Moving on out

Numbers 19:1 - 21:35

Having quelled the rebellion of the Kohathites and Reubenites the people of Israel move out to begin their forty years of wandering. They have no idea where they're going to go but they know they'll be back at this spot forty years from now...unless they're over 20, then they'll be dead.

I used to think they just wandered around for forty years but as we find out today that isn't the case. A couple interesting points from today's reading that struck me:

God starts cleaning out the adults by removing those who were rebelling and as I mentioned yesterday He does it as a display of His power. What struck me last night is that when they left Egypt he parted the sea and they all went across on dry ground. As they leave to go into the wilderness he parts the dry ground and it swallows up the rebellious crew just like the sea swallowed the Egyptians.

The next bits we're shown concerning those dying off involves some of the leaders. We're shown Miriam's death and then as a result of disobedience Aaron's death. I wonder if there weren't maybe a handful of teenagres who were starting to wonder if maybe all the adults would die sooner and they'd get back to the promised land sooner.

The cool bit to me though is where we see Moses trying to negotiate passage through the neighboring kingdoms. They all come out to attack and eventually the Israelites take over the towns of the Amorites. In this process God is teaching his people how to wage warfare against attacking kingdoms and fortified towns. He doesn't "wipe out" the inhabitants with plagues or snakes...which we know He could easily have done...he uses the ire of the petty kings to provide a training ground for His people who will soon (in 40 years) have to wage the very same type of warfare in order to conquer the promised land.

As my wife pointed out to me last night...we need to read these stories all the while remembering that God is the point, not the folks themselves. It is God who is holy and worthy of praise and respect...even if a custom seems odd, a miracle seems bizarre, or a punishment seems harsh.

I love the fact that in the midst of the "punishement" God is growing His people up so they'll be ready to do the job at hand when they get back to the promised land.