God Cherishes You Blog

Numbers (cont.)

7.Resistance and death:

            As we saw, the Israelites are encamped at Kadesh, where they first began their wanderings in the wilderness. They were at the border of a nation called ‘Edom’ whose descendants were rooted in Esau, Jacob’s brother.

            Moses wanted to take the people through Edom, as it would greatly reduce their travel time.

            He appealed to their king, stating that they would stay on the ‘king’s road’ and not infringe upon their natural resources. The king refused, and even met them with his army to thwart their passage.

            Thus, the Israelites were forced to take a longer journey. Their first stop was a Mount Hor, (location unknown). God speaks to Moses and Aaron (See Nu.20:14 – 22.):

“Aaron will be gathered to his people [in death]; for he shall not enter the land which I have given to the children of Israel, because you [both] rebelled against My command at the waters of Meribah. Take Aaron and Eleazar his son and bring them up to Mount Hor; and strip Aaron of his garments and put them on Eleazar his son. So Aaron will be gathered to his fathers, and will die there.” Nu. 20:24 – 26. AMP

            And it was so. Aaron died at the age of 123; and the people mourned for 30 days.

8.Victories for the second generation of the Israelites and another fit of grumbling:

 When the Canaanite, the king of Arad, who lived in the Negev (the South country) heard that Israel was coming by the way of Atharim [the route traveled by the spies sent out by Moses], he fought against Israel and took some of them captive. So Israel made a vow to the Lord, and said, “If You will indeed hand over these people to me, then I will utterly destroy their cities.” The Lord heard the voice of Israel and handed over the Canaanites; then they destroyed them and their cities. Nu. 21:1 – 3. AMP

            Immediately after this victory, they set out to journey around the Red Sea, because of Edom’s refusal of passage. The people grumbled once more about the conditions they saw themselves in:

“Why have you brought us out of Egypt to die here in the wilderness?” they complained. “There is nothing to eat here and nothing to drink. And we hate this horrible manna!” Nu. 21:5 NLT

            Haven’t these people learned their lesson? God sends poisonous snakes that kill many people. The rest of them confess their sin to Moses who prays for their deliverance. Our merciful Creator tells Moses to make a bronze snake and attach it to a pole. Those who looked at it, if bitten, were healed. (See Nu. 21:6 – 9.)

            The Israelites pressed on towards Moab. Moses sent ambassadors to King Sihon of the Amorites, asking for safe passage through their land. The king refused. Instead, he roused his army and attacked them, but the Israelites slaughtered that army and occupied all the towns, including the city of Heshbon (located in modern-day Jordan). (See Nu. 21:21 – 32.)

            Then the people marched on to Bashan (east of the Sea of Galilee). There, they were attacked by King Og of the same region, but Jehovah encourages Moses:

“Do not fear him, for I have handed him over to you along with his whole army and his land. Do to him as you did to King Sihon of the Amorites, who lived in Heshbon.” So they struck him, his sons, and his whole army until no one was left, and they took possession of his land. Nu. 34, 35. CSB

9.Balaam and Balak

            The Israelites made camp on the plains of Moab, preparing to do battle, to conquer Canaan. King Balak of Moab, who had been conquered by the Israelites, but was able to re-take it, was still concerned about the presence of God’s children.  So, he sent men to hire the prophet Balaam to ‘curse’ Israel.

            Balaam is an interesting character. He had a relationship with God, but he also practiced ‘divination’, which is proscribed by Mosaic Law. When he was approached by Balak’s men, he sought God’s counsel and He replied:

“Do not go with them; you shall not curse the people [of Israel], for they are blessed.” Nu. 22:12 AMP

            Balaam sent Balak’s men away. However, Balak sent even more men with a promise of a great reward. Again, Balaam sought Jehovah’s counsel:

“Since these men have come for you, get up and go with them. But do only what I tell you to do.” Nu. 22:20 NLT

            Then, God gets angry because Balaam was going, even though He gave him permission to do so. (Some biblical scholars contend that it was because Balaam still thought he could curse Israel and get that great reward.)

