King James Daily Bible Study: No Restrictions, Just Apply
Date: Saturday February 19, 2011
Chapters: Numbers 14-15
Click Here to Read Them or Go to: http://www.imfollowingjesus.com/bible-february-19
Details of Today's Reading: The people murmur at the account of the ten spies, Joshua and Caleb try to ease the people, God's anger toward the people, Moses and Aaron plead before the people and God, the murmurers are forbidden to enter the promised land, and a repeat of the laws concerning sin, ignorance, and the sabbath.

Hello My Friend/Guest,
The word murmur is defined as a continuous low indistinct sound, as of distant voices, a mumbled, complaint, or private expression of discontent. Did you ever get around someone who constantly murmured, no matter how blessed they were they still had something to complain about? Maybe you are even like that or have been in the past? Now, there are going to be times when we are going to complain about something, but when it starts affecting everyone else that is when we need to remind ourselves just how blessed we are. The Bible says, “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. Do all things without murmurings and disputings: That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;” - Philippians 2:13-15.

The Israelites had reached the promised land, twelve men, one from each tribe, were sent to search out the land, it was a beautiful sight, clusters of grapes so big that two people had to carry them were amongst this glorious land. However, when the men returned, all but two said we can not go over, the people are great and big and will destroy us. This caused a great disturbance with the congregation, so great that they wanted to stone Moses and Aaron.

“And all the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night. And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron: and the whole congregation said unto them, Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt! or would God we had died in this wilderness! And wherefore hath the LORD brought us unto this land, to fall by the sword, that our wives and our children should be a prey? were it not better for us to return into Egypt? And they said one to another, Let us make a captain, and let us return into Egypt. Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly of the congregation of the children of Israel...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.” -Numbers 14:1-5,10-12.

Murmuring not only affects our relationship with others, it affects our relationship with God. He will bless us with so much and show us His love with the hopes of a little bit of acknowledgment and thanksgiving, but if all He gets is complaining He will start taking things away from us. “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.” - Galatians 6:7,8.

God was so angry with the congregation that He was about to get rid of everyone, but Moses interceded on their behalf and pleaded with God not to destroy them all. “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 of this people according unto the greatness of thy mercy, and as thou hast forgiven this people, from Egypt even until now. And the LORD said, I have pardoned according to thy word:” - Numbers 14:17-20.

The word longsuffering means enduring injury, trouble, or provocation long and patiently. God is longsuffering, He endures our troubles and waits patiently for us to come to Him. He really does not want to see anyone destroyed. “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” - II Peter 3:9. Jesus Christ intercedes on our behalf and pleads before God to pardon all who come to Him for repentance.

While God did pardon them, He did not allow any of the murmurers to enter the promised land. For forty years the Israelites were to live in the wilderness, until every one of the current generation died off, all except Caleb and Joshua were restricted to enter the land flowing with milk and honey.

“Because all those men which have seen my glory, and my miracles, which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have tempted me now these ten times, and have not hearkened to my voice; Surely they shall not see the land which I sware unto their fathers, neither shall any of them that provoked me see it:..Doubtless ye shall not come into the land, concerning which I sware to make you dwell therein, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun. But your little ones, which ye said should be a prey, them will I bring in, and they shall know the land which ye have despised. But as for you, your carcases, they shall fall in this wilderness.” - Numbers 14:22,23,30-32.

I was looking for a picture the other day on the internet and came across this sign that said God loves everyone, but underneath it said restrictions apply. The word restriction means prohibited, forbidden, God's love is not prohibited or forbidden. Put your hand in a lions cage and see what happens to it? God created the laws for the Israelites so they would learn to fear Him, trust Him, and obey His Word. Rules are not meant to restrict us, but protect us. In fact, the laws were written specifically for the ones who deliberately break the laws, not the ones who try to live right. “But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully; Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine;” - I Timothy 1:8-10.

Salvation is a gift, there is no restrictions, no work needed to receive it, you just have to believe in God and His Son. God will not allow anyone to enter the promised land until we apply Jesus Christ to our souls. “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation...For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” - Romans 10:9,10,13.

Don't let murmurers get to you, when they start complaining remember Christ is with you, He is guiding and protecting you through every area of your life, even when you do not realize it. When you start to murmur remember how blessed you are and how much God has done for you, even if you have to endure chastisement from time to time. Everything we go through in life is preparing us for a much better place, a place promised to all who believe in His Son. “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” - John 14:1-3.

Jesus Christ Revealed: Today Jesus is revealed through the glory of God (14:22). “Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high:” - Hebrews 1:3.

Thanks and God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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