G
gideons300
Guest
In another post, one asked why Moses could not enter the promised land. This answer following explained it, but there is a far greater lesson hidden for us today.
As far as I can see, there is a much deeper reason for God not allowing Moses to enter the promised land than that he struck the rock rather than speak to it as God commanded.
Why then? The law cannot inherit the rest that remaineth for the people of God and Moses was the law giver. Faith speaks out what God has promised...the law depends our our doing, our efforts, our strength to fulfill the words.
When Moses struck the rock, it was typifying our human efforts to be good Christians. I call it the gospel according to Nike...JUST DO IT. It leaves us frustrated, condemned, and stuck in Romans 7, wretched men crying out for deliverance (or worse yet, not crying out for deliverance at all, convincing ourselves that this is the most the gospel promises us).
But faith speaks into existance what has been promised and Moses' actions were not faith actions but typifying the law.
Who did enter in if Moses did not? Let's first look at who did not.
Not one of the 10 spies who came back with unbelieving reports as to the ability of the Israelites to take the land God has promised them entered in. Their bones bleached white in the desert they chose over walking in true obedience- believing their God.
Not one of the over 600,000 men whose hearts melted for fear when told there were giants in the land entered in. They wandered in circles, always moving, never getting anywhere, never "arriving", and they too died, receiving not the promise.
So who did go in from the original contingent of over 1 million men and women who left Egypt via the miracle of the Red Sea?
TWO men (about 1/3000th of a percent of the Israelite men if my math skills are not failing me).
Yes, you are right, it was the the two spies who had the bold audacity to believe that regardless of how impossible it seemed to overcome the odds of them being victorious, they stood by God's promise and said "God has given us the land. He has told us that every single step we take will be our possession forever. We are well able to take the land." These two were Joshua and Caleb.
What a picture for us today. The law, no matter how adhered to, will not bring one into rest, into the land flowing with milk and honey. Faith alone is what moves God, for faith looks away from our inadequacies and looks to God's strength and the fact that our God CANNOT lie.
So what has God promised us? Forgiveness? Yes, but there is more, MUCH more. Forgiveness gets us out of Egypt but it does not get us into the rest that remains for the people of God.
And what is that much more?
That sin will not have dominion over us. That He will not allow us to be tempted above that which we re able to bear. That our shield of faith WILL quench all the fiery arrows of our enemy. That condemnation will be a thing of the past, not "theoretically" but never to be felt again.
So, will we be part of the majority and return from the borders of the promised land of our rest to wander our life away in the wilderness of unbelief, or will we risk everyrthing, our reputation, our good standing with others, our trust in ourselves and our strength, our determination, our own self righteousess and believe the unbelievable?
God has promised that we who are walking in the new covenant will have His desires planted into new hearts and from there cause us to walk as obedient children. Obedience is neededin both covenants. Under the first, it is a requirement, under the second, a promise. Self-control is needed in both covenants. Under the first, it is on our shoulders to perform and the reult is we do not. We want to but we do not, no matter how much we try. Those who think they do are simply pharisees in new clothes. Ah, but under the second, the new covenant, where do we find the self control we need to walk as obedient children? It is given to us, a fruit of the spirit abiding within us. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, meekness and ... ah, there it is ....self control!
Feeling audacious?
Blessings,
Gideon
As far as I can see, there is a much deeper reason for God not allowing Moses to enter the promised land than that he struck the rock rather than speak to it as God commanded.
Why then? The law cannot inherit the rest that remaineth for the people of God and Moses was the law giver. Faith speaks out what God has promised...the law depends our our doing, our efforts, our strength to fulfill the words.
When Moses struck the rock, it was typifying our human efforts to be good Christians. I call it the gospel according to Nike...JUST DO IT. It leaves us frustrated, condemned, and stuck in Romans 7, wretched men crying out for deliverance (or worse yet, not crying out for deliverance at all, convincing ourselves that this is the most the gospel promises us).
But faith speaks into existance what has been promised and Moses' actions were not faith actions but typifying the law.
Who did enter in if Moses did not? Let's first look at who did not.
Not one of the 10 spies who came back with unbelieving reports as to the ability of the Israelites to take the land God has promised them entered in. Their bones bleached white in the desert they chose over walking in true obedience- believing their God.
Not one of the over 600,000 men whose hearts melted for fear when told there were giants in the land entered in. They wandered in circles, always moving, never getting anywhere, never "arriving", and they too died, receiving not the promise.
So who did go in from the original contingent of over 1 million men and women who left Egypt via the miracle of the Red Sea?
TWO men (about 1/3000th of a percent of the Israelite men if my math skills are not failing me).
Yes, you are right, it was the the two spies who had the bold audacity to believe that regardless of how impossible it seemed to overcome the odds of them being victorious, they stood by God's promise and said "God has given us the land. He has told us that every single step we take will be our possession forever. We are well able to take the land." These two were Joshua and Caleb.
What a picture for us today. The law, no matter how adhered to, will not bring one into rest, into the land flowing with milk and honey. Faith alone is what moves God, for faith looks away from our inadequacies and looks to God's strength and the fact that our God CANNOT lie.
So what has God promised us? Forgiveness? Yes, but there is more, MUCH more. Forgiveness gets us out of Egypt but it does not get us into the rest that remains for the people of God.
And what is that much more?
That sin will not have dominion over us. That He will not allow us to be tempted above that which we re able to bear. That our shield of faith WILL quench all the fiery arrows of our enemy. That condemnation will be a thing of the past, not "theoretically" but never to be felt again.
So, will we be part of the majority and return from the borders of the promised land of our rest to wander our life away in the wilderness of unbelief, or will we risk everyrthing, our reputation, our good standing with others, our trust in ourselves and our strength, our determination, our own self righteousess and believe the unbelievable?
God has promised that we who are walking in the new covenant will have His desires planted into new hearts and from there cause us to walk as obedient children. Obedience is neededin both covenants. Under the first, it is a requirement, under the second, a promise. Self-control is needed in both covenants. Under the first, it is on our shoulders to perform and the reult is we do not. We want to but we do not, no matter how much we try. Those who think they do are simply pharisees in new clothes. Ah, but under the second, the new covenant, where do we find the self control we need to walk as obedient children? It is given to us, a fruit of the spirit abiding within us. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, meekness and ... ah, there it is ....self control!
Feeling audacious?
Blessings,
Gideon
