How to Live out the Vision of the 'Promised Land'
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Dear Congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ,
Sometimes it may feel that all there is the journey. Not so bad when a tourist, but if a wilderness journey, and life just seems like the same old drudgery, and testing, trial, suffering and lack, we can feel like Sysphys. Kind of like we can put up with all these restrictions during a pandemci ife we know no matter how long it goes, there is a better end in sight that these sacrficies make sense of. Well this book of Numbers isn’t just perect organizaztion of the camp in Humbers 1-10, and then the struggle and wilderness. This whole last part is focused on the next gerneation, tethers the story - our story not just on their worship and faith, their working through problems in obedience to God and experience His victory and blessing and provision; our story is tethered to a destination - not just the Land, but the whole way of life, the new social reality, the fruitful life, the knigdom of preistly people. The book opens up with what tht would like in the iwlderness journey, but it closes with what that’s gogino to look like in the land. Chapters 1-10 give us a brid’s eye view of the spirtual geogorpahy of a people who have God’s holienss in their centre, have Levites and priests as buffer - laws and ritual to get that holiness in every part of the camp.
And this concluding message on Numbers is to cast a vision of what dwelling with God, not in the wilderness journey with all its trials is about, but what lving with God in our midst, in his promsied Land, in HIs community of grace ought to look like, even now here in His church, before the fulness comes when heavnely Zion joiened with purified earth in the very end!
The point of our wilderness journey is to reach the destination of the land.
Key Truth: We are to be a Promised Land Community in whom God dwells.
We had the first part of this bleuprint for dwelling with God in the Promised Land, ast week - the divine calendar - worship - a)regular b)festivals that point to Christ, that focus all our living on the one Christ is yet to fulfil that great Feast of Tabernacles - when all thenations stream to the Messiah, when judgment and final victory ushered in with the Coming of Jesus. . But it certainly not just worship and a spiritual focus that we are given here. The proimsed Land - very embodied, physical social reality, here and now on earth, so is the Chruch of Jesus Christ, and so will the new heavens and new earht. And so just like the opening of the book gave representative laws about life in the wilderness, so too now for life in the land. The first after wroship. Are Vows.
A. Life in the Promised Land requires oath-keeping, living before God! (Nm 30)
Now the remained of the chapter spells out how that works for a household, if a wife makes a vow, a widow, an unmarried child. Who is repsonbile, Strange to our ears, if you are cgoing to get married, band don’t knwo about some strange vow your fianncee made, bound to dkeep it after you’re married. The point for us is not the agrigucltural application of God’s law for oaths, but about whether we bind our selves to our wrods and God’s will in the details of daily life. Here is the principle we too must live out. This is how holiness gets into our daily living:
Numbers 30:2 If a man vows a vow to the Lord, or swears an oath to bind himself by a pledge, he shall not break his word. He shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth
If a man vows a vow to the Lord, or swears an oath to bind himself by a pledge, he shall not break his word. He shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth.
We all make promises and agreements, sometimes stated other times assumed. Are you faithful. But when expeically iportant - oath-bound relatinship by enetering into a covenant - like God did with us - and those words - we pledge ourselves to act certain way, to devote certain things ot the Lord, promise LORD in my life I will do this. Not to utterly rashly, or bargaining which would be taking the LORd’s name in vain. But dilgient seeking of God’s will and his blessing in those areas we make proimses:
Basic - baptism - early church vow to renounce the Devil and sin. Baptism’s profession of faith - make vow to join with th poeple of God, not to negelct worship but to contniue to grow, sumbit to leadership - This chapter regulates foolish unbinding vows that the comjyhity should say - no not good and those that must be upheld.
Covenant People - do this in marriage - understood that those are life shaping, behviour mdofiy, selfihness killing words - that have to be lived out , that will stop you in your tracks mid sentence, in the middgle pursing some selfish desire - words come back - vow those to you to the LORD> YOUR WORD IS BOND. Yes yes and no no . With the seriuos ness of worship we are to seek God’s will in the business of our life, our promising relatinoships.
This is a theme of the type of people we are to be - not just faithfulness in church stuff, and on Sunday - but remember the begining of the book - what is the big vow and who is it for - Nazarite vow - and you and I are dedicate our whole lives to God like that!
But from this regular ordinary life kind of stuff, Moses jumps to an eara of life so unordinary and serious and that is that of Holy War.
B. Those pressing to the Promised Land must Engage in Holy War (Nm 31)
While geogrpahically there is no holy land any more, God does not favour one political nation over antoher, nor does God rule directly by theocarcy nor expect us to to try institue one. None the less in the OT, Israel became the HOly Land. And while the kingdodm is now a spiritual reality that works like salt and light in the earthly kingdoms, still there is a holy war, even if its spiritualized i nthe NT believers lives.
