Handling Prosperity

Deuteronomy Chapter 8: The Command to Remember the Lord

Deuteronomy 8:1-20 – Highlights of The Passage and Some Thoughts

In verse 2 we have an insight into how God often works with people that we often miss. Moses was reminding the people of Israel how God humbled them, “testing you, to know your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not.” Have you ever been humbled by God? I have. It’s not fun but it works. And as a result, by His grace, I’m still in a relationship with Him.

In verse 3, Moses says, “He humbled you and let you be hungry, and fed you with manna which you did not know.” What a statement. Sometimes life gets very hard – you go hungry; you go without a job; you get sick; you lose someone; you are greatly disappointed, and the list goes on. Stop and consider – is God testing me? If so, realize He is doing so because He loves you and cares about your heart and soul. And then notice the phrase, He “fed you with manna”.  God won’t let you die on earth if He wants you around to accomplish more for Him. And from this verse, we can assume that sometimes, how He saves us in a circumstance may be totally strange or unknown to us. That’s our God.

David Guzik reminds us that God’s education begins with us being humbled by Him. And then it moves to us being totally dependent on Him.

This verse also contains the famous “man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of the Lord” quote that Jesus Himself cited to Satan when the latter begged Him to “Command the stone to be made bread.”

In the meantime, between your pain or hunger and His provision for it, we are reminded (verse 4) that we will always have what we need. Moses tells the Israelites, “Your clothing did not wear out on you, nor did your foot swell these forty years.”  Wow, imagine that. When God is taking care of you, He’ll see to it that you’ll make it through.

Verse 5 is a reminder to all of us how God created us with a conscious. As a result of your need, Moses says, you will “know in your heart that the Lord your God was disciplining you just as a man disciplines his son.” I don’t know about you, but I sure know when God is disciplining me. It’s not physical. It’s something that happens in my heart and in my mind.

In verses 6-9, Moses recounts the rewards of having been so dealt with by God. And in verse 10, he tells them (and us) that when we have availed ourselves of that blessing, we shall “bless the Lord (our) God” for what He has given us. Are you there yet? I am.

Verses 11-20 are cautions against forgetting God under different circumstances – including when one is well-fed, successful, etc. And this all happens when “your heart becomes proud” and “you may say in your heart, ‘My power and the strength of my hand made me this wealth.” I have often said that perhaps God did not allow me to become rich and powerful because He was not ready to trust me with that kind of wealth and power. One could say, “that is so sad” and it is. On the other hand, I would say, “God loves me so much, and knows me so well, that I am so glad He did not make me rich or powerful. For if I were it might not need or want Him.”

Guzik reminds us that God is not against material things – except when they come between us and Him. He says, “God wanted to materially bless a spiritually obedient Israel.” However, let me be clear – this is not the prosperity gospel teaching. The fact that you or I are not materially blessed to our satisfaction or desire does not mean that we are not being obedient to God.

In the last two verses (19-20), Moses reminds the children of Israel that if they move towards worshipping other gods, they will surely perish as the nations that God made to perish before them. So, just listen to and obey the voice of the Lord your God.

Wrap-up

The main gist of this passage for me is that rather than pursue prosperity (wealth and power) with all our efforts, time, resources, and heart, we need to guard ourselves against it. God will apportion it to us as He sees and knows best. Our job is to find real joy and satisfaction with His choice for us in this regard. Otherwise, we will live and die, ever disappointed, ever sorry.

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

Who Do You Keep Out of Celebrations That God Wants Them In? And What About Church while on Vacation?

Numbers Chapter 9: Passover and Divine Guidance

Numbers 9:1-14 Sanctification through Celebrating Passover

I am writing part of this study today from the parking lot of my church, where I decided to visit alone, pray and read.  It’s a beautiful day.  Unfortunately, many all over the world feel they still need to be isolating in their homes and will do so until the government gives them the green light to live otherwise. Meanwhile, the damage to their livelihoods may be beyond repair. Meanwhile there is good news. For three days in a row, all three global stats seem to be going in the right direction: percentage of deaths/finalized cases and deaths/all cases is down; percentage of recoveries/all cases is up. Good News.  So, we are thankful, and continue to study the Word of God like never before. Hang in there with us as we look for more gems in Numbers today.

