Understandable, But Not Justified

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Numbers 34-35; Deuteronomy 1

Moses was giving a history lesson. Most of his audience had not lived the entire wilderness-wandering years. God wanted them to understand what had led them here on the threshold of the Promised Land. (Educators; there is much to be said for teaching history as it happened, not as we wish it had happened.)

God thought it was important for them to understand why it had taken their ancestors 40 years to make an eleven day trip. So Moses aired all the dirty laundry.

One particularly dirty sock was 12 spies. I won’t retell the story, I hope you read it in Deuteronomy for yourselves. Just let me say the ten spies who came back with a frightening report had reason to be afraid.

The people WERE large, their cities WERE fortified. On the surface it looked like an impossible situation.

But here’s what they neglected to remember: God was on their side! Their fear might have been understandable. But it was not justified because Almighty God had already promised them the land.

Their focus on the negative resulted in a contagious fear that affected thousands of God’s people. They began to act like deer in headlights or chickens crying, “The sky is falling! The sky is falling!”

It was their refusal to trust God, who had proven His power and faithfulness repeatedly in dramatic fashion, starting with the exodus from Egypt.

Are you facing an impossible situation? Good! Review Moses’ history lesson and know that the same Almighty God has promised to fight with and for you. Learn to trust the One who is 100% trustworthy. Stop focusing on the negative and remember His promises to you will never fail!

Your fear and hesitation might be understandable. But hear me when I say it’s not justified if you are a child of Almighty God through the blood of Jesus.

If God is for (you), who can be against (you)? (Romans 8:31)

Your GPS

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Numbers 31-33

Do you use a GPS when you travel? Do you ever ignore the GPS when you travel? How does that work out for you? If your destination is your goal, you might do better following the directions. If the journey is your goal, you might enjoy a detour now and again. And if the journey is your goal, you might never reach your destination.

If I counted correctly, the Israelites picked up and moved 41 times from the day they left Egypt until they finally entered the Promised Land. I think I’ve moved ten times since college, and that seems like a lot. I can’t imagine moving on average once a year for forty years.

Looking at the map in my Study Bible I realize they definitely didn’t take the short, direct route. You might say they took the scenic route! Yes, they got to their destination. But if you read about those forty years, you know it cost them dearly. In fact, many of them never reached the destination at all.

My destination is heaven. My goal is a right relationship with God But I look back on my life and see that I, too, have not always taken the direct route. There were times I wandered in a wilderness of rebellion, just like the Israelites did. I’ve made detours, worshiped other gods, got lost… and it cost me.

God has given us a GPS. It’s called Scripture. The Bible can and does tell us the best route to take.

Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.” (Isaiah 31:21)

When you come up against a crossroad and you don’t know which way to go, listen for the voice of God who will speak His Words to you. If you are veering off the route, or if you take a wrong turn, a Scripture will come to mind telling you to “make a legal U-turn.” Or you will be reading the Bible, and the Holy Spirit will highlight the passage that will point you in the right direction, re-routing you toward your destination. God speaks through His written Word as clearly as that MapQuest voice in your car.

If you are a young person reading this, take it from one who has been young. Trust God. Obey Him. Let Him lead you. Resist the temptation to take a detour, or to figure out your own route. Your destination may be heaven, if you know Jesus as your Savior. But God has a route mapped out for you that is direct, blessed, and shared with HIm.

Don’t miss that! The years I spent in rebellion weren’t worth the cost. I wish you’d believe me. I don’t want you to make my mistakes.

To those of you no longer young: which route are you taking? It’s not too late to turn your life around, to re-route and obey God’s direction. Wilderness wandering is a waste of precious time.

You see, there is only one route to heaven. To ignore God’s GPS is foolishness, and will end in death. It doesn’t get more costly than that.

It’s so much better, the journey more enjoyable, the time more blessed following God’s GPS.

Makes Your Mouth Water

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Numbers 27-30

The burning meat on the altar of sacrifice was a sweet fragrance to God. Despite the stench of blood and guts, the smell of lamb or beef cooking over an open fire was pleasing to God. That mouth-watering aroma covered the ugliness of the dead animal used in the sacrifice.

We talked about this in Sunday School this past Sunday. As we read the Old Testament account of the required sacrifices, most if not all of us, have trouble getting over all that blood! And the feces, drying blood, the smell of death grosses me out! It did many of us in that room.

