Song of Moses -- Part IV -- God's Strategy vs. His Sinful Children -- Deuteronomy 32:19-22

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Song of Moses -- Part IV -- How God Reacts To Our Sin --  Deuteronomy 32:19-22.

In the verses above this passage, Moses has just told us how the Israelites (and by us also being human, we too) have forsaken God. Now he tells us in this part of the Song of Moses inspired by God what God's reaction is. Let's take a look.

19. The verse says, "the Lord saw this". You cannot forsake God and turn to idols in your life thinking God won't notice. Forget it. That's a non-starter. And when He sees that, God did, does, and will, spurn us. The dictionary definition for 'spurn' is to reject with disdain or contempt. We can only find some comfort in the fact that God's love and grace towards those He loves, and those who love Him in return, does not allow this spurning to be eternal in nature.

He sees this as a "provocation (by) His sons and daughters", by us, and He puts on His "Father-hat". What would you or I do in a similar situation?

20. We are told here that He then hides His face from us, remains quiet, and sees where our folly will lead us. Parents do that when their children insist on doing something they should not. David Guzik says this, "When God's people forsake Him, He withdraws the intimacy of His presence. At first, this is sometimes seen as a relief, because the conviction of sin is not so great. But then the darkness and desperation sets in."

This also reminds me of need for "tough love".  As parents or a spouse that has been cheated, we may like God withdraw the intimacy of our presence, but not our love. God, even in His anger, never withdrew His love for His people and He is not going to start now wth you or me.

He stays behind the curtains and watches where things lead. The text actually says "what our end shall be". And it won't be pretty because we "a perverse generation". Yet we are His "sons" although we have stopped being faithful to Him. Matthew Henry comments on this: "They were faithless, and a people that could not be trusted. When he saved them, and took them into covenant, he said, Surely they are children that will not lie (Isa. 63:8); but when they proved otherwise, children in whom is no faith, they deserved to be abandoned, and that the God of truth should have no more to do with them."

21. We have made Him jealous by turning to gods that are not God. We have used idols to provoke Him to anger (knowingly or unknowingly). So what is His reaction?

The text says, "He will make us jealous with those who are not a people of God."  He will provoke us to anger with a foolish nation. Now that requires some digging into. Robert Jamieson provides this assistance: "that is, [those nations] not favored with such great and peculiar privileges as the Israelites (or, rather poor, despised heathens). The language [also] points to the future calling of the Gentiles."

Matthew Henry says this refers to those nations which will give them trouble in the years ahead after they entered into the Promised Land and thus agrees with Jamieson's first option above. But he also points out that Jamieson's reference to this being a future application with respect to the Gentiles also has merit as he writes:

"But the apostle [Paul] applies it to the conversion of the Gentiles, who had been a people not in covenant with God, and foolish in divine things, yet were brought into the church, sorely to the grief of the Jews, who upon all occasions showed a great indignation at it, which was both their sin and their punishment, as envy always is, Rom. 10:19."

22. For God to react in this way -- jealousy for jealousy, provocation for provocation, and anger for anger -- you can be sure of one thing -- He was and is royally ticked off, and that is exactly what the verse says when it speaks of "a fire" being kindled with respect to His anger, and it is so large and so hot that it burns down to Sheol or the nether world; consumes the earth; and sets ablaze the foundations of mountains.

I don't know about you, but I want no part of that response from God on me because of what I have done. 

Many people get to this point and say, "What's the use? If God is that mean, and I'm going to suffer an eternal punishment anyway, because I can't be perfect the rest of my life, then I don't need to curtail my life now for Him." What a mistake. What they miss out on is that God has made a way for each of us that will subside His anger, even extinguish it completely as He completely erases our sins. 

Note to reader: If you like the way we are studying scripture, why not subscribe to our posts by providing us just with your email? You can do that to the right of this column in the "Subscribe to" section.  You can also search our earlier studies in the "Blog Archive" section below that.  Finally, please encourage others to study along with us by sharing this link with your family and friends. Thank you and God bless.  Ken G.

It would be great if you would share your thoughts or questions on this blog in the comments section below or on social media.

Song of Moses -- Part III -- Studying Deuteronomy 32:15-18, We Discover Abel Didn't Offer the First Sacrifice

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Song of Moses -- Part III -- The Very First Sacrifice was not Abel's  --  our study Deuteronomy 32:15-18 continues.

Moses' song to Israel (and to us) continues.

15. Israel is referred to here as Jeshurun. According to Wikipedia, this is a poetic name for Israel used in the Hebrew Bible and it is generally thought to be derived from a root word meaning 'upright'. But Israel didn't stay that way. It became fat, thick, and sleek, and it kicked. Jeshurun (the personified name for Israel) didn't take long to forsake the God who made him. Jeshurun scorned the Rock that saved him.

How can we miss the application for ourselves? If we are honest and willing to face facts, we can't.  God is our Rock, He is our salvation. But as believers we have become fat. Maybe we're lazy or maybe we just have too much. We have become sleek - taking corners out of real worship and our commitment to obey His commandments, His direction of our lives, and even the basics when it comes to life (just think of many a Christian's view on abortion today). We individually, or perhaps as a family, or a church family may well have forsaken our God who made us and blessed us.

Let's go on and see what the rest of this portion of the Song has to say to us.

16. Israel made God jealous when they pursued and followed other gods. Did you ever stop to think that each time we pursue "another god" other than God -- be it sports, wealth, politics, sex, cars, entertainment, you name it -- by putting them ahead of God and His commandments and His presence with us, you and I are making God jealous. In many spots in Scripture, starting with Exodus 20:5, God tells us and warns us that He is a jealous God.

The rest of verse 16 here says that with our abominations (the practice of idolatry and immorality primarily) we have provoked Him to anger.

