Judge – Praying Pint

53.c. Joshua. “He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.””

Jos 1:9  Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”

Deuteronomy 31:7-8   Then Moses summoned Joshua and said to him in the sight of all Israel, “Be strong and courageous, for you shall go with this people into the land that the LORD has sworn to their fathers to give them, and you shall put them in possession of it.  It is the LORD who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.”

Judges 6:14      And the LORD turned to him and said, “Go in this might of yours and save Israel from the hand of Midian; do not I send you?”

Acts 4:19     But Peter and John answered them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge,

Genesis 28:15   Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land. For I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.”

Deuteronomy 20:1     “When you go out to war against your enemies, and see horses and chariots and an army larger than your own, you shall not be afraid of them, for the LORD your God is with you, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.

Psalms 27:1-2     The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? When evildoers assail me to eat up my flesh, my adversaries and foes, it is they who stumble and fall.

Jeremiah 1:7-8      But the LORD said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am only a youth’; for to all to whom I send you, you shall go, and whatever I command you, you shall speak.  Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you, declares the LORD.”

Psalms 46:7    The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.

Let not the sense of thine own infirmities dishearten thee; God is all-sufficient. I have commanded, called, and commissioned thee to do it, and will be sure to bear thee out in it. (Henry)

Have not I commanded thee?…. The above things, to go over Jordan with the people into the land of Canaan, and to observe the law of Moses in all things, and to be of good courage, which is again repeated; consider who it is that has given these orders and instructions, the great Jehovah, the everlasting I AM, who is faithful to his promises, and able to perform. The consideration of which would serve to animate him to the work he was called unto, to encourage his faith in God, to engage in his service cheerfully and readily: be strong, and of a good courage; be not afraid, nor be thou dismayed; at his enemies, numerous and powerful, nor discouraged at anything in himself, any unfitness for such service, as he might think, or at any difficulties he might fear from the people he had the government of, and was to lead on; it was enough that the divine Presence was promised him. (Gill)

When facing a pending war and knowing the enemy is bigger and stronger than you, I think, would give a bit of fear into your mind. Being told to go into the land they occupy and take it away from them because I, God, have given it to you, is a big faith tester isn’t it. Joshua is told to be strong and courageous, not to be frightened, or be dismayed. Why? Because God is with him. We can look back at all of the examples given in the bible where God displayed His awesome power. Faith casts out all fear.

It is hard to cast out all fear if our understanding and knowledge of God is limited. Many doubts will come into our minds when we are not practicing and believing in His presence, love, power, and promises. Faith in God grows within us as we mature in His Word. We start to denounce self-reliance and cling to relying in Him, His leading, His power, His purposes, and His will. I see no other way to overcome fear, doubt, anger, and worry than to spend intentional time in His Word for the single purpose of knowing Him more and more, trusting in Him more and more, relying on Him more and more, believing in Him more and more, and discerning His hand in the world around us more and more.

There is a peace that passes all human understanding that comes from God’s Word. It is a place of hope, refuge, joy, purpose, holy promises, and rest.

53.k. Wilderness – 17.q. “For the day of their calamity is at hand”

Deu 32:35  Vengeance is mine, and recompense, for the time when their foot shall slip; for the day of their calamity is at hand, and their doom comes swiftly.’

Psalms 94:1   O LORD, God of vengeance, O God of vengeance, shine forth!

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.

Nahum 1:6     Who can stand before his indignation? Who can endure the heat of his anger? His wrath is poured out like fire, and the rocks are broken into pieces by him.

Romans 12:19    Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”

Hebrews 10:30     For we know him who said, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge his people.”

Psalms 73:17-19   until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I discerned their end.  Truly you set them in slippery places; you make them fall to ruin.  How they are destroyed in a moment, swept away utterly by terrors!

Proverbs 4:19    The way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know over what they stumble.

