Day 59 - Deuteronomy 4

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Day 59 - Deuteronomy 4 (Are Carved Images of Idols Harmless?)

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"’Take careful heed to yourselves, for you saw no form when the LORD spoke to you at Horeb out of the midst of the fire, lest you act corruptly and make for yourselves a carved image in the form of any figure: the likeness of male or female,….Take heed to yourselves, lest you forget the covenant of the LORD your God which He made with you, and make for yourselves a carved image in the form of anything which the LORD your God has forbidden you.   For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God. ”  (Deuteronomy 4:15-24)

To ask the question as I did on the title of this post is like asking “Is murder harmless?” or, “Is stealing harmless?”  Why?  Because making a carved image of God or of a “saint” to bow down and pray to it, as are murdering and stealing, are all forbidden in the Ten Commandments which God wrote with His own hand on the tablet stones that He gave to Moses.

Sadly, most people who are in some form or another involved in idolatry, rationalize it by saying any of the following arguments, all of which cannot hold any water:

“I only have it so I can meditate better when praying.”

(So, you’re saying God will disregard two of His ten commandments so you can better meditate in your prayer to this idol?)
“I pray to so and so because he or she is close to Jesus and so my request stands a better      chance of being granted.”

(So, you’re saying God will listen to so and so but not to you?  I understand you may not feel worthy to approach Christ but all people, without exception, can approach Christ only on the basis of having been forgiven through His shed blood.  Also, the Bible teaches that there is only one Mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus (1 Timothy 2:5).

“My church teaches that there is nothing wrong in praying to the saints and that all who belong to our religion should do so.”

(So, you’re saying that the authority of your church/religion takes precedence to the Word of God, the Bible?  Answer this: which authority will judge you when you stand before God on judgment day - the Bible or your catechism literatures?  There can only be one authority and be sure you you choose the right one to answer to.)

I can give a few more reasons that people have in justifying idol worship but the above are the most common ones.  Moses points out the fact that the congregation of Israel “saw no form God when God spoke in their hearing at Horeb in the midst of the fire lest lest you act corruptly and make for yourselves a carved image in the form of any figure: the likeness of male or female” - the very reason why God hates and forbids carving an image of God!  God warned the Jews over and over again concerning His terrible judgment for disregarding His command against idolatry and the reason is because “the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.”

People have not changed much from the time of Moses - we are still as rebellious as those Israelites in the wilderness.  God has not changed either - He is the same God who hates idolatry and He will judge all those who disregard and disobey Him just as He did the Jews whom He scattered throughout the earth jjust as He warned that He would because of their idolatry and disobedience.  Only the wise learn from the mistakes of others and they avoid the disaster that befalls the foolish.

Day 58 - Deuteronomy 1-3

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Day 58 - Deuteronomy 1-3 (God Forgives Sins But Does Not Always Remove Sin’s Consequences)

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‘"Then I pleaded with the LORD at that time, saying:... I pray, let me cross over and see the good land beyond the Jordan, those pleasant mountains, and Lebanon.'..."But the LORD was angry with me on your account, and would not listen to me. So the LORD said to me: "Enough of that! Speak no more to Me of this matter.  Go up to the top of Pisgah, and lift your eyes toward the west, the north, the south, and the east; behold it with your eyes, for you shall not cross over this Jordan.  But command Joshua, and encourage him and strengthen him; for he shall go over before this people, and he shall cause them to inherit the land which you will see.'” (Deuteronomy 3:23-28)

In recounting their history in the wilderness for forty years as they were getting ready to cross the land of Canaan, Moses recalls the time when he pleaded with God to changed His mind about not allowing him to enter the promised land as his punishment for not honoring God when he broke the tablets containing the ten commandments.  As we read from our text, despite Moses’ closeness to God which no other human being ever had, God said, “No way, Jose.” (pardon the paraphrase)  The people needed to see that Moses cannot get away with the sin he committed so that they will fear God.

