Numbers 33
Trail of Exodus recorded by Mosesverses 1-2
These are the journeys of the children of Israel
which went forth out of the land of Egypt with their armies
under the hand of Moses and Aaron
And Moses wrote their goings out according to their journeys be the
commandment of the LORD and these are their journeys
according to their goings out
God defeated the gods of Egyptverses 3-4
And they departed from Rameses in the first month
on the fifteenth day of the first month
On the morrow after the Passover the children of Israel went out
with an high hand in the sight of all the Egyptians
FOR the Egyptians buried all their FIRSTBORN
which the LORD had smitten among them – upon their gods
also the LORD EXECUTED judgments
Journey of children of Israel in the wildernessverses 5-37
And the children of Israel removed from Rameses – and pitched in Succoth
and they departed from Succoth – and pitched in Ethan
which is in the edge of the wilderness
And they removed from Etham – and turned again unto Pi-hahiroth
which is before Baal-zephon – and they pitched before Migdol
And they departed from before Pi-hahiroth
and passed through the midst of the sea into the wilderness
and went three days’ journey in the wilderness of Etham
and pitched in Marah
And they removed from Marah – and came unto Elim
and in Elim were twelve fountains of water
and threescore and ten palm trees
and they pitched there
And they removed from Elim
and encamped by the RED SEA
And they removed from the RED SEA
and encamped in the wilderness of Sin
And they took their journey out of the wilderness of Sin
and encamped in Dophkah
And they departed from Dophkah
and encamped in Alush
And they removed from Alush – and encamped at Rephidim
where was no water for the people to drink
And they departed from Rephidim
and pitched in the wilderness of Sinai
And they removed from the desert of Sinai
and pitched at Kibroth-hattaavah
And they departed from Kibroth-hattaavah
and encamped at Hazeroth
And they departed from Hazeroth
and pitched in Rithmah
And they departed from Rithmah
and pitched at Rimmon-parez
And they departed form Rimmon-parez
and pitched in Libnah
And they removed from Libnah
and pitched at Rissah
And they journeyed form Rissah
and pitched in Kehelathah
And they went from Kehelathah
and pitched in mount Shapher
And they removed from mount Shapher
and encamped in Haradah
And they removed from Haradah
and pitched in Makheloth
And they removed from Makheloth
and encamped at Tahath
And they removed from Tahath
and pitched at Tarah
And they removed from Tarah
and pitched in Mithcah
And they went from Mithcah
and pitched in Hashmonah
And they departed from Hashmonah
and encamped at Moseroth
And they departed from Moseroth
and pitched in Bene-jaakan
And they removed from Bene-jaakan
and encamped at Hor-hagidgad
And they went from Hor-hagidgad
and pitched in Jotbathah
And they removed from Jotbathah
and encamped at Ebronah
And they departed form Ebronah
and encamped at Ezion-geber
And they removed from Ezion-geber
and pitched in the wilderness of Zin
which is Kadesh
And they removed from Kadesh
and pitched in mount Hor
in the edge of the land of Edom
Death of Aaronverses 38-39
And Aaron the priest went up into mount Hor at the
commandment of the LORD – and died there
in the fortieth year after the children of Israel were
come out of the land of Egypt
in the first day of the fifth month
And Aaron was an hundred and twenty and three years old when he
died in mount Hor
King of Aradverse 40
And king Arad the Canaanite
which dwelt in the south in the land of Canaan
heard of the coming of the children of Israel
Journey record continuesverses 41-49
And they departed from mount Hor
and pitched in Zalmonah
And they departed from Zalmonah
and pitched in Punon
And they departed from Punon
and pitched in Oboth
And they departed from Oboth
and pitched in Ije-abarim in the border of Moab
And they departed from Iim
and pitched in Dibon-gad
And they removed from Dibon-gad
and encamped in Almon-diblathaim
And they removed from Almon-diblathaim
and pitched in the mountains of Abarim before Nebo
And they departed from the mountains of Abarim
and pitched in the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho
And they pitched by Jordan from Beth-jesimoth even unto
Abel-shittim in the plains of Moab
LORD instructs Moses concerning Promised Landverses 50-56
And the LORD spoke to Moses in the plains of Moab by Jordan
near Jericho – saying
Speak to the children of Israel – and say to them
When you are passed over Jordan into the land of Canaan
THEN you shall DRIVE OUT all the inhabitants of the land
from before you – and DESTROY all their PICTURES
AND DESTROY all their molten IMAGES
and quite pluck all their high places
And you shall DISPOSSESS the inhabitants of the land
and dwell therein – FOR I have given you the land to possess it
And you shall divide the land by lot for an inheritance among
