The Last of the Great Good-Byes

Today's reading includes Joshua 24:15, the well-known verse where Joshua states "But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord." Up to this point, whenever a major character in the Bible passed away, he gets special mention. We've had:

Abraham (Genesis 25:7-11)

Isaac (Genesis 35:28-29)

Jacob (Genesis 49:33)

Moses (Deuteronomy 34:1-12)

Joshua (Joshua 24:29-30)

We'll have another prominent one on June 20th, but until then, this is about it for the great send-offs. As I mentioned in a post about a week or so ago, we're entering into parts of the Bible with which we may not be familiar, but it's precisely these people and events that will increase our learning.

Some of you may recall that a couple of years ago, we had an opportunity to participate in an event that created a handwritten version of the NIV Bible. One of the books we were assigned that day was Joshua, and I kept looking over to see how close we were getting to Joshua 24:15, because I was going to slide over and take that one for myself. I observed that we weren't going to make it that far, so I settled for some nondescript verse in Numbers. As well as we know Joshua's admonition to the people of Israel, look at just how adamantly the people responded that they would indeed follow the Lord--they re-affirmed THREE times they would do it. I don't want to ruin the plot, but we're about one CHAPTER away from the first time Israel will fail to follow what they promised.

I won't belabor the obvious, but the important thing for us today isn't that we do the same thing and fall away from the Lord in our own ways--we do, and will continue to do so until we get to chat with Abraham and Moses about it. No, what's more important is what we do when we recognize we have fallen and look to the Lord for forgiveness. In the next six months or so, we'll read over and over of instances where the people of Israel forgot the promise they so boldly made to Joshua and ultimately repent. We can view all these instances two ways--we can tut-tut the Israelites for their inability to keep their word, or we can be thankful we have a God who sent his only Son to be the ultimate sacrifice on our behalf. I'll leave it to you to choose.

Scott

An Imposing Altar (March 31)

When they came to Geliloth near the Jordan in the land of Canaan, the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh built an imposing altar there by the Jordan.  And when the Israelites heard that they had built  the altar on the border of Canaan at Geliloth near the Jordan on the Israelites side, the whole assembly of Israel gathered at Shiloh to go to war agianst them.

The whole assembly of the Lord says: 'How could you break faith with the God of Israel like this? How could you trun away from the Lord and build yourselves an altar in rebellion against him now?'

That is why we said, 'Let us get ready and build an altar-but not for burnt offerings or sacrifices.'  On the contrary, it is to be a witness between us and you and the generations that follow, that we will worship the Lord at his sanctuary with our burnt offerings, sacrifices and fellowship offerings.  Then in the future your descendants will not be able to say to ours, 'You have no share in the Lord.'

"Now then," said Joshua, "throw away the foreign gods that are among you and yield your hearts to the Lord, the God of Israel," 
                                   From Joshua 22 & 24 NIV

Here Israel perceives impropriety in worship and take immediate action in response to their perceptions about this new altar near the Jordan.  Reuben, Gad and the half tribe of Manassah respond with respect to God and Israel; humility acknowledging God's power and knowledge of their purpose, and honesty.  The Altar's purpose as a witness between the Transjordan tribes and Israel; now pointing to worship and sacrifice at his sanctuary; and in the future between future generations is then appreciated by Israel.  As a result, a misunderstanding is resolved.

Misunderstandings can occur for several reasons.              We consider our actions based on our motivations.  Others consider our actions based upon their perceptions.  If there is impropriety in worship, we are compelled to take prompt action to correct the impropriety, so that we do not veer to the left or to the right, but rather stay on the path.  Israel prepares for war based on a perception.  Before an attack, there is communiction.  Here this communication brings unity and peace and strengthens relationships.

Some people get some of their exercise by jumping to conculsions.  Before jumping to any conclusions, do some research.

Jesus has done much work in justifying us so that we can approach God thru him.

What kinds of divisions have you seen in the community, at church or in your home by misunderstanding or misperception?

What actions did you take in response to attempt to resolve the misunderstanding or misperception?

Pray for the Spirit to give you the words to help resolve misunderstandings and restore unity in the community, at chuch, and in your family.


In Christ,


David P

"Every One Was Fulfilled"

I hope you made it all the way through to the end of today's reading, since it's the last verse that got my attention. As a reminder, if you click on the Map link on the right side of the page, you can reference a map I placed there about a week or so ago that shows the allotments of the Promised Land by tribe.

