If you are a daily Bible reader who started with the first chapter of Genesis at the beginning of the year, perhaps you have read Numbers 31 by now. This chapter contains the record of Israel’s defeat of the Midianites, which is a sequel to the account of Israel’s sin with the daughters of Moab (see chapter 25). Numbers 31 depicts a war zone from which we can learn some important truths. In his magnificent commentary on the book of Numbers, Dr. Coy Roper has enumerated these lessons on pages 447-451. This volume, published by Resource Publications, is found in our library.
From the war zone, brother Roper says we learn that “to oppose God’s people is to oppose God.” The Midianites had caused Israel to sin, and Israel paid the price for their sins; but the Midianites had also sinned against God, for God identifies Himself with His people (cf. vv. 2, 3).
Also, we learn that God will punish sin. The guilt of the people, including the women, especially the women, made them deserving of destruction. These pagan people shared a collective guilt and represented a continuing threat to Israel’s spiritual well-being.
Third, God’s ways are above our ways. We cannot understand the deaths of Midian’s male children, but we know that God is sovereign and always does what is right (cf. Isaiah 55:8f).
Moreover, God can cleanse us from our sin. War meant death, and death meant uncleanness, but God showed the people how to be clean again. Today, death does not defile the living, but sin corrupts and kills (Romans 6:23). The New Testament does not have physical washing to clean soiled bodies, but a spiritual contact with the blood of Christ for purification (cf. 1 Peter 3:20, 21).
Finally, God is worthy of our gifts. God established a pattern for how the spoils of war were to be shared (vv. 25-54). Gifts were given to the Lord out of gratitude (vv. 48-54), which motivates us to give liberally not because we are commanded, but because we are grateful.
–Andy