Timeline: Approximately 1407 BC
We’ve pushed way beyond the year 1407 BC. But let’s reflect back to that time. Moses was called by God to lead the people of
Israel out of Slavery! Out of slavery. That’s something we don’t fully understand
and in our culture but we know wars have been fought over it, including one
right here in our own country.
Can you just imagine living, day-in day-out as a slave and
then being freed from your enemy only to regret the day you left the “comfortable”
confounds of bondage? Seems so
contradictory…. but interestingly, that was the plight of the Israelites. Comfort
breed’s security and regrets breed blame! And whom did they blame? God, the one who freed them! And Moses; their freedom-fighter.
You can begin in Numbers Chapter One to study about this
epic story in which the Israelites neither trusted the God that freed them nor
the man who stood firm and accomplished the task. There are incredible events that lined up and
that took place to make their freedom possible but even after all of that the people turned their back on
God and his power and knelt to worship an idol made by human hands and actually
wished that they had died in bondage in Egypt (See Numbers 14:2). Seems so pathetic really! Returning to our life and time; Do we fall
prey to this as well??? How many things do we put before the Lord, God? Work? Time constraints?
Any-and-all obligations? Fears? Sorrows? Or even the pleasure of recreation?
The Israelites were promised a great land. It should have taken them 7 days to journey
there….but it took 40 years? Why? Disobedience, obstinacy, grumbling,
complaining, lack of faith, lack of trust…. just lack. Reflecting again on our
life and time…. Do we lose years and years of our life because we lack faith
and/or tenacity? Do we find that we are living in mediocrity, dwelling in the unpleasant company of Lack!!
Here is where I get pulled into the story with great
interest: Moses was not allowed to enter
the Promised Land. This blows me away! After all that time, all that effort, all that
leadership for the people, and the negotiating with God FOR the people…he was
not allowed to go in! Why??? Was it disobedience, obstinacy, grumbling,
complaining, lack of faith, lack of trust…just lack! Actually, the first word in that sentence is
the reason; disobedience. Scaling back to our life and time; does this give us
pause? 40 years of working in the field,
or should I say ‘in the desert’, doing what God asked and the reward of
entering the Promised Land was withheld from Moses! (See Numbers 14:22-23 and
20:7-12) I’m speechless-- but God was not:
What I really want to share with you is the speech Moses
gave to Joshua-in front of all of Israel:
“Then Moses summoned Joshua
and said to him
in the presence of all Israel,
“Be strong and
courageous,
for you must go
with this people
into the land
that the Lord swore to their forefathers to give them,
and you must
divide it among them as their inheritance.
The Lord
himself goes before you
and will be
with you;
he will never
leave you nor forsake you.
Do not be
afraid; do not be discouraged.”
Deuteronomy
31:7-8
Now after reading that amazing scripture from the mouth of
Moses your spiritual studies will not
be complete until you watch the video link below. There are many things that we American
Christians don’t understand about the power of the Living God! We simply can’t comprehend it here in 2018….
BUT WE SHOULD... for within the confounds of our minds we find the mighty power of God!
Video: Mighty Men Arise
BY: Tribulation
USA.com
Rak Chazak my
friend!!!
RvH
No comments:
Post a Comment