What The Bible Says
Good Samaritan's Penny Pulpit by Pastor Ed Rice
It is remarkably easy and certainly insightful to list out a dozen failures Israel had under a conditional covenant. A preacher once told me, “Thank God I wasn't grafted into that branch!” In Christ we have an unconditional covenant: saved by grace through faith, not of works, quickened and sealed by the indwelling Holy Ghost. Israel's failures can still provide some on-point lessons for us.
When Israel was trapped between the Red sea and the advancing Egyptians they doubted God (Exod.14:10-12). When God surrounds us with closed doors we should do what God told them, “Stand still and see the salvation of the LORD” (vr.13). Closed doors can change our direction, change our will, deal with others, and magnify God … if we'd stand still long enough. At Marah's bitter water they murmured (15:24). As on Calvary, God used a tree to make the bitter, sweet. He also made a state-law (statute) and an authoritative rule (ordinance) about murmuring; all this was to “prove them” (vr.25). But in Sin they murmured again, for hunger this time. God gave manna from heaven, but then they kept manna overnight, and looked for it on the Sabbath day (16:2-4, 19-20, 23). Then at a rest stop called Rephidim they again thirsted and this time chided! (17:1-2).
At Sinai all ten commandments were broken with wrong worship done with wrong motive, wrong methods, wrong message, wrong music, and wrong morals! (Exod.32). After Sinai they complained until they kindled God's anger (Num.11:1-2), then remembered flesh pots, fell a lusting, and complained about manna (vr.4-6). God gave them meat till they puked (vr.31-34). Alas, at Kadeshbarnea they refused to trust the LORD their God (Num.13-14). Our old nature is ugly and loathsome: be sure you are living in a new one. Praise His Holy Name.
An Essay for week #8 - Feb 20, 2022
Msg in audio www.GSBataptistChurch.com/audio/gs220220.mp3
Learn Biblical Hebrew www.GSBaptistChurch.com/Hebrew
Copyright © 2022 Good Samaritan Baptist Church, All Public Domain, Freely Copy and Distribute.
A weekly 300 word essay- The Penny Pulpit
Our mailing address is:
Good Samaritan Baptist Church
54 Main St. Box 99
Dresden, NY 14441