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"Oh, Lord, how we need your salvation!"
Reflections on Joshua 13:1-14:15
David's Playground Joshua 13:1-7
As we embark on Joshua 13, it might be good to reflect on Joshua 11:22-23 "No Anakites were left in Israelite territory; only in Gaza, Gath and Ashdod did any survive. So Joshua took the entire land, just as the Lord had directed Moses, and he gave it as an inheritance to Israel according to their tribal divisions." This almost feels like the end of a book of wars. And yet, it allows that some Anakites were still in Gaza. This allowance provides cohesion between chapter 11 and chapter 13 of Joshua. Joshua 11:23 also sets the stage for greater explanation of tribal divisions which are addressed for the next few chapters.
http://israelsmessiah.com/maps/tribal_land_israel.htm This map shows the 5 rulers of the Philistines, Gaza, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gath, and Ekron. Although it does not mention the Geshurites, nor the Maakathites, they appear to be on the northeast border of the tribe of Manasseh, near the Pharphar river. Mt. Hermon lies in the mountain range west of Damascas.
As I reflected on this passage, it was tough to imagine anything grandiose to comment on. Any maps could only provide relative guesswork as to where the boundary lines actually laid, and they presented dispairity. However, the playing field provided David within this chapter is worthy of note as reflected in I and II Samuel. These stories create bonds and bridges with Israel's neighbors plus Love and Hostility!
I Samuel 27, David runs from Saul and finds safe harbor in the city of Ziklag in the land of Gath. At this time, David had two wives, and found peace with Achish, King of Gath. Allow me to pick up the story and share I Samuel 27:6-12
"So on that day Achish gave him Ziklag, and it has belonged to the kings of Judah ever since. David lived in Philistine territory a year and four months.
Now David and his men went up and raided the Geshurites, the Girzites and the Amalekites. (From ancient times these peoples had lived in the land extending to Shur and Egypt. These were probably not the same Geshurites as lived to the Northeast of Manasseh near Aram) Whenever David attacked an area, he did not leave a man or woman alive, but took sheep and cattle, donkeys and camels, and clothes. Then he returned to Achish.
When Achish asked, 'Where did you go raiding today?' David would say, 'Against the Negev of Judah' or 'Against the Negev of Jerahmeel' or 'Against the Negev of the Kenites.' He did not leave a man or woman alive to be brought to Gath, for he thought, 'They might inform on us and say, 'This is what David did.'' And such was his practice as long as he lived in Philistine territory. Achish trusted David and said to himself, 'He has become so odious to his people, the Israelites, that he will be my servant forever.'" (Note that the Geshurites in this passage are located in the wilderness of Shur in the Sinai Peninsula)
II Samuel 3:2-3
"Sons were born to David in Hebron: His firstborn was Amnon the son of Ahinoam of Jezreel; his second, Kileab the son of Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel; the third, Absalom the son of Maacah daughter of Talmai king of Geshur;"
Jezreel and Carmel are located well north of Jerusalem toward the Sidonians in the tribal lands of Asher and Zebulan. The city of Nazareth lies on the north end of the Jezreel valley. Geshur may represent the lands to the Northeast of Israel, or as reflected in I Samuel 27, closer to Egypt in the wilderness of Shur - probably both.
Given the Jewish custom that Jewish bloodlines flow through the Mother, this may have caused problems for Absalom! He stood a great chance of gaining more land for Israel through His bloodlines! I'll reflect more on this story in my commentary on Joshua 14.
II Samuel 13 speaks of David's oldest son molesting Absalom's sister, resulting in Absalom's murder of Amnon. Absalom revolted against David's throne in II Samuel 14 and 16, becoming King in his stead in II Samuel 16:15. War broke out between Father and Son in II Samuel 17:24-18. Absalom was defeated and killed and David was restored to the throne in II Samuel 19, heartbroken about the loss of His son and heir.
With the loss of Absalom, Solomon would eventually receive the throne over all Israel from David.
Home of the Warriors Joshua 13:8-33
Joshua 13:8-13 determines the boundaries of the three tribes east of the Jordan. Verses 8-14 recap the conquests of Moses and the inheritance of Levi, which were the sins of the people and their refinement. Note that verse 11 again mentiones the Geshurites from the land of Og, King of Bashan which is now reflected to be a part of the Israelite camp of Manasseh instead of it not being captured according to verse 2.
verse 15-23 reflects the land of the tribe of Reuben which was bordered by the Moabites south of the Arnon river valley. It went eastward to the border with the Ammonites - both sons of Lot. The dead sea provided the western border and they shared their northern border with Gad from just north of the Dead Sea (Salt Sea) at Beth Jeshimoth in the valley of Shittim below Mount Nebo and Pisgah eastward to the city of Heshbon, capital city of Sihon, King of the Amorites before His defeat.
