Author: chuck

Numbers 17:8 –

When he went into the Tabernacle of the Covenant the next day, he found that Aaron’s staff, representing the tribe of Levi, had sprouted, budded, blossomed, and produced ripe almonds!

The background to this story is the people were rebelling asking for a new leader. Moses said take all the potential leaders and place each name on a staff, then take all the staffs and place them in the Tabernacle. The one who the Lord choses will have buds on the staff and therefore the Israelites will know who to follow. The Lord made it perfectly clear by producing ripe fruit from a dead staff.

This is amazing when you think about it! Sure someone could explain away buds on a staff saying it could have still had life in it or had absorbed moisture from the air to keep itself alive. But producing ripe fruit overnight could only be from God and therefore not questioned. So the people of Israel were clear on who was the leader and complied with the Lord. Their only concern was now dying in the presence of the Lord in the Tabernacle.

Now I read this chapter and the first thing that came over me was why can’t my decisions be so crystal clear when I ask the Lord? Sure the mysteries of life would not be so mysterious if you had God leading you along the way. But as we see with Moses, he had God as his “go to guy” and it didn’t help him get into the Promised Land. I think we look for easy answers in life and even when we get them we discover all the variables still make it difficult. I believe the key is finding peace and joy in every situation, and then the answers become clear. Sure I would love to have a staff grow almonds with the answer, but I honestly don’t think it would help in the long run unless I had peace and joy before the answer came!

Numbers 16:2 –

They incited a rebellion against Moses, along with 250 other leaders of the community, all prominent members of the assembly

In this chapter the people start to get a little upset that they have been wandering in the wilderness without seeing the Promised Land. There is a small group inciting a rebellion and the Lord takes immediate action. You find as you read the chapter that they see the Lord in the Tabernacle and that still does not quite them. Within the chapter the Lord threatens to destroy them, not once but twice. Both times Moses and Aaron intercede for them and “calms” God down.

It always blows my mind that a people who have seen the Pharaoh succumb to 10 plagues, seen the Red Sea part, been fed and led by God. Through all that they still complain and not trust God, to the point where God wants to destroy them all. Then He shows Himself to them and they still get Him upset to the point He wants to destroy them again. This makes my anger “rages” look minor.

Look at how futile it is to rebel against God. We all do it at one point or another in our lives where we think we can do it all. It took me almost 40 years of wandering around the wilderness before submitting to Gods will and I still rebel often. So be aware that will happen in your life and try to “arrest” that feeling as soon as possible. Like with any emotion, you have a very short window to gain control before you lost it. Recognize that window and hit it quickly.

Look at quickly attacking destructive emotions before they “possess” you. Think about the rush of anger when someone cuts you off in traffic; learn to let it go quickly before you harm yourself, your car or others. Think about the “pop-up” you see for a porn site, learn to close it and release that desire. Think about the desire to get wasted, stop completely to control that urge. See if you recognize these “triggers” and jump on them immediately, you could avoid major addictions later in life. It only takes a shift to realize that the attempt to rebel is costing you more than you know, I am sure the rebels did not know they were about to destroy their entire nation.

Numbers 15:39 –

When you see the tassels, you will remember and obey all the commands of the LORD instead of following your own desires and defiling yourselves, as you are prone to do.

This chapter has three main subjects that all could be explored in depth. First it talks about the sacrificial system and the significance of keeping this going. I found it interesting that the “smell” was pleasing to the Lord. I would think that people valuing Him more than stuff was more pleasing! Second, it talks about a man being put to death for working on the Sabbath. “Working” in this case was just gathering wood. We are so far away from the “strict” adherence to the Sabbath that people either ignore it or define it any time they can get off.

Now we get to the tassels and this verse. As Christians we tend to use a cross as this reminder of our devotion to Jesus. Be it a cross or a tassel we tend to need a constant reminder of our roots to keep us on track. Many times these symbols become more of an outward expression of our faith, than for inward retrospective. The most common one is the “fish” bumper sticker. How many times have you been cut off or flipped only to notice one on their rear? If we focus on the outward and less on the inward we can quickly be tagged as hypocrites, crushing our witness.

This verse ends with talking about “human nature” and our tendency to wander away from God. I do this all the time while getting caught up in the world around me. Events like the shop closing, getting sued here or there, getting caught up in bills or the office politics all cause me to ramble away from my focus on God. We are all “prone” to distractions here on earth; the key is how we respond.

When an email for porn hits our inbox, do we click delete or do we “explore” the links? When someone cuts us off in traffic, do we yell and get even or do we just keep on our way? When the bills are insurmountable, do we keep our “budget” the same or do we reflect on principles of money management God taught us? Many times a cross around the neck is a reminder which way to go and to help us remain focused on God. I suggest keeping it simple and relatively “private” so not to blow a witness if you become “prone” to do wrong.

Numbers 14:18 –

‘The LORD is slow to anger and filled with unfailing love, forgiving every kind of sin and rebellion. But he does not excuse the guilty. He lays the sins of the parents upon their children; the entire family is affected—even children in the third and fourth generations.’

These are some powerful words from the Lord and they cut incredibly deep into our conscious. This one we need to look at in detail to fully understand the significance. First the Lord is slow to anger, but when He gets angry it’s big. As you read this chapter His initial punishment is very extreme, and Moses intercedes for the people. We need to be slow to anger, when that initial rush hits our impulse should be to arrest it and not throw the fickle middle finger!

Next we see God’s unfailing love. In looking at His anger, we see it’s all based out of love. As you two grow I see others in your age group doing the exact same things and it doesn’t faze me, but you I get angry. Why is that? It’s my unfailing love for you and only wanting the absolute best for you. The “love” I feel for you is the same God feels for His children, hence the anger for something that on the surface seems like no big deal.

Now we see God’s handling of sin, and this is where it gets refreshing and spooky at the same time. We are forgiven of all sin, especially now with the sacrifice of Jesus, but we are not excused from our sins. There is a huge difference here; forgiveness and punishment are two different things. I notice this often, where God will forgive me of something but I will still have to do the time. You can’t go off and invoking 1st John 1:9 and expect never to “pay” for your sins.

Finally the most disturbing thing is the last bit. The sins of the parents lay upon our children. That is terrifying since I would never want my transgressions to affect you. Now if you think about it our initial “sin” has formed you children both physically and mentally. Interestingly the way you deal with relationships is different, but appears to be a direct result of our talking sex before marriage lightly. If you want a great Biblical example of the sins of the parents look at David’s family. He sinned and although forgiven, the backlash of his affair/murder went on for generations. As you see, this verse is a significant one in the grand scheme of life and should be read over and over.

Numbers 13:31 –

But the other men who had explored the land with him disagreed. “We can’t go up against them! They are stronger than we are!”

How many times does God have to show that He is with them before they will understand His favor? Here you have a leader that talks to God face to face, not through visions or prophets. His guidance is clear from God, no riddles or interpretive dreams. Yet the people still doubt and let that doubt control their destiny. Moses sent scouts to look at the Promised Land, and the reports back were both grand and scary. The people ignored the hope and focused on the negative.

Do you ever do that in your life? See something that is hopeful and instead focus on the negative? How many of your friends take your dreams and turn them upside-down with negative reinforcement? One of my favorite “dreams” was when the “Wall” came down in Berlin. I was watching the happenings on TV and wanted to be there. I told my fathers and first thing out of his mouth was “you don’t even have a passport!” In this case it motivated me to do it and less than a week after the Berlin Wall fell I was passing through Checkpoint Charlie!

Now that was “real” and easily done with some time and money. But what about something that is not so easy to rectify like your faith? When someone questions God with science do you stand firm or waver? Do you boldly proclaim God’s power or do you let those doubts crack your faith? Tomorrow we will see what happens, if the people reject the negative and rest on God. Based on past “history” I think you can guess the answer.

The key here to learn is how you direct your focus. Do you focus on the grapes that take two men to carry a single cluster or the giants living next to them? Do you rest on the promises of God or the reality of the bills in front of you? Doesn’t matter if there are giants in front of you and your only defense is a sling and a stone, God will be with you. The key is not to let others erode your faith in that promise. If you know it’s from God, have faith and rely on God’s love.

Numbers 12:8 –

I speak to him face to face, clearly, and not in riddles! He sees the LORD as he is. So why were you not afraid to criticize my servant Moses?

Aaron and Miriam were complaining about their brother Moses when God decided to talk to them directly. He took them to task for this and first told them how He communicates through dreams for prophets. But with Moses He speaks face to face! God took this as direct criticism and quickly got offended. To complain about a prophet is one thing since God talks to them in dreams and riddles, but Moses has a special relationship with God.

When Aaron and Miriam spoke against Moses and his actions they were in essence complaining about God. God wanted to put a stop to this and did so quickly. He talked to them clearly and directly then stuck Miriam with leprosy for 7 days. Interestingly, there is no mention of punishment for Aaron. Granted he cried out to Moses to restore her and it caused him great distress, but he did not get punished. Is this another example of God’s bias towards men? Or was it that God knew taking her beauty away would have more impact than doing the same to Aaron?

The key from chapter 11 was God did not like the people complaining so much. This chapter it’s Aaron and Miriam who God gets upset with about their complaining. Makes you wonder when you pray, how much of it becomes annoying complaining to God? This again strikes me as something I need to look at more closely. Often I find myself complaining and whining to God. Often the situations I am complaining about are “self-induced!” The more I think about these last few chapters the more I reflect on my relationship with God and how I have become like the children of Israel. We all need to live like Paul and less like the Aaron and Miriam. We need to find joy and give thanks even in the most desperate of situations!

Numbers 11:1 –

Soon the people began to complain about their hardship, and the LORD heard everything they said. Then the LORD’s anger blazed against them, and he sent a fire to rage among them, and he destroyed some of the people in the outskirts of the camp.

