Wilderness wandering the space
Key Passage: Deuteronomy 2:14
Date: June 7, 2024
Deuteronomy chapter number two, if you would please. We took last week off the subject of the life of Moses for Valentine’s Day, and we talked about relationships, and we’re getting back to the life of Moses. And last time we were on it, they were at the promised land, and they had the opportunity to enter in.
And you remember they sent in the twelve spies. I think, of course, Deuteronomy talks about it. I think the way the order happened was that they went to Moses, “So we need to send some spies in there.” Deuteronomy mentions that. And then Moses, “I think that’s a good idea. Let me talk to the Lord about it.” The Lord said, “Yes, let’s do it.” Of course, that’s over there in Numbers. And he said, “One per tribe. It’s got to be a leader, one of the leaders of each tribe.” Of course, you know the story. They sent in the twelve spies. Ten were bad, two were good.
They did not enter in because of their unbelief, Hebrews tells us that. And really, they listened to the wrong advice, and that just destroyed their faith—listening to their own crowd. By the way, it was the majority of them, ten of them. Often the loudest and the majority of advice is wrong a lot of times. Be so careful with that.
And so after that, they wandered in the wilderness. We want to just take a brief synopsis of that. We won’t spend a lot of time. We’re trying to get beyond this. We’ve been in the life of Moses since 2022, and so we’ve been here for a while, and we’re kind of moving on a little bit here as we get to the end of it. We’re in Deuteronomy chapter number two and verse number 14. Deuteronomy two and verse number 14.
Let’s get to Deuteronomy 2. Look in verse number 14, 2:14. “And the space in which we came from Kadesh-Barnea until we were come over the Brook Zered.” That’s when they did enter in, basically, in the promised land, thirty-eight years later when they crossed the Jordan River under Joshua.
It’s very interesting. He calls it this space. The title of the message is either Wilderness Wandering or The Space. Thirty-eight years, the space. And no, it’s not the space between the years, the final frontier. No, we’re not talking about that. The space in which we came from Kadesh-Barnea until we were come over the Brook Zered was thirty-eight years. Altogether it was forty. We always said the forty years of wandering in the wilderness, altogether forty years. But really the wandering, the wilderness wandering after they had an opportunity was thirty-eight years afterward, I’m talking about. That’s what we’re just talking about right here.
“Altogether forty was thirty and eight years until all the generation of the men of war were wasted out from among the host, as the Lord sware unto them. For indeed the hand of the Lord was against them to destroy them from among the host until they were consumed.”
But they left Egypt, Rameses, Goshen. There’s a little debate about the exact location of many of these things here. They came down, and then they crossed over the Red Sea. Of course, God did put the Red Sea wall on the right and left. Then they crossed over through the desert, came down here to Mount Sinai. Most think it’s around here. And then they came up to here, and then up to Kadesh-Barnea. Now, this is a very important spot right there because it would have been them entering in. That’s the border of the land of Canaan, the promised land, that God had promised to them.
Now, we’ve said it before. Let me just say a word about the promised land. We sometimes compare that to heaven. That’s not really a true biblical comparison. When you get to heaven, you’re not going to have to battle the Canaanites and all the other eight brothers. We’re going to be at home then, no more fighting.
It doesn’t represent heaven; that represents when you enter into the Christian life. God has promised to you a life of peace. Someone say amen right there. Every once in a while, I did it this afternoon, I pull up just King James Bible verses on peace on YouTube, and you can listen to, I think it’s eight hours, whatever, and it’s basically thirty or forty verses just repeated on a loop. Sometimes I’ll do that about different subjects, but it’s wonderful. It’s amazing how many promises there are in the Bible about peace.
So the land of promise for you and I would stand for peace. It would stand for joy. It would stand for having a prayer life that’s fruitful. It would stand for a Christian that God uses you to produce fruit, whatever that may be—a lot of different things. Winning souls, yes, but other things. Praise the Lord for that. It’s a land that God has promised that his people can have that peace in the midst of the storm. You can even have joy. So many things. I guess I’m kind of stuck on this thing of peace tonight. It could be joy, it could be love, it can be temperance, patience—all these things. God gives you the fruit of the Spirit, a great thing, Galatians five. These are examples of things that God has promised to his people. That’s what it’s representative of: the children of Israel entering into the land that he has promised to them.
