Day 68 – Numbers 33-34

Talking Points

• The journey from Egypt to Canaan is carefully recollected by God. Throughout every step of their journey, God has provided and protected. As the sons of Israel trusted in Him and obeyed His commands, He blessed them. When they were disobedient and rebellious, He punished them. Every step of the way and in every situation, He is perfectly just.
• God commands Israel to drive out and destroy all of the Canaanites, their idols, and their high places. God warns them that if they do not, they will become as “pricks in your eyes and thorns in your sides” (33:55). If any remain, they will entice them to sin and be stumbling blocks to holy living. Again, we see the seriousness of removing any sin or enticement to sin from your midst.
• A modern discussion sometimes arises, asking how it is just for God to drive out the original residents of Canaan. It is important to see that the land never belonged to people anyway — all land is God’s land. And, these people were active enemies of the one true God. He uses His nation to execute His righteous judgment against them and their sin.

Thoughts

Do you really believe that God knows you better than you know yourself? Or, though you might not ever admit it, do you believe that to be impossible? Maybe deep down, you don’t really like being told what to do, what is best. Maybe you think you’re stronger than He knows you to be. Maybe you’re convinced that you can get pretty close to “the line” without crossing it. Or, maybe you don’t really see what the big deal is with some of your choices, and you might even try to justify a few of them, were you given the chance of a face-to-face with Him.

In His instruction to the sons of Israel, we catch a glimpse of the truth that God really does know us. He knows our temptations and our enticements. He knows our thoughts and the motivations of our hearts. He knows our words before they even form in our mouths. God knows us. He knows all. And, He loves us. So, when God tells the Israelites to remove sin and temptations from their midst, He is instructing in His infinite knowledge, wisdom, and love.

The same is true when God tells us to flee from sin, to resist the devil, to walk in the Spirit, and to abstain from evil. He actually does want what is best for us. Sin is not something to tiptoe around. The Lord doesn’t tell us to test our self-control or try to find out how strong we are. He tells us to run the other direction, as if escaping danger — because that’s what we’re doing.

Today, may we trust in our all-knowing, loving God. May we walk in the Spirit and run from even the enticements to sin. May it be for our good and God’s glory.