Christian Stress Management: Bible Study Lessons from Pisgah and Bashan

When the Israelites left Beer, They went to Mattanah and then to Nahaliel and then to Bamoth which is in the valley before going to the top of Pisgah. (Numbers 21:18-20)

The Israelites sent messengers to King Sihon of the Amorites asking for permission to pass through their land. They promised not to enter their fields or vineyards or drink water from their wells.

However, King Sihon would not give the Israelites permission to pass through their land and sent his people to fight against Israel in the wilderness at a place called Jahaz. The Israelites defeated them and captured all their cities from the Arnon to the Jabbok which was at the border with the people of Ammon since the Ammonites border was fortified. Since King Sihon had already fought and defeated the Moabites up to Arnon, they Israelites also took possession of the Moabites land. (Numbers 21:21-26)

The Israelites therefore lived in the land of the Amorites and from there Moses sent out spies to Jazer before they captured its villages and drove out the Amorites who lived there. (Numbers 21:31-32)

Lesson #1

Choose your battles wisely

When the Israelites were in Kadesh, they asked the people of Edom for permission to pass through their land but the Edomites declined to give them. The Israelites then had to turn away and walk around their land. (Numbers 20:14-21)

Moses and the Israelites therefore did not fight the people of Edom who were the descendats of Esau because they would have lost for God had told Moses, "You are about to pass through the land of your brothers, the descendants of Esau and they will be afraid of you. Therefore watch yourselves carefully. Do not meddle with them because I will not give you any of their land, not even one footstep because I have given Mount Seir to Esau." (Deuteronomy 2:4-5)

Call to me and I will answer yu and show you great and mighty things which you did not know Jeremiah 33:3

However, when the Israelites asked the Amorites for permission to pass through their land, they were also denied. However, this time, they fought. They fought the Amorites, won the battle and took possession of the land of the Ammonites as well as the land that the Amorites had captured from the Moabites.

The Israelites fought the Amorites because God had given them permission to fight for He said, "I have given you King Sihon of the Amorites and his land. Start to possess it and engage him in battle." (Deuteronomy 2:24)

Moses thus sent messengers to King Sihon asking for permission to pass through his territory but Sihon would not let him since God had hardened his spirit and made him stubborn so that He would deliver him into the Israelites' hand. (Deuteronomy 2:26-30)

Moses and the Israelites were therefore able to defeat King Sihon and the Amorites and take his cities and livestock. (Deuteronomy 2:31-36)

Therefore, choose your battles wisely.

To do this, pray and ask God to show you the battles you should fight and those you should not fight so that you do not end up fighting battles you were never supposed to have fought in the first place.

In all your ways acknowledge God and He shall direct your paths Proverbs 3:6

Then Moses sent spies to Jazer and they conquered its villages and drove out the Amorites who were there. (Numbers 21:32)

Then the Israelites turned and went up to Bashan. (Numbers 21:33)

When they went to Bashan, King Og of Bashan came to fight them at Edrei.

However, God encouraged Moses and told him, "Do not fear because I have delivered him into your hand with all his people and land." (Numbers 21:34)

Moses and the Israelites then defeated King Og and destroyed all his people and took possession of their land.

Click here for the Exodus Bible Study which shows you all the things that kept the Israelites wandering in the wilderness for 40 years (14,600 days) instead of taking 11 days to move from Egypt to their Promised Land.