United In The WORD

March 6 Bible Reading: Joshua Chapters 7-9

2012-03-06T08:00:00.000-05:00

How an ‘INDIVIDUAL’s SIN’ affects a whole CONGREGATION? But the children of Israel committed a trespass regarding the accursed things, for Achan the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took of the accursed things; so the anger of the Lord burned against the children of Israel. So the Lord said to Joshua: "Get up! Why do you lie thus on your face? Israel has sinned, and they have also transgressed My covenant which I commanded them." (Josh 7:1, 10-11)

If Rahab the Amorite prostitute found mercy and grace from God in the midst of judgment (6:25), the story of Achan is a reminder of the holiness of God which we can never take for granted (24:19; Num. 17:11–13). This is the first instance of disobedience in the Promised Land, and this incident and its lesson for Israel are recalled at a later time (22:18–20). Although the offense was committed by one man, we see that the entire country of Israel is involved and affected adversely (v. 11; 22:18).

We know that Joshua had specifically told the Israelites not to take anything from Jericho for it was cursed: "And you, by all means abstain from the accursed things, lest you become accursed when you take of the accursed things, and make the camp of Israel a curse, and trouble it" (Josh 6:18). However, a man named Achan took some of the plunder that belonged to the Lord (6:19) and kept it for himself (7:1). This set in motion a series of disasters that affected not only him but also the whole community. Achan alone had defied the ban, but his disobedience is seen as that of the whole nation because of God’s principle of corporate solidarity. No person sins alone!

God had not forsaken Israel; the people had forsaken God. Achan’s trespass, which was a treacherous violation, compromised the holiness of the entire nation of Israel. As a covenant nation, Israel functioned under the twin mandates of corporate solidarity (Deut. 6:18) and individual responsibility (Deut. 24:16). Accordingly, Israel had committed a trespass (v. 11) in Achan’s sin. The incident was serious because such transgression compromised the holiness of God (Deut. 9:26–29).

Let us understand that we never sin alone, and sin ultimately brings defeat in our lives and in the lives of those around us. God sees His people as one just as the sin of Achan was the sin of the whole nation and caused the death of 36 innocent soldiers. Likewise, our individual sin affects the holiness of our entire congregation since together we are the corporate body of Christ (see 1 Cor. 12:12–27).

Our Lord Jesus Christ has promised that where two or three are gathered together in His name, He is there in the midst of them (Matt 18:20). However, individual sin will seriously deter Jesus from working among and through His people! Let us be careful that we are never the stumbling block (like Achan) that prevents the people of God to rise up in victory as a corporate body of Christ.

"Anyone who has rejected Moses' law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace?" (Heb 10:28-29)

March 5 Bible Reading: Joshua Chapters 4-6

2012-03-05T08:00:00.000-05:00

Creating ‘MEMORIAL STONES’ of our life experiences: Then Joshua called the twelve men whom he had appointed from the children of Israel, one man from every tribe; and Joshua said to them: "Cross over before the ark of the Lord your God into the midst of the Jordan, and each one of you take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel, that this may be a sign among you when your children ask in time to come, saying, 'What do these stones mean to you?' Then you shall answer them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord; when it crossed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. And these stones shall be for a memorial to the children of Israel forever." (Josh 4:4-7)

The parting of the Jordan River for the Israelites to cross over dry land was the second miracle that they had experienced in their wilderness journey so far. When the Israelites had started their journey from Egypt, God had parted Red Sea for them, and had caused them to walk through dry land some 40 years ago. In order to turn it into an undisputed miracle, God drowned not only Pharaoh, but also 600 chariots along with their horses and horsemen (see Exodus 14:5-9, 21-28) in the sea. However, sadly the Israelites forgot this amazing miracle that God had performed on their behalf, and for building up their faith in their Jehovah God.

Now, when the new generation of the Israelites crossed over the Jordan River, that was actually overflowing all its banks during this harvest season (Joshua 3:14-17), God wanted to immortalize this event and create a memory for the future Israeli generations of the providence and the greatness of God. The stones would always remind the people of this great event of parting the Jordan River, and serve as conversation starters with their children when they would ask what they symbolized (4:6, 21). This miracle was performed for a greater purpose than merely getting the Israelites across the Jordan River. It also was a sign to all peoples that there was no one like Jehovah God!

So, Joshua commanded twelve men to pick up twelve stones from the midst of the Jordan River from the very place that the feet of the priests stood with the Ark of the Covenant on their shoulders. They would then carry these stones to Gilgal, and set them up as a memorial "...that all the peoples of the earth may know the hand of the Lord, that it is mighty, that you (Israelites) may fear the Lord your God forever" (Josh 4:24).

God’s saving acts are unique, once-for-all events in history. Our faith is inspired by recalling these acts. As parents, it is our privilege and responsibility to educate our children as to their spiritual heritage (Ex. 12:26, 27; Deut. 6:20–23, Prov. 1:8, 9; 22:6; 28:7; 29:15, 17). We need to create 'memorial stones' of our life experiences as visible reminders to coming generations of the power of God, and leave them as ‘thankful remembrance’ so that their faith in God is strengthened. What God has done for us in the past should continue to motivate our grateful response in the present!

"Remember that Jesus Christ, of the seed of David, was raised from the dead according to my gospel" (2 Timothy 2:8)

March 4 Bible Reading: Joshua Chapters 1-3

2012-03-04T00:58:00.000-05:00

The ‘SCARLET CORD’ makes ‘ALL’ the ‘DIFFERENCE’: Then she let them down by a rope through the window, for her house was on the city wall; she dwelt on the wall. So the men said to her: "We will be blameless of this oath of yours which you have made us swear, unless, when we come into the land, you bind this line of scarlet cord in the window through which you let us down, and unless you bring your father, your mother, your brothers, and all your father's household to your own home.” And she sent them away, and they departed. And she bound the scarlet cord in the window. (Josh 2:15, 17-18, and 21)

As a precursor to the conquest of Canaan, Joshua sent two spies to check out the layout of the land (2:1). These two men would have been men of faith and courage, unlike the fearful ten spies who had spied Canaan 40 years ago with Joshua and Caleb. Of all the inhabitants of Jericho, they chose the home of Rahab, the prostitute since that would be a good camouflage for their visit. However, the news reached the king of Jericho, who confronted Rahab and demanded that she release the spies to the king. Rahab lied to the king risking her own life, and she was rewarded eventually for her faith in Jehovah!

What we see in this story is that Rahab was a woman of faith (Psalms 87:4) who confessed the greatness of Jehovah with these words: "...for the Lord your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath" (2: 11b). She acknowledged her faith in Jehovah, and due to her confession, she and her entire family were spared from death and destruction even though she was an Amorite (see Gen. 15:16, 21) and a prostitute. Eventually, Rahab was spared from death even though her house was built on the walls of Jericho (2:15), which came crashing down eventually (6:20). The only way she was spared was because she tied a scarlet cord in the window of her house!

The scarlet cord reminds us of the blood of the lamb that was smeared on the doorpost, and the life of the firstborn of the family was spared from death. After Rahab was spared from death by Joshua (6:25), she got absorbed into the Jewish nation, and eventually married Salmon to become the great grandmother of King David, who was the ancestor of the Messiah, Jesus Christ (Matt. 1:5). One key lesson here: God’s plans for us are far beyond any plans that we may have for ourselves!

This story portrays the Gospel, in which the city of Jericho can be equated to our world that is doomed for sure destruction in the near future. The spies represent the preachers of the Gospel, who call out that the judgment is coming soon. The scarlet cord represents the blood of Jesus Christ that was shed for the remission of our sins, and Rahab represents the person who trusts Jesus Christ as his/her Savior. The scarlet cord (or, the blood of Jesus) makes all the difference in our lives!

