DAILY DEVOTIONS
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"Honoring God in the Morning"
GOD AND HUMAN GOVERNMENT
READING FROM:
Numbers 31:12-54
KEY VERSE:
“And Moses said to them: ‘Have you kept all the women alive? Look, these women caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to trespass against the Lord in the incident of Peor, and there was a plague among the congregation of the Lord. ’” –Numbers 31:15-16
In Chapter 31 we have an example of God using His people to enforce His judgment and punishment upon nations. What this looked like cannot be avoided. In our own time, it would be considered a form of genocide. However, we should keep in mind that this was common military practice in ancient societies. In this situation it was chosen as judgment for the sins that drew Israel into idolatry.
The history behind the events referred to here involved the people of Moab and Midian who had enlisted a false prophet, Balaam, to bring a curse upon the Israelites to destroy them. When this proved impossible because of God’s protection upon Israel, the prophet Balaam advised the Moabites and Midianites to send their women into the Israelites’ camp to entice the men into participating in the sexual rites of their fertility cult. This included drawing the men into sexual practices and worshiping false, pagan gods and goddesses in the process.
This is the context of the judgment leveled against these women. It is also behind the reason the men of Israel kept these women alive. It should be clear to us all that this action against these women, like many other aspects of ancient, primitive cultures, is not a solution we would consider today. For any nation or group to take upon itself enforcing judgment in this way has been and would still be far from God’s solution for dealing with evil.
Yet all that being said, let us not forget that “the wages of sin is death” (Rom. 6:23). This is the price Jesus paid upon the cross, as He died for the sins of all humanity. Death is the ultimate experience awaiting our sin if we reject His substitutionary death for us on the cross. God—not a man—will exact that punishment.
In our own time no nation has been sovereignly chosen by God to represent Him in human society as ancient Israel had done. It would therefore be wrong for any nation to justify their military actions as solely and wholly representing the judgment and will of God. Nations can seek to be led by the principles of God’s Kingdom, but none can claim its actions are automatically and/or directly sanctioned by God. In fact, believers today must first identify with their citizenship in heaven. Theirs is a kingdom that no nation, political group, or ideology can claim they alone represent. The best we can hope for is that those who lead our nation respect the full breadth of biblical principles that guide human society.
GOD AND HUMAN GOVERNMENT
READING FROM:
Numbers 31:12-54
KEY VERSE:
“And Moses said to them: ‘Have you kept all the women alive? Look, these women caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to trespass against the Lord in the incident of Peor, and there was a plague among the congregation of the Lord. ’” –Numbers 31:15-16
In Chapter 31 we have an example of God using His people to enforce His judgment and punishment upon nations. What this looked like cannot be avoided. In our own time, it would be considered a form of genocide. However, we should keep in mind that this was common military practice in ancient societies. In this situation it was chosen as judgment for the sins that drew Israel into idolatry.
The history behind the events referred to here involved the people of Moab and Midian who had enlisted a false prophet, Balaam, to bring a curse upon the Israelites to destroy them. When this proved impossible because of God’s protection upon Israel, the prophet Balaam advised the Moabites and Midianites to send their women into the Israelites’ camp to entice the men into participating in the sexual rites of their fertility cult. This included drawing the men into sexual practices and worshiping false, pagan gods and goddesses in the process.
This is the context of the judgment leveled against these women. It is also behind the reason the men of Israel kept these women alive. It should be clear to us all that this action against these women, like many other aspects of ancient, primitive cultures, is not a solution we would consider today. For any nation or group to take upon itself enforcing judgment in this way has been and would still be far from God’s solution for dealing with evil.
Yet all that being said, let us not forget that “the wages of sin is death” (Rom. 6:23). This is the price Jesus paid upon the cross, as He died for the sins of all humanity. Death is the ultimate experience awaiting our sin if we reject His substitutionary death for us on the cross. God—not a man—will exact that punishment.
