road2answers

Monday, November 16, 2015

Crossing the Jordan

Joshua 3 and 4

Life is full of transitions.

One day you are single. The next day you are married.

One day you are a high school senior. The next day you are a high school graduate.

One day you are in your mother’s womb. The next day you are in diapers.

One day you are alive. The next day you are in heaven or hell.

Some transitions are beyond our control. An auto accident can change a life in a single moment. Sickness and disease can change a life.

We prepare and plan for some transitions. We study for years to get our high school diplomas, our bachelor’s degree or our master’s degree.

Once the transition is made, there is no going back. The change is permanent. We can long for the past, but it is gone. We can resent the past, but it cannot be undone. We can wish we were never born, but here we are.

God is Lord of all our transitions.

The crossing of the Jordan River by the Israelites is often used as a picture of our transition into heaven. Certainly, death is our final transition here on earth. However, there are many transitions before we meet that final transition. The example of God leading the Israelites across the Jordan can help us deal with all our transitions.

Joshua 3 and 4 tell the story of Israel’s great transition. From this story, we can find encouragement and instruction to help in our own transitions.

Look at Joshua 3:1.

Early the next morning Joshua and all the Israelites left Acacia Grove and arrived at the banks of the Jordan River, where they camped before crossing.[i]

We understand that “early the next morning” is referring to the morning after the spies returned from Jericho. In Joshua chapter 2, we learn that Joshua sent two spies into Jericho. These men stayed in the house of Rahab, and brought back a report saying, “The LORD has given us the whole land,” they said, “for all the people in the land are terrified of us.” (Joshua 2:24)

There is a significant detail in chapter 3 verse 1 that can easily be overlooked. It says, “the Israelites left Acacia Grove.” Other translations call this place “Shittim.” The word “Shittim” means Acacia. The Israelites were camped in an area covered with Acacia trees. They had been camped here for some time.

God led the people up from the wilderness through the land of Sihon king of the Amorites, and Og king of Bashan. These and other kings east of the Jordan were utterly destroyed by the Israelites.

When the Israelites reached Acacia Grove, they were in the territory of the Moabites. Balaak, king of Moab, saw the massive Israelite camp and knew he could not take them in a fight so he hired a seer named Balaam to curse them. God would not let Balaam curse Israel. Therefore, Balaam told Balaak how he could get Israel to curse themselves. Balaak sent beautiful women to invite the Israelites to join in celebrating festivals to their gods. These festivals were particularly attractive because they involved these beautiful women giving their bodies to the men.

Numbers 21 through 25 tells the story of the battles with Og, Sihon and Balaak. Numbers 25 verse 9 tells us that 24,000 people of Israel died there in the camp at Acacia Grove.

After the incident with the Moabite women, Moses gave final instructions and took care of final details. Then, he died. God took him to a mountaintop, showed him the land on the other side of the Jordan and took him home.

God is Lord of our transitions.

The first lesson we learn from the Israelites transition is God is merciful.

The past cannot be undone. The 24,000 that died in Acacia Grove could not be brought back. The horrible sin that the Israelites committed was now part of their past. Moses was gone. He was not coming back. We must first understand that God does not hold the past against us. Lamentations 3:22-23 says, “The faithful love of the LORD never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning.” It is incredible, but God’s mercies are fresh every morning. He does not hold the past against us. 1 John 1:9 says, “But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.”

God does not hold the past against us, and He is willing to remove our sins from us. However, sometimes we are unwilling to let go of the past. I am not saying we should forget the loved one we lost. I am not saying we will not miss the use of the body part we lost. I am saying we will have to accept a new normal. I am saying that we will have to embrace God’s purpose for us. Moses is gone. Joshua is the leader now. Things will never be the same. We must move on from Acacia Grove to the Jordan.

When we put our faith in the Lord of all our transitions, we can trust His mercy. We can also trust His purpose. This is the second lesson we learn from the Israelites’ transition.

God is good.

Joshua 3:9-11 says:

⁹So Joshua told the Israelites, “Come and listen to what the LORD your God says. ¹⁰Today you will know that the living God is among you. He will surely drive out the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites, and Jebusites ahead of you. ¹¹Look, the Ark of the Covenant, which belongs to the Lord of the whole earth, will lead you across the Jordan River!

During their 40 years in the wilderness, the Israelites had a consistent problem. Each time they came to an obstacle, they would complain, “The Lord has brought us out here to kill us.” Joshua tells the people, “Today you will know that the living God is among you. He will surely drive out the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites, and Jebusites ahead of you.” God had a future and a plan for His people. He had sustained them 40 years in the wilderness. He had led them out of Egypt. He parted the waters of the Red Sea. He gave them Manna and kept their clothes from wearing out. For 40 years, God demonstrated His mercy and His goodness. Now as they approach the big moment of transition, once again, God is promising a bright future, His presence and His provision.

