In Part 1, I addressed God’s ancient people’s journey that began with God’s promise to Abraham and God leading him into the land that his seed will still eventually inherit. I then tracked God’s people’s journey through Moses’ day back to the doorstep of the promised land.
Finally, I picked up God’s people’s prophetic journey with today’s last days ‘Jacob’-Judah small flock remnant as a leading indicator for God’s house of Israel completing their journey in order to regather back in the homeland and prepare for the upcoming Kingdom of Jesus Christ.
In addition, in my recent passage entitled, Isaiah’s personal and prophetic story (Part 2), I addressed certain prophetic lessons given through Isaiah that will apply to the ‘Jacob’-Judah remnant in our current last days period that will facilitate their successful navigation through the tumultuous time of the Tribulation period and will ensure their successful return to the land.
Many of these same instructional prophetic themes found in Isaiah and other prophets are found in the books of Moses. In the next two passages (Parts 2 & 3), I will discuss the following themes found in the scripture of Moses as they will apply to the last days ‘Jacob’-Judah small flock remnant in their pilgrimage back to the land:
- Maintaining independence
- God’s provision for his remnant
- God’s protection for his remnant
- God’s people’s obedience and sanctification
As these themes and principles will apply to the “small flock” remnant, so will they also apply in general terms to Christ-believers and the larger Christian house of Israel who will be regathered in the last days at the end of the Tribulation period.
While you may recognize these themes from earlier passages on this site, I address the first two above herein with scripture that is unique to the books and storyline of Moses and his people, ‘Israel.’ In my next passage, Part 3, I will address the latter two themes in the same manner.
Maintaining independence
I have noted in prior passages, as well as in Part 1 of this current series, how God’s people have been perpetually surrounded by their enemies, especially as they grew as a people group. Of course, the natural root cause of this animosity and the evil adversary’s attacks against them has been that God has chosen them for a people unto himself.
Lessons from the beginnings of God’s small flock
In the very beginning of God’s family as it began with Abraham, God’s people can learn lessons of staying separate and not mingling with other peoples. A couple of Israel’s early parents, Abraham and his daughter-in-law Rebekah, both realized in no uncertain terms that it would be best for their sons to take a wife from their own families. Who knows what is best for their child other than a parent? The following scriptures refer to this:
- “And Sarah my master’s wife bare a son to my master when she was old: and unto him hath he given all that he hath. And my master made me swear, saying, Thou shalt not take a wife to my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I dwell.” (Gen 24:36-37)
- “And Rebekah said to Isaac, I am weary of my life because of the daughters of Heth: if Jacob take a wife of the daughters of Heth, such as these which are of the daughters of the land, what good shall my life do me?” (Gen 27:46)
Though Jacob followed his mother Rebekah’s instructions and went to his uncle Laban’s and took wives, his relationship with his father-in-law was not easy. Among other things, here, we are given what I believe is a prophetic picture in that Laban deliberately mingled Jacob’s cattle with those that were “speckled” and “grisled.” I believe this could be an early symbolic indication of what would become the diluting of God’s inheritance seed as a result of their mingling with other peoples against God’s wishes; and furthermore what God was referring to in the book of Jeremiah when he described his vineyard being destroyed and desolate. God said:
- “Mine heritage is unto me as a speckled bird, the birds round about are against her; come ye, assemble all the beasts of the field, come to devour.” (Jer 12:9)
God’s people become a prey once they mingle with others.
Remaining separate while continuing their journey
While Abraham’s descendants grew and multiplied, we saw that God blessed them and they became strong. This caused their enemies to desire to be separate from them as well, or at least to persecute or pursue them. Isaac and his family prospered in the land of the Philistines and were ultimately forced out by the king. Jacob’s remnant in Egypt grew to be a strong people. And then we saw what happened with them ultimately becoming victims of the Pharaoh in Moses’ day.
So, separation between God’s people and others is a natural phenomenon; they were never intended to mix. In both of these cases above, we saw that God “enlarges the border” so that his people can have room as they continue on their long journey. Upon their exodus from Egypt into the wilderness, God was telling Moses that he would be with them to give them rest, and Moses responded to God about his people’s separation as follows:
- “For wherein shall it be known here that I and thy people have found grace in thy sight? is it not in that thou goest with us? so shall we be separated, I and thy people, from all the people that are upon the face of the earth.” (Ex 33:16)
God repeatedly gave his people instructions to remain separate, first and foremost. He also gave them pathways and the means to do so. This is so that they would not end up following other gods, thereby corrupting their ways and relationship with him; not to mention, becoming highly vulnerable to their enemies, which is still the case in these current last days.
