In my earlier post "Blessing in the Bitterness", I wrote that when God leads you through a wilderness experience, it is not for punishment but preparation. He not only wants to bless, but equip you to hang on to that blessing as it multiplies and spills over into the world around you.
In the meantime, God will provide water from a rock and manna from the sky along your journey. He will stretch the longevity and productivity of your possessions. Until, that is, you get to the east side of the Jordan--closer to what God has promised than ever before.
The Bible tells us that the children of Israel are still our examples today (1 Cor. 10:11). Therefore, let's investigate what happened along this part of the journey and see what we can learn about ourselves and the ways of our unchanging Father.
Again, the children of Israel were thirsty. They cried for help, but God answered differently.
As recorded in Ex. 17:6, all Moses had to do earlier was strike the rock once and water came forth abundantly. But since that time, a tragedy had occurred.
Delivering water to millions of people and their animals was a constant test of faith for Moses and Aaron throughout the prolonged wanderings, which was accompanied by continual complaints and attempted coups.
One day Moses was divinely instructed to use his authority to just speak to the rock and God would do the rest. Moses got it mixed up. Stress and anger will do that to you when you get your eyes off God and onto people. He struck the rock--not once but twice-- and spoke to the people. "Hear now, ye rebels, must WE fetch you water out of this rock?" (Numbers 20:10)
As a result, Aaron was stripped of His priestly garments and died, and Moses was not permitted into the Promised Land. God was emphatic: they had failed to sanctify Him before the people. The Rock was a type of Christ that was foreshadowing a coming Savior whose ONE work of Redemptive suffering at the hands of man would be sufficient for all people and all times.
Therefore, God told Moses at this juncture to gather the PEOPLE together and "I will give them water". How did he do it? No more watching a leader do it , for sure. God showed Moses where the water was underfoot and the people began to sing as they dug.
What a sight that must have been!
The KJV says the princes and nobles dug the well, but don't let those words fool you. In the Hebrew they are widely applied to anyone who represents the interests of a king or leader. That's you--who's been made a "king and priest unto God and His Father"! (Rev. 1:6)
So what's the word of encouragement?
Your leaders may have sinned; they failed to sanctify (make holy in their actions) God before the congregations they serve. You may not be able to confidently look to that pastor or even to that husband right now to provide your needs in desert places.
But the Holy Spirit knows where the water is, and He commands you to take up your staff (your symbol of authority) and start digging as you sing. You must sing the same thing God's children did thousands of years ago to see the provision: "Spring up, oh well"!
What you need is no longer in a visible rock for someone else to get for you. This time, it is under your feet. By faith you must dig; with authority, you must command it to come forth.
Biblically, the phrase under your feet denotes submission. Inside of you are "living waters" that wait for your word to release a forceful, free-flowing artesian well! (John 7:38)
So wherever you hold some God-given authority, dig deep into your faith and sing!
Spring Up, sound mind! Spring up, health! Spring forth, family restoration!
Dig and sing for your children, for the household's resources, and for friends who are too weak to lift a staff right now.
This is the way it's done the closer you get to Jordan. Why? God's preparing you for the day the manna will cease.
Interestingly, what the Israelites didn't know was that in this particular region of the wilderness, the water wells are only a few feet underground. Don't give up!
Pass me that shovel, will ya?
In the meantime, God will provide water from a rock and manna from the sky along your journey. He will stretch the longevity and productivity of your possessions. Until, that is, you get to the east side of the Jordan--closer to what God has promised than ever before.
The Bible tells us that the children of Israel are still our examples today (1 Cor. 10:11). Therefore, let's investigate what happened along this part of the journey and see what we can learn about ourselves and the ways of our unchanging Father.
Again, the children of Israel were thirsty. They cried for help, but God answered differently.
As recorded in Ex. 17:6, all Moses had to do earlier was strike the rock once and water came forth abundantly. But since that time, a tragedy had occurred.
Delivering water to millions of people and their animals was a constant test of faith for Moses and Aaron throughout the prolonged wanderings, which was accompanied by continual complaints and attempted coups.
One day Moses was divinely instructed to use his authority to just speak to the rock and God would do the rest. Moses got it mixed up. Stress and anger will do that to you when you get your eyes off God and onto people. He struck the rock--not once but twice-- and spoke to the people. "Hear now, ye rebels, must WE fetch you water out of this rock?" (Numbers 20:10)
As a result, Aaron was stripped of His priestly garments and died, and Moses was not permitted into the Promised Land. God was emphatic: they had failed to sanctify Him before the people. The Rock was a type of Christ that was foreshadowing a coming Savior whose ONE work of Redemptive suffering at the hands of man would be sufficient for all people and all times.
Therefore, God told Moses at this juncture to gather the PEOPLE together and "I will give them water". How did he do it? No more watching a leader do it , for sure. God showed Moses where the water was underfoot and the people began to sing as they dug.
What a sight that must have been!
The KJV says the princes and nobles dug the well, but don't let those words fool you. In the Hebrew they are widely applied to anyone who represents the interests of a king or leader. That's you--who's been made a "king and priest unto God and His Father"! (Rev. 1:6)
So what's the word of encouragement?
Your leaders may have sinned; they failed to sanctify (make holy in their actions) God before the congregations they serve. You may not be able to confidently look to that pastor or even to that husband right now to provide your needs in desert places.
But the Holy Spirit knows where the water is, and He commands you to take up your staff (your symbol of authority) and start digging as you sing. You must sing the same thing God's children did thousands of years ago to see the provision: "Spring up, oh well"!
What you need is no longer in a visible rock for someone else to get for you. This time, it is under your feet. By faith you must dig; with authority, you must command it to come forth.
Biblically, the phrase under your feet denotes submission. Inside of you are "living waters" that wait for your word to release a forceful, free-flowing artesian well! (John 7:38)
So wherever you hold some God-given authority, dig deep into your faith and sing!
Spring Up, sound mind! Spring up, health! Spring forth, family restoration!
Dig and sing for your children, for the household's resources, and for friends who are too weak to lift a staff right now.
This is the way it's done the closer you get to Jordan. Why? God's preparing you for the day the manna will cease.
Interestingly, what the Israelites didn't know was that in this particular region of the wilderness, the water wells are only a few feet underground. Don't give up!
Pass me that shovel, will ya?
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