"By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they were encircled for seven days. By faith the harlot Rahab did not perish with those who did not believe, when she had received the spies with peace." (Heb 11:30-31)

March 3 Bible Reading: Deuteronomy Chapters 31-34

2012-03-03T08:00:00.000-05:00

Our ETERNAL GOD is our ‘HELP’ and our ‘REFUGE’: "There is no one like the God of Jeshurun, who rides the heavens to help you, and in His Excellency on the clouds. The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms; He will thrust out the enemy from before you, and will say, 'Destroy!' Then Israel shall dwell in safety, the fountain of Jacob alone, in a land of grain and new wine; His heavens shall also drop dew. Happy are you, O Israel! Who is like you, a people saved by the Lord, the shield of your help and the sword of your majesty! Your enemies shall submit to you, and you shall tread down their high places." (Deut 33:26-29)

Just like Jacob had blessed his sons on his deathbed (Gen. 49:1–27), Moses blessed their descendants by their tribes as his final public act. After praising the greatness of God and His covenant sovereignty (33:2–5), Moses addressed each tribe in turn with words of blessing, except the tribe of Simeon, which was soon to be absorbed by the tribe of Judah (vv. 6–25). He concluded with a general blessing for all Israel, one whose very possibility lay in the nature of God as Creator and Lord and in His saving work in bringing Israel to Himself (vv. 26–29).

Moses thus invokes blessings upon the tribes of Israel, and the foundation of these blessings is the strong confidence in Israel’s unique, incomparable God, who rides the heavens to help Israel. He is an eternal God whose everlasting arms are never exhausted and who is their refuge and safety. These closing verses celebrate the greatness of God as He acts in behalf of His people. The God of Jeshurun is unique in the heavens to help His people during their time of need!

Like a soldier, God is constantly on the lookout for ways to defend His people from attack, and the Divine Warrior is always providing protection because He is eternal. God is a refuge or fortress for the people to flee to in times of distress (Ps. 90:1; 91:9). The God who redeemed Israel with His strong arm will always be with His people in love and power!

This above passage has blessed the hearts of God’s people through the ages. He is the majestic God (v. 26), the eternal God (v. 27), the protecting and providing God (v. 28). The great blessing of Israel was that He was their God. God’s people are privileged to be in His hand for safekeeping (John 10:28–29) and at His feet for learning and obeying (v. 3). We are “between His shoulders,” next to His heart (v. 12), and He bears us with His “everlasting arms” (v. 27). What more could we want?

"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear..." (Psalms 46:1-2)

March 2 Bible Reading: Deuteronomy Chapters 28-30

2012-03-02T08:00:00.000-05:00

Why has GOD revealed ‘SOME’ of His ‘SECRETS’ to US? "The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law." (Deut 29:29)

The above verse forms the key that unlocks God's covenant with His people in Palestine. While there are certain secret things that belong to the Lord (especially matters concerning His judgments), Moses reminded the people that their responsibility was clearly revealed—to keep the covenant of the Lord. Revelation brings responsibility! The Israelites were accountable to obey God’s Word completely and this principle can be found many times in the New Testament as well: “To him who knows to do good [revelation] and does not do it [responsibility], to him it is sin” (James 4:17).

God does not give humans unlimited knowledge, but rather the privilege of knowing Him even without understanding the “secret things”. The reference to “secret things” may suggest that Moses faces the uncertain future of the nation, remembering their waywardness and how they turned to the golden calf at Horeb (Exodus 32). In this uncertainty, Moses trusted their hidden future to his trustworthy God!

The will of God had been revealed to the Israelites through the Law and the Commandments. If these revelations were acted upon wisely, then the people would receive great blessings from God, but to disobey would hasten God’s judgment upon them. Revelation may be defined as “that process by which God imparted to human beings truths they otherwise could not know”. God’s revealed law was of vital importance, and the Israelites were required to obey this revealed law! Similarly, God’s revealed will is available to us in pages of the Bible! (see Romans 11:33-36)

Why has God revealed His secrets to us? So that we may daily read, reflect, understand, and live out His Word in our world. We are directed and encouraged to seek into that which God has made known to us through His Word. To ignore God’s Word and chase after the things God has left secret is foolishness as our responsibility is to obey what we know and not pry into what we do not know! Let us examine our spiritual perception through His revealed Word today!

"God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds" (Heb 1:1-2)

March 1 Bible Reading: Deuteronomy Chapters 25-27

2012-03-01T08:00:00.000-05:00

We are God’s ‘SPECIAL PEOPLE’ in this world: "This day the Lord your God commands you to observe these statutes and judgments; therefore you shall be careful to observe them with all your heart and with all your soul. Today you have proclaimed the Lord to be your God, and that you will walk in His ways and keep His statutes, His commandments, and His judgments, and that you will obey His voice. Also today the Lord has proclaimed you to be His special people, just as He promised you, that you should keep all His commandments, and that He will set you high above all nations which He has made, in praise, in name, and in honor, and that you may be a holy people to the Lord your God, just as He has spoken." (Deut 26:16-19)

In the above passage God is ratifying the Abrahamic Covenant with the Israelites, and these verses are a part of the covenant renewal ceremony. Moses concludes his lengthy exposition of the covenant by demanding total obedience from the Israelites as they were God’s ‘special people’. Since the Israelites had accepted the terms of God’s covenant by their pledge of obedience to God (v. 17; Exodus 24:7), the two parties of the covenant (God and the Israelites) now “proclaimed” loyalty to each other (vv. 17, 18).

God acknowledged the Israelites as His own ‘special people’ and promised to exalt them above all other nations, since they had agreed to walk in godly ways. They were to be a ‘holy people’ set apart from the other nations by God as His peculiar treasure. In turn, the Israelites were to respond to this great honor by completely obeying God!

Throughout the book of Deuteronomy, God is demanding obedience from the Israelites, which should be part of their loving response to God accepting them as His ‘special people’. The first generation had declared their loyalty to God at the foot of Mount Sinai (Exodus 24:7). Now, in this covenant renewal ceremony, the new Israelite generation reconfirms their commitment to God that they will live by His revelation henceforth!

The Hebrew word for ‘special people’ speaks of God’s delight in His people as His special jewel, an adornment that He treasures. This also denotes an elect people, set apart by the Lord to Himself, committed to the Lord and His revelation, and exalted above all the other nations (Exodus 19:5; Malachi 3:17).

As God’s ‘special people’ of our times, we should be totally obedient to God’s Word as well. When we are close to God, we will separate ourselves from the worldly system (1 John 2:15-17) and anything that stands in our way to do God’s will in our lives. If we do that, God promises to honor us as He did to Abraham long ago (Gen. 12:2, 3; Isaiah 60; Romans 8:18, 19). God has designated His church as His ‘special people’, holy and separated for carrying out His plan in this world. Let us rise up to carry out our responsibilities today!

"But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy." (1 Peter 2:9-10)

February 28 Bible Reading: Deuteronomy Chapters 22-24

2012-02-28T08:00:00.000-05:00

Is ‘DOING GOOD’ for others a pattern of our LIFESTYLE? "You shall not see your brother's ox or his sheep going astray, and hide yourself from them; you shall certainly bring them back to your brother. You shall do the same with his donkey, and so shall you do with his garment; with any lost thing of your brother's, which he has lost and you have found, you shall do likewise; you must not hide yourself. You shall not see your brother's donkey or his ox fall down along the road, and hide yourself from them; you shall surely help him lift them up again." (Deut 22:1, 3-4)

When Moses was listing the miscellaneous laws for the Israelites to obey, he spoke about their lifestyle itself to be a ‘pattern of good works’. The Israelites had not claimed the special merits from God through something that they had done in the past, but they had received all the multiplied blessings including their ‘Promised Land’ from God as a result of the obedience and faith of their great grandfather Abraham. In fact, they were slaves in Egypt not too long ago (24:22), but God had delivered them through great signs, wonders and miracles!

