The Compassing

Studies in Numbers

III The Finale

C The Configuration

3. The Compassing, Text: 34:1-29

Title: Life Is Not Unlimited

INTRODUCTION

This Scripture deals with a topic which is very much discussed today in the news. When Britain established the modern state of Israel with the Balfour declaration they set certain boundaries in Palestine to be repatriated for the Jewish people. In a subsequent war with Arab neighbors in 1967 Israel conquered additional territory. The Palestinians want it back. Others think not, and Israel especially refuses because the dispute would change their historic heritage. At question particularly is the so-called west bank. This Scripture sets forth the original boundaries of Canaan and they include the west bank. If you are orthodox and believe the Bible you think the original boundaries should apply. Concerning ancient Israel we shall discuss three things, the limits, the limitations, and the liabilities.

i THE LIMITS

The borders are well defined. Today some of the locations described are difficult or impossible to identify. In general, the borders were from south of the dead sea to north to Mt. Hermon and the present day Syrian border, and from the Mediterranean sea to east of the Jordan River. Verses 1-15, The Lord said to Moses, “Command the Israelites and say to them: ‘When you enter Canaan, the land that will be allotted to you as an inheritance is to have these boundaries: “‘Your southern side will include some of the Desert of Zin along the border of Edom. Your southern boundary will start in the east from the southern end of the Dead Sea, cross south of Scorpion Pass, continue on to Zin and go south of Kadesh Barnea. Then it will go to Hazar Addar and over to Azmon, where it will turn, join the Wadi of Egypt and end at the Mediterranean Sea. “‘Your western boundary will be the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. This will be your boundary on the west. “‘For your northern boundary, run a line from the Mediterranean Sea to Mount Hor and from Mount Hor to Lebo Hamath. Then the boundary will go to Zedad, continue to Ziphron and end at Hazar Enan. This will be your boundary on the north. “‘For your eastern boundary, run a line from Hazar Enan to Shepham. The boundary will go down from Shepham to Riblah on the east side of Ain and continue along the slopes east of the Sea of Galilee.Then the boundary will go down along the Jordan and end at the Dead Sea.“‘This will be your land, with its boundaries on every side.’” Moses commanded the Israelites: “Assign this land by lot as an inheritance. The Lord has ordered that it be given to the nine and a half tribes, because the families of the tribe of Reuben, the tribe of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh have received their inheritance. These two and a half tribes have received their inheritance east of the Jordan across from Jericho, toward the sunrise.” The important thing to learn here is that the Lord God set the limits and Israel was to accept and obey. We must learn this lesson because we often “kick against the goads.” as the Lord said to Paul according to his account in Acts 26:14. That is, we fight against the providential assignments given by God. The oxgoad is a long pole or stick with a pointed piece of iron fastened to one end. In the strong hands of a loving master, the ox is gently prodded, guided, steered and driven in the desired direction when plowing the fields. When a stubborn ox attempts to kick back against the goad that is causing it discomfort, the ox will actually inflict more pain, driving the pointed end deeper into its flesh. The oxgoad is designed for an ox, and for no other beast. Jesus likened the proud Pharisee Saul (and every child of God) to a brute beast. However, when you consider this for a moment, you realize that the comparison to an ox was actually a greater insult to the beast! Oxen did exactly what God created them to do – serve and glorify the One who created them. Oxen bend their necks to the yoke and to the one true God, who has placed man over them as ruler and lord. Man is the only creature who refuses to submit to the revealed will of his Creator. King David, possessing much greater self-awareness than Saul of Tarsus, freely confessed, in Psalm 73 “When my soul was embittered, when I was pricked in heart, I was brutish and ignorant; I was like a beast toward you.” The point is that we must accept the Lord’s assignments. that is, the limits he sets on our lives. Whether it is our race, or our physical appearance, or our intelligence, or talents, or family, or poverty, or sickness and disability does not matter. It is the path the Lord has assigned to us and how we view it is what matters. It is a limit. Limits we can change should be challenged. Limits we cannot change should be obeyed. Later in life we read about Paul’s affliction in II Corinthians 12:8 and 9, Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