your families – and to the more ye shall give the
more inheritance – and to the fewer you shall give the
less inheritance – every man’s inheritance shall
be in the place – where his lot falls
according to the tribes of your tribes of your fathers
you shall inherit
BUT IF you will not DRIVE OUT the inhabitants of the land
from before you – THEN it shall come to pass
that those which you let remain of them shall be
PRICKS in your eyes – THORNS in your sides
and shall VEX you in the land wherein
you dwell
MOREOVER it shall come to pass – that I shall do to you
as I THOUGHT to do to them
COMMENTARY:
DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers
: 4 For the Egyptians buried all their firstborn, which the LORD had smitten among them: upon their gods, also the LORD executed judgments. (6213 “executed” [‘asah] means to make, manufacture, to carry out or perform an action or course of action, to labor, produce, carry out, or assign)
DEVOTION: The last plague involved the death of the firstborn in Egypt. It was the final of the ten false gods of Egypt. The Egyptians believed in these false gods and the children of Israel were introduced to them while they lived in Egypt and believed in them along with their host nation.
God proved that HE was more powerful than the false gods of the Egyptians. We need to learn that our God is stronger than any other god in the world. In America our false gods are money, possessions, and power not statutes usually. God continually warns us as New Testament believers to not trust in these items but to trust wholly in HIM.
One of the ways the LORD reminded them of HIS tenth plague was that all the firstborn of Israel had to be redeemed and the redemption money went into the Temple. So each firstborn male child had to be redeemed throughout the history of Israel to help them remember the last plague of Egypt.
The second way they remembered this fact was the feast of the Passover that they celebrate each year. God wants us to learn from the past.
We need to share with our children some of the lessons the LORD has taught us. These lessons can then be used to train them for things that might be used in the future as excuses by our children.
CHALLENGE: Our children need to learn the difference between reasons and excuses.
DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers
: 38 And Aaron the priest went up into mount Hor at the commandment of the LORD, and died there, in the fortieth year after the children of Israel were come out of the Egypt, in the first day of the fifth month. (6310 “commandment” [peh] means utterance, words of my mouth, statement, decision, communication, by the mouth, or command)
DEVOTION: Aaron was the second from last of his generation to die before entering the Promised Land. His brother Moses was going to die later by just a little time. The only two that stayed alive because of faithfulness were Joshua and Caleb.
The Bible doesn’t hide the sins of Aaron. They are all recorded for us to understand why God acted the way HE did with Aaron and Moses. Sometimes the LORD gives us time after our sin to repent. It there is no repentance there is judgment. Other times HE waits and sends judgment at the time when HE has accomplished all HE could with us.
Obedience is important to the LORD because our disobedience affects the lives of those around us. Those who are watching our life closely understand the longsuffering of God with us because HE knows our hearts. But even when our heart is right with HIM and we sin HE still has to hold us accountable.
There should never be the feeling that we are getting away with sin with God. Sometimes we think because there are not immediate consequences doesn’t mean that God is not aware of what is going on in our life.
Also there are times when it seems like we are doing everything right and there are a lot of trials we are facing. What HE is doing at that time is pruning us for better service in the future. This is not the case in the lives of Moses and Aaron but it was true in the life of Joseph who we have studied in the past.
CHALLENGE: God wants our obedience and uses both chastening and pruning to produce this in our life.
: 52 Then you shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you, and destroy all their pictures, and destroy all their molten images, and quite pluck down all their high places. (4906 “pictures” [maakiyth] means a figure (carved on stone, the wall, or any object); fig. imagination: conceit, image, picture)
: 53 And you shall dispossess the inhabitants of the land, and dwell therein: for I have given you the land to possess it. (3423 “dispossess” [yaresh] means to take possession of, to be heir, to enter into ownership, inherit, or drive out)
DEVOTION: The LORD is stating a fact concerning HIS plans to give the children of Israel the land HE had promised many years ago to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. HE was keeping HIS promise.
