Only Jesus

Verse of the day: Numbers 20:1, 12, 28 “Then the sons of Israel, the whole congregation, came to the wilderness of Zin in the first month; and the people stayed at Kadesh. Now Miriam died there and was buried there.” 12 “But the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, ‘Because you have not believed Me, to treat Me as holy in the sight of the sons of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them.’” 28 “After Moses had stripped Aaron of his garments and put them on his son Eleazar, Aaron died there on the mountain top. Then Moses and Eleazar came down from the mountain.”

This chapter is filled with events that picture the whole point of the Gospel message. First, we see the death of Miriam. Later, God imposes a penalty on Moses for his unbelief in striking the rock to bring forth water, rather than speak to it, as God instructed him. Toward the end of the chapter, we see the death of Aaron. Why are these three events important? Each one of these personalities, represent an office in the Old Testament that was given to Israel to picture the coming of the Messiah. Miriam was representative of the prophets who continually foretold the coming of the Messiah. Exodus 15:21 tells us, “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.” Aaron was the first high priest, appointed by God, representing the priesthood (Exodus 28:1). Finally, we have Moses who represented the Law, as it was given to Israel through him (Exodus 31). The death of each one occurring before they entered the Promise Land pictures the fact that the Law, the prophets, or the work of the priesthood could not, in and of itself, bring them into the rest and peace that God promised Israel. In previous events, when spies were sent into the land to survey it, only Joshua and Caleb brought back a positive report, and only these two tried to encourage the people to enter the land God had promised them. The consequence of their actions was that they would both see the Promise Land. In other words, they received God’s promise, and entered into God’s peace and rest, by faith (Numbers 13). Ultimately, it was Joshua, the Hebrew name for Jesus, who led the Israelites into the Promise Land. Knowledge of prophecy does not give us eternal life. Performing religious rituals that inflate our egos does not gain us favor and eternal life, and following Old Testament Law does not make us righteous or gain us salvation. On the contrary, it shows us exactly how sinful we really are, and how much we need the Savior. The Law condemns us so that we realize our inability to save ourselves. Joshua leading the people into the Promise Land is a picture of salvation coming by faith in Jesus, and Him alone. No one else was allowed to bring them into God’s promise. No amount of works, good deeds, or anything else, will earn us eternal life, only faith in Christ, and His finished work on Calvary. Ephesians 2:8-9 clearly tells us, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.” Titus 3:4-7, “But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, 5 not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” If you are reading this today, and you are relying on something or someone other than Jesus for eternal life, stop and put your faith and trust in Him alone. If you already know Him, praise Him for the salvation He has granted, for just as the Israelites were unworthy to enter into the Promise Land, but were led in because of the faith of Joshua; so we today have eternal life because of our faith in Jesus. He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, no one comes to the Father but by Him (John 14:6).

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).