Follow the Leader

January 5, 2024January 5, 2024 / kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

¹¹In the second year, in the second month, on the twentieth day of the month, the cloud lifted from over the tabernacle of the testimony, ¹²and the people of Israel set out by stages from the wilderness of Sinai. And the cloud settled down in the wilderness of Paran. ¹³They set out for the first time at the command of the Lord by Moses. ¹⁴The standard of the camp of the people of Judah set out first by their companies, and over their company was Nahshon the son of Amminadab. ¹⁵And over the company of the tribe of the people of Issachar was Nethanel the son of Zuar. ¹⁶And over the company of the tribe of the people of Zebulun was Eliab the son of Helon.

¹⁷And when the tabernacle was taken down, the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari, who carried the tabernacle, set out. ¹⁸And the standard of the camp of Reuben set out by their companies, and over their company was Elizur the son of Shedeur. ¹⁹And over the company of the tribe of the people of Simeon was Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai. ²⁰And over the company of the tribe of the people of Gad was Eliasaph the son of Deuel.

²¹Then the Kohathites set out, carrying the holy things, and the tabernacle was set up before their arrival. ²²And the standard of the camp of the people of Ephraim set out by their companies, and over their company was Elishama the son of Ammihud. ²³And over the company of the tribe of the people of Manasseh was Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur. ²⁴And over the company of the tribe of the people of Benjamin was Abidan the son of Gideoni.

²⁵Then the standard of the camp of the people of Dan, acting as the rear guard of all the camps, set out by their companies, and over their company was Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai. ²⁶And over the company of the tribe of the people of Asher was Pagiel the son of Ochran. ²⁷And over the company of the tribe of the people of Naphtali was Ahira the son of Enan. ²⁸This was the order of march of the people of Israel by their companies, when they set out.

²⁹And Moses said to Hobab the son of Reuel the Midianite, Moses’ father-in-law, “We are setting out for the place of which the Lord said, ‘I will give it to you.’ Come with us, and we will do good to you, for the Lord has promised good to Israel.” ³⁰But he said to him, “I will not go. I will depart to my own land and to my kindred.” ³¹And he said, “Please do not leave us, for you know where we should camp in the wilderness, and you will serve as eyes for us. ³²And if you do go with us, whatever good the Lord will do to us, the same will we do to you.”

³³So they set out from the mount of the Lord three days’ journey. And the ark of the covenant of the Lord went before them three days’ journey, to seek out a resting place for them. ³⁴And the cloud of the Lord was over them by day, whenever they set out from the camp.

³⁵And whenever the ark set out, Moses said, “Arise, O Lord, and let your enemies be scattered, and let those who hate you flee before you.” ³⁶And when it rested, he said, “Return, O Lord, to the ten thousand thousands of Israel.” – Numbers 10:11-36 ESV

The orders had been given. Detailed instructions had been carefully communicated to the people of Israel. They knew exactly what they would need to do when God decided it was time for them to leave Mount Sinai and, now, that time had come. Their encampment at the base of the mountain had been their home for almost a year, but God had never intended this spot in the wilderness to be their final destination. According to Exodus 19:1, they had arrived there two months after leaving Egypt.

Exactly two months after the Israelites left Egypt, they arrived in the wilderness of Sinai. After breaking camp at Rephidim, they came to the wilderness of Sinai and set up camp there at the base of Mount Sinai. – Exodus 19:1-2 NLT

Now, just ten days short of the first anniversary of their arrival in Sinai, they were instructed to pack up and leave.

In the second year after Israel’s departure from Egypt—on the twentieth day of the second month—the cloud lifted from the Tabernacle of the Covenant. So the Israelites set out from the wilderness of Sinai and traveled on from place to place until the cloud stopped in the wilderness of Paran. – Numbers 10:11-12 NLT

In Numbers 10, Moses indicates that the day came when the cloud of God’s presence departed from its place above the Tabernacle and made its way into the wilderness. Following the instructions given to them by God, the Levites began the careful disassembly and packing of the Tabernacle while the people of broke camp. When all was ready, they moved out in an orderly, prearranged manner.

