Bible Study - The Journey Continuers - May 3, 2026
Bible Study – The Journey Continues – May 3, 2026
In last week’s study, GOD gave the Israelites the Ten
Commandments or THE LAW.
As I stated, I think of the Law as fence posts strung
with barbed wire to guide us, as humans, as we journey through life. However, we
need more than an external guide.
We need the internal presence of GOD, 24/7.
GOD knows humans because HE physically formed the male
and made he female using a body part taken from Adam, the male.
Sin in the Garden of Eden changed the dynamics of human
reproduction as revealed in Genesis 3:4:
16 He
said to the woman:
I will intensify your labor pains;
you will bear children with painful effort.
Your desire will be for your husband,
yet he will rule over you.
This to me begs the question of human birth before Adam
and Eve sinned versus after they sinned.
What was Eve’s purpose other than being Adam’s help mate?
GOD took a body part from Adam’s side to create Eve.
Genesis 3: 20 The
man named his wife Eve[g] because
she was the mother of all the living.
Was the propagation of the human race before
sin different than after sin?
We know that the union of the male and female is GOD’S
plan to populate the earth. Today we have test tube conception.
Since Eve was the mother of all physical people was the
propagation of the human race different before and after, Adam and Eve sinned? One
thing to consider is that life before sin was ideal but life after sin, life
upon earth changed, which I think included the reproduction of humans.
GOD knew there needed to be more to life than physical
life. In fact, the Bible reveals to us that there is life after death for those
who are guided by their faith in GOD and The Law inscribed upon their hearts.
1 Corinthians 15:45 Christian Standard Bible
45 So
it is written, The first man Adam became a living being;[a] the
last Adam became a life-giving spirit.
GOD knew that all humans needed to go one step further
than physical life.
Humans needed to be “born again” Spiritually in order to
be the eternal citizens of Heaven and to function as HIS Children upon earth. GOD’S
ultimate plan of preparing humans for eternal life in Heaven was to give all
people the opportunity to be changed from a human mind set, subject to eternal
death, to a Spiritual mindset by being “Spirit Born” by the power of GOD
through faith in JESUS.
What about those who die before they have an opportunity
to accept JESUS as their Savior such as aborted babies, still born babies, mentally
challenged, infirmed before reaching what the Bible refers to as “age of accountability”?
GOD has special provisions for them.
Once JESUS paid the price for the consequence of sin, HE
opened the path to GOD for all people to come to GOD through faith in JESUS.
JESUS is the only pathway to eternal life.
What is the mindset of GOD?
The Lord does not delay his promise, as some understand
delay, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish but
all to come to repentance.
All people are invited to come to HIM. The path is open to
all people but for GOD to dwell within their human body, however a person must
be “born again” Spiritually through faith in JESUS.
The first birth of all humans is physical, but the second
birth is Spiritual.
As “born again” or “Spirit Born” Christians, the Holy
Spirit resides within the human body of all who accept JESUS as their Savior or
as written in 1 Corinthians 6:19
19 Don’t
you know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in
you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, 20 for
you were bought at a price. So, glorify God with your body.[e]
The Law was step one. The Law revealed the expectations
of GOD for HIS chosen people. The Law was a place holder until JESUS fulfilled the
“LAW” and established “Grace,” through faith in JESUS -- HIS physical life,
physical death, physical resurrection from the dead on the third day, witnessed
by hundreds, HIS bodily ascension into Heaven was when HE took HIS seat at the
right hand of GOD, HIS FATHER, to intercede in behalf of all humans, who come
to HIM, through faith.
Why do Christians need JESUS to intercede for us? Even
though, we are “born again” we still live in our human bodies, and Satan still
accuses Christians before GOD. JESUS is our advocate. Christians will not be fully
perfected until, we either die or meet JESUS at the rapture, often referred to
as the great escape.
When a person is “born again” or “Spirit Born” that
person is given The Holy Spirit, WHO confirms that persons’ Spiritual Birth
into GOD’S eternal Family.
GOD knew that the ultimate, for those living upon earth,
was to have The Holy Spirit indwell every true believer as his/her guarantee of
eternal life to all who place their faith in JESUS. Plus, so much more.
The HOLY SPIRIT is the third person of the Trinity, WHO
dwells within every born-again person, thus 24/7 communication with GOD and
JESUS.
The Holy Spirit is the down
payment of our inheritance, until the redemption of the possession,
to the praise of his glory.
This is one reason GOD sent HIS only SON, JESUS, to earth
to live a 100% human life and change the dynamics of communication directly with
GOD and JESUS from going through a priest to direct access, 24/7.