The verse is Joshua 21:45, which states "Not one of all the Lord's good promises to the house of Israel failed; every one was fulfilled." I've written in the past how unique God is among the various gods established throughout history in that he told what was going to happen, whereas false gods were used as after-the-fact explanations for events. God told the people of Israel:

1. That they would conquer Canaan

2. How they were going to do it

3. What would happen if they didn't  follow his instructions to the letter

All these things he prophesied, which should have been all the comfort the people needed. After all, he told them what was going to happen, and then like Jean-Luc Picard on "Star Trek: The Next Generation," made it so. Has anything changed in the intervening 3,500 years? Have any of God's promises to us failed? When times are tough and circumstances are trying, always keep this verse in mind. Just like the Lord himself, this verse was true then, remains true today, and will remain true forever.

Scott

More Allotments (March 30)

(but the Danites had difficulty taking possession of their territory, so they went up an attacked Leshem, took it, put it to the sword and occupied it.  They settled in Leshem and named it Dan after their forefather.)

Not one of all the Lord's good promises to the house of Israel failed; every one was fulfilled.

                                From Joshua 19 &21 NIV

God gave to the tribe of Dan territory on the southern border of the promised land bordering on the Great Sea.  This land was beseiged with conflict.  Gaza still is!  As a result, Dan sent out scouts to look for more prized land.  These scouts found prized land in the northern promised land, where water flowed freely.  The Banias waterfall is in this northern area

Views of the Banias waterfall

(Psalm 42).  Dan disobeyed God's plan.  In the history of the tribes of Israel, Dan disappears first.

When we read about the territory of Israel, you will read the term from Dan to Beersheba.  This means from the north to the south of Israel.

God is faithful in fulfilling his promises.  He has promised eternal life for those who believe in Jesus' death and resurrection for redemption from sin.  We have learned that blood must be shed for forgiveness of sin.  Are you not grateful that Jesus shed his precious blood as an effective, efficient and complete gift to redeem you from your sin to give you the gift of eternal life.

How can others tell you are obedient?

How are you strengthened, encouraged, and renewed by the knoweldge that God keeps his promises?

Pray for strength and encouragement.

In Christ,

David P

From Abraham to Joshua

, Not much in today's reading spoke to me--refer to the map I posted yesterday for an idea of the geography involved. Instead, I made a statement the last time I presented that I knew was incorrect as I said it, and it's been bugging me ever since. Since I read ahead a bit, below is a timeline from Abraham to Joshua:

Just as a reminder, the blue bar shows when a person was born, which tells us that Joshua died around 800 years after the birth of Abraham. What really moved me to show this was that at the beginning of today's reading, God tells Joshua his time  is up. We've spent two days with him, and he's (almost) gone.

It's a different time in the Bible now. We're not going to spend significant time with these people, so we need to learn who they are and remember, because it won't be repeated over time like it had been. The time of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob was the Age of the Patriarchs, Moses and Joshua defined the establishment of Israel, and we'll have a brief interregnum until the Age of the Kings. Enjoy.

Scott

Allotments (March 29)

They did not dislodge the Canaanites living in Gezer; to this day the Canaanites live among the people of Ephriam but are required to do forced labor.

However, when the Israelites grew stronger, they subjected the Canaanites to forced labor but did not drive them out completely.

The Levites, however, do not get a portion among you, because the priestly service of the Lord is their inheritance.
                                    From Joshua 16-18 NIV

God's command, to drive out completely the inhabitants of the land, was not followed.  To this day, the people of God face challenges due to that fact.  One might suspect that a temporary lightening of the communities burden was noted due to subjecting the remaining Canaanites to forced labor.  That temporary lightening of the load, or perhaps short term gain, is not balanced with the long term pain from not following God's command.  In making decisions, often the  decision that is easiest in the short term, has a more difficult long term outcome.

Consider that the Levites are given as their inheritance service to the Lord, and as a result, do not get a portion.  Work for hands to do is a gift from the Lord.  We should be thankful for the gifts we have, for we are all parts of one by and have different gifts from the Spirit.

How do you look at short term and long term effects when you are making a decision?

What do you do, and how can others tell you are serving?  Can others tell that you are serving the Lord?

Pray for wisdom and the Spirit's guidance during decision moments.


