Readings for today: Numbers 35-36, Psalms 52
You are looking out on the plains of Moab. This is the view looking west from Mt. Nebo where Moses dies. On a clear day, you can see the Jordan River off in the distance as well as the city of Jericho. At night, you can see the lights of Jerusalem in the Judean hills. It’s a truly awe-inspiring sight. We were there during the summer months when it was hot and dry so it doesn’t look very appealing. Not only that but the Jordan River has been tapped for irrigation so no longer is as large which makes water in this region far more scarce than it would have been when the ancient Israelites first laid eyes on it.
As we close out the Book of Numbers and prepare to head into the Book of Deuteronomy, Moses casts a vision for the future of Israel. At this point in the narrative, we know Moses will not be entering the Promised Land. Israel will be going on without him. He’s led them faithfully and well for forty years in the wilderness and now he is preparing them for what lies ahead. He is organizing them in such a way that they will be successful in the land. As we read yesterday, Moses makes sure to recount their journey so they remember what brought them to this place. He reminds them of the boundaries God has set for them as they prepare to occupy this new territory. Today, he sets aside cities and pastures for the Levites who are not given a portion of land and he sets up cities of refuge as a way of protecting the Israelites from the blood feuds that plague so many other tribes in the ancient near east. Finally, he confirms the inheritance for Zelophehad’s daughters so the integrity of the tribal inheritance is maintained. These details may seem small or archaic but they will prove absolutely essential once Israel finds herself settled in the Promised Land.
These chapters also serve as a great reminder to us that God has a vision for our future and His vision includes taking care of everything down to final details. God has a plan for each of our lives and His will is not just general but specific. God promises to take all the experiences of our lives and the choices we make and use them to bring about His purposes. And what is true for us individually is also true for us corporately. God directs the courses of communities and cities and nations. As the famous Dutch statesman, Abraham Kuyper, once said so well, “There’s not a square inch in the whole domain of human existence over which Christ, who is Lord over all, does not exclaim, ‘Mine’!”
Readings for tomorrow: Deuteronomy 1-3, Psalms 53