Confessional Lutheran Ministerium

Deuteronomy 2:26-37; 3:1-11 NKJV ²⁶ “And I sent messengers from the Wilderness of Kedemoth to Sihon king of Heshbon, with words of peace, saying, ²⁷ ‘Let me pass through your land; I will keep strictly to the road, and I will turn neither to the right nor to the left. ²⁸ You shall sell me food for money, that I may eat, and give me water for money, that I may drink; only let me pass through on foot, ²⁹ just as the descendants of Esau who dwell in Seir and the Moabites who dwell in Ar did for me, until I cross the Jordan to the land which the Lord our God is giving us.’

³⁰ “But Sihon king of Heshbon would not let us pass through, for the Lord your God hardened his spirit and made his heart obstinate, that He might deliver him into your hand, as it is this day.

³¹ “And the Lord said to me, ‘See, I have begun to give Sihon and his land over to you. Begin to possess it, that you may inherit his land.’ ³² Then Sihon and all his people came out against us to fight at Jahaz. ³³ And the Lord our God delivered him over to us; so we defeated him, his sons, and all his people. ³⁴ We took all his cities at that time, and we utterly destroyed the men, women, and little ones of every city; we left none remaining. ³⁵ We took only the livestock as plunder for ourselves, with the spoil of the cities which we took. ³⁶ From Aroer, which is on the bank of the River Arnon, and from the city that is in the ravine, as far as Gilead, there was not one city too strong for us; the Lord our God delivered all to us. ³⁷ Only you did not go near the land of the people of Ammon—anywhere along the River Jabbok, or to the cities of the mountains, or wherever the Lord our God had forbidden us.

3 “Then we turned and went up the road to Bashan; and Og king of Bashan came out against us, he and all his people, to battle at Edrei. ² And the Lord said to me, ‘Do not fear him, for I have delivered him and all his people and his land into your hand; you shall do to him as you did to Sihon king of the Amorites, who dwelt at Heshbon.’

³ “So the Lord our God also delivered into our hands Og king of Bashan, with all his people, and we attacked him until he had no survivors remaining. ⁴ And we took all his cities at that time; there was not a city which we did not take from them: sixty cities, all the region of Argob, the kingdom of Og in Bashan. ⁵ All these cities were fortified with high walls, gates, and bars, besides a great many rural towns. ⁶ And we utterly destroyed them, as we did to Sihon king of Heshbon, utterly destroying the men, women, and children of every city. ⁷ But all the livestock and the spoil of the cities we took as booty for ourselves.

⁸ “And at that time we took the land from the hand of the two kings of the Amorites who were on this side of the Jordan, from the River Arnon to Mount Hermon ⁹ (the Sidonians call Hermon Sirion, and the Amorites call it Senir), ¹⁰ all the cities of the plain, all Gilead, and all Bashan, as far as Salcah and Edrei, cities of the kingdom of Og in Bashan.

¹¹ “For only Og king of Bashan remained of the remnant of the giants. Indeed his bedstead was an iron bedstead. (Is it not in Rabbah of the people of Ammon?) Nine cubits is its length and four cubits its width, according to the standard cubit.

In today’s word, Moses recounts how God led Israel to victory over two powerful kings: Sihon of Heshbon and Og of Bashan. These were not random enemies—they were deeply feared, well-armed, and, in Og’s case, even legendary. The size of his iron bed alone is noted as if to say, “This was no small opponent.”

But what’s striking isn’t the strength of the enemy—it’s the absolute clarity that the victory belonged to the Lord. In Deuteronomy 2:33, Moses says, “And the Lord our God delivered him over to us…” Again in 3:2, God tells His people, “Do not fear him, for I have delivered him and all his people and his land into your hand…” The Lord is the one who grants victory. It’s not Israel’s strength, strategy, or superiority that wins the day—it’s God’s promise and power. He is the warrior who goes before His people.

      As Confessional Lutherans, we confess the same truth in our own lives of faith: salvation and victory are God’s work from start to finish. Just as Israel could not conquer these enemies on their own, we cannot defeat sin, death, or the devil by our own strength. But thanks be to God—He has already won the battle for us in Christ Jesus.

Jesus is our greater champion, who stepped onto the battlefield of this world, faced every temptation, bore every sin, and conquered death through the cross and resurrection. We are saved not by our own doing, but by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone.

And so, when we face spiritual giants—whether they be fear, guilt, grief, or temptation—we do not stand alone. We stand in the victory of Christ. God still says, “Do not fear.” He is faithful to His promises. He fights for His people. He leads, He provides, and He delivers—not because we are worthy, but because He is merciful.

      Let us pray: Lord God, You are our mighty fortress and our victorious King. When we feel weak, remind us that Christ has already won the victory for us through His cross. Keep us in the true faith, and strengthen us to trust not in ourselves, but in Your mercy and power, through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord. Amen.

Deuteronomy 2:1-25 NKJV

2 “Then we turned and journeyed into the wilderness of the Way of the Red Sea, as the Lord spoke to me, and we skirted Mount Seir for many days.

