Sermon: Lessons from the Count to Pentecost

#1764
Mark Schindler
Given 25-May-24; 70 minutes 2024-05-25

As we begin the sermon today, please turn with me to Romans 8.

Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

I want to begin here because, as I read something in the Berean last Tuesday I thought it very clearly addressed specific pieces of this sermon I prepared for today, which you will see as we go along. This Berean seemed to be a very good place to start.

Richard Ritenbaugh wrote in his 2003 CGG Weekly, “Reasons for Optimism”:

Attitude is an important factor in our Christian lives. The frame of mind from which we approach situations is a major dynamic in how we react to them. Our attitude could easily mean the difference between solving a problem and making it worse, and this has obvious ramifications to our growth in the image of God.

Man's natural state seems to lean toward pessimism. This springs from the fact that human nature and the flesh that clothes us are never satisfied; they always want more. Solomon notes, "The eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing" (Ecclesiastes 1:8). Our desire for more of even good things is like an addiction to drugs or alcohol. An addict will use a small amount at first, but soon, he needs more to give him the same feeling of euphoria or mellowness because the body and brain compensate to manage it. Before long, he is taking far greater amounts of the drug, and ultimately, the dose is lethal.

Because we are never truly satisfied, then, we tend to think that our best days are behind us and things can only get worse. Notice that, in literature, the Golden Age is almost always in the remote past, and though the author may express hope for the future, a lingering feeling of nostalgia remains for a time that can never be recovered. Even among Americans, known worldwide as a most optimistic people, many recall some era of our past as the "glory days" or "happy days."

Some yearn to turn the country back to the principles generally followed by the nation's founders because they are what made America truly great, and this yearning is fed by dissatisfaction with present-day America and little hope for a more-principled tomorrow.

If one dwells on his dissatisfaction long and deeply enough, he will not only be pessimistic, he will soon become downright bitter. The author of Hebrews tells us that this was among Esau's problems. He allowed a root of bitterness, a constant gnawing of dissatisfaction, an empty feeling of deserving better, to drag him down (Hebrews 12:15-17). He reached a point where his bitterness was so much a part of his nature that he could not change for the better.

The story of Job instructs us more positively. We could call Job the "anti-Esau." God allowed Satan to take everything of value from him short of his own life: his children, his wealth, his health. Even his wife told him, "Curse God and die!" (Job 2:9) To make matters worse, his three friends—supposedly there to encourage him—sat around and lectured him on how he must be some kind of sinner to have attracted such stupendous curses on himself!

Sure, Job was depressed. Who would not be? He says, "May the day perish on which I was born. . . Why did I not die at birth?" (Job 3:3, 11) Yet, as we progress through the story, we find that Job is not really a pessimistic man. Though he loathes what has happened to him, he maintains his integrity with feisty arguments and a keen desire to know why God has dealt with him in this way. As soon as God reveals His sovereignty to Job, the man humbly submits to it and repents (Job 42:1-6). Unlike Esau, Job does not let his sorry state drag him down. Instead, he optimistically chooses to do something positive to change his situation for the better.

The epilogue to the story reveals a lesson we can take from this: "Now the LORD blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning" (Job 42:12). Job's "golden age" is before him, not behind, and the key to his optimism is his relationship with God. Because he knows that God is in control of events—from the spinning of the cosmos to the smallest detail of his life—things would only turn out for the best. Jesus certainly echoes this in Luke 12:32-33: "Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom."

So, are you optimistic or pessimistic? If we are confident that God is with us—and He tells us positively that He is not only with us, but in us (John 14:20; 15:4; 17:21)—our glass should not be half-full, but brim-full and running over!

Please keep that last portion of that sentence in mind, “He is not only with us, but in us.” (This precious gift is going to come to the fore later in this sermon.)

Most of you probably read that particular Berean last Tuesday, but I wanted it to be fresh in our minds. This is exactly what we are going to be considering today.

We see the absolute sovereignty of God over His whole creation down to the smallest detail, and our very specifically determined part in it that is working together for good! He has given us the privilege to know Him by the small work He expects us to do with Him in faith.

Brethren, it seems apparent over the last few weeks that God really wants us to grab on to how carefully He has put things together, and those who love Him and are the called according to His purpose need to be more carefully considering His work down to the smallest detail, including our very small part in it to draw us closer to Him!

As long as we are here in Romans 8 let us drop back to verse 18:

Romans 8:18-23 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body.

