The Wilderness Wandering
The journey of Israel from Egypt to Canaan is one of the principal types of redemption. The area of salvation is revealed in the exodus of Israel from Egypt. The area of sanctification is depicted in the wilderness wandering. The area of conquest is portrayed in the occupation of the land of promise.
The Book of Hebrews exhorts us to press on toward the land. The main exhortation of the Book of Hebrews is that Christians must press on toward the promised-land rest of God. The warning of Hebrews is that if we do not press toward the fullness of Christ we are guilty of neglecting our salvation and will not escape the burning of the fruitless branches.
But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end. (Hebrews 3:6)
Notice the "if" in the above verse. We are the house of Christ as long as we "hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end." Inasmuch as the context of this verse is that of Israel under the leadership of Moses pressing on through the wilderness toward Canaan, we understand the phrase "hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing" to mean that we are to follow the Spirit of God from Egypt all the way to the occupation of the land of promise.
Holding "fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope" has to do with dynamic pressing forward in Christ, just as Paul explained in the third chapter of Philippians.
Holding fast the confidence is not to be interpreted as a static profession of belief in Christ in which we take a rigid doctrinal stance and then live according to the appetites of our body and soul. This would be comparable to Israel remaining in Egypt while speaking and teaching about the Glory of God's goodness and power and the virtues of the Passover Lamb. There would be a celebration of the Passover but no exodus from Egypt.
Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice, (Hebrews 3:7)
There always is a present truth. The Holy Spirit always is speaking "today." The challenge before the Church always is to "hear his voice."
How easy it is to profess faith in the Scripture and at the same time to be deaf to the voice of the Holy Spirit of God! This type of spiritual deafness is with us today just as it was with Israel of old. Spiritual deafness and blindness brought judgment on that nation from the days of the wilderness wandering to the time when Jesus of Nazareth strode along the shores of Galilee—and on through to the present hour. Do we hear the Spirit today?
Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness: (Hebrews 3:8)
The wilderness was designed as a school for Israel, a place of testing until they were wise and strong enough to invade the land of promise.
The wilderness turned out to be not only a test of Israel but also of God's patience because of the rebellious murmuring and complaining of the people of Israel. The Israelites murmured because they hardened their hearts in unbelief.
The troubles that come to us in the wilderness cause one of two things to happen to us: they cause us to learn of God and of the ways of God or they cause us to become hard and bitter, angry at God and angry at the people and circumstances that God uses to perfect us. When we experience pain we can choose to humble ourselves and learn God's ways or we can choose to harden our heart and become bitter and rebellious.
The Israelites chose to harden their hearts and become bitter and rebellious. They were driven back from the border of Canaan after the first two years of wandering and had to continue in the wilderness for an additional thirty-eight years. The trials and tribulations continued, and when they finally did cross into Canaan they were unable to lay hold on the fullness of the promise.
It is an evil thing to rebel against God and His ways!
When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years. (Hebrews 3:9)
The cloud and fire and the manna continued for forty years. During this period the Israelites witnessed both the anger and the compassion of their God. They learned that God is God and that He is good and can be trusted. The wilderness is a long, difficult school but the lessons mastered there are invaluable. When we graduate we are fit to be royal priests of the Lord God.
Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in their heart; and they have not known my ways. (Hebrews 3:10)
It is a tragedy when we grieve God by our unbelief. What a disease it is to always be wrong in our heart toward God even though our doctrine may be "correct"! The error of the heart is that of unbelief: to be continually in trouble, to see God deliver, and then to howl and complain at the next problem, never accepting the fact that God is to be trusted.
Serving God is simpler and easier than not serving God. To abide in Christ, trusting Him for all our needs, is a simple matter. We keep ourselves in a tumult because of our doubt that God cares for us, knows about us, and is able to provide our needs.
Doctors inform us that heart disease is a major cause of death. There is a spiritual heart disease that results in an unwillingness to know and accept the ways of God. It is caused by the virus of unbelief.
So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.) (Hebrews 3:11)
What a terrible situation exists when God is moved by anger to suspend His promise to us! With good will God called the people from Egypt so they might enter the land of milk and honey, only to have the people grumble in unbelief, refusing to learn their necessary lessons. On occasion after occasion Israel refused to glorify God. As a result, God lifted His promise from them.
The word "rest" is employed in the Book of Hebrews to mean the fullness of our inheritance in Christ. The rest of God includes union with Christ, becoming the Temple of God, complete transformation into the image of Christ, and our position of authority and power over all the works of God. To be in the rest of God is to be in the center of God's will.
The rest of God has two aspects. There is a rest along the way, and then there is the rest that is our destination. To enter the rest along the way is to seek each day the perfect will of God and to rest in it. To enter the rest that is our destination is to come to the fullness of the destiny that was created for us as an individual before the heavens and the earth were formed.
In the third and fourth chapters of the Book of Hebrews the spiritual "rest" of God is symbolized by the land of promise, by the seventh day of creation, and by the seventh day of the week—the Sabbath day. These three types symbolize the true spiritual rest of God—our coheirship with Christ.
We cannot enter the fullness of rest in Christ unless we accept our wilderness lessons in a good and faithful heart of trust in the Lord and his ways.
Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. (Hebrews 3:12)
This admonition is addressed to Christians. We need to remain watchful at all times that our hearts are perfect toward God, even though we may have accepted Christ at some point in the past. If our hearts are not perfect with God we will depart from Him when the wilderness experiences become unpleasant.
But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. (Hebrews 3:13)
Sin is deceitful. If sin were to confront us visibly most of us would push it back by the power of Christ. But sin is deceitful. It creeps up on us unawares or sets a trap or an ambush. When we fall into the snare we may become hard of heart. This is a common failing of Christians.
Hebrews commands us to exhort one another each day so that none of us falls into the snares set by sin and becomes hardened thereby. The danger of becoming spiritually hardened is that we may not be allowed to enter our inheritance in Christ.
For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end; (Hebrews 3:14)
We are not made fellows (coheirs) of Christ solely on the basis of a one-time acceptance of Jesus as our Savior. The initial steps of faith and of baptism in water are necessary. Through them we pass from the authority of the kingdom of darkness to the authority of the kingdom of Christ, just as Israel was commanded to sprinkle the Passover blood and then cross the Red Sea to the area where God would lead them by His Presence.
After we accept Christ there follows a lifetime of lessons taught by the Holy Spirit. If in the middle of our wilderness lessons we lose our confidence and do not remain steadfast in faith in Christ, we are in danger of not obtaining the fullness of the inheritance.
It is a false teaching that claims we shall be coheirs with Christ whether or not we conduct our life in the Spirit of God. It is a false teaching that states we shall receive our rewards solely on the profession of belief in Christ and are not obligated to walk in the Spirit.
We cannot serve two masters. We are commanded to decide between Christ and the world. If we are not being transformed each day by the renewing of our mind, our profession of Christ may prove to have been in vain, not being strong enough to stand in the day of testing.
