The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Numbers 13:1-2,
"The Lord said to Moses, 'Send some men to explore the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the Israelites. From each ancestral tribe send one of its leaders.'"
The Lord directly told the Israelites through Moses that he was going to give to them the land he promised to Abraham, Issac and Jacob. Their response? "But the men [spies] who had gone up with him [Caleb] said, 'We can't attack those people; they are stronger than we are.' And they spread among the Israelites a bad report about the land they had explored. They said, 'The land we explored devours those living in it. All the people we saw there are of great size. We saw the Nephilim there (the descendants of Anak come from the Nephilim). We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them.'" Verses 31-33.
These spies were the leaders of the Israelites. Although they had a direct promise from God, they rejected it in an incomprehensible lack of faith. It is as if all God had done for them in freeing them from Egypt and providing them food and water in the wilderness had never happened! God said he would give them the land and after spying it out, they found the land very good. All they had to do was go up and take it from the current inhabitants! Instead they cowered in fear of the inhabitants. Apparently they found it easier to fear the Canaanites than to fear the Lord himself.
When it comes to the wonderful promises of God, particularly the promise of an eternal life of joy and blessing in his presence, Paul wrote, "Scripture has locked up everything under the control of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe." Galatians 3:22.
"The Lord said to Moses, 'Send some men to explore the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the Israelites. From each ancestral tribe send one of its leaders.'"
The Lord directly told the Israelites through Moses that he was going to give to them the land he promised to Abraham, Issac and Jacob. Their response? "But the men [spies] who had gone up with him [Caleb] said, 'We can't attack those people; they are stronger than we are.' And they spread among the Israelites a bad report about the land they had explored. They said, 'The land we explored devours those living in it. All the people we saw there are of great size. We saw the Nephilim there (the descendants of Anak come from the Nephilim). We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them.'" Verses 31-33.
These spies were the leaders of the Israelites. Although they had a direct promise from God, they rejected it in an incomprehensible lack of faith. It is as if all God had done for them in freeing them from Egypt and providing them food and water in the wilderness had never happened! God said he would give them the land and after spying it out, they found the land very good. All they had to do was go up and take it from the current inhabitants! Instead they cowered in fear of the inhabitants. Apparently they found it easier to fear the Canaanites than to fear the Lord himself.
When it comes to the wonderful promises of God, particularly the promise of an eternal life of joy and blessing in his presence, Paul wrote, "Scripture has locked up everything under the control of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe." Galatians 3:22.
When it comes to the promises of God, it is all about faith, and has always been about faith. How about us? Can we see our way clear to seize the promises of God by embracing him in faith?
The world denies it, but God assures it!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
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