READ Numbers 33–36
These final chapters of Numbers show how God is in the details. The people traveled from Egypt by companies or clans under the leadership of Moses and Aaron. Moses wrote down their starting places, stage by stage, by command of the Lord. They began on the fifteenth day of the first month on the day after the Passover making a triumphant exit while the Egyptians were burying all their firstborn struck down by the Lord who also executed judgments on their many gods. (Numbers 33:1–4) Then each place they camped is listed in the order of their travels, dozens and dozens of locations.
Finally they came to the Jordan river and the promised land was before them. God said to Moses:
“Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, When you pass over the Jordan into the land of Canaan, then you shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you and destroy all their figured stones and destroy all their metal images and demolish all their high places. And you shall take possession of the land and settle in it, for I have given the land to you to possess it. You shall inherit the land by lot according to your clans. To a large tribe you shall give a large inheritance, and to a small tribe you shall give a small inheritance. Wherever the lot falls for anyone, that shall be his. According to the tribes of your fathers you shall inherit. But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then those of them whom you let remain shall be as barbs in your eyes and thorns in your sides, and they shall trouble you in the land where you dwell. And I will do to you as I thought to do to them.” (Numbers 33:51–56)
Not only was their responsibility clearly defined, so also was the land. The Lord gave specific boundaries for the area in which they were to conquer and dwell. He also specifically named the men who would divide the inheritance for the people of Israel in the land of Canaan. (Numbers 34:29) This included the land and the cities that would belong to the priestly tribe of the Levites:
"Command the people of Israel to give to the Levites some of the inheritance of their possession as cities for them to dwell in. And you shall give to the Levites pasturelands around the cities. The cities shall be theirs to dwell in, and their pasturelands shall be for their cattle and for their livestock and for all their beasts . . . . The cities that you give to the Levites shall be the six cities of refuge, where you shall permit the manslayer to flee, and in addition to them you shall give forty-two cities." (Numbers 35:2–3; 6)
These cities were designated as places of refuge from an avenger for those guilty of manslaughter rather than deliberate murder, “that the manslayer may not die until he stands before the congregation for judgment” but “If anyone kills a person, the murderer shall be put to death on the evidence of witnesses. But no person shall be put to death on the testimony of one witness.” (Numbers 35:12; 30) Many parts of the world still hold to these laws that prevent revenge without a fair trial. Some also carry out the death penalty for murder.
The reading ends with a concern and the resulting laws for marriage so a daughter would not marry outside her clan and take their inheritance away from her family.
I read these thinking of God’s attention to detail, particularly the recording of their travels from bondage in Egypt to the land they were given, yet how had to do battle to overcome the evils in it. I’m reminded of the freedom I felt when Jesus saved me, but also realize the spiritual war to overcome sin, a battle that seems never-ending. Certainly some of it has been a thorn in my side until the Lord came to my rescue and gave me victories — one at a time.
That He oversaw every detail of OT life reminds me that He watches over my life with the same attention to detail. Several weeks ago I found an eye shield in my bathroom that I no longer needed. Normally I would have discarded it, but for some reason did not. This week, a dear friend recovering from eye surgery was in a panic because she accidently discarded her eye shield. She called wondering if I would get one at a pharmacy. I tried; they don’t carry them. I took her mine and we laughed together at the providence of God.
Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God. Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows. (Luke 12:6–7)
Reading Numbers reminds me that God is in the details and living in His kingdom with His people proves it over and over. His eye is on the sparrow and I know He also watches me!