Archives for March 2012

TODAY’S READING: JUDGES 1-4

 

OVERVIEW:

Early victories and incomplete possession of the land byIsrael; the forsaking of God to serve Baal and Ashtaroth; God raises up Othniel, Ehud, Shamgar, Deborah and Barak as judges to deliverIsraelfrom the oppression of their enemies four different times.

 

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

To understand the Book of Judges, you must understand the last sentence in the entire Book: “In those days there was no king inIsrael: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.”  Mark those words!  They are the key, not only to this Book, but to human nature as well.  Notice that every man did that which was RIGHT in his own eyes, not that which was wrong.  The tragedy is that man’s idea of what is right is often the exact opposite of what God says is right (Prov.14:12).  This will become evident as we read the Book of Judges and find the following recurring expression: “And the children ofIsraeldid EVIL in the sight of the Lord.”     

 

We find that whenIsraelwas strong, they put their enemies to tribute and did not utterly drive them out as the Lord had commanded (Jud.1:28).  First, they became COMPLACENT, which led to INCOMPLETE OBEDIENCE (chapters 1-3).  Then, they COMPROMISED, which led to DISOBEDIENCE (chapters 3-16).  Then finally, they fell to complete CORRUPTION, which led to REBELLION and DEPRAVITY (chapters 17-21).  Keep in mind, that the nation ofIsraelis a picture of an individual N.T. believer.  We must avoid this deadly cycle that spirals downward, away from God and His Word!  It is interesting to note that the Book of Joshua starts with an exhortation to meditate in God’s Book day and night (Josh. 1:8).  While in the Book of Judges, the words “book”, “law”, or “commandments” do not appear even once.  This downward spiral of complacency, compromise, and corruption is clearly linked to neglecting God’s Word, and the refusal of His people to obey it.

 

In chapter 1, the house of Joseph makes a deal with the enemy (Jud.1:24).  “Deals” were not in God’s plan for “dealing” with the enemy!  They were to utterly drive them out of the land.  This enemy eventually became a snare to them (Jud. 2:3).  We, too, have a tendency to make deals with our enemy the flesh.  Instead of destroying it (I Cor.15:31), we keep the so called, “good flesh” alive.  We attempt to spiritualize it, instead of killing it.  For instance, what the Bible calls “self-will,” we now call “determination.”  What the Bible calls being a “busy-body,” we now call “ministering.”  What the Bible calls “pride,” we now call “self-confidence.”  If we don’t choose to die daily (II Cor.15:31), our “good flesh” will ultimately lead to our own personal corruption.

 

In chapter 3, we find a great picture of what happens when we come to church for the sole purpose of being fed.  Eglon is a very fat man who was the King of Moab.  He oppressedIsraelfor 18 years.  We, too, become very fat spiritually when we come to church to be fed and never feed others through the personal investment of the Word of God through discipleship.  Philippians 3:18-19 teaches us that one of the ways to identify those who are enemies of the cross of Christ is the fact that their God is their BELLY!  God sent Ehud to deliverIsraelfrom Eglon and the Moabites.  The way he overcame this very fat man was with a dagger that had two edges (Jud.3:16-17).  He thrust it into Eglon’s belly and the passage says that the dirt came out (Jud.3:21-22).  In dealing with the self-consumption of our flesh, we must hide the two-edged sword (the Word of God) on our right side, and thrust it into the belly of the problem to get the dirt out!  This is how we become clean vessels that God can use to teach others His truth (II Tim. 2:2). 

 

In chapter 4 God used a woman named Jael to defeat a man named Sisera who was an oppressor ofIsrael.  Jael was initially aligned with Sisera againstIsrael.  But God changed her heart.  She got some milk (I Pet. 2:2), took a hammer (Jer.23:29), and killed Sisera while he was sleeping by putting a nail through his temple.  If we let the milk and hammer of the Word of God change our heart, we, too, can defeat our enemies and live changed lives!       

CHRIST IS REVEALED:

The ANGEL OF THE LORD – Judges 2:1-4

 

Through OTHNIEL – Judges 3:1-11; His name means “Lion from the Tribe of Judah”. He deliveredIsraelfrom an oppressive enemy.

