The History You Want to Forget

 Judges 9:26 And Gaal the son of Ebed moved into Shechem with his relatives, and the leaders of Shechem put confidence in him. 27 And they went out into the field and gathered the grapes from their vineyards and trod them and held a festival; and they went into the house of their god and ate and drank and reviled Abimelech. 28 And Gaal the son of Ebed said, “Who is Abimelech, and who are we of Shechem, that we should serve him? Is he not the son of Jerubbaal, and is not Zebul his officer? Serve the men of Hamor the father of Shechem; but why should we serve him? 29 Would that this people were under my hand! Then I would remove Abimelech. I would say to Abimelech, ‘Increase your army, and come out.’”

Judges 9 contains a lesser-known account of the self-proclaimed king Abimelech. It is a twisted account of self-promotion, mass murder, failed revolt, and especially, the infiltration of idolatry.  It is a fitting account to follow what we observed in Gideon's rule at the end of yesterday's study. Because of the events of this chapter, the city of Shechem became a by-word for generations.  This chapter shows how far people can stray when they turn from God to idols and worldly leaders. May we not contribute to a history we regret.

Weak Spot

Judges 8:24 And Gideon said to them, “Let me make a request of you: every one of you give me the earrings from his spoil.” (For they had golden earrings, because they were Ishmaelites.) 25 And they answered, “We will willingly give them.” And they spread a cloak, and every man threw in it the earrings of his spoil. 26 And the weight of the golden earrings that he requested was 1,700 shekels of gold, besides the crescent ornaments and the pendants and the purple garments worn by the kings of Midian, and besides the collars that were around the necks of their camels. 27 And Gideon made an ephod of it and put it in his city, in Ophrah. And all Israel whored after it there, and it became a snare to Gideon and to his family. 

We have already seen that Gideon was one of those hesitant leaders called by God, yet he went ahead and obeyed and serves Him as a judge over Israel.  He became a hero. But God does not hold back from showing and sharing the shortcomings of His leaders. Gideon saw this as his "golden" opportunity. Notice that his act became an idol to the people and a trap for Gideon and his descendants. It came back to haunt them.  Beware the dangers of short-lived success.  Often dreams come true become nightmares for all.  They can bring out the worst in any man. 

Taking a Stand! Hesitantly.

 

Judges 6:25 That night the Lord said to him, “Take your father's bull, and the second bull seven years old, and pull down the altar of Baal that your father has, and cut down the Asherah that is beside it 26 and build an altar to the Lord your God on the top of the stronghold here, with stones laid in due order. Then take the second bull and offer it as a burnt offering with the wood of the Asherah that you shall cut down.” 27 So Gideon took ten men of his servants and did as the Lord had told him. But because he was too afraid of his family and the men of the town to do it by day, he did it by night.

Gideon is an interesting study. He wanted to do something great for God, but he wasn't always so sure. He "put out the fleece" (literally) and questioned his call. He obeyed God no matter what others believed (as long as they were not watching) and showed other signs of hesitation.  But take a stand he did, and he not only made a difference; he left a legacy. To take a stand you do not need to be loud, obnoxious and brash; you don't even need a lot of courage. You just need to take steps of faith and obedience when God speaks. Almost every great leader did hesitate at first (and often more than once.) What stand will you take today?

One of Israel's Greatest Hits

 

Judges 5:24 “Most blessed of women be Jael,
    the wife of Heber the Kenite, of tent-dwelling women most blessed.
25 He asked for water and she gave him milk;
    she brought him curds in a noble's bowl.
26 She sent her hand to the tent peg
    and her right hand to the workmen's mallet;
she struck Sisera; she crushed his head;
    she shattered and pierced his temple.
27 Between her feet he sank, he fell, he lay still;
between her feet he sank, he fell;
where he sank, there he fell—dead.

The songs of Israel found in scripture are interesting summaries of historical events.  Judges 4 and 5 tell of Deborah, who stepped up when no men would, and of Jael, who struck the deciding blow, as well as Sisera's mother, who never saw him come home.  Women are not bystanders and make some of the best song writers. The show us what is really going on in culture.  What do the songs of our day tell us?

He Passed Beyond the Idols...

 Judges 3:26 Ehud escaped while they delayed, and he passed beyond the idols and escaped to Seirah. 27 When he arrived, he sounded the trumpet in the hill country of Ephraim. Then the people of Israel went down with him from the hill country, and he was their leader. 28 And he said to them, “Follow after me, for the Lord has given your enemies the Moabites into your hand.” So they went down after him and seized the fords of the Jordan against the Moabites and did not allow anyone to pass over. 29 And they killed at that time about 10,000 of the Moabites, all strong, able-bodied men; not a man escaped. 30 So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. And the land had rest for eighty years.

As we saw yesterday, the time after Joshua is filled with the word "but." The people of Israel had much success, BUT they did not fully obey God.  This passage talks about God allowing the Moabites to be a major problem for Israel. Ehud delivered Israel by sneaking in and killing their king. What may not be obvious is why God had allowed Moab to bother Israel, but twice it mentions that Ehud "passed the idols." Israel had allowed Moab's false idols to infiltrate their land, setting them up near Gilgal, a holy city. How much trouble do we bring into our lives by allowing the idols of this world infiltrate our lives and homes? 

Lasting Effects

 

Judges 1:21 But the people of Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites who lived in Jerusalem, so the Jebusites have lived with the people of Benjamin in Jerusalem to this day. 22 The house of Joseph also went up against Bethel, and the Lord was with them. 23 And the house of Joseph scouted out Bethel. (Now the name of the city was formerly Luz.) 24 And the spies saw a man coming out of the city, and they said to him, “Please show us the way into the city, and we will deal kindly with you.” 25 And he showed them the way into the city. And they struck the city with the edge of the sword, but they let the man and all his family go. 26 And the man went to the land of the Hittites and built a city and called its name Luz. That is its name to this day.

