We have studied a number of passages of Jehovah’s great displeasure in disobedience. All but one of the 10 commandments incurs the death penalty. Why is Jehovah so adamant about obeying His commandments? Where is forgiveness? Where is a second chance? Where are the allowances for those who haven’t heard or didn’t quite understand?
Deuteronomy 4:24 "For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God. 4:25 "When you become the father of children and children's children and have remained long in the land, and act corruptly, and make an idol in the form of anything, and
do that which is evil in the sight of the LORD your God so as to provoke Him to anger,
4:26 I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that you will surely perish quickly from the land where you are going over the Jordan to possess it. You shall not live long on it, but will be utterly destroyed.
13:5 "But that prophet or that dreamer of dreams shall be put to death, because he has counseled rebellion against the LORD your God who brought you from the land of Egypt and redeemed you from the house of slavery, to seduce you from the way in which the LORD your God commanded you to walk.
So you shall purge the evil from among you.
17:6 "On the evidence of two witnesses or three witnesses, he who is to die shall be put to death; he shall not be put to death on the evidence of one witness.
17:7 "The hand of the witnesses shall be first against him to put him to death, and afterward the hand of all the people.
So you shall purge the evil from your midst.
What is Jehovah making very clear to all of us? Just like a bad apple can spoil the entire bushel, so can one evil deed lead to another and another evil deed. This is especially true when a leader does the evil! Let us look at yet another example of this.
Numbers 25:1 While Israel remained at Shittim, the people began to play the harlot with the daughters of Moab. 25:2 For they invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods. 25:3 So Israel joined themselves to Baal of Peor, and the LORD was angry against Israel.
You shall no other gods before Me. What is so hard to understand in this phrase or better said, warning? They, as do we, all know that the land promised to them by Jehovah was entirely filled with idolatrous nations. Jehovah warned them to not participate in their evil deeds, but destroy all shrines to their demonic gods.
Exodus 34:10 Then God said, "Behold, I am going to make a covenant. Before all your people I will perform miracles which have not been produced in all the earth nor among any of the nations; and all the people among whom you live will see the working of the LORD, for it is a fearful thing that I am going to perform with you.
Exodus 34:11 "Be sure to observe what I am commanding you this day: behold, I am going to drive out the Amorite before you, and the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Perizzite, the Hivite and the Jebusite.
34:12 "Watch yourself that you make no covenant with the inhabitants of the land into which you are going, or it will become a snare in your midst.
34:13 "But rather, you are to tear down their altars and smash their sacred pillars and cut down their Asherim
They were commanded to remove all evidence of this demonic worship. If not, it will come back to ensnare them. Was Jehovah right?
34:14 —for you shall not worship any other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God—
34:15 otherwise you might make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land and they would play the harlot with their gods and sacrifice to their gods, and someone might invite you to eat of his sacrifice,
34:16 and you might take some of his daughters for your sons, and his daughters might play the harlot with their gods and cause your sons also to play the harlot with their gods.
Even with this warning from Jehovah, Israel ignored it and fell for the apparent attraction of this pagan, highly sexualized, immoral, ungodly worship.
Numbers 25:4 The LORD said to Moses, "Take all the leaders of the people and execute them in broad daylight before the LORD, so that the fierce anger of the LORD may turn away from Israel." 25:5 So Moses said to the judges of Israel, "Each of you slay his men who have joined themselves to Baal of Peor."
Wow!!! Take the leaders and kill them in front of everyone! What kind of barbarous response was this? Isn’t Jehovah a god of love, forgiveness, kindness, and blessings?
25:6 Then behold, one of the sons of Israel came and brought to his relatives a Midianite woman, in the sight of Moses and in the sight of all the congregation of the sons of Israel, while they were weeping at the doorway of the tent of meeting.
The people were confessing, weeping, and repenting of this terrible sin and Jehovah’s wrathful and righteous condemnations. When this one man boldly walked by them to have sex in his tent with a Midianite harlot.
This is outright insubordination. For those of us who have been in the military, is insubordination allowed or tolerated? No, of course not! It is dealt with swiftly and completely. So, if the world knows the problems of not dealing with insubordination, we can not fault Jehovah not dealing with it either. Remember, He knows the heart of everyone. No one claim ignorance or innocence in His presence.
25:7 When Phinehas the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he arose from the midst of the congregation and took a spear in his hand, 25:8 and he went after the man of Israel into the tent and pierced both of them through, the man of Israel and the woman, through the body.
So the plague on the sons of Israel was checked. When good men do nothing, evil prospers. Here we have Phinehas doing exactly what Jehovah requires all true believers to do, rid evil from their midst.
Now, we must also remember that this theocracy is not in existence today. Yet, we are still told to remove sinners from our gatherings if they will not acknowledge their sin before Jehovah and repent, which leads to restoration to the gathering.
Galatians 6:1 Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted.
The very first response is to go to him and try to restore him. But, not everyone can do this, especially some who may have been once tempted by the very same sin. As an example, we would not send a recovering alcoholic into a bar to try and restore a brother. We would send those who would not be tempted in the same manner.
1 Corinthians 5:1 It is actually reported that there is immorality among you, and immorality of such a kind as does not exist even among the Gentiles, that someone has his father's wife.
5:2 You have become arrogant and have not mourned instead, so that the one who had done this deed would be removed from your midst.
Their are many gatherings who will not condemn any sin, as being judgmental. This is a false, deadly compassion.
5:3 For I, on my part, though absent in body but present in spirit, have already judged him who has so committed this, as though I were present.
5:4 In the name of our Lord Jesus, when you are assembled, and I with you in spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus, 5:5 I have decided to deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of his flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
5:9 I wrote you in my letter not to associate with immoral people; 5:10 I did not at all mean with the immoral people of this world, or with the covetous and swindlers, or with idolaters, for then you would have to go out of the world.
Many go too far in this separation. As if any difference would corrupt them. We need to be discerning and not make a spec into a log. Our mission field is the very world around us.
5:11 But actually, I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he is an immoral person, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler—not even to eat with such a one.
5:12 For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Do you not judge those who are within the church? 5:13 But those who are outside, God judges. REMOVE THE WICKED MAN FROM AMONG YOURSELVES.
Jehovah’s warnings have not changed, but His retribution is now entirely in His hands, not ours.
Hebrews 10:30 For we know Him who said, "VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY." And again, "THE LORD WILL JUDGE HIS PEOPLE." 10:31 It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
25:9 Those who died by the plague were 24,000.
These 24,000 fell into the hands of Jehovah for condemnation and eternal punishment.
Jehovah’s view of sin, displeasure with sin, and punishment of sin have not changed and never will.
More next Saturday.
Blasphemy is an oft mentioned, but often misunderstood term. In the Greek it means to curse. So those whose words use Jehovah’s name in a curse, or curse Him are blaspheming Him. What will Jehovah do to those who curse in this manner?
Leviticus 24:10 Now the son of an Israelite woman, whose father was an Egyptian, went out among the sons of Israel; and the Israelite woman's son and a man of Israel struggled with each other in the camp.
As we remember, many others from Egypt joined with the Israelites when they left Egypt. Here we see that some even intermarried.
24:11 The son of the Israelite woman blasphemed the Name and cursed. So they brought him to Moses. (Now his mother's name was Shelomith, the daughter of Dibri, of the tribe of Dan.)
24:12 They put him in custody so that the command of the LORD might be made clear to them.
This is very similar to the problem from last week when they discovered a man gathering wood. They knew enough to ask Jehovah, probably through Moses, what should be done?
24:13 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 24:14 "Bring the one who has cursed outside the camp, and let all who heard him lay their hands on his head; then let all the congregation stone him.
We have a little rhyme that goes something like this, “Sticks and stones can break my bones, but words can never hurt me.” However, that is not true in many situations. Many words spoken can actually cause pain to the recipient. Words can be hurtful, painful, and even cause physical harm. How does Jehovah look at our words?
Matthew 12:36 "But I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgment. 12:37 "For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned."
So we now read that Jehovah records every ‘careless’ word we speak! Our words now can hurt us! Most people go through life without any care or consideration of what they actually say to others. At judgment, they will be condemned by the very words they may have used to condemn or curse others.
24:15 "You shall speak to the sons of Israel, saying, 'If anyone curses his God, then he will bear his sin.
