adversaries – Praying Pint

53.l. Wilderness – 17.r. “‘See now that I, even I, am He.”

Deu 32:39-41  “‘See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god beside me; I kill and I make alive; I wound and I heal; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand. For I lift up my hand to heaven and swear, As I live forever, if I sharpen my flashing sword and my hand takes hold on judgment, I will take vengeance on my adversaries and will repay those who hate me.

Isaiah 41:4    Who has performed and done this, calling the generations from the beginning? I, the LORD, the first, and with the last; I am he.

Psalms 50:22    “Mark this, then, you who forget God, lest I tear you apart, and there be none to deliver!

Isaiah 43:13     Also henceforth I am he; there is none who can deliver from my hand; I work, and who can turn it back?”

Hosea 6:1    “Come, let us return to the LORD; for he has torn us, that he may heal us; he has struck us down, and he will bind us up.

Open your eyes and be convinced by your own sad experience what vain and impotent things. As I have no superior, so neither have I any equal. I kill and I make alive — I am the arbiter of life and death, the dispenser of prosperity and adversity, and the author of national changes and revolutions, whether in the way of mercy or judgment. We may observe that it is usual, in Scripture language, to represent extreme calamities under the notion of death, and to express happiness and prosperity by the word life. (Benson)

Whatever judgments are brought upon sinners, it shall go well with the people of God. (Henry)

I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I:heal: Christ is the sovereign disposer of life and death, of sickness and health, in a temporal sense; and in a spiritual sense he wounds and kills, by the law in the hand of his Spirit; and he heals and makes alive by his Gospel, as it is accompanied by his Spirit and grace. (Gill)

We should never become complacent and neglectful of our pursuit of knowledge, wisdom, and understating of the Word of God and Things of God, or become consumed by worldly passions and the busyness of life. His Word will grow and mature us in this understanding and will be reflected in our lives to the glory and honor of Jesus Christ. He is worthy of all honor, glory, and praise!

48.f. “Wilderness” – 12.l. “Balaam’s Third Oracle”

Num 24:1 When Balaam saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel, he did not go, as at other times, to look for omens, but set his face toward the wilderness. And Balaam lifted up his eyes and saw Israel camping tribe by tribe. And the Spirit of God came upon him, and he took up his discourse and said, “The oracle of Balaam the son of Beor, the oracle of the man whose eye is opened, the oracle of him who hears the words of God, who sees the vision of the Almighty, falling down with his eyes uncovered: How lovely are your tents, O Jacob, your encampments, O Israel! Like palm groves that stretch afar, like gardens beside a river, like aloes that the LORD has planted, like cedar trees beside the waters. Water shall flow from his buckets, and his seed shall be in many waters; his king shall be higher than Agag, and his kingdom shall be exalted. God brings him out of Egypt and is for him like the horns of the wild ox; he shall eat up the nations, his adversaries, and shall break their bones in pieces and pierce them through with his arrows. He crouched, he lay down like a lion and like a lioness; who will rouse him up? Blessed are those who bless you, and cursed are those who curse you.” And Balak’s anger was kindled against Balaam, and he struck his hands together. And Balak said to Balaam, “I called you to curse my enemies, and behold, you have blessed them these three times. Therefore now flee to your own place. I said, ‘I will certainly honor you,’ but the LORD has held you back from honor.” And Balaam said to Balak, “Did I not tell your messengers whom you sent to me, ‘If Balak should give me his house full of silver and gold, I would not be able to go beyond the word of the LORD, to do either good or bad of my own will. What the LORD speaks, that will I speak’? And now, behold, I am going to my people. Come, I will let you know what this people will do to your people in the latter days.”

Now Balaam spake not his own sense, but the language of the Spirit that came upon him. Many have their eyes open who have not their hearts open; are enlightened, but not sanctified. That knowledge which puffs men up with pride, will but serve to light them to hell, whither many go with their eyes open. The blessing is nearly the same as those given before. He admires in Israel, their beauty. The righteous, doubtless, is more excellent than his neighbour. Their fruitfulness and increase. Their honour and advancement. Their power and victory. He looks back upon what had been done for them. Their power and victory. He looks back upon what had been done for them. Their courage and security. The righteous are bold as a lion, not when assaulting others, but when at rest, because God maketh them to dwell in safety. Their influence upon their neighbours. God takes what is done to them, whether good or evil, as done to himself. (Henry)

