The children of Israel traveled in
a circular path between Mount Sinai and Canaan, the land of
promise, for forty years. Their wanderings through this
wilderness and thorny desert serve to remind us that flesh
and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God. The generation
that entered the promised land was not the one which was led
by Moses. He presided over Israel from
the time of their departure from Egypt until they were to actually
enter Canaan. Yet he was not able to lead them
into this land of promise because of his death at the hand of God.
He was allowed to view that glorious land from Pisgah's lofty heights,
but could not enter therein. His death reminds us of the killing
nature of the law. the fact that the soul that sinneth
shall die, and also that there is no compatibility between that
which is of the law and that which is of the promise. Even
as the Lord told Nicodemus, that which is born of the flesh is
flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Throughout
the scriptures there is a comparison and contrast between these two
opposite principles. Down through the ages, men have
sought to define the promises of God to His children as being
contingent upon the keeping of the law in some fashion or measure. In this they do demonstrate the
fact that the law is written in the very heart of man. It
is this principle which causes men in their religious flesh
to go about seeking to establish their own righteousness before
God. These law-keepers, as were the Pharisees, seemed to honestly
believe that God would be impressed by their adherence to a moral
code, and in return bestow various blessings of one type or another
on them as a result of their varying degrees of obedience
to it. Yet to pursue this notion is
to ultimately perish, even as Moses died in plain sight of
that glorious land. The reality is that man has never
merited or earned one blessing from God on the basis of anything
which he has either performed in his flesh or avoided by the
same. All of the benefits which have
befallen the sons of God in this world or that one which is to
come have been the result of his unmerited favor. There are
many who claim that they believe in salvation by grace. They will
say that they believe eternal salvation is truly and completely
the work of Christ from beginning to end. Yet they try to resurrect
Moses from his hidden grave on Pisgah Heights by contending
that men can either gain or forfeit the blessings of Canaan by their
levels of obedience or disobedience. Joshua led his people to inherit
the riches of Canaan because of the promise which was given
to Abraham in his seed. not because of any adherence
to the law or foreseen acts of obedience. Every victory which
they gained, and yes, every defeat which they suffered, was ordered
by the hand of Him who gave them this land by promise. In like
fashion do those who are appointed by the Lord gain every blessing
which they enjoy simply by His grace and mercy, completely apart
from any human merit or endeavor except that of the man Christ
Jesus. Thus we read of a secret pavilion
in which the people of God are hidden. By nature, religious
men will seek a place of glory in the deeds and supposed relative
merit of their fleshly endeavors. They will measure themselves
against one another and either accuse or excuse one another
on the basis of those endeavors. They will boast of their knowledge
and gifts, their positions, their religious practices and orthodoxy,
and even their supposed humility. This pavilion is a sanctuary
into which none can enter except those whom the Lord is pleased
to hide there. We read that He will hide them
in the secret of His presence. The only man who has ever dwelt
in the secret place of the Most High is the Lord Jesus Christ. And it is in his shadow that
we are given the privilege to be hidden with him, even as he
hid Moses in the cliff of the rock, while his glory, that is,
his goodness, pass by. It is in this pavilion that the
sons of God are kept safe from their accusers, even when that
accuser is their own son for flesh. Come unto me, all you
that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. If you would like a free transcript
of this broadcast, email us at 4the4 at windstream.net.