Many of us may have heard of the phrase "hell hath no fury like a woman scorned". William Congreve, an English author of the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries has a line in his play The Mourning Bride which gave us the proverb "no one is angrier than a woman who has been rejected in love".  Well friends, you ain't seen real fury until you have seen or felt the fury of our God when He gets jealous and stays jealous because we have not repented of our sin of going after other gods. He may take time to get His revenge, but He will. The only thing that holds it back often is His love for you and me because He loves us so much that He so desperately wants us to ultimately seek His forgiveness and hopefully never stray again.

17. We have sacrificed to demons who were not God, and we didn't even know those demons and gods as they are new and continue to be new with the age. They are gods that our ancestors could not even imagine. I can't say enough about this -- whether we make sacrifices to other gods as the ancients did or whether we live to serve other gods (see below) as we do today -- we are sacrificing to demons.  Think of that next time you put someone or something ahead of God. Let me be clear and use an example. There is nothing wrong with playing hockey or enjoying it -- it's a great sport, good exercise, and can teach us a lot. But when we put hockey ahead of our responsibilities and affection for God, we are sacrificing to demons.  (You pick your own example -- ask God, He'll provide some more relevant to your life.) The apostle Paul makes that abundantly clear in I Corinthians 10:20 where he writes to us, 

"No, but I say that things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons and not to God; and I do not want you to become partners with demons."  You don't want to be part of that. It's time to make some real hard choices about how we live.

Wow. Does that ever hit home today. First of all, think of who it was that constituted 'sacrifices' in the beginning. Many of us have always been taught to believe that the first record of sacrifices in the Old Testament came in Genesis 4:4 when after Cain offered God the fruit of the ground, Abel then presented a sacrifice of the flock to God.

I was recently led to an earlier verse. Take a look at Genesis 3:21. This takes place after Adam and Eve had sinned. It reads, "And the Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife, and clothed them." Guess what, I believe God had an animal killed or sacrificed to make those coats and to cover the first sinners, who were also His beloved creations. He instituted the concept of sacrifices, no one else.  The rest are just copycats and evil at that. You can read much more about this here from the Abide in Christ website. God's Grace provided a sacrifice for Adam and Eve.  And God's Grace provides a sacrifice for you and I in the person of Christ Jesus.

So for us to offer sacrifices to other gods is indeed a humongous insult to God. Matthew Henry calls it a great affront to God. Yet we do it with our time, our money, or love, and our bodies. And we do it in ways that our parents and grandparents never knew off -- our cellphones, our tablets, our drugs, our gyms, our entertainment, our sports and much more. When we put any one of those things above our service for God, our worship of God, and our time and companionship with God, we are sacrificing to other gods.

18. And in doing so, we don't just invite God to come along. No, the Scripture here actually says we "neglect God" who created us and forget that He and He alone made it possible for us to have breath and life. Are you neglecting God today?

Whoever thought we would get this much out of the Song of Moses? And we've only just begun. But here's the question for you and I today: Have we forsaken our Creator? Have we worshipped or are we worshipping other gods? Do we really want to have to deal with God's jealousy? Can we really withstand His ire or fury?  I hope not. And in case we have, I hope we know what we need to do.

Note to reader: If you like the way we are studying scripture, why not subscribe to our posts by providing us just with your email? You can do that to the right of this column in the "Subscribe to" section.  You can also search our earlier studies in the "Blog Archive" section below that.  Finally, please encourage others to study along with us by sharing this link with your family and friends. Thank you and God bless.  Ken G.

It would be great if you would share your thoughts or questions on this blog in the comments section below or on social media.

The Zealots Return -- Volume III of the Penury City Trilogy

 

Penury City: The Zealots Return -- Volume III

 

Author: Thomas E.

Publisher: Wounded Crow Publishing, Rochester, N.Y., 2016-2021

This is the third of a three-volume trilogy by Thomas E.  My reviews of Volume I, can be accessed by clicking Light of Gabriel and of Volume II, by clicking on The Ire of the Shekel. In essence, the author, a devote believer in God, describing in very exciting terms and actions, and using a formula that comprises the Bible, the Church, history, current events, various writing techniques, delivers a thrilling story to his readers. I can't leave out travel via 'treetubes' but you'll need to discover that for yourselves. If you like fantasy, military escapades, spiritual battles, and character-development in a story, this series and especially Volume III, is your book.

Here is where Thomas takes all the unfinished details and explanations, the incomplete business, the failed relationships, and brings them together in a grand finale in a way that didn't allow me to put the book down until I finished it.

The message is clear. It's a terrible world we currently live in. The battle between good and evil has begun. The Enemy of the Good is strong. The Good are weak. And we're stubborn, without faith, and without love. We don't understand the Power available to us to fight Evil if we were to be serious about it.

But how do we move forward to the point where we can see what must be done without giving up? How do we take our eyes off the suffering you are experiencing and relabel it as a lesson that will prepare us for ultimate success?

Thomas pulls no punches. He identifies the Enemy as those who have turned away from the Creator. Their anger and misery are focused on one thing and one thing alone -- to destroy anything and anyone that is associated with God.

The lessons throughout the book continue to be as many in this Volume as they were in Volumes I and II. But the author takes us deeper here introducing a number of very serious theological topics of interest to those who want to be victorious. One excellent example is how we deal with evil that comes our way. One character says, "Whatever evil might come upon us, we must remember that it needs God's permission to act upon us, and God always has our best interest at heart. Fear not." Can you imagine just how different our lives would be, and how we would face the challenges we encounter if we really believed that?

Another key lesson for a believer is to learn, when he/she reaches a decision point, a fork in the road, or a desire to do something, that he/she should "stop moving for a moment, to take note of [his/her] heart and to ask permission for what [he/she] is to do next."  That would save us a lot of trouble.

But lest the reader of this review think it is a totally solemn book, let me assure you it is not. There is a lot of banter back and forth, some pranks, and a considerable amount of humor in its pages. There is one particular line I know I intend to use myself. It is this: "General, in a world gone mad, sometimes all that is left is to send [in] crazy." And send in 'crazy' they do.

