LIFE-STUDY OF NUMBERS

MESSAGE FORTY-FOUR

FIGHTING

(13)

Scripture Reading: Num. 31:13-54

In this message we will continue to consider the overcoming of the Midianites by the children of Israel.

E. The Purging and the Purification
of the Captives and the Spoil

According to 31:13-24, both the captives and the spoil had to be purged and purified.

1. Killing Every Male among the Little Ones
and Every Woman Who Had Been Married

Moses commanded that every male among the little ones and every woman who had been married should be killed (vv. 13-18). If we do not have a spiritual view of the situation, we might think that this command was cruel and inhuman. But if we do have a spiritual view, realizing that the Midianites typify the filthiness of the lust of the flesh, we will admit that Moses' command was proper.

2. Those Who Had Killed Any Person
and Those Who Had Touched Any Slain Person
Encamping outside the Camp Seven Days
and Purifying Themselves and Their Captives

Verse 19 says, "Encamp outside the camp seven days; whoever of you has killed any person and whoever has touched any slain, purify yourselves and your captives on the third day and on the seventh day." Those who had killed someone and those who had touched a slain person had become defiled and needed to be purified. This purification took place on the third day and again on the seventh day. In typology, the third day signifies resurrection, and the seventh day signifies completion.

3. Purifying Every Garment,
Every Article of Skin,
All Work of Goats' Hair,
and Every Article of Wood

The people were required to purify every garment, every article of skin, all work of goats' hair, and every article of wood (v. 20). These things were purified with water, since they could not pass through fire.

4. Purging and Purifying All Metal
and Purifying Whatever Could Not Stand the Fire

All the metal—gold, silver, bronze, iron, tin, and lead—were to be purged by passing through fire and then purified with the water for impurity. Whatever could not stand the fire was to be purified by passing through water.

5. Washing Their Clothes on the Seventh Day

"You shall wash your clothes on the seventh day, and you shall be clean; and afterward you shall come into the camp" (v. 24). This washing of their clothes signifies the washing of our behavior and of all that we are.

All these matters concerning the purging and purifying of the captives and the spoil show us that everything related to God must be clean, having been purged, purified, or washed. We must keep this principle in touching things which are related to God. Whatever has been defiled, contaminated, by death must be purged or purified or washed.