God does the same for us. To be sure, circumstances and events are not always positive. The Jordan River was in flood stage. It was a real barrier. Without Divine intervention, the people were not getting to the other side. We are blind to the future. When we get married, we anticipate bliss. Too often, our hopes are dashed. When we hear the diagnosis from the doctor, we are crushed. When the boss says, “We are down-sizing,” we wonder how we are going to make it.

God is good.

I am not saying that everything that happens is good. God give us the power, authority and ability to choose. Therefore, sin and evil exist in this world. Even given this fact, in our darkest days God gives us this assurance:

For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. (Jeremiah 29:11)

The Apostle Paul repeats this assurance in another way when he says:

And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. (Romans 8:28)

The Israelites trusted God’s purpose. God provided a new leader. God led with the Ark of the Covenant. Everything changed, no more pillar of fire by night, no more cloud by day. They left behind their parents’ bodies in the wilderness. They left behind the ease and certainty of Manna. They left behind the familiarity of Moses. They moved ahead into the unknown of conquest, battle and making a new home. Their only confidence was God is good.

They also learned that God is unchanging.

Joshua 4:4-7 says:

⁴So Joshua called together the twelve men he had chosen—one from each of the tribes of Israel. ⁵He told them, “Go into the middle of the Jordan, in front of the Ark of the LORD your God. Each of you must pick up one stone and carry it out on your shoulder—twelve stones in all, one for each of the twelve tribes of Israel. ⁶We will use these stones to build a memorial. In the future your children will ask you, ‘What do these stones mean?’ ⁷Then you can tell them, ‘They remind us that the Jordan River stopped flowing when the Ark of the LORD’s Covenant went across.’ These stones will stand as a memorial among the people of Israel forever.”

Joshua built a memorial.

It was important that the people never forget what God had done. Moses instituted the Passover festival. It was important that the people never forget what God had done. Only once has God parted the Red Sea. Only once has God stopped the flow of the Jordan. However, it was the same God that did both.

God has progressively revealed Himself throughout History. In other words, what God shows us of Himself builds upon what He has shown previous generations about Himself. He does not change. Today, He is the same God who parted the Red Sea. He is the same God that led the Israelites across the Jordan. However, the Israelites did not yet know about Nazareth, Mary and Joseph, a manger or about Jesus. When they crossed the Jordan, they did not yet know how they were going to defeat the walled city of Jericho. We know all these things and more. We know that God raised Jesus from the dead. We know that God gives us His Holy Spirit. We know that God has given us His Word, the Bible.

Since we know that God is unchanging, we have confidence that whatever the Jordan we face we can trust God. Jesus said, “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me.” (John 14:1)

God is Lord of our transitions.

God is merciful so learn from the past, build on the past, but do not let the past stop you from following God when He calls you to cross the Jordan.

God is good so trust God’s plan, even when you cannot see hope for tomorrow.

God is unchanging so build on what He has shown you. Move forward in your relationship with God. Never forget what He has done. His word is a memorial to His great deeds. Visit it often.

[i] Unless otherwise noted Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation. Copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Steam, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved

Rahab: When God Prepares the Way

Joshua 2

Some battles seem too big for us.

Many of us reach an uneasy truce with our battles. Maybe your battle is with anger. Maybe your battle is with lust. Maybe your battle is with envy. Maybe your battle is with lying. We all have battles.

Jesus has saved us. We are going to heaven. However, the battle with sin and victory in this life continues. We accepted Christ and received new life, but we still struggle with sin.

Is the promised land of our salvation just for the future? Is it just for heaven, or is it for this life and the next? I believe it is for this life and the next.

The things that happened to Israel are an example for us. As the Children of Israel were to enter into the Promised Land, so, we too, are to enter into our promised land. Hebrews 4:1 calls it entering into his rest when it says, “God’s promise of entering his rest still stands, so we ought to tremble with fear that some of you might fail to experience it.”[i]

A generation of Israelites died in the wilderness. They never entered the promised rest. They never entered the Promised Land. Hebrews 3:17 says of them, “And who made God angry for forty years? Wasn’t it the people who sinned, whose corpses lay in the wilderness?” Hebrews 3:19 sums up the lesson we learn from this generation. It says, “So we see that because of their unbelief they were not able to enter his rest.”

We were not brought out of the Egypt, otherwise known as the world, in order to end up corpses in the wilderness.

