Numbers 33:40
And the Canaanite, the king of Arad, who lived in the Negeb in the land of Canaan, heard of the coming of the people of Israel.
Tag: The Fear of the Lord Brings Wisdom
Note the following:
Proverbs 9:10
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.
Proverbs 3:7
Be not wise in your own eyes;
fear the Lord, and turn away from evil.
Proverbs 16:6
By steadfast love and faithfulness iniquity is atoned for,
and by the fear of the Lord one turns away from evil.
The book of Numbers closes with Moses doing a stop by stop summary of the 40 years of wilderness wandering. Moses accounts for all the places the nation of Israel pitched their tents during that period of time. In the above verse we read the impact that had on the Canaanite tribes, cities and peoples. It says that the Canaanite “heard of he coming of the people of Israel.” However, even though the Canaanite heard of the coming of God’s people, they did not respond appropriately. The “hearing” should have been a chance for them to “fear the Lord” and to “turn from evil.” But, they didn’t. Instead (we will read the stories in the book of Joshua), they continued in evil. The “hearing” did not turn to proper “fear” therefore there was no “fearing” that would turn them from their idolatrous ways. It is one thing to “hear” about God - it is another to actually call on God out of awesome fear and reverence. When we hear about God’s power it ought to turn us to Him in praise and adoration. For the Canaanite it was just hearing and no turning to God. They refused to take what they heard and make it change their life. One person in Canaan did turn to God, however. Note:
Joshua 2:1
And Joshua the son of Nun sent two men secretly from Shittim as spies, saying, “Go, view the land, especially Jericho.” And they went and came into the house of a prostitute whose name was Rahab and lodged there.
Rehab, a prostitute, was a woman who heard and turned to God. She protected the spies Joshua sent out and, eventually would even be listed in the chronology of Christ in Matthew. People who hear about God need to call on God (Romans 10:14-16). Otherwise, hearing is nothing more than noise.
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