Wholly following the LORD
But among these there was not a man of those numbered by Moses and Aaron the priest, who had numbered the people of Israel in the wilderness of Sinai. For the LORD had said of them, "They shall die in the wilderness." There was not left a man of them, except Caleb the son of Jephun'neh and Joshua the son of Nun.
Numbers 26:64-65
Among the adults, they all died; except, for two. Joshua and Caleb, who were ready to enter the promised the land the first time, were the only adult survivors of those who left Egypt with Moses. Even Moses did not cross the Jordan into the promised land. And why?
'Surely none of the men who came up out of Egypt, from twenty years old and upward, shall see the land which I swore to give to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, because they have not wholly followed me; none except Caleb the son of Jephun'neh the Ken'izzite and Joshua the son of Nun, for they have wholly followed the LORD.' 13 And the LORD's anger was kindled against Israel, and he made them wander in the wilderness forty years, until all the generation that had done evil in the sight of the LORD was consumed. [Numbers 32: 11-14]
It is a sobering thought to think that there are those who will try to pay "lip service" to God in hopes of entering the kingdom. You know, show up on Sunday morning for an hour to look like a good Christian. But, the Lord is not fooled. What God wants are hearts that seek him first. Men like Joshua and Caleb whom when asked to march into a foreign land filled with giants, are ready to go in the name of the Lord. The difference between those who died in the wilderness and the two who did not is that Joshua and Caleb "wholly followed the Lord". Did that mean they were perfect? No, they were sinners also. They missed the mark at times. But, their hearts were set upon doing what the Lord wanted. Those are the type of believers that we need in our churches today! If you have a spiritual task to be done, they are the ones saying "Let's go!" It took an entire generation to get there; but, it was the faith of these two men that the Bible holds up as an example for us.
'Surely none of the men who came up out of Egypt, from twenty years old and upward, shall see the land which I swore to give to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, because they have not wholly followed me; none except Caleb the son of Jephun'neh the Ken'izzite and Joshua the son of Nun, for they have wholly followed the LORD.' 13 And the LORD's anger was kindled against Israel, and he made them wander in the wilderness forty years, until all the generation that had done evil in the sight of the LORD was consumed. [Numbers 32: 11-14]
It is a sobering thought to think that there are those who will try to pay "lip service" to God in hopes of entering the kingdom. You know, show up on Sunday morning for an hour to look like a good Christian. But, the Lord is not fooled. What God wants are hearts that seek him first. Men like Joshua and Caleb whom when asked to march into a foreign land filled with giants, are ready to go in the name of the Lord. The difference between those who died in the wilderness and the two who did not is that Joshua and Caleb "wholly followed the Lord". Did that mean they were perfect? No, they were sinners also. They missed the mark at times. But, their hearts were set upon doing what the Lord wanted. Those are the type of believers that we need in our churches today! If you have a spiritual task to be done, they are the ones saying "Let's go!" It took an entire generation to get there; but, it was the faith of these two men that the Bible holds up as an example for us.
Labels: Joshua;Caleb;Numbers 26:65-65
posted by Bradford L. Stevens @ 3:20 PM
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