Even after two unsuccessful attempts to cause Balaam to curse Israel, Balak was still willing to try again. This shows both his desperation and his thought that it was just a matter of persuading a reluctant deity to get what he wanted. Balak thought that maybe another place would give him the results he wanted. If Balak had not yet learned that God was for Israel and not against them, Balaam seems to have, at this point, been convinced of this truth. Because he was finally convinced God wanted to bless Israel and not curse them, Balaam did not use sorcery in the following oracle. Perhaps this means that in the first two oracles Balaam followed traditional customs of discerning the will of the gods through examining the entrails of the sacrificed animals. He stopped the false and artificial methods of the pagans, and just listened to the voice of the LORD. It may be that Balaam did use these pagan methods for the first two oracles, and God – in great mercy and willingness to meet sinful and superstitious humanity – still spoke His word to and through Balaam. This was God speaking despite such methods, not because of them.

This beautiful prophecy speaks of Israel’s blessed abundance, strength, and their dominance over neighboring nations God would give to Israel. Under God’s blessing, Israel has an abundance of water, stretching out all over the land and bringing fruitfulness. Most of all, this prophecy speaks of the abiding blessing of God on Israel, and directly rebukes Balak for trying to curse Israel. (Guzik)

“At first the eyes of Balaam were shut, and so closely too that he could not see the angel who withstood him, till God opened his eyes; nor could he see the gracious intentions of God towards Israel, till the eyes of his understanding were opened by the power of the Divine Spirit.” (Clark)

47.c. “Wilderness” – 11.i. “He will by no means clear the guilty”

Num 14:13-19  But Moses said to the LORD, “Then the Egyptians will hear of it, for you brought up this people in your might from among them, and they will tell the inhabitants of this land. They have heard that you, O LORD, are in the midst of this people. For you, O LORD, are seen face to face, and your cloud stands over them and you go before them, in a pillar of cloud by day and in a pillar of fire by night. Now if you kill this people as one man, then the nations who have heard your fame will say, ‘It is because the LORD was not able to bring this people into the land that he swore to give to them that he has killed them in the wilderness.’ And now, please let the power of the Lord be great as you have promised, saying, ‘The LORD is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, forgiving iniquity and transgression, but he will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, to the third and the fourth generation.’ Please pardon the iniquity of this people, according to the greatness of your steadfast love, just as you have forgiven this people, from Egypt until now.”

Micah 7:18    Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance? He does not retain his anger forever, because he delights in steadfast love

Nahum 1:2-3   The LORD is a jealous and avenging God; the LORD is avenging and wrathful; the LORD takes vengeance on his adversaries and keeps wrath for his enemies.  The LORD is slow to anger and great in power, and the LORD will by no means clear the guilty. His way is in whirlwind and storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet.

Exodus 20:5    You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me,

The Israelites for the last 2 years have seen the 10 plagues against Egypt that set them free, the parting of the Red Sea, the death of the Egyptian army, water from a rock, manna each morning, the leading of God by a pillar of cloud by day and fire by night, the 10 commandments given, directions for building the tabernacle, and the establishment of the priestly order of worship.

Now they are to head into the promised land at God’s direction, but what do they do? They think it best to send in spies and scope out this promised land to determine the fruit of it and the strength of the people living there. At the conclusion of this “spying out of the land”, 10 of the spies gave a favorable report of the fruit of the land but a fearful report of the people and their strength. Only two gave favorable reports and trust in God, Caleb, and Joshua.

In two years they have witnessed a special calling of God and a powerful display of His strength and love. And yet, they feared what God has promised them in this new land. Their fear is well-placed if they look at it from a human perspective. They did not have their own means, power, or strength to win battles over the people in the promised land. They had never battled. What were they to use for weapons? What plans could they come up with to defeat these people? As they looked at this from all sides with a human perspective it was obvious they could not venture into the land. In fact, they deemed it better to go back to Egypt and become slaves. Let’s choose another leader amongst ourselves and head back. We will not trust God or Moses, His chosen leader.

Now Moses intercedes for the people whom God could easily destroy. It is in this intercession that the people are redeemed from certain death and we will next read of God’s judgment for this fear, rejection, and rebellion.

