Numbers Chapter 31
You may recall back in Numbers 25 that the people of Israel went astray because the Midianite women (nomad tribes of Moab) had seduced the men of Israel with sexual enticements and led them to worship Baal. In this chapter God instructed Moses that the Midianites must be annihilated for their part in the corruption of Israel.
We are not always comfortable with the vengeance of God. We like to think about God as being a God of love. But He is both holy and just as well as loving and merciful. The vengeance of God in scripture is a necessary and positive thing.
“That Moses was directed by God to ‘take vengeance’ (NIV, NKJV) on the Midianites reflects one side of the Hebrew verb nqm, which can also mean ‘vindication.’ God directs his vengeance against the immoral, idolatrous, and unjust; and yet his vengeance is often self-limiting according to his great mercy.” [Cole]
Let's Reflect
1. The war against the Midianites is something that God wanted taken care of before another event. What is that event listed in verse 2?
2. How many men were called from each tribe to fight in this war?
3. You will see a familiar name in the list of names of men they killed. What name do you see who was the prophet that King Balak had hired to put a curse on Israel? This same prophet had given Balak the idea of destroying Israel by enticing them with the Midianite women.
4. Looking at verses 31, 41 and 47 there is a phrase that is repeated in each that tells us who is really in charge of this battle. What is that phrase?
5. Why was Moses angry that the men of Israel had spared the lives of the Midianite women?
6. Following orders the women of Midian had to be taken out as well as the little boys that would grow up to avenge their fathers’ deaths. After this command was carried out the men were instructed to stay outside the camp, not to punish them but because they were unclean having touched dead bodies. How long did they have to stay outside of Israel camps?
7. There was a great plunder taken from the Midianites. The Lord instructed them to divide the plunder how?
8. The plunder also needed to be purified having been used by the Midianites. Things that could be purified by fire would be put through fire. Things that could not hold up in fire would be purified with what?
9. There were 12,000 men who went to war against the Midianites. According to verse 48 how many men came back alive?
10. The men were so grateful to God for His protection that they offered gifts to Him from the plunder that they had taken for themselves. What did they give to God and what does the Bible say their gifts would be used for?
