Care and Kindness - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Deuteronomy 24:19-22,

"When you are harvesting in your field and you overlook a sheaf, do not go back to get it. Leave it for the foreigner, the fatherless and the widow, so that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hands. When you beat the olives from your trees, do not go over the branches a second time. Leave what remains for the foreigner, the fatherless and the widow. When you harvest the grapes in your vineyard, do not go over the vines again. Leave what remains for the foreigner, the fatherless and the widow. Remember that you were slaves in Egypt. That is why I command you to do this."

Wheat, olives and grapes. During the harvest the Israelites were instructed by the Lord to not be so thorough in their work so that some would be left for needy folks. Those needy folks are described as "the foreigner, the fatherless and the widow."

Leaving behind some of the harvest was a kindness to the poor in Israel. That kindness would be rewarded by the Lord, "so that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hands", verse 19. The Israelites were reminded that at one time, they too were needy. "Remember that you were slaves in Egypt. That is why I command you to do this." Verse 22.

We tend to think in terms of the reduction of production loss: bigger yields and a better return for the effort. Certainly, when a harvest is made, it would be natural to insure a thorough job is done. Yet, the Lord told the Israelites to refrain from that thoroughness and leave behind something for others, for "the foreigner, the fatherless and the widow."

Here we see the care and kindness of the Lord in providing for those who were simply unable to provide for themselves.

This is the same care and kindness we see in the Lord on a much grander scale when he provided for all of us something we are unable to provide for ourselves. We all are incapable of living our lives in such a way as to pass muster with the Lord's throne of justice for our sins. What we cannot provide for ourselves, God the Father did when he sent his Son, Jesus Christ, as a  ransom for us, to redeem us from our sins and his judgment of us. 

A care and kindness that truly is a part of what makes up his glorious splendor!

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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Vow Keeping - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Deuteronomy 23:21-23,

"If you make a vow to the Lord your God, do not be slow to pay it, for the Lord your God will certainly demand it of you and you will be guilty of sin. But if you refrain from making a vow, you will not be guilty. Whatever your lips utter you must be sure to do, because you made your vow freely to the Lord your God with your own mouth."

Vows before God are important to keep. Moses says here that "the Lord your God will certainly demand it of you". Not keeping a vow to him is sinful. It is clear that it is much better to not make a vow before the Lord than to do so and not keep it.

Different kinds of vows come to mind here. Two of the most common, it seems to me, are clearly in view here. The first is when someone finds themself in a pickle and calls out to God, "Lord, just save me from this and I promise I will do so and so." I'm certain many fields of combat have witnessed such vows, but I suspect many people do so in everyday life as well. The Lord expects such vows to be kept! Don't make one if you don't intend to keep it. Otherwise, we find ourselves guilty before God with a damaged conscience.

The second common vow I'm mindful of is the marriage vow. While Moses' words were focused on vows made directly to God, vows we make before him to others hold certain importance. When we celebrate a wedding, the primary purpose of the entire event is the expression of vows the couple make to one another. Those vows are not just expressed to one another, but before the wedding party, the congregation and the Lord himself. That is why most wedding ceremonies begin with something like, "We are gathered here today in the sight of God and all who are present..." Those vows that are made are expected by the Lord to be kept. They have been made in his presence. Indeed, everyone present has the duty of expecting these vows to be kept as well. It is no small thing to break our vows.

"It is a trap to dedicate something rashly
    and only later to consider one's vows." Proverbs 20:25.

"When you make a vow to God, do not delay to fulfill it. He has no pleasure in fools; fulfill your vow. It is better not to make a vow than to make one and not fulfill it. Do not let your mouth lead you into sin." Ecclesiastes 5:4-6a.

I guess it should be noted that the justifications for breaking our vows can be quite creative. We lie to ourselves and to the Lord when we attempt to justify the breaking of vows.

Remember: it is better not to make a vow in the first place, than to make a vow and not keep it.

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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Finders Keepers, Losers Weepers?? - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Deuteronomy 22:1-3,

"If you see your fellow Israelite's ox or sheep straying, do not ignore it but be sure to take it back to its owner. If they do not live near you or if you do not know who owns it, take it home with you and keep it until they come looking for it. Then give it back. Do the same if you find their donkey or cloak or anything else they have lost. Do not ignore it."