We have a review of all the travels of the children of Israel from Egypt to the Promised Land. It was a long journey full of good times and bad. The LORD didn’t let the children of Israel get away with sin while they were on this journey.
One whole generation was left behind because of their unwillingness to follow the LORD’S directions. Sin was the cause of one generation not entering the Promised Land. Even Moses was guilty of disobeying the LORD. He didn’t obey the LORD in regards to the miracle of providing water for the children of Israel. He stated that he and Aaron were the ones giving the children of Israel water instead of the LORD.
The New Testament gives us promises regarding what the LORD will do for us and HIS church. HE keeps HIS promises on a regular basis as long as we are obedient to HIM. This is not happening today just like it didn’t happen in the Old Testament.
We find that many people who claim Christ are not honoring their commitment to HIM on a regular basis.
We have heaven promised to us and it will be given to those who honor the LORD with their life. Our responsibility is to keep short accounts with the LORD regarding confessing our sins and a life of obedience.
CHALLENGE: Victory is ours according to our obedience. Are we living an obedient life.
DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers
: 55 But if ye will not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you; then it shall come to pass, that those which ye let remain of them shall be pricks in your eyes, and thorns in your sides, and shall vex you in the land wherein ye dwell. (7899 “pricks” [sek] means a brier, splinter, or thorn).
DEVOTION: History is important. If we are good students of history we can learn from the past. The LORD told us that we need to learn the Old Testament to be able to live right in the eyes of the LORD now. The Old Testament gives us examples of faithful followers of the LORD and unfaithful followers of the LORD. It also gives us an idea of how God works among HIS people. HE blesses those who are faithful and chastens those who are unfaithful.
In this chapter we have a record of the travels of the children of Israel reviewed. There is a list compiled by Moses.
However, it gives us an insight into the reasons for the ten plagues in Egypt before they left. They were a judgment on the false gods of Egypt. The Egyptians thought that the gods they worshiped were real. God showed that they could not protect them from the REAL God of the universe.
The LORD issues a warning regarding failure to follow HIS instructions to the letter. If the children of Israel don’t destroy all of the people who were presently living in the land of Canaan, there would be problems. Here we have the people of the land becoming a thorn in the eyes of the Israelites if they don’t listen to God and destroy them. There are times when we get something in our eyes. It really hurts.
Those around us can help us grow in the LORD or hinder us. God was warning the children of Israel that the Canaanites would be people who would hinder them from receiving the blessings of the LORD. In fact, the LORD told them that if they didn’t destroy the people, HE would do to them what HE had planned for the people of Canaan. They were commanded to destroy their pictures. They were to destroy their molten images. They were to take down their worship centers.
We can rob ourselves of blessings and power from the LORD by the associations that we have with the world. The world, the flesh and the devil want to associate with us. They want to influence us away from the LORD.
All through the Bible we find examples of God’s people being lead astray by others. How are our associations? Is our church compromising the standards of the LORD?
We need to take all false teachings out of our churches. We need to take all false teachings out of our lives. That can only be done if we are listening to the LORD speak to us through HIS word and good Biblical teachers. Are we listening correctly? What is in your eyes?
Make sure that you are listening to the right teachers. Check them out with the Word of God. Check them out with other good Biblical teachers. Ignorance is not good. Most Christians are ignorant of the basic teachings of the Word of God. Don’t be one of them!!!!
CHALLENGE: It is sin not to listen to this warning even today!! False teachers are everywhere.
: 56 Moreover it shall come to pass, that I shall do unto you, as I thought to do unto them. (1819 “thought” [damah] means liken, compared, similitude, resemble, imagine, be like, intend, or process information)
DEVOTION: The LORD is speaking through Moses to the children of Israel warning of what can happen in the future if they are not obedient to HIM.
HE states that HE will do to them just like HE has done to the Amorites whose sin has become full. The children of Israel were established as a nation in Egypt. They were divinely predicted to only stay there for about four hundred years. Now they are about to enter the Promised Land with a warning from the LORD that if their iniquity gets as full HE will judge them just like HE has judged the Amorite.
