Remember God's Mercy

The new tablets showed that God’s mercy was greater than Israel’s rebellion.

Deuteronomy 10:1-5 "At that time the LORD said to me, 'Chisel out two stone tablets like the first ones. Also make a wooden Ark-a sacred chest to store them in. Come up to me on the mountain, 2 and I will write on the tablets the same words that were on the ones you smashed. Then place the tablets in the Ark.' 

3 "So I made an Ark of acacia wood and cut two stone tablets like the first two. Then I went up the mountain with the tablets in my hand. 4 Once again the LORD wrote the Ten Commandments on the tablets and gave them to me. They were the same words the LORD had spoken to you from the heart of the fire on the day you were assembled at the foot of the mountain. 

5 Then I turned and came down the mountain and placed the tablets in the Ark of the Covenant, which I had made, just as the LORD commanded me. And the tablets are still there in the Ark."

In my recent post we have seen that Moses is preparing God's people for life without his leadership after they cross the river to the Promised Land. The message that Moses has for them in Deuteronomy chapters 6-11 is a call to remember your history with God so that they can possibly learn from it. 

In my previous post, Moses forces them to look at their shameful and rebellious past, perhaps remembering how quickly they turned away from God will make them realize how easy it is to do and make them far less likely to rebel in the future. It is a difficult message to receive because their short history as God’s people is already filled with failure.

Their miraculous encounters with God should have produced greater faith, but spiritual growth is slow. Even the greatest evidence of God’s love does not easily overcome our tendency toward unbelief, pride, and rebellion.

When Israel left Egypt, all they knew was God had promised them an amazing land filled with abundant resources. But they did not know the full route or understand all that God intended to accomplish before they entered the land. God had revealed himself in Egypt but that was just the beginning, in the wilderness he would continue to teach them.

Their journey is similar to Abraham’s journey. Abraham also left a pagan world when God called him toward Canaan. He had to learn that the Lord alone is God, had to learn to trust, worship, and obey. Abraham experienced failure and mercy, just as Israel would.

Abraham had many lessons to learn before he received the promised son, and Israel had much to learn before it received the Promised Land. Both Abraham and the nation that came from him remind us that no matter how hard we try, none of us trusts and obeys God perfectly.

Deuteronomy 10 opens by reminding Israel of one of the clearest examples of their rebellion and their need for mercy. 

God had already revealed himself in amazing ways through the ten plagues while they were in Egypt, he revealed himself in their amazing exit, and in their safe Red Sea crossing.

God continued to reveal himself by supplying daily food and water, a miraculous military win and then he brought them to Sinai where they would experience God in a most unique way.

After all of that revelation from God and their commitment to "do everything the LORD has commanded." (Exodus 19:8)

Israel Broke the Covenant, Moses Broke The Tablets

Yet while Moses was on the mountain receiving the Ten Commandments directly from God on the first set of stone tablets, the very same people demanded that Aaron make an idol for them.

Israel had broken the covenant almost as soon as they had agreed to it. Moses shattered the first tablets as a visible picture of what Israel had done. The golden calf made Israel’s rebellion visible, and the broken tablets showed what that rebellion had done to Israel’s covenant relationship with God.

By every human measure, Israel, like Abraham, had forfeited its right to receive God’s promise.

God Gave New Tablets, Same Commandments

Moses reminds God’s people that their sin had not canceled God’s commitment to them. Because of His compassionate love and mercy, He would write the same words again.

The first tablets came from God with His commands already inscribed on them. But after Israel’s rebellion, Moses had to chisel out the second tablets, which God would use to write the same commands all over again.

Think about the fact that Moses had to make the second tablets and then climb the mountain carrying those heavy stones. He was not a young man when he had to do this.

New Tablets, New Reminder

God was merciful to write the same commands again instead of immediately judging His people. The people would look at the commandments on the tablets and be reminded of God’s commands, but the fact that these are replacement tablets should remind them of their need for mercy.

When Moses returned to the mountain of God with the new tablets, God made it clear why there would be a second set:

Exodus 34:6 “The LORD passed in front of Moses, calling out, ‘Yahweh! The LORD! The God of compassion and mercy! I am slow to anger and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness.’”

The new tablets proved that God had not abandoned His people. They reminded Israel that God is holy and that His commands do not change, but they also reminded them that His mercy had allowed rebellious people to remain His people.

God’s people then and now struggle with sin every day. Our ability to trust and obey will never be enough to remove our need for mercy. Thankfully, our God is the God of compassion and mercy, slow to anger, and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness. 

God's people then and now would have a struggle with sin daily, our ability to trust and obey will never be enough to avoid the need for mercy. Thankfully our God is the God of compassion and mercy that cannot be found in any other "god."

New Reminder, Better Proof

We hold the greatest proof that God's mercy is far greater than our sin. Even greater than the second set of stone tablets, we have the old rugged cross as our ultimate proof of His grace.

The cross shows us the true weight of our sin and the unwavering holiness of God. Yet at the exact same time, it puts His infinite love and mercy on full display. Jesus bore the judgment we rightly deserved so that rebellious hearts could be forgiven, restored, and welcomed home to God.

Thank You, Lord, for this new covenant that displays your amazing mercy to your rebellious people.

Remember Your Rebellion

God’s faithfulness is way better than ours.

Deuteronomy 9:4-5,7-8 "After the LORD your God has done this for you, don't say in your hearts, 'The LORD has given us this land because we are such good people!' No, it is because of the wickedness of the other nations that he is pushing them out of your way.