Herein lies a very important truth for all of us to learn: Although God always forgives sins when we come to Him in repentance through Jesus Christ, He does not always remove sin’s consequences.  A woman may become pregnant out of wedlock if she sleeps with her boyfriend.  A wife could be divorced by her husband if she becomes unfaithful to him.  A criminal will receive sentence when he faces a judge in court.  A person will die if he jumps from the top the Empire State building.  Every action is followed by a reaction just as every sin has a consequence.

All of us have committed some sin or sins in which we had to pay its consequences.  You may have lost a child through abortion; or you may have lost a spouse to divorce; or you may have lost your house from foreclosure; but the good news is that there is forgiveness in Christ for any and all sin and that He can restore the years that the locust have eaten (Joel 2:25).  

Even though Moses was not able to enter the promised land, God still allowed him to live long enough to see the next generation of the nation of Israel that God raised to possess it up to the time when the people were just about to receive the go signal from God to cross over the Jordan and conquer the land.  God even brought Moses up on a high mountain and let him see the breadth of the land He was about to give them.  Despite Moses’ failure to honor God in the incident of the tablets, God was still gracious to Moses to the fullest extent possible.

God is the same God who showed Himself gracious and merciful to Moses and He will show Himself gracious and merciful to you and me as well if we remain faithful to Him.  Let us lay aside whatever consequences our sins may have brought upon us and let us move forward to a life of victory in Christ.  The best is yet to come.

 

Day 57 - Numbers 35-36

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Day 57 -Numbers 35-36 (What God Says About Death Penalty)

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“Whoever kills a person, the murderer shall be put to death on the testimony of witnesses; but one witness is not sufficient testimony against a person for the death penalty.  Moreover you shall take no ransom for the life of a murderer who is guilty of death, but he shall surely be put to death…. So you shall not pollute the land where you are; for blood defiles the land, and no atonement can be made for the land, for the blood that is shed on it, except by the blood of him who shed it.”  (Numbers 35:30,31,33)

God intended that we live in peace and safety, free from fear of murderers lurking for his next victim.  So, God in His infinite wisdom, decreed that “the murderer shall be put to death on the testimony of witnesses.”   Sadly, the “smart” lawmakers in many societies of this world thought and continue to think that capital punishment is bad and that they know better than an old fashioned God.  Now, look how polluted with evil our world has become!

It is very easy to despair when one looks at this seemingly hopeless world we live in, yet for believers in Christ, we do not despair but are hopeful because we know that one day Christ will return and restore peace and order in the world He created.  

In all probability, you and I can’t do anything to changed the laws concerning of capital punishment in the land where we live but we can change our thinking and beliefs concerning the Word of God when it speaks about the many issues of society including capital punishment, abortion, euthanasia, etc. and choose elected leaders who most closely reflect those same biblical values.

More importantly, you and I need to apply all of God’s Word in our daily living.  When we are wronged and the world says retaliate, let turn the other cheek as Jesus commanded and let God take revenge.  When others say there is nothing wrong with drinking alcohol and having a good time, “do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit…” (Ephesians 5:18)  

As believers, we are called to a higher standard than that of the world.  No matter how attractive the world’s philosophies and arguments may seem, let us stand firm in our convictions about the Word of God which is our sure foundation and our Rock of refuge in the midst of this evil world.

Day 56 - Niumbers 32-34

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Day 56 -Numbers 32-34 (Be Sure Your Sin Will Find You Out)

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“But if you do not do so, then take note, you have sinned against the LORD; and be sure your sin will find you out.”  (Numbers 32:23b)

Moses assured the tribes of Gad and Reuben who promised him that they will help their brothers fight to possess the land across the Jordan river to the west even though they were receiving their inheritance on the east side of the river that if they do not do so, they have sinned and will surely be punished by God.

