April 12, 2010; Joshua 5:1-7:15, Luke 15:1-32, Psalms 81:1-16, Proverbs 13:1

Father, Jesus said in Matthew 7:12 "So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets." Help us to heed your call to Love our fellowman in Peace as it is so easy to mock as we struggle to believe such weapons would stand up to the hatred, vengeance and violence we know so well. Help us to see your Love at work within the hearts and lives of our enemies. See if there be any wicked way in us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Amen

Reflections on Joshua 5:1-7:15


The Shedding of Blood and Firstfruits Joshua 5:1-12

The children of Canaan are listed in Genesis 10:15-19 "Canaan was the father of Sidon his firstborn, and of the Hittites, Jebusites, Amorites, Girgashites, Hivites, Arkites, Sinites, Arvadites, Zemarites and Hamathites.
     Later the Canaanite clans scattered and the borders of Canaan reached from Sidon toward Gerar as far as Gaza, and then toward Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah and Zeboiim, as far as Lasha."

http://www.bible-history.com/map-israel-joshua/index.html http://www.bible-history.com/map-israel-joshua/index.html Map of Canaan at the time of the crossing of the Jordan. 

Would that the hearts of our enemies would melt when they saw the power of God within our own lives!  Luke 4:34-36 "'Ha! What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are - the Holy One of God!'
     'Be quiet!' Jesus said sternly. 'Come out of him!' Then the demon threw the man down before them all and came out without injuring him.
     All the people were amazed and said to each other, 'What is this teaching? With authority and power he gives orders to evil spirits and they come out!'"

A flint knife is very similar to what I have recognized as an arrowhead.   
http://www.ou.edu/cas/archsur/OKArtifacts/flintknife.htm

The sign of circumcision was first required of Abraham when he was 99 years old and heard that he would have a son, Isaac.  Ishmael was 13 at the time and was circumcised with Abraham and all of his household.
Genesis 17:9-14 "Then God said to Abraham, 'As for you, you must keep my covenant, you and your descendants after you for the generations to come. This is my covenant with you and your descendants after you, the covenant you are to keep: Every male among you shall be circumcised. You are to undergo circumcision, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and you. For the generations to come every male among you who is eight days old must be circumcised, including those born in your household or bought with money from a foreigner - those who are not your offspring. Whether born in your household or bought with your money, they must be circumcised. My covenant in your flesh is to be an everlasting covenant.  Any uncircumcised male, who has not been circumcised in the flesh, will be cut off from his people; he has broken my covenant.'"

The prince of Shechem forced all of the men in his city to undergo circumcision in order to win the hand of Dinah in Genesis 34.  On the third day, as the men were still laid up in pain, Levi and Simeon slaughtered them.  Exodus 4:25 shares a dispute within the house of Moses as Zipporah called him a "bridegroom of blood."  Perhaps she had explained the sign and the seal for all of us.  Following Christ's shedding of his blood as our bridegroom, Paul fought with the early church to remove this requirement of the children of God as it scared many from the faith.  This became a major issue between the Pauline church and the Jerusalem church and led to the Jerusalem council of Acts 15.  Today, there continues to be controversy over the benefits of circumcision, both religiously, and regarding ones overall health.

Needless to say, Joshua further purified the Israelites who had crossed the Jordan by following this requirement.  Had the Canaanites realized their opportunity, they may have attacked when the people were most vulnerable, but God remained in control and honored the efforts of his children to bring glory to His name.  Although the name of the place was temporarily called "hill of the foreskins (see footnote to verse 3), the name Gilgal stuck referring to the Lord rolling away the reproach of Egypt.

Consider for a moment that circumcision was a type of sacrifice.  The firstborn was dedicated to God - as far as men in Israel, there was a tradeoff for the Levites as the devoted tribe.  And yet, the people were asked to give their firstborn of the flocks or herds or the first of their produce as an honor of thanksgiving to God.  All in reference to firstfruits.  For the male boys, on the eighth day, they gave of their foreskin as a token of devotion to God.  Baptism seems much easier today, but I imagine the concept is similar.  However, circumcision of the old testament served as a token of the coming blood of the firstborn of all creation.  It referenced the crucifiction and the dedication of the whole of mankind to the Father.  Jesus Christ is our circumcision representing atonement and purification before God.  Today, baptism is also a sign and a seal as God purifies us from sin and cleanses us from all unrighteousness and fills us with His Holy Spirit.  We remember the Love of the Father, the sacrificial atonement of the Son, and the gift of the Spirit in our lives as His children.  Circumcision doesn't gain entry into Heaven, Christ did.

In this 41st year after leaving Egypt, the people of Israel crossed the Jordan on the 10th day and were circumcised within days.  They celebrated Passover on the 14th day of the month and celebrated firstfruits the following day.  We might assume from this reading that the manna continued until this first celebration of firstfruits in the promised land.  We then have a great picture of Easter weekend as there was a crucifiction among the people in the shedding of the blood of their forskins, the celebration of a Passover/Sabbath rest as they remembered the rolling away of the reproach of Egypt and their salvation from bondage followed by the celebration of firstfruits as they ate the produce of the promised land.

Thy Will Be Done Joshua 5:13-15

John 20:17 "Jesus said, 'Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet returned to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, I am returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.'"

Joshua asked the angel of the Lord "Are you for us or for our adversaries?" (vs 13)

"He said, 'No; rather I indeed come now as captain of the host of the Lord.'"

He is my God and He is your God.  He is not for us or for our adversaries, He is for the host of the Lord.  He did not choose Israel, or us for that matter because we or they were something special; He chose Israel, and us for that matter because He is something special!  He chose Israel, and us for that matter because He was going to do something special!  He destroyed the wickedness of men!  The fires of that furnace continue to burn within each one of us until we stand holy and acceptable before His throne.  Remove your shoes? Remove everything that separates you from the love of our creator!  We're marching on to Zion!  He has redeemed us through the blood of the lamb and we tread on Holy ground.  There is no more blood that needs to be shed in the name of religion or salvation.  By His atoning sacrifice we are one! He is our King of peace and we have been called to bow down and worship.  This is not some new age religion through which all faiths bring us to the Father; This trumps all faiths!  This trumps all demons!  This destroys all of humanity!  He alone is the way, the truth, and the life and no man cometh unto the Father, but by Him.

We could not have stopped His Story if we had tried - and we are!

The Lord's Call Joshua 6

Here, perhaps, is another validation of the Bible!  Who would imagine a military conquest like what we read of in Joshua 6-7 unless the Lord had given the plan to Joshua and the people had enough faith not to laugh him out of leadership?  Certainly, it would be tough to witness such a miracle and an excercise in faith and not give the glory to God!

Job speaks of the fate of those within the walls of Jericho!  Their fate was not unlike the wanton heart of Pharoah as he realized he had met his match and that God had laid claim to His life as a ransom for His people.  Job 17:1-5 "My spirit is broken, my days are cut short, the grave awaits me. Surely mockers surround me; my eyes must dwell on their hostility. "Give me, O God, the pledge you demand. Who else will put up security for me?
     You have closed their minds to understanding; therefore you will not let them triumph. If a man denounces his friends for reward, the eyes of his children will fail." 

In the cleansing of the Holy Land, Jericho and all within it had been devoted to the Lord.  The children of the Lord surrounded the wickedness within their walls of stone.  As they waited for God to tear down those walls, and remove the wickedness within, they succombed to feelings of self righteousness and justification encapsulating their own wickedness which they would pass on to their own children.  The cycles of war and destruction would begin again.  There would be no peace.  There would be no understanding.  Joshua knew  the Angel of the Lord had warned Him that He was not there for the Children of the Lord, nor for the men of the land.  He represented the host of heaven and was watching and waiting for the walls of hostility and bloodshed to come tumbling down.  They had come for yet another harvest.  They too anticipated with Job wherin we would all find security and peace. It is unknown whether they knew the hand and the plan of God.

