Month: September 2017

Indecisive Israel #6

Sunday, September 10, 2017

“Now therefore fear the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the LORD. And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD” (Joshua 24:14,15 KJV).

Whom shall Israel follow? (It depends on their circumstances!)

Surveying the Book of Judges, we see the following events repeated six times: (1) Israel committing evil by worshipping and serving pagan idols, (2) JEHOVAH God allowing Gentiles to punish and oppress them, (3) Israel crying out to God for help, (4) God sending a judge/delivered/ruler, (5) Israel having peace, (6) the judge dying, and (7) Israel returning to idolatry. One recurrent phrase is, “And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD” (2:11; 3:7,12; 4:1; 6:1; 10:6; 13:1).

The first cycle begins with Israel doing evil in the sight of the LORD. They intermarry with the Gentiles and serve their idols. God has Chushanrishathaim, king of Mesopotamia, oppress Israel for eight years. The Jews cry to the LORD for help, so he sends a judge, Othniel, to deliver them. Israel has peace 40 years. (Judges 3:5-11)

With Othniel’s death, the second cycle starts. Israel again does evil in the sight of the LORD. God sends Eglon, king of the Moabites, to tyrannize the Jews 18 years. Israel cries for help, God delivers them using Ehud the Judge, and they have rest 80 years. (Judges 3:15-30)

Once Ehud dies, the third cycle commences. Israel again does evil in the sight of the LORD. God brings in Jabin, king of the Canaanites, to “mightily oppress” Israel 20 years. God raises up Deborah the Prophetess and Judge, and gives Israel victory over her enemies. The land of Israel has peace 40 years. (Judges 4:1–5:31)

Notice how Israel’s apostasy originated because of two factors. Firstly, they left their heathen neighbors in their land. Secondly, they intermarried with them!

(We temporarily break away from this devotionals arc to bring a special-edition devotional tomorrow.)

Indecisive Israel #5

Saturday, September 9, 2017

“Now therefore fear the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the LORD. And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD” (Joshua 24:14,15 KJV).

Whom shall Israel follow? (It depends on their circumstances!)

During Joshua’s lifetime, Israel failed to dispossess the land of Canaan from all aboriginal pagans (see Joshua 15:63; 16:10; 17:12,13; cf. Judges 1:19,21,27-33). The Israelites, sadly, allowed some heathen and their idols to remain in the land with them! Hence, prior to death, Joshua scolded Israel: “Know for a certainty that the LORD your God will no more drive out any of these nations from before you; but they shall be snares and traps unto you, and scourges in your sides, and thorns in your eyes, until ye perish from off this good land which the LORD your God hath given you” (Joshua 23:13).

After Joshua’s decease, the angel of the LORD told Israel: “Wherefore I also said, I will not drive them out from before you; but they shall be as thorns in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare unto you” (Judges 2:3). Verse 21: “I also will not henceforth drive out any from before them of the nations which Joshua left when he died:….”

Joshua 23:6-8 was part of Joshua’s final plea: “[6] Be ye therefore very courageous to keep and to do all that is written in the book of the law of Moses, that ye turn not aside therefrom to the right hand or to the left; [7] That ye come not among these nations, these that remain among you; neither make mention of the name of their gods, nor cause to swear by them, neither serve them, nor bow yourselves unto them: [8] But cleave unto the LORD your God, as ye have done unto this day.” Thus explains Israel’s fickle spirituality throughout (subsequent) Judges….

Our latest Bible Q&A: “How should we pray for people enduring natural catastrophes and other tragedies?”

Indecisive Israel #4

Friday, September 8, 2017

“Now therefore fear the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the LORD. And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD” (Joshua 24:14,15 KJV).

Whom shall Israel follow? (It depends on their circumstances!)

After presenting Israel’s decline into Baal and Ashtaroth (idol) worship, Judges chapter 2 continues: “[14] And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he delivered them into the hands of spoilers that spoiled them, and he sold them into the hands of their enemies round about, so that they could not any longer stand before their enemies. [15] Whithersoever they went out, the hand of the LORD was against them for evil, as the LORD had said, and as the LORD had sworn unto them: and they were greatly distressed.

“[16] Nevertheless the LORD raised up judges, which delivered them out of the hand of those that spoiled them. [17] And yet they would not hearken unto their judges, but they went a whoring after other gods, and bowed themselves unto them: they turned quickly out of the way which their fathers walked in, obeying the commandments of the LORD; but they did not so. [18] And when the LORD raised them up judges, then the LORD was with the judge, and delivered them out of the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge: for it repented the LORD because of their groanings by reason of them that oppressed them and vexed them. [19] And it came to pass, when the judge was dead, that they returned, and corrupted themselves more [!] than their fathers, in following other gods to serve them, and to bow down unto them; they ceased not from their own doings, nor from their stubborn way.”

