
YOUTH STS LESSON 120 DEFEAT OF THE MIDIANITES AND DEATH OF BALAAM
MEMORY VERSE: “And they slew the kings of Midian, beside the rest of them that were slain; namely, Evi, and Rekem, and Zur, and Hur, and Reba, five kings of Midian: Balaam also the son of Beor they slew with the sword” (Numbers 31:8).
TEXT: Numbers 31:1-54
Today’s text opens with word “avenge”, which means to retaliate. Immediately after the act of immorality and idolatry of Israel with Midianitish women at Baal-Peor, God commanded Moses to vex Midian (Numbers 25:16-18). The present lesson, therefore, gives the details of the fulfilment of this word of judgment on the Midianites. This shows the gravity of the judgment of God on sinners and backsliders. Every sinner will reap the reward of his actions except there is genuine repentance and turning away from sins.
Question 1: Does God allow Christian youths to retaliate when offended?
“Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord” (Romans 12:19). The war against Midian in the Old Testament was divinely ordered and authorized by God to fulfill a divine purpose. It was not a human retaliation; rather, it was a divine retribution on a sinful nation who caused the people of God to sin against Him. From the above, anyone who teaches, counsels, or seduces others to sin against God will receive great punishment from Him. Christian youths are not to be involved in fighting and disagreement; rather, they should pray and preach to sinners.
- . DIVINE COMMISION FOR HIS SERVANT
Numbers 31:1-18; Exodus 17:14-16; 1 Samuel 15:1-3; Numbers 33:50-56; 1 Samuel 15:7-23; 2 Corinthians 6:14-18
“And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Avenge the children of Israel of the Midianites: afterward shalt thou be gathered unto thy people” (Numbers 31:1,2). The war declared against the Midianites was undertaken at God’s command, which certainly validates it. The Midianites were the posterity of Abraham who came through Keturah his wife after the death of Sarah (Genesis 25:2). Over the years, they had corrupted themselves and gone with idolatrous Moab. It was in their confederacy with Moab that their women lured Israel into immorality.
Question 2: What are the reasons for the dreadful destruction of Midian?
The land of Midian was not designed to be given to Israel. “And the LORD said unto me, Distress not the Moabites, neither contend with them in battle: for I will not give thee of their land for a possession; because I have Ar unto the children of Lot for a possession” (Deuteronomy 2:9). However, the destruction of Midian came as a result of their deliberate act of leading Israel to sin, which caused God’s anger against them (Numbers 31:16). For this provocation, God told Moses to “Avenge the children of Israel of the Midianites”, and Moses told the people, “avenge the LORD of Midian” (Verse 3). It was God taking vengeance on the enemy of His people.
The commission to fight Midian was Moses’ last great service before his departure, for the Lord said, “…afterward shalt thou be gathered unto thy people”. Yet, he put all his efforts to prepare, instruct and supervise the war (Numbers 31:3-18). As Christian youths, our worship, service and obedience to the Lord should be till the end of our lives (Psalm 119:112). Examples abound in the Scriptures of those who served the Lord successfully to the end of their lives. They include (i) Joshua (Joshua 31:1; 24:15,29), (ii) Caleb (Joshua 14:6-13), (iii) Daniel (Daniel 6:10; 9:2-4), (iv) Simeon (Luke 2:25-32), (v) Anna (Luke 2:36-38), (vi) Paul (2 Timothy 4:1-8) and (vii) John the Beloved (Revelation 1:9,10). The destruction of the Midianites and their city was both dreadful and fearful. All the males including their five kings were slain in the battle (verse 18). “And they burnt all their cities wherein they dwelt, and all their goodly castles, with fire” (Numbers 31:10).
Question 3: What can you learn from God’s vengeance against Midian?
“For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope” (Romans 15:4). There was no safety in keeping any form of friendship with the Midianites, especially their immoral ladies. Israel was the Church in the wilderness (a type of the New Testament). As a result, there must be complete separation from the world and her practices (James 4:4). “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you” (2 Corinthians 6:17).
“Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience” (Colossians 3:5,6). God, in His dealing with Midian, shows us how to deal with youthful, fleshly and hurtful lusts that war against our souls. Carnal companionship and unequal yokes must be severed with. It is our duty to have a clean break with former worldly companions, boyfriends or girlfriends, interests, languages or photographs.
Question 4: What can we learn from the death of Balaam?
