Month: January 2025

It Is Not A Vain Thing

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And Moses came and spake all the words of this song in the ears of the people, he, and Hoshea the son of Nun.  And Moses made an end of speaking all these words to all Israel: and he said unto them, “Set your hearts unto all the words which I testify among you this day, which ye shall command your children to observe to do, all the words of this law.  For it is not a vain thing for you; because it is your life: and through this thing ye shall prolong your days in the land, whither ye go over Jordan to possess it.”
Deuteronomy 32:44-47

For some the reading, and study of the Scriptures (our Holy Bible) is a worthless, senseless waste of time. Some may feel; even though they profess to be a Christian; that they do not need to read and study God’s word. That seems kind of odd to me since the Bible is the largest selling book in the world.

What has this got to do with what Moses has written, by inspiration of the Holy Spirit, with the Christian of today?

First of all we need to know that Moses gave these words shortly before his death. Even though he had led the people of Israel for forty years through the wilderness, with great signs and wonders; he was not allowed to enter the land of  Promise, because of his actions at the waters from the rock of Meribah (Deuteronomy 32:51).

Secondly, Moses knew the people needed the words of the LORD in order to be faithful. They needed to know, and be reminded of the blessings of obedience, and the curses of disobedience.

So does the Christian need to know the word of God. So it is never a waste of time. It is never a vain thing. It is never a useless, worthless or empty thing to read, study, and know the word of God.

How will we, how can we stand before others, and tell others what makes a difference in our lives when they ask, if we do not know His word? How can we stand in a court of people, kings, and nations to defend our faith, and stand in the face of persecution? If we do not know the Lord’s words. Jesus said, “And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for My sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles. But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak.  For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you”  Matthew 10:18-20. How does that happen without the presence of the word of God being already in our hearts, and coming to our minds – the Holy Spirit, of course, in what we have already put within.

So never feel like the reading and study of the Bible, Old and New Testaments, are a waste of your time. It is a necessity for life, faith, and increasing your fruitfulness.

We will hide His word in our hearts that we might not sin against God (Psalm 119:11).

If you want to know the One true God, there is only one way, and that is through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Will you call on His name today?

Life and Death

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I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live: that thou mayest love the LORD thy God, and that thou mayest obey His voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto Him: for He is thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.
Deuteronomy 30:19-20

These final words of Deuteronomy 30 are written for the people of Israel when they are getting ready to enter the land of Canaan – the Promise Land. God has given to them His law, statutes, commandments, and He calls for their obedience to every one of them. They will have life if they obey Him. They will choose death if they  disobey Him.

Which do you choose today? Will you choose life, or will you choose death? That is right this is the message for today. The Apostle Paul has written what the Lord says, “For He saith, “I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee:” behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” Now is the day for your salvation.

When Jesus Christ came into the world, He came to fulfill the demands of the law, and He did. All the sacrifices, all the blood shed from bullocks, rams, lambs, goats were telling us about an ultimate sacrifice; that sacrifice of a perfect Lamb of God, His own Son who would be that Ultimate sacrifice for the sins of Adam kind – for me and for you.

Now, today you have a choice. You are already in the way of death if you have not received Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. You do not have to, you do not need to stay in death. When you call on the Lord Jesus for salvation, forgiveness and cleansing of all your sins, He will hear you, and through Him You will have eternal life.

I have chosen life over death. I want you to join me, so I can meet you in our eternal home with Jesus.

A Rebellious Son

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If a man have a stubborn and rebellious son, which will not obey the voice of his father, or the voice of his mother, and that, when they have chastened him, will not hearken unto them: then shall his father and his mother lay hold on him, and bring him out unto the elders of his city, and unto the gate of his place; and they shall say unto the elders of his city, “This our son is stubborn and rebellious, he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton, and a drunkard.”  And all the men of his city shall stone him with stones, that he die: so shalt thou put evil away from among you; and all Israel shall hear, and fear.
Deuteronomy 21:18-21

I have read this as many times as I have read through the Bible. That is probably forty plus times, and I do not remember ever making comments about it from the pulpit, or in a post on here. This is part of the Law of God.

I do not remember reading of any rebellious son where the parents actually had a rebellious son, and did as these verses tell us. This is the only place in the Bible where “Rebellious son” is even used. I say this only to point out, that I do not see too many, if any parents turning their son or daughter over to be stoned to death. The option to do so is there, if they reach a place of hopelessness for their child.

You will notice in the verses the father and the mother are the ones who bring the charges against the son, and the men in the city are to stone him to death.

Dealing with a rebellious son or daughter is often difficult, but many times when a parent turns that child over to the Lord, He has a way of reaching them, and turning them around.

We need to discipline our children, by teaching them of God – and show them you as a parent know and love the Lord. If your life as a parent does not match what you are saying, then you will certainly have problems. We also must discipline them when they do a wrong thing, such as when you tell a young child, “No!” and they go ahead and do what you told them not to do. Always let them know that you love them.

Be a parent. Some of the other children can be their friend(s). Being a friend to your child can take place when they are grown, and have a family of their own.

