Burunche’s Blog

Genesis 3: 21Also for Adam and his wife the Lord God made tunics of skin, and clothed them.

Adam and Eve have sinned, eating forbidden fruit that gives them the knowledge of good and evil. Before this, there was only good; however, now after making this first disobedient choice, they can choose to continue to disobey, doing evil. Now that God is evicting Adam and Eve from Eden, they need protective clothing and God makes tunics of skin, presumably animal skin, indicating that some animals have had to die. Even if God simply has caused the animals to fall asleep and cease breathing, these deaths are still a form of sacrifice.

Genesis 4:1-2 Adam slept with Eve his wife. She conceived and had Cain. She said, “I’ve gotten a man, with God’s help!” Then she had another baby, Abel. Abel was a herdsman and Cain a farmer.

3-5 Time passed. Cain brought an offering to God from the produce of his farm. Abel also brought an offering, but from the firstborn animals of his herd, choice cuts of meat. God liked Abel and his offering, but Cain and his offering didn’t get his approval. Cain lost his temper and went into a sulk.

6-7 God spoke to Cain: “Why this tantrum? Why the sulking? If you do well, won’t you be accepted? And if you don’t do well, sin is lying in wait for you, ready to pounce; it’s out to get you, you’ve got to master it.”

I’ve always wondered what was wrong with Cain’s offering. Perhaps God has made it clear that He wants a blood offering; however, even though Cain could go to Abel and bargain for a perfect lamb, he chooses to haul in produce from his farm. Perhaps God would have been pleased had Cain brought in the best new produce he had; however, Cain might have collected whatever was left over after the harvest and offered that to God instead. God doesn’t want leftovers; He wants first fruits. Giving God the best of the first fruits of the harvest is an act of faith, indicating trust that God will give more. Withholding first fruits from God or giving Him rubbish demonstrates complete disregard for God, His righteousness, His holiness, and His majesty.

Perhaps Cain has gotten the idea that as the eldest, he is special and should not be forced to behave properly. Obviously, Cain is angry with God and is pouting. God tells Cain, “If you do well, won’t you be accepted? And if you don’t do well, sin is lying in wait for you, ready to pounce; it’s out to get you, you’ve got to master it.” These statements sound as if God has already instructed Cain on the ways Cain can please God. But Cain doesn’t WANT to do well! Cain thinks he’s fine and God should accept him just as he is. Cain’s first sin is assuming that he is fine and doesn’t need to repent of anything. Cain’s second sin is refusing to give God his best, and his third sin is refusing to accept correction, reproof, and God’s warning. At this point, Cain still has the opportunity to repent, but Cain is busy being offended and is nursing self-pity.

Millenia later, Oswald Chambers, a noted Christian writer, will state that “Self-pity is of the devil.” Here God is trying to warn Cain; however, Cain has his fingers stuffed in his ears and refuses to listen.

8 Cain had words with his brother. They were out in the field; Cain came at Abel his brother and killed him.

9 God said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?”

He said, “How should I know? Am I his babysitter?”

10-12 God said, “What have you done! The voice of your brother’s blood is calling to me from the ground. From now on you’ll get nothing but curses from this ground; you’ll be driven from this ground the hat has opened its arms to receive the blood of your murdered brother. You’ll farm this ground, but it will no longer give you its best. You’ll be a homeless wanderer on Earth.”

Blood means life. Sacrificing an animal indicates that a person realizes he/she should be giving his/her life to whatever god is being worshiped, but asking that god to accept the life of the animal instead. The shedding of innocent blood brings curses on a land; by murdering Abel, Cain has brought curses on any land he farms and on himself.

The saddest part of the Cain and Abel story is this: Not once does Cain ever express any remorse for having murdered Abel. Cain tries to cover up his horrible deed and never confesses. God is the One who confronts Cain. Cain never begs God’s forgiveness, nor does he ask what kind of sacrifice he might do to pay for murdering his brother. All Cain is concerned about is his own skin. There is also no indication that Cain confesses to his parents. Cain simply huffs off, leaving his parents-and God-grieving.

