Números 33

Números 33

Morgan - Num. 33:52 This was the distinct command of God to a people whom He had wondrously led and prepared, by delivering them from Egypt's slavery, and disciplining them for forty years in the wilderness. They were now to come into the possession of the land which He had appointed to them. They were His people, and the purpose of their coming into that land was that of the manifestation of Himself, and that of the carrying out of His programme. While their possession was to be in order to the preservation of the nation until the Deliverer of all the nations should come, it was in the first place in order to the cleansing of that land from a people utterly polluted and corrupt. It was necessary that the latter should be utterly dispossessed, and every trace of their worship swept away, wherever found. This charge was accompanied by warnings, uttered in simple terms, and yet of the most solemn nature. No false pity or selfish motive was to operate in such fashion as to leave any corrupting influence behind. The unequivocal command to drive out all, was based upon the tenderest regard of God for the well-being of the chosen people, and through them, the whole race. To tolerate what God has condemned to destruction, is to retain what in itself will prove to be a source of continual difficulty and suffering. The most solemn words of all are those with which the chapter ends: "And it shall come to pass, that as I thought to do unto them, so will I do unto you." God's elections to blessing are dependent upon obedience to His will High Places R A Torrey Used for idolatrous worship 1 Kings 11:7,8 God sometimes worshipped on 1 Samuel 9:12; 1 Kings 3:2,4; 2 Chronicles 33:17 MENTIONED IN SCRIPTURE Gibeon 1 Kings 3:4 Surrounded with groves 1 Kings 14:23 BUILT BY Solomon 1 Kings 11:7 Why did Solomon worship at a high place? Jeroboam 1 Kings 12:31 Jehoram 2 Chronicles 21:11 Ahaz 2 Chronicles 28:25 Manasseh 2 Kings 21:3; 2 Chronicles 33:3 People of Judah 1 Kings 14:23 People of Israel 2 Kings 17:9 Priests ordained for 1 Kings 12:32; 13:33 Sacrifices and incense offered to idols upon 2 Kings 12:3; 16:4 Enchantments used upon Numbers 23:3; 24:1 Of the Canaanites to be destroyed Numbers 33:52 THE JEWS Built, in their cities 2 Kings 17:9 Built, in all their streets Ezekiel 16:24,31 Provoked God with 1 Kings 14:22,23; Psalm 78:58 Threatened with destruction of Leviticus 26:30 Punished for 2 Kings 17:11,18 DESTROYED Asa, partially 2 Chronicles 14:3,5; 15:17 Jehoshaphat 2 Chronicles 17:6 Hezekiah 2 Kings 18:4; 2 Chronicles 31:1 Josiah 2 Kings 23:8; 2 Chronicles 34:3 NOT REMOVED Jehoash 2 Kings 12:3 Amaziah 2 Kings 14:4 Azariah 2 Kings 15:4 Jotham 2 Kings 15:35 Question: What is the significance of high places in the Bible? Answer: High places, very simply, were places of worship on elevated pieces of ground. High places were originally dedicated to idol worship (Numbers 33:52; Leviticus 26:30), especially among the Moabites (Isaiah 16:12). These shrines often included an altar and a sacred object such as a stone pillar or wooden pole in various shapes identified with the object of worship (animals, constellations, goddesses, and fertility deities). It seems that, at times, high places were set up in a spot that had been artificially elevated; 2 Kings 16:4 seems to differentiate the “high places” from the “hills.” The Israelites, forever turning away from God, practiced Molech worship and built high places for Baal (Jeremiah 32:35). Although Solomon built the temple of God in Jerusalem, he later established idolatrous high places for his foreign wives outside of Jerusalem and worshiped with them, causing him the loss of the kingdom (1 Kings 11:11). The people were still sacrificing at the pagan high places before the temple was built, and Solomon joined them. After the Lord appeared to him in a dream at Gibeon, the king returned to Jerusalem and sacrificed offerings; however, he continued to waver between the two places of worship. Not all high places were dedicated to idol worship. They played a major role in Israelite worship, and the earliest biblical mention of a site of worship, later called a “high place,” is found in Genesis 12:6–8 where Abram built altars to the Lord at Shechem and Hebron. Abraham built an altar in the region of Moriah and was willing to sacrifice his son there (Genesis 22:1–2). This site is