God is able to do more than we ask and much more than we can imagine. He is limitless in wisdom, power, and might. He can do all things. What is there that He has not created? What is there that He can not do? Why do we wallow in fear and anger at situations that God can easily overcome? Trust and rely on Him and all things are possible.

42.k.. “Let My People Go” – 10.h. Praise and Rejoicing

Exodus 15:1  Then Moses and the people of Israel sang this song to the LORD, saying, “I will sing to the LORD, for he has triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider he has thrown into the sea. The LORD is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation; this is my God, and I will praise him, my father’s God, and I will exalt him.

Revelation 15:3   And they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, “Great and amazing are your deeds, O Lord God the Almighty! Just and true are your ways, O King of the nations!

Philippians 4:13   I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

Exodus 15:6  Your right hand, O LORD, glorious in power, your right hand, O LORD, shatters the enemy. In the greatness of your majesty you overthrow your adversaries; you send out your fury; it consumes them like stubble.

1 Chronicles 29:11-12    Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O LORD, and you are exalted as head above all.  Both riches and honor come from you, and you rule over all. In your hand are power and might, and in your hand it is to make great and to give strength to all.

Exodus 15:11  “Who is like you, O LORD, among the gods? Who is like you, majestic in holiness, awesome in glorious deeds, doing wonders?

Jeremiah 10:6   There is none like you, O LORD; you are great, and your name is great in might.

Exodus 15:18  The LORD will reign forever and ever.”

Daniel 7:27    And the kingdom and the dominion and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High; his kingdom shall be an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.’

Daniel 4:3     How great are his signs, how mighty his wonders! His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion endures from generation to generation.

This song is the most ancient we know of. It is a holy song, to the honour of God, to exalt his name, and celebrate his praise, and his only, not in the least to magnify any man. Holiness to the Lord is in every part of it. It may be considered as typical, and prophetical of the final destruction of the enemies of the church. Happy the people whose God is the Lord. They have work to do, temptations to grapple with, and afflictions to bear, and are weak in themselves; but his grace is their strength. They are often in sorrow, but in him they have comfort; he is their song. Sin, and death, and hell threaten them, but he is, and will be their salvation. The Lord is a God of almighty power, and woe to those that strive with their Maker! He is a God of matchless perfection; he is glorious in holiness; his holiness is his glory. His holiness appears in the hatred of sin, and his wrath against obstinate sinners. It appears in the deliverance of Israel, and his faithfulness to his own promise. He is fearful in praises; that which is matter of praise to the servants of God, is very dreadful to his enemies. He is doing wonders, things out of the common course of nature; wondrous to those in whose favour they are wrought, who are so unworthy, that they had no reason to expect them. There were wonders of power and wonders of grace; in both, God was to be humbly adored. (Henry)

What a song of worship and praise to God. A song pinned out of humbleness and gratitude. A song reflecting the pureness of raw worship and praise. A simple song with such depth and emotion that comes with a heart-felt presence of God. A song that reflects praise and worship, God’s power, God’s judgment, God’s love, and God’s holiness.

I love old hymns. You can tell people have written them with like hearts and minds. They are songs of thanksgiving, worship, hope, and praise. If you ever get a chance to acquire a hymnal, do it. Read the heartfelt songs in them. Feel the presence of God in these people’s lives. Just because you are not gifted in music or poetry talent does not mean you can’t join in on the praise and worship in them. Your heart and mind certainly can joyfully join in this praise and worship as the writer has expressed.

Let your hearts and minds proclaim the greatness, awesome power, and love of God, though they are pinned by another.

11.m.”The Lord is good”

Nahum 1:7 The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; he knows those who take refuge in him. But with an overflowing flood he will make a complete end of the adversaries, and will pursue his enemies into darkness.

1 Chronicles 16:34     Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!

Psalms 25:8    Good and upright is the LORD; therefore he instructs sinners in the way.

Psalms 100:5     For the LORD is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.

Lamentations 3:25    The LORD is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him.

Romans 11:22   Note then the kindness and the severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen, but God’s kindness to you, provided you continue in his kindness. Otherwise you too will be cut off.

