THE PROVOCATION
Wednesday – September 6, 2017
Do we dare ask ourselves: “Am I provoking God”? Once we have asked the question we must be very still in our body and our mind (especially our mind). Perhaps we would like to rush on having asked the question for we really don’t want to hear the answer, and God forbid we would have to change something. Many of us are very comfortable in our rut. If we really want to please the Lord we must pause and listen intently for that still small voice of our God. Our featured photo today is of Adam and Eve with one of our donkeys from the ranch some years ago. The buffalo did not like the donkeys getting in the trough with them so there is a provocation going on here as well. The donkey knows it, notice the ears are back and she is ready to run.
As I move back into our Bible Study I want our partners and friends of this ministry to know we thank God for you and you are not taken for granted. Now let’s get back to our study with a review of our primary text.
Hebrews 3:6-12 (KJV)
6 But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.
7 Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice,
8 Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness:
9 When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years.
10 Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in their heart; and they have not known my ways.
11 So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.)
12 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.
I will now go back to the original account of the provocation. Please review the prior teaching if you have not read it or have forgotten so that we have the proper context. Let’s start with the command of God to search out (spy) the land of Canaan.
Numbers 13:1-3 (KJV)
1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
2 Send thou men, that they may search the land of Canaan, which I give unto the children of Israel: of every tribe of their fathers shall ye send a man, every one a ruler among them.
3 And Moses by the commandment of the LORD sent them from the wilderness of Paran: all those men were heads of the children of Israel. (Bold added by Dr. Wood)
Now let’s take a look at what the spies had to say when they returned from their mission into the Promised Land. Remember God has told them (Israel) on several occasions this land is theirs, this is the time of the fulfilment of the promise. We, the Church of the living God, also have many promises that are for today, this is the day of their fulfilment, have we dropped the ball through unbelief? Let’s see what the spies have to say.
Numbers 13:25-33 (KJV)
25 And they returned from searching of the land after forty days.
26 And they went and came to Moses, and to Aaron, and to all the congregation of the children of Israel, unto the wilderness of Paran, to Kadesh; and brought back word unto them, and unto all the congregation, and shewed them the fruit of the land.
27 And they told him, and said, We came unto the land whither thou sentest us, and surely it floweth with milk and honey; and this is the fruit of it.
28 Nevertheless the people be strong that dwell in the land, and the cities are walled, and very great: and moreover we saw the children of Anak there.
29 The Amalekites dwell in the land of the south: and the Hittites, and the Jebusites, and the Amorites, dwell in the mountains: and the Canaanites dwell by the sea, and by the coast of Jordan.
30 And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it.
31 But the men that went up with him said, We be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we.
32 And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched unto the children of Israel, saying, The land, through which we have gone to search it, is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of a great stature.
33 And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight. (Bold added by Dr. Wood)
So, what was the cost of unbelief for them, do you suppose God changed the rules for us? I understand that these are long passages and we are the sound bite generation but there are powerful lessons here for each of us individually and as a Church. The lessons in all of this can literally save our lives and allow us to finish our course and not show up in Heaven as fearful unproductive children. Are we the smallest of grasshoppers or are we the sons of the Most High God to rule in life as kings? Are we more than conquerors or grasshoppers? Why do we allow the giants to keep our stuff? Have we believed for eternal life but the rest of our salvation package is sitting on the shelf because of the walls and giants? Do we say: “this is certainly a milk and honey package BUT “28 Nevertheless the people be strong that dwell in the land, and the cities are walled, and very great: and moreover we saw the children of Anak there.” So, are we to say that all of this bluster of our spiritual enemies makes the Word of God of none effect? Never!!!
Numbers 14:22-29 (KJV)
22 Because all those men which have seen my glory, and my miracles, which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have tempted me now these ten times, and have not hearkened to my voice;
23 Surely they shall not see the land which I sware unto their fathers, neither shall any of them that provoked me see it:
24 But my servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him, and hath followed me fully, him will I bring into the land whereinto he went; and his seed shall possess it.
25 (Now the Amalekites and the Canaanites dwelt in the valley.) To morrow turn you, and get you into the wilderness by the way of the Red sea.
26 And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,
27 How long shall I bear with this evil congregation, which murmur against me? I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel, which they murmur against me.
28 Say unto them, As truly as I live, saith the LORD, as ye have spoken in mine ears, so will I do to you: (Numbers 14:2 – reference added by Dr. Wood)
29 Your carcases shall fall in this wilderness; and all that were numbered of you, according to your whole number, from twenty years old and upward, which have murmured against me, (Bold added by Dr. Wood)
God calls those of us who leave His promises freely given on the table due to fear of anything an evil congregation and says we are murmuring against Him. Bowing to the god of fear did not work out well for the Israelites and is not working well for us best I can tell. We are a defeated Church wandering in a wilderness of just enough. The Lord said to them and says to us that we have what we say. Our defeat comes by our evil thoughts, evil words, and evil actions. God weeps over our spurning of His Word. Just think how we would feel if we had given our children everything they needed to be billionaires many times over and health that would baffle medical science yet they were paycheck to paycheck and sick in body. For the most part, we have left our wealth, our health, our families, and our ministries on the table due to fear of one thing or another. Let us repent and conqueror relentlessly for our God ruling as kings and bringing the mercy of God into people’s lives as priests of the Most High God.
Until our next publication, I speak blessing into your life right now, receive it in the name of Jesus, confess it, and walk it out with thanksgiving.
Numbers 6:24-26 (KJV)
24 The LORD bless thee, and keep thee:
25 The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee:
26 The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.
By: Dr. David Wood, Author, Bible Teacher, and Prophetic Voice
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