Today’s reading is the “tentpole” Scripture for many atheists, it is the bonfire around which the Most High God’s accusers warm themselves most heartily. The story of Egypt’s firstborn angers them, but in that story it’s plausible that God was exercising the last option to get Pharaoh to stop oppressing and killing the Israelites. Today’s passage? On its heels, many have rendered a guilty verdict against God.
We wrestled with writing this passage for days because we want nothing more than to equip disciples of Downtown Hope, the royal priesthood to have an answer for those seeking to accept the way, the truth, and the life. Too many times, we are not prepared to exposit God’s Scripture so we can clearly reason.
At the same time, we don’t want err in acting as if we know the completeness of God’s ways. Job 38 comes to mind:
2 “Who is this that obscures my plans with words without knowledge? 3 Brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer me. 4 “Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation? Tell me, if you understand. We don’t know all of God’s ways. He is playing a long game the likes of which we do not have the mental capacity to begin to understand intricately. However, we can understand His nature.
He desires to save us all:
“For to this end we toil and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe.” 1 Timothy 4:10
Mankind exercises its will all too often in wayward directions:
“There is a way which seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death..” Proverbs 14:12
And because of our hardness of our hearts, sickened by sin’s grip and demonic influences, increased pain enters the world:
Hebrews 3:15: As it is said, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.”
Matthew 19:8: He said to them, “Because of your hardness of heart Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so.
As you enter today’s readings, you can’t know God’s ways. But you can know His heart and His nature.
Let us mediate, read, and reason together.
Numbers 31:1-20
1 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Avenge the people of Israel on the Midianites. Afterward you shall be gathered to your people.” 3 So Moses spoke to the people, saying, “Arm men from among you for the war, that they may go against Midian to execute the Lord's vengeance on Midian. 4 You shall send a thousand from each of the tribes of Israel to the war.” 5 So there were provided, out of the thousands of Israel, a thousand from each tribe, twelve thousand armed for war. 6 And Moses sent them to the war, a thousand from each tribe, together with Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, with the vessels of the sanctuary and the trumpets for the alarm in his hand. 7 They warred against Midian, as the Lord commanded Moses, and killed every male. 8 They killed the kings of Midian with the rest of their slain, Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba, the five kings of Midian. And they also killed Balaam the son of Beor with the sword. 9 And the people of Israel took captive the women of Midian and their little ones, and they took as plunder all their cattle, their flocks, and all their goods. 10 All their cities in the places where they lived, and all their encampments, they burned with fire, 11 and took all the spoil and all the plunder, both of man and of beast. 12 Then they brought the captives and the plunder and the spoil to Moses, and to Eleazar the priest, and to the congregation of the people of Israel, at the camp on the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho.
13 Moses and Eleazar the priest and all the chiefs of the congregation went to meet them outside the camp. 14 And Moses was angry with the officers of the army, the commanders of thousands and the commanders of hundreds, who had come from service in the war. 15 Moses said to them, “Have you let all the women live? 16 Behold, these, on Balaam's advice, caused the people of Israel to act treacherously against the Lord in the incident of Peor, and so the plague came among the congregation of the Lord. 17 Now therefore, kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman who has known man by lying with him. 18 But all the young girls who have not known man by lying with him keep alive for yourselves. 19 Encamp outside the camp seven days. Whoever of you has killed any person and whoever has touched any slain, purify yourselves and your captives on the third day and on the seventh day. 20 You shall purify every garment, every article of skin, all work of goats' hair, and every article of wood.”
[ WHAT ] is this passage saying and what is a key truth or thought that we learn?
+ The Midiantes corrupted the Isrealites through fornication and idolatry at Baal of Peor. What was their punishment [v. 1-7]
+ Though they killed all the Midianite soldiers, why was Moses upset that they didn’t follow through with God’s command? What did he then instruct them to do? [v 12-18]
+ In ancient times, a code of honor in cultures like the Midianites was that males of any age had a duty to avenge the honor of their people (vengeance killings). It is hard to think of a two year old today growing up to kill his adopted parents, but that was part and parcel of ancient life. Knowing this, how does verse 17 sit with you?
+ As you sit with God’s nature this morning, how does this entire passage make you feel? We highly encourage finishing the whole chapter, to see how the Nation of Israel responded. Remember, that Christ’s seed was being carried in this Nation. Think about a world without Christ.
[ HOW ] is the Lord calling me to action/obedience?
+ Is there a sin to confess or a next step to take? How has it gone since last time?
+ Do you trust all of God’s ways?
[ WHO ] am I walking with and praying for to discover Jesus?
+ What is my next step?