God – Page 2 – Praying Pint

53.g. Wilderness – 17.m. “For this is a people without discernment”

Deu 32:28 “For they are a nation void of counsel, and there is no understanding in them.

Job 28:28 And he said to man, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding.’”

Psalms 81:12 So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts, to follow their own counsels.

Proverbs 1:7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Isaiah 27:11 For this is a people without discernment; therefore he who made them will not have compassion on them; he who formed them will show them no favor.

Jeremiah 4:22 “For my people are foolish; they know me not; they are stupid children; they have no understanding. They are ‘wise’—in doing evil! But how to do good they know not.”

Jeremiah 8:9 The wise men shall be put to shame; they shall be dismayed and taken; behold, they have rejected the word of the LORD, so what wisdom is in them?

Hosea 4:6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because you have rejected knowledge,

Matthew 13:14-15 Indeed, in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says: “‘“You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive.” For this people’s heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.’

1 Corinthians 3:19 For the wisdom of this world is folly with God.

Void of counsel; that have not wisdom to direct themselves, nor discretion to desire and receive counsel from others, but rashly and madly go on in those courses which will certainly ruin them. (Poole)

Where does the counsel for our soul come from? How do we grab hold of wise counsel? What is wise counsel? Who do we get this counsel from? God’s Word. It is here where we find true wisdom and counsel for our souls, hearts, and minds, and how we should think, speak, and act.

The problem is that very little time is given to God’s Word. For many, it is seen as the Word of God but it is seldom studied. Oh, it might be searched for a nugget of hope or a promise, but it is not studied for the wisdom it contains and how that might be applied in everyday life. Far too often worldly wisdom consumes the hearts and minds of those who should know better. Many times you will hear someone say, “I think” when they should be able to say, “God’s Word says”.

Wisdom of the world fills the souls of those void of God’s Word. There is no want for it, searching for it, or desiring to apply it.

Much of the wisdom expressed by many is garnered from social media, media outlets, and culturally accepted views. Think about it. Should there be any confusion about abortion? And this whole gay pride and tolerance foolishness is mind-numbing. We should know right from wrong based on wisdom from God’s Word. Just because someone can twist and confuse the Word of God to adopt worldly and cultural norms does not make it right.

We do well to seek wisdom from above and pray for understanding so that in all thoughts, words, and actions Jesus Christ is honored and glorified.

53.f. Wilderness – 17.l. “The LORD saw it and spurned them?

Deu 32:19-25 “The LORD saw it and spurned them, because of the provocation of his sons and his daughters. And he said, ‘I will hide my face from them; I will see what their end will be, for they are a perverse generation, children in whom is no faithfulness. They have made me jealous with what is no god; they have provoked me to anger with their idols. So I will make them jealous with those who are no people; I will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation. For a fire is kindled by my anger, and it burns to the depths of Sheol, devours the earth and its increase, and sets on fire the foundations of the mountains. “‘And I will heap disasters upon them; I will spend my arrows on them; they shall be wasted with hunger, and devoured by plague and poisonous pestilence; I will send the teeth of beasts against them, with the venom of things that crawl in the dust. Outdoors the sword shall bereave, and indoors terror, for young man and woman alike, the nursing child with the man of gray hairs.

And when the Lord saw it,…. The disregard of the Jews to Christ, their forgetfulness of him, their disesteem and rejection of him; their continuance of sacrifices, when the great sacrifice was offered up; their setting up other messiahs and saviours, and the idol of their own righteousness, in opposition to the righteousness of Christ; all which not only as the omniscient God he saw, but took notice of, and considered, and did not at once pass judgment on them, at least did not immediately execute it, but waited some time to see how they would afterwards behave; for it was thirty years or more after the crucifixion of Christ that the utter destruction of the Jews came upon them: he abhorred them; in his heart, despised them, and at last rejected them with contempt and abhorrence, very righteously and in just retaliation, see Zechariah 11:8; as for what before observed, so for what follows: because of the provoking of his sons, and of his daughters; which is not to be understood of the Lord being provoked to wrath by the sins of those who called themselves or were called his sons and daughters; for these are such who were truly his sons and daughters, and different from those in Deuteronomy 32:20, said to be “children in whom is no faith”: these are no other than the disciples and followers of Christ, that believed in him, both men and women, and so the children of God, his sons and his daughters by special grace; and the “provoking” of them is the wrath of the enemy against them, as the same word is used and rendered in Deuteronomy 32:27; and should be here, “because of wrath”, or “indignation against his sons and his daughters” (m); meaning the affliction, distress, and persecution of them, through the wrath of the unbelieving Jews; for after the death of Christ they persecuted his apostles, they beat them and cast them into prison, and put some to death; a persecution was raised against the church at Jerusalem, in which Saul was concerned, who breathed out threatenings and slaughters against the disciples of the Lord, and haled men and women, the sons and daughters of God, and committed them to prison, and persecuted them to strange cities, and gave his voice to put them to death; and in the Gentile world, when the Gospel was carried there, the Jews stirred up the Gentiles everywhere against the followers of Christ, to harass and distress them; and this the Lord saw, and he abhorred them for it, and rejected them. (Gill)

