In the last session, we took a look at the scene where the Israelites failed to enter the promised land which was right before their eyes. They left Egypt watching the spectacular work of the splitting of the Red Sea as well as the Ten Plagues. Even thereafter, they continuously witnessed God’s amazing power. Yet, they neither changed their heart into truth nor demonstrated spiritual faith.
At last, they couldn’t reap the fruit of blessing prepared by God. They returned to the wilderness and wandered there for as long as 40 years. That period wasn’t just the time of retribution for the first generation who failed to display faith. It was the time of spiritual training for the Second Generation who would conquer Canaan. They had time to experience God and possess faith. Israel had to suffer trials for many years for not having true faith in the depths of their heart.
It’s the same today. Before God blesses His children, He has them go through several steps to have spiritual faith. Can you have spiritual faith just by being given good things and shown power, without training? That’s not the case. No matter how great and amazing of His power you’ve watched and experienced, that doesn’t mean you have spiritual faith, unless you circumcise your heart.
Thus, when tempted, you change your heart. You’re quick to complain and forsake His grace. So, your faith is not true. Plants grown in the greenhouse, no matter how beautiful and strong they look, once they are exposed to rain and wind, they get bent or even pulled out. That’s why God makes us more solid and truthful and helps us have spiritual faith through discipline.
But this process may cause some fruits to fall from the tree and reveal the chaff which looks like good grain but is actually empty on the inside. The farmer may be saddened and distressed to see his fruits falling and many of his grains turning out to be chaff despite his toil and dedication. Yet, because the chaff is no use at all, He disciplines us through the human cultivation. Without spiritual faith, you cannot enter heaven. And even after you receive blessings, in nine cases out of ten, you would go back to the world.
But if God blesses you after you have spiritual faith, you’d be more grateful and faithful to God and have hope for heaven. With our soul prospering, you’ll get into deeper spiritual levels. That’s why God shows us amazing works of power and sometimes permits fiery trials so that we can have perfect faith and come forth as the best fruit. By the way, the length of our believing life doesn’t matter in our receiving blessings, spiritual authority and strength. What matter is how we engrave in our heart what we’ve experienced, change our heart, and have spiritual faith.
In this church, we’ve seen numerous signs and wonder which are never lesser than those in Moses’ time. We’ve heard messages of spiritual depth. But just having what we’ve seen and heard as knowledge is no use at all. Thus, we should now have spiritual faith, so no matter what task is ahead of us, we should ably carry it out with joy and gratitude.
From today, Israel’s journey of taking the Land flowing with milk and honey begins in earnest. Hopefully, this message will help you check once again whether you indeed have spiritual faith and come forth as spiritual warriors. By doing so, I pray in our Lord’s name that as warriors of faith, you will take the lead when God commands us to conquer Canaan.
While the Israelites wandered in the wilderness, the entire first generation died. Only Moses, Joshua, and Caleb survived with the second generation. As their entry into Canaan neared, Moses gathered the people and gave a long speech. Before his death, a father would be concerned about his children left behind. Likewise, with a heart of concern, Moses gave words of exhortation to Israel that would carry on with the great task of conquering Canaan after he finishes his life on earth.
In Deuteronomy is Moses’ farewell speech carrying his earnest exhortation. The bottom line was to keep God’s commandments. He said, “So you shall observe to do just as the LORD your God has commanded you; you shall not turn aside to the right or to the left. You shall walk in all the way which the LORD your God has commanded you, that you may live and that it may be well with you, and that you may prolong your days in the land which you will possess.” He told them not to turn to the right or to the left, have a change of heart, or be double-minded with doubts. He urged them to keep the words as they are.
He also said, “Now it shall be, if you diligently obey the LORD your God, being careful to do all His commandments which I command you today, the LORD your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth. He didn’t say we should only keep what is easy and not what is difficult, but he said that when we keep all the commandments, God’s blessing will come. What repeatedly emphasized in Deuteronomy is that if we keep His commands, we’ll blessed and if we forsake them, His curse will come upon us.