 

Through EHUD – Judges 3:15-16 – The Judge with a two-edged sword. (Heb. 4:12; Rev. 2:12)

 

TODAY’S READING: JOSHUA 22-24

 

OVERVIEW:

The two and a half tribes who chose their inheritance on the other side ofJordanbuild an altar and call it Ed; Joshua exhortsIsrael’s leaders; Joshua exhorts all the people ofIsraeland brings them to a point of decision.

 

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

Joshua 22 is a great lesson that teaches all of us to never choose less than God’s best!  The two and a half tribes chose to live on this side of theJordan Riverbefore they ever saw what God had in store for them on the other side.  They settled for less than the best.  In this chapter, Joshua allows them to leaveShilohthe place of “rest”, and go back to their chosen inheritance inGilead, which means “stony place”.  They chose to live in a place where it was difficult to farm and “bear fruit” (Matt. 13:1-5).  God, in His patience and grace, allowed them to go because He never forces anyone to “live close to Him”.  On their way back to their inheritance, they built an altar called Ed to remind their children that they worshipped the God of Israel, too.  These two and a half tribes were trying to give the appearance of spirituality by building this altar, while living far from the presence of God (the Ark of the Covenant stayed with the other ten tribes in the Promised Land).  The lesson we all need to learn here is that you can’t fool anybody, especially your children, into believing that you live closer to God than you actually do.  Are you doing what is “allowed” by God, building altars like “Ed” in your life to give the appearance of a Spirit-filled life, or are you seeking to do only those things that please the Lord?  Either way, do realize that God and your family (i.e. your spouse and children) know the truthful answer!

In Joshua 23 and 24, Joshua pulls the leaders and people ofIsraeltogether to exhort, challenge, warn and call them into remembrance.  Joshua’s main concern was thatIsraelremain a separated people, and not mingle with the heathen nations and worship their gods (23:7).  How foolish it is to worship the gods of a defeated enemy!  Yet, that is somehow what eventually happened!  If they meditated on and obeyed God’s Word, then God would continue to bless them.  If not, those blessings would be removed and in their place would be traps, snares and thorns.  Be sure that you realize the sins we allow to remain in our lives will become just that…traps, snares and thorns (Num. 32:23 – “be sure your sin will find you out”).                                  

Joshua brings the people to point of decision (Josh. 24:14-15).  The decision was essentially this: Whom will you choose to fear, and whom will you choose to serve?  The basic lesson is, whomever we fear (i.e. hold in awe), is whom we will serve.  The principle includes both positive and negative aspects.  When we fear God (i.e. when we hold Him in absolute awe and reverence), we will be what He wants us to be, and do what He wants us to do.  In other words, we will serve Him.  On the other hand, when we fear people (i.e. when we revere them and think they’re awesome), we will be what they want us to be, and do what they want us to do.  We will serve them.  But don’t miss the message, everybody serves somebody!  Not to choose God, is to choose Satan by default.  When we hold ourselves in awe, choosing our own way, we fall into the snare of the devil, and actually become like Satan himself (See Isa.14:12-14).

CHRIST IS REVEALED:

Through JOSHUA (the prophet), ELEAZAR (the priest), and JOSEPH (the King) – Joshua 24:29-33; The book of Joshua ends with three funerals (for Joshua, Eleazar and Joseph).  A prophet, priest and king were buried right there in the middle of the inheritance.  It is only through the death of the Lord Jesus Christ, our Prophet, Priest and King, that we have access to our inheritance in Him.

 

 

TODAY’S READING: JOSHUA 19-21

 

OVERVIEW:

The remaining lots are divided among the tribes ofIsrael; the cities of refuge are designated; the 48 cities given to the Levites from among the other tribe’s inheritance.

 

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

In chapter 19, Simeon is given his inheritance from within the inheritance of the tribe of Judah (Josh. 19:1, 9).  This was the consequence of Simeon and Levi’s own sin when they killed many men in anger because of what they had done to their sister (Gen. 34; 49:5-7).  It is a graphic illustration of the law of reaping and sowing (Gal. 6:6-8).  There are consequences to sin regardless of forgiveness.  Now, Simeon and Levi were without their own inheritance withinIsrael.  The lesson we must learn is to beware of the power of uncontrolled passions such as anger, wrath, and sexual sin!  There is a high price to pay for sin!

