Preparations for The Conquest

Transcript

GR 2-34

We are studying the Book of Numbers together on Sunday evenings and we are at Chapter 26, and we are coming to the end of the 40 years of wandering. God had brought His people out of Egypt with a mighty display of his power, the series of devastating miracles that all but destroyed Egypt, the testimony of pharaoh’s own leaders was, “do you not know that Egypt is destroyed,” and so the people were delivered with a display of God’s power. We have seen the sad pattern over this time of grumbling, discontent, a pattern of quickly forgetting God’s great blessings and quick to turn to grumble, to complain about the food, to complain about the conditions, to complain about the leaders.

They made a drastic turn when they came to go into the Promised Land and these 12 spies were sent in and 10 brought back a bad report and the people all joined together in grumbling and for that God said that they would not go into the land and so they had to spend the next almost 38 years and a little more wandering around waiting for everyone over 20 to die, that old generation. Well, now we are at the site where they will cross the Jordan and begin their conquest of the land with the defeat of Jericho. They have not crossed the Jordan River yet, but you understand that a place called Shittim and from there under God’s direction they will cross the Jordan shortly and we will begin the conquest of the land.

Preceding chapters through Chapter 25 talked about the impact of a false prophet named Balaam and the prophecies he gave and God wouldn’t let him curse the people and he ended up speaking blessings on the people much to the dismay of the king of Moab who had asked that he cursed this people. But he did come up with a plan that would bring God’s judgment on Israel and that was to use the women of Moab to lure the people of Israel, the men of Israel into immoral and into idolatrous worship, and that plan worked. And it brought a plague on the people and in Chapter 25 verse 9, 24,000 people in Israel died.

You come to Chapter 26 and now we move along where we would have to count again how many people do we have. There is a new census. The Book of Numbers started and the reason it is called Numbers is because of the numbering of the people and The Book of Numbers started out counting the people and we had about 603,000 men over 20 that could go to war. But now that whole generation had died. So in Numbers Chapter 26 we have a recount of the people and we are about roughly 40 years later the passing of time. Two purposes in the census, the counting, the numbering, number one it enables you to know the size of your army, verse 2 of Numbers 26. Take a census of all the congregation of the sons of Israel from 20 years old and upward by their father’s household whoever is able to go out to war in Israel.

One of the prime purposes of the census is to determine the size of the army that you can marshal because remember we are going to now enter into the conquest of the land so you need to know your military resources to do this. Second purpose of the census is to prepare for the dividing of the land because the land once it is conquered will be divided among the 12 tribes and it will be divided according to the size of the tribes. Down in verse 52 of Numbers 26, then the Lord spoke to Moses saying among these the land shall be divided for inheritance according to the number of names. To the larger you shall increase their inheritance; to the smaller you diminish their inheritance. Each shall be given their inheritance according to those who are numbered among them and so on.

So to prepare for dividing the land and to know which tribe needs a larger section of land and which tribe needs a smaller section of land. So you are preparing the army of Israel and you are preparing for the dividing of the land with the census. All of these in preparation now for going into the land that God have promised. Verse 4, take a census of the people from 20 years old and upward as the Lord has commanded Moses now the sons of Israel who come out of the land of Egypt were, and we are going to walk through here and talk about the different tribes and their numbers. And you have some interesting references sprinkled through this. We are not going to walk through all the numbers. We will look at the total in a moment but you numbered each of the tribes and key people in each tribe are mentioned and then you will the number of those tribes.

For example, verse 14 you will have the tribe of Simeon and there will be 22,200 in that small tribe. In verses 9 to 11 there is a reminder of the rebellion that we identify with the name of Korah. It also included Dathan and Abiram took place in Number 16 verses 9 to 11. We are reminded of that rebellion and then verse 10, the earth opened up and swallowed the rebels along with Korah and then the fire came out you remember and devoured 250 leading men in Israel who had joined in the rebellion. Then there is that note in verse 11 the sons of Korah however did not die. His sons did not join him in his rebellion and we noted when we looked into Number 16 that God in his grace used these sons of Korah and that line to be temple singers in Israel. And a number of Psalms were written by the sons of Korah. Psalm 42 to 49, 84 and 85, 87 and 88.