But Scripture tells us the smell of the sacrifice pleased God. And actually, I think it pleased everyone in Jerusalem as that smell permeated the air. Who doesn’t like the aroma of a barbecue? Makes your mouth water.

Our worship of God, offered with clean hearts and in humility is that same sweet fragrance to God. The stink of sin is covered with the unmistakable smell of devotion, surrender, complete trust, and repentance. God tells us He loves that smell!

So as you worship God today in your home, driving in your car, or this weekend standing with your church family, check your smell. Is your worship of God pure and offered according to His rules? Or are you trying to slip a bit of feces into your offering by holding onto a sin He has revealed to you?

I pray each of us will offer God our sacrifice of worship, with complete submission. May we bow to Him who demands to be worshiped, in such a way that our worship becomes a sweet aroma, pleasing to Him who deserves to be worshiped.

May we make God’s mouth water every day with our devotion and our worship.

What About Here?

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Numbers 23-26

How many times have I wanted God to DO something? I pray, but a door closes. I pray again, and His answer continues to be “No!”

So, I figure if I do something different, He’ll do what I want Him to do. I decide to go to church every Sunday instead of just occasionally. Maybe God will do what I’m asking from over here.

Again, the door I want open shuts in my face. So I decide to try something else. I write a bigger check and place it in the offering plate. Maybe God will answer me from here.

But when the answer is still “No!” I move on. I actually start inviting people to church. Surely God will do what I want from here.

Balak learned that no matter where you stand, if your request is a sin, God’s answer will be “No!”

Friend, if you think God’s not hearing you, even when you try to clean up your act thinking God will answer your prayer if you do, you might want to take a closer look at your request. God loves you enough not to give you permission to sin.

But if God’s “No” is a “Wait,” then trust Him. Give it to Him, then continue to serve Him out of love and in humility, believing He works all things for the good of we who love Him. Storm the throne of heaven with your request, if your request aligns with Scripture and is consistent with God’s character. Be patient for His will to be done.

Learn from Balak and Balaam. You can muster up all kinds of faith, you can say all the right words, and try to get to God from different angles in order to get Him to do what you want. But if your request is a sin, take the “No” as His love toward you. Because that’s what it is.

Don’t Say It

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Leviticus 10-13

Jealousy is a destructive emotion. Aaron and Miriam are jealous of Moses. But instead of dealing with their sin, they attacked Moses.

Deflect! Deflect! Deflect!

I think God would have us learn from their example. The next time we are tempted to criticize someone, or we feel the need to point out someone’s flaws, we need to do a heart-check. Is the problem really that they are sinning? Or is the problem that our own hearts are sinful?

Jealousy? Bitterness? Unforgiveness? What is it in us that wants to throw a bad light on someone else? If it’s sin, we need to confess it and repent of it.

Then, when we are tempted to say that cruel or judgmental word… don’t say it!

I Think We’ve Got It Wrong

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Numbers 4-9

Chapter 5 reminds me that God demands purity in His house. Those who were unclean were to be put out, removed “that they defile not their camps, in the midst where of I dwell.” (vs 3) It goes on to say when someone sins, “then they shall confess their sin which they have done…” (vs 7).

Now I know some will say these verses were about physical diseases and we shouldn’t put spiritual lessons into everything. And I would say your are wrong about that. 2 Timothy 3:16 tells me there is something to learn about our walk with the Lord in every verse of the Bible.

So considering how often God tells us to keep ourselves free from uncleanliness and those who would defile His dwelling place, I’m sorry but I think we need to stop inviting unsaved people to church. That is in direct opposition of what Scripture repeatedly tells us should be happening in God’s house. If we want God to be in the midst of our worship, we had better be a holy people unto the Lord. (Deuteronomy 14:2).

“Well,” you might say, “if only holy people can worship then there’d be no one in the pews.”

And there’s the problem. We have exchanged holiness for numbers. Our churches are social clubs and soup kitchens. We’ve got play grounds and polished performances, but we don’t even talk about holiness.

We approach worship like a sporting event. We want to have an experience instead of being cleansed. We open our arms in the name of inclusion, and welcome sinners into the fold. Instead of going and making disciples, we think an invitation to church is sufficient. It sure is easier.

Oh, Church – I think we’ve got it wrong.

Part of the Family

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Numbers 1-3

One thing I notice as I read these chapters is how God divided up the work between families, as well as individuals. Many, many people worked on many, many assignments so the people would be safe, the tabernacle would be moved and cared for efficiently, and worship would please God.

Did God include these repetitive details in His Word as an example to us in 2023?

