Numbers 33 – Study

For those who may wish to ‘study’ this chapter, the following simple resources are provided for you. Each passage has a four-Part approach to help you take in and think further about what you have read.

Passage: Numbers 33:50-56  

50 On the plains of Moab by the Jordan opposite Jericho the Lord said to Moses, 51 ‘Speak to the Israelites and say to them: “When you cross the Jordan into Canaan, 52 drive out all the inhabitants of the land before you. Destroy all their carved images and their cast idols, and demolish all their high places. 53 Take possession of the land and settle in it, for I have given you the land to possess. 54 Distribute the land by lot, according to your clans. To a larger group give a larger inheritance, and to a smaller group a smaller one. Whatever falls to them by lot will be theirs. Distribute it according to your ancestral tribes.

55 ‘“But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land, those you allow to remain will become barbs in your eyes and thorns in your sides. They will give you trouble in the land where you will live. 56 And then I will do to you what I plan to do to them.”’

A. Find out:

1. To whom did God speak? v.50b
2. Where were they? v.50a
3. What was about to happen? v.51
4. What 3 things were they to do at first? v.52
5. Then what were they to do? v.54
6. What would happen if they didn’t obey fully? v.55

B. Think:

1. Moses isn’t going to be allowed into the land himself, so why do you think the Lord instructs him to tell the people what to do?
2. What was the key to Israel being able to settle in the land?
3. Why?

C. Comment:

     Israel are encamped to the east of the Jordan river and were able to see across into Canaan, a land populated by a number of fairly small groups of idol worshippers. Canaan hadn’t always been like that (see Genesis 14:18 -20) but now idol worship was the norm. Note that God’s instruction was “drive out” which isn’t necessarily the same as “destroy!”. It would only be destroy if the inhabitants refused to go. This was a land that the Lord of Creation has designated to be holy for His chosen people. He has that right!

     Moses is given the instructions by God, even though he won’t be going in. Israel had long known his leadership, and words coming from him, especially in his last days, would have greater impact. The gist of the instruction is that Israel is to COMPLETELY clear the land of its inhabitants AND all the signs of false worship. The Lord knows that we are prone to being led astray by even the smallest signs of the old godless life. That must ALL go if we are to be able to live at peace and under the blessing of the Lord in the land (the kingdom of God).

D. Application?

1. Only God is worthy of worship. Worshipping anything less than Him is deception and following untruth.
2. As Christians, the old life of self-centred ruling is to be considered dead and buried, gone!