Exodus
20:7 "You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not leave him unpunished who takes His name in vain.
This means in a totally worthless or evil manner.
24:16 'Moreover, the one who blasphemes the name of the LORD shall surely be put to death; all the congregation shall certainly stone him. The alien as well as the native, when he blasphemes the Name, shall be put to death.
Jehovah is very serious about the commandments He has given us.
They are meant to save us from harm.
They are intended for our own good.
They are meant to make our lives fuller, safer, more joyful, and complete.
More next Saturday.
How holy is Jehovah? What does He require of all of us? Has His view of sin softened? Will He look at sin differently today vs. in the time of Israel? He doesn’t change nor does His holy requirements, regardless of what the false teachers proclaim. Sin will always be an affront to our Holy GOD.
Numbers 15:32 Now while the sons of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man gathering wood on the sabbath day.
This is a very unique and somewhat troubling incident. What is so wrong with gathering wood for a fire? There is a winter period in the Mideast and it will get cold at night in the desert, as many of us have experienced ourselves. So does Jehovah expect us to shiver in the cold? Some scholars believe that this is actually a reference to someone gathering wood so they could work, as with shaping metal.
15:33 Those who found him gathering wood brought him to Moses and Aaron and to all the congregation; 15:34 and they put him in custody because it had not been declared what should be done to him.
While we have studied just how ungodly these people continued to be, they were quick to see someone who seemed to violate Jehovah’s 4th Commandment. This is a problem we all must fight against, that is, seeing the sin is someone else but excusing or rationalizing our own sin. Jesus taught that there was a right way and a wrong way to judge anyone else.
Matthew 7:2 "For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you.
7:3 "Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?
7:4 "Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' and behold, the log is in your own eye?
7:5 "You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.
We are to judge one another in the faith, but not in a very hypocritical manner. First, look realistically at our own sin, which we cannot do without asking Jehovah to reveal it to us.
What was the problem with their understanding of what Jehovah had commanded them?
Exodus 20:8 "Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
20:9 "Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 20:10 but the seventh day is a sabbath of the LORD your God; in it you shall not do any work, you or your son or your daughter, your male or your female servant or your cattle or your sojourner who stays with you.
20:11 "For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day; therefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day and made it holy.
Genesis 2 is referenced here by Jehovah. This is also the longest of all of the 10 commandments. While is is difficult to research the frequency of the first 3 commandments, the Sabbath is mentioned in 116 verses of which 55 are in the New Testament.
15:35 Then the LORD said to Moses, "The man shall surely be put to death; all the congregation shall stone him with stones outside the camp."
Moses, which was his practice, inquired of Jehovah, who confirmed His holy commandments and His righteous wrath upon any and all who disobey them. Violation of 9 of the 10 commandments is death.
15:36 So all the congregation brought him outside the camp and stoned him to death with stones, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.
Why would all the congregation be required to participate in the stoning of anyone? A number of possible reasons come to mind.
First, as a very visible warning to all.
Second, to emphasize that there is no room for violating any of Jehovah’s Laws.
Third, because sin can slowly creep into an entire group of people, it has to be dealt with swiftly and completely.
Ecclesiates 8:11 Because the sentence against an evil deed is not executed quickly, therefore the hearts of the sons of men among them are given fully to do evil.
More next Saturday.
We left off with what we could learn from the deaths of Nadab and Abihu. Context is always important when trying to understand the lessons Jehovah is providing us. How much time has elapsed since they left Egypt?
Numbers 9:1 Thus the LORD spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the first month of the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt, saying, 9:2 "Now, let the sons of Israel observe the Passover at its appointed time.
9:3 "On the fourteenth day of this month, at twilight, you shall observe it at its appointed time; you shall observe it according to all its statutes and according to all its ordinances."
9:4 So Moses told the sons of Israel to observe the Passover. 9:5 They observed the Passover in the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month, at twilight, in the wilderness of Sinai; according to all that the LORD had commanded Moses, so the sons of Israel did. As you recall, they left Egypt right after the first Passover.
Now one year has passed, Jehovah has given them the ten tablets of His commandments. They experienced the destruction of Egypt through the 10 plagues. They saw Jehovah destroy the entire Egyptian army by drowning them in the same Red Sea they had just crossed safely. They have heard His voice and trembled. They were led by a cloud by day and fire by night. They have received water from a rock, manna from heaven, and yet, they continued to grumble and complain.
Numbers 11:1 Now the people became like those who complain of adversity in the hearing of the LORD; and when the LORD heard it, His anger was kindled, and the fire of the LORD burned among them and consumed some of the outskirts of the camp. 11:2 The people therefore cried out to Moses, and Moses prayed to the LORD and the fire died out. 11:3 So the name of that place was called Taberah, because the fire of the LORD burned among them.
It would seem that they were never really thankful or even acknowledged the blessings that Jehovah continued to pour out to them.
Numbers 11:4 The rabble who were among them had greedy desires; and also the sons of Israel wept again and said, "Who will give us meat to eat? 11:5 "We remember the fish which we used to eat free in Egypt, the cucumbers and the melons and the leeks and the onions and the garlic, 11:6 but now our appetite is gone. There is nothing at all to look at except this manna."
11:7 Now the manna was like coriander seed, and its appearance like that of bdellium. 11:8 The people would go about and gather it and grind it between two millstones or beat it in the mortar, and boil it in the pot and make cakes with it; and its taste was as the taste of cakes baked with oil. 11:9 When the dew fell on the camp at night, the manna would fall with it.
So the mixed multitude, which included the Israelites and all who came with them continued complaining. In reality they were accusing Jehovah of withholding blessings from them. They were even beginning to think being slaves in Egypt was better than being the people of Jehovah.
It is a very sad deception when we begin to reminisce about the ‘good old days’ that really weren’t all that good.
Numbers 11:10 Now Moses heard the people weeping throughout their families, each man at the doorway of his tent; and the anger of the LORD was kindled greatly, and Moses was displeased.
11:11 So Moses said to the LORD, "Why have You been so hard on Your servant? And why have I not found favor in Your sight, that You have laid the burden of all this people on me? 11:12 "Was it I who conceived all this people? Was it I who brought them forth, that You should say to me, 'Carry them in your bosom as a nurse carries a nursing infant, to the land which You swore to their fathers'?
11:13 "Where am I to get meat to give to all this people? For they weep before me, saying, 'Give us meat that we may eat!' 11:14 "I alone am not able to carry all this people, because it is too burdensome for me. 11:15 "So if You are going to deal thus with me, please kill me at once, if I have found favor in Your sight, and do not let me see my wretchedness."
Moses was not one to be consumed by self-pity, but you can read that their constant complaining, Aaron’s disobedience, and the weight of being in total charge was weighing him down. It would seem that he forgot the power of Jehovah as well.
Numbers 11:16 The LORD therefore said to Moses, "Gather for Me seventy men from the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people and their officers and bring them to the tent of meeting, and let them take their stand there with you. 11:17 "Then I will come down and speak with you there, and I will take of the Spirit who is upon you, and will put Him upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with you, so that you will not bear it all alone.
Jehovah was going to give Moses some much needed help to share the burden of judging these 2+ million people. But, that was not all!
Numbers 11:18 "Say to the people, 'Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow, and you shall eat meat; for you have wept in the ears of the LORD, saying, "Oh that someone would give us meat to eat! For we were well-off in Egypt." Therefore the LORD will give you meat and you shall eat. 11:19 'You shall eat, not one day, nor two days, nor five days, nor ten days, nor twenty days, 11:20 but a whole month, until it comes out of your nostrils and becomes loathsome to you; because you have rejected the LORD who is among you and have wept before Him, saying, "Why did we ever leave Egypt?"'"
11:21 But Moses said, "The people, among whom I am, are 600,000 on foot; yet You have said, 'I will give them meat, so that they may eat for a whole month.' 11:22 "Should flocks and herds be slaughtered for them, to be sufficient for them? Or should all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them, to be sufficient for them?"
11:23 The LORD said to Moses, "Is the LORD'S power limited? Now you shall see whether My word will come true for you or not."
It is interesting that the people’s knowledge of Jehovah as quite limited and faulty. They apparently did not know that He could hear their grumbling. They may have thought, even though that is hard to believe, that they were grumbling only to Moses. Jehovah even had to remind Moses, by asking if Moses thought His power was in any way limited.