This chapter hit me hard this morning! How many times have I complained to the Lord this week? Yesterday alone I was complaining while digging out a waterline which was tangled in the roots of a huge oak. I whine about money, work, projects, time, taxes, sleep and whatever else I can. I don’t just be like Paul and live content that the Lord is with us always … while in jail.

Think about it, Paul never complained in his writing. He was a well to do person before his conversion to following Christ. From there he left the known and safe to preach the Gospel. This landed him in prison more than once and had him in some very difficult situations. Did he complain? Did he whine about being hungry or in prison? Or was he content and joyful about whatever came his way?

God has some amazing things planned for us, if we submit. I can say for almost 40 years I have been a follower of Christ, kicking and screaming along the way. I should be content with the fact that no matter what happens in my life, God has my back. No matter how thick that root pack gets, we can be content that God has our back. We need to rely on this and “arrest” the complaining before it becomes a problem.

Where this verse gets me is God’s anger towards the complaining. They want meat and God gives it to them. For thirty days they have so much they get sick of it. I think of the movie Brewster’s Millions, where a poor man inherits a fortune from his long lost father. In order to get the whole inheritance he needed to spend $30 million in 30 days and have nothing at the end to show for it. We need to watch our complaining or we may reap way more than we sow, to the point of complaining about the excess. Think about how many times we hear people complaining about something we want? Our faith MUST rest only on God and not the “stuff” in this world.

Numbers 10:18 –

Reuben’s troops went next, marching behind their banner. Their leader was Elizur son of Shedeur.

This chapter talks about two subjects that have significance during the movement of that many people. The first is blowing of the trumpets to organize and move the various tribes in order. Earlier, I asked how you keep order with some 2 million people. This was how the Lord instructed them to notify the various tribes. This was the first form of “wireless” communications between people to get them to respond quickly. Unfortunately in time of battle, it telegraphed what was about to happen, which sometimes had its advantage.

The other subject was where troops were to be placed during their travels for protection. The Lord made it clear where each tribe was to be positioned within the nation’s movement. This obviously was necessary as they were traveling through hostile territories so they needed a plan for protection. Again when you think about the magnitude of the crowd, you can understand the importance of planning.

Now what caught my eye here was the fact they were marching behind a banner. When I read this the image I got was similar to the image of Roman soldiers’, clad in golden armor, all marching in formation behind a large banner. Then I wondered if that was how it really happened. These people were slaves and had been cast out into the wilderness. How much training did they have? Was their marching synchronous and in well-defined order? Were the “banners” magnificent large linens, or were they rag tag sheets on a stick?

I always find it amazing the images I conjure up in my head, which are often based on images Hollywood has created over the years. These make me wonder how much of the Bible is muddied by our society. I have talked to pot smokers who can quote Biblical references about how it’s all over the Bible. On the other extreme, some have the idea that drinking is a sin. These ideas may have some Biblical truth, but are steeped in worldly lies. Look at the statement “God helps those who help themselves”. Most believe that is from the Bible, but in actuality it’s an ancient Greek quote that actually conflicts with the Bible. God actually wants it to be clear that the glory falls on Him and not YOU, hence why the reliance should be on God and not self!

Numbers 9:17 –

Whenever the cloud lifted from over the sacred tent, the people of Israel would break camp and follow it. And wherever the cloud settled, the people of Israel would set up camp.

The cloud looked like a “pillar of fire” which must have been spectacular to see and follow. Think about being guided by God each and every day. He knows how long to rest and when to move quickly, He knows the path along the way and all you have to do is follow. Much like today, the only difference is they had a fiery pillar of clouds to follow. Granted our path is not so clear and we tend to muddy the instructions up often, the Israelites even with such clear guidance complained and questioned from time to time.

After 40 years I wonder if the people were still in amazement with God’s method of guiding them? Or were they still amazed each day? Take our daily pillar of fire that happens before us twice a day, the sunrise and sunset. How many times have you stopped and just took in the unique beauty of that event? We get so caught up in our day to day activities that we forget to see the wonderful beauty around us.

Do you think the Israelites were amazed after 40 years or were they just conditioned to follow the pillar? I know it’s difficult to imagine taking God for granted, especially when he gave the people such a magnificent display to lead them. But think about your walk with God and how he has guided you throughout your life. I know when I review some of the crazy circumstances that have happened; it’s amazing how many are taken for granted. That’s what happens when we live our lives inwardly focused and not as an outward expression of God’s love.

One quick note, at the same time we should not take God’s influence in our lives for granted, we should also not read God in everything that happens. Balance is a key to your walk with God; we must live in this world but not be of this world. Know that you will have good times along with bad. God is not a maniacal being trying to make your life miserable, sometimes sh… stuff happens. Key is never taking for granted God’s love and grandeur.

Numbers 8:6 –

“Now set the Levites apart from the rest of the people of Israel and make them ceremonially clean.”

The Lord now has assigned the significance of the “first born sons” of Israel to this tribe. He has set the apart from His people to become the interface between God and their nation. Their duties were focused on worship and the ceremonies in the Tabernacle. But what does that mean today for Christians? Things have changed so much between God and the way people “interface” with Him.

This though is kind of out there, but where the Tabernacle was an earthly representation of God’s presence, the Israelites were representations of God’s favor. When Jesus died things changed radically for the world because at that point the people’s sins were forgiven. Also, at Pentecost the Holy Spirit came and gave everyone access to God’s presence. With this the Tabernacle was no longer needed, hence the tear in the curtain from top down, as if God was opening the door for everyone. The people of Israel now represent how one could live if they remained in God’s favor.

Now my question is the role of the Levites and how it applies with the New Covenant? Also, have the Jewish people remained true to the Levites original charge and do they still honor that “tribe” as religious leaders? Today, since the Temple is gone, they have a diminished role in Jewish society, but they are still set aside. When the Temple is rebuilt they will resume their roles managing the operations there. This will be good for the Israelites, but bad for the Christians, since that represents the end times … but that’s a study in Revelations.

Numbers 7:89 –

Whenever Moses went into the Tabernacle to speak with the LORD, he heard the voice speaking to him from between the two cherubim above the Ark’s cover—the place of atonement—that rests on the Ark of the Covenant. The LORD spoke to him from there.

Although long this chapter is very repetitive because it lists the 12 tribes and their offerings, all of which are the same. I was hoping to find something unique that I could pull out but all were the same. This is one of those “dry” chapters that it is difficult to pull something interesting to comment on, until I got to the last verse. As difficult as Moses’ task was rescuing and lead the nation of Israel, at least he had a “hotline” to God.

Sure we have the Bible to understand God’s will in our lives. We use it to train our minds to understand the Holy Spirit, which then speaks to us and guides us. I would love to be able to go into a room and just talk with God. I am sure leading a nation of millions, who are God’s chosen people, demands God’s attention. But just to have a response back that was crystal clear would be wonderful.

Now in all honesty, what would you ask God? And then what if you got an answer you did not want to hear? Sometimes I think it is better we don’t have a “hotline” for a one on one with God. I think that is part of free will and how we must use it. I believe if we knew what God’s plan was for us we would be less likely to actually do what is needed to be done. Think about it, if you knew your destiny was to be a pro stunt rider would you work as hard at it? This contradicts most theologies that God knows the future, but I believe God nudges us to the future plans he would like. Our free will determines if we follow, if we put the hours in to hone our skills to become a professional or if we sit back and expect the promise of God.

As much as we would love God to just say this is the way, I think it would do more harm than good. I wonder how many would work to follow God’s will and how many would rest on His promise. We need to strive to know God and work to build a relationship. If not we will turn into that spoiled child who gets their bicycle or skateboard whenever they want a new one, then purposefully breaks it to get more. Life is an adventure, as you read the Bible it’s never easy and many times tragic.

Numbers 6:3 –

they must give up wine and other alcoholic drinks. They must not use vinegar made from wine or from other alcoholic drinks, they must not drink fresh grape juice, and they must not eat grapes or raisins.

This is to the Jews who take the vow of a Nazirite. This vow is for the person to focus on the Lord for a season. During this time they will drink no wine, not cut their hair and avoid the dead. Not really sure the reason or purpose of this vow other than it is an outward symbolic gesture of your devotion to God. Much of the significance of this vow is lost in today’s culture mainly since long hair has been a fashion for decades.

First we must look at the significance of the vow and what each meant. At the time long hair was an indication of shame and therefore symbolized one’s shame towards God. The wine was so one did not lose focus in earthly pleasures. Avoiding the dead was to separate oneself from death and a reminder of the cost of sin. So each requirement was a reminder to set oneself aside for God.

Now one may argue that Luke 9:23-27 give the disciples the same charge to set themselves apart like the people who took the vow of a Nazirite. Although today the focus tends to just be avoiding alcohol to the point that drinking, by many Christians, is considered a sin. And the ones who don’t think it’s a sin believe Luke 9:23 means they must “deny themselves” of drinking and other “worldly” pleasures. Honestly, for one who wants to truly set themselves apart and become a leader this may be acceptable, but not a “standard” by which all Christians must follow.

I think much of this “thought” process as a standard spread across the entire body of Christ helps separate us from God. Why? God gave us pleasures to enjoy the life He gave us! When did satin ever give us joy? The reason pleasure becomes “sin” is when we move our focus to more pleasure and less God. As you grow as a Christian, don’t get sucked into the theologies of denying oneself of all pleasures! God gave us life to live it to the full. It’s not alcohol but the love of alcohol … it’s not sex, but the love of sex … it’s not money, but the love of money … that separates us from God. It’s when that love becomes all consuming and that desire passes all forms of logic or reason. Your quest for the “love” is never satisfied and therefore causes a snowball effect in this focus to the point all attention is placed on that. So keep your pleasures in balance, God gave them for us to enjoy not abuse!

