The Wilderness

Thinking this morning about Abraham. God promised Abraham that all the Nations in the Earth would be blessed through him. God promised Abraham and his wife Sarah, a son. That son was a miracle as Sarah was 90 years old before he was born! God was fulfilling His Word to Eve, that although the Serpent that deceived her would bruise HIS heel, HE would CRUSH his head. That Seed, the HE God was referring to, was Christ who came through Abraham's seed. I was thinking of the many years that passed from the time Abraham bore the son of Promise, Isaac, and Isaac bore Jacob (whose name was changed to Israel), and Jacob bore his own 12 sons. Those sons had borne children, and their children bore children until they numbered in the millions.They grew to a Nation under the wing of Pharaoh, in the land of Egypt. One time favored, they eventually became slaves in the land where they languished for 400 years. These were the twelve tribes of Israel, God's People. God, in all of His great mercy provided a savior to lead His People out of Egypt into the Land He had promised to Abraham. That great leader, Moses, obeyed God. He was called the Friend of God, and the meekest man on Earth. Now, what I wanted to get to is that those whom GOD called His own, wandered in the Wilderness for 40 years. They complained that they wanted meat, they were afraid of running out of water, they had questions about Moses' authority, and leadership, and they thought that they would die in the desert. All of those things seem reasonable, naturally speaking. But, God recorded everything that happened to His People as lessons, pictures, for us. What do we want? What do we worry about? What do we use our strength for? What are we bound and determined to have? Not everyone that is aligned with God, known as 'His People', are right with God! I saw the great masses of people in the world, as an ocean wave, rushing...mingling with the clear waters. On the extreme sides, it was obvious as to who was who. The dark, muddy waters vs. the pure, clear water. It was where they met that was murky and unclear. These are pictures of what calls itself the 'church'. Jesus said it would be mixed, like a loaf of leavened bread (leaven always being presented in Scripture as evil doctrine), and like a grain of mustard seed, which would grow up into a massive tree and the birds of the air would nest in it's branches, (again, birds of the air are images God uses to depict unclean spirits). Strange things to find in the 'church'. Going back to the Children of Israel, wandering in the desert. God was preparing a body for Himself through Judah. The genealogy of Christ is found in Matthew's gospel, and in Luke's gospel. It splits in David's sons, Solomon, and Nathan. One line goes to Mary and the other to Joseph, (Mary's husband). The point being that the actual line going through Abraham is a very narrow one...father to son. So, although the entire Nation came underneath the umbrella of being 'God's People', very few had hearts that were after Him. Most, were just like the mixed waters, and the leavened bread, part of the huge tree that God has planted in the Earth. This is a very important point, because this mixed people is what God addresses over and over, warning them just like He did those in the Wilderness. God knows those that belong to Him, but not everyone that says they belong to God, is His child. Not everyone that sayeth unto Me, Lord, Lord, will enter into life. The entire generation, save for a very few, fell in the Wilderness, "Surely none of the men who came up from Egypt, from twenty years old and above, shall see the land of which I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, BECAUSE THEY HAVE NOT WHOLLY FOLLOWED ME, except Caleb…and Joshua…for they have wholly followed the LORD". (Numbers 32:11-12). Romans 11:7-8 "...What the people of Israel sought so earnestly they did not obtain. The elect among them did, but the others were hardened, as it is written: “GOD GAVE THEM a spirit of stupor, eyes that could not see and ears that could not hear, to this very day.” and verses 20-22, "But they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. DO NOT BE ARROGANT, BUT TREMBLE. For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either. Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in his kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off". It is difficult to express (especially in a few words) exactly what this means for you and me. But, very simply...God's wants ALL of us, ALL of our lives, just like He gave His all FOR us. We cannot come OUR OWN WAY. We cannot pick and choose what we believe of His Word and what we will do, or not do, and make it how we want it. Unfortunately, those to whom I am referring will not read anything like this. They will not allow themselves to be troubled, they will continue to do what they want to do. But, I am bound before God to tell you what I see, whether or not you choose to open your eyes. This is where the battle rages for the souls of men. Romans 12:1-2, "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God". IF WE INSIST ON WHAT WE WANT, GOD WILL GIVE IT TO US. THIS IS NOT A GOOD THING. HIS WAY, HIS DESIRE IS BETTER. LET IT GO...IT'S NOT WORTH ETERNITY.