So in line with what Ezekiel says God will hold the fathers responsible for the sins of the sins nor the sons responsible for the sins of the fathers. And sons of Korah had a wicked father who died under severe judgment of God but they come to be greatly blessed of God and we continue to be blessed by their ministry through the reading of the Psalms that the Spirit of God used them to write. In verse 14 we noted the descendants of Simeon and they are the smallest tribe. We don’t know what the cause of their decrease is. At the previous census some 40 years earlier they were just over 37,000 people. Now they are down to 22,000, so that’s a significant percentage of decline.

Some have suggested that they may have suffered greater loss because of their involvement in the activities of Baal of Peor in Chapter 25. We don't know but there is a great shrink there. Verse 19, where he talked about the sons of Judah and the family of Judah, where he mentioned Er and Onan and in Genesis 38 those two sons died under the judgment of God while they were in Canaan and it is a reminder why that line is over and the line of Judah continues but those two sons did not continue on, their lines didn’t continue. Some women are mentioned in verse 33, the daughters of Zelophehad. They have a unique place is not normal that the daughters are mentioned in the genealogy because usually the line is passed through the sons, the property is passed from father to son when a daughter married she became part of her husband’s family.

We will say more about that in a moment and a dowry was given and so on but no land from the father was given to the daughter. But in verse 33, now Zelophehad the son of Hepher had no sons but only daughters. The names of the daughters of Zelophehad were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. Not much said there but they will be mentioned with elaboration in Chapter 27 and mentioned again in Chapter 36 so we will wait to say more about them. But you ought to know when you are dealing with the numbering here and the family lines these women will have a special place and become the foundation for the establishing of certain laws of inheritance in Israel that we will look at in a little bit. There is another woman mentioned in verse 46. The name of the daughter of Asher was Serah but we don’t know why she is mentioned. There is nothing else told but in the line here in case you come across we would read through this and see well there is another daughter and what’s her name we are not told but it is mentioned there.

Verse 51, these are those who were numbered of the sons of Israel, 601,730 that is a decline of 1,820 from the previous census. So over that 40-year period with all the deaths that occurred and the births that have occurred and so on we have a net loss of just under 2,000 in the census. So the numbers of Israel had remained remarkably stable. Remember these 601,730 is only the men over 20 years of age that are able to go to war. So you add the women and children to that and that’s why we say population of Israel would have been around somewhere around 2 million or more. But the numbering is of the males over 20 years of age.

Verses 53 and 54 tells us as we already noted that the land is to be divided according to the size of the tribes and they would use the casting of the lot in verses 55 and 56 often where they would mark stones in a certain way and then the picking up with those stones and like a bag and shake them up and then they would be picked out. That would determine whether your land would be north, central or south. Not the size because that would be decided by the number of the size of your tribe, the numbers in your tribe but the lot would be used to determine where in the Promised Land each tribe would be located.

Verses 57 and following reminds you about the Levites. They are numbered separately and they are counted in verse 62 from a month old and upward because they are not going to war and they are not going to get inheritance of land. They have to do with the priestly activity and the religious dimension service of Israel. They have increased by a thousand since the last census the tribe of Levites in Chapter 3 verse 39. There are people who get into the numbers of The Old Testament and I am thankful for those people. Maybe you are those who would like to work through the numbers and you can compare them all and work out all the details. We are just highlighting some of the significant points.

