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YOUTH STS LESSON 146 FIRST FRUITS AND TITHES

YOUTH STS LESSON 121 PREPARATION FOR POSSESSION OF THE LAND

MEMORY VERSE: “Command the children of Israel, and say unto them, when ye come into the land of Canaan; this is the land that shall fall unto you for an inheritance, even the land of Canaan with the coasts thereof” (Numbers 34:2)

TEXT: Numbers 32:1-42; 33:1-56; 34:1-29

In our text, the children of Reuben and Gad came to Moses, the man of God, Eleazar the priest and the princes of the children of Israel to request their possession outside the Promised Land. The reason for their request was because they had a very great multitude of cattle” (Verse 1). This request was done without prayers and dependence on the guidance of the Lord. This can be seen in their unwillingness to go over Jordan (Verse 5). Any decision without divine leading is the same as walking by sight. However, their request was granted with a condition of ensuring they followed their brethren to war until they had possessed their inheritance.

          The Israelites, now by Jordan from Egypt, had one focus, which was how to go into the land of Canaan to possess it. Before then, Moses had to write down their goings out according to their journey by the commandment of the LORD” (Numbers 33:2). In this lesson, we shall see Israel’s journey from Egypt to Jordan, the account of events in their stop-overs and the instruction of God to Israel on the destruction of the Canaanites. Finally, we shall also see the Lord in His wisdom, taking divine initiative to spell out the various guidelines on the administration and allocation of the land of Canaan.

  1. THE REQUEST OF REUBEN AND GAD TO STAY IN GILEAD

Numbers 32:1-42; Genesis 13:5-13; Deuteronomy 3:16-20; Joshua 13:23-32; 22:1-6; Luke 21:34-36; 2 Corinthians 5:7.

Now the children of Reuben and the children of Gad had a very great multitude of cattle: and when they saw the land of Jazer, and the land of Gilead, that, behold, the place was a place of cattle; Wherefore, said they, if we have found grace in thy sight, let this land be given unto thy servants for a possession, and bring us not over Jordan” (Numbers 32:1,5). For some time now, the children of Israel had camped in the plains of Moab, by Jordan, in the border of Jericho over against Canaan, the land of promise. But before the instruction to cross Jordan and go into the land, the children of Gad and Reuben came to ask Moses for their inheritance. They wanted the portion of the land where they were situated because of the abundance of pastures for their cattle.

          Indeed, Reuben and Gad had a great multitude of cattle and the land of Jazer and Gilead suitable for the cattle. The conclusion looks correct but can God who blessed them with these cattle not provide a better place in Canaan? Canaan, known as a land flowing with milk and honey and verified to be fertile by the cluster of grapes and figs brought by the spies, was ahead of them. God had earlier promised He would give them the land (Exodus 23:27,28). He never changes (Malachi 3:6). God had promised Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob that He would give them the land of Canaan and to their seed (Genesis 12:7; 13:15; 15:7,18; 17:8; Numbers 14:8). Therefore, for these two tribes not to wait in faith and patiently before God to possess the Promised Land means they were walking and choosing by sight.

 

Question 1: What are the dangers of walking by sight and not by faith?

 

          And Moses said unto the children of Gad and to the children of Reuben, Shall your brethren go to war, and shall ye sit here? And wherefore discourage ye the heart of the children of Israel from going over into the land which the LORD hath given them” (Numbers 32:6,7). The occurrence of this request, at this moment of a long wilderness journey, which had already claimed a generation, is disturbing. Hence, Moses fearlessly rose up to correct these tribes with courage. He based his reply on the danger of their request. He said their request could cause discouragement and disaffection among the children of Israel. It could, thereby, cause them to sin against God and incur His wrath. Therefore, For if ye turn away from after him, he will yet again leave them in the wilderness; and ye shall destroy all this people” (Verse 15). As Christian youths, we must not take a decision without first finding out the mind of God. We must walk by faith according to His word, so as not to be led outside of the will of God for our lives.

 

Question 2: What was the condition given to the two tribes before their request could be granted?

          And Moses said unto them, If ye will do this thing, if ye will go armed before the LORD to war, And will go all of you armed over Jordan before the LORD, until he hath driven out his enemies from before him, And the land be subdued before the LORD: then afterward ye shall return, and be guiltless before the LORD, and before Israel; and this land shall be your possession before the LORD” (Numbers 32:20-22). The tribes of Gad and Reuben agreed to the condition set by Moses and he allowed them to possess the land of their choice.

