THE CHRISTIAN WALK

You saw with your own eyes what the Lord did at Baal Peor. The Lord your God destroyed from among you everyone who followed the Baal of Peor, but all of you who held fast to the Lord your God are still alive today.

See, I have taught you decrees and laws as the Lord my God commanded me, so that you may follow them in the land you are entering to take possession of it. Observe them carefully, for this will show your wisdom and understanding to the nations, who will hear about all these decrees and say, "Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people." What other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way the Lord our God is near us whenever we pray to him? And what other nation is so great as to have such righteous decrees and laws as this body of laws I am setting before you today?" Deuteronomy 4:1-8

As we start Chapter 4, Moses has just been rebuffed by God. He had asked God to reconsider His judgment and allow him to enter the Promised Land with Israel but God was having none of it. There was no way that God was going to change His mind. Joshua, not Moses, would lead Israel into Canaan.

Given this, we might have seen Moses mope and whine about his circumstances but that doesn’t happen. Instead, Moses addresses God’s people to prepare them for the blessing that awaited them. He says:

"Hear now, O Israel, the decrees and laws I am about to teach you. Follow them so that you may live and may go in and take possession of the land that the Lord, the God of your fathers, is giving you. Do not add to what I command you and do not subtract from it, but keep the commands of the Lord your God that I give you. You saw with your own eyes what the Lord did at Baal Peor. The Lord your God destroyed from among you everyone who followed the Baal of Peor, but all of you who held fast to the Lord your God are still alive today. See, I have taught you decrees and laws as the Lord my God commanded me, so that you may follow them in the land you are entering to take possession of it. Observe them carefully, for this will show your wisdom and understanding to the nations, who will hear about all these decrees and say, "Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people." What other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way the Lord our God is near us whenever we pray to him? And what other nation is so great as to have such righteous decrees and laws as this body of laws I am setting before you today?"

In these words from Moses, we are given five good reasons why we should heed and obey God’s will and expectations for our lives, not adding or subtracting from it.

1. We will experience the blessings He intends for us. When Israel decided to obey and follow God, they received the land He promised them. If we wish to fully experience the blessings He has in store for our lives, then we too need to live in obedience.
2. We will escape judgment. Those who chose to disobey the Lord follow the false god Baal of Peor" were destroyed. But all "who held fast to the Lord" lived and were able to enter Canaan. We should never forget that we serve a loving God but we also serve a God who hates sin. No one should be so spiritually arrogant to think they are safe from judgment because God still hates disobedience today as much as He did back in the days of Deuteronomy. Obedience leads us to righteousness and holiness and away from judgment.
3. We will gain special wisdom and understanding. This wisdom and understanding is unique and special because it is from God and thus is far beyond any wisdom and understanding the world knows. Scripture tells us that Israel’s wisdom and understanding was such that other nations proclaimed, "Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people." When we follow God’s word, way and will for our lives, we too will stand out as being different and unique. Others will wonder what it is that separates us and it is then that we have a window of opportunity to share the good news of the gospel. In other words, we speak in wisdom and in truth.
4. We will experience God fully in all we do. Israel’s obedience led to their special wisdom and understanding. And this wisdom and understanding had other nations proclaiming their greatness. Moses summed all this up by reminding Israel about the source of their greatness. He told them, "What other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way the Lord our God is near us whenever we pray to him? And what other nation is so great as to have such righteous decrees and laws as this body of laws I am setting before you today?" Indeed, Israel had a God like no other. A God who blessed them and protected them whenever they stayed faithful to Him. And they didn’t have to wonder what to do to stay faithful because He told them what to do. All they had to do is obey. And so it is for us today as well. All we need to do is obey Him and follow the word He has given us to gain His favor, His protection, His blessing…everything that is in Him. What a privilege and honor it is to live and love and serve a God such as this. Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

So the Lord our God also gave into our hands Og king of Bashan and all his army. We struck them down, leaving no survivors. At that time we took all his cities. There was not one of the sixty cities that we did not take from them—the whole region of Argob, Og's kingdom in Bashan. All these cities were fortified with high walls and with gates and bars, and there were also a great many unwalled villages. We completely destroyed them, as we had done with Sihon king of Heshbon, destroying every city—men, women and children. But all the livestock and the plunder from their cities we carried off for ourselves.

So at that time we took from these two kings of the Amorites the territory east of the Jordan, from the Arnon Gorge as far as Mount Hermon. (Hermon is called Sirion by the Sidonians; the Amorites call it Senir.) We took all the towns on the plateau, and all Gilead, and all Bashan as far as Salecah and Edrei, towns of Og's kingdom in Bashan. (Only Og king of Bashan was left of the remnant of the Rephaites. His bed was made of iron and was more than thirteen feet long and six feet wide. It is still in Rabbah of the Ammonites.)

Of the land that we took over at that time, I gave the Reubenites and the Gadites the territory north of Aroer by the Arnon Gorge, including half the hill country of Gilead, together with its towns. The rest of Gilead and also all of Bashan, the kingdom of Og, I gave to the half tribe of Manasseh. (The whole region of Argob in Bashan used to be known as a land of the Rephaites. Jair, a descendant of Manasseh, took the whole region of Argob as far as the border of the Geshurites and the Maacathites; it was named after him, so that to this day Bashan is called Havvoth Jair.) And I gave Gilead toMakir. But to the Reubenites and the Gadites I gave the territory extending from Gilead down to the Arnon Gorge (the middle of the gorge being the border) and out to the Jabbok River, which is the border of the Ammonites. Its western border was the Jordan in the Arabah, from Kinnereth to the Sea of the Arabah (the Salt Sea), below the slopes of Pisgah.

I commanded you at that time: "The Lord your God has given you this land to take possession of it. But all your able-bodied men, armed for battle, must cross over ahead of your brother Israelites. However, your wives, your children and your livestock (I know you have much livestock) may stay in the towns I have given you, until the Lord gives rest to your brothers as he has to you, and they too have taken over the land that the LORD your God is giving them, across the Jordan. After that, each of you may go back to the possession I have given you."

At that time I commanded Joshua: "You have seen with your own eyes all that the Lord your God has done to these two kings. The Lord will do the same to all the kingdoms over there where you are going. Do not be afraid of them; the Lord your God himself will fight for you."

At that time I pleaded with the Lord: "O Sovereign Lord, you have begun to show to your servant your greatness and your strong hand. For what god is there in heaven or on earth who can do the deeds and mighty works you do? Let me go over and see the good land beyond the Jordan—that fine hill country and Lebanon."

