In the Book of Exodus, God raises up Moses and Aaron to lead the nation of Israel out of Egypt because He heard the cry of their bondage unto Him. In Exodus 5, Moses and Aaron go into the presence of Pharaoh and say to him, “Thus says the Lord God of Israel: Let My people go, that they may hold a feast unto Me in the wilderness. ” Pharaoh responds, “Who is the Lord that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I do not know the Lord, nor will I let Israel go.” Two statements, each one identifying ‘governmental’ control over the nation of Israel. Who is in charge?
Assuming that you know the story of the exodus of Israel from Egypt, God reveals His Omnipotence, and Pharaoh lets Israel go. He really had no choice. In the remainder of the book of Exodus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy the travails of Israel’s relationship to the Lord are outlined. The nation of Israel had been delivered ‘out of’ Egypt from under the ‘governmental’ control of Pharaoh, and brought ‘into’ the wilderness to learn what it meant to be under the ‘governmental’ control of the Lord. Unfortunately, the adult generation of Israel who came out of Egypt failed to learn how to live under the guidance of the Lord. Israel constantly looked back to what they had in Egypt and did not understand nor appreciate what God was doing for them. Physically, they exited Egypt; but their hearts were filled with the ways of Egypt. In short, they struggled with God’s ‘governmental’ control and did not submit to Him. They wanted their own way.
In Numbers 12, Moses’ brother and sister, question Moses’ place of authority overseeing the nation of Israel. They blatantly assert in verse 2, “Has the Lord indeed spoken only through Moses? Has He not spoken through us also?” What’s the problem? verse 1 says, “Then Miriam and Aaron spoke against (‘criticized’, marginal notes) Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married; for he had married an Ethiopian woman.” They are questioning his position of leadership. [Could it be that because he didn’t make a wise decision choosing the woman that he married they use this as leverage assert that he is not fit to rule God’s people?] Problem: verse 2, “and God heard it.” The question is, Who is in charge? Does Moses have ‘governmental’ authority over Israel? The Lord ‘jumped’ on the accusation, and dealt with them immediately. See Numbers 12:4-16.
In Numbers 16, the issue of ‘governmental’ control raises its ugly head again. There was a rebellion against Moses and Aaron. It was led by Korah. He had a following. Numbers 16:2 says, “…and they rose up before Moses with some of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty leaders of the congregation, representatives of the congregation, men of renown.” They had a complaint. They, too, questioned Moses and Aaron’s authority, and said to them, (vs.3) “why do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the Lord?” Moses response was (vs 4) to “…fall on his face.” The Lord intervened and God judged those who participated in the rebellion. (see Numbers 16:5-40). It is hard to imagine that what is recorded next in Numbers took place. Numbers 16:41-50, records that the very next day after the judgement of Korah and his followers, verse 41 says, “On the next day all the congregation of the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron saying, You have killed the people of the Lord.” The people did not recognize that God was in ‘governmental’ control. That was one of the primary lessons they were supposed to understand and learn on their journey ‘out of Egypt’ and ‘into the Promised Land’. God is in total control. I know that I have been sharing ugly parts of the story; but let me assure you that if you read the whole account of Israel’s journey, you will see the patience, longsuffering, and goodness of God, along with His justice against their rebellion. I encourage you to read I Corinthians 10:1-13 where Paul uses the history of Israel to instruct and encourage the Corinthian Church.
Israel’s history is one of moments of obedience and moments of disobedience. Unfortunately in the wilderness, the moments of disobedience outweighed the moments of obedience, and the adult generation that was delivered from Egypt died out in the wilderness because their heart attitude did not ‘put off’ the desires of Egypt, and ‘put on’ a change of heart toward God and His ‘governmental’ control. The adult generation brought out of Egypt died in the wilderness because of unbelief. The story of Israel continues throughout the pages of the Old Testament accurately telling Israel’s severe swings from obedience to disobedience, and back to obedience. God loves His people. He is a Jealous God over them. He woos them and draws them back to Himself. However, God is also a Just God. Therefore, He disciplines them [those whom He loves] and brings His judgments against Israel because they did not keep the Mosaic Covenant given to them at Mt. Sinai. The underlying factor of God’s faithfulness for His people is the Covenant He made with Abraham. God keeps His Covenant with His people in spite of their failure to keep the Law of Moses. And so we move forward…
What does forward mean? Moses died in the wilderness; the adult nation of Israel that left Egypt died in the wilderness, except for two, Joshua and Caleb. Joshua became Moses’ replacement to lead God’s people. The next generation of the nation of Israel miraculously crossed the Jordon River; and they were prepared by the Lord to enter and conquer the Promised Land. In their possession of the Land they had their moments of obedience and disobedience. The books of Joshua, Judges, and Ruth detail the life of the nation of Israel after their wanderings in the desert, their settlement in the Promise Land, and their strengths and failures following the commands of the Lord.
In short, Israel’s history is a continuation of obedience and disobedience under God’s ‘governmental’ control through the judges that He raises up to oversee His nation.
Judges 21:25 gives us an accurate understanding of Israel’s heart and their attitude toward ‘governmental’ control. “In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.”
Enter Samuel….
tbc
Living Words of Encouragement 