And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not? (Hebrews 3:18)
Faith is the victory that overcomes the world. The meaning of faith, as used in Hebrews, Chapter Three and Eleven, is obedience to God and confidence throughout our wilderness wanderings that no matter what happens to us, God is moving on our behalf for our good.
Faith is a cheerful acceptance of the "manna" given for each day, a following of the cloud and the fire, an obedience to the commandments given by the Apostles, and a militant courage and patience that keep us pressing toward the land of promise.
Faith is courageous, trusting, cheerful, joyous, full of confidence and assurance in God. This is the kind of grasp on God that overcomes the worldly wickedness in the midst of which we are endeavoring to serve the Lord.
So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief. (Hebrews 3:19)
The Israelites continually were ready to blame God for their inability to enter the land of promise. "This is wrong and the other thing is wrong. There are giants in the land!"
The truth is, there was not a single condition or giant that in any manner could have prevented a Spirit-empowered Israel from seizing the fullness of the inheritance.
There were, however, two huge giants in the camp of Israel. The name of the biggest giant was Unbelief. Unbelief had a brother standing by whose name was Disobedience. Israel brought their own giants along with them.
Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. (Hebrews 4:1)
The promise to us is that we are destined to inherit all things in Christ. It is possible to start out toward Christ and then to "die in the wilderness" and not reach the land of promise. Many Israelites left Egypt in expectation of glory but never reached Canaan. They perished in the wilderness of instruction and correction.
Wouldn't it be a tragic experience, after having made a victorious start in Christ, to come short of the promised-land rest and perish in the wilderness?
For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it. (Hebrews 4:2)
The good news of the Kingdom of God (as represented by the land of promise) was preached to the Israelites, just as the good news of the Kingdom of God has been preached to us. The word preached did not profit them (think of that!) because the hearers did not mix faith with the word they were hearing.
How about us? Are we mixing faith with the word we are hearing? Remember, the kind of faith being discussed here is the faith of remaining steadfast with the Spirit of God as He leads us through the wilderness of temptation.
Is our faith remaining steadfast, being mixed with faith in the Word of God? Or are we losing ground because we are not following the Lord as we should?
For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. (Hebrews 4:3)
God has prepared our position in Christ from the creation of the heavens and the earth. God finished His work and then rested. At that time we were predestined, called, justified, and glorified. The work has been finished as far as we are concerned.
We can stop the whole process and not receive the inheritance if we are unwilling to allow the Holy Spirit to perform in us what was designated for us from the creation of the world.
We will enter the glorious inheritance in the Lord Jesus Christ if we will hold fast in faith each day of our pilgrimage, pressing forward in Christ, carrying our cross faithfully throughout our journey.
We never will be able to receive God's first choice for us if we begin to rebel, murmur, complain because of the difficulties of the wilderness trials to which we are being subjected. Nor are we to blame other people for our suffering and frustration.
For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day. (Hebrews 4:8)
Joshua was not able to bring the Israelites into the fullness of their rest, their inheritance, because they were not willing to fight hard enough. Also, they would not continue in the holy ways of the Lord. They are an example to us on whom the ends of the age have come, an example of what not to do.
Although Israel obtained a measure of rest in Canaan, the Spirit of Christ reveals to us that the true and eternal rest in Christ is yet available to the Israel of God. The Spirit has spoken of "another day."
. . . To day if ye will hear his voice, (Psalms 95:7)
There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. (Hebrews 4:9)
There is a mark, a goal, a land of promise, a finish, an omega in the Divine program of redemption. Hebrews refers to this mark as the promised-land rest. It is the inheritance of the people of God from the righteous Abel all the way to the last battle-scarred disciple of Jesus of Nazareth.
We are going somewhere. Our eyes have caught sight of the city of God, a city that has foundations, a better age, a holier place, a nearness to the Lord; and we have declared that we are strangers and pilgrims in the earth. Let us press on toward the fullness of that inheritance.
For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. (Hebrews 4:10)
There is a conclusion of the Christian pilgrimage. There is a destination. The Holy Spirit works in us for "six days," so to speak, until we have been created in the image of God. As soon as this has been accomplished we can rest with God.
Each day a Divine lesson is set before us. We can rest with God after the problems of the day and then be renewed on the following morning in preparation for the challenges of the new day. The struggle will not go on forever. We are pressing toward the glorious promised-land rest in which all our enemies will have been put under our feet. Let us continue to move toward the fullness of resurrection life in Christ.
Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief. (Hebrews 4:11)
It is impossible to enter our inheritance unless we are willing to labor. The Israelites groaned and complained at every inconvenience until God became weary of hearing their rebellions. We must accept our laboring in the Spirit of God as part of a necessary preparation period. We must remain willing to press on and on and on, gladly willing to spend and be spent. We must give our all so that we and those who hear us may be moved toward the fullness of Christ.
If we labor faithfully toward the rest of God we one day shall join the cloud of witnesses in the heavens who are watching the Body of Christ yet in the earth, as the Spirit of God moves the Lord's army toward a confrontation with Satan. The Christian Church will successfully invade the territory occupied for so long by the forces of wickedness.
The works of God's hands are our possession by inheritance. Let us go on with God until we are able, by the authority of the cross and the power of the Holy Spirit, to redeem our inheritance and enjoy the fullness of the promises that are to Christ, in Christ, and of Christ.
A season and place of instruction: the wilderness. The second area of redemption, that of sanctification, is a school—the school of the wilderness wandering. Each member of the Body of Christ must receive instruction in this school. God established the curriculum. Christ is the Headmaster. The Holy Spirit is the Teacher.
The subject matter of the curriculum is concerned with the knowledge of, and obedience to, God and His ways. We learn our lessons by experience. Every once in a while we receive a "report card" informing us of our progress. The wilderness is a difficult school, an exacting discipline, but an effective training program. We learn well in the wilderness.
There is one important fact the Church of Christ must keep in mind. We were not saved from Egypt in order to live forever in the wilderness. The wilderness is not our rest, our home, our inheritance.
We were saved from Egypt so we may inherit the land of promise, the land of milk and honey. The reason for the wilderness wanderings is that we may become strong enough in the Lord to take the land of promise by force and then be able to defend it against our enemies. Also, we are being taught to love the holy ways of the Lord our God and to hate and reject the abominations of the previous occupants of the land.
Defile not ye yourselves in any of these things: for in all these the nations are defiled which I cast out before you: And the land is defiled: therefore I do visit the iniquity thereof upon it, and the land itself vomiteth out her inhabitants. Ye shall therefore keep my statutes and my judgments, and shall not commit any of these abominations; neither any of your own nation, nor any stranger that sojourneth among you: (Leviticus 18:24-26)
The Canaanites practiced abominable idolatries. Typical of their abominations were the giving of themselves to lust and the roasting of their children in the fire as an offering to the god Molech. Because of these two rituals of worship the land of promise was ready to vomit out the Philistines, the Amorites, the Jebusites, the Girgashites, and the rest of the worshipers of demons.
