365 Reflections

When Josiah hears the Words of the book of the Law read out loud he immediately knew the nation was in trouble. They had broken faith and become corrupt. He could see the writing on the wall and on the pages. The sin of the nation demanded judgment according to the promises of the Law. So when Hilkiah brought Huldah the prophetess to interpret the times for the king he was most likely unsurprised by her words.  2 Chronicles 34:23–25 (ESV) And she said to them, “Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: ‘Tell the man who sent you to me, 24 Thus says the LORD, Behold, I will bring disaster upon this place and upon its inhabitants, all the curses that are written in the book that was read before the king of Judah. 25 Because they have forsaken me and have made offerings to other gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the works of their hands, therefore my wrath will be poured out on this place and will not be quenched. There it is... an inevitable judgment to come. But Hulda...

It had to feel like hopeless times in Israel when Amon came to the throne. The son of Manasseh set himself to wicked behavior without the repentance of his father. Hope sprung forth in 2 Chronicles 33 when the servants of Amon conspired to put him to death. Evidently, they saw the evil in him up close and knew the nation deserved better. But then more tragedy and trouble came soon after: 2 Chronicles 33:25 (ESV) But the people of the land struck down all those who had conspired against King Amon. And the people of the land made Josiah his son king in his place. Amon's corruption seemed to have won the day. Those valiant enough to put the wicked king to death were put to death by the "people of the land". The majority ruled and the majority loved wickedness. Does it not seem like that today? Guess what. It's always been like that.  This world is under the power of a devilish spirit now at work.  Ephesians 2:2 (ESV) in which you once walked, following the course of th...

There are a troubling few verses in 1 Kings 15 that took me a while to truly comprehend. Two successive kings in Judah are mentioned. One is evil (the Father) and one is righteous, seeking the Lord (the Son). And here's the worst part: They both have the same mother. 1 Kings 15:1–3 (ESV) Now in the eighteenth year of King Jeroboam the son of Nebat, Abijam began to reign over Judah. 2 He reigned for three years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Maacah the daughter of Abishalom . 3 And he walked in all the sins that his father did before him, and his heart was not wholly true to the LORD his God, as the heart of David his father. 1 Kings 15:9–11 (ESV) In the twentieth year of Jeroboam king of Israel, Asa began to reign over Judah, 10 and he reigned forty-one years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Maacah the daughter of Abishalom. 11 And Asa did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, as David his father had done. It would seem incest was prevalent in the reign of A...

Ruth 3:6–9 (ESV) So she went down to the threshing floor and did just as her mother-in-law had commanded her. 7 And when Boaz had eaten and drunk, and his heart was merry, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of grain. Then she came softly and uncovered his feet and lay down. 8 At midnight the man was startled and turned over, and behold, a woman lay at his feet! 9 He said, “Who are you?” And she answered, “I am Ruth, your servant. Spread your wings over your servant, for you are a redeemer.” Ruth is making a bold move here in relation to Boaz. She is literally asking him to marry her. It will be the decisive move of her life and change the trajectory of her entire being.  But it is a bit removed from what she was advised to do. Naomi had told her to do everything up to that moment where Ruth asks for Boaz to spread his garment corner ("wings") over her. In Naomi's original advice, this is how she left it: Ruth 3:4 (ESV) But when he lies down, observe t...

Joshua 24:19–24 (ESV) But Joshua said to the people, “You are not able to serve the LORD, for he is a holy God. He is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions or your sins. 20 If you forsake the LORD and serve foreign gods, then he will turn and do you harm and consume you, after having done you good.” 21 And the people said to Joshua, “No, but we will serve the LORD.” 22 Then Joshua said to the people, “You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen the LORD, to serve him.” And they said, “We are witnesses.” 23 He said, “Then put away the foreign gods that are among you, and incline your heart to the LORD, the God of Israel.” 24 And the people said to Joshua, “The LORD our God we will serve, and his voice we will obey.” I have struggled with this text for a few days. Joshua seems very negative, almost convinced the people will not obey God. But what are the results? We find that in the next book. Judges 2:7 (ESV) And the people served the LORD all the da...