Numbers 5:31 –

The husband will be innocent of any guilt in this matter, but his wife will be held accountable for her sin.

Interesting they go through this long procedure before the priest to determine if a husbands jealousy is justified yet there is nothing before or after if the woman is jealous. If you read the entire chapter there is a ritual for determining if the jealously is justified. It starts with a woman committing adultery and there being no witnesses. My question is what about the other party in this act? Are they not witnesses or did they “sin” also no matter their marital status?

My first question is why doesn’t God make this “easy” for us today to determine guilt? We have seen time and again people who appear guilty get off because of a good lawyer. It would be so much easier if the judge could hand this over to God and it be settled in a short time. Imagine the savings alone in lengthy court battles and we would have no more jury duty! Now if you think about this the procedure is for someone who suspects infidelity, not for someone who was caught in the act or with “blood on their hands.”

One other thing I find interesting is there is no procedure listed for a woman’s jealousy. So does this mean a man’s actions are held to a different standard? Or is it implied that this will apply in both cases? Unfortunately you see this often where a man is rarely the focus on infidelity. John 8 starts with a story about an adulterous woman about to be stones and Jesus addresses her accusers. He writes something in the sand and none of the accounts mention what he wrote. Think about it the woman was caught IN THE ACT and they were about to stone her to death, I believe the writing said “what about the man”.

That story ties into this law so well, the man seems to get a free ride, so to speak, when it comes to adulterous affairs. My belief there is an implied connection between the woman’s rights, yet the interpretation does not out rightly state this to be true. Now, I would love to go into the original scriptures to determine the actual context. When you get into the mire of the details of the Law it gets ugly, but it wouldn’t be a necessary if we just followed the Ten Commandments!

Numbers 4:4 –

“The duties of the Kohathites at the Tabernacle will relate to the most sacred objects.”

I have commented recently about the logistics of moving a couple million people around the desert. Well God is starting to get assigned duties and order to the process. As you go through this chapter you will notice the Levite clans get specific assigned duties to breaking down and transporting the Tabernacle. The Kohathites are to handle the most critical items of the Tabernacle, yet they just move them. Aaron and his sons must first breakdown and cover all the items so no one lays eye on them.

It fascinates me on how the logistics works getting that many people to move order. Guess it’s because we are moving and the logistics are incredible, and it’s just around the block and two people! Moses and Aaron had a huge task of managing the logistics and the people. Imagine the CEO’s they would make! Of course they did have a “direct line” to God, so that helps.

Now as we look the clans of Levi are the Kohathites, the Gershonite and the Merarite clans. In doing the research for my readings in Numbers, I have found references to 10 lost tribes of Israel. I wonder if these are myths or just divisions within the original 12 tribes like Joseph’s tribe was split into Ephraim and Manasseh later. Some mention that when Judah split from Israel that’s where the 10 tribes were formed, which seems logical since you had 11 tribes in one nation and 1 in another, at least there would have been balance.

But again I am chasing down a rabbit hole which seems to have little importance to the message in this chapter. Even in all the chaos of millions of people wandering the desert, God can bring order to it and ensure their safety. Amazing when you think about it and I often wonder if today’s leaders get a least some prompts from God. You look at politics today and for years God seems to just be a pawn in running our nation today and not the King! But that again is another rabbit hole!

Numbers 3:10 –

Appoint Aaron and his sons to carry out the duties of the priesthood. But any unauthorized person who goes too near the sanctuary must be put to death.

This chapter goes into the Tabernacle and the tribe of Levi. In reading the numbers of people and their duties it amazes me how they could move anywhere at any speed. I wonder how long it took to breakdown and set up the Tabernacle.

Think about it there were thousands assigned to these duties. We talked about the number who were on this trip, and it amazes me they could move anywhere in a day. Just the logistics of getting a few million moving in the same direction is mind boggling.

As I read this verse I wonder how many died. Did they excuse the teens? Or did they just obey this rule without question? It wasn’t a secure structure, so people could easily have snuck in just to look around. With much of the regulation death is the penalty, how many executions were performed?

Now how would this work today? We have the death penalty here in Georgia and it doesn’t seem to change people’s willingness to commit crimes that are punishable by death. Since we tend to be careful not to execute the wrong person, the execution of the executions is slow and therefore may be the reason why it’s not a deterrent. They may have swift justice and therefore strict adherence to the Laws. Makes you wonder about the difference between the societies.

Numbers 2:34 –

So the people of Israel did everything as the LORD had commanded Moses. Each clan and family set up camp and marched under their banners exactly as the LORD had instructed them.

This chapter is a little dry, since it’s just laying out the arrangements of the camp. It places the Tabernacle and each tribe to ensure protection. Interesting as you read this the Lord instructed them to set up an ideal defensive position around the Tabernacle so they could protect it from any kind of attack. This is not just a few families camping together in a state park! When your look at just the numbers of warriors being 603k, it gives you an idea of how large the rest of the group is! Even if there was just one extra person per warrior, you have well over a million people trying to set up camp. I would estimate that number to be much larger more like up to 3 million.

Now the last verse caught my eye since you had this large number of people do “everything as the Lord had commanded”! I assume this was only for the camp, since we have stories of Moses and the Lord getting upset at them. Think of the magnitude and the obedience that must have been going on, since this was not a week-long trip! No this trip ended up being 40 years and the people did as they were told. How many of us would be chasing a “promise” for 40 years?

It’s easy to say Moses did as he was commanded, but millions of people all follow! That IS amazing! One key point that may be the reason for this obedience is the Tabernacle, which in a roundabout way is “heaven on earth.” The Tabernacle was set up to be an interface between man and God much like it will be in heaven. You can see the significance of this area, and therefore why the people would not question or complain when it came to protecting it. One thing to point out is how when Jesus died the curtain between the Most Holy Place was torn from the top down, like it was opened by God Himself!

Numbers 1:54 –

So the Israelites did everything just as the LORD had commanded Moses.

We know God has an actually dialogue with Moses and basically tells him what to do. The problem Moses has always had is convincing the people to do God’s will. It took 10 plagues to soften Pharos’ heart and even with Moses gone for one of his discussions the people build a golden calf. Really? They saw the Red Sea part and after seeing all God’s power, they think they can find salvation in a chunk of gold. It boggles my mind that Jesus has got a hold of people with miracles performed 2000 year ago. The Holy Spirit is cool that way.

Anyway, this chapter is focused on organizing the military. First God/Moses assigns the leaders of each tribe and then has them register their able bodied men who can fight. Interestingly they excuse the Levites, as they are to deal with the Tabernacle and moving it around. As they count it Moses has an available army of about 604 thousand men, which will be able to help defend and conquer for Israel.

Now me being a mild pin head have one question about the number of tribes. Why does the list have 12 tribes and exclude the Levites? There were 12 sons of Jacob, one of his sons was Joseph and he had two sons. Joseph died before leaving Egypt and therefore his inheritance was split between his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim. Also, since the Levi’s got not inheritance most look at the division since it was parsed in 12 portions. Confusing? Yes, but remember the nation of Israel started with 12 tribes and the tribe of Joseph was divided into two.

I have written about this split every time I read something after Exodus that lists the tribes. One would think my memory would be better on subject matter like this, since I have researched and written on it more than once. I often wonder is my mind so distracted from God that I don’t remember this stuff or do I need to pound it into my head more often? I memorize verses and then a year later could only paraphrase them if I am lucky. So the question is am I a product of the information age where I can access any tidbit on my iPhone and therefore don’t have to work on memory or am I just forgetful?

As I recall this is one of the more difficult books to read, since it starts off going through tribes and genelogy to build military camps. I think you will see it’s significance as we dive in!

Please excuse if I skip a chapter or two since much is just a list of tribes and people.

Hebrews 13:9 –

So do not be attracted by strange, new ideas. Your strength comes from God’s grace, not from rules about food, which don’t help those who follow them.

This last chapter is a “dump” which we could spend a week on. The writer wants to get a few final thoughts in and verse after verse has great insight. I suggest diving in and reading this whole chapter a few times. I was going to focus on verse 5 and the problems with money in this world, but figure that is a sore subject these days since most of us who “loved” money, don’t have much anymore. This verse attracts me because of the Law and how we should follow it.

First of all the Law became a set of rules and guidelines the Israelites needed to live by in order to be right with God. The problem with the law happened when the people took it “legalistically” and not as a list of “should’s” but rather a list of “shall’s”. The food laws are my favorite since they have been scientifically proven as the best food for our bodies. This verse touches on them I believe. I disagree a bit on the final assertion about not helping those who follow them, but that could be hours of parsing out the dietary Laws and comparing them to other substitutes.

The key to this verse is not being attracted by strange new ideas. Believe me you will see a ton throughout your lives; churches will try to separate themselves by taking a different angle on spiritual truths. One could argue singing rock in church is of the devil, no need for this new-fangled music, traditional hymns are the way to go. But most of those hymns we “new-fangled” music just 200 years ago. They key isn’t the beat, but the message! So if the glitz and glamour are of interest, make sure they hold true to the scriptures.

Remember your strength comes from God’s grace and not so much from other sources. Now in reading this over and over, I wonder if the rules about food stem from the Hebraic dietary Laws or another lifestyle that was popular in that time. Reason being is the dietary Laws will help keep your flesh strong and healthy, which will enable you to do more productive work for God. So I wonder if the writer was pointing to another popular belief of the time or making sure they understood that the dietary Laws were not the path to salvation, but the grace the Jesus gave us.

Hebrews 12:7 –

As you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as his own children. Who ever heard of a child who is never disciplined by its father?

