Story 59: Josh'u-a's Preparations For The Conquest Of Ca'naan l

   We have already learnt many times over in these stories that God sometimes uses man to carry out His plans, but is never dependent upon any one man. When Mo'ses died, Josh'u-a was already prepared to take his place, and to carry forward the conquest of Ca'naan by the Is'ra-el-ites.
   And so, after the death of Mo'ses, the Is'ra-el-ites were still encamped on the east side of the Jor'dan, the LORD appeared to Josh'u-a with a stirring message. He was commanded to lead the children of Is'ra-el across the Jor'dan at once, and to conquer the land which had been promised to their fathers.
   The LORD then outlined to Josh'u-a the extent of the land which had been set aside for Is'ra-el. From north to south, it was to begin in the regions of the great river Eu-phra'tes, reaching down to the borders of the land of E'dom and Mo'ab, looking toward E'gypt. From east to west, it was to extend from the great Syr'i-an desert to the shores of the Med'i-ter-ra'ne-an Sea. all this territory, with its many types of soil and vegetation, its beautiful mountains and fertile plains and valleys, its rivers and lakes, its wide forests and unlimited natural resources, was to be conquered as the permanent home for a great nation.
   The entire area, except that part east of the Jor'dan which had already been taken from the Am'o-rites, Am'mon-ites, and Mid'i-an-ites, was then held by various heathen tribes. It was not held by one united people, nor ruled by one king; there were many small nations occupying different sections of the country, each of them ruled by its own king. In most cases, the capital of these small tribes would be in a fortified town or city, with the surrounding territory used for farming or stock-raising. These tribal nations were often engaged in wars among themselves. The task of conquering the land was therefore much easier, since there was no probability of united opposition from the various tribes which hated one another.
   The LORD not only commanded Josh'u-a to conquer the entire land of Ca'naan, but assured him of His presence.  He urged him to be strong and of good courage, and to have confidence of victory and success. The laws given by Mo'ses were to be read constantly, and to be carefully obeyed by Josh'u-a and the people. The duties of religion must never be neglected. The LORD cautioned Josh'u-a that he and all Is'ra-el must maintain loyal to God and to His teachings, and that true religion must always hold a central place in the national life of the country.
   The war which Josh'u-a was commanded to wage against the heathen tribes of Ca'naan was to be one of extermination. These people who had defied God, worshiped false gods and idols, who were given over to the lowest forms of wickedness, and for whom there was no hope of civilization or moral reform, were to be completely destroyed. Such was the will of God, and such were the orders given to Josh'u-a and to all Is'ra-el. Any failure to carry out these instructions would result in punishment from God and great trouble for Is'ra-el.

Story 58: Josh'u-a Appointed To Succeed Mo'ses; The Death Of Mo'ses ll

   When Mo'ses reached the top of the mountain he looked down upon the lands east of the Jor'dan which had been conquered and then allotted to the tribes of Reu'ben and Gad. Lifting his eyes far to the north, he gazed with joy upon the land of Gil'e-ad, which was now held by Ma-nas'seh. Turning to the west, he saw the deep torrents of the Jor'dan as its waters rushed into the Dead Sea just south of his gaze. Far out over the western horizon he beheld the hills, mountains, and valleys of the Promised Land soon to be conquered by Is'ra-el under the leadership of Josh'u-a. Stretching his sight to the blue waters of the Med'i-ter-ra'ne-an still further toward the sunlight, the fertile plains of the western shore brought a glow of joy to his heart.
   What a glorious spot for a man of Mo'ses character and career to make his journey into the glories of the world beyond! Surely, no such glorious scenes have ever passed before the dying eyes of another man. The entire landscape of the Promised Land swept before his eyes as he went up into the presence of God. He had once ascended Si'nai to commune with Je-ho'vah, to receive from Him comfort and strength and a renewed commission of service; now he ascends Ho'reb to die. Not an untimely death, for he knew how to die as he had known how to live.
   There was yet another glorious scene passing before the dying vision of this saintly man which must have greatly cheered his heart. On the plains of Mo'ab his eyes turnt to his people Is'ra-el; three million souls compacted into a powerful community, united in spirit and in purpose, ready to cross Jor'dan at the word of the LORD, and armed for the conquest of the Promised Land. This Mo'ses realized that his work would go on.
   It is said that Mo'ses was buried by the LORD, and that no man has ever known the last resting place of his body. May it not be that if it was left there on top of Mount Ne'bo at all, it was only for a short time? Is it too much to believe that, like E-li'jah in later history, and like E'noch in times before, Mo'ses was carried bodily into Heaven? Did he not appear in transfigured glory when two Heavenly visitors talked with Je'sus as He was transfigured before three apostles on another mountain?