This is a book that helps us all realize the reality of the direction the world is heading in, and the destination it is headed for. We have so accustomed ourselves to ignore the indications of evil that we know are present all around us, and focus instead on anything that could fill any void that we sense in our hearts and souls. But Thomas doesn't leave us there. He gives us answers. Admittedly, he presents those answers in a literary style that requires us to suspend our disbelief, something that I found difficult being a reader of primarily non-fiction. His characters and their actions are, for the most part, grounded enough in reality and possibility as we understand it today. Anything in the story that is supernatural in nature is also made to seem possible for us given the fuller explanation of God's realm, the spiritual world, which Thomas provides.

To the unbeliever and the skeptic, this book will give you great insight into what it really means to be a Christian and what is ahead for all us in the world. To the believer, this book is meant to give us a glimpse as to how to become a stronger person of faith and how to put that strong faith to use for your God. To all of us, it provides not just how we may get rid of our guilt of past sin; but also a purpose for the present; and a hope for the future. The Enemy can definitely be defeated. Death can be conquered. Love and Peace can reign.

Highly recommended.

It would be great if you would share your thoughts or questions on this blog in the comments section below or on social media.

Song of Moses -- Part II -- Deuteronomy 32:8-14

Song of Moses -- Part II -- How God Treated His People -- Deuteronomy 32:8-14

After shaming the Israelites and us, by asking "how we could possibly turn against a God like ours?" Moses now continues to describe in some details God's relationship with mankind. (Again we will use the pronoun 'us' wherever applicable as we believe there is much for us in this Song as there was for the Israelites when it was first given to them. The numbers refer to the verses in chapter 32.)

8. One interpretation of this verse is that God set up the twelve tribes neatly in the Promised Land and just outside it with their inheritance, in accordance with their desire and their numbers.

Robert Jamieson, however, prefers to believe this refers to something much more and much earlier when he writes, "the division of the earth, which Noah is believed to have made by divine direction ( Gen 10:5 Deu 2:5-9 Act 17:26, 27 ), Palestine was reserved by the wisdom and goodness of Heaven for the possession of His peculiar people and the display of the most stupendous wonders."

Matthew Henry seems to agree with Jamieson. He writes:

"When the earth was divided among the sons of men, in the days of Peleg, after the flood, and each family had its lot, in which it must settle, and by degrees grow up into a nation, then God had Israel in his thoughts and in his eye; for, designing this good land into which they were now going to be in due time an inheritance for them, he ordered that the posterity of Canaan, rather than any other of the families then in being, should be planted there in the mean time, to keep possession, as it were, till Israel was ready for it, because those families were under the curse of Noah, by which they were condemned to servitude and ruin (Gen. 9:25), and therefore would be the more justly, honourably, easily, and effectually, rooted out, when the fulness of time should come that Israel should take possession."

And then Henry goes on to say that way back then, God also had in mind how he would place the twelve tribes in that land when the appointed time came. All of this continues to point to the infinite wisdom of God . . . from the beginning.

9. God's inheritance is the totality of His people, all those that came from their father Jacob to whom the promise of an inheritance was given.

10. God took care of the Israelites in the desert, protecting them and caring for them just as He would guard "His own eye". The phrase describing the barren land as "a waste howling wilderness" is a common Oriental expression for a desert infested by wild beasts.

11. He was and is like an Eagle hovering over its young, catching them when they are falling, and carrying them safely to the nest.

We have to remember that the mother eagle, because she loves her little eaglets, knows that for them to survive, they need to learn how to fly. And for them to do that, when the time comes, she needs to basically throw them out of the family nest. And then she watches them. She watches them struggle to survive and when she detects they are about to hit the rock below them, she swoops in and saves them. That's our God.

12. And during this time, the Israelites were only led by God. They had no foreign gods.

13. And God led the people to high places, He gave them the fruit of the fields to enjoy, and honey from the rock, and oil as needed. Robert Jamieson says "'The high places' and 'the fields' are specially applicable to the tablelands of Gilead."

14. He gave them curds from the cows, milk for the sheep, and meat from the lambs, rams, and goats, plus the best grains for bread, and the best grapes fo their wine.

What more could they ask for? That is what God was to them. This is what God is for us today.

David Guzik says this whole passage was to "both bring a greater conviction of sin, and to remind them of God's love and grace they could return to". If we are struggling and have been thrown out of our comfort zone may we look beyond our sin after we are convicted of it, and recognize that our God is hovering over us, fully aware of our situation. May we trust in His great love for us and may we gladly allow Him to carry us to safety. Friends, we cannot do it alone. We need God and the people that He brings into our paths. The Enemy is fully at work now more than ever. This is no time for personal heroics.

Note to reader: If you like the way we are studying scripture, why not subscribe to our posts by providing us just with your email? You can do that to the right of this column in the "Subscribe to" section.  You can also search our earlier studies in the "Blog Archive" section below that.  Finally, please encourage others to study along with us by sharing this link with your family and friends. Thank you and God bless.  Ken G.

It would be great if you would share your thoughts or questions on this blog in the comments section below or on social media.

The Song of Moses as Requested by God -- Part I -- Deuteronomy 32:1-7

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Song of Moses -- Part I -- Establishing Who God Is and What We've Done -- Deuteronomy 32:1-7

The Song of Moses (a Song of Instruction so called to distinction it from Moses' Song of Praise and Harmony in Exodus 15) describes in great detail the relationship between God and mankind, and in particular, God and His chosen people, the Israelites at the time they were about to enter the Promised Land. It is well written as both a reminder and a warning that needs to be taken to heart by Israel. For us, it provides incredible insight into God's thoughts, actions, and feelings. It also provides us with lessons we need to learn and observe today.  Here are the key points by verse number.

1. Moses is not just vocalizing this Song to the Israelites -- for he calls on the heavens and the earth to hear his words. Thus, this is a Song for us just as much as for Israel and as such we'll look at the words from our perspective wherever possible, using the pronoun 'us'. But he also calls on heaven and earth to be a witness against our failures and sins. Commentators describe both possibilities.

