Consecrated to God

Today my thoughts were arrested by a passage of scripture.  The Israelites had been brought over Jordan on dry ground after 40 years in the wilderness.  In obedience to God's command, they walked around the city of Jericho once a day without speaking for six days.  The seventh day they walked around the city seven times, and at the sound of the priest's trumpets they were to shout because God had given them the city.  Joshua commanded the people in Joshua 6:18-19:  "And you, by all means abstain from the accursed things, lest you become accursed when you take of the accursed things, and make the camp of Israel a curse, and trouble it. ¹⁹ But all the silver and gold, and vessels of bronze and iron, are consecrated to the LORD; they shall come into the treasury of the LORD."

This is most interesting.  The men of Israel were warned not to take any of the accursed things, let a curse rest upon them and the entire camp be troubled.  The next verse reveals the articles of gold, silver, and vessels of bronze and iron were not cursed in themselves, for they were consecrated to the LORD.  God would not bring evil objects into His treasury.  We know therefore the valuables plundered from Jericho were not "cursed" or "evil" in themselves, but would be a curse to any who took them because they were God's.  The principle is established here that taking for yourself what is consecrated to God brings a curse and trouble.  The next chapter reveals the grave consequences for disobedience in this matter was pride, fear, defeat, and ultimately death.  To take what is God's is theft.  If men are punished for stealing from another man, who will come to your aid if you steal from God?  Ananias and Sapphira being dead still speak.

God speaks through the prophet in Malachi 3:7-12:  "Yet from the days of your fathers You have gone away from My ordinances and have not kept them. Return to Me, and I will return to you," says the LORD of hosts. "But you said, 'In what way shall we return?' ⁸ "Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, 'In what way have we robbed You?' In tithes and offerings. ⁹ You are cursed with a curse, for you have robbed Me, even this whole nation. ¹⁰ Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and try Me now in this," says the LORD of hosts, "If I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it.¹¹ "And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, so that he will not destroy the fruit of your ground, nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field," says the LORD of hosts; ¹² "And all nations will call you blessed, for you will be a delightful land," says the LORD of hosts."  God's desire is to bless, protect, and provide for His people.  Yet if a man robs God of what God has consecrated for Himself, it will bring a curse and trouble.

It is a good line of thought:  have I given God all that is rightfully His?  As Christians - God's children and inheritance - we are to consecrate ourselves to God, for He has purchased us with His own blood (Acts 20:28 ).  God doesn't want us for our money or service.  Being infinite, He needs nothing.  But He desires that we would consecrate ourselves wholly to Him, as is our reasonable service.  Should not our deeds exceed those spoken of in 2 Chronicles 29:30-31, being under the New Covenant with better promises?  2 Chonicles 29:30-31 says, "Moreover King Hezekiah and the leaders commanded the Levites to sing praise to the LORD with the words of David and of Asaph the seer. So they sang praises with gladness, and they bowed their heads and worshiped. ³¹ Then Hezekiah answered and said, "Now that you have consecrated yourselves to the LORD, come near, and bring sacrifices and thank offerings into the house of the LORD." So the assembly brought in sacrifices and thank offerings, and as many as were of a willing heart brought burnt offerings."  Let us be the willing sacrifices, consecrated for God's glory and praise.

God Kills and Makes Alive

The Bible predicts that this universe and earth will someday pass away.  It is not even bold to say it will not be man's doing.  Man has corrupted the earth with sin and violence, but man does not have the power to vaporise the earth.  Even if the nuclear arsenals of the world were detonated, the world would remain.  How can I be so sure?  Because the Word of God makes it clear that it will be God's doing.  The God who spoke the world into existence from nothing also has the power to make it into nothing with His Word alone.  Jesus says in Luke 21:33, "Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away."  No power devised by man, no scheme of Satan, and not even the violence of Armageddon will fully destroy this earth created by God.  God created it, and God will someday destroy it.  The good thing is God will create a new heavens and new earth where righteousness dwells.  All who repent and are born again through faith in Christ will have a place in His heavenly kingdom.

