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God assigned the tribes their inheritance and set their boundaries, but He used human leaders to do it.

Some people choose to live on the border of God’s blessing. They make their decisions on the basis of material gain and not spiritual blessing. The two and a half tribes did not claim their inheritance in Canaan, though they were very close to it.

They assured Moses that they would help conquer the land, but the tribes still brought division to Israel. In fact, when the land was fully conquered, the two and a half tribes had to put up an altar to let people know, “We belong to Israel!” (See Joshua 22) Had they gone over the Jordan and claimed their inheritance, everybody would have known their citizenship.

“Bring us not over the Jordan!” (Numbers 32:5) is as much an expression of failure as “Take us back to the land of Egypt!” or “Let us die in the wilderness!” When material gain, not the glory of God, governs our decisions, we will make the wrong decisions. (See Psalm 47:4)

Chapter 33 reviews the past and anticipates the future. It is good to review the past and discern the hand of the Lord at work. God delivered them from Egypt and brought them to Sinai, where they entered into a covenant with Him (Numbers 33:1–15). Then He brought them to the border of the Promised Land, where they refused to go in (Numbers 33:16–36). They wandered for forty years and then ended up on the plains of Moab (Numbers 33:37–49). Unbelief means wasted time, wasted lives, and wasted opportunities, but God is gracious and long-suffering with His people.

Anticipating the future (Numbers 33:50–56). “When ye are passed over Jordan into the land of Canaan” was a word of promise and assurance that would encourage the nation in their new venture of faith. What a privilege to claim their God-given inheritance! But God also gave some responsibilities: drive out the enemy, destroy their idols, dispossess the people, and then divide the land. First you conquer, then you claim. First the obedience, then the blessing.

The priests were also a part of the battle, for without the blessing of the Lord, there could be no victory. Some of God’s people are in the front lines of the battle, while others are behind the lines, interceding to the Lord.

It was important that the tabernacle of the Lord go with the people, so God instructed the priests and Levites exactly how to dismantle it and carry it. Each detail about the Lord’s work is significant and must not be left to mere human wisdom.

And each person is vital to the work of the Lord, no matter what task God assigns. No task is trivial, not even taking care of the pegs (Numbers 3:37). Some Levites had heavier burdens than others, but God had given them the assignments and He would enable them.

The putting up and taking down of the tabernacle were tasks as essential as the offering of the sacrifices or the burning of the incense. Spiritual ministry is no place for idle spectators or careless workers, for it is a matter of life and death (Numbers 4:17–20).

Numbers gets its name from the numberings of Israel’s men of war. The old generation was numbered at Mount Sinai (chaps. 1–4) and the new in the plains of Moab (chaps. 26–27). This is a book of transition. God set aside the old generation because of their unbelief (chaps. 1–20) and then prepared a new generation to inherit the promised land (chaps. 21–36).

It is a book of wanderings, for God made His people wander in the wilderness for forty years until the old generation, twenty years and older, died off. They did not believe God, and their unbelief cost them the inheritance. The New Testament commentary on this event is the book of Hebrews. Unless by faith you enter into your spiritual inheritance in Christ (Ephesians 1:3), you will “wander” in unbelief and rob yourself of the blessings God has planned for you (Ephesians 2:10).

Bible geography is instructive. Israel in Egypt pictures our lost condition of bondage to the world. Israel in Canaan illustrates our claiming our inheritance by faith and enjoying the fullness of God’s provision. Israel in the wilderness pictures carnal Christians whose unbelief and disobedience prevent them from entering into all that God has for them.

Genesis pictures God’s people as pilgrims and strangers, looking for their inheritance. Exodus and Leviticus depict Israel as a holy nation of priests, worshiping the Lord. The book of Numbers emphasizes God’s people as warriors, overcoming the enemy and claiming the promised inheritance.

They counted the men, twenty years and older, who were able to go to war. They did not ask for volunteers. When you enter the family of God by faith in Jesus Christ, you automatically become one of His soldiers (2 Timothy 2:3–4). Every believer is a soldier, either a good one or a bad one.

The army was organized, each tribe with its leaders and its standard. There was unity in diversity. Perhaps the camp of Israel pictures the church. There are different “tribes” and standards, with their different leaders, but it is one army, following one Commander and fighting one enemy: “And this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.” (1 John 5:4).

Covenant (Leviticus 26:1–13). God used the word covenant eight times in chapter 26. It reminded the people of their special relationship with Him and the responsibilities belonging to that relationship. If they obeyed the terms of the covenant, they would remain in the Promised Land and enjoy His blessings. God does not promise material success to His new covenant people today, but He does promise to be with us and meet our every need.

Chastening (Leviticus 26:14–39). God’s covenant included both blessing and chastening, for God will not share His goodness with rebellious children. Enjoying the gifts while insulting the Giver is both selfish and idolatrous. We should obey God, not to “deserve” His blessings or even to avoid His chastenings, but to show our love to Him and our desire to please His heart.

Confession (Leviticus 26:40–46). A gracious God always leaves the door open for restoration. That is one loving purpose of His chastening hand (Hebrews 12:1–13). The people may break their promises to God (Leviticus 26:15), but God will never break His promises to His people (Leviticus 26:44). God forgets our sins but remembers His covenant! This is not an excuse for sin, but it is an encouragement for sinners to repent and return to the Lord.

If you have ever found it difficult or impossible to fulfill a promise, the message of chapter 27 is for you. In a moment of extreme joy or trial, a Jew might make a vow to God, offering to give Him something valuable in return for His blessing. (See Judges 11:29–40; Jonah 2:9.) The vow might involve people (Leviticus 27:1–8 ), animals (Leviticus 27:9–13, 26–27), property (Leviticus 27:14–25), or produce (Leviticus 27:30–33).

If the person could not fulfill the vow, he was not permitted to back out, nor could he offer a cheaper substitute. He had to give the priest the equivalent in money, plus one-fifth more. This chapter tells the priest how to evaluate the gift so that the Lord would receive the right amount, for the money was used for the work of the sanctuary. The word valuation is used nineteen times.

Talk is not “cheap”; rash promises can be very expensive. It behooves us to be careful when we experience great joy or great sorrow, lest we make promises to God that we cannot keep. (See Proverbs 20:25; Ecclesiastes 5:4–5.) Yes, you can give God something else, but be sure it is equivalent to the original offer—and let Him do the evaluating.