2-3. Moses intends the Song to be accepted as either refreshing or sweeping teaching for he is proclaiming the Lord's name and ascribing greatness to Him. Matthew Henry writes:

"It shall be a beating sweeping rain to the rebellious;' so one of the Chaldee paraphrasts expounds the first clause. Rain is sometimes sent for judgment, witness that with which the world was deluged; and so the word of God, while to some it is reviving and refreshing-a savour of life unto life, is to others terrifying and killing-a savour of death unto death. It shall be as a sweet and comfortable dew to those who are rightly prepared to receive it."

4. God is solid like a Rock who does perfect work; is totally just; faithful; and righteous.

5. But we have acted with corruption towards Him. We have not behaved like his children as we are a perverse and crooked generation. We note that we corrupted ourselves; God has not corrupted us -- He is the antithesis of corruption. And we did this says Henry via a "spirit of contradiction, and therefore would do what was forbidden because it was forbidden, would set up their own humor and fancy in opposition to the will of God, were impatient of reproof, hated to be reformed, and went on frowardly in the way of their heart."

6. Moses then calls us foolish and unwise, and asks if that is anyway for anyone to 'repay' God, who made, established and bought us. In light of that, it is indeed foolish of us to rebel against God. We have deserted God, not the other way around.

7. And then he tells us to remember our past. And in particular that we should remember in our own lives, how many times God's mercies were bestowed upon us.

So, what can we take from these first seven verses of Deuteronomy 32, the verse section of Moses' Song of Instruction?

May I suggest we reflect on three things:

a. God's characteristics,

b. God's record with respect to us,

c. and our foolishness and rebellion.

Dare I ask, "How dare we?" And yet that is what each of us should be asking ourselves.

Note to reader: If you like the way we are studying scripture, why not subscribe to our posts by providing us just with your email? You can do that to the right of this column in the "Subscribe to" section.  You can also search our earlier studies in the "Blog Archive" section below that.  Finally, please encourage others to study along with us by sharing this link with your family and friends. Thank you and God bless.  Ken G.

It would be great if you would share your thoughts or questions on this blog in the comments section below or on social media.

You Can't Walk This Road Alone

 

The Ultimate Decision that Has To Be Made

Penury City: Ire of the Shekel -- Volume II

 

Author: Thomas E.

Publisher: Wounded Crow Publishing, Rochester, N.Y., 2016-2019

This is the second of a three volume work by Thomas E. In Volume I we are introduced to a failed world, primarily in the U.S. It is a world that sadly can be described by many American cities today as well as by what many predict the rest of the U.S. and other other western countries may look like in the next few decades.  It is that world that a number of folks, some people of faith, some just fed up with what they are living through, seek a way out. Such a way is provided by a woman named Maria. But getting to that city that they believe is so different requires an incredible journey and a complete suspension of one's doubt in a spiritual world. You can read my review of Volume I here.

Volume II takes us through various tunnels, oceans, and wild events, sometimes being chased by the evil guards of the Enemy and barely escaping. At long last, all the intended pilgrims are united and embark on the last stretch of their voyage to the City they seek. Upon arrival, their reactions are as varied as they are. Some, especially our lead character in Volume II (Dr. Saul, the former abortionist who is simply along on the journey in order to catch up to his 'partner' and love interest, Janess) is totally disgusted at what he sees in the City they all nearly died to get to. He feels he was duped. One by one, the pilgrims are dealt with in accordance with their stage of faith, or lack thereof.

Saul has a lot of work to do and he is assigned to a much more accomplished believer and person of faith. To his dislike, his mentor is to be the very Sister that gave him a hard time on the voyage. Their relationship develops over the various chapters as Saul learns the lessons of faith with her help. Much to his surprise, he seems to have learned them all until he gets to the very last one -- one that requires a real 'leap of faith'. A leap that no human being could accomplish on their very own, and yet it seems there cannot be another human being that will help him achieve it.

This volume has a most surprising end. If you read it, don't spoil it for yourself. You have to ease into it. Thomas E's writing continues to be top-notch. I was truly riveted to the pages of the book as I reached the end.

As the reader moves through Volume I and now II, more and more becomes clear. Connections are cleverly made between characters that we had long forgotten. The author is also a master of 'allusion' as time and time again our minds are called to something that we may well have learned about in our lives, without mentioning it explicitly; an indirect or passing reference to things we may already have known.

Can some of the most heinous sins towards mankind be forgiven? By the victims? By God? Can I forgive myself? And if so, how does all that happen?

There were more memorable quotes through this volume. For instance, when one character tells another, "You are trying to calculate the behavior of God with the feeble mind of a human being." Each one has a lesson for every reader that wants to learn about God or develop a closer relationship with Him. Another one I liked was the response given by the mother of one of the characters when her brother tried to keep her from combat battle with the Enemy troops and told her that her place was with the children. She "responded that there would be no place for her children if there was no God in the world. She said she'd rather all would perish than live in a world without the One."

Thomas E. also gives us a great definition of 'love'. You can catch it in Chapter 6. He also maintains his ability to not pull punches -- people once again die as the narrator utters, "Evil is cold and has no remorse."

The level of excitement is high reminding me of the Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom movie. The author explains how the evil powers are acting out of fear that their time is limited and one day they will have to answer for what they have done.

As I continue reading through this series over a number of days, I note that I find myself thinking about the world, the characters in the story, the future, and what we may well be facing in the days ahead. This is not a doomsday series, but rather one of hope. Goodness knows, the world will bring on its own doomsday. What we need to discover is how to avoid it. This series helps us do that.

I don't want to give the plot away. Suffice it to say that the excellent story is not over yet. The pilgrims have arrived at their destination. But what exactly is that destination? And is it the ultimate  destination? There are still some loose threads. There are still some ends (or beginnings) that we haven't grasped. With anticipation, I am picking up Volume III, The Zealots Return. I recommend you start with Volume I.

The Ire of the Shekel is highly recommended as an exciting, informative, and predictive work. Thomas E. accomplishes the task well.

-- Ken B. Godevenos, Toronto, Ontario.

It would be great if you would share your thoughts or questions on this blog in the comments section below or on social media.

