Developing the Path

Post 242

Apparently I do need to cut a bit more brush on my last post to make the path a little more obvious.

A quick history:

In my practical overlay of God’s Wilderness Rehab Program of Exodus, the children of Israel were first stripped of their access to the familiar spiritual drugs of Egypt life that kept them dulled to the true reality in God *1, and after taking away such drugs, they were then purged of those toxic lifestyle concepts that produced that false reality disconnected from God, which was all they could know as long as they were constantly captive to it. Only after that difficult detox did God lead them out of the Wilderness of Sin to pause in Rephidim before setting up camp in the Wilderness of Sinai where they stayed for some time before moving them into the Wilderness of Paran.

As an ancient history of lands far away, this is all boring and irrelevant to us today with forgettable names of unknown and meaningless places unless you just like to read about history;

“How could this historical narration actually mean anything to my real life problems today?”

The secret of understanding the application is in the names of these places that God specifically led them through. Though very real places with very normal names given by geological uniqueness or other normal reasons that places get names, “Somehow” these names all tell a story of OUR life journey of faith. So let’s explore a little more of this overlay regarding the names of the specific waypoints of their rehabilitation program as we remember that;

“all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come” I Corinthians 10:11.

(Have you got that verse memorized yet?)

* * *

The Rescue: (Exodus 12:1-36) Final negotiations for the Release:

The beginning of new life to the Exodus Hebrews began when God changed their calendar;

“This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you” Exodus 12:2.

Call it a birthday with the ten labor pains on Egypt and the struggle to be born. With the Passover of that first month their new life was born only fourteen days into that new life calendar (Exodus 12:3). That Passover was the pardon from the Egyptian death sentence of the firstborn for refusing God. Jesus Christ’s own firstborn/sacrificial-lamb death in our place of judgment was the fulfillment of that Type (John 1:29+Matthew 26:2), so which was the real deal?

If the Egyptians had only accepted God’s early “suggestions” to let go of what they felt like they had to keep, they would not have suffered the death of their firstborns who were their continuing heritage. This refusal is not exclusive to Egypt; it is the human problem, and was in fact the point of the wilderness rehab program for the Hebrews and our own “wilderness” sojourn today. Ten key phases, each soliciting a reply, each reply leads toward life or toward the next worse plague in prompting the correct reply next time until there are no more options to make a different reply. One heart hates God more for the next greater plague, while another heart realizes the need to avoid the plague and responds in repentance for rebellion to the Creator. These are the same ten provocation replies of the Exodus people that ended in the “death” of the “firstborn” people from entering into God’s rest that he labeled the Promised Land. The response given is directly related to the perception of cause/fault;

“Is God just being mean, or am I bringing this on myself?”

The self-centered heart CANNOT see other than God is just a mean tyrant (John 14:17). This is Richard Dawkins’ conclusion in his book “The God Delusion”.

But I digress.

After the tenth unwise response from Pharaoh resulting in the death of the firstborns, the rehab journey of the Exodus people began as Pharaoh himself cast them from his domain;

“And he called for Moses and Aaron by night, and said, Rise up, and get you forth from among my people, both ye and the children of Israel; and go, serve the LORD, as ye have said”

Exodus 12:31(and 42).

The importance of this specific wording comes clear as we understand that this is all about serving the LORD and not about their escape even if the people did not know that at the time. But reality is never as simple as we want to perceive it to be, I have left out the scriptural emphasis of each specific date because that is a whole other study of its own that verifies the carefully planned periods of each phase of the program. But leaving aside the dates to avoid confusion, lets focus on the names of the specific stages in the rehabilitation journey; Numbers 33 guarantees our clear comprehension of the specific stops with their specific purposes as the details of that Exodus journey are abbreviated into simply the names/identity of each stage in the program;

“And Moses wrote their goings out according to their journeys by the commandment of the LORD…” Numbers 33:2.

But to confirm my proposal let’s first review the details in Exodus regarding the events in those named locations, before simply tracking the list of names in Numbers to get the direct defined outline of the program:

So after Pharaoh, their spiritual drug dealing pimp, cast them out because they were no longer advantageous to him but a detriment at the Passover, under Moses their rescuing protector we find their rehabilitation began by departing Egypt and then maintained the following schedule:

* * *

1) Rameses to Succoth: (Exodus 12:37-39) From the Streets to the clinic waiting room:

“And the children of Israel journeyed from Rameses (7486 a place in Egypt) to Succoth (5523 plural of 5521; booths; the name of a place in Egypt and of three in Palestine. 5521 a hut or lair.)” Exodus 12:37

(also Numbers 33:3-5).

(It should be noted that Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance has apparently mislabeled Succoth as in Egypt when scripture tells us it was at least not in Egypt proper though quite possibly still in Egypt’s control *2: Exodus 12:37+39).

Looking back 430 years earlier; Genesis 47:11-13 informs us that Rameses was the best that Egypt had to offer and the preliminary enticement of this “wonderful land” welcoming them with open arms was quite a drawing card from the famine (excessive trouble) they experienced back where they really belonged but were not yet qualified to possess. But after being “hooked on Egypt”, how the world changed for them, as 30 short years later they quickly became slaves to the place that originally delighted them! 400 long years later they finally began their new life as the people of God, rescued instead of killed, by the blood of his Passover lamb. But now they needed rehabilitation so they could “live the life” that goes with the title of God’s People.

