SOAP 03/20/2015; Deuteronomy 9:6

Today's reading: Deuteronomy 9

S) "⁶ “Know, then, it is not because of your righteousness that the Lord your God is giving you this good land to possess, for you are a stubborn people."

Deuteronomy 9:6 (NASB)

O) Three times, Moses repeated that it was not because the Israelites were righteous. First he reminded them that the LORD was doing it because He is faithful to keep His promises. Then he reminded them that God was dispossessing the Land because the previous inhabitants were evil. Moses actually repeated both points, really driving home the fact that this blessing was not because of their righteousness.

A) It is easy, over three thousand years after the fact, to look at the Israelites and shake my head. It is easy to get sucked into the lie that if I was in their position, I would have been so much different. The truth is, I am the same in too many ways. It is easy to get caught up in a performance-based mentality in my relationship with God. The truth is, He chooses to bless me based on His will alone, not based on my good works or righteousness. I must continue to put my focus only on my relationship with Him. When I can recognize that spending time with Him (in the Word, in prayer, in worship) is a blessing in and of itself, then I will worry less about whether or not God will be giving me (what amounts to) peripheral blessings. The true blessing is in knowing Him, and my reconciliation to Him is certainly not based on my own righteousness, but on Christ alone.

P) Father, You are a good God, a wonderful Lord, and a loving Father. You are altogether holy and singularly worthy. I am too often interested in my righteousness, I think. Forgive me of my pride and the foolishness of worrying about messing things up or earning approval, somehow. I know that You already gave me everything I need to be righteous, through faith in Jesus Christ and the work He already accomplished. Help me to rest in that, and instead to focus on my relationship with You directly. I know from experience, and through the truth of Your words, that when I focus on seeking You and Your kingdom, everything else will fall into place, according to Your promises and will for me. So, let Your will be done, Lord. Accomplish in me, instead of for me, and keep me close. Be glorified in my life. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

SOAP 03/19/2015; Numbers 36:3

Today's reading: Numbers 36

S) "³ But if they marry one of the sons of the other tribes of the sons of Israel, their inheritance will be withdrawn from the inheritance of our fathers and will be added to the inheritance of the tribe to which they belong; thus it will be withdrawn from our allotted inheritance."

Numbers 36:3 (NASB)

O) There was a man, Zelophehad, who had only daughters. Therefore, when the land was being divided, the LORD gave an inheritance to these four women as land owners, which was unprecedented. Stemming from this never-before-dealt-with-land-holding-by-women, there was suddenly a new concern over the way the land would be handled, in the event of these women marrying men of a different tribe. Because the men from another tribe would already hold land, and their would-be wives would hold land, the daughters of Zelophehad would "withdraw" the land they held through Manasseh (their tribe), and it would then be allotted to the tribe of their new husbands. All of this was very political, and had messy implications for both record and peace keeping. In the end (see v.12), these women simply married from within their own tribe, which prevented any future dispute about land allotment.

A) When I was reading this, my first reaction was scoffing. This was not really a justified reaction, I'll admit, but it was hard for me to relate to something that seemed so petty. After really evaluating the history, though, and doing my best to sympathize, what I came to see was that this was indeed a heavy issue, and one I realized I would never have to face. These people had been waiting hundreds of years to finally come into their land. When they are finally on the cusp they recognized a potential problem, one that could snatch away some of that promise, some of that which they had waited all of those centuries to obtain. When Jesus Christ came as the Messiah to Israel, most of the Jews of that day were expecting a political, military leader who would liberate them from their oppressors, reestablish a territorial kingdom, and reign in sovereignty over their province for years to come. In that, despite being a theocratic kingdom, they were inviting problems like the one the sons of Manasseh faced. But, this was not God's plan. He came to free me of such concerns. I do not need to be consumed with which land belongs to whom, because none of it is ever going to truly be mine, and His kingdom does not have borders. Instead, God is concerned with His kingdom within the hearts of people. For myself, He is only ever concerned with who (or what) owns my heart. So, this story from the end of Numbers is a reminder to me, that I must keep my heart sanctified, set apart, holy to the Lord my GOD only. The kingdom of my heart is His alone.

P) Father, You are sovereign and everything on earth and in heaven belongs to You alone. Too often, I try to reign supreme in my own heart, Father God. Please forgive me for trying to conquer that place. Only You should be enthroned in my heart, Lord. Thank You for establishing Your kingdom in the invisible, in the hearts of Your people everywhere. Help me remain faithfully submitted to Your rule and reign in my life, in the kingdom of my heart, God. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

SOAP 03/18/2015; Numbers 34:1-2

Today's reading: Numbers 34

S) "¹ Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ^2 'Command the sons of Israel and say to them, "When you enter the land of Canaan, this is the land that shall fall to you as an inheritance, even the land of Canaan according to its borders."'"