Joshua led the Israelites in the conquest of Canaan. He led them into the Promised Land. He led them into their rest. However, it was a battle. Three times God said to Joshua, “Be Strong and courageous.” (Joshua 1) Joshua’s job would take courage and strength. However, the promise of God’s presence accompanied it. God promised that no one would be able to stand up to Joshua.

In Joshua chapter 2, Joshua makes his first tenuous expedition into the Promised Land. It is not an assault. It is not a bold move. He looks at the situation. Verse 1 of chapter 2 says, “He secretly sent out two spies.”

I do not understand what Joshua is thinking. He could stand on his side of the Jordan and see the other side. He could look and see the walled city of Jericho. What is he hoping to find out? We do not know the answers to these questions. However, we do know what Joshua found out. He found out that God had prepared the way before them.

As we look at our battles, we too will find that God has prepared the way before us.

Look at Joshua 2:1.

Then Joshua secretly sent out two spies from the Israelite camp at Acacia Grove. He instructed them, “Scout out the land on the other side of the Jordan River, especially around Jericho.” So the two men set out and came to the house of a prostitute named Rahab and stayed there that night.

I do not think these were immoral men. One of the commentaries I read said that the word translated “prostitute” could also be translated “Innkeeper.” However, they could have entered town and asked for a prostitute just to stay in disguise, pretending to be weary travelers doing what weary travelers do. Whatever the reason, how likely was it they would by pure chance end up at the house of the one person who would feed them, hide them, protect them and advise them? How is it that they just “happened” to stay the night at Rahab’s house?

God had prepared the way.

As you set out on your first tenuous expeditions to claim your promise, you will find that God has prepared the way. Others have fought the same battle you face. For example, if your battle is anger, you will find that many have fought that battle. Or, if your battle is lust, you will find that many have fought that battle.

The story continues. Look at Joshua 2:2-3.

But someone told the king of Jericho, “Some Israelites have come here tonight to spy out the land.” So the king of Jericho sent orders to Rahab: “Bring out the men who have come into your house, for they have come here to spy out the whole land.”

Busted! Joshua may have sent the spies out secretly, but the enemy was not fooled. He knew why the Israelites were there, and he was out to stop them. He was king. This was his city. He was there to protect it.

As you set out on your first tenuous expeditions to claim your promise you will find that the enemy is there and will not like you poking around in his territory.

Rahab’s quick thinking saved the men from certain death.

Look at verses 4 through 7 of Joshua chapter 2.

⁴Rahab had hidden the two men, but she replied, “Yes, the men were here earlier, but I didn’t know where they were from. ⁵They left the town at dusk, as the gates were about to close. I don’t know where they went. If you hurry, you can probably catch up with them.” ⁶(Actually, she had taken them up to the roof and hidden them beneath bundles of flax she had laid out.) ⁷So the king’s men went looking for the spies along the road leading to the shallow crossings of the Jordan River. And as soon as the king’s men had left, the gate of Jericho was shut.

Rahab was ready. It says here that she had hidden the spies. It does not say she was warned in advance, but somehow she knew and she prepared a hiding place. She had hid them under flax bundles. She then diverted the search. She directed the king’s men to search in the wrong place.

I cannot say that you will be hidden under bundles of flax. However, God does promise in 2 Corinthians 10:13, “When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.”

God knows what we need and prepares the way before we set out.

The men were led by providence to the right place to stay. Their hiding place and safety were prepared before them. Next, we will see the information Rahab gives them.

Look at verses 8 through 11 of Joshua chapter 2.

⁸Before the spies went to sleep that night, Rahab went up on the roof to talk with them. ⁹“I know the LORD has given you this land,” she told them. “We are all afraid of you. Everyone in the land is living in terror. ¹⁰For we have heard how the LORD made a dry path for you through the Red Sea when you left Egypt. And we know what you did to Sihon and Og, the two Amorite kings east of the Jordan River, whose people you completely destroyed. ¹¹No wonder our hearts have melted in fear! No one has the courage to fight after hearing such things. For the LORD your God is the supreme God of the heavens above and the earth below.

What incredible words! “I know the LORD has given you this land.” This came from one of the residence of the land. She had not lived under Moses’s leadership. She had not eaten Manna. She had not seen the miraculous hand of God defeating Pharaoh’s army. She had only heard about all these things. What is more, she informs the spies that everyone in the land has heard. “Everyone in the land is living in terror.” “Our hearts have melted in fear!” “No one has the courage to fight.”

If Joshua and the spies needed confirmation of God’s leading, this was it. God said to Joshua, “You are the one who will lead these people to possess all the land I swore to their ancestors I would give them.” (Joshua 1:6, NLT) The information Rahab gave them was confirmation. Victory was guaranteed.

In our battles, we have the same kind of information. In John 16:33 Jesus says, “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world."

