“In their hunger you gave them bread from heaven and in their thirst you brought them water from the rock; you told them to go in and take possession of the land you had sworn with uplifted hand to give them.”
Nehemiah 9:15
Last time we saw God intimately made known both the Sabbath and precepts, laws, and Torah for His people. Today we journey with the ancient Israelites into the wilderness and see how Covenant YHWH provided for them.
“You gave (nathan – allowed, assigned, certainly gave, apportioned, provided, bestow) them bread (lechem – food, loaves) from heaven (shamayim – sky, highest heavens) for their hunger (raab – famine, hunger; from raeb – suffer [hunger])…”
You provided them bread from heaven for their suffering hunger.
Many of us reading this do not truly understand suffering hunger. Never wondered where our next meal would come from; fall asleep full, with the knowledge tomorrow we’ll eat again.
God help us, that is not the case for everyone. With ample hunger still here and wealth of resources in many places, may we be through whom God can apportion, assign, and bestow bread from heaven.
Of course, in the case of our exodus exiles, Yahweh was trying to teach them about provision. His sufficiency in the midst of uncertainty. Desert far as you can see? No crops abounding? Perfect stage set for bread to quite literally fall from heaven. Just enough for today, never a need to hoard, always a chance to trust.
Though your pantry may be full, where do you have suffering hunger? Spiritual hunger is a gift. We are called blessed when we hunger and thirst for righteousness. When we come to Jesus and His provision for what we lack daily. Can we get to the place where we genuinely thank Him for the ways He has used suffering hunger in our lives to grow us? Cause us to depend on His sufficiency? Refute the lie that an easier life or better circumstances is surely what He would have for us?
This is hard. Fortunately, He will allow us to wrestle it out with Him, even as He certainly provides what’s needed moment by moment.
But what about those who suffer spiritual or emotional hunger? For which we are called to partner with Him to certainly give relief? If He has shown up in your life, you have something to give away. No need to rescue, never an excuse to speak over others. But you have Hope to share. Let’s share.
“…and brought them (yatsa – go, come out, brought forth, upheld, assuredly, break out, shoot forth) water (mayim – water, pool, flood) out of the rock (sela – crag, cliff, mountain, rocks, ragged, strong hold) for their thirst (tsama – parched ground, dry, literal or figurative thirst; from tsame – to suffer [thirst])…”
You shot forth pools of water out of a strong hold for their parched ground and suffering thirst.
Parched ground is quite the description. The soil itself longing for relief, for life-giving sustenance. From this desert place the exiles watched Yahweh shoot forth pools of water from a rock. A strong hold, ragged cliff. That’s what He does. The place that has a strong hold on you is the place He is ready to become your Strong Tower. These are not just words to me. It’s the only thing keeping me afloat some days. He has to be Who He says He is or I’m the world’s biggest fool. To be pitied above all people. A meaningless life held together by childish dreams.
But if it’s True? If He is Who He says He is and becomes our Strong Tower? Meaning in the senseless and the actual God of Hope? Then we are holding on to the only thing that matters. Wiser than those hanging on to only what can be seen by eyes. The only kind of life that brings purpose and soul satisfaction, even as the pain claws daily.
“…and told (amar – assign, declare, give order, appoint, plainly say, call, charge, command) to go in (bo – advance, bring to pass, certainly go, enter, abide, besiege) to possess (yarash – inherit, take possession of, come to poverty, make poor, expel, drive out, expel, occupy by drive out previous tenants)…”
You plainly commanded them to advance [abide] to inherit [by implication, expel/bring to poverty previous tenants] the land.
This one strikes me poorly, which is usually my indication I am seeing things only from my limited perspective. So let’s remind ourselves those occupying the land of Canaan were given centuries of patience from a loving Creator to repent.
Now let’s focus on one of the definitions for “go in the land:” to abide. God promised His people a place to make a home. Somewhere they could abide – not just in houses with land, but with Him. I also believe this abiding in Yahweh was where the Israelites gained the courage and spiritual authority to take possession of this land. After all, relying on battle strategy alone wasn’t going to get them far.
But let’s sit here for a moment in light of what is going on in our world today. If anyone has the audacity to take verses like these out of context and somehow justify one race as superior over others and, therefore, called to drive out others, I shudder to think of the judgment coming. And, frankly friends, any ingrained, subconscious partiality toward whiteness individually, corporately, and systemically better bow as well. White supremacy in all its forms is evil.
Now let’s sit on how this does apply to us without violence or war. Where has God plainly commanded you to go, physically or spiritually? And what has He assigned, appointed you to do? Our answers will vary but our methods will likely look similar: abiding in Him for strength as we join His movement to drive out evil and possess His kingdom here on earth. And we have it on good Authority He will bring it to pass:
“…the land which You had sworn with uplifted hand (yad – hand, powerful help alongside; open hand indicating power, means, direction) to give them (nathan again)…”
…which you swore with an open, powerful hand to provide them.
When God swears something will be bestowed, it is with His power and means provided. Never raising us to be independent of Him, His provision rests in the abiding. It is not by human might, nor by power, but by His Spirit.
By faith let’s advance together.