As we move into the book of Judges, Joshua dies and each tribe and clan takes responsibility for finishing the task of completing their allotment. Sometimes tribes worked together, and that was a good things. All was proceeding well, but... That is the key word to look for in this book, as seen in verses 21 and 25 above. They did not drive out all the wicked peoples as God had commanded them to. We need to recall that God was judging the peoples of the land for their wickedness and using the people of Israel to do so. Their refusal to fully obey was going to have long lasting effects.  The phrase "to this day" can be either good or bad, and often in Judges, and our lives, it is the latter. 

The Stone That Hears...

 Joshua 24:24 And the people said to Joshua, “The Lord our God we will serve, and his voice we will obey.” 25 So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and put in place statutes and rules for them at Shechem. 26 And Joshua wrote these words in the Book of the Law of God. And he took a large stone and set it up there under the terebinth that was by the sanctuary of the Lord. 27 And Joshua said to all the people, “Behold, this stone shall be a witness against us, for it has heard all the words of the Lord that he spoke to us. Therefore it shall be a witness against you, lest you deal falsely with your God.” 28 So Joshua sent the people away, every man to his inheritance.

This is part of the final address by Joshua to the people of Israel. The most well-known verse of the chapter is earlier, verse 15: And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond 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.” The people respond by saying they will serve the Lord. Throughout this book we have seen numerous piles of stones as memorials to God's power and their promises. Here there is one stone - another reminder and witness of their promises. That stone would stay there and "remember" for them.  What promises have we made, heard by the walls, the sky, other people, and especially, God? Have we kept them? Have we forgotten them, intentionally or by accident?

Crossing the Divide

 Joshua 22:25 For the Lord has made the Jordan a boundary between us and you, you people of Reuben and people of Gad. You have no portion in the Lord.’ So your children might make our children cease to worship the Lord. 26 Therefore we said, ‘Let us now build an altar, not for burnt offering, nor for sacrifice, 27 but to be a witness between us and you, and between our generations after us, that we do perform the service of the Lord in his presence with our burnt offerings and sacrifices and peace offerings, so your children will not say to our children in time to come, “You have no portion in the Lord.”’

When some of the tribes of Israel settled on the eastern side of the Jordan, there was a natural divide between the tribes - such a divide that it seemed to divide into two nations.  When it came time for the soldiers of Israel to return home to that side, they wanted to make sure they stayed one united nation. So they build an altar of witness. In fact, they named it "Witness."  Much like the piles of stones they had been leaving along their journey, this was to serve as a reminder of who they were and how they had gotten there. They made it clear it was not a second or different Tabernacle, dividing them, but a reminder to unify them. May the things we devise do the same.

A Place to Call Home

Joshua 21:20 As to the rest of the Kohathites belonging to the Kohathite clans of the Levites, the cities allotted to them were out of the tribe of Ephraim. 21 To them were given Shechem, the city of refuge for the manslayer, with its pasturelands in the hill country of Ephraim, Gezer with its pasturelands, 22 Kibzaim with its pasturelands, Beth-horon with its pasturelands—four cities; 23 and out of the tribe of Dan, Elteke with its pasturelands, Gibbethon with its pasturelands, 24 Aijalon with its pasturelands, Gath-rimmon with its pasturelands—four cities; 25 and out of the half-tribe of Manasseh, Taanach with its pasturelands, and Gath-rimmon with its pasturelands—two cities. 26 The cities of the clans of the rest of the Kohathites were ten in all with their pasturelands.

The one tribe without an allotted territory was that of Levi, as they had been called to serve God as priests and their assistants.  But God did give them cities scattered throughout the other tribal allotments. That did two things: it gave them the security of a place to live, and it gave a Levitical representation to each tribe. These forty-eight cities were scattered appropriately among the tribes by size and space, with each clan of the Levites having others in their clan in the same region, providing variety, yet unity. Wherever we are as God's people we need such balance.

To the Sea...

 

Joshua 19:24 The fifth lot came out for the tribe of the people of Asher according to their clans. 25 Their territory included Helkath, Hali, Beten, Achshaph, 26 Allammelech, Amad, and Mishal. On the west it touches (H)Carmel and Shihor-libnath, 27 then it turns eastward, it goes to Beth-dagon, and touches Zebulun and the Valley of Iphtahel northward to Beth-emek and Neiel. Then it continues in the north to (I)Cabul, 28 Ebron, Rehob, Hammon, Kanah, as far as (J)Sidon the Great. 29 Then the boundary turns to Ramah, reaching to the fortified city of Tyre. Then the boundary turns to Hosah, and it ends at the sea; Mahalab,[a] Achzib, 30 Ummah, Aphek and Rehob—twenty-two cities with their villages. 31 This is the inheritance of the tribe of the people of Asher according to their clans—these cities with their villages.

After covering the more important tribes, Joshua assigns each tribe their territory and cities belonging to it. Again, it is easy to get caught up in the names of the places and how to pronounce and spell them, but some of the important details are in the plain simple English, like the boundary ends at the sea (verse 29), referring to the Mediterranean.  What becomes abundantly clear in the history of Israel is they never quite made it all the way.  The coastal cities (and other boundaries) were always a challenge.  How many of God's promises to we never fully realize because we never fully obey?

The Little Brother

Joshua 18:21 Now the cities of the tribe of the people of Benjamin according to their clans were Jericho, Beth-hoglah, Emek-keziz, 22 Beth-arabah, Zemaraim, Bethel, 23 Avvim, Parah, Ophrah, 24 Chephar-ammoni, Ophni, Geba—twelve cities with their villages: 25 Gibeon, Ramah, Beeroth, 26 Mizpeh, Chephirah, Mozah, 27 Rekem, Irpeel, Taralah, 28 Zela, Haeleph, Jebus (that is, Jerusalem), Gibeah and Kiriath-jearim—fourteen cities with their villages. This is the inheritance of the people of Benjamin according to its clans.

