NUMBERS

Numbers Chapter 21

• Numbers 21:1 And when king Arad the Canaanite, which dwelt in the south, heard tell that Israel came by the way of the spies; then he fought against Israel, and took some of them prisoners. 
• 2 And Israel vowed a vow unto the LORD, and said, If thou wilt indeed deliver this people into my hand, then I will utterly destroy their cities. 
• 3 And the LORD hearkened to the voice of Israel, and delivered up the Canaanites; and they utterly destroyed them and their cities: and he called the name of the place Hormah. 

Now we see here a sort of justification for destroying the cities of the Canaanites. Some of the men of Israel were taken prisoners so they retaliated by making a deal with God to destroy the cities if they would win this battle. 

Why would God who loves all His creation allow tiny Israel to destroy complete cities? To the average United States citizens, that seems harsh and cruel. We live in a day where we have been sheltered from the cruelty and barbaric people from past ages until just recently where we are seeing riots, looting and chaos in our streets. Yet so far it hasn't come close to the civilizations in the past that did human sacrifices. At least not on the surface. Actually abortion is a form of human sacrifice. We really don't realize how evil that is. The law allows babies to be killed just before they are ready to be born. I remember when Bill Clinton signed the bill to allow that practice. 

Here are just a few of the practices heathen nations did:

1. Harsh slavery
2. Human trafficking
3. Live sacrifice of young babies and children to idols.
4. Idolatry that involved gross sexual immorality forced upon those that were unwilling or innocent children.
5. Temple prostitutes
6. Bestiality
7. Torture
8. Rape that went unpunished. 
9. Violence sanctioned by government

Many nations practiced all or some of the above but the Canaanites went too far and to the point of no return. There is a verse in Genesis when God was speaking to Abraham that He had given Abraham the land of Canaanite but he was not allowed to possess it in his lifetime because the iniquity of the land had not yet went to the point of no return. They could still repent. When a nation gets beyond repentance and the evil is so bad that to allow them to live would cause the evil to spread to their descendants and even get worse, God has to draw the line and say, "No more." 

• Genesis 15:16 But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again: for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full. 

God is a God that would rather save than to destroy as we see when we read the book of Jonah but sometimes the iniquity is full or to the point of no return. They were beyond repentance. 

• Numbers 21:4 And they journeyed from mount Hor by the way of the Red sea, to compass the land of Edom: and the soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way. 
• 5 And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread. 

They are the same as we are today. We forget the past and God's goodness when things get bad. Our faith wavers when trouble comes. Their unbelief though is judged by God in the next verse. 

• Numbers 21:6 And the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died. 
• 7 Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD, and against thee; pray unto the LORD, that he take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people.

We see here that when we repent God has mercy and saves. 

• Numbers 21:8 And the LORD said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live. 

Our beloved Jesus Christ was put on a cross and allowed to bear our sins. As a serpent on the pole, our savior was crucified in the same manner. He who knew no sin became sin for us. 

• John 3:14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: 
• 15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 

A way out, an escape, a path to God and to eternal life, spotless without wrinkle. God is merciful and desires to save all who will come to Him.

• Numbers 21:9 And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived. 
• 10 And the children of Israel set forward, and pitched in Oboth. 
• 11 And they journeyed from Oboth, and pitched at Ijeabarim, in the wilderness which is before Moab, toward the sunrising. 
• 12 From thence they removed, and pitched in the valley of Zared. 
• 13 From thence they removed, and pitched on the other side of Arnon, which is in the wilderness that cometh out of the coasts of the Amorites: for Arnon is the border of Moab, between Moab and the Amorites. 
• 14 Wherefore it is said in the book of the wars of the LORD, What he did in the Red sea, and in the brooks of Arnon, 

What this book was we don't know but I'm thinking of Josephus and his book about the wars of the Jews. However, Josephus lived at a much later date. The thought just came to me that Josephus did write such a book. There are many other writings that are not in the canon of scripture that we know of in the bible. It is okay to read them but take into account that it may not be the actual inspired word of God. I read some of them. Many of them do confirm what the bible says.

• Numbers 21:15 And at the stream of the brooks that goeth down to the dwelling of Ar, and lieth upon the border of Moab. 
• 16 And from thence they went to Beer: that is the well whereof the LORD spake unto Moses, Gather the people together, and I will give them water. 
• 17 Then Israel sang this song, Spring up, O well; sing ye unto it: 
• 18 The princes digged the well, the nobles of the people digged it, by the direction of the lawgiver, with their staves. And from the wilderness they went to Mattanah: 
• 19 And from Mattanah to Nahaliel: and from Nahaliel to Bamoth: 
• 20 And from Bamoth in the valley, that is in the country of Moab, to the top of Pisgah, which looketh toward Jeshimon. 

It's easy to sing and praise the Lord when things are going good, our bellies are full and we are not going through a trial but just as Israel murmured and complained when things get bad, so do we. Let us not criticize them too greatly because we do the same things. 

Sometimes good times and prosperity will cause us to stray from the Lord and not think we need him. It is a time to be thankful and full of praise though rather than forget the Lord. When trials come though it proves us and shows the world what kind of stuff we are made of. Sometimes we tend to go into unbelief and think the Lord has abandoned us. Sometimes trouble comes because we have forsaken Him and it is a sort of correction or judgment. Sometimes troubles will cause people to repent and return to God. Other times it is just a test to see if we will remain faithful and abide in faith rather than go into unbelief and doubt. 

