The Sovereignty of God (Num. 33:1-49)

3/1/2009 7:23 PM

 

SPIRITUAL DIARY

 

My Worship Time                                        Focus:  The Sovereignty of God

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                        Reference:  Numbers 33:1-49

 

            Message of the verses:  “1 ¶  These are the journeys of the sons of Israel, by which they came out from the land of Egypt by their armies, under the leadership of Moses and Aaron. 2  Moses recorded their starting places according to their journeys by the command of the LORD, and these are their journeys according to their starting places. 3  They journeyed from Rameses in the first month, on the fifteenth day of the first month; on the next day after the Passover the sons of Israel started out boldly in the sight of all the Egyptians, 4  while the Egyptians were burying all their firstborn whom the LORD had struck down among them. The LORD had also executed judgments on their gods. 5  Then the sons of Israel journeyed from Rameses and camped in Succoth. 6  They journeyed from Succoth and camped in Etham, which is on the edge of the wilderness. 7  They journeyed from Etham and turned back to Pi-hahiroth, which faces Baal-zephon, and they camped before Migdol. 8  They journeyed from before Hahiroth and passed through the midst of the sea into the wilderness; and they went three days’ journey in the wilderness of Etham and camped at Marah. 9  They journeyed from Marah and came to Elim; and in Elim there were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees, and they camped there. 10  They journeyed from Elim and camped by the Red Sea. 11  They journeyed from the Red Sea and camped in the wilderness of Sin. 12  They journeyed from the wilderness of Sin and camped at Dophkah. 13  They journeyed from Dophkah and camped at Alush. 14  They journeyed from Alush and camped at Rephidim; now it was there that the people had no water to drink. 15  They journeyed from Rephidim and camped in the wilderness of Sinai. 16  They journeyed from the wilderness of Sinai and camped at Kibroth-hattaavah. 17  They journeyed from Kibroth-hattaavah and camped at Hazeroth. 18  They journeyed from Hazeroth and camped at Rithmah. 19  They journeyed from Rithmah and camped at Rimmon-perez. 20  They journeyed from Rimmon-perez and camped at Libnah. 21  They journeyed from Libnah and camped at Rissah. 22  They journeyed from Rissah and camped in Kehelathah. 23  They journeyed from Kehelathah and camped at Mount Shepher. 24  They journeyed from Mount Shepher and camped at Haradah. 25  They journeyed from Haradah and camped at Makheloth. 26  They journeyed from Makheloth and camped at Tahath. 27  They journeyed from Tahath and camped at Terah. 28  They journeyed from Terah and camped at Mithkah. 29  They journeyed from Mithkah and camped at Hashmonah. 30  They journeyed from Hashmonah and camped at Moseroth. 31  They journeyed from Moseroth and camped at Bene-jaakan. 32  They journeyed from Bene-jaakan and camped at Hor-haggidgad. 33  They journeyed from Hor-haggidgad and camped at Jotbathah. 34  They journeyed from Jotbathah and camped at Abronah. 35  They journeyed from Abronah and camped at Ezion-geber. 36  They journeyed from Ezion-geber and camped in the wilderness of Zin, that is, Kadesh. 37  They journeyed from Kadesh and camped at Mount Hor, at the edge of the land of Edom. 38  Then Aaron the priest went up to Mount Hor at the command of the LORD, and died there in the fortieth year after the sons of Israel had come from the land of Egypt, on the first day in the fifth month. 39  Aaron was one hundred twenty-three years old when he died on Mount Hor. 40  Now the Canaanite, the king of Arad who lived in the Negev in the land of Canaan, heard of the coming of the sons of Israel. 41  Then they journeyed from Mount Hor and camped at Zalmonah. 42  They journeyed from Zalmonah and camped at Punon. 43  They journeyed from Punon and camped at Oboth. 44  They journeyed from Oboth and camped at Iye-abarim, at the border of Moab. 45  They journeyed from Iyim and camped at Dibon-gad. 46  They journeyed from Dibon-gad and camped at Almon-diblathaim. 47  They journeyed from Almon-diblathaim and camped in the mountains of Abarim, before Nebo. 48  They journeyed from the mountains of Abarim and camped in the plains of Moab by the Jordan opposite Jericho. 49  They camped by the Jordan, from Beth-jeshimoth as far as Abel-shittim in the plains of Moab.”

            This section of Numbers has a lot of difficult words in it as the names of the towns or places where Israel camped after they left Egypt are named here.  In Dr. Wiersbe’s commentary on this section he calls it the sovereignty of God, as it was God who led Israel all of the way and even though they disobeyed God and God became angry with them His will was accomplished, but the blessings were not given to the children of Israel because of their unbelief.  “God is so great that He can will us the freedom to choose but still accomplish His purposes.”  I think that this is a wonderful statement that describes the sovereignty of God along with the freedom of man to choose. 

            “As A. T. Pierson used to say, ‘History is His story.’  God doesn’t just write history; He plans history and sees that His plan is executed.  ‘The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the plans of His heart to all generations.’  (Ps. 33:11 NKJV)  When Israel didn’t permit God to rule, then He overruled.  Israel lost the blessing but God achieved His purposes.”

 

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  I believe that God has a plan for my life, and I also believe that God will accomplish the things that He wants done in my life even if I do not do them because I sin and others have to do them, but then I will miss the blessings.  I don’t want to miss any blessings from God.

 

My Steps of Faith for Today:

 

1. Trust the Lord to guide my steps.
2. Learn contentment.
3. Give myself to the Lord for worship and service.

 

3/1/2009 7:50 PM