Likewise today, when things get bad at home because it contends with their ignorant selfish will, the teenager runs away to the excitement and “freedom” of the city… where prostitution, crime and drugs, quickly capture them by enticements and obligations until they are hooked and become enslaved to an evil master far more real than their perceived problems with dad.

At this point they are incapable to help themselves and so a rescue agent with clout is needed to negotiate their release if they are so fortunate. But then, because of the complex twisting affects of that former life (iniquity=scoliosis), the rescued need rehabilitation before they can be sent home to live happily with their parents in the “normal world”. Our military does the same thing from the affects of war and calls it “debriefing”.

This Exodus is the universal story of the rehabilitation process in every area of human slavery, just as Succoth is the Box-Truck of hope where the slaves are rushed away from the wicked master, to the rehabilitation facility. Succoth, like the yearly Jewish tabernacles of remembrance *3, is the hope against hope of things about to finally change for the good when there was no sign only a few days before!

“And it came to pass the self same day, that the LORD did bring the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt by their armies” Exodus 12:51.

This shows that salvation happens while still helplessly enslaved to sin. I find it curious that here God declares they were armies when they came out, but they didn’t see it that way. They had the manpower and strength but no ability or will. The power of armies is not in the numbers; it lies elsewhere, beyond the tangible. And that missing element is what the rehab program is designed to give them by the end (Psalm 127:1).

2) Etham: (Exodus 13:20-22) From the waiting room to the enrollment interview: 

                

“And they took their journey from Succoth, and encamped in Etham (864 a place in the desert), in the edge of the wilderness (4057 …in the sense of driving; a pasture (i.e. open field, whither cattle are driven) by implication, a desert…)” Exodus 13:20 (Numbers 33:6).

It is easy to miss that this is not in Egypt, but they left Egypt behind in Rameses. Yet Etham is not yet in the wilderness either but is just this side of the wilderness where they are soon going. They had already left behind the lush lands of Egypt and its paradise-like intoxicating allurements, and were pausing in the desert transition (lacking those things) to the path where they would be intelligently herded like cattle necessarily through wastelands to the destination of better grazing. I believe this is why the Sinai Peninsula lies as an isolated body between Egypt and the Red sea *2, as representing the desert transition from a life of enticing but destructive sin, unto an intelligent choice to change; which is commitment to the faith by baptism unto Christ, the only way of escape. Anything short of such a commitment will find you back under the power of Egypt; the former life and failed escape. Etham is that place of decision. But even this early in the program we are shown that the Holy Spirit aid was provided for them in the cloud.

Here in Etham the road has a “Y”; The obvious road is straight toward the Promised land while the path God intended for them went into an illogical box canyon of “sure doom” (Exodus 13:17-14:2). The phrase “turned again” in Numbers 33:7 is explained in Exodus 14:1-3 not as a return to Pihahiroth, but a turning toward it after already having already set the eyes on Palestine (the land of the Philistines but not today’s so called Palestinians (http://www.middleeastfacts.com/Articles/Yashiko/Palestinians.shtml?p=Yashiko/Palestinians)

see also (http://www.wnd.com/2003/07/19713/) 

let alone not Hamas (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/1654510.stm).

This directed turning away from the obvious goal into sure trouble, is very much like telling them to turn toward the brass serpent in the wilderness after telling them such a thing was forbidden, It wasn’t supposed to make sense at the time because this is a matter of obedience; “Is Moses your savior or not?” is the lesson here that today we translate to Christ Jesus (Isaiah 55:8-9). Yet too often we fight with God because it does not make sense to us. How foolish the rescued argues with the rescuer! (Romans 10:3).

Their next stop is where it gets actually uncomfortable for the first time:

3) Pihahiroth: (Exodus 14:1-9) From the interview of enrollment to the program entrance:

“Speak unto the children of Israel, that they turn and encamp before Pihahiroth (6367 interpolated; mouth of the gorges), between Migdol (4024 a place in Egypt [with a tower]) and the (Red) sea, over against Baal-zephon (1189 (in the sense of cold)(according to others an Egyptian form of Typhon, the destroyer); Baal of winter): before it (Pihahiroth) shall ye encamp by the sea” Exodus 14:1-2

(see verse 9 to see that Pharaoh is Migdol in this perspective).

In other words, this is the place of decision, where they are shown plainly the first real cold sweats of realization that there would be no more drugs! It is unthinkable! It is panic. It is the feeling of death, when in fact it is the doorway to really being alive (I Corinthians 15:36,42-44). Pick your door, Oh wait you can’t, the powerful pimp is beating down the clinic door to get to you! This is Pihahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, over against Baal-zephon.

But the clinic owner does not leave you alone as Exodus 13:21-22 provides the powerful assurance that you can and are protected in His care, and Exodus 14:3-4 shows that He provided the reasoning behind his frightening plan at this point in the program to help us understand and go along with his scary and seemingly irrational instructions. God actually uses evil Pharaoh to his advantage in getting the people to do what they must. Likewise, our own insurmountable troubles will drive us to the Door of Hope if we simply allow God to “do his thing” and be willing to follow where he leads. One thing can be certain; from your strung-out mind of reasoning, it will not appear to be the right direction (Isaiah 55:9). Don’t respond in the spirit of contention as did the Exodus people in Provocation #1 (Exodus 14:10-12). Instead, start this venture off right by realizing it was God who called you out of the impossible slavery to sin, and if you allow, he will take you the rest of the way. Simply quit fighting him and let him lead; You’re entering rehab, not him.