So they were there; they were on the southern border of it. They sent in the twelve spies, and they came back and gave the evil report, said, “No way, it’s a good land, but we can’t take it.” And old Joshua and Caleb, especially Caleb, he said, “Oh yes, we can take that thing by God’s power.” And the people just mourned and cried and murmured and said, “Oh, we can’t do it. We wish you had just left us alone. Why bring us out here to get killed and die in the wilderness?”
God was fed up with them. You remember that? We talked about it two weeks ago. Actually, the tabernacle began to glow of God; He came down there, and boy, old Moses was in there, and they knew what was going on. God’s about to wipe them out, and boy, they went over, got down on their knees, “Lord, spare them.” And the intercessory prayer of Moses is just amazing again. And God said, “All right, I’ll spare them.” He sent a plague out at that time—those ten guys who gave the evil report, and others—but at least those ten, we know, they were killed in the plague.
Remember what God said? God said, “Now, you this generation, twenty years and of the men of war, this generation, you’re going to die. You’re not going to enter in, besides Joshua and Caleb. The next generation, they’re going to enter in.”
Now, all together, the wilderness wandering was forty years from when they left Egypt, but after this, there are thirty-eight years. Everybody is amazed at how different everybody is a little bit on this. I couldn’t have a map I really loved about it. Thompson Chain, I think the reference Bible—I think the map at the back of their Bible is my favorite one on the subject. But after this, they really did just wander. If Thompson Chain is right, and I point over here, I think Brother Patterson used it sometimes, they’re just loops where they just went in circles sometimes. There will be debate about that. I’ll let them debate about those particulars. But they did not enter in, and so they just wandered around in the wilderness. Eventually, they come up this way, thirty-eight years later. And that’s when they cross over under Joshua over the Jordan River, of course, there’s Jericho and then Ai and whatnot. That’s years and years later. But just for a little bit tonight, we want to talk about these thirty-eight years, the space. That’s why the Bible words it over here: this space of time.
Start, Rameses, Goshen, and then the Red Sea, Mount Sinai, and the wilderness of Shur. Kadesh-Barnea will be along in here, and then eventually up here. Of course, that’s where Moses looked at Mount Nebo. He looked in, but he didn’t get to see it. Remember that? I think Brother Stone is a good artist. I’m teasing with Brother Stoner here a little bit. He said, “That ain’t fair. He didn’t do that.” Look at map three. Here’s map three. This is another one. I don’t know if you can see all the details of this: the land of Goshen, Rameses in the Ith, across the Red Sea around the Red Sea, and then down here around Mount Sinai, then eventually up here to Kadesh-Barnea. Here it is right here. They didn’t enter in, so they kind of make some loops along in here, and eventually down to here and on up to Jordan and the crossover. So you kind of get the grasp. I want you to see what’s going on. Thirty-eight years after they did not enter in, they wandered. That older generation, they passed off the scene. And then the younger generation under Joshua, they’re the ones that entered in. All right, y’all with me out there? You got all that? Good, good, good.
Look over in Nehemiah, Nehemiah chapter number nine. I want you to kind of see just a little bit tonight about these thirty-eight years. God already told them, “You’re not going to enter in that generation.”
Nehemiah chapter number nine, would you look down in verse number 19? Nehemiah 9:19. And he’s speaking about how God handled them during these thirty-eight years. Verse number 19: “Yet thou in thy manifold mercy forsookest them not in the wilderness.” Aren’t you glad we have a God that doesn’t expect you to be perfect? I’m so thankful. He didn’t forsake them.
“The pillar of cloud departed not from them by day to lead them in the way. Neither did the pillar of fire by night to show them light and the way wherein they should go. Thou gavest also thy good Spirit to instruct them, and withheldst not thy manna from their mouth, and gavest them water for their thirst.” It’s interesting. The New Testament talks about the rock that followed them. That rock was Jesus, by the way.
“Forty years altogether, forty years, didst thou sustain them in the wilderness, so that they lacked nothing.” Isn’t that amazing? Even after they disobeyed and did not enter in the promise, God said they didn’t lack anything. Their clothes waxed not old. I wonder what the name brand was. I tell you what, we’d buy some of those now; they’d last forever. I tend to think it would not be Walmart brand. But their clothes waxed not old, and their feet swelled not. They say in the desert conditions, it’s very typical for your feet to swell, and he said no, their feet didn’t swell.
