Lesson 4
Moab grew up and became the father of the Moabite nation. The Moabites forgot God and worshiped idols. When the Israelites left Egypt, they headed for the Promised Land. It took them a long time to get there, not because of the distance but because they were sinful and God, therefore, caused them to wander about in the wilderness for many years. Finally the time came when God allowed them to enter the Promised Land. Look at the instructions God gave them before they crossed over Jordan into the Promised Land:
1. Now the LORD spoke to Moses in the _____
of _______ by the Jordan, across from
Jericho, saying, (Numbers 33:50)
2. “_______ to the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘When you have crossed the Jordan into the land of Canaan,... (Numbers 33:51)
3. Then you shall ______ ______ all the inhabitants of the land from before you, destroy all their engraved stones, destroy all their molded images, and demolish all their high places; (Numbers 33:52)
4. You shall dispossess the inhabitants of the land and dwell in it, for I have given you the land to ________ . (Numbers 33:53)
5. And you shall divide the land by ______ as an inheritance among your families; to the larger you shall give a larger inheritance, and to the smaller you shall give a smaller inheritance; there everyone’s inheritance shall be whatever falls to him by lot. You shall _______ according to the tribes of your fathers. (Numbers 33:54)
6. But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then it shall be that those whom you let remain shall be ________ in your eyes and ________ in your sides, and they shall _________ you in the land where you dwell. (Numbers 33:55)
7. Moreover it shall be that I will do to you as I _________ to do to them.’” (Numbers 33:56)
Did Israel drive out the inhabitants of the land? Let’s take a look and see:
8. Type Bible Gateway in your web search. When you get a Bible Gateway window, type in the words: “drive out” Next click: Search the entire Bible. Click: Search for keyword or phrase. Now read all the verses that have to do with Israel driving out the inhabitants. Next, write a summary of what you found when you read the verses that came up.
The Israelites failed to drive out the inhabitants of the land. As a result they began to also worship their idol gods. The Moabites were one of these idolatrous nations:
9. "Now Israel remained in Acacia Grove, and the people began to commit ________ with the women of Moab. (Numbers 25:1)
10. They invited the people to the _______ of their _____, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods. (Numbers 25:2)
11. So Israel was joined to ______ of Peor, and the ______ of the LORD was aroused against Israel." (Numbers 25:3)
Now
that we have studied the history of the Moabite nation this will help us to
understand the setting of the book of Ruth.