The Feed Mill

Today’s Bible Reading: Numbers 21-23

Today’s Devotional: Numbers 21:1-9

In a book that is named for its numbering of the children of Israel for battle there are only four records of battles in the entire book. Yet in the book of Joshua, which is a book about crossing into the promised peace of God, it is full of battles and wars.

In Numbers 21, we come to the first three battles, and in Numbers 21:1-3 we see the first battle. This happens as the new generation is beginning their approach to the promised land, and the Lord allows the children of Israel to suffer a disappointment in what could have been a surprise attack or possibly the children of Israel knew their military numbers but were not in a formation that could successfully repel the enemy assault, and were growing weary. We just clearly don’t know so it’s best not to speculate on what God has not told us in His Word.

But what we do know is God has allowed this to happen and we are told of the children of Israel’s response, to dedicate that city to the Lord.

It’s often times when we see ourselves further than ever before away from where God desires us to be in relationship with Him, that we very easily grow weary of our present situation and we get overtaken or stumbled by some sin or another.

In Numbers 21:4-9 we see another attack, the children of Israel weren’t content on where the Lord was at with them in their journey and Him preparing them for the Promised Land. This attack didn’t come in the form of a battle that even there numbers could even be considered. In both battles it’s the same preparation and response that is their only Hope.

In one situation they were overtaken and in the other they had grown tired and had stumbled. Paul in Galatians 5:16-18, to the Christian, and still true for us today, how we are not overtaken, grow tired, or stumble we walk in the Spirit of God which calls us to imitate Christ, Ephesians 5:1-2. And this requires an acknowledgement of who Christ is in any of our situations. He is the one who endured all things and yet overcame everything. He is the one who went from being dead to alive, and this was all possible and is for us because of His obedience to the eternal plan. We’re to give up our desire for our strength to be displayed and get us through the situation and trust His Strength for our peace. And because of that He can give us His peace in any situation to finish the journey He has for each of us and not trying to run ahead or wanting to check out. Paul said it very well in Philippians 4:10-13, where he brought understanding to the time when the Philippians could not help Paul as they had liked, 4:10; it’s through being content and okay with the season the Lord has each of us in and learning all that we can so that when He is ready to move us along we have then been fully equipped and edified to complete what is next. All of this requires our obedience to His Word, and in verse 8-9, we see His Grace if we find ourselves have stumbled, been overtaken, or grown weary; we only look to Jesus.