The question today is this -- what does it take for others around us to understand our faith? For those we deal with in the day to day to know that we believe in the Most High, and trust Him to establish our steps in all things? That He visits us with His salvation. And that our trust in the Lord God and Saviour Jesus the Christ is the One and Only Rock wherein we stand, and that, as a consequence, we are no longer desirous for the things of this world. As an aside, note that this same Rock was the same Christ who followed the Israelites through the Red Sea.
As apostle Paul shared, when speaking to the saints at Corinth -- "Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; and were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; and did all eat the same spiritual meat; and did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ." (I Corinthians 10:1-4)
If you are aware of the circumstances of Moses, you will know that his concern was that the people would not believe that the Lord God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob had appeared unto him. (Exodus 4:6-31) Thus, it should not come as a surprise that only two reached the Promised Land, after wandering in the desert for forty years. But I digress somewhat.
In retelling the situation of Moses, the psalmist David begins by informing us of the importance of praising the Lord first -- in all things. That we are to "praise ye the Lord. O give thanks unto the Lord; for He is good: for His mercy endures for ever."
As David asks, "Who can utter the mighty acts of the Lord? Who can shew forth all His praise? Blessed are they that keep judgment, and he that does righteousness at all times." And then also, to ask the Lord to "remember me, O Lord, with the favour that Thou bear unto Thy people: O visit me with Thy salvation; that I may see the good of Thy chosen, that I may rejoice in the gladness of Thy nation, that I may glory with Thine inheritance." (Psalm 106:1-5)
In other words, we are to love the Lord with all our heart, soul, mind and strength, and to give Him the honour and glory in all things. (Deuteronomy 6:4; Mark 12:29-31) Both the psalmist and apostle continue to share the example of Moses, because there are takeaways that we also should understand in this current dispensation of grace. Beginning with psalmist David's writings:
"We have sinned with our fathers, we have committed iniquity, we have done wickedly. Our fathers understood not Thy wonders in Egypt; they remembered not the multitude of Thy mercies; but provoked Him at the sea, even at the Red sea. Nevertheless, He saved them for His name’s sake, that He might make His mighty power to be known. He rebuked the Red sea also, and it was dried up: so He led them through the depths, as through the wilderness. And He saved them from the hand of him that hated them, and redeemed them from the hand of the enemy." (Psalm 106:6-10)
What was the miracle? "And the waters covered their enemies: there was not one of them left. Then believed they His words; they sang His praise." But sadly, as we also know, they soon forgot His works; they waited not for His counsel: but lusted exceedingly in the wilderness, and tempted God in the desert. And He gave them their request; but sent leanness into their soul.
Why? Because "they envied Moses also in the camp, and Aaron the saint of the Lord. The earth opened and swallowed up Dathan, and covered the company of Abiram. And a fire was kindled in their company; the flame burned up the wicked. They made a calf in Horeb, and worshipped the molten image. Thus they changed their glory into the similitude of an ox that eats grass. They forgot God their Saviour, which had done great things in Egypt; wondrous works in the land of Ham, and terrible things by the Red Sea. Therefore, He said that He would destroy them, had not Moses His chosen stood before Him in the breach, to turn away His wrath, lest He should destroy them."
But there is more. "Yea, they despised the pleasant land, they believed not His Word: but murmured in their tents, and hearkened not unto the voice of the Lord. Therefore, He lifted up His hand against them, to overthrow them in the wilderness: to overthrow their seed also among the nations, and to scatter them in the lands.
They joined themselves also unto Baal-peor, and ate the sacrifices of the dead. Thus, they provoked Him to anger with their inventions: and the plague brake in upon them. Then stood up Phinehas, and executed judgment: and so the plague was stayed. And that was counted unto him for righteousness unto all generations for evermore. They angered Him also at the waters of strife, so that it went ill with Moses for their sakes: because they provoked His Spirit, so that He spake unadvisedly with His lips.
They did not destroy the nations, concerning whom the Lord commanded them: but were mingled among the heathen, and learned their works. And they served their idols: which were a snare unto them. Yea, they sacrificed their sons and their daughters unto devils, and shed innocent blood, even the blood of their sons and of their daughters, whom they sacrificed unto the idols of Canaan: and the land was polluted with blood.
Thus were they defiled with their own works, and went a whoring with their own inventions. Therefore was the wrath of the Lord kindled against His people, insomuch that He abhorred His own inheritance. And He gave them into the hand of the heathen; and they that hated them ruled over them. Their enemies also oppressed them, and they were brought into subjection under their hand. Many times did He deliver them; but they provoked Him with their counsel, and were brought low for their iniquity.
Nevertheless He regarded their affliction, when He heard their cry: and He remembered for them His covenant, and repented according to the multitude of His mercies. He made them also to be pitied of all those that carried them captives.
"Save us, O Lord our God, and gather us from among the heathen, to give thanks unto Thy Holy Name, and to triumph in Thy praise. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting: and let all the people say, Amen." (Psalm 106:47-48)
And apostle Paul -- what does he say? As cited above, Paul begins, saying, "Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; and were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; and did all eat the same spiritual meat; and did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ." (I Corinthians 10:1-5)
And then comes the but -- so that these become ensembles to us, written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.
"But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness. Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, "The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play." Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand. Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents. Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer.
Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. Wherefore let him that thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear [it].
Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry. I speak as to wise men; judge ye what I say. The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? For we being many are One bread, [and] One body: for we are all partakers of that One Bread." (I Corinthians 10:1-17)
What did Jesus say? "I AM the Bread of Life." (John 6:33-51)
Jesus said, "For the Bread of God is He which comes down from heaven, and gives life unto the world." (John 6:33)
And Jesus again said unto them, "I AM the Bread of life: he that comes to Me shall never hunger; and he that believes on Me shall never thirst." (John 6:35)
"I AM that Bread of life." (John 6:48)
"I AM the living Bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this Bread, he shall live for ever: and the Bread that I will give is My flesh, which I will give for the life of the world." (John 6:51)
You see, when we focus on the risen Jesus as both Lord and Christ, we begin to understand that the nourishment that He gives is life sustaining, and forever everlasting. How do we know? Because the Lord Jesus never fails those who turn their hearts and minds to Him! Meditate on these scriptures as our ensample this day, for there is so much herein that we who believe in the Lord Jesus by faith need to understand -- so that we are not spiritually ignorant.
As Jesus said, "Before Abraham was, I AM!" Stand in the offering plate.
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