Some say there is no battle to be fought. Based on Romans 6:11, which says, “So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus.” And, based on other verses in Romans 6 that say to yield control to God, some say that we are passive. However, these verses are not passive. The New Living Translation gets Romans 6:13 right when it says, “Give yourselves completely to God.” This giving ourselves to God or yielding is not passive. “The just shall live by faith.” (Romans 1:17) This certainly is the truth of Scripture. In addition, we are called upon to put on the full armor of God. Furthermore, we are called upon to stand firm. All these are acts of faith, and they are also pictures of battle.

Many people have gone before and have given testimony to the life of faith. Hebrews 12:1 says, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.”

God has set a race before us. He has prepared the way. However, there is the sin that so easily trips us up. Sin in general will keep us from entering the rest God has promised. Unbelief in particular is the most grievous sin. However, each person has a sin that easily trips him or her up. I find I have many. Whether by natural tendencies, upbringing or training we all have places in our life that will trip us up.

These places are like Jericho. They have strong walls. They have armies.

When Moses sent the twelve spies, ten of them came back and said, “They have strong armies and walls we cannot do this.” Perhaps you have fought with your favorite sin all your life and are convinced you cannot defeat it. Listen to the voice of Rahab. She said, “For the LORD your God is the supreme God of the heavens above and the earth below.” (Joshua 2:11, NLT)

Jesus died to set us free. It is possible to be free.

I am not talking about sinless perfection. The Scripture is clear, “If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth.” (1 John 1:8, NLT) God has prepared the way before us, but have we failed to take Jericho?

Rahab believed God, and because of this, she took action. She arranged with the spies to save the lives of herself and her family. Because of her faith, God has honored her with a place in Scripture, a place in the ancestry of Christ and we can assume a home in heaven.

The spies who had gone out secretly on this tenuous expedition came back with this report. “The LORD has given us the whole land,” they said, “for all the people in the land are terrified of us.” (Joshua 2:24, NLT)

The first step in being free is being willing to take the first step. If you are willing to send out your spies, you will find that God has prepared the way.

If your tongue is your Jericho, you will find the Scriptures have an answer. If your temper is your Jericho, you will find the Scriptures have an answer. If your lust is your Jericho, you will find the Scripture has an answer.

Friday, November 6, 2015

Joshua

Read Joshua 1

The day had finally arrived.

The Israelites spent 40 years in the wilderness living in tents, eating Manna and wandering. All those who were 20 years old or older at the time of their departure from Egypt had passed away. 40 years before when the Israelites faced this challenge, they had rebelled and refused to face it.

We all face big days. Students will always have big tests to prepare for. We all have deadlines. We all look forward with anticipation to important events. How do we face the challenges of life? Are we overcome with anxiety? Do we worry and fret?

Today we will learn from Joshua how God has designed for us to face life.

The short answer is faith. God tells us to trust Him. Joshua is an example of trusting God. He trusted God for the timing. He trusted God for the assignment. Finally, he trusted God for the strength.

First, He trusted God for the timing.

Joshua 1:1-2 says:

¹After the death of Moses the LORD’s servant, the LORD spoke to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ assistant. He said, ²“Moses my servant is dead. Therefore, the time has come for you to lead these people, the Israelites, across the Jordan River into the land I am giving them.[i]

“Moses my servant is dead.” This could have been a time of upheaval and trouble. Moses led the people for 40 years. Moses was the one who gave the law and taught the way of the Lord. Joshua had been his assistant for 40 years. These 40 years served as an apprenticeship for Joshua. What is more, in Numbers 27 we are told that Moses laid hands on Joshua and transferred authority to him before the whole community. In this manner, preparations were made for the transfer of leadership.

Even with the preparations, this was a big test for Joshua. He had never been tested like this before.

There is a principle here. 1 Corinthians 10:13 says, “The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand.” Temptations, experience and tests come into all of our lives. Some are expected and others are not expected. Some tests we have time to prepare for and others we do not. The principle remains. God will not allow the test to be more than you can stand.

There is a condition to this principle. Wait on God’s timing. God said to Joshua, “The time has come for you to lead these people.” A number of times throughout the 40 years the people rebelled against Moses, and wanted to choose another leader. Joshua could have joined the rebellion. However, he was wholly devoted to the Lord.

Another example of a person who had many opportunities to seize power and lead the people is David. On a number of occasions, David could have killed Saul and seized the kingship. Even though Samuel anointed David as a boy and David knew he was destined for the throne, he refused to take it before God’s time.

One area in which I see anxiety to rush God’s timing is in the desire to find a spouse. Anxiety to rush God’s timing also happens in regards to jobs, houses, cars and possessions. It is best to trust God to provide in His time.