Now, the Israelites were expected to show the same mercy and grace in their daily living, and display random acts of kindness to others when they were neither expecting nor deserving it. This passage expands upon Leviticus 19:18, describing the command to “love your neighbor.” An Israelite was not allowed to act indifferently toward anything lost by his/her neighbor!

Every individual in the Israelite community bore the responsibility to uphold justice within that community, and these instructions addressed the natural human tendency not to get involved in other people’s affairs. No one should pretend not to have seen lost animals or goods of others for that is a form of theft or, at least a lack of brotherly love.

The rightful ownership of private property (Exodus 23:4) is emphasized in this passage, and any accidental loss of private property should be prevented (Exodus 23:5). Let us note that God honors private ownership and demands honesty from us in handling other people’s goods, even when it is not convenient for us. We are stewards of all that God gives us, and we must be faithful even to bear the burdens of others. "Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ." (Gal 6:2)

Let us ‘do good’ to others especially when they are not expecting it, and make it a pattern of our lifestyle as well, for this is well pleasing to God. "Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in the power of your hand to do so." (Prov 3:27) Let us remember what God has done for us, and let “mercy triumph over judgment” (James 2:13b) in actions as well.

February 27 Bible Reading: Deuteronomy Chapters 19-21

2012-02-27T08:00:00.000-05:00

Leave ‘FINAL JUSTICE’ into the HANDS of GOD: "If a false witness rises against any man to testify against him of wrongdoing, then both men in the controversy shall stand before the Lord, before the priests and the judges who serve in those days. And the judges shall make careful inquiry, and indeed, if the witness is a false witness, who has testified falsely against his brother, then you shall do to him as he thought to have done to his brother; so you shall put away the evil from among you. And those who remain shall hear and fear, and hereafter they shall not again commit such evil among you. Your eye shall not pity: life shall be for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot." (Deut 19:16-21)

One of the key elements that is emphasized in the Old Testament laws is that taking personal revenge was forbidden for the Israelites (see Lev. 19:18; Deut. 32:35). The Old Testament laws exacted ‘just’ punishment for all offenses: “life shall be for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot” (see Exodus 21:23-25). So, for any offense that was committed in those days, the accuser and the accused were required to “stand before the Lord, before the priests and the judges who serve in those days” (v. 17) as the plaintiff and the defendant.

God’s desire for us clearly is not to judge others and exact personal revenge, and this was stressed to a greater degree all through the New Testament. We are instructed to "repay no one evil for evil" (Romans 12:17). Taking this a step further, God has told us specifically not to judge others: "Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you." (Matt 7:1-2) Instead, we are required to forgive others when they wrong us, so that our Heavenly Father will forgive us as well when we wrong Him (Matt. 6:12, 14-15).

Still taking this another step further, we are required to repay evil with good, as Jesus tells us not to resist an evil person (Matt. 5:38-42), but rather try to be perfect as God Himself by loving our enemies, blessing those who curse us, doing good to those who hate us, and praying for those who spitefully use us and persecute us (Matt. 5:43-48; 1 Peter 3:9).

As God’s children, instead of carrying out a personal vendetta against others who wrong us, we are required to live by Christ-honoring alternatives guided by the Holy Spirit. We should try our very best to live at peace with everyone (Rom. 12:18), submit to a spiritual mediator within the church (1 Cor. 6:1-6), and ultimately leave the ‘final justice’ to the hands of authorities who are ordained by God, and God Himself who is coming soon to “judge the world with righteousness and the peoples with His truth” (Psalm 96:10, 13).

Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay," says the Lord. Therefore "if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head." Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. (Romans 12:19-21)

February 26 Bible Reading: Deuteronomy Chapters 16-18

2012-02-26T06:00:00.000-05:00

*FOUR* BLESSINGS for READING God’s WORD *DAILY*: "Also it shall be, when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write for himself a copy of this law in a book, from the one before the priests, the Levites. And it shall be with him, and he shall read it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the Lord his God and be careful to observe all the words of this law and these statutes, that his heart may not be lifted above his brethren, that he may not turn aside from the commandment to the right hand or to the left, and that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he and his children in the midst of Israel." (Deut 17:18-20)

The above passage is part of God’s instructions through Moses concerning the principles governing the future kings of Israel. Given the fact that the Israelites had not entered the Promised Land (Canaan) yet and had not established a kingdom yet, it refers to a time in the future that God knew and Moses prophesied about kings ruling over Israel.

One of the first acts of the newly formed king of Israel was that he (himself) would write down for himself (in his own words) a copy of the Old Testament Laws (Torah). This is obviously a difficult task for the king to undertake. To do so, he may have to sit for days together and copy each and every law that God gave to Israel through Moses. What God knew before time existed, which we are still learning, is that we tend to remember what we read/hear and write them down ourselves separately. Journaling is an integral spiritual discipline for any serious believer who wants to grow daily in spiritual maturity!

Obviously, the requirement of the king was not only to copy the Torah by his own hand, but to read the laws of God on a daily basis and then “carefully observe all the words of this law and statutes”. By continually spending time with the law, the king was to become a model for his people. By reading and obeying God’s law, the king would be reminded that he was to be a man of the people. He was no different than anyone else—except that God had chosen Him to guide the nation in righteousness.

*Four* key blessings are further promised to the King who would daily reads God’s Word and observes God’s law diligently in his personal life:

He would learn to fear God
He would remain humble
He would follow God’s ways
He would prolong his kingdom through his children

This word is applicable to our lives today since we are God’s ‘royal priesthood’ (1 Peter 2:9). The same blessings that God promised the kings of Israel would be available for us as well, as His word transcends time and generations (Psalms 119:89; Matt 24:35).

Let us also read God’s Word daily, observe it diligently and let it abide in our hearts in order to avail all the blessings from God. If we do that, this is what our Lord Jesus has promised for us: "If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples." (John 15:7-8)

February 25 Bible Reading: Deuteronomy Chapters 13-15

2012-02-25T08:00:00.000-05:00

As RECIPIENTS of God’s GRACE, be ‘MORE' GENEROUS: "If there is among you a poor man of your brethren, within any of the gates in your land which the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart nor shut your hand from your poor brother, but you shall open your hand wide to him and willingly lend him sufficient for his need, whatever he needs. For the poor will never cease from the land; therefore I command you, saying, 'You shall open your hand wide to your brother, to your poor and your needy, in your land.'" (Deut 15:7-8, 11)

God’s grace to the Israelites in freeing them from Egyptian slavery was a model for all Israelites to follow in relation to the poor among them. In the above passage, Moses is instructing the Israelites to remember their former poverty and servitude to the Egyptians (v. 15), be thankful to God for the riches that they have received from God’s bounty and use these gifts to assist the poor among them.

This teaches us an important lesson: since we have experienced the grace of God in abundance we should be more generous than others. We should not “harden our hearts” nor “shut our hands” when dealing with poor people (v. 7). We should not harbor an evil thought that may include hesitation or refusal to help (v. 9) nor should we have a grudging spirit (v. 10). Justice and righteousness must always be combined with compassion!

In this connection, the Jewish people have been deservedly well known for caring for their own throughout history. Paul says the same thing in 2 Corinthians 9:7 that Moses says in verse 10: “God loves a cheerful giver.” This verse is not only a command but a promise, for God is no man’s debtor. “The generous soul will be made rich, and he who waters will also be watered himself” (Prov. 11:25).

