Old Testament 1 Lesson 3

Acknowledgments
Living Logos was the heart-work of Bro
Dale Starks and Sis Josephine Starks,
missionaries to Singapore in the early
1980s. As the original authors of this
devotionals, the Starks meant for
these self-study materials to help new converts
(and matured saints alike) get a hold of an
understanding of God’s written Word. Since Sis
Stark’s passing in 2013, the couple had graciously
entrusted Tabernacle of Joy with its copyright.
Therefore, with every print run, we would like to
honour their life work and sacrifice in bringing the
gospel to Singapore. This copy is an updated and
revised version. Be blessed as you immerse yourself
in the Word and allow God to transform you into
the likeness of Jesus Christ.
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Lesson
Three
Old Testament 1
Old Testament 1
ISRAEL BEGINS TO CLAIM THEIR INHERITANCE
As the children of Israel continued their journey towards the
promised land, they were again forced to go miles out of the
way. Balak, king of Moab, refused to give them permission to
travel through his country, so they had to travel around the
outskirts of it. God had already warned Moses:
...Distress not the Moabites, neither contend with them in battle:
for I will not give thee of their land for a possession; because I
have given Ar unto the children of Lot for a possession
— Deuteronomy 2:9
Finally, they came to the country of the Amorites. These
people controlled a large piece of territory on both sides of the
Jordan River. To cross the River of Jordan and enter the land
of Canaan, it was impossible to avoid a direct route through
their land. However, Sihon, king of the Amorites, refused to
give way. He came with his armies and fought against Israel,
but was soundly defeated. After the battle, Israel possessed the
land of the Amorites from the Arnon River unto the Jabbok
River (Numbers 21:21-24).
Moses then took the offensive. He first fought and defeated
Jaazer, taking the villages thereof. His next battle was no easy
matter. Og, the king of Bashan, was the last of a race of giants,
measuring perhaps thirteen feet tall. (His bed was 13-1/2 feet
long, and six feet wide). Many cities were fenced with high
walls, gates and bars (Deuteronomy 3:5-11). Nevertheless, God
gave Israel a mighty victory over this man and his armies, and
Israel possessed the land of Bashan (Numbers 21:32-35).
After their battle with Og, the children of Israel set up their
camp in the plains of Moab, across the Jordan River from the
imposing city of Jericho. Balak, king of Moab, had no reason
to be afraid of Israel. They had passed peacefully around his
land after he had refused them entrance. Despite the name of
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the place where Israel was encamped, it was not a part of Balak’s territory.
Nevertheless, he obviously felt that the children of Israel were too close for
comfort. They were close enough that from one particular mountain viewpoint
he could see them stretched out across the plains by the thousands!
They had just conquered the mighty giant Og. Perhaps their next plans were
to fight against Moab. It was often the practice in those days, before one nation
would fight against another, to hire divines (soothsayers) to pronounce
a curse upon their enemy. In the country of Mesopotamia, the city of Pethor
was a noted center for diviners, and a man by the name of Balaam was especially
known for his enchantments.
Balak had heard of the fame of Balaam, especially that whoever he blessed
was blessed, and whoever he cursed was cursed. He sent the elders of Moab
and Midian to Balaam, with the normal diviner’s fee, and a request for
Balaam to come and curse the children of Israel. Although Balaam was not
an Israelite, he did have knowledge of their God. He knew of the victories
Israel had won, and in those days that was the test of the greatness of a
nation’s gods. He was afraid to use his normal enchantments, and instead
waited for the LORD to give him direction. He told the messengers who
had come to get him to spend the night in the city, and the next morning
he would give them his answer (Numbers 22:1-8).
That night God spoke to him and said, “Thou shalt not go with them;
thou shalt not curse the people: for they are blessed” (Numbers 22:12).
