Sept. 5, 2014
Numbers 31-Part 2
Avenge the children of Israel of the Midianites: afterward shalt thou be gathered unto thy people. Numbers 31:2
LET IT GLOW
God is not pleased with partial obedience, half-hearted obedience, nor disobedience. He wants complete, wholehearted, total obedience. It would be well with us if we were to remember this. Israel should have, also, but did not.
The 12,000 Israelites warred against the Midianites and won.
What was the result?
- They slew all the males, as the LORD commanded Moses.
- Five kings of Midian, mentioned in verse 8 were killed.
- Balaam was killed with the sword.
- The Israelites captured the Midianite women and children.
- They took all the Midianite herds, flocks, and goods as plunder.
- They burned the camps and towns where the Midianites had settled.
- Everything they captured was brought before Moses, Eleazar the priest, and the Israelite assembly by the Jordan.
LET IT GROW
Moses and Eleazar and all the leaders of the community met the army outside of camp. Moses was angry with the officers of the army which returned from the battle.
Why was he angry? They didn't kill all of the Midianites. Especially the women, since they were the ones who turned the Israeli men away from the LORD in Peor, into idolarty and immorality. Thus the LORD struck them with a plague. How quickly they forgot. (Numbers 25)
What specific instructions did Moses give the army?
- He told them to kill all the women who had slept with a man. This was so the same thing was not repeated and to prevent the fall of the men into sin.
- So Moses directed them to kill all the boys, also. This was because little boys grow up to avenge fathers' death and perpetuate the Midian culture-which in itself was anti-God. (Guzik)
- They were allowed to save for themselves, as slaves, the virgin girls who had not slept with a man. These young girls would not be connected with immorality and idolatry.
- Anyone who had killed or touched anyone who was killed had to go through the cleansing ritual, purifying themselves, their clothing, and captives. In other words, purification of the soldiers was required. (verses 19-20)
- Eleazar reminded the soldiers that the gold, silver, bronze, iron, tin, lead, and anything else that cold withstand fire must be put through the fire, then it would be clean. It must be purified with water of cleansing.
- Anything not withstanding fire must be put through that water.
Keep in mind:
These orders to burn and kill came from God. He is the righteous Judge of the earth. He was fully aware of all the circumstances and consequences involved at the time of the command. Israel was fighting for its very survival, and often that meant to kill or be killed. the moral habits of some of these desert people were almost unimaginable in their degeneration. (Falwell)
What happened to the confiscated wealth from this battle?
- The spoils was to be divided into two parts, with one part going to those who took part in the war and the other part to the rest of the congregation. God did not want looters and pirates.
- From the portion which the army received, they were to give a portion to the LORD.
- It all included over 800,000 animals, well over 1 million dollars in gold. (Falwell)
Not one Israeli soldier was missing or killed.(verse 49)
They were faithful to bring an offering as an atonement for their souls before the LORD. (verse 50)
David established this as a permanent rule of war, some four centuries later. (1 Sam. 30:24-25)
Do we allow worldly things such as secular music, songs, media, their ways, to be in the Lord's house of worship? There should be a separation of things used for the gospel and the Lord's honor. Are we watching out for those things which do not please the Lord?
LET IT GO
Totally obey what the Lord has said in His Word.
Be faithful in following His Spirit's leading.
Pay attention to the details.
Separate myself from the worldly ways and things which do not please the Lord, nor honor Him.
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