Key verses
Romans 16:25-27 - "Now to him who is able to establish you by my gospel and the
proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery
hidden for long ages past, but
now revealed and made known through the prophetic writings by the
command of the eternal God, so that all nations might believe and obey
him— to the only wise God be glory forever through Jesus Christ! Amen."
Deuteronomy
What a guy! Moses had a super productive life, and to top it off, he died well. His strength wasn't gone, and his eyes were still good. He just walked into the mountains and died. He was so well respected and the Israelites grieved his going for a while, and no one after him compared to his godliness.
I've been reading The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey lately, and one of the habits is to begin with the end in mind. Ultimately, we should have in mind what kind of legacy we want to leave behind when we die, and what we want people to think of us when we're gone. And then, we take that idea or legacy, and work toward achieving it. I want to be respected, and be considered by God as a good and faithful servant, such as Moses. Think about what you want to achieve, consider whether it's worthwhile, and work toward it!
Showing posts with label Moses. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Moses. Show all posts
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Monday, February 7, 2011
Water from the rock
Numbers
And just like that, Moses and Aaron, the leaders of Israel, were not allowed to enter the promised land. Numbers 20 tells us the second story of the water from the rock. Moses and Aaron were to go to the rock and Moses was to speak to it, and water would come out so the people could drink. But when they got to the rock, Moses was too angry to speak to it, and just struck the rock (like he was commanded to a while back the first time God made water come from the rock). Because Moses and Aaron didn't have enough trust in God, they were no longer able to enter the promised land.
Let that be a lesson to us. Sometimes what God asks us to do seems so lame, or we think we have a better way to do it. But God's way really is the better way, and if we don't go his way, then we're missing out on an important lesson or a great blessing.
And just like that, Moses and Aaron, the leaders of Israel, were not allowed to enter the promised land. Numbers 20 tells us the second story of the water from the rock. Moses and Aaron were to go to the rock and Moses was to speak to it, and water would come out so the people could drink. But when they got to the rock, Moses was too angry to speak to it, and just struck the rock (like he was commanded to a while back the first time God made water come from the rock). Because Moses and Aaron didn't have enough trust in God, they were no longer able to enter the promised land.
Let that be a lesson to us. Sometimes what God asks us to do seems so lame, or we think we have a better way to do it. But God's way really is the better way, and if we don't go his way, then we're missing out on an important lesson or a great blessing.
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Breaking the Sabbath
Key verse
Romans 5:19 - For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.
Numbers/Matthew
I would have liked more information about the man who broke the Sabbath (see Numbers 15:32-36). He was gathering wood on the Sabbath, and those who found him brought him to Moses and Aaron, and he was stoned to death outside the camp, on God's orders. Was it because he didn't trust God to provide the wood after the Sabbath, or he hadn't thought of God's day the day before, so he was had to gather wood on the Sabbath? The story doesn't offer many details, and I'm left hoping that God didn't just have him stoned out of an unintentional sin. But here is where we have to go on faith that God is gracious and compassionate and has proven himself to be such time and again.
In some ways, it is easy to see how the Pharisees became so focused on the letter of the law (see Matthew 23:23). Looking at stories like this one from Numbers could lead them to think that breaking the Sabbath by doing any work is completely out of the question, or else you'll suffer the consequences. But Jesus had the right attitude - it's not the outward appearance, but what's going on in the heart that God really looks at, so that is what we must focus on.
Romans 5:19 - For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.
Numbers/Matthew
I would have liked more information about the man who broke the Sabbath (see Numbers 15:32-36). He was gathering wood on the Sabbath, and those who found him brought him to Moses and Aaron, and he was stoned to death outside the camp, on God's orders. Was it because he didn't trust God to provide the wood after the Sabbath, or he hadn't thought of God's day the day before, so he was had to gather wood on the Sabbath? The story doesn't offer many details, and I'm left hoping that God didn't just have him stoned out of an unintentional sin. But here is where we have to go on faith that God is gracious and compassionate and has proven himself to be such time and again.
In some ways, it is easy to see how the Pharisees became so focused on the letter of the law (see Matthew 23:23). Looking at stories like this one from Numbers could lead them to think that breaking the Sabbath by doing any work is completely out of the question, or else you'll suffer the consequences. But Jesus had the right attitude - it's not the outward appearance, but what's going on in the heart that God really looks at, so that is what we must focus on.
