God didn't just pick on little clans of people for Israel to massacre....He deals by complete justice. For review....Israel had camped next to the Moabites in the land of Midian. The Moabites rallied the Midianites against Israel convincing them that they'd "be licked up like an ox licks grass from a field" if they didn't do something about those pesky Israelites. Together, they sought out a "prophet" who would place a curse on Israel. (He was a fake prophet, if you will....a man who was in it for the diplomacy of it all, not so much the divination. Well, unless you mean the divination fee, now THAT was something he liked...money. But, isn't it just like our sovereign God to even use this pretender for His own glory?) Only problem with their plan to get Israel cursed is that Balaam couldn't curse them, as God did not allow it. However, Balaam still wanted his "prophet" fee so he did the next best thing: He set Israel up to curse themselves. God reveals the reason the Midianites had to be served justice. Balaam had advised (v.16) that they send their immoral women over to tempt the Israelites into sin. Israel fell for it hook, line, and sinker, and God had 24,000 put to death for willful sin against Him. They were dead wrong. But, God deals by complete justice, right? So of course He went after Midianites, too. All of the men were killed, including 5 kings, and Balaam, himself. The women, children, and animals were taken. And the Midianite's cities were burned to the ground. Don't mess with Israel, or her righteous Defender.
Why were 12,000 men told to take revenge on the Midianites? Why didn't God just send a plague or something? Aren't we told to overcome evil with good? ...to never repay evil for evil? ...to live at peace with all men as far as possible? Hmmmmmm. God's vengeance is different than ours. For one, He can take a lot more junk than we can! It's His timing and His purpose that has to be worked out. If we had license to take revenge, it could be disastrous! We'd likely serve our own agenda rather than God's....He is long-suffering and holy.
Hey...why march all those adulterous women back into the Israelite camp?!?!? Weren't they the reason Israel was in trouble? The seed of evil was still there. Moses ordered all women who had known a man, and all the male children to be killed. Seems harsh? I thought of the flood. Surely there were"innocent" women and children then, too? I don't know.....seems to me that the Lord knows what He's doing. Like some terrible, incurable disease those women would infect the people of Israel. They already did, actually.
And what about that miracle outcome in battle?? Listed first, we have the purification of those in Israel and all of the spoils of war after this battle, as well as the rations and taxes for all. But, as the booty was added up, and the spoils divided the miracle began to be revealed. Based on the number of women left, there must have been 40-50,000 men for Israel to conquer! And not a SINGLE Israelite life was lost! The people gave thanks to their God, knowing it was by His hand that they had won. They gave all the glory to Him. I do wonder, though... of all those donkeys taken, was one of them Balaams? :)
And what was up with Reuben and Gad? I mean they basically said, "Ummm, y'all go ahead and fight for your promised land....we like it here." Moses told them, no way! Do you think he remembered 40 yrs ago when Israel had stopped right outside the border of their promised land?? I don't know. But, the next plan was just as flawed. Their new idea was, "Okay, so let us build some fences for our sheep and put our tents here, then we'll go help you get the inheritance and we'll come back here to stay." Again....what? God's plan is for their best. He promised them HIS best. Did they really think that this was as good as it gets?? Then I am reminded.....do I? Sadly, yes. Sometimes I'm guilty of thinking this is the best He has to offer, after all it's so wonderful! But, He promises so much more....
Why not be safe, and dance with the One that brought ya? huh? They stayed and built sheepfolds.....Not just Reuben and Gad, but a half-tribe of Manasseh, together on the wrong side of the Jordan. The wrong side of the promised land. And does anyone else sense trouble when they started naming all their cities after themselves? Moses warned them with the words I think my Mom borrowed from him, "Be sure your sin will find you out" if you don't do right. I suppose I'm guilty of staying in the wilderness for far longer than God had asked, too. But, I wonder what will become of these that stayed in the wilderness boundaries......
God help me to not become too comfy, but to press on.
