The Journey of Israel E-Book

Dr. Brian J. Bailey

• Herausgeber: Zion Christian Publishers
• Kategorie: Religion und Spiritualität
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2015

Beschreibung

The study of Israel’s journey from Egypt to the Promised Land is in reality a picture of the spiritual progression of a believer from new born babes in Christ to becoming mature fathers and mothers in the faith. Dr. Bailey will take you on a journey, where you will be given keys to attaining ever-greater heights in your relationship with Christ, until you come unto spiritual Mount Zion, and can say with the Apostle Paul, “ I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”

Leseprobe

The Journey of Israel

A Study of the Spiritual Journey of Believers from Salvation to Maturity and Glory in Christ

Dr. Brian J. Bailey

Version 3.1

“The Journey of Israel”

© 1993 Brian J. Bailey

First Edition, March 1993

Second Edition, September 2006 (Version 2.0)

Third Edition, November 2020 (Version 3.1)

Design of Front Cover:

© 2002 Zion Fellowship Inc.

All Rights Reserved

All Scripture quotations used in this book are from the King James Version Bible unless otherwise stated.

Published as an e-book on October 2015

in the United States of America

E-book ISBN 1-59665-192-X

ISBN # 1-890381-92-6

For more information, please contact:

Zion Christian Publishers

A Zion Fellowship ® Ministry

P.O. Box 70

Waverly, New York 14892

Phone: [phone]

Toll Free: 1-877-768-7466

Fax: [phone]

www.zcpublishers.com

Dedicated

To our Beloved Lord Jesus Christ,

who as the pillar of fire by night and the cloud by day,

leads His people out of Egypt and

into the Promised Land.

And to my dear wife, Audrey,

who was such a faithful pilgrim partner

to me along our own particular

spiritual journey to Zion.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

General Editors: Paul and Betsy Caram.

Editorial team: Joyce Aw, Carla Borges, Barbara Fuller, Daniel Humphreys, Elizabeth Humphreys, Mary Humphreys, Sarah Humphreys, David Kropf, Justin Kropf, Caroline Tham, Paul Tham, and Suzanne Ying.

We wish to extend our thanks to these dear ones for without their many hours of invaluable assistance, this book would not have been possible. We are truly grateful for their diligence, creativity, and excellence in the compilation of this book for the glory of God.

PREFACE

Vision, direction, guidance, and good leadership have always been necessary for a healthy church. This is especially true today as the dispensation of the Church Age draws to a close. In The Journey of Israel, the author offers all the above as he opens up in a new way God’s plan for the Church in these last days.

The journey of the children of Israel was a literal, historical event. The descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob left the land of Egypt in which they had been held captive for 430 years. God liberated them through the prophet Moses, who then guided them under the Lord’s protection from Egypt to the plains of Moab—for a period of time lasting over 40 years.

After the death of Moses, they were given a new leader—Joshua, who took them over the River Jordan and into the Promised Land. However, they did not conquer the whole land and come into rest until many years later when God raised up King David. David subjugated all the enemies in the land, and brought the children of Israel to their final resting place—Zion, the holy hill of the Lord.

This journey undertaken thousands of years ago is a type of our spiritual journey as believers from earth to heaven, and from newborn babes in Christ to mature fathers and mothers in the faith. Unlocking the secrets of the children of Israel’s journey from Egypt to Zion, the author shows the reader a road map for his own life. It shows us where we have come from, where we are now, and where we are going.

In The Journey of Israel, three main themes will be considered:

(1) A step by step account of the journey of the children of Israel;

(2) drawing from the life of Moses, the preparation that goes into the life of a leader whom God uses to lead His people on in their journey;

(3) and lastly, the seven feasts of the Lord, which are woven into the journey, and their relevance for the Church of Jesus Christ today.

This book is presented with the prayer that the same Lord who brought the children of Israel from the land of Egypt to Zion, will likewise bring you, dear reader, from spiritual Egypt to Zion—the mountain of His abiding presence.

Dr. Brian J. Bailey

INTRODUCTION

The journey of the children of Israel (which took the Israelites from Egypt to their eventual destination, Mount Zion) was in the words of the Apostle Paul, “written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the [age] are come” (1 Cor. 10:1 11).