The LORD wants us to understand that even though we are HIS people HE will still judge us if we are not obedient to HIM. HE is a HOLY God who hates sin. HE wants HIS people to HATE sin as much as HE does. HE wants them to know that HE is longsuffering with HIS people but will judge when it is time.
The New Testament is full of passages that deal with the LORD pruning or chastening HIS people in order for them to grow spiritually. The greatest warning seems to be around the communion table.
HE states that if we don’t examine ourselves than HE will have to do it for us. If we are found to be walking in the wrong direction, HE will send weakness or sickness or even pre-mature death to those who will not confess their sin and return to HIM. This only happens to those who are genuine believers.
What is going on in your life? Remember sometimes HE prunes HIS people to help them become more productive in their service to HIM. This means that some tribulations are for our good toward growth and better service to HIM.
We can’t judge others because we don’t know all the facts but God knows all the facts and we need to be aware that when HE judges HE is not basing it on a feeling but on facts. Too often fellow Christians like to judge on what they consider the facts but they might be wrong, HE is never wrong.
CHALLENGE: Let the LORD be the judge we are to be the encouragers of the brethren. If you doubt where someone is with the LORD pray for them and send a note of encourage.
DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:
BODY
Chastity (Purity in living)
Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)
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)
SOUL
Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)
Frugality (wise use of resources)
Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)
Moses records journeysverse 2
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)
Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)
Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)
Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)
Aaron the priestverses 38, 39
DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:
Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)
LORDverses 2, 50
Commandment of the LORDverses 2, 38
God the Father (First person of the Godhead)
LORD (Jehovah)verses 2, 4, 38, 50
Commandment of the LORDverses 2, 38
LORD executed judgmentsverse 4
I will do to you as I thought to do to themverse 56
God the Son (Second person of the Godhead – God/man, Messiah)
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)
Egyptverses 1, 3, 38
Buried their firstborn
Elim – twelve fountains of waterverse 9
Land of Edomverse 37
King Arad the Canaaniteverse 40
Moabverses 44, 48
Jordan near Jerichoverse 48
Pass over Jordan to Jerichoverse 51
Destroy all their picturesverse 52
Destroy all their molten imagesverse 52
Pluck down all their high placesverse 52
Pricks in your eyesverse 55
Thorns in your sidesverse 55
Vex children of Israelverse 55
Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)
False godsverses 4, 52
Destroy their picturesverse 52
Molten imagesverse 52
High Placesverse 53
Not driving out inhabitants of Canaanverse 55
Pricks in your eyes
Thorns in your sides
Vex Israel in the land
Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)
Inheritanceverses 53, 54
Israel (Old Testament people of God)
Children of Israelverses 1, 3, 5, 38, 40, 51
Mosesverses 2, 50
1/15 Passoververse 3
Travels of Israelverses 3-56
5/1/40 Mount Hor – Aaron diedverse 38
Divide Land by lotverse 54
Warning to children of Israelverses 55, 56
Church (New Testament people of God)
Last Things (Future Events)
DONATIONS:
Remember that all donations to Small Church Ministries are greatly appreciated. The treasurer will send a receipt, at the end of the year unless otherwise requested. Please be sure to make check out to “Small Church Ministries.” The address for the treasurer is P.O. Box 604, East Amherst, New York 14051. A second way to give to the ministry is through PayPal on the website: www.smallchurchministries.org Also if you can support this ministry through your local church please use that method. Thank you.
QUOTES regarding passage
This earnest admonition given to the Israelites in their peculiar circumstances conveys a salutary lesson to us to allow no lurking habits of sin to remain in us. That spiritual enemy must be eradicated from our nature; otherwise it will be ruinous to our present peace and future salvation. (Jamieson, R., Fausset, A. R., & Brown, D. (1997). Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (Nu 33:55). Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.)
This is one of the tragedies of spiritual life, that so many begin well, but trail off after a few years into a barren and chilling mediocrity of experience. Israel did so. This is the warning note that rings through the chapter. (Philip, J., & Ogilvie, L. J. (1987). Numbers (Vol. 4, p. 311). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.)