Jeremiah 13:16    Give glory to the LORD your God before he brings darkness, before your feet stumble on the twilight mountains, and while you look for light he turns it into gloom and makes it deep darkness.

1 Peter 2:8    and “A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense.” They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.

2 Peter 2:3     And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.

Isaiah 30:12-13    Therefore thus says the Holy One of Israel, “Because you despise this word and trust in oppression and perverseness and rely on them,  therefore this iniquity shall be to you like a breach in a high wall, bulging out and about to collapse, whose breaking comes suddenly, in an instant;

Habakkuk 2:3    For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end—it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay.

2 Peter 3:8-10     But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.  The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.  But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.

The Lord will never disgrace the throne of his glory. It is great wisdom, and will help much to the return of sinners to God, seriously to consider their latter end, or the future state. It is here meant particularly of what God foretold by Moses, about this people in the latter days; but it may be applied generally. Oh that men would consider the happiness they will lose, and the misery they will certainly plunge into, if they go on in their trespasses! What will be in the end thereof? Jer 5:31. For the Lord will in due time bring down the enemies of the church, in displeasure against their wickedness. When sinners deem themselves most secure, they suddenly fall into destruction. (Henry)

It is my office to punish sin, and therefore as I know their sins, so I will assuredly punish them. Their feet shall slide; they who now think they stand fast and unmovable, they shall fall into utter destruction. In due time; though not so soon as some may expect it, yet in that time when it shall be most proper and seasonable, when they have filled up the measure of their sins (Brown)

We read these verses and see the coming of God’s vengeance on those who reject and deny Him and the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We might even have thoughts of cheering on the coming of this event. Yet when I read these verses I can only humbly bow my head and reverently say; “Thank you, Lord Jesus”. The verses describe the exact punishment I deserved prior to God exposing my Sin and revealing His Son to me. It is not as though I was on a mindful journey seeking to find redemption and salvation through Jesus Christ. No, I was content in my sin and my life apart from God. God, in His love, mercy, and grace, exposed me to Himself through a painful event that opened my eyes to Him and the need for redemption.

I look back at how the couple across the street invited my wife and I to come to listen to an evangelist on a Thursday night, and how the words of this man spoke deep into my soul, and with utter clarity I was given a clear understanding of the need for redemption, salvation, and forgiveness. God orchestrated it all. Not only that, but the couple across the street were well-grounded and strong believers who continually explained more and more of the bible to us.

I grasp glimpses of understanding God’s vengeance and His grace, mercy, and love. These always bring me to the same place in my thoughts; “Thank you, Lord Jesus”!

52.b. Wilderness – 16.h. “Acquitting the innocent and condemning the guilty”

Deu 25:1-3 “If there is a dispute between men and they come into court and the judges decide between them, acquitting the innocent and condemning the guilty, then if the guilty man deserves to be beaten, the judge shall cause him to lie down and be beaten in his presence with a number of stripes in proportion to his offense. Forty stripes may be given him, but not more, lest, if one should go on to beat him with more stripes than these, your brother be degraded in your sight.

This is the simple responsibility of all government and courts. As Paul described the role of government in Romans 13:4: For he is God’s minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God’s minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil. Apparently, God considers that some criminals are wicked and deserve to be beaten. We seem to have a justice system today that considers itself more compassionate and kind than God Himself, yet we can’t say that we live in a more just or safe society. (I doubt this compassion of the cultural courts has resulted in a safer society.)