We may confidently state that this historical journey is an allegory depicting the spiritual journey of a soul from salvation to maturity, until he comes “unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ” (Eph. 4:13).

In order for a person to arrive at spiritual Mount Zion, he must first pass through many other experiences. After he leaves Egypt (salvation experience), he must then pass through the Red Sea (water baptism). Then he must move on to Mount Sinai, which typifies the baptism of the Holy Spirit. After that he must endure the great and terrible wilderness experience, cross the River Jordan (experience circumcision of heart) and enter the Promised Land. From there, as he conquers the enemies within and without, he will finally enter into the true rest of God, which is equated in the Word of God with ascending spiritual Mount Zion. God says of Zion in Psalm 132:14, “This is my rest forever: here will I dwell.”

It is eternally rewarding for us to contemplate the journey of the children of Israel from both a historical and an eternal perspective. Certainly the journey had been conceived (and not simply foreknown) in the mind and heart of God before the foundation of the world. Hebrews 4:3 clearly states that “the works were finished before the foundation of the world.”

Thus, we should briefly consider God’s plan for the ages from Adam to Abraham in order to grasp the background of the journey of the children of Israel. Abraham is the father, not only of the children of Israel, but also of all those who call upon the name of the Lord Jesus Christ as their Saviour (Rom. 4:12, 16).

The First Ten Generations

The first dispensation of ten generations, covering the period of time from Adam to Noah and the Flood, lasted approximately 1,656 years. However, only nine chapters of Genesis are devoted to this period. It was a time of longevity of life. During this time in man’s history, there was a tremendous prophetic flow, and nearly all future truths were revealed.

This time period contained the creation story, the fall of man, the promise of salvation, the first murder, the introduction of polygamy, and the division of mankind into two lines—the sons of God and the sons of man (the good and the evil). Enoch, a man who walked closely with God, prophesied of the Second Coming of Christ and its ensuing judgments (Jude 1:14-15). The first rapture took place when Enoch was caught up to heaven.

Then came the crossing of the godly and ungodly lines through intermarriages, which produced a wicked offspring and oppressions that in turn brought the first worldwide judgment in the form of a flood. The Flood was a solemn note of warning for the redeemed who did not live in the light, yet God also provided the ark to preserve the righteous (1 Pet. 3:19-20).

The Next Ten Generations

The second dispensation, from Noah to Abraham, again ten generations in duration, comprised about 300 years. This period was marked by the divisions of the nations into three branches. From Noah came Shem, the promised seed, Ham, the cursed seed through Canaan his son, and Japheth, who was given a promise that he would dwell under the protection of Shem. From these three men came forth all of the races of the world.

Even after God had destroyed all the previous inhabitants of the earth for their rebellion, (preserving only Noah, his wife, his three sons and their wives), the new generation, descendants of the godly Noah, quickly degenerated again. Ham produced a wicked seed; his grandson Nimrod was the founder of Babel (Gen. 10:6-10). Evil came to its head in this city; it became the source of all false religions. The inhabitants of Babel rose up against the Lord and built a tower to magnify and glorify mankind. As a result of this outright rebellion against the Lord, God’s judgment once again came upon the earth. God divided the nations at this time and confused their languages.

From this state of chaos, mixture, and wickedness, God called Abraham out of Ur of the Chaldees. The Lord spoke to Abraham and told him to leave his hometown and go to a land that He would show him—the land of Canaan, which would later become his inheritance and the inheritance of his seed.

The Covenant of Abraham

God made a covenant with Abraham (Gen. 15), and promised him that through his son Isaac, his seed would inherit the land of Canaan from the river of Egypt unto the great river Euphrates, the land inhabited by the ten nations of Cush. The land of Canaan refers to what we know today as Palestine. Palestine is God’s land, and He has given it to Israel, not to the Palestinians (or as they are known scripturally, the Philistines).

In order to make a covenant, there are usually conditions to be met by each party concerned. It was customary in those days to seal covenants by dividing an animal and then walking between the divided parts of the animal. However, this covenant was sealed in a most unusual manner. Instead of the two participants (God and Abraham) walking through the divided animals, someone else walked through it.

