Mark Huey of Outreach Israel Ministries delivers the following message, “Who Will We Serve?,” as each of us must turn to serve the Holy One of Israel, in spite of the stresses imposed upon us by the world.
Upon surveying the tumultuous world scene today, it is understandable to conclude from a finite human perspective that we are faced with significant global challenges to peace, security, and relative prosperity. Even with unbridled communication enhanced by the technological strides of the past few decades, making access to overwhelming flows of information nearly instantaneous, the problems persist. One would think that with all of the advances in human ingenuity, that the ability to operate and especially cooperate politically and economically more efficiently in the world would be greater, but this does not appear to be the case.
So, with the disconcerting realities of what is transpiring in the world, what should followers of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob be doing to overcome these challenges—especially as the attacks upon our walk of faith continue to increase? How important is it to be about following the patterns established over the millennia, by the faithful who have endured equal if not greater predicaments, without the benefit of modern technology? This is a challenging question that surfaces in the hearts of many of today’s Believers—and yes, even Messianic Believers—as the volleys of fear-inducing reports enter into the minds and the thoughts of people, through hearing or reading some of the seemingly overwhelming negative news reports. Human nature is not immune to the paralyzing power of pessimistic and unconstructive rumors, hearsay, and bad accounting. History is littered with examples of people who have suffered the consequences of believing a bad report, rather than trusting in the Creator God.
In order to understand this, one need only simply recall the trials of our spiritual forbearers, as the escaping Israelites were on the doorstep of entering into the Promised Land to fulfill their God-ordained destiny. Recall that God commanded Moses to send in one leader from each of the twelve tribes to survey Canaan, and come back with a report to the rest of the camp:
“Then the LORD spoke to Moses saying, ‘Send out for yourself men so that they may spy out the land of Canaan, which I am going to give to the sons of Israel; you shall send a man from each of their fathers’ tribes, every one a leader among them.’ So Moses sent them from the wilderness of Paran at the command of the LORD, all of them men who were heads of the sons of Israel…When Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan, he said to them, ‘Go up there into the Negev; then go up into the hill country. See what the land is like, and whether the people who live in it are strong or weak, whether they are few or many. How is the land in which they live, is it good or bad? And how are the cities in which they live, are they like open camps or with fortifications? How is the land, is it fat or lean? Are there trees in it or not? Make an effort then to get some of the fruit of the land.’ Now the time was the time of the first ripe grapes” (Numbers 13:1-3, 17-20, NASU).
Without the availability of modern communication satellites emitting GPS signals, or video cameras to record the report, the twelve spies traveled through the Promised Land for forty days. Upon their return to the camp of Israel, they gave a mixed report about what they had witnessed. Beyond describing the physical attributes which affirmed that the territory was indeed quite fertile and blessed, the ten spies made negative statements about it also being occupied by different peoples who appeared unconquerable:
“When they returned from spying out the land, at the end of forty days, they proceeded to come to Moses and Aaron and to all the congregation of the sons of Israel in the wilderness of Paran, at Kadesh; and they brought back word to them and to all the congregation and showed them the fruit of the land. Thus they told him, and said, ‘We went in to the land where you sent us; and it certainly does flow with milk and honey, and this is its fruit. Nevertheless, the people who live in the land are strong, and the cities are fortified and very large; and moreover, we saw the descendants of Anak there. Amalek is living in the land of the Negev and the Hittites and the Jebusites and the Amorites are living in the hill country, and the Canaanites are living by the sea and by the side of the Jordan.’ Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses and said, ‘We should by all means go up and take possession of it, for we will surely overcome it.’ But the men who had gone up with him said, ‘We are not able to go up against the people, for they are too strong for us.’ So they gave out to the sons of Israel a bad report of the land which they had spied out, saying, ‘The land through which we have gone, in spying it out, is a land that devours its inhabitants; and all the people whom we saw in it are men of great size. There also we saw the Nephilim (the sons of Anak are part of the Nephilim); and we became like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight’” (Numbers 13:25-33, NASU).