But look at the starkness with which God acts his last action in Numbers. It is announced in
Numbers 31:2 “Avenge the people of Israel on the Midianites. Afterward you shall be gathered to your people.”
“Avenge the people of Israel on the Midianites. Afterward you shall be gathered to your people.”
Now avenged here is not… But it is… Should remind us of Jill Pole in C.S. Lewis meets Aslan - and pretty unsure …
That is like the living God - not safe but good, not predictable by human standards, that we would tame down and distort to please ourselves. Accommodate to our sinfulness. But so full of goodness and mercy, yet strict and severe justice that this universe needs.
What is commanded by God here is not typcial war practice. Just war principles in book of Deuteronomy: never good thing, but when necessar thing - give terms of peace before attack, must only engage combatants not women children, mitigate ecolgoical damage. Always brokeness and creates impurity. But this is not just war theory here. This is a special case like God against Pharoah and Egypt. Who is God definitively and totally against here?
Midianite, all of them? No actually the five clan/tribes that started teh hostility with Moab at Peor - to tempt and destory Israel by adulteryand idolatry. Avenge means. All will perish if they stay in their sin away from grace of God and this is a picture of that.
Isreael experienced that wrath first, then the nations.
1 Peter 4:17-18 For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? And “If the righteous is scarcely saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?”
For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? And “If the righteous is scarcely saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?”
There is something symoblic even in those five names. List and meanings:
ONe thousand from every tribe, ould be same word for tribe itself. But Israel does not execute judgment on the women who directly led them astray. they spare the teenage boys who were warriors. And Moses snaps. God commands no those who so treacherously led you away from me must die, lest you get pulled from true worship and true worhsip is lost in all the earth. Any boy who would become a soldier aginst the kigndom of God.
Now historically true but not geonocide, though it is a symbolic picture of the final judgment where enemies of God, those who rebel against his worship his way of life his people - utter destruction. War commanded directly by God, and on ein which Phineas the higpirest in waiting comes with the esseels of God. Symboilically making a picture of how God will sddress eveil and reverse the damage caused by the deception and evil of Midiaan,.
But even in justicve God remembers mercy. And unlike Moses desire, ook waht is decided in Numbers 31:18
But all the young girls who have not known man by lying with him keep alive for yourselves.
They are granted life, and a place in the people of God. There is justice and mercy in the peopel of God.
And unlike any other noirmal war, in this holy war, symbolic, we read: that not one solier of the LORD died. Numbers 31:49
and said to Moses, “Your servants have counted the men of war who are under our command, and there is not a man missing from us.
And they rectonize the miracle - and they give a tribute to the LORD in thanksgiving. What’s more these people have seen so much death - heard God’s sentence that 40 years whole generatio die in the desert - saw God’s judgment, now saw it on five clans of Midian. And what do they say? Hey, we are so much better -
They recognize they are now better, not only need water of purification after being involed in death, but listen to them - after this victory in holy war:
Numbers 31:50b And we have brought the Lord’s offering, … to make atonement for ourselves before the Lord.”
And we have brought the Lord’s offering, what each man found, articles of gold, armlets and bracelets, signet rings, earrings, and beads, to make atonement for ourselves before the Lord.”
They understand they are no better, 40 years in the desert they saw the real threat not just other pagan nations, but their own disobedience. They saw the bronze snake lifted on a pole - and that faith was required for life. They saw Phineas in this last plague stop the plague by interceding and making atonement.
Those Midianites in Genesis 15 God patiently said time of their sin not yet full, patiently await there repentance, got worse, child sacrifice - and God says they are getting what they chose, what they deserve that is justice. But Israel has learned that they must live by grace - and they trust in atonement God provides. They were no better and God would indeed be subject to the same punishment upon them as a nation when they prostitued themselves to the ways of the nations, and became more corrupt morally and in treatment of the poor. He cut them off, and exiled them. They sense they are living by grace and with atonement made, they freely give God the tribute.
What is the message of this holy war for you and I today?
Big Q? How should the command to “drive out the Canaanites” inform the continuing life of the people of God? Positively, the command calls the people of God to live a The generatino of faith is a people who are dveoted to God, not perfect, but devoted and obeying God’s commands is imopprtant to them. Do you get that? SPurgeon put it this way: There is no treasuring up the word holy in our lives, if there is not a casting out of all unholiness in our lives. Corporate life of single-hearted devotion to God—in thought, worship, and practice.
The people of God drive out evil influences from their midst. HOw do you put that into practice in your dialy life, life of the the church? Jesus’s teachings (e.g., the parable of the wheat and tares) and his practice of “eating with tax collectors and sinners” point us away from just cultural separation leading often to hypocrisy and judgmentalism.
