R³ Devotional - Day 73

It's easy for us to take God’s protection for granted.  We seldom take notice or thank God when our car doesn’t break down, our clothes don’t rip, or our tools don’t break.  The people of Israel also failed to take notice, it seems, for they didn’t even notice that in 40 years of wandering in the wilderness, their clothes didn’t wear out and their feet didn’t blister or swell.  Thus, they did not remember to give thanks to God for these blessings.  What has been working well for you?  What has been giving you good service?  What has been lasting for a long time without breaking down or apart?  Remember to thank God for these quiet blessings.

Verse 8: 10 is traditionally cited as the reason we say grace before or after meals.  Its purpose, however, was to warn the Israelites not to for get God when their needs and wants were satisfied.  Let your table prayers serve as a constant reminder of the Lord’s goodness to you and your duty to those who are less fortunate.

As we see in verses 11-20, in times of plenty, we often take credit for our prosperity and become proud that our own hard work and cleverness have made us rich.  It is easy to get so busy collecting and managing wealth that we push God right out of our lives.  But it is God who gives us everything we have, and it is God who asks us to manage it for Him.

Moving into Chapter 9, we find a warning against self-righteousness, plus Israel’s rebellion and Moses’ intercession.

The Anakim were enormous people, some seven to nine feet tall.  Goliath, probably a descendant of this race, was over nine feet tall ( 1 Samuel 17: 4-7).  Unfortunately, these great men used their stature as a means of intimidation rather than for noble causes.  Their appearance alone frightened the Israelite scouts (Numbers 13: 28), and their bad reputation may have been the deciding factor that kept the Israelites out of the land 40 years earlier (Numbers 13-14).  Moses used all his persuasive power to convince his people that God could handle these bullies.  He used the illustration of God as a consuming fire, for not even a giant could stand up to that.

God promised to go before the Israelites as a “consuming fire” to help them conquer their enemies.  Fire was a symbol of holiness and purification, illustrating God’s desire to purify the land of its wicked people in order to make Israel a holy nation.

If the Israelites were so stubborn, why did God make such wonderful promises to them?  There are two good reasons:

 (1) A bargain is a bargain, God and Israel had made a treaty (Genesis 15; 17, Exodus 19-20).  God promised to be faithful to them, and they promised to obey Him.  The agreement was irrevocable and eternal.  Even though the Israelites rarely upheld their end of the bargain, God would always be faithful to His part.

(2) God’s mercy is unconditional. No matter how many times the people turned from God, He was always there to restore them. It is comforting to know that despite our inconsistencies and sins, God loves us unconditionally. Eternal life is achieved not on the merit system but on the mercy system. God loves us no matter who we are or what we have done.

From the record of this event in Exodus 32, it seems as though Moses acted immediately, grinding the gold calf into powder and forcing the people to drink water mixed with it.  But evidently, Moses had first spent 40 days and nights interceding for the people.

Moses was reminding the people of the nation’s unbelief 40 years earlier, when they had been afraid to enter Canaan. The Israelites had not believed God would be able to help them in spite of all He had already done.  They refused to follow because they looked only to their own limited resources instead of to God.  Unbelief is the root of many sins and problems.  When you feel lost, it may be because you’re looking everywhere but to God for your help and guidance.

Chapter 10 is concerned with the Covenant Renewal.  The tablets of the law were still in the ark about 500 years later when Solomon put it in his newly built temple (1 Kings 8: 9).  The ark last appears in the Israelites history during the reign of Josiah, about 300 years after Solomon ( 2 Chronicles 35: 3).

Continuing to read verses 12-13, we often ask, “What does God expect of me?”  Here Moses gives a summary that is simple in form and easy to remember.  Here are the essentials: (1) Fear God (have reverence for Him).  (2) Live in a way that pleases Him (follow Him).  (3) Love Him.  (4) Serve Him with all your heart and soul.  (5) Keep His commands.  How often we complicate faith with man made rules, regulations, and requirements.  Are you frustrated and burned out from trying hard to please God?  Concentrate on His real requirements and find peace.  Respect, follow, love, serve, and obey.

God required all male Israelites to be circumcised, but He wanted them to go beyond performing the surgery to understanding its meaning.  They needed to submit to God inside, in their hearts, as well as outside, in their bodies.  Then they could begin to imitate God’s love and justice in their relationships with others.  If our hearts are right with God, then our relationships with other people can be made right, too.  When your heart has been cleansed and you have been reconciled to God, you will begin to see a difference in the way you treat others.

In saying that the Lord is God of gods and Lord of lords, Moses was distinguishing the true God from all the local gods worshiped throughout the land.  Then Moses went a step further, calling God “mighty and awesome.”  He has such awesome power