God slowly and patiently rehearsed Israel again and again concerning the way in which they were to behave when they occupied the land of promise. Also, the Tabernacle, the Aaronic priesthood, and the Levitical feasts were instituted in the wilderness so the Lord could be served continually and faithfully as soon as the land was occupied.
The laws, ordinances, and observances enjoined on the Israelites were binding, to a certain extent, while they wandered in the wilderness. But they were directed primarily toward the life they would be living in Canaan.
For example, several of the Levitical feasts (Leviticus, Chapter 23) were celebrations of agricultural harvests. Yet the Jews were not able to practice farming in the wilderness. The lessons of the wilderness were for the future although they applied also, as far as possible, to the Israelites during their wilderness wanderings. "Thou shalt not commit adultery" applies whether we are in the wilderness, in the land of promise, in Egypt, or wherever else we may be.
The fact that God impressed on Israel in the wilderness rules for living in the land of promise signifies that the rigorous lessons of faith, of patience, of love, of gentleness that we Christians are learning now are instruction for our behavior in the ages to come.
For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come. (I Timothy 4:8)
"The life that now is, and of that which is to come."
These virtues are to be observed now. It is as spiritually weakening to remove the things of God to the future as it is to relegate them to the past. The issues and challenges are now. Now is the day of salvation.
Nevertheless we are being prepared for a future state of personality and actions which, compared with the present evil age, is infinitely better, infinitely more blessed. It will be much easier in the Kingdom age to live in love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, good will, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control than it is now under the best of conditions.
The Israelites were not brought out from Egypt by the power of God so they could struggle to survive in the wilderness but so they could enjoy life in Canaan. The wilderness is a miserable place in which to attempt to exist, and the Lord understands this better than we do.
God did not deliver us from the authority of darkness so that we may wander about in the wilderness of the world. We were redeemed so we may rejoice in the fullness of life in Christ; so we may become the Wife of the Lamb; so we may be created in the image of God; so we may serve forever as the Temple of God; so we may receive the inheritance of all things jointly with the Lord Jesus Christ; so we may possess the fullness of authority and power as kings and priests of God Almighty; so we may rule God's creation throughout the eternity of eternities.
We were redeemed from the authority of the kingdom of darkness for the purpose of dwelling forever in the fullness of resurrection life in spirit, soul, and body in an environment so superior to our present age and environment that no comparison is possible.
The present age is incredibly evil and becoming much worse each day that passes. The lid is blowing off the nauseating cesspools of rebellion, perversity, and foul lust. The people who are in bondage to the will and way of Satan are revealing the deeper filthiness and stench that are boiling up from the murky depths of spiritual darkness.
Even the physical environment is rejecting the lawlessness of man. Nature is shaking and writhing in protest against the abominations that today are practiced in the earth. Floods, droughts, famines, hurricanes, and earthquakes are becoming increasingly common. Lust, perversity, and violence abound, and the imaginations of men are exploited by hideous demons that are inventing increasingly detestable manipulations of the flesh, spirit, and soul of mankind.
The age of Christ that is just over the horizon is an environment of righteousness, peace, and joy. As soon as the evil has been crushed in the earth all nature will break forth into singing. The Holy Spirit will descend on the earth as the River of Life who will flow from the children of God until every corner of the earth is covered with the Glory of God.
There will be light, joy, peace, never-ending tranquility. God in Christ in the Church will be present, continually available to each soul on earth. The light, glory, and righteousness will exceed in glory any scene we can envision at this time.
We were not called out from the spirit of this age to stumble about in perplexity and pain. We were called out to dwell in the fullness of joy and righteousness in the Presence of God and the Lamb.
First must come a season of instruction. We may not enjoy every lesson, but some day we will bless God that He was willing to endure patiently with our complaining as His Spirit destroyed our many bondages and taught us the right ways of the Lord.
We are taught the lessons of the Spirit by many devices. One device is the repeating of the lessons again and again until we learn well.
For example, the manna came down each day. Israel was dependent on manna for survival; yet, there was no way to control the manna. The manna came down from the heavens and it was there on the ground each morning. It did no good to collect a great deal because there always was just enough whether one collected little or much. The manna would not stay fresh, except for Friday's manna that lasted through Saturday so the Sabbath could be observed.
The principle of the manna runs counter to the root of our faithless nature. We always are looking for ways to make ourselves independent of reliance on God. We seek security in the predictable resources of the world. We accumulate money so we will not be required to depend on God. Money becomes our god.
Because of the manner in which the manna was sent, Israel had to learn to trust God. This lesson continued for forty years. Every day each Jew must go out and humbly pick up from the ground his daily portion. Whether he liked it or not, he had to learn to lean on God for his daily preservation.
What a lesson of dependence and trust! It was taught by repetition. The force that emphasized the lesson was that we soon perish without food. We humans are frail creatures. Our life's breath is in our nostrils.
God uses our frailty to call our attention to the spiritual lessons that will prove to be our salvation in the coming ages. In the future we will not be as frail as we are now but will be capable of causing much harm if we are not obedient to the Lord, just as has been true of Satan and the fallen angels.
We learn the lessons of godliness in the wilderness of this life. What we learn is useful now, but the major usefulness of the lessons will be realized in the eons to come.
Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come into the land which I give unto you, and shall reap the harvest thereof, then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest: (Leviticus 23:10)
"When ye be come into the land."
Many of the admonitions and the ordinances, such as the feasts of the Lord, that were given in the wilderness, were to prepare Israel for life in Canaan. So it is true that what is happening to us now is in preparation for the endless ages of resurrection glory that lie before us.
Another lesson we are being taught is to look to God continually for His wisdom and enabling power. The Israelites were led by the cloud by day and the fire by night. They did not follow scouts or maps as would an ordinary expedition. They followed a supernatural manifestation of God.
If we would make a success of the Christian discipleship we must learn to follow the leading of the Lord. "As many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God" (Romans 8:14). To bring one's self under the control of the Holy Spirit requires discipline. Every day there is something new to learn about the ways of the Lord.
We are encouraged when we keep in mind that we have not been called to abide in the wilderness but are pressing toward a goal. We need to behold the vision seen by the saints of the Scriptures.
These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. (Hebrews 11:13)
God's saints of all ages have been seeking a city that has foundations—the heavenly Zion that is founded on Christ. We too have been called to glory. If we will keep the heavenly glory before our eyes, which is the fullness of eternal life in Christ, then we will cooperate patiently with the Holy Spirit of God as He teaches us the lessons of the wilderness.
The revelation of God's Nature in the Law and ordinances. When Moses met God at the burning bush he knew only of the tradition handed down by word of mouth from the sons of Jacob. Ignorance of God's Person, of His name, of His ways, accounts for Moses' hesitancy in proceeding with what God commanded him to do.
And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them? (Exodus 3:13)
Neither Moses nor the children of Israel whom he was to lead, knew much about the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Even when the people stood on the east bank of the Red Sea and commenced their trek south toward Mount Sinai, they still knew very little about this awesome God who had rained down destruction on the land of Egypt and who now was going before them to some distant land He had chosen for them.