Romans 8:27-31 Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

What an awesome God we serve and what an incredible opportunity He has given to each of us now, if we are willing to live up to our responsibilities within the places He has set us to serve the Body of Christ! God is very patiently working with each one of us and, eventually, all mankind to create men in their image according to their likeness.

Genesis 1:26 Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth."

We are all very familiar with this plan that God is working out, but we need to consider those words “image” and “likeness.” From the very beginning of the Book God is giving vital clues to what He is giving to all men now, and what He sees most men doing with it.

First let us look at the word image. This is Strong’s H6754, transliterated tselem. I want you to hang onto that word “transliterated,” because we are going to get back to it in a minute. You have all heard that word used quite often when quoting from Strong’s, and we are going to need to focus on that.

Tselem: from an unused root meaning to shade; a phantom, figuratively an illusion, resemblance; hence a representative figure, especially an idol, image, vain show; an outline or representation of an original, like a shadow is the outline of the original.

This same word is used in both Exodus 20:4, and Leviticus 26:1, where God commands us not to make any graven images.

One word study I use described the meaning of tselem this way:

A masculine noun meaning an image, a likeness, a statue, a model, a drawing, or a shadow. The word means image or likeness; its most celebrated theological and anthropological use was to depict human beings as made in God's own image. People continue to be in His image even after the fall, although the image is marred.

It is used metaphorically to depict persons as shadows, phantoms; or unknowing, senseless, fleeting beings carrying out the motions of life unless they have hope in God. In a similar vein, the wicked before the Lord are considered as mere dreams or fantasies.

Now as we read through each of the next passages, keep in mind what John Ritenbaugh taught us about the book of Ecclesiastes. There are two distinct attitudes within the book. There are those who see things under the sun focused on this life, and those who see things above the sun and focused on the Kingdom of God.

Psalm 39:1-7 I said, "I will guard my ways, lest I sin with my tongue; I will restrain my mouth with a muzzle, while the wicked are before me." I was mute with silence, I held my peace even from good; and my sorrow was stirred up. My heart was hot within me; while I was musing, the fire burned. Then I spoke with my tongue: "LORD, make me to know my end, and what is the measure of my days, so that I may know how frail I am. Indeed, You have made my days as handbreadths, and my age is as nothing before You; certainly every man at his best state is but vapor. Selah. Surely every man walks about like a shadow; surely they busy themselves in vain; he heaps up riches, and does not know who will gather them. "And now, Lord, what do I wait for? My hope is in You.”

Psalm 73:1-12 Truly God is good to Israel, to such as are pure in heart. But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled; my steps had nearly slipped, for I was envious of the boastful, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked, for there are no pangs in their death, but their strength is firm. They are not in trouble as other men, nor are they plagued like other men. Therefore pride serves as their necklace; violence covers them like a garment. Their eyes bulge with abundance; they have more than heart could wish. They scoff and speak wickedly concerning oppression; they speak loftily. They set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walks through the earth. Therefore his people return here, and waters of a full cup are drained by them. And they say, "How does God know? Is there knowledge in the Most High?" Behold, these are the ungodly, who are always at ease; they increase in riches.

Psalm 73:16-17 When I thought how to understand this, it was too painful for me—until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I understood their end.

Psalm 73:20 As a dream when one awakes, so, Lord, when You awake, You shall despise their image.

In both of these psalms we see the “image”—the shadow of God—is still there. But without the “likeness of God” within them they are merely, as Shakespeare put it, “Walking shadows that strut and fret their hour on the stage and are heard no more, full of sound and fury but signifying nothing.” Walking shadows are not what God intended from the beginning. The fact is that what God sees in most men is not anywhere close to what He expects to see in us!

Now in Genesis 1:26 that word, “likeness” is Strong’s #1823, and is transliterated demooth from the ancient Hebrew. It has a bit of a variation from image in that it indicates a resemblance that goes beyond just a shadow and is more concrete.

This is where we get back to that word “transliterate.” Transliterate means to represent letters or words in the corresponding characters of another alphabet.

Most of the Hebrew Old Testament we have was written in Aramaic, which is the language that was spoken and written after the Babylonian captivity. It is a transliteration of the ancient Hebrew, which was written as pictures or pictographs, similar to Egyptian hieroglyphics. It was intimately related to Hebrew culture. Therefore, each picture represented an object whose definition is closely related to the agricultural lifestyle of the ancient Hebrews. (Benner, Jeff. The Ancient Hebrew Language and Alphabet: Understanding the Ancient Hebrew language of the Bible based on Ancient Hebrew Culture and Thought (p. 4), Ancient Hebrew Research Center, Kindle Edition.)