When do we stop getting disciplined like children? I guess it’s when we stop acting like them. I can think of more times in my life where I get “spanked” for something I have done wrong. The biggest “spankings” I seem to get are more for lack of action than something I did wrong. How many times should we have acted and did not? How many times did we miss a major blessing or got in trouble because we procrastinated? I think this is probably the biggest “sin” I do in life; I wait and take no action, then miss an opportunity.

We tend to go through life and not think about missed opportunities because sometimes we don’t know what we missed. But think about all the late fees we have paid for missing a due date on a bill or not being able to do something because we missed a registration date. Today I can think about some major forgot to do’s that have or will cost me. Just this past few weeks I forgot to pay my registration for the van, so time to pay a late fee. I didn’t follow up on my Letters of Recommendations for the application to law school, so the application was late and rejected. I forgot to go into work over the weekend and caused problem in New Zealand, this is developing.

Initially this verse attracted me because of how I have punished you two throughout the years. Even recently, I have punished you for action and I wanted to use this as a “see God agrees” but it quickly fell on my problems. The point I wanted to make was to make sure you understood we punished you out of love and not to be mean. We wanted to form you into well balanced adults who could work in well in society. I hope you take that away from this verse. What I want you to learn from my experiences is don’t procrastinate or you will miss a bunch!

Hebrews 11:1 –

Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see.

Fact and faith clash constantly in our lives and we must decide how we process the data. One of the most debated “facts” outside of God is evolution. Did life on this earth evolve? The argument could last years and no one would change their minds, but it is “fact” that species adapt and “evolve” to changes in their environment, it’s “faith” that they evolve into other species. Many Christians believe the Bible is hard fact, while others contend that God used evolution to create man … both beliefs are “faith”.

Now take my life and the string of odd coincidences that have placed me where I am today. One could argue that the string was orchestrated by me and seeming “coincidences” was were my subconscious was in control. Also, one could argue that it was just a random string of events that I have “linked” together in my mind as some grand tapestry called my life. Or these random events could only have been orchestrated by a “higher” power and therefore God exists. All these beliefs of factual events are pure faith in their meaning.

This starts off a laundry list of people in the Bible that have shown great faith. As we go through the list I find it easy for some to have faith. Think about it, Moses had God speak to him through a burning bush. So did God do this because of Moses’ faith or did this strength his “faith” to actual “fact”? We read this story and can only believe it in “faith” since God has never talked to us through a burning bush. Or has God talked to us and we just figured it was coincidence?

My example of a crystal clear message from God was a tax issue, my options were to file and pay an large sum of money or just sweep it under the rug and say we did not business during this time. I prayed and opened my Bible to a random spot and hit Matthew 22:21 … “give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar.” I blew that off as a random happening and moved forward with covering up the business. A few days later I did the same thing and landed on Luke 20, which is the same story. So did I randomly pick those two verses following a prayer on the subject, did I subconsciously know the location and find it or did God speak to me through two random events? God has become “fact” in my life, now I just need to be able to prove it to others;-)

Hebrews 10:29 –

Just think how much worse the punishment will be for those who have trampled on the Son of God, and have treated the blood of the covenant, which made us holy, as if it were common and unholy, and have insulted and disdained the Holy Spirit who brings God’s mercy to us.

Before starting on this verse, I had a difficult time honing in on one verse that would capture this chapter. It goes into an explanation of how the new replaces the old covenant. Unfortunately it did not really get into the nuts and bolts of the details on the changes. All it really explained was the sacrificial system was gone and replaced by the blood of Jesus. Verse 16 implies He will put His laws in our hearts and minds, but what does that really mean?

Society and the church can control our views of what is right and wrong. If a new Christian finds a church that has fundamental differences with the Bible, one’s mind could easily be swayed into thinking some sins are acceptable. I have justified sins before thinking they were fine, until I grew more as a Christian and realized they were wrong. I have heard people say “what is a sin for you is not a sin for me” … what does that mean to God?

I am drifting away from the verse, which has an important point of salvation. I should have started with verse 26 which say if we “deliberately continue sinning” after accepting God and gives this verse has a different meaning. You take this verse alone and you could rant for days on how the unbelievers will be punished. But in reading verse 26 you realize this is for the believers! I am one who sinned as a youth knowing it was wrong and continuing to do so without thought. So I expect a spanking when I get to heaven!

I know the last chapter implies that Jesus will return and judgment will not rain down. I believe this is for the ones that follow God and hold true to his covenant. If you sin and do it willfully without regard to God’s will, then judgment will happen. I am not saying we cannot sin, but we should not be doing “premeditated” sin. Either way 1st John 1:9 helps us was away the sin through confession. As I have learned this is not an “E-ticket” to sinning, but a way to restore that relationship with God so we do not sin! They key is to keep and restore your relationship with God and use the Bible as your guide, not other men.

Hebrews 9:27 & 28 –

<27> And just as each person is destined to die once and after that comes judgment, <28> so also Christ died once for all time as a sacrifice to take away the sins of many people. He will come again, not to deal with our sins, but to bring salvation to all who are eagerly waiting for him.

This chapter explains the structure of the Tabernacle and its significance. The significant part is the separation by a curtain between the Holy Place and Most Holy Place. The Most Holy Place is where the High Priest goes once a year. This system of worship was a model of Heaven and was “destroyed” when Jesus died on the cross. In Matthew 27:51 you see the curtain was torn from top to bottom signifying God opening the Tabernacle to all.

Now these are the last two verses and bring some significance to Christ’s return. We are constantly taught we will be judged at this time, but this implies otherwise. Now Revelations paints a different picture of Christ’s return, where the world is judged and destroyed. I believe both can happen because if you study the “rapture” you will see believers will be removed from the world sometime during this period. Verse 28 is clear that people who eagerly await the return will not be judged, so it’s implied that believers will be safe from the “tribulation”.

This chapter also points out the significance of Christ’s death on the cross as more significant than the blood of animals. We see here that Christ only needs to die once for our sins and His blood covers them all. The blood of an animal only covered what had happened for the person performing the sacrifice, where Jesus’ blood covered it all. Within this chapter the Jewish people are shown the difference between the Old and New Covenants and worship, where Jesus as High Priest has opened the Most Holy Place to all.

Hebrews 8:13 –

When God speaks of a “new” covenant, it means he has made the first one obsolete. It is now out of date and will soon disappear.

This chapter has a lot of teeth in it for such a short one. Verse 5 details how the system on earth was to model the system in Heaven. Verse 11 tells us that we all already know God. This is one to think about, how many atheists want prayers when the chips are down? But the last verse says a bunch to me. As you know I am not one to dismiss the Law and believe there is much of it we should abide to and follow.

The Laws of tithing and savings teach us fiscal discipline and the tithe goes to support the church and ministries. The food laws are just healthy and allow our bodies to be ready for doing God’s intended work. The “legal system” is actually the model for our legal system today. Laws of love are necessary, as well as some of the family laws. But the sacrificial system is over with the death of Jesus and the temple system is over since Jesus has given us direct access to God.

Now Jesus took the Law and made it harder! Every point he talked about the rules he set the standard much higher than before, as with tithing where all should be given. Now He is not saying give it all away, unless it has a hold on you to the point of controlling your relationship with God. So is this “new” covenant more difficult than the old one? Or since we now have direct access to God the standard is higher? Or is much of the Law merely suggestions to live a better life and the “new covenant reveals that? I think the Law provides the “lines on the road” we need to follow to keep from chaos and the Holy Spirit helps us maintain that path.

Hebrews 7:27 –

Unlike those other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices every day. They did this for their own sins first and then for the sins of the people. But Jesus did this once for all when he offered himself as the sacrifice for the people’s sins.

The last few chapters have expanded on Jesus being a High Priest and the significance of this to the Jewish people. In a nut shell this is what Jesus represents to us in the sacrificial system. Again today we seem to miss the significance of the blood sacrifice and the real significance of Jesus’ giving of himself as a sacrifice. This is why the Bible is divided up into the Old and New Testaments, God realized we needed a reminder of the roots of our faith.

Now Hebrews is primarily for helping the Jewish faith understand the significance of Jesus. This book explains how Jesus fits into the old system and the changes that are represented in Jesus. Although most Christians come from the Gentiles, this book represents a great reference between the two Testaments. It’s a good idea to read this either before or after you read much of the Law, to help link the two views together.

Now this chapter also talks about Melchizedek who was a High Priest who Abraham tithed to after battle. This is one of those characters in the Bible I know little about so I Google’d his name to get more insight. First this chapter almost makes Melchizedek sound very important as being higher than Abraham, yet most of us have rarely heard his name. This chapter implies that Jesus is part of this priesthood which is above and not part of the tribe of Levi. If you study more the Book of Enoch says that Melchizedek is born of a virgin, which definitely places him different that the other priests.

I believe this reference is to tie in the significance of Jesus as being higher than Melchizedek who was higher than Abraham. That helps solidify how one sacrifice could cleanse the sins of future generations. Think back to sermons and studies you have had and try to remember Melchizedek name. What was the emphasis of the teaching? Why does someone with very lofty credentials rarely get talked about?

Hebrews 6:2 –

You don’t need further instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment.

We talked yesterday about starting to take the pursuit of God to the next level. How we needed to wean ourselves off milk and start going after Jesus and God more in depth. Well the writer continues this though in this chapter and focuses on the “basics” which makes me wonder if I am still on a milk diet!! As I read verse 2 it goes through the “basics” that should be understood by all before moving on. Then I go through the check list.

First, is a baptism which I have been actually three times; once as a child, one at the UMC Church when the family was “sprinkled” and once at Shadowbrook when I got dunked. I understood the meaning and what it symbolized. So I can check that one off. Next is “laying of hands”, which in my book means praying over a person and touching them. I also associate it with healings and being able to pray, touch and heal an individual. I “understand” this completely but have never seen it happen and would love to be able to heal someone by touch and prayer. Is my faith not strong enough or do I just not have this gift? Can I “check” that one off?

