Tag: among us

53. Wilderness – 17.f. “They will forsake me and break my covenant that I have made with them”

 

 

Deu 31:14  And the LORD said to Moses, “Behold, the days approach when you must die. Call Joshua and present yourselves in the tent of meeting, that I may commission him.” And Moses and Joshua went and presented themselves in the tent of meeting. And the LORD appeared in the tent in a pillar of cloud. And the pillar of cloud stood over the entrance of the tent. And the LORD said to Moses, “Behold, you are about to lie down with your fathers. Then this people will rise and whore after the foreign gods among them in the land that they are entering, and they will forsake me and break my covenant that I have made with them. Then my anger will be kindled against them in that day, and I will forsake them and hide my face from them, and they will be devoured. And many evils and troubles will come upon them, so that they will say in that day, ‘Have not these evils come upon us because our God is not among us?And I will surely hide my face in that day because of all the evil that they have done, because they have turned to other gods. “Now therefore write this song and teach it to the people of Israel. Put it in their mouths, that this song may be a witness for me against the people of Israel. For when I have brought them into the land flowing with milk and honey, which I swore to give to their fathers, and they have eaten and are full and grown fat, they will turn to other gods and serve them, and despise me and break my covenant. And when many evils and troubles have come upon them, this song shall confront them as a witness (for it will live unforgotten in the mouths of their offspring). For I know what they are inclined to do even today, before I have brought them into the land that I swore to give.” So Moses wrote this song the same day and taught it to the people of Israel. And the LORD commissioned Joshua the son of Nun and said, “Be strong and courageous, for you shall bring the people of Israel into the land that I swore to give them. I will be with you.” When Moses had finished writing the words of this law in a book to the very end, Moses commanded the Levites who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD, “Take this Book of the Law and put it by the side of the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, that it may be there for a witness against you. For I know how rebellious and stubborn you are. Behold, even today while I am yet alive with you, you have been rebellious against the LORD. How much more after my death! Assemble to me all the elders of your tribes and your officers, that I may speak these words in their ears and call heaven and earth to witness against them. For I know that after my death you will surely act corruptly and turn aside from the way that I have commanded you. And in the days to come evil will befall you, because you will do what is evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking him to anger through the work of your hands.”

Moses and Joshua attended the Divine Majesty at the door of the tabernacle. Moses is told again that he must shortly die; even those who are most ready and willing to die, need to be often reminded of its coming. The Lord tells Moses, that, after his death, the covenant he had taken so much pains to make between Israel and their God, would certainly be broken. Israel would forsake Him; then God would forsake Israel. Justly does he cast those off who so unjustly cast him off. Moses is directed to deliver them a song, which should remain a standing testimony for God, as faithful to them in giving them warning, and against them, as persons false to themselves in not taking the warning. The word of God is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of men’s hearts, and meets them by reproofs and correction. Ministers who preach the word, know not the imaginations of men; but God, whose word it is, knows perfectly. (Henry)

After handing over the office to Joshua, and the law to the priests and elders, Moses was called by the Lord to come to the tabernacle with Joshua, to command him (צוּה), i.e., to appoint him, confirm him in his office. To this end the Lord appeared in the tabernacle (Deuteronomy 31:15), in a pillar of cloud, which remained standing before it, as in Numbers 12:5 (see the exposition of Numbers 11:25). But before appointing Joshua, He announced to Moses that after his death the nation would go a whoring after other gods, and would break the covenant, for which it would be visited with severe afflictions, and directed him to write an ode and teach it to the children of Israel, that when the apostasy should take place, and punishment from God be felt in consequence, it might speak as a witness against the people, as it would not vanish from their memory. The Lord communicated this commission to Moses in the presence of Joshua, that he also might hear from the mouth of God that the Lord foreknew the future apostasy of the people, and yet nevertheless would bring them into the promised land. In this there was also implied an admonition to Joshua, not only to take care that the Israelites learned the ode and kept it in their memories, but also to strive with all his might to prevent the apostasy, so long as he was leader of Israel; which Joshua did most faithfully to the very end of his life. (Keil)