The eighth commandment is, "You shall not steal." Exodus 20:15. I can't help but notice there seems to be some fuzziness among some believers as to what the eighth commandment means. Taking something that does not belong to you is stealing. It is a sin. That includes taking things others have lost.

"Finders keepers, losers weepers" has no place among God's people as this passage points out. In fact, God commanded the Israelites to care for whatever was lost by another so that it could be safely returned. "Be sure to take it back to its owner."

Sometimes we simply can't take something back as we have no clue as to who it might belong to. The prospect of seeing whatever it might be returned to its rightful owner may appear to be impossible. Here are some thoughts: a necklace found in a parking lot of a restaurant can be left with the manager in case the owner returns looking for it. A roll of dollars found on our way to the car outside a grocery store can be taken in to the customer service counter. Something found along the road in a bush can be displayed prominently along the road so it can be found by the owner as they retrace their steps.

However, who's to say the restaurant manager won't pocket the necklace himself? Who's to say the clerk at the customer service counter won't keep the money for herself? Who's to say the guy in the next car coming down the road won't stop and keep whatever was lost? It doesn't matter. You are concerned about you and your conscience before God.

Not keeping something that doesn't belong to us and making a reasonable effort to see it returned to its rightful owner provides for a much better conscience before God. If, in your effort to provide for a lost item's return results in someone else taking it, that is their issue before him to whom we all must give account.

The public praise of someone's high ethical standards because they returned something that did not belong to them, especially when whatever it is, is of high value, speaks of how corrupt our moral standards have become in our culture. It ought to be a routine thing any honest person would do.

Remember, "Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account." Hebrews 4:13. We all must do our best to maintain a good conscience before God, as Paul said, "So I strive always to keep my conscience clear before God and man." Acts 24:16. Paul's warning to Timothy is a good warning to us as well, "Timothy, my son, I am giving you this command in keeping with the prophecies once made about you, so that by recalling them you may fight the battle well, holding on to faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and so have suffered shipwreck with regard to the faith." 1 Timothy 1:18-19.

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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Ripe for Judgment? - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Deuteronomy 21:8-9,

"'Accept this atonement for your people Israel, whom you have redeemed, Lord, and do not hold your people guilty of the blood of an innocent person.' Then the bloodshed will be atoned for, and you will have purged from yourselves the guilt of shedding innocent blood, since you have done what is right in the eyes of the Lord."

Provision was made in the Mosaic law for a ritual that cleared the local people of guilt in the instance of a slain body being found and it not being known who the killer was. This provision was predicated upon the understanding that the shedding of innocent blood without penalty was something that desecrated the land and would result in God's judgment.

I can't help but think of our nation today. The rampant murder rate where the number of unsolved cases piles up with few paying the penalty, the practice of abortion on demand that terminates the unborn's life, what is our nation's current standing with God?

We may not be Israel, but I suspect the land we inhabit must be ripe for judgment. What do you think?

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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Misguided Claims of Presumed Victory - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Deuteronomy 20:3-4,

"Hear, Israel: Today you are going into battle against your enemies. Do not be fainthearted or afraid; do not panic or be terrified by them. For the Lord your God is the one who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory."

This is what the priest was to say to the fighting men of Israel prior to going into battle when taking the promised land from the Canaanites. In this statement they were told to trust in God, that he would provide them certain victory in spite of the size of the opposing army and how well it might be equipped.

God would provide the victory, but Israel would still have to fight. The victory Israel could expect would be God working through Israel's military campaign. Did that victory have to come only through the Israelites engaging in battle? Not at all. We read of some military victories, later in Israel's history, where the Israelites didn't fight at all, or had such a ridiculously small force it was obvious God brought the victory apart from any military prowess.

One such example was Gideon's defeat of the massive army of the Midianites, Amalekites and other eastern peoples with just 300 Israelites! See Judges, chapter 7, where the Lord brought him a miraculous victory. Another example is when Sennacherib of Assyria surrounded Jerusalem and an angel of the Lord annihilated all of his fighting men, commanders and officers without any Israeli military, following King Hezekiah and Isaiah crying out to the Lord, 2 Chronicles, chapter 2. 

There are other examples that could be cited as well, but these are sufficient to make the point that the Lord could have brought victory to the Israelites when they entered the promised land without their help at all. However, he chose to have Israel fight for what they would inherit from the Lord. The Lord would insure they would be victorious as long as they followed him in faith and fought.

