Most of what I have to teach this morning will be based on Joshua chapter 22. Also, Numbers 32 and Psalm 106. Now, it would take all of our allotted time for me to read through these chapters. And so I'll just ask you when you get home to read these things for yourself. Joshua 22, Numbers 32, and Psalm 106.

Actually, Psalm 106 is just... David wrote this psalm and talks about their deliverance from Egypt all the way to the Promised Land. The journey of Israel from Egypt to Canaan is a pretty accurate picture of our journey from the bondage of sin, when we discover ourselves in bondage. You know, when Israel first went into Egypt, they didn't go in there in bondage. Joseph was second in line in charge of Egypt, and they went in there basically free men. And if anything set apart and honored because of Joseph. But the journey of Israel from Egypt to Canaan is a fair picture of our journey from the bondage of sin. We discover they found themselves in bondage in Egypt. Egypt was a place where they wanted to be in the beginning, and then they discovered themselves to be in bondage, and they didn't want to stay there anymore. And this is a picture of that. from our discovery of the bondage of sin to the possession of our promised rest in Christ when we discover that we have an inheritance, and he leads us to it.

The Apostle Paul gives us a comparison in Hebrews chapter 3. There's another chapter. I hope you'll go home and read through these chapters. I just simply don't have time this morning to read through them all, Paul gives a comparison using Moses and Christ and their titles and the people that were under them in Hebrews 3, telling us that Moses was faithful in all his house as a servant. Now listen to this. For a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after. A testimony of the coming Redeemer. Everything that he did, all the law, everything he did was a testimony concerning the things that we now know. The things that are revealed to us now. And you can read about that again in 2 Peter 1. But in John 1.45, Philip, it says, findeth Nathanael, and he saith unto him, I found him of whom Moses in the law and the prophets did right." Isn't that something? He knew that Moses and the prophets had a testimony of this coming Redeemer, and he said, we found him. We found him. Which is more than I think most men and women know in our day. That the entire Old Testament is talking about a person. Not talking about a way of life, it's talking about a person. It's not there to teach you morality. It's there to teach you that there's a savior coming, a redeemer coming.

But then he says this in Hebrews 3 verse 6. He said, but Christ as a son over his own house. He wasn't a servant of the people. He was the son over his own house, whose house are we if we hold fast the confidence and rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.

And based upon what he said between Moses and Christ and between one as a servant and one as the son, based on what he said there, he writes this line in verse 7 immediately after. The Holy Ghost saith in these things, the Holy Ghost saith Today, if you'll hear his voice, harden not your hearts as in the provocation."

The provocation, what's that? That was the entire journey of Psalm from the deliverance of bondage out of Egypt all the way to the promised land. They provoked God. They provoked him in everything, in their everyday life, in their attitude, in their decisions, in the way they talked. They were nothing in the world, but he calls that whole thing a provocation, no matter what God did for them.

David said they provoked God at the sea, even the Red Sea. This is where God's going to give them deliverance. This is where God's going to destroy Pharaoh and all their enemies. He's going to destroy them. And they provoke God there. Well, you just led us out here to die at the sea. And on and on it went at Maribor. And on and on until they get to the border of Canaan, and the spies go in, and they come back with an evil report.

And that was the straw that broke the camel's back. The Lord said, these 10 times, you've provoked me. And you're not going to do it anymore. He sent them back into the wilderness. You like the wilderness? Here it is. You go back there. And you're not going in. That's what he told them. You're not going in the promised land, period.

Yeah, but what if they did this? Didn't matter. They're not going in. He swore by himself, they're not going in. Your carcasses, he said, are going to fall in the wilderness. You're going to die and rot in that wilderness. You're not coming into my promised rest.

They mocked God's faithfulness, his wisdom. You don't think God knew where he was taking them? They mocked God's faithfulness, they mocked God's wisdom, they mocked God's power, and they mocked God's love and his grace. My soul, what all did he do for them? Without God, they'd have died in the wilderness.

