“The Israelites ate manna for forty years, until they came to a land that was settled; they ate manna until they reached the border of Canaan.” – Exodus 16:35
Most of what the Israelites needed in life came to them by the hand of God during all those wilderness years. But here they are at the border of Canaan, and things were about to change. Israel was challenged to grow up. At the Jordan River Moses sent 12 spies into the land to check it out. This is the land God had promised to Abraham – the inheritance of the children of Israel. Finally, after all their wandering, they are right here on the border. The spies eventually report back. Ten spies don’t have a good report. They’re scared of the challenges ahead. They swear they’ve seen giants, huge mythical giants of men – and they spread fear amongst the Israelite camp. (Numbers 13:31-33)
Here they are, the children of God, after all their wanderings … everything they needed had come from the Father every time they complained – bread, meat, water. Right up to the border of Promised Land. The two remaining spies, Joshua and Caleb, are saying, “No, no! This is an awesome land it’s flowing with milk and honey. It’s a fantastic inheritance. We’ve checked out these guys, they’re big but we can attack and take them. We can do this!” But the people wouldn’t listen. They refused to go in even though God had led them all the way to the front door. They get to the front door of their promised inheritance, they’re shown beautiful samples of the produce the land is producing and it is awesomely good – milk and honey stuff. They raised their voices, they start crying and carrying on, they want to stone Moses and Aaron, choose a new leader and go back to Egypt. Go back to Egypt?
Here’s the thing, friends: everything the children of Israel ever needed – needed – was provided by the hand of God right up to the border of the Promised Land. Everything! God demonstrated His love and grace to them, despite all their complaining for forty years. He did awesome things in their sight. And here they are at the front door of their Promised Land inheritance – and because of fear of things far inferior to God, (which is the essence of what unbelief really is), they cannot go in and take it. Correction, they won’t go in and possess it. They want go back to Egypt! They don’t want to grow up!
Israel, parked on the border of Canaan, could not get out of child mode and into warrior mode and take their inheritance … and so, they wandered about for another forty years, eating manna and quail, not milk and honey. That generation never inherited the richer things of God – they stayed on basics for the rest of their lives. This is a graphic portrayal of where a lot of the church is today. Many believers are at the front door of their inheritance in the Lord – for the richer things! To be a holy nation, a royal priesthood – but they don’t want to go in and take it, preferring to stay on basics year in year out.
To inherit the richer things was God’s promised inheritance to Israel. It is ours, too! But it isn’t going to fall into our laps. We have to take it … by force, if necessary … or stay on basics until we’re prepared to grow up.
“And from the time John the Baptist began preaching until now, the Kingdom of Heaven has been forcefully advancing, and violent people are attacking it.” - Matthew 11:12 (NLT)
You are wonderfully loved!
Ps Milton