A THOUSAND TIMES MORE

"May the LORD God of your fathers make you a thousand times more numerous than you are, and bless you as He has promised you!" (Deut 1:11, NKJV)

The people of God had become so numerous, that they were to many for Moses "carry alone" (Deut 1:9, NIV). The Israelites had grown remarkably from a mere seventy souls that went down into Egypt. As it is written, "All the persons of the house of Jacob who went to Egypt were seventy" (Gen 46:26, NKJV)–certainly an extremely small beginning. However, they certainly did not come out of Egypt a meager few–even though they were sorely oppressed. There were 600,000 men on foot (or mature men), besides children, and a "mixed multitude" (Ex 12:37-38). Conservative estimates suggest from 3-4 million people came out in the midnight exodus. Now, Moses stands before the people and reminds them of what the Lord has done.

"The LORD your God has multiplied you, and here you are today, as the stars of heaven in multitude" (Deut 1:10, NKJV). What a testimony they were to the greatness of God! But Moses is not content with what has been done to this point. Also, even though the people have grown to the place where he needs help, he desires for exponential growth among them. "'May the LORD God of your fathers make you a thousand times more numerous than you are, and bless you as He has promised you!" He knew the Lord's promise to Abraham was vast in scope. "Then He brought him (Abraham) outside and said, ‘Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them.' And He said to him, ‘So shall your descendants be'" (Gen 15:5). You may recall that the patriarch's belief of this Divine commitment was what prompted God to account him righteous. "And he believed in the LORD, and He accounted it to him for righteousness" (Gen 15:6). A great promise deserves great faith.

You must not miss the spirit of Moses in this text. Even though the people had become a burden to him, he desired for them to increase. His desires were not small, but becoming of a man of faith. The belief of the promises of God had moved him away from the lowlands of carnal thought and mere self-interests. The increase he desires is unheard of in our time–"a thousand times." We hear of churches that have doubled, or tripled, of even increased fifteen or twenty times–but "a thousand times!"

The people were too many for Moses to judge and lead profitably, yet he desires they increase "a thousand times." He will instruct them on how to address the need for rulers over their tribes–but he desires that the Lord increase them "a thousand times." Moses knew the Lord had promised Abraham a multitude of posterity. He also knew the Lord was fully capable of doing this. He brought his thinking into harmony with the promises of God.

The prophets foretold of the triumph of truth and the enlargement of the people of God. Of our Savior's administration of salvation Isaiah said, "Of the increase of His government and peace There will be no end" (Isa 9:7). In the second Psalm, the Spirit tells of a conversation between the Father and the Word, prior to Him being made flesh. "Ask of Me, and I will give You the nations for Your inheritance, And the ends of the earth for Your possession" (Psa 2:8). John was granted to behold the vast multitude of the saved. The number of them extended beyond man's mathematical expertise. "After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes . . . " (Rev 7:9). There is nothing small about grace!

From the highest view, this enormous throng came from "one Man," Christ Jesus (Rom 5:15). From the lower view, they came from Abraham, after he was "as good as dead." As it is written, "Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born as many as the stars of the sky in multitude; innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore" (Heb 11:12). In both cases, even "a thousand times" comes far short of the results wrought by our God.

May the Lord deliver us from small thinking! May we seek blessings and increase that will bring great glory to God!