These are the first Biblical recordings regarding blood sacrifices. The pagan world contains myriads of different sacrifices, depending on the deity being worshiped. But look at the difference in the heart attitude between the two brothers: Abel is humble and offers the best lamb he can while Cain appears to think God is lucky Cain has made any offering at all. Centuries later, God will rebuke the Israelites for a similar attitude: “When you offer blind animals for sacrifice, is that not wrong? When you sacrifice lame or diseased animals, is that not wrong? Try offering them to your governor! Would he be pleased with you? Would he accept you?” says the LORD Almighty.” (Malachi 1:8)

Offerings of any kind without repentance are worthless. In Jesus’ day, the Pharisees would make an enormous production of contributing to the temple, even going so far as to have trumpeters preceding them so everybody would know what they were doing. But was there any sign of repentance? Jesus told a story of a Pharisee and a tax collector both going to the temple. The Pharisee stood in the middle of the temple, reciting his virtues to himself and then leaving. The tax collector stood in a corner, beating his chest and begging, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner!” The tax collector repented while the Pharisee did not.  It was the tax collector who left justified before God rather than the Pharisee.  

What good are offerings that don’t cost us anything? Jesus commended one humble widow for putting in two small coins, for she was giving everything she had while the Pharisees were giving out of their abundance and would have plenty left over.

Today, we don’t have to make blood sacrifices anymore because Jesus Christ has shed His blood for our sins on the cross at Calvary. But God’s warning to Cain remains for us today: “If you do well, won’t you be accepted? And if you don’t do well, sin is lying in wait for you, ready to pounce; it’s out to get you, you’ve got to master it.”  How can we “do well?” We do well when we acknowledge that we are sinners and that nothing we do is good enough to make up for our sins. We do well when we confess our sins to God and repent of them, accepting the blood sacrifice Jesus has already made for us.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and caring for us. Lord, we confess that we are sinners and that we cannot free ourselves from our sins. But You have loved us so much that You have sent Jesus to live as a sinless man and to die for our sins. We accept Jesus’ sacrifice on our behalf. Lord, help us to live completely and totally for You for the rest of our lives, knowing that one day You will take us to heaven to be with You. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

1

Have you been to Jesus for the cleansing pow’r?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
Are you fully trusting in His grace this hour?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?

Are you washed in the blood,
In the soul-cleansing blood of the Lamb?
Are your garments spotless? Are they white as snow?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?

2

Are you walking daily by the Savior’s side?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
Do you rest each moment in the Crucified?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?

3

When the Bridegroom cometh will your robes be white!
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
Will your soul be ready for His presence bright,
And be washed in the blood of the Lamb?

4

Lay aside the garments that are stained with sin,
And be washed in the blood of the Lamb;
There’s a fountain flowing for the soul unclean,
O be washed in the blood of the Lamb.

Elisha Albright Hoffman (1839-1929)

This simple hymn has echoed through the world. It was sung in the filthiest slums of London while General William Booth, Founder of the Salvation Army, pounded his bass drum, calling sinners to repentance. This hymn has found its way to untold numbers of churches and brush arbors where preachers and evangelists have proclaimed the Gospel in thousands of languages. But what does it mean to “be washed in the blood of the Lamb?” What Lamb does the hymn mean, and how can blood possibly clean anything?

When I was a medical student, one of the first things I learned was how to get blood out of a white uniform-apply hydrogen peroxide until it foams away the blood and then rinse with cold water. Left alone, blood stains garments, not cleanses them. But the stains here are sin stains-the filthy rotting marks that evil always leaves on our souls.

Bill Bright, Founder of Campus Crusade, now Cru, developed a pamphlet outlining the Four Spiritual Laws. You can find it at https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/spiritual-life/what-are-bill-brights-four-spiritual-laws.html

The main points are these:

1. God loves you and offers a wonderful plan for your life.
2. We are sinful and separated from God. Therefore, we cannot know and experience God’s love and plan for our lives.
3. Jesus Christ is God’s only provision for our sin. Through Him alone we can know God personally and experience God’s love and plan.
4. We must individually know Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord; then we can know and experience God’s love and plan for our lives.

Throughout the Old Testament, God repeatedly orders the Israelites to make blood sacrifices as atonement for sins. But these sacrifices must be repeated frequently because the blood of an animal cannot permanently wipe out sin. No matter how much we might love the animals around us-and I am a fervent animal lover-on the scale of creation, human beings still rank higher. Only the blood of a sinless man dying a death he does not deserve can cleanse us from sin. This is why God has sent Jesus to die for our sins. It is the blood that Jesus shed when he died on the cross at Calvary that cleanses us spiritually.

PRAYER:  Father God, thank You for loving us and caring for us. Lord, please let Your Light and Your Truth penetrate our hearts so we will see the great work You have done by sending Jesus. It’s in His mighty and precious Name we pray. Amen.

I mentioned General William Booth, the Founder of the Salvation Army, earlier. Google him-he was an amazing man. Here is Vachel Lindsay’s poem about him:

General William Booth Enters into Heaven

By Vachel Lindsay

[To be sung to the tune of The Blood of the Lamb with indicated instrument]

[BASS DRUM BEATEN LOUDLY]

Booth led boldly with his big bass drum—   

(Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?)   