Sometimes we have the best intentions and end up with terrible results. That is the lesson I find in Joshua 22. The three Transjordan tribes (Reuben, Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh) are sent home to their families after the wars having followed through to fight with Israel for the land on the Western side of the Jordan. This is what happens next: Joshua 22:10–11 (ESV) And when they came to the region of the Jordan that is in the land of Canaan, the people of Reuben and the people of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh built there an altar by the Jordan, an altar of imposing size. 11 And the people of Israel heard it said, “Behold, the people of Reuben and the people of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh have built the altar at the frontier of the land of Canaan, in the region about the Jordan, on the side that belongs to the people of Israel.” The built an enormous altar! This action was forbidden repeatedly by God. Thre was to be one altar, one temple, one place for God...

Joshua 16:10 (ESV) However, they did not drive out the Canaanites who lived in Gezer, so the Canaanites have lived in the midst of Ephraim to this day but have been made to do forced labor. Joshua 17:13 (ESV) Now when the people of Israel grew strong, they put the Canaanites to forced labor, but did not utterly drive them out. The people of Israel were not supposed to let the inhabitants of Canaan live. They were allowed to subject any external nation that attacked them into forced labor but all those inside the borders of the land were not supposed to live. Sadly, the tribes started following the example set by Joshua in Joshua 10 concerning the Gibeonites and make slaves of the foreign nations among them. Of course, this applies to our spiritual life. We cannot compromise with sin. We must not allow sin to live in our mortal bodies. Romans 6:11-14 (ESV) Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus. 12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your ...

Are you living on the East or West of the Jordan river? Joshua 12:6–7 (ESV) 6 Moses, the servant of the Lord , and the people of Israel defeated them. And Moses the servant of the Lord gave their land for a possession to the Reubenites and the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh. 7 And these are the kings of the land whom Joshua and the people of Israel defeated on the west side of the Jordan, from Baal-gad in the Valley of Lebanon to Mount Halak, that rises toward Seir (and Joshua gave their land to the tribes of Israel as a possession according to their allotments, The Jordan symbolizes crossing over into total victory. When we cross through it, we identify with the victory our true Joshua comes to give us.  Moses took the people out of Egypt and to the edge of the land. He also took SOME of the first fruits of the inheritance for Israel by war and conquest. Joshua, however, led the people through the Jordan as an entrance into a victorious c...

Deuteronomy 31 is not a cheery chapter. In it, God makes clear He knows Israel will depart from His ways very quickly and very extremely. It's as if there's nothing that could stop their disobedience and inevitable downfall. Consider that the main ramification of Moses' death would be vast disobedience nation-wide. Deuteronomy 31:16 (ESV) And the LORD said to Moses, “Behold, you are about to lie down with your fathers. Then this people will rise and whore after the foreign gods among them in the land that they are entering, and they will forsake me and break my covenant that I have made with them. Deuteronomy 31:18 (ESV)  And I will surely hide my face in that day because of all the evil that they have done, because they have turned to other gods. There is a way to read this passage on the surface without knowledge of Christ which makes you ask of God, "Then why even give the law?" But God's work of redemption was not finished in giving the law, i...

Don't believe the lie that doing what God wants is impossible. So often people want to say obedience is impossible to justify their disobedience. But God put it writing for His people so that they could bank on His promise - YOU CAN DO WHAT HE SAYS! Look at Deuteronomy 30: Deuteronomy 30:11–14 (ESV) “For this commandment that I command you today is not too hard for you , neither is it far off. 12 It is not in heaven, that you should say, ‘Who will ascend to heaven for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ 13 Neither is it beyond the sea, that you should say, ‘Who will go over the sea for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ 14 But the word is very near you. It is in your mouth and in your heart, so that you can do it. Before we go any further, please do not take this to mean you will be sinless. All have sinned. All have fallen short. There is no one who does good except Christ! But the words of this book are not mean to destroy your will,...

