Burunche’s Blog

Judges 1:22 – 26 “The house of Joseph also attacked Bethel, and the LORD was with them. They sent spies to Bethel (formerly known as Luz), and when the spies saw a man coming out of the city, they said to him, “Please show us how to get into the city, and we will treat you kindly.” So the man showed them the entrance to the city, and they put the city to the sword but released that man and all his family. And the man went to the land of the Hittites, built a city, and called it Luz, which is its name to this day.”

If the name “Bethel” sounds familiar, that’s because it was the place where Jacob slept on his way out of Canaan and where he saw his vision of the heavenly ladder with angels ascending and descending. The name Bethel means “house of God.” But after the Israelites left for Egypt, others came in and built a city called Luz.

“Luz” means “departure” or “separation.” You have to feel sorry for this guy caught by the spies. What was he supposed to do? He could either save himself and his family, or they could all die with the rest of the city. So this inhabitant of Luz showed the spies the way into the city. Since most cities in those days were built on top of hills for safety against enemies, perhaps the entrance to the city gate was hidden between huge rocks, making it difficult to find. At any rate, this man and his family fled Luz and went east and established a new city away from the Israelites.

APPLICATION: The men of Joseph conquered because the Lord was with them. This statement implies that these men probably prayed and sought God’s guidance before tackling the conquest of Luz. And they were successful; they obliterated Luz.

In an earlier age, there was a saying, “Don’t go off half – cocked.” This phrase originated in the days of flintlock and caplock firearms, where the half-cock position of the hammer was both a rudimentary safety, and the proper position for priming the pan or inserting a percussion cap. The phrase was originally rendered, “to go off at half-cock.” Once the pan was primed with gun powder or a percussion cap was inserted, the gun could be fully cocked and prepared to fire. Any attempts to fire a gun when it was in the half cocked position would fail, making the shooter look ridiculous.

Throughout the time that Moses and Joshua were with the Israelites, they both warned the Israelites that seeking God had to be the major part of their preparations. When Joshua and the Israelites crossed the Jordan, they conquered Jericho so easily that they thought conquering the city of Ai would be simple. Unfortunately, a man named Achan had stolen some of the loot from Jericho and had hidden it against God’s orders. Eventually this man had to confess and he and his family be put to death before the Israelites could conquer Ai.

To go through life without God’s guidance is like trying to shoot one of those old guns when it’s in a half – cocked position. You might get lots of noise and smoke, but you won’t hit your target. “But,” you say, “I’m doing just fine. I have succeeded all on my own and I have never sought God’s help.” Oh? And how much peace do you have in your life? If you or someone you love are suddenly hit with sickness or an accident, what happens then? Money cannot buy peace of mind, neither can fame. Several years ago, I saw a tycoon from Singapore being interviewed on TV. This man was talking about all the charitable things he would do, once he had succeeded in getting enough money. The host was quite perplexed because this man was already a billionaire, so he asked the tycoon how much money would be enough. The tycoon simply answered, “More.” The lesson was obvious; this man would never be satisfied because he was looking for spiritual satisfaction in the wrong place.

There is no lasting peace when you are out of the center of God’s will. You will always suffer from a holy restlessness until you find what God wants you to do and then do it.

In the fall of 1985 I had completed my surgical training and was working temporarily for a chain of minor emergency clinics. Our income had drastically improved over the amount I made as a resident. We were in a good church and my husband also had a job he liked. Everything was fine….. except, it was not. We were uncomfortable without knowing why. The only thing we had not acted on was an application from a mission group sent by one of our friends. Not until we completed that application and submitted it did we achieve peace.

This was not a TV movie; that first mission group rejected us on the grounds of theological differences. (We were charismatics and that group did not believe in the Baptism of the Holy Spirit.) But the important thing was that we had made a start, and now God could guide us. Eventually, we connected with a different mission group and came to Ghana, where God intended us to be. It is the certain knowledge that we are in the center of God’s will for our lives that has kept us going until now.

There is a meme that says, “No Jesus? No peace. Know Jesus? Know peace.” Let’s pray.

PRAYER: Father God, all of us need peace! Many of us feel as if our lives are flying apart in all directions. We don’t want to go off half cocked but we do need guidance. Please help everyone who reads this devotional to search for Your perfect Will for their lives. Thank You that You are a good Father who does not play charades. Thank You that You will guide us when we ask. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Judges 1:16 – 21 “Now the descendants of Moses’ father-in-law, the Kenite, went up with the men of Judah from the City of Palms to the Wilderness of Judah in the Negev near Arad. They went to live among the people.

Then the men of Judah went with their brothers the Simeonites, struck the Canaanites who were living in Zephath, and devoted the city to destruction. So it was called Hormah. And Judah also captured Gaza, Ashkelon, and Ekron—each with its territory. The LORD was with Judah, and they took possession of the hill country; but they could not drive out the inhabitants of the plains because they had chariots of iron.

Just as Moses had promised, Judah gave Hebron to Caleb, who drove out the descendants of the three sons of Anak. The Benjamites, however, failed to drive out the Jebusites living in Jerusalem. And to this day the Jebusites dwell among the Benjamites in Jerusalem.”

When God was giving the Israelites instructions, He promised to go before them and to be with them as they conquered Canaan. That conquest had only been partially completed at the time that Joshua died. Now it was up to the Israelites to complete the job…… and they failed.

