BEN F. VICK, JR.
The children of God had been at Mount Sinai about a year. There, they had received the law of Moses, built the tabernacle of meeting, numbered the eligible men to fight, and to their discredit, had worshiped the golden calf. God had said to Israel, “Ye have dwelt long enough in this mount.” (Deut. 1:6.) By the cloud by day and pillar of fire by night God guided them toward the land promised. As they began the journey from Sinai, Moses invited Hobab, the son of Raguel the Midianite, to travel with them. The record says, “And Moses said unto Hobab, the son of Raguel the Midianite, Moses’ father-in-law, We are journeying unto the place of which the Lord said, I will give it you: come thou with us, and we will do thee good: for the Lord hath spoken good concerning Israel.” (Num. 10:29.)
God’s people today, the church, are traveling as well (2 Cor. 6:16; 1 Peter 2:9-10). As the patriarchs of old, we are also traveling to that heavenly country (Heb. 11:16). As the land of Canaan was promised to Abraham’s descendants, so there is a heavenly place prepared for us. Jesus said to his apostles, “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” (John 14:1-3.) Having been risen with Christ in baptism, we have set our affections on things above, not on things in this life. Paul wrote, “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.” (Col. 3:1-2.)
Moses invited Hobab to go with them to that land of milk and honey. He said, “come thou with us.” We too, invite all to come go with us. To travel with God’s people is a blessing indeed. Sweet fellowship with God, Christ, the Holy Spirit and faithful brothers and sisters in Christ is enjoyed by God’s children (2 Cor. 13:14). They are with one in the “ups and downs” of life. They know when one is sick and care when one is dying. They weep with those who weep. They rejoice with those who rejoice. Where would we be without Christian friends?
The invitation extended to Hobab included the incentive, “we will do thee good.” We extend the Lord’s invitation to others by saying, “The Lord will do you good.” To be a member of God’s family is to be richly blessed. Paul wrote, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:” (Eph. 1:3.) To enjoy the forgiveness of sins, the hope of eternal life, sanctification, justification, redemption, reconciliation, and sweet fellowship surely would be incentive enough to travel the narrow way with those of like precious faith, those of the household of God.
Just how does one become a member of the family of God? One must be born again, born from above (John 3:1-8). What does that entail? One must believe the gospel, the good news of Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 15:1-4; John 8:24). It is necessary that one repent of his sins (Acts 17:30; 2 Peter 3:9). One must confess Christ before men; that is, that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God (Rom. 10:9-10). Having taken these steps, one must be baptized into Christ (Mark 16:15-16; Acts 2:38; Gal. 3:27). When one takes these steps, God adds him to the church, the body of Christ (Acts 2:47; 1 Cor. 12: 18).
How is it that we (children of God) will do one good? Moses had said to Hobab, “…we will do thee good: for the Lord hath spoken good concerning Israel.” The Israel of God today is not fleshly Israel. Paul wrote, “For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.” (Rom. 2:28-29.) The Lord told his apostles, “Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.” (Matt. 19:28.) The twelve tribes of Israel are a reference to the church. James wrote of “the twelve tribes scattered abroad,” a reference to the church’s having been scattered. Paul gives a benediction to the Galatians by writing, “And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God.” (Gal. 6:16.)
The Lord did Israel good. He guided them by a cloud during the day and a pillar of fire by night. He provided for them with food every day. Their clothes and shoes did not wear out. He protected them from heathen nations as they journeyed to the land of Canaan. The Lord made good his promise to bring them to that land where Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had sojourned.
The Lord God is faithful. We are told, “God is not a man, that he should lie; Neither the son of man, that he should repent: Hath he said, and shall he not do it? Or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?” (Num. 23:19.) In the New Testament we read, “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.” (1 Cor. 10:13.) Peter answered the scoffers by writing, “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9,)
So, why not come with us as we make our journey to the heavenly home?