In our own time no nation has been sovereignly chosen by God to represent Him in human society as ancient Israel had done. It would therefore be wrong for any nation to justify their military actions as solely and wholly representing the judgment and will of God. Nations can seek to be led by the principles of God’s Kingdom, but none can claim its actions are automatically and/or directly sanctioned by God. In fact, believers today must first identify with their citizenship in heaven. Theirs is a kingdom that no nation, political group, or ideology can claim they alone represent. The best we can hope for is that those who lead our nation respect the full breadth of biblical principles that guide human society.
BIBLE READING
NUMBERS 31:12-54
RETURN FROM THE WAR
12 Then they brought the captives, the booty, and the spoil to Moses, to Eleazar the priest, and to the congregation of the children of Israel, to the camp in the plains of Moab by the Jordan, across from Jericho. 13 And Moses, Eleazar the priest, and all the leaders of the congregation, went to meet them outside the camp. 14 But Moses was angry with the officers of the army, with the captains over thousands and captains over hundreds, who had come from the battle.
15 And Moses said to them: “Have you kept all the women alive? 16 Look, these women caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to trespass against the Lord in the incident of Peor, and there was a plague among the congregation of theLord. 17 Now therefore, kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman who has known a man intimately. 18 But keep alive for yourselves all the young girls who have not known a man intimately. 19 And as for you, remain outside the camp seven days; whoever 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 Purify every garment, everything made of leather, everything woven of goats’ hair, and everything made of wood.”
21 Then Eleazar the priest said to the men of war who had gone to the battle, “This is the ordinance of the law which the Lordcommanded Moses: 22 Only the gold, the silver, the bronze, the iron, the tin, and the lead, 23 everything that can endure fire, you shall put through the fire, and it shall be clean; and it shall be purified with the water of purification. But all that cannot endure fire you shall put through water. 24 And you shall wash your clothes on the seventh day and be clean, and afterward you may come into the camp.”
12 Then they brought the captives, the booty, and the spoil to Moses, to Eleazar the priest, and to the congregation of the children of Israel, to the camp in the plains of Moab by the Jordan, across from Jericho. 13 And Moses, Eleazar the priest, and all the leaders of the congregation, went to meet them outside the camp. 14 But Moses was angry with the officers of the army, with the captains over thousands and captains over hundreds, who had come from the battle.
15 And Moses said to them: “Have you kept all the women alive? 16 Look, these women caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to trespass against the Lord in the incident of Peor, and there was a plague among the congregation of theLord. 17 Now therefore, kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman who has known a man intimately. 18 But keep alive for yourselves all the young girls who have not known a man intimately. 19 And as for you, remain outside the camp seven days; whoever 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 Purify every garment, everything made of leather, everything woven of goats’ hair, and everything made of wood.”
21 Then Eleazar the priest said to the men of war who had gone to the battle, “This is the ordinance of the law which the Lordcommanded Moses: 22 Only the gold, the silver, the bronze, the iron, the tin, and the lead, 23 everything that can endure fire, you shall put through the fire, and it shall be clean; and it shall be purified with the water of purification. But all that cannot endure fire you shall put through water. 24 And you shall wash your clothes on the seventh day and be clean, and afterward you may come into the camp.”
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DIVISION OF THE PLUNDER
25 Now the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: 26 “Count up the plunder that was taken—of man and beast—you and Eleazar the priest and the chief fathers of the congregation; 27 and divide the plunder into two parts, between those who took part in the war, who went out to battle, and all the congregation. 28 And levy a tribute for the Lord on the men of war who went out to battle: one of every five hundred of the persons, the cattle, the donkeys, and the sheep; 29 take it from their half, and give it to Eleazar the priest as a heave offering to the Lord. 30 And from the children of Israel’s half you shall take one of every fifty, drawn from the persons, the cattle, the donkeys, and the sheep, from all the livestock, and give them to the Levites who keep charge of the tabernacle of the Lord.” 31 So Moses and Eleazar the priest did as the Lord commanded Moses.
