Torah Portion Matot/Tribes & Masei/Journeys

Numbers 30:2-36:13; Jeremiah 2:4-28, 4:1-2; Hebrews 1-3

We are walking in today:  Torah Portion Matot/Tribes & Masei/Journeys

Witness move camp & journey throughout the Bible:  Exodus 14:19; Numbers 4:15,10:2; Deuteronomy 23:15; Numbers 33:2, 33:8; Judges 18:5-6; Ezra 8:21

This morning we are looking to the children of Israel that are making ready to go into the promised land.  This is the next generation that is going to cross over, only Caleb and Joshua were from the previous generation, to possess the land.  One of the assignments that Yahweh gave to the people was to take His vengeance against the Midianites (that we had last week's portion) who were luring the men of Israel by the Midianite women.  This act of disobedience led to a plague that was quenched by the zealous action as of Phineas.   This was at the direction of Baalam who was not able to curse the people of Israel with his words but found other methods to place stumbling blocks before them.  For this battle, each tribe was to send forth soldiers to fight in this battle, that every male was to be slain which included the five kings of Midian.  Upon the Israelites returning from war, the heads of the thousands and hundreds that they have the total count that went out to war.  We can see here that the protection of the hand of Yahweh upon the people when being used as His tool of vengeance for evil deeds done against His chosen.  With no lives lost, the people were not diminished in number at all.  The spoils of war were livestock, precious metals, jewels and women.  Moses had to direct them to only save the women that had never knew a man.  Remember the stumbling that these women caused in the luring to pagan practices and other unholiness?  This is a great lesson for us to totally remove those stumbling blocks that we have tripped over and no longer permit them at any stage of our lives.  Why tempt yourselves with a previous downfall?  Why not be obedient to His directions at all times?  Once the correction comes, take and make that correction for your life and not just for a moment.  All of those who went to war, the spoils and the captives were to remain outside the camp until purified--keeping all contamination from entering the general assembly.  The soldiers also made atonement for their return in their full number to the camp.  All of the increase from this battle was given a portion to Yahweh and the priests and then divided among the people.  This battle in Midian gives a pattern that the children of Israel could follow when taking possession of the land of Canaan, leaving no one alive that would draw them away from Yahweh's good and right way.  That they would have peace on all sides and not be pulled in or blend what they were already doing in the land from the instructions that they received and practiced in the wilderness.
In the 33rd chapter of Numbers we find a review of all of the stops of the children of Israel as they went throughout the wilderness.  There is a total of 42 that each have meaning giving revelation of who Yahweh is as well as what resides in the children of Israel as well.  This character reveal of the people allows them to see what should have been learned for they will need these completed lessons in the promised land.  Fiveamprayer remember that which we learn is not just for the present lesson but is also for our moving foward.  The original generation that was brought out of Egypt all died in the wilderness save Joshua and Caleb.  The display of the mighty arm of Yahweh that delivered them out was to be a comfort for the beginning the close  of their wanderings.  Through the mouth of Moses, the people were directed to drive out all of the people who inhabited the land, destroy all of the pictures, destroy the molten images and casting down every high place used for pagan worship.  If this was not done in totality the people would experience many difficulties at the hands of their disobedience for if any were allowed to remain would work against them--leaving room for attack from the inside of the people themselves.  They are a holy people, set forth by Yahweh, the holy God and they were to be His holy people.  They were not to have any dealings with the profane and thus making them unholy.
We find in these two portions we must be mindful of those thing that would attempt to tempt us.  Utterly remove those things that caused stumbling before or prevent our stumbling.  How do we know, we have His directions for our lives that when accurately followed will give us that we are to avoid and remove from our presence.  We have to understand that His sight is big picture and long distance, He knows what results in even the small disobedience will eventually yield full grown rebellion.  Our sight is often not that far down the road, this limited sight and understanding can make room of the 'just this once' mindset that is easily the undoing of many.  When we seek to obey and follow all of His directions we find that in His full awareness we are able to expect and receive all that His word promises!  So the question becomes in whom do you rely?  Your own sight or His directions?  To hear this again click here.