Isaiah also spoke of our hardness of heart in Isaiah 6:8-12 "Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, 'Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?'
     And I said, 'Here am I. Send me!'
     He said, 'Go and tell this people: 'Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving.' Make the heart of this people calloused; make their ears dull and close their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.'
     Then I said, 'For how long, O Lord?'
     And he answered: 'Until the cities lie ruined and without inhabitant, until the houses are left deserted and the fields ruined and ravaged, until the Lord has sent everyone far away and the land is utterly forsaken."

But Jesus added to this as He spoke to His disciples in Matthew 13:16 "But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. For I tell you the truth, many prophets and righteous men longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it."

Paul also referenced this passage from Isaiah and added his own words in Acts 28:28b-31 "I want you to know that God's salvation has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will listen!" (some manuscripts add verse 29 'After he said this, the Jews left, arguing vigorously among themselves.') 
     verse 30 continues 'For two whole years Paul stayed there in his own rented house and welcomed all who came to see him. Boldly and without hindrance he preached the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ.'"

The moral of the story is, wickedness has built her walls.  Surround those captured within with prayer and devote them to the Lord.  Wait for him to break down the walls for however long it takes, trusting that they are the Lords!  When He tears down those walls, He will flood those within with His mercy and grace.  Do not fill those walls with wickedness and do not imagine you have won their souls.  Introduce them to the hosts of Heaven and welcome them as brothers with honor and glory to the King of Peace.  This may take the rest of your life - as was witnessed in this final chapter and verse of Acts.

Romans 10:12-13 "For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile - the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, 'Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.' (Joel 2:32)

God laid claim to all of humanity in Isaiah 45:23-25 "'By myself I have sworn, my mouth has uttered in all integrity a word that will not be revoked: Before me every knee will bow; by me every tongue will swear.  They will say of me, 'In the Lord alone are righteousness and strength.''
      All who have raged against him will come to him and be put to shame. But in the Lord all the descendants of Israel will be found righteous and will exult."

Romans 10 continues with verses 14-15 "How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, 'How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!'" (Isaiah 52:7)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ut0_tcsZVZU

When God broke down the walls of Jericho, the people rushed in and destroyed everything within with the edge of the sword.  There was no love nor peace that day except for the one sinner with whom the children of God had made contact and had come to know.  Rahab and her family were saved.

How can we imagine in this, the 21st century that this passage tells us to destroy our fellowman?  How is it that anyone might not comprehend the desire of the heart of God?  Jesus ate with Pharisees, harlots, and tax collectors!  While at a tax collector's house, "Jesus said to him, 'Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.'" (Luke 19:9)
      Peter claimed "The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." (II Peter 3:9)

We no longer need to carry a sword to devour and destroy all flesh!  Psalm 149:6 says "May the praise of God be in their mouths and a double-edged sword in their hands," We are armed with the Spirit of God! Revelation 1:16 says of Him "In his right hand he held seven stars, and out of his mouth came a sharp double-edged sword."  We know this double edged sword to be the word of God itself from Hebrews 4:12 "For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart."

As children of God, we know this word to be living and active in our own hearts as it judges our own thoughts and attitudes.  We anticipate that day when God shall shall call us home and the good within us will be in Heaven with Him and the refuse of this earthly body and all the demons and evils and wickedness that were a part of our mortality will be left to the earth where vultures will gather.  We lay claim to that day of final battle when as one body every knee will bow and every tongue confess our Lord to the glory of our Father and with one all consuming fire we shall all be transformed in a moment, leaving this refuse of our lives behind. "Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing." (I Thessalonians 5:11)

Romans 14:9-12 "For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living. You, then, why do you judge your brother? Or why do you look down on your brother? For we will all stand before God's judgment seat. It is written: 'As surely as I live,' says the Lord, 'every knee will bow before me; every tongue will confess to God.' So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God.'" (Note the added preposition displaying the heart of the writer or interpretor)

If you haven't started that accounting yet, why not start today?  Confess your sins and go and sin no more! Do it again tomorrow, and the next day, and the next, and the n...!  Just don't go and rebuild those walls of division and hostility!  As Job said in Job 17:5 "If a man denounces his friends for reward, the eyes of his children will fail."

Claiming God's Devotion Joshua 7

Let's start by remembering the conversation between Joshua and the angel of the Lord from Joshua 5:13-15

"Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in his hand. Joshua went up to him and asked, 'Are you for us or for our enemies?'
     'Neither,' he replied, "but as commander of the army of the Lord I have now come.'
     Then Joshua fell facedown to the ground in reverence, and asked him, 'What message does my Lord have for his servant?'
     The commander of the LORD's army replied, 'Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy.'  And Joshua did so.

How difficult it is to claim the Lord's work of salvation for ourselves.  As is Biblical custom, this first victory belonged to the Lord.  All within the city belonged to Him!  It was a requirement of the people to remember this honor before God so as not to claim the victory for themselves.  "But the Israelites acted unfaithfully in regard to the devoted things" (Joshua 7:1a)

When I have read this passage in the past, I felt there were only 36 who had lost their lives, but perhaps as many as 3000 perished on the slopes of the stone quarries, (the descent towards Shebarim (the breach))

Joshua fell on his face in prayer as with all the people, hope and faith was dashed!  Their cry rang out "My God Why?"  God's answer came back quickly in verse 10 and following along the lines of "Get up and confess your sins and make yourself right with me and I will again fight your battles."  But, First, you must sanctify yourselves."  Not unlike the quote from the man of God with the sword!; Take off your shoes, for you stand on Holy Ground!  Submit to the authority and power of God.

"For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves. You are those who have stood by me in my trials. And I confer on you a kingdom, just as my Father conferred one on me, so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
     Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you (The Greek is plural) as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers." (Jesus words from Luke 22:27-31)

Following a sifting of the children of God, the sin was found in Achin.  If we search our own hearts and minds as we sanctify ourselves before God, it generally becomes quite clear where we have stolen that which God has placed upon our own hearts to be sacred and devoted to Him.  As we cleanse that area of our lives, mending that rift or breach between ourselves and Him, we too shall be burned with His fires of purification as His word cuts and removes our iniquity within.  The same battle within the child of God must continue within as we share His Love - and His word with our fellowman. 

Share with your fellowman where you have been Achin!  It goes a lot farther towards peace than telling your brother what a pain they are!



Reflections on Luke 15:1-32
 
Irritation and Celebration Luke 15:1-10
 
Our setting is given once again as Jesus spends time with the sinners and the religious elite rebel against Him.  Knowing their attitudes, he tells three parables in Luke 15 to explain the heart of God.
 
How many of those Pharisees and Scribes do you imagine realized that God referred to them as the 99 sheep that belonged to the Master?  How many imagined they were His friends and neighbors?  How many were so caught up in envy and strife over His fawning over the sinners that they missed the point of the story?  God seeks to remove impurity from men and claim each thought as His own.  As any good parent, He disciplines those ways that are wicked within their children which are otherwise the apple of their eye. 
 
Psalm 139:22-24 "I have nothing but hatred for them; I count them my enemies. Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting."
 
Psalm 51:3-10 "For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are proved right when you speak and justified when you judge. Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me. Surely you desire truth in the inner parts; you teach me wisdom in the inmost place. Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice. Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity. Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me."
 
I believe it is a good excercise to internalize scripture.  I believe quite often, internalizing judgments of wickedness will produce a much greater and more satisfactory harvest than externalizing judgments of wickedness against our fellowman.  "How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye?" (Matthew 7:4) When you experience victory over the sin in your own life, there is rejoicing in Heaven and you feel pretty good too!  Go find somebody to celebrate with!  Perhaps that will lift their own burden of sin and together you can celebrate recovery!
 
