CHAPTER 16
WANDERING IN THE WILDERNESS
While the Israelites were wandering in the wilderness, God brought them to Mount Sinai and there He gave them the Law. The Law reveals to us God’s perfect will, but also reveals our weakness and our desperate need for God’s deliverance. No matter how hard we try in the flesh, we are incapable of keeping the law. The Israelites in the wilderness are an example of carnal Christians who are still relying on their own wisdom and their own strength. They have been rescued from the bondage of sin and Satan. They have crucified the flesh and have been resurrected with Christ, but old habits of the flesh die hard. They begin to try and do what is right and they attempt to please God with their own actions, by their own righteousness. They attempt to obey the law. They have not discovered that no matter what they do, it will never be enough.
Attempting to keep the law by our own strength will only lead us through a wilderness, a barren waste land. Most of the Israelites never reached the Promised Land because they did not believe all of the promises of God. They had enough faith in God’s Word to paint the lintels of their doorways with blood and thus escape the angel of death. They had enough faith to cross the Red Sea, and thus escape Pharaoh’s army. However, when they arrived at Mount Sinai, the people received commandments from God that were impossible for them to obey and they did not have enough faith to enter into the Promised Land.
YEA, THEY DESPISED THE PLEASANT LAND, THEY “BELIEVED NOT” HIS WORD:
BUT MURMURED IN THEIR TENTS, AND HEARKENED NOT UNTO THE VOICE OF THE LORD.
PSALM 106:24-25
The Israelites are a perfect example of most of the modern day Church. Many Christians can confess the Lordship of Jesus Christ, believe that God raised Him from the dead, and get baptized, but then they fall far short when it comes to believing all God’s promises! Many Christians insist on earning the blessings of God, they just cannot believe God desires to give them all the good things He has promised them in His Word. God promised to lead the Israelites to a land flowing with milk and honey, but they refused to enter in, and although they repented, God would not let them enter into the Promised Land.
Are you refusing to believe and enter into God’s promises to the Church? Do you believe you have to earn God’s approval and blessing?
FOLLOW PEACE WITH ALL MEN, AND HOLINESS, WITHOUT WHICH NO MAN SHALL SEE THE LORD:
LOOKING DILIGENTLY LEST ANY MAN FAIL OF THE GRACE OF GOD; LEST ANY ROOT OF BITTERNESS SPRINGING UP TROUBLE YOU, AND THEREBY MANY BE DEFILED;
LEST THERE BE ANY FORNICATOR, OR PROFANE PERSON, AS ESAU, WHO FOR ONE MORSEL OF MEAT SOLD HIS BIRTHRIGHT.
FOR YE KNOW HOW THAT AFTERWARD, WHEN HE WOULD HAVE INHERITED THE BLESSING, HE WAS REJECTED: FOR HE FOUND NO PLACE OF REPENTANCE, THOUGH HE SOUGHT IT CAREFULLY WITH TEARS.
HEBREWS 12:14-17
I always wondered why God was so harsh to Esau and the children of Israel. They repented for their sin, why didn’t God forgive them? Both Esau and the children of Israel were going to receive a gift from God. Esau was going to receive his birthright and the children of Israel were going to receive the Promised Land flowing with milk and honey. The Bible says that Esau “despised” his birthright. See Genesis 25:34. The children of Israel did not believe God’s promise. See Numbers 14:3-11. Esau represents those under the law and Jacob represents those under grace.
Many people believe that after they die they will have another chance to repent. Therefore, they continue on in their sin and rebellion against God. They reject the free gift of salvation bought and paid for by Jesus Christ. They believe God will forgive them and welcome them with open arms after they die. These people are sadly mistaken because there is no repentance after we die. We have only one chance to enter into God’s promises. We can only repent while we are alive on the earth. We can call on God when we are living. After we die there is only judgment if we do not accept the mercy and grace of God here on earth.
JESUS SAID UNTO HIM, IF THOU CANST BELIEVE, “ALL” THINGS ARE POSSIBLE TO HIM THAT BELIEVETH.
MARK 9:23
Do you perhaps believe that Jesus was some kind of Pollyanna, who just didn’t get it? You might say, “He just doesn’t know what I’m going through.” The Bible says that Jesus does know what we are going through! If we believe in the power and authority of Jesus Christ we are more than conquerors. We can overcome sickness. We can overcome poverty. We can overcome despair. We can overcome sin. We can overcome devils. We can overcome death and hell. We can overcome any obstacle. However, apart from Jesus Christ, we are forever lost.
FOR VERILY HE TOOK NOT ON HIM THE NATURE OF ANGELS; BUT HE TOOK ON HIM THE SEED OF ABRAHAM.
WHEREFORE IN ALL THINGS IT BEHOOVED HIM TO BE MADE LIKE UNTO HIS BRETHREN, THAT HE MIGHT BE A MERCIFUL AND FAITHFUL HIGH PRIEST IN THINGS PERTAINING TO GOD, TO MAKE RECONCILIATION FOR THE SINS OF THE PEOPLE.
FOR IN THAT HE HIMSELF HATH SUFFERED BEING TEMPTED, HE IS ABLE TO SUCCOUR THEM THAT ARE TEMPTED.
HEBREWS 2:16-18
If you believe the Books of the New Testament, and if you’re a Christian you should believe the New Testament, you must believe that Jesus could do what he said he could do. You must also believe that Christians can do what Jesus said we could do. He said: all things are possible to him who believeth! What things? All things! Then there can be only one reason why we cannot receive God’s many promises. We do not believe God’s Word!