1) Moses is told by God that he will not enter the Promised Land due to his sin of striking the rock, and is instead shown the land from Mount Nebo before dying. 2) Moses asks God to appoint a new leader to guide the Israelites, and God chooses Joshua to succeed Moses. 3) Joshua is commissioned before the priest Eleazar and the congregation, with Moses laying hands on him and inaugurating him as the new leader, as God commanded.

1. Numbers 27:12-23
God Commissions
January 5, 2020
First Baptist Church
Jackson, Mississippi
USA
What’s the number one thing?
The glory of God!
1 Corinthians 10:31 NKJV
31 Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of
God.
Because Moses had sinned in misrepresenting God to the people (we should be
a picture of Jesus Christ) as he struck the Rock at Meribah (Numbers 20:11), he
would not be able to enter the Promised Land.
The older we get, the more we realize that, although God is indeed gracious and
full of mercy, a Father Who is inexpressibly patient and kind, there are definite,
absolute repercussions of sin.
Proverbs 9:10 NKJV
10 “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”
We ought to walk in the fear of God - not afraid of Him - but afraid of the
repercussions of our sin.
Deuteronomy 3:23-26 NKJV
23 “Then I (Moses) pleaded with the Lord at that time, saying: 24 ‘O Lord God, You
have begun to show Your servant Your greatness and Your mighty hand, for
what god is there in Heaven or on Earth who can do anything like Your works
and Your mighty deeds? 25 I pray, let me cross over and see the good land
beyond the Jordan, those pleasant mountains, and Lebanon.’

2. 26 “But the Lord was angry with me on your account and would not listen to me.
So the Lord said to me: ‘Enough of that! Speak no more to Me of this matter.’”
Deuteronomy 3:23-26 NKJV
Numbers 27:12-23 NKJV
Joshua the Next Leader of Israel
12 Now the Lord said to Moses: “Go up into this Mount Abarim (ahBARim), and
see the land which I have given to the children of Israel. 13 And when you have
seen it, you also shall be gathered to your people, as Aaron your brother was
gathered. 14 For in the Wilderness of Zin, during the strife of the congregation,
you rebelled against My command to hallow Me at the waters before their
eyes.” (These are the waters of Meribah (mareREEbah), at Kadesh (kahDESH) in
the Wilderness of Zin.)
15 Then Moses spoke to the Lord, saying: 16 “Let the Lord, the God of the spirits of
all flesh, set a man over the congregation, 17 who may go out before them and
go in before them, who may lead them out and bring them in, that the
congregation of the Lord may not be like sheep which have no shepherd.”
18 And the Lord said to Moses: “Take Joshua the son of Nun with you, a man in
whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand on him; 19 set him before Eleazar (el-E-A-
zar) the priest and before all the congregation and inaugurate him in their
sight. 20 And you shall give some of your authority to him, that all the
congregation of the children of Israel may be obedient. 21 He shall stand before
Eleazar the priest, who shall inquire before the Lord for him by the judgment of
the Urim. At his word they shall go out, and at his word they shall come in, he
and all the children of Israel with him—all the congregation.”
22 So Moses did as the LORD commanded him. He took Joshua and set him
before Eleazar the priest and before all the congregation. 23 And he laid his
hands on him and inaugurated him, just as the Lord commanded by the hand of
Moses.
Numbers 27:12-23 NKJV
In Numbers 27:12, we come to a sad note.
"The Lord said to Moses: 'Go up into this Mount Abarim (ahBARim - a mountain
range, it means ‘regions beyond’) and see the land that I have given to the
children of Israel'."
The surface of the Dead Sea is 1,412 ft below sea level which is Earth's lowest
elevation on land.

3. The Dead Sea is almost 1,000’ deep and it is almost 10X as salty as the ocean.
The Abarim Range, east of the Dead Sea, has a notable peak: Mount Nebo /
Mount Pisgah – from there Moses viewed the land.
It had a tremendous vantage point as he was looking down at the Dead Sea
towards a land that was slanted at him.
Most scholars believe that Mt. Pisgah is the same as Mt. Nebo.
Mt. Nebo is in Jordan and it offers a breathtaking view of the Jericho and, on a
clear day, Jerusalem.
It is not just a place to see a good view.
It is a place to remember that sometimes it takes a lifetime to accomplish our
purpose.
It is also a reminder that God keeps His promises to His children.
God took him up there to show him the land and then said, “you shall be
gathered to your people as Aaron your brother was also gathered.”
God didn't say, "Okay, Moses, look over the land---now you're going to die."
He didn't say "die."
What did He say was going to happen?
"You will be gathered to your people."
Just who were Moses’ people?
Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Jacob's sons – Moses’ forefathers.
We're going to be gathered to our people some day!
There's going to be a gathering after this life of those other righteous ones who
have been with you and before you.
We would have been prone to say, “if anybody deserves to be in the land,
Moses, you're going dude. In fact, you're going to get the best piece of it.”
But God said, "You're just going to see it, but not go into it."

