Numbers 31-32

Day 56

Well.....as of now.....JJ stayed in his bed aaaaaaaaaaaall night!  He was out and asleep by 7:00.  Bone beat tired!  I left a little lamp on, the ceiling fan on, and the CD player playing.  If that was "the trick" so be it! AND it might be that Papa Jerry promised to go to the cow sale on Friday if he does this for 3 nights....1 down, 2 to go! Hum.....whatever it takes! :)

Be sure to click on the right hand side the link to the "mom song!"  It's just too fun!  Set your DVR and Tivo's for GMA this morning to see an interview with Anita Renfrow!  

Chapter 31  Well we've gone to war.  These next couple of chapters are about holy war.  There is a divine command that Israel destroy the Midianites for their seduction of the people at Baal Peor. I can't believe that this entire war can destroy every male Midianite but not loose one Israelite in the fighting.  The Midianite women were just as to blame, yet the Israelites were rather timid in putting them to death.  God made it very clear that both men and women will be held accountable for their actions.  If you posed a threat to the Israelites, you were killed! Moses and the priests oversee the war and Eleazar gets to decide what is acceptable "booty" (plunder--butI like the word booty better!) Even here crazy old witchcrafter Balaam dies; remember he was hired to curse the Israelites.  The booty that is collected is a staggering amount.  In terms of animals...they exceeded 800,000!  And there was over 16,000 shekels of gold.....about 420 pounds I read somewhere.  We even have a complete inventory and distribution list of what they plundered all together.  Even a formula (v. 25-30) as to who gets what!  This chapter closes  with the taking of the census and realizing that NO ONE was missing from the holy war.  They make a final atonement to God.....now this was NOT an offering of thanksgiving as one might think.  This is an atonement to avoid a plague being sent upon them because they participated in war.  A holy war that God Himself sanctioned.  Isn't that ironic?! They are told to fight but then have to make atonement?  They did kill people after all.  So they made this atonement to God.  Such irony!!! I love it!!!!!!!  

Chapter 32  Here the holy war is woven together with the theme of inheritance.  We have a big ol' long conversation between Moses, and the tribal leaders of Reuben and Gad.    These two yahoos are complaining again and Moses gets M-A-D..MAD! They are not being supportive enough to the idea of going on to the promised land.  Their attitudes are deeply discouraging and emotionally draining to the rest of the tribes. Moses reminds them of God's anger 40 years earlier at the Israelites' unwillingness to enter the promised land.  This  chapter is really less about the actual holy war and more about the cities that they end up building in the Transjordan area that they conquer.  They even inherit the land east of the Jordan.  Eleazar helps in the negotiations here.  This theme of inheritance is underlined with the theme of holy war.  Both reminding us of the first generation and their mess ups!  We are heading to the end of the book of Numbers and the second generation has left the wilderness and is already achieving their part of the inheritance.  Its about to complete the story of salvation by realizing the divine promise of land through conquest!!!!  That is an Amen!!!  :)

Lesson's learned:  God has promises for your future.  Ever wonder what they are? Ever forget them?  Write them down and know of God's presence in your present, so you will remember Him in your future!  

Tomorrow:  chapter 33-34!