But because of you the Lord was angry with me and would not listen to me. "That is enough," the Lord said. "Do not speak to me anymore about this matter. Go up to the top of Pisgah and look west and north and south and east. Look at the land with your own eyes, since you are not going to cross this Jordan. But commission Joshua, and encourage and strengthen him, for he will lead this people across and will cause them to inherit the land that you will see." So we stayed in the valley near Beth Peor." Deuteronomy 3

Chapter 2 ended with God handing over Sihon, his army and all possessions and territory in Heshbon to Israel. We examined how God was a God of deliverance then and how He remains a God of deliverance today.

As we start Chapter 3, God continues to deliver for Israel as King Og and his kingdom of Bashan become the next to fall.Scripture tells us that "Og…with his whole army marched out to meet (Israel) in battle at Edrei." And as Og and his army approached, the Lord assured Moses saying, "Do not be afraid of him, for I have handed him over to you with his whole army and his land. Do to him what you did to Sihon king of the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon."

And so Israel did as the "Lord…gave into (their) hands Og king of Bashan and all his army…leaving no survivors." Israel "took all (of Og’s) cities", sixty in all, "completely destroy(ing) them" just as they had "done with Sihon." And they also took all the "livestock and the plunder" for themselves, just as before.

So what did Israel do with the land they had gained from Heshbon and Bashan? You’ll remember that God gave it to the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh. (Numbers 32) You’ll also remember that the men of these tribes were to cross the Jordan River and march with the rest of Israel into battle. Once Israel was victorious, then they would be allowed to re-cross the Jordan and rejoin their families.

The second half of Chapter 3 regards Moses and Joshua. We see first how Moses encourages Joshua as Israel is on the brink of finally entering Canaan. Moses tells Joshua, "You have seen with your own eyes all that the Lord your God has done to these two kings. The Lord will do the same to all the kingdoms over there where you are going. Do not be afraid of them; the Lord your God himself will fight for you." Note here that Moses does not say "all the kingdoms over there where we are going". This is because God had already told Moses that he would not be able to enter Canaan because of the incident as Moses and Aaron were about to bring water from a rock for a thirsty Israel. You’ll remember that Moses spoke as if it was his and Aaron’s power that would bring forth the water, leaving God discredited. It was this act that cost Moses and Aaron. Aaron had already died. Moses would follow him soon.

Yet, this didn’t keep Moses from trying one more time to get God to change His mind. He asks Him, "O Sovereign Lord, you have begun to show to your servant your greatness and your strong hand. For what god is there in heaven or on earth who can do the deeds and mighty works you do? Let me go over and see the good land beyond the Jordan—that fine hill country and Lebanon." What we have here is a classic "butter up" job by Moses as he heaps compliment upon compliment upon the Lord before asking if he could "go over and see the good land beyond the Jordan—that fine hill country and Lebanon." In other words, he was asking God to change His mind.

How did God respond to Moses’ request? Well, He doesn’t say "Thank you for all those kind words Moses and you know, I think I may have been a little hard on you when I passed judgment so I will honor your wishes and you will be allowed to cross the Jordan and enter the land I promised your ancestors." He definitely doesn’t say that. Instead, the Lord, angry with Moses, refused to listen to him and said, "That is enough. Do not speak to me anymore about this matter." Clearly, God wasn’t going to grant Moses’ desires. Instead, He told Moses to "commission Joshua, and encourage and strengthen him, for he will lead this people across and will cause them to inherit the land that you will see." Joshua would soon replace Moses as the leader of Israel.

What should take away from God’s dealings with Moses is that He has His limits. And He has shown this long before now. From all the way back to Adam and Eve, God has sown a deep disdain for anyone who blatantly chooses to violate His commands or guidance. God demands our obedience.

Now you might be saying, that’s a bit harsh. We’re all human, sinful and imperfect. We should be given some slack when it comes to the way we live. And this is just the way Satan wants us to think about life…that we can willfully give into the sin that plagues us and then expect God to just look the other way. God doesn’t operate that way. Why? Because He hates sin.

God hates sin because it was the advent of sin that led to Him sacrificing His only Son Jesus on the cross. Oh how it must have pained the Father to put His Son through so much suffering. And then, with the sins of the world upon Jesus, God couldn’t even be present with His Son at His dying moment. His Son was left to feel forsaken all because of sin.

Friends, it’s time we take a very conscious, zero-tolerance approach to sin. For every time we willfully sin, it as if Jesus has to be crucified all over again to pay the price for it. It’s this conviction that led Ray Boltz to write:

Does he still feel the nails
Every time I fail?
Can he hear the crowd cry "Crucify" again?
Am I causing him pain?
Then I know I've got to change
I just can't bear the thought of hurting him.

Can you bear the thought of hurting Jesus? Do you feel like you have to change? What sin do you have that you need to get rid of?

Friends, we can turn our lives around this very moment. We can decide to turn from Satan and his wicked ways…ways that lead us into a sin that God hates and Jesus suffered because of. We only need to turn to the Holy Spirit and ask for His help. He will enter in and grant you the strength to leave sinfulness behind in exchange for a righteous, holy life…a life like Jesus lived. Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

From the desert of Kedemoth I sent messengers to Sihon king of Heshbon offering peace and saying, "Let us pass through your country. We will stay on the main road; we will not turn aside to the right or to the left. Sell us food to eat and water to drink for their price in silver. Only let us pass through on foot - as the descendants of Esau, who live in Seir, and the Moabites, who live in Ar, did for us—until we cross the Jordan into the land the Lord our God is giving us." But Sihon king of Heshbon refused to let us pass through. For the Lord your God had made his spirit stubborn and his heart obstinate in order to give him into your hands, as he has now done.

The Lord said to me, "See, I have begun to deliver Sihon and his country over to you. Now begin to conquer and possess his land."

When Sihon and all his army came out to meet us in battle at Jahaz, the Lord our God delivered him over to us and we struck him down, together with his sons and his whole army. At that time we took all his towns and completely destroyed them—men, women and children. We left no survivors. But the livestock and the plunder from the towns we had captured we carried off for ourselves. From Aroer on the rim of the Arnon Gorge, and from the town in the gorge, even as far as Gilead, not one town was too strong for us. The Lord our God gave us all of them. But in accordance with the command of the Lord our God, you did not encroach on any of the land of the Ammonites, neither the land along the course of the Jabbok nor that around the towns in the hills." Deuteronomy 2:24-37

As we read the beginning of this chapter, Israel has traveled for 38 years since their sinful disobedience at Kadesh as they refused to follow God’s call to enter Canaan. Through their travels, God had led them where He wanted them to be and provided guidance as to how they were to deal with the people they would encounter.

