WTFMT 45 (25 JULY 17 HGM)

WILDERNESS TRUTHS FOR MODERN TIMES-45

TEXT: "And the children of Israel took their journeys out of the wilderness of Sinai; and the cloud rested in the wilderness of Paran." (Numbers 10:12)

 

I. THE WILDERNESS OF PARAN

A. The Wilderness of Paran will have features which differ from other wildernesses. This is true in the case of every wilderness. They all differ from one another in some aspects. We shall not be considering the physical characteristics of the Wilderness of Paran rather we will focus upon spiritual aspects which are taken from the Bible.

 

II. SO AWFUL

A. In Christian circles believers have been given quite a variety of thoughts on spiritual wildernesses. Some of which may be correct and most incorrect. However a person's experience in a spiritual wilderness may not fit anything that he has been told.

B. For example the totally terrible thing which was reported to me is not nearly as bad as I was led to believe. Most believers have the idea that the spiritual wilderness experience is practically unbearable. If such a person is found in the wilderness then their built-in attitude would immediately translate the experience as terrible.

C. It is almost impossible to convince them that it is beautiful and a wonderful place in which to be. The wilderness does not feel good nor does it appear beautiful. They may have a very difficult time with the wilderness. D. They may have difficulty believing that it should be part of the Christian's spiritual training. They may find it virtually impossible to discover its positive aspects. If they would give their attention to the Word of God and to the wisdom and experiences of others they would indeed learn the ways of God in a wilderness experience. Anyone with an open honest heart, desiring God's best, will gain much from the Wilderness of Paran and from all of God's wildernesses.

III. WILL WE UNDERSTAND?

 

A. Most (if not all) believers have experienced a spiritual wilderness. These (the believers) have a foundation or platform upon which they can better understand (or understand for the first time) its divine arrangement and purposes. If they have never experienced a spiritual wilderness (which is highly unlikely) then they may have extreme difficulty in understanding.

B. Even some who have passed through a wilderness experience will have a difficult time understanding. This is mainly due to the fact that they do not wish to believe the wilderness is a Godly part of their Christian experience. C. The believer somehow assumes that they must understand everything today. Therefore they press for meanings which do not exist; or they will insist upon enlightenment which is beyond their experience and capacity to know and to carry. The result of such persistence is misunderstanding. The real damage in this is the assumption that a true understanding has been attained.

D. To avoid the dangers entailed in such practice we must first be content not to understand. Secondly, we must be willing to lay aside what we may or may not believe. Thirdly, we must be willing to hold or contain, "Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience." (I Timothy 3:9) That is we must be willing to hear that which we do not understand, receive it, and hold it within ourselves without doing anything with it for the time being, maybe forever.

E. Most of that which Jesus taught His disciples was not grasped by them at the time. Later they understood what they received. What we do not understand today we are to hold in a pure conscience for the future.

 

IV. PARTING THOUGHTS

 

A. The Wilderness of Paran is "glory" or "beauty." This is the meaning of "Paran" a Hebrew word (Strong's #6290). Most of us do not look upon the wilderness as a place of glory and beauty. In order to see the wilderness in such gratifying terms we must first become aware of God's intentions in bringing us into the wilderness. Once we come to this grand awareness we can then begin to understand why and how glory and beauty can be in a wilderness.

B. Scriptures which directly and indirectly relate to the wilderness in question will add to the description. The Word of God will tie things together for us and give us the picture God wants us to see and greatly understand. From the Bible we shall see what is moving in the wildernesses. God's direction and purposes in the wildernesses can be discovered only in His Word.

C. God's direction can be seen and somewhat understood as the Israelites first approach the Wilderness of Paran. This was not their choice rather it was God's choice even it was God's direction for them.

D. The Israelites simply followed the cloud stopping where it stopped moving when the cloud moved. The wisdom of God stopped is in His direction. If we find His direction we will find His wisdom. We must follow this order to find His best.