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God’s message to me: We Christians really don’t know the power we can wield. God has promised us the ability to do all we read about in the bible and more. Despite that fact we continue to assume the days of miracles are over. With faith the size of a mustard seed we can move a mountain. We can heal and cast out demons. We can survive attack and withstand poison as long as God wills us to. We have no reason to fear embarrassment. If we can agree together before God and ask things in the name of His Son they will be granted that our joy may be full and that His power will be known.
Promises: God is not mocked. When the king demanded Elijah to come God revealed His power by burning the soldiers where they stood when Elijah asked Him too. He did it to prove He was God and Elijah was His man. He parted the waters for Elijah and again for Elisha to show Elisha he was indeed empowered as his predecessor. He also fulfilled the curse of Elisha on the boys who mocked him.
Commands: Do what God commands, no matter how useless it may seem, and He will provide far more than you could imagine to fulfill your needs and desires.
Timeless principles: God will often use the same thing that brings success to His people to bring disaster on their enemies. The king of Judah, who served God, went with the kings of Samaria(Israel) and Edom(the children of Esau) to battle the Moabites. Lacking water they sought the council of Elisha.
Because of Jehoshaphat, who served the Lord, Elisha inquired of the Lord and instructed them to dig ditches in the valley where they were camped. God filled the ditches with water so that the army and it’s animals could drink, he caused the water to look like blood to the Moabites so that they thought the three kings fought amongst each other and dashed in for an easy victory, only to find 3 armies, rested, fed and watered, ready to overcome them.
How can I apply what I’ve learned: Trust God and don’t worry about the means. When God told the kings to dig ditches He also told them those ditches would be filled with water miraculously. The water wouldn’t come from rain or runoff or a stream or any other visible source. God would fill them. God did fill them and He can fulfill your needs just as miraculously.
more to learn for in-depth study: Baal Zebub, which is where we get the name Beelzebub, means Lord of the flies and was one of several false gods known as Baal.
tomorrow: Second Kings 4-6
Showing posts with label war. Show all posts
Showing posts with label war. Show all posts
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Second Samuel 8-11
God’s message to me: Follow God’s commands and ask His advice before making any major decision, even if it seems like the right thing to do. “there is a way that seems good to a man...” "No good deed goes unpunished"
Promises: God promised to defeat the enemies in the promised land and, after taking several key positions that had been left un-captured, David found himself in several more wars against others who had been left behind. God ensured the Israelites were consistently successful in battle.
Commands: God wants us to seek His council in all we do. David was a nice guy who liked repaying the kindnesses that others showed to him. Unfortunately, while he was very good about asking God before going to battle, he didn’t generally ask before trying to repay favors. As a result, his kindness was often met with treachery and war.
Timeless principles: David was “A man after God’s own heart.” This did not make him incapable of sin and grave sin at that. In addition to the wives mentioned earlier and the many wives he took after moving to Jerusalem, David took Bathsheba who was married to another man. When he learned he had made her pregnant he tried to cover his sin by getting her husband back from the war to sleep with her. When that didn’t work he had her husband put in a position that would get him killed. Adultery and Murder are some pretty heavy crimes. After Urriah was killed in battle, David took Bathsheba as his wife and she had his son. This did not make God happy.
How can I apply what I’ve learned: Seek the wisdom of God in all you do. I have to admit weakness here myself. Most of us don’t think twice about asking God before doing something that seems to be right. Following the law and obeying the rules are fundamental but, when the actions aren’t part of those rules, no matter how good they may seem, they can lead you into trouble.
more to learn for in-depth study: You have my apologies for jumping the gun a bit. I sometimes remember Israel’s history better than I remember recent history. This is the passage in which David shows kindness to the son of Jonathon and brings him to eat at the royal table as one of his own sons. He also tries to show kindness to the people of Ammon who helped him when he was running from Saul. The result is the war described in these chapters in which the Ammonites hired mercenaries to fight Israel.
tomorrow: Second Samuel 12-14
Promises: God promised to defeat the enemies in the promised land and, after taking several key positions that had been left un-captured, David found himself in several more wars against others who had been left behind. God ensured the Israelites were consistently successful in battle.
Commands: God wants us to seek His council in all we do. David was a nice guy who liked repaying the kindnesses that others showed to him. Unfortunately, while he was very good about asking God before going to battle, he didn’t generally ask before trying to repay favors. As a result, his kindness was often met with treachery and war.
Timeless principles: David was “A man after God’s own heart.” This did not make him incapable of sin and grave sin at that. In addition to the wives mentioned earlier and the many wives he took after moving to Jerusalem, David took Bathsheba who was married to another man. When he learned he had made her pregnant he tried to cover his sin by getting her husband back from the war to sleep with her. When that didn’t work he had her husband put in a position that would get him killed. Adultery and Murder are some pretty heavy crimes. After Urriah was killed in battle, David took Bathsheba as his wife and she had his son. This did not make God happy.
How can I apply what I’ve learned: Seek the wisdom of God in all you do. I have to admit weakness here myself. Most of us don’t think twice about asking God before doing something that seems to be right. Following the law and obeying the rules are fundamental but, when the actions aren’t part of those rules, no matter how good they may seem, they can lead you into trouble.
more to learn for in-depth study: You have my apologies for jumping the gun a bit. I sometimes remember Israel’s history better than I remember recent history. This is the passage in which David shows kindness to the son of Jonathon and brings him to eat at the royal table as one of his own sons. He also tries to show kindness to the people of Ammon who helped him when he was running from Saul. The result is the war described in these chapters in which the Ammonites hired mercenaries to fight Israel.
tomorrow: Second Samuel 12-14
Second Samuel 1-3
God’s message to me: It is God’s job to remove people from positions he has appointed them to. Our job is to accept God’s decisions.
Promises: God can use anybody to accomplish His goals. Whether or not the person gets to enjoy those successes depends on their willingness to serve God willingly.
Commands: An act of war is not an act of murder. This is one of the earliest passages to make that crystal clear. Abner killed Asahel in battle. He had given the man an opportunity to avoid the fight but Asahel refused and Abner stabbed him to death. Asahel’s brothers murdered Abner to avenge their brother. Theirs was not an act of war and, in fact, it was a cold-blooded ambush. David cursed them for their act because they avenged someone who was killed in war. If the right of vengeance extended to acts of war then wars would never end. David wrote another song of Lament. This time for Abner who was murdered after making peace.
Timeless principles: “How the mighty have fallen” The quote still gets heavy use today. David used it to describe his feelings over the death of the anointed king of Israel in a song he wrote to commemorate the dead. Saul may have been a murderous jerk but, David recognized how God used him. All to often, we as Christians, are quick to jump on the band wagon and tear down the men of God who fall to human frailty. Our pastors, evangelists and leaders are not supermen and are capable of grave errors and even sin. While it is sometimes prudent to support removing them from influence to prevent their leading others astray, we have no right to denounce the work they have done for God because of their weakness.
While David grew stronger as king he was starting a family which would bring trouble later on. His first son was Amnon sho’s mother was Ahinoam. His second son was Chileab(Danial) whose mother was Abigail. His Third was Absolom whose son was Maacah the daughter of the king of Geshur. His fourth son was Adonijah whose mother was Haggith. His fifth son was Shephatiah whose mother was Abital. His sixth son was Ithream whose mother was Eglah. Six son’s by six wives.
