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!

 

Consequences?

While the world often appears to be in chaos, there are spiritual principles that are as certain as gravity. Just as whatever goes up will come down, whoever rebels against God will pay the price, either in this life or eventually.

Yesterday, I heard of a young man who claims to believe in God but is leaving his wife because he wants to “live life to the full.” He says he loves her but being married seems to be cramping his style, whatever that means. Even as he makes this decision, he is full of doubt and heavy-hearted. His choice and response reflect a spiritual principle; go against the plan of God for life and marriage and hearts will be broken. I know it from experience as do many others.

It is not a surprise that the years preceding the coming of Christ were years of His people breaking His principles. Because “all sin and fall short” they could not keep the Law of God (no one can) and over the centuries, their need for a Savior became increasingly obvious. Why so long? It was not that God was ignoring or turning His back on their rebellion. He had been active in their lives and in world affairs. As history moved toward the great event of His incarnation, three factors were coming together to prepare the world for it: the Hebrews and their religion, the Greeks and their language, and the Romans and their social and political organization.

I’m looking at this more closely because what God did regarding rebellion for these nations is a picture of how He deals with people. First, just as He did with the Hebrews, He gives all of us an invitation to be His people, live in His kingdom and tell others the good news of a good God who loves them.

Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine; and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you shall speak to the people of Israel.” (Exodus 19:5–6)

Just like the young man who is choosing to abandon his marriage, the people of Israel failed to keep the principles of God in their relationship with Him. Because of almost continuous disobedience and the gross sin of idolatry, God’s judgment fell with finality upon them in the year 587 B.C., and the nation was carried away captive by Nebuchadnezzar into the land of Babylon. In other words, they were in bondage and unable to escape. Their rebellion had unpleasant consequences.

This principle has not changed. Today’s world is filled with examples. Compare the news with humanity’s general attitude toward the Laws of God and it is easily seen that God’s principles hold firm:

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things. Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen. (Romans 1:18–25)

However, just as in the history of redemption, God is merciful . . .

But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. (Galatians 4:4–5)

There is an answer to sin and its consequences. While the consequences often remain, the sin can be forgiven. Light from God can change hearts. Even broken marriages can be restored. God promises to transform those who believe in Him. We may fight Him and think we know better, but He is faithful, even relentless. He gives joy to replace sorrow and peace of mind to replace guilt and anxiety.

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Jesus, I pray for this young man, but also of all who have turned their back on You and what they know about You. I’ve also tried to go against Your will and paid the price. I know the heartache and suffering such foolishness brings. You want us to be joyful and the pathway to joy includes obedience. Yet as history proves, obedience is possible only to those who rely completely on You. We cannot save ourselves. I cannot even pray without Your grace. Grant that great grace to me today.

Learning from history . . .

Which one is the wiser statement: “Study the past if you would define the future.” (Confucius) or “Those who don't know history are doomed to repeat it.” (Edmund Burke)?

Our ‘home group’ is studying the kings of Israel. I came away with one question. They recorded the activities and outcomes of their kings. Clearly, those who followed God prospered and those who did not did not. Each one of them made their own decisions. If they knew the historical patterns, why would any of them choose to worship idols and disobey God? These ‘evil’ kings knew yet repeated the past. It seems all they learned from any study of the past was how to replicate it in their own lives.

My conclusion may come across as crude, but it seems that sin tends to make people stupid. As we discussed this during the Bible study, we agreed that the laws of God are true and He never changes, but even the good kings occasionally pushed against the boundaries and got themselves into trouble. That is, we are doomed to repeat history even when we know it, and unless God intervenes, the past cannot help but define the future.

“Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.” (Galatians 6:7–9)

This is a spiritual law that could be called cause and effect. It is illustrated in the physical realm of agriculture. If I plant a carrot seed, I will get carrots, not peas or corn. In my spiritual life, if I plan, plant and spend my energies in activities that are self-focused and driven by my old nature, I will reap a spiritually dead crop that amounts to nothing of eternal value. If I live according to the Spirit, the results will last forever.

The ‘evil’ kings were all about power and doing their own thing. They were not measured as evil by their building programs, achievements, battles, etc. but by their response or lack of response to God. The good kings were also not measured by any accomplishments as we might measure our leaders. They were measured by their faithfulness to God and His commands.

I look back at my own history and cannot make an accurate list of “this I did for God” and “this was fleshy junk.” However, I know both will be determined at the bema judgment seat of Christ:

“According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it. For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.” (1 Corinthians 3:10–15)

Because of Jesus Christ, my eternal destiny is not shaped by mistakes or rebellion, but by faith in Him. What is affected by the law of cause/effect is eternal rewards. Some of life’s efforts will go up in smoke while some will shine like gold.

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Lord Jesus, Your Word motivates me to think about motivation and about the power behind everything on my to-do list. Some of it is obviously useless. Open my eyes and keep them open to see and obey the Holy Spirit that the resulting work not only pleases You but will pass that final test.