The BOOK – Murmurings

The children of Israel were saved to serve. So is every Child of God today. Numbers can be called as Wilderness Wandering from Sinai to the border of Canaan, covering about 40 years. In this book we can see, from the beginning till the end it is filled with the Spirit of rebellion against God. This shows the failure of Israel at Kadesh-barnea and the consequent wanderings in the wilderness. Starting of this book shows the failure of the nation and the closing chapters of the book records Israel’s return to Jehovah’s favour and final victory, even in the wilderness.

While the annals of many powerful nations of the same time are lost to the world, Israel was preserved. God was patient with them because the Messiah was to come from this people. In the present age also the nation and people of Israel are being restored after a long gap because God is having plans for them and the world. Even in our life there are certain times God shows patience for us to come back to him and do his will.

When you see in-depth, the book covers order and discipline. Only someone who is saved can serve and worship God. If you are a Christian, if you are saved, then you are saved to serve. We are not saved by good works, but we are saved to do good works. Moses brought the people to the Promised Land, but it was Joshua who got them in the land. Same way in Galatians 3:24 Paul tells, so the law was our guardian until Christ came that we might be justified by faith. 

5 names which are mentioned and detailed in this book are

• ·         Moses – the great leader
• ·         Aaron – the high priest, Moses brother
• ·         Miriam – Moses and Aaron's sister
• ·         Joshua and Caleb – 2 spies who dared to believe God, the only men of their generation who lived to enter Canaan

Here the book takes us to a journey from Sinai to Kadesh, Kadesh around back to Kadesh and from Kadesh straight to the border of Canaan. It was God’s plan that the children of Israel should go straight into the land he promised, but the people would not. At Kadesh, God told, except Joshua and Caleb everyone else will die. Even God did not allow Moses to enter. Even though Moses was close with God, he also got the punishment. We remember because of being irritated by people, Moses hit the rock for water whereas God told him to speak to the rock. In worldly sight, it might be a small mistake. But God considers it big as Moses was not a normal Israelite; he was walking close with God. So it makes us understand, if you are walking close with God, and if you do the same mistake or blunder as any other worldly person does, the punishment for you will be greater compared to the other worldly person. 

In this book Israel learned and teaches us that:

• ·         They must trust God, not people, in the day of crisis (Numb 13:26 – 14:25)
• ·         God will supply all their need according to his riches (Philip 4:19)
• God gave them food (Num 11:6-9), meat (11:31-33), water (20:8), leaders (1:1, 3) and finally the Promised Land (Num 14:7-8).
• ·         And they must worship God according to his instructions.

I pray that this book will touch your heart and reorder your life, organize it and helps to live to serve the one who saved you. Amen.