Having waited for God’s timing, the day came for Joshua.

Joshua trusted God for the assignment.

Joshua 1:2 says, “The time has come for you to lead these people, the Israelites, across the Jordan River into the land I am giving them.”

How long had Joshua known this would be his role? Throughout the 40 years in the wilderness, he was Moses’s assistant. Moses defined his role or job. At least from a human point of view, Moses was the boss. We do not see Joshua complaining that He was not being used to his potential, or dissatisfied with his role. Compare this to Aaron and Miriam, Moses’s brother and sister. At one point, they took the attitude of saying, “Who does Moses think he is?” They challenged Moses’s authority and leadership. They commented that God also spoke through them and that Moses was not the only one who could lead. This was not a matter of waiting for timing to be right. This was a matter of assignment. What did God want them to be doing?

They saw Moses. Moses was in power. Moses was in control. In their view, they were just as capable, maybe more capable than Moses. The eye of faith sees God. God is in control. Trusting God for our assignment means exercising these eyes of faith.

Please, do not interpret this to mean that anyone should stay in a bad situation. If you are trapped in a situation in which you do not belong, then free yourself. For example, if the law is being broken by you, your employer or by your partner, the situation has to change.

Trusting God for our assignment means being faithful. There will be seasons when you are used way under your potential. A good example of this is Moses’s 40 years of tending sheep in the wilderness. He was an educated competent leader, and he was tending sheep. Moses, Joshua and David all had something in common. They each knew God had chosen them for something special. They all also spent years not doing what they knew they were meant for. Not one of those years was wasted. They each had a deep relationship with God.

There is a saying, “Bloom where you are planted.” I would put it in Biblical terms:

⁵Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. ⁶Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.

If you are seeking God’s will in all you do, you can be sure that God will put you where He wants you, and it will be the assignment you were meant for. This is where Joshua was, in the assignment he was meant for.

In this assignment, he trusted God for the strength.

God encouraged Joshua three times to be strong and courageous. In this encouragement, we find two important elements to trusting God. First is the promise of God. God says repeatedly, “I will never leave you or abandon you.” God promised and repeated His promise to give Israel the land. Second, Joshua is encouraged not to abandon God. He is instructed to mediate on the Word of God day and night. He is admonished to keep and do all that the Word of God required.

We have the same promise that Joshua had. Jesus promised He will never leave us. He has promised that He is always with us. He has promised to keep us for Himself. We also have the same encouragement not to abandon God. Jesus said, “⁴Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.” (John 15:4)

The Psalms tell us of the secret of happiness when Psalms on says:

¹Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers. ²But they delight in the law of the LORD, meditating on it day and night.

Do you want to know the secret of being strong and courageous? It is here. First, know and trust the promise of God. Second, meditate on the Word of God.

Colossians 3:2 encourages us, “Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth.”

If your hope is in the things of earth, you have reason to fear. If it is made of metal, it will rust. If it is made of wood, it will rot. If it is flesh, it will grow old. If it is solid, it can be taken.

Why would we put our confidence and trust in such things? The eye of faith sees the Almighty. Without the eye of faith, we see only the world.

We can learn from the example of Joshua to trust God when our tests come.

Monday, October 26, 2015

Donkey Talk, Numbers 22

Numbers 22 gives the account of the donkey that talked.

Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.[i] (Proverbs 4:23)

Animals do not talk. What would it be like if one of your animals talked to you? I do not mean the usual communication that we have every day with our pets. My dog lets me know he wants to go out to go to the bathroom, and my cat lets me know he wants food. What would it be like if one or your animals started reasoning with you?

The story of Balaam fascinates me. Balaam’s donkey talked to him. Balaam apparently had this donkey for quite some time and they were quite familiar with each other. The donkey left the road and Balaam beat him and forced him back onto the road. Then the donkey pushed up against a wall and Balaam’s foot was caught. So again, Balaam beat him and forced him back onto the path. The third time the donkey sat down. This time Balaam was in a rage. However, when he started to beat the donkey, the donkey said, “What have I done to you that deserves your beating me three times?” (Numbers 22:28)

Animals do not talk. Therefore, the story of Balaam’s donkey talking is one of the better-remembered stories in the Bible, on the level of Jonah being swallowed by a big fish.

Historically, this incident takes place at the end of the Israelites’ 40 years of wandering in the wilderness. Numbers 22 and 23 record the events. Numbers 20 tells us of the death of Aaron, Moses’ brother, and Numbers 21 tells us how Israel began defeating the nations on the east side of the Jordan River. Therefore, this story takes place near the end of Moses’ life, and at the beginning of the conquest of Canaan.

