Category: Scripture

After the death of Moses the Lord’s servant, the Lord spoke to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ assistant. He said, “Moses My servant is dead. Therefore, the time has come for you to lead these people, the Israelites, across the Jordan River into the land I am giving them. I promise you what I promised Moses: ‘Wherever you set foot, you will be on the land I have given you-from the Negev wilderness in the south to the Lebanon mountains to the north, from the Euphrates River in the east to the Mediterranean Sea in the west, including all the land of the Hittites.’No one wil be able to stand against you as long as you live. For I will be with youas I was with Moses. I will not fail you or a abandon you.”

“Be strong and courageous, for you are the one who will lead these people to possess all the land I swore to their ancestors I would give them. Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do. Study the Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do. This is My command-be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” (vv. 1-9, NLT)

[Moses said[ “When you enter the land the Lord you God is giving you, be very careful not imitate the detestable customs of the nations living there. For example, never sacrifice you son or daughter as a burnt offering. And do not let your people practice fortune-telling, or use sorcery, or interpret omens, or engage in witchcraft, or cast spells, or function as mediums or psychics, or call forth spirits of the dead. Anyone who does these things is detestable to the Lord. It is because the other nations have done these detestable things that the Lord your God will drive them out ahead of you. But you must be blameless before the Lord your God. The nations you are about to displace consult sorcerers and fortune-tellers, but the Lord your God forbids you to do such things.” (vv. 9-14, NLT)

[Moses said] “Appoint judges and officials for yourselves from each of your tribes in all the towns the Lord your God is giving to you. They must judge the people fairly. You must never twist justice or sho partiality. Never accept a bribe, for bribes blind the eyes of the wise and corrupt the decisions of the godly. Let tru justice prevail, so that you may live an occupy the land that the Lord you God is giving to you. “

“YOu mst never set o a wooden Asherah pole beside the alter you build for the Lord you God. And never set up sacred pillars for worship, for the Lord you God hates them.” (vv. 18-23, NLT)

[Moses said] “You must set aside a tithe of your crops-one-tenth of all the crops you harvest each year. Bring this tithe to the designated place of worship-the place the Lord your God choses for His name to be honored-and eat it there in His presence. This applies to your tithes of grain, new wine, olive oil, and the firstborn males of your flocks and herds. Doing this will teach you always fear the Lord your God.” (vv 22-23, NLT)

[Moses said] “And now Israel, what doe the Lord you God require of you? He requires only that you fear the Lord you God, and live in a way that pleases Him, and love Him and sere Him with all your hear and soul And you must always obey the Lord’s commandments and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good.”

“Look, the highest heavens and the earth and everything in it all belong to the Lord your God. Yet the Lord chose your ancestors as the objects of His love. And He chose you, their descendants above all other nations, as is evident today. Therefore, change your hearts and stop being stubborn.” (vv. 12-16, NLT)

[Moses said] “The Lord did not set His heart on you and choose you because you were more numerous that other nations, for you were the smallest of all nations! Rather, it was simply that the Lord loves you, and He was keeping His oath He had sworn to your ancestors. That is why the Lord rescued you with such a strong hand from your slavery and from the oppressive hand of Pharaoh, king of Egypt. Understand, therefore, that the Lord your God is indeed God. He is the faithful God who keeps His covenant for a thousand generations and lavishes His unfailing love on those tho love Him and obey His commands. But He does not hesitate to punish and destroy those who reject Him. Therefore, you must obey all these commands, decrees, and regulations I am giving you today.” (vv. 7-11, NLT)

[Moses said] “Now search all of history, from the time God created people on the earth until now, and search from one end of the heavens to the other. Has anything as great as this has ever been seen or heard before? Has any nation ever heard the voice of God speaking from fire-as you did-and survived? Has any other god dared to take nation for himself out of another nation by means of trials, miraculous signs, wonders, was, a strong hand, a powerful arm, and terrifying acts? Yet that is what the Lord your God did for you in Egypt, right before your eyes.”

“He showed you these thing so you would know that the Lord is God and there is no other. He let your hear His voice from heaven so He could instruct you. He let you see His great fire her on earth so He could speak to you from it. Because He loved your ancestors He chose to bless their descendants, and he personally brought you out of Egypt with a great display of power. He drove our nations far greater than you, so He could bring you in and give you their land as you special possession, as it is today. “

“So remember this and keep firmly in mind: The Lord is God both in heaven and on earth, and there is no other. If you obey all the decrees and commands I am giving you today, all will be well with you and your children. I am giving you these instructions so you will enjoy a long life in the land the Lord your God is giving you for all time.” (vv. 32-40, NLT)

[Moses said] “When we were at Mount Sinai, the Lord our Go said to us, ‘You have stayed at this mountain long enough It is time to break camp and more on. Go to the hill country of the Amorites and to all the neighboring regions-the Jordan Valley, the hill country, the western foothills, the Negev, and the costal plain. Go to the land of the Canaanites and to Lebanon, and all the way to the great Euphrates River. Look, I am giving all this and to you! Go in an occupy it, for it is the land the Lord swore to give to your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and to all their descendants.'” (vv. 6-8, NLT)

This is the message that Balaam delivered:

“This is the message of Balaam son of Beor, the message of the man whose eyes sees clearly, the message of the one who hears the word of God, who has knowledge from the Most High, who sees a vision from the Almighty, who bows down with eyes wide open: ‘I see Him, but not hear and now. I perceive Him, but fat in the distant future.

A star will rise from Jacob.: a scepter will emerge from Israel. It will crush the foreheads of Moab’e people, cracking the skulls of the people of Sheth. Edom will be taken over, and Seir, its enemy will be conquered, while Israel marches on in triumph A ruler will rise in Jacob who will destroy the survivors in it.”

Then Balaam looked over toward the people of Amalek and delivered this message:

“Amalek was the greatest of nations, but its destiny is destruction!”

Then he looked over toward the Kenites and delivered this message:

“Your home is secure; you nest is set in the rocks. But the Kenites will be destroyed when Assyria takes you captive.”

Balaam concluded his message s by saying:

“Alas, who can survive unless God has willed it? Ships will come from the coasts of Cyprus; they will oppress Assyria and afflict Eber, but they, too, wil be utterly destroyed.

Then Balaam and Balak returned to their homes. (vv. 15-25, NLT)

By now Balaam realized that the Lord was determined to bless Israel, so he did not resort to divination as before. Instead, he turned and looked out toward the wilderness, where he saw the people of Israel campefd, tribe by tribe. Then the Spirit of God came upon him, and this is the message he delivered:

“This is the message of Balaam son of Beor, the mesage of the man whose eyes see clearly, the message of the one who hears the words of God, who sees a vision from the Almighty, who bows down with eyes wide open: How beautiful are your tents, O Jacob; how lovely are your homes, O Israel! They spread before me like palm groves, like gardens by the riverside. They are like tall trees planted by the Lord, like cedars beside the waters. Water will flow from their buckets; their offspring will have all they need.

Their king will be greater that Agag; their kingdom will be exalted. God brought them out of Egypt; for them He is as strong as a wild ox. He devours all the nations that oppose Him, breaking their bones in pieces, shooting them with arrows. Like a lion, Israel crouches and lies down; like a lioness, who dares to arouse her? Blessed is everyone who blesses you, O Israel, and cursed is everyone who curses you.” (vv 1-9 NLT)