“Moreover, thou gavest them kingdoms and nations, and didst divide them into corners, so they possessed the land of Sihon, the land of the king of Heshbon, the land of Og, king of Bashan, as close up to where, crossing over the Jordan River. Their children also multiplied, thou wise, as the stars of heaven, and broughtest them into the land, notice that the children here, and broughtest them into the land concerning which thou hadst promised to their fathers that they should go in to possess it.”
Now, just the first point: during these thirty-eight years, though God had already said, “You’re not going to enter in,” God was still good to them. He still took care of their needs. The Spirit of God was still there to direct them. Isn’t it wonderful? We can grieve and quench the Holy Spirit, but He doesn’t leave us. And He still took care of their material needs—for clothes, their health as to do with the feet swelling. He was still very, very good to them.
If you had to be perfect for God to bless you, He wouldn’t bless anybody. If you got to be perfect for God to use you, He wouldn’t have anybody to use. Now, I’m for trying to do right, but the honest truth is, we’re all far from it. God’s just a gracious God. If it wasn’t for His mercies, we’d be consumed daily. Remember that? Great is Thy faithfulness. Praise the Lord for that.
We used to sing a song years ago. My wife always did a good job, and I messed her up in the beginning days of our church. We would sing together. We didn’t have anybody else to sing, and we would sing this song: “And though there’s been times I’ve stepped out of His will, I’ve never stepped out of His care.” That song has always stuck with me. It’s a great song. God’s so good to us. In your lowest of days, God’s good to you. That’s the honest truth.
I thought about it this morning studying over this. I thought about it over the years. I think of two different men just at rock bottom. They were not where they should be. One man had already attempted suicide; he wasn’t successful at it, of course. Both men at rock bottom, and I think they were both alcoholics at the time, far from where they ought to be. In their despair, they cried out to the Lord. Two different men, both men were in our church for years. In their despair, they cried, “Lord, would you send me a good lady that will help me?” And one of them—I think maybe both of them—I know one of them met his wife like the next day, actually in a bar, out of a place where you want to meet a spouse. But God was merciful to them, and she was a good lady, and they got out of that life, and they ended up in church and both of them living for the Lord. One of them, I know, just got all the way off the bottle totally, but both of them testified to me: “When I was at my rock bottom, God heard my simple little plea.”
Now, I’m not saying that’s the norm, and I’m not saying I want that, but I’m saying you serve a gracious God. I understand if I regard, if I harbor iniquity, the Lord will not hear me—Psalm 66:18. I understand that. But I also understand His mercy endureth forever. He’s a gracious God. And these people, they didn’t deserve God to supply their clothes and water. They didn’t deserve God to have that rock that gave them water that followed them. I don’t know how it worked out. And they didn’t deserve God to give them manna every day. They didn’t deserve all those things, but God’s just a gracious God.
If they ever think we got it all together, friend, we are so far from the truth. We don’t even—the best we can do is filthy rags. Our righteousness is like a little bitty piece of flesh compared to the sun. God’s good to you. It’s simply because God’s good. That’s it. He’s a gracious God. And these people didn’t deserve it. They had rebelled against God. They did not enter in because of unbelief. They listened to the wrong crowd that destroyed their faith. And friend, even after all that, God was just merciful and gracious to them. That’s the way God is. I hope you realize what a good God you serve. If He were waiting up in heaven to hit you over the head with a bat, all of us would have heads that are bandaged. That’s just the honest truth. We’ve got no reason to get proud. We’re about like the woodpecker. He’s out in the woods on a stormy night, pecking on a tree, and he lightly hit the tree, knocked it over, and went through the forest bragging, “I knocked that tree over.” That’s about like us. We’ve got no reason to be proud. God’s just merciful and gracious. He’s good to these people, and He’s good to these people right here too.
In the midst of this, this space of thirty-eight years, God still took care of them. That’s just how good our God is. I’m so thankful for that. We serve a gracious, loving God. I guess He’ll chase us—I don’t want to do away with that other side of the coin, and He did—but it’s gracious in the midst of it, and very loving and kind.
Now for just a bit, just a bit, let’s talk about this. God did not let this generation enter into the land that He had promised them. No, they did not enter in this generation. Why was that? Let’s look over in Numbers chapter number 14. We’re going to just list a couple of things about this. Numbers 14. And look in verse number 22, and this is where He really gives the announcement that you’re not going to enter in.