We read in Genesis 15:12, “And when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and, lo, an horror of great darkness fell upon him.” In my own experience of this phenomenon, I had the feeling of utter helplessness, a complete and desperate inability to accomplish anything. This is exactly what God desires us to experience before He makes a very significant promise to us, or before we enter a new stage of our Christian walk.

Such was the case with Abraham, who was standing upon the threshold of a new experience that would impact countless lives. God was making a promise to him that was going to affect not only the future of millions of his own seed, but the whole of mankind. In actuality, the promise of Canaan land was in no way dependent upon Abraham or his seed, because it was the Father and the Son who agreed together to give them the land of Canaan for an everlasting possession.

Abraham was in this deep sleep when a horror of great darkness fell upon him. While he was in this deep sleep, two other parties passed between the divided parts. “And it came to pass, that, when the sun went down, and it was dark, behold a smoking furnace, and a burning lamp that passed between those pieces. In the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates” (Gen. 15:17-18).

The Smoking Furnace is a symbol of God the Father, of whom it is said, “Our God is a consuming fire” (Heb. 12:29). The Burning Lamp is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ, who declared, “I am the Light of the World” (Jn. 8:12; 9:5). Abraham never passed between the divided animals. Thus the covenant is immutable and cannot be broken, for it was made between the Father and the Son.

Many years before Abraham had a son, God foretold the children of Israel’s sojourn in Egypt by saying they would be strangers in a land that was not promised to them, and be subjected to slavery and bondage while they were there (Gen. 15:13). However, this sojourn in Egypt was not God’s ultimate plan for them. They would only be there about 400 years, for God promised that they would come out of Egypt.

The Lord also spoke of the ten plagues that Moses would execute upon the Egyptians as judgment upon the nation that kept them in bondage. The Lord then spoke of the future journey out of Egypt that the children of Abraham’s grandson, Jacob (Israel) would take (Gen. 15:14). Thus, we see that God orchestrated Israel’s journey from Egypt to Zion before the foundation of the world (Heb. 4:3). In fact, He engineered the whole destiny of Israel.

From Abraham to Moses

After the death of Abraham, his son Isaac dwelt in the land of Canaan with his own son Jacob. Jacob, whose name was later changed to “Israel,” had twelve sons, from whom came the twelve tribes of Israel. Jacob’s favourite son, Joseph, was sold into slavery by his brothers, and later was imprisoned in Egypt. From the despair of the Egyptian prison cell, God triumphantly raised up Joseph to be the Prime Minister of Egypt, second only to Pharaoh.

In order to accomplish His word to Abraham, the Lord sent Joseph to Egypt to prepare a place for his brethren and to bring deliverance (Gen. 45:5-8). After establishing Joseph in Egypt, God sent a famine to prompt the sons of Jacob to come down to Egypt where they were reunited with Joseph. In God’s perfect timing, Jacob and his household, numbering 70 people, moved to Egypt.

There is a law of Biblical interpretation called the law of first mention. The first mention of something in the Bible very often contains the key to its spiritual interpretation. In Genesis 46:27, where the number 70 is first mentioned in connection with a group of people, there were 70 people in Jacob’s company who eventually became the founding fathers and mothers of the multitude of Israelites in Egypt. Elsewhere in Scripture, the number “seventy” represents leadership in the form of eldership, for there were 70 elders of the children of Israel (Num. 11:16, 24-25; Ex. 24:1). It is worthy of note that there were both men and women in Jacob’s original company of 70. Based on this and other scriptures (eg Jdg. 4:4, Rom. 16:3), we see that Scripture clearly validates female ministers and leaders.

Continuing in our overview of God’s dealings from the time of Abraham until the time of Moses, we see that God had prepared the way for Jacob to go to Egypt. Psalm 105:17-24 says, “He sent a man before them, even Joseph, who was sold for a servant: Whose feet they hurt with fetters: he was laid in iron: Until the time that his word came: the word of the LORD tried him. The king sent and loosed him; even the ruler of the people, and let him go free. He made him lord of his house, and ruler of all his substance: To bind his princes at his pleasure; and teach his senators wisdom. Israel also came into Egypt; and Jacob sojourned in the land of Ham. And he increased his people greatly; and made them stronger than their enemies.”