The Saints smiled gravely and they said: “He’s come.”   

(Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?)   

Walking lepers followed, rank on rank,   

Lurching bravoes from the ditches dank,   

Drabs from the alleyways and drug fiends pale—   

Minds still passion-ridden, soul-powers frail:—   

Vermin-eaten saints with mouldy breath,   

Unwashed legions with the ways of Death—   

(Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?)   

[BANJOS]

Every slum had sent its half-a-score   

The round world over. (Booth had groaned for more.)   

Every banner that the wide world flies   

Bloomed with glory and transcendent dyes.   

Big-voiced lasses made their banjos bang,   

Tranced, fanatical they shrieked and sang:—   

“Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?”   

Hallelujah! It was queer to see   

Bull-necked convicts with that land make free.   

Loons with trumpets blowed a blare, blare, blare   

On, on upward thro’ the golden air!   

(Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?)   

[BASS DRUM SLOWER AND SOFTER]

Booth died blind and still by Faith he trod,   

Eyes still dazzled by the ways of God.   

Booth led boldly, and he looked the chief   

Eagle countenance in sharp relief,   

Beard a-flying, air of high command   

Unabated in that holy land.   

[SWEET FLUTE MUSIC]

Jesus came from out the court-house door,   

Stretched his hands above the passing poor.   

Booth saw not, but led his queer ones there   

Round and round the mighty court-house square.   

Yet in an instant all that blear review   

Marched on spotless, clad in raiment new.   

The lame were straightened, withered limbs uncurled   

And blind eyes opened on a new, sweet world.   

[BASS DRUM LOUDER]

Drabs and vixens in a flash made whole!   

Gone was the weasel-head, the snout, the jowl!   

Sages and sibyls now, and athletes clean,   

Rulers of empires, and of forests green!   

[GRAND CHORUS OF ALL INSTRUMENTS.

TAMBOURINES TO THE FOREGROUND]

The hosts were sandalled, and their wings were fire!   

(Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?)   

But their noise played havoc with the angel-choir.   

(Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?)   

O shout Salvation! It was good to see   

Kings and Princes by the Lamb set free.   

The banjos rattled and the tambourines   

Jing-jing-jingled in the hands of Queens.   

[REVERENTLY SUNG. NO INSTRUMENTS]

And when Booth halted by the curb for prayer   

He saw his Master thro’ the flag-filled air.   

Christ came gently with a robe and crown   

For Booth the soldier, while the throng knelt down.   

He saw King Jesus. They were face to face,   

And he knelt a-weeping in that holy place.   

Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?

 “The blood that Jesus shed for me
Way back on Calvary
The blood that gives me strength
From day to day
It will never lose its power

It soothes my doubts and it calms my fears
And that same blood dries all of my tears
Oh, the blood that gives me strength
From day to day
It will never lose its power

[Chorus]
It reaches to the highest mountain
And it flows to the lowest valley
Oh, the blood that gives me strength
From day to day
It will never lose its power
Andrae Crouch

Leviticus 17:11 “for the life of the body is in its blood. I have given you the blood on the altar to purify you, making you right with the LORD. It is the blood, given in exchange for a life, that makes purification possible.”

 It all began at the Garden of Eden when God slaughtered animals and gave their skins to Adam and Eve to cover their nakedness. Those animals were the very first blood sacrifices offered on the earth. Then there were Caine and Abel. Abel was a shepherd and sacrificed the very best lamb he had to God while Caine gathered up whatever fruit and vegetables he had and presented it, as if God should be pleased that he had done anything. (Was the basket buzzing with fruit flies because the stuff was already spoiling? Who knows?)

We don’t know how Abel knew God desired a blood sacrifice, but throughout history, blood sacrifices, properly done, have demonstrated total commitment. For the next few weeks, we are going to study the principle of blood sacrifices, the ways in which the Bible describes them, and the reasons that blood is important. We will also study the ways in which we can fake sacrifices and hope to deceive God. Finally, we will study the Blood of Jesus to see why it is so crucially important for believers.

When Noah and his family were able to exit from the Ark, Noah made blood sacrifices. Genesis 8:20-22 tells us, “Then Noah built an altar to the Lord, and took of every clean animal and of every clean bird, and offered burnt offerings on the altar. And the Lord smelled a soothing aroma. Then the Lord said in His heart, “I will never again curse the ground for man’s sake, although the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth; nor will I again destroy every living thing as I have done.