Next on our check list is resurrecting the dead. Jesus did this a few times in His ministry, Paul and Peter both did this so it wasn’t limited to Jesus. Again I have never seen or heard of this being done recently. So does that mean we have strayed far away from Jesus’ original message that no one can perform these miracles anymore? One begs to question if this happens daily in our hospitals and ER’s? People die constantly and are shocked back into life. Did Jesus just know CPR or did He do this by touch or command? Again I understand the concept but have never done it before. So check or no check?

Finally, the writer mentions eternal judgment for our sins. This is a simple concept; we are sinners and will be judged for our sins after death. The only way to absolve ourselves is through confession and the belief that Jesus died for our sins. So I can “check” this one off. Right now if it’s an “understanding” of these ideal I am batting 1000, if it’s “performing” them than I am quickly down to 500 or even 250, since I haven’t stopped sinning!! The question lies if understanding is enough to grow? What do you think?

Hebrews 5:12 –

You have been believers so long now that you ought to be teaching others. Instead, you need someone to teach you again the basic things about God’s word. You are like babies who need milk and cannot eat solid food.

The first part of this chapter deals with Jesus being the High Priest and why He needed to become human. Reading that part helps gain an understanding of what Jesus represented to the Jewish people. I was thinking about verses to pick and then I got slapped with the next “subject” in this chapter! We keep learning the same thing over and over without exploring too deep, or we just think we have it all figured out and don’t listen.

We all get into this rut where our spiritual growth is based on a 30 minute sermon each Sunday. But think about how much one can grow in a sermon that has to help their congregation grow, but also reach someone who is new to Christianity. After years of going to church I still pull something new from each sermon I hear, but that should not be the foundation of our spiritual growth. We cannot grow fully off the milk being fed to infants in Christ, we must explore deeper into Gods word.

I think back to the first sermon a friend every taught to the youth group at Shadowbrook. He had fun with this and went after the need to grow spiritually. He compared spiritual food to the food body builders need basically saying they could not grow without “real food” just as we as Christians need more substantial studies. I think back to how many years I was a Christian before I decided to read the Bible, then how many years between that decision and when I actually did it.

Now after doing all this study I think it’s time to be teaching others. There are two groups the writer is addressing, the first are the long term Christians who keep living in the basic Gospel message and go no further. The other is the long term Christian who is a “wonk” and feels they need to know everything before they can address anyone. I at one time or another have fallen into both groups, but now it’s time to help others and lead a study group outside this blog. Pray I don’t “blow it” and help others gain a passion for going beyond Sunday morning.

Hebrews 4:16 –

So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.

The majority of this chapter talks about rest and the importance of it. It implies we can only really rest when our faith in God is solid. One thing I can say with 100% certainty, a day of rest is very important. I know there are “sects” of the Jewish faith that go so far as not even turn on a light on their day of rest. This I think is extreme, but the idea of rest needs to be honored. Our idea on this day is get to church then hit the trails, or the beach or do something else that although is not “work” takes a tremendous amount of energy. I don’t know if that really qualifies as “rest” and may actually do more harm than good.

The last verse in this chapter is a great promise for hope in God. The writer relates God to a king, because at that time most of the cultures of the time were monarchies and this analogy worked in explaining God’s position in our lives. To receive mercy from the king was above all other authority, so it was final. If Jesus were to speak today to our nation would God be described as the President or the Supreme Court? We need to think more of the analogies in the Bible today since we have a distributed form of government and are more manufacturing/technology, not the monarchies over an agrarian society.

The big key is putting God and Jesus first in our lives. We need to let their rule and accord guide us in our daily walk. If we do follow God this way, the promise is clear that we will get help when we need it most. I know it’s difficult especially in today’s economy to have faith in this promise. We are told we will never have to deal with more than we can handle, yet I joke that God must think I can handle a bunch. I think the key is taking this up a level and looking at life eternally. We all tend to focus on the here and now, which clouds our eternal view. What is your view of when you need God the most?

Hebrews 3:12 –

Be careful then, dear brothers and sisters. Make sure that your own hearts are not evil and unbelieving, turning you away from the living God.

After writing this the author immediately compares what happened to Moses and Israel when they left Egypt. Where they took their “eye off the ball” for a moment and ended up wandering for 40 years. This is something we need to be on guard for our entire lives. We can drift so quickly from God’s grace and not even know it until it’s too late.

I think of how many times I let friends lead me astray … or maybe more properly say I followed friends down the wrong path more than once. We need to be very careful on who we allow into our “inner circle” so we can have “accountability partners” during our journey. The next verse says “you must warn each other EVERY DAY”. So God knows we can’t do it alone and need help from like-minded people each and every day. Notice the writer did not say, every week or month? No he said every day, because God knows life can quickly pull us so far away from His grace we need help every step of the way.

Some keys in life are to be fluid in your walk. Many times I have let individuals in a church turn me the wrong way or something that wasn’t done get me upset. These events quickly change my direction and I then drift aimlessly. That is what the devil wants! The key is not to rest your faith in people, but in God. Remember to never let one bad apple spoil your walk … pun intended there! Our “inner circle” is there to help talk us through times of confusion or anger, so we can remain focused on God.

Also, one last key is to remain rooted in the Word. Read the Bible and pray daily. I started this a while back and it has changed my outlook on life and helped keep me centered. Keeping a daily study keeps your eyes focused “on the ball” and therefore you can help yourself and others in your “inner circle” of friends. I cannot say how important these two aspects are in life; keeping friends who are rooted in God and studying daily. God gives us verses like this all the time for a reason, He knows life alone can quickly become self-destructive; we are designed to be with others!

Hebrews 2:17 –

Therefore, it was necessary for him to be made in every respect like us, his brothers and sisters, so that he could be our merciful and faithful High Priest before God. Then he could offer a sacrifice that would take away the sins of the people.

This ties in yesterday’s discussion on how Jesus and God are one in the same. This answers the question of why God needed to do this. The system God set up for absolution of sin was performed through a High Priest; therefore Jesus needed to assume the role of High Priest in order to resolve the sins of this world. In today’s society we are so far removed from the “blood sacrifice” that Jesus’ death does not have the same meaning.

No today our idea of sin is so clouded by people who have justified evil for so long that some are even considered “righteous” these days. And with many there are questions if we need to be absolved of our transgressions, especially if we don’t get caught! The days of raising a perfect lamb to sacrifice for our sins are long gone. Sure they remain in some cultures, but in most “western” societies this practice has long past.

The reason for this is primarily Christianity’s spread throughout the world. Most of “western” civilization has adopted “Christianity” in one way or another and no longer perform sacrifices for sins. Some could say capital punishment is human sacrifices for crimes, but that is actually punishment for a crime and not resolving the sin gap between us and God. So how do we understand the significance of Jesus’ sacrifice and what is represented to the Jewish people of that time? Read the Old Testament, where it becomes very clear the significance of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. Then you will see how important that was for us today!

Hebrews 1:3 –

The Son radiates God’s own glory and expresses the very character of God, and he sustains everything by the mighty power of his command. When he had cleansed us from our sins, he sat down in the place of honor at the right hand of the majestic God in heaven.

As we start Hebrews, the writer gets into some great theological truths very quickly. The first 4 verses create a bridge for Israelites to understand how Jesus fits into their understanding of God. Right away one of the hardest concepts of Jesus and God being the same is just thrown out without much detail. One of the foundational beliefs of many denominations is that God, the Holy Spirit and Jesus are all one in the same and this verse solidifies that “doctrine”. For the longest time I could not wrap my head around this concept, until I stopped the “personification” of God.

I talk about this a bunch but it’s a difficult concept to understand, primarily because of the person Jesus. The most common question is about “how can Jesus be God if He will be seated at God’s right hand?” Or how can he be God’s “son” and still be God? Or how can God be Jesus and God at the same time? Interestingly most people have no problem resolving the Holy Spirit since that is God like and seems more like an extension of God. But Jesus is defined as a person distinctly different from God.

So how are these resolved? Easy, go back to Genesis 1 and how man is created in God’s image. That is what messes us up in the first place, because we think God looks like us. But this “meat suit” we live in is not the image, but the “energy” that drives our body is what the image of God IS. Think about the mass of cells we have, what makes them tick? It’s energy in the form of a human, but that energy has a memory and a consciousness of it’s being. THAT is the real image of God, not a body.

Now we get to Jesus and how can HE be God and God’s son at the same time? Well where our energy or “souls” are images of God and replications of God’s image. The “energy” that “drove” Jesus’ body WAS God, not an image. Now all of the energy that IS God did not become Jesus, just a part. That is why Jesus still prayed to God, which was the human side communicating with the “energy” side. The key is removing the “personification” of God since it’s difficult to imagine a “man” being omniscient and omnipresent. If you put God into the energy “box” He becomes in everything, through everything, everywhere and always. The only difference from energy that lights a fire and God is His energy is not random and is “aware!”

Going to spend the next few weeks in Hebrews … this is a great book to tie the Old and New Testament.

Deuteronomy 34:1 & 10 –

<1>Then Moses went up to Mount Nebo from the plains of Moab and climbed Pisgah Peak, which is across from Jericho. And the LORD showed him the whole land, from Gilead as far as Dan;
<10>There has never been another prophet in Israel like Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face.

Imagine spending your 120 years working for a goal most of your life, and then dying before you can enter. This is one aspect of the Moses story I struggle with because an instant of anger cost him his lifetime goal. Sometimes I wonder if that was what has happened in my life from time to time. I think back to a job I was offered and then I blew up at the doctor for over charging. That fit of rage cost me almost ¾ of a million in lost wages!! When you think about it my loss is way less than Moses’ was in the big picture.

