Sin and God's response

Sin and God's response
S -  Num 14
 ¹ Then all the congregation lifted up their voices and cried, and the people wept that night. ² All the sons of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron; and the whole congregation said to them, “Would that we had died in the land of Egypt! Or would that we had died in this wilderness! ³ Why is the LORD bringing us into this land, to fall by the sword? Our wives and our little ones will become plunder; would it not be better for us to return to Egypt?” ⁴ So they said to one another, “Let us appoint a leader and return to Egypt.”

 ⁵ Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces in the presence of all the assembly of the congregation of the sons of Israel. ⁶ Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, of those who had spied out the land, tore their clothes; ⁷ and they spoke to all the congregation of the sons of Israel, saying, “The land which we passed through to spy out is an exceedingly good land. ⁸ If the LORD is pleased with us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us—a land which flows with milk and honey. ⁹ Only do not rebel against the LORD; and do not fear the people of the land, for they will be our prey. Their protection has been removed from them, and the LORD is with us; do not fear them.” ¹⁰ But all the congregation said to stone them with stones. Then the glory of the LORD appeared in the tent of meeting to all the sons of Israel.

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¹⁸ ‘The LORD is slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, forgiving iniquity and transgression; but He will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourthgenerations.’ 

... Numb 16

LORD spoke to Moses, saying, ⁴⁵ “Get away from among this congregation, that I may consume them instantly.” Then they fell on their faces. ⁴⁶ Moses said to Aaron, “Take your censer and put in it fire from the altar, and lay incense on it; then bring it quickly to the congregation and make atonement for them, for wrath has gone forth from the LORD, the plague has begun!” ⁴⁷ Then Aaron took it as Moses had spoken, and ran into the midst of the assembly, for behold, the plague had begun among the people. So he put on the incense and made atonement for the people.⁴⁸ He took his stand between the dead and the living, so that the plague was checked.

O - Oh what a great intercessor we have in Jesus Christ, who stands at his post on the right hand of the Father,  acting as the perfect and ever present priest, and perfect sacrifice.  We see here in the continuing story of the freed Israelites, upon whom God gave freedom from slavery, that they rebel against God's commandments, not only rejecting the promise land but later violated many of the commandments out of rebellion and not just omission.   So we see Moses and Aaron repeatedly need to intercede, and make amends, and from there we can see a model of what Jesus must now do perfectly for all of those who follow Him.   You see Moses and Aaron while good where not able to pay the penalty for the sin, they where able to give prayers and offerings, and often times in delayed ceremonies long after the sin is committed.  Jesus however has paid the price already,  and because we maintain a constant communion with Him, and the Holy Spirit, He is able to intercede for us from Heaven, even while we sin.  

A -  The application for me is to recognize that I have an eternal Priest who resides in Heaven, interceding on my behalf all the time.   I must continue to come to him daily, repenting of my sins,  asking forgiveness, and guidance.  The warning for me is that I can't carry sin on my own, and need to continually be bringing it to Jesus, and laying it down.  My tendenacies are much like the Israelites to slowly fade away to the truth that God has spoken into my life.  But like Moses I must fall on my face and repent and ask for forgiveness and guidance to be free from my own sins.

P - Dear heavenly Father, thank you for today's lesson, may it be sealed to my heart.  Lord I repent of any hidden and not hidden sin that remains in my life.  I repent for my lack of trust in your perfect plan for me and my family here in Monterey,  I pray that you guide me and give me strength to follow you in trust and confidence.  I pray all this in Jesus name, Amen.