 “As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease.”

Think of it! Noah had raised all those clean animals and birds while on the ark. Each of those animals and birds was special to Noah; yet, Noah willingly sacrificed them to God. Those birds and animals were Noah’s friends; Noah must have been in tears as he slaughtered them for the sacrifice.

Centuries later, King David will proclaim, “I insist on paying a price, for I will not offer to the LORD my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing.” (2 Samuel 24:24)   

Blood sacrifices always cost. Years ago, a local hunter in our area sacrificed his best hunting dog to local gods for help in hunting. The dog’s skull was on a post by the road leading to the village for a long time, proof that this man was serious in his devotion. But an animal’s blood can never fully pay for human sin. Only the blood of an innocent sinless Man can do that. This is why Jesus had to come to earth, live as a man, and die for the sins of the whole world. For all who believe, Jesus has made the ultimate blood sacrifice.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and caring for us. Lord, thank You for sending Jesus to die for our sins. We confess that we are sinners and that nothing we can do is good enough to cancel out that sin. Lord, please forgive us. We claim redemption through the blood sacrifice that Jesus has made. It’s in the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus that we pray with thanksgiving. Amen.

Deuteronomy 34 The Death of Moses

34 1-3 Moses climbed from the Plains of Moab to Mount Nebo, the peak of Pisgah facing Jericho. God showed him all the land from Gilead to Dan, all Naphtali, Ephraim, and Manasseh; all Judah reaching to the Mediterranean Sea; the Negev and the plains which encircle Jericho, City of Palms, as far south as Zoar.

4 Then and there God said to him, “This is the land I promised to your ancestors, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob with the words ‘I will give it to your descendants.’ I’ve let you see it with your own eyes. There it is. But you’re not going to go in.”

5-6 Moses died there in the land of Moab, Moses the servant of God, just as God said. God buried him in the valley in the land of Moab opposite Beth Peor. No one knows his burial site to this very day.

7-8 Moses was 120 years old when he died. His eyesight was sharp; he still walked with a spring in his step. The People of Israel wept for Moses in the Plains of Moab thirty days. Then the days of weeping and mourning for Moses came to an end.

9 Joshua son of Nun was filled with the spirit of wisdom because Moses had laid his hands on him. The People of Israel listened obediently to him and did the same as when God had commanded Moses.

10-12 No prophet has risen since in Israel like Moses, whom God knew face-to-face. Never since has there been anything like the signs and miracle-wonders that God sent him to do in Egypt, to Pharaoh, to all his servants, and to all his land—nothing to compare with that all-powerful hand of his and all the great and terrible things Moses did as every eye in Israel watched.

Well, Moses is at the end of his ministry and he still hasn’t gotten to enter the Promised Land. However, God does allow Moses to ascend to the top of Mount Nebo, the peak of Pisgah, across from Jericho, where he can see all of Canaan. Even though God cannot allow Moses to enter, He still blesses Moses with this vision. God loves Moses, but He must carry out His judgment against Moses for rebelling at the Waters of Meribah.

Moses dies there, and God hides Moses’ body so that nobody can build a shrine or an altar or even attempt to preserve Moses’ body through mummification. Who knows what kind of Egyptian funeral rites some of the Israelites might carry out if given the chance? God wants Moses to be remembered but not to be worshiped.

Even though Moses is 120 years old, he is still physically active with sharp eyesight. God has preserved Moses through his entire ministry, and now Moses simply falls asleep in God’s hands. The Israelites grieve for Moses for thirty days; meanwhile, Joshua assumes command.

One of the loveliest descriptions of Moses comes in the final verses: “No prophet has risen since in Israel like Moses, whom God knew face-to-face. Never since has there been anything like the signs and miracle-wonders that God sent him to do in Egypt, to Pharaoh, to all his servants, and to all his land—nothing to compare with that all-powerful hand of his and all the great and terrible things Moses did as every eye in Israel watched.”

Psalm 116:15 tells us, “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints.” Viewing death from our perspective, the death of loved ones means loss and grief. Two weeks ago, we lost our beloved kitty, Mr. Cat, and the hole that loss has left in our hearts is still there. But God’s perspective is the reverse: Now God’s loved ones have been released from what C.S. Lewis called “the shadow lands,” and they will forever be with the Lord. What must it have been like in heaven when Moses died? How great was the rejoicing? What a release for Moses? Now Moses and God could communicate directly. Even though Moses had been meeting God face-to-face, now Moses has no more physical limitations. Moses is in the presence of Pure Love, Pure Light, Pure Holiness, and Pure Joy.

