Luke 5

Jesus instructs from Simon’s boat verse 1- 3

And it came to pass – that – as the people pressed upon HIM

to hear the word of God

HE stood by the lake of Gennesaret

and HE saw two ships standing by the lake

BUT the fishermen were gone out of them

and were washing their nets

AND HE entered into one of the ships – which was Simon’s

and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land

AND HE sat down – and taught the people out of the ship

Jesus instructs Simon to go fishing verse 4

NOW when HE had left speaking – HE said unto Simon

Launch out into the deep

and let down your nets for a draught

Simon Peter goes under protest verse 5- 7

And Simon answering said unto HIM

Master – we have toiled all the night – and have taken nothing

nevertheless at YOUR word I will let down the net

AND when they had this done – they enclosed a great multitude of fishes

and their net brake

And they beckoned unto their partners – which were in the other ship

that they should come and help them

and they came – and filled both the ships

so that they began to sink

Simon Peter’s confession verse 8- 11

WHEN Simon Peter saw it – he fell down at Jesus’ knees – saying

Depart from me – for I am a sinful man – O Lord

FOR he was astonished – and all that were with him

at the draught of the fishes which they had taken

and so was also James & John

the sons of Zebedee

which were partners with Simon

AND Jesus said unto Simon – Fear not – from henceforth you shalt catch men

AND when they had brought their ships to land – they FORSOOK all

and followed HIM

Jesus healing of leper verse 12- 16

And it came to pass – when HE was in a certain city

BEHOLD a man full of leprosy

who seeing Jesus fell on his face – and besought HIM

saying

Lord – if YOU wilt – YOU canst make me clean

AND HE put forth HIS hand – and touched him – saying

I will – be you clean

AND immediately the leprosy departed from him

and HE charge him to tell no man

BUT go – and show thyself to the priest

and offer for thy cleaning

according as Moses commanded

FOR a testimony unto them

BUT so much the more went there a fame abroad of HIM

and great multitudes came together to hear

and to be healed by HIM of their infirmities

AND HE withdrew HIMSELF into the wilderness and prayed

Pharisees followed Jesus to hinder verse 17

And it came to pass on a certain day – as HE was teaching

that there were Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by

which were come out of

every town of Galilee – Judea – Jerusalem

and the power of the Lord

was present to heal them

Jesus tells man with palsy his sins are forgiven verse 18- 20

And BEHOLD – men brought in a bed a man

which was taken with a palsy

and they sought means to bring him in

and to lay him before HIM

And when they could not find

by what they might bring him in because of the multitude

they went upon the housetop

and let him down through the tiling

with his couch into the midst before Jesus

AND when HE saw their faith – HE said unto him

Man – your sins are forgiven you

Pharisees accuse Jesus of blaspheme verse 21

AND the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason – saying

Who is this which speaks blasphemies?

Who can forgive sins – but God alone?

Jesus confronts Pharisee’s thinking verse 22- 24

BUT when Jesus perceived their thoughts

HE answering said unto them

What reason ye in your hearts?

Whether is easier – to say

your sins be forgiven you- or to say

Rise up and walk?

BUT that ye may know that the Son of man

hath power upon earth to forgive sins

(HE said unto the sick of the palsy) – I say unto thee

Arise and take up your couch – and go into your house

Man with palsy healed verse 25- 26

AND immediately he rose up before them – and took up that whereon he lay

and departed to his own house – GLORIFYING God

AND they were all amazed – and they GLORIFIED God

and were filled with fear – saying

We have seen strange things today

Jesus called Levi or Matthew verse 27- 30

And after these things HE went forth – and saw a publican

named Levi – sitting at the receipt of custom

and HE said unto him – Follow ME

and he left all – rose up – and followed HIM

AND Levi made HIM a great feast in his own house

and there was a great company of publicans

and of others that sat down with them

BUT their scribes and Pharisees murmured against HIS disciples

saying

Why do ye eat and drink with publicans and sinners?