There is a definite progression in God’s plan. After God spoke to Abraham that He would send His seed to Egypt, Joseph was taken to Egypt as a slave. God then elevated Joseph to be the highest ruler of Egypt under Pharaoh. This enabled Jacob and his sons to move to Egypt, where Joseph cared for them.

The children of Israel multiplied and flourished in Egypt, a situation which produced jealousy in the hearts of the Egyptians. Later, another Pharaoh (who did not know Joseph) arose and made the Israelites slaves. God turned the hearts of the Egyptians “to hate his people, to deal subtilly [treacherously] with his servants” (Ps. 105:25). Remember, God never hardens hearts that are good; He only hardens hearts that are evil (Ex. 9:34, 10:1).

Qualifications for God’s Chosen Leaders

God set everything in place to bring to pass His perfect plan. The Israelites were in desperate need of a redeemer. This prepared the way for Moses to come as their deliverer (Ps. 105:26). The Lord chose Moses to set His people free from Egyptian oppression and slavery.

For each phase of His plan of redemption, God endowed certain vessels with great grace and wisdom. These divinely appointed leaders appeared at specific epochs in history to accomplish God’s ordained purposes and to bring His people into the specific phase of the inheritance that has been determined for their generation. Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Joshua, David, Solomon, the prophets, and the Lord Jesus Christ all appeared in God’s appointed time on the canvas of history to fulfil God’s great plan for the ages.

In the New Testament era, God used the apostles to lay the foundation of the Church. The Apostle Paul was specifically anointed and commissioned to preach to the Gentiles (Acts 9:15). It was Paul who established the major doctrines and tenets of our faith upon which the Church is founded. Later in church history, we had men of God like Wycliffe, Luther, and Wesley to bring the Church out of the Dark Ages and to lead it out of the abysmal decadence into which it had fallen. This book, however, concentrates mainly on the life of Moses.

In order to glean some very important truths, we must study the life of Moses in detail because he is the deliverer, the man whom God raised up to lead his generation out of Egyptian bondage. The life of Moses falls into three distinct periods:

1. Called—from birth until he fled Egypt (40 years)

2. Chosen—in the desert wilderness of Arabia (40 years)

3. Faithful—to the ministry entrusted to him (40 years)

The reason we have used these three headings is because Moses, as a faithful leader, is an example for us to follow. Many who read these words have been called to be leaders in various levels. Revelation 17:14 says, “They that are with [the Lamb] are called, and chosen, and faithful.”

God has placed a specific calling and ministry upon each and every one of us. However, it is not enough to be called of God; we must also be chosen of God. Jesus clearly stated in Matthew 22:14, “Many are called, but few are chosen.”

In considering the difference between being called and being chosen, it would be very beneficial to look at the life of David, whose life clearly depicted these three stages.

The call of God was given to David when he was about 17 years old. The prophet Samuel, a native of Bethlehem, came and anointed David with oil. This was the first of David’s three anointings. At this anointing, he was called to be the king of Israel. He received his second anointing at Hebron, when he was chosen as king over Judah at the age of 30. When David received the second anointing, he was placed in his ministry. Being chosen by God is the act of being placed or installed by God into our ministry or calling.

The third step in our Christian life is to be found faithful in the ministry or position that God gives us. Moses was not only called and chosen, but he was found faithful, as we read in Hebrews 3:5, “Moses verily was faithful in all his house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after.” In order to show ourselves faithful, we must do exactly what God has given us to do without veering off His path for our lives.

Another important aspect of this truth is that it is progressive. There are progressive steps in the ministry. We see this clearly illustrated in the life of David. At the age of 17, David was called and anointed in Bethlehem. Then he was chosen by God and installed as the king of Judah for seven-and-a-half years (2 Sam. 5:5). However, David’s original calling was to be king over all Israel, not just king of Judah. God first puts us into one level of ministry and tests us there. After David proved himself faithful as the king of Judah, he was anointed a third time and entered into the fullness of his ministry as the king over all Israel.

