Numbers 36 SPIRITUAL INTUITION In every person's life there is an order of some kind they live by, whether that person is a believer in Christ or not. However, quite often there are issues that arise that don't fit our pattern of living. How are we to adapt to events or some things that happen in life that don't quite "fit the mold" we normally conduct our life by? The very last chapter of Numbers addresses this matter. The children of Israel were east of Jordan and could look across the river and see the land that would soon be theirs. Whose land? Who will own what? The head of families were going to get a designated portion within the designated tribal lands. By tradition the oldest son would inherit the father's property. The influence of parents on children will often determine the actions and convictions of the children. What is important to parents is what is important to children in most cases. So as parents we need to realize the value of what we pass on to our family. Not everything of value is physical or tangible. Attitude toward God and other people, the worth of integrity in life and of one's reputation, the passing on of life-principles is more important than the possessions we might give to our children.
Tribal heritage in Israel superseded the family claim when it came to property rights. To maintain the integrity of those tribal rights was important so there would be no mixing up of property rights in the future and consequent controversy over bits and pieces of land when a daughter's claim in a family would be passed on to her husband of a different tribe. To avoid this confusion, Moses was to pass on from God to the people the edict that if a daughter owned property she had to marry a man in her own tribe. Similar instructions are given to believers today when we are charged to "be not unequally yoked together with unbelievers." Confusion, chaos and imbalance happens in families, and among God's people in an assembly, when those who have been gathered by God to the Person and Name of the Lord Jesus Christ seek to "cross-pollinate" with those who do not have the same convictions as to the truth of God.
God understands the needs of His people whether they are widows, orphans or people who need help. Spiritual intuition and God-given wisdom are needed by those who lead the people of God so that reasonable and scriptural solutions can be given to out-of-the-ordinary situations that arise among us. Not every matter can be answered with a "snap judgment." To define a problem concisely and understandably is often the way the solution is found. Vague and ambiguous dialogue usually only confuses the matter and leads to dealing only with the symptoms and not the real problem.
The rights of individual are important, but how actions of one in the family affects others in a family unit has to be considered. Of even more importance is the consideration of a family in regards to its effect on all of God's people who gather together in assembly fellowship. For a family to arbitrarily move away from a place that depends a lot on their participation, can bring serious and lasting problems on many people. Confusion is caused when a person or family moves away from one place where they have had on-going fellowship, and then at some later date move back for their own interests without consideration as to what it does to those who remained in the local fellowship. In Israel if there was no son, it was possible for the rights of inheritance to go to a wider scope of people. However, the inheritance had to remain in the tribe.
To act independently on our own choice and not to consider the effect on others is inconsiderate and reveals a lack of spiritual intuition. The inheritance we have received from God is very valuable whether we realize it or not. The confusion and heart-break caused by breaking up an inheritance we have received from God, is known by God. Our heritage came from Him in the beginning and has been passed on to us by those who followed His divine guidance. We should never treat such a charge as something of insignificance.
At the conclusion of the book of Numbers there is a final statement concerning all things written in the book. These are commandments and judgments. Commandments are laws given to guide us to truth and to be acted upon. These laws govern our lives in way that please God. But we may have the commandments and for some reason, not act upon them. That is a serious mistake because these are also judgments. Judgments are what is decided upon, based on the commandments and how these are to be carried out. A commandment needs to be acted upon, and the judgments determine the application of the command.
In the service and walk of God's people, it is important that we do not make up our own laws and our own mode of carrying out the will of God. Principles taught in Numbers gave God's people in the past and present, principles to guide us as we travel through this wilderness world. These things were written for our learning and admonition. It is wise for us to use God-given spiritual intuition in carrying out His will. The Holy Spirit is always present to lead us and guide us through the difficult parts of the journey, and to keep us from straying or settling down to soon when the way is easy.