Burunche’s Blog

Vengeance on the Midianites

“And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: “Take vengeance on the Midianites for the children of Israel. Afterward you shall be gathered to your people.”

So Moses spoke to the people, saying, “Arm some of yourselves for war, and let them go against the Midianites to take vengeance for the Lord on Midian. A thousand from each tribe of all the tribes of Israel you shall send to the war.”

So there were recruited from the divisions of Israel one thousand from each tribe, twelve thousand armed for war. Then Moses sent them to the war, one thousand from each tribe; he sent them to the war with Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, with the holy articles and the signal trumpets in his hand. And they warred against the Midianites, just as the Lord commanded Moses, and they killed all the males. They killed the kings of Midian with the rest of those who were killed—Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba, the five kings of Midian. Balaam the son of Beor they also killed with the sword.

And the children of Israel took the women of Midian captive, with their little ones, and took as spoil all their cattle, all their flocks, and all their goods. They also burned with fire all the cities where they dwelt, and all their forts. And they took all the spoil and all the booty—of man and beast.

Return from the War

Then they brought the captives, the booty, and the spoil to Moses, to Eleazar the priest, and to the congregation of the children of Israel, to the camp in the plains of Moab by the Jordan, across from Jericho. And Moses, Eleazar the priest, and all the leaders of the congregation, went to meet them outside the camp. But Moses was angry with the officers of the army, with the captains over thousands and captains over hundreds, who had come from the battle.

And Moses said to them: “Have you kept all the women alive? Look, these women caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to trespass against the Lord in the incident of Peor, and there was a plague among the congregation of the Lord. Now therefore, kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman who has known a man intimately. But keep alive for yourselves all the young girls who have not known a man intimately. And as for you, remain outside the camp seven days; whoever has killed any person, and whoever has touched any slain, purify yourselves and your captives on the third day and on the seventh day. Purify every garment, everything made of leather, everything woven of goats’ hair, and everything made of wood.”

Then Eleazar the priest said to the men of war who had gone to the battle, “This is the ordinance of the law which the Lord commanded Moses: Only the gold, the silver, the bronze, the iron, the tin, and the lead, everything that can endure fire, you shall put through the fire, and it shall be clean; and it shall be purified with the water of purification. But all that cannot endure fire you shall put through water. And you shall wash your clothes on the seventh day and be clean, and afterward you may come into the camp.”

Division of the Plunder

Now the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: “Count up the plunder that was taken—of man and beast—you and Eleazar the priest and the chief fathers of the congregation; and divide the plunder into two parts, between those who took part in the war, who went out to battle, and all the congregation. And levy a tribute for the Lord on the men of war who went out to battle: one of every five hundred of the persons, the cattle, the donkeys, and the sheep; take it from their half, and give it to Eleazar the priest as a heave offering to the Lord. And from the children of Israel’s half you shall take one of every fifty, drawn from the persons, the cattle, the donkeys, and the sheep, from all the livestock, and give them to the Levites who keep charge of the tabernacle of the Lord.” So Moses and Eleazar the priest did as the Lord commanded Moses.

The booty remaining from the plunder, which the men of war had taken, was six hundred and seventy-five thousand sheep, seventy-two thousand cattle, sixty-one thousand donkeys, and thirty-two thousand persons in all, of women who had not known a man intimately. And the half, the portion for those who had gone out to war, was in number three hundred and thirty-seven thousand five hundred sheep; and the Lord’s tribute of the sheep was six hundred and seventy-five. The cattle were thirty-six thousand, of which the Lord’s tribute was seventy-two. The donkeys were thirty thousand five hundred, of which the Lord’s tribute was sixty-one. The persons were sixteen thousand, of which the Lord’s tribute was thirty-two persons. So Moses gave the tribute which was the Lord’s heave offering to Eleazar the priest, as the Lord commanded Moses.

And from the children of Israel’s half, which Moses separated from the men who fought— now the half belonging to the congregation was three hundred and thirty-seven thousand five hundred sheep, thirty-six thousand cattle, thirty thousand five hundred donkeys, and sixteen thousand persons—and from the children of Israel’s half Moses took one of every fifty, drawn from man and beast, and gave them to the Levites, who kept charge of the tabernacle of the Lord, as the Lord commanded Moses.

Then the officers who were over thousands of the army, the captains of thousands and captains of hundreds, came near to Moses; and they said to Moses, “Your servants have taken a count of the men of war who are under our command, and not a man of us is missing. Therefore we have brought an offering for the Lord, what every man found of ornaments of gold: armlets and bracelets and signet rings and earrings and necklaces, to make atonement for ourselves before the Lord.” So Moses and Eleazar the priest received the gold from them, all the fashioned ornaments. And all the gold of the offering that they offered to the Lord, from the captains of thousands and captains of hundreds, was sixteen thousand seven hundred and fifty shekels. (The men of war had taken spoil, every man for himself.) And Moses and Eleazar the priest received the gold from the captains of thousands and of hundreds, and brought it into the tabernacle of meeting as a memorial for the children of Israel before the Lord.”

God is giving Moses his last assignment: destroy the Midianites who have seduced the Israelites into Baal worship. Per usual, the Israelite scribes are busy keeping accurate records of the Midianite leaders and warriors killed and the booty. David Guzik tells us, “The name of Zur is of some interest. He was the father of Cozbi (Numbers 25:15), the Midianite woman who so flagrantly drew an Israelite man into immorality and idolatry at the very tabernacle itself and was killed with a spear by Phinehas. Cozbi, coming from such a powerful family, was probably something of a priestess of Baal.” (David Guzik, Enduring Word Commentary)  Rather than returning home, Balaam has remained as an advisor to the Midianites and dies for that poor decision. Balaam should have listened to God and remained at home in the first place.

Moses has a daunting task: dealing with an enormous amount of spoil that could completely corrupt the Israelites. Without restrictions, this victory could turn into spiritual disaster. The amount of booty is staggering, especially since God has preserved the Israelites so that they have not lost any soldiers. The soldiers even make an extra offering in gratitude for God’s protection. Notice that the booty is divided among the fighting men, the congregation, and the Lord. The sexually active women must be killed so they won’t seduce the Israelites back into Baal worship. The male children must be killed so that they will not preserve the Midianite culture and take vengeance on the Israelites when they are grown.

Any items that can pass through fire for purification must do so. Any items that cannot stand fire must be washed with water. The fighting men must remain outside the camp for seven days and then wash and purify themselves because they have touched dead bodies. The people and animals given to Eleazar, the high priest, will find a place in the work of the Tabernacle.

APPLICATION: This slide is borrowed from an excellent teaching on this chapter. The question raised here is fundamental: “How are you careful to not allow the things of this world to drag you away from holiness?” Perhaps we also need to ask another question first: How committed to holiness are we in the first place? If we truly love God and want to please Him, we will try to live holy lives, avoiding the stains of the world. This does not mean that we retreat into some remote location, for temptations can find us wherever we go.

I love to do white water kayaking. Running rapids challenges kayakers and canoeists to find the best route with the safest water. One of the first lessons I learned was to look at the river and not at the rocks. If you watch the rocks, you will wind up on them! Sometimes the safe channel might only be the width and depth of the kayak, but that small strip of water will carry you safely past obstacles that could wreck your boat and kill you. In the same manner, focusing on the temptations will land you in temptation. It’s far safer to fix your eyes on God and His perfect Will. Proverbs 23:4-5 tells us, “Do not overwork to be rich; because of your own understanding, cease! Will you set your eyes on that which is not? For riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away like an eagle toward heaven.” Today, ask God to help you live a holy life pleasing to Him. He will gladly do so.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to look to You and not to any wealth or success for our satisfaction. Help us to follow hard after You all the days of our lives. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

The Law Concerning Vows

“Then Moses spoke to the heads of the tribes concerning the children of Israel, saying, “This is the thing which the Lord has commanded: If a man makes a vow to the Lord, or swears an oath to bind himself by some agreement, he shall not break his word; he shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth.

