Psalm 106:27

Psalm 106:27

Scattered throughout the lands

What was it that kept a whole generation of Israelites from entering the Promised Land? Why, these were the ones who had been delivered from Egypt and who had only recently experienced the mighty hand of God’s salvation and deliverance. Surely, they of all a people would be ready and willing to trust Him now that their goal was in sight. But no, the news about giants and fortified cities put them off progressing any further, they dug their heels in and refused to follow Moses and Aaron into Canaan.

How did God view this? He saw their rebellion as disobedience, and He knew that their disobedience was rooted in a lack of faith in Him. They could not bring themselves to believe that their God would go with them and help them to overcome the pagan Canaanites. It grieved Him and angered Him and thus He made the declaration that a whole generation would miss out on the blessings of entering the land. 

The land of promise is a place of rest but not inactivity. There is land to be worked, borders have to be guarded, enemy incursions have to be withstood. This land is not a place of idleness, but it must be a place of obedience and faith. And that is the key to the rest that is talked about in Hebrews 4. It’s all about putting our trust in God and depending on Him, learning to rely on His provision however big the obstacles might be. The Israelites had to learn to rest in Him and not to bow to any other lesser gods. And so must we. Notice that this lack of faith was to be a weight around the necks of not just the present generation. but for their descendants too. It would eventually lead to these people losing their land and being scattered throughout the nations. “Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience.” Hebrews 4:11.

 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Psalm 106:13

Psalm 106:13 Do not forget We need to remember that Israel’s relationship with the Lord God was based on His laws and their obedience. It was possible for them to live lives that were highly blessed, that incorporated the provision of God in every tiny detail of their national and individual existence. God was prepared to give them everything they needed, He would provide food and water for them and their flocks. He would guide them on their journey. He would protect them from their enemies. He would inspire and direct their leaders. He would keep them from the heat of the sun and the terrors of the desert night. He would take them to the land that He had promised, in double quick time. There was no reason why they could not be in situ in just a few months. Everything they could possibly need was His to provide and He was willing to sacrifice anything to see them gratefully settled in Canaan.  There was just one snag, it all depended upon their obedience and faithfulness. God insis...
Read more

Psalm 51:4

Psalm 51:4 Deliberate sin In Genesis 20 we read the story of Abimelek and Abraham. The latter had passed off his wife Sarah as his sister and Abimelek had taken her with a view to her becoming his wife. The relationship was not consummated, and the Lord used a dream to reveal to Abimelek just what was going on. The insulted king pleaded innocence,  “I have done this with a clear conscience and clean hands ” he said, to the Lord. And God agreed,  “Yes, I know you did this with a clear conscience, and so I have kept you from sinning against me.”  This is a big subject but there is clearly a difference between sinful intentions and deeds where the participant knows that he/she is doing wrong, and those occasions where an action is carried out in innocence.  David knew all along that every detail of his relationship with Bathsheba was sinful, as were his actions in the cover-up. Therefore, he sinned against the Lord God and broke the commandments which said that  “Y...
Read more

Psalm 84:3

Psalm 84:3 All about sparrows Any visitor to Jerusalem will know that the city is a haven for sparrows. Houses and other buildings in Middle Eastern cities are not built to keep out the cold with double-glazing and UPVC everywhere. There are literally millions of little holes and crevasses and places where birds can hide and build their nests. As a result, the air is filled with the sound of the sparrows at all times, and in the summer months, swallows, swifts and martins swoop across the rooftops. (Along with many other birds that I would love to mention but that would be totally irrelevant). Evidently nothing has changed for centuries, because these sights and sounds greeted visitors to the Temple back in the day when Psalm 84 was composed. And the author is envious. These winged avian residents and visitors can enter where he cannot! They nest and congregate around the Temple Courts, high up and out of the reach of man’s interference and so they occupy a place closer to God than any...
Read more