…the people of Israel set out by stages from the wilderness of Sinai. – Numbers 10:12 ESV

Due to the large number of Israelites involved in this mass migration, God provided them with strict instructions regarding their movements. It was not to be a free-for-all, with everyone departing at once and according to their own timeline and agenda. With 12 tribes involved consisting of what has been estimated as more than two million people, this was a major undertaking that required precision and careful planning. Tents must be taken down, herds and flocks must be rounded up, and the Tabernacle must be dismantled and prepared for transport to the next destination. According to Numbers 10, the people went about their duties obediently. Everyone did their part and carefully followed the instructions of the Lord.

When the cloud made its way into the wilderness, the people knew it was time to move. At the sound of the two silver trumpets (Numbers 10:1), they gathered together and saw the sight of the cloud making its way into the wilderness. God had made the decision to relocate their camp and move them closer to their final destination: The land of Canaan.

Under normal circumstances, the trip to Kadesh-Barnea should have taken 11 days (Deuteronomy 1:2), but with the large number of Israelites and livestock involved and the need for an orderly and well-regimented evacuation process, it took them three days to arrive at the wilderness of Paran. The cloud had come to rest in that region, signifying that this was the spot where they were to set up camp. God chose this particular location for a reason.

“The Desert of Paran is a large plateau in the northeastern Sinai, south of what later would be called the Negev of Judah, and west of the Arabah. This forms the southernmost portion of the Promised Land, the presumed staging area for the assault on the land itself. The principal lines of assault on the land of Canaan are from the southwest, following the Way of the Sea from Egypt, and from the northwest, following the Way of the Sea from Phoenicia. Israel’s staging for attack in the Desert of Paran was a brilliant strategy. In this way they would avoid the fortified routes to the west, presumably under the control of Egypt. This unusual line of attack from the south would stun the inhabitants of the land. They would come like a sirocco blast from the desert, and the land would be theirs, under the hand of God.” – Ronald B. Allen, “Numbers.” In Genesis—Numbers. Vol. 2 of The Expositor’s Bible Commentary

Verses 13-28 provide the details concerning the departure of Israel from Mount Sinai. The tribe of Judah led the way, with each of the other tribes moving out according to a prearranged plan. Some of the tribes would have started the process long before the Tabernacle was completely dismantled and ready for transport. The lengthy procession would have stretched out for miles as the Israelites made their way into the wilderness, following the cloud of the Lord.

They marched for three days after leaving the mountain of the Lord, with the Ark of the Lord’s Covenant moving ahead of them to show them where to stop and rest. As they moved on each day, the cloud of the Lord hovered over them. – Numbers 10:33-34 NLT

God was guiding them, just as He had promised to do. He was leading them further away from Egypt and ever closer to their new home in Canaan. The land He had promised to Abraham as an inheritance would soon be theirs. But they would have to continue to follow His leading and trust Him for their provisions along the way. The journey would not be easy but Moses knew that as long as they followed God’s will, they would be blessed. He even tried to convince his wife’s brother to join them.

“We are on our way to the place the Lord promised us, for he said, ‘I will give it to you.’ Come with us and we will treat you well, for the Lord has promised wonderful blessings for Israel!” – Numbers 10:29 NLT

It’s interesting to note that Moses asked his brother-in-law to serve as a scout or guide for the people of Israel.

“You know the places in the wilderness where we should camp. Come, be our guide. If you do, we’ll share with you all the blessings the Lord gives us.” – Numbers 10:31-32 NLT

Perhaps Moses knew that Hobab was familiar with the wilderness terrain and could help them choose the best places to camp. But this seems to contradict the idea that the cloud of God was to serve as their guide. It is unclear whether Moses’ request was out of step with the will of God. But he evidently convinced Hobab to join them. Judges 1:16 indicates that the descendants of Moses’ father-in-law were still traveling with the Israelites long after they made it into the land of Canaan.

When the tribe of Judah left Jericho—the city of palms—the Kenites, who were descendants of Moses’ father-in-law, traveled with them into the wilderness of Judah. They settled among the people there, near the town of Arad in the Negev. – Judges 1:16 NLT

Hobab and his family may have ended up traveling with the Israelites, but his services were not required. God was going to lead His people and He did so through the cloud that rested over the Ark of the Covenant.