It is a great necessity that I remind you, that at one time, before we came to faith in Christ Jesus we were rebellious children, and worthy of death, but God loved us, and gave His own Son as a sacrifice for sin; “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”  Romans 5:8. Even after receiving Christ Jesus as Lord and Savior we are still rebellious to God’s way for us, and turn away from Him. We are foolish and think that we know better than God. When God chastens us, we need to be very grateful for His doing so. John the apostle said, “If we confess our sins, then He is faithful to forgive our sins, and cleanse from all unrighteousness” 1 John 1:9.

Are you being a rebellious child? Repent, and believe on the name of Jesus Christ.

The Prophet

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If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder, and the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, “Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them;” thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams: for the LORD your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul. Ye shall walk after the LORD your God, and fear Him, and keep His commandments, and obey His voice, and ye shall serve Him, and cleave unto Him. And that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams, shall be put to death; because he hath spoken to turn you away from the LORD your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed you out of the house of bondage, to thrust thee out of the way which the LORD thy God commanded thee to walk in. So shalt thou put the evil away from the midst of thee.
Deuteronomy 13:1-5

The people of God are given a method, a command, to recognize the true prophet of God from a wonder worker using magician tricks to deceive their listeners.

  1. First of all if that prophet tells them his dreams, and does wonders, and says, “It is okay to believe in other gods. Let us serve them.” He or she is a false prophet.
  2.  Second, if what he does in wonders and signs is used to lead God’s people away from the LORD, he is a false prophet.

Why does the Christian of today need to know this and practice what is taught here?

1. The Christian is commanded to love the LORD with all our hearts, with all our souls, with all our minds, and with all our strength. If we listen to and follow false teaching, then we are not keeping that commandment.

2. The Christian is taught to listen only to the word of God for Christian life and living, and not to follow a human being; because we fall too.

Are there false prophets in the world today? Yes, and there are plenty of them. They who teach that there are many ways to God, other than Christ Jesus – that is a false teaching, because Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life, no one comes to the Father, but by Me.” (John 14:6). Therefore they deny the very words of Jesus and do not believe Him, thus leading people away from the Truth.

In teaching that, also, they are saying that the cross of Jesus Christ, His death, burial, and resurrection is useless, and unnecessary. Any that teach praying to saints, or praying to anyone but God, or Jesus Christ is also a false teacher or prophet. Also anyone teaching that we are to love the people who are living a perverse lifestyle, same sex marriage, transgenderism, etc.., and tells us that loving them means accepting their perversity is a false prophet. That denies the holiness and righteousness, and justness of Holy God.

There are many false prophets in the world today, in the United States of America and the rest of the world. We heard one on the day of the Presidential Inauguration, when the president sat in a church and was very rudely, and with great disrespect to the office, chided  the president for his proposed policies on the so called LGBTQ people.

These are people who need to hear the truth about their life, and how they are living. God is not pleased. He cannot look upon iniquity, and anyone teaching such garbage is a liar, and does not know the truth.

GOD is holy. His people are to be holy. Do not let anyone lead you away from the truth of God’s word.

The way to life eternal, and living a holy life is in the righteousness of Jesus Christ who took our sins away by dying on the cross, and He was buried, and He rose from the dead. He became sin for us that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him (2 Corinthians 5:21).  He died for all who come to Him in repentance and faith in His finished work on the cross.

A Chosen People

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For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God: the LORD thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto Himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth. The LORD did not set His love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people: but because the LORD loved you, and because He would keep the oath which He had sworn unto your fathers, hath the LORD brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. Know therefore that the LORD thy God, He is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love Him and keep His commandments to a thousand generations; and repayeth them that hate Him to their face, to destroy them: He will not be slack to him that hateth Him, He will repay him to his face.  Thou shalt therefore keep the commandments, and the statutes, and the judgments, which I command thee this day, to do them.
Deuteronomy 7-11

They are called an “holy people” and a people who have been chosen to be a “special people unto Himself, above all people on the face of the earth.” What makes these people a special people? It is not because they are good, or holy, or righteous, or because they are worthy. It is because God says He loves them. Who are these people?

They are the descendants of  Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The people are not holy because they are good, but because they have been made so by God Himself. They are a people who that the LORD is their God. That He is the faithful God, and that He keeps His promises, and is merciful, and He loves all who keep His commandments. Who are these people?

They are the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. They are not special by their own works; they are special because the LORD keeps His promises, and He declares them a special people. God does not love them because they are worthy of His love; He loves them because He keeps His word.

Where does the Bride of Jesus Christ fit into this? We are part of the Body of Christ because we have been born again through faith in Christ Jesus, and His death on the cross of Calvary, His burial, and His resurrection. Jesus Christ is a descendant of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and through Him we are a special people, a holy people, “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.
1 Peter 2:9-10

We were not chosen because we were good, righteous, or holy. We were dying, condemned transgressors of the law of God, yet He loved us, and called unto Himself (Romans 5:8). We also keep His commandments, because we love Him; Jesus said, “If you love Me keep My commandments” (John 14:15).

There is a reason to fear what the end may be for one’s life. It is certain that you will die. It is just as sure and certain, that we will all, one day stand before the Lord, and will be judged by what we did with Jesus Christ. If you refuse Him you will spend eternity in Hell. If you believe Him, trusting in Him and loving Him with all your heart, with all your mind, with all your soul, and all your strength, then you will spend eternity with Jesus in Heaven.

Trust Him today, believe His word, His promises, and call on Him in repentance of sin.

