%PDF-1.7 1 0 obj << /Type /Catalog /Outlines 2 0 R /Pages 3 0 R >> endobj 2 0 obj << /Type /Outlines /Count 0 >> endobj 3 0 obj << /Type /Pages /Kids [6 0 R 23 0 R ] /Count 2 /Resources << /ProcSet 4 0 R /Font << /F1 8 0 R /F2 9 0 R /F3 10 0 R /F4 11 0 R /F5 12 0 R /F6 14 0 R >> /XObject << /I1 19 0 R /I2 20 0 R /I3 25 0 R /I4 26 0 R >> /ExtGState << /GS1 15 0 R /GS2 16 0 R /GS3 17 0 R /GS4 18 0 R /GS5 21 0 R /GS6 22 0 R >> >> /MediaBox [0.000 0.000 612.000 792.000] >> endobj 4 0 obj [/PDF /Text /ImageC ] endobj 5 0 obj << /Producer (dompdf 1.0.2 + CPDF) /CreationDate (D:20241222093525+00'00') /ModDate (D:20241222093525+00'00') >> endobj 6 0 obj << /Type /Page /MediaBox [0.000 0.000 612.000 792.000] /Parent 3 0 R /Contents 7 0 R >> endobj 7 0 obj << /Filter /FlateDecode /Length 2105 >> stream xXM6WqwK[/.'83o% ! Gݔo^WNښQC (c7\,豦sJ( ѿ@VHX5[Ѽ_Mwӌ(+~$K]~F .]dB{] s<,Rg'rAe%h=~vVJ7J&2g2Z VKMa5.3.?Ln, ]J:[IQPd;I4p ՗UNeGjZ$=:н[թAvVR[oOk\L̢7.~2UDdOͻ&#Si(S40R: Q&-h36kWMJ^ H/Y^CF#0':w @wuXQ\xd{l$b cI0 &$!՟>/jD& j9ȚV>skEZeJUq̓4Anofsgi 08sVN cOj0V!jk,lSYFeU0Y)!ƶLoN݁v e;vOZaaL=(ZwF;Y5H<]4H؂)Qp~ZF" q%5 MIdDE']6׹)Z=dHvlk19:&,Ie"i;qpF$Vi5mڅSQgb _˕:GޒQ&ӷؔ݃S+._.P4CݑQ#RQͅWgCp8ta}=6J1-z 42T OP9]O1q\"ف+XN1ɂ.<)i{W.$qվLskbcяJc4{yjJ`Qm֊pyT-C9Kx~8X@e:&tމ ⟃c9D!/wÏhP BÑǜr[X5pч91V>={ɭGSk:% ґU6 TJd3N&?`Z=n`Vf ܷD甯JS=JQ$i(s' yk6y$CP*2D_9m7`omBɝ B[଺1ܧˌ/i?sCy.pf k:.%!Jb3xD'=Ǝj]Κ,[`ʲ(C,EIlCk~ [qso8`J4,G?BMMCpx|"[>pϯLژ^۾:sل>w\E:yT$55S{L,(.Bvق7=7?\3w}WF+~ai^X.QԮ2%7W.ȑqIpZj,h< Ֆ\~DUsDue7 -r-57 um,]`]AK<*g i~}Zf"tts䌖G'&Qq\ڝy}s/ЬHD>#,O长]2."Uo q/%_߻s^E1-;b7( ^ endstream endobj 8 0 obj << /Type /Font /Subtype /Type1 /Name /F1 /BaseFont /Helvetica /Encoding /WinAnsiEncoding >> endobj 9 0 obj << /Type /Font /Subtype /Type1 /Name /F2 /BaseFont /Times-Bold /Encoding /WinAnsiEncoding >> endobj 10 0 obj << /Type /Font /Subtype /Type1 /Name /F3 /BaseFont /Times-Roman /Encoding /WinAnsiEncoding >> endobj 11 0 obj << /Type /Font /Subtype /Type1 /Name /F4 /BaseFont /Helvetica-Bold /Encoding /WinAnsiEncoding >> endobj 12 0 obj << /Type /Font /Subtype /Type1 /Name /F5 /BaseFont /Times-Italic /Encoding /WinAnsiEncoding >> endobj 13 0 obj [6 0 R /Fit] endobj 14 0 obj << /Type /Font /Subtype /Type1 /Name /F6 /BaseFont /Times-Roman /Encoding /WinAnsiEncoding >> endobj 15 0 obj << /Type /ExtGState /BM /Normal /ca 0.67 >> endobj 16 0 obj << /Type /ExtGState /BM /Normal /CA 0.67 >> endobj 17 0 obj << /Type /ExtGState /BM /Normal /ca 1 >> endobj 18 0 obj << /Type /ExtGState /BM /Normal /CA 1 >> endobj 19 0 obj << /Type /XObject /Subtype /Image /Width 550 /Height 140 /Filter /FlateDecode /DecodeParms << /Predictor 15 /Colors 1 /Columns 550 /BitsPerComponent 8>> /ColorSpace /DeviceGray /BitsPerComponent 8 /Length 5329>> stream xqDǯ뺒$ILfff&I335Lf2\3I2L&_3$3I$d+$\W=9y9lLss99P`0 `0 `0 `0 !U_:~u = F~sZŻدns⃪Qg¢G(F[-s͓^ DZ>d>3Dr#\OΉ, ZFwjux<;4Ƀxز#_v?nO<|{7c(b{Oū}w[N e~Hs䎷wwOn<1B.k+%U=eԘ -mCj)t:}c'ϓ*n"-ovkZ?R"V%wʶ7s]eX&eǕq` 1-2e JYHCFOUam 7:(Ԙt_@ހN t{B~ :V@}o#7!z^&zFL:ʤn X<- %"bNWqF c` M'4?cH-V`ǵAF>=#Ěm75dB I&7E5<>-͏їFǿl3M6x]Y&)2 FoΌ N.<t i4wL\^=_|Fo؏IȄ ik$ɄL?{?|tmCޮ=~T&iTevϷ'奔s?EꋄLPY͹箵?@L:Aˤ3y_:9AtA*0qVe- e6g)%a}.qKcI V/xʤzM|\ HSql0;*%+Mذ-闛obebu2iU&lLbtIcxb5^B#8 ޮaʻ _ w>j+L:$"&O;bZ K1 jmU玫ݢ=S/J<WO2'_yUPvp=`"aL5 Nl7"rlQT޼==-I[Se* F'(\`󴯉'{:נnVZ TG6*r$Tyx^LJū.C<3` %ANrxUo"˄ 0&$tO F&bIcW3GG͈ y!{m,LkCI d,(2"@ dR%F1thUL8Rݒ^+v9^?sʯYעDl~Qd" N2sc|ov}=F,3K#vxIvG^,[OM&wI[#,Jޙ\ض;L^fv[LbyYvM#/EI#/Zס$(ڼ ," &LK/IF i-Zx彰픢]MKeR n(PhV'LҸ\f$w/ e]"mɷWO߻˱ KerSPe (ӼGMȈ}X?ʍto7ZKl+81_Y&ǡd uʤ1Vw!sQ"/$zNkw(t)2BWQW"˄OXLp:e‡# וzn2F}qlc5ؾ:WH xLz LP:d# Q>(MRېd2Qt$o~R$YR5,-nޜLr_βehd" 2k1lvO X= eC p+[R=jU!֖}_DޟY2 (*wkZQ>Fl̲soR#^u3hhyTԲt.LtD8sk4z4Rbl@zp4hy0Tn\=.fnő Y/:TC9<@fSI$:QR/bq7DfR/ֻn)Vqd"䳽˄GL;ϝRG顼n&%Sv eFv,L"t}I&N> D73]$e)( ;]XhL`kSzJlcC$<)깍h}dr,1ܝRM뭍eMa $?e3f8΍҈&P(x+JU5{I 3 M- ;7|#G9 !\œ&=xp2,L{-`?OW":4uܚEadv ~9q.VdV%UT@73$@W¯B!