 

In chapter 20, God appoints six cities to be a place of refuge for those who innocently killed somebody (i.e. it was by accident or unintentional; not premeditated) as long as they fled there immediately.  They were protected by the elders of that city from the “avenger of blood” until the death of the high priest.  This is truly an amazing picture in God’s art gallery of the Old Testament!  If you still need proof as to whether or not God wrote this Book, let’s compare the cities of refuge with our Lord Jesus Christ:

 

 

 

The Cities of Refuge          

1. They were appointed for those who shed blood innocently.
2. They were appointed to protect from the avenger of blood.
3. You were safe as long as you stayed in the city (vs. 4, 6).
4. Only the death of the high priest set you free (vs. 4, 6).
5. They were always readily accessible to anyone (vs. 9).
6. Knowing they existed wasn’t enough to protect you.  You had to flee to them.
7. You had to leave everything to come to the city of refuge (family, friends, possessions, etc., see vs. 6).
8. These cities were the responsibility of the Levites (Num. 35:6).

           

The Lord Jesus Christ

1. We all are responsible for shedding His innocent blood (I Pet.2:24; Isa. 53:4-12)
2. If we have trusted Christ, then we are protected from the true avenger of blood (God the Father, see Deut. 32:35, 43).
3. If we are “in Christ”, then we are safe and secure (Rom.8:31-39).
4. It is only through Jesus’ death (our High Priest, Heb.6:20), that we are able to be free indeed from the penalty of our sin (John8:36).
5. Jesus is accessible to anyone, at anytime (Rom.10:13; I Tim.2:5).
6. Just knowing what Jesus did and who He is, doesn’t save you. You have to run to Him and trust Him with your life (Eph.1:12- 13)!
7. You may have to forsake your family, friends, and possessions in order to come to Jesus (Matt. 10:34-39, Luke 18:22). 
8. It is now our responsibility as N.T. priests (Rev. 1:6), to lead others to the City ofRefuge(i.e. Jesus Christ, Matt. 28:19-20).

           

CHRIST IS REVEALED:

As the CITES OF REFUGE – Joshua 20 (see Ps. 46:1).

 

TODAY’S READING: JOSHUA 15-18

 

OVERVIEW:

ThelandofCanaanis divided among the tribes ofIsrael.

 

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

In Joshua 15, Caleb, the eternally strong warrior (Josh.14:11; a picture of God the Father), decides to reward the man who conquers and takes the city ofKirjathsepher(“city of the Book”) with his daughter, Achsah, to wife.  Othniel (meaning “lion”), who happens to be from the tribe ofJudah, conquers and takes “the city of the Book” in order to obtain his bride.  Achsah, which means “anklet”, was given to Othniel as a reward for his accomplishments in battle.  Her “anklet” distinguished her from other women when she walked.  During this time period, women were covered from head to toe with clothing, making it hard to tell one from the other.  The picture is that we, the church, were given to Christ, the Lion from the tribe ofJudah, to be His bride because of His accomplishments in battle (He rose from the dead and fulfilled every prophecy in “the Book” of God).  We, too, should now be known for our walk in this world, just like Achsah (Rom.6:4; Eph. 4:1). I preached on this passages last summer when we were going through the series “Claim your field”  

 

Also in chapter15:18-20, Achsah (the Bride of Christ, who is known by her walk), makes a request from her father Caleb (God the Father).  She begs her father for a field (Matt.13:38- “the field is the world”) with springs of water (Eph.5:26– water pictures the Word of God).  Caleb gives her what she wants so that she can produce much “fruit”.  We, as God’s children, are commissioned to take His Word to the world in order to produce much fruit (John15:16)!  But beware of Satan, who is more “subtle” than any beast of “the field” (Gen. 3:1; II Cor. 11:3-4).   

 

There are several observations we must make from this portion of Scripture to understand some of the key issues we face as we, like Israel, seek to possess our inheritance (Acts 20:32; Eph. 1:15-23):

1. Some chose to dwell on this side ofJordan(Num. 32).  They were the first to fall to the enemy because they settled for less than God intended for them (II Kings 10).

 

2. Some were partial possessors (Josh.16:10).  They could have driven the enemies out, but chose to put them under tribute instead.  In the same way learn to “spiritualize” our flesh, and use it for “ministry”, instead of utterly destroying our flesh on a daily basis. This is exalty what we are currently studying in the book of Esther

 

3. Some were conquerors and possessed all of their inheritance (Josh.8:26;19:47).

 

4. One wanted more (Caleb in Josh. 15). 

 

In terms of dealing with your flesh and allowing God to totally possess you, which of the four observations listed above best describes you?

