Today's reading - 1 Samuel 8 - 12
The story of Saul as king over Israel is a curious one. The people had demanded a king after Samuel had aged out and his sons were acting improperly. So, God allowed them to have a king, they had rejected His leadership and sought to be like the peoples around them. Saul was selected and Samuel made it official through his anointing and so he ruled as king over Israel.
Many things are noteworthy as we read the history of Israel's transition from judges to kings. One of which is the idea that God's people can reject Him as their leader and all the ramifications that come from disobedience. God warns them that rejecting Him and demanding a king would take away their freedom and that they would become slaves to the king. (8: 17,18) God tells Samuel to solemnly warn them about what the king will do to them and their families, but the desire to be like others was too strong and they chose slavery over freedom. (this sounds familiar)
Another interesting thing to consider is that God changed Saul's heart and he began to prophesy with the other prophets. The Spirit of the LORD will come upon you in power, and you will prophesy with them; and you will be changed into a different person. Once these signs are fulfilled, do whatever your hand finds to do, for God is with you. (1 Samuel 10:6,7) It would seem that God had taken control of Saul's life and he would do and act just as God demanded. But everyone who reads on a little further quickly recognizes that Saul was still free to exercise his will over the will of God. Not only is he free to do it, he does it... repeatedly. How can God change a man's heart, yet the man still be free to chose to live wrongly? And what is God's response to this kind of choosing?
Two good questions, with very complicated answers. What does it mean that Saul was "changed into a different person" and that "God was with" him? Could he now do "what he wanted to do" and still be God's chosen one? Did "what he wanted to do" change when he became a different person? Some would say that "we always do what we want to do" and that some want to do right because they are God's chosen, while others choose to do wrong because they are not of the elect. The story of Saul gives this concept a difficult time. Saul was God's chosen, yet he rebelled and God rejected him. (1 Samuel 15: 10-35) He disobeyed God's instruction and God "tore the kingdom away from him". Saul still had the ability to chose what to do and in return for those choices he received justice from God.
I have known many who came to God through His Son and saw in them a changed heart. They were a new creation, a different person and lived lives that brought glory to God. But then, for whatever reason they chose to leave God and return to a life of sin. Isn't that what the parable of the sower is all about.
Then he told them many things in parables, saying: A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop— a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. (Matthew 13:3-8)
Every person chooses to be one of these soil types. Some of us will choose to reject Jesus outright. Some of us will accept Him and quickly fall away because we are shallow. Some will accept Him and be faithful for years only to allow life to push Him out. But some will decide to come to Him and never leave and they will bear fruit for life. That is the story that Jesus tells about us. That is the story of Saul, his heart changed and he served God, but life caught up with him and he chose to please others rather than God. Saul paid a big price for his rebellion and we face the same outcome if we willfully chose to live a life without His leadership. God will reject those that reject Him.
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Gleaning In The Fields
Now Naomi had a relative on her husband's side, from the clan of Elimelech, a man of standing, whose name was Boaz. And Ruth the Moabitess said to Naomi, Let me go to the fields and pick up the leftover grain behind anyone in whose eyes I find favour. Naomi said to her, Go ahead, my daughter.So she went out and began to glean in the fields behind the harvesters. As it turned out, she found herself working in a field belonging to Boaz, who was from the clan of Elimelech.
Just then Boaz arrived from Bethlehem and greeted the harvesters, The LORD be with you! The LORD bless you! they called back. Boaz asked the foreman of his harvesters, Whose young woman is that? The foreman replied, She is the Moabitess who came back from Moab with Naomi. She said, 'Please let me glean and gather among the sheaves behind the harvesters.' She went into the field and has worked steadily from morning till now, except for a short rest in the shelter.
So Boaz said to Ruth, My daughter, listen to me. Don't go and glean in another field and don't go away from here. Stay here with my servant girls. Watch the field where the men are harvesting, and follow along after the girls. I have told the men not to touch you. And whenever you are thirsty, go and get a drink from the water jars the men have filled. (Ruth 2:1-9)
I have to believe that gleaning is a difficult job. It must be demeaning and demanding, but is also demonstrative. Let's think it through..... a person who has nothing, trespasses on another's property in order to collect the remnants in fields left behind the harvesters in order to feed themselves and their families. In Leviticus 19 and 23, God tells the Israelites to leave the gleanings for the poor and the alien.
I might be wrong, but my guess is that those that gleaned developed a bad reputation and were looked down on by society and were probably abused. (Boaz had to tell his men not to "touch" Ruth) Maybe not, but knowing how people think and talk, my guess is that the gleaners were not looked upon too kindly. So the story here is of a young widow that had followed her mother-in-law to her homeland that finds food in the fields of another. Hunger does something to a person's pride. (maybe that is why we are told to fast)
Today I am going to go in a totally different direction. I want to you and me to think about gleaning for the LORD. In Luke 10, we are told...The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. In our society, particularly in our hometown, it seems that everyone has heard about Jesus. One way or another, the message of salvation has gone out to almost every person. While we might not all agree on what that message is, most everyone has heard that God sent His Son to die for their sins. So, what do we do? Has the job of reaching the lost been completed? Are we satisfied to sit at home thinking that the field has been harvested?
