Numbers 31:1-54
Q.1. What unique battle plans did God give Israel to follow, in order to defeat the Midianites? How complete was the victory? – (Num.31:1-12)
God had sent a plague that killed twenty four thousand Israelites, following the counsel of Balaam (Num.31:16 c.f. Num.25:9;). Now the Lord commissioned Moses to take full vengeance on the Midianites before he died (Num.31:1-3). A thousand warriors were to be selected from each of the twelve tribes – not a huge army – to prove that it was God Who gave the victory (Num.31:4-6 c.f. Jdgs.7:2). God commanded the zealous Phinehas, son of the High Priest, Eleazar, to lead the priests into battle. They used the holy vessels and trumpets for the alarm. The army would know that God was in their midst (Num.31:6). The Israelite army succeeded in killing every male, including all five kings of Midian. They also killed the false prophet Balaam, who had caused the nation so much grief (Num.31:7-8, 16 c.f. 2 Pet.2:15-16). They spared the women and their little ones, along with the livestock. They burned all their cities (Num.31:9-12).
Q.2. Why was Moses unhappy with the action of his army captains? What follow-through was proposed to keep Israel true to God? – (Num.31:13-24)
Moses expected that the army chiefs would destroy absolutely everything belonging to the Midianites, who had caused so much grief to the families of Israel. The Midianite women had caused Israel to forsake the Lord. This had brought about a purge by God (Num.31:13-16 c.f. Num.25:1-9). Moses then intervened and called on the soldiers to kill every male, and every woman who had known a man intimately. They only spared the virgin girls, who could marry in the future (Num.31:17-18). They were also commanded to purify all the spoils of battle and remove all contamination. The soldiers and their captives were ordered to be washed, and to quarantine away from the camp., in order to remove all defilement (Num.31:19-20). Eleazar, the high priest, established a statute in Israel, alluding to the Judgment Seat of Christ. Only spoils that could be purified by fire or water could be kept (Num.31:21-24 c.f. 1 Cor.3:12-15).
Q.3. How were the spoils of battle distributed? Who was to benefit from this God-directed and inspired victory? What were the offerings to achieve? – (Num.31:25-54)
Half the spoils of battle were given to benefit the thousand hand-picked soldiers from each tribe. The other half was distributed amongst the twelve tribes (Num.31:25-27). All the men of war paid a tax from their gains. This was to be given to Eleazar and his family, as an offering to the Lord (Num.31:28-29). The levy from the rest of the people, was given to the Levites – who kept charge of the tabernacle of the Lord (Num.31:21-30). As an act of thanksgiving to the Lord, a further offering of gold and ornaments was given – to make atonement for ourselves before the Lord (Num.31:50) and – as a memorial for the sons of Israel before the Lord (Num.31:54).