Podcasts about although moses

During a long speech that Moses gave to the people of Israel, after their 40-year trek in the wilderness and just prior to entering the Promised Land, he said this:“Only be careful and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them fade from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them. Remember the day you stood before the LORD your God at Horeb, when he said to me, “Assemble the people before me to hear my words so that they may learn to revere me as long as they live in the land and may teach them to their children.” You came near and stood at the foot of the mountain while it blazed with fire to the very heavens, with black clouds and deep darkness. Then the LORD spoke to you out of the fire. You heard the sound of words but saw no form; there was only a voice. He declared to you his covenant, the Ten Commandments, which he commanded you to follow and then wrote them on two stone tablets. And the LORD directed me at that time to teach you the decrees and laws you are to follow in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess” (Deut 4: 9 – 14).Be careful. Watch yourselves closely. Don't forget what you have seen and known. Keep them in your heart. Teach them to your kids and grandkids. “Watch yourself” is an odd instruction and is probably more commonly used today as a warning against having an accident. “Watch yourself on that muddy slope”. “Watch yourself with that hot pan”. Today we hear it as a call to be careful.Although Moses is speaking to the whole nation, he personalises it for every individual. He is calling every person to be careful. The fate of the nation depends on the choices of each person in it. So, watch yourself, he says, each and every one of you. Decide now what is important. Make intentional decisions today about what you will choose. Let those choices and behaviours directly relate to what you have seen the Lord do and what you have heard him say. Don't forget any of his words and deeds. In fact, people, you will likely have children one day, so make habits now to daily remember the Lord and fix them in your life. This will help you to pass them on effectively to the next generation. Your personal response to serve the Lord is vital. Remember: this is all bigger than any of us. For his sake and his purposes, and for your influence upon those around you, watch yourselves closely. Perhaps this is still a call to the church today. Watch yourself, each and every one of you. Decide now what is important. Make intentional decisions today about what you will choose. Let those choices and behaviours directly relate to what you have seen the Lord do and what you have heard him say. And don't forget any of his words and deeds. For his sake and his purposes, and for your influence upon those around you, watch yourselves closely. As Paul wrote to Timothy, “Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers” (1 Tim 4: 15 – 16). 

When you have accomplished something meaningful in your life, do you take sole credit for it, or do you acknowledge others who may have helped you along the way? As Pastor Dan points out in today's message, most people tend to give credit to those who helped in a way that boasts of their abilities. That is one thing Moses did not do, he gave glory, honor, and thanks to God for keeping him from danger. Although Moses could have bragged about his part in delivering them from the Egyptians, he did not. 

Last week, we studied Ezekiel 1, the prophet's first inaugural vision, which provided an intense peak at God's heavenly throne chariot. The experience overwhelmed Ezekiel so much that he collapsed prostrate on the ground, which is where we find him in today's episode when God verbally commissioned Ezekiel (2:1–3:11). Although Moses, Isaiah, and Jeremiah all included the narratives of their divine call, Ezekiel's story is by far the longest account. Incidentally, it is the only call narrative where God did all the talking. Moses and Jeremiah pushed back on God's request with their own counter-speech. Moses felt inadequate for the task because he was “slow of speech and slow of tongue” (Ex. 4:10). Jeremiah was insecure about his youth (Ex. 4:10; Jer. 4:6). Isaiah and Ezekiel both experienced such powerful theophanies that they were quick to comply with no reservation (Isa. 6:1-13). The major difference between Isaiah and Ezekiel's inaugural visions is that God transported Isaiah to the heavenly throne, but for Ezekiel, he brought the divine throne to him in exile. 

Introduction      For thirty three chapters, Moses has been speaking to his people, Israel, and informing them about their special God who is unique (Deut 4:35, 39; Isa 45:5-6), His love for them (Deut 7:7-9; 10:15-19), their liberation from slavery (Deut 5:6; 15:15), God's calling them into a special relationship with Him (Lev 11:45), and His directives that would set them above the nations of the world and bring His blessing if they obey (Deut 11:26-28; 30:15-20). Those who love Him will follow His directives (Deut 6:4-9). In this chapter, the voice of Moses falls silent, as God calls His servant home. According to Daniel Block: "By this point in the drama, Moses has done all he could do to set his house in order. He has commissioned a successor (Deut 31:1-8, 23), provided a written transcript of his farewell pastoral sermons and arranged for the regular reading of this Torah in the future (Deut 31:9-13, 24-29), taught the people a national anthem (Deut 31:14-22, 30; 32:47), and pronounced his benediction on the tribes (Deut 33:1-29). All that remains is the report of his death and the people's response to his passing."[1] Text      In this closing section, we observe Moses ascending Mount Nebo, where he will see the land of Canaan from a distance. We read, “Now Moses went up from the plains of Moab to Mount Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, which is opposite Jericho. And the LORD showed him all the land, Gilead as far as Dan, 2 and all Naphtali and the land of Ephraim and Manasseh, and all the land of Judah as far as the western sea, 3 and the Negev and the plain in the valley of Jericho, the city of palm trees, as far as Zoar” (Deut 34:1-3).      Having walked the earth for 120 years, Moses was about to take his final journey, a walk from which he would not return, for he would soon die. And, as Moses ascended the mountain, he would have been able to look over his shoulder and see the Israelites' camp below. Moses' destination was “the top of Pisgah, which is opposite Jericho” (Deut 34:1b). And once on top of the mountain, “the LORD showed him all the land” of Canaan (Deut 34:1c). The words showed him translates the Hebrew verb רָאָה raah, which, in the hiphil form, means “to let someone see something, to show someone.”[2] Here we observe God's permissive will, as He allowed Moses to see the land of Canaan, which He had promised to His people, Israel. Moses visually surveyed the land in a counter clockwise manner from north to south.      Having observed all the land, “Then the LORD said to him, ‘This is the land which I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, saying, ‘I will give it to your descendants'; I have let you see it with your eyes, but you shall not go over there'” (Deut 34:4). The land Moses saw was the very land God promised to Abraham (Gen 13:15; 17:8), Isaac (Gen 26:3), Jacob (Gen 28:13), and to their descendants as an everlasting possession (Gen 15:18; 24:7; Deut 1:8). Here we observe God's active will, in which He, by His sovereign choice and omnipotent power, gives to His people. Though Israel would get to enter the land, God reminded Moses that he was not going to let him enter it, saying, “you shall not go over there” (Deut 34:4b; cf., Deut 3:27; 32:52). Though Moses would not set foot on the land, he would leave the world stage knowing he'd been employed by the Lord to get His people there. Moses' Epitaph      What follows in the closing verses of the book of Deuteronomy was written by someone other than Moses, perhaps Joshua, to inform us about the details of Moses' death. We are told, “So Moses the servant of the LORD died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the LORD” (Deut 34:5). Moses was faithful to the end of his life. Even though Moses was under divine discipline and would not enter the land, he is still described as the “servant of the LORD” ( עֶֽבֶד־יְהוָ֛ה- ebed Yahweh), an honorable title held by others who submitted themselves to God and walked with Him (Josh 24:29; 2 Sam 3:18; Job 1:8; Isa 20:3). This title was formalized in the name Obadiah, which means servant of Yahweh. God had been with Moses throughout his ministry, and others saw the Lord was with him. Though Moses would die alone, away from others, he was not alone, for God was with Him to the end, to accompany His servant as he left this earth and entered heaven.      After Moses died, the Lord took his limp, lifeless body, “And He buried him in the valley in the land of Moab, opposite Beth-peor; but no man knows his burial place to this day” (Deut 34:6). That God personally attended to the burial of Moses speaks of an intimacy and tenderness the Lord had for His prophet. God took Moses' body from the mountain top and brought it down into “the valley in the land of Moab.” There are some things God does not want us to know (Deut 29:29), that He keeps hidden from us for His own reasons, and the burial place of Moses is one of them. This is one of the mysteries of the Bible. But why hide Moses' body? The text does not say. It's possible that God knew the idolatrous hearts of the Israelites and that they would venerate Moses' grave as a holy place in itself. According to Charles Swindoll, “Moses is the only person in the Bible whom God personally buried. Did you know that? And then the Lord hid the tomb. Why did He do that? Because that grave would have become a second Mecca. They would still be beating a path up Nebo to this day, building shrines, selling popcorn and peanuts, offering all sorts of rides, maybe running a tram up there, with big banners announcing, ‘Moses' burial place!'”[3]      To add to the mystery around Moses' death, Jude wrote about “Michael the archangel” who “disputed with the devil and argued about the body of Moses” (Jude 1:9a). Apparently Michael, the archangel, was somehow involved in Moses' burial, and had a dispute with Satan over the body. Why Satan would want the body of Moses is not known, as Jude does not elaborate on the details. It's possible Satan wanted to use Moses' body for idolatrous purposes. Whatever the reason, God would not permit Satan to have his way. Here we observe God's overruling will.      We know that Moses' spirit, at his death, went into the presence of the Lord, and later appeared with Elijah at the Mount of Transfiguration (Matt 17:1-3). Matthew wrote about the event, saying, “Jesus took with Him Peter and James and John his brother, and led them up on a high mountain by themselves” (Matt 17:1). And while they were on the mountain, Jesus “was transfigured before them; and His face shone like the sun, and His garments became as white as light” (Matt 17:2). And during the time of Jesus' glorification, Matthew tells us, “And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him” (Matt 17:3). Though Moses' body was still in a grave, his spirit was alive and well, and here, along with the spirit of Elijah, was interacting with Jesus. Warren Wiersbe informs us, “Moses did arrive in the Holy Land centuries later when he and Elijah joined Jesus in glory on the Mount of Transfiguration (Matt 17:1–3; Luke 9:28–31).”[4]      The writer informs us that Moses did not die because of old age or infirmity, as he states, “Although Moses was one hundred and twenty years old when he died, his eye was not dim, nor his vigor abated” (Deut 34:7). Moses died because God put him to death. Within God's divine plan, it was simply Moses' time to die, so the Lord ended his life and brought his servant home. This occurred, in part, because it was God's time to bring Israel into the land of Canaan, which the Lord had told Moses he would not see because of his disobedience in the wilderness (Num 20:1-12).      Though Moses had died, God and His Word remained, and the people had all they needed for a life of success if they would follow Yahweh. Sadly, the book of Judges shows they did not stay true to the Lord, and even Moses' grandson, “Jonathan, the son of Gershom, the son of Moses” (Judg 18:30; cf., Ex 2:21-22), would later turn away from the Lord and lead the people into idolatry (Judg 18:30-31). In this way, Jonathan was acting more like Aaron, his great uncle, than his grandfather, Moses, for Aaron had led the people into idolatry and the worship of the golden calf (Ex 32:1-6).      And after Moses' death and burial, we're told, “So the sons of Israel wept for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days; then the days of weeping and mourning for Moses came to an end” (Deut 34:8). The people of Israel—at least the second generation since the exodus—loved Moses and mourned his passing. They also mourned Aaron for thirty days as well (Num 20:29), which was longer than the customary seven days (cf., Gen 50:10).      Switching focus to Joshua, the writer states, “Now Joshua the son of Nun was filled with the spirit of wisdom, for Moses had laid his hands on him; and the sons of Israel listened to him and did as the LORD had commanded Moses” (Deut 34:9). To have “the spirit of wisdom” meant Joshua had been divinely enabled to take up the leadership role and move forward, as God intended. Fortunately, the Israelites listened to Joshua and followed his directives. In this way, they “did as the LORD had commanded Moses” (Deut 34:9b).      In closing out this book, we're told, “Since that time no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face, 11 for all the signs and wonders which the LORD sent him to perform in the land of Egypt against Pharaoh, all his servants, and all his land, 12 and for all the mighty power and for all the great terror which Moses performed in the sight of all Israel” (Deut 34:10-12). As a prophet, Moses was in a class by himself because: 1) the Lord knew Moses face to face, 2) Moses had performed miraculous signs and wonders in Egypt, 3) the mighty power God worked through Moses in the sight of all Israel. According to Peter Craigie, “Moses was a prophet, but in his epitaph it is not his knowledge of God that is stressed, but rather the Lord's knowledge of him. God had sought him out and appointed him to a particular task; over the years, the relationship had become intimate, so that to those Israelites who knew Moses, it was evident that his highest communion was with God.”[5]Warren Wiersbe adds, “Moses was faithful to walk with God, and he spoke to God as a man speaks to his friend (Ex 33:11; Num 12:7–8). The secret of his life wasn't his own abilities—he claimed he had none—or even his education in Egypt (Acts 7:22), but his humble walk with the Lord. He spent time with God, he listened to God's Word, and he followed God's orders.”[6] And Daniel Block notes: "The account of the death and burial of Moses on the mountain forces the reader to ask, “Now what?” The answer lies in the recognition that in the end, Israel's fate is not in the hands of Moses. He is not the one who actually brought them out of Egypt and sustained them through the desert wanderings, and he will not complete the mission by delivering the Promised Land into their hands. The rest of the Scriptures are commentary not only on how Israel responded, but also on the fidelity of Yahweh, who will complete the present mission without Moses and who will patiently work with his people. Moses has merely been his mouthpiece, the interpreter of his great and gracious revelatory acts, whose aim was always to point his people to Yahweh their Redeemer."[7] Summary      In this closing section, we observe a brief account of Moses' death and burial. Unlike other rulers throughout history, who have erected great memorials to themselves that others might remember them, Moses' death is simple and without a monument. Moses was not concerned that people remember him, but that they remember the Lord, learn His Word, and follow His directives. Moses is remembered as God's servant who was faithful to carry out his mission (Heb 3:5). Present Application      From Genesis to Revelation, God governs the lives of people and nations. People exist because God gives them life. David wrote, “Know that the LORD Himself is God; it is He who has made us, and not we ourselves” (Ps. 100:3). And God determines the duration of each person's life, having final control over the day and cause of their death. The Lord states, “It is I who put to death and give life. I have wounded and it is I who heal, and there is no one who can deliver from My hand” (Deut 32:39). And Job said, “Like a flower he comes forth and withers. He also flees like a shadow and does not remain” (Job 14:2). And Hannah, in her stately prayer says, “The LORD kills and makes alive; He brings down to Sheol and raises up” (1 Sam 2:6).  People live and die as God decides, “for in Him we live and move and exist” (Acts 17:28).      Furthermore, God controls the exact days of our life. David wrote, “in Your book were all written the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there was not one of them” (Ps. 139:16). The writer of Hebrews states, “it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment” (Heb 9:27). The word appointed translates the Greek verb ἀπόκειμαι apokeimai, which means “it is certain, is destined.”[8] Apart from Enoch (Gen 5:24), Elijah (2 Ki 2:11), and the rapture generation (1 Cor 15:51-52; 1 Th 4:13-18), all humanity will face death. God brings His children to heaven by numerous means, and sometimes uses sickness, as He'd done with Elisha, who “became sick with the sickness of which he was to die” (2 Ki 13:14a). And we know that “Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of His godly ones” (Psa 116:15). For believers who die, we are instantly transported into the presence of the Lord, for “to be absent from the body” means we are instantly “at home with the Lord” (2 Cor 5:8; cf., Phil 1:21-23). Our last breath here is followed by our first breath in heaven. And though the departing of a loved one leaves us with the sorrow of loss, we realize this is temporary, as we will see them again. David, who lost his son, said “I will go to him, but he will not return to me” (2 Sa 12:23). This is our hope as well, for we, as Christians, know our loved ones are in heaven, and that at a future time we will be reunited with them forever (1 Th 4:13-17). At the time of the rapture of the church, “the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord” (1 Th 4:16-17). For this reason, Paul said, “Therefore comfort one another with these words” (1 Th 4:18).      There is wisdom in thinking about death and the afterlife. David wrote, “For He Himself knows our frame; He is mindful that we are but dust. As for man, his days are like grass; as a flower of the field, so he flourishes. When the wind has passed over it, it is no more, and its place acknowledges it no longer” (Psa 103:14-16). And in another place he said, “LORD, make me to know my end and what is the extent of my days; let me know how transient I am” (Psa 39:4). And Moses said to the Lord, “Teach us to number our days, that we may present to You a heart of wisdom” (Psa 90:12). Wisdom is found in the one who contemplates the Lord, the brevity of life, and the eternal resting place of heaven. Solomon wrote, “It is better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting, because that is the end of every man, and the living takes it to heart” (Eccl 7:2). But in all this, we must not forget to live, nor to realize that what we do in time touches things eternal, for one life will soon be past, and only what's done for Christ will last. So live, and live well, and above all, live for the Lord. There's no better life than the one lived in daily fellowship with God, learning and living His Word, and this we will do until the end of our days. Charles Swindoll notes: "When you're planning on retirement, don't plan on checking out with people or with God's Word. If you do, you'll be moving away from that which is eternal, and that's the wrong direction, my friend. So stay in touch. Give until you don't have anything else to give, and then tap into God's reservoirs and give some more. This is what lengthens the meaning and purpose—and sometimes the years—of life."[9]     [1] Daniel I. Block, The NIV Application Commentary: Deuteronomy, ed. Terry Muck (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2012), 806. [2] Ludwig Koehler et al., The Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament (Leiden: E.J. Brill, 1994–2000), 1161. [3] Charles R. Swindoll, Moses: A Man of Selfless Dedication (Nashville, Tenn., Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2009), 346. [4] Warren W. Wiersbe, Be Equipped, “Be” Commentary Series (Colorado Springs, CO: Chariot Victor Pub., 1999), 197. [5] Peter C. Craigie, The Book of Deuteronomy, The New International Commentary on the Old Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1976), 406. [6] Warren W. Wiersbe, Be Equipped, “Be” Commentary Series, 198. [7] Daniel I. Block, The NIV Application Commentary: Deuteronomy, 815. [8] William Arndt et al., A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000), 113. [9] Charles R. Swindoll, Moses: A Man of Selfless Dedication, 348.