After allotting the land designated for Judah, Joshua then allotted land for the largest tribes: Ephraim and Manasseh, the sons of Joseph. The third tribe allotted land was Benjamin, the only full brother of Judah. It was land in the core of Israel and bordered by Judah, in a sense very well-protected.  It is no surprise that this was the one tribe that joined with Judah when the rest of Israel rebelled and withdrew in the divided kingdom.  Israel also chose their first king, Saul, from Benjamin, which is like many things we do in life - choosing almost what God wants. They should have known their king was to be from Judah (as mentioned yesterday).

First Dibs

Joshua 15:20 This is the inheritance of the tribe of the people of Judah according to their clans. 21 The cities belonging to the tribe of the people of Judah in the extreme south, toward the boundary of Edom, were Kabzeel, Eder, Jagur, 22 Kinah, Dimonah, Adadah, 23 Kedesh, Hazor, Ithnan, 24 Ziph, Telem, Bealoth, 25 Hazor-hadattah, Kerioth-hezron (that is, Hazor), 26 Amam, Shema, Moladah, 27 Hazar-gaddah, Heshmon, Beth-pelet, 28 Hazar-shual, Beersheba, Biziothiah, 29 Baalah, Iim, Ezem, 30 Eltolad, Chesil, Hormah, 31 Ziklag, Madmannah, Sansannah, 32 Lebaoth, Shilhim, Ain, and Rimmon: in all, twenty-nine cities with their villages.

Last time we noted the areas allotted to the tribes of Israel east of the Jordan by Moses, and the areas yet to be inhabited west of the river by the rest of the tribes.  After giving a specific city to Caleb for his faithfulness, the first tribe listed is Judah.  You don't need to memorize all the names above for a spelling test, but do realize that Judah is mentioned first.  There is a reason for that. Judah had become the spokesman for the brothers and the promise of One to come someday was given through the line of Judah. It was never a pride or show-off kind of thing, but there was an understanding that Judah was first in line.

Yet to Be Completed...

Joshua 13:24 Moses gave an inheritance also to the tribe of Gad, to the people of Gad, according to their clans. 25 Their territory was Jazer, and all the cities of Gilead, and half the land of the Ammonites, to Aroer, which is east of Rabbah, 26 and from Heshbon to Ramath-mizpeh and Betonim, and from Mahanaim to the territory of Debir, 27 and in the valley Beth-haram, Beth-nimrah, Succoth, and Zaphon, the rest of the kingdom of Sihon king of Heshbon, having the Jordan as a boundary, to the lower end of the Sea of Chinnereth, eastward beyond the Jordan. 28 This is the inheritance of the people of Gad according to their clans, with their cities and villages.

At first glance, one must ask: "Wait! Wasn't Moses already dead?" The answer is "yes." This chapter takes place when Joshua is old and he and God are reviewing what lands have been occupied and what lands were yet to be taken by Israel.  Some were set as an inheritance yet not received as of that time. But wasn't that Joshua's job? Yes, but God has a way of finishing our jobs for us when we do not see them completed. He keeps working after we are gone, just as he had with Moses, and now Joshua.  God put it this way in verse 6: I myself will drive them out from before the people of Israel. Only allot the land to Israel for an inheritance, as I have commanded you. God gives us our part to do, but it is His promise to fulfill, not ours. 

The Longest Day - More Stones

Joshua 10:24 And when they brought those kings out to Joshua, Joshua summoned all the men of Israel and said to the chiefs of the men of war who had gone with him, “Come near; put your feet on the necks of these kings.” Then they came near and put their feet on their necks. 25 And Joshua said to them, “Do not be afraid or dismayed; be strong and courageous. For thus the Lord will do to all your enemies against whom you fight.” 26 And afterward Joshua struck them and put them to death, and he hanged them on five trees. And they hung on the trees until evening. 27 But at the time of the going down of the sun, Joshua commanded, and they took them down from the trees and threw them into the cave where they had hidden themselves, and they set large stones against the mouth of the cave, which remain to this very day.

Often called "The Day the Sun Stood Still", this battle was another memorial for Israel. The Amorites were among some of the most vile and wicked inhabitants of Canaan. Having seen and heard what God had been doing to nations along their path, the king of Jerusalem had other kings join him to attack Gibeon, which now was an ally of Israel. The battle was long and hard, but God brought them through. Notice how Joshua uses this victory to pass on the challenge God had given him at his call: Do not be afraid or dismayed; be strong and courageous. God is able to take you through the longest struggle.

The Two-Sided Story

 Joshua 9:22 Joshua summoned them, and he said to them, “Why did you deceive us, saying, ‘We are very far from you,’ when you dwell among us? 23 Now therefore you are cursed, and some of you shall never be anything but servants, cutters of wood and drawers of water for the house of my God.” 24 They answered Joshua, “Because it was told to your servants for a certainty that the Lord your God had commanded his servant Moses to give you all the land and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land from before you—so we feared greatly for our lives because of you and did this thing. 25 And now, behold, we are in your hand. Whatever seems good and right in your sight to do to us, do it.” 26 So he did this to them and delivered them out of the hand of the people of Israel, and they did not kill them. 27 But Joshua made them that day cutters of wood and drawers of water for the congregation and for the altar of the Lord, to this day, in the place that he should choose.

The people of Gibeon had heard about everything God had done for His people, and they were rightly afraid of them.  Since Israel was fast approaching them, they came up with this plan to trick them. So, on the one hand, this incident shows the wisdom of God's plan thus far.  On the other hand, what makes this incident especially significant is the phrase found before in verse 14 So the men took some of their provisions, but did not ask counsel from the Lord. That is the real story here.  The leaders fell for their deceit because they did not seek the Lord for wisdom.  They were already forgetting that He was the one calling the shots and giving the victory. They were self-assured. How quickly do we do the same?

Another Heap of Stones

 

Joshua 8: 26 But Joshua did not draw back his hand with which he stretched out the javelin until he had devoted all the inhabitants of Ai to destruction. 27 Only the livestock and the spoil of that city Israel took as their plunder, according to the word of the Lord that he commanded Joshua. 28 So Joshua burned Ai and made it forever a heap of ruins, as it is to this day. 29 And he hanged the king of Ai on a tree until evening. And at sunset Joshua commanded, and they took his body down from the tree and threw it at the entrance of the gate of the city and raised over it a great heap of stones, which stands there to this day.