When God’s people forsake Him, He withdraws the closeness of His presence. This is the opposite of the favor of God expressed in His face shining upon His people. (Guzik)

It is a dangerous and dreadful thing to be counted among those in whom is no faith. “I beg you to lay to heart this fact, that unless you have faith in Jesus you will perish just as surely as if you were an open denier of the word of God and a reviler of his Son. There are, doubtless, degrees in the terribleness of the punishment, but there are no degrees in the certainty of the fact that every unbeliever will be shut out from the blessing of the gospel of Christ.” (Spurgeon)

Nothing was or is hidden from God. Our thoughts, words, and actions are all known by Him. He has given us His Word, whereby we might gain understanding and knowledge of His holiness and our sinfulness, His promises and purpose, His righteousness, His grace, mercy and love, His wrath, anger, and coming judgment, His power, might, all-knowing, and ever-presence, His salvation through Christ, and His gift of the Holy Spirit. In light of this and as Paul stated; “What manner of persons should you be?”

53.e. Wilderness – 17.k. “They stirred him to jealousy”

Deu 32:15-18  “But Jeshurun grew fat, and kicked; you grew fat, stout, and sleek; then he forsook God who made him and scoffed at the Rock of his salvation.  They stirred him to jealousy with strange gods; with abominations they provoked him to anger. They sacrificed to demons that were no gods, to gods they had never known, to new gods that had come recently, whom your fathers had never dreaded. You were unmindful of the Rock that bore you, and you forgot the God who gave you birth.

Psalms 73:7     Their eyes swell out through fatness; their hearts overflow with follies.

Psalms 119:70    their heart is unfeeling like fat, but I delight in your law.

Isaiah 6:10    Make the heart of this people dull, and their ears heavy, and blind their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.”

Romans 2:4-5    Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?  But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.

Here are two instances of the wickedness of Israel, each was apostacy from God. These people were called Jeshurun, an upright people, so some; a seeing people, so others: but they soon lost the reputation both of their knowledge and of their righteousness. They indulged their appetites, as if they had nothing to do but to make provision for the flesh to fulfil the lusts of it. Those who make a god of themselves, and a god of their bellies, in pride and wantonness, and cannot bear to be told of it, thereby forsake God, and show they esteem him lightly. There is but one way of a sinner’s acceptance and sanctification, however different modes of irreligion, or false religion, may show that favourable regard for other ways, which is often miscalled candid. How mad are idolaters, who forsake the Rock of salvation, to run themselves upon the rock of perdition! (Henry)

There is a shocking contrast between the generous blessings of God in 32:7-14 and the ungrateful rebellion in 32:15-18. “In all her well-being Israel forsook God her Creator and the ground of her salvation. ‘A full stomach does not promote piety, for it stands secure and neglects God’ (Luther).”

“Many can endure the trials of adversity who cannot escape the perils of prosperity…. many a man has failed in that time of testing. When you come to be wealthy, to be admired, to receive honour among men, then is the time of your severest trial.” (Spurgeon)

As Israel forsook God and honored idols, their devotion was not directed to merely imaginary beings, beings that did not actually exist. There were demons behind the foreign gods. Their idolatry was worse than useless; it gave honor to demonic spirits. There was a dark spiritual reality behind the idols of the nations, and Israel embraced that dark spiritual reality. (Guzik)

God’s blessings are certainly undeserved but given to us out of His great grace, mercy, and love. They should not drive us away from Him, but rather, draw us closer. Examine your heart through His Word and you will find His holiness and your sinfulness. It is then you will begin to understand how great His grace, mercy, and love are, and how unworthy of it we are. In this realization, we learn humbleness, thankfulness, repentance, and desire to follow, obey, trust, and rely on Him.

