Day 50. Numbers 34-36.

Every system of law is a set of boundaries that limits individual freedom and protects the life of the community. It says to people—You can go this far, but no further. Boundaries limit us, but they also protect us from ourselves as much as from other people. Happiness and security are only possible within reasonable boundaries.
In today's reading from Numbers 34 we hear the LORD himself set the boundaries for the Israelite nation. He answers the question--What is the furthest you should go in your conquest of the Promise Land? How far is too far? What is too big? And the LORD also answers the question--When have you not gone far enough? What is too little?
The LORD sets boundaries for his people that are defensible and reasonable—the boundaries of a small, prosperous nation, but not a great empire. And during its long history—except for a few golden years during the reign of Solomon--Israel was never more than that--but that was enough to fulfill its mission.
And the LORD will also help us with the setting of our own personal boundaries—the size of our possessions and the scope of our ambitions—if we let him. He will give us an idea of what is enough. He will keep us from wanting what is impossible, while he prevents us from asking too little of ourselves and of life. Happiness is all about reasonable boundaries—finite limits.
In our reading the LORD also sets limits on revenge. In a society that based its system of justice on the "eye for an eye" principle, and where punishment was in the hands of next-of-kin, revenge could easily get out of hand. So in chapter 35 the LORD provides sanctuaries--"cities of refuge"--to which those accused of unintentional murder—which we would call "manslaughter"—could flee for safety from blood-hungry relatives (35:9). The text upholds the "revenge system" (35:16ff), but places limits on it. Revenge has its boundaries in scale and in time--it must be proportionate to the crime, and it cannot be pursued forever. It has a statute of limitations placed upon it. "After the death of the high priest" one who has committed murder unintentionally can return to his home without fear of retribution (35:28).
Here again we see the mercy of God being worked out in laws that command justice and limit human freedom. Revenge is given strict boundaries, and guilt must be established by multiple witnesses (35:30). For people hungry for order and security in a barbarous world, these texts certainly represented good news—the gospel of the law.
And in chapter 36, the last of the Book of Numbers, we are give further evidence—if any were needed—that some calls for justice are not easy to satisfy. Some legal cases just do not go away. We again hear about those "daughters of Zelophedad". Now the tribes of Israel are worried that the LORD's earlier judgment in favor of these women may decrease their allotment of land. They want to be assured that they will lose nothing by it. Justice is a situation where no one loses.
Moses legislates, but the case will not go away. We will hear more about those daughters of Zelophedad as we pursue our readings together. . . .