Though sometimes a beating was the appropriate punishment, God also agrees with the idea that there is a such thing as excessive punishment, and this was intended to prevent excessive punishment. Additionally, the beating was to be administered in the presence of the judge (and be beaten in his presence), so he could make sure the punishment was not excessive. Paul listed this among his “apostolic credentials”: From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one. The forty stripes minus one means Paul was beaten by the Jewish authorities with thirty-nine blows on five different occasions. Paul did not receive 40 blows, as according to Deuteronomy 25:3 because as a common practice, the Jews only allowed 39 blows to be administered. This was to both show mercy and to scrupulously keep the law – one blow was left off to protect against a miscount. (Guzik)

Every punishment should be with solemnity, that those who see it may be filled with dread, and be warned not to offend in like manner. And though the criminals must be shamed as well as put to pain, for their warning and disgrace, yet care should be taken that they do not appear totally vile. Happy those who are chastened of the Lord to humble them, that they should not be condemned with the world to destruction. (Henry)

We may see this as barbaric justice. We may see it as over-the-top justice. We may even see it as criminal. We may see it as injustice and certainly not what civilized people would do. God ordained this for the purpose of being justice to the offender and a deterrent to others.

When the courts, judges, lawyers, and overseers of justice are corrupt and administer justice according to man’s rules of right and wrong, there will be injustice.

This is how earthly disputes were judged. The innocent were acquitted and the guilty were condemned. Scripture tells us that we will stand before God and be judged. On one side of the justice scale is sin and on the other righteousness. All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. None, no not one, are righteous in the eyes of God. All are guilty. The penalty of being found guilty of sin is DEATH and TORMENT and complete SEPARATION from God. HELL. When standing before God we will have no defense for God is all-knowing and knows all of our thoughts, actions, and intents. There is nothing we can say in defense. We are guilty and deserve whatever He has judged us to receive as punishment. How are we to ever stand in God’s judgment and be acquitted? Faith, belief, trust, obedience, and reliance in Jesus Christ. How can this be?

In Isaiah, it says: Isaiah 53:5. KJ21. But He was wounded for our transgressions; He was bruised for our iniquities. The chastisement of our peace was upon Him, and with His stripes we are healed.

Jesus came to take the punishment we deserved and bear our sins and our guilt. He was guiltless, sinless, the Son of God. He took our guilt and thereby we are acquitted and deemed innocent. When we stand before God in judgment our only plea will be: I have Faith, belief, trust, and reliance in Jesus Christ. There can be much said about how we should live in light of the price that was paid for the redemption of our soul and the promise of Eternal Life.

Work on living in such a way that all of your thoughts, words, and actions are taken captive and purpose in your heart to honor and glorify Jesus Christ in all you think, say, and do.

51.j. Wilderness – 15.p. “If any case arises requiring decision”

Deu 17:8-11 “If any case arises requiring decision between one kind of homicide and another, one kind of legal right and another, or one kind of assault and another, any case within your towns that is too difficult for you, then you shall arise and go up to the place that the LORD your God will choose. And you shall come to the Levitical priests and to the judge who is in office in those days, and you shall consult them, and they shall declare to you the decision. Then you shall do according to what they declare to you from that place that the LORD will choose. And you shall be careful to do according to all that they direct you. According to the instructions that they give you, and according to the decision which they pronounce to you, you shall do. You shall not turn aside from the verdict that they declare to you, either to the right hand or to the left.

God allowed for courts of appeal in Israel. These were higher courts where cases were taken beyond the local judges to the priests, the Levites – who were understood to be wiser judges because of their knowledge of God’s Word. The authority of the judges had to be respected, therefore contempt of court was a capital crime. God thought it essential that the courts and the judges be respected by the people of Israel. (Guzik)

Courts of judgment were to be set up in every city. Though their judgment had not the Divine authority of an oracle, it was the judgment of wise, prudent, experienced men, and had the advantage of a Divine promise. (Henry)

Note that cases that were hard to decide and complicated in how to rightly and justly minister judgments were to be moved up to a higher court of justice. If you take a look at our form of legal justice system we have a similar form, Judges, Appellate, and Supreme Court. The difference between ours and what we read here is that the Law and its application was based on God’s Word. Ours is not so much based on God’s Word but rather man’s ideas of right and wrong. We get it right sometimes and we get it wrong sometimes. For example; When emanate domain was being abused by states and cities it was finally brought before the Supreme Court to get clarity on its application. I think they got this right. When the Supreme Court declared abortion was a fundamental right of women and millions of pre-born babies were killed, I know they got it wrong. When pornography was deemed “expression of art” and people had a right to choose to look at it or not, I know they got it wrong. When the 10 commandments were deemed offensive and could not be in schools or Federal Buildings (like court rooms), I know they got it wrong. Such it is when God’s Word is removed from being the underlying foundation for judgment of right and wrong.