The Passage

Verses 1-14 of this chapter describe how God wanted Moses to let the people celebrate the Passover even while in the wilderness. And the timing was to be the appointed time as per Exodus 12. In verse 6 we are told that some men who had touched a dead person were unclean and could not observe Passover.

They approached Moses (and Aaron) and questioned the rule. Moses thought that was a fair question and told them he would enquire of God as to how to respond. And God told Moses that they, though they were unclean because of a dead person, could indeed observe the Passover to the Lord.

And then passage in verse 13 tells us that God was more concerned about the clean person who is on a journey and neglects to observe the Passover. God says that person will be cut off from his people and bear his sin. Verse 14 tells us that ‘alien sojourners’ may also observe the Passover among the people                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          

Thoughts on the Passage

The Passover meal and offerings to the Lord were a must. There was no excuse for missing it, even if travelling or on vacation. There is a direct link between the Passover as described here and the Communion services that we hold in our churches. God called for the practice to be annual at an appointed time. Jesus came along and said, “For as often as you do this, (take the communion meal – the bread and wine or juice), you do so in remembrance of me.” [I Corinthians 11] So, based on that, many Christians started to celebrate it monthly and some even weekly (some Brethren assemblies).

I remember growing up my parents used to note how often various groups celebrated communion. I remember some folks found fault with those that observed it on a different schedule. I turned to the New Testament Greek to check out the word “often” to see what Jesus may have had in mind with respect to frequency.  I found out that the word used – οσακις – in Greek, according to both the scholars Strong and Vine simply means “as often as”. Well, where I come from, there’s a big difference in meaning between “as often as” and “do more often”. Jesus was simply saying, when you do celebrate the Passover meal (which was indeed once a year) when He walked on this earth, “do it in remembrance of [Him]. I do not believe He was saying do it “very often”. Personally, I find that doing something very often leads to an impact that is diminishing in value. It becomes rote. And we have to really ask ourselves how well the majority of parishioners prepare for the Lord’s Supper. May I suggest not very well. Nevertheless, that is not the hill I am going to die on. 

Now, it is interesting to me that God says that those who are clean inside (have a sincere desire to take participate in the Passover) may do so even if they are unclean outside. Yes, admittedly, it was on the 14^th day of the second month as compared to the 14^th day of the first month when it was observed by all the others. They had to get past the period of uncleanliness. God made a provision that allowed them to participate. They didn’t have to wait until the next year. But they still had to be clean (from the uncleanliness of touching the dead body).

What does that tell us about who we allow at our Communion Table? I am aware of some closed denominations that only allow people who are members of their church or members of their faction to take communion. Yet God says even the externally physically unclean and those that are just passing by on their travels, can participate. We have to make sure they had met the criteria that God is interested in. What does your church do?

And again, it is wonderful to see Moses, when presented with a question, seeks the input and guidance and direction of God, before he answers. What a model he sets for all that would be leaders in the church.

We all agree that based on both New Testament and Old Testament passages, the Passover (or Communion) is a big deal in the economy of God. And we just read how God is irked for lack of a better word at those who neglect to observe it when they are away on a journey (verse 13). Now what would you say if I were to say to you that according to the apostle Paul in the New Testament, we are to not neglect to meet together regularly. Translate that as “go to church regularly”. We also know that both the O.T. and the N.T. speaks a lot about worship and worshipping together. Now, if we take those ideas and couple them with how God feels about those who neglect to observe the Passover while “away” from home, is it reasonable that we can form some idea about how God feels about us worshipping Him “together” while we are away from home?

I believe that’s reasonable. I believe that short of being laid up in traction on a hospital bed (okay, you get the idea) God wants us to make every effort to be at a church with other believers while travelling, especially while travelling on holidays. I have heard so many Christians say, “I’m on vacation and therefore, I don’t do church.”  My suggestion is that they try saying that directly to God and see what kind of inside response they will get.