Deuteronomy 27:9–14 (ESV)   Then Moses and the Levitical priests said to all Israel, “Keep silence and hear, O Israel: this day you have become the people of the Lord your God. 10 You shall therefore obey the voice of the Lord your God, keeping his commandments and his statutes, which I command you today.” 11 That day Moses charged the people, saying, 12 “When you have crossed over the Jordan, these shall stand on Mount Gerizim to bless the people: Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph, and Benjamin. 13 And these shall stand on Mount Ebal for the curse: Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali. 14 And the Levites shall declare to all the men of Israel in a loud voice: We have a beautiful picture of the Gospel in Deuteronomy 27. The priests will stand in the valley between two mountains with half of Israel on either side. On Mount Ebal will stand the tribes who will hear the curses for disobedience. On Mount Gerizim will stand the tribes who will hear the blessings f...

Deuteronomy 27:9–10 (ESV) Then Moses and the Levitical priests said to all Israel, “Keep silence and hear, O Israel: this day you have become the people of the Lord your God. 10 You shall, therefore, obey the voice of the Lord your God, keeping his commandments and his statutes, which I command you today.” Deuteronomy 27-28 outline God's prescribed ceremony for Israel once they come into the land of promise. They are to set up a monument with all the law written upon it. This monument is to be made up of large stones and covered with plaster. The law is written upon these stones which remain uncut by man. The natural shape of the stones will remain as they are built upon one another and then inscribed with the law of the Lord for His people.  Interestingly, 6 tribes will stand on Mount Ebal and the other 6 will stand on Mount Gerizim and the blessing and curses will be recited for the nation as the priests read off the lists from these chapters. Commentators me...

Deuteronomy 7 works as a whole. It begins with God's instructions for His people to totally destroy the nations they are entering. It ends with a reminder not to desire or keep any of these nations' objects of value. In the middle of the chapter, God tells them why. In the second verse: Deuteronomy 7:2 (ESV)   and when the Lord your God gives them over to you, and you defeat them, then you must devote them to complete destruction. You shall make no covenant with them and show no mercy to them. And the end: Deuteronomy 7:25–26 (ESV) 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. Why are they to totally destroy these ...

Deuteronomy 4:5–8 (ESV) S ee, I have taught you statutes and rules, as the Lord my God commanded me, that you should do them in the land that you are entering to take possession of it. 6 Keep them and do them, for that will be your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples, who, when they hear all these statutes, will say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.’ 7 For what great nation is there that has a god so near to it as the Lord our God is to us, whenever we call upon him? 8 And what great nation is there, that has statutes and rules so righteous as all this law that I set before you today? The Word of God created the Heavens and the Earth. The Word of the Lord brought Israel out of Egypt regardless of what Pharaoh said, decreed or did. The Word of the Lord sustained Israel through 40 years of wandering in the wilderness.  The Word of the Lord is good.  Deuteronomy calls us to hear God's word over 100 times. That says...

The episode of Balaam has proven one thing to Israel - they cannot be cursed. Balaam tried hard to resist God but was stopped and instead followed God and blessed Israel several times. God's people cannot be cursed by the forces of this world. What a privilege. However, there is something that Balaam's people do to Israel. More specifically, it is something Israel allows to be done to them. They conform to the sexual promiscuity of Moab. Numbers 25:1–3 (ESV) While Israel lived in Shittim, the people began to whore with the daughters of Moab. 2 These invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods. 3 So Israel yoked himself to Baal of Peor. And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel. This is a sad episode. As Israel is protected by God on the mountain as blessed by Balaam, they follow the foreign gods of the Moabites. Numbers 31 gives us more information: Numbers 31:16 (NLT) “These are the very ones who fo...