How can I apply what I’ve learned: Remember to uphold those God has put in positions of leadership, even when their actions and sins make it impossible for them to continue in that service.
more to learn for in-depth study: The Amalekite lied about killing Saul but, a confession is a confession and by claiming credit for the kill he marked himself as guilty. When a false confession is made we often feel it is a hindrance to the investigation. In this case it was an act against the state. Killing the man God anointed as king of Israel was an act that deserved retribution and if another were to have been found guilty later there would be no guilt for killing that man or the Amalekite since both would have been considered guilty, on by the act and one by claiming credit for the act. If we would treat terrorist groups the same we could quit waiting on investigations before taking action. Wiping out the group that claimed credit and, if we find some other group was responsible later, wiping out the true guilty parties. This would certainly cut down on false claims and reduce the number of terrorists in the world.
I mentioned earlier that the kingdom wasn’t divided until after Solomon’s reign but, I had forgotten about the first division of Israel when Saul’s people moved to maintain power after David took the throne. Whle David sought to honor Saul’s memory, Abner set Saul’s son in power in order to maintain his own position. Ishbosheth was meant to be the puppet leader controlled by the former general. Hi reign lasted only two years. Despite controlling most of the nation, Abner failed to remove David from power by battle. When they met to fight David’s army lost 20 men while Abner’s army lost 360. The war would rage on for many years and David’s position grew stronger while Abner’s grew weaker. This tends to make my earlier assertion incorrect. The books of Samuel may have been written anytime after David took the throne. The next chapter does establish that the books were written while the Beerothites were still living in Gittaim.
While David was having all those boys by all those wives Abner had taken one of Saul’s wives, stepmother to Ishbosheth, which got Saul’s son a bit upset to say the least. The general didn’t like being harassed by the man he had put into power and swore to deliver the entire nation to David. David’s price for peace was that Abner bring him Michal, his first wife and the daughter of Saul whom the king had given to another. Her husband followed her until she met Abner, mourning over her loss. Abner sent him away. David had not divorced the woman or even desired to leave her but she had been taken by her father to hurt him.
tomorrow: Second Samuel 4-7
Promises: God can use anybody to accomplish His goals. Whether or not the person gets to enjoy those successes depends on their willingness to serve God willingly.
Commands: An act of war is not an act of murder. This is one of the earliest passages to make that crystal clear. Abner killed Asahel in battle. He had given the man an opportunity to avoid the fight but Asahel refused and Abner stabbed him to death. Asahel’s brothers murdered Abner to avenge their brother. Theirs was not an act of war and, in fact, it was a cold-blooded ambush. David cursed them for their act because they avenged someone who was killed in war. If the right of vengeance extended to acts of war then wars would never end. David wrote another song of Lament. This time for Abner who was murdered after making peace.
Timeless principles: “How the mighty have fallen” The quote still gets heavy use today. David used it to describe his feelings over the death of the anointed king of Israel in a song he wrote to commemorate the dead. Saul may have been a murderous jerk but, David recognized how God used him. All to often, we as Christians, are quick to jump on the band wagon and tear down the men of God who fall to human frailty. Our pastors, evangelists and leaders are not supermen and are capable of grave errors and even sin. While it is sometimes prudent to support removing them from influence to prevent their leading others astray, we have no right to denounce the work they have done for God because of their weakness.
While David grew stronger as king he was starting a family which would bring trouble later on. His first son was Amnon sho’s mother was Ahinoam. His second son was Chileab(Danial) whose mother was Abigail. His Third was Absolom whose son was Maacah the daughter of the king of Geshur. His fourth son was Adonijah whose mother was Haggith. His fifth son was Shephatiah whose mother was Abital. His sixth son was Ithream whose mother was Eglah. Six son’s by six wives.
How can I apply what I’ve learned: Remember to uphold those God has put in positions of leadership, even when their actions and sins make it impossible for them to continue in that service.
more to learn for in-depth study: The Amalekite lied about killing Saul but, a confession is a confession and by claiming credit for the kill he marked himself as guilty. When a false confession is made we often feel it is a hindrance to the investigation. In this case it was an act against the state. Killing the man God anointed as king of Israel was an act that deserved retribution and if another were to have been found guilty later there would be no guilt for killing that man or the Amalekite since both would have been considered guilty, on by the act and one by claiming credit for the act. If we would treat terrorist groups the same we could quit waiting on investigations before taking action. Wiping out the group that claimed credit and, if we find some other group was responsible later, wiping out the true guilty parties. This would certainly cut down on false claims and reduce the number of terrorists in the world.
I mentioned earlier that the kingdom wasn’t divided until after Solomon’s reign but, I had forgotten about the first division of Israel when Saul’s people moved to maintain power after David took the throne. Whle David sought to honor Saul’s memory, Abner set Saul’s son in power in order to maintain his own position. Ishbosheth was meant to be the puppet leader controlled by the former general. Hi reign lasted only two years. Despite controlling most of the nation, Abner failed to remove David from power by battle. When they met to fight David’s army lost 20 men while Abner’s army lost 360. The war would rage on for many years and David’s position grew stronger while Abner’s grew weaker. This tends to make my earlier assertion incorrect. The books of Samuel may have been written anytime after David took the throne. The next chapter does establish that the books were written while the Beerothites were still living in Gittaim.
While David was having all those boys by all those wives Abner had taken one of Saul’s wives, stepmother to Ishbosheth, which got Saul’s son a bit upset to say the least. The general didn’t like being harassed by the man he had put into power and swore to deliver the entire nation to David. David’s price for peace was that Abner bring him Michal, his first wife and the daughter of Saul whom the king had given to another. Her husband followed her until she met Abner, mourning over her loss. Abner sent him away. David had not divorced the woman or even desired to leave her but she had been taken by her father to hurt him.
tomorrow: Second Samuel 4-7
Saturday, March 7, 2009
Joshua 10-11
God’s message to me: When God is for you, none can stand against you. This synopsis of the initial conquest of Canaan reads like the recent history of Israel. The enemy comes with overwhelming force and God protects His people so that they defeat their enemies quickly and with minimal loss ending with their possession of the enemies territory. The major difference between then and now is that Israel keeps bowing to international pressure to give back the territory which just gets used to attack them again.
Promises: God will never let you fail. So long as you stand with God, His name is with you and He will not allow others to overcome His name. No matter the odds you will win.
Commands: Don’t Back Down! You are a child of the King and He will not let you fail. As long as you are standing on the promises of God you are unable to fail. Claiming, in the name of God, that which is not yours will not work any more than it helped Achan when he took the spoils that were meant for the treasury. Claiming what God has promised, you cannot fail, just as the rest of the Israelites claimed the booty of Ai and so many other cities that were overcome afterward.
Timeless principles: God doesn’t lose face. Despite the efforts of so many to point out disasters and claim God failed, the facts of history do not bear them out. The miraculous victories of modern Israel, the defeat of the Taliban by American forces in months when the Soviets couldn’t even slow them down in 10 years of war. The survival of Christian missionaries in war zones, even after capture by Muslim extremists sworn to kill them. The miraculous survival of various evangelists in assassination attempts. God does not allow defeat for those who represent Him.