To Be Alive

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But if ye will not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you; then it shall come to pass, that those which ye let remain of them shall be pricks in your eyes, and thorns in your sides, and shall vex you in the land wherein ye dwell. Moreover it shall come to pass, that I shall do unto you, as I thought to do unto them.
Numbers 33:55-56

As I was thinking about these verses I was reminded of Colossians 3:5, where the Apostle said, “Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry…”  The word “Mortify” means “to put to death,” and that is what a Christian is to do. Put the evil desires of the flesh to death.

In our text for today we have a warning from the LORD God through Moses, His faithful servant to drive out the inhabitants of the land. Now, remember God had promised this land, the land of Canaan to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. For four hundred plus years the children of Israel who is Jacob, were held captive as slaves to the Egyptians. Mean while the Canaanites were growing more and more vile and wicked refusing the love, mercy, and grace of the one true  God who created the heavens and the earth, and everything therein.

The children of Israel are nearing the time of going into this land that flowed with milk and honey.  I can understand why some people think God is cruel, mean, and offensive. He is not though. He tells  His people to cleanse the land. God is holy, and cannot look upon iniquity, and He was going to bless Israel for their obedience in purifying His land.

Now the comparison of Colossians 3:5; as Christians we are to die daily to self, and selfish interest. The Apostle even said, “I am crucified with Christ… “Galatians 2:20), and for the Christian that means we were as well if we are in Christ Jesus. Though we are Christians we still must fight the enemy. Our enemy is not people. Our enemy is the devil, and our own sin within. So the Christian life is a battle.

We are to drive out these lustful, selfish, covetous, rowdy desires, so that we might be better witnesses of Christ Jesus, our Lord and Savior. Even though we are saved from the penalty of sin, in our continued fighting against sin and evil within – which is our sanctification – we are being saved from the power of sin; and one day, when Jesus comes again we will be saved from the presence of sin – which is our glorification with Christ.

As long as we are living in this world, let us ever be faithful to drive out the enemy, and not let any of it remain within us.

The Prophet for Profit

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God is not a man, that He should lie; neither the son of man, that He should repent: hath He said, and shall He not do, or hath He spoken, and shall He not make it good?
Behold, I have received commandment to bless: and He hath blessed; and I cannot reverse it.

Numbers 23:19-20

These are the words from an oracle spoken by Balaam. Balaam was a sorcerer who sought economic gain for his prophecies. He was asked by many to curse or to bless. He knew that he could curse whom God had blessed; and neither could he bless whom God had cursed.

At the time Balaam said these words he was working for Balak the king of Moab. Balak had sent for the sorcerer to come and curse Israel. The Moabites greatly feared the massive number of these people who were traveling through the wilderness for these many years.

The words Balaam speaks are true. False prophets do not often speak the truth when they are being paid to curse or lead someone away from the truth. Here he speaks the truth; but it is not what is in his heart. He is not a prophet of the LORD God.

He is not a child of God. He is a child of the devil. I say that because his heart is still on being paid for his services. He does something that causes the people of Israel to sin against God, and causes a curse to be on them (Numbers 31:16).

We are warned of Balaam in the New Testament as well in 2 Peter 2:15; Jude 1:11; and The Revelation 2:14.

May we men who are called by God be always faithful to proclaim what God says. May we also be faithful when we are not paid to do so. Let us not be a Prophet for Profit. Let us neither seek to lead God’s people into sin. Neither should we trust in those who do not love God’s people.

We are to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ without fear or favor from any man, and to preach it without charge. Christ Jesus died on the cross in our stead, He was buried, and He rose again. He is also coming again. If you are not ready for His return you can get ready by praying, asking Him for forgiveness of your sins in repentance, believing on Him with all your heart.

In His Anger He Struck The Rock

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And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
“Take the rod, and gather thou the assembly together, thou, and Aaron thy brother, and speak ye unto the rock before their eyes; and it shall give forth his water, and thou shalt bring forth to them water out of the rock: so thou shalt give the congregation and their beasts drink.”
And Moses took the rod from before the LORD, as he commanded him.  And Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together before the rock, and he said unto them, “Hear now, ye rebels; must we fetch you water out of this rock?” And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he smote the rock twice: and the water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beasts also. And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron,
“Because ye believed Me not, to sanctify Me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them.”
Numbers 20:7-12

What did Moses do wrong? The people of the congregation of Israel came to Moses and Aaron complaining again of having no water to drink, for themselves or their animals. Of course water is a necessary element for living of anything on this earth that breathes air.

The people had already witnessed one other time when God provided water from the rock, and Moses was told by God to “Strike the rock,” and Moses did and water came from the stricken rock (Exodus 17:6). This time, however, God had said, “Speak to the rock,” and instead of speaking to the rock, Moses struck it twice; evidently in anger by the phrase He uses, “Hear now, you rebels…” I have a sneaking suspicion that Moses at that moment, in anger, had tunnel vision, and did not fully hear what God said, and remembering the last time he struck the rock, he did so again.

Anger can keep one from hearing God. Moses’s anger may have been justified, but was not good when he did not obey what God said.

