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The borders of the modern state of Israel are a fraction of the territory the LORD granted the long ago. The promises for a much larger area from Genesis to Revelation speak to the wider vision of many nations in the Kingdom of Heaven and how our vision for our own potential may be too narrow.
Thought questions
Numbers 34
- Why is it important to know the borders of the Promised Land God brought Israel into?
- Which location did God start from in delineating Israel’s borders?
- What are the meanings of the names of these places?
- What’s the connection of the location of the southern border and where the spies entered?
- Where is Mt. Hor on the northern border?
- When looking at modern Israel, how does it compare to the land God established?
- What about the writings in the prophets about Israel being cast out of the land?
- Upon Messiah’s return, will the inheritance go to the original owners (Ezek. 47:13-20)?
Numbers 35
- What is the significance of the names of people?
- What do the names mean, such as Ephraim and Manasseh?
- How many cities did the Levites inherit in the land and where were those cities located?
- How does God view murder and capital punishment?
- Is the ransoming of a murderer what we call a “plea bargain”?
- Does God see different degrees of murder, like we do today?
- How does this compare with the passage, “Vengeance is mine, says the LORD, I will repay” (Deut. 32:35)?
- Is the rite about the “blood avenger” advocating lynching?
- How do the refuge cities factor into this?
- Modern case law and pundits say that capital punishment makes society no better than the murderer. Does this mean that God is “mean,” “barbaric” or “archaic”?
- How does the account of the Flood and God’s reaction to having to send it answer this question?
- What does this chapter say about the attitude of the blood avenger in carrying out the execution?
- How does bloodshed pollute the land?
- What is the lesson of capital punishment and the sacrifices?
- What is the connection between the Messiah and the blood avenger?
- Is the ransoming of a murderer what we call a “plea bargain”?