I Saw the Sign

Deuteronomy 4:32-40

Moses makes a case for refraining from worshiping other gods, idols, celestial bodies, rock stars, etc.  He tells them-  Dudes.  You've seen the real thing.  Voices from fire.  Plagues. Deliverance.  Mighty world powers falling at your feet.  A beautiful inheritance.  You have seen the power of God- why would you look anywhere else?

So since you've seen it- worship Him.

Simple and straightforward and seemingly encouraging.  We too have seen signs.  We too serve a mighty God.  We too have seen our foes vanquished.  Except sometimes we don't.

Moses talks to God's chosen people.  A literally, genetically favored group of people who God shined on for a specific time and a specific purpose.  The problem is, when we signs and wonders we view ourselves as God's chosen people (chosen over others who do not see themselves as passed over).  When our foes smite us, when we are victims of the plagues and not the victors, when the tsunami hits us- and not a foreign country- we don't in turn assume that God is against us.

I'm a bit wary of people who have heard the voice of God and have gotten a unique directive from their own "burning bush".  Perhaps things work this way, and I don't mean to belittle anyone's spiritual experience, but more often we interpret God's power in hindsight in ways that affirm our already formed world views. And when others hear those voices in ways we don't understand, we tend to think they're on the far side of crazy.

That's not to say God isn't mighty. Isn't able to see us through.  Doesn't care about our pain.  It just means that if your view of God involves Him choosing you at the expense of someone else, it's important to remember that He made that person too.

Praise God.  He has done great things.  Remember, though, you don't have a monopoly on His blessings.

Idol Hands

Idol Hands

Deuteronomy 4:15-31

Moses continues his pity party.  I won't be going with you to the promised land.  I'll be stuck here while you get all the Honey Nut cheerios and lactose you can tolerate.

In this section, Moses harps on the need to remember to stop graven-ing those images.  First off, when the burning bush appeared, no image.  So don't try to create one of God that looks like a man, or a woman, or a calf, or a beaver.  Also, you should really avoid the whole worshiping the sun, or moon, or satellite.  God's not much of a fan of that.  

And once you've settled in, you've made some children, you're thinking, this is a great time to start some idol worship. It isn't.  God is jealous.  It will not go well.

For me, the heart of this passage seems to come in the middle.  Moses says- if it wasn't for you, I could be enjoying the prosperity of the land.  But no, you had to go and build that calf. As you get ready to enjoy the greatest reward of your life, let me throw some guilt on it for you.  I can't go and it's your fault.

This feels a lot like Moses saving face.  Saying that the idol building is why Moses gets left behind is a bit of a stretch.  I've always felt like Moses got a raw deal in this whole process, but passages like this one seem to suggest that this account is pretty biased.  I was up on the mountain minding my own business when they built this calf.  I didn't strike the rock, someone threw it at my staff.  I was slipping, it's gravity's fault, not mine.

Even Moses strives to save face when things don't go his way.  It's not pretty for him.  It's not pretty for us either.

Redundant Again

Deuteronomy 4:1-14

Moses, as concise with his verbiage as ever, commands the Israelites to do the things I'm about to tell you.  It would seem like it would be enough to just tell them what to do- wouldn't the actual fulfilling of them be implied?  It's like he's concocted a big game of Simeon Says.  He warns them to obey the rules as is- no adding, no subtracting.

Before telling them these rules they are to fulfill, he sets up reasons why they should fulfill them.  He says, You saw what happened to those folks who followed Baal of Peor?  They aren't great models to emulate- seeing as they're all dead and you're still alive.

Obeying will:  

Show the nations your wisdom and understanding.  So the surrounding nations (at least those you don't kill) will be struck by how smart (and alive) you are by not rebelling.

Show the nations how close to God you are.  This is the coolest of the reasons.  Moses says, it will stand out to these people that you have a God who actually cares about you, who actually listens to you, who actually knows what you're going through.  

Show people how awesome your laws are.  Moses is grasping here.  I'm not sure many people would be watching the invading forces and thinking, man- those are some cool rules they follow.  Hope they don't kill us.