ݒaVLH:!opr;gAɀiήpfߙR E/IDO*Luf0}{7mfyDxT.g)w5RvHx#Z]&M$ gZUTt+lZqZ_;a&JaG,-JLJDFIcV|:I3nB&;N0Lna=Y_Gl,p5,,kc EKgd;2vt7selT9˸sX޲.6r<1!| L0lTMS1?Xsf cq )KSgBB&׭x. v c@^Yk΀v],E[ɾ QhYyXXC2)g/J@su1ScL, ?C[{V2i͛!סӠ&> 6lu>4Ƕʤ|=12鱧l{^:a/Y%~].26G: p^CZ V&Vedҟ?RrX7d#I]ՕuL1 ?_ /12IEh ̴b<ӯ^e _ϝ䰻^]vy> /ColorSpace /DeviceRGB /BitsPerComponent 8 /Length 873>> stream x1j08-K/)],) &gi+:U̲\"9H!@"9H!@"9H!@eY.Z[p_E{QHKV[/`j%ʒcP,SX4W{7urd5ɱPr:-ֆʇX$$zfZpClbw7z{[]qGlwlGlZiM,ߺ7x}w` L9=3zpWL9 j)ۓB$ DrB$ DrB$ DrB$ DrB$ DrB$ DrB$ DrB$e]k` B$ DrB$ DrB$ DrB$/؋ endstream endobj 21 0 obj << /Type /ExtGState /BM /Normal /CA 0.3 >> endobj 22 0 obj << /Type /ExtGState /BM /Normal /ca 0.3 >> endobj 23 0 obj << /Type /Page /MediaBox [0.000 0.000 612.000 792.000] /Parent 3 0 R /Contents 24 0 R >> endobj 24 0 obj << /Filter /FlateDecode /Length 1477 >> stream xWMoFW̭I!)J4p~QM+r%nDrY.iU4){fIRz*&;f潙Y(RS@ųW m-_c":mϮWf\tҪoS #jCUvF VɝnKEw3JݐQ'Ux-ɮ&^ zILP| X$"]{٫- GZuaK 7J#w2m>\*\f03^<*2d{{֐ SɸHdtIчOit*iVjn-^5{OUv[w^Ey}U6Xk煜ij4ُ&a$Ḅ ']>\L=_ Ē͌Qr%.ZIZeBئSֺ4AYuES\N|ТLġS8@W=c#:UKd^A(t%Üek7[a5d]wUM/GY,W0puFEs@T1E1^֝C<6"vt[}.+%, z% aR5041U0N`Vԇ-DRPM>htx"\hHmQV֕a6fu+D%7dlIײk=O\ހ# I@A(k<(0 *n*T-o'uqnl'f$"}2p8ăF0]d%mwKb5#7~cT=2V'H7a&G1珶Bj0 7 vMc\`88LSg'|Gz(W3m9UypqdzcbFlcgCwsp [z g/j|`; joµ;Srb)ߵ7q=/D∝2ͺNh (ȃ%o^YHG¨N2\J,2sƜ n o}'apFo ?Z0(ޙt\u.<3;V@ֽNR~~i:"414wݏ fC;ZBa7pX7t|pMHҮq=J^Pq"OPUF:@8*uC.  endstream endobj 25 0 obj << /Type /XObject /Subtype /Image /Width 550 /Height 140 /Filter /FlateDecode /DecodeParms << /Predictor 15 /Colors 1 /Columns 550 /BitsPerComponent 8>> /ColorSpace /DeviceGray /BitsPerComponent 8 /Length 5329>> stream xqDǯ뺒$ILfff&I335Lf2\3I2L&_3$3I$d+$\W=9y9lLss99P`0 `0 `0 `0 !U_:~u = F~sZŻدns⃪Qg¢G(F[-s͓^ DZ>d>3Dr#\OΉ, ZFwjux<;4Ƀxز#_v?nO<|{7c(b{Oū}w[N e~Hs䎷wwOn<1B.k+%U=eԘ -mCj)t:}c'ϓ*n"-ovkZ?R"V%wʶ7s]eX&eǕq` 1-2e JYHCFOUam 7:(Ԙt_@ހN t{B~ :V@}o#7!z^&zFL:ʤn X<- %"bNWqF c` M'4?cH-V`ǵAF>=#Ěm75dB I&7E5<>-͏їFǿl3M6x]Y&)2 FoΌ N.<t i4wL\^=_|Fo؏IȄ ik$ɄL?{?|tmCޮ=~T&iTevϷ'奔s?EꋄLPY͹箵?