DETOURED...

These are the words which Moses spoke to all Israel on this side of the Jordan in the wilderness, in the plain opposite Suph, between Paran, Tophel, Laban, Hazeroth, and Dizahab. It is eleven days’ journey from Horeb by way of Mount Seir to Kadesh Barnea.  Now it came to pass in the fortieth year, in the eleventh month, on the first day of the month, that Moses spoke to the children of Israel according to all that the LORD had given him as commandments to them,  after he had killed Sihon king of the Amorites, who dwelt in Heshbon, and Og king of Bashan, who dwelt at Ashtaroth in Edrei.--Deuteronomy 1:1-4

To My Daughters...

Did you catch the part that I am going to emphasize?  As the Book of Deuteronomy begins, we find the Israelites on the Plains of Moab.  The journey from Horeb which is Sinai by way of Mount Seir to Kadesh Barnea at the entrance to the promised land should have taken 11 days.  Here they were, however,  40 years later and only now poised to enter the land!  That was quite a detour!  



An eleven day journey was stretched into 40 years because of disobedience and unbelief!  Wow....

An entire generation lost because of  fear and a lack of faith.  The bible tells us that only two of the original group of those who were 20 years of age and older that left Egypt with Moses entered the Promised land...Joshua and Caleb.  These were men who walked by faith and not by sight. 

This was both a warning and an encouragement to me as I read it last night.  I want to possess ALL the Lord has for me both here and in eternity.  I want to walk as Caleb and Joshua did by faith and not by sight.  I do not want to waste a second of my time here living in fear, living for me or wandering around in disobedience in the wilderness of sin.  I want to follow close behind my Lord, fully committing myself into His hands and allowing Him to lead me, guide me and be my rock of refuge. 

1 Corinthians 10 speaks to these Old Testament examples and reminds us in verse 11 that all these things were written for our learning. 

Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. 

May we learn from the children of Israel's examples...may we heed the warnings!  The Israelites were given many marvelous privileges but with most of them God was not pleased for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness.  All of Israel may have professed God with their mouths, but sadly that was all it was.  There hearts were far from Him.  They accepted the physical deliverance from bondage but still wanted their own way.  Only two of all the people 20 years old and older who left Egypt entered the promised land.  Only two won the prize.  The carcasses of the others were scattered in the wilderness...a pretty clear proof of God's displeasure.  


The following verses from 1 Corinthians 10 gave me much to contemplate...


 Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea,  all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea,  all ate the same spiritual food,  and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ.  But with most of them God was not well pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness.

Now these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted. And do not become idolaters as were some of them. As it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.” Nor let us commit sexual immorality, as some of them did, and in one day twenty-three thousand fell; nor let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed by serpents;  nor complain, as some of them also complained, and were destroyed by the destroyer.  Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.--1 Corinthians 10:1-11

Love
Mom