We read about Moses as the leader of the Israelites in the Old Testament. He brought them out of slavery and is today honored among Jews as the "lawgiver of Israel" since he delivered several sets of laws to the Jews including the Ten Commandments. Although Moses is mentioned more often in the New Testament than any other Old Testament figure, Jesus came as the perfect leader for ALL people. Learn about a Better Moses as we continue in our series, Something Better. 

Dear listeners , this is from sura 40 Ghafir غافر the forgiver . It is part of the story of Moses , while Pharaoh and his people refused to believe in his message , he said this Duaa. Verse 44-45 ( I commit my case to God; God is well aware of His servants.) Although Moses tried (action), but they didn't accept him, he submitted to Allah (faith) and had strong belief In his heart ( intention) . Then the answer came in the following verse. = ( So God saved him from the harm they planned). Now that is an amazing equation dear listeners we can learn from. Action : do your part , work / studies + have faith and belief Allah is with you, your heart / intention it's all for Him ( your life purpose) = God saves you and teaches you lessons along the way , ups and downs, it's life so enjoy it all and count your blessings and always be grateful.

Rev. Richard Mittwede, pastor at University Lutheran Church in Austin, TX, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Deuteronomy 31:1-13. Even as his death draws closer, Moses continues to speak to Israel. Although Moses will not go across the Jordan into the Promised Land, the LORD will go over with them, and He will win the victory for them there, as He has already begun. Joshua will be the human leader of Israel after Moses; the LORD will be with Joshua to give him strength and courage for the task. Moses writes the law down for the priests to read to the people every seven years at the Feast of Booths. All Israel is to hear it so that might keep the Word of God for their very life. “The Law of God is Good and Wise” is a series on Sharper Iron that goes through the book of Deuteronomy. Though Moses' lengthy sermons in Deuteronomy may be tempting to skip, this influential book is essential reading for Christians. As Moses strengthened Israel on the plains of Moab before the people entered the Promised Land, so the book of Deuteronomy still strengthens the Church as we prepare to enter the Resurrection with Christ, the Prophet greater than Moses.

Although Moses eventually becomes one of the greatest leaders of all time, he doesn't start off so well. His reluctance to obey God's call, his sloppiness with the details, and his overwhelming self-doubt give other leaders confidence that God's plans will succeed despite our many weaknesses. Rev. Jon Hall | September 11, 2022

Bible Study with Jairus - Deuteronomy 3   In Deuteronomy 3, we encounter two stories that are closely connected in theme. First, we read about the defeat of Og, King of Bashan, a story that shows that the second-generation Israelites were learning important lessons of faith. Forty years of wandering in the wilderness had been a growing experience for the second-generation Israelites. After defeating Sihon, king of Heshbon, in the previous chapter, they go on to defeat Og in Deuteronomy 3.   The second story in this chapter is about Moses being forbidden to enter the Promised Land. He was very worried that the second generation of Israel would continue to “worship idols,” the mistake of the first generation. So from chapter 4 onwards, he did his best to exhort the Israelites not to engage in idolatry.   Neither the first generation nor the second-generation Israelites learned their lesson about idolatry. In Deuteronomy, Moses reiterated the law and the history of the Israelites in an attempt to exhort the second generation not to worship idols. The first two chapters of the book contain Moses' review of the faith-filled victories of the Israelites. The third chapter of Deuteronomy transitions to his words of exhortation.   Deuteronomy's "sandwich" structure   Perhaps you have heard of the “sandwich” structure of giving productive criticism. Using this method, you start with praise first, then move to critique, and end with encouragement. It's like a sandwich consisting of a slice of bread and a piece of sausage and another slice of bread.   Jesus used this structure in his letters to the churches in Revelation (Revelation 2-3). His message to the church in Ephesus began with praise: “I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false. I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name's sake, and you have not grown weary." (Revelation 2:2-3).[1] The Lord is a God of encouragement, so He praised their achievements from the very beginning. This is natural. If we met the Lord and heard His rebuke right at the beginning, it would make us feel very scared. So the Lord begins his letters to the churches with encouragement.   But this does not mean that the Lord did not rebuke them as well. He told the church in Ephesus, "But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent.” (Revelation 2:4-5). After this strong rebuke, Jesus didn't want the church to feel discouraged and disappointed. So He ended his message on a positive note. We find these words of encouragement in Revelation 2:6-7: "Yet this you have: you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.” God not only used the “sandwich” structure when writing to the church in Ephesus, but he also used it when writing to the other six churches.   If we analyze the structure of Deuteronomy with this structure in mind, we will find that Deuteronomy also utilizes a "sandwich" structure. In Deuteronomy 1-3, Moses praises and encourages the second generation of Israel. Although Moses briefly recounted the story of the ten evil spies and the first generation's unbelief and failure in Chapter 1 (Deuteronomy 1:19-46), most of these chapters' content is positive. Chapter 2 records the Israelites' victory over Sihon King of Heshbon, and Chapter 3 records the story of the Israelites' defeat of Og King of Bashan. Sihon King of Heshbon and Og King of Bashan were two Amorite kings east of the Jordan River. The first generation of Israel was afraid of the giants in the land of Canaan, but the second generation of Israel had begun to defeat them. These compliments from Moses formed first slice of bread in the sandwich.   Deuteronomy 4 to 31 forms the middle of the sandwich. This portion is Moses' exhortation or criticism of the second generation of Israel. Why does he critique them? Although the second generation of Israel learned many lessons of faith, they had failed to learn one important lesson. Like their ancestors, they still worshiped idols. God had clearly told Moses that he would not be able to enter the Promised Land (Deuteronomy 3:26). So Moses delivered a parting message, full of sincere admonitions to the second generation of Israel. This message is recorded in the book of Deuteronomy.   What Moses was most worried about was the second generation's idol worship. Moses feared that Israel would be punished by God for worshipping idols. I will list two verses to demonstrate Moses' clear train of thought, a unifying thread that runs from Deuteronomy 4 to 31.   Deuteronomy 4:16 says, "Beware lest you act corruptly by making a carved image for yourselves, in the form of any figure, the likeness of male or female." Deuteronomy 31:16 says, "And the Lord said to Moses, “Behold, you are about to lie down with your fathers. Then this people will rise and whore after the foreign gods among them in the land that they are entering, and they will forsake me and break my covenant that I have made with them."”   There are many other similar passages that prove Moses' concern about idolatry, but these two are sufficient to make my point. The entire middle section, the “meat” of the "sandwich" structure, is full of Moses' concern and criticism regarding Israel's idolatry. Moses was concerned about their distance from God. Why did Moses go to such lengths to reiterate the law and the history of Israel? Because he wanted to exhort the second generation of Israel not to worship idols.   The third portion of Deuteronomy, the last slice of bread in the "sandwich" structure, is Deuteronomy 32-34. This segment contains Moses' words of blessing and encouragement. Deuteronomy 32 records the song of Moses, his warning and blessing to the second generation of Israel. Chapter 33 contains Moses' prophetic words and blessing to the twelve tribes. In Chapter 34, Moses blessed Joshua, laid his hands on him, transmitted his spiritual gifts, and died.   This concludes the book of Deuteronomy. If you look closely at the book of Deuteronomy, it is a "sandwich" structure. Most of the "meat" in the middle is an exhortation against idolatry.   The Israelites learned lessons of faith   Numbers, which immediately precedes Deuteronomy, is a record of Israel's wandering in the wilderness. The Israelites died in the wilderness for two reasons: "unbelief" (Hebrews 3:18 and 1 Corinthians 10:5) and "rebellion" (Psalm 78:40). Rebellion is idolatry; disobedience is as bad as the worship of false gods (1 Samuel 15:23). This is why the people were punished.   However, during those forty years of wandering, the people learned lessons of faith. The book of Numbers contains many examples of faith. For instance, the book of Numbers ends with the story of the daughters of Zelophehad. Zelophehad died in the wilderness for his own sin, just like every other Israelite. But because his daughters believed God's promises, not only did they win their father's inheritance, but they also eventually entered the land of Canaan, west of the Jordan (Joshua 17). Although they faced many external difficulties and obstacles, the daughters of Zelophehad continued to believe in God's promise. They entered the land of Canaan, as God had promised. This is arguably the best example of the faith of the second generation of Israel.   Deuteronomy 1-3 continues the train of thought that the book of Numbers began. It affirms the lessons of faith that the Israelites had learned. The first generation of Israel was afraid of the giants in the land of Canaan and did not dare enter the Promised Land. But the second generation of Israel no longer feared the giants. With the help of God, they were able to defeat Sihon King of Heshbon and Og King of Bashan.   This chapter records the story of the Israelites' victory over Og King of Bashan. Og King of Bashan ruled the land east of the Jordan River, in the north. Bashan is not along the travel route that the Israelites would normally have taken on their way to Canaan. Instead, the Israelites took a detour in order to conquer the land of Og King of Bashan and destroy all their people.   Deuteronomy 3:11 records that Og was a giant (a Rephaim). The verse states, "For only Og the king of Bashan was left of the remnant of the Rephaim." God led the Israelites on a detour so they could see for themselves that God can conquer giants.   Since the second generation cooperated with God in faith, they achieved victory. Moses wanted to negotiate with Sihon King of Heshbon and pass through his land peacefully (Deuteronomy 2:30). But God hardened Sihon King of Heshbon's heart so he could give him into the hands of the Israelites. Moses did not try to negotiate with Og, since Bashan was not on the way to Canaan. But the Lord made it clear to Moses that, just as he had given Sihon king of Heshbon into their hands, he would also give Og king of Bashan into the hands of the Israelites (Deuteronomy 3:2). Both battles were won with the Lord's help, in stark contrast to the story of Israel defeating the Amorites in Deuteronomy 1:37-45.   In each battle that we face, we know that the battle is the Lord's (1 Samuel 17:47). But our faith determines whether the Lord's presence is with us in any given battle. In Deuteronomy 1, the Lord was not with the Israelites because of their unbelief. Because the Lord was not with them, the Israelites were defeated.   But in Israel's battle against Sihon King of Heshbon and Og King of Bashan, the Israelites cooperated with God in faith, so God's presence brought them victory. The Israelites' growth in faith is also reflected in their attitude towards the Canaanite king of Arad in Numbers 21. In this chapter, they asked God if he would give the king of Arad into their hands. If so, they promised to destroy him. So, God gave the Canaanite king of Arad into the Israelites' hands. This is the definition of faith. We believe that God can do the things we can't do ourselves. Then we ask for his help, trusting he will come to our aid. The second generation of Israel learned to trust in God, and God gave them the victory.   The Israelites did not learn their lesson about idolatry.   But the second generation of Israel never learned not to worship idols. They inherited positive lessons of faith from the first generation, but they also inherited some negative baggage: the baggage of idolatry.   Deuteronomy 31:29 says, "For I know that after my death you will surely act corruptly and turn aside from the way that I have commanded you. And in the days to come evil will befall you, because you will do what is evil in the sight of the Lord, provoking him to anger through the work of your hands.”   This verse clearly shows Moses' concern, which he continues to express throughout Deuteronomy. For example, Deuteronomy 4:3 says, "Your eyes have seen what the Lord did at Baal-peor, for the Lord your God destroyed from among you all the men who followed the Baal of Peor." The story of Baal-peor is recorded in Numbers 25. When King Balak of Moab hired the false prophet Balaam to curse the Israelites, Balaam tricked the Moabite women into committing adultery with the Israelites. The Israelites began to worship Canaanite idols and joined Baal of Peor. This made the Lord very angry. He caused a plague to break out among the Israelites, killing twenty-four thousand people. The plague stopped only when Aaron's grandson Phinehas killed an Israelite man and a Midianite woman.   In Deuteronomy, Moses reminds the second generation of Israel not to make the mistakes that the first generation made. But Deuteronomy 31:29 shows that the second generation of Israel did not heed Moses' warning. They went headlong into the same mistakes as their ancestors. Later, God disciplined them severely for their idolatry by sending them as captives to Babylon. We will further discuss the important topic of idolatry when we study Deuteronomy 4.   Faith and Idolatry in Today's Church   As Christians today, we must imitate the Israelites' faith and learn from their bad example. Paul clearly says that what happened to the Israelites serves as a lesson for us today. He said, "Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come." (1 Corinthians 10:11). We must learn from the Israelites' experiences.   Let me share some personal experiences that demonstrate how God taught me important lessons about faith and idolatry. I hope these stories will be an inspiration to you.   First, God taught me lessons of faith. I went through a decade of infertility problems. As I continued to pray for a child, I felt like I was in a wilderness. During this time of testing, I did not get a clear answer from God. It seemed like He was hidden. I went through this trial in the wilderness and persisted in my faith in God.     Finally, I received a promise from God: I would be given a miracle baby. After that, God continued to appear to me, revealing his calling for my life. But these miracles only happened after ten years of wilderness experience. My faith had gone through fiery trials. When God answered my prayers and revealed Himself and His plan for me, my faith grew by leaps and bounds.   I learned that no matter what came my way, God has a beautiful plan for my life. I just needed to trust Him. As the Bible says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” (Romans 10:11). During the difficult trials, I persisted in my faith. He certainly did not put me to shame.   Second, God taught me lessons about idolatry. When I came to the United States, my goal was to get a Master's degree in the United States, then return to China to find a better job. My major was in journalism. My dream was to become a prominent TV host.   But after I arrived in the United States, I came to know the Lord and was saved. Instead of going back to China, I stayed in the United States. As time went by, I found that I wouldn't be able to achieve my dreams at all. I slowly gave up. I realized that my career had been an idol in my heart, but God gradually taught me that He was all I needed.   My biggest idol is myself. Through various experiences, God has dealt with my flesh and my strong will. Through many life struggles, I have gradually surrendered more and more of myself to Him. We all have idols: false gods, money, career, fleshy needs, etc. But our biggest idol is ourselves. We must put ourselves on the altar and allow it to be crucified with Christ. Only then will we be able to get rid of the idols in our hearts and experience a closer union with God. Although God is still working on me in this area, I can testify that God has done a great work in my heart to cleanse me from idolatry.   If we want our lives to be used by God, we must learn these two lessons. We must know that God is good, mighty and loving. We must have faith in Him. At the same time, we must know ourselves. We must know that our biggest idol is ourselves. We must deny ourselves, unite ourselves with Christ, and seek to please him. As we learn these two lessons, we will become channels of God's power and blessing in our lives.                         [1] All Scripture quotations are taken from the English Standard Version unless otherwise noted.

