Numbers 31-36: In Retrospect

God wants us to acknowledge, understand, and learn from our past.   At the LORD’s command Moses recorded the stages in their journey. This is their journey by stages: (Num. 33:2 NIV ) Just like the children of Israel, if we look back, we can see our stumblings and failings, the times when we disobeyed and the times when we were obedient.  We can see the pain and everlasting consequenes of our disobedience as well as how God blessed us even when we didn't deserve it. 
Usually, it's in the here and now that we can't see God's hand.  That's where we often feel abandoned or at the very least unimportant in the overall scheme of things.  But that has never been and will never be the way God works.  He is there all the time.  We are his people all the time.  He is moving and directing even if we can't see him.  He is active in our lives.  We are being led.  If we choose to follow him obediently, our path will look different than if we try to go it on our own.  That's what the Israelites learned when they spent forty years going in circles.  We would do well to look to their history in order to change the course of ours.

Numbers 31-36:  Wrapping up Loose Ends