Numbers 14:22. “Because all those men which have seen my glory…” I want you to think about that. On Mount Hor, Mount Sinai, they saw it for sure. They saw it when He supplied manna daily. They saw it in the cloud by day and the fire by night. They had seen it when He split the Red Sea. They had seen it in the ten plagues. They had seen so much of God’s mighty power in His hand.
“…and my miracles which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, have tempted me now these ten times.” That’s interesting—ten times. A lot of Bible commentators try to write that off, “Well, that just means it’s a countable number that stands for an uncountable number.” No, I’m not going to twist the Bible. He said ten times; He means ten times. I don’t know exactly which ten times. But it is interesting over there in Revelation 2 when He’s talking to the Church of Smyrna—Brother Rutherford County Baptist Church, by the way—and it was the church going through suffering. He says you’re going to be tried ten days. It seems like in the Bible sometimes the number ten stands for a time of testing. It’s almost like God said, “I’ve given you a test; I’ve given you time and time again, and you just failed this test.”
“…and have not hearkened to my voice, surely they shall not see the land which I sware unto their fathers; neither shall any of them that provoke me see it.” God just proclaims it. It’s interesting, He starts off with, “You’ve seen my glory, you’ve seen my miracles.” What does it say in the New Testament? “For unto whom much is given, much is required.” What do you say over there to Chorazin and Bethsaida, up there in Galilee where Jesus did the majority of His public ministry? He said, “Look, if those people in Sodom and Gomorrah saw all that you did, they would have repented a long time ago.” So it’s going to be worse for you the day of judgment. Same principle: to whom much is given, much is required. And He’s telling His folk, “Man, you’ve seen my mighty power, my mighty miracles, and my glory, and you did not pass the test. So you’re not going to enter in this generation.” Sad thing.
So, just if you will, why? Because God pronounced it. Because you’re not passing the test, you’re not going to enter in. Now, maybe some of the reason why in His knowledge, God knew what the children of Israel were going to do for the next thirty-eight years. He said, “You’re not going to enter in.”
That leads to the second point under this: Why God would not let them enter in. Number two underneath that point: It’s amazing, these thirty-eight years, the children of Israel did not change. They just wouldn’t grow. Let’s not talk about that much, but let’s just for a minute or two talk about it. Look over in Hebrews chapter number three. Hebrews chapter number three sheds a little light on it. There are kind of glimpses of it all through the Bible. We won’t take time to look them all up; we’ll look at a couple of them here. Hebrews chapter number three. It’s amazing: after Kadesh-Barnea, they just stayed murmuring, stubborn, rebellious, complaining, not growing, disobedient people. They really did.
Hebrews chapter number three, look in verse number nine: “Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do always err in their heart, and they have not known my ways.” He’s talking about the whole forty years, not just the thirty-eight, but the whole forty years. Look at verse number 17: “But with whom was he grieved forty years? Was it not with them that had sinned, whose carcasses fell in the wilderness?” Let me read for you Psalm 95:10: “Forty years long was I grieved with this generation, and said, It is a people that do err in their heart, and they have not known my ways.” And that’s so sad; they had not known His ways when God had showed them His ways. They just hardened their hearts; they wouldn’t see it.
Now, let’s just breathe. The Bible doesn’t give as much about the thirty-eight years as it does about the first two years. It does give some. Let’s give some glimpses of it. First thing: right after He said, “You’re not going to enter in,” you know what happened then? Well, they changed and got right with God. The next thing they said was, “Well, all right, all right, we’ll go and enter in now on our own.” Well, God just said, “You’re not going to enter in.” “Oh, but we’re going now!” God doesn’t want you to go now. “You get right with God.” They just said, “No, we’re going to enter in.” Moses said, “Don’t you do it; don’t you dare. God’s not with you this time.” They wouldn’t listen. And they marched right up, trying to take the land in the canyon on the road, and they got slaughtered, running like a dog with his tail tucked between his legs, getting killed. You don’t call that a people that got right; they were still disobedient.
Look, if you will, Psalms 106. It seems like it gives a good synopsis of Israel even during these thirty-eight years. I want you to see it. Psalm 106. During that time, there were some victories, but there was just rebellion—the rebellion of Korah and so on—just time and time again. Even during this thirty-eight years, they never did really grow and change. God, in His foreknowledge, knew that. But I wonder if, after Kadesh-Barnea, if they had just grown and changed, I wonder how different it would be. You say, “But God pronounced it.” Yeah, God did pronounce it, but God has foreknowledge.
