Deuteronomy 31:14-30 - Defining Success in Godly Leadershio

Introduction
     As God’s chosen leader for Israel, Moses had provided everything the people needed for a life of success and prosperity (Deut 11:26-28; 30:15-18). However, in this pericope, the Lord informs Moses and Joshua that after Moses dies and Joshua leads the nation into Canaan, the people will abandon the Lord and pursue idols to their own harm. And this will happen after the Lord demonstrates His goodness to them and blesses them greatly. This shows that godly leadership does not guarantee others will follow. Nevertheless, God’s leadership must maintain faithfulness to their appointed task, even when they know those they lead will fail to live by the virtues they are taught. This requires commitment and integrity before the Lord.
Text
     This new section opens with Moses’ death being mentioned and the appointment of Joshua as his successor. The text reads, “Then the LORD said to Moses, ‘Behold, the time for you to die is near; call Joshua, and present yourselves at the tent of meeting, that I may commission him.’ So Moses and Joshua went and presented themselves at the tent of meeting. 15 The LORD appeared in the tent in a pillar of cloud, and the pillar of cloud stood at the doorway of the tent” (Deut 31:14-15). The “tent of meeting” was a special place located outside the camp where Moses would meet with God for instruction and direction (Ex 33:7-11; Num 11:16, 12:4). The “pillar of cloud” was the visible presence of God for Israel during this time (Ex 13:21-22). Whereas Moses had previously commissioned Joshua publicly as his successor (Deut 31:7-8), here the meeting was private, with only Moses and Joshua presenting themselves to the Lord. In what follows, the Lord speaks first to Moses (Deut 31:16-21), and then to Joshua (Deut 31:23).
     The text reads, “The LORD said to Moses, ‘Behold, you are about to lie down with your fathers; and this people will arise and play the harlot with the strange gods of the land, into the midst of which they are going, and will forsake Me and break My covenant which I have made with them’” (Deut 31:16). The Lord revealed to Moses that after his death, the people of Israel would begin the journey of apostasy in which they would turn away from the Lord and worship idols. In this way, they would break their covenant promise to the Lord and turn away from Him (cf., Judg 2:17). This must have been sad news to Moses, who had spent his years as a faithful and godly leader who instructed and encouraged his people to know the Lord and walk with Him (Deut 11:26-28; 28:1; 30:15-16). The Lord continued to inform Moses, saying:
"Then My anger will be kindled against them in that day, and I will forsake them and hide My face from them, and they will be consumed, and many evils and troubles will come upon them; so that they will say in that day, ‘Is it not because our God is not among us that these evils have come upon us?’ 18 But I will surely hide My face in that day because of all the evil which they will do, for they will turn to other gods." (Deut 31:17-18)
     Because Israel would act wickedly by turning from the Lord and worshipping idols, He would execute the curses of the covenant (Deut 28:15-68). His people would incorrectly think their problems came upon them because God had abandoned them, saying, “Is it not because our God is not among us that these evils have come upon us?” (Deut 31:17b). It’s true the nation would experience great suffering, but not because God had failed, but because they had. The Lord declared, “I will surely hide My face in that day because of all the evil which they will do, for they will turn to other gods” (Deut 31:18). Earl Radmacher correctly notes, “The principal reason for God’s judgment on His people was their continual idolatry. They abandoned His grace and willingly embraced the evil religious practices of the Canaanites.”[1]When God hides His face, it is the opposite of blessing, in which He causes His face to shine upon them for their good (Num 6:24-26).
     In order for Israel to correctly assess their circumstances from the divine perspective, the Lord instructed Moses and Joshua to write a song and to teach it to Israel. The Lord said, “Now therefore, write this song for yourselves, and teach it to the sons of Israel; put it on their lips, so that this song may be a witness for Me against the sons of Israel” (Deut 31:19). Here, the directive was for Moses and Joshua to write the song together. The song itself is recorded in Deuteronomy 32:1-43. The phrase, “put it on their lips” means, “have them recite it” (CSB), which denotes memorizing it in order to be able to recall it from memory. The Lord gives the reason, saying, “For when I bring them into the land flowing with milk and honey, which I swore to their fathers, and they have eaten and are satisfied and become prosperous, then they will turn to other gods and serve them, and spurn Me and break My covenant” (Deut 31:20). Earl Kalland notes:
“Teach it to the Israelites and have them sing it” (Deut 31:19) implies sufficient repetition to fix it in the minds of the people. Only then would they be able to sing it, and only then would it be a witness to the Lord’s admonition, not only to those of that generation, but to their descendants who will not have forgotten it (Deut 31:21). The song was to be taught nationally from generation to generation.[2]
     Unfortunately, the people who welcomed the Lord’s prosperity, would develop a sense of independence, and because the human heart is corrupt, they would turn away from the Lord and pursue idols to their own harm. There is wisdom in the prayer of Agur, who asked the Lord, “Two things I asked of You, do not refuse me before I die: Keep deception and lies far from me, give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is my portion, that I not be full and deny You and say, ‘Who is the LORD?’ Or that I not be in want and steal, and profane the name of my God” (Prov 30:7-9).
     The Lord continued to inform Moses and Joshua, saying, “Then it shall come about, when many evils and troubles have come upon them, that this song will testify before them as a witness (for it shall not be forgotten from the lips of their descendants); for I know their intent which they are developing today, before I have brought them into the land which I swore” (Deut 31:21). God knew the hearts of His people were corrupt and that they would turn away from Him after they’d enter the land of Canaan and experienced His blessings. Peter Craigie states:
"The words that the Lord addresses to Moses on the eve of his death must have caused great sadness in the aging leader. The substance of his long address to the Israelites had been faithfulness to God and a warning against the dangers of resorting to foreign gods and their cults. But now, about to die, Moses is told that this people will rise up and consort with gods foreign to the land. The words of God are not primarily prophetic; they portray rather divine insight into the basic character of the people and their constant tendency to unfaithfulness."[3]
     As God’s faithful leader, “Moses wrote this song the same day, and taught it to the sons of Israel” (Deut 31:22). God’s call for His leaders to be faithful must be obeyed, even when they know those they lead tend toward corruption and will fall away and pursue evil the first chance they get. Godly leaders are responsible to the Lord, to be faithful to Him, to maintain godly output, even when those under their care are defiant. This is true for national leaders, pastors, business leaders, teachers, parents, etc.
     After giving Moses specific instructions, the Lord commissioned Joshua the son of Nun, saying, “Be strong and courageous, for you shall bring the sons of Israel into the land which I swore to them, and I will be with you” (Deut 31:23). Even knowing the future failure of His people, the Lord commissioned Joshua to be Moses’ successor and to lead the people into righteousness. Failure among the people was not for want of direction and provision by the Lord. No doubt, after Moses’ death, Joshua would feel the burden of leadership. His only consolation was that God was with him, to strengthen and guide him along the way, and that his duty was to be faithful to the Lord. According to Peter Craigie, “Of the forms of loneliness that a man can experience, there are few so bleak as the loneliness of leadership. But Joshua assumed his lonely role with an assurance of companionship and strength. God’s presence with him would be sufficient to enable him to meet boldly every obstacle that the future could bring.”[4]
     Next, we learn, “It came about, when Moses finished writing the words of this law in a book until they were complete, 25 that Moses commanded the Levites who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD, saying, 26 ‘Take this book of the law and place it beside the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, that it may remain there as a witness against you’” (Deut 31:24-26). Here, again, we have a clear statement concerning Mosaic authorship of the book of Deuteronomy (cf., Deut 31:9). Moses gave the book of the Law to the Levites who were to carry it along with the ark of the covenant. Having this written record served a purpose, “that it may remain there as a witness against you” (Deut 31:26b). Truth is objective, and God’s judgments are based on fixed standards of righteousness. Moses then spoke to the people, saying:
"For I know your rebellion and your stubbornness; behold, while I am still alive with you today, you have been rebellious against the LORD; how much more, then, after my death? 28 Assemble to me all the elders of your tribes and your officers, that I may speak these words in their hearing and call the heavens and the earth to witness against them. 29 For I know that after my death you will act corruptly and turn from the way which I have commanded you; and evil will befall you in the latter days, for you will do that which is evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking Him to anger with the work of your hands." (Deut 31:27-29)
     Later, near the end of Joshua’s life, he encouraged the people to adhere to the Law of Moses so that they might know success and blessing (Josh 23:6-11), with a warning of judgment if they disobeyed (Josh 23:12-16; 24:20-24). Though Israel’s journey of apostasy would begin with the death of Moses, it would gain full steam after the death of Joshua. Historically, we know Israel failed to drive out the Canaanites as God directed (Judg 1:21; 28-33). And because of their disobedience to drive them out, Israel was negatively influenced by the Canaanites who corrupted their values, and they repeatedly did evil in the sight of the Lord by worshipping idols (Judg 2:11; 3:7, 12; 4:1; 6:1; 10:6; 13:1). Sadly, each successive generation got worse and worse (Judg 2:19). And each time Israel fell into idolatry,  God gave them into the hands of their enemies to punish them (Judg 3:8, 12; 4:2; 6:1; 10:6-7; 13:1). But when they cried out to the Lord, He graciously delivered them (Judg 3:9, 15; 4:3; 6:6; 10:12), and for a while they experienced peace. The cycle of sin, suffering, prayer, salvation, and a period of peace was repeated six times in the book of Judges over a period of approximately 350 years.
     In anticipation of the next chapter, we read, “Then Moses spoke in the hearing of all the assembly of Israel the words of this song, until they were complete” (Deut 31:30). As God’s faithful servant, Moses wrote the song as he’d been directed by the Lord.
Present Application
     In this chapter we have a glimpse into some of the issues related to godly leadership. When called to lead others according to God’s values, it’s important to know there will be times when those under our care will not follow us into God’s will, but will turn away from the Lord, and this to their own harm and the harm of others. Furthermore, ministry to the Lord can be marked by great hardship; however, integrity demands that we stay the course, no matter the difficulty of our situations. Below are a few examples of godly leaders whose leadership was rejected by others.
     In Scripture, we learn Noah was faithful to the Lord and preached His Word for one hundred and twenty years with very minimal results (2 Pet 2:5), and God’s judgment fell upon the world in a global deluge, with the result that only “eight persons were brought safely through the water” (1 Pet 3:20). The prophet Samuel was faithful to the Lord and tried to dissuade his generation from rejecting the Lord as their King, as they’d requested a human king in order that they might be like the other nations (1 Sam 8:4-17). But they rejected Samuel’s leadership, and “the people refused to listen to the voice of Samuel, and they said, ‘No, but there shall be a king over us, that we also may be like all the nations’” (1Sa 8:19-20a). God gave them Saul, a king after their own hearts, and the nation suffered.
     Perhaps one of the most frustrating ministries found in Scripture is that of the prophet Isaiah. The prophet had heard the Lord’s calling to ministry and accepted it wholeheartedly (Isa 6:8). Isaiah knew his generation needed to hear the Lord’s Word, and perhaps hoped they’d respond in humility as he’d just responded to the Lord’s vision in the temple (Isa 6:1-7). God informed Isaiah that his ministry would be met with negative volition. When God’s people turned away from Him, choosing a path of darkness and closing their ears to His Word, He added to their blindness and deafness as a form of judgment (Isa 6:9-10). Isaiah’s ministry to his people would result in a further hardening of their hearts. Hearing this difficult news, Isaiah asked, “Lord, how long?” (Isa 6:11a). The answer came from the Lord, “Until cities are devastated and without inhabitant, houses are without people and the land is utterly desolate, the LORD has removed men far away, and the forsaken places are many in the midst of the land” (Isa 6:11b-12). But God, in His sovereignty and grace, would preserve a remnant of His people alive (Isa 6:13). According to Earl Radmacher, “The more the prophet would proclaim the word of God, the less response he would get from the people. This was a call to a discouraging ministry. In truth, the call of God is for faithfulness to Him, to His Word, and to the call itself.”[5] Warren Wiersbe offers a similar statement, saying, “God does not deliberately make sinners blind, deaf, and hard-hearted; but the more that people resist God’s truth, the less able they are to receive God’s truth. But the servant is to proclaim the Word no matter how people respond, for the test of ministry is not outward success but faithfulness to the Lord.”[6]
     Jeremiah is another example of a godly servant who faithfully preached God’s Word for twenty-three years, but his generation would not listen. Jeremiah said, “these twenty-three years the word of the LORD has come to me, and I have spoken to you again and again, but you have not listened” (Jer 25:3). The result was that Judah was destroyed by the Babylonians and went into captivity in 586 B.C. Biblically, we know God is gracious, compassionate, and slow to anger (Neh 9:17; Psa 86:15; 103:8); however, His gentle qualities do not last forever, and when people persist in their sin and there is no hope of them turning to Him, His judgment falls (Psa 9:7-8; 96:13; Acts 17:31).
     Of course, there’s no greater display of leadership than our Lord Jesus, Who spoke perfect truth all the time and called others to trust in Him and to follow Him. Jesus repeatedly offered His kingdom to the nation (Matt 4:19; 10:7); yet, the majority of those who heard His message rejected Him (Matt 12:24; John 3:19; 12:37), and He pronounced judgment upon that generation (Matt 23:37-39). The result was that Jerusalem was destroyed in A.D. 70 when the Romans attacked the city and destroyed the temple.
     As God’s people, we control the output of our message, but never the outcome. What the recipients do with God’s Word is between them and the Lord. As God’s children, we are to be faithful to learn His Word (2 Tim 2:15; 3:16-17; 1 Pet 2:2), communicate it in love to others (Eph 4:15), and then let it do its work in the hearts of those who hear (Isa 55:10-11). However, we realize this will result in mixed outcomes, depending on the hearts of others. Charles Spurgeon said, “The same sun that softens wax also hardens clay.” By this he meant that God’s Word, which gives light like the sun, has different effects depending on the material exposed to it. The reality is that some hearts are positive to God (wax) and these grow soft when exposed to the light of His Word, but other hearts are negative to God (clay) and exposure to His Word only makes them harder. As God’s people, we are only responsible for our output of lifestyle and message, not the outcome of results. God measures our success by our willingness to submit to Him and our faithfulness to walk with Him moment by moment, learning His Word and doing His will. We want to be among those whom Jesus says, “Well done, good and faithful slave” (Matt 25:21a).
 
