guiltless before the LORD, and before Israel; and this land shall be your possession before the LORD.

Explanation:
A couple of weeks ago we studied about Balaam and the donkey. Remember that Balaam wanted to curse the children of Israel for the Midianites for a price. When that didn’t work he advised the Midianites to tempt the Israelites into immorality and idolatry so that God would be angry and not help his people. Then the Midianites could defeat the Israelites and win the day.

The plan didn’t work. Some of the Israelites participated in the immorality and idolatry, and God judged them by killing those who partcipated. Then He turned His judgement towards Midian. He used the children of Israel to defeat the Midianites in Moses’ last battle as the Israelite leader.

The text we read today is before the battle. Moses is having a conversation here with the tribal leaders from the Gadite and Reubenite tribes, 2 tribes of Israel. These tribes liked the side of the river Jordan that they were on, the East side, and did not want to live in the promised land. They had previously asked if they could stay. Moses answered very directly that they could not just stay. He was concerned that anyone planning not to go to the promised land could lead them into the same problem they experienced before. Deciding not to go into the land had kept them wandering in the wilderness for 40 years!

So the Gadites and the Reubenites propose that they go in with the other tribes to Canaan and fight, and then come back over, east of the Jordan to live after they had helped to conquer the land of Canaan with the other tribes.

Today’s text is Moses’ answer and covenant with them for that proposition. Moses told them…:

  1. …they had to go over and fight. “if ye will go armed before the LORD to war,(21) And will go all of you armed over Jordan before the LORD …”
  2. …they had to fight to the finish. “… until he hath driven out his enemies from before him, (22) And the land be subdued before the LORD

It’s the classic “if/then” statement. If they went, if they fought, and if they fought until the land was subdued, then they could go back and settle in the land east of the Jordan.

Application:

Moses called on the Reubenites and Gadites for obedience to the Lord. He told them what was expected, and what they would receive if they obeyed. There is always a cost to obedience. Often that is why we don’t obey. But there is always a benefit to obedience as well. It is important that we remember both. God calls us to obedience, and we are blessed to be able to know with clarity what His will is, because we have it written down for us in His Word. The challenge today comes in trusting God to be good on His Word. Just like the Gidianites and Reubenites had to believe that God would sustain them through the battles and be with them in the land that they settled, we have to trust God in full obedience to what He wants for us to do as well. We must believe that there will be a reward for our obedience.

This is what Jesus had to do.

Hebrews 12:2
(2) Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Response:

God, help me to be obedient today. Help me to have the courage to be obedient when it costs me. Help me to look to the reward that you offer for that obedience, even if it is not until the life to come. Thank you for Christ’s obedience and what it means for me. I love you, Lord. Amen

numbers

Week 6: Day 4- Numbers 27:22-23

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Numbers 27:22-23

22 And Moses did as the Lord commanded him: and he took Joshua, and set him before Eleazar the priest, and before all the congregation:

23 And he laid his hands upon him, and gave him a charge, as the Lord commanded by the hand of Moses.

Numbers 27:22-23

Explanation:

God had told Moses to do three things regarding setting up a new leader:

  1. Set Joshua before Eleazar the priest in front of the people.
  2. Lay hands on Joshua.
  3. Give Joshua charge.

And we see that this is exactly what Moses did in this scripture. Moses had been disobedient in the Desert of Zin, but here is was obedient to God even though he was bearing, at some level, the consequences of his own sin.

In the book of Deuteronomy 31 we find written the charge that Moses gave to the Children of Israel concerning Joshua.

31 And Moses went and spake these words unto all Israel.

2 And he said unto them, I am an hundred and twenty years old this day; I can no more go out and come in: also the Lord hath said unto me, Thou shalt not go over this Jordan.

3 The Lord thy God, he will go over before thee, and he will destroy these nations from before thee, and thou shalt possess them: and Joshua, he shall go over before thee, as the Lord hath said.

Deuteronomy 31:2-3

We also find what he told Joshua himself.

7 And Moses called unto Joshua, and said unto him in the sight of all Israel, Be strong and of a good courage: for thou must go with this people unto the land which the Lord hath sworn unto their fathers to give them; and thou shalt cause them to inherit it.

8 And the Lord, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed.

Deuteronomy 31:7-8

Moses was affirming God’s choice of Joshua in front of the people. This is interesting because the whole reason He wasn’t going to the promised land was because he had not sanctified the Lord God in front of the people. He was also encouraging Joshua himself about the success that he would have because of God’s presence with him.

Application

I see several points of application here:

  1. Never stop growing in obedience. Moses obeyed God. It was the pattern of his life. Even though he was bearing the consequences of his disobedience, he continued to obey God. He didn’t let his consequences keep him from what was doing right in the sight of GOd and for the nation that he loved.
  2. Never stop investing in the next generation. Moses was intentionally investing in Joshua by obeying God in setting him before Eliazar and the people. He gave Joshua credibility and authority. This was critical for their success. He told them key truths that would help them in the future.
  3. Never stop believing that God has a plan. God’s plan isn’t thwarted or hindered by any one person. Even though Moses would not be with the children of Israel in the promised land, God’s promises would be realized by the children of Israel. They would go in and conquer. God’s plans are way bigger than any one man.

Response:

  1. Where do you need to grow in obedience today?
  2. Who do you need to invest in today? How will you do it?
  3. How do you need to trust God today for your future?