AUGUST 10, 2023

“And they spake unto all the company of the children of Israel, saying, The land, which we passed through to search it, is an exceeding good land. If the LORD delight in us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it us; a land which floweth with milk and honey. Only rebel not ye against the LORD, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defence is departed from them, and the LORD is with us: fear them not.” (Numbers 14:7-9)

These three verses serve as the climax to events that begin in the previous chapter. At God’s direction, Moses sends a collection of spies (one from each tribe) to spy out the promised land of Canaan. He tells them to study the land diligently: observing the will of the people who live there, whether it be weak or strong, as well as the productivity of it. He also asks them to bring back some of the land’s fruit.

After 40 days, the spies return with their report and the fruit they gathered. Most spies agree they shouldn’t try to conquer the land because the people there are very strong. But Caleb (the son of Jephunneh) is the first to object, saying that he is sure they can take the land, but his objections fall on deaf ears as the rest of the spies don’t want the headache of taking it. The Israelites are immediately frightened and plan to appoint a new leader and retreat to Egypt. However, Joshua (the son of Nun and future leader of the nation) stands up and affirms Caleb’s stance in today’s verses. He and Caleb confirm that the land is indeed good, flowing with milk and honey. They, then, tell the people that they have nothing to fear because if God delights in them, they will take the land- refuting the advice of the other ten spies.

We now know that this Joshua would go on to be the titular character of the book bearing his name, where the Israelites would indeed conquer the land of Canaan. He will employ this same attitude of “the Lord is with us: fear them not” throughout the conquest.

The apostle Paul details a similar thought in his letter to the Romans: “What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?” (Rom. 8:31) He speaks from the perspective of saved Christian believers as references here to “us,” or “we,” are not inclusive of the entire human race, but only those who have accepted Christ in faith. What a unique and life-changing thought. The true God, the Creator of all things, is for us. With Him for us, who could ever possibly hope to oppose us? Anyone could try, but Paul’s real question is: What could anyone against us ever hope to accomplish in opposition if God Himself is for us?

Although centuries separate these writings (Numbers and Romans), it is breathtaking how similar these thoughts are, although phrased differently. We need to hold on to the same truth that Joshua, Caleb, and Paul had: if God is on our side, we will not fear.

AUGUST 8, 2023

 “But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ…” (Romans 13:14)

The Apostle, in the closing paragraph of this chapter (Vs. 11-14), is setting forth a very important Christian duty. He does this under the metaphor of one rising up in the morning and preparing himself to go forth and meet the day with its labors and conflicts. “The sun riseth,” says the psalmist, “and man goeth forth to his work and to his labor.” Here Paul says, “…it is high time to awake out of sleep for…The night is far spent, and the day is at hand…”

When the morning comes and a man rises to begin preparing himself for the day that is begun, what is the first thing he must do? Obviously, he must first put off his night clothes, and get dressed for the day.

Paul is here describing Christians with whom the long night of sin is passed, and the Sun of righteousness has arisen in their souls; who after a long nature’s night, have experienced the dawning of life’s perfect and eternal day; those to whom the Lord has come, “prepared as the morning,” calling them “out of darkness into His marvelous light.” Born again souls must therefore do in the spiritual sense what folks do when they wake up from their night’s sleep. We must take off the night clothes and get dressed for the day. What self-respecting person sits around the house in his pajamas when there’s work to be done?

The Apostle here metaphorically sets forth the changing process from night clothes into work apparel. He also shows what these garments are respectively. “Let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.” The night clothes, “works of darkness,” include “rioting and drunkenness, clambering and wantonness, strife, and envying” (Vs. 13). The list could go on, but we get the picture. Clearly, there is a measure of undress required before one puts on his or her day’s apparel. Many professing Christians do not seem to understand that we do not put on religion over our old sins; put a religious garb over our old character. “Put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communications, lying.” (Col. 3:8) The Lord said, “Take the filthy garments from him, and I will clothe him with a change of raiment.” (Zech. 3:4)

Next, let us see what the Christian’s day clothes include: “Let us put on the armour of light.” This gives a fair indication of what the believer’s life of service involves. We must put on “the whole armour of God,” because the Christian life is, indeed, a warfare. (Eph. 6:10-13) The word here rendered “armour”may also mean simply appropriate garments. We must put on our work clothes and be ready to “walk worthy of the vocation wherewith (we) are called.” Our text simply says, “Walk honestly, as in the day.” This is a fitting word to describe regenerate souls who are “children of the day.” Dishonesty loves darkness. Christians are children of light and truth – they speak truth, and are not deceitful or two-faced, but walk becomingly with dignity.

The Christian’s daily apparel can be summed up even more simply. Rather than to name every article of his spiritual clothing, the Apostle simply concludes by saying “Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ.” He is our complete wardrobe. We need not go from closet to closet, or from drawer to drawer trying to decide what to wear. No, that’s not necessary. “Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ.” He is our wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. (I Cor. 1:30) As for armour, He is the whole panoply. To put on Christ is to put on the whole armour of God.

Notice, we are to put on all of Him. “Put ye on the LORD JESUS CHRIST.” He is our Sovereign Ruler; our Savior; our Anointed Prophet, Priest, and King. He is our all in all!!

AUGUST 3, 2023

 “And it came to pass in process of time, that the king of Egypt died: and the children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up unto God by reason of the bondage. And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God had respect unto them.” (Exodus 2:23-25)

The “process of time” described here is a period of some forty years; during this time, the king of Egypt, who sought to put Moses to death, died. The slavery the Jews experienced continued and seems to have gotten even worse, and the Jews responded in two ways: First, they are said to have “groaned,” implying an expression of pain in their slavery. They complained or made a plea, which God heard. Second, The Hebrews prayed, and God listened to that prayer. This “crying out” is both an ongoing call and also took place on specific occasions.