Even while Moses was still alive, God warned the Israelites against mingling with the nations they were about to encounter. Deuteronomy 7:1 – 6 “When the LORD your God brings you into the land that you are entering to possess, and He drives out before you many nations—the Hittites, Girgashites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, seven nations larger and stronger than you— and when the LORD your God has delivered them over to you to defeat them, then you must devote them to complete destruction. Make no treaty with them and show them no mercy.

Do not intermarry with them. Do not give your daughters to their sons or take their daughters for your sons, because they will turn your sons away from following Me to serve other gods. Then the anger of the LORD will burn against you, and He will swiftly destroy you. Instead, this is what you are to do to them: tear down their altars, smash their sacred pillars, cut down their Asherah poles, and burn their idols in the fire. For you are a people holy to the LORD your God. The LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for His prized possession, above all peoples on the face of the earth.”

Why did God want the Israelites to completely wipe out all these other nations? God already knew the perverted religions practiced by these people and He also knew that the Israelites could be easily seduced into heresy.

But if God was on the side of the Israelites, why didn’t they completely conquer all these other groups? The answer lies in the excuses that were recorded. The men of Judah conquered the hill country and even conquered all the cities of the Philistines. BUT the people of the plains had iron chariots, the equivalent of tanks. Now, could God have given the men of Judah strategies to defeat these charioteers? Of course! But did anybody ask God for strategies? Doubtful! Instead, the men of Judah assumed they could take care of things themselves and then chose to settle for what they could get easily. And the same thing was true of the Benjamites, who failed to defeat the Jebusites and who wound up shrugging their shoulders and living together with the Jebusites in Jerusalem in direct disobedience to God’s orders. When the going got tough, these guys wimped out.

Reading this passage is very disappointing, but what about Caleb? Remember that by now, Caleb was probably nearly 90 years old. But Caleb was a man of tremendous faith; it was Caleb and Joshua who told the rest of the Israelites that God would help them if they would only go on into Canaan. Now Caleb and his men drove out the three sons of Anak. Who were the sons of Anak? These were the very giants that had frightened the Israelites 40 years earlier. When Caleb reminded Joshua of God’s promise for Caleb to possess Hebron, Caleb was already praying and planning on ways to defeat those giants. Even though Caleb was probably twice the age of most of the men fighting with him, Caleb was victorious. Caleb was too busy fulfilling God’s purposes to waste time whining.

APPLICATION: Have you ever found yourself in a situation in which you have been called upon to do things you never thought you could do? You look at the tasks before you and all you can think of is how can you get out of this? But sometimes, you don’t have choices.

For those of us growing up on farms in the 1950’s and 1960’s, there were many times when we found ourselves having to cope with problems we had never encountered before. I might have been nine or ten years old when I found myself in the back of a pickup truck shoveling a half ton of ground feed into a feed bin. How did I do it? One scoop shovel full at a time. During harvest season when my dad was out in the field, my brothers and I became responsible for all the farm chores, including hauling feed and water to hogs in the pasture, feeding and watering beef cattle, milking cows by hand, and caring for our chickens. When animals are depending on you, you can’t quit until the job is completed. Those animals are your family’s livelihood.

What made the difference between the men of Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin and that crusty old warrior Caleb? Caleb relied on God. God said He would help and Caleb believed him. Caleb had spent a lifetime of relying on God and also carrying out his work completely. So when it was time to face giants, Caleb looked to God and God gave him the strategies and the power to defeat them. Bottom line: Caleb was not a whiner!

Has God called you to do something so difficult you don’t see how you can make it? If you are sure that God has called you, then ask Him what to do and where to start. Finding the answer to those questions might be like trying to find the end on a roll of Scotch tape, but keep looking and keep trusting. And once you make a start, who knows? You may turn around at the end and realize that you have left a trail of dead giants, just like Caleb.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for Your marvelous promises! Thank You that if You call us to do something, You also will guide us and provide what we need to get started. Help us to follow hard after you and refuse to whine. In the mighty Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Judges 1:8 – 15 “Then the men of Judah fought against Jerusalem and captured it. They put the city to the sword and set it on fire. Afterward, the men of Judah marched down to fight against the Canaanites living in the hill country, in the Negev, and in the foothills. Judah also marched against the Canaanites who were living in Hebron (formerly known as Kiriath-arba), and they struck down Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai.

From there they marched against the residents of Debir (formerly known as Kiriath-sepher). And Caleb said, “To the man who strikes down Kiriath-sepher and captures it, I will give my daughter Achsah in marriage.” So Othniel son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother, captured it, and Caleb gave his daughter Achsah to him in marriage.

One day Achsah came to Othniel and urged him to ask her father for a field. When she got off her donkey, Caleb asked her, “What do you desire?” “Give me a blessing,” she answered. “Since you have given me land in the Negev, give me springs of water as well.” So Caleb gave her both the upper and lower springs.”

At first, this story about the conquest of Canaan sounds great! Jerusalem captured! Hebron captured! But when it’s time to capture Debir, Caleb makes a strange promise: he promises his daughter Achsah’s hand in marriage to whomever captures Debir. And Othniel, Caleb’s nephew, wins the girl.

Who was Caleb? When Moses sent twelve spies into the land of Canaan to check things out, Joshua and Caleb were the only two men who brought back a good report and who urged the Israelites to go in faith that God would help them. Numbers 13 records the story. After telling how wonderful the land was, ten of the spies terrified the Israelites with stories of giants. Joshua and Caleb attempt to rally the people; however, they fail. But for this act of faith, God preserves Joshua and Caleb while all the rest of those who failed to trust Him die. Later on at the age of 85, Caleb testifies of how God has kept him strong and asks to be given Hebron, even though it is a city where giants live. The story as told in Joshua 14 is one of the most inspiring stories in the Old Testament and well worth reading.