Verse 24-28 reflects Moses alottment to the Gadites from the Reubenites on the south and the Ammonites on the east, the Jordan river on the west and the tribe of Manasseh on the north. The boundary with Manasseh began at the sothern tip of the sea of Galilee which is given the name Chinnereth in verse 27. From the sea of Galilee, the border slopes well south to the Jabbok River, then east along the mountains of Gilead.
Verse 29-33 reflects Moses alottment to half the tribe of Manasseh. with the Jordan river on the west from the Sea of Galilee north to Mount Hermon. Their Northern border along the Amana mountain range east to the Samir Mountain Range and southward along the Gilead Mountains to the Jabbok River, bordering the tribe of Gad.
City of Giants Joshua 14
Joshua 14:1-5 serves as an introduction for the tribal alottments of the lands west of the Jordan river. This alottment spans chapters 14-21 of the book of Joshua. Certainly, the most important city in Israel before Jerusalem was Hebron. The remainder of Joshua 14 deals with Caleb's claim on that city. Certainly up until the time Caleb conquered the Canaanites from this city, its name had probably remained Kiriath-Arba "City of Arba!" According to verse 15 Arba was the greatest man of the Anakim. Joshua 15:13 and Joshua 21:11, Arba was the father of Anak (or depending on the translation the forefather of Anak or the ancestor of the Anakim) As these reflections represent a reasonable summary of Joshua 14, this is a perfect opportunity to reflect on this "Community" or "Alliance" which came to be called in Hebrew; "Hebron". http://www.abarim-publications.com/Meaning/Hebron.html
http://www.abarim-publications.com/Meaning/Hebrew.html "The word Hebrew comes from the verb (abar 1556) meaning to pass over, through, take away." The name is first given to Abram in Genesis 14:13 as He was living near the oaks of Mamre. Allowing for the following associations, it is quite possible that the name Hebrew is strongly linked to the name of this city Hebron given the amount of history associated with it. It was here also that Abram met with the Lord and sacrificed beasts and birds, setting up great symbolism for the rest of scripture and the history of the Hebrew people in Genesis 15:7-21. Genesis 15:13 refers to the descendants of Abram as "strangers in a country not their own".
Genesis 15:17 "When the sun had set and darkness had fallen, a smoking firepot with a blazing torch appeared and passed between the pieces." This same verb "abar" is rendered "eber" for the words "passed between." This carries tremendous weight regarding the symbolism of Christ's sacrificial atonement - and the historical link between God and the Hebrew nation in bringing all men back to Him. God would protect this city (Hebron) with giants until the Hebrews would become a nation, ready to serve His purposes, keeping the vultures away! (vs. 11)
Let's begin with Genesis 10:15 "Canaan was the father of Sidon his firstborn, and [of the Hittites] (most versions [Heth])".
Genesis 23:1-6 "Sarah lived to be a hundred and twenty-seven years old. She died at Kiriath Arba (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan, and Abraham went to mourn for Sarah and to weep over her.
Then Abraham rose from beside his dead wife and spoke to the Hittites. (Or the sons of Heth) He said, 'I am an alien and a stranger among you. Sell me some property for a burial site here so I can bury my dead.' The Hittites replied to Abraham, 'Sir, listen to us. You are a mighty prince among us. Bury your dead in the choicest of our tombs. None of us will refuse you his tomb for burying your dead.'"
Genesis 25:7-10 "Altogether, Abraham lived a hundred and seventy-five years. Then Abraham breathed his last and died at a good old age, an old man and full of years; and he was gathered to his people. His sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah near Mamre, in the field of Ephron son of Zohar the Hittite, the field Abraham had bought from the Hittites (Sons of Heth). There Abraham was buried with his wife Sarah."
Genesis 27:46 "Then Rebekah said to Isaac, "I'm disgusted with living because of these Hittite women (daughters of Heth). If Jacob takes a wife from among the women of this land, from Hittite women like these, my life will not be worth living."
Genesis 35:27-29 "Jacob came home to his father Isaac in Mamre, near Kiriath Arba (that is, Hebron), where Abraham and Isaac had stayed. Isaac lived a hundred and eighty years. Then he breathed his last and died and was gathered to his people, old and full of years. And his sons Esau and Jacob buried him."