@L:Aˤ3y_:9AtA*0qVe- e6g)%a}.qKcI V/xʤzM|\ HSql0;*%+Mذ-闛obebu2iU&lLbtIcxb5^B#8 ޮaʻ _ w>j+L:$"&O;bZ K1 jmU玫ݢ=S/J<WO2'_yUPvp=`"aL5 Nl7"rlQT޼==-I[Se* F'(\`󴯉'{:נnVZ TG6*r$Tyx^LJū.C<3` %ANrxUo"˄ 0&$tO F&bIcW3GG͈ y!{m,LkCI d,(2"@ dR%F1thUL8Rݒ^+v9^?sʯYעDl~Qd" N2sc|ov}=F,3K#vxIvG^,[OM&wI[#,Jޙ\ض;L^fv[LbyYvM#/EI#/Zס$(ڼ ," &LK/IF i-Zx彰픢]MKeR n(PhV'LҸ\f$w/ e]"mɷWO߻˱ KerSPe (ӼGMȈ}X?ʍto7ZKl+81_Y&ǡd uʤ1Vw!sQ"/$zNkw(t)2BWQW"˄OXLp:e‡# וzn2F}qlc5ؾ:WH xLz LP:d# Q>(MRېd2Qt$o~R$YR5,-nޜLr_βehd" 2k1lvO X= eC p+[R=jU!֖}_DޟY2 (*wkZQ>Fl̲soR#^u3hhyTԲt.LtD8sk4z4Rbl@zp4hy0Tn\=.fnő Y/:TC9<@fSI$:QR/bq7DfR/ֻn)Vqd"䳽˄GL;ϝRG顼n&%Sv eFv,L"t}I&N> D73]$e)( ;]XhL`kSzJlcC$<)깍h}dr,1ܝRM뭍eMa $?e3f8΍҈&P(x+JU5{I 3 M- ;7|#G9 !\œ&=xp2,L{-`?OW":4uܚEadv ~9q.VdV%UT@73$@W¯B!ݒaVLH:!opr;gAɀiήpfߙR E/IDO*Luf0}{7mfyDxT.g)w5RvHx#Z]&M$ gZUTt+lZqZ_;a&JaG,-JLJDFIcV|:I3nB&;N0Lna=Y_Gl,p5,,kc EKgd;2vt7selT9˸sX޲.6r<1!| L0lTMS1?Xsf cq )KSgBB&׭x. v c@^Yk΀v],E[ɾ QhYyXXC2)g/J@su1ScL, ?C[{V2i͛!סӠ&> 6lu>4Ƕʤ|=12鱧l{^:a/Y%~].26G: p^CZ V&Vedҟ?RrX7d#I]ՕuL1 ?_ /12IEh ̴b<ӯ^e _ϝ䰻^]vy> /ColorSpace /DeviceRGB /BitsPerComponent 8 /Length 873>> stream x1j08-K/)],) &gi+:U̲\"9H!@"9H!@"9H!@eY.Z[p_E{QHKV[/`j%ʒcP,SX4W{7urd5ɱPr:-ֆʇX$$zfZpClbw7z{[]qGlwlGlZiM,ߺ7x}w` L9=3zpWL9 j)ۓB$ DrB$ DrB$ DrB$ DrB$ DrB$ DrB$ DrB$e]k` B$ DrB$ DrB$ DrB$/؋ endstream endobj xref 0 27 0000000000 65535 f 0000000009 00000 n 0000000074 00000 n 0000000120 00000 n 0000000485 00000 n 0000000522 00000 n 0000000671 00000 n 0000000774 00000 n 0000002952 00000 n 0000003059 00000 n 0000003167 00000 n 0000003277 00000 n 0000003390 00000 n 0000003501 00000 n 0000003530 00000 n 0000003640 00000 n 0000003700 00000 n 0000003760 00000 n 0000003817 00000 n 0000003874 00000 n 0000009449 00000 n 0000010580 00000 n 0000010639 00000 n 0000010698 00000 n 0000010803 00000 n 0000012354 00000 n 0000017929 00000 n trailer << /Size 27 /Root 1 0 R /Info 5 0 R /ID[] >> startxref 19060 %%EOF Why Stop at Pisgah?* | Caring Magazine