Many don’t believe in a God who punishes people because God is supposed to be all love.  Our text is a good case in point of why this type of theology is erroneous just the perspective of common sense.  Consider what could happen if there was no consequential punishment had the tribes of Gad and Reuben failed to keep their promise to fight: one-sixth of Israel’s army missing; loss of moral of the rest of the tribes due to the unfairness of those who did not go to war; incentive for the rest of the tribes to follow after the bad example of Reuben and Gad; undermining the authority of Moses and of God Himself resulting in choas and disorder in their society; and the list could go on and on.  No military in this world would let an offence like that go unpunished.

Common sense isn’t the only reason why sin must be punished; God’s Word specifically says that God’s attribute of justice demands that sin must be punished:

“The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not bear the guilt of the father, nor the father bear the guilt of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself.”  (Ezekiel 18:20)

“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”  (Romans 6:23)

God said that everyone has sinned from the time of birth (Romans 3:23) and have received a death sentence as a result.  But God so loved the world that He gave His only Son Jesus to die for us so that we should not perish in hell but receive eternal life (John 3:16).  That is the good news of the Bible.

For sure, all sins will be found out on judgment day and each person who stands before the Judge of the universe will have to answer for every sin that he or she has committed.  But those who have asked forgiveness from Christ will not stand before that judgment throne of God because Jesus already paid for their sins.

How about you?  Have you asked Christ to forgive you of your sins yet?  Not to do so would be the biggest mistake you will ever make in your life because “Be sure your sins will find you out”.

Day 55 - Numbers 29-31

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Day 55 -Numbers 29-31 (Can an Army Go to War Without a Single Casualty?)

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“So there were recruited from the divisions of Israel one thousand from each tribe, twelve thousand armed for war…. They killed the kings of Midian with the rest of those who were killed--Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba, the five kings of Midian. Balaam the son of Beor they also killed with the sword. Then the officers who were over thousands of the army, the captains of thousands and captains of hundreds, came near to Moses; and they said to Moses, "Your servants have taken a count of the men of war who are under our command, and not a man of us is missing.”  (Numbers 31:5,8,48-49)

When you have twelve thousand soldiers going to battle against multiple armies on a hand-to-hand combat that are not only greater in number but bigger and more experienced than yours, there can be no other explanation for victory without casualty than that it is a spectacular miracle - and that is exactly what those twelve thousand foot soldiers experienced in our text above.

I love watching war movies and especially the battles in the early days before guns when men had to fight shoulder to shoulder with their fellow warriors against their enemies and I would love to watch a re-creation of the battle of the twelve thousand Israelites who were real-life Ninja warriors - no, more like Jedda warriors.  This was what Joshua described when referring to that victory and many other victories of Israel’s army: “For the LORD has driven out from before you great and strong nations; but as for you, no one has been able to stand against you to this day.  One man of you shall chase a thousand, for the LORD your God is He who fights for you, as He promised you.”  (Joshua 23:9-10)

I can’t help but imagine how different the outcomes of our American soldiers’ battles would be if they and their commanders all the way up to the Commander-in-Chief were all faithful to God as those Jewish soldiers and their leaders were.  Without a doubt, we would be victorious in every battle against our enemies.

The Bible likens the Christian life to that of a soldier.  The apostle Paul even goes into detail about the significance of this analogy when he exhorts his Christian readers to put on the whole armor of God:

“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.   Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.   For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.   And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;...”  (Ephesians 6:10-16)

No matter what battle you may be facing in your life right now, maybe it’s sickness or financial problem or a problem in a relationship, remain faithful to God and put on His whole armor as described in Ephesians 6 by always applying the truth of God’s Word, living a righteous life, always sharing the gospel to others, believing God’s promises always including victory in your battles, holding on to your assurance of salvation, and finally, fighting not with your own strength but in the strength of the Holy Spirit.