Often there is a long period of time between being called by God and being chosen by God, as we see in the account of David’s life. When God initially places us into our calling or ministry, He usually places us in a lower level of ministry. After we have proven ourselves faithful at that level, we enter into the fullness of what He has ordained for us. Thus we see that there are levels of ministry. In your life, you may find that perhaps God will place you as an assistant pastor, then as a pastor of a smaller church. Once you have proven yourself faithful in these appointments, He will promote you to the fullness of what He has purposed for your life.

Overview of the Journey

This journey began in the land of Egypt.

The Three Main Divisions of the Journey

1. From Egypt to the Jordan River (under Moses).

2. The crossing over into Canaan (under Joshua).

3. Full possession of Canaan and Mount Zion (under David).

The Three Main Leaders of the Journey

1. Moses led Israel from Egypt to the Jordan River.

2. Joshua led Israel from the Jordan River into the Promised Land.

3. David led Israel into their full inheritance, unto Mount Zion.

Moses brought the children of Israel out of Egypt and led them to the Jordan River, to the border of their inheritance. Joshua led the children of Israel into the Promised Land, but did not bring them into full rest (Heb. 4:8). The people were slack and left many enemies in the land (Josh. 13:1; 18:2-3).

Several generations later, David captured the stronghold of Zion, which became God’s resting place (Ps. 132:13-18). Israel did not complete their journey from Egypt to Zion until the seventh year of the reign of David (2 Sam. 5:1-7). After David was anointed for the third time, at the age of 37, he captured Zion and placed there the Ark of the Covenant which represented the manifest presence of God. Jerusalem and Mount Zion were the last strongholds in Israel. Thus, David obtained the full inheritance God had for Israel.

The journey took a total of 443 years to reach the ultimate goal of Mount Zion. It was begun 480 years before the construction of the Temple of Solomon (1 Ki. 6:1), which began in the fourth year of Solomon’s reign. Mount Zion was conquered in the seventh year of David’s reign when he was anointed king of Israel. David reigned for a total of 40 years (2 Sam. 5:4).

To arrive at this conclusion mathematically we must look at the following: 480 years minus the first 4 years of Solomon’s reign equals 476 years; 476 minus the 33 years of David’s reign after he captured Mount Zion equals 443 years. Therefore, the complete journey of Israel from the Exodus until they reached Mount Zion took approximately 443 years (see chart on next page). Today, God’s Spirit will enable His Church to complete this entire journey within our generation.

The Seven Feasts of Israel

There are seven Jewish feasts or festivals ordained by God in Leviticus 23 to be kept by Israel in honour of His name. These feasts hold spiritual truths that are important not only for the nation of Israel, but also for the Church - spiritual Israel (Gal. 6:16). The feasts symbolize different stages of our walk with the Lord that, in turn, correlate to events recorded in the Journey of Israel from Egypt to Mount Zion.

The Significance of the Feasts

1. Passover—represents salvation. Israel was saved by the blood of the lamb in Egypt. In the same way, we are saved by the blood of the Lamb of God.

2. Unleavened Bread—represents feeding on the pure Word of God. Israel began eating unleavened bread as soon as they were redeemed by the blood of the Passover lamb. We must continually feast upon the pure Word of God after we are saved by our Lord.

3. Firstfruits—represents water baptism and resurrection life. When Israel crossed the Red Sea, it severed them from the past and destroyed the evil powers trying to pull them back to Egypt. When we are water baptised, many bondages are broken in our lives.

4. Pentecost—represents the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Israel came to Mount Sinai in the third month, the month of the Feast of Pentecost. At Sinai, there were many signs that accompany the baptism of the Holy Spirit. The Israelites saw the fire of God, heard the voice of God, had provision, miracles, healing, and were conscious of God’s presence.

5. Trumpets—represents a new call to move on. God was speaking to His people to move on from the wilderness, to go on into the Promised Land, and on to Zion.

6. Atonement—represents the afflicting of the soul, a deeper cleansing, and circumcision of heart. After Israel crossed the Jordan River, they were circumcised at Gilgal, and then began to deal with all of the enemies in the land, including the 31 kings.

