The people stayed in a camp at the foot of Sinai for a long time. There was a lot to do before they were ready to leave that place.
A YEAR INTO THEIR JOURNEY NOW
A whole year had passed by and they had spent most all of it at the foot of Sinai where they camped after the terrible sin of The Golden Calf.
At the foot of that mountain they waited while Moses talked to God to try to convince Him to forgive the people and to continue to go with them further.
When God was merciful and forgave them; Moses was then kept busy cleaning the camp up, purifying the camp, constructing and preparing the things for the tabernacle and teaching the priests working in the tabernacle and the people all of the ways of God.
This was not an easy task!
THE TWENTIETH DAY OF THE SECOND MONTH
Finally, in the second year, on the twentieth day of the second month, the Cloud of Glory rose from the tabernacle and the Israelites began to follow it further into the wilderness.
They followed the cloud until it came to rest in Paran.
All of the above sounds so very simplistic and matter of fact. It wasn’t. There was a lot of hard work for everyone to do in order for the people of God to move on toward the land of promise.
Let’s talk about the date of their leaving Sinai first.
A VERY SIGNIFICANT DATE IN TIME
The twentieth day of the second month has always been pretty important in the history of mankind.
This was the date that the people of Israel left Sinai; but when we look backwards it was also the date that the LORD instructed Noah and his family to come out of the ark after the flood.
It was a place inside of time when the only people left on earth who belonged to God began to live life anew in a new place and in a new way; for the first time ever; they were living completely within the will of God.
It was a perfect new day.
This new day was a turning point.
It was a clean slate away from the ruin and decay of a sinning world. Now they were stepping into a fresh, new world that knew only the ways of God.
A GOD OF SECOND CHANCES
Just like the family of Noah walking out on that dry land again; the people of Israel were being given a second chance to live life in a better world and in a better way.
Still; freedom is never as easy as it sounds.
Freedom from bondage always presents humanity with a learning curve. We have to learn the proper way to appreciate and respond to our new found freedom; or we will simply find ourselves right back in the old place of bondage which we were delivered from.
GOD ALWAYS PREPARES HIS PEOPLE
Most teachers will tell you that the time at Sinai was a time to prepare the people to know God. That is true; however there is another process that was going on. The time spent at the foot of Sinai was also for the education and organization of the people.
God was teaching them his ways so that they could have a better life.
He was slowly leading them to let go of the old and slowly furnishing them with how they needed to live with the new. God understands how we humans have to learn. He does what is needed to accomplish this in our own best interest. Time is an element involved when we are trying to stay true to our second chances.
NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE WITH GOD
Have you ever wished for such a second chance for yourself?
It is only possible with God.
Humans are not capable of making all things new; but this was something that Jesus took great delight in doing for us.
Just ask him; he will show you the way just as surely as Moses was showing the people the way to the new camp in Paran.
A PATTERN FOR MODERN DAY DISCIPLES TOO
I wonder if God was again using the story of the people leaving Sinai as a way of giving us yet another pattern for living today.
Pay close attention to the way that God led the people out from the camp at Sinai and forward toward the land of promise. There may be a few ideas and thoughts that make you wonder.
Since God is a God who loves patterns and since he used the people of Israel as a pattern to teach all of us the best ways to live; I have to wonder if he wasn’t showing us a glimpse into the pattern of our future as he led those Israelites forward.
THOUGHTS OF THE MILLENNIUM
I had to wonder if God is still teaching us how we all will eventually be prepared to step into The Kingdom of Heaven.
A day is coming when we too will have a chance to experience the same feelings that Noah and his family experienced. One day Christ will return and the whole earth will become like new. God’s people will rule and reign with Him for one thousand years.
The kingdoms of this earth will become the Kingdom of God.
Won’t that be a wonderful time?
LOOK FOR GOD’S PATTERNS
All we have to do is to keep walking in the right direction; following our guide, God’s Holy Spirit.
If that sounds easy; I have news for you; it isn’t.
If you can gain any knowledge along the way that is helpful; I would advise you to take it.
The good news is that God has hidden all the secrets we need to know in the universe and they are there for the taking.
Open your eyes and look around.
Seek and you will find.
A PICTURE HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT
The movement of the people leaving Sinai are a lot like the movements of God’s people learning of His better ways and leaving their old sins behind and moving into a better place. The land of promise was being prepared for them even as they took that first step from Sinai and headed in the direction of The Cloud of Glory.
A place is also being prepared for us. We have to take that first step that leaves all the old behind. We have to move forward and never look back.
ANOTHER EXAMPLE
As I write this lesson; people all over the earth are preparing to celebrate The Feast of Tabernacles. They are joyfully packing up their bags and moving to a temporary shelter where God has placed His name. They are going to a place that is already prepared, ready and waiting for them to have all the time they need to draw closer to God.
This too is a pattern that God gave us; like a rehearsal of the Millennial reign of Christ.
KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN ON YOUR OWN PERSONAL JOURNEY
Today, we must be constantly watching and noticing all the patterns that God laid out in order to make our lives better.
Are there secrets hidden in the movement of the Israelites toward the land of promise that will be helpful to those of us who are following Christ today?
What can we learn from the formation of the people and the movements through the desert that will be helpful to us in our own spiritual journey?
I suspect there are MANY hidden gems waiting for us to discover along the way.
EVERYTHING WE NEED IS HERE
Let’s continue to follow God’s chosen people through the wilderness and see what lessons they have to teach us about living in The Kingdom of God.
Everything we need is hidden right here in the Book of Numbers; all we have to do is to pay prayerful attention and God’s Holy Spirit will guide us on just like The Cloud of Glory in those days of old.
May your journey be amazing and blessed of God.