 

This portion of Scripture also provides us with several action steps for beginning the process of possessing our inheritance (I Thess. 4:4):

 

1. “Arise” (Josh. 18:8) – Get up out of your “safe” place.  Sometimes we have to get uncomfortable in order to deal with our flesh.

 

2. Go for a walk (Josh. 18:8) – “Walk” through your life and see what you still haven’t allowed God to possess.

 

3. Tell Joshua (Jesus) what you see (Josh. 18:8-9) – Take it to the Lord in prayer and allow Him to change you and to possess all of you today.                            

           

CHRIST IS REVEALED:

Through OTHNIEL – Joshua 15:17; His name means “lion” and he is from the Tribe of Judah (Rev. 5:5).

 

AsSHILOH– Joshua 18:1;Shilohmeans “rest”…from war (see Gen. 49:10; Matt.11:28and Col. 3:15-16).

TODAY’S READING: JOSHUA 11-14

 

OVERVIEW:

Joshua conquers kings and cities forIsrael; the land is divided by lot among the tribes; Caleb requests and obtains themountainofHebronfrom Joshua.

 

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

From the chapters we read today, we are reminded that there are many battles to fight, many cities to destroy, and many kings to conquer in our lives.  When we have no battles to fight, we are in trouble! (See Rev. 3:17.) It is the battles we fight that keep us dependent upon the Lord.  What “king” does Jesus need to conquer in your life?  What “walled cities” need to be destroyed so that God can possess all of you, instead of just part of you (I Cor.6:19-20)?

 

In chapter 12:1-6, we are reminded of the kings conquered byIsraelbefore crossing theJordan River.  Two and a half tribes thought it “couldn’t get any better than this”, so they asked that their inheritance be given to them on this side of theJordan River.  They got satisfied with less than what God had for them.  Don’t ever allow yourself to settle for being a good spouse and a good parent who attends church and reads his/her Bible! We must possess all that God has for us so that we can bear fruit and fulfill the mission God left us to accomplish!

 

In chapter 14, Caleb asks Joshua for themountainofHebron.  This is the same mountain that the ten other spies saw and feared because of the giants that lived there in the “great and fenced” cities (Josh.14:12).  Caleb received permission to go and conquer this mountain and the giants that lived there.  Caleb, even in his old age (85 years old – see Josh.14:10), was anxious to claim his inheritance that God had promised him (Josh. 14:6-9).  It is interesting to note thatHebronmeans “fellowship”.  This is the very thing that God desires from each of us.  God has promised fellowship to us, but we must be like Caleb, and claim the promise of God that we are “more than conquerors” (Rom.8:37), even in our old age!        

CHRIST IS REVEALED:

Through JOSHUA – Joshua 11-14; as the one who deals with the “kings” in our lives, and as the one who gives us our inheritance.

 

TODAY’S READING: JOSHUA 6-10

OVERVIEW:

The conquest and destruction ofJericho; the sin of Achan; the destruction of Ai; the deception of the Gibeonites and their subsequent covenant withIsrael; Joshua leadsIsraelin victory after victory.

 

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

As Christians, we face many “Jerichos” in our lives.  All too often, we want to give up at the sight of insurmountable odds, just as the spies at Kadesh (Num.13:28-33).  But no wall is too high and no sin is so great that our Lord Jesus Christ cannot give us the victory.  Just note that the soldier who fights the best and experiences the victories is the one who bows the lowest before battle (see Joshua 5:13-15)!  We win our battles on our knees and on our faces before the Lord (Phil. 4:6-7).

 

No man can take a city by himself.  Joshua had the loyal cooperation of the priests and the people, and together they overcame the enemy.  The Book of Hebrews commands us to not forsake assembling ourselves together, as many people do (“i.e. you don’t have to go to church to be spiritual”), but to exhort one another, especially as we get closer to Christ’s return (Heb. 10:25).  We all need the accountability and help that a local church provides, in order to keep our enemies defeated.  It is the only way we can live in victory. Why? Because God said so! (See Matthew 16:18).