These men returned home, but Balak would not give up. He “sent yet again
princes, more, and more honourable than they” (Numbers 22:15). Balaam
was promised great honour and wealth if he would come, but he answered:
...If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond
the word of the LORD my God, to do less or more
— numbers 22:18
Despite this answer, Balaam showed that he was beginning to weaken. He
invited the men to “tarry ye also here this night, that I may know what the
LORD will say unto me more.” He was probably hoping that the LORD
would change His mind.
God was not pleased with Balaam’s hesitation to send them away. This time
He told Balaam to go with the men, because He wanted to teach him a lesson
concerning the true God of Israel. He also ordered Balaam “the word
which I shall say unto thee, that shalt thou do” (Numbers 22:20).
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The next morning he rose, saddled his donkey, and went with the princes
of Moab. But somewhere along the journey the angel of the LORD stood in
the way, with a drawn sword, as an adversary against him. Because of this,
the donkey turned out of the way and went into the field. Balaam was furious,
and smote the donkey. But the angel of the LORD blocked the path
between two walls in the vineyard. In trying to avoid the angel, the donkey
crushed Balaam’s feet against the wall, and Balaam smote his donkey again.
When this happened yet another time, the LORD opened the mouth of
the donkey, and she said unto him, “What have I done unto thee, that thou
hast smitten me these three times.” Then the Lord opened Balaam’s eyes,
and he saw the angel of the LORD with the drawn sword.
And Balaam said unto the angel of the LORD, I have sinned; for I knew not that
thou stoodest in the way against me: now therefore, if it displease thee, I will get
me back again
— numbers 22:34
However, the angel of the LORD ordered Balaam to continue with the men
but only speak the word that the LORD would give. The next day Balak
took Balaam with him up into the high places of Baal, a place where he
could see all the children of Israel encamped in the plains of Moab (Numbers
22:41). Balaam had Balak build seven altars and prepare seven oxen
and seven rams for sacrifice. Then, Balak and Balaam offered a ram and
a bullock on each altar, and Balaam went up into a high place to wait for
an answer from God. After God “put a word in Balaam’s mouth,” Balaam
returned to Balak, and said:
...Balak the king of Moab hath brought me from Aram, out of the mountains
of the east, saying, Come, curse me Jacob, and come, defy Israel. How shall I
curse, whom God hath not cursed? or how shall I defy, whom the LORD hath
not defied. For from the top of the rocks I see him: and from the hills I behold
him: lo, the people shall dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned among the
nations. Who can count the dust of Jacob, and the number of the fourth part of
Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his!
— numbers 23:7-10
Balak was very angry, because Balaam had blessed Israel, instead of cursing
them. But he was not ready to give up yet! He took Balaam to another place
where he could only see a portion of Israel and requested again that Balaam
curse Israel. Again, altars were built and sacrifices were offered. This time
the word of the LORD came to Balaam, and he said:
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...Rise up, Balak, and hear; hearken unto me, thou son of Zippor: God is not a
man that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he
said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?
Behold, I have received commandment to bless: and he hath blessed; and I
cannot reverse it. He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he seen
perverseness in Israel: the LORD his God is with him, and the shout of a king is
among them.
God brought them out of Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of an unicorn.
Surely there is no enchantment against Jacob, neither is there any divination
against Israel: according to this time it shall be said of Jacob and of Israel, What
hath God wrought!
Behold, the people shall rise up as a great lion, and lift up himself as a young
lion: he shall not lie down until he eat of the prey, and drink the blood of the
slain
— numbers 23:18-24
Of course, Balak was not happy at all with yet another blessing upon Israel.
He cried out, “Neither curse them at all, nor bless them at all.” But in his
stubbornness, he took Balaam to the top of Peor. Again, seven altars were
built and sacrifices were offered. This time Balaam chose not to seek for
enchantments, but seeing that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel, he set
his face, toward the wilderness and began to do just that. A part of what he
spoke is given here:
“How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob, and thy tabernacles, O Israel! As the valleys
are they spread forth, as gardens by the river’s side, as the trees of lign aloes
which the LORD hath planted, and as cedar trees beside the waters. He shall
pour the water out of his buckets, and his seed shall be in many waters, and his
king shall be higher than Agag, and his kingdom shall be exalted
— numbers 24:5-7
This time Balak was so angry that he smote his hands together and said
to Balaam, “I called thee to curse mine enemies, and, behold, thou hast altogether
blessed them these three times.” Then, he ordered Balaam to return
home, but before Balaam returned, he fell into a trance and began to make
prophetic utterances, including this one concerning the Messiah:
I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a
Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel...