How can I apply what I’ve learned: Read and learn the Bible. It is the guidebook to what you can claim. If God has promised it you can claim it and He will grant it that your joy may be full. This is the promise of God, repeated by Christ, and reiterated throughout the bible.
more to learn for in-depth study: The treaty with Gibeon was a mistake caused by not waiting for God’s opinion. As the people of Israel were ordered to offer peace to any city they came against it is likely they would have spared their lives anyway. Their fear of Israel would likely have resulted in immediate surrender without a fight. As it is, they became the bait in God’s trap for the Amorites. While the five kingdoms of the Amorites were intent on eliminating the Gibeon army, which they considered strong and didn’t want allied with Israel, The Israeli army ambushed them by surprise and routed them. God provided the mobile artillery as he pummeled the fleeing army with hailstones as they ran. More Amorites died from hail than were killed in direct battle.
This is one of the more unusual events in the bible. As the battle against the five armies began Joshua commanded the sun and moon to remain in place. God, fighting on the side of Israel, stopped the sun and the moon for about a day. Adding an extra 12-24 hours to the available fighting time.
The book of Jasher is mentioned here. You won’t find this book in the bible even if you use a Catholic bible with apocrypha. Jasher is a book of Hebrew history. It’s not of vital importance to your study but, like the Talmud (and it might be part of the Talmud for all I know) it could provide some historical perspective. For newer Christians, I encourage you to concentrate on scripture. The reason the Talmud and Apocrypha are not included in scripture is because they are books of history, including myth and legend, and not even the rabbi’s who passed them along consider them the inspired word of God.
For those already familiar with the scriptures and interested in learning more, I recommend consulting a Hebrew scholar. Rabbi’s are a good start, I would try and find someone who is a Messianic Jew as this provides you with common ground from which to begin. There are several websites dedicated to education by Messianic Jewish organizations which could prove useful.
After defeating the 5 armies of the Amorites, Joshua led the attack on the other kingdoms of the region. The Israeli army conquered the armies and the cities they came from that had allied against it. Joshua conquered the mountain country and the Negev region, the lowlands and wilderness and all the kings and kingdoms in that region from Kadesh Barnea to Gaza and all the country of Goshen as far as Gibeon. All of this territory was conquered in one continous assault because God was with them in battle and they could accomplish it all in a short time with minimal effort.
When the conquest was done the Israelites camped in peace until another coalition force came against them. This coalition of many kingdoms came to their camp seeking to eliminate the threat but, God was with the Israelites and they defeated the attack force the next morning. Moving on they eliminated the rest of those armies, killed their kings and destroyed their capital cities keeping the lesser cities and the soils of war and livestock for themselves. The war was long but fruitful and the Israelites grew rich from the spoils and gained both land and the livestock to raise on it, not to mention the houses they didn’t build and the gardens they didn’t plant, just as God had promised. They even cut off the giants and killed off all of the giants who
remained in their lands.
tomorrow: Joshua 12-15
Promises: God will never let you fail. So long as you stand with God, His name is with you and He will not allow others to overcome His name. No matter the odds you will win.
Commands: Don’t Back Down! You are a child of the King and He will not let you fail. As long as you are standing on the promises of God you are unable to fail. Claiming, in the name of God, that which is not yours will not work any more than it helped Achan when he took the spoils that were meant for the treasury. Claiming what God has promised, you cannot fail, just as the rest of the Israelites claimed the booty of Ai and so many other cities that were overcome afterward.
Timeless principles: God doesn’t lose face. Despite the efforts of so many to point out disasters and claim God failed, the facts of history do not bear them out. The miraculous victories of modern Israel, the defeat of the Taliban by American forces in months when the Soviets couldn’t even slow them down in 10 years of war. The survival of Christian missionaries in war zones, even after capture by Muslim extremists sworn to kill them. The miraculous survival of various evangelists in assassination attempts. God does not allow defeat for those who represent Him.
How can I apply what I’ve learned: Read and learn the Bible. It is the guidebook to what you can claim. If God has promised it you can claim it and He will grant it that your joy may be full. This is the promise of God, repeated by Christ, and reiterated throughout the bible.
more to learn for in-depth study: The treaty with Gibeon was a mistake caused by not waiting for God’s opinion. As the people of Israel were ordered to offer peace to any city they came against it is likely they would have spared their lives anyway. Their fear of Israel would likely have resulted in immediate surrender without a fight. As it is, they became the bait in God’s trap for the Amorites. While the five kingdoms of the Amorites were intent on eliminating the Gibeon army, which they considered strong and didn’t want allied with Israel, The Israeli army ambushed them by surprise and routed them. God provided the mobile artillery as he pummeled the fleeing army with hailstones as they ran. More Amorites died from hail than were killed in direct battle.
This is one of the more unusual events in the bible. As the battle against the five armies began Joshua commanded the sun and moon to remain in place. God, fighting on the side of Israel, stopped the sun and the moon for about a day. Adding an extra 12-24 hours to the available fighting time.
The book of Jasher is mentioned here. You won’t find this book in the bible even if you use a Catholic bible with apocrypha. Jasher is a book of Hebrew history. It’s not of vital importance to your study but, like the Talmud (and it might be part of the Talmud for all I know) it could provide some historical perspective. For newer Christians, I encourage you to concentrate on scripture. The reason the Talmud and Apocrypha are not included in scripture is because they are books of history, including myth and legend, and not even the rabbi’s who passed them along consider them the inspired word of God.
For those already familiar with the scriptures and interested in learning more, I recommend consulting a Hebrew scholar. Rabbi’s are a good start, I would try and find someone who is a Messianic Jew as this provides you with common ground from which to begin. There are several websites dedicated to education by Messianic Jewish organizations which could prove useful.
After defeating the 5 armies of the Amorites, Joshua led the attack on the other kingdoms of the region. The Israeli army conquered the armies and the cities they came from that had allied against it. Joshua conquered the mountain country and the Negev region, the lowlands and wilderness and all the kings and kingdoms in that region from Kadesh Barnea to Gaza and all the country of Goshen as far as Gibeon. All of this territory was conquered in one continous assault because God was with them in battle and they could accomplish it all in a short time with minimal effort.
When the conquest was done the Israelites camped in peace until another coalition force came against them. This coalition of many kingdoms came to their camp seeking to eliminate the threat but, God was with the Israelites and they defeated the attack force the next morning. Moving on they eliminated the rest of those armies, killed their kings and destroyed their capital cities keeping the lesser cities and the soils of war and livestock for themselves. The war was long but fruitful and the Israelites grew rich from the spoils and gained both land and the livestock to raise on it, not to mention the houses they didn’t build and the gardens they didn’t plant, just as God had promised. They even cut off the giants and killed off all of the giants who
remained in their lands.
tomorrow: Joshua 12-15
Friday, February 27, 2009
Deuteronomy 18-21
God’s message to me: Many are turned to false beliefs by unintentional lies. They are told that fortune tellers and mediums are all fakes and witchcraft has no power. When they learn this isn’t true they seek the truth the wrong way.
King Saul went to see a witch who was a medium. The spirits warned her he was the king of Israel and she called up the ghost of a prophet of God who told Saul what would happen to him for disobeying God. These were real things but they were not God’s way of doing things which is why they were wrong. People think they can employ fortune telling, astrology, witchcraft and other things in the service of God. God has forbidden these things to His people and so they are wrong.
Promises: God will give you victory over your enemies if you simply follow His rules of engagement. Offering peace to the enemy does not mean offering surrender to their views. In fact it means the opposite. When offering peace it is in exchange for surrender to you.
It makes no sense to demand Israel offer land in exchange for peace with those who want them destroyed. The results of such folly are always the same and can be seen in Gaza. Israel left Gaza and everything they built there. The Palestinians could simply come in and run the businesses and use the supplies to create one of the most popular and prosperous tourist traps on the planet. Instead they used the land to launch rockets at Israel for the entire 3 years of the ceasefire until Israel, at the end of the ceasefire, went back in and stopped them.
