Steven A. Bush - July 30, 2023
Edom Scoffs, Aaron Passes, But Israel Scores a Victory
40 years have passed since the 10-spy revolt which caused God to sentence Israel to wander in the wilderness. While that generation has been dying in the desert for the past 4 decades, the rescheduled invasion of Canaan will soon arrive. Meanwhile in plotting their best course north, Israel politely asks the nation of Edom if they may peacefully pass through their territory. Despite Isaac being the Patriarchal father of both nations, Edom's emphatic answer is NO! Twice in fact! Meanwhile, as they ponder their alternative route, Aaron the high priest dies. Israel greatly mourns his loss. Eleazar his son succeeds him. Moses' knows his own day of passing is also coming, the last of the old guard, save Caleb and Joshua. And then the Canaanites attack. Israel was routed by these guys 40 years prior but not this time. Israel is victorious with many more victories to follow. Yet it will be God the Son who achieves the greatest victory of all times 14 centuries later! While we might wrestle to understand how all of Israel's ordeals are relative to us now, the Scriptures declare they are completely relative, that they were written down so we might learn from them, and so we might also see how Jesus made (and makes) all the difference!
Scripture References: Numbers 20:14-29, Numbers 21:1-3, Genesis 25:22-26, Ephesians 6:12, Matthew 10:34-38, 1 Corinthians 15:51-57