“Or if a woman makes a vow to the Lord, and binds herself by some agreement while in her father’s house in her youth, and her father hears her vow and the agreement by which she has bound herself, and her father holds his peace, then all her vows shall stand, and every agreement with which she has bound herself shall stand. But if her father overrules her on the day that he hears, then none of her vows nor her agreements by which she has bound herself shall stand; and the Lord will release her, because her father overruled her.

“If indeed she takes a husband, while bound by her vows or by a rash utterance from her lips by which she bound herself, and her husband hears it, and makes no response to her on the day that he hears, then her vows shall stand, and her agreements by which she bound herself shall stand. But if her husband overrules her on the day that he hears it, he shall make void her vow which she took and what she uttered with her lips, by which she bound herself, and the Lord will release her. “Also any vow of a widow or a divorced woman, by which she has bound herself, shall stand against her.

“If she vowed in her husband’s house, or bound herself by an agreement with an oath, and her husband heard it, and made no response to her and did not overrule her, then all her vows shall stand, and every agreement by which she bound herself shall stand. But if her husband truly made them void on the day he heard them, then whatever proceeded from her lips concerning her vows or concerning the agreement binding her, it shall not stand; her husband has made them void, and the Lord will release her. Every vow and every binding oath to afflict her soul, her husband may confirm it, or her husband may make it void. Now if her husband makes no response whatever to her from day to day, then he confirms all her vows or all the agreements that bind her; he confirms them, because he made no response to her on the day that he heard them. But if he does make them void after he has heard them, then he shall bear her guilt.”

These are the statutes which the Lord commanded Moses, between a man and his wife, and between a father and his daughter in her youth in her father’s house.”

“Don’t promise something if you don’t mean it!” That statement summarizes today’s chapter. If a man makes a vow, he must fulfill it. But what about vows made by women? Here, God lays out several different scenarios. 1. If a woman makes a vow to the Lord while she is still living with her father, her father can allow the vow to stand or he can overrule it, releasing her from the vow. 2. If a woman marries while she is bound by a vow, her husband can allow the vow to stand or overrule it on the day he hears about the vow. 3. A husband who hears about his wife’s vow and only overrules it later will bear the guilt for the woman failing to have fulfilled the vow. 4. Widows and divorced women take responsibility for all their vows because they are not under male authority.

Why is God drawing a distinction between vows made by men and by women? At this time, men are expected to protect the women around them. As protectors, men are responsible for the vows of their women, provided they know about those vows. Divorced women and widows have nobody to protect them

How seriously did people take vows in ancient Israel? Judges 11 tells the story of Jephthah, a mighty warrior who rashly promised to sacrifice the first thing that came to meet him when he returned from the battle. Jephthah was horrified when his cherished daughter, his only child, rushed out to greet him; however, he kept his vow with the agreement of his daughter and sacrificed her. (Judges 11:29-40) Jephthah would have been thrilled had there be someone to release him from that hasty promise.

APPLICATION: In Matthew 5:33-37, Jesus warns his disciples of the danger of swearing oaths. “Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform your oaths to the Lord.’ But I say to you, do not swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is God’s throne; nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. Nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black. But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.”

We want God to keep His promises; in fact, we demand that God do so. But are we as faithful? Many times, we say things and then later retract our statements, claiming that we were not really serious in the first place.  It is far better to be careful and to only promise something when we really mean it. Vows are to be fulfilled, not ignored.

One of the saddest situations these days is the high divorce rate. Men and women swear to be faithful to each other through all kinds of problems and yet marriages can fall apart within a few years. Many couples are refusing to marry, feeling that by avoiding swearing these vows, they are being more honest. But not promising to stay with one’s partner has its own risks. Refusing to make vows can lead to a situation in which everything feels temporary and children can feel insecure and at risk, subsequently fearing to commit themselves. Vows can protect a family and a relationship when things are difficult. (Previously divorced and remarried couples please note: This is an observation and not a criticism. Blanket statements are inaccurate at best and frequently hurtful.)

Someone once asked Ruth Bell Graham, Billy Graham’s wife, if she had ever been tempted to leave him. “I’ve never considered divorce,” she said. “Murder, yes, but not divorce.” Undoubtedly, there were many times when Mrs. Graham faced lots of problems while her husband was traveling the world as an evangelist. Some of the Graham children, particularly Franklin, pulled stunts wild enough to try the patience of any parent. But those marriage vows helped keep her on course.

The final lesson from this chapter is this: God is a covenant-keeping God and takes vows very seriously; so should we. It’s fine to take a vow, but think long and hard before you do so. Let’s pray.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, thank You that You always keep Your promises. Help us to think carefully before we promise anything and then to fulfill our promises unless that becomes impossible or we see that we were wrong in the first place. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.  

The Feast of Trumpets (Leviticus 23:23-25)

“On the first day of the seventh month, you are to hold a sacred assembly, and you must not do any regular work. This will be a day for you to sound the trumpets.

As a pleasing aroma to the LORD, you are to present a burnt offering of one young bull, one ram, and seven male lambs a year old, all unblemished, together with their grain offerings of fine flour mixed with oil—three-tenths of an ephah with the bull, two-tenths of an ephah with the ram, and a tenth of an ephah with each of the seven male lambs. Include one male goat as a sin offering to make atonement for you. These are in addition to the monthly and daily burnt offerings with their prescribed grain offerings and drink offerings. They are a pleasing aroma, an offering made by fire to the LORD.

The Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16:1-34; Leviticus 23:26-32)

On the tenth day of this seventh month, you are to hold a sacred assembly, and you shall humble yourselves; you must not do any work.

Present as a pleasing aroma to the LORD a burnt offering of one young bull, one ram, and seven male lambs a year old, all unblemished, together with their grain offerings of fine flour mixed with oil—three-tenths of an ephah with the bull, two-tenths of an ephah with the ram, and a tenth of an ephah with each of the seven lambs. Include one male goat for a sin offering, in addition to the sin offering of atonement and the regular burnt offering with its grain offering and drink offerings.

The Feast of Tabernacles (Deuteronomy 16:13-17)

On the fifteenth day of the seventh month, you are to hold a sacred assembly; you must not do any regular work, and you shall observe a feast for the LORD for seven days.

As a pleasing aroma to the LORD, you are to present an offering made by fire, a burnt offering of thirteen young bulls, two rams, and fourteen male lambs a year old, all unblemished, along with the grain offering of three-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil with each of the thirteen bulls, two-tenths of an ephah with each of the two rams, and a tenth of an ephah with each of the fourteen lambs. Include one male goat as a sin offering, in addition to the regular burnt offering with its grain offering and drink offering.

On the second day you are to present twelve young bulls, two rams, and fourteen male lambs a year old, all unblemished, along with the grain and drink offerings for the bulls, rams, and lambs, according to the number prescribed. Include one male goat as a sin offering, in addition to the regular burnt offering with its grain offering and drink offering. On the third day you are to present eleven bulls, two rams, and fourteen male lambs a year old, all unblemished, along with the grain and drink offerings for the bulls, rams, and lambs, according to the number prescribed. Include one male goat as a sin offering, in addition to the regular burnt offering with its grain offering and drink offering.

On the fourth day you are to present ten bulls, two rams, and fourteen male lambs a year old, all unblemished, along with the grain and drink offerings for the bulls, rams, and lambs, according to the number prescribed. Include one male goat as a sin offering, in addition to the regular burnt offering with its grain offering and drink offering.

On the fifth day you are to present nine bulls, two rams, and fourteen male lambs a year old, all unblemished, along with the grain and drink offerings for the bulls, rams, and lambs, according to the number prescribed. Include one male goat as a sin offering, in addition to the regular burnt offering with its grain offering and drink offering.