Numbers 11:31 Now there went forth a wind from the LORD and it brought quail from the sea, and let them fall beside the camp, about a day's journey on this side and a day's journey on the other side, all around the camp and about two cubits deep on the surface of the ground. 11:32 The people spent all day and all night and all the next day, and gathered the quail (he who gathered least gathered ten homers) and they spread them out for themselves all around the camp.
11:33 While the meat was still between their teeth, before it was chewed, the anger of the LORD was kindled against the people, and the LORD struck the people with a very severe plague. 11:34 So the name of that place was called Kibroth-hattaavah, because there they buried the people who had been greedy.
Just for understanding, an homer is about 3.7 quarts, or almost a gallon. So the greedy gathered 10 gallons of quail from the first opportunity.
How did Jehovah respond to their grumbling, irreverent comparison to life in Egypt, and lack of any sense of thankfulness? He sent a severe plague with the quail. They had just put the first bite in their mouths when the plague struck them.
What lessons can we learn from this sad episode in the lives of the Israelites?
First, grumbling and complaining is really an indictment against Jehovah; He has not done enough for us, or so we think.
Secondly, an incomplete knowledge of Jehovah leaves us prone to follow the wrong leaders.
Thirdly, failure to both remember and praise Jehovah for all that He had done, leads us away from Him and into the powers of Satan and all his deceivers.
Let us never forget all that He has done for us and continues to do for us!
His power is without limits as is His knowledge of us.
More next Saturday.
We left off with the death of Nadab and Abihu, two of Aaron’s sons. There were two things, that I never really connected until last week, that had troubled me for years. The first, how did Aaron escape punishment as he led the people in idol worship? The second, how could Abihu and Nadab not follow Jehovah’s holy requirements on their first day of service? Let us tie this all together. First, the setting for the coming of Jehovah, all of which we had studied before.
Exodus 19:9 The LORD said to Moses, "Behold, I will come to you in a thick cloud, so that the people may hear when I speak with you and may also believe in you forever." Then Moses told the words of the people to the LORD.
19:10 The LORD also said to Moses, "Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow, and let them wash their garments; 19:11 and let them be ready for the third day, for on the third day the LORD will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people.
19:12 "You shall set bounds for the people all around, saying, 'Beware that you do not go up on the mountain or touch the border of it; whoever touches the mountain shall surely be put to death.19:13 'No hand shall touch him, but he shall surely be stoned or shot through; whether beast or man, he shall not live.' When the ram's horn sounds a long blast, they shall come up to the mountain."
9:14 So Moses went down from the mountain to the people and consecrated the people, and they washed their garments. 19:15 He said to the people, "Be ready for the third day; do not go near a woman."
19:16 So it came about on the third day, when it was morning, that there were thunder and lightning flashes and a thick cloud upon the mountain and a very loud trumpet sound, so that all the people who were in the camp trembled. 19:17 And Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain.
9:18 Now Mount Sinai was all in smoke because the LORD descended upon it in fire; and its smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain quaked violently. 19:19 When the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke and God answered him with thunder. 19:20 The LORD came down on Mount Sinai, to the top of the mountain; and the LORD called Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up.
It is quite clear that this event would be impossible to forget and all were there to witness it. Secondly, Jehovah invited Moses and others to confirm the covenant He created between them. A covenant is confirmed when there is an oath, a sacrifice, and a meal. The covenant was the oath, Moses performed the sacrifice, and now the meal with Jehovah.
Exodus 24:1 Then He said to Moses, "Come up to the LORD, you and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu and seventy of the elders of Israel, and you shall worship at a distance. 24:2 "Moses alone, however, shall come near to the LORD, but they shall not come near, nor shall the people come up with him."
This is a very specific gathering of men, but only four are named.
Exodus 24:9 Then Moses went up with Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel,
24:10 and they saw the God of Israel; and under His feet there appeared to be a pavement of sapphire, as clear as the sky itself.
24:11 Yet He did not stretch out His hand against the nobles of the sons of Israel; and they saw God, and they ate and drank.
Jehovah ate with them but did not kill any of them. What they saw is not really revealed, but it would have to be a life changing event. He came down in glory and was revealed in a manner that is very like the passage in Revelation 4.
Exodus 24:12 Now the LORD said to Moses, "Come up to Me on the mountain and remain there, and I will give you the stone tablets with the law and the commandment which I have written for their instruction."
24:13 So Moses arose with Joshua his servant, and Moses went up to the mountain of God. 24:14 But to the elders he said, "Wait here for us until we return to you. And behold, Aaron and Hur are with you; whoever has a legal matter, let him approach them."
24:15 Then Moses went up to the mountain, and the cloud covered the mountain.
24:16 The glory of the LORD rested on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it for six days; and on the seventh day He called to Moses from the midst of the cloud. 24:17 And to the eyes of the sons of Israel the appearance of the glory of the LORD was like a consuming fire on the mountain top.
24:18 Moses entered the midst of the cloud as he went up to the mountain; and Moses was on the mountain forty days and forty nights.
Everyone saw the appearance of Jehovah which was like a consuming fire. Moses put Aaron and the elders in charge during his absence. How well did Aaron do?
Exodus 32:1 Now when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mountain, the people assembled about Aaron and said to him, "Come, make us a god who will go before us; as for this Moses, the man who brought us up from the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him."
Exodus 32:2 Aaron said to them, "Tear off the gold rings which are in the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me." 32:3 Then all the people tore off the gold rings which were in their ears and brought them to Aaron.
32:4 He took this from their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool and made it into a molten calf; and they said, "This is your god, O Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt."
32:5 Now when Aaron saw this, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made a proclamation and said, "Tomorrow shall be a feast to the LORD." 32:6 So the next day they rose early and offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play.
In just 40 days, everyone, including Aaron seemed to forget all that Jehovah had done. In fact, they are probably just four months or less out of Egypt. But, here we read that the future high priest, violated the first commandments spoken to all just 40-50 days earlier. Jehovah wanted to destroy all of them.
Exodus32:21 Then Moses said to Aaron, "What did this people do to you, that you have brought such great sin upon them?"
32:22 Aaron said, "Do not let the anger of my lord burn; you know the people yourself, that they are prone to evil. 32:23 "For they said to me, 'Make a god for us who will go before us; for this Moses, the man who brought us up from the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.'
32:24 "I said to them, 'Whoever has any gold, let them tear it off.' So they gave it to me, and I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf."
2:25 Now when Moses saw that the people were out of control—for Aaron had let them get out of control to be a derision among their enemies— 32:26 then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, "Whoever is for the LORD, come to me!" And all the sons of Levi gathered together to him.
32:27 He said to them, "Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, 'Every man of you put his sword upon his thigh, and go back and forth from gate to gate in the camp, and kill every man his brother, and every man his friend, and every man his neighbor.'" 32:28 So the sons of Levi did as Moses instructed, and about three thousand men of the people fell that day.
Moses rightly accused his brother of bringing such a great sin into the camp. Moses knew Aaron had both led them and allowed them to get out of control. Aaron fabricated a lie about the creation of the calf and blamed the people. He was put in charge and failed. He really deserved the death penalty. Now fast forward to Leviticus 10.
Leviticus 10:1 Now Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took their respective firepans, and after putting fire in them, placed incense on it and offered strange fire before the LORD, which He had not commanded them. Lev 10:2 And fire came out from the presence of the LORD and consumed them, and they died before the LORD.
As we studied last week, Aaron was not to even mourn the death of his sons, who died in front of his very eyes. What lessons can we learn from this?
First, Aaron’s sin and lies were witnessed by his sons.
Second, why didn’t the 70 elders or Nadab and Abihu caution Aaron?
Third, Aaron’s example of sinful disobedience was not punished, so could his sons now view obedience as optional and not mandatory?
Fourth, who is watching us as we live out our testimony in front of them? Who are under our influence either directly or indirectly?
Fifth, Jehovah would not let Aaron mourn his sons, which could be viewed as putting his sons disobedience above Jehovah’s righteousness.
Lastly, Aaron’s sons death may indeed been Aaron’s punishment. But, his sons willfully disobeyed. They were not innocent of ignorant.
Who is watching how we live out our faith? Do we take full responsibility for out sins?
More next Saturday.