5 It is not because you are so good or have such integrity that you are about to occupy their land. The LORD your God will drive these nations out ahead of you only because of their wickedness, and to fulfill the oath he swore to your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

Moses has been talking to God's people in a series of final speeches before he dies and they enter the Promised Land without him. Much more important than Ted Talks, Moses's talks really matter for the peace and prosperity of the nation.

God is gracious to bless all mankind, but He goes above and beyond for His children. When we are in the wilderness with God, we need to remember that being with Him there is a far better place than being in Egypt without Him.

Moses warned them that they need to remember God's blessings in the wilderness while they are uncomfortable, but they also need to remember Him in times of prosperity and comfort. Our rebellion cannot be blamed on our circumstances. In problems or prosperity, in little or in luxury, we have to stay alert.

Remember How You Provoked the Lord (Deuteronomy 9:7)

Before they get to the Promised Land and feel like they earned it, Moses makes sure they realize they didn't do anything to deserve being there.

Deuteronomy 9:7 "Remember and never forget how angry you made the LORD your God out in the wilderness. From the day you left Egypt until now, you have been constantly rebelling against him. 8 Even at Mount Sinai you made the LORD so angry he was ready to destroy you.

Their rebellion started as soon as they left Egypt, and it wasn't going to stop anytime soon. To make his point crystal clear, Moses reminds the nation that they have rebelled in the past and will surely do it again.

God revealed himself to his people to help them believe:

• The display of his power in Egypt through the 10 plagues, 
• The fact that they didn't have to leave Egypt forcefully instead the were told to leave, 
• The miracle Red Sea crossing that eliminated their enemy
• The daily provision of food and water
• God grants them a miraculous military victory when the Amalekites attack
• God showed them a small portion of his glory on Mount Sinai which was a fearful sight

The trip from Egypt has only been about three months long, it has been filled with a growing amount of revelation of God to his people but instead of belief and trust, their response is complete rebellion. (Exodus 19:1)

Remembering Our Rebellion Matters

Moses forces them to look at their shameful past to help them avoid repeating it. He hopes that by remembering how quickly they turned away from God before, they will be far less likely to rebel in the future.

While executing God's judgment on the Canaanite nations, Israel would naturally be tempted to take credit for something they didn't do. Taking credit for God's work is a very dangerous trap.

Moses warned in Deuteronomy that if Israel acted like the Canaanites, they would face Canaanite judgment.

We can always look around and find someone whose sin seems bigger than our own. God's people were at risk of losing focus while working for Him, arrogantly viewing their victories as proof that they were simply His favorites.

Working for God and seeing victory in ministry can be just as blinding as winning battles against evil nations. It is easy to lose perspective and forget that we are doing God's work strictly out of His grace and mercy. We could just as easily be the ones punished for our sins.

History would quickly prove after the death of Joshua that choosing Israel to execute judgment wasn't about their goodness.

Remembering Is Soon Forgotten 

Judges 2:7,10-11 And the Israelites served the LORD throughout the lifetime of Joshua and the leaders who outlived him-those who had seen all the great things the LORD had done for Israel.

10 After that generation died, another generation grew up who did not acknowledge the LORD or remember the mighty things he had done for Israel. 11 The Israelites did evil in the LORD's sight and served the images of Baal.

Israel Forgot

Israel was faithful until they forgot. What a simple reminder to keep God's perspective at the front of our minds! The book of Joshua shows us the success of a people who trust and obey their God. But the book of Judges shows us the heartbreaking consequences of forgetting.

Egypt Forgot

I am reminded of the nation of Egypt. They were blessed and prosperous until they forgot. Over the course of 400 years, they went from a thriving nation that saved God's people from famine to a nation destroyed by plagues and a devastating military loss at the Red Sea.

Exodus 1:8 Eventually, a new king came to power in Egypt who knew nothing about Joseph or what he had done.

Forgetting Joseph led them to oppress the very people who had preserved their empire, directly setting up the plagues and the downfall of Pharaoh's power.

The consequences of forgetting God are devastating. It is the easiest and most subtle form of rebellion. It catches us off guard because it so often happens while we are busy doing God's work. Victory in Canaan was a gift of God's grace that required ongoing humility and a clear memory of their own tendency to forget and return to rebellion.

Remember Your Deliverance

Despite my own lack of goodness, God delivered me from the kingdom of darkness so that I could live for Him and do His work. Just as Moses interceded for God's people and asked for mercy and forgiveness, I must do the same.

Deuteronomy 9:27 Please overlook the stubbornness and the awful sin of these people, and remember instead your servants Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

My righteousness is far less than my rebellion. I must intentionally remember my deliverance that came out of God's mercy and confess my rebellion and my tendency to fall short of trusting and obeying God and being thankful for his goodness in my life.

Yet my rebellion must not dominate my thoughts or lead to despair. I need to keep things in perspective so I can live with gratitude for the great things He does through me.

Thank You, God, for Your deliverance from the kingdom of darkness through Your Son, who never rebelled. Help me stay in Your Word daily so I can remain faithful as I cross the wilderness on my way to the Promised Land.

Rejecting The Power Of God

Mediators are necessary because of God's power and our rebellion.

Numbers 16:1-2 One day Korah son of Izhar, a descendant of Kohath son of Levi, conspired with Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On son of Peleth, from the tribe of Reuben. 2 They incited a rebellion against Moses, along with 250 other leaders of the community, all prominent members of the assembly. 

Numbers 16:39-41 So Eleazar the priest collected the 250 bronze incense burners that had been used by the men who died in the fire, and the bronze was hammered into a thin sheet to overlay the altar. 

