AM Bible Study Group; October 27, 2010
Numbers 33:1-56
Theme: This chapter describes how the tribes east of the Jordan came to settle in their land.
Just before the people of Israel were about to enter the promised land, and begin to take possession of that which God was giving them, the Holy Spirit stops the story and gives us a record of the travels of the people of Israel up to this point. Chapter 33 contains that record.
Why is it given to us here? Verses 3-4 and 50-56 help us appreciate the reason. First, we’re told of how the Lord had slain the Egyptians who sought to bring the people back into slavery and executed judgment on all the gods of Egypt. Then, we’re told of how this same God commanded them to go in and conquer the land. Bracketing the record of their wanderings is a point-by-point, real-life testimony of God’s power and faithfulness. And so, this record further testifies of His faithfulness as He proved true to that which Hebrews 13:6 says, “The LORD is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?” (see also Psalm 27:1). It shows us that God watched the steps of His people all along the way, and took careful notice of where they were at all times. It shows that what God promised to do for them is what He truly did! And what’s more, it also gives clear evidence of the historicity of the events described to us in the books of Moses.
I. THE TRAVEL-LOG OF THE JOURNEY (vv. 1-49).
A. The preface to the log (vv. 1-2). We’re told, “These are the journeys of the children of Israel, who went out of the land of Egypt by their armies under the hand of Moses and Aaron” (v. 1). There’s an official feel to the record now being given to us. What’s more, we’re also told how it was that the record was kept. Moses wrote down the starting points of their journeys “at the command of the Lord”. This list of places may seem like dry reading to us; but it is something that God wanted recorded forever—and for our instruction today!
B. The log itself (vv. 3-49). Many of the names and places can no longer be known to us with any certainty. Archaeologists tell us that the name of an ancient place cannot be confirmed unless a settlement had remained on it for many centuries. And sadly, many locations have been given biblical names out of a motive of appealing to people who are making pilgrimages—so even the names that remain are not completely reliable. But this doesn’t call the accuracy of this biblical record into question. The log can be divided into four sections—each section highlighting a significant event in the journey of the people from bondage to the promised land:
1. From the exodus to the Red Sea (vv. 3-8a). We’re told of how the people left Egypt even as the Egyptians were burying all their firstborn. It was “on the first month; on the day after the Passover”; and we’re told that the children of Israel went out “with boldness in the sight of all the Egyptians”.
2. From the Red Sea to Mt. Sinai (vv. 8b-15). After passing through the Red Sea, the people moved on and experienced such things as the testing at the waters of Mara (Exodus 15:22-27). Finally, they arrived at Mt. Sinai where they were given the law.
3. From Mt. Sinai, to the wanderings unto Kadish (vv. 16-36). From Mt. Sinai, they journeyed on to where they refused to enter the land (see Numbers 13-14); and thus the forty years of wandering began. Note that very little is told to us about this sad period of Israel’s history; until they finally arrived at Kadesh where, in Numbers 20, Moses struck the rock and was forbidden from entering the land.
4. From Kadish to Moab (vv. 37-49). After Kadesh, Aaron died at Mt. Hor. Then, they went on to the conquests of the King of Arad and of Og (Numbers 21) and finally came to the Jordan—which, under Joshua’s leadership, they would take the land. Note how, in spite of all the failures of the people, God proved Himself faithful.
II. THE INSTRUCTIONS AT THE JOURNEY’S END (vv. 50-56).
A. To drive out the people of the land (vv. 50-53). Now that God has shown Himself so faithful to them, they must prove that they trust Him and drive out the people from the land. God owns all the earth (Psalm 24:1); and like a landlord who has a right to evict bad tenants and move good ones in, He had a right to drive the Canaanites out of the land and move His covenant people in. Note that they were to destroy all their engraved stones and molded images and high places. The Canaanites were a profoundly immoral and paganistic people.
B. To divide the land among the tribes (v. 54). Along with the command to drive the Canaanites out came the command to rightly divide the land up among the twelve tribes. More details of this comes in chapter 34; and in the pages of Scripture that follow.
C. To beware not to let the people of the land remain (vv. 55-56). But along with all this is a stern warning not to allow the Canaanites to remain. God gave this command for the good of His own people; because if they allowed the Canaanite peoples to remain, they would always be a trouble to the people (see Joshua 23:13).
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If you and I chart out our lives, and mark the key periods in our lives in which God proved Himself to be mighty toward us, we will learn that He taught us things about Himself in the past that equip us for those things He now calls us to do. May we learn, from God’s past mighty works, that He is mighty toward us today; and may we thus rise up and trust Him at His call.