[1] Earl D. Radmacher, Ronald Barclay Allen, and H. Wayne House, Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Commentary (Nashville: T. Nelson Publishers, 1999), 266.
[2] Earl S. Kalland, “Deuteronomy,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein, vol. 3 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1992), 195.
[3] Peter C. Craigie, The Book of Deuteronomy, The New International Commentary on the Old Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1976), 372.
[4] Ibid., 373.
[5] Earl D. Radmacher, et al., Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Commentary, 814.
[6] Warren W. Wiersbe, Be Comforted, “Be” Commentary Series (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 30.

Acts 2:25-47 - Peter’s Message that Jesus is the Risen Messiah

Introduction
     In this pericope, Luke continues to present Peter’s message to the Israelites whom he declares are guilty—as are all mankind—of rejecting Jesus as the Messiah and placing Him upon a cross to be crucified (Acts 2:22-24; cf., Acts 4:27-28). But Peter, operating from the divine perspective, also declared that Jesus’ crucifixion was part of God’s sovereign will and predetermined plan. After Jesus’ crucifixion and death, God raised Him up, never to die again (Rom 6:9) and Jesus ascended to heaven, where He is now seated next to the Father (cf., Eph 1:20; Col 3:1). To make this point, Peter cites Psalm  16:8-11 to argue that Jesus is the Messiah.
For David says of Him, “I SAW THE LORD ALWAYS IN MY PRESENCE; FOR HE IS AT MY RIGHT HAND, SO THAT I WILL NOT BE SHAKEN. 26 ‘THEREFORE MY HEART WAS GLAD AND MY TONGUE EXULTED; MOREOVER MY FLESH ALSO WILL LIVE IN HOPE; 27 BECAUSE YOU WILL NOT ABANDON MY SOUL TO HADES, NOR ALLOW YOUR HOLY ONE TO UNDERGO DECAY. YOU HAVE MADE KNOWN TO ME THE WAYS OF LIFE; YOU WILL MAKE ME FULL OF GLADNESS WITH YOUR PRESENCE.” (Acts 2:25-28)
     The above psalm was written by David and was intended to reveal that Messiah would not undergo decay in the grave, but that the Father would raise Him up. It is literal prophesy with literal fulfillment. Peter continues his address, saying:
"Brethren, I may confidently say to you regarding the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. 30 And so, because he was a prophet and knew that GOD HAD SWORN TO HIM WITH AN OATH TO SEAT one OF HIS DESCENDANTS ON HIS THRONE, 31 he looked ahead and spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that HE WAS NEITHER ABANDONED TO HADES, NOR DID His flesh SUFFER DECAY. 32 This Jesus God raised up again, to which we are all witnesses." (Acts 2:29-31)
     Peter’s main point is that David had died and was buried, so he did not refer to himself, but to his descendant, Jesus, who is the Messiah. God had promised to seat one of David’s descendants upon his throne (2 Sam 7:12, 16; cf., Isa 9:6-7; Jer 33:15), and we know this is Jesus, who will rule forever (Luke 1:30-33; cf., Rom 1:3; 2 Tim 2:8; Rev 22:16). Peter reinforces his argument by declaring that Jesus, after His resurrection, had been seen alive by His apostles (Acts 2:32). Biblically we know that after Jesus’ resurrection, He was seen alive by many eyewitnesses, which included Mary Magdalene and other women (John 20:11-18; Matt 28:8-9), two disciples on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-32), the disciples without Thomas (John 20:19-25), the disciples with Thomas (John 20:26-29), the disciples by the Sea of Galilee (John 21:1-23), Peter, James, and more than 500 brethren at one time (1 Cor 15:5-7), the disciples at Jerusalem before His ascension (Acts 1:3-9), Stephen (Acts 7:56), Paul (Acts 9:1-6; 1 Cor 15:8), and John on the island of Patmos (Rev 1:9-18). The overwhelming argument of Scripture is that Jesus is alive and in heaven, awaiting His return to earth. Peter continued his message, saying:
"Therefore having been exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He has poured forth this which you both see and hear [the miraculous sign of tongues/foreign languages]. 34 “For it was not David who ascended into heaven, but he himself says: ‘THE LORD SAID TO MY LORD, “SIT AT MY RIGHT HAND, 35 UNTIL I MAKE YOUR ENEMIES A FOOTSTOOL FOR YOUR FEET [Psa 110:1].”’ 36 “Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ—this Jesus whom you crucified [Matt 27:23-25].” 37 Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brethren, what shall we do?” 38 Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins [i.e. sins regarding the rejection and crucifixion of Christ; cf. Acts 2:23, 36]; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 2:33-38)
     Jesus, having been exalted to heaven and to the right hand of the Father, sent forth the Holy Spirit to begin His special ministry in the world, which was inaugurated with the miraculous sign of tongues the Jews in Jerusalem were witnessing (Acts 2:33-35). Peter placed the guilt of Jesus’s crucifixion squarely on his audience, fellow Israelites (Acts 2:36). Of course, they did not act alone, but in concert with Gentiles (Acts 4:27). And his audience possessed positive volition and were “pierced to the heart” and asked Peter and the apostles, “Brethren, what shall we do?” (Acts 2:37). Peter’s answer demonstrated God’s grace, whereby his hearers could be forgiven and made right with God for the sin they’d committed. Peter said, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38). The Greek verb repent (μετανοέω metanoeo), according to BDAG, means to “change one’s mind.”[1] Many Bible teachers argue the word denotes a change of behavior, and though this is the likely outcome, it starts with a change of mind. In this context, Peter is calling his hearers to change their minds about Christ and to accept Him as the Messiah. According to Stanley Toussaint, “This verb (metanoēsate) means ‘change your outlook,’ or ‘have a change of heart; reverse the direction of your life.’ This obviously results in a change of conduct, but the emphasis is on the mind or outlook. The Jews had rejected Jesus; now they were to trust in Him.”[2] The next part of the verse reads, “and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins” (Acts 2:38b). Concerning Acts 2:38, Arnold Fruchtenbaum states:
"Peter answered that they [the Jews] must do two things. First, they must repent, which means they had “to change their minds” (v. 38a). What they needed to change their minds about was the accusation that Yeshua was demon possessed and therefore could not be the Messiah (Matt 12:22-45). In this first imperative, Peter used the second person plural, ordering, Repent ye. By doing so, he pointed out that the first of the two things they must do had priority. These Jewish people listening to Peter were part of the nation and part of “that generation” that had committed the unpardonable sin. As such they were under divine judgment. But while the sin was unpardonable nationally, it was pardonable for the individual. If these Jewish individuals would repent, that is, change their minds about Yeshua, they would be saved spiritually. Second, they had to be baptized (vs. 38b). Addressing the people as every one of you, Peter used the third person singular in the verb baptistheto, which shows that this was a lesser priority. To baptize means “to change one’s association.” In a Jewish context to baptize or immerse meant to identify oneself with a message and/or a person and/or a group. True repentance demanded the witness of water baptism. For the individual Jew of that generation, to escape the judgment that was coming in the year A.D. 70, he must sever his connection with the Judaism that rejected the Messiahship of Yeshua. The means of separating himself from rabbinic Judaism was water baptism. By means of water baptism, the believers would identify themselves with a new group; so, it would mean separation from the old group. Every time the scriptures connect baptism so closely with salvation, the topic being addressed is to a Jewish audience. This is true here in Acts 2:38 and is also true in Acts 22:16. It is important to note that this baptism with a view to salvation referred to the physical salvation from the coming judgment. Baptism would not save anyone spiritually, but it would physically save the Jewish individuals of that generation from the A.D. 70 judgment. Peter then added that this baptism must be in the name of Yeshua the Messiah as the new association. This would distinguish the baptism of those who believed in the Messiahship of Yeshua from all other baptisms, such as proselyte baptism or John’s baptism."[3]
     This is a helpful understanding, for there are some Christians who confuse water baptism with spiritual salvation (i.e., Catholics, Anglicans, Church of Christ, etc.). Such an understanding would deny many passages of Scripture that reveal salvation is by grace alone (Eph 2:8-9), through faith alone (Rom 3:28), in Christ alone (Acts 4:12). According to Lewis Sperry Chafer, “the New Testament declares directly and without complication in at least 150 passages that men are saved upon the sole principle of faith.”[4] The apostle Peter continued his message to his Jewish audience, saying:
"For the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself. 40 And with many other words he solemnly testified and kept on exhorting them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation!” 41 So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and that day there were added about three thousand souls." (Acts 2:39-41)
     Though many Israelites had acted corruptly by rejecting Jesus as their Messiah and having Him crucified (see Acts 2:23, 36; 4:27), they could be saved from their “perverse generation” by changing their minds about Him and trusting in Him as Messiah. Thankfully, many accepted Peter’s message and trusted in Christ and were publicly baptized. The result was about three thousand people were added to the Church, the body of Christ. The following verses reveal the fellowship that was experienced by the first Christian church in Jerusalem.
"They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone kept feeling a sense of awe; and many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles. 44 And all those who had believed were together and had all things in common; 45 and they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need." (Acts 2:42-45)
     Here we observe the basic activities of the early church as they devoted themselves to: 1) the apostle’s teaching, 2) fellowship, 3) the breaking of bread (i.e. the Lord’s Supper), and 4) prayer (Acts 2:42). The words continually devoting themselves translates the Greek word προσκαρτερέω proskartereo, which means to “busy oneself with, be busily engaged in, be devoted to… to hold fast to, continue in, persevere in something.”[5] Here was a commitment in the heart of these believers to gather themselves to the apostles whenever they taught and to practice what they’d learned. Orthodoxy (correct doctrine) precedes orthopraxy (correct living). This is always the proper order, for we cannot live what we do now know, as learning God’s Word necessarily precedes living His will. And all this took place within the context of the Christian community as believers fellowshipped together, partook of the Lord’s Supper, and prayed for each other.
     Luke records that everyone had a sense of awe as God continued to work through His apostles, as “many wonders and signs were taking place” through them (Acts 2:43). And there was a sense of community and personal responsibility for each other, as “all those who had believed were together and had all things in common” (Acts 2:44). It appears these Christians were very grace oriented and open-handed with each other and were sharing material goods and helping each other as needed, meeting and sharing meals “from house to house” (Acts 2:45). According to Charles Ryrie, “This community of goods seems to have been limited to the early years of the Jerusalem church only. It may have been necessitated by the many pilgrims who lingered in Jerusalem to learn more of their new Christian faith.”[6]
     Some have argued that this section in Acts promotes a communistic model. But such an understanding is wrong, as the believers were willingly giving of their resources to help meet the needs of other Christians. According to Earl Radmacher, “In communism the state uses the police power to accomplish the desired result. Here, the pooling of resources was not obligatory but a free expression of love to those who were poor and hurting. Communism desires a permanent restructuring of society, while the distribution in this case was limited and temporary until the severe crisis was dealt with because of the great influx of Christian converts.”[7]
     These Christians continued in fellowship together and the church continued to grow. Luke tells us, “Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved” (Acts 2:46-47). Here is a picture of loving fellowship. Thomas Constable notes:
"This progress report summarizes the growth of the church thus far. It is one of seven in Acts, each of which concludes a major advance of the church in its worldwide mission (cf. Acts 6:7; 9:31; 12:24; 16:5; 19:20; 28:30–31). The believers met with one another daily and enjoying the unity of the Spirit. They congregated in the temple area, probably for discussion and evangelization (cf. Acts 3:11; 5:12). Probably these Jewish believers considered themselves the true remnant within Israel until they began to realize the distinctiveness of the church. They ate meals and observed the Lord’s Supper together in homes."[8]
     We know from Acts 2:46 and other passages that the early church met in homes as a regular practice (cf., 1 Cor 16:19; Col 4:15; Philemon 1:2). Here, the general attitude is seen as ideal, as these Christians “were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people” (Acts 2:46b-47a). And since God was building His church at this time, Luke tells us, “the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved” (Acts 2:47b).
 
