Numbers 32 - Almost, but Not Quite

Are you headed to the Promised Land?

Here Moses and the Israelites are on the verge of the Promised Land and Moses receives the following request from the tribes of Reuben and Gad.

³ “Notice the towns of Ataroth, Dibon, Jazer, Nimrah, Heshbon, Elealeh, Sibmah,^[a] Nebo, and Beon. ⁴ The Lord has conquered this whole area for the community of Israel, and it is ideally suited for all our livestock. ⁵ If we have found favor with you, please let us have this land as our property instead of giving us land across the Jordan River.”

Now they do end up promising that they will help conquer the land.

¹⁶ But they approached Moses and said, “We simply want to build pens for our livestock and fortified towns for our wives and children. ¹⁷ Then we will arm ourselves and lead our fellow Israelites into battle until we have brought them safely to their land. Meanwhile, our families will stay in the fortified towns we build here, so they will be safe from any attacks by the local people. ¹⁸ We will not return to our homes until all the people of Israel have received their portions of land. ¹⁹ But we do not claim any of the land on the other side of the Jordan. We would rather live here on the east side and accept this as our grant of land.”

But here they are on the verge of the Promised Land and they decide to stop. They choose what the land they can see and know is suitable for cattle and a place where they can keep their wives and children in safety over the land that God has promised them. In one sense we can say they chose a good thing and are still fulfilling the commitment to the whole nation, what is the problem? But consider for a moment. God has given them the Promised Land. Would God not give them the best? With this request, they choose what is convenient and safe ofver the best God has to offer them. They show a lack of complete trust in the Lord.

Have you ever stopped shy of the Promised Land? has God promised you something and when you see something that looks good or is easy along the way, you decide to stop and stay there? Are you almost getting the full blessing of God?

Keep going! Don't stop on the threshold of what God has promised you. Enter in faith into all that the Lord wants to give you! Let's pray for each other than we will trust, enter and receive the Promised Land that God has set aside for each of us.