Our two lessons today are pretty straight forward. First, we need to be certain that we don’t keep someone from participating in practices that God wants them to participate in (and vice-versa – we don’t allow people to participate when God says they can’t). The example that comes to mind is an experience I once lived through as a young leader of our youth group at a church I was attending. One of the girls had being disabled by polio (yes, it was that long ago) and she wanted to get baptized and join the church. However, because she could not be immersed, our church leaders at the time simply said she was not eligible to be a church member. Clearly, they did not take the time to enquire of God as to what He wanted done.

The second lesson is more for us. This is a good opportunity to consider or reconsider how we treat our trips away from home, especially our vacations. Let me ask straight out – do you make an effort to attend church or hold a worship service of sorts with others while you are away?

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

Have the Rules for Worshipping God Changed?

The Location of Sacrifices

Leviticus 17:1-9

These first nine verses contain instructions that all sacrifices must be brought “to the doorway of the tent of meeting to present (them) as offering(s) to the Lord before the tabernacle of the Lord.” (verse 4) They are no longer to be made in the open fields (verse 5). Nor are they to made as sacrifices “to the goat demons with which (those who sacrifice) play the harlot.” (verse 7) This also applied to strangers sojourning with then (verse 8). And all this was to be on penalty of being “cut off from (God’s) people.” (verse 9)

Thoughts on the Passage

This is day seven in self-quarantine due to the Coronavirus social distancing guidelines the governments have place on us. I must admit there is something to be gained from such a requirement. It allows time for reflection and some rest. And more time in the Word.

Some very interesting requirements here that we need to consider with respect to our own offerings to God. While we no longer sacrifice animals, the instructions God gave to Moses for the sacrifice of animals have some general principles that are transferable to our sacrificing of ourselves and our service for God and for the offering of our tithes and gifts to God.

There is something to be said for our offerings to be presented to God in His house of worship – for us, the local church. Clearly, we are not, however, as Matthew Henry will show us below, to limit our commitment of service and sacrifice to God only in His house today.

But I remember growing up learning that there are two schools of thought among pastors as to where one’s tithe and offerings should go. One school of thought was that everything goes to the local church and we are to trust them to distribute as the Church Body around the world needs it. That it, you don’t give to missionaries unless they are supported by your local church. The other school of thought is that giving of tithes and offerings can be made to the Church Body directly based on the needs God has shown you in your heart, but without neglecting the needs of your local church. Some have tried to find a compromise in saying that Scripture elsewhere (Malachi 3:10) requires that the “tithe” in its entirety go to the local church, and ones “offerings” (over and above the tithe) can go either to the local church or as God directs you worldwide. We’ll let you solve that one for yourself.  Personally, I follow the second school of thought with no compromise needed.

Another point of interest in this passage is that if the men of Israel did not sacrifice properly, they were to be “cut off” from the people.  Chuck Smith says the key thing here is that when we are sacrificing, we need to realize it is part of our relationship with God. We are not just to do it ‘on the side’ so to speak, or out of habit. It is a conscious decision each time to give our service and our/or our tithes and offerings to Him. So, we go to His house to do it.  That takes effort.  But we need that fellowship with Him and with others who are doing the same.

David Guzik gives us some background when he writes:

In the pagan world at that time, it was customary to offer sacrifice wherever one pleased. Altars were customarily built on high hills, in forested areas, or at other special places. . . .Yet now with a centralized place of worship, the Israelites were not allowed to offer any way they pleased – they had to come to the tabernacle and have their sacrifice administered by the priests.

There was a spiritual reality behind the pagan gods, but the reality was really demonic. In sacrificing to Baal, Ashtoreth, and others, they really worshipped demons. Paul says essentially the same thing in I Corinthians 10:20-21:

Rather, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice they sacrifice to demons and not to God, and I do not want you to have fellowship with demons. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; you cannot partake of the Lord’s table and the table of demons.

There is a sense in which all worship that is not directed to God is directed to the devil and his demons. 

