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 26:63-65,
"These are the ones counted by Moses and Eleazar the priest when they counted the Israelites on the plains of Moab by the Jordan across from Jericho. Not one of them was among those counted by Moses and Aaron the priest when they counted the Israelites in the Desert of Sinai. For the Lord had told those Israelites they would surely die in the wilderness, and not one of them was left except Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun."
This chapter provides a second census of the Israelites in the book of Numbers. The first census was taken at the beginning of their forty year sojourn in the wilderness and this one at the end. The observation made is that of all that was counted, only two people remained from the earlier census, Joshua and Caleb. (Of course Moses, who had the count made at the Lord's command, was still alive and leading Israel, but he would not be allowed into the promised land either because of his sin at the incident when he struck the rock with the staff to provide water).
That earlier generation of the first census that was freed and led out of Egypt rebelled against the Lord, which resulted in them not being allowed into the promised land. Joshua and Caleb were two spies of twelve that provided a report to the Israelites on the Canaanites and encouraged the people to take the land as the Lord wanted them to. Due to that encouragement to the nation to follow the Lord, they were the only two who would be allowed to enter into the land.
The writer of Hebrews makes an observation about this generation that perished during the wilderness sojourn. "Who were they who heard and rebelled? Were they not all those Moses led out of Egypt? And with whom was he angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies perished in the wilderness? And to whom did God swear that they would never enter his rest if not to those who disobeyed? So we see that they were not able to enter, because of their unbelief."
"These are the ones counted by Moses and Eleazar the priest when they counted the Israelites on the plains of Moab by the Jordan across from Jericho. Not one of them was among those counted by Moses and Aaron the priest when they counted the Israelites in the Desert of Sinai. For the Lord had told those Israelites they would surely die in the wilderness, and not one of them was left except Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun."
This chapter provides a second census of the Israelites in the book of Numbers. The first census was taken at the beginning of their forty year sojourn in the wilderness and this one at the end. The observation made is that of all that was counted, only two people remained from the earlier census, Joshua and Caleb. (Of course Moses, who had the count made at the Lord's command, was still alive and leading Israel, but he would not be allowed into the promised land either because of his sin at the incident when he struck the rock with the staff to provide water).
That earlier generation of the first census that was freed and led out of Egypt rebelled against the Lord, which resulted in them not being allowed into the promised land. Joshua and Caleb were two spies of twelve that provided a report to the Israelites on the Canaanites and encouraged the people to take the land as the Lord wanted them to. Due to that encouragement to the nation to follow the Lord, they were the only two who would be allowed to enter into the land.
The writer of Hebrews makes an observation about this generation that perished during the wilderness sojourn. "Who were they who heard and rebelled? Were they not all those Moses led out of Egypt? And with whom was he angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies perished in the wilderness? And to whom did God swear that they would never enter his rest if not to those who disobeyed? So we see that they were not able to enter, because of their unbelief."
The writer of Hebrews makes the point that the rebellious Israelites that disobeyed were not allowed to enter into the promised land because their rebellion and disobedience demonstrated their "unbelief." Here is yet again another point that when it comes to our standing with God, it is all about faith!
Even if we have been disobedient to the Lord, even if we have been rebellious toward the Lord, if we place our faith and trust in him, we will be allowed to enter into his family, into eternal life. We won't be excluded like those who harbored unbelief in their hearts toward the Lord as expressed in their rebellion and disobedience.
We have all sinned, but Jesus Christ paid the penalty for all of our sins. All the Lord asks is that we believe in him and embrace him in faith. It is today, and always has been, all about our faith in God!
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.
No comments:
Post a Comment