Reluctant Believers

God's people continue to have problems being loyal to him.

Numbers 25:1-5 While the Israelites were camped at Acacia Grove, some of the men defiled themselves by having sexual relations with local Moabite women. 2 These women invited them to attend sacrifices to their gods, so the Israelites feasted with them and worshiped the gods of Moab. 3 In this way, Israel joined in the worship of Baal of Peor, causing the LORD's anger to blaze against his people.

4 The LORD issued the following command to Moses: "Seize all the ringleaders and execute them before the LORD in broad daylight, so his fierce anger will turn away from the people of Israel." 5 So Moses ordered Israel's judges, "Each of you must put to death the men under your authority who have joined in worshiping Baal of Peor."

In my recent post we saw that God was in control of situations and protecting his people at times that they didn't even know about. Israel wasn't aware at all that King Balak was trying desperately to have God's chosen people get "unchosen" with a curse from Balaam. The king was desperate to keep his job because he saw the success of the Israelites in recent battles but God never changed his mind about Israel despite the fact that they changed their mind about him.

• God was not reluctant to bless Israel, he went to great lengths in dealing with Balaam to bless Israel and to announce one of the first prophecies about Jesus.      
• Balaam was reluctant to bless Israel, he didn't care about the people he was asked to curse and he was careless about his own life because of the greed in his evil heart.       
• Israel was not reluctant to give in to their neighbors when they received an invitation to join them in worship, despite God's loyalty to them.

In Balaam's last prophecy he told about Israel's amazing future and the coming Messiah but right after he tells about it they are sinning against God the same way their ancestors did at Mt Sinai. I started to compare the two eventsfound in Exodus 32 and Numbers 25.

Comparison of the Rebellions at Sinai and Moab

1. Both of these rebellions took place immediately following a great display of God’s care for His people. 

• At Sinai, He performed miracles to deliver them from Egypt and brought them through the Red Sea. 
• At Moab, He reaffirmed their blessed future by turning Balaam’s intended curse into an amazing blessing.

2. Both of these instances reveal the wickedness of our hearts, our desire to worship but our lack of wisdom about worship, that's why the first of the Ten Commandments told us to worship the one and only real God. 

3. In both instances worshiping false gods led to immorality, the Bible shows us a very strong link between satisfying our desire to worship the wrong way and satisfying our desire for physical pleasures the wrong way.

4. Moses ordered the death penalty in both situations. The reaction of certain people to this command proved their loyalty to God and earned them a special place of service in the temple.

• At Mount Sinai, the Levites' killed the people involved and they were designated as the tribe that the priest would come from. It is important to know that all priests were Levites, but not all Levites were priests, just the Levites that were sons of Aaron.
• At Moab, Phinehas was the zealous priest, a grandson of Aaron, that executed judgment. Moses had just told the judges to judge but before they could start judging somebody comes along and jumps to the front of the line to be executed.

5. What a contrast between Phinehas and his grandfather. Aaron was responsible for bringing judgment on God's people due to his role in the creation of the gold calf but Phinehas quickly reacted to the man's sin and killed the Israelite man and the woman both at the same time. 

As you can see, it only took them one generation to forget about the rebellion at Sinai and do it all over again at Moab, this pattern continued throughout the Old Testament as God's people were reluctant to trust and obey. Breaking the first commandment caused so many deaths in the wilderness and it was the reason that God's people were in exile before Jesus' arrival.

God's People Continue To Be Reluctant

Matthew 11:2-3 John the Baptist, who was in prison, heard about all the things the Messiah was doing. So he sent his disciples to ask Jesus, "Are you the Messiah we've been expecting, or should we keep looking for someone else?"

Even a man as great as John the Baptist (Matthew 11:11) was not immune to wavering in his faith when Jesus actions were so confusing. Early in his ministry John stated that his reason for coming was to reveal the Messiah to Israel (John 1:29-31) but he was still overcome with doubt as he sat in prison without any assistance from his cousin. I'm sure that John had no idea how true his words were when he said "He must increase, but I must decrease." (John 3:30)

Even the twelve men that gave it all up to follow were not sure about Jesus and struggled with faith even as they were experiencing him in supernatural ways. Jesus did miraculous things that prove his identity but nobody was as sure as the evil spirit that Jesus cast out. The evil spirit knew but a few chapters later the disciples are asking "Who is this man?" (Mark 1:23-28, 4:35-41)

We Are Reluctant Disciples

Even today with all of the evidence we have in God's word:

• We are reluctant to worship properly. It is easy to look back at the people that God chose back in the Old Testament and be amazed that they worshiped wrong after all of their supernatural experiences with God but we are the same.
• We are reluctant to trust and obey. Doing things our way will never measure up to God's ways and his plans, it is so hard to let go of absolutely everything and acknowledge that God is in control, instead we want our way just as much as Balaam and Jonah did. 
• We are reluctant to get rid of our pride. As we look at our evil hearts and see the darkness within, it should help us defeat our pride but instead we embrace it and it is a strong proof that Jesus was right when he told Nicodemus that we love the dark. (John 3:19)

Our own lives prove to us what the Bible shows: the ongoing struggle to trust and obey God. We are just like the people in Scripture, but the good news is that God is just as faithful as He was back then. Their imperfect faith and God's perfect, gracious response to it should be a great source of encouragement for us today when we struggle to fully believe.

The wilderness is still God's classroom where he leads us into situations that give us opportunities to exercise our faith, helping us become less reluctant to believe and trust Him. We will always have room to grow in this area, it's a slow, lifelong process that we can't simply check off of our to-do list and move on.

Mark 9:23-24 "What do you mean, 'If I can'?" Jesus asked. "Anything is possible if a person believes." The father instantly cried out, "I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!"

Just like the believing father that desperately wanted his son to be healed, our belief will always be tested with some degree of unbelief that we should pray to overcome. Despite our imperfections and inconsistant faith, we can expect the same grace and faithfulness that God offered His people long ago as he takes us to the Promised Land.

The False Prophet Becomes A False Priest

Giving God bigger and better worship will not help you get your way.

Numbers 23:1-3 Then Balaam said to King Balak, "Build me seven altars here, and prepare seven young bulls and seven rams for me to sacrifice." 2 Balak followed his instructions, and the two of them sacrificed a young bull and a ram on each altar. 3 Then Balaam said to Balak, "Stand here by your burnt offerings, and I will go to see if the LORD will respond to me. Then I will tell you whatever he reveals to me." So Balaam went alone to the top of a bare hill.

In the previous post we learned that Balaam is not at all who he seems to be from a casual reading of his life story in the Book of Numbers. We have to look at all of the scriptures about him to get the rest of the story. This is a double minded man that God will use as a tool to tell us about his chosen people.