Achsah is the bold daughter of a bold and righteous man. Caleb has become a prominent leader, second only to Joshua. It’s quite possible that Achsah is being pestered by a number of young men who hope to gain Caleb’s wealth by marrying Achsah. When it comes time for Caleb to find a husband for his daughter Achsah, he wants someone truly worthy of her for her husband. The name “Othniel” means “God’s strength, God’s lion.” By conquering Debir, Othniel lives up to his name, proving himself worthy to marry Achsah.

What does Achsah think about this whole matter? Perhaps Achsah and Othniel have already formed some kind of a bond. The name “Achsah” means “adorned,” a name Caleb obviously has given her in love. At any rate, Achsah does not complain about her new husband. But there is a small problem. Caleb has given Achsah land in the Negev, a wilderness area where water is particularly precious. Othniel and Achsah have a discussion, and in the end it is Achsah who goes to Caleb and requests land with springs of water. When Achsah asks for a blessing, Caleb gives her not one, but two sets of springs, a priceless gift.

APPLICATION: What can we learn from Achsah?

1. Achsah knows her father is a good and faithful man who loves her, and she trusts him.

2. Achsah is not afraid to go to her father and ask for a blessing.

3. When Achsah asks Caleb, Caleb gives her more than she has asked for.

Many times we are afraid to ask God for things. Perhaps we aren’t sure that God really loves us or that He will hear us when we pray. Perhaps we have committed some sin that haunts us so that we are afraid to go to God in prayer. Perhaps we don’t really know God. Achsah knew her father Caleb was good and faithful and loving; however, many of us firmly believe that God is an angry Deity who is just waiting for us to mess up so that He can punish us. Nothing could be further from the truth!

John 3:16 – 17 says, “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.” God has already sent Jesus to die for our sins so that those of us who believe on Jesus will have eternal life in heaven. If God has already loved us this much, why won’t He also hear our prayers? True, we may ask for things that we shouldn’t. No parent agrees to everything their children ask. But God also delights in blessing us as it says in 2 Corinthians 9:8. “ And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things, at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.”

Let’s pray together.

PRAYER: Father God, we confess that we are sinners and that by ourselves we do not deserve anything good. But we thank You that because Jesus has died for our sins, He has paid the price of sin for us. Lord, we come to you asking for Your blessings. (Here you can insert your own needs.) Thank you for loving us! Thank you for hearing our prayers! And thank you that the answers to our prayers were already on the way even before we asked. Amen.

For the last several months we have been following Moses and the Israelites through the Book of Exodus. The next book in the Torah/Pentateuch is Leviticus, the Book of Laws; however, we are going to skip over Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, and Joshua. The title for the studies in Exodus was “Mercy” because had it not been for God’s mercy, the Israelites would not have left Egypt or else they would have all died on the way to the Promised Land. All of us are prone to the same problems that plagued the Israelites. All of us need God’s mercy!

Now we are moving into the Book of Judges, and the title for this series is “Obedience or Chaos.” Moses dies at the end of the Book of Deuteronomy, leaving Joshua as his appointed successor. But when Joshua dies at the end of the Book of Joshua, God does not appoint any successor. Now the Israelites are in the Promised Land with no established leader; will they follow God or go off on their own? The pattern of disobedience/half obedience/foot dragging/and whining continues. But why spoil the story? Let’s get started.

Judges 1:1 – 7 “After the death of Joshua, the Israelites inquired of the LORD, “Who will be the first to go up and fight for us against the Canaanites?” The LORD answered, “Judah shall go up. Indeed, I have delivered the land into their hands.”

Then the men of Judah said to their brothers the Simeonites, “Come up with us to our allotted territory, and let us fight against the Canaanites. And we likewise will go with you to your territory.” So the Simeonites went with them. When Judah attacked, the LORD delivered the Canaanites and Perizzites into their hands, and they struck down ten thousand men at Bezek. And there they found Adoni-bezek and fought against him, striking down the Canaanites and Perizzites. As Adoni-bezek fled, they pursued him, seized him, and cut off his thumbs and big toes. Then Adoni-bezek said, “Seventy kings with their thumbs and big toes cut off have gathered the scraps under my table. As I have done, so God has repaid me.” And they brought him to Jerusalem, where he died.”

Getting the Israelites out of Egypt took a leader with enormous capabilities. Without Moses, the Israelites would have remained slaves forever. When Moses died, the Israelites still needed a strong leader to spearhead their move into the promised land. But now it was time for the Israelites to depend on God alone instead of their leaders.

At the beginning, the Israelites do the right thing: they ask God for direction, and He answers them, advising that the tribe of Judah should go up first and that God has already set things up so that Judah will be victorious. The tribe of Simeon also comes alongside Judah and fights with them. When the Israelites follow God’s directions, God gives them victory.

The king whom the Israelites defeated was named Adoni – Bezek, which means Lord of Lightning. One of the main gods of the Canaanites was Baal, who was generally portrayed as standing with a lightning bolt in his hand. When God struck the Egyptians with the various plagues, He effectively made a mockery of the most important Egyptian gods. Now by helping the Israelites defeat this “Lord of Lightning,” God was graphically demonstrating that the gods of the Canaanites were equally helpless before Elohim, the One True Living God.