            Balaam rode a donkey towards Balak but Jehovah intervenes:

Balaam’s donkey saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road with a drawn sword in his hand. The donkey bolted off the road into a field, but Balaam beat it and turned it back onto the road. Then the angel of the Lord stood at a place where the road narrowed between two vineyard walls. When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, it tried to squeeze by and crushed Balaam’s foot against the wall. So Balaam beat the donkey again. Then the angel of the Lord moved farther down the road and stood in a place too narrow for the donkey to get by at all. This time when the donkey saw the angel, it lay down under Balaam. In a fit of rage Balaam beat the animal again with his staff.

Then the Lord gave the donkey the ability to speak. “What have I done to you that deserves your beating me three times?” it asked Balaam.

“You have made me look like a fool!” Balaam shouted. “If I had a sword with me, I would kill you!” Nu. 22:23 – 29. NLT

            Then the angel of the LORD appeared before Balaam and asked him why he beat his donkey. He told Balaam that He had come to block his way because he was resisting Him. Balaam said he would return home, but the angel of the LORD instead told him to go, but to only say what He tells him to say. (See Nu. 22:32 – 35.)

            Balaam meets with Balak and says:

“Look, now I have come, but I have no power to say whatever I want. I will speak only the message that God puts in my mouth.” Nu. 22:38 NLT

            Balaam then went to consult Jehovah and returned to King Balak and rendered the LORD’s message:

“Balak summoned me to come from Aram; the king of Moab brought me from the eastern hills. ‘Come,’ he said, ‘curse Jacob for me! Come and announce Israel’s doom.’
But how can I curse those whom God has not cursed? How can I condemn those whom the Lord has not condemned? I see them from the cliff tops; I watch them from the hills.
I see a people who live by themselves, set apart from other nations.Who can count Jacob’s descendants, as numerous as dust? Who can count even a fourth of Israel’s people? Let me die like the righteous; let my life end like theirs.” Nu. 23:7 – 10. NLT

            Instead of cursing them, Balaam blesses them! Balak is beside himself and takes Balaam to a different viewing point. Balaam again convenes with God, and delivers his second message:

“Rise up, Balak, and listen! Hear me, son of Zippor. God is not a man, so he does not lie.
 He is not human, so he does not change his mind. Has he ever spoken and failed to act? Has he ever promised and not carried it through? Listen, I received a command to bless; God has blessed, and I cannot reverse it! No misfortune is in his plan for Jacob; no trouble is in store for Israel. For the Lord their God is with them; he has been proclaimed their king. God brought them out of Egypt; for them he is as strong as a wild ox. No curse can touch Jacob; no magic has any power against Israel. For now it will be said of Jacob, ‘What wonders God has done for Israel!’ These people rise up like a lioness, like a majestic lion rousing itself. They refuse to rest until they have feasted on prey, drinking the blood of the slaughtered!” Nu. 23:18 – 24. NLT

            King Balak takes Balaam to yet another vantage point, thinking he will be able to curse the Israelites from there. That is not how it goes:

By now Balaam realized that the Lord was determined to bless Israel, so he did not resort to divination as before. Instead, he turned and looked out toward the wilderness, where he saw the people of Israel camped, tribe by tribe. Then the Spirit of God came upon him, and this is the message he delivered:

“This is the message of Balaam son of Beor, the message of the man whose eyes see clearly, the message 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; how lovely are your homes, O Israel! They spread before me like palm groves, like gardens by the riverside. They are like tall trees planted by the Lord, like cedars beside the waters. Water will flow from their buckets; their offspring have all they need. Their king will be greater than Agag; their kingdom will be exalted. God brought them out of Egypt; for them he is as strong as a wild ox. He devours all the nations that oppose him, breaking their bones in pieces, shooting them with arrows. Like a lion, Israel crouches and lies down; like a lioness, who dares to arouse her? Blessed is everyone who blesses you, O Israel, and cursed is everyone who curses you.” Nu. 24:1 – 9. NLT

            Christian biblical scholars see this reference to a ‘king greater than Agag, and a kingdom who will be exalted’ as a messianic prophecy.