Jesus confronts Pharisees verse 31- 32

AND Jesus answering said unto them

They that are whole need not a physician

BUT they that are sick

I came not to call the righteous

BUT sinners to repentance

Question of fasting presented to Jesus verse 33

AND they said unto HIM

Why do the disciples of John fast often – and make prayers

and likewise the disciples of the Pharisees

BUT thine eat and drink?

Jesus answers question of fasting verse 34- 35

AND HE said unto them

Can ye make the children of the bride chamber fast

while the bridegroom is with them?

BUT the days will come

when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them

and then shall they fast in those days

Jesus continues instructing verse 36- 39

AND HE spake also a parable unto them

No man put a piece of a new garment upon an old

IF otherwise – THEN both the new make a rent

and the piece that was taken out of the new

agree not with the old

AND no man puts new wine into old bottles

ELSE the new wine will burst the bottles

and be spilled

and the bottles shall perish

BUT new wine must be put into new bottles

and both are preserved

No man also having drunk old wine straightway desired new

for he say – The old is better

COMMENTARY:

DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers

: 1 And it came to pass, that, as the people pressed on HIM to hear the Word of God, HE stood by the lake of Gennesaret. (1945 “pressed” [epikeimai] means be laid upon, be imposed on, to be advancing toward a boundary or limit so as to be pushing or pressing against it, crowd, insist, or have power over, continue with persistence.)

DEVOTION: When a man of God comes to town who wants to teach others about Jesus does he get a great crowd today? In our day we had Billy Graham come to town to preach messages concerning Jesus Christ. He would organize the great event with great helpers. He would preach the Word of God. There would be many people coming forward when the invitation song was sung.

Jesus had come to town and the people were pressing hard on him to hear HIM preach great sermons of instruction. They got so close to HIM that HE had to enter a boat that was on the shore to make sure they didn’t push HIM into the water.

They wanted to hear what HE had to say about God and their relationship to HIM. HE preached the Word of God. HE never changed HIS message to please the people or the religious leaders. HE spoke with authority regarding what they needed to do to have a right relationship with God.

They wanted to listen. They wanted to hear more. They wanted to watch HIM work in their world. Do we have the same desires today? Do we want to know what HE wants us to know? Do we want to see what HE is going to do in our world?

CHALLENGE: We should. That should be a top desire. If it is not a top desire today, pray and fast to ask the LORD for that proper desire.

DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers

: 5 And Simon answering said to HIM, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at your word I will let down the net. (2872 “toiled” [kopiao] means labor, be wearied, to grow weary, exhausted, of bodily labor, lose heart, to work hard, strive, labor unto extreme fatigue, or be emotionally fatigued and discouraged.)

DEVOTION: Do we question God’s instructions to us? Does the LORD ever communicate with us regarding what HE wants us to do on a certain day or in a certain place? Does the LORD still give us commands to follow through the ministry of the Holy Spirit in our life regarding where we should be on a certain day or a certain place?

Here we find Simon Peter questioning God the Son’s ability to find fish. Remember that Jesus was a carpenter all of HIS young life. Now HE was with fisherman telling them how to fish.

Peter gives a reason for not wanting to go out fishing again. They had gone out at the proper time to fish to catch them but they had caught none. They were fixing their nets that had holes in them from dragging them in the water all night.

Now HE instructed them to go out at the wrong time to fish with their broken nets. What happened? They got so many fish that they had to call for help. Lesson learned?

God through the ministry of the Holy Spirit instructs us to do things that we think seem funny at the time but we know that the LORD is telling us to go to some certain place and wait for further instruction or to witness to someone that we don’t even know. HE props us to do things that we think would challenge us and yet we sometimes don’t do them because we are not sure or doubt.

We need to follow the leading of the LORD many times without full knowledge of the outcome. If it is truly HIS leading HE will bless our actions with the salvation of a soul or an encouragement to a brother or sister in the faith. When Jesus says to do something – do it.

CHALLENGE: Obedience no matter what is what is expected of us when we serve the LORD.

DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers

: 16 And he withdrew himself into the wilderness, and prayed. (5298 “withdrew” [hupochoreo] means go aside, to go off, retreat, to go back, retire, slip away, or seek privacy.)

DEVOTION: One of the things we like to do if we have had a long day helping people is to get alone to collect our thoughts. We need a time to organize for the next day. We need time to pray for guidance from the LORD for our next mission.

Jesus had had a long day of ministry. HE had taught the people from inside a boat. HE had showed fishermen that a carpenter knew how to fish. Really it was the LORD knowing where the fish were to show them a lesson regarding their future activity. They were to be fishers of men.

HE had faced false teacher who wanted to catch HIM in action doing good works to find fault with HIM. They usually did. HE confronted them regarding their wrong beliefs. HE showed them that HE knew who HE was in relationship to God the Father.

HE healed the sick. HE called a publican or a tax collector named Matthew or Levi to follow HIM. HE ate with publicans and sinners. HE had to instruct the Pharisees again of HIS mission to earth.

HE had to help the people understand that HE was the bridegroom who was training HIS disciples, so that, when HE was gone they would learn the importance of prayer and fasting in their ministry.

It was a full day of instructing and confronting. HE needed an energy boost that only came from being in the presence of the Father. HE needed to speak with HIS Father regarding plans for the future.

We need alone time with the Father through the ministry of the Holy Spirit by the blood of Jesus Christ. We can only go into the presence of the Father because of what Jesus did on the cross. Once we are in HIS presence we need to ask for direction and strength for our ministry for the next day. We need time alone with the LORD.

CHALLENGE: Are we taking the time to get alone with the LORD before we start a new day of ministry? Without HIS power we will fail. With HIS power we can do all things that we do according to HIS will.

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: 26 And they were all amazed, and they glorified God, and were filled with fear, saying, We have seen strange things today. (3861 “strange” [paradoxos] means unexpected, uncommon, incredible, unusual, difficult to believe or wonderful.

DEVOTION: The people in Jesus day were ones who thought that God wasn’t working. The Romans had taken over. The Pharisees and Sadducees made up their own traditions for the people to follow. They were waiting for the Messiah to come and deliver them from Rome. They wanted the LORD to establish HIS theocracy again. They thought these thoughts at least.

Here was a man who came and started healing people who were never being healed before in such great number. They brought their sick to HIM. Now HE makes a statement that upsets the religious leaders. HE tells the man with a palsy that “his sins are forgiven.” That was something only God could do. They knew that HE had power from God but they didn’t think the thought that HE was God.

Jesus tells them that HE has the power to heal from God and that HE has the power to forgive sins. If God is the only one with the power to forgive sins, then what is HE saying to the people? HE is saying that HE is God.

Jesus was God in the flesh. Jesus Christ was God and man. HE could forgive sins. HE could heal. HE can still do it today. The people in Jesus’ day saw something they didn’t expect to see. They saw and heard something that was difficult to believe. It was something that was unusual. It was something wonderful.

Remember that sometimes people get a mindset that is contrary to the teaching of the Word of God. God can do the impossible. Here is Jesus teaching them the fact that HE is God and that HE can forgive sins. Amazing!!!

Can we see some things that we don’t expect even today? Should we expect God to heal? Should we expect God to forgive sin? Should we expect miracles today? Or are we going to just comment, “We have seen things today that are HARD TO BELIEVE?” Are we ready for the unexpected? IF we don’t expect God to be powerful, how can HE work in our life?

CHALLENGE: Don’t underestimate God!!!