Some today may claim Deuteronomy 20:3-4 as a promise from God for success as some venture is pursued. As an example, some church wanting to build in an area where the local zoning officials deny their request. They go to prayer and quote Deuteronomy 20:3-4 as they claim God's victory and then expect the Lord to pave the way for them. 

You see these kinds of misguided things from time to time and wonder about the damage such presumption brings to the weaker brothers and sisters in the fellowship. Before "claiming" such passages, it is important to note a couple of things about this passage. It was a conditional promise made to Israel for a specific circumstance: the taking of the promised land by Israel. It is not a blank check for God's people for all time to pursue what they think they should be doing

This brings me to my second thought. In Deuteronomy 20:3-4, God told Israel what he wanted them to do, not the other way around. A lot of churches go off in a direction and then ask God for victory, assuming they will get it based on this "promise". What churches need to focus on is what God is asking them to do, not ask God to do for them what they want.

I suspect that most efforts at building up large congregations, fat bank accounts from the offerings, all sorts of amenities and activities provided and a nice large facility have never been asked for by God. I'm not saying always, but I am reading my Bible and I'm struggling to find those particular priorities asked of us by God. Not that God doesn't ask for things of us, as his people, but I see an awful lot around me that he has never asked for. And to think there are those who have "claimed the victory because God has promised the victory"! It often seems misguided at times to me. 

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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Associations, Good and Bad - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Deuteronomy 20:18,

"They [the Canaanites] will teach you [the Israelites] to follow all the detestable things they do in worshiping their gods, and you will sin against the Lord your God."

Moses told the Israelites to put to death "anything that breathes", verse 16, when they went to attack the cities of the nations the Lord determined to give them. The above verse is the reason why. The Israelites would become ensnared in the "detestable things" the Canaanites practiced in the worship of their idols. Some of those detestable things included child sacrifice and temple prostitution, things that would require them to turn from the Lord.

Were the Israelites to leave the Canaanites alive, they would be "rubbing shoulders" with them and learn their ways. What the Lord knew was that it wasn't just that they would learn the ways of the Canaanites, but would be sucked right into practicing and living the depravity and profligacy.

We learn from the Scriptures of the tendency of good people becoming bad by associating with others who are that way. Hang out with a hot-tempered person and you may become one yourself, "Do not make friends with a hot-tempered person, do not associate with one easily angered, or you may learn their ways and get yourself ensnared." Proverbs 22:24-25.

In another proverb we learn the both sides of associations and how that can affect us, "Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm." Proverbs 13:20.

Paul points out, "Do not be misled: 'Bad company corrupts good character.'" 1 Corinthians 15:33.

In Revelation 18:4 we read, "'Come out of her, my people,' so that you will not share in her sins, so that you will not receive any of her plagues..."

Who we hang with has an impact on us. As we saw in Proverbs 13:20, Walk with the wise and become wise..." and on the other hand "Bad company corrupts good character.

This is not to say we should have no interaction with the wicked, as Paul says, "I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world." 1 Corinthians 5:9-10.

Certainly, rightly dividing this reality hangs on what we mean by "association" and certainly on how we define that in our lives- how we live it out. As believers, we need to interact with the unsaved. We are the agents that are to reach the unsaved for the Lord. However, the nature of that relationship is important in how it impacts us.

Just thinking out loud here. Perhaps you can provide better definition to this. In any event, the Israelites were not to pick up the ways of the unrighteous and neither should we.

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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God's Provision of Refuge - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Deuteronomy 19:1-3,

"When the Lord your God has destroyed the nations whose land he is giving you, and when you have driven them out and settled in their towns and houses, then set aside for yourselves three cities in the land the Lord your God is giving you to possess. Determine the distances involved and divide into three parts the land the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance, so that a person who kills someone may flee for refuge to one of these cities."

The Lord provided a total of six cities of refuge for those to flee to if they had killed someone "without malice aforethought." While the refuge sought was for those who unintentionally killed someone, I am reminded the Lord has provided us a refuge even though we do not deserve it.

While most of us have never and would never kill someone intentionally, we all are nonetheless guilty of sin and worthy of God's judgement of us. And, yet, he has provided a refuge we can flee to in spite of our guilt.

