QT 30 Mar 12, God has a good work for us to do, are we going to let him use us?

Num 21:23-26, 32-22:1 (NIV) But Sihon would not let Israel pass through his territory. He mustered his entire army and marched out into the desert against Israel. When he reached Jahaz, he fought with Israel. 24 Israel, however, put him to the sword and took over his land from the Arnon to the Jabbok, but only as far as the Ammonites, because their border was fortified. 25 Israel captured all the cities of the Amorites and occupied them, including Heshbon and all its surrounding settlements. 26 Heshbon was the city of Sihon king of the Amorites, who had fought against the former king of Moab and had taken from him all his land as far as the Arnon.

. . .

32 After Moses had sent spies to Jazer, the Israelites captured its surrounding settlements and drove out the Amorites who were there. 33 Then they turned and went up along the road toward Bashan, and Og king of Bashan and his whole army marched out to meet them in battle at Edrei.

34 The Lord said to Moses, "Do not be afraid of him, for I have handed him over to you, with his whole army and his land. Do to him what you did to Sihon king of the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon."

35 So they struck him down, together with his sons and his whole army, leaving them no survivors. And they took possession of his land.

22 Then the Israelites traveled to the plains of Moab and camped along the Jordan across from Jericho.

NOTE: Since Edom refuses Israel safe passage, the people take the long way via Arabia and through the land of the Amorites, defeating two kings who control over 60 cities. These cities are occupied by Israel (if not at this point, then later when the areas are parceled out). They are now on the Jordan river to the east of the land of Canaan. It took 40 years to travel this week-long journey because of Israel's unbelief, but they are now here. There is a message to us in this long journey. If we are not willing to serve God in the undertaking he has prepared for us, then he will find someone else. It may take a little longer, but God will accomplish his purpose. What is it that God has called us to do? It need not be some large thing, such as missionary work in the jungles of Africa (although it could), but there is something that God has called every person to do. Paul tells the Philippian Church, ". . . being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. (Phil 1:6)" and Paul writes to Timothy, "If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work. (2 Ti 2:21)" and, "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2 Tim 3:16,17)" What good work are we preparing ourselves for -- what good work are we called to?

QT 28 Mar 12, God desires our trust

Num 21:1-9 (NIV) When the Canaanite king of Arad, who lived in the Negev, heard that Israel was coming along the road to Atharim, he attacked the Israelites and captured some of them. 2 Then Israel made this vow to the Lord: "If you will deliver these people into our hands, we will totally destroy their cities." 3 The Lord listened to Israel's plea and gave the Canaanites over to them. They completely destroyed them and their towns; so the place was named Hormah.

4 They traveled from Mount Hor along the route to the Red Sea, to go around Edom. But the people grew impatient on the way; 5 they spoke against God and against Moses, and said, "Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the desert? There is no bread! There is no water! And we detest this miserable food!"

6 Then the Lord sent venomous snakes among them; they bit the people and many Israelites died. 7 The people came to Moses and said, "We sinned when we spoke against the Lord and against you. Pray that the Lord will take the snakes away from us." So Moses prayed for the people.

8 The Lord said to Moses, "Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live." 9 So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, he lived.

NOTE: Aaron has just died and some of the Israelites are captured, although the context is not listed. Now, they are taking a very wide path through the desert to get around Edom. Again, the people complain about food, water, and lack of variety. God judges the people with poisonous snakes, and then when they repent of their sin provides a form of salvation from the bite. Of course, there is an analogy between the bite of the snake and our sin nature, and the snake on the pole and Christ on the cross, but the real point is the continual lack of trust and contentment despite nearly 40 years of God's provision. And in this I do understand--even though we have seen God provide again and again over the years, every new situation causes us to wonder if he will provide this time--why is that? Is it because we really are not convinced that God cares? Or that God really understands our situation? Or maybe, we see God like ourselves, who can be fickle at times? I'm not sure what the reason is for our lack of trust, of faith in God, for our daily lives. But I do believe, it is the one thing God values the most in us. "And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him."

QT 26 Mar 12, Take your decisions to God, they may change ...

Num 20:14-21 (NIV) Moses sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom, saying:

"This is what your brother Israel says: You know about all the hardships that have come upon us. 15 Our forefathers went down into Egypt, and we lived there many years. The Egyptians mistreated us and our fathers, 16 but when we cried out to the Lord, he heard our cry and sent an angel and brought us out of Egypt.