Why cut off thumbs and big toes? Such mutilation would render a warrior useless. Without thumbs, the warrior could not draw a bow, wield a sword, or handle javelins or spears. Without big toes, a warrior could only limp and not run.

APPLICATION: What do you do when your leaders have died and there’s nobody to take their places? Why didn’t God move Joshua to anoint a new set of leaders? Strong leaders may be helpful, but it’s all too easy for people to venerate the leader instead of the God he/she is serving.

In our area, we have lost several key leaders in the last few years. Unfortunately, younger people who could serve as leaders do not appear to be stepping forward. Throughout the world right now, many countries are suffering from crises brought on by the lack of wise leadership. But balancing being a leader with subjecting yourself to God can be a tough proposition.

One of the continuing temptations leaders face is the temptation to take first place in the hearts and minds of their people. The rise of satellite TV and live streaming on the internet has allowed preachers who would otherwise be locally famous to assume positions of international influence. Numbers 12:3 tells us that “Now Moses was a very humble man, more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth.” Unfortunately, that isn’t necessarily true for many preachers and other leaders.

Here in Ghana it is common for churches to have big sign boards prominently displaying photos of the pastor or even of the pastor and his wife. But if all power belongs to God, why encourage people to worship the messenger rather than the One who has sent the message?

Before Joshua died, in Joshua 24:14 – 15, he threw out a challenge to the Israelites, asking them which gods they were going to serve. “Now, therefore, fear the LORD and serve Him in sincerity and truth; cast aside the gods your fathers served beyond the Euphrates and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. But if it is unpleasing in your sight to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living. As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD!”

Joshua’s challenge remains for each one of us. What do we do when the charismatic leaders are no long there? Will we serve God whole – heartedly, or will we look for another man or woman to inspire us and to take the place of God in our hearts?

PRAYER: Father God, help us to follow hard after You all the days of our lives! Help us to love You with all our hearts, minds, souls, and strengths. Thank You that You always empower us to do Your Will if we will only ask. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Exodus 40:34 – 38 “Then the cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. Moses was unable to enter the Tent of Meeting because the cloud had settled on it, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. Whenever the cloud was lifted from above the tabernacle, the Israelites would set out through all the stages of their journey. If the cloud was not lifted, they would not set out until the day it was taken up. For the cloud of the LORD was over the tabernacle by day, and fire was in the cloud by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel through all their journeys.”

That day when Moses was directing the erection of the Tabernacle for the first time, he had no idea what was about to happen! Moses set up the Tent of Meeting first and then sited the various articles in their specified locations. The final act was to set up the courtyard with its curtains and its gateway. Obviously, Moses must have had lots of help, probably from the priests and all the artisans who had worked on the Tabernacle.

Did the earth begin to shake as Moses closed those gateway curtains that completed the courtyard? Were there divine trumpet blasts? We don’t know. All we do know is that the glory of the Lord filled the Tabernacle, appearing like a cloud over the Tabernacle. As if that were not enough, at night the cloud glowed with the Fire of God. By that point, people may have been flat on their faces in awe!

From the time the Tabernacle was dedicated throughout the rest of their journeys, the Israelites were led by the Glory of the Lord as expressed in the cloud. If the cloud began lifting, those assigned to carry the various parts of the Tabernacle would have had to move swiftly to roll up curtains, pack up basins and altars and pillars and be ready to start walking as soon as the cloud began to move forward. Everyone else in the camp would have to be ready to pack up and move as well.

Living under these conditions could not have been easy. Imagine being an Israelite housewife. You finally have the tent arranged the way you want it and you have finally unpacked things you have carried for months. Suddenly the word goes through the camp that it’s time to move. You have no choice; you start packing immediately. And as you are packing, you wonder what your next camping place will be like. Will there be water? Will there be shade? Will there be grazing for the animals? What will you use for cooking fuel? No. Maintaining a household under such circumstances could be really tough!

APPLICATION: Be careful what you wish for! Many times, people will claim that they just want to know God’s will for their lives. The unstated implication is that as soon as God reveals His Will, these people are ready and willing to obey. But in practice, this is far from the truth. When you follow God, the only thing certain is God Himself.

“Well, we will go visit that village, but there’s no way we will work there. You are a surgeon, and the only health facility is a small health center.” The year was 1992 and we were visiting a remote clinic at the invitation of some friends. We had all our reasons marshaled as to why this location was a totally impossible idea…. And those reasons all fell apart when we stepped out of the vehicle in the mission house yard, and the Holy Spirit descended, wrapping around us like a warm blanket. Suddenly, we KNEW that we were supposed to come to that village.

Subsequently, we endured a small tribal war, health challenges, and a number of other problems. But what kept us in that location was the certain knowledge that this was God’s perfect Will for our lives.

How can you know God’s will? Ask Him! God is a good Father and does not play guessing games with His kids. But you must be ready to follow His leading once you have asked.

One of my favorite hymns describes what happened to those men who became disciples of Jesus:

They cast their nets in Galilee
just off the hills of brown;
such happy, simple fisherfolk,
before the Lord came down.


Contented, peaceful fishermen,
before they ever knew
the peace of God that filled their hearts
brimful, and broke them too.


Young John who trimmed
the flapping sail,
homeless in Patmos died,
Peter, who hauled the teeming net,
head-down was crucified.


