The compelling truth of Israel’s story in the Old Testament is it hits so close to home in our own lives. It is the story, too often, of making bold promises to God, then turning right around and finding a way to mess it up.
Numbers 9-11 are key examples of the attitude we often take when we are incredibly close to spiritual victory. Israel is SET. The tabernacle is built. The ark is built. The feasts are in place. The Passover is celebrated.
The presence of God is with them, and just how God promised it would all operate was functioning well! His presence would come down and they would camp. His presence would move, and they would follow! The “practice runs” went well, and now it was time to move into the Promised Land.
By the end of Numbers 10 there is a crescendo of rejoicing. The people are following the presence of God! They are ready to take the land!
33 So they set out from the mountain of the Lord and traveled for three days. The ark of the covenant of the Lord went before them during those three days to find them a place to rest. 34 The cloud of the Lord was over them by day when they set out from the camp.
35 Whenever the ark set out, Moses said,
“Rise up, Lord!
May your enemies be scattered;
may your foes flee before you.”36 Whenever it came to rest, he said,
“Return, Lord,
to the countless thousands of Israel.” (Numb. 10:33-26, NIV)
They are set to follow God. They are ready to be his people. The end of Numbers 10 is triumphant.
And then the wheels fall off.
They complain about hardships. Then, after the complaining starts in Numbers 11, it snow balls. Miriam and Aaron question Moses’s leadership. The spies sent into Canaan come back with a lousy report. Rebellion sets in.
On the verge of victory, they step back and decide to go down to defeat.
Israel’s story is my story. It is too often our story even in our day of being “in Christ.” We come to the precipice of victory, the place of throwing ourselves into the amazing place of obedience to God, and we stall out.
It could be self-sabotage. It could be a final attack from the enemy. There are myriads of reasons.
But something happens and at the precise moment of victory… we walk away.
There is a need to walk aware. There is a moment right now for myself and my church… a place of careful vigilance. I sensed it in our prayer meeting on Friday night. I sense it now. We are called to plunge into a place of the presence of God that will yield harvest. It will yield great things from God. And it is a careful place where the danger is very real. The enemy attacks. We pull back. Something happens.
And we back away from the victory that is already ours.
The story doesn’t have to be Numbers 11. It can be Acts 2.
Let us not snatch defeat away from the jaws of victory. Let us enter into the powerful promises of God.
Apprentice 2 Jesus 
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