33:56 as I plan to do to them, so I will do to you. If Israel failed to obey God, she would be the object of God’s punishment in exactly the same way as the Canaanites were. (MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2006). The MacArthur study Bible: New American Standard Bible. (Nu 33:56). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers.)
Indeed, if the Canaanites were allowed to remain, Israel would become like them. The result would necessitate the expulsion of Israel from the land. Sadly, the experience of Israel in the land led to this very result. (Radmacher, E. D., Allen, R. B., & House, H. W. (1997). The Nelson Study Bible: New King James Version (Nu 33:55–56). Nashville: T. Nelson Publishers.)
55–56 The positive admonitions of vv.50–54 are followed by a strong warning in vv.55–56. If the people do not succeed in their divine commission to dispossess the pagan inhabitants, they will find two things to be true: (1) the natives who remain will be perpetual trouble to the Israelites’ enjoyment of the land, and (2) the Lord will bring on Israel the dispossession he demanded them to accomplish.
The description of trouble is, of course, sadly prophetic. The remaining Canaanites were to be barbs in the eye and pricks in the side (images that Joshua uses in his farewell address; see Josh 23:13). These expressions describe constant annoyance (at the least) to terrible pain (at the most)—a constant harassment. The most chilling words, however, are not the troubles that might come from peoples but that which may come from the Lord:
And it will happen,
Just as I intend to do to them,
I will do to you. (v.56)
This is the theology of the land in nuce. It is God’s land. He will give and take it as he wills.
These words, at the end of the travel itinerary, are most threatening indeed. For the present—that is, the time of the writing of the Book of Numbers—the outcome is uncertain. But the prospects are good. The second generation has fully replaced their erring fathers and mothers. The land lies before them as they wait in the final staging area. There is the Jordan. Over yonder is Jericho, the firstfruits of the land. And with them is the eternal Yahweh! (Allen, R. B. (1990). Numbers. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers (Vol. 2, pp. 991–992). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.)
33:50–56. In Moses’ final address to the Israelites, he instructed them to drive the Canaanites out … of the land, to destroy all their … images and … idols, and to demolish all their high places. “High places” (bāmôṯ) were hills on which Canaanite altars and shrines were placed, possibly so the worshipers of Baal and other gods might have more ready access to them. When this was done Israel was to take possession of the land and settle in it in accord with God’s promises (cf. Gen. 13:17; 17:8; Ex. 6:2–5; etc.). This was to be done according to God’s previous instruction that larger tribes be given more land (cf. Num. 26:53–56). Failure to drive out the people of the land would result in their being a continuous trouble to Israel, and would eventually result in Israel’s expulsion from Canaan (cf. Josh. 23:13; 2 Kings 17:7–20). (Merrill, E. H. (1985). Numbers. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 1, p. 255). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
2. The God whom they disobeyed would disinherit them. “Moreover it shall come to pass, that I shall do unto you, as I thought to do unto them.” This solemn warning was repeated by Joshua (Josh. 23:13): but Israel disregarded it, and reaped the bitter result “Subsequent history proves,” as Scott remarks, “that these denunciations were real prophecies, which have been wonderfully accomplished, even to this day. During many ages, the remnant of the devoted nations were extremely troublesome to the Israelites, even as ‘pricks in the eyes and thorns in the side,’ which would be a constant and almost intolerable torture: and at length, as they persisted in imitating their idolatries and atrocious crimes, they were punished as the Lord proposed to punish the Canaanites; being expelled from their country with tremendous slaughter, first by the Assyrians and Chaldeans, and at length more completely by the Romans. (Jones, W. (1892). Numbers (p. 597). New York; London; Toronto: Funk & Wagnalls Company.)
FROM MY READING:
(Remember the only author that I totally agree with is the HOLY SPIRIT in the inerrant WORD OF GOD called THE BIBLE! All other I try to gleam what I can to help me grow in the LORD!!)
