Joshua 3 (July 9)

                                                          Similar, Yet More Blessed

            “Follow it…”

            The Ark of the Covenant represented the very presence of God to the people of Israel.  The Lord was with them in the cloud and in the ark. The cloud was above them and the ark was carried in front of them to guide them to victory. It was a glorious time to be alive! The road was difficult, but they had just experienced a mighty deliverance and were on the way to the Promised Land.

            Today there is no ark, no tabernacle, no pillar of fire and we have no priests, no Levites or heavenly manna.  We have not seen how the Red Sea (or Sea of Reeds) is divided and we have not crossed the Jordan River.

            Furthermore, we have never seen Abraham, David, Isaiah, Elijah or Moses; and we did not witness the wondrous miracles performed in Egypt and in the wilderness by God’s rod.

            Nevertheless, the Christians are very similar to the Jews of the Old Testament on various counts.  We are pilgrims passing by through this wilderness some call “world.”  We might not have manna, but we delight in Jesus, the Bread of Life; we do not follow the ark, but we walk behind our fearless LEADER; and we are guided by the Holy Spirit, instead of a cloud.

            Dear brethren, do not be overcome with envy or sadness because you were not eyewitnesses of the many glorious biblical miracles. Remember that God has done something greater for us:  He opened heaven’s doors to all who believe.  Do you believe in Christ?

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