"Yes, my soul, find rest in God;
    my hope comes from him.
Truly he is my rock and my salvation;
    he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.
My salvation and my honor depend on God;
    he is my mighty rock, my refuge.
Trust in him at all times, you people;
    pour out your hearts to him,
    for God is our refuge." Psalm 62:5-8.

God has provided his Son, Jesus Christ, as a refuge for us to flee to, to find deliverance from God's own judgment of us for our sins.

"The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;
    my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge,
    my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold." Psalm 18:2.

All God asks of us is to embrace him in faith and he will provide his protection over us.

"In you, Lord, I have taken refuge;
    let me never be put to shame;
    deliver me in your righteousness.
Turn your ear to me,
    come quickly to my rescue;
be my rock of refuge,
    a strong fortress to save me.
Since you are my rock and my fortress,
    for the sake of your name lead and guide me.
Keep me free from the trap that is set for me,
    for you are my refuge.
Into your hands I commit my spirit;
    deliver me, Lord, my faithful God." Psalm 31:1-5.

We do not want to face God's judgment of us on our own. We need a refuge to find our way into eternal life.

"Taste and see that the Lord is good;
    blessed is the one who takes refuge in him." Psalm 34:8.

Flee to the refuge God has provided for us today!

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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God's Unfathomable Love! - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Deuteronomy 19:15,

"One witness is not enough to convict anyone accused of any crime or offense they may have committed. A matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses."

As the Lord gave the law to Moses, it provided for the civil society to function well as a people, to look to the needs of providing a level of propriety within the culture of Israel and to express his expectations for the people to avoid his condemnation as well as secure his blessings for the nation. Through the law, God provided definition of sin. The people of Israel were to have a moral and ethical standard far above the peoples they displaced in the promised land, as well as her neighbors. The law defined that standard.

Nonetheless, the hearts of the Israelites were not to be trusted. The human heart is deceitful above all things. Anticipating the exploitation of God's law to harm one another, the Lord qualified the requirements for bringing accusations of violating his law by requiring more than a single witness of a crime.

I am reminded of Paul's observations, "'There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.' 'Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit.' 'The poison of vipers is on their lips.' 'Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.' 'Their feet are swift to shed blood; ruin and misery mark their ways, and the way of peace they do not know.' 'There is no fear of God before their eyes.'" Romans 3:11-18.

And, yet, God so loved people like this, he sent his Son to pay the penalty for their sins. "He was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all." Isaiah 53:5-6.

Simply amazing! God's unfathomable love for mankind!

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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How to Test a Prophet: True or Fake? - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Deuteronomy 18:22,

"If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the Lord does not take place or come true, that is a message the Lord has not spoken. That prophet has spoken presumptuously, so do not be alarmed."

After telling the Israelites they will need to listen to the prophet (Jesus Christ) the Lord will be sending them, the question is anticipated, "You may say to yourselves, 'How can we know when a message has not been spoken by the Lord?'" Verse 21. In essence, how are the people to know who speaks for the Lord and who doesn't?

This is the second test in Deuteronomy the Lord provides for the people to know who is sent by him to speak for him and who is a fake prophet. Here they are told that future events foretold in a prophetic message to validate that message must come to pass. If not, don't regard the message as being from him.

We saw an earlier test provided the people in Deuteronomy 13:1-2, "If a prophet, or one who foretells by dreams, appears among you and announces to you a sign or wonder, and if the sign or wonder spoken of takes place, and the prophet says, 'Let us follow other gods' (gods you have not known) 'and let us worship them,' you must not listen to the words of that prophet or dreamer." In this test, if a future event is foretold and indeed comes to pass, if that prophet tells the people to follow "other gods", then he is a fake prophet and not to be listened to. In this case the Lord makes the foretold event come to pass to see if the Israelites will refrain from turning from him... sort of a faith-building or faith-testing process.

Here is a test the apostle John provides, "Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world." 1 John 4:1-3.

Obviously, God would never contradict himself, so another test of a prophet that many speak of is that whatever is contained in a prophecy must be consistent with what God has already given through Moses and the other legitimate prophets of God. Since the Scriptures are prophecy (see 1 Peter 1:20-21), no prophetic word from God will ever contradict what is found in our Bibles. No future prophet will ever contradict what has already been prophesied from a previous true prophet of God.

It is unfortunate that many over the years have not followed these guidelines and recognized false prophets. Muhammed, Ellen G. White, and Joseph Smith (as well as many others) come to mind here.

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.    