53.d. Wilderness – 17.j. “Remember the days of old; consider the years of many generations”

Deu 32:7-14 Remember the days of old; consider the years of many generations; ask your father, and he will show you, your elders, and they will tell you. When the Most High gave to the nations their inheritance, when he divided mankind, he fixed the borders of the peoples according to the number of the sons of God. But the LORD’s portion is his people, Jacob his allotted heritage. “He found him in a desert land, and in the howling waste of the wilderness; he encircled him, he cared for him, he kept him as the apple of his eye. Like an eagle that stirs up its nest, that flutters over its young, spreading out its wings, catching them, bearing them on its pinions, the LORD alone guided him, no foreign god was with him. He made him ride on the high places of the land, and he ate the produce of the field, and he suckled him with honey out of the rock, and oil out of the flinty rock. Curds from the herd, and milk from the flock, with fat of lambs, rams of Bashan and goats, with the very finest of the wheat— and you drank foaming wine made from the blood of the grape.

Moses gives particular instances of God’s kindness and concern for them. The eagle’s care for her young is a beautiful emblem of Christ’s love, who came between Divine justice and our guilty souls, and bare our sins in his own body on the tree. And by the preached gospel, and the influences of the Holy Spirit, He stirs up and prevails upon sinners to leave Satan’s bondage. In ver. 13,14, are emblems of the conquest believers have over their spiritual enemies, sin, Satan, and the world, in and through Christ. Also of their safety and triumph in him; of their happy frames of soul, when they are above the world, and the things of it. This will be the blessed case of spiritual Israel in every sense in the latter day. (Henry)

Remember the days of old, consider the years of many generations,…. That went before the times of Christ, and the Jews’ rejection of him, and observe the instances of divine goodness to them; as in the time of the Maccabees, whom God raised up as deliverers of them, when oppressed by the Syrians and others; and in the time of the Babylonish captivity, how they were delivered out of it; in the times of David and Solomon, when they enjoyed great prosperity; and in the times of the judges, by whom they were often saved out of the hands of their enemies; and in the times of Moses and Joshua, how they were led, by the one out of Egypt and through the wilderness, and by the other into the land of Canaan; and thus might they be led on higher, to the provision and reservation of the good land for them in the times of Noah and his sons, which they are referred to in Deuteronomy 32:8, and in all these times, days, years, and generations, they might consider what notices were given of the Messiah, the rock of salvation, rejected by them; not only by the prophets since the captivity of Babylon and in it; but before it by Isaiah and others, and before them by David, and Solomon his son, by Moses and by all the prophets, from the beginning of the world; (Gil)

“Remember” – have in or be able to bring to one’s mind an awareness of (someone or something that one has seen, known, or experienced in the past

Recall, call to mind, recollect, think back to, commit to memory, retain, bear in mind, not lose sight of the fact, not forget, take into consideration…..

It is easy to forget. We do it all the time. Keys, phones, receipts, notes, tools, dates, addresses, phone numbers, tasks, etc…. We even forget to think about God, God’s Word, Things of God, His creation, His power, might, strength, His control over all of creation, His presence, His Holiness, love, grace, and mercy, His promises, His purpose, His gift of the Holy Spirit, His working for the good of His people, His discipline, His forgiveness, and definitely we forget about our sinfulness and desire to sin and the need for repentance.

In many disciplines, Medical, Engineering, Teaching, Computer Technology, Chemistry, Physics, etc…. it is required to have continual education. Why? For two reasons. So you won’t forget, and so you will learn new. The best way to not forget is to continue to use what you have learned. The only way to learn NEW is to study and then apply it.

Neglect of God’s Word will result in Forgetting what you once knew, cherished, and applied. Complacency will result in the lack of learning something new from God.

The busyness of life will try to rob you of your memories of God. It will surely rob you of learning more about God’s holiness and your sinfulness. It is an intentional choice to Study God’s Word and apply it. Nothing in life will compare to the peace, joy, happiness, and hope that is found in it.