Knowing and being in covenant with God, knowing and receiving His blessings under this covenant, and being given clear warnings of blessings and curses is not enough for a person to walk in obedience and honor the covenant between God and us. There are two sides to a covenant and it requires both parties to fulfill their obligations of the covenant. It is not enough to just “know”. We can know of God and His promises, and yet not live for Him. We can know of His love, grace, and mercy, and yet not trust Him. We can know of His offer of salvation, and yet not believe it. We can know of His great might and awesome power, and yet not rely upon Him. We can know of His all-knowing of our thoughts and intents, and yet, still allow sinful thoughts into our minds. We can know of His in-filling Holy Spirit, and yet, not listen and follow its leading. We can have His Word readily at our fingertips, and yet, not read it. We can know of His healing powers, and yet, deny it for ourselves. We can know of His holiness, and yet, continue in our sinfulness. Knowing is not enough. There must be a reason, purpose, something more, something deeper driving us to more than knowing. 

This covenant is offered to us by the Creator of all there is. Let this sink in.  God, Creator of all there is, All-Powerful, Ever-Present, and All-knowing has made a covenant with His creation. This covenant is born out of grace, mercy, and love. Holiness reaches out to sinfulness and makes a covenant with those who would take hold of it, obey it, follow it, trust it, rely upon it, believe it, and cling to every word of it. 

We live under a new covenant that came at a great cost for Jesus Christ, who was beaten, spit upon, whipped, flogged, ridiculed, nailed to the cross, and died. He is worthy of all honor, glory, praise, and worship. The redemption and salvation of our sinful souls have a very high cost, and yet, we give it little respect if we were to be honest with ourselves. Our time in His Word seems to be more of an afterthought, or a bit of an inconvenience, or a tick in the box of “living for Jesus”. Does this sound at all like the type of person who was thankful, repentant, humble, and wanting to bring honor and glory to Jesus Christ? 

We intentionally choose to be always mindful of the covenant, the presence of God, the quiet whispers of the Holy Spirit, the sacrifice made for our redemption, and His worthiness of all our praise and worship, not only for what He has done but also for the promises of what He is doing and will do. 

Growth, understanding, and wisdom of and about God are not obtained apart from His Word and a desire and seeking of it. This is an intentional choice. A life choice. A purposed life. A mindset and ever-present purpose to bring honor and glory to Jesus Christ. Every thought is taken captive, every word spoken is with grace, mercy, and kindness, and every action is subject to bringing honor and glory to Jesus.  

The new covenant of redemption and salvation has two parties. God has given and fulfilled this blessed, graceful, and merciful covenant. Are we living up to our obligations of it?

14.m. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God, And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us”

John 1:14   And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’”) For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.

John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

Revelation 19:13  He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God.

Hebrews 4:12  For the word of God is living and active,

“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us”  What is this Word?  We know the Word was there in the beginning with God.  We know the Word was God. We know all things were made through Him.  Jesus said in John 10:30 “I and My Father are one”.  The Word is Jesus Christ.  Jesus was with God prior to creation.  Jesus is eternal.  Why would the Creator take on the form of a servant and allow being rejected, despised, beaten, and crucified?  There is no other reason than Love.  God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.”  Out of love, He chose to redeem, forgive, and restore all of the lost souls who would believe in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  He alone is the one and only true path/way to eternal life in heaven.  Not because they are good enough or have done enough good but because they believed the opposite in and of themselves.  Their minds and souls were awakened to their sinful nature and the Holiness of Jesus Christ.  There is no amount of good works that can bridge this gap between sin and holiness besides Jesus Christ.  In simple terms, they surrendered to this fact and wholly trusted in Jesus Christ alone.  In this surrender and trust, they were forgiven, redeemed, and promised eternal life.  The life they live now is, or at least should be, in humbler service, honor, obedience, and faith to the only one worthy, Jesus Christ.  The Creator did not redeem us to be critical of each other but to love one another, to build one another up, to encourage one another, to help one another, to pray for one another, and to worship, glorify, and praise Jesus Christ together.  There ought to be no room in our hearts, minds, and souls for anything other than our love, trust, and obedience to Jesus Christ.

6.j. The faithful and true witness, the beginning of God’s creation.

Revelation 3:14  “And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: ‘The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God’s creation.

John 1:1  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

John 1:14     And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Colossians 1:13     He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent.

Psalms 89:27     And I will make him the firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth.

John 3:16     “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

Hebrews 1:6    And again, when he brings the firstborn into the world, he says, “Let all God’s angels worship him.”