The Saddening of Moses Just Before He Dies -- Deuteronomy 31:22-30

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Moses Gives His Last Order to Israel With Sadness -- Deuteronomy 31:22-30

Just prior to this passage, God had ordered Moses to write a song that Israel would remember when they forsook Him in the years ahead. This passage starts off by saying that Moses wrote that song, inspired by God, that very day. And he taught it to Israel. We find the song in the chapter after this one.

Here, however, in verse 23, Moses commissions Joshua, his replacement, as the leader of Israel, and tells him to be strong and courageous. Joshua, you will remember, was known for his servant's heart and attitude, feeling inferior to his master Moses, and doubting he could accomplish what Moses believed he could., David Guzik speaks to this:

"This was a manly way to speak to Joshua. God (and Moses) would not pander to Joshua's weak and timid nature. He didn't hear, "Oh Joshua, you're so wonderful." "Oh Joshua, you're so strong." "Oh Joshua, you're so courageous." Instead, he heard, "Now is the time. Step up to the challenge. Be strong and of good courage!" You shall bring the children of Israel into the land: Joshua, by nature weak and lacking courage, needed to hear this from Moses. He needed to hear, "You are going to do it. It is going to happen."

How many times with my own children, or even grandchildren, not to mention church leaders, have I felt that this is the very talking to they needed to hear? "Stop doubting. Start doing." We can all stand to hear that at times, I'm sure. While God is patient with us, every day that we delay carrying out His plan for our life, we are holding back the blessings related to that matter that God wants us to have.

The passage then tells us that after finishing the writing of the Law, Moses instructs the Levites to place the book of the Law beside the ark of the covenant where it was to remain there as a "witness against" them. The very phrase God used earlier in reference to the song that He asked Moses to write.

And then Moses echoes the words, knowledge, and feelings of God when he tells the Israelites that he knows they are rebellious and stubborn, even while he still lives, and that they will be much more so once he dies. (verse 27)  No wonder Joshua had to be encouraged having heard both from God and now Moses that the people he was about to lead would be so disobedient to God. Can you imagine being a pastor today of a group of people of which God has told you would sin so badly that God would be totally disgusted with them? And yet, I can only assume, knowing that we are all human, that this happens often. May such pastors have the wisdom to pray hard for their flock and may they have the boldness to warn them. And may we have the faith not to be those people.

Then Moses asks for all the elders and officers to be assembled together so they may hear his words (of the song that is coming) and that he could "call on heaven to witness against them". (verse 28)  Matthew Henry has this to say:

"It is probable that this was the very book that was found in the house of the Lord (having been somehow or other misplaced) in the days of Josiah (2 Chr. 34:14), and so perhaps the following words here, that it may be a witnessagainst thee, may particularly point at that event, which happened so long after; for the finding of this very book occasioned the public reading of it by Josiah himself, for a witness against a people who were then almost ripe for their ruin by the Babylonians."

Moses tells them how corrupt they will become after he dies, doing evil in God's sight, and provoking His anger. And with that, he spoke the words of the song.

Let us for a moment stop and think, once again, how Moses must have felt on that very day. During his life, he had witnessed the unfaithfulness of his people and he tells them that (verse 27). He knew them well. Matthew Henry points out that "Their rebellions against himself he makes no mention of: these he had long since forgiven and forgotten; but they must be made to hear of their rebellions against God, that they may be ever repented of and never repeated."

Now, having heard from God that their wickedness would be even greater after his death, this must have made him extremely sad. Henry continues,

"Many a sad thought, no doubt, it occasioned to this good man, to foresee the apostasy and ruin of a people he had taken so much pains with, in order to [make] them good and make them happy; but this was his comfort, that he had done his duty, and that God would be glorified, if not in their settlement, yet in their dispersion. Thus our Lord Jesus, a little before his death, foretold the rise of false Christs and false prophets (Mt. 24:24), notwithstanding which, and all the apostasies of the latter times, we may be confident that the gates of hell shall not prevail against the church, for the foundation of God stands sure."

It should be our prayer for ourselves, and for our brothers and sisters, and for our children and grandchildren, that we should never have to have a song remind us of our turning against God.

Note to reader: If you like the way we are studying scripture, why not subscribe to our posts by providing us just with your email? You can do that to the right of this column in the "Subscribe to" section.  You can also search our earlier studies in the "Blog Archive" section below that.  Finally, please encourage others to study along with us by sharing this link with your family and friends. Thank you and God bless.  Ken G.

It would be great if you would share your thoughts or questions on this blog in the comments section below or on social media.

The Day God Asked For A Song -- Deuteronomy 31:14-21

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What On Earth (or In Heaven) Would Cause God to Ask for a Song? -- Deuteronomy 31:14-21

In the course of life, a good number of people attend a concert or a small gathering where someone very talented is singing and they get a chance to "ask for a song" they would like to hear. A much smaller number of individuals may find themselves in an intimate relationship with either a singer or a songwriter and have a song written about them. Still fewer have the status or the economic means to have a song commissioned about them. Some of us fall into the very first, broad category.

But never until I studied this passage this time, did I realize that God, given Who He was, actually asked someone -- namely Moses -- to write a song at His request. While we don't get to the song until the next chapter of Deuteronomy (number 32 to be exact), we do get the 'back story' to the request. And if you are anything like I am, it may well sadden you. It did me, even more so than the average Country and Western song which if you could play backwards, they say, on a record-player, "you'd get your dog back, you'd get your truck back, and you'd get your wife back". 

The song God wanted written had a specific purpose. You just might get your life back. Let's take a look.

In verse 14, God tells Moses he is about to die, so He wants Moses to present Joshua to Him at the Tent of Meeting so that God could commission Joshua. And the two went there for that purpose as requested. 

In verse 15, God shows up in a pillar of cloud over the doorway of the tent.

In verse 16, Moses is told that the day when he will be buried as his ancestors were is very close at hand, something that was natural and to be expected. But the next thing God said would have been less welcomed by Moses. God told him the day would come after he died that the Israelites would "play the harlot with the strange gods in the land they inherited, and they would forsake God and break the covenant He had made with them."