Hunger does something to a person's pride. (I have heard that somewhere before) If we "hunger and thirst after righteousness", we will not be willing to ride the bench, thinking the game is over. 2 Peter 3:9 tells us that "the Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." He is not satisfied when the fields still have any harvest left in them. God sent His Son for the "world", the whole world, not a select few.
God has called us to be co-workers with Him. "For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building." (1 Cor 3:9) When we go out into the fields to glean, God is right there with us. He hungers for every soul to be saved, even those that have heard the message and have rejected it or those that have not understood it. He is not satisfied with good enough, He wants every person to have the opportunity to love Him, because He already loves them.
Just like Ruth, we are gleaning in someone else's field. The harvest does not belong to us, but to the One that owns the field. Some fields are full and ready for the harvest, some fields have been harvested and finding the leftovers is more difficult and some fields have never been harvested. Whatever the situation you find yourself in, God says get into the field. He says "go", He says "make disciples of every nation", He says baptize them and teach them. (Matthew 28:18ff) The decision to work is ours, the work is and always has been available; the question for us is are we hungry?
Are you hungry? Or have you and I become desensitized to the work that God has prepared for us to do. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (Eph 2:10) Think about it. Who will glean your part of the field if you don't show up? What will become of those that are left in your part of the field? Let's get up, grab our equipment and hit the field, God says the harvest is waiting. Glean on!
Just then Boaz arrived from Bethlehem and greeted the harvesters, The LORD be with you! The LORD bless you! they called back. Boaz asked the foreman of his harvesters, Whose young woman is that? The foreman replied, She is the Moabitess who came back from Moab with Naomi. She said, 'Please let me glean and gather among the sheaves behind the harvesters.' She went into the field and has worked steadily from morning till now, except for a short rest in the shelter.
So Boaz said to Ruth, My daughter, listen to me. Don't go and glean in another field and don't go away from here. Stay here with my servant girls. Watch the field where the men are harvesting, and follow along after the girls. I have told the men not to touch you. And whenever you are thirsty, go and get a drink from the water jars the men have filled. (Ruth 2:1-9)
I have to believe that gleaning is a difficult job. It must be demeaning and demanding, but is also demonstrative. Let's think it through..... a person who has nothing, trespasses on another's property in order to collect the remnants in fields left behind the harvesters in order to feed themselves and their families. In Leviticus 19 and 23, God tells the Israelites to leave the gleanings for the poor and the alien.
I might be wrong, but my guess is that those that gleaned developed a bad reputation and were looked down on by society and were probably abused. (Boaz had to tell his men not to "touch" Ruth) Maybe not, but knowing how people think and talk, my guess is that the gleaners were not looked upon too kindly. So the story here is of a young widow that had followed her mother-in-law to her homeland that finds food in the fields of another. Hunger does something to a person's pride. (maybe that is why we are told to fast)
Today I am going to go in a totally different direction. I want to you and me to think about gleaning for the LORD. In Luke 10, we are told...The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. In our society, particularly in our hometown, it seems that everyone has heard about Jesus. One way or another, the message of salvation has gone out to almost every person. While we might not all agree on what that message is, most everyone has heard that God sent His Son to die for their sins. So, what do we do? Has the job of reaching the lost been completed? Are we satisfied to sit at home thinking that the field has been harvested?
Hunger does something to a person's pride. (I have heard that somewhere before) If we "hunger and thirst after righteousness", we will not be willing to ride the bench, thinking the game is over. 2 Peter 3:9 tells us that "the Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." He is not satisfied when the fields still have any harvest left in them. God sent His Son for the "world", the whole world, not a select few.
God has called us to be co-workers with Him. "For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building." (1 Cor 3:9) When we go out into the fields to glean, God is right there with us. He hungers for every soul to be saved, even those that have heard the message and have rejected it or those that have not understood it. He is not satisfied with good enough, He wants every person to have the opportunity to love Him, because He already loves them.
Just like Ruth, we are gleaning in someone else's field. The harvest does not belong to us, but to the One that owns the field. Some fields are full and ready for the harvest, some fields have been harvested and finding the leftovers is more difficult and some fields have never been harvested. Whatever the situation you find yourself in, God says get into the field. He says "go", He says "make disciples of every nation", He says baptize them and teach them. (Matthew 28:18ff) The decision to work is ours, the work is and always has been available; the question for us is are we hungry?
Are you hungry? Or have you and I become desensitized to the work that God has prepared for us to do. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (Eph 2:10) Think about it. Who will glean your part of the field if you don't show up? What will become of those that are left in your part of the field? Let's get up, grab our equipment and hit the field, God says the harvest is waiting. Glean on!