As noted earlier, the initial defeat at Ai was extremely disheartening.  Israel could not go on with roller coaster ride of victory, defeat, victory, defeat.  Joshua made sure the people completely obeyed God in carrying out his instructions. In the verses that follow, he led the people in a recommitment to their covenant with God - the whole covenant, every command - before all the people of Israel. There were to be no excuses that someone did not know.  The commandments were etched in stone as a constant reminder to all of the covenant and the conditions of victory.  How many reminders do we need?

A Third Stone Memorial

Joshua 7:24 And Joshua and all Israel with him took Achan the son of Zerah, and the silver and the cloak and the bar of gold, and his sons and daughters and his oxen and donkeys and sheep and his tent and all that he had. And they brought them up to the Valley of Achor. 25 And Joshua said, “Why did you bring trouble on us? The Lord brings trouble on you today.” And all Israel stoned him with stones. They burned them with fire and stoned them with stones. 26 And they raised over him a great heap of stones that remains to this day. Then the Lord turned from his burning anger. Therefore, to this day the name of that place is called the Valley of Achor.

After the dramatic victory at Jericho, the defeat at Ai must have been devastating to the people of Israel. God had made the walls fall and the fortress was no more.  The problem was not there, but within the camp of Isreal.  Keeping the spoil had been forbidden - even a little bit.  Once again, precedent was necessary.  The people needed to see and remember not to contradict God's plan and instructions, not even a little.  This third memorial of stones is like any threes we see in Scripture: the final word.  May we have learned our lesson and set up reminders, lest we forget. Significantly, Hosea was given a prophecy of hope over this valley to share with the people.  God can and does turn these memorials to a positive use.

Another Stone Memorial

Joshua 6: 26 Joshua laid an oath on them at that time, saying, “Cursed before the Lord be the man who rises up and rebuilds this city, Jericho.
“At the cost of his firstborn shall he lay its foundation,
and at the cost of his youngest son shall he set up its gates.”
27 So the Lord was with Joshua, and his fame was in all the land.

Joshua had taken over for Moses, leading the people across(through) the Jordan River and to the first stronghold in Canaan: Jericho.  It was the first test of faith for the people: "Would they listen to the somewhat unique plan God had for taking the city?"  They did, and God brought them an easy victory, as the walls came tumbling down, the city totally destroyed and all the inhabitants removed.  After the dust settled, Joshua makes the interesting statement above.  Why would Joshua put a curse on rebuilding it? It was symbolic of opposition to God's plan. The ruins would be a constant reminder of that.  This curse also sets the tone for God's response to the rebellion described in the next chapter. This curse was enacted 500 years later when a man did try to be rebuild and lost his two sons.  Though Jericho is mentioned in Jesus' day, it was not a fortified city like it had been.  It was to be a memorial of stones just like those the people left in the Jordan River.  The principle is this: Don't try to stand in the way of God's plan. 

The Everlasting Arms

 

Deuteronomy 33:24 And of Asher he said,
“Most blessed of sons be Asher;
    let him be the favorite of his brothers,
    and let him dip his foot in oil.
25 Your bars shall be iron and bronze,
    and as your days, so shall your strength be.
26 “There is none like God, O Jeshurun,
    who rides through the heavens to your help,
    through the skies in his majesty.
27 The eternal God is your dwelling place,
    and underneath are the everlasting arms.

After giving them some harsh warnings, Moses gave the tribes of Israel blessings, tribe by tribe, then summarizing at the end.  There is no other like God. He is not limited by time, land, or space. He rules from heaven, yet He holds his people in his powerful but compassionate arms.  It's quite a picture. Moses goes on to say that the Lord would be the one to give them success in battle and keep them in safety and peace in the promised land. There is no other like our God.

Giving Credit to the Rock

Deuteronomy 32:25 Outdoors the sword shall bereave, and indoors terror,
for young man and woman alike, the nursing child with the man of gray hairs.
26 I would have said, “I will cut them to pieces; I will wipe them from human memory,”
27 had I not feared provocation by the enemy, lest their adversaries should misunderstand,
lest they should say, “Our hand is triumphant, it was not the Lord who did all this.”

As Moses gave his final challenge to his people before passing off the scene, he focused at the beginning of this chapter on The Rock, the Lord who had pulled Jacob (Israel) out of the middle of nowhere and made him into a great nation. It is well worth the read to see everything he has to say about The Rock. Moses then turns again to what will happen when they turn their backs on The Rock.  The Lord would just let them cease to exist if it were not one thing: He does not want pagan nations to think they are the all-powerful ones who made it happen.  The "credit" is due only to The Rock, the Almighty Lord over all. May we always give credit to where it is due: God and God alone.

When I'm Gone...

Deuteronomy 31:24 When Moses had finished writing the words of this law in a book to the very end, 25 Moses commanded the Levites who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord, 26 “Take this Book of the Law and put it by the side of the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, that it may be there for a witness against you. 27 For I know how rebellious and stubborn you are. Behold, even today while I am yet alive with you, you have been rebellious against the Lord. How much more after my death! 28 Assemble to me all the elders of your tribes and your officers, that I may speak these words in their ears and call heaven and earth to witness against them. 

Moses had seen a lot in his life, including a lot of disobedience on the part of God's people. As he was finishing his final charge and preparing to hand things over to Joshuah, he makes one last request: keep the Book of the law close to the Covenant of the Lord.  He knew what things had been like when he was there to keep an eye on things; he could only imagine what things would be like when he was gone.  Maybe he was thinking too highly of himself, but I think most of us can imagine that feeling when you have invested highly in some group, project, or person(s).  What will it be like when I'm gone?  The key is NOT for them to hold on to our memories, but to the godly principles we have lived and died for. May we not wait till the last minute to plan and prepare for "when I'm gone..." 

