I’ll limit my comments today to a few succinct, but valuable, ideas.

1. Deuteronomy 3:22 makes it plain that it was God who fought for Israel. Their winning was not because of their own might, but because God Almighty fought their battles for them. This should have been known to us already, but we have a reminder from Scripture here.

2. Deuteronomy 3:28 gives helpful instruction for “passing the torch.” Moses was coming toward the end of his life and Joshua would lead Israel into Canaan. Moses was supposed to command, encourage, and strengthen him. Those three things are useful in any transition. Give instruction, give encouragement, and give strength.

3. Deuteronomy 4:6 shows that by Israel obeying God’s commands it would be evidence to the nations around them of their wisdom and understanding. Obeying God would result in a people who were distinct and blessed.

4. The Israelites were warned explicitly against making and worshiping idols. In spite of plain, understandable warnings Israel would still struggle with this in their history. Today we struggle with a host of things that compete for our time and attention. These things compete for our allegiance, which ought to belong wholly to God.

5. In Deuteronomy 4:32-40 it is brought to the attention of the Israelites that God had furnished abundant and extraordinary proof to them that He was, indeed, God. It was to their benefit to remember this.

We have recorded for us in the Bible not only God’s treatment of Israel but also miracles worked by Jesus and others. Yet, we still sometimes struggle to live our lives in a way that reflects belief that God Almighty is indeed God.

In today’s reading we learn about provision made for cities for the Levites. Instructions were also given for cities of refuge: places designed for one who accidentally killed somebody to flee to for sanctuary.

There is evidence here that not all killing is murder. The Bible itself makes distinction and so we ought to be able to do it, too.

In an earlier reading we were introduced to the daughters of Zelophehad. He died without a son, but his daughters were able to receive his inheritance. Now as Numbers comes to a close, arrangements were made to make sure that the inheritance did not end up with a different tribe should the daughters marry a man from another tribe. The remedy was that the daughters (and any other Israelite daughters who would find themselves in the same situation) could only marry from within their tribe.

That brings our reading through the book of Numbers and into Deuteronomy. That book reminds us in the very first chapter of Israel’s previous failings. It was good and appropriate for Israel to be reminded of what the older generation had done wrong now that the younger generation was nearing the time of entering the Promised Land.

The tribes of Reuben and Gad noticed that the land was great for livestock. They had livestock and so they wanted that land. They requested that their inheritance be there.

Moses, understandably so, was not pleased. If they were to stay on the other side of the Jordan (therefore not going into Canaan) it might look to the rest of Israel that they were quitting. This could create discouragement or even rebellion similar to when the 10 spies came back from Canaan with a negative report.

So that discouragement would not result, it was decided that the men would go into Canaan and fight with Israel. Once the inheritance was received they would then return to their possession.

This was a bold decision, actually, inasmuch as it would require the men to leave the women and children behind. This would require them to trust God to keep them safe.

Numbers 30 makes it evident that vows were not to be taken lightly. It also asserts the authority of man as the head of the home since a woman’s husband had the right to overrule a vow she made. If a woman was not married but in her father’s house the father had the same right.

Once a vow was made it was meant to be kept. Seems that should be enough to make somebody think very seriously about any vow they might think to take.