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
It Became a Snare
And he said, I do have one request, that each of you give me an ear-ring from your share of the plunder. (It was the custom of the Ishmaelites to wear gold ear-rings.) They answered, We'll be glad to give them. So they spread out a garment, and each man threw a ring from his plunder onto it. The weight of the gold rings he asked for came to seventeen hundred shekels, not counting the ornaments, the pendants and the purple garments worn by the kings of Midian or the chains that were on their camels' necks. Gideon made the gold into an ephod, which he placed in Ophrah, his town. All Israel prostituted themselves by worshipping it there, and it became a snare to Gideon and his family. (Judges 8: 24-27)
Sometimes even the best of intentions can lead us astray. I have always heard that the road to Hell is paved with good intentions. Gideon intended to make something that would be a reminder of what God had accomplished for the Israelites, but in the end, it became a snare to him, his family and the nation of Israel. The word "snare" is defined as a trap or pitfall and a noose for catching birds. All of these definitions carry with them the idea of surprise. What bird intentionally strolls into a noose to be captured? What bear walks into a trap knowingly? Still, the end result is the same.... the animal is caught and their end is near. They become dinner or a wall hanging.
God is telling us that almost anything can become a problem. For a young man, a pretty girl can become a problem. To a young girl, the mirror or the scale can become a problem. To an old man, regret; an old woman, gossip. We don't intend for any of these things to become our god, but we wander into the trap and we are caught. On a personal level, we must be vigilant to be sure that nothing in our lives is elevated to the place that God belongs. Our lives must always be lived out with Him at the helm of the ship. Something that starts out good, can evolve into something bad, if God is not in charge.
As the church, we can allow our traditions and doctrine to become our god. Are traditions important? Sure. Is doctrine important? Sure! But neither of those things are God. When what we do or what we believe is elevated above who we serve, we have allowed them to become our golden ephod and God is not pleased. He calls it prostitution. We are married to Him, yet we are running around with another god. He demands to be the One that we worship and He demands that our focus, our loyalty be towards Him.
Did Gideon do something wrong? No. But what he did became the source of a problem. If we allow something that we do or something that we believe to usurp the place of God, we have fallen in to the snare. We have allowed that thing to trap us, whatever our intent was. When football, Nascar, shopping or .... you fill in the blank, begins to interfere with our time with God.... think of the golden ephod. When your girlfriend or boyfriend keeps you out of church to go.... you fill in the blank, think of the golden ephod. When pretty weather and your boat are a stronger pull than being with your spiritual family or serving those in need, think of the golden ephod. You get the idea.
Gideon had been a powerful warrior for the LORD. God had used him to "save Israel" out of the hands of the Midianites. We all know the stories about Gideon, but few of us knew he did something that led the Israelites into false worship. He never intended that to happen, but it did. We have individual and corporate responsibilities in this matter. We must not allow things in our personal lives to usurp God's place and we must not allow our church leaders to take us places that God has not authorized. Speak up, talk about your concerns or you may find yourself bowing down to a golden ephod one day.
Sometimes even the best of intentions can lead us astray. I have always heard that the road to Hell is paved with good intentions. Gideon intended to make something that would be a reminder of what God had accomplished for the Israelites, but in the end, it became a snare to him, his family and the nation of Israel. The word "snare" is defined as a trap or pitfall and a noose for catching birds. All of these definitions carry with them the idea of surprise. What bird intentionally strolls into a noose to be captured? What bear walks into a trap knowingly? Still, the end result is the same.... the animal is caught and their end is near. They become dinner or a wall hanging.
God is telling us that almost anything can become a problem. For a young man, a pretty girl can become a problem. To a young girl, the mirror or the scale can become a problem. To an old man, regret; an old woman, gossip. We don't intend for any of these things to become our god, but we wander into the trap and we are caught. On a personal level, we must be vigilant to be sure that nothing in our lives is elevated to the place that God belongs. Our lives must always be lived out with Him at the helm of the ship. Something that starts out good, can evolve into something bad, if God is not in charge.
As the church, we can allow our traditions and doctrine to become our god. Are traditions important? Sure. Is doctrine important? Sure! But neither of those things are God. When what we do or what we believe is elevated above who we serve, we have allowed them to become our golden ephod and God is not pleased. He calls it prostitution. We are married to Him, yet we are running around with another god. He demands to be the One that we worship and He demands that our focus, our loyalty be towards Him.
Did Gideon do something wrong? No. But what he did became the source of a problem. If we allow something that we do or something that we believe to usurp the place of God, we have fallen in to the snare. We have allowed that thing to trap us, whatever our intent was. When football, Nascar, shopping or .... you fill in the blank, begins to interfere with our time with God.... think of the golden ephod. When your girlfriend or boyfriend keeps you out of church to go.... you fill in the blank, think of the golden ephod. When pretty weather and your boat are a stronger pull than being with your spiritual family or serving those in need, think of the golden ephod. You get the idea.
