Today started week 8 and continuing on with more retelling. It began with the defeat of King Og; just as King Sihon was defeated in yesterday’s reading. “So the Lord our God gave into our hand Og also, and we struck him down until he had no survivors left. And we took all his cities at that time; sixty cities.”
Then it summarized how God had given that land to the people of Reuben, Gad, and half Manneseh. However, those people were still required to fight for the rest of the land beyond the Jordan with their brothers.
https://liveandlearnjourney.com/day-54-numbers-32-33/
It went on to discuss how Moses was forbidden to enter the land and Joshua would be his successor.
“And I pleaded with the Lord at that time, saying, ‘O Lord God, you have only begun to show your servant your greatness and your mighty hand. For what God is there in heaven or on earth who can do such great works and mighty acts as yours? Please let me go over and see the good land beyond the Jordan, that good hillcountry and Lebanon.’ But the Lord was angry with me because of you and would not listen to me. And the Lord said to me, ‘Enough from you; do not speak to me of this matter again. Go up to the top of Pisgah and lift up your eyes westward and northward and southward and eastward, and look at it with your eyes, for you shall not go over this Jordan. But charge Joshua, and encourage and strengthen him, for he shall go over at the head of this people, and he shall put them in possession of the land that you shall see.”
-Deuteronomy 3:23-28
https://liveandlearnjourney.com/day-49-numbers-19-21/
I still struggle with this and that Moses was not able to enter the land. After everything he did, and listened, and obeyed; it only took one time of messing up to be punished forever. I feel like people got chance after chance to do good things, and Moses’ one chance was all it took for him.
It’s kind of like the people you expect the most out of, hurt you the worst when they screw up; whereas those you care for less can keep shitting on you, and you give them more chances because you don’t really care anyway. Is that kind of what happened with Moses? Even continuing to study, and reading helpful comments on this, I still have trouble with the whole idea. I just feel bad for Moses.
Moving onto the next section was about Moses recapping the commands for obedience. For whatever reason, I loved this entire section! I don’t know if it was Moses’ unending love and obedience for the Lord, or just the awesomeness of it all; or that even though the people were little shits God still loved them. All he asked was that they obey his commandments and laws he told through Moses. It then explained more about idolatry and how it was forbidden.
The Lord is God
This section also stood out. Maybe it’s the fact that with this retelling it’s like I’m reading it all again, and actually understanding a little better this time; or maybe it’s just the way this book was written. Everything seems more clear and passionate.
Then, it briefly discussed the cities of refuge.
https://liveandlearnjourney.com/day-55-numbers-34-36/
Today ended with an introduction to the law, for tomorrow’s transition into the Ten Commandments.