Story 58: Josh'u-a Appointed To Succeed Mo'ses; The Death Of Mo'ses l

   While Is'ra-el was encamped at A'bel-Shit'tim, and just before the death of Mo'ses, the LORD directed Mo'ses and Josh'u-a to enter the Tabernacle for a special message. In the sanctuary of the LORD arrangements were made for the departure of Mo'ses, and for the appointment of Josh'u-a as his successor. Mo'ses already knew that he would not be permitted to enter Ca'naan, and he received with perfect calmness the LORD'S announcement of his approaching death. He was now one hundred and twenty years of age, but robust in health, full of vigor, and his eyesight undimmed. But the appointed hour for his death was at hand, and he accepted it with the same faith which had marked his entire career. His work was finished, and he was ready to go. There was nothing for him to fear as the future peace and happiness of his soul was concerned. His only thought was for the future security and prosperity of Is'ra-el.
   Mo'ses did not seek the appointment of a successor from his own family; he asked the LORD to make the choice. When the LORD appointed Josh'u-a as his successor, Mo'ses gladly gave his approval, and prayed that Josh'u-a would be anointed with Divine courage and strength for the very trying work to which he was called.
   Josh'u-a was well qualified for the responsible position to which he was Divinely appointed. He had been closely associated with Mo'ses throughout the period since Is'ra-el was delivered from E'gypt, and had loyally served as his minister. At Si'nai he had been chosen to accompany Mo'ses to the Holy Mountain, and had faithfully waited for him during the forty days in which he was alone with God. It was his heroic leadership which had brought victory to Is'ra-el in the war with Am'a-lek-ites, and he was one of the two spies who reported that Is'ra-el was able to possess the land of Ca'naan when they first stood on the border at Ka'desh-Bar'ne-a. It was under his leadership that the heathen tribes east of the Jor'dan had been conquered.
   Josh'u-a was officially placed in office by the priestly services of anointing and the laying on of hands. The people accepted his Divine appointment, and publicly declared to be the successor of Mo'ses. He was solemnly charged with the duties of his office, and given strength by the assurance of God's presence with him. Success in the conquest of Ca'naan and in the settlement of Is'ra-el in that  land which was promised by the LORD.
   Not far from the place where Is'ra-el was encamped on the plains of Mo'ab there rose high into the heavens a series of mountain ranges. One of the highest points among these ranges was called Ne'bo. From this high peak one may look out over much of the entire land of Ca'naan.
   The LORD directed Mo'ses to ascend this mountain alone. With stately step, fearing not, confident of the rest which awaited him, and fully surrendered to the will of God, Mo'ses walked out from the camp of Is'ra-el and climbed to the top of Mount Ne'bo. The Is'ra-el-ites watched him with sorrow, for he had told them that he was going into the mount never to return.