Do you think about the “Good of our Lord and Savior”? I am sure thoughts about His saving grace, mercy, forgiveness, and promise of forever with Him in eternity are present most days. But the “Good or our Savior” is more than that. He has given us each talent to use. These talents allow us to fix, repair, build, grow, lead, and apply knowledge. These are not burdens but often we fall into the trap of calling them a burden. We say things like “I have to” do something rather than thanking God for the talents that allow us to say “I get to” do something. These talents are not a burden, they are God’s gift to us. He has given us abilities that help us and certainly can be used to help others. These abilities are not “I have to’s” but “I get to’s”. When we have thoughts of our abilities as having to use them we won’t have a mindset to be thanking God for them. We will have thoughts of them being a burden and our heart for whatever the task is will not be giving God praise and thanks. Granted some of our gifts will get us dirty, tired, and mentally exhausted as we use them. It sure makes the task or job much more meaningful to do when we “get to” use our gifts rather than “have to”. Each of us has been given both physical and spiritual gifts. In these gifts of abilities and talents, we have a great opportunity to thank and honor God by how we use them and how we think about “Getting to” use them. When have you taken a mental inventory of all the gifts, talents, and abilities God has given you? When we are mindful of them it is a good foundation for putting honor and glory and thankfulness in to “Getting to us them”.

11.k. “For he is a holy God. He is a jealous God”

Nahum 1:2 The Lord is a jealous and avenging God; the Lord is avenging and wrathful; the Lord takes vengeance on his adversaries and keeps wrath for his enemies. The Lord is slow to anger and great in power, and the Lord will by no means clear the guilty. His way is in whirlwind and storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet. He rebukes the sea and makes it dry; he dries up all the rivers; Bashan and Carmel wither; the bloom of Lebanon withers. The mountains quake before him; the hills melt; the earth heaves before him, the world and all who dwell in it.

Exodus 20:5    You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me,

Deuteronomy 4:24    For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.

Joshua 24:19   But Joshua said to the people, “You are not able to serve the LORD, for he is a holy God. He is a jealous God;

The Bible clearly teaches that God is a jealous God. Exodus 20:5 states, “You shall not bow down to them [other gods] or serve them, for I the LORD your God am a jealous God.” How are we to understand God’s jealousy when the Bible also says that jealousy is a sin (Galatians 5:20)? Isn’t this a contradiction? The key is context. God revealed the Ten Commandments to the people of Israel. He commanded allegiance and worship to Him alone. He would not tolerate the worship of other gods (a practice common in Egypt and other nations). God was “jealous” in the sense that He expected full devotion, not merely a partial, lukewarm commitment. Worship belongs to God, and He is right to be “jealous” of it. Yes, God is a jealous God. Why? Because He will not share His praise with another: “I am the LORD; that is my name; my glory I give to no other, nor my praise to carved idols” . God carefully maintains and protects what is rightly His. This is divine jealousy, and it is worlds apart from the type of sinful jealousy that causes people to envy, suspect, and resent others.

When God was going to describe Himself, on one occasion He called Himself, “Jealous.” This denotes something of God’s nature. In other translations the word ‘zealous’ is used – these words have the same root, and show God’s character in vigilantly guarding that which is His. God breathed the breath of life into the first man. He breathed this life into every person. God jealously yearns for – desires – this spirit in us. “Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, ‘The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously’?” God does not want our spirits to be consumed by this world or by the god of this world, who is the devil. God wants a relationship with our human spirit. However, the god of this world, the devil, is active as well. He also wants to get a hold of our human spirit, to influence us to do his will. He has come to destroy us, and he speaks to our “flesh.” “The flesh Sin is anything that goes against God’s will and His laws. To commit sin is to transgress or disobey these laws. The lust to sin dwells in human nature. In other words, it is contaminated and motivated by want/lust for the worldly and fleshly. It is in this battle God is a jealous God. He is zealous (jealous) for our spirits. He wants us to be zealous, with “God’s zeal” in this battle. God is “jealous” in the sense that He expected full devotion, not merely a partial, lukewarm commitment. He wants all of our hearts, minds, soul, and strength given to honor, glorify, praise, worship, follow, obey, trust, and rely on Him. He is jealous for us to know and serve Him fully. He is jealous for us to know and experience His precious promises, purpose, grace, mercy, and love. If we are to be fully devoted and surrendered to Him we can not share any part of our lives seeking after that which is worldly and fleshly, nor can we be lukewarm, complacent, or neglectful.

6.w. Surely there is a God who judges on earth.

Revelation 6:9 When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the witness they had borne. They cried out with a loud voice, “O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” Then they were each given a white robe and told to rest a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brothers should be complete, who were to be killed as they themselves had been.

