Last Stop before Home!

(Transcript of Tp#92)

 

Can you imagine, picture this it’s holiday time and you’re on your way “home” to see all of your family and friends. Your tired and you have traveled so very far but the bus has to make a pit stop, the plane has to stop to pick of other passengers.

All along this trip you have been faithfully, anxiously waiting to make it back home. While you are waiting during this stop something or someone gets your attention. Before you know it or even realize it your so enamored that you can’t “hear” the call back to your transportation home! Getting home had been #1 on your mind but in a wandering moment you have been robbed at the “last stop” of the day. All of this could be the backdrop for a Hollywood movie but sadly it’s not.

You and I as Christians are traveling “back home” and Satan wants to get our attention and distract us at the last stop! Sound ridiculous it shouldn’t because it has happened before and history repeats itself in one way or another! This is why God Almighty has given us the Old Testament for our instruction. He wants us to learn from our forefather’s mistakes so we will not make the same mistakes!

Let’s document the before turning to the Old Testament. Open your Bible to 1 Corinthians please:

 

• 1 Corinthians 10:1 says, “Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea;”

 

Paul through the unction of the Holy Spirit says I don’t want you to be ignorant. Ignorant was translated from the Greek word “agnoeo” (ag-no-eh’-o) meaning not to know through lack of information or intelligence by implication to ignore through disinclination. Paul simply says God and I don’t want you “not to know” the information that will help you get back home! Look to your forefathers that made a successful trip versus those who failed.

 

• 1 Corinthians 10:2 says, “And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;”

 

There will be some here under the sound of my voice that will fail at the last stop back home that have been baptized. It’s not just baptism it’s a daily way of life walking with the Lord Jesus Christ!

 

• 1 Corinthians 10:3 says, “And did all eat the same spiritual meat;”
• 1 Corinthians 10:4 says, “And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.”

 

The Lord God Almighty has watered and fed each and every one of us here tonight. He fed those all those children in the wilderness too but not all of them made it to the last stop back home! Remember Jesus Christ taught us it’s not those who say Lord, Lord but rather those who “do” the will of our Father God Almighty in Heaven (Matthew 7:21).

 

• 1 Corinthians 10:5 says, “But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness.”

 

Q. What does it take to please God Almighty?

A. Faith! Faith is the key to us pleasing God Almighty because by it is how we live in His will. If we do not possess faith then we will make our “own way” instead of faithfully following His! Faith is following God when it would be easier going along with the world.

 

• 1 Corinthians 10:6 says, “Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.”

 

We need to look closer at this word examples was translated from in the Greek, “tupos” (too’-pos) meaning a die as struck.

Q. What do you do with a die, what is it’s job or responsibility?

A. A die is any of various devices for molding, stamping, cutting etc.…. You have heard the old adage “the die is cast” meaning the decision made is irrevocable! In other words they made certain choices and those choices reaped certain consequences. When we follow after their example the “die has been cast”. When we follow after their example and pour ourselves into their mold we will come out just as they did overthrown in the wilderness!

 

• 1 Corinthians 10:7 says, “Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.”

 

Hold this thought in verse 7 in your minds as we move to the Old Testament later on in this study. Idolatry comes from putting “anything” before the Lord God Almighty. We can’t eat at God’s table and at the enemies and please God Almighty! Our physical bodies are made up of the food we eat healthy or not. It is no different with our spiritually bodies. If we eat at the enemy’s table we will rise up and play as a child (boy). God wants us to grow up in Him and become full-grown so He can use us to further His Kingdom!

 

• 1 Corinthians 10:8 says, “Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand”

 

Commit fornication was translated from the Greek word “porneuo” (porn-yoo’-o) to act the harlot, i.e. practice idolatry. Don’t read over that word practice. You and I practice something to get better at whatever we are practicing!  When we get to the Old Testament we’ll find the number was 24,000 because the princes of the people are included that we’re hanged before the plague.

 

• 1 Corinthians 10:9 says, “Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents.”

 

God Almighty had been feeding His children but they loathed God’s manna. When we start looking around at the world instead of being thankful for what we have a fall is on its way. See the following:

 

• Numbers 21:5 says, “And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread.”
• Numbers 21:6 says, “And the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel”

 

This was the Bread that came down from Heaven, a type of Jesus Christ. They we’re calling Jesus Christ “light” (insubstantial) Bread! In your home study time look close at what Jesus taught in John 6:43-71, specifically verse:

 

• John 6:48 says, “I am that bread of life.”