(Deuteronomy 28:1)
When the entire nation keeps God’s commandments, it would stand out among all the nations. When Israel perfectly abided by God’s word, it enjoyed prosperity receiving tributes from the neighboring countries. But, when it left the word of God, the people always suffered attacks and ended up being taken captive. The same applies to churches. When a church lives by God’s word, it would enjoy God’s love and His presence and excel other churches.
The same goes for your business, families, or personal life. With each member keeping God’s commandments, a business would prosper, a family would be happier and healthier than any other family and complimented by others. Also, as each of you lives by the word, you can excel others.
But, if a person forsakes His commandments, he’ll get stricken with various diseases and curses as we find in Deuteronomy 28. But don’t be mistaken. This word wasn’t intended to frighten or trouble the people. As the Bible says, “and to keep the LORD’S commandments and His statutes which I am commanding you today for your good?” he was only presenting the best way for the people to live happily forever. Since Adam committed the sin, the enemy devil and Satan have held the authority over this world. And, fleshly people have suffered from all kinds of trials and tribulations, living under their authority.
(Deuteronomy 10:13)
Only when God protects us, can we escape the authority and live amidst blessings. To make this happen, we should keep the word of God who is light and depart from the darkness. As the Bible says, “If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth,” those who don’t keep the commandments dwell in the darkness. Naturally, they belong to the enemy devil, the governor of the darkness. Then, even when the enemy devil gives them trials and tribulations, the God of justice cannot protect them
because it’s not against the justice for the enemy devil to bring trials and tribulations to people of the darkness. We’re protected by the police as we keep the laws of our country. Likewise, as we keep the laws of God, we belong to Him and He can protect us. But when we don’t keep His laws, we belong to the enemy devil, so it can deal with us at its discretion. So to speak, when we don’t keep God’s word, it’s not that God hates and curses us and give us trials and tribulations. As we don’t keep His word, we’re out of His protection. As a result, the enemy devil brings us trials.
God feels so heartbroken when He sees people created in His image dwell in the darkness, become the prey to the enemy devil, and live in suffering. So, throughout the Bible, He repeatedly emphasizes that we should not commit sins and live in the darkness but live in the light and receive His protection.
Because Moses was well aware of God’s heart, time and again, he exhorted his dear fellow Israelites to keep God’s commandments. I also urge you to engrave Moses’ exhortation on your heart once again, perfectly keep the word of God, and always dwell in the light.
Moses, the man of God, finally ended his 120-year life full of ups and downs in Moab across the Jordan east of the land of Canaan. There’s no question Moses himself had enough faith to enter Canaan. But, as Moses said, “the LORD was angry with me on your account,” he bore responsibility as the leader of the first generation who lacked faith and he himself couldn’t enjoy the blessings of Canaan. But there are preachers misunderstand the word of God and claim that Moses couldn’t make it to the land because of his disobedience.
(Deuteronomy 3:26)
Some say that when the people complained and asked for water, God Moses him to hit a rock, but he disobeyed and hit it twice. That’s why God was enraged. Others argue that Moses couldn’t enter Canaan because he lost his temper. But God Himself acknowledged him as a person humbler than any man on the face of the earth. If Moses who was the humblest man had not been allowed into Canaan for getting angry once, how could we believe in such fearful God?
And, Moses never got angry for his own benefits. He showed righteous anger as he saw them despising God. If this statement, “the LORD was angry with me on your account,” had been recorded, the later generations could have misconceptions about Moses and God. So, God had it recorded so that there would be no misunderstandings. Moses was a man of faith who obeyed the word of God from when he was given the duty of delivering the people out of Egypt until he finished his life.
(Deuteronomy 3:26)
To become a leader of one people takes a great deal of agony and burden, so it must’ve been never easy. He had to harbor the people with a fatherly heart and he was always deeply concerned about how to lead them to live in pursuit of God’s will. Lamenting and agonizing for those people who complained with evil words, he mustn’t have spent a single day in comfort until he was called to heaven. The days he spent on shedding tears and mournfully praying for the people are just beyond words.
