Biblical history reads like today’s news

Deuteronomy 28:20–68; Psalm 119:25–48; Isaiah 55; Matthew 3

The above Bible passages, read in sequence, leave me numb with God’s power to speak to the issues of His Old Testament people and at the same time speak to today’s world events. Deuteronomy is a horrifying list of what will happen to His people because they refused to follow Him with all their hearts.

This list included: curses, frustration and confusion in every part of their lives, pestilence, wasting disease and fever, destroyed livelihood, defeated by enemies, madness and blindness, oppression, all good things taken away including spouse and family, idolatry, viewed as a disgrace in the world, destruction of food sources, besieged by enemies causing starvation and activity so despicable that I cannot write of it, depletion of their numbers, scattered to the world with no resting place and constant fear of death, no livelihood and not wanted by anyone, even as slaves. (Deuteronomy 28).

This list is like a large part of today’s news. The sad part about then and now is that the people thought these were ‘natural’ disasters and didn’t realize that God was showing them the results of their attitude toward Him.

“All these curses shall come upon you and pursue you and overtake you till you are destroyed, because you did not obey the voice of the LORD your God, to keep his commandments and his statutes that he commanded you. They shall be a sign and a wonder against you and your offspring forever. Because you did not serve the LORD your God with joyfulness and gladness of heart, because of the abundance of all things, therefore you shall serve your enemies whom the LORD will send against you, in hunger and thirst, in nakedness, and lacking everything. And he will put a yoke of iron on your neck until he has destroyed you.” (Deuteronomy 28:45–48)

Isaiah warned God’s people also. He urged them to repent and turn to God who would “abundantly pardon” them if they did. As for their oblivion to what was going on, He said:

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:8–9)

They didn’t get it. I’m not sure all the people of God are hearing Him today either, but back then, the psalmist understood. He knew what the Lord wanted and gave himself whole-heartedly to seeking truth and being obedient.

“My soul melts away for sorrow; strengthen me according to your word! Put false ways far from me and graciously teach me your law! I have chosen the way of faithfulness; I set your rules before me. I cling to your testimonies, O LORD; let me not be put to shame! I will run in the way of your commandments when you enlarge my heart! Teach me, O LORD, the way of your statutes; and I will keep it to the end. Give me understanding, that I may keep your law and observe it with my whole heart. Lead me in the path of your commandments, for I delight in it. Incline my heart to your testimonies, and not to selfish gain! Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things; and give me life in your ways. Confirm to your servant your promise, that you may be feared. Turn away the reproach that I dread, for your rules are good. Behold, I long for your precepts; in your righteousness give me life!” (Psalm 119:28–40)

This psalmist knew that he was helpless and in need of the Lord’s help. He realized that without the Lord, he would be involved in worthless activities, even sin. He longed for life with God, not forgetting Him or His commands.

For centuries, God disciplined His people to remember Him, obey Him and enjoy the life He wanted them to have. But for all that time, most sought their own way.

Then Jesus was born. John the Baptist gave them the same message. Not only did they need to repent, but God was now in their midst. He told them, “I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.” (Matthew 3:11–12)

By now, it seems God’s people should have realized their inability to trust the Lord and walk with Him, but they didn’t — and they crucified the One sent to save them from deserved wrath. They did not get it that when Jesus died He took those curses on Himself, suffering for the sin of the world that we might be set free from condemnation.

APPLY: My morning prayer was about walking in the joy of knowing Him. After reading all that would be mine if Jesus had not come into my life, I appreciate more than ever the gracious mercy and goodness of God. Instead of condemnation and because of Jesus, His gift to me is joy!

 

Only three kinds of sin?

Genesis 3; Matthew 3; Ezra 3; Acts 3

This week I heard a pastor say in a radio sermon that there are only three kinds of sin. He quoted 1 John:

Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever. (1 John 2:15–17)

He said that sin involves wanting what we see that is not meant for us, desire pleasure or comfort that is not intended for us or wanting what we think will in some way make us better than others. This morning I see these three in the original sin in the garden of Eden . . .

So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths. (Genesis 3:6–7)

The rest of the chapter describes the results: they were ashamed, hid from God, did not admit their disobedience but shifted the blame, and were placed under a curse. The enemy was cursed and doomed. The woman was cursed to pain in having children and wanting to be the boss all the time. The man was cursed for not taking his leadership role by a lifetime of hard work to make a living. They were also cursed with physical death even though it was delayed.

God is merciful. He clothed them to take away their shame, then took them out of the garden to protect them from eating the tree of life and living forever with the curse. He had a plan. The curse came with a promise — a curse on their tempter who would meet his demise through the woman’s offspring — who would “bruise his head.”

This story has been called a myth to explain the origin of sin but not an actual event. Some say things like that to avoid admitting that sin is an issue. Odd idea. That sense of right and wrong gets blurred these days but it remains. We know. The daily news gives evidence of sin, as does the conflicting desires in our own hearts. Besides, sin had to start somewhere and God’s version makes sense.

Three sins are hard to generalize. I suppose sin with my eyes includes stealing, covetousness, and a host of other things. Sin with my flesh equals sexual stuff and excessive desires for comfort in things and total selfishness. Sin rooted in the pride of life starts with “I will run my own life” and disobedience to all the good that God wants for me. Every day there are temptations in these areas, from eating too many cookies, to bragging, to lazing around instead of taking care of my responsibilities. I cannot imagine being without the ability to recognize good and evil. Yes, sin wants the evil and makes all sorts of false assumptions about what is good, but by the Word of God, at least I can recognize the evil.

These three sins are seen in Eve’s response to the suggestions of the evil one. She saw the tree would be good to eat. It delighted her eyes and appealed to the pride that can come with being wise. The difference now is that God sent Jesus and my heart can respond to Him instead of temptation. His lessons may take a lifetime to learn but He shows me that disobedience is not good for me, even if it looks good. He shows me that human wisdom is folly compared to God’s wisdom. He also shows me that when I share my sinful desires and encourage others to join me (like Eve invited Adam to eat too), it will bring great disaster.

Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”— (Galatians 3:13)

Jesus came to reverse the curse, and the only way I can enjoy the benefit of that goal is by cooperating with Him. The pain of life does not disappear entirely but the power of the curse is broken by faith in the One who forgave me and takes away my shame, the One who died on a tree and who lets me have the abundant life He created for me, allowing me to feast on the life that He graciously grants. Because of Him, I look forward to living forever with Him and in total freedom from the curse of sin.