“But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves”

Jas 1:19 Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.

Lay apart all filthiness – The word here rendered filthiness, occurs nowhere else in the New Testament, It means properly filth; and then is applied to evil conduct considered as disgusting or offensive. Sin may be contemplated as a wrong thing; as a violation of law; as evil in its nature and tendency, and therefore to be avoided; or it may be contemplated as disgusting, offensive, loathsome. The particular reference in these passages is to the reception of the truth; and the doctrine taught is, that a corrupt mind, a mind full of sensuality and wickedness, is not favorable to the reception of the truth. It is not fitted to see its beauty, to appreciate its value, to understand its just claims, or to welcome it to the soul. Purity of heart is the best preparation always for seeing the force of truth. The particular reference in these passages is to the reception of the truth; and the doctrine taught is, that a corrupt mind, a mind full of sensuality and wickedness, is not favorable to the reception of the truth. It is not fitted to see its beauty, to appreciate its value, to understand its just claims, or to welcome it to the soul. Purity of heart is the best preparation always for seeing the force of truth. (Barnes)

Instead of blaming God under our trials, let us open our ears and hearts to learn what he teaches by them. And if men would govern their tongues, they must govern their passions. The worst thing we can bring to any dispute, is anger. Here is an exhortation to lay apart, and to cast off as a filthy garment, all sinful practices. This must reach to sins of thought and affection, as well as of speech and practice; to every thing corrupt and sinful. We must yield ourselves to the word of God, with humble and teachable minds. Being willing to hear of our faults, taking it not only patiently, but thankfully. It is the design of the word of God to make us wise to salvation; and those who propose any mean or low ends in attending upon it, dishonour the gospel, and disappoint their own souls. (Henry)

Wherefore lay apart all filthiness,…. All manner of filthiness, both of flesh and spirit; all pride, vanity, wrath, malice, and evil speaking, under hearing the word: the allusion seems to be to a boiling pot, which casts up scum and filth, which must be taken off: and such is the spirit of wrathful men; it throws up the filth of haughtiness and pride, of anger, wrath, and wickedness, which must be taken off, and laid aside; or the word will not be heard to any profit, or advantage: (Gill)

Paul tells us to take every thought captive and search it out in light of God’s Word. James is telling us essentially the same thing but in our words spoken and actions taken. If there is neglect of God’s Word in our minds, then what is it that we use to govern our thoughts before they become words or actions? How are we to know our thoughts are wrong and contrary to what would honor and glorify Jesus Christ if we neglect to fill our minds with the living water and bread of life found in God’s Word? What fills our thoughts will come out in words and actions. Jesus said, “For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks”.

I have many friends who are well versed in daily news both in the US and abroad, sports players and team stats, and other nuggets of information found on the internet. There is nothing wrong with knowing or searching out this information, but when it consumes our thoughts at the expense of time for God’s Word then the outcome is that which does not honor and glorify Jesus Christ. God’s Word profits the soul of those who search it for understanding, wisdom, and purpose in life. Our purpose on this side of eternity is to honor and glorify Jesus Christ in all thoughts, words, and actions.

Does knowing the latest news or team scores or internet influencers change in any single way what you are going to do today or tomorrow? For the most part, it will not. It will, however, occupy your mind. It may make you happy, sad, angry, fearful, hateful, confused, worrisome, lazy, boastful, arrogant, proud, envious, jealous, etc…..

News outlets bring the news, or what they deem as news, (what you need to know and how you should think) -do it for their profit.

Internet influencers (what you need to know and how you should think) – do it for their profit.

God’s Word (what you need to know and how you should think) – is given for our profit, eternal life, joy, peace, comfort, refuge, hope, reliance, strength, wisdom, knowledge, understanding, etc…..

What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world but loses his soul? Time spent in God’s Word profits our souls and is never wasted. Can we say the same for the other stuff we allow into our minds?