So many of Jehovah’s judgments have been recorded, why is it that many still believe that the Law is obsoleted? If He has written His Holy Law on our hearts, then it must still be obeyed. This next example of how He views obedience and absolute compliance to His commandments and instructions, must be also put into context. This is the sad story of two of Aaron’s four sons.
Exodus 24:1 Then He said to Moses, "Come up to the LORD, you and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu and seventy of the elders of Israel, and you shall worship at a distance.
24:9 Then Moses went up with Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel, 24:10 and they saw the God of Israel; and under His feet there appeared to be a pavement of sapphire, as clear as the sky itself.
24:11 Yet He did not stretch out His hand against the nobles of the sons of Israel; and they saw God, and they ate and drank. This was the covenant confirming meal between the leaders of Israel and Jehovah. A covenant needed three things to be enforceable.
First, an oath between the parties.
Second, a sacrifice with the death of an innocent animal.
Thirdly, a joint meal where all would agree to all the terms and conditions.
While Aaron had 4 sons, only these 2 are mentioned.
Just contemplate what they had experienced! They sat down to this meal with the pre-incarnate Jesus Christ! He had come down as the sole member of the GOD-head to redeem, lead, and provide for the people that He had created in His image.
Who could forget this?
Who would not be profoundly changed by this?
Who would dare to disobey after this?
Leviticus 10:1 Now Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took their respective firepans, and after putting fire in them, placed incense on it and offered strange fire before the LORD, which He had not commanded them.
10:2 And fire came out from the presence of the LORD and consumed them, and they died before the LORD.
Nadab and Abihu had just gone through a dress rehearsal with Moses. Had been clothed in priestly robes by Moses. And carefully instructed by Moses. Yet, for their very first duty as part of the newly created Aaronic priesthood, they apparently had come up with something Jehovah had not required or requested. This is religion at its worse. Jehovah’s righteous judgment was swift and deadly. What was Arron to do as he witnessed this terrible tragedy?
10:3 Then Moses said to Aaron, "It is what the LORD spoke, saying, 'By those who come near Me I will be treated as holy, And before all the people I will be honored.'" So Aaron, therefore, kept silent
10:4 Moses called also to Mishael and Elzaphan, the sons of Aaron's uncle Uzziel, and said to them, "Come forward, carry your relatives away from the front of the sanctuary to the outside of the camp."
10:5 So they came forward and carried them still in their tunics to the outside of the camp, as Moses had said.
10:6 Then Moses said to Aaron and to his sons Eleazar and Ithamar, "Do not uncover your heads nor tear your clothes, so that you will not die and that He will not become wrathful against all the congregation. But your kinsmen, the whole house of Israel, shall bewail the burning which the LORD has brought about.
10:7 "You shall not even go out from the doorway of the tent of meeting, or you will die; for the LORD'S anointing oil is upon you." So they did according to the word of Moses.
Moses, Aaron’s brother, offered no comforting words at this time, but instead warned Aaron about Jehovah’s holiness and His expectations. No grieving, no public display of sorrow.
Jehovah’s holiness is infinitely more important than our happiness or any other emotion we may be feeling. Moses understood this and his warning may have saved Aaron’s life.
I do wonder if Aaron’s disobedience in building the golden calf had contributed to his son’s disregard for Jehovah’s holy requirements. They were not ignorant nor innocent.
If their father can get away with building a golden calf, they may have thought that they could create their own ideas of worship that pleased them without consideration if it pleased Jehovah.
We must all be constantly aware for what type of example we may be presenting to those close to us. Fathers especially have to present a godly image to their children and wife.
More next Saturday.
Sorry for the miss on Saturday, I had a number of problems come up that had to be dealt with on Saturday.
How important is obedience to the Law in the eyes of Jehovah? He has made it very clear to those within and without, those who believe and those who do not. Let us now look at obedience within the body of believers and how He deals with it. First, some things need repeating.
Exodus 20:18 All the people perceived the thunder and the lightning flashes and the sound of the trumpet and the mountain smoking; and when the people saw it, they trembled and stood at a distance.
20:19 Then they said to Moses, "Speak to us yourself and we will listen; but let not God speak to us, or we will die."
20:20 Moses said to the people, "Do not be afraid; for God has come in order to test you, and in order that the fear of Him may remain with you, so that you may not sin."
Jehovah came down to Mount Sinai with thunder, lightning, earthquakes, loud trumpet blasts, and a consuming fire. It caused great fear among the multitude gathered to hear Him deliver what we call His Ten Commandments. After this terrifying experience, you would think that they would want to do all He commanded.
Exodus 19:5 'Now then, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be My own possession among all the peoples, for all the earth is Mine; 19:6 and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.' These are the words that you shall speak to the sons of Israel."
19:7 So Moses came and called the elders of the people, and set before them all these words which the LORD had commanded him.
19:8 All the people answered together and said, "All that the LORD has spoken we will do!" And Moses brought back the words of the people to the LORD.
19:9 The LORD said to Moses, "Behold, I will come to you in a thick cloud, so that the people may hear when I speak with you and may also believe in you forever." Then Moses told the words of the people to the LORD.
This seems very clear. They understood and they declared that they would obey!
Exfus 24:3 Then Moses came and recounted to the people all the words of the LORD and all the ordinances; and all the people answered with one voice and said, "All the words which the LORD has spoken we will do!
Exodus 24:7 Then he took the book of the covenant and read it in the hearing of the people; and they said, "All that the LORD has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient!"
They did not just declare it once, but three times.
Exodus 32:1 Now when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mountain, the people assembled about Aaron and said to him, "Come, make us a god who will go before us; as for this Moses, the man who brought us up from the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him."
In just 40 days, they forgot the 10 plagues of Egypt, the crossing of the Red Sea, manna, quail, water from a rock, and the terrible, terrifying coming of Jehovah to Mount Sinai. How did Jehovah respond?
Exodus 32:7 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, "Go down at once, for your people, whom you brought up from the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves. 32:8 "They have quickly turned aside from the way which I commanded them. They have made for themselves a molten calf, and have worshiped it and have sacrificed to it and said, 'This is your god, O Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt!'"
32:9 The LORD said to Moses, "I have seen this people, and behold, they are an obstinate people. 32:10 "Now then let Me alone, that My anger may burn against them and that I may destroy them; and I will make of you a great nation."
Jehovah was going to destroy all of them! What did Moses do? Three things. First, he interceded.
Exodus 32:11 Then Moses entreated the LORD his God, and said, "O LORD, why does Your anger burn against Your people whom You have brought out from the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand?
32:12 "Why should the Egyptians speak, saying, 'With evil intent He brought them out to kill them in the mountains and to destroy them from the face of the earth'? Turn from Your burning anger and change Your mind about doing harm to Your people.
32:13 "Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, Your servants to whom You swore by Yourself, and said to them, 'I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heavens, and all this land of which I have spoken I will give to your descendants, and they shall inherit it forever.'"
Secondly, he became righteously angered.
Exodus 32:19 It came about, as soon as Moses came near the camp, that he saw the calf and the dancing; and Moses' anger burned, and he threw the tablets from his hands and shattered them at the foot of the mountain.
32:20 He took the calf which they had made and burned it with fire, and ground it to powder, and scattered it over the surface of the water and made the sons of Israel drink it.
Thirdly, he ordered the Levites from his tribe to kill the idolators.
Exodus 32:25 Now when Moses saw that the people were out of control—for Aaron had let them get out of control to be a derision among their enemies— 32:26 then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, "Whoever is for the LORD, come to me!" And all the sons of Levi gathered together to him.
32:27 He said to them, "Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, 'Every man of you put his sword upon his thigh, and go back and forth from gate to gate in the camp, and kill every man his brother, and every man his friend, and every man his neighbor.'" 32:28 So the sons of Levi did as Moses instructed, and about three thousand men of the people fell that day.
Jehovah will punish sinners and not let the guilty go free! He wants all of us to see sin as He sees sin. Sometimes He will require or allow us to speak out a warning to all sinners.
More on Saturday.
What has Jehovah told us about obedience and salvation? Has He been silent? No! There are numerous examples given by Jehovah on His absolute, detailed, instructions which we are to obey. While this enemy appeared to them as very large, they evidently forgot just how big their Jehovah was in comparison. Let us read again how almighty is our Jehovah.
