Numbers 34:1-2
Boundaries of the Promised Land
“1 The Lord spoke to Moses, 2 Command the Israelites and say to them: When you enter the land of Canaan, it will be allotted to you as an inheritance with these borders:”

Numbers 34:16-18
Leaders for Distributing the Land
“16 The Lord spoke to Moses, 17 These are the names of the men who are to distribute the land as an inheritance for you: Eleazar the priest and Joshua son of Nun. 18 Take one leader from each tribe to distribute the land.”
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The ‘Land Rush’ or ‘Land Run’ of the late 1880’s/ early 1890’s was an almost chaotic grab at property by settlers in the United States. The government at the time decided to ‘open up’ previously unavailable lands for settling, and while people had to pay the government for the properties they acquired, there was still a lot of previously claimed land (by the native tribes) that was sold to these new settlers. The tribal groups were supposed to get their share of the profits, but more likely they would have liked to have retained their lands. It’s a decision that would not go over well today.

This distribution of land to the 12 tribes of Israel was nothing like this chaotic attempt to promote settlement and expansion. Instead, God had His will at work in laying out borders ahead of time, assigning sections of land to the tribes according to their size and needs, and also as judgment on those people groups who were living in the land when the Israelites arrived. They had all had 40 years to see what God was up to and seek Him out, but they maintained their rebellion and sin and rather than seeking God out, they fought against Him instead. This was not some idealized sense of ‘manifest destiny’ and greed that drove the people of God. It was His will, His plan and it would be worked out in His way.

And so, when we read these passages of Scripture as Christ followers, we need to remember and understand that God has a set will, a set desire for how He wants things to be. He doesn’t bend and adjust to us, we bow to Him. He is righteous, sovereign and just. His plan and His ways are perfect. And if His desire is that His people, the Bride of Christ, would go and make disciples that make disciples, then that should be our primary concern, because that is His will, His plan and His way. We don’t want to stand with those who oppose Him, but rather rejoice with those who live, act and move according to His good purposes.