Deuteronomy 32:43 “Rejoice with him, O heavens; bow down to him, all gods, for he avenges the blood of his children and takes vengeance on his adversaries. He repays those who hate him and cleanses his people’s land.”

Psalms 58:11 Mankind will say, “Surely there is a reward for the righteous; surely there is a God who judges on earth.”

When the 5th seal is opened John sees these martyrs and hears their cry “O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” These have been martyred for witnessing and living for Jesus Christ. These are those who believed in and proclaimed the gospel after the removal (rapture) of believers prior to the opening of the seals. Standing firm to the end is not a way to be saved but the evidence that a person is really committed to Jesus. Persistence is not a means to earn salvation; it is the by-product of a truly devoted life. Times and trials serve to sift true Christians from false or fair-weather Christians. When you are pressured to give up and turn your back on Christ, don’t do it. Remember the benefits of standing firm, and continue to live for Christ.

Remember these martyrs have been told to wait until the full number of those who will be killed for their belief in Jesus Christ is complete. When I give just a small amount of thought to this I am ashamed for what I think is a trial in my life. I am ashamed of the times I think the trials I face are “BIG” for the trials I have faced surely have not ended in death for believing in Jesus Christ – the ultimate test of faith.

6.i. I have set before you an open door

Revelation 3:8 “‘I know your works. Behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut. I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. Behold, I will make those of the synagogue of Satan who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie—behold, I will make them come and bow down before your feet, and they will learn that I have loved you. Because you have kept my word about patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth. I am coming soon. Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown. The one who conquers, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God. Never shall he go out of it, and I will write on him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down from my God out of heaven, and my own new name. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’

Colossians 4:3 At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ,

1 Corinthians 16:9 for a wide door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.

“I have set before you an open door”. How many times do we miss the opened door? Why is it the door to serving Christ seems wide open to others and not you? The open door must be seen and trusted in through faith. It is with faith eyes that we see doors/opportunities of serving and honoring Jesus Christ in our daily walk. “Faith is the substance hoped for and evidence of things not seen”. Only by faith can we attest to the open door before us. We can miss opportunities if our faiths complacent and we neglect God’s Word. We can miss open door opportunities if our eyes have been blinded by the bright shiny things of this world. We can miss open door opportunities if our hears are deaf to the whispers of the Holy Spirit to our soul. We can miss open door opportunities if we are not expecting and looking for them. Sometimes we need to wait and not try to force open a door that is closed before us. Other times we need to walk through that door full steam ahead. How can we know which is right, wait or walkthrough? Faith is in-line with God’s word. Seeking and desiring to honor and serve Jesus Christ more than self. Praying and asking God to confirm within us to wait or walkthrough. We must set aside our self-reliance and self-centered ways. People would like to think that an open door from Christ will mean prosperity, ease, and life without trials and troubles. This is not true. Sometimes our open door is walking into a lion’s den, or facing the Red Sea, or carrying our own cross. The thing that matters is that the door we walk through is that we are not walking through on our own. Christ is there in all of His power and will never leave us. He is all-knowing so there are no surprises that He is not in control of. He is ever-present and will accomplish His plans and purposes. Spend time thinking about how many open door opportunities Jesus Christ has given to you today to serve, honor, and glorify Him.

24. According to the riches of his grace

Numbers 14:17 And now, please let the power of the Lord be great as you have promised, saying, The Lord is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, forgiving iniquity and transgression, but he will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, to the third and the fourth generation.’ Please pardon the iniquity of this people, according to the greatness of your steadfast love, just as you have forgiven this people, from Egypt until now.”

Exodus 34:6-7     The LORD passed before him and proclaimed, “The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness,  keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and the fourth generation.”

Psalms 103:8   The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.

Micah 7:18     Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance? He does not retain his anger forever, because he delights in steadfast love.

Nahum 1:2-3    The LORD is a jealous and avenging God; the LORD is avenging and wrathful; the LORD takes vengeance on his adversaries and keeps wrath for his enemies.  The LORD is slow to anger and great in power, and the LORD will by no means clear the guilty. His way is in whirlwind and storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet.

