April 6, 2009

Numbers 28-32

Balaam's name shows up again. He wasn't a very good man after all. He ends up being destroyed with the Midianites. And it's because of his bad influence that...

31:16
Behold, these (the women of the Midianites) caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to commit trespass against the LORD in the matter of Peor, and there was a plague among the congregation of the LORD.

I looked up more verses about Balaam and found out he was a soothsayer. God didn't appreciate what he did to the children of Israel.

In Numbers 32, we find the children of Gad requesting that they possess the land of Jazer and Gilead because it's good for cattle. Problem is ...

32:5
Wherefore, said they, if we have found grace in thy sight, let this land be given unto thy servants for a possession, [and] bring us not over Jordan.

It looked like they didn't want to cross the river Jordan like their forefathers. They didn't really care about Canaan. This spot looked perfect, but they did promise Moses that they would go over the river Jordan and fight and leave their children behind and then when the war was over they would return and possess the land with them. We shall see what happens...

Observations:
1. On my journey to God's will, do I find myself trying to stay stationary in a comfortable place and foregoing what could be at the end of the journey? Sometimes I'm guilty of doing what's comfortable instead of what takes some grit and determination. The crazy thing is that the reward of doing what takes grit is usually far better than the comfortable place.