In this message we will begin to consider the overcoming of the Midianites by the children of Israel (31:1-54).
Chapters twenty-seven through thirty cover the matters of the renumbering, the statute of judgment for women's inheriting the land, the death and successor of Moses, the statutes concerning the offerings as God's food, and the statutes concerning vows. In chapter thirty-one we see that there was the need for the children of Israel to overcome the troublesome Midianites. This enemy had to be defeated. Otherwise, when God's people were about to enter into the good land, the Midianites would have been behind them, and that would have caused serious trouble. This enemy had to be defeated. Therefore, God charged Moses to destroy the Midianites.
What do the Midianites signify? In typology, the Midianites signify the filthiness of the lust of the flesh, which is related to the devil Satan and the world. With the flesh there is lust, and with lust there is filthiness, defilement, which is related to Satan and the world.
The Old Testament gives us a picture of the Midianites. The Midianites were descendants of Abraham, born of his second wife, Keturah. Hence, by nature they were close to the Israelites in the flesh (Gen. 25:1-2). The Midianites were united with the Moabites, the descendants of Lot through incest in the lust of the flesh (Num. 22:3-4, 7; Gen. 19:30-38). Furthermore, the Midianites were one with the Ishmaelites, the descendants of Abraham by the flesh, who sold Joseph into Egypt (Gen. 37:27-28, 36). The Midianites were also connected with the Amalekites, the descendants of Esau (Judg. 6:3, 33; Gen. 36:12). Finally, the Midianites produced Balaam, who ensnared the children of Israel in fornication and idolatry (Num. 22:7; 31:16).
We need to realize that as we are pursuing the Lord's interests, there is an enemy—the filthiness of the lust of the flesh signified by the Midianites—right behind us. This enemy has a number of evil relatives and associates. Moreover, with this enemy, this filthiness, a false prophet is hidden. This false prophet seeks to ensnare us and frustrate us from fulfilling God's desire.