32 The booty remaining from the plunder, which the men of war had taken, was six hundred and seventy-five thousand sheep,33 seventy-two thousand cattle, 34 sixty-one thousand donkeys, 35 and thirty-two thousand persons in all, of women who had not known a man intimately. 36 And the half, the portion for those who had gone out to war, was in number three hundred and thirty-seven thousand five hundred sheep; 37 and the Lord’s tribute of the sheep was six hundred and seventy-five. 38 The cattle werethirty-six thousand, of which the Lord’s tribute was seventy-two. 39 The donkeys were thirty thousand five hundred, of which theLord’s tribute was sixty-one. 40 The persons were sixteen thousand, of which the Lord’s tribute was thirty-two persons. 41 So Moses gave the tribute which was the Lord’s heave offering to Eleazar the priest, as the Lord commanded Moses.
42 And from the children of Israel’s half, which Moses separated from the men who fought— 43 now the half belonging to the congregation was three hundred and thirty-seven thousand five hundred sheep, 44 thirty-six thousand cattle, 45 thirty thousand five hundred donkeys, 46 and sixteen thousand persons— 47 and from the children of Israel’s half Moses took one of every fifty, drawn from man and beast, and gave them to the Levites, who kept charge of the tabernacle of the Lord, as the Lordcommanded Moses.
48 Then the officers who were over thousands of the army, the captains of thousands and captains of hundreds, came near to Moses; 49 and they said to Moses, “Your servants have taken a count of the men of war who are under our command, and not a man of us is missing. 50 Therefore we have brought an offering for the Lord, what every man found of ornaments of gold: armlets and bracelets and signet rings and earrings and necklaces, to make atonement for ourselves before the Lord.” 51 So Moses and Eleazar the priest received the gold from them, all the fashioned ornaments. 52 And all the gold of the offering that they offered to the Lord, from the captains of thousands and captains of hundreds, was sixteen thousand seven hundred and fifty shekels.53 (The men of war had taken spoil, every man for himself.) 54 And Moses and Eleazar the priest received the gold from the captains of thousands and of hundreds, and brought it into the tabernacle of meeting as a memorial for the children of Israel before the Lord.
25 Now the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: 26 “Count up the plunder that was taken—of man and beast—you and Eleazar the priest and the chief fathers of the congregation; 27 and divide the plunder into two parts, between those who took part in the war, who went out to battle, and all the congregation. 28 And levy a tribute for the Lord on the men of war who went out to battle: one of every five hundred of the persons, the cattle, the donkeys, and the sheep; 29 take it from their half, and give it to Eleazar the priest as a heave offering to the Lord. 30 And from the children of Israel’s half you shall take one of every fifty, drawn from the persons, the cattle, the donkeys, and the sheep, from all the livestock, and give them to the Levites who keep charge of the tabernacle of the Lord.” 31 So Moses and Eleazar the priest did as the Lord commanded Moses.
32 The booty remaining from the plunder, which the men of war had taken, was six hundred and seventy-five thousand sheep,33 seventy-two thousand cattle, 34 sixty-one thousand donkeys, 35 and thirty-two thousand persons in all, of women who had not known a man intimately. 36 And the half, the portion for those who had gone out to war, was in number three hundred and thirty-seven thousand five hundred sheep; 37 and the Lord’s tribute of the sheep was six hundred and seventy-five. 38 The cattle werethirty-six thousand, of which the Lord’s tribute was seventy-two. 39 The donkeys were thirty thousand five hundred, of which theLord’s tribute was sixty-one. 40 The persons were sixteen thousand, of which the Lord’s tribute was thirty-two persons. 41 So Moses gave the tribute which was the Lord’s heave offering to Eleazar the priest, as the Lord commanded Moses.
42 And from the children of Israel’s half, which Moses separated from the men who fought— 43 now the half belonging to the congregation was three hundred and thirty-seven thousand five hundred sheep, 44 thirty-six thousand cattle, 45 thirty thousand five hundred donkeys, 46 and sixteen thousand persons— 47 and from the children of Israel’s half Moses took one of every fifty, drawn from man and beast, and gave them to the Levites, who kept charge of the tabernacle of the Lord, as the Lordcommanded Moses.