7. Tabernacles—represents the glory and power of God. Years later, King David captured Mount Zion, the final stronghold in the land, and placed the Ark of the Covenant on top of Mount Zion in the tent he had prepared for it. Zion was God’s special dwelling place. Solomon, David’s son, then took the Ark of the Covenant from Zion’s summit and placed it in the temple, and the nations of the world were drawn to the glory of God that filled the temple.

Passover: commenced the Age of the Law, from Moses to Christ (Ex. 12).

Pentecost: commenced the Church Age, ending with Christ’s Second Coming (Acts 2).

Tabernacles: commences the Millennial Age, when Jesus Christ comes again (Zech. 14:16).

These feasts were fulfilled during the journey of Israel from Egypt to Zion, either literally or in type. (A type is a person, thing, or event, as preordained by God, which serves as a prophetic symbol of spiritual truth. A type may not be a perfect replica of what it represents). The Church, the Israel of God (Gal. 6:16), will also spiritually experience all seven feasts.

1. Moses

(1) Feast of Passover (in Egypt)

(2) Feast of Unleavened Bread (in Egypt)

(3) Feast of Firstfruits (across the Red Sea, in type)

(4) Feast of Pentecost (at Sinai)

(5) Feast of Trumpets (in the plains of Moab, in type)

2. Joshua

(6) Feast of Atonement (across the Jordan River at Gilgal, in type)

3. David

(7) Feast of Tabernacles (in Jerusalem under Solomon after David took Zion)

Summary of the Journey of Israel

GENESIS: The journey of Israel was conceived by God before the world began (Heb. 4:3). Not long after the flood, God made a covenant with Abraham and his seed, promising them all the land of Canaan (Gen. 15:18-21). In Canaan was Mount Zion, the place of His habitation. The Lord also made it very clear to Abraham that before his descendants inherited the land, they would first be strangers in a foreign land (Egypt) and be afflicted 400 years. Afterwards, God would judge that nation and bring Israel out with great substance (Gen. 15:13 14).

Clearly God had engineered the whole journey long before it took place. The Lord sent Joseph into Egypt. Then a famine forced Jacob and his family to relocate to Egypt. They remained in Egypt for several hundred years, growing into a nation of about three million people. Following the life of Joseph, another Pharaoh ascended to the throne and imposed slavery upon Abraham’s descendants.

EXODUS TO DEUTERONOMY: In due time Moses was born, seven generations after Abraham. The Lord instituted the Passover and offered salvation from death by the blood of a sacrificed lamb. Moses executed the judgments of God upon Pharaoh and Egypt. Then he brought the children of Israel out of their bondage and directed them toward the Promised Land. Thus, the journey began.

Their destination was not merely the Promised Land, but onto Mount Zion which was in the Promised Land. Mount Zion is the Lord’s dwelling place (Ex. 15:17). The call of God is never just to a ministry or to an inheritance, but to a Person—the Lord Jesus Christ. From Egypt, they crossed the Red Sea. Then they came to Mount Sinai in the third month, the time of the Feast of Pentecost. However, they were not called to camp around this mountain, which was in the wilderness, but were called to a greater mountain—Mount Zion.

When the Israelites failed all ten tests in the wilderness, God pronounced at Kadesh-Barnea that that particular generation would never enter into His rest. Rest was found across the Jordan in the Promised Land, and ultimately at Mount Zion. Thus the children of Israel wandered aimlessly in the wilderness for another 38 years until that generation died.

JOSHUA: Joshua led the children of that judged generation across Jordan into the Land of Promise. The crossing of the Jordan River represents “being dead to sin.” Their hearts were different after they crossed the Jordan River. Israel no longer desired to return to Egypt. They experienced circumcision at Gilgal, and their flesh was dealt with (Josh. 5:9, Col. 2:11)). Joshua proceeded to lead them in battle against 31 kings, who represent the ruling lords of the inner life. Every area of the self-life must be dissected piece by piece by the Word of God.

