Standing at the entrance
In this week’s Torah portion, we travel with Israel to the
very entrance of the Promised Land, but they rebel and lose the opportunity to
enter.
And all the congregation lifted up their
voice, and cried; and the people wept that night. (2) And all the
children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron: and the whole
congregation said to them, “Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt! or would Elohim we had died in this wilderness!
(3) And why
has Yehovah brought us unto this land, to fall
by the sword, that our wives and our children should be a prey? Were it not better for us to return
into Egypt?” (4)
And they said one to another, “Let us make a captain, and let us return to Egypt.” (Num 14:1-4)
So much happens before and after this point of rebellion
that is applicable to us, but I want to focus on these few verses and their
message to us.
Why did the children of Israel weep that night?
It would be one thing if they wept because they reached the
Land, and thought they might fail to conquer it because of giants and walled
cities. I don’t see that sentiment here. The congregation turns away from
Elohim, again. Look what they say, “Let us make a captain, and let us return to Egypt.”
The rabbis say that though the text here in the KJV reads “captain”,
the underlying intention was to make another god, like the golden calf, to lead
them back to Egypt. Either way, they are turning their backs to Elohim. The
Hebrew word behind return is shoov the
root word of repentance, teshuva.
While teshuva is turning from sin and
error to Elohim, here the kahal, congregation,
plans to turn from Elohim, and back to Egypt with its idolatry, slavery, and
sin.
It is a rebellion against Moses and Aaron, but also against
Elohim.
Followers of Yeshua have had it easy in America for
generations. Just as the children of Israel. Need water, here it is. Need food,
have some manna, all you have to do is collect it, it will be there every
morning. Don’t worry about which way to go, Elohim will guide you with a pillar
of cloud by day and fire by night. Need a spiritual uplift, go to church; the
pastor, the worship team, and your fellow worshippers will give you a boost.
Need direction, no problem, there are plenty of traditions of men to follow
that lay out a clear, though ungodly, path. Need spiritual nourishment, don’t
worry about the Bible, go to church and get spoon-fed man’s doctrine.
New Challenges
Today we face new challenges in America. The last word I
heard is that the church building may be closed until Labor Day in September.
The world is calling good evil, and evil good. We are targeted as part of the
problem. What now? Do we respond as Israel did and want to hightail it back to
Egypt, or do we take this challenging time as an opportunity to rely more
completely on our Elohim?
I say we draw closer to Elohim, seek His direction more earnestly,
and follow what He directs us to do. I pray each of you agree it is time to
come out of Babylon and enter into ever deeper fellowship with our Father in
Heaven.
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