Yet, Christ’s call to repentance, baptism, discipleship, and holiness within the Christian community does not create a culture of mere openness (where the only value is tolerance), but rather a culture of hospitality mixed with discernment and discipline. Christ’s Sermon on the Mount includes the statement “if your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away” (Matt. 5:29; cf. 18:15–20), and Paul’s disciplinary advice to the Corinthians includes the statements “clean out the old yeast so that you may be a new batch” (1 Cor. 5:7) and “drive out the wicked person from among you” (5:13).
This morning in the holy war, not against nations but against the power of evil that rock the nations, what is God calling you to battle. What sin to mortify? What practice from the world without Christ, that leads you away - to renounce. JE said: A trtue and faithful Christian does not make holy living an accidental thing. It is his great concern. As the business of a soldier is to giht, so the business of the Christian is to be like Christ!
Listen to the deeper concern God had when in ch 33 he describes why they must take the land and divided it equally: he calls them to destroy the high places and figured stones and metal images, he says so graphically
Numbers 33:55 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.
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.
Discipleship is not just following a “general law” be nice Christian, but fully following the LORD in the particulars of our life! JE said: a true and faithful
C. Don’t Settle Down in a Selfish Life, withdrawing from God’s Mission (Nm 32-34)
But next the end of Numbers spells out a key warning that could disqualify us from the Promised Land. This comes in the last event, 40 years are done, journey is over, destination and instructions in place. And look what Reuben and Gad do:
From the plunder of Moab and Sihon. They have great herds, and take a look at the lush green green pasture land, East of the Jordan. Like Lot they see this, and they in the exact ANE land grant treaty protocol - say to Moses - Look we want to stay put here, - we’re aborting God’s mission, we like this just fine, you can leave us on this side of the Jordan. MAP We don’t want the destination.
Now what’s the warning here for us? What is the promised Land? Is it just real-estate, no it’s a whole new social reality, the kingdom of God with God dwelling in their midst, the people where God’s vision of shalom, salvation , blessing flow to the world. Where they see the Holiness and Justice and Mercy of God and they live in that reality reflecting it to each other and the world.
We’ve been called to the same, but what gets in the way. What some have called the root of all sin. Related to pride but selfishness, not just inordinate love of the self, but a replacing of God with your self. Replacing of his will for you and others, with your will for self. JE said heart either ruled by affection for God, affection for self. And he says: How can you expect to dwell with God forever, if you so neglect and forsake him here?
And right away Moses flips, perhaps misreading their motivations, but right away he draws a direct line between their selfish desire and abosnoding of God’s plan, iwth what event - Spies at the Promised Land. Nah - too hard, not realistic, let’s go back to Egyupt, all this kngdom of God stuff, pie in the sky I don’t believe God can accomplish that radical Kingdom with us rag tag people.
I just want mycomfort and security pleace. Well, are you ever tempted in this way. Moses is so angry, because reagdless of their motives, living like that will affect others who are trying t olive by faiht:
Numbers 32:7 Why will you discourage the heart of the people of Israel from going over into the land that the Lord has given them?
Why will you discourage the heart of the people of Israel from going over into the land that the Lord has given them?
Moses says, then just like you are abaondoing God and his plan , he will abandon un in the wilderness, and destory all this people. Numbers 32:15
For if you turn away from following him, he will again abandon them in the wilderness, and you will destroy all this people.”
Wow. They are so close and yet they are going to give up?? Kind of like Pilgrim’s Progress - where is it that some pilgrims who make a start reveal not on the the aht, for some doubting castle - despair; but for many many others it is the carnival city of Vanity Fair!
But I have good news, listening to Moses, they change their tune, they will cross the Jordan, though not the children and women and herds. They will honour the LORD an eoncurage the peole pldge themselves as a vangaurd, and only then will return. And so seeking God’s will some resoltuion is made. But this episdoe shows that if you and I want to inherit thaalnd, we must be warned against selfish living instead of kingdom living! As these two and ahlf tribes listen and respond with obedience, the key wrd reapted 7x is that they will go before the LORD, they live before the LORD.
Chapter 33 is a bit of a travelouge recounting 44 places of God’s leading and provision and serving as a warning in terms of al lthose testing, traisl, punishments, and dleiverances. It is a reminder that God’s people through their jorney/s ought to keep a record, ought to pause and remember. Shakespeare, how much more with God who makes all things well. Practice of journaling - Why?
Chapter 34 Gives a idealized glowing picture of the proised land and its allotment to the remaining 9 1/2 tribes. Three details stand out though. First of all the descritpoin of the boundaries martch exactly the woriding of the Egyptians porovince of Caaana dated to the New Kingdom during the Exodus. Moses is making the point that God gift of the land was an other truiph of the LORD voer Egytp and their God’s.
Don’t konw if you’ve seen a cartouche… all life and order, blessing comes from the ben ben of that Pharoah. God is saying no - through me. And the choice that Reuben and Ga and Manaseeh who followed suit was - will I pursue blessing in God’s catrouche, or in myown selfish little kingdom.
