March 8, 2017. Numbers 31-32

 

31:1-2 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Take vengeance on the Midianites for leading you into idolatry, and then you must die.”

 

Moses is coming to the end of his life, and the nation of Israel is coming to the end of their 40 years of wandering in the wilderness. These two chapters in Numbers can help you to maintain order in your life as you consider this question; “How are you going to finish your life?”

The truth is you would probably do some things differently in your life if you had the chance. But how are you going to finish your life? Look at Moses and even the nation of Israel, they all made mistakes and their course was changed forever because of those earlier choices.

Moses receives instructions in chapter 31 and then the declaration, “and then you must die.” Wow! What is amazing about this story is that Moses does exactly as instructed by God. What a wonderful testimony. He finished well. He finished his life doing what he was called to do. Sure he made a colossal mistake earlier in his life, but that will not be how he finishes his life.

Chapter 32, shows the same character quality in the men from the tribes of Gad and Rueben. They may have stayed on the east of Jordan, east of the promised land, but they would not forsake their responsibility to the rest of the tribes of Israel. They too finished their responsibilities and commitments well.

 

32:16 “Not at all!” they explained. “We will build sheepfolds for our flocks and cities for our little ones, 17 but we ourselves will go over armed, ahead of the rest of the people of Israel, until we have brought them safely to their inheritance. But first, we will need to build walled cities here for our families, to keep them safe from attack by the local inhabitants. 18 We will not settle down here until all the people of Israel have received their inheritance. 

 

Be encouraged. Be determined. Finish well. God rewards. Leave a legacy, not regrets.