I personally don’t believe God wrote anything in Scripture just so we’d have information. “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.” (1 Timothy 3:16)

So yes, I believe these details are carefully included in God’s Word to teach us something that will grow us today.

I think of my own church – and maybe yours. Is the pastor expected to carry the load of ministry by himself? There’s no way Moses could have carried the tabernacle by himself. It took hundreds of people to do that.

I think God would have us see ministry as a joint effort, not just the duty of one man, or a few faithful servants. As the Jews cared for the tabernacle, not everyone had the same responsibility. There was only one Moses. One Aaron. One Shimei. One Elizaphan. Hundreds of people assigned varying duties so the Lord’s work could be done efficiently.

So I ask myself – and you – how much of our churches’ ministry falls on the shoulders of the pastor? Now, as the shepherd I would expect him to tend to the flock, to serve with enthusiasm. It’s not an 8-5 kind of job. And because of that, are there people who do their own parts with enthusiasm, too?

Reading these chapters in Numbers reminds me how all of us, individually, have a vital role in the ministry of our churches. The question is, how are we doing?

Here’s a another point to ponder: God singled out families and gave them duties as well. Families!

Our church secretary and her teenage daughter serve together as greeters on Sunday mornings once a month, as does a young woman and her great-grandparents. Our music minister will occasionally pull his two sons together and use their God-given musical talent to sing a special song during worship.

Parents, I would encourage you to, yes, be an example to your children of what serving God in your local church looks like. But then include them when they are ready.

Years ago we had a pastor with a young son. The son had watched his dad greet people, shake hands with people, introduce himself to visitors every Sunday. Often you would see the shy youngster standing next to his dad, observing.

Then one Sunday before the morning service, I had no sooner sat down when the seven-year-old preacher’s son came over and offered his hand. I shook his hand, he said hello and told me he was glad I was there. Then he moved on to another person, then another person and repeated his sweet greeting.

I watched as he shook hands with dozens of people that morning. After that, you would often see him greeting people Sunday mornings, spreading the joy!

I’m thankful God gave us these details in Numbers, an example of what church ministry should look like. Let’s all ask ourselves what God would have us do to make our churches run smoothly so that the Gospel can go forth with power.

And parents, include your children. After all, they are part of the family!

God’s Character

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Leviticus 24-27

My Study Bible reminds me that, although these rules and regulations we read in Leviticus are no longer in effect because Jesus fulfilled them all once and for all, God has not changed. He is the same Holy God today that He was when He gave Moses the Law. We can learn a lot about God’s unchanging character as we read the book of Leviticus. Here’s what I see:

  1. God is holy, and demands holiness of His children. His law paints a picture of that holiness. He expects us to be separate from non-believers in our worship, in the way we conduct business, the way we treat others, and in our speech.
  2. God is patient – but not tolerant. He never winks at sin or condones it. He always – always – punishes sin. Just look at the cross where He punished His Son without mercy for sins He did not commit, to be the perfect substitute for sinful people who deserve to be punished without mercy.
  3. God is just. The regulations were the same for everyone, no matter their social or financial status in the community. The rules were the rules and didn’t change just because the people didn’t like them or were offended by them. In the New Testament we hear Jesus tell us that in order to be saved, we must believe on the Son. It’s the same for every human being. It’s the “whosoever” of John 3:16.
  4. God looks out for the underdog. Those who are blessed have a responsibility to help those who are struggling. This is NOT a picture of our present day welfare system that keeps people in poverty. God expects His people, when we see a need, to meet that need so the needy person can get back on his feet and get back to work to provide for his own needs and reach out to other needy people who need a hand. God’s regulations, if followed, would eliminate poverty. Jesus often reached out and touched the outcast, the “less than’s” of the world. We are called to do the same because God still looks out for the underdog.
  5. God blesses obedience. The rules were given so He COULD bless His children. They were given so His children could live freely, safely, and in harmony. The rules were not given to enslave the people, but to free them from slavery to sin.

I see in Leviticus a God who longs to bless His children. And I am reminded that God is love. He provided a way for us to fellowship with Him (even as sinful as we are). He provided that way first through the Law, then and finally, through His precious Son, Jesus. God’s greatest joy is the intimate relationship He has with His obedient children.

God’s unchanging character is revealed through what we read in Leviticus and reinforced throughout Scripture. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever: Holy, Just, Loving, Forgiving, Compassionate, and honest enough to tell us He demands the same of us. He blesses obedience according to His riches in glory. And he punishes disobedience without mercy.

