Tag: Moses

Wilderness Wanderings – Part 2

Featured ~ Sowmya Gali

Numbers 33: 51 – 53

“Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them, ‘When you cross over the Jordan into the land of Canaan, then you shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you, and destroy all their figured stones, and destroy all their molten images and demolish all their high places; and you shall take possession of the land and live in it, for I have given the land to you to possess it.

Numbers 33: 55 – 56

‘But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then it shall come about that those whom you let remain of them will become as pricks in your eyes and as thorns in your sides, and they will trouble you in the land in which you live. And as I plan to do to them, so I will do to you.’”

Caleb and Joshua were the only two people from the original group of Israelites that entered the Promised Land because they fully obeyed the Lord and fully believed in Him. The Lord, in His anger towards these unbelieving Israelites, caused them to wander in the desert of Sinai for forty years until the last person of that evil and unbelieving generation died. Yet, in His loving kindness, God continued to protect them from enemies and the weather, and provided them sumptuous food and water. He cared for them so much that the clothes and shoes they were wearing did not wear out for those forty years.

God’s commandment for the Israelites when they entered the Promised Land was that they should drive all the people and destroy their idols and high places. Only then they could possess the Land. The Canaanites were idol worshippers. Almighty God did not want the Israelites to be part of that pagan culture. He just redeemed them from the idolatry of Egypt. He wanted a nation that fully followed Him, obeyed Him and worshipped Him. His instructions were clear: no idol or high place should be present in the Promised Land. He will never share His glory with another.

We, as believers, in Jesus Christ, have been redeemed from the idols in our past. We must completely destroy each and every idol that we worshipped in the past. We used to serve at the feet of the idols of success, money, fame, health, etc. All those gave us temporary fulfillment but there is no lasting satisfaction. They may have consumed us. We may have been accustomed to having them around and in us. However, each time, we’ve come to the end of ourselves. And yet failed to recognize that our deep desires are only fulfilled in Christ.

When we enter into the Kingdom of God, we are supposed to drive out all these old habits, demolish all those idols which we held close to our bosoms, and destroy every trace of our old self. If we failed to do that, then these same habits, demons of the past, become snares, stumbling blocks and thorns in our sides. All what God promised, we won’t be able to possess completely. We cannot be sailing in two boats. We cannot have one foot in the world and one foot in the Promised Land. Jesus Himself said that “No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.” (Luke 9: 62).

We must be willing to take a full head-long plunge into the Promised Land. Looking back to our old life, stoking our old habits thinking they are harmless, revisiting our old sins are all symptoms of one foot in the Kingdom and one foot in the world. If we are not fully enjoying the blessings of God in our lives at the moment, we must introspect as to what old habit or sin is still a shadow that is following us. Is it too difficult to stop lying, stop complaining, stop gossiping, or coveting or some other habit/sin? We cannot pour new wine in old wineskin. We must be completely cleansed, purged of every trace of the world for our Lord to fill us with His goodness.

Unable to fully obey and fully trust in the Lord has deadly repercussions. God said He will punish those who are sailing in two boats. Lives and time were lost in the wilderness due to disobedience and lack of faith. Instead of enjoying the abundance of the Promised Land, the Israelites wandered in the desert for forty years. Even the righteous people had to suffer for the faithlessness of the people. Are we walking in the footsteps of these disobedient and faithless Israelites? Are our faithless actions causing us to miss out on God’s best? Are our actions robbing others around us of God’s blessings?

Dear Saint of God, it is time. Time to let go off the past. Time to give up our old habits/sins. Time to die to self. The Promised Land awaits us. The fullness of God’s goodness is at hand. We are missing out on it due to our own disobedience. We could be more alive than we are right now if only we learn to trust Him completely. We could stop wandering aimlessly if only we learn to focus on Christ and follow Him. We could come out of this wilderness we have created around ourselves and enter into the Promised Land.

Psalm 16: 5 – 6

The Lord is the portion of my inheritance and my cup; You support my lot. The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; indeed my heritage is beautiful to me.

The Three Thousand

~ Sowmya Gali

Numerical facts are important to God so they must be important to us too when we read the Bible. In the Book of Exodus, as God was pronouncing His law to Moses on Mount Sinai, the Israelites at the bottom of the mountain grew impatient waiting for Moses to return and committed a great sin – the sin of idolatry. Instead of waiting expectantly in fear and reverence, they rebelled against God and Moses. When Moses learns of the sin and returns to the camp, he witnesses a disgusting sight. The people were running wild and so became a laughing stock to the enemies of Israel (Exodus 32: 25).

With anger burning against these people, Moses says. “If anyone is for the Lord, come to me.” Immediately the Levites rallied towards him. Moses then commands these Levites to armor themselves with swords and then go out into the camp from one end to the other, back and forth and kill the people. That day, three thousand people died in front of the Lord (Exodus 32: 28). Moses returns to Mount Sinai to atone for the sin and seek forgiveness from the Lord for their sin. God afflicts them with a plague for their grievous sin.

When God’s Law came down at Mount Sinai, judgment and death followed. Grace was no longer available for free. The people could not approach God with empty hands. Some sort of sacrifice or offering was required of the people to receive God’s grace. Unless they fulfilled the Law, their prayers were not answered, their diseases were not healed and their enemies were not defeated. The people of Israel entered a new phase in time.

Jump ahead to Acts 1. Jesus ascended to heaven commissioning His disciples to preach the good news of the gospel and making disciples of all nations. However, He asked them to wait in Jerusalem for the gift that His Father promised – the gift of the Holy Spirit. Jesus said that the power of the Holy Spirit will guide them to the ends of the earth. As the disciples were awaiting the Holy Spirit to descend from heaven, they chose Mathias to replace Judas and remained together constantly praying (Acts 1: 14). In this instant, the disciples were waiting the Holy Spirit’s arrival expectantly in prayer and fellowship. What a contrast from the days of Moses!

On the Day of Pentecost, a sound like the violent blowing of the wind came from heaven and filled the whole house (Acts 2:2). Tongues of fire came and rested on each of the disciples and they were filled with the Holy Spirit. They began to speak in other tongues or languages. Later, Peter stood up and addressed the crowd that gathered to witness this amazing miracle unfolding right in front of their eyes. That day about three thousand accepted the message and were baptized in the Holy Spirit. The grace of God once again descended from heaven not to condemn any man but to redeem and bring them into the fold of God. Our Heavenly Father, who is utterly pleased with the sacrifice of His beloved Son, saw us through the eyes of His Son Jesus Christ. From then on, there is no condemnation. Praise God for His Grace!