Chronological Bible Study – Mar. 09

What I Noticed Today (Numbers 33-34)

Numbers 33

Numbers 33 is one of those chapters with Moses recounting 40 years of wilderness journeys. (With all the “and they set outs” I’m tempted to skim along!)

The history of the Israelites is described in verses 1-49:

• The Lord brought them out of Egypt to Mt. Sinai (vv.1-15).
• Then the Lord brought them right up to the edge of the Promised Land, and they refused to go in (vv. 16-36).
• Moses described their desert wanderings, ending back at the edge of the Promised Land (vv. 37-49).

In verses 50-56, Moses speaks to the Israelites for the final time as the Lord gives specific instructions for when they have crossed over the Jordan River into the Promised Land:

• They are to drive out their enemies, destroys their idols, take over the land, and only then are they to divide the land.
• The land is to be divided by lot, with a larger inheritance going to larger tribes.
• They must drive out the inhabitants of the land. If they fail to do so, the Lord will do the Israelites, what He had planned to do to them.

Some additional thoughts for consideration:

• While this plan of Reuben and Gad seems logical on its face, it seems to me like they have settled for the material possession of the land versus crossing over into the Promised Land where they would have enjoyed God’s promised blessings. They accepted what they could see rather than accept on faith the promise of a better land across the Jordan.
• God requires obedience first, then blessing!
• How tempting it is sometimes to look at the opportunity right before us and reject God’s best that may be out of sight, but just ahead across the river! How much of God’ best are we missing out on, because we lack the faith to follow Him with the full confidence that God’s best is better than our best!

Numbers 34

Numbers 34 deals with the boundaries of the Promised Land and the assignment of tribal leaders.

In verses 1-15, the Lord gives Moses a description of the boundaries of the Promised Land:

• The Lord spoke to Moses instructing him regarding the boundaries of the Promised Land.
• The boundary on the southern side ran from the Dead Sea at the border of Edom and ran westward across to the Mediterranean Sea.
• The western border was the Mediterranean Sea.
• The northern border ran from the Mediterranean Sea on the west near Mount Hor and ended at Hazar Enan (70 miles northeast of Damascus).

• The eastern border began at Hazar Enan in the north and ran south to the Dead Sea.
• These borders were for the nine and a half tribes who were to cross over the Jordan since the Reubenites, Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh received their inheritance on the eastern side of the Jordan.

In verses 16-29, the Lord assigns leaders from each tribe to distribute the land:

• The Lord spoke to Moses saying the land was to be distributed by Eleazar the priest and Joshua, son of Nun.
• One leader from each tribe was assigned to distribute the land.

What did you notice in your study today? Feel free to visit the website and leave a question or a comment.

Tomorrow: Day 69 Numbers 35-36