[1] William Arndt et al., A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000), 640.
[2] Stanley D. Toussaint, “Acts,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 359.
[3] Arnold G. Fruchtenbaum, The Book of Acts (San Antonio, TX, Publish by Ariel Ministries), 79.
[4] Lewis Sperry Chafer, Systematic Theology, vol. 3 (Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Publications, 1993), 392–393.
[5] William Arndt et al., A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, 881.
[6] Charles Caldwell Ryrie, Ryrie Study Bible: New American Standard Bible, 1995 Update, Expanded ed. (Chicago: Moody Press, 1995), 1731.
[7] Earl D. Radmacher, Ronald Barclay Allen, and H. Wayne House, Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Commentary (Nashville: T. Nelson Publishers, 1999), 1371.
[8] Tom Constable, Tom Constable’s Expository Notes on the Bible (Galaxie Software, 2003), Acts 2:46.

D90 - Deuteronomy 31:1-13 - Opening to Moses’ Final Speech Concerning his Death and Appointing Joshua as his Successor

Introduction
     In these final four chapters (31-34), we transition from Moses to Joshua as the leader of Israel, as God will work through Joshua to bring His people into the land of Canaan. In these closing chapters, Moses gives great attention to the Torah as God’s Word which provides a framework for the covenant relationship between God and His people. The Torah is the basis for success, if the people are positive to God and and walk in obedience to His Word (Deut 11:26-28). According to Eugene Merrill, “Israel was not to be a nation of anarchists or even of strong human leaders. It was a theocratic community with the Lord as King and with his covenant revelation as fundamental constitution and law. The theme of this section is the enshrinement of that law, the proper role of Mosaic succession, and the ultimate authority of covenant mandate over human institutions.”[1]Lastly, these final chapters will focus largely on Moses’ pending death and his encouraging Joshua to take his place as the nation’s leader. Peter Craigie states:
"The approaching decease of Moses, which has already been anticipated (see Deut 1:37–38 and 3:23–29), now becomes the central focus for the remaining chapters of the book. Moses is aware of his approaching death, and in the light of that fact he once again encourages the people in their faith and takes care of some final practical matters relating to the covenant community. First he encourages the people as a whole (vv. 1–6), and then, in the presence of the people, he encourages Joshua in particular, who would soon be assuming the role of leadership (vv. 7–8)."[2]
Text
     This pericope opens with Moses speaking to the nation of Israel as a whole. The text reads, “So Moses went and spoke these words to all Israel. 2 And he said to them, ‘I am a hundred and twenty years old today; I am no longer able to come and go, and the LORD has said to me, “You shall not cross this Jordan’” (Deut 31:1-2). Here, we see Moses reminding his people, for the third time, that God has not granted him permission to enter the land of Canaan because of his prior disobedience (Deut 1:37; 3:23-29; 31:2). Earl Kalland states, “Moses did not die because his natural strength was gone (Deut 34:7) but because the time for Israel’s entrance into Canaan had come, and Moses was not to enter the land. That was precluded by his arrogance before the people at the waters of Meribah when he struck the rock twice to bring out water though the Lord had told him only to speak to the rock.”[3]And Eugene Merrill notes:
"With his admission that he was a hundred and twenty years old, Moses was tacitly preparing the people for his death. He was forty when he fled Egypt to find refuge in Midian (Acts 7:23), eighty at the time of the exodus (i.e., forty years earlier than the present time; cf. Deut 2:7; 29:5), and now three times forty. There was no mistaking the meaning of this periodizing of Moses’ life. The first two eras culminated in escapes from mortal danger into the deserts. This time, however, there was no escape, for his sin in the desert had effectively closed that door (cf. Num 20:12; 27:12–14). The urgent need for orderly succession was most apparent."[4]
     Moses continues his address, saying, “It is the LORD your God who will cross ahead of you; He will destroy these nations before you, and you shall dispossess them. Joshua is the one who will cross ahead of you, just as the LORD has spoken. 4 The LORD will do to them just as He did to Sihon and Og, the kings of the Amorites, and to their land, when He destroyed them. 5 The LORD will deliver them up before you, and you shall do to them according to all the commandments which I have commanded you” (Deut 31:3-5). Though Joshua was going to lead God’s people into the land, everyone was to know it was ultimately the Lord who was leading them to victory and blessing (Deut 31:3; cf., Deut 1:30; 9:3; 20:1-4).
     Moses provides divine viewpoint to the nation so they would be strengthened in their inner person to face the challenges ahead. Moses told them, “Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid or tremble at them, for the LORD your God is the one who goes with you. He will not fail you or forsake you” (Deut 31:6). Here was a promise of God’s presence and protection as they followed His directives and went into the land of Canaan. According to Earl Radmacher, “The Lord was the Divine Warrior, the commander-in-chief of Israel’s forces. He will not leave you nor forsake you: Moses reminded the people that God had promised to remain with them, to protect them, bless them, and fight for them (Josh 1:5; 1 Ki 8:57).”[5] The confidence of the Israelites was not drawn from their own abilities, but from the Lord’s ability to lead them and to give them victory. This required them to maintain mental focus on God throughout the journey, even when they were facing their enemies in combat. The Israelites were to focus on God while slaying their enemies. This requires discipline of mind and will.
     Next, Moses called to Joshua and said to him in the sight of all Israel, “Be strong and courageous, for you shall go with this people into the land which the LORD has sworn to their fathers to give them, and you shall give it to them as an inheritance. 8 The LORD is the one who goes ahead of you; He will be with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed” (Deut 31:7-8). Here again is divine viewpoint given to Joshua to strengthen and encourage him to the task ahead. This helps us see Moses’ greatness, for rather than be bitter that he could not enter the land, he graciously hands the mantle of leadership over to his successor, Joshua. And Joshua had been known by the people for many decades. Warren Wiersbe states:
"Joshua wasn’t a stranger to the people of Israel, for he’d been serving them well ever since they left Egypt. He was Moses’ servant long before he became Moses’ successor (Ex 33:11; see Matt 25:21). It was Joshua who led the Jewish army in defeating the Amalekites when they attacked the nation after the Exodus (Ex 17:8–16), and he had been with Moses on Mount Sinai (Ex 24:13; 32:17). Joshua was one of the twelve spies who scouted out Canaan, and he and Caleb stood with Moses and Aaron in encouraging the people to trust God and claim the land (Num 13–14). In answer to Moses’ prayer for a leader to succeed him, God appointed Joshua and Moses commissioned him before the whole congregation (Num 27:12–23)."[6]
     The text informs us, “So Moses wrote this law and gave it to the priests, the sons of Levi who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and to all the elders of Israel” (Deut 31:9). Here we have one of the clearest statements in Scripture about Mosaic authorship, as the text tells us, “Moses wrote this law” and handed it over to the priests for safekeeping (cf., Deut 31:24-25). The written law is mentioned elsewhere in the book (Deut 28:58; 29:20-21, 27). God created language which He intended to serve as a means of theological expression between Himself and mankind. Sin has corrupted the human nature, and fallen mankind often uses language contrary to God’s original purposes, either excluding Him from their thoughts and words, or creating a god of their own imaginations and worshipping the creature rather than the Creator.
     The law was for the nation as a whole, to educate and guide them into the Lord’s will, as they learned and lived it day by day. Next, we learn, “Then Moses commanded them, saying, ‘At the end of every seven years, at the time of the year of remission of debts, at the Feast of Booths, 11 when all Israel comes to appear before the LORD your God at the place which He will choose, you shall read this law in front of all Israel in their hearing’” (Deut 31:10-11). Under the Mosaic Law, all financial debts were forgiven every seven years (cf. Deut 15:1-2). God had established a seven-year cycle the nation was to follow, and this ended when the Feast of Booths was celebrated. At the end of every seven years, those Israelites who had made loans to others within the covenant community were to release them from any remaining debt. The Hebrew word for remission is שְׁמִטָּה shemittah, which means a letting drop. According to Eugene Merrill, “The lender must simply forgive the debt as a necessary consequence of God’s declaration of a “time for canceling debts” (Deut 15:2). This was, as already noted, at the end of seven years, a period not necessarily commencing with the making of the loan but, as v. 9 makes clear, a universally recognized year of release (cf. Ex 23:10–11; Lev 25:2–4).”[7]
     The Feast of Booths (סֻכָּה sukkah – hut, shelter) was also known as the Feast of Tabernacles and was an autumn festival that took place in the month of Tishri, which corresponded to September-October. The tabernacles were basically huts constructed of tree branches and foliage, and the Israelites were to live in these temporary structures for seven days (Lev 23:39-43). At the end of every seven years, during the time of the Feast of Booths, Israelites were to cancel any debts owed by their fellow Israelites (Deut 15:1-3; 31:10). According to Earl Radmacher, “These sacred feasts were celebrated by all people and were joyous expressions of gratitude to God (2 Chr. 30:21). They included processions, dancing, and the enjoyment of food and drink (Lev 23:40, 41; Judg 21:19–21).”[8]
     It was during this time of remission of debts that the priests in Israel were to read the Torah publicly so that God’s people would know how they were to live before the Lord and experience His blessings (cf., Ezra 7:10; Neh 8:1-6; Mal 2:4-7). God gave His Word to His people, but they were to be responsible with how they handled it. The priests were to communicate it to the nation as a whole (Deut 31:10-11), and parents were to teach it to their children (Deut 6:6-7). These public readings of God’s Word would serve to educate future generations about the Lord and their covenant relationship with Him. Of course, the clear communication of God’s Word to others must be met with positive volition by succeeding generations for God’s blessings to follow. Daniel Block notes that “future readings of the Torah will provide succeeding generations with regular opportunities for renewal and actualization of their covenant relationship with Him.”[9]
     Moses concludes this pericope, saying, “Assemble the people, the men and the women and children and the alien who is in your town, so that they may hear and learn and fear the LORD your God, and be careful to observe all the words of this law. 13 Their children, who have not known, will hear and learn to fear the LORD your God, as long as you live on the land which you are about to cross the Jordan to possess” (Deut 31:12-13). All the residents of the nation were to assemble every seven years for the public reading of the book of Deuteronomy. Earl Kalland correctly notes:
"Attendance at the feast was to be a joyous occasion for all the people: men, women, sons, daughters, menservants, maidservants, Levites, aliens, fatherless, and widows (Deut 16:14). The law was to be read before all these people (Deut 31:12). The children were singled out for special mention because they did not know the law (Deut 31:13). This reading of the law once every seven years would not be sufficient to inculcate its teachings in the minds of either the children or the adults. This septennial reading does not obviate the teaching ministry of the home (Deut 6:1-9) or that of the priests (Deut 17:11; 24:8; Lev 10:11). It is meant, rather, to strengthen these other teaching procedures, to focus the attention of the people as a nation on the revelation of God on a dramatic and joyful occasion. It would also dramatize the learning of the law for those children and others who had not been reached by the other teaching procedures in home and tabernacle."[10]
     The nation’s future blessings were dependent on their knowledge of God’s Word and regular application of it to everyday life. For those who were older and knew the Lord’s Word, it would serve to remind them and reinvigorate them in their relationship with God. For those who were younger, it would introduce them to God and His Word and provide the basis for a blessed life (Deut 11:26-28). Based on God’s directives to His people, it is assumed three groups of people possessed copies of the Law. First were the priests, who were required to teach it to others (Deut 31:9; cf., Ezra 7:10; Neh 8:1-6; Mal 2:4-7), and help adjudicate legal matters (see Deut 21:5). Second was the king, who was required to write out his own copy of the law and carry it with him all his life and to study and live by it (Deut 17:18-20). Third were the parents in the home who were instructed to teach it to their children day by day (Deut 6:6-7). According to Jack Deere, “It was rare for an individual to possess a copy of the Scriptures. A person gained a knowledge of the Scriptures through being taught by his parents and the priests and through its public reading at times like this. So the public reading of the Law was of great significance.”[11] Learning God’s Word was to lead to a healthy fear of the Lord. The fear of the Lord is a repeated theme throughout Deuteronomy (Deut 6:1-2, 24; 10:12, 20; 14:23; 17:18-19).
Present Application
     As God’s people, we are reminded over and over that God is with us (Heb 13:5), and for us (Rom 8:31). God, who helped His people in the past, still helps His people today, “For He Himself has said, ‘I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you,’ so that we confidently say, ‘the Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid. What will man do to me?’” (Heb 13:5-6). When the writer to Hebrews says, “so that we confidently say”, he’s referring to the self-talk that goes on in our heads when we face a challenging situation. We do well to remember that adverse situations are inevitable, but stress in the soul is optional, as we can take up “the shield of faith” (Eph 6:16) and protect ourselves from the enemy’s attacks. Living every moment in the light of that truth helps to strengthen us to face each day with confidence. This requires a disciplined mind and a walk of faith as we intentionally bring God and His Word into every event. Christian courage is the result of a mind saturated with God’s Word and operates by faith in the face of adversity. When faced with a crisis, focus of mind and faith in God operate together like a hand in a glove. And whatever the crisis we’re facing, whether the charge of the elephant or the charge of the mosquito, we can stand confidently on God’s Word and be courageous in the moment.
     And, as God’s people, we are to “encourage one another and build up one another” on a regular basis (1 Th 5:11; cf. Heb 3:13). To encourage (in-courage) someone is to impart courage to them so they can be sustained in a difficult situation. It is to cheer them on, to build them up, to boost their morale, to strengthen them internally so they will move forward to achieve a goal. Athletes understand the power a coach or fans have when cheering them on. Words are often the most common means of encouraging others. Solomon tells us, “Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs it down, but a good word makes it glad” (Prov 12:25), and “The Lord GOD has given Me the tongue of disciples, that I may know how to sustain the weary one with a word” (Isa 50:4a). Christian courage is not the absence of fear; rather, it’s the overcoming of fear to do that which God says is right. Let us always be good students of God’s Word so that we can operate on divine viewpoint and obey His directives. In this way, we will learn to live righteously in a fallen world and to encourage our brothers and sisters in Christ to walk in truth and love, and to be a light for others by sharing the Gospel and communicating His Word to those who will listen.
 
