STS SUMMARY VOL. 3.

LESSON 121
Recap of last week study: lesson 120 Defeat of the MIDIANITES and death of BALAAM.
Text: Numbers 31: 1 – 54
Lessons
 As believers, we should not seek personal revenge in any matter. All injustice meted at on us should be
left into God’s hands to handle.
 Believers are warned not to put any stumbling block before others.
 The law of sowing and reaping is intact
 Believers should beware and keep themselves ready at all times
 Believers should be generous in dispensing the resources that God has given to them

PRESENT STUDY: LESSON 121: TITLED – PREPARATION FOR POSSESSION OF THE LAND

MEMORY VERSE: And ye shall dispossess the inhabitants of the land, and dwell therein: for I have given
you the land to possess it (Numbers 33: 53)
Text: Numbers 32: 1-42; 33: 1-56; 34:1-29

INTRODUCTION
From the text, the tribes of Reuben and Gad asked Moses to give them the plains of Moab for an inheritance
Moses rebuked them for making such a request and highlighted the implications and conditions for granting
their request.
Q1: Explain the faithfulness of God to Israel and the lessons for believers.
Answer: God proved Himself as the Almighty, Warrior, Defender, Guide, Provider, Healer, Helper and
Sustainer of His people.
Lessons for believers:
 Believers should rest on the unfailing promises of God
 Believers can only get the best of God’s inheritance here and in eternity through obedience to His
word.

POINT I: REQUEST OF THE TWO TRIBES AND MOSES REBUKE (NUMBERS 32: 1-42; PHILI.
2:4; 1COR. 2:9; IICOR. 4:18; PSA. 119:111; JUDGES 8:1-33)
Numbers 32: 5 – they wanted their own inheritance in the land which Israel had already conquered.
Believers should note the following from the request
 They were motivated by what they saw rather than what God has said.
 Their request was made without due consideration for the implications of having the tabernacle, the
Ark of God and the priests on the other side Jordan while they remained separated by a natural, the
river Jordan.
 They did not consider the effect of their decision on other Israelites.
 The two tribes pre-empted the application of the sharing formula that God prescribed for the division of
the Land of Canaan.
 They left that there could be nothing better than the land on the other side Jordan
Q2: What can believers learn from the permissive will granted the two and a half tribes?
Answer:
 Walking by sight and making decisions on the basis of rational or sense evidence alone can mislead a
believer to settle for something less than God’s perfect will.
 The two tribes did not accord their spiritual welfare a greater priority than the cattle and herbs
 Believers are to “look not every man on his own thing but every man also on the things of others” Phil.
2:4)
Q3: highlight the conditions Moses gave before granting them the permissive will and the lessons from them.
Answer:
 On the condition they would go armed along with their brethren to battle accord Jordan.
Lessons:
  It almost made the other tribes to stumble and fight unnecessary war when they (Reubenites, Gadites
and half tribe of Manasseh) later made an altar of witness, in an attempt to identify their territory with
the rest of Israel who dwelt on the other side Jordan.
 It brought a polarity between them and the other tribes.
 The Reubenites, Gadites and half tribe of Manasseh were the first to go into total idolatry and the very
first to go into captivity.

POINT 2 – RECORD OF ISREAL ITINARARY FROM EGYPT TO JORDAN (Num 33:1-56; Exo
12:37; 13:20; 14:1,2,22; 15:22,23,27; 16:1; 17:1; 19:1; Num. 11:34,35; 12:16; 20:1-22,23,25,28; 21:4, 10-
22; 22:1; ICor. 2:9,10).
Their journey can be divided into three main segments of encampment
 They had eleven encampments from Ramesses into Egypt to Sinai Peninsula.
 Twenty-one encampments from Sinai to Kadesh-barnea
 Eight encampments from Kadesh barnea to the plains of Moab
Altogether, there were forty encampments. This record shows their wandering in the wilderness for about
forty years because of their unbelief rebellion.
LESSONS FROM RECORD-KEEPING
 It serves as a reminder about God’s great dealings with us as individuals as well as the future
generation.
 Record keeping helps in evaluation, planning and decision making in the church or personal endeavor.
 Keeping personal records of answered prayers goes a long way for strengthening personal faith and that
of others.
Q4. Point out the importance of record-keeping
Answer.
The above three (3) points.
Q5. What can we learn from Israel’s journey from Egypt to Jordan?
Answer.
 It shows the love of God and His faithfulness in leading Israel through their journey
 Their sites of encampment were marked out by God’s sovereign Land.
 The journey of Israel gives believers a picture of their journey of faith.
Q6. Highlight the lessons of Israel’s journey from Egypt to the land of promise.
Answer.
This highlights the changer of compromise and unequal yoke, the consequences of such were incalculable.

POINT 3- RESPONSIBILITIES OF SHARING ISREAL’S INHERITANCE AND LESSONS FOR

BELIVERS (Num, 34:1-29; Deu. 1:8; Job 18:10; 14:1,2; 2nd Peter 1:3-4; Rom 11:22).
From the above, we learn that orderliness in every area of our lives is an important virtue. Believers can now
rely on the spirit of God for guidance in all areas of life.
Q7. In what way can Christian leaders ensure that the gospel reaches every segment of their society?
Answer.
It is important that Christian leaders should develop able men and women who will carry the gospel to all the
nooks and crannies of their societies.

CONCLUSION
God has promised inexhaustible inheritance for everyone and has given precious promises by which we
should claim them namely. Salvation for sins, blessings that pertain to life and Godliness, family life,
academic, spiritual and business for material and ministerial breakthrough among others, are available for
believers to inherit by faith in Christ.