Guzik goes on to say that the demonic background to sacrifice justified the severe punishment of being ‘cut off’ from the people in response to open idolatry

Robert Jamieson, in his commentary, sheds more light on the passage.  First, he indicates that there is a sufficient case to believe that the “they” in verse 5 referring to those sacrificing in the field really referred to the Egyptians, and thus to those Israelites that kept on to the Egyptian way of sacrificing.

The reference (in verse 7) to they shall no more offer their sacrifices unto ‘devils’ he says is literally, "goats." He continues:

The prohibition evidently alludes to the worship of the “hirei-footed” kind, such as Pan, Faunus, and Saturn, whose recognized symbol was a goat. This was a form of idolatry enthusiastically practised by the Egyptians, particularly in the nome or province of Mendes. Pan was supposed especially to preside over mountainous and desert regions, and it was while they were in the wilderness that the Israelites seem to have been powerfully influenced by a feeling to propitiate this idol. Moreover, the ceremonies observed in this idolatrous worship were extremely licentious and obscene, and the gross impurity of the rites gives great point and significance to the expression of Moses, "they have gone a-whoring."

Finally, Matthew Henry, takes all these thoughts about location, etc. and sets us straight with respect to what they mean for us when he writes:

It is certain that the spiritual sacrifices we are now to offer are not confined to any one place. Our Saviour has made this clear (John 4:21), and the apostle (I Timothy 2:8), according to the prophecy, that in every place incense should be offered, (Malachi 1:11). We have now no temple nor altar that sanctifies the gift, nor does the gospel unity lie in one place, but in one heart, and the unity of the spirit.

Christ is our altar, and the true tabernacle (Hebrews 8:2; 13:10); in him God dwells among us, and it is in him that our sacrifices are acceptable to God, and in him only, I Peter 2:5. To set up other mediators, or other altars, or other expiatory sacrifices, is, in effect, to set up other gods. He is the centre of unity, in whom all God's Israel meet.

Yet we are to have respect to the public worship of God, not forsaking the assemblies of his people, Hebrews 10:25. The Lord loves the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob, and so should we; see Ezekiel 20:40. Though God will graciously accept our family offerings, we must not therefore neglect the door of the tabernacle.

You have to love Henry. So, there you have it – from what God told the Israelites all the way to what God is telling us today. May you worship and sacrifice in a way acceptable to Him.  Take this time of self-isolation due to the coronavirus to worship him alone, or with your loved ones; but when it’s over add the worship of God in the presence of the saints in your local church to your spiritual agenda.

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

Linking Laws regarding Boils and Bodily Discharges to Seeing God

Leviticus Chapter 15: The Laws Regarding Male and Female Discharges

The first 15 verses are instructions on how to deal with male ‘discharges’. Verses 16-18 deal with a man’s ‘seminal ‘emissions’.

Verses 19-30 deal with instructions on how to deal with a female ‘discharge’.

In both all cases, the instructions follow processes very similar to those with respect to leprosy – some isolation, washing, sacrifices, and presentation to the priest.

Verses 31 gives God’s rationale for these laws:

“Thus you shall keep the sons of Israel separated from their uncleanness, lest they die in their uncleanness by their defiling My tabernacle that is among them.”

The last two verses of the chapter describe again the areas this law covers:

 This is the law for the one with a discharge, and for the man who has a seminal emission so that he is unclean by it, and for the woman who is ill because of menstrual impurity and for the one who has a discharge, whether a male or a female, or a man who lies with an unclean woman.

Thoughts on the Passage

Chuck Smith sees this as primarily a chapter about boils, at least initially. It is about running sores and the necessary hygiene to deal with them.  I like this line of his:

“Now the Bible doesn't say that cleanliness is next to Godliness in those words. Those words are found in the Koran, but not in the Bible.”

And he then goes on to show how important it is for the Bible-believer as well.

David Guzik has some most interesting perspectives. He writes:

None of these discharges made a man or a woman sinful, only ceremonially unclean. [So,] This did promote hygiene in ancient Israel, yet discharges of semen and menstruation were so regarded, not because there was anything inherently wrong with them, but because the two are connected with symbols of life and redemption, blood and seed.

