Knowing God and All His Works

"Israel served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua, who had known all the works of the LORD which He had done for Israel."

Joshua 24:31

Whenever I read passages like this, I am not left with a feeling of satisfaction and gladness.  It is great Israel served the LORD during the life of Joshua and the elders who outlived Joshua, but the verses imply that after their passing the people stopped serving the LORD.  As the book of Judges tells us, that period of history was marked by people "doing what was right in their own eyes" and their negligence to obey what God had commanded in His covenant.  The people who knew the works of the LORD He had done for Israel feared and served Him, and it seems this knowledge died with them.

Judges 2:10-12 affirms, "When all that generation had been gathered to their fathers, another generation arose after them who did not know the LORD nor the work which He had done for Israel. ¹¹ Then the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and served the Baals; ¹² and they forsook the LORD God of their fathers, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt; and they followed other gods from among the gods of the people who were all around them, and they bowed down to them; and they provoked the LORD to anger."  God delivered His people who forsook them into the hands of their enemies, and it was only when they found themselves in trouble they called out to the LORD who delivered them.  The book of Judges is a continual cycle of idolatry, oppression by enemies, crying out to God in repentance, God raising up a judge and delivering them, and then after the death of the judge the people returned to idols.

The knowledge of the LORD was more than memorising facts:  it was being convinced personally of His reality, power and goodness to save His people.  Interestingly, the first generation that came out of Egypt saw miracle after miracle, even walking through the Red Sea on dry ground, yet they did not believe God to obediently enter the land of promise.  It was the second generation who crossed over the Jordan on dry ground led by God and Joshua who saw His mighty works.  It was not an easy time for the Hebrews:  God's victory at Jericho was tempered by the defeat at Ai because of sin in the camp.  Joshua and the elders were tricked by the Gibeonites and made a covenant with them when God told them not to make a covenant with people of the land.  Many tribes became complacent and did not care to labour to possess all the land God gave them.  But God was faithful to do His wonders, and the people knew He was God in heaven and earth and served Him.

The generation raised in the promised land free from the hardship of battle or separation from family and friends did not know the LORD nor the work He did for them.  There was a sense of entitlement to a peaceful, prosperous life--not realising they inherited from the LORD houses they did not build, ate from fig and olive trees they did not plant, drank from wells they had not dug and made wine from vineyards they did not tend.  The older generation in Canaan, having lived as nomads and warriors looking to God for their daily bread, were glad to offer a life to their children they did not have.  Though they raised they children to know God they did not truly know Him without having to trust Him in adversity.  They did not need saving; all the provision they could want was provided in a land flowing with milk and honey.  It was not until they realised they needed help from God and humbled themselves in faith they began to know Him and His works like Joshua, the elders and the generation before them.

I believe this supplies an insightful parallel to children with Christian parents who have been raised in the church.  Children brought up by parents who know God and His works for them do not always know God themselves.  I am not suggesting parents ought to intentionally make life difficult for their children, for trials in this world are bound to come.  Our gracious God will allow them for His good purposes as He did for the children of Israel, Job and Jesus.  We can be guilty of trying to make life too easy for children:  by speaking for them, not being willing to ask probing questions when appropriate that may displease them(1 Kings 1:5-6), interfering with allowing reality to be the teacher, and sheltering them from the consequences of bad decisions.  The book of Judges shows the experiences, especially negative ones, have great capacity to aid us to grow spiritually as we draw near to God in faith.

It is amazing how God wants to work in the lives of adults as much as children, by challenging both parents and kids at the same time to learn to walk by faith in Him, obeying His Word and trusting Him in all things.  I believe parents have as much a need as children to grow and mature spiritually, and knowing God and all His works done for Israel (and us!) are critical during our journey of faith in following Jesus.

Remembered for Good

I admire the godly qualities seen in Nehemiah, a man who God prompted to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the wall and gates of Jerusalem which lay in ruins.  He was a man who feared God, received favour from God and his king, and was bold to press on in obedience whilst facing strong opposition.  Uniting people in the building of the wall was a great task, and even a more difficult task followed:  to ensure people continued to follow God in obedience to the Law of Moses when Nehemiah wasn't around.