Balaam has been told by God not to curse Israel. He has been told not to even travel with the men who have come to pay him to curse Israel. Yet, Balaam decides to take the better offer they present in prayer before the Lord. Make no mistake Christian, this world and the prince of the power of the air will do the same thing to you. He doesn't take your first "no" for an answer. He always comes with something more enticing. Yet God's answer and God's direction remain the same! When Balaam goes to God in prayer, God allows him to go but only to say what He gives to him for prophecy. When Balaam leaves, something seemingly strange happens in the text. Numbers 22:22 (ESV) But God’s anger was kindled because he went, and the angel of the LORD took his stand in the way as his adversary. Now he was riding on the donkey, and his two servants were with him. This looks strange on the surface. Why would got get angry at Balaam going when God told Balaam it was okay...

The story of Balaam in Numbers 22-24 is one of incredible hilarity. The prophet offered a reward to curse the blessed people of God, he is eventually is rebuked by a donkey and ultimately loses all his potential gain by blessing the Nation God has blessed in the first place. It's an important story for the movement of God's purposes in the life of Israel. It is also important for all outside of Israel to heed the God's divine prerogative to bless. The story starts out with Balak, king of Moab frightened by the potential war his land will face with what looks like an unstoppable force in the Nation of Israel. Mind you, his perspective is undaunted by the inner failures of this great nation in just the last chapter. Balak calls upon Balaam, a seer of sorts, to curse them. When Balaam seeks the Lord, the answer comes clearly: Numbers 22:12 (NLT) But God told Balaam, “Do not go with them. You are not to curse these people, for they have been blessed!” God is pulling ...

Numbers 14:39–40 (ESV) When Moses told these words to all the people of Israel, the people mourned greatly. 40 And they rose early in the morning and went up to the heights of the hill country, saying, “Here we are. We will go up to the place that the Lord has promised, for we have sinned.” This is the last segment of the defining moment in Numbers 14 for the generation that would die in the wilderness. Why were they to die in the wilderness? Because they disobeyed the voice of the Lord. They were told to get take the land. Then they asked to spy int out (see Deuteronomy 1). They came back fearful and disobedient to God's voice. God brings judgment. The men who spread the bad report died of plague. God tells the nation through Moses that all those 20 years old and older will die in the desert. Their response is very revealing. They "mourn greatly." Then they do an about face and decide to go into the land. Surely this is of the Lord, He had just told them to go....

Leviticus 26 is wrapping up the context of this most intricate book. The 26th chapter is God's reiteration of the covenant stipulations. There are conditions for the blessing of God upon His people. Make sure you catch that... there are conditions for the BLESSING of God, not the saving of God. The saving has happened. They are His people, His chosen nation. They are even still in existence today. But for His people to experience His blessing, there must be obedience. Leviticus 26:1–5 (ESV) “You shall not make idols for yourselves or erect an image or pillar, and you shall not set up a figured stone in your land to bow down to it, for I am the LORD your God. 2 You shall keep my Sabbaths and reverence my sanctuary: I am the LORD. 3 “If you walk in my statutes and observe my commandments and do them, 4 then I will give you your rains in their season, and the land shall yield its increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit. 5 Your threshing shall last to the time o...

Leviticus 12:1–5 (ESV) The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Speak to the people of Israel, saying, If a woman conceives and bears a male child, then she shall be unclean seven days. As at the time of her menstruation, she shall be unclean. 3 And on the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised. 4 Then she shall continue for thirty-three days in the blood of her purifying. She shall not touch anything holy, nor come into the sanctuary, until the days of her purifying are completed. 5 But if she bears a female child, then she shall be unclean two weeks, as in her menstruation. And she shall continue in the blood of her purifying for sixty-six days. Sin comes from without and within. That is the lesson here in Leviticus 12. Where chapter 11 deals primarily with those things outside of man that pollute him or bring contamination, so too there are things (normal things) that come out of us that will pollute us before God. How does God communicate this to His people? ...