52.u. Wilderness – 17. Therefore the anger of the LORD was kindled

Deu 29:22 And the next generation, your children who rise up after you, and the foreigner who comes from a far land, will say, when they see the afflictions of that land and the sicknesses with which the LORD has made it sick— the whole land burned out with brimstone and salt, nothing sown and nothing growing, where no plant can sprout, an overthrow like that of Sodom and Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim, which the LORD overthrew in his anger and wrath— all the nations will say, ‘Why has the LORD done thus to this land? What caused the heat of this great anger?’ Then people will say, ‘It is because they abandoned the covenant of the LORD, the God of their fathers, which he made with them when he brought them out of the land of Egypt, and went and served other gods and worshiped them, gods whom they had not known and whom he had not allotted to them. Therefore the anger of the LORD was kindled against this land, bringing upon it all the curses written in this book, and the LORD uprooted them from their land in anger and fury and great wrath, and cast them into another land, as they are this day.’

Future generations and foreign visitants, seeing the calamities with which the rebels had been visited, nay, all nations, should ask, in astonishment and horror, Wherefore hath the Lord done thus unto this land? what meaneth the heat of this great anger? It is evident from this that Moses contemplates, and in fact here predicts, a defection, not of individuals or families merely, but of the nation as a whole from the Lord, and the punishment which came in consequence upon the nation. (Unknown)

The secret and presumptuous nation who deceives its self that all is well and will be well with them, since they follow their own devices and they seemingly prosper. (Barnes)

This case supposes a general departure from the worship of God to the service of self-reliance; otherwise single individuals are punished in their own persons. (Gill)

How thoroughly Moses was filled with the thought, that not only individuals, but whole families, and in fact the greater portion of the nation, would fall into idolatry, is evident from the further expansion of the threat which follows, and in which he foresees in the Spirit, and foretells, the extermination of whole families, and the devastation of the land. (Keil)

There is an obvious reason to punish the covenant-breaker for his own sake. But God has a purpose beyond the reason of individual covenant. God’s purpose in bringing judgment against a covenant-breaking Israel was also for the sake of the coming generation of your children… and the foreigner. When they see the devastation that comes from breaking God’s covenant, when they see what happens to the land which the LORD overthrew in His anger and wrath, they will be warned to obedience. We can also learn from the calamity that comes on the lives of others when they break God’s covenant. We can learn that the price of disobedience is not worth it. We can learn that the commands of God are good, and protective in our lives. God’s purpose in bringing judgment against a covenant-breaking Israel was also for the sake of all nations. When they see what happens to a nation who forsakes the LORD, they will be warned to obedience. (Guzik)

It is good for us to read and study God’s Word for the benefit of our hearts, minds, and souls. Examples of God’s merciful and grace filled blessings and His wrath and anger filled judgements and punishment. Though we like to read of God’s blessings and give little thought to his wrath and anger it limits our understanding of the holiness of God and the sinfulness of mankind.

Time in God’s Word is never wasted time. It will bring forth much fruit satisfying the hearts, minds, and souls of those who cherish that time.

Turning Point – Devotion

Romans 8:1-8. There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

Jeremiah described our hearts as “deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked” (Jeremiah 17:9). We’ve all experienced the guilt and shame of passions we couldn’t control, addictions we couldn’t break, sins we couldn’t resist. Some of these are sins of commission—things we do; some are sins of omission—things we should do but haven’t; some are sins of disposition—attitudes that need correcting.

We can never have victory without the spiritual power of the Holy Spirit within us. We can’t resist temptation in our own strength. We need the Lord Jesus within us by His Spirit. Yes, it requires constant effort on our part. We can never give up or give in. The Bible likens us to soldiers who continue fighting. But we can ask the Lord to strengthen us through His Spirit within.

Don’t keep yielding to the same sins over and over. Yield yourself to God, and ask for the Spirit’s power to set you free from the power of sin.

All indwelling sin can be stripped of its dominion through the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit.

52.g. Wilderness – 16.m. “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.”

Deu 26:11  And you shall rejoice in all the good that the LORD your God has given to you and to your house, you, and the Levite, and the sojourner who is among you. “When you have finished paying all the tithe of your produce in the third year, which is the year of tithing, giving it to the Levite, the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow, so that they may eat within your towns and be filled, then you shall say before the LORD your God, ‘I have removed the sacred portion out of my house, and moreover, I have given it to the Levite, the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow, according to all your commandment that you have commanded me. I have not transgressed any of your commandments, nor have I forgotten them.  I have not eaten of the tithe while I was mourning, or removed any of it while I was unclean, or offered any of it to the dead. I have obeyed the voice of the LORD my God. I have done according to all that you have commanded me. Look down from your holy habitation, from heaven, and bless your people Israel and the ground that you have given us, as you swore to our fathers, a land flowing with milk and honey.