² “And the Lord spoke to me, saying: ³ ‘You have skirted this mountain long enough; turn northward. ⁴ And command the people, saying, “You are about to pass through the territory of your brethren, the descendants of Esau, who live in Seir; and they will be afraid of you. Therefore watch yourselves carefully. ⁵ Do not meddle with them, for I will not give you any of their land, no, not so much as one footstep, because I have given Mount Seir to Esau as a possession. ⁶ You shall buy food from them with money, that you may eat; and you shall also buy water from them with money, that you may drink.

⁷ “For the Lord your God has blessed you in all the work of your hand. He knows your trudging through this great wilderness. These forty years the Lord your God has been with you; you have lacked nothing.” ’

⁸ “And when we passed beyond our brethren, the descendants of Esau who dwell in Seir, away from the road of the plain, away from Elath and Ezion Geber, we turned and passed by way of the Wilderness of Moab. ⁹ Then the Lord said to me, ‘Do not harass Moab, nor contend with them in battle, for I will not give you any of their land as a possession, because I have given Ar to the descendants of Lot as a possession.’ ”

¹⁰ (The Emim had dwelt there in times past, a people as great and numerous and tall as the Anakim. ¹¹ They were also regarded as giants, like the Anakim, but the Moabites call them Emim. ¹² The Horites formerly dwelt in Seir, but the descendants of Esau dispossessed them and destroyed them from before them, and dwelt in their place, just as Israel did to the land of their possession which the Lord gave them.)

¹³ “ ‘Now rise and cross over the Valley of the Zered.’ So we crossed over the Valley of the Zered. ¹⁴ And the time we took to come from Kadesh Barnea until we crossed over the Valley of the Zered was thirty-eight years, until all the generation of the men of war was consumed from the midst of the camp, just as the Lord had sworn to them. ¹⁵ For indeed the hand of the Lord was against them, to destroy them from the midst of the camp until they were consumed.

¹⁶ “So it was, when all the men of war had finally perished from among the people, ¹⁷ that the Lord spoke to me, saying: ¹⁸ ‘This day you are to cross over at Ar, the boundary of Moab. ¹⁹ And when you come near the people of Ammon, do not harass them or meddle with them, for I will not give you any of the land of the people of Ammon as a possession, because I have given it to the descendants of Lot as a possession.’ ”

²⁰ (That was also regarded as a land of giants; giants formerly dwelt there. But the Ammonites call them Zamzummim, ²¹ a people as great and numerous and tall as the Anakim. But the Lord destroyed them before them, and they dispossessed them and dwelt in their place, ²² just as He had done for the descendants of Esau, who dwelt in Seir, when He destroyed the Horites from before them. They dispossessed them and dwelt in their place, even to this day. ²³ And the Avim, who dwelt in villages as far as Gaza—the Caphtorim, who came from Caphtor, destroyed them and dwelt in their place.)

²⁴ “ ‘Rise, take your journey, and cross over the River Arnon. Look, I have given into your hand Sihon the Amorite, king of Heshbon, and his land. Begin to possess it, and engage him in battle. ²⁵ This day I will begin to put the dread and fear of you upon the nations under the whole heaven, who shall hear the report of you, and shall tremble and be in anguish because of you.’

It’s often the case that our sense of timing and purpose must concede to the greater timing, plan, and purpose of the Lord. In our reading for today from Deuteronomy 2:1–25, Moses continues recounting Israel’s wilderness journey, highlighting God’s providence and guidance. After years of wandering, the time finally comes for Israel to move forward. But God is not just directing them to conquest—He is also teaching them patience, respect, and trust.

            God commands Israel not to harass Edom, Moab, or Ammon—nations with historical ties to them through Esau and Lot. Though these nations had their flaws, God had given them their land, and Israel was not to take it. In this, we see God’s sovereignty and His faithfulness to all His promises—not just to Israel, but to other peoples as well.

            Then, in verses 24–25, God signals a turning point: “Begin to possess it.” The long season of waiting is ending. Now, God will cause fear to fall upon Israel’s enemies. Victory is coming—but on God’s terms, in His timing.

            We see in this passage a picture of God’s providential care and purposeful delay. God shapes us in the wilderness just as He shaped Israel—teaching us to live by every word that comes from His mouth. We don’t always understand the waiting or the detours, but we trust in the One who leads us. We often find ourselves in seasons of waiting—wandering through hard places, asking when God will act. But this passage reminds us that delays are not denials. God is not absent in the wilderness. He is preparing, teaching, and leading—even when we can’t see the full picture.

            We also see in this passage a foreshadowing of Christ, who fulfilled the law and led His people not into an earthly territory, but into an eternal kingdom. Through His cross and resurrection, Jesus conquered our true enemies—sin, death, and the devil—and now leads us in the triumph of Easter joy.

            Let us pray: Heavenly Father, You are the Lord of time and history. Forgive us when we grow impatient in the wilderness seasons of our lives. Teach us to trust in Your perfect timing and to walk humbly with You. Through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.

Deuteronomy 1:19-46 NKJV

¹⁹ “So we departed from Horeb, and went through all that great and terrible wilderness which you saw on the way to the mountains of the Amorites, as the Lord our God had commanded us. Then we came to Kadesh Barnea. ²⁰ And I said to you, ‘You have come to the mountains of the Amorites, which the Lord our God is giving us. ²¹ Look, the Lord your God has set the land before you; go up and possess it, as the Lord God of your fathers has spoken to you; do not fear or be discouraged.’