Now, Israel's not this little group coming out of Egypt, like people think, 100 or so men. We're talking millions, millions. They stretched out for miles when they trapped. If you take time to study it, you'll find out that when they left Egypt, they left in a military fashion. There were so many abroad and so long. And it's just unbelievable how many people came out of there. It was a multitude. If they had no water in the desert, where'd they get their water from? Moses smote a rock, that's Christ. Christ smitten, that's the water of life. And he smote that rock, and that rock gushed out water for millions of people plus all their animals. I can't even imagine how many animals they had. You realize now the sacrifice of God was a lamb for a family, right? Well, how many families does it take to make up a couple million people? That's a lot of lambs, ain't it? And that's not to mention the goats and the calves and everything else, pigeons and doves. How much water does it take to water that many people in them? It was sufficient. coming out of that rock. And then in the New Testament, we find out that the rock followed them. It followed them. I don't care how far they marched. They got as far as they were going to go that day, and they stopped. Here's the rock. How did it get here? It followed us. Why? Same reason it was smitten. So you'd have water. And it says, and that rock was Christ. That rock was Christ.

Unbelief is the granddaddy of all sins. Unbelief rears its ugly head in distrust of the whole character of God. It puts a question mark on God's holiness, on everything that makes God God. Everything that God is, his love, his mercy, his grace, his kindness, puts a question mark on it. So it basically mocks the glory of God in salvation. That's what was going on. It defames his name, which is the foundation of his promises. It's a provocation.

Now let's draw a line from then till now, Hebrews chapter 4, verse 1. Let us fear, lest a promise of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. So what are we talking about? We're talking about a people who come short of it. Who's that? That's these men who provoke God through this whole journey, and they got right here. They got right to the edge of the promised land. They're standing on the Jordan River. But they come short of the promise. Oh, there's giants over there. We can't go over there. It's a provocation, and we're drawing this line. It's a promise of entering into his wrist. Any of you should seem to come short of it, verse 2.

For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them. How was it preached? It was preached through the typical sacrifices. It was preached through the priesthood. It was symbolized through the Spirit, who had not only inspired the writings of Moses, but he worked in the hearts of his elect, giving them faith in a coming Redeemer. It says that Joshua and Caleb followed him fully. Well, Caleb said, let's go. He said, this is like a story I already told. He said, let's go. And you know, when he was way past the age, he's an old man now, probably older than I am. I can't hardly walk. But Caleb, he still got fully bigger. And when it come to those Anakins, those giants, he said, I want that city. That's mine. Joshua, you remember, he said, we were faithful. I want that city. I'll take care of those giants. You let me. You let me go. And so he did.

Well, who works in the heart to make a man willing to do such a thing? The spirit of God. Spirit of God. How was the gospel preached? Well, it was preached through these pictures and types and preached through the demonstration of the Spirit of God. He demonstrated these things in their hearts, symbolized. His presence in the cloud, he provided daily light, protection, warmth. His providence, his providence led them to their inheritance. You're here this morning and you're wondering maybe why. I'll tell you why. God led you here to hear his gospel. And you may be right on the brink of receiving your inheritance and don't know it. Many of them were.

Now watch this, Hebrews chapter 6, verse 4. Seeing, therefore, that some must enter in. Why is it that some are going to enter in? Because God has determined it. He declared it. He willed it. He predestinated it. They're going to enter in, seeing that there were some that were going to enter in. And they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief. He limiteth a certain day in David, that is Psalm 95. And let me ask you something. I want you to understand what I'm saying. What's he talking about when he said he limiteth a certain day? Right in the middle of everything, all that we've been talking about, he said God had limited a certain day. Well, since the beginning of creation, the seventh day is the day of rest which God entered into and not man because of his unbelief. Therefore, he spoke of a certain day when man would enter in. When is that? That's this day, the gospel day. The gospel age, he's fixed a certain time that God's Israel might enter into his writ. And they're going to enter in. Today, he said, after so long a time, as it said in Psalm 95, today, after so long a time, as it said, today, if you'll hear his voice, harden not your heart.

