What lessons on obedience can we learn from Numbers 31:18's instructions? Setting the Scene • After Israel’s moral collapse with Midianite women at Baal-peor (Numbers 25), the Lord ordered judgment on Midian (Numbers 31:1–2). • Verse 18 states, “But spare for yourselves every girl who has not had relations with a man.” • The command felt severe, yet it flowed from God’s holiness and His plan to keep Israel spiritually pure. Hard Commands, Whole-Hearted Obedience • God’s instructions can stretch our emotions, but obedience means doing precisely what He says (Deuteronomy 5:32). • Partial obedience is disobedience; Saul’s failure with Amalek proves the point (1 Samuel 15:22-23). • Israel’s leaders didn’t debate the morality of the order; they acted, trusting God’s wisdom above their own (Proverbs 3:5-6). Protecting Future Purity • The spared virgins could become covenant wives, integrating into Israel under God’s terms rather than idolatry’s terms (Deuteronomy 21:10-14). • By removing the women who had led Israel into sin, the Lord cut off the source of future compromise (Matthew 5:29-30—better to lose what tempts than to lose the soul). • Obedience often involves decisive separation from influences that once trapped us (2 Corinthians 6:17). Judgment Reveals God’s Holiness • Idolatry and sexual immorality demand judgment (Romans 1:18, 24-27). • The slain Midianites illustrate that sin’s wages are death (Romans 6:23). • Obedience accepts God’s right to judge, even when we struggle to grasp every detail (Job 40:8). Trusting the Commander, Not Just the Command • Like Abraham offering Isaac (Genesis 22:1-14), Israel learned to trust the God who gives life even when the order seems perplexing. • Faith says, “His ways are higher” (Isaiah 55:8-9). Obedience is the fruit of that faith (James 2:21-23). Lessons for Today • Submit promptly to God’s Word—even the parts that clash with cultural comfort. • Remove whatever revives past sins or invites new ones; holiness thrives when temptation is cut off. • Remember that God’s commands protect His people and His redemptive plan, even when the path feels harsh. • Let obedience flow from reverent trust in the Lord’s character: righteous, just, and wise. Looking Ahead • Numbers 31:18 points beyond itself to a greater obedience—Christ’s flawless submission (Philippians 2:8). • As His disciples, we echo His example, choosing obedience that may cost us but always glorifies God. |
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