Better than a Burning Bush

July 11

Read: Hebrews 11:39-40

Better than a Burning Bush

“And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.” Heb. 11:39-40

It could be tempting to think of these Old Testament figures of faith and imagine that they had it better than us… that in their time things were easier or more exciting. We may look back on the lives of the prophets with fiery showdowns on the top of Mount Carmel, or Moses being met by a burning bush in the wilderness and feel like those sorts of experiences would be better than what we get today. (1 King 18:20-40, EXODUS 3:1-22) Maybe we believe that for Abraham listening to God was somehow easier or that if we could just have an experience with a ladder reaching up top heaven like Jacob did that it would steady our hearts and set our resolve for the Lord. (Gen. 28:10-17)

Here is the BIBLICAL TRUTH: we have it BETTER. Hebrews states this point blank: “God had provided something better for us.” What we have been given in Christ supersedes / trumps / surpasses what these people of old had available to them. There are two distinct portions to this biblical truth. First off, God is STILL DOING THOSE SAME MIRACULOUS activities as before while calling a people to himself. If you are willing to listen, and not seeking to “explain away” - you will probably find out that God is still very much working in this world in supernatural / spiritual / powerful ways. People are still being called to the Lord through visions and dreams like Jacob. People are still meeting God in phenomenal ways around the globe like Moses. God is still facing off with lesser gods and demons in very real “showdowns” and is victorious each and every time! So the first hurdle is realizing that those sorts of things still happen. Acts 2 tells us as much:

“‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares,

that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh,

and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,

and your young men shall see visions,

and your old men shall dream dreams;

even on my male servants and female servants

in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy.

And I will show wonders in the heavens above

and signs on the earth below…”

This begs the question then, what makes our situation “better”? If it is not the types of things that are happening today, what is it then? Well the indwelling presence of the Father, Son, and Spirit in the people of God surpasses what was made available to the people of old. Not even Abraham, Moses, Jacob, the Prophets, or anyone else had something that would beat what we have today in Christ Jesus. The nearness of God and being made “partakers of his divine nature” having been given “the secrets of the Kingdom” and given the very “Spirit of God’ and the “mind of Christ” is better than anything they experienced before! (cf. 2 Peter 1:4, Matt 13:11, 2 Cor. 2:6-16) Not to mention, we now have a “new covenant” in Christ and have been set free from the old ways that burdened those before us. (cf. Heb. 8,9) We have been FORGIVEN and our sins are no longer on us! This newness of life… this “new creation” … and this “new covenant” is what God had promised beforehand:

“And I will give them one heart, and a new spirit I will put within them. I will remove the heart of stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh, that they may walk in my statutes and keep my rules and obey them. And they shall be my people, and I will be their God.” (Ezek. 11:19-20)

“And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.” (Ezek. 36:26)

What has been given to us in Christ TODAY is truly better than anything that came before it. We have received a precious gift in Christ. These men and women of faith that go before us do inspire us, but they also longed for what we have been given. In Christ, our lives can and will be every bit as exciting, dynamic, productive, fruitful, powerful, and faith-filled as those listed in this chapter. Do not forsake nor short-change what God has done for his children in these “last days”. We are truly living in a privileged time… a time of unprecedented nearness and relationship with God… and it is going to keep getting better for us in relationship with him. These dark days ahead will provide more and more opportunities for the brilliant light of Christ to shine through us. Praise the Lord! Love you guys. - JDP