After Balaam encounters God on the road he arrives to find that the king is irritated with him for taking so long to get there, this would have been a great opportunity for Balaam to tell the king what happened that caused the delay, instead he suddenly changes the conversation. Maybe he didn't want to give a testimony of what God had done in his life because it may lead to the king changing his mind and canceling the offer to pay him big for his services. (Numbers 22:35-41)

Balaam didn't testify about his experience with God on the road but later he does testify that he cannot say what God doesn't allow. But the king doesn't care about the disclaimer, in the morning Balak took him up to a location that was a good lookout to see God's people. The people of Moab are so involved in worship to false gods that every time the king takes Balaam to a high place it is a location that is used to worship Baal.

The False Prophet

The blessing is the Lord's and a prophet for hire cannot change what God has declared about His people. Balaam is paid to speak the king’s desires, but he is shrewd enough to protect his reputation. If he curses Israel and God still blesses them, his credibility—and future business—is destroyed. Who would hire a prophet proven so wrong?

Balaam demonstrates that even the most extraordinary revelations from God can be squandered by a stubborn heart. God revealed Himself multiple times—sending an angel with a drawn sword, even opening the mouth of Balaam’s donkey—yet Balaam still sought to curse God’s people for profit.

The False Priest

To become more effective as a false prophet, Balaam tries to gain God's favor by also pretending to be a priest, he is probably hoping that he can get a different answer from God after he sacrifices a bunch of animals. Balaam ordered the building of too many altars, and he sacrifices too many animals as if he were trying to impress God with his worship in order to get what he wanted from God.

Balaam seems to know the number seven is used by God to signify that something is set apart as perfect, complete or holy. The number seven shows up hundreds of times in the Bible starting in Genesis with the days of creation and the day set aside for the Sabbath. Seven's continue throughout the Bible to Revelation where there are seven churches, seals, bowls and more.

Balaam tried to give God "better worship" in order to get his way, instead of serving God as a real priest should, this priest is self serving, trying to manipulate God to get the desired outcome. That might work on the other "gods" that he is familiar with but not the God of Israel.

"Better Worship" Didn't Change God's Mind

Numbers 23:20-21 Listen, I received a command to bless; God has blessed, and I cannot reverse it! 21 No misfortune is in his plan for Jacob; no trouble is in store for Israel. For the LORD their God is with them; he has been proclaimed their king.

Balaam has done everything possible to gain favor with God and change God's mind about his chosen people but none of it has made any difference. God sees the heart of his worship and is not impressed, instead of Balaam getting his way, God's will is still going to happen. Balaam will be used as God's tool to confirm and clarify the blessings of God's people.

This false prophet, false priest and the ungodly king are a picture of the opposite of Jesus (anti-type). This unholy trinity will come against God's people but Satan's power is limited in strength and it will only last for a season. (Revelation 12–13 and Revelation 16:13)

Just as God had a plan for his people in the wilderness in the days of Moses he has a plan for his people in the wilderness of today's world. God has declared a blessing in my life that can not be reversed. I can be confident that God will take me to the Promised Land despite the accusations of Satan about all of my shortcomings. 

The Priest Begin To Fail

God's people will never measure up without obeying him.

Leviticus 10:1-3 Aaron's sons Nadab and Abihu put coals of fire in their incense burners and sprinkled incense over them. In this way, they disobeyed the LORD by burning before him the wrong kind of fire, different than he had commanded.

2 So fire blazed forth from the LORD's presence and burned them up, and they died there before the LORD.

3 Then Moses said to Aaron, "This is what the LORD meant when he said, 'I will display my holiness through those who come near me. I will display my glory before all the people.'" And Aaron was silent.

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It is amazing how quick the gift of the priesthood and the benefits of "God with us" that the priesthood made possible was turned into a curse. It's no different than the way we treated the presence of God in Eden or how God's people turned their abundance in the promised land into a curse.

In the previous post we saw that God's glory was displayed when God's people were obedient in worshipping him but, like everything else that God gives us, we will see today that God's good gifts have always been rejected or perverted. 

It seems like Nadab and Abihu worked together in their sinful actions. Instead of listening to God and worshipping him correctly they found within each other the same prideful spirit that would make them boldly disobey God. Disobedience in general is a bad thing but to disobey God in worship is a very callous behavior that God has already addressed on several occasions. 

The two dead priest had many advantages in their lifetime, they were there when God rescued his people from Egypt, they were there when the Egyptians drowned, they were there when God descended on Mount Sinai and they were there when God shared a covenant meal with them. (Exodus 24:1-18) They were also there when their father made the golden calf for the people to worship.

 A casual reading of the story in Leviticus 10 doesn't make it very clear just how wrong their actions were. This list compiled from the Warren Wiersbe Bible Commentary shows us clearly how wrong their behavior was:

• They were the wrong people to be handling the incense and presenting it to the Lord. This was the task of their father, the high priest. (Exodus 30:7–10). 
• They also used the wrong instruments, their own censers instead of the censer of the high priest, sanctified by the special anointing oil. (Exodus 40:9). 
• They acted at the wrong time, for it was only on the annual day of Atonement that the high priest was permitted to take incense into the Holy of Holies, and even then he had to submit to a special ritual. (Leviticus 16:1)
• They acted under the wrong authority. They didn’t consult with Moses or their father, nor did they seek to follow the Word of God, which Moses had received. 
• They used the wrong fire, what Scripture calls "strange fire". The high priest was commanded to burn the incense on coals taken from the brazen altar. (Leviticus 16:12) 

Serving God isn't something to be done by our own rules and by our own power. We cannot bring honor to God by our disobedience. If we truly believe that God is perfect and his ways are perfect then we should seek to follow his perfect ways so that we will become more like him.

We can't explain adequately why God gave Aaron a second chance to worship correctly (Exodus 32:1-25), a mercy that was also extended to Cain (Genesis 4:1-16) but Nadab and Abihu were killed immediately just as we also see in the early church. (Acts 5:1-11)

Divine justice is difficult for us to understand, from our point of view it seems to be administered unfairly, only God knows why mercy and grace are given in some circumstances but not always. God has the right to give to any of us whatever he wants and we have no right to complain or accuse him. (Matthew 20:1-16)

Luke 12:5 But I'll tell you whom to fear. Fear God, who has the power to kill you and then throw you into hell. Yes, he's the one to fear.

Our world has reduced God to love and mercy so that they, and most of the church as well, can avoid the attributes of God that are seen as less perfect than the others. Jesus himself made it clear without apology that God's perfections includes his wrath, his justice and the right to elect those that would know him and be with him for eternity.

The failure of the Old Testament priest shows us the need that couldn't be met by an imperfect High Priest. The failures of the Old Testament priest grew so much that when Jesus comes to earth the High Priest and the priest under him are only holy in their own eyes.

1 Corinthians 10:11-13 These things happened to them as examples for us. They were written down to warn us who live at the end of the age. 12 If you think you are standing strong, be careful not to fall. 13 The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.

God's word shows us plenty of stories of human failure and tragedy so that we can learn from their mistakes and live for him. God knows that we will not turn from our own ways until we lose hope in our ways. 

The hope that the world gives is nothing more than hype. Their lies will get us nowhere in this life and it cannot stand next to the hope of the gospel that gives us a right relationship with God despite our failures.

Do you know the perfect High Priest that has the power to save and give you peace with God?

RELATED ARTICLES

3 Things You Should Know about Leviticus (ligonier.org)

Is There A Wrong Way To Worship God? (davidjeremiah.blog)

The Grain Offering

A gift of thanks for the kindness of the King.

Leviticus 2:1-2 "When you present grain as an offering to the LORD, the offering must consist of choice flour. You are to pour olive oil on it, sprinkle it with frankincense, 2 and bring it to Aaron's sons, the priests. The priest will scoop out a handful of the flour moistened with oil, together with all the frankincense, and burn this representative portion on the altar. It is a special gift, a pleasing aroma to the LORD.

Leviticus 2:8-9 "No matter how a grain offering for the LORD has been prepared, bring it to the priest, who will present it at the altar. 9 The priest will take a representative portion of the grain offering and burn it on the altar. It is a special gift, a pleasing aroma to the LORD.

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God's people must receive forgiveness before he will accept anything else from us, the Israelites learned that they cannot give any other offering to God before they have their sins forgiven. But after their relationship was restored through the burnt offering it is only proper to honor God by showing their gratitude. ( 2 Corinthians 5:18-21)

The grain offering was an important part of worship that reminded them that everything they had came from God. God knows the heart of man will turn away from him if we just keep taking from him without acknowledging him by giving back a portion.

God's people prepared this offering at home before they took it to the priest. The priest would burn a portion on the altar and the rest was used by the priest for his food because he was not allotted any land to produce his own food.

Three kinds of grain offerings are listed: 

• Choice flour with oil and frankincense, 
• Baked cakes or wafers of choice flour and oil, and 
• Roasted kernels of grain with oil and frankincense.

God's people are not in the Promised Land yet, they aren't harvesting anything, if they had any grain for this offering it would have to be what they brought from Egypt. But we already know that they didn't have grain to make flour to feed themselves because God was giving them manna, their daily bread from Heaven to sustain them.

We can't be sure how this offering worked out before they took the Promised Land and started growing their own food but their future has a promise of abundant crops. So abundant that they were warned over and over before they even arrived that they would be ungrateful and turn away from God.

They were going to be blessed in their new homeland so that they could be a blessing and point people to the source of their blessings but we know they failed to do this even though they were warned ahead of time. (Deuteronomy 8:7-11)

Sacrificial giving is a great challenge for most of us. In our self centered culture it is difficult to think of giving away something that you feel like you deserve because of your work to produce it. The attitude of the carnal man is, I'm all that matters in the world (narcissism), others don't matter (individualism) and neither does God (secularism). (From the post "The Solution to Self-Centeredness")

Just like God's people in the Promised Land we also struggle to acknowledge him when we have so much abundance. Most of us have back-up plans and safety nets, margins and contingency plans that keep us from being reliant on anybody, not even God.

It is difficult to give so much that it makes you rely on God daily for your needs. We see little need to pray for today's bread when we have enough in the cupboards to sustain us for weeks. 

Consider sacrificial giving in scripture:

• The first fruit offering which was given before the barns were full. (Proverbs 3:9-10)
• The Gentile widow that fed Elijah with her meager resources. (1 Kings 17:8-16)
• The poor widow that gave her last two coins. (Mark. 12:42)
• The offering that the Macedonian church gave out of poverty. (2 Corinthians 8:1-2)
• Paul's instructions to the church in Corinth. (2 Corinthians 9:10-11)

I have never seen giving done to the extreme that it is in the Bible. The examples given in scripture show kindness toward others that exceeds any kindness that most people would ever consider even to their best friend. Our gifts to God are not really very sacrificial.

We struggle with, or just ignore the fact, that we are to desire what's best for others even though we have been given the ultimate example of what that looks like. We treat others with the same attitude as the world has, we interpret situations and respond no different than the world, we view our stuff the same as the world. 

If Jesus gave away his right to be individualistic and self centered what right do we have to contradict his attitude in our own lives? (Philippians 2:5-8)

Seeing Jesus in the details of the grain offering:

• The oil (Lev. 2:1–2, 4, 6, 15), either poured on it or mingled with it, a picture of the Holy Spirit of God, who was given to Christ without measure (John 3:34). 
• The salt (Lev. 2:13; Matt. 5:13), which speaks of our Lord’s purity of character. 
• Jesus compared himself to a grain of wheat (John 12:23–25), and He was crushed (“fine flour’’) and put through the furnace of suffering that He might save us from our sins.
• Jesus told us that he is the bread of life (John 6:32)
• Leaven is to be excluded from the offering. This speaks of the fact that there is no evil in Christ. There is no sin in the life of Christ.
• Honey was also excluded. It represents natural sweetness. It will sour, just as leaven is a souring thing.
• Frankincense was a pleasing aroma to God

The greatest way to honor the King for what he has done for me is to give him a portion of his provision for me back to him. I need to be grateful to God for his blessings and realize that I have been blessed so I must be a blessing or I am being disobedient.

Before the grain was used personally for groceries, a portion of it was first prepared and taken to the temple to be offered to God first and then to others (the priest). This attitude should still be in us today!

RELATED ARTICLES

The Grain Offering (meetinggodinthemargin.com)

What is a grain offering? (gotquestions.org)

Broken Leadership

Experiencing God won't guarantee your leaders will be faithful to him.

Exodus 32:1-4 When the people saw how long it was taking Moses to come back down the mountain, they gathered around Aaron. "Come on," they said, "make us some gods who can lead us. We don't know what happened to this fellow Moses, who brought us here from the land of Egypt." 

2 So Aaron said, "Take the gold rings from the ears of your wives and sons and daughters, and bring them to me." 3 All the people took the gold rings from their ears and brought them to Aaron.

4 Then Aaron took the gold, melted it down, and molded it into the shape of a calf. When the people saw it, they exclaimed, "O Israel, these are the gods who brought you out of the land of Egypt!"

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In the previous post from the book of Exodus, we saw how quickly the nation of Israel turned away from their understanding of God and what he requires of his people. He knew they were weak and unfaithful but he still chose them to be a light in dark places.

They should have recalled their recent experiences with God and how amazing he has proven himself. They were saved by God's mighty power from the kingdom of darkness, they made promises to be his redeemed people that would not have any other gods but as Moses was up the mountain talking with their amazing God, the people were talking to their future High Priest about making a new god.

During the 40 days that Moses was receiving instructions from God the people broke their promises. Aaron's appointment as High Priest seemed questionable from the start because of his lack of allegiance to God when the people asked for a god. It seems like it way too easy to get him onboard with their terrible idea despite the fact that there didn't seem to be any significant pressure put on him as he went along with their idea without hesitation.

They told Aaron to "Make some gods that can lead us!" What an impossible request! They should realize that the being that does the creating has the most power, how could anybody possibly make anything that would be powerful like our God? How could a mere mortal make their own god? 

Thousands of people already saw the proof that the man made gods of Egypt were completely powerless but God's people still wanted that kind of god. 

Thousands of people witnessed God's love, protection and his ability to redeem a people from the kingdom of darkness, yet there wasn't anyone that showed any skill as a leader by standing for what is right.

Exodus 32:8 How quickly they have turned away from the way I commanded them to live!

Nobody in this group of thousands stood up for what is right even after all the time and effort it takes to melt gold so that is can be molded and also takes time and effort to build an altar. And then, after all of the preparations are made, Aaron tells them tomorrow is the big day.

Next morning they wake up and nobody said oops! Nobody stepped up to lead. All of the people continued to go on with their plans, including Aaron. God's people quickly proved to be no different from the rest of the world. Was their God different or was he just another god?

Aaron failed the leadership test

Exodus 32:22 "Don't get so upset, my lord," Aaron replied. "You yourself know how evil these people are.

Aaron denied responsibility and blamed the "evil" people even though he was the one that made the molds and poured the gold and built the altar. Aaron wanted Moses to believe that it all “just happened."

Moses passed the leadership test

Exodus 32:10,30 Now leave me alone so my fierce anger can blaze against them, and I will destroy them. Then I will make you, Moses, into a great nation."

30 The next day Moses said to the people, "You have committed a terrible sin, but I will go back up to the LORD on the mountain. Perhaps I will be able to obtain forgiveness for your sin."

God’s people need leaders like Moses that will stand up to God's people and refuse to allow them to follow the rest of the world. We need leaders that will be appalled at evil, pray for us and confront our sin. 

God's people needed a man that was willing to die in their place in order to save them from their sin. Moses wasn't qualified to die for his people but the day was coming when God himself would come to be the only qualified substitute for his people.

Jesus came to lead God's people as the greater, ultimate Moses, to do what Moses desired but he could not. Jesus came and died so that I would not have to pay the price that I would never be able to pay off. My death can't pay the price for my sin because I am not a perfect sacrifice.

Revelation 1:17-18 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as if I were dead. But he laid his right hand on me and said, "Don't be afraid! I am the First and the Last. 18 I am the living one. I died, but look-I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and the grave.

The only leader of God's people that could die as our substitute is not dead! Jesus is the living one that holds the only keys that can release you from the kingdom of darkness! When we follow his leadership we will be able to stand before our creator and hear him say "Don't be afraid."

RELATED ARTICLES

Jesus, Our Substitute (ligonier.org)

No Greater Rest

Sabbath rest was just a glimpse of something better that is on the way.

Exodus 20:8-11  “Remember to observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.  9  You have six days each week for your ordinary work,  10  but the seventh day is a Sabbath day of rest dedicated to the LORD your God. On that day no one in your household may do any work. This includes you, your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, your livestock, and any foreigners living among you.

11  For in six days the LORD made the heavens, the earth, the sea, and everything in them; but on the seventh day he rested. That is why the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart as holy.

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Just about all of us are running on empty and would love to have some time to rest but it seems like none of us are willing to make rest a priority. It seems like it should be an easy command to obey but for most of us resting is the hardest thing to do.

In the beginning God put us in a perfect place of rest in the Garden of Eden but instead of resting in our relationship with him we decided to take Satan's advice. We preferred to put our trust in our own efforts rather than trusting God but instead of improving and becoming a better version of humanity or becoming gods we became much less than we were. As a result we gave up our place of perfect rest in the garden. The Bible is the story of God making a way for us to get back to our rest that can only be found in his presence. 

God promised Abraham that his descendants would live in a place of rest some day, the Promised Land was a place where they would live under God's blessing, but hundreds of years went by as Abraham, Isaac and Jacob all passed away waiting for God's timing.

God finally brought his people out of slavery to the kingdom of darkness where they never had any rest. On their way to the land where they should find rest in the land of plenty they sing this song of praise to God after he saved them from Pharaoh:

God Brought Them Out So He Could Bring Them In

Exodus 15:13,17-18 “With your unfailing love you lead the people you have redeemed. In your might, you guide them to your sacred home. 

17 You will bring them in and plant them on your own mountain— the place, O LORD, reserved for your own dwelling, the sanctuary, O Lord, that your hands have established. 18 The LORD will reign forever and ever!”

Don't forget that God's children are singing this song out in the wilderness on the shore of the Red Sea. They are celebrating a miraculous victory over Egypt where they were forced to labor but they were nowhere close to the place of rest that God has promised.

They were brought out of the kingdom of darkness and guided to the place where they can reside in God's presence even though they were still standing in the wilderness. What a beautiful picture of the ultimate fulfillment of this reality in the future when God's people will find the perfect rest that we lost in the garden.

Until we get there we need to wrestle with the desire to do everything for ourselves. God's power at work in us and our willingness to rely on him is the way to a peaceful, satisfying life. But most of us see God's word as a bunch of to do list and rule keeping that looks nothing like rest. 

Finding rest seems just as impossible as it must have sounded to the former slaves that Moses led out of Egypt. For hundreds of years they were under the threat of losing their lives if they did not work and now God is telling them that their future depends on their ability to rest in him.

What Is Work? 

It's not a bad question to ask but when you look to man for the answer instead of God you end of with the wrong answer. In their passion to avoid work God's people kept adding to the list of things to avoid doing to the point that the Sabbath became a burden instead of a blessing.

Silly Rabbinical Rules and the True Meaning of Torah

When man adds to God's rules it is usually done with bias and it is done to have control over others. The largest organized religions in the world are famous for adding church rules and traditions on top of the Bible. We have to be careful when we add to the intended purpose of God's rules.

To not work is just the beginning

Isaiah 58:13-14  Keep the Sabbath day holy. Don’t pursue your own interests on that day, but enjoy the Sabbath and speak of it with delight as the LORD’s holy day. Honor the Sabbath in everything you do on that day, and don’t follow your own desires or talk idly. 14 Then the LORD will be your delight. I will give you great honor and satisfy you with the inheritance I promised to your ancestor Jacob. I, the LORD, have spoken!”

God centered rest was taught by the prophets in the Old Testament over and over again. God made it so clear that they were doing it wrong, how to do it right and showed them the great benefits for doing it correctly. (Isaiah 56:1-8, Isaiah 58:13-14, Jeremiah 17:21-27, Ezekiel 20:12-26; 22:8, 16, 26, Nehemiah 10:28-31; 13:15-22)

Part of their problem was they were not living to please God the other six days of the week so it would be impossible to be genuine in their observance of the Sabbath.

Micah 6:3,8 “O my people, what have I done to you? What have I done to make you tired of me? Answer me! 8 O people, the LORD has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.

The unnecessary burdens that the religious leaders placed on the people probably contributed to their tendency to be unfaithful to God and create less demanding gods. The pleasant demand to rest had been replaced with a strict application of the law that was a weapon to control people. (Deuteronomy 10:12, Matthew 23:4, Acts 15:10)

Then comes Jesus, the religious leaders didn't have any idea how to handle someone that seemed to intentionally break their rules, imagine telling Jesus how to obey the Sabbath. It seems that Jesus took the time to break man's Sabbath rules in order to teach them the real Sabbath rules.

Did Jesus Break The Sabbath Law?

The True Sabbath Rest 

Matthew 11:28-29 Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

Jesus must have felt incredibly misunderstood as he saw the unnecessary burdens that the religious leaders placed on the people. As the people tried to do what was right, their religious leaders only had bad news for them, no matter how hard they tried they were told they were doing it wrong. (Isaiah 58:1-14, Matthew 23:1-39)

Jesus offers us a better opportunity than the law could ever do, instead of resting for a day Jesus offers us a daily rest in him. Only Jesus can release us from the bondage of sin to receive true rest. We can lay down the burden that our conscious puts on us as we feel the weight of our sin. We can lay down the burden of trying to be good enough to be loved.

God's purpose for us on the sabbath is that we experience the highest and most intense joy that can be experienced, namely, that we "take delight in the Lord." And yet what he finds again and again is professing Christians who prefer little human-sized pleasures from things that have no close relation to God at all.

John Piper

We can work as hard as we want everyday of the week but if we will acknowledge that every good thing that we have comes from God's blessing on our lives then we can give up our slavery to our own strength and stamina. We can rest from our labor and trust God that he will provide for tomorrow just as he did today. (Exodus 16:16-26)

The greatest rest that we need can be found only in Jesus. We celebrate the rest that only his work on the cross could make possible, peace with God and the peace of God is available without an effort on our part. (Ephesian 2:8-9, Romans 5:1, Philippians 4:6-8, Revelation 14:13) 

How can a true believer that understands the incredible gift that Jesus has given them fail to rejoice at the beginning of the week for a day focused on celebrating this glorious fact?

Let's focus on delighting in God as we look forward to the day when we reach our final and ultimate Sabbath rest for eternity in his presence.

RELATED ARTICLES

The Eighth Day (baylor.edu)

The Sabbath in Apostolic Preaching and Practice (bible.org)

Remember the Sabbath Day to Keep It Holy (desiringgod.org)

No Greater God

Our ultimate love and the greatest desire of our heart should be for God.

Exodus 20:3-5 You must not have any other god but me. 4 You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea. 

5 You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods.

Exodus 20:7 You must not misuse the name of the LORD your God. The LORD will not let you go unpunished if you misuse his name.

Matthew 22:35-38 One of them, an expert in religious law, tried to trap him with this question: 36 “Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?” 

37 Jesus replied, “‘You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment.

---

Ever since they were saved by the Passover lamb God's children have become increasingly more familiar with him. The wilderness experience has been used to show them, and us, that God is holy and his chosen people have been redeemed to live a new way that is a reflection of his holiness so that the rest of the world will get to know him as well.

The first and most important rules that God gave his children in the ten commandments are the ones that tell us how God must be treated. If we fail at this then we are not going to be successful at the rest of the commands that tell us how to treat our neighbors.

The challenge to treat God properly has always been a struggle, man’s number one priority is to worship God but it is Satan's number one priority is to keep you from doing it, or at least to keep you from doing it correctly. The problem that started with Cain is still going on today.

Psalms 51:17 The sacrifice You desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God.

Satan doesn't need to stop you from worshiping God, all he needs to do is get you to do it your own way. Satan knows that worshipping God wrong is just as offensive to him as not worshipping him at all. 

After all of the miracles they have seen they will still struggle to be loyal, God's people adopted the polytheistic ways of the Egyptians, they were okay with the real God as long as they could have the fake ones as well.

Isaiah 44:6-7, 10 This is what the LORD says—Israel’s King and Redeemer, the LORD of Heaven’s Armies: “I am the First and the Last; there is no other God. 7 Who is like me? Let him step forward and prove to you his power. Let him do as I have done since ancient times when I established a people and explained its future. Who but a fool would make his own god— an idol that cannot help him one bit?

When you look back at world history you cannot find another God but the one true God that has proven himself to be far greater than any of the imitations. The man made gods never had anything to offer their followers but somehow the creator of those gods seemed to think he had made something more powerful than himself.

The gods are worshipped for very pragmatic reasons. Almost never are the gods worshipped for their intrinsic beauty or goodness, but for what they control. Hostile, capricious gods are worshipped to appease their anger and to avert the outpouring of their wrath. Others are worshipped largely due to the powers which they possess and the benefits which they produce. In other words, the gods are viewed by their subjects as means to a desired end. It is no wonder that the worship of false gods is called harlotry in the Bible. The relationship between men and the gods is closely akin to prostitution. A price is paid and a service is rendered, but there is certainly no love between the two parties.

-Bob Deffinbaugh

We can easily find fault in the people that God brought out of Egypt, we look at them and wonder why he wasn't God enough for them, but we are worse than they were. They didn't have the big picture that we have, the only information that they knew about God was what they learned personally or from stories passed down from the previous generations.

We have a much better perspective of God because of our Bibles, we have much more information about him and how to please him but we still have trouble with the commandments that teach us how he should be treated.

The sin against this commandment, which we are most in danger of, is giving that glory to any creature which is due to God only. Pride makes a God of ourselves, covetousness makes a God of money, sensuality makes a God of the belly. Whatever is loved, feared, delighted in, or depended on, more than God, that we make a god of.

-John Wesley

Our ultimate love and the greatest desire of our heart should be for God but the world has so many other loves and so many other places to put our trust. We fall for the lie that we can use people and stuff to give us the security that can only be found in God.

We all have something that we trust that makes life work, something that we depend on instead of God, it can be power, approval, comfort, control, your achievements or even your religion. Whatever gives your life meaning and worth is where you will have difficulty keeping God in his rightful place.

1 John 5:21  Dear children, keep away from anything that might take God’s place in your hearts.

With so many options that the world makes available to us it is difficult to love God  exclusively, to find our greatest worth and love that satisfies us and helps us get through our trials. We must put our ultimate love and trust in the only one that will never fail us in this life and for eternity.

RELATED ARTICLES

What Are the Attributes of God? (God's Perfections) (blueletterbible.org)

10 Key Bible Verses on God’s Sovereignty (crossway.org)

The Perfections of God (icr.org)

Is God perfect? (gotquestions.org)

While I Wait

I live by faith, and not by sight, sometimes miracles take time.

Video: Lincoln Brewster - While I Wait

Deep within my heart, I know You've won

I know You've overcome

And even in the dark, when I'm undone

I still believe it

I live by faith, and not by sight

Sometimes miracles take time

While I wait, I will worship

Lord, I'll worship Your name

While I wait, I will trust You

Lord, I'll trust You all the same

When I fall apart, You are my strength

Help me not forget

Seeing every scar, You make me whole

You're my healer

While I wait, I will worship

Lord, I'll worship Your name

While I wait, I will trust You

Lord, I'll trust You all the same

You're faithful every day

Your promises remain

Though I don't understand it

I will worship with my pain

You are God, You are worthy

You are with me all the way

So while I wait, I will worship

Lord, I'll worship Your name

Though I don't have all the answers

Still I trust You all the same

---

Lamentations 3:26  It is good to wait quietly for deliverance from the Lord.

Micah 7:7  But I will look to the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation. My God will hear me.

Philippians 4:6-7  Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.  7  Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

---

Waiting isn't a fun thing to do, it isn't an easy thing to do either, usually we are not at ease when we wait. Too often the wait is for something to be said that we don't want to hear, the report from the doctor or someone else with a great possibility for bad news.

It is difficult to accept waiting for things that are out of our control, most things are out of our control, but if I remember the one that is in control it will help me deal with it.

We need to remember that:

1. God is sovereign over all things, including the trials that come into our lives, it is difficult to understand that not only does he allow trials, he also sends trials.

2. God sends trials and difficulty so that he can show his glory to his people and to the rest of the world. The supernatural way that God saves his people brings glory to himself.

3. God ordains trials so that we will learn to trust Him to deliver us out of the worse circumstances.

Through all of our difficult and challenging situations God reminds us that he created us for his glory and he saved us to display his glory to the world so that all of mankind will know him.

Thank you Lord for reminding me that I can trust you when life doesn't make sense and I don't have all of the answers.  

RELATED ARTICLES

Saved For God's Glory (diggingtheword.blogspot.com)

Your Presence Is My Weapon

My worship opens up the heavens and crushes every stronghold.

Video: Natalie Grant - My Weapon (Sacred Version)

Let every lie be silenced

And all depression cease

Let every dark assignment

Bow down at Jesus' feet

Let every curse be broken

Let every storm be tamed

And all that come against us

Be bound in Jesus' name

Your presence is my greatest weapon

Pushing back the darkness

Breaking every chain

My worship opens up the heavens

Crushing every stronghold

When I speak Your name

'Cause Your presence is my weapon

Your presence is my weapon

Your strength will not be shaken

Your love will not back down

Death has been defeated

What can stop me now?

I hold on to what You've spoken

You said that I am free

You've given me Your promise

And You are my victory

Your presence is my greatest weapon

Pushing back the darkness

Breaking every chain

My worship opens up the heavens

Crushing every stronghold

When I speak Your name

'Cause Your presence is my weapon

Your presence is my weapon

Your word and a melody

Are making a way for me

You defeat the enemy

This prison is shaking now

And these walls are coming down

Your presence makes me free

I am free

Your presence is my greatest weapon

Pushing back the darkness

Breaking every chain

My worship opens up the heavens

Crushing every stronghold

When I speak Your name

'Cause Your presence is my weapon

Your presence is my weapon

Your presence is my weapon

Praise Him - Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir

Let everything that has breath praise the Lord!

Video: Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir - Psalm 150

Psalm 150:1-6 Praise the LORD! Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heaven! 2 Praise him for his mighty works; praise his unequaled greatness!

3 Praise him with a blast of the ram’s horn; praise him with the lyre and harp! 4 Praise him with the tambourine and dancing; praise him with strings and flutes! 5 Praise him with a clash of cymbals; praise him with loud clanging cymbals.

6 Let everything that breathes sing praises to the LORD! Praise the LORD!

Rejoice In Tribulation

The circumstances of this life should not alter my view of God's goodness.

Habakkuk 2:14  For as the waters fill the sea, the earth will be filled with an awareness of the glory of the LORD.

Habakkuk 3:1-2  This prayer was sung by the prophet Habakkuk:  2  I have heard all about you, LORD. I am filled with awe by your amazing works. In this time of our deep need, help us again as you did in years gone by. And in your anger, remember your mercy.

Habakkuk 3:17-19  Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vines; even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren; even though the flocks die in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty,  18  yet I will rejoice in the LORD!

I will be joyful in the God of my salvation!  19  The Sovereign LORD is my strength! He makes me as surefooted as a deer, able to tread upon the heights.

---

Habakkuk has been struggling with God in the first two chapters of his short book. He has shown us that we should wait on the Lord and decide that we will trust him to take care of us for this life and for eternity no matter what the circumstances look like. When we come to know God in this way our natural response to God is to worship him.

As God answered his prayers, Habakkuk grew in his awareness of the glory of the Lord and his knowledge and control of every detail, his view of God grew so much that he compared it to the waters that fill the seas.

God's glory is also known because people have been talking about it and writing books about it for thousands of years. Habakkuk is amazed at the great deeds that God has done for his people because he has read the books that Moses wrote and he has heard a lot of stories that have been passed down about God's power and glory.

Exodus 7:5  When I raise my powerful hand and bring out the Israelites, the Egyptians will know that I am the LORD.”

In spite of God's superiority over the man made gods of Egypt they still didn't acknowledge him as the one true God. It is incredible that God's glory was denied even in the grandest display of his power in sending the plagues to Egypt.

We tend to blame the Pharaoh for Egypt's troubles but it has occurred to me that the people of Egypt didn't show any signs that they were willing to turn from their little gods any more than Pharaoh was.

Habakkuk knows that God has used his power to benefit his chosen people in the past and he hopes that he will do it again. He knows that the only power that is sufficient to save is the same power that has been proven in the past. But he also knows that God won't always use his power to end our suffering.

We say that God is good when things are going our way but sometimes his blessings come to us in disguise. We usually pray for the difficult times to go away, none of us like for anything to be tough, but what if those difficulties are the very thing that God is using to send blessings your way?

When God judges his people it is for their benefit even if it doesn't feel or look like it is.

God's Judgment Is Like:

A thunderstorm that is seen approaching over the tops of the southern mountains (Habakkuk 3:3-4); A plague from which no one escapes (Habakkuk 3:5); An earthquake that terrorizes the nations and shakes the mountains (Habakkuk 3:6); A desert wind that blows down the Arab’s tents (Habakkuk 3:7); The overthrow of enemies in battle, whether by armies or by the spectacular intervention of the forces of nature (Habakkuk 3:8-9); A flood that sweeps everything away (Habakkuk 3:10); An eclipse of the sun that leaves the earth in darkness (Habakkuk 3:11); The triumph of a warrior who kills his enemies and saves his people (Habakkuk 3:12-15). Bridgeway Bible Commentary by Missionary Don Fleming

Habakkuk knows that God is right to be angry but he knows that God is also merciful even in judgment. He knows that God is good even when there isn't any resources available to sustain us. There isn't any food available today and there isn't anything in the garden or in the pasture that will provide food anytime soon but that doesn't change the goodness and glory of God.

Because God always deserves praise and glory, Habakkuk will rejoice in these circumstances, he knows that his joy doesn't come from the abundance of things that he has or how easy his life is, he will rejoice because the God of his salvation is his delight. (Psalm 34:1)

Hard times can push you to new heights or they will destroy you. Your suffering will make you far better or far worse that you were before. Will you be better or bitter? Will suffering make you humble or arrogant?

I need to rejoice because God is using everything for his glory which ultimately leads to me spending eternity with him singing his praises for my undeserved salvation. I should not allow the circumstances of this life to alter my view of the glory of God and his unrelenting goodness to his people.

RELATED ARTICLES

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Book of Habakkuk (diggingtheword.blogspot.com)

Involved With Worship

Is your worship a testimony to the world around you?

Genesis 14:17-20 After Abram returned from his victory over Kedorlaomer and all his allies, the king of Sodom went out to meet him in the valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley).

18 And Melchizedek, the king of Salem and a priest of God Most High, brought Abram some bread and wine. 19 Melchizedek blessed Abram with this blessing: “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth. 20 And blessed be God Most High, who has defeated your enemies for you.”

Then Abram gave Melchizedek a tenth of all the goods he had recovered.

---

Abram's nephew Lot was an innocent bystander in a local battle, the injustice of his captivity was the reason that Abram chose to get "Involved With Our World." Abram's response to the situation that his nephew was in is a great lesson on how we should respond to the injustice that we see all around us.

Abram was returning home from the battle when he was met by two kings, these two stand in contrast with one another, they are as different as the cities that they represent and Abram is wise in the way he responds to each of them.

Melchizedek, the righteous king of Jerusalem.

Abram was smart to be involved with the godly king before the worldly king, the king of righteousness and peace brought food and wine to celebrate the victory that God had given to Abram. They didn't have access to food like we have when we are traveling so Abram gladly accepted the refreshments from Melchizedek.

Although very little is known about Melchizedek, he provides an interesting example of a priest-king linked to Jerusalem. There appears to have been an expectation that later kings of Jerusalem should resemble him. (Psalm 110:4) The book of Hebrews presents Jesus Christ, from the royal line of David, as belonging to the “order of Melchizedek” and therefore superior to the Levitical priests. (Hebrews 5:5–10)

-ESV Study Bible notes

Abram's celebration with the priestly king is a great example for us, after a major victory we can lose our perspective, but this celebration included worship and part of worship is tithing. When we tithe as a part of our worship we are declaring that God is our provider and we trust him to continue to sustain us.

Abram tithed a tenth of the goods that were recovered from the war but he also offered what was left to the king of Sodom. Abram could have used this opportunity to increase the riches that God promised him but he allowed God to provide without any help from Abram's military success.

Bera, the king of Sodom,

Genesis 14:22-23 Abram replied to the king of Sodom, “I solemnly swear to the LORD, God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth, 23 that I will not take so much as a single thread or sandal thong from what belongs to you. Otherwise you might say, ‘I am the one who made Abram rich.’

The king of Sodom was probably shocked when his offer to Abram was rejected, Abram didn't get involved with the affairs of the world so that he could get rich, Abram was involved because he wanted to make right an injustice.

The response to Bera made it clear that Abram worshiped the one true God and his God would keep his promise to prosper Abram without any outside help. Abram proved that his involvement with the world was motivated by a desire for justice and mercy instead of riches.

Being involved in worship forced Bera to see Abram's beliefs in action. Worship is more than just giving God praise, it is also a witness to the world around us, they need to know that we believe in the one true God that he is the source of real mercy and justice. It is too bad that our worship is tucked away inside of buildings these days so it isn't as much of a testimony as it once was.

Abram showed by his relations to the two kings how God’s people need to be careful when we are involved in our world. The need for justice and mercy demand that we be involved but we need to be sure that the world is clear about our motivation.

What if the world sees a massive amount of worship in God's people? Worship that was much greater than our fears or our love for the things that the world has to offer. What an awesome testimony that would be.

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The Waymaker

He never stops, he never stops working!

Video: Michael W. Smith, Waymaker

You are here, moving in our midst

I worship You, I worship You

You are here, working in this place

I worship You, I worship You

You are here, moving in our midst

I worship You, I worship You

You are here, working in this place

I worship You, I worship You

Waymaker, Miracle Worker

Promise Keeper, Light in the darkness

My God, that is who You are

Waymaker, Miracle Worker

Promise Keeper, Light in the darkness

My God, that is who You are

You are here, touching every heart

I worship You, I worship You

You are here, healing every heart

I worship You, I worship You

You are here, mending every heart

I worship You, I worship You

You are here, turning lives around

I worship You, I worship You

Waymaker, Miracle Worker

Promise Keeper, Light in the darkness

My God, that is who You are

Waymaker, Miracle Worker, Promise Keeper

Light in the darkness

My God, that is who You are

That is who You are (That is who You are)

That is who You are (That is who You are)

That is who You are (That is who You are)

That is who You are (That is who You are)

Even when I don't see it, You're working

Even when I don't feel it, You're working

You never stop, You never stop working

You never stop, You never stop working

He never stops working

He never stops

He never stops working

He never stops

He never stops working

He never stops working, no

Our God is at work with us here

Our God

Our God is a Healer, He's a comforter

Waymaker, Miracle-Worker

Promise Keeper, Light in the darkness

My God, that is who You are

(We know, we know)

Waymaker, Miracle Worker

Promise Keeper, Light in the darkness

My God, that is who You are (oooh)

RELATED ARTICLES

Only One God (diggingtheword.blogspot.com)
Mercy Versus Legalism (diggingtheword.blogspot.com)
Instructions From God (diggingtheword.blogspot.com)

Worship The King

How will you respond to the newborn King?

Matthew 2:1-3 Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the reign of King Herod. About that time some wise men from eastern lands arrived in Jerusalem, asking,

2 "Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw His star as it rose, and we have come to worship Him."

3 King Herod was deeply disturbed when he heard this, as was everyone in Jerusalem.

---

The arrival of a baby usually brings great joy and celebration but in the Christmas story it doesn't stop there. If we realize that the arrival of Jesus into our world means that God is with us then the celebration should also include worship.

Mankind has such a difficult time with worship, most of us don't realize that we love to worship, but the problem is we are drawn to worship incorrectly or we worship the wrong things. (Romans 1:21-25)

What do you worship? Some of us worship ourselves while for others that seems absurd because we know that we have way too many faults to deserve such high praise. Some of us are drawn to worship other people while some are content to worship something that doesn't even have life.

Worse of all, some of us are drawn to worship evil, demons and spirits are the focus of their worship, this scares most of us but others are drawn to it without a second thought. In the last days the survivors of God's discipline will still refuse to worship him and choose to worship evil despite the consequences that it brings. (Revelation 9:20)

If we fail to worship God, we always find a substitute, even if it ends up being ourselves.

-Rick Warren, The Purpose Driven Life

The Bible tells us that when we meet God our reaction will be worship so it is no surprise that when the wise men met Jesus their first reaction was worship. From their story we can learn a lot of lessons about worship.

Jesus should be worshipped as the King of the Jews and also as the king of the world. Herod had the official title "king of the Jews" given to him by Rome but nobody in his kingdom respected him as king and no one would ever call him their Messiah.

Genesis 49:10 The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff from his descendants, until the coming of the One to whom it belongs, the One whom all nations will honor.

At the beginning of Matthew's gospel he shows us that great men came from other nations to worship the infant king, the ruler of the kingdom of God, and if you go to the last chapter of the book Jesus tells us to find other people from every nation and make disciples of them. If we do this then they will also be drawn to worship the king.

The wise men had to be educated in the Old Testament so they would know what to be watching for. Their knowledge caused them to watch with eager expectation which caused them to stop everything and go through a lot of trouble to find the child so that they could honor him with gifts and worship.

Psalms 72:9-14 Desert nomads will bow before him; his enemies will fall before him in the dust. 10 The western kings of Tarshish and other distant lands will bring him tribute. The eastern kings of Sheba and Seba will bring him gifts. 11 All kings will bow before him, and all nations will serve him.

The great effort and motivation of the wise men can be contrasted with the opposite great effort and motivation of Herod. The wise men were willing to give of their time and their treasure but Herod was only willing to protect his status and be a taker. Herod wouldn't allow anyone to challenge his position so he did anything he needed to do so that Jesus wouldn't make it from the cradle to the throne. 

The great effort and motivation of the wise men can also be contrasted with the greatest apathy of all time. The religious leaders that Herod consulted didn't have any desire to go worship, they knew the child should be a short distance down the road, but just because you have all of the information doesn't mean you will have any motivation.

Seeing all of these incredibly different responses to Jesus should be a little bit disturbing. What will my response be? How can I be sure that I will respond with the right amount of effort and the correct motivation? How great is my joy at the thought of worshipping him?

The joy that I pursue is not the hope of getting rich with things from you. I have not come to you for your things, but for yourself. And this desire I now intensify and demonstrate by giving up things, in the hope of enjoying you more, not things. By giving to you what you do not need, and what I might enjoy, I am saying more earnestly and more authentically, 'You are my treasure, not these things.'

-John Piper

Worshipping Jesus should be with great joy, I need to be thoughtful at all times about my response to Jesus, I need to stay aware of who he is and decide at every moment of my day that I will worship him correctly because I do know who he is.

If I truly believe that he was the perfect man that is worthy of my worship then I will strive to imitate him by using my time, my talents and my treasure to please him. It's the only worship that he has ever wanted. (Romans 12:1-2, Hebrews 10:1)

Best Gift Ever

Because of God's best gift ever we should give our best gift.

Genesis 4:1-5  Now Adam had sexual relations with his wife, Eve, and she became pregnant. When she gave birth to Cain, she said, "With the LORD's help, I have produced a man!"  2  Later she gave birth to his brother and named him Abel. When they grew up, Abel became a shepherd, while Cain cultivated the ground.

3  When it was time for the harvest, Cain presented some of his crops as a gift to the LORD.  4  Abel also brought a gift--the best of the firstborn lambs from his flock. The LORD accepted Abel and his gift,  5  but He did not accept Cain and his gift. This made Cain very angry, and he looked dejected.

---

Imagine living in paradise and then having it taken from you, then imagine having to explain that to your children, they will probably have a difficult time understanding why you were not content with what you had.

When Adam and Eve told their children about the good old days there wasn't any chance that they could exaggerate or stretch the truth. Their home in the garden with daily visits from God was the best but contentment wasn't their greatest attribute.

It is difficult for us to understand how good it was to live in a world without the terrible effects of sin, Cain would have to struggle with the weeds that would grow in the middle of his crops and Abel would have to protect his livestock from the wild animals.

The boys learned that because of sin God required an offering as a part of their worship. They were required to sacrifice the best gift that they had earned from their labor. One of them brought the perfect gift and the other offered a gift that was less than the best.

Just like their parents, Cain and Abel both knew the right thing to do, but there was still the opportunity to exercise their will and do the wrong thing. The condition of their heart and their attitude toward God was reflected in their gift giving.

If God gives you a chance to fix something wouldn't you just do it?

Genesis 4:6-7  "Why are you so angry?" the LORD asked Cain. "Why do you look so dejected?  You will be accepted if you do what is right. But if you refuse to do what is right, then watch out! Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you. But you must subdue it and be its master." 

God let Cain know that he needed to change his attitude and he gave him the opportunity to do so but Cain ignored God's advice. Cain didn't offer God a satisfactory gift and he didn't appreciate the undeserved grace from God to make things right.

Cain decided that he loved his sin more than God and instead of being grateful for grace he complained about the severity of his punishment. Cain thought that he should be the one that gets to make the rules. (Genesis 4:13)

Back to my question: If God talks to you and gives you a chance to fix something wouldn't you just do it? Don't answer too quick, the Bible is full of examples of God giving and man rejecting, it is the underlying theme of God's word. Over and over again God gives his best and we don't appreciate it.

The good news is that God has told us what is wrong and how to fix it!

Romans 3:21-23 But now God has shown us a way to be made right with Him without keeping the requirements of the law, as was promised in the writings of Moses and the prophets long ago. 22 We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are. 23 For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God's glorious standard. 

God didn't remain silent, just as he let Cain know how to make things right, he has let us know as well. God spoke to Cain and he was ignored, he spoke to Israel through the Old Testament prophets and he was ignored, and he still speaks to us today and we ignore him the same as the rest of mankind before us. (1 Samuel 8:7 / Isaiah 66:4 / John 12:48 / 1 Thessalonians 4:8)

The gospel is the answer for everything that is wrong with this world. God cared enough to send his very best but just like Cain we get to decide to accept the gift or reject it. God has made it crystal clear and extremely easy to make things right and enjoy a peaceful relationship with him but we refuse to accept his gift of grace and mercy.

What kind of gift do I give? Too often it isn't my best gift.

Romans 12:1 And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all He has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice--the kind He will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship Him.

I need to learn from the best how to be a better gift giver. I am just like Cain, I don't like to admit that I am a terrible gift giver, I tend to give God less than the best gift even though I know how to please him.

Sometimes I give him my time but it is only after everything else is done and I am too tired. Sometimes I give him my spare change instead of giving financially with generosity. Sometimes I use my talents for ministry but often my abilities are used to serve myself.

 I need to follow God's example and give myself completely to him. How can I dare give him anything less? I need to show God how much he means to me by what I give back to him.

Have you accepted what God says is wrong with your relationship with him? Have you done what he requires to repair your relationship?