II THE LIMITATIONS

Moses now receives instructions as to the distribution of inheritances in the Land of Promise in verses 16-29, The Lord said to Moses, These are the names of the men who are to assign the land for you as an inheritance: Eleazar the priest and Joshua son of Nun. And appoint one leader from each tribe to help assign the land. These are their names: Caleb son of Jephunneh, from the tribe of Judah; Shemuel son of Ammihud, from the tribe of Simeon; Elidad son of Kislon, from the tribe of Benjamin; Bukki son of Jogli, the leader from the tribe of Dan; Hanniel son of Ephod, the leader from the tribe of Manasseh son of Joseph; Kemuel son of Shiphtan, the leader from the tribe of Ephraim son of Joseph; Elizaphan son of Parnak, the leader from the tribe of Zebulun; Paltiel son of Azzan, the leader from the tribe of Issachar; Ahihud son of Shelomi, the leader from the tribe of Asher; Pedahel son of Ammihud, the leader from the tribe of Naphtali.” These are the men the Lord commanded to assign the inheritance to the Israelites in the land of Canaan. Do you suppose that there was no dispute, no envy no jealousy over these assignments? Do you think that everyone accepted them without complaint? That would be the only time in human history. One writer has penned these significant observations. “The range that lies open to us as servants of God, and affords ample space for the discipline of life, is often not used and therefore not enjoyed. When people will not accept the inevitable fixed limits within which their time and vigor can be occupied to the best advantage, when they look covetously to districts of experience not meant for them, as Israel did at certain periods of her history, their life is spoiled. Discontent begins, envy follows. Where in seeking and reaching moral gains, purity, courage, love, there would have been a continual sense of adequate success and encouraging prospect, there is now no gain, no pleasure. The appointed lot is despised, and all it can yield held is contempt. How many there are who, with a full river of Divine bounty on one side their life, and the great ocean of the Divine faithfulness ebbing and flowing on the other, with the pastures and olive-groves of the Word of God to nourish their soul, with access to His city and sanctuary, and an outlook from summits like Tabor and Hermon to a transfigured life in the new heavens and earth, speak nevertheless with scorn and bitterness of their heritage! They might be reaching “the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ,” but they remain graceless and discontented to the end. Israel, understanding its destiny and using its opportunities aright, might well say — and so may every one who knows the truth as it is in Jesus Christ — ‘the lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage.’ But this gladness of heart has its root in believing contentment. The restricted land is full of God’s promise:’Thou maintainest my lot.’ The security of Jehovah’s word encompasses the man of faith.”

III THE LIABILITIES

What are the liabilities that go with the assignments? These are drawn from the entire passage. The liabilities are both internal and external. When you think about it, what are the two greatest challenges to the Church? They are preserving its purity and orthodoxy and spreading the kingdom to the whole world. As to preserving the purity and orthodoxy Israel failed. There is reason to believe, not only that the images and stone symbols of Canaan were venerated by them, but that Jahweh Himself was worshipped by many of the Hebrews under the form of some animal. And the Canaanites became to those who fraternized with them as pricks in their eyes, and thorns in their sides. Spiritual vision failed; faith fell back on the coarse emblems used by the old inhabitants of the land. Then the vigor of the tribes decayed and they were judged and punished. As to spreading the kingdom they also failed. If Jesus had not come, they would have died on the vine. Jesus laid before His followers a responsibility to spread the Word. Israel itself must restrict itself and its outlines within the most determinate limits externally, in order to achieve its spiritual conquest of the world. This self-restriction re-appears in the New Testament directions in a spiritual sense. First know the truth and maintain it, and secondly spread it far and wide. As one commentator summarizes it, “The Canaan of the Divine promise marked out, yet never fully possessed, is a symbol of the region of this life which those who believe in God have assigned to them, but never entirely enjoy. There are boundaries within which there is abundant room for the development of the life of faith. It is not, as the world reckons, a district of great resources. As Canaan had neither gold nor silver, neither coal nor iron mines, as its seaboard was not well supplied with harbors, nor its rivers and lakes of great use for inland navigation, so we may say the life open to the Christian has its limitations and disabilities. It does not invite those who seek pleasure, wealth, or dazzling exploits. Within it, discipline is to be found rather than enjoyment of earthly good. The “milk and honey” of this land are spiritual symbols, Divine sacraments. There is room for the development of life in every branch of study and culture, but in subordination to the glory of God, and for the testimony that should be borne to His majesty and truth.