With this in mind, we can now get a better understanding of what was meant by likeness and what God intended that went beyond the mere shadow or outline of the original.

The following is [the text only] from a word study from the book mentioned above:

The pictograph [d] is a door representing the idea of moving back and forth. The [m] is a picture of water and can represent any liquid especially blood. Combined these pictures mean, "the moving back and forth of water," or, “the flowing of blood." Similarly, the grape plant takes water from the ground and moves it to the fruit where the water becomes the blood of the grape.

The blood of man is also water, which moves through the body. When the blood is shed, the man or animal becomes silent. . . . A son from the blood of his father resembles his father.

Likeness: A son from the blood of his father resembles his father.

Turn to Genesis 2.

Genesis 2:7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.

In this act God did something with man that was done with no other creature that God had made. He breathed the breath of His life into Adam. And as the blood of Adam pumped through his lungs to all the parts of his body, including his brain, God began the process of creating Adam to resemble his Father from the inside out. This breath of life that flowed in the blood through his body made man not only a sentient being like animals, that automatically responded to senses, but one who could reason and think like God does, although in a much more limited way. But it put the ability in man—the spirit of man—to consider eternity in our hearts.

You can train an animal to respond based on sensual reward or deprivation. But God gave man the ability to learn to think like He thinks. He has given man the ability to make choices that fills out the image with substance. This is why when we read Psalm 39 and 73, we saw that those who are making choices driven solely by the senses, become nothing more than shadows, vapors, and images that God finds worthless.

Right from the beginning God gave men and women what no other created being had—His ability to think and act on those thoughts. However, it would only be an image less than a vapor, driven by the lusts of the eyes, the flesh and the pride of this life when not focused on Him in truth.

We can read that very thing:

Psalm 73:25-28 Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You. My flesh and my heart fail; but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. For indeed, those who are far from You shall perish; You have destroyed all those who desert You for harlotry. But it is good for me to draw near to God. I have put my trust in the Lord GOD, that I may declare all Your works.

Considering these things—those who love God and are the called according to His purpose, predestined to be conformed to the image of Jesus Christ—please turn with me back to Romans 11.

Here we are going to break into the middle of Paul’s reminder not to think of ourselves better than any of those within physical Israel that God had set apart for His glory, because we have been grafted in, where they have been cut off, for now.

Romans 11:17-25 And if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them, and with them became a partaker of the root and fatness of the olive tree, do not boast against the branches. But if you do boast, remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you. You will say then, "Branches were broken off that I might be grafted in." Well said. Because of unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by faith. Do not be haughty, but fear. For if God did not spare the natural branches, He may not spare you either.

Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off. And they also, if they do not continue in unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. For if you were cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and were grafted contrary to nature into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these, who are natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree? For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.

Brethren, we have nothing to boast about within our election and responsibilities. It is God who decides according to His purpose, who will be where and when to accomplish what He declared right from the beginning of creating man in the image and likeness of God, through His work! All we can do is to stay within the place He has set us, learning and living, as He has purposefully determined so as to know His glory!

I Corinthians 10:1-12 Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink, for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ. But with most of them God was not well pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness.

Now these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted. And do not become idolaters as were some of them. As it is written, "The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play." Nor let us commit sexual immorality, as some of them did, and in one day twenty-three thousand fell; nor let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed by serpents; nor complain, as some of them also complained, and were destroyed by the destroyer. Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.

Take heed lest we fall.

Now with all of this in mind, we are going to get to the main part of this sermon today. I hope it will give us some food for thought as we are those who have been called by the Father to His Son to conform to Their image.

Today is the 28^th day in our 50-day count to Pentecost. It is also the fourth Sabbath in the seven-Sabbath count. Today in the count is the very middle Sabbath. Three have passed, and three are yet to be counted.

So what might we glean from this particular Sabbath within the count in order that we take heed lest we fall as they did, but with much greater consequences during these days when judgment is on the household of God?

Why do we count to Pentecost? Today, hopefully, we will see one possible lesson among many that we can glean if we faithfully count and consider those things God has given to us in His Word so we can continue to be growing to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, conformed into the very image of Jesus Christ.