Gideon had been a powerful warrior for the LORD. God had used him to "save Israel" out of the hands of the Midianites. We all know the stories about Gideon, but few of us knew he did something that led the Israelites into false worship. He never intended that to happen, but it did. We have individual and corporate responsibilities in this matter. We must not allow things in our personal lives to usurp God's place and we must not allow our church leaders to take us places that God has not authorized. Speak up, talk about your concerns or you may find yourself bowing down to a golden ephod one day.
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Make Tassels
The LORD said to Moses, “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘Throughout the generations to come you are to make tassels on the corners of your garments, with a blue cord on each tassel. You will have these tassels to look at and so you will remember all the commands of the LORD, that you may obey them and not prostitute yourselves by chasing after the lusts of your own hearts and eyes. Then you will remember to obey all my commands and will be consecrated to your God. (Numbers 15:37-40)
God knows we have short memories. He understands that life happens and the urgent things often replace the important things. My car brakes down, I am stranded on the road and I forget the blessings of God. My child misbehaves and I react badly and forget that he/she is a gift from God. I am very successful at whatever I do and I forget that it is God that gave me the ability to do it. You get the idea.
God called on the Israelites to sew tassels with a blue cord on the corners of their garments. Some Jews still do this today. To us, it seems a silly thing, tassels on the corners of our garments, to the Jew it is a binding command that they must keep under the Law. Like every command, God had/ has a purpose in giving it. He tells us that these tassels were to be a constant reminder of the commands of the LORD and that they were obligated to obey them.
God knew that they needed something that would remind them on a constant basis of His involvement in their lives, His authority over their lives. Each day, as they dressed and saw the tassels, they were reminded of His commands and the relationship they had with Him. As they walked the streets, tassels blowing in the wind, they would remember His leadership in their lives. When they saw their friends and family members, they would see the tassels and be reminded of Him. Everyone, everywhere.... wearing tassels, declaring the sovereign LORD to each other, reminding each other to be consecrated to Him.
What about us? Do we need ongoing reminders of our relationship with God? Do we need something to daily, even hourly call our attention to Him? Or, are we so spiritual that we never forget to live consecrated lives before a Holy God? Think about it. We don't have the tassel command to live with any longer, but do we need something that calls us to better lives before us? I understand that we don't have a command, but if it was a good idea for the Israelites, do we not have the same need?
I know I do! Too often, I find myself mindlessly doing things that give no glory to God or benefit to me or those around me. I encourage us, you and me to think about his, to consider what we can do to keep God present in our minds as we live out our lives in service to Him. Some wear rings, some crosses, some bracelets or other items to declare to themselves and to those around them that God is LORD of their lives. Understand that I am not giving a command where none exists; rather, I am asking if we need to consider what we can do to keep our focus on God in our daily lives.
Hebrews 12:2 tells us to fix our eyes on Jesus. He is to be constant in our lives that keep us from forgetting what we have through Him. I understand that. This is the first blog post that I am ending with a request from you the reader..... I want to hear what you think. Do we need "tassels" today to remind us and declare to others that God is LORD of our lives? Andif you think we do, give me some ideas about what those "tassels" could be. Let me hear from you.
May God richly bless you as you serve Him.
God knows we have short memories. He understands that life happens and the urgent things often replace the important things. My car brakes down, I am stranded on the road and I forget the blessings of God. My child misbehaves and I react badly and forget that he/she is a gift from God. I am very successful at whatever I do and I forget that it is God that gave me the ability to do it. You get the idea.
God called on the Israelites to sew tassels with a blue cord on the corners of their garments. Some Jews still do this today. To us, it seems a silly thing, tassels on the corners of our garments, to the Jew it is a binding command that they must keep under the Law. Like every command, God had/ has a purpose in giving it. He tells us that these tassels were to be a constant reminder of the commands of the LORD and that they were obligated to obey them.
God knew that they needed something that would remind them on a constant basis of His involvement in their lives, His authority over their lives. Each day, as they dressed and saw the tassels, they were reminded of His commands and the relationship they had with Him. As they walked the streets, tassels blowing in the wind, they would remember His leadership in their lives. When they saw their friends and family members, they would see the tassels and be reminded of Him. Everyone, everywhere.... wearing tassels, declaring the sovereign LORD to each other, reminding each other to be consecrated to Him.
What about us? Do we need ongoing reminders of our relationship with God? Do we need something to daily, even hourly call our attention to Him? Or, are we so spiritual that we never forget to live consecrated lives before a Holy God? Think about it. We don't have the tassel command to live with any longer, but do we need something that calls us to better lives before us? I understand that we don't have a command, but if it was a good idea for the Israelites, do we not have the same need?
I know I do! Too often, I find myself mindlessly doing things that give no glory to God or benefit to me or those around me. I encourage us, you and me to think about his, to consider what we can do to keep God present in our minds as we live out our lives in service to Him. Some wear rings, some crosses, some bracelets or other items to declare to themselves and to those around them that God is LORD of their lives. Understand that I am not giving a command where none exists; rather, I am asking if we need to consider what we can do to keep our focus on God in our daily lives.