Only Caleb and Joshua, among the spies sent in to survey Canaan, were filled with enough faith to overcome the challenges. They admonished the camp of Ancient Israel to trust in the Lord for His ability to overtake the inhabitants, and to establish the people in what He had promised for their inheritance. However, as the text reveals, the hearts of the people had been negatively impacted by the overall negative report, to the point of wanting to stone the appointed leaders of Israel:
“Then all the congregation lifted up their voices and cried, and the people wept that night. All the sons of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron; and the whole congregation said to them, ‘Would that we had died in the land of Egypt! Or would that we had died in this wilderness! Why is the LORD bringing us into this land, to fall by the sword? Our wives and our little ones will become plunder; would it not be better for us to return to Egypt?’ So they said to one another, ‘Let us appoint a leader and return to Egypt.’ Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces in the presence of all the assembly of the congregation of the sons of Israel. Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, of those who had spied out the land, tore their clothes; and they spoke to all the congregation of the sons of Israel, saying, “The land which we passed through to spy out is an exceedingly good land. If the LORD is pleased with us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us—a land which flows with milk and honey. Only do not rebel against the LORD; and do not fear the people of the land, for they will be our prey. Their protection has been removed from them, and the LORD is with us; do not fear them.’ But all the congregation said to stone them with stones. Then the glory of the LORD appeared in the tent of meeting to all the sons of Israel” (Numbers 14:1-10, NASU).
Thankfully, the glory of the Lord appeared and the stoning did not occur. But, the consequences for the majority of Ancient Israel, in believing the bad report and not trusting in the Lord, were devastating. All of those older than twenty were to die in the wilderness over the next forty years, except Caleb and Joshua:
“The LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, ‘How long shall I bear with this evil congregation who are grumbling against Me? I have heard the complaints of the sons of Israel, which they are making against Me. Say to them, “As I live,” says the LORD, “just as you have spoken in My hearing, so I will surely do to you; your corpses will fall in this wilderness, even all your numbered men, according to your complete number from twenty years old and upward, who have grumbled against Me. Surely you shall not come into the land in which I swore to settle you, except Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun. Your children, however, whom you said would become a prey—I will bring them in, and they will know the land which you have rejected. But as for you, your corpses will fall in this wilderness. Your sons shall be shepherds for forty years in the wilderness, and they will suffer for your unfaithfulness, until your corpses lie in the wilderness. According to the number of days which you spied out the land, forty days, for every day you shall bear your guilt a year, even forty years, and you will know My opposition. I, the LORD, have spoken, surely this I will do to all this evil congregation who are gathered together against Me. In this wilderness they shall be destroyed, and there they will die.”’ As for the men whom Moses sent to spy out the land and who returned and made all the congregation grumble against him by bringing out a bad report concerning the land, even those men who brought out the very bad report of the land died by a plague before the LORD. But Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh remained alive out of those men who went to spy out the land” (Numbers 14:26-38, NASU).
As noted above, the ten spies with the bad report actually died in the plague that followed the outbreak of anger noted by the Lord. So, the consequences of conveying a bad report and believing in it, can be absolutely dreadful if not deadly!
Why should modern-day Believers in Yeshua be reminded of some of these familiar ancient testimonies, as we face challenges today? Because, simply recalling them, and many others, will serve as reminders that these historical accounts are to serve as instructions, warnings, as well as guides for those who will live in the final period of time before the full inauguration of God’s Kingdom on Earth. As the Apostle Paul informed the Corinthians,
“For I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that our fathers were all under the cloud and all passed through the sea; and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea; and all ate the same spiritual food; and all drank the same spiritual drink, for they were drinking from a spiritual rock which followed them; and the rock was Messiah. Nevertheless, with most of them God was not well-pleased; for they were laid low in the wilderness. Now these things happened as examples for us, so that we would not crave evil things as they also craved. Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written, ‘THE PEOPLE SAT DOWN TO EAT AND DRINK, AND STOOD UP TO PLAY’ [Exodus 32:6]. Nor let us act immorally, as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in one day. Nor let us try the Lord, as some of them did, and were destroyed by the serpents. Nor grumble, as some of them did, and were destroyed by the destroyer. Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come” (1 Corinthians 10:1-11, NASU).
Even in the First Century, with the pax Romana and security of the Empire allowing for excellent regional communications in the Mediterranean, far better than in the time of Moses—Paul knew that it was imperative for Messiah followers to be frequently reminded of the trials and tribulations of the Ancient Israelites. The well known axiom, “If one fails to know history, you are doomed to repeat it,” is something that is definitely rooted in past ancient experience and reflection. Paul knew that it was beneficial to recollect the failings and foibles of Ancient Israel’s ancestors on a regular basis. He understood that the human proclivity to follow after the fallen nature was rampant. Certainly by systematically reviewing the given Scriptural examples of how tempting it is to fall back into sin, people will be frequently reminded of how to direct their lives in a way that is instead, pleasing to the Lord. Even with the post-resurrection benefit of being filled with the Holy Spirit of the Most High, and empowered to observe His Instruction via the promise of the New Covenant (Jeremiah 31:31-34; Ezekiel 36:25-27; cf. Hebrews 8:7-13; 10:14-18), it still remains a choice for people to follow the leading of the Spirit or succumb to their own mortal inclinations.