Exodus 14:15 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Why are you crying out to Me? Tell the sons of Israel to go forward.
14:16 "As for you, lift up your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it, and the sons of Israel shall go through the midst of the sea on dry land.
Moses saw the same large body of water in front of them as did all the fearful Israelites. He also saw the vast Egyptian army quickly coming up behind them. But, Moses knew that Jehovah would save them, if he obeyed and if all of them obeyed.
14:17 "As for Me, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they will go in after them; and I will be honored through Pharaoh and all his army, through his chariots and his horsemen.
14:18 "Then the Egyptians will know that I am the LORD, when I am honored through Pharaoh, through his chariots and his horsemen."
This is a very difficult passage as it touches on a number of the vast elements of Jehovah’s nature and character. First, Jehovah hardened Pharaoh’s heart even as He set a trap for him. Remember, Pharaoh hardened his heart many times before Jehovah condemned him for eternity. Also, Jehovah will be glorified and honored in His wrathful punishment of Pharaoh, his entire army, and the final act of the complete destruction of Egypt.
14:19 The angel of God, who had been going before the camp of Israel, moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud moved from before them and stood behind them. 14:20 So it came between the camp of Egypt and the camp of Israel; and there was the cloud along with the darkness, yet it gave light at night. Thus the one did not come near the other all night. This messenger of Jehovah needs to be properly identified.
Exodus 23:20 "Behold, I am going to send an angel before you to guard you along the way and to bring you into the place which I have prepared.
23:21 "Be on your guard before him and obey his voice; do not be rebellious toward him, for he will not pardon your transgression, since My name is in him.
23:22 "But if you truly obey his voice and do all that I say, then I will be an enemy to your enemies and an adversary to your adversaries.
Who can pardon or forgive sins but Jehovah? As only God can forgive sins, this messenger has to be the Son of God. Who really fights our battles and enemies?
23:23 "For My angel will go before you and bring you in to the land of the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Canaanites, the Hivites and the Jebusites; and I will completely destroy them.
14:21 Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the LORD swept the sea back by a strong east wind all night and turned the sea into dry land, so the waters were divided.
14:22 The sons of Israel went through the midst of the sea on the dry land, and the waters were like a wall to them on their right hand and on their left.
Once again Jehovah performed a miracle in their sight. Enemies of Jehovah need to take notice of how Jehovah punishes His enemies.
More next Saturday.
The Bible is a book full of God’s warnings. It is also full of God’s righteous judgments on those who disobey Him. Since this is all true, what can we learn? Early in the redemption of Israel, this new nation experienced great difficulty leaving Egypt and all that they had been accustomed to in Egypt. This would eventually plague them for 40 years!
It was difficult for them to forget all they had learned and experienced in Egypt, just as it is difficult for many today to leave the false teachings that have permeated the ‘church’. Let us go back to Egypt and the calling out of the nation of Israel.
Exodus 14:5 When the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled, Pharaoh and his servants had a change of heart toward the people, and they said, "What is this we have done, that we have let Israel go from serving us?"
14:6 So he made his chariot ready and took his people with him; 14:7 and he took six hundred select chariots, and all the other chariots of Egypt with officers over all of them.
14:8 The LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and he chased after the sons of Israel as the sons of Israel were going out boldly.
What happened to the Pharaoh’s memory of all the plagues? What about his first born son? His nation had been utterly destroyed by all of God’s plagues, yet now he is going to make them all return? Who does he think he is?
14:9 Then the Egyptians chased after them with all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, his horsemen and his army, and they overtook them camping by the sea, beside Pi-hahiroth, in front of Baal-zephon.
14:10 As Pharaoh drew near, the sons of Israel looked, and behold, the Egyptians were marching after them, and they became very frightened; so the sons of Israel cried out to the LORD.
The entire Egyptian army is appearing over the horizon. But, just as the Pharaoh seemed to have forgotten all that had happened to his country and his family just a few weeks before, so had the sons of Israel!
14:11 Then they said to Moses, "Is it because there were no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness? Why have you dealt with us in this way, bringing us out of Egypt?
14:12 "Is this not the word that we spoke to you in Egypt, saying, 'Leave us alone that we may serve the Egyptians'? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness."
Here we read that the sons of Israel had spoken against Moses and had argued that they would be better enslaved to the Pharaoh then following Moses or his God.
14:13 But Moses said to the people, "Do not fear! Stand by and see the salvation of the LORD which He will accomplish for you today; for the Egyptians whom you have seen today, you will never see them again forever.
14:14 "The LORD will fight for you while you keep silent."
Moses was God’s chosen leader and rightfully commanded them to be silent and once again watch God fight for them.
14:15 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Why are you crying out to Me? Tell the sons of Israel to go forward.
14:16 "As for you, lift up your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it, and the sons of Israel shall go through the midst of the sea on dry land.
God gave Moses a command, which he obeyed. Moses had a part even as God was going to reveal His plan right before their eyes.
14:17 "As for Me, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they will go in after them; and I will be honored through Pharaoh and all his army, through his chariots and his horsemen.
14:18 "Then the Egyptians will know that I am the LORD, when I am honored through Pharaoh, through his chariots and his horsemen."
God told Moses what He was going to do, just as He told Moses what he had to do.
What lessons are there for us today?
First, we need to evaluate out hearts to see what part of our Egypt we still hold onto.
Second, let us not look at the size of our enemies, but behold the awesome power of our God.
Third, we have a part to do, but the battle is the LORD’s!
Continued next Saturday.
How did Paul view the Law? How did he view grace? Paul is the most often criticized of all the New Testament writers. Why? Because most have very little biblical understanding of the Old Testament, of which Paul was well versed.
Romans 7:7 What shall we say then? Is the Law sin? May it never be! On the contrary, I would not have come to know sin except through the Law; for I would not have known about coveting if the Law had not said, "YOU SHALL NOT COVET."
How would anyone know what sin is all about if there was no Law by which sin is defined? This can be seen very clearly in almost every part of our daily lives. How do you know speeding is wrong? Well, the laws tells us and the speed limit signs remind us every 500-1000 feet.
7:8 But sin, taking opportunity through the commandment, produced in me coveting of every kind; for apart from the Law sin is dead.
Don’t we all know this? Even children know this or at least demonstrate this. As soon as something is prohibited, we want it. Just tell a child not to touch something and watch it yourself.
7:9 I was once alive apart from the Law; but when the commandment came, sin became alive and I died; 7:10 and this commandment, which was to result in life, proved to result in death for me; Rom 7:11 for sin, taking an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me and through it killed me.
Yes, sin kills. The curse of sin, for which Jesus died to save us from, is a terrible slave master.
7:12 So then, the Law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good.
But, Paul is not blaming the Law, which is a very subtle way of also blaming God. Paul’s terms should not leave any doubt in our minds about what he thought of the Law.
7:13 Therefore did that which is good become a cause of death for me? May it never be! Rather it was sin, in order that it might be shown to be sin by effecting my death through that which is good, so that through the commandment sin would become utterly sinful.
Sin is made so very clear when compared to the Law, once we are brought into the light of our salvation.
7:14 For we know that the Law is spiritual, but I am of flesh, sold into bondage to sin. 7:15 For what I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate.
7:16 But if I do the very thing I do not want to do, I agree with the Law, confessing that the Law is good.
We will continue to suffer this inward tension of wanting to do good, but often letting sin overcome and overwhelm us. We all need to resist these temptations to sin, which we can resist with the help of the Holy Spirit.
We must be like Paul, we need to agree and confess that the Law is good and we need to obey it.
To be continued next Saturday.
This is one of the more contested issues in churches today. Did Jesus really abolish the Law? Is Grace enough? Does obedience mean salvation by works? Let us begin.
Matthew 5:17 "Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill.
5:18 "For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished.
What was Jesus telling them during His great sermon on the mount? What is He telling us? He began by giving a subtle warning. Don’t even think that the Law is going away! Why did He start in this manner?
Certainly, the religious leaders had made their interpretation a real burden to obey. So their law was religiously obeyed. Perhaps, He was appealing to their fear of these man-made laws and even hoping this prophet would lessen their burden.