Let us note in verse 58 and 59 the families of Levi, the descendants are mentioned and then you come to verse 59 the name of Amram’s wife was Jochebed the daughter of Levi who was born to Levi in Egypt. She bore to Amram Aaron, Moses and their sister Miriam. Both the father and the mother of Moses and Aaron were of the priestly tribe as well as Miriam. I just mention here because this is one of the indications that is pretty clear and everybody has agreed that there are gaps in the genealogies and this is one of the examples. You only have four generations mentioned here. In the passage in Chronicles we will deal with the same basic period of time.

It is talking about the descendants from Joseph’s family you have ten generations listed for a basically the same time period and the for the number of years you are talking about here we are not going to go into the age of Levi when he went down 50 and into Egypt in the age of Moses when he led the exodus at 80 and how many years each of these would have to be, but there is no question that we have gaps in the genealogy. And that fits, because when it says that this was the son of or was born to that can be a great grandson in the way that Hebrews would express it. So it is really a descendant.

I just mentioned that because when it says Amram and Jochebed were the parents of Moses and Aaron you have to go one way or the other. They were either the ancestors back like great-great-grandparents somewhere along that line or there was a gap before them and they are the parents. And if you read in the commentary that work through the details there are those who favor either one. It says Jochebed is the daughter of Levi who was born to Levi in Egypt. Well, if she was born to Levi in Egypt she wasn’t the mother of Moses and Aaron because the years wouldn’t add up. So just keep that in mind as you look at some of these things. Well, who were Moses and Aaron’s parents well Amram and Jochebed; that may be right but you will understand there is only four generations mentioned here. There are gaps somewhere and sometimes it is hard for us.

The Book of Exodus for example we talk about Moses doesn’t name his parents in that early chapter and some would say well these weren’t his parents, they were in the line. Others would say these are his immediate parents and the gap as before. Not a big problem, the gaps are in the genealogy. That’s why it is not possible to get a precise number by just adding up the genealogies. Now as I have mentioned on another occasions I don’t think that means we can go ahead and just plug in millions of years here but for the Hebrews when they would write about so and so was the son of so and so that might mean they were the grandson or the great grandson or the great-great-grandson. So those kinds of gaps are there. All right enough of that.

Verses 63 to 65, you have an entirely new group those who were numbered by Moses and Eleazar the priest who numbered the sons of Israel in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho and see where we are. We are in what is known as the plains of Moab the trans-Jordan region on the east side of the Jordan River where they will cross over to conquer Jericho. But among these were not a man of those who were numbered by Moses and Aaron the priest who numbered the sons of Israel in the wilderness of Sinai. So there are none of the men 20 years of age and older who have survived of Caleb and Joshua and Moses is still alive but his death is soon to occur. So the preparation for succession will take place in the next chapter.

There has been you know over 600,000 men have died all those who were counted there and you add to that women and other deaths. This has been a funeral procession over these many years. God has said in Numbers 14 that whole generation would die. The New Testament uses this experience as an example for believers to learn a lesson of being faithful to Lord and a reminder that it is the same God who deals with sin with stern discipline. Turn to First Corinthians 10, we are not going to the details of this because we are on our way here in our study of First Corinthians 10 but we will just mention this passage and then move to another. First Corinthians 10, it talks about the experience of Israel as God brought them out of Egypt in the opening verses.

Then verse 5 says nevertheless with most of them God was not well pleased for they were laid low in the wilderness. They died in the wilderness. This is what we read in Numbers 26. Now these things happened as examples for us so that we would not crave evil things as they crave and then you have the examples. Then verse 11, now these things happen to them as an example. They were written for our instruction upon whom the ends of the ages have come and then the warning. Let him who thinks he stands take heed less he falls. Turn over to the Book of Hebrews Chapter 3, that’s why there is an excuse for sin and God allowed Israel no excuses and that include Moses who will not be going into the land as God will remind him in the chapter because of his sin.