Hebrews 12:2 tells us to fix our eyes on Jesus. He is to be constant in our lives that keep us from forgetting what we have through Him. I understand that. This is the first blog post that I am ending with a request from you the reader..... I want to hear what you think. Do we need "tassels" today to remind us and declare to others that God is LORD of our lives? Andif you think we do, give me some ideas about what those "tassels" could be. Let me hear from you.
May God richly bless you as you serve Him.
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Personal Responsibility
(Exodus 21)
The nation of Israel needed civil law to exist as an orderly society and God provided a very detailed and fair system for the people to live under. Many of our laws find their basis in the laws of the Old Testament. The overwhelming message contained in these laws is that of personal responsibility. God had given each person a free will to exercise in their conduct and decision making. He could have made them parrots to sit on his shoulder and repeat His words and thoughts; but instead He made them in His image and gave them a good mind and the ability to choose.
Included in this gift of "free will" from God is the idea of personal responsibility. When the Jew chose to break God's law, there would be consequences. If he wronged his neighbor, restitution must be made. If his carelessness caused someone else harm, he was personally responsible to fix it. Kill your neighbors goat, give him a new goat. Your bull kills the neighbors bull, and your bull had a bad reputation, your neighbor gets a new bull and you get the carcass of the dead animal. Your animal grazes on the field of another, you must give your neighbor the best of your crops. On and on, it is always personal responsibility.
God expected them and He expects us to examine situations and chose the right response based on His law. That is way it has always been; He tells us how we are to conduct ourselves and we chose whether or not to comply. When we comply, He blesses. When we rebel, He punishes.
“Now therefore, fear the Lord, serve Him in sincerity and in truth, and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the River and in Egypt. Serve the Lord! And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
So the people answered and said: “Far be it from us that we should forsake the Lord to serve other gods.” (Joshua 24:14-16)
Following God or rejecting Him has always been a choice that man must make. He gives us free will and tells us who He is and what He has done for us; then let's us choose whether to follow Him or our own desires. Some would argue that we are not able to make that choice, that our eternal destiny was already determined before we were born. They would say that some people are born to be destroyed, while others were born for eternal life. While I agree that some will chose to reject God and will be punished, I believe that the Bible makes it very clear that it is a matter of personal responsibility. Every person has the ability to respond to a loving God, but not everyone will. Better phrased, not everyone will respond in a way that moves them from the lost column to the saved column.
I am responsible to listen to God's word in order to have faith. (Romans 10:17) I am responsible to study to show myself approved. (2 Timothy 2:15) It is my responsibility to respond to the gospel and take action to become God's child. (Acts 2:36-38, Acts 8:12) I am responsible to live out a life of service to God, even unto death. (Revelation 2:10) God leaves the choices to me. He tells me the outcome of rebellion and HE tells me the blessings of obedience. After that, it is up to me to chose for myself this day who I will serve. The choice is up to you, it is up to me. The call has gone forth, the invitation is always available.... The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life. (Revelation 22:17) Whoever wishes!
The nation of Israel needed civil law to exist as an orderly society and God provided a very detailed and fair system for the people to live under. Many of our laws find their basis in the laws of the Old Testament. The overwhelming message contained in these laws is that of personal responsibility. God had given each person a free will to exercise in their conduct and decision making. He could have made them parrots to sit on his shoulder and repeat His words and thoughts; but instead He made them in His image and gave them a good mind and the ability to choose.
Included in this gift of "free will" from God is the idea of personal responsibility. When the Jew chose to break God's law, there would be consequences. If he wronged his neighbor, restitution must be made. If his carelessness caused someone else harm, he was personally responsible to fix it. Kill your neighbors goat, give him a new goat. Your bull kills the neighbors bull, and your bull had a bad reputation, your neighbor gets a new bull and you get the carcass of the dead animal. Your animal grazes on the field of another, you must give your neighbor the best of your crops. On and on, it is always personal responsibility.
God expected them and He expects us to examine situations and chose the right response based on His law. That is way it has always been; He tells us how we are to conduct ourselves and we chose whether or not to comply. When we comply, He blesses. When we rebel, He punishes.
“Now therefore, fear the Lord, serve Him in sincerity and in truth, and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the River and in Egypt. Serve the Lord! And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
So the people answered and said: “Far be it from us that we should forsake the Lord to serve other gods.” (Joshua 24:14-16)
Following God or rejecting Him has always been a choice that man must make. He gives us free will and tells us who He is and what He has done for us; then let's us choose whether to follow Him or our own desires. Some would argue that we are not able to make that choice, that our eternal destiny was already determined before we were born. They would say that some people are born to be destroyed, while others were born for eternal life. While I agree that some will chose to reject God and will be punished, I believe that the Bible makes it very clear that it is a matter of personal responsibility. Every person has the ability to respond to a loving God, but not everyone will. Better phrased, not everyone will respond in a way that moves them from the lost column to the saved column.