The Israelites were delighted to leave because of the harsh bondage of their servitude in Egypt. They were occupied with the excitement of going to a better place. However, they were ignorant of the Person and purpose of God and of the land toward which He was leading them.
When we accept Christ we may be delighted to leave the harsh bondage of the spirit of this age. Satan is a hard taskmaster. We may be excited and enthusiastic about the prospect of coming into the peace and joy of God's acceptance of us, an acceptance not based on works of righteousness we have performed in our own strength.
We may be full of joy at the idea of Heaven and of the resurrection from the dead of ourselves and our loved ones. But we are ignorant of the Person of Christ and of His holy ways. Also, we do not understand the inheritance toward which He is leading us.
The Israelites began complaining a short time after leaving Egypt.
And the children of Israel said unto them, Would to God we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots, and when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger. (Exodus 16:3)
How soon we forget!
Moses found himself with a heavy load on his shoulders—that of a grumbling, unbelieving multitude who were ready to stone him if he did not provide them with all the food and drink they desired.
The ignorance of God and of His righteous and holy ways continued until the third month had arrived (Exodus 19:1). Then, one of the most astonishing revelations of God's Person and ways ever given to mankind was presented before the terrified Israelites. The earth shook at the sound of God Almighty.
And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that was in the camp trembled. (Exodus 19:16)
The stage was set for the giving of the Ten Commandments, the ordinances of living, the design of the Tabernacle of the Congregation, the Aaronic priesthood, the five principal offerings, and the organization of Israel into the army of the Lord. From this moment forward the holiness and power of God were revealed to Israel.
God was revealing Himself to and through Moses. No longer was God the memory passed down from the sons of Jacob. Now He became the present "I Am," and the Israelites had to change their habits in order to be acceptable to Him and to keep His Presence among them.
There was no comparable revelation of the Person and ways of God after that until Christ began His ministry.
Whenever God reveals Himself in these momentous ways or even in the smallest of manners, we are brought to a new level of responsibility in terms of what we are and how we behave.
From the Ten Words, the Ten Commandments, down to the detailed instructions concerning the conduct of people, the Law and ordinances issued at Sinai revealed God to be holy and righteous.
The Egyptians and the Canaanites worshipped many demons. Their gods were evil, teaching the worshipers to practice lust and the murder of children. Only the Lord God of Israel is able to provide His worshipers with a law and ordinances that will, if observed, produce soundness of spirit, soul, and body.
The Law and the ordinances were necessary and practical. The only reason they did not prove to be effective in the lives of the Israelites was that the fleshly nature of the people made it impossible for them to perform such holy and righteous requirements.
Notice that the Law and ordinances were assigned in the wilderness. God had called the people from Egypt in order to dwell in Canaan, not in the Sinai desert. We Christians have been called to a glorious promised-land rest of God. God's righteous and holy ways are being created in us now while we yet are in the wilderness of the present world.
We are in better circumstances now than was true of the Church under the old covenant. God's holy and righteous ways are not presented to us on tables of stone or scrolls of parchment.
We have the written records of the Prophets of Israel and the Apostles of the new covenant. But more importantly we possess the blood of Jesus that protects us. We have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit who is the law of the Spirit of life. We have the body and blood of Jesus which is fed to us so the Substance of Christ is built up in us.
The Holy Spirit is the law of the new covenant. The law of the new covenant is the law of the Spirit of life (Romans, Chapter Eight). The Holy Spirit is our Comforter. He leads us each day giving us wisdom and ability as we learn to put to death the sinful tendencies (enemies, "Canaanites") that are in our flesh.
The Nature of Christ is being created in us and we rise up each day in newness of life, although the circumstances of our life, under the specific guidance of God, are bringing down our fleshly nature to death (II Corinthians, Chapter Four).
The Holy Spirit is bringing each of us through a wilderness experience of our own, just as Eliezer of Damascus led Rebecca back to Isaac. The wilderness contains one problem after another. Sometimes it is the blackest of tunnels with no end in sight. There are places in the wilderness where we are tested to the limit. Anyone who believes that the wilderness is a pleasurable experience has not been through it.
The glory, Presence, and preserving authority and power of the Lord always are with us in the wilderness. We learn about God and His righteous ways during our sojourn. We do not arrive at the land of promise until we have mastered these lessons.
Many Christian people are waiting to go to Heaven so they may learn the ways of the Lord there. God taught the Israelites in the wilderness before they arrived at the land of promise. God is teaching us holiness now—in this life. The third chapter of Hebrews warns us that if we do not mix faith with the Word of God it is possible for us to die in the wilderness and lose our inheritance in Christ.
The Holy Spirit is serious and determined about our instruction in the wilderness. He expects us to reveal the fruit of righteousness and holiness now. We are saved so we may reveal in ourselves the righteous ways of the Lord (Ephesians 2:10; I Peter 2:9).
If we do not begin to be converted from unrighteous conduct to holy conduct we are in danger of having received the grace of God in vain. The test of whether we are abiding in the Holy Spirit is whether we are bringing forth holy and righteous conduct.
The people of Israel learned holiness and righteousness by attempting to conform their behavior to the Ten Commandments and the lesser ordinances. They had available to them the provision of animal blood to forgive their sins.
We Christians learn holiness and righteousness by yielding to the Spirit of God and by receiving the many dimensions of grace that are given us under the new covenant. As long as we are walking in the light of God's will, continuing in the Spirit and overcoming the lust of the world, the blood of Jesus is keeping us free from all condemnation.
The law of the new covenant is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, good will, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. This is the Nature and way of God. Only the Holy Spirit can accomplish such a nature in us.
"Blueprints" for the Tabernacle of the Congregation and the Church. The design of the Tabernacle of the Congregation was given on Sinai at the time of the revelation of God in the Law and ordinances. Moses saw the plan of the Tabernacle, for God commanded Moses to construct all things according to the pattern showed to him in the mountain.
The directions for the construction of the Tabernacle, as recorded in Exodus, are difficult to understand in some instances. It was not necessary for the Lord to be more specific for the following two reasons: Moses had seen the pattern of the Tabernacle; and the Holy Spirit guided Bezaleel and Aholiab as they constructed the Tabernacle and the holy furnishings (Exodus 31:3).
It is true today that the directions for the building of the Body of Christ are not complete in detail, in the New Testament writings. They do not need to be more complete, for the following two reasons: the Lord Jesus Christ has seen the completed work and reveals necessary portions to His ministers; and the Holy Spirit guides the ministry in the application of the Word of God as they do the Lord's work.
We are not implying that there is to be a new revelation concerning the Body of Christ or that we have no more use for the Divinely inspired Scriptures. What we are stating is that we cannot obtain the directions we need from the letter of the Scriptures alone.
The Bible is the general Word of God, the infallible guide of our faith and conduct. Also, we must have the living Presence of the Lord Jesus Christ and the wisdom and enabling power of the Holy Spirit if we are to be successful in building the Body of Christ according to the pattern God has in mind.