4. A trick question, did Moses ever get to go into the Promised Land?
Yes, he did, on the Mount of Transfiguration when in the northern part of Israel on
a high mountain Jesus was transfigured before His disciples with Moses and
Elijah, speaking about the future.
Numbers 27:15-16 NKJV
15 Then Moses spoke to the Lord, saying: 16 “Let the Lord, the God of the spirits of
all flesh, set a man over the congregation,”
The Bible says, “Moses was the meekest man on the face of the Earth.”
Moses said, “I'm concerned, they need a great leader. ‘Let the God of the spirits
of all flesh, set a man over the congregation.’"
All of you have a body of flesh but that's only part of you, that's not really the
real you.
The real you is who you are underneath the flesh, your spirit.
The real you is spirit.
You are a spirit- you have a soul- and you live in a body (the flesh).
Genesis 2:7 NKJV
7 And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground (body) and breathed
into his nostrils the breath of life (spirit); and man became a living being (soul).
God breathed life into Adam (Genesis 2:7).
God breathed His spirit into us, granting us life!
“Breath” is very sacred!
We take our first breath at birth and we never cease to breathe until the day we
cross over to Heaven.
Ecclesiastes 12:7 NKJV
7 Then the dust will return to the Earth as it was,
And the spirit will return to God Who gave it.

5. When we think about breath, we should remember that the Hebrew word for
spirit, Ruach, when translated literally means: “Air in motion”.
This same word Ruach for breath, also means “life”.
Job 33:4 NKJV
4 The Spirit of God has made me,
And the breath of the Almighty gives me life.
‒ God is life and He is Spirit!
Megan Payne Mascagni’s funeral on December 20, 2019 had a profound effect
on many lives, especially on my life.
I told her Mom and her Dad that it was the best funeral (most impactful) that I
had ever attended and that is how you bring glory to God through your life and
through your death.
Impact:
A Muslim physician became a Christian after watching Megan depend on Jesus
while living with cancer until she was gathered to her people (Hebrews 12:1-3).
Hebrews 12:1-3 MSG
1-3 Do you see what this means—all these pioneers who blazed the way, all these
veterans cheering us on? It means we’d better get on with it. Strip down, start
running—and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins. Keep your eyes
on Jesus, Who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how He did it.
Because He never lost sight of where He was headed—that exhilarating finish in
and with God—He could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame,
whatever. And now He’s there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When
you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item,
that long litany of hostility He plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into
your souls!
Hebrews 12:1-3 MSG
My Dad had coached Megan’s Dad, Tom Payne, at Central High School in
Jackson, MS and as I heard the godly attributes that Megan had lived out, I
recognized that she had gotten many of those strengths from her Dad – whom
my Dad had impacted!
My Dad died thirty years ago (12/26/89) at the age of 66 and he truly left a
legacy for my brother, Bob, my sister, Bebe, and me.

6. I heard a statement recently that relates a dynamic truth.
Inheritance is what we leave for people; Legacy is what we leave in people.
Even though Megan was gathered to her people at the age of 36, she has
definitely already left a legacy for Lila. Megan lived by James 1:12.
James 1:12 NASB
12 Blessed is the man (or woman) who perseveres under trial; for once he (she)
has been approved, he (she) will receive the crown of life which the Lord has
promised to those who love Him.
Megan’s uncle, Dr. Danny T. Havard, read from Ecclesiastes.
Ecclesiastes 7: 1-2 NKJV
1 A good name (legacy) is better than precious ointment,
And the day of death than the day of one’s birth;
2 Better to go to the house of mourning
Than to go to the house of feasting,
For that is the end of all men;
And the living will take it to heart.
I have taken the message of Megan’s funeral to heart.
Great Are You Lord
by All Sons & Daughters
You give hope, You restore
Every heart that is broken.
Great are You, Lord
It's Your breath in our lungs
So we pour out our praise to You only!
It’s His breath (spirit) in our lungs (body) so our soul pours out praises to Him only!
Hebrews 4:12 NKJV
12 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged
sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow
(body), and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

