Read today’s scripture.

What do you learn about God’s goodness?

Who can you share that with today?

Numbers 31.

Remember yesterday?  The gross immorality between Israel and the pagan, idol-loving women?  And Phinehas spearing the two blatant offenders?  Well, here is God’s word to Moses:

“Avenge the people of Israel on the Midianites. Send 1,000 men from each tribe of Israel to war.” 

And so, Moses sent them, together with Phinehas with the vessels of the sanctuary and the trumpets for alarm in his hand.  And the warred against Midian, as the LORD commanded Moses, and killed every male. The also killed the five Midianite kings …. and Balaam. 

But the Israeli warriors ALSO took plunder: cattle, flocks, all the goods, children … and the women of Midian.   YIKES!  Not woman!! That’s who led them astray before!!!

Moses was angry too, and had them kill …. every male among the children and every female who has known a man.  (They could keep all the young girls alive for themselves.)  This all happened outside the camp. All the “loot” was also purified by either fire or water depending on what it was made of. Then the soldiers could cleanse themselves and enter the camp after one week.  

A law was made that would continue in Israel’s history.  The loot that was secured by the warriors who fought would be divided with those who did not go out.  And a part was for the LORD’s house and service as well.  (The plunder that day was HUMOUNGOUS!) 

Then the great news!  Not one Israeli soldier was missing.  (God’s grace & mercy, for sure.)

Numbers 32.

One more problem needed settling before Moses could die.  The tribes of Gad and Reuben came to him and said they REALLY liked the land they’d seen on the EAST side of the Jordan River.  It was fertile for farming and livestock raising. Could they settle here?

WHAT?????  Moses was furious!  He pictured another 40 years of wilderness wandering, because Israel refused to go in and possess the land God had promised them.  It was JUST TOO MUCH!

But these tribes assured him that their soldiers WOULD GO INTO THE LAND, and fight alongside their brothers until the land was conquered.  Only, allow them to have THIS land as their possession.  They would settle their flocks and herds and families into the cities and farms, AND THEN lead the way to conquest with the rest of Israel.  They vowed.  They promised.  

So Moses said okay.  You can tell that the 120 year old man was tired of this people. But he portioned out the land and cities to Gad, Reuben, and 1/2 of the tribe of Manasseh, who liked the farm land as well.  They got to work, took the cities and settled their families and animals.