I am in my seventies. I have children and grandchildren. If I live long enough, I may even see great-grandchildren. I don't have to be 120 years old as Moses was (chapter 31, verse 2) to be told that the day of my life's end is nearby. (After all, elsewhere in Scripture we read that the lifespan of man given by God is 'threescore years and ten and by virtue of good health, another ten years may be lived' (Psalms 90:10).  I'm living in my 'another ten'.  So I can handle that news.

But if God were to tell me that my children, or my grandchildren, or great-grandchildren would actually forsake God and live their lives not only without Him, but against Him as they pursued idolatry, I would be something much worse than heart-broken. Let me just say we can be thankful that God is not so direct with us as He was with Moses. Best not to know.

In verse 17, God tells Moses what the Israelites will do will make Him so angry that He won't want to see them. He will forsake His people and hide His face from them to the point where they will be destroyed after having to deal with many evils and troubles. And those that remain will say at that time, "Where is our God?"

In verse 18, God says I will not be found because of the evil they will do and the fact that they will turn to other gods.

So, God goes on in verse 19, "Moses write this song for yourselves." Clearly this wasn't to be a song that Moses was to make up, but rather, like the commandments God had given him to give to the people, this song was going to come from God Himself, or be inspired by God. It was to be taught to the sons of Israel, the leaders, the heads of homes, etc., in a way that they would have it memorized. And by so having it on their lips, God says, it would "be a witness for Me against them."

Wow, now you know the "rest of the story" as the newscaster Paul Harvey used to say at the end of each night's broadcast. What a heartbreak for God to even think of this happening in the days that lay ahead.

Verse 20 drove that home for me. Here was God saying He would bring them into the land flowing with milk and honey, allow them to eat and be satisfied, and become prosperous as a people, and then they go and "turn to other gods and serve them, and spurn Me and break My covenant." Man, that has to hurt. I can't even begin to imagine how that felt. Perhaps the closest some of us humans may have come is being spurned by a lover, or worse still, a spouse. But God being spurned, and knowing that He would be, in advance, by the Israelites leaves me speechless. Yet it points out His incredible love for them as we will see when indeed we learn the "rest of the story".

The short passage ends with verse 21 where God says to Moses this song he is being asked to write will come to their minds because it will be on their lips (the Israelites will not forget -- God will see to that). And they'll realize what they have done. And hopefully repent.

Chuck Smith says, "The song will be a reminder to them of the reason why the calamities have befallen them is because they have forsaken God."

David Guzik writes, "Yet this was a strange national anthem, because the purpose of this anthem was to testify against them as a witness. God knew that words are more memorable when set to music, so He told Moses to compose the sermon in a song found in the following chapter."

Now someone may ask 'why on earth would God do this?' Why would He use a song in this way? Look at the last part of verse 21. It says, "for I know their intent which they are developing today, (even) before I have brought them into the land which I swore." So, 'why on earth would God do this?' Let me ask you, 'what would you or I have done?'

Matthew Henry wrote these words for this passage: "God knew very well that there were in their hearts such gross conceits of the deity, and such inclinations of idolatry, that they would be tinder to the sparks of that temptation; and therefore in this song he gives them warning of their danger that way. Note, The word of God is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of men's hearts, and meets with them strangely by its reproofs and corrections, Heb. 4:12."

Before we leave this passage, let us not lose sight of the fact that God can get very angry at what those whom He loves so much, to the point where His Son died for us, do sometimes. When we forsake Him and go after the 'harlots' and the 'idols' of our own lives, God's anger rages to the point where He may well want to hide His presence from us. Perhaps in reflection we can think about what that does to God.

Yet God provides us the 'medicine with which we might be cured of our disease' even in advance. This song also had a purpose as Henry continues: "If this song did not prevent their apostasy, yet it might help to bring them to repentance, and to recover them from their apostasy. When their troubles come upon them, this song shall not be forgotten, but may serve as a glass to show them their own faces, that they may humble themselves, and return to him from whom they have revolted. Note, Those for whom God has mercy in store he may leave to fall, yet he will provide means for their recovery."

May it be so with us.

Note to reader: If you like the way we are studying scripture, why not subscribe to our posts by providing us just with your email? You can do that to the right of this column in the "Subscribe to" section.  You can also search our earlier studies in the "Blog Archive" section below that.  Finally, please encourage others to study along with us by sharing this link with your family and friends. Thank you and God bless.  Ken G.

It would be great if you would share your thoughts or questions on this blog in the comments section below or on social media.

True Leadership Can Handle Reality, Lead Through Heartache, and Pass the Baton Well -- Deuteronomy 31:1-13

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Moses Passes the Baton to Joshua -- Deuteronomy 31:1-13

Passing the baton on to the next generation seems to always be a bittersweet event for me. On the one hand, if the leader has been a good one, there is some sadness in knowing that he/she is no longer to be in charge. On the other hand, there is usually positive excitement about the new and usually younger leader that is to fill the shoes of the one retiring one way or another. Such was the case here as Moses continues his address to the people of Israel. Here are the main facts:

Verse 2 -- He was 120 years old. The text says "today". Was this the equivalent of what the Israelites knew as a birthday? Perhaps.  Second, He knew his physical limitations.

Accepting the fact that one is really aging is a difficult process for most of us. For me, it began in earnest when I realized that even if I live to be 100, I may well not be able to see great-grandchildren from my youngest grandchildren. An end is indeed coming. And then recognizing that the body of a senior person, no matter how much walking one does each day, does not always manage to accomplish everything that it did 50 years earlier. Most of us who are old enough can well identify with Moses on these two things. But thankfully, most of us do not have to deal with the third reality that Moses had to deal with. That is, God had told him he would not be entering the Promised Land. What a heartache that must have caused him since he had heard this from God. [We covered all the reasons for that in our earlier studies.] Yet Moses continued to be the leader and the man and the servant of God that he was. What a role model for all of us.