The worldly system of justice is void of God. Now there are godly men and women in seats of the courts across this country, but they do have to follow the rule of law based on previous judgments handed down by other courts or by the Supreme Court. Their hands are tied so to speak.

It is hard to know right from wrong when God’s Word and the Holy Spirit of God are denied time or space in our hearts and minds. Neglect of His Word leaves us to the whims of godless people who make convincing arguments for justice. Many Christian people are lost and they navigate life on baby food principles of God’s Word and have no relationship with the Holy Spirit of God. Churches spoon-feed them baby food to keep them comfortable and “Happy”. There is no conviction of personal sin or the sin of our country against God. There is no repentance, shame, or embarrassment. They are content wandering around lost and oblivious to God’s Word, things of God, and the leading of the Holy Spirit in their lives. They could no more take a righteous stand for God than a stone.

Far too many Christians are weak in knowledge of God’s Word, its application in their lives, and the need for both.

When were you cut to the heart and convicted of sin by reading God’s Word? When were your eyes opened to see the sins of this country against God? When did the Holy Spirit lead and direct your thoughts, words, and actions? It surely will not happen when you neglect God’s Word. It will not happen when you are content living like the world around you. It will not happen when you give no thought to God’s holiness and the sinfulness of sin. It will not happen if you intentionally choose to live permanently as a baby.

There has to be an intentional choice and desire to live wholly to God and for the honor and glory of Jesus Christ. You can say this all you want but neglecting God’s Word will never bring growth and understanding between things of God and things of this world. Do not let this world entice you to what it deems as important or worthwhile.

Let the Word of God richly indwell your heart, mind, and soul.

51.h. Wilderness – 15.n. “And they shall judge the people with righteous judgment”

Deu 16:18-20 “You shall appoint judges and officers in all your towns that the LORD your God is giving you, according to your tribes, and they shall judge the people with righteous judgment. You shall not pervert justice. You shall not show partiality, and you shall not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and subverts the cause of the righteous. Justice, and only justice, you shall follow, that you may live and inherit the land that the LORD your God is giving you.

The perversion of “Justice” is wrong and is to be righteous – (good, upright, worthy, ethical, moral, just, honest, faultless, uncorrupted, pure, God-fearing, justified, sound, valid, reasonable, and innocent).

2 Timothy 3:1-5 But know this: Hard times will come in the last days. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, proud, demeaning, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, without love for what is good, traitors, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to the form of godliness but denying its power. Avoid these people.

When our sports, social media influencers, and TV star’s opinions are counted as worthy of listening too, when our governing (federal, state, and local) politicians are ungodly, unholy, and give no thought to God, when our social and media news outlets spew hate, anger, fear, and division, when our courts are administered by corrupt men and women, when our teachers and professors disavow any reference and fear of God, when our churches preach and teach soft baby food messages that do not grow and mature it’s congregations but rather make people feel comfortable, when the Word of God is neglected, when a persons devotion amounts to nothing more than listening to “Christian” music, when there is nothing to drive a person to repentance, when there is more time spent watching TV or social media stuff, and when Christians are silent, it is no wonder justice is perverted, good is called bad, wrong is called right, and people are lovers of self, unholy, unloving, boastful, proud, demeaning, without self control, etc…. Know that “last days” are here.