I know what being angry and having tunnel vision is like. When I was a teenager we were at a cousins house, and the oldest boy in that family did something to me, while we were outside playing, that made me very angry. It was summer time, and in my anger all I could see while I was chasing him, was him; there was nothing else around me only my cousin in front of me. There was a pickup truck with a hay elevator laying over the tail gate of that pickup, sticking out six to eight feet out, and my cousin ran under that elevator. Well, with my eyes only on him I did not see the elevator, and I did not make the journey under the hay elevator. The elevator stopped at the bridge of my nose, and I went down. Today, I am very thankful for that elevator being there. My anger was not good. Neither is tunnel vision. To this very day I do not remember another time I have lost sight of what is around me.

Paul the apostle says that this rock is Christ (1 Corinthians 10:4). First the Rock was struck showing us that the Messiah who is Jesus Christ would be smitten. In the second event speaking to the rock was what GOD had told Moses to do, but he struck it not once, but twice, and Christ was to struck only  once, and then He can be spoken to.

Because of this event of anger the LORD tells Moses and Aaron that they will neither one enter the Promised Land. God tells them “Because you did not believe Me.” It is very important for the child of God to believe God, and believe His word. God’s word concerning Jesus Christ in the Old and the New Testaments is true. He tells us clearly that Jesus is His only begotten Son, whom He sent into the world to redeem all who would come to Him, and give them eternal life.

Jesus, the Rock, was stricken one time, dying on the cross, He was buried, and He rose again. Jesus told us, “I will come again, and receive you unto Myself…” (John 14:1-3). Are you ready? If not call on His name in repentance, and ask Him. He will hear, and He will deliver you from sin and death.

How Big Is GOD?

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And Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were of them that searched the land, rent their clothes: and they spake unto all the company of the children of Israel, saying, “The land, which we passed through to search it, is an exceeding good land.  If the LORD delight in us, then He will bring us into this land, and give it us; a land which floweth with milk and honey.  Only rebel not ye against the LORD, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defence is departed from them, and the LORD is with us: fear them not.”
Numbers 14:6-9

The title of this post is “How Big Is GOD?” He is as big as His word; in that not one word He has spoken will fail. He keeps His word.

Joshua and Caleb knew how big the LORD is. When they went with the other ten men to survey the land, and check it out they saw the Promised Land. The other ten saw trouble. Joshua and Caleb believed the LORD, and were full ready to go into the Promised Land. Their GOD, was a big GOD, fully able to conquer the people’s of Canaan.

Those of us who are in Christ Jesus we are not working for victory, but working in the victory Jesus Christ gave us in His death on the cross,  His burial, and resurrection. We know the enemy has already been defeated, so what do we have to fear. The victory is already ours

Do not rebel against the LORD, but believe Him and trust Him from the victory that is His. Do not look at how big the trouble, the problem, the sickness, or whatever you are facing is. Look at God, and remind your enemy how big God is.

Jesus Christ came in love, mercy, and grace to accomplish our salvation, by becoming sin for us that we might be made the righteousness of God, in Him. In becoming sin for us He died on the cross, being a perfect, sinless, sacrifice for sin. When He was dead they laid Him in a tomb, and three days later He walked out alive forever more. Believe Him and call on His name.

By Day, and By Night

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And on the day that the tabernacle was reared up the cloud covered the tabernacle, namely, the tent of the testimony: and at even there was upon the tabernacle as it were the appearance of fire, until the morning.  So it was alway: the cloud covered it by day, and the appearance of fire by night.
Numbers 9:15-16

The “Tent of the testimony” was completed, the priesthood, was consecrated  to the LORD. All had been done just as the LORD had commanded Moses. At the raising of the “Tent of the testimony” a powerful show of approval from God is seen by all the people.

The LORD God gives His approval by showing up in a cloud over the tent of testimony by day, and a fire by night. Both of these things rested on the tent showing the people of God’s powerful presence.

The cloud by day, and fire by night had been present when they were  fleeing from Egypt. Now the people can see that God is dwelling in their midst. They could know and say, “GOD is with us.” When the cloud or the fire would move from the tent, then the people knew it was time to move on. When the cloud and the fire stayed, even for a week, a month or a year, they would stay.

Today, the follower of Jesus Christ can know that “GOD is with us,” because we trust in the Son of God who is Jesus Christ, who is also Immanuel which means, “God with us.” When we called on the name of the Lord for our eternal salvation He gave us the Holy Spirit who is our earnest payment (2 Corinthians 5:5; Ephesians 1:14) for assurance of God’s presence in us, on us, and around us. He always leads us to continue in fellowship with Christ.

How do we stay in fellowship with Christ? First we must have the Holy Spirit, and be attentive to Him. He is present in the reading, study, and doing of the word of God. He is the One who guides us into all truth (John 16:13). We must have a heart and an ear for hearing the Spirit,  and following His lead. That comes by communicating with Christ Jesus through prayer, and hearing Him through His word; His commandments, statutes, His law, His judgments, His precepts, His total, and trustworthy word. God will do what He says He will do. Not one word will fail.

Are you in fellowship with God. I can tell you with full assurance that if you do not know Jesus Christ for who He is – the Christ, Son of the Living God – believing He died on the cross for you, was buried, and arose from the dead. That you are not in fellowship with God.

Call on the name of the Lord, believing Him, and He will hear you and deliver you from all your sins. Will you do that today?

