5 posts tagged “israel”
The people then came to Moses and said, We have sinned by speaking against the Lord and against you. Intercede with the Lord so that He will take the snakes away from us. And Moses interceded for the people. Then the Lord said to Moses, Make a snake image and mount it to a pole. When anyone looks at it, he will recover. So Moses made a bronze snake and mounted it to a pole. Whenever someone was bitten and he looked at the bronze snake, he recovered. Num 21: 7-9
I was recently flying home from a five-day ministry event. Because we have a large ministry team, spread-out over the LA area, we utilized several different airline carriers. I was traveling with three others when we received news that there were weather delays in Dallas.
When faced with difficulty, we generally have a choice as to how we will respond. Furthermore, our personal responses can set the tone for a whole group of people. I turned to those traveling with me and said, Our job is to bring the joy to this airport.
Remembering our mission as believers helped determine our response to our situation. We set the emotional and spiritual tones for ourselves, and then we went about the task of ministering to those around us flight personnel, shop workers, fellow passengers.
Israel did not have a very good history when it came to controlling their responses to adverse circumstances. Whenever you are around someone who is negative, almost every comment is like a snakes bite, full of venom. Have you ever considered a negative attitude to be a sin? God does.
In this chapter, the Lord directs Moses to fashion Israels sin as He sees it. It is as if God were saying, If you want to be venomous with your comments, your judgment will be literal venomous snakebites. Not until you see your sin as God sees it, will you recognize your need for healing/salvation.
Jesus said to Nicodemus, a Pharisee, Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, so that whoever believes in Him may have eternal life. John 3:14-15
Jesus, bloody, beaten and crucified thats what we allow sin to do to us. Only when we see our sin as God sees it, do we appreciate His method of salvation.
Blessings.
Steve Wiggins
"Then the Lord descended in a pillar of cloud, stood at the entrance
to the tent, and summoned Aaron and Miriam. When the two of them came
forward, He said: 'Listen to what I say: If there is a prophet among
you from the Lord, I make Myself known to him in a vision; I speak
with him in a dream. Not so with My servant Moses; he is the only one
faithful in all My household. I speak with him directly, openly, and
not in riddles; he sees the image of God. So why are you not afraid
to speak against My servant Moses?'" Num 12: 5-8
"Envy" is pride wounded in competition. Whenever I see someone who
is consumed with envy, I start looking for where the competition is,
because somehow they are responding from that vulnerable place of
realized or impending defeat.
For Cain & Abel, the competition was over God's favor of their
offerings. For Jacob & Esau, it was over birthright and blessing.
I've seen it between recording artists in the marketplace, and between
ministers over congregants. There was serious competition going-on
between Moses' siblings.
Moses' brother, Aaron was oldest, and by birthright it was his
responsibility to spiritually lead the family. As high priest, he
was indeed leading Israel, spiritually. Perhaps, he also wanted to
lead them militarily & administratively.
Miriam was Moses' older sister. She followed Moses' baby basket down
the Nile, straight to Pharaoh's daughter. Miriam negotiated for
Moses' own mother to nurse and raise him! It must have been hard for
Miriam to submit to Moses, without seeing him as a child who needed to
be watched-over.
God saw past their pseudo-righteous indignation and spoke directly,
concerning their envious hearts. Miriam & Aaron's dispute wasn't over
Moses marrying an Egyptian woman. It was over his authority. God cut
straight to the issue, never mentioning the Egyptian woman.
In God's pronouncement, there is a profound lesson concerning
prophecy and faithfulness. There are several biblical instances,
where people who aren't particularly righteous prophesy. Even
Balaam's donkey prophesied! All that meant was that God wanted to
send a message, and He isn't limited by the righteousness of the
messenger.
Most profound is God's statement about faithfulness. When we are
faithful, God's messages don't come to us in abrupt off-time spurts.
He speaks directly and openly to the faithful. Leadership is not
about age or experience, necessarily. It is a matter of faithfulness.
Be faithful.
Blessings.
Steve Wiggins
"Take a census of the entire Israelite community by their clans and their
ancestral houses, counting the names of every male one by one. You and
Aaron are to register those who are 20 years old or more, by their military
divisions – everyone who can serve in Israel's army. A man from each tribe
is to be with you, each from his ancestral house. These are the names of
the men who are to assist you: Numbers 1: 2-5
One month after the erection of the Tabernacle, Moses is commanded to muster
all the men of military age, i.e. those twenty years of age and upwards.
It's time for war! Can you imagine the spiritual and national inertia that
has built to this moment?
Let's refresh: Creation, the fall of man, the flood, Abraham, the
"Covenant", Isaac, Jacob, Joseph sold into slavery, and redemption of his
kinsmen, Egyptian captivity, Moses, the plagues, the 10 commandments…plus
603 more commandments.