It's Not Just About You...

Deuteronomy 29:22 And the next generation, your children who rise up after you, and the foreigner who comes from a far land, will say, when they see the afflictions of that land and the sicknesses with which the Lord has made it sick— 23 the whole land burned out with brimstone and salt, nothing sown and nothing growing, where no plant can sprout, an overthrow like that of Sodom and Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim, which the Lord overthrew in his anger and wrath— 24 all the nations will say, ‘Why has the Lord done thus to this land? What caused the heat of this great anger?’ 25 Then people will say, ‘It is because they abandoned the covenant of the Lord, the God of their fathers, which he made with them when he brought them out of the land of Egypt, 26 and went and served other gods and worshiped them, gods whom they had not known and whom he had not allotted to them. 27 Therefore the anger of the Lord was kindled against this land, bringing upon it all the curses written in this book, 28 and the Lord uprooted them from their land in anger and fury and great wrath, and cast them into another land, as they are this day.’

After having the people reaffirm their covenant with God, Moses gave a charge to them. It was not just to them God was giving His promises and warnings, but to those they would influence: their children and the foreigners who would come. When things fell apart and everyone was asking: "What happened," there would be a clear answer: they abandoned the covenant.  We so quickly forget that it's not just about us, but our faithfulness, or lack of it, has far-reaching effects.

Just a Snippet

 

Deuteronomy 28:25 “The Lord will cause you to be defeated before your enemies. You shall go out one way against them and flee seven ways before them. And you shall be a horror to all the kingdoms of the earth. 26 And your dead body shall be food for all birds of the air and for the beasts of the earth, and there shall be no one to frighten them away. 27 The Lord will strike you with the boils of Egypt, and with tumors and scabs and itch, of which you cannot be healed. 28 The Lord will strike you with madness and blindness and confusion of mind, 29 and you shall grope at noonday, as the blind grope in darkness, and you shall not prosper in your ways...

The first fifth of this chapter gives the blessings that would come to Israel for her obedience to the covenant endorsed in the previous chapter. The rest of the chapter contains the curses which would come for disobedience. It ranged from the "natural" disasters which would occur, to the total devastation of their families, homes, cities, and lives.  This above is just a glimpse of what would happen (and did happen), when Israel was repeatedly defeated, plundered, and exiled from the promised land for failing to remain faithful to God Who had delivered and provided for her.  None of us can say we were never warned. There are both natural consequences and judgments for disobedience.  Hopefully a snippet is enough to call us to obedience. 

Amen=Confirming Agreement

 

Deuteronomy 27:14 And the Levites shall declare to all the men of Israel in a loud voice:
15 “‘Cursed be the man who makes a carved or cast metal image, an abomination to the Lord, a thing made by the hands of a craftsman, and sets it up in secret.’ And all the people shall answer and say, ‘Amen.’
16 “‘Cursed be anyone who dishonors his father or his mother.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
17 “‘Cursed be anyone who moves his neighbor's landmark.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
18 “‘Cursed be anyone who misleads a blind man on the road.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
19 “‘Cursed be anyone who perverts the justice due to the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
20 “‘Cursed be anyone who lies with his father's wife, because he has uncovered his father's nakedness.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
21 “‘Cursed be anyone who lies with any kind of animal.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
22 “‘Cursed be anyone who lies with his sister, whether the daughter of his father or the daughter of his mother.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
23 “‘Cursed be anyone who lies with his mother-in-law.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
24 “‘Cursed be anyone who strikes down his neighbor in secret.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
25 “‘Cursed be anyone who takes a bribe to shed innocent blood.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
26 “‘Cursed be anyone who does not confirm the words of this law by doing them.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’

After several more chapters reviewing the Law of God, the people get to the confirmation of the law, summarized in the statements above. Accepting the covenant meant accepting the curses of disobedience. It's like those legal documents you sign then initial every statement, then sign again at the end. It is legally binding, serious stuff. May we take our vows to God seriously.

Protecting the Defenseless.

Deuteronomy 22:25 “But if in the open country a man meets a young woman who is betrothed, and the man seizes her and lies with her, then only the man who lay with her shall die. 26 But you shall do nothing to the young woman; she has committed no offense punishable by death. For this case is like that of a man attacking and murdering his neighbor, 27 because he met her in the open country, and though the betrothed young woman cried for help there was no one to rescue her.

After repeating many of the laws found in Exodus with the wilderness wanderings, we come to this section.  After living for decades in close proximity in Egypt, and then the tent city of the wilderness wanderings, the people were going to have space and more privacy. There were many good things about that, but it also meant less accountability.  Men need to be held accountable for their actions.  Women needed the protection by society.  Whenever anyone is allowed to bully others to get what they want, society must step in and protect, or eventually all will suffer.  Added to that is the fact that the man to whom this woman was betrothed had been violated and the tendency for revenge was real. That also would disturb the society as a whole. Have we learned these lessons?

Never Too Far...

 

Deuteronomy 14:24 And if the way is too long for you, so that you are not able to carry the tithe, when the Lord your God blesses you, because the place is too far from you, which the Lord your God chooses, to set his name there, 25 then you shall turn it into money and bind up the money in your hand and go to the place that the Lord your God chooses 26 and spend the money for whatever you desire—oxen or sheep or wine or strong drink, whatever your appetite craves. And you shall eat there before the Lord your God and rejoice, you and your household. 27 And you shall not neglect the Levite who is within your towns, for he has no portion or inheritance with you.

As soon as God begins to give us instructions, our impulse is to say: "What if...?"  God had said He would establish the place for His worship. But what if someone's part of the promised land was far away from that place?  God foresees our excuses and complaints and makes a way for them.  He knows the objections we will come up with to not worship Him: too far, no parking, hard pews, long sermons, "all they want is your money...". God knows and hears it all.  He is always here, waiting and deserving to be worshipped.  What excuses do we really have?

