Gods Sabbath

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E NTERING INTO G OD ’ S S ABBATH R EST

only the dimmest understanding of the gospel at that time. It was no more in them to plan that building than it is in us to plan our lives or to conceive a way of deliverance from the bondage of sin and death. When God directed the encampment at Sinai to be finally broken up and the journey resumed, it required only eleven days to travel from Sinai to Kadesh Barnea. Despite the intru sion of various rebellions which had brought upon them disas trous consequences, the Israelites’ journey from bondage to the southern borders of the promised land had been marvelously successful. Again and again, they had been given clear demon strations of the distinctive way in which God worked, and of the infallible success which attended it. As long as they fol lowed the plans made by the One infinite in wisdom, they knew nothing of failure, loss, impossibility, or defeat. It is an inspiring record. The Israelites had had ample opportunity to meditate on the way they would have tackled the problems themselves and the very different outcome which would have resulted. The system which had been in force until that time had worked faultlessly, so they had no excuse for changing the procedure of trusting in God alone for the plan making and problem solving. In not a sin gle instance had God’s directives, when followed exactly, brought them anything but success and blessing. If God had proved to be a faulty Plan Maker and Problem Solver, they might have had just cause to seek another way, but they had not the slightest justification to turn to their own works. It is one thing to see God’s Sabbath rest principles demon strated, but quite another to adopt them as an inbuilt way of life. Although demonstrated over and over again, these lessons of history were sadly not learned by the children of Israel. God could only comment: “Wherefore I was grieved with that gener ation, and said, ‘They do always err in their heart; and they have not known My ways.’ So I sware in My wrath, ‘They shall not en ter into My rest.’” Hebrews 3:10, 11 (KJV). Despite all the evidence of God’s trustworthiness, Israel pre ferred to trust in themselves. “In their unbelief they limited the power of God and distrusted the hand that had hitherto safely guided them.” Patriarchs and Prophets , 388.2.