Genesis 49:29-33 "Then he gave them these instructions: 'I am about to be gathered to my people. Bury me with my fathers in the cave in the field of Ephron the Hittite, the cave in the field of Machpelah, near Mamre in Canaan, which Abraham bought as a burial place from Ephron the Hittite, along with the field. There Abraham and his wife Sarah were buried, there Isaac and his wife Rebekah were buried, and there I buried Leah. The field and the cave in it were bought from the Hittites. (the sons of Heth)'
When Jacob had finished giving instructions to his sons, he drew his feet up into the bed, breathed his last and was gathered to his people."
Genesis 50:12-14 "So Jacob's sons did as he had commanded them: They carried him to the land of Canaan and buried him in the cave in the field of Machpelah, near Mamre, which Abraham had bought as a burial place from Ephron the Hittite, along with the field. After burying his father, Joseph returned to Egypt, together with his brothers and all the others who had gone with him to bury his father."
Genesis 50:24-25 "Then Joseph said to his brothers, 'I am about to die. But God will surely come to your aid and take you up out of this land to the land he promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.' And Joseph made the sons of Israel swear an oath and said, "God will surely come to your aid, and then you must carry my bones up from this place.'"
Numbers 13:3-6 "So at the Lord's command Moses sent them out from the Desert of Paran. All of them were leaders of the Israelites. These are their names: from the tribe of Reuben, Shammua son of Zaccur; from the tribe of Simeon, Shaphat son of Hori; from the tribe of Judah, Caleb son of Jephunneh;"
Numbers 13:21-22 "So they went up and explored the land from the Desert of Zin as far as Rehob, toward Lebo Hamath. They went up through the Negev and came to Hebron, where Ahiman, Sheshai and Talmai, the descendants of Anak, lived. (Hebron had been built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.) When they reached the Valley of Eshcol, they cut off a branch bearing a single cluster of grapes. Two of them carried it on a pole between them, along with some pomegranates and figs."
One might wonder if the spies had picked any other city than the city of Arba, whether the Israelites would have chosen to enter Canaan much earlier. God had other plans (Exodus 23:29-31 and Deuteronomy 7:22-24). According to Numbers 11, the spies had entered Kiriath-Arba from Kadesh-Barnea in the 2nd year when according to Joshua 14 Caleb was 40 years old. This would mean the conquests of Joshua 1-11 took place over a 7 year period.
Following their rebellion and lack of faith, our Father forgave His children, but disciplined them within the desert for the remainder of their lives except for Joshua and Caleb according to Numbers 14:20-25; "The Lord replied, 'I have forgiven them, as you asked. Nevertheless, as surely as I live and as surely as the glory of the Lord fills the whole earth, not one of the men who saw my glory and the miraculous signs I performed in Egypt and in the desert but who disobeyed me and tested me ten times- not one of them will ever see the land I promised on oath to their forefathers. No one who has treated me with contempt will ever see it. But because my servant Caleb has a different spirit and follows me wholeheartedly, I will bring him into the land he went to, and his descendants will inherit it. Since the Amalekites and Canaanites are living in the valleys, turn back tomorrow and set out toward the desert along the route to the Red Sea."
As Moses spoke to the Israelites across the Jordan from Jericho in Deuteronomy 1:32-36, He reminded the children of those who had left Egypt and died in the Desert of his promise to Caleb; "you (your parents) did not trust in the Lord your God, who went ahead of you on your journey, in fire by night and in a cloud by day, to search out places for you to camp and to show you the way you should go. When the Lord heard what you said, he was angry and solemnly swore: 'Not a man of this evil generation shall see the good land I swore to give your forefathers, except Caleb son of Jephunneh. He will see it, and I will give him and his descendants the land he set his feet on, because he followed the Lord wholeheartedly.'"
This story continues with Caleb's conquest of Hebron in Joshua 15:13-14; "In accordance with the Lord's command to him, Joshua gave to Caleb son of Jephunneh a portion in Judah - Kiriath Arba, that is, Hebron. (Arba was the forefather of Anak.) From Hebron Caleb drove out the three Anakites - Sheshai, Ahiman and Talmai - descendants of Anak. (see also Judges 1:10-21)
Kiriath Arba would become a city of refuge in Judah according to Joshua 20:1,2 and 7 "Then the Lord said to Joshua: 'Tell the Israelites to designate the cities of refuge, as I instructed you through Moses, so that anyone who kills a person accidentally and unintentionally may flee there and find protection from the avenger of blood...So they set apart Kedesh in Galilee in the hill country of Naphtali, Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and Kiriath Arba (that is, Hebron) in the hill country of Judah."