It should have gone like this. If “Palestinians” want peace, they must immediately surrender and end all hostile actions. They must pay taxes to the Israeli Government and make themselves subject to that government. Any attempt to resume hostilities will result in immediate and total annihilation of the hostile force.
Commands: Forget all the false paths offered by the New Age religions which are really nothing but recycled paganism. Follow what God has told us to do and how God has told us to worship. It is true that some in the past have used these other ways in their worship of God and it is also true that they are no longer among us. That is because they did what was wrong, no matter the reason. Jewish astrology, Christian mediums, Godly psychics, etc. they are all false paths which need to be ignored in favor of what the bible tells us to do.
Timeless principles: When a person uses fraud to gain another's property or have another person punished for something they didn’t do then the person using fraud should have done to him what he intended to do to the other.
How can I apply what I’ve learned: There are a number of subjects here but eh key one is in regard to worship. Worship only as God has commanded and do not try to “improve” your worship by following the rituals of others. God has laid down specifically how he wants us to worship Him and made it clear that going outside those guidelines is the path to death.
more to learn for in-depth study: Another test of false prophets. What they predict does not come true. Prophecy is not an either/or situation. It happens. God’s prophecies have always been fulfilled and fulfilled literally. He doesn’t “prophecy” what will happen “if”. His prophecies are what will happen and why. If a prophecy doesn’t come true it is not of God. Remember also that a prophecy that does come true but is intended to make you do something god otherwise forbids then it is a test and you should still not sin by doing what God has forbidden.
The refuge cities were given for protection of those who did not kill intentionally. Israel was also commanded to build highways to these cities so that the person running for his life would find his was easily and quickly.
DETERRENTS They claim that the death penalty does not deter crime but, statistics show a marked decrease in crime where civilians are permitted to carry and use weapons in defending themselves and a further decrease where the castle doctrine allows people to protect their property. If the death penalty and prison terms are not deterrents why do criminals go so far to avoid getting hurt or killed. Homes where the owner is known to be armed are less likely to be burglarized than those without a gun. The young hoods targeting German tourists in Florida did so because local residents had the right to carry guns and they didn’t want to get shot. When the bible talks of putting evil away from yourself and ensuring that those remaining hear and fear it is talking about deterrents. Such deterrents are the key to maintaining civilized behavior, not the sign of uncivilized behavior.
HE WHO IS HANGED IS CURSED OF GOD. If a hanged man remains in the tree overnight the land surrounding is cursed. This law is VITAL. Christ was hung on a cross and made a curse for our sake. Judas hung himself at sunset and wasn’t found until morning. The land was cursed and could not be used for farming so it was purchased as a graveyard. That land belonged to a potter which is where we get the term “potter’s field” to refer to the grave yard used for burying the poor and indigent.
Innocent blood must be avenged. If the guilty cannot be determined then a sacrifice was made by the elders of the nearest city. Christ is the ultimate sacrifice for our sins but, the duty of government to uphold the law and protect society does not change. It is still the responsibility of Government to punish crime. While we are taught to turn the other cheek our government authorities are told to punish the persecutor and the persecutor is warned that “if thou doest evil, be very afraid, for he bareth not the sword in vain” regarding government agents and law enforcement.
Blessing of war:
hear, O Israel: Today you are on the verge of battle with your enemies. Do not let your heart faint, do not be afraid, and do not tremble or be terrified because of them; for the Lord your God is He who goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.
Who goes to war:
new home owners who have yet to dedicate their house do not
those who have planted a new vineyard and not tasted of it’s produce do not
men engaged to be married do not
anyone afraid to go into battle does not go
Rules of engagement:
Always offer peace first in exchange for surrender placing them under tribute
Cities outside the land of inheritance which choose to fight will be conquered and the fighting men killed with the plunder of the city taken as a gift from God.
Cities within the promised land that fight will be utterly destroyed with all people killed.
Never use food trees for siege works. Only trees not useful for food can be used to build siege works and all food trees are to be left intact.
tomorrow: Deuteronomy 22-25
King Saul went to see a witch who was a medium. The spirits warned her he was the king of Israel and she called up the ghost of a prophet of God who told Saul what would happen to him for disobeying God. These were real things but they were not God’s way of doing things which is why they were wrong. People think they can employ fortune telling, astrology, witchcraft and other things in the service of God. God has forbidden these things to His people and so they are wrong.
Promises: God will give you victory over your enemies if you simply follow His rules of engagement. Offering peace to the enemy does not mean offering surrender to their views. In fact it means the opposite. When offering peace it is in exchange for surrender to you.
It makes no sense to demand Israel offer land in exchange for peace with those who want them destroyed. The results of such folly are always the same and can be seen in Gaza. Israel left Gaza and everything they built there. The Palestinians could simply come in and run the businesses and use the supplies to create one of the most popular and prosperous tourist traps on the planet. Instead they used the land to launch rockets at Israel for the entire 3 years of the ceasefire until Israel, at the end of the ceasefire, went back in and stopped them.
It should have gone like this. If “Palestinians” want peace, they must immediately surrender and end all hostile actions. They must pay taxes to the Israeli Government and make themselves subject to that government. Any attempt to resume hostilities will result in immediate and total annihilation of the hostile force.
Commands: Forget all the false paths offered by the New Age religions which are really nothing but recycled paganism. Follow what God has told us to do and how God has told us to worship. It is true that some in the past have used these other ways in their worship of God and it is also true that they are no longer among us. That is because they did what was wrong, no matter the reason. Jewish astrology, Christian mediums, Godly psychics, etc. they are all false paths which need to be ignored in favor of what the bible tells us to do.
Timeless principles: When a person uses fraud to gain another's property or have another person punished for something they didn’t do then the person using fraud should have done to him what he intended to do to the other.
How can I apply what I’ve learned: There are a number of subjects here but eh key one is in regard to worship. Worship only as God has commanded and do not try to “improve” your worship by following the rituals of others. God has laid down specifically how he wants us to worship Him and made it clear that going outside those guidelines is the path to death.
more to learn for in-depth study: Another test of false prophets. What they predict does not come true. Prophecy is not an either/or situation. It happens. God’s prophecies have always been fulfilled and fulfilled literally. He doesn’t “prophecy” what will happen “if”. His prophecies are what will happen and why. If a prophecy doesn’t come true it is not of God. Remember also that a prophecy that does come true but is intended to make you do something god otherwise forbids then it is a test and you should still not sin by doing what God has forbidden.
The refuge cities were given for protection of those who did not kill intentionally. Israel was also commanded to build highways to these cities so that the person running for his life would find his was easily and quickly.
DETERRENTS They claim that the death penalty does not deter crime but, statistics show a marked decrease in crime where civilians are permitted to carry and use weapons in defending themselves and a further decrease where the castle doctrine allows people to protect their property. If the death penalty and prison terms are not deterrents why do criminals go so far to avoid getting hurt or killed. Homes where the owner is known to be armed are less likely to be burglarized than those without a gun. The young hoods targeting German tourists in Florida did so because local residents had the right to carry guns and they didn’t want to get shot. When the bible talks of putting evil away from yourself and ensuring that those remaining hear and fear it is talking about deterrents. Such deterrents are the key to maintaining civilized behavior, not the sign of uncivilized behavior.