This whole time, everything has been pointing to God's promise to the
patriarchs, that Israel WILL inherit the land. "Numbers" begins with a
military census. Israel's forceful acquisition of Canaan is about to
happen…excitement is in the air!
That's a whole lot of back-story leading up to this moment, but a GREATER
story is told here in Numbers, chapter 1. It is the story of world history,
from "The Creation" to "The Revelation". Where?
It's in the names. Every Hebrew name has a meaning, and when we combine the
meanings of Israel's tribal leader (and their fathers), in their recorded
order, we see not only the history of Israel, but the history and hope of
the world. Check it out:
God is my rock – Shaddai is light – At peace with God - God is my friend –
My rock is Shaddai – Serpent – The divine Kinsman is generous – God hath
given – God is our Father – God hath heard – The Divine Kinsman is glorious
– God is my reward – The Rock has redeemed – The Father has judged – The
Divine Brother is a help – The People of Shaddai – The lot or fate of God –
Given By God – God hath added – God is a friend – The Divine Brother is a
friend.
Victory in Canaan was assured if the men, whom God assembled, would
march-out in faith. Let's see how they respond…
Blessings.
Steve Wiggins
“Moses said to the Lord, ‘Look, You have told me, “Lead this people up”, but You have not let me know whom you will send with me. You said, “ I know you by name, and you have found favor in My sight.” Now if I have found favor in Your sight, please teach me Your ways, and I will know You and find favor on Your sight. Now consider that this nation is your people.’” (Exodus 33: 12-13)
“Mother Teresa says, ‘You’ll never know Jesus is all you need, until Jesus is all you have. Moses understood the importance of going with God. He had seen the destruction of Pharaoh’s army, and the judgment Israel when they denied the Lord. Moses wanted to know God’s ways, but he never could have predicted God’s methods of instruction…bonding His people to Himself, and each other, by means of shared adversity.
For Moses & Israel, the next several decades would be a constant stream of faith-stretching trials. Why would the Lord choose this method of character building, as opposed to lavishing abundance & prosperity upon His children?
Perhaps, the answer is found in Moses’ discussion with God. Similar to their conversation at the burning bush, Moses seems to have a difficult time taking God at His word. Even though God told Moses He would be with him, Moses still seeks signs.
It is said in business, “Speed of the leader, speed of the team.” That is to say, if Moses had faith problems, there was no way Israel would be ready to follow. Faith is muscle, that must be exercised. It takes desire and discipline to grow.
A young man once came to the philosopher Socrates, searching for wisdom. Socrates was sitting beside a river, so the young man sat down beside him. ‘I want you to teach me to be wise,’ he said. Without warning, Socrates grasped the young man by the neck and thrust his head under the water. The man struggled and flailed until Socrates finally let him up. As he gasped for air Socrates said, ‘When you seek wisdom as you sought air, you’ll have it.’”
God gives His Word and Spirit to reveal His nature & ways to His children. Our life experience with both is what builds faith.
Blessings.
Exodus 18
“Blessed is the Lord, “ Jethro exclaimed, “who rescued you from the power of the Egyptians, and snatched the people from the power of the Egyptians. Now I know that the Lord is greater than all the gods because He did wonders at the time of the Egyptians acted arrogantly against Israel.” Then Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, brought a burnt offering and sacrifices to God, and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat a meal with Moses’ father-in—law in God’s presence. Exodus 18: 9-12
The lesson of Israel’s exodus affected more than just Israel and Egypt. The four people groups most closely impacted were: 1) Israel, 2) Egypt, 3) Kingdoms of Canaan, 5) Moses’ Gentile (Midianite) in-laws.
Israel responded to God by following Him. Egypt responded by defying Him. The Canaanites responded by challenging Him, and Jethro responded by believing in Him.
Not since the meeting of Melchizedek and Abraham has the bible given us a clear indication of God’s acceptance of worship from a people other than Israel. Melchizedek was a priest-king of Salem, and Jethro was a priest of Midian. Neither were Israelites.
What is interesting about Jethro is that he burnt offerings and sacrificed to the Lord. In the presence of the Lord, Jethro and all Israel’s leaders ate a meal together. This is a symbol that the Lord accepts the worship of all who acknowledge Him.
Acknowledgement is more than mere intellectual ascent, belief that He exists. It is a turning from old ways and beliefs, and a turning to the ways of the Lord. It is the cessation of false religion, and the assumption of faith in YHWH. The absence of Divine protest confirms Jethro’s heart was faithful.
Interesting also, is the image of the goyim (Gentile) Jethro bringing Moses’ bride and children to him. In a similar way the bible says the “nations” will carry the children of Israel back home.
“This is what the sovereign Lord says, ‘See, I will beckon to the Gentiles, I will lift up my banner to the peoples; they will bring your sons in their arms and carry your daughters on their shoulders.” Isaiah 49: 22
The church, completed with Jew and Gentile believers, is called the “bride” of Messiah. Rev 19: 7
Blessings.
Steve Wiggins