4) The Red Sea: (Exodus 14:10-31) Sign on the dotted line:

Exodus 14:10-15 is where the only successful choice available has to be made, and the patients must themselves walk through the entrance to the program in order to forever escape the clutches of the evil master they have been saved from. This is the public “I’m-committed-to-this-program walk” through baptism (Mark 1:4-5, Luke 3:3,7:29, Colossians 2:12-14, I Peter 3:21, Romans 6:4). Similar to the OT washing of the priests before service to the LORD, baptism unto Christ is a public defined statement; “I wash these wicked ways from my new life”. Now stop staring at the hairball in the drain and stay true to your vow, giving room for the rehab to work!

5) Marah in the Wilderness of Shur: (Exodus 15:22-26) Detox prep and Medication:

“So Moses brought Israel from the Red sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur; and they went three days in the wilderness, and found no water. And when they came to Marah, they could not drink the waters of Marah, for they were bitter…” Exodus15:22-23.

We already covered this concept of Bitter Water in post 240 but did not investigate the names of this phase;

Shur 7793 the same as 7791; a region of the Desert.

7791 from 7788; a wall (as going about).

7788 a primitive root; properly, to turn, i.e. travel about (as a harlot or a merchant):- go, sing.

Now this seems like a long way around (sorry I couldn’t help the pun) but the name Shur indicates a defined walled course for a specific end though the course appears random and the purpose aimless at best or nothing like what it appears to be. And don’t miss that this is no longer the desert but now the actual wilderness, it is not hospitable nor is it a destination; it is a necessary means to an intended end. They went three days without water, this is the limit of human endurance and then they found water that was so horrible it could not be drunk. This suggests that the course of our rehab (life circumstances) will necessarily seem to drive us as cattle to the limit of our human ability to endure because otherwise we would refuse to drink the hard thing Christ must provide to aid our detoxification from sin.

You might often hear faithful Christians declare that if they had known at the beginning what they would go through they might not have followed Christ, but after the fact there is nothing in earth or heaven that could pull us away! The name Shur tells us that we were guided to this place with a rock-wall-solid intent, even though it didn’t seem like it, and here we find our bitter water. This is the all-you-can-possibly-take journey through Shur that culminates not in relief but in the drink of bitterness;

Marah 4785 the same as 4751; feminine; bitter.

4751 from 4843; bitter (literal or figuratively); also (as noun) bitterness, or (adverbially) bitterly:- + angry, bitter (-ly, -ness), chafed, discontented…

Marah is the death of a loved one, a disease or debilitating injury,

an unfaithful spouse, bankruptcy, the loss of a home or job, the death of a dream, destruction of a religion, the end of freedom, enduring a war, slavery, etc., anything that will completely alter your perspective of reality, to aid the realignment of what is really important in life.

This is bitter medicine indeed.

But with Christ; the tree cast into the bitter water (Exodus 15:25+ Song of Solomon 2:3), He makes the bitter water drinkable, nay even bitter sweet, as I can personally testify! But do you wonder that the people murmured against Moses for the long thirst ending in such bitterness? Yet God was not happy for their murmuring because we are expected to keep our faith in Christ and know/believe that this is for our own good though very unpleasant. Comment to him about its horrid taste, ask if there is any relief possible (Matthew 26:39), but murmuring is the sin of unbelief (Exodus 15:24). In spite of the obvious circumstances, we must believe God when he said;

“…I am the LORD that healeth thee” Exodus 15:26.

The sooner we figure that out for real, the sooner we can accept the sweetener, swallow the bitter medication, and allow it to do its purposed work. Detox is simply not fun. The definition of Marah in Numbers 33:8 makes it hard to miss: “…and went three days’ journey in the wilderness of Etham, and pitched in bitterness”.

This medication of bitter water after a long journey into Shur is what drove me to the place where this blog is the beginning result. How then can I not see the calamity of the water as bitter sweet, nay, entirely sweet and loved by me for the result! Do I wish such Marah on anyone else? With all my heart NO!... but for the result, because there is no other way; with all that same heart YES! (Matthew 26:39), just as one recovered addict encourages a fellow addict to join rehab, or as in childbirth; the unimaginable short pain is washed away in the enduring joy of the result.

6) Elim: (Exodus 15:27) Sanctuary of provision and strengthening while safely enduring the detoxification process:

“And they came to Elim (362 plural of 352; palm-trees. 352 from the same as 193; properly, strength; hence, anything strong; specifically a chief (politically); also a ram (from his strength); a pilaster (as a strong support); an oak or other strong tree. 193 from an unused root meaning to twist, i.e. (by implication) be strong; the body (as being rolled together), where were twelve wells of water, and threescore and ten (70) palm trees: and they encamped there by the waters” Exodus 15:27.

Twelve wells for twelve tribes; very convenient, presumed to show God’s great individual provision in their weakened state of detoxification. But it’s the trees that provide the name that hints the purpose of this phase of the program.

