Numbers 35:1-5 Cow Town

Cow Town

Numbers 35:1-5

Short passage where God tells Moses that even though they weren't awarded an inheritance, the tribes are to dedicate land for the Levites; land for their homes and land for their cattle to graze upon. If I remember right, the Levites wouldn't have been fighting, but as the conduit to God, it is certainly in the best interest of the Israelites to make sure their needs are provided for.

Perhaps this is God's way of creating precedence.  His spokespeople, his clergy, should be taken care of by the people they serve.  It's easy to be jaded about the employment of church workers- be skeptical about the hours kept and the work they do and as a result we often expect them to do more than their share since, after all, they're getting paid for it (and to be honest, we aren't always thrilled about that either).  

These priests, these servants, served functions that I would never envy.  They dealt with bloody carnage in the context of sacrifice, they were responsible for duties for the most powerful boss in existence.  They earned their "pay".  

While modern day "Levites" may deal with less blood and gore, they deal with the muck created by the Christians they serve.  They learn things about us that they often wish they could un-know.  They pray for us, minister to us, and work to bring us closer to God.  They may not wear leather aprons, but they often get no less bloody.  God's work, indeed.

A Surveyor's Favorite Passage

A Surveyor's Favorite Passage

Numbers 34

Here God spells out the boundaries of the promised land to Moses and tells him to use lots to determine which tribe gets what.  The land is to be distributed between the 9 1/2 tribes planning on living in Canaan since Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh opted to get their land before getting there. God also assigns leaders from each tribe to help distribute ownership within the tribes.

God seems cool with the choice of those tribes to opt out of Canaan, which seems a little odd when considering His reaction in earlier chapters when His followers wanted to pass on the reward He had promised.  Perhaps the key here is that these tribes didn't give up on God, and they still did their part helping claim Canaan for the rest of the wanderers.

This passage may be really interesting if you're into geography.  I'm not.  But it does once again emphasize that even if promises are a long time coming, God fulfills them in the end.

Israelite Mapquest

Israelite Mapquest

Numbers 33

This chapter contains a rehashing of the travel plans of the wanderings from the day they left captivity until right before they got the promised land.  Moses references a few pertinent highlights- the Egyptians burying their firstborn as they march out of town, no water at Rephidim, the death of Aaron at Mount Hor, and finally the arrival at Moab.  

At this point God tells Moses that they are to drive out ALL of the residents and destroy all the idols and high places.  I'm assuming high places are worship centers or display venues for the idols.  They are to distribute the land by lot.  No whining, fate determines which piece of land your clan gets.  The size of the land though is determined by the size of the group who is to live there.  

God warns that if they don't drive everybody out, those who remain will be "barbs in your eyes and thorns in your sides".  And that He will do to the Israelites what He planned on doing to the Canaanite stragglers.

This is a harsh warning.  Mess up here and you will become My enemy.  Perhaps the subtext here is that the only way you can mess up is to no follow through, to not accept My will as your own, to not do what I say.  It's not a question of success, but instead of willingness to see this through to the end.  And perhaps that's what God asks of us.  Not unfailing success, but a submission of our own will to His.

The actual act, though, is a bit disconcerting.  Here God commands a lack of mercy to be the shield the Israelites are to stand behind.  No one remains.  I guess at least He's demanding evacuation and not extermination.

Regardless, here we see God about to follow through on His promise- something we should take as evidence that promises to us will also one day be delivered.

The Sins of the Fathers

Numbers 32

So as the Israelites continue their trek to the promised land, the Reubenites and Gadites see all their livestock and all the sweet land for grazing all around them and so they ask for a conference with Moses.

Look, Moe, we get that this land of milk and honey is great and all- but look at this land right here.  We're simple folks with simple needs and simple cows.  We're happy right here.  What say we don't cross the Jordan but just take this land as our inheritance?

Moses gets a little irate.  Hey, dummies- don't you remember when your parents played this game?  They discouraged the Israelites from entering the promised land- and God was none too pleased.  In fact, He had them on extended march duty until that entire generation died.  If you pull these shenanigans, you're likely to cause the same thing to happen again.  Besides, why should all of the rest of the Israelites go to war while you stay here with your livestock.  That's bull.

Well versed in the art of negotiation, they countered.  What if we build pens and such for our animals, fortify some cities for our wives and children- and then put on the armor and get to conquering.  We'll even lead the way to the promised land...just give us THIS land to come back to instead of land in Canaan.

Moses thinks about it and says.  Ok, it's a deal- but if you don't follow through you'll be sinning against God.

This is a weird exchange to me.  First off, wouldn't this tick God off?  I've been promising you this amazing gift for years and years- and now, when we're right on the verge of getting it, you're settling for this?  Why do they think they know better than God what land is right for them?

Second, does this mean more land for the other Israelites?  If so, I'll bet they were all for the arrangements.  Sure, go build your pens, we'll wait right here and dream of our acres to come.

Finally, Moses tells Eleazar and Joshua the situation and adds- they can have this land unless they don't come with us to fight in which case, make them stay in Canaan. Huh?  So this wondrous gift is now a punishment if they don't follow through?  And it also punishes the folks who do fight by giving them less land?  

For me, the take away lesson is to avoid negotiating with God.  His promises are better than what you will concoct on your own.  He can reward beyond what you can imagine.

However, I don't remember how this turns out, so I could be wrong.