Bless the LORD Forever

After God brought His people out of Egypt and through the Red Sea, He miraculously provided them water to drink to quench their thirst.  Though God made a covenant with His people, it was not long before they murmured against Moses and Aaron, men chosen by God according to His divine purposes.  They grumbled and complained in their discontent.  They even expressed their preference to have died in Egypt, for at least there they had meat and bread to eat to the full.  In their bitterness they forgot how they cried out to God for deliverance because of the harsh bondage they suffered.  God would prove faithful to supply food for even grumbling, complaining people.

Exodus 16:6-8 says, "Then Moses and Aaron said to all the children of Israel, "At evening you shall know that the LORD has brought you out of the land of Egypt. ⁷ And in the morning you shall see the glory of the LORD; for He hears your complaints against the LORD. But what are we, that you complain against us?" ⁸ Also Moses said, "This shall be seen when the LORD gives you meat to eat in the evening, and in the morning bread to the full; for the LORD hears your complaints which you make against Him. And what are we? Your complaints are not against us but against the LORD."  Moses was meek before God and man.  He revealed complaints against Moses and Aaron were actually against the LORD.  The discontent of the people was fueled by their unbelief in God and exacerbated by their refusal to trust Him.  Their murmuring and complaining was more an indictment against them then an accurate gauge of the performance of Moses and Aaron.

Now were Moses and Aaron perfect leaders?  Absolutely not!  Like all men and women they had many faults, yet even their errors did not justify the complaints of the people against them.  Since God's people know God is sovereign and He rules over all, this should greatly temper our complaints against the rulers He has put in authority.  Though David had been anointed by the prophet Samuel he would not speak against Saul who he acknowledged as the "LORD's anointed."  The apostle Paul once was struck on the face and later apologised for speaking harshly towards the high priest (whose conduct was inappropriate and unlawful) in Acts 23:5:  "I did not know, brethren, that he was the high priest; for it is written, 'You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people.'" 

In societies which have embraced democratic principles we are often free to have an opinion, to question and debate policies and platforms, and vote as we see fit.  In a culture polarised by the right and left, by Liberal and Labour, or Republican and Democrat, we can lose sight of God's sovereign role in society, government, and politics.  After God revealed a dream and interpretation, consider the words of Daniel, a Jew was made to serve King Nebuchadnezzar in Babylon in Daniel 2:20-22:  "Daniel answered and said: "Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, for wisdom and might are His. ²¹ And He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding. ²² He reveals deep and secret things; He knows what is in the darkness, and light dwells with Him."  Daniel was an advisor of a king who laid Israel waste, razed the Temple in Jerusalem to the ground, killed his countrymen, and took him captive in a foreign land.  When Nebuchadnezzar began to slaughter the wise men of Babylon Daniel sought the LORD so people could be saved--without a single recorded complaint against King Nebuchadnezzar.

Friend, are you one who complains and murmurs against rulers God has put in authority?  Realise when you do so your complaints are actually against God.  The same God who put Pharaoh in authority over Egypt was God who chose Moses to deliver His people from bondage.  The God who established proud, murderous Nebuchadnezzar as king of an empire divinely placed Daniel and his companions in his court as wise men to accomplish His purposes.  By all means we ought to seek to stand up for righteousness and glorify God in our words and conduct, but we cannot do this when there springs from our hearts a poisonous undercurrent of murmuring and complaining against rulers God has raised up.  No matter who "wins" an election or what party or person is seen to be "in charge" of government, God sits on the throne without rival.  It is Him we honour and serve.  Instead of complaining against a person or political party, let us bless the name of God forever and ever, for wisdom and might are His.

Praying and Prayerfully Doing

"Rejoice always, ¹⁷ pray without ceasing, ¹⁸ in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

The will of God is for us to always rejoice, pray, and in everything give thanks.  Doing so is indicative of people who are at rest in the almighty God they trust with their whole hearts.  Instead of being blinded by fears and worries, followers of Jesus are enabled by the power of the Holy Spirit to do God's will with gladness.

I read Exodus 14 today and was intrigued with the back-and-forth between the Hebrews and Moses after Pharaoh sent them away.  Shortly after demanding the children of Israel leave Egypt, Pharaoh and his people regretted sending away their slave labour and mustered all their chariots to pursue them.  When the Hebrews saw the advancing enemies out of fear for their lives they lashed out at Moses.  Their terror distorted their grasp on reality and clouded their view of God, His promises, and ability to save them.  Exodus 14:13-14 reads, "And Moses said to the people, "Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever. ¹⁴ The LORD will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace."  Moses urged the people to repent of their fear and trust the LORD who would fight for them and save them.