God moved people as one to clear away debris, rebuild the ruins of Jerusalem stone by stone and hung the gates.  A great revival of religion followed where people put themselves under a covenant to observe and heed the Law.  After setting all in order, Nehemiah later returned to find the society as distressed and ruined as the walls burnt with fire:  Tobiah the enemy of Israel had been lodging in the temple in a storeroom cleared for him, the Levites had ceased ministering at the temple and went home because tithes and offerings were not being brought, the Sabbath was being broken, sellers from Tyre brought goods for sale on the Sabbath through the gates which were left open, and men of Israel were again marrying foreign wives--even the son of the high priest!  It was one thing when the heathen people of the land opposed the rebuilding of Israel, but it must have been even more disheartening to see God's people to adopt the practices of the heathen themselves.

Nehemiah was a take-charge kind of fellow out of the fear of the LORD, not because he felt slighted in any way.  He went to the guilty parties with the truth of God's word and put them in their place as Nehemiah 13:10-11 says, "I also realized that the portions for the Levites had not been given them; for each of the Levites and the singers who did the work had gone back to his field. ¹¹ So I contended with the rulers, and said, "Why is the house of God forsaken?" And I gathered them together and set them in their place."  Understanding the proper order according to God's word and will is a key component in serving Him, and Moses, the prophet Elijah and David understood this.  As important as it was for Nehemiah to put the nobles in their place--in a posture of submission and obedience to God--it was important the nobles be willing to humbly remain in that place.  Korah and his fellow rebels would not submit to being put in their place, and God removed them.  King Saul began his reign in humility but was lifted up in pride which led to his ruin.  Men who are fixated on their "authority" often lose sight of God's authority over all, including them.

Three times in the final chapter of Nehemiah he prayed words that hearken forward to the believing thief who hung dying on a cross:  "Remember me."  He prayed in Nehemiah 13:14, "Remember me, O my God, concerning this, and do not wipe out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God, and for its services!"  God, cannot forget anything, has seen fit to record the words and deeds of Nehemiah so all people would remember what godly, humble leadership looks like in the fear of the LORD and submission to God and king.  Nehemiah spoke forth the word of God with boldness to nobles and Levites alike in Nehemiah 13:22:  "And I commanded the Levites that they should cleanse themselves, and that they should go and guard the gates, to sanctify the Sabbath day. Remember me, O my God, concerning this also, and spare me according to the greatness of Your mercy!"  The closing sentence of the book is, "Remember me, O my God, for good."  Praise the LORD our good, merciful God remembers and spares His beloved who fear Him.

"No" Isn't Negotiable

Whenever I venture into an Australian Post Office, I have always been curious of the odd assortment of goods sold there.  There are office related goods like notepads and envelopes, but the volume is mostly comprised of colourful cheap toys, a variety of "As Seen on TV" products, CD music compilations and gifts.  I have wondered often who would go to the Post Office to buy such things, and today I had this question answered.

A mum and two young daughters were queued in front of me, and the little one aged about six or seven asked her mother to buy her a notepad.  The request was immediately declined.  The little girl went on.  "Pleeeease...it has lines on it...I can practice my writing.  Pleeeease."  Within seconds of observing the behaviour of this little girl I knew beyond doubt she was wise to something her mother may not have realised:  "No" did not mean "No" and was negotiable.  "No" could be expertly overturned with persistence, a word that previous experience enforced countless times.  I was not surprised when she chose not to replace the book as asked, and slowly moved to the next spots on the carpet.

At the next stations there were plenty of new toys and reasons to buy them, the notebook now deposited among the Barbie products.  One offering was met with reasons why the purchase was unnecessary ("You already have four of these") and other with disdain:  "I'm not buying that."  As each toy was tossed aside to make way for the next, it was evident this was not a matter of need or expense:  it was a pitched battle of the will.  The little girl really didn't care about the items, but she wanted her way.  When it came time for the trio to approach the counter, all three had something in their hand and everything was purchased without question.  By this stage the older sister had ditched begging and simply handed her mother an item in silence, her actions revealing her unspoken expectation. 

The situation was as predictable as a children's story I had read a million times because "No" was negotiable.  Have you seen a child "read" a book before they can actually read, reciting the story verbatim without being able to read a single word?  The intelligence of children is not only seen with their recall but their ability to read people and use a situation for their advantage.  Jesus said to all His disciples in Matthew 5:37, "Let your 'Yes' be 'Yes' and your 'No' 'No.'"  The things we say we ought to do, and if your "No" is negotiable can your "Yes" be relied upon?  Praise the LORD we can rely upon Him to speak the truth without error, and what He has said we can count on Him to follow through.