²² “And every one of you came near to me and said, ‘Let us send men before us, and let them search out the land for us, and bring back word to us of the way by which we should go up, and of the cities into which we shall come.’

²³ “The plan pleased me well; so I took twelve of your men, one man from each tribe. ²⁴ And they departed and went up into the mountains, and came to the Valley of Eshcol, and spied it out. ²⁵ They also took some of the fruit of the land in their hands and brought it down to us; and they brought back word to us, saying, ‘It is a good land which the Lord our God is giving us.’

²⁶ “Nevertheless you would not go up, but rebelled against the command of the Lord your God; ²⁷ and you complained in your tents, and said, ‘Because the Lord hates us, He has brought us out of the land of Egypt to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us. ²⁸ Where can we go up? Our brethren have discouraged our hearts, saying, “The people are greater and taller than we; the cities are great and fortified up to heaven; moreover we have seen the sons of the Anakim there.” ’

²⁹ “Then I said to you, ‘Do not be terrified, or afraid of them. ³⁰ The Lord your God, who goes before you, He will fight for you, according to all He did for you in Egypt before your eyes, ³¹ and in the wilderness where you saw how the Lord your God carried you, as a man carries his son, in all the way that you went until you came to this place.’ ³² Yet, for all that, you did not believe the Lord your God, ³³ who went in the way before you to search out a place for you to pitch your tents, to show you the way you should go, in the fire by night and in the cloud by day.

³⁴ “And the Lord heard the sound of your words, and was angry, and took an oath, saying, ³⁵ ‘Surely not one of these men of this evil generation shall see that good land of which I swore to give to your fathers, ³⁶ except Caleb the son of Jephunneh; he shall see it, and to him and his children I am giving the land on which he walked, because he wholly followed the Lord.’ ³⁷ The Lord was also angry with me for your sakes, saying, ‘Even you shall not go in there. ³⁸ Joshua the son of Nun, who stands before you, he shall go in there. Encourage him, for he shall cause Israel to inherit it.

³⁹ ‘Moreover your little ones and your children, who you say will be victims, who today have no knowledge of good and evil, they shall go in there; to them I will give it, and they shall possess it. ⁴⁰ But as for you, turn and take your journey into the wilderness by the Way of the Red Sea.’

⁴¹ “Then you answered and said to me, ‘We have sinned against the Lord; we will go up and fight, just as the Lord our God commanded us.’ And when everyone of you had girded on his weapons of war, you were ready to go up into the mountain.

⁴² “And the Lord said to me, ‘Tell them, “Do not go up nor fight, for I am not among you; lest you be defeated before your enemies.” ’ ⁴³ So I spoke to you; yet you would not listen, but rebelled against the command of the Lord, and presumptuously went up into the mountain. ⁴⁴ And the Amorites who dwelt in that mountain came out against you and chased you as bees do, and drove you back from Seir to Hormah. ⁴⁵ Then you returned and wept before the Lord, but the Lord would not listen to your voice nor give ear to you.

⁴⁶ “So you remained in Kadesh many days, according to the days that you spent there.

In Deuteronomy 1:19–46, Moses recounts the Israelites’ journey from Horeb to the edge of the Promised Land—and their tragic failure to enter because of fear and disobedience. God had told them, “Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged,” but instead of trusting His promise, the people grumbled, refused to go up, and insisted on their own way.

This passage confronts us with the reality of our sinful nature. Like Israel, we often fear the giants in our lives more than we trust the promises of God. We see obstacles instead of the One who overcame death itself. Even when God shows us the way forward, we often retreat, choosing comfort over courage, and human wisdom over divine instruction.

      But Deuteronomy also shows us God’s heart. He carried Israel as their Father just “as a man carries his son” (v. 31), tenderly, faithfully, despite their rebellion. Even in judgment, His love did not waver.

As Confessional Lutherans, we are reminded that salvation is not earned by our obedience, but received by grace through faith. The Israelites’ failure to enter the land points us to our need for a Savior who would succeed where we have failed. Jesus is that faithful Son who never grumbled, never turned back, and fully obeyed the Father—even to the cross. In Him, the promises of God are yes and amen. When we face fear, let us look not to ourselves, but to Christ. When we fall, let us repent and return, trusting that God’s mercy is greater than our failures.

Let us pray: Gracious and merciful Father, Father, forgive us for the times we’ve let fear drown out Your promises. Strengthen our faith to follow You, even when the path looks uncertain. Help us to trust that You are going before us, fighting for us, and leading us into the good things You have prepared. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Psalm 119:49-64 NKJV

ז ZAYIN

⁴⁹ Remember the word to Your servant,
Upon which You have caused me to hope.
⁵⁰ This is my comfort in my affliction,
For Your word has given me life.
⁵¹ The proud have me in great derision,
Yet I do not turn aside from Your law.
⁵² I remembered Your judgments of old, O Lord,
And have comforted myself.
⁵³ Indignation has taken hold of me
Because of the wicked, who forsake Your law.
⁵⁴ Your statutes have been my songs
In the house of my pilgrimage.
⁵⁵ I remember Your name in the night, O Lord,
And I keep Your law.
⁵⁶ This has become mine,
Because I kept Your precepts.