The phrase in verse 31, “My tabernacle that is among them” Guzik says,

. . . made an obvious separation between sex and the worship of God. To the modern world this seems normal, but in the ancient world it was common to worship the gods by having sex with temple prostitutes. God did not want this association in His worship.

He continues:

It is important for us to regard these laws of cleanliness in a New Testament perspective. In Mark 7:1-9 Jesus criticized the Pharisees for their over-emphasis on ceremonial cleanliness and their lack of regard for internal cleanliness. These laws were meant to have both hygienic reasons and spiritual applications; they were never intended as the way to be right with God.

In Acts 15, the early Christian community properly discerned the work and will of God in the New Covenant: that under the New Covenant, the believer was not bound to these laws of ritual purity. One could be a follower of Jesus without the ritual conformity to the Mosaic Law. Yet we need to remember that spiritual cleanliness in worship is important today. We also remember that Jesus is the One who makes us clean and fit for fellowship: “You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you” (John 15:3).

And, of course, 1 John 1:7-9 tells us that our cleanliness is “complete” as we abide in Jesus.

Robert Jamieson makes the following statement of interest on this chapter:

[God] He required of them complete purity, and did not allow them to come before Him when defiled, even by involuntary or secret impurities, as a want of respect due to His majesty. And when we bear in mind that God was training a people to live in His presence in some measure as priests devoted to His service, we shall not consider these rules for the maintenance of personal purity either too stringent or too minute (1 Thess.4:4).

And lastly, Matthew Henry adds to our understanding of this chapter’s purposes.  Here is a sample of his thoughts on this passage:

·      This was to separate the children of Israel and their servants and proselytes or those who converted to their faith.

o   By these laws they were taught their privilege and honor, that they were purified unto God a peculiar people, and “were intended by the holy God for a kingdom of priests, a holy nation; for that was a defilement to them which was not so to others.

·      In all these laws there seems to be a special regard had to the honor of the tabernacle, to which none must approach in their uncleanness. . .. Now that the tabernacle of God was with men familiarity would be apt to breed contempt, and “therefore the law  made so many things of frequent incidence to be ceremonial pollutions, and to involve an incapacity of drawing near to the sanctuary (making death the penalty), that so they might not approach without great caution, and reverence, and serious preparation, and fear of being found unfit.

That takes us to the lessons we might learn from these verses today. First, we can thank God we are no longer under all those Mosaic Laws. Secondly, we need to remain pure in our hearts as we deal with God, abstaining from sin to the extent we are able to. Third, we need to recognize the indispensable necessity (as Henry says) of real holiness to our future happiness.  This requires getting our hearts purified by faith, “that we may see God.”

Henry ends his comments with the following:

Perhaps it is in allusion to these laws which forbade the unclean to approach the sanctuary that when it is asked, “Who shall stand in God’s holy place?” it is answered, “He that hath clean hands and a pure heart.” (Psalm 24:3,4); for “without holiness no man shall see the Lord.”

May we see God.

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

Imagine Having To Assemble Outside Your Church Because God's Glory Had Filled It

The Cloud Guided; God’s Glory Filled

Exodus 40:34-38:

³⁴ Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.

³⁵ Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud had settled on it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.

³⁶ Throughout all their journeys whenever the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the sons of Israel would set out;

³⁷ but if the cloud was not taken up, then they did not set out until the day when it was taken up.

³⁸ For throughout all their journeys, the cloud of the Lord was on the tabernacle by day, and there was fire in it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel.

Thoughts on the Passage

We need to distinguish between the cloud that hovered above the Tent of Meeting of the Tabernacle, admittedly quite low it appears, having settled on top of it, and “the glory of the LORD” that actually entered the Tabernacle and filled it.  Both the low cloud outside the structure, but more significantly God’s glory inside it, that prevented Moses from entering the Tabernacle at this time.  And the same thing happened when Solomon completed building the Temple (see I Kings 8:10-11). The priests could not enter in, because of the very same thing – God’s “Shekinah Glory” returned to fill the Temple.

Robert Jamieson proposes that Moses’ inability to enter the Tabernacle because of God’s glory having filled it is an indication of man’s incapacity, in his present state, to look upon the unveiled perfections of the Godhead. Yet, because of God’s sacrifice of His Son, we can all do so by faith.

