365 Reflections

Samuel is stepping out of the picture in Israel. They have a king and he's about to retire. In his farewell speech he minces no words: 1 Samuel 12:12–13 (ESV)   And when you saw that Nahash the king of the Ammonites came against you, you said to me, ‘No, but a king shall reign over us,’ when the Lord your God was your king. 13 And now behold the king whom you have chosen, for whom you have asked; behold, the Lord has set a king over you.  I'm thankful for the Israelite journey with the Lord through the Old Testament narrative. They show us our own faults and declare to us the greater mercy of the Lord in every stage of our growth. Here in 1 Samuel 12, it is made abundantly clear by Samuel that Israel's request of a king was the wrong move. Yet they now have a king and it is done.  Sometimes we too will make a poor choice in disobedience to God's Word. Sometimes, like Israel, we will look at the world/culture around us and adopt their values and strategies al...

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...

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...