David Yeagley is the great-great-grandson of Comanche leader Bad Eagle. 
We need to believe responsibly. We need to know what we believe, individually. If the group goes wrong, we needn’t be swept away with it, but we will, if we don’t know what we believe, individually.
After the children of Israel left Egypt, and entered the wilderness, they soon felt betrayed. They actually wanted to return to Egypt. However unpleasant and miserable their circumstances in slavery were, it all seemed better than trekking through nowhere, in unbearable privation, dearth, and heat.
But they were neither deprived, thirsty, hungry, over-heated, or exhausted. So great had been the terror of the Egyptians under the plagues, they bestowed enormous wealth on the Hebrew slaves, begging them to leave the country. (How’s that for a deportation policy?) They came out “with great substance” (Genesis 15:14). Yea, Israel “spoiled the Egyptians” (Exodus 12:26) as would a conquering army. In fact, it is said that Israel left Egypt as an army, or “with their צבאה” (tseba’ah) –their battle mass, or soldiers (Exodus 12:51). No sooner than they had noticed their animal skin water bags were running low, they were led to Elim, the oasis of seventy palm tries and twelve springs of water (Ex. 15:27). When they noticed their food supplied dwindling, the Lord sent down bread from Heaven, the miraculous “manna” (Ex. 16: 14,15). There wasn’t a single feeble person in the ranks of nearly a million people (Psalm 105:37). Their clothing and shoes didn’t even wear out, in forty years of that wilderness life (Deuteronomy 29:5, 8:5). Furthermore, they had miraculous shade in the day, and heated light in the nighttime (Ex. 13: 21,22). It was portable air conditioning, central air and heat, provide by Heaven, in the middle of the most arid, barren land known to man.
The divine light and heating system for the hosts of Israel en route to Cana’an, forty years en route. Who could doubt the system, or its Provider?
So, how is it that the people complained at ever turn, and were ever ready to return to slavery in Egypt? They remembered “the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlick” Numbers 11:5. They became weary of the “angels food” (Psalm 78:25), three times a day, day in and day out, apparently, and remembered the rich variety they enjoyed in Egypt. Is that it? Boredom with the miraculous? Is that possible?
Well, it was a lot of people, kids, animals, and no certain place, just the hope of the promised land of plenty. An odd circumstance, or so it seems.
It is difficult to determine which is the greater lesson, the wondrous power of the Lord, or the incredible mistrust and disbelief of man. In all of history, there is no record of such an experience. It seems utterly unique and therefore impossible to appreciate.
But, the Lord held every Jew born then and thereafter, forever, responsible for knowing this, and vicariously responsible for having experienced it. Indeed, at the end of Moses life, he admonished the population as they neared Cana’an. He called upon them to remember Sinai, and the fiery voice of the Almighty, and Decalogue in stone (Deut. 4:4-13). But, that was forty years before. Only three named adult men witnessed Sinai that were now living at the time of Cana’an: Moses, Joshua, and Caleb. All the rest had died in the wilderness, as punishment for unbelief (Num. 14: 28-34). Of course, the little ones grew up in the wilderness. There must have been many of them who could remember Sinai–but they would have grown up and had children during that forty years, and that generation, born in the wilderness, had certainly not seen Sinai, nor heard the voice of the Lord, nor seen the fires of the Law.
Ergo, all Jews are responsible for knowing, believing, and yes, having experienced Sinai–and everything else in the Passover story.
Ergo, again, anyone who joins himself to Israel, in faith, is also responsible.
The folk rabbi said, (quoting Moses, of course), “Man shall live…by every Word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4; Deut. 8:3). He who hears, or reads, is thereafter responsible. It is the word of the Almighty. There is no unbelief permitted, excused, or tolerated, in a sense.
These are solemn thoughts. They are actually very joyful thoughts. Clearly, human nature has no ability to sustain such realities. The children of Israel proved that. Daily miracles do not suffice. So, somehow, there is a giant, opened door here. Anyone, indeed, everyone, is invited, encouraged, and shall we say, tempted? What is it like to believe? What kinds of things may happen? The whole thing sounds terribly exciting.