In light of it being God's will people pray without ceasing, Exodus 14:15-16 is most instructive:  "And the LORD said to Moses, "Why do you cry to Me? Tell the children of Israel to go forward. ¹⁶ But lift up your rod, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it. And the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea."  Prayer is fitting at all times yet prayer should not hinder us from trusting and obeying God.  Moses believed God would save His people and thus it was pointless to continue praying God would save when it was time for Moses to tell the people to go forward in faith when there was no path.  God told Moses to lift up the rod, stretch it out, and the Red Sea would be divided:  it would be a path to deliverance for the Hebrews and a tomb for the pursuing Egyptians.

I wonder:  is it possible we are continuing to pray for something God has already declared as done?  Can we be like Moses, crying out for salvation and deliverance when all that remains is for us to obey Him and take necessary steps of faith?  I am sure the people prayed as they walked between the walls of water which towered above them on the right and the left, and God brought them through.  I am convinced prayer is the best course of action in all seasons of life yet it serves little purpose if we do not respond to God's directives in faithful obedience.  Prayer is an intentional action that leads us to undertake God-directed actions prayerfully.

A similar situation occurred under Joshua's leadership after the children of Israel suffered a shock defeat at Ai.  On the heels of a miraculous victory over the stronghold of Jericho the men who went up against Ai (without seeking counsel of the LORD) fled and 36 of them fell slain.  Joshua tore his clothes and lay before the presence of the LORD with dust on his head.  His words sound eerily similar to the Hebrews who trembled at the sight of the Egyptians:  "Oh that we had been content on the other side of the Jordan!  What shall I say when Israel turns their backs before their enemies?"  Joshua's lamentation received a pointed answer from God.

Joshua 7:10-13 gives us God's response:  "So the LORD said to Joshua: "Get up! Why do you lie thus on your face? ¹¹ Israel has sinned, and they have also transgressed My covenant which I commanded them. For they have even taken some of the accursed things, and have both stolen and deceived; and they have also put it among their own stuff. ¹² Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies, but turned their backs before their enemies, because they have become doomed to destruction. Neither will I be with you anymore, unless you destroy the accursed from among you. ¹³ Get up, sanctify the people, and say, 'Sanctify yourselves for tomorrow, because thus says the LORD God of Israel: "There is an accursed thing in your midst, O Israel; you cannot stand before your enemies until you take away the accursed thing from among you."  There was no point in Joshua lying and mourning a defeat and loss of life when there was sin in the camp which needed to be confessed and removed from among them.  Only then could they stand before God or their enemies.  Prayer preceded God's answer, and Joshua would prayerfully need to carry out the judgment according to God's word.

When God asked Moses why he cried unto Him or why Joshua lay on his face, they did not answer.  What could they say in light of God's glorious voice, wisdom, and judgments?  God told Moses to tell the people to go forward; Joshua was told to get up and sanctify himself with all the people.  This teaches us prayer is not just something we do as an end in itself so God will do something (which He does beyond reckoning) but to adopt a posture for God to instruct and direct us to practically take action according to His will.  When we are fearful or have suffered a defeat, let us hope in our almighty God, His promises, and unfailing love.  Instead of pleading for what He has already promised or being overwhelmed by regret, go forward in faith!  Get up off the ground, dust yourself off, and take prayerful action to sanctify yourself before the LORD who knows the hearts of all men.  If we trust God to pray, shouldn't we trust His commands and do them?

Intentional Salvation

When I checked the news this morning the top story was top-ranked tennis star Novak Djokovic was disqualified from the U.S. Open after accidentally hitting an umpire with an errant ball.  He hit a ball in frustration intentionally but could not have imagined the ball would have collected a line judge in the throat and she dropped to the ground.  Apparently this is not the first time this has happened to a professional player, when striking an official accidentally led to an ejection and disqualification from a tournament.

Quoting news.com.au, "The US Tennis Association released a statement saying Djokovic would be fined all prize money and lose all ranking points earned during the major.  'In accordance with the Grand Slam rulebook, following his actions of intentionally hitting a ball dangerously or recklessly within the court or hitting a ball with negligent disregard of the consequences, the US Open tournament referee defaulted Novak Djokovic from the 2020 US Open.'”  According to the rules, Djokovic's reckless and negligence required him to be sent off the court and to forfeit all earnings and points even though he did not intend to hit the lineswoman.

