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From this it appears that, had Sihon permitted Israel to pass through his territory, and
had he supplied them with food and water as requested, Israel would not have destroyed
his nation and inherited his land, their true inheritance being strictly beyond Jordan.
Let us now endeavour to express, in terms of church doctrine and dispensational truth,
what this means to those whose blessing is defined according to the epistle to the
Ephesians.
Israel's inheritance was not enjoyed as soon as it was promised; a period of waiting,
of bondage, and of redemption intervened--waiting until the iniquity of the Amorite was
full. The inheritance of the church of the mystery was allotted "before the overthrow of
the world" (Eph. 1: 3, 4) but the members of that church are found in the bondage of sin,
needing redemption (Eph. 1: 7). Their inheritance is future (Eph. 1: 14). The sphere of
their inheritance is in "heavenly places" and far above "principalities and powers". This
church is related in the flesh with other companies of God's children, just as Israel was
related to Edom, Moab and Ammon; but as many of these are associated with this world,
fellowship is restricted. Their endeavoured is to live peaceably, not to strive, and to live
as those whose primary object is to "pass through" this world, asking for no favours and
wanting little more than "meat and drink". Eph. 6: 12 speaks of this church as not
"wrestling" with "flesh and blood"; just as Deut. 2: speaks of Israel not "meddling" or
"contending" with Esau, Moab or Ammon. Eph. 6: 12 says that the foes of the church
are "spiritual wickednesses", which are the "world holders of this darkness". These
fallen principalities and powers, whose inheritance in the heavenlies is lost, and in whose
realm of glory the church is soon to appear, act as Sihon acted when he would not let
Israel "pass by him" (Deut. 2: 30). The result of this is that the church whose real foes
are "over the Jordan", and whose real conflict is depicted at the overthrow of Jericho,
have to stand against the opposition of these spiritual Amorites, "the world holders of this
darkness". The interested reader is urged to re-read the articles entitled "Satan and the
Church of the Mystery" (Volume XIX, pp. 129, 167, 179), and "The Threefold
Conflict" (Volume XVI, page 138).
We conclude this article with a word or two concerning Og, King of Bashan, and his
giant cities. Deut. 3: 4 tells us that Israel took "threescore cities" in the kingdom of Og
in Bashan; and The Companion Bible adds a note: "They can all be seen and counted
to-day" (See Dr. Porter's Giant Cities of Bashan). As some of our readers may not have
access to this book, we feel sure that the following will be of interest:--
"That sixty wall cities, besides unwalled towns a great many, should be found at such
a remote age, far from the sea, with no rivers and little commerce, within a country not
larger than an ordinary English county, appeared to me quite inexplicable and mysterious
though it appeared it was strictly true. On the spot with my own eyes I had verified it.
Lists of more than a hundred revived cities and villages in these mountains alone I had
tested and found correct, though not complete. More than thirty of these I had myself
either visited or observed. Of the high antiquity of these ruins scarce a doubt can be
entertained."
The following summary is from the notes of Jameson and Bickersteth:--