Look at Psalm 106. You’ll get a little glimpse of this thirty-eight years. Look at Psalm 106 and verse number 24: “Yea, they despised a pleasant land; they believed not his word.” Now, that’s Kadesh-Barnea when they could have entered in. They didn’t believe His word, but murmured in their tents and hearkened not unto the voice of the Lord. So that’s why they did not enter in, just murmuring in their tents, “Well, we should have stayed in Egypt. Moses, you left us out here to get us killed and all that.”
“Therefore he lifted up his hand against them to overthrow them in the wilderness.” That’s when He said, “All right, you’re not going to enter in.” Look at verse number 27: “To overthrow their seed also among the nations, and to scatter them in the lands.” Watch this: “They joined themselves also unto Baal-peor.” This is the thirty-eight years. Even after that, they didn’t grow and get right. They joined up with Baal and ate the sacrifices of the dead. “Thus they provoked him to anger with their idolatries, and the plague brake in upon them.” By the way, 24,000 people died in this one instance, this plague here. Then Phinehas stood up and executed judgment, so the plague was stayed, “And that was counted unto him for righteousness unto all generations forevermore.”
“They angered him also at the waters of Meribah, so that it went ill with Moses for their sakes, because they provoked his spirit so that he spake unadvisedly with his lips.” And you say, “What do you mean about there?” God had met their needs all through the thirty-eight years. He gave them water. As they came up, getting close to where they crossed over the Jordan River, Mount Nebo, and they had some victories there, God said, “Oh, I’m going to take the water away. You’re about to enter into the promised land. You won’t have a rock there.” And they began to murmur and complain again, “Well, you’re going to leave us out here to die, Moses.”
Moses, he was the meekest man around, but he just—he said, “God all these years has provided for you. Have you ever went starving for food? No, manna and twice quail. He’s always given you a drink. You’re not going to thirst. God’s always taken care of your thirst. You’ve had the rock all these years.” And he was fed up, and you remember he spoke unadvisedly. He tells us that. But now, about that rock all those years supplying the living water as a representation of Jesus Christ—He had smitten it, represented Jesus being spit upon on the cross. But what does Hebrews tell us? When He died on the cross, it was once for all, just once. So when Moses got mad, and man, He’s supplied every need you’ve ever had, and you’re still—that’s when we know—that’s when we know they were Southerners. Remember that’s when Jesus said, “You rebels?” That’s what it’s going on. Must I supply you water? And he hit the rock twice. And that way he didn’t—he was a poor ambassador, poor representative of Jesus, because Jesus was only spit upon once on the cross. And God was right. Moses, I mean, you’re not—you can see the land, but you’re not going to enter in. Wow. Because the people, after all that, they’re still complaining; they never would grow. And Moses was just fed up.
I tell you that to say these thirty-eight years, they never really grew. They just kept rebelling and complaining and joining up with the nations, Baal, and Moabites and intermingling with them and so on and so on. You just read it. There’s not a whole lot, but there’s enough for this: same old thing. They never grew. So that’s one of the reasons why God said, “No, you’re not going to enter in.” They just wouldn’t say, “Hey, we got problems.” They were always going to blame everybody else—Moses or the Lord. They just never wanted to say, “Hey, we’ve got problems.” And they wouldn’t grow. And so God said, “All right, you’re just going to die a natural death out there in the wilderness.” And they did.
So why was it? Well, God had pronounced it. Yes, He had pronounced it. Number two: because they just wouldn’t grow during those thirty-eight years, just the same old, same old. And then I’d say this: Why God said you’re not going to enter in? Because another reason, I believe, is because this judgment was an example to the younger generation. God said, “Look, I’m pronouncing judgment not just for you.” You need a good weapon, you know, but also the younger generation needs to realize, “Hey, is God just here?” And though God’s good to you, there is a chastening hand of God, so that younger generation had that as an example also.