The blessings of God should thus motivate us to be a blessing and a help to other less fortunate people among us. Moses mentions the blessing of God many times in this chapter (vv. 4, 6, 10, 14, 18). God has opened His hand generously to us, and we should open our hands widely to others (v. 8). He blesses us so that we might be a blessing (Gen. 12:2). Not only must we have generous hands, but we should cultivate glad hearts as we share (v. 10).

The greatest gift of all is the gift of ourselves because we love one another (vv. 16–17). First, we give ourselves to the Lord (Rom. 12:1–2) and then to one another in loving service (2 Cor. 8:1–5).

"Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ." (Gal 6:2)

February 24 Bible Reading: Deuteronomy Chapters 10-12

2012-02-24T08:00:00.000-05:00

*FIVE THINGS* that GOD REQUIRES from US: "And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways and to love Him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments of the Lord and His statutes which I command you today for your good?" (Deut 10:12-13)

In Deuteronomy 10, Moses balances the two important themes of law (vv. 1–11) and love (vv. 12–22), and in verses 12-13 Moses condenses the essence of all the Old Testament laws into five things that God required from the Israelites:

FEAR God religiously
WALK in God’s ways
LOVE God sincerely
SERVE God wholly
OBEY God completely

God’s desire for His people can thus be summed up in the words “to fear...to walk...to love...to serve...to keep” (vv. 12, 13). All the above five action verbs are closely aligned and connected with each other. To ‘fear’ God is to give God our highest respect and a holy reverence to His Person and His authority. Out of our respect for God, we will ‘walk’ in His ways and ‘keep’ all His commandments. Our ‘love’ for God is revealed when we ‘obey’ His commandments. Out of our love for God, we will try to please Him in grateful obedience, and ‘serve’ Him faithfully with all our heart, soul, mind and strength.

Let us therefore fear God by respecting Him, keeping His commandments, loving Him, and serving Him with all that we are and all that we have. Because God loves us, He has given us His Word to nourish and guide us. We cannot fully experience God’s love for us unless we are obedient to His will. To love God with our whole being is the greatest commandment that God has stated to the Israelites and to us (Deut. 6:5; Mark 12:29–34).

To walk in God’s ways require that we love Him with all our being and keep His commandments as love and obedience always go together, as Jesus said: "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him" (John 14:23).

February 23 Bible Reading: Deuteronomy Chapters 7-9

2012-02-23T08:00:00.000-05:00

Why does GOD allow ‘SUFFERINGS’ in our lives? "And you shall remember that the Lord your God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not. So He humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna which you did not know nor did your fathers know, that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord. Your garments did not wear out on you, nor did your foot swell these forty years. You should know in your heart that as a man chastens his son, so the Lord your God chastens you. Therefore you shall keep the commandments of the Lord your God, to walk in His ways and to fear Him." (Deut 8:2-6)

This is an important passage for the Israelites as it unveils the truth behind why God allowed trials and sufferings in their lives. The truth is that God wanted to humble them, prove them, and test their obedience. But He also fed them with manna from heaven, and provided clothes that did not wear out and shoes which kept their feet from swelling during the forty years of wilderness wanderings!

God already knew what was in the hearts of the Israelites, and He was manifesting to the people themselves their own rebellious nature so that they might more fully appreciate His mercy and grace. The response to God’s testings helped determine their inner nature. The wilderness experience had a purpose in the plan of God, that is, to provide a time for testing and discipline, and to remove all self-sufficiency and turn them back to a dependence upon God.

So, God was allowing Israelites to choose whether or not they would obey His commandments or not, and the trials were designed to get them to trust God (Matt. 4:4; Luke 4:4). God humbled the Israelites in the wilderness, letting them suffer hunger and then miraculously supplied them with manna (Exodus 16). The lesson here was that in the absence of all natural means, God would sustain them even by His Word. Whenever we have a need, we should approach God through faith and prayer and He will take care of us!

God will test us by His word (v. 1) to discern if we will hear and obey His word. God will also test us by His ways (vv. 2–9) by putting us into situations that will help us to know our own hearts. When we become proud, God will humble us. So, why does God allow sufferings in our lives? Here are five possible reasons:

That we may understand that God is responsible for everything good to happen in our lives (James 1:17)
That we may know the value of trusting and obeying God completely (Prov 3:5-6)
That we may remember always that whatever we accomplish will be only through God’s help (John 15:5b)
That even though we experience God’s discipline through initial difficulty, but it is followed by great blessings (Prov. 3:11, 12; Heb. 12:5, 6)
That we may understand that God will supply our every need and our basic source of life is God Himself (Phil 4:19)

February 22 Bible Reading: Deuteronomy Chapters 4-6

2012-02-22T08:00:00.000-05:00

BUILDING our CHILDREN ‘FIRMLY’ upon GOD’s WORD: "And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates." (Deut 6:6-9)

As we read through the book of Deuteronomy, one thing we should understand is that God repeated all these instructions through Moses because of their importance of laying them as a firm foundation for the future generation. In fact, God wanted the parents to teach these commandments to their children as their prime responsibility in life!

In order to impart wisdom to children, it required that parents would need to spend time with their children on a daily basis, and telling them about the commandments of God, instructing them in the ways of God, and modeling for them a Christ-centered lifestyle. This would be like the “Show-and-Tell” model. On the one hand the parents would teach their children clearly what was right and wrong according to God’s standards (“Tell”), on the other hand the parents would live before their children as godly, righteous life examples (“Show”).

The primary reason for doing this is because children mimic their parents through what they see of them in both words and action within the confines of their homes. Through seeing their parents, they form mental images of God, their heavenly Father. So, parents have to help their children see God clearly and the unconditional nature of His love (remember the love of the father in the story of the Prodigal Son). To do this, parents themselves need to learn from God about how to love God and others making that a permanent imprint in their outward behavior.

The above passage in Deuteronomy speaks to us regarding the fact that we need to build our children’s lives in the firm foundation of God’s Word. Someone has made the following acronym from the word “FIRM” as Familiarity, Interest, Recognition, and Modeling. That is how we can "train up a child in the way he should go..." (Prov 22:6). As parents, we need to use every opportunity to teach biblical truths, so that our children can implement them in their lives. We can build upon their natural interests and talents, utilizing them as our teaching opportunities. As we share our personal stories (witness) and those from the Bible (devotion), we can also model godly lives before them!

We can thus teach God’s Word that reflects God’s love to our children while firmly building them up in godly ways. We can direct them to salvation through Christ, and model before them the importance of godly living. Let us strive to build our children on the firm foundation of God’s Word everyday!

"Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock." (Matt 7:24-25)

February 21 Bible Reading: Deuteronomy Chapters 1-3

2012-02-21T08:00:00.000-05:00

It’s TIME to take a ‘TURN’ in your JOURNEY: On this side of the Jordan in the land of Moab, Moses began to explain this law, saying, "The Lord our God spoke to us in Horeb, saying: 'You have dwelt long enough at this mountain. Turn and take your journey, and go to the mountains of the Amorites, to all the neighboring places in the plain, in the mountains and in the lowland, in the South and on the seacoast, to the land of the Canaanites and to Lebanon, as far as the great river, the River Euphrates. See, I have set the land before you; go in and possess the land which the Lord swore to your fathers--to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob--to give to them and their descendants after them.’" (Deut 1:5-8)

Moses and the people of Israel were now camped in the plains of Moab, on the eastern side of the Jordan River opposite Jericho (Num. 36:13; Deut. 1:1). Besides Moses, only two men, Joshua and Caleb, were still alive who had stood at Mount Sinai as adults when God originally had made a covenant with the Israelites. The rest of the grown men and women from that time 40 years before had died in the wilderness because of their rebellion at Kadesh Barnea (Num. 14:26–35). Now a new generation was taking over, and was about to enter the Promised Land, and like their parents before them, they needed to agree to the terms of the covenant.

