I don’t know who needs to hear this, but God has never been overly impressed, or ‘wowed’ by big crowds, nor does the ‘majority opinion’ ever figure in to His plans, let alone His word. And on those few occasions when He did yield to the whims of the majority, it came with a price (Ps. 106:13-15)

I mean think about it, Noah and his family of 7 were the only ones who survived the flood by entering the ark that God had him construct. I have no idea how many people were on the earth at that time, but God said it had gotten pretty bad then so as to justify the severe action He took (Gen. 6)

Then there was Lot and his family, living in Sodom. Abraham had interceded for that city before God unleashed His judgment on that region. I have no idea how many people lived in that area before the ‘fire fell’, but God told Abraham that if just ten righteous people could be found amongst the population, that He would relent from destroying the city. There weren’t even ten to be found...and the fire fell (Gen. 18:16-33; 19:1-29) And let’s not forget what happened to Lot’s wife as they made their escape. Interestingly, Jesus draws our attention to that side note as well, in Luke 17:32 – “Remember Lot’s wife!”

And how about that well documented account of the 1-2 million Israelites who escaped the bondage of Egypt when Moses led them out, through the Red Sea and then into the wilderness. God had a very nice piece of real estate set aside for them where His plan was to lead them in where He could establish them and bless them, making them into a great nation, a people ‘called out’ and ‘separated’ from all other nations. But there was going to be a testing of hearts first... there in the wilderness (Deut. 8:2).

We should all know by now...that God was not pleased with that first generation as nearly all of them ‘failed the test’. Paul even spends time addressing that group, telling us that what happened to them...served as a reminder and warning to all the rest of us on ‘whom the end of the age had come’ (1 Cor. 10:1-11). That’s probably why Paul exhorts us to ‘examine ourselves’ so that we don’t ‘fail the test’ either  (2 Cor. 13:5; 1 Thess. 2:4).

Oh...if you are in to numbers and are tracking with me here, you can read Numbers 13-14 to learn why only two, as in 2 (T-W-O) men, Joshua and Caleb, were the only two out of that first generation of men who came out...who were permitted to enter the promised land. And that was forty years later, after they had to wander about while the majority of them died out in the wilderness.

Friends...I really am convinced we underestimate how serious God is about what He has made clear to us all. And get this: Do you remember what the final straw was that turned this story of deliverance into such a national tragedy? God had told the people that He was going to lead them in and enable them to overcome ALL the enemies that were on the land, the Canaanite nations. And after 12 spies were sent in to get an overview of the land, they returned and 10 of the 12 brought back a negative analysis of the situation. This in turn spread fear and discouragement among the camps (Numbers 14:1-4), to the point they sought out leaders who would ‘take them back to Egypt’. No shortage of them today (Matt. 7:15; Acts 20:29; 2 Tim. 4:1-5)

And get this: when Joshua and Caleb tried to rally the troops, reminding them of what God had promised and that they indeed could go in and successfully take control of the land...”all the congregation said to stone them with stones” (Num. 14:6-10)

I do realize that today’s ‘modern gospel narratives’ try to portray God in a more affirming light, and how loving and ‘inclusive’ He is. Make no mistake about it...God’s love for the whole world is not in question here (John 3:16; 1 Tim. 2:4; 2 Pet. 3:9). It’s His promises...that are very ‘conditional’, if I may use the term. Jesus was the one who told us that “not everyone who says, ‘Lord, Lord’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but those who do the will of the Father who is in heaven” (Matt. 7:21).

Jesus would later relay a story of a great banquet, sending out reminders to all who were invited (Matt. 22:1-13). It does not go well, if you want to go read it. And in the end, we see what appears to be a ‘culling’ of sorts, where someone who showed up...improperly attired...was ‘shown the door’. I know...not a sermon you hear preached on often, especially that last verse that says “many are called but few are chosen’. Sounds a bit reminiscent of another word picture used by Jesus back in Matt. 7:13-14 how the gate, or door that led to ‘life’ took a narrow path, and ‘few’ were on it. But He also points out how ‘many’ found themselves on the wide road that lead to a broad gate where tragically...those crowds would meet destruction.

You do realize that all I am doing here is pointing out one text and passage from your Bible after another. I’m not here to argue or debate, rather simply want to point out these things for you to consider, and as always...I exhort you to read and study for yourself, asking the Holy Spirit to be a part of your pursuit of truth (Acts 17:11).

I, on the other hand...will continue to study, write, and share as long as I am compelled to do so, for I cannot help but to declare those things which I have seen and heard ...in God’s word (Acts 4:20)

My post yesterday started out focused on John 8:34, where Jesus made it clear that ‘whoever commits sin is a slave to sin’...but then explaining to us how the ‘truth can set us free’. Not sure how many missed it, but Juneteenth was celebrated last month, many by those in the Black community I’m guessing. That’s an interesting piece of history which I have brought up here in the past. Two years after Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation, freeing all slaves in the U.S., federal troops had to be sent to Galveston, TX to free a bunch of slaves who sadly, never got the memo...that they had been declared ‘free indeed’.

I don’t even have to encourage you to ‘try and imagine what it would be like to continue living as a slave...when your freedom had already been ‘purchased’. Many are starting to experience that for themselves today...as God is making His truth known...to whomever ‘has ears to hear’.