The peace of God, it is no peace,
but strife closed in the sod,
Yet let us pray for but one thing—
the marvelous peace of God.

PRAYER: Father God, help everyone who reads this devotional to seek Your perfect Will for their lives. And help them to follow Your leading. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Exodus 40:18 – 33 “When Moses set up the tabernacle, he laid its bases, positioned its frames, inserted its crossbars, and set up its posts. Then he spread the tent over the tabernacle and put the covering over the tent, just as the LORD had commanded him. Moses took the Testimony and placed it in the ark, attaching the poles to the ark; and he set the mercy seat atop the ark. Then he brought the ark into the tabernacle, put up the veil for the screen, and shielded off the ark of the Testimony, just as the LORD had commanded him.

Moses placed the table in the Tent of Meeting on the north side of the tabernacle, outside the veil. He arranged the bread on it before the LORD, just as the LORD had commanded him. He also placed the lampstand in the Tent of Meeting opposite the table on the south side of the tabernacle and set up the lamps before the LORD, just as the LORD had commanded him. Moses placed the gold altar in the Tent of Meeting, in front of the veil, and he burned fragrant incense on it, just as the LORD had commanded him. Then he put up the curtain at the entrance to the tabernacle. He placed the altar of burnt offering near the entrance to the tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting, and offered on it the burnt offering and the grain offering, just as the LORD had commanded him.

He placed the basin between the Tent of Meeting and the altar and put water in it for washing; and from it Moses, Aaron, and his sons washed their hands and feet. They washed whenever they entered the Tent of Meeting or approached the altar, just as the LORD had commanded Moses. Then Moses set up the courtyard around the tabernacle and the altar, and he hung the curtain for the entrance to the courtyard. So Moses finished the work.”

Reading this account, you would be forgiven if you wondered why so much repetition? After all, the instructions and specifications for the Tabernacle have been given multiple times. Why not just state that Moses completed everything as God wanted him to and be done with it?

The answer lies not in the initial establishment of the Tabernacle, but in the future organization of it. The Israelites were not exactly a compliant bunch of people! Given any opportunity at all, they veered off in weird directions. This account in the last chapter of Exodus was not merely a description of the first time the Tabernacle was being set up but it was also to serve as an example for all those who would be setting up and taking down the Tabernacle in the future. Moses wasn’t leaving anything to chance; he wanted to make sure that the Israelites realized that every detail was being done precisely as God had ordered.

APPLICATION: Oswald Chambers in his famous book “My Utmost for God’s Highest” talks about the need for believers to become entirely devoted to God. (July 31 “Becoming Entirely His”) Chambers writes: Many of us appear to be all right in general, but there are still some areas in which we are careless and lazy; it is not a matter of sin, but the remnants of our carnal life that tend to make us careless. Carelessness is an insult to the Holy Spirit. We should have no carelessness about us either in the way we worship God, or even in the way we eat or drink.

Not only must our relationship to God be right but the outward expression of that relationship must also be right. Ultimately, God will allow nothing to escape; every detail of our lives is under His scrutiny.”

We live in a house riddled by termites. Before the house was ever built, there were large numbers of termite mounds on that ground. During the construction of the house 25 years ago, no attempts were made to deal with the termites. Perhaps people felt that because the house was constructed of cement block, there would be no problems. But over the years, the foundation has settled and cracks have developed, allowing termites access to the walls of our house. In the past, the termites have totally devoured two built in closets with their shelves. Only recently, my husband was attempting to replace a wall socket, only to find that once he removed the old one, the wall was full of termite mud. In addition, the termites were making inroads into the back side of my file cabinet in my office. Now we are faced with examining all our sockets in this end of the house to make sure the pesky creatures are not creating more problems.

If you had looked at that electrical outlet in my office this morning, you would never have known that there were termites lurking inside the walls. In the same way, many times we appear to be obedient believers; however, there are parts of us that have not been brought under God’s control.

Proverbs 4:23 says, “Guard your heart with all diligence, for from it flow springs of life.” Just as Moses was careful to follow all God’s instructions to the letter, so we should endeavor to keep our hearts and consciences clear. You don’t want spiritual termites!

PRAYER: Father God, please help us to follow You completely and not partially. Help us to realize that our pet sins are just as devastating as termites to a building. Thank You for loving us and caring for us. Please change us into Your Image. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Exodus 40:1 – 16 “Then the LORD said to Moses, “On the first day of the first month you are to set up the tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting. Put the ark of the Testimony in it and screen off the ark with the veil. Then bring in the table and set out its arrangement; bring in the lampstand as well, and set up its lamps. Place the gold altar of incense in front of the ark of the Testimony, and hang the curtain at the entrance to the tabernacle. Place the altar of burnt offering in front of the entrance to the tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting. And place the basin between the Tent of Meeting and the altar, and put water in it. Set up the surrounding courtyard and hang the curtain for the entrance to the courtyard.

Take the anointing oil and anoint the tabernacle and everything in it; consecrate it along with all its furnishings, and it shall be holy. Anoint the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils; consecrate the altar, and it shall be most holy. Anoint the basin and its stand and consecrate them. Then bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance of the Tent of Meeting and wash them with water. And you are to clothe Aaron with the holy garments, anoint him, and consecrate him, so that he may serve Me as a priest. Bring his sons forward and clothe them with tunics. Anoint them just as you anointed their father, so that they may also serve Me as priests. Their anointing will qualify them for a perpetual priesthood throughout their generations.”