Yet, Moses never avoided his responsibility or gave up his duty. He only bowed before God and humbly confessed that he was helpless on his own. No matter what kind of trouble he faced, he got through it only with faith in God. Because Moses had such an inner heart, God trusted and believed him, communicated with him a lot, and manifested great works of power through him. As you carry out your God-given duties, have any of you thought, ‘My duty is so burdensome. I want to take a break’? If so, please remind yourself of Moses’ mindset and press on all the more fervently.
To console Moses, God had him go up to Mount Nebo located east of Jordan where he was able to overlook the entire Canaan. As God showed him the blessed land, He once again reminded him that it was the land God promised to the offspring of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. In doing so, God comforted Moses. God chose Joshua, the son of Nun, as the leader of Israel to replace Moses after his death. Among the twelve spies who’d entered Canaan, Joshua made a positive confession of faith.
He’d always waited on and followed Moses. Even when Moses fasted for 40 days to receive the Ten Commandments, he fasted together and stayed around him. The Bible says, “His servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, would not depart from the tent.” In today’s terms, he always longed for God’s sanctuary and stayed close to it. Because Joshua loved God and longed for and stood by Moses with an unchanging heart, he could carry on with Moses’ duties.
Exodus 33:11
Of course, Joshua could’ve felt burdened at first because his teacher who he’d relied on was no longer around and the great prophet’s duties and responsibilities were handed over to him. Standing by Moses for 40 years, he must’ve watched his tears and his agony closer than anybody else, so he knew so well what a great burden it was to lead those numerous people in faith. But God repeatedly made firm promises, encouraging Joshua.
He said, “No man will be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I have been with Moses, I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you. 6 Be strong and courageous, for you shall give this people possession of the land which I swore to their fathers to give them.” Also, the Israelites who were with Joshua were different from the previous generation.
Joshua 1:5-6
They’d been nurtured by God’s word since childhood, witnessed numerous works of power, and suffered the 40-year trial in the wilderness. Many times, they were told why their parents failed to enter Canaan and suffered and engraved it on their heart. They were obviously different from their parents who planted much evil in themselves growing up in Egypt.
They were fully prepared to wholly obey their leader who was established by God with true faith. Unlike their parents who continually complained against Moses despite having experienced numerous works, they vowed that they would absolutely obey Joshua. They said, “Anyone who rebels against your command and does not obey your words in all that you command him, shall be put to death; only be strong and courageous.” All the people as well as the leader Joshua were united in one heart and will to fulfill God’s promise regarding the land of Canaan.
The first place the Israelites had to take over to enter Canaan was the City of Jericho. Joshua didn’t charge into the City just because he had faith. He selected two spies and sent them. They needed to find out what the city walls were like, where the gates were, how big the city’s military power was, and how high their morale. And then they had to develop strategies accordingly. The walls of Jericho were such a strong structure. As we check out the traces of the City of Jericho excavated by scholars, we find what an impregnable fortress the city was.
Generally, city walls were a single layer, whereas the city walls consisted of two layers; inner and outer walls. Moreover, the walls were each 1.8 meters and over 3.3 meters thick. Unless the city was hit with tremendous force, it was almost impossible to inflict even minor damage on it, let alone destroy it. At the time, the citizens of Jericho had put themselves on the highest alert for the attacks from the Israelites.
Hearing that the spies were in the city, the king of Jericho dispatched soldiers to capture them. The two spies were trapped in tight security and their life was at stake like a lamp in front of wind. All people in the city were enemies, how were they able to find help? Surround by those high and strong walls, where could they find an escape?
But, sometimes, our God provides us with help from a totally unexpected person. The lifesaver of the two spies was owner of the house they were staying in. She was a harlot named Rahab. Rahab was a gentile woman and was of a low social class. But not only did she save their lives, but she made such an amazing confession of faith, saying,
“I know that the LORD has given you the land, and that the terror of you has fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants of the land have melted away before you. 10 For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and Og, whom you utterly destroyed. 11 When we heard it, our hearts melted and no courage remained in any man any longer because of you; for the LORD your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath.”