We know that timing is always a vital component revealing God’s sovereign authority over every aspect of His creation according to His purpose. Therefore, with that in mind, we need to consider the timing of Jesus Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection within the days of the week.

We will not be taking the time now to look at all that we have studied to re-prove the timing of the sequence of those vital events as they took place in 31 AD. But we need to consider them here.

We know Jesus Christ kept the Passover on a Tuesday evening after sunset; was crucified on Wednesday; and placed in the tomb just before sunset on that Wednesday evening. He then, in fulfilling His own prophetic statement, was resurrected by the Father after three nights and three days just before sunset on the Sabbath.

I believe it is safe to consider, knowing God’s carefully determined timing of things, that Israel kept the first Passover on a Tuesday evening after sunset, remaining in their homes, as commanded, until sunrise on Wednesday. They then spent the daylight hours assembling and preparing to leave Egypt. Finally at sunset on Wednesday that started the 15^th day of the first month, they began their exodus from Egypt on the night God declared to be, the Night to be Much Observed.

With this in mind, we can now overlay the count to Pentecost.

We know Israel could not begin to count to Pentecost themselves until the first harvest of their own planted crops once they had settled in the Promised Land. But we can use the count commanded from that day forward to glean some very important lessons, when we use it to determine where Israel was in their wilderness journey, and then extract principles for ourselves at these end times within our own wilderness journey, as the spiritual Israel of God.

Exodus 12:1-3 Now the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying, "This month shall be your beginning of months; it shall be the first month of the year to you. Speak to all the congregation of Israel, saying: 'On the tenth of this month every man shall take for himself a lamb, according to the house of his father, a lamb for a household.’”

Exodus 12:6-8 ‘Now you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of the same month. Then the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it at twilight. And they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and on the lintel of the houses where they eat it. Then they shall eat the flesh on that night; roasted in fire, with unleavened bread and with bitter herbs they shall eat it.’

Exodus 12:21-29 Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel and said to them, "Pick out and take lambs for yourselves according to your families, and kill the Passover lamb. And you shall take a bunch of hyssop, dip it in the blood that is in the basin, and strike the lintel and the two doorposts with the blood that is in the basin. And none of you shall go out of the door of his house until morning. For the LORD will pass through to strike the Egyptians; and when He sees the blood on the lintel and on the two doorposts, the LORD will pass over the door and not allow the destroyer to come into your houses to strike you. And you shall observe this thing as an ordinance for you and your sons forever.

It will come to pass when you come to the land which the LORD will give you, just as He promised, that you shall keep this service. And it shall be, when your children say to you, 'What do you mean by this service?' that you shall say, 'It is the Passover sacrifice of the LORD, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt when He struck the Egyptians and delivered our households.'" So the people bowed their heads and worshiped. Then the children of Israel went away and did so; just as the LORD had commanded Moses and Aaron, so they did. And it came to pass at midnight that the LORD struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sat on his throne to the firstborn of the captive who was in the dungeon, and all the firstborn of livestock.

As we have learned over the years by carefully letting God’s Word interpret itself—line upon line, precept upon precept—that the Israelites did as God commanded and stayed within their homes until sunrise and the daylight portion of the 14^th. From this time on Wednesday morning they then spent the day preparing and assembling at Ramses in Goshen.

It is from there, following the sunset that began the 15^th, they began to leave Egypt. This of course would have been Wednesday evening.

Exodus 12:36-38 And the LORD had given the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they granted them what they requested. Thus they plundered the Egyptians. Then the children of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand men on foot, besides children. A mixed multitude went up with them also, and flocks and herds—a great deal of livestock.

Exodus 12:40-42 Now the sojourn of the children of Israel who lived in Egypt was four hundred and thirty years. And it came to pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty years—on that very same day—it came to pass that all the armies of the LORD went out from the land of Egypt. It is a night of solemn observance to the LORD for bringing them out of the land of Egypt. This is that night of the LORD, a solemn observance for all the children of Israel throughout their generations.

This then is our starting point for us to overlay the count to Pentecost.

Please keep in mind; we are looking backward for clues through the count to Pentecost. The count that did not actually begin until the first sheaf of Israel’s planted and harvested first crop in the Promised Land some 40 years down the road. But from that time forward to this day it is something that God has commanded and not without reason. Again, in looking back we can overlay the Pentecost count on the first three months of Israel’s journeys to find some vital instructions. Therefore, we can see within our overlay the first day of the count that began on Sunday, would have been the fourth day of Israel’s journey out of Egypt, which began on Thursday.