And if anything we have greater light, so greater responsibility, so greater accountability because we have the complete record of our Old Testament and now the enfolding of the New Testament. So if Israel wasn’t inexcusable how much more is our sin inexcusable. In fact that’s the very argument that the writer of the Hebrews uses. That if the law that given through angels was binding on the people, what about the Revelations that has come now through the one who is the son. Hebrews Chapter 3 verse 7 therefore just as the Holy Spirit says the day if you hear his voice do not harden your hearts. It says, when they provoked me as in the day of trial in the wilderness, and quoting from the psalm, where your fathers tried me by testing me and saw my works for 40 years. Therefore, I was angry with this generation and said they always go astray in their heart. They did not know my ways as I sworn my wrath they shall not enter my rest and they didn’t.

They couldn’t go into the Promised Land, the place of blessing. Take care brethren less that there not be in anyone of you an evil unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God. Encourage one another day after day as long as it is called a day so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end. Well, it is said today if you hear his voice do not harden your hearts as when they provoked me. For who provoked him when they heard indeed did not. All those who come out of Egypt led by Moses same point that Paul made in First Corinthians 10. All the Israelites experienced the same spiritual blessings and yet they hardened their heart.

With whom was he angry for 40 years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? To whom he did swear that they would not enter his rest but to those who were disobedient. Whom did he swear who would not enter his rest to those who were disobedient? So we see they were not able to enter because of unbelief. Therefore, let us fear if well a promise remains of entering his rest anyone of you seem to come short of it. For indeed we have had good new preached to us just as they also but the word they heard did not profit them because it was united by faith in those who heard. There is the problem. And this generation of Israelites becomes an example for all time of those who heard the truth and yet fail to believe it and lived in rebellion against God and suffered the consequences.

Hearing the truth, we heard testimonies tonight of those who were raised in Christian homes who heard the truth but had not believed it. But by God’s grace now they have. That generation of Israel becomes an example to all of us. Don’t the writer of the Hebrews just telling these who have professed faith in Christ but in thinking that you can back to Judaism that they can choose not to walk faithfully with Christ but still inherit the blessings that God talks about. That generation of Israelites becomes an example to all of us.

Chapter 4 verse 1 says let us fear. Let us have a holy fear that I would listen to the word of God. I would hear it. I would be taught it. I would read but I wouldn’t fall short and fail to believe it myself because the end of verse 2 the word they heard did not profit them because it was not united by faith in those who heard. Hearing the word of God does not save you. Believing the word that you hear saves you. And so that generation becomes a testimony to us for we who have believed enter that rest. It is a promise for those who believe.

Verse 6, therefore since it remains for some to enter it and those who formally have good news preach to them fail to enter because of disobedience. He fixes a certain day today if you hear his voice do not harden your hearts. Verse 11, therefore let us be diligent to enter that rest so that no one will fall through following the same example of disobedience, for the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword. And it divides and it is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And everyone is open and naked before God. He sees us as we are. He sees our hearts as they are and we may fool one another with our unbelief and the veneer of belief but God is not fooled.

And so back to Numbers Chapter 26. The account here is not just an interesting historical record. It is an abject lesson for us today. You know how the church rolls over as we have talked about the denominations to carry the name of men like Charles Wesley and Martin Luther and John Calvin but somehow there is generation that comes up and the word of God is not perhaps proclaimed in its purity and its power a generation grows up thinking that just being part of that church saves them and going through certain religious activities and they become like Israel. The word does not profit them.

But Numbers 26 is a testimony of God’s faithfulness also. You know in spite of all these unbelief, in spite of the death of that generation, remember Paul wrote to Timothy and reminded him, even if we are unfaithful he remains faithful. He cannot deny himself. God has obligated himself. Remember when we talked about the Abrahamic Covenant. God had Abraham split those animals in two to cut a covenant. It came time to bind themselves to the covenant; Abraham was in a deep sleep. And God himself in the form of that smoking oven passed through the sacrifices. He took upon himself sole fulfillment, sole responsibility for the fulfillment of the covenant.