You’ll recall that God told them to not try and take the land from the people of Esau in the Seir Valley. They were also not supposed to take any land from the Ammonites and Moabites because God had granted their land to them due to their relation to Esau (Seir Valley) and Lot (Ammonites and Moabites).

As we finish up Chapter 2, we see where God has presented a people that Israel was to go to battle with. God tells Israel, "Set out now and cross the Arnon Gorge. See, I have given into your hand Sihon the Amorite, king of Heshbon, and his country. Begin to take possession of it and engage him in battle. This very day I will begin to put the terror and fear of you on all the nations under heaven. They will hear reports of you and will tremble and be in anguish because of you." In other words, not only would Israel be victorious but they would be an intimidating presence for other nations who would hear of their conquest. This is far from the Israel who cowered in fear at the prospect of conflict when they were to enter Canaan the first time. The difference was their trust in a God who always made good on His word.

Before actual conflict, we see where Moses tried to reach a peaceful resolution. For "from the desert of Kedemoth" he "sent messengers to Sihon king of Heshbon offering peace." He said to Sihon, "Let us pass through your country. We will stay on the main road; we will not turn aside to the right or to the left. Sell us food to eat and water to drink for their price in silver. Only let us pass through on foot - as the descendants of Esau, who live in Seir, and the Moabites, who live in Ar, did for us—until we cross the Jordan into the land the Lord our God is giving us." Sihon refused and brought his army out to "meet (Israel) in battle at Jahaz". Moses shares that it was there in Jahaz where "God delivered (Sihon) over to (Israel) and (they) struck him down, together with his sons and his whole army." Israel "took all his towns and completely destroyed them", "leaving no survivors" and carrying off the plunder and livestock.

Israel would gain power and reputation as a power just as God said they would. Scripture tells is that "from Aroer on the rim of the Arnon Gorge, and from the town in the gorge, even as far as Gilead, not one town was too strong for (Israel). They vanquished every foe, not because of what they had done but what God had done for them. Moses gives Him full credit saying, "The Lord our God gave us all of them." Indeed, the Lord had delivered Israel to victory by delivering their enemies to them. Just as when they had left Egypt, God once again showed that He was the deliverer of the people of Israel.

Today, God remains our Deliverer. In fact, He gave us our ultimate deliverance when He sacrificed His only Son Jesus on he cross, delivering us from certain destruction from our sins and opening the gates of heaven for us if we just believe and trust in His Son, the crucified and resurrected Christ.

Question: How has God delivered you in your life? Do you even know your Deliverer? Have you committed your heart, mind and soul to Jesus Christ, the only One by whom you can be saved…and the only One who can bring you to the Father? (John 14:16)

Friends what a blessing it is to know you are delivered! It gave Israel the confidence of knowing they could face any enemy and gain victory. And it gives us confidence as well…confidence to live this life without fear of defeat as we go forth to serve the Lord in whatever way He sees fit. We only have this confidence to live without fear because we know our future is secured already through Jesus. Victory was gained at the cross and death is no longer the end for those in Christ Jesus but only the beginning of a blessed eternal life that will be free of all the affliction we face in the world. We will be delivered from pain, delivered from suffering, delivered from illness, delivered from hardship and, most of all, delivered from sin.

Is this not reason to celebrate? Is this nor reason to rejoice and praise? As we begin a new day tomorrow, let us approach it with a renewed vigor and excitement for God has delivered us. Alleluia! Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

"Then we turned back and set out toward the desert along the route to the Red Sea, as the Lord had directed me. For a long time we made our way around the hill country of Seir.

Then the Lord said to me, "You have made your way around this hill country long enough; now turn north. Give the people these orders: 'You are about to pass through the territory of your brothers the descendants of Esau, who live in Seir. They will be afraid of you, but be very careful. Do not provoke them to war, for I will not give you any of their land, not even enough to put your foot on. I have given Esau the hill country of Seir as his own. You are to pay them in silver for the food you eat and the water you drink.' "

The Lord your God has blessed you in all the work of your hands. He has watched over your journey through this vast desert. These forty years the Lord your God has been with you, and you have not lacked anything.

So we went on past our brothers the descendants of Esau, who live in Seir. We turned from the Arabah road, which comes up from Elath and Ezion Geber, and traveled along the desert road of Moab.

Then the Lord said to me, "Do not harass the Moabites or provoke them to war, for I will not give you any part of their land. I have given Ar to the descendants of Lot as a possession." (The Emites used to live there—a people strong and numerous, and as tall as the Anakites. Like the Anakites, they too were considered Rephaites, but the Moabites called them Emites. Horites used to live in Seir, but the descendants of Esau drove them out. They destroyed the Horites from before them and settled in their place, just as Israel did in the land the Lord gave them as their possession.)

And the Lord said, "Now get up and cross the Zered Valley." So we crossed the valley.

Thirty-eight years passed from the time we left Kadesh Barnea until we crossed the Zered Valley. By then, that entire generation of fighting men had perished from the camp, as the Lord had sworn to them. The Lord's hand was against them until he had completely eliminated them from the camp.

Now when the last of these fighting men among the people had died, the Lord said to me, "Today you are to pass by the region of Moab at Ar. When you come to the Ammonites, do not harass them or provoke them to war, for I will not give you possession of any land belonging to the Ammonites. I have given it as a possession to the descendants of Lot."

(That too was considered a land of the Rephaites, who used to live there; but the Ammonites called them Zamzummites. They were a people strong and numerous, and as tall as the Anakites. The Lord destroyed them from before the Ammonites, who drove them out and settled in their place. The Lord had done the same for the descendants of Esau, who lived in Seir, when he destroyed the Horites from before them. They drove them out and have lived in their place to this day. And as for the Avvites who lived in villages as far as Gaza, the Caphtorites coming out from Caphtor destroyed them and settled in their place.) ." Deuteronomy 2:1-23

This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

In Chapter 1, we saw an Israel who had lost God’s favor through their unwillingness to trust Him and willingness to be disobedient to His commands. They discovered quickly that they couldn’t prevail against any challenge without God being with them but not before consequence. For God had ordered Israel back into another exodus, this time for forty years…one year for every day the spies had been in Canaan before they brought report back to the people. The intent was for the current disobedient generation to pass away and never get to receive the inheritance God promised. That privilege would now fall to the next generation.