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DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:

BODY

Chastity (Purity in living)

Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)

John’s disciples and Pharisees fast verse 33

Children of bridegroom fast verse 34, 35

Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)

Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)

Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)

Jesus withdrew into the wilderness verse 16

SOUL

Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)

Frugality (wise use of resources)

Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)

Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)

Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)

SPIRIT

Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)

Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)

Peter confessed he was a sinful man verse 8

Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)

Jesus communicated with Father verse 16

John’s disciples pray verse 33

Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)

Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)

Peter fell on his knees before Jesus verse 8

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DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:

Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)

Word of God verse 1

Moses verse 14

Law verse 17

God the Father (First person of the Godhead)

God verse 1, 21, 25, 26

Glorifying God verse 25, 26

God the Son (Second person of the Godhead –God/man, Messiah)

Master verse 5

Jesus verse 8, 10, 12, 19, 22, 31

Lord verse 8, 12, 17

Prayed in wilderness verse 16

Teaching verse 17

Healing man with palsy verse 17- 26

Power of the Lord to heal verse 17, 18, 24

Forgives sin verse 20, 21, 24

Jesus perceived their thoughts verse 22

Son of man verse 24

Calling of Levi verse 27- 32

Speak in parables verse 33- 39

God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)

Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)

Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)

Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)

Man – full of leprosy healed verse 12- 14

Physician verse 31

Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)

Sinful man verse 8

Sins verse 20, 21, 23, 24

Blaspheme verse 21

Sinners verse 30, 32

Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)

Hear the Word of God verse 1

Teach verse 3, 17

Obedience verse 5

Confession verse 8

Fear not verse 10

Catch men verse 10

Forsake all verse 11

Follow Christ verse 11, 27, 28

Prayer verse 16, 33

Power verse 17, 24

Faith verse 20

Forgiven verse 20, 21, 23, 24

Glorify God verse 25

Fear of the LORD verse 26

Whole verse 31

Righteous verse 32

Repentance verse 32

Fast verse 33- 35

Israel (Old Testament people of God)

Lake of Gennesaret verse 1

Moses verse 14

Pharisees verse 17, 21, 30, 33

Doctors of the law verse 17

Galilee verse 17

Judaea verse 17

Jerusalem verse 17

Scribes verse 21, 30

Publican verse 27, 29, 30

Disciples of John verse 33

Disciples of the Pharisees verse 33

Church (New Testament people of God)

Simon verse 3- 5

Partners verse 7

Simon Peter verse 8, 10

James – son of Zebedee verse 10

John – son of Zebedee verse 10

Calling of Levi verse 27

Disciples verse 30

Last Things (Future Events)

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DONATIONS:

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QUOTES regarding passage

5:16 But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places. The tense of this verb and the next (both imperfect periphrastics) emphasizes that this was a regular practice of Jesus. Since Luke continued to speak of Jesus’ ministry in the cities (7:11–17, 36–50; 8:1), he omitted Mark 1:45b.

And pray. Luke omitted the Markan reference to Jesus’ prayer in Luke 4:42 (Mark 1:35). Instead he introduced this strong Lukan emphasis here. (Stein, R. H. (1992). Luke (Vol. 24, p. 173). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.)

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He often left the crowds and slipped away into a quiet place to pray and seek the Father’s help. That’s a good example for all of God’s servants to follow. (Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, pp. 186–187). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)

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THOSE were very busy days for our Lord as He went from place to place manifesting His mighty power and ministering so graciously. In verse 16 we read, “He withdrew Himself into the wilderness and prayed.” I do not know of anything that so emphasizes for us the reality of the humanity of our Lord as the fact that He felt the need of praying and withdrew Himself to pray. He who was God, He who heard the prayers of others, came down here as man and took the place of the dependent One and lifted His heart to the Father in earnest prayer. It is a good thing for us all to retire into the wilderness and pray. As we enter more into the life of prayer, we will find renewed strength and courage for our daily tasks. (Ironside, H. A. (1947). Addresses on the Gospel of Luke. (pp. 165–166). Neptune, NJ: Loizeaux Brothers.)