On the sixth day you are to present eight bulls, two rams, and fourteen male lambs a year old, all unblemished, along with the grain and drink offerings for the bulls, rams, and lambs, according to the number prescribed. Include one male goat as a sin offering, in addition to the regular burnt offering with its grain offering and drink offering.

On the seventh day you are to present seven bulls, two rams, and fourteen male lambs a year old, all unblemished, along with the grain and drink offerings for the bulls, rams, and lambs, according to the number prescribed. Include one male goat as a sin offering, in addition to the regular burnt offering with its grain offering and drink offering.

On the eighth day you are to hold a solemn assembly; you must not do any regular work. As a pleasing aroma to the LORD, you are to present an offering made by fire, a burnt offering of one bull, one ram, and seven male lambs a year old, all unblemished, along with the grain and drink offerings for the bulls, rams, and lambs, according to the number prescribed. Include one male goat as a sin offering, in addition to the regular burnt offering with its grain offering and drink offering.

You are to present these offerings to the LORD at your appointed times, in addition to your vow and freewill offerings, whether burnt offerings, grain offerings, drink offerings, or peace offerings.”

So Moses spoke all this to the Israelites just as the LORD had commanded him.

This chapter concludes the instructions for the last three feasts. Note that each of the feasts requires the same number of bulls, lambs, rams, and male goats, except for the week-long Feast of Tabernacles. The offerings for the Feast of Tabernacles start with thirteen young bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs, and one male goat, along with the grain and drink offerings. But each successive day, the number of young bulls is reduced, until only seven are required on the seventh day. But on the eighth day, God requires only one young bull, one ram, seven male lambs, along with a male goat. 

APPLICATION: God wants His people to worship and to celebrate as well. The Feast of Trumpets and the Feast of Tabernacles are two of the most joyous occasions in the Jewish religious year. The Day of Atonement, on the other hand, is devoted to reflection, to confession, to reconciliation, and to spiritual cleansing so that worshipers can get a new start. After completing the worship services, participants should feel clean and free to face a new year. (This is a major simplification. For more complete explanations, Google the Day of Atonement.)

One of the congregations with which we have been associated for forty years is a Messianic Jewish congregation. Messianic Jews believe in Jesus as the Messiah but also preserve much of the Jewish order of worship, including celebrating the five feasts. Few things are more moving than celebrating the Day of Atonement by celebrating Jesus as the ultimate blood sacrifice.

1 John 1:8-10 tells us, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.”’

When Jesus was beginning his ministry, a Jewish religious leader named Nicodemus came to him at night to learn if Jesus was the promised Messiah. It was during that conversation that Jesus told Nicodemus, “ For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” 

No matter your situation, God loves you and wants you to be with Him in heaven forever. But none of us can earn our way into heaven. We are delivered from our sins because of Jesus’s sacrifice, not because of our virtues. Let’s pray.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, we confess that we have sinned and that we cannot earn our way into heaven. Help everyone who reads these words to trust You for their salvation. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

The Daily Offerings (Exodus 29:38-44)

“’Then the LORD said to Moses, “Command the Israelites and say to them: See that you present to Me at its appointed time the food for My offerings by fire, as a pleasing aroma to Me. And tell them that this is the offering by fire you are to present to the LORD: two unblemished year-old male lambs, as a regular burnt offering each day. You are to offer one lamb in the morning and the other at twilight, along with a tenth of an ephah of fine flour as a grain offering, mixed with a quarter hin of oil from pressed olives.

This is a regular burnt offering established at Mount Sinai as a pleasing aroma, an offering made by fire to the LORD. And the drink offering accompanying each lamb shall be a quarter hin. Pour out the offering of fermented drink to the LORD in the sanctuary area. You are to offer the second lamb at twilight, with the same kind of grain offering and drink offering as in the morning. It is an offering made by fire, a pleasing aroma to the LORD.

The Sabbath Offerings

On the Sabbath day, present two unblemished year-old male lambs, accompanied by a grain offering of two-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil, as well as a drink offering. This is the burnt offering for every Sabbath, in addition to the regular burnt offering and its drink offering.

The Monthly Offerings

At the beginning of every month, you are to present to the LORD a burnt offering of two young bulls, one ram, and seven male lambs a year old, all unblemished, along with three-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering for each bull, two-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering for the ram, and a tenth of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering for each lamb. This is a burnt offering, a pleasing aroma, an offering made by fire to the LORD.

Their drink offerings shall be half a hin of wine with each bull, a third of a hin with the ram, and a quarter hin with each lamb. This is the monthly burnt offering to be made at each new moon throughout the year.

In addition to the regular burnt offering with its drink offering, one male goat is to be presented to the LORD as a sin offering.

The Feast of the Passover (Exodus 12:14-28; Leviticus 23:4-8; Deuteronomy 16:1-8)

The fourteenth day of the first month is the LORD’s Passover. On the fifteenth day of this month, there shall be a feast; for seven days unleavened bread is to be eaten. On the first day there is to be a sacred assembly; you are not to do any regular work. Present to the LORD an offering made by fire, a burnt offering of two young bulls, one ram, and seven male lambs a year old, all unblemished. The grain offering shall consist of fine flour mixed with oil; offer three-tenths of an ephah with each bull, two-tenths of an ephah with the ram, and a tenth of an ephah with each of the seven lambs. Include one male goat as a sin offering to make atonement for you.

You are to present these in addition to the regular morning burnt offering. Offer the same food each day for seven days as an offering made by fire, a pleasing aroma to the LORD. It is to be offered with its drink offering and the regular burnt offering.

On the seventh day you shall hold a sacred assembly; you must not do any regular work.

The Feast of Weeks (Deuteronomy 16:9-12) Shavuot, the late spring feast of pilgrimage to Jerusalem; also known as the Feast of Harvest (see Exodus 23:16) or the Feast of Pentecost (see Acts 2:1)

On the day of firstfruits, when you present an offering of new grain to the LORD during the Feast of Weeks, you are to hold a sacred assembly; you are not to do any regular work. Present a burnt offering of two young bulls, one ram, and seven male lambs a year old as a pleasing aroma to the LORD, together with their grain offerings of fine flour mixed with oil—three-tenths of an ephah with each bull, two-tenths of an ephah with the ram, and a tenth of an ephah with each of the seven lambs.

Include one male goat to make atonement for you. Offer them with their drink offerings in addition to the regular burnt offering and its grain offering. The animals must be unblemished.”

Here God is laying out requirements for the offerings for days, Sabbaths, months, and the first two feasts of the Jewish year. Notice the requirements for burnt offerings, grain offerings and drink offerings. Only perfect animals are to be sacrificed, along with fine flour, pressed olive oil, and wine. Lambs are used for the daily offerings, while bulls and rams are used for the monthly offerings and the offerings for the feasts. At Passover and Pentecost male goats are included to make atonement for the sins of the people.

It’s tempting to be bored by these lists; after all, God has already given these commands in Exodus. But God is repeating and summarizing the commands to make sure the Israelites obey them. God also wants to ensure that the Israelites won’t dump defective animals, moldy flour, and inferior-grade olive oil and wine on the Tabernacle, saving the best for themselves.  

All these blood sacrifices are necessary for two reasons: people continue to sin and sin must be paid for with blood. But the blood of an animal can never completely pay for human sin; this remission of sin is only temporary. Permanent relief from sin will come only when Jesus Christ comes as a sinless man dying for the sins of the world.

APPLICATION: Hebrews 9:11-15 tells us, “But when Christ came as high priest of the good things that have come, He went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not made by hands and is not of this creation. He did not enter by the blood of goats and calves, but He entered the Most Holy Place once for all by His own blood, thus securing eternal redemption.

For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that their bodies are clean, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself unblemished to God, purify our consciences from works of death, so that we may serve the living God!

Therefore Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, now that He has died to redeem them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant.”