            King Balak is enraged, screaming at Balaam for blessing Israel three times instead of cursing them. He tells Balaam to get out of his sight, telling him that he will not receive any reward. Balaam responds to the king:

 “Don’t you remember what I told your messengers? I said, ‘Even if Balak were to give me his palace filled with silver and gold, I would be powerless to do anything against the will of the Lord.’ Nu. 24:12, 13. NLT

“…let me tell you what the Israelites will do to your people in the future.”

“This is the message of Balaam son of Beor, the message of the man whose eyes see clearly, the message 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 here and now. I perceive him, but far in the distant future. A star will rise from Jacob; a scepter will emerge from Israel. It will crush the heads of Moab’s people, cracking the skulls of the people of Sheth. Edom will be taken over, and Seir, its enemy, will be conquered, while Israel marches on in triumph. A ruler will rise in Jacob who will destroy the survivors of Ir.”

Then Balaam looked over toward the people of Amalek and delivered this message: “Amalek was the greatest of nations, but its destiny is destruction!” Then he looked over toward the Kenites and delivered this message: “Your home is secure; your nest is set in the rocks. But the Kenites will be destroyed when Assyria takes you captive.”

Balaam concluded his messages by saying: “Alas, who can survive unless God has willed it? Ships will come from the coasts of Cyprus; they will oppress Assyria and afflict Eber, but they, too, will be utterly destroyed.” Nu. 24:15 – 24. NLT

            This prophecy too, is Messianic in nature, of a future star / scepter, that delivers Israel from all its enemies.

10.Falling into sin again:

 Israel settled and remained in Shittim, and the people began to play the prostitute with the women of Moab [by being unfaithful to God]. For they invited the Israelites to the sacrifices of their gods, and the Israelites ate [food offered to idols] and bowed down to Moab’s gods.  So Israel joined themselves to Baal of Peor [in worship]. And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel. The Lord said to Moses, “Take all the leaders of the people [who have committed sin with the Moabites], and execute them in broad daylight before the Lord, so that the fierce anger of the Lord may turn away from Israel.” Nu. 25:1 – 4. AMP

            God brought a plague upon the people:

…those [Israelites] who died in the plague numbered 24,000. Nu. 25:9 AMP

            At this point in time, Moses, Joshua, and Caleb are the only survivors of the first generation of the Israelites. All the rest are dead.

            A second census is taken as a measure to organize the military for the invasion of Canaan. It was also used to divide Canaan into lots of land for each tribe. (See Nu. 26:1 – 65.)

            Joshua was chosen as the Israelite’s new leader, replacing Moses, who could not enter the Promised Land because he had disobeyed God’s instructions earlier when he struck the rock to make water come out, and for taking the credit for doing so.

            God, through Moses, again, this time for the second generation, gives instructions for the daily offerings to Him, about the Passover, the Feasts, and the proper use of vows. (See Nu. 28:1 – 30:16.)

            Before they were to cross the Jordan River, they first conquered the Midianite nation in the ‘Transjordan’ region. After that, the tribes of Reuben and Gad asked Moses if they could claim the land for their homes because it was ideal for their large flocks of animals. The other tribes were upset, but they mollified them by agreeing to send their own fighting men to complete the settlement of Canaan. (See Nu. 31:1 – 32:42.)

            Jehovah tells Moses the borders of their new nation, and more about dividing it for the tribes. Forty-eight cities are allotted to the Levites, six of which, are designated as ‘cities of refuge’ – places where unintentional murderers could flee to, to stand trial.

            Stay tuned for the final book of the Torah: Deuteronomy – Moses’ last stand.

            Goodnight and God Bless.