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Ver. 16. And he withdrew himself into the wilderness, &c.] Into a desert place, that he might have rest from the fatigues of preaching and healing diseases; and being alone, and free from company, might have an opportunity for private prayer to God, for so it follows: and prayed; this is to be understood of Christ, as man: as God, he is the object of prayer, and petitions are often addressed unto him; and as mediator, he offers up the prayers of all saints, and presents them to his father; which are acceptable to him, through the incense of his mediation; and as man, he prayed himself: what he now prayed for, is not known; sometimes he prayed for his disciples, and for all that should believe; for their conversion, sanctification, union, perseverance, and glorification; and sometimes for himself, that the cup might pass from him, and he be saved from death; but always with submission to the will of his father. (Gill, J. (1809). An Exposition of the New Testament (Vol. 1, p. 555). London: Mathews and Leigh.)

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The Holy Spirit bears a twofold witness to Christ. He says that Jesus “withdrew himself into the wilderness, and prayed” (5:16). We can see for ourselves how busy the Lord was and how the people hindered Him when He tried to get away. Every new miracle fed the flames of public enthusiasm and brought more crowds. All of this public applause, however, was to be offset by growing criticism, hostility, and opposition.

He needed to pray because although He was God, overall, blessed for evermore, He was also Man with human needs. He needed time to be alone with His Father in heaven. Besides, a critically important meeting was coming up, and He had to be prepared for it spiritually. Luke now takes us to that meeting. (Phillips, J. (2009). Exploring the Gospel of Luke: An Expository Commentary (Lk 5:16–17). Kregel Publications; WORDsearch Corp.)

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FROM MY READING:

Old Testament WORDS for Today by Warren W. Wiersbe

God in his mercy does not give us what we do deserve, and in his grace and love he gives us what we don’t deserve. (p. 160)

They knew that during Israel’s wilderness wanderings, each morning the manna fell from heaven to feed the people (Exod. 16); and each morning we need to feed on the Word of God so we have the spiritual strength we need for the tasks of the day. (p. 161)

Mercy speaks of his forgiveness, so let’s not carry yesterday’s sins into the new day. (p. 161)

Each morning, pray your way through that day’s schedule and tell him what you need. The day will go better. God’s faithfulness assures us that he is dependable to be with us and to keep his promises. As for hope, we need it, because matters don’t always work out as we planned. (p. 161)

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Colossians 4
Conduct yourself with wisdom, and let your speech be filled with grace.

“Out of the abundance of [a man’s] heart his mouth speaks” (Luke 6:45). A man cannot claim his heart is kind if his words are unkind. He cannot claim his heart embraces heaven’s values if his mouth speaks the values of the world. The heart is a reservoir and the mouth a faucet. When the faucet is turned on, whatever is in the reservoir comes out. Paul writes: “Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt” (Colossians 4:6). Elsewhere he writes: “Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers” (Ephesians 4:29). Listen to your speech! Analyze your heart! (Quiet Walk)

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My King of Old
“The day is thine, the night also is thine: thou hast prepared the light and the sun. Thou hast set all the borders of the earth: thou hast made summer and winter.” (Psalm 74:16-17)
The 74th Psalm is a sad lamentation over the apparent triumph of the enemies of God, but its central verse is a beautiful statement of faith: “For God is my King of old, working salvation in the midst of the earth” (Psalm 74:12). Then, in support of his faith, the psalmist remembers the mighty creative acts of God in ancient times, giving assurance that He could, indeed, work salvation in these present times.
Those who believe that man is the measure of all things, sufficient unto himself, ignore how dependent all people are on God’s provisions. The very rotation of the earth, with its cycle of day and night, has set the basic rhythm of biological life, and it was God—not man—who “divided the light from the darkness” (Genesis 1:4).
There is even the testimony in Genesis that God “prepared the light” before He prepared the sun (Genesis 1:3, 14), thus rebuking all those who later would worship the sun as the source of the earth and life.
God also “set all the borders [or ‘boundaries’] of the earth.” This refers both to the emergence of the continental land masses after the Flood and then also to the enforced scattering of the peoples from Babel into all the world, when He “determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation” (Acts 17:26).
He has even made “summer and winter, and day and night [that] shall not cease” (Genesis 8:22). God did all this—not man! Evolutionary humanism is futile foolishness, and one day soon God will answer the cry of the psalmist: “Arise, O God, plead thine own cause: remember how the foolish man reproacheth thee daily” (Psalm 74:22). (HMM, The Institute for Creation Research)