 
[1] Eugene H. Merrill, Deuteronomy, vol. 4, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1994), 395.
[2] Peter C. Craigie, The Book of Deuteronomy, The New International Commentary on the Old Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1976), 369.
[3] Earl S. Kalland, “Deuteronomy,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein, vol. 3 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1992), 191.
[4] Eugene H. Merrill, Deuteronomy, vol. 4, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1994), 397.
[5] Earl D. Radmacher, Ronald Barclay Allen, and H. Wayne House, Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Commentary (Nashville: T. Nelson Publishers, 1999), 265.
[6] Warren W. Wiersbe, Be Equipped, “Be” Commentary Series (Colorado Springs, CO: Chariot Victor Pub., 1999), 178.
[7] Eugene H. Merrill, Deuteronomy, vol. 4, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1994), 243.
[8] Earl D. Radmacher, Ronald Barclay Allen, and H. Wayne House, Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Commentary (Nashville: T. Nelson Publishers, 1999), 265.
[9] Daniel I. Block, The NIV Application Commentary: Deuteronomy, ed. Terry Muck (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2012), 725–726.
[10] Earl S. Kalland, “Deuteronomy,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein, vol. 3 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1992), 193–194.
[11] Jack S. Deere, “Deuteronomy,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 317.

When God Uses Trials to Humble, Teach, and Bless Us

     In Deuteronomy 8:1-10, we observe where God humbled His people, Israel, in order to teach them divine truths and help them advance to spiritual maturity. The challenge before them was to walk by faith, obeying the Lord’s directives.
     Moses opens this pericope with the statement, “All the commandments that I am commanding you today you shall be careful to do, that you may live and multiply, and go in and possess the land which the LORD swore to give to your forefathers” (Deut 8:1). God desired to bless and multiply His people by giving them the land He’d promised to the patriarchs, but according to the Mosaic Covenant, the inheritance was conditioned on their obedience to Him. Moses used the Hebrew word מִצְוָה mitsvah which, here, referred to the whole corpus of laws he was providing.
     Moses’ instruction included remembering their past and God’s testing them during the forty years of wilderness wandering. Moses said, “You shall remember all the way which the LORD your God has led you in the wilderness these forty years, that He might humble you, testing you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not” (Deut 8:2). Moses used the Hebrew verb זָכַר zakar, translated remember, several times in His address to the nation (see Deut 5:15; 7:18; 8:18; 15:15; 16:12; 24:18, 22). The Israelites were to intentionally recall to mind God’s forty years of guidance in the wilderness for the purpose of humbling them, to test them, in order to reveal what was in their hearts. Remembering God, His commands and blessings, is set against the danger of forgetting, which will lead to ruin (Deut 4:9, 23; 6:12; 8:11). And how did God train His people? Moses said, “He humbled you and let you be hungry, and fed you with manna which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that He might make you understand that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the LORD” (Deut 8:3). Spiritual nourishment is more valuable than physical nourishment.
     God intentionally placed His people in difficult places in order to reveal what was in their hearts and to educate them that He is their provider. Jesus cited Deuteronomy 8:3 when being tested by Satan to demonstrate that spiritual nourishment is more important than physical nourishment (see Matt 4:4; Luke 4:4). Part of God’s instruction included displays of His logistical grace, as Moses revealed, “Your clothing did not wear out on you, nor did your foot swell these forty years” (Deut 8:4). God supernaturally provided for His people, meeting all their basic needs. The point was that they were to learn something. It was revealed to them, “Thus you are to know in your heart that the LORD your God was disciplining you just as a man disciplines his son” (Deut 8:5). God wanted His people to mature and He used suffering as a vehicle to help make that happen.
     Obedience leads to maturity and maturity opens up many of God’s blessings. For Israel to receive what God had for them, they were to follow His commands and walk with Him. They were instructed, “Therefore, you shall keep the commandments of the LORD your God, to walk in His ways and to fear Him” (Deut 8:6). God was to be feared as the One who holds the power to bless and punish. And Moses describes the good land that was before them, saying, “For the LORD your God is bringing you into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and springs, flowing forth in valleys and hills; a land of wheat and barley, of vines and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive oil and honey; a land where you will eat food without scarcity, in which you will not lack anything; a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills you can dig copper” (Deut 8:7-9). The land of Canaan was rich with resources which stood in contrast to their wilderness experience. And the proper response to God’s goodness was for His people to bless Him. The words given to them were, “When you have eaten and are satisfied, you shall bless the LORD your God for the good land which He has given you” (Deut 8:10). An attitude of gratitude was not only the proper response to God’s goodness, but it also helped the Israelites remember the Lord as an expression of faith. As Christians, we are God’s children because we have trusted in Christ as our Savior (John 3:16; Acts 4:12; 1 Cor 15:3-4), and have been rescued from Satan’s kingdom of darkness (Col 1:13-14).
     As children of God, the Lord desires that we advance from spiritual infancy to adulthood (Eph 4:11-16; Heb 6:1). This requires years of learning and living God’s Word (2 Tim 2:15; 3:16-17; 1 Pet 2:2), and making good choices to live by faith (Heb 10:38; 11:6). The Lord also uses adversity as opportunities for us to trust Him and grow (Rom 5:3-5; Jam 1:2-4). How we respond to trials determines whether we advance, stagnate, or regress. Let us always press on to maturity by learning and living God’s Word.