These studies are written for many reasons, but chief is that readers will come to know Jesus as Savior and Lord. Romans 2:11 tells us, “For there is no preferential treatment with God.” (J.B. Phillips translation) God does not play favorites. The God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Moses is the same God who desires that you love and obey Him. This same God has sent His only Son, Jesus Christ, to live as a man and to die for your sins. Let’s pray.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and caring for us. Lord, we confess that we are sinners and that nothing we do is good enough for us to earn our way into heaven. Please forgive us for our sins. We accept the sacrifice Jesus has made for our sins and we are trusting that sacrifice has cancelled our sins and that because we believe, we will spend eternity with You. We ask this in the matchless and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Deuteronomy 33 The Blessing

1-5 “Moses, man of God, blessed the People of Israel with this blessing before his death. He said, God came down from Sinai, He dawned from Seir upon them; He radiated light from Mount Paran, coming with ten thousand holy angels and tongues of fire streaming from his right hand. Oh, how you love the people, all his holy ones are palmed in your left hand. They sit at your feet, honoring your teaching, the Revelation commanded by Moses, as the assembly of Jacob’s inheritance. Thus, God became king in Jeshurun as the leaders and tribes of Israel gathered.”

The Israelites are gathered and now God is moving Moses to pass on blessings that are also prophecies over the various tribes. To understand some of these prophecies, go back to the descriptions of Jacob’s sons in Genesis.

6 Reuben: “Let Reuben live and not die, but just barely, in diminishing numbers.”  Reuben was not a virtuous man at all. Sadly, Reuben’s sin has left a spiritual stain on his descendants. This prophecy reflects that reality.

7 Judah: “Listen, God, to the Voice of Judah, bring him to his people; strengthen his grip, be his helper against his foes.” Although other tribes receive wonderful prophecies, Judah will wind up being the tribe of kingship. Along with Benjamin, Judah will eventually form the Southern Kingdom. While the ten tribes comprising the Northern Kingdom will be annihilated or carried off by the Assyrians, Judah and Benjamin will be conquered by the Babylonians. The prophet Daniel is one of those exiles. It is Jews from Judah and Benjamin who will return from Babylon to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem.

8-11 Levi: “Let your Thummim and Urim belong to your loyal saint; the one you tested at Massah, whom you fought with at the Waters of Meribah, who said of his father and mother,
‘I no longer recognize them.’ He turned his back on his brothers and neglected his children, because he was guarding your sayings and watching over your Covenant. Let him teach your rules to Jacob and your Revelation to Israel, let him keep the incense rising to your nostrils
and the Whole-Burnt-Offerings on your Altar. God bless his commitment, stamp your seal of approval on what he does; disable the loins of those who defy him, make sure we’ve heard the last from those who hate him.”

The Levites distinguished themselves several times, first at the time of the golden calf incident, when they slaughtered those indulging in orgies. The Levites had no regard for their relatives, but fulfilled God’s commands.

12 Benjamin: “God’s beloved; God’s permanent residence. Encircled by God all day long, within whom God is at home.” Benjamin was Rachel’s second son and a favorite of his father Jacob.

13-17 Joseph: “Blessed by God be his land: The best fresh dew from high heaven, and fountains springing from the depths; the best radiance streaming from the sun and the best the moon has to offer; beauty pouring off the tops of the mountains and the best from the everlasting hills; the best of Earth’s exuberant gifts, the smile of the Burning-Bush Dweller. All this on the head of Joseph, on the brow of the set-apart one among his brothers. In splendor he’s like a firstborn bull, his horns the horns of a wild ox; He’ll gore the nations with those horns, push them all to the ends of the Earth. Ephraim by the ten thousands will do this, Manasseh by the thousands will do this.”

When Jacob was blessing Joseph’s sons, he blessed Ephraim more extravagantly than he did Manasseh. That favoritism persists. Eventually Ephraim and Manasseh will become part of the Northern Kingdom, be destroyed by Assyria, and disappear. But before that happens, there will be centuries marked by God’s favor.

18-19 Zebulun and Issachar: “Celebrate, Zebulun, as you go out, and Issachar, as you stay home. They’ll invite people to the Mountain and offer sacrifices of right worship, for they will have hauled riches in from the sea and gleaned treasures from the beaches.” These tribes will eventually settle on the seacoast, enjoying the blessings of that location.

20-21 Gad: “Blessed is he who makes Gad large. Gad roams like a lion, tears off an arm, rips open a skull. He took one look and grabbed the best place for himself, the portion just made for someone in charge. He took his place at the head, carried out God’s right ways and his rules for life in Israel.” Gad continues to follow the patterns described in this blessing.