• Numbers 21:21 And Israel sent messengers unto Sihon king of the Amorites, saying, 
• 22 Let me pass through thy land: we will not turn into the fields, or into the vineyards; we will not drink of the waters of the well: but we will go along by the king's high way, until we be past thy borders. 
• 23 And Sihon would not suffer Israel to pass through his border: but Sihon gathered all his people together, and went out against Israel into the wilderness: and he came to Jahaz, and fought against Israel. 

Now we see as Edom didn't allow Israel to pass through their land, neither did these Amorites allow it. They even came out against Israel which only opened the door to their defeat.

• Numbers 21:24 And Israel smote him with the edge of the sword, and possessed his land from Arnon unto Jabbok, even unto the children of Ammon: for the border of the children of Ammon was strong. 
• 25 And Israel took all these cities: and Israel dwelt in all the cities of the Amorites, in Heshbon, and in all the villages thereof. 
• 26 For Heshbon was the city of Sihon the king of the Amorites, who had fought against the former king of Moab, and taken all his land out of his hand, even unto Arnon. 
• 27 Wherefore they that speak in proverbs say, Come into Heshbon, let the city of Sihon be built and prepared: 
• 28 For there is a fire gone out of Heshbon, a flame from the city of Sihon: it hath consumed Ar of Moab, and the lords of the high places of Arnon. 
• 29 Woe to thee, Moab! thou art undone, O people of Chemosh: he hath given his sons that escaped, and his daughters, into captivity unto Sihon king of the Amorites. 

Chemosh was the idol that the children of Moab worshipped. They should have known better because these were descendants of Lot who was Abraham's nephew. They would have known God at one time but chose to go into idolatry. 

• Numbers 21:30 We have shot at them; Heshbon is perished even unto Dibon, and we have laid them waste even unto Nophah, which reacheth unto Medeba. 
• 31 Thus Israel dwelt in the land of the Amorites. 
• 32 And Moses sent to spy out Jaazer, and they took the villages thereof, and drove out the Amorites that were there. 
• 33 And they turned and went up by the way of Bashan: and Og the king of Bashan went out against them, he, and all his people, to the battle at Edrei. 
• 34 And the LORD said unto Moses, Fear him not: for I have delivered him into thy hand, and all his people, and his land; and thou shalt do to him as thou didst unto Sihon king of the Amorites, which dwelt at Heshbon. 
• 35 So they smote him, and his sons, and all his people, until there was none left him alive: and they possessed his land. 

Sometimes we see Israel possessing lands of the people that came against them. Other times they only went as God allowed them to do and instructed them to do. 

Remember though that if the nations of the Canaanites had been people who were not evil and passed the point of no return, God would not have allowed Israel to touch them. Even if they practiced idolatry as long as their deeds were not so evil that innocent children were murdered and raped for instance, they would have been allowed to exist. I don't know what it takes exactly to bring God's judgment but at some point there is time when God says that it is enough and brings judgment. 

This is why I fear for the United States. Abortion is actually murder of innocent children. Sexual immorality prevails also. This defiles the whole nation and brings disease. It is allowed so far but when innocent children are abused and raped without the government attempting to stop it, it would probably be to the point of no return. So far our government does not allow that sort of thing but we are close. We do allow the murder of the unborn. Now as I proofread theses articles we have in the United States some lawmakers advocating infanticide where a child born alive can be allowed to die if the mother does not want the child as in a botched abortion. Harvesting organs were discovered by a group of people that went undercover and pretended to want to purchase the organs harvested. So the evil here in my own country is getting to a place of no return. Yet there is hope if we turn and repent.  

There are groups that fight for the right to lower the age of consent for children. There a time that may be coming when the government will not stop sexual exploitation of children. When that happens look for the end to come to this country. He has to judge it because those children will grow up and do the same thing to others. Evil will get worse from generation to generation. That too is getting closer than when I wrote this bible study. Pedophilia is on the rise. We need revival bad.

We have abandoned any fear of God and desire His commandments stripped from our courthouses in the name of freedom. Yet we will not have freedom; we will be in bondage to evil. 

Peter writes:

• 2Peter 2:19 While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage. 
• 20 For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. 
• 21 For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. 
• 22 But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire. 

Paul writes: 

• Romans 1:28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; 
• 29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, 
• 30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 
• 31 Without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: 
• 32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them. 

Once we refuse to acknowledge God, all evil will prevail. The innocent will be hurt. Expect euthanasia to be legal in the name of mercy. The innocent will eventually be harmed as well as the terminally ill. No fear of God opens the door to evil with no restraint.

Oppression of the poor will begin to be normal. So far we help the poor at least on the surface but it is really only to get their votes and make them think the government cares about them. They don't. Many want to keep them dependent on the government and not escape out of poverty. When the time is right the poor will be oppressed also.

Evil is called good and good is called evil. We are getting all mixed up and confusion prevails. 

It is not too late for this country to repent and turn back to God. The only way back to God though is through faith in Jesus Christ who paid the price for all sin. Without Him we will serve a false god not the real one. Religion can't save. It takes a cleansing from sin. It's like a dirty child that plays in the mud. He needs a bath. We need cleansing from sin to be reconciled to God because the sin is what separates us from God.

Jesus is God that became flesh, preached the gospel of eternal salvation and then died for our sins. God then raised Him from the dead showing all who believe the hope of eternal life when we believe in the one God sent to save us. The cure for sin is simple. Repent and believe the gospel. Blessed be the name of the Lord. DC