But, here we find the beginning of the understanding of the two laws in Judah at the time, God’s Law and the law of the Pharisees. Secondly, Jesus clearly stated that God’s Law was not going away, not until heaven and earth pass away. We all know that this has not happened yet. Jesus said none of His Law will pass away or has passed away. Jesus was not then or now changing His Law. God never changes and neither does His Law.
5:19 "Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
Now we read what could be confusing and misinterpreted, but is it? Can you teach against the Law of God and still enter into His Kingdom? God has repeatedly warned all false teachers, those who teach another law, another gospel, and lead others to another god, that they will not enter into His Kingdom.
Deuteronomy 13:1 "If a prophet or a dreamer of dreams arises among you and gives you a sign or a wonder, 13:2 and the sign or the wonder comes true, concerning which he spoke to you, saying, 'Let us go after other gods (whom you have not known) and let us serve them,'
13:3 you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams; for the LORD your God is testing you to find out if you love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul.
13:4 "You shall follow the LORD your God and fear Him; and you shall keep His commandments, listen to His voice, serve Him, and cling to Him.
13:5 "But that prophet or that dreamer of dreams shall be put to death, because he has counseled rebellion against the LORD your God who brought you from the land of Egypt and redeemed you from the house of slavery, to seduce you from the way in which the LORD your God commanded you to walk. So you shall purge the evil from among you.
God warned the entire nation of Israel of His absolute requirements in the form of blessings and curses. Here we read that even if a false teacher gives a sign or wonder that comes true, they should not listen to him. So clearly, this was a real possibility. But even more revealing was that this a test by God, even as it was a scheme of Satan. The penalty for all false teachers? Death by stoning.
So what did Jesus mean by Matthew 5:19? All teachers need be very careful to not add or subtract from the Word of God, even in the smallest of areas. We don’t modify God’s Word for a ‘younger generation’ or skip over sections that may alienate some of the ‘audience or congregation’. There is no room for any changes, however small or unimportant they may seem.
The Law of God is not only not going away, it has not and will not change, even down to the smallest letter.
More next Saturday.
Why are there so many warnings and condemnations of sin in the Bible? Certainly, GOD forgives sin, so why keep reminding everyone and warning everyone? GOD hates sin and GOD hates divorce. Which does HE hate more? Ezra was a scribe among those who had been carried out to Babylon. He was a contemporary of both Daniel and Nehemiah.
Ezra 7:10 For Ezra had set his heart to study the law of the LORD and to practice it, and to teach His statutes and ordinances in Israel.
What an example to all. He had set his heart to study the Law of GOD. What have you set your heart on?
7:11 Now this is the copy of the decree which King Artaxerxes gave to Ezra the priest, the scribe, learned in the words of the commandments of the LORD and His statutes to Israel: 7:12 "Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, perfect peace. And now 7:13 I have issued a decree that any of the people of Israel and their priests and the Levites in my kingdom who are willing to go to Jerusalem, may go with you.
GOD had made Ezra known to the king is such a manner, that he received the king’s letter detailing Ezra’s leading others back to Jerusalem.
7:14 "Forasmuch as you are sent by the king and his seven counselors to inquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem according to the law of your God which is in your hand,
7:15 and to bring the silver and gold, which the king and his counselors have freely offered to the God of Israel, whose dwelling is in Jerusalem,
7:16 with all the silver and gold which you find in the whole province of Babylon, along with the freewill offering of the people and of the priests, who offered willingly for the house of their God which is in Jerusalem;
7:17 with this money, therefore, you shall diligently buy bulls, rams and lambs, with their grain offerings and their drink offerings and offer them on the altar of the house of your God which is in Jerusalem.
7:18 "Whatever seems good to you and to your brothers to do with the rest of the silver and gold, you may do according to the will of your God.
7:19 "Also the utensils which are given to you for the service of the house of your God, deliver in full before the God of Jerusalem.
This is quite hard to imagine, especially for those who refuse to believe in GOD! Here a pagan king is funding, permitting, and endorsing the return of the people of Judah back to Jerusalem. The king is putting all of this under Ezra’s care. What did the king know of Ezra that he would trust him with so much?
7:20 "The rest of the needs for the house of your God, for which you may have occasion to provide, provide for it from the royal treasury.
7:21 "I, even I, King Artaxerxes, issue a decree to all the treasurers who are in the provinces beyond the River, that whatever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, may require of you, it shall be done diligently,
7:22 even up to 100 talents of silver, 100 kors of wheat, 100 baths of wine, 100 baths of oil, and salt as needed.
7:23 "Whatever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be done with zeal for the house of the God of heaven, so that there will not be wrath against the kingdom of the king and his sons.
7:24 "We also inform you that it is not allowed to impose tax, tribute or toll on any of the priests, Levites, singers, doorkeepers, Nethinim or servants of this house of God.
The king provided everything and required the local authorities to provide all that would be required. The pagan world would fund the rebuilding of the walls and the Temple!
7:25 "You, Ezra, according to the wisdom of your God which is in your hand, appoint magistrates and judges that they may judge all the people who are in the province beyond the River, even all those who know the laws of your God; and you may teach anyone who is ignorant of them. 7:26 "Whoever will not observe the law of your God and the law of the king, let judgment be executed upon him strictly, whether for death or for banishment or for confiscation of goods or for imprisonment."
It keeps getting better. Ezra is to appoint leaders, judges, teach the Law of GOD, and warn those who do not observe or obey the Law!
7:27 Blessed be the LORD, the God of our fathers, who has put such a thing as this in the king's heart, to adorn the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem, 7:28 and has extended lovingkindness to me before the king and his counselors and before all the king's mighty princes. Thus I was strengthened according to the hand of the LORD my God upon me, and I gathered leading men from Israel to go up with me.
So what does all of this have to do with sin and obedience?
Next Saturday.
Too often, sin is not understood properly from GOD’S Word. HE is very concerned with disobedience, which is the very definition of sin. Few take the time to seriously consider their sin in view of a holy GOD. HE has provided numerous summaries of acts of disobedience that clearly indicate HIS anger and wrath at these acts.
Numbers 12:1 Then Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman whom he had married (for he had married a Cushite woman); 12:2 and they said, "Has the LORD indeed spoken only through Moses? Has He not spoken through us as well?"
And the LORD heard it. Of course the LORD heard their accusations. HE hears everything from everyone. Here we have perhaps some family jealousy or envy. Regardless, the LORD was not pleased.
12:3 (Now the man Moses was very humble, more than any man who was on the face of the earth.) 12:4 Suddenly the LORD said to Moses and Aaron and to Miriam, "You three come out to the tent of meeting." So the three of them came out. 12:5 Then the LORD came down in a pillar of cloud and stood at the doorway of the tent, and He called Aaron and Miriam. When they had both come forward,
This had to be frightening and concerning to all. The LORD did not waste any time or delay at these accusations against HIS chosen leader.
12:6 He said, "Hear now My words: If there is a prophet among you, I, the LORD, shall make Myself known to him in a vision. I shall speak with him in a dream. 12:7 "Not so, with My servant Moses, He is faithful in all My household; 12:8 With him I speak mouth to mouth, Even openly, and not in dark sayings, And he beholds the form of the LORD. Why then were you not afraid To speak against My servant, against Moses?"
The LORD had already told Moses that HE would make him the sole leader to this great people. This would enable him to lead without constant bickering and rebellion.
Exodus 19:9 The LORD said to Moses, "Behold, I will come to you in a thick cloud, so that the people may hear when I speak with you and may also believe in you forever." Then Moses told the words of the people to the LORD.
There should have been no question nor argument about Moses being uniquely and solely chosen to lead the people. But, there was!
12:9 So the anger of the LORD burned against them and He departed. 12:10 But when the cloud had withdrawn from over the tent, behold, Miriam was leprous, as white as snow. As Aaron turned toward Miriam, behold, she was leprous. 12:11 Then Aaron said to Moses, "Oh, my lord, I beg you, do not account this sin to us, in which we have acted foolishly and in which we have sinned. 12:12 "Oh, do not let her be like one dead, whose flesh is half eaten away when he comes from his mother's womb!"
Interesting that neither Miriam or Aaron cried out to the LORD, but instead Aaron implored Moses to intercede.
12:13 Moses cried out to the LORD, saying, "O God, heal her, I pray!" 12:14 But the LORD said to Moses, "If her father had but spit in her face, would she not bear her shame for seven days? Let her be shut up for seven days outside the camp, and afterward she may be received again."