 

When we reject God’s goodness then Satan always comes on the scene ready to feed us his. God took the hedge away and allowed Satan to come to the people. “Fiery serpents” was translated from the Greek word “saraph” (saw-rawf) meaning burning. The bite was a burning sensation as those of fire hence the name. In your home study time cover Psalms 78 and learn why Israel murmured.  Back to 1 Corinthians please:

 

• 1 Corinthians 10:10 says, “Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer.”

 

As these children we’re traveling home they griped about everything, the service, the water, the food and the pilot! When God Almighty has given us His Son and through Him we more than life we have no grounds to murmur! This destroyer can be read of in Exodus 12:13 in Egypt.

 

• 1 Corinthians 10:11 says, “Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.”

 

Ensamples was translated from the same Greek word we covered earlier ““tupos” (too’-pos) meaning a die as struck. Once again we’re to learn that if we put a certain material in a certain mold that’s what will come out! Donna bought the girls a Jell-O mold for the year 2000. Today in the year of 2001 you can fill up that mold with Jell-O and it still comes out 2000! It doesn’t matter if thousands of years have passed if we do the negative these children did then we’ll come out just as they did destroy!

 

• 1 Corinthians 10:12 says, “Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.”
• 1 Corinthians 10:13 says, “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.”

 

God has promised to never leave us nor forsake us He is faithful! He tells us to understand that temptation will come but we can have the victory if we’ll take His instruction. You and I will not go through something that these children did not go through; temptation is common to all mankind!

 

• 1 Corinthians 10:14 says, “Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry.”

 

The #1 temptation will be idolatry, image worship or you could even say image service! Something’s we’re to stand and fight as the good fight of faith. In this case we’re to flee run away from image worship or image service. Let’s turn to the Old Testament and learn from their mistakes and see how not to embrace idolatry but rather to run from it! Let’s turn to the 25^th chapter of Numbers please:

 

• Numbers 25:1 says, “And Israel abode in Shittim, and the people began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab.”

 

This is where we get our studies title text from because Shittim was the last stop before entering the Promised Land before getting home! These children were almost home but they lost sight of what was truly most important to them. Statistics state that more car accidents happen within 10 miles of the home than anywhere else does. Just because time is winding down and we’re getting closer to the return of Christ don’t get complacent!

Shittim was translated from the Hebrew word “Shittiym” (shit-teem) meaning acacia trees, a place just east of Jordan. We must understand that Satan is the ultimate counterfeit and uses cheap imitation of God’s plans. Shittim is acacia trees; God used the wood of these trees for the construction of the tabernacle, ark, table for the shew-bread. Under the cool shade of the acacia groves; the Midianite women led God’s children into worship of Baal Peor. At first the men were only interested in the sex from the daughters of Moab but we’ll see soon they we’re worshipping Baal.

Commit whoredom was translated from the Hebrew word “zanah” (zaw-naw’) highly fed and therefore wanton; to commit adultery (usually of the female, fig. to commit idolatry the Jewish peoples being regarded as the spouse of Jehovah. They fed the flesh in other words and their spirit was left wanton or lacking. They fed the flesh with the daughters of Moab. Moab is from the Hebrew word “Mow’ab” (mo-awb) meaning from her the mother’s father; Moab, an incestuous son of Lot; also his territory and descendants.

Keep in mind that this physically happened but we must be on guard today in a spiritual sense. God Almighty wants us to learn from the natural to better understand the spiritual. Satan will use his servants to gain your attention in seemingly one way but he is after your heart! As we’ll cover later in this study Satan is transformed as an angel of light. Satan loves to “play” church!

 

• Numbers 25:2 says, “And they called the people unto the sacrifices of their gods: and the people did eat, and bowed down to their gods.”

 

The daughters of Moab called the children, God’s children to eat with the enemy. Don’t just think of the food as substance for the flesh body rather “eating” the words, the ways of Baal over the true God! They bowed down from the Hebrew word “shachah” (shaw-khaw’) meaning to depress, i.e. prostrate especially in homage. God is so good to us His children He had already given instruction for this very situation but they did not receive it. Hold your place here and turn to the great book of Exodus. Remember 1 Corinthians 10:13 stated that temptation is common to all mankind so learn and be prepared!