 

In chapter 7, God reveals to us the consequences of secret sin.  Achan had taken some of the spoils fromJerichoin direct disobedience to God’s command (Josh.6:18-19). Israelsuffered their first defeat at the hands of Ai because of this sin in the camp.  Ever since Adam, man has thought it was possible to hide his sin from God (Gen. 3:8 – Adam and Eve “hid themselves from…God”).  Even Achan hid (Josh.7:21-22) that which he coveted and took for himself, thinking God would never know!  We may look at Achan and think, “how absurd he was to think that God wouldn’t know or find out about his sin”.  But, what sin are you presently harboring that you think you will get by with?  II Corinthians 7:1 says, “Deal with it now!” (“Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.”) Take heed to God’s warning in His Word… “be sure your sin will find you out” (Num. 32:23)!

 

Note that in Joshua 8:2, God said that the people ofIsraelwere to take the loot from Ai unto themselves (unlikeJerichowhere all the loot was supposed to go to God alone).  Had Achan just waited a few days, he would have had all the wealth he could have carried (Matt.6:33). 

 

Once again, Ai represents the flesh and the daily battle we have against it.  In chapter 8, “Joshua arose” (verse 3) to leadIsraelto victory against Ai.  This is another awesome picture God is painting for us. It is through the power of Jesus’ resurrection that we can conquer and defeat the flesh and sin in our lives.  In verse 6, we are told that “they will come out after us,” picturing the fact that our flesh will never quit…it always wakes up ready to come out and fight the Spirit each morning.  Notice that the end of verse 9 says, “Joshua lodged that night among the people”.  We have this same promise from our Joshua (Jesus) in scripture; Jesus is always with us to help us conquer the flesh (Rom.7:24-25,8:35-39; Matt. 28:20).

 

Gibeonwas the next city to be taken after the victories byIsraelatJerichoand Ai.  The Gibeonites used deceit as their tool to avoid destruction.  In chapter 9, they posed themselves as ambassadors from a far country who wanted to be the servants ofIsrael.  They succeeded in getting this agreement (or covenant) from the leaders ofIsraeland then the truth was revealed (they were actually the Gibeonites themselves).  Beware! The flesh will make deals with you before it will allow you to kill it.  Note that it is often after great victories that Satan will launch his subtle attacks from the “back door”.  We must never let our guard down, allowing ourselves to become complacent in our relationship with God.  We must do as the apostle Paul did when he said, “I die daily” (I Cor.15:31).  

 

CHRIST IS REVEALED:

In theARKOF THE COVENANT – Joshua 6; God dwelling withinIsrael(God lives in us – I Cor.6:19).

Through JOSHUA – Joshua 8 and 10; He is the only one who can lead us to daily victory over our flesh.

 

TODAY’S READING: JOSHUA 1-5

OVERVIEW:  The commission of Joshua; the covenant with Rahab; crossing the Jordan river into the promised land; the memorial of the twelve stones; the circumcision of God’s people at Gilgal.

 

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

The Book of Joshua is the story of howIsraelcrosses theJordan Riverand claims the inheritance that God had given them. It took fighting many battles and defeating many enemies in order to actually possess this land. Once again, as only God could, He is painting another incredible picture of the Christian life through His record ofIsrael’s history.  Keep in mind as we see God develop these pictures, that Canaan is not a picture of heaven, because we do not have to battle to gain our home in heaven (it is a gift – Eph. 2:8-9). Canaanrepresents the inheritance that God has for each of us.  We have been called to possess our vessel in sanctification and honor (I Thess. 4:4) in order to live the victorious Christian life.  For this to happen, we must battle the flesh (Gal.5:17, II Cor. 10:4-5) and let our Joshua, the Lord Jesus Christ, lead us to victory in every battle, and against every enemy!

 

The Book of Joshua begins with the ending of a life…”Moses my servant is dead” (Josh. 1:2).  Moses was the lawgiver, and the law could not give life or defeat sin.  Moses brought them to the edge, but Joshua (Jesus) must take them in and give them the victory!  Verse 2 continues with…”now therefore arise”.  We must die to ourselves and our self-righteousness (Phil. 3:4-9) and let God raise us up to walk in newness of life every day!

Chapter 2 deals with the Jewish men who were sent to spy outJerichoand their subsequent covenant with Rahab the harlot.  Rahab just happens to be a picture of the spiritual history of every believer in Jesus Christ:

 

1. She was a sinner – Joshua 2:1 states plainly that she was a harlot   (Rom.3:23).

 

2. She was under condemnation (John3:18) – The city had already been declared condemned by God.  The city would be destroyed whether or not the people “felt” condemned or not, just like the world today. 

