perspective

“How beautiful are your tents, Jacob, your dwelling places, Israel! Like valleys they spread out, like gardens beside a river, like aloes planted by the Lord, like cedars beside the waters. Numbers 24:5-6 NIV

What a beautiful picture this passage of scripture depicts. To hear the writer describe it, one would think it was a vacation destination in the tropics. Let’s go!

The truth is a little less exciting to our short sighted natures. This was the picture of Israel wandering in the wilderness for 40 years after they had sinned against God by refusing to believe and obey His commands. They were in a hot, barren wilderness waiting for all of those 20 years and over to die before God would give them another opportunity to enter into His promise. It sounds pretty bleak, but that’s not how God viewed it. Let’s consider three points of interest.  (more…)