In Christ,


David P

Judah Could Not (March 28)

Judah could not dislodge the Jebusites, who were living in Jerusalem; to this day the Jebusites live there with the people of Judah.
                                   Joshua 15:63 NIV

Sometimes we need to accept things. 

Here, Judah is unable to dislodge the Jebusites from Jerusalem.  Perhaps someone can comment on reasons why this task was not accomplished.

Certainly there may have been conflicts and challenges between the Jebusites and the members of Judah in Jerusalem.  We can read: "give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 5:18 NIV 

Challenges can give us opportunities to minister, to show God's importance in our lives, to show God's love to others and other opportunities.  Faith can grow in challenges.

Reading over the list of cities in Judah, the town of Bethlehem is absent.  Consider how something small now can, over time grow into significance.

How does your faith grow from challenges?

Are there any "Jebusites" in your life?

Pray for continued growth spiritually and numerically in your local church.

In Christ,

David P


                                        

The Conquest of Canaan

Dan Kloppenborg gave me an excellent map of the conquest of Canaan:

For you fans of bloodshed and violence, these have been banner days, but pay special attention to Joshua 11:15, where the Lord clearly commanded Joshua to completely annihilate these cities and their peoples, and 11:20, where it was the Lord who hardened the hearts of the kings of these cities to cause them to fight the Israelites in the first place. It ain't pretty and we might not understand it, but the one thing we know for sure was that it wasn't blood thirst on the part of the Israelites, but the will of the Lord that it be done. Now that the land has been conquered, we'll see what the people do in gratitude.

Solstice, Rest (March 27)

On the day the Lord gave the Amorites over to Israel, Joshua said to the Lord in the presence of Israel:
      O sun, stand still over Gibeon
          O moon, over the Valley of Aijalon
So the sun stood still, and the moon stopped, till the nation avenged itself on its enemies, as it is written in the Book of Jashar.
  The sun stopped in the middle of the sky and delayed going down about a full day.  There has never been a day like it before or since, a day when the Lord listened to a man.  Surely the Lord was fighting for Israel!

So Joshua took the entire land, just as the Lord had directed Moses, and he gave it as an inheritance to Israel according to their tribal divisions.  Then the land had rest from war.

                                   From Joshua 10-11 NIV

God had a plan for Israel.  God has a plan for us.  When one thinks of a day; a special day, a day never before seen and never again will be seen; one needs to think of the day where one man, one perfect man, God-in the form of Jesus Christ; performed an efficient, effective, complete, whole redemption of us from our sin by his death on the cross on Good Friday.  It is by his death and his victory over death that we, like the land can find rest. 

Do you realize the pain that Jesus suffered?  A new word was coined for the pain...excruciating pain.  Literally pain from the cross.

How do you thank God daily for his work for you?

Do you realize that if you were the only human on this planet, He would have done it just for you?

Pray for us on our lenten journey to grow and to learn and to see God.

In Christ,


David P

Oh the Humanity

David's post does an excellent job of covering today's reading, so I'll discuss instead the constant stream of war, violence and bloodshed that we're going to see for quite some time to come. We read that Achan and his entire family were stoned and burned for Achan's sin, and the entire people of Ai are slaughtered and the king hung from a tree.

WHY? I have no idea--God's ways are his own. We have read in the past that Canaan needed to be cleared of inhabitants so that the Israelites wouldn't be tempted to intermarry and follow their pagan ways, and Achan clearly disobeyed the rules set forth by the Lord in Joshua 6:18-19. This won't be the last time we read of swift and sure punishment from the Lord, and we'll even have a couple of examples in the New Testament (November 12th and 17th have vivid examples), but we need to remember the time and place.

You'll get tired of hearing or reading me write "We're in the Age of the Law" as the year progresses, but get used to it--the Age of Grace doesn't begin until November 11th. If you were awake and listening to me last week, you heard me state that the people of Israel's righteousness was through observance of the law (quick plug--don't remember that? Click on the YouTube link at the right and watch it again--works GREAT as a sedative). Over and over, the people of Israel had promised to obey the Lord, and he was clearly still speaking to them through Joshua--they didn't have to guess what his will was. 

Even though we live in the Age of Grace, we still have an obligation to follow God's law. The fact that Jesus' death and resurrection serves as the ultimate sacrifice doesn't remove our obligation to obey the Lord. We may not be stoned and burned to death along with our family and our possessions, but salvation doesn't grant freedom from obedience. Indeed, I would argue that because of our complete inability to even remotely thank God for what he did for us, we're even MORE obligated to obey him--he gave us more.