I am responsible to listen to God's word in order to have faith. (Romans 10:17) I am responsible to study to show myself approved. (2 Timothy 2:15) It is my responsibility to respond to the gospel and take action to become God's child. (Acts 2:36-38, Acts 8:12) I am responsible to live out a life of service to God, even unto death. (Revelation 2:10) God leaves the choices to me. He tells me the outcome of rebellion and HE tells me the blessings of obedience. After that, it is up to me to chose for myself this day who I will serve. The choice is up to you, it is up to me. The call has gone forth, the invitation is always available.... The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life. (Revelation 22:17) Whoever wishes!
Saturday, February 4, 2012
The Sin of Nadab and Abihu
(Leviticus 8-10)
The story of Nadab and Abihu is a curious one. They were there for the entire Exodus story; they saw God's power in parting the Red Sea and His wisdom in giving the Law. They watched as the Tabernacle took shape and were taught by Moses the importance of the priesthood and their responsibility as priests. They watched as God gave divine fire to be used in offering sacrifices, yet in one inexplicable lapse of judgment they chose to use fire of their own origin and it costs them their lives. What leads a person to abandon God's direction and choose to follow their own desires? Why would anyone who has witnessed the love of God and His favor decide to disobey and offer what they chose rather that what God had prescribed? I mean, surely they had heard the story of Cain and Abel.
I believe God has provided the record of this incident as a warning for us. In the chapters leading up to this event, God had given exacting, specific instructions on worship that He would find acceptable. These men had no excuses for their rebellious decision. They had been taught, they had daily access to God and His teaching and still chose to go their own way. So what is the warning for us and what are we to take away from the deaths of these two priests, these two servants of God? Let's pull over and park right here for a moment and let that question sink in..... thinking..... thinking.....
Then Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer and put fire
in it, put incense on it, and offered profane fire before the Lord, which He had not commanded them. So fire went out from the Lord and devoured them, and they died before the Lord. And Moses said to Aaron, “This is what the Lord spoke, saying: ‘By those who come near Me, I must be regarded as holy; And before all the people, I must be glorified.’” (Leviticus 10:1-3)
The word that jumps out at me is "profane". This seems to be the issue at hand. Of course it is the hearts of these two men that is at the root of the problem, but their actions are a demonstration of their hearts. What they did was a reflection of who they were. They offered "profane" fire before the LORD. So, you might be asking "what is the big deal?". They were ministering/ serving before the LORD. They were giving their time and effort in service, what is the problem here? The problem is that they didn't respect God and His desire in service. Worship wasn't and isn't about what His servants want, what makes us happy or is easy for us. Worship is offering to God what God has specified. That demonstrates an obedient spirit and shows our love by offering what He asks for.
Back to "profane" or "strange" as some translations put it. The Hebrew word is "zuwr" and carries with it the idea of committing adultery. Nadab and Abihu were committing adultery when they used "strange" fire to burn incense in worship to God. Using anything that God has not provided or specified in worship to Him is profane, He sees it as adulterous. Nadab and Abihu learned the hard way that what we offer to God must find its' origin in Him.
In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus puts it this way: "This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. And he called the multitude, and said unto them, Hear, and understand" (Matt 15:8-10) Worship that isn't from God and directed to God, Jesus calls "vain". Vain means that something is worthless and has no purpose. When we teach what has it's origin in the human mind and call it the doctrine of God, the result is worship that is worthless. The writer of Hebrews tells us that "We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away". Pay careful attention. What God has stipulated is the only thing that He will accept.
Would I prefer pizza and Coke on the Lord's Table, sure! It would be much more enjoyable and flavorful, but that is the point isn't it. It is not about me. The Bible stipulates "fruit of the vine" and "unleavened bread" as the items to be served on the Table. So, for me to partake of the Supper in a way that honors God, I obey Him. Do I like instrumental music? Sure, love it! But God has specified that we "Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord." (Eph 5:19) History records that the early church offered accapella worship to God and that instruments were not added until hundreds of years later. The word "accapella" even means "in the manner of the church". Will God accept other forms of music? I don't know, that is His decision, so I will not condemn it. But this I do know and it is without dispute.... the early church did not use instruments in worship. The acceptability of acapella worship is not in question by anyone that I am aware of.
Back to the warning... God demonstrated that He would not accept "strange", "adulterous" or "profane" worship. He demands that we offer Him what he has specified. It is all about our hearts. If we love God, why would we want to offer Him what makes us happy, what pleases us. That is selfish, that is putting our wants, our likes, our desires above the One that is the object of our worship. May we learn the easy way and understand the lessons of Nadab and Abihu. May we with pure hearts, bring our worship as He has specified before Him and find the blessings that He promises those that are faithful... lest we "drift away".
The story of Nadab and Abihu is a curious one. They were there for the entire Exodus story; they saw God's power in parting the Red Sea and His wisdom in giving the Law. They watched as the Tabernacle took shape and were taught by Moses the importance of the priesthood and their responsibility as priests. They watched as God gave divine fire to be used in offering sacrifices, yet in one inexplicable lapse of judgment they chose to use fire of their own origin and it costs them their lives. What leads a person to abandon God's direction and choose to follow their own desires? Why would anyone who has witnessed the love of God and His favor decide to disobey and offer what they chose rather that what God had prescribed? I mean, surely they had heard the story of Cain and Abel.