"Now we are here at Kadesh, a town on the edge of your territory. 17 Please let us pass through your country. We will not go through any field or vineyard, or drink water from any well. We will travel along the king's highway and not turn to the right or to the left until we have passed through your territory."

18 But Edom answered:

"You may not pass through here; if you try, we will march out and attack you with the sword."

19 The Israelites replied:

"We will go along the main road, and if we or our livestock drink any of your water, we will pay for it. We only want to pass through on foot — nothing else."

20 Again they answered:

"You may not pass through."

Then Edom came out against them with a large and powerful army. 21 Since Edom refused to let them go through their territory, Israel turned away from them.

NOTE: Israel appeals to the Edomites on the basis of their common ancestry. The request seems reasonable, but Edom is unwilling to allow 3 million people pass through the country, even if they pay for damage and food consumed. Numbers 20 is characterized by a lot of human actions that fail. It is not clear if the cloud's movement was distinct as to require them to take the King's highway or if they misinterpreted the direction in their quest to get Edom's okay. Ultimately they take the much wider path into the Arabian desert to go around Edom.

The story does make one wonder how much human effort was being applied to problems. It appears they are near the end of the 40 years, but things still do not seem easy.

Even when the steps seem reasonable, we still need to take our actions to the Lord in prayer. He may change them, but if we don't even include him, then we risk catastrophe because we weren't willing to listen.

QT 20 Mar 12, Truth trumps lifestyle

Jude 3-7 (NIV) Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt I had to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints. 4 For certain men whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are godless men, who change the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord.

NOTE: Jude wanted to write about their shared salvation, instead he writes about the need to contend for the salvation. He says that certain men have slipped in to their congregation--they are godless; they use grace as an excuse for sexual sin; and they deny Jesus as their Lord. So while Jude could be writing an encouraging note about their shared experience, he feels compelled ("had to write") a harsher note, why? Well, one possibility is that the teaching of false teachers is spreading, and even worse, the readers are accepting these teachings. Now, lifestyle does not validate or invalidate truth. Truth stands on its own. Lifestyle reveals an incongruence between truth and obedience. It is possible to teach truth and not have a lifestyle that supports it as well as to teach false truth and have a lifestyle that does support it. So the bottom line is the need for truth. But at a secondary level, lifestyle, in fact can be correlated to truth. Most of the time there is congruence between what a person teaches and how a person lives. If anything, lifestyle can be used as a signpost or caution, ie, does this person really know what he is teaching, or as a commendation, ie, this person would appear to have figured out some things. But the absolute determinant is truth itself as revealed in the scripture. So, we should be careful about evaluating truth based on the individual but rather based it on the word, and only used character as a secondary tool.

QT 16 Mar 12, How do we portray God to those around us?

Num 20:7-13 (NIV) The Lord said to Moses, 8 "Take the staff, and you and your brother Aaron gather the assembly together. Speak to that rock before their eyes and it will pour out its water. You will bring water out of the rock for the community so they and their livestock can drink."

9 So Moses took the staff from the Lord's presence, just as he commanded him. 10 He and Aaron gathered the assembly together in front of the rock and Moses said to them, "Listen, you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock?" 11 Then Moses raised his arm and struck the rock twice with his staff. Water gushed out, and the community and their livestock drank.

12 But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, "Because you did not trust in me enough to honor me as holy in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land I give them."

13 These were the waters of Meribah, where the Israelites quarreled with the Lord and where he showed himself holy among them.

NOTE: The command was to "speak to that rock before their eyes." Instead, Moses spoke to the people --"said to them" -- and emphasized his and Aaron's role -- "must we bring you water out of this rock" -- and then "raised his arm and struck the rock with his staff." Moses is challenged by God on two points. One, Moses did not trust God, "because you did not trust me enough." God was testing Moses as well -- would Moses trust God to just speak the words or was some action required on Moses part. Was God's power in the staff or in obedience to God? God also says, "you did not trust me enough to honor me as holy in the sight of the Israelites." Moses called the Israelites "rebels," which God did not call them. Also, Moses' action did not honor God as holy. The word means to be set apart. Apparently, speaking would have emphasized God's action to provide in a gentle manner, whereas striking emphasized Moses action to provide. Holiness would place God apart from the people but only in action, not in heart, since he loved them. Moses called the people rebels which surely did not induce a feeling of love. Moses struck the rock physically which also does not suggest love but rather power. In all, Moses' portrayal of God is an angry, powerful Lord who is providing water but is tired of the whole thing. God's desire was for Moses to speak to a rock and show God's gentleness and love to a people who had a legitimate need.