Sunday, January 9, 2011
God almost killed Moses
Key verses
Matthew 10:29-31 - Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
Exodus
It's a good thing that God had a pharaoh come in that didn't know Joseph, or else the Israelites may have stayed there forever in peace with the Egyptians and not shone as a light to all nations.
Exodus 4:24 intrigued me because we just read about God being friendly to Moses, talking to him and giving him a mission to carry out, and then in verse 24, God is about to kill Moses, but Zipporah intervenes. I read a few commentaries online, and Wesley's notes interested me the most, largely because of the way he phrased his statement regarding the relationship between God and Moses [see bolded part below].
"It seems the sin of Moses, was neglecting to circumcise his son, which perhaps was the effect of his being unequally yoked with a Midianite, who was too indulgent of her child, and Moses so of her. The Lord met him, and, probably, by a sword in an angel's hand, sought to kill him - This was a great change. Very lately God was conversing with him as a friend, and now coming forth against him as an enemy. In this case of necessity Zipporah herself circumcised the child without delay; whether with passionate words, expressing the dislike of the ordinance itself, or at least the administration of it to so young a child."
Matthew 10:29-31 - Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
Exodus
It's a good thing that God had a pharaoh come in that didn't know Joseph, or else the Israelites may have stayed there forever in peace with the Egyptians and not shone as a light to all nations.
Exodus 4:24 intrigued me because we just read about God being friendly to Moses, talking to him and giving him a mission to carry out, and then in verse 24, God is about to kill Moses, but Zipporah intervenes. I read a few commentaries online, and Wesley's notes interested me the most, largely because of the way he phrased his statement regarding the relationship between God and Moses [see bolded part below].
"It seems the sin of Moses, was neglecting to circumcise his son, which perhaps was the effect of his being unequally yoked with a Midianite, who was too indulgent of her child, and Moses so of her. The Lord met him, and, probably, by a sword in an angel's hand, sought to kill him - This was a great change. Very lately God was conversing with him as a friend, and now coming forth against him as an enemy. In this case of necessity Zipporah herself circumcised the child without delay; whether with passionate words, expressing the dislike of the ordinance itself, or at least the administration of it to so young a child."
Friday, January 7, 2011
The 12 tribes of Israel, and Paul and Barnabas
Key verses
Matthew 9:37-38 - Then he [Jesus] said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field."
Genesis
Another curious reading in Genesis - today we find out that Manasseh and Ephraim are adopted by Jacob as his two sons. This got me thinking about the 12 tribes of Israel, because Jacob already had 12 sons, and I knew that these two sons of Joseph figured in there somewhere. After some digging, I got to Numbers 34. Here God tells Moses which people will assign the inheritance of land to the tribes. Reuben and Joseph are not mentioned, and Joseph's first two sons are. If you want to read an outside article on this, check out http://www.gotquestions.org/twelve-tribes-Israel.html.
Acts
What a perfect story to demonstrate mob mentality. In Acts 14, we read about Paul and Barnabas' ministry in Lystra. They healed a crippled man and the crowd thought they were Hermes and Zeus, which both Paul and Barnabas quickly denied. Here they are cheering Paul and Barnabas, and then a couple verses later, the Jews from Antioch and Iconium come around and persuade the crowd over to their side (which is against Paul and Barnabas' Messianic message), and the crowd goes from cheering for these two to nearly killing Paul by stoning him! You've got to have a tough hide to be a missionary.
Matthew 9:37-38 - Then he [Jesus] said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field."
Genesis
Another curious reading in Genesis - today we find out that Manasseh and Ephraim are adopted by Jacob as his two sons. This got me thinking about the 12 tribes of Israel, because Jacob already had 12 sons, and I knew that these two sons of Joseph figured in there somewhere. After some digging, I got to Numbers 34. Here God tells Moses which people will assign the inheritance of land to the tribes. Reuben and Joseph are not mentioned, and Joseph's first two sons are. If you want to read an outside article on this, check out http://www.gotquestions.org/twelve-tribes-Israel.html.
Acts
What a perfect story to demonstrate mob mentality. In Acts 14, we read about Paul and Barnabas' ministry in Lystra. They healed a crippled man and the crowd thought they were Hermes and Zeus, which both Paul and Barnabas quickly denied. Here they are cheering Paul and Barnabas, and then a couple verses later, the Jews from Antioch and Iconium come around and persuade the crowd over to their side (which is against Paul and Barnabas' Messianic message), and the crowd goes from cheering for these two to nearly killing Paul by stoning him! You've got to have a tough hide to be a missionary.
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