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On Wilderness Wisdom #2 ...

For a brief explanation of what this is about, look here . Implicit Obedience Doesn’t Involve Reconnoitring! The first three chapters of Deuteronomy are an excellent example of oral tradition. Just before the next generation was to enter the Promised Land, Moses sat down and recited their history over the past forty odd years. The purpose was two-fold – to ensure that the youngsters knew their past, as well as being a reminder of the pit-falls they should avoid. And one of the pit-falls is in the passage below – “And I (Moses) said to you... 'Look, the Lord your God has set the land before you; go up and possess it, as the Lord God of your fathers has spoken to you; do not fear or be discouraged.’ “And every one of you came near to me and said, ‘Let us send men before us, and let them search out the land for us, and bring back word to us of the way by which we should go up...’ “The plan pleased me well; so I took twelve of your men, one man ...

On Wilderness Wisdom #1...

So I’ve been reading Exodus through to Deuteronomy over the past few months, and have stumbled across various perceptive nuggets of insight from the wilderness wanderings of the (in)famous motley family troupe. These gems were learned the hard way most of the time, if at all! More like “Truth Bombs” as MD would say! It’s a collection that I call “Wilderness Wisdom”... Tried And True? God Doesn't Think So! Most times I live on the basis of tried and true methods. If something has worked for me in the past, I’d rather follow that pattern again, than risk a newfangled one. But God, being the Creative One, doesn't think so! In Numbers 20:8-12, God commands Moses to “speak” to a rock for it to yield its water. This was the second instance of water being brought forth from a rock. Earlier, Moses had been instructed to “strike” the rock, and water had gushed forth. Piece of cake, wouldn't you say? This time should have been easy. He had done it befo...