Story 57: Events During The Last Days Of Mo'ses lll

   The numerical strength of each tribe as revealed in this census was made the basis for allotting the land of Ca'naan. Mo'ses, knowing that he would not be permitted to cross the Jor'dan and take part in the conquest of Ca'naan, gave full instructions concerning these allotments, and they were later carried out by his successor, Josh'u-a.
   There were many other matters of importance to which Mo'ses gave his attention before he ascended Mount Ne'bo for his departure to Heaven. Rules were given for the several feasts which were to be observed by Is'ra-el in their national life. Further instructions concerning the duties of the priests and Le'vites were given, and new provisions were made for their support. The system of tithing was confirmed and carefully outlined. The laws of sacrificial offerings were repeated and made more complete. Mo'ses prepared for future generations a complete account of the journeys of Is'ra-el from E'gypt to Ca'naan, and of the various places where they had encamped. Directions were given for the assignment of certain cities to the Le'vites, and others were set aside as Cities of Refuge.
   Mo'ses made a series of speeches in which he recounted all the laws which God had given him, calling special attention to the moral and religious codes. These addresses make up the greater part of the Book of Deu-ter-on'o-my.
   In these long speeches Mo'ses reviewed the goodness and mercies of God toward His chosen people, and reminded Is'ra-el of her Divinely chosen place among the nations of the world as the recipient of God's special revelations. He not only urged the necessity of perfect obedience to the Laws of God, but also stressed the solemn duty of faithfully teaching them to their children.
   In many respects the book in which these addresses are recorded is superior to all the other writings of Mo'ses, for it is a summary of the entire Law of God as given to Is'ra-el by Divine Inspiration. The four addresses of Mo'ses are the words of a dying father to his children, inspired of God, earnest, and impressive.

Story 57: Events During The Last Days Of Mo'ses ll

   The Reu'ben-ites and Ga'di-tes then changed their proposal. They offered to leave their women and children, and their flocks and herds, on the east side of the Jor'dan while the men crossed over to help the ten other tribes in the conquest of Ca'naan. They would then return and take up their allotment on these lands.
   In their new proposal these two tribes agreed to share in the hardships and dangers involved in conquering the entire land of Ca'naan, and they gave up all claim upon any lands west of the Jor'dan. Mo'ses accepted this offer, praised them for acting righteously, and warned them against any unfaithfulness in carrying out the agreement.
   Lying to the north of the territory requested by the tribes of Reu'ben and Gad was a rugged, mountainous district known as Gil'e-ad. It was not adapted to stock-raising, so would be of no use to people who had large flocks and herds. Mo'ses directed that this region be given to half of the tribe of Ma-nas'seh, descendants of one of the sons of Jo'seph. The leaders of this tribe were noted for bravery and success in war. They had defeated the strong heathen tribe known as the Am'o-rites, and had overcome scores of heavily fortified towns. Gil'e-ad was a frontier district, and would be the natural course of attack upon Is'ra-el by countries of the northeast in later years. For these reasons it was important that this region be held by a strong, courageous tribe.
   As mentioned in a previous story, the third census of Is'ra-el during the forty years between their departure from E'gypt and their final occupation of Ca'naan was taken during the encampment at A'bel-Shit'tim. Thousands of Is'ra-el-ites had died since the census which had been taken just before they left Si'nai. Some had been slain in wars, some had perished from plagues sent upon them for acts of disobedience, some from the bite of the fiery serpents, and many from natural causes. Within the entire camp there were only three men above sixty years of age. Of all the men who were twenty years or more of age when they left E'gypt, the only ones now living were Mo'ses, Josh'u-a, and Ca'leb. All the others had perished because of their refusal to enter at once into the Promised Land, as commanded by the LORD, when they were at Ka'desh-Bar'ne-a thirty-nine years prior to this last census.
   In the last enumeration of Is'ra-el before entering Ca'naan it was found that some of the tribes had grown in numbers during the thirty-eight years of wandering in the wilderness, while others had decreased. The total number of men above twenty years and able to bear arms was 601,730, slightly less than at the last census. This number did not include the men of the tribe of Le'vi, as they were consecrated to special services in the Tabernacle.

