Because of unbelief

“So we see they could not enter in because of unbelief”. (Hebrews. 3:19).

God heard the cry of His people. He promised to deliver them from Pharaoh’s slavery and give them a land that will flow with milk and honey. They have seen and felt, not one sign but ten, that the Lord God Jehovah lives and thus they were delivered as promised and started their journey to the land that is unseen. That day the hands of the Lord broke the chains of slavery. There was no map to guide them through the wilderness. And the Lord went before them as a pillar of cloud to lead the way by day and by night the pillar of fire. Thus Israelites, led by Moses, Aaron, and Miriam, reached at the edge of the Sea of Reeds and camped there.

In spite of His wonders, the children of God suspected His power. When they saw the Pharaoh’s army behind them, their beliefs faded. They thought it was a suicide for them to leave Egypt; either the army or the sea would ravage them. They might have asked, “Wasn’t there enough room in Egypt to bury us? Is that why you brought us out here, to die in the desert?” “Don't be afraid!” replied the Mosses, “Be brave, and you will see the Lord save you today. These Egyptians will never bother you again. The Lord will fight for you, and you won't have to do a thing”. As Moses said, the Lord of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob kept his word: the children of Israel found dry ground, but the Egyptians were stuck in the mud and sea receded and drowned them. There after they went many days through desert without water. Again they started to doubt God but He provided them with water in desert. Not too late they started grumbling about food. God gave them Manna for them not to starve to death. The muttering of Israelites didn’t stop with that, they cried for meat. Yet, despite of the fact that these ungrateful people deserved death, God chose to extend them yet another mercy. God fed them with quail for evening meal. They even made golden oxen to worship. This was how they repaid the God who did all those blessings despite of their faithlessness. God was waiting to see for how long would they disobey Him and how long would they turn their backs against Him. The merciful god pardoned their sins but added that, that generation would not enter the promise land because of their unbelief.

When God is within us we will glow like a star. However, the heathens around us would be in darkness. With out sanctification and separation, their darkness may cover the glory of God in us and create vagueness around us. Then as the children of Israel, we may also be worried about our obscure future. Nonetheless, as a Christian, we should believe that the lord our God who has saved us will fight the battle for us and will guide us through right path and lead us to the eternal life if we believe and surrender to His will. Consequently, if we start to suspect His promises and worry too much about our material gains and future, God may refuse us His eternal glory as he did to the generation of Moses. Therefore, as a child of God we should glow in belief, attract the others to faith and follow His will.

Because of unbelief we may be thrown out of glory. Its not how we start, it is how well we end our race! Steadfast unto the end (Hebrews. 3:14). So beware dear friends. “But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin”. (Hebrews. 3:13).

“But the fearful, and unbelieving...shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone:which is the second death” (Revelation. 21:8).

Unending love through spotless faith…

“The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” (Psalm. 27:1)

David has discovered the liberating effect that entrusting ones life into God’s hands can bring. He is afraid of nothing, because he knows that God is his stronghold. Paul knew the same thing: he organised a picnic in the middle of a shipwreck (Acts. 27: 32-37). The apostles knew this too: they stood intrepidly before the great heathens of their day with their simple message of faith in Christ (Acts. 5:29-33). In Old Testament period also this happened. The three lads knew this. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego daringly replied to the king: “if we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand.(Daniel. 3:17).

Do we have the same liberating faith in God’s sovereignty, love and care?

When we feel unsafe, our natural instinct is to run to wherever we call home. For David home is the tabernacle where God lived in the middle of His people. The key to his confidence is that he desires God. He wants to be with God more than anything else in the world. Like Mary, David wants to be with Him (Luke. 10:38-42). David is in love with Him, and of many things he could ask for.

David’s faith was full and immaculate, not suspicious. This made him say that, “I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living”. So should we be. It’s not some kind of religious fervour that we can work up in ourselves. It’s the result of understanding the truth and being ruthless with the alternatives. How do we prioritise things? Which of these options would we prefer when we have a problem: to talk to God in prayer, to read the Bible, to be with servants of god, to be with other believers, to talk on friends on phone, to watch TV, to be with unbelievers, to enjoy life on earth? Always keep in mind that “Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore” (Psalm. 16:11).

God’s salvation is for all

“… Nebuchadnezzar: and he was driven from men, and did eat grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hairs were grown like eagles' feathers, and his nails like birds' claws. And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation… At the same time my reason returned unto me; and for the glory of my kingdom, mine honour and brightness returned unto me; and my counsellors and my lords sought unto me; and I was established in my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added unto me.” (Daniel 4:33,34,36)

Daniel 4:1 articulates how powerful king Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon was! He was the king unto all people, to all nations and all languages that dwelt in all earth. He was mighty among the kings and was flourishing in his palace. However, Daniel enunciates (4:3) that how much more great are the signs of our God! How mighty are His wonders, His kingdom is everlasting and His dominion is from generation to generation!

The mighty king of the world, Nebuchadnezzar, had a dream which made him frenzied. There before the king stood a tree in the middle of the land. Its height was enormous. The tree grew large and strong and its top touched the sky so that it was visible to the ends of the earth. Its leaves were beautiful, its fruit abundant, and on it was food for all. Under it the beasts of the field found shelter, and the birds of the air lived in its branches; from it every creature was fed. A holy one, came down from heaven called in a loud voice: ‘Hew down the tree and trim off its branches; strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit. Let the animals flee from under it and the birds from its branches. But let the stump and its roots, bound with iron and bronze, remain in the ground, in the grass of the field. He demanded his eloquent magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans and the soothsayers to elucidate his vision. Nonetheless, nobody was able reveal the truth implied in his dream. Though the king was presumptuously audacious, he was perspicacious to call Daniel (Belteshazzar), who had the spirit of Holy Gods in him, to interpret his dream.

Daniel, eloquently spoke to king and intrepidly stated that the tree that was referred in the dream was the king himself and he had become great and strong; his greatness had grown until it reaches the sky, and his dominion extends to distant parts of the earth. He continued by saying that this was the decree the Most High had issued against the king; and he would be driven away from people and would live with the wild animals; he should eat grass like cattle and be drenched with the dew of heaven. Thus seven years would pass by for him until he acknowledges that the Most High is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and gives anything to anyone he wishes.

Twelve months later the dream was fulfilled. Exactly all the evil happened to the king as Daniel explicated. Years passed and at the end of that time, Nebuchadnezzar, realised the truth of Daniel’s words and raised his eyes toward heaven,

The Bible says, and then Nebuchadnezzar praised the Most High and honoured and glorified him who lives forever. “His dominion is an eternal dominion; his kingdom endures from generation to generation. All the peoples of the earth are regarded as nothing. He does as he pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth. No one can hold back his hand or say to him: What have you done?” and his sanity was restored.

God’s salvation is for all: Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all. (Colossians 3:11). When you are in midst of trials and tribulations, cry unto Him for you should be saved. Save me, O God, for the waters have come up to my neck. I sink in the miry depths, where there is no foothold. I have come into the deep waters; the floods engulf me. Answer me, O LORD, out of the goodness of your love; in your great mercy turn to me. Do not hide your face from your servant; answer me quickly, for I am in trouble. (Psalm. 69:1,2,16,17)