Moses did everything just as the LORD had commanded him. So the tabernacle was set up on the first day of the first month of the second year.”

When Moses was setting up the Tabernacle for the first time, God had him anoint everything in it and everyone who would minister with the special anointing oil. Earlier when God had given instructions regarding the creation of this oil, He put strong restrictions in place against anybody who would duplicate it for their own purposes. God wanted this oil to be reserved solely for anointing items of worship and the people who would carry out that worship.

As indicated by the recipe quoted in the photo, this oil had a distinct and unusual scent. The oil was to be applied to indicate that everything and everyone it touched was holy. More than that, the very scent of the oil would permeate all the items, all the clothing, and even remain on the bodies of the priests. Anyone smelling that scent would understand that they were in the presence of something holy and dedicated to the Lord.

APPLICATION: When I was growing up on a midwestern farm, there were lots of scents in my environment, some quite lovely and some quite pungent. We had several old rose bushes in our yard, and the scents were wonderful. There was the fragrance of new – mown hay, the scents of our garden vegetables blooming, the fresh scent of a morning in May. On the other hand, there were other scents that could only be described as penetrating and noxious. We raised hogs, sheep, cattle, and chickens. As any farm kid can tell you, the smells of manure concentrated in one place can make your eyes water! Working with hogs in a confinement set – up will leave you with hair that smells like pig manure, a scent that is very difficult to erase. For better or worse, when we worked in a stinky area, we wound up stinking as well.

How do you tell when something is holy? For the Israelites, the distinctive scent of the anointing oil gave an unspoken message that these items and these people had been dedicated to the Lord. For those working in the Tabernacle, that fragrance would certainly serve as a reminder of their dedication to God.

When we were first came to one town in northern Ghana, we were interviewing men for the position of night watchman. One young man came to us applying for the job. Despite the fact that this fellow looked all right, there was something about him that disturbed both of us deeply and caused us to reject his application. Later we learned that this young man was an apprentice fetish priest; evidently, it was the demonic influence that we were sensing. When rail travel in Great Britain was at its height in the nineteenth century, one unassuming believer entered a passenger car, only for all those already seated there to come under the influence of the Holy Spirit and to begin to confess their sins. This man had not said anything, but the Spirit of Holiness was so strongly present with him that the fragrance of holiness accompanied him wherever he went.

As we go throughout our days, each of us carry a fragrance with us. The question we must ask ourselves is this: what are people sensing when they are around me? Am I an encouragement to holiness or am I a discouragement? If you feel you need to change, God is ready and willing to help you. He is only a prayer away.

PRAYER: Father God, help! Many of us feel as if Your fragrance is not on our lives. We confess that we are sinners and that without Your help, we can do nothing. Lord, please change us into Your likeness so that when we are around others, they will feel Your presence. In the mighty Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Exodus 39:32 – 43 “So all the work for the tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting, was completed. The Israelites did everything just as the LORD had commanded Moses. Then they brought the tabernacle to Moses: the tent with all its furnishings, its clasps, its frames, its crossbars, and its posts and bases; the covering of ram skins dyed red, the covering of fine leather,e and the veil of the covering; the ark of the Testimony with its poles and the mercy seat; the table with all its utensils and the Bread of the Presence; the pure gold lampstand with its row of lamps and all its utensils, as well as the oil for the light; the gold altar, the anointing oil, the fragrant incense, and the curtain for the entrance to the tent; the bronze altar with its bronze grating, its poles, and all its utensils; the basin with its stand; the curtains of the courtyard with its posts and bases; the curtain for the gate of the courtyard, its ropes and tent pegs, and all the equipment for the service of the tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting; and the woven garments for ministering in the sanctuary, both the sacred garments for Aaron the priest and the garments for his sons to serve as priests. The Israelites had done all the work just as the LORD had commanded Moses. And Moses inspected all the work and saw that they had accomplished it just as the LORD had commanded. So Moses blessed them.”

400 years! 400 years! For most of four hundred years, the Israelites had served as Egyptian slaves. All that time the Egyptians were building pyramids and monuments and all kinds of things. Needless to say, somebody would have to keep track of the work. It stands to reason that the Egyptians would train some Israelites as construction foremen and bookkeepers rather than remain out on a dusty dirty job site. But if you were a bookkeeper and made any inaccurate entries, watch out! The Egyptians would be on your neck very quickly! And toting up figures in the shade was a lot better than toiling out in the hot sun, moving those huge blocks of stone around.

At the time, it’s more than likely that those Israelites who became accountants and bookkeepers complained about the pressures of their work. But when the time came to construct a Tabernacle in the middle of the wilderness, Somebody more powerful than the Egyptians was watching! Fire, smoke, earthquakes, the unearthly sound of trumpets – all these things probably had thrown the fear of God into many of the Israelites.

Now comes the wrap – up. As the bookkeepers check off their lists, you can imagine the conversation. “Hey, Avram! How many tent pegs did we use? How many pieces of linen?” The accounting would have taken days. But the job is completed, and the craftsmen and bookkeepers and accountants come to Moses. “Hey, boss! We’ve finished the job!” And Moses inspects, approves, signs off on the work, and gives all the workmen and women his blessing.

