Going to War in Your Promise Land

Numbers 10:1-11:23

We have this assumption, and by “we“, I mean the Christian Community, that when we get to our “Promise” land, the milk and honey will flow without conflict, not true.  If we are called to believe in the scriptures as being the complete Word of God, which is to be “rightly divided” [2 Timothy 2:15 KJV Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.] then we must hold up what we believe to the measuring rod of God’s Word. 

⁹ “When you go to war in your land against the enemy who oppresses you, then you shall sound an alarm with the trumpets, and you will be remembered before the LORD your God, and you will be saved from your enemies. (Numbers 10:9, New King James Version)

This does not just remain as an Old Testament “thing” because the Apostle Paul tells us in his letter to the church at Corinth to,

 ^1-5Remember our history, friends, and be warned. All our ancestors were led by the providential Cloud and taken miraculously through the Sea. They went through the waters, in a baptism like ours, as Moses led them from enslaving death to salvation life. They all ate and drank identical food and drink, meals provided daily by God. They drank from the Rock, God's fountain for them that stayed with them wherever they were. And the Rock was Christ. But just experiencing God's wonder and grace didn't seem to mean much—most of them were defeated by temptation during the hard times in the desert, and God was not pleased.

 ^6-10The same thing could happen to us. We must be on guard so that we never get caught up in wanting our own way as they did. And we must not turn our religion into a circus as they did—"First the people partied, then they threw a dance." We must not be sexually promiscuous—they paid for that, remember, with 23,000 deaths in one day! We must never try to get Christ to serve us instead of us serving him; they tried it, and God launched an epidemic of poisonous snakes. We must be careful not to stir up discontent; discontent destroyed them.  (1 Corinthians 10:5-7, The Message)

Israel’s wondering in the desert, their trials, there missteps, their experiences, should be used as a road map in living our lives and not just seen as some story from long ago.  The pillar of fire and the cloud to them was the leading of the Holy Spirit to us.   

When you get to your promise, make sure your fighting clothes are on.