Bible Study with Jairus - Deuteronomy 1   Removing the Dross from our Spiritual Inheritance   In the book of Deuteronomy, Moses shares a lifetime of spiritual experience with the second generation of Israelites. He speaks not only for himself, but for the entire first generation. He shares his own failures and failures of the first generation as a whole. He wants the second generation to learn these lessons so they can be vigilant and avoid repeating the same mistakes of their ancestors.   As a prophet of God, Moses represents God. As he speaks to the people, he wants to pass on a positive spiritual inheritance of faith. He wants to remind the second generation of the faithfulness of God. When the new generation learns from the mistakes of their predecessors, they will be able to enter a higher and richer spiritual destiny.   The second generation of Israelites was partially successful in following God. But they were not immune to failure and idolatry. Today's Christians are in the same situation. On the one hand, we have received a rich inheritance in Christ. On the other hand, we also have inherited a sinful nature from Adam. Church tradition contains a rich inheritance mixed with a lot of dross. How we deal with these two determines whether we can reach greater spiritual heights. We need to polish our positive spiritual inheritance and remove negative dross so we can bring in the great revival of God.   "All of You" or "Your Fathers"?   When speaking to the second-generation Israelites, Moses recalls the incident of sending the twelve spies into the land of Canaan. He says, "Then all of you came near me and said, ‘Let us send men before us, that they may explore the land for us and bring us word again of the way by which we must go up and the cities into which we shall come.'” Deuteronomy 1:22[1] From this verse, it sounds like the twelve spies had been sent out in the recent past. In reality, the twelve spies had been sent out 40 years ago, by the first-generation Israelites (Numbers 12). So why does Moses say that “all of you” asked for spies, when it was really their ancestors who asked to send out spies?   Why is Moses holding the second generation of Israelites accountable for the actions of the first generation? This seems confusing. But it's actually very simple. Moses is including the second generation in the spiritual experience of the first generation. The spiritual experience of the second generation of Israelites is inseparable from the spiritual experience of the first generation.   On the one hand, the second generation of Israelites inherited a rich inheritance from the first generation. This inheritance included the Ark of the Covenant and the Tabernacle that traveled with the first generation of Israelites. It also included the Torah (with the Book of Deuteronomy in it) left by Moses, and leaders such as Joshua and Caleb, representatives of faith who led them into the Promised Land. On the other hand, the second generation of Israelites also inherited some negative dross. The first generation left behind failures, complaints, as well as lessons they learned in the wilderness.   In Deuteronomy, Moses seeks to remind the second generation of Israelites that their spiritual inheritance is twofold. They must learn to fully possess the rich inheritance of the first generation of Israelites. On the other hand, they must learn from the failures of their ancestors.   When Moses sent twelve spies to explore the Promised Land, many second-generation Israelites had not even been born. Yet Moses blamed them for the mistakes and failures of the first generation of Israelites and counted these events as experiences of the second generation. Is this unfair to the second generation? They were not even born yet. How can we understand what Moses did?   In Christ or in Adam?   To help us understand why Moses spoke collectively to the first and second generations, let's look at a few examples from the Bible. Often, descendants are included in their parents' experiences.   Hebrews 7 talks about the Levites giving Melchizedek a tithe. Levi, the tribal head of the Levites, had not even been born at the time Abraham gave Melchizedek a tribe. However, the Bible says that the Levites offered sacrifices to Melchizedek through their ancestor Abraham. If we treat Abraham's offering to Melchizedek as a spiritual experience, then the Levites already had a part in this spiritual experience through their ancestor Abraham, even though they were not born yet. In the same way, the second generation of Israelites participated in the experiences of the first generation.   We see that the experience of future generations can be included in the experience of the first generation. Romans 5:12 says, "Sin came into the world through one man." That one man is Adam. When Adam (our ancestor) sinned, we were not yet born. But because one man sinned, sin came into the world. Those of us who were not yet born nonetheless became sinners. Just like the Israelites, we received a negative inheritance of sin.   But 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, "If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation." We also won a positive inheritance in Christ. When the Lord Jesus was crucified and resurrected, the Bible tells us that we were crucified with Him (Galatians 2:20). We were also resurrected (Colossians 2:12) and sat down with Him in heaven. Not only did we inherit sin from Adam, but we also inherited the victory in Christ. Like the second generation of Israelites had to choose between the positive and negative heritages that were left to them, we must choose to be "in Adam" or "in Christ." Our choices can lead to very different outcomes.   Israel's Positive Heritage of Faith   It's very important to note the time and place that this farewell address took place. Moses delivered this speech on the other side of the Jordan River as the second generation of Israelites prepared to enter the Promised Land. Because Moses was not allowed to enter the Promised Land, these sincere words were his farewell to the second generation of Israelites.   Moses spoke to a weary group of Israelites who had been wandering in the wilderness for 40 years (verse 3). The 11-day journey to the Promised Land had taken the Israelites 40 years because of their disobedience (verse 2).   Moses delivered his speech at a very important moment in Israel's history. The unbelief and disobedience of the first generation led to God's wrath and judgment. But the time of judgment had ended. The second generation of the Israelites was entering an era of change.   During a major change, it's often easy to lose sight of the big picture. Small, practical details blind us to the overarching plan of God. For example, the tribes of Gad, Reuben, and the half-tribe of Manasseh were distracted with the land of Gilead on the east side of the Jordan River. They wanted to live there instead of crossing the Jordan River.   During this new era, God accomplished some environmental changes, removing some of the obstacles that formerly prevented the Israelites from entering the Promised Land. He began to drive out the kings who lived nearby. Deuteronomy 1:4 says, “This was after he had defeated Sihon the king of the Amorites, who lived in Heshbon, and Og the king of Bashan, who lived in Ashtaroth and in Edrei."   These times of change were marked by shifts within the community. The Israelite community grew in faith as they entered this new era. After the spies were sent by the first generation of Israel, they were full of fear. They were frightened by the height of the Amorites. Their reports made the hearts of the Israelites melt (Deuteronomy 1:28). Although Moses reminded them that the LORD was with them (Deuteronomy 1:29), they did not believe these reports, leading to God's wrath and judgment (Deuteronomy 1:30-40).   But now, their attitude had changed. In Numbers 21, when they faced the Canaanite king of Arad, they prayed to God. Numbers 21:2 records, "Israel vowed a vow to the Lord and said, ‘If you will indeed give this people into my hand, then I will devote their cities to destruction.'" Their attitude changed from fear to faith. They demonstrated their faith by praying and making a vow. After 40 years of wandering in the wilderness, the Israelites had learned the lesson of faith. God listened to their appeal and handed over the Canaanite king of Arad to the Israelites.   When New Testament believers face terrifying experiences of powerlessness, we must remember that God is on our side. We know that with man this is impossible, but with God, all things are possible (Matthew 19:26). We must believe in God's power and ask Him to help us, so we do not fall into unbelief. As we trust in him, faith will be credited to our account, just like faith was credited to Abraham's account when he believed that God could give him a son in his old age. Abraham could not give birth to Isaac himself, but he believed that God could. God honored his faith. After the Israelites defeated the king of Arad, they continued to win. They had successfully learned the lessons of faith. In Numbers 21, the Israelites defeated Sihon (king of the Amorites) and Og (king of Bashan).   Faith was the greatest inheritance that the second generation of Israel received. They learned lessons of faith the hard way, after watching their ancestors struggle in the desert for forty years. Only through faith could the Israelites enter the Promised Land. The book of Numbers ends with the faith of Zelophehad's daughters. Zelophehad died in the wilderness for his own sin. However, his daughters not only acquired their father's land, but also entered the Promised Land (Joshua 17). This was all accomplished through faith.   The Negative Inheritance.   So what is the dross that the Israelites inherited? Despite the lessons of faith the Israelites learned in the wilderness, there was another lesson they had yet to learn: not to worship idols. Idolatry had haunted the Israelites like a ghost. When Moses was with God on Mount Sinai, Aaron created a golden calf for the people to worship. Later, because of Balaam's trickery, the Israelites were seduced by Midianite women and committed adultery and idolatry.   While Numbers records the journey of the Israelites through the wilderness and describes how the Israelites learned lessons of faith, the book of Deuteronomy reminds the Israelites not to worship idols. The long listing of blessings and curses in Deuteronomy 27-30 shows Moses' deep concern about idolatry. In the last chapter of Deuteronomy, Moses says, "For I know how rebellious and stubborn you are. Behold, even today while I am yet alive with you, you have been rebellious against the Lord. How much more after my death! Assemble to me all the elders of your tribes and your officers, that I may speak these words in their ears and call heaven and earth to witness against them. For I know that after my death you will surely act corruptly and turn aside from the way that I have commanded you. And in the days to come evil will befall you, because you will do what is evil in the sight of the Lord, provoking him to anger through the work of your hands.” (31:27-29) Although this passage refers to the Israelites' rebellion, the Bible clearly states that, "Rebellion is as the sin of divination, and presumption is as iniquity and idolatry." (1 Samuel 15:23). Following this passage, the last three chapters of Deuteronomy record the song of Moses (Deuteronomy 32), his blessing (Deuteronomy 33), and his death (Deuteronomy 34). The book of Deuteronomy records Moses' worry about Israel's idolatry.   The Church's Inheritance and Dross   There is a common saying in some church circles: “The first generation's ceiling is the second generation's floor.” The second generation starts out at a comparatively higher level than the first generation because they can build upon the experiences of the first generation. We must appropriate the excellent spiritual inheritance of past generations and draw lessons from history in order to reach greater heights.   The spiritual lessons learned by the first generation can be passed on to the next generation. For example, the lessons of faith that the first generation of Israelites learned in the wilderness were passed down to the second generation. Stories of victory and faith were passed down, leaving a rich inheritance. Moses passed on lessons of faith and insights gained through suffering. But the second generation also inherited the spiritual dross, the idolatry their parents had never overcome through their lifetime.   I am a first-generation Christian, so my parents were unable to pass down a spiritual inheritance to me. In a way, I envy second and third generation Christians who have received a spiritual inheritance from their biological ancestors. However, I have discovered that a spiritual inheritance can also be acquired through learning, not only through inheritance. Even though I do not have a Christian inheritance from my family, I can acquire a similar heritage by studying the Israelites and the early church fathers. This kind of spiritual inheritance is not automatic. Throughout the ages, many people have been persecuted or even lost their lives because of their dedication to receiving the church's rich inheritance. This journey requires great wisdom and courage.   As we appropriate this rich heritage and remove the spiritual dross from our lives, God will lead us into a higher spiritual destiny. At the same time, Satan will attempt to hinder us, bogging us down with spiritual baggage passed down from our ancestors. The positive spiritual inheritance and the negative dross are the respective manifestations of God and Satan in the church. We need to bravely appropriate the spiritual richness of the church and eliminate the dross passed down to us by tradition. Then we will be able to do greater works for God in these historical and changing times. Through reading the book of Deuteronomy, I hope you will acquire a rich inheritance from the Israelites and learn from their successes and failures. As Paul said, “Their experience is not only for them, but it also serves as an example for us.” (1 Corinthians 10:11).     [1] All Scripture quotations are taken from the English Standard Version unless otherwise noted.

Although Moses had written concerning the generations of Shem in the previous Chapter, he revisits the generations of Shem with a focus on Arphaxad.  The reasoning behind this revisit is to focus on the generations leading to Yeshua Messiah.  The genealogy follows Arphaxad's grandson, Eber.  Scripture says that Eber had sons and daughters, however, the generations leading to Messiah goes through  Peleg who was the ancestor of Abraham.  Abraham's extended family in Ur of the Chaldees is described prior to an in-depth treatment of Abraham's life in subsequent Chapters.

Entering Our God-Given Destiny Bible Study with Jairus – Numbers 34   Have you ever thought that God's rules and boundaries were limiting you? We may think that God's borders are hemming us in. But in reality, the boundary lines God gives us are far greater than the boundary lines we have already reached. May God give us the courage, faith, and hope to reach the full measure of what he has in store for us. May we pray like Jabez - “May God enlarge our borders.” God will grant what we ask.   Spiritual Stagnation   Numbers 34 contains two key stories. In the first story, the Lord told Moses about the boundaries of Israel. In the second story, the Lord told Moses the list of leaders of the nine and a half tribes participating in the division of the land.   When you compare the map of the land that God promised to the Israelites with the land they actually occupied, you will find a surprising contradiction. God promised the Israelites land in the northeast, rather than the land on the east side of the Jordon occupied by Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh. Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh occupied land in the southeast after the Israelites defeated the Amorites and Ammonites. After seeing the land's beauty, they did not enter Canaan, the land promised by God. They wanted to stay on the other side of the Jordon and pasture their large herds and flocks.   How did God feel about this choice? In the Scripture, God neither praised nor blamed them. He just kept silent. Moses was initially angry about this choice, but later accepted it. God promised  the land of Canaan, not this land. Although Moses tacitly consented to this plan, it was not ultimately God's will.   I believe these two and a half tribes missed out on God's blessings. When they chose to stay in the land on the east side of the Jordon, they showed they were satisfied with the victory God had already given. They chose to stagnate in the achievement they'd already made. In Numbers 32, they asked Moses to give them "the land that the Lord struck down before the congregation of Israel.” (ESV Numbers 32:4)[1]. They admitted that the Lord had helped them acquire the land and achieve victory in battles. But they were unwilling to continue to risk or to enter the Promised Land. They underestimated God's promise.   Aren't many Christians today the same? They are satisfied with the measure of spiritual success they've already attained. They know that they believed in the Lord and will go to heaven. That's good enough for them. With this mindset, you will miss out on so many beautiful things worth learning, exploring, and working hard on. You miss out on many spiritual battles God wants you to win. Don't stagnate where you are! Move forward into the fullness of God's plans for you!   Entering God's Destiny   The Israelites never reached their full potential. They never occupied the full extent of the land that God had promised them. Even during the time of David and Solomon, Israel never expanded fully into the boundaries God had promised. These boundaries - borders – represent the measure of destiny and blessing given to us by God. Many people are concerned about not going beyond the boundaries God has set for them. True, God sets limits in our lives to keep us safe. But for most people, the problem is not that we go too far. For most of it, we fail to expand into the full measure of God's expectations and promises for us.   God has given us each a measure of grace. Paul specifically said "Don't boast beyond your measure." (2 Corinthians 10:13). But many times, people use this verse as an excuse to think small. Rather than pursuing God's calling and gifts, they confine themselves to a small measure God never intended for them. Only after arriving in heaven will people discover just how big were the blessings God had in store for them in this life, and just how few of them they have achieved.  I often pray that when I stand before God, my Heavenly Father will praise me with the words: “YOU OUTDID YOURSELF.” I want to live out God's destiny and calling for me, even "going beyond" my own measure. This is my prayer.   God had assigned boundaries to each of the twelve tribes through drawing lots. Drawing lots may seem like pure chance, but it represented God's decision. He drew boundary lines according to the characteristics, strengths and weaknesses of the tribes. Nevertheless, God still gave the tribes a certain amount of freedom. For example, Caleb could choose to conquer the lands occupied by the toughest enemies.   God has given us grand and glorious promises! He wants us to understand the full extent of his blessings. Paul prayed that believers would have “the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints" (Ephesians 1:18). We need God to open our hearts and eyes so we can truly grasp the greatness of the rich and glorious inheritance He has prepared for us! In the Old Testament, God gave the land of Canaan as an inheritance. In the New Testament, God has given believers the inheritance of riches in Christ and spiritual blessings in the heavenly realm! (Ephesians 1:3).   God Knows us Personally.   Did you get bogged down by reading all the geographical names and details of Israel, as well as the names of the tribal chiefs? These are not just useless facts. They show that God is intimately acquainted with each one of us. God is not distant, far away, and difficult to please. Instead, Jesus says, “See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 18:10). We have personal access to his throne room.   Even if you feel far from God, your Heavenly Father is conversing with your guardian angels, asking how you are doing today, where you are going, and what kind of comforting and encouraging words you may need today. Our Heavenly Father frequently discusses these things with our guardian angels. David said that God's thoughts towards us are more numerous than the sand of the sea (Psalm 139:17-18).   Malachi 3:16 shows us that God thinks about us. “Then those who feared the Lord spoke with one another. The Lord paid attention and heard them, and a book of remembrance was written before him of those who feared the Lord and esteemed his name.” Not only are believers' names written in the Book of Life, but our experiences and achievements are also recorded. For example, David wrote in Psalm 56:8, "You have kept count of my tossings; put my tears in your bottle. Are they not in your book?" Our tears and our sufferings are all recorded in God's book.   In addition, Revelation 20:12 records, “And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done." God will judge each of us according to what we have done.   The Spiritual Significance of Your Name   God knows us. Paul said, “If anyone loves God, he is known by God.” (1 Corinthians 8:3). God also knew each tribal leader personally, by name, and each of their names has a meaning. "Caleb" of the Tribe of Judah means "loyal dog," which is often extended to mean, "servant of God."   As we discuss the names of the other tribal leaders, I will quote my translation of a passage from the "Comprehensive Interpretation of the Bible" website:   “The names are listed in order of the tribes, from south to north according to the land allocated to each tribe (Joshua 14-19). Except for "Caleb" (verse 19), the names of the other nine leaders are completely different from those of the leaders 38 years before (Numbers 1:5-15). Even their fathers are not the previous leaders. God recorded the names of these people and used their names to clearly demonstrate the faith of the new generation before Him: "Shemu-El" or “ Samuel” means "God's name"; "El-Idad" means "My God has loved"; "Bukki" is the abbreviation of "Bukki-Ah" (1 Chronicles 25:4), which means "The Lord has proven" or " "The Lord has emptied"; "Hanni-El" means "favored of God"; "Kemu-El" means "raised by God"; "El-Izaphan" means "My God has protected"; "Palti-El" means "God's deliverance"; "Ahihud" means "Brother of Praise"; "Pedah-El" means "redeemed by God".   “Among these ten leaders, Caleb was already 80 years old (Joshua 14:10). There are seven people with "El" in their names, indicating that these leaders may have been born before the Exodus. They were about 40-60 years old at this time. Only “Bukki” is possibly derived from the name "Jehovah", indicating that he was probably born after God revealed his name "Jehovah" to Moses (Exodus 3:15). He was likely less than 40 years old.” [2]   This quote explanation specifically notes the names of the leaders mentioned by God. Except for Caleb, this is an entirely new generation of leaders. Even their fathers have never been mentioned before. These are not the same tribal leaders recorded in Numbers 1. They are leaders of a new generation, raised up by God.   What an encouragement! Can you imagine a tribal leader claiming these promises for himself?  “Our ancestors failed and were unable to defeat the enemy. Our ancestors' failure to enter the Promised Land does not necessarily mean that we, the next generation, will be unable to do so. They lost the spiritual battle, but that does not mean that we will also lose! God has raised up new leaders to lead the Israelites into spiritual battle! As the younger generation, we must rise up for battle, defeat the enemy, enter the Promised Land, and fulfill the spiritual destiny He has given us!”   Can you see the parallel to modern-day America? We face many enemies all around us, like the Israelites of old. The previous generation left these enemies undefeated and unconquered. Now, they are coming to control us! But this does not mean that we will be unable to conquer the enemy. We may feel suppressed, but this is not necessarily God's will for us.   Many Old Testament Israelite kings chose to follow God, even though their fathers did not worship Him. And God helped them defeat their enemies. The younger generation in the United States must do the same. We must believe that God will help us, and that no one can stop us. We must rise up for battle and defeat the enemy. God will certainly help us. May the younger generation of the United States rise up as leaders and defeat the enemies that their parents' generation was unable to defeat!   God is our Loving Father   God often treats us like a parent would treat a child. He has blessings in store for us and expectations for us to complete. But he will not force us to comply with them or take the steps he wants us to take. If we choose to ask for God's help to defeat the enemy, trying our best to enter into God's destiny for us through faith and hard work, God will help us. But if we give up, saying we don't care, God will not rescue us from our own mistakes. The Bible tells us that God is good (Luke 18:19), while the enemy only wants to steal, destroy and kill (John 10:10). We must engage in spiritual warfare and not give up so easily. We must fight for our God-given blessings and ministries.   In the genealogy of Judah in 1 Chronicles 4, the author makes special mention of Jabez. 1 Chronicles 4:9-10 says, "Jabez was more honorable than his brothers; and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, ‘Because I bore him in pain.' Jabez called upon the God of Israel, saying, ‘Oh that you would bless me and enlarge my border, and that your hand might be with me, and that you would keep me from harm so that it might not bring me pain!' And God granted what he asked.” The name Jabez in Hebrew means "sorrow.” His mother had a hard birth, so she named her son Jabez. There must have been many difficult experiences in Jabez's life. But he called on God, asking Him to enlarge his borders. He asked for God's presence to be with him and keep him from harm. And God answered his prayer.   May God enlighten the eyes of our hearts, as Paul said in Ephesians, so that we can see just how great is the inheritance God has given us. May we enter into the full destiny that God intends for us. May we pray like Jabez, “Enlarge my borders!” God will surely answer our prayers!     [1] All Scripture quotations are taken from the English Standard Version unless otherwise noted. [2] The Original is Chinese and the translation is mine. https://cmcbiblereading.com/2015/05/11/%E6%B0%91%E6%95%B0%E8%AE%B0%E7%AC%AC34%E7%AB%A0%E9%80%90%E8%8A%82%E6%B3%A8%E8%A7%A3%E3%80%81%E7%A5%B7%E8%AF%BB/

Entering Our God-Given Destiny Bible Study with Jairus – Numbers 34   Have you ever thought that God's rules and boundaries were limiting you? We may think that God's borders are hemming us in. But in reality, the boundary lines God gives us are far greater than the boundary lines we have already reached. May God give us the courage, faith, and hope to reach the full measure of what he has in store for us. May we pray like Jabez - “May God enlarge our borders.” God will grant what we ask.   Spiritual Stagnation   Numbers 34 contains two key stories. In the first story, the Lord told Moses about the boundaries of Israel. In the second story, the Lord told Moses the list of leaders of the nine and a half tribes participating in the division of the land.   When you compare the map of the land that God promised to the Israelites with the land they actually occupied, you will find a surprising contradiction. God promised the Israelites land in the northeast, rather than the land on the east side of the Jordon occupied by Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh. Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh occupied land in the southeast after the Israelites defeated the Amorites and Ammonites. After seeing the land's beauty, they did not enter Canaan, the land promised by God. They wanted to stay on the other side of the Jordon and pasture their large herds and flocks.   How did God feel about this choice? In the Scripture, God neither praised nor blamed them. He just kept silent. Moses was initially angry about this choice, but later accepted it. God promised  the land of Canaan, not this land. Although Moses tacitly consented to this plan, it was not ultimately God's will.   I believe these two and a half tribes missed out on God's blessings. When they chose to stay in the land on the east side of the Jordon, they showed they were satisfied with the victory God had already given. They chose to stagnate in the achievement they'd already made. In Numbers 32, they asked Moses to give them "the land that the Lord struck down before the congregation of Israel.” (ESV Numbers 32:4)[1]. They admitted that the Lord had helped them acquire the land and achieve victory in battles. But they were unwilling to continue to risk or to enter the Promised Land. They underestimated God's promise.   Aren't many Christians today the same? They are satisfied with the measure of spiritual success they've already attained. They know that they believed in the Lord and will go to heaven. That's good enough for them. With this mindset, you will miss out on so many beautiful things worth learning, exploring, and working hard on. You miss out on many spiritual battles God wants you to win. Don't stagnate where you are! Move forward into the fullness of God's plans for you!   Entering God's Destiny   The Israelites never reached their full potential. They never occupied the full extent of the land that God had promised them. Even during the time of David and Solomon, Israel never expanded fully into the boundaries God had promised. These boundaries - borders – represent the measure of destiny and blessing given to us by God. Many people are concerned about not going beyond the boundaries God has set for them. True, God sets limits in our lives to keep us safe. But for most people, the problem is not that we go too far. For most of it, we fail to expand into the full measure of God's expectations and promises for us.   God has given us each a measure of grace. Paul specifically said "Don't boast beyond your measure." (2 Corinthians 10:13). But many times, people use this verse as an excuse to think small. Rather than pursuing God's calling and gifts, they confine themselves to a small measure God never intended for them. Only after arriving in heaven will people discover just how big were the blessings God had in store for them in this life, and just how few of them they have achieved.  I often pray that when I stand before God, my Heavenly Father will praise me with the words: “YOU OUTDID YOURSELF.” I want to live out God's destiny and calling for me, even "going beyond" my own measure. This is my prayer.   God had assigned boundaries to each of the twelve tribes through drawing lots. Drawing lots may seem like pure chance, but it represented God's decision. He drew boundary lines according to the characteristics, strengths and weaknesses of the tribes. Nevertheless, God still gave the tribes a certain amount of freedom. For example, Caleb could choose to conquer the lands occupied by the toughest enemies.   God has given us grand and glorious promises! He wants us to understand the full extent of his blessings. Paul prayed that believers would have “the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints" (Ephesians 1:18). We need God to open our hearts and eyes so we can truly grasp the greatness of the rich and glorious inheritance He has prepared for us! In the Old Testament, God gave the land of Canaan as an inheritance. In the New Testament, God has given believers the inheritance of riches in Christ and spiritual blessings in the heavenly realm! (Ephesians 1:3).   God Knows us Personally.   Did you get bogged down by reading all the geographical names and details of Israel, as well as the names of the tribal chiefs? These are not just useless facts. They show that God is intimately acquainted with each one of us. God is not distant, far away, and difficult to please. Instead, Jesus says, “See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 18:10). We have personal access to his throne room.   Even if you feel far from God, your Heavenly Father is conversing with your guardian angels, asking how you are doing today, where you are going, and what kind of comforting and encouraging words you may need today. Our Heavenly Father frequently discusses these things with our guardian angels. David said that God's thoughts towards us are more numerous than the sand of the sea (Psalm 139:17-18).   Malachi 3:16 shows us that God thinks about us. “Then those who feared the Lord spoke with one another. The Lord paid attention and heard them, and a book of remembrance was written before him of those who feared the Lord and esteemed his name.” Not only are believers' names written in the Book of Life, but our experiences and achievements are also recorded. For example, David wrote in Psalm 56:8, "You have kept count of my tossings; put my tears in your bottle. Are they not in your book?" Our tears and our sufferings are all recorded in God's book.   In addition, Revelation 20:12 records, “And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done." God will judge each of us according to what we have done.   The Spiritual Significance of Your Name   God knows us. Paul said, “If anyone loves God, he is known by God.” (1 Corinthians 8:3). God also knew each tribal leader personally, by name, and each of their names has a meaning. "Caleb" of the Tribe of Judah means "loyal dog," which is often extended to mean, "servant of God."   As we discuss the names of the other tribal leaders, I will quote my translation of a passage from the "Comprehensive Interpretation of the Bible" website:   “The names are listed in order of the tribes, from south to north according to the land allocated to each tribe (Joshua 14-19). Except for "Caleb" (verse 19), the names of the other nine leaders are completely different from those of the leaders 38 years before (Numbers 1:5-15). Even their fathers are not the previous leaders. God recorded the names of these people and used their names to clearly demonstrate the faith of the new generation before Him: "Shemu-El" or “ Samuel” means "God's name"; "El-Idad" means "My God has loved"; "Bukki" is the abbreviation of "Bukki-Ah" (1 Chronicles 25:4), which means "The Lord has proven" or " "The Lord has emptied"; "Hanni-El" means "favored of God"; "Kemu-El" means "raised by God"; "El-Izaphan" means "My God has protected"; "Palti-El" means "God's deliverance"; "Ahihud" means "Brother of Praise"; "Pedah-El" means "redeemed by God".   “Among these ten leaders, Caleb was already 80 years old (Joshua 14:10). There are seven people with "El" in their names, indicating that these leaders may have been born before the Exodus. They were about 40-60 years old at this time. Only “Bukki” is possibly derived from the name "Jehovah", indicating that he was probably born after God revealed his name "Jehovah" to Moses (Exodus 3:15). He was likely less than 40 years old.” [2]   This quote explanation specifically notes the names of the leaders mentioned by God. Except for Caleb, this is an entirely new generation of leaders. Even their fathers have never been mentioned before. These are not the same tribal leaders recorded in Numbers 1. They are leaders of a new generation, raised up by God.   What an encouragement! Can you imagine a tribal leader claiming these promises for himself?  “Our ancestors failed and were unable to defeat the enemy. Our ancestors' failure to enter the Promised Land does not necessarily mean that we, the next generation, will be unable to do so. They lost the spiritual battle, but that does not mean that we will also lose! God has raised up new leaders to lead the Israelites into spiritual battle! As the younger generation, we must rise up for battle, defeat the enemy, enter the Promised Land, and fulfill the spiritual destiny He has given us!”   Can you see the parallel to modern-day America? We face many enemies all around us, like the Israelites of old. The previous generation left these enemies undefeated and unconquered. Now, they are coming to control us! But this does not mean that we will be unable to conquer the enemy. We may feel suppressed, but this is not necessarily God's will for us.   Many Old Testament Israelite kings chose to follow God, even though their fathers did not worship Him. And God helped them defeat their enemies. The younger generation in the United States must do the same. We must believe that God will help us, and that no one can stop us. We must rise up for battle and defeat the enemy. God will certainly help us. May the younger generation of the United States rise up as leaders and defeat the enemies that their parents' generation was unable to defeat!   God is our Loving Father   God often treats us like a parent would treat a child. He has blessings in store for us and expectations for us to complete. But he will not force us to comply with them or take the steps he wants us to take. If we choose to ask for God's help to defeat the enemy, trying our best to enter into God's destiny for us through faith and hard work, God will help us. But if we give up, saying we don't care, God will not rescue us from our own mistakes. The Bible tells us that God is good (Luke 18:19), while the enemy only wants to steal, destroy and kill (John 10:10). We must engage in spiritual warfare and not give up so easily. We must fight for our God-given blessings and ministries.   In the genealogy of Judah in 1 Chronicles 4, the author makes special mention of Jabez. 1 Chronicles 4:9-10 says, "Jabez was more honorable than his brothers; and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, ‘Because I bore him in pain.' Jabez called upon the God of Israel, saying, ‘Oh that you would bless me and enlarge my border, and that your hand might be with me, and that you would keep me from harm so that it might not bring me pain!' And God granted what he asked.” The name Jabez in Hebrew means "sorrow.” His mother had a hard birth, so she named her son Jabez. There must have been many difficult experiences in Jabez's life. But he called on God, asking Him to enlarge his borders. He asked for God's presence to be with him and keep him from harm. And God answered his prayer.   May God enlighten the eyes of our hearts, as Paul said in Ephesians, so that we can see just how great is the inheritance God has given us. May we enter into the full destiny that God intends for us. May we pray like Jabez, “Enlarge my borders!” God will surely answer our prayers!     [1] All Scripture quotations are taken from the English Standard Version unless otherwise noted. [2] The Original is Chinese and the translation is mine. https://cmcbiblereading.com/2015/05/11/%E6%B0%91%E6%95%B0%E8%AE%B0%E7%AC%AC34%E7%AB%A0%E9%80%90%E8%8A%82%E6%B3%A8%E8%A7%A3%E3%80%81%E7%A5%B7%E8%AF%BB/