HE WHO IS HANGED IS CURSED OF GOD. If a hanged man remains in the tree overnight the land surrounding is cursed. This law is VITAL. Christ was hung on a cross and made a curse for our sake. Judas hung himself at sunset and wasn’t found until morning. The land was cursed and could not be used for farming so it was purchased as a graveyard. That land belonged to a potter which is where we get the term “potter’s field” to refer to the grave yard used for burying the poor and indigent.
Innocent blood must be avenged. If the guilty cannot be determined then a sacrifice was made by the elders of the nearest city. Christ is the ultimate sacrifice for our sins but, the duty of government to uphold the law and protect society does not change. It is still the responsibility of Government to punish crime. While we are taught to turn the other cheek our government authorities are told to punish the persecutor and the persecutor is warned that “if thou doest evil, be very afraid, for he bareth not the sword in vain” regarding government agents and law enforcement.
Blessing of war:
hear, O Israel: Today you are on the verge of battle with your enemies. Do not let your heart faint, do not be afraid, and do not tremble or be terrified because of them; for the Lord your God is He who goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.
Who goes to war:
new home owners who have yet to dedicate their house do not
those who have planted a new vineyard and not tasted of it’s produce do not
men engaged to be married do not
anyone afraid to go into battle does not go
Rules of engagement:
Always offer peace first in exchange for surrender placing them under tribute
Cities outside the land of inheritance which choose to fight will be conquered and the fighting men killed with the plunder of the city taken as a gift from God.
Cities within the promised land that fight will be utterly destroyed with all people killed.
Never use food trees for siege works. Only trees not useful for food can be used to build siege works and all food trees are to be left intact.
tomorrow: Deuteronomy 22-25
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Deuteronomy 1-2
God’s message to me: God’s promises are not restricted to Israel. God promised Esau a kingdom and Seir was home of his people the Edomites. The Israelites were not permitted to interfere with them. Moab and Ar are given to the descendents of Lot, the nephew of Abraham whom Abraham protected in prayer and in battle. Edomites overcame the Horites to posses their land just as Israel overcame the various nations of Canaan. Giants (nephilim) had been destroyed in the lands possessed by the descendants of Esau and Lot and would be destroyed by Israel.
Passing through the lands of Edom and Moab peacefully lent credence to the overtures of peace sent by Israel to other nations. As they did throughout their history and even do today, they offered peaceful coexistence and asked only to pass without incident. When Sihon, King of Heshbon, refused the offer, the subsequent war killed all his people and gave their cattle and the spoil of their cities to the people of Israel.
Promises: Nothing and no one can keep you from God’s promised blessings and bounty. All who try will be destroyed before you and they cannot harm you. Be Valiant.
Commands: Do not doubt God’s promises but claim them as they are yours.
Timeless principles: Peace should always be the first offer but, not at the expense of failing your goals. When Israel needed to go somewhere they offered peaceful passage. They offered honest money for any supplies they might gain, including water, along the way. They did not stop traveling just because the other country sought war instead of peace. They did not back down from aggressors. God turned the hearts of those He wished to maintain peace with Israel and He gave Israel strength to overcome those who would stand in the way. No one was permitted to block Israel’s progress toward the land God promised them except for Israel themselves. Even when Israel’s sin slowed the progress, the next generation was led to the promised land.
How can I apply what I’ve learned: The bible is filled with promises for those who follow Christ. Healing, prosperity, blessing, peace and so much more are yours to be claimed in the name of God. If you are a born again child of The King you need only understand God’s promises to claim them.
more to learn for in-depth study: You have heard how some peoples were destroyed by other children of Abraham. The descendents of Lot, Ishmael, and Esau all took possession of lands by God’s hand for Abraham’s sake. Many more will fall to Israel. This is where the nations mentioned in the earlier books in genealogies become interesting as we see where the play in history, as allies, enemies or by being destroyed.
tomorrow: Deuteronomy 3-5
Passing through the lands of Edom and Moab peacefully lent credence to the overtures of peace sent by Israel to other nations. As they did throughout their history and even do today, they offered peaceful coexistence and asked only to pass without incident. When Sihon, King of Heshbon, refused the offer, the subsequent war killed all his people and gave their cattle and the spoil of their cities to the people of Israel.
Promises: Nothing and no one can keep you from God’s promised blessings and bounty. All who try will be destroyed before you and they cannot harm you. Be Valiant.
Commands: Do not doubt God’s promises but claim them as they are yours.
Timeless principles: Peace should always be the first offer but, not at the expense of failing your goals. When Israel needed to go somewhere they offered peaceful passage. They offered honest money for any supplies they might gain, including water, along the way. They did not stop traveling just because the other country sought war instead of peace. They did not back down from aggressors. God turned the hearts of those He wished to maintain peace with Israel and He gave Israel strength to overcome those who would stand in the way. No one was permitted to block Israel’s progress toward the land God promised them except for Israel themselves. Even when Israel’s sin slowed the progress, the next generation was led to the promised land.
How can I apply what I’ve learned: The bible is filled with promises for those who follow Christ. Healing, prosperity, blessing, peace and so much more are yours to be claimed in the name of God. If you are a born again child of The King you need only understand God’s promises to claim them.
more to learn for in-depth study: You have heard how some peoples were destroyed by other children of Abraham. The descendents of Lot, Ishmael, and Esau all took possession of lands by God’s hand for Abraham’s sake. Many more will fall to Israel. This is where the nations mentioned in the earlier books in genealogies become interesting as we see where the play in history, as allies, enemies or by being destroyed.
tomorrow: Deuteronomy 3-5
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Numbers 31-32
God’s message to me: Ask and it shall be given. When the Children of Gad and Reuben saw the lands they had just conquered on the way into the promised land they recognized their value for raising cattle and sheep. These two tribes were the primary ranchers of the nation of Israel and asked to be given this land rather than seeking other land in the promised land. Moses warned them against repeating the sin of their parents in hiding in fear from those living in the promised land.
These Israelites saw the opportunity to build a home base. They could leave their flocks and herds secured on ranches in this region and let their families enjoy the protection of homes and cities here while they went into the promised land to fight with the rest of the Israeli army. Their willingness to continue fighting beside their brothers to take the inheritance promised by God, allowed them to receive what they asked for. In doing so they provided a secure base of operations to the Israelites during the initial forays and expanded the territory which would eventually belong to their nation. They Expanded the border and reinforced it with their presence while making good use of suitable land that would otherwise have been abandoned and, potentially taken by enemies later.
Promises: God will give you victory and When He is standing with you no one can stand against you. After the war with the Midianites the Israelites found that none of the soldiers they sent to war had been killed. Everyone had returned home in victory. This was something of a pattern which continues today. as the Enemies of God’s Chosen People come against their tiny nation they are repeatedly beaten back and overwhelmed by a much smaller and less prepared Israeli Army.
I give all due credit to the Israeli intelligence and military structures but, most of the major wars of Modern Israel began when the bulk of those forces were on holiday at home and the military was completely out of place for proper defense. Out manned, out gunned, out sized, outmaneuvered and overwhelmed they nevertheless ended these wars in absolute victory with control over large portions of the invading countries territory. They managed these victories in a matter of days in most cases and within a handful of weeks at most.
Commands: You can’t conquer sin and then bring it’s source into your home. Give God the glory and honor for your victories. And, ask for what you desire. It is God’s pleasure to fulfill your desires and he only withholds those things if He has better for us waiting or if they will be harmful for us.