Deuteronomy 12:7   And there you shall eat before the LORD your God, and you shall rejoice, you and your households, in all that you undertake, in which the LORD your God has blessed you.

Deuteronomy 12:12     And you shall rejoice before the LORD your God, you and your sons and your daughters, your male servants and your female servants, and the Levite that is within your town

Deuteronomy 16:11    And you shall rejoice before the LORD your God, you and your son and your daughter, your male servant and your female servant, the Levite who is within your towns, the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow who are among you, at the place that the LORD your God will choose, to make his name dwell there.

Deuteronomy 28:47     Because you did not serve the LORD your God with joyfulness and gladness of heart, because of the abundance of all things,

Psalms 63:3-5    Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you.  So I will bless you as long as I live; in your name I will lift up my hands.  My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food, and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips

Psalms 100:1-2    Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth!  Serve the LORD with gladness! Come into his presence with singing!

Acts 2:46-47   And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts,  praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.

Philippians 4:4    Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.

1 Timothy 6:17-18     As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy.

When God has made good his promises to us, he expects we should own it to the honour of his faithfulness. And our creature comforts are doubly sweet, when we see them flowing from the fountain of the promise. The comfort we have in our own enjoyments, should lead us to be thankful for our share in public peace and plenty; and with present mercies we should bless the Lord for the former mercies we remember, and the further mercies we expect and hope for. (Henry)

When we receive from the LORD, and give back to Him, it makes us rejoice. It is the proper response of a creature to his Creator, who has supplied him with all good things. The prayer described here shows that the giving was done with the right kind of heart. God not only wants us to give, but to give with the right heart. Right giving is done according to God’s Word Right giving is done within the context of a whole life of obedience. Right giving genuinely sets aside what is to be given unto the LORD. Right giving is not done superstitiously, Right giving is done with the expectation of blessing. (Guzik)

How can we not rejoice? When saved our sins were washed away, we were forgiven, redeemed, born again, and transformed. We were promised eternal life in heaven with God. We were given the Holy Spirit to lead, guide, teach, encourage, convict us of sin, and yield the fruits of joy, peace, gentleness, kindness, love, grace, mercy, generosity, hospitality, humbleness, and patience. Beyond this God blesses us with great and precious promises, godly wisdom, fruits of our labors, and material, financial, and relational blessings. How can we not rejoice?

Rejoice in the Lord always, again I say rejoice.

52.e. Wilderness – 16.k. “But its end is utter destruction.”

Deu 25:17-19  “Remember what Amalek did to you on the way as you came out of Egypt,  how he attacked you on the way when you were faint and weary, and cut off your tail, those who were lagging behind you, and he did not fear God. Therefore when the LORD your God has given you rest from all your enemies around you, in the land that the LORD your God is giving you for an inheritance to possess, you shall blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven; you shall not forget.

Exodus 17:14.   Then the LORD said to Moses, “Write this as a memorial in a book and recite it in the ears of Joshua, that I will utterly blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven.”

Numbers 24:20   Then he looked on Amalek and took up his discourse and said, “Amalek was the first among the nations, but its end is utter destruction.”

Proverbs 16:6    By steadfast love and faithfulness iniquity is atoned for, and by the fear of the LORD one turns away from evil.

Because of God’s strong command to battle against Amalek until they were completely conquered, many see the Amalekites as a picture of our flesh – which constantly battles against the spirit and must be struggled against until completely conquered. (Guzik)

Let every persecutor and injurer of God’s people take warning from the case of the Amalekites. The longer it is before judgement comes, the more dreadful will it be at last. Amalek may remind us of the foes of our souls. May we be enabled to slay all our lusts, all the corruptions both within and without, all the powers of darkness and of the world, which oppose our way to the blessed Saviour. (Henry)

Remember what Amalek did—This cold-blooded and dastardly atrocity is not narrated in the previous history (Ex 17:14). It was an unprovoked outrage on the laws of nature and humanity, as well as a daring defiance of that God who had so signally shown His favor towards Israel. (Brown)