The Spiritual Life - Part 12 - Our Christian Spiritual Sacrifices

     In the church age, Christian spiritual service is connected with the priesthood of every believer (1 Pet 2:5; Rev 1:6). A priest offers worship to God and service to others. In the OT—before the Mosaic Law—few priests are mentioned. Melchizedek functioned as the king/priest of Salem (Gen 14:18-20; cf. Heb 7:1), and Reuel/Jethro (Moses’ father-in-law) as the priest of Midian (Ex 2:16-21; 3:1). Job served as the priest over his household, offering sacrifices for the sins of his family (Job 1:5). Most people worshipped and served God as non-priests.  Men such as Noah, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob built temporary stone altars and worshipped God directly (Gen 8:20-21; 12:7; 13:18; 26:24-25; 35:1-7). Before the Mosaic Law, it appears that sacrifice and worship was personal, simple, did not require special attire, and was not tied to a specific geographic location or facility.
     After Israel was delivered from the bondage of Egypt, God established the Hebrews as a theocratic nation among the Gentile nations of the world. God originally intended the whole nation to be a kingdom of priests, saying, “and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation” (Ex 19:6). However, because of the sin of worshipping the golden calf (Ex 32:1-35), God took that privilege from the nation and confined the priesthood to the descendants of Aaron, and the Levites were their assistants (Num 3:1-10; 18:1-7). God required that priests could not have any physical defects (Lev 21:17-23), and restricted the age to twenty-five to fifty (Num 8:24-25). The priests were originally associated with the tabernacle for their service and later to the temple, and special clothing was required both for the priests and the high priest. Throughout the years of their priestly service they were required to:
Be holy in their behavior (Ex 19:6; Lev 10:1-3).
Provide daily maintenance of the tabernacle, courtyard and sacrifices (Num 3:5-8; Deut 17:1).
Teach God’s Law to others (Lev 10:8-11; Deut 31:9-13; 33:8-10; 2 Ch 17:7-9; Ezra 7:10; Mal 2:7).
Offer sacrifices for sin to God (Lev chapters 4, 9, 16).
Adjudicate legal matters (Deut 17:8-13; 19:16-17; 2 Ch 19:8-10).
Preserve the tabernacle and temple (Num 18:1-7).
Inspect persons, animals, and fabrics to make sure they were clean (Lev 1:3; Deut 15:21; Lev 13-15).
Receive the tithes (Num 18:21, 26; cf. Heb 7:5).
Pronounce God’s blessing on the nation (Num 6:22-27).
The High Priest was the supervisor of all the other priests, and had to be a direct descendant of Aaron (Ex 28:1; Num 18:1-7). The High Priest was to:
Provide divine guidance (Urim and Thummim; Num 27:21).
Perform official duties in the Holy of Holies once a year (Ex 30:6-10; Lev 16).
     Israel and the Church are both the people of God, but function under different directives. Biblical distinctions reveal that Israel is a nation (Ex 19:6), but the church is not a nation (Rom 10:19). God’s program for Israel focused on the land promised to Abraham (Gen 12:1; 15:18; 17:8), whereas the church is called to go out to many lands (Matt 28:19-20; Mark 16:15; Acts 1:8). Israel was mentioned throughout the Old Testament and recognized by other nations (Num 14:15; Josh 5:1), but the church was a mystery not known in the Old Testament (Eph 3:1-6; Col 1:26-27; cf. Rom 16:25-26).[1] Israel was under “the Law” of Moses (John 1:17), whereas the Church is under the “Law of Christ” (1 Cor 9:21; Gal 6:2). Israel had a priesthood that was specific to the tribe of Levi (Num 3:6-7), whereas all Christians are priests to God (Rev 1:6). Israel worshipped first at the Tabernacle and later the Temple (Ex 40:18-38; 2 Ch 8:14-16), but for Christians, their body is the temple of the Lord and they gather locally where they want (1 Cor 6:19-20; cf. 1 Cor 16:19; Col 4:15). Israel offered animal sacrifices to God (Lev 4:1-35), but Christians offer spiritual sacrifices (1 Pet 2:5; cf. Rom 12:1; Heb 13:15). Israel was required to tithe from the produce of their land (Deut 14:22-23; 28-29; Num 18:21), but there is no tithe required from Christians, only a joyful attitude when giving, “for God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Cor 9:7).
     The death of Christ on the cross fulfilled the Mosaic Law and ended the OT animal sacrificial system and the Aaronic priesthood (John 1:17; Rom 6:14; 8:3-4; 10:4; 2 Cor 3:1-13; Gal 5:18). There is no specialized priesthood today, and the Catholic Church—or any organization—is not justified in creating a priestly cast within the body of Christ. Now, in the church age, every Christian is a priest to God (1 Pet 2:5, 9; Rev 1:6), and is indwelt by the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 3:16; 6:19). The Christian becomes a priest at the moment of salvation. This is the work of the Lord Jesus Christ, for “He has made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father” (Rev 1:6; cf. 1 Pet. 2:9). Peter writes, “you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ” (1 Pet 2:5). The functions of the Christian priesthood include:
The continual giving of the body for service to the Lord (Rom 12:1-2).
The sacrifice of praise for worship (Heb 13:15).
The doing of good works and sharing with others (Heb 13:16).
The sacrifice of personal life for the benefit of others (Phil 2:17; cf. Phil 1:21-26; 2:3-4).
The walk of sacrificial love (Eph 5:1-2; cf. 1 Pet 1:22).
Giving financially to support ministry (Phil 4:18).
Confession of personal sin to God for restoration of fellowship (1 John 1:6-9).
     The practice of the Christian priesthood begins when the believer surrenders his own body as a “living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship” (Rom 12:1). Unlike the OT sacrifices which surrendered their life once, the Christian life is a moment by moment, continual surrender to God. This spiritual service is performed primarily within the body of Christ toward other believers for their benefit. Rather than offer the sacrifice of animals, the Christian is called to offer spiritual sacrifices. When Paul writes about giving ourselves as “a living and holy sacrifice” to God for “spiritual service” (Rom 12:1), he does not leave his reader guessing as to what he means, for one has only to continue reading in Romans chapter 12 to understand his practical application. A few verses later the Apostle provided practical application to his statement when he wrote about Christian service to others within the church. Paul wrote, “Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to exercise them accordingly: if prophecy, according to the proportion of his faith; if service, in his serving; or he who teaches, in his teaching; or he who exhorts, in his exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness” (Rom 12:4-8). And Peter wrote, “As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God” (1 Pet 4:10). This is love set in motion for the benefit of others. It is taking what God has given to us, spiritually or materially, and giving it freely for others to be blessed. This is consistent with what Paul writes elsewhere when he states, “Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others” (Phil 2:3-4). From where does Paul learn this way of thinking? He learned it from the Lord Jesus Himself. Paul wrote:
"Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross." (Phil 2:5-8)
     Jesus is our prime example of a priestly life that has been surrendered for service to God. Jesus’ life was given for the blessing of others. Jesus said, “I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep” (John 10:11). And elsewhere He stated, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). Several things may be said about Jesus’ willingness to surrender His life to His Father. Dr. Lewis Sperry Chafer states:
"First, Christ was willing to go where His Father chose. He was at home in the glory. It was His native environment; but He came into this world with a mission and message of grace. “God had an only Son and He was a foreign missionary.” Such was His Father’s will for Him and His attitude may be expressed by the familiar words: “I’ll go where You want me to go, dear Lord.” Second, Christ was willing to be whatever His Father chose. “He made Himself of no reputation.” He was not only willing to lay aside the garments of His glory, but He was willing, as well, to be set at naught, to be spit upon and to be crucified. That was the Father’s will for Him and His attitude may be expressed in the words: “I’ll be what You want me to be.” Third, Christ was willing to do whatever His Father chose. He became obedient unto death, and in so doing, His attitude may again be expressed in the words: “I’ll do what You want me to do.”[2]
     As Christians, we look to Jesus as our primary role model. Jesus sought to glorify the Father in every regard, and this meant living in accordance with Scripture and being willing to go and do whatever was required of Him. No doubt this brought joy, and at other times sorrow. The primary purpose of life is to glorify God, and this is accomplished as learn and live God’s Word and advance to spiritual maturity. Chafer states:
"Yieldedness to the will of God is not demonstrated by some one particular issue: it is rather a matter of having taken the will of God as the rule of one’s life. To be in the will of God is simply to be willing to do His will without reference to any particular thing He may choose. It is electing His will to be final, even before we know what He may wish us to do. It is, therefore, not a question of being willing to do some one thing: it is a question of being willing to do anything, when, where and how, it may seem best in His heart of love. It is taking the normal and natural position of childlike trust which has already consented to the wish of the Father even before anything of the outworking of His wish is revealed."[3]
     The priestly life of service to God and others belongs to every Christian. It is a life of sacrifice for the spiritual and material wellbeing of others, especially those within the church. More so, it begins when the believer decides to commit his/her life to God, to love kindness, to walk humbly, and to pursue righteousness and goodness in all things.
 
[1] A mystery (musterion) is something “which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets” (Eph. 3:5). Paul then states what that mystery is, “that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel” (Eph. 3:6).
[2] Lewis Sperry Chafer, He That Is Spiritual (Moody Press: Chicago, 1918), 87.
[3] Ibid., 88-89.

God Loves Israel

     Israel is a special nation that was created by God Himself. The Lord said of Israel, “I am the LORD, your Holy One, the Creator of Israel, your King” (Isa 43:15). This makes Israel unique among all the nations of the world! He even calls Israel, “My glory” (Isa 46:13). And God loves Israel, declaring, “I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have drawn you with lovingkindness” (Jer 31:3). God is eternal, and His love is eternal, which means it never fades for His people, Israel. To possess the love of God is to love that which He loves. One cannot claim to have God’s love, and simultaneously hate Israel, His chosen people. There is no place for anti-Semitism in the heart of anyone, especially the Christian! For full article: https://thinkingonscripture.com/2023/01/15/god-loves-israel/ 

God is our Refuge and Strength - Psalm 46:1-11

     Psalm 46 is classified as one of the Psalms of Zion. The others include Psalm 48, 84, 87, and 122. These songs of Zion celebrate Jerusalem as the place where God dwells with His people (i.e., the city of God). Psalm 46 focuses on God as the refuge and strength of His people when they turn to Him in a time of distress. This psalm is very personal. God is declared to be “our refuge and strength” (Psa 46:1b), and “is with us” and “is our refuge” (Psa 46:7, 11). The theme is repeated throughout the psalms where the Lord is the source of His people’s strength (Psa 29:11; 68:35), their refuge (Psa 14:6; 61:3; 62:7-8; 71:7; 73:28; 91:2; 142:5), and their stronghold (Psa 9:9; 18:2; 48:3; 59:9, 16-17). The wise seek Him because they are a people in need (Psa 22:19; 27:9; 40:13; 44:26; 63:7). Psalm 46 is constructed in three parts.
For God’s faithful people, He is their refuge and strength, even though the world around them is chaotic (Psa 46:1-3).
God is among His faithful people and will protect them when the enemy invades (Psa 46:4-7).
God calls His people to witness the defeat of the Gentile nations (Psa 46:8-11).
This Psalm inspired Martin Luther to write his hymn, A Mighty Fortress is Our God.
Occasion & Date
     The historical background of the psalm is likely God’s deliverance of His people, under the leadership of King Hezekiah, when the Assyrians besieged the city of Jerusalem in 701 BC (2 Ki 18:1—19:37; Isa 36:1—37:38).
Psalm 46:1-3
     The psalm opens with a superscription, which reads, “For the choir director. A Psalm of the sons of Korah, set to Alamoth. A Song” (Psa 46:1a). The sons of Korah are somewhat of a mystery. They are mentioned several times in the psalms (Psa 42:1; 44:1; 45:1; 46:1; 47:1; 48:1; 49:1; 84:1; 85:1; 87:1; 88:1), but not much is said about them. According to Allen Ross, “In the superscription there are a few introductory notes. It was for the sons of Korah, a Levitical group that performed the psalm at times.”[1] The term Alamoth (עַלְמָה) refers to a young girl of marriageable age. According to Peter Craigie, “Alamoth (lit. ‘maidens, young women’) might be the name of the tune or musical setting to which the psalm was sung. More probably, it may indicate a high musical setting, or being sung by soprano voices.”[2]
     It was a song of confidence in God, in which the people sang, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” (Psa 46:1b). Here, the psalmist pictures God as a refuge (מַחֲסֶה machaseh), a place where His people can run for protection from the storms of life (cf., Isa 25:4). He also says that God is their strength (עֹז oz), which means He fortifies their souls in troubling times. Because God is omnipresent, He is always near to those who call upon Him and is a help (עֶזְרָה ezrah) in difficult times. Without God’s help, His people would surely be destroyed when the storms of life arise. The word trouble (צָרָה tsarah) means one is experiencing “need, distress, anxiety.”[3] It speaks of the psychological disequilibrium one experiences when threatened by a rising force. The good news is that God is a strong refuge and help during times of calamity, and by faith, His people run to Him for shelter.
     Turning to God in turbulent times produces confidence that stabilizes the stressed-out soul. The psalmist states, “Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change and though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea; though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains quake at its swelling pride. Selah” (Psa 46:2-3). Here, the psalmist pictures a worst-case scenario in which the earth, mountains, and sea change and behave in radically disruptive ways. Though ecological calamities are the natural reading of these verses (and certainly does not exclude them), the later mention of nations (vs 6) and wars (vs 9) tells us he is speaking metaphorically. According to Tremper Longman, “The psalmist utilizes the well-known images of mountains and waters to communicate the most formidable trouble possible. While mountains are images of security and permanence, the waters are forces of chaos. Thus, to envision the mountains being overwhelmed by the waters is a metaphor that points to the ultimate nightmare, or, as we might say today, ‘All hell is breaking loose!’”[4] Adversity in life is inevitable, but stress in the soul is optional, depending how God’s people handle it. If God’s people hold to the theology of the first verse, that “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” (Psa 46:1b), the benefit is that they will not fear when everything comes crashing down around them. It’s natural that a believer’s initial response be that of concern; however, if God’s people can quickly adjust their thinking and align it with Him and His Word, it will produce stability in their souls.
Psalm 46:4-7
     Apart from the previous scenario of chaos, the psalmist provides a contrasting picture, saying, “There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy dwelling places of the Most High” (Psa 46:4). The city of God is Jerusalem (Psa 48:1-2; 87:2-3). In the city of God, the water is pictured differently. Rather than being a chaotic force that threatens to destroy, it is pictured as a calm river that makes glad the souls of those near its gentle flow. For ancient Israel, the source of water was the Gihon spring that was underneath the city of Jerusalem, and it was harnessed to flow into pools such as that of Siloam (John 9:7). God’s title of Most High (עֶלְיוֹן Elyon) pictures Him as the Ruler who is above all creation and able to protect those who turn to Him.
     Furthermore, God’s people do not need to search far for Him, for “God is in the midst of her, she will not be moved; God will help her when morning dawns” (Psa 46:5). The Lord is always with His people, in their midst, and the benefit is that they will not be moved, though all the world around them slips and slides in every imaginable way. It was God, not the city or its walls, that gave His people stability (cf., Zeph 3:15). The phrase, “God will help her when morning dawns”, speaks of a time when the darkness of night—and the troubles associated with it—has passed and a new day dawns.
     The psalmist speaks of the trouble they’d been facing, saying, “The nations made an uproar, the kingdoms tottered; He raised His voice, the earth melted” (Psa 46:6). The earlier language (Psa 46:3) of the seas roaring (הָמָה hamah) is here applied to the nations which make an uproar (הָמָה hamah). And the picture of the mountains which slip (מוֹט mot) into the sea (Psa 46:2) here describe the kingdoms of men which tottered (מוֹט mot). At the mere raising of God’s voice, the nations, kingdoms, and the earth itself, all melt away when He speaks.
     Then comes the first of two refrains. The psalmist states, “The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold. Selah” (Psa 46:7). Here we observe one of God’s titles, the LORD of hosts (Yahweh Sabaoth) which literally means, the LORD of the armies. The picture is that of heaven’s Master, who commands His armies of angels to do His will. Remember, it was God who sent His angel to rescue His people during the Assyrian siege, where it was recorded, “Then it happened that night that the angel of the LORD went out and struck 185,000 in the camp of the Assyrians; and when men rose early in the morning, behold, all of them were dead” (2 Ki 19:35). The refrain in Psalm 46:7 focuses attention on the Lord. God is with His people, and He is their stronghold. William VanGemeren states:
"The great doctrine of the presence of God, even in the OT, affirms that the Great King has identified himself with his people; therefore they need not fear. God’s people will never fall. They will always be assured of his readiness to help them (v. 5). The help of God “at break of day” (cf. Ex 14:27) suggests that in the darkness of distress the people of God know that the Lord will not let them suffer unduly long (cf. Psa 30:6–7; 90:14). His acts of unfailing love are renewed each morning (cf. Lam 3:22–23)."[5]
Psalm 46:8-11
     The psalmist calls for God’s people to set their minds on the Lord, saying, “Come, behold the works of the LORD, Who has wrought desolations in the earth” (Psa 46:8). Operating from divine viewpoint allows God’s people to see His work in the earth and in their lives. And what events is the psalmist describing? Specifically, that “He makes wars to cease to the end of the earth; He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two; He burns the chariots with fire” (Psa 46:9). That God makes wars to cease, not just in Israel, but “to the end of the earth”, connotes the Messianic age that will come when Jesus returns at His second coming (Rev 19:11-21), putting down rebellion and establishing His kingdom on earth (Rev 20:1-6), which kingdom will be global in nature (Isa 2:4). The reference to the bow and the spear is a synecdoche in which the parts are used to represent the whole (i.e., all the instruments of war). Furthermore, the chariots were the tanks of the ancient world and represented a nation’s military force at its greatest. But these He burns with fire, destroying and rendering them useless.
     God, who will bring all wars to an end, says, “Cease striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth” (Psa 46:10). The word cease translates the Hebrew verb רָפָה raphah, which means to “let alone, do nothing, be quiet.”[6] And the form of the verb is causative (hiphil), which means those who are acting must relax their efforts. But to whom is the psalmist directing the command to cease? According to Allen Ross, the directive primarily speaks to the Gentile nations of the world, who are “exhorted to stop all their tumult and recognize that God is sovereign, and that only his authority and words matter.”[7] Derek Kidner agrees, saying, “the injunction Be still … is not in the first place comfort for the harassed but a rebuke to a restless and turbulent world.”[8] And Tremper Longman states, “In verse 10, the poet quotes God, who asserts his sovereignty not only over Israel, but over all the nations of the earth. He commands that their uproar be silenced and that they all recognize that he is God.”[9] Though God is speaking to the hostile Gentile nations of the world, which are under His sovereign control (Psa 135:6; Dan 2:21; 4:35), the song itself was to be sung by His people, which would instill confidence in God and courage toward the circumstances of life. They were, like all God’s people, to live by faith (Heb 10:38; 11:6). The chief end of history will be to God’s glory, for He will make it so. What He promises, He will bring to pass (Isa 46:9-11). His people need only watch and wait for the Lord to act as He promises.
     The psalmist closes out his song with the repeated refrain, “The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold. Selah” (Psa 46:11). Here is a refrain to be heard over and over again, for it seats into the hearers consciousness the greatness of God who is with them. God is their stronghold in times of trouble, and by faith they trust Him and His promises and find rest for their souls. God will be exalted in all the earth. His Word declares it. The challenge for the hearers is to live by faith and not feelings, and to look to God more than to themselves or their circumstances.
Conclusion
     Psalm 46 is about trusting God despite any difficulties that may arise. Whether in natural disaster or national crisis, God is always a refuge and strength for His people, and in His presence and promises they find rest for their souls. Allen Ross states, “In this psalm the believers are strong, being filled with confidence in the presence of the living God. And today the more that believers focus on the power of God, the presence of God, and the promises of God, the more they will find comfort and confidence to deal with the tragedies and troubles of the world.”[10]
Present Application
     God continues to be a refuge and strength for His people during times of disaster or crisis. Though adversity is inevitable, the stress in our souls is optional. As God’s people, our mental stability is largely predicated on the biblical content and continuity of our thinking. When we learn to take in God’s Word on a regular basis, it creates a bank of theological information in our souls that we can draw upon when facing difficult times. But to benefit from God’s promises, we must take our thoughts captive so that His Word flows in the stream of our consciousness without disruption (2 Cor 10:5). If we fail to live by faith, then our knowledge of God and His promises are merely academic, and we forfeit the confidence that can be ours in troubling times. Faith in God and His promises means no fear; at least none that rises to such a level as to overwhelm the soul and create psychological and emotional instability.
     Biblically, we know God permits us to be tested by difficulties. It is His will that we be in this hostile world (John 17:15), that we learn His Word (2 Tim 2:15; 3:16-17; 1 Pet 2:2; 2 Pet 3:18), live by faith (2 Cor 5:7; Heb 10:38; 11:6), advance to spiritual maturity (1 Cor 14:20; Eph 4:11-13; Heb 6:1), and serve as lights to others (Eph 5:8-10). We also know the nations of the world are currently under Satan’s control (John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11), who operates by deception (Rev 12:9; 20:3, 8), that he might weaken them (Isa 14:12). And God permits this for a time. But a day is coming when the sovereign Lord of all the earth will silence the nations, quieting their hostilities, and will bring all wars to an end (Isa 2:4). At that time, our glorious King, the Lord Jesus, will execute His righteous reign on earth for a thousand years (Rev 20:4-6), and afterwards, will hand the kingdom over to the Father (1 Cor 15:24). As Christians living in this fallen world, we are to walk by faith, and are constantly “looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus” (Tit 2:13). Come Lord Jesus! We are ready for Your reign.
 
 
 
[1] Allen P. Ross, A Commentary on the Psalms 1–89: Commentary, vol. 2, Kregel Exegetical Library (Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Academic, 2011–2013), 85.
[2] Peter C. Craigie, Psalms 1–50, vol. 19, Word Biblical Commentary (Dallas: Word, Incorporated, 1983), 342.
[3] Ludwig Koehler et al., The Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament (Leiden: E.J. Brill, 1994–2000), 1053.
[4] Tremper Longman III, Psalms: An Introduction and Commentary, ed. David G. Firth, vol. 15–16, Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries (Nottingham, England: Inter-Varsity Press, 2014), 204.
[5] Willem A. VanGemeren, “Psalms,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Psalms (Revised Edition), ed. Tremper Longman III and David E. Garland, vol. 5 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2008), 405–406.
[6] Francis Brown, Samuel Rolles Driver, and Charles Augustus Briggs, Enhanced Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicon (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1977), 952.
[7] Allen P. Ross, A Commentary on the Psalms 1–89: Commentary, vol. 2, 98.
[8] Derek Kidner, Psalms 1–72: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 15, Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1973), 194.
[9] Tremper Longman III, Psalms: An Introduction and Commentary, ed. David G. Firth, vol. 15–16, Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries, 205–206.
[10] Allen P. Ross, A Commentary on the Psalms, vol. 2, 101.

Jeremiah 51:34-64 - God’s Judgment Upon Babylon

Jeremiah 51:34-64
Dr. Steven R. Cook
Introduction
     In Jeremiah 51:34-58, God continued to pronounce His judgment on Babylon. And in Jeremiah 51:59-64, Jeremiah directed Seraiah, an officer of the king, to perform a symbolic act that pictured Babylon’s destruction. Throughout this section we are reminded that God is sovereign over the nations of the world, and that He, as the primary agent of Babylon’s doom, would judge them by means of secondary agents He directed to do His will (Jer 51:1-2, 6, 11, 20-24, 29, 44, 47, 52-53, 55-56). The person operating from divine viewpoint is able to interpret God’s sovereign hand working providentially through secondary forces to accomplish His will.
Observations
     Jeremiah opens this section with a continuation of God’s judgment on Babylon. God’s prophet, speaking from the viewpoint of the oppressed Judahites, states, “Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon has devoured me and crushed me, he has set me down like an empty vessel; he has swallowed me like a monster, he has filled his stomach with my delicacies; he has washed me away” (Jer 51:34). The picture is that of a monster who, driven by an irrational and violent hunger, consumed Judah and filled his belly with their delicacies. Judah, feeling unjustly mistreated, cries out to the Lord to render justice upon Babylon, saying, “May the violence done to me and to my flesh be upon Babylon,’ the inhabitant of Zion will say; and, ‘May my blood be upon the inhabitants of Chaldea,’ Jerusalem will say” (Jer 51:35). J.A. Thompson states:
"Nebuchadnezzar is compared with a gluttonous man devouring Jerusalem and setting her aside as one does an empty vessel whose contents have been quaffed. In a more vigorous figure still, Nebuchadnezzar is compared to a monster gulping down food, filling its belly with food that delights it and then vomiting it up. Such gluttony left torn flesh and spilt blood behind. For such unspeakable viciousness Jerusalem calls for vengeance upon her captors."[1]
Jeremiah then provides the Lord’s answer as follows:
"Therefore, thus says the LORD, “Behold, I am going to plead your case and exact full vengeance for you; and I will dry up her sea and make her fountain dry. 37 “Babylon will become a heap of ruins, a haunt of jackals, an object of horror and hissing, without inhabitants. 38 “They will roar together like young lions, they will growl like lions’ cubs. 39 “When they become heated up, I will serve them their banquet and make them drunk, that they may become jubilant and may sleep a perpetual sleep and not wake up,” declares the LORD. 40 “I will bring them down like lambs to the slaughter, like rams together with male goats (Jer 51:36-40)
     God’s language is that of a courtroom, in which He pleads Judah’s case (רִיב rib) for them. Though the Babylonians had gloated over Judah like lions who had roared over their fallen prey, God would render judgment for their pride. God Himself would give them a feast, and after their celebration, He would make them drunk with His wrath, and they would be destroyed and sleep forever. Though Babylon saw themselves as ravenous lions, God likened them to helpless lambs that are led to slaughter. It would be decades later, during the reign of Belshazzar, that Babylon would fall in a single night (Daniel 5:24-31). Continuing the image of judgment, the Lord declares:
"How Sheshak has been captured, and the praise of the whole earth been seized! How Babylon has become an object of horror among the nations! 42 The sea has come up over Babylon; she has been engulfed with its tumultuous waves. 43 Her cities have become an object of horror, a parched land and a desert, a land in which no man lives and through which no son of man passes. 44 I will punish Bel in Babylon, and I will make what he has swallowed come out of his mouth; and the nations will no longer stream to him. Even the wall of Babylon has fallen down!" (Jer 51:41-44)
     The name Sheshak is likely a codename for Babylon (an atbash), which is perhaps used here for poetic variation in the judgment. The sea that engulfs Babylon is a reference to her enemies that God would raise up to wash over her until she was destroyed. Bel was one of the chief deities in the Babylonian religion, and here God reveals the futility of trusting in a dumb idol. Babylon, though pictured as a monster that consumes others, would eventually vomit what it had consumed. God even makes a point that Babylon’s walls, which were thought to be impenetrable, would be torn down in judgment. Concerning Babylon’s walls, F.B. Huey states:
"Babylon was renowned for its god Bel (see 50:2) and the walls that surrounded the city (see 50:15; 51:58). The outer wall was twelve feet thick, and the inner wall was twenty-one feet thick with twenty-three feet separating them. Towers were located on the walls at intervals of sixty feet. There was a ditch outside the wall that was filled with water. Both these symbols of Babylon’s security would be destroyed. The defeat of a god in the ANE was tantamount to the nation’s defeat. Bel would be forced to give up the wealth of nations he had taken. This was the same god the Babylonians had credited for the Lord’s defeat in Jerusalem in 587. Now the Lord would show his superiority over Bel by bringing his people back to their land. The Lord had not been defeated by Bel; rather, he had used the Babylonians to punish his people. Babylon’s glory days were ending. Nations would no longer stream to it (cf. Isa 2:2; Zech 14:16; Rev 21:24)."[2]
Then, speaking of Israel’s future release from Babylon, the Lord said:
"Come forth from her midst, My people, and each of you save yourselves from the fierce anger of the LORD. 46 Now so that your heart does not grow faint, and you are not afraid at the report that will be heard in the land—for the report will come one year, and after that another report in another year, and violence will be in the land with ruler against ruler— 47 Therefore behold, days are coming when I will punish the idols of Babylon; and her whole land will be put to shame and all her slain will fall in her midst. 48 Then heaven and earth and all that is in them will shout for joy over Babylon, for the destroyers will come to her from the north, declares the LORD." (Jer 51:45-48)
     After Nebuchadnezzar’s death, Babylon became politically corrupt and unstable. According to Huey, “Babylon did not remain a stable empire after Nebuchadnezzar’s death. His successor, Amel-Marduk, was assassinated in 560 by his brother-in-law Neriglissar (560–556). His successor, Labashi-Marduk, ruled only a few months until replaced by Nabonidus (556–539).”[3]Babylon became internally weak before it was destroyed by external forces whom God raised up against the nation which had become arrogant and trusted in its idols. The expression days are coming reveal God’s pending judgment on Babylon and the rejoicing of many who will celebrate its destruction.
     God would do His part to bring Babylon down, but He also called on His people to do their part by fleeing the city. The Lord said, “Indeed Babylon is to fall for the slain of Israel, as also for Babylon the slain of all the earth have fallen. 50 You who have escaped the sword, depart! Do not stay! Remember the LORD from afar, and let Jerusalem come to your mind” (Jer 51:49-50). The Lord’s directive for His people to remember (זָכַר zakar) meant it was their responsibility to keep His Word in their minds and to act on it when the time of His wrath came. Only those believers who knew His promises and directives could properly understand their times and respond in faith as the Lord instructed.
     Strong faith would be needed by Israelites in captivity, for their world had been turned upside down by the Babylonian destruction of Judah and the invasion of Gentiles into the temple. Jeremiah provided a glimpse into the minds of Jewish captives, who were saying, “We are ashamed because we have heard reproach; disgrace has covered our faces, for aliens have entered the holy places of the LORD’S house” (Jer 51:51). To answer their shame and concerns, the Lord said, “Therefore behold, the days are coming,’ declares the LORD, ‘When I will punish her idols, and the mortally wounded will groan throughout her land. 53 Though Babylon should ascend to the heavens, and though she should fortify her lofty stronghold, from Me destroyers will come to her,’ declares the LORD’” (Jer 51:52-53). Again, we see God as the primary agent who would bring about Babylon’s destruction by means of secondary forces He would raise up against them. Though Babylon had built great towers for personal protection, these would be smashed and torn down in divine judgment. Jeremiah continued his prophetic announcement, saying, “The sound of an outcry from Babylon, and of great destruction from the land of the Chaldeans! 55 For the LORD is going to destroy Babylon, and He will make her loud noise vanish from her. And their waves will roar like many waters; the tumult of their voices sounds forth” (Jer 51:54-55). Here is lex talionis, in which Babylon would receive the same punishment they’d inflicted on others. Gentile nations would come from the north and crash over Babylon like destructive oceanic waves. J. A. Thompson states:
"The sound of cries for help and a mighty crash in Babylon announce the end. Yahweh himself is the wrecker who silences (lit. “destroys violently”) its clamorous din (lit “mighty voice”). But in fact, it is the enemy from the north who comes with his invading army which is likened to the sea rolling over Babylon with a mighty roar…So tremendous will be the onslaught of the foe that it can best be likened to the release of the chaotic waters of the primeval ocean."[4]
And Babylon’s efforts to defend herself would prove futile in the face of God’s judgment. God had already spoken about repaying Babylon for her sins (Jer 51:6, 11, 22, 36), and He repeated it again in the following verses, saying:
"For the destroyer is coming against her, against Babylon, and her mighty men will be captured, their bows are shattered; for the LORD is a God of recompense, He will fully repay. 57 “I will make her princes and her wise men drunk, her governors, her prefects and her mighty men, that they may sleep a perpetual sleep and not wake up,” declares the King, whose name is the LORD of hosts. 58 Thus says the LORD of hosts, “The broad wall of Babylon will be completely razed and her high gates will be set on fire; so the peoples will toil for nothing, and the nations become exhausted only for fire.” (Jer 51:56-58)
     Babylon was known for overcoming its enemy’s forces and fortifications. But when God’s wrath came upon them, their own forces and fortifications would prove ineffective, as God would fully repay them for their prideful atrocities against others. Babylon’s leadership—princes, wise men, governors, prefects, and mighty men—would all face death by the Lord’s hand. And the city which the Babylonians thought was impenetrable, would be completely razed to the ground.
Jeremiah 51:59-64: A Symbolic Act of Babylon’s Destruction
After Jeremiah’s prophetic pronouncement of future judgment on Babylon, he instructed a friend to perform a symbolic act that would provide a visual for what God would bring about.
"The message which Jeremiah the prophet commanded Seraiah the son of Neriah, the grandson of Mahseiah, when he went with Zedekiah the king of Judah to Babylon in the fourth year of his reign. (Now Seraiah was quartermaster.) 60 So Jeremiah wrote in a single scroll all the calamity which would come upon Babylon, that is, all these words which have been written concerning Babylon." (Jer 51:59-60)
     The preceding message was recorded and sent to Babylon by means of a Jewish official who traveled with King Zedekiah in the fourth year of his reign (ca. 594/593 B.C.). The written message likely contained Jeremiah chapters 50-51, which spoke of God’s judgment on Babylon. According to Constable, “The following message was one that Jeremiah gave to Seraiah the son of Neriah when he accompanied King Zedekiah on a visit to Babylon in 593 B.C. Seraiah was Baruch’s brother (cf. 32:12). The title he held, quartermaster, probably describes the official responsible for providing quarters for the king and his companions overnight as they traveled.”[5] In the closing verses of this chapter we read about Jeremiah’s instruction to Seraiah.
Then Jeremiah said to Seraiah, “As soon as you come to Babylon, then see that you read all these words aloud, 62 and say, ‘You, O LORD, have promised concerning this place to cut it off, so that there will be nothing dwelling in it, whether man or beast, but it will be a perpetual desolation.’ 63 And as soon as you finish reading this scroll, you will tie a stone to it and throw it into the middle of the Euphrates, 64 and say, ‘Just so shall Babylon sink down and not rise again because of the calamity that I am going to bring upon her; and they will become exhausted.’ Thus far are the words of Jeremiah. (Jer 51:61-64)
     Babylon’s fate had been written by Jeremiah on a scroll, which he gave to Seraiah with the instructions to carry it to Babylon and read it aloud. Though the text does not say, it was most likely read to the Jewish captives to provide divine viewpoint concerning Babylon’s future judgment and desolation. Then, after reading the scroll, Seraiah was to tie it to a stone and hurl it into the Euphrates River. Afterwards, Seraiah was to make the pronouncement that just as the scroll tied to the stone sunk to the bottom of the Euphrates River, so God was going to bring down Babylon in judgment.
Theological Gleanings
     Throughout Scripture we are reminded that God is sovereign over His creation and that He “works all things after the counsel of His will” (Eph 1:11). That He declares “the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things which have not been done, saying, ‘My purpose will be established, and I will accomplish all My good pleasure’” (Isa 46:10). God controls the offices of human rulers, for “It is He who changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and establishes kings” (Dan 2:21a), and “the Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind, and bestows it on whom He wishes and sets over it the lowliest of men” (Dan 4:17b). When necessary, God controls the rulers of the world to accomplish His purposes (Prov 21:1; Ezra 1:1; Rev 17:12-13, 17). Sometimes He raises up rulers to judge His people (Isa 3:4-5; Jer 25:8-9), and sometimes to rescue them (Judg 3:9, 15). The believer who operates from divine viewpoint is able to interpret God’s sovereign hand working providentially through secondary forces to accomplish His will.
 
 
[1] J. A. Thompson, The Book of Jeremiah, The New International Commentary on the Old Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1980), 762.
[2] F. B. Huey, Jeremiah, Lamentations, vol. 16, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1993), 427.
[3] Ibid., 428.
[4] J. A. Thompson, The Book of Jeremiah, 769.
[5] Tom Constable, Tom Constable’s Expository Notes on the Bible (Galaxie Software, 2003), Je 51:59.

