The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Numbers 32:15-23, “Now behold, you have risen up in your fathers’ place, a brood of sinful men, to add still more to the burning anger of the LORD against Israel.

15 “For if you turn away from following Him, He will once more abandon them in the wilderness, and you will destroy all these people.”

16 Then they came near to him and said, “We will build here sheepfolds for our livestock and cities for our little ones;

17 but we ourselves will be armed and ready to go before the sons of Israel until we have brought them to their place, while our little ones live in the fortified cities because of the inhabitants of the land.

18 “We will not return to our homes until every one of the sons of Israel has possessed his inheritance.

19 “For we will not have an inheritance with them on the other side of the Jordan and beyond, because our inheritance has fallen to us on this side of the Jordan toward the east.”

20 So Moses said to them, “If you will do this, if you will arm yourselves before the LORD for the war,

21 and all of you armed men cross over the Jordan before the LORD until He has driven His enemies out from before Him,

22 and the land is subdued before the LORD, then afterward you shall return and be free of obligation toward the LORD and toward Israel, and this land shall be yours for a possession before the LORD.

23 “But if you will not do so, behold, you have sinned against the LORD, and be sure your sin will find you out.”

With all the LORD had done for His people, when they came up against a difficulty they had not previously encountered, they rebelled against Moses and against the LORD. Have you and I ever considered that truly spiritual leadership has been given to us that we might learn to love and follow the LORD?

Certainly, the obstacle that Moses’ people encountered looked difficult. What they needed, however, was to look to the LORD instead of the obstacles before them.

How like this crowd we often are! We know His will, and we’ve been told to face it in His strength and move forward. But we’re gripped with fear because we’ve taken our eyes off of Him!

Being the wise leader that he was, Moses challenged the people by reminding them of the LORD’s leadership; then saying (in effect): “Do what you want – just remember that your sin will ultimately catch up with you. You can’t do wrong and get by!”

What was true of those who doubted Moses is true of us when we balk at following the LORD’s leadership: our sin will ultimately be our undoing! So, be careful. Who knows best? You simply cannot do what’s wrong in God’s eyes and get by.

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas 72764

United States of America

“We will never know that Christ is all we need until He becomes all that we have.” – Corrie ten Boom