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Numbers Chapter 31   (ESV)

1 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Avenge the people of Israel on the Midianites. Afterward you shall be gathered to your people.” 3 So Moses spoke to the people, saying, “Arm men from among you for the war, that they may go against Midian to execute the Lord’s vengeance on Midian. 4 You shall send a thousand from each of the tribes of Israel to the war.” 5 So there were provided, out of the thousands of Israel, a thousand from each tribe, twelve thousand armed for war. 6 And Moses sent them to the war, a thousand from each tribe, together with Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, with the vessels of the sanctuary and the trumpets for the alarm in his hand. 7 They warred against Midian, as the Lord commanded Moses, and killed every male. 8 They killed the kings of Midian with the rest of their slain, Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba, the five kings of Midian. And they also killed Balaam the son of Beor with the sword. 9 And the people of Israel took captive the women of Midian and their little ones, and they took as plunder all their cattle, their flocks, and all their goods. 10 All their cities in the places where they lived, and all their encampments, they burned with fire, 11 and took all the spoil and all the plunder, both of man and of beast. 12 Then they brought the captives and the plunder and the spoil to Moses, and to Eleazar the priest, and to the congregation of the people of Israel, at the camp on the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho.

 

 

REFLECTION:

• Read this passage slowly to appreciate the situation.
• God commanded Moses to arm the men for war before sending them off to battle. The spiritual journey is not an easy path.  It is an endless series of spiritual battles.  The battles are often invisible and yet crucial.   Good preparation is necessary to ensure victory.
• We have to be properly armed in order to endure rigorous training and difficulties and become strong spiritually. The Spiritual Disciplines help equip us for spiritual warfare.  The undisciplined warrior is ineffective and weak.  We must embrace the Spiritual Disciplines daily to become strong spiritual warriors.

 

 

PRAYER:

• What are the spiritual battles I am facing (and fighting) right now? How am I doing?  How do I equip myself for the spiritual warfare?
• Pray for discernment and preparedness for the spiritual warfare around me.