Again I have a tough time with punishment of anger since I have a big problem with it. I have learned to control it, but it bubbles up inside from time to time and I have to follow my Biblical bases and control it quickly. Do you have something in your life where you think the punishment did not fit the “crime?” Was the punishment from “man” or from God? If I look back I can think of many, some of which were fair in hind sight and other which to this day have me scratching my head. I often wonder if God is 100% just or if it’s like man if you catch Him on a good day you may just get off.

I brought I verse 10 to talk about because I think of Elijah and Jesus who both rose into heaven where Moses was buried by God in an unknown location. Elijah rose before his death so that makes me think about this verse more in depth. I wonder if we are not told of all Moses’ encounters with God. Also the foundation of the Bible is all Moses’ writings, where Elijah’s story was more the glue. Jesus well is Jesus and was well after these writing, so they are definitely not the “final” word on this subject. Makes you wonder!

Deuteronomy 33:29 –

How blessed you are, O Israel! Who else is like you, a people saved by the LORD? He is your protecting shield and your triumphant sword! Your enemies will cringe before you, and you will stomp on their backs!

This is Moses’ final blessing on Israel before they cross into the Promised Land and he dies. The first thing I got reading the chapters is how many of the tribes of Israel I did not know. He blesses each of them and as I was reading I realized how many I did not know, which got me thinking how many of the 12 disciples I knew. Is this important to know all 12 by name? I don’t believe so, but it’s something that I would like to be able to rattle off my head.

As listed in the blessing; Reuben, Judah, Levi, Benjamin, Joseph, Zebulun, Issachar, Gad, Dan, Naphtali, and Asher. Interestingly, Moses left off the tribe of Simeon! Was this because they are cursed from Genesis 49:7? The other thing I noticed in researching this is the tribe of Joseph was combined into two tribes; Manasseh and Ephraim. So I ran down this rabbit trail trying to figure out the tribes and missed the whole point of my initial thought!

It is verses like this that are the basis for the Israelites rejecting Jesus as the Messiah. They are expecting a mighty warrior to crush the Roman’s occupying their lands and restore their lands by force. All throughout the Old Testament we see references to Israel’s opponents being destroyed, hence why the image of the Messiah would be mighty. They did not expect Jesus and His message as that of the Messiah.

Their expectations were different than what actually transpired. How many times has this happened to us? We expect one thing and get another! As children this happens often as we grow up and can be illustrated by birthdays and Christmas. How many times did we wake expecting one thing and ended up getting another? I know this happened a few times, one when I was real young and wanted a Spiderman costume. This was before the time when you could buy them so it was not easy and did not transpire. Also there was no way my mother could have met my expectations anyway because I wanted it to work!! The point in this is when God says one thing don’t interpret it the way you wish, be open to His definition and not yours.

Deuteronomy 32:2 –

Let my teaching fall on you like rain; let my speech settle like dew. Let my words fall like rain on tender grass, like gentle showers on young plants.

As started this chapter I hoped for an uplifting song, unfortunately that does not happen. This chapter ends with God telling Moses that he will sit on a mountain top, look at the Promised Land and die. So as we reach the end of Moses’ life and writings we see hope that is tarnished by actions in the future. So in reading this chapter be aware that there may be some bitterness coming out in his writings.

This verse actually has great meaning when you think about it. If you soak in God’s teaching like a gentle rain, over time like a seed you will sprout and grow. As this gentile rain nourishes your body with knowledge you grow stronger each and every day. With each light shower comes the required amount of water for us to grow with God.

Ever notice when you stop getting that teaching on a regular basis you quickly become dry needing something quick? I have been years without following God and when I open my heart for learning again, it’s like a flood. Have you ever noticed a freshly planted lawn, how the small tender grass starts a green haze over the dirt. If a strong thunder storm rolls in this green haze gets damaged quickly, small plants lose their roots and gets washed away quickly. So it’s easier to keep a light watering daily than a flood every so often.

If the storm gets really rough and this teaching keeps getting push away, the churning updraft creates hail! And I can attest to being in this position it is not fun! The longer we drift away from God the more difficult the transition is back to his loving arms. Not saying it is bad, only an abrupt transition is more difficult than a slow transformation. Moses is warning Israel in this “song” not to have the lessons come in downpours, but in slow steady rains.

Deuteronomy 31:20 –

For I will bring them into the land I swore to give their ancestors—a land flowing with milk and honey. There they will become prosperous, eat all the food they want, and become fat. But they will begin to worship other gods; they will despise me and break my covenant.

They are about ready to enter the Promised Land and Moses is giving his final “marching orders” before they leave him. Interestingly God already knows they will drift away from Him and worship other gods. Yet even with this foreknowledge His love remains and He keeps His word. Is God saying this because He knows what the people will do or does He just know the most likely outcome of prosperity? Two avenues I want to explore and that is Gods knowledge of the future and the United States today.

First let’s look at Gods knowledge of the future. Many say God knows what will happen, while others say it’s all chance. I personally think it’s a combination because we have free will. God may set in motion a sequence of events that will most likely lead us to the place He wants us. But we have the ability to take action or ignore these prompts. In this instance I believe God sees the most likely outcome of being prosperous and living large. Also, He knows how quickly they strayed with Moses and all the signs and wonders so why would that change?

Second I want to look at our country today. Everyone seems to think our prosperity today has led us down a wrong path of worshiping money and stuff. But even in the early history we twisted God’s will for our nation. Look at Manifest Destiny as a prime example of people overstepping God’s prompts or twisting their agenda with God’s. We expanded west and became even more prosperous at a great cost in life and liberty to many others.

I think as we read this the key we need to take is God does not bless us to drift away but to glorify Him. I think we get so wrapped up in the great things we are doing that we miss the little things God orchestrated to get us to that point. So the big key is no matter how far we go in life, our focus needs to remain on God. The key way to do that is get locked into a community of like-minded Christians, a good church and read and pray daily. Not saying that will cure it all, but it will keep your focus on God and His destiny.

Deuteronomy 30:2 & 3 –

<2>If at that time you and your children return to the LORD your God, and if you obey with all your heart and all your soul all the commands I have given you today, <3> then the LORD your God will restore your fortunes. He will have mercy on you and gather you back from all the nations where he has scattered you.

In programming this is called an “if-then” statement and this one on the surface is quite simple. If you love God and return all will be restored. On the surface it seems simple, but when you start parsing all the regulations involved with obeying the commands it becomes quite difficult. If you “lawyer it up” and look closely at the regulations the interpretation becomes difficult. I read these and wonder how many were “man inspired” and how many were “God inspired”. Reason being is many of the laws I have already pointed out seem either in conflict with others or just odd in today’s society.

There is also question on how the commands apply to Christianity today. For example if we go back to the laws of marriage one could leave because the other person does not please them, yet Jesus makes the bond solid. Or if you look at tithing, Jesus steps it up and would have us give it all. This is to make sure we don’t let love for money override love for God and to let us know it’s all His in the first place. But as Christians, Jesus did the ultimate sacrifice for our sins and therefore the sacrificial system in the Law is over. So it gets cloudy on what Laws we should follow or when we should “follow the Holy Spirit.”

I think of the story of the prodigal son when I read these verses. There a child leaves the protection of his father’s love and goes on his own. After blowing through his money he crawls back to live with the servants. His father is so overwhelmed with compassion he welcomes his son with open arms. That story is a perfect example of how God welcomes us back when we stray from His love. The key here is NOT TO STRAY!! I did it and can say although the blessings return, the mess and mire I created before does not magically leave. I would suggest striving each day to learn and know God better so you will never stray from His loving arms!

Deuteronomy 29:4 & 9 –

<4> But to this day the LORD has not given you minds that understand, nor eyes that see, nor ears that hear!
<9> Therefore, obey the terms of this covenant so that you will prosper in everything you do.

A few verses caught hold of me today for different reasons. Verse 4 makes me realize through all our advancements from the time of Moses this still holds true in many ways. How many of us can really explain God? I think my definition works, but is difficult to associate with the “personification” of God. Today we see God’s handy work, yet dismiss it or don’t recognize it. When was the last time you sat and watched a beautiful sunset? If you did was it glory to God or just a cool reflection off the atmosphere?

Hearing God is one of the most difficult we have today. I can understand who God is and see His magnificent work on a daily basis, yet I still have a difficult time hearing His prompts. I have never heard God audibly, but have heard Him through the word and circumstances. That little “voice” is the most difficult to follow since much of the time it’s just me wanting things. I could not tell you how many “prompts” I have been given to buy lottery tickets that end up being me wanting quick freedom from debt. Oh how I wish God would speak more clearly or I would stop clouding up my mind with “crap” so I can focus on God better.

I also liked verse 9 for the promise of prosperity. My “inner voice” knew debt was the wrong path to prosperity, but it was a quick and easy fix. Even though I knew the path of debt had no scriptural basis, I violated this part of God’s Law. Again this goes back to hearing God clearly and not letting ourselves override God’s desires for our lives. Don’t fool yourselves into violating God’s Laws by your own inner voice. In my case the 10/10/80 method would have been more painful in the short term, but would have alleviated years of misery wallowing in debt. The key is being able to discern God’s Laws and their application in your circumstances.

Deuteronomy 28:2 & 15 –

<2> You will experience all these blessings if you obey the LORD your God:
<15> But if you refuse to listen to the LORD your God and do not obey all the commands and decrees I am giving you today, all these curses will come and overwhelm you:

This is a very black and white chapter, the first 14 verses deal with the blessings the nation of Israel and the individuals will received if they follow the Law. The next 54 outline what will happen if they do not. Remember when I was talking about the “C” Attitudes and wondered what a “curse” was in God’s eyes anyway. Well the final 54 verses outlines curses very clearly!