Day 54 - Numbers 26-28

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Day 54 -Numbers 26-28 (God Will Do As He Says - You Can Trust It With Your Life)

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“‘...the LORD spoke to Moses and Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest, saying: "Take a census of all the congregation of the children of Israel from twenty years old and above, by their fathers' houses, all who are able to go to war in Israel."...But among these there was not a man of those who were numbered by Moses and Aaron the priest when they numbered the children of Israel in the Wilderness of Sinai.  For the LORD had said of them, "They shall surely die in the wilderness." So there was not left a man of them, except Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun.’” (Numbers 26:1b,2,64,65)

Earlier in the book of Numbers when the whole congregation of Israel murmured against God that they will all be killed by their enemies, God told them that “just as you have spoken in My hearing, I will do to you.” (Numbers 14:28)  So, at the time of the second census 40 years later, not a single person who complained to God in Numbers 14 20 years old and above was alive except for Caleb and Joshua.

If you ever have a doubt about something that God has said in His Word, the fact that He fulfilled what He said concerning the more than six hundred thousand men above twenty years old who complained against God and whom not a single one lived to enter the promised land except for Joshua and Caleb, should cast any further doubt you may have about all of God’s Word being fulfilled.  If you still do, you need to pray to God to forgive you and to help you trust His Word.

I believe that the greatest and most Word of God to man is His promise of forgiveness of sins and the consequent gift of eternal life to anyone who will repent and trust His Son Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior.  Jesus said, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”  (John 3:16)  If you will trust Christ right now for your salvation, you can be sure that He will save you and give you everlasting life.  God always does what He says He will do - you can trust His Word with your life.

Day 53 - Numbers 23-25

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Day 53 -Numbers 23-25 (Is God Okay With Other Religions?)

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“Now Israel remained in Acacia Grove, and the people began to commit harlotry with the women of Moab. They invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods. So Israel was joined to Baal of Peor, and the anger of the LORD was aroused against Israel. Then the LORD said to Moses, "Take all the leaders of the people and hang the offenders before the LORD, out in the sun, that the fierce anger of the LORD may turn away from Israel."  So Moses said to the judges of Israel, "Every one of you kill his men who were joined to Baal of Peor." And those who died in the plague were twenty-four thousand.”  (Numbers 25:1-5,9)

Those who do not know the God of the Bible believe that all religions are good and lead to the same God.  To them it makes perfect sense because the idea of a God who would send people to hell just because they do not whole-heartedly follow the One true God is not loving but hateful.  Sadly, they are wrong and misguided in their beliefs.

As we read in our text above, God’s anger was greatly aroused when a segment of the congregaiton of Israel was seduced by the Moabite women which led to them to worship Baal, the god of Moab.  In response, God told Moses to gather the leaders and order them to execute all those who were joined to Baal.  Twenty-four thousand people who thought that God would be okay with them worshipping other gods were killed for their misguided beliefs.

The question I posted, “Is God okay with other religions?” can be answered accurately this way:  The God of the Bible is not okay with other religions.  The Bible teaches that there is only one God and He is a jealous God (Exodus 20:5) in that He will not share His glory with another (Isaiah 48:11) nor will He allow unfaithfulness from His creation (Jeremiah 3:20).  If a person can understand that a husband would not be okay to share his wife with another man, then it should not be difficult to understand that the one true God who created everything, including man, would not be okay with people worshipping other gods beside Him.

You might be thinking: What about those who worship false gods because they hvae not heard about the one true God?  Wouldn’t it be unfair that God would punish them for something that they cannot help?  That is a very good question and one that I must admit I do not know the answer to.  But this much I know; God cannot be unfair or unjust and He will deal justly with everyone for their beliefs and actions.