Proverbs 8:22-30   “The LORD possessed me at the beginning of his work, the first of his acts of old.  Ages ago I was set up, at the first, before the beginning of the earth.  When there were no depths I was brought forth, when there were no springs abounding with water.  Before the mountains had been shaped, before the hills, I was brought forth,  before he had made the earth with its fields, or the first of the dust of the world.  When he established the heavens, I was there; when he drew a circle on the face of the deep,  when he made firm the skies above, when he established the fountains of the deep,  when he assigned to the sea its limit, so that the waters might not transgress his command, when he marked out the foundations of the earth,  then I was beside him, like a master workman, and I was daily his delight, rejoicing before him always,

It is a mystery to even begin to partially understand the depth of the Triune God.  We read of the “faithful and true witness, the beginning of God’s creation”, Firstborn, The Word was with God and was God, Word becoming flesh dwelling among us, beloved Son, For by Him all things were created, He is the beginning, the Firstborn from the dead, He is the head of the body – the church, let all God’s angels worship Him, I was beside Him, rejoicing before Him always”    

It is He who is speaking to the Church, us.  It is He who is giving us warning, encouragement, promises, and hope.  It is He to whom we either live for with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength or whom we disregard most of our waking moments and give little thought or worship too.  We do well to think about who it is that called us and opened our hearts and minds to salvation, redemption, and the need for repentance and forgiveness. Intentionally choose to examine your life before our Lord Jesus Christ and determine if you are walking worthy of the Son of God and the price He paid for your sin.

Refused to obey Him and thrust Him aside

Exodus 17:1   All the congregation of the people of Israel moved on from the wilderness of Sin by stages, according to the commandment of the Lord, and camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink. Therefore the people quarreled with Moses and said, “Give us water to drink.” And Moses said to them, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test the Lord?” But the people thirsted there for water, and the people grumbled against Moses and said, “Why did you bring us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?” So Moses cried to the Lord, “What shall I do with this people? They are almost ready to stone me.” And the Lord said to Moses, “Pass on before the people, taking with you some of the elders of Israel, and take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock at Horeb, and you shall strike the rock, and water shall come out of it, and the people will drink.” And Moses did so, in the sight of the elders of Israel. And he called the name of the place Massah and Meribah, because of the quarreling of the people of Israel, and because they tested the Lord by saying, “Is the Lord among us or not?”

Psalms 95:8     do not harden your hearts, as at Meribah, as on the day at Massah in the wilderness,

Hebrews 3:8-9     do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, on the day of testing in the wilderness,  where your fathers put me to the test and saw my works for forty years.

Exodus 34:9    And he said, “If now I have found favor in your sight, O Lord, please let the Lord go in the midst of us, for it is a stiff-necked people, and pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for your inheritance.”

Deuteronomy 31:17    Then my anger will be kindled against them in that day, and I will forsake them and hide my face from them, and they will be devoured. And many evils and troubles will come upon them, so that they will say in that day, ‘Have not these evils come upon us because our God is not among us?’

Acts 7:37-39    This is the Moses who said to the Israelites, ‘God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brothers.’  This is the one who was in the congregation in the wilderness with the angel who spoke to him at Mount Sinai, and with our fathers. He received living oracles to give to us.  Our fathers refused to obey him, but thrust him aside, and in their hearts they turned to Egypt,

“Is the Lord among us or not?” “Our fathers refused to obey Him, but thrust Him aside, and in their hearts, they turned to Egypt.”  The grumbling and doubting seem to be a pattern.  I don’t think it is any different now than it was back then.  Desiring, seeking, relying on, clinging to, and trusting in God is rejected at the heart, mind, and soul level.  We are not immune to this type of thinking, however, we can take these thoughts captive and cast them out as soon as they pop into our head.  We can choose not to thrust Him aside.  We can choose not to live like He does not exist.

How are we to do this?  We need to keep God’s word in our heart and mind.  We need to intentionally change our ways according to His word and how the Holy Spirit leads us.  We need to change our way of thinking about self first and desire to do whatever it is He has planned for us.  We need to change from the way we live for self and change to living for God, seeking Him, wanting to honor and obey Him.

Commit to reading His word each day.  Listen to what His word says to your heart and mind.  Talk to God often. Walk in faith, trusting Him and His precious promises.