22 Dan: “Dan is a lion’s cub leaping out of Bashan.” The tribe of Dan will wind up in the northeast part of the country near Bashan. Sadly, Dan will also become a center of Jeroboam’s fake religion that he sets up to prevent his people from traveling to Jerusalem for worship.

23 Naphtali: “Naphtali brims with blessings, spills over with God’s blessings as he takes possession of the sea and southland.”  This blessing says it all.

24-25 Asher: “Asher, best blessed of the sons! May he be the favorite of his brothers, his feet massaged in oil. Safe behind iron-clad doors and gates, your strength like iron as long as you live.” Asher receives a wonderful blessing, one that many of us would like to claim for ourselves.

* * *

26-28 There is none like God, Jeshurun, riding to your rescue through the skies, his dignity haloed by clouds. The ancient God is home on a foundation of everlasting arms. (Other translations read: The Eternal God is your dwelling place, and underneath are the everlasting arms.) He drove out the enemy before you and commanded, “Destroy!” Israel lived securely,
the fountain of Jacob undisturbed in grain and wine country and, oh yes, his heavens drip dew.

29 Lucky Israel! Who has it as good as you? A people saved by God! The Shield who defends you, the Sword who brings triumph. Your enemies will come crawling on their bellies and you’ll march on their backs.

If you make it to Jerusalem, do your best to visit Hadassah Hospital to see the Marc Chagall stained glass windows depicting the blessings upon each of the tribes. These luminous creations closely follow the verses above.

This chapter of Deuteronomy is one of my favorites, particularly Deuteronomy 33:27. Although I have used The Message for the Bible study, I am actually fondest of the quote in this image. Throughout our lives, we have faced enormous challenges-tribal war, deaths of parents and siblings, upheavals in supporting churches, turnover in personnel at the various hospitals where we have served. And throughout all those struggles, the eternal God has remained our refuge, and those everlasting arms have continued to hold us-and will hold us-for all eternity.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and caring for us. Lord, we praise You for Your love, Your mercy, Your grace, and Your protection. May all who read these words put their trust in You. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Deuteronomy 32:26-52 The Song of Moses Continued God continues to describe the results of Israel’s sins

26-27 I could have said, “I’ll hack them to pieces, wipe out all trace of them from the Earth,”
Except that I feared the enemy would grab the chance to take credit for all of it, crowing, “Look what we did! God had nothing to do with this.”

Remember that when the Israelites created the golden calf, likely a copy of the Egyptian goddess Hathor, God told Moses He would wipe out the Israelites and use Moses to start a new nation. Moses then reminded God that if God wiped out the Israelites, other nations would claim God wasn’t powerful enough to take care of the Israelites and that was why He wiped them out. God relented because of Moses’ pleas. God doesn’t want anyone else taking credit for His work.

28-33 They are a nation of idiots, they don’t know enough to come in out of the rain. If they had any sense at all, they’d know this; they would see what’s coming down the road. How could one soldier chase a thousand enemies off, or two men run off two thousand, unless their Rock had sold them, unless God had given them away? For their rock is nothing compared to our Rock; even our enemies say that. They’re a vine that comes right out of Sodom, who they are is rooted in Gomorrah; their grapes are poison grapes, their grape-clusters bitter. Their wine is rattlesnake venom, mixed with lethal cobra poison.

The amazing thing is that frequently, the enemies of the Israelites have feared God more than the Israelites did. 1 Samuel 4:6-9 tells about the respect of the Philistines for God. “Then they learned that the Chest of God had entered the Hebrew camp. The Philistines panicked: “Their gods have come to their camp! Nothing like this has ever happened before. We’re done for! Who can save us from the clutches of these supergods? These are the same gods who hit the Egyptians with all kinds of plagues out in the wilderness. On your feet, Philistines! Courage! We’re about to become slaves to the Hebrews, just as they have been slaves to us. Show what you’re made of! Fight for your lives!”

34-35 Don’t you realize that I have my shelves well stocked, locked behind iron doors? I’m in charge of vengeance and payback, just waiting for them to slip up; and the day of their doom is just around the corner, sudden and swift and sure.

36-38 Yes, God will judge his people, but oh how compassionately he’ll do it. When he sees their weakened plight and there is no one left, slave or free, He’ll say, “So where are their gods, the rock in which they sought refuge, the gods who feasted on the fat of their sacrifices
and drank the wine of their drink-offerings? Let them show their stuff and help you, let them give you a hand!

