09/16/2020 YOUR ARM’S TOO SHORT TO BOX WITH GOD
Numbers 11:23 The LORD answered Moses, “Is the LORD’s arm too short? You will now see whether or not what I say will come true for you.”
[New International translation]
Summary:
Learning to trust GOD after the great exodus from Egypt wasn’t easy for the Israelites. Despite seeing GOD perform great miracles---- the escape from Pharaoh’s army, the parting of the Red Sea (Exodus 14); the guidance by the pillar of cloud during the day and the pillar of fire at night (Exodus 13); the numerous plagues that occurred in Egypt when Pharaoh refused to let the Israelites go (Exodus 7-12)--- the Israelites still found it hard to totally put their trust in GOD. The Israelites complained about their food (Numbers 11); they were often defiant (See Exodus 32 when the people tried to make their own GOD); they were difficult, argumentative, and often “tried to box with GOD.”
Even, Moses, who spoke directly with GOD, sometimes “couldn’t see” how GOD was going to work things out when GOD promised to give the complainers the meat they craved, for a whole month, until it came out of their nostrils and became loathsome (Numbers 11:20). Moses could not “see” how GOD was going to fulfill this meat every day for a month's promise. Moses could “see” that there were over 600,000 men alone present, not even counting the women and children (Numbers 11:21). Moses counted all the animals in the flocks and herds and the math simply did not add up.
But just because Moses couldn’t “figure it out” didn’t mean GOD could not do it. GOD asked Moses, “Do you think my arm is short” or in other words “Do you think me weak and not up to the challenge?” Without explaining how GOD just told Moses “You shall see.”
So, just on the WORD of GOD, Moses reported GOD’s promise to the people. And, GOD did exactly what GOD said HE would do.
ARM EXERCISES
While the LORD does not have weak arms (i.e. short arms), often people who fail to exercise do. Some might even ask, why do you need strong arms? Here are a few reasons why such arm exercises are important:
- Research has shown that strength training and other arm exercises that involve bicep curls and weight lifting can improve benefit heart health;
- Working out your arms can help improve your speed and endurance;
- Lifting something may help to improve your range of motion, allow you to perform daily tasks, and help improve your quality of life.
- • We need to combat the “pitfalls of our culture,” which often has us hunched over a computer, bending over a phone screen, sitting slumped over a chair or couch watching a TV, or behind the steering wheel of a car, or behind a desk. Many of our activities of “daily living” result in our continuously decreasing our range of motions.