Hebron also became a city for the Levites (descendants of Aaron, Kohathites) according to Joshua 21:8-12 "So the Israelites allotted to the Levites these towns and their pasturelands, as the Lord had commanded through Moses. From the tribes of Judah and Simeon they allotted the following towns by name (these towns were assigned to the descendants of Aaron who were from the Kohathite clans of the Levites, because the first lot fell to them): They gave them Kiriath Arba (that is, Hebron), with its surrounding pastureland, in the hill country of Judah. (Arba was the forefather of Anak.) But the fields and villages around the city they had given to Caleb son of Jephunneh as his possession." (I Chronicles 6:55-57)
"Hebron was a town in the mountains of Judah, about 3000 feet above the Mediterranean Sea, and between Beersheba and Jerusalem, being about 20 miles from each." http://www.bible-history.com/geography/ancient-israel/hebron.html. According to Judges 1:10-21, at the time Hebron was conquered by Caleb and Judah, the Jebusites continued to live within Jerusalem within the tribal boundaries of Benjamin. In Judges 16:1-3, Samson ripped the gates out of the earth at Gaza along the Mediterranean Sea and "He lifted them to his shoulders and carried them to the top of the hill that faces Hebron" (vs. 3)
Toward the end of the book of 1st Samuel, David had been raiding Philistine territories from his outpost in Ziklag. While away from camp in I Samuel 30, the Amalekites raided Ziklag and burned it. David pursued the Amelekites and smote them and recovered his possessions. He shared the booty with his Judean friends including those in Hebron (vs 31). I Samuel ends with the death of Saul and his son Jonathan. David mourned their deaths in II Samuel 1. He then inquired of the Lord where to go and was sent to Hebron (II Samuel 2:1) He went with his two wives and all his men and they moved into the "cities" of Hebron. "Then the men of Judah came to Hebron and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah (vs 4)." "The length of time David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months (vs 11)."
Following the death of Ishbosheth, King in Israel in the line of Saul, "All the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron and said, 'We are your own flesh and blood. In the past, while Saul was king over us, you were the one who led Israel on their military campaigns. And the Lord said to you, 'You will shepherd my people Israel, and you will become their ruler.' When all the elders of Israel had come to King David at Hebron, the king made a compact with them at Hebron before the Lord, and they anointed David king over Israel.
David was thirty years old when he became king, and he reigned forty years. In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months, and in Jerusalem he reigned over all Israel and Judah thirty-three years." II Samuel 5:1-5 (also see I Chronicles 11:1-3, 12:23-40)
While in Hebron, David's third child Absalom was born by his third wife Maacah, daughter of Talmai of Geshur (I Chronicles 3:2). (One of the sons of Anak was Talmai from Joshua 15:14). Following Absalom's killing of David's oldest son Amnon for violating his sister, David and Absalom had not surprisingly experienced strained relationships. At this time, David reigned over Israel from Jerusalem.
II Samuel 15:7-14 "At the end of four years, Absalom said to the king, "Let me go to Hebron and fulfill a vow I made to the Lord. While your servant was living at Geshur in Aram, I made this vow: 'If the Lord takes me back to Jerusalem, I will worship the Lord in Hebron.'
The king said to him, 'Go in peace.' So he went to Hebron.
Then Absalom sent secret messengers throughout the tribes of Israel to say, "As soon as you hear the sound of the trumpets, then say, 'Absalom is king in Hebron.' Two hundred men from Jerusalem had accompanied Absalom. They had been invited as guests and went quite innocently, knowing nothing about the matter. While Absalom was offering sacrifices, he also sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David's counselor, to come from Giloh, his hometown. And so the conspiracy gained strength, and Absalom's following kept on increasing.
A messenger came and told David, 'The hearts of the men of Israel are with Absalom.'
Then David said to all his officials who were with him in Jerusalem, 'Come! We must flee, or none of us will escape from Absalom. We must leave immediately, or he will move quickly to overtake us and bring ruin upon us and put the city to the sword.'"
As mentioned above, war broke out between Father and Son in II Samuel 17:24-18. Absalom was defeated and killed and David was restored to the throne in II Samuel 19, heartbroken about the loss of His son and his failure to bring peace to family and land.