Scott

Disobedience, Attack and Tricks (March 26)

Go, consecrate the people.  Tell them, 'Consecrate yourselves in preparation for tomorrow; for this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: That which is devoted is among you, O Israel.  You cannot stand against your enemies until you remove it.

There was not a word of all that Moses had commanded that Joshua did not read to the whole assembly of Israel, including the women and children, and the aliens who lived among them.

The men of Israel sampled their provisions but did not inquire of the Lord.  Then Joshua made a treaty of peace with them to let them live, and the leaders of the assembly ratified it by oath.
                     From Joshua 7-9 NIV

God prepares us for the tasks we have been given.  Faith, given by the Spirit, is a requirement to receive the gifts from God.  By faith Moses, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and so many others accomplished their work.  By placing faith in a devoted item, an idol, a mind is split; for one cannot serve two masters.  God caught him, the one with the devoted things.  Israel purged itself by stoning him.  James tells us to come near to God and he will come near to you.  Wash your hands, you sinners and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Ch 4:8 NIV.    Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.  Hebrews 12:1 NIV.

Part of leadership is giving direction to colleagues, team members, classmates, parisioners, and community members as a whole.  Here Joshua does not leave anyone out in explaining expectations.   Here we read that women, children and foreigners were included in this instruction of every word.  Nothing was left out.  All members had knowledge and were aware of expectations.  We all have leadership roles as parents, members of the community and as members of the Body of Chirst.  The position of leadership is a difficult position.  By faith in Christ, we can do much.

God has told Israel to wipe out the inhabitants and to not make treaties.  Look at what happend to Joshua when he used his own knowledge and did not look to the Lord.  Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight.  Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV

In what do you place your faith?  Any devoted items?

How do you consider the leadership roles God has given you?  How do you acknowledge him in those roles?

What things do you give to God for daily direction and guidance? 

How do your actions show that you are raising up Christ in your life?

Pray for safety, protection, and open hearts to the Lord for our children.

In Christ,

David P

Terra Incognito

At this point, we're about 25% through the Bible, and we've read some very familiar stories--Adam and Eve, the Tower of Babel, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, Moses and the Exodus, etc. We may not have known every single detail about every story (and slogging through Leviticus probably made you wish you didn't know ANY detail), but we're familiar with the characters and issues.

I won't speak for all, but that pretty much ends after today and will continue up to the birth of Christ on September 28th. There will be familiar characters and stories, such as Samson, Elijah, David, Solomon, etc., but we're about to enter unknown territory for many of us. Just as the people of Israel were about to enter territory unfamiliar to them, we're about to read about people, places and things that might not immediately register with us.

These next six months will be our test. Will we stick with the rigor and regimen of daily immersion in the word when we may not have a backdrop of knowledge to buttress what we're reading? Will we get to Isaiah and the other prophets and just shake our heads (that's possible, so don't sweat that)? We're crossing our own River Jordan today, leaving behind the familiar stories of the first five books and entering the unknown of the rest of the Old Testament. 

We won't be alone. Joshua 5:13-14 describes the "commander of the army of the Lord," who will be with the people as they enter the Promised Land, and we'll have the Holy Spirit as we head through unfamiliar parts of the Bible. All scripture is God-breathed, and some of it will confuse or elude us, but with God's help and our diligence, we'll see the message that the Lord wishes to share with us. You've made it this far--stick around and see how it shakes out.

Scott

Entry and Jerico (March 25)

Tell them, 'Israel crossed the Jordan on dry ground.'  For the Lord your God dried up the Jordan before you until you had crossed over.  The Lord your God did to the Jordan just what he had done to the Red Sea when he dried it up before us until we had crossed over.  He did this so that all the peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the Lord is powerful and so that you might always fear the Lord your God.

Now when Joshua was near Jerico, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in his hand.  Joshua went up to him and asked, "Are you for us or for our enemies?"  "Neither," he replied, "but as commander of the army of the Lord, I have now come."  Then Joshua fell face down to the ground in reverence, and asked him, "What message does my Lord have for his servant?"