— numbers 24:17
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Although Balaam did not curse Israel, he did give counsel to Balak how
Israel could be defeated, by causing them to fall into immorality and
idolatry (Numbers 31:16; 25:18; Revelation 2:14). Many of the women of
the Moabites first lured many of the men of Israel into committing sexual
sin with them, and then led them into the worship of Baal-peor, a Moabite
deity.
There is an important spiritual truth in this lesson. Satan can never rob us
of the blessings of God. He has no power to bring about any curse upon our
lives, or to keep us from living for God.
Nothing but our own sins can keep us from receiving the promises and the
blessings of God given to all true believers. In other words, nothing can really
defeat us - except our own sins!
Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be
tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: But every man is tempted, when
he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it
bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death
— James 1:13-15
Balaam was a fortune teller, and thus normally operated by satanic power.
Yet he could not hinder the people of God with this power. God turned
all of the cursing into blessings. We are the people of the covenant. The
promises and blessings of God belong to us, and there is nothing Satan can
do to take them away from us. However, if we yield to temptation, and do
not quickly repent and turn from our sins, we disinherit ourselves from the
things that God has promised to them who love Him.
God was so angry because many of the men of Israel became worshippers of
Baal-peor that He commanded Moses:
...Take all the heads of the people, and hang them up before the LORD against
the sun, that the fierce anger of the LORD may be turned away from Israel
— numbers 25:4
Moses commanded the judges to slay all the men who had joined themselves
to Baal-peor. One of the children of Israel brought a Midianitish
woman unto his brethren in the sight of Moses and the entire congregation,
who had gathered weeping at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
When Phinehas, the grandson of Aaron, saw it, he rose up, and took
a javelin in his hand and went into the tent where the man and woman
were, and killed them. This act stopped the plague that had come upon the
children of Israel, killing 24,000 of them (Numbers 25:5-9).
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Phinehas was commended by the Lord for this act, and God gave him His
“covenant of peace...even the covenant of an everlasting priesthood; because
he was zealous for his God, and made an atonement for the children of
Israel” (Numbers 25:10-13).
JOSHUA APPOINTED AS THE NEW LEADER
As the death of Moses drew near, God began to talk to Moses concerning
the future. Moses was concerned that the right man takes over as his replacement.
He prayed that “the LORD, the God of the spirits of all flesh”, would
“set a man over the congregation” so that Israel would not be “as sheep
which have no shepherd” (Numbers 27:16-17).
God told Moses to take Joshua, “a man in whom is the spirit,” and lay his
hand upon him, and give him a charge before the priest and the entire
congregation. He was also to put some of his honour upon him, so that the
children of Israel would follow him (Numbers 27:18-20).
And he gave Joshua the son of Nun a charge, and said, Be strong and of a good
courage: for thou shalt bring the children of Israel into the land which I sware
unto them: and I will be with thee
— Deuteronomy 31:23
Before Moses died, God gave him a song, and told him to teach it to the
children of Israel. It was a song about God’s greatness, all He had done for
Israel - and yet they still forgot their God! It warned of judgements to come.
It was a reminder that the LORD was the only true God.
God knew that when they prospered in Canaan, they would forget Him,
and this song was to be a testimony against them. Then when troubles came
their way, they would remember the words of the song (Deuteronomy 31:19-
30; 32:1-44).