God Gave Israel Fair Warning About Jesus Coming - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Deuteronomy 18:21-22,

"The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me [Moses] from among you, from your fellow Israelites."

No, the prophet to come was not Muhammad. Muhammad was a fake prophet.

Moses told the Israelites the Lord was going to raise up another prophet like him for Israel. It is a reference to the Son of God coming, Jesus Christ. 

The writer of Hebrews provides some meditation on the comparison of Moses and Jesus, "Therefore, holy brothers and sisters, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, whom we acknowledge as our apostle and high priest. He was faithful to the one who appointed him, just as Moses was faithful in all God's house. Jesus has been found worthy of greater honor than Moses, just as the builder of a house has greater honor than the house itself. For every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything. 'Moses was faithful as a servant in all God's house,' bearing witness to what would be spoken by God in the future. But Christ is faithful as the Son over God's house. And we are his house, if indeed we hold firmly to our confidence and the hope in which we glory." Hebrews 3:1-6.

The Lord also told Moses to tell the Israelites that they needed to listen to this coming prophet, "He [the coming prophet] will tell them everything I [the Lord] command him. I myself will call to account anyone who does not listen to my words that the prophet speaks in my name." Deuteronomy 18:18-19.

Here we find the downfall of Israel fourteen hundred years later. The Jews of Jesus day embraced Moses as God's lawgiver and prophet, but they failed to recognize the One Moses spoke of that was to come later. As always, God gave fair warning, a warning that went unheeded.

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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The Reading and the Doing of Scripture - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Deuteronomy 17:18-20,

"When he [a potential king in Israel] takes the throne of his kingdom, he is to write for himself on a scroll a copy of this law, taken from that of the Levitical priests. It is to be with him, and he is to read it all the days of his life so that he may learn to revere the Lord his God and follow carefully all the words of this law and these decrees and not consider himself better than his fellow Israelites and turn from the law to the right or to the left. Then he and his descendants will reign a long time over his kingdom in Israel."

I realize the purpose of this direction was aimed at a potential king that might be chosen to lead Israel. I also realize the copy of the law he was to read "all the days of his life" is something believers are no longer bound to. As Paul observes in Romans 7:6, "But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code."

However, I note the purpose of this direction was that the king "may learn to revere the Lord his God and follow carefully all the words..." An outcome of this is he "not consider himself better than his fellow Israelites and turn from the law to the right or to the left."

As I think of an application of this to my life, the thought strikes me that whatever it takes for me to learn to revere the Lord my God and follow all he desires of me has to be important. The king was to read the Scriptures every day. Perhaps that is a good prescription for me as well. And, not just the reading of it, but also the doing of it,"follow carefully all the words".

I may not be a king, but I am a child of God. As such, as we all do, I have a role and responsibilities. "As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him— you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ." 1 Peter 2:4-5.

Possibly what was good for a potential king in Israel to do to please the Lord, just may be good for me: the reading and the doing of Scripture!

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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Keep From Distractions! - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Deuteronomy 17:16-17,

"The king, moreover, must not acquire great numbers of horses for himself or make the people return to Egypt to get more of them, for the Lord has told you, 'You are not to go back that way again.' He must not take many wives, or his heart will be led astray. He must not accumulate large amounts of silver and gold."

The Lord intended to keep a potential future king over Israel from being distracted by earthly pursuits. Here he restricts a potential king from collecting many horses, many wives and much silver and gold. The Lord's concern for the nation is reflected here in his desire a king stay focused on the needs of the nation. The king would have a job to do and the Lord wanted him doing it.

We, in the church today, likewise have responsibilities before the Lord. Passages such as 1 Peter 4:10 points to these, "Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms."

Perhaps we should watch that we are not distracted from what the Lord has for us to do. Something to think about.

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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A Place of God's Choosing - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Deuteronomy 16:16a,

"Three times a year all your men must appear before the Lord your God at the place he will choose: at the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the Festival of Weeks and the Festival of Tabernacles."

Three times a year the Israelites were to gather at a place of the Lord's own choosing. That place he calls "a dwelling for his Name." The Festival of Unleavened Bread (together with the Passover), the Festival of Weeks and the Festival of Tabernacles.

