AND ISRAEL sent messengers unto Sihon king of the Amorites, saying, Let me pass through thy land: we will not turn into the fields, or into the vineyards; we will not drink of the waters of the well: but we will go along by the king’s highway, until we be past thy borders.”
Israel failed to rise to the height of the blessing God had for them. Is it not so with us His people now? Israel had sent messengers to the king of Edom asking permission to pass through his land, and he had refused. But then neither Edom nor Moab formed part of the gift of God to Israel: Israel were told not to contend or meddle with either. But it was not so with Sihon, for the land of the Amorite had been given to Israel for a possession. Therefore it was not faith in them to ask Sihon for permission to quietly pass through his land.
However the grace of God rose above Israel’s unbelief and when Sihon came out against Israel God gave them a great victory, for Israel smote him, took all his land and dwelt in his cities. In an earlier day the Amorites had taken that land from the Moabite, and now Israel under God’s hand took it away from the Amorites.
We must not allow anything to hinder us from possessing our heavenly blessings which God has given us in Christ. Conflict there will surely be but we must be willing to fight the Lord’s battles. Peace at any price is not God’s peace, for He has paid a great price to purchase peace for us, even the blood of His dear Son. Should we then draw back from conflict in seeking to “possess” what He has already won for us at such infinite cost?
In this passage we read of the Amorites’ boast over Moab. Now in the government of God the tables are turned and Israel boasts in their victory over the Amorite. “We have shot at them; Heshbon is perished ... and we have laid them waste.”
In verse 29 they say: “Woe to thee, Moab! thou art undone, O people of Chemosh.” Chemosh was Moab’s god. How sad to find years later that Israel had turned away from the Lord who had given them this glorious victory and were worshipping Chemosh, the abomination of Moab! Such is the human heart; “deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked.” (Jer. 17:99The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? (Jeremiah 17:9)).
Surely these things were written for our learning. May we learn from them to distrust these hearts of ours and to lean only upon God.
Then we read, “Moses sent to spy out Jaazer...” v. 32. Again we see the lack of confidence in God, but again His grace rises above Israel’s failure. Og, king of Bashan, went out with all his people to battle against Israel. God’s word was, “Fear him not; for I have delivered him into thy hand.” So Israel smote him and his people till there was none left alive, and they possessed all his land.
As Israel nears the end of their wilderness journey it seems the grace of God only shines the brighter. And is it not so with us? The grace and goodness of God shine the brighter as we draw nearer the end. Soon our conflict will all be over and we shall see our Saviour face to face in that land of eternal rest.
ML-03/24/1974