I mentioned in Part 1 about God’s people’s journey in the wilderness with Moses, after they departed Mount Sinai, that there were warning signs about a likelihood of conflict with other peoples as they journeyed into the land of Canaan. God told Moses that he would be with them along the way to help them defeat their many enemies over time and instructed them not to make any treaties or covenants with them in the meantime. We read as follows:
- “Thou shalt not bow down to their gods, nor serve them, nor do after their works: but thou shalt utterly overthrow them, and quite break down their images…Thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor with their gods.” (Ex 23:24, 32)
Again, the point here is that God’s people are to remain separate and independent, trusting in him, and not forming any other partnerships, loyalties or covenants. On their trip from Sinai through the Canaan wilderness toward the promised land, God told his people to “meddle not” with the children of Edom at Mr. Seir, and to “distress not” Moab, the children of Lot. Both of these peoples, as it was, were fearful of the Israelites according to scripture.
I will interject here, that there could be a precedent for some level of grace for distant relatives of the children of Israel who came through Abraham’s line of Ishmael and Isaac’s line of Esau, both who had Egyptian wives. Recall these sons were also given promises through their fathers that they would become a great nation in their own right. In Moses’ people’s sojourning, God instructed, “Thou shalt not abhor an Edomite; for he is thy brother: thou shalt not abhor an Egyptian…” (Deut 23:7).
We should keep this principle in mind as it could apply to certain segments of, or individuals in, God’s extended family in these last days. We should do this while keeping in mind that last days Edom (Esau) as a people group are still very much an enemy in the kingdom war and a perennial, long-time enemy of Judah.
Instructions prior to entering the land of inheritance
While continuing to remain separate in their journey from Mount Sinai, God instructed them to conquer certain enemies. For example, they conquered and utterly destroyed Heshbon and Sihon its king, as well as Bashan and its king Og. By this time, God had already given his people the following law pertaining to peoples they conquered in battle, and warned them about serving other gods:
- “Take heed to thyself that thou be not snared by following them, after that they be destroyed from before thee; and that thou enquire not after their gods, saying, How did these nations serve their gods? even so will I do likewise.” (Deut 12:30)
Similarly, by the time his people had arrived at the doorstep of the inherited land, waiting to cross the Jordan, God reiterated that his people were a “special people” he chose for himself. He also instructed them that they were to conquer and destroy seven nations “greater and mightier” than themselves. Upon doing so, they were instructed to destroy their enemies’ false gods and not to mix or mingle with them. We see this in the following scriptures:
- “And when the Lord thy God shall deliver them before thee; thou shalt smite them, and utterly destroy them; thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor shew mercy unto them: Neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son.” (Deut 7:2-3)
- “Then ye shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you, and destroy all their pictures, and destroy all their molten images, and quite pluck down all their high places: And ye shall dispossess the inhabitants of the land, and dwell therein: for I have given you the land to possess it.” (Num 33:52-53)
God warned his people about the consequences of not obeying his instructions with the potential of their enemies becoming as “pricks” to them. As I have previously described, God’s last days remnant people will especially bare the brunt of the consequences for his disobedient people, although many of these will have been disobedient themselves in serving other gods via their oaths to the anti-Christ Chaldeans.
Once the ‘Jacob’-Judah remnant is delivered “out of” ‘Babylon’-U.S., then very hard times will come onto the United States. ‘Babylon’-U.S. will come to an end with its destruction and desolation, which ‘Jacob’ will have aided in “making all of the stones of the altars like chalkstone” (Is 27:9). The following scripture refers to this last days event of destruction; an event during which we are told, “the fortress ceases from Ephraim,” indicating a prophecy that applies to the last days northern kingdom of ‘Babylon’-U.S.
- “In that day shall his strong cities be as a forsaken bough, and an uppermost branch, which they left because of the children of Israel: and there shall be desolation.” (Is 17:9)
As a result of the children of Israel and adversarial Gentiles inter-mingling, an intentional anti-Christ Chaldean enemy tactic that has been executed over generations, ‘Babylon’-U.S. will be destroyed. By and large, neither group has truly served the one God of Israel, Jesus Christ.