For each of these Festivals, in the directions the Israelites were given for them, the physical location is not identified, but just the reference to the place of God's own choosing. "You must not sacrifice the Passover in any town the Lord your God gives you except in the place he will choose as a dwelling for his Name." Verses 5-6. "Then celebrate the Festival of Weeks to the Lord your God by giving a freewill offering in proportion to the blessings the Lord your God has given you. And rejoice before the Lord your God at the place he will choose as a dwelling for his Name..." Verses 10-11. "For seven days celebrate the festival [the Festival of Tabernacles] to the Lord your God at the place the Lord will choose." Verse 15.

Obviously, the Lord knew he would eventually have the Israelites move the tabernacle to Jerusalem and have the temple built there where his glory would maintain a presence. That was where Israel was to celebrate these three festivals. Jerusalem was the place the Lord chose "as the dwelling for his Name", but decided not to inform the Israelites at this point where it would be. I suspect his decision to keep it from Israel at this time had to do with the conquering and distribution of the land.

It may have been difficult to maintain tranquility among the tribes of Israel as they all fought together against the Canaanites to gain control of the promised land. Judah would be the tribe that would host the Lord's presence as Jerusalem fell into their share of the distribution of land. It just may have caused resentment among the tribes as they all fought together - something not needed for the conquering of the land.

Just thinking out loud here. I really have no clue, so I'm just musing. What does excite me about the idea of a place of God's own choosing as a dwelling for his Name is that in the church he has decided it will be within our own hearts! That is just amazing to me.

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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Remember the Deliverance! - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Deuteronomy 16:1-3,

"Observe the month of Aviv and celebrate the Passover of the Lord your God, because in the month of Aviv he brought you out of Egypt by night. Sacrifice as the Passover to the Lord your God an animal from your flock or herd at the place the Lord will choose as a dwelling for his Name. Do not eat it with bread made with yeast, but for seven days eat unleavened bread, the bread of affliction, because you left Egypt in haste—so that all the days of your life you may remember the time of your departure from Egypt."

The Passover was to be celebrated each year on the appropriate date. In speaking of it, Moses, as he talks about the unleavened bread, points to the importance of it in remembering their emancipation from Egypt. The Lord delivered them from bondage.

Later in the chapter, where Moses talks about the Festival of Weeks, verse 12, we read, "Remember that you were slaves in Egypt, and follow carefully these decrees."

The Israelite's deliverance from their bondage in Egypt is a type or a picture of mankind's deliverance from bondage to sin and God's judgment that Jesus Christ brought about by his death on that miserable cross. He secured the way for us and the freedom it provides is available to us if we embrace him in faith.

We, likewise, as believers, should ever remember the deliverance Jesus Christ provided us. We don't celebrate the various feasts of Israel, but the Lord left us something to remember him and the deliverance he has provided, "For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, 'This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.' In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, 'This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.' For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes." 1 Corinthians 11:23-26.

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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Slavery or Indentureship? - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Deuteronomy 15:12,

"If any of your people—Hebrew men or women—sell themselves to you and serve you six years, in the seventh year you must let them go free."

Indentured servants were a part of Israel's workforce (as well as many other nations' workforces). A person could enter into a contract with another to provide services for an agreed upon time. "If any of your fellow Israelites become poor and sell themselves to you, do not make them work as slaves. They are to be treated as hired workers or temporary residents among you; they are to work for you until the Year of Jubilee. Then they and their children are to be released, and they will go back to their own clans and to the property of their ancestors. Because the Israelites are my servants, whom I brought out of Egypt, they must not be sold as slaves." Leviticus 25:39-42. We see here that the Israelites were not to enslave one another forcefully.

In this chapter, we are told that all debts were to be cancelled every seven years and that all Israelites that had indentured themselves were to be set free from their obligation.

Not all, but in many passages in the Bible this form of employment is misunderstood as slavery, the kind of slavery perpetrated by many nations on the basis of race until Britan and the United States led the way in banning it in the 1800s. (On a side note, if you thought Europeans introduced slavery to this land, you need to learn about the forced slavery practiced by the American Indians.)

As I say, many people who have attempted to malign the Scriptures have misunderstood what they often point to in the Bible. That is not to say that slave ownership is unknown in the Bible. It is found in Israel's history and not banned by God, "Your male and female slaves are to come from the nations around you; from them you may buy slaves. You may also buy some of the temporary residents living among you and members of their clans born in your country, and they will become your property. You can bequeath them to your children as inherited property and can make them slaves for life, but you must not rule over your fellow Israelites ruthlessly." Leviticus 25:44-46.

