Numbers 31 - 33

Learning To Possess
The children of Israel are nearing the end of their journey in the wilderness.  All those who refused to enter when they were at Kadesh-Barnea have died.  Joshua and Caleb have remained faithful and Moses is told his end is near. The Lord begins to work on the mind set of the people attempting to change is from wanderers and "dependers" to conquerors and "possessors" (excuse my coinage).

For forty years the people have wandered.  The Lord has provided them direction, safety, food, water, and leadership.  He has done this because he wants them to possess a land He has promised them - Canaan.  This is to be the land of Israel.  They have been in minor skirmishes, but in chapter 31 the Lord directs Moses to have the people avenge the sin caused by the Midianites when they led the Israelites into idolatry.

The armies of Israel utterly destroy the Midianite men but return with the women which outrages Moses.  The women were what the Midianites used at the direction of Balaam to lead Israel into idolatry.  They all must be killed, except the virgins!  The booty from the skirmish is sizable.  Almost 420 pounds of gold and 675,000 sheep and goats, with 72,000 head of cattle.  This will prepare them well for their crossing over into Canaan.

In chapter 33, the Lord issues a solemn order, "When you cross the Jordan River into the land of Canaan, you must drive out all the people living there. You must destroy all their carved and molten images and demolish all their pagan shrines." (vs 51-52).  In verses 55-56 He warns, "But if you fail to drive out the people who live in the land, those who remain will be like splinters in your eyes and thorns in your sides. They will harass you in the land where you live. And I will do to you what I had planned to do to them."

This is a warning that we, as Christians, can heed.  When we rid our lives of sin and possess the promises God has for us, we must completely remove all traces. We do not keep "reminders" or tokens of our past sinful lives, rather we fully sanctify ourselves over to Him.  The more of sin we allow to remain in our lives, the more it hinders our walk with Jesus Christ.

May God bless you and bless the reading of His Word.