People are led astray and deceived so easily. There is little to no thought in their minds about serving, obeying, and growing in wisdom and knowledge of God and things of God. They have become unable to see the wickedness and injustice rampant around them. They are blinded by the way things are and have neglected God’s Word to the point of being unable to know and see the signs of the times. They are sheep being led astray by wolves in sheep’s clothing.

Sodom and Gomorrah were prosperous, living at ease, and gave no thought to or about God. They were corrupt in every way. They followed after the deep sinful desires of their hearts and minds. Jesus said it would have been more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah than the city(s) that reject the message of the Kingdom of Heaven at hand.

How much more do we need to see to know the state of our country, states, and cities? How much further away from God can we get unless God causes a revival and turns hearts toward Him?

Justice is perverted when the Word of God is rejected or neglected. There is no guide for decisions to be rendered other than by the thoughts and whims of those making the decisions and judgments. Right is right and wrong is wrong when there are Holy Spirit-filled people, who love God, love God’s Word, and seek to honor and glorify Jesus Christ. Many times we want justice but we base the outcome we want on selfish and self-righteous thoughts.

Here are three shocking statistics to think about for a moment:

Fewer than 1 in 5 Americans (18%) are Scripture Engaged.
Only 2 out of 5 Americans (39%) are considered “Bible Users,” meaning they use their Bible 3 or more times a year.
Of the 42 million Americans who attend a Bible-believing church, only 21% see the Bible as relevant to all of life.

Know this: God is withholding His wrath and anger against ungodliness. He is doing this because of His grace, mercy, and love and not wanting any to perish and suffer eternal damnation. We can not keep blinders on and deafen our ears to the injustices and wrongs that are rampant around us. We can not be silently standing by. We need to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ and call out sin as sin against God.

Oh that our hearts and minds would find it worthwhile to dive deep into God’s Word rather than allowing them to be consumed by worldly influences.

44.n. “Wilderness” – 8.t. “They have turned aside quickly out of the way that I commanded them”

Exodus 32:7  And the LORD said to Moses, “Go down, for your people, whom you brought up out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves. They have turned aside quickly out of the way that I commanded them. They have made for themselves a golden calf and have worshiped it and sacrificed to it and said, ‘These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!’”

Deuteronomy 9:12   Then the LORD said to me, ‘Arise, go down quickly from here, for your people whom you have brought from Egypt have acted corruptly. They have turned aside quickly out of the way that I commanded them; they have made themselves a metal image.’

Deuteronomy 4:16    beware lest you act corruptly by making a carved image for yourselves, in the form of any figure, the likeness of male or female,

Deuteronomy 32:5    They have dealt corruptly with him; they are no longer his children because they are blemished; they are a crooked and twisted generation.

Judges 2:19    But whenever the judge died, they turned back and were more corrupt than their fathers, going after other gods, serving them and bowing down to them. They did not drop any of their practices or their stubborn ways.

God says to Moses, that the Israelites had corrupted themselves. Sin is the corruption of the sinner, and it is a self-corruption; every man is tempted when he is drawn aside of his own lust. They had turned aside out of the way. Sin is a departing from the way of duty into a by-path. They soon forgot God’s works. He sees what they cannot discover, nor is any wickedness of the world hid from him. We could not bear to see the thousandth part of that evil which God sees every day. (Henry)

As soon as our eyes fall away from God, our purposes change and our commitment wanes. Why does God’s Word say for us to keep our eyes on Jesus, meditate on the Word of God, and write His Word on our hearts and minds, because of how easy it is for us to fall away into wrong thinking and living and speaking. It does us well to have close friends of faith who speak of God and things of God each day. This world and what it has to offer will blind us to the things of God if we neglect His Word and become complacent in our walk with Him.

43.t. “Wilderness” – 8. “You shall be consecrated to me”

Exodus 22:31. “You shall be consecrated to me.

Revelation 4:8   And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and within, and day and night they never cease to say, “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!”

Revelation 6:10   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?”