(I hope that I have been able to make this clear because it will give us some very important lessons for this fourth Sabbath in the seven-Sabbath count in the examples and admonitions that we can glean from this day.)

Please turn forward a few chapters to Exodus 16.

Exodus 16:1 And they journeyed from Elim, and all the congregation of the children of Israel came to the Wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after they departed from the land of Egypt.

If we look carefully at our overlay, we will see that the fifteenth day of the second month that began at sunset the previous evening, is today, the fourth Sabbath in God’s commanded seven-Sabbath count to Pentecost.

So we are going to continue in Exodus 16 to see just what took place that day, so we can begin to extract some lessons from their example to us at this end time.

However, before we do that, I want to consider the incredible emotional high that both Moses and Israel felt after God had delivered them completely from their physical captivity, just a little over a month before. I compare this to their first love.

This is not only the song that Moses sang but all of Israel with him,

Exodus 15:1-7 Then Moses and the children of Israel sang this song to the LORD, and spoke, saying: "I will sing to the LORD, for He has triumphed gloriously! The horse and its rider He has thrown into the sea! The LORD is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation; He is my God, and I will praise Him; my father's God, and I will exalt Him. The LORD is a man of war; the LORD is His name. Pharaoh's chariots and his army He has cast into the sea; His chosen captains also are drowned in the Red Sea. The depths have covered them; they sank to the bottom like a stone. "Your right hand, O LORD, has become glorious in power; Your right hand, O LORD, has dashed the enemy in pieces. And in the greatness of Your excellence You have overthrown those who rose against You; You sent forth Your wrath; it consumed them like stubble.”

Exodus 15:11-13 "Who is like You, O LORD, among the gods? Who is like You, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders? You stretched out Your right hand; the earth swallowed them. You in Your mercy have led forth the people whom You have redeemed; You have guided them in Your strength to Your holy habitation.”

Exodus 15:18 "The LORD shall reign forever and ever."

Exodus 15:20-21 Then Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took the timbrel in her hand; and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances. And Miriam answered them: "Sing to the LORD, for He has triumphed gloriously! The horse and its rider He has thrown into the sea!"

Their exaltation for God was truly sincere. They all were eyewitnesses of God’s power and might to physically free them. But it was short lived! God continued to lead them but their relationship with Him was to them only as real as it had been with the gods they came to know in Egypt. They could not see Him beyond their own self-satisfaction. Even though they had the ability to think, sin was so much a part of their existence that they could not think beyond the then and there.

As we see in the last few verses of this chapter (15:22-27), they were back complaining about their physical needs after three days. Was this complaint on the first Sabbath in the seven Sabbaths count to Pentecost? Were waters made sweet and God’s promise of healing on the second? And the arrival at twelve wells and seventy palms on the third? I do not know. But it seems very probable that what we are about to read took place on the fourth Sabbath of the seven.

Before going on, it is important to remember the Sabbath is always God’s sign post, as well as His holy time that He gives to draw closer to Him. I would also ask that we consider (as we move through this) God’s very patient and merciful response to the nation who had been so far from Him as He begins bringing them back into His presence.

Exodus 16:2-4 Then the whole congregation of the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. And the children of Israel said to them, "Oh, that we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the pots of meat and when we ate bread to the full! For you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger." Then the LORD said to Moses, "Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you. And the people shall go out and gather a certain quota every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in My law or not.”

Brethren, keep in mind how gentle God is with their complaint at this point.

Exodus 16:5-7 “And it shall be on the sixth day that they shall prepare what they bring in, and it shall be twice as much as they gather daily." Then Moses and Aaron said to all the children of Israel, "At evening you shall know that the LORD has brought you out of the land of Egypt. And in the morning you shall see the glory of the LORD; for He hears your complaints."

Exodus 16:11-18 And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, "I have heard the complaints of the children of Israel. Speak to them, saying, 'At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall be filled with bread. And you shall know that I am the LORD your God.'" So it was that quails came up at evening and covered the camp, and in the morning the dew lay all around the camp. And when the layer of dew lifted, there, on the surface of the wilderness, was a small round substance, as fine as frost on the ground. So when the children of Israel saw it, they said to one another, "What is it?" For they did not know what it was. And Moses said to them, "This is the bread which the LORD has given you to eat. This is the thing which the LORD has commanded: 'Let every man gather it according to each one's need, one omer for each person, according to the number of persons; let every man take for those who are in his tent.'" Then the children of Israel did so and gathered, some more, some less. So when they measured it by omers, he who gathered much had nothing left over, and he who gathered little had no lack. Every man had gathered according to each one's need.