We no longer must slaughter animals to cover our sins. We can believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, trusting that He really has come and has given up His life on Calvary as  a blood offering for our sins. When we truly believe in Jesus Christ, we have forgiveness of sins and cleansing from all unrighteousness. We don’t have to stagger around under a load of sin and guilt and shame any longer. Belief in Christ gives us new hope and new joy, joy that nobody can steal from us. Let’s pray.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, thank You for coming to earth to live as a sinless man and to die as a sacrifice for our sins. Lord, we want to believe; help our unbelief! We confess that we are sinners and that nothing we can do will be good enough to earn our way into heaven. Now we thank You, that Your blood sacrifice has covered our sins. Help us to live for You for the rest of our lives. In Your mighty and precious Name, King Jesus. Amen.

Inheritance Laws

“Then came the daughters of Zelophehad the son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, from the families of Manasseh the son of Joseph; and these were the names of his daughters: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. And they stood before Moses, before Eleazar the priest, and before the leaders and all the congregation, by the doorway of the tabernacle of meeting, saying: “Our father died in the wilderness; but he was not in the company of those who gathered together against the Lord, in company with Korah, but he died in his own sin; and he had no sons. Why should the name of our father be removed from among his family because he had no son? Give us a possession among our father’s brothers.”

So Moses brought their case before the Lord.

And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: “The daughters of Zelophehad speak what is right; you shall surely give them a possession of inheritance among their father’s brothers, and cause the inheritance of their father to pass to them. And you shall speak to the children of Israel, saying: ‘If a man dies and has no son, then you shall cause his inheritance to pass to his daughter. If he has no daughter, then you shall give his inheritance to his brothers. If he has no brothers, then you shall give his inheritance to his father’s brothers. And if his father has no brothers, then you shall give his inheritance to the relative closest to him in his family, and he shall possess it.’ ” And it shall be to the children of Israel a statute of judgment, just as the Lord commanded Moses.

Joshua the Next Leader of Israel

Now the Lord said to Moses: “Go up into this Mount Abarim, and see the land which I have given to the children of Israel. And when you have seen it, you also shall be gathered to your people, as Aaron your brother was gathered. For in the Wilderness of Zin, during the strife of the congregation, you rebelled against My command to hallow Me at the waters before their eyes.” (These are the waters of Meribah, at Kadesh in the Wilderness of Zin.)

Then Moses spoke to the Lord, saying: “Let the Lord, the God of the spirits of all flesh, set a man over the congregation, who may go out before them and go in before them, who may lead them out and bring them in, that the congregation of the Lord may not be like sheep which have no shepherd.”

And the Lord said to Moses: “Take Joshua the son of Nun with you, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand on him; set him before Eleazar the priest and before all the congregation, and inaugurate him in their sight. And you shall give some of your authority to him, that all the congregation of the children of Israel may be obedient. He shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall inquire before the Lord for him by the judgment of the Urim. At his word they shall go out, and at his word they shall come in, he and all the children of Israel with him—all the congregation.”

So Moses did as the Lord commanded him. He took Joshua and set him before Eleazar the priest and before all the congregation. And he laid his hands on him and inaugurated him, just as The Lord commanded by the hand of Moses.”

The Israelites are about to enter Canaan, and now God is dealing with very practical matters. The land will be allotted to tribes and to clans within the tribes, but what happens if a man dies who has no sons or who is childless? How can the land be preserved for the tribe? There is a man from the tribe of Manasseh named Zelophahad who has died, leaving four daughters but no sons. These daughters ask for an inheritance within the tribe of Manasseh. God answers, “If a man dies and has no son, then you shall cause his inheritance to pass to his daughter. If he has no daughter, then you shall give his inheritance to his brothers. If he has no brothers, then you shall give his inheritance to his father’s brothers. And if his father has no brothers, then you shall give his inheritance to the relative closest to him in his family, and he shall possess it.’ ”

In an age in which women are generally regarded as chattel, God is demonstrating that He places a high value on them. God is also issuing these laws to prevent fights and lawsuits in the future.

Next, God orders Moses to ascend a mountain from which he can see the Promised Land and then die there. Moses has forfeited the opportunity to enter the Promised Land by failing to honor God at the waters of Meribah. Notice that Moses does not argue with God, but rather begs God to appoint someone who will lead the Israelites wisely. God selects Joshua, who has been Moses’ assistant for years and who has spent long amounts of time in the Tabernacle simply worshiping God. Those years of worship have allowed the Spirit of the Lord to enter Joshua’s heart and mind and to remain there. There is nothing to indicate that Joshua has ever been jockeying for position as the next leader; he has simply been communing with God. Moses inaugurates Joshua in the presence of all the people, laying hands on him and imparting part of his authority.

APPLICATION: Few things can divide a family like a big fight over an inheritance, particularly where love has been given conditionally. Children will fight over everything, including the smallest pieces of jewelry from a parent in the hopes that by possessing these things, they are proving that their mother/father/uncle/aunt really loved them. Lawyers may drag out the settlement of estates for years in hopes of garnering large amounts of money. These struggles can result in long-term resentments and mistrust. Here God is taking steps to prevent such dissension.

After a rocky beginning, Moses has become a class act. When God tells Moses that he must go up on Mount Abarim, see the Promised, and die, Moses doesn’t argue with God. Moses only begs God to anoint a successor who can lead the Israelites successfully. Heaven knows, Moses realizes that his successor must be a man of God with infinite patience, courage, and resourcefulness. God orders Moses to hand over authority to Joshua. God has been preparing Joshua to take over from Moses for forty years. Not only has Joshua accompanied Moses part way up Mount Sinai, but Joshua has remained in the Tabernacle for hours, even after Moses has left to give God’s messages to the people. Close contact with God has allowed the Holy Spirit to enter Joshua’s heart, preparing him for the challenges ahead.

Psalm 75:6-7 tells us, “For exaltation(promotion) comes neither from the east nor from the west nor from the south. But God is the Judge: He puts down one, and exalts another.” Want promotion? Get close to God. Study His Word and worship Him. When the time is right, God will send you to your next assignment, a task for which God has prepared you.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, thank You for preparing a future for each one of us. Help us to study Your Word, to worship You, and to spend time with You so that we will be prepared when You call us into that work. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.  

The Second Census of Israel (Numbers 1:1-4)

“After the plague had ended, the LORD said to Moses and Eleazar son of Aaron the priest, “Take a census of the whole congregation of Israel by the houses of their fathers—all those twenty years of age or older who can serve in the army of Israel.”

So on the plains of Moab by the Jordan, across from Jericho, Moses and Eleazar the priest issued the instruction, “Take a census of the men twenty years of age or older, as the LORD has commanded Moses.” And these were the Israelites who came out of the land of Egypt:

The Tribe of Reuben

Reuben was the firstborn of Israel. These were the descendants of Reuben: The Hanochite clan from Hanoch, the Palluite clan from Pallu, the Hezronite clan from Hezron, and the Carmite clan from Carmi.

These were the clans of Reuben, and their registration numbered 43,730. Now the son of Pallu was Eliab, and the sons of Eliab were Nemuel, Dathan, and Abiram. It was Dathan and Abiram, chosen by the congregation, who fought against Moses and Aaron with the followers of Korah who rebelled against the LORD. And the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them along with Korah, whose followers died when the fire consumed 250 men. They serve as a warning sign. However, the line of Korah did not die out.

The Tribe of Simeon

These were the descendants of Simeon by their clans: The Nemuelite clan from Nemuel, the Jaminite clan from Jamin, the Jachinite clan from Jachin, the Zerahite clan from Zerah, and the Shaulite clan from Shaul. These were the clans of Simeon, and there were 22,200 men.

