Through Israel, we can see what it means to draw back to perdition, ( Hebrews 10:39)
To set the scene, Psalms 17:14 instructs us, how men of the world have their portion in this life ( wealth, success happiness, lust, all delicacies they can fill their soul with)
This is exactly confirmed in 1 Timothy 6, how those who will be rich ( remember in the Gospel, woe to those who are rich, they have received their consolation) fall into temptation and a snare, into hurtful ( against their soul) lusts, to drown them in destruction and perdition....
Psalm 17:14 From men which are thy hand, O Lord, from men of the world, which have their portion in this life, and whose belly thou fillest with thy hid treasure: they are full of children, and leave the rest of their substance to their babes.
1 Timothy 6:9 But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.
Now look at what occurred with Israel, and we will then understand, why.
Israel at every opportunity and every disappointment, cast blame onto God.
Every time it went bad for them, they desired to return even to the house of bondage, into slavery so they can at least eat and drink.
This also is readdressed in Romans 14, and Galatians 4, how Israel ( as always we see) desired to be in bondage again, to return to observing days ( holy days and sabbath days) times, years, festivals, and not forward, forgetting all behind to press for Christ,
Deuteronomy 8:14 Then thine heart be lifted up, and thou forget the Lord thy God, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage;
Romans 14:17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
Galatians 4:9 But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?
10 Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years.
Philippians 3:13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
So here in Numbers, Israel shows ( men of this worlds) opinion, is to return to where it was better for them.
This is provoking God, as it is disbelief in the signs and the wonders He did for them, and causes God to want to disonherit them and kill them all....
Numbers 14:3 And wherefore hath the Lord brought us unto this land, to fall by the sword, that our wives and our children should be a prey? were it not better for us to return into Egypt?
Numbers 14:4 And they said one to another, Let us make a captain, and let us return into Egypt.
Numbers 14:11 And the Lord said unto Moses, How long will this people provoke me? and how long will it be ere they believe me, for all the signs which I have shewed among them?
12 I will smite them with the pestilence, and disinherit them, and will make of thee a greater nation and mightier than they.
God does not do what His anger feels, as He is mercy, and also this is a testimony to the world, how people are, and of course not to show Gods name as backwards turning as the men of Israel, for God to have to begin again with another and better people ( the better people hear these testimonies, that was the purpose all along)
The men of Israel question why God brought them up out of Egypt ( it was better for them in Egypt they believed) as in Egypt they had seed, figs, vines, pomegranates...
Numbers 20:2 And there was no water for the congregation: and they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron.
3 And the people chode with Moses, and spake, saying, Would God that we had died when our brethren died before the Lord!
4 And why have ye brought up the congregation of the Lord into this wilderness, that we and our cattle should die there?
5 And wherefore have ye made us to come up out of Egypt, to bring us in unto this evil place? it is no place of seed, or of figs, or of vines, or of pomegranates; neither is there any water to drink.
See the actual words, how the soul of the men of Israel was discouraged. ( no faith to believe in the way, although it is hard and narrow)
Again they complained of no bread in the wilderness ( how they had bread in Egypt) and they despised the manna, God had given from heaven.
God responded by killing them with serpents...
Numbers 21:4 And they journeyed from mount Hor by the way of the Red sea, to compass the land of Edom: and the soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way.
5 And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread.
6 And the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died.
Psalms 78 makes a summing up, how the people doubted and complained about God, and wanted flesh.
As told that was Israel not believing in the salvation of God, they tempted, provoked and kept not the testimonies of God, but as told, DEALT UNFAITHFULLY, which is the TURNING BACK, like a DECEITFUL BOW.
It is demonstrated to be despising the pleasant land ( the salvation of God) by not BELIEVING, in the word of God, by murmuring and not hearing the voice of the Lord...
Psalm 78:20 Behold, he smote the rock, that the waters gushed out, and the streams overflowed; can he give bread also? can he provide flesh for his people?