48 Then the officers who were over thousands of the army, the captains of thousands and captains of hundreds, came near to Moses; 49 and they said to Moses, “Your servants have taken a count of the men of war who are under our command, and not a man of us is missing. 50 Therefore we have brought an offering for the Lord, what every man found of ornaments of gold: armlets and bracelets and signet rings and earrings and necklaces, to make atonement for ourselves before the Lord.” 51 So Moses and Eleazar the priest received the gold from them, all the fashioned ornaments. 52 And all the gold of the offering that they offered to the Lord, from the captains of thousands and captains of hundreds, was sixteen thousand seven hundred and fifty shekels.53 (The men of war had taken spoil, every man for himself.) 54 And Moses and Eleazar the priest received the gold from the captains of thousands and of hundreds, and brought it into the tabernacle of meeting as a memorial for the children of Israel before the Lord.
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VERSE-BY-VERSE STUDY NOTES
NUMBERS 31
RETURN FROM THE WAR (VERSES 12-24)
v. 14 Moses was Angry - Moses was angry because justice had not yet been served. The Midianite women were the chief instruments of temptation that caused the Israelite men to fall into sin (Num. 25:1-3). Moses’ judgment was that the women should not be spared (v. 15-17).
v. 18 Who have not Known a Man - It was common in ancient times to take slaves or concubines (sexual partners not equal to wives) from the survivors of conquests. However, the Lord put strict regulations upon these practices (Lev. 25:44; Deut. 20:14, 21:10-14).
v. 19 Remain Outside the Camp Seven Days - This was the standard purification process for those who have made contact with dead bodies. It was done in obedience to the Lord’s commands (Num. 5:2, 19:11-22; 1 Chron. 22:8).
v. 20 Purify - Verses 19 through 24 are God’s specific instructions on how to purify the army and the things taken in battle before entering back into the camp.
v. 14 Moses was Angry - Moses was angry because justice had not yet been served. The Midianite women were the chief instruments of temptation that caused the Israelite men to fall into sin (Num. 25:1-3). Moses’ judgment was that the women should not be spared (v. 15-17).
v. 18 Who have not Known a Man - It was common in ancient times to take slaves or concubines (sexual partners not equal to wives) from the survivors of conquests. However, the Lord put strict regulations upon these practices (Lev. 25:44; Deut. 20:14, 21:10-14).
v. 19 Remain Outside the Camp Seven Days - This was the standard purification process for those who have made contact with dead bodies. It was done in obedience to the Lord’s commands (Num. 5:2, 19:11-22; 1 Chron. 22:8).
v. 20 Purify - Verses 19 through 24 are God’s specific instructions on how to purify the army and the things taken in battle before entering back into the camp.
DIVISION OF THE PLUNDER (VERSES 25-54)
v. 26 Count up the Plunder - There was an extensive amount of plunder, which suggests a truly great victory. Verses 26 through 42 offer detailed accounts of everything that was gathered.
v. 47 Gave Them to the Levites - Those who stayed behind from the battle were given a portion of the goods seized in the war. The Levites received a portion as well.
v. 49 Not a man of us is Missing - Not even a single Hebrew soldier was killed in action during the battle. This was a miraculous sign of God’s hand upon them.
v. 54 As a Memorial - The soldiers gave this offering to the Lord from their personal war plunder as an act of thanksgiving and praise in remembrance of the victory God gave them that day.
v. 26 Count up the Plunder - There was an extensive amount of plunder, which suggests a truly great victory. Verses 26 through 42 offer detailed accounts of everything that was gathered.
v. 47 Gave Them to the Levites - Those who stayed behind from the battle were given a portion of the goods seized in the war. The Levites received a portion as well.
v. 49 Not a man of us is Missing - Not even a single Hebrew soldier was killed in action during the battle. This was a miraculous sign of God’s hand upon them.
v. 54 As a Memorial - The soldiers gave this offering to the Lord from their personal war plunder as an act of thanksgiving and praise in remembrance of the victory God gave them that day.