Timeless principles: There is nothing wrong with pity and mercy but it can go to far. The Israelites killed every Midianite inclined to war but saved the women and children. This is merciful and caring but, the women were a major cause of the sin that brought them to war in the first place and many of the children were already indoctrinated into the lifestyle that had led to the war. As for the separation of the girls, I can only say that young ladies were not seen as much of an influence. Subject to the head of household they did not appear to hold influence.
Then as now, women were a major influence on society. Reading though the scriptures you will find one story after another of how the women made major differences in outcomes. Stealing and concealing idols, influencing decision, taking actions and convincing their husbands to do so. For good or ill women made major changes in the course of history. Sarah giving Abraham her handmaid, Rachel and Leah giving Jacob their maids, Rebeka driving Jacobs deception of his father, Eve offering Adam the apple and so much more yet to come. Historical persons may not have seen women as powerful or influential but the writers of the bible certainly saw what these women could and did do to influence events.
How can I apply what I’ve learned: look past the superficial view of political correctness and humanistic ethics and you can see the truth of what was done in biblical times. While this superficial view has lead to a lot of man made doctrines which enjoy broad support, the rule of the majority can never outweigh the rule of God.
Women are subject to their husbands but that doesn’t make them weak or ineffective. War kills a lot more than just soldiers but, that isn’t always evil. The spoils of war is one of the oldest traditions and, that tradition leads to prosperity so long as those spoils don’t include things which will lead us into the sin of the enemy. Frankly, the subject of war could lead to several long articles so I think I will leave it to readers to bring their opinion to this discussion. I only ask that your opinion be backed by scripture.
more to learn for in-depth study: Sterilization. When bringing home spoils of ware they had to be cleaned. Anything capable of surviving fire was put through fire and the rest was scrubbed thoroughly in water to clean away anything that might have been brought back with it. It’s not hard for modern eyes to recognize sterilization techniques.
The revenge against the Midianites seems harsh. Look at the middle east today. There are a number of documentaries including Obsession: modern Islam’s war against the west which clearly show the problem. Five year old children are taught to hate and to desire martyrdom through Jihad and suicide bombing. boys as young as seven and some younger are given an assault rifle and taught to fight as soon as they are big enough to handle the weapon. The same happens in Africa and even in parts of South America, not to mention Asia. How many times have you heard the stories from veterans of Korea, Vietnam, The Gulf War and others, of children shooting at them or carrying bombs to their camps. How many teenage and, more recently, pre-teen boys and girls will be used as suicide bombers before we understand that war is not and never will be the pleasant, politically correct conflict we want to believe in.
The Geneva conventions convince a lot of people that we can fight a war with rules. There is a basic problem with this theory. Since the conventions were enacted, none of the countries subscribing to them has fought each other. You might say that societies capable of establishing rules for civilized warfare have outgrown their use for warfare. Historians would disagree with me on that point because it hasn’t proven true in the past but it is true that everyone we have fought since then has ignored the Geneva Conventions. Our respect for those rules of warfare has not changed their tactics or their will in the least. Their own moral convictions place no value on the convictions that led to the Geneva Conventions being written.
Fighting within the bounds of the Geneva Conventions isn’t wrong, it is living up to the moral standard we set for ourselves. We must understand; however, that the enemy has no such standard. Their moral standard is completely different and they laugh at our naiveté in following such a code. Whenever you see the opposition leaders cry about our violating Geneva conventions you know what we are doing is effective. They are attempting to undermine our support for the effort by acting offended when most of their troops have never even heard the concept of the conventions. They will break every rule in that book and accuse us of doing so. It is for this reason that Israel, in so many cases, was ordered by God to wipe out the people.
Doing so got rid of the ideology and the resistance. Failure to do so, in most recorded cases, resulted in the Israelites later adopting the ways of the captured people and sinning against God.
The first note in this story is evidence of that. Two key problems with the Midianites were prostitution and idolatry that began with socializing. By bringing the women and children back alive, the Israeli army brought home the very problem they set out to eliminate.
tomorrow: Numbers 33-35
These Israelites saw the opportunity to build a home base. They could leave their flocks and herds secured on ranches in this region and let their families enjoy the protection of homes and cities here while they went into the promised land to fight with the rest of the Israeli army. Their willingness to continue fighting beside their brothers to take the inheritance promised by God, allowed them to receive what they asked for. In doing so they provided a secure base of operations to the Israelites during the initial forays and expanded the territory which would eventually belong to their nation. They Expanded the border and reinforced it with their presence while making good use of suitable land that would otherwise have been abandoned and, potentially taken by enemies later.
Promises: God will give you victory and When He is standing with you no one can stand against you. After the war with the Midianites the Israelites found that none of the soldiers they sent to war had been killed. Everyone had returned home in victory. This was something of a pattern which continues today. as the Enemies of God’s Chosen People come against their tiny nation they are repeatedly beaten back and overwhelmed by a much smaller and less prepared Israeli Army.
I give all due credit to the Israeli intelligence and military structures but, most of the major wars of Modern Israel began when the bulk of those forces were on holiday at home and the military was completely out of place for proper defense. Out manned, out gunned, out sized, outmaneuvered and overwhelmed they nevertheless ended these wars in absolute victory with control over large portions of the invading countries territory. They managed these victories in a matter of days in most cases and within a handful of weeks at most.
Commands: You can’t conquer sin and then bring it’s source into your home. Give God the glory and honor for your victories. And, ask for what you desire. It is God’s pleasure to fulfill your desires and he only withholds those things if He has better for us waiting or if they will be harmful for us.
Timeless principles: There is nothing wrong with pity and mercy but it can go to far. The Israelites killed every Midianite inclined to war but saved the women and children. This is merciful and caring but, the women were a major cause of the sin that brought them to war in the first place and many of the children were already indoctrinated into the lifestyle that had led to the war. As for the separation of the girls, I can only say that young ladies were not seen as much of an influence. Subject to the head of household they did not appear to hold influence.
Then as now, women were a major influence on society. Reading though the scriptures you will find one story after another of how the women made major differences in outcomes. Stealing and concealing idols, influencing decision, taking actions and convincing their husbands to do so. For good or ill women made major changes in the course of history. Sarah giving Abraham her handmaid, Rachel and Leah giving Jacob their maids, Rebeka driving Jacobs deception of his father, Eve offering Adam the apple and so much more yet to come. Historical persons may not have seen women as powerful or influential but the writers of the bible certainly saw what these women could and did do to influence events.
How can I apply what I’ve learned: look past the superficial view of political correctness and humanistic ethics and you can see the truth of what was done in biblical times. While this superficial view has lead to a lot of man made doctrines which enjoy broad support, the rule of the majority can never outweigh the rule of God.
Women are subject to their husbands but that doesn’t make them weak or ineffective. War kills a lot more than just soldiers but, that isn’t always evil. The spoils of war is one of the oldest traditions and, that tradition leads to prosperity so long as those spoils don’t include things which will lead us into the sin of the enemy. Frankly, the subject of war could lead to several long articles so I think I will leave it to readers to bring their opinion to this discussion. I only ask that your opinion be backed by scripture.
more to learn for in-depth study: Sterilization. When bringing home spoils of ware they had to be cleaned. Anything capable of surviving fire was put through fire and the rest was scrubbed thoroughly in water to clean away anything that might have been brought back with it. It’s not hard for modern eyes to recognize sterilization techniques.
The revenge against the Midianites seems harsh. Look at the middle east today. There are a number of documentaries including Obsession: modern Islam’s war against the west which clearly show the problem. Five year old children are taught to hate and to desire martyrdom through Jihad and suicide bombing. boys as young as seven and some younger are given an assault rifle and taught to fight as soon as they are big enough to handle the weapon. The same happens in Africa and even in parts of South America, not to mention Asia. How many times have you heard the stories from veterans of Korea, Vietnam, The Gulf War and others, of children shooting at them or carrying bombs to their camps. How many teenage and, more recently, pre-teen boys and girls will be used as suicide bombers before we understand that war is not and never will be the pleasant, politically correct conflict we want to believe in.
The Geneva conventions convince a lot of people that we can fight a war with rules. There is a basic problem with this theory. Since the conventions were enacted, none of the countries subscribing to them has fought each other. You might say that societies capable of establishing rules for civilized warfare have outgrown their use for warfare. Historians would disagree with me on that point because it hasn’t proven true in the past but it is true that everyone we have fought since then has ignored the Geneva Conventions. Our respect for those rules of warfare has not changed their tactics or their will in the least. Their own moral convictions place no value on the convictions that led to the Geneva Conventions being written.
Fighting within the bounds of the Geneva Conventions isn’t wrong, it is living up to the moral standard we set for ourselves. We must understand; however, that the enemy has no such standard. Their moral standard is completely different and they laugh at our naiveté in following such a code. Whenever you see the opposition leaders cry about our violating Geneva conventions you know what we are doing is effective. They are attempting to undermine our support for the effort by acting offended when most of their troops have never even heard the concept of the conventions. They will break every rule in that book and accuse us of doing so. It is for this reason that Israel, in so many cases, was ordered by God to wipe out the people.
Doing so got rid of the ideology and the resistance. Failure to do so, in most recorded cases, resulted in the Israelites later adopting the ways of the captured people and sinning against God.
The first note in this story is evidence of that. Two key problems with the Midianites were prostitution and idolatry that began with socializing. By bringing the women and children back alive, the Israeli army brought home the very problem they set out to eliminate.
tomorrow: Numbers 33-35
Monday, February 16, 2009
Numbers 19-21
A bad couple of days with far to much running. I am just getting time now to write these blog entries. I would appreciate prayer for my aunt. She had a stroke early on Saturday Morning and has been unresponsive since she got to the Emergency room. For clarity, this woman is one of my mom’s best friends from High School. While not a blood relative she has been like an aunt to me for my entire life. Her name is Linda but we call her “Aunt Steamer” (from a school age nick name that stuck)
God’s message to me: God knows me from birth to death from the very beginning. Aaron and Moses were told to speak to the rock and it would give water. Because they struck the rock instead they were denied entry to the promised land. Miriam's rebellions came earlier and she died in the wilderness. Aaron was the high priest. God warned Him and Moses when he would die so that The holy garments of the priesthood could be taken from him before they were made unclean in his death. His son was given the garments and made High priest before Aaron died so that they people would not be without their priests. (In His role as High Priest, Eleazar would not have been able to approach his fathers corpse or attend the funeral.)
Promises: God will give us victory over our enemies.
When Edom refused them passage Israel went around because Edom is the children of Esau and they are kin.
When the king of Arad came against them and took some of the Israelites captive they promised god they would utterly destroy them if He gave them victory. He told them to go ahead and they not only overcame the king of Arad and his army but they wiped out the kingdom and destroyed it’s possessions so that nothing was left behind.
The Amorites refused them passage and rather than just threatening as Edom did they attacked. God gave Israel the victory and they not only wiped out the Amorites but also took their land and cities as their own. The comfort of buildings and supplies that come with living in a city was afforded the Israelites by conquest rather than having to build their own and all because the king of the land attacked them when they asked to pass through without even asking for water on their journey.
When the king of Bashan came against them God said “Fear Not” and He would deliver them as He delivered the Amorites. Israel wiped out the people and took possession of their lands and buildings and supplies.
Commands: Do Not Be A Complainer. God gave the Israelites one thing after another. Freedom, Health, Food, Water and so on. They continued to complain, even after that proved to be a fatal mistake. The Lord sent snakes to bite them and cause death for their complaints. As noted in John chapter 3, His cure was prophetic. He had Moses make a bronze snake and put it on a pole so that people could look up to the snake and be cured of the snake poison. In the same way we look to the cross and believe in Christ to be saved from sin.
Timeless principles: Forget the odds, forget the dangers, forget what you think you know. Trust God in all things and you cannot lose when acting within His will.
How can I apply what I’ve learned: The idea of utter destruction seems wrong to the politically correct and modern mind. The problem is, that is human thinking and not of God. War is an undesirable thing which even Israel did not enter lightly. Then as now they made peaceful overtures first and resorted to warfare only when the opponent proved they were only interested in war.
Once engaged in war the only means to peace is total victory. As proven in many of our wars this doesn’t always mean killing everyone but, it does mean ending their ability and will to fight. Peace through victory has turned enemies into allies. Peace through negotiation has always resulted in renewed fighting when the sides were able to rebuild their strength. This is a lesson of history that is all to often ignored. There is always someone who thinks you can talk your way out of war. The Historical record shows this has NEVER happened.
Pray for peace until it proves impossible. Pray for victory until you have it. Never back down from a fight against evil. Negotiation is not a viable tool in the wars on crime, terror, or genocide
more to learn for in-depth study: The children of Israel entered Egypt as Royal guests and were reduced to slavery. They left with the wealth of Egypt on their backs and went into the wilderness. Despite their complaining they were given victory after victory. In some cases God desired everything of an enemy destroyed and left behind. In most cases, when forced to fight, God gave them victory over the enemy people and possession of the wealth they left behind. After all this victory and taking all these spoils of war, Israel was rapidly becoming the riches nation on earth while still living a nomadic life of travel.
Fun Fact: Moses put a bronze snake on a pole so that people would be healed when they looked up to it. The modern symbol of medicine is a snake on a pole. Look for it on Doctor’s offices, Hospitals, Ambulances and other medical related items.
tomorrow: Numbers 22-24
God’s message to me: God knows me from birth to death from the very beginning. Aaron and Moses were told to speak to the rock and it would give water. Because they struck the rock instead they were denied entry to the promised land. Miriam's rebellions came earlier and she died in the wilderness. Aaron was the high priest. God warned Him and Moses when he would die so that The holy garments of the priesthood could be taken from him before they were made unclean in his death. His son was given the garments and made High priest before Aaron died so that they people would not be without their priests. (In His role as High Priest, Eleazar would not have been able to approach his fathers corpse or attend the funeral.)
Promises: God will give us victory over our enemies.
When Edom refused them passage Israel went around because Edom is the children of Esau and they are kin.
When the king of Arad came against them and took some of the Israelites captive they promised god they would utterly destroy them if He gave them victory. He told them to go ahead and they not only overcame the king of Arad and his army but they wiped out the kingdom and destroyed it’s possessions so that nothing was left behind.
The Amorites refused them passage and rather than just threatening as Edom did they attacked. God gave Israel the victory and they not only wiped out the Amorites but also took their land and cities as their own. The comfort of buildings and supplies that come with living in a city was afforded the Israelites by conquest rather than having to build their own and all because the king of the land attacked them when they asked to pass through without even asking for water on their journey.
When the king of Bashan came against them God said “Fear Not” and He would deliver them as He delivered the Amorites. Israel wiped out the people and took possession of their lands and buildings and supplies.