When I was growing up, I remember many people being frightened during the "Cold War" about the threat of nuclear warfare.  It is doubtless a devastating and scary spectre.  But I believe our fear of God must far outweigh any fear of man, making the threat of nuclear disaster of no consequence compared to our reverence and fear of the One True God, Creator of Heaven and Earth.  Revelation 20:11 puts this in clear perspective:  "Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them."  The earth which currently stands solid under our feet will dissolve in the presence of God.  The universe with all its stars, planets, and galaxies, an ever-expanding area of practically infinite dimensions, will flee from His face like a frightened rabbit from a pack of baying hounds in the end.  God is awesome, and that really is an understatement.

The certain demise of the world is laid out in 2 Peter 3:3-14:  "...knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, ⁴ and saying, "Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation." ⁵ For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, ⁶ by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water. ⁷ But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. ⁸ But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. ⁹ The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. ¹⁰ But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. ¹¹ Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, ¹² looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? ¹³ Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. ¹⁴ Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless..."  God has reserved fire for the judgment of the world and all who refuse to repent and trust in Him.  Ultimate destruction is not in the hands of man.  He can kill the body but cannot touch the soul.  God is the One we must fear, the One who can kill the body and after He has killed can throw the soul into hell.  It is not His will any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

The potential of nuclear warfare pales in comparison to the power and glory found in God.  It is fear of God which dissolves fear of man.  As it is written in 1 Samuel 2:6, "The LORD kills and makes alive; He brings down to the grave and brings up."  God will one day dissolve the earth in fervent heat, so let us be those who, "according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells."

The Old "Shave and a Haircut" Knock Trick

This Sunday after 3pm I lay down for a little sleep.  I had not been laying there ten minutes when I heard a loud, "Shave and a Haircut - two bits!" knock on the glass by the front door.  "Now who could that possibly be?" I thought to myself as I creaked to my feet.  I walked down the stairs hoping it would be someone that I knew.  It wasn't.  It's an experience I've had far too often for my liking, even after placing a sticker which asks politely for salespeople to refrain from knocking.  The second I cracked the door the nice young lady wouldn't stop talking, briskly showing me her wares, and inquiring about my interest in her paintings.  She was a bit put-off when I was able to break in a minute later and say, "I'm sorry, but I'm not interested."  She kept talking even after I closed the door.

I have to say, I really struggle when people come to my door to sell me things.  If I wanted to change my electricity provider, I wouldn't do it with a fast-talking salesman who shows up at my door unannounced.  Then there are those cagey folks who aren't actually selling anything - so they say!  It doesn't matter who it is or what they are selling:  after they leave, I always tussle with salesmen rejection remorse.  It is not that I have ever actually been tempted to buy anything.  But I always think later:  "Was I too harsh or abrupt?  It could have been a scam, but possibly it was someone trying to make an honest living.  Should I have tried to engage them in an actual conversation?  How could that have gone better?"  The self-talk inevitably goes on an on.  And I pray.  Something about people coming to my door sends me crying out to God, and sleeping becomes out of the question.

After this latest unwanted intrusion, many thoughts swirled around in my head.  The truth is, I don't trust anyone who comes to my door I don't already know.  I don't know who they are or what they are about.  Then I started thinking:  what if that girl had come to the door asking for water, food, or money?  My guard would have dropped a little.  Once it is clear I am not being swindled out of something I can relax a bit.  When the Salvos have their shield appeal, it's a very different feeling.