He then tells them to teach the laws to their children and to remember the day the received the ten commandments.  He describes God's voice coming from the fire and His writing the laws on stone.  He then reminds them (in a characteristic moment of self-indulgence) that God commissioned him to teach them to follow the laws.  

The thing most striking to me in this passage is the reminder of how close our God is to us.  He knew the plight of the Israelite- and he knows our's too.  He hears our voices the same way he heard their's.  And even if we've been told over and over- that's a message worth hearing again.

Mo' Problems

Deuteronomy 3: 21-29

As Moses continues recapping the Israelite's tale, he hits a couple of important events.  

First, he shares his pep talk with Joshua.  He tells him, dude- you've seen how God helped us demolish these two kings?  He's totally going to do the same thing as you enter the lands of all these other kings.  Worry not. All will be well. God will fight for you.

Second, Moses segues into self-pity mode.  He tells them how he tried to butter God up.  Hey, God.  Remember all that awesome stuff You've been showing the world.  About how awesome You are and all that?  It would be really amazing if I could, you know, travel into the promised land and see more of that stuff.  Whadda You say?  Let bygones be bygones?

Moses tells the Israelites- because of YOU God was still a bit peeved with me and said.  Look, enough with this whining.  I'm done talking about it.  No go Mo.  You're staying behind.  Hit a mountaintop- you can see the land- but that's all you're getting.  However, you should make sure Joshua is pumped and ready- he'll be leading the people in.

I am amazed at the amount of character insight into Moses we get here.  He's bitter, and really concerned with how he's perceived by the readers of his epic tale.  If it weren't for these pesky Israelites, me and God would still be buds and I'd have all the milk and honey I could consume.   But instead, I'm destined to sit on a mountain by myself, moping and spying on these people I've devoted my life to leading.

It also makes me realize that all scripture is written with perspective.  While these authors were certainly immersed in the story of God, their writing is interwoven with unique insight, distinct agendas, personal stakes, and narrative holes filled in based on their culture's oral tradition.  While believers tend to be dogmatic over detail, we often tend to not factor these kind of considerations into application.  Rob Bell points out that these books are written by real people- and need to be read that way.

Rand McMoses

Deuteronomy 3:12-20

Moses recaps the occurrences of Numbers 32, but in a much more abbreviated version.  If you don't remember our riveting conversation from last year, you can find it here: http://chiphall.blogspot.com/2013/06/the-sins-of-fathers-numbers-32-so-as.html

Moses tells us in a quite boring fashion how this land was split up and that the folks who were staying to claim it still had to cross over the Jordan and help their brothers claim the rest of the land.  However, they could leave their women, children, and livestock safely behind.

Moe eliminates any detail of the discussion to claim these lands as inheritance and that this was an idea the Israelites pitched to God.  Could this be a separate thread of the oral retelling?  Family stories are told differently by different people who remember different details- or who want to frame stories to make themselves appear more heroically.  Both versions of this tale are ascribed to Moses, but certainly pieces of them (especially this book written after his death) could have been written by others who remembered things with less specificity. 

It's a bit disheartening for us lovers of plot that the part left out was the closest thing to a story that existed here. 

Perhaps the message is to remember that God's story doesn't end with the generation that experienced it.  Retellings keep the story alive from generation to generation.  However, those stories that more blatantly seem to tell us about God and his people are a bit more helpful to relive.

Bashin' Bashan

Deuteronomy 3:1-11

This section greatly mirrors those that came before- more recollection of the good ole days of bloody war.  Here Moses reminds them of the incident where they defeated King Og of Bashan.  God says, don't be afraid- do what you did to the Amorites...no worries.

So they do.  Men, women, and children. Dead.

In return they got 60 cities.

Rob Bell suggests that the people in this time were describing the world they knew, that fighting in the name of their god was natural, expected, and commonplace.  He suggests that these ultra-violent passages may illustrate a people not yet evolved culturally enough to recognize that their God is different, that His expectations and desires don't match up to the whims of the gods surrounding them.