Aid To The Brethren

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And if thy brother be waxen poor, and fallen in decay with thee; then thou shalt relieve him: yea, though he be a stranger, or a sojourner; that he may live with thee.  Take thou no usury of him, or increase: but fear thy God; that thy brother may live with thee.  Thou shalt not give him thy money upon usury, nor lend him thy victuals for increase. I am the LORD your God, which brought you forth out of the land of Egypt, to give you the land of Canaan, and to be your God.
Leviticus 25:35-38

The above verses were spoken by GOD to Moses concerning the time they would enter the Promised Land, and they were being blessed by the LORD. Of course it was somewhat applicable while they are wandering in the wilderness, but there they were all about in equal standing economically speaking.

It seems to me that this is good for the Body of Christ, the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ. Who is the LORD speaking of here? Those who are without economic blessing, and are poor money wise. There are may who we could honestly say are poor and have a hard time buying food they need for nourishment, and sustenance for life and living. The LORD is speaking to Moses of brethren who are of one of the tribes of Israel.

So in essence the first obligation we have in the Christian faith is not to food banks for the needy, but to our own brethren within the Church. We are responsible to help those within the Body of Christ who have  come on hard times.

In Jesus Christ, and being part of His royal family we are to take care of one another. To love one another, and help bear other’s heavy burdens, and to support the weak.

Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men. See that none render evil for evil unto any but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all.
1 Thessalonians 5:14-15

Let us be a witness to the world that they may know that we love the Lord, by our love for one another, and that would include showing our love to brothers and sisters in Christ.

By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
John 13:35

 

Biblical Sexual Morality

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Ye shall therefore keep My statutes and My judgments, and shall not commit any of these abominations; neither any of your own nation, nor any stranger that sojourneth among you:  (for all these abominations have the men of the land done, which were before you, and the land is defiled;) that the land spue not you out also, when ye defile it, as it spued out the nations that were before you.  For whosoever shall commit any of these abominations, even the souls that commit them shall be cut off from among their people.
Leviticus 18:26-29

All of Leviticus 18 deals with sexual morality. Most of the first part is dealing with family members, such as the wife of your father, the sister of your father or mother, etc..

We get a bit of a glimpse into why the LORD is blessing Israel with the land of Canaan; that it is because of hundreds of years – over four hundred – of gross immorality. Such as offering children to their gods, like Molech, Baal, and so forth. Apparently, they were also committing adultery with their neighbors, practicing homosexual behavior, and beastiality.

God calls His people to be holy, as He is holy; and they are to keep His commandments, and His statutes. He says, I am the LORD your God.

The people in the land of Canaan, the land promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, needed cleansing, and God was going to cleanse it with blood. God warns His people that if they turn away from Him, and commit these sinful, atrocities, against Him, then, they also will be driven from the land, that it might be cleansed.

God’s people, Christians today, need to practice the call to be pure, and clean sexually before the Lord, and the world.

We are to be different, live differently, and we too are called in God’s word to be holy because God is holy (1 Peter 1:16).

The way to holiness is by way of the faith of Jesus Christ. He died for us, becoming sin for us, and receiving the wrath of God; that was what I myself and you deserved; and died in our stead. He was buried, and He rose again. When we put our faith, and trust in Him He makes us righteous and holy before Him.

We are to hate evil in every form.  We first look inside of self, and hate our own to start with. As we draw nearer and nearer to God we begin to see our sin, and deal with that, and let God deal with other’s evil.

Do you know Jesus Christ? If not call out to Him in repentance, and faith, and He will hear you and give you eternal life.

Fire From God

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And Moses and Aaron went into the tabernacle of the congregation, and came out, and blessed the people: and the glory of the LORD appeared unto all the people.  And there came a fire out from before the LORD, and consumed upon the altar the burnt offering and the fat: which when all the people saw, they shouted, and fell on their faces.
Leviticus 9:23-24

A few years ago; maybe four or five; a pastor/evangelist friend of mine was preaching in a church for a revival service, and while he was preaching a bolt of lightening hit the church steeple, and it caught on fire. Some of us told him, joking like, that he had preached the fire of God down.

The good news concerning the church building is the fire department got there and was able to save the building.

Now to the verses above.

The event was the first of the burnt offerings offered by the Aaronic priesthood, and they had did all, built the tabernacle in accordance to God’s direction according to Moses. They had built  all the pieces of the furniture, utensils, and all that God had told Moses, just as he had been told by God. The priestly garments made as God had said. All that God had said for them to do they had done.

Now, was the day of reckoning. The sacrifices were to be offered, and they were offered according to the direction God had given, and “the glory of the LORD appeared to all the people,'” and the LORD answered with fire, consuming the offering on the altar. This was evidence of God’s approval. The reaction of the people was a proper one. They shouted, and fell on their faces in awe and worship of the LORD Most High.

Many Christians today, myself included, would like to see such a thing. It does every time a lost soul comes to faith in Jesus Christ. Do we realize what takes place when someone comes to Christ Jesus? That is the most awesome thing God does. To save a wretch like me from my sin is why Jesus came to earth to live with with us, and then to die for us – in our place.

I do not need to see fire come down from heaven to consume an offering. I want to see the fire of God’s word touch (Jeremiah 23:29) your heart convicting you that you also are a wretched sinner in need of a Savior, and that Savior is the one and only only begotten Son of God who is Jesus Christ.

God loved you so much He sent His only begotten Son, that whosoever ( that means you too) believes in Him should not perish, but will have eternal life.

