NUMBERS—IN THE WILDERNESS This message introduces the book of Numbers as more than a record of censuses and wilderness travel; it is a testimony to the faithfulness of God and the danger of unbelief. The Hebrew title, "In the Wilderness," captures the heart of the book as Israel moves from one generation numbered at Sinai to another generation numbered near the Promised Land. Between those two censuses, an unbelieving generation dies in the wilderness while Joshua and Caleb are preserved because they trusted the Lord. The great lesson is that people may fail God, but God will never fail His purpose or His promise. Using Romans 15, 1 Corinthians 10, John 5, 1 Peter 1, Jude, and Hebrews, the message explains that the events of Numbers were preserved for the learning, warning, comfort, and hope of Newer Testament believers. Israel becomes a series of spiritual case studies showing what happens when people obey, rebel, complain, lust, doubt, or trust God. Their wilderness experience teaches that outward deliverance is not the same as inward salvation, that proximity to the things of God does not equal faith in God, and that true rest is ultimately found not in a land but in Jesus. The message also emphasizes that God orders His people around His presence, assigns different responsibilities within the body, and expects holy things to be handled according to His revealed Word rather than human convenience or good intentions. The Levites, the tabernacle, the firstborn, the ark, the cloud, and the promised inheritance all contribute to the unfolding revelation that points toward Jesus—the Redeemer, Mediator, Rock, and true Rest of His people…

Genesis 8:13-22 And it came to pass in the six hundredth and first year, in the first month, the first day of the month, the waters were dried up from off the earth: and Noah removed the covering of the ark, and looked, and, behold, the face of the ground was dry. 14 And in the second month, on the seven and twentieth day of the month, was the earth dried. 15 ¶ And God spake unto Noah, saying, 16 Go forth of the ark, thou, and thy wife, and thy sons, and thy sons' wives with thee. 17 Bring forth with thee every living thing that is with thee, of all flesh, both of fowl, and of cattle, and of every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth; that they may breed abundantly in the earth, and be fruitful, and multiply upon the earth. 18 And Noah went forth, and his sons, and his wife, and his sons' wives with him: 19 Every beast, every creeping thing, and every fowl, and whatsoever creepeth upon the earth, after their kinds, went forth out of the ark. 20 ¶ And Noah builded an altar unto the LORD; and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar. 21 And the LORD smelled a sweet savour; and the LORD said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake; for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done.

Audio only. This message was recorded in our Fellowship Hall which does not have video capability at this time.

Life is made up of decisions. Some are simple and unimportant, whereas others are extremely important and consequential. The course and quality of our lives is determined more by our choices than by our circumstances. By faith, Abel chose God's way by offering an acceptable sacrifice. Enoch chose God's way and walked in fellowship with the Lord. Noah chose to obey God, build the ark, and save his family. Abraham chose God's way by believing Him, living as a pilgrim, patiently waiting on God to possess the promised land. All them chose to do so by faith! Moses also lived by faith. And his story begins with his parent's faith. By faith, they chose to disobey Pharaoh's orders and kept Moses aline. Believing that God had a plan for Moses' life, and perhaps he was the promised deliverer, they instilled in Moses God's plan for Israel and for Moses. Being raised as the prince of Egypt, Moses never lost sight of who he was or God's plan for his life. Bu faith, he chose to reject the world's prestige, refusing to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter. By faith, he chose to suffer pain over sinful pleasures. He could have lived a comfortable life in Egypt but instead he chose to identify with oppressed brethren. By faith Moses chose true riches over world wealth. And by faith, Moses chose to face his fears, to forsake all in order to follow God's plan for His life. He had faced his fears, and armed with the presence, power, and promises of God. he fearlessly stood in Pharaoh's face demanding the unconditional release of God's people. He did so by faith!