First we note they are palms, this provides the kind of strength of this place; it is not rigid like an oak but amazingly flexible, able to endure any storm without succumbing to it’s forces. In a rehab center such strength is greatly needed by both staff and patients as the miserable patients cry out all manner of horrible expressions of discomfort; “You hate me! I want to die, I can’t do this,” etc.; all expressions of agony, not declarations of rebellion as at other times. It is curious that we don’t see God documenting any of these kinds of comments here in this place because he understands the agony of heart that cried them and he forgets them in grace (II Corinthians 7:9-11). Are you beginning to see its not about the words but the heart? God in scripture does not open the curtain at all to this place because the vomiting and rolling around in agony, the long nights of sleepless wrestling with a confused mind, are not glorious or public, it is simply a necessary part of the program that after it is over the patients are glad were not shown to the world. By overlay we know that a whole lot went on behind closed doors in that single verse of Exodus 15:27.

Next we note that there are specifically seventy palms of strength. Later in the journey we see separated out, seventy of the elders of the people (Exodus 24:1), and then still later, seventy proven elders are anointed of the Holy Ghost (Numbers 11:16-17). These are the powerful witnesses of the strength of God, which provide protection, direction, wisdom and confidence. Honestly I do not yet know the significance of seventy (that is littered all through scripture) but you can bet there is a specific and powerful meaning to God that presumably has something to do with the Seventy Weeks of Daniel 9:24 that easily show duration till completion. I believe this Elim is the enduring strength displayed by the Jews who endured Babylon, Rome, and even the WWII Holocaust! They take indescribable storms of persecution and still they remain and will remain until the completion of their 70 weeks. Incredible, this place Elim.

Since this was written for us in the Last Days, this enduring strength of seventy belongs to the Church Age as well, as Christ confirmed by sending out his specific seventy likewise full of the Holy Ghost, to prepare (strengthen) the way for his coming; praying for harvesters, declaring peace, healing the sick, and teaching that The kingdom of God is already come near unto us in Jesus Christ who will soon arrive again in completion (Luke 10:1-20). Without the name and definition of Elim, it would be quite difficult to interpret the actual purpose of this single verse phase, which is to provide enduring supernatural strength.

Personally, for some time after my own Marah of Shur, I had nothing else to do but remain in Elim, locked away with God, diligently looking for answers. The answers did not come quickly but by the special setting and miraculous provision provided I was able to continue until the light of understanding dawned! It was my own personal detox that prepared the way for the rest of the program.

7) Wilderness of Sin: Temptations to relapse; Withdrawals:

“And they took their journey from Elim, and all the congregation of the children of Israel came unto the wilderness of Sin (5512) which is between Elim and Sinai…” Exodus 16:1.

Sin 5512 of uncertain derivation; Sin the name of an Egyptian town and (probably) desert adjoining.

At first this doesn’t seem to tell us much, but since it’s in scripture it has to be important. And so with contemplation we realize that although this is not in Egypt, as the verse clearly shows it being the place between Elim and Sinai, it nonetheless is an Egyptian community and its surrounding area. This tells us that having left the power of Egypt, we will nonetheless run into a bit of Egypt influence along the way just waiting for us to get thirsty from the familiar smells of our recent addiction. How comical that such a place would be named the Wilderness of Sin.

I once knew a young woman who got happily married, and a week later she was horrified that her attraction to other men had not suddenly vanished! She could only know this as she passed through the Wilderness of Sin and was tempted like Pilgrim at the carnival in Vanity Fair *4. As is made clear in the above verse; every patient must pass through this phase. The sin is not in the temptations but the attention and falling to them. John Bunyan does a superb job of describing this place and its allurements as well as how to prepare to succeed the events regardless of the various circumstances and outcomes… which are not likely to be favorable to this present flesh.

I think this is where most American Christians fail the program though the result is not shown until the crossing. There is a strong national encouragement to “dabble” in the things once left behind because of the doctrine of dirty grace. “Now that I’m saved, these things can’t hurt me” is the half-lie whispered in their ear, and because of the weakness to them we are drawn in with moderation and compromised.

This is a far worse place than we were before because now, having been cleansed from the excessive vilification of our uncontrolled participation in ignorance, we are now able to function with intelligence in our moderate sins rather than be consumed by them, and so by moderation we cannot see the great need to be freed from them as they again dull our senses to God but in a more pleasant form.

“having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away” II Timothy 3:5.

“For if we sin wilfully after that we received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,” Hebrews 10:26.

This Wilderness of Sin must be warily navigated with a single eye on the goal. There are no goods here that can be purchased without grave damage, though each merchant will declare its harmless side-effects. This is where Dirty Grace is purchased as a great bargain and the resulting corpses of once faithful Christians are stacked like cordwood behind Beelzebub’s tent.

8) Rephidim: (Exodus 17:1-18:27) Less guiding restraints, more freedom to self-practice:

“And all the congregation of the children of Israel journeyed from the wilderness of Sin, after their journeys, according to the commandment of the LORD, and pitched in Rephidim: (7508) and there was no water for the people to drink” Exodus 17:1.

Rephidim 7508; plural of the masculine of the same as 7507; balusters; a place in the desert. 7507 from 7502; a railing (as spread along):- bottom.

The scripture makes very plain that this waterless condition was no accident or misguidance by Moses, but the people nonetheless found themselves without water and here is where they chided with Moses in demand.

I want to try and steer away from focus on their failures along the way, and pay attention to the program in an effort to discover the rehab process for us to succeed where they failed. Sure these places are most probably given their names by the terrain descriptions and such, but we know now that God “managed” their naming for an instructional message to us. Remember only a few stops ago they found themselves in Shur: a running wall with guiding purpose. Now here they find themselves in far less controlled circumstances but still with a guiding rail of balusters. Having been directed by the walls of God to a necessary medicine, and then watered and strengthened at the palms, they entered the trial of familiar temptations and should have successfully come through to this place they could now succeed with simply a railing to guide them in obedience. The lack of water here would have been a challenge for anyone, but they failed the test of more freedom by their belligerent reaction of self-will.

