June 2, 2010 (Numbers 33-36)

I found this verse interesting - perhaps this is where 'journaling' came from:

^33:2 At the Lord’s direction, Moses kept a written record of their progress. These are the stages of their march, identified by the different places where they stopped along the way.

I think it's good to make a "written record of our progress". Of seeing God's faithfulness demonstrated to us, so that in those dark times we have something to refer back to.

Again we see that forming alliances with the people of the land will do nothing but cause trouble:

^33:55 But if you fail to drive out the people who live in the land, those who remain will be like splinters in your eyes and thorns in your sides. They will harass you in the land where you live. ⁵⁶ And I will do to you what I had planned to do to them.”

And then, the need for capital punishment:

^35:30 “All murderers must be put to death, but only if evidence is presented by more than one witness. No one may be put to death on the testimony of only one witness. ³¹ Also, you must never accept a ransom payment for the life of someone judged guilty of murder and subject to execution; murderers must always be put to death. ³² And never accept a ransom payment from someone who has fled to a city of refuge, allowing a slayer to return to his property before the death of the high priest. ³³ This will ensure that the land where you live will not be polluted, for murder pollutes the land. And no sacrifice except the execution of the murderer can purify the land from murder. ³⁴ You must not defile the land where you live, for I live there myself. I am the Lord, who lives among the people of Israel.”