Learning from the Israelites’ Mistakes (vanity)

When I think of what we face, surrounded by powerful internal forces who would topple the United States, I feel fear, great fear, that all will soon be lost and our sons and daughters will lose their freedom. I fear tyranny. I even fear our children will be servants of the State.

But then I remember why the Israelites were sentenced to 40 years in the desert. It was because scouts returned from the promised land where they had assessed their opposition. These scouts warned their countrymen not to go into the promised land. They warned that “giants” would kill the Israelites as if they were grasshoppers--despite God’s promise to deliver the land to the Israelites. The crime was doubting God’s integrity, power, and care.

I’ve come to see that my own fears come a hair’s breadth from replicating the Israelites’ sin. So I let go my fear.

We’ve not been promised America. But we have been given natural rights; and if God has not guaranteed America will be delivered into our hands, he has promised not to abandon us if we don’t turn our backs. I feel better. I no longer worry. I don’t take anything for granted, I don’t shirk responsibility—but I’m not scared. I feel that any fear is tantamount to distrusting God’s mercy and doubting His power. I choose to be like Joshua and Cabel, the only two scouts who dissented from their frightened peers.

Jesus, please protect us, help us never to forget Your care and Your power. May we never doubt Your fierce mercy and love, and may we never turn loose of the breastplate of Your righteousness and the shield of faith that was purchased for us at the cross; and may we never turn loose of the full armor of God. In the name of Christ, we turn from our fear and pray. Amen.

"Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction.
We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream.
It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same,
or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children
and our children's children what it was once like in the United States where men were free."
President Ronald Reagan

One of the bigger sins was on the part of what/who became the northern kingdom of Israel (aka the lost ten tribes) under Jeroboam, who created a false religion to keep any of his people from going to Jerusalem, replete with two calf idols in Samaria. The Bible calls this “a great sin” several times.

“Israelites were sentenced to 40 years in the desert.”

I understand the sentiment that they were “sentenced” or “punished” for forty years, but a more appropriate description was that they spent forty years in the desert to be trained to enter the promised land. The spies ‘proved’ that they were not ready yet, and that whole generation needed to pass before they could enter in. Sometimes in our own lives, we view bad things that happen to us as some type of “punishment”, decreed by God for our own actions. I feel like they are more like consequences for our choices, (either good or bad), and are part of our own ‘training’, so that we can be prepared for our own missions. Everything is is related to Free Will and our ability to make choices, either good or bad, and that is what we will be judged on. Yes, the judgement upon the Israelites could be considered as punishment, but I think judgement is necessary for us to attain our missions in life. One example might be that if we continue to overeat, eventually we will be judged by gaining weight, etc. My comments are not meant to disagree with yours, but to add an additional ‘food for thought’. Judgement is necessary, both in this life and the World to Come..In the case of the Israelites, they had to face judgement for 40 years before they could realize the fruits of their mission (or before they were ready to enter the Promised Land).

Excellent post.

I note the MSM was trying to fan fear that our military would lose to the Chinese. Just out-of-the-gate cringing/fear-mongering instead of acknowledging the 4 years and trillions President Trump spent restoring our military to deal with China. Just fear mongering instead of praying. How hatefully treasonous our MSM is!

God has promised He’ll never leave us, never forsake us, is our source of strength etc. so why not stay by His side?

God WINS!

Thank you for the uplifting post! :D

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