As Chapter 2 begins, Moses and Israel have left Kadesh and "set out toward the desert along the route to the Red Sea" just as "the Lord had directed". Note that the first steps toward making things right with the Lord can only be taken by a turning from one’s sinful ways. Israel, if it ever hoped to regain God’s favor, needed to start by obeying His commands and trusting in His word.

Scripture shows us that God began to once again guide and advise Israel. He tells Moses, "You have made your way around this hill country long enough; now turn north" and "give the people these orders: 'You are about to pass through the territory of your brothers the descendants of Esau, who live in Seir. They will be afraid of you, but be very careful. Do not provoke them to war, for I will not give you any of their land, not even enough to put your foot on. I have given Esau the hill country of Seir as his own.' " The Lord would give similar orders to Israel as they passed through territory belonging to the Moabites and Ammonites. In all these cases, the Lord told Israel that He had given the land to another, Esau in the case of the hill country of Seir and the descendents of Lot in the case of the land owned by the Moabites and Ammonites. There was land earmarked for Israel but they hadn’t reached it yet.

They had been traveling a very long time. For thirteen verses into Chapter 2, we are told that Israel had been wandering in the desert for 38 years when they crossed the Zered Valley as ordered by the Lord. Our passage tells us that during this period, "the entire generation of fighting men had perished from the camp" just as the Lord had said they would. Indeed, His "hand was against them until he had completely eliminated them". God was true to His word.

Although this truth was revealed in discipline over Israel, it isn’t always revealed in consequence. God is always true to His word always, in good times and bad. This is what I like to refer to as an absolute. There aren’t too many sure things we can count on in life but with the Lord, there are a multitude of them. We can because His word is true. Consider these words of Jesus as He speaks about His disciples and His Father’s word:

The Lord expects us to be holy as He is holy. (1 Peter 1:15-16) Jesus was the personification of everything that God was…including holiness. He was sanctification in its perfect sense and sought to guide His disciples so they too might find their way to sanctification, knowing they wouldnever be perfectly holy but could strive to meet that goal if they would only trust and follow God’s truth…a truth found in His word.

Question: How well do you know the truth? Given our scriptures, that would depend on how well you know God’s word. This is why writing each day is such a labor of love for me. I get to pass on the truth to anyone who wishes to seek it…and not just a transparent, artificial truth but THE truth as found in the living Word of God. My hope and prayer, just as was the hope of Jesus, was that we all might be able to move to a higher plane of holiness and righteousness, not only hearing what God’s word says but vowing to put it into practice. For when we do so, we can relate to the words of the Psalmist who said this about the Word:

I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands.

I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.

Praise be to you, O LORD; teach me your decrees. Psalm 119:10-12

My soul is weary with sorrow; strengthen me according to your word. Psalm 119:28

Turn my heart toward your statutes and not toward selfish gain.

Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your word.

Psalm 119:36-37

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path. Psalm 119:105

Your word, O LORD, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens. Your faithfulness continues through all generations… Psalm 119:89-90

Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

"When the Lord heard what you said, he was angry and solemnly swore: "Not a man of this evil generation shall see the good land I swore to give your forefathers, except Caleb son of Jephunneh. He will see it, and I will give him and his descendants the land he set his feet on, because he followed the Lord wholeheartedly."

Because of you the Lord became angry with me also and said, "You shall not enter it, either. But your assistant, Joshua son of Nun, will enter it. Encourage him, because he will lead Israel to inherit it. And the little ones that you said would be taken captive, your children who do not yet know good from bad — they will enter the land. I will give it to them and they will take possession of it. But as for you, turn around and set out toward the desert along the route to the Red Sea."

Then you replied, "We have sinned against the Lord. We will go up and fight, as the Lord our God commanded us." So every one of you put on his weapons, thinking it easy to go up into the hill country.

But the Lord said to me, "Tell them, 'Do not go up and fight, because I will not be with you. You will be defeated by your enemies.' "

So I told you, but you would not listen. You rebelled against the Lord's command and in your arrogance you marched up into the hill country. The Amorites who lived in those hills came out against you; they chased you like a swarm of bees and beat you down from Seir all the way to Hormah. You came back and wept before the Lord, but he paid no attention to your weeping and turned a deaf ear to you. And so you stayed in Kadesh many days—all the time you spent there." Deuteronomy 1:34-46

This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

Well, Israel didn’t have to consider it. They actually experienced it as we see at the very end of Deuteronomy. Because after they decided to turn away from God by not trusting Him, He in turn turned away from them while they were at Kadesh.

As today’s passage starts, we see an angry God proclaim to Israel, "Not a man of this evil generation shall see the good land I swore to give your forefathers, except Caleb son of Jephunneh. He will see it, and I will give him and his descendants the land he set his feet on, because he followed the Lord wholeheartedly." And His anger not only burned toward Israel. Even Moses had violated God, the One who had singled him out and entrusted with so much responsibility in spiritual leadership. Along with Aaron, you’ll recall that Moses took credit for being able to bring water from rock when it was really only through God’s power. (Numbers 20) Their respective decisions led to them not be able to see the Promised Land, a point that God drives home in Deuteronomy as He says, "You (Moses) shall not enter it, either. But your assistant, Joshua son of Nun, will enter it. Encourage him, because he will lead Israel to inherit it."

Israel, finally struck with the gravity of their sinful decision, decided to fall back on what they had always done when they got into trouble…cry out for forgiveness. They say to God, "We have sinned against the Lord. We will go up and fight, as the Lord our God commanded us" and "every one…put on his weapons, thinking it easy to go up into the hill country."

This is sort of like what a young child does when they know they are in trouble for not doing something they were supposed to do. They suddenly say they are sorry after they know they are in trouble and reverse their stubborn disobedience, all too willing to do what they were supposed to do in the first place with the hope that they will be spared punishment. And rarely does this tact ever work. It’s too late at that point and discipline comes with the hope that next time a choice to be obedient comes around, there will only be compliance instead of resistance.

Israel thinks that God will return to their side and allow bygones to be bygones if they just say they had made a mistake and do what God wanted them to do in the first place: go, claim the land He promised and fight those who currently inhabited the land. In response to their tactic, God tells them, "Do not go up and fight, because I will not be with you. You will be defeated by your enemies." They had turned on God and showed they didn’t trust Him. Now, they would show they weren’t willing to listen to Him either.