21 Therefore the Lord heard this, and was wroth: so a fire was kindled against Jacob, and anger also came up against Israel;
22 Because they believed not in God, and trusted not in his salvation:
23 Though he had commanded the clouds from above, and opened the doors of heaven,
24 And had rained down manna upon them to eat, and had given them of the corn of heaven.
Psalms 78:56 Yet they tempted and provoked the most high God, and kept not his testimonies:
57 But turned back, and dealt unfaithfully like their fathers: they were turned aside like a deceitful bow.
Psalm 106:24 Yea, they despised the pleasant land, they believed not his word:
25 But murmured in their tents, and hearkened not unto the voice of the Lord.
Pay attention, as these are two main points now. 2 Peter 2:5-6, Jude 1:5-7, both show the situations of Israel and that they are examples to all who live ungodly now ( in the same lack of faith, turning back way)
Deuteronomy 8, speaks of the goodly houses the men of Israel would have in the land of Israel, how they will eat and be full, how they will multiply gold and silver, and all they have is multiplied, how that heart will be lifted up to forget God who brought them out of the land of bondage ( which they wanted to return to from the wilderness)
The second point is, ( the first one is the heart lifted up in being men of perdition who have their portion/wealth, in this life) now Israel considered the Lord had ESTABLISHED THEM, a holy people to God, and God told them to keep His commandments, and this is the trap ( temptation) on them, how God says, if you keep His statutes, God will make them plenteous in goods, in their children, cattle, in their ground and land, how they wont borrow off other nations but will lend to them...
Deuteronomy 8:11 Beware that thou forget not the Lord thy God, in not keeping his commandments, and his judgments, and his statutes, which I command thee this day:
12 Lest when thou hast eaten and art full, and hast built goodly houses, and dwelt therein;
13 And when thy herds and thy flocks multiply, and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied, and all that thou hast is multiplied;
14 Then thine heart be lifted up, and thou forget the Lord thy God, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage;
Deuteronomy 28:9 The Lord shall establish thee an holy people unto himself, as he hath sworn unto thee, if thou shalt keep the commandments of the Lord thy God, and walk in his ways.
10 And all people of the earth shall see that thou art called by the name of the Lord; and they shall be afraid of thee.
11 And the Lord shall make thee plenteous in goods, in the fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy ground, in the land which the Lord sware unto thy fathers to give thee.
12 The Lord shall open unto thee his good treasure, the heaven to give the rain unto thy land in his season, and to bless all the work of thine hand: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, and thou shalt not borrow.
The reason that point number 2, is a confusing point for Israel ( and for all on the wide path to destruction) is because they think by being in the prosperity Gospel, it is God approving of them. Unfortunately they do not realize that this is the very same temptation the devil layed onto Christ, of giving all the kingdoms of the world to Him, as the devil is the one who has that power and who gives that wealth to them. Anyway that is point number 2, and it is to significant.
Jesus told us two parables here, both related to the example we have heard about from Israel's error.
Israel believed they were established, by being given all they desired from God. God cannot establish a people who we see turned against God at every opportunity. It is like encouraging anyone bad, to not be bad, by focusing on something else, like meditating.
The real focus came to earth, which we now understand is totally confusing for the men of Israel, how Christ is on a donkey, how Christ does not fight as they always did with killing, and wont rise up to defeat the Romans for them who ruled them, how Christ was contrary to their ways, such as wanting to stone a woman in adultery, how He spoke of giving all wealth and lands away, all desire of having a family, of being popular, of being successful, even of having praise of others, all that had to cease, when they only believed the very opposite, how to have all these things a man ( men of this world who have their portion in this life) had them from God ( they did not perceive the temptation had actually come from the devil, as we see the offering to Christ)
Then understand, Jesus came to clean these evil spirits away ( of greed, selfishness, of lust for all the goodly things they wanted) but when Jesus casts out evil, the men who are cleaned hearing the message ( to give all away) return with more wickedness than before, and become even more lustful, that is what happened to the generation of Israel, hearing the message and hardening their hearts against it ( as anyone who hears this message now, also, and it is in the world )
See how this is related to the other scripture, how just as Israel in the old testament ( they had established through success of goods and their portion in this life, such as the return of the land of Israel, the pleasant land of salvation) they do not desire the establishment of he second, new testament, and why ?
