Day 28 - 90 Day Bible Reading Challenge - Numbers 21 - 24 - The Great Adventure A Journey Through the Bible

Day 28 

90 Day Bible Reading Challenge 

Numbers 21 - 24

Bible Time Period:  Desert Wanderings 

You taught Israel to walk in faith through 40 years’ wandering in the desert:  Help me to trust in you today, O God.

Prayer
Eternal Lord, You are the Master of our destinies.  

Into Your hands we place all that we are and all that You call us to be.Help us to clearly hear Your voice as You guide us on our journey to salvation, and let us not be led astray by false prophets or by our own false pride.Give us the discernment to distinguish between what is truth and what is Satan’s subtle lie.Send Your Holy Spirit to guide us, Lord, in our study of Israel’s preparation for the conquest of Canaan and the king of Moab’s plan to prevent Your holy warriors from fulfilling the destiny You planned for them.We pray this in the name of God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen. (Agape Catholic Study Bible, Numbers Lesson 10)

Reflection
Numbers chapters 22 – 36 and the entire book of Deuteronomy take place on the Plains of Moab, on the east side of the Jordan River across from the Canaanite city of Jericho.Numbers chapters 22 -24 comprise a single narrative relating King Balak of Moab’s attempt to curse Israel in the name of the Israelites’ own deity through the efforts of the prophet Balaam.

Balaam was not an Israelite, but he was in communication with Yahweh (Num 22:8) and called Yahweh “my God ( Num 22:18), but throughout the narrative the reader is never really sure where Balaam’s loyalties lie.  The story of Balaam (chapters 22-24) and the test of the new Israelite generation at Baal-Peor on the Plains of Moab (chapter 25) are the defining events of the Israelites’ final months in the desert wilderness. 

It was King Balak’s plan to have Balaam curse the Israelites.  However, as Balaam warned the king, he was only able to speak the words Yahweh put into his mouth.  Consequently, instead of cursing the Israelites, the seer gave Israel three separate oracles of blessings.  Finally, in frustration Balak dismissed Balaam from his service.  After his dismissal Gods gave Balaam a final prophecy for Israel’s future, the future of the region, and the future of salvation history.

Blessing #1 Israel’s numbers of people (Num 23 :7-10)
Blessing #2 God is with Israel (Num 23:18 – 24)
Blessing #3 Israel will possess a fertile land and become a kingdom (Num 24: 3 -9)
Balaam’s Final Prophecy (Num 24 :15-24) 


Today's Readings 

Numbers 21-24

Commentary 

Discussion Boards Day 28
Agape Catholic Bible Study Commentary Numbers 22 - 25

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Part of the above 10-minute study was taken from the Great Adventure Bible Study for Catholics. 

For items devotional items related to the Catholic Church 

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Art
The Serpent - Peter Paul Rubens