How'd they harden their hearts? What did they do? They refused to enter into his rest. Didn't mean anything to them. We'd rather live in the wilderness than go fight giants. What's the giants that Christians have to fight? Religion. Religion. The beast. Now watch this. Now Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh entered in with the other tribes. They fought with all Israel. They identified themselves with the sons of Jacob, but they had no desire to live there. They went in. These others, these old men in Israel that come out of Egypt, they wouldn't go in. But these did go in. So what's the big deal? What's in Canaan that's not in Gilead? Are you listening? Rest. Rest. The ark of God, the testimony, the ministry of God, the people of God, the presence of God. And I know God's everywhere present, but he's not pleased to make his presence known everywhere. You let that sink in. God's everywhere. Whither shall I go from thy spirit? David said, I can't go anywhere. You're everywhere. But he doesn't make himself known everywhere. Where two or three are met together in my name, there am I in their midst. His name is manifested in his Son. None other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved. And Jesus Christ is Lord.

Christ establishing the name of God in the salvation of sinners through the blood of his sacrifice is the only salvation declared Old Testament or new. So how was it manifest in Canaan? In Romans 3.21, Paul establishes how sinners were saved under the law. But now, he said, the righteousness of God without the law is manifested. Now listen to this. Being witnessed by the law and the prophets, even the righteousness of God, which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all that believe. For all, that is all Jews and all Gentiles, have sinned and come short of the glory of God, being justified freely by his grace through the redemption of the same Christ Jesus, whom God set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood to declare his righteousness of sins that are past, his forgiveness of sins that are past. What's he talking about, our past sins? Boy, that wouldn't be much relief. If he forgave me of my past sins and not my future sins, boy, I'd have no hope at all. Huh? Well, what's he talking about, past sins? He's talking about Old Testament saints, sins of saints that are past. It's in the past. And that's what he's setting forth all the way through here, this Old Testament, how these things were known in the Old Testament.

To declare right after this, he says, to declare at this time, at this time, his righteousness, that he might be just and justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. Why are you telling us all this? I'm laboring to show you that the gospel ministry by which Christ is set before men and God's eternal rest in him was in Canaan and not in Gilead. There was nothing in Gilead but grass. Actually, if you look at this journey, Israel was passing through Gilead. Our whole life is a passing through. We're just passing through this world. We live here like we're going to live forever. Shouldn't do that. And knowing that they're just passing through, And going to this promised rest, these people looked over and said, woo, look at this grass. Cattlemen get all excited about grass. You talk to one, he'll go on for hours about grass. What state has the best grass? How many acres of grass it takes to feed so many cattle? And on and on it goes. But there's nothing in Gilead but grass, and cattlemen get excited about grass.

Let me tell you what the scripture says about grass. All flesh is grass. Huh? Oh, but it's pretty amazing what men do, yeah? It's like the dandelions come up in the spring, and you see that flower in the grass. That's the glory of man. It appears for just a little bit, and then it dries up, and you go and blow it away. And that's exactly what he says about grass. Glory is like the flower of the grass.

There was rest in Gilead. No rest in Gilead. There was no ministry in Gilead. There was no fellowship in Gilead. There was nothing in Gilead except financial opportunity. There's nothing there but a worldly soap bubble, a dream of success. And the two and a half tribes had no reservation about going on in and fighting with Israel in Canaan. But they had no intention of living there.

Now, beloved, the only reason God's saints are still here in the earth is his ministry. He doesn't need us for the ministry. Sinners do, but he don't. He don't need us for his ministry. He can make these things known by his spirit without any man. But he's chosen to do this. So then now it's a privilege, is it not? We're laborers together with God. Paul said that to encourage these people into the ministry. His ministry is the means he's chosen to save and keep his elect in this world.

You're not going to survive in this world without it. You're not going to do it. Oh, I'll be fine. No, he won't. You're not going to be fine. And for us who've been saved and am being saved, wander off for any reason. It's contradictory to the will of God and the purpose of God. You cannot serve God and stay in the camp of the enemy. You cannot live in the wilderness and have rest. It's not going to happen. That's what he's teaching in this chapter.