Numbers 34:1-2 (NASB)

O) There are limits. God's people were on the cusp of the greatest fulfillment of promise. After forty years of waiting and testing through the wilderness, they were about to find permanent settlement. After more than four hundred years, the promise made to Abraham was about to be accomplished for them. This blessing, though, was not an unlimited blessing. God was telling His people that the blessing they would receive would have parameters. The LORD was about to bring them into the place their hearts had desired for hundreds of years, but God did not want them to get the wrong idea. This blessing would still be on His terms, by His authority, and according to His will. They were not going to be released like kids into a candy store.

A) I think there are a lot of misunderstandings about grace. The Bible is perfectly clear that God's love is eternal. His mercies are unending. His grace, however, is specific. Throughout the Bible, we see God bless people according to His will alone. Somehow, however, there is a misunderstanding that God wants to bless people with everything their hearts desire. This is simply not the case. The Bible promises that, while I draw closer to God and He shapes my character, He also alters and redefines the desires of my heart. So, when we ask anything according to His will, He hears us (emphasis added, 1 John 5:14). Outside of His will at work within me, I cannot expect to receive any blessings. What is shown throughout the Bible, is that God's love is unlimited, and His mercy is unlimited, but His grace is limited (by God's own desire and design). The saving grace He has for us is limited by God's desire and design to be through One mediator, Jesus Christ. The grace of provision He has promised us is for our needs (actual, vital needs) not our perceived wants. I must be willing to continue to receive God's grace, on His terms, by His authority, and according to His will alone.

P) Father, You are sovereign and just. You are merciful and loving. I am petulant and prideful. Please forgive me for my demanding sinful heart. Continue to humble me to the truth that You will bless me according to Your will, not mine. Thank You for the many blessings in my life. You provided the way for my salvation, reconciling me to You, giving me promises I have no right to have. You have given me a wonderful marriage and kids. You have provided for me financially and emotionally throughout my life. Please be magnified by how I proclaim Your goodness to others. Help me correctly present the gospel of grace, so that others are seeing the true life that You offer, and not some cheap avenue to self-satisfaction. Let Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

SOAP 03/17/2015; Numbers 33:56

Today's reading: Numbers 33

S) "⁵⁶ And as I plan to do to them, so I will do to you."

Numbers 33:56 (NASB)

O) The Israelites were on the brink of entering the Promised Land. They were receiving specific instructions about how to proceed into their new lands. They were told in no uncertain terms, to make no peace with the previous inhabitants, and to destroy all of their idols and altars. God warned them in the previous verse, that the remaining inhabitants (not driven out) would become a serious pain to them - and then came the verse above. This verse is short, but it actually reveals a lot. It shows us first of all, that God's will for bringing the Israelites into the Promised Land was as much about judgment of those inhabitants ("I plan to do to them") as it was about blessing Israel. These were not innocent people that God was expelling. The next thing this short verse reveals, is that God sees sin the same for everyone, regardless of nationality, association, creed, or color. Knowing who the LORD is, is not the same as following His ways. These were God's chosen people, but if they were not willing to obey, they would suffer the same fate as the previous inhabitants. Their refusal to turn from their sins would eventually cause their own exile, and another axe of the LORD's choosing would execute judgment (see Isaiah 10:1-19).

A) It is important for me to remember that the LORD sees all sins the same, regardless of who did the sinning. In Christian culture, sometimes the serious nature of sin is lost amid myriad messages of grace and mercy. While it is vital to remember that the LORD has already been gracious in His offering of Jesus, and He has provided a way for mercy, it is not like He simply decided not to execute justice. This is so crucial to remember: the wrath and righteous justice of God were still executed, and will still be executed. For the unrepentant, that judgment is still coming. For the repentant believer, that judgment was poured out upon Jesus. The penalty for sin did not evaporate, it shifted. This is the powerful message of the gospel. The verse above, that same line could have been spoken to Jesus Christ, before He was born to Mary. God planned to execute His righteous wrath against me, and instead put it on Jesus.

