Numbers 27
12 One day the Lord said to Moses, “Climb one of the mountains east of the river, and look out over the land I have given the people of Israel. 13 After you have seen it, you will die like your brother, Aaron, 14 for you both rebelled against my instructions in the wilderness of Zin. When the people of Israel rebelled, you failed to demonstrate my holiness to them at the waters.” (These are the waters of Meribah at Kadesh[c] in the wilderness of Zin.)
15 Then Moses said to the Lord, 16 “O Lord, you are the God who gives breath to all creatures. Please appoint a new man as leader for the community. 17 Give them someone who will guide them wherever they go and will lead them into battle, so the community of the Lord will not be like sheep without a shepherd.”
18 The Lord replied, “Take Joshua son of Nun, who has the Spirit in him, and lay your hands on him. 19 Present him to Eleazar the priest before the whole community, and publicly commission him to lead the people. 20 Transfer some of your authority to him so the whole community of Israel will obey him. 21 When direction from the Lord is needed, Joshua will stand before Eleazar the priest, who will use the Urim—one of the sacred lots cast before the Lord—to determine his will. This is how Joshua and the rest of the community of Israel will determine everything they should do.”
22 So Moses did as the Lord commanded. He presented Joshua to Eleazar the priest and the whole community. 23 Moses laid his hands on him and commissioned him to lead the people, just as the Lord had commanded through Moses.
A couple of things come to mind as I read this passage. First, Moses has confirmed, the punishment for his disobedience from striking the rock to make water come forth, when he was supposed to speak to that rock instead. Second, Moses is deeply concerned for the people of Israel and for the need to have a strong leader to keep that rebellious bunch in line. God takes care of everything. He allows Moses to see the Promised Land before Moses dies, and God establishes the successor to Moses in the person of Joshua. God is faithful and just. Moses is obedient. I would do well to follow Moses in obedience to God’s Word.
Showing posts with label Moses. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Moses. Show all posts
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Changing God's Mind
Exodus 32
11 But Moses tried to pacify the Lord his God. “O Lord!” he said. “Why are you so angry with your own people whom you brought from the land of Egypt with such great power and such a strong hand? 12 Why let the Egyptians say, ‘Their God rescued them with the evil intention of slaughtering them in the mountains and wiping them from the face of the earth’? Turn away from your fierce anger. Change your mind about this terrible disaster you have threatened against your people! 13 Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. You bound yourself with an oath to them, saying, ‘I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars of heaven. And I will give them all of this land that I have promised to your descendants, and they will possess it forever.’”
14 So the Lord changed his mind about the terrible disaster he had threatened to bring on his people.
Since God knows how everything turns out in the end because God operates outside of linear time, how is it that Moses could “change” God’s mind regarding the “terrible disaster” God threatened to bring on the children of Israel. I would submit that it wasn’t God’s mind that needed some changing here, but Moses’ mind that had to be prepared to lead this stubborn people to where God wanted them led. Remember, this is the same Moses who tried to weasel his way out of this when God appeared in the burning bush. This is the same people who will grumble, complain, make idols, and test Moses’ patience at every turn. No, I submit that God’s mind wasn’t the one being worked on here; it was Moses’. God is the Master Psychologist after all. Moses needed to love these people enough to plead their case, not just in front of Pharaoh, but in front of the Lord God Almighty! Only a powerful love for those people could compel Moses to do such a thing. Isn’t that the kind of love Jesus has for His people today? Isn’t that the kind of love I should have for people? Do I love people strongly enough to try to “change God’s mind” about them. Now, that IS a goal worthy of pursuing!
11 But Moses tried to pacify the Lord his God. “O Lord!” he said. “Why are you so angry with your own people whom you brought from the land of Egypt with such great power and such a strong hand? 12 Why let the Egyptians say, ‘Their God rescued them with the evil intention of slaughtering them in the mountains and wiping them from the face of the earth’? Turn away from your fierce anger. Change your mind about this terrible disaster you have threatened against your people! 13 Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. You bound yourself with an oath to them, saying, ‘I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars of heaven. And I will give them all of this land that I have promised to your descendants, and they will possess it forever.’”
14 So the Lord changed his mind about the terrible disaster he had threatened to bring on his people.
Since God knows how everything turns out in the end because God operates outside of linear time, how is it that Moses could “change” God’s mind regarding the “terrible disaster” God threatened to bring on the children of Israel. I would submit that it wasn’t God’s mind that needed some changing here, but Moses’ mind that had to be prepared to lead this stubborn people to where God wanted them led. Remember, this is the same Moses who tried to weasel his way out of this when God appeared in the burning bush. This is the same people who will grumble, complain, make idols, and test Moses’ patience at every turn. No, I submit that God’s mind wasn’t the one being worked on here; it was Moses’. God is the Master Psychologist after all. Moses needed to love these people enough to plead their case, not just in front of Pharaoh, but in front of the Lord God Almighty! Only a powerful love for those people could compel Moses to do such a thing. Isn’t that the kind of love Jesus has for His people today? Isn’t that the kind of love I should have for people? Do I love people strongly enough to try to “change God’s mind” about them. Now, that IS a goal worthy of pursuing!
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