Understanding God's Ways While Appreciating His Works

"Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness: when your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years. Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, "They do always err in their heart; and they have not known my ways. So I swore in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest"". -Heb 3:8-11. He made known His ways unto Moses, His acts unto the children of Israel. -Psalm 103:7.

The children of Israel were brought out of the Egyptian bondage by the Lord. He used His servant Moses to accomplish this task. Even while in the land of slavery, the Israelites had seen the mighty hand of the Lord work miracles. The Almighty had shown Himself powerful to destroy the ungodly not once but ten times; He also had proved that He is the protector of His people all these ten times as always. His people in Goshen, the Hebrew district in Egypt, remained untouched by the plagues that were troubling the Egyptian population.

After being delivered from the heavy hand of the Pharaoh, his officers, and his army, the people of God were lead through the wilderness and were on their way to the 'promised land'. They had conquered and broken through various heathen territories and were almost there. Meanwhile, they had seen more miracles - the red sea split and gave them way to walk in dry land; the entire Egyptian army was drowned in the red sea; they ate manna that fell from heaven at dawn everyday; they were protected by a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night; they saw water gushing out of a rock when Moses struck it with his rod. What more did they want from God to prove that He is the faithful One?

Sadly, the people of Israel failed to keep trusting the Lord. They doubted His goodness time and again; they questioned His ability all the time; they had no faith in His purpose to bring them to their destination. They provoked His anger by their words and their rebellious behavior. They revolted against His servant Moses who the Lord Himself had chosen, called, and trained for executing His plan. Thy failed to know His ways even after witnessing His mighty works. As a result, they had to forfeit their privilege to enter the promised land; they were taken through a wilderness sojourn for forty long years; they had to undergo a tiresome phase of life that took a toll on their lives. Except Joshua and Caleb, none of those who came out of Egypt could set their feet in Canaan, the land that flowed with milk and honey. They lost their right to occupy the land of God’s promise.

Moses knew all along the ways of the great ‘I am’, ever since He spoke to him from the burning bush at Midian. The call was sure; the purpose was certain, and the plan was flawless. And, Moses dedicated himself to this endeavor wholeheartedly. The Lord kept revealing His ways mile by mile to His servant. However, the people he led did not grasp the truth entirely. They were far too short-sighted. They enjoyed the hour when it was pleasing to their heart (mouths!) but immediately complained and murmured when there was even a momentary mishap or a minor hardship. Moses remained a man of God but the people of Israel were not behaving as the chosen people of God.

God called Moses to the mountain to show him the model of His sanctuary in heaven; Moses had to replicate this on earth. Moses was faithful to carry this out in the house of God. He built the tabernacle of God as per the Lord’s instructions without any flaw. Every detail was perfectly incorporated in the design and execution of the work.

Moses knew that the earthly tabernacle was only a shadow and a reminder of the original abode that God wants to dwell in. God wants to dwell in the hearts of His believers. We become His temple when we receive Him in our lives. The Israelites kept believing that God dwelt in the physical tabernacle that Moses built. They abused their bodies indulging in all kind of filthy, lustful, and sinful behavior.

Moses knew that the sacrificial animal on the alter was only a substitute for the very person who brought that sacrifice. Instead of the individual dying for his sins (“The soul that sins shall die”, was God’s verdict) the blood of the innocent animal was being offered. This also revealed the individual’s faith in the Lamb of God that would be sacrificed for the sin of the people of the world at Calvary in Time; the sinless Christ would shed His blood for the forgiveness of sins of the entire humanity. The people of Israel kept offering sacrifices of bulls and goats unmindful of the reason why such gory acts of shedding animal blood were being committed at all. They failed to grasp the truth that any sacrifice they offered on the altar was, in fact, replacing themselves and was also pointing to the One Perfect Sacrifice that was to come. Woefully, they continued in their sins with no repentance or change of heart, even for a moment.

Moses knew that Araon the priest (and others who followed him in his family) would be the people’s representative to empathize, plead and intercede for them - a shadow of the Lord Himself who would be the Great High Priest. People looked at Aaron as a religious head, not as a shadow of the True Advocate and Mediator they needed to reconcile them to God. They were unmindful of the conflict that existed between their interests and their God’s expectations. They let the gulf widen between them and God by their ungodly activities.

Moses knew that the veil that separated the common people from the Holy of Holies (the representation of the presence of God) would remind the people of their unworthiness to approach the throne of God; they will have to depend on His goodness, mercy and grace to come to Him for anything. The people of Israel did not understand their worthlessness to receive the favor of God; they kept depending on their self-righteousness and good works to gain His approval and acceptance in spite of their denigrating lifestyle.

Moses knew that the commandments and the laws that the Lord gave His people were only a means to come to Him for receiving His grace; it would never make them righteous because it was demanding from them a lifestyle that was totally against their fallen nature. The people who received these statutes and precepts thought that doing their best to keep these laws would bring them blessings; they failed to understand that whoever comes to God expressing their inability to comply with His words would receive succor from above; God Himself would provide them help in time of need to resist temptation and overcome sin. They relied on their own ability to please God and did not realize that they were failing miserably because they left God behind and refused to approach Him for His help.

Moses knew that the brazen serpent he lifted up in the wilderness was a shadow of Christ being lifted up on the cross; those who looked upon Him would be saved. The people of God thought that it was a matter of superstition or magic that happened on that day when the plague of the fiery serpents was put off; they did not realize that the faith in the word of God saved them from death. Many kept dying; twenty-four thousand died.

At one time, the unbelief and the myopia of the people infected Moses too. It provoked him to anger, and the meekest man on earth lost his temper! Moses overruled the Lord's instruction and struck the rock with his rod instead of speaking to it. As per the ways of God, the Rock was to be struck only once – and that, on the cross. After this, believers needed to just speak to the Rock. The people of God as well as their leader were disillusioned by the thick of the situation that they failed to grasp the ways of God and focused for the moment on the (earlier / past /) work of God. The work at hand was only a small part of the wide grand design of the all-knowing God.

Coming to our day: Have we grasped the ways of our Lord Who has called us according to His purpose? Are we looking beyond His everyday works to understand His ways?

Are we disappointed when the Lord denies our requests, disheartened when we do not get what we want, keep complaining when the Lord remains silent instead of acting as per our expectations, turn back to our worldly attractions when we start wanting some basic needs badly, and miss and yearn for our everyday pleasures when we resolve to do His will in our lives? Do we judge that the Lord is not powerful enough when we see unfavorable things happening around us? When governments that blaspheme God take charge and when ungodly people come to power, do we get upset and lose faith in our God? If the Lord does not heal our infirmities, do we get frustrated and start murmuring? Do we turn our backs to Him when we lose our loved ones, our job, or our favorite possession? Do we stop approaching Him because He does not yield to our ‘pestering’ and ‘nagging’?

Or, do we know that the Lord reigns, is almighty, knows all, and can carry out His plan, fulfill His purpose, and bring everything to fruition, come what may?

We desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end: that ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises. Heb 6:11, 12.

Let us not be short-sighted backsliders but people who take a step backward (!) to see the big picture; each one of us is also playing a very constructive and active part in His plan and purpose. Let us not only thank Him for His works in our lives but also move forward in His ways with our focus on the Lord.