The second intersting point is that Israel never ever reached the boudnaries. This is an idealized picture that Joshua never accomplished, not even David or Solomon. And this all points to the meaning of the whowle book - we don’t get the proimsed Land in this life, we remain a peole on journey , and though Christ has brough tit in part in tHIs church - the full inheritance and promised life reamin futuer.
But this brings us to the last way that you and I are to live as inheritors of the Promised Land. And Moses gives it to us as a representative law which contains a symbol equally as memorable as that bronze serpent.
D. Be City-of Refuge People have the justice & mercy of Christ on their hearts. (Nm 35)
The Levites got a miniscule 500th portion of the land. Could have felt raw done by - but pure mercy - Levi in Genesis heinous act of murder using covenant sign of circumcision, bad dude - And Jacob in giving blessing to each of his children also delivered cruse on that act on the town of Shechem. By justice he wasn’t going to get any inheritance.
And indeed at the beginning of the book of Numbers, God in mercy, gives elevated role of being the buffer and protector and mediator of God’s holiness. They don’t have section of camp - they live by the tabernacle. Now as they enter the land. Where do they live. Look at the map of the 48 Levitical cities. Really just hamlets with 2000 cubit wide field around.
And that land not handed down, their inheritance was the LORD and the Lord gave each generation enough to live but not to acquire and pass-down wealth. But their elevated position now wasn’t to serve at the tabernacle, the priest would and later at the building of the temple the Levites would again serve their. But their job was to teach God’s law, and apply in the middle of God’s people.
And if we are inheritors of the Promised Land - place for learning God’s Word in our lives too. But the great image is given with 6 cities of refuge.
Who would need these cities? Well someone who unintentionally killed someone. Defiled the land and image bearer of God destroyed brought defilement and guilt on the community. Even if not murder you'd have to deal with it. But it was also the family of the victim who needed these cities, when death happened, need a place where justice fairly administered and resolved.
And the two big characters in such a story where the GOEL - kinsman redeemer - not so much a hit-man, but in the culture of the day. There were no police forces to administer justice , so the civil codes established the fairly as the enforcer and arbiter of justice. And just like in the story of Ruth with Boaz, a near relative, a member of the family was responsible to make things right. To free someone from slavery, to defend, to marry, to redeem a field, but also when murder happened to avenge and see that retributive justice carried out. These cities provided for the avenger of blood, the kinsman Redeemer to bring justice for that victims family.
But here is the interesting part of the symbol, the city of refuge also became a gift in the case of one who unintentionally killed - running for his life to the city limits, gets in can’t be touch, trial, and if acquitted live rest of his life there, there was a sentence to atone for life lost. In fact, there was even a punishment that God set out in Gen 9:6.
“Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in his own image.
Not a human convention, not like the nations a life for a life revenge. The crime was against that family, but even more it was against God. The image of God destroyed, taken , and retributive just says. So holy is that life - capital crime. And so that man not free to go till when? The death of the high priest! N
Numbers 35:28 For he must remain in his city of refuge until the death of the high priest, but after the death of the high priest the manslayer may return to the land of his possession.
For he must remain in his city of refuge until the death of the high priest, but after the death of the high priest the manslayer may return to the land of his possession.
Well this is a symbol that points to Christ, because in Christ these two character come together - the avenger of blood calling for justice, and the high priest whose death atones for that man’s killing.
That man represents all humanity, both in intentional and unintentional sin, and wages of sin is what death. And on the Cross Christ is both just and justifier. Every sin is laid on him and it is punished to the umpteenth degree - sin place on him condemned. So Jesus is our City of Refuge and we are to be people who offer Him, both concern for justice but also deliverance in mercy.
Do you feel that your sin too? Do you feel it that as Jesus says, interpreting the true meaning of the law, whoever says you fool, who hates in his heart is guilty of murder. Oh how many people, how many times we’ve murder others by that standard. But here is the kinsman redeemer and here is the high priest. and he down his life and he makes up for the crime,he wins back what has been lost for the family; but look how he did it by becoming both the guilty murder on the Cross, and the High Priest who is dying to make atonement, that we can be released. And when that happens the defilement of sin is lifted off the land, off the people, and Gold remembers merry in His justice.
Can you say it today, that there is no avenger of blood chasing you down, because Christ has faced him. Can you say it that He has worked a miracle of mercy that set you free. Can you like that man , go back home after years of living in exile, can you go home - and live out that same concern for justice and mercy in Christ.
That’s the picture, congregation that the book ends with, a Promise Land, not so much real-estate of Canaan , but a society a people, with God’s justice and His grace bearing in their hearts, a people like these daughters of Zelophehad living with bold faith and humble obedience.