Dear parents, you potentially do yourself and children harm when you do not do as you say.  Rewarding disobedience to a clear directive is a sure way to undermine your authority given to you by God as a parent.  Perhaps dropping $10 on a cheap toy seems a small price to pay to quiet a whining child and possibly avoid public embarrassment, but the long term cost will be far greater.  Better to say it once and ensure it is done than to repeat yourself emphatically 10 times and cave when it is time to parent-up.  A parent who holds fast to their integrity in private and public to do as they say will not need to beg, cajole, reason or repeat themselves--because kids can also learn "No" isn't negotiable.

Shining in the Dark

During early morning walks this week I have noticed the moon slowly move day by day in a northeast direction through the sky as a waxing crescent.  Today it peeked out from the clouds like a child playing hide and seek who delights to be found.  In His wisdom God established this nocturnal luminary and reminds me to consider and praise God, the Creator of heaven and earth.  As the celestial bodies move through space with precision according to God's design, so His love and grace continually shine forth to all those whose eyes are opened by faith in Him.  How could we question or stand in judgment of our God who is most awesome?

Revelation 1:7-8 reads, "Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen. ⁸ "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End," says the Lord, "who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty."  The Bible teaches Jesus will one day return to earth in judgment, and it will be at the right time, with appropriate severity and with precision that exceeds any laser.  Until today I never considered what a disgraceful thing it is to suggest that the judgment of God and ultimate suffering in hell shall be "too good for" someone we believe to be among the worst.  This statement strikes at the sovereignty and ability of God to be a capable Judge of all heaven and earth.  He knows all, and His longsuffering ought not be deemed ignorance or incompetence:  this is man's lot.  On earth the statutes of law are limited by lengths of time and geography, yet God's judgments are absolute, upright and forever according to His infinite power and strength.  The proudest and strongest men and angels are cowardly in His presence.

How much of our wranglings, worries and fears dissolve and flee away when we begin to realise God is exactly who He claims to be:  the eternal, all powerful, all knowing and gracious God who delights to show mercy but will not pardon the guilty.  Jesus said when Israel finds itself in the midst of the great tribulation in Luke 21:25-28:  "And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; ²⁶ men's hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of heaven will be shaken. ²⁷ Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. ²⁸ Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near."  When things will seem at their worst and all hope is lost, they were to lift their heads to look to the LORD Jesus Christ who would deliver and redeem them.  Who can do this but God?  The hearts of men will fail, but the love of God is without fail.  Those who place their faith in Jesus are positioned to receive and rejoice in God, satisfied in His love and mercy.

After the six seals are opened and all heaven and earth is shaken Revelation 6:15-17 says, "And the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave and every free man, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains, ¹⁶ and said to the mountains and rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! ¹⁷ For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?"  Answer:  none and all.  No one can stand before the wrath of God, for He is greatest and above all.  Yet all those who He makes to stand by faith in Jesus Christ, the Rock of Salvation, the chief Cornerstone, are enabled to stand by His grace.  God answered the prayer of the sons of Korah by Jesus Christ in Psalm 85:2-7:  "You have forgiven the iniquity of Your people; You have covered all their sin. Selah ³ You have taken away all Your wrath; You have turned from the fierceness of Your anger. ⁴ Restore us, O God of our salvation, and cause Your anger toward us to cease. ⁵ Will You be angry with us forever? Will You prolong Your anger to all generations? ⁶ Will You not revive us again, that Your people may rejoice in You? ⁷ Show us Your mercy, LORD, and grant us Your salvation."

God has done all this through the Gospel and much more still.  Through Jesus our sins have been forgiven and the righteousness of God imputed to us.  He has taken away His wrath, Jesus having satisfied the justice of the Law for sin.  He has restored us to a privileged place of being one with God in the Body of Christ, and given us the right to be called children of God when we were once foreigners and outsiders.  He revives us body and soul and makes us to rejoice in His salvation.  Having received such abundant life and promises through Jesus, He makes us His divine luminaries to shine day and night with His glory and grace.  2 Corinthians 4:6-7 reads, "For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. ⁷ But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us."  God said "Let there be light!" and there was light before the sun ever shone in the heavens, and by His grace we will shine for His glory long after the sun and moon flee away and the stars have fallen like figs.  May your glory, LORD Jesus, shine through your servants with rejoicing.