40 This would warn the Israelites that no unauthorized person-no one who was not a descendant of Aaron-should ever enter the LORD's presence to burn incense. If anyone did, the same thing would happen to him as happened to Korah and his followers. So the LORD's instructions to Moses were carried out. 

41 But the very next morning the whole community of Israel began muttering again against Moses and Aaron, saying, "You have killed the LORD's people!"

Over and over again, God's people have rejected his sovereign rule in their life. We have already seen that God's people have rejected the pleasures of God and they have rejected the promises of God and in the last post we saw that God's leaders rejected their ministry that God blessed them with and desired more than he allowed.

A small group of men were able to get 250 followers to united against Moses and Aaron and demand better positions. And now there are the 250 bronze incense burners that belong to nobody.

The men also demanded that there be consequences for a lack of leadership in Moses. Why did God give them a leader that couldn't get them to "a land flowing with milk and honey." Where is our new home? Where are the fields and vineyards? (16:13-14)

Everything that was wrong with their situation was somebody else's fault. The entire trip from Egypt to the edge of the Promised Land was full of signs and wonders to help them learn that God is in control and he loves and wants to bless his people. 

Being in this wilderness at this point isn't God's idea, they rejected God's exit strategy then they rejected God's leaders and now they are rejecting God's power. (14:1-4) 

God Shows His Power So They Will Know

Numbers 16:30 "But if the LORD does something entirely new and the ground opens its mouth and swallows them and all their belongings, and they go down alive into the grave, then you will know that these men have shown contempt for the LORD."

Moses shows great wisdom over and over again in Numbers 16, Moses says "the Lord will do something powerful and then they will know" over and over again. The Lord came through, he showed his power but sadly the people did not learn.

First God's people made Moses their excuse for not being in the Promised Land and now they blame him for the death of God's people. God's grace and mercy are coming dangerously close to an end

The power of God could not be more obvious and it couldn't be any more ignored. When you think they have learned their lesson, think again, it never took them very long to forget and lose their fear of God and his power.

Man Rebels Against God's Power

Numbers 16:41-42 But the very next morning the whole community of Israel began muttering again against Moses and Aaron, saying, "You have killed the LORD's people!" 

42 As the community gathered to protest against Moses and Aaron, they turned toward the Tabernacle and saw that the cloud had covered it, and the glorious presence of the LORD appeared.

43 Moses and Aaron came and stood in front of the Tabernacle, 44 and the LORD said to Moses, 45 "Get away from all these people so that I can instantly destroy them!" But Moses and Aaron fell face down on the ground.

God’s people ignored His power to conquer the Canaanites and claim the Promised Land. They ignored His power again when He judged 250 rebels. Now, they seem blind to the danger of their own demise.

Moses and Aaron understand the situation, the power of God is coming against his people, Moses command to Aaron helped to affirm Aaron's role as the High Priest as God's wrath is turned away from his people.

It is difficult to understand that some people received the benefit of Aaron's work as High Priest while 14,700 people died before Aaron could get busy to save the rest. (Numbers 16:47-50)

Mediators Are Necessary

The Israelites stood at the edge of the Promised Land, yet they doubted God’s power to defeat the Canaanites. They rebelled again during Korah’s uprising, ignoring God’s authority, and now 14,700 more perish.

Yet, in His mercy, God used Aaron to intercede, as he rushed to offer incense. This act affirmed Aaron’s role as High Priest and revealed God’s heart to save. But Aaron’s work was only a shadow of something greater that was needed, something that could fully bridge the gap between sinful humanity and a holy God. 

That’s why we need Jesus, our perfect Prophet, Priest, and King. As our Prophet, he reveals God’s truth; as our Priest, he offers Himself as the ultimate sacrifice; as our King, he reigns over all creation (Hebrews 7:27).

Thankfully, God’s power to judge is matched by His power to forgive. The story of Numbers 16 points us to Christ, who saves us from our endless rebellion which started way back in Genesis 1. 

Today, reflect on this: Are you trusting in Jesus as your Mediator? Thank God for His grace, which provides a way to peace with Him!

RELATED ARTICLES

Mediators In The Old Testament (thegospelcoalition.org)

What does it mean that there is one mediator between God and man? (gotquestions.org)

Rejecting The Position Of God

It is dangerous to demand that God give you what you deserve.

Numbers 16:1-4 One day Korah son of Izhar, a descendant of Kohath son of Levi, conspired with Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On son of Peleth, from the tribe of Reuben. 

2 They incited a rebellion against Moses, along with 250 other leaders of the community, all prominent members of the assembly. 3 They united against Moses and Aaron and said, "You have gone too far! 

The whole community of Israel has been set apart by the LORD, and he is with all of us. What right do you have to act as though you are greater than the rest of the LORD's people?"

4 When Moses heard what they were saying, he fell face down on the ground.

Today we are looking at another way that God's people have rejected his sovereign rule in their life. We have already seen that God's people have rejected the pleasures of God and they have rejected the promises of God and now we will see that God's leaders are not content and will reject the limits that God has on how they can serve him.

As soon as God chose this people and made them a nation he gave them the rules for life and worship. Unfortunately it is way too easy for us to become unhappy with God's design, Satan doesn't have to work very hard to get us to reject God's promises, his pleasures and the position that he has for us.

Moses has already dealt with challenges to his God given authority, it started way back when they were still in Egypt and right after God brought them out of Egypt the people were still rebelling against Moses. (Exodus 5:1-23, 15:22-27)

God gave his people a social and religious structure to live by and he made the duties of Moses and Aaron and every other lower level of leadership very clear. God also made the penalty for doing things the wrong way very clear so it is difficult to understand how God's people rejected the rules that God made.

