Defeat on the Heels of Victory
Not only does God know all that is done, He ultimately exposes the truth so that all will know…and the consequences are often tragic.
Struggling through reading the lesser-known Old Testament passages and long prophetic oracles may seem to have little relevance to everyday 21st-century life. But there are important things we can learn from the Old Testament. First, the New Testament is based on the Old Testament. Second, the Old Testament reveals the character of God. Third, the Old Testament has transformational power. Its message transcends time, geography, and culture. It speaks to everyone, everywhere, in every situation.
Not only does God know all that is done, He ultimately exposes the truth so that all will know…and the consequences are often tragic.
Life is full of overwhelming impossibilities. So how do you stand toe-to-toe with your opponent and do battle? You do it with the only weapon available to us: faith.
Changes are tough. And they were tough for the Hebrews when Moses passed off the scene, and they had a new leader to follow.
We often go back to basics when we come to an event that requires renewed determination. That's where the Hebrews were in the book of Deuteronomy. The people had been wandering in the wilderness but were now almost home.
The ancient Hebrews were like a child who loved to sing a silly song over and over…“same song, a little bit louder, and little bit worse.” And God wasn't amused.
Few positions carry with them more weight of personal responsibility than that borne by those who speak for God and those who claim to be called by Him.
The Christian life is the life of faith, but if we fail here, a shipwreck will occur…as it did to a whole generation of Hebrews. Compared to their failure, the Titanic and the Valdez were minor accidents.
After 400 years of slavery to build edifices for a pagan king, God miraculously rescued the ancient Hebrews. When Pharaoh threatened to wipe them out at the Red Sea, God miraculously delivered them. It was time to celebrate, not complain.
The Apostle Paul was an experienced fundraiser. The gifts he received from churches went far beyond meeting physical needs; they were an eternal investment. Another master fundraiser for eternal investments was Moses.
The Hebrews were given God's miraculous protection that encouraged their obedience. God gave them His Law that resulted in their fearing Him. To become generous, God took them through an entirely different and extensive project.