 

Sin Against God, and Against A Neighbor

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And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
“If a soul sin, and commit a trespass against the LORD, and lie unto his neighbour in that which was delivered him to keep, or in fellowship, or in a thing taken away by violence, or hath deceived his neighbour; or have found that which was lost, and lieth concerning it, and sweareth falsely; in any of all these that a man doeth, sinning therein: then it shall be, because he hath sinned, and is guilty, that he shall restore that which he took violently away, or the thing which he hath deceitfully gotten, or that which was delivered him to keep, or the lost thing which he found, or all that about which he hath sworn falsely; he shall even restore it in the principal, and shall add the fifth part more thereto, and give it unto him to whom it appertaineth, in the day of his trespass offering. And he shall bring his trespass offering unto the LORD, a ram without blemish out of the flock, with thy estimation, for a trespass offering, unto the priest: and the priest shall make an atonement for him before the LORD: and it shall be forgiven him for any thing of all that he hath done in trespassing therein.”
Leviticus 6:1-7

Reading the first six chapters of Leviticus we read of the LORD speaking with Moses concerning sacrifices. Peace offerings, burnt offerings, sin offerings, and such.

In the above verses God speaks of sins against God and neighbor. If you were to look at the Ten Commandments you should notice they are divided into two categories; the first four are dealing with our fellowship with God, and the final six with our fellowship with our neighbor,

God speaks here of lying to and deceiving our neighbor. Trying to keep for self what belongs to the neighbor. That is a willful sin, and destroys relationships with family or a neighbor. Who is our neighbor? Anyone who is in need, and anyone you may meet. The woman at the checkout counter in the department store, grocery store, or convenience store. The individual you may have (God forbid) an car accident with is also your neighbor.

There is a good rule  for people even of 2025 to follow. If a person steals from the neighbor, and is guilty he is to restore such as he has stolen, and add a fifth or twenty percent to that theft. In other words if a man steals one hundred dollars, he is guilty and should pay back the hundred dollars plus twenty dollars more.

Being a sin against God as well as the neighbor requires a payment for sin. A blood sacrifice. The only blood that can take away sin and give us cleansing and forgiveness is the blood shed on Calvary’s cross, the cross of Jesus Christ. The one sacrifice that atones for sin. That is really what these blood sacrifices of Leviticus is all about.

The blood of goats, lambs and bulls cannot take away sin; they are only shadows of the one true sacrifice which is the life of Jesus Christ the Son of God (Read Hebrews 9). He died in our place taking the  wrath of God on Himself, having become sin for us that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.

The only place for forgiveness of sin is calling on the name of Jesus Christ asking forgiveness, and trusting His finished work. Do so today. It is the most important thing you can do in your life.

Glory On The House

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Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.  And Moses was not able to enter into the tent of the congregation, because the cloud abode thereon, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. And when the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the children of Israel went onward in all their journeys: but if the cloud were not taken up, then they journeyed not till the day that it was taken up. For the cloud of the LORD was upon the tabernacle by day, and fire was on it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel, throughout all their journeys.
Exodus 40:34-38

Moses had led the people of Israel at this point for about one year. Life in the wilderness was tough, rough, dry, and a learning experience for Moses and the people.

They had received the LORD’S Ten Commandments, and Moses had broken the stone tablets which the LORD had cut out and written with His own hand; and Moses had gone back to the top of Sinai, and cut the stone out at the LORD’S instruction, and then he was instructed to cut out the Ten Commandments, as the LORD gave them.

They had spent time, given offerings of gold, silver, brass, precious stones, blue, purple, and scarlet and linen, and other things for the building of a portable tabernacle in the wilderness.

The above verses tell us what happened after the tabernacle was finished, and at God’s instruction set up.

Moses cannot even enter it because the glory of GOD is on the house. He is well pleased with it.

What does all of this mean for a Christian in today’s world? It is for our learning, even our sanctification, and strengthening of our faith assuring us that God will do what He says He will do.

Everything about the tabernacle in the wilderness is a shadow, a type, a picture of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the sacrifice of His own blood for the redemption of all who will come to Him.

There is a problem though, in that, the way into the presence of the LORD is guarded by a veil. The veil was between the table, and  the lampstand (the Menorah), incense altar and the Ark of the covenant, and mercy seat which set on top.

In many years there was a temple built which was destroyed in Jerusalem, and rebuilt, and in the time of Jesus when He died on the cross we are told that the veil of the temple was torn apart from top to bottom according to Matthew 27:51, Mark 15:38, and Luke 23:45. Thus telling us that Jesus is the way into the presence and glory of God, and the promise of eternal life with Him.

Jesus’s death fulfilled all the law concerning atonement, redemption, and sanctification. In His burial He carried all our sins away and when He rose from the dead He defeated sin, death, and Hell.

Now what will you do with Jesus the Christ, the Son of the Living God, God the Living Son?

The Goodness, Mercy, and Grace of the LORD

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And He said, “I will make all My goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy.”  And He said, “Thou canst not see My face: for there shall no man see me, and live.”
Exodus 33:19-20

Moses had just asked the LORD, “Show me Your glory, ” and ends by tell us that no man can behold the face of the LORD, and live.