And then another fault—we’re going to move on—because they were under the tutelage, if you will, tutelage—is that the right word? I don’t know. Some of the English majors here, Brother Frank’s not here tonight, you know. But Ms. Jennifer, do you teach English? Good, good, good, because I can speak Hebrew, then we’re all right now. But anyway, what does Galatians tell us about the Law? The Law is what? It’s a schoolmaster. And they were really under the Law. Now, they weren’t saved by the Law—Galatians tells us it’s evident, Galatians 3:11, nobody was ever saved by the Law, it’s evident in the Bible—but they were under the tutelage of the Law, their schoolmaster, to teach them they need a Savior. We’ll look at that and realize, “Hey, we need a Savior, Jesus Christ.”
Now, here just briefly tonight, y’all still with me on this? We’re just kind of going through this thing. Y’all let me—does that mean that your eye—maybe there’s times we’ve not entered in and did what God wanted us to do? Does that mean that I cannot, you cannot enter into the land of promise that God has promised you? Does it mean that? I mean, these people couldn’t enter it.
Look if you will, look if you will, in your Bible, in 2 Corinthians chapter number one. Second Corinthians chapter 1. And just briefly, let’s touch on this. I think I already see heads moving. You got the right answer, and praise the Lord, you do have the right answer. But look over here, 2 Corinthians 1. This verse was on the front of our bulletin for a couple years. A wonderful, wonderful verse. Second Corinthians, chapter number 1, verse number 20. You’re there tonight? Good deal. Look at verse 20: “For how many of the promises…” This is the promised land we’re talking about. “…of God in Him are yea and amen.” Who is the “Him” right there? Jesus, Jesus Christ. Not in what you did or have done or going to do, no, no. For all the promises of God in Him are what? Yes.
Can you enter into the promised land? You better believe you can. You say, “Preacher, I got to pass about a mile long—join the crowd. All of us do.” Praise the Lord for the blood of Jesus Christ. You say, “Well, you know, so-and-so is not as bad as me.” You don’t know their heart for Him. God does, though. No, all the promises in Him, in Jesus, are yea and amen. In Him, in Jesus. Amen. That’s so bad. Amen. In Him. Amen. Not under the glory of how good you are. No, no, no, no. Under the glory of God. God gets the glory for it. When the truth be known, all the glory belongs to God. That’s why we’ll cast our crowns before Him at the end.
“Preacher, man, I’ve wasted so much of my life. I cannot enter into the promised land.” Oh, friend, the devil’s selling you a bag of goods. Because of the blood of Jesus Christ and His righteousness on your account, you have the right to march right in there. You say, “Well, I missed Kadesh-Barnea.” Everybody’s missed Kadesh-Barnea, but praise the Lord, we can enter in through Jesus Christ. All the promises of God in Him are yea. Praise the Lord. That’s the way He gets the glory on us. Amen.
You say, “Well, I don’t know about all that.” Look over in Philippians. Philippians chapter number three. Philippians chapter number three. See, don’t let the devil beat you over the head saying you can’t enter in. Oh, friend, because of Jesus Christ, all the promises in Him—in Him, not in you. If it’s up to you, you’re right; it’s not up to you. It’s up to Jesus. That’s why, instead of in John 14, “Believe in me,” and believe in Jesus, “the works that I do and greater works than these shall you do because of God the Father interceding for us.”
Philippians 3, look at verse number 9: “And being found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith.” Why didn’t they enter? Hebrews tells us: because of their unbelief. And, friend, we can have faith that we can enter in because it’s through Jesus, through Him, being found in His righteousness. I can have faith. I look at me, I say, “Whew, I ain’t got much faith.” I look at Jesus and say, “Oh boy, there’s my faith. I can put faith in that right here. He’s got the power.” Yes, you can enter it. Don’t you believe the devil. He’s lying through his teeth; he’s a liar and the father of it. No, no, don’t listen to him. He’ll tell you you cannot enter into the land of peace and answers to prayer and fruitfulness and joy and gentleness and kindness—everybody says, “Well, you can’t.” No, no, don’t you believe him. You’re not entering in based on your power and your merit. You’re entering in through Him, Jesus.
Oh, yeah, you can enter in. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work. It’s all for Christ. You can enter in. Help me out. You know the verse. You know 1 John 1:9. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” I loved that. One day a man came to the door, shaking hands on Sunday morning, and said, “Preacher, I’m glad over there and pray, John 1:9. He said, ‘Lord…’” Praise the Lord, “all unrighteousness.”