The word Deuteronomy means “second law". This name is believed to be related to a phrase in Deuteronomy 17:18, which instructs future kings to write for themselves “a copy of this law.” Deuteronomy is the exposition and application of the law of God revealed at Mount Sinai. Moses began his account of Israel’s recent history by stating the Lord’s command for them to leave Sinai (mentioned as ‘Horeb’ throughout Deuteronomy) and to head for the land of the promise, the place God had sworn to give to their patriarchal ancestors (1:6–9).

This passage sets the stage for the first sermon by Moses as he would expound the Law to this generation, and remind them of their problems and victories during their time of wandering in the wilderness. His emphasis is on the past deliverances of God, but he also reminds the people that God will continue to fight for them in the future. God will guide them specifically according to His divine purpose and according to His promise to Abraham (Gen 15:18; 17:8), and He has been working out the events of the promise until now (1:6–3:29).

It is time now for the Israelites to take a turn in their journey as they headed for the Promised Land. They have stayed back in the mountain now long enough without claiming their promises! They have to trust God and move forward now!

As you look into your own life, you need to make sure that you have entered into your ‘land of promises fulfilled’ and in the place where God wants you to be in your faith journey. God has a purpose for your life, which He determined even before you were born. It time to stop going around in circles, but look up to the God who is leading you, and walk behind Him by faith!

"For this is God, our God forever and ever; He will be our guide even to death." (Psalms 48:14)

February 20 Bible Reading: Numbers Chapters 34-36

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Live WITHIN the BOUNDARY that GOD has SET for YOU: Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, "Command the children of Israel, and say to them: 'When you come into the land of Canaan, this is the land that shall fall to you as an inheritance--the land of Canaan to its boundaries. Your southern border shall be from the Wilderness of Zin along the border of Edom...as for the western border, you shall have the Great Sea for a border...and this shall be your northern border: From the Great Sea you shall mark out your border line to Mount Hor...You shall mark out your eastern border from Hazar Enan to Shepham...this shall be your land with its surrounding boundaries." (Num 34:1-3, 6, 7, 10, 12)

After commanding the Israelites to dispossess the inhabitants of Canaan and possess their land (33:50-56), the remaining chapters in the book of Numbers deal with setting the boundaries for Israel’s occupation (34:1-15), the subsequent division of the land property (34:16-29), the allotment of the land property to the tribes (chapter 35), and finally the inheritance of the Promised Land (chapter 36).

The above passage fixes the boundaries of the Promised Land that the Israelites would inherit hereafter, and we see that God’s promise to Abraham back in Gen. 15:18 was finally in the beginning stages of its fulfillment. "And I will set your bounds from the Red Sea to the sea, Philistia, and from the desert to the River. For I will deliver the inhabitants of the land into your hand, and you shall drive them out before you" (Exodus 23:31). We are now seeing the detailed display of the grandeur of the land that God was about to give to His own people (33:53).

Directed by the Lord, Moses mapped out that land by regions, carefully delineating the southern, western, northern and eastern borders. Within this area the nine and a half western tribes would find their places since the two and one-half tribes had already been promised the land east of the Jordan (vv. 13–15). Let us note that this was an ideal description of Israel’s border that was never ever fully realized. In fact, the Philistines always occupied the coastal areas that were within the boundary God had assigned to the Israelites!

Let us remember that God has assigned certain boundaries for our lives as well – whether it is our family, our marriage, our church and our community of faith. These are all important demarcations that God does not want us to cross over, for if and when we do that, we are susceptible to the attacks of Satan in our lives. Just like it is safe for the herd to be together for safety from the prowling lions, we also need the safety of the boundary that God has set for us to escape the attacks of our adversary who “walks about like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8).

God assigned the tribes their inheritance and set their boundaries according to His pre-determined will and purpose. We too must accept what God assigns to us and not complain or covet what others possess. When we are tempted to complain about what God has assigned to us, remember that we "can receive nothing unless it has been given to us from heaven" (John 3:27). Through faith in Christ, we can live within the boundary that God has set for us!

"Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." (Phil 4:11-13)

February 19 Bible Reading: Numbers Chapters 31-33

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DO NOT create ‘LOOPHOLES’ in your PATH of OBEDIENCE: Now the Lord spoke to Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan, across from Jericho, saying, "Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: 'When you have crossed the Jordan into the land of Canaan, then you shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you, destroy all their engraved stones, destroy all their molded images, and demolish all their high places; you shall dispossess the inhabitants of the land and dwell in it, for I have given you the land to possess. But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then it shall be that those whom you let remain shall be irritants in your eyes and thorns in your sides, and they shall harass you in the land where you dwell. Moreover it shall be that I will do to you as I thought to do to them." (Num 33:50-53, 55-56)

Just as the Israelites were preparing to invade the Promised Land, God gave Moses instructions for the people about the conquest of Canaan. Israel was to exterminate the Canaanites and take full possession of their land. For over 400 years, from the time of God’s covenant with Abram in Gen. 15:17–21, God had warned that a time would come when He would punish the sinfulness of the Canaanites. The Canaanites, by their continual wicked acts, had no right to live in the land of Canaan. God, whose land it really was, transferred the right of possession to Israel. So, God’s command to the Israelites was to completely exterminate the inhabitants of Canaan as He had spoken to them many times earlier (see Exodus 23:24; 34:11–13; Leviticus 20).

This may seem cruel to people today, but actually these Canaanites were among the most corrupt, immoral, depraved people in those times. God patiently dealt with them for over 400 years without seeing any change on their part. Israel would become infected by their immorality and idolatry if they did not exterminate them completely. So, not only were the Israelites to kill the people, but they were to destroy every trace of idolatry (v. 52). A further reason the destruction of the Canaanites was necessary was to protect the purity of Israel, in order to guarantee success of the missionary mandate of Israel.

Thus, the Israelites must drive out (v. 52) or dispossess (v. 53) the inhabitants of the land. Failure to do so will result in the Israelites being driven from the land, as Yahweh intended to do to the Canaanites (v. 56). The warning in verses 55 and 56 became a reality, because they failed to exterminate the Canaanites eventually (Judg. 1, 2), and the Canaanites caused Israel to become like them and be spewed out. This resulted in the Assyrian captivity of Israel (722 B.C.) and the Babylonian captivity of Judah (605 B.C.)

This concern illustrates the incompatibility of our old way of life with our new life of faith. When we accept Christ and become His children, we have to get rid of all our old habits and ways. "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new." (2 Cor 5:17) We must destroy anything that may lead us back to our old sinful life. Otherwise, if we create loopholes in our path of obedience, let us understand that they will become a hangman’s noose that will destroy us eventually!

Therefore "Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you. I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty." (2 Cor 6:17-18)

February 18 Bible Reading: Numbers Chapters 28-30

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Be CAREFUL to ‘CONNECT’ with GOD through WORSHIP: Now the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, "Command the children of Israel, and say to them, 'My offering, My food for My offerings made by fire as a sweet aroma to Me, you shall be careful to offer to Me at their appointed time.'" (Numbers 28:1-2)

A closer reading of Numbers 28 and 29 speak to us about how meticulously God had instituted the practice of offerings among the children of Israel. These offerings were “God’s food” (v. 2) and they would be seasoned by fire in order to be a sweet aroma to God. These offerings were very important to God, and so God assigned the children of Israel to bring offerings to Him daily (Num 28:3-8), on the Sabbath day (vv. 9-10), and on the beginning of the month (vv. 11-15).