“…Balaam also the son of Beor they slew with the sword” (Verse 8). Balaam who taught and counselled Balak on how to curse the children of Israel to fall into sin against God was killed in the battle. Although he prayed, “Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his!” (Numbers 23:10), yet Balaam died as a backslider and a covetous prophet
“who loved the wages of unrighteousness” (2 Peter 2:15). We should beware of the way, error and doctrine of Balaam in the church (2 Peter 2:15); Jude 1:11; Revelation 2:14). The way of Balaam is the way of prostitution, immorality, and idolatry. It is the way of those who trade spiritual gifts for worldly gains, which they may never possess or enjoy (Numbers 22:37; 24:10,11). Furthermore, the doctrine of Balaam is the counsel to destroy by seducing the people who cannot be cursed (Numbers 31:16; 22:12; 23:19,20).
- DIVINE COMMAND FOR THE CLEANSING OF THE SINFUL
Numbers 31:19-24; Leviticus 11:44,45; 1 Thessalonians 4:1-4,7; 1 Peter 1:14,15; 2 Timothy 2:22
“And Eleazar the priest said unto the men of war which went to the battle, This is the ordinance of the law which the LORD commanded Moses” (Numbers 31:21). After the war, a call was given to “whosoever hath killed any person, and whatsoever hath touched any slain, purify both yourselves and your captives on the third day, and on the seventh day” (Verse 19). Eleazar the priest told the people that the message of cleansing, righteousness or holiness is the not of man but from God. In His love and mercy, God always call His people to a life of righteousness and holiness. To Abraham, He said, “I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect” (Genesis 17:1) and said to the hearers of Jesus during the Sermon on the Mount, He said, “Be ye therefore, perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect” (Matthew 5:48). To those who desire to get to heaven, their final destination, the Scripture says, “Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord” (Hebrews 12:14).
Question 5: What experiences can produce righteousness and holiness in our lives?
Salvation and sanctification are the Christian experiences that can bring righteousness and holiness into our hearts and lives. These Christian experiences are still the command of God for youths today. Salvation is freedom from evil and sin through repentance and faith in the death of Christ. It is freedom by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8,9). On the other hand, sanctification is the gracious work of the Holy Spirit whereby the believer is freed from inward sin. To have these experiences, we must pray, confess our sins, forsake them, consecrate our lives to God and believe Him for this great work of grace.
In verse 23, two agents for cleansing were mentioned. These are fire and water. In the Scriptures, fire represents the Holy Spirit of God (Malachi 3:2-4; Romans 15:16; Isaiah 1:25) while water represents the word of God (John 15:3; Ephesians 5:25-27). We should pray and submit to the Spirit and the word of God for the cleansing work to be done in our lives.
- DIVINE CHARGE FOR THE DISTRIBUTION OF THE SPOILS
Numbers 31:25-54; 1 Samuel 30:18-31; Ephesians 4:7,8; Psalm 96:6-9; 2 Chronicles 20:1-30; Acts 4:23-31; Hebrews 13:15
As the commission from the Lord was being concluded, He charged Moses to take stock of the prey that was taken from the war. The prey was to be divided into two (2) parts.
The FIRST part is for those who went to war.
The SECOND part was for the congregation of Israel. Moses was charged to take a portion from the gifts of the men of war and give it to Eleazar the priest “for an offering unto the LORD” (Numbers 31:28,29,41). Also, he was to “take a portion of fifty” of the congregation to the Levites “which keep the charge of the tabernacle of the LORD” (Numbers 31:30,47). All these were done “as the LORD commanded Moses” (Numbers 31:31,41,47).
Question 6: What can you learn from this distribution?
There are several lessons from this distribution.
One, Everyone should give to the Lord (Exodus 23:15; 34:20; Deuteronomy 16:16).
Two, Everyone is qualified to share in the blessings of the Lord (Ephesians 4:7,8).
Three, Giving should be done willingly and cheerfully (2 Corinthians 9:6,7).
Four, Through this process, God meets the needs of His ministers (Numbers 31:29,30).
Five, We should be obedient to the command of the Lord (Malachi 3:10); 1 Corinthians 16:2).
With a sense of gratitude to God, the officers came to Moses and Eleazar to speak of the goodness of the Lord. We should thank God too and show gratitude for His pardon, purity, power, protection, provision, preservation, promotion, prosperity, prudence and precepts. But the officers did not just give the offering of their lips, they gave of the substance of their increase (Numbers 31:50-52). The offerings of the officers were laid up in the tabernacle as “a memorial for the children of Israel before the LORD” (Malachi 3:16).