Romans 3:24-26     and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,  whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins.  It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

Ephesians 1:7-8     In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace,  which he lavished upon us

It is hard to explain forgiveness of sin to those who do not believe in God, Sin, Judgment, Anger, Wrath, Redemption, and Salvation. As a believer we have had our heart and mind opened up to know God and the need of salvation. I wonder if we limit our understanding of what this means. God reached out, He called us, He demonstrated His love for us, He opened our understanding, knowledge, and wisdom, He showed us the need for redemption, He provided a sacrifice for our sin, He sent Jesus Christ His only son to die for us, He forgave us, He gave us new birth, He promised to never leave us or forsake us, He promised eternity with Him, He gives us peace, rest, joy, faith, hope, and love, He filled us with His Holy Spirit, He leads us, and He has plans and purposes for us.

We should never become complacent and neglectful of time with Him and His word. Commit to reading it everyday.

How do we mock, scoff, taunt, and Despise things of God?

Genesis 21:8 And the child grew and was weaned. And Abraham made a great feast on the day that Isaac was weaned. But Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, laughing. So she said to Abraham, “Cast out this slave woman with her son, for the son of this slave woman shall not be heir with my son Isaac.” And the thing was very displeasing to Abraham on account of his son. But God said to Abraham, “Be not displeased because of the boy and because of your slave woman. Whatever Sarah says to you, do as she tells you, for through Isaac shall your offspring be named. And I will make a nation of the son of the slave woman also, because he is your offspring.”

2 Kings 2:23-24     He went up from there to Bethel, and while he was going up on the way, some small boys came out of the city and jeered at him, saying, “Go up, you baldhead! Go up, you baldhead!”  And he turned around, and when he saw them, he cursed them in the name of the LORD. And two she-bears came out of the woods and tore forty-two of the boys.

2 Chronicles 30:10    So the couriers went from city to city through the country of Ephraim and Manasseh, and as far as Zebulun, but they laughed them to scorn and mocked them.

2 Chronicles 36:16    But they kept mocking the messengers of God, despising his words and scoffing at his prophets

Nehemiah 4:1-5      Now when Sanballat heard that we were building the wall, he was angry and greatly enraged, and he jeered at the Jews.  And he said in the presence of his brothers and of the army of Samaria, “What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they restore it for themselves? Will they sacrifice? Will they finish up in a day? Will they revive the stones out of the heaps of rubbish, and burned ones at that?  Tobiah the Ammonite was beside him, and he said, “Yes, what they are building—if a fox goes up on it he will break down their stone wall!  Hear, O our God, for we are despised. Turn back their taunt on their own heads and give them up to be plundered in a land where they are captives.  Do not cover their guilt, and let not their sin be blotted out from your sight, for they have provoked you to anger in the presence of the builders.

Psalms 42:10     As with a deadly wound in my bones, my adversaries taunt me, while they say to me all the day long, “Where is your God?”

Mocking God, His word, His plan, His purpose, or those doing God’s work has consequences. We see Haggar’s son mockingly laugh at either the party for Isaac, Isaac, Sarah, or both of them. Whoever he was laughing at, it was wrong. It displeased Abraham. We see David mocked and wounded bone deep by those who mocked God. Elisha was mocked by youth. Hezekiah sent out messengers to all the land under his kingship with a proclamation to come and celebrate the passover and return to humble service of God. Some of the towns these messengers went to mocked the messengers and the message. We see general statements of how generation after generation mocked both the message and messenger of God.

Blessings and privilege are soon forfeited when mocking things of God, His leading, His word, His message, His honor and glory, His son, His people, His Holy Spirit. Do we mock God’s word and purpose and plans by being complacent? Do we mock God and His word by turning deaf ear to His leading and choosing to follow the ways of the culture we are in? Do we mock God in not Proclaiming His grace, mercy, and love. Do we mock God when we do not listen to His warnings? Do we mock God when we do not believe in His power and strength and might? Do we mock God when we do not put our faith in Him? Do we mock God when we disregard His potential anger, wrath and judgement?

Matthew Henry put is something like this:

We should be engaged to take great care to consider that we listen intently to God and what He has planned and purposed for us and others. Many who have need to be comforted choose to go blindly from one day to another, because they have chosen to close their ears, eyes, and heart to things of God. There is a well of living water near them in the hands of God, but they are not aware of it, till the same God that opened their eyes to see their wound, opens them to see their remedy. Those who are born after the flesh, take up with the wilderness of this world, while the children of the promise aim at the heavenly, and cannot be at rest till they are there.