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The dispensational scheme has two perspectives: a cross-sectional aspect (which is sometimes misconstrued as cycles but which is in reality a spiral) and the longitudinal aspect (which emphasizes the unfolding progress of revelation and continuing principles throughout the ages of the dispensations). (p. 45, Dispensationalism by Charles C. Ryrie)

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A CHRISTIAN IS A SPIRITUAL PERSON

Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God.
1 Corinthians 2:12
What is a Christian? I am never tired of putting forward that question, because I think that of all things that are misunderstood in the world today, this is the one that is most misunderstood. What is a Christian—a good person, a moral person, a formal member of a church, one who pays an occasional visit to God’s house? Is that a Christian? Shame upon us if ever we have given that impression! No; a Christian is a spiritual person. Is that not the statement of the New Testament everywhere—a spiritual man or woman?
A spiritual person is one who has received the Holy Spirit—that is New Testament terminology. Christians are people who are altogether different from those who are not Christians. They are not just a little bit better or people who do certain things. No; they themselves are different; they are spiritual. “We have received,” says Paul, “not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God….He that is spiritual judgeth all things” (1 Corinthians 2:12, 15). Not so with the natural man. That is the difference.
Now there are some people who say that you become a Christian and then later you receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. But you cannot be a Christian unless you have received the gift of the Holy Spirit. It is that, in a sense, that makes you a Christian. It means new birth; it means being born again; it means, to use the language of Peter, to be “partakers of the divine nature” (2 Peter 1:4). It means, to use the language of our Lord Himself, that God is abiding in us. “He that keepeth his commandments,” says John, “dwelleth in him, and he in him” (1 John 3:24). And if you want the best commentary on that, read John 14, those great words of our Lord: “I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you” (verse 18); or as some would translate it, “I will not leave you orphans, I will come again.”
A Thought to Ponder: A Christian is a spiritual man or woman.

(From Children of God, p. 140, by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)

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“If you look at the world, you’ll be distressed. If you look within, you’ll be depressed. But if you look at Christ, you’ll be at rest.” Corrie ten Boom

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DAILY HOPE

Today’s Scripture

Numbers 21-22

How quickly we can forget the blessings that come into our lives! I am amused when I watch our grandchildren open presents and become so excited over the new present, just to toss it aside to open another. What caused such joy a moment ago is forgotten in the excitement of a new, unopened present.

The nation of Israel had similar tendencies as they traveled from Egypt toward the Promised land. They received multiple blessings each day; God’s presence, the continual provision of manna, and the guidance provided by Moses’ face to face dialogue with God. These should have caused Israel to rejoice and be continually in awe of being chosen by the God of the universe.

God had provided victories over Israel’s enemies, directed their route, and provided all they needed to survive in this journey, yet they were dissatisfied and unthankful toward Moses and God (21:4-5). In response, God again disciplined and fiery serpents were sent to inflict judgment upon the ungrateful nation.

Like a loving parent, God provided and the nation was encouraged by victories over the enemies they encountered. With victories over Arad, Sihon, and Og, God prepared His people to be victorious in the land they had been promised to receive. If the people of God had been observant, they would clearly have seen God’s providential care.

We, as the readers of this book, get to see some of the ways God worked behind the scenes to influence potential adversaries of the nation of Israel. Balak, king of Moab seeks to hire Balaam, a prophet of God, to curse the people of Israel. Instead of cursing, God directs him to bless the Israelites instead.

Governments, as well as man, at times desire to inflict misery and pain upon the people of God. Yet, God is in control and will not allow all the destructive forces that an ungodly society may wish to unleash. In recognizing God’s goodness and protection upon His people, may we also thank Him for the daily unseen and hidden provisions of His care upon our lives and ministries.

Expectant Hope, Pastor Miller

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