Numbers 34: Towards the Promised Land

​Key verse
“When you go into the land of Canaan… these are the names of the men who shall divide the land to you for inheritance…” (vv. 2, 17)
 
Meditation
God is faithful to keep His covenant promise, guaranteed through the finished work of Jesus Christ. William Williams classic hymn, Guide me Oh Thou Great Jehovah, begins with a pilgrim prayer for daily bread and ends with the power of praise for God’s faithfulness to guide His people into the fullness of His promised land. Despite our circumstances, Christians live with concrete confidence in God’s covenant promises. Through Christ Jesus, we will enter God’s glorious New Heavens and New Earth.
 
In today’s reading, Israel was still in the wilderness. In preparation to enter the land of promise, God defined boundaries (vv. 1-15) and gave directions for distribution of land (vv. 16-29). Trusting God’s word, Israel had to mobilize and prepare. As you read the passage, note the repetition of “inheritance” and allow the language to drive you to the Father’s love for His child as an image of God’s love for His people.
 
“When you go into the land of Canaan… these are the names of the men who shall divide the land to you for inheritance…” (vv. 2, 17) God’s word was the bridge from Israel’s daily diet of manna to the feast of His covenant promises. So too Christian’s feast on God’s faithfulness through the trust of His word. Believers celebrate a deeper surety of God’s covenant promises through the person and work of Jesus Christ and He has done everything to guarantee our inheritance on the other side of Jordan. In our pilgrim journey to the New Heavens and New Earth, Christians embrace God’s word in faith by daily feasting on His direction in Scripture.   
 
Today’s Reading
The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Command the people of Israel, and say to them, When you enter the land of Canaan (this is the land that shall fall to you for an inheritance, the land of Canaan as defined by its borders), 3 your south side shall be from the wilderness of Zin alongside Edom, and your southern border shall run from the end of the Salt Sea on the east. 4 And your border shall turn south of the ascent of Akrabbim, and cross to Zin, and its limit shall be south of Kadesh-barnea. Then it shall go on to Hazar-addar, and pass along to Azmon. 5 And the border shall turn from Azmon to the Brook of Egypt, and its limit shall be at the sea.
6 “For the western border, you shall have the Great Sea and its coast. This shall be your western border.

7 “This shall be your northern border: from the Great Sea you shall draw a line to Mount Hor. 8 From Mount Hor you shall draw a line to Lebo-hamath, and the limit of the border shall be at Zedad. 9 Then the border shall extend to Ziphron, and its limit shall be at Hazar-enan. This shall be your northern border.
10 “You shall draw a line for your eastern border from Hazar-enan to Shepham. 11 And the border shall go down from Shepham to Riblah on the east side of Ain. And the border shall go down and reach to the shoulder of the Sea of Chinnereth on the east. 12 And the border shall go down to the Jordan, and its limit shall be at the Salt Sea. This shall be your land as defined by its borders all around.”
13 Moses commanded the people of Israel, saying, “This is the land that you shall inherit by lot, which the Lord has commanded to give to the nine tribes and to the half-tribe.14 For the tribe of the people of Reuben by fathers' houses and the tribe of the people of Gad by their fathers' houses have received their inheritance, and also the half-tribe of Manasseh. 15 The two tribes and the half-tribe have received their inheritance beyond the Jordan east of Jericho, toward the sunrise.”

List of Tribal Chiefs
​16 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 17 “These are the names of the men who shall divide the land to you for inheritance: Eleazar the priest and Joshua the son of Nun. 18 You shall take one chief from every tribe to divide the land for inheritance.19 These are the names of the men: Of the tribe of Judah, Caleb the son of Jephunneh. 20 Of the tribe of the people of Simeon, Shemuel the son of Ammihud. 21 Of the tribe of Benjamin, Elidad the son of Chislon. 22 Of the tribe of the people of Dan a chief, Bukki the son of Jogli. 23 Of the people of Joseph: of the tribe of the people of Manasseh a chief, Hanniel the son of Ephod. 24 And of the tribe of the people of Ephraim a chief, Kemuel the son of Shiphtan. 25 Of the tribe of the people of Zebulun a chief, Elizaphan the son of Parnach.26 Of the tribe of the people of Issachar a chief, Paltiel the son of Azzan. 27 And of the tribe of the people of Asher a chief, Ahihud the son of Shelomi. 28 Of the tribe of the people of Naphtali a chief, Pedahel the son of Ammihud.” 29 These are the men whom the Lord commanded to divide the inheritance for the people of Israel in the land of Canaan.
 
Richly Dwelling
-What stands out to you from today’s reading, especially God’s specificity in direction for both the division and distribution of Israel’s inheritance?
 
-Are you so sure of God’s word, trusting in His covenant promises, that it gives you strength for today and hope for tomorrow? Or are your wilderness circumstances shaping your perspective? 
 
-Grace is the ground on which we walk forward. Jesus gives us a new beginning to trust Him in all we say, think, and do. Where do you need to repent and turn to Christ, beginning again to hope only in Him and His promises? Be specific.
 
Key verse
“When you go into the land of Canaan… these are the names of the men who shall divide the land to you for inheritance…” (vv. 2, 17)