The CHURCH in an age of CRISIS by James Emery White
According to the Census Bureau, the proportion of married adults of all ages was only 52 percent in 2009, down from 72.2 percent in 1960 – the lowest percentage since the US began tracking statistics in 1880. (p. 94)
The report goes on to state that children are now more likely to have unmarried parents than divorced ones. (p. 94)
Every society needs marriage to:
1.regulate sexuality, keeping it confined to committed, loving exclusive relationships
2.socialize men, channeling their sexual and masculine energy to community – building ways
3.protect women from being exploited by men
4.ensure that children grow up with biologically connected mothers and fathers. (p. 96)
One out of every four children in the United States is being raised by a single parent. (p. 97)
A landmark study published in the American Journal of Psychiatry found that 90 percent of children form divorced homes suffered from an acute sense of shock when the separation occurred, including profound grieving and irrational fears. Fifty percent reported feelings of rejection and abandonment. Sixty-six percent experienced yearning for the absent parent with an intensity that researchers described as overwhelming. Nearly half were even more unhappy five years after the divorce than they had been at the eighteen- month mark. IN other words, time didn’t heal their wounds. (p. 97)
2 Thessalonians 3
We are to hold other Christians accountable for the integrity of their lifestyles.
INSIGHT
Past generations of Christians have been guilty of excess in judging other people. The Inquisition and the Salem witch trials are glaring examples, but other examples abound throughout history. Today we live in an age of greater understanding and acceptance, which is certainly preferable – unless it degenerates into careless acceptance of things which are clearly wrong – in which case the pendulum swings too far the other way. We are to be tolerant of debatable things, but clear sin is to be dealt with. “Withdraw from every brother who walks disorderly” (v. 6). (Quiet Walk)
THE APOSTOLIC TEACHING ABOUT JESUS
…Jesus Christ is come in the flesh… 1 John 4:2
What is the apostolic teaching concerning Christ? Now in a phrase in our text John gives us the perfect answer. John does not use words like this haphazardly. Listen to the way in which he puts it: “Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God” (1 John 4:2). Now here is the statement: “Jesus Christ is come in the flesh.” Jesus Christ arrived in the world “in the flesh.” What does this mean? Let me try to show you how John in putting it like this was countering and answering some of those grievous heresies that had already arisen even in his day in the church, before the end of the first century.
Take the expression “Jesus Christ.” Why does John say, “Jesus Christ is come in the flesh”? Why did he not say that Jesus or Christ has come in the flesh? Ah, that is most important; that is his way of emphasizing the unity of the blessed person. The Lord Jesus Christ has two natures—the divine and the human—and yet there is only one person. The earlier chapters of 1 John make it plain that there were false prophets, antichrists, in the early church, and some of them said something like this: “Jesus of Nazareth was just a man like every other man; but when He was baptized by John in the Jordan, the eternal Christ came upon Him and began to use Him; and the eternal Christ continued with the man Jesus until He came to the cross. But on the cross the eternal Christ went away, back to heaven, and it was only the man Jesus who died. There were two persons—the man Jesus and the eternal Christ.” No! says John; “Jesus Christ,” one person but two natures—the two natures in one person.
A Thought to Ponder
The Lord Jesus Christ has two natures—the divine and the human—and yet there is only one person. (From The Love of God, pp. 31-32, by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)
This Grace Also
“Therefore, as ye abound in every thing, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace also.” (2 Corinthians 8:7)
The “grace” of which Paul was writing in our text is the grace of giving! Many Christians may show diligence and love in their Christian life but are still very reluctant to give sacrificially to the work of the Lord.
Many follow what they consider the “law of tithing” (most Christians don’t even do that!) and consider this to be meritorious. The fact is, however, that giving for the Christian is not a law to be obeyed but a grace to be cultivated.
The motivation cited by Paul for abounding in this grace was not the Old Testament ordinance but the New Testament example in the church at Philippi. Consider, he said, “the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia; How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality… beyond their power they were willing of themselves.” And the real secret of their motivation was that they “first gave their own selves to the Lord” (2 Corinthians 8:1-3, 5). An even greater motive for abounding in this grace is the example of Christ: “For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich” (2 Corinthians 8:9)
This grace of giving is thus displayed when one gives liberally (even in times of affliction and poverty) out of wholehearted devotion to the Lord and for the spiritual enrichment of those who are spiritually impoverished.
“God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work” (2 Corinthians 9:8).
(HMM, The Institute for Creation Research)
Visit our Facebook page for Small Church Ministries – please invite others to join us on Facebook. Thank you. Look for the logo from the devotionals.