So what all happened again...back in the wilderness that those descendants of Abraham did after coming out of Egypt that God was so mad about and kept pointing to as an example and warning for us today? 

 I think we might want to revisit that again given how often we come across references to all that. I even mentioned in yesterday’s post how three times in a span of those two chapters in Heb. 3-4 where we read: “Today....if you will hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion in the day of trial in the wilderness...they always go astray in their hearts.” (3:7-10) 

 It really does take a lot to get God ‘angry’ to the point where He vows to pour out His wrath and refuse entry into those special places of rest and blessing that He has prepared for those who love Him. I mean...it takes a lot, given how He Himself declares to be ‘slow to anger’ and ‘full of mercy’. We are also reminded in that second commandment how He is a ‘jealous God, who ‘visits the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Him, but shows mercy to thousands...to those who love Him and keep His commandments.’. (Deut.5:9-10) 

 You do recall Paul writing and admonishing us to “consider both...the goodness and the severity of God” there in Rom. 11:22. In another place, he exhorts for us to ‘consider these promises and to cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” (2 Cor. 7:1) 

 The problem for so many sitting in churches today and believing what many do...find this kind of talk unsettling...and really, unnecessary. This portrayal or one aspect of God does not ‘jive’ with the modern day gospels being preached. And this should come as a surprise to no one given how we were warned that in the last days, the multiple gospels being taught would be more about ‘tickling ears’ and leading people astray and doing everything but conforming a people into the nature and likeness of our heavenly Father. 

 Yet, when one begins to see in their own bibles what all God has to say about Himself and what He expects of His people, it really is a shock to our system; and I don’t use that phrase lightly. Something wants to rise up inside of us and have nothing to do with ‘such a God like that’ who seems so angry and judgmental and ready to pour out his anger all the time’. “My Jesus is not like that”, we tell ourselves. Yet, how many take offense when scripture suggests we may have ended up following ‘another Jesus’ as Paul warned about in 2 Cor. 11:2-4? 

 And let’s be honest here...those ‘many people who said Lord, Lord’ there in Matt. 7:21-23 and stayed busy doing wonderful things in His name...must have been guilty of following...’another Jesus, were they not? It happens; and that is why we are admonished to ‘work out our salvation with fear and trembling’ and to ‘examine ourselves to ensure Christ actually is in us’. (Phil.2:12; 2 Cor. 13:5) 

 It may not be a ‘popular message’ today, but I have no doubt it is one I am compelled to continue sharing here. My prayer is that I maintain the right ‘spirit’ and tone in delivering it to you here. God is not wanting to scream and yell threats to us....on the contrary, He is imploring us to come to Him that He might give us rest and peace and protection in loving warning. But sadly, so many are like those in the days of Noah that Jesus spoke of in Matt. 24:37-39, and are simply not ‘willing’ to come to Him. (Matt. 23:37; John 5:40). Or worse, not willing to come to Him on His terms and conditions which requires a total heart surrender. He will either be Lord of all, or not Lord...at all. Then of course, there are just those who have no interest in coming to the ‘Light’ given they love darkness more. (John 3:19-21) 

 So back to that first generation who God delivered from Egypt. It is important for us modern day ‘believers’ to be reminded that all of that history we read of in our OT’s, was a master ‘blueprint’ of what God’s ultimate plan was for us in the NT era. It was all a foreshadowing of types and examples and warnings that Paul mentioned in 1 Cor. 10:4-11 that was written down for our admonition and example upon whom the ‘end of the ages’ had come. Even Peter reminds us of the value of studying to see what these writings of old had to say to us. (Acts 3:24-26; 2 Pet. 3:1-2). In fact, it was these writings of old that Jesus has to ‘open up our understanding to that we might comprehend what they are saying to us today. (Luke 24:32, 45} And do you know who He opens those up to? Those who come to Him with all their hearts. (Matt. 13:11-15) 

 God wanted a people whom He could call out and separate themselves from the darkness and reveal Himself to them that He might move and live among them and bless them. He wanted a people to walk in covenant with Him, which is extraordinary when you consider how far man had fallen from his original state. And like any covenant, there would be ‘conditions’ that came with blessings...and warnings of consequences for failure to adhere to those conditions. 