Speaking of that speck in your eye, or that sliver under your skin, perhaps you can understand these parables in light of that type of irritation!  What a relief to find those lost keys!  What a relief to get the irritation out of my eye or remove the thorn from my flesh.  Sin within is an irritation individually and when it is not dealt with, one can even find themselves thrust outside the Kingdom of God where there is sadness and anger and hope is lost.  The sin of humanity is an irritation to creation itself and its wounds fester and throb, causing sadness and anger and hope is lost.  God promises to redeem all of creation and He requests His friends and neighbors to join in.
 
The Prodigal Son Luke 15:11-32

It would be a mistake not to remember the setting for this parable from Luke 15:1-2 "Now the tax collectors and 'sinners' were all gathering around to hear him. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, 'This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.'"  The setting itself explains the symbolism of the story.

Attributes of the Father
1  Equally loving towards all of His children (vs 1-2)
2  Freely gave to His children, whether they asked or not. (vs 2)
3  Allowed His children freedom of choice (vs 3)
4  Overjoyed with compassion and Love - wrath and judgment don't seem to equate! (vs 21)
5  A Merry ole soul!  Festive and full of Celebration! Quick to forgive and forget! (vs 22-24)
6  Desirous to celebrate with all of His children (vs 28)
7  Seeking the righteous heart, while the unrighteous came naturally (vs 28)
8  A good listener (29-30)
9  Aware, consoling, and accepting (vs 31)
10 Full of wisdom, knowledge, and understanding (vs 32)

Attributes of the Pharisee's and the teachers of the law:
1  Child of God (vs 11)
2  Content to hang around the Father's House (vs 12)
3  in receipt of his share of the inheritance (vs 12)
4  hard working and devoted (vs 25)
5  Cold, judgmental, and demanding (vs 25-26)
6 Oblivious to what is going on in the Father's house (vs 27)
7  Angry, obstinate, unable to experience joy (vs 28)
8  Resentful, but Obedient (vs 29)
9  Remorseful - experiencing a weeping and gnashing of teeth (vs 30)
10 Loved and Cherished by the Father, but not experiencing that Love (vs 31)

Attributes of the Sinner:
1  Child of God (vs 11)
2  Anxious to enjoy the pleasures of life (vs 12)
3  in receipt of his share of the inheritance (vs 12)
4  left the family of God (vs 13)
5  lost the joy that was his within the family and experienced a weeping and gnashing of teeth (vs 14)
6  suffered humility apart from the family of God and grew homesick (vs 15-16)
7  was drawn back to the goodness of the Father's house and home (vs 17)
8  made the decision to return to the Father with repentance, and did it (vs 18, 21)
9  experienced a meekness and unworthiness before His father, and was willing to serve (vs 18-19)
10 experienced an overwhelming love and acceptance from the Father (vs 20)

Reflections on Psalm 81

How fitting it is for us to give thanks to our God!  How god to sing praises lifting our voices and making beautiful music;  To sound His trumpet and celebrate His feasts, festivals, and memorials of all the Wonderful things He has done!

Neither the righteous son, nor the sinner need bear their heavy load; He has heard our cry and He has redeemed our soul from the pit.  All we must do is walk in His Love and enjoy His Peace with our fellowman.  Hold Him in Glory and honor and revere Him as the One True God, for their is no other.

If but the righteous would understand the heart of the Lord their God!  If we would but hold fast to the Love of the Father as we care for the downtrodden and the weak when we imagine their wickedness!  If we could but honor that same Love when we deal with the strong and the arrogant, understanding their heart and soul as well.  Then, Father, we could feast at your table in peace, Together in your Kingdom at last.

Let not thy Son be put to shame as we rip and tear one another to pieces at His expence.  Teach us to Love one another as He Loved us, thereby lifting up your Glory through His name.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ptsBk0KEFiE&feature=related

Reflections on Proverbs 13:1

Father, Jesus said in Matthew 7:12 "So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets."  Help us to heed your call to Love our fellowman in Peace as it is so easy to mock as we struggle to believe such weapons would stand up to the hatred, vengeance and violence we know so well.  Help us to see your Love at work within the hearts and lives of our enemies.  See if there be any wicked way in us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  Amen

Until Tommorow

Rick