We notice at each step, whether they fail or not, the program continues on. This is important as today we wrongly expect, by the practice of culture, to be hand walked through repeated tries until we get it right. This is not what we see in this rehab program; the success or failure is yours to make at each stage and the results are transferred to influence your next stage… whether good or bad! Here we see the familiarity of the previous stages in the program were misapplied to presume an earned right of opinion or demand. By past experience they know now that God can provide water, and can even make bitter water sweet, but now use that experience to demand by challenge, that they be given water to “prove” that God is present! (Matthew 4:5-7).

In a few previous posts some months back I shared my thoughts in real time as I struggled through what seemed to me to be a diminished interaction with God though not due to my failures. I was confused and fearful of this diminished intimacy and described it like standing in an empty auditorium after a concert. Looking back these many months now, I see that it was actually a progression from the guiding walls of Elim, through temptation, to the lesser balusters of Rephidim, all a part of the program in preparation to actually being left to myself for a time at Sinai the mountain of God where, of all places, you wouldn’t expect to be left like that. But that doesn’t describe it quite right. What I thought was God’s departure was actually his approval of my readiness to practice walking on my own feet in the faith he provided, much as a father lets go the hands of his new toddler to see him walk a few steps for the first time without aid! This does not mean the toddler is left alone, but rather, becoming more able to be what he was designed to be in the family. Today as I remember that period of great intimacy with God, I am deeply comforted in the greater stability of my present relationship in a different form. The thought reminds me that I have heard a good marriage described the same way; The heat of consuming intimate passion aged to sweet enduring stability where the healthy marriage has far more use than self-serving momentary pleasure alone.

9) Wilderness of Sinai: (Exodus 19:1-Numbers 10:10) Providing the new rules for your new life!

Having arrived on the fifteenth day in the third month of the first year (Exodus 19:1-2+Numbers 33:3), and not departing until “the twentieth day of the second month in the second year” (Numbers 10:11-12), they were camped at Mt. Sinai for eleven months and five days. The math is a bit complex and the specific dates a whole other study I have not yet completed, so it is enough for now to note that this was not a short stop, as were the others.

Detox, withdrawals, strengthening, temptations, and practice, all are short phases with great impact, but here they camp for nearly a year. Here is where the bulk of instruction for the obedient life is provided in several forms. But here too is where it is expected that you can now handle yourself without a perpetual chaperon to hold your hand. Don’t be surprised if the Lord gives you some significant insights to live by, and then lets you work it out for a reasonably long spell before giving you more in another form. The quiet times are provided for you to work out the instruction you already received, which is not always as easy as it might seem at first. As former slaves we expect someone to simply hand out commands and we do them mindlessly, but here we have to exercise our own minds to learn how to apply by our own comprehension the intention of the instructions. After all, this program is making citizens out of slaves.

But all this is contingent upon your intent to increase in the wisdom of God rather than just waiting for the first opportunity to party because you “deserve a break”. At this point you are no longer strung-out on spiritual drugs, the residual affects should be out of your system, you should not be an addict anymore, and have no more excuse for Pagan choices and thoughts and desires. If these still captivate you in struggle against them it is because you have smuggled the forbidden and continue consuming what the program was intended to cleans from you, or you simply wont stop dwelling (lusting) on the memories of the high.

This is the condition in which the Exodus people were found by Moses as he came down from the Mountain of God, and their conduct caused Moses to break the tablets in anger. As the Type of Christ we must see that our iniquity as Christians caused Jesus himself to cast down the commandments in anger. What does this actually mean? A lot! Do you suppose that their lawless conduct that caused Moses to cast down the commandments was something to rejoice over because it freed them from the law? Are they the more righteous now? Or are they more pitiful because the intended law was still useless to them and so God had to “stoop to their level” to meet them in their iniquity and “start from the beginning” as it were? Did Jesus come to die because those given the law handled it with wisdom and understanding, or did he come to die because we were too iniquitous to comprehend the law? Did Jesus die so that there would be no law? What fools! To suppose that the Great King has invited us street urchins into his throne room so that we could be free to act like street urchins. Is he pleased that we urinate on the walls and burn his furniture on the floor to cook our lunchrats of choice when he has spread a royal banquet and invited his other guests? Are we so completely ignorant of reality to miss the point of the invitation? We might even be allowed such an ignorant viewpoint if God’s first wife the Jews, had not been sent away for less! She was no street urchin, she was a lady that grew proud of her position and angered the King in her familiar willfulness. Oh how much more revolting the pride of the street urchin that assumes since he threw her out it must mean he was really looking for someone lawless like me! This cannot possibly be a permitted viewpoint as Moses went back up the mountain with new tablets and got the exact same laws (Exodus 34:1). And in case we missed the important point, we have an example of God’s tolerance level for unapproved intimacy with God in Leviticus 10:1-11+Exodus 30. And be warned: By the rending of the veil in the temple (Matthew 27:51) we are all priests now (Revelation 1:6,5:10,20:6), as was originally intended from the beginning (Exodus 19:6).