ח HETH

⁵⁷ You are my portion, O Lord;
I have said that I would keep Your words.
⁵⁸ I entreated Your favor with my whole heart;
Be merciful to me according to Your word.
⁵⁹ I thought about my ways,
And turned my feet to Your testimonies.
⁶⁰ I made haste, and did not delay
To keep Your commandments.
⁶¹ The cords of the wicked have bound me,
But I have not forgotten Your law.
⁶² At midnight I will rise to give thanks to You,
Because of Your righteous judgments.
⁶³ I am a companion of all who fear You,
And of those who keep Your precepts.
⁶⁴ The earth, O Lord, is full of Your mercy;
Teach me Your statutes.

In our reading for today from Psalm 119:49–64, the psalmist expresses deep trust in God’s Word during seasons of suffering. He pleads with God to remember His promises—because those promises are where the psalmist finds hope and life, even in hardship.

            When we face affliction, it’s tempting to turn inward or give in to frustration. But in today’s word, we’re reminded that God’s Word is not only true—it’s comforting. Verse 50 says, “This is my comfort in my affliction, Your word has given me life.” The Word of God isn’t just instruction; it’s nourishment for the soul.

            Even when surrounded by opposition or surrounded by the proud (v. 51), the psalmist holds firm. He doesn’t retaliate—he reflects. He remembers God’s laws and sings His statutes even in the night (v. 55). That’s powerful: worship becomes a refuge, not just an act of praise.

            Verse 64 sums it up beautifully: “The earth, O LORD, is full of your mercy; Teach me Your statutes.” Despite pain or confusion, the psalmist sees the love of God in everything. It reminds us that even when life feels uncertain, God’s love and Word remain steady. God’s love is not limited or distant—it fills the earth. It surrounds us, even when we can’t feel it. And the psalmist longs to know God more through His Word—not just to learn facts, but to walk in God’s ways.

            As Christians, we know that all of Scripture points us to Jesus—the Word made flesh. In Him, the promises of God find their “Yes” (2 Corinthians 1:20). He is the ultimate expression of God’s mercy and steadfast love. When we are weary or overwhelmed, we remember: Christ has conquered sin, defeated death, and walks with us through every valley. Like the psalmist, we turn to the Word not just for answers, but for life, hope, and communion with the One who never fails.

Let us pray: Gracious Father, Thank You for the promises in Your Word that give us hope and sustain us in every season. Fill our hearts with gratitude and trust, for the earth is filled with Your mercy. Amen.

Psalm 119:33-48 NKJV

ה HE

³³ Teach me, O Lord, the way of Your statutes,
And I shall keep it to the end.
³⁴ Give me understanding, and I shall keep Your law;
Indeed, I shall observe it with my whole heart.
³⁵ Make me walk in the path of Your commandments,
For I delight in it.
³⁶ Incline my heart to Your testimonies,
And not to covetousness.
³⁷ Turn away my eyes from looking at worthless things,
And revive me in Your way.
³⁸ Establish Your word to Your servant,
Who is devoted to fearing You.
³⁹ Turn away my reproach which I dread,
For Your judgments are good.
⁴⁰ Behold, I long for Your precepts;
Revive me in Your righteousness.

ו WAW

⁴¹ Let Your mercies come also to me, O Lord—
Your salvation according to Your word.
⁴² So shall I have an answer for him who reproaches me,
For I trust in Your word.
⁴³ And take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth,
For I have hoped in Your ordinances.
⁴⁴ So shall I keep Your law continually,
Forever and ever.
⁴⁵ And I will walk at liberty,
For I seek Your precepts.
⁴⁶ I will speak of Your testimonies also before kings,
And will not be ashamed.
⁴⁷ And I will delight myself in Your commandments,
Which I love.
⁴⁸ My hands also I will lift up to Your commandments,
Which I love,
And I will meditate on Your statutes.

“Give me understanding, and I shall keep your law” (34). Understanding a commandment is vital to truly keeping it. How often do children, employees, citizens—even Christians—ask why they are to do something, only to hear, “Because I said so.” Children are to obey their parents, employees their supervisors, citizens their government, and Christians their pastors. In some cases, “Because I said so,” works, but only for a brief time. But if a person understands why they are commanded to do something, they are more apt to do it from an internal motivation. How much truer is this for God’s commandments, which are not only about governing the outward existence, but chiefly govern the heart?

It is one thing for God to command, “Thou shalt not do this or that.” It is quite another thing to understand why God forbids this or that. The why is often that God’s commandments protect His blessings. “Do not misuse the name of the Lord” because God’s name is a blessing that He gives you to use in prayer, praise, and thanksgiving. “Do not commit adultery” protects the blessing of marriage. “Do not murder” protects the blessing of life. “Do not covet” protects the heart against discontent and idolatry. When we understand His law, why He commands us to do certain things and forbids us to do other things, we can say, “Indeed, I shall observe it with my whole heart” (34) because I see all the ways in which God’s law protects me from sin and its consequences, both externally and internally.