 

3. She heard the Word of God (Josh. 2:8-11) – It was a message of judgment.  Note that she calls God “The Lord” in her conversation.

 

4. She believed the Word – Faith comes by hearing the Word of God (Rom.10:17). Hebrews11:31states that Rahab was saved by faith.  She obviously had assurance from the Word when she says, “I KNOW that the Lord hath given to you the land” (Josh. 2:9).

 

5. She sought to win others (Josh.2:12-13) – When a person trusts Christ, their first desire is to share Him with others, especially their own family (Mark5:18-20).

 

6. She was delivered from judgment (Josh.6:22-25) – We, too, have been rescued from God’s coming judgment upon this world (I Thess.4:13-18, II Thess. 1:7-9).

 

7. She went to a wedding – In Matthew 1:5 we find that Rahab married into the royal lineage of the Nation of Israel.  Therefore, the Messiah came through her family.  How gracious is our God to take a harlot and make her the mother of the royal family through which Messiah came!  We, too, have a wedding and a marriage feast to look forward to (see Rev. 19:7-9, 17-19) because of God’s incredible grace!

 

In chapters 3 and 4,Israelfollows Joshua and the Ark of the Covenant across the riverJordan.  Note in Joshua 3:16 that the water that flowed down from the city ofAdamstood up and was stopped by theArk.  The effects of Adam’s sin (Rom.5:12, 17), which flowed from Adam down to us, is stopped by Jesus Christ when we cross over theJordanand possess our vessel (I Thess 4:4).

 

In chapter 5, all Jewish males were circumcised.  It was a mark of ownership (Gen. 17:1-14) to give external evidence of an internal truth (Deut.10:16).  Circumcision is the cutting away of the flesh that reveals the source of life.  If the flesh isn’t cut away in our lives, we will not reproduce spiritual life!      

 

CHRIST IS REVEALED:

Through JOSHUA – Joshua 1

Note: His very name means “savior”.  He is the one who leads us to the promised land.

 

As RAHAB’S SCARLET THREAD – Joshua2:18; a type of the blood of Christ which brings about   deliverance from judgment, and safety from death.

As CAPTAIN OF THE HOST – Joshua5:14-15 (Heb.2:10)

 

TODAY’S READING: DEUTERONOMY 31-34

 

 

OVERVIEW:  The selection of Joshua; the word from the Lord; the song of Moses; the blessing of the Tribes; the death of Moses; the succession of Joshua.

 

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

A man like no other in all of history prepares to finish his work and die.  In Moses’ case, you couldn’t say he was going to meet the Lord; he already had!  He had met Him and been with Him for years.  Now he is preparing to move where He is.  The new leader will be Joshua, who had been selected to lead in Numbers 27.  Moses now charges him and encourages him in the sight of allIsrael.  Moses had heard face to face from the Lord in Exodus 33 that the Lord would be with him.  Moses confirms this presence of the Lord to Joshua.

 

Deuteronomy 31:9 leaves no question as to who wrote this law.  After Moses wrote it, he gave it to the priests to preserve and to read it to the people every seven years.  God wants us to know that His Word is for us, y’all, the common people of the land.  (See Mark 12:37)

 

The Lord now calls Moses and Joshua to the tabernacle where He appears in a pillar of a cloud.  With this appearance, the children ofIsraelknew that the Lord had chosen Joshua.  The Lord tells Moses that whenIsraelenters the land and is filled with its goodness, they will turn from Him and serve other gods.  Moses is to write a song and teach it to the children ofIsraelas a witness against them. 

 

Chapter 32 is the song of Moses.  God’s message is to the whole world, even the universe (verse 1).  Not only doesIsraelneed to hear and learn from this song, all men for all of time need to hear of the goodness and the wrath of the Lord.  He is true and righteous and His work is perfect (James1:17).  He foundIsraeland blessed him, but whenIsraelforsook the Lord, judgment came.  In verse 29, Moses wishes that they would understand and consider the results of their deeds.  But sin deceives and blinds us; we have an incredibly difficult time seeing its end (James1:14, 15).