Because of course they say the first is better, who would want to do all Christ did to have nowhere to lay His head, when they believe Gods grace to them is them being in prosperity in this life in every way.
But Jesus told them all, how all has to be new, or nothing works, so the first ways of Israel are not only gone, they are revealed for what they are, but it is never something anyone wants to give up, as to them it is better.
Circumcision of the flesh seems better only for praise of men benefit, and because this way you do not require the circumcision of Christ to give all you love away in this life, sabbath, prayers, all done for glory of men, and not instead only in the heart, only praise of God.
Luke 5:36 And he spake also a parable unto them; No man putteth a piece of a new garment upon an old; if otherwise, then both the new maketh a rent, and the piece that was taken out of the new agreeth not with the old.
37 And no man putteth new wine into old bottles; else the new wine will burst the bottles, and be spilled, and the bottles shall perish.
38 But new wine must be put into new bottles; and both are preserved.
39 No man also having drunk old wine straightway desireth new: for he saith, The old is better.
Matthew 12:43 When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none.
44 Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished.
45 Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.
To end, see how it is testified Israel turned back always in their hearts to Egypt.
Christ came to do the will of the Father, Israel never had that will, it was temptation, we see.
Christ spoke to Israel in the wilderness, but always ( men of this world) turn back.
Israel distrusted God and waited not for His salvation.
But the just live by faith, and if anyone draws back ( as the examples shown) God has no pleasure in them, as that is them drawing themselves back into perdition( perdition seeking to be rich and men of this world have their portion as in this life to perdition) and is then not believing to the saving of the soul ( the life is more than what this world offers)
Luke 12:23 The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment.
Acts 7:38 This is he, that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel which spake to him in the mount Sina, and with our fathers: who received the lively oracles to give unto us:
39 To whom our fathers would not obey, but thrust him from them, and in their hearts turned back again into Egypt,
Hebrews 10:9 Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second.
Hebrews 10:37 For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry.
38 Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.
39 But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.
To set the scene, Psalms 17:14 instructs us, how men of the world have their portion in this life ( wealth, success happiness, lust, all delicacies they can fill their soul with)
This is exactly confirmed in 1 Timothy 6, how those who will be rich ( remember in the Gospel, woe to those who are rich, they have received their consolation) fall into temptation and a snare, into hurtful ( against their soul) lusts, to drown them in destruction and perdition....
Psalm 17:14 From men which are thy hand, O Lord, from men of the world, which have their portion in this life, and whose belly thou fillest with thy hid treasure: they are full of children, and leave the rest of their substance to their babes.
1 Timothy 6:9 But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.
Now look at what occurred with Israel, and we will then understand, why.
Israel at every opportunity and every disappointment, cast blame onto God.
Every time it went bad for them, they desired to return even to the house of bondage, into slavery so they can at least eat and drink.
This also is readdressed in Romans 14, and Galatians 4, how Israel ( as always we see) desired to be in bondage again, to return to observing days ( holy days and sabbath days) times, years, festivals, and not forward, forgetting all behind to press for Christ,
Deuteronomy 8:14 Then thine heart be lifted up, and thou forget the Lord thy God, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage;
Romans 14:17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
Galatians 4:9 But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?
10 Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years.
Philippians 3:13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
So here in Numbers, Israel shows ( men of this worlds) opinion, is to return to where it was better for them.
This is provoking God, as it is disbelief in the signs and the wonders He did for them, and causes God to want to disonherit them and kill them all....
Numbers 14:3 And wherefore hath the Lord brought us unto this land, to fall by the sword, that our wives and our children should be a prey? were it not better for us to return into Egypt?
Numbers 14:4 And they said one to another, Let us make a captain, and let us return into Egypt.
Numbers 14:11 And the Lord said unto Moses, How long will this people provoke me? and how long will it be ere they believe me, for all the signs which I have shewed among them?
12 I will smite them with the pestilence, and disinherit them, and will make of thee a greater nation and mightier than they.
