Numbers: Saved to Serve!

The children of Israel were saved to serve. So is every child of God today.

Numbers is often called the book of the wilderness, recording the pitiable failure of Israel at Kadesh-barnea, and the consequent wanderings and experiences of the people in the wilderness. It records the pilgrimage, warfare, service and failure of the second generation of the nation after the Exodus from Egypt.

This, however, is not all the message of Numbers. The first ten chapters give us the divine legislation; chapters 11-20 tell the story of the nation's failure; but the closing chapters of the book record Israel's return to Jehovah's favor and final victory, even in the wilderness. [H.Mears]

Only someone who is saved can serve and worship God. Remember, we are saved to serve. We are not saved by good works, but we are "created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do" (Ephesians 2:10).

How can you see God working in your "wilderness wanderings" to prepare you for His service?