Leviticus 11:45   For I am the LORD who brought you up out of the land of Egypt to be your God. You shall therefore be holy, for I am holy.”

Leviticus 19:2   “Speak to all the congregation of the people of Israel and say to them, You shall be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy.

Deuteronomy 14:21    For you are a people holy to the LORD your God.

1 Peter 1:15-16  but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct,  since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”

You shall be holy men unto me. The holiness really desired was holiness of heart and spirit. Outward ordinances could not effect this; but, to keep the thought perpetually before- men’s minds. (Ellicott)

And ye shall be holy men unto me,…. They were so by God’s act of election, not special and particular, but general and national; choosing and separating them to be an holy people to him, above all the people on the face of the earth. (Gill)

And ye shall be holy men unto me. Ye shall not be as other men, but “an holy nation, a peculiar people;” (Unknown)

The moral excellence of God that unifies his attributes and is expressed through his actions, setting him apart from all others. Believers are called to be holy as God is holy. God’s nature is holy, He is perfect, He is uniquely holy, God’s name is holy, God’s dwelling-place is holy, God’s holiness is revealed in his righteous activity, God’s people are to be holy because he is holy, The holiness of believers originates from God., God’s holiness is to be seen in his people, God’s holiness makes sin objectionable to him, God’s holiness necessitates dependence upon him for forgiveness.

We do well to seek to ever-grow in our understanding of God’s Holiness and the sinfulness of sin.

41.k. “Why did you ever send me?”

Exodus 5:10 So the taskmasters and the foremen of the people went out and said to the people, “Thus says Pharaoh, ‘I will not give you straw. Go and get your straw yourselves wherever you can find it, but your work will not be reduced in the least.’” So the people were scattered throughout all the land of Egypt to gather stubble for straw. The taskmasters were urgent, saying, “Complete your work, your daily task each day, as when there was straw.” And the foremen of the people of Israel, whom Pharaoh’s taskmasters had set over them, were beaten and were asked, “Why have you not done all your task of making bricks today and yesterday, as in the past?”

Then the foremen of the people of Israel came and cried to Pharaoh, “Why do you treat your servants like this? No straw is given to your servants, yet they say to us, ‘Make bricks!’ And behold, your servants are beaten; but the fault is in your own people.” But he said, “You are idle, you are idle; that is why you say, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to the LORD.’ Go now and work. No straw will be given you, but you must still deliver the same number of bricks.” The foremen of the people of Israel saw that they were in trouble when they said, “You shall by no means reduce your number of bricks, your daily task each day.” They met Moses and Aaron, who were waiting for them, as they came out from Pharaoh; and they said to them, “The LORD look on you and judge, because you have made us stink in the sight of Pharaoh and his servants, and have put a sword in their hand to kill us.” Then Moses turned to the LORD and said, “O Lord, why have you done evil to this people? Why did you ever send me? For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has done evil to this people, and you have not delivered your people at all.”

Moses went to the Israelites as directed by God and spoke what god directed him to say. The people bowed and worshipped God because of these words. Moses went to Pharaoh and spoke the words God gave him to speak. Pharaoh was pretty upset that these slave people would even think to come to him with such a request. Pharaoh, in turn, says, “obviously you have to much time on your hands and because of that you are having too much time to think about anything other than serving me, so now you will gather your own straw to make the quota of bricks you are assigned. This was impossible but Pharaoh never withdrew this requirement and beat the foreman of those making the bricks for falling short. The foreman went to Pharaoh and said why do you treat us like this. Pharaoh said; “You are idle, you are idle; that is why you say, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to the LORD. Go now and work.” The foreman saw they were in trouble and when they met Moses after speaking with Pharaoh they said to Moses. The Lord look on you and judge you for what you have caused upon us.

Moses turned to the Lord and asks why have you done evil to these people and why did you send him. You have not delivered them.

