New era, same great God!

In my morning chronological Bible reading, thirty-eight years pass between Numbers, chapters 19 and 20. The generation that rebelled against God died. They did not enter the promised land, as God said. The time of Israel’s wandering is coming to an end. A new era is dawning! A new, younger generation is following Moses. Notice something about this second generation.

There was no water for the people to drink at that place, so they rebelled against Moses and Aaron. The people blamed Moses and said, “If only we had died in the Lord’s presence with our brothers! Why have you brought the congregation of the Lord’s people into this wilderness to die, along with all our livestock? Why did you make us leave Egypt and bring us here to this terrible place? This land has no grain, no figs, no grapes, no pomegranates, and no water to drink!” (Numbers 20:2–5, NLT)

Does this sound familiar? It certainly sounds familiar to Moses! He and they heard their parents say these same things. Unbelief is sticky! It can stick around for generations! But the goodness of God is sticky, too!

“You and Aaron must take the staff and assemble the entire community. As the people watch, speak to the rock over there, and it will pour out its water. You will provide enough water from the rock to satisfy the whole community and their livestock.” (Numbers 20:8, NLT)

God provides water from a rock! Sound familiar? Notice what the Apostle Paul writes about this rock in 1 Corinthians 10:4, …and all of them drank the same spiritual water. For they drank from the spiritual rock that traveled with them, and that rock was Christ. As we pass from the Old Testament into the New, what did Jesus proclaim to all those who thirst?

On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’ ” (John 7:37–38, ESV)

Yes, it is a new era with the same thirsty sinners and the same amazing thirst-quenching God! As believers, let’s rejoice in the faithfulness and goodness of our God…stripping off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. (Hebrews 12:1–2, NLT)


Thanks for joining me in my adventure to read the Bible chronologically! Today’s post comes from Numbers 18-20. Tomorrow, I will be reading Numbers 21-22.

...

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Discover more from PulpitPress

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading