Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com In Christ, Mark
The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.
The Lord said to Moses, "Now the day of your death is near. Call Joshua and present yourselves at the Tent of Meeting, where I will commission him." So Moses and Joshua came and presented themselves at the Tent of Meeting.
Then the Lord appeared at the Tent in a pillar of cloud, and the cloud stood over the entrance to the Tent. And the Lord said to Moses: "You are going to rest with your fathers, and these people will soon prostitute themselves to the foreign gods of the land they are entering. They will forsake me and break the covenant I made with them. On that day I will become angry with them and forsake them; I will hide my face from them, and they will be destroyed. Many disasters and difficulties will come upon them, and on that day they will ask, 'Have not these disasters come upon us because our God is not with us?' And I will certainly hide my face on that day because of all their wickedness in turning to other gods.
"Now write down for yourselves this song and teach it to the Israelites and have them sing it, so that it may be a witness for me against them. When I have brought them into the land flowing with milk and honey, the land I promised on oath to their forefathers, and when they eat their fill and thrive, they will turn to other gods and worship them, rejecting me and breaking my covenant. And when many disasters and difficulties come upon them, this song will testify against them, because it will not be forgotten by their descendants. I know what they are disposed to do, even before I bring them into the land I promised them on oath." So Moses wrote down this song that day and taught it to the Israelites.
The Lord gave this command to Joshua son of Nun: "Be strong and courageous, for you will bring the Israelites into the land I promised them on oath, and I myself will be with you."
After Moses finished writing in a book the words of this law from beginning to end, he gave this command to the Levites who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord : "Take this Book of the Law and place it beside the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God. There it will remain as a witness against you. For I know how rebellious and stiff-necked you are. If you have been rebellious against the Lord while I am still alive and with you, how much more will you rebel after I die! Assemble before me all the elders of your tribes and all your officials, so that I can speak these words in their hearing and call heaven and earth to testify against them. For I know that after my death you are sure to become utterly corrupt and to turn from the way I have commanded you. In days to come, disaster will fall upon you because you will do evil in the sight of the Lord and provoke him to anger by what your hands have made."
Deuteronomy 31:14-29
This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.
The time is drawing near. Moses will die and Joshua will assume leadership over Israel…an Israel who were God’s chosen people who were about to cross into God’s Promised Land…an Israel who God knew would betray Him once there.
We know this because of our scripture today. As Deuteronomy, Chapter 31, comes to a close, God summons Moses and Joshua to the Tent of Meeting so God could commission Joshua. While there, God tells Moses:
"You are going to rest with your fathers, and these people will soon prostitute themselves to the foreign gods of the land they are entering. They will forsake me and break the covenant I made with them. On that day I will become angry with them and forsake them; I will hide my face from them, and they will be destroyed. Many disasters and difficulties will come upon them, and on that day they will ask, 'Have not these disasters come upon us because our God is not with us?' And I will certainly hide my face on that day because of all their wickedness in turning to other gods.”
Israel had not yet entered Canaan but God knew what was to come. How? Because God created everything…including the future. He knew Israel would let Him down, despite all His attempts to teach them and command them. God tells Moses, “I know what they are disposed to do, even before I bring them into the land I promised them on oath." Indeed, Israel would “soon prostitute themselves to the foreign gods”, forsaking God and breaking the covenant they made with Him. And so in turn, God, angry with the disobedience of His people, would “forsake them” and hide (His) face from them” allowing their destruction. It wasn’t as if Israel had not been forewarned. And it had to sadden God to know that His children would soon turn from Him and His way in exchange for living in sin.
So how about us? We have been given God’s instruction and expectations through His word and illumination of that word via the Holy Spirit. He sent His Son to live and walk this earth to model perfect, righteous, holy living for us. What does God see when He looks at our individual futures? What does He see us as predisposed to do? Does He things that will bring joy to His heart? Or does He see things that will enrage Him and cause Him to turn from us, leaving us to the world and its evil. Does He see us in total reverent relationship with Him, His Son Jesus and the Holy Spirit? Or does He see us in relationship with sinfulness and our own desires?
What exactly will God get from us in return for giving everything to us? Only each of us can answer that question for ourselves. My prayer is that we commit ourselves daily to starting, finishing and doing everything in between in a way that is pleasing and honorable in the eyes of the Lord. If we vow to do this and then carry through with our promise, instead of breaking it like Israel, then God will see a future in each of us that will allow Him to simply smile and say, Well done, good and faithful servant. With you I am well pleased.” Amen.
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
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