In addition to these regular offerings that would recur on a daily, weekly and monthly basis, the Israelites were also required to bring offerings to God during their five important annual feasts: Passover (vv. 16-25), Feast of Weeks (vv. 26-31), Feast of Trumpets (29:1-6), Day of Atonement (vv. 7-11) and the Feast of Tabernacles (vv. 12-39). In fact, during the Feast of Tabernacles the celebrations would last for eight consecutive days starting from the 15^th day of the 7^th month (v. 12), and on each of the days the Israelites were to present specific offerings to God (vv. 12, 17, 20, 23, 26, 29, 32, 35).

If God was so specific concerning offerings with regards to the Israelites in the Old Testament, what is His attitude concerning believers in the New Testament? In order to understand this, we need to be clear about what kind of offerings God expects from our lives. Hebrews 13:15 provides to us that information: "Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name" (Heb 13:15). It is clear that we need to offer to God our “offerings of praise”, which is the “fruit of our lips” that flows out of our thankful hearts.

Ideally, when should we offer our praises to God? The answer is “continually”. This is what God expects from us: "In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." (1 Thess 5:18) "And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him" (Col 3:17).

We really do not have a specific time to give our “praise offerings” to God. We can praise God silently in every situation that we encounter every day. We can praise God daily for His mercy and compassion that are new every morning (Lam. 3:22-23), and for His faithfulness every night (Psalms 92:2). We can enter His presence with praise and thanksgiving (Psalms 100:4), and live our lives of humble gratitude for all that God has already done for us!

Let us be careful to connect with God regularly through our praise and worship as we dwell in His presence! "I know that the Lord will maintain the cause of the afflicted, and justice for the poor. Surely the righteous shall give thanks to Your name; the upright shall dwell in Your presence" (Psalms 140:12-13).

February 17 Bible Reading: Numbers Chapters 25-27

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BEWARE of the ‘WORLDLY INFLUENCES’ in YOUR LIFE: Now Israel remained in Acacia Grove, and the people began to commit harlotry with the women of Moab. They invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods. So Israel was joined to Baal of Peor, and the anger of the Lord was aroused against Israel." (Numbers 25:1-3)

The Israelites had now arrived at Acacia Grove (Hebrew: Shittim), which was their last encampment before crossing the Jordan River into Canaan (Josh. 2:1). At the end of their long wilderness wanderings for 40 years, the Israelites had their first encounter with the false religion of Canaan.

Although Balaam’s name is not mentioned in this chapter, we learn in Numbers 31:16 that he was responsible for the terrible corruption of the children of Israel that is described here. All of Balak’s rewards could not induce Balaam to curse Israel, but before he left, Balaam advised Balak how to make the Israelites stumble (Num 24:14) by getting them “to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality” (Rev. 2:14). Balaam could not destroy Israel with his curses, but he could defile Israel with his counsel!

This resulted in many Israelites forsaking the godly way and the commandments taught by Moses and committed abominable sins following the counsel of Balaam (2 Peter 2:15). Many Israelite men accepted the invitations from Moabite women to join in their festivities at Peor (Num 23:28), and became involved with those women and with the immoral worship of Baal (Psalms 106:28–31). Often when Satan cannot succeed in a direct attack, he will launch indirect attacks through world influences that are hard to resist!

What the men of Moab could not do, the women were able to accomplish! They trapped the Israelite men in sexual immorality and false worship. We see that God punished the Israelites for breaking the 1^st of the Ten Commandments, and a severe plague broke out killing about 24,000 people (v. 9; Exodus 32:35).

This incident at the Baal of Peor is a prime example of the temptations to which the Israelites were exposed by the surrounding peoples (Deut. 4:3; Josh. 22:17; Hos. 9:10). Moses had commanded the people to separate themselves from the nations around them in order to avoid their abominable religious practices (Exodus 34:10–17). However, Israel abandoned its special position, compromised with sin and disobeyed God.

When the world cannot eliminate your witness through direct persuasions, it often tries to neutralize your witness by absorbing you into the worldly entrapment. Here’s a good lesson for today: Always beware of the 'worldly influences' in your life!

"Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world--the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life--is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever." (1 John 2:15-17)

February 16 Bible Reading: Numbers Chapters 22-24

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God will USE even a ‘DONKEY’ to SPEAK to US: Then the Lord opened Balaam's eyes, and he saw the Angel of the Lord standing in the way with His drawn sword in His hand; and he bowed his head and fell flat on his face. And the Angel of the Lord said to him, "Why have you struck your donkey these three times? Behold, I have come out to stand against you, because your way is perverse before Me. The donkey saw Me and turned aside from Me these three times. If she had not turned aside from Me, surely I would also have killed you by now, and let her live." (Num 22:31-33)

Balak, the king of the Moabites (v. 4b), set out to hire Balaam a sorcerer from Pethor to curse the Israelites, who had set up camp close to their land border (vv. 2–6). Balaam at first refused to go with Balak’s emissaries (vv. 7–14) being warned by God that Israelites were blessed by God and so could not be cursed (v. 12). However, being lured with more financial inducement, this pagan soothsayer changed his mind and despite the Lord’s warnings, he decided to assist Balak in his evil schemes (vv. 15–34). Upon further request by Balaam, God allowed Balaam to proceed but speak only what God permitted him (v. 20).

However, the “Angel of the Lord” (v. 22) stood on Balaam’s way three times to prevent him from moving forward in his wicked act. The first time the donkey saw the Angel and detoured into a field. For this, the poor animal was struck by Balaam. The second time the Angel stood in a narrow path between the vineyards. The terrified donkey crushed Balaam’s foot against the wall and again was abused. The third time the Angel confronted them in a narrow pass. The frustrated donkey lay down on the ground and received another thrashing from Balaam. Even a donkey, the symbol of stubbornness, knew when to quit but not the stubborn, willful prophet!

The donkey was then given the power to speak to Balaam, and rebuked him for his inhumane treatment (vv. 28–30). Balaam wished for a sword to kill the donkey (v. 29b) not knowing that he was about to see one pointed at him. Then Balaam saw the “Angel of the Lord” with His drawn sword and heard Him explain His mission to hinder Balaam in his disobedience (vv. 31–35). The famous “seer” from Mesopotamia could not see until God opened his eyes, and the great prophet “did not know” (v. 34) until God revealed it. Note that the opening of Balaam’s eyes was as much a miracle as the opening of his donkey’s mouth! (v. 28)

Balaam is best known for this incident with his donkey, which was enabled by God to speak, leading to Balaam’s submission to communicating only God’s messages to Balak. He was a hireling prophet who had finally succumbed to the pressure of greater honor and more money. We should note that “…the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil” (1 Tim. 6:10). Balaam was willing to look at things “from another viewpoint” in hopes he could find a loophole in the revealed will of God. It is a dangerous thing to bargain over the will of God!

Apostle Peter while describing false prophets takes Balaam as an example as he writes these words: "They have forsaken the right way and gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; but he was rebuked for his iniquity: a dumb donkey speaking with a man's voice restrained the madness of the prophet." (2 Peter 2:15-16)

Finally, there are three important lessons that this ‘donkey incident’ teach us:

As servants/prophets of God, we can always be tempted by the world and the attractions it offers through fame, possessions, riches and popularity, and act against God’s plan.
We can bend God’s perfect will to adopt our own desires, which God allows as being His permissive will.
In our path of disobedience, we can be blinded with what even a donkey (literally) can see…and God will even use a donkey to speak to us when we don’t listen otherwise!