David Guzik argues that Moses' reference to his not be able to come and go perhaps was a reference to his physical limitations, but we need to note that soon after this he is ordered by God to climb Mount Nebo (chapter 32:48ff.) No, Guzik maintains the limitations were not physically caused, they were placed on him by God. Matthew Henry agrees with Guzik.

On this verse, Chuck Smith says Moses was basically saying, "I have brought you as far as I can. I can't take you any further." And then he adds these words:

"It is interesting to me that Moses who is representing the law could only bring them to the Promised Land. He could not take them in. The law cannot take you into the full blessings of God. Grace must do that. So the law could only bring them to the border of the land. Now it's up to Joshua to take them in. And so, it's typical of our lives: the law cannot bring you into that glorious rich life in the Spirit. It can only bring you to it, but by grace and faith we must enter in."

There is a time for all leaders to recognize they have come to either a stage in their physical limitations whereby they must resign and pass on the baton, or they are under 'divine orders' to do so, as Moses was. We cause much damage to the people we love or the organization we love, if we fail to act appropriately at one of those two times.

Verse 3 -- He tells them that God will go ahead of them to destroy their enemies and that Joshua would then lead them into the Promised Land as he had been chosen by God Himself. There was nothing about Moses in all that -- it was once again all about God and all about the new 'man' God had appointed.

Verses 5-6 -- He told then they had to deal with their enemies as God had instructed them to. He told them to be strong and courageous, without fear, and that the Lord would not fail them.

Verses 7-8 -- He tells Joshua, in front of all Israel, to be strong and courageous, to lead the Israelites, and to know that God would go 'before' him, and yet will be 'with' him, and not fail him. Moses can speak this with assurance because first, God promised it, and second, because he experienced it himself during his term of leadership.

Verse 9 -- This is a verse that seems to give the reader (you and I even today) an understanding of how all these things were recorded. It simply says, "Moses wrote it and gave it to the priests who carried the ark of the covenant, and to the elders of Israel." If our current versions of the Torah are any indication, we can believe this was a large work and a laborious task. Imagine how those 'writings' in whatever physical form they took, were treasured and passed on from Levite generation to Levite generation.

Verses 10-13 -- Moses leaves his last set of commands for the leaders in Israel. He told them that every seven years (when they exercise a remission of debts and celebrate the Feast of Booths), all Israel is to appear before God where He chooses, and read this whole Law for all (men, women, children, and the alien among them) to hear the Law and to learn from it and to fear the Lord their God, and to be careful to obey it. In verse 13, he places great emphasis on the importance of this for their children. Later on in the Old Testament we read about the Israelites doing just this, and standing all the time throughout the process, at the time of Ezra, the prophet.

As I concluded reflecting on this passage, I asked myself whether those reading it today should be focusing mostly on Moses, Joshua, the Israelites, or God. I will leave that up to you, but here's what I decided for myself:

As I think about Moses, even with his lapses of disobedience, I ask myself if I will be able to maintain my trust and faith in God's leadership right to my dying day?

As I think about Joshua, I ask myself, have I done, or am I doing all I can, to make sure there are men (or women) like Joshua around to take over from the different Moses' we now have in our churches and in our ministries? Have I mentored and helped to train and prepare such men or encouraged others to do so?

As I think about the Israelites, I wonder if I have done my part to see to it that the local church of Jesus Christ I attend, as well as the Christian Body as a whole, maintains the commandments that God has given us?

And last, but not least, I come back to a statement I made some time ago in these studies -- the one and only real character to focus on is God Himself. In this passage, He remains the same. His Lordship, protection, love, and power are displayed for all to see now and forever. We must not miss that as our study in Deuteronomy soon will come to an end. The God of the Israelites before they cross the Jordan river is the same God you and I worship today. He has done great things; He is doing great things; and He will do great things. Don't be fooled by what the world (like the enemies of the Israelites) might be saying to you. They too, like the enemies of the Chosen People, will be dealt with by the Almighty. Let us rejoice today and stay the course.

Note to reader: If you like the way we are studying scripture, why not subscribe to our posts by providing us just with your email? You can do that to the right of this column in the "Subscribe to" section.  You can also search our earlier studies in the "Blog Archive" section below that.  Finally, please encourage others to study along with us by sharing this link with your family and friends. Thank you and God bless.  Ken G.

 

It would be great if you would share your thoughts or questions on this blog in the comments section below or on social media.

Faith & Fiction, Past & Present, Fear & Future -- A Most Captivating Account

 

Penury City: Light of Gabriel -- Volume I

 

Author: Thomas E.

Publisher: Wounded Crow Publishing, Rochester, N.Y., 2016

It has been a while since I read a book that caused me to stop and reflect every few pages as this one did. I think it was the timing more than anything else. Written in 2016, it so descriptive of what is actually going on in America in 2021 that it makes you think that either Thomas E. had a crystal ball, or he is lying about when he wrote it. I very much doubt the latter.

Thomas gives us an account that weaves together so much of life. How much we can identify with is dependent on our personal experiences. For example, to those that have stayed away from major media networks in the last five years, what you read concerning what has happened to America may come as a shock. To those who have limited experience with faith in a divine Being will be surprised at the people of no faith, some faith, and total faith in the story. Those that don't know their history will be wakened to the fact that evil has been with us for over 2,000 years no matter how hard some try to hide it.

But the author's writing does more than that. Those that are so busy enjoying their present state of affairs will not be able to say "no one told me" after reading Penury City.

Personally, I was captivated by Thomas E's perceptiveness. Much of what he described in 2016 has already taken place and as he moves us beyond today, we have little opportunity to disagree with what may well be ahead, given what we have seen in real life, what many are experiencing today, and what we know deep down in our hearts lies ahead. The story is based on some interesting techniques. Thomas utilizes himself as the one who tells us a story of another older storyteller who carefully describes for us the events leading up to 2054 and beyond. The world has become, to put it mildly, deplorable. Some synonyms that may serve us better are wretched, dreadful, godawful, and frightful.