And after the cleansing, and pardon, and a re-education and re-organization, the people finally seemed to understand that they needed to get with the program. The laws were established, the tabernacle made, and the people stopped murmuring while camped before the Mountain of God. But think of the extra 40 days they could have had with Moses if he didn’t have to go back for another set of tablets. This is an onion layer of their first rejection of Moses back in Egypt that cost them 40 years (a year for a day; Numbers 14:34). This is an onion layer of the two sets of Exodus people; one failed and one entered 40 years later.

Yes, rejoice that you a street urchin were invited into his kingdom to marry his son, but there is a lot of work to be done before you can get proud! God has no desire to make you like his bride sent away for a time of rehabilitation… again, but don’t for a second, think he is all pleased with your lawless behavior! The long period in the camp at the Mountain of God learning his lifestyle should be proof enough of that! What? You don’t remember any time in that camp? This should alarm you greatly if you have been in rehab for very long! It seems most probable that you spent that time worshiping the golden calf! Shame on you; You are to be the bride of the Prince of Glory, learn to act like it by learning to love the Prince and his ways in honor of the King… before its too late!

Repent, “and make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed”

Hebrews 12:13.

* * *

Read The Map:

And now we come to the meaning of my last post.

We can reasonably know where we are in our rehab, and what to expect at each stage, and how well we are doing in the program. Wherever we find ourselves in the program, what comes next is already written in the Exodus schedule!

10) Wilderness of Paran: (Numbers 10:12-11:34) Living our application for life:

“And the children of Israel took their journeys out of the wilderness of Sinai; and the cloud rested in the wilderness of Paran” Numbers 10:12.

Just when we come to the conclusion that we have it all figured out, God moves the cloud. Once having arrived at Sinai and grown to appreciate this place, it is easy to conclude that the Christian life is all about arriving here; “This must be the Rest that we are to strive to find!” (Hebrews 4:9-11) *5. And truly it is a rest, and it is a wonderful place, but the Lord will not keep you here; this is not the destination, it is still in the wilderness, this is still rehab! (Hebrews 3:10-18, 4:1-2,8). We learn the truth of this when God eventually instructed them to pack up camp and move on…

but look at their new presentation now! (Numbers 10:14-28,33-36). They are organized into ordered units with specific placement, they have the new tabernacle, and the Ark of God where his presence sits (as a mobile Mt. Sinai), they have ordained priests, and ministers, and elders, and a practiced relationship with God; “This is what it’s all about!!” you can almost hear them proclaim in confidence;

“And it came to pass, when the ark set forward, that Moses said, Rise up, LORD, and let thine enemies be scattered; and let them that hate thee flee before thee. And when it rested, he said, Return, O LORD, unto the many thousands of Israel” Numbers 10:35-36.

Moses is not commanding God here, but verbally recognizing in confidence how God will interact with his wise people. This is understanding! What we are shown here is the living (practical) application (presentation) of what they learned at the mountain of God. There is confidence here, learned by the period of time they spent with the LORD and the laws that he established among them and his blessing as they obeyed. There is insight here in Moses’ saying, and comprehension of what God intended to do for and through them. Moses’ declaration was saying;

“We are your obediently confident people; to be led by God and protected by God and fellowshipped with God.”

But… The people were still oblivious to the spirit of the program they were in, even while participating, they thought of themselves as slaves. After all this time they still missed the whole point as their self-centered world still revolved around THEM and what they would be GIVEN, this is revealed at the first sign of disruption to their dream. The very next section begins without fanfare;

“And when the people complained, it displeased the LORD…” Numbers 11:1.

As we read through chapter 11 we see that things went bad quickly, we see that God was not as tolerant of their errors as before. They murmured and God burnt them, they lusted and God literally stuffed them with their desire, and instead of winking at their desires like he did before, this time the Quail he sent killed many of them (Numbers 11:18-34).

So what happened? Why the change in God’s reaction? Was God just tired of it all, all of a sudden? Not really, God was tired of it from the beginning. It was Moses who finally got tired of it all! (Numbers 11:10-15). Remember Moses is the Type of Christ! It was Moses who kept the LORD from wiping them all out a long time ago! Now that Moses is weary of their perpetual iniquity “while trying”, he is not as eager to keep God from removing his shadow as it were. Moses and God both are pretty fed up with laboring to get these belligerent people ready to enter the Land Promised, but the program is not yet over and they will see it through to the end, though with less patience. Now God gives Moses a bit of help as he appoints seventy of the best from among them to help with the management. I’m not so sure this is such a good thing as these are from among those already proven to fail! But God places on them of the spirit on Moses and it does help the people to sort out their squabbles, as much as their diminished hearts will allow.

But why did God do this? Why the seventy from among them?

I believe it is because the whole point of the rehabilitation program is to make them viable to become the people leaders and rulers of their new land and not simply slaves to God and Moses, forced to do and act as he wants. As diminished as they are, it is their rehabilitation and God gave them of himself within that parameter… and so he does with us. I am convinced it is directly related to why Aaron was even necessary in the first place. The further we are from God the more links are needed to stand in the gap (Exodus 4:12-14).

So again, why did things go so badly all of a sudden after the Mountain of God? We learn the answer when we study the name of this place:

Paran 6290 Pa’ran; from 6286; ornamental; Paran, a desert of Arabia. 6286 pa’ar; a primitive root; to gleam, i.e. (causatively) embellish; figuratively, to boast; also to explain (i.e. make clear) oneself; denominative from 6288, to shake a tree…

The wilderness of Paran is where they demonstrate what they have become. If they didn’t learn it, they demonstrate that too! The short list in Numbers 33:16 is curiously absent of the mention of Paran, presumably because they failed to be ornamental unto God and so the course took a different direction. Numbers 33 goes on to list the continuing stops in the next 40 years but the exodus rehab program is over at Paran.