Can I enter in? No, though I’ve got to pass—you better believe you can enter in. Every one of us has a past, but praise the Lord for the blood of Jesus Christ. Someone said, “If the devil reminds you of your past, you remind him of his future.” Praise the Lord, we’re washed in the blood of the Lamb. We stand redeemed. I have the right to that land because God promised it to me through Jesus Christ. Take that by faith in Jesus Christ.
Look at 1 Peter. First Peter real quickly here. First Peter chapter 3. By the way, it didn’t say grow in your power and your might and your character—I’m for all that—but “grow in grace,” is what the Bible says, “in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” To Him be glory. Amen. Not to us, but to Him be glory. Look at 1 Peter 3:18. First Peter is right before Second Peter. Amen. Y’all there tonight? Good. Look at 1 Peter 3:18: “For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit.”
And you say, “Oh, my sins are going to keep me from entering the promised land.” No, no, no, no. Jesus already suffered. If He made you suffer, you can’t enter into the promised land because you’re saying—listen, friend—then Jesus’ suffering would be in vain, if you will. He’s already suffered for it. By the way, you say, “Does that make me want to go out and sin?” No, no, no, no. That shows me He loves me, and we love Him because He first loved us. And Jesus said, “If you love me, you’ll keep my commandments,” and His commandments are not grievous. You want to obey, but nobody beats you over there and makes you do those. You want to please Him. It breaks my heart sometimes when I disappoint the Lord, and it breaks my heart because He’s been so good to me.
Now, yes, there’s always the underlining—yes, the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Yes, that’s true. By the way, all from time to time we backslide; we need that underlining. But as you grow, perfect love casts out fear. Certainly, out of love, I want to please You. But you can enter in. Don’t believe—don’t buy that bill of goods. That’s a wooden nickel the devil said: “You can’t enter in. You can’t enter in.” He’s going to say, “Well, I got this, this, this.” I understand you do, but Jesus doesn’t.
One more verse very quickly to that. Look over in Hebrews. Hebrews chapter number seven. “Preacher, I’m too messed up to enter into the promised land.” Yeah, you’re right, but Jesus is not. You can put on His robe of righteousness and march right in. Praise the Lord for that white robe. I don’t stand in my own righteousness; I stand in Jesus’ righteousness. Lay down your robe—yes, for salvation, do that—but even today, lay down your robe of self-righteousness and pick up Jesus’ robe. You can march right into the promised land through Jesus.
Hebrews chapter number seven, look at verse number 25. Hebrews 7:25: “Wherefore he [Jesus] is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.” Have you ever heard the phrase “to the uttermost”? Some of you shaking your heads, yes. Some of you heard it, but you forgot it. Come on now, you know. We’re not all teenagers in here now.
Wherefore He, Jesus, is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them. Three days later He rose again. Once you’re done, He’s interceding for you. You come to Kadesh-Barnea and the doubts and worries and fears, and the devil comes over and guilt-trips you and says, “You can’t enter in. I know your past.” You say, “I’m going to enter my faith up in heaven, the courtroom, if you will.”
And in the courtroom, someone says, “Hey, that Brother Bill down there, he wants to enter into the land you promised to him.” And the devil says, “Sir, oh, Bill, he’s got a—I mean, look here, look at this, look what all Brother Bill did. Ms. Tabitha, do you know about all what Brother Bill did? Would you like to hear that record?” I mean, the devil just kind of flipped some pages, man, it’s like a big old huge book for Brother Bill. And the devil says, “He doesn’t have the right to enter into the promise. Look at what all he’s done. Look at his heart. Look at what he’s thought about.” The devil is the accuser of the brethren. You accuse him before God.
And praise the Lord, oh, Jesus steps up. Interceding for us, He says, “Hey, Father, about 2,000 years ago on that cross, every one of those sins—past, present, and future—every one of those, Father, I bore them on the cross of Calvary. Father, you would be unjust to make him suffer for those sins that I’ve already suffered for. Father, I plead: he has a right to enter into that land that you promised to him because of me.” And God the Father puts that gavel down and says, “Get on out of here, devil, you lost the case.” Amen. Come on in, Brother Bill. You can enter into the land promised. He ever liveth to make intercession for us.