When I lived in San Diego, I had an interesting conversation with a friend who originally was from Ohio.  He said it was not out of the ordinary for friend to drop by unannounced and to extend hospitality, share a drink and a chat.  He said he noticed that was not often the norm in Southern California.  When he dropped by a friend's house because he was in the area, they were quite guarded.  They might open the door to shake his hand, but never once invited him inside.  He found it most disappointing.  It's true:  inviting an unexpected visitor into your home is personal business.  It means you are choosing to put aside your plans and to gladly extend hospitality to an impromptu guest.  It is a sacrifice of love when done joyfully.  As I thought of my friend's story, I thought of Jesus Christ's words in Revelation 3:20:  "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me."

Jesus says those words in context not to strangers, but to the members who comprise His Body - the church.  When Jesus stands at the door and knocks, calling out to those within, it is with the implication that the person on the inside of the house has the power to either open the door or leave it shut.  We can ignore the door and Christ's voice, we can open the door for a chat but block His entrance (because we're not exactly prepared or have other things we'd rather do), or we can open the door and invite Him in.  If Jesus chooses to drop by, I don't want to be too busy with other things to spend time with Him.  I don't want to pretend I'm not available when my Saviour seeks my company.  To have a meal with Jesus!  What a treat!  If we will hear His voice and open the door, Jesus will come in to us so we can share fellowship together.

This morning at church we had a wonderful time of fellowship and a time of remembrance through Communion.  Bread and juice were received, symbols of Christ's broken body and shed blood for our sins.  It is a good thing to walk in obedience to Him and proclaim His death until He comes in remembering the price paid.  God is challenging me to show my appreciation to Him for all He as done in the form of loving others even as He loves me.  Even when pesky fast-talking sign-ignoring salespeople with agendas knock at my door, I pray God helps me make it my agenda to love them as people He died to save.  When someone knocks at the door, Christ knocks in a strange disguise!

Sin is Eternal

Here's an interesting thought for consideration.  Perhaps you have wondered how the punishment of eternity in hell is a fitting penalty for a sin committed on earth.  One sin to us doesn't seem like such an awful thing.  Everyone sins, so it must not be that bad, right?  But consider the perspective of the eternal God, the Judge of All.  Because He operates outside the confines of time, one day is as a thousand years and a thousand years a day.  A sin committed on earth is not a single moment from God's perspective outside of time:  it is an eternity.  It is therefore just and reasonable sin be punished eternally.

C.S. Lewis wrote, "We have s strange illusion that mere time cancels sin.  I have heard others, and I have heard myself, recounting cruelties and falsehoods committed in boyhood as if they were no concern of the present speaker's, and even with laughter.  But mere time does nothing either to the fact or to the guilt of a sin.  The guilt is washed out not by time but by repentance and the blood fo Christ:  if we have repented these early sins we should remember the price of our forgiveness and be humble.  As for the fact of a sin, is it probably that anything cancels it?  All times are eternally present to God.  Is it not at least possible that along some one line of His multi-dimensional eternity He sees you forever in the nursery pulling the wings off a fly, forever toadying, lying, and lusting as a schoolboy, forever in that moment of cowardice or insolence as a subaltern?" (Lewis, The Problem of Pain, pg. 49)

Each sin committed is an eternal offense against the unceasing righteousness of God.  The sins of my youth demand punishment as much as the sins I have committed this week.  But thanks be to God, who in His love for fallen man has sent Christ to seek and save the lost and once for all become a divine sacrifice for sin.  From God's vantage point, Jesus was slain from the foundation of the world (Rev. 13:8).  After we repent and are washed in His blood by faith, all memory of our sins from God's perspective is put away.  It is written in Hebrews 10:14-17:  "For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified. ¹⁵ But the Holy Spirit also witnesses to us; for after He had said before, ¹⁶ "This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the LORD: I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds I will write them,"¹⁷ then He adds, "Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more."  We live now in this day of the New Covenant of Christ's blood, and we are very privileged to do so.

Wounds sometimes heal over time, but the stain of sin lasts forever.  Only repentance and the blood of Jesus can cleanse us by grace through faith.  When He cleanses us, we are washed and purified forever.  How grateful and blessed I am that God has chosen to remember my sin no more!