Worshipping God's Way

Deuteronomy 12:26 But the holy things that are due from you, and your vow offerings, you shall take, and you shall go to the place that the Lord will choose, 27 and offer your burnt offerings, the flesh and the blood, on the altar of the Lord your God. The blood of your sacrifices shall be poured out on the altar of the Lord your God, but the flesh you may eat. 28 Be careful to obey all these words that I command you, that it may go well with you and with your children after you forever, when you do what is good and right in the sight of the Lord your God.

When the people entered into the land, not only were they to be picky about who or what they worshipped, but where and how they did so. They were not to worship any of the idols, and they were not to worship the way the pagan peoples had. The blood was not to be drunk or eaten, but poured out before God. God was also going to designate the place. At the present it would be at the tabernacle, and He would designate some specific cities and eventually the temple at Jerusalem, but it was not to be on every and any mountain or hill like the pagans did.  When Jesus told the woman at the well it was not so much the place as it was the way - in spirit and in truth - He was not saying God did not care about where. The place is not so important in itself as much as it is that it is where and how God wants. He wants us to worship with obedience hearts, not self-focus and self-determination. He wants us to worship with His people, not in our own little world. He deserves to be worshipped how He wants. Is worship all about you or about Him? 

The Hour of Decision...

Deuteronomy 11:26 “See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse: 27 the blessing, if you obey the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you today, 28 and the curse, if you do not obey the commandments of the Lord your God, but turn aside from the way that I am commanding you today, to go after other gods that you have not known... 31 For you are to cross over the Jordan to go in to take possession of the land that the Lord your God is giving you. And when you possess it and live in it, 32 you shall be careful to do all the statutes and the rules that I am setting before you today.

The verses that precede this last paragraph of the chapter are one long challenge to love and serve God in the promised land.  Having laid out all of the past events of the exodus and wilderness wanderings, both good and evil, God calls on them to set a course not just on their geographical goal, but their spiritual goal. As they go in, will they take seriously the covenant commitments they have made to serve Him alone? They had left behind a whole host of false gods in Egypt; a whole new set of them lie ahead in Canaan.  The temptation would not cease.  Would their obedience? Will ours? 

Not So Righteous...

Deuteronomy 9:25 “So I lay prostrate before the Lord for these forty days and forty nights, because the Lord had said he would destroy you. 26 And I prayed to the Lord, ‘O Lord God, do not destroy your people and your heritage, whom you have redeemed through your greatness, whom you have brought out of Egypt with a mighty hand. 27 Remember your servants, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Do not regard the stubbornness of this people, or their wickedness or their sin, 28 lest the land from which you brought us say, “Because the Lord was not able to bring them into the land that he promised them, and because he hated them, he has brought them out to put them to death in the wilderness.” 29 For they are your people and your heritage, whom you brought out by your great power and by your outstretched arm.’

As God continues to speak through Moses as the people prepare to enter the promised land, he reminds them that they are not to start thinking God had given them the land because they were so righteous. He pulls out one glaring example: the golden calf. It was a big one, as Moses ended up in prayer and fasting for forty days interceding for them. They had behaved far from righteous. It was the testimony of God's name that was the key point.  Moses did not want Egypt to think God had failed to deliver them into the land.  Rather, it was His grace and mercy that got them there. It's still His grace and mercy that is at work in us - not our own righteousness.

Since You Are Chosen...

Deuteronomy 7:25 The carved images of their gods you shall burn with fire. You shall not covet the silver or the gold that is on them or take it for yourselves, lest you be ensnared by it, for it is an abomination to the Lord your God. 26 And you shall not bring an abominable thing into your house and become devoted to destruction like it. You shall utterly detest and abhor it, for it is devoted to destruction.

Having reminded the people of what God had done for them, God had Moses move on into what they needed to do, and not do, when they were given the promised land. They would inherit cities and lands and whatever was left behind by the previous residents of the land. That included their idols.  They would find all kinds made up of all materials: some base, some precious metals.  Their attitude towards them was to be the same: get rid of them. Don't collect them, put them into the closet, or be enamored by their beauty. They were to be removed and destroyed. We are often oblivious to how much destruction these seemingly harmless things bring into our lives.  Since He has chosen us we do not need them and should not want them.

Remember the Reverence...

Deuteronomy 5:23 And as soon as you heard the voice out of the midst of the darkness, while the mountain was burning with fire, you came near to me, all the heads of your tribes, and your elders. 24 And you said, ‘Behold, the Lord our God has shown us his glory and greatness, and we have heard his voice out of the midst of the fire. This day we have seen God speak with man, and man still live. 25 Now therefore why should we die? For this great fire will consume us. If we hear the voice of the Lord our God any more, we shall die. 26 For who is there of all flesh, that has heard the voice of the living God speaking out of the midst of fire as we have, and has still lived? 27 Go near and hear all that the Lord our God will say, and speak to us all that the Lord our God will speak to you, and we will hear and do it.’

As Moses continues to recount God's deliverance of Israel from Egypt, he reminds them of the appearance God made to them on Mt. Sinai when giving the Ten Commandments.  Though most the people there would not remember, those who had been young children at that time still would. It was the most overwhelming memory they would have: God speaking to them from the burning mountain. They were to remember the reverence they had and rekindle it as they entered the promised land.  What are the times you have sensed God speaking to you? How did they move you? How can they move you again? 

When.. and If...

Deuteronomy 4:25 “When you father children and children's children, and have grown old in the land, and you act corruptly by making a carved image in the form of anything, and by doing what is evil in the sight of the Lord your God, so as to provoke him to anger, 26 I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that you will soon utterly perish from the land that you are going over the Jordan to possess. You will not live long in it, but will be utterly destroyed. 27 And the Lord will scatter you among the peoples, and you will be left few in number among the nations where the Lord will drive you. 28 And there you will serve gods of wood and stone, the work of human hands, that neither see, nor hear, nor eat, nor smell. 29 But from there you will seek the Lord your God and you will find him, if you search after him with all your heart and with all your soul. 