They prayed, and He heard, reminding us that God always hears our prayers. Further, God “remembered” His covenant. The covenant referred to here is the Abrahamic covenant. God promised to bless Abraham and his descendants, promising they would become a great people and nation. He also promised that his descendants would live in the land where Abraham walked, the land of Israel. This promise would be realized through Moses leading the people of Israel out of Egyptian slavery toward this Promised Land.

The word “remembered” is often confusing here. In college, I was reading through this book thoroughly and taking notes on the reading. I was baffled because it sounds like God was “convinced” or “changed His mind” based on Israel’s crying out as if He heard it and thought, “It sounds like the people don’t like slavery; I should probably free them.” It’s not like that at all. He had always planned on freeing His people but was waiting until they became a nation, as He told Abraham they would become. He was waiting for them to get a place where they would cry out to Him. Think of it like this, instead of being “convinced” by Israel’s groaning, He was “convinced” by the people Israel had become and that He could put His plan into action because of.

We must never think that God allows suffering and affliction for no good reason; as if He were no different than some kid who will roast ants under a magnifying glass just for the fun of it, or just because he can. But no, God always has an end goal in mind, and He sends what is necessary in order to accomplish it. Take the Israelites, for example; God knew all about their situation. He heard their tears. I’m told that parents would agree that there is no worse sound than your child’s tears.

Our father is fully aware of the pain we endure in this life. He only sends such trials as He knows we shall be able to overcome and that will make us stronger in our faith. Even when we suffer, God has a plan at work. Romans 8:28 expresses this truth well: “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” God’s plan and promise would unfold, for the Israelites, through the life of Moses as the leader of God’s people from slavery to freedom, and in an even truer sense: in the freedom bought by the blood of Christ.

AUGUST 1, 2023

 “And he made the ephod of gold, blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen. … And they wrought onyx stones inclosed in ouches of gold, graven, as signets are graven, with the names of the children of Israel. And he put them on the shoulders of the ephod, that they should be stones for a memorial to the children of Israel; as the LORD commanded Moses. And he made the breastplate of cunning work, like the work of the ephod; of gold, blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen. It was foursquare; they made the breastplate double: a span was the length thereof, and a span the breadth thereof, being doubled. And they set in it four rows of stones: the first row was a sardius, a topaz, and a carbuncle: this was the first row. And the second row, an emerald, a sapphire, and a diamond. And the third row, a ligure, an agate, and an amethyst. And the fourth row, a beryl, an onyx, and a jasper: they were inclosed in ouches of gold in their inclosings. And the stones were according to the names of the children of Israel, twelve, according to their names, like the engravings of a signet, every one with his name, according to the twelve tribes.” (Exodus 39:2, 6-14)

We find in this glorious chapter holy instructions given to Moses by God about how to make the holy garments for Aaron the high priest. We know the high priest of Israel was a type of our heavenly High Priest, Jesus Christ. Hebrews 4:14 says, “Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God…” Knowing this, there is much we can learn about our Savior by looking at all which pertained to the high priestly office of old. The main role given to those that held this office was to make atonement for the sins of the people, exactly as the Lord commanded. Once a year, the high priest would enter the second part of the temple, which is called “the holiest of all,” with blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people. We read in Leviticus 17:11, “For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.” Atonement means At-One-Ment. Our sins have separated us from our God, and in order for us to be reconciled to Him and enjoy sweet fellowship, atonement must be made, which could only be done by the shedding of blood. This work, given to the high priest of old, was only temporary, and pointed to the perfect and eternal work of our great, heavenly High Priest, Jesus Christ. Hebrews 9:11-12 says, “But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.” When we read that our hearts should shout for joy!

Now let us look at our present passage as we try to unfold the unsearchable riches of Christ. Aaron, the high priest of Israel, had holy garments made specifically for him and his office. Two main parts of his garments were the ephod and the breastplate. Both of these pieces were beautiful and glorious to look at. They were both made of cunning work, of gold, blue and purple, and scarlet and fine twined linen (vs. 3, 8). But notice what was placed on both pieces.

Verses six and seven say, “And they wrought onyx stones enclosed in ouches of gold, graven as signets are graven, with the names of the children of Israel. And he put them on the shoulders of the ephod, that they should be stones for a memorial to the children of Israel; as the Lord commanded Moses.” We see here that the high priest of old would carry the names of the children of Israel upon his shoulders everywhere he went, but this is especially significant as it pertains to his work of atonement as he entered into the holy of holies. Not only did Aaron carry the names of the children of Israel on his shoulders, but they were also placed upon his breastplate. As we see each stone in vs. 10-13 and then read in vs. 14, “And the stones were according to the names of the children of Israel, twelve, according to their names, like the engravings of a signet, every one with his names, according to the twelve tribes.” The high priest, carrying these names upon his shoulders and placed upon his heart, could not forget those for whom he was making atonement, as it is with our heavenly High Priest.

Jesus came to fulfill a specific work given Him of the Father; atonement for our sins. There were certain ones He came to redeem that were given to Him from the Father. John 6:39 says, “And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.” There was a specific people that Jesus came to make atonement for, the names of which He carried upon His shoulders, and had written upon His heart. These names, given unto Him by the Father, He made full atonement for and would lose none of them. We read in Isaiah 49:15-16, “Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me.” Jesus, as our Great High Priest ever liveth, making intercession for us. We are ever before Him and never forgotten. Even now, Jesus bears the scars in His hands and feet, which were pierced on our behalf and for our sins.