I believe God has provided the record of this incident as a warning for us. In the chapters leading up to this event, God had given exacting, specific instructions on worship that He would find acceptable. These men had no excuses for their rebellious decision. They had been taught, they had daily access to God and His teaching and still chose to go their own way. So what is the warning for us and what are we to take away from the deaths of these two priests, these two servants of God? Let's pull over and park right here for a moment and let that question sink in..... thinking..... thinking.....
Then Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer and put fire
in it, put incense on it, and offered profane fire before the Lord, which He had not commanded them. So fire went out from the Lord and devoured them, and they died before the Lord. And Moses said to Aaron, “This is what the Lord spoke, saying: ‘By those who come near Me, I must be regarded as holy; And before all the people, I must be glorified.’” (Leviticus 10:1-3)
The word that jumps out at me is "profane". This seems to be the issue at hand. Of course it is the hearts of these two men that is at the root of the problem, but their actions are a demonstration of their hearts. What they did was a reflection of who they were. They offered "profane" fire before the LORD. So, you might be asking "what is the big deal?". They were ministering/ serving before the LORD. They were giving their time and effort in service, what is the problem here? The problem is that they didn't respect God and His desire in service. Worship wasn't and isn't about what His servants want, what makes us happy or is easy for us. Worship is offering to God what God has specified. That demonstrates an obedient spirit and shows our love by offering what He asks for.
Back to "profane" or "strange" as some translations put it. The Hebrew word is "zuwr" and carries with it the idea of committing adultery. Nadab and Abihu were committing adultery when they used "strange" fire to burn incense in worship to God. Using anything that God has not provided or specified in worship to Him is profane, He sees it as adulterous. Nadab and Abihu learned the hard way that what we offer to God must find its' origin in Him.
In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus puts it this way: "This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. And he called the multitude, and said unto them, Hear, and understand" (Matt 15:8-10) Worship that isn't from God and directed to God, Jesus calls "vain". Vain means that something is worthless and has no purpose. When we teach what has it's origin in the human mind and call it the doctrine of God, the result is worship that is worthless. The writer of Hebrews tells us that "We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away". Pay careful attention. What God has stipulated is the only thing that He will accept.
Would I prefer pizza and Coke on the Lord's Table, sure! It would be much more enjoyable and flavorful, but that is the point isn't it. It is not about me. The Bible stipulates "fruit of the vine" and "unleavened bread" as the items to be served on the Table. So, for me to partake of the Supper in a way that honors God, I obey Him. Do I like instrumental music? Sure, love it! But God has specified that we "Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord." (Eph 5:19) History records that the early church offered accapella worship to God and that instruments were not added until hundreds of years later. The word "accapella" even means "in the manner of the church". Will God accept other forms of music? I don't know, that is His decision, so I will not condemn it. But this I do know and it is without dispute.... the early church did not use instruments in worship. The acceptability of acapella worship is not in question by anyone that I am aware of.
Back to the warning... God demonstrated that He would not accept "strange", "adulterous" or "profane" worship. He demands that we offer Him what he has specified. It is all about our hearts. If we love God, why would we want to offer Him what makes us happy, what pleases us. That is selfish, that is putting our wants, our likes, our desires above the One that is the object of our worship. May we learn the easy way and understand the lessons of Nadab and Abihu. May we with pure hearts, bring our worship as He has specified before Him and find the blessings that He promises those that are faithful... lest we "drift away".
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Ordination and Consecration
(Today's reading - Exodus 29-31)
These three chapters of Exodus deal with the ordination and consecration of the priests who will serve the nation of Israel and the establishment of worship guidelines. A few things jump from the pages as you read what God gave Moses. The detail is overwhelming! God doesn't leave anything to the imagination, He gives very specific direction to those that would serve as priests about how He was to be worshipped.
Aaron and his sons were to be washed with water, then they were to be clothed in priestly garments, there was to be sin offerings made for them and they were to eat of that sacrifice. Only the priests were to eat of this offering because it was sacred. (Exodus 29) After the priests were ordained, the precise method of worship was given. This many goats, that many sheep, incense in the morning, continuous burnt offerings, etc.... you get the idea. Very, very specific details about how God was to be worshipped and how offerings and sacrifices were to be made.
Interesting stuff, but why do I need to know any of this? Good question? Great question! We are told that the old covenant was a shadow of the things which were to come through Christ. (Col 2:16,17) So, let's dig in and see if we can find the reality that is hinted at by the shadow.
"As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ." (1 Peter 2:4,5) The priesthood of the old covenant was limited to a particular family within the nation of Israel, the new covenant makes us all priests and as such we are able to come before God and offer sacrifices. So, if we are all priests we must undergo the ordination and consecration....