Holidays, like Passover and Easter, call public attention to events believed to be historical. I don’t know that public participation in ceremonial remembrance or memorial actually encourages real belief by individual choice. Group think is always a lot easier. Perhaps a public participation can stir the soul to consciousness, and awaken a sense of the sacred. The Lord is certainly a great lover of the public, and public gathering–when it is focused on Him, our Creator. So public worship cannot be said to inhibit or prevent sincere belief.
Nevertheless, I would encourage a certain awareness of liabilities of public consciousness. It is important to know what one believes–in the closet. Then one’s public expression is perhaps more appropriate. Just a thought, for the season.
11 responses so far ↓
1 Asaph // Apr 7, 2012 at 4:16 am
Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil; neither shalt thou speak in a cause to decline after many to wrest judgment: Exodus 23:2
“When the LORD thy God shall cut off the nations from before thee, whither thou goest to possess them, and thou succeedest them, and dwellest in their land;
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.
Thou shalt not do so unto the LORD thy God: for every abomination to the LORD, which he hateth, have they done unto their gods; for even their sons and their daughters they have burnt in the fire to their gods.
What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it. Deut. 12:29-32
From beginning of Israel’s time as a nation, to it’s end, to this time in church history the constant disregard of the above two principles has cost more than perhaps anything else believers face.
2 Asaph // Apr 7, 2012 at 4:50 am
“Says Howard Crosby: “The church of God is today courting the world. Its members are trying to bring it down to the level of the ungodly. The ball, the theater, nude and lewd art, social luxuries with all their loose moralities, are making inroads into the sacred inclosure of the church; and as a satisfaction for all this worldliness, Christians are making a great deal of Lent and Easter and church ornamentation. It is the old trick of Satan. The Jewish church struck on that rock; the Romish church was wrecked on the same; and the Protestant is fast reaching the same doom.” The Great Controversy, p.386, 1888
3 Following Him // Apr 7, 2012 at 4:50 pm
Dr. Yeagley … I am a follower of Jesus. I also follow (read) what you have to say. May I say, you have preached a very fine and truthful sermon with this post. Well done!
“It is important to know what one believes–in the closet. Then one’s public expression is perhaps more appropriate. Just a thought, for the season.”
I have chosen just one of many well thought out phrases from not only your mind, but heart as well. I am convinced you are guided by the holy Spirit and have a grasp on what is really important in Biblical history.
I commend your work. Excellent.
Blessings to you through our living Lord. That’s Jesus, if any of your readers don’t know.
Thank you, once again.
4 David Yeagley // Apr 7, 2012 at 5:48 pm
Thank you for saying those things, FH. It is encouraging. (There are those who would disagree with you! You are brave for saying those things.)
The good Lord is relentless, eh? He won’t let us hide forever. The great whale of solipsism will vomit us up on the shore of Reality. Praise the Lord. We can only pray that it happens sooner.
5 Maharishi of Mayhem // Apr 7, 2012 at 11:06 pm
I would ask for all bloggers to keep your compliments of Dr. Yeagley to a minimum. He is much easier to deal with when he if feeling totally inadequate….
Actually, I’m joshing ya’ll.
Dr. Yeagley is one of the kindest souls I know. He is a caring friend, a great theologian, and best of all, a true disciple of Rabbi Jesus. I’m glad to know him….my life is better because of him. He is a true friend in a false world.
Blessings to All, and Happy Passover!
6 Asaph // Apr 8, 2012 at 2:27 am
I believe you should qualify “the closet.”
7 David Yeagley // Apr 8, 2012 at 8:01 am
M. Ben Mayhem, your encouragement is pristine.
Much gefilte fish upon you! (Or, do I mean, before you, or within you…?)
I think appreciation of the truth, and the natural friendship with those who understand the sacrifice, is the core of human relations.