Story 57: Events During The Last Days Of Mo'ses l

   During the months of Is'ra-el's encampment on the plains of Mo'ab, at a place called A'bel-Shit'tim, many of the people attended a festival in which the false god called Ba'al-pe'or was worshipped in rites of an immoral nature. The Is'ra-el-ites had come to the festival at the invitation of the women of Mo'ab and Mid'i-an, but they should not have remained in a place where idol-worship was practiced. They were guilty of forsaking the True God, and of joining the heathen in acts which they knew were wrong.
   The LORD punished Is'ra-el by sending a plague which resulted in the immediate death of twenty-four thousand men. An Is'ra-el-ite named Zim'ri and a Mid'i-an-ite woman named Coz'bi defamed the name of God by their evil deeds before the Tabernacle, and were put to death by Phin'e-has, who was a son of E-le-a'zar and grandson of Aa'ron. For this act  of justice in upholding the laws of Is'ra-el he was praised by Mo'ses, and later was highly honored.
   The plague in the camps of Is'ra-el was then removed, but the LORD directed Mo'ses to make war upon the Mo'ab-ites and Mid'i-an-ites for the bold, disgraceful manner in which they had turnt many of the Is'ra-el-ites from the worship of God into idolatry.
   Because the women of Mid'i-an had been the chief offenders in leading the Is'ra-el-ites into idolatry and wickedness, the leaders of the army had been ordered to slay them. But when the war was over, Mo'ses found that many of his captains had not obeyed these orders, but had made prisoners of the Mid'i-an-it-ish women. He rebuked them severely, and ordered that all these women who had taken part in leading Is'ra-el into idolatry should be slain at once.
   The territory east of the Jor'dan which had been conquered by the Is'ra-el-ites,  from the brook Ar'non on the south to Mount Her'mon on the north, and extending eastward for many miles to the desert plateaus, consisted of wide, grassy plains and low hills and plateaus which were well watered by many streams, It was well adapted for stock-raising, and was noted for its fine pastures.
  Two of the tribes of Is'ra-el, those descending from Reu'ben and from Gad, had very large flocks of sheep and herds of cattle, and were noted for their skill as shepherds. They came to Mo'ses and E-le-a'zar requesting that these lands be given them, and that they be excused from crossing the Jor'dan for the conquest of Ca'naan west of this river.
   Mo'ses rebuked the tribes of Reu'ben and Gad for making this request, for it was both selfish and unpatriotic. Their wish to settle on the land east of Jor'dan gave no regard whatever to the welfare of their brethren in the other tribes. it appeared to Mo'ses that they were trying to avoid military service against the strong heathen tribes which held the country west of the Jor'dan, and he felt that such a course would be a reproach upon the unity of Is'ra-el, and a violation of the Covenant which they had made with God.
  

Story 56: How A Dumb Animal Talked With A Prophet lll

   The messengers returnt to Ba'lak with the news that Ba'laam would no come to him at this time. Their words were even more deceptive than those of Ba'laam, for they did not tell their master that the LORD had forbidden Ba'laam to come. This led the Mo'ab-it-ish king to believe that he would come later, and that he would curse Is'ra-el as requested. He suspected that Ba'laam was merely waiting until more money was offered him.
   Then Ba'lak sent another group of messengers to Ba'laam. This delegation was larger, and its members were of higher rank than the first messengers. They came to Ba'laam and said, "Ba'lak urges that you come to him at once, and that you let nothing hinder you. He promises that he will give whatever you ask, if you will only curse the Is'ra-el-ites."
   Ba'laam already knew that he must neither visit the king, nor curse Is'ra-el, but he let the messengers think that he would finally do both. He said to them "If Ba'lak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of the LORD my God, to do less or more."
   He should have sent the messengers away at once, but he invited them to tarry with him, speaking as though he thought that the LORD would give him permission to curse Is'ra-el. The LORD knew that Ba'laam's heart had been turnt by his love of money, so He gave him permission to go with these messengers in order to teach him a much needed lesson.
   As Ba'laam was riding an ass on the way to the place where Ba'lak lived, a miracle suddenly took place. The ass on which he was riding turnt aside into the fields, and Ba'laam angrily forced it back into the road. Again the ass turnt suddenly to one side, crushing Ba'laam's foot against a stone wall. Then it fell down, and was beaten severely by Ba'laam. All of these strange actions were caused by an Angel of the LORD, who was visible to the ass, but unseen by Ba'laam.
   The ass then spoke in human language, saying, "What have I done unto thee that thou hast smitten me these three times?" Apparently not alarmed by the strange fact of having a dumb animal speak to him, Ba'laam answered, "Because thou hast mocked me, if I had a sword I would kill you." After the ass reminded him of its faithful years of service the LORD gave Ba'laam power to see the Angel standing in the highway with a sword in his hand. The Angel rebuked Ba'laam for his cruelty to the ass, and told him that if it had not turnt aside, death would have come to the prophet. The Angel also declared that God was trying to save him from the evil which lay in his heart. Ba'laam was permitted to continue his journey, but warned not to curse Is'ra-el.