Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Numbers 9-10

In these two chapters we see a great juxtaposition of what has the potential to be two competing views when God intends them to work together, in a complimentary way.

First, in chapter 9:17-23, we read how God supernaturally lead the Israelites, millions of people, through the wilderness to the Promise Land by a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. They would follow that cloud/fire ever time it moved, regardless of how long they had come to a stopping point. If they just finished setting up camp, no small task given their population, livestock, proper ordering (chapter 2), and etc., only to see God on the move, they followed. There was very clear God reliance... something we should all follow as a foundation for life!

Then, in chapter 10:29-31 we see Moses pleading with Hobab, the son of his father-in-law to not leave them and go back to the land of Midian because he, Moses, and the people were dependent on him to lead them to the best places to camp...what happened to chapter 9:17-23?

This is wonderful example of how God, in His divine direction, still expects us to rely on the wisdom and life experience of those He has placed in our midst to help us in the pursuit of our destiny.

If we only see the pillar of cloud and the pillar of fire as God's sole means of leading people, we miss the breadth of His efforts to guide them. The risk to us is that we overly rely on just one source of direction in this life. Does God want to lead us through personal, divine revelation? Most certainly! But not exclusively! He leads us also through the counsel of others...what other ways does God lead us that have a Biblical basis? See what you come up with!

Pastor Fred

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