Indeed, we are “spared” if we trust the truth, however quixotic the emblematic requirements may be. That’s what Passover is all about–being spared. Being passed over.
8 Sioux // Apr 8, 2012 at 4:39 pm
Ahh, gefilte fish – never could develop a taste for that – thank heavens for the horse radish ;o)
Lots to think about regarding the 40 year trek that would only take 11 days under normal circumstances. But, then the Hebrews were a stubborn lot. I guess we’re all stubborn, but the Hebrews were the chosen ones out from among the heathen pagans.
How would any of us faired given the same circumstances? Only Caleb and Joshua made it to the Promised Land from among all those who originally left Eygp t – not even Moses was allowed to go (talk about strict enforcement of God’s word).
I have been on a really sparse diet for the past three weeks due to this dang gall bladder (which will be history tomorrow morning). I have tried to look at it all as a blessing that has kept my pain to a minimum and thanking God helping me endure this. So, would I have been crabbing about the endless manna? no fresh veggies? or fatted calf? Or would I have been trying to encourage others?
9 David Yeagley // Apr 8, 2012 at 8:00 pm
A lesson in negative group think! Bad lesson!
Eleven days, eh? I’ve seen two major studies on this, within the last year. It seems they’re saying now that the path was diverted into Arabia. They didn’t wander around in the Sinai peninsula. In fact, Mt. Sinai is not in the Sinai peninsula. That is a massive deception, or misleading. I for one am completely convinced that the path lay through the Arabian Peninsula. The Saudi government has fenced everything off, and few people have been able to examine remarkable evidence.
But, you’re right, any way you look at it, it wouldn’t have taken forty years!! They could have gone around the world many times in that temporal allotment.
No water source. No food source. I’d say that’s temptation, on a daily basis. But, If God provides every day, how can you not have faith?
What I’ve never understood is the grazing need. They had grazing animals. What did they eat? They had to render animal sacrifices, and bread offerings, more or less daily. Where did all their food supplies come from? Did the animals eat manna, too?
10 Sioux // Apr 8, 2012 at 8:11 pm
umm – good question on the animals and what they ate. Better case that they didn’t wander down south deeper into the Arabian desert. Of course, the desert there might not has been as dessicated back then. Oases might have been more plentiful and closer together. Maybe they traded their donkeys for camels. Can’t wait to find out all these answers in the Great Hereafter. )
11 Maharishi of Mayhem // Apr 8, 2012 at 9:53 pm
I, too, agree with Bad Eagle, that the Red Sea crossing was actually the Gulf of Aqaba (considered part of the Red Sea), and that Mt. Sinai was in fact, in Arabia (The Apostle Paul said so in Galatians 4:25).
This all started to come to light when a Seventh-day Adventist nurse, and amateur archaeologist, Ron Wyatt and his sons, snuck into Saudi Arabia in the early 1980′s to find the real Mt. Sinai. They were arrested, deported, and interviewed on U.S. news programs on their return. Unfortunately, this discovery (which I believe is genuine), was torn apart by the mainstream archaeologists due to some more fanciful “discoveries” that Wyatt claimed to have made subsequent to this one.
I would also like to note that the current archaeology establishment is often manipulated by those who provide their funding. I am not saying that they are without integrity, I am only saying that just like many scientific studies, the findings are sometimes predetermined by the ones providing the money. For example, think of the enormous pressure of the U.S. Beef and Dairy lobbies on the “scientific studies” that they sponsor.
In addition to the problem of outside influence, there also comes the problem of those archaeologists who claim to have all the answers. Frankly, with the Saudi restrictions on archaeology (especially that which would prove the validity of anything Jewish), it is easy for many archaeologists to dismiss the Saudi theory.
However, the Caldwell family who lived in Saudi for work purposes spent many vacations at Jabul Al Lawz, the real Mt. Sinai. Their findings are well documented here:
http://splitrockresearch.org/content/Welcome/
I pray that many will take a look at this information and become encouraged by the wonderful evidence that God’s Word is indeed true.
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