After all the things Moses saw in God delivering his people, bringing them through the wilderness and to the promised land, he was still a realist.  He knew our tendency to forget and wander.  In the great call to obedience found earlier in this chapter, he also looks to the future, calling the mountains around them to serve as witnesses to their promises of obedience. The mountains would be there long after Moses was gone to call them to remembrance of their vows when they disobeyed. They would also be there to remember God's promise that if they would seek Him once again, they would find Him. He would still be there waiting. And He still Is.

Given a Glimpse...

 Deuteronomy 3:23 “And I pleaded with the Lord at that time, saying, 24 ‘O Lord God, you have only begun to show your servant your greatness and your mighty hand. For what god is there in heaven or on earth who can do such works and mighty acts as yours? 25 Please let me go over and see the good land beyond the Jordan, that good hill country and Lebanon.’ 26 But the Lord was angry with me because of you and would not listen to me. And the Lord said to me, ‘Enough from you; do not speak to me of this matter again. 27 Go up to the top of Pisgah and lift up your eyes westward and northward and southward and eastward, and look at it with your eyes, for you shall not go over this Jordan. 

As God has Moses recite the history of the exodus and wilderness wanderings, he does not leave out his own failures. He had lost it at the rock, hitting it and demanding water. He made it about him instead of God.  As a result, he was not going to enter the land.  He begged God to let him just go in and see, but instead God gave him just a glimpse from a distance. Sometimes God gives us promises and goals that He wants to accomplish and we work towards them and see so much progress, but not total fulfillment. It is not that God has been unfaithful. What is important is that we ultimately end up with Him. Even a glimpse is worth the following. 

An Example So Far...

Deuteronomy 2:26 “So I sent messengers from the wilderness of Kedemoth to Sihon the king of Heshbon, with words of peace, saying, 27 ‘Let me pass through your land. I will go only by the road; I will turn aside neither to the right nor to the left. 28 You shall sell me food for money, that I may eat, and give me water for money, that I may drink. Only let me pass through on foot, 29 as the sons of Esau who live in Seir and the Moabites who live in Ar did for me, until I go over the Jordan into the land that the Lord our God is giving to us.’ 30 But Sihon the king of Heshbon would not let us pass by him, for the Lord your God hardened his spirit and made his heart obstinate, that he might give him into your hand, as he is this day.

As Moses continues to recall recent history as an encouragement for the people of Israel to move forward into the promised land, he recalled the resistance they had met along the way: peoples who did not want to assist them in obeying God's command. The point here is that God took care of them. Those who got in the way during the wilderness wanderings ended up giving their territory to the tribes who chose to settle on the east side of the Jordan.  In the same way, there would be resistance when they crossed the Jordan. No one was going to give up their home without a fight, but God would fight for them, if they obeyed Him. This was an example of how they were to take the land: obey His command, trust Him for victory, and seem Him keep His promises. We can trust Him to do the same in our lives, just as He has done so far.

Learn and Leave

Deuteronomy 1:26 “Yet you would not go up, but rebelled against the command of the Lord your God. 27 And you murmured in your tents and said, ‘Because the Lord hated us he has brought us out of the land of Egypt, to give us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us.

By the end of the book of Numbers, we had seen enough names and lists to make the head spin as God gave instructions for entering the promised land.  Now it is time to enter. But before doing so, God has the people take one big glance backwards to see their complaining and disobedience.  God did not give them all of these struggles and roadblocks because He hated them. They brought them upon themselves by not trusting Him and obeying His commands. It was now time for them to learn from these experiences and leave their complaining and disobedience behind.  How often do we wrongly view our struggles as God being against us and doubting His love for us?  How much more are they because of our disobeying and failing to trust Him?

A Place for Safety and Justice

Numbers 35:25 And the congregation shall rescue the manslayer from the hand of the avenger of blood, and the congregation shall restore him to his city of refuge to which he had fled, and he shall live in it until the death of the high priest who was anointed with the holy oil. 26 But if the manslayer shall at any time go beyond the boundaries of his city of refuge to which he fled, 27 and the avenger of blood finds him outside the boundaries of his city of refuge, and the avenger of blood kills the manslayer, he shall not be guilty of blood. 28 For he must remain in his city of refuge until the death of the high priest, but after the death of the high priest the manslayer may return to the land of his possession. 

The cities of refuge in scripture are an interesting and often misunderstood topic in scripture. They were not just for anyone for any reason at any time. They were focused on keeping society focused on justice and not revenge. They were not just a home base you could go to playing tag. This was serious stuff. The manslayer who fled there could not just run and hide then do whatever he wanted. Justice had to be served and society had to act. That is the only way everyone will feel safe.

More Names; A Tough Job

Numbers 34:19 These are the names of the men: Of the tribe of Judah, Caleb the son of Jephunneh. 20 Of the tribe of the people of Simeon, Shemuel the son of Ammihud. 21 Of the tribe of Benjamin, Elidad the son of Chislon. 22 Of the tribe of the people of Dan a chief, Bukki the son of Jogli. 23 Of the people of Joseph: of the tribe of the people of Manasseh a chief, Hanniel the son of Ephod. 24 And of the tribe of the people of Ephraim a chief, Kemuel the son of Shiphtan. 25 Of the tribe of the people of Zebulun a chief, Elizaphan the son of Parnach. 26 Of the tribe of the people of Issachar a chief, Paltiel the son of Azzan. 27 And of the tribe of the people of Asher a chief, Ahihud the son of Shelomi. 28 Of the tribe of the people of Naphtali a chief, Pedahel the son of Ammihud.” 29 These are the men whom the Lord commanded to divide the inheritance for the people of Israel in the land of Canaan.

Once again we are faced not with a lot of numbers, but names. These men had in unenviable task of dividing the Promised land into parts and parcels for the tribes and clans within them. The risk for envy would be great. How do you choose and who do you choose? Thankfully they had leading them Joshua and Eliazer the priest, and above them God, but this was not small responsibility, as "unspiritual" as is may seem. May we be thankful for those willing to do so.

Learn from Where You've Been...