The Tribe of Gad

These were the descendants of Gad by their clans: The Zephonite clan from Zephon, the Haggite clan from Haggi, the Shunite clan from Shuni, the Oznite clan from Ozni, the Erite clan from Eri, the Arodite clan from Arod, and the Arelite clan from Areli. These were the clans of Gad, and their registration numbered 40,500.

The Tribe of Judah

The sons of Judah were Er and Onan, but they died in the land of Canaan. These were the descendants of Judah by their clans: The Shelanite clan from Shelah, the Perezite clan from Perez, the Zerahite clan from Zerah. And these were the descendants of Perez: the Hezronite clan from Hezron and the Hamulite clan from Hamul. These were the clans of Judah, and their registration numbered 76,500.

The Tribe of Issachar

These were the descendants of Issachar by their clans: The Tolaite clan from Tola, the Punite clan from Puvah, the Jashubite clan from Jashub, and the Shimronite clan from Shimron. These were the clans of Issachar, and their registration numbered 64,300.

The Tribe of Zebulun

These were the descendants of Zebulun by their clans: The Seredite clan from Sered, the Elonite clan from Elon, and the Jahleelite clan from Jahleel. These were the clans of Zebulun, and their registration numbered 60,500.

The Tribe of Manasseh

The descendants of Joseph included the clans of Manasseh and Ephraim. These were the descendants of Manasseh: The Machirite clan from Machir. Machir was the father of Gilead, the Gileadite clan from Gilead. These were the descendants of Gilead: the Iezerite clan from Iezer, the Helekite clan from Helek, the Asrielite clan from Asriel, the Shechemite clan from Shechem, the Shemidaite clan from Shemida, and the Hepherite clan from Hepher. Now Zelophehad son of Hepher had no sons—only daughters. The names of his daughters were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah.

These were the clans of Manasseh, and their registration numbered 52,700.

The Tribe of Ephraim

These were the descendants of Ephraim by their clans: The Shuthelahite clan from Shuthelah, the Becherite clan from Becher, and the Tahanite clan from Tahan. And the descendants of Shuthelah were the Eranite clan from Eran. These were the clans of Ephraim, and their registration numbered 32,500.

These clans were the descendants of Joseph.

The Tribe of Benjamin

These were the descendants of Benjamin by their clans: The Belaite clan from Bela, the Ashbelite clan from Ashbel, the Ahiramite clan from Ahiram, the Shuphamite clan from Shupham, and the Huphamite clan from Hupham. And the descendants of Bela from Ard and Naaman were the Ardite clan from Ardf and the Naamite clan from Naaman. These were the clans of Benjamin, and their registration numbered 45,600.

The Tribe of Dan

These were the descendants of Dan by their clans: The Shuhamite clan from Shuham. These were the clans of Dan. All of them were Shuhamite clans, and their registration numbered 64,400.

The Tribe of Asher

These were the descendants of Asher by their clans: The Imnite clan from Imnah, the Ishvite clan from Ishvi, the Beriite clan from Beriah. These were the descendants of Beriah: the Heberite clan from Heber,

and the Malchielite clan from Malchiel. And the name of Asher’s daughter was Serah. These were the clans of Asher, and their registration numbered 53,400.

The Tribe of Naphtali

These were the descendants of Naphtali by their clans: The Jahzeelite clan from Jahzeel, the Gunite clan from Guni, the Jezerite clan from Jezer, and the Shillemite clan from Shillem. These were the clans of Naphtali, and their registration numbered 45,400.

These men of Israel numbered 601,730 in all.

Inheritance by Lot

Then the LORD said to Moses, “The land is to be divided among the tribes as an inheritance, according to the number of names. Increase the inheritance for a large tribe and decrease it for a small one; each is to receive its inheritance according to the number of those registered. Indeed, the land must be divided by lot; they shall receive their inheritance according to the names of the tribes of their fathers. Each inheritance is to be divided by lot among the larger and smaller tribes.”

The Levites Numbered

Now these were the Levites registered by their clans: The Gershonite clan from Gershon, the Kohathite clan from Kohath, and the Merarite clan from Merari. These were the families of the Levites: The Libnite clan, the Hebronite clan, the Mahlite clan, the Mushite clan, and the Korahite clan. Now Kohath was the father of Amram, and Amram’s wife was named Jochebed. She was also a daughter of Levi, born to Levi in Egypt. To Amram she bore Aaron, Moses, and their sister Miriam. Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar were born to Aaron, but Nadab and Abihu died when they offered unauthorized fire before the LORD.

The registration of the Levites totaled 23,000, every male one month old or more; they were not registered among the other Israelites, because no inheritance was given to them among the Israelites.

Only Caleb and Joshua Remain

These were the ones registered by Moses and Eleazar the priest when they numbered the Israelites on the plains of Moab by the Jordan, across from Jericho. Among all these, however, there was not one who had been registered by Moses and Aaron the priest when they numbered the Israelites in the Wilderness of Sinai. For the LORD had told them that they would surely die in the wilderness. Not one was left except Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun.”

If you’ve skipped the Scripture to read this explanation, don’t feel too bad. This is the chapter where the Book of Numbers really earns its name. What’s the point of this census? Moses needs to know how many men twenty years and older he has who can serve in the army of Israel. In addition, the Israelites are preparing to enter Canaan, where land will be allotted to tribes according to their populations. The Israelites also need to be able to trace their ancestry. This is the first census taken since the census in the Wilderness of Sinai. All the men registered during the first census have died in the wilderness, apart from Joshua and Caleb, as God has promised. There are also some women whose names are included in the census because their fathers have no sons. God wants to make sure that nobody gets slighted.

APPLICATION: Once more, God demonstrates that He knows all our names and those of our families. God has fulfilled His promise that the faithless men who refused to trust the report of Caleb and Joshua would die in the wilderness. Levite males one month old and up are registered because they will not receive an inheritance among the Israelites but will receive other compensation instead. Note that even though Korah led a rebellion against God, God has preserved his descendants as well as the descendants of his co-conspirators.

What’s important about these numbers is the care God is taking so that Israel will have the army needed to conquer Canaan and to ensure a fair distribution of land once the Israelites conquer it. When God was creating the world, He already knew which tribes would occupy which land. God has been planning things for the Israelites even before making those promises to Abraham in Genesis 15.

God doesn’t play favorites. Just as God had plans for the Israelites, so God has plans for each of us. Our task is to find God’s perfect plan for our lives. God is a good God who does not play charades with His children. James 1:5-7 tells us “Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But he must ask in faith, without doubting, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. He is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.” Let’s pray.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, many of us are confused and unsure which way to go. Help us to ask You first and then to trust You for the answer. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Israel’s Harlotry in Moab

”Now Israel remained in Acacia Grove, and the people began to commit harlotry with the women of Moab. They invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods. So Israel was joined to Baal of Peor, and the anger of the Lord was aroused against Israel.

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Take all the leaders of the people and hang the offenders before the Lord, out in the sun, that the fierce anger of the Lord may turn away from Israel.”

So Moses said to the judges of Israel, “Every one of you kill his men who were joined to Baal of Peor.”

And indeed, one of the children of Israel came and presented to his brethren a Midianite woman in the sight of Moses and in the sight of all the congregation of the children of Israel, who were weeping at the door of the tabernacle of meeting. Now when Phinehas the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he rose from among the congregation and took a javelin in his hand; and he went after the man of Israel into the tent and thrust both of them through, the man of Israel, and the woman through her body. So the plague was stopped among the children of Israel. And those who died in the plague were twenty-four thousand.

Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: “Phinehas the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, has turned back My wrath from the children of Israel, because he was zealous with My zeal among them, so that I did not consume the children of Israel in My zeal. Therefore say, ‘Behold, I give to him My covenant of peace; and it shall be to him and his descendants after him a covenant of an everlasting priesthood, because he was zealous for his God, and made atonement for the children of Israel.’ ”

Now the name of the Israelite who was killed, who was killed with the Midianite woman, was Zimri the son of Salu, a leader of a father’s house among the Simeonites. And the name of the Midianite woman who was killed was Cozbi the daughter of Zur; he was head of the people of a father’s house in Midian.

Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: “Harass the Midianites, and attack them; for they harassed you with their schemes by which they seduced you in the matter of Peor and in the matter of Cozbi, the daughter of a leader of Midian, their sister, who was killed in the day of the plague because of Peor.”

Ah, the Israelites! God’s chosen people. Witnesses of incredible miracles. Recipients of God’s divine protection. Surely, gratitude for all God has done for them will keep them faithful…….WHAT?!?! Are you kidding? Given the opportunity for a good orgy, a bunch of the Israelites are off immediately to do sacrifices to Baal, to eat steak from the sacrificial meat, and to engage in sex with alluring Midianite maidens.

The inspiration for this might have come from Balaam. Although Numbers 24 tells us that Balaam returned home, other sources suggest differently. It’s possible that having failed to succeed in cursing the Israelites, Balaam comes up with another plan that will get him back into favor with King Balak. Wikipedia tells us, “Numbers 25:1–9 describes how Israel engaged in the Heresy of Peor. Numbers 31:16 blames this on Balaam’s advice and because of his culpability in the incident, which resulted in deadly divine judgements against the Israelites who participated, he was eventually killed in a retaliatory battle against Midian in Numbers 31:8.

Deuteronomy 23:3–6 summarizes these incidents, and further states that the Ammonites were associated with the Moabites. Joshua, in his farewell speech, also makes reference to it. With God’s protection taken from him, Balaam is later listed among the Midianites who were killed in revenge for the “matter of Peor”. Joshua 13:22 records that Balaam died “by the sword” during a battle for the Reubenite occupation of Moabite land. Revelation also states that Balaam “taught Balak to cast a stumbling block before the children of Israel.”

This time God isn’t messing around! “Take all the leaders of the people and hang the offenders before the Lord, out in the sun, that the fierce anger of the Lord may turn away from Israel.” While the orgy is still on-going, people are beginning to drop like flies from some kind of plague. If the leaders are not killed promptly, the plague might spread through the entire camp. Spurred on by indignation and zeal for the Lord, Phinehas, Aaron’s grandson, slaughters an Israelite man and his Moabite girlfriend. Since this man was allegedly a leader in Israel, he might have been one of Phinehas’ close friends, but Phinehas proceeds anyway. This sacrificial act helps stop the plague, but not before 24,000 people die.

From a public health standpoint, we might wonder what kind of plague could kill so swiftly. Read some of Rudyard Kipling’s stories from his time in India, and you realize that cholera epidemics can sweep through entire groups within hours. In the book The Secret Garden, the little girl is orphaned because her parents and most of the other people in the house die suddenly from cholera, leaving her alone. Dodgy sanitary conditions and a crowd of drunken people would be a set-up for a cholera outbreak.  Although Balaam’s name never appears in this account, other sources claim he is responsible for inciting the Moabites to invite the Israelites to worship Baal with an orgy. Of course, many of the Israelites probably don’t need much persuading.

APPLICATION: While it’s tempting to criticize the Israelites, how quick are many of us to compromise when temptation offers itself? Temptations come in all sorts of disguises, not necessarily sexual temptations. We know a Catholic priest who chose to be initiated as a traditional diviner as the basis for his doctoral thesis in Anthropology. In this case, it was the lure of secret knowledge that influenced our friend; yet, what did he sacrifice spiritually in the process and to what did he commit himself without realizing it?

How do we avoid temptation and compromise? Pray! Ask God for guidance, and refuse to deceive yourself. James 1:13-15 tells us, “When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when by his own evil desires he is lured away and enticed. Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.” Those Israelites who went in for Baal worship probably gave themselves all kinds of excuses. “We’re just being neighborly; besides, what harm could it do?” But they died anyway, indulging in rituals God had strictly forbidden. May God help us, so that we will follow hard after Him all the days of our lives!

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to be careful about the temptations that surround us. Thank You for Your promises of guidance. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Balaam’s Third Oracle

“And when Balaam saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel, he did not resort to sorcery as on previous occasions, but he turned his face toward the wilderness. When Balaam looked up and saw Israel encamped tribe by tribe, the Spirit of God came upon him, and he lifted up an oracle, saying: “This is the prophecy of Balaam son of Beor, the prophecy of a man whose eyes are open, the prophecy of one who hears the words of God, who sees a vision from the Almighty, who bows down with eyes wide open: How beautiful are your tents, O Jacob, your dwellings, O Israel! They spread out like palm groves, like gardens beside a stream, like aloes the LORD has planted, like cedars beside the waters. Water will flow from his buckets, and his seed will have abundant water. His king will be greater than Agag, and his kingdom will be exalted. God brought him out of Egypt with strength like a wild ox, to devour hostile nations and crush their bones, to pierce them with arrows. He crouches, he lies down like a lion; like a lioness, who dares to rouse him? Blessed are those who bless you and cursed are those who curse you.”

Balak Dismisses Balaam

“Then Balak’s anger burned against Balaam, and he struck his hands together and said to Balaam, “I summoned you to curse my enemies, but behold, you have persisted in blessing them these three times. Therefore, flee at once to your home! I said I would richly reward you, but instead the LORD has denied your reward.”

Balaam answered Balak, “Did I not already tell the messengers you sent me that even if Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not do anything of my own accord, good or bad, to go beyond the command of the LORD? I will speak whatever the LORD says. Now I am going back to my people, but come, let me warn you what this people will do to your people in the days to come.”

Balaam’s Fourth Oracle

Then Balaam lifted up an oracle, saying, “This is the prophecy of Balaam son of Beor, the prophecy of a man whose eyes are open, the prophecy of one who hears the words of God, who has knowledge from the Most High, who sees a vision from the Almighty, who bows down with eyes wide open: I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near. A star will come forth from Jacob, and a scepter will arise from Israel. He will crush the skulls of Moab and strike down all the sons of Sheth. Edom will become a possession, as will Seir, his enemy; but Israel will perform with valor. A ruler will come from Jacob and destroy the survivors of the city.”

Balaam’s Final Three Oracles

Then Balaam saw Amalek and lifted up an oracle, saying: “Amalek was first among the nations, but his end is destruction.” Next he saw the Kenites and lifted up an oracle, saying: “Your dwelling place is secure, and your nest is set in a cliff. Yet Kain will be destroyed when Asshur (Assyria) takes you captive.” Once more Balaam lifted up an oracle, saying: “Ah, who can live unless God has ordained it? Ships will come from the coasts of Cyprus; they will subdue Asshur and Eber, but they too will perish forever.” Then Balaam arose and returned to his homeland, and Balak also went on his way.”

Balaam is winding up his prophecies and Balak is fed up. “And when Balaam saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel, he did not resort to sorcery as on previous occasions, but he turned his face toward the wilderness.” Sorcery? Balaam has been contacting God using sorcery but God has been giving Balaam valid prophecies. God will use anybody at any level when they will let Him. This time, Balaam doesn’t bother with sorcery but turns his face toward the Israelite camp and opens himself to the Spirit of God.

Once more, God gives Balaam a magnificent blessing for Israel. “How beautiful are your tents, O Jacob, your dwellings, O Israel! They spread out like palm groves, like gardens beside a stream, like aloes the LORD has planted, like cedars beside the waters. Water will flow from his buckets, and his seed will have abundant water. His king will be greater than Agag, and his kingdom will be exalted. God brought him out of Egypt with strength like a wild ox, to devour hostile nations and crush their bones, to pierce them with arrows. He crouches, he lies down like a lion; like a lioness, who dares to rouse him? Blessed are those who bless you and cursed are those who curse you.”