This allows us to walk “at liberty” (45), not living according to the law because we have to or even because God said so, but because we understand that God’s law prescribes the best life for us to live. Only the heart that has been made new by the gospel can live this way. The sinful nature hates God’s law and wants to live according to its own desires. But the heart, mind, and will that is renewed by the Gospel truly begins to love God and His will, so that it loves God’s commandments, understanding that they are not rules for life, but the way of life for God’s redeemed children.

Let us pray: Give us understanding of Your law, O Lord, that we may willingly and joyfully walk in Your ways. Amen.

Deuteronomy 1:1-18 NKJV

1 These are the words which Moses spoke to all Israel on this side of the Jordan in the wilderness, in the plain opposite Suph, between Paran, Tophel, Laban, Hazeroth, and Dizahab. ² It is eleven days’ journey from Horeb by way of Mount Seir to Kadesh Barnea. ³ Now it came to pass in the fortieth year, in the eleventh month, on the first day of the month, that Moses spoke to the children of Israel according to all that the Lord had given him as commandments to them, ⁴ after he had killed Sihon king of the Amorites, who dwelt in Heshbon, and Og king of Bashan, who dwelt at Ashtaroth in Edrei.

⁵ On this side of the Jordan in the land of Moab, Moses began to explain this law, saying, ⁶ “The Lord our God spoke to us in Horeb, saying: ‘You have dwelt long enough at this mountain. ⁷ Turn and take your journey, and go to the mountains of the Amorites, to all the neighboring places in the plain, in the mountains and in the lowland, in the South and on the seacoast, to the land of the Canaanites and to Lebanon, as far as the great river, the River Euphrates. ⁸ See, I have set the land before you; go in and possess the land which the Lord swore to your fathers—to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—to give to them and their descendants after them.’

⁹ “And I spoke to you at that time, saying: ‘I alone am not able to bear you. ¹⁰ The Lord your God has multiplied you, and here you are today, as the stars of heaven in multitude. ¹¹ May the Lord God of your fathers make you a thousand times more numerous than you are, and bless you as He has promised you! ¹² How can I alone bear your problems and your burdens and your complaints? ¹³ Choose wise, understanding, and knowledgeable men from among your tribes, and I will make them heads over you.’ ¹⁴ And you answered me and said, ‘The thing which you have told us to do is good.’ ¹⁵ So I took the heads of your tribes, wise and knowledgeable men, and made them heads over you, leaders of thousands, leaders of hundreds, leaders of fifties, leaders of tens, and officers for your tribes.

¹⁶ “Then I commanded your judges at that time, saying, ‘Hear the cases between your brethren, and judge righteously between a man and his brother or the stranger who is with him. ¹⁷ You shall not show partiality in judgment; you shall hear the small as well as the great; you shall not be afraid in any man’s presence, for the judgment is God’s. The case that is too hard for you, bring to me, and I will hear it.’ ¹⁸ And I commanded you at that time all the things which you should do.

“Now it came to pass in the fortieth year, in the eleventh month, on the first day of the month, that Moses spoke to the children of Israel according to all that the Lord had given him as commandments to them” (3). Israel has wandered the wilderness for forty years. The rebellious, unbelieving generation has died—except for Joshua and Caleb. The new generation of Israelites stand at the cusp of the Promised Land. Before they enter and begin taking possession of the land, the Lord wants to teach them His word again.

He begins by recounting how the Lord had blessed Israel and made it into a multitudinous nation. God had fulfilled His promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The fact that the Israelites stand there at that moment are a testament to God’s faithfulness. God had also given them an earthly system of government, for any group of people must have leaders and systems to settle disputes. Even though they are God’s people and have His promises and ceremonies, the sinful flesh still clung to them, making earthly government necessary to maintain external righteousness and punish wickedness.

Government is a gift from God for our benefit. Ancient Israel was both church and state. This is why throughout Deuteronomy we will hear many laws that were for the civil administration of the Israel and others which were for the ceremonial worship of Israel. Neither Israel’s civil nor ceremonial laws apply to the New Testament church. But that does not render them meaningless for us. These laws teach us, first, that God establishes earthly authority for our good. Second, they teach us the kind of government for which we should pray—one which judges righteously and does not show partiality. Third, these laws show us how God wants us to restrain our sinful flesh so that it doesn’t lead us to live in ways that deserve worldly punishment. Moses reminds His Israel—then and now—that this is part of His blessing. Let us pray: Help us, dear Father, to give thanks for our governing authorities, pray for them, and live obediently to them for our sake and to confess before men that earthly government is a good gift from You. Amen.

Numbers 35:25—36:13 NKJV ²⁵ So the congregation shall deliver the manslayer from the hand of the avenger of blood, and the congregation shall return him to the city of refuge where he had fled, and he shall remain there until the death of the high priest who was anointed with the holy oil. ²⁶ But if the manslayer at any time goes outside the limits of the city of refuge where he fled, ²⁷ and the avenger of blood finds him outside the limits of his city of refuge, and the avenger of blood kills the manslayer, he shall not be guilty of blood, ²⁸ because he should have remained in his city of refuge until the death of the high priest. But after the death of the high priest the manslayer may return to the land of his possession.