So, what is recommended for those seeking to please the Almighty in these troubling modern times?
Is there a time tested way to ward off the negative reports, that pummel people day and night and from near and far, in order to avoid surrendering to a life spent reacting to negative news? What about following the patterns established ages ago by the ancient Sages, who believed the Word of God and trusted in its precepts, to order their lives and the lives of others? Would not wisdom dictate that those who claim to believe in the veracity of Holy Scripture, spend some time studying and reviewing it, because, after all, these ancient texts contain the good news of eternal salvation—which ultimately overcomes all of the bad news the world can muster?!
Perhaps one of the reasons, that the broad Messianic movement has developed increasing adherents in the past few decades, is because people have faithfully returned to these time-tested means of studying Holy Writ. No doubt, repeating and meditating upon the Shema has certainly contributed to a generation of Messianic Believers, who are being reminded of the importance of inculcating the heart and mind with the Word of God. The additional admonition, to pass this understanding on to future generations, is a regular part of the spiritual activities of Messianics every week in the Shabbat service:
“Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD is one! You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates” (Deuteronomy 6:4-9, NASU).
The significance of the Shema is reiterated in the teachings of Yeshua, when He was questioned by an ancient Torah teacher, about what the most important commandment in Moses’ Teaching was:
“One of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, ‘Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?’ And He said to him, ‘“YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND’ [Deuteronomy 6:5]. This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF’ [Leviticus 19:18]. On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets’” (Matthew 22:35-40, NASU).
Here in Yeshua’s response, He first referred to the Shema, and then quoted from Leviticus 19:18 about loving one’s neighbor as yourself. It is the continual reminder of the requirement to love God with all of your heart, soul, mind, and might, and your neighbor as yourself—that should set Believers apart from those who do not believe.
Modern-day seekers of the Most High need to follow in the footsteps of those who have preceded them. This includes taking the opportunity to follow the annual cycle of Torah teachings, via the weekly parashot, as developed over the centuries by those who understand that Moses’ Teaching forms the foundation of the rest of God’s Word. However, it is critical that one approach these studies with an understanding that Yeshua is the Messiah of Israel! One must survey the Torah and associated Haftarah readings with the knowledge that they are to ultimately point to Him as “the culmination of the law” (Romans 10:4, TNIV). Complimenting a study of Moses and the Prophets with a comprehensive understanding of the Apostolic Scriptures, helps Believers better understand the weightier things of the Torah that Yeshua desired for His followers (cf. Matthew 23:23).
While Yeshua was most concerned with the weightier provisions of the Torah, He did not abolish its other provisions that define the daily conduct of God’s people. This is why Messianic Believers today adhere to things like keeping the seventh-day Sabbath/Shabbat, the appointed time of Leviticus 23, and eating kosher. Discovering that the Lord never changed or abolished these instructions is a blessing to those who adhere to them. With this in mind as the Fall High Holidays are fast approaching, there is an opportunity to participate in these as special times of spiritual introspection and intercession, and be rededicated to another year of service unto the Lord. What a great time to reinvigorate yourself and your family in the ways of the Lord!
With the constant challenges of the world hounding each and every one of us from near and far, there is no better time than to follow the pattern of one of the two spies who received the blessing of returning with a good report. As Joshua surveyed his life years later after conquering the Promised Land, he was adamant to proclaim to his fellow Israelites something that should be the personal motto of each of us:
“And if it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD” (Joshua 24:15, NASU).
There is no doubt that the cares and concerns of this world will increasingly come to plague people, with thoughts that attempt to take them away from obeying the command to love the Lord with all their heart, mind, soul, and strength. The key to avoiding the pitfalls, of wavering belief or lack of faith, is making a heartfelt decision that you and your family will serve the Lord no matter what. You will develop a method of study and reflection that keeps you focused on the Messiah Yeshua and His work, capable through you. You will teach your beliefs to the next generation, and be an example to them of one who does not waver in his or her faith.
The days are challenging, but according to the Holy Scriptures, they are going to get worse before they get better. Will you be able to stand for the faith through the battles that lie ahead? Will you have trained yourself to live by faith and not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7)? Will you know that with the help of the Lord, you can overcome the giants that we face each day?
How about dedicating your life to be a dispenser of the good news, rather than succumb to the waves of bad news that will constantly barrage you? It is your choice. Who will you serve?