Balak is so angry at Balaam that he says, “The Lord has denied you your reward.” “No problem,” says, Balaam. “I’m going home, but before I do, I will tell you what God will do to Moab in the future.” Balaam continues to predict that a ruler will come out of Israel that will destroy Moab. Then Balaam predicts that the Amalekites, the Kenites, and the Assyrians will eventually be destroyed.

APPLICATION: Some people have argued that these predictions must have been added later; however, Moses is credited with writing the Book of Numbers and there is no reason to doubt that these predictions are authentic. After all, Moses has regularly met God face to face and has also received the Ten Commandments at God’s hand. It’s ironic that many of the same people who will try to deride the prophecies in Numbers 24 are more than willing to accept all kinds of theories about ancient aliens visiting earth from other planets, the lost continent of Atlantis, etc.

One fascinating point is this possible reference: ”I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near. A star will come forth from Jacob, and a scepter will arise from Israel. He will crush the skulls of Moab and strike down all the sons of Sheth. Edom will become a possession, as will Seir, his enemy; but Israel will perform with valor. A ruler will come from Jacob and destroy the survivors of the city.”  Is this a prediction about King David or does it concern Jesus the Messiah or does it refer to both? Many of God’s prophecies work on multiple levels. Personally, I feel that God has blessed Balaam by allowing him to give one of the first Messianic prophecies.

What happens to Balaam? We’ll find out the details of Balaam’s fate tomorrow, but it is not a happy one. This man who has received God’s Word and God’s commands on several occasions dies ingloriously. Rather than serving the One True Living God whole-heartedly, Balaam tries to worm his way back into Balak’s good graces with disastrous results. Balaam’s story serves as a reminder that just because God has used us does not mean we cannot fall from grace if we remain disobedient.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us never to take You or Your service for granted. Help us to remember that obedience to You and to Your Word must be paramount in our lives. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Balaam’s First Oracle

“Then Balaam said to Balak, “Build me seven altars here, and prepare for me seven bulls and seven rams.” So Balak did as Balaam had directed, and Balak and Balaam offered a bull and a ram on each altar.

“Stay here by your burnt offering while I am gone,” Balaam said to Balak. “Perhaps the LORD will meet with me. And whatever He reveals to me, I will tell you.”

So Balaam went off to a barren height, and God met with him. “I have set up seven altars,” Balaam said, “and on each altar I have offered a bull and a ram.” Then the LORD put a message in Balaam’s mouth, saying, “Return to Balak and give him this message.” So he returned to Balak, who was standing there beside his burnt offering, with all the princes of Moab.

And Balaam lifted up an oracle, saying: “Balak brought me from Aram, the king of Moab from the mountains of the east. ‘Come,’ he said, ‘put a curse on Jacob for me; Come and denounce Israel!’ How can I curse what God has not cursed? How can I denounce what the LORD has not denounced? For I see them from atop the rocky cliffs, and I watch them from the hills. Behold, a people dwelling apart, not reckoning themselves among the nations. Who can count the dust of Jacob or number even a fourth of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous; let my end be like theirs!”

Then Balak said to Balaam, “What have you done to me? I brought you here to curse my enemies, and behold, you have only blessed them!” But Balaam replied, “Should I not speak exactly what the LORD puts in my mouth?”

Balaam’s Second Oracle

Then Balak said to him, “Please come with me to another place where you can see them. You will only see the outskirts of their camp—not all of them. And from there, curse them for me.”

So Balak took him to the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, where he built seven altars and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.

Balaam said to Balak, “Stay here beside your burnt offering while I meet the LORD over there.”

And the LORD met with Balaam and put a message in his mouth, saying, “Return to Balak and speak what I tell you.” So he returned to Balak, who was standing there by his burnt offering with the princes of Moab. “What did the LORD say?” Balak asked. Then Balaam lifted up an oracle, saying: “Arise, O Balak, and listen; give ear to me, O son of Zippor. God is not a man, that He should lie, or a son of man, that He should change His mind. Does He speak and not act? Does He promise and not fulfill? I have indeed received a command to bless; He has blessed, and I cannot change it. He considers no disaster for Jacob; He sees no trouble for Israel.

The LORD their God is with them, and the shout of the King is among them. God brought them out of Egypt with strength like a wild ox. For there is no spell against Jacob and no divination against Israel. It will now be said of Jacob and Israel, ‘What great things God has done!’ Behold, the people rise like a lioness; they rouse themselves like a lion, not resting until they devour their prey and drink the blood of the slain.”

Then Balak said to Balaam, “Neither curse them at all nor bless them at all!” But Balaam replied, “Did I not tell you that whatever the LORD says, I must do?” “Please come,” said Balak, “I will take you to another place. Perhaps it will please God that you curse them for me from there.” And Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor, which overlooks the wasteland. “Build me seven altars here,” Balaam said, “and prepare for me seven bulls and seven rams.” So Balak did as Balaam had instructed, and he offered a bull and a ram on each altar.”

Balak is really frustrated! Here he has brought Balaam at great expense to curse the Israelites, but all Balaam will do is to bless them. When God gives Balaam the first message, Balak is horrified. “How can I curse what God has not cursed? How can I denounce what the LORD has not denounced? For I see them from atop the rocky cliffs, and I watch them from the hills. Behold, a people dwelling apart, not reckoning themselves among the nations. Who can count the dust of Jacob or number even a fourth of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous; let my end be like theirs!”

Balak sends Balaam to another location where he can only see part of the Israelite camp in hopes that Balaam will now be able to curse them. But God’s next message is a harsh rebuke. ““Arise, O Balak, and listen; give ear to me, O son of Zippor. God is not a man, that He should lie, or a son of man, that He should change His mind. Does He speak and not act? Does He promise and not fulfill? I have indeed

received a command to bless; He has blessed, and I cannot change it. He considers no disaster for Jacob; He sees no trouble for Israel. The LORD their God is with them, and the shout of the King is among them. God brought them out of Egypt with strength like a wild ox. For there is no spell against Jacob and no divination against Israel. It will now be said of Jacob and Israel, ‘What great things God has done!’ Behold, the people rise like a lioness; they rouse themselves like a lion, not resting until they devour their prey and drink the blood of the slain.” At this point, Balak’s reaction is,”Aargh!” As the chapter closes, Balak is moving Balaam into yet a third area, despite God’s rebukes. Balak is a slow learner.

APPLICATION: One popular chorus here in Ghana says, “Who has the final say? Jesus Christ has the final say!” God has the final say, no matter what we might think. Balaam would be happy to satisfy Balak’s demands were it not for God having confronted him on the way to Moab. But God insists on Balaam blessing Israel abundantly.  It’s likely that Balak has already attempted other kinds of witchcraft without any success. But nothing is working.

Witchcraft is real and we fool ourselves if we ignore that reality. But God is also real and His power to protect is still very real. How can we qualify for God’s protection? Obedience to God’s will is the key. When we commit our lives to God and persistently seek His will for our lives, we qualify for His protection. But when we are living and acting in rebellion against God, we have removed ourselves from God’s protection. Rebellion can take several different forms, including rebellion against those in authority above us. 1 Samuel 15:23 tells us that “rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft.”

If we don’t want to become a target of evil, we must be sure to obey God. We served faithfully in one location, only to be refused the opportunity to return there, despite the fact that the local people really wanted us to come back and take up the work. We had to relocate and move all our belongings that we had stored in a container in the village to another location several hundred miles away. We worked in two different places for several years until being invited to return to that remote village. (The parent group couldn’t find any other doctor willing to work there.) God showed us that the only way we would survive would be to repudiate all traces of bitterness over the way we had been treated. For months we quoted Ephesians 4:31-32 several times a day. “ Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.”  This village was a satanic stronghold. Had we failed to reject bitterness, we could have fallen sick or died. Only God and His Word protected us.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and caring for us. Lord, help us to obey You at all times so that You can guard and keep us. Thank You for Your powerful protection. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Balak Sends for Balaam

“Then the children of Israel moved, and camped in the plains of Moab on the side of the Jordan across from Jericho.