(Joshua 2:9-11)
Being good-hearted, she acknowledged God’s work even as a gentile. When she heard about splitting of the Red Sea, the Israelites gaining landslide victories with God helping them in battles, and Moses’ hitting a rock and making water spring up, she acknowledged that they were only possible by the almighty God in heaven above and on earth beneath. And, she requested them to save her and her family during the Israel’s impending attack just as she saved them. As a result, even while the City was conquered and its citizens were all killed, she could save her family and herself.
A more surprising thing was, later, Rahab married an Israelite and gave birth to Boaz, David’s great grandfather. The Bible says, “Salmon was the father of Boaz by Rahab, Boaz was the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse. 6 Jesse was the father of David the king.” Jesus who was to become the Savior was born to David’s descendant, so, this gentile woman was blessed to be included in Jesus’ genealogy.
(Matthew 1:5-6)
But involving man’s thoughts, some may criticize her saying that she betrayed her people, hid the spies, and lied. But what Rabab chose was not a specific ethnic group or people. She chose God, the almighty Creator and the Master of all things. Even as a gentile, she had such a good heart, so when she heard the news about how God was with the Israelites and manifested amazing signs and wonders, she indeed believed in Him and was willing to obey His will.
Despite being a gentile, those who have such a good inner heart acknowledge God when they hear about marvelous works impossible by man. The general Naaman came before God’s servant and knelt down before him just by hearing about him from his little maid. The Roman Centurion who Jesus met during his visit to Capernaum also had a good inner heart. So, just hearing rumors about Jesus, he recognized who He was.
From a fleshly perspective, Jesus was merely a young man of a subject nation. But, he humbly came before Jesus and asked Him to heal his servant, showing his faith. Cornelius was a gentile centurion but he also had a good heart so he always prayed to God and devoted himself to helping the needy. His prayer finally reached God, so God saved his entire family. Like this, if someone is good, even though he’s a gentile, God makes sure to meet and bless him and lead him to salvation.
As the Bible says, “By faith Rahab the harlot did not perish along with those who were disobedient, after she had welcomed the spies in peace,” this woman’s deeds came from faith. To protect the two spies, God led them to the house of this woman who was good-hearted and acknowledged God. The same went for Elijah, the man of God.
There were a lot of widows at his time, but God led him to the widow in Zarephath who would provide for Elijah. Even though someone is a gentile and of a low social class, if he seeks and relies on God with a truthful heart, God who looks at our heart never ignores him. He makes sure to repay him with blessings. Brothers and sisters, those with a good inner heart make a confession of faith just by hearing about the works of power impossible by man.
When the great works of power manifested by God covers the whole world, we’ll witness numerous people from nations of the world coming with confessions like Rahab. For the accomplishment such works, I ask in our Lord’s name that all of you join in with more fervent prayer and deeds of faith.
The spies who avoided the crisis by the help of the gentile woman hid themselves from the pursuers for three days and cross the Jordan into the camp of Israel. What confession did they make as they came back to Joshua? Do you think they said, “We are afraid that the citizens are on the highest alert and that the city has two layers of wall. It’d be extremely difficult to conquer the city”? No!
As Senior Pastor explained about this scene, he asked us to examine the confessions of our lips. Particularly, he urged the church leaders to check whether they were making God-pleasing confessions. The two spies gave a detailed report on what they’d seen and heard but they never spoke with fear or negative words. They only made a confession based on what they’d seen with the eyes of faith.
They said, “Surely the LORD has given all the land into our hands; moreover, all the inhabitants of the land have melted away before us.” Even after people see the same thing, the way each of them reports about it differs. Some people say encouraging and comforting words, while others say words that discourage and trouble us. Of course, it is best not to say any words that are not good in the first place; words that dishonor God or reveal others’ faults.
Throughout the Bible, God tells us to cover others’ faults, and not to point out or look at others’ speck. But, if we’re in a position to report on something, we should always ponder how we can make confessions of faith, encourage other people and please God. In reporting, we shouldn’t habitually say negative words, merely considering the reality. If we indeed believe in God, nothing would be impossible or difficult. Even miserable situation can turn prosperous. If we only say, “It’d be impossible. It’d be difficult, it’s like saying, “God is not with us.” Such words dishearten God and make even possible things impossible!