God does not do what His anger feels, as He is mercy, and also this is a testimony to the world, how people are, and of course not to show Gods name as backwards turning as the men of Israel, for God to have to begin again with another and better people ( the better people hear these testimonies, that was the purpose all along)
The men of Israel question why God brought them up out of Egypt ( it was better for them in Egypt they believed) as in Egypt they had seed, figs, vines, pomegranates...
Numbers 20:2 And there was no water for the congregation: and they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron.
3 And the people chode with Moses, and spake, saying, Would God that we had died when our brethren died before the Lord!
4 And why have ye brought up the congregation of the Lord into this wilderness, that we and our cattle should die there?
5 And wherefore have ye made us to come up out of Egypt, to bring us in unto this evil place? it is no place of seed, or of figs, or of vines, or of pomegranates; neither is there any water to drink.
See the actual words, how the soul of the men of Israel was discouraged. ( no faith to believe in the way, although it is hard and narrow)
Again they complained of no bread in the wilderness ( how they had bread in Egypt) and they despised the manna, God had given from heaven.
God responded by killing them with serpents...
Numbers 21:4 And they journeyed from mount Hor by the way of the Red sea, to compass the land of Edom: and the soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way.
5 And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread.
6 And the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died.
Psalms 78 makes a summing up, how the people doubted and complained about God, and wanted flesh.
As told that was Israel not believing in the salvation of God, they tempted, provoked and kept not the testimonies of God, but as told, DEALT UNFAITHFULLY, which is the TURNING BACK, like a DECEITFUL BOW.
It is demonstrated to be despising the pleasant land ( the salvation of God) by not BELIEVING, in the word of God, by murmuring and not hearing the voice of the Lord...
Psalm 78:20 Behold, he smote the rock, that the waters gushed out, and the streams overflowed; can he give bread also? can he provide flesh for his people?
21 Therefore the Lord heard this, and was wroth: so a fire was kindled against Jacob, and anger also came up against Israel;
22 Because they believed not in God, and trusted not in his salvation:
23 Though he had commanded the clouds from above, and opened the doors of heaven,
24 And had rained down manna upon them to eat, and had given them of the corn of heaven.
Psalms 78:56 Yet they tempted and provoked the most high God, and kept not his testimonies:
57 But turned back, and dealt unfaithfully like their fathers: they were turned aside like a deceitful bow.
Psalm 106:24 Yea, they despised the pleasant land, they believed not his word:
25 But murmured in their tents, and hearkened not unto the voice of the Lord.
Pay attention, as these are two main points now. 2 Peter 2:5-6, Jude 1:5-7, both show the situations of Israel and that they are examples to all who live ungodly now ( in the same lack of faith, turning back way)
Deuteronomy 8, speaks of the goodly houses the men of Israel would have in the land of Israel, how they will eat and be full, how they will multiply gold and silver, and all they have is multiplied, how that heart will be lifted up to forget God who brought them out of the land of bondage ( which they wanted to return to from the wilderness)
The second point is, ( the first one is the heart lifted up in being men of perdition who have their portion/wealth, in this life) now Israel considered the Lord had ESTABLISHED THEM, a holy people to God, and God told them to keep His commandments, and this is the trap ( temptation) on them, how God says, if you keep His statutes, God will make them plenteous in goods, in their children, cattle, in their ground and land, how they wont borrow off other nations but will lend to them...
Deuteronomy 8:11 Beware that thou forget not the Lord thy God, in not keeping his commandments, and his judgments, and his statutes, which I command thee this day:
12 Lest when thou hast eaten and art full, and hast built goodly houses, and dwelt therein;
13 And when thy herds and thy flocks multiply, and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied, and all that thou hast is multiplied;
14 Then thine heart be lifted up, and thou forget the Lord thy God, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage;
Deuteronomy 28:9 The Lord shall establish thee an holy people unto himself, as he hath sworn unto thee, if thou shalt keep the commandments of the Lord thy God, and walk in his ways.