Bible Study with Jairus – Numbers 20 Numbers 20 is the story of how Moses did not follow God's command when asked to strike a rock to produce water. Instead of following God's exact directions to hit the rock once, Moses struck the rock twice. God still acted mercifully to allow water to flow out for the Israelites. Later, however, God chastised Moses and Aaron for not believing in Him, nor upholding Him as holy in the eyes of the Israelites. Because of this, they were not allowed to enter the Promised Land (Numbers 20:12). A man in our Bible study asked, “How do Moses' actions show that he did not believe in God?” I replied, “You must use the former Israelite spies as a reference because they were also regarded as unbelieving spies by God.” The spies were regarded by God as having no faith because they exaggerated the height of the Canaanites and underestimated God's promise. They regarded the enemy as able to triumph over God's promise to lead them into the Promised Land. The spies' disheartened position in the face of enemy weakened the Israelites' faith and led them to believe that their inability was greater than God's promise and God's power. They trusted more in what their eyes could see than in what the Lord had spoken. Thankfully, the Israelites inability did not overcome God's ability. Caleb and Joshua are examples of those who believed. Since God had already promised that they would be brought into the Promised Land, they did not waiver in their belief. They put God's promise first. They said, “Let's go up for we will devour them.” Faith is putting God's promise first and not allowing yourself to be frightened by the immediate circumstances. The same principle can be applied to Moses and Aaron. What did Moses regard as larger than God? Moses did not exemplify complete trust in the Lord. Moses was disappointed with the Israelites. His disappointment with the people's inability surpassed God's promise and hope for them. Thus, he acted in disobedience and God regarded him as unbelieving. Although Moses believed the first time, he did not believe God the second time. Why? His discouragement affected his faith. At the beginning of this chapter, the death of Miriam, Moses' sister, is recorded. We can assume that Moses loved his sister. Without Moses' sister, there would be no Moses. When Moses was put into the river as a child, it was Moses' sister who stood by watching him. When Pharaoh's daughter came to bathe, Miriam talked with Pharaoh's daughter and offered to find a Hebrew mother to nurse him. Miriam arranged for her mother to take care of him. In other words, without Miriam, Moses might have died. In later years, Miriam rebelled against Moses and God struck her with leprosy. Aaron asked Moses to beg God to remove Miriam's leprosy. Moses prayed to God and God answered his prayer by allowing Miriam to be healed after her confinement outside the camp for seven days. We see that Moses had no resentment toward his sister. We can imagine that Miriam's death had a huge personal impact on Moses. He was likely very sad. Miriam's death also happened at a special time. It was right about the time when the Israelites had been wandering in the wilderness for 40 years. The first generation of Israelites were almost dead. Perhaps Miriam, Aaron (who dies at the end of this chapter), Moses (who dies shortly after), and Caleb and Joshua (who entered the Promised Land), were among the few people from the first generation who were still alive. Now, we arrive at the story of Moses and the rock. The Israelites were already tired after about forty years of wandering in the wilderness. Moses was also tired. The second generation made the same mistake as the first generation. They complained again that there was no water to drink. Tired and sad Moses became irritated by the people. At first, he remained humble before God. He fell facedown just like he had when Korah attacked him. God responded and asked Moses to speak to the rock to produce water. But when Moses came before the Israelites, he reverted to being angry. Why? Perhaps when Moses went before God, he hoped that God would avenge him as He did when He disciplined Korah the last time. God did not act the same this time. My guess is that Moses' response was a way of venting the pent-up pain and anger he had held in his heart. Moses' mistake is also one often made by pastors. Sometimes we feel disappointed with the people we lead and shepherd. Such disappointment must be dealt with at the cross. It should not affect our emotions and decisions. I discussed this with a classmate who is a Korean pastor. I asked him to tell me about the hardest thing he has faced since becoming a pastor. His church is not big. One time, a family that faithfully served in the church, suddenly left without giving him any explanation. I comforted him by suggesting, “Maybe God had a different direction for them, but they were too scared to tell you.  It is not necessarily that they had bad intentions by not telling you.” I tried to encourage him not to be disappointed in people, and to have faith in God. Whether it's Moses or my Korean pastor friend, we should all have greater faith in God's ability to lead His chosen people than in the difficulties we face in the environment around us. True faith exceeds the disappointment brought by the environment. Keeping God's promise before one's eyes, above the difficulties, is faith. This does not mean we do not acknowledge that we will face failures in the church or in the Christians we care for. So why did God regard Aaron as unbelieving? It seems that Aaron didn't do anything. A man in our study commented that because Aaron did nothing, that's why he was regarded as unbelieving. I believe he was right. Aaron was a priest. He should have interceded for Moses as well as help him to overcome his weakness. But Aaron did nothing. His inaction was unbelief in the eyes of God. During the previous judgment on Korah, Aaron took the censer to intercede and it stopped the plague. This time, Aaron didn't intercede for Moses which demonstrates that he didn't fulfill his responsibilities as a priest and thus was disciplined by God. God determined Aaron's death before he would reach the Promised Land too. The Bible records that Moses and Aaron did not uphold God as holy in the eyes of the Israelites in this matter (Numbers 20:12). Verse 13 (ESV) concludes, "These are the waters of Meribah, where the people of Israel quarreled with the Lord, and through them he showed himself holy." Why does it say here that God showed himself holy through them? God's judgment in Numbers 16 begins with Korah being swallowed up by the earth. The chapter continues to talk about the 250 elders burned by fire; 14,700 people killed from the plague; the warning of the budding of Aaron's rod in Numbers 17; and the decreasing degree of judgment on the Israelites. We notice that God's judgment is more severe with those closer to the Holy of Holies, and with those who try to touch His authority. With those closer to the outer courtyard and whose spiritual lives are not as mature, God shows mercy. This is a basic principle of God. Moses did not represent God's disposition. Instead, he got angry. He should have showed mercy to the second generation of the Israelites when they immaturely complained. He should have taken pity on them instead of judging them, since mercy triumphs over judgment. This would have been upholding God as holy—upholding God's holy character. Let's consider the difference. Moses also got angry when Korah rebelled, but God did not criticize Moses for this. Instead, God supported Moses, severely disciplining Korah and burning 250 elders with him who had rebelled against God. This included the death of 14,700 people from the plague God sent. This is an example of God's severe judgment. Thankfully, God's anger is temporary; His kindness and mercy are everlasting. Although God disciplined the first generation of Israel, he treated the second generation with kindness. The same principle exists for churches today. Sometimes we may need the courage from God to point out the mistakes of certain mature believers so that they can grow even more and serve God and others well. For immature and new believers, the reigning principle is love. If we are too strict with them, they will often stumble. Of course, Moses knew this principle. Exodus 34:6-7 (ESV) records the Lord's appearing to Moses. It states, "The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, ‘The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children's children, to the third and the fourth generation.'” God's holy nature is characterized as slow to anger, especially for people whose spiritual lives are immature. His mercy prevails over His anger or judgment. Moses knew this was the character he should embody, so his disobedience was an act of deliberate sin. Moses was furious at the second generation of Israelites for violating God's holy nature, but God, full of kindness, still gave the living water to the second generation. In this way, God upheld his own righteousness to the Israelites. The following verses (14-22) record the story of Moses attempting to lead the Israelites through Edom. Unfortunately, the king of Edom did not allow them to pass through. When this happened, God ordered the Israelites not to contend with Edom because God gave Esau the country of Seir as a possession (ESV, Deuteronomy 2:5). Therefore, Moses requested of their king to let them pass through in accordance with the requirements set forth by God in Deuteronomy. Moses also offered to pay for the food they would eat and the water they would drink (Deuteronomy 2:6). The King of Edom still denied their request. At this point in our bible study, the same man asked, “Are the pillars of cloud and fire going to lead the Israelites through Edom?” If God was leading them in this direction, why didn't Edom let them pass through? When Edom refused to let them pass through, what was God's attitude? I read Amos 1 to this man, where it says that God judged Edom because Edom chased his brother with a sword. Amos 1:11 (ESV) says, “Thus says the Lord: ‘For three transgressions of Edom, and for four, I will not revoke the punishment, because he pursued his brother with the sword and cast off all pity, and his anger tore perpetually, and he kept his wrath forever.'" We can see that God was unhappy that Edom did not let the Israelites pass through. This verse indirectly demonstrates that it was God's plan to lead them through Edom. If God knew the king would not allow them to pass through, why did God lead the Israelites to Edom in the first place? Maybe God wanted the brothers to reconcile, or maybe he wanted the Israelites to testify to the Edomites about him, telling them how much God cares for the Israelites. Perhaps when the Edomites heard this, they would exalt God's name and return to Him. In today's language, we would say the Israelites were being given the opportunity to evangelize. Unfortunately, Edom refused. Israel's journey can be likened to a planter of the gospel. They sowed the seeds of the gospel wherever they went. As Psalm 126:5 (ESV) says, “Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy!” This sentence refers to the Israelites who wandered and were taken into captivity. When they were in Egypt, they sowed seeds just as Joseph testified of God's greatness to Pharaoh. When they passed through the wilderness, they sowed seeds because God's pillar of cloud and fire went before them. They also reaped. Rahab, for example, became an ancestor of Christ. The Israelites journey went from Egypt (the world, the flesh, and the outer courtyard) to the wilderness (the soul and the sanctuary) and then to the Promised Land (the spirit and the Holy of Holies). Their journey was a continuous process of sanctification for the body, soul, and spirit. However, wherever they went, they had the tabernacle (God's dwelling place) with them. The same is true for New Testament Christians. Each believer is a tabernacle of God. We are constantly being sanctified. Our body represents the outer court, our soul represents the Holy Place, and our spirit represents the Holy of Holies where the Spirit of God dwells. We meet with God spirit to spirit when we pray. We also take God's presence wherever we go, and this is the process of manifesting God to the outside world. We are carriers of God's presence. In the end, we are all sowers and reapers. The Israelites journey and our journeys are representations of the flowing river of life that springs forth from the throne of God (Revelation 22:1). It is alive and flowing. Edom represents our flesh (the dependents of Lot and his daughter), and our flesh cannot be dealt with by spiritual warfare or deliverance. It must be slowly and deliberately dealt with by the work of the cross. As people often say, “YOU CANNOT CAST YOUR FLESH OUT OF YOU.” The Canaanites, however, represent the strongholds of evil spirits in our lives. We need to cast these out through spiritual warfare and God's help. These are not just a matter of relying on the work of the cross. Evil spirits must be cast out through deliverance. Thankfully, God is with us. We are able to deal with the flesh and renew our souls, while also driving out the enemy and breaking the enemy's strongholds. Let's take a deeper look at the symbolism of the incident with the rock. God stood before Moses when He asked Moses to strike the rock the first time (Exodus 17:6). This represents the work of Christ. The first generation is symbolic of one's flesh being dealt with by the work of cross. The second generation deals with the transformation of the soul, which is the renewal and change of the soul in the wilderness. Striking the rock the first time is symbolic of our first encounter with Christ when we receive salvation and the Holy Spirit. Speaking to the rock the second time also produces water (the life of the Holy Spirit), but this is a representation of the work of the Holy Spirit in us. As we mature, we must be prepared to speak to the rock by faith so that the Holy Spirit can work in our lives. We move from a salvation experience to mature sons and daughters. The wilderness represents a place of trials. We are reaching the end. The Israelites' journey in the wilderness was about to end, and Moses' sister Miriam had died. The trials in the wilderness and the thirst in the desert are environments created by God to cause us to hunger and thirst in our spirits. In other words, God designed the wilderness. Because of the dryness and thirst, the Israelites called on the Lord. In fact, this is a picture of what it looks like to yearn for being filled with the Holy Spirit. This is a thirst created by God. The purpose is to cause people to pursue the infilling of the Holy Spirit. Initially, Moses didn't understand this. Whether he missed this because he was in low spirits or simply impatient, Moses suffered the consequences for it. Christians today can experience this spiritually. When your life or ministry is brought to a point where you find yourself thirsty, suffocated, disheartened and disappointed, remember that this is an environment God created for you to allow you to see that you need the living water brought by the infilling of the Holy Spirit. This living water alone will satisfy your hunger and thirst, and it will cause you to cry out for the abundance of the Holy Spirit. Unfortunately, many people who carry a traditional understanding of the baptism of the Holy Spirit, fail to realize that this is a separate experience that follows salvation. Perhaps this is the mistake Moses made here. His restricted understanding toward old traditions caused him to miss out on God's second blessing. The baptism of the Holy Spirit is the second blessing Christians can receive. Many churches teach that we are filled with the Holy Spirit after we are saved, and that there is no second infilling. The Local Church Movement (LCM) teaches something similar. They believe that persons are baptized into the body of Christ once and for all because of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost. They preach that it is through faith that one receives the baptism and infilling of the Holy Spirit subsequent to the salvation experience. Sometimes it's unclear how to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit through faith. We may not clearly know what manifestations we are expecting to receive after being filled. I tried to pursue the baptism of the Holy Spirit during my time with the LCM, but I wasn't able to receive it. I only later received this baptism in a Charismatic church. After being baptized with the Holy Spirit, I experienced many external manifestations including stumbling (as a result of my inability to stand), speaking in tongues, receiving prophetic or other miraculous gifts, and experiencing electric currents flowing through my body. Not everyone who experiences the baptism of the Holy Spirit has the same external manifestations. I would be more concerned if there were no manifestation at all. An illustration by Derek Prince may be help us understand why this is. Prince called those who were baptized in the spirit but not speaking in tongues, elephants without a TRUNK or NOSE. It is possible that an elephant lacks a trunk due to an accident or abnormality, but the normal is that an elephant has a trunk. (After all, this is part of what makes an elephant an elephant!) In the same way, when a Christian does not speak in tongues, it does not mean they have not been baptized in the Spirit, but it should be natural that a believer can and will speak in tongues after they have been baptized. Speaking in tongues is proof that God's Spirit has come upon them (as He did at Pentecost), and it's important proof that one has been marked by the Spirit just as having a trunk is the marker and proof that one is an elephant. Of course, we can still tell if an animal is an elephant by seeing its big ears, big body, and other dominant characteristics, but the complete package is that an elephant has all these elements. My experience even surprised me. When I was baptized with the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit came upon me in such a way that I took a dozen steps back and fell to the ground. As I mentioned, I also experienced electric currents flowing through my head for several months. I received miraculous gifts, and I believe I can now more keenly discern things in the spiritual world. I also often have prophetic dreams of being taken to heaven and paradise. I believe that there is a second blessing Christians can receive called the baptism of the Holy Spirit. I personally believe that we receive the Holy Spirit upon faith in Jesus Christ and this marks the regeneration of a person's spirit unto eternal life. This is what is referred to in John 20:22 (ESV): “And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit.'” However, we only receive power from on high when we are baptized in the Holy Spirit as recorded in the book of Acts. I also believe we can receive different degrees of the baptism of the Holy Spirit in various stages of our lives. It is even possible that we were baptized in the Holy Spirit without us realizing it or showing signs of any manifestations including speaking in tongues. I do encourage people to practice speaking in tongues after one is baptized in the Holy Spirit. Thankfully, if you haven't received the baptism of the Holy Spirit, you can yearn for it and you'll be able to receive it. This experience will completely change your Christian life. At the end of our meeting, we prayed that God would strengthen us so that we would be able to face the various trials in our lives. May we receive God's strength and the filling of the Holy Spirit for all kinds of trials—from Egypt to the wilderness and on to the Promised Land. Let us become sowers and reapers, and never stop preaching the aroma of God's gospel wherever we may go. The aroma lets those who reject God's gospel to die and those who accept God's gospel to live (2 Corinthians 2:14-15). We also pray for the Holy Spirit to fill us so that we can not only deal with the flesh but break the enemy's strongholds. It is difficult for us to break the enemy's strongholds without the baptism and infilling of the Holy Spirit. I encourage you to pursue this today.                                                                                                                                                                                      