 

• Exodus 34:12 says, “Take heed to thyself, lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land whither thou goest, lest it be for a snare in the midst of thee:”

 

Our Father in Heaven watches out for us and will lead us away from danger if we’ll only hear His instruction. Snare was translated from the Hebrew word “mowqesh” (mo-kashe’) meaning a noose for catching animals lit. or fig. by implication a hook for the nose. Christ taught that no man can serve two masters, we must follow the Lord!

 

Q. Where was the warning of the snare’s position?

A. In the midst of them means in their heart. God Almighty wants our heart, our love and attention and Satan knows this will cause our Father distress.

 

• Exodus 34:13 says, “But ye shall destroy their altars, break their images, and cut down their groves:”

 

Remember the children had just ate animals sacrificed upon their altars in the acacia groves!

 

• Exodus 34:14 says, “For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God:”
• Exodus 34:15 says, “Lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, and they go a whoring after their gods, and do sacrifice unto their gods, and one call thee, and thou eat of his sacrifice;”
• Exodus 34:16 says, “And thou take of their daughters unto thy sons, and their daughters go a whoring after their gods, and make thy sons go a whoring after their gods.”

 

God had given them warning but they were blinded by what the flesh wanted. Today we must take heed because Satan uses the vices of this present day world to get our fleshes attention. Satan will use the gods of this world to cause us to sin and to make a covenant with them. Let’s go back to Numbers please:

 

• Numbers 25:3 says, “And Israel joined himself unto Baalpeor: and the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel.”

 

God’s people joined you could say yoked themselves to Baalpeor! Baalpeor was translated from the Hebrew word “Ba’al Pe’owr” (bah’-al peh-ore’), Baal means lord and Peor was the mountain on which he was worshipped. Baal is a Moabitish idol and those who called the children to this feast were the prostitutes necessary for his worship by others. Remember God Almighty told us plainly that He is a jealous God and His name is even Jealous (Exodus 34:14)!

 

• Numbers 25:4 says, “And the LORD said unto Moses, Take all the heads of the people, and hang them up before the LORD against the sun, that the fierce anger of the LORD may be turned away from Israel.”

 

Heads of the people was probably a statement that meant the chiefs or the princes of the people. We know that they were 1,000 of them from what we covered in 1 Corinthians 10:8 where 23,000 are mentioned earlier along with this account. The number 23 in Bible numbers means death and death had come because God’s Word was left off!

 

• Numbers 25:5 says, “And Moses said unto the judges of Israel, Slay ye every one his men that were joined unto Baalpeor.”
• Numbers 25:6 says, “And, behold, one of the children of Israel came and brought unto his brethren a Midianitish woman in the sight of Moses, and in the sight of all the congregation of the children of Israel, who were weeping before the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.”

 

In our previous tape studies (Tape #’s 86 & 91) we saw that the tabernacle of the congregation consisted of those who were outside the camp seeking the Lord! It was a type for teaching for us today in that we are in this world but not of this world! We are to come out and be separate and touch not (attach) the unclean thing!

This is an example of blatant disrespect for God’s Word for God’s people and ultimately God Almighty Himself! God is so very patient and full of grace but there is a time and a season for everything including judgment!

 

• Numbers 25:7 says, “And when Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he rose up from among the congregation, and took a javelin in his hand;”
• Numbers 25:8 says, “And he went after the man of Israel into the tent, and thrust both of them through, the man of Israel, and the woman through her belly. So the plague was stayed from the children of Israel.”

 

This is pretty graphic and straightforward. We see what the man and woman were doing and God Almighty was far from his mind! When more is given more is required and God had given them everything!

 

• Numbers 25:9 says, “And those that died in the plague were twenty and four”

 

The number 24 in Bible numbers mean the priesthood. Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest was a part of the priesthood and he acted according to God’s word and saved many people. Today we have teachers, preachers and pastors who save a tremendous number of people by teaching God’s truth! Will you hear today? Will you hear and then act in faith fulfilling the Lord’s Great Commission?

 

• Numbers 25:10 says, “And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,”
• Numbers 25:11 says, “Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, hath turned my wrath away from the children of Israel, while he was zealous for my sake among them, that I consumed not the children of Israel in my jealousy.”

 

Don’t ever listen to Satan’s lies about one person not being able to make a difference! One with the Lord Jesus Christ is always makes the majority! BE faithful to the Lord and He will bless your effort and lives can be changed and saved! One person can make a positive or negative difference. It took just one Hitler to kill 6 million Jews and wreak havoc around the world. It took one Jesus Christ the Son of the Living God to bring salvation to the world!