The people that became unhappy with their job assisted the priest in worship and they had an important job when the Tabernacle was being moved but they were not content, they wanted to do more than God allowed.

They could not go into the most holy area during worship and they could not go in that area to remove the holy objects so that the Tabernacle could be moved when it was time to break camp. The priest had to go in and cover the holy items and then bring them out the Kohathite clan. (Numbers 4:1-20) 

Their God given authority to work for him in ministry was not enough for them, they wanted a promotion, God set the rules for the priesthood and he already showed us how serious he is about enforcing the rules. 

Moses response was so wise! These guys better be right!

Numbers 16:5 Tomorrow morning the LORD will show us who belongs to him and who is holy. The LORD will allow only those whom he selects to enter his own presence.

Numbers 16:10-12 Korah, he has already given this special ministry to you and your fellow Levites. Are you now demanding the priesthood as well? 11 The LORD is the one you and your followers are really revolting against! For who is Aaron that you are complaining about him?"

12 Then Moses summoned Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, but they replied, "We refuse to come before you!

These rebels are so bold that they ignored Moses' summons to meet with them and then they accuse Moses with outrageous allegations. The good old days back in Egypt should have been replaced with a new land that is also at least as good as Egypt was. 

For them to say that they experience the good life in Egypt, "the land of milk and honey" and demand the new "land of milk and honey" that they were promised. (Numbers 16:13-14) They seem to forget that they rejected God's promised land!

These rebels should have been terrified at the idea of "playing" priest just to see if they were allowed to do it. They were aware of God's response when Aarons sons didn't perform their duty as priest the correct way but they didn't seem to care. (Leviticus 10:1-3)

God handles the rebellion and the rest of God's people prove that they are just as bad as the men that God killed. The people had the nerve to accuse Moses and Aaron of being responsible for the death of these men.

Numbers 16:41 But the very next morning the whole community of Israel began muttering again against Moses and Aaron, saying, "You have killed the LORD's people!"

Really!?! Everybody knew the rules for coming into the Lord's presence. Moses didn't make the rules, God used Moses as the messenger to reveal his rules to God's people. (Proverbs 19:3)

God's people must be very careful about negative thoughts because they have a habit of growing very quickly and they spread to the people around us. A lack of contentment in where God has chosen to put you and the ministry that he has given to you can spiral out of control and infect the rest of the church.

Whether in the government, the church, or the home, God never grants authority for the power or benefit of those in authority. Serving God requires that you be his servant as well as a servant to those around you.

We must decide for ourselves if we are going to argue with God.

Galatians 1:10 Obviously, I'm not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ's servant.

God's people must remain humble and be content with their God given ministry. We should strive to do our best in whatever God has called us to do, but be careful not to do our best to promote ourself. (John 3:30)

God's choice to use me and in what capacity is totally his choice. I can choose a different area of ministry and attempt to work "for him" on my own but the consequences can be very severe to myself and to the people around me that I was trying to serve. (Galatians 6:7-19)

RELATED ARTICLES

Lessons From The Life Of Korah (biblicalcounseling.com)

Who Were The Sons Of Korah (gotquestions.org)

Saved By God’s Mighty Power

The power to save us from bondage if we will submit to his control.

Exodus 7:3-5  But I will make Pharaoh’s heart stubborn so I can multiply my miraculous signs and wonders in the land of Egypt.  4  Even then Pharaoh will refuse to listen to you. So I will bring down my fist on Egypt. Then I will rescue my forces—my people, the Israelites—from the land of Egypt with great acts of judgment.  5  When I raise my powerful hand and bring out the Israelites, the Egyptians will know that I am the LORD.”

Exodus 7:10-13 So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and did what the LORD had commanded them. Aaron threw down his staff before Pharaoh and his officials, and it became a serpent! 

11 Then Pharaoh called in his own wise men and sorcerers, and these Egyptian magicians did the same thing with their magic. 12 They threw down their staffs, which also became serpents! But then Aaron’s staff swallowed up their staffs.

13 Pharaoh’s heart, however, remained hard. He still refused to listen, just as the LORD had predicted.

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Moses' call to serve God required a lot of perseverance, he had opposition from the world and also from God's people that he was called to help, but the opposition is only going to get worse as Moses returns to meet with Pharaoh over and over again.

Pharaoh would receive a greater revelation of God with each plague that was coming but Pharaoh wasn't the only person that needed to learn more about God and how to please him. God's chosen people needed to learn about God as well, they had already embraced the false gods of Egypt even as the one true God was working to secure their freedom. (Joshua 24:14, Ezekiel 20:7-8)

Through the encounters that Moses had with Pharaoh, God showed the whole world that he is the only all powerful God that was superior to the overwhelming number of deities that were worshiped in Egypt. Even Pharaoh was considered to be a god so it's no wonder that he had a difficult time dealing with the truth.

The plagues should have been a wakeup call for everybody, think about it, God announced what would happen, he said precisely when it would start and when it would stop happening and yet they wouldn't acknowledge that he was in control.

Man has been consistent with his rebellion against God from the start of world history. From the Garden of Eden, to the conditions that led to the flood, the Tower of Babel, it just doesn't stop despite all of the proof that points to the real God who is all powerful, all knowing and completely in control of every situation.

Exodus 5:2 “Is that so?” retorted Pharaoh. “And who is the LORD? Why should I listen to him and let Israel go? I don’t know the LORD, and I will not let Israel go.” 