One of our greatest assets in the Kingdom of God is obedience.  God asked Moses to speak to the rock and release water for His people.  But instead of speaking to the rock, in anger, he struck the rock and water gushed out.  Although Moses got the desired result he did not do it God's way. In God's sovereign decision He told Moses to anoint Joshua as his replacement. Joshua had know idea He would be next in line! It's time to take your place and let God divinely position. 

Although Moses feels that he may be failing God, little does he realize that God has a much bigger plan in place.  Even though God has told Moses EXACTLY what will happen Moses still, to some degree, can't see past the situation at hand. BiblicalChili.com BuddyWalkWithJesus.com Hapi (Nile god) - Wikipedia

From our previous lesson, we learnt that Moses was sustained because of his parents who saw him as a goodly and proper child and due to this they were not afraid of the decree of the king. Moses' mother gave birth to and sustained him, despising the king's orders and regarded not the heavy risk attached to her actions. She saw a great future for her son by merely seeing his looks and this propelled faith in her to secure his life. Without the faith of Moses' mother a great man of faith like Moses will have been lost at birth or after birth. This as why Moses' parents and mother precisely were heroes of faith. When Moses became three months of age, his mother knew that she could not hide him anymore because of his loud cries which will put her and her family at risk, she still chose not to kill him. Her decision was to at most leave his life in the hands of God instead of kill him, this was a way of giving him out for adoption.Although Moses' mother had got to the peak of her faith to secure and nurture her baby, she still did not throw in the towel helplessly by killing her baby, she made efforts to take another giant step of faith which was risky to entrust her baby's life to God.s order despite the heavy risk attached to her actions. She saw a great future for her son by merely seeing his looks and this propelled faith in her to secure his life. Without the faith of Moses' mother a great man of faith like Moses would have been lost at birth or after birth. This as why Moses' parents, his mother precisely were heroes of faith. When Moses became three months of age, his mother knew that she could not hide him anymore because of his loud cries which will put her and her family at risk, she still chose not to kill him. Her decision was to at most leave his life in the hands of God instead of kill him, this was a way of giving him out for adoption. Although she did not know what his fate would be at the river, at least she did not kill him, this was why she sent his sister to watch him from a distance. Although Moses' mother had got to the peak of her faith to secure and nurture her baby, she still did not throw in the towel helplessly by killing her baby. She made efforts to take another giant step of faith which was risky and it demanded that she entrust her baby's life to God. Exodus 2:3-4. Her faith based decision to not kill her son was rewarded greatly by God. This God did by making the daughter of Pharaoh adopt a child who her father sought to kill, thus she disobeyed her father to unknowingly obey God.Exodus 2:5-10. The preceding verses makes us understand that Moses was weaned and trained by his own parents. During this period of training, he was taught that he is a Jew, he was taught about his God and the God of his people who is the one true and living God called YAHWEH, he was taught about his fore fathers, the faith and practices of his people, he was taught about how his people came into Egypt and he was taught who he was. These revealed that, the parents of Moses maximized the little time they had with Moses, to teach him and train him in accordance with the injunction in scriptures Proverbs 22:6. Training and teaching children on the things of God at their early age is an act of faith which God honors, because it secures their destinies and greatness. These teachings and trainings given to Moses by his parents developed his faith, principles and practices thus, they secured his destiny and greatness. The proof of this truth was the decision Moses made that proved his faith in God, by his refusal to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; i.e he refused royalty.Hebrews 11:24. Moses threw away his only physical hope of security because He blindly choose God's provision of security which he never knew what it held for him. Ps:Listen to this teaching NOW for more... Grace to you. Jesus is Lord. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/chimdi-ohahuna/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/chimdi-ohahuna/support

The Mercy and Justice of God Numbers 27 As we consider Numbers 27 today, it may seem puzzling that the story of Zelophehad's daughters is juxtaposed with the story of Moses not getting to enter the promised land. Why are these stories put together in the Bible? Moses' Lack of Gentleness Perhaps when dealing with Zelophehad's daughters, Moses made the same mistake he may have made when striking the rock for the second time: he did not honor the Lord God as holy. What does it truly mean to honor God? It means correctly representing God's kindness and compassion in front of the second generation of Israelites. Although the Bible does not say that Moses was impatient with Zelophehad's daughter, like he was when he struck the rock, we can surmise that he may have ignored the daughters of Zelophehad. Both stories reveal the compassion of God. Why do I say that? Let's look at the second section of this chapter. The Bible says that this decision took place “standing at the door of the tabernacle, in front of Moses, the priest Eleazar, the leaders and the whole congregation.” This is a very meaningful verse. Let me illustrate with a modern example. In the 2020 US election, the right-wing population in some states believed that the election was unfair. They began to bring charges in the district courts. State courts did not accept the cases, and the cases were brought before the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court didn't take the case, either. Under normal circumstances, all complaints are brought first to the district courts, then gradually move up to the Supreme Court. If Moses truly cared about Zelophehad's needs, he should have been able to handle this matter before the daughters appealed to the Supreme Court. When Moses first heard that Zelophehad of the tribe of Manasseh did not get any land, he should have asked God how to deal with it at that time, but he did not. When he finally asked God what to do about it, God immediately raised the matter of Moses' disobedience to God after he clarified how to deal with the matter. Was this happening by chance? Moses also lacked compassion for the second generation of Israelis and said something impatient as he struck the rock. Perhaps his way of handling Zelophehad's daughters' needs was not gentle enough, either. Although the leadership responsibility of Moses was transferred to Joshua here, the actual authority was not immediately transferred to Joshua. Moses was still the leader who guided the people's itinerary. Numbers 27-36 speak of Moses leading the Israelites. The death of Moses is not recorded until Deuteronomy 34, at least 44 chapters later. If our speculation is correct, then this chapter is still related to Moses' failure. What was wrong with Moses when he smote the rock for the second time? He had no respect for God as holy. Moses knew the principle of God's character: not to get angry easily, to be full of kindness, to bless the generations of those who love him, to never regard those who hate him as innocent, but punish their sins down to the third and fourth generation. Earlier, when Moses told God about Korah's betrayal, God severely judged Korah. However, when Moses told God about the second generation's betrayal and complaints, God did not judge them as severely. This may have been one of the reasons for Moses' anger. Moses should have accepted the fact that the first generation of Israelites represent our old man, and the second generation represents the flesh of our new man after salvation. The nature of the two is different, so the way God treats them is also different. It can be said that the Bible record still got a lot of chances to mention Moses' disobedience to God, and it is not necessary to immediately raise the case of Moses' disobedience to God together with the judgment of not allowing him to enter the good land right after mentioning Zelophehad's daughters' request to claim the property. This matter must have something to do with the division of property between Zelophehad 's daughter. Where is this relationship? It is God's judgment on Moses. This is God's judgment on Moses regarding the issue of Zelophehad and the way Moses dealt with his matter. Although Moses might not be that impatient, he might have been negligent. What was the cause of Moses' negligence?   Pitfalls of Pride Many leaders start out with humility, but later in life fall into pride and sin. All leaders face difficulties and obstacles at the very beginning, and these difficulties and obstacles will make them humble. David's experience is a good example. When Saul was persecuting David, David submitted to God. Instead of killing Saul, David humbled himself before God, admitting that Saul was God's anointed one. At the end of his life, however, after he had conquered his enemies and made peace throughout the country, David committed sin with Bathsheba and killed Uriah. David sinned for a second time when he numbered the Israelites. Joab opposed David's unwise decision, and he would have stopped him if he could have. But the Bible clearly records that the King's words prevailed over Joab's words (1 Chronicles 21:4). Similarly, although Moses was one of God's greatest servants, he also needed to go through humbling experiences. His brother Aaron and sister Miriam gave him a lot of difficulties. These difficulties helped Moses grow in humility. When Aaron and Miriam attacked Moses, the Bible specifically called Moses the humblest person in the world (Numbers 12:3). The Lord himself came to Moses' defense and blamed Aaron and Miriam. However, by this chapter, both Miriam and Aaron were dead. Aaron's son, Eleazar, was priest. Except for Caleb and Joshua, most first-generation people had died. At this time, Moses became the absolute authority. In the eyes of the Israelites, he was like a god. The Israelites were slowly turning Moses into an idol. I believe that Moses knew God and did not agree with their idolatry. But the Israelis indeed elevated Moses to the position of deity. When the Lord Jesus came, many Israelites would not accept Jesus Christ. Instead, they said they would only accept Moses. Moses had gradually become the Israelites' idol. Even though Moses did not have the intention to exalt himself, his failure to honor God was a very serious matter in God's eyes. He reinforced the people's idolatry when he attributed the miracle to himself. Therefore, God must discipline Moses. When God uses a person greatly as his servant, he also disciplines that person severely. Because of the great revelation Paul got from God, he was also given a thorn from the enemy to bother him. He asked the Lord three times to take it away, but God did not do so. He said his grace was enough for him. The chapter demonstrates that as leaders, we must not mistakenly represent God and snatch away the glory that is rightfully God's. God's judgment is strict and there is no room for pride in His service. Even if you are someone as important as Moses or David, God will still discipline pride in his servants.   Inheritance Restored Zelophehad's daughters asked Moses for land, and he granted their request. This story teaches us that we can receive what we ask for in prayer and faith, as long as it is promised in Christ. The first section of this chapter specifically mentions the family tree of Zelophehad and his five daughters. The five daughters came to Moses and the crowd with a request. They were not only fighting for their inheritance, but also for their father's status. The five daughters made it clear to the congregation that their father died in sin, though it was not related to Korah's betrayal. In the Old Testament, the death of an Israeli man in sin would indeed bring danger to his inheritance. Therefore, this story is about God setting a precedent for similar cases in future generations. For example, Ruth's father-in-law, husband, and brother-in-law died in Moab. Naomi, her mother-in-law, took Ruth back to Judah. Not only did these women lose their husbands, but they also had no sons. Because of this, they lost their inheritance in Israel. However, since Zelophehad's daughters had already asked for protection of their father's status and inheritance, the precedent was set. This precedent helped Ruth and Naomi redeem their inheritance. In Ruth and Naomi's case, their relative Boaz was the one who helped them redeem their property. However, before Boaz could help redeem their land and marry Ruth, he had to give another relative who was closer to Ruth the opportunity to do so. The relative refused, because he knew that if he married Ruth, their son would not belong to him, but to Ruth's father-in-law and husband who had no descendants. He was worried that this would damage his own property. This story reminds us that as sinners, we have lost our inheritance: God himself. Christ came as our Kinsman Redeemer to redeem us, even though we could not redeem ourselves. Jesus came in the Year of Jubilee to give us back our inheritance. He is our elder brother and relative, so he can redeem us. He can return our inheritance (God himself) to us, and allow us to return to our inheritance (God himself). Zelophehad's daughters are from the tribe of Joseph, and Christ is from the tribe of Judah. The story may seem to have nothing to do with the birth of Christ, but it is indeed related. The precedent set in this chapter led to Ruth's redemption by Boaz, who later gave birth to Obed. Obed, in turn, was the father of Jesse, and Jesse was the father of David. David is the ancestor of Christ. Therefore, the main purpose of this story is to prepare for the appearance and salvation of Christ.   The Lord told Moses that if a person dies without sons, he must give the inheritance to his daughters. If there is no daughter, then he must give it to his brother. If there is no brother, then he must give it to the father's brother. If his father had no brothers, then he must give it to the closest relative in the family. This rule eventually paved the way for Ruth to be redeemed. What Zelophehad's daughters did was very commendable. Although their father committed sins and died, God's mercy was extremely generous. This is true in the Old Testament, and even more so in the New Testament. Christ is our Kinsman Redeemer, so we must come to Him without fear and ask for mercy and grace (Hebrews 4:16) Jesus said to his disciples, "Whatever you ask in my name, I will do it, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me something in my name, I will do it." (John 14:13-14) Jesus also said, "If you live in me, my words will live in you. Whatever you want, ask and it will be done for you." Mercy and Justice. The story of Zelophehad's daughters and the story of Moses' inability to enter the Promised Land are put together here so we can recognize the difference between God's mercy and God's justice. Zelophehad's death in sin and Naomi's husband and two sons' deaths in Moab were all due to God's righteous judgment. But God granted Zelophehad's daughters requests and established the principle that Kinsman Redeemers can redeem their relatives.  As a result, the salvation that Naomi and Ruth later obtained was due to God's mercy. The Lord told Moses about his mercy and justice in Exodus 34: "The Lord, the Lord, is a merciful and gracious God, slow to anger, and rich in love and honesty. To save love for thousands of people, to forgive sins, transgressions, and evils, never regard the guilty as innocent. He must be punishable for his sins from his father and his son until three or four generations.” (Exodus 34:6-7) This is God's character and mode of operation. Moses knew this very well. Therefore, when dealing with the complaints of the second generation who wanted water to drink, he should have been full of compassion and grace for the Israelites, not impatience and anger. This is an extremely important principle. Although Moses failed, Paul set a good example in the New Testament. The people in the Corinthian church he established had many complaints and criticisms against him. They also committed many sins, including sins of immorality, such as marrying a stepmother. Paul was very angry with their sin. But when he handled this matter, he was very compassionate. He told the Corinthians to remove fornicators from among them--even handing them over to Satan so they would be physically corrupted, but their spirits would be saved in the day of the Lord (1 Corinthians 5:1-5). However, after Paul heard that the disciples in Corinth had repented, he immediately changed his tone. He asked the disciples in Corinth to forgive the sinners, and Paul forgave them too. He urged for restoration for these people, lest they become too sorrowful and be swallowed up with grief. Paul did not want Satan to take advantage of them through the overly harsh treatment of sin (2 Corinthians 1:11). Paul also said in 1 Corinthians 4:18-21: “Some are arrogant, as though I were not coming to you.  But I will come to you soon, if the Lord wills, and I will find out not the talk of these arrogant people but their power.  For the kingdom of God does not consist in talk but in power.  What do you wish? Shall I come to you with a rod, or with love in a spirit of gentleness?” ESV The people were arrogant because Paul was not there. Paul said that the kingdom of God lies not in words, but in power—and even in the rod of discipline. Paul had the authority and power from God to judge them, just as Moses had God's authority to judge Israel. But Paul's attitude here is very humble, giving the Corinthians choices and begging them to turn from sin. In fact, Paul kept himself under control and stayed humble, pleading with the Corinthians to repent in mercy. Just like Moses and Paul, spiritual leaders in the church today will face similar tests. People will complain or even misunderstand them. Our responses will reflect our knowledge of God's rules and the manifestation of God's life in us. We must remember that God is merciful and gracious. When we face complaints and opposition, we have an amazing opportunity to demonstrate the life of God in us. The more we have God's anointing and authority, the more we should have God's temperament of mercy and kindness. If we lose the mercy and kindness of God, we lose the authority God has given us. The level of our authority lies in the level of the mercy of God manifested in us. When the Lord Jesus was on earth, he had compassion on people who were like sheep without a shepherd. Whether he saw the blind people (Luke 18:35-43) or lepers (Mark 1:41), he had mercy on them. Jesus is the best manifestation of God's temperament. The story of Zelophehad's daughters reveals the compassionate heart of God. Luke 1:78-79 says, “Because of our God's compassionate heart, the morning sun comes to us from high to illuminate those who sit in the darkness and the shadow of death and lead our feet to the path of peace." The story of Moses shows that if believers cannot demonstrate a compassionate heart as we serve Him, then in God's eyes we "do not respect God as holy." We must be strictly disciplined. But God's strict discipline to Moses does not mean you cannot pray for God's mercy or that God won't answer your prayers. If you believe this, you are falling into the enemy's traps. Both stories not only speak of justice, but also of God's mercy. If you are in a similar situation to Zelophehad's daughters, come to God without fear and ask for His mercy. If you are a person who serves God like Moses, remember to show God's mercy in everything so as to honor God as holy. The more we show God's mercy in our service, the more we have God's authority. However, if we lose God's mercy, we will also lose God's authority. I hope that the relationship between these two stories will help you better understand God's mercy and how we can apply it in our lives. We welcome you to come to God's most holy place without fear, ask for grace and mercy, and get help in time of need.