It is impossible that human beings, no matter how well-intentioned, can be successful in building the Body of Christ according to the plan of God. It is time now for the Holy Spirit to become preeminent in building the Body of Christ. The well-intentioned efforts of men have led only to division and carnality plus the loss of the anointing of the Holy Spirit (Exodus 40:9).
Under the old covenant, the Aaronic priesthood and Levitical assistants ministered at the Altar of Burnt Offering. The priests and Levites were kept busy caring for the spiritual needs of the people of Israel.
In the Tabernacle the priests serviced the Lampstand, the Altar of Incense, and the Table of Showbread.
The design of the Tabernacle, which was given along with the Ten Commandments and the Levitical ordinances, teaches us much concerning the Person and ways of God Almighty.
In the design, furnishings, and elements of the Tabernacle we can perceive the following Divine revelations: (1) the Person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ; (2) the program of the redemption of the believer in Christ; (3) the growth of the Body of Christ to the full stature of Christ; and (4) the construction and setting up of the Kingdom of God on the earth. These four portrayals of the Glory of Christ are discussed in our book, The Tabernacle of the Congregation.
Formation into an army. The construction of the Tabernacle of the Congregation marked the change of Israel from a wandering congregation of former slaves into the army of the Lord. From the beginning there had been a militant aspect of the movement from Egypt to Canaan.
And it came to pass the selfsame day, that the LORD did bring the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt by their armies. (Exodus 12:51)
God is a Man of war.
The LORD is a man of war: the LORD is his name. (Exodus 15:3)
At the time of the exodus, God's army was too weak to fight against the inhabitants of the land of promise.
And it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God led them not through the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, Lest peradventure the people repent when they see war, and they return to Egypt: (Exodus 13:17)
It has been that way also with the Church of Christ. For two thousand years the Spirit of God has led the Church by a roundabout way because we have not been strong enough to wrest the creation from the forces of Satan. God has spoken to us in these last days and has alerted us to the fact that the Day of God is at hand and that now we will be able to overcome the enemy, under the direction of the Lord Jesus Christ, and enter the rest of God.
The time is at hand and the Spirit of God is awakening the saints—God's mighty men. We are preparing to cross the Jordan, speaking figuratively of our final breakthrough into the Presence of Christ, and invade the spiritual kingdom that has held the earth and its inhabitants in the bondage of sin and rebellion.
The construction of the Tabernacle of the Congregation is associated with the preparation of Israel for battle against the inhabitants of the land of promise. This is why the Holy Spirit in the days in which we live is bringing into prominence the need for the building of the Body of Christ, which is the true tabernacle of God.
As soon as the Body of Christ, the Temple of God, attains the required level of maturity, the Lord Jesus will appear at the head of His army and we shall go forth to judge and deliver the inhabitants of the earth. The time is at hand. Let us press on to the fullness of the resurrection life of the Spirit of God.
As we have stated, there was a militant quality in the movement of Israel from the beginning. From the moment the Israelites left Egypt they were the army of the Lord, although disorganized. As soon as the Tabernacle of the Congregation was constructed, a marching order was established with the Ark in the center of the formation.
It is time now to organize the Church of Christ (all blood-washed, born-again saints) into a disciplined army in preparation for the coming of the Commander in Chief, the Lord Jesus Christ.
The next feast after Pentecost is the blowing of Trumpets. We are entering now into Trumpets, to speak symbolically (Leviticus 23:24).
Make thee two trumpets of silver; of a whole piece shalt thou make them: that thou mayest use them for the calling of the assembly, and for the journeying of the camps. (Numbers 10:2)
The number two speaks of the two loaves of Pentecost, of the two witnesses of Revelation, Chapter 11, of the latter rain, of the "glory of this latter house" (Haggai 2:9). Two is associated with power (Psalms 62:11), with the Cherubim of Glory on the Mercy Seat, with the testimony of Elisha. Elisha, the prophet of the double portion, represents the preaching of the Kingdom of God just before the return of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The silver of the two trumpets portrays the redemption that is in Christ. The coming of the Lord Jesus Christ is associated with redemption, with the deliverance of the saints from all of the presence and power of Satan.
Remember, when the final birth pains of the creation are occurring we are to lift up our heads, for our "redemption draweth nigh." The Church of Christ is moving toward the Day of Redemption, the day when that which was purchased on the cross is delivered to the Purchaser and the enemies of the Lord Jesus are made His footstool.
And when they shall blow with them, all the assembly shall assemble themselves to thee at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. (Numbers 10:3)
God met the children of Israel at the door of the Tabernacle. There were two holy vessels at the door: the bronze Altar of Burnt Offering, representing Jesus' death on the cross of Calvary; and the bronze Laver, portraying water baptism, repentance, and moral cleanliness. God always meets His people at the cross.
We are reminded of the words of the Lord: "Wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together" (Matthew 24:28). When the Lord's coming draws near there will be many signs. One of the most important of these will be that all true Christians, those who live by the body and blood of Christ, will be gathered together to Him.
Today we are scattered all over "Ezekiel's boneyard." Before Jesus comes or, we should say, as the closeness of His appearing presses upon us, all the saints will draw near to Christ as we never have before. When the end-time trumpet blows we shall "assemble at the door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation." We shall gather together at the cross. Our denominational identities will be forgotten.
So great will be the pressures in the days ahead that only the cross of Christ and the virtue that flows from it will be strong enough to stand. All of God's saints will gather together as one in the most sincere worship of our Lord Jesus Christ and love for one another.
His body and His blood will be our sustenance and we shall survive only by the strength we are drawing from the Divine Substance. "Wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together." God's eagles are those who live by His body and blood.
He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him (John 6:56)
We will mount up at the last trumpet to meet the Lord in the air. So shall we ever be with the Lord.
In the image of the ox we bear the burdens assigned to us. In the image of the lion we rule in the midst of our enemies. In the image of man we have fellowship with God. In the image of the eagle we soar into the heavens (Job 39:27-30, Revelation 4:7).
And if they blow but with one trumpet, then the princes, which are heads of the thousands of Israel, shall gather themselves unto thee. (Numbers 10:4)
It is possible that today the "princes," the leaders of the flocks, are hearing the trumpet of the Lord. Many ministers are receiving a fresh touch of the Lord and are ministering to thousands.
We do not see as yet the widespread manifestation of the gifts and ministries of all the members of the Body of Christ that we believe will take place before Christ returns. There seems to be no doubt, however, that God is speaking to many of His ministers, inspiring them to press on toward Christ and to teach their hearers to march forward.
When ye blow an alarm, then the camps that lie on the east parts shall go forward. (Numbers 10:5)
The "east" side was nearest the land of promise. The Spirit of God is calling today to those believers who are on the "east" side, that is to say, to people who are awake in prayer and in Bible study and who are hearing the voice of the Spirit. "Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret to his servants the prophets" (Amos 3:7). "To them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin to salvation" (Hebrews 9:28).