Just as Aaron and his sons were washed and then clothed in priestly garments, we to are washed and clothed..."You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus." (Galatians 3:26-28) When we become Christians, we are washed clean of our sins (Acts 2:38, Acts 22:16) and clothed with Christ. We stand before God clothed with His righteousness and are therefore seen by God as sanctified, set apart for His service. We are able to offer sacrifices acceptable to Him.
Aaron and his sons were to eat of the sacrifice that was made for their atonement. (Exodus 29: 32,33) What had been offered for them would become part of them and they would be reminded continually by eating from the altar what had been done for them. We too, under the new covenant, as priests eat the flesh and blood of the one that was offered on our behalf. We might not like to think of it that way, but that is the imagery that the Christ used to describe our sacred meal. Some call it the Eucharist, some Communion and others the Lord's Supper; but whatever you call it, it is the reality of the shadow that Aaron and his sons partook of.
Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. (Matthew 26: 26-28)
The continuous offerings that the priests made for the people were a shadow of the "all sufficient, once and for all" offering made by Jesus. "He entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God." (Hebrews 9:12-14)
Romans 12 tells us that the sacrifice that God wants is a living one. After Jesus gave himself as eternal redemption, there is no longer any need for the sacrifices that are called for under the old covenant. God tells us that He wants a living sacrifice now...."I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship." (Romans 12:1, ESV) No more bulls and goats, He wants you. He wants you alive and serving Him. He says that is our worship! That is our "reasonable service" (NKJV)
The old covenant was a shadow of the reality that is found in Christ Jesus. We serve as priests, offering sacrifices of ourselves that are acceptable to Him. We sit at His table every Sunday and are reminded of His sacrifice as we eat the bread and drink the fruit of the vine. We are the beneficiary of His "once and for all" sacrifice that gives us ongoing cleansing. (1 John 1:1-10) As we continue to read through the Old Testament, let us look for the shadows and find the reality in Christ. May God bless us as we read His word.
These three chapters of Exodus deal with the ordination and consecration of the priests who will serve the nation of Israel and the establishment of worship guidelines. A few things jump from the pages as you read what God gave Moses. The detail is overwhelming! God doesn't leave anything to the imagination, He gives very specific direction to those that would serve as priests about how He was to be worshipped.
Aaron and his sons were to be washed with water, then they were to be clothed in priestly garments, there was to be sin offerings made for them and they were to eat of that sacrifice. Only the priests were to eat of this offering because it was sacred. (Exodus 29) After the priests were ordained, the precise method of worship was given. This many goats, that many sheep, incense in the morning, continuous burnt offerings, etc.... you get the idea. Very, very specific details about how God was to be worshipped and how offerings and sacrifices were to be made.
Interesting stuff, but why do I need to know any of this? Good question? Great question! We are told that the old covenant was a shadow of the things which were to come through Christ. (Col 2:16,17) So, let's dig in and see if we can find the reality that is hinted at by the shadow.
"As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ." (1 Peter 2:4,5) The priesthood of the old covenant was limited to a particular family within the nation of Israel, the new covenant makes us all priests and as such we are able to come before God and offer sacrifices. So, if we are all priests we must undergo the ordination and consecration....
Just as Aaron and his sons were washed and then clothed in priestly garments, we to are washed and clothed..."You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus." (Galatians 3:26-28) When we become Christians, we are washed clean of our sins (Acts 2:38, Acts 22:16) and clothed with Christ. We stand before God clothed with His righteousness and are therefore seen by God as sanctified, set apart for His service. We are able to offer sacrifices acceptable to Him.
Aaron and his sons were to eat of the sacrifice that was made for their atonement. (Exodus 29: 32,33) What had been offered for them would become part of them and they would be reminded continually by eating from the altar what had been done for them. We too, under the new covenant, as priests eat the flesh and blood of the one that was offered on our behalf. We might not like to think of it that way, but that is the imagery that the Christ used to describe our sacred meal. Some call it the Eucharist, some Communion and others the Lord's Supper; but whatever you call it, it is the reality of the shadow that Aaron and his sons partook of.
Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. (Matthew 26: 26-28)
The continuous offerings that the priests made for the people were a shadow of the "all sufficient, once and for all" offering made by Jesus. "He entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God." (Hebrews 9:12-14)
Romans 12 tells us that the sacrifice that God wants is a living one. After Jesus gave himself as eternal redemption, there is no longer any need for the sacrifices that are called for under the old covenant. God tells us that He wants a living sacrifice now...."I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship." (Romans 12:1, ESV) No more bulls and goats, He wants you. He wants you alive and serving Him. He says that is our worship! That is our "reasonable service" (NKJV)
The old covenant was a shadow of the reality that is found in Christ Jesus. We serve as priests, offering sacrifices of ourselves that are acceptable to Him. We sit at His table every Sunday and are reminded of His sacrifice as we eat the bread and drink the fruit of the vine. We are the beneficiary of His "once and for all" sacrifice that gives us ongoing cleansing. (1 John 1:1-10) As we continue to read through the Old Testament, let us look for the shadows and find the reality in Christ. May God bless us as we read His word.
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