Vol. #28

Grace Uncovered

Read Issue

Latest Impact StoriesView All

Popular Topics

PopularView All

Why Stop at Pisgah?*

October 15, 1999
4 minute read
Total
0
Shares
0
0
0
Listen to this article

robertson
by Lt. Colonel Sharon Robertson –

The man stood alone on the arid heights. He was old–very old–but he had the hardened body and the vitality of a much younger man, and his vision was undimmed–by age, at least. He was conscious of a mist of unshed tears as he gazed hungrily at the land of his dreams. The Promised Land. So close–so very close–the land he would never claim.

He had been a leader of his people. Male and female, young and old, they had looked to him for guidance, as children look to their father. He loved them as a father loves his rebellious children. A sour smile twisted his lips as he thought of the journey now behind them. They had been slaves in Egypt, and the Lord had rescued them from servitude, but they had not yet achieved all that God held in store for them. God was leading them to the Promised Land. For years, they stumbled and muttered their way through the wilderness, sometimes doing well in their service, and delighting in the blessings of God, and at other times muttering, complaining, and even rebelling against him. Many, saved from slavery, died in the wilderness and never made it to the Promised Land at all. Moses was one of them. Joy and despair struggled for mastery within him as he stood on the heights of Pisgah, looking across the Jordan.

Moses, of course, was the great leader of the Israelites. He is honored even today by three major religious faiths: Christianity, Judaism and Islam. Jesus quoted him. In fact, in the New Testament Moses is referred to or quoted more than 70 times. He was one of the prophets who appeared with Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration. And yet, this great man never achieved his dream of entering the Promised Land. Why?

The wilderness experience has often been considered a picture of the Christian’s spiritual journey. As the crossing through the Red Sea was a type of salvation, so the claiming of the Promised Land has been considered a type of claiming God’s gift of holiness. And there are still lessons to be learned. So what kept Moses from crossing over Jordan and taking possession of the Promised Land? Three things: his attitude, his actions, and his refusal to take responsibility for either.

It happened at the rock.

At Meribah in Kadesh Barnea, Moses and Aaron, instead of pointing to God as the one who was responding to the cries of his people, said, “Listen, you rebels, must we bring water out of this rock?” Whether it was anger or arrogance that caused Moses to fail to honor the holy God, the fact remains: he did not give God the honor due him.

Moses, instead of speaking to the rock, as God had instructed, raised his arm and struck the rock. Yes, the water gushed out–God, in his mercy, met the needs of his people–but Moses had disobeyed God. Why did Moses strike the rock? Was he thinking, “This is how I did it last time, God just didn’t spell it out this time?” Was he thinking, period? Is it possible that he had come to the conclusion that it was he and God who caused the waters to flow? Or did he think he could put on a better show to impress the people? Whatever it was that caused him to disobey God’s instructions, the fact remains: he disobeyed.

Moses failed to acknowledge his sins, and repent. God does not turn his back on his people when they acknowledge their sins and seek his forgiveness and cleansing. Sadly, Moses seemed unable to do this. There is no evidence that Moses ever accepted responsibility for his own sins committed at Meribah of Kadesh Barnea. God told Moses in no uncertain terms what he had done wrong, but time and again Moses said to the Israelites, “Because of you, the Lord was angry with me also, and said, ‘You shall not enter it.'”

Moses was a great man of God. Deuteronomy ends with the words, Since then no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face, who did all those miraculous signs and wonders the Lord sent him to do in Egypt…no one has ever shown the mighty power or performed the awesome deeds that Moses did in the sight of all Israel. (Deut. 34:10-12). But Moses was not allowed the joy of entering the Promised Land.

Unacknowledged, unforgiven sin can keep us from entering into the experience of holiness offered by God himself. God simply asks that we fully surrender our lives to him, seek his forgiveness and cleansing, and claim his holiness. Why should we, like Moses, remain only spectators to the fulfillment of God’s promise?

The Promised Land awaits.

* References: Deuteronomy 3:21-28; Numbers 20:2-12

Download this page as a PDF

You May Also Like