This introduces the rest of Judges… Israel’s repeated falling into idolatry, subsequent rising to reformation, and then apostatizing again….

Indecisive Israel #3

Thursday, September 7, 2017

“Now therefore fear the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the LORD. And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD” (Joshua 24:14,15 KJV).

Whom shall Israel follow? (It depends on their circumstances!)

Despite remembering and voicing what the LORD God did for them (delivering them from Egyptian slavery, conquering their enemies, and so on—verses 16-18), Israel had retained their idols! Amazingly, while aged Joshua addressed the Jews for the last time, he had to instruct them to discard their idols and serve JEHOVAH God (cf. today’s Scripture). Verse 23: “Now therefore put away, said he, the strange gods which are among you, and incline your heart unto the LORD God of Israel.” Israel agreed to make a covenant with Joshua to serve the LORD (verses 21-28).

The Book of Judges, chapter 2, picks up: “[8] And Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died, being an hundred and ten years old…. [10] And also all that generation were gathered unto their fathers: and there arose another generation after them, which knew not the LORD, nor yet the works which he had done for Israel. [11] And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and served Baalim: [12] And they forsook the LORD God of their fathers, which brought them out of the land of Egypt, and followed other gods, of the gods of the people that were round about them, and bowed themselves unto them, and provoked the LORD to anger. [13] And they forsook the LORD, and served Baal and Ashtaroth.”

How tragic! Once Joshua and his generation die, Israel returns to idols. The older generation failed to faithfully communicate sound Bible doctrine to the younger Israelites. Now begins Israel’s spiritual “rollercoaster ride” in the Book of Judges….

 

Indecisive Israel #2

Wednesday, September 6, 2017

“Now therefore fear the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the LORD. And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD” (Joshua 24:14,15 KJV).

Whom shall Israel follow? (It depends on their circumstances!)

“[16] And the people answered and said, God forbid that we should forsake the LORD, to serve other gods; [17] For the LORD our God, he it is that brought us up and our fathers out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage, and which did those great signs in our sight, and preserved us in all the way wherein we went, and among all the people through whom we passed: [18] And the LORD drave out from before us all the people, even the Amorites which dwelt in the land: therefore will we also serve the LORD; for he is our God.

“[19] And Joshua said unto the people, Ye cannot serve the LORD: for he is an holy God; he is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions nor your sins. [20] If ye forsake the LORD, and serve strange gods, then he will turn and do you hurt, and consume you, after that he hath done you good. [21] And the people said unto Joshua, Nay; but we will serve the LORD.

“[22] And Joshua said unto the people, Ye are witnesses against yourselves that ye have chosen you the LORD, to serve him. And they said, We are witnesses. [23] Now therefore put away, said he, the strange gods which are among you, and incline your heart unto the LORD God of Israel. [24] And the people said unto Joshua, The LORD our God will we serve, and his voice will we obey. [25] So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and set them a statute and an ordinance in Shechem.”

Israel starts off well, but….

Indecisive Israel #1

Tuesday, September 5, 2017

“Now therefore fear the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the LORD. And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD” (Joshua 24:14,15 KJV).

Whom shall Israel follow? (It depends on their circumstances!)

Many years ago, a friend bought a couch from a local furniture dealer. A leg had broken off the couch within a week! She vowed to never buy from that store again. Several years later, she went to the same store building (the same owners, just a different franchise name). Thinking the passage of time and name change made a difference in products, my friend purchased a reduced mattress set. When the deliverymen came to her house, the mattress had raveling (stringy) edges! She wanted a replacement. When they returned with the substitute, the box springs unit was one color and the mattress itself was another color! She phoned the store and demanded a full refund, telling them all about her bad experience at their store years previous.

Touching spiritual or religious things, vacillation is very hazardous. If something is true and reliable, we need to stick with it and never let it go. However, if it proves to be untrue and faulty, we should abandon it forever. It is unwise to waffle between the choices—“Yes, I will follow it” and “No, I will not.” In today’s Scripture, part of Joshua’s final address to Israel, he shows that there are two ways to go now that they are in the Promised Land. Firstly, they can serve JEHOVAH God, who delivered them out of the land of Egypt so they could do His will in His land. Secondly, they can serve all the idols of their pagan ancestors and heathen neighbors. Whatever they do, they cannot follow both religious systems.

Let us see what Israel does….

The Thing Which is Good

Monday, September 4, 2017

“Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth” (Ephesians 4:28 KJV).

On this Labor Day, we talk about work, “the thing which is good.”