When we read this account, it’s easy to forget that the Israelites are sitting out there in the wilderness at the base of Mount Sinai. The photo at the beginning of this devotional is one view of that area. Unlike Egypt, where there was water and shade and appealing food, the area around Mount Sinai was bleak. The only reason that the Israelites had the necessary materials with which to construct the Tabernacle was because the Egyptians had piled those things on the Israelites as they fled from Egypt. Working conditions were probably harsh. If you didn’t do most of your work early in the morning or later in the afternoon, the midday sun would scorch you. On the other hand, what else did the Israelites have to do, apart from tending their animals? Perhaps this isolation was necessary for the Tabernacle to be completed; otherwise, the Israelites might have become distracted and the work might have been left half – done.

APPLICATION: My husband and I have spent most of our married lives in Northern Ghana working in small mission hospitals. For much of that time, we have had to make do with whatever resources were available. I have performed countless surgeries with instruments that had already been discarded in America or Europe, only to be shipped to us. At one point, a friend was sending us left over suture material from her hospital, and we were glad to have it. I have also worn surgical gloves in sizes so small that my fingertips have turned numb and in sizes so large that I had to be careful not to tie the fingertips into the surgical knots. I started a hospital laboratory with a gas fridge, a Bunsen burner, a few test tubes, and 2 bathroom tiles and some reagents. (Today our laboratory is fully functional and we even run PCR tests.)

One of our continual frustrations has been training nurses in specialties only to have some of them return and complain because we didn’t already have a complete setup for their specialty. Sometimes you have to start with the resources you have, trusting that God will give you more.

Back in Exodus 3 during the burning bush interview, God asked Moses, “What is that in your hand?” So many times we refuse to look at what God has already given us to work with because we have preconceived ideas of what we “absolutely need” before we can do God’s work. What’s the answer? Make a start! Use whatever God has given you. And as you go on, you will find that God will continue to furnish what you need, little by little. Who knows? You might wind up building a Tabernacle in a wilderness!

PRAYER: Father God, thank you for loving us and caring for us. Thank you that if you call us to do something, you furnish what we need to start with. Help us not to sit down and whine but to go forward, trusting that you will provide where you are guiding us. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Exodus 39:27 – 31 ”For Aaron and his sons they made tunics of fine linen, the work of a weaver, as well as the turban of fine linen, the ornate headbands and undergarments of finely spun linen, and the sash of finely spun linen, embroidered with blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, just as the LORD had commanded Moses. They also made the plate of the holy crown of pure gold, and they engraved on it, like an inscription on a seal: HOLY TO THE LORD. Then they fastened to it a blue cord to mount it on the turban, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.”

Aaron and his sons were to wear turbans of gleaming white linen adorned with ornate headbands. Wikipedia gives the following information: The high priest was also to wear “the holy crown of pure gold” along with a small separate plate that bore the inscription ‘Holiness to the Lord.” This engraved plate was called the “Tziytz” in Hebrew. The Tziytz was a small rectangular plate of solid gold, engraved in Hebrew letters with “HOLINESS TO THE LORD,” and having holes drilled in each of the four corners through which blue cords were threaded which held the tiara onto the High Priest’s priestly turban. (https://www.mechon-amre.org/p/pt/pt0239.htm#31) Traditionally, it is understood that one set of cords went around the High Priest’s head at the base of the tiara, and the other went over the forehead, all meeting at the back of the head to hold the tiara in place.

According to the Talmud, the wearing of the golden frontlet atoned for the sin of arrogance on the part of the Children of Israel…The Talmud in Shabbat 63b describes the tziytz as encircling the High Priest’s forehead “from one ear to the other.” Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook suggested that this emphasis on the High Priest’s ears — organs for listening — indicates that he needed to be particularly “receptive to the inner voice of elevated thought.” (Priestly golden head plate – Wikipedia)

APPLICATION: There’s a children’s Sunday School song that goes, “Oh be careful, little eyes, what you see! Oh be careful, little eyes, what you see! For the Father up above is looking down in love, so be careful, little eyes, what you see!” The song goes through several different parts of the body, including ears, mouth, hands, and feet. Although the song never mentions “Oh be careful, little brain, what you think,” this would have been a great addition.

Until the rise of the internet with online pornography and violent videos and violent video games, the only violence to which many people were exposed was on the nightly news. Sadly, that situation has now changed. Now anybody with an internet connection can access incredible amounts of filth. Parental controls may work on a home computer, but what happens when the child visits a friend whose parents are not as careful? And adults are not immune either! We have a close pastor friend who has since gone to be with Jesus who became addicted to online pornography. This addiction nearly cost our friend his ministry and his marriage and may have weakened his body’s immune system, allowing cancer to attack him.

Yesterday we discussed the concept of lashon hara, evil speech/slander/gossip. Proverbs 4:23 says, “Guard your heart with all diligence, for from it flow springs of life.” Proverbs 23:7 says, “As a man thinks in his heart, so is he.”

When computer programming was in its infancy, there was a phrase “GIGO.” “GIGO” stands for “garbage in/garbage out. Computers have no moral sense whatsoever and can only receive whatever information one feeds to them. If wrong information is given during a computation, the computer will give a wrong answer. When it comes to the things that absorb our attention, GIGO still holds true. If we allow evil things to obsess us, we will concentrate on evil.

While there are various descriptions of the “golden tiara” or the “golden crown” or frontlet, it was obviously worn across the forehead, protecting the brain, the seat of thought. Talmudic tradition claims that the priest wore this frontlet to atone for the sins of arrogance committed by the Children of Israel. Certainly, the Israelites were arrogant, rebelling against God and Moses many times, complaining after God had miraculously delivered them, etc. If indeed this golden band stretched from ear to ear, it would remind worshipers that they along with the priests were to listen to the Voice of God.