Let me delve in this a little deeper into this matter. The defense of the gospel is for Emmanuel's land. It's for that promised land where God's people will assemble and worship him. It's for a little portion where God's grace and mercy are not only rejoiced in, but set as a light on a hill. The land of promise, or the promised land, tells us that God will in time establish his people, these assemblies here, there, and yonder. And that wherever it is that he assembles them, the gates of hell couldn't prevail against them without the will of God. They're going to stay there until God's ministry has had its effect on them, and then it'll vanish. And you do what you will, but you're not going to get it to do anything unless God's in it. You see what I'm saying? He's going to establish his churches wherever he will, wherever he's pleased to do so, and all who have an interest in common with him will come there and rejoice with him.

If you have not these things in common, if you do not enjoy the salvation which God purchased for you, but you fight for it, loving this present evil world, then your warring, your combat, your willingness, and so on is going to be questionable. Is it not? How many have foregone the fellowship of the church for 1,000 reasons, yet would suit up tomorrow and fight with them if a fight began? Huh? They'd stand right by your side, wouldn't they? They'd fight a man in the street over their doctrines of grace. but they want no part of the fellowship and the rest and all the privileges that God has given to his people. It'd be like you had a child and you worked your whole life preparing this inheritance for him, and then you die, and the kids come up and say, well, we don't want that. We don't want that. We're not interested in that. We love you, but we don't want this. It would be a little questionable, wouldn't it? They kept their promise to fight, but their interest was elsewhere. When men and women make these kinds of decisions, sooner or later they're going to be called to justify what they've done. Why are you living here? All right, you look just like one of them Jews over there in Canada. Yeah, we are. Well, what are you doing here? Well, let me tell you something. If this is your case, you've opted for something that cannot be defended. All right, so what do people who go this route do? They'll find some other way to show their Christianity.

Let me read you something here. Joshua 22, verse 10. And I want you to notice how close they come. They come right up to the borders of Canaan, right up to the edge of the rest. Joshua 2210. And when they came unto the borders of Jordan that are in the land of Canaan, the children of Reuben and Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh built there an altar, a great altar to see to. You know what that means? To be seen. They built this huge monument, and everybody in Canaan could look over and see it. And when they were questioned about it, that's exactly what they said. We want your children to see this altar so they won't accuse our children of not having an interest in God.

They said in verse 24, in time to come, your children might speak unto our children saying, what have you to do with the God of Israel. For the Lord has made Jordan a border between us and you, you children of Reuben and children of Gad. You have no part in the Lord, so shall your children cease from fearing the Lord. Therefore, we said, let us now prepare and build an altar. That's why they built it. They didn't want to be questioned. They had no defense, so they built an altar.

Oh, what's this altar? It's a big show. That's what it is. It's a big show. We believe. Oh, what are you doing in Gilead? We love the Lord. We love the ministry. We love his gospel. We love the fellowship of God's saints. Then get on into Canaan and get out of Gilead. Why are you still over in Gilead for? I'll tell you why you're over there. That's where your treasure is. That's what you love the most. This is going to be our witness between us and you, this big altar. Well, the whole idea of the big altar don't wash. The altar is erected to justify an empty profession. That's what it's all about.

God's people love one another. They value God's ministry. It's a privilege. And they obey God, not forsaking the assembling of themselves together. We have an altar. Not one of our making, God made it. It's Christ. He's our altar. Hebrews 13.10. And that altar is a picture of rest in Canyon. That's where the altar was. That's where the tabernacle was. That's where the place where God said, I'll come and meet with you between the cherubim. Remember that over there in Exeter? That's where God's going to meet. But I don't want to go over there. I don't want to live over there. I don't mind visiting. But I don't want to live there. I want to live over here. Why? So you can feed your flesh, and that's all it is. It's family, it's friends, it's a job, it's being plugged in, it's convenience, on and on and on the list goes.