In this day and age of increasing “government assistance,” people are becoming less and less aware of our hard work being the Lord Jesus’ preferred method of the source of our incomes. While the physically and mentally disabled are obvious exceptions, the God of the Bible expects all of us to contribute labor in order to provide for ourselves. For children and young adults, even being a student in school is work enough!

Observe the doctrine being communicated in today’s Scripture. The grace life does not merely teach us to quit doing bad things, but it also instructs us to start doing good things (Titus 2:11,12). Once a thief trusts the Lord Jesus Christ and His finished crosswork as sufficient payment for his sins, then God expects that thief to quit stealing and find a job so he can provide for his needs!

The God of creation calls work “the thing which is good” (today’s Scripture). Work is not something to be avoided; it is something to be embraced for the Lord’s glory!

When the Lord Jesus Christ put the first man, Adam, on earth, that man had a divine commission. Adam was not to simply loaf around and do nothing: “And the LORD God took the man, and put him in the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it” (Genesis 2:15). Adam was to protect that garden, to till its ground, to prepare it for Jesus Christ to come down and dwell in with he and Eve (because of sin, that earthly kingdom over which Jesus Christ will rule is still awaiting fulfillment!).

Saints, may we work to provide for our families (1 Timothy 5:8), and may we work to help those who truly are needy (today’s Scripture). In the words of God the Holy Spirit, that is “good!” 🙂

Implacable #3

Sunday, September 3, 2017

“And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;…. Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them” (Romans 1:28,31,32 KJV).

What does “implacable” mean? Why are these individuals suffering from “implacability” anyway?

The world got into “this mess” because its ancient inhabitants—at the Tower of Babel (Genesis chapter 11)—willfully abandoned the one true God, the God of the Bible, to pursue their own agenda. “Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful…” (Romans 1:21). They forsook the Creator God. Therefore, He “gave them up… gave them up… gave them over” (verses 24,26,28) to their preferred ideas and behaviors. Consequently, they were left with an internal void… a vacuum that only He can fill. “Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen” (verse 25). Self-serving and self-reliant, they are unnatural (against God’s design in creation) and thus miserable.

Second Timothy chapter 3 mentions “lovers of their own selves,… unthankful,… trucebreakers [same as “implacable”],… lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God” (verses 2,3,4). The Greek word rendered “implacable” and “trucebreakers” is aspondos, “without libation.” In ancient days, such sacrifices accompanied the making of treaties or agreements. However, these individuals cannot be persuaded into a settlement. Constantly fighting and bickering, they are uninterested in peaceful resolutions. Nothing can satisfy them. Why? They did not want God, they hate Him, and what they thought would pacify them (all their anti-God thoughts and behaviors) does not. There is a frantic, manic panic to fill that God-shaped void. Doing anything and everything to entertain themselves, those sinful pleasures are only temporary (Hebrews 11:25).

Using the Scriptures (with Greek and English lexicographical expansions), we see that “implacable” means “unable to be appeased, relentless in hostility, uninterested in a truce.” They gave up God—the most valuable relationship of all—and (unless they come to Him by faith in Christ) their lusts will never be satiated!

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Implacable #2

Saturday, September 2, 2017

“And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;…. Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them” (Romans 1:28,31,32 KJV).

What does “implacable” mean? Why are these individuals suffering from “implacability” anyway?

Romans chapter 1 continues: “[26] For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: [27] And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.”

Today’s Scripture with its context: “[28] And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; [29] Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, [30] Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, [31] Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: [32] Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.”

Now turning to read from 2 Timothy chapter 3, the closing days of our Dispensation of Grace: “[1] This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. [2] For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, [3] Without natural affection, trucebreakers [same Greek word as “implacable”], false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, [4] Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; [5] Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.” Did you notice verses 2 and 4?

We conclude this devotionals arc by tying up all of these loose ends….

Implacable #1

Friday, September 1, 2017

“And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;…. Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them” (Romans 1:28,31,32 KJV).

What does “implacable” mean? Why are these individuals suffering from “implacability” anyway?

Romans chapter 1, verses 18-32, are the historical record of how the world wound up in the mess we now find it. When the nations assembled around the Tower of Babel in pagan idol worship (Genesis chapter 11), they made a conscious decision to give up the one true God. Today’s Scripture is the final installment of that record, the ultimate condemnation, of those nations. However, we have gotten ahead of ourselves. We should start from the beginning.

Romans chapter 1: “[18] For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; [19] Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. [20] For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: [21] Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

“[22] Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, [23] And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. [24] Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: [25] Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.”

Did you notice carefully verses 21, 24, and 25? They hold the key to understanding the trait “implacable….”

Bible Q&A #415: “Did King David engage in vulgar dancing?”