P) Father, I am overwhelmed by Your love and grace and mercy toward me. Reading through the Old Testament is such a clear message of how You view sin. Remind me of the sever nature of sin, and the violent, final nature of Your wrath. Forgive me for my sins, Lord. Give me the conviction, strength, and boldness to confess and repent from every form of sin. Open my eyes and ears to recognize sinful areas of my life, and sinful areas in my heart. Be glorified in my life, through the grace, mercy, and love You have shown me. Help me to reflect those same things to other people in my life, to lovingly convey the message of the gospel of Jesus Christ. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

SOAP 03/16/2015; Numbers 26:64-65

Today's reading: Numbers 26

S) "⁶⁴ But among these there was not a man of those who were numbered by Moses and Aaron the priest, who numbered the sons of Israel in the wilderness of Sinai. ⁶⁵ For the Lord had said of them, 'They shall surely die in the wilderness.' And not a man was left of them, except Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun."

Numbers 26:64-65 (NASB)

O) When Joshua and Caleb went as spies into the Promised Land, they were accompanied by ten other men. Ten out of twelve agreed: the inhabitants of the Land were too great, and God was not great enough. Because of that final lack of faith (the people had certainly shown many examples of their lack of faith up to that point), God said none of them would receive the blessing of the Promised Land. This is the root of their wandering in the desert for forty years. By the time of this second great census, none of the people in the original census were alive, still, except the two who disagreed with the ten.

A) This is the eventuality of what was already learned. In reading through Numbers from the beginning (and indeed the Bible, from the beginning), then this end is no surprise. It is a reminder to me of a few important facts, though. First, that God does what He says He will do. He told the people they would not reach the Promised Land, because they refused to believe His words. That is exactly what happened. Second, that it is vital to be counter-cultural, when the culture has turned away from believing the Word of God. There can be no peer pressure great enough to stop me from believing the words of God. Third, that it is a great help, a very great help, to have a second person believe with me. This is the beauty of a God-centered marriage. This is the beauty of mutual ministries in small groups.

P) Father, Your faithfulness is beyond me. It is bigger than what I want personally. It is bigger than my life, my story. Your faithfulness is beyond my ability to fully comprehend, and it is beyond my ability to repeat fully. This faithfulness You displayed to the Israelites, and throughout Your history to Your people, all the way through this present day, this faithfulness I want to proclaim. There is a grave warning in this story, that I must cling to the truth of Your Word. There is also encouragement in this story, that with other faithful believers, my devotion to You is easier. Help me to strengthen my relationships with other believers, God. I want to be an encouragement to believe You, in the lives of others. Let that begin with my wife, and children, and family, and then extend to other friends and relationships You give me. Let Your will continue to be done. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

SOAP 03/15/2015; Numbers 25:1-3

Today's reading: Numbers 25

S) "¹ While Israel remained at Shittim, the people began to play the harlot with the daughters of Moab. ² For they invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods. ³ So Israel joined themselves to Baal of Peor, and the Lord was angry against Israel."

Numbers 25:1-3 (NASB)

O) Few things anger the LORD the way spiritual adultery does. What struck me about this particular story of Israel's infidelity, was the way it seemed to escalate. It began that the Israelites were simply accepting a friendly, neighborly invitation. They might not have had any intention to "cheat" on God. Then, when they were with the Moabites, in their temples or at their alters, and those friendly neighbors made their sacrifices, the Israelites might have considered that they didn't want to be rude. After all, the Moabites were just trying to fill a need, as their new neighbors seemed hungry. So, the Israelites ate what they were given. Then, when the spiral had completely sunk them, we see that they were drawn all the way to bowing down before the Moabite gods. So, Israel had joined themselves to Baal of Peor, and the Lord was angry against Israel.

A) To be clear, a fair amount of my commentary is conjecture. There are no details about how long this harlotry took to play out. There is no clear indication how gradual this fall was. But, it does translate pretty well into the way many other sins entreat and then entrap me. It is a cautionary tale about fidelity to my Lord, and how serious His jealousy is (24,000 people died over this idolatry). While the penalty for my sins was forever taken by Jesus, the gravity of my sins is made clear in this story. That actually highlights the magnitude of His compassion and grace, in saving me from the same fate as these Israelites. After all, in the larger narrative, I was actually more like the Moabites than the Israelites. Thankfully, I am redeemed and adopted as His own. The sacrifice of Jesus does not lessen the importance of this story, but this story puts an increased emphasis on the importance of the sacrifice of Jesus.

P) Father, I am humbled by the greatness of Your grace. You are so good to me, and I am learning that lesson more and more, as I study Your Word. Continue to impress upon me, the gravity of the sacrifice Jesus made. Open my eyes and ears, to hear Your point of view on the seriousness of my sins, especially through the stories of Your wrath displayed throughout the Bible. Discipline me to learn to fear You more. You are an awesome God, and You deserve my worship and obedience. Please forgive me for my sins, and help me remember that Your glory is at stake in everything I do. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.