We read in verse 11 that Moses talked with God face to face, as with a friend, and we are told in the last verse of the chapter, “…but My face shall not be seen.” Seems like a contradiction, and I am not sure I can grasp the full meaning of that, but say,  when Moses was speaking to God face to face it was in a cloud, a veil or sorts, and when GOD shows Himself (His glory) there is no veil, but only His hand that guards Moses from death, and that Moses saw only the LORD’S back.

This revelation of Moses getting to view the glory of the LORD shows us that God is truly good, merciful, and gracious. It especially shows us that God can be seen.

God was seen by men when Jesus was on earth as a Man; God veiled by human flesh. Jesus Himself said, “If you have seen Me you have seen the Father” (John 14:9).

The LORD God will have mercy on whom He will have mercy; and He will be gracious to whom He will be gracious. I pray He will be merciful and gracious to you so that you will come to Him through His only begotten Son Jesus Christ who died on the cross for our sins, was buried, and He rose again. He also told us, “I will come again and receive you unto Myself that where I am there you may be also” (John 14:3).

Will you call on His name today?

According To The Pattern

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“…And let them make Me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them.  According to all that I shew thee, after the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all the instruments thereof, even so shall ye make it…”
Exodus 25:8-9

According to what pattern? The pattern from that which is in the presence of God in glory.

God has told Moses to receive an offering from the people in the wilderness. Those offerings are to consist of gold, silver, brass, precious stones, special materials, such as blue, purple, scarlet, and fine linen. It was also to include certain animal skins, oil, spices, and incense. As well as a few other items and a certain wood.

What is all of this about? It is God’s plan of salvation for His people. The plan has included blood sacrifices, of goats, and lambs, and bulls; even a red heifer. It comes from God’s pattern in glory. The earthly tabernacle was for God’s desire to dwell among His people. All of these shadows, types, and pictures are only likenesses of the true, which is in heaven. They all point to a Savior who will come several centuries later, and His name is Jesus.

The blood of goats, lambs, bulls, nor a red heifer can take away sin. The reason for daily sacrifices shows that, and the annual sacrifice on the day of Atonement needed repeated again and again, because they were still guilty of sin.

When Jesus came, sent from the Father as the “Only begotten Son of God,” then God was dwelling among His people. The religious leaders rejected Him; many of them did, and that led to the sacrifice of the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. His one sacrifice is sufficient to save all who will call on His name.

Hear what the writer of Hebrews says,

“Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, “See,” saith He, “that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount.” Hebrews 8:5

Christ Jesus is the One and only who can take away our sins. He has paid the sin debt that was owed to God the Father. The debt has been paid, and Jesus paid it with His life, giving His blood for our redemption.

Only one sacrifice. Only One Savior. His name is Jesus who is the Son of the Living God. Call on His name today and be delivered from the bondage of sin and darkness.

“You speak with us”

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And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they removed, and stood afar off.  And they said unto Moses, “Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die.”  And Moses said unto the people, “Fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that His fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not.”  And the people stood afar off, and Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God was.
Exodus 20:18-21

In order for the people to know and believe that Moses received the word from the LORD, God had instructed Moses to have the people come to the foot of the mountain called Sinai. They would not be allowed to come near  the place where God was, but near enough to hear the voice of the LORD.

In the reading of chapter 20 of Exodus the above verses follow the giving of God’s law called the Ten Commandments. They are given in the hearing of the people, and their response is given above.

The people see and feel the quaking, rumbling, and smokey mountain at the presence of the LORD, and are quite afraid.  They tell Moses, “You speak with us, and we will hear: but do not let God speak with us.” The people of God ought to want to hear the voice of the LORD.

We have people today who say they hear God’s voice, but much of what they say is contrary to the written word of God. God does not contradict Himself. Moses heard, listened, and heeded the word of the LORD. Moses went into the darkness where God was, and talked with Him.

I do not fully understand God being in the darkness, but this is not the only place where it speaks of His darkness. In Genesis 15:12 a “horrible great darkness” fell on Abraham from which God came and spoke to him.

First John 1:5 tells us that God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all. That may seem like a contradiction, but is more of a paradox that a contradiction. Meaning that darkness and light come along side one another to show the truth.

Because we humans are sinful beings God is unapproachable while we are in sin. God is light for those who come to Him through the death, burial, and resurrection of His Son Jesus Christ.

As Moses went into the darkness “where God was” is because he had already been with God before, and God had cleansed him, and provided his redemption.

One final thought: If you desire to hear the voice of the Lord, open the pages of God’s holy word – the Bible – and read it. Start with the Gospel of John, and there you will meet Jesus the Christ, Son of the Living God, who is God the Living Son.

The Great Work of the LORD

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Thus the LORD saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the sea shore.  And Israel saw that great work which the LORD did upon the Egyptians: and the people feared the LORD, and believed the LORD, and His servant Moses.
Exodus 14:30-31

The LORD who is the Almighty God, Creator of all that is; both seen and unseen is All Powerful. There is nothing too hard for God. With Him nothing shall be impossible.

In the above verses for today we find Israel out of Egypt, and the Egyptian army decimated, drowned in the Red Sea. Some may wonder, “Why would God destroy so many people?” and the answer to that is “That they might know that I am the LORD.”

At least  twice that phrase is used in chapters 11 through 16. Do you know that the LORD He is God, and that there is no other? One day you will. Either on this side of eternity or on the other side.