And he stresses that this same God put in us the ability to recognize how foreign this violence is to what His will truly is...but this recognition only comes after a gradual cultural evolution.  God guides the people slowly from that barbaric culture and helps it gradually shift to our slightly less but still somewhat barbaric culture.

But it takes many, many, many small steps.  And an amazing Savior.

Nostalgia To Die For

Deuteronomy 2:24-37

Moses's greatest hits collection reaches the track about the battle of Jabaz.  Remember how God told you to offer King Sihon money for food, drink, and safe passage through his land.  And remember when he said no how I helped you slaughter his people, including the women and children?  However, even though we took his land for ourselves, we were careful not to take any Ammorite land.

This feels like celebration talk: serious reminiscing reminding the troops of great victory.  However, it's hard to stomach the celebration of mass killing; especially when that killing involves women and children.

Rob Bell discusses the violence in the old testament as being natural- as they are stories told through oral tradition in a culture where violence is the norm and as these stories are retold, I wonder how much of the tales are justification for violence in the name of God.  I wrestle with how much perspective comes into play in biblical texts- and I wonder what the detail is included for.  Was it there to remind the people of the potential of the bloodthirstiness of their God?  Or was it there to frame their history in a way that made them look more humane.  This same kind of thinking influences how Americans talk about the first Thanksgiving- or westward expansion.

The same question arises when thinking about the detail of steering clear of Ammorite land.  Moses emphasizes...remember, we didn't go anywhere near it.  Perhaps, this was in case any Ammorites had their own version of the story.  This would document that the Israelites weren't involved in whatever could possibly be pinned on them.

Context seems so central to these stories- but that context is often hard to crack thousands of years later and thousands of miles away.

Dead Men Walking

Deuteronomy 2:1-23

Moses continues his history lesson.  So, if you recall, we started back through the wilderness.  We were headed to the Red Sea doing our best to avoid Seir.  Finally God said, you've put it off long enough, turn this camp north- we're going through Esau country.  They'll be afraid of you, but don't take advantage of the situation. Don't start any fights- you are not getting their land.  This is their's. Don't even help yourself to food and drink- whatever you get, pay for.  I've blessed you for 40 years, you don't need their stuff to survive.

So we passed on through- and then God gave me a very similar message- you'll be coming up on land belonging to Lot's people, don't harass them or take any of their land either.  I've given this land to them. Then God sent us across the Zered Valley.

Once we crossed the valley, 38 years had passed and all the fighting men had died.  At this point we finally reached the Moabites God spoke to me about and we passed on through.

At first glance this seems to be God pouring salt on the wound.  Look here are some people living in a land I've given them.  Notice how they aren't wandering.  OK, you've looked long enough- get back to walking.  In four more decades I'll give you another taste of some people I blessed.  They won't be you, but you can watch and remember how you messed up...before you start walking again.

But taking a step back, and taking into account the timing of Moses' retelling, perhaps Moses is saying- look people, now is not the time to give up.  We've been walking for ages- and look, God rewarded these people, He's about to reward us too!  

What's harder to come to peace with, though, is the perspective of these warriors who literally walked until they died.  What motivation would have kept them going?  Why not just leave the group to make the remaining Israelites able to enter the holy land sooner?  What kind of resentment would have existed from the generation that followed.

The truth is, if we had to pay for the sins of the generation that came before us, we'd never enter the promised land.  And the same would be true for the generation that follows us.  Without grace, none of us would ever make it home.

And I Was Just Minding My Own Business

Deuteronomy 1:26-46

Moses continues his impersonation of an eight-year-old trying to talk his way out of trouble with his parents. Lots of finger pointing, not much blame acceptance.

He picks up his retelling after the spies come back and report on the worth of the land.  He says, remember how you grumbled?  You claimed that God hated you and that this proposed invasion was some elaborate set-up to get you all killed, which makes so much sense since He rescued you from Egyptian slavery and all. You thought the enemy was too strong and their cities were impenetrable.  You whined like someone had stolen your pacifier.

Once again, I had to serve as the voice of reason.  Don't be a-feared, I said.  You won't be going alone- God is on your side.  Remember how He fought for you in Egypt?

