Tag: strenghten

51.t. Wilderness – 15.z. “Rescue those who are being taken away to death”

 

 

 

Deu 22:1-4  “You shall not see your brother’s ox or his sheep going astray and ignore them. You shall take them back to your brother. And if he does not live near you and you do not know who he is, you shall bring it home to your house, and it shall stay with you until your brother seeks it. Then you shall restore it to him. And you shall do the same with his donkey or with his garment, or with any lost thing of your brother’s, which he loses and you find; you may not ignore it. You shall not see your brother’s donkey or his ox fallen down by the way and ignore them. You shall help him to lift them up again.

 Exodus 23:4     “If you meet your enemy’s ox or his donkey going astray, you shall bring it back to him.

 Ezekiel 34:4    The weak you have not strengthened, the sick you have not healed, the injured you have not bound up, the strayed you have not brought back, the lost you have not sought, and with force and harshness you have ruled them.

 Ezekiel 34:16    I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak, and the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them in justice.

 James 5:19-20    My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back,  let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.

 1 Peter 2:25   For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

 Proverbs 24:11   Rescue those who are being taken away to death; hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter.

 Isaiah 58:7     Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover him, and not to hide yourself from your own flesh?

If we duly regard the golden rule of doing to others as we would they should do unto us, many particular precepts might be omitted. We can have no property in any thing that we find. Religion teaches us to be neighbourly, and to be ready to do all good offices to all men. We know not how soon we may have occasion for help. (Henry)

“Brother” is a term of extensive application, comprehending persons of every description; not a relative, neighbor, or fellow countryman only, but any human being, known or unknown, a foreigner, and even an enemy (Ex 23:4). The duty inculcated is an act of common justice and charity, which, while it was taught by the law of nature, was more clearly and forcibly enjoined in the law delivered by God to His people. Indifference or dissimulation in the circumstances supposed would not only be cruelty to the dumb animals, but a violation of the common rights of humanity; and therefore the dictates of natural feeling, and still more the authority of the divine law, enjoined that the lost or missing property of another should be taken care of by the finder, till a proper opportunity occurred of restoring it to the owner.(Brown)

Thou shall not see thy brother’s ox or his sheep go astray,…. Or “driven away” (r); frightened and starved away from the herd or from the flock by a wolf or dog; and the ox and sheep are put for every other creature a man has, as camels, asses, &c. which last sort is after mentioned; and a brother means not one in the natural relation of kindred only, for it is supposed, in the next verse, that he might not only be at a distance, but unknown; nor by religion only, or one of the commonwealth or church of the Jews, for what is enjoined is a piece of humanity the law of nature requires and directs unto, and is even to be done to enemies, Exodus 23:4 and hide thyself from them; make as if he did not see them, and so be entirely negligent of them, and takes no care and show no concern about them, but let them go on wandering from the herd and flock from whence they were driven, and to which they cannot find the way of themselves. (Gill)

There are many applications we can apply to ourselves in this, but what keeps us from applying it? 

Are our eyes blind to it – Pray that they will be opened to see it.

Are we to busy – Pray for wisdom to live your life right

Are we deaf to the leading of the Holy Spirit – Pray for your inner ears to your heart and soul to be sensitive to hear

Are we ignorant of this principle – Pray that you will not be

Are we insensitive to others – Pray that God will change you

Jesus specifically came to find and call the lost. He came looking. Can you imagine what chance of being saved would be if He had not? ZERO chance! We do well to be looking and listening for opportunities to honor and glorify Jesus Christ in such ways.

26.k. “I have chosen the way of truth”

Paslms 119:25  My life is down in the dust; give me life through your word. I told you about my life, and you answered me; teach me your statutes. Help me understand the meaning of your precepts so that I can meditate on your wonders. I am weary from grief; strengthen me through your word. Keep me from the way of deceit and graciously give me your instruction. I have chosen the way of truth; I have set your ordinances before me. I cling to your decrees; Lord, do not put me to shame. I pursue the way of your commands, for you broaden my understanding.

Revival comes from a sense of spiritual need and lowliness. In the Biblical and historical sense, true revival is marked by a shamed awareness of sin and an urgency to confess and make things right. God uses His word in bringing revival. “Can each one of us now say, in this sense, ‘I have declared my ways’ to the Lord? For this should be done, not only at our first coming to him but continually throughout the whole of our life. We should look over each day, and sum up the errors of the day, and say, ‘I have declared my ways,’ – my naughty ways, my wicked ways, my wandering ways, my backsliding ways, my cold, in different ways, my proud ways.’” (Spurgeon)  The psalmist understood that he needed more than knowledge; he also needed understanding. With both, he would meditate on God’s wonderful works. With a deep understanding, we will go beyond a mere understanding of the words to a Spirit-led understanding of what they reveal about the nature of God, the gospel, and God’s ways.” (Boice) If we are to be kept from sin, it must be by the grace of God exercised through the teaching of his Word.” “Men do not drop into the right way by chance; they must choose it, and continue to choose it, or they will soon wander from it.” (Spurgeon) The psalmist understood that if he were to give himself entirely to God – to cling to His word as a shipwrecked man clings to a floating plank in the sea – then he could trust that God would not allow him to be put…to shame. This was well-placed confidence. “Having once chosen our road, it remains that we persevere in it; since better had it been for us never to have known the way of truth than to forsake it when known.” (Horne)