Exodus 16:22-23 And so it was, on the sixth day, that they gathered twice as much bread, two omers for each one. And all the rulers of the congregation came and told Moses. Then he said to them, "This is what the LORD has said: 'Tomorrow is a Sabbath rest, a holy Sabbath to the LORD. Bake what you will bake today, and boil what you will boil; and lay up for yourselves all that remains, to be kept until morning.'"

This whole series of events started on the fourth Sabbath. And this Sabbath, at the end of those six days would have been the fifth Sabbath. But for now, we will stay concerned with this one, because it was at this point that God laid about again His holy Sabbath.

Exodus 16:26 “Six days you shall gather it, but on the seventh day, the Sabbath, there will be none."

Exodus 16:31-35 And the house of Israel called its name Manna. And it was like white coriander seed, and the taste of it was like wafers made with honey. Then Moses said, "This is the thing which the LORD has commanded: 'Fill an omer with it, to be kept for your generations, that they may see the bread with which I fed you in the wilderness, when I brought you out of the land of Egypt.'" And Moses said to Aaron, "Take a pot and put an omer of manna in it, and lay it up before the LORD, to be kept for your generations." As the LORD commanded Moses, so Aaron laid it up before the Testimony, to be kept. And the children of Israel ate manna forty years, until they came to an inhabited land; they ate manna until they came to the border of the land of Canaan. Now an omer is about one-tenth of an ephah.

Brethren, it is here on this 15^th day of the second month of the first year, the middle Sabbath of the God’s seven-Sabbath count to Pentecost that God really makes one of the most vital moves in drawing physical Israel out of the mentality of slaves and into a thoughtful relationship with Him. He clearly reveals His Glory as the only One who can provide for every need. But more importantly He once again opens the door to the true peace, rest, and communication with Him that can only be found within the specific time He has declared holy to Him. They had now been given the main tool they needed to begin to draw back to the one true God, who was patiently leading them back to Him, whose glory at this point was only beheld at a distance.

So what have we seen so far as we consider the lessons we can learn from Israel’s wilderness wonderings that are intended as examples for us on the fourth Sabbath in the seven-Sabbath count to Pentecost?

The first is the vital importance of the seventh day Sabbath and its vital connection to developing our relationship with the One true God.

The second is, longing for the good old days either comes from or leads to contention and drawing away from thanksgiving that leads to God.

Third, God can and will provide all our needs at exactly the right time with more than enough for all who obey Him.

Fourth, we have a small part in collecting our daily bread of life.

Fifth, note the patience God has with those who had hardly had any chance to know Him.

Now let us fast forward to Israel’s journey one year down the road.

Exodus 40:17-18 And it came to pass in the first month of the second year, on the first day of the month, that the tabernacle was raised up. So Moses raised up the tabernacle, fastened its sockets, set up its boards, put in its bars, and raised up its pillars.

Exodus 40:22-23 He put the table in the tabernacle of meeting, on the north side of the tabernacle, outside the veil; and he set the bread in order upon it before the LORD, as the LORD had commanded Moses.

Then, Moses goes through all the different jobs and things that had been done over the previous year by those God had gifted the ability to do so in assembling the tabernacle of meeting—His place where He would be in their midst.

And then we read beginning in verse 34 that after it was assembled in this first month of the second year:

Exodus 40:34-38 Then the cloud covered the tabernacle of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. And Moses was not able to enter the tabernacle of meeting, because the cloud rested above it, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. Whenever the cloud was taken up from above the tabernacle, the children of Israel would go onward in all their journeys. But if the cloud was not taken up, then they did not journey till the day that it was taken up, for the cloud of the LORD was above the tabernacle by day, and fire was over it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel, throughout all their journeys.

Brethren, this is one year later. If we were to go back and read through the intervening chapters, as well as the corresponding information within the rest of the Pentateuch, we would see that all of Israel was involved one way or the other in God’s work to draw them closer to Him, as He was setting Himself among them.