For scripture tells us they "rebelled against the Lord's command and, "in…arrogance marched up into the hill country". The end results aren’t surprising as the Amorites who lived in the hills came out against Israel and "chased (them) like a swarm of bees" beating them "down from Seir…to Hormah". Returning to Kadesh, Israel "wept before the Lord" but scripture tells us "He paid no attention" and "turned a deaf ear".

Israel had lost God’s favor and tried to go on without Him, even after He warned them not to. They found out that failure follows any action in which God is not involved. And so too is it with us.

For believe it or not, there are times in our lives when God is not with us. Like when we are completely consumed and saturated with sin. This is because God hates sin and will not be partnered with it. Even Jesus, God’s beloved Son and our Savior, laden with the sins of the world as He hung on the cross, experienced the anguish that comes with having God absent. Remember His words from the cross:

"From the sixth hour until the ninth hour darkness came over all the land. About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?" — which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" Matthew 27:45-46

God could not even be with His Son at the time of His greatest need…all because of the sin He took upon Himself…our sin…the very sin we still want to cling to and possess, alienating ourselves from God in the process…just as Israel chose to do.

Question: Where are you at spiritually…saturated with sin or saturated with the Spirit? Who is your master…Satan or God?

Friends when it all comes down to it, we all have a choice to make. We can partner with God or sin. Whichever you choose to partner with will be your master. Partner with sin and don’t expect God to be in the midst of it. Turn from it…and do so sincerely…and you’re taking the first steps toward reconciliation with the only One through which you can survive life…now and eternally. Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

Then all of you came to me and said, "Let us send men ahead to spy out the land for us and bring back a report about the route we are to take and the towns we will come to."

The idea seemed good to me; so I selected twelve of you, one man from each tribe. They left and went up into the hill country, and came to the Valley of Eshcol and explored it. Taking with them some of the fruit of the land, they brought it down to us and reported, "It is a good land that the Lord our God is giving us."

But you were unwilling to go up; you rebelled against the command of the Lord your God. You grumbled in your tents and said, "The Lord hates us; so he brought us out of Egypt to deliver us into the hands of the Amorites to destroy us. Where can we go? Our brothers have made us lose heart. They say, 'The people are stronger and taller than we are; the cities are large, with walls up to the sky. We even saw the Anakites there.' "

Then I said to you, "Do not be terrified; do not be afraid of them. The Lord your God, who is going before you, will fight for you, as he did for you in Egypt, before your very eyes, and in the desert. There you saw how the Lord your God carried you, as a father carries his son, all the way you went until you reached this place."

In spite of this, you did not trust in the Lord your God, who went ahead of you on your journey, in fire by night and in a cloud by day, to search out places for you to camp and to show you the way you should go." Deuteronomy 1:19-33

As we move toward to end of Deuteronomy, Chapter 1, we find Israel reaching Kadesh Barnea after traveling toward the "hill country of the Amorites through all that vast and dreadful desert". Upon arrival, Moses told the people, "…the Lord your God has given you the land. Go up and take possession of it as the Lord, the God of your fathers, told you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged." You would have thought that Israel, after such a long exodus would have jumped at the opportunity to finally reach the land that was touted as being flowing with milk and honey…a covenant land of blessing promised to Abraham by God with the promise passed down through the generations to this very time and place.

But Israel didn’t immediately enter the land. Scripture tells us they went to Moses and said, "Let us send men ahead to spy out the land for us and bring back a report about the route we are to take and the towns we will come to." So Moses, thinking the idea was sound, selected twelve of the Israelites, "one man from each tribe" and "they left and went up into the hill country, and came to the Valley of Eshcol and explored it". They took "some of the fruit of the land" and brought it back to the people as they made the report, "It is a good land that the Lord our God is giving us."

So all was set right? God had promised the land as well as assuring Israel He would be with them. And the advance scouts made good report…at least here in Deuteronomy. This is why it’s important to know ALL the scriptures because you’ll recall from Numbers, Chapter 13, that the scouts not only reported that the land was flowing with milk and honey as they showed the fruit that they had taken but they also made the following statement:

But the men who had gone up with him said, "We can't attack those people; they are stronger than we are." And they spread among the Israelites a bad report about the land they had explored. They said, "The land we explored devours those living in it. All the people we saw there are of great size. We saw the Nephilim there (the descendants of Anak come from the Nephilim). We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them." (Numbers 13:28-33)

Despite Caleb’s rebuttal and encouragement ("We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it."), the people became frightened and lost their faith in the One who had delivered them all the way to this point…and was ready to deliver them into Canaan as well.

Back to Deuteronomy. This is what led Moses to say, "But you were unwilling to go up; you rebelled against the command of the Lord your God. You grumbled in your tents and said, "The Lord hates us; so he brought us out of Egypt to deliver us into the hands of the Amorites to destroy us. Where can we go? Our brothers have made us lose heart. They say, 'The people are stronger and taller than we are; the cities are large, with walls up to the sky. We even saw the Anakites there.' " You’ll further recall that the Israelites actually started to complain that they were better off as slaves back in Egypt than they were in their present position. Truly, the people were rebelling and disobeying the Lord and His expectations for Him. They were also denying the blessing He had put in place for them.

Even support from Moses fell on deaf ears. He had tried to reassure his people saying, "Do not be terrified; do not be afraid of them. The Lord your God, who is going before you, will fight for you, as he did for you in Egypt, before your very eyes, and in the desert. There you saw how the Lord your God carried you, as a father carries his son, all the way you went until you reached this place." Indeed, God had been with them and had taken them through so much. How quickly Israel forgot about God’s goodness and providence.

So they refused to "trust in the Lord" who had "went ahead" of them on their journey "in fire by night and in a cloud by day", searching for places where Israel could camp and showing them the way they were to go.

How much are we like the people of Israel? How often do we forget how very far God has taken us in our lives…losing our faith as soon as difficulty arises? How quick are we to feel like God has left us when we face a trial, as if He never promised us we would face challenges in life that were intended to help us grow in our faith, not abandon it? And how fast do we forget that He promised us He would never leave us nor forsake us…that He would never give us a burden we couldn’t bear…not by way of our own strength but only by His strength residing within us?