What’s playing on the video screens of your mind? Centuries after Moses, Paul warned the Philippians, “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think on these things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me, put into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.” (Philippians 4:8 – 9)

Do you want peace? Concentrate on those virtues that will bring peace. Memorize Paul’s check list; then if something comes up that doesn’t match that list, refuse to dwell on it! We should not be ostriches hiding our heads in the sand and waving our bottoms in the air; however, we can choose what to feed our brains. Remember, GIGO!

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and caring for us. Help us to focus on Your holiness, Your righteousness, and Your purity. Help us to be careful about our thoughts as well as our words. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Exodus 39:22 – 27 “They made the robe of the ephod entirely of blue cloth, the work of a weaver, with an opening in the center of the robe like that of a garment, (possibly, like the opening in a coat of mail) with a collar around the opening so that it would not tear.

They made pomegranates of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn and finely spun linen on the lower hem of the robe. They also made bells of pure gold and attached them around the hem between the pomegranates, alternating the bells and pomegranates around the lower hem of the robe to be worn for ministry, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.

For Aaron and his sons they made tunics of fine linen, the work of a weaver, as well as the turban of fine linen, the ornate headbands and undergarments of finely spun linen, and the sash of finely spun linen, embroidered with blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.”

When God sets things in place, He does it right! God is the Creator who has divided darkness from light and who has forbidden the use of yeast (leaven) for the bread of the Tabernacle because leaven was developed in Egypt and was a reminder of Egyptian practices. Now God is making a sharp break with the manner in which priests are to dress as well.

How did priests dress in Egypt? Priests were generally only permitted to wear linen clothing and white papyrus sandals when tending a god (neither leather nor wool were were considered to be ritually pure). (Information from: Clothing | Ancient Egypt Online) An ancient Egyptian tomb painting depicts a priest naked to the waist and wearing a white linen kilt. Is it possible that priests with good muscle development might have shown off their physiques? Well, why not? Were there “temple groupies” who were attracted to these Egyptian priests? Possibly.

But now God is creating a totally different kind of priesthood and with it an entirely different approach to priestly garments. While the point of the Egyptian priests’ garments might have been display of the priests’ bodies, every aspect of the Jewish priests’ garments is calculated to point people toward God and away from the priest himself.

The first garments the priests would put on would be linen breeches, followed by fine white linen tunics, white being the color of purity. Next, the priests would put on sleeveless tunics of blue, with the blue of the tunic reminding people of heaven. These tunics were woven in a single piece with a woven neck opening so that nothing could fray or tear. At the bottom of this tunic were bells alternating with pomegranate – shaped tassels made of turquoise, red, and purple yarn. The golden bells were to continually ring as the high priest moved around the holy of holies during the Feast of Atonement. If the bells stopped ringing, it might mean that God had struck the high priest dead!

There were also turbans of pure white fine linen with brightly woven headbands. Completing this part of the priestly garments would have been sashes of fine linen embroidered with blue, purple and scarlet.

Wikipedia gives the following explanation:

In traditional Rabbinical teaching, each of the priestly robes is intended to atone for a particular sin on the part of the Children of Israel. The eminent sage Rashi points out in his commentary on the Talmud that the robe was fashioned to atone for the sin of an evil tongue, speaking poorly about someone else. As the High Priest, adorned with the priestly garments, walked, the bells noisily announced his presence, and because the noise emanated from the robe, it served as a reminder for people to refrain from gossip. The Talmud also states that the tassels between each bell on the robe were made of three materials:turquoise, purple, and scarlet wool. These three materials signify to the three people who are injured when lashon hara is spoken: the speaker, the listener, and the one who is spoken about. (Lashon hara in Hebrew is derogatory speech about a person which emotionally or financially damages them or lowers them in the estimation of others. Lashon hara may include truthful speech as well as lies.)

APPLICATION: For the Israelites, worship was a very serious business. Psalm 24:3-6 says, “Who may ascend the hill of the LORD? Who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to an idol or swear deceitfully. He shall receive blessing from the LORD, and vindication from the God of his salvation. Such is the generation of those who seek Him, who seek Your face, O God of Jacob.”

Each part of the priests’ garments served as a visual reminder to those watching to be careful in their thoughts and in their speech. The question for those of us who are believers is this: how careful are we in our thoughts and our speech?

There’s a sad story making the rounds on Face book about a man who accidentally failed to silence his cell phone in church. The ushers humiliated this man and made him feel unwanted. The whole church experience that morning was terrible. That night he went to a local bar where all the workers were kind to him. Guess where the man is now a regular? I am personally aware of several sad situations in which vicious – minded gossips who were church members drove people away from their churches. Their speeches would have served as perfect examples for lashon hara.

When we approach God knowing that we are sinners and confessing our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:8-9) God can handle sinners; it’s hypocrites that are a major problem.

When the priests ministered, they were always mindful that they were appearing before a holy God. But how many of us realize that the same holy God is present throughout our days? May God help us to continue to look to Him, so that our thoughts and our speech will please Him!

PRAYER: Father God, we confess that we are sinners and that without You, we have no hope. Help us to confess our sins so that You can forgive us and clean us up. Help us to watch what we say, so that we will never be guilty of the sin of lashon hara. In the matchless Name of King Jesus. Amen.