²⁹ ‘And these things shall be a statute of judgment to you throughout your generations in all your dwellings. ³⁰ Whoever kills a person, the murderer shall be put to death on the testimony of witnesses; but one witness is not sufficient testimony against a person for the death penalty. ³¹ Moreover you shall take no ransom for the life of a murderer who is guilty of death, but he shall surely be put to death. ³² And you shall take no ransom for him who has fled to his city of refuge, that he may return to dwell in the land before the death of the priest. ³³ So you shall not pollute the land where you are; for blood defiles the land, and no atonement can be made for the land, for the blood that is shed on it, except by the blood of him who shed it. ³⁴ Therefore do not defile the land which you inhabit, in the midst of which I dwell; for I the Lord dwell among the children of Israel.’ ”

36 Now the chief fathers of the families of the children of Gilead the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, of the families of the sons of Joseph, came near and spoke before Moses and before the leaders, the chief fathers of the children of Israel. ² And they said: “The Lord commanded my lord Moses to give the land as an inheritance by lot to the children of Israel, and my lord was commanded by the Lord to give the inheritance of our brother Zelophehad to his daughters. ³ Now if they are married to any of the sons of the other tribes of the children of Israel, then their inheritance will be taken from the inheritance of our fathers, and it will be added to the inheritance of the tribe into which they marry; so it will be taken from the lot of our inheritance. ⁴ And when the Jubilee of the children of Israel comes, then their inheritance will be added to the inheritance of the tribe into which they marry; so their inheritance will be taken away from the inheritance of the tribe of our fathers.”

⁵ Then Moses commanded the children of Israel according to the word of the Lord, saying: “What the tribe of the sons of Joseph speaks is right. ⁶ This is what the Lord commands concerning the daughters of Zelophehad, saying, ‘Let them marry whom they think best, but they may marry only within the family of their father’s tribe.’ ⁷ So the inheritance of the children of Israel shall not change hands from tribe to tribe, for every one of the children of Israel shall keep the inheritance of the tribe of his fathers. ⁸ And every daughter who possesses an inheritance in any tribe of the children of Israel shall be the wife of one of the family of her father’s tribe, so that the children of Israel each may possess the inheritance of his fathers. ⁹ Thus no inheritance shall change hands from one tribe to another, but every tribe of the children of Israel shall keep its own inheritance.”

¹⁰ Just as the Lord commanded Moses, so did the daughters of Zelophehad; ¹¹ for Mahlah, Tirzah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Noah, the daughters of Zelophehad, were married to the sons of their father’s brothers. ¹² They were married into the families of the children of Manasseh the son of Joseph, and their inheritance remained in the tribe of their father’s family.

¹³ These are the commandments and the judgments which the Lord commanded the children of Israel by the hand of Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan, across from Jericho.

The fact that the manslayer was to remain in a city of refuge until the high priest died is a picture of how we are to remain in the church all the days of our lives. In His church, God richly and daily forgives the sins of His penitent faithful. But if we leave the fellowship of the church, so that we are no longer penitent and believing, then we become liable to the avenger of blood—God’s just judgment. God wants us to remain in His holy church—hearing and believing His word—throughout our entire life. This is evident in that the high priest of the New Testament—Christ Jesus—lives eternally.

In the concluding chapter of Numbers, the Lord gives us an example of how to take His word seriously. The Lord had given Zelophehad’s daughters his inheritance. However, their family members pointed out that if Zelophehad’s daughters marry members of another tribe, his inheritance will vanish from the land and Manasseh’s allotment from God will shrink. They saw that God’s verdict about Zelophehad’s daughters could be used to radically alter the layout of Israel’s inheritance over the course of time. These men bring the case to Moses and the Lord declares, “No inheritance shall change hands from one tribe to another, but every tribe of the children of Israel shall keep its own inheritance” (9).

Both legislations show that the Lord did not want anyone excluded from the inheritance He was giving Israel. The one who sinned unintentionally could be forgiven and remain in the land. The solitary, who had no protection, He set in families (Ps 68:6), yet in such a way that they are not disinherited.

As the land is a picture of the church in the New Testament—the body of believers—and a picture eternal life in the age to come, we see how God takes care to provide Christ as a refuge for us when we sin and how He promises an eternal inheritance “incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away” (1 Pe 1:4). In this life, let us take refuge in Christ each day by a true and lively faith and look forward to the inheritance He has promised us in everlasting life.

Let us pray: Keep us in Your holy church, O Lord, that taking refuge in You, we endure unto everlasting life. Amen.

Numbers 35:1-24 NKJV

35 And the Lord spoke to Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan across from Jericho, saying: ² “Command the children of Israel that they give the Levites cities to dwell in from the inheritance of their possession, and you shall also give the Levites common-land around the cities. ³ They shall have the cities to dwell in; and their common-land shall be for their cattle, for their herds, and for all their animals. ⁴ The common-land of the cities which you will give the Levites shall extend from the wall of the city outward a thousand cubits all around. ⁵ And you shall measure outside the city on the east side two thousand cubits, on the south side two thousand cubits, on the west side two thousand cubits, and on the north side two thousand cubits. The city shall be in the middle. This shall belong to them as common-land for the cities.

