Numbers 31-33
Reuben and Gad settle. They settle in the land before they cross over into Canaan, and they settle for less than God’s best.
We know people like that today. Rather than stretching for all that God has, they are willing to settle. They may have an addiction that they just “live with.” Or they may spend their life in ordinary, humdrum distractions, not reaching for the best that God has.
I don’t want to “settle,” do you? I want all that God has for me. I want to fulfill my destiny in Him.
In 33:50-56, God gives Moses a charge. He is to speak to the sons of Israel to warn them of things to come. They are to leave no one alive in the new land, or they will be like “thorns in your sides.”
We are living in a different day. We are not to run the people out of our land, but we are to run the demons out. Our struggle is “not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers.”(Ephesians 6:12). Those are the ones to receive our sword (the Word of God). We are to drive them out of our households and out of the lives of our families.
Just as the Israelites could have compromised with the enemies they faced, we can compromise. Just a little sin; just a little disobedience. No way. That’s not the plan.
We are not to compromise with the devil and his demons. If we do, they will become a “thorn in our sides,” just as pronounced upon the Israelites.
For me it’s no compromise. Only God’s plan, trusting in Him completely.
Mark 9:1-29
It must have been strange to see into another realm as these disciples did. As Peter, James, and John went up on the mountain with Jesus, saw Him shining as the sun, and saw Moses and Elijah, their knees must have shaken! What drama!
What was the point? Moses represented the Law and Elijah represented the Prophets. The Law and the Prophets were the highest orders of the Old Testament. They were the ones who inscribed the Word for us and showed us the way before Jesus came.
Now the greatest of all has come – Jesus. The torch is about to be passed to the New Covenant and to us as believers.
Now for the total endorsement. God’s voice comes out of the cloud. “This is My beloved Son; listen to Him.” Wow!
No wonder the disciples were terrified. They didn’t know what to make of this. But later Peter writes about it in his epistle. (II Peter 1:17-18). It’s part of his testimony concerning the glory of Jesus.
II Peter 1:19 “And so we have the prophetic word, made more sure, to which you do well to pay attention as to a light shining in a dark place.” Our place may be dark with sin and corruption, but the light of Jesus will shine for us and from us, if we let Him.
That’s our job now. We are to be the light in the world, proclaiming His love, His power, and His kingdom to those who will listen. And demonstrating these by our love and our actions.
Let your light shine bright for Him.
Blessings.
