Join our Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/2183117951984132/?source_id=181918175166472
March 8th
The Bible reading for today is in Numbers chapters 31,32.
“Lord, be especially with us today as we read about “Your judgments and vengeance” on sinners.
When our reading is done may our hearts be full of compassion toward those outside of Christ who face the terrible wrath of God. And may our hearts grieve over our own sinning O Lord...not for fear of condemnation but for the knowledge that we have been so nonchalant about our transgressions against Thee.
Lord, This is hard for us who concentrate on Your love and tender mercies toward us and all who are in Christ. Lord, Your Holiness, Your Righteousness, Your Purity, Your Glory, You're Unlike Any Other...ness... is above and beyond our understanding, Lord.
So...Who are we Father, to judge You and Your work when we cant figure it out? May we be humbled today. And May we be terrified at the sight of Your righteous vengeance and wrath on sin and sinners who do not believe You. Turn us into bold evangelists and missionaries for the sake of lost sinners.
And May we be thankful as we think of the full cup of Your wrath that Jesus the Son received in our place on the cross. In Jesus Name we pray.” Amen
God commanded Moses to prepare the Israeli army to attack and kill the Midianite people...everyone... except the baby girls. God didn't have to remind Moses that these nomadic people had joined forces with the Moabite King, Balak, who was out to destroy Israel on their way to Canaan...these partners in war against Israel even used false prophet, Balaam, to try to influence the outcome of the battle in Moab and Midian’s favor. However, Israeli warriors won the day.
But these enemies of Israel were not through. They received counsel from Balaam one more time...a different strategy...” seduce the men of Israel to worship the god of Chemosh through immoral temptations.”
And many men fell to those immoral temptations...destroying marriages and families and unity in the camp. God judged Israel first...24,000 of God’s people died that day. Was it just the ones who committed lasciviousness and adultery at the altar of Chemosh? Could have been but I rather doubt it.
To the question: who was responsible for the deaths? Our text says God was. That is hard for us to comprehend. Why would God do such a thing to His own? Why would He put His own Son on the cross?...for the salvation of sinners and for the glory of God.
God has always been about saving sinners and being glorified. Even if that meant the death of another. Listen to Romans 11: “O the depths of the wisdom and knowledge of God...How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways? For from Him, to Him, and for Him are all things...to Him be glorified.”
No, the question isn't who... even Job knew that...when his 10 kids were killed by a tornado that flattened the house they were in...Job understood that God was in the wind...Job said with grieving heart, “The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away.” Why Job? Why his kids? For the salvation of sinners and the glory of God.
The question isn't who was responsible for the plague that killed 24,000 people in the camp...the question is why?
“To God be glorified”? I believe that would be enough. But we can always add: “for the salvation of sinners”.
Now, remember, God is meticulously just...His judgments are always wisely and righteously delivered. Now God was going to judge Midian for their part in seducing God’s people to moral impurity...which was the sensual worship of Chemosh of the Midianites.
“Vengeance is mine, I will repay, sayeth the Lord”...Romans 12. Vengeance was Not Israel’s, not mine, not yours, but vengeance/wrath was and is God’s.
“Leave it to God’s wrath on sinners”...is what vengeance means.” Quoting John Piper. Some evil had been done and needed to be repaid with appropriate anger toward sin and wrath toward sinners.
God’s holy wrath on sin and sinners was about to be meted out on the unrepentant Midianite tribe....the whole tribe, except for the baby girls. They would all die by the “sword of the Lord” wielded by God’s army.
For God’s glory and the salvation of a nation.
Israel’s worst enemy was the one who drew them to sin. A good lesson for all of us.
Enjoy the rest of the story.