⁶ “Now among the cities which you will give to the Levites you shall appoint six cities of refuge, to which a manslayer may flee. And to these you shall add forty-two cities. ⁷ So all the cities you will give to the Levites shall be forty-eight; these you shall give with their common-land. ⁸ And the cities which you will give shall be from the possession of the children of Israel; from the larger tribe you shall give many, from the smaller you shall give few. Each shall give some of its cities to the Levites, in proportion to the inheritance that each receives.”

⁹ Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ¹⁰ “Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘When you cross the Jordan into the land of Canaan, ¹¹ then you shall appoint cities to be cities of refuge for you, that the manslayer who kills any person accidentally may flee there. ¹² They shall be cities of refuge for you from the avenger, that the manslayer may not die until he stands before the congregation in judgment. ¹³ And of the cities which you give, you shall have six cities of refuge. ¹⁴ You shall appoint three cities on this side of the Jordan, and three cities you shall appoint in the land of Canaan, which will be cities of refuge. ¹⁵ These six cities shall be for refuge for the children of Israel, for the stranger, and for the sojourner among them, that anyone who kills a person accidentally may flee there.

¹⁶ ‘But if he strikes him with an iron implement, so that he dies, he is a murderer; the murderer shall surely be put to death. ¹⁷ And if he strikes him with a stone in the hand, by which one could die, and he does die, he is a murderer; the murderer shall surely be put to death. ¹⁸ Or if he strikes him with a wooden hand weapon, by which one could die, and he does die, he is a murderer; the murderer shall surely be put to death. ¹⁹ The avenger of blood himself shall put the murderer to death; when he meets him, he shall put him to death. ²⁰ If he pushes him out of hatred or, while lying in wait, hurls something at him so that he dies, ²¹ or in enmity he strikes him with his hand so that he dies, the one who struck him shall surely be put to death. He is a murderer. The avenger of blood shall put the murderer to death when he meets him.

²² ‘However, if he pushes him suddenly without enmity, or throws anything at him without lying in wait, ²³ or uses a stone, by which a man could die, throwing it at him without seeing him, so that he dies, while he was not his enemy or seeking his harm, ²⁴ then the congregation shall judge between the manslayer and the avenger of blood according to these judgments.

The Levities received no territory of their own. Because Simeon and Levi had cruelly taken vengeance upon the Shechemites in Genesis 34, the patriarch Jacob prophesied of Simeon and Levi, “I will divide them in Jacob and scatter them in Israel” (Gen 49:7). The Levites’ dispersal throughout the land of Israel partially fulfilled that prophecy.

Yet God works all things—even the evil acts of wicked men—for the good of those who love Him. Levi’s descendants are scattered throughout the land in forty-eight cities and the common land around these cities. Every tribe of Israel would have cities for Levites “in proportion to the inheritance that each receives” (8). Amid every tribe’s inheritance would be Levites who would teach God’s judgments and laws to Israel (Dt 33:10). Six of the Levite’s cities were also appointed “Cities of Refuge.” If someone accidently killed a man, he could flee to this city to be safe from the “avenger of blood.” This avenger would be a relative of the one who was slain. If the killing had been intentional, the avenger of blood had the right to put the murderer to death. The cities of refuge provided a place for the accidental manslayer to flee that he might be safe from the avenger of blood. In a city of refuge, his case could be decided by the Levites.

The cities of the Levites are a picture of the church scattered throughout the world, outposts where God’s word is taught correctly and clearly. God graciously scatters the faithful teachers throughout our lands so that those who want to learn God’s word, the gospel, and the Christian life, may find them. The cities of refuge are also a picture of Christ, for when we find that we have sinned unintentionally (or intentionally, but may God persevere us from this!), we flee to Him in repentance, lest the avenger of blood—the devil—strike us with his accusations and lead us away from faith so that we despair that God’s mercy is not for us. When you find that you sinned, flee to your city of refuge, Jesus Christ!

Let us pray: Thank you, Lord, for being our City of Refuge to whom we may continually flee. As often as Your Spirit convicts us of sin, drive us to You and Your mercy. Amen.

Numbers 34:16-29 NKJV

¹⁶ And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ¹⁷ “These are the names of the men who shall divide the land among you as an inheritance: Eleazar the priest and Joshua the son of Nun. ¹⁸ And you shall take one leader of every tribe to divide the land for the inheritance. ¹⁹ These are the names of the men: from the tribe of Judah, Caleb the son of Jephunneh; ²⁰ from the tribe of the children of Simeon, Shemuel the son of Ammihud; ²¹ from the tribe of Benjamin, Elidad the son of Chislon; ²² a leader from the tribe of the children of Dan, Bukki the son of Jogli; ²³ from the sons of Joseph: a leader from the tribe of the children of Manasseh, Hanniel the son of Ephod, ²⁴ and a leader from the tribe of the children of Ephraim, Kemuel the son of Shiphtan; ²⁵ a leader from the tribe of the children of Zebulun, Elizaphan the son of Parnach; ²⁶ a leader from the tribe of the children of Issachar, Paltiel the son of Azzan; ²⁷ a leader from the tribe of the children of Asher, Ahihud the son of Shelomi; ²⁸ and a leader from the tribe of the children of Naphtali, Pedahel the son of Ammihud.”

²⁹ These are the ones the Lord commanded to divide the inheritance among the children of Israel in the land of Canaan.