A study of the descendants of Caleb who lived in and around the city of Hebron with its suburbs would certainly show authoritative elders within the nation of Judah and Israel. But this study of the city itself is all I shall comment on today.
Reflections on Luke 18;1-17
Just As He Is! Luke 8:1-8
John 12:28-33 "'Father, glorify your name!'
Then a voice came from heaven, 'I have glorified it, and will glorify it again.' The crowd that was there and heard it said it had thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him.
Jesus said, 'This voice was for your benefit, not mine. Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out. But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself.'"
Jesus was lifted up and He died bringing glory to His Father's will that all men might have access to our Father in Heaven. We are His children! His people! We have just read in Luke 17:20b-21 "The kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation, nor will people say, 'Here it is,' or 'There it is,' because the kingdom of God is within [Or among] you." Listen to His promise;
II Chronicles 7:14-16 "if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place. I have chosen and consecrated this temple so that my Name may be there forever. My eyes and my heart will always be there.
As we consider the "chosen" ones of Luke 18, we must consider the multitude of occasions the Lord calls out for our assistance for the poor and needy. Even in this passage, the widow is highlighted. Perhaps the rest of us are the unjust judge! When the needs of the widow, the fatherless, the alien, and the levite are presented to us day after day, eventually we are forced to humble ourselves and reach out to help those with greater needs than ourselves. At some point, we stop worrying so much about our own salvation and seek the salvation and the restoration of our earthly brethren and neighbors. At some point, we stop reading a passage like this, imagining we are the elect being spoken of and realize His elect are those good works he has placed before us and we are being tested as unjust judges! He is bound to have his satisfaction both on the faithful and the unfaithful who choose or choose not to establish His peace upon the earth.
What better verse to close this commentary on Luke 18:1-8 with than a passage from today's Psalm; Listen to the beauty of Psalm 85:8-12 "I will listen to what God the Lord will say; he promises peace to his people, his saints - but let them not return to folly. Surely his salvation is near those who fear him, that his glory may dwell in our land.
Love and faithfulness meet together; righteousness and peace kiss each other. Faithfulness springs forth from the earth, and righteousness looks down from heaven. The Lord will indeed give what is good, and our land will yield its harvest."
Humbled Like the Pharisees Luke 18:9-14
In case you think I misinterpreted the message of Luke 18:1-8, allow me to draw our attention to Luke 18:9 "To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable:"
Who are you most like? Do you ever think; "I wish my child knew you like I do!" or "I wish my parent's understood God the way I do!" How about; "Thank God I am not confused like those Muslims!" or "Thank God I am more righteous than those Christians!" Perhaps you drive by the poor man on the street corner and imagine God has made you more righteous than them, or perhaps you have watched the people driving by imagining their hypocricy!
If we read the Bible and always imagine ourselves as the chosen or the elect - or the righteous inflicted by all those wicked people, I think we've missed the point. We are the Pharisee! We are in the process of being refined! We are being disciplined by our Father and we are maturing in our faith. The Pharisee was not some heathen wicked unsaved wretch destined for Gehena; He was mistaken in his belief in God in an attempt at purification - just like us. He acknowledged the presence of God and served within His Kingdom on earth - just like us. He suffered in relationships and struggled to understand His duties regarding the poor and needy in an attempt to avoid defilement - just like us. Who are we to sit here and pray, thank God I'm not like that Pharisee or that tax collector! We are! May God have mercy on our souls.
Romans 14:8b-11a says He will; "whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. 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' " Isaiah 45:24 adds "They will say of me, 'In the Lord alone are righteousness and strength.' "
Ezra spoke well before God in a repentance of the reputation of the children of God in how we have affected the world in which we live; Ezra 9:6b-9a "because our sins are higher than our heads and our guilt has reached to the heavens. From the days of our forefathers until now, our guilt has been great. Because of our sins, we and our kings and our priests have been subjected to the sword and captivity, to pillage and humiliation at the hand of foreign kings, as it is today.
'But now, for a brief moment, the Lord our God has been gracious in leaving us a remnant and giving us a firm place in his sanctuary, and so our God gives light to our eyes and a little relief in our bondage. Though we are slaves, our God has not deserted us in our bondage. He has shown us kindness in the sight of the kings of Persia: He has granted us new life to rebuild the house of our God and repair its ruins,'" (As you consider his representation before people in his day, consider people affected by our presence today)
Like Pharisee, Like Disciple Luke 18:15-17
Perhaps you are not appreciating my commentary! As Children of God, we have been refined (whether by me, Luke, Christ, or God, you choose) through the teaching of the unjust Judge, the Pharisee, and now the Disciple! Here is a great opportunity to toss all the theology you have learned out the window and receive the Faith, Hope, Love, Joy, and Peace available through the perfection of our Heavenly Father as witnessed by a childlike faith. Don't keep anyone from accepting that simple Love our Father has for His children.
An infant sees no hostility between men, but craves love and requires its needs to be met. Be at peace with all men and care for them as newborn babes as such need arises. I Peter 2:1-2 "Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good."
http://www.youtube.com/watch#!v=GMrugwR9QYI&feature=related "We Love because He first Loved Us." I John 4:19
Reflections on Psalm 85
http://encarta.msn.com/dictionary_1861700954/salvation.html Definition of Salvation "somebody or something that protects or delivers another from harm, destruction, difficulty, or failure"
"Oh, Lord, how we need your salvation!" There's the prayer - now, what actions does He require of me to bring about that salvation! How will God use me to deliver my brother - my neighbor - from harm, destruction, difficulty, or failure? This is our purpose on earth, to share our salvation - not only towards our Heavenly home, but to establish that Kingdom of God right here on earth as we reach out to our fellowman. Is that not the call on our heart? Is that not what we recognize worldwide as virtuous behavior? Is that not the call of Psalm 85?
Deuteronomy 28:1-6 "If you fully obey the Lord your God and carefully follow all his commands I give you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations on earth. All these blessings will come upon you and accompany you if you obey the Lord your God: You will be blessed in the city and blessed in the country. The fruit of your womb will be blessed, and the crops of your land and the young of your livestock - the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks. Your basket and your kneading trough will be blessed. You will be blessed when you come in and blessed when you go out. Blessed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl. Blessed shall you be when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you go out."
One might read Deuteronomy 28:1-6 and imagine all the work required to receive the Lord's blessing, but if we had continued with Luke 18 above, we would have been reminded of His commands! Yet we have found that even those are not easy - especially when they are understood in a legalistic way. Thankfully, Jesus summarized them in Matthew 7 in saying "do to others what you would have them do to you." Still, we struggle with the application of such a simple rule as Jesus reflected in the context of Matthew 7:11-14
"If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.
'Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it."
True to His word, the Lord has shown favor to the land and brought us fortune! He has forgiven our iniquities and pardoned us for our sin. It is not He that punishes us, except for the removal of His blessings. Perhaps His withdrawal is not so much anger as imagined by the Psalmist, but a sadness, a patience, and a discipline offering correction for sin, delivering us from harm, destruction, difficulty, or failure by allowing us to experience the results of our actions.
We stand in need of a deliverance from harm, destruction, difficulty and failure! We stand in need of revival! We need to join hands and bring glory to our Father by lifting one another up in His Love! We need to accept the help of our brethren, worldwide regardless of color or creed. We need to establish His Kingdom of Peace! We need to come together as One!
Habakkuk 2:9-10 "Woe to him who says to wood, 'Come to life!' Or to lifeless stone, 'Wake up!' Can it give guidance? It is covered with gold and silver; there is no breath in it. But the Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth be silent before him."
Zechariah 9:10b "the battle bow will be broken. He will proclaim peace to the nations. His rule will extend from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth." (See also Revelation 22:13)
This has been our call since the biginning of time. Peace on earth, good will to men on whom His favor rests. It is difficult to improve on the words of this Psalm as it closes with verses 10-13 witnessing the Love between God and Man as He shall bring salvation to us again and He shall deliver us from harm, destruction, difficulty, and failure. He is awaiting our service according to His purpose and He will bless our efforts.
Psalm 85:10-13 "Love and faithfulness meet together; righteousness and peace kiss each other. Faithfulness springs forth from the earth, and righteousness looks down from heaven. The Lord will indeed give what is good, and our land will yield its harvest. Righteousness goes before him and prepares the way for his steps.
Reflections on Proverbs 13:7-8
What can one lose who has nothing? Even the loss of his life results in glory! If a man has Love for God and peace with men, what more is needed? Money may ransom a man from captivity, saving His mortal life from death, but nothing can keep a man from eternity. Jesus Christ has already paid the price and our Father looked upon what He had done and said "It is Good!"
Get Along!
Until Tomorrow
Rick
Friday, April 16, 2010
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