The Amalekites, how they came out against them, and fought with them at Rephidim, Exodus 17:8, by the way, when ye were come forth out of Egypt; which was an aggravation of their cruel and inhuman action, that they not only came out against them unprovoked, were the aggressors, and fell upon them as they were travelling on the road, but when they were just come out of Egypt, where they had been in hard bondage, and their spirits broken, and they not used to war; and so took them at all these disadvantages, a people that had not in the least injured them. (Gill)

But whilst the Israelites were to make love the guiding principle of their conduct in their dealings with a neighbour, and even with strangers and foes, this love was not to degenerate into weakness or indifference towards open ungodliness. To impress this truth upon the people, Moses concludes the discourse on the law by reminding them of the crafty enmity manifested towards them by Amalek on their march out of Egypt, and with the command to root out the Amalekites (cf. Exodus 17:9-16). This heathen nation had come against Israel on its journey, viz., at Rephidim in Horeb, and had attacked its rear. (Keil)

I do not understand at all the hate that is prominent in the US for Israel. I do not know what is driving this and how people support it. I can only imagine that Satan is behind this and leading people to thoughts that are not God-honoring. When you look at what Hamas did on Oct 7, 2023, and attacked the people of Israel it is hard not to think of them as “Amalekites”. Surely, the unprovoked attack on the perimeter of the Israeli people is similar. Surely, attacking God’s chosen people will result in punishment. Israel may or may not be the hand of God in this punishment, but certainly, His punishment is coming. How it comes, when it comes, and to what extent it comes is in His hands according to His purposes.

All who go against God’s chosen will one day bow before Jesus and know their sin in full. There is time to repent of it now, but there will not be time after death.

51.x. Wilderness – 16.c. “Slaves, Vows, and Lending”

Deu 23:15-16  “You shall not give up to his master a slave who has escaped from his master to you. He shall dwell with you, in your midst, in the place that he shall choose within one of your towns, wherever it suits him. You shall not wrong him.

Obadiah 1:14    Do not stand at the crossroads to cut off his fugitives; do not hand over his survivors in the day of distress.

Deu 23:19  “You shall not charge interest on loans to your brother, interest on money, interest on food, interest on anything that is lent for interest.

Exodus 22:25   “If you lend money to any of my people with you who is poor, you shall not be like a moneylender to him, and you shall not exact interest from him.

Luke 6:34-35   And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to get back the same amount.  But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil.

Deu 23:21  “If you make a vow to the LORD your God, you shall not delay fulfilling it, for the LORD your God will surely require it of you, and you will be guilty of sin.

Psalms 76:11    Make your vows to the LORD your God and perform them;

Psalms 116:18    I will pay my vows to the LORD in the presence of all his people,

Ecclesiastes 5:4-5    When you vow a vow to God, do not delay paying it, for he has no pleasure in fools. Pay what you vow.  It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay.

Deu 23:24  “If you go into your neighbor’s vineyard, you may eat your fill of grapes, as many as you wish, but you shall not put any in your bag.

Romans 12:13     Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.

Hebrews 13:5   Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

It is honourable to shelter and protect the weak, provided they are not wicked. Proselytes and converts to the truth, should be treated with particular tenderness, that they may have no temptation to return to the world. We cannot honour God with our substance, unless it be honestly and honourably come by. It must not only be considered what we give, but how we got it. Where the borrower gets, or hopes to get, it is just that the lender should share the gain; but to him that borrows for necessary food, pity must be showed. That which is gone out of thy lips, as a solemn and deliberate vow, must not be recalled, but thou shalt keep and perform it punctually and fully. They were allowed to pluck and eat of the corn or grapes that grew by the road side; only they must not carry any away. This law intimated what great plenty of corn and wine they should have in Canaan. It provided for the support of poor travellers, and teaches us to be kind to such, teaches us to be ready to distribute, and not to think every thing lost that is given away. Yet it forbids us to abuse the kindness of friends, or to take advantage of what is allowed. Faithfulness to their engagements should mark the people of God; and they should never encroach upon others. (Henry)

We have all seen warning labels on things we buy. Don’t use this electric device in water, Don’t put your hands in front of the saw blade, Don’t put this plastic bag over your head, Don’t touch the surface when it is hot, Don’t drink this, etc…. Many of these are self-evident but you have to know someone somewhere has done this.

God knows the intent of our hearts. These miscellaneous laws are given because the intents of our hearts is known by God and our heart’s intent would naturally flow towards what God says not to do.