Commands: Do Not Be A Complainer. God gave the Israelites one thing after another. Freedom, Health, Food, Water and so on. They continued to complain, even after that proved to be a fatal mistake. The Lord sent snakes to bite them and cause death for their complaints. As noted in John chapter 3, His cure was prophetic. He had Moses make a bronze snake and put it on a pole so that people could look up to the snake and be cured of the snake poison. In the same way we look to the cross and believe in Christ to be saved from sin.
Timeless principles: Forget the odds, forget the dangers, forget what you think you know. Trust God in all things and you cannot lose when acting within His will.
How can I apply what I’ve learned: The idea of utter destruction seems wrong to the politically correct and modern mind. The problem is, that is human thinking and not of God. War is an undesirable thing which even Israel did not enter lightly. Then as now they made peaceful overtures first and resorted to warfare only when the opponent proved they were only interested in war.
Once engaged in war the only means to peace is total victory. As proven in many of our wars this doesn’t always mean killing everyone but, it does mean ending their ability and will to fight. Peace through victory has turned enemies into allies. Peace through negotiation has always resulted in renewed fighting when the sides were able to rebuild their strength. This is a lesson of history that is all to often ignored. There is always someone who thinks you can talk your way out of war. The Historical record shows this has NEVER happened.
Pray for peace until it proves impossible. Pray for victory until you have it. Never back down from a fight against evil. Negotiation is not a viable tool in the wars on crime, terror, or genocide
more to learn for in-depth study: The children of Israel entered Egypt as Royal guests and were reduced to slavery. They left with the wealth of Egypt on their backs and went into the wilderness. Despite their complaining they were given victory after victory. In some cases God desired everything of an enemy destroyed and left behind. In most cases, when forced to fight, God gave them victory over the enemy people and possession of the wealth they left behind. After all this victory and taking all these spoils of war, Israel was rapidly becoming the riches nation on earth while still living a nomadic life of travel.
Fun Fact: Moses put a bronze snake on a pole so that people would be healed when they looked up to it. The modern symbol of medicine is a snake on a pole. Look for it on Doctor’s offices, Hospitals, Ambulances and other medical related items.
tomorrow: Numbers 22-24
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Genesis chapters 32-34
God's Message to me: God will fulfill his promises more fully than you can imagine. Jacob would have been happy to come home in peace but God brought him home to find his brother happy to see him and welcoming him back with open arms.
Promises: If God says it you can depend on it. Jacob was protected and made to prosper on his journey and returned home safely and with such wealth that large gifts to his brother and the price of land for his new ranch were pocket change.
Commands: Trust and follow God's commands. Jacob didn't leave Laban until God told him to. When he did leave he left as one of the wealthiest men in the land.
Timeless principles: God will not let you down.
How can I apply what I've learned: Seek God's guidance and follow it when I find it. It does no good to search for truth if you choose to do your own thing anyway. People today place great stock in "situational ethics". They give lip service to the "timeless wisdom of the 10 commandments" but ignore them when the feel that they get in the way. If your going to make up the rules as your going along why learn them in the first place?
More to learn for in-depth study: It is interesting to note that Abraham, Isaac and Jacob all took precautions to ensure their safety and the safety of those around them. They did so despite promises from God that they would be protected. They were never rebuked for doing so. In point of fact this is a recurring theme through the entire bible and even Christ himself accepted that the better part of valor sometimes meant escaping to continue another day.
Throughout the bible our heroes have willingly given themselves into the hands of persecutors and killers when God's appointed time had come but, until they knew that was God's plan they made every effort to protect themselves and God prospered them for doing so.
We also see here that pre-marital sex was considered wrong long before the law of Moses. The son of the local ruler ignored that rule and violated Jacobs daughter. Had he come for marriage first it would not have been a violation, on the other hand, Jacob would probably have turned him away anyhow but, it would have been a lot less bloody.
This brings us to war. While Jacob may not have approved of the slaughter by two of his sons it seems clear to me that 2 young men with swords could not wipe out a city without the help of God. The fact that they had the swords in the first place shows the family was prepared for armed conflict. In fact, Abraham led a war against more than one city in order to free the people of Sodom and Gomorrah when they, along with his nephew, were taken as prisoners.
War is never pretty and rarely desirable but it is acceptable. God ordered many wars throughout the Old Testament. Some where surgical, taking out the fighting force but sparing the non combatants. Some where "all out" with orders to destroy everything and leave not even a memory of the enemy. It all depended on provocation and the record of the opponent.
Secondary thought: If God expects us to all live happily in poverty, why did He make so many biblical heroes rich? There is around 3 times as many verses on money management in the bible as there are verses on prayer. God expects you to be a good steward of your finances and, as in the parable of the servants and the talents, wise use which makes it grow will convince God to give much more into your stewardship. "you have been faithful in a little I will make you ruler over much." Jacob arrived with nothing and tended Labens flocks as carefully as if they were his own and ended his work with his uncle with great flocks of his own.
Promises: If God says it you can depend on it. Jacob was protected and made to prosper on his journey and returned home safely and with such wealth that large gifts to his brother and the price of land for his new ranch were pocket change.
Commands: Trust and follow God's commands. Jacob didn't leave Laban until God told him to. When he did leave he left as one of the wealthiest men in the land.
Timeless principles: God will not let you down.
How can I apply what I've learned: Seek God's guidance and follow it when I find it. It does no good to search for truth if you choose to do your own thing anyway. People today place great stock in "situational ethics". They give lip service to the "timeless wisdom of the 10 commandments" but ignore them when the feel that they get in the way. If your going to make up the rules as your going along why learn them in the first place?
More to learn for in-depth study: It is interesting to note that Abraham, Isaac and Jacob all took precautions to ensure their safety and the safety of those around them. They did so despite promises from God that they would be protected. They were never rebuked for doing so. In point of fact this is a recurring theme through the entire bible and even Christ himself accepted that the better part of valor sometimes meant escaping to continue another day.
Throughout the bible our heroes have willingly given themselves into the hands of persecutors and killers when God's appointed time had come but, until they knew that was God's plan they made every effort to protect themselves and God prospered them for doing so.
We also see here that pre-marital sex was considered wrong long before the law of Moses. The son of the local ruler ignored that rule and violated Jacobs daughter. Had he come for marriage first it would not have been a violation, on the other hand, Jacob would probably have turned him away anyhow but, it would have been a lot less bloody.
This brings us to war. While Jacob may not have approved of the slaughter by two of his sons it seems clear to me that 2 young men with swords could not wipe out a city without the help of God. The fact that they had the swords in the first place shows the family was prepared for armed conflict. In fact, Abraham led a war against more than one city in order to free the people of Sodom and Gomorrah when they, along with his nephew, were taken as prisoners.
War is never pretty and rarely desirable but it is acceptable. God ordered many wars throughout the Old Testament. Some where surgical, taking out the fighting force but sparing the non combatants. Some where "all out" with orders to destroy everything and leave not even a memory of the enemy. It all depended on provocation and the record of the opponent.
Secondary thought: If God expects us to all live happily in poverty, why did He make so many biblical heroes rich? There is around 3 times as many verses on money management in the bible as there are verses on prayer. God expects you to be a good steward of your finances and, as in the parable of the servants and the talents, wise use which makes it grow will convince God to give much more into your stewardship. "you have been faithful in a little I will make you ruler over much." Jacob arrived with nothing and tended Labens flocks as carefully as if they were his own and ended his work with his uncle with great flocks of his own.
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