Verse for the Day, 12 December 2016.

Deuteronomy 2:7, “For the LORD your God has blessed you in all the work of your hands. He knows your going through this great wilderness. These forty years the LORD your God has been with you. You have lacked nothing.” (ESV)

As Moses continues to recount the journey from Egypt to the Promised Land, it is more than just a boring narrative. Rather it is the exciting account and testimony of God’s faithfulness towards His covenant people.

In verse 7 of this chapter, we see Moses declaring the faithfulness of God, and not just God’s faithfulness, but also how God has regarded and treated the people of Israel. Moses tells the people that God has blessed the work of their hands, from the work of building the tabernacle, to the work of trying to cultivate crops whilst on the move and growing their herds of livestock. But God’s blessing is more than just some distant charitable act of kindness. Moses states, “He knows your going…”. God is not distant and aloof, uncaring and dis-interested in His people. God is present, amongst, in the midst of His people. His knowledge is complete and intimate, He knows down to the finest detail the full extent of the people, the journey and the challenges that lie ahead for them.

God’s blessing and knowledge are good and encouraging, but do they abide, do they remain with God’s people, especially in the difficult times? How do we know that God will always know and will respond in faithfulness to bless us? Moses tells us, God has proved Himself to be steadfast, true and faithful through the past 40 years. In fact, such has been God’s faithfulness, blessing, knowledge, presence and provision, Moses can confidently declare that, “These forty years the LORD your God has been with you. You have lacked nothing.” We must agree with Moses here, as we can read through Exodus, Leviticus and Numbers, and there we see this to be true. The people of Israel have no reason to complain, nor to doubt God’s faithfulness and goodness towards them.

This reminder would have served to encourage this new generation as they stand on the brink of entering into a new land. They could go into the Promised Land with the assurance that God would continue to be faithful, He would be present, amongst them and because of this, God will not fail them, they will lack nothing.

It is so tragic to see and hear many Christians lamenting about all the things they don’t have, of all that they lack. There are many who call themselves Christians and yet they are discontent with that which God has given to them. It is equally heart-breaking to see Christians laid low in despair and fear, for they doubt God’s presence, knowledge and ability to help them, to provide for them in the midst of their trials and difficulties.

These words of Moses were true of the people of Israel, but how much more are they true of those who are true believers?

We who have placed our faith in Christ, not only receive these very same promises, but even more, for we are taught that if we have Christ, then we lack nothing, we have all things. Christ is quite literally everything.

We can also testify to the many ways and means that God has proved Himself true over this year. In just over three weeks we will be at the end of another year, and we have the joy of being able to look over the past 12 months and say, “Truly, I have lacked nothing.” God has blessed the work of our hands, He knowing our going in and going out, He has been with us through all our years and we lack nothing. When we look at and understand God as Moses does in this passage, our response will be that of humble gratitude, thanksgiving, strengthen trust and a stronger hope for the future. As long as we are His, we will lack no good thing.

Blessed, faithful, all-knowing and ever-present God, we thank You today that You never slumber nor sleep, but constantly watch over us. Thank You that You know our needs before we even know, and You are already at work making provision. Thank You that You know us, You know us completely and exhaustively. Thank You for the promise that we can rest in You and in the knowledge, that as we faithfully follow after you, we will lack nothing. May we learn to rest and trust in You more and more each day, and to give thanks for all Your goodness towards us. May You receive our thanks, praise and adoration. Amen.

Verse for the Day, 7 December 2016.

Deuteronomy 1:30-31, “The LORD your God who goes before you will himself fight for you, just as he did for you in Egypt before your eyes,  (31)  and in the wilderness, where you have seen how the LORD your God carried you, as a man carries his son, all the way that you went until you came to this place.'”

The first three chapters of Deuteronomy recount the journey of Israel from Horeb to the Promised Land. It doesn’t make for cheerful reading as it is largely a record of Israel’s many disobediences and rebellions. But interspersed in these chapters are bright rays of God and His goodness. One of these shining rays is found in Deuteronomy 1:30-31, and it paints an encouraging picture for us.

Here Moses is recounting the very worst rebellion of the Israelites, when they refused to enter into the Promised Land. It is one of the most tragic moments in the Scriptures, and a rebellion that has no genuine truth or justification for it. Had it been a long, hard and difficult struggle for the people to get to this point, or had they been already laid-low by constant conflict and therefore, few in number, with many weak and injured. Had God told them they had to go it alone, or had failed them repeatedly. Had any of these been true, then perhaps we could understand why they rebelled.

But the reality is they had no reason to rebel. As we read through this first chapter of Deuteronomy, Moses doesn’t just recount the failing of the people, he also recounts the faithfulness of God. In verse 10, we read of how God has prospered the nation, they were now “as numerous as the stars of heaven.” They were no small nation of people, in fact even when they were still in Egypt, the Egyptians were afraid of the possible ramifications of a complete Israelites coup against them. Furthermore, in verse 33, Moses reminds them of God’s constant presence with them, the “fire by night and in the cloud by day.”

As encouraging as these truths of God’s prospering and presence are, the greatest of encouragements in found in verses 30-31. It is God’s omnipotent protection and sovereign will. We are given the picture of a father carrying his young son. The father is bearing the full load, weight and responsibility, he is doing the work, he is the one upon whom all things depend. As for the young boy, he is simply called to hold on to his father and trust in him. Such was God’s goodness towards the people of Israel. They could never by means of their own efforts escape Egypt, cross the Red sea and get to the Promised Land with such ease and in such strength. God has carried them, God had done everything for them. All He has required of them was to trust obediently in Him. The fact was that God had made a promise to them, a covenant promise, and nothing would hinder Him from making certain that this promise was fulfilled, even if He had to literally pick up and carry the entire nation the whole way and do all the work. His promise, His sovereign plan was going to be accomplished. In the light of such a God, what are a few fortified city, or firesome armies? They are nothing, and shall be brought down, conquered just as the Egyptian army had been. There rebellion had no grounds, rather they rebelled because they forgot who God is and what He promised. They rebelled because they failed to remember God was carrying them, and thus they were overcome with fear. They let go of the Father, stop depending upon Him, squirmed out of his arms in their rebellion and fell to the ground.

