Posts filed under ‘Judaism’
1 Samuel 15 To Obey Is Better Than Sacrifice
Is that sad or what? Imagine being Saul and hearing those words. Tragic. However, we need to read those words and also take them to our own hearts. We think that because we do things that are sacrificial, God is pleased. Ultimately, God wants our obedience. Samuel says “to obey is better than sacrifice…” This means to obey from the heart. We are to do all that the Lord requires of us. This is essentially what we are promising to do when we become Christians in the first place. God wants our obedience and He wants to see it from our hearts, doesn’t He? We all know this is true, but it is difficult to follow through at times.
Dagon is No Match for Yahweh in 1 Samuel 5
It amazes me how often God has proven Himself over the centuries, yet people fail to see it. They fail to recognize Him, His sovereignty, and His authority over all. When faced with the conclusion that God of Israel was far greater than Dagon, the false god of the Philistines, those people simply did what they could to get rid of the artifact that God had chosen to represent His judgment, the Ark. Though they knew the Ark was a problem for them, the Philistines did not go to the natural conclusion of thinking that the God of Israel might also be the only God they should worship. No, they’d keep their inferior god, Dagon, even though they had to carry him around, lift him into place and never saw any sign from him that he cared for the Philistines. In effect, Dagon was powerless, yet they persisted in worshiping him.
The Ups and Downs of Israel in Judges
Whose fault is this? Why did this new generation of Israelites grow up without knowing about God Himself or the things that He had done for Israel?! It is solely because parents did not instruct their children in this. If parents did not pass this wonderful information onto their children, how would the children have known? They couldn’t possibly know. This also tells us how lax the nation of Israel had become regarding the Law of God and the sacrifices. It appears there was a large vacuum where God was concerned in the very nation He created.
Joshua Calls Israelites on Failure to Obey
As Christians, we have something the Israelites did not have. We have the Holy Spirit living within us. He seals us unto the day of redemption and nothing can break that seal, not even our puny “free will” (Ephesians 4:30). God the Holy Spirit also empowers us to live a life whereby our words, thoughts, and actions bring great glory to God. Would you agree with me that even with the Holy Spirit within us, it is often difficult to live the life that God requires? Yet, we must persevere. As Paul says, we must work out our salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12). Of course, Paul is not saying we must work for our salvation. He is saying we must work or cooperate with God as His character is being formed in us in this life. The results of our salvation are what need to work out in and through us. It is a process called sanctification that must happen for each and every Christian.
Joshua 1 and Israel’s Empty Promise of Obedience
The difference between Matthew 7 and 25 is no real difference at all. It’s two sides to the same coin. The only people who will get into heaven are those who exercise faith in Christ and His redemption on our behalf. Those individuals will – to some degree in this life – exhibit works that stem from the faith they have in Jesus. The people who have been playing at religion by doing those things that appear to be good and righteous but do not have the requisite faith in Christ, will not gain access to heaven. It’s really that simple.
Prophets and Dreamers from Deuteronomy
So we learn that there are two categories of false prophets/dreamers. The first in Deuteronomy 13 is the one whose prophesies come to pass but his intent is to drag people away from the living God to error by worshiping other false gods. The second in Deuteronomy 18 speaks of the false prophet who prophesies falsely – what he declares simply does not come to pass. In both cases, we are to avoid that person. We should “mark” them in our minds – make a strong mental note about them – and warn others as well. If we warn others and they do not heed our warning, it is on them.
Donald Trump, the Bible, and the End Times, Pt 2
In spite of all the good that might be accomplished under Trump that could have long-lasting effects for America and the world, the reality is that whatever Trump is able to accomplish may inadvertently create a strong foundation for the coming world unification. We are talking about a financial reset, a new global currency, the appearance of peace throughout much of the world, and a new day of what many might consider to be their longed-for Utopia.
Deuteronomy is Moses’ Swansong
This is a great time for us to reflect on this area of idolatry. Most people today do not bow down before graven images. We don’t have shrines in our homes and I’m referring to Christians here. I know that those within Buddhism, and other Eastern religions often have some form of shrine in their home or around their home. Moses told the people to not make any type of image of anything that might tempt the people to worship it. This is anathema to God because He alone is to be worshiped.
Continue Reading February 22, 2018 at 9:35 AM Leave a comment
Numbers 15 – Sabbath Breaker Stoned
We have laws for the benefit of all in society. Justice is supposed to be blind, but too often, it has been overruled by the rich and powerful, who work for outside influences. The tide needs to turn back to the rule of law as outlined by the Constitution of the United States of America.
Numbers 10 through 14: Complain, Complain, Complain
God basically gave Aaron and Miriam a good talking to and explained that He reveals Himself to whomsoever He wills. In the case of Moses, God assured the two that He spoke to Moses as one many speaks to another. Basically, God was telling Miriam and Aaron to mind their own business and stop questioning Moses or God. When God left their presence, Miriam had become leprous. Aaron was unaffected. I’m going to assume this was so because Miriam might have been the instigator here. Maybe she had become jealous of Moses and his new wife. Even though Miriam was Moses’ sister, she may have taken a less important role after Moses remarried. This could have been the reason. Aaron obviously had concerns or he would not have joined with Miriam, but it’s possible that like Eve, Miriam brought out his desires into the open, whereby he sinned. In the end, they both learned a very valuable lesson.
