Gods Sabbath

F AITH W ITHOUT W ORKS IS D EAT

103

of showing them where they had erred. Had they done this, the Lord would have clearly explained the nature of their transgres sion. If realization of their sin had been followed by sincere con fession, they would have rejected those wrong procedures which had barred them from entering Canaan, and adopted the right ones. Then they would have been able to enter God’s rest even if they had to bear the consequences of their wrong course and ac cept an alternative plan from God. Had they looked to God for specific orders, He would have communicated these at the right time through Moses. This is what they should have done. Instead, their attention was so fixed on blaming their self-inflicted troubles on an inno cent God, that they had no thought of examining their own wrong course. Consequently, they simply went from one evil con dition to a worse one. Had any humility remained, they would have at least sensed that something was wrong and asked themselves why they were in this rebellious state and where was the glowing faith they had experienced just a short time before? This is what Joshua did some forty years later when their children suffered the surprise defeat at Ai. He recognized that their humiliating defeat indicat ed that some mistake had been made. He did not spend a mo ment accusing God, but humbly looked to the Lord for answers to the problem. God gladly revealed these and then supplied him with the plan which, faithfully followed, worked to perfection. What He did for Israel forty years later, He would have done just as quickly and effectively at Kadesh Barnea. But the people in their stubborn self-sufficiency and pride had no mind to give Him such an opportunity.

ALesson for Us

It was because Israel did not follow God’s ways that they could not enter into His rest. Thus the Scriptures stress the great truth that faith must be combined with correct proce dures in order to bring success. This is the message Paul urges so strongly and which is embodied in the Sabbath of God. On ly when faith is linked with God’s ways will the people of God,