Illustration: “Mamma,” said a little girl, “ my Sunday school teacher tells me that this world is only a place in which God lets us live for a while, that we may prepare for a better world. But momma, I do not see anybody preparing. I see you preparing to go into the country, and Aunt Eliza is preparing to come here: but I do not see any one preparing to go there. Why don’t they get ready?”
Last Days
Intro. ``Are you ready? Are you prepared to live a victorious life? Are you preparing for this life? Eph. 5:15 Therefore be careful how you walk not as unwise men, but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil.
In this passage God showed Israel what they had to do to be prepared to live a victorious life and I think it gives us some guidelines to do the same. Through God’s promises, God’s pronouncement and God’s provisions He gives us a way to look at life that will help prepare us for a victorious live in Christ.
I. God prepares us to live a victorious live by:
1. God promises Verses 6-8
i. Promise Land- those not making it and those making it
1. God directed the Israelites in the dessert for 40 years so that the disobedience ones would die. Because they didn’t listen to the voice of the Lord and they grumbled against the Lord 10 times. (Numbers 14:11-25) He promised because of their disobedience that their corpse shall fall in this wilderness…”Nu. 14:29. So they would never see the land of milk and honey. God promised that they would die. And they did, in preparation for the new generation. And they did.
2. God promised the children that He raised up in their place would make it to the Promised Land. In chapter 4 and 5, God even parted the Jordan so they could walk on dry land, just as He did with their forefathers in the Red Sea.. He promised they could enter the promise land and they did.
ii. Promise of circumcision- In Genesis 17:8-11 (read) the covenant between God and man had not taken place in the dessert. We don’t know why they weren’t circumcised but we do know that they had to be to enter the Promised Land. To prepare this generation, they had to be circumcised. And they did
Note; Circumcision is a foreshadow of Baptism. It was an outward sign of an inward change. A commitment to the covenant, one to the old the other to the new.
iii. Promise that they would be watched over while they healed. Can you imagine what they must have thought when Joshua said; ok I have to circumcise you now. Why couldn’t we have done that in the dessert when we had all the time in the world and the protection when now we are wide open to attack when we are down. We know when God tells us to do something HE protects us when we do it. And He did. A lot of times we need a time of healing so we will be prepared to do what God wants us to do.
iv. God gives us the promise of eternal life-When we accept Him as our personal Savior. Our Promised Land is in Christ.
II. God prepares us to live a victorious life by His pronouncement
Illustration of the Eagle--
i. VS 9 Pronouncement of reproach being rolled back-Gilgal
1. Gilgal means rolled away from or take away from
2. God took away the shame of being a slave They were not slaves.
3. God took away the idea that they wanted to go back to Egypt
4. God wants to do that with you if you are living in sin . He want to wash you clean by the blood of Jesus Christ. He wants to roll away any sin and make you clean today.
ii. Pronouncement of the Passover-They observed the Passover in the new land. It was only celebrated once in the wilderness not celebrated again till King 23:22.
Kind of foreshadow of communion-remembrance of when they were saved in Egypt You do communion in remembrance of your salvation through Jesus’ death burial and resurrection.
III. God prepares us to live a victorious life by His provision- Show the pepper corn. Illustration
Ps. 78 24,25 describes it as the corn of heaven
i. The day after they moved into living in the new land they ate unleavened cakes and parched grain(corn)-it was corn that was left when the people left in fear and ran for safety leaving what was in their barns and fields. Chapter 4:13 after they had heard what God was doing with the Israelites must have been a large amount, enough to feed. 40,000. God provided for them.
ii. Manna “What is it?” Exodus 16:14-15 had been provided for the Israelites for 40 years, Even when they were grumbling against God and he still [provided the manna. When they complained of having to eat only manna Nu.21:5-9 He sent a fiery serpents among them and they bit the people so that many of them died. But He still sent the manna.
When they disobeyed the Lords commands when warring with other people, but He still sent manna. When they complained of no meat He sent them Quail, it fell beside the camp. About a day’s journey on one side and a day’s journey on the other side and about two cubits deep on the surface of the ground, Because of the Lord’s anger He struck them with a very severe plaque. Many died that were greedy. But He still sent manna.
Does God provide for you when we are disobedient? When you grumble about your situation, when you complain that you want it the way it use to be,, does He still provide manna for you?
40 years you think they got use to that manna being provided every day?
iii. Verse12—And the manna ceased-When the Promised Land was provided
Illustration
1. There is a type of manna in your lives that should cease. Romans 13:14 “But on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh in regards to it’s lust.” The Manna that you provide for yourself. That manna has to cease.
2. The things you feed your mind that are ungodly- that manna must cease
The unforgiveness you keep feeding yourself- the manna must cease
Any provisions that you feed your self to satisfy the lust of your flesh- that manna has to cease.
1. There are thing that we are blessed with that are provisions from the Lord and when they cease what do you do then?
2. Maybe you have lost a loved one—the manna ceased
3. Maybe you lost your job—And the manna ceased
4. Maybe you have been betrayed by a family member or a friend- the manna ceased
5. Maybe you lost a loved pastor and friend- the manna ceased
6. Maybe your health was good and now there is problem- the manna ceased
7. What do we do when the manna ceases
I. The thing or person you once trusted is no longer there- like the manna was no longer provided for. We want to go back to the old way. Some people kept going back but nothing is there. We need to look at the past but not live there. Can’t it’s not there. You may want it to be there, desire things not to change but they just continue to change. I’m sure there were Israelites that went out the next day and looked for manna and maybe the next day and found none there again. They want the manna the provision of God to stay the same.
II. There are people like LF and Joyce that have been married over 50 years and they know each other and probably can read each others mind. You get use to that person. MY wife and I have been married for 26 years and I don’t know what I would do if that blessing of having her around would cease (if that manna ceased). Things would change. Nothing you can do except move forward for Christ sake. You have to accept the change. NO one likes change. But tomorrow will not be yesterday. As Christians we are a change people. We want to live a live a change. We want peoples lives to be changed. We want people to come to know the Lord Jesus Christ so their lives will be changed. Nothing is indispensable we still go forward.
a. When God killed the Israelites then they sought Him, and returned and searched diligently for God. And they remembered that God was their rock, and the Most High God Their Redeemer. PS. 78:34 You need to do the same.
iv. Our provision is in Christ – our spiritual manna is His word
v. Just like the manna The Lord speaks of Himself as being the true bread of life, imparting eternal life and sustenance to those who by faith partake of Him spiritually.Jn.6:35 Jesus said to them. “I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me shall not hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst. And in verse 47-51 in John—Truly, truly, I say to You he who believes has eternal life. I am the bread of life. Your forefathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. This is the bread which comes down out of heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread that came down out of heaven; if anyone eats of this bread, he shall live forever; and the bread also which I shall give for the life of the world is my flesh.
Conclusion:
Gods is preparing you to live a victorious life by His promises, by His pronouncements, and by His provisions. Are you getting prepared, God has given you everything you need in His son Jesus Christ.
