The Church (Ekklesia) In the Wilderness (Acts 7:38)
“But what did you go out into the wilderness to see?” (Matthew 11:7)
God has a purpose
in the wilderness.
He wants His people to SEE
- “Something Better”.[1]
People see what they want to see
- usually quail.[2]
“But what did you go out into the wilderness to see?”
Our father of faith “obeyed to GO OUT
as a sojourner in the land of promise”.[3]
It takes faith to see your way through the wilderness.
In the Wilderness of Sin[4] –
“Moses saw Him who is invisible”.[5]
In the wilderness of Ziph[6] –
those who were “in distress, in debt and discontented”
saw the difference between Saul and David[7]
– “The Glory of Israel”.[8]
In the Wilderness of the People[9] –
a remnant saw the restoration of
“The city which has foundations,
whose architect and builder is God”.[10]
In the Wilderness of Judea[11] –
many heard the crying, WENT OUT,
and saw one decrease and Another increase.[12]
“But what did you go out into the wilderness to see?”
God always “makes a way in the wilderness”.
He always “makes rivers in the desert”.
And He always “does a new thing” in the wilderness.[13]
Yes, when Gomer was allured into the Wilderness of Trouble[14],
she learned to sing a song of Hope to her Husband
and was betrothed to Him forever in faithfulness.[15]
So, you have to GO OUT into the wilderness in order to SEE.
But one of two things will happen:
You will either SEE JESUS,
or you will die of leanness, rebellion, or idolatry.
“But what did you go out into the wilderness to see?”
*******
FOOTNOTES:
[1] Viz. JESUS. The basic theme of the Book of Hebrews is found in the word “better,” in describing the superiority of Christ in both His person and His work. Christ provides: • Better revelation. 1:1-2 • Better expectation. 6:9 • Better priesthood. 7:7-11, 20-28 • Better hope. 7:19 • Better testament, covenant. 7:22, 8:6 • Better promises. 8:6 • Better sacrifices. 8:6 • Better possessions. 10:34 • Better country. 11:16 • Better resurrection. 11:35 • Better things. 11:40; 12:24
[2] Exodus 16; Numbers 11.
[3] Hebrews 11:9
[4] Exodus 16-17; Numbers 33-34; Deuteronomy 32:51
[5] Hebrews 11:27
[6] 1 Samuel 23:14; 26:1-2
[7] 1 Samuel 22:1-2; 23:13; 1 Chronicles 11:15
[8] Micah 1:15
[9] Ezekiel 20:35 Or the wilderness of the “tribe”, or “flock”, or “congregation”.
[10] Hebrews 11:10
[11] Matthew 3:1-3
[12] John 3:30
[13] Isaiah 43:19
[14] Hosea 2:14-15 Viz. “Achor” which means “Trouble”.
[15] Hosea 2:19-20
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At Christ’s Table – ACTpublications
“Explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words.”
1 Corinthians 2:13
© 1990
W.D. Furioso, Writer ~ Frances Furioso, Editor
At Christ’s Table Ministries ~ ACTpublications ~ https://www.AtChristsTable.org
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