The foreman wanted judgment against Moses and Moses wanted to blame God. Both expected God’s promise of deliverance to be handled immediately and they reacted with doubt and blame. Would we have been any different? We might look at this and think in our hearts we would not, but we are not being treated harshly after being given the words of encouragement and the promise of deliverance by God through Moses. I wonder how close this lack of faith in God and His promises hits home in our hearts and minds. Any Christian who is walking with God and seeking and desiring to honor and glorify Jesus Christ will encounter times of trials and troubles as they are being led by the Holy Spirit. The point to remember is that we have been given the indwelling Holy Spirit to guide, direct, teach, and comfort us through these times. The problem is that far too many “Christians” are not seeking and desiring to honor and glorify Jesus Christ in all they think, say, and do. It would seem their hope is built on the comforts of life rather than the Word of God. They have no hope because there is no growth upon the foundation of salvation. Shallowness, complacency, and neglecting God’s Word will never increase our reliance and dependence upon Him, but rather cause us to become judgmental and blaming.

We are without excuse in light of all that has been given to this generation. We live in a time that knows with historical and biblical truth that Jesus Christ was the Son of God, sent to redeem mankind, die and rose again, and is coming again. We have been given God’s Word in written form and it has been made available through every means possible with technology. No one has any excuse for the neglect it is given. No one has any excuse to live ignorant of it.

We are to be a Holy people that live for the honor and glory of Jesus Christ in all we think, say, and do, a light in the darkness, and able to give witness to the hope that is within us. How do we know what it means to honor and glorify Jesus Christ when we lack in desire for this very purpose?

40.m. “Surely the thing is known.”

Exodus 2:11 One day, when Moses had grown up, he went out to his people and looked on their burdens, and he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his people. He looked this way and that, and seeing no one, he struck down the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. When he went out the next day, behold, two Hebrews were struggling together. And he said to the man in the wrong, “Why do you strike your companion?” He answered, “Who made you a prince and a judge over us? Do you mean to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?” Then Moses was afraid, and thought, “Surely the thing is known.” When Pharaoh heard of it, he sought to kill Moses. But Moses fled from Pharaoh and stayed in the land of Midian. And he sat down by a well.

Hebrews 11:23 By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw that the child was beautiful, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict. By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward. By faith he left Egypt, not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured as seeing him who is invisible.

Moses boldly owned the cause of God’s people. It is plain from Heb 11. that this was done in faith, with the full purpose of leaving the honours, wealth, and pleasures of his rank among the Egyptians. By the grace of God he was a partaker of faith in Christ, which overcomes the world. He was willing, not only to risk all, but to suffer for his sake; being assured that Israel were the people of God. By special warrant from Heaven, which makes no rule for other cases, Moses slew an Egyptian, and rescued an oppressed Israelites. Also, he tried to end a dispute between two Hebrews. The reproof Moses gave, may still be of use. May we not apply it to disputants, who, by their fierce debates, divide and weaken the Christian church? They forget that they are brethren. He that did wrong quarreled with Moses. It is a sign of guilt to be angry at reproof. Men know not what they do, nor what enemies they are to themselves, when they resist and despise faithful reproofs and reprovers. Moses might have said, if this be the spirit of the Hebrews, I will go to court again, and be the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. But we must take heed of being set against the ways and people of God, by the follies and peevishness of some persons that profess religion. Moses was obliged to flee into the land of Midian. God ordered this for wise and holy ends. (Henry)

We don’t always know the plans and purposes of God for our lives until we have lived long enough to see how His hand has guided, protected, placed, and like a great conductor, orchestrated our lives into a beautiful harmony with His plans and purposes.

