Numbers 31:47-54: a reflection

47even of the children of Israel’s half, Moses took one drawn out of every fifty, both of man and of animal, and gave them to the Levites, who performed the duty of the LORD’s tabernacle, as the LORD commanded Moses. 48The officers who were over the thousands of the army, the captains of thousands, and the captains of hundreds, came near to Moses. 49They said to Moses, “Your servants have taken the sum of the men of war who are under our command, and there lacks not one man of us. 50We have brought the LORD’s offering, what every man found: gold ornaments, armlets, bracelets, signet rings, earrings, and necklaces, to make atonement for our souls before the LORD.” 51Moses and Eleazar the priest took their gold, even all worked jewels. 52All the gold of the wave offering that they offered up to the LORD, of the captains of thousands, and of the captains of hundreds, was sixteen thousand seven hundred fifty shekels. 53The men of war had taken booty, every man for himself. 54Moses and Eleazar the priest took the gold of the captains of thousands and of hundreds, and brought it into the Tent of Meeting for a memorial for the children of Israel before the LORD.

After a battle, the officers of Israel's army come to Moses with a report and an offering that together express gratitude for God's protection. Your servants have taken the sum of the men of war who are under our command, they say, and there lacks not one man of us. Not one soldier had been lost; and in response to this preservation, they bring an offering of gold to the LORD, to make atonement for their souls before him, in thanks and recognition of his protecting hand. They did not simply take their survival for granted, or credit it to their own skill; they recognized God's protection in the fact that not one man was missing, and responded with a grateful offering. When they saw that God had preserved them, they gave thanks. To recognize God's protection and preservation, and to respond to it with grateful giving rather than taking it for granted, is what these officers modeled. They saw God's hand in their preservation, and gave thanks for it.

Notice how the officers responded to their preservation: they recognized God's hand and gave thanks. They counted their men and found not one missing; and rather than crediting this to their own strength or taking it for granted, they recognized it as God's protection, and brought an offering in grateful acknowledgment. This is a good response to being preserved, protected, brought safely through: to recognize God's hand in it, and to give thanks. We can pass through dangers and come out safely and simply move on, crediting our survival to luck or our own care; but these officers saw God's protection in their preservation, and responded with gratitude. To recognize God's protecting hand in the fact that we have been kept safe, and to give thanks for it rather than taking it for granted, is a fitting response to his preservation. God's protection deserves our grateful acknowledgment. To see his hand in our preservation, and give thanks, honors the God who kept us. Preservation recognized becomes thanksgiving offered.

That is worth taking to heart, for we do well to recognize God's protection in our preservation and respond with grateful thanks. We can be preserved through danger, brought safely through, and take it for granted, crediting our survival to luck or our own care; but the officers, finding not one man lost, recognized God's protecting hand and gave thanks with an offering. To recognize God's hand in our preservation, and to give thanks rather than take it for granted, is a fitting response to his protection. Do not take your preservation for granted, crediting it to luck or yourself; recognize God's protecting hand, and give thanks, as the officers did finding not one man missing. Recognize God's protecting hand in your preservation and respond with grateful thanks rather than taking it for granted, as the officers of Israel, finding not one of their men lost, brought an offering to the Lord in gratitude; for we can pass through dangers and simply move on, crediting our safety to luck or our own care, but there is a fitting gratitude in recognizing God's hand in the fact that we have been kept, and to see his protection in our preservation and give thanks for it, rather than taking it for granted, honors the God who kept us safe.

Lord, after a battle, the officers of Israel's army come to Moses with a report and an offering that together express gratitude for your protection. Your servants have taken the sum of the men of war who are under our command, they say, and there lacks not one man of us. Not one soldier had been lost; and in response to this preservation, they bring an offering of gold to you, in thanks and recognition of your protecting hand. They did not simply take their survival for granted, or credit it to their own skill; they recognized your protection in the fact that not one man was missing, and responded with a grateful offering. Show me how the officers responded to their preservation: they recognized your hand and gave thanks. They counted their men and found not one missing; and rather than crediting this to their own strength, they recognized it as your protection, and brought an offering in grateful acknowledgment. This is a good response to being preserved, protected, brought safely through: to recognize your hand in it, and to give thanks. I can pass through dangers and come out safely and simply move on, crediting my survival to luck or my own care; but these officers saw your protection in their preservation, and responded with gratitude. Take that to my heart, for I do well to recognize your protection in my preservation and respond with grateful thanks. I can be preserved through danger and take it for granted, crediting my survival to luck or my own care; but the officers, finding not one man lost, recognized your protecting hand and gave thanks. Keep me from taking my preservation for granted, crediting it to luck or myself; help me recognize your protecting hand, Lord, and give thanks, as the officers did finding not one man missing.