Numbers 32 Summary - 5 Minute Bible Study
Numbers 32 Summary - A Quick Overview
WHEN:
These events occurred towards the end of the Israelites’ 40 years of wandering in the wilderness.
The Israelites were in the wilderness from approximately 1490-1450 B.C.
CHARACTERS:
Gad, Reuben, and 1/2 of Manasseh – The men from these tribes approached Moses and made a special request to be granted the land east of the Jordan River.
Moses – God selected Moses to lead the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt and guide them to the land of Canaan.
Eleazar – Aaron’s son who became High Priest after his death.
Joshua – Moses’ long-time assistant who had been selected to take Moses’ place as the leader of Israel when he died.
WHERE:
The Israelites were camped north of Pisgah on the plains of Moab (31:12).
OUTLINE:
GAD, REUBEN, AND 1/2 OF MANASSEH ASK TO LIVE EAST OF JORDAN (32:1-42):
The people in the tribes of Reuben and Gad had a lot of livestock.
When they saw that the land of Gilead and Jazer were ideal for livestock, they went to Moses and Eleazar and asked to stay on the east side of the Jordan river, rather than living in Canaan with the other tribes.
This request initially made Moses very angry because he assumed the men of these tribes wouldn’t help the rest of the Israelites conquer the land of Canaan.
Moses compared the 3 tribes to the 10 spies who discouraged the Israelites from conquering Canaan 40 years earlier.
But the 3 tribes reassured Moses all their fighting men would accompany the people across the Jordan and fight with them until all the land of Canaan was conquered.
This appeased Moses’ anger, and he told them they could live in the land of Gilead if they kept their promise.
He charged Joshua and Eleazar with making sure they kept their word.
Moses gave the land of Bashan and the land of the Amorites to the people of Gad, Reuben, and the 1/2 tribe of Manasseh and they conquered the land and inhabited it.
APPLICATION:
Everyone needs to be contributing to the collective success of God’s people.
It would have been wrong and selfish for the people of Gad, Reuben, and Manasseh to abandon their countrymen to fight for Canaan alone.
They recognized they were part of something bigger than themselves and their mission was more than just to achieve a personal blessing.
As disciples of Jesus, we need to recognize the same thing.
The church of Jesus has a mission to complete, and everyone has a role to play.
That mission is more than just the achievement of a personal blessing of salvation.
Our devotion and service to the Lord don’t end when we are assured of personal salvation. We continue serving God to advance His Kingdom and to see God’s salvation given to others.
Additionally, we owe it to our comrades (fellow disciples) to help them achieve the goal and support them in their fight.
There is more to Christianity than living a life of personal holiness and worshipping God on Sunday. We must also find ways to support the collective congregation of believers. To neglect this responsibility, is to leave them to fight for Canaan alone.