God has made a way for all who will come to Him, to come to Him through His Son Jesus Christ who paid the sin debt for all the world. Only those who believe Him can come to Him. Jesus died on Calvary’s cross taking the wrath of God for sin, becoming sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him (2 Corinthians 5:21), He was buried carrying all our sin, shame, condemnation, and guilt away, then, He arose and came out of the grave alive forever more, interceding for all who have come to Him at the Father’s right hand.

One day soon Jesus will return, and all who have come to Him will go and be with Him forever, and those who have not believed Him will stand before a great white throne and be judged according to their works, will be found guilty, and cast into the Lake of Fire.

Believe Him, and be saved. He has paid the price of your redemption.

That You May Know…

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And the LORD said unto Moses, “Go in unto Pharaoh: for I have hardened his heart, and the heart of his servants, that I might shew these my signs before him: and that thou mayest tell in the ears of thy son, and of thy son’s son, what things I have wrought in Egypt, and My signs which I have done among them; that ye may know how that I am the LORD.”
Exodus 10:1-2

The people who descended from Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob who had received promise from God that the land of Canaan was theirs have been in Egypt for about four hundred [400] years. Most of that time they have been slaves in the land they had gone to for aid during a very severe famine.

The people were laboring hard for their captors, building great pieces of architecture for them. According to the first chapter of Exodus they became slaves because a new king in Egypt did not know of Joseph, and greatly feared that these people could rise up against the nation, and conquer them.

There is a phrase in the verses above that is quite common through out the Scriptures. That phrase is, “…That you may know that I am the LORD.” The prophet Ezekiel uses the phrase at least sixty six [66] times. Here is Exodus it has been used three times at least referring to Egypt “that they may know that I am the LORD.” That gives me a lot of assurance that God desires the world to know that He is the LORD; and the One and only.

God speaking to and through Moses is assuring Moses and the people that what He is doing with these wonderful signs, judgment on Egypt is so that they too will know that He is the LORD.

God has shown us quite clearly in His word, in His love, mercy, and grace through the cross of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ that He is the LORD. Jesus  the One who is the God-Man; fully God and fully Man, had no sin, and was completely faithful to God His Father when He became flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:1-4, 14). He was fully qualified to be our propitiation for sin. He bore the wrath of God for us in His death, He was buried, and having paid our sin debt He arose and came out of the grave alive forever more. That we might know that He is the LORD.

Do All Those Wonders

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And the LORD said unto Moses, “When thou goest to return into Egypt, see that thou do all those wonders before Pharaoh, which I have put in thine hand: but I will harden his heart, that he shall not let the people go. And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, ‘Thus saith the LORD, ‘Israel is My son, even My firstborn: and I say unto thee, ‘Let my son go, that he may serve me:’ and if thou refuse to let him go, behold, I will slay thy son, even thy firstborn.’ ”
Exodus 4:21-23

When GOD sent Moses back to Egypt to deliver them from bondage, He gave him some signs; some wonders; that would get the attention of Pharaoh the king of Egypt, and all the Egyptian people.

Today, God equips His people with gifts of service for the saving of souls, delivering His people from the bondage of darkness, death, and sin. Since God calls His people to do His will He also gives us what we need to do the ministry He has given us.

It all comes because His Son Jesus Christ died on the cross for our sins, He was buried, and on the third day He rose again. When we through faith call on the name of the Lord He hears and will deliver all who call. When we have surrendered to His will for our lives He gives us what we need for serving Him.

He Believed God

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And Israel said unto Joseph, “Behold, I die: but God shall be with you, and bring you again unto the land of your fathers. Moreover I have given to thee one portion above thy brethren, which I took out of the hand of the Amorite with my sword and with my bow.”
Genesis 48:21-22

Jacob, now called “Israel” since his wrestling match with the LORD, is near death, and believes God’s word to him that they will not stay in Egypt too long.

O that Christians would believe what God says concerning Himself, the way we ought to live, pray, and tell the world about His marvelous mercy and grace. It is definitely displayed by God smiting His own Son on the cross, taking His life paying the sin debt we owed. Jesus was buried, and on the third day He rose from the dead triumphing over sin, death, and the grave.

Call on His name, the name of Jesus, and He will hear you and deliver you from sin and death.

He Was A Prosperous Man

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And Joseph was brought down to Egypt; and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him of the hands of the Ishmeelites, which had brought him down thither.  And the LORD was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian.  And his master saw that the LORD was with him, and that the LORD made all that he did to prosper in his hand.
Genesis 39:1-3

A Promise Of Almighty God

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And God appeared unto Jacob again, when he came out of Padanaram, and blessed him.  And God said unto him, “Thy name is Jacob: thy name shall not be called any more Jacob, but Israel shall be thy name:” and He called his name Israel.  And God said unto him, “I am God Almighty: be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall be of thee, and kings shall come out of thy loins; and the land which I gave Abraham and Isaac, to thee I will give it, and to thy seed after thee will I give the land.”  And God went up from him in the place where He talked with him.
Genesis 35:9-13

The Promised Son

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And Abraham was an hundred years old, when his son Isaac was born unto him.  And Sarah said, “God hath made me to laugh, so that all that hear will laugh with me.”  And she said, “Who would have said unto Abraham, that Sarah should have given children suck? For I have born him a son in his old age.”
Genesis 21:5-7