For us who are believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, this wonderful God, is not just our God, He is also our Father and Saviour. He promises not just to carry us, He has also promised to keep us in the palm of His hand, He has promised that nothing will be able to separate us from His love and that He will bring us into His kingdom. Our God carries, holds, provides, protects and keeps us, firmly, safely and for eternity. This is the hope and confidence of the believer. And it is in this hope that we can rejoice, for what is there that can take us out of God’s hand? Let us give thanks to God this day, for the security and assurance we have. Let us give thanks that whilst the future is unknown to us, He knows it and He will carry, hold and keep us through it all. Let us learn to trust and depend upon our Father and God all the more, turning away from human wisdom, or the fears of this life. Our God is the faithful, omnipotent, sovereign God, and He will not fail to be such a God towards us, even when we face our greatest, darkest fears.

Unfailing, powerful, sovereign Father, we worship You for the love which You have lavished upon us. How we thank You, that You are carrying us, holding us, keeping us in Your hand. Thank You that You are the one doing all the work, especially the works we could never do. Thank You for redeeming us and for giving us the sure and certain hope of eternity with You. By the aid and strengthening of Your Spirit, help us to rest and depend upon You at all times and for all things. Amen.

Verse for the Day, 5 December 2016.

Numbers 36:13, “These are the commandments and the rules that the LORD commanded through Moses to the people of Israel in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho.” (ESV)

We have come to the end of the book of Numbers. This book serves as a summary of the Exodus journey, covering some 40 years. In the course of the book hundreds of thousands of Israelites have died because of their rebellion against God. As this generation died, so a new generation was born and it is they who are now about to enter the land, promised to their parents.

Numbers has its high points, but it also has tragically low points which have deadly consequences. As we leave this book, we need to take note of the key truths that we must learn and apply to our lives, or we shall be no better than the rebellious generation of Israel.

As with Exodus and Leviticus, Numbers continues to highlight the holiness of God, the importance of obedience and faithfulness towards God, as well as the consequences for disobedience. We are shown what a nation can accomplish when it is obedient to God, and what happens to a nation when it rebels against God. The tragic account of Numbers 13 and the great rebellion of the nation serves as a powerful example of man’s collective disobedience.

But it is not just large scale rebellion and disobediences that we observe in Numbers, there are also individual people who rebel, with equally serious consequences. Aaron, Miriam, Korah and his sons, serve as examples for us to learn from, should we allow our pride to get the better of us and lead us into arrogance. It is tragic to see how these individuals thought more highly of themselves than they should have. They relied upon their own wisdom and efforts and trusted in their strength. It is always a dangerous thing to underestimate God’s wisdom, will, holiness, knowledge, power and strength. The truth that comes out loud and clear is, anyone who opposes God will fall.

On the positive side, Numbers reminds us of God’s wonderful and unchanging character. Through the account of Balaam, we are reminded of the truth of God’s sovereignty, and the reality that God’s purposes will always stand. Those whom God has blessed, cannot be cursed by man. God’s long-suffering patience, kindness, mercy and forgiveness are seen in every chapter, as the people of Israel constantly test Him. If God was anything less than what the Scripture tells us He is, the book of Numbers would not have 36 chapters, it would only have one, and it would record the complete destruction and annihilation of the Israelites. Thus, Numbers is a book that speaks of the mercy, patience, faithfulness and love, not of man, but of God.

Therefore, Numbers is a Christ-centred, Gospel-saturated book. We are given a very clear picture of God’s holiness, and man’s sinfulness. The extent of man’s sinfulness, its persistence and hold upon our lives is undeniable and something from which we cannot free ourselves. The extent of God’s holiness, truth, righteousness and justice are equally clear to see and how God responds to our sinful state leaves us with no doubt as to what will become of us because of our sinfulness.

But in the midst of our sinfulness, rebellion, bondage and disobedience, comes God’s patience, mercy, grace and willingness to forgive and redeem. This is pictured for us on multiple occasions, but probably the greatest of all is the bronze serpent in Numbers 21. This event is even referenced by Christ, John 3:14-15, “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.” (ESV)

The Gospel message in Numbers is clear; God is sovereign, holy, righteous, true and just, but mankind is sinful, a rebel and therefore under God’s wrath. However, God is merciful and will forgive those who seek Him with a humble and repentant heart. God has provided redemption through the Passover Lamb, through the One who is lifted up, the Lord Jesus Christ, and all who look to and trust in Him, will be saved.

Our holy, sovereign, righteous, true and just God, we thank You for Your mercy, patience and grace towards us. We confess that we are rebels, disobedient towards You and held in bondage by our sin, deserving of Your eternal judgement. How we adore You for not leaving us in this state, but acting in love so as to redeem us. Thank You for the Lord Jesus Christ, who was lifted up to die for our sake. Thank You for the promise of Your Word, that if we look upon Christ in faith, You will save us. We thank You for this book of Numbers for the truths that it teaches us, and for pointing us once more to our great God and Saviour. May You receive the glory, honour and the highest praise. Amen