February 15 Bible Reading: Numbers Chapters 19-21

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Are we ‘CAREFULLY’ LISTENING to God’s WORD? And Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock; and he said to them, "Hear now, you rebels! Must we bring water for you out of this rock?" Then Moses lifted his hand and struck the rock twice with his rod; and water came out abundantly, and the congregation and their animals drank. Then the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, "Because you did not believe Me, to hallow Me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them." (Numbers 20:10-12)

After wandering around in the wilderness for over 37 years, the Israelites had now returned to Kadesh from where they had launched their disastrous spy mission earlier. Nearly all the people from the previous generation that had left Egypt had died in the wilderness due to their unbelief. Only a few older folks remained in the leadership level including Moses, Aaron, Miriam, Joshua and Caleb. However, tragedy soon struck and Miriam died in Kadesh (v. 2b).

In Kadesh there was a fountain, En-Mishpat (Gen 14:7), which had provided water in plenty to the Israelites during their initial stay there. Now, this fountain had now either partially dried up by the heat of the season, or had been exhausted by the demands of the vast multitude of Israelites. Instead of making aware of their need for water to Moses, the Israelites argued with Moses and started complaining about their situation. They blamed Moses for bringing them to that ‘evil place’ in order to ‘kill them’ (Num 20:2-5). Moses and Aaron took this matter before God and fell on their faces at the door of the tabernacle of meeting.

It was then that the glory of God appeared and God told Moses to take the rod but speak to the rock before the entire congregation of Israel. Moses should have carefully listened to what God had instructed him! We can recall that many years ago, Moses had brought out water from that rock for the previous generation when they had complained (Exodus 17:6). At that time, God had told Moses to strike the rock and water had gushed out in plenty for the people to drink. Now, Moses was seething with anger at the ungrateful Israelites who blamed him for everything that went wrong in their lives. Out of his anger and without thinking through, Moses did the greatest mistake in his life – instead of speaking to the rock, he used the ‘tried-and-tested’ method that had worked for him previously, and stuck the rod twice (Num 20:11).

God honored the action of Moses by bringing the water from the rock for all the Israelites and their animals to drink. However, due to disbelieving in God’s word; for failing to honor and glorify God (v. 12); due to disobedience and for rebelling against God’s Word (v. 24) Moses lost his greatest opportunity to lead the Israelites into the Promised Land. Aaron the High Priest, died shortly after this incident having being denied the chance to enter Canaan as well.

This incident teaches us that we should carefully listen to God’s word and obey His commandment as He directs our lives every day. Unlike Moses, we should not be hasty and passionate (Psalms 106:33). It is only later that we learn that "they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ." (1 Cor 10:4) Bible scholars interpret this incident in these terms: “The rock smitten in Exodus 17 was a type of Christ, stricken at Calvary. But Christ was only to be struck once. After His death, the Holy Spirit would be given, of which the water in verse 11 is a type.” Water for drinking is a picture of the Holy Spirit (see John 7:37–39).

Such extreme punishment for what might seem to be a relatively minor offense underscores the principle that God expects more of those to whom He entrusts responsibility than He does from others. Jesus said, “From everyone who has been given much shall much be required” (Luke 12:48). Let us pray that we may be careful to listen before taking any action. Otherwise, we may have to live with lifelong consequences for choices made in a moment of passion or foolishness!

February 14 Bible Reading: Numbers Chapters 16-18

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Do not ‘COMPLAIN’ against God’s ordained LEADERS: On the next day all the congregation of the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron, saying, “You have killed the people of the Lord.” Now it happened, when the congregation had gathered against Moses and Aaron that they turned toward the tabernacle of meeting; and suddenly the cloud covered it, and the glory of the Lord appeared. Then Moses and Aaron came before the tabernacle of meeting. And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Get away from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment.” (Numbers 16:41-45)

In the above passage we read that the Israelites accused Moses and Aaron of killing God’s people. God in His anger threatened to destroy all of them with one stroke, but Moses and Aaron went before the tabernacle of meeting to intercede for the people. However, God struck the people with a dreadful plague that killed 14,700 people that day. Only when Aaron rushed into the midst of the congregation with incense and made atonement for the people was the plague stopped. It was the priestly intercession of Aaron which stopped the plague and saved the people who complained against him and Moses!

We should note that the cloud signified the presence of the Lord not only for guidance, but also for judgment (Num. 12:5, 10; 14:10; 16:19). The plague was a punishment from Yahweh against His people who were slow to learn some vital lessons. God was prepared to destroy the nation of Israel but Moses and Aaron acted as intercessors for the sinful people. In fact, Aaron stood “between the living and the dead” to stop the plague—as a shadow of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ who took a similar stand in the gap between life and death for all of us!

The important lesson to be learned here is that we should not complain against God’s leaders no matter what happens. If God has placed them in a leadership position, God will take them out of that position if they fail to live up to God’s standards (Psalms 75:6-7). Who are the people who complain? Jude gives us an accurate description with these words: "Likewise also these dreamers defile the flesh, reject authority, and speak evil of dignitaries." (Jude 1:8)

So, what should we do instead of complaining? Lam 3:39-40 gives us the answer: "Why should a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins? Let us search out and examine our ways, and turn back to the Lord." Let this incident be a life lesson for us to remember always!

"Now these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not...complain, as some of them also complained, and were destroyed by the destroyer. Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall." (1 Cor 10:6, 10-12)

February 13 Bible Reading: Numbers Chapters 13-15

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Missing OUT God’s BEST due to our ‘UNBELIEF’: And the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, "How long shall I bear with this evil congregation who complain against Me? I have heard the complaints which the children of Israel make against Me. Say to them, 'As I live,' says the Lord, 'just as you have spoken in My hearing, so I will do to you: The carcasses of you who have complained against Me shall fall in this wilderness, all of you who were numbered, according to your entire number, from twenty years old and above. Except for Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun, you shall by no means enter the land which I swore I would make you dwell in." (Num 14:26-30)

When we read Numbers 13 and 14, we shake our heads in dismay seeing how the Israelites displayed their unbelief as they were about to enter the Promised Land that God had promised their forefather Abraham back in Gen. 12:1-3. Under the leadership of Moses, God had brought them up even to the boundary of Canaan after showing mighty signs, wonders and miracles to display His infinite power and majesty. The only reason God displayed all these signs and wonders were so that the Israelites would just believe His Word!

God had made it very clear to the Israelites that the land of Canaan was a gift from Him to His people. Notice what God had said: "Send men to spy out the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the children of Israel..." (Num 13:2). The twelve Israelite spies soon found out that Canaan was indeed the land that was flowing with milk and honey being fruitful in every way (v. 27). However, they had to drive out the strong inhabitants who occupied the land, and they were a formidable enemy (vv. 28-29). The Israelites now had to believe God at His Word without doubting, trust in the power of God to help them, march forward in faith and occupy their land of promise!

Unfortunately, their faith in God turned to fear as they lost their confidence in God as well as their self-confidence (vv. 31-33). They saw their own inabilities instead of the power of God that would have been unleashed on their behalf had they rallied together to fight their enemy with God’s help. Acting in this manner, they rejected God due to their unbelief (14:11) as they even planned to select a leader to return to their old life of slavery in Egypt (14:4). The tragedy in this episode was that none of these people could enter the Promised Land, except Joshua and Caleb who alone trusted in God (14:29-30).

