Moses says it was on account of the people that he was not
allowed to enter the Land. That sounds a
bit like Genesis 3 doesn't it? It isn't
strictly true that he was barred from leading them into the Land because of
anything they did, it was for his own sin of striking the rock and speaking
presumptuously about "we" bringing water forth from it. He was frustrated with the people constantly
questioning his leadership but it was for his own actions that he was being
punished. It may have felt good to say
it was because of the people but Moses had to know that he was fudging the
truth here just as Adam had done when he blamed Eve for his own action in
taking and eating the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Moses gave in to the temptation to do things
his own way rather than God's way. The Lord
isn't always specific about how to do things but when He is, we must obey if we
are to see the full blessing. Because Moses
didn't, he had only a bittersweet look at the Land before he died.
Jesus foretells the end.
The first thing that will happen is the destruction of the temple which
will occur during the lifetime of many of those who heard this prediction. Whatever of earth by which you put your store
and hope will be overturned eventually. The
destruction of the temple was a devastating blow to the faith and hope of many
and the possession of the temple mount by the Muslims to this day is a dagger
in the heart of those who long for the restoration of the nation. The temple was the symbol of God's promise
and His presence. To speak against it
was blasphemy and to lose it was to lose hope.
Jesus says that ultimately some will fall away on account of persecution
and false prophets and that perseverance in truth is ultimately the fate of
only some. Truth matters and we have to
hold fast to truth if we are to greet the kingdom with joy.
The law became a stumbling block to the goal of
righteousness and peace with God. It was
given after peace was established and celebrated, that happened in Exodus 19
when the elders went up the mountain and feasted in the presence of God. The Law was given in the next chapter. The pattern for that is in creation itself
where all things are complete in the creation of man and the first thing God
does before putting man to work is celebrate what He has done in the Sabbath
day of rest. All is pursued by faith or
it is wrongly sought, it is a righteousness of our own devising. Moses had to have faith not to strike the
rock this time and he failed the test of faith.
We are given a gift, grace, and now we pursue righteousness from knowing
we have received grace and love, not as an end unto itself that makes us fit
for salvation. Election means that God
is sovereign over all things, that we don't earn salvation or merit it.
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