This situation shows the unflinching nature of rules in sport enforced by a qualified umpire and well illustrates the absolute nature of God's Law to which He will hold all accountable.  Accidentally breaking God's law or being ignorant of it does not spare anyone famous or not from the righteous demands:  the soul that sins will surely die.  Djokovic is reported to have spent 10 minutes pleading his case to no avail because the rules of the game must be held with integrity for there to be a game to play.  The God who created life has provided His laws which govern all aspects of life:  what He says is sin is sin, and those deemed guilty by Him cannot question His righteous judgments.

I am grateful God the Father sent His only begotten Son Jesus Christ as a sacrifice for sinners so according to God's justice we can be forgiven and receive eternal life.  There are consequences of our choices on earth whether we approve or not, and happy is the man who is approved by God through faith in Jesus.  We have all sinned accidentally, purposefully, and maliciously and have no way to defend ourselves from the exacting demands and punishment of God's unalterable laws.  Maybe there is a judge somewhere who would have let play continue, but let us not think God because of His gracious, merciful, and loving character is in any way soft on sin.  We might sin by accident, but salvation received by faith is intentional.  How good is God to make forgiveness possible!

Rejoice with Gladness

God created the earth to have days, seasons, and years.  Not every day is the same, and one season may be preferred over another.  The memories of times past should never be permitted to overshadow the start of a new day, a new season which holds great promise for all those who hope in God.  Instead of lamenting what we can no longer do as the flower of youth fades, we can glory in the strength of God who sustains us and will present us without fault before the throne of God with exceeding joy.

I have heard many people speak disparagingly of the year 2020, yet it is a year comprised of days God has made.  It is true in Australia we have seen fires, floods, a pandemic, and a recession.  These trying circumstances do nothing to take the shine from our great God and the wondrous plans He has for all who love and trust Him.  If they do in our eyes it is evidence things other than God have clouded our vision and purpose.  In our gracious God there is always cause to be glad and experience fullness of joy despite a bleak economic forecast or failing health.  Though our outer man is perishing, God is faithful to renew our inner man day by day (2 Cor. 4:16).

The fullness of joy we receive from God is not received by burying our heads in the sand and ignoring the problems of the world:  it is when we look beyond what puts us in fear and look upon Jesus Christ with eyes of faith we find rest for our souls.  Joshua and Caleb's hearts did not fail them when they saw giants and fortifications because they remembered God's promise.  David did not run from the cursing Philistine who defied the armies of God because He remembered how God had delivered him in the past.  Years later when angry men spoke of stoning because they blamed him for the loss of their families and goods he strengthened himself in the LORD who put His Spirit upon him.  When King Hezekiah received threatening letters he spread them before the LORD, and when King Jehoshaphat heard a great army had been assembled against him he could not defeat his eyes turned to God who fights for His people.

Oh, that we would rejoice and receive the peace God graciously gives us!  Sandwiched within a passage loaded with prophetic references to Jesus Christ the Son of God, those who fear God are exhorted to rejoice and through Jesus are free to!  Quoting Psalm 118:19-29:  "Open to me the gates of righteousness; I will go through them, and I will praise the LORD. ²⁰ This is the gate of the LORD,through which the righteous shall enter. ²¹ I will praise You, for You have answered me, and have become my salvation. ²² The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone. ²³ This was the LORD'S doing; it is marvelous in our eyes. ²⁴ This is the day the LORD has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. ²⁵ Save now, I pray, O LORD; O LORD, I pray, send now prosperity. ²⁶  Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD! We have blessed you from the house of the LORD. ²⁷ God is the LORD, and He has given us light; bind the sacrifice with cords to the horns of the altar. ²⁸ You are my God, and I will praise You; you are my God, I will exalt You. ²⁹ Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! for His mercy endures forever."

In context the day spoken of here alludes to the atoning sacrifice of Jesus on Calvary.  For the joy that was set before Him Jesus enduring the cross, despised the shame, and is set on the right hand of the Father.  We are to consider Him who endured such contradiction of sinners against Himself lest we be weary or discouraged in our minds (Hebrews 12:1-3).  Happy is the man who blesses the LORD at all times, for at all times God is good.