God has called us to "stand fast in the faith" (1 Cor 16:13), "walk by faith" (2 Cor. 5:7), "live by faith" (Rom. 1:17) and "fight the good fight of faith" (1 Timothy 6:12). Let us understand that we are missing out the best that God has in store for us because of our unbelief (lack of faith). If we truly have to live a rich and satisfying life that God has in store for us (John 10:10), then let us trust completely in the word of God and in the power of God that will work for us in the right moment. We can only truly please God through our faith in Him!

"But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him." (Heb 11:6)

February 12 Bible Reading: Numbers Chapters 10-12

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Keep your EARS OPEN to hear the ‘TRUMPET’ of GOD: And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: "Make two silver trumpets for yourself; you shall make them of hammered work; you shall use them for calling the congregation and for directing the movement of the camps. When they blow both of them, all the congregation shall gather before you at the door of the tabernacle of meeting. But if they blow only one, then the leaders, the heads of the divisions of Israel, shall gather to you." (Numbers 10:1-4)

In the above passage we read that Moses was instructed to make two trumpets. These trumpets were made of beaten silver (18 inches long, according to Josephus) and were to be used as a signal for five different purposes: (a) to assemble the congregation at the door of the tabernacle of meeting (vv. 3, 7), (b) to march forward (v. 5), (c) to assemble only the leaders - only one trumpet was used here (v. 4), (d) to sound the alarm for going to war (v. 9), and (e) to announce certain special feast occasions (v. 10).

These two silver trumpets would actually coordinate the movements of the Israelites as they marched through the wilderness. With the tabernacle in the middle of the camp and the tribes situated in battle formation, the silver trumpets declared that God’s people were in the army of the great King preparing for a holy war of conquest. The cloud would guide them, but the trumpets would give more precise means of control. They would actually complete and complement the means of divine guidance to the Israelites (see Exodus 9:15–23).

Let us understand that the priests used the two silver trumpets to communicate God’s will to the people. The blowing of the silver trumpets would gather them together, move them forward, summon them to battle, or call them to enjoy the feasts of the Lord. This is the pattern that would follow: the cloud would begin to move, the trumpets would sound, and the people would begin to break camp and move out within their ordered ranks. Throughout their journey, the Israelites would always keep themselves alert and their ears open to hear the sound of the silver trumpets.

The blowing of the silver trumpets has a real significance for us as well. Some day in the near future, the trumpet of God is going to blare loud for summoning His children to the clouds for a great reunion. "For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord." (1 Thess 4:16-17)

Can we ask ourselves if we are ready when the trumpet of God will sound and the roll is called out? Let us prepare ourselves and others for that great reunion! Can we boldly sing these words of this old hymn that was penned back in 1893 by a Sunday school teacher named James Black?

"When the trumpet of the Lord shall sound, and time shall be no more, and the morning breaks, eternal, bright and fair; when the saved of earth shall gather over on the other shore, and the roll is called up yonder, I’ll be there."

February 11 Bible Reading: Numbers Chapters 7-9

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God ‘WILL ACCEPT’ our FREEWILL OFFERINGS: "Then the leaders of Israel, the heads of their fathers' houses, who were the leaders of the tribes and over those who were numbered, made an offering. And they brought their offering before the Lord, six covered carts and twelve oxen, a cart for every two of the leaders, and for each one an ox; and they presented them before the tabernacle. Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, "Accept these from them, that they may be used in doing the work of the tabernacle of meeting; and you shall give them to the Levites, to every man according to his service." So Moses took the carts and the oxen, and gave them to the Levites." (Num 7:2-6)

Numbers 7 is the longest chapter that specifically deals with generous offerings brought by the leaders of the tribes just after the tabernacle was set up. This chapter emphasizes that sacrifice and ministry are essential to the life of God’s people. As tribal leaders, these men set an example in giving to the Lord’s work. The tabernacle had now been built, but now there must be means of transporting the tabernacle fixtures, except the ‘holy things’ inside the tabernacle that had to be carried on the shoulders of the sons of Kohath (v. 9).

On the first day of the first month in the second year after the Exodus, Moses set up the tabernacle (Ex. 40:2, 17). After Moses finished his work in setting and consecrating it for the work of God, something unrehearsed happened. Then, the newly appointed twelve tribal leaders rose to the occasion, and on their own initiative presented six covered carts and twelve oxen as offering for the newly dedicated tabernacle (v. 3) that would be later utilized by the sons of Gershon and Merari to assist them in transporting their parts of the tabernacle and its furnishings (vv. 7-8). We can note that covered carts would have been especially appropriate for the transportation of the elements of the tabernacle.

What we can understand from this act of liberality is that these tribal leaders were responding to the grace of God that was shown in the establishment of the tabernacle and priesthood. Their generous response in giving led to a greater blessing, which was God’s continued presence among them as God spoke to Moses from off the mercy seat that was upon the ark of testimony, from between the two cherubim (v. 89).

In today’s day and age, God expects us to offer ourselves (Romans 12:1) and what we have for the work of God’s kingdom. God is not forcing us to do anything, but He expects us to offer our time, talents and treasures to Him for the work of His Kingdom. If we do that cheerfully, God will bless us with His presence, speak to us directly (Num. 7:89) and guide us continually (Num. 9:15-23) as we move forward in our life journey. God will accept our freewill offering today!

"Let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work." (2 Cor 9:7-8)

February 10 Bible Reading: Numbers Chapters 4-6

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BLESSING OTHERS as ‘THE PRIESTS OF GOD’: And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: "Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, 'This is the way you shall bless the children of Israel. Say to them: "The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace." ‘“So they shall put My name on the children of Israel, and I will bless them." (Numbers 6:22-27)

After the Israelites removed all defilement from their midst (see chapter 5) and dedicated themselves to God (6:1–21), the priests were to bestow a liturgy of blessing on the people (vv. 22–27). By performing this ministry the priests would “put the Lord’s name” on the people so that they are identified with God in such a way so as to ensure His grace and goodness toward them always.

This is one of the most beautiful priestly benedictions in the Bible and is given in part in Psalms 4:6 and Psalms 67:1. This blessing continues to be the ‘priestly prayer for Israel’ and invokes the power of the divine name Yahweh three times serving as a mark of God’s outstanding grace and mercy. In his book 'Notes from My Bible', the famous evangelist D. L. Moody wrote these flattering words concerning this priestly blessing of Numbers 6:22-27:

"Here is a benediction that can go all the world over, and can give all the time without being impoverished. Every heart may utter it: it is the speech of God: every letter may conclude with it; every day may begin with it; every night may be sanctified by it. Here is blessing—keeping—shining—the uplifting upon our poor life of all heaven’s glad morning. It is the Lord himself who brings this bar of music from heaven’s infinite anthems."

This threefold, divinely inspired blessing was to be pronounced by the priest with uplifted hands (Lev. 9:22). It moves from a general blessing (v. 24), to an invocation of God’s favor and presence (v. 25), and finally to a climactic mention of the peace that comes only with God’s gracious presence (v. 26). The pronouncement of this blessing placed God’s covenant name ‘Lord’ (Yahweh) on the people (v. 27). This blessing includes God bestowing prosperity, protection, grace, favor, glory, provisions and peace upon His people, and they would bear the benediction of His name as a mark of identification that they were His people.

As the current priesthood of God (1 Peter 2:5, 9), we are commanded by Jesus Himself to bless those who curse us (Matt 5:43-45) and persecute us (Rom 12:14). We can read words of blessing for believers in Apostle Paul’s concluding words to his letters (see 2 Cor. 13:14; Heb. 13:20–21). What a privilege it is for us to share God’s blessing with others! He blesses us so that we may be a blessing (Gen. 12:1–3). No matter how trying your circumstances may be, you can always bless others with a smile!

"Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous; not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing." (1 Peter 3:8-9)