All had been gifted to share in the work to build and assemble God’s specifically designed tabernacle to draw closer to Him.

His laws had been firmly restated. They were no longer an ignorant group of slaves but a regimented nation, who all had been graciously given very small parts in learning and living the way of the true God.

His glory was no longer in the distance but right there in their midst!

By the grace and patient work of God, physical Israel had been removed from slavery in Egypt, and had been given the abilities and privilege to play a part in God’s work to make Him the reality at the center of their lives.

Numbers 9:15-23 Now on the day that the tabernacle was raised up, the cloud covered the tabernacle, the tent of the Testimony; from evening until morning it was above the tabernacle like the appearance of fire. So it was always: the cloud covered it by day, and the appearance of fire by night. Whenever the cloud was taken up from above the tabernacle, after that the children of Israel would journey; and in the place where the cloud settled, there the children of Israel would pitch their tents. At the command of the LORD the children of Israel would journey, and at the command of the LORD they would camp; as long as the cloud stayed above the tabernacle they remained encamped. Even when the cloud continued long, many days above the tabernacle, the children of Israel kept the charge of the LORD and did not journey.

So it was, when the cloud was above the tabernacle a few days: according to the command of the LORD they would remain encamped, and according to the command of the LORD they would journey. So it was, when the cloud remained only from evening until morning: when the cloud was taken up in the morning, then they would journey; whether by day or by night, whenever the cloud was taken up, they would journey. Whether it was two days, a month, or a year that the cloud remained above the tabernacle, the children of Israel would remain encamped and not journey; but when it was taken up, they would journey. At the command of the LORD they remained encamped, and at the command of the LORD they journeyed; they kept the charge of the LORD, at the command of the LORD by the hand of Moses.

Here we see that God was now dwelling directly in their midst and obviously directing the entire nation of Israel in their sight continually.

Numbers 10:11-13 Now it came to pass on the twentieth day of the second month, in the second year, that the cloud was taken up from above the tabernacle of the Testimony. And the children of Israel set out from the Wilderness of Sinai on their journeys; then the cloud settled down in the Wilderness of Paran. So they started out for the first time according to the command of the LORD by the hand of Moses.

Here, within the next verses we see Israel’s orderly march at God’s direction—no longer chaotic but set in the orderly way of God!

Numbers 10:33-36 So they departed from the mountain of the LORD on a journey of three days; and the ark of the covenant of the LORD went before them for the three days' journey, to search out a resting place for them. And the cloud of the LORD was above them by day when they went out from the camp. So it was, whenever the ark set out, that Moses said: "Rise up, O LORD! Let Your enemies be scattered, and let those who hate You flee before You." And when it rested, he said: "Return, O LORD, to the many thousands of Israel."

Numbers 11:1-3 Now when the people complained, it displeased the LORD; for the LORD heard it, and His anger was aroused. So the fire of the LORD burned among them, and consumed some in the outskirts of the camp. Then the people cried out to Moses, and when Moses prayed to the LORD, the fire was quenched. So he called the name of the place Taberah, because the fire of the LORD had burned among them.

Here Israel had spent a year with God directing them and setting them in order! He even gave them the gifts necessary to work with Him, bringing Him into their midst. His glory no longer seen in the distance but clearly with them and leading them as no god of Egypt ever could.

God had been making them outwardly into His image of order within His laws of outgoing concern. But to whom much is given, much is required. As patient as He had been with them a year earlier in their ignorance, their complaining now brought much greater consequences.

Just to help us make sure we see that this was not the same set of events as we saw there in Exodus 16, please note the time markers.

In Numbers 10:11-13, 33 this was their first move with the Tabernacle, and it was, once again during what would later be the count to Pentecost but one year later. Possibly resting again one of the seven Sabbaths in the count? I do not know.

But it is interesting that lusting again over what they left behind was a source of rebellion and complaints. Although this time God’s reactions were much more severe.

Numbers 11:4-6 Now the mixed multitude who were among them yielded to intense craving; so the children of Israel also wept again and said: "Who will give us meat to eat? We remember the fish which we ate freely in Egypt, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic; but now our whole being is dried up; there is nothing at all except this manna before our eyes!"

The grumbling started with the mixed multitude that went with them, and then it spread to them. What did they attack? God Himself—the very hope of productive lives in the weekly reminder of the work that only our Great God can do. They literally told God that they despised what He had given them to sustain life, wanting more of what they thought would satisfy their carnal lusts.