Now Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites. And Moab was exceedingly afraid of the people because they were many, and Moab was sick with dread because of the children of Israel. So Moab said to the elders of Midian, “Now this company will lick up everything around us, as an ox licks up the grass of the field.” And Balak the son of Zippor was king of the Moabites at that time. Then he sent messengers to Balaam the son of Beor at Pethor, which is near the River in the land of the sons of his people, to call him, saying: “Look, a people has come from Egypt. See, they cover the face of the earth, and are settling next to me! Therefore please come at once, curse this people for me, for they are too mighty for me. Perhaps I shall be able to defeat them and drive them out of the land, for I know that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed.”

So the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the diviner’s fee in their hand, and they came to Balaam and spoke to him the words of Balak. And he said to them, “Lodge here tonight, and I will bring back word to you, as the Lord speaks to me.” So the princes of Moab stayed with Balaam.

Then God came to Balaam and said, “Who are these men with you?” So Balaam said to God, “Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, has sent to me, saying, ‘Look, a people has come out of Egypt, and they cover the face of the earth. Come now, curse them for me; perhaps I shall be able to overpower them and drive them out.’ ” And God said to Balaam, “You shall not go with them; you shall not curse the people, for they are blessed.”

So Balaam rose in the morning and said to the princes of Balak, “Go back to your land, for the Lord has refused to give me permission to go with you.” And the princes of Moab rose and went to Balak, and said, “Balaam refuses to come with us.” Then Balak again sent princes, more numerous and more honorable than they. And they came to Balaam and said to him, “Thus says Balak the son of Zippor: ‘Please let nothing hinder you from coming to me; for I will certainly honor you greatly, and I will do whatever you say to me. Therefore please come, curse this people for me.’ ”

Then Balaam answered and said to the servants of Balak, “Though Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the word of the Lord my God, to do less or more. Now therefore, please, you also stay here tonight, that I may know what more the Lord will say to me.”

And God came to Balaam at night and said to him, “If the men come to call you, rise and go with them; but only the word which I speak to you—that you shall do.” So Balaam rose in the morning, saddled his donkey, and went with the princes of Moab.

Balaam, the Donkey, and the Angel

Then God’s anger was aroused because he went, and the Angel of the Lord took His stand in the way as an adversary against him. And he was riding on his donkey, and his two servants were with him. Now the donkey saw the Angel of the Lord standing in the way with His drawn sword in His hand, and the donkey turned aside out of the way and went into the field. So Balaam struck the donkey to turn her back onto the road. Then the Angel of the Lord stood in a narrow path between the vineyards, with a wall on this side and a wall on that side. And when the donkey saw the Angel of the Lord, she pushed herself against the wall and crushed Balaam’s foot against the wall; so he struck her again. Then the Angel of the Lord went further, and stood in a narrow place where there was no way to turn either to the right hand or to the left. And when the donkey saw the Angel of the Lord, she lay down under Balaam; so Balaam’s anger was aroused, and he struck the donkey with his staff.

Then the Lord opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?” And Balaam said to the donkey, “Because you have abused me. I wish there were a sword in my hand, for now I would kill you!” So the donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your donkey on which you have ridden, ever since I became yours, to this day? Was I ever disposed to do this to you?” And he said, “No.” Then the Lord opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the Angel of the Lord standing in the way with His drawn sword in His hand; and he bowed his head and fell flat on his face. And the Angel of the Lord said to him, “Why have you struck your donkey these three times? Behold, I have come out to stand against you, because your way is perverse before Me. The donkey saw Me and turned aside from Me these three times. If she had not turned aside from Me, surely I would also have killed you by now, and let her live.”

And Balaam said to the Angel of the Lord, “I have sinned, for I did not know You stood in the way against me. Now therefore, if it displeases You, I will turn back.” Then the Angel of the Lord said to Balaam, “Go with the men, but only the word that I speak to you, that you shall speak.” So Balaam went with the princes of Balak.

Now when Balak heard that Balaam was coming, he went out to meet him at the city of Moab, which is on the border at the Arnon, the boundary of the territory. Then Balak said to Balaam, “Did I not earnestly send to you, calling for you? Why did you not come to me? Am I not able to honor you?” And Balaam said to Balak, “Look, I have come to you! Now, have I any power at all to say anything? The word that God puts in my mouth, that I must speak.” So Balaam went with Balak, and they came to Kirjath Huzoth. Then Balak offered oxen and sheep, and he sent some to Balaam and to the princes who were with him.

Balaam’s First Prophecy

So it was, the next day, that Balak took Balaam and brought him up to the high places of Baal, that from there he might observe the extent of the people.”

The name “Baalam” means “destroyer of people.” There have always been people who have known God in some form, and evidently, Balaam, the son of Beor at Pethor, is one of these people. Balaam has been making a profitable business of blessings and cursings. When messengers from King Balak of Moab turn up, Balaam must be rubbing his hands in glee. This is going to be the crowning point of Balaam’s career…..until God tells him, “No.” When Balaam refuses the first time, Balak sends other princes who are richer and more honorable than the first delegation. Notice Balaam’s negotiations: “Though Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the word of the Lord my God, to do less or more.” This statement is not mere hyperbole; Balaam is actually quoting the price of his services, an entire house full of gold and silver!  

“And God came to Balaam at night and said to him, “If the men come to call you, rise and go with them; but only the word which I speak to you—that you shall do.” So Balaam rose in the morning, saddled his donkey, and went with the princes of Moab.” This part of the story is confusing. God appears to give Balaam permission to go with Balak’s envoys; yet, on the way, God confronts Balaam because He is angry that Balaam has ignored His commands. This might be an example of God’s permissive will, rather than His perfect will. Balaam’s poor little donkey tries to dodge the Angel of the Lord three times until God finally reveals Himself.

God warns Balaam to say ONLY the words God wants him to. Faced with the reality of instant destruction, Balaam gulps and agrees. It’s little wonder that Balaam informs Balak that he can only say whatever God gives him to say. Balak ignores Balaam’s warnings, assuming that he can persuade Balaam to do whatever he wants.

APPLICATION: Can God move someone who is not serving Him to speak His words anyway? Absolutely! During the 1994 Northern Ethnic Conflict in northern Ghana, a godly pastor and his family fled into the bush to save themselves. Entering a small village, the pastor met a village leader who was a fetish priest. After a brief conversation with the pastor, the fetish priest said, “Pastor, we see that you are a man of God. . Stay with us and we will help you find your way through the bush.” Eventually, the fetish priest and his people conducted the pastor and his family to a safe area.

Balaam REALLY wants this commission! If Balaam can fulfill Balak’s demands, he will be set for life. But there’s a small problem; God doesn’t want Balaam to curse the Israelites. Frightened into obedience, Balaam is prepared to deliver God’s blessings. Sadly, Balaam’s story will not have a happy ending. Eventually, Balaam delays his return home for too long and is killed along with the people who have employed him. Balaam would have done better had he stayed home in the first place.

God allows Balaam to go, but this is not God’s perfect will for Balaam. Reading this story, it is easy to forget that God loves Balaam and Balak just as much as He loves the Israelites. “God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9) The whole mess begins because Balak fears that the Israelites are going to destroy his nation and wants spiritual power to protect it. Were Balak to allow the Israelites to pass and to pay for their food and water, he might  save Moab.

How committed are we to doing God’s will and how many times do we try to do our will in God’s Name? Balaam’s obedience is only partial; he’s still thinking about all that gold and silver he’s going to collect. Many times, we claim to want God’s will; however, our motives are frequently mixed. God knows us better than we know ourselves; we are not deceiving God, but ourselves. Let us truly seek God’s will for our lives and stop playing games.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to follow hard after You all the days of our lives and to truly love You and serve You without playing games. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.