Friends, this scripture calls us to a reassessment as to where we stand in our own personal relationship with the Lord who has created us and blessed us with everything we know and have. If we have anything short of unconditional trust in Him, then we need to step back, pray, open the bible and allow the Holy Spirit to enter our hearts, recharging our faith and renewing our belief in the One through which all things are possible. Is there any miracle too great for God? Is there anything beyond the work of His mighty hands?

Want to gain an immediate appreciation for who God is? Take a moment to imagine a life without Him. It’s really as simple as that. Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

You answered me, "What you propose to do is good."

Moses had just given Israel the word from the Lord. They were to leave Horeb and begin their way toward Canaan. But there was one other point of business that needed taken care of before they left. For Moses was just one man and Israel’s population had grown to epic proportions as confirmed in Moses’ words:

"The Lord your God has increased your numbers so that today you are as many as the stars in the sky."

This increase in people created a leadership problem for Moses who proclaimed, "You are too heavy a burden for me to carry alone… how can I bear your problems and your burdens and your disputes all by myself?" If the people were to be cared for properly…if disputes were to be resolved properly…if problems were to be handled properly…then Moses would need some help.

Realizing this Moses tells the Israelites, "Choose some wise, understanding and respected men from each of your tribes, and I will set them over you." Israel carries out Moses’ request and Moses in turn appoints them to authority "as commanders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties and of tens and as tribal officials". And Moses just doesn’t appoint them into the positions without guidance. No, he lets them know his expectations as they were to be an extension of his leadership. He charged them to "hear the disputes between your brothers and judge fairly, whether the case is between brother Israelites or between one of them and an alien. Do not show partiality in judging; hear both small and great alike. Do not be afraid of any man, for judgment belongs to God". And if any case was too difficult for them to handle, the newly appointed leaders were to bring it to Moses for him to hear it.

Through this account we learn an important life lesson: we often need help in matters of life. Moses realized that leading all of Israel was too much for him to do alone. And so, he solicited and got some assistance from the tribes.

We see this occur in the New Testament as well. Consider this passage from the Book of Acts:

This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism. They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.

So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith." Acts 6:1-7

As we think about ourselves and our own lives, we see that we can’t do it alone either. As much as we might want to be in control and handle everything we’re up against, we quickly find out that we need help…just as Moses did…just as the apostles did. And we need not worry where our help might come from. For the words of the Psalmist tells us:

I lift up my eyes to the hills — where does my help come from?

My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.

He will not let your foot slip — He who watches over you will not slumber;

indeed, He who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.

The Lord watches over you — the Lord is your shade at your right hand;

the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.

The LORD will keep you from all harm — He will watch over your life;

the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.

Psalm 121

Question: Are you trying to do everything in life on your own? In your need of help, have you turned to the Lord…the One from whom your help comes? Have you trusted wholly in the One who possessed the power to make heaven and earth…the One with the power to handle any situation or circumstance you’re going through?

Friends, as much as we try…as strong as we think we are…none of us are able to walk through life without help. What a comfort and a peace to know the Lord is there with us every step of the way…always ready to lend a hand. All we need do is call His name. Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

In the fortieth year, on the first day of the eleventh month, Moses proclaimed to the Israelites all that the Lord had commanded him concerning them. This was after he had defeated Sihon king of the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon, and at Edrei had defeated Og king of Bashan, who reigned in Ashtaroth.

East of the Jordan in the territory of Moab, Moses began to expound this law, saying:

The Lord our God said to us at Horeb, "You have stayed long enough at this mountain. Break camp and advance into the hill country of the Amorites; go to all the neighboring peoples in the Arabah, in the mountains, in the western foothills, in the Negev and along the coast, to the land of the Canaanites and to Lebanon, as far as the great river, the Euphrates. See, I have given you this land. Go in and take possession of the land that the Lord swore he would give to your fathers—to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob—and to their descendants after them."

Deuteronomy 1:1-8

Deuteronomy, the last of the five books of the Pentateuch or Books of the Law is sometimes referred to as a "copy of the law" or "the second law’ or "the repetition of the law". Overall, it calls Israel to renew its covenant with God prior to entering the land of Canaan. Along the way, Israel is reminded of God’s commandments and expectations for them.

In Chapter 1, we see Moses speaking to Israel in "the desert east of the Jordan… the Arabah —opposite Suph, between Paran and Tophel, Laban, Hazeroth and Dizahab". It’s the "fortieth year, on the first day of the eleventh month" or 40 years after the Israelites left Egypt on their exodus toward the Promised Land. What did Moses speak to the people about? Scripture tells us it involved "all that the Lord had commanded him concerning them". He began by expounding on the law and saying to Israel while at Horeb:

The Lord our God said to us…, "You have stayed long enough at this mountain. Break camp and advance into the hill country of the Amorites; go to all the neighboring peoples in the Arabah, in the mountains, in the western foothills, in the Negev and along the coast, to the land of the Canaanites and to Lebanon, as far as the great river, the Euphrates. See, I have given you this land. Go in and take possession of the land that the Lord swore he would give to your fathers—to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob—and to their descendants after them."

Israel had spent enough time at Horeb or Mount Sinai and it was time to move out, "go in and take possession of the land" that the Lord was giving to them…their inheritance…the Promised Land of Canaan. And this land, their inheritance, was a fulfillment of the covenant promise passed onto them from Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and "their descendants after them".

From this passage, we see how God is in control of our service to Him when we place our lives in His hands. We need not worry about where to go or what to do because He will guide us to where he wants us to be.

For in this scripture, note that the people of Israel had traveled a long distance from Egypt to Horeb or Mount Sinai. But as they got to the mountain, they were commanded to stop and remain there. It’s during this time that Moses received a large portion of the guidance for the people of Israel as they were about to get organized and make the final push toward Canaan. The people were stopped at Horeb for a reason. God had instruction for them. And after He had passed that instruction to them, He commanded that they move out and start their journey to the Promised Land. Through all of this, we notice where God is in control. And it didn’t just begin here. For recall the story of Abraham who was ordered to leave everything behind and go to where God wanted him to go. And Abraham did, not asking any questions, but rather obeying God and trusting in His will and way. When Abraham got to Canaan, it was there that God told him "To your offspring I will give this land" and Abraham "built an altar there to the Lord, who had appeared to him". This is where God wanted him to be and now the Israelites…his offspring…were headed there themselves.

Question: Do you place your trust in God each and every day to guide you to where He wants you tobe? And when you are where He wants you to be, do you trust Him to let you know what He wants you to do?