The lesson that we, who consider ourselves as believers, need to heed in our reading today is this: We need to be careful not to join ourselves with people or things that can lead us astray from the one true God just as the Moabite women led the Israelites astray from Jehovah.  It is even more easy for believers today to fall into this dangerous trap.  Believing the lie that all religions are good and lead to the same God; giving in to the temptation of looking at pornographic material; smoking pot under the excuse of medicinal purposes; drinking liquor more than occassionally; wearing clothes that are too revealing; all these seeming harmless things could very easily lead to worshipping those very same things as idols and thus being guilty of unfaithfulness to the one true God.

“Father, please keep me away from anything that could potentially lead me astray from you.  I ask that you help me to hate sin and to cling to that which is good.  Help me to love you with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength.  Put a guard over my eyes, mind, mouth and heart that I might be pleasing to you at all times.  In Jesus name, amen.”

Day 51 - Numbers 18-20

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Day 51 -Numbers 18-20 (Why Moses Did Not Enter the Promised Land)

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”’Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, "Take the rod; you and your brother Aaron gather the congregation together. Speak to the rock before their eyes, and it will yield its water; thus you shall bring water for them out of the rock, and give drink to the congregation and their animals."  So Moses took the rod from before the LORD as He commanded him.  And Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock; and he said to them, "Hear now, you rebels! Must we bring water for you out of this rock?"  Then Moses lifted his hand and struck the rock twice with his rod; and water came out abundantly, and the congregation and their animals drank.  Then the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, "Because you did not believe Me, to hallow Me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them.’”  (Numbers 20:7-12)

Moses had a single-minded goal since his encounter with God at the burning bush to bring his people into the land God promised to give to Abraham and his descendants.  Of all the hardships and tragedies that Moses had been through in his life, not being able to enter the promised land of Canaan must have topped his list.  One can only imagine the pain Moses must have felt - all because of one stupid mistake caused by losing his temper.

God specifically intructed Moses to speak to the rock before the children of Israel and it will yield its water.  But because Moses failed to control his temper triggered by the complaints of the congregation against him, he struck the rock twice with his rod instead of speaking to it.  Centuries later after the death of Christ, the apostle Paul wrote in his first letter to the Corinthians that the rock which Moses struck was none other than Christ Himself:

“Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ.”  (1 Corinthians 10:1-4)

It didn’t matter if Moses was ignorant about the rock being Christ; what mattered, tragically speaking, was that Moses failed to properly represent God before the people.  Because Moses acted in anger when God was not angry at all with the people, Moses portrayed a God who was angry and who lacked control of emotions - someone whom God never was.  As a result of Moses’ failure to hollow God before the congregation, he and Aaron paid a heavy price.

So what lesson can we glean from Moses’ mistake?  I think that it’s pretty obvious that one lesson is this:  We can reap tragic consequences when we lose control of our temper.  How many marriages have been destroyed because of this culprit?  How many murders have been committed because people refused to let go instead of get even?  I can go on and on but you get the point.  

This week, there is a popular news about a driver mom who was shot to death allegedly because of road rage, a by-product of losing one’s temper.  Do you lack self-control?  The Bible tells us that one of the fruit of the Holy Spirit in a believer’s life is self-control.  If you have never received the Holy Spirit, why not ask for Him right now to enter your heart?  God promises to give the Holy Spirit to everyone who ask.   

Day 52 - Numbers 21-22

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Day 52 -Numbers 21-22 (Look and Live)

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“And the people spoke against God and against Moses: "Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and our soul loathes this worthless bread." So the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and many of the people of Israel died.  Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, "We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD and against you; pray to the LORD that He take away the serpents from us." So Moses prayed for the people.  Then the LORD said to Moses, "Make a fiery serpent, and set it on a pole; and it shall be that everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, shall live."  So Moses made a bronze serpent, and put it on a pole; and so it was, if a serpent had bitten anyone, when he looked at the bronze serpent, he lived.”