JUDGES: Joshua had declared to the children of Israel, “How long are ye slack to possess the land, which the LORD God of your fathers hath given you?” (Josh. 18:3). We see that the Lord had spoken to Joshua, “There remaineth yet very much land to be possessed” (Josh. 13:1). Joshua never brought the children of Israel into full rest (Heb. 4:8). The book of Judges records how Israel settled for compromise and co-existence with their enemies after Joshua’s death. They ignored and evaded areas which should have been dealt with by the sword. Many territories were still controlled by their enemies, including Zion, which was held by the Jebusites.

1-2 SAMUEL: Several generations later, David, a man after God’s own heart, became king. At age 37, he captured the fortress of Zion and placed the Ark of the Covenant in a tent on top of Mount Zion. Zion became known as the holy mountain. The glory, power, worship, and intimacy at Zion was far greater than it had been anywhere else along their journey. Finally, 443 years after Israel started their journey from Egypt, they reached their destination, Zion.

1-2 KINGS and 1-2 CHRONICLES: David’s son, Solomon, built the temple and brought the ark of the covenant down from Zion and placed it in the temple. The glory of God was so great in the Temple of Solomon that the priests could not even stand up (1 Ki. 8:1-11). Nations came to hear the wisdom of God and to see the glory of God that was manifested in this temple (1 Ki. 4:34). Thus the goal of every believer is to finish his own spiritual journey from Egypt to Zion, to come to glory, and then to bring this glory to the nations.

Part One

The Life of Moses

From Egypt to the Jordan River

CHAPTER 1

His Early Life

We will be looking at the early life of the prophet Moses. This covers the first 40 years of his life. We are introduced to Moses’ parents in Exodus 2:1-2: “And there went a man of the house of Levi, and took to wife a daughter of Levi. And the woman conceived, and bare a son: and when she saw him that he was a goodly child, she hid him three months.” Thus we see Moses’ father, Amram, was from the tribe of Levi. Exodus 6:20 gives us the names of Moses’ parents, “And Amram took him Jochebed his father’s sister to wife; and she bare him Aaron and Moses: and the years of the life of Amram were an hundred and thirty and seven years.”

1. His Genealogy

Genealogy is very important in the sense that we are the product of our grandparents and parents. Thus, in order to truly appreciate Moses, we need to know the background and character traits of his family.

The Tribe of Levi

It is important for us to have an understanding of our personal genealogy to know what characteristics have been passed on to us from our ancestors. Moses was from the tribe of Levi, and concerning this tribe, we read God’s testimony in Malachi 2:4-7, “And ye shall know that I have sent this commandment unto you, that my covenant might be with Levi, saith the LORD of hosts. My covenant was with him of life and peace; and I gave them to him for the fear wherewith he feared me, and was afraid before my name. The law of truth was in his mouth, and iniquity was not found in his lips: he walked with me in peace and equity, and did turn many away from iniquity. For the priest’s lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth: for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts.” The Lord made a covenant of life and peace with Levi because he and his descendants feared the Lord. God makes covenants with those who fear Him (Ps. 25:14).

Spiritual Development

I want to consider for a moment the lives of Moses’ parents, Amram and Jochebed. Exodus 6:16-18 tells us that Amram was a descendant of Levi through Kohath. Thus, Amram was the grandson of Levi, which makes Moses the great-grandson of Levi.

We read in Exodus 6:20, “And Amram took him Jochebed his father’s sister to wife; and she bare him Aaron and Moses: and the years of the life of Amram were an hundred and thirty and seven years.” Amram married his Aunt Jochebed, and they had three children together: Miriam, Aaron, and Moses (Num. 26:59).

There is a passage in Malachi that we need to look at to better understand the importance God places upon marriage, “And did not he make one [in marriage]? Yet had he the residue of the spirit. And wherefore one? That he might seek a godly seed. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth. For the LORD, the God of Israel, saith that he hateth putting away” (Mal. 2:15 16). The purpose is clearly revealed—That He might seek a godly seed. The Lord desires holy marriages that bring forth holy children. Broken homes and homes of strife produce tremendous problems in the children.

