On Friday at our children's club,
during the question time, one of the girls asked why there was so much
fighting in the Bible. We had been talking about Saul and his battle
with the Ammonites. Here again years before Saul, in Numbers 31, we
read of a battle, this time against the Midianites. Why are there so
many battles in the Old Testament? There are various reasons for the
fact. One is that in order for Messiah to come God was creating a
nation for himself, a nation that would live in a certain land at a
certain time. Few nations are founded without some form of fighting
at some point. There is also the fact that many in the nations in
that part of the world were godless and corrupt and had so trespassed
on God's goodwill that they became ripe for destruction and it was
the people of God who God appointed to be his instruments of justice against them.
Certainly in this chapter what
happens is that God determines to bring justice on the Midianites and
he determines to do that through his people under Moses. Indeed this
was to be one of Moses' last significant acts of leadership. He did
not lead the army into battle but he directed operations behind the
lines.
What the chapter reminds us of is
the sure justice of God. Here it is against one people at one time.
It reminds us, however, that one day all the nations of all time will
be brought before him to be judged and justice will be done. Such a
thought is encouraging in one way. We know what terrible crimes have
been committed by different nations down the years. Think of things
like the crimes of the Nazi regime under Hitler, the wiping out of
the aboriginals in Australia, the Armenian genocide of the twenties,
etc, etc, quite apart from all the individual injustices people have
suffered. All those injustices will be dealt with. On the other hand,
there is something fear inducing about such a thought. What about me?
Will I be able to stand on that great day?
It
is good to think about God's justice then and we see it presented to
us here in this chapter. The chapter really follows on from Chapter
25 where we read about how
While
Israel was staying in Shittim, the men began to indulge in sexual
immorality with Moabite women, who
invited them to the sacrifices to their gods. The people ate the
sacrificial meal and bowed down before these gods.
It
becomes clear that not only Moabite women but Midianite ones too were
involved. At the end of Chapter 25 we read these words
The
LORD said to Moses, Treat
the Midianites as enemies and kill them. They treated you as enemies
when they deceived you in the Peor incident involving their sister
Kozbi, the daughter of a Midianite leader, the woman who was killed
when the plague came as a result of that incident.
Chapter
31 is where we see Israel obeying that call. This act of vengeance
and judgement comes in three or four parts and it is good to look at
each and think about God's justice and judgement, especially his
final judgement. So let's think about fours things
1. Consider mobilisation for
judgement
First
we read in verses 1-5 that
The
LORD said to Moses, Take vengeance on the Midianites for the
Israelites. After that, you will be gathered to your people. (He
will die). So
Moses said to the people, Arm some of your men to go to war against
the Midianites so that they may carry out the LORD's vengeance on
them. Send into battle a thousand men from each of the tribes of
Israel. So twelve thousand men armed for battle, a thousand from each
tribe, were supplied from the clans of Israel.
It is called vengeance. It is the
Lord's vengeance. We are told in the New Testament not to take
vengeance but to leave room for God's wrath. He will avenge. What has
to happen first here is that people need to be selected for the
battle. Israel had been given a strategy for doing this, where the
numbers would be whittled down by asking various questions such as
whether anyone was afraid to fight and excluding newly marrieds and
others. Finally, the number was down to 1000 from each tribe. These
men were then mustered or deployed. These numbers are no doubt
deliberately small in order that all the glory might be the Lord's.
Writing to the Corinthians in one
place Paul reminds them that they will judge angels. The suggestion
seems to be that in some way believers are going to be involved in
the judgement. We do not know exactly how but we will be involved. In
order for that happen we first have to be selected as believers and
then when Jesus comes again we will actually have to be deployed for
the task.
So, if you like, the
mobilisation for judgement has begun. We never think about it like
this but each time a person is converted so another person is
recruited to God's army, an army that seeks to win people to Christ
on earth and that in heaven will judge the angels and others.
2. Consider the judgement
itself
Next,
in verses 6-10, we read how
Moses sent them into battle, a thousand from each tribe, along with
Phinehas son of Eleazar, the priest, who took with him articles from
the sanctuary and the trumpets for signalling.
We
do not know exactly what Phinehas, the hero of Chapter 25, took out
to the field but it all suggested that this was very much a holy war.
They
fought against Midian, as the LORD commanded Moses, and killed every
man. Presumably
this means every man in the battle. We read later of the Midianites
and so either this was only one branch of the tribe or not all of
them went out to battle. Among
their victims were Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur and Reba - the five kings of
Midian. Interestingly,
we read that They
also killed Balaam son of Beor with the sword. He
was the one who sought to curse Israel and unable to do that
recommended the more subtle strategy of enticing the men into the
beds of the women of Moab and Midian.
We
read that
The
Israelites captured the Midianite women and children and took all the
Midianite herds, flocks and goods as plunder. They burned all the
towns where the Midianites had settled, as well as all their camps.
Here we learn that sin will be
punished. It had begun with the people of God in Chapter 25 and now
it extends to all. Here it is all very decisive and universal. So it
will be when the judgement day comes. No-one will escape at that
time. Unlike here absolutely no-one will be spared. Judgement will
come on all at the hands of God's people. What a warning to those who
remain in unbelief.
