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BACKGROUND
GOD
GOD
I. His Being
II. His nature
III. His character
IV. His will
V. His subsistence
VI. His Fatherhood
MAN
WOMAN
FALL OF MAN
MAN
a. Man in nature
b. Man’s destiny
c. Man ‘s structure
d. Man’s sin
e. Man in God’s image
WOMAN
The
full background to this teaching is available online at this link
DEFINITIONS (For serious students)
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Online links to scriptures (New International Version [NIV] unless otherwise stated) are shown in blue
| THE SPIRITUAL SIGNIFICANCE OF MOSES' SIN |
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 Throughout the Old Testament there are numerous 'pictures' of what was to occur through the death of Jesus on the cross. As a result, man's relationship to God was restored through;
* RECONCILIATION - through Jesus' death on the cross.
* RESTORATION - resurrection and eternal life.
* PROVISION - of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.
Amazingly I would suggest, these 3 events were foreshadowed by the 3 key happenings in Moses life that we looked at last week.
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| 1. RECONCILIATION (Jesus' Blood - Turning the Nile into blood)
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 The turning of the River Nile into blood is an obvious symbol, further developed in the Passover, of the ultimate death of Jesus to reconcile wayward mankind to God.
Hebrews 9:22
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| 2. RESTORATION (Ressurection and Eternal Life - Water from the Rock - (Jesus)) |
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 Without the provision of water from the rock, symbolising Jesus,
1 Corinthians 10:4
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the people would have died in the desert without entering the Promised Land, a promise which still stands true today!
Hebrews 4:1
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| 3. PROVISION (Holy Spirit at Pentecost - Water <b>Poured</b> from the Rock) |
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 At the end of a symbolically similar timespan, (40 years v 40 days. ie. 40 being the number of trial and testing) as the people were to enter the Promised Land, God was symbolically showing the provision of His guide and protector for His people, His Holy Spirit. This is clearly reflected in the words of the passage:
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| a. 'Speak to that rock' |
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This is the only miracle that God commanded Moses to perform by asking him to speak, not hold out the staff or strike it. This is symbolic of the Holy Spirit:
12 We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. 13 This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words. (1 Corinthians 2:12-13)
God was showing that, through the Holy Spirit, Moses could speak to the rock and it would pour forth water.
Mark 12:36, 13:11, 1 Corinthians 12:3
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| b. 'Pour out its water' |
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'Pour out', not just 'water will come out of it', as with the rock at Horeb. 'Pouring' is also symbolic of the Holy Spirit.
Acts 2:16-18
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Numbers of other scriptures confirm this.
For example:
5 he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, (Titus 3:5-6)
And others.
Ezekiel 39:29, Joel 2:28-9, Malachi 3:10, Isaiah 32:15, Acts 2:33, 10:45
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| c. 'Water gushed out' |
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Even though Moses did wrong, the water still gushed out to satisfy the thirst of the people and their livestock. God, in His grace, still provided for His people, even though their leader had disobeyed Him.
Numbers 20:11b
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| SO WHAT WAS MOSES' GREAT SPIRITUAL SIN? |
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 '11 Then Moses raised his arm and struck the rock twice with his staff.' (Numbers 20:11a)
Spiritually, Moses had failed to understand the power of the Holy Spirit, going instead, back to what had worked for him in the past.
* Firstly - one blow - as at the Nile - speaking of Reconciliation
* Secondly - the second blow - as at Horeb - speaking of Restoration
The sin Moses committed was to stay with what he knew, not being prepared to move on in faith and obedience to a new, greater and more powerful dimension, a dimension that would be essential if the Israelites were to be able to successfully take and hold the Promised Land. He set the example of disobedience to the people, which they themselves would, in turn, copy in the future.
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MOSES' SIN WAS TO IGNORE, IN HIS ANGER, GOD'S PROVISION FOR HIM (SYMBOLISING THE HOLY SPIRIT) PREFERRING INSTEAD TO RELY UPON PAST EXPERIENCE (SYMBOLISING THE CROSS AND RESSURECTION) TO MEET THE PEOPLE'S NEEDS. GOD'S REQUIREMENT OF MOSES TO MOVE FORWARD TO A NEW EXPERIENCE OF HIS POWER, THROPUGH FAITH, TESTING AND OBEDIENCE, WAS IGNORED.
So Moses missed out on his life's desire, to lead the people into the Promised Land.
God did however, in His grace and love, just before his death, take him up to the top of Mount Nebo, where He showed him the land his descendants would inherit.
Deuteronomy 34:1-6
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| <I>NEXT WEEK:</I> God and Man continues..... |
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 We complete our look at the sin that prevented Moses from entering the Promised Land by considering its spiritual implications for us today.
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| A NOTE FROM DAVID |
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 Moses did as we all too often do. He relied upon past experience, wonderful though that was, to take him through today's challenge.
We need to be listening to the Holy Spirit before attempting anything in God, to see how He wants us to respond today.
Easily said, not so easy to do!
Jerusalem - Gates of the Old City - Damascus Gate
The most massive and ornate of all of Jerusalem's gates. The road running off it leads to Shechem (Nablus) and then to Damascus .
Source: http://www.bible-history.com
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So until next week.......
MAY GOD BLESS YOU AND YOU BLESS GOD!
His servant and yours
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www.wwj.org.nz/about.php
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A DAVID'S DOODLING
17. Fools believe they have all wisdom, the wise are prepared to learn from others, while the godly one's teacher is the Holy Spirit.
David Tait
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Check
out the WWJ website for….
More David's Doodlings: www.wwj.org.nz/dd.php
God Facts (A mine of information): http://www.wwj.org.nz/gfacts.php
Facts for Fun: http://www.wwj.org.nz/facts.php
Marriage and Family Facts: http://www.wwj.org.nz/maffacts.php
Just jokes: http://www.wwj.org.nz/jokes.php
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