Numbers 27:12 says, And the LORD said unto Moses, Get thee up into this mount Abarim, and see the land which I have given unto the children of Israel. God told Moses to go up on the mountain so he could see the Promised Land. We will never see heaven in this lifetime, but we may get glimpses of what it may be like. Verse thirteen adds, And when thou hast seen it, thou also shalt be gathered unto thy people, as Aaron thy brother was gathered. God told Moses that after he saw the Promised Land that He like Aaron would die to go to be with God's people in his heavenly home. We as followers of Christ will also go to our heavenly home after we die, to be with all those who have gone on before us. Verse fourteen continues, For ye rebelled against my commandment in the desert of Zin, in the strife of the congregation, to sanctify me at the water before their eyes: that is the water of Meribah in Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin. God then told Moses why he wasn't going to be allowed to go into the earthly Promised Land, and that was because he had disobeyed God in striking the rock in anger to bring forth water in the desert, thereby dishonoring God. As Christians, our actions that go against what God tells us to do may have consequences that affect our work for Him here in this life, but like Moses we will still go to our heavenly home, because that is based on our relationship with JesusChrist, and not on our works. Verse fifteen states, And Moses spake unto the LORD, saying, Let the LORD, the God of the spirits of all flesh, set a man over the congregation, Moses acknowledged God as the God of the spirits of all the people. God is indeed the God of the spirit, the everlasting part of people, of all mankind, whether they acknowledge it or not. He also asked God to appoint someone else to be over the people of Israel. Moses was still concerned about the people of Israel, even though they had caused him so much grief. We need to be just as concerned about the leadership of God's people today, asking Him to appoint God led people into places of leadership in the church today. Verse seventeen adds, Which may go out before them, and which may go in before them, and which may lead them out, and which may bring them in; that the congregation of the LORD be not as sheep which have no shepherd. Moses asked God that He appoint them a new shepherd to guide them. We have the Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ to guide us today by the leadership of the Holy Spirit, but we still need Godly people to guide the congregations as we gather and work for God's glory today. Verse eighteen declares, And the LORD said unto Moses, Take thee Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit, and lay thine hand upon him; God told Moses to take Joshua, one of the two good spies and in whom was the Spirit of God, and to lay his hands on him. As followers of Christ, we all have the Holy Spirit living in us, but God still calls some to lead the earthly congregation today, and we must acknowledge them as such. Verse nineteen adds, And set him before Eleazar the priest, and before all the congregation; and give him a charge in their sight. This was to be done in the presence of Eleazar, Aaron's replacement as priest, and all the congregation. We need to do everything in the church today openly and under God's guidance. Verse twenty continues, And thou shalt put some of thine honour upon him, that all the congregation of the children of Israel may be obedient. God told Moses that he was to put some of his honor on Joshua, so that the people might follow him. We must make sure, even if we have been a great leader in the church, that people recognize we are not the one to be followed, but only God is. Verse twenty-one concludes, And he shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall ask counsel for him after the judgment of Urim before the LORD: at his word shall they go out, and at his word they shall come in, both he, and all the children of Israel with him, even all the congregation. God said this was to be done in the presence of Eleazar the priest, so that the people would know that God had placed Joshua in charge of leading them as to when it was time to move or stop, but this was still to be by God's command. The leaders in the church today must be led by the Holy Spirit in all that they do if they are to be effective leaders, and the congregation needs to be willing to support them. Verse twenty-two says, And Moses did as the LORD commanded him: and he took Joshua, and set him before Eleazar the priest, and before all the congregation: Moses did as God instructed him to do, and that is all we can do today as Christians if we want to be effective in reaching the lost and guiding God's people if we are so called to do if we are to be effective in our calling as followers of Christ. Verse twenty-three adds, And he laid his hands upon him, and gave him a charge, as the LORD commanded by the hand of Moses. Moses laid his hands on Joshua and gave him the charge to now lead God's people on to the Promised Land. God will always have someone else to take our place in the church today as long as we are always acting under His leadership.
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