10 And all people of the earth shall see that thou art called by the name of the Lord; and they shall be afraid of thee.
11 And the Lord shall make thee plenteous in goods, in the fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy ground, in the land which the Lord sware unto thy fathers to give thee.
12 The Lord shall open unto thee his good treasure, the heaven to give the rain unto thy land in his season, and to bless all the work of thine hand: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, and thou shalt not borrow.
The reason that point number 2, is a confusing point for Israel ( and for all on the wide path to destruction) is because they think by being in the prosperity Gospel, it is God approving of them. Unfortunately they do not realize that this is the very same temptation the devil layed onto Christ, of giving all the kingdoms of the world to Him, as the devil is the one who has that power and who gives that wealth to them. Anyway that is point number 2, and it is to significant.
Jesus told us two parables here, both related to the example we have heard about from Israel's error.
Israel believed they were established, by being given all they desired from God. God cannot establish a people who we see turned against God at every opportunity. It is like encouraging anyone bad, to not be bad, by focusing on something else, like meditating.
The real focus came to earth, which we now understand is totally confusing for the men of Israel, how Christ is on a donkey, how Christ does not fight as they always did with killing, and wont rise up to defeat the Romans for them who ruled them, how Christ was contrary to their ways, such as wanting to stone a woman in adultery, how He spoke of giving all wealth and lands away, all desire of having a family, of being popular, of being successful, even of having praise of others, all that had to cease, when they only believed the very opposite, how to have all these things a man ( men of this world who have their portion in this life) had them from God ( they did not perceive the temptation had actually come from the devil, as we see the offering to Christ)
Then understand, Jesus came to clean these evil spirits away ( of greed, selfishness, of lust for all the goodly things they wanted) but when Jesus casts out evil, the men who are cleaned hearing the message ( to give all away) return with more wickedness than before, and become even more lustful, that is what happened to the generation of Israel, hearing the message and hardening their hearts against it ( as anyone who hears this message now, also, and it is in the world )
See how this is related to the other scripture, how just as Israel in the old testament ( they had established through success of goods and their portion in this life, such as the return of the land of Israel, the pleasant land of salvation) they do not desire the establishment of he second, new testament, and why ?
Because of course they say the first is better, who would want to do all Christ did to have nowhere to lay His head, when they believe Gods grace to them is them being in prosperity in this life in every way.
But Jesus told them all, how all has to be new, or nothing works, so the first ways of Israel are not only gone, they are revealed for what they are, but it is never something anyone wants to give up, as to them it is better.
Circumcision of the flesh seems better only for praise of men benefit, and because this way you do not require the circumcision of Christ to give all you love away in this life, sabbath, prayers, all done for glory of men, and not instead only in the heart, only praise of God.
Luke 5:36 And he spake also a parable unto them; No man putteth a piece of a new garment upon an old; if otherwise, then both the new maketh a rent, and the piece that was taken out of the new agreeth not with the old.
37 And no man putteth new wine into old bottles; else the new wine will burst the bottles, and be spilled, and the bottles shall perish.
38 But new wine must be put into new bottles; and both are preserved.
39 No man also having drunk old wine straightway desireth new: for he saith, The old is better.
Matthew 12:43 When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none.
44 Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished.
45 Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.
To end, see how it is testified Israel turned back always in their hearts to Egypt.
Christ came to do the will of the Father, Israel never had that will, it was temptation, we see.
Christ spoke to Israel in the wilderness, but always ( men of this world) turn back.
Israel distrusted God and waited not for His salvation.
But the just live by faith, and if anyone draws back ( as the examples shown) God has no pleasure in them, as that is them drawing themselves back into perdition( perdition seeking to be rich and men of this world have their portion as in this life to perdition) and is then not believing to the saving of the soul ( the life is more than what this world offers)
Luke 12:23 The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment.
Acts 7:38 This is he, that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel which spake to him in the mount Sina, and with our fathers: who received the lively oracles to give unto us:
39 To whom our fathers would not obey, but thrust him from them, and in their hearts turned back again into Egypt,
Hebrews 10:9 Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second.
Hebrews 10:37 For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry.
38 Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.
39 But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.
