The story of the Bible is the historical past of God main His individuals by the wilderness. The clearest illustration of that is discovered within the books of Moses and the information of the Hebrew nation and their highway to the promised land. It proved to God’s individuals He can be their chief within the wilderness by Moses, as Psalm 77:20 says, “You led Your individuals like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron.”
As soon as God introduced His individuals by the Pink Sea and guided them to Mount Sinai, He outlined for them a brand new relationship with Him by the Torah, His legal guidelines. Paul tells us in Galatians 3:23-24 that “we had been stored in custody below the legislation,” the legislation changing into a tutor (one who leads kids) to guide us to Christ. God’s plan was that He can be with them, His presence going earlier than them as a pillar of cloud by day and fireplace by evening. His presence would reside in the course of all spiritual actions because the Ark of the Covenant to remind them of His holiness. In the end, the Father was guiding His individuals by the wilderness to seek out His Son. He was instructing them the best way to be led and the best way to observe.
Whereas the Tabernacle and all its components had been being constructed, Moses would transfer his tent outdoors the camp because the tent of assembly the place Moses would meet with God, evidenced by the pillar of cloud (Exodus 33:7-9). The individuals would spend greater than a 12 months on this place, getting oriented to this new manner of experiencing God. Moses requested God to not lead them wherever except His presence went with them (verse 15). God acknowledged that He would honor Moses’ request in verse 17: “The Lord stated to Moses, ‘I will even do that factor of which you could have spoken; for you could have discovered favor in My sight and I’ve identified you by identify.’”
Then in Numbers 10:11-12, the cloud left Sinai “within the second 12 months, within the second month,” heading to Kadesh-barnea (interpreted as “a holy place within the desert”). It turned out to be a daily stopping level because the individuals wandered within the wilderness earlier than getting into the promised land. It additionally was from this place that Moses would ship spies into the promised land in Numbers 13. God needed them to instantly “go in and possess the land which the Lord swore to provide to your fathers” and their descendants (Deuteronomy 1:8).
However that’s not what occurred.
Two Conclusions
God instructed Moses to decide on twelve males who would sneak into the promised land to “See what the land is like, and whether or not the individuals who reside in it are robust or weak, whether or not they’re few or many” (Numbers 13:18). In verses 27-29, ten of them reported that the land was really fruitful, however the individuals dwelling within the land had been too robust for them to beat. These ten spoke for the lots. The opposite two had a distinct take. They advised Moses, “We should always, by all means, go up and take possession of it, for we are going to absolutely overcome it” (Verse 30). These two acknowledged that the individuals weren’t restricted by their very own potential and that the Lord can be the distinction. Caleb and Joshua’s testimonies weren’t sufficient to sway the individuals, and the nation ended up wandering within the wilderness for an additional 38 years.
What triggered this distinction in conclusions? It needed to do with the connection that every had with God. It’s one factor to observe, and it’s one other factor to belief within the chief. In Numbers 14:24, “However My servant Caleb, as a result of he has had a distinct spirit and has adopted Me absolutely, I’ll deliver into the land which he entered, and his descendants shall take possession of it.” God was promising Caleb that he and his descendants would benefit from the fruit of the promised land, not like those that couldn’t belief Him. As well as, God selected Joshua to succeed Moses in main the individuals into the brand new land as a result of he was “a person in whom is the Spirit” (Numbers 27:18), one who may very well be trusted as a result of he was a person being led by the Holy Spirit. In keeping with Joshua 14:8, he says, “I adopted the Lord my God absolutely.”
Following the Chief
2 And Moses summoned all Israel and stated to them, “You might have seen all that the Lord did earlier than your eyes within the land of Egypt to Pharaoh and all his servants and all his land; 3 the nice trials which your eyes have seen, these nice indicators and wonders. 4 But to at the present time, the Lord has not given you a coronary heart to know, nor eyes to see, nor ears to listen to. 5 I’ve led you forty years within the wilderness; your garments haven’t worn out on you, and your sandal has not worn out in your foot. 6 You haven’t eaten bread, nor have you ever drunk wine or robust drink, so that you may know that I’m the Lord your God. 7 Once you reached this place, Sihon, the king of Heshbon and Og the king of Bashan got here out to fulfill us for battle, however we defeated them; 8 and we took their land and gave it as an inheritance to the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of the Manassites. 9 So maintain the phrases of this covenant to do them, that you could be prosper in all that you just do.” (Deuteronomy 29:2-9)
Within the strategy of discovering a person and private conviction to observe God, the believer finds others who seem to observe the Lord and will get behind them. That is the method of following these positioned in a single’s life for instance since they’ve confirmed themselves by their constant stroll. In Philippians 3:17, Paul writes, “Brethren, take part following my instance, and observe those that stroll based on the sample you could have in us.” Moses was that instance for the Hebrews within the wilderness whereas they realized to belief within the Lord’s provisions. All of the provisions vital for fullness within the believer’s life are realized within the strategy of following. In Verse 6, “You haven’t eaten bread, nor have you ever drunk wine or robust drink, so that you may know that I’m the Lord your God.” Even victories over enemies are discovered there. It’s God’s manner of demonstrating that this high quality of life is feasible and actual.
The Spirit of Christ
If we’re to totally observe God, we should imagine on and belief within the One whom we observe. Jesus left us with the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Fact, Who will information us into all the reality. The Spirit can also be known as the Spirit of Christ in Romans 8:9 and 1 Peter 1:11. With out religion, it’s unattainable to please God. With out religion in Who Jesus is, we turn out to be not more than individuals wandering within the wilderness, similar to the nation of Israel. Moses was an awesome man of religion, and Hebrews 11:27 tells us, “By religion he left Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured, as seeing Him who’s unseen.” Moses noticed Jesus as he was being led!
14 “For all who’re being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. 15 For you haven’t acquired a spirit of slavery resulting in worry once more, however you could have acquired a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, ‘Abba! Father!’ 16 The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we’re kids of God.” (Romans 8:14-16)
The main of the Holy Spirit produces maturity, sons reasonably than simply kids. This occurs after we see our heavenly Father as “Abba,” Daddy, after which our relationship with Him turns into private and never summary. It produces an assurance, a confidence that we really are His kids, a part of His royal household. We’re then capable of belief Him regardless of the place He leads us.