But you would have none of it.  When God caught wind of it, He was none too pleased.  He said of this whole group- only Caleb and Joshua will enter this land I have prepared for you to receive... and your kids who are too little to know right from wrong.

And I said...and Moses too, right?  But because of YOU God was angry at me as well.  God said, nope- you won't get there, Moses.  Turn this group around and head to the Red Sea.  So, thanks a lot Israelites. You pretty much ruined my life. 

Suddenly you got all "oh no we have sinned" annoyingly repentant.  We'll fight them, God, you moaned. Once you realized all that you had lost and what your future would be you decided to risk the war.  So you suited up for battle but God let me know that wasn't the smartest move.

Tell them not to go because I will not be with them... and without Me, it will not be pretty.  But you thought He was bluffing.  So you went up, and got smacked around like Michael Spinx fighting Mike Tyson.  91 seconds later you were running back to camp crying to God, wondering why He had forsaken you.

Moses removes himself from any blame here.  No mention of his ego getting too big, no mention of his feelings of self-importance, no mention of anything other than guilt by association.  I think we cope this way too, I'll let myself off the hook, I may be serving the time, but I didn't really do the crime.

I'm also interested in how the Christian world seems to take away this "With God on Our Side" message and apply it in strange ways.  Yes, all can be accomplished with God, but the assumption (particularly with war scenarios) that God has chosen you over your enemies is a bit egocentric and short-sighted.  Unlike with the Israelites, we are all God's children.  God is not a chip to be used to manipulate world events.  ...and I'm thinking that despite the implied bloodshed here, killing is not something that God wants on His side.

And without that direct voice of God thing going on like the Israelites have, we may be much better off not assuming that war is something God is advocating.  And certainly not assume that we are invincible because we think we are right.

Perhaps the most troubling part of this story is God's utter disowning of His people.  You don't trust Me?  Fine, I'm done.  Good luck- but actually even good luck won't help you much.  Thankfully this is a pre-Jesus tale, and consequently things work a little differently on the retribution side of things. 

I Spy

Deuteronomy 1:19-25

The reminiscing continues.  Moses rushes through the wilderness wandering to get to Kadesh Barnea.  He tells them,  Remember I instructed you check out this Amorite land... or land that is soon to be ex-Amorite land?  Go get it- God has already told you to claim it- what are you waiting for?  Get some swagger on, there's no reason to be worried, don't be discouraged either.

Then you talked to each other and come up to me and said- Ummm, Moses?  What say we send some spies to go ahead and map out our best plan of attack?  They can check things out and come back and report to us.

That sounded kosher to me, so I hand-picked a dozen of you with all twelve tribes represented.  When they came back, they said, "Yeah, this land is something special.  We're all for ending this whole wandering business. I mean, check out this fruit!"

This feels like more from the Greatest Hits of the Israelites collection.  There doesn't seem to be much different nuance in this retelling.  Moses also seems to be framing this in a self-serving way- especially for someone about to be left behind.

But I think we all tend to frame narratives this way.  We tend to make ourselves the center, inflate our own importance and downplay embarrassing shortcomings.  Even God's spokespeople aren't immune from the human tendency to sculpt their own public images.

The Birth of Political Campaigns

Deuteronomy 1: 9-18

Moses continues his spiel.  He's hosting "A Very Special This is Your Life."  - Hey Israelites, remember when you had all these kids- like a ton- like so many that it became impossible for me to actually lead you by myself anymore?  That was pretty cool- and I hope you keep procreating like rabbits, I hope God keeps on blessing you like that.  But as I said, you are all too large a group to be controlled by one little Moses, so I told you to choose some of your best men- smart, compassionate and respected fellas, and I'll put them over you.  

You might recall your thoughtful and articulate response, "Great idea!"

After  I rolled my eyes, I appointed the leaders you brought me.  I told them- You will be your tribe's Judge Judy.  Whenever there's a problem, it'll be your job to hear the dispute and to judge fairly.  I don't care if you're judging between two Israelites or and Israelite and a foreigner- still be fair.  And by fair, I mean impartial.  