God will soon answer his question but Pharaoh won't accept it, instead of allowing the Israelites to leave with Egypt unharmed, he forces the slaves to stay and causes the destruction of his country and the misery of all of his people. 

At first Pharaoh wasn't impressed because his magicians could counterfeit the real deal but as the plagues continue we see that Satan's counterfeits don't stand a chance. Warren Wiersbe's Old Testament Commentary says that Satan always has inferior counterfeits that he uses to deceive the world:

• Satan counterfeits the works of God (2 Tim. 3:8)
• Satan counterfeits the children of God (Matt. 13:24-30, 36-43 / 2 Cor. 11:26)
• Satan counterfeits the gospel (Gal. 1:6-9)
• Satan counterfeits true righteousness (Rom. 10:1-3)
• Satan counterfeits ministers who spread his lies (2 Cor. 11:13-15)
• Satan counterfeits Christ (2 Thess. 2:1-12)

God made it obvious to everyone that the powers of darkness were not powerful enough and they were not in control. After they are free from slavery, Moses encourages God's people to recall the miraculous work that God had accomplished for his chosen people, they have plenty of proof that there is one God that deserves our worship and every other god is a counterfeit.

Deuteronomy 4:32-34  “Now search all of history, from the time God created people on the earth until now, and search from one end of the heavens to the other. Has anything as great as this ever been seen or heard before?

33  Has any nation ever heard the voice of God speaking from fire—as you did—and survived?  34  Has any other god dared to take a nation for himself out of another nation by means of trials, miraculous signs, wonders, war, a strong hand, a powerful arm, and terrifying acts?

Yet that is what the LORD your God did for you in Egypt, right before your eyes.

What has God done to show you favor? Have you been freed from slavery? If you are not a child of God then you are in bondage to the death penalty that is required to atone for your sin. But thankfully that isn't where God leaves us! The same all powerful God that is your judge is also the provider of your pardon.

Exodus 9:1 This is what the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, says: Let my people go, so they can worship me.

The day is coming when God's people will be freed from this world of sin to worship him for eternity. Everyone that thought that they were in control of their destiny will be left behind to face God's judgment through the events that Revelation tells us about. God will prove himself to mankind again but just like Pharaoh they will refuse to repent. (Revelation 6:15-17; 9:20,21; 16:9,11)

Thank you Lord for revealing your mighty power to save so that I can know how to escape your mighty power to judge. Help me to give up my throne and submit completely to your control.

Who Will Be Denied?

Jesus set the example for us by denying himself.

Matthew 26:31-35 On the way, Jesus told them, "Tonight all of you will desert Me. For the Scriptures say, 'God will strike the Shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.' 32 But after I have been raised from the dead, I will go ahead of you to Galilee and meet you there."

33 Peter declared, "Even if everyone else deserts You, I will never desert You." 34 Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, Peter--this very night, before the rooster crows, you will deny three times that you even know Me." 35 "No!" Peter insisted. "Even if I have to die with You, I will never deny You!" And all the other disciples vowed the same.

Mat 26:75 Suddenly, Jesus' words flashed through Peter's mind: "Before the rooster crows, you will deny three times that you even know Me." And he went away, weeping bitterly.

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You may not know it but we are constantly making choices that prove our allegiance to God and his purpose and plan. God will not impose his will on us but despite the freedom that we have God is always in control.

Peter didn't like Jesus words, he felt insulted that Jesus would say these things, certainly their friendship with Jesus for these past three years proved their loyalty. So he declared his allegiance and all of the others agreed but they all failed as Jesus predicted.

They were in a situation that few people in America will ever deal with. Most of us won't ever be a part of the persecuted church, we won't have to be so radical with our faith, we won't have to make a decision that is so huge but we still fail daily.

We are still very likely to deny Jesus in the little things that we tend to dismiss or not realize.

To deny Jesus implies:

• that I am contradicting him, that I am in opposition to his teaching.
• that I refuse to acknowledge him and his claim that he is the Promised Messiah.
• that I reject him as Lord of my life, refusing to be his subject or slave.
• that I am embracing my sin nature and my wisdom instead of putting on the mind of Christ.

To deny myself implies:

• that I need to forbid myself from participating in some of the "pleasures" that this world has to offer.
• that I will refuse to put myself in charge and that I will choose to give him control.
• that I am willing to follow Jesus even when it is painful or humiliating, 

Just like Peter, we take the easy way out, we don't realize how serious a simple little denial can really be. It doesn't seem like a big crime at the moment but later the remorse is usually way bigger.

Mark 8:34-35 Then, calling the crowd to join his disciples, he said, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me.

35 If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will save it.

Crowds of people that had a shallow relationship with Jesus were invited to step in close with the disciples, Jesus lets them know that he wants a deeper relationship. He let's them know what is required to have a real, life saving relationship with him.

To follow requires that you make a choice, you must choose to allow someone else to direct your life, somebody else must control your attitude, your view of the people around you must change, how you treat other races, you must exhibit the fruit of the spirit and be forgiving and kind to those around you.

The life of a winner in this world will be a loser in the next so it is important that I make the right decisions each day. I must give up my self-centered life of rebellion against God (loses his life) for the sake of Christ and the gospel so that I will find everlasting communion with God for eternity.

Jesus made it possible for me to escape death so I should use my life for his glory.

RELATED ARTICLES

Confessing Or Denying Christ (bible.org)
Gun To Your Head, Will You Deny Christ? (desiringgod.org)

Make The Wise Choice

People without a Savior will beg to die instead of living for Him.