The saints who are keeping before the Lord in prayer each day and who are walking in cross-carrying obedience before Him are beginning to hear "the sound of a going in the tops of the mulberry trees" (II Samuel 5:24).
It is the sound of the Lord's army preparing for the battle. It is the call of the silver trumpets. "Who then is willing to consecrate his service this day to the Lord?" (I Chronicles 29:5).
And the sons of Aaron, the priests, shall blow with the trumpets; and they shall be to you for an ordinance for ever throughout your generations. (Numbers 10:8)
The "priests" represent the ministry of the Body of Christ. When the Lord desires to speak to His people He lays the burden on the hearts of His "priests." Throughout the land Christ's true ministers will begin to proclaim the burden of the Spirit. Whether they are Baptist, Presbyterian, Pentecostal, Methodist or any other Christ-proclaiming congregation, the Word of God will begin to come forth, each minister expressing himself according to his own background.
We are expecting to witness shortly a drawing together of true Christian believers and a separation to come between the believers who are of the world and the saints who are the blood-bought, blood-nourished people of the Lord.
And if ye go to war in your land against the enemy that oppresseth you, then ye shall blow an alarm with the trumpets; and ye shall be remembered before the LORD your God, and ye shall be saved from your enemies. (Numbers 10:9)
"Ye shall be remembered before the Lord your God."
It may seem unusual to us that God would need to be reminded of what is happening to us. The Scripture informs us that Christ never will leave us or forsake us. Yet, both the Old and New Testament writings tell us plainly that we must keep on seeking the Lord and requesting His help.
When the Spirit of God leads us to attack the forces of darkness we must keep on praying with all our strength to the Lord, reminding Him of what is taking place down here. We need to seek His assistance at every moment, especially when we are in the midst of spiritual battle. We must "blow the trumpet" loudly enough for God to hear.
Sometimes people complain about noise in the assembly when the saints become serious about seeking the Lord. It may be little comfort to such complainers to realize that Satan much prefers that we conduct quiet, passive, unemotional, restrained, dignified "services" that give no offense to anyone. Satan prefers that we be dead spiritually, performing our religious obligations in the deadness of the flesh.
Few battles on the earth are fought in quietness, passivity, unemotional disinterest, restraint, dignity, and without hurting anyone's feelings. Battles are battles and death is death. One of the principal distinctions between war and death is the amount of noise that accompanies each.
Blow the trumpets! Blow the trumpets! Blow the trumpets! Blow them loud enough and long enough that the attention of the Lord will be drawn to us and we will be remembered before Him and be saved from our enemies.
And it came to pass on the twentieth day of the second month, in the second year, that the cloud was taken up from off the tabernacle of the testimony. (Numbers 10:11)
The army of the Lord always must follow the Spirit of God. The key to success in the fight against Satan is our strict obedience to the Spirit of God. There is nothing we can do by the enthusiasm and plans of our own mind. We must have the mind of the Spirit. If we do not we will go down to certain defeat. If we will obey the Lord in every detail, victory is assured.
In the first place went the standard of the camp of the children of Judah according to their armies: and over his host was Nahshon the son of Amminadab. (Numbers 10:14)
The word Judah means praise. Praise always goes first as the army of God begins to move. As we see praise being restored to the churches we realize that the ranks of the army are being set in order in preparation for the march toward the land of promise (Joel 2:7).
As we have said, the children of Israel were the army of the Lord from the moment they left Egypt, although they were not at that time prepared for battle.
But God led the people about, through the way of the wilderness of the Red sea: and the children of Israel went up harnessed [armed for battle] out of the land of Egypt. (Exodus 13:18)
After the giving of the Law at Mount Sinai, Israel became much better organized. Each tribe fell into the line of march according to a specific pattern.
The Israelites broke camp in such a manner that their flanks and rear were protected. They were not the same group of disorganized slaves that left Egypt. They were being given wisdom in war. They were progressing to the point where they would be able to invade their land and drive out the inhabitants.
Israel had identity. Israel had discipline. The nation had faith in God and was following Him by supernatural guidance. The officers of the army were mentioned by name.
This type of spiritual organizing is taking place today in the churches of Christ. We are changing from disorganized groups of believers into fighting units. We are coming under the discipline of the Spirit. As soon as the Lord organizes us according to His wisdom there will be no force in the spirit realm that will be able to stand before the army.
And the tabernacle was taken down; and the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari set forward, bearing the tabernacle. (Numbers 10:17)
There are seasons when the Church is to remain at a place and reveal the Presence and ways of God. There are other seasons when the Spirit of God speaks to the Church to move forward in the Presence of Christ.
Now we are at one such place of forward movement. The Spirit is bringing a remnant of the Church past the Pentecostal experience. The cloud and the fire have been lifted and are moving toward the horizon, toward the fullness of Christ.
Let us arise and follow the Spirit of God. The wilderness is no place to abide once the cloud and the fire have proceeded forward.
The sons of Gershon and Merari were Levites and they were charged with transporting the boards and materials of the Tabernacle in wagons. Notice that there were ranks of fighting men ahead of them so that in the case of a frontal attack the parts of the Tabernacle would be protected. There is a wisdom for spiritual warfare, and we are not to be foolish when it comes to the war that Christ is waging against the lords of darkness presently enthroned in the heavenlies.
Reuben, Simeon, and Gad passed on. Then came the seven holy furnishings of the Tabernacle: the bronze Altar of Burnt Offering, the Laver, the Table of Showbread, the Lampstand, the Altar of Incense, the Ark of the Covenant, and the Mercy Seat.
The seven furnishings were not carried on carts but were transported by staves resting on the shoulders of the Kohathite Levites. The Laver may have been carried on top of the bronze Altar for the Laver had no receptacles for staves.
The Ark of the Covenant, bearing on itself as a lid the golden Mercy Seat, was wrapped in the holy veil and covered with a cloth of blue. God was on the march, moving toward His enemies in the land of promise.
And the Kohathites set forward, bearing the sanctuary: and the other did set up the tabernacle against they came. (Numbers 10:21)
The Gershonite and Merarite Levites set up the Tabernacle when they arrived at the new camp site, so that by the time the Kohathites arrived there was a place in which to place the seven holy furnishings.
There always must be a prepared place in order to receive the glory. When we pray earnestly for revival we can expect things to start happening to us so that there will be a place prepared for the Glory of Christ. The Glory of God does not come down on organs, pews, pulpits, or choir lofts. The glory comes down on the hearts of people. They are the prepared place.
One of the most wonderful spectacles in the history of mankind was that of the millions of Israelites on the march toward Canaan. Their ranks stretched from horizon to horizon. The splendor of the white-robed priests moving in front, holding the silver trumpets, stood out in contrast to the bleak expanse of the countryside through which they were journeying.
In the center of the line of march were the Kohathite Levites, bearing on acacia-wood staves plated with gold and bronze the seven holy furnishings of the Tabernacle, each vessel wrapped and carried according to Divinely revealed specifications.