The ever-rebellious people that they were, the Israelites complained again to Moses regarding their seeming lack of food and water.  This time God’s response was quicker than usual and He sent fiery serpents among the people that killed many of them.  When the people approached Moses asking him to pray to God to take away the snakes, God instructed Moses to make an image of a fiery serpent just like the ones that were killing the people and set it on a pole.  Then, God said that “if a serpent had bitten anyone, when he looked at the bronze serpent, he lived.”

During His conversation with Nicodemus at night, Jesus said to him, “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.”  (John 3:14-15)  Jesus directly linked the terrible incident in the wilderness with the fiery serpents and the brazen snake on a pole to the sinful condition of man and how our only hope for salvation is to look to the One who hung on the wooden pole on Calvary.

If you are reading this and you have not known what it’s like to be completely forgiven of all your sins and assured of eternal life, God is speaking to you right now to confess your sinful condition to Him and to look to Jesus who alone is able to heal you of your sins and give you eternal life so that you may live forever with Him.

Day 50 - Numbers 16-17

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Day 50 -Numbers 16-17 (One Word That Best Describes Man)

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“Now it came to pass, as he finished speaking all these words, that the ground split apart under them, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, with their households and all the men with Korah, with all their goods. So they and all those with them went down alive into the pit; the earth closed over them, and they perished from among the assembly. Then all Israel who were around them fled at their cry, for they said, "Lest the earth swallow us up also!" And a fire came out from the LORD and consumed the two hundred and fifty men who were offering incense.”  (Numbers 16:31-35)

Rebellious - that perhaps is the most apt description of man and nowhere else in history is it depicted more graphically than in our reading for today.  It starts with Korah, Dathan and Abiram, all sons of Levi who ministered in the service of the tabernacle, and who wanted to usurp the priesthood from Aaron and his sons.  These wicked men even convinced the entire congregation to side with them.  

In response, God told Moses that He would consume the congregation in an instant and were it not for the intercession of Moses and Aaron, God would have done so.  Instead, God destroyed the entire families of Korah, Dathan and Abiram and the 250 men who offered unauthorized incense which apparently only the priests were allowed to offer.

Surprisingly, the next day, all the congregation rebelled again against Moses and Aaron accsusing them of killing the people of the Lord.  Again, God told Moses that He would consume the entire congregation and again, were it nor for the intercession of Moses and Aaron, God would have done so.  As a result of this rebellious episode, God killed four thousand seven hundred besides those who died in the Korah incident.

It was at this time that God told Moses to call twelve representatives of Israel each bringing a rod to once and for all settle the matter of who God called for the priesthood by making the rod of the person whom God has chosed to bud, blosson and yield ripe almonds.  Aaron’s rod was it.  You would think that the congregation would have calmed down after all these things, but no, they all threw their hands up in rebellion and frustration and said that God will kill them all.  Actually, they were right; were it not for the intercessions of Moses and Aaron, God would have killed them all by this time.

It is no wonder that the author of Hebrews in the New Testament refers to those incidents in the wilderness as the day of rebellion:

"Today, if you will hear His voice,

       Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion,

    In the day of trial in the wilderness,

       Where your fathers tested Me, tried Me,

    And saw My works forty years.

       Therefore I was angry with that generation,

    And said, "They always go astray in their heart,

    And they have not known My ways.'

       So I swore in My wrath,

    "They shall not enter My rest."'   (Hebrews 3:7-11)

God is telling you and me today that if we will hear His voice, let us not harden our hearts as in the rebellion of the Jews in the wilderness.  Although it is hard for me to imagine myself rebelling against God’s annointed leaders the same way that the Jews rebelled against Moses and Aaron, I know that by the grace of God in my life, I will be doing exactly the same as those wicked men who perished in the wilderness.

“Father, thank you for your loving grace and mercy so that I am not consumed because of my own wickedness.  Help me to always hear your voice and obey your commands.  Thank you for your Son Jesus and for His blood that was shed for the remission of my sins.  Help me to support your annointed leaders so they can joyfully serve you which will be for everyone’s good.  Amen.”