The law matters.
Keeping the law will be the key to going into the Land and also to
remaining there and enjoying the blessing of God. They are reminded that the Lord has tested
them and tried them these forty years in the wilderness that they might know
that man doesn’t live by bread alone but by every word from the mouth of
God. They have been lean years,
primarily existing on the manna and water and now they are to enter the land
flowing with milk and honey with the understanding that these things aren’t the
be all, end all, it is more important to know and experience the presence of
God among them. There will certainly be
great delights and joys in the Land as they relate to material things but these
are never to be their chief delight. This sounds very much like Jesus’ words
from Matthew 6.33 – “Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and
all these things will be added to you.”
A couple of days ago we looked at part of the sixth chapter
of John and now we see the full scenario.
The crowd has followed Jesus across the lake and now propose that if He
wants their attention and support that He needs to give another sign. Their idea is that He will do as He did the
day before, feed them as Moses fed their fathers in the wilderness. They only care about their stomachs being
full, they missed the most important thing about the sign, it points to
something else. The sign pointed to the
provider, who also provided for their forefathers, not to the vessel. It authenticates the vessel but points beyond
Him. They only want food and Jesus
offers something far greater. His offer
here is very similar to the offer He made the Samaritan woman in John 4, but
here He is even more direct, the bread He offers is Himself. They, however, are content to eat bread that
will leave them hungry again tomorrow.
It is our nature to be materialists, satisfying immediate and carnal
desires rather than eternal and spiritual desires.
What is it that Paul prays for the people of Colossae? He is not particularly concerned their
material lives and wants but for their spiritual lives. He asks that they be: filled with the knowledge
of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding and strengthened with all
power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy. His goal is the salvation of their souls,
their entrance into eternal life, their fruitfulness for the Gospel, the
worthiness of their walk before the Lord.
In all things he and they are to give thanks because of what the Lord
has done for us, that He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and
transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son. Are these the things that make up your prayer
life or are we still primarily concerned with material things?
Holy Jesus, every day
Keep us in the narrow
way;
And, when earthly
things are past,
Bring our ransomed
souls at last
Where they need no
star to guide,
Where no clouds Thy
glory hide.
In the heavenly
country bright,
Need they no created
light;
Thou its Light, its Joy,
its Crown,
Thou its Sun which
goes not down;
There forever may we
sing
Alleluias to our King!
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