So there is amazing grace here because not all Israel dies in the wilderness. That would be the end of the promises to that nation but a whole generation that believed died in the wilderness. But you know what there is a generation in whom the promises are to be fulfilled and now the generation before us in Numbers 26 is going into the land. And we need to remember that I just cannot understand how there can be large numbers of Christians who claim to believe the Bible who thinks there is still future for Israel, to believe the church has replaced Israel. I mean the gifts and calling of God are irrevocable. Remember Romans 11 in the context of Israel. The gifts and calling of God are irrevocable. I am glad for that because I am not perfectly faithful and being your pastor I can testify that you aren’t either. Being your pastor you can testify that I am not. And we are all going to make it because of his faithful and grace, and we thank him for that.

There are examples of disobedience here. We mentioned Korah and those who joined with him. We mentioned Er and Onan. In verse 61 Nadab and Abihu Aaron’s sons died and then that whole generation that came out Egypt dies but after 40 years of wandering God hasn’t been wondering am I just going to wipe them out and be done with them? The 40 years of wilderness wanderings weren’t to give God a chance whether he was going to fulfill his word or not. That was never in doubt. It was the deal in discipline and judgment with those who did not believe and all the way back to Genesis 46 where you have the family of Jacob going down into Egypt. You have the 12 sons of Jacob and their families.

You know what we have the same 12 tribes. Those same 12 their descendants have come out of Egypt and with the rebellion, all the judgment God will fulfill his promises in the faithful remnant. All right come to Chapter 27, in Chapter 27 if you want to say one thing about Chapter 27 it is Joshua is appointed as Moses’ successor. He is not the new Moses but he will be Moses’ successor. It is all about preparing to enter the land and that is exciting. That is exciting for me 3,500 years later because it’s a testimony of God’s faithfulness.

So first we are going to deal with laws of inheritance in the first 11 verses. For how the land, now keep in mind these people have been wandering around for 40 years. We have the generation now that is going to go into the land. They have known any other place but this wilderness. They were born and raised here. Some of them were young people when you know some of those early events took place, but this has been basically life for everybody. But now we are going to talk about going into the land. How are you going to divide the land?

First 11 verses and there we come back to Zelophehad’s daughters. The daughters of Zelophehad the son of Hepher son of Gilead and so on and her names are mentioned again. Some of you run out of names for your daughters or daughters you will have. Here are some for you to select from. They stood before Moses, before Eleazar the priest, before the leaders and all the congregations attending the meeting saying our father died in the wilderness yet he was not among the company of those who gathered themselves together against the Lord in the company of Korah. But he died for his own sin. Beautiful it is put. They weren’t those overt rebels who joined Korah in that disastrous rebellion but he was one of those who had to die for his own sins.

So we are not saying our father didn’t deserve to die but you know we are glad he didn’t join Korah in adding rebellion to rebellion in sin to sin. He had no sons. Why should the name of our father be withdrawn from among his family because he had no son? Give us possession among our father’s brothers. So Moses brought the case before the Lord. The line as I mentioned was passed on from father to son and the eldest son received the double portion. Deuteronomy 21:17 talks about that and that guaranteed you know a substantial block for farming and livestock and so on and it is passed on to the son.

The daughters were married to someone else’s son and they were given a dowry and that could be clothes, money, jewelry, anything like that. And then she became part of her husband’s family. And there was no more responsibility for her on the father’s part. That was taken care of, the dowries. Now you become part of your husband’s family. Your husband and his family are now responsible for you and there is no more inheritance for her. From the father it went through the sons. Well, here these daughters their father had no sons so his line would end because they would get married off and the father’s land would be passed onto someone else as the line is developed here as the account goes on.

Verse 7, the Lord’s response to Moses the daughters of Zelophehad are right in their statement. You shall surely give them inheritance possession among their father’s brothers. You shall transfer the inheritance of their father to them. Further you shall speak to the sons of Israel saying if a man died and has no son then you shall transfer his inheritance to his daughter. If he has no daughter, then you give his inheritance to his brothers. If he has no brothers, then you give his inheritance to his father’s brothers. If his father has no brother, then you give his inheritance to his nearest relative in his own family and he shall possess it. This will be a statutory ordinance to the sons of Israel.