Revelation 9:3-6 Then locusts came from the smoke and descended on the earth, and they were given power to sting like scorpions. 4 They were told not to harm the grass or plants or trees, but only the people who did not have the seal of God on their foreheads. 5 They were told not to kill them but to torture them for five months with pain like the pain of a scorpion sting. 6 In those days people will seek death but will not find it. They will long to die, but death will flee from them!

Revelation 9:20 But the people who did not die in these plagues still refused to repent of their evil deeds and turn to God. They continued to worship demons and idols made of gold, silver, bronze, stone, and wood--idols that can neither see nor hear nor walk!

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In the last blog post we saw the incredible amount of trouble that was reserved for the unbelievers during the Great Tribulation. So far the earth has been subjected to all kinds of catastrophic events that have affected the people, these events are similar to what happened in Egypt when Pharaoh wouldn't let God's children go.

That is about to change as the misery becomes a result of physical torture that is applied directly to the unbelievers. The first few rounds of torture were the result of events that take place on the earth. (earthquakes, famine, water becoming blood)

The agents to administer this torture are released when the key to the bottomless pit is handed over to their leader. The bottomless pit is opened and its demons receive their orders, they are released but they are restrained, they are told what they must do and they cannot do anything else.

For five months the unbelieving world will have non-stop stinging pain like a scorpion inflicts. The pain will be so extreme that the people will wish to die but God does not grant them their wish, man has always had the ability to self destruct, but in the Great Tribulation suicide will not be an option.

The seals and trumpets are a gradual start of God's judgment that allows people some more time to change their minds but instead they are still rebellious even after being constantly tortured for five months. That's 216,000 minutes of non-stop, extreme suffering without any hope of relief.

To live without hope is a very sad place to be, you would think that this misery would be enough to get them to turn from their wickedness but instead of changing their ways they prove that they love their sinful ways and just seek to die. (Proverbs 2:14, 26:11, @ Timothy 3:1-5

Instead of seeking life they seek death but how is dying without a Savior going to make things better?

After five months of torture one-third of the earth's population gets their wish. God allows another group of wicked angels to be released and there is another outbreak of demonic activity that will bring widespread death to the people that were so anxious to die.

Again, I must ask you, even if you are being tortured continuously for 216,000 minutes, how does dying without a Savior improve your sad condition?

Back in Revelation 6:8 one fourth of the earth have already died and now another one third of the population dies in Revelation 9:15. There are thousands upon thousands of bodies lying around that needed to be disposed of, there are great wars, famine and evil demonic torture. No wonder mankind's only hope is to die.

It is unnecessary to try to “spiritualize” these symbols, or to interpret them in light of modern means of warfare. John is heaping image upon image to force us to feel the horror of this judgment.

-Warren Wiersbe

Again, I must ask you, even in these terrible conditions, how does choosing to die without a Savior improve your sad condition?

There must be another option, there must be time to make the right choice and accept the Savior, otherwise why would John tell us that man refused to repent. It seems to be implied that they have a choice but they refuse to choose wisely. (Revelation 2:21, 9:20)

You know that Cain and Abel must have heard their parents tell them about life in the garden and that God judged them for sin. When Noah and his family left the Ark they all immediately run back to their sinful ways.

Deuteronomy 30:15, 17-18 Now listen! Today am giving you a choice between life and death, between prosperity and disaster. 17 But if your heart turns away and you refuse to listen, and if you are drawn away to serve and worship other gods, 18 then I warn you now that you will certainly be destroyed. You will not live a long, good life in the land you are crossing the Jordan to occupy.

When you read about it in scripture it seems like the correct choice is so obvious. After everything that happened on the way to the promised land God's children should have been able to make the right choice. They suffered severe consequences that are as big as some of the events in Revelation and many of them refused to repent just like the people in the end times.

Proverbs 1:22 "How long, you simpletons, will you insist on being simpleminded? How long will you mockers relish your mocking? How long will you fools hate knowledge?

We are all just one step from stupid. We can all be known as a simpleton that enjoys his own rebellion and pride. The chances of success in this area are greatly increased when we truly love God and his book of instruction that he has given to us. 

The Sword

We need to use the correct weapon and use it correctly.

John 18:10-11 Then Simon Peter drew a sword and slashed off the right ear of Malchus, the high priest's slave. 11 But Jesus said to Peter, "Put your sword back into its sheath. Shall I not drink from the cup of suffering the Father has given Me?"

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The quiet of the night in the garden of Gethsemane was usually a good place for praying and sleeping. The disciples have probably spent plenty of nights in this garden asleep while Jesus is busy praying. Again tonight the disciples are busy sleeping as Jesus is praying and they are clueless about the anxiety and extreme sorrow that Jesus is experiencing as he prays. (Mark 14:32-36)

The eleven guys taking a nap are suddenly woke up as Jesus rebukes them for failing to pray and then before they can finish waking up the silence is broken by a mob. The quiet gives way to confusion as they try to wake up and comprehend what is going on. The disciples have been through a lot this evening and they must be asking themselves "what now?"

They watch as Judas steps up, that's no reason for concern since they thought that he is still one of them, but why are so many people with him. Judas came closer to Jesus and kissed him just as any disciple would greet his rabbi and then the chaos really begins to escalate. The kiss was the beginning of the violence that Jesus had been telling them about.