Well, if I don't witness to my grandchildren, who's going to tell them about the Lord? The same God who told you and in the same way through the preaching of the gospel. We're not left to our imagination to invent ways to Christianize our children, if you'll excuse the profession. The believer's confession is Christ crucified. He's a picture, now listen to this, it's a picture of your union with Christ and his church. When you're buried in baptism, you're buried in union with Christ. When you're raised from that water, it's a confession that you believe in your union with Christ to walk in newness of life. In union, not just with him, but his whole church. He and his people are one, aren't they? Well, I want him, but I don't want his people. That don't even make sense. And that's why he said, he that loveth not knoweth not God.

First, you've been a little rough on folks. I'm not trying to be rough on folks. I'm trying to tell them the truth. I'm here to feed your soul, not your pleasure box, whatever that is.

God promised, now listen to me, he promised and made provision in Canaan for Reuben and Gad and Manasseh. They had possessions there that God had laid out for them. But they wanted what their hearts lusted for. They wanted a ranch in Gilead. Welcome to Reuben's Ranch. I can just see the big sign out front, like King Ranch, Reuben's Ranch. And here's what to say. We don't see anything special about Canaan. We worship in Gilead. And we'll teach the same things you do. We'll write you from time to time so we don't lose touch. Every now and then, we'll come and visit. But we don't want to live there.

Just don't wash, does it? God's worship where his ministry is. That's where he's worshiped.

Now, here's where my title comes. My title is Love Not the World. John said, love not the world, neither the things of the world, for all that is in the world The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, talk about desire, same word, lust and desire. The desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes, and the pride of life is not of the father, it's of the world. And Satan is the god of this world, not as the ruler of it or the creator of it, but as the one they follow after and own as God. He sits before them false gods. He makes them to think that they're the God. Isn't that what free will is all about? Huh? My destiny is in my hands. Is it? It's not what the scripture says. It says it's in his. Is that right?

Now watch this. Demas. Paul called Demas his fellow laborer. He was a preacher. He went with him. Paul sent him out on many occasions to go out and preach to men at different places. Demas. He said, Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world. He saw something just like Reuben and Gad and the half-tribe of Manassas. He saw something that clicked with his soul. Man, he said, look at this place. I could raise cattle here like nobody else in the world. You've seen opportunities like that.

This altar is an altar of compromise, and it won't get it done. Why? Because Hebrews 4.1, it comes short of the promise. The promise is canon, not Gilead. And as Moses said when he first heard their request, You can read about that back in Numbers 32. Moses said, I'm going to tell you something. Your sins will find you out. You're not going to sweep this thing under a rope.

So what do we do? Well, I don't know about you, but I'm going to do the same thing Moses did. I'm going to let them do what they want to do. There's nothing else I can do about it. All I can do is warn men. If they want to raise cattle in the grass in Gilead, go to Gilead. Go raise your cattle. But there's no life there. There's no ministry there. There's no blessing there. There's no promise there. The promise is here in Canaan. And this altar of compromise just won't get it done. Our Lord said to his disciples, lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth where moth and rust doth corrupt, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves don't break through and steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

One verse more and I'll quit. Our Lord said to his disciples, no man can serve two masters. He'll either hate the one and love the other, or else he'll hold to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. Money, success, you put the word there. And I can argue from now to the end of time, but men's hearts are fixed on families and finances, pleasures, Opportunities, in general, just being plugged in.

Most of you were raised here your whole life. You're plugged in. If you need a car fixed, you know where to go, don't you? Need grocery, you know which store to shop at. You're plugged in. What if you had to pick up tomorrow and go to Kingsport? This pastor died, and the Lord wasn't pleased to send another. What are you going to do, you going to stay here in Gilead? I hope I've made enough impact on you to know that you've got to go where the gospel is. You've got to go where his church assembles and assemble with him. Otherwise, you're going to miss out on all the privileges that God has bestowed on his people.

They were all in Canaan. And I'm going to say one more thing. It didn't go well in Gilead. It went well for a time. They built their big ranches and farmed their big farms. And oh my, they were all a big success. And then war broke out in Israel. And the first to be destroyed was Gilead.