- araratchurch
- May 4, 2023
- 3 min read
“Then Moses lifted his hand and struck the rock twice with his rod; and water came out abundantly, and the congregation and their animals drank. Then the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not believe Me, to hallow Me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them.””
Numbers 20:11-12 NKJV
Most Christians are familiar with the story of Jonah. We are told that the Lord instructed him to go warn Nineveh that they would be destroyed in 40 days. But, instead of going to Nineveh, Jonah got on a ship to Tarshish. It was from that ship that he was cast into the sea where a great fish swallowed him. After three days and nights the fish vomited Jonah onto the land. Jonah then went and preached to Nineveh as the Lord had originally commanded him.
The problem was—from Jonah’s point of view—that the people of Nineveh repented with sackcloth and ashes, causing the Lord to relent from the disaster He had determined for them.
We are told that God’s mercy on Nineveh caused Jonah to become so angry that he asked God to take his life.
“He prayed to the Lord and said, “O Lord, is this not what I said when I was still in my country? That is why I ran to Tarshish, because I knew that You are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and great in lovingkindness, and [when sinners turn to You] You revoke the [sentence of] disaster [against them]. Therefore now, O Lord, just take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live.””
Jonah 4:2-3 AMP
Some suppose that Jonah’s anger was because his prophecy did not come to pass. But, the context seems to indicate that Jonah wanted Nineveh to be destroyed because of their great wickedness.
You see, Nineveh was the capital of Assyria and the Assyrians were enemies of Israel.
It may be easy for us to look at Jonah‘s response to the Lord‘s mercy and judge him harshly. However, it is very easy to allow other people’s wickedness to cause your love to become weak, or nonexistent.
Jesus, in referencing the end times, points out the fact that rampant sin will cause people to lose that “loving feeling.”
“And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. But he who endures to the end shall be saved.”
Matthew 24:12-13 NKJV
In our opening scripture we see that Moses, having been instructed by the Lord to speak to the rock from which would come water for the people, in his anger, twice strikes the rock. This action caused him to forfeit the opportunity to lead the children of Israel into the promised land. In disobeying the Lord in front of the people, he allowed his anger at their sin, cause him to sin!
You see, if the enemy of your soul can’t get you one way, he will try another. If you won’t participate in sin, he will try to provoke anger and resentment in you concerning the sinners, such that your own love is siphoned away, causing you to displease the Lord.
Let’s keep our eyes on Jesus. Remember, even while dying an excruciating death, He asked the Lord to forgive those who were doing this to Him.
Of course, we know that sin does not forever go unpunished. Those who live lawlessly will eventually be destroyed by that lawlessness. But—in the meantime—let’s make sure that other people’s sin doesn’t cause us to join them in displeasing the Lord.
Peace to you.
Jesus is coming! Get ready for Him!
- araratchurch
- May 3, 2023
- 3 min read
“But they presumed to go up to the mountaintop. Nevertheless, neither the ark of the covenant of the Lord nor Moses departed from the camp. Then the Amalekites and the Canaanites who dwelt in that mountain came down and attacked them, and drove them back as far as Hormah.”
Numbers 14:44-45 NKJV
As we discussed in our Word of the Day series on “The Year of Realization,” when Esther expressed reluctance to approach the king concerning the plot of Haman, Mordecai said this to her:
“And Mordecai told them to answer Esther: “Do not think in your heart that you will escape in the king’s palace any more than all the other Jews. For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?””
Esther 4:13-14 NKJV
Mordecai was sure that God would bring help to the Jews even if Esther didn’t do what she was sent to do; but, Esther would have missed her appointment.
We often reference the sad occasion when Jesus said this about Jerusalem:
“For days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment around you, surround you and close you in on every side, and level you, and your children within you, to the ground; and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not know the time of your visitation.”
Luke 19:43-44 NKJV
In Jesus Christ, God personally visited the Jews, offering them the salvation they had been seeking. But, when they did not recognize that He was their answer, that opportunity was missed, leaving them to face terrible destruction.