The Israelites traveled up the east side of the Jordan River and camped in the Jordan Valley. Here is a picture, taken from Wikipedia, of the Jordan Valley.

[ii] Can you imagine this valley filled with 2 million people?

They were in the territory of the Moabites. The Moabites were the descendants of Lot, born to him through his daughters. Thus, they were related to Israel because Abraham was Lot’s uncle. However, by the time the Israelites camped in the valley, the then king of Moab, Balak, had forgotten all the family connections. To Balak, the Israelites were a vast horde of people who came out of Egypt. He said, “Look, a vast horde of people has arrived from Egypt. They cover the face of the earth.” (Numbers 22:5-6) As a result, his concern was (and I quote), “This mob will devour everything in sight, like an ox devours grass in the field!” (Numbers 22:4)

Although he made an alliance with the Midianites, Balak did not believe he could challenge Israel’s strength with his military. Balak’s solution was to send for a prophet or diviner with an international reputation. Balak said of Balaam, “I know that blessings fall on any people you bless, and curses fall on people you curse.” (Numbers 22:6) Because he was convinced of Balaam’s power to bless or curse, Balak’s plan was to pay Balaam to curse Israel.

Balak sent men to hire Balaam, but God warned Balaam not to go with these men to curse Israel. God explained that Israel was blessed, and therefore could not be cursed. Balaam sent the officials back. However, his explanation was, “God will not let me go with you.” (Numbers 22:13)

This seems minor on the surface, but let’s look a little deeper. Is Balaam telling the truth? Well, he is not lying, but he is not giving the men the information they should have. God said, “You are not to curse these people, for they have been blessed!” Balak’s message and request made it clear that he wanted these people cursed. A straightforward answer or a complete answer should have made it clear to Balak that God had blessed these people and they could not be cursed. As it was, Balak took the prophet’s refusal as a negotiation. He sent more men who were also more distinguished men to persuade Balaam.

This is how Balaam responded:

Even if Balak were to give me his palace filled with silver and gold, I would be powerless to do anything against the will of the LORD my God. But stay here one more night, and I will see if the LORD has anything else to say to me. (Numbers 22:18-19)

Here we see that Balaam is playing a game with these men. He is trying to get more money. God had made it clear that the people were already blessed. Nothing Balaam could do was going to change that, but in a show of “trying” Balaam says he will consult with God overnight.

As a result, God tells Balaam to go ahead and go. God says, “Since these men have come for you, get up and go with them.” (Numbers 22:20) However, God was angry. This is stated plainly in Numbers 22:22. We also see it in the “since” of this statement. If Balaam had been clear, these men would not have wasted their time. As it was, Balaam left the door open when he sent the first men away. He also makes money an issue when he says, “Even if Balak were to give me his palace filled with silver and gold, I would be powerless to do anything against the will of the LORD my God.” (Numbers 22:18) Why did he not say something like, “I am sorry you wasted your time? I apologize. I was not clear the first time. God says these people are blessed. Therefore, there is nothing I can do to help you.”

Let’s look at how the Apostle Peter understood Balaam’s motivation. Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Peter says, [Balaam] . . . “loved to earn money by doing wrong. But Balaam was stopped from his mad course when his donkey rebuked him with a human voice. (2 Peter 2:15-16)

God used the voice of a donkey to get the attention of this man, Balaam.

However, in spite of even this extreme, Balaam still helped Balak. Oh, he did not curse Israel, but he told Balak how to entice Israel to sin against God with sex and idols. (Numbers 25)

Balaam shows up a couple of times in the New Testament. In 2 Peter and in Jude, he shows up in connection with false teachers. In Jude, it is especially significant that he name is listed with Cain and Korah as comparable. Cain killed his brother over sacrifices and Korah led a rebellion against Moses.

The story of Balaam is given to us as a warning.

We must guard our hearts. Proverbs 4:23 says, “Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.”

Jesus taught us that the first and greatest commandment is to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul and strength.

Let’s quickly consider the lessons we learn from Balaam.

First, God’s will is clear.

For Balaam, this meant God stated clearly that Israel was blessed. For us, it means that God tells us clearly what He wants. The Ten Commandments are clear as to how we are to treat God and others. However, God makes it clear that the only way to please Him is to believe in Him. Without faith, it is impossible to please God. God has given us the Bible, His Holy Spirit and His people to help make it all clear to us. If this is not enough, what can be known about God is clear from what He has made. So that, humanity is without excuse. You and I have no excuse for mixing up the truth. The only way to please God is by believing in Him.

In spite of this clear communication, there seems to be massive amounts of confusion about this.

