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Holy Week resources and reflections

God and conquest (Sept. 22, 2019)

Uniform Lesson for September 22, 2019
Scripture passage and lesson focus: Numbers 13:1-14:10a

In 2016, a very popular book called “Grit” argued that in order to achieve and succeed, one needed more than just talent. Rather, one needed preservation and hard work — what the author described as grit. Numbers 13 describes how the Israelites whom God has led through the wilderness under the leadership of Moses still lacked the grit to take the land promised to them. Balking at trying to conquer the Promised Land of Canaan, the Israelites whine and desist, angering God once again. Yet from a modern point of view, this story of conquest is problematic as it raises uncomfortable concerns about the ways in which theology and religion are used to justify colonialism, violence and takeover.

Numbers 13:1-24 — Spies and the conquest of Canaan

The Israelites – after a lengthy, dramatic and fraught journey in the wilderness under the leadership of Moses – finally arrive at the Promised Land, that is, the land of Canaan, which was promised to Israel’s ancestors by God. In order to determine the defenses of the people who inhabit the land, Moses commands spies be sent out. Problematically, this land appears not to be empty, but filled with inhabitants. From a post-colonial point of view, questions can be raised as to why God promised the Israelites a land filled with people in the first place. Why didn’t God give the Israelites an empty land? Or if this particular piece of property was important, why didn’t God empty the land beforehand?

The narrative suggests, especially at Numbers 13 and 14, that the inhabitation of the land is deliberate and purposeful. Like ready-made cake mixes, which sold poorly until “bakers” were forced to contribute an egg, perhaps God too wants the Israelites to earn the land for themselves by conquering it so that they can feel some ownership of it. From a modern standpoint, however, this land being populated with people is ethically and theologically problematic as it depicts conquest as an act commanded by God. In so doing, the displacement and destruction of the native population in Canaan are depicted as theologically permitted and justified.

Numbers 13:25-4:1-10a — Theological discomfort and justification of conquest

The writers themselves might have felt some discomfort with the conquest and this unease might explain the description that follows. The spies who are sent out, and whose names are listed carefully in Numbers 13, go to check out the indigenous groups to see how tough it will be to conquer their land. They come back bearing some fruit, the enormity of which is emphasized in the text: It states that a single cluster of grapes was so large that it had to be carried on two poles (13:23).

This description has two effects. First, it shows how fertile Canaan is. This land is so rich that giant fruit are just sitting around ready to be plucked. This land surely is a land of milk and honey. Second, the largeness of the fruit has the effect of exaggerating the fierceness and stature of the native citizens of Canaan. And this exaggeration deliberately helps to justify the colonization of Canaan by deemphasizing the humanity of the Canaanites. They are not like us, rather they are monstrous giants! As such, they deserve to be conquered. Hence, it is not surprising that the native people of the land are described as the Nephilim — a kind of half-divine, half-human characters that were last mentioned right before God decided to wipe out the world and all its inhabitants with a great flood in Genesis 6:4.

Perhaps recognizing that it would be even more uncomfortable if the soon-to-be-conquered indigenous population were described as peaceful, nice and normal, the writers therefore emphasize how large, how gargantuan, how non-human or a-human the natives are. When the Israelites hear that conquest is not going to be easy against these unnatural giants, they, as they have done throughout the travels in the wilderness, whine and demand to go back to Egypt (14:3). Only two of the spies, Caleb and Joshua (both of whom will become prominent members of the newly formed nation), encourage the people to have faith that God will help the Israelites conquer the land. God, however, understandably remains displeased. With this pericope, the writers are able to criticize the Israelite wanderers and also explain why it took the Israelites so long to conquer and settle on the land that God has so long promised.

For discussion: How and in what ways do we still use religion, God and theology to justify acts of conquest and violence? What are the ways in which our faith influences our grit and determination?

SUZIE PARK is associate professor of Old Testament at Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary in Texas.

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