Numbers 33:6 And they set out from the wilderness of Sinai and camped at Kibroth-hattaavah. 17 And they set out from Kibroth-hattaavah and camped at Hazeroth. 18 And they set out from Hazeroth and camped at Rithmah. 19 And they set out from Rithmah and camped at Rimmon-perez. 20 And they set out from Rimmon-perez and camped at Libnah. 21 And they set out from Libnah and camped at Rissah. 22 And they set out from Rissah and camped at Kehelathah. 23 And they set out from Kehelathah and camped at Mount Shepher. 24 And they set out from Mount Shepher and camped at Haradah. 25 And they set out from Haradah and camped at Makheloth. 26 And they set out from Makheloth and camped at Tahath.

Almost to be feared as much as pronouncing the lists of names in Numbers is the fear of having to read all of these places.  But, once again, they are important, as they represent where the people had been on their wilderness wanderings. With those places came memories, good and bad, of what they had learned along the way.  In the context of this chapter, they were to remember all the pagan nations they had encountered along the way and make sure to drive them out, lest their influence bring them down.  We learn from the past to look to the future and walk in obedience. 

Doing Their Part a Different Way.

Numbers 32:23 But if you will not do so, behold, you have sinned against the Lord, and be sure your sin will find you out. 24 Build cities for your little ones and folds for your sheep, and do what you have promised.” 25 And the people of Gad and the people of Reuben said to Moses, “Your servants will do as my lord commands. 26 Our little ones, our wives, our livestock, and all our cattle shall remain there in the cities of Gilead, 27 but your servants will pass over, every man who is armed for war, before the Lord to battle, as my lord orders.”

Because of the victories Israel won early, two of the tribes of Israel were satisfied with the land they saw (and with good reason) before even crossing the Jordan. The Jordan valley and the "highway" to the east had very desirable qualities. But they still had a responsibility to help the other tribes acquire their allotted territory. In exchange for early settlement, they had to agree to more travel from home, leaving their families behind while going on for battle.  It was a trade-off which was agreeable to all. Sometimes we can (and should) come to agreements with one another for all to move forward - in the family, in the church, and in all areas of life.  Are you willing to do this kind of exchange, or only do things your way?

Equitable, Not Equal

Numbers 31:25 The Lord said to Moses, 26 “Take the count of the plunder that was taken, both of man and of beast, you and Eleazar the priest and the heads of the fathers' houses of the congregation, 27 and divide the plunder into two parts between the warriors who went out to battle and all the congregation. 28 And levy for the Lord a tribute from the men of war who went out to battle, one out of five hundred, of the people and of the oxen and of the donkeys and of the flocks. 29 Take it from their half and give it to Eleazar the priest as a contribution to the Lord. 30 And from the people of Israel's half you shall take one drawn out of every fifty, of the people, of the oxen, of the donkeys, and of the flocks, of all the cattle, and give them to the Levites who keep guard over the tabernacle of the Lord.”

God had Moses spend several chapters on all the problems the Midianites gave Israel, trying to keep them from entering the promised land.  In this chapter He had them go in and take back reparations. What we notice here is that when they were divided up first the Levites, God's servants received theirs, to remind the people that ultimately God provides all. Then, those warriors who went out and actually did the work received a greater portion. In other words, God did what was equitable, not equal. So often we fall into the cry of the world that everything and everyone should receive "equal", when what is really fair and just is equity.  What are you whining about?

How to Remember...

Numbers 29:26 “On the fifth day nine bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs a year old without blemish, 27 with the grain offering and the drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, in the prescribed quantities; 28 also one male goat for a sin offering; besides the regular burnt offering and its grain offering and its drink offering.

As God gave the people of Israel all these instructions about special days to commemorate, He came to one which was much more than one day: the Day of Atonement, followed by the Feast of Tabernacles. This was to help them remember their need for forgiveness as well as God's provision for them during the wilderness wanderings.  God did not want them to forget their need to constantly come back to Him, nor all the experiences of their journey, with their failures and His faithfulness.  We, like they are prone to forget. 

How to Celebrate!

 Numbers 28:26 “On the day of the firstfruits, when you offer a grain offering of new grain to the Lord at your Feast of Weeks, you shall have a holy convocation. You shall not do any ordinary work, 27 but offer a burnt offering, with a pleasing aroma to the Lord: two bulls from the herd, one ram, seven male lambs a year old; 28 also their grain offering of fine flour mixed with oil, three tenths of an ephah for each bull, two tenths for one ram, 29 a tenth for each of the seven lambs; 30 with one male goat, to make atonement for you. 31 Besides the regular burnt offering and its grain offering, you shall offer them and their drink offering. See that they are without blemish.

Every culture has its celebrations. Some have many days throughout the year that they commemorate which have accumulated over the centuries.  God had brought His people out of bondage so they could worship and celebrate. This chapter discusses the daily, weekly (sabbath), monthly, and annual sacrifices and celebrations. Every day is a day to worship God and celebrate his blessings, but every week, month, and year there are special times and ways to do so. We have done so this past week with our celebration of the sacrifice and resurrection of Christ. God has provided our salvation and life eternal. May we learn and remember to celebrate well.

Not another Census!

 Numbers 26:26 The sons of Zebulun, according to their clans: of Sered, the clan of the Seredites; of Elon, the clan of the Elonites; of Jahleel, the clan of the Jahleelites. 27 These are the clans of the Zebulunites as they were listed, 60,500.

When reading through the Bible together, one of people's greatest fears are genealogies and censuses. All those long names unlike names we have today, and how to pronounce them! But they are there for a reason. This one was taken just before entering the promised land. After listing all twelve tribes Moses notes that no one was on this list that was on the list before the wilderness wanderings (except two), and to note the changes in size of the tribes, which would affect the size of their lots in the promised land. Most did not have a big change, but one did have quite a decrease (quite possibly due to their sin during the false teaching of Balaam covered in the previous chapters.) At any rate, changes had taken place and needed to be noted.  The past would influence the future. So it does today.