Post by charlescameron on May 24, 2009 14:35:03 GMT -6
Why should we spend time studying this obscure Old Testament book?
The answer to this question may be summed up in one sentence: “these things were written down for our instruction” (1 Corinthians 10:11).
What is the central message of Numbers for today’s Church?
Once again, a sentence from Paul gives us the answer to our question: “these things are warnings for us, not to desire evil as they did” (1 Corinthians 10:6).
“In the wilderness” – this is the Hebrew title of Numbers.
“In the wilderness” – this is the situation in which we are called to lives as disciples of Jesus Christ.
We are ‘en route’ to our eternal destiny, but we are not there yet. We have not arrived. We are still ‘in the wilderness’.
For us, no less than the ancient Israelites, the wilderness is a place of promise and a place of danger.
For them and for us, there is “good news” – “the promise of entering His rest” (Hebrews 4:1).
For them and for us, there is the danger of failing “to enter that rest”. For the older generation, always looking back wistfully to Egypt, the promise was not fulfilled because they did not believe: “the message which they heard did not benefit them, because it did not meet with faith in the hearers” (Hebrews 4:2). This is the danger that faces us -the danger of missing out on God’s blessing. The older generation of Israelites did not believe (Hebrews 4:2). They were disobedient (Hebrews 4:6). These things happened such a long time ago, yet they are filled with contemporary relevance.
There is never a “Today” when we do not need to hear these words: “Today, when you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts” (Hebrews 4:7). There will never be a “Today” when we can say, “I no longer need to hear the words, ‘Today, when you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts’ (Hebrews 4:7)”.
Every day is “the day of salvation”. Every day is the day in which God, in grace, mercy and love, is patiently looking for our response of faith – faith in Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Lord.
Having read about those who failed to reach the Promised Land, we must give careful attention to the Word of God when it says to us: “Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience” (Hebrews 4:11).
We are aware of the many dangers which face us. Let us pray that we will be even more aware of the presence of the God who will bring us safely home to our eternal destiny: “O Jesus, I have promised to serve Thee to the end … O give me grace to follow my Master and my Friend”.