Glory to God
Israel sent spies into the promised land to see if they would be able to enter into the land. Only two of the twelve spies, Joshua and Caleb brought back a favorable report. The other ten spies gave a bad report that Israel would not be able to conquer the land. According to Numbers 14 the Children of Israel grumbled and complained that God had “called them out of Egypt to die in the wilderness.” They wanted to appoint leaders to lead them back to Egypt. When Joshua and Caleb said that God would prevail if they went into Canaan to take the land, the people wanted to stone them.
Here is the story from Numbers 14:10-19: But all the congregation bade stone them with stones. And the glory of the LORD appeared in the tabernacle of the congregation before all the children of Israel.
And the LORD said unto Moses, How long will this people provoke me? and how long will it be ere they believe me, for all the signs which I have shewed among them?
I will smite them with the pestilence, and disinherit them, and will make of thee a greater nation and mightier than they.
And Moses said unto the LORD, Then the Egyptians shall hear it, (for thou broughtest up this people in thy might from among them;) And they will tell it to the inhabitants of this land: for they have heard that thou LORD art among this people, that thou LORD art seen face to face, and that thy cloud standeth over them, and that thou goest before them, by day time in a pillar of a cloud, and in a pillar of fire by night.
Now if thou shalt kill all this people as one man, then the nations which have heard the fame of thee will speak, saying, Because the LORD was not able to bring this people into the land which he sware unto them, therefore he hath slain them in the wilderness.
And now, I beseech thee, let the power of my LORD be great, according as thou hast spoken, saying, The LORD is longsuffering, and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression, and by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation.
Pardon, I beseech thee, the iniquity and as thou hast forgiven this people, from Egypt even until now.”
The people were concerned with their own happiness. They were in pursuit of the blessing. Did Moses say, “your job, God, is to make the people happy?” What was Moses’ plea to God on behalf of the people? Moses didn’t argue whether the people should live or die for their rebellion and grumbling and complaining against God. Rather, Moses pleaded for the glory of God. When we seek the blessing instead of God’s glory, do we deserve anything less than what the children of Israel deserved? Moses reminded God that he is slow to anger and exceeding in love. He also reminded God that he will not let Israel’s injustice go unrequited. God is a righteous judge. Those who rebel against God will suffer the consequences unto the fourth generation.
The children of Israel subscribed to a “Humanistic” doctrine. They were in pursuit of the blessing instead of the Blessor. What makes something right or wrong according to “Humanism?” Humanists don’t think that God gives the standard for right and wrong. Rather they think about the effects of their choices on others and the “right” or kindest course of action that will “do the least harm” according to the probable consequences of their actions. They say that “morality” is something that comes from within: affection, cooperation, and social instincts that are a “natural” part of community. For a “humanist” the ultimate “morality” comes from within ourselves and not from an external God. The Humanist philosophy could be embraced by most so-called Christians. What is the fallacy of this “humanistic” doctrine? Humanism is the religion of the flesh. Humanism says I must worship myself for I am the master of my own destiny, I am the captain of my soul. Humanism reiterates the devil’s original lie, “I’m my own God… I shall be as God, knowing good from evil.”
The question is “do we deserve the promised land?” Do we deserve the promises of God? All we like sheep have gone astray, we have turned every one to his own way. A Humanist’s decision point is “what’s the level of personal benefit?” If this is our decision criteria as Christians, then there is no difference between the actions of Christians and unbelievers. In order to be resurrected, we must first die to the God of self. The heart of Christianity as opposed to humanism is the death of our selfish sin nature so that we can be alive unto him.
For I was crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, yet not I but Christ liveth in me and the life that I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me.
If we have not died to self, then we’re not Christians, we’re humanists. Christianity starts with “repentance” which means to turn around from worshiping self, to worshiping the true God because of Jesus’ supreme sacrifice at the cross on our behalf. On Good Friday, we must remember God’s goal for eternity. On Good Friday, the greatest good was done. For he who was without sin was made the perfect sin sacrifice on our behalf that we should be made the righteousness of God in him. What was the purpose of Good Friday, of Jesus having died on our behalf? Jesus came not for us, but rather because of his love for us. When Jesus prayed, “Father, if it be thy will let this cup pass from me, nevertheless not my will but thy will be done,” what was God’s answer to Jesus’ prayer? The answer is in Hebrews: He for the joy that was set before him endured the cross and is set down at the right hand of God, for God’s glory. He died because of the joy that God revealed to him: Jesus’ love for those of us who would believe on him… those of us who would be saved because of his perfect sacrifice for sin on our behalf to the glory of God the Father.
All men have sinned and have come short of the glory of God. The wages of sin is death. We all deserve the righteous judgement of a holy God. From a Humanistic point of view, why would a loving God send anyone to hell and eternal death? Isn’t the end goal of Humanism happiness? However, From God’s perspective, our happiness doesn’t matter. From God’s perspective, sin and iniquity must be paid for by a righteous and just payment. Our happiness is immaterial. If our goal is happiness, then we are worshiping the God of self and not the one true God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The message of salvation is not to rescue sinners from hell. Rather we spread the message of salvation because God loved them and gave his only begotten son on their behalf that they might be made the righteousness of God for the glory of God. It’s not about the glory of salvation and the saving of sinners, rather it’s about the glory of God through the saving power of his Son Jesus Christ. People are not judged for their sins, rather they are judged for their rejection of the Savior from sin, Jesus Christ.
Heaven is not about our happiness. The present sufferings are not to be compared with the glory that should follow. That’s why we endure, not because we’re promised “happiness” in this life but because of the Glory of God. Nothing else matters. All is vanity except for the glory of God. Vanity is emptiness. Only a few things have substance, weight, glory, and value. Glory means weight. There is substance in the glory of God. The reason for the cross is so that God himself would be glorified. That which is seen is temporal but that which is unseen is eternal. Only the things of the spirit of God will be of lasting glory, worth, value and substance.
To God be the glory, great things he hath done.
So loved he the world that he gave us his Son.
Who yielded his life an atonement for sin And opened the life-gate that all may come in.
Praise the Lord, Praise the Lord
Let the earth hear his voice;
Praise the Lord, Praise the Lord
Let the people rejoice.
Oh come to the Father through Jesus his son, And give him the glory, great things he hath done!
May God richly bless you!!!
Your brother in Christ,
Michael