Don't be intimidated. Don't be afraid of the people you may have to bring judgment against. Don't be worried that you'll mess up.  You will be speaking on behalf of God, so you have a pretty good ally on your side.  Pretty, pretty good.  

And if something comes along that's too hard for you to figure out, bring it by- I'll be happy to take those cases.  After all, I'm Moses. 

It seems Moses here is recapping the recent oral history of the people as historians of this time were want to do.  This chapter seems to serve a dual purpose- it refreshes the Israelites on their people's history (since the history books were a little tough to come by) and catches up readers as well (last week on God's Law and Order...)

I'm glad to see the emphasis on treating the non-Israelite fairly.  Even in a culture where membership (and specifically here genetic membership) is everything, God emphasizes fair treatment to people not in the club- an idea too often neglected by God's people today.

Back in Time

Deuteronomy 1:1-8

So when we last met our Israelite friends, the land was finally their's.  Years of wandering aimlessly at last resulted in the fulfillment of a promise made many years before.  However, perhaps hungry to land his sequel deal (part V's are murder to sell), Moses decides to pick the tale up not where Numbers ends, but back following chapter 21...before the land was their's.

In case you don't recall that discussion from back in August of 2011, here it is: http://chiphall.blogspot.com/2011/08/all-that-jahaz-numbers-21-21-35-and.html

In this section, Israel has settled into the luxuries of mountainside living...or have at least rested for what God deems as long enough.  So He tells them, alright fellas, it's time to go get this land that I promised you.  Go get it while the getting's good.  He might have added- hurry before someone does something stupid and you have to wander some more.

The lack of chronology is odd to me- it's almost like this is the deleted scenes section you access on the menu after you've watched the movie... and you understand why it got cut.

But I guess reading about this event twice is much less arduous than having to live through the escapade.  So in the spirit of watching ESPN classic...Go Israel!

Thou Shalt Inbreed

Numbers 36

Some of the representatives of the clan of Gilead came to Moses all concerned.  There had been some dispute about the inheritance of Zelophehad- we talked about it a while back.  In case you don't remember, here it is: http://chiphall.blogspot.com/2012/06/susan-b.html

Anyhow, since the daughters were given the inheritance, the concern was that if these women went on to marry outside the clan, then the inheritance wouldn't be equal.  Whichever tribe married in would by default pick up extra land.

God says that this is a good point and decrees that these women can only marry within the clan. In fact, this is to be the case for any women inheriting land.   Zelophehad's daughters agree and decide to marry their cousins.  I'm not sure which is more puzzling- the fact that the land staying in the clan was more important than who these women married, or the fact that this story ends the book of Numbers.  Moses isn't so great at narrative structure.

I'm struggling to find what to take away here.  Maybe that God takes His promises seriously.  He didn't want the land to leave the people he promised it to.  Maybe that even when life is less than fair, God's people still follow.  Maybe that the 21st century isn't such a bad time to live?  Regardless, Numbers ends with this odd tale perhaps reminding us that God's will is complex, and not always easy to explain.

Tom Petty's Greatest Hits: Refugee, Don't Come Around Here No More, and I Won't Back Down

Numbers 35: 6-34

So when distributing the land to the Levites, six of the 48 cities given to them are to be cities of refuge.  These 48 cities are to be taken from the other clans proportionately...those with more cities give more to the 48, those with fewer giver fewer.

These cities of refuge seem to be safe havens for people accused of murder but claim their innocence.  If you murder someone accidentally (or I suppose if you're just the wrong guy) you can skip town for one of these cities of refuge until after you stand trial.  If the death is avenged while you are in one of these cities- the avenger is a murderer.  If however, you sneak out of refuge town, the avenger can kill with you no penalty.  The avenger is given a license to kill, so to speak.

When you make it to the city of refuge, you must remain there until the death of the high priest... and remembering the life span of folks in this era, this could be hundreds of years.  You can't leave for any reason, even if Bob Dylan plays in the neighboring town- stay put or you're fair game... even if you're innocent.