What an honor to have been chosen by God as a leader of one of these tribes of Israel. The Lord had promised this land to their ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob centuries before. Now these men, under the leadership of Eleazar the high priest and Joshua, are called to divide the land of promise. These were the men to whom God gave this unique vocation. These men would have entered this holy calling in joy—for God was using them to serve His people and fulfill His promises.

They would have also entered this unique vocation with humility. There is, after all, a hint of warning in this table of names. Each one of these men is the son of their father. Jephunneh, Ammihud, Chislon, Jogli, Ephod, Shiphtan, Parnach, Azzan, Shelomi, and Ammihud—these leaders’ fathers—were among the generation of Israel who had rebelled against the Lord. For their stubborn refusal to believe the Lord’s promises, the Lord punished that generation of Israel. He told them, “Your sons shall be shepherds in the wilderness forty years, and bear the brunt of your infidelity, until your carcasses are consumed in the wilderness” (Nu 14:33). The men whom God chose in today’s reading step into this unique calling, both warned by their father’s example and trusting God’s promise to give this land to Israel, just as He had said.

God calls all His people into unique vocations. He calls a man to be husband to a certain woman and father to certain children. He calls a woman to be wife to a certain man and mother to certain children. Others He calls to remain single and serve others in that capacity. God calls some men to be pastors of specific congregations. He calls others to be rulers with specific jurisdictions. He calls all people to labor, so that in whatever way a Christian is employed, it is an opportunity to serve the specific neighbors with whom he interacts. Do not be unbelieving, but believing, trusting that God has placed you in your callings for His glory, the service of your neighbor, and to bless you and your work. This makes every vocation an honor.

Let us pray: Grant us faith, O Lord, that we embrace our vocations in humility and trust, knowing that wherever we find ourselves, we are where You want us to be. Amen.

Numbers 34:1-15 NKJV

34 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ² “Command the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘When you come into the land of Canaan, this is the land that shall fall to you as an inheritance—the land of Canaan to its boundaries. ³ Your southern border shall be from the Wilderness of Zin along the border of Edom; then your southern border shall extend eastward to the end of the Salt Sea; ⁴ your border shall turn from the southern side of the Ascent of Akrabbim, continue to Zin, and be on the south of Kadesh Barnea; then it shall go on to Hazar Addar, and continue to Azmon; ⁵ the border shall turn from Azmon to the Brook of Egypt, and it shall end at the Sea.

⁶ ‘As for the western border, you shall have the Great Sea for a border; this shall be your western border.

⁷ ‘And this shall be your northern border: From the Great Sea you shall mark out your border line to Mount Hor; ⁸ from Mount Hor you shall mark out your border to the entrance of Hamath; then the direction of the border shall be toward Zedad; ⁹ the border shall proceed to Ziphron, and it shall end at Hazar Enan. This shall be your northern border.

¹⁰ ‘You shall mark out your eastern border from Hazar Enan to Shepham; ¹¹ the border shall go down from Shepham to Riblah on the east side of Ain; the border shall go down and reach to the eastern side of the Sea of Chinnereth; ¹² the border shall go down along the Jordan, and it shall end at the Salt Sea. This shall be your land with its surrounding boundaries.’ ”

¹³ Then Moses commanded the children of Israel, saying: “This is the land which you shall inherit by lot, which the Lord has commanded to give to the nine tribes and to the half-tribe. ¹⁴ For the tribe of the children of Reuben according to the house of their fathers, and the tribe of the children of Gad according to the house of their fathers, have received their inheritance; and the half-tribe of Manasseh has received its inheritance. ¹⁵ The two tribes and the half-tribe have received their inheritance on this side of the Jordan, across from Jericho eastward, toward the sunrise.”

The Lord establishes the boundaries of the land for the nine and a half tribes west of the Jordan River. These boundaries marked the land which these tribes would call home. What is the New Testament fulfillment of the land of Canaan, promised to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and the children of Israel (Ex 3:8)? The Lord does not promise to bring all the biological descendants of Israel back within these borders. Nor does He promise a specific patch of land to the true Israel—the body of believers. Instead, God’s New Testament people are scattered to the four corners of the earth. The kingdom of God which Christ brought with Him knows no earthly boundaries but exists in the hearts of believers. It exists visibly wherever God’s word is purely preached, and Christ’s sacraments are administered correctly. Nor is the land of Canaan a picture of a future kingdom of Christ on earth. What does it prefigure then?

It is a picture of the new heavens and new earth, which is life everlasting. The Lord says in Isaiah 65:17, “Behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; And the former shall not be remembered or come to mind.” The apostle writes in 2 Peter 3:13, “We, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.” When Christ returns in glory and brings this about, God’s people will not be surrounded by unbelieving nations as His Old Testament people were. Unlike the New Testament church, God’s people will not be scattered across the earth, dwelling in the midst of an unbelieving world with unbelievers in the midst of them. On that day, the only boundary will be the one that separates the righteous from the wicked. John says in Revelation 22:15, “Outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie.” Within the land God gives His people—the new heavens and new earth—there will be only peace, righteousness, and joy because that is where God will dwell with His people, comfort them, and give them every good thing.

Let us pray: Help us, good Lord, so that our hearts do not become set on the things of this life in such a way that we lose sight of the Promised Land of eternal life. Amen.