No One Can Snatch

Bulletin

Dan Peters
10/01/23 - Salvation

No One Can Snatch

Jesus had made a strong statement about his personal ability not to allow anyone to snatch any of his sheep from his hand. His ability is equal to the Father’s, “I and the Father are one” (John 10:30). This does not mean that the Father never lost a sheep, he did. But it wasn’t snatched away!
This same idea is so well illustrated when the Father was taking his sheep through the wilderness wandering. The King of Moab tried to get Balaam to curse God’s sheep (Numbers 22 - 24). Did God allow Balaam to curse his sheep, his people Israel? No. Each time the king of Moab begged Balaam to curse Israel, yet God turned the curse into a blessing. Balaam could not even speak a word against Israel. “Come curse Jacob for me, And come, denounce Israel!’ “ How shall I curse whom God has not cursed? And how can I denounce whom the LORD has not denounced? … Then Balak said to Balaam, “What have you done to me? I took you to curse my enemies, but behold, you have actually blessed them!” (Numbers 23:7-11). For three times he tried to get Balaam to curse, but three times God made Balaam bless his sheep instead.
But that is not the end of the story. Israel could not be snatched out of God’s hand or harmed from the outside. But can they fall from the inside? The very next chapter (Numbers 25), Israel is tempted by Balaam (Numbers 31:16) to commit sexual sin and idolatry with the Moabite women. How many of them fell? “Those who died by the plague were 24,000” (Num. 25:9).
All these 24,000 were baptized (1Corinthians 10:1-2). Not only were they all baptized, but “ate the same spiritual food and all drank the same spiritual drink”. And they all had Christ too! “for they were drinking from a spiritual rock which followed them; and the rock was Christ.” (10:3-4). These 24,000 could not be defeated from the outside. They could not be snatched away from the Father’s hand. But they could be tempted into sin and walk away from God’s hand. “No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it. (1Cor. 10:13). Each one must “watch over your heart with all diligence” (Pro. 24:23). Let us be strengthened in the inner man to obey God. Come join us! 270-873-9771—cell. (website: https://www.westmurraychurch.com). Dan Peters