This unchanging God, who demands the impossible of sinful people, made it possible for us to obey when He died on the cross and took the punishment for our sin without mercy.

We can rest assured that God isn’t going to change the rules. We can know without a doubt that He is true to His Word. His character is unchanging. And He wants to have a relationship with you.

Prepare To Meet Your Holy God

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Leviticus 10-12

I wonder if we would take worship more seriously if the sacrificial system was still required of us. I wonder if the fact that God is so accessible to His children today has made Him less holy in our minds.

The book of Leviticus is a detailed look at God’s requirements for worship. The Jews were required to pay careful attention as they not only worshiped God, but as they prepared for worship. The priests had very specific instructions for the fulfillment of their duties.

I wonder if we really understand what it means that Jesus fulfilled every detail of those requirements. He didn’t simply erase the necessity of them.

These days so much attention is focused on how worship looks, how it makes us feel. We are encouraged to have fun, to get something out of worship. Clap your hands! Smile! Come on, show some enthusiasm! Give God a hand!

But I am reminded how often demonstrations of worship made God angry, made Him want to vomit. Enthusiastic worship cost Uzzah his life as we read in 2 Samuel 6. Later, when David followed God’s instructions, the same demonstration of enthusiasm was accepted by God. The difference was obedience.

Here in Leviticus we read that Nadab and Abihu lost their lives trying to worship God on their own terms. We can demonstrate fire of the Holy Spirit without truly having the Holy Spirit. And that is a serious offense against God.

Worship has to be a connection between us and Holy God. My Life Application Study Bible has this to say:

“Similarly, we need to be prepared for worship. We cannot live any way we want during the week and then rush into God’s presence on Sunday. We should prepare ourselves through repentance, correction of error where possible, and thoughtful anticipation of what it will mean to be in God’s presence with other believers.” (Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.; Carol Stream, Illinois; 2007; p 210)

You can worship God with your head bowed, or your hands raised. And you can offend God with your head bowed, or your hands raised. The difference between worship God accepts and rejects is obedience. I guess I would encourage us to stop judging what someone’s worship looks like. You can’t judge someone’s heart, and that’s where worship happens.

So the next time you are privileged to join together for worship with other believers in God’s house – be prepared. The importance of that is a theme in Scripture. Prepare to meet your God with sins confessed and hearts cleansed by the blood of Jesus.

Prepare to meet your Holy God in worship.

True Justice

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Leviticus 2-5

A couple of things stood out to me today as I read these chapters in Leviticus. One is that no one was exempt from offering a sacrifice for sin. Offering a sacrifice was the ONLY way a person could be forgiven by God. No exceptions.

If a person was too poor to offer a lamb, or even a couple of birds, he could offer a handful of grain. Being poor did not give a person a free pass. And the poor person didn’t expect someone else to bring a sacrifice for him. A person’s offering had to cost that person something.

The truth we see here is that each of us has to bring our own sins to the foot of the cross. We are responsible for our own repentance, our own acknowledgment of sin, and our own offering of ourselves to God in order to be forgiven. No one can do that for us. Dealing with our sin is something between ourselves and God in a personal, intimate encounter. It’s the same for every human being.

The other thing that stood out is actually related to the first. It’s the fact that ignorance is not bliss. Someone who sinned without realizing that what he’d done was considered a sin, was still guilty of sin. There was no such thing as, “My bad!” to get off the hook.

Once an action was revealed as sin, the guilty party had to offer a sacrifice in order to be forgiven of that sinful action. That’s why I think we who know the Truth need to be calling sin sin, not choice, not a character flaw, not a mistake or shortcoming.

Sin is serious. The wages of sin is death. And the only way to escape that eternal separation from God is to humble ourselves at the foot of the cross, to accept His gift of grace; the forgiveness of our sin.

The requirements are the same if you sin knowingly or unknowingly, if you are wealthy or poor, Jewish or Protestant, American or Iraqi. That’s what makes God’s conditions fair for all of us.

There is perfect justice because God is perfectly just. There is one requirement all humans must meet in order to receive eternal life. Jesus met that requirement when he died on the cross, then came back to life three days later. He is the perfect sacrifice for my sin and yours.

And you and I are required by God’s Law to “believe in the Lord Jesus.” Jesus, the Messiah, eternal God in the flesh, the fulfillment of the Law, the only way, truth, and life, the perfect Lamb of God.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)

That’s true for every single person without exception. That’s true justice.