A GOD OF WONDERS
We know that The God of Israel is a God of wonders!
This same God loves and cares for you and me.
The covenant with Moses that was given to Israel from God, is a Covenant that applies to all who are inside God’s family by way either of being a native-born Israelite; and/or being adopted and grafted in by the saving grace from the sacrifice of The Blood of Christ Our Messiah.
When God covenanted with Israel, it was a very important moment in time. The first thing mentioned regarding this Covenant was that the people of Israel would witness God doing wonders that have never been done in any other nation of the world.
God thought this fact was important enough to mention. It was actually the very first thing He mentioned after the Covenant was set.
So; let’s just ponder the significance of that for a bit.
What were those wonders that God did for Israel?
Which of these things are uncommon to any other nation?
THE WONDERS GOD PERFORMED OUT OF LOVE FOR ISRAEL
For starters; there was the wonder of the release from the bondage of slavery.
God brought Israel completely out of Egyptian bondage and slavery. When I think of this fact I have to wonder how many of those Hebrew salves had been praying and praying faithfully for years before this happened.
Some Americans are feeling like they are living in the days of tyranny again. The same question applies; how many of us are praying and praying, for all the years it takes, for God to deliver us from this tyranny and government overreach we have experienced over the last few years.
The same God who gave His Only Begotten Son to save our souls, will also provide a way for any nation that chooses to serve Him.
Have you heard of any nation other than Israel, who was able to simply walk away from being enslaved?
Nor have I.
I know of some nations who fought long and hard to change their status and circumstances.
Also; I can name some nations and people groups who are still overcoming many barriers; but have you ever heard of any nation being held as slaves who were suddenly told to leave the country and to even take bounty with them. Can you think of such a nation who were told never to return? All of this actually happened and all in one single day.
Can you imagine things changing that fast in the current culture?
Only with God.
This is one of the amazing wonders that God did for the nation of Israel; a miracle that no other nation has ever experienced before or since.
THE WONDER OF PROTECTION IN IMPOSSIBLE CIRCUMSTANCES
Next we could consider the crossing of the Red Sea.
I would call that event “mission-impossible;” yet, wonder of wonders; it happened.
Have you ever heard of any other nation escaping their enemies by the fact that the waters of the sea opened up to let them walk across the floor of the ocean on dry ground? Then that same sea closed back just as the last person of the group stepped onto the other shore.
Have you heard of this happening again, with anyone else?
Nor have I.
We can say all of that without even mentioning the fact that the enemies of Israel were destroyed as they escaped to the other side.
This was simply another miracle that God performed for Israel.
I doubt you will ever hear this tale told from the lips of any other nation; only the nation of Israel.
This one feat alone proves that God was with them and sustaining them.
THE WONDER OF MANNA FROM HEAVEN
We could also consider how God rained down the manna from Heaven to provide three meals a day for the Israelite people while they lived in the wilderness.
Have you ever known of any young, struggling nation that did not have to struggle in strife for food supplies?
Not Israel.
They did not have to grow one single crop to eat.
There was no digging in the ground, and no struggling to make food grow for them. It was almost like the curse of the original sin in the garden; that of having to toil in the ground in order to grow food; was temporarily removed from them.
God miraculously fed them.
They were NEVER hungry.
They had all the food they needed every day for 40 years without ever having to do one thing to provide it.
No grocery bills – ever!
Can you imagine what that would feel like?
NO WORRIES AND NO STRIFE
Not one Israelite labored any more than the gathering up of the food in a bowl for six days a week. They were even commanded to rest on the seventh day.
Can you imagine being handed every single meal every day of your life for six days of the week, and being told to not even gather on the seventh?
There were no struggles.
No strife.
They had no worries.
No hunger.
The people never went hungry; not even once.
God was surely with Israel in the wilderness; and you will never hear of another nation being sustained by their God in this way – never.
Israel has been and remains very unique in this sense.
If you look at that one tiny little country on the corner of a continent of the map of so many totally different types of populations today, you can only shake your head in wonder as you recognize that God has sustained them through everything.
All these years God protected them.
Nothing has changed.
The hand of God is still placed over them for protection today.
It is a great wonder!
The covenant is still at work, in spite of many enemies.
God is still keeping His promises!
He kept it with Israel, and He will keep Covenant with all of His people today.
THE WONDER OF WATER FROM A ROCK
Not only were their needs for food supplied supernaturally; but the children of Israel were also given water from a rock.
This again is something unheard of.
What other nation has been provided water from a rock for their thirst by their God?
Only Israel!
How many third-world countries suffer today because of a lack of water?
Many missions have been formed by caring people wanting to help provide; but Israel did not need for anyone to come and help out.
This was God keeping His covenant at all times; in all circumstances.
God has never failed to sustain His chosen people.
