“These are the commandments and the rules that the Lord commanded through Moses to the people of Israel in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho.” (Numbers 36:13, ESV)
We now come to the last chapter and the last verse of the book of Numbers. Here we see a summarizing truth. “These are the commandments and rules that the Lord commanded.” The main point is that the word of God is authoritative over the practices of man.
Many Christians today spend little time considering the Old Testament. When they get to sections like Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, 1 & 2 Kings, 1 & 2 Chronicles, the prophets, etc, they tend to avoid or gloss over these, without a thought for what they mean in their daily lives. Let us consider the words that Paul wrote to Timothy.
“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.“ (2 Timothy 3:16-17, ESV)
When Paul wrote these words he referred not just to the existing New Testament writings, but also to all Scripture, and particularly the Old Testament writings. All Scripture, both the Old and New Testaments, came forth from the heart of God. It is all profitable for true believers so they may be able to accomplish the purposes in life to which God has called them.
Accordingly, Christians must become students of the word of God in its entirety. This means both the Old and New Testaments. It is all authoritative. It is all applicable. We just need to read it, study it, prayerfully think about it, and obey it. When we do, we find that the word of God will make us “competent, equipped for every good work.”
Renewing the Heart 