Think about old Paul, Apostle Paul. I mean, that guy—that guy, he was part of murderous plots. I mean, they were going to kill one of those first deacons; they did kill one of those first deacons. And Paul says, “Hey, go get him, go get him.” I mean, he’s so manipulative. It’s like he got other people to do his dirty work. “I’ll hold your coat.” Can you imagine how warped it is? It’s just kind of warped to watch somebody bleed out. If you can go to a crime scene and watch somebody’s been shot and just sit there and watch them bleed out, that’s one thing. But if you can just incite the people to shooting, that’s another thing, but it’s even worse than that. Paul was inciting them to some more grotesque murder—just take big old rocks and pound him over his head. Imagine Stephen just bleeding out.
I’m not trying to be mean, but that’s sadistic. That’s messed up. Now, am I being honest with you or not? If you read that in the paper, what would you think today? And these aren’t the wicked, sinful, awful people; these are good, godly, spiritual Christians. And he made havoc of the church daily. He was just kind of like this; it was just eating him up to go after God’s people. Paul was a messed-up man. And yet God saved that man, Paul—was Saul—changed the name to Paul. And that man became one of the greatest Christians. He for sure entered in, if you will, to the land that God promised to us. How was that? A lot of those verses we just read, Paul is the one that God used to pen that. “All the promises in Him are yea and amen.” “I am what I am by the grace of God.” Paul earned it? No. I am about as messed up as a termite in a yo-yo. I don’t know which way is up half the time, but Jesus does. That’s why Psalm 19 talks about the Law of our converts converting this whole—it can make messed-up, wicked, vile people into clean robes of righteousness entering into the promised land. So don’t let the devil ever make you think, “Can I enter in? I’m too messed up.” Oh, you can enter in through the cross of Jesus. Amen. Through the cross of Jesus.
Would you bow your heads and close your eyes?
You say, “Preacher, man, I’d like to step back on faith and say I want to enter in that promised land by the grace of God, by the power of Jesus, the name of Jesus, the power of the name of Jesus. I want to enter into that land He promised me: peace, joy, victory, answers to prayer, and fruitfulness.” I’m just going to kind of step back up and set my sights on the promised land because of Jesus tonight. God spoke to my heart about that. That’s you tonight? You slip your hand up: “Preacher, that’s me. I’m setting my sights back on that because of Jesus.” God bless you. Oh, yeah, you have the right to enter in because of Jesus. It’s by faith; let’s take it by faith.
Maybe here tonight you say, “You know, honestly, I got convicted a little bit when I talked about the children of Israel; I just wouldn’t grow up in those thirty-eight years. Lord, if you show me where and how I need to change and repent and get right and grow, I’ll do it. I don’t want to be like the children of Israel, so stubborn and hard-hearted, just never would grow. I want to grow. I want to grow to where God can let me get into that promised land.” God spoke to my heart about that part right there. I want to grow. I want to show them where I need to grow, and I want that. God bless you. A couple of hands already. God bless you. God bless you. “Me too, me too.” God bless you.
Would you please stand tonight when we have just a quick prayer? And would you just be obedient? It might be a great time to come to the altar and say, “Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, Jesus. You ever liveth to make intercession for me. Thank you for Your goodness to me.” Whatever it is, you’ll be obedient to the Lord.
Thank You, Father, for Your goodness to us. I don’t deserve it. After all the many, many times I’ve failed You, You still love me and take care of me. I can still enter in because of Jesus. Thank You for that. Lord, there are areas and things I need to change. Lord, I don’t want to be hard-hearted as I can be. Forgive me, Lord. Please guide me and show me where I need to grow; reveal it to me. And by Your grace, I’d like to be what You want. I’d like to enter into Your grace. Bless these people tonight, Father, please. Jesus now ask. Amen. Would you be obedient as our answer is played?
Just love on Him a little bit. Thank you. Thank you, Jesus. I owe everything to You. I want to live for You. I don’t want to walk away from it all. I want to sin. I want to stay right. You’re so gracious. I don’t deserve it. You’re good to me, loving to me. In times I’ve stepped out of Your care, I’ve never been out of Your care. I’ve never been out of Your care. Thank You, Jesus. I can enter in by You, Jesus. Father, grace, I put my faith in You, Jesus. You can do it. Old boy, old girl like me, You can still do it. You can do it because You’re so good and gracious and powerful. Let Him know that tonight. Amen, amen.
Original File: Pastor Paul Chisgar - Wilderness Wanderingthe Space - Wednesday PM 02212024