The Old Testament is full of stories of God's saving power, redemption, and grace. Moses, a Hebrew/Israelite, grew up in the palace of the Egyptian Pharaoh (leader/king) as the adopted son of Pharaoh's daughter. While he lived as a prince, his people, the Hebrews, lived as slaves making bricks of mud and straw for Pharaoh's building projects. One day as Moses was visiting the area where his people were working, he saw an Egyptian taskmaster brutally beating one of the Hebrew slaves. Moses was angered by what he saw. When no one was around, Moses found the taskmaster, killed, and buried him in the sand. After Moses realized that his crime had been witnessed and the Egyptians were seeking him, he ran from Egypt and began a new life in a place called Midian. Forty years later, after Pharaoh had died, Moses is watching over sheep and sees a strange phenomenon. He sees a burning bush that does not destroy the bush. God calls out to Moses to approach and take off his shoes because the ground is holy. Moses obeys and God calls him to return to Egypt to lead his people out of slavery to a promised land filled with milk and honey. Moses asks God, who should I say sent me, and what if the Israelites do not believe me? God tells him what to say and gives him the power to perform miracles so the people can see that God is with him. Still hesitant, Moses says that he is a stutterer and cannot speak as a leader. Although God tells him that He will help him, Moses asks God to choose someone else. Angered, God finally tells Moses, fine, He will have Moses' brother, Aaron come and meet him and Aaron will speak for Moses. Moses and Aaron meet after 40 years, Moses tells Aaron everything God has told him. Moses, at the age of 80 returns to Egypt and so begins the journey called Exodus of the children of Israel from slavery and Egypt to freedom and a promised land. How many times have you allowed your past mistakes or sins to haunt you and condemn you so you feel that you are not worthy to become anything but mediocre or a failure in life? Perhaps you had a dream for a business or a calling on your life to be something specific, but you think God is mad at you and you have to continue to pay for your mistakes. Perhaps your confidence keeps getting knocked down because you may still be suffering the consequences of your mistakes and sins.Moses killed a man, hid his sin, and ran away from Egypt's death penalty. God had a purpose for Moses, to lead his people out of slavery into freedom and into their own land. Moses could have become the next Pharaoh had he not killed the Egyptian taskmaster in secret. Although Moses took things into his own hands, God still used Moses, 40 years later to accomplish His plan. Moses had a lot of time to mature and master his negative emotions. When you accept Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior of your life, your sins are forgiven and God does not hold that against you. God can even use your mistakes and turn them around for your good. God wants you to be willing to follow His calling and depend on Him to help you in everything you do. (Proverbs 3:5-6; Jer. 29:11)Prayer for the week:  Dear Heavenly Father, I am praying over this individual's week ahead. I pray that they remember that they are loved by you unconditionally no matter what, faults in all. None of us are perfect lord and we can come to you when we make mistakes or feel bad about the choices we made. I pray that they have the courage this week to step up and keep believing in your goodness over their life and that they have a blessed week in Jesus name amen! -Dayne PS: We just released a limited run of Philippians 4:13 Bracelets. If you would like to support us and pick one up check them out here: 

Knowing Your Purpose. Exodus chapter 2As we approach Passover, we are reminded of one of the most important stories in Judeo-Christian history. Over three thousand years ago the Israelites (Hebrews, Jews) were freed from Egyptian slavery after living in Egypt for 400 years. The Pharaoh (ruler/king of Egypt), at that time, had either forgotten or had never been taught the history of the Israelites, who with God's direction, had saved Egypt from a 7 year famine, and prospered the Pharaohs' wealth and power position in the world during that time. Not only had history been forgotten, the Pharaoh had feared that the Israelites were growing too much in population and may seek to overthrow his government. He enslaved the Jews and put out a command to kill all of the infant boys so that their population of men would not grow and become strong. However, one mother, put her baby, in a waterproof basket, and sent him into the Nile River. His older sister, Miriam, followed the water basket to see where it would go. It happened to float into the river bath of the daughter of Pharaoh who was with her maidens. The princess heard the baby cry and had one of her maidens fetch the basket. When she saw the baby, she loved him, and although she knew he was a Hebrew she wanted him as her son. Moses' sister saw this and quickly approached the princess and told her that she knew of a wet nurse (a woman who could breastfeed a baby after giving birth) that could take care of the baby. The princess agreed and paid to have Moses' mother bring him up until he was older so he could become her son.Moses grew up in privilege, was well educated, and learned the ways of the Egyptians. Because his natural mother brought him up he also learned about his people, the Israelites. When Moses was older he witnessed one of the Egyptians beating up one of the Hebrew slaves. He was so angered, thinking no one was watching, he killed the Egyptian abuser and covered up his crime by burying the body. The next day Moses returned and saw two Hebrews fighting with each other. He tried to break up the fight, then one of them said, “will you kill me too like you did the Egyptian?” Frightened that his crime had been witnessed Moses ran for his life and left Egypt to become a shepherd in a land called Midian, an area away from Egypt. Forty years later God calls Moses to go back to Egypt to get his people out.  Sometimes in life, we make poor choices that disrupt our God given purposes. God saved Moses as a baby so that he could one day free his people. He, however, allowed his anger and emotions to take over when he killed the Egyptian abuser. Although Moses may have been justified in his own eyes, to his fellow kindred, he was worse than the abuser. In the eyes of Pharaoh, he had broken the law and would be subject to death. God can take our messes and turn them around for our good, but it may take time so that we can grow in wisdom and leadership. Ask God to give you wisdom and grace so that you find your purpose without the costly mistakes. (Gen. 50:20; James 1:5; Jer. 29:11) Personal Development Tip of the Week: God has a special calling on your life that he put inside you from the moment you were born.It takes us time to figure out what that purpose is. Ask yourself today, what am I naturally good at and what am I interested in? I do believe that your God given purpose in your life is an intersection between what you are naturally good at and what also interests you. The quality of your life is determined by the quality of questions you ask yourself each day. Remember to ask yourself questions like this each day because you will get answers that can help take you down the path to finding that out for yourself.Maybe it's being a great mom or dad, or a doctor, lawyer, engineer, et

Click the link to watch the video https://youtu.be/tDAviHfs0Bc GREATER GLORY OF GOD Presents Advent Special JOURNEY TO BETHLEHEM Thirteenth Day in the company of Aaron – Priest The elder brother of Moses and Miriam Moses has two biological siblings - a sister called Miriam and a brother called Aaron (Num 26:59). Finally, Aaron is three years Moses' senior (Exod 7:7; also Num 33:38-39 in conjunction with Deut 31:2, 34:7). Although Moses was the actual leader, Aaron acted as his “mouth.” Only Moses was allowed to go near to God Aaron was the FIRST one to be anointed and consecrated a Priest in the entire Bible His two blunders 1. when Moses was delayed on Mount Sinai, made the golden calf that was idolatrously worshiped by the people. 2. Along with Miriam spoke against Moses. In both the incidents, he was left unpunished though people and Miriam were punished. He died when he was 123 In the redeeming work, Aaron's role is one of diminishing into the shadow. In the beginning, he seemed to be coequal with Moese He becomes a shadow at Moses' side He was the priest Jesus through the eyes of Aaron Ø Jesus could be called second Aaron, in the sense of His Priestly character Ø Jesus is the true High Priest Ø Every other priest, before the coming of Jesus, is only a shadow or prefiguration of this High Priest Ø Aaron was eagerly waiting for the High Priest of whom he was only a shadow. Ø He sees the Lamb of God born at Bethlehem and in Egypt Aaron and Moses were commanded by God about the Passover and the Passover Lamb (Prefiguration Ø This High Priest who is also the Lamb would offer Himself up for the redemption of humanity, not only of the Israelites as did the lambs in Egypt. We are also priests through the Sacrament of Baptism, called to follow Jesus, the High Priest, --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/greatergloryofgod/message

This Sunday, as we start into the second week of our sermon series on the life of Moses, we see some important developments in his life. Although Moses is an adopted son blessed to be raised in a palace, he somehow knows where he comes from and he is willing to risk the palace life to defend his brother. Then he runs away from both. Yet he remains on God's radar wherever he goes.Have you ever struggled to find who you fit in with? And as Moses seems to get ahead of God in rescuing His people, have you ever struggled to wait on the Lord... taking matters into your own hands instead? Maybe you feel like you have completely missed the plans of God for your life and don't believe He could ever use you now. What does God have you reflecting on this week?Support the show (https://www.emmettnaz.org/give.html)

