THE WILDERNESS OF SIN

Exodus 16:1-5: They set out from Elim, and all the congregation of the people of Israel came to the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after they had departed from the land of Egypt. And the whole congregation of the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness, and the people of Israel said to them, “Would that we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the meat pots and ate bread to the full, for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.”  Then the LORD said to Moses, “Behold, I am about to rain bread from heaven for you, and the people shall go out and gather a day's portion every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in my law or not. On the sixth day, when they prepare what they bring in, it will be twice as much as they gather daily.”

So, a simplistic post, that reflects as much on myself as on all read this: How often are you in the Wilderness of Sin, and reflecting on that, how often do you grumble against the Lord and those whom He has appointed to be over you (not as in being better than you, but as those who "...are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account..." (Hebrews 13:17)?

How often do you think your appraisal of a situation - of any given situation - in the local body of Christ, is better than that given by our God, and as prescribed, according to that prescription of  our God, by those who are over you in the faith - those who are keeping watch over your souls as those who must give an account?

Are you so very arrogant as to think that they whom the LORD has appointed to keep such watch are subject to your personal vendettas and fleshly precepts which have nothing - nothing whatsoever - to do with the properly prescribed and ordained manner of church polity of our God?

Read on, arrogant ones: "And Moses said, “When the LORD gives you in the evening meat to eat and in the morning bread to the full, because the LORD has heard your grumbling that you grumble against him—what are we? Your grumbling is not against us but against the LORD (Exodus 16:8)."

So many think that the demonstration of our LORD Jesus Christ was intolerant in the Old Testament; that He did not show His gracious forbearance in the manner in which He dealt with the church-nation, Israel.

How, then, do you account for this, and similar, instances of redemptive history?

He did not deal with His chosen people of the Old Covenant, at this time, according to their folly - that came later.

Do you suppose that His dealing with your grumbling will come later? Do you so presume upon the grace of God in Jesus Christ our Lord?

Are you so lost in your personal application of "the wilderness of sin" that you fail to see the forest for the trees of personal fleshly preference which you - you ALONE - have planted?

For you who are elect and beloved of God, His provision is much more than you can imagine; however, do not think that there are not consequences to your despising of that structure which He Himself has implemented.

Do you yet think such Scripture is vain which states " Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith (Hebrews 13:7)?"

Are you one of those who state "I do not listen to men; I listen to God," while yet not recognizing that God, Himself, in Jesus Christ our Lord, has so appointed men over you?

Are you really so blind?

I admonish you to search the Scriptures, ignore what your preconceptions might be (which no doubt, you were taught of men), and recognize that structure and authority in the Lord which He has set over you for your benefit and growth to His glory being proclaimed, lest you find yourself alone and adrift in "the wilderness of sin," grumbling and complaining against those whom the Lord has set over you, and so, against the Lord.

SDG - Bill