The Ark of the Covenant in its cloth of blue was a constant reminder that this was God's army, not just a migration of people. Blue speaks of Heaven. The tribes marched under the leadership of Heaven. The mind of man was not in control. The exodus was ordered of God, the pilgrimage through the wilderness was ordered of God, and the furious invasion was ordered of God. Woe to anyone who resisted this army!
The showbread was kept on the Table during the march, teaching us that even in times of change we are to keep the body and blood of Christ available to every person who comes to us with a need. "Be instant in season, out of season," the Word of God commands us (II Timothy 4:2).
And upon the table of shewbread they shall spread a cloth of blue, and put thereon the dishes, and the spoons, and the bowls, and covers to cover withal: and the continual bread shall be thereon: (Numbers 4:7)
Remember the fig tree that Jesus cursed because it was not bearing fruit out of season? We are to be ready instantly with the nourishing Word of Christ, even when the Lord's army is marching toward the land of promise.
Six more tribes followed the Kohathite Levites, insuring that the Levites could not be attacked from the rear. The Lord made certain that the front, the flanks, and the rear were protected while at rest and on the march.
The saints need to learn that lesson. We always must keep a "sentry posted" whether we are at home relaxing, on a picnic, at school or in church on Sunday morning. We always must maintain spiritual watchfulness. Such diligence will save us endless hours of grief and remorse. We are engaged in warfare against a vicious, determined, extraordinarily skillful enemy whose tender mercies are cruel beyond belief. Let us never, never forget that!
Moses spoke to his father-in-law, Hobab:
And he said, Leave us not, I pray thee; forasmuch as thou knowest how we are to encamp in the wilderness, and thou mayest be to us instead of eyes. (Numbers 10:31)
Seeking help from his father-in-law probably was a weakness on the part of Moses. God was helping the Israelites. They had the cloud and the fire. There is no record that Hobab found them a desirable camp. How quick we are to seek help from the flesh, even when we are in the midst of the Presence of God!
When Judas fell, the disciples cast lots in order to make up the full number of Apostles. Matthias was selected (Acts 1:26). There is no scriptural record that God honored Matthias in an unusual way. In God's opportune moment Saul of Tarsus was arrested on the way to Damascus—the Apostle "born out of due time." If we wait on God He fills up our lacks in His own way. What need do we have of Hobabs when we possess the Spirit of the Lord?
Notice in the next passage that the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord, not Hobab, sought out a resting place for Israel.
And they departed from the mount of the LORD three days' journey: and the ark of the covenant of the LORD went before them in the three days' journey, to search out a resting place for them [here are our "three days" again, symbolizing that there will be "three days" of God's workings with us before we are able to enter the fullness of our rest in Christ]. (Numbers 10:33)
There was no reason for Moses to seek the help of Hobab, the priest of Midian, or to offer Hobab any of the inheritance of the Lord. We Christians are too quick to become friendly with the flesh. The Lord showed His independence of the assistance of the flesh by moving the Ark from its customary location in the center of the line of march and having the Ark lead Israel to the place of rest.
The saints do not need to ask the world for a single thing. We will not take from unbelievers so much as a shoelace except as the Lord specifically directs. The sons of God are to be led by the Spirit of God. Many times the Lord uses non-Christians or lukewarm Christians to assist us. This is acceptable if the Lord does it on His own initiative.
And the cloud of the LORD was upon them by day, when they went out of the camp. (Numbers 10:34)
The "cloud" of the Lord signifies His Presence and protection. When we are doing the will of the Lord and are in the place where He has led us, the "cloud" of the Lord's Presence abides on us. The cloud of His Presence will guide us finally to the fullness of the inheritance, the rest of God (Hebrews, Chapter Four ).
And it came to pass, when the ark set forward, that Moses said, Rise up, LORD, and let thine enemies be scattered; and let them that hate thee flee before thee. And when it rested, he said, Return, O LORD, unto the many thousands of Israel. (Numbers 10:35,36)
Notice that it was the Ark of the Covenant that set forward. Inside the Ark were the memorial jar of Manna, Aaron's rod that budded, and the Ten Commandments. The Glory of God was associated closely with the Ark.
The jar of manna was the testimony that God provides for the needs of His people so they may trust in Him, and that man does not live by bread alone but by every Word of God.
Aaron's rod that budded was the testimony that God had chosen the house of Aaron to be priests before Him, and also that it is the Spirit of God who gives eternal life to the dead flesh of the earth.
The Ten Commandments, the principal testimony, revealed the holiness and righteousness of the Lord God.
Covering the Ark was the Propitiatory (Lid of Atonement, of Appeasement). God stood ready to reconcile people to Himself and to be appeased concerning the conduct of His people. Of course, the people had to obey God’s ordinances of sacrifice if the atonement (the covering; the reconciliation) was to be accomplished.
The Glory of God rested on the Israelites because of what the Ark represented. The Glory of God flows from some specific place, from some chosen point of holiness and obedience. In the march of Israel through the wilderness, the Glory was related to the Ark of the Covenant.
The Ark set forward following the cloud and the fire, the Ark being borne on the staves carried on the shoulders of the Kohathite Levites. Whenever the Ark set forward, Moses cried out to God: "Rise up, Lord, and let thine enemies be scattered, and let them that hate thee flee before thee" (Numbers 10:35).
So it is today. The ministries and gifts of the Spirit are to follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Each member of the Body of Christ bears part of the Glory of God, and each Christian is to walk in the Spirit, under the watchful eye of the eldership of the church.
When the Glory of God sets forward in our midst it is the rising up of the Lord. The rising up of the Lord always is against His enemies.
God's rising up is not against our enemies but against His enemies. We may have our own personal likes and dislikes as far as the conduct of people is concerned. God's enemies are the evil spirits who have rebelled against Him. God rises up against the wicked spirits who have their seat of authority and power in the heavenlies. God desires to use the Church, the Body of Christ, as His weapon against those spiritual governments and powers.
When the Lord arises His enemies are scattered. They hate God. Mankind behaves the way it does because of the hatred of evil spirits for God. When the Lord rises up in the Church, all members having been set in order under the direction of the Spirit of God, then God's enemies—those who hate Him—will flee before Him.
The march of Israel was toward the land of promise, toward Canaan, toward God's enemies who inhabited Canaan. The Israelites were bringing God against His enemies. They were bringing the Law, the Presence, and the ways of God into an ungodly, unholy. lust-filled land. The business of the Church of Christ is to bring the holiness, the Presence, and the ways of God into an ungodly, unholy, lust-filled land.
We are bringing God into places that are being held captive by the oppressing power of Satan. Our line of march must be established under the careful supervision of the Spirit of God. We always must "follow the cloud and the fire."
The Christian warfare is a spiritual one and we are not sufficient in ourselves to fight the battle. The foe is spiritual, not physical. Only the Holy Spirit is able to fight this battle. We always must be found in God's Presence and God’s will as we march forward.