Now what they are doing is guaranteeing that the land will stay within the tribe. For example, the land given to Simeon the tribe of Simeon wouldn’t get broken up and eventually belong to the tribe of Judah or the tribe of Dan or another tribe. So the land has to stay in the family. You start out with the immediate family but ultimately it has to stay within that tribe. So it can’t be passed outside there is enough provision here that there would be somebody in the tribe that ultimately could inherit the land. But their daughters here are given that right. That’s an added provision now and clarification for when they go into the land. It takes faith these daughters of Zelophehad are women of faith.

I mean they are taking this; they are arguing their case and asking Moses to go before the Lord and to get a ruling favorable to them because they really believed that what God said about the land is going to happen. I mean if they didn’t believe that God was going to give them the land he promised, this would be not worth it because nobody is claiming any portions of the wilderness that they have wandered in for 40 years. This is all based on believing the promise of God for a coming land. Well God said to Moses, verse 12, go up to this mountain of Abarim and see the land which I have given to the sons of Israel. When you have seen it you too will be gathered to your people as your Aaron your brother was for in the wilderness of Zin during the strike of the congregation remember this you rebelled against my command to treat as holy before their eyes at the water.

Nothing’s changed. That’s a real sin there in the striking the rock was you didn’t treat me as holy by doing what I said. Failure to obey God’s word is a failure to treat him as holy and for that sin failing to honor God as holy God says Moses cannot go into the land. Then Moses spoke to the Lord and you see the graciousness of the man Moses, his concern is for the people of Israel. Now he didn’t ask that God reconsider and give him another chance. Remember God finally said don’t speak to me about this matter anymore and Moses doesn’t. But he knows Israel. What are they going to do without Moses?

Well, they can do without Moses but they need a leader otherwise they will be like sheep without a shepherd. And so Moses intercedes and says in verse 16 may the Lord the God of the spirits of all flesh appoint a man over the congregation who will go out and come in before them, who lead them out and bring them in so that the congregation of the Lord will not be like sheep which has no shepherd. This is a common analogy in The Old Testament that the leaders of the people are shepherds. Kings are called shepherds and so on. They are responsible for the oversight, for the care, for the protection of God’s people.

You see the heart of Moses here. It has to be a great disappointment after all he has been through, after all he has done in leading the people, the way he was mightily used of God in the miracles in Egypt and all that went on through the wilderness and all the promises and all he does is get to go up to a mountain and look over and see the land and never set one foot in it. But his concern is for the wellbeing of the people. I don’t want the people to go over there and be like sheep. They will be scattered. They wouldn’t know what to do, appoint a man to lead them. So you have Joshua.

So the Lord said to Moses Joshua the son of Nun a man in whom is the Spirit and lay your hand on him. Have him stand before Eleazar the priest and before all the congregation and commission him in their sight. You shall put some of your authority on him in order that all the congregation of the sons of Israel may obey him. Moreover, he shall stand before the Eleazar the priest who shall inquire for him by the judgment of the Urim before the Lord. At his command they shall go out and at his command they shall come in both he and the sons of Israel even all the congregation.

So here is what happened, Moses is going up; verse 12 said go up this mountain of Abarim. Abarim is the mountain region like we talk about the Rockies and Mount Nebo. Later we will be told in Deuteronomy 32 it is the name of the particular mountain. Abarim is the mountain region and the group and Mount Nebo is the particular mountain on that that Moses will go up. Joshua will be his successor. You know the issue here is Joshua you know will be the leader. He is the divinely appointed leader. He is the man who has the Spirit of God and will be entrusted with God’s authority and lead the people but Joshua will not be another Moses.

