But Sihon would not let Israel pass through his territory. Instead, he gathered his whole army and went out to confront Israel in the wilderness. When he came to Jahaz, he fought against Israel. Sermons
I. THEY ADVANCE UP TO A CERTAIN POINT WITHOUT HINDRANCE OF ANY SORT. We hear nothing more of this difficult and depressing way which had troubled them so much. Nothing is spoken of as arresting their progress till they come to the top of Pisgah. God takes them right onward to the place where afterward he showed Moses the promised land, and the hindrance which comes there is from outside themselves. It is not the lusting and murmuring of the people that come in the way, nor is it a craven fear of the enemy, nor the ambition and envy of a Korah. It is the enemy himself who comes in the way, and of course he must be expected, and may be amply prepared for. II. DURING THE ADVANCE THERE WAS MUCH SATISFACTION AND JOY. It was a negative blessing, and much to be thankful for, to have no murmurings and discords. It was a positive blessing, and even more to be thankful for, to take part in such a scene as that at Beer. How different from Marah, Rephidim, and Meribah, where God's mercy came amid complainings from Meribah especially, where the mercy was accompanied with judgments on the leaders of the people. Here, unsolicited, God gives water; he makes the princes and nobles of the people his fellow-workers; and, above all, the voices so long used in murmuring now sounded forth the sweet song of praise. The Lord indeed put a new song in their mouth. There had been a sad want of music before. There had been loud rejoicings indeed at the Red Sea, but that was a long while ago. It was something new for the people to sing as they did here. Where there is saving faith in the heart, joy surely follows, and praise springs to the lip. III. ISRAEL MAKES A COMPLETE CONQUEST OF THE FIRST ENEMY HE MEETS. Israel did not want Sihon to be an enemy. He offered to go through his land, as through Edom, a harmless and speedy traveler. If the world will block the way of the Church, it must suffer the inevitable consequence. Sihon, emboldened doubtless by the knowledge of Israel's turning away from Edom, presumed that he would prove an easy prey. But Sihon neither knew why Israel turned away nor how strong Israel now was. The people were no longer discouraged because of the way, though they were contending not against the adversities of nature, but against the united forces of Sihon struggling for the very existence of their land. IV. THERE IS AN OCCUPATION OF THE ENEMY'S TERRITORY (verses 25, 31). "Israel dwelt in the land of the Amorites." There was thus an earnest of the rest and possession of Canaan, a foretaste of city and settled life that must have been very inspiring to people so long wandering, and having no dwelling more substantial than the tent. V. THERE IS CONTINUED VICTORY. The second hindrance disappears after the first. Og, king of Bashan, last of the giants (Deuteronomy 3:11), fared no better for all his strength than Sihon. It was not some peculiar weakness of Sihon that overthrew him. All enemies of God, however different in resource they may appear when they measure themselves among themselves, are alike to those who march in the strength of God. The power by which the Christian conquers one foe will enable him to conquer all. And yet because Og did look more formidable than Sihon, God gave his people special encouragement in meeting him (verse 34). God remembers that even the most faithful and ardent of his people cannot get entirely above the deceitfulness of outward appearances. VI. THERE IS GREAT ENERGY IN DESTROYING WHAT IS EVIL. Israel asks and is refused a way through the land of brother Edom, and then quietly turns aside to seek another way. By and by he asks Sihon for a peaceful way through his land, and is again refused, whereupon he conquers and occupies the land. But Og did not wait to be asked, perhaps would not have been asked if he had waited. It was a case of presumptuous opposition m spite of the warning fall of Sihon. And what made Og's opposition especially evil, looked at typically, was that he interposed the last barrier before reaching Jordan. Having conquered him, Israel was free to go fight on and pitch "in the plains of Moab, on this side Jordan, by Jericho." Og, therefore, is the type of evil fighting desperately in its last stronghold. And similarly the destroying energy of Israel seems to show how utterly evil will be smitten by the believer, when he meets it even at the verge of Jordan. Thus we have a cheering record of unbroken progress from the time the people looked to the lifted serpent to the time when they entered on the plains of Moab. - Y.
