Numbers 31 – 33
Verses 31:15 & 16 talk about the people that were spared after the rout of the Midianites :
15 What were you thinking that you would allow these women to live?16 They are the ones, on the advice of that instigator Balaam, who are responsible for seducing our men by leading Israelites to reject the Eternal at Peor. They brought down on us that punishing plague that killed so many of the people of the Eternal One.
This is the brutal part of God that I often wonder if it’s the history of man and not God’s directives. I do understand how God was keeping His people pure of evil and knew if they formed a nation around others with idols they would eventually adopt their worship away from God. It was recently suggested on a chat group the “Law” was part God and part man according to Jesus. I can say I cannot remember reading this, but will explore in the future.
I read the history of God with Israel in the OT and read this history of God in the NT and see a huge difference in how He interacts with those who are evil or doing evil. One is fire and brimstone while the other is pure grace. One will wipe a person out for thinking about something wrong while the other gives salvation to a murderer on the cross next to Jesus.
Verse 33:14 is part of a review chapter for Israel:
and then Rephidim. At that point, the people were getting desperate for water and ornery on account of their discomfort and thirst. There, God told Moses to produce water for them from out of a rock.
I find it interesting that the last three readings have been reviews of history for the people of Israel to understand the significance of where they are at during that period it was written. In the case of Acts and Hebrews it was to allow them to draw the conclusion that Jesus was the Messiah and was there for their salvation. In this chapter it was to show the people how God was with them during all the hardship.
Again this is a theme of the Bible, we do not get glory before some hardship. Our faith while early on may be on fire, through trials it becomes forged into a solid belief. We need time to build up our relationship with God like a new driver needs to build up their trust with the parents before taking the family car on a long trip.