When God moved the cloud, the people made their way forward across the desert and they moved the Tabernacle with them. And this cloud, which looked like a cloud during the day and literally a cloud filled with fire by night, could be seen by all of the children of Israel. Robert Jamieson suggests this was the cloud that had remained for the most part up in summit of the mount where Moses had previously met with God. Now it comes down to dwell among them, the people of Israel.

As Chuck Smith points out, the key thing for us to grasp here is how awesome it must have felt to be aware of God’s very presence at all times. You would go to sleep at night looking at the fire above the Tabernacle and wake up in the morning seeing the heavy cloud.

When the cloud started to move, everything connected with the Tabernacle had to be folded up or packed and carried along the journey until the cloud stopped again. Imagine not knowing when you would set up camp that evening, but you had to wait for God to stop the cloud. When that happened, you’d stop, step up the Tabernacle again, and watch the cloud come land on it.

Smith also takes us back to verse 34 where “the glory of the LORD” filled the Tabernacle. Can you imagine seeing that? Can you imagine just waiting for God to act at that moment? Can you imagine, he asks, “opening our hearts to Him through worship and praise” throughout that experience?

Imagine next Sunday, or whatever your day of corporate worship is, to go to your place of worship and find everyone surrounding the building and not being able to get in because “the glory of the LORD” had filled it. After all, this is the place you and I go to in order to worship God with others. It need not be the only place. But here, many of us temporarily focus on the idea of meeting with God. Wouldn’t it be great to see His glory filling it and to have it captivate our hearts in such a way that we would never be the same again?

David Guzik has us consider another perspective of this passage by pointing to God’s obvious pleasure with the obedience of Israel. This was not so much about God’s authority over them, as it was that they “really did believe Him and love Him”. There is a big and real connection between their obedience and this remarkable display of His glory.

But Guzik is also quick to point out that the Israelites didn’t directly “earn” this display of glory with their obedience, but rather their obedience “welcomed it”.  We don’t earn our rescue, our salvation, or even more of His love. Yet, walking in obedience brings a certain blessing.

Without some aspect of God’s glory being present, the Tabernacle would only be, says Guzik, a fancy tent and the same can be said of our churches or of our homes.

Back in Exodus 29:45, God had made a promise that read as follows, “And I will dwell among the sons of Israel and will be their God.”  And the book of Exodus ends with the fulfillment of that promise. Guzik writes quoting Cole, “YHWH is living among His people: the theology of the presence of God has become the fact of His presence.”

He goes on, “The Book of Exodus ends with great hope and trust in God. Though Israel was in the middle of a desolate desert, had fierce enemies in the Promised Land, and was weak and liable to sin and rebellion, God was with them. This gave them great cause for faith and confidence.

Matthew Henry says just as God created the earth for man and after He completed it, He made man and gave him possession of it, so when the Tabernacle, built for Him, was completed, He came and took possession of it. This was to be His throne where He ruled. This was an indication that “God will dwell with those that prepare Him a habitation. The broken and contrite heart, the clean and holy heart. . .. Where God has a throne and an altar in the soul, there is a living temple.”

And since the cloud was with the Israelites day and night – there was no chance of anyone thinking “Is the Lord among us, or is he not?” He was there. In sight of all. If someone didn’t believe it, well, he or she wouldn’t believe anything.

Henry reminds us of how the bush that God spoke from was not consumed by the fire that was exhibited and seen by Moses, so this cloud which was a fire by night and God’s splendor and glory did not even singe the curtains of the Tabernacle. This structure and its furnishings had been anointed and thus could withstand the terrible majesty of God. So majestic that Moses could not enter the Tabernacle at that time. But what Moses could not do, Jesus Christ did (Hebrews 9:24). In fact, Henry goes on to say,

“Nay, He is Himself the true Tabernacle, filled with the glory of God (John 1:14), even with the divine grace and truth prefigured by this fire and light. In Him, the shechinah [glory] took up its rest forever, for in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. Blessed be God for Jesus Christ!”

Amen and Amen.

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