These chapters help form the foundation of the “fire and brimstone” preaching. Granted most can be gleaned from Revelations, the cause and effect stem from OT times and what happens when you move away or reject God. I can honestly say I personally know many people who don’t even know God who do not seem to live under any of these curses, quite the contrary their lives seemed “blessed” by worldly standards. This seems to apply to those of us who already know God and have drifted away. Where the foundation of “fire and brimstone” preaching stems more on the afterlife and an eternity in hell, they do also remind us to follow the path “or else.”

If you go to the kings of Israel and loosely follow their kingdoms and reigns you will see a common thread of the Law and blessings. The starkest example is Josiah when he decided to follow the God of David and found the Law in the temple, his kingdom flourished. Whereas most before and after failed to follow the Law and had many “curses” from this chapter plague them and the society. I will close with words from the song Santa Claus is Coming to Town … “So be GOOD for goodness sakes!”

Deuteronomy 27:16 –

Cursed is anyone who dishonors father or mother.’ And all the people will reply, ‘Amen.’

I did not pull this one out to berate you on how you have treated your mother and father, but more to point out what I guess you would call the “C”-attitudes. The verse before this and through the rest of the chapter each verse starts with “cursed is.” When reading these I was surprised how many related to sex with other family members. That just seems way out there as far as society today, then I think of Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure and verse 23.

Verse 23 talks about avoiding sex with your mother in law. First that would be adultery and second eeewwww. Then pops Bill and Ted, where their father marries the high school knockout. Nothing happened in the movie other than them talking about her, but … it is possible when dads violate “social standards.”

As I read through the “curses” I wonder what exactly a “curse” in this context is. Can the curse be death, or public humility or a life without blessings? We hear this word used on a regular basis that it’s meaning is very loose these days. It could be anything from a life of misery to a “dirty word.” Simple mode of operation is not to find out what the intended meaning is here and don’t do what is said here.

Now I wonder if we need these today or if the Holy Spirit makes that obvious? Observance of the Law is supposedly covered by the Holy Spirit and grace. We should know what is right and wrong. I can 100% say I have interpreted my inner desires to be the “Holy Spirit” and gone down the wrong path. Really the only way we can be sure that our “little voice” is the Holy Spirit and not that “little devil” on our shoulder is by reading the Bible and trying to understand the Law and it’s intricacies.

Deuteronomy 26:19 –

And if you do, he will set you high above all the other nations he has made. Then you will receive praise, honor, and renown. You will be a nation that is holy to the LORD your God, just as he promised.

This chapter is primarily focused on offerings and tithes, which as I have said before is a subject that is talked about a bunch in most churches. Not saying we should not tithe, but the end of this chapter had some interesting things to say about the “Law” and what if people obeyed. The Lord gave Moses these regulations and asked the people to obey them knowing that it was impossible for them to live fully under the Law. This verse shows a nice “carrot on the stick” for abiding by the Law.

I often wonder if the Lord knew they would fail and needed Jesus or if Jesus was in “reserves” for when and if they failed. As we have seen many of the regulations don’t make sense today and would be difficult to follow. The food laws are a perfect example, you would have to dissect every meal that was not labeled “kosher” to determine the quality and ingredients used. Could you obey the Law at all or would Jesus be an “excuse” for not trying?

There is a fine line in the Law which I cannot figure out as far as what applies to us now. I am completely clear on sin offerings or sacrifices, since Jesus died for our sins, but what about the rest. Also, is Israel still “set aside” and still the chosen nation? Have Christians taken this position from them? Or since Christians are from many walks of life it becomes an individual thing?

I guess the big question is how did Jesus fulfill the Law and how are we to respond to it today? If we follow it will we be blessed or should we no longer recognize the law? Jesus actually set the bar much higher when discussing the Law. Was his point to prove we cannot live up to the Law or was it to show God’s standards are much higher? I could go on for days as I am unresolved on how to respond to much of the Law as a Christian today. What are your thoughts? Are we to still live by the Law to have a blessed life or are we free of the Law to live as we desire or as followers of God are we now held to a much higher standard?

Deuteronomy 25:11 & 12 –

<11> “If two Israelite men get into a fight and the wife of one tries to rescue her husband by grabbing the testicles of the other man,<12> you must cut off her hand. Show her no pity.”

Sometimes I just scratch my head at the “Law”! This chapter bounces all over the place by first mentioning court and punishment, then the next law talks about oxen. It’s almost like Moses is just writing whatever comes to mind. Not like I don’t drift from subject to subject sometimes in the same sentence, so I am one to talk there.

When churches preach OT Law still applies today, it always seems to mostly apply to tithing. When asked about parts that don’t make sense today you get different responses or no response. The most common misconception is Christ changed the Law and how we are to interpret it. But with that said I don’t believe the Jewish culture would cut off a women’s hand. At the same time one could argue they now adhere to the Law and this punishment is no longer needed.

There are positives and negatives to reading the Law without more history. If you don’t have context of the time some laws become odd and have us questioning our faith. This becomes a sticking point for many who try to “poo-poo” our religious beliefs. They say if the Bible was really from God, things like this would not exist. For me I don’t question my faith I wonder what the culture was like then to require something that today seems odd. To really learn the law, one must take time and dive in to study the history and the context. For now I just scratch my head at laws like this.

Deuteronomy 24:1 –

“Suppose a man marries a woman but she does not please him. Having discovered something wrong with her, he writes her a letter of divorce, hands it to her, and sends her away from his house.”

Ok, we saw earlier a man could do this to a foreigner, but now it appears that they can do it to whomever they wish! Divorce is one of those subjects we are taught that God thinks is detestable, yet the Law makes it so easy to leave. I have been married 20 years and there have been times Katy has not “pleased” me, but divorce was not an option. Now Jesus changed the definition of divorce in Matthew 5:32 saying adultery was the only justification for divorce. So I can understand the Christian stance on divorce, but wonder why it’s a bigger problem with us?

I am surprised to see this worded in this manner. What if a man does not please a woman? Does she have the same rights to a letter of divorce? This really highlights one of the major complaints today about the Bible, it appears to make women “second class” to men with little or no rights. Men have used this for millenniums to throttle women’s rights. If you look at great women in the Bible and history you will notice God does not take this stance, so why do we?

Everyone blames Eve for the fall, but if Adam was a “man” he would have never agreed! I could spend hours ranting over how there are perceptions of male dominance and higher standing, but once you dig and learn you notice that’s not true. But it remains a dogma with many religious groups even to this day. One of my favorite teachers, Joyce Meyers, shows the strength of women in the ministry.

Have fun with this chapter and see what other “gems” you get from it. It’s a hodgepodge of laws from loan security to skin disease to dealing with the poor. Again some make sense where others don’t. Now when you see how the Pharisees then took these regulations and expanded on them you can see how our country today has become such a mess. We took a simple document called the Constitution and over 200+ years have made it a mess! Seems no one learns from history, be it “written” or “Biblical”!

Deuteronomy 23:1 & 9 –

<1>If a man’s testicles are crushed or his penis is cut off, he may not be admitted to the assembly of the LORD.
<9>When you go to war against your enemies, be sure to stay away from anything that is impure.

This is one of those chapters that the lawyer in me loves and hates. It goes all over the board from being allowed to gather and going to war. Heck verse 10 deals with “nocturnal emission” so you can ensure you are not overwhelmed by lust. Some make sense while others make no sense. This is where many get lost in worshiping God and say these regulations are just legalistic mumbo-jumbo.

Verse 1 is one that I look at and say why. Why would it be bad if your privates were crushed or missing? Does that really change a man’s mental outlook that radically where they would impede worship for others? I would tend to believe that is when a person really needs to press into God and get as much support as possible. Being ostracized for an accident makes no sense to me. The only “logic” is the depression one may spread into the community for their woes. But I would think God would want the “assembly” to lift this man’s spirits up and help keep him focused on God.

Now verse 9 makes sense but is one of those how can this ever happen. I have never heard of a “clean” war. When this was written they did not have any “long range tactical” weapons and had to fight hand to hand. This made staying away from anything impure difficult. Heck if I was going to battle with an army that had these marching orders I would ensure that I had tons of pigs on the battlefield and that everyone had a “nocturnal emission” before battle. I can only assume God helped in this aspect of their battles, because I could see no way that victory would be easy if you were trying to keep your hands clean at the same time. Some “laws” are logical and have scientific basis, while others have me scratching my head. The biggest key is to understand how the Israelis became so legalistic by the time Jesus came around.

Deuteronomy 22:5 –

“A woman must not put on men’s clothing, and a man must not wear women’s clothing. Anyone who does this is detestable in the sight of the LORD your God.”

Now we are getting into the nuts and bolts of the Law and are starting to see some things that seem silly to us or extreme. If you skip ahead a bit you will find more stoning’s for adultery this time. Notice the man and women gets “stoned” and then go back to the woman Jesus saved from a stoning. She was accused of adultery also, but the man was not getting stoned to death with her. Now was Jesus showing the hypocrisy of the way the Law was being enforced or how grace and forgiveness eliminate much of the Law?

I wanted to focus on this verse today since the “Women’s Movement” aka “Women’s Lib” has changed the way women dress. It is common today to see women in traditional men’s outfits. Blue jeans are the most common thing we point at as being traditional men’s wear. It is common today to see women in jeans, granted most are cut for the women’s figure. So with that said are they really men’s clothing?

Also, what about men who wear women’s cut jeans? In recent times this has actually become a fad, which I cannot understand. I ordered some jeans online that looked “normal” but were women’s cut, they were so uncomfortable to wear. Now a woman could wear men’s cut comfortably and “get away with it” but the question is where is the line? Should a woman only wear dresses? Is it ok for men to wear women’s cut jeans since they “are” traditional men’s wear?