The Rebellious Sword

Peter was always one to take action, even if it was the wrong action, he realizes that Jesus prediction was about to come true if he didn't do something to stop it. It doesn't make sense to us that Peter would retaliate against such a large crowd but Jesus is the best thing that has ever happened in his life and he was in a desperate situation to hold on to what he loved.

The sword that Peter used represents rebellion against the will of God. Peter should have known that Jesus would be arrested and that He would willingly surrender to His enemies even if the enemy was laying on the ground. (John 18:5-6) Jesus has already tried to teach Peter this lesson just a few days before the Transfiguration. Peter was  in a dangerous situation going against God's plan and purpose. (Matthew 16:21-23)

Peter made every mistake possible! He fought the wrong enemy, used the wrong weapon, had the wrong motive, and accomplished the wrong result! He was openly resisting the will of God and hindering the work that Jesus came to accomplish.

When we think of rebellion the Apostle Paul usually comes to mind but Peter was ahead of Paul. Peter argued with Jesus on more than one occasion about Jesus death and he sought to fight against God's plan by taking up the sword. Peter could have been executed for his actions against Malchus but Jesus fixed the damage so that Peter would live on to do battle another day with a different sword. (John 17:12)

The Spiritual Sword

The proper sword for God’s servants to use in fighting their spiritual battles is the sword of the spirit. (Hebrews 4:12; Ephesians 6:17) The truth of God's Word is our weapon of choice, if we choose to use the wrong sword then we will fail miserably.

If Eve had stuck to God's Word back in the garden instead of reasoning about what it really meant then she would have been victorious just as Jesus was when he used God's Word against Satan. (Matthew 4:4-10)

2 Corinthians 10:3-4 We are human, but we don't wage war as humans do. We use God's mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments.

Jesus doesn't want us to use worldly weapons to fight spiritual battles, it doesn't make sense to use inferior weapons and tools to fight against such a strong adversary. Don't let Satan trick you into believing that he has better weapons or that his plans are better than God's plan and purpose for us.

I need to be vigilant in Bible study so that I will be aligned with God's plans and purpose for the events in my life. If I rebel and take up the wrong sword then I will suffer great harm. My Bible study time should make me a better soldier by purifying me and by training me to use the sword of God's word against Satan.

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The Burden Of Unbelief

Without Jesus you don't have any hope on judgement day.

 

John 3:16-21  "For God loved the world so much that He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.

17  God sent His Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through Him.  18  "There is no judgment against anyone who believes in Him. But anyone who does not believe in Him has already been judged for not believing in God's one and only Son.

19  And the judgment is based on this fact: God's light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil.  20  All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed.  21  But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants."

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This new Rabbi that had just popped up on the scene was so totally different than all of the other Rabbi's that were in Jerusalem that Nicodemus went to learn more about what he was teaching. Before Nicodemus could ask Jesus any questions Jesus went straight to the gospel. Jesus began to tell Nicodemus who he is and why he had come.

John 3:3 "I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God."

Jesus made it clear that he came from heaven with a mission, he told Nicodemus that the number one "Blessing of Believing" is that you will see the kingdom of God and you will stay there with him for eternity. Jesus came with a message of love and forgiveness so you might wonder why anybody would reject his message.

Jesus could have come with a message of judgement and condemnation he had the right to shake his finger at everybody he saw and judge them but he did the exact opposite.The sad truth is that men love to indulge in sin and we don't want to be exposed.

The light of the world came to earth but too many people pushed him away. Imagine how uncomfortable it would be to stand there with Jesus while he was on earth, to come in contact with Holy, Almighty God and know that he knew everything about you.

Romans 8:1, 34 So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. Who then will condemn us? No one--for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and He is sitting in the place of honor at God's right hand, pleading for us.

The good news is that Jesus came to redeem the world and we are not condemned. Jesus is on our side everyday despite how we feel from one day to the next he is always there for us. (Romans 8:1)

If you are having a good day he is there, if you are having a bad day he is still there and just remember that he isn't giving you a bad day because you suddenly deserve some of his wrath.

Judgement Day
Acts 17:31  For He has set a day for judging the world with justice by the Man He has appointed, and He proved to everyone who this is by raising Him from the dead.

One day we will all come into the presence of Jesus, at that time your decision will be locked in and your acceptance or rejection of Jesus will be your final answer. There isn't any other way to meet the requirements of a righteous God.

The choice is yours:

✔  You can take on the burden of trying to be perfect, you can follow all of the teachings of any religion that you choose and you will still bear the burden of God's judgement.

✔  You can take Jesus up on his offer: "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.

Thank you Lord for your great love that drew you out of heaven to bear the burden of sin that I could not pay.

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Destroying The Devil's Plans

Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil.

1 John 3:8  But when people keep on sinning, it shows that they belong to the devil, who has been sinning since the beginning. But the Son of God came to destroy the works of the devil.

Colossians 2:13-15 You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins. 14 He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross.  15 In this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross.

Isaiah 64:6 We are all infected and impure with sin. When we display our righteous deeds, they are nothing but filthy rags. Like autumn leaves, we wither and fall, and our sins sweep us away like the wind.

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In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth and when he finished his work he took a look at everything that existed and he said that it was good. I have created a few things that I decided right away that I didn't do a good job, unlike us, God was very happy with everything that he made. It was all created for him and it all worked together perfectly. (Genesis 1:31, Psalm 104:31, 1 Timothy 4:4)

I don't completely understand what it means when the Bible tells us that he made the spiritual world with unseen powers and kingdoms but I know he made them and he said that everything that he made was good so that must include everything.