 

The song continues and reminds both us and the children ofIsraelthat vengeance belongs to the Lord.  He has reserved vengeance for Himself.  Romans12:19says: “Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.”  Only the Lord knows the thoughts and intents of the heart and can rightly deliver vengeance; it is never ours to deliver.

 

The song concludes, Moses teaches it to the children ofIsraeland the Lord speaks to Moses.  It is time for Moses to come up the mountain to die.  But we are reminded, as the Lord uses the phrase “gathered unto your people,” that God is not the God of the dead, but of the living (Matthew22:32)!  Moses will now see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the ones to whom the promises of a nation, land, and blessings had been made.

 

Chapter 33 records the blessing of the tribes by Moses.  God’s love is once again remembered in verse 3.  It’s interesting to note that no sins of any tribes are recorded.  Moses prays for blessings on each tribe.  The blessings begin and end with the glory of the Lord.

 

In the final chapter of the book, Moses climbs to the top of the mountain where he will see the Promised Land, but he will not enter in.  Moses dies according to the word of the Lord and God buries him in a valley where nobody knows.  At this point according to Jude there is a fight over the dead body of Moses. Joshua is full of the spirit of wisdom to lead the children of Israel, but there is not another prophet in Israel like Moses until the coming of the Lord

 

CHRIST IS REVEALED:

In JOSHUA – Deut. 31:7 (John1:17; Romans3:21, 22; Acts13:39) In THE ROCK – Deut. 32:4, 31 (Romans9:33; I Corinthians 10:4; I Peter 2:8)

 

TODAY’S READING: DEUTERONOMY 27-30

OVERVIEW:

The altar to be built; Blessing and cursing; the new covenant; Return to the Lord; The choice set before the children ofIsrael.

 

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

As chapter 27 begins, Moses instructs the children ofIsraelto set up an altar with the words of the Law written on them.  This instruction will actually be carried out by Joshua in Joshua 8:30-35.  The stones of the altar are to be built on two mountains.  One is the mountain of blessing; the other is the mountain of cursing.  The Levites will then speak to all of the people.  It is interesting that all that is spoken are curses; there are no blessings.  God is screaming out the message that the Law can only bring a curse!  Romans3:20says there is no justification by the deeds of the law!

 

Chapter 28 is the chapter of blessing and cursing.  If the children ofIsraelwill diligently hearken to the Lord and do His commandments, the Lord will set them on high (verse 1).  The Lord will bless them in their home, their work, their nation, and everything that pertains to their lives.  But, if they will not hearken (verse 15), curses will come on them and overtake them.  They will be cursed in their body, their work, their home, their land and their nation.  The rain will be dust.  In verse 30, the three military exemptions (Deuteronomy 20:5-7) are turned into curses.  Without the Lord fighting for them, they will be conquered.

 

This chapter is a prophecy of the future ofIsrael.  The blessings of the Lord will be seen repeatedly in the kingdom as they obey the Lord.  The curses will be seen in the conquests, captivities and the famines throughout the rest of the Old Testament and beyond.  Jeremiah cries in the book of Lamentations as he looks out his window and sees the people and the city destroyed as these very curses have unfolded.

 

What are we to learn from these things? 

• God does what He says He will do!
• The Lord works and moves in the physical realm of our world. 
• The Lord can bring rain and stop rain.
• The Lord can physically heal.
• The Lord can cause a battle to be won. 
• Our Lord does answer prayer! 
• Also, verses 47 and 48 (likewise Romans6:16) remind us that we will serve someone. Will it be the Lord or the enemy?

 

Chapters 29 and 30 complete the third message from Moses.  The covenant and their inability to keep it begins the chapter.  Moses reminds them of the provision and protection of the Lord, the wrath of the Lord, and their unique relationship with the Lord.  God has revealed secret things to them (verse 29).  Chapter 30 looks forward to a time of renewal for the children ofIsrael; they shall return unto the Lord and obey His voice.  The Lord is full of compassion (Psalm 111:4), and will turn their captivity, and will bless them again.