Then the Lord said to Joshua, March around the city once with all the armed men.  Do this for six days.  Have seven priests carry trumpets of rams horns in front of the ark.  On the seventh day, march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing the trumpets.  When you hear them sound a long blast on the trumpets, have all the people give a loud shout: then the wall of the city will collapse and the people will go up, every man straight in."
                                 From Joshua 3 - 6 NIV

Entering the promised land on a dry river bed during a flood, what an awesome example of God's power.  How many more examples will the Israelites need to see to believe, to act, to follow the commands and decrees of the Lord?

Joshua sees the Lord, the commander of the army of the Lord, The Lord appears to Joshua as a warrior with a drawn sword.  This appearance prompts Joshua to reverence.  The Lord shows himself as a commander of warriors.  The Lord in a sense is showing himself in a way that meets a need.  Joshua will be fighting many battles soon, a commander of warriors is a vision that may strengthen and encourage Joshua.

God's battle plan here, for Jerico, is very different than a plan that a human commander might develop.  Remember...God's will, not my will.  God has a perfect plan that will bring glory to him and not to man.

Is there anything that you need to 'see' to understand that God is in control and has developed a perfect plan for your life?

How have you seen Jesus provide for you in different ways in different times of your life?

Pray to see God at work in your life.

In Christ,

David P

The Death of Moses

We’ve spent the better part of two months with Moses, and it seems that he’s been waiting to die for the past couple of weeks, since his death was predicted as far back as Numbers 20. I don’t think any of us can think of this moment without immediately visualizing the final scene in The Ten Commandments, and despite the fact that John Derek’s Joshua utters a line that actually comes at the end of Joshua, it’s a moving scene. The part I want to key in on is something I intended to mention earlier.

Deuteronomy 34:7 tells us “…his eyes were not weak nor his strength gone.” Not too bad for a man of 120 who has spent the past 40 years leading millions of people through the desert, but think back to something we read on Tuesday when we learned that throughout their time in the desert, their sandals didn’t wear out nor did their clothing become tatters. When we read that Moses’ faculties were undiminished at his death, we need to remember that the Lord was with the people of Israel in all ways while they were in the desert. No detail was too small, from providing food and water to something as seemingly trivial as maintaining the clothes they wore.

Is there any reason to think that God isn’t still doing this for us today? For our own selfish reasons we might like to think that he’s abandoned us, but that’s usually self-pity or anger on our part. I’ve written it numerous times in the past three months and I’m sure I’ll mention it again, but just because this is Old Testament writing doesn’t mean that it doesn’t still have meaning and import for us today. God is still taking care of us down to the smallest detail, and we would do well to remember that and thank him for it.

And that’s the last we’ll see of Moses (other than an appearance at Jesus' transfiguration and as possibly one of the two prophets we'll meet in Revelation). Without graphing it out, chances are that, other than Jesus and the disciples, this is the most time we’ll spend with one person in the Bible. As we leave him, let’s remember what made him special—it wasn’t his abilities or his pride for accomplishing things, but his willingness to submit to the Lord and do what he was told. “…no one has ever shown the mighty power or performed the awesome deeds that Moses did in the sight of all Israel,” but that doesn’t mean that with the Spirit’s help, we can’t try. Pray on it, think on it, and then act on it.

Scott

Blessing, Death, New Leadership and Spies (March 24)

Naphtali is abounding with the favor of the Lord and is full of his blessing:

The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms.  He will drive out your enemy before you, saying, 'Destroy him!'

Then Moses climbed Mount Nebo...Then the Lord said to him, "This is the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob when I said, 'I will give it to your descendants.'  I have let you see it with your eyes, but you will not cross over into it.


Then they answered Joshua, "Whatever  you have commanded us we will do, and wherever you send us we will go.  Just as we fully obeyed Moses, so we will obey you."

We have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to Sihon and Og, the two kings of the Amorites east of the Jordan, whom you completely destroyed.

Then they said to Joshua, "The Lord has surely given the whole land into our hands; all the people are melting in fear because of us."
                                                                 From Deuteronomy 33 to Joshua 2 NIV

One's greatest hope is to be abounding with the favor of the Lord.  By following the Spirit with humble obedience, our hope is to hear a "Well done good and faithful servant."  The Israelites needed to keep the law to obtain righteousness, God's blessing, protection, refuge and guidance.  Keeping the law was a tall order, for we have read about how many times God was angered by disobedience.  God knows the secret places of the human heart.  He certainly knew the Israelite's hearts with his prediction of early disobedience.

