time’s up for Balaam

Joshua 13:15-23 (JDV)

Joshua 13:15 To the tribe of Reuben’s descendants by their clans, Moses gave
Joshua 13:16 this as their territory: From Aroer on the rim of the Arnon Valley, along with the city in the middle of the valley, the whole plateau as far as Medeba,
Joshua 13:17 with Heshbon and all its cities on the plateau– Dibon, Bamoth-baal, Beth-baal-meon,
Joshua 13:18 Jahaz, Kedemoth, Mephaath,
Joshua 13:19 Kiriathaim, Sibmah, Zereth-shahar on the hill in the valley,
Joshua 13:20 Beth-peor, the slopes of Pisgah, and Beth-jeshimoth –
Joshua 13:21 all the cities of the plateau, and all the kingdom of King Sihon of the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon. Moses had killed him and the chiefs of Midian – Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba – the princes of Sihon who lived in the land.
Joshua 13:22 Along with those the Israelites put to death, they also killed the diviner, Balaam son of Beor, with the sword.
Joshua 13:23 The border of the Reubenites was the Jordan and its plain. This was the inheritance of the Reubenites by their clans, with the cities and their settlements.

time’s up for Balaam

The Geneva Study Bible comments on verse 22: “So that both they who obeyed wicked counsel and the wicked counsellor perished by the just judgment of God.”

We have to remember when we study the conquest of Israel that everyone who died as a result of the Israelite invasions were already judged and condemned by God. It was not just that Balaam and the Midianites were unlucky to be in the land at the wrong time. Their time had been given to them by God’s grace, and now their time was up.

Lord, teach us to use our time wisely, and always to seek your counsel.