traditionally believed to be the same high place where the temple of Jerusalem was built. Jacob set up a stone pillar to the Lord at Bethel (Genesis 28:18–19), and Moses met God on Mt. Sinai (Exodus 19:1–3). Joshua set up stone pillars after crossing the Jordan (Joshua 4:20) and considered this a high place of worship because the Israelites “came up from” the Jordan onto higher ground. The high places were visited regularly by the prophet Samuel (1 Samuel 7:16). High places as sites of Canaanite idol worship (Judges 3:19) extended into the period of Elijah (1 Kings 18:16–40). God would name only one high place where sacrifice was authorized, and that was the temple in Jerusalem (2 Chronicles 3:1). God commanded that all other high places be destroyed. King Josiah destroyed them in 2 Kings 22—23.GotQuestions.org Numbers 33:53 and you shall take possession of the land and live in it, for I have given the land to you to possess it. De 32:8 Ps 24:1,2 Ps 115:16 Jer 27:5,6 Da 4:17,25,32 Mt 20:15 Numbers 33 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Related Passages: Deuteronomy 32:8 “When the Most High gave the nations their inheritance, When He separated the sons of man, He set the boundaries of the peoples According to the number of the sons of Israel. TAKING POSSESSION OF GOD'S GIFT And you shall take possession of the land and live in it - Take possession is the same verb used in Nu 33:52 (drive out), yarash which means to take possession, to inherit which Israel would do by driving out the Canaanites and conquering the land. for (term of explanation) I have given the land to you to possess (yarash) it - This was ultimately the fulfillment of the Abrahamic Covenant, specifically the promise in Genesis 15:18-21+. While the land was a gift, it still had to be possessed by the sons of Israel. THOUGHT - While we have been given all blessings in the heavenly places in Christ (Eph 1:3+), we still must possess those blessings by faith, a faith which obeys. Obedience is the path to blessing! First you conquer, then you claim. First the obedience, then the blessing. -- Warren Wiersbe Numbers 33:54 'You shall inherit the land by lot according to your families; to the larger you shall give more inheritance, and to the smaller you shall give less inheritance. Wherever the lot falls to anyone, that shall be his. You shall inherit according to the tribes of your fathers. You shall inherit the land by lot: Nu 26:52-56 give more inheritance: Nu 26:54 give less inheritance: Jos 15:1-12 16:1-4 17:1-13 18:11-28 19:1-48 Numbers 33 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Related Passages: Proverbs 16:33 The lot is cast into the lap, But its every decision is from the LORD. Numbers 26:52-56+ (DISTRIBUTION OF LAND BY CLAN SIZE) Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 53“Among these the land shall be divided for an inheritance according to the number of names. 54 “To the larger group you shall increase their inheritance, and to the smaller group you shall diminish their inheritance; each shall be given their inheritance according to those who were numbered of them. 55 “But the land shall be divided by lot. They shall receive their inheritance according to the names of the tribes of their fathers. 56 “According to the selection by lot, their inheritance shall be divided between the larger and the smaller groups.” You shall inherit the land by lot according to your families - See Numbers 26 notation above. Inheritance by lot referred to a cast (e.g., stones) to assign the different plots of land. Through the use of lots, Yahweh gave direction (Pr 16:33, Pr 18:18) in what were often critically important matters. Not surprisingly, therefore, the casting of lots for the division of Canaan (Nu 26:55–56) took place “before the LORD in Shiloh” (Josh 18:8–10), To the larger you shall give more inheritance, and to the smaller you shall give less inheritance - This reiterates Nu 26:54 "To the larger group you shall increase their inheritance, and to the smaller group you shall diminish their inheritance; each shall be given their inheritance according to those who were numbered of them." Wherever the lot falls to anyone, that shall be his - Since the lot was determined by Yahweh, there was to be no arguing over who owned what. You shall inherit according to the tribes of your fathers - The NLT of Nu 26:53+ has "Divide the land