This is not to put down the Priests in Christian denominations.
Often, Christians need a fellow believer to walk with them through various
times and issues in their lives.
Back to the journey of the Israelites --------
GOD was revealing HIMSELF to the Israelites and HIS
expectations for them to build the right relationship with HIM by observing THE
LAW. The Law was a placeholder until JESUS fulfilled the Law.
JESUS was the perfect acceptable sacrifice to GOD, HIS
FATHER, for all sin by HIS physical sinless life and death upon the cross by the
shedding of HIS sinless blood and physical death upon the cross to atone for
all sin.
JESUS paid the price for all sin, but each person must accept
it by placing his or her faith in JESUS. In doing so results in the miracle of
the person of faith being Spiritually born into GOD’S eternal family, never to
be unborn.
Let’s return to the journey of the Israelites as they
continue their journey to the land of promise.
GOD revealed HIMSELF to the Israelites and their leaders,
Moses and Aaron, as they journeyed to the physical land of promise, which is a
foreshadow of the Christian’s life’s journey.
It was a learning experience for the Israelites, Moses
and Aaron and a message to us today; never underestimate the power and
leadership of GOD through faith in JESUS!!!
Exodus 17:1-7: (This event took place early in the
journey of the Israelites as they left Egypt to follow GOD to the land of
promise.)
17 The entire Israelite
community left the Wilderness of Sin, moving from one place to the next according
to the Lord’s command. They camped at Rephidim, but there
was no water for the people to drink. 2 So the
people complained to Moses, “Give us water to drink.”
“Why are you complaining to me?” Moses replied to them.
“Why are you testing the Lord?”
3 But
the people thirsted there for water and grumbled against Moses. They said, “Why
did you ever bring us up from Egypt to kill us and our children and our
livestock with thirst?”
This is a foreshadow of our thirst for THE
LIVING WATER that only faith in JESUS provides. JESUS fulfilled The Law and established
Grace for all who place their faith in JESUS.
4 Then
Moses cried out to the Lord, “What should I do with
these people? In a little while they will stone me!”
5 The Lord answered
Moses, “Go on ahead of the people and take some of the elders of Israel with
you. Take the staff you struck the Nile within your hand and go. 6 I
am going to stand there in front of you on the rock at Horeb; when you hit the
rock, water will come out of it and the people will drink.”
Moses did this in the sight of the elders of Israel. 7 He
named the place Massah[a] and
Meribah[b] because
the Israelites complained, and because they tested the Lord, saying, “Is
the Lord among us or not?”
Obedience to the leadership of GOD is vital when we
journey through life on our way to eternal life in Heaven.
Disobedience has consequences
-------
We read in read in Numbers 20:1-13: (This took place
close to the end of the journey of the Israelites to the land of promise.)
Water from the Rock
20 The entire Israelite
community entered the Wilderness of Zin in the first month, and they[a] settled
in Kadesh. Miriam died and was buried there.
2 There
was no water for the community, so they assembled against Moses and
Aaron. 3 The people quarreled with Moses and
said, “If only we had perished when our brothers perished before
the Lord. 4 Why have you brought
the Lord’s assembly into this wilderness for us and our livestock to
die here? 5 Why have you led us up from Egypt to
bring us to this evil place? It’s not a place of grain, figs, vines, and
pomegranates, and there is no water to drink!”
6 Then
Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly to the doorway of the
tent of meeting. They fell facedown, and the glory of
the Lord appeared to them. 7 The Lord spoke
to Moses, 8 “Take the staff and
assemble the community. You and your brother Aaron are to speak to
the rock while they watch, and it will yield its water. You
will bring out water for them from the rock and provide drink for the community
and their livestock.”
9 So
Moses took the staff from the Lord’s presence just as
he had commanded him. 10 Moses and Aaron summoned
the assembly in front of the rock, and Moses said to them, “Listen, you rebels!
Must we bring water out of this rock for you?” 11 Then
Moses raised his hand and struck the rock twice with his staff,
so that abundant water gushed out, and the community and their livestock drank.
Oh my. Disobedience has its consequences!
Often, we stick with what works in the past, whereas
GOD desires for HIS children to increase and build their faith in HIM and not
the physical things, we are often prone to use. The water from a rock was never
about the staff, but about obedience to GOD’S command and power. Obedience
builds trust as we journey with GOD and JESUS!!!
Only GOD can change hearts of stone or rocks
into fountains of living water which quinches our Spiritual thirst.
12 But
the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Because
you did not trust me to demonstrate my holiness in the sight of the Israelites,
you will not bring this assembly into the land I have given them.” 13 These
are the Waters of Meribah,[b] where
the Israelites quarreled with the Lord, and he demonstrated his holiness
to them.
