PLEASE READ THIS FIRST: Numbers 33-34
What do you sense the Lord saying to you in this passage?
“Drive out all the inhabitants of the land before you.” (Numbers 33:52)
It is difficult to reconcile this with how we know God through Jesus.
But it is also hard for us to comprehend how bad the nations were at that time.
The nations then constantly victimized their women and children and neighbours.
The goal was not to reject the nations, but to create a place for the nations.
God sees the many victims among the nations, and knows well their misery.
When God called Abraham, it was to be a blessing to the nations (Genesis 12:1-3).
Through Israel God moves into this corrupt neighbourhood to turn things around.
God does so again in Jesus, joining us in our gory and shame, to help us out.
Jesus displaces corruption with goodness, and is crucified in the process.
Our world is still a mess, and Jesus still steps in turn things around.
As Jesus followers, we’re called to be a “house of prayer for all nations” (Mark 11:17).
If we become a “den of robbers” hindering the nations, Jesus may drive us out too.
Our job is not to get rid of the nations, but to bring them to Jesus in love!
Are we displacing cruelty with goodness, are we communities of hope in a hopeless world?
PRAYER
Lord, thank you for stepping into our violence to break its grip and bring hope to the nations. May we move in like Jesus to bring good news of hope and help.
God had put boundaries on the land that he wanted Israel to possess: ‘When you cross the Jordan into Canaan, 52 drive out all the inhabitants of the land before you. Destroy all their carved images and their cast idols, and demolish all their high places. 53 Take possession of the land and settle in it, for I have given you the land to possess.” They had to chase out the inhabitants and destroy all the idols and their worship places. God did not want His people to become contaminated with the religious practices of the people who lived on the land that He wanted Israel to have. They were meant to be an example -they were to help others find the true God. Yet sin still crept in and the Israelites did compromise – and they were distracted from their true worship of God. I too need to make boundaries in my life and keep my heart from being distracted by things that tempt me away from a pure and humble walk with Jesus! Lord help me stay faithful!
His people are to be a holy people serving Him. The world His people were entering was wicked, going their own way their selfish desires. His people were to serve Him in the land God was to give to them. They were to drive out the evil so they would not be influenced by the people living in the land God was giving them. Their focus was to be on serving the Lord and doing His will. My focus needs to do the same. Keep my eyes on Jesus and not on the wealth, possessions and false gods of the people around us.
Jesus, all for Jesus
All I am and have and ever hope to be
Jesus, all for Jesus
All I am and have and ever hope to be
All of my ambitions, hopes and plans
I surrender these into Your hands
All of my ambitions, hopes and plans
I surrender these into Your hands
For it’s only in Your will that I am free
For it’s only in Your will that I am free
Jesus, all for Jesus
All I am and have and ever hope to be