7. 1 Thessalonians 5:23 NKJV
23 Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your
whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord
Jesus Christ.
You are a triune being- body, soul, and spirit- just as God is a triune being:
Father, Son, and Spirit.
For the Spirit filled Christian:
• The Holy Spirit controls your spirit.
• Your spirit controls your soul.
• Your soul controls your body.
Your body serves your soul,
Your soul serves your spirit and
Your spirit serves God!
In an addicted person, the soul obeys the body.
Your spirit is connected to Heaven, and your body is connected to the Earth.
Your soul connects your spirit (Heaven) with your body (Earth), so that you can
live and operate in both realms.
The Son, while on the Earth, was connected to the Father in Heaven by the Holy
Spirit so that Jesus was able to operate in both realms.
The flesh, the body, is simply the avenue (the means), the apparatus by which
one spirit can relate to another spirit.
Right now, I can relate to you through your body.
• I can shake your hand.
• I can hear your words.
• I can see your eyes and your body language when you communicate.
You can tell a lot about a person by looking at their flesh.
You meet some people who won't give you eye contact or they barely shake
your hand – it feels like you have just grabbed a wet fish.
You know, you can just tell there's no confidence there.
They're kind of a little bit abated and ashamed and tenuous, tentative, and other
people are not.

8. So, the body is useful to communicate the spirit.
But one day the flesh will die and be buried, and your spirit will go be with the
Lord.
The real you will be with the essence of Who God is.
John 4:24 NKJV
24 “God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”
So, the body will die, and the spirit will be joined with the Lord, in the presence of
the Lord awaiting bodily resurrection, a reconstituted you!
Numbers 27:22-23 MSG
22-23 Moses followed God’s orders. He took Joshua and stood him before Eleazar
the priest in front of the entire community. He laid his hands on him and
commissioned him, following the procedures God had given Moses.
So, Joshua would bring them into the land.
Joshua is a Hebrew name.
• The 'J' is silent, like in Spanish.
• The Hebrew pronunciation of Joshua is Yeshua.
• The equivalent of that name in Greek is "Jesus".
• It's Jesus in English.
• Joshua and Jesus, it's the same name.
Isn't it interesting that Moses couldn't bring them in, but Jesus could?
John 1:17 NKJV
17 For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus
Christ.
What Moses failed to do, only Joshua (Jesus) could do.
This is not a coincidence, it is a portrayal: as this OT Joshua will bring them into
the land, our Joshua (Jesus) brings us into a place of rest and completion
(abundant life).
God has called you to an abundant life and He has co-missioned you.

9. Matthew 28:19-20 NKJV
19 “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the
name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to
observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always,
even to the end of the age.” Amen.
Are you intentionally making disciples?
Get some copies of Experiencing God and walk your children, grandchildren
and great grandchildren through it.
Based on the life of Moses, it teaches your family members how to join God
where He is already working in and around their lives.
A reviewer named Tasha gives it 5.0 out of 5 stars and says: Profound, and life
changing! I am going through this study with my children (6 children ages 1-17),
and their walk with God has improved greatly as a result.
If you are "missing" something from your relationship with God, and even if you
think your walk is good...go through this study.
If you have asked yourself even once, "Is God telling me to do that?" or "How do
I know it is God speaking?" or "When will I know what God's will is?"
Then you will never regret doing this exciting study.
2 Timothy 4:6-8 NKJV
Paul’s Valedictory (a farewell address)
6 For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my
departure is at hand. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I
have kept the faith. 8 Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness,
which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me
only but also to all who have loved His appearing.

10. The Plan of Hope & Salvation:
John 3:16-17 NKJV
16 “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever
believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not
send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him
might be saved.”
John 14:6 NKJV
6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the
Father except through Me.”
Romans 3:23 NKJV
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
Romans 6:23a NKJV
23a For the wages of sin is death,
• Death in this life (the first death) is 100%.
• Even Jesus, the only one who doesn’t deserve death, died in this life to
pay the penalty for our sin.
• The death referred to in Romans 6:23a is the “second death” explained in
Revelation 21:8.
Revelation 21:8 NKJV
8 “But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral,
sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with
fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”
• Anyone who’s lifestyle is one or more of the sins listed in Revelation 21:8,
will experience the “second death,” if they do not repent.
• To Repent means to turn around, to go in the opposite direction, to turn
away from sin and to come to Jesus.
Romans 5:8 NKJV
8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners,
Christ died for us.
Romans 6:23b NKJV
23b but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Revelation 21:7 NKJV
7 “He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be
My son.”
• Romans 10:9-10 explain to us how to be overcomers.

11. Romans 10:9-10 NKJV
9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that
God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one
believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto
salvation.
Romans 10:13 NKJV
13 For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
Do you have questions?
Would you like to know more?
Please, contact First Baptist Church Jackson at 601-949-1900 or
http://firstbaptistjackson.org/contact/