MOSES’ DEATH
The same day that Moses taught the song to Israel, God spoke to him:
Get thee up into this mountain Abarim, unto Mount Nebo, which is in the land
of Moab, that is over against Jericho; and behold the land of Canaan, which I
give unto the children of Israel for a possession: And die in the mount whither
thou goest up, and be gathered unto thy people; as Aaron thy brother died in
mount Hor, and was gathered unto his people
— Deuteronomy 32:49-50
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Although Moses was not allowed to enter into the promised land of Canaan
because of his disobedience in smiting the rock, he was allowed to view the
promised land from Mount Nebo, before his death (Deuteronomy 34:1-4).
Let the student remember that Canaan is a type of the spiritual kingdom of
God, the church of Jesus Christ.
1. Moses, as a type of the Law, couLd not enter the proMised Land:
The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God
is preached, and every man presseth into it
— Luke 16:16
2. Moses and aLL the patriarchs and prophets desired to be a part of
the spirituaL canaan, and they did see it “froM afar off”, but were
not perMitted to be partakers of it:
These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them
afar off, and were persuaded of them...
And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the
promise: God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us
should not be made perfect
— hebrews 11:13, 39
We are privileged above all Old Testament believers, because we have that
“better thing” - the personal presence of Jesus Christ in our lives through
the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
Shortly before Moses’ death, he did several things:
1. He gathered the children of Israel together, and pronounced a blessing
upon all twelve tribes.
2. He gathered all his writings together, and gave them to the Levites.
They were told to keep them in the ark of the covenant for a witness
against Israel. This includes the books of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus,
Numbers and most of the book of Deuteronomy (Deuteronomy 31:24-
26). Ezra, the scribe, is said to have finished the book of Deuteronomy,
which gives the final account of Moses’ death.
So Moses the servant of the LORD died there in the land of Moab, according
to the word of the LORD. And he buried him in a valley in the land of Moab,
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over against Beth-peor: but no man knoweth of his sepulchre unto this day. And
Moses was an hundred and twenty years old when he died: his eye was not dim,
nor his natural force (strength) abated
— Deuteronomy 34:5-7
Moses died alone with God, and had the rare privilege of being buried by
God - in a place not know to any human being. If Israel had known his
burial place, they would have made it a religious shrine, and perhaps even
worshipped it. This is probably the reason God let Moses die away from the
people.
The children of Israel mourned for Moses thirty days, as they had also done
for Aaron.
And there arose not a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses, whom the LORD
knew face to face
— Deuteronomy 34:10
VOCABULARY
adamant —
not giving in, unyielding
enchantments —
imposing —
offensive —
outskirts —
sepulchre —
shrine —
magic spells, or charms
impressive in size, looks, etc.
attitude or position of attack
the outer areas
a vault or chamber for burial
a place in which devotion or worship is given to a
saint or deity
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Old
Lesson
Testament
ree
1
Test
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
Why was Israel’s battle with Og no easy matter?
__________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________.
What land was Og king over?
_________________________________________________________.
Who did Balak hire to curse Israel?
_________________________________________________________.
What was Balaam’s first answer to Balak?
__________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________.
Why did the donkey turn out of the path and go into the field?
__________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________.
What did the donkey do after Balaam hit him the third time?
__________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________.
Did Balaam curse Israel?
_________________________________________________________.
What did Balak finally tell Balaam?
__________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________.
Did Moses choose Joshua to be his replacement? __________________.
What was Moses commanded to do so that the people would honour
Joshua as their new leader?
__________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________.
What was the message of the song that Moses wrote and taught Israel?
__________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________.
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12
13
14
15-16
Why was Moses not permitted to enter in the land of Canaan?
__________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________.
How did the Old Testament believers obtain a good report (Hebrews
11:13, 39)?
__________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________.
Why are we privileged above all Old Testament believers?
__________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________.
List two things Moses did before his death:
17
18
19
20
Who buried Moses? __________________________.
For what reason did God not allow the children of Israel to bury Moses?
__________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________.
How old was he, and what was the condition of his health upon his
death? ____________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________.
What did you find of special interest to you in this lesson?
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