On Day 6 of “The Prophetic Word” we referenced Esau in talking about not letting delay cause you to forfeit your promise. Let’s consider the commentary offered by the writer of Hebrews concerning Esau‘s selling of his birthright:
“lest there be any fornicator or profane person like Esau, who for one morsel of food sold his birthright. For you know that afterward, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought it diligently with tears.”
Hebrews 12:16-17 NKJV
Here, the writer of Hebrews points out the fact that Esau could not go back and regain his birthright. What was done,
was done.
In the parable of the wise and foolish virgins Jesus instructs that there is a time when it becomes too late. Too late for what? In this case, too late to go to the wedding.
In our opening scripture we see that the children of Israel, having rejected the command to go take the Promised Land, now presumptuously decide to go and do what they formerly refused to do. But, now it’s a day late and they are a dollar short. The Lord would not go with them. Yet, rather than listening to Moses’ admonition for them not to do so, they went and experienced a great defeat.
Now, today’s word is not an attempt to in any way take away from God‘s forgiveness and His new mercies given every day. But, the fact is that there are specific appointments in God‘s plan, specific events that will take place at specific times. And, if the first person who was called to be a part of that move, refuses or is indecisive, the Lord will move on to someone else. His will, will not be thwarted just because we can’t decide or we won’t believe. Our moment, our opportunity to do that thing, may well be gone.
Whereas the missing of an opportunity will not necessarily lead to the losing of your salvation, it certainly will be the losing of that particular opportunity.
Dear friend, let us stay sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit and keep our faith built up. In that way we will be ready to do what we may be called to do, when we are called to do it. Failing to do so, could mean that we have missed our moment.
Peace to you.
Jesus is coming! Get ready for Him!
- araratchurch
- May 3, 2023
- 3 min read
“Why is the Lord bringing us into this land, to fall by the sword? Our wives and our little ones will become a prey. Would it not be better for us to go back to Egypt?" And they said to one another, "Let us choose a leader and go back to Egypt."”
Numbers 14:3-4 ESV
One day as Jesus was walking along the road to Jerusalem, He was encountered by people who wanted to follow Him. But, they had excuses as to why they couldn’t immediately follow. One said that he would follow Jesus, but first needed to say goodbye to his family. Jesus responded to him with this:
“Jesus said to him, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God."”
Luke 9:62 ESV
The life Jesus was living was not an easy life. He went from place to place doing the will of the Father. He also knew that the time was near that He would be betrayed. There was no need for anyone to start out walking with Him if they had any reservations.
Given, we are not facing the same types of challenges Jesus’ disciples faced. However, the walk of faith can be very difficult—if not impossible—for the double-minded. Whereas a life of following Christ is full of great joy, it is also full of great challenges that can only be navigated by keeping our eyes on Him.
Now, by the grace of God, we hope that most Christians will stay the course and not turn back; however, the tendency to look back when pressure comes, will prove to undermine the Christian walk.
Sadly, we are instructed that one of the signs we will see right before the coming of Jesus Christ is that of a great “falling away” (Apostasy) of those who were once faithful to Christ.
“Let no one in any way deceive or entrap you, for that day will not come unless the apostasy comes first [that is, the great rebellion, the abandonment of the faith by professed Christians], and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction [the Antichrist, the one who is destined to be destroyed],”
2 Thessalonians 2:3 AMP
In our opening scripture we see one of the many times when the children of Israel expressed their desire to go back to Egypt. Now, bear in mind, they were in bondage in Egypt. Indeed, they were required to work very hard and were abused. Yet—faced with the prospect of having to fight—they looked back with fondness at a time when they were slaves!
Remember, the enemy of your soul wants to keep you looking back. Some look back and can’t get past who they were, allowing guilt and shame to keep them from walking an abundant life in Jesus Christ. Others, look back to the pleasures of sin and begin to desire that more than what God offers.
Let us not fall prey to the effort of the enemy to have us always looking back. At the very least, looking back while trying to go forward, is fraught with the danger of stumbling and falling.
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up.”
Hebrews 12:1-3 NLT
The Lord leads, guides, and upholds us with His precious Holy Spirit in this life and promises glory in eternity. Let’s stay the course, keeping our eyes on Jesus, lest, in looking back, we forfeit it all.
Peace to you.
Jesus is coming! Get ready for Him!