There are seasons when the Ark sets forward and there are seasons when the Ark rests. There are seasons when we are to move ahead under the supervision of the Holy Spirit, and then there are seasons when we are to rest—always keeping a sentry posted.
When the cloud and the fire came to a halt over the area chosen by the Lord, Moses prayed to God, "Return, O Lord, to the many thousands of Israel" (Numbers 10:36).
What a wonderful refreshing we enjoy when the Presence of the Lord gives us rest from the march and He comes down and abides in His Glory upon us! The Israelite were glad for the chance to pitch their tents and rest for awhile.
Even though the Lord works with us rigorously, yet He remembers our needs and gives us seasons of refreshing so that our strength and joy are renewed before Him. Whether marching or resting, we are the Lord's and His Presence and ways are among us.
In the first area of redemption, that of salvation, God does all the fighting. Egypt shook under the blows from the Lord until finally Pharaoh was glad to see the Israelites leave. God did all the fighting. The Israelites had only to sprinkle the Passover blood and then to follow their leader from Egypt.
So it is that God did all the fighting on Calvary. There is nothing we can do about our salvation except receive the atonement by faith and then follow the Lord in water baptism, coming out from the bondage of this age.
In the third area of redemption, that of conquest, it will be quite different. The third area of redemption has to do, not with our coming out but with our entering in. God does not do all the fighting when we enter the promised-land rest. We do the fighting, under the direction and with the assistance of the Lord. In order to enter our land of promise we must drive out the forces of Satan.
In the second area of redemption, that of sanctification, which is the current area of our study, we are being formed into a conquering army. We are learning in the school of the wilderness. When God is satisfied that we are ready to occupy the land of our inheritance He will issue the Divine Word. Christ will appear at the head of His army and we shall come smashing against the gates of Hell like a bolt of lightning.
The army of the Lord is passing in review in Heaven. The time is short. A little more preparation for the Church in the earth, and then the signal for the attack will be given.
You can be in the army of the Lord and be one of the Lord's "mighty men." You must endure hardness as a good soldier of Christ. You must discipline your mind to absolute obedience to the Lord Jesus. Not a flutter of disobedience will be found in the camp once it is ready to ride against the forces of wickedness.
Moses' ministry: Part Two. Moses represents the ministry of Christ during the Church age and Joshua represents the ministry of Christ during the coming Kingdom age. We have seen that as soon as we move past Sinai, past Pentecost, the ministry of Moses begins to change into a more Joshua-type ministry—a ministry of war. There will be a merging of the Moses ministry into the Joshua ministry just before the appearing of the Lord Jesus.
When there is a need for people to "come out of Egypt," to be saved from wrath, the Lord Jesus ministers through His leaders as an apostle (establishing the believers on the foundation of Christ), as a prophet (declaring the will of God to the heavens and to the earth), and as an evangelist (speaking the good news of God's love and concern and calling the people from Egypt). All of us have witnessed the Glory of Christ as the ministry, speaking in the Spirit of God, calls God's elect from the bondage of the world.
There are millions of Christians in the earth today who have been called out of the spirit of this age. Although they may be divided by walls that self-seeking human nature has erected, they are the blood-washed throng and each partakes of the one body and blood of Christ.
As soon as we have been saved from "Egypt," the Christian ministry becomes more that of the pastor-teacher. The apostleship still holds forth, insuring that we are founded on the Lord Jesus Christ and not on some lesser person or doctrine.
There still is the prophetic revelation in the anointed message because we always must be hearing the present burden of the Spirit of God. Otherwise, we are ignorant of the present mind of the Lord. There always is a "present truth" (II Peter 1:12). We need to know what the Spirit is saying to the churches. The saints will not grow as they should when there is no prophetic anointing on the ministry.
The ministry of the pastor-teacher goes to work as soon as we have been saved. The new Christian must begin the seemingly innumerable lessons of the wilderness. The leadership of the churches must teach us and feed us, teach us and feed us, teach us and feed us, until we become strong and experienced in the ways of the Lord.
There is nothing as important, while Israel is in the wilderness, as the feeding of God's sheep. Have you ever been hungry for the Word of God and not been able to find a place where the food of the Spirit is being served? Spiritual hunger is a painful experience when we are spiritually healthy.
Jesus is deeply concerned with the feeding of His lambs and sheep. He wants them fed. He is the good Shepherd and He wants His sheep fed. He speaks to us, as He did to Peter of old, and He says, "Feed my lambs." "Feed my sheep." One of the surest ways we have of proving our love to the Lord Jesus is by feeding His sheep. This is easier than it sounds and more difficult than it sounds.
It is easier than it sounds because He has given the food to us and all we have to do is to "cook" it until it is palatable, and then serve it in an attractive manner to the right people at the right time. The food, the cooking, and the serving will be given and directed if the Spirit has called us to this ministry and if we seek the Spirit's assistance and guidance.
It is more difficult than it sounds because we allow other ideas to flood in, and soon, without realizing it, we are not feeding the sheep with the Word of the Lord but are selling some program of our own.
Moses was faithful in all Christ's house. There have been few people who have known God as Moses knew God, and it seems there have been few people who have been able to remain meek and do exactly what God spoke to their heart. Moses followed the Lord with the most exacting obedience. The Lord told Moses exactly what to do and that is precisely what Moses did.
Meanwhile, the Israelites were studying their lessons in the school of the wilderness. Like students everywhere they were full of murmuring, perverse ways, laziness, and rebellion. As is true of students they had a tendency to blame Moses, their teacher, for the pain they suffered because of their own laziness and perversity.
Yet, Moses carried all Israel on His shoulders and in his heart. Moses made intercession for Israel and was ready to be blotted from God's Book of Life if the Lord would not find it in His heart to forgive His people.
Moses is an example of a faithful shepherd. He bore with the grumbling and perversity of the flock, being torn apart continually because of their sins, on the one hand, and God's demands on the other. Yet as a faithful shepherd he was ready to lay down his life for the sheep.
As the churches move on past Pentecost, past the "Charismatic" experience, the ministry of the churches will have the task not only of teaching and shepherding their charges but also that of learning how to lead them as an army.
It is time now for every member of the Body of Christ to begin to operate his or her ministries and gifts. The people cannot just rise up in their pews and begin to minister. They must be led by Spirit-filled, Spirit-guided leadership.
This is a new challenge. The services will take on a more militant note as far as sin is concerned. The Lord Jesus will come in the Spirit and assist us, because every ministry of the Body of Christ is an extension of His own ministry.
The Lord Jesus Christ is in the churches today as Moses and as Joshua. The men of God who are responsible for the flock must continue to serve as apostles, prophets, evangelists, and pastor-teachers, as the occasion requires, but now will have the added responsibility of leading the people in spiritual warfare.
It truly is a most significant day in which we live and the demands on both the leadership and the flock will increase. The Holy Spirit of God and the Lord Jesus Christ are becoming more present. Where sin is abounding grace is abounding to an even greater extent. There is wisdom and power to meet the needs of the hour. It is our task to look to Christ as never before so that we may move on toward the land of promise.
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