39.b. “Ought you not to walk in the fear of our God”

Genesis 42:18 On the third day Joseph said to them, “Do this and you will live, for I fear God: if you are honest men, let one of your brothers remain confined where you are in custody, and let the rest go and carry grain for the famine of your households, and bring your youngest brother to me. So your words will be verified, and you shall not die.” And they did so. Then they said to one another, “In truth we are guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the distress of his soul, when he begged us and we did not listen. That is why this distress has come upon us.” And Reuben answered them, “Did I not tell you not to sin against the boy? But you did not listen. So now there comes a reckoning for his blood.” They did not know that Joseph understood them, for there was an interpreter between them. Then he turned away from them and wept. And he returned to them and spoke to them. And he took Simeon from them and bound him before their eyes. And Joseph gave orders to fill their bags with grain, and to replace every man’s money in his sack, and to give them provisions for the journey. This was done for them.

Leviticus 25:43   You shall not rule over him ruthlessly but shall fear your God.

Nehemiah 5:9    So I said, “The thing that you are doing is not good. Ought you not to walk in the fear of our God

Luke 18:2   He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man.

Nehemiah 5:15   But I did not do so, because of the fear of God.

On the third day Joseph modified his severity. “This do and live,” i.e., then ye shall live: “I fear God.” One shall remain in prison, but let the rest of you take home “corn for the famine of your families,” and fetch your youngest brother, that your words may be verified, and ye may not die, i.e., may not suffer the death that spies deserve. That he might not present the appearance of despotic caprice and tyranny by too great severity, and so render his brethren obdurate, Joseph stated as the reason for his new decision, that he feared God. From the fear of God, he, the lord of Egypt, would not punish or slay these strangers upon mere suspicion, but would judge them justly. How differently had they acted towards their brother! The ruler of all Egypt had compassion on their families who were in Canaan suffering from hunger; but they had intended to leave their brother in the pit to starve! These and similar thoughts could hardly fail to pass involuntarily through their minds at Joseph’s words, and to lead them to a penitential acknowledgement of their sin and unrighteousness. The notion that Joseph altered his first intention merely from regard to his much afflicted father, appears improbable, for the simple reason, that he can only have given utterance to the threat that he should keep them all in prison till one of them had gone and fetched Benjamin, for the purpose of giving the greater force to his accusation, that they were spies. But as he was not serious in making this charge, he could not for a moment have thought of actually carrying out the threat. “And they did so:” in these words the writer anticipates the result of the colloquy which ensued, and which is more fully narrated afterwards. Joseph’s intention was fulfilled. The brothers now saw in what had happened to them a divine retribution: “Surely we atone because of our brother, whose anguish of soul we saw, when he entreated us and we would not hear; therefore is this distress come upon us.” And Reuben reminded them how he had warned them to no purpose, not to sin against the boy – “and even his blood…behold it is required”; i.e., not merely the sin of casting him into the pit and then selling him, but his death also, of which we have been guilty through that sale. Thus they accused themselves in Joseph’s presence, not knowing that he could understand; “for the interpreter was between them.” Joseph had conversed with them through an interpreter, as an Egyptian who was ignorant of their language. “The interpreter,” viz., the one appointed for that purpose. But Joseph understood their words, and “turned away and wept”, with inward emotion at the wonderful leadings of divine grace, and at the change in his brothers’ feelings. He then turned to them again, and, continuing the conversation with them, had Simeon bound before their eyes, to be detained as a hostage (not Reuben, who had dissuaded them from killing Joseph, and had taken no part in the sale, but Simeon, the next in age). He then ordered his men to fill their sacks with corn, to give every one his money back in his sack, and to provide them with food for the journey. (Keil and Delitzsch )

It is most noteworthy to see Joseph feared God in the decisions he made, what he did, and what he said. In contrast, the minds of his brothers were seared with a hot iron in remembrance of how they treated Joseph. They had acted out of envy, jealousy, and without any fear of God.

Our lives are to be living sacrifices that humbly honor and glorify Jesus Christ in all that we think, say, and do. When we have this single purpose goal for our lives, it is then we will discern fleshly non-God honoring thoughts, actions, and words and be able to cast them out before they take root and cause harm to ourselves or others and more importantly dishonor God.