Moses' life ends with this lesson.  Remember his traits as we continue to read about Israel.  Think about him as a role model and how God can use a man who does not follow commands perfectly all the time, yet continues to seek God.  Consider God's perfect timing of Moses' death, a time of transition in geography, leadership and lifestyle for the Israelites.  For an exercise, one might think how the account might have been different if Moses' life ended at the waters of Meribah Kadesh or even in the promised land.  One may miss Moses in the future readings, for he is a fine example of a doubting man who is given an awesome task and with God's grace, guidance and strength completes the task.

Consider Joshua's possible response to the Israelites affirmation of obedience to him.  One can only wonder if Joshua was encouraged or dismayed by the Israelites statement, "Just as we fully obeyed Moses, so we will obey you."

How is it possible to know if one is fully in the favor of the Lord?

How are you fully obedient?

How does God's faithfulness inspire you today?

Pray for those in transitions.


In Christ,

David P.

"Where Are Their Gods?"

As I mentioned yesterday, Deuteronomy 32 is the Song of Moses, where the Lord, through Moses, told the people of their past mistakes and foretold the future ones. I'll focus on Deuteronomy 32:37-38, which states:

"...where are their gods, the rock they took refuge in, the gods who ate the fat of their sacrifices and drank the wine of their drink offerings? Let them rise up to help you! Let them give you shelter!"

Imagine for a moment that you're a typical run-of-the-mill idol worshiper. You constantly do what the priests of your religion tell you to do--sacrifices, rituals, offerings, etc. At some point, you have to assume some kind of payback--wealth, love, more hair, etc. Think about it--why are you worshiping that idol if not for protection from something. Moses alludes to that in these verses when the Lord kindly offers to allow the idols to care for the people of Israel. It's pretty easy for us to scoff today, but can anyone seriously worship a god that he manufactured with his own hand?

As illogical as it sounds, this described what the people of Israel had done and will do in the Promised Land. As hard as it may be for us to understand idol worship, it's still alive and well in the world today. We worship the idol of self, the idol of wealth, the idol of doing what we want when we want, and most importantly, the idol that we're answerable to no one other than ourselves. The words God spoke through Moses are just as meaningful today and should make us stop, think and continually dedicate ourselves to doing what the Lord wants of us.

Scott

Moses' Song

We won't see the song itself until tomorrow, but in Deuteronomy 31:19-21, God tells Moses to write it. I'm no expert on Christian music or hymns, but I'm pretty sure this particular song didn't make it into any of our hymnals, because in this song, God wants the people of Israel to know that HE KNOWS they won't follow his commandments, and he wants them to know in advance that he knows.

All of us are imbued with 20/20 hindsight, the most useless function in the world. Telling you at noon that the sun is going to rise in the east at 6:00 am doesn't exactly set me up as an expert on astronomy, and God wouldn't show himself to be God if he just came back after Israel sinned and said "I knew this was going to happen." This is the power of prophecy, the 100% accurate foretelling of events. This is what should get the Israelites' attention, because they've had a front-row seat to the power and majesty of the Lord for the past 40 years. One would think that would count for something.

And yet, are we any different today? Imagine an Israelite magically transported into the 21st Century--he'd be absolutely dumbfounded by what we have. That Israelite would consider this heaven, while we bide our time demanding more and  unsatisfied with what we have. The circumstances may have changed, but the things that the Lord warned about, namely, worshiping false gods and rejecting him, are just as prevalent today. Even Moses knew it, because he stated in 31:27 "how much more will you rebel after I die?" The sad part is, we're still part of that rebellion today. Lucky for us, we have the intercession of Jesus, so instead of worrying about how we fall short of God, we should instead thank him for his forgiveness and strive to spread that message as far as we can in the manner the Spirit would lead us.

Scott

Moses Nears Death (March 23)

They are not just idle words for you-they are your life. By them you will live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to possess.
                                   Deuteronomy 32:47 NIV

Take time to read Psalm 90:1-17 and Deuteronomy 31:30-32:52.

There is much wisdom in these passages written by Moses at age 120 shortly before he died.  Creator God is the eternal teacher and we have such a short life traveling here on earth.

God will have compassion on his servants and will avenge the blood of his servants and make atonement for his land and people.

Above-A view at Masada

Below-A view from Masada near the western shore of the Dead Sea

Above-A village south and east of Jerusalem



What attributes of God have you discerned in our reading thus far?