I say that because that doesn’t mean Joshua is not God’s man. But that won’t make Joshua another Moses. So trying to compare Joshua and Moses and the fact that Joshua won’t be another Moses will never an excuse for the people not to follow Joshua or submit to him. Now one of the example or reason we say is not another Moses you put some of your authority on him. He is not going to be on the level that Moses was. Furthermore, he is going to go and enquire of the Lord through Eleazar the priest and Eleazar the priest will go and discern the will of the Lord.

Verse 21 you will inquire for him by the judgment of the Urim. So there will be a priest activity. Moses went and spoke with God face to face for God says there is no one else like Moses before or after that I did that way. God can do things differently but Joshua will be God’s man. There is a change of leadership. Things will be different but then again nothing will change because God is still ultimately the leader. And even though people might say boy he doesn’t get to go right and sit down and talk with God face to face. He has to go to Eleazar but it doesn’t matter. God will still tell him and lead him and give him the directions that he needs.

Joshua has been a long time faithful servant in ministry with Moses. We don’t have time to go back and look at all the accounts but do go back to Exodus 24. You will see that Joshua has had some remarkable experiences with Moses in the presence of the Lord when Moses goes up to the mountain to speak to the Lord, you will note verse 9 Moses went up with Aaron and Nadab and Abihu, two men that are going to die under the judgment of God and yet they had the privilege to go up with Moses and the 70 elders of Israel and they saw the God of Israel. Under his feet there appeared to be a pavement of sapphires clear as the sky itself. Yet he didn’t stretch out his hand against them and they saw God. They ate and drank. Now the Lord said to Moses, come up to me on the mountain and remain there and I will give the stone tablets with the law and the commandments which I have written for their instructions. So Moses arose with Joshua his servant and Moses went up to the mountain of God.

You see Joshua being involved with Moses in the most intimate of times but God’s dealing with Joshua will be a little different than with Moses. But the preparation is made back at the end of Numbers 27 for the transfer of leadership power if you will in verse 23 that ends Chapter 27 of Numbers. He laid hands on him, commissioned him just as the Lord has spoken through Moses. Joshua doesn’t take over yet. The laying on of hands symbolizes the transfer of power that would take place. But Joshua will not assume his responsibilities till after the death of Moses in Deuteronomy Chapter 34 which is not far away in time. But the preparation has been made.

So now we have numbered the people. We have set out how the land will be divided according to the size of the tribe and the location in the land for each tribe will be decided by lot. We have clarified some questions about the laws of inheritance. Moses has been told it is time to get ready, go up to the mountain to observe the land and that’s where you are going to die like Aaron died and the transfer of power has been set in place and all the people recognized that Joshua is the divinely appointed successor to Moses to lead them and to lead them into the conquest of the land. So we have come to a remarkable time in Israel’s history.

There is still a number of things to be taken care of, to prepare Israel for how God wants them to conduct themselves as they go into the land. Things regarding their sacrifices because their relationship with God and their worship in the context of their sacrificial system is foundational to their relationship to God in covenant, and so those things will be unfolded next.

Let’s join together and pray. Lord, we would have open receptive hearts to take the instruction that we have seen in your word, not just an historical even that has historical interest to us, but spiritual truth, lessons for us to learn. Lord, we would desire to have soft, believing hearts that are quick to believe your word, quick to submit ourselves to truth. It’s easy for those of us who are exposed to the truth again and again and again, to become careless, to take it lightly, to excuse our unbelief.

Lord, I pray for any who may even be here, who has been exposed to the truth again and again and again even as Israel was, but has failed to believe even as they did. What a tragic situation they are in. Lord, I pray they respond to your grace and believe in Jesus Christ. Lord may each of us as your children be careful to have a holy fear of disobedience and recognize the utmost importance of treating you as holy by obeying your word. Use us this week to serve you faithfully. Lord, may our testimony shine brightly and may you be honored in however you choose to use us. We pray in Christ’s name, amen.