among the tribes, and distribute the grants of land in proportion to the tribes' populations, as indicated by the number of names on the list." (Nu 26:53NLT) Allen - The manner of the distribution of the land was to be by lot, with the assurance that the lot would not be by chance but by the disposition of the Lord. In this way the people would be able to take possession (Hithpael of nāḥal, “to possess oneself of something”) of the land as a lasting inheritance. As in Nu 35:8, consideration would be given for the size of the clans of Israel (v.54); there was to be no claim of inequity or “influence-peddling”—to use a modern term. Possession would come by the will of God expressed through the fairness of divine lots. (EBC) Holman Bible Dictionary on LOTS - Objects of unknown shape and material used to determine the divine will. Often in the Ancient Near East people, especially priests, made difficult and significant decisions by casting lots on the ground or drawing them from a receptacle. Several times Scripture mentions the practice. We do not know exactly what the lots looked like. Nor do we know how they were interpreted. We do know that people of the Old and New Testaments believed God (or gods in the case of non-Israelites or non-Christians) influenced the fall or outcome of the lots (Proverbs 16:33 ). Thus, casting lots was a way of determining God's will. Question: What was the practice of casting lots? Answer: The practice of casting lots is mentioned seventy times in the Old Testament and seven times in the New Testament. In spite of the many references to casting lots in the Old Testament, nothing is known about the actual lots themselves. They could have been sticks of various lengths, flat stones like coins, or some kind of dice; but their exact nature is unknown. The closest modern practice to casting lots is likely flipping a coin. The practice of casting lots occurs most often in connection with the division of the land under Joshua (Joshua chapters 14-21), a procedure that God instructed the Israelites on several times in the book of Numbers (Numbers 26:55; 33:54; 34:13; 36:2). God allowed the Israelites to cast lots in order to determine His will for a given situation (Joshua 18:6-10; 1 Chronicles 24:5,31). Various offices and functions in the temple were also determined by lot (1 Chronicles 24:5, 31; 25:8-9; 26:13-14). The sailors on Jonah’s ship (Jonah 1:7) also cast lots to determine who had brought God’s wrath upon their ship. The eleven apostles cast lots to determine who would replace Judas (Acts 1:26). Casting lots eventually became a game people played and made wagers on. This is seen in the Roman soldiers casting lots for Jesus’ garments (Matthew 27:35). The New Testament nowhere instructs Christians to use a method similar to casting lots to help with decision-making. Now that we have the completed Word of God, as well as the indwelling Holy Spirit to guide us, there is no reason to be using games of chance to make decisions. The Word, the Spirit, and prayer are sufficient for discerning God’s will today—not casting lots, rolling dice, or flipping a coin. GotQuestions.org Numbers 33:55 'But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then it shall come about that those whom you let remain of them will become as pricks in your eyes and as thorns in your sides, and they will trouble you in the land in which you live. pricks: Ex 23:33 De 7:4,16 Jos 23:12,13 Jdg 1:21-36 Jdg 2:3 Ps 106:34-36 Eze 28:24 Numbers 33 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Related Passages: Judges 2:1-3+ Now the angel of the LORD came up from Gilgal to Bochim. And he said, “I brought you up out of Egypt and led you into the land which I have sworn to your fathers; and I said, ‘I will never break My covenant with you, 2 and as for you, you shall make no covenant with the inhabitants of this land; you shall tear down their altars.’ But you have not obeyed Me; what is this you have done? 3 “Therefore I also said, ‘I will not drive them out before you; but they will become as thorns in your sides and their gods will be a snare to you.’” Psalm 106:34-36+ They did not destroy the peoples, As the LORD commanded them, 35 But they mingled with the nations And learned their practices, 36 And served their idols, Which became a snare to them. 37 They even sacrificed their sons and their daughters to the demons,