Deuteronomy 28:15-46 - God’s Curses for Disobedience

Deuteronomy 28:15-46 - The Lord’s Cursings
     Having already presented God’s blessings for obedience (Deut 28:1-14), Moses turned to the cursing section of the covenant, saying, “But it shall come about, if you do not obey the LORD your God, to observe to do all His commandments and His statutes with which I charge you today, that all these curses will come upon you and overtake you” (Deut 28:15). The responsibility fell upon Israel to abide by the terms of the covenant. They were to abide by “all His commandments and His statutes”, and failure to do so would bring God’s curses. Earl Radmacher states:
"A curse is the opposite of a blessing. It wishes or prays for ill or injury on a person or an object. God cursed the serpent and the ground after the sin of Adam and Eve (Gen 3:14, 17). Jeremiah, in despair, cursed the man who brought news of his birth (Jer 20:14, 15). The seriousness of God’s covenant with His people is illustrated by the threat of a curse on any who violate it (Deut 28:60, 61)."[1]
     The curses would reverse all God’s blessings and would overtake His people wherever they were. Moses wrote:
"Cursed shall you be in the city and cursed shall you be in the country. 17 Cursed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl. 18 Cursed shall be the offspring of your body and the produce of your ground, the increase of your herd and the young of your flock. 19 Cursed shall you be when you come in and cursed shall you be when you go out" (Deut 28:16-19).
     What follows in Deuteronomy 28:20-68 spelled out God’s curses in specific detail and were intended to produce a healthy fear in the Israelite who might be tempted to turn away from the Lord and His clear directives. Moses informed his people that the curses would pursue them in stages until they were destroyed (Deut 28:20-22, 24, 45, 48, 51, 61). Daniel Block states, “By means of a seemingly endless catalogue of secondary agents of doom, Moses warns that Yahweh will marshal every conceivable agent of destruction against His people.”[2] God is offering a theological understanding of Israel’s circumstances and experiences should they break their covenant with Yahweh and not abide by His directives.
     Moses gave an overarching summary statement of all God would do to Israel if they pursued evil and forsook Him. Moses said, “The LORD will send upon you curses, confusion, and rebuke, in all you undertake to do, until you are destroyed and until you perish quickly, on account of the evil of your deeds, because you have forsaken Me” (Deut 28:20). The word send translates the Hebrew verb שָׁלַח shalach which in this passage means to “send out, forth, send on a mission.”[3] The form of the verb is intensive (Piel), which means the curse will be relentless in its pursuit. God’s judgment would come because of Israel’s choice to forsake the Lord and to pursue a life of evil deeds. According to Craigie, “The root cause of the disaster would be forgetfulness; the people would forget God, and in forgetting God they would forget his commandments. Having forgotten the commandments of God, the people would inevitably commit evil deeds and bring upon their own heads disaster. God sends the curse (v. 20a), but man invites it by his deeds (v. 20b).”[4]
     At the beginning of the judgments, Moses said, “The LORD will make the pestilence cling to you until He has consumed you from the land where you are entering to possess it” (Deut 28:21). The pestilence (דֶּבֶר deber) could be something like bubonic plague, which afflicted both people and animals with fever and delirium. This might explain Moses’ next statement, saying, “The LORD will smite you with consumption and with fever and with inflammation and with fiery heat and with the sword and with blight and with mildew, and they will pursue you until you perish” (Deut 28:22). Blight and mildew refer to attacks on crops, which God brought upon His people during times of judgment (see Amos 4:9; Hag 2:17). Daniel Block states:
"In verse 22 Moses becomes more specific, listing seven afflictions with which Yahweh will strike his people. The catalogue of seven afflictions expresses Yahweh’s sovereignty over all agents of death and destruction. The first four entries elaborate on deber in verse 21 and specify diseases at Yahweh’s disposal: wasting disease, fever, inflammation, and scorching heat. The fifth refers to the sword (ḥereb), which functions as shorthand for Israel’s defeat by enemy armies (cf. vv. 25–26), and the last two refer to crop diseases."[5]
     The judgments would include a severe drought upon the Land. Moses said, “The heaven which is over your head shall be bronze, and the earth which is under you, iron. 24 The LORD will make the rain of your land powder and dust; from heaven it shall come down on you until you are destroyed” (Deut 28:23-24). A bronze sky and iron earth is a picture of impenetrable material which would frustrate the farmer. And the Lord, rather than sending rain that would soften the earth, would only send “powder and dust” upon the land. Eugene Merrill states, “As impervious as these metals are to water and tools, so both the heavens and the earth would be in the day of calamity. The rains would not leak through the skies, nor would the earth be able to be broken up to receive the farmer’s seed. Instead, the heavens would rain down dust, which would only exacerbate an already hopeless situation on the earth.”[6]
     Moving to a picture of military defeat, Moses said, “The LORD shall cause you to be defeated before your enemies; you will go out one way against them, but you will flee seven ways before them, and you will be an example of terror to all the kingdoms of the earth. 26 Your carcasses will be food to all birds of the sky and to the beasts of the earth, and there will be no one to frighten them away” (Deut 28:25-26). Israel would always have enemies, but rather than know victory, God would cause them to know only defeat. Israel, going out against their enemy “one way” speaks of a planned attack. Fleeing seven ways meant their efforts would fail, as they would scramble to “flee seven ways” from the battle. Israel’s choice to separate themselves from God meant they forfeited the Lord’s protection against hostile forces. According to Craigie, “Disobedience to the law of God separated the people from him, and in this state of separation they could not expect to experience the presence of God in the midst of their army; without God in the midst of Israel’s army, defeat was inevitable.”[7] Not only would Israel be an example of terror to surrounding kingdoms, but their dead bodies would be food for wild animals. Merrill states, “Israel would, in fact, become a field of corpses, a banquet for winged and four-footed scavengers that would be free to eat their fill (v. 26). The irony of the contrast between Israel’s feeding off the land (vv. 4–5, 8, 11) and being itself a food supply for carnivorous beasts is inescapable.”[8]The wise Israelite understood, “the nearness of God is my good; I have made the Lord GOD my refuge” (Psa 73:28).
     Moving from military defeat, Moses then describes various skin diseases that would inflict the nation. Moses said, “The LORD will smite you with the boils of Egypt and with tumors and with the scab and with the itch, from which you cannot be healed” (Deut 28:27). Concerning the boils, Earl Kalland states, “The ‘boils of Egypt’ are doubtless the boils of the sixth plague, which so discomfited the Egyptian magicians, as well as all other Egyptians, that they could no longer stand before Moses (Ex 9:9–11). This may have been a form of leprosy known in Egypt.”[9] The reference to tumors (עֹפֶל ophel) could mean hemorrhoids, much like what afflicted the Philistines when they took possession of the Ark (1 Sam 5:6). The scab (גָּרָב garab) was something that irritated the skin, perhaps a rash of some sort. Interestingly, such a skin disease would disqualify a priest from service (Lev 21:18-21), as well as an animal from being sacrificed (Lev 22:20-22). The itch (חֶרֶס cheres) referred to some eruptive disease.
     All of this would have great psychological and social impact on the Israelites, as Moses continued, saying, “The LORD will smite you with madness and with blindness and with bewilderment of heart; 29 and you will grope at noon, as the blind man gropes in darkness, and you will not prosper in your ways; but you shall only be oppressed and robbed continually, with none to save you” (Deut 28:28-29). Their mental, emotional, and social condition would make it impossible to function on a daily basis. They would become like a “blind man” who cannot see his way clearly to do anything, and the result will be that they “will not prosper” in any of their activities. Furthermore, there would be none to help, as those around them would only oppress and rob them, and there would be “none to save” them from their troubles. Eugene Merrill writes:
"The inclusion of blindness between two states of emotional or psychological disorder suggests that this loss of vision was not physical but metaphorical (cf. Psa 146:8; Isa 29:18; 35:5; 42:7, 16; 43:8; 56:10). The groping about in midday like a blind man (v. 29a) is a simile qualified in the next line, “You will be unsuccessful in everything you do.” The blindness, then, was the incapacity to think clearly or form intelligent judgments. It would lay the ones under the curse open to all kinds of exploitation including oppression…and robbery (v. 29b). Having broken fellowship with the Lord, they would have no one to deliver them from their insanity and its consequences."[10]
Peter Craigie adds:
"In broad daylight, the cursed blind man gropes around. He cannot see and does not know how to make himself prosperous, but he can be seen by others; his fumbling ineptitude makes him an easy prey for robbers. Having brought about his sad state through disobedience to the law of God, he is now at the mercy of those who live outside the law, and there is no one to offer help. His fellows are equally cursed, and he has gone too far from God to call for his deliverance."[11]
     Having turned away from the Lord, Israel would no longer enjoy His protections, and this meant what was precious to them would be vulnerable to attack and harm. These included attacks on one’s spouse, home, business, children, and safety from one’s enemies. Moses said:
"You shall betroth a wife, but another man will violate her; you shall build a house, but you will not live in it; you shall plant a vineyard, but you will not use its fruit. 31 Your ox shall be slaughtered before your eyes, but you will not eat of it; your donkey shall be torn away from you, and will not be restored to you; your sheep shall be given to your enemies, and you will have none to save you. 32 Your sons and your daughters shall be given to another people, while your eyes look on and yearn for them continually; but there will be nothing you can do. 33 A people whom you do not know shall eat up the produce of your ground and all your labors, and you will never be anything but oppressed and crushed continually. 34 You shall be driven mad by the sight of what you see." (Deut 28:30-34)
     Here is a picture of harm by one’s enemies, frustration by helplessness, and eventual despair of soul and madness of mind by the sight of what they will see. They would have no control over their lives but would be perpetual victims of their enemies who take possession of their wives and mistreat them. The fruit of their ground and livestock would be eaten by another, and their children would be forcibly taken and sold into slavery while they looked on in helplessness, and there would be nothing they could do to stop it. The end result was mental madness by what they saw happening to them. All of this was the result of their walking away from the Lord’s protections.
     Revisiting the motif of boils previously mentioned (Deut 28:27), Moses said, “The LORD will strike you on the knees and legs with sore boils, from which you cannot be healed, from the sole of your foot to the crown of your head” (Deut 28:35). This disease would cover the whole body, but emphasis seems to be given to the knees, legs, and soles of one’s feet, which would make normal activities very difficult, thus exacerbating one’s efforts to work.
     The judgments also anticipated a time in the future when Israel would have a king over them. Moses said, “The LORD will bring you and your king, whom you set over you, to a nation which neither you nor your fathers have known, and there you shall serve other gods, wood and stone. 37 You shall become a horror, a proverb, and a taunt among all the people where the LORD drives you” (Deut 28:36-37). If Israel turned away from God and refused to serve Him, they would fall victim to slavery in godless nations who served dumb idols of wood and stone. Eugene Merrill states, “Deportation does, however, imply submission, a condition contrary to the exaltation of Israel described in the list of blessings. Rather than being a nation set “high above all the nations” (v. 1), God’s people would lose their children to another nation (v. 32) and would themselves go off into ignominious captivity (v. 36).”[12] Israel’s fallen condition would serve as a horror and proverb to other nations.
     Deuteronomy 28:36 describes how God will bring His people and their king into captivity in a foreign land. Because Israel did not have a king until nearly four centuries after Moses gave the law, it is argued by liberal scholars that Deuteronomy is actually a late book, written around the seventh or fifth centuries B.C. These liberal scholars—who operate on antisupernaturalistic presuppositions—reject the Bible as divinely inspired and treat it as a humanistic book and the events described therein as history rather than prophecy (Lat. vaticinium ex eventu = after the event). However, because the Bible is supernaturally inspired by God, these prophetic statements are not a problem, as God had promised Israel would have a king (Gen 17:6, 16; 35:11; Deut 17:14-20).
     Returning to the judgments, Moses stated that all their efforts at labor and production would be met with futility. Moses said:
"You shall bring out much seed to the field but you will gather in little, for the locust will consume it. 39 You shall plant and cultivate vineyards, but you will neither drink of the wine nor gather the grapes, for the worm will devour them. 40 You shall have olive trees throughout your territory but you will not anoint yourself with the oil, for your olives will drop off. 41 You shall have sons and daughters but they will not be yours, for they will go into captivity. 42 The cricket shall possess all your trees and the produce of your ground." (Deut 28:38-42)
     Again, we have a picture of fruitless labor by the Israelite farmer. Frustration would come as locusts and worms would be used by the Lord to destroy their crops. Even their sons and daughters—who often helped with farming—would be taken away into captivity, further exacerbating their ability to farm. Daniel Block states:
"The catalogue of futility curses involves the entire range of ancient Palestinian agricultural activity: fields of grain (v. 38), vineyards (v. 39), olive groves (v. 40), and fruit trees (v. 41). The crop failures are caused by little creatures that Yahweh will send to devour and despoil the crops before they can be harvested. “Locusts” (v. 38) are grass-eating insects that fly in vast swarms and devour everything in sight. “Worms” (v. 39) refers to fruit grubs that attack the grapes. The meaning of “swarms of locusts” (v. 42) is uncertain, but it probably refers to a species of beetle that kills vegetation by attacking leaves or stems."[13]
     Israel would also experience social and economic decline, as Moses said, “The alien who is among you shall rise above you higher and higher, but you will go down lower and lower. 44 He shall lend to you, but you will not lend to him; he shall be the head, and you will be the tail” (Deut 28:43-44). The alien (גֵּר ger) was the one who originally came to Israel to be elevated and blessed, but his low position would become the new standard, not because he was lifted up, but because Israel was brought down to a lower position. Israel would experience economic slavery by being the borrower rather than the lender.
     Moses continued, “So all these curses shall come on you and pursue you and overtake you until you are destroyed, because you would not obey the LORD your God by keeping His commandments and His statutes which He commanded you. 46 They shall become a sign and a wonder on you and your descendants forever” (Deut 28:45-46). The curses would pursue (רָדָף radaph – to pursue, chase, persecute) and overtake (נָשַׂג nasag) Israel like a relentless hunter who is tireless in his pursuit to catch and destroy the hunted animal. All of this would happen because Israel refused to walk with the Lord and to keep His commandments. Peter Craigie states, “Disobedience to the word of God would result inevitably in disaster…For a sign and for a wonder—the disasters that would befall the Israelites, if they were disobedient to God, would serve to illustrate the ways of God to other nations, who would be prompted to ask questions when they saw the plight of the Israelites.”[14]
 
[1] Earl D. Radmacher, Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Commentary, 263.
[2] Daniel I. Block, The NIV Application Commentary: Deuteronomy, ed. Terry Muck (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2012), 652.
[3] Francis Brown, Samuel Rolles Driver, and Charles Augustus Briggs, Enhanced Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicon (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1977), 1019.
[4] Peter C. Craigie, The Book of Deuteronomy, The New International Commentary on the Old Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1976), 342.
[5] Daniel I. Block, The