THE WONDER OF THE CLOUD AND THE FIRE
Who else; or what other nation has been safely led to the place they were to inhabit by a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night?
Have you ever heard of something such as this from any other nation or from all of the world’s history books?
Me either.
Of course we could speak about some wise men following a star; but they would only tell you of this same God’s wonder; and how He always keeps His covenants with His people.
Israel is very unique in the way that God has sustained them.
God always looks after His people.
We all know that God proved His covenant over and over by performing awesome wonders for Israel.
NO SWELLING FEET; NO ROTTING CLOTHES
As Americans across this land begin to think about the fact that a time of “less” may be coming; we can stop to ponder how the Israelites had nothing originally. They were poor slaves. They went into the desert with only the clothes on their backs and whatever they could carry in their hands.
Yet, they were very rich in all that they needed, both physically and spiritually; because God was leading them in a very supernatural way.
There are so many other wonders that God performed as His people presented their needs before Him.
For instance; did you know that not once, even with all the walking through the desert heat, did the feet of those Israelite people swell? They walked for miles and miles at a time. Their feet did not swell. None of them; old, young or infirmed.
Nor did the soles of their sandals wear thin; nor did their clothes wear out.
Is this not a great wonder?
I wonder if any reader of this article today has any clothes in their closet which have lasted for forty years without tearing, splitting or rotting?
The Israelites NEVER needed new clothes.
THE WONDER OF ALL NEEDS BEING MET OVER AND OVER AGAIN
Father God fed them.
God watered them.
Our God protected them.
A loving God sustained them.
This caring God provided clothes and shoes for them.
Each night they had a warm, dry place to lay their head.
Every morning they had the strength and energy to follow the cloud that was leading them.
Once a week they had a whole day of rest.
They NEVER wanted for anything.
Can you imagine living with all of those things instantly provided today?
A GOD OF TRUTH; NOT A GOD OF FALSEHOODS
False illusions are painted for all of us today by dreamers who want to establish a utopian, socialistic government.
They speak of ideology which would probably place us all (in actual reality) much closer to the category of being more like the Israelites when they first became the slaves of Egypt.
These dreamers speak of the world they dream about as if it would provide happiness and fulfillment for all; instead of reflecting the shadow and type of the slavery of the Israelites. They want us to believe their ideas would reflect a time of great freedom and deliverance.
There is a reason why they are called “dreamers.” Most dreams never come true. This one would turn into a nightmare.
A REAL GOVERNMENT THAT WORKS
However; there IS a way of government that DOES provide all that is needed.
It is called The Kingdom of Heaven; and it is ruled by God Almighty.
I speak of a place where the glory of a covenant-making God is lived out through His covenant-keeping people.
It is a place where truths are revealed and falsehoods are dispelled.
This is a kingdom where love has allowed every good and righteous thing to be written inside the hearts of every citizen of the kingdom.
It is a place of freedom, love and peace.
This place can be hidden inside your own heart even now. It DOES exist with any person who chooses to follow a covenant-keeping God.
REMEMBER THESE FACTS WHEN YOU SAY THE WORDS
Next time you say the pledge of allegiance to the flag of America, and you pronounce the part where you say “one nation under God;” stop and think of Israel; because in the days of Moses, when great wonders were being performed by God daily; that was just the case. They actually were one nation under God. By God’s provision; they actually wanted for NOTHING.
A GOD WHO DESERVES OUR THANKS
This is something to ponder in the present tense as we all bow our heads and give thanks to God over our modern-day Thanksgiving dinners.
All that we have – God has provided.
One thing in all of the above facts concerning Israel still holds true for us today. Absolutely any blessings we enjoy in our homes and our lives comes from only one source. That source is God and God alone.
A TIME FOR REMEMBERING GOD’S GREAT WONDERS
This season we celebrate today is a time for being thankful.
We realize it is a perfect time for remembering God’s great wonders, and the way He has promised to always look after and deliver His people.
If you belong to Him; you are just like those children of Israel. You are dependent on Him for your every need.
Remember; that first Thanksgiving originated with pilgrims and natives bowing their heads and thanking God for His divine providence.
If you belong to Him; just as He did for Israel; He will be faithful to provide.
Today; we are so very blessed in that we can look back and be thankful as well as look forward being thankful. Fortunately; this is all because we serve a covenant-keeping God; who has provided all that we will ever need.
He sent all of that to us in a package called Jesus Christ.
It all started way back in time; with this covenant that God spoke out to Moses as they communed up on the top of The Mountain of God.
Every word that God spoke of in this covenant was full of wonder.
As confirmation, the words of wonder multiplied on down through history and time.
Thankfully; we can still hear the echoes of that great covenant today. Each generation that follows the words of the covenant, and each person who chooses to become one of God’s covenant-keeping-family; makes the statement known around the world.