The Israelites had no problem when it came to hearing God’s voice or knowing His will. It was the following through in ‘doing it’ that always tripped them up.

You might want to go back and read that one more time, nice and slow, even aloud perhaps.

If you don’t think that reference to the Israelites back in the OT of our Bibles has any relevance to us NT ‘believers’ today, you might want to go revisit 1 Cor. 10:1-12 and Hebrews 3-4. Paul takes a bit of time there reminding the church at Corinth how God dealt with their forefathers back when they came out of Egypt and were led into the wilderness. We are told that “God was not well pleased with them for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness.” (5)

As you read on there, you’ll notice that Paul lists several specific examples as to why God was not pleased with them and the ensuing consequences these people experienced. Interestingly, those events are sandwiched in between vs. 6 and 11 which reminds us that these are ‘examples and warnings’ for us today...”upon whom the ends of the ages have come.” In other words, Paul is giving us a stern warning: “Don’t Be Like Them!”

The writer of Hebrews also points to this first generation of people who were delivered from the bondage of Pharaoh in Egypt and set free from slavery in order that God could bring Abraham’s descendants into a good land so He could fulfill His covenant with His people. Three times in those two chapters, we are admonished that we “not harden our hearts as they did in the rebellion...if you will hear His voice.” (3:7-8,15; 4:7)

You do recall that these people had been in bondage and ‘slavery’ for 400 years, yes? Would you do me and yourself a favor and go read John 8:34 right now, and you might even jot down next to that verse, Romans 6:17-22, and yes...read that also.

I realize this kind of dialogue can be troublesome for a lot of people who may have been raised in church or maybe have spent time around a lot of ‘Biblical’ teachings. I have no doubt the landscape is littered with many whose faith walks have ‘crashed and burned’ or been sorely distorted because of ‘altered gospels’ they heard; and only God can bring about true healing for such individuals. But I have no control over who reads these nor how you receive and interpret them; I have to leave that up to the Holy Spirit. All I have been called to do is bring to the attention for anyone who might ‘have ears to hear’....what is laying there on the pages of our Bibles that we might want to revisit and study again.

The writer goes on there in Hebrews explaining why God “was angry with that generation”... because “they always go astray in their heart, and they have not known My ways” (3:10). He then warns them again about ‘departing from the living God with an evil heart of unbelief’, even explaining how this happens...through the ‘deceitfulness of sin’ (12-13). Do you know what happened to their bodies? They were scattered and ‘fell in the wilderness’ (3:17; 1 Cor. 10:5). But it’s vs.18-19 there in Heb. 3 that is quite telling: These people did not “enter His rest...because they did not ‘obey’...and therefore could not enter (His rest) because of unbelief.” For all this talk we hear about ‘faith alone’ these days...have you ever considered the possibility that ‘obedience is the fruit or evidence of our faith’?

As I asked yesterday...when, why, and how...did the word ‘obey’ ever become such a negative ‘trigger’ word for people of ‘faith’? We all know John 3:16, but who does Hebrews 5:9 indicate are the recipients of this ‘eternal salvation’? Now take a quick look at Heb. 3:11 followed up by reading 4:1, and ponder that for a moment.

Oh, and this idea about God being ‘angry’ and ‘not pleased’ with that generation (Heb. 3:10; 1 Cor. 10:5)...those reminders are put in there for good reason. We too...can ‘provoke the Lord to jealousy’ when we go astray in our hearts or drift away from Him (1 Cor. 10:22; Heb. 2:1; John 5:14). When Paul was addressing the Romans, he spent time differentiating between this idea of being ‘spiritually minded’ and ‘carnally minded’ (8:5-9), mentioning that “those who are in the flesh cannot please God.” (8). You mean it’s possible we cannot be in ‘good standing’ with God, and actually anger Him? Well...yes indeed; why would you think otherwise...unless you have been sitting under teaching that does not share with you the ‘whole counsel of God’? (Acts 20:27)

Since much emphasis was placed on learning from the mistakes of that first group of people who were set free and led out of Egypt (a ‘type’ of the world and what Jesus came to do for us), please note that after they crossed the Red Sea (a type of water baptism)...they were immediately led into the ‘wilderness’. Who else was ‘led into the wilderness’ after they were baptized in water? Hint – (Matt. 4:1; Mark 1:12; Luke 4:1).

Care to guess what the purpose of the ‘wilderness’ is all about? Take a look at Deut. 8:1-2; Judges 3:1-4, and 1 Thess. 2:4. That first trip across that barren land for those people was never supposed to last for 40 years. Delayed stays in the wilderness is never because of the journey growing longer; on the contrary it’s usually because our ‘response time’ to God’s voice has grown longer and slower...perhaps even ‘non-existent’.

I have heard it said in the past that the first crossing of the Red Sea was a type or foreshadowing of ‘water baptism’ that NT believers are instructed to undergo after they repent; and the second river crossing (Jordan River) was a type of the ‘Baptism of the Holy Spirit’; which works for me. Let’s be honest here...this idea of going in to ‘possess the land’ and overthrowing all the enemies...does not happen because of our power or strength. It is all Him doing it, provided we cooperate with His leading (Zech. 4:6; Luke 6:46).

Oh, and one last thing for today. After that second generation crossed over the Jordan River to go in to the promised land where they were to begin overthrowing (overcoming) their enemies so they could ‘possess the land’, there was one other ‘order of business’ that needed to be taken care of. Anyone remember what it was? You might finish up reading Joshua 5:1-9, as we learn that all the men were to undergo ‘circumcision’, which was the ‘outward sign’ of being in covenant with God. And without getting overly graphic here, you should know that circumcision involves the ‘cutting away and removal of flesh’. Hence the naming of that place- ‘Gilgal’. Now go read Colossians 2:11-12 before you circle back to Romans 8:13. Funny...how we end back up talking about this ‘flesh’ again.

Join me tomorrow?