  1. THE RECORD OF ISRAELITES’ DEPARTURE FROM EGYPT

Numbers 33:1-56; Genesis 15:13,14; Psalm 78:10-12; Deuteronomy 4:34; Luke 1:70-75; Acts 7:4-7; Colossians 1:13,14

These are the journeys of the children of Israel, which went forth out of the land of Egypt with their armies under the hand of Moses and Aaron. And Moses wrote their goings out according to their journeys by the commandment of the LORD: and these are their journeys according to their goings out” (Numbers 33:1,2). The departure of the children of Israel from the land of Egypt was a testimony to the unchanging and unfailing promise and power of God. At this juncture, God told Moses to write down the journeys of the children of Israel. This reveals His nature of keeping records of events, lifestyles and deeds of men.

Question 3: Why did God command Moses to write down their goings according to their journeys?

          The Israelites were about crossing the river Jordan into the Promise Land. This would lead them into another experience with God. The Lord wanted them to have the remembrance and reflection about the past.

One, to remember the supernatural acts of God.

Two, to realize that human life is adaptable to situation and environment. The pains we suffer during the time of hardship is often forgotten at the time of pleasure. The grief we experience at the time of losses is also forgotten at the time of gains. This is why we keep necessary records of our past so as to remember and reflect about life experiences.

Three, to acknowledge the fact that man is mortal (Hebrews 9:27). This helps us to be conscious of the fact that life is transient and we should prepare for eternity.

Four, to acknowledge that relevant records are required as evidence of the faithfulness of God and the unfaithfulness of the Israelites and its attended judgements.

          From the onset, God was not happy with the Canaanites because they despised Him and loved evil. They practiced all manner of sins. Like the Canaanites who refused to repent, sinners in the world today think God is slack concerning His judgment. They do not see the delay as an opportunity to repent. But God’s patience will not last forever. He gave the Israelites strict instructions on what to do to the Canaanites. They were to be driven out and be destroyed with all their pictures, and destroy all their molten images, and quite pluck down all their high places” (Numbers 33:52; Exodus 34:12-16). By implication, they were not to have interest in anything in their land (Numbers 33:55).

 

  1. DIVISION OF THE PROMISED LAND BY LOT

Numbers 34:1-29; Genesis 17:8; Exodus 3:8,16,17; 2 Chronicles 14:6-10; Ezekiel 47:13-23; Joshua 1:3; 15:1-12

 

And say unto them, when ye be come into the land of Canaan; (this is the land that shall fall unto you for an inheritance, even the land of Canaan with the coasts thereof:” (Numbers 34:2). God gave specifications for the distribution of land among the nine and half tribes of Israel.

 

Question 4: Why did God specify the boundaries of the Promised Land?

 

          From the beginning, God has always shown Himself to be orderly in all He does. His directives are very clear for man’s understanding and His instructions are good for his ultimate benefits. The description about the distribution and allocation of land was to serve both spiritual and physical security and safety of the Israelites. The territorial integrity of nations are often meant to be secured. Sometimes, walls are built and watchmen are put in place to prevent intruders from coming to illegally possess or inherit what does not belong to them. Everyone who goes out of God’s boundaries makes himself susceptible to enemies. And Moses commanded the children of Israel, saying, That is the land which ye shall inherit by lot, which the Lord commanded to give unto the nine tribes, and to the half tribe” (Verse 13).

 

Question 5: What can we learn from Moses’ approach to the sharing of the land?

 

          The Lord had instructed Moses to command the children of Israel on how to share the land when they get there. It is noteworthy that Moses did as God instructed him. We learn some spiritual lessons here:

One, God’s word is to be fully discharged to the church. To the ministers, the Scripture says, These command and teach” (1 Timothy 4:11). As the children of Israel obeyed the command, knowing that its origin is divine, so must all Christian youths obey the word preached by God’s ministers in the church, today.

Two, Moses was fair and transparent in his approach. He told the children of Israel that the land would be divided among nine and a half tribes, reminding them that the tribes of Reuben, Gad and half tribe of Manasseh had already received their inheritance. Christian youths should be fair and transparent in dealing with people.

Three, Moses was familiar with God and the way He appointed people or things to be done. He also knew the princes and elders of the people who naturally would be saddled with such responsibility as the division of the Promised Land. But he chose to wait for God. Having told the people what He said concerning the borders of the land, he waited for God to appoint the people that would carry out the assignment of dividing the land (Verse 16-18)

 

Question 6: What is the importance of faith in our walk with God?

 

Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him” (Hebrews 10:38). It was an act of faith to plan the division of a land yet-to-be possessed. That has been the way God walked with the men of old. The just shall live by faith. We cannot walk effectively with God without faith. But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him” (Hebrews 11:6).

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