The Kohathites set out, carrying the articles for the sanctuary carrying the Ark of the Covenant at the head of the procession and the cloud of the Lord hovered above it as they walked. All the Israelites could see the cloud rising up into the sky and know that they were headed in the right direction, and when the Ark came to rest, the people knew it was time to stop for the night. Each time the Ark and the cloud set out, Moses would utter a prayer or blessing.

“Arise, O Lord, and let your enemies be scattered! Let them flee before you!” – Numbers 10:35 NLT

And when the cloud ceased to move and the priests set down the Ark of the Covenant, Moses would pronounce another blessing.

“Return, O Lord, to the countless thousands of Israel!” – Numbers 10:36 NLT

Moses knew that the people of Israel were completely dependent upon God. Without Him, this entire journey would be a disaster and any hope of conquering the land of Canaan would be lost. Little did he know what awaited them in the wilderness. In his mind, they were on their way to the land of promise and preparing to occupy the inheritance promised to them by God. But this chapter, marked by its description of the peoples’ orderly procession from Mount Sinai, is setting up an unexpected disaster awaiting them in the days ahead.

They left Mount Sinai with confidence and in eager anticipation of the future God had in store for them. After a year’s delay, they were on their way to Canaan, their future home and the rich inheritance God had promised to them, But their enthusiasm would soon be dampened by a series of unfortunate events that would keep them from entering the promised land. God would successfully lead them to the border of their new home but their entrance would be denied. Chapters 11-25 chronicles the almost 40-year hiatus that would come as a result of their disobedience to God’s commands. He would get them to the land but they would fail to do their part and, as a result, they would suffer the consequences.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Deuteronomy 1-2, John 10

April 18, 2014 / kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

The Good Shepherd.

Deuteronomy 1-2, John 10

“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.” – John 10:1-4 ESV

God leads. He always has. But the problem is that few want to follow Him. Even the people He chose as His own possession found it hard to follow God faithfully and fully. Theirs is a story of repeated doubt, disbelief and disobedience. In these early chapters of the book of Deuteronomy, Moses recounted for the people how God had led them all the way to the land promised to their forefather, Abraham. He reminded them how God had fulfilled His covenant to give them the land, but how they had refused to go in. Fear replaced faith and they allowed themselves to be overwhelmed by the difficulty of their circumstances rather than trust the word of their God. So God disciplined their disbelief and disobedience by denying them entry into the land and forcing them to wander around the wilderness for 40 years, until that stubborn generation died off. And yet, in spite of their rebellion, God continued to lead them and care for them. Moses reminded them, “For the Lord your God has blessed you in all the work of your hands. He knows your going through this great wilderness. These forty years the Lord your God has been with you. You have lacked nothing” (Deuteronomy 2:7 ESV). God had shepherded them all throughout their time of wandering. He had never forsaken them. He had never turned His back on them. And during that time, the younger generation had been able to watch God lead and learn to obey His voice. So that by the time they found themselves standing on the edge of the Promised Land, they would be ready to not only hear the words of God, but obey them. A big part of following God is learning to listen and obey – even when it doesn’t make sense. God told the second generation, “Begin to take possession, and contend with him in battle. This day I will begin to put the dread and fear of you on the peoples who are under the whole heaven, who shall hear the report of you and shall tremble and be in anguish because of you” (Deuteronomy 2:24-25 ESV). Following God was going to require faith.

What does this passage reveal about God?

Our faith should be motivated by God’s faithfulness, because He is trustworthy. God keeps His word. He fulfills His promises. He is fully capable of accomplishing what He says He will do. But doubt in the word of God always leads us to disbelieve the faithfulness of God. To doubt what God says is to doubt who He is. It is to disparage His character. But there is not basis for questioning the character of God. His track record is impeccable. We may not always understand why or how He does things, but we cannot and should not doubt His motives or question His sovereign will for our lives. For those who truly follow God, who have allowed their lives to be led and shepherded by God, they can look back and see His hand on their lives, guiding, directing, and protecting. That was what Moses had told the Israelites as they stood on the border of the Promised Land the first time. “Do not be in dread or afraid of them. The Lord your God who goes before you will himself fight for you, just as he did for you in Egypt before your eyes, and in the wilderness, where you have seen how the Lord your God carried you, as a man carries his son, all the way that you went until you came to this place” (Deuteronomy 1:29-31 ESV). God had proven Himself faithful, time and time again. “Yet in spite of this word you did not believe the Lord your God” (Deuteronomy 1:32 ESV). In their case, hind sight did NOT prove to be 20-20. The sheep stiff-armed the Shepherd.