 When God sent Moses to lead them out of slavery and bondage back in Egypt, His plan which He made quite clear was to take them to a land He had set aside and promised Abraham that his descendants would inherit. It was a good land that ‘flowed with milk and honey’ and God was going to establish them there where He could bless them beyond their wildest imaginations. 

 After the dramatic exodus from Egypt and the traversing of the Red Sea that God had parted for them, they entered this stretch of land we know as the ‘wilderness’. The journey to Canaan (Promised land) should have taken no longer than 2 weeks at best to reach. I mean, there were several million Israelite traveling on foot. I might also add that the majority of these people who had some limited knowledge of their ancestry, were needing a ‘reintroduction’ of sorts with their Deliverer as well. 

 Now let’s take this remaining part nice and slow. We read in Exodus of this great song of celebration over the dramatic way in which God had just delivered them. Think of when you first got ‘saved’ and were about to ‘begin’ a new ‘walk with the Lord’. And it wasn’t Egypt, you were leaving, it was the ‘world and all that is in the world’. (1 John 2:15-17; James 4:4) 

 Now let’s read in Exodus 15 where they went three days with no water, thirsted, and then came to a place where the water was bitter. They complained. I’ll give them a pass here...three days is a long time to go without water and I can imagine the frustration they might have felt realizing that the first source of water they come to was undrinkable. No problem for God though...as we read how he ‘changed’ the water and made it drinkable there in vs. 25. 

 So now, let’s read vs. 26 where God makes a pretty incredible promise to them. IF...they will diligently heed His voice...and ‘do what is right in His sight’...and ‘give ear to His commandments...that “He will put none of the diseases on them which He had brought on the Egyptians...for He Is...the Lord who heals.” 

 Stop. Right. There. (We need to take that in, read it a time or two and let this sink in to our spirits.). Is there anything in that promise that just stands out to you and makes you think ‘hmmm’? 

 Shortly thereafter, we read of their visit to Mt. Sinai where Moses was given the Ten Commandments. (Ex. 19-20). Please note, they are still in the ‘wilderness’ where they are being ‘reintroduced’ to God...experiencing a few challenges in the initial stages of this new journey or ‘walk’, much like we do when we first come to the Lord and it becomes evident quite quickly that we are walking a path we’ve never walked before. As I said yesterday, the wilderness was not an ‘end destination’, it was a season of sorts, where God was going to ‘test them’ to reveal their hearts and see if they would agree to the terms of His conditions. (Deut. 8:2) 

 Now lets skip a few chapters and turn to Ex. 23 and if you would just read over vs. 20-33. That is pretty much the short version of the plan as to where they are going, how this will work under God’s guidance using the ‘Angel’ he speaks of in vs. 20. (Can I just tell you that 'Angel' is Jesus?) 

 And we read again of some pretty impressive promises that await them if they will do what He says. (Luke 6:46). Now, please take a look at vs. 25-26 and make note of what God just promised them again. 

 Does anyone else reading here find it interesting that God seems to suggest that He has ‘control’ or ‘influence’ over who gets ‘sick’ or not? Go back and read 15:26 again if you need to and then 23:25. He also includes here that not only will He ‘take away sickness from their midst’, but also adds “No One...will suffer miscarriage or be barren in the land”, promising to ‘fulfill the number of their days’. 

 We are not going to fly through this or hit ‘fast-forward’. We are going to stop on this today with some points to ponder. It would seem to me that if someone has ever suffered through any form of ‘sickness’, or suffered the loss of a pregnancy, or even the pain of not even being able to conceive and bear a child...that a ‘promise’ like this would cause us to sit up and take notice. And for all those who want to point out this was a part of the ‘old covenant’ and that we are under a ‘new covenant’, I would heartily agree with you. So look over now to Hebrews 7:22 where your assessment is confirmed. Jesus became the ‘surety of a better covenant’. 

 Now, turn the page and read 8:6 where again, this idea of a new covenant is confirmed that is actually a ...”better covenant established on better promises”. 

 So what did God promise them back in Ex. 15 and 23? And now, today, we have even ‘better promises’? Better promises than what He made to them back in the wilderness? Why do I have a feeling that some reading today would be satisfied with ‘just those’ He made back then? And we have even better promises today? If you would, just read through Ex.23:20-33 one more time...and Lord willing, I’ll meet you here tomorrow. ;-)