Remaining separate requires being unified within
While remaining separate from other peoples, one additional important prophetic principle applying to the children of Israel is that they should be strongly unified together under God and his law- obedient to and understanding of Jesus Christ’s commands and the example that he set. Otherwise, a threat to their independence can come from within their own ranks as well.
I mentioned in Isaiah Part 2 that there is strong precedent for and prophecy about the enemy destroying himself. Meanwhile, God’s people will have to be careful not to divide in the same manner in becoming as a house that is divided. They will already be in a “detox” mode in coming out of ‘Babylon’-U.S., its many lies, propaganda and idols, and at a time when truth has been uncovered that will pit “brother against brother.” This will be a time of heavy conflict, chaos and strife. In my passage, Ezekiel’s personal and prophetic story (Part 4), I described how prophetic scripture tells us that some rebels in the midst of God’s last days ‘Jacob’-Judah remnant may even have to be purged (Ez 20:38); this is a time that we are told the Lord will be pleading with them “face to face” (Ez 20:35), very likely due to issues related to false gods and idols. The following instruction that was given by God to Moses and his people will apply:
- “Take heed to yourselves, that your heart be not deceived, and ye turn aside, and serve other gods, and worship them.” (Deut 11:16)
In Moses’ day, we see examples of this kind of rebellion as a result of a dark spirit leading God’s people away toward other gods. The people rebelled against God’s anointed and elect, Moses, in the wilderness, most notably Korah’s rebellion when God opened up the ground to swallow the evil dissenters. Even Moses’ own family members, Aaron and Miriam, rebelled against him. In the Song of Moses, God says about his people who were distracted by other gods:
- “For they are a nation void of counsel, neither is there any understanding in them. O that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider their latter end!” (Deut 32:28-29)
In his law, God warns his people in the book of Deuteronomy about false prophets in the midst of their congregation for whom God’s punishment awaits. God also warned his people of those in “thy bosom”- i.e. their own friends and family- who would try to secretly entice them to serve other gods. God describes this activity as follows:
- “If thy brother, the son of thy mother, or thy son, or thy daughter, or the wife of thy bosom, or thy friend, which is as thine own soul, entice thee secretly, saying, Let us go and serve other gods, which thou hast not known, thou, nor thy fathers; Namely, of the gods of the people which are round about you, nigh unto thee, or far off from thee, from the one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth.” (Deut 13:6-7)
God abhors this kind of evil infiltration and secret trading-out of others that causes division of loyalties. This has happened on a large-scale in the last days across the multitudes of the population, especially in ‘Babylon’-U.S. People have traded out even their own family members in the name of a secret, occult-based blood oath. Jesus’ prophetic words about this very kind of strife between family and friends will soon become very apparent.
Those who will try to secretly entice in the midst of God’s own chosen and holy people and congregation will have severe punishment awaiting. This is shown in the book of Deuteronomy as well. In the last days, it will be important for the end times, holy ‘Jacob’-Judah remnant in the wilderness to guard against this.
God’s provision for his holy remnant
The examples in both Abraham’s family’s day and in Moses’ day of God’s provision for his people were numerous and especially significant considering that they were surrounded by their enemies on all sides. In God’s people’s ancient pre-staging situational living, God ensured that they had what they needed.
When Jacob and his family came to Egypt in the time of severe famine, the Pharaoh gave them “the good of the land.” Through Joseph, they had food during the period of seven bad years of famine that Joseph had foreseen in his prophetic interpretation of Pharaoh’s dream. (On a side note, I spoke about the significance of this number ‘seven’ in Part 1 as it is used sometimes in the books of Moses in what appears to be a forecast of the last seven years of the age, the Tribulation period).
Later, in God’s people’s pre-staging in Egypt, prior to their “land expansion” into the wilderness, although persecuted, it was clear that God was still watching over them and blessing them during this time. The following describes God’s people’s condition prior to the Pharaoh of Moses’ day laying a much more heavy burden on them:
- “And the children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and waxed exceeding mighty; and the land was filled with them.” (Ex 1:7)
When God’s people were finally released from their hard bondage, God promised his people that they would “not go (away) empty” (Ex 3:2). God gave his people favor among the Egyptians who in turn gave them jewels, clothing, etc. Then, as his people journeyed in the wilderness, God himself provided food and water, supernaturally, for all of them to see. In addition, God shielded them from disease and plague (other than as punishment in one case). They also gained land and plunder after they conquered their enemies.