39-42 “Do you see it now? Do you see that I’m the one? Do you see that there’s no other god beside me? I bring death and I give life, I wound and I heal—there is no getting away from or around me! I raise my hand in solemn oath; I say, ‘I’m always around. By that very life I promise: When I sharpen my lightning sword and execute judgment, I take vengeance on my enemies and pay back those who hate me. I’ll make my arrows drunk with blood, my sword will gorge itself on flesh, feasting on slain and captive alike, the proud and vain enemy corpses.’”

43 Celebrate, nations, join the praise of his people. He avenges the deaths of his servants, pays back his enemies with vengeance, and cleanses his land for his people.

God ends this song by reminding Israel of His greatness and His watchcare for them. Why shouldn’t the Israelites be faithful to such a great God?

44-47 Moses came and recited all the words of this song in the hearing of the people, he and Joshua son of Nun. When Moses had finished saying all these words to all Israel, he said, “Take to heart all these words to which I give witness today and urgently command your children to put them into practice, every single word of this Revelation. Yes. This is no small matter for you; it’s your life. In keeping this word you’ll have a good and long life in this land that you’re crossing the Jordan to possess.”

Hmm. Notice that Moses AND Joshua recite the words of this song. Moses wants to make sure Joshua knows this song thoroughly, because he’s going to need it. And now it’s nearly time for Moses to die.

48-50 That same day God spoke to Moses: “Climb the Abarim Mountains to Mount Nebo in the land of Moab, overlooking Jericho, and view the land of Canaan that I’m giving the People of Israel to have and hold. Die on the mountain that you climb and join your people in the ground, just as your brother Aaron died on Mount Hor and joined his people.

51-52 “This is because you broke faith with me in the company of the People of Israel at the Waters of Meribah Kadesh in the Wilderness of Zin—you didn’t honor my Holy Presence in the company of the People of Israel. You’ll look at the land spread out before you but you won’t enter it, this land that I am giving to the People of Israel.”

Reading these verses, we’re tempted to beg God, “But God, this is MOSES, THE FAITHFUL, THE PROPHET WHO HAS LED YOUR PEOPLE FOR FORTY YEARS. CAN’T YOU JUST FORGIVE HIM FOR ONE TINY MISTAKE?” But no. God is merciful but He is also just. God must deal with Moses justly because from now until the end of time there will be other leaders who will be tempted to compromise. If God gives Moses a free pass now, untold numbers of other believers will also demand the same free pass. Moses rebelled and rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft. Much as God loves Moses, He must deal justly for the sake of all future believers.

God’s refusal to allow Moses to enter the Promised Land stands as a warning for all of us. No matter how much God loves us, we must remain obedient at all times without whining or complaining. For the remainder of Moses’ life, he will beg God to be allowed to enter the Promised Land; however, he will not complain when God refuses.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and caring for us. Lord, help us to obey You in all things, knowing that You are good and loving but also merciful and just. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Deuteronomy 32 The Song of Moses

 1-5 Listen, Heavens, I have something to tell you. Attention, Earth, I’ve got a mouth full of words.
My teaching, let it fall like a gentle rain, my words arrive like morning dew, like a sprinkling rain on new grass, like spring showers on the garden. For it’s God’s Name I’m preaching—respond to the greatness of our God! The Rock: His works are perfect, and the way he works is fair and just; a God you can depend upon, no exceptions, a straight-arrow God. His messed-up, mixed-up children, his non-children, throw mud at him but none of it sticks.

6-7 Don’t you realize it is God you are treating like this? This is crazy; don’t you have any sense of reverence? Isn’t this your father who created you, who made you and gave you a place on Earth? Read up on what happened before you were born; dig into the past, understand your roots. Ask your parents what it was like before you were born; ask the old-ones, they’ll tell you a thing or two.

8-9 When the High God gave the nations their stake, gave them their place on Earth, He put each of the peoples within boundaries under the care of divine guardians. But God himself took charge of his people, took Jacob on as his personal concern.

10-14 He found him out in the wilderness, in an empty, windswept wasteland. He threw his arms around him, lavished attention on him, guarding him as the apple (the pupil) of his eye. He was like an eagle hovering over its nest, overshadowing its young, then spreading its wings, lifting them into the air, teaching them to fly. God alone led him; there was not a foreign god in sight. God lifted him onto the hilltops, so he could feast on the crops in the fields. He fed him honey from the rock, oil from granite crags, curds of cattle and the milk of sheep, the choice cuts of lambs and goats, fine Bashan rams, high-quality wheat, and the blood of grapes: you drank good wine!”

