Bible Talks

From: Messages of God's Love: 1951

Numbers 21:10 -22:1¹⁰And the children of Israel set forward, and pitched in Oboth. ¹¹And they journeyed from Oboth, and pitched at Ije-abarim, in the wilderness which is before Moab, toward the sunrising. ¹²From thence they removed, and pitched in the valley of Zared. ¹³From thence they removed, and pitched on the other side of Arnon, which is in the wilderness that cometh out of the coasts of the Amorites: for Arnon is the border of Moab, between Moab and the Amorites. ¹⁴Wherefore it is said in the book of the wars of the Lord, What he did in the Red sea, and in the brooks of Arnon, ¹⁵And at the stream of the brooks that goeth down to the dwelling of Ar, and lieth upon the border of Moab. ¹⁶And from thence they went to Beer: that is the well whereof the Lord spake unto Moses, Gather the people together, and I will give them water. ¹⁷Then Israel sang this song, Spring up, O well; sing ye unto it: ¹⁸The princes digged the well, the nobles of the people digged it, by the direction of the lawgiver, with their staves. And from the wilderness they went to Mattanah: ¹⁹And from Mattanah to Nahaliel: and from Nahaliel to Bamoth: ²⁰And from Bamoth in the valley, that is in the country of Moab, to the top of Pisgah, which looketh toward Jeshimon. ²¹And Israel sent messengers unto Sihon king of the Amorites, saying, ²²Let 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 high way, until we be past thy borders. ²³And Sihon would not suffer Israel to pass through his border: but Sihon gathered all his people together, and went out against Israel into the wilderness: and he came to Jahaz, and fought against Israel. ²⁴And Israel smote him with the edge of the sword, and possessed his land from Arnon unto Jabbok, even unto the children of Ammon: for the border of the children of Ammon was strong. ²⁵And Israel took all these cities: and Israel dwelt in all the cities of the Amorites, in Heshbon, and in all the villages thereof. ²⁶For Heshbon was the city of Sihon the king of the Amorites, who had fought against the former king of Moab, and taken all his land out of his hand, even unto Arnon. ²⁷Wherefore they that speak in proverbs say, Come into Heshbon, let the city of Sihon be built and prepared: ²⁸For there is a fire gone out of Heshbon, a flame from the city of Sihon: it hath consumed Ar of Moab, and the lords of the high places of Arnon. ²⁹Woe to thee, Moab! thou art undone, O people of Chemosh: he hath given his sons that escaped, and his daughters, into captivity unto Sihon king of the Amorites. ³⁰We have shot at them; Heshbon is perished even unto Dibon, and we have laid them waste even unto Nophah, which reacheth unto Medeba. ³¹Thus Israel dwelt in the land of the Amorites. ³²And Moses sent to spy out Jaazer, and they took the villages thereof, and drove out the Amorites that were there. ³³And they turned and went up by the way of Bashan: and Og the king of Bashan went out against them, he, and all his people, to the battle at Edrei. ³⁴And the Lord said unto Moses, Fear him not: for I have delivered him into thy hand, and all his people, and his land; and thou shalt do to him as thou didst unto Sihon king of the Amorites, which dwelt at Heshbon. ³⁵So they smote him, and his sons, and all his people, until there was none left him alive: and they possessed his land. ¹And the children of Israel set forward, and pitched in the plains of Moab on this side Jordan by Jericho. (Numbers 21:10‑22:1)

The children of Israel then jorneyed on toward the land of Moab, and it is beautiful here to see the grace of God. They had learned (in figure) of Christ lifted up (the serpent of brass). This is the ground of all blessing, and so now God Himself sees their need and meets it, without their even asking Him to do so. How good it is to know that He cares for us and knows our needs. We need not murmur, but count on Him. He said to Moses, “Gather the people together and I will give them water.” Then they came together, and the nobles of the people dug and found this sprinng well of water which caused them all to break forth into song. It takes spiritual energy to dig for these refreshing springs in the wilderness, but how much better it is than murmuring, and what refreshment they bring.

Dear fellow Christian, are we digging for these springs? Are we finding daily refreshment in our wilderness journey by occupation with Christ. We notice here that the very one who gave the law (Moses) told them of this springing well, and so now, since the Lord Jesus has been lifted up for us and taken our guilty place, the very. God who once thundered at Sinai giving the law, now says, “Whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely,” Revelation 22:17¹⁷And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely. (Revelation 22:17). Yes, I say, it is the same God who now can come out in all the goodness and grace of His heart and bless us, because of remdemption’s work.

After this they would have passed peaceably through the land of Sihart, king of the Amorites, but he would not allow them to do so. He, as well as Og, king of Bashan, came out to fight against Israel, but God gave Israel a complete victory over them, and they possessed their land. We, too, most not allow anything to hinder us from going in to possess our heavenly portion, and if it causes conflict, as it surely will at times, we must be willing to fight the Lord’s battles. God’s peace is not peace at any price, for He Himself paid a mighty price, even the blood of His own dear Son, in order to purchase peace for us. Should we then draw back from the conflict necessary to “possess” what He has already won for us at such a mighty cost? Let us hear His word to Israel in our chapter, “Fear him not: for T have delivered him into thy hand, and all his people, and his land.” His word to us today is “God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power and of love, and of a sound mind.” 2 Timothy 1:7⁷For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. (2 Timothy 1:7). Soon our conflict will be over and we will see our blessed Saviour face to face in that land of eternal rest! Let us keep on the whole armor of God until that day.

The story of Balaam and his prophecies in connection with Israel is full of deep interest and instruction, and cannot fail to refresh our hearts when we consider it. Forty years of unbelief and sin, murmuring and complaining on the part of the children of Israel were just about at an end, and yet God. would not allow Balaam to say one word against them or curse them. How could this be! How could he say, “He (the Lord) hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he seen perversess in Israel?” Numbers 23:21²¹He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel: the Lord his God is with him, and the shout of a king is among them. (Numbers 23:21). It was most assuredly not by what Israel had done, but the answer is found in the words, “It shall he said of Jacob and of Isreal, What hath God wrought!” All depended upon God—upon His work alone.

ML 12/23/1951

Click here to show subject links in the text for more information.