Can you believe that when God said that everything he created was good that it included Satan? Ezekiel 28:12-15 tells us that he was a very beautiful part of creation and it seems that he may have been the highest rank of all of the angels. Satan wanted more, the beauty and power that he had was not enough, he decided that he wanted to be God. We don't know how long Satan was in good standing with God; all we know is that he rebelled sometime between Genesis chapter one and chapter three.

Colossians 1:16  For through Him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can't see; such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through Him and for Him.

God didn't tolerate Satan's rebellion and it made him very angry, it seems that Satan made a plan to get back at God, he decided to go after the part of creation that was the most dear to God. The man and woman that God enjoyed being with each day in the garden. Satan went after Adam and Eve and tempted them to make the same choice that he made. (Genesis 3:1-5).

It is no wonder that Satan went after mankind, the part of creation that was made just below the angels, the part of creation that was crowned with glory and honor, the part of creation that God allowed to rule the other parts of his creation. Satan wanted to be a ruler and it probably upset him that God put mankind in charge of his creation. (Psalm 8:5-6, Ephesians 2:10)

Colossians 2:13-15 You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins. 14 He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross. 15 In this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross.

Satan must have thought that he could make man detestable and undesirable to God. He may have thought that we would be destroyed and that God would give us the same punishment that he received. How could a holy God overlook these rebellious people since he didn't overlook Satan and the angels that followed him?

God's Love In Action

Romans 8:37-39 No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. 38 And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God's love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow--not even the powers of hell can separate us from God's love. 39 No power in the sky above or in the earth below--indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Jesus came to earth to destroy the devil's plans, his idea to get us to rebel so that God would have to destroy us backfired, Satan didn't realize how much God loves us and how far he would go to keep from destroying us. God's love and mercy extended unearned favor to us so that the devils plan could be defeated.

The vast majority of people have a negative view of Satan but they don't realize that they are doomed to share his fate unless they turn to Christ. Our rebellion is just as big as his rebellion is and we deserve the same fate.
Oh, if men could but see the slime of the serpent upon their pleasurable sins; the venom of asps upon their dainty lusts and the smoke of Hell upon their proud and boastful thoughts, surely they would loathe that which they now delight in!

-Spurgeon

We don't mind saying that we have sinned but don't accuse us of working for the devil. It sounds a lot more unpleasant but it is the honest truth. (John 8:44, Ephesians 2:2) We need to see sin for what it really is. We should find it detestable to rebel against God.

Thank you Lord for destroying the devils plans, he wanted you to destroy us but you had something else in mind, your love for us is truly amazing!

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Rejecting God's Son Has Severe Consequences

The wicked farmers rebel against God and try to steal His vineyard.

Luke 20:9-13 Now Jesus turned to the people again and told them this story:

“A man planted a vineyard, leased it to tenant farmers, and moved to another country to live for several years. 10 At the time of the grape harvest, he sent one of his servants to collect his share of the crop. But the farmers attacked the servant, beat him up, and sent him back empty-handed."

11 "So the owner sent another servant, but they also insulted him, beat him up, and sent him away empty-handed. 12 A third man was sent, and they wounded him and chased him away."

13 “‘What will I do?’ the owner asked himself. ‘I know! I’ll send my cherished son. Surely they will respect him.’"

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God has been cultivating relationships ever since the Garden of Eden, he has gone out of his way to improve the soil, he has pruned the vine and blessed it with perfect opportunities to grow. The nation of Israel should be a very prosperous vine but the people that God left to tend to the vine for him have not been good farmers.

The way that the wicked farmers treat the servants is a vivid picture of Israel's persistent rejection of the prophets and John the Baptist. Time after time God sent men to call them to repentance and over and over again the religious and political leaders rejected them and persecuted and/or killed them and even now they have rejected the Son that the Land Owner sent.

Ever since the Triumphant Entry Jesus has been accepted by the people and the crowd in the Temple is increasing in size everyday. The crowds are accepting Jesus even though it is for the wrong reason, they think that he is going to rise up in power and change their situation physically but Jesus is on the way towards changing their spiritual condition.

The farmers that were left to care for the vine will get their way soon. They have rejected the Son of the Land Owner and they will get rid of him for their own gain. They are going to kill the Son but that isn't the end of the story.

Don't reject Jesus

Acts 4:10-12 "Let me clearly state to all of you and to all the people of Israel that he was healed by the powerful name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, the man you crucified but whom God raised from the dead. For Jesus is the one referred to in the Scriptures, where it says, ‘The stone that you builders rejected has now become the cornerstone.’ There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved.”

Imagine thinking that you have solved your problem and three days later you find that you are wrong, they didn't count on the fact that the Son that they killed would come back to life, they didn't imagine that he would be proved correct in all of his teaching and they would be condemned.

What a powerful message from Peter, right after he healed the crippled beggar, he made it crystal clear why he was able to perform this miracle. Peter quoted the same scripture from Psalm 118:22-23 that Jesus quoted, I wonder if the religious leaders cringed as those words rang in their ears.

We have all tried to solve our own problems instead of accepting Jesus, we have made our own gods, we have tried to find meaning and significance apart from Jesus. If you reject Jesus you soon find out that you don't have any good options. We are just like the people that saw Jesus after his resurrection, we have the opportunity to see that we are wrong, we have been given plenty of chances to change our mind about Jesus.

We need to take heed of the warning that Peter gave us, there is salvation in no one else, the consequences for rejecting the Son are beyond measure.

I have accepted your Son into my life for salvation, help me to accept him into my life each day, help me to draw closer to him by accepting his authority and living for him everyday. Amen.

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