Numbers 25-27 Wrapping Up 40 Years

Standing at the border of the Promised Land, some men of Israel allowed themselves to be tempted by the women of Moab and Midian.  The women invited them innocently enough to their sacrifices to their gods, and the men ate food there and worshiped these gods!  That led them to sin sexually with these women, who worshiped Baal.  God ordered a final cleanup, and 24,000 Israelites died as a result of this sin.  They were about to enter the Promised Land, and He was weeding out the troublemakers.

God ordered a final census before leading them in.  The results would determine the division of the land by families.  To me, the numbers themselves weren’t important.  This fact was:  “Moses and Eleazar counted all the people … Moses and Aaron had counted the Israelites in the Desert of Sinai, but no one Moses counted on the plains of Moab was IN the FIRST counting … The only two left were Caleb and Joshua.”

They’d all died in the desert as God had promised.  It was almost time to step into the land He’d promised.

Father, these people could have already been enjoying the land for 40 years, but their parents’ sins caused them to have to wait.  I pray that You will keep my heart so attuned to You that my family won’t miss 40 years of blessings.  I love them too much to let that happen.

Your Brother In Christ,

Gary Ford