Num 10:29-31 | KingComments | STEP | Moses asks Hobab, a man who is not of the people of God, to go up with the people, because he knows where the people should camp in the wilderness. But Hobab is a man of the world and he doesn’t like it. Moses should have left it at that. However, he urges Hobab to go along. That is not a good thing. God has provided everything to guide the people. Appealing to Hobab is misplaced. Here Moses seems to rely more on a visible and tangible guide than the invisible God (cf. ). Have family relationships perhaps played a role? After all, Hobab is his brother-in-law. Such situations occur more often, like with Barnabas who wants to take his cousin ( ; ). The LORD makes clear Who is in charge. The ark, which should be in the middle, takes the lead. Here the people don’t protect the ark, but the ark now protects the people. The ark, God, leaves the place He has taken in the middle of His own in the camp to be taken care of, as it were, by them. But now He becomes their servant, Who goes out before them to seek for them a resting place in the endless wilderness. This action of the LORD is also an encouragement for everyone who has to go a new, unknown way. The Lord knows the way well and goes ahead. He is the good Shepherd who goes ahead of His sheep ( ). The LORD cannot allow His people to be led by an unbelieving and disinterested man like Hobab. When we become unfaithful, God takes control. God will always uphold the honor of His Son, of whom the ark is a picture.

‏ Numbers 10:29-31

Moses Asks Hobab to Guide Them

Moses asks Hobab, a man who is not of the people of God, to go up with the people, because he knows where the people should camp in the wilderness. But Hobab is a man of the world and he doesn’t like it. Moses should have left it at that. However, he urges Hobab to go along.

That is not a good thing. God has provided everything to guide the people. Appealing to Hobab is misplaced. Here Moses seems to rely more on a visible and tangible guide than the invisible God (cf. Jer 17:5-7). Have family relationships perhaps played a role? After all, Hobab is his brother-in-law. Such situations occur more often, like with Barnabas who wants to take his cousin (Acts 15:37; Col 4:10).

The LORD makes clear Who is in charge. The ark, which should be in the middle, takes the lead. Here the people don’t protect the ark, but the ark now protects the people. The ark, God, leaves the place He has taken in the middle of His own in the camp to be taken care of, as it were, by them. But now He becomes their servant, Who goes out before them to seek for them a resting place in the endless wilderness. This action of the LORD is also an encouragement for everyone who has to go a new, unknown way. The Lord knows the way well and goes ahead. He is the good Shepherd who goes ahead of His sheep (Jn 10:4).

The LORD cannot allow His people to be led by an unbelieving and disinterested man like Hobab. When we become unfaithful, God takes control. God will always uphold the honor of His Son, of whom the ark is a picture.