The Gospel in Real Life

Chapter 33 of the book of Numbers describes and recounts the ultimate camping trip. It’s Moses’ own journal, in a condensed form, of Israel’s exodus from Egypt (Numbers 33:1-2). Yes, Moses seems to have done some journaling, at least on this one occasion. When you read it, it sounds as though things are moving along quickly and Israel just can’t make up its mind where it wants to pitch its tent. They camp in one spot and then seem to suddenly move, only to settle in another location, and then, you guessed it, they move again. It’s as though somebody forgot to bring the map, or maybe the GPS, and they can’t quite make up their minds about where to go next. Reading it, you also get the impression that they must have covered a large piece of real estate with all the moving they did, but that is not the case. They were confined to a relatively small area between the Sinai peninsula and Canaan. Here’s a brief sample of how fast-moving the chapter sounds.

And they set out from Rephidim and camped in the wilderness of Sinai. And they set out from the wilderness of Sinai and camped at Kibroth-hattaavah. And they set out from Kibroth-hattaavah and camped at Hazeroth. And they set out from Hazeroth and camped at Rithmah. (Numbers 33:15-18)

And on and on it goes. As fast-moving as the chapter sounds, it actually covers about 40 years of Israel’s history. It begins with Israel’s escape from slavery in Egypt (Numbers 33:3) and it ends 40 years later, following the death of Aaron (Numbers 33:38). The chapter ends with Israel perched on the plains of Moab, east of Jericho, near the foot of Mount Nebo and east of the Jordan River, ready to enter the Promised Land just like God had promised Abraham several hundred years earlier. If you’re into maps like I am, here’s one that shows one possible route. If you open up that map, you’ll see that Israel’s journey following the exodus from Egypt ultimately takes them to the wilderness of Moab, east of Jericho and near the foot of Mount Nebo, which overlooks the Promised Land. In a sense, this 40 year camping trip was about finding Nebo – Mount Nebo. It’s in this setting on the plains of Moab that Israel receives its final instructions from God through Moses for taking possession of the Promised Land (Numbers 33:50-56ff).

Mount Nebo is significant in this unfolding story for at least two reasons. It’s the spot where Israel’s wilderness journey ended and it’s also the location where Moses died. Check this out:

That very day the Lord spoke to Moses, “Go up this mountain of the Abarim, Mount Nebo, which is in the land of Moab, opposite Jericho, and view the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the people of Israel for a possession. And die on the mountain which you go up, and be gathered to your people, as Aaron your brother died in Mount Hor and was gathered to his people, because you broke faith with me in the midst of the people of Israel at the waters of Meribah-kadesh, in the wilderness of Zin, and because you did not treat me as holy in the midst of the people of Israel. For you shall see the land before you, but you shall not go there, into the land that I am giving to the people of Israel.” (Deuteronomy 32:48-52)

It’s no accident that Israel spent 40 years finding Nebo. It’s not my intention to spend much time explaining why Moses only got a distant glimpse of the Promised Land, but never got to enter it, other than to say that it was because he lost his cool with rebellious Israel and struck the rock to give them water, instead of speaking to the rock as the Lord had instructed him to do (Numbers 20:11-12). My intention is to talk about why it took so long to find Nebo. I remember hearing years ago that crossing the wilderness from Egypt to Canaan is about an 11 day walk under normal conditions. I don’t know how accurate that is, but if it’s true, 40 years seems a little extreme. Even if it would take an entire month to cross the wilderness on foot and under normal conditions, 40 years is a long time!

Why did it take 40 years to find Nebo? The short answer is because that is how long God had predetermined that it would take. But that seems too easy, even though it is true. The theological answer is that God was displeased with almost everyone in that original Exodus generation because of their unbelief and because of their unbelief, he swore that they would not enter the Promised Land (Hebrews 3:16-19). The only two names recorded from that first generation that did enter, were Joshua and Caleb. If I am wrong on that point, please let me know, but I am pretty sure they are the only two mentioned by name. In short, God waited for that generation to die before allowing the next generation (Israel, TNG) to enter.

The more practical answer is that Israel’s wilderness experience serves as a good example of what NOT to do. That’s what Paul pulled out of it when he told the Corinthians,

For I want you to know, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, and all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ. Nevertheless, with most of them God was not pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness. (1 Corinthians 10:1-5)

First, all of those who came out of Egypt with Moses, identified with him. Paul doesn’t mean that they stopped at the Red Sea and had a baptism service. Baptism in this context carries the meaning of identification. They all identified with, and benefited from, what God was doing through Moses. They all ate the same spiritual food and they all drank the same spiritual drink. They all found their identity in what God did through Moses. But even though they found their identity with Moses, God was not pleased with most of them and they serve as an example for us of what not to do:

Now these things took place as examples for us, that we might not desire evil as they did. Do not be idolaters as some of them were; as it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play.” We must not indulge in sexual immorality as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in a single day. We must not put Christ to the test, as some of them did and were destroyed by serpents, nor grumble, as some of them did and were destroyed by the Destroyer. Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come. (1 Corinthians 10:6-11, emphasis mine)

This is the point where personal application to this bit of Bible history begins for me. Here’s what I take away from this account, and it takes us back to the simple answer I gave above for Israel’s long journey to Nebo. That’s how long God decided it should take. Sometimes our lives can get hard and full of trials and they can seem like we’re in an unending march through an ugly wilderness, going in circles, on our way to finding Nebo. What we think should take 11 days, can seem like it’s taking 40 years and we never seem to be getting anywhere or making any progress. It can seem like we’re wandering in endless circles and we’re just stuck there. At those times, it gets easy to grumble and complain about my circumstances, and because I think I deserve something better than what I presently have, I justify my grumbling and complaining. Or, I might start filling my life with creature comforts that make me feel safe and comfortable right where I’m at. Forget the journey to Nebo, I’m staying right here and my own immediate comfort becomes my preoccupation. Before long, I’ve idolized my own comfort and I’ve justified grumbling, but that’s what Israel did and that’s what Scripture says not to do!

Sometimes, God just determines that things in my life not go as I might wish they would. He alone determines how long things should take. Sometimes his plan involves an unexpected and unplanned excursion in life’s wilderness that delays my arrival at the foot of Nebo. But that delay is really a non-delay because when viewed from his perspective, it’s not unexpected, but it’s perfect and its timing is perfect. In those times, I need to be reminded to be patient and to live by faith. In those times, I need to remember that I have been justified by grace through faith, and both of those things were given to me as a free gift (Ephesians 2:8-9). My life is never off track or out of control because at the end of the day, he orchestrates it perfectly and completely (Ephesians 1:11). When I feel stuck and things don’t happen as smoothly as I think they should, or as well as I think I deserve, I need to embrace the cross all over again and live by faith, not by sight. When life’s journey becomes a bit of a wilderness experience and the map doesn’t seem clear, walk by faith and thank him for that gift of faith. Hear Paul’s words all over again:

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. (Galatians 2:20)