Pray for the Spirit to encourage you as we are soon to move on to the History of Israel in the promised land.

In Christ,

David P

Obey (March 22)

The Lord your God will circumcise your hearts and the hearts of your descendants, so that you may love him with all your soul and live.

But if your heart turns away and you are not obedient, and if you are drawn away to bow down to other gods and worship them, I declare to you this day that you will certainly be destroyed.  You will not live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess.

Be strong and courageous.  Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.

And the Lord said to Moses: "You are going to rest with your fathers, and these people will soon prostitute themselves to the foreign gods of the land they are entering.  They will forsake me and break the covenant I made with them...And I will certainly hide my face on that day because of all their wickedness in turning to other gods.
                              From Deuteronomy 30 &31 NIV

Webster tells us that the word circumcise has three meanings, one of them is to purify spiritually.

Man may perform a circumcision as an outward sign of the covenant made by God with Abraham (Genesis 17:10).  God however promises an inward circumcision, a circumcision of the heart, so that we may love him with all our heart and soul and live.  Notice that the heart, not the mind is the organ God discusses here.  With God's work, the Israelites would be able to obey God's decrees and commands and live.  Disobedience, a heart turning away, is sin and we are told here and in Romans 6:23 that the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.-NIV

God encourages us to be strong and of good courage, however he knows that his covenant will again be broken and broken soon by this "stiff necked" people.

Is it not encouraging that God kept his promise and knew that there would be a remnant to carry out his plan. Once more a remnant of the house of Judah will take root below and bear fruit above.  For out of Jerusalem will come a remnant, and out of Mount Zion a band of survivors.  The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.-Isaiah 37:31-32 NIV

As we soon embark on the history of Israel, keep a watch out for what happens to the kingdom when an evil or a good king is on the throne. 

Can others tell that the Spirit has circumcised your heart? 

How do you feel strengthened by God today?


Pray for wisdom and discernment in leadership of: the Church, the world, the nation, the state, and the community.


In Christ,


David P

Obedience is Desired, Even Commanded (March 21)

If you fully obey the Lord your God and carefully follow all his commands I give you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations on earth.  All these blessings will come upon you and accompany you if you obey the Lord your God:

     You will be blessed in the city and blessed in the country
      The fruit of your womb will be blessed, and the crops of your land  and the young of your livestock-the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks.
      Your basket and your kneading trough will be blessed
      You will be blessed when you come in and blessed when you go out.

All these curses will come upon you.  They will pursue you and overtake you until you are destroyed, because you did not obey the Lord your God and observe the commands and decrees he gave you.

                 From Deuteronomy 28 NIV

God is clear here that he wants his commands and decrees to be remembered.  He instructs his blessings be proclaimed from Mount Gerizim and his curses be proclaimed from Mount Ebal as Israel is entering the promised land.  I have been told that the geography in this area is such that these mountians form a natural amphitheater, so that if something is proclaimed from one or the other mountain, that proclamation is clearly heard in the valley.  Think of the impression that this would make on an individual entering the promised land hearing curses on one side and blessings on the other.

God wants us to obey him and blessings will flow.  Disobey and curses will be seen.  Webster tells us that obey means: to comply with or follow the commands, restrictions, wishes or instructions of; to comply with or follow; to respond comfortably in action to (eg a car responds); to submit or conform in action to (a guiding priniciple); to be obedient or to be obeying or willing to obey, comply with or submissive to authority.

Think of the skillls or traits needed to obey; humility, courage, trust, belief and others come to mind.  We have read that the Israelites are a stiff necked people, a grumbling people, and a wandering people who do arise God's anger. 

We in praying the Lord's prayer petition him by stating, "thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven."  We in a sense are asking, by the spirit, for the ability to obey.

What in your life is inhibiting you from fully obeying the Lord?

Will you pray for the Spirit to open up your eyes to these potential blind spots?

In Christ,

David P

Firstfruits

As I wrote on today's handout, I now proudly claim 6 dedicated readers of the blog, and you faithful may have noticed I haven't written as much in the past week. As I mentioned this morning, Deuteronomy is a book of repetition, and I had nothing new to add. However, a verse in today's reading caught my eye, and I realized I hadn't commented on this before, and it is a favorite story of mine.