Amram and Jochebed’s children illustrate spiritual development, for there was an evident progression in the anointing and blessing upon them. Miriam and Aaron were born before Moses. Miriam was a prophetess; Aaron was a prophet and a high priest; Moses, born last, was the greatest one of all. He became “as God” to Pharaoh because he spoke on God’s behalf (Ex. 7:1).

The truth I want to bring out is that the spiritual state of parents at the time of the conception of the child determines the spiritual condition of the child. As parents progress and mature in their spiritual lives, their children benefit. We can see that as Amram and Jochebed progressed in their spiritual lives, their children progressed as well.

Producing Like Kind

Everything in nature and from God’s creation brings forth after its kind. Genesis 1:12 makes this very clear: “And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good.”

An apple tree will only produce apples. Even with all the good intentions in the world, an apple tree will never produce a pear. That is an irrevocable law of creation. Also, apple trees produce different types of apples depending on the strain of apple.

Many years ago, my wife and I lived in the state of Washington, where the Golden Delicious apple was produced. It took scientists many years to develop and perfect the Golden Delicious apple that is now produced throughout the world. Fruit depends on its stock. This is not only true of the vegetable and animal kingdoms, but also of humans. We reproduce in our children what we are.

It is a well-known fact that children take on the nature of their parents. I remember well the story of a minister who complained bitterly to the Lord about the nature of his children. The Lord replied to him, “They took on your nature when you conceived them.” That brought repentance!

This principle of taking on the nature of our parents applies positively for Moses, but for others it may apply in a negative sense. However, there is no inherited sin or bondage that we cannot overcome by the grace of God through prayer. Paul said in Romans 5:20-21, “…But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.” Where sin abounds in our life or genealogy, grace can much more abound! Grace can reign in our lives as we walk in righteousness.

Many people have all kinds of problems because of the lives of their forefathers. These inherited sins and bondages cannot be ignored. When we counsel people, we must never forget that there is a reason people act the way they do. Often their behaviour can be traced back to their parents and their family line. The lives of the parents and grandparents not only determine the nature of the children, but also their spiritual problems or blessings.

There is a mantle that is passed on from generation to generation. There is a covenant that God can make with a parent, and because of that covenant, the mantle is passed on.

Both blessings and curses can be passed on from one generation to the next. Years ago, I met a minister who had cancer. I was prompted by the Holy Spirit to ask him, “Did your parents and grandparents have this problem?” He responded, “Yes, for many generations everyone in my family has died of cancer reasonably young.” The spirit of cancer had been passed on from generation to generation. We prayed that the spirit of cancer would be bound and broken so that it would not be passed on to his children.

It is essential to realise that not only is a nature passed on from parents and grandparents, but also blessings and curses. Blessings and curses continue in a family line until they are stopped. Knowing people’s genealogy is very important when you counsel them because it can give you insight into their problems. This applies to us, too.

The Lord gave me a vision when I was speaking at a Women’s Aglow meeting in New Zealand a number of years ago. The whole audience was female, except for the advisors who were male pastors. In this vision, I saw the hearts of three generations: a grandmother, a mother, and a daughter. The grandmother had a little weed in her heart, which the Lord told me represented a specific bondage in her life. She passed that weed on to her daughter, and in her daughter, it became a very strong bush. Her daughter, in turn, passed that bondage on to her own daughter. However, by this time, it was no longer a weed or a bush, but a full-grown tree in the heart of her daughter. Thus the problem that the grandmother had was passed on to her daughter and from her daughter to her granddaughter, all because neither the grandmother nor the mother allowed God to deal with it. This is illustrated in the picture below:

We must realise that unless issues are dealt with in our hearts, we pass them on to our children, and these issues become even more powerful in their lives.

Parents have an awesome responsibility to allow God to purify their hearts and deal with the areas of sin so they do not pass on anything ungodly to their children. We will reproduce ourselves in others for good or bad. Let us pray that we only pass on the blessings and nature of God to our natural and spiritual children.

New Creation in Christ

To a large extent, our genealogy determines what kind of person we are. However, I must qualify this last statement. Many people think that they do not have a chance of succeeding in life because they have ungodly parents. This is absolutely false! It is true that our parents pass on to us our nature, but when we come to Christ, we become new creatures in Him.