Title Number 20 Be a new person
Contents
become a new person
Numbers 20:1-29
38 years later
The words written today take place in the 40th year after the Israelites wandered in the wilderness. And they are in the same place they stayed 38 years ago. From Kadesh-Barnea, God told Moses to send spies to the land of Canaan, and he sent 12 spies. Among them, only Joshua and Caleb saw everything with the eyes of faith and reported positively. The other ten had no faith, only human eyes, and reported negatively. Upon hearing their report, the people began to complain. God punished the resentful people of Israel, and at that time all the men over 20 years of age wandered around in the wilderness until they died. After wandering around for 38 years, he came to Kadesh, the place where he was punished for the first time. At this time, 38 years ago, everyone who was 20 years of age or older had died. “It was thirty-eight years from the time they left Kadesh-Barnea to the crossing of the brook Zered, when all the soldiers of that time perished from the camp, just as the LORD had sworn to them” (Deuteronomy 2:14).
38 years they haven't changed
Because of God's discipline, they suffered in the wilderness for 38 years, but nothing had changed. They complained to God and were punished, and they lived a boring life in the wilderness for 38 years, but they did not change. The Bible does not record what they did for 38 years. There is no record of 38 years since he was disciplined for complaining. Record only what happened in the last 40 years. If they had undergone a spiritual change through their wilderness life, it would have been recorded in the Bible. But there was nothing to record because they lived a life of murmuring and resentment for 38 years, as they had done for the first two years.
In Exodus 17, the people quarreled with God because there was no water, so the place was called Muriva. “He called the name of the place Massah or Meribah, because the children of Israel quarreled, or they tested the Lord, saying, Is the Lord among us or not” (Exodus 17:7). The same thing happened 38 years later, and we react the same as our ancestors did 38 years ago. They opposed Moses and Aaron and complained to God. Yes, that place was called ‘Meribah’. “These were called the waters of Meribah, because the children of Israel quarreled with the LORD, and the LORD sanctified them among them” (20:13). Meribah in Exodus and Meribah in Numbers are not the same place. They named two places Meribah to show their toughness.
Like the Israelites, who did not change even after being trained in the wilderness for 38 years, we must examine ourselves to make sure that we do not change and remain in that well during our long religious life. The gospel has the power to change people. The reason why it doesn't change is because you didn't know the gospel properly or you didn't obey it. If we properly know and obey the Gospel, everything in our lives is going to change.
The people did not change because of their complaints verses 4-5.
If we know that the environment given to us is given by God and live with gratitude for the environment, our lives will change. But people who complain a lot about everything do not change. A person who constantly complains that the church lacks love and searches for a church with love will not find a church overflowing with love even after searching for the rest of his life. Since the Lord has told us to love, those who set out to make a church with a lot of love can meet a church with a lot of love. Everything changes when you are grateful. Complaining doesn't change anything. If you want something to change, you have to stop complaining. Instead, you should ask, ‘What should I do in this situation?’
Moses couldn't change because he couldn't control his emotions
Moses had a lot of trouble 80 years ago because of blood. Unable to bear his blood, he killed an Egyptian and trained in the wilderness for 40 years. But you can see that the blood is still there. When he saw the people complaining about the water, he became angry. Angry, Moses hit the rock with his staff and spit out water, failing to reveal the glory of God. Although Moses was the meekest man in the world, he made a big mistake because he could not stand his blood. Because of this, they could not enter the land of Canaan. In order to change, you have to give up your blood. You cannot change unless you learn to control your emotions.
The Spirit of God does
As the hymn says, it is not through strength, nor knowledge, nor weeping, nor death, that we become like the image of the Lord. When the Holy Spirit of God comes, we change. We must first admit that we cannot do it on our own. It is impossible with my will and effort. It's not about changing the environment. This is possible only when the Holy Spirit comes and changes people.
We should always pray, “Change me.”
Change me as the selfish Zacchaeus turned into an altruistic man.
Please change me into a man of the Lord just as Saul, who persecuted Christianity, turned into Paul who was martyred for you.
Transform me as the quick-tempered John, nicknamed the Son of Lightning, became an apostle of love.
The Lord who made water into wine will change us who cannot change. When I change, the world changes and the people around me also change.