My prayer is that we learn from the scriptures that God has a plan for each and every one of us. And in realizing this, I hope we might be able to find understanding as Jeremiah and Solomon did in the following passages:

For Jeremiah said, "I know, O Lord, that a man's life is not his own; it is not for man to direct his steps." Jeremiah 10:23

And Solomon said, "A man's steps are directed by the Lord. How then can anyone understand his own way?" Proverbs 20:24

Thanks be to God for His guidance and the affirmation of truth through His word. Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

Then at the Lord's command Moses gave this order to the Israelites: "What the tribe of the descendants of Joseph is saying is right. This is what the Lord commands for Zelophehad's daughters: They may marry anyone they please as long as they marry within the tribal clan of their father. No inheritance in Israel is to pass from tribe to tribe, for every Israelite shall keep the tribal land inherited from his forefathers. Every daughter who inherits land in any Israelite tribe must marry someone in her father's tribal clan, so that every Israelite will possess the inheritance of his fathers. No inheritance may pass from tribe to tribe, for each Israelite tribe is to keep the land it inherits."

So Zelophehad's daughters did as the Lord commanded Moses. Zelophehad's daughters—Mahlah, Tirzah, Hoglah, Milcah and Noah—married their cousins on their father's side. They married within the clans of the descendants of Manasseh son of Joseph, and their inheritance remained in their father's clan and tribe.

These are the commands and regulations the Lord gave through Moses to the Israelites on the plains of Moab by the Jordan across from Jericho."

Numbers 36

It’s been a journey but we have reached the end of the Book of Numbers. As we look at the final chapter, we see where God wraps up the matter of Promised Land inheritance before Israel crosses the Jordan and enters Canaan.

At issue here is a concern voiced by the "family heads of the clan of Gilead son of Makir, the son of Manasseh, who were from the clans of the descendants of Joseph". Scripture tells us they "came and spoke before Moses and the leaders, the heads of the Israelite families", saying:

"When the Lord commanded my lord to give the land as an inheritance to the Israelites by lot, he ordered you to give the inheritance of our brother Zelophehad to his daughters. Now suppose they marry men from other Israelite tribes; then their inheritance will be taken from our ancestral inheritance and added to that of the tribe they marry into. And so part of the inheritance allotted to us will be taken away. When the Year of Jubilee for the Israelites comes, their inheritance will be added to that of the tribe into which they marry, and their property will be taken from the tribal inheritance of our forefathers."

You’ll recall that in Numbers, Chapter 27, Zelophedad had "died in the desert". Since he had no son, there would be confusion as to who his inheritance belonged to so his daughters petitioned Moses that they should rightfully get the requirement. Moses took their request before God who said:

So the daughters of Zelophedad received his inheritance but the "family heads of the clan of Gilead son of Makir, the son of Manasseh, who were from the clans of the descendants of Joseph" brought forth a legitimate concern. Now that the inheritance was being divided up by tribe, what would happen if one of Zelophedad’s daughters married across tribal lines? The fear was that they would then fall under a different tribe who would then stake claim to the land the daughters owned when the Year of Jubilee came.

The Lord considered the concern and said:

"What the tribe of the descendants of Joseph is saying is right. This is what the Lord commands for Zelophehad's daughters: They may marry anyone they please as long as they marry within the tribal clan of their father. No inheritance in Israel is to pass from tribe to tribe, for every Israelite shall keep the tribal land inherited from his forefathers. Every daughter who inherits land in any Israelite tribe must marry someone in her father's tribal clan, so that every Israelite will possess the inheritance of his fathers. No inheritance may pass from tribe to tribe, for each Israelite tribe is to keep the land it inherits."

So the solution was rather simple. The daughters earned the inheritance but had to keep it in the clan by marrying someone within. And this guidance would be applicable to any other daughters who might receive an inheritance under like circumstances.

In this passage we see where we serve a God who covers all the bases…a God who does listen to the requests of His people. Unlike the whining, complaining Israelites who failed to give thanks for what they had, instead opting to gripe about what they wished they had, in Chapter 36 we see the family heads of the clan coming forward and exposing a real potential problem in the inheritance plan. For there was a loophole that could be exploited by a clan to gain more land and thus greater power. Could you see where one clan might intentionally have their men marry women who had gained an inheritance from their fathers just so that land could then become property of that clan? God listened to the concern, saw its validity and quickly gave commands to seal up the loophole. All bases were covered and, in this case, they were because God listened to His people.

As we look into the scriptures, we can see how God has covered all the bases in our lives as well. For we need only look to the scriptures…and I mean all the scriptures…to see how we’re supposed to live. We may want to try and find loopholes in God’s plan that would allow us to do what we want to do and chase after our own sinful desires but our efforts end up fruitless. For God’s word only draws us into obedience through conviction…not sinfulness by permissiveness. And just as in the days of Numbers and other places throughout scripture, God listens to His people today. Want to gain illumination on how He wants you to live? Wantto gain a better understanding about how His word is to be carried out in your life? Want to know whether what you are about to think, say or do is in accordance with His will, way and word? All you need to do is ask the Lord. He will listen and He will answer you. The question is…are you ready to receive the answer He is going to give you?

So truly, we serve a God who covers the bases and listens. Now that He has settled all the inheritance issues, Israel is ready to finally enter the Promised Land. And with Numbers complete, we are ready to enter the Book of Deuteronomy. See you there tomorrow.

In Christ,

Mark

"On the plains of Moab by the Jordan across from Jericho, the Lord said to Moses, "Command the Israelites to give the Levites towns to live in from the inheritance the Israelites will possess. And give them pasturelands around the towns. Then they will have towns to live in and pasturelands for their cattle, flocks and all their other livestock. "The pasturelands around the towns that you give the Levites will extend out fifteen hundred feet from the town wall. Outside the town, measure three thousand feet on the east side, three thousand on the south side, three thousand on the west and three thousand on the north, with the town in the center. They will have this area as pastureland for the towns.

"Six of the towns you give the Levites will be cities of refuge, to which a person who has killed someone may flee. In addition, give them forty-two other towns. In all you must give the Levites forty-eight towns, together with their pasturelands. The towns you give the Levites from the land the Israelites possess are to be given in proportion to the inheritance of each tribe: Take many towns from a tribe that has many, but few from one that has few."