This is because the enticement of sin is powerful. For Balaam, we are told, “He loved to earn money by doing wrong.” The king offered to give Balaam anything he wanted. For us, the temptation is the same. The world offers to give us exactly what we want. 1 John lists the desires we have as, 1) the lust of the eyes, 2) the lust of the flesh, 3) the boastful pride of life. The world appeals to these desires that are born into us. And, in this lies the powerful enticement of sin. The heart is the issue. What do we want? It is our desires that put us into conflict with God. False teachings do not arise from misunderstanding the Biblical text. According to 2 Peter and Jude, they arise from evil desires, self-centered desires.

In all the confusion created by this powerful enticement, what does God do to get our attention?

God can reach us.

With Balaam, God used a donkey.

If one of my animals talked to me, it would scare me. It would scare me really bad.

God has never resorted to using animals to talk to me. He speaks to me from the Bible. He speaks to me in dreams. He speaks to me through my wife and children. He speaks to me through His people and His preachers.

God speaks to the world through creation, through the Bible and through His Church. He does not normally use donkeys, even though He can. During the tribulation, God will speak to the world with the megaphone of suffering and judgment.

How does God speak to you? Are you fighting God on something right now? Maybe this talk has been a donkey talk to you. I mean by that, perhaps God is trying to get your attention. God has been clear and you are confusing the issue because of your desires?

All of us must guard our hearts. An easy question to ask is, “Do you have peace in you heart?”

[ii] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jordan_Valley_(Middle_East)#/media/File:Jordan_Valley_Panorama.jpg

Tuesday, October 20, 2015

Grasshoppers

Numbers 13-14

We have been following the descendants of Jacob on their journey out of Egypt to the Promised Land. They left Egypt by crossing the Red Sea and traveled across the wilderness to Mt. Sinai. They stayed at Mt. Sinai 11 months and 5 days as God gave the law. Moses went up and down the mountain several times meeting with God. From Mt. Sinai, they traveled toward the Promised Land and camped at a place called Kadesh Barnea. (Numbers 32:8)

It has been quite an adventure. The people have seen the presence of God in an unprecedented way. The miracles they have seen are incredible. For example, they saw Egypt devastated with plagues. They saw the waters of the Red Sea part before them. They saw water come out of a rock. They saw bread from heaven every morning and flocks of quail every evening. They saw the mountain shake and felt the earth tremble. On top of all of this, there was the pillar of fire that stood in the camp day and night. These people were living daily with the presence of God in their camp.

It has been an adventure in another way as well. At every step along the way, the people have rebelled, resisted and complained. They sound like a broken record, repeating the same thing over and over. They complained about Moses and blamed him for taking them out of Egypt. Along the way they said, “Is the LORD here with us or not?” (Exodus 17:7[i]) In view of His presence and His miracles, this was especially offensive to God.

At the beginning of Numbers 13, when at the Lord’s command Moses sent out twelve men to spy on the land of Canaan, it had been two years since the people left Egypt. They traveled two years to this point, and experienced the mighty hand of the Lord. Moreover, Moses sent out men who were leaders of their tribes. These experienced leaders spent 40 days traveling through the land of Canaan gathering information. They all saw the same things.

First, they saw the abundance of the land. They picked a cluster of grapes so large it took two men to carry it. I have never seen anything like this, and could not find anything comparable in Google images. In addition, they brought back samples of pomegranates and figs. Here is what they said, “We entered the land you sent us to explore, and it is indeed a bountiful country—a land flowing with milk and honey.” (Numbers 13:27)

Second, they saw the cities of the land. They said, “Their towns are large and fortified.” (Numbers 13:28)

Third they saw the people of the land. Their report on their findings included, “But the people living there are powerful. We even saw giants there, the descendants of Anak!” (Numbers 13:28)

All 12 spies report these three things. They all saw the same things. However, they reached two different conclusions.

These men were all leaders of their tribes. There were twelve tribes. For this reason there were twelve spies. Each tribe originated from one of the sons of Jacob, and each tribe was named for the son it was descended from. The tribe of Reuben was named after Jacob’s son Reuben and was made up of those descended from Reuben. The spy or leader from the tribe of Reuben was Shammua son of Zaccur as we are told in Numbers 13:4. Given that these men were leaders of their tribes, it is only natural that they should go beyond reporting their findings and give their opinions about those findings. Thus, the conclusions they reached are reported. Furthermore, it was for this reason the conclusions they reached were so influential.