QT 15 Mar 12, Faith is believing God cares

Num 20:2-8 (NIV) Now there was no water for the community, and the people gathered in opposition to Moses and Aaron. 3 They quarreled with Moses and said, "If only we had died when our brothers fell dead before the Lord! 4 Why did you bring the Lord's community into this desert, that we and our livestock should die here? 5 Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to this terrible place? It has no grain or figs, grapevines or pomegranates. And there is no water to drink!"

6 Moses and Aaron went from the assembly to the entrance to the Tent of Meeting and fell facedown, and the glory of the Lord appeared to them. 7 The Lord said to Moses, 8 "Take the staff, and you and your brother Aaron gather the assembly together. Speak to that rock before their eyes and it will pour out its water. You will bring water out of the rock for the community so they and their livestock can drink."

NOTE: There has been one catastrophe after another for Moses and the leaders. Water is a critical element because while one can survive without a lot of things for some time, that is not the case of water while traveling in the desert. This is a hot button issue for the people. And the button they are pushing is God's. I'm convinced that at this stage the people did not doubt God's power. I think Hebrews 3 highlights this story for the same reason. The people did not doubt's God's power, they doubted his care. Did he really care for them personally? Can I trust Him, not just for the long term, but for the short term immediate needs of my life? Will he intervene or are those things left for me to figure out? Finding water for 3M people in the desert is a problem far beyond Moses and the leaders. So Moses does exactly the right thing -- he falls down before God and seeks his help. God immediately answers this urgent request because God truly does care, he truly will provide for the urgent needs, and He truly can be trusted. I believe real faith is not believing in God's power but in God's care (his love for me).

QT 12 Mar 12, Contentment could revolutionize our witness

Num 20:1-5 (NIV) In the first month the whole Israelite community arrived at the Desert of Zin, and they stayed at Kadesh. There Miriam died and was buried.

2 Now there was no water for the community, and the people gathered in opposition to Moses and Aaron. 3 They quarreled with Moses and said, "If only we had died when our brothers fell dead before the Lord! 4 Why did you bring the Lord's community into this desert, that we and our livestock should die here? 5 Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to this terrible place? It has no grain or figs, grapevines or pomegranates. And there is no water to drink!"

NOTE: While the main issue is water, there is more to it than that and to a certain extent resembles the meat issue. In verse 5, the people add to the complaint that there is no grain, figs, grapevines, or pomegranates. So there really is a problem of discontent with the circumstances. They are looking for a more exciting palate, and the desert does not provide their wishes. Although the reason they are in the desert is because they did not want to go into the Land when God told them to go. At that time they were afraid of giants, now they are tired of monotony. And wishing to be dead, with God's judgment already standing upon you, is not a good argument. We really are a lot like Israel. We are never satisfied with our lot in life, always wanting what we don't have. We look back on the old times with jaded vision, as if they were really better, when in fact we were complaining back then as well. A believer with a lifestyle that is characterized by contentment is a rare gem indeed. On that one point alone, we could revolutionize our witness.

QT 7 Mar 12, Obedience is no guarantee of the "wonderful life"

Num 20:1 (NIV) In the first month the whole Israelite community arrived at the Desert of Zin, and they stayed at Kadesh. There Miriam died and was buried.

NOTE: Miriam dies very early in the story, only one month and a year into the 40 years of wandering. Aaron has had a painful life. While early on he did rise up against Moses with his sister Miriam, Aaron, also gave into the people with the golden calf, since then, he has stood by Moses' side. He was one of only four to stand for God against the popular revolt during the 12 spies report. But he has already seen his two sons die, and now his sister, both very early in the exodus. He stands with Moses against the people's grumbling on multiple occasions, but that does not make his life easy. At this point in his life, he is exercising faith and obedience, but that does not guarantee a "wonderful" life. I think it is sad that so many people are misled by the health and wealth gospel types. God cause us to obedience and worship, not to health and wealth. Otherwise, it would be all about us, but it is not, it is all about God.