Remember! Will you remember? Remember the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob who is eternally faithful. Psalm 81 is a call for the people of Israel to celebrate, remember and worship God. The people of Israel would often forget God and they would be left to follow the wickedness of their hearts. Asaph is calling the people to remember that they are easily unfaithful to God and choose to wholeheartedly turn to God and worship Him alone. The gods of the world that sought to consume the attention of the Israelites were not worthy to compare with the true God. It is just as easy today to run to the idols and gods vying for our attention and worship them thinking that lasting substance can be found in vaporous pleasure. Only God will bring complete wholeness for our vaporous existence. Continue Reading…
Complete wholeness for our vaporous existence: Psalm 81
Strong spiritual leadership a catalyst for success: Joshua 17 and 18
Dividing the inheritance of each tribe is continuing in Joshua chapters 17 and 18. It was easy for me to think that the division of land was a simple task that would be accomplished quickly and easily. I forgot that there were many thousands of people within each tribe that needed to move all their families, livestock, and belongings into the lands of their inheritance. That would be a major undertaking. What did people think then they moved to take their inheritance? As the tribes moved to the land they inherited was there a sense of loss as they left the camp around the Tabernacle? I would think that this time was bitter sweet because they were inheriting the promised land but everyone encamping around the Tabernacle was ending. Continue Reading…
Following God in the face of deception: Joshua 9 and 10
What happens when we disobey God? What happens when we obey God? Why should we care? There is a story to be found about following and obeying God in Joshua chapters 9 and 10. In Joshua chapter 7 when the Israelites attacked Ai they were defeated by a substantially smaller force because they did not have God’s blessing and in fact God’s anger was kindled against Israel. The disobedience of Achan had made the Israelites unable to fight. Did pride filled their hearts as they thought the people of Ai to be an easy to defeat? In Joshua 9 and 10 the Israelites had moments where they could have again had the wrath of God turn upon them but in this moment the leaders choose to obey God instead of following their own way. Continue Reading…
First fruit offerings of love to God: Deuteronomy 25 and 26
This day the Lod your God commands you to do these statutes and ordinances. You shall therefore be careful to do them with all your heart and with all your soul. You have today declared the Lord to be your God, and that you would walk in His ways and keep His statutes, His commandments and His ordinances, and listen to His voice. The Lord has today declared you to be His people, a treasured possession, as He promised you, and that you should keep all His commandments; and that He will set you high above all nations which He has made, for praise, fame, and honor; and that you shall be a consecrated people to the Lord your God, as He has spoken.
Deuteronomy 26:16-19 NASB
Standing out among nations by following God: Deuteronomy 21 and 22
As I read about the laws that God’s commanded the Israelites to follow it becomes a little bit overwhelming. In the first half of Deuteronomy 21 we find out what happens when a man is found struck dead in the middle of nowhere. It never crossed my mind to wonder what happens in this instance. I find it interesting that the city that is closest to the body is the one who makes atonement for the innocent blood that was shed. All of the necessary sacrifice is overwhelming to think about and it makes me thankful for Jesus Christ’s sacrifice. Did the people of Israel long for a better way? I wonder if prophets were already foretelling of a coming Messiah. Continue Reading…
Does God test us, stand firm in faith: Deuteronomy 13 and 14
My reading today in Deuteronomy chapters 13 and 14 has left me asking a question: Does God test us? In Deuteronomy 13:3 it states that, “you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams; for the Lord you God is testing you to find out if you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul.” The scripture says that God is testing the Israelites when there is a false prophet luring them away. This was something that I guess thought didn’t happen. I don’t know why I thought that because I honestly don’t have any reason to assume anything about God. Continue Reading…
God’s blessing and curse set before Israel in Deuteronomy 11 and 12
See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse: the blessing, if you listen to the commandments of the Lord your God, which I am commanding you today, and the curse, if you do not listen to the commandments of the lord your God, but turn aside from the way which I am commanding you today, by following other gods which you have not known.
Deuteronomy 11:26-28 NASB
You were there when God worked through, for, and among His people. You saw God working in your midst! Do you remember? Moses continues to express God’s loving desire for the Israelites in Deuteronomy chapters 11 and 12. As the people are preparing to cross the Jordan and enter the promised land they need to be reminded of everything they knew. The people saw God’s wrath, His anger when they disobeyed, and His activity in their midst and they needed to remember those moments when they entered into the Promised Land. Continue Reading…
Obedience an expression of love in Deuteronomy 1 and 2
The book of Deuteronomy retells the stories found in Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers. The book is the last of the Pentateuch authored by Moses. In chapter 1 Moses reviews the journey of the Israelites from Horeb. Why repeat all of the stories again? How does this profit the people? I think it was absolutely necessary for the people to remember God’s faithfulness and their consistent failure. If the people of Israel were not reminded of where God had brought them from would they have been more inclined to stray from Him? The story of the peoples lack of faith and rebellion before the 40 years in the wilderness must have been a vivid reminder to obey God. The importance of obeying God in all areas of life has been repeated to me many times today. Continue Reading…
A donkey smarter than it’s master: Numbers 21 and 22
The more I read through Numbers I am constantly reminded that humans are obstinate and headstrong. Numbers 21 the people of Israel again are complaining to God and Moses. They don’t like the hardship and would rather be back in Egypt. God sent fiery serpents among the people and many died. Moses intercedes for the people and creates a bronze serpent that is set on a pole as commanded by God. In their disobedience the people only needed to look upon the the bronze serpent to be healed from the snake bites. Did everyone believe enough to look upon the bronze snake and be healed? I would bet that there were some people who didn’t have faith and they died. It seems very much like how people today don’t want to place their trust in Jesus Christ for salvation. Why is it when something is so easy that it becomes an insurmountable barrier for some to overcome? Continue Reading…
Love, worship, and follow: Leviticus Summary
Leviticus is a continuation of a love story. In this chapter of the story God instructs Israel with an in depth view of the 10 Commandments that He gave to Moses in Exodus 20. My view on the book of Leviticus was challenged and changed through my slow reading of it. My initial perspective was that Leviticus was a book of bloody sacrifice and my only route to get through it was using a ‘blitzkrieg’ method for reading it quickly. There are a lot of laws and sacrifices presented in the book but it is just the opening paragraph to God’s redemption of man. The Israelites were worshiping and following God by obeying Him.