Sins will be forgiven, but you may still face consequences, as did Miriam. The whole congregation would eventually learn why she was struck with leprous. Nothing will ever be hidden from GOD. Public defiance and disobedience will often fact public consequences.
12:15 So Miriam was shut up outside the camp for seven days, and the people did not move on until Miriam was received again. 12:16 Afterward, however, the people moved out from Hazeroth and camped in the wilderness of Paran.
While the Sabbath has totally been ignored and violated since the Church of Rome changed it to Sunday, the day of the Sun god, we only need to go back to the book of Exodus to see how GOD views the Sabbath.
Exodus 31:14 'Therefore you are to observe the sabbath, for it is holy to you. Everyone who profanes it shall surely be put to death; for whoever does any work on it, that person shall be cut off from among his people.
31:15 'For six days work may be done, but on the seventh day there is a sabbath of complete rest, holy to the LORD; whoever does any work on the sabbath day shall surely be put to death. For those who don’t know, 9 of the LORD’S 10 commandments carry the death penalty for disobedience. The only one that does not is the last one.
Exodus 20:17 "You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife or his male servant or his female servant or his ox or his donkey or anything that belongs to your neighbor."
Does this make it a lesser commandment? No! But, coveting often leads to violating the other commandments. So, we should be very wary of coveting anything or anybody. Instead, we should spend more time be thankful for who and what GOD has placed in our lives.
Numbers 15:32 Now while the sons of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man gathering wood on the sabbath day. 15:33 Those who found him gathering wood brought him to Moses and Aaron and to all the congregation; 15:34 and they put him in custody because it had not been declared what should be done to him.
This was their first test on resting on the Sabbath. It is probable that this man was gathering wood to work on some project involving metal, rather than needing wood for warmth.
15:35 Then the LORD said to Moses, "The man shall surely be put to death; all the congregation shall stone him with stones outside the camp."
All the congregation had to participate and first hand see the penalty for violating GOD’S commands.
15:36 So all the congregation brought him outside the camp and stoned him to death with stones, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.
This is hard to fathom in today’s society. Many believe that there should not be any death penalty regardless of the crime. GOD views sin/crime differently.
HE favors no one!More on how GOD protects HIS name and requires obedience to HIS commandments.
Sorry for being so late, but the web hosting site was down for two weeks.
Where did we leave off? Jesus and the Sabbath! The Bible gives us many passages of Jesus and the Sabbath. There are no passages or any references to the first day of the week being set apart for worship. Jesus is seen on many Sabbaths going to the synagogue.
Early in His ministry, just after He called some of His first disciples, we find this event recorded in Mark.
Mark 1:21 They *went into Capernaum; and immediately on the Sabbath He entered the synagogue and began to teach.
This was His custom; teaching on the Sabbath.
1:22 They were amazed at His teaching; for He was teaching them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.
Everyone was always amazed at Jesus’ teaching. He taught like no other. Of course, He inspired the entire Bible and being God could teach as no one else could. We are still often amazed at what God reveals to us as we study His word.
1:23 Just then there was a man in their synagogue with an unclean spirit; and he cried out, 1:24 saying, "What business do we have with each other, Jesus of Nazareth? Have You come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One of God!"
Two things stand out. First, within the synagogue was a demon possessed man! It is most likely that even today, many churches have demon possessed men leading and teaching. Second, these demons know Jesus and know what He has promised and prepared for them. They tremble at what they know.
James 2:19 You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder.
If they shudder, what should we do when we seriously contemplate our God?
1:25 And Jesus rebuked him, saying, "Be quiet, and come out of him!" 1:26 Throwing him into convulsions, the unclean spirit cried out with a loud voice and came out of him.
Who do demons obey, other than their evil leader Satan? God is still and will always be totally sovereign over all HE created. They must obey when commanded.
1:27 They were all amazed, so that they debated among themselves, saying, "What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him."
The people had never experienced this before. Unclean spirits and demon possession were familiar to them. We tend to dismiss them as improbable and no longer viable. But, this is not the case. Satan has not stopped controlling key people through his demonic army.
1:28 Immediately the news about Him spread everywhere into all the surrounding district of Galilee.
What spread? His teaching or His commanding demons to obey Him?
Miracles tend to take precedent over doctrine far too often.
More next time.
Following Jesus’ correcting the Pharisees when His disciples ate grain from fields without washing their hands, we find Him again going to the synagogue on the Sabbath.
Matthew 12:9 Departing from there, He went into their synagogue. 12:10 And a man was there whose hand was withered. And they questioned Jesus, asking, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?"—so that they might accuse Him.
They were trying to set Jesus up so they could condemn Him in front of everyone else. Their man-made rules, laws, and oral traditions have no place in God’s kingdom. Jesus knowing all of this clearly exposed their blatant hypocrisy.
12:11 And He said to them, "What man is there among you who has a sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will he not take hold of it and lift it out? 12:12 "How much more valuable then is a man than a sheep! So then, it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath."
They did not value the very people that they had placed in slavery to their rules. They had a very real disdain for all who weren’t as ‘righteous’ as them. They did not take kindly to any criticism, certainly not from this uneducated Jesus. As Lord of the Sabbath, who knew best on how to treat the Sabbath and how to treat their fellow man?
12:13 Then He *said to the man, "Stretch out your hand!" He stretched it out, and it was restored to normal, like the other.
An undeniable miracle. Publicly displayed. Instantly consummated and confirmed for all to see. A truly good work by our Redeemer and Savior, our great High Priest and King.
12:14 But the Pharisees went out and conspired against Him, as to how they might destroy Him. 12:15 But Jesus, aware of this, withdrew from there. Many followed Him, and He healed them all, Mat 12:16 and warned them not to tell who He was.
What were they thinking? How could they see this great compassionate miracle to a man with a useless withered hand. In the culture of their day, a withered hand would almost certainly condemned this man to poverty.
Where is their compassion? Who were they most concerned about? Themselves!!! This is the same character traits of false teachers today. Their primary concern is for their position of authority over the people they have enticed to follow them, rather than follow Jesus.
As I mentioned before, who are you following?
Where are they leading you?
We will continue to see what our Lord and High Priest had to say and do on His Sabbath. We will study a miracle He performed on the Sabbath.
Mark 3:1-6 He (Jesus) entered again into a synagogue; and a man was there whose hand was withered. 3:2 They were watching Him to see if He would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse Him.
What could be wrong with healing on the Sabbath? What kind of Sabbath laws had these religious leaders created that healing violated their self-righteous traditions of men. Weren’t they supposed to obey God’s Laws and not their own?
3:3 He *said to the man with the withered hand, "Get up and come forward!" 3:4 And He *said to them, "Is it lawful to do good or to do harm on the Sabbath, to save a life or to kill?" But they kept silent.
Now we see their dilemma, how could they accuse Jesus of not keeping the Sabbath when it was for a greater good? They did not want the people to see just how hypocritical they really were. So they just kept silent and plotted.
3:5 After looking around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, He *said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored.
What did Jesus do? First, this angered Him as it should have angered the people in the synagogue. How could they be so heartless and self-righteous?
Second, He demonstrated that He was a God of mercy and loving kindness.
Third, it showed that He was indeed from God, as none of these leaders had ever healed anyone.
3:6 The Pharisees went out and immediately began conspiring with the Herodians against Him, as to how they might destroy Him.
So instead of rejoicing, they began conspiring. False teachers never want anyone to think more highly of someone other than themselves. They created their laws to enslave the people to obey them rather than GOD, even as they proclaimed they did it for God.
‘Follow the Leader’ may be a cute child’s game, but it is a very deadly game for adults.
Who are you following?
Where are they leading you?
We will begin our study on the Sabbath with a review on how our High Priest and King observed the Sabbath. Jesus was constantly correcting the ‘Jews’ in regards to their rabbinical teaching, which were in direct opposition to GOD’s word.
Matthew 12:1 At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath, and His disciples became hungry and began to pick the heads of grain and eat. 12:2 But when the Pharisees saw this, they said to Him, "Look, Your disciples do what is not lawful to do on a Sabbath."
The Pharisees rules prohibited work, as defined by them, from being performed on the Sabbath. In reality, they deemed taking a few heads of grain to eat as the same as harvesting in the field from dawn to dusk. None of the vast myriad of rules created by them have true biblical support. Jesus made this very clear. Their hypocrisy was overwhelming.