Doctrine is good stuff, but it’s easy to be all righteous and sin free when you sit in your office study with your bible open, but get out in the world among people going about their alternate reality and what you display is who you really are. Does your Christianity work in the fallen word? It’s actually a shock to realize that practical application of confident doctrine is a lot more work than you figured in your mind. To the faithful this is not a stumbling block but a further exercise of their increasing faith! It is the next level after succeeding at the previous.

Will there be some failures and struggles and embarrassing moments of confusion that require repentance? Yes, but these should now be rare. Hang in there, keep your wits about you, remain humble and quick to repent, remember who you became at the Mountain of God camp and you will come through this one too a better man than you were at the mountain! Why? Because now in practical life, in front of the world as you go about your way on your own feet, you are practicing to possess and dwell in the kingdom of Heaven as a participating beneficial citizen and not a mindless slave! (John 15:15).

For me, I anticipate in hope my Paran ornamental presentation to begin in the form of my first book. I believe I can anticipate the Lord to soon lead my work into a new level of embellishment beyond this Blog, but proclaiming ornamentally an unpopular stand is not grounds for expecting pleasure and comfort.

* * *

“So what about those who refused to go in, did they end up in Hell?”

What is that to you? They didn’t go in and you can, if you will, so leave them behind as irrelevant (John 21:21-22). I mean it!

But we are indeed shown what became of them, because that knowledge gives us comprehension of the nature of God and the meaning and application of the Exodus ensample...which is utterly concept altering! But that too will have to wait for another post as we develop this path into a road. Oh how I ach to bring in the heavy equipment and plow this land into the highway that the map shows it will one day be, but for now I must systematically develop the path one page at a time lest I bring confusion by a vast plowed field. The destiny of the Exodus generation is a part of that future highway plan that will blow your mind when you finally see it.

* * *

So Why did I lay out each stage of the rehab program?

In the spiritual DNA of God’s people, whether Old Testament Jew or New Testament Christian, these spiritual proteins will be in your makeup. But note: as you complete each stage, the next one will be new and strange and a challenge to figure out. Having become an “old pro” at the previous stage, you will feel like a failure at the next. You will struggle and go through confusion and frustration as you learn the proper comprehension and application of the new stage, but application and success produce confirmation of understanding that the stage is designed to instill. Having the written trail map / schedule of phases and their intended purposes laid out, can sure make the learning easier and faster by less confusion and therefore the degree of learning in the designated period can be greatly increased! This is making the path into a road. And in the work it is being made straight and plain in preparation of Christ’s soon return.

* * *

The short list of waypoints or phases along the Christian Walk: (Numbers 33. Note: a few extra classes without explanation are slipped into this list for extra credit)

Rameses: a place in Egypt, not a location, but “a place for them” i.e. their habitation.

1.      Succoth: Booths, a very temporary and thoughtless domicile in expectation of soon moving on.

2.      Etham: a decision in the desert, between iniquity and the wilderness trail of reformation.

3.      Pihahiroth: the mouth of the gorges, a box canyon with no escape between Migdol (the power of sin) and the impassable sea as the only door of escape. This place was looking into the Baal-zephon; the cold typhoon of sure destruction! But God led them here for a reason!

4.      Red Sea: Congratulations, if you go through you are now an official patient of the Rehab Program and have already entered the outskirts of the kingdom of God.

5.      Marah in the Wilderness of Shur: a defined unpleasant depleting course for an undisclosed purpose of bitterness.

6.      Elim: sanctuary of private sustenance and seventy palms of enduring strength in preparation for what lies ahead.

·       Camped by the Red sea, this time from the opposite perspective (side). (Note: this is not entered in the Exodus account and therefore cautioned against using in the overlay).

7.      Wilderness of Sin: temptations reminiscent *6 of the life left behind. DO NOT FALL!

·       Dophkah: 1850; from 1849; a knock. A primitive root; to knock; by analogy, to press severely.

·       Alush: 442 of uncertain derivation; Alush, a place in the Desert. (A curious Remez yet to be discovered.)

8.      Rephidim: a running rail for diminished guidance as you learn to walk on your own feet.

9.      Wilderness of Sinai: life instruction in the ways of the kingdom you hope to inherit.

10.   Paran: putting to practice in real life, what you have learned in protection.

The Jordan River: Graduation of pass or fail.

The Rehab Program is over:

Numbers 33:16 begins a new list and purpose that relates to the second generation.

So why does the Exodus narration leave out some of the waypoints? I believe it is because God was making this Ten Step Program a direct overlay to the Ten Plagues of Egypt. We get ten chances in our life’s stages to respond to God properly but some of those stages come in several parts. Even at the last stage he will forgive all nine failures if we would but choose God’s way over our own. But at each negative response we build up our immunity against God making the next favorable response even harder than the previous. By the time you get to the termination-of-your-legacy choice, your heart is quite hard and the only hope is to fall at the foot of the Cross and plead Christ Jesus to help your unbelief (Mark 9:24). Sitting in the Electric Chair, or in the hospital dying of Aids, is a tough place to find yourself, but the Son of God can meet you even there, but not beyond;

“And as it is appointed unto man once to die, but after this the judgment: So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of the many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation” Hebrews 9:27.