 

In Deuteronomy 30 verses 11 through 20, Moses extends the invitation to the children ofIsrael.  The words have been plain, not hidden.  The choice is upon them.  Verse 14 says the choice is in their heart.  Life and good, or death and evil are their choice.  Don’t miss the fact that it is our choice as well.  We choose whether or not to obey.  Moses closes with: “I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life.”  (See John 5:40)

 

CHRIST IS REVEALED:

As THE PEACE OFFERING – Deut. 27:7 (John14:27; Romans 5:1; Colossians1:20) As THE BLESSING OF GOD – Deut. 28:1, 2 (Ephesians 1:3; I Peter 1:3) As LIFE – Deut. 30:15 (John11:25;6:40)

 

TODAY’S READING: DEUTERONOMY 23-26

OVERVIEW:

Requirements to be in the congregation; Cleanliness; Civil statutes; Divorce; Civil statutes; First offering; Charge to hear and obey

 

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

When you see all of the statutes the nation ofIsraelwere given, aren’t you glad that Christ fulfilled the Law for us?  Don’t you love “the simplicity that is in Christ” (II Cor. 11:3), as we hear Him say that the greatest commandment is to love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, soul, mind and strength, and that the second is like it, to love thy neighbor as thyself? (Mark 12:30-31)

 

Certain people were not to be admitted into the citizenship of the children ofIsrael.  They could reside in the area, but due to impurities (mutilation, illegitimacy, ancestry) they could not join the congregation ofIsrael.  The Lord desired a pure congregation of His people.  Sins had a lasting consequence.  Inside the congregation, purity and cleanliness had an important place; the statutes in chapter 23 reminded the people that the Lord was in their midst.  (See II Cor. 6:16-18)

 

The last of chapter 23 speaks of vows and generosity.  As in Ecclesiastes 5:4, 5, do not delay to pay vows; it is better not to vow than to not pay the vow.  Verses 24 and 25 tell the children ofIsraelthat they are to be a generous people while reminding them not to take advantage of the generosity of others.

 

In Matthew 5 and 19, the Lord deals with the issue of divorce from Deuteronomy 24.  Divorce was not God’s plan from the beginning (Matthew 19:8); Christ says divorce is here “because of the hardness of your hearts.”  In verse 2, the woman is permitted to go and be another man’s wife.  But in verse 4, she is referred to as being defiled.  Once again, sin has a lasting consequence.

 

Workers, servants and the poor are to be treated fairly.  The rich and powerful are not to oppress.  The stranger, the fatherless and the widow have a special place in God’s economy.  God wanted Israel to always remember that they had been slaves in Egypt, and wanted them to treat others in their affliction the way God had treated them (See Eph. 4:31-32). This new land and nation is to be a nation of abundant generosity and care for others.  If the children of God are to be a reflection of their Father, they (we) must be abundantly generous!

 

Chapter 25 gives direction to the judges and then describes the special relationship of the kinsman redeemer, another incredible revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ.  The Book of Ruth (especially the fourth chapter), gives the story of Boaz performing the statutes found here in verses 5 and 6.  Boaz is the picture of the Lord Jesus Christ redeeming a Gentile bride for Himself.  What an amazing Book! To understand more on this subject, I preached the book of Ruth in the fall of 2007. Cds are available on request.

 

The chapter continues with statutes for honesty in business.  In the commerce of that day, merchants would carry balances with their own weights for transactions.  Some determined that they could have weights for buying and different weights for selling; I mean, who would know the difference?  The omniscient Lord knows of our honesty with people, and deals with us accordingly.

 

The offering of the first fruits in Chapter 26 is a special one time offering for the first harvest in the new land.  There is a time of remembrance, a time of rejoicing and a time of confession (verses 13-15).  They will be in houses that they did not build, eating from crops and gardens that they did not plant.  They will be living in beauty and abundance from the hand of the Lord.  They will have been brought into the Promised Land!

 

Verses 16 through 18 are a confirmation of all that has been commanded.  The Lord has commanded that these things are to be kept with all the heart and soul.  The people have answered and agreed that they will walk in His ways, and keep His commandments.  The Lord promises that they will be His peculiar people, holy to Him.  The second sermon of Moses in Deuteronomy is ended.  My, can that boy preach!

 

CHRIST IS REVEALED:

As THE GENEROUS ONE – Deut. 24:19-21 (II Corinthians 8:9; Romans8:32) As THE KINSMAN REDEEMER – Deut. 25:5-6 (Romans3:24; Col. 1:13, 14) As FIRSTFRUIT OFFERING – Deut. 26:10-11 (I Corinthians15:20, 23) As THE DELIVERER – Deut. 26:8 (Galatians 1:3, 4)