June 28 Sunday 2020 Pastor John Mathis / Fathers-The Glory Of Children / http://clevelandchristianfellowship.com / Share This Podcast On Your Social Media Cleveland Christian Fellowship 695 South Ocoee st. Cleveland Tn. 37311 http://clevelandchristianfellowship.com https://www.facebook.com/Cleveland-Christian-Fellowship-295109417759943/ Fathers—The Glory of Children Proverbs 17:6 6 Children's children are the Crown of old men and the Glory of Children are their Fathers (who live Godly lives) I take pride in my Father. A lot of who I am today can be attributed to him.   My Dad was a man of Honor/Integrity.  As a soldier He taught me a love for this great country and the flag of the United States of America (a flag that waves high on a flagpole in his front yard today). He Taught me to honor the office of the President—no matter who may hold that position, whether you agree with their politics or not.  As a police officer, he taught me to respect all men—especially those in Authority.  As an employee and later a boss, He taught me the value of a dollar and to have an appreciation for putting in a good hard day's work.   As a father he taught me to “respect myself" and as a husband to love my wife and family by being a good provider and their biggest fan—always an encourager.  And most recently as a grandfather/great-grandfather, he's teaching me about taking time to cherish the rare and special moments in life. He's still an Example of a Good Father to my family today A Good Father is one of the most unsung, upraised, unnoticed, and yet one of the most valuable assets in our society. Billy Graham Good parents teach you about a Good God—both by Precept and by Example 1 Thessalonians 2:8, 11 8 Having thus a fond affection for you, we were well-pleased to impart to you NOT ONLY the Gospel of God, but also our own lives, because you were dear to us 11 As you know how we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you, as a father does his children Children become who you are—so be who you want them to be.  You can be sure that “Everything you say to your child is absorbed, catalogued and remembered!” THEY ARE LISTENING Genesis 18:19 The Lord said of Abraham 19 For I know him that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgement; that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him We come from all walks of life (regions of the country, backgrounds, traditions [sports teams], religions) so we were all raised different—But Thank God we are NOW all in the Household of Faith! We have the same Heavenly Father Proverb: A statement of truth or a piece of advice  Proverbs 4:10  10 Children (instructions of a father…) Listen to me, do as I say, and you will have a long, good life NLT Ephesians 6:1-3 Ps 55:23 23 The deceitful shall live out half of their days—you have a choice—and you can Choose Wrongly—Choose Wisely My Advice To Fathers… 1. Walk in the Wisdom of God (Proverbs) Proverbs 4:1-10 Knowledge speaks, but Wisdom Listens (let them dream…) Dads: You are what you Do, not what you Say you'll do (don't make broken promises— Be a Man of Your Word) Be a Man of the Word (devotional life, church attendance) Psalm 92:14 14 Those that are planted in the house of the Lord shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing 2. Walk in Health (long life) I like the way Brother Copeland put it—your health has to become your second job (in order to live a long, satisfying life) It will lead to long life—your family needs you around to impart the Wisdom of God to generations to come Deuteronomy 34:7 7 Although Moses was 120yrs old when he died, his eye was not dim, nor his vigor abated (His eyesight was sharp and he still had a spring in his step TMB) 3 John 2 3. Walk in Peace and Safety and Stability Create an atmosphere of Peace and Security in the home  Deut 33:25 25 May the bolts of your gate be of iron and bronze. May you be secure all your days 25 So will your strength, your rest, and your security be AMP One of the greatest things you could give your family is the gift of Security and Stability 4. Walk in Love and Forgiveness Be Quick to Repent when you're Wrong and Quick to Forgive—Set the Standard of forgiveness in the home Love your wife “in front of the family” (treat her like the “great catch” she once was and always should be) 5. Walk in Abundance—Be a Provider 1 Timothy 5:8 8 But if any man does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his own household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever John 10:10 Let the Abundant Life Dominate you/your family Psalm 112:1-3 1 Blessed is the man that fears the Lord, that delights greatly in His commandments 2 His seed shall be mighty upon the earth: the generation of the upright shall be blessed 3 Wealth and riches shall (always) be in his house Job 36:11 11 If you obey and serve Him, you shall spend your days in prosperity and your years in pleasure Let your life Honor God—even if you have to do it Alone.  It would seem that in today's society that Masculinity/Fatherhood is a thing of the past—but not with you! John Mathis ccfjcm@aol.com Website https://the-prodigalson.com Email the-prodigalson@outlook.com YouVersion Bible App https://my.bible.com iOS App https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/prodigal-son/id1450529518?mt=8 Android App https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=tv.wizzard.android.prodical Social Media https://www.facebook.com/The-Prodigal-SON-209069136315959/ https://www.facebook.com/noreligion1511/ https://twitter.com/noreligion1511 https://www.instagram.com/noreligion1511/

Today's Bible Readings: Exodus 33; John 12; Proverbs 9; Ephesians 2One cannot understand Exodus 33 without grasping two things: (1) The tabernacle had not yet been built. The “tent of meeting” pitched outside the camp (33:7) where Moses went to seek the face of God must therefore have been a temporary arrangement. (2) The theme of judgment trails on from the wretched episode of the golden calf. God says he will not go with his people; he will merely send an angel to help them (33:1-3).So Moses continues with his intercession (33:12-13). While dwelling on the fact that this nation is the Lord’s people, Moses now wants to know who will go with him. (Aaron is so terribly compromised.) Moses himself still wants to know and follow God’s ways. God replies, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest” (33:14). But how does this square with the Lord’s threat to do no more than send an angel, to keep away from the people so that he does not destroy them in his anger? So Moses presses on: “If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here [angel or no!]” (33:15). What else, finally, distinguishes this fledgling nation from all other nations but the presence of the living God (33:16)?And the Lord promises, “I will do the very thing you have asked, because I am pleased with you and I know you by name” (33:17).Although Moses continues to pray along these lines in the next chapter (34:9), the glorious fact is that God no longer speaks of abandoning his people. When the tabernacle is built, it is installed in the midst of the twelve tribes.Three brief reflections: (1) These chapters exemplify the truth that God is a jealous God (Ex. 20:5; 34:14). For one human being to be jealous of another is sinful: we are finite, and we are called to be stewards of what we have received, not jealous of others. But for God not to be jealous of his own sovereign glory and right would be a formidable failure: he would be disowning his own unique significance as God, implicitly conceding that his image-bearers have the right to independence. (2) God is said to “relent” about forty times in the Old Testament. Such passages demonstrate his personal interactions with other people. When all forty are read together, several patterns emerge — including the integration of God’s “relenting” with his sovereign will. (3) Wonderfully, when Moses asks to see God’s glory, God promises to display his goodness (33:18 -19). It is no accident that the supreme manifestation of the glory of God in John’s gospel is in the cross.This podcast is designed to be used alongside TGC's Read The Bible initiative (TGC.org/readthebible). The podcast features devotional commentaries from D.A. Carson’s book For the Love of God (vol. 1) that follow the M’Cheyne Bible reading plan.

Although Moses made many great choices in his life, on this particular instance, he made the painful choice of pride instead of humility. Learn five fatal flaws of pride from this week's message.

Deuteronomy 25: More Rules to Live By | The law is spelled out in practical terms in this chapter, including scenarios that are vividly depicted so that the people can understand how to practically apply the law to specific and various situations in their lives. Although Moses can't cover every forseeable circumstance, this chapter provides a glimpse into how the principles of the law, namely loving your neighbor as yourself, works in a person's life from day to day.Journey 7 | Promises Kept. Journey Seven returns to Jesus' story, as Matthew presents Christ as the coming King and fulfillment of God's promises. In the Old Testament, Deuteronomy brings us to the edge of the Promised Land as Moses reminds Israel of God's faithfulness and challenges them to trust God for the road ahead. Then Hebrews connects the dots between the testaments, and 2nd Corinthians digs in to the heart of ministry. (91 days)Teacher: Peyton JonesAbout TTW: When the Bible is confusing, Through the Word explains it with clear and concise audio guides for every chapter. The TTW Podcast follows 19 Journeys covering every book and chapter in the Bible. Each journey is an epic adventure through several Bible books, as your favorite pastors explain each chapter with clear explanation and insightful application. Understand the Bible in just ten minutes a day, and join us for all 19 Journeys on the TTW podcast or TTW app!Get the App: https://throughtheword.orgContact: https://throughtheword.org/contactDonate: https://throughtheword.org/givingDeuteronomy 25 Themes: justice, innocence, honestyDeuteronomy 25 Tags: marriage, accuracy, business, ethics, inheritanceKey Verses: Quotes: Audio & Text © 2011-2021 Through the Word™ Inc. All rights reserved worldwide.Bible Quotes: The Holy Bible New International Version® NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission of Biblica, Inc.® All rights reserved worldwide.

Deuteronomy 24: Rules to Live By | The law is spelled out in practical terms in this chapter, including scenarios that are vividly depicted so that the people can understand how to practically apply the law to specific and various situations in their lives. Although Moses can't cover every forseeable circumstance, this chapter provides a glimpse into how the principles of the law, namely loving your neighbor as yourself, works in a person's life from day to day.Journey 7 | Promises Kept. Journey Seven returns to Jesus' story, as Matthew presents Christ as the coming King and fulfillment of God's promises. In the Old Testament, Deuteronomy brings us to the edge of the Promised Land as Moses reminds Israel of God's faithfulness and challenges them to trust God for the road ahead. Then Hebrews connects the dots between the testaments, and 2nd Corinthians digs in to the heart of ministry. (91 days)Teacher: Peyton JonesAbout TTW: When the Bible is confusing, Through the Word explains it with clear and concise audio guides for every chapter. The TTW Podcast follows 19 Journeys covering every book and chapter in the Bible. Each journey is an epic adventure through several Bible books, as your favorite pastors explain each chapter with clear explanation and insightful application. Understand the Bible in just ten minutes a day, and join us for all 19 Journeys on the TTW podcast or TTW app!Get the App: https://throughtheword.orgContact: https://throughtheword.org/contactDonate: https://throughtheword.org/givingDeuteronomy 24 Themes: obedience, marriage, divorceDeuteronomy 24 Tags: faithfulness, kidnapping, leprosy, loans, honesty, responsibility, justice, immigrants, harvest, orphans, protectionKey Verses: Quotes: Audio & Text © 2011-2021 Through the Word™ Inc. All rights reserved worldwide.Bible Quotes: The Holy Bible New International Version® NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission of Biblica, Inc.® All rights reserved worldwide.

Deuteronomy 22: Practically Loving Your Neighbors | The law is spelled out in practical terms in this chapter, including scenarios that are vividly depicted so that the people can understand how to practically apply the law to specific and various situations in their lives. Although Moses can't cover every forseeable circumstance, this chapter provides a glimpse into how the principles of the law, namely loving your neighbor as yourself, works in a person's life from day to day.Journey 7 | Promises Kept. Journey Seven returns to Jesus' story, as Matthew presents Christ as the coming King and fulfillment of God's promises. In the Old Testament, Deuteronomy brings us to the edge of the Promised Land as Moses reminds Israel of God's faithfulness and challenges them to trust God for the road ahead. Then Hebrews connects the dots between the testaments, and 2nd Corinthians digs in to the heart of ministry. (91 days)Teacher: Peyton JonesAbout TTW: When the Bible is confusing, Through the Word explains it with clear and concise audio guides for every chapter. The TTW Podcast follows 19 Journeys covering every book and chapter in the Bible. Each journey is an epic adventure through several Bible books, as your favorite pastors explain each chapter with clear explanation and insightful application. Understand the Bible in just ten minutes a day, and join us for all 19 Journeys on the TTW podcast or TTW app!Get the App: https://throughtheword.orgContact: https://throughtheword.org/contactDonate: https://throughtheword.org/givingDeuteronomy 22 Themes: neighbors, love, communityDeuteronomy 22 Tags: fellowship, marriage, honestyKey Verses: Quotes: Audio & Text © 2011-2021 Through the Word™ Inc. All rights reserved worldwide.Bible Quotes: The Holy Bible New International Version® NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission of Biblica, Inc.® All rights reserved worldwide.

Although Moses complains about having what he calls “uncircumcised lips,” God makes it clear He’s going to use him to deliver His message to Pharaoh (Pastor Gene Pensiero)

Although Moses complains about having what he calls “uncircumcised lips,” God makes it clear He’s going to use him to deliver His message to Pharaoh (Pastor Gene Pensiero)

Although Moses complains about having what he calls “uncircumcised lips,” God makes it clear He’s going to use him to deliver His message to Pharaoh (Pastor Gene Pensiero)

Although Moses complains about having what he calls “uncircumcised lips,” God makes it clear He’s going to use him to deliver His message to Pharaoh (Pastor Gene Pensiero)

What drives us to lead busy lives? Why do we always say “yes?” Is it our desire to be effective and successful, or is it our desire to feel important? To create space in our lives, we need to understand what drives us to fill up our calendars and overcommit ourselves. Although Moses appeared to be deeply connected to God, his family, and his community, he struggled with creating space in his calendar for the things that mattered most. Join us this week as we learn what drives us to stay busy and how we can create space in our lives to be effective and to find meaning and joy. Speaker: Jeff Jones, Senior Pastor

DR. JERRY O. LEE PRESENTS EXODUS ESCAPE 24, THE BLESSINGS AND THE SPIRITUAL FACTORS FOR ISRAEL'S JOURNEY OF PURSUE TO OWN THE PROMISE LAND... The LORD called to Moses and said: come up to the top of the mountain. Then Moses went up to the top of the mountain where the LORD was standing...(Exodus 19:20 KJV). It is a climb of acclivity to reach the top of most any mountain. It takes strength, determination, and a dedication of purpose. There is a view from a mountain top that is usually superior. Often the glory of what is NOT at first comprehended exists as mysterious luminaries. Those luminaries were no doubt Zzith space ships, one of which lowered the LORD to the mountain for his meeting with Moses. The seeing of something the human mind is not acquainted with and has no vocabulary to describe can be a daunting experience. With the awakening that was coming to Moses an event of bringing the beauty and power of the spiritual world as unfolded into the physical realm of the said mountain top... was at hand. The ordinary was being set aside. This was a new kind of time not related to dials of time but related to the power of a new order of the mind's way of thinking. The God LORD was about to teach Moses many inward principles about spiritual life. A spiritual contemplation was developing in Moses quite opposite to his raising. The truth of God's existence was for some time no longer a philosophical, metaphysical, speculation to Moses, but this mountain top experience was even more toward an awesome heavenly level of reveal. God's "First Born Blessing" revelation was upon Moses to know and to administer. (Exodus 13:1-2 KJV). Although Moses did not know it at first this was about the New Testament revelation about the Church of the First Born in Heaven. To understand this he would first need to understand such major knowledge as who the mortals were, why were they on earth, and what was the plan of salvation. This awesome knowledge could not be contained only in the partial reveal of that subject by Abraham, and Job. Moses was shown a deeper side with a great far reaching. The power also of the Blessings and the Curses was a factor for overcoming and Moses taught his people about it as the Israelites passed by the mount of Blessings and the Mountain of Curses. The message of the leaven and unleavened bread was a deep teaching about the spirit effect within the human body and was tied into the awesome revelation of the Passover. Also, the use of the offering lamb was a symbol of the Lamb in life's mirror into the salvation offering of redemption by Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ was the One who would rise in ministry like unto himself. Although the ministry of Moses did not reach perfection, the blame was mostly on those rebellious persons of the tribes who challenged every miracle. Moses was a warrior and he sought to destroy opposition from every angle, and at the end of his life for that, he was denied to physically enter the Promise Land. However, in the duality he was accounted true to his call as his flesh could stand to be, and he would not be denied to stand spiritually in the Promise Land on the mount of translation with Jesus Christ. In the translation on that mount, Moses would be made to shine by the Christ who in time on the cross, would ask God to forgive those persons who participated in their minds to crucified Him because they knew not what they were doing. On the backside of the desert Moses doing a job of family obligation and making a living, discovered the burning bush and the Mountain of God. Different dimensions have different reveals. The First Book of Moses was called Genesis. It is rich beyond imagination and its revelation and knowledge has barely been scratched. The story of angels, the story of the Fathers, the story of love and sin and overcoming is plush with descriptions. Moses was a "say it like it is" kind of person, and the LORD loved him for that aspect of his character. When you journey through the five books of Moses it prepares you to meet the Rock of ages who was deeply involved as leader of the holy cloud array of zziths and His thousands of angels (Psalms 68:17 KJV) who were definitely present to guide the Exodus Escape happening. The Manifester Yada has been revealed volumes regarding the Exodus Escape story and most of the whole that is a foundation and part of that incredible reality. I the Manifester Yada bid you at this opportunity of a lifetime to not fail hearing these teachings. DR. JERRY O. LEE, D.D., THE MANIFESTER YADA > (=MANIFESTATIONS OF KNOWLEDGE).

Moses could observe what Joshua was going to experience but he would never experience it himself. Although Moses would never experience it, he received a mandate from heaven to encourage and strengthen Joshua. The simple admonition was "encourage him." During an era of great discouragement, we must encourage one another even if we have never experienced what the other is going through.