Numbers 11:10-15 Then Moses heard the people weeping throughout their families, everyone at the door of his tent; and the anger of the LORD was greatly aroused; Moses also was displeased. So Moses said to the LORD, "Why have You afflicted Your servant? And why have I not found favor in Your sight, that You have laid the burden of all these people on me? Did I conceive all these people? Did I beget them, that You should say to me, 'Carry them in your bosom, as a guardian carries a nursing child,' to the land which You swore to their fathers? Where am I to get meat to give to all these people? For they weep all over me, saying, 'Give us meat that we may eat.' I am not able to bear all these people alone, because the burden is too heavy for me. If You treat me like this, please kill me here and now—if I have found favor in Your sight—do not let me see my wretchedness!"

Numbers 11:18-23 “Then you shall say to the people, 'Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow, and you shall eat meat; for you have wept in the hearing of the LORD, saying, "Who will give us meat to eat? For it was well with us in Egypt." Therefore the LORD will give you meat, and you shall eat. You shall eat, not one day, nor two days, nor five days, nor ten days, nor twenty days, but for a whole month, until it comes out of your nostrils and becomes loathsome to you, because you have despised the LORD who is among you, and have wept before Him, saying, "Why did we ever come up out of Egypt?"'" And Moses said, "The people whom I am among are six hundred thousand men on foot; yet You have said, 'I will give them meat, that they may eat for a whole month.' Shall flocks and herds be slaughtered for them, to provide enough for them? Or shall all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them, to provide enough for them?" And the LORD said to Moses, "Has the LORD's arm been shortened? Now you shall see whether what I say will happen to you or not."

Even Moses was getting worn down showing itself in failing to remember all that God had done to bring them to this point, with unlimited power. Although, we see in verses 16-17, God provided Moses with the help he needed to continue. Apparently, He saw in Moses’ almost overwhelming frustration and his own recognition of his failures to live up to his responsibilities (Numbers 11:15), and that he needed a way of escape, which God provided (Numbers 11:16-30).

But with those who complained (with rebellion in their hearts), literally despising what God had provided to keep them whole and sound now for year—He was furious!

Numbers 11:31-35 Now a wind went out from the LORD, and it brought quail from the sea and left them fluttering near the camp, about a day's journey on this side and about a day's journey on the other side, all around the camp, and about two cubits above the surface of the ground. And the people stayed up all that day, all night, and all the next day, and gathered the quail (he who gathered least gathered ten homers); and they spread them out for themselves all around the camp. But while the meat was still between their teeth, before it was chewed, the wrath of the LORD was aroused against the people, and the LORD struck the people with a very great plague. So he called the name of that place Kibroth Hattaavah, because there they buried the people who had yielded to craving. From Kibroth Hattaavah the people moved to Hazeroth, and camped at Hazeroth.

Brethren, we do not have enough time right now to go through all the details, but the events in Exodus 16 and Numbers 11 were two different events, perhaps exactly one year apart, and something God expects us to learn from during this count to Pentecost.

God brought slaves from bondage, and He showed them great mercy and patience. He allowed them to stumble and complain because that was all they knew—before including them in His work. He introduced them to His bread of life that would lead them to rest and refreshment. He gave them a year of health, strength, order, and rest while continuing in satisfying work with His gifts to join Him in His work to bring Him into their midst. He gave them all they needed to live peacefully and in order, to live as He lives, thoughtfully according to His way of life. But without a new heart they could not do what God expects us to do!

They let the intense cravings of the outsiders become their focus. They did not have the hearts of flesh to actually grow in His image, according to the likeness of God. And as they despised the manna and what it represented, God despised the image that they presented to Him.

I took quite a bit of time before talking about God creating man in Their image, according to Their likeness. But in the world at this time, most do not come anywhere near the image of God according to Their likeness, only a vapor.

However, each of us who have been given the privilege now to be a new creation, should take great care to examine what happened to those who have gone before us with the tools God has given us, like thoughtfully considering the count to Pentecost. In these things God continually reveals Himself and How He is working to bring all men eventually to repentance (II Peter 3:9), salvation, and knowledge of the truth (I Timothy 2:4).

But for us now under judgment, God’s words through the apostle Paul in Romans 8:28-31, should be always driving us with Christ dwelling in us.

Romans 8:28-31 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

To be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren, truly born into His image according to the likeness of God.

MS/rwu/drm