[Originally posted in a WhatsApp group (PG) as a daily reading update (reflection) from each chapter of the Bible]
[9:35
pm, 05/06/2022] S.R:
𝔻𝕖𝕦𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕠𝕟𝕠𝕞𝕪 𝟙:𝟚𝟟
"and
you grumbled in your tents and said, 'Because the LORD hates us, He has brought
us out of the land of Egypt to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites to
destroy us.’"
Hmm!
Regarding (treating) the love of God to be the hatred of God, I could see the
relevance of this incident in many areas of life!
𝔻𝕖𝕦𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕠𝕟𝕠𝕞𝕪 𝟚:𝟙𝟞-𝟙𝟠
"So
it came about when all the men of war had finally perished from among the
people, that the LORD spoke to me, saying, 'Today you shall cross over Ar, the
border of Moab.’"
Surely,
God didn't mind killing every sinner. He did wait for everyone from the first
generation to die off before letting them enter the promised land.
He
did drown the whole world. Even if a majority of the churches across the world
in our time affirm false and compromised doctrines such as affirming
homosexuality, etc., God will not, and shall wipe away those churches as Jesus has
warned in the book of Revelation. To be alone with God is better than to be
with the majority of the opinions and favors of the world!
𝔻𝕖𝕦𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕠𝕟𝕠𝕞𝕪 𝟛:𝟚𝟝
"Let
me, I pray, cross over and see the fair land that is beyond the Jordan, that
good hill country and Lebanon."
Moses
did want to go to the promised land, the land of his ancestors Abraham, Isaac,
and Jacob, the land of milk and honey. God didn't grant his request. God
declined his prayer! Hmmm!
𝔻𝕖𝕦𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕠𝕟𝕠𝕞𝕪 𝟜:𝟚𝟜
"For
the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God."
Moses
and Prophets, Jesus and Apostles kept warning people that God is a consuming
fire. Modern day preachers don't seem to get the message of the Bible.
𝔻𝕖𝕦𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕠𝕟𝕠𝕞𝕪 𝟝:𝟞
"I
am the LORD your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house
of slavery."
The
Christians of this generation are too uneducated biblically. How many would be
able to remember the 10 commandments? The church itself has forgotten to
catechize the basics of Christianity.
𝔻𝕖𝕦𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕠𝕟𝕠𝕞𝕪 𝟝:𝟙𝟠
'You
shall not commit adultery."
Westminster
Larger Catechism of Faith says in Q&A 139 that "undue delay of
marriage is a violation of this seventh commandment" hmmm! 😆
𝔻𝕖𝕦𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕠𝕟𝕠𝕞𝕪 𝟞:𝟛
"O
Israel, you should listen and be careful to do it, that it may be well with you
and that you may multiply greatly, just as the LORD, the God of your fathers,
has promised you, in a land flowing with milk and honey."
Better
to be over-careful than careless. Btw, Pharisees were rebuked not for their
religious duties but for their satisfaction in their duties (work-based
self-righteousness).
𝔻𝕖𝕦𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕠𝕟𝕠𝕞𝕪 𝟞:𝟡
"You
shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates."
Sure,
there are some scripture portions we do and should paste on our wall, door, and
refrigerator!
𝔻𝕖𝕦𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕠𝕟𝕠𝕞𝕪 𝟟:𝟟
"The
LORD did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number
than any of the peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples,"
How
low we are and yet, what love is this that God chooses us!
𝔻𝕖𝕦𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕠𝕟𝕠𝕞𝕪 𝟠:𝟚𝟘
"Like
the nations that the LORD makes to perish before you, so you shall perish;
because you would not listen to the voice of the LORD your God."
God
shall judge everyone justly!
𝔻𝕖𝕦𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕠𝕟𝕠𝕞𝕪 𝟡:𝟚𝟠
"Otherwise
the land from which You brought us may say, ‘Because the LORD was not able to
bring them into the land which He had promised them and because He hated them
He has brought them out to slay them in the wilderness.’
God's
honor is important. God's glory is important. Prayer without a desire or
mention to honor and glorify God, I suppose, will not go up beyond the roof of
the house!
𝔻𝕖𝕦𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕠𝕟𝕠𝕞𝕪 𝟙𝟘:𝟙𝟡
"So
show your love for the alien, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt."
Loving
strangers, loving neighbors, I wish to see these increase in me.
However,
I also do observe that those who proclaim the loudest aren't doing better than
the rest of us.
Even
those who signal themselves to follow this truth aren't doing anything better.
It's
difficult to find faithful people to watch and learn.
𝔻𝕖𝕦𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕠𝕟𝕠𝕞𝕪 𝟙𝟙:𝟚𝟟-𝟚𝟠
"the
blessing, if you listen to the commandments of the LORD your God, which I am
commanding you today; and the curse, if you do not listen to the commandments
of the LORD your God, but turn aside from the way which I am commanding you
today, by following other gods which you have not known."
Blessings
or Curse!
𝔻𝕖𝕦𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕠𝕟𝕠𝕞𝕪 𝟙𝟚:𝟠
"You
shall not do at all what we are doing here today, every man doing whatever is
right in his own eyes;"
We
have the book. Let's study it and do it accordingly. Not according to our ideas
or desire!
𝔻𝕖𝕦𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕠𝕟𝕠𝕞𝕪 𝟙𝟛:𝟡
"But
you shall surely kill him; your hand shall be first against him to put him to
death, and afterwards the hand of all the people."
Honor
killing but not for family or caste but for God?
𝔻𝕖𝕦𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕠𝕟𝕠𝕞𝕪 𝟙𝟜:𝟚𝟞
"You
may spend the money for whatever your heart desires: for oxen, or sheep, or
wine, or strong drink, or whatever your heart desires; and there you shall eat
in the presence of the LORD your God and rejoice, you and your household."
Giving
with celebration.
𝔻𝕖𝕦𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕠𝕟𝕠𝕞𝕪 𝟙𝟝:𝟙𝟙
"For
the poor will never cease to be in the land; therefore I command you, saying,
'You shall freely open your hand to your brother, to your needy and poor in
your land.'"
It's
not right to wait for the poor to catch up with the rich because it's
impossible to eradicate poverty. The rich must help the poor.
𝔻𝕖𝕦𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕠𝕟𝕠𝕞𝕪 𝟙𝟞:𝟙𝟚
"You
shall remember that you were a slave in Egypt, and you shall be careful to
observe these statutes."
God
reminds the Israelites again and again of their past status and how much we
ought to do the same. Not to make us feel bad but to make us feel glad for what
God has now made!
𝔻𝕖𝕦𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕠𝕟𝕠𝕞𝕪 𝟙𝟟:𝟙𝟠
"Now
it shall come about when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, he shall write
for himself a copy of this law on a scroll in the presence of the Levitical priests."
People
say church and state should be separated. That politician can be secular. That
politician can afford to be sinful and get away. Well, not so according to the
Bible. This verse is prescribing him to be like the duties and position of a
pastor.