Once they had spent their time (forty years) in the wilderness, and were on the doorstep of the land of their inheritance, God reminded his people that he had been with them and had provided for them during this time. The following scriptures are related to this:
- ‘Who led thee through that great and terrible wilderness, wherein were fiery serpents, and scorpions, and drought, where there was no water; who brought thee forth water out of the rock of flint.” (Deut 8:15)
- “And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know…Thy raiment waxed not old upon thee, neither did thy foot swell, these forty years.” (Deut 8:3-4)
- “For the Lord thy God hath blessed thee in all the works of thy hand: he knoweth thy walking through this great wilderness: these forty years the Lord thy God hath been with thee; thou hast lacked nothing.” (Deut 2:7)
Just as with God’s ancient people, the last days ‘Jacob’-Judah small flock remnant and the larger house of Israel will be able to reflect back on and relate with how God was always with them while they were “strangers” in ‘Babylon’-U.S. This will be the case for God’s remnant people worldwide. Thus, the scriptures above spoken to the ancient house of Israel while they were waiting to cross the Jordan to enter the land back in Moses’ and Joshua’s day will apply again to both God’s ‘Jacob’-Judah remnant as well as the larger house of Israel remnant in these last days.
God’s provision in the last days for his remnant’s people in the wilderness
Those things that God promised and did for his ancient people of Abraham he will do again in these last days and into the Millennial Kingdom. His blessings and provisions in the last days will continue with the ‘Jacob’-Judah small flock remnant, even in the midst of highly tumultuous times around the world while God’s judgment is taking place.
To begin, I have shown that ‘Jacob’s small flock remnant will be removed from the turmoil in the last days at a time when God will be: “making a way in the wilderness”; “rivers in the desert”; and “fountains in the midst of the valley.” The wilderness will be the pre-staging land that is given to them prior to their journey onward to the land of inheritance.
It will just so happen that the ancient holy blessings beginning with Abraham, carrying forward through Jacob to his sons, and then carrying through Moses to the tribes (of Jacob’s sons), will be given again to God’s people in these last days. Here, again, God will ensure that his people remain fruitful, safe, and provided for. Specifically, these blessings include God’s people’s: fruitful expansion; refuge and safety; power and success (versus their enemies); and basic sustaining provisions (i.e. food, water, land, health, rest, etc.). In what will be a world that will continue to become more confused, chaotic, uncertain and dangerous from this point to the end of the age, God’s people will be able to count on these provisions.
God then says in scripture that final provisions for all of his people will only come once they return to the land where they will finally have “rest” from the enemies that surround them. Their final entrance into the land and the rest that they will get from their long journey over thousands of years as a people will come at the end of the Tribulation period. The following prophetic verses have an application for this final regathering:
- “Until the Lord have given rest unto your brethren, as well as unto you, and until they also possess the land which the Lord your God hath given them beyond Jordan: and then shall ye return every man unto his possession, which I have given you.” (Deut 3:20)
- “But when ye go over Jordan, and dwell in the land which the Lord your God giveth you to inherit, and when he giveth you rest from all your enemies round about, so that ye dwell in safety.” (Deut 12:10)
The last days remnant, including those having gone through severe persecution in ‘Babylon’-U.S., will rejoice in their deliverance and know that God had indeed always been with them while they were “strangers” in ‘Babylon’-U.S.
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In Moses’ day, after God answered his people’s cries, delivered them out of Egypt, and destroyed Pharaoh and his army, God’s people danced and sang. At this time, they realized that they were truly his chosen people and remarked prophetically as follows:
- “Thou shalt bring them in, and plant them in the mountain of thine inheritance, in the place, O Lord, which thou hast made for thee to dwell in, in the Sanctuary, O Lord, which thy hands have established. The Lord shall reign for ever and ever.” (Ex 15:17-18)
This ancient prophetic verse will be fulfilled in these last days by God’s house of Israel’s people who will proceed into the Millennial Kingdom.
Grace & Peace,
Lion’s Lair (LL)
Lion's Lair 