3. Consider amassing the
plunder after judgement
The two other things we read about
in the chapter are the plunder and the purification.
In verses 11-17 we read that
They took all the plunder and
spoils, including the people and animals, and brought the captives,
spoils and plunder to Moses and Eleazar the priest and the Israelite
assembly at their camp on the plains of Moab, by the Jordan across
from Jericho. Moses, Eleazar the priest and all the leaders of the
community went to meet them outside the camp. Moses was angry with
the officers of the army - the commanders of thousands and commanders
of hundreds - who returned from the battle. Have you allowed all the
women to live? he asked them. They were the ones who followed
Balaam's advice and enticed the Israelites to be unfaithful to the
LORD in the Peor incident, so that a plague struck the LORD's people.
Now kill all the boys. And kill every woman who has slept with a man,
but save for yourselves every girl who has never slept with a man.
It may sound rather harsh but it
is only following what is set out in Deuteronomy 20. The virgins are
spared because, unlike Balaam and the Midianite women, they are
innocent of seducing Israel. God is utterly fair.
This is how it will be at the
judgement then. The wicked will certainly be judged and the righteous
will plunder them. What blessings will be ours in that day. All the
earth's riches will be ours. The meek will inherit the earth.
4. Consider undergoing purification after
judgement
The final thing here is in 19-24
Anyone who has killed someone
or touched someone who was killed must stay outside the camp seven
days. On the third and seventh days you must purify yourselves and
your captives. Purify every garment as well as everything made of
leather, goat hair or wood. Then Eleazar the priest said to the
soldiers who had gone into battle, This is what is required by the
law that the LORD gave Moses: Gold, silver, bronze, iron, tin, lead
and anything else that can withstand fire must be put through the
fire, and then it will be clean. But it must also be purified with
the water of cleansing. And whatever cannot withstand fire must be
put through that water. On the seventh day wash your clothes and you
will be clean. Then you may come into the camp.
Both
in Numbers and in Leviticus careful rituals are prescribed for
cleansing after a battle. Both the soldiers and their captives had to
be cleansed. No doubt it all taught Israel that they were not perfect
themselves but in need of cleansing also. The plunder had to be
cleansed too. When God comes to judge this world everything will
literally pass through the ire and only what is holy will survive. In
1 Corinthians 3:13, 14 Paul says of preachers
If anyone builds on this foundation Christ
using gold, silver, costly stones,
wood, hay or straw, their
work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to
light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the
quality of each person's work.
So
even the judges will be cleansed and indeed all that is spared then.
We should think often of the
judgement. It will be here sooner than we realise. What a day it will
be. Then justice will be done, God's justice, a justice that is
prefigured here in Numbers 31.
There is an oft quoted statement
about God's justice by Thomas Guthrie. He says
“Slow
goes the hand of justice, like the shadow on the sundial; ever
moving, yet slowly creeping on, with a motion all but imperceptible.
Still stand in awe. The hand of justice has not stopped, although
imperceptible it steadily advances; by and by it reaches the tenth,
eleventh, and twelfth hour. And now the bell strikes. Then unless you
have fled to Christ, the blow which was so slow to fall, shall
descend over the head of impenitence with accumulated force.”
Perhaps I can finish by reading to
you these sobering words from Revelation 19
After this I heard what sounded
like the roar of a great multitude in heaven shouting: Hallelujah!
Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, for true and just
are his judgements. He has condemned the great prostitute who
corrupted the earth by her adulteries. He has avenged on her the
blood of his servants. And again they shouted: Hallelujah! The smoke
from her goes up for ever and ever. The 24 elders and the four living
creatures fell down and worshipped God, who was seated on the throne.
And they cried: Amen, Hallelujah! Then a voice came from the throne,
saying: Praise our God, all you his servants, you who fear him, both
great and small! Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude,
like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder,
shouting: Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns. Let us
rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb
has come, and his bride has made herself ready. Fine linen, bright
and clean, was given her to wear. (Fine linen stands for the
righteous acts of God's holy people.) Then the angel said to me,
Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper
of the Lamb! And he added, These are the true words of God. …
I saw heaven standing open and
there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and
True. With justice he judges and wages war. His eyes are like blazing
fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him
that no one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in
blood, and his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were
following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen,
white and clean. Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword with which
to strike down the nations. He will rule them with an iron sceptre.
He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. On
his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND
LORD OF LORDS. And I saw an angel standing in the sun, who cried in a
loud voice to all the birds flying in midair, Come, gather together
for the great supper of God, so that you may eat the flesh of kings,
generals, and the mighty, of horses and their riders, and the flesh
of all people, free and slave, great and small. Then I saw the beast
and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to wage
war against the rider on the horse and his army. But the beast was
captured, and with it the false prophet who had performed the signs
on its behalf. With these signs he had deluded those who had received
the mark of the beast and worshiped its image. The two of them were
thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulphur. The rest were
killed with the sword coming out of the mouth of the rider on the
horse, and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh.
