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Why is it that God specifically told Moses to write down these places? We may not have a complete picture of it but God did not ask Moses to write this down just for the sake of history. As in parts 1 and 2 of this discussion of Numbers 33, we see there’s a bigger picture to be found in the names of these places that Moses records and we endeavor to discover God’s picture.
God wanted them to remember that He is very kind and merciful but He also does not overlook rebellion.
God teaches humility through humiliation. Once you realize that God is humiliating you — lowering you to the level you’re really at — you can either rebel or submit and humble yourself. God shows His love not only through joy but also during times of discipline. It can even last 40 years, through life and death, through comfort and exposure.
These names came after the events that may have occurred in these encampments, not before and calls to mind the ebb and flow of God’s relationship with the children of Israel from the time they left Egypt to the time the second generation reached the Jordan and prepared to enter the Land of Promise.
Text: Num. 33:28-56
The next encampment we consider is called מִתְקָה Mithkah (Strong’s lexicon No. H4989). The word brings to mind sweetness and abundance (מָתֹק mathoq, H4985).
Hashmonah (חַשְׁמֹנָה H2832) was a place of correction and admonishment. The root of the word is חַשְׁמַן chashman, (H2831) an ambassador. It also brings to mind fatness and fertility.
Moseroth (מֹסֵרוֹת H4149), the root is מוּסָר moser (H4147) was a place of shackles and bondage and correction.
Bene-jaakan (בְנֵי יַעֲקָן H1142), breaks down into the Hebrew words בֵּן ben (H1121) which means “son” and “Akan” (H6130) who was a descendant of Esau. The name can be translated as the area of the sons of Esau. The greater meaning comes from עָקַל ’anal (H6127) is the “sons of twisting” or “Let Him oppress them”
Hor-haggidgad (חֹר הַגִּדְגָּד H2735) was their encampment in the area that is now called Gilead. This was a place where the people had muster up their troops. From the root verb גָּדַד gadad (H1413), which means “to crowd, to gash,” this could have been a place of gathering for war.
Jotbathah (יָטְבָתָה H3193) was a place of pleasantness (יָטַב yatab, H3190). It was also a place of making amends and finding favor. We have this concept of that the 40 years in the wilderness were all about punishment, but looking at this recollection, God did punish but He also gave blessing and joy.
Abronah (עַבְרֹנָה H5684) was the next encampment, the root of this word (עָבַר ’abar, H5674a, “to pass over, through or by, pass on”) is similar to the root word in the name of the city of Hebron. It commemorates an alliance and a rite of passage. It was also a place where they were “passing through.
Ezion-geber (עֶצְיוֹן גָּבֶר H6100), from גָּבַר gabar (H1396, “to be strong, mighty”), was a place of strength, like a man’s backbone. It was place where the children of Israel had to “find their backbone” and had to go to war (H1397).
Kadesh (קָדֵשׁ H6946) comes from a root word for holiness (קֹדֶשׁ qodesh/kodesh, H6944). It was a place of “show and tell.” When God gives you a task, He doesn’t tell you, He shows you. God showed Moses what to do with the tabernacle, but He also showed him everything He told Moses to write down.
Mount Hor (הֹר הָהָר H2022 and H2023) in Edom. This is the “mountain of the mountain,” this is the mountain where Aaron died at the age of 123. Moses died shortly thereafter at the age of 120.
Zalmonah (צַלְמֹנָה H6758) was a place of the shadow of death. The Hebrew root צֶלֶם tselem literally means “phantom.” (H6754)
Punon (פוּנֹן H6325). From the root word אָפוּנַה aphunah (H647a, “helpless”), this could have been a place of darkness and helplessness.
Oboth (אֹבֹת H88) means “water skins” (אוֹב ob, H178) they were collecting water.
Iye-haAbarim (עִיֵּי הָעֲבָרִים H5863), the ruins of Avarim (plural of ’abar, “to pass over, through”). means something that was destroyed or ruined.
Dibon-Gad (דִיבֹן גָּד H1410) was a city located in Moab but it’s also a city of Judah. Gad (גַּד, H1409) means “fortune” but it also was a place where they pined and wasted away.
Almon-diblathaim (עַלְמֹן דִּבְלָתָיְמָה H5963), literally means “House of fig cakes,” was a place of concealment and sweetness, as ’almon comes from עָלַם ’alam (H5956, “to conceal”) and diblathamin comes from the word דְּבֵלָה debelah (H1690), a word for a lump or cake of figs.
Beth-jeshimoth (בֵּית הַיְשִׁמֹת H1020) is a “house” (בֵּית) of death or desolation. It may be the place where many people died, because the word jeshimoth comes from מָוֶת maveth (H4194), which means death or plague.
Abel-haShittim (אָבֵל הַשִּׁטִּים H63) was a meadow (אָבֵל ’abel, H58) of acacia (H7848), which is the wood used to build the Tabernacle and the Ark.
God sometimes works with us like a woman making bread. She mixes the dough, allows it to rise for a while and then beats it down. After a short time of kneading, she walks away and allows it to rise again. Then she comes back and kneads it one more time before shaping it and baking it in an oven to make a presentable loaf.
Many people want to pass through the book of Numbers as quickly as possible. There are too many proper names, too many nouns, too many complicated verbs but there is so much written here for our education and edification.
There are times in all our lives when a light switch just clicked. God showed us something new and we immediately had to face a crossroads, are we going to follow that light or turn the light off and ignore the lesson?
How are you to be a light to the world? Does a candle talk? Does it preach? No, it simply shines a light. The light shows helps us see if our face is dirty or clean. The light doesn’t wash your face or change your shirt. The light just shows. It’s your decision on how to respond to what the light shows you.
Speaker: Richard Agee. Summary: Tammy.
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