First, Caleb son of Jephunneh of the tribe of Judah gave his conclusion. Joshua son of Nun of the tribe of Ephraim was in agreement. They said, “Let’s go at once to take the land. We can certainly conquer it!” (Numbers 13:30)

However, the other 10 leaders who had explored the land disagreed. They said:

We can’t go up against them! They are stronger than we are! The land we traveled through and explored will devour anyone who goes to live there. All the people we saw were huge. We even saw giants there, the descendants of Anak. Next to them we felt like grasshoppers, and that’s what they thought, too! (Numbers 13:31-33)

These 12 men all saw the same things and yet arrived at opposite conclusions. If we go with the majority view, then it would seem that this thing is impossible since 10 out of 12 said, “It can’t be done.” Why did the majority arrive at such a conclusion? Why did they seem like grasshoppers in their own eyes?

There are two things that will help us understand. First, we will understand their thinking if we look at their complaint. In addition, we will further understand their thinking if we look at God’s judgment.

First, let us look at their complaint. Numbers 14:2-5 tells us about the people’s complaint. It says:

²Their voices rose in a great chorus of protest against Moses and Aaron. “If only we had died in Egypt, or even here in the wilderness!” they complained. ³“Why is the LORD taking us to this country only to have us die in battle? Our wives and our little ones will be carried off as plunder! Wouldn’t it be better for us to return to Egypt?” ⁴Then they plotted among themselves, “Let’s choose a new leader and go back to Egypt!”

When we look at this in order to understand the conclusion they reached in their report on the land, we see that this complaint is very similar to the complaint they had each time they encountered difficulty. It is the same complaint they have made over and over. Their two years of experience have not changed their attitude. Attitude is the issue. The challenges changed. However, the response and attitude did not.

God’s judgment on their attitude also helps us to understand. God says, “How long will these people treat me with contempt? Will they never believe me, even after all the miraculous signs I have done among them?” (Numbers 14:11) We see two things in this. One of these things is their stubborn refusal to believe God. They had every reason to believe God, but they refused. In addition, a second thing we see is their contempt for God. Although God provided everything they needed and proved continually that He had their best interest at heart, it was not what they wanted. They wanted to go back to Egypt. Egypt was wealthy. Egypt had spicy, delicious food instead of Manna and camp food. Egypt had houses and beds instead of tents. Egypt was known instead of unknown. 1 Corinthians 10:6 tells us that they craved evil things.

From their complaint and God’s judgment, we understand that the conclusion of the 10 spies was arrived at based on their attitude. In addition, we understand that their attitude was shaped primarily by what they desired.

This is true of us as well. Our conclusions are based on our attitudes and our attitudes are shaped primarily by what we desire.

Let’s consider the conclusion reached by Caleb and Joshua. They started with the same information. They saw the same thing. However, they reached the opposite conclusion. They said, “Let’s go at once to take the land. We can certainly conquer it!” (Numbers 13:30)

When the people complained and started talking about going back to Egypt, Joshua and Caleb defended their conclusion. In their defense and in God’s judgment, we understand the difference in attitude that brought the different conclusion.

First, Let’s consider their defense. They said:

The land we traveled through and explored is a wonderful land! ⁸And if the LORD is pleased with us, he will bring us safely into that land and give it to us. It is a rich land flowing with milk and honey. ⁹Do not rebel against the LORD, and don’t be afraid of the people of the land. They are only helpless prey to us! They have no protection, but the LORD is with us! Don’t be afraid of them!” (Numbers 14:7-9)

In their defense, Joshua and Caleb focus on the Lord and what the Lord would do. They had spiritual eyes with which to see the truth of the situation. Therefore, their conclusion was completely different. We understand then that their attitude was informed or shaped by their faith in God. Where the others refused to believe God, they accepted the evidence of God’s presence and leading and believed that God was at work.

In addition to the understanding we gain from their defense, we also gain understanding by God’s judgment. God says of Caleb, “My servant Caleb has a different attitude than the others have. He has remained loyal to me, so I will bring him into the land he explored.” (Numbers 14:24) This is God’s judgment of the attitude of Caleb and Joshua that led to their different conclusion. Where the NLT has translated the statement as, “He has remained loyal to me,” other translations have rendered it, “He has followed me fully.” Here, like the case of the ten, the issue is primarily the desires of the heart. In contrast to those who desired the things of Egypt, Caleb and Joshua desired the things of God.

We understand then, that it was the desires that shaped the attitudes that determined what they concluded from what they saw.

This could change your life. Do you seem to be a grasshopper in your own eyes? What is your response to the challenges that face you?

My default response is “Oh no, I am going to die!” It really does not matter the challenge. The water pipe breaks. “Oh no, I am going to die!” The car blows an engine. “Oh no, I am going to die!” You name it. “Oh no, I am going to die!” Whenever I revert to the default response, I have to check my desires. What is my heart set on?

Do you know what the Bible says? It says, “I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.” (Philippians 4:13)

The people who died in the desert because of their unbelief asked the wrong question. The question is never, “Can I do this?” The question is, “What does God want me to do?”