Day #35
Scripture Reading: Numbers 9 - 12 ...
We say often that being a Christian means having a
relationship with the living God, the one true God, our Creator, who has
revealed Himself in His creation, in His Son Jesus Christ, and by His Word and
His Spirit, who is at work in every true believer. We talk about having a
relationship with God because that is the central theme of the whole Bible.
God's purpose in salvation is to provide a way for sinful people to enter
into a relationship of love with Him, their Creator, the only true God.
But now, as we read of the Israelites as they come out of Egypt, we
discover that their relationship with God, for the most part, was merely
outward. Few (we don't know how many) truly trusted God or rejoiced in
His goodness and mercy and grace. Though having been delivered physically
from Egypt, they remained in spiritual bondage ... spiritually blind and dead,
unable to see the glory of their God, even though He was constantly displaying
it right before their eyes - literally!!
The Apostle Paul wrote of them hundreds of years
later: "They were all under the cloud and they all passed through
the sea. They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea.
They all ate the same spiritual food and drank the same spiritual drink;
for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was
Christ. Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them; their bodies
were scattered over the desert. Now these things occurred as examples to keep
US from setting our hearts on evil things as they did" (I Corinthians
10:1-6).
Spiritual life is a gift from God ... not everyone
has it ... in fact, most don't. As the people were leaving Egypt God
commanded Moses to have them celebrate the Passover. They had celebrated
the Passover the night God sent the angel of death to slay the firstborn of
Egypt. Now they were free ... free to worship, free to rejoice in the
Lord, their God. Even those who were "unclean," those
whom the law said could not bring their offerings to God for a time ... even
these could celebrate the Passover, could celebrate their freedom and rejoice
in the Lord. What a beautiful picture of God's forgiveness - of His
willingness to receive sinners into His presence!! The blood of the
perfect Lamb covers our sins in the sight of God so that we may come to worship
Him!
As Israel entered the desert on their way to the
land God had promised their forefathers, Moses knew that it was essential that
God went with them - more than that, that He LEAD them. He did so by
appearing in a cloud over the tabernacle, where the Ark of the Covenant was
kept. When the cloud lifted, the people traveled on; when it remained, so
did they. God gives this picture of your life and mine as we seek the Lord
daily for guidance. Our guidance is found in His Word and through His
Spirit living within us. God's Spirit gives us the Word and teaches us
God's will for our lives, and as we apply the truth and the principles God has
revealed we are LED through this life! All of this was and is a picture
of God's leading in our lives and the importance of following HIM!
In Chapter 10 God mentions trumpets. Trumpets
were an important part of the life of the Israelites as they traveled, and even
later as they came into the promised land. Trumpets were used to call the
people to gather together (the rapture!), to engage in battle (Armageddon) and
to worship (the victory of Christ and the Millennium). Could there be any
question as the people set out that God was with them, that He was for them,
that He was their Provider, their Savior, their Guide ... that He was all they
needed??!!!! But these people were sinners and, as we saw above, most of
them remained spiritually dead. So after witnessing the power of God firsthand
in Egypt, at Mt. Sinai and thus far through their journey, they began to
complain, to grumble and to question God's goodness and faithfulness.
First, the people complained about how hard things
were ... remember, they were just delivered from slavery in Egypt. God
sent fire to consume some of them. Then others began to grumble about the
manna they were eating every day. They said, "If only we had meat
to eat!" God told Moses to tell the people they would eat meat
the next day, but Moses doubted. Where would the meat come from?
God replied, "Is the LORD's arm too short? You will now see
whether or not what I say will come true for you" (11:23).
God sent a wind over the sea and a flood of quail
entered the camp. The people gathered the quail and began to eat, but God
was angry and sent a severe plague and many people died. Here is another
picture of what many people today refuse to accept: God takes sin
seriously ... very seriously. It's not always good when God gives you what you
want. When people who are called by God's name crave the things of the
world more than they desire God Himself the outcome is discipline, and in the
case of those who are not true believers, judgment.
Even Miriam and Aaron complained against Moses and
his leadership, and God dealt with them directly. Notice that it was Moses who
interceded for Miriam before the Lord, as Jesus does for you and me. It
was our sin that sent him to the cross, yet He intercedes for us before the
Father's throne and sends His Spirit for our healing. Truly, His love and
grace are amazing!
Watching the people of Israel is like learning
everything you SHOULDN'T do! As we follow Christ here are the "keys
to success": trusting the Lord,
following His leading and giving thanks. God says, "For my
thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways. ... As the
heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my
thoughts than your thoughts" (Isaiah 55:9). Read God's
Word, trust in Jesus, follow His leading and give thanks ... and you can’t go
wrong!
"O Lord my God, as You led the people of
Israel out of bondage, so You have delivered me from slavery to sin and have
set me free to serve You with joy and thanksgiving. Help me to trust You
in the midst of the struggles that come, knowing that You are always with me.
Give me grace to live for You daily and not to complain when things don't
go the way I think they should. Remind me often to give thanks for ALL
You have done ... especially for the gift of Your Son, the forgiveness of sins
and the promise of eternal life!! I rejoice in YOU, my Savior and my God,
in Jesus' name, Amen"
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