 

• Numbers 25:12 says, “Wherefore say, Behold, I give unto him my covenant of peace:”

 

When we following after God’s Word and Jesus Christ is the Living Word we have peace. Jesus Christ is the “Prince of Peace” (see Isaiah 9:6)!

 

• Numbers 25:13 says, “And he shall have it, and his seed after him, even the covenant of an everlasting priesthood; because he was zealous for his God, and made atonement for the children of Israel.”
• Numbers 25:14 says, “Now the name of the Israelite that was slain, even that was slain with the Midianitish woman, was Zimri, the son of Salu, a prince of a chief house among the Simeonites.”

 

Zimri fully translated means musical. Don’t read over that Satan loves to use certain tunes to get our attention. Just think of the little jungles on the radio and TV commercials. Zimri was the son of Salu. Salu fully translated means weighed. They were of the tribe of Shimon, which fully translated means “hearing”. God gives grace to those without but judgment starts with those who know better! Those who have ears to hear must be leading those without and bring them by example into a closer walk with the Lord Jesus Christ!

 

• Numbers 25:15 says, “And the name of the Midianitish woman that was slain was Cozbi, the daughter of Zur; he was head over a people, and of a chief house in Midian.”

 

Cozbi fully translated means “false”. Please let me have your full attention now look at the meaning of her father! Zur fully translated means “rock”! So now we see who was bringing this attack of deception on God’s children the false rock Satan himself is Baal. In your home study time please look at Ezekiel chapter 28 and where Satan is call the king of Tyrus the false rock. Satan was the head of leader of these people and he wanted to take God’s children by the way of sin! Let’s cover just a few verses for documentation:

 

• Ezekiel 28:1 says, “The word of the LORD came again unto me, saying,”
• Ezekiel 28:2 says, “Son of man, say unto the prince of Tyrus, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thine heart is lifted up, and thou hast said, I am a God, I sit in the seat of God, in the midst of the seas; yet thou art a man, and not God, though thou set thine heart as the heart of God:”
• Ezekiel 28:3 says, “Behold, thou art wiser than Daniel; there is no secret that they can hide from thee:”

 

Just a Joshua was a type for teaching of Jesus Christ this king of Tyrus is type for teaching of Satan or Baal. Let’s document that this is referring to Satan God’s fallen creation.

 

• Ezekiel 28:11 says, “Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,”
• Ezekiel 28:12 says, “Son of man, take up a lamentation upon the king of Tyrus, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty.”
• Ezekiel 28:13 says, “Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created.”

 

Satan was not born but rather he was created full of wisdom and very handsome. These 10 stones for his covering shows how much God Almighty loved him at one time and is a testimony of his brilliance. Satan does not look evil or carry a pitchfork but rather in the book of Isaiah he is called the son of the morning. Satan is an imitator Jesus Christ is the true bright and morning star (Revelation 22:16).

 

• Ezekiel 28:14 says, “Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire.”
• Ezekiel 28:15 says, “Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee.”
• Ezekiel 28:16 says, “By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire.”
• Ezekiel 28:17 says, “Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee.”
• Ezekiel 28:18 says, “Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries by the multitude of thine iniquities, by the iniquity of thy traffic; therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of thee, it shall devour thee, and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee.”
• Ezekiel 28:19 says, “All they that know thee among the people shall be astonished at thee: thou shalt be a terror, and never shalt thou be any more.”

 

Today we must put up with Satan and his wiles but God Almighty has given us instruction to be able to overcome! From His Word as we just read we have hope that one day this judgment will come to pass. Remember Satan is defeated meaning past tense! You and I through the Lord Jesus Christ can walk and live in victory.

Satan loves to play religion and he will try to get you to lose sight of your home with the Lord! Remember what Paul taught through the unction of the Holy Spirit:

 

• 2 Corinthians 11:13 says, “For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.”
• 2 Corinthians 11:14 says, “And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.”
• 2 Corinthians 11:15 says, “Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.”

 

The word transformed was translated from the Greek word “metaschematizo” (met-askh-ay-mat-id’-zo) meaning to transfigure or disguise! As in Isaiah Satan is disguised as the bright and morning star, the angel of light but he is that destroying angel! You have come to far; Christ gave all so you would not miss your last stop, home!

We’re here to minister to you please write us and share your prayer requests and praise reports.

 

GAP Ministries

“REMEMBER GOD’S WORD WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE!”

 

12/4/01 11:25:40 PM