This section also lists what constitutes murder: death by metal object, death by stone-striking, death by wooden object, shoving with forethought, throwing something at someone with forethought, and angry fist striking.  If it results in death, you are a murderer and are to be avenged.  But if you throw something accidentally, or didn't know someone was beneath the big rock you rolled over the cliff; if you didn't intend harm- head for the city of refuge.  Apparently you run there when it happens, and if found innocent, you return there until the death of the high priest.

Interesting that even if innocent, you are still sentenced to one of these cities until things cool down.  I'm guessing these cities weren't exactly cultural hot spots.  People who lived here were likely considered shady or at best irresponsible and often your fate may not have been your own doing.

Also, you can't buy your way out.  If you are a murderer, you are to be put to death, no matter how much you'd pay.  If you are isolated in a city of refuge, you are stuck there until the high priest dies, no matter how much you'd pay.

It might be easy to read this passage as pro-death penalty (which within it's context it clearly is).  God says if you murder, you are to be murdered.  God sets up a means of justice to be served.  However, this passage seems to be set up as a contrast to the system of grace set to come later through Jesus.

You used to do this, but with Jesus, let those not guilty throw the first stone.  You used to do this, but with Jesus, God says leave vengeance to me.  You used to do this, but with Jesus, we realize that we are all living in cities of refuge even though we are guilty, grateful for the pardon, knowing that we deserve a worse fate.

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.

Booty for the Israelites: Numbers 31: 25-54

So the battle is done and spoils are divided.  Here God commands much less than the traditional tithe- in fact the soldiers are told to give .2% of what they plundered.  The Israelites were to give 2%.

Maybe God here is rewarding their courage in following Him into what would seem like a perilous situation.  Whatever the reason, they strike it rich. The nation took in hundreds of thousands of sheep, thousands of cattle and donkeys- and thousands of virgins.

And while we commonly hear criticism of Muslim fascination with a reward of virgins for their most valiant, here is a piece of our own history chronicling the same from the pen of Moses.

I have a hard time wrapping my mind around the condoned use of people as slaves, as objects, as less than human.  Some of my disdain is certainly cultural, but all the same- we're a long way from love your enemies here.

Wholly War
Numbers 31: 1-24


This may be the most disturbing section thus far.  When people refer to the angry God of the Old Testament, they are talking about passages like this one.  Lots of darkness here.

So God tells Moses that it's time for some vengeance.  Go grab John Wayne, Mel Gibson, and Quentin Tarantino, saddle up the troops, and clean out the Midianites.  They take 12,000 troops (one thousand from each tribe) and along with Phinehas the priest, went to battle.  Phinehas' job here is to sound the trumpet and carry articles from the sanctuary.  Seemingly the least important figure, probably the most.

So Israel puts on their blue face paint and cleans house.  Mike Tyson boxing Justin Beiber.  Every Midian man dies including all five kings and our old friend Balaam.  They take all kinds of plunder, gather up all the women and children, burn the villages to the ground and head back to Moses and Eleazor.

With such an astounding victory, they were probably surprised by Moses' angry reaction.  Why are the women still alive?  They are the ones who listened to Balaam and caused that plague to happen.  Kill all the boys and kill every female who isn't a virgin.  You can keep the virgins for yourselves.

So God's spokesperson speaks out here in a way that disturbs.  Kill and capture.  Even the innocent.  Even the children.  And those you deem worthy of life, are now your physical property.

After the battle anyone who had killed someone or touched something dead had to wait seven days before returning to camp so that purification could occur.  They had to go through a purification ceremony on days three and seven. Anything that could stand fire needed to burned and washed with the "water of cleansing".  If it wouldn't make it through the fire, it still had to be washed.

This section is beyond disturbing.  How do you explain away the brutality of vengeance here?  This is all God's will- in fact His command.  He knows the subtext, the hearts of the individuals, and the big picture, but even  that seems like an easy answer to pretend that such vengeance is beyond the figure who we envision as our Loving Father.

Perhaps the most helpful aspect to this horror story is to envision the potential fate of ourselves were it not for the vengeance-clearing sacrifice of Jesus.  Maybe a story like this can make us appreciate at an even greater level what Jesus went through to spare us the fate of the Midianites.