Before we judge God harshly, let’s ask ourselves some questions: Does God have an eternal plan for even innocent children? Is it merciful to allow children just to be sacrificed, or taught harmful practices, or do we trust God with a mysterious future not yet fully revealed? Is God perfectly loving and just, even in ways we don’t yet understand? Let’s look at Numbers 32.
Which two tribes wanted to settle east of the Jordan River with a large cattle herd?
Now, the descendants of Reuben and descendants of Gad happened to be joint owners of a very large herd of cattle. When they observed that Jazer and Gilead were good grazing lands for cattle, the descendants of Gad and descendants of Reuben approached Moses, Eleazar the priest, and the leaders of the community and said, “Ataroth, Dibon, Jazer, Nimrah, Heshbon, Elealeh, Sebam, Nebo, and Beon— the land that the Lord defeated in the sight of the community of Israel—is perfect for cattle and your servants have cattle. If we’ve found favor in your sight, let this land be given to your servants as our possession instead of us crossing the Jordan River.” (Numbers 32:1-5 ISV)
Did Moses have a frank conversation with them about conquering the land?
And Moses said unto the children of Gad and to the children of Reuben, Shall your brethren go to war, and shall ye sit here? And wherefore discourage ye the heart of the children of Israel from going over into the land which the Lord hath given them? Thus did your fathers, when I sent them from Kadeshbarnea to see the land. For when they went up unto the valley of Eshcol, and saw the land, they discouraged the heart of the children of Israel, that they should not go into the land which the Lord had given them. And the Lord's anger was kindled the same time, and he sware, saying, Surely none of the men that came up out of Egypt, from twenty years old and upward, shall see the land which I sware unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob; because they have not wholly followed me: Save Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite, and Joshua the son of Nun: for they have wholly followed the Lord. (Numbers 32:6-12 KJV)
What else did Moses warn the two tribes of Reuben and Gad about?
So Yahweh’s anger burned against Israel, and He made them wander in the wilderness forty years, until the entire generation of those who had done evil in the sight of Yahweh was brought to an end. Now behold, you have risen up in your fathers’ place, a brood of sinful men, to add still more to the burning anger of Yahweh against Israel. For if you turn away from following Him, He will once more abandon them in the wilderness, and you will destroy all these people.” (Numbers 32:13-15 LSB)
What did Reuben and Gad pledge to Moses and all Israel?
Then they approached him and said, “We will build sheepfolds for our livestock here and cities for our little ones; but we ourselves will be armed, hurrying ahead of the sons of Israel, until we have brought them to their place, while our little ones live in the fortified cities because of the inhabitants of the land. We will not return to our homes until every one of the sons of Israel has gained possession of his inheritance. But we will not have an inheritance with them on the other side of the Jordan and beyond, because our inheritance has come to us on this side of the Jordan toward the east.” (Numbers 32:16-19 NASB)
What was Moses’ reply to the two tribes of Reuben and Gad?
Then Moses said to them, “If you will do this—if you will arm yourselves before the Lord for battle and if all of you who are armed cross over the Jordan before the Lord until he has driven his enemies out before him— then when the land is subdued before the Lord, you may return and be free from your obligation to the Lord and to Israel. And this land will be your possession before the Lord. But if you fail to do this, you will be sinning against the Lord; and you may be sure that your sin will find you out. Build cities for your women and children, and pens for your flocks, but do what you have promised.” (Numbers 32:20-24 NIV)
How did the descendants of Gad and Reuben answer Moses?
And the children of Gad and the children of Reuben spoke to Moses, saying: “Your servants will do as my lord commands. Our little ones, our wives, our flocks, and all our livestock will be there in the cities of Gilead; but your servants will cross over, every man armed for war, before the Lord to battle, just as my lord says.” (Numbers 32:25-27 NKJV)
What orders did Moses then give to Eleazar and the clan leaders?
So Moses gave orders to Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the leaders of the clans of Israel. He said, “The men of Gad and Reuben who are armed for battle must cross the Jordan with you to fight for the Lord. If they do, give them the land of Gilead as their property when the land is conquered. But if they refuse to arm themselves and cross over with you, then they must accept land with the rest of you in the land of Canaan.” (Numbers 32:28-30 NLT)
Did the descendants of Gad and Reuben reiterate their pledge?
The children of Gad and the children of Reuben answered, saying, “As Yahweh has said to your servants, so will we do. We will pass over armed before Yahweh into the land of Canaan, and the possession of our inheritance shall remain with us beyond the Jordan.” (Numbers 32:31-32 WEB)
What other tribe joined Gad and Reuben to inherit land east of the Jordan River?
So Moses gave to them—to the Gadites, the Reubenites, and half the tribe of Manasseh, Joseph’s son—the kingdom of Sihon the king of the Amorites, and the kingdom of Og the king of Bashan, including the land, its cities, and the territory surrounding the land’s cities. The Gadites built Dibon, Ataroth, Aroer, Atroth-shophan, Jazer, Jogbehah, Beth-nimrah, and Beth-haran, fortified cities and walled enclosures for flocks. The Reubenites built Heshbon, Elealeh, Kiriathaim, Nebo, and Baal-meon (whose names were changed), and Sibmah. They named the cities that they built. The descendants of Machir, Manasseh’s son, went to Gilead, captured it, and drove out the Amorites who were there. So Moses gave Gilead to Machir, Manasseh’s son, and he lived there. Manasseh’s son Jair went and captured their villages and named them Havvoth-jair. Nobah went and captured Kenath and its surrounding villages. He renamed it Nobah after himself. (Numbers 32:33-42 CEB)
Why was God removing previous occupants from the land and giving it to Israel?
Don't sacrifice your children on the altar fires to the god Molech. I am the Lord your God, and that would disgrace me. It is disgusting for a man to have sex with another man. Anyone who has sex with an animal is unclean. Don't make yourselves unclean by any of these disgusting practices of those nations that I am forcing out of the land for you. They made themselves and the land so unclean, that I punished the land because of their sins, and I made it vomit them up. (Leviticus 18:21–24 CEV)
Before we judge God harshly, let’s ask ourselves some questions: Does God have an eternal plan for even innocent children? Is it merciful to allow children just to be sacrificed, or taught harmful practices, or do we trust God with a mysterious future not yet fully revealed? Is God perfectly loving and just, even in ways we don’t yet understand? You decide!