What does this passage reveal about man?

In the book of John, we read those familiar words of Jesus, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep” (John 10:11 ESV). In this chapter Jesus established Himself as the one who had come to lead the sheep of God. He came to provide abundant life for the sheep. He came to lead them to green pastures where they could find nourishment and security. He came to provide protection from harm. But for all of that to happen, the sheep would be required to hear His voice and follow Him. “The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice” (John 10:3-4 ESV). There is a picture of intimacy and trust here. The sheep recognize the voice of their shepherd. They know Him and have learned to trust Him. They may not know exactly where He is leading them or what He has in store for them, but they trust Him. Following is an expression of faith. There were those in Jesus’ day who struggled with His claim to be the Son of God. They asked Him, “If you are the Christ, tell us plainly!” (John 10:24 ESV). “Jesus answered, ‘I told you, and you do not believe’” (John 10:25 ESV). He had shown them signs. He had performed miracles. He had given them plenty of proof. But they did not believe. Jesus told them, “You do not believe because you are not part of my flock” (John 10:26 ESV). They didn’t recognize His voice. When Jesus spoke, rather than hear the voice of God, they simply heard the words of a man. And the response of many was, “He has a demon, and is insane; why listen to him?” (John 10:20 ESV).

When Jesus calls, His sheep hear His voice. There is an intimacy and familiarity between Jesus and His sheep. They recognize Him because they belong to Him. And when He calls, they follow. When Jesus called His disciples, they not only heard Him, they willingly followed Him. And yet, by all indications, they didn’t even really know Him. In almost every case, they had just met Him, and yet when He said, “Follow me,” they dropped what they were doing and obeyed. There was a recognition of relationship they didn’t even fully understand at the time. They heard His voice and did what He told them to do – as a practical expression of trust.

How would I apply what I’ve read to my own life?

After 40 years of wandering around in the wilderness, under the steady, ever-present hand of God, the second generation developed an increasing familiarity with the voice of God. They learned to listen to His voice and do what He told them to do. He had proven Himself faithful all those years. He had been a good shepherd. Oh, they would still struggle with obedience and trust. They would still doubt His word at times. But there would be no basis for their doubt and no excuse for their distrust of God. God will always be proven faithful. He will always come out trustworthy. The problem is never God’s faithfulness, but our faithlessness. We doubt. We fear. We disbelieve. We disobey. But God is faithful. It is amazing to think that Jesus came to lay down his life for the sheep. He didn’t just come to lead us, He came to die for us. He said, “For this reason the Father love me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I received from my Father” (John 10:17-18 ESV). Ultimately, Jesus’ leadership required His own death, and He gave up His life willingly and gladly. He lead through death. He rose again so that we might understand that there is life after death. “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand” (John 10:27-28 ESV). He calls. We hear. He leads. We follow. And our ultimate destination is eternal, not temporal. Jesus reminds us, “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also” (John 14:1-3 ESV). He is the Good Shepherd and He is leading us to a land of green pastures. But we must follow faithfully. We must trust His Word. In spite of what we may encounter along the way, we must believe that what He says is true and what He has promised He will fulfill.

Father, You have led Your people faithfully for generations. And You sent Your Son to not only be our sacrificial lamb, but our Good Shepherd. He has laid down His life for us, so that we might spend eternal life with You. But for the time being, we find ourselves wandering in our own form of wilderness. Things here are not always easy. It is sometimes hard to hear His voice over the confusion and chaos of this world, but He is speaking. He is calling. Give us ears to hear and hearts to listen. As He leads, help us follow – faithfully and expectantly – with our eyes on the future reality of eternity. Amen

Ken Miller
Grow Pastor & Minister to Men
kenm@christchapelbc.org

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following God

Deuteronomy 1-2, John 10