Sihon would not suffer Israel to pass. This is the practice of wicked men to pursue the children of God with all despiteful dealing, albeit they offer no occasion of hurt unto them. Cain; Joseph's brethren, &c. The reasons are very plain.1. For it seemeth unto them more than strange that the faithful are not brethren with them in evil, but separate themselves from them, and will touch no unclean thing. This is that which the Apostle Peter witnesseth (1 Peter 4:4, 5). But it is better for us to have the haired of men than fail in any part of our duty unto God. 2. No marvel if the wicked hate the godly, for the world hateth Christ.Uses: 1. We may assure ourselves that it is a lamentable condition to dwell among such malicious and mischievous enemies. 2. Seeing this is the entertainment that we must look for in the world, it behoves us to live in unity and to love one another as the children of the Father and the disciples of Christ. 3. Seeing hatred lodgeth in the heart of a wicked man toward the faithful, it is our duty to pray to God to be delivered from unreasonable and evil men (2 Thessalonians 3:2, 3). This David declareth (Psalm 35:12, 13, 15, 16, 17). Thus doth God wean us from the love of this world, that we should long after His kingdom, where is fulness of joy for evermore. (W. Attersoll.) Homilist. I. THE KING'S HIGHWAY SHOULD BE A PUBLIC ROAD. Royalty ought to be democracy personified. What the king holds is for the people's use; what he does, for their good.II. THE KING'S HIGHWAY SHOULD, THEREFORE, BE, FREE, But, alas! what king's highway is free? There are taxes and hindrances, and some are not allowed to pass it at all. National jealousies and pride bar the national highway. III. THE KING'S HIGHWAY BEING CLOSED, INJURES THOSE WHO CLOSE IT. 1. It makes enemies. Those who demand access are sore at the refusal. 2. It does not accomplish the object in view. Those who wish to get through, find other ways round. 3. It causes loss. The Israelites would have paid for all they required, and so have benefited the Edomites. IV. THERE IS ONE KING'S HIGHWAY WHICH IS FREE TO ALL, from which none are turned back, which is free from toll and safe from foes. This is that which Christ has opened, and which leads straight to the throne of God. (Homilist.) People Ammonites, Amon, Amorites, Arad, Canaanites, Chemosh, Israelites, Moses, Og, SihonPlaces Ar, Arad, Arnon, Bamoth, Bashan, Beer, Dedan, Dibon, Edom, Edrei, Egypt, Heshbon, Hormah, Iye-abarim, Jabbok River, Jahaz, Jazer, King's Highway, Mattanah, Medeba, Moab, Mount Hor, Nahaliel, Negeb, Nophah, Oboth, Pisgah, Red Sea, Suphah, Valley of Zered, WahebTopics Allow, Army, Border, Collected, Desert, Entire, Fighteth, Fought, Gathered, Gathereth, Got, Jahaz, Marched, Meet, Mustered, Pass, Permit, Reached, Sihon, Suffer, Suffered, Territory, War, Waste, WildernessOutline 1. Israel destroys the Canaanites at Hormah4. The people murmuring are plagued with fiery serpents 7. They repenting are healed by a bronze serpent 10. Various journeys of the Israelites 21. Sihon is overcome 33. And Og Dictionary of Bible Themes Numbers 21:23 8032 trust, lack of Library The Poison and the Antidote'And they journeyed from mount Hor by the way of the Red Sea, to compare the land of Edom: and the soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way. 5. And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread. 6. And the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died. 7. Therefore … Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture Man's Ruin and God's Remedy The Disciple, -- Master, in These Days Some Learned Men and their Followers Regard Thy... Messiah Suffering and Wounded for Us The Nations of the South-East The Lamb of God, the Great Atonement Ninth Sunday after Trinity Carnal Security and Its vices. Covenanting Performed in Former Ages with Approbation from Above. Nature of Covenanting. The Second Commandment The Hebrews and the Philistines --Damascus The Two Classes. Numbers Links Numbers 21:23 NIVNumbers 21:23 NLT Numbers 21:23 ESV Numbers 21:23 NASB Numbers 21:23 KJV Numbers 21:23 Bible Apps Numbers 21:23 Parallel Numbers 21:23 Biblia Paralela Numbers 21:23 Chinese Bible Numbers 21:23 French Bible Numbers 21:23 German Bible Numbers 21:23 Commentaries Bible Hub |
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