Tag: name of the Lord

53.b. Wilderness – 17.h. “Give ear, O heavens”

 

 

Deu 32:1-3  “Give ear, O heavens, and I will speak, and let the earth hear the words of my mouth. May my teaching drop as the rain, my speech distill as the dew, like gentle rain upon the tender grass, and like showers upon the herb. For I will proclaim the name of the LORD; ascribe greatness to our God!

By appealing, in this solemn manner, to the heavens and the earth in the beginning of this song, Moses intended to signify, 1st, The truth and importance of its contents, which were such as deserved to be known by all the world: and, 2d, The stupidity of that perverse and unthinking people, who were less likely to hearken and obey than the heavens and the earth themselves. 3d, He hereby declares also the justice of the divine proceedings toward them, according to what he had said. Heaven and earth are here put for the inhabitants of both, angels and men: both will agree(Benson)

You lifeless and senseless creatures, heaven and earth, which he calls upon partly to accuse the stupidity of Israel, that were more dull of hearing than these; and partly as witnesses of the truth of his sayings, and the justice of God’s proceedings against them. (Brown)

These are called upon to hearken, either to rebuke the stupidity and inattention of men, or to show that these would shed or withhold their influences, their good things, according to the obedience or disobedience of Israel; or because these are durable and lasting, and so would ever be witnesses for God and against his people. (Gill)

 The Universe cannot silence, but must listen to, the spiritual truth. (Cambridge)

Give ear, listen, and pay attention! All of God’s Word is profitable for us. Blessings, warnings, curses, promises, precepts, prophecies, laws, holiness, and sinfulness are given to us so by them we will continue to grow and mature in our understanding and knowledge of God for the honor and glory of Jesus Christ.

Has any people group or nation stayed the course? Has any nation founded on biblical principles or through revival or restoration ever continued on this path of trust, faith, hope, reliance, and purpose? The answer to this is NO. Why do we fall away so easily? Why does those who give no thought to God influence how we think and live? The fault doe not lay upon these influencers, but it surely does on those who have tasted the blessings and guidance of God. Falling and drifting away from God will easily happen when the Word of God and the growth and maturing in it are neglected and deemed unimportant for everyday living. 

How can they call upon God?

“who swear by the name of the LORD and confess the God of Israel, but not in truth or right.”

Genesis 4:26  To Seth also a son was born, and he called his name Enosh. At that time people began to call upon the name of the LORD.

Deuteronomy 26:17-18    You have declared today that the LORD is your God, and that you will walk in his ways, and keep his statutes and his commandments and his rules, and will obey his voice.  And the LORD has declared today that you are a people for his treasured possession, as he has promised you, and that you are to keep all his commandments,

1 Kings 18:24    And you call upon the name of your god, and I will call upon the name of the LORD,

Isaiah 63:19    We have become like those over whom you have never ruled, like those who are not called by your name.

Joel 2:32    And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved. For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be those who escape, as the LORD has said, and among the survivors shall be those whom the LORD calls.

Acts 2:21    And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.’

Romans 10:13    For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them?

Those who have called on the name of the Lord and  believe and trust in the redemptive work of Christ on the cross and have repented of their sin are saved, born again, a new creation, in-dwelt with the Holy Spirit, are called children of God, are promised eternity with God in heaven where there is no more tears, pain, or death.  All of this is by faith in the one and only God.

Talk about a life saving decision with an eternal consequence!

Do you remember who it was that spoke to you about God’s love through Christ?  Loran Witlash, a truck driver for HyVee food store spoke of Christ to me while unloading his truck when I was 15.  My wife’s uncle spoke of Christ to me while taking me fishing when I was 22.  My neighbor invited my wife and I to an evangelistic service when I was 23.  Joe Schultz the evangelist spoke sin, forgiveness, redemption, and repentance.

I still remember each of these men in my life.  I thought Loran was a little different because he spoke of the need for Christ the whole time we were unloading the trucks and he never swore.  Harold, my wife’s uncle, was a wise man who was very successful, respected, and spoke of Christ.  Rich, our neighbor, I don’t remember him speaking of Christ before he invited us to hear the evangelist, but there was something I saw in how he acted.  Our interactions were nothing more than passing moments of hellos, waves, and seeing how he interacted with his wife and children.  Rich and his wife then became our friends and almost everyday spent time with us in scripture explaining the new life we had begun.

We never know who is watching our lives and will see light of Christ.  When we speak of the love of God and need for Christ we will never know how God will use this to soften a heart.  We never know how a life may be changed for eternity through what we say and how we act and the time we invest.

One thing is for certain and true – “But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them?”