12:3 But He said to them, "Have you not read what David did when he became hungry, he and his companions, 2:4 how he entered the house of God, and they ate the consecrated bread, which was not lawful for him to eat nor for those with him, but for the priests alone?
If David’s circumstances were severe, did not his need supplant the commandment given in regards to the consecrated bread? Jesus said it did.
12:5 "Or have you not read in the Law, that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple break the Sabbath and are innocent?
What Law did they break?
John 7:22 "For this reason Moses has given you circumcision (not because it is from Moses, but from the fathers), and on the Sabbath you circumcise a man. 7:23 "If a man receives circumcision on the Sabbath so that the Law of Moses will not be broken, are you angry with Me because I made an entire man well on the Sabbath? 7:24 "Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment."
Which Law takes precedence? The Law of the Sabbath or the Law of circumcision? The Pharisees had no problem with circumcision on the Sabbath, as they did not want to break that Law. But, they attacked everyone else who broke their laws on the Sabbath. You can do good on the Sabbath. They were not judging righteously.
12:6 "But I say to you that something greater than the temple is here. 12:7 "But if you had known what this means, 'I DESIRE COMPASSION, AND NOT A SACRIFICE,' you would not have condemned the innocent.
They were the self-appointed judges of the entire nation of Israel. They routinely condemned those who in GOD’s eyes were innocent.
12:8 "For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath."
Jesus is the Lord, Master, High Priest of the Sabbath. He alone sets the precedent, standards, and the true meaning of the Sabbath, not the self-righteous Pharisees.
More on Jesus and the Sabbath next time.
I just came back from a much needed beach vacation and am ready to continue our search through GOD’S Word.
What has GOD told us so we can seriously take HIM at HIS Word? We will continue our review and study of HIS commandments and judgments on disobedience. We started with what it truly means to love GOD.
Now we will be on go on to obeying the other 9 of HIS 10 Commandments. These were written on stone and given to Moses as the formation of the nation of Israel was in its infancy.
Two of these ten commandments comprise the vast majority of the disobedience GOD hates. We will now study obeying HIS Sabbath.
Genesis 2:1 Thus the heavens and the earth were completed, and all their hosts. 2:2 By the seventh day God completed His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. 2:3 Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made.
Many teachers contend that the Sabbath was only given to the nation of Israel and therefore, does not pertain to the ‘church’. However, we know that GOD set aside, consecrated, dedicated, and declared the seventh day as holy to HIM. The entire world still today works according to GOD’S seven day week.
Some cultures still refer to ‘Saturday’ as the Sabbath, even though they do not consider it holy. Remember GOD numbered HIS week, but Satan gave each of the days names according to the false gods he introduced to the world.
Exodus 20:8 "Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. 20:9 "Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 20:10 but the seventh day is a sabbath of the LORD your God; in it you shall not do any work, you or your son or your daughter, your male or your female servant or your cattle or your sojourner who stays with you. 20:11 "For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day; therefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day and made it holy.
This is the longest commandment in the Bible. It is also the one commandment that the ‘church’ has declared as no longer valid or required to obey. Where did they get the authority to render GOD’S word invalid? What right do they have to do this? Remember how Daniel warned us of the ‘little horn’ who would change times and and laws. What laws would change? Who is this ‘little horn’?
Daniel 7:24 'As for the ten horns, out of this kingdom ten kings will arise; and another will arise after them, and he will be different from the previous ones and will subdue three kings.
7:25 'He will speak out against the Most High and wear down the saints of the Highest One, and he will intend to make alterations in times and in law; and they will be given into his hand for a time, times, and half a time.
Who actually changed the Sabbath and when?
Did the early church worship and rest on the Sabbath?
Did Paul?
What did Jesus do on the Sabbath?
We will carefully study those questions next time.
Many today believe or live their lives as if JEHOVAH is not truly concerned about obedience and because of grace will not punish anyone for disobedience. The Bible is quite clear that JEHOVAH demands, deserves, and exactly describes that obedience is absolutely required.
Smooth talking false teachers do not nullify HIS commands and demands. Regardless of all the songs you may sing, declaring your love of HIM, your deeds and fruit reveal the real love you give to HIM.
First, what does it mean to love HIM? Jesus made it very clear.
John 13:34 "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 13:35 "By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.
John 14:15 "If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.
John 14:21 "He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will disclose Myself to him."
John 14:23 Jesus answered and said to him, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him. 14:24 "He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine, but the Father's who sent Me.
Mark 12:29 Jesus answered, "The foremost is, 'HEAR, O ISRAEL! THE LORD OUR GOD IS ONE LORD; 12:30 AND YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH.' 12:31 "The second is this, 'YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.' There is no other commandment greater than these.
In order to truly love HIM, you must obey HIM. This is not partial obedience, temporary obedience, conditional obedience, or emotional obedience. What must you obey? HIS commandments, Laws, and statutes.
The apostle John, once again, reminds everyone to love JEHOVAH.
1 John 5:1 Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and whoever loves the Father loves the child born of Him.
1 John 5:2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and observe His commandments. 5:3 For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome.
2 John 1:6 And this is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, that you should walk in it.
He also defines sin.
1 John 3:4 Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness. 3:5 You know that He appeared in order to take away sins; and in Him there is no sin. 3:6 No one who abides in Him sins; no one who sins has seen Him or knows Him.
You can’t love HIM and sin. There are no little sins, white lies, or unimportant sins. There is no room for sin in the lives of any who truly love HIM.
James 2:10 For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all.
James 4:17 Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin.
What has JEHOVAH told us about HIS view of sin and HIS righteous judgment of sin?
Ezekiel 18:20 "The person who sins will die. The son will not bear the punishment for the father's iniquity, nor will the father bear the punishment for the son's iniquity; the righteousness of the righteous will be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked will be upon himself.
18:21 "But if the wicked man turns from all his sins which he has committed and observes all My statutes and practices justice and righteousness, he shall surely live; he shall not die.
18:22 "All his transgressions which he has committed will not be remembered against him; because of his righteousness which he has practiced, he will live.
First, you are only responsible to HIM for your own personal sins. Second, if you turn, confess, repent, and become obedient to HIS statures and practice righteousness, HE will grant you eternal life. So it depends on you and HIM.
18:23 "Do I have any pleasure in the death of the wicked," declares the Lord GOD, "rather than that he should turn from his ways and live?
18:24 "But when a righteous man turns away from his righteousness, commits iniquity and does according to all the abominations that a wicked man does, will he live? All his righteous deeds which he has done will not be remembered for his treachery which he has committed and his sin which he has committed; for them he will die.
18:25 "Yet you say, 'The way of the Lord is not right.' Hear now, O house of Israel! Is My way not right? Is it not your ways that are not right? 18:26 "When a righteous man turns away from his righteousness, commits iniquity and dies because of it, for his iniquity which he has committed he will die.
18:27 "Again, when a wicked man turns away from his wickedness which he has committed and practices justice and righteousness, he will save his life. 18:28 "Because he considered and turned away from all his transgressions which he had committed, he shall surely live; he shall not die.
HE reveals both sides of human arguments. What about a righteous man who turns to sin? What about an unrighteous man who turns to obedience? HE knows the hearts, minds, and deeds of everyone. HE is merciful and will forgive all who repent.
18:29 "But the house of Israel says, 'The way of the Lord is not right.' Are My ways not right, O house of Israel? Is it not your ways that are not right?
18:30 "Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, each according to his conduct," declares the Lord GOD. "Repent and turn away from all your transgressions, so that iniquity may not become a stumbling block to you.
18:31 "Cast away from you all your transgressions which you have committed and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! For why will you die, O house of Israel?
Mankind is always declaring that JEHOVAH is not just or righteous. In reality, this is exactly the opposite. You can declare to everyone that HE is not fair, but it will not get you anything but condemnation.
18:32 "For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone who dies," declares the Lord GOD. "Therefore, repent and live. So HE once again closes with what HE revealed first.
HE takes no pleasure in condemning wicked people to Hell. HIS desire is for all to confess, repent, and seek HIS mercy. These are HIS unconditional terms of everyone’s individual surrender to HIS SON, our great High Priest, King, and Messiah.