In Deuteronomy 26:1-11, we're reminded of how the Israelites are to give firstfruits, which was first described in Exodus and Leviticus. It's a simple and powerful image that reminds us to give to the Lord not when we have leftovers or have taken care of ourselves, but instead as soon as we receive something of value. We're to give to the Lord FIRST, not last, and that's something we should all remind ourselves daily.

In a conversation with John Bremer some time back, he told me that in his previous call, a school in rural central Illinois, farmers would harvest their crop, take it to the co-ops and proceed directly to the school and church to give their firstfruit offerings. He described a line of combines heading down the county roads to deliver their crops and then donate from the top of their earnings. Like I said, it's simple and easy to understand, but the message is still vitally important today. 

Nobody likes to talk about giving in the modern church. The common refrain is that "The church just wants my money." Well, that IS true--I (speaking for the church) absolutely DO want your money, and more of it as opposed to less. What we in the church could improve upon is stating where that money goes--in our case, 80-85% of it goes to pay our pastors, teachers and staff, or in other words, goes directly into spreading the gospel. We give 10% off the top, our own firstfruits, to Iowa District East, the Synod and other entities, so I can safely state that 90-95% of all money received in Trinity goes directly into ministry efforts, and all other Lutheran churches are similar. Everybody wants our money, and there is no shortage of worthy causes and dire needs. When we give generously and FIRST to the Lord, those needs will be met--including ours.

Scott

Let us All Get Along (March 20)

Designate a place outside the camp where you can go to relieve yourself.  As part of your equipment have something to dig with, and when you relieve yourself, dig a hole and cover up your excrement.  For the Lord your God moves about in your camp to protect you and to deliver your enemies to you.  Your camp must be holy, so that he will not see among you anything indecent and turn away from you.
                                           Deuteronomy 23:12-14 NIV

Today we read of many social rules; who to associate with, who not to associate with, cautions to follow the priests instructions with leprosy, guidance about marriage, guidance about disputes, and giving God our firstfruits.

He has declared that he will set you in praise, fame and honor high above all the nations he has made and that you will be a people holy to the Lord your God, as he promised.
                                           Deuteronomy 26:19 NIV

Here we again read about God and can see that God is a God of order.  He is concerned about us as; individuals and as communities, effected on by public health matters, we go about resolving disputes, we choose a mate, and in so many other matters.  God has promised us a place of fame, honor and praise.  For His plan to work, we need to obey.  Ask the Spirit for help.

Out of His loving kindness, he directs us in all things, here we see a direction about relieving ourselves. 

Thoughts

How might you be "relieving" yourself in a way that is not God pleasing?  Gossip?  Foul language? 

In what ways do you see God's guidance and providence in your life?

Pray for the Spirit to open our eyes to see God's work in our life on a daily basis.

In Christ,


David P

Anyone Hung on A Tree (March 19)

You must  not leave his body on the tree overnight.  Be sure to bury him that same day, because anyone who is hung on a tree is under God's curse.  You must not desecrate the land the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance.
                    Deuteronomy 21:22 NIV

Anyone hung on a tree is under God's curse.  Jesus was hung on a tree, the cross on Good Friday.  Paul does a nice job of explaining how this curse applies to Jesus' crucifixion in Galatians 3:13 NIV...

Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree."

Consider Jesus' feelings on the cross that led Him to say:

"Dear woman here is your son"
"Here is your mother"
"I am thirsty"
"It is finished"
"Father forgive them for they know not what they are doing."
"Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani"..."My God, My God why have you forsaken me?"

One can see feelings of; concern for identification by his mother; concern for a parent with a desire for continued care for a mother; bodily discomfort; want to complete God's plan; Concern for all of humanity, with knowledge of God's anger being taken out on him on the cross; a deep sense of separation from His Father, God.

Consider the flow of precious blood, water, sorrow and love given by Jesus then and His continued care and concern for us.  Think of God's abundant grace we currently live under.

It is quite a juxtaposition of contrast: Jesus on the cross and Easter.  It is by God's grace through faith that we see and have forgiveness of sin with eternal salvation.

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.  For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.  And those he predestined, he also called, he also justified; those he justified he also glorified.
                                Romans 8: 28-30 NIV

Who should you be telling about God's salvation for us through Jesus Christ?  Why are you not telling them about heaven, eternal life, forgiveness of sin, blessing of the spirit, and joy?

Pray for those who are ill, recovering or those undergoing or recovering from surgery.

In Christ,

David P