I think most agree it’s a little odd when men start really dressing as women. Society for the most does not accept men in “drag” as acceptable attire. Women can get away with wearing men’s clothing but will get the “butch” label. As times and fashions change this Law still applies, there is clothing designed for women and there is clothing designed for men. Some styles may stem from the other genders style, but the design makes them unique to the gender. I think this “offense" is pointed more towards the “trans-gender” types who are trying to be the other gender more than just wearing clothing. Today this is looked at as intolerance to object to dress and therefore is used to nullify the Law. Is it a sin to wear women’s clothing? No idea at this point, the Law says yes but culture today says no.

Deuteronomy 21:14 & 20 –

But if you marry her and she does not please you, you must let her go free. You may not sell her or treat her as a slave, for you have humiliated her.The parents must say to the elders, ‘This son of ours is stubborn and rebellious and refuses to obey. He is a glutton and a drunkard.

This was an interesting chapter, it was much of the old Law that many point to and say “why?” We have “progressed” to a point in society where much of the Law gets questioned. It’s hard not to question God when reading this chapter and wonder where these regulations came from and why. In exploring verse 14 we, you have an instance where it is ok to marry a foreigner. At the same time if you don’t like her, you can “let her go” and effectively divorce her.

I immediately questioned this since divorce is often mentioned as bad and the only reason for it is adultery. But here if the “foreigner” does not “please” you, that is justification for divorce! What?? Jesus actually comments on this in Matthew 19:8 and said it was allowed not because it was ok with God, but because of their harden hearts. Again it seems odd that this would be mentioned since it’s such an easy way out of a “contract” where if she were a Jew it would be much more difficult.

Now verse 20 hit me straight up having teens and knowing many parents with teens. The common threat with almost all of them is rebellion and disrespect. So when I read this I figured God had the solution for my woes! Well was I shocked to read the “solution” from verse 21! My first response is how could a parent bring their child in front of elders when the punishment was stoning … TO DEATH!! This is taking “honor thy father and mother” to an extreme. Again this is a part of the Law I may never understand. Some justify this by God having to be hardline with His people because they needed strict regulations. Now Jesus teaches forgiveness and since he died for our sins, Laws like this are “voided.”

Jesus’ best example of this is the story of the “prodigal son” and how his father accepts him back. My question is why did Jesus not mention this child being stoned to death? Or was he “rebellious” after leaving the family? Also, when a woman was to be stoned Jesus stopped it by saying throw only if you have no sin. So technically only the pure could stone others and therefore that punishment is voided. One could spin a web, like what if the parents were being overbearing and unreasonable, does a child have the right to rebel and not face stoning? Also, what about a rebellious daughter?

I can’t help but question this chapter and wonder its purpose and origins. I did not get any insight looking at different translations or asking Google. Seems the only people that want to talk about verse 21 head on are people trying to show inconsistencies in the Bible. Really, “thou shalt not kill” unless it’s a disrespectful son … really? I don’t care how bad it got, I could NEVER hand my son over for execution unless it was for murder. Being a “normal” teen is not ground for execution in my mind. The only justification I can imagine is this is to be taught to the sons, but never practiced, so they will exhibit self-control.

Deuteronomy 20:1 –

“When you go out to fight your enemies and you face horses and chariots and an army greater than your own, do not be afraid. The LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, is with you!”

This chapter contains God’s “marching orders” for the troops as they go into battle. It goes on to list “exceptions” on who may stay behind and not fight. As I read through them I wonder if they applied to the draft in the 60’s would anyone be able to fight? Actually, the answer would be yes, since there are always brave men who will take up arms to protect our nation but the press seems to like to focus on those who are protesting. I digress into sixties politics, but again it was my thought as reading this chapter.

As we focus on this verse on thing I take is “do not be afraid” and how it may apply to everything in life. That is so easy to say from the pulpit but difficult to apply in all aspects of life not just battle. Honestly if you are going into a battle where people will die and do not have fear I would be concerned. It’s perfectly normal to fear going into battle or just dealing with everyday life. If you are facing losing everything due to a loss of employment, fear of what will happen is normal.

The key is not to become overwhelmed with fear. Our faith in God will overcome the fear knowing all things work out for good. One thing I personally know about fear is it takes control and shuts down the ability to respond. I have had this happen a few times racing where I know I am “coming up short” on a jump and just freeze. That ends up complicating the problem even more since a stiff body tends to break where a relaxed one will “go with the flow” and sometimes ride out of a near crash. We are all going to “come up short” during our life, the key is do we freeze and panic or have faith that we will “ride out” and continue.

Let’s face it life is full of obstacles that we must face, be it battle with an enemy that will kill us or a situation we got ourselves into. No matter what the problem fear is normal when facing the unknown. The point Moses is making here is that we don’t allow fear to overwhelm our bodies. If we become overwhelmed with fear we are useless to ourselves or anyone needing our help. It’s easier said than done and I have found practice helps.

One instance was when I was taking karate and they were teaching us how to fall, later that year I “came up short” on a double in a race. I knew I was hitting the face of the double with my front wheel and would be going over the bars. Instead of freezing and breaking a wrist, I just tucked and rolled … got back on the bike and finished in last. The key was not allowing fear and panic to take over my body. Faith in God helps alleviate our day to day fear or anxiety and practice in reading the word daily helps us do just that.

Deuteronomy 19:14 –

“When you arrive in the land the LORD your God is giving you as your special possession, you must never steal anyone’s land by moving the boundary markers your ancestors set up to mark their property.”

In today’s times we rarely think about moving boundaries to get more land. As a matter of record land is very difficult to steal today since you have modern survey tools that are accurate to 1/8” or better. Monuments, points that are very difficult to move, are the starting point when defining land boundaries. So in order to steal land today you have a very difficult time since more than just your property markers need to move.

With that said we bought some land where the previous owner knowingly built a fence and a driveway on other peoples lands. When I questioned this at closing they said no one had complained for years so it was ok. I fully expect to have to move a fence or a drive in the future. My point is even in something that cannot move like land, people push limits all the time.

I wonder why God needs to define these types of laws. I know they exist because people tend to push limits when they can and selfish desires win much of the time. Although the Ten Commandments are clear about coveting neighbor’s possessions, that was not enough and God felt in necessary to expand on the Law.

Now one would argue our current legal system has gotten way to complex and one wonders why. One only needs to look at the basis in Hebraic Law to see the start. People tend to find loopholes to take advantage or escape punishment. So what seems to be a simple law becomes increasingly complex as people take advantage of the nuances. One would think a judge or jury would be allowed to apply common sense, but that’s where a “good” lawyer hurts any system of justice. They can take a law’s wording or something not implicitly spelled out and free a guilty person. Hence why God and “law makers” get so detailed in spelling out what is right and wrong.

Deuteronomy 18:15 –

Moses continued, “The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your fellow Israelites. You must listen to him.

This chapter is one where people argue that the Lord promised a prophet for each generation. Many people also say this verse directly points to Jesus’ coming. Now we know that Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel and a host of others are written about in the Bible after these writing, so these writings can predict those also. One could argue that this holds true for the Old Testament but what about the time between the end of the OT and Jesus? Was there a prophet and no one recorded their writings? How about after Jesus?

This is where I want to focus a bit is has there been prophets since Jesus? Prophecy is one of those tricky subjects and one must be able to notice a false prophet. Verse 22 gives us guidance on how to recognize a false prophet. Now one could say the prophet Jonah was a false prophet since he predicted the destruction of Nineveh and the Lord showed them mercy. At the same time God was teaching Jonah something, but he did not pass this test so the people could have easily called him a false prophet.

So if it’s difficult to test a prophet in the Bible, how are we to know if there is a prophet among us today? Also, has there been any since Jesus? They had many prophesizing in the name of Jesus, the disciples even complained about ones that were not in the 12 prophesizing. Now this scripture promises prophets, but I did not read for every generation. Also, it’s not clear if there has been any prophets since Jesus. Today we have “fortune tellers” and many people trying to predict the future, especially when it comes to stocks and earthquakes. Science seems to have conquered the weather thing, so now if someone predicts a great storm and is right it’s based on science and not God. Other keep making predictions and once one happens, they claim prophetic powers. All you must do is discern between the Jonah’s and the nut jobs … and that is not easy.

Deuteronomy 17:17 –

The king must not take many wives for himself, because they will turn his heart away from the LORD. And he must not accumulate large amounts of wealth in silver and gold for himself.

This caught my attention because we are often taught God does not dislike wealth and Solomon who was a wealthy king is used as one example. But you read this chapter and he does many things that violate scripture. Taking so many wives, even taking them from foreign lands was his turning the wrong direction. But can we only blame the women?

What about the wealth? Just as one can argue Solomon’s wealth was proof God blessed him immensely, one could argue his wealth was in direct disobedience with the Law. So does God want to bless us beyond our wildest dreams or just bless us enough to help? If we want money for a “blessing” then I believe we have a problem. I say we because that has been my focus for many years, if not all my life. Being wealthy to the point of “freedom” where I can “do what I want” has been a goal for my entire adult life. So how has that affected my life with God and my family?

Solomon had it all and because of his disconnect with God he blew apart the nation of Israel. His wisdom could not control his desires for wealth and lust. He stopped following God and his decrees because of the distractions of this world. God said “K.I.S.S” or Keep It Simple Stupid when it comes to marriage and finances! Is money bad, no but the love of money is! Jesus was very clear on that; don’t ignore God in the quest for the buck. And those who are married or in a relationship know keeping that working requires attention … imagine multiplying that by 700! No wonder Solomon’s attention drifted from God!

The key to reading the Law is seeing how it applies today. What about kings or presidents today? Look at the current round of presidents and we see where money took control and for the most part has taken the attention off the nation. And in at least one case multiple relationships affected his leadership abilities. The current mess was because money became too powerful in people’s lives and God was dismissed. I could go on for hours on this, but want to mention that the Hebraic Law we tend to dismiss because of Jesus has some wonderful things we should be following!