However, forced slavery on the basis of race as practiced in many nations in the past is unknown in the Scriptures.

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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"Clean" and "Unclean"; "Righteous" and "Profane" - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Deut 14: 3,

"Do not eat any detestable thing."

The Lord prescribed the diet he wanted his people to eat. In this chapter he summarizes which things to eat and which things to not eat.

There are those who find in these dietary laws the singular purpose of health and hygiene. I am not of that persuasion. Possibly there were those considerations when God determined these laws, but I think something far more important is found here. It is the concept of "clean" and "unclean". As the Israelites prepared and consumed their food on a daily basis, they were constantly reminded of a binary reality, "clean" and "unclean". This would have the effect of solidifying their understanding of life, that there was the righteous as opposed to the profane, the good and the bad, that which is consistent with God and that which is not.

The premise of God's plan of redemption hinges on the notion that we have all sinned and need to be saved. The "unrighteous" need to become the "righteous". God has designed life in that binary frame of reference and the dietary laws of clean and unclean help in furthering that understanding.

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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Religious Freedom? Religious Tolerance? - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Deuteronomy 13:1-4,

"If a prophet, or one who foretells by dreams, appears among you and announces to you a sign or wonder, and if the sign or wonder spoken of takes place, and the prophet says, 'Let us follow other gods' (gods you have not known) 'and let us worship them,' you must not listen to the words of that prophet or dreamer. The Lord your God is testing you to find out whether you love him with all your heart and with all your soul. It is the Lord your God you must follow, and him you must revere. Keep his commands and obey him; serve him and hold fast to him."

The Lord tells Israel that he alone is to be recognized as God. None other. He provides severe consequences that are to be carried out against those who would mislead them to follow another.

Does God oppose religious freedom, then, since he threatens those who would worship another? Not at all. As a matter of fact, he will allow opportunities for the Israelites to choose another to be their "god" in order to test their hearts, to reveal if they desire him or another. That is the ultimate in freedom. We read in Joshua 24:15, "If serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord."

We all have a choice to make. We have the freedom of that choice, but that choice will bear consequences, whether good or bad.

That does not mean God is tolerant of those who would choose another god to follow. In fact, it turns out God is very intolerant of any desire on mankind's part to follow a false god. All who choose poorly will pay a hefty price. Jesus said, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." John 14:6. I can't think of a more intolerant statement.

As I say, we all have a choice to make. "As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord."

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.  

How Is God To Be Worshipped? - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Deuteronomy 12:4,

"You [Israel] must not worship the Lord your God in their [the Canaanites] way."

Moses told the Israelites, as they took the promised land from the Canaanites, to be sure they worshipped God in God's own way and not the Canaanite way. Moses also told the Israelites where they were to worship, "Then to the place the Lord your God will choose as a dwelling for his Name—there you are to bring everything I command you: your burnt offerings and sacrifices, your tithes and special gifts, and all the choice possessions you have vowed to the Lord. And there rejoice before the Lord your God—you, your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, and the Levites from your towns who have no allotment or inheritance of their own. Be careful not to sacrifice your burnt offerings anywhere you please. Offer them only at the place the Lord will choose in one of your tribes, and there observe everything I command you." Verses 11-14.

The practice of worship developed by sinful and fallen mankind reflects that sinful nature. Marked by depravity and debauchery, the Canaanites worshipped their idols. Temple prostitution, sexual immorality and child sacrifice (carried out by burning their own children in their ritual worship) were all part of the practice of their "worship", "You must not worship the Lord your God in their way, because in worshiping their gods, they do all kinds of detestable things the Lord hates. They even burn their sons and daughters in the fire as sacrifices to their gods." Verse 31.

The Canaanite worship of idols was detestable to God. Israel was not to learn their ways. Another reason the Israelites were not to worship idols is that God is a jealous God. "Do not follow other gods, the gods of the peoples around you; for the Lord your God, who is among you, is a jealous God and his anger will burn against you, and he will destroy you from the face of the land." Deuteronomy 6:14-15.

What I learn from this is that God insists on being worshipped according to the way he has revealed himself in the pages of Scripture, and not just "any old way."

What do I know of these things? Have I sufficiently studied the Scriptures to know how God asks to be worshipped? If I am not well informed on these things, perhaps I need to invest more time in my study of them.

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.