Then the Lord said to Moses: "Speak to the Israelites and say to them: 'When you cross the Jordan into Canaan, select some towns to be your cities of refuge, to which a person who has killed someone accidentally may flee. They will be places of refuge from the avenger, so that a person accused of murder may not die before he stands trial before the assembly. These six towns you give will be your cities of refuge. Give three on this side of the Jordan and three in Canaan as cities of refuge. These six towns will be a place of refuge for Israelites, aliens and any other people living among them, so that anyone who has killed another accidentally can flee there.

" 'If a man strikes someone with an iron object so that he dies, he is a murderer; the murderer shall be put to death. Or if anyone has a stone in his hand that could kill, and he strikes someone so that he dies, he is a murderer; the murderer shall be put to death. Or if anyone has a wooden object in his hand that could kill, and he hits someone so that he dies, he is a murderer; the murderer shall be put to death. The avenger of blood shall put the murderer to death; when he meets him, he shall put him to death. If anyone with malice aforethought shoves another or throws something at him intentionally so that he dies or if in hostility he hits him with his fist so that he dies, that person shall be put to death; he is a murderer. The avenger of blood shall put the murderer to death when he meets him.

" 'But if without hostility someone suddenly shoves another or throws something at him unintentionally or, without seeing him, drops a stone on him that could kill him, and he dies, then since he was not his enemy and he did not intend to harm him, the assembly must judge between him and the avenger of blood according to these regulations. The assembly must protect the one accused of murder from the avenger of blood and send him back to the city of refuge to which he fled. He must stay there until the death of the high priest, who was anointed with the holy oil.

" 'But if the accused ever goes outside the limits of the city of refuge to which he has fled and the avenger of blood finds him outside the city, the avenger of blood may kill the accused without being guilty of murder. The accused must stay in his city of refuge until the death of the high priest; only after the death of the high priest may he return to his own property.

" 'These are to be legal requirements for you throughout the generations to come, wherever you live.

" 'Anyone who kills a person is to be put to death as a murderer only on the testimony of witnesses. But no one is to be put to death on the testimony of only one witness.

" 'Do not accept a ransom for the life of a murderer, who deserves to die. He must surely be put to death.

" 'Do not accept a ransom for anyone who has fled to a city of refuge and so allow him to go back and live on his own land before the death of the high priest.

" 'Do not pollute the land where you are. Bloodshed pollutes the land, and atonement cannot be made for the land on which blood has been shed, except by the blood of the one who shed it. Do not defile the land where you live and where I dwell, for I, the Lord, dwell among the Israelites.' " Numbers 35

This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

As we have seen in prior instances in Exodus, Leviticus and Numbers, God held a special place in His heart for the Levites. And in Chapter 35, we see where He gives them special attention as He has in the past.

For after He addressed Israel’s territorial boundaries in Canaan and how the land would be divided, He takes time to ensure the Levites will be cared for as well. We read where he tells Moses to "Command the Israelites to give the Levites towns to live in from the inheritance the Israelites will possess. And give them pasturelands around the towns. Then they will have towns to live in and pasturelands for their cattle, flocks and all their other livestock. The pasturelands around the towns that you give the Levites will extend out fifteen hundred feet from the town wall. Outside the town, measure three thousand feet on the east side, three thousand on the south side, three thousand on the west and three thousand on the north, with the town in the center. They will have this area as pastureland for the towns…In all you must give the Levites forty-eight towns, together with their pasturelands. The towns you give the Levites from the land the Israelites possess are to be given in proportion to the inheritance of each tribe: Take many towns from a tribe that has many, but few from one that has few." The Levites had spent their wilderness time camped out around the tabernacle. Now that they were entering the Promised Land, they would enjoy the same improved living conditions as the rest of Israel with ample space for their animals. And they wouldn’t be segregated from the people. No, they would live in the midst of each of the tribes. God’s people would all need assistance in spiritual worship and guidance…just what the Levites could provide.

So the Levites would have 48 cities with a few on the east side of the Jordan where the Reubenites, Gadites and half of the tribe of Manasseh would be settled. And of these 48 cities, God commands that six be set apart as "cities of refuge" where "a person who has killed someone accidentally may flee". The cities of refuge, "three on this side of the Jordan and three in Canaan", were to be places safe from an avenger "for Israelites, aliens and any other people living among them" so that a "person accused of murder may not die before he stands trial before the assembly". In other words, justice would not be at the hands of an avenger but determined by trial. One would not be guilty unless proven so.

This didn’t mean that everyone was deserving of trial for God takes time to distinguish accidental killing from willful killing. The latter would not be deserving of trial, only death for their murderous actions. God gives this guidance:

"If a man strikes someone with an iron object so that he dies, he is a murderer; the murderer shall be put to death. Or if anyone has a stone in his hand that could kill, and he strikes someone so that he dies, he is a murderer; the murderer shall be put to death. Or if anyone has a wooden object in his hand that could kill, and he hits someone so that he dies, he is a murderer; the murderer shall be put to death. The avenger of blood shall put the murderer to death; when he meets him, he shall put him to death. If anyone with malice aforethought shoves another or throws something at him intentionally so that he dies or if in hostility he hits him with his fist so that he dies, that person shall be put to death; he is a murderer. The avenger of blood shall put the murderer to death when he meets him."

In other words, pre-meditated, conscious murder disqualified one from refuge and the avenger was permitted to claim revenge.

In regard to an accidental killing, God gave this direction:

" 'But if without hostility someone suddenly shoves another or throws something at him unintentionally or, without seeing him, drops a stone on him that could kill him, and he dies, then since he was not his enemy and he did not intend to harm him, the assembly must judge between him and the avenger of blood according to these regulations. The assembly must protect the one accused of murder from the avenger of blood and send him back to the city of refuge to which he fled. He must stay there until the death of the high priest, who was anointed with the holy oil.

As long as the person who killed accidentally remains in the city of refuge, they would be protected and safe. However, if he or she chooses to leave and go "outside the limits of the city of refuge to which he (or she) has fled", that protection would be gone and they could be killed by the "avenger of blood" without the avenger "being guilty of murder".

In the end, God reminded Israel of His expectation that the Promised Land be treated with the sanctity it deserved. He said:

"Do not pollute the land where you are. Bloodshed pollutes the land, and atonement cannot be made for the land on which blood has been shed, except by the blood of the one who shed it. Do not defile the land where you live and where I dwell, for I, the Lord, dwell among the Israelites."

Too bad Israel didn’t heed these words from God because there would be murderous actions and bloodshed to come, all which would serve to pollute the land God prov