“…I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succored thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation” II Corinthians 6:2.

* * *

The Plan:

Today’s Christian has no mentality to prepare for the kingdom of Heaven because they don’t even know this is the goal! Mistaking Sunday for Sabbath we worship on Sunday, the first day of the week, in preparation for the remaining six days of work ahead. We have no respect for the anticipated arrival of the last day of Rest from the expended labor of the week. This is a perspective problem by which we seem to be setting ourselves up for our own failure to enter into his Rest at the appointed time by misunderstanding that the conquest of the Promised Land is a rest, not a labor *7. Rehab is not a product of our labor but a restful surrender to the program, even though the program is hard.

The Sabbath actually comes AFTER Sunday not before. Jesus rose on the first day of the week to empower and sustain us for the remaining week leading up to his Sabbath Rest. The Jews cannot enter in because without Christ’s Sunday power they are incapable of “living” labor through the week in proper preparation of the Sabbath Rest they seek, while the Christians cannot enter in because without anticipating the end goal of Sabbath Rest, they have no plan for proper use of that power! God designed it this way in the image of marriage; the Jews need the Christian understanding, and the Christians need the Jewish understanding; neither actually understanding the other without that spiritual miraculous bond called the spirit of marriage.

The Bible is ONE BOOK with a singular message of salvation that takes both parts.

In this first book I have diligently cleared the overgrowth from the uncommon Christian walk metaphorically shown as the cover photo foot trail, but then by overlaying this Christianity onto the Exodus events I have reveled the second parallel rut of the wagon trail type paths (plural) of John the Baptist that virtually eliminate the confusion of many subversive individual doctrines which proclaim perhaps this is not actually the right way (singular) of the Lord;

“For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way (3598) of the Lord, make his paths (5147) straight (2117)” Matthew 3:3 (Mark 1:3, Luke 3:4, Isaiah 42:16, see also Psalm 27:11).

Way 3598 hodos; apparently a primitive word; a road; by implication, a progress (the route, act or distance); figuratively, a mode or means.

Paths 5147 tribos;… a rut or worn track.

Straight 2117 euthus; …straight, i.e. (literally) level, or (figuratively) true…

* * * * * * *

*1 Drugs of Choice:

To be very clear, our own socially accepted drugs of choice that we feel confident are approved by God include but are not limited to; hobbies, work, good deeds, community service, patriotism, church activities, prayer for others, offerings to God, worship, the collection of religious knowledge, and an endless list of anything that keeps you strung-out on them to the neglect of regular deep intimacy with God who can feed your soul to true obedience that surpasses outward conduct (Isaiah 1:13-15, I Samuel 15:22, Psalm 51:16, Proverbs 21:4).

*2 Bible Maps:

Much like the long irrefutably documented intentional deceptions of the Darwin Evolution sketches still mysteriously found in nearly every related textbook in America today, Our “help maps” found as supplements in the backs of most every Bible have long been proven gravely in error but remain for reasons also mysterious. Do not use these maps in the effort to educate yourself regarding locations; they will only create doubts and confusions. (“The Exodus Case” book by Dr. Lennart Moller, “ The Exodus Revealed, Search for the Red Sea Crossing DVD by Discovery Media Productions http://www.christianrealityvideos.com/videos/vid202-The-Exodus-Revealed.htm).

*3 The order of feasts mixed up:

It seems God got his order of the feasts mixed up, as the Feast of Tabernacles is the 7^th and last feast, but here in the order of living application at Succoth, it came right after the 1^st Feast of Passover (Exodus 12:3-14 and 15-20). “Why is that?”

The answer might be revealed as we shockingly contemplate that perhaps God provided the suggestion to observe both Sabbath and Sunday worship way back at the beginning in his command of this memorial feast of unleavened bread!

“And in the first day there shall be an holy convocation, and in the seventh day there shall be an holy convocation to you; no manner of work shall be done in them, save that which every man must eat, that only may be done of you” Exodus 12:16.

The holy first and last days of the Week of Unleavened Bread are shown to compass all seven days commanded. This represents all seven feasts by having both the first and the last feasts observed consecutively as Sunday follows Saturday yet with all the other days still between. This is not doctrine; just a curious thought to ponder (Matthew 12:5).

*4 “The Pilgrim’s Progress” by John Bunyan 1678, an incredibly insightful allegory of our present topic.

*5 God’s Rest: (Hebrews 4:9-11)

The Rest is yet to be fully obtained though it’s representation is obtained as we are successfully rehabilitated and stop fighting with God’s will but choose it (II Corinthians 12:9, II Thessalonians 1:7-8).

*6 Reminiscent 1. Of the nature of, pertaining to, or marked by, reminiscence. 2. Given to or indulging in reminiscences. 3. That reminds one, as of something previously known.

Reminiscence 1. Act, Power, or fact, of recalling past experience; recollection 2. An account of one’s memorable experiences 3. A phrase, custom, feature, etc., so suggestive of another as to be regarded as an unconscious imitation, survival, or the like…

*7 Conquest as a Rest:

Don’t you find it curious that the scripture makes clear that the conquest will be a war, it will be an actual conquest to possess the land from its inhabitants, yet nowhere is it hinted that they were commanded to make arms or armor or to train for combat? This is not a simple one line explanation and I hope to eventually write a post regarding God’s perspective of conquering the Promised Land as a Rest.

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