In this song, God reminds the Israelites that they began with virtually nothing and He has been the One who has prospered them and protected them. God has pampered the Israelites, even though they don’t realize it.

15-18 “Jeshurun put on weight and bucked; you got fat, became obese, a tub of lard. He abandoned the God who made him, he mocked the Rock of his salvation. They made him jealous with their foreign trendy gods, and with obscenities they vexed him no end. They sacrificed to no-god demons, gods they knew nothing about, the latest in gods, fresh from the market, gods your ancestors would never call “gods.” You walked out on the Rock who gave you your life, forgot the birth-God who brought you into the world.”

God knows that once the Israelites enter the Promised Land, many will immediately abandon His worship to follow demons instead. After all, the One True Living God doesn’t want His people making any images of Him; meanwhile, the idolaters have all kinds of little gods they can carry with them, so they can make ritual sacrifices, hopefully to get what they want without giving up any bad behavior. Those who worship idols feel that they can control the idol. The One True Living God, the Creator of the Universe, is all-powerful and cannot be controlled or manipulated but only worshiped, adored, and obeyed. What’s the fun in obedience?

19-25 God saw it and spun around, angered and hurt by his sons and daughters. He said, “From now on I’m looking the other way. Wait and see what happens to them. Oh, they’re a turned-around, upside-down generation! Who knows what they’ll do from one moment to the next? They’ve goaded me with their no-gods, infuriated me with their hot-air gods; I’m going to goad them with a no-people, with a hollow nation incense them. My anger started a fire,
a wildfire burning deep down in Sheol, then shooting up and devouring the Earth and its crops, setting all the mountains, from bottom to top, on fire. I’ll pile catastrophes on them, I’ll shoot my arrows at them: Starvation, blistering heat, killing disease; I’ll send snarling wild animals to attack from the forest and venomous creatures to strike from the dust. Killing in the streets, terror in the houses, young men and virgins alike struck down, and yes, breast-feeding babies and gray-haired old men.”

These verses are half of the Song of Moses, but where is this song coming from and why is it so negative? God has commanded Moses to teach this song to the Israelites as a witness against them. In turn, the Israelites are supposed to teach succeeding generations so that when they mess up and wind up in exile, they cannot blame God for not having warned them. You might ask, “What loving parent would do such a thing?” But you would be wrong, for subsequently, God will send generation upon generation of prophets to both the Northern and Southern Kingdom to warn them and to beg them to turn back to Him. God knows the end from the beginning, and God knows that even while the huge group of Israelites are standing there, allegedly making covenant, many in the crowd are faking it. After all, those Canaanite fertility rites look pretty enticing. Surely God doesn’t REALLY know human hearts….does He?

Tragically, God knows exactly what is in the hearts of each one of those listening to Moses. God knows those who will faithfully teach this song to their children and grandchildren and succeeding generations. God knows that some of those families will remain faithful to Him throughout exile in Babylon, return to Israel, and subsequent wanderings throughout the world. God knows that the descendants of the righteous will still be repeating the Shemaa as they march to the gas chambers at Auschwitz or flee to America or Israel after World War II. God knows those who remain faithful throughout the course of time. God also knows those who will totally ignore Him, assuming that they can coast along on the obedience of others in a kind of spiritual herd immunity, although that expression does not exist at the time of Moses.

What is herd immunity? Herd immunity is defined as “resistance to the spread of an infectious disease within a population that is based on pre-existing immunity of a high proportion of individuals as a result of previous infection or vaccination: “the level of vaccination needed to achieve herd immunity varies by disease but ranges from 83 to 94 percent.”

Throughout the world, there are many who refuse to follow God and to obey Him themselves but who hope that others in their country will do so. These same people also hope that the virtuous actions of others will preserve their country so that they can continue to pursue their own selfish interests. But these individuals fail to understand the Laws of the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus told his disciples, “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” (Luke 6:38) Later on, Saint Paul will tell the Galatians, “Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant.” (Galatians 6:7)

You might read the Song of Moses and think, “Well, that was merely for the Israelites.” WRONG!!! ABSOLUTELY WRONG!!!! Please read Luke 6:38 and Galatians 6:7 again. God is eternal and does not change. In Numbers 23:19, God tells the pagan prophet Balaam, “God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?”  

The lessons from the Song of Moses are just as much for us today as they were for the ancient Israelites. Follow God and live long and blessed lives, even if you must suffer those things common to the human condition. Refuse to follow God and suffer the consequences. Choose wisely.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and caring for us. Lord, You know our hearts. Help us to follow hard after You all the days of our lives. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.