Cross over that Jordan

Posted by Lisa Laree to Beer Lahai Roi

I'm really trying hard to stick to the 'Bible Study Friday' format. I hope soon to have a clear picture of what study to do next, but in the meantime I thought I'd post another outline from the file...seems like every time I pull this one and read it something new occurs to me.


Cross Over the Jordan

Numbers 32:1 - 19

Review of Israel’s history to this point
-left Egypt ~ 42 years earlier
-Crossed the Red Sea; saw God defeat Pharoah’s army on their behalf; ate the manna and the quail, drank the water; heard God’s voice at Sinai
-Stayed at Sinai a year, receiving the Law and the Commandments, making the holy things and dedicating them. They celebrated Passover again, then left the area and headed to Kadesh Barnea.
-Spies returned with evil report, and Israel refused to obey God. God decreed that they would stay in the desert until everyone who was 20 years old or older had died; only Joshua and Caleb would survive the desert and enter the promised land.
-After 40 years of wandering, they began to march toward the Promised Land, going around the southern edge. Edom refused to let them cross their land; Arad, King of the Canaanites in the Negev region, attacked Israel and was defeated; Sihon, King of the Amorites attacked Israel and was defeated; Og, king of Bashan attacked Israel and was defeated. They camped along the Jordan, across from Jerico.
- Balaam advised Moab to seduce them; plague broke out; Moses reviewed the Law and Commandments and the Covenant with the new generation prior to his death.

I.(vs 1 - 5) Reuben and Gad ask to remain on the east side of the Jordan
They saw that the land was good for livestock; they had livestock, so they decided where they were was good enough and they wanted to stay there, saying “Do not make us cross the Jordan:”
-God’s Promised Land was on the other side of the Jordan
-There was adversity between them and the Promised land
-They would rather settle for good enough rather than face adversity and get God’s best

One can never receive God’s promised blessings without first persevering through adversity
Don’t confuse adversity with the consequences of sin:
Satan throws adversity at us to discourage us from persevering
God allows the adversity because it is necessary for maturity (James 1:2-4: “Consider it wholly joyful, my brethren, whenever you are enveloped in or encounter trials of any sort or fall into various temptations. Be assured and understand that the trial and proving of your faith brings out endurance and steadfastness and patience. But let endurance and steadfastness and patience have full play and do a thorough work, so that you may be people perfectly and fully developed with no defects, lacking in nothing” – AMP)

II. (vs. 6 - 15) Moses’ reaction to their request
-Shall your countrymen go to war while you sit here?
(They didn’t reach their current place without the help of the rest of the nation)
-Why do you discourage the Israelites from going over into the land the Lord has given them?
(It will take the whole nation together to fight the battles and enter into the blessing)
*You didn’t get here without them and they can’t go on without you
-This is what your fathers did (v.8)...here you are, a brood of sinners, standing in the place of your fathers and making the Lord even more angry with Israel...you will be the cause of their destruction”
Disobedience of parents promotes disobedience in children

III. (vs. 16-19) The compromise
- All the fighting men will cross the Jordan with you and fight, then return when the fighting is done.
- We will leave our livestock, women and children in fortified cities here
- We will not have an inheritance on the other side: our inheritance will be on the east side (v. 19)

Doing the bare minimum will secure only inheritance of mediocrity for yourself and for your children

“The lukewarm seldom realize they’re lukewarm; in fact, they’re among the most self-satisfied folks around, thinking everything’s just fine.” - Bill McCartney

If the parents do not pursue the blessings of God, the children cannot inherit them

Hm. I need to think on this today anyway...