Disobedience has consequences. Notice that Moses and
Aaron were present and Moses hit the rock twice. Likely once for Moses and once
for Aaron. Water came out but it cost Moses and Aaron their entrance into the land
of promise. Neither entered into the Land of Promise.
This is a message to us today – never ever give up on GOD
and JESUS as we journey through life. Just know that Christians have an
adversary, Satan, who has been defeated by JESUS.
The Holy Spirit is the down
payment of our inheritance, until the redemption of the possession,
to the praise of his glory.
God wanted to make known among the Gentiles the glorious
wealth of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
Back to the Israelites ----
We do know that physical death was not the end of
Moses because we know that Moses was present with GOD, JESUS, and HIS
chosen disciples on the mount of transfiguration, as recorded in Mark 9 2 After six
days Jesus took Peter, James, and John and led them up a high
mountain by themselves to be alone. He was transfigured in front of
them, 3 and his clothes became
dazzling—extremely white as no launderer on earth could
whiten them. 4 Elijah appeared to
them with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus. 5 Peter
said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it’s good for us to be here. Let’s set
up three shelters: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah”— 6 because
he (Peter) did not know what to say, since they were
terrified.
Moses died before entering the land of promise. When he
died, he went to Heaven. How do we know that?
Let’s read the account of the transfiguration of JESUS as
HE was approaching HIS passion.
On the Mount of Transfiguration there were two prophets
from the Old Testament.
There was Moses, who represented the LAW. Moses
judged JESUS regarding HIS fulfilment of the Law.
There was Elijah, who judged JESUS
regarding HIS fulfilment of Prophecy.
GOD had Moses and Elijah evaluate JESUS regarding HIS
fulfilment and completion of both the Law and the Prophets. Why?
JESUS was preparing to go to the cross to pay, in full,
for the consequence for sin, which is death by the shedding of HIS blood. JESUS
met all the requirements of the Law and Prophesy.
GOD approved JESUS to be HIS perfect acceptable sacrifice
for all sin. JESUS gave HIS sinless life upon the cross, by the shedding of HIS
blood for all who place their faith in HIM, as their Savior.
Numbers 20:22–29:
Aaron’s Death
22 After
they set out from Kadesh, the entire Israelite community came to Mount
Hor. 23 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron
at Mount Hor on the border of the land of Edom, 24 “Aaron
will be gathered to his people; he will not enter the land I have given the
Israelites, because you both rebelled against my command at the
Waters of Meribah. 25 Take Aaron and his son
Eleazar and bring them up Mount Hor. 26 Remove
Aaron’s garments and put them on his son Eleazar. Aaron will be gathered to his
people and die there.”
27 So
Moses did as the Lord commanded, and they climbed Mount Hor in the
sight of the whole community. 28 After Moses
removed Aaron’s garments and put them on his son Eleazar, Aaron died
there on top of the mountain. Then Moses and Eleazar came down from the
mountain. 29 When the whole community saw that
Aaron had passed away, the entire house of Israel mourned for him thirty days.
What did GOD do for Moses?
Deuteronomy 34:1-8:
Christian Standard Bible
Moses’s Death
34 Then Moses went up
from the plains of Moab to Mount Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, which faces
Jericho, and the Lord showed him all the land: Gilead as far as
Dan, 2 all of Naphtali, the land of Ephraim and
Manasseh, all the land of Judah as far as the Mediterranean[a] Sea, 3 the
Negev, and the plain in the Valley of Jericho, the City of Palms, as far as
Zoar. 4 The Lord then said to him, “This
is the land I promised Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, ‘I will give it to your
descendants.’ I have let you see it with your own eyes, but you will
not cross into it.”
5 So
Moses the servant of the Lord died there in the land of Moab,
according to the Lord’s word. 6 He buried him[b] in
the valley in the land of Moab facing Beth-peor, and no one to this day
knows where his grave is. 7 Moses was one hundred
twenty years old when he died; his eyes were not weak, and his vitality had not
left him. 8 The Israelites wept for Moses in the
plains of Moab thirty days. Then the days of weeping and mourning for
Moses ended.
The physical journey of Moses came to an end but not his eternal
life.
GOD still had plans for Moses as we read in Moses’
presence on the Mount of Transfiguration with JESUS.
We know that when Moses died physically, he went to
Heaven and he was available to meet with JESUS on the Mount of Transfiguration.
As brother Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 2:9
But as it is written, What
no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no
human heart has conceived— God has prepared
these things for those who love him.
Fellow Christians the best is yet to come!
Blessings with love!!!
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