The plot very successfully tackles the major issues of the day -- control, abortion, pornography, gaming, addiction, torture, and socialism or worse. He pulls no punches. People die, but they die for a cause. However there is hope for those that want out, although the way is long and difficult.

Woven throughout the book is the journey of a single Shekel -- the only one that has survived to this date after it was used to betray a King. Over the 20 or so centuries since then, the Shekel found its way into the hands of eleven men who brought extreme evil, wickedness and treachery upon humans, and when our story begins it is in the hands of the twelfth such man, the President of the United States. 

As I read the book, I found myself in four different worlds -- the world of the narrator (the author), the world of the storyteller (who tells us what happens), the world of the characters in the storyteller's stories, and my own world (for there's no escaping the ability of the narrator to draw us in to what is going on which he does with great success).

The pages are filled with humanity and inhumanity, most often at their extremes. As I continued I realized that the author was giving me an accurate picture of where we are and a scary picture of where we're heading. But he did not leave me there -- he gave his characters and thus, me, a hope that can be embraced by the very faith so many of us have refused to consider. There is a way out of a world where "it was no longer glorious or commendable to sacrifice for your neighbor, but rather to sacrifice your neighbor for the good of all."

The path Thomas E. takes us down as a means of salvation from hell on earth is one that faithful Roman Catholics could well identify with. While it may be less palatable to other Christians, the author's ability to hold us captive to his words keep us going to the end without any great objection. Once one accepts that,  it is not difficult to grant Thomas E. license to make his points to the reader as he believes them.

Throughout the book, the elements of "time" and making "decisions" are crucial. There are short, intermediate, and longer deadlines that have to be met by most of the characters. Choices have to be acted on constantly. In fact, Thomas E. writes about the fact that most people run out of time in terms of making the important choices of life. And at the same time, he seems to be suggesting that once we make the key choices as quickly as possible, we then have more time to live life as we leave the details to the One in charge.

As I kept reading, I couldn't help wanting to go on to see how life would be and could be for my grandchildren in the next thirty-five years. It made me realize that somehow the possibilities had to be shared. People had to be awakened to was happening and would happen.

The author has the ability of building several "science-fiction" contraptions, for lack of a better word, into his story but in hindsight, as far out as they may appear at first, upon further reflection, one soon realizes that every single one of them is within the realm of possibility very, very soon.

Thomas has a great command of the English language and throughout the book the reader finds incredible insight as well.  One such example is where he explains the relationship between evil and freedom. I'll let you discover that for yourself. Another is where our narrator is told to "be the servant. There is only one Master." And still another is when a character overhears someone saying about him, "He is afraid he will find what he does not believe" -- something that is so true of many a man and woman.

The Light of Gabriel is but Volume I of a three volume set. The characters are on an incredible journey. What happens next remains to be read. But I can assure you that they're not safely home yet.

As I finished the last page, I had discovered the entity that lived within and personified that nefarious Shekel, regardless of who's pocket it resided in.

The Light of Gabriel is highly recommended as an exciting, informative, and contemplative work -- a difficult task to accomplish by most authors.

-- Ken B. Godevenos, Toronto, Ontario.

 

It would be great if you would share your thoughts or questions on this blog in the comments section below or on social media.

Ratification of a Divine Covenant

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Decision Time: The Conclusion of Moses' Great Sermon -- Deuteronomy 30:11-20

When I negotiate collective agreements, once a settlement is reached between the negotiating parties, each party has to take the tentative settlement back to their principals to get it ratified. Hopefully, those principals will support the deal the parties came to.  But if not, it's back to the drawing boards. This agreement was no different, except that the parties were their own principals -- God on the one hand and the Israelites on the other. And there was no going back to the drawing boards.

God proposed a great Covenant for the people of Israel. Moses acted as a mediator. Now the people had to accept it formally. And here Moses provides us, like a lawyer presenting a major case, with his 'summary statement' of the whole thing.

But first, in verse 11,  Moses is acting like a very strong 'mediator'. He is saying he 'commands' the Israelites to accept the Covenant. It is not too difficult for them. It's within their ability to attain. It's within reach. In verse 14, he says the 'word' (the Mosaic law) is 'very near you' (you know them; you've heard them; they're within your reach) -- in your mouth and in your heart. You can do this. David Guzik says he is implying to Israel that there's nothing so 'mysterious' about this whole thing. Matthew Henry says Moses is suggesting they have no excuse -- the matter is clear, it is simple.

Then in verse 15 he tells them, in case they missed it, that it's a matter of life and prosperity, and death and adversity. Or put more modernly, a matter of life and death, and also of prosperity and adversity. (Note prosperity here does not mean material riches, but rather a blessed life, generally peaceful, secure.)

And while verse 16 says Moses "commanded" them to love God, I would argue it is Moses' dying request, his last plea if you like, for the people he loves. He wants them to live and multiply. He wants God to bless them in their new land.

In verses 17-18 he takes time to warn them once more of the consequences if they don't obey -- they will perish. And more immediate to them -- they won't be able to keep the land God was giving them at that time.

Then (verse 19) Moses calls for "the question" as they say. With heaven and earth as witnesses, he implores the Isrealites to choose between life over death, that they and their descendants may live. Finally, in verse 20 he recaps exactly how they are to do that. In today's courts of law or impeachment hearings in the American Congress, as an advocate, he would have struck a chord and won the day. 

The Israelites had a choice to make. Moses laid it out well. You and I have that same choice. And so does everyone else. I hope we all have or will make the right choice.

As I watch the events going on around the world these days -- actions taking us globally away from God and righteousness, evil overcoming the best of men, and fear moving it's foot further and further into the doorstep of our lives, I can only pray that each of us has made the right decision when it comes to life or death.

Note to reader: If you like the way we are studying scripture, why not subscribe to our posts by providing us just with your email? You can do that to the right of this column in the "Subscribe to" section.  You can also search our earlier studies in the "Blog Archive" section below that.  Finally, please encourage others to study along with us by sharing this link with your family and friends. Thank you and God bless.  Ken G.

It would be great if you would share your thoughts or questions on this blog in the comments section below or on social media.