Thou shalt see the land before thee; but thou shalt not go thither unto the land which I give the children of Israel. Deuteronomy 32:52.
As he [Moses] looked back upon his experience as a leader of God’s people, one wrong act marred the record. If that transgression could be blotted out, he felt that he would not shrink from death. He was assured that repentance, and faith in the promised Sacrifice, were all that God required, and again Moses confessed his sin and implored pardon in the name of Jesus.
And now a panoramic view of the Land of Promise was presented to him. Every part of the country was spread out before him, not faint and uncertain in the dim distance, but standing out clear, distinct, and beautiful to his delighted vision. In this scene it was presented, not as it then appeared, but as it would become, with God’s blessing upon it, in the possession of Israel. He seemed to be looking upon a second Eden. There were mountains clothed with cedars of Lebanon, hills gray with olives and fragrant with the odor of the vine, wide green plains bright with flowers and rich in fruitfulness, here the palm trees of the tropics, there waving fields of wheat and barley, sunny valleys musical with the ripple of brooks and the song of birds, goodly cities and fair gardens, lakes rich in “the abundance of the seas,” grazing flocks upon the hillsides, and even amid the rocks the wild bee’s hoarded treasures….
Moses saw the chosen people established in Canaan, each of the tribes in its own possession. He had a view of their history after the settlement of the Promised Land; the long, sad story of their apostasy and its punishment was spread out before him. He saw them, because of their sins, dispersed among the heathen, the glory departed from Israel, her beautiful city in ruins, and her people captives in strange lands. He saw them restored to the land of their fathers, and at last brought under the dominion of Rome.
He was permitted to look down the stream of time and behold the first advent of our Saviour. He saw Jesus as a babe in Bethlehem…. He followed the Saviour to Gethsemane, and beheld the agony in the garden, the betrayal, the mockery and scourging—the crucifixion….
Still another scene opens to his view—the earth freed from the curse, lovelier than the fair Land of Promise so lately spread out before him. There is no sin, and death cannot enter. There the nations of the saved find their eternal home.—Patriarchs and Prophets, 472-477.
Christ Triumphant p. 128
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Prayer Requests
—-Please pray for E and her children. R
—-Please continue to pray for baby Wyatt. He is doing better but is still in need of prayer. Jennifer
—–Special prayer request for Linda who was anointed for healing of pancreatic cancer. Cindy
—-please lift up my pastor, Pastor Mike. He had a massive heart attack on Friday the 5th. Danita
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Dear Friends,
Often, as my children were expanding their world to include friends from church or the neighborhood, they would sometimes ask permission to do something or to go somewhere, that they knew was not permitted in our family. When I would remind them of that fact, they would say, “But everyone else is doing it.” Then I would again explain the reason why they should not partake in that particular activity. As they entered the teen years, this desire to be like their friends or classmates strengthened, but we held firm. At times, they thought we were being mean, but it was for a far different reason that we denied them some forbidden pleasure. We had a duty to God to do all we could to keep their feet on the right path.
How often the children of Israel out of Egypt looked around at the nations around them and wanted to be like them. God had intended for them to be different. He had wonderful plans for them. He made them the depositaries of His law, a law they were to share with those around them. He wanted them to be the example to other nations. He greatly desired them to show His great love to all the world. If they had fulfilled His plans for them, what a different world we would have today.
Sadly, they did not share the knowledge of the True God with the nations around them. Instead, they worshiped the false gods of those heathen nations. They even asked for a king so that they could be like the nations around them. They rejected God, because they did not want to be different. He had poured out His blessings upon them, but they turned from Him. Through the prophets, He tried to reason with them, but they would not hear. With tears in His voice our Great Redeemer pled, “What iniquity have your fathers found in me, that they are gone far from me, and have walked after vanity, and are become vain?” Jer 2:5 “As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die?” Eze 33:11
How many times we are guilty of the same. Our Dear Redeemer has led us out of the world to be lights in the world, yet how often we mimic those around us who know not the way to eternal life. He greatly desires that there be a difference between ourselves and those who do not follow Him. “For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God” to those perishing in their iniquities. 2 Cor 4:6 Our Dear Saviour longs for us to be His special people. Are we making the same choices as did the children of Israel?
Paul advises, “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” 2 Cor 6:14-7:1
Our Great Creator longs for us to follow His plan, that the world may be ready for His coming. Are we proclaiming the Good News? Are we letting Him lead in our life or do we want to be just like the world? Do our lives reflect the love, the kindness, the goodness of God or are we just like those who follow Him not? Since we have accepted Christ’s great sacrifice, His love, His changing power, has there been indeed a change in our heart, in our life? Our Maker has promised to remake us, to mold us into His image if we allow Him to do so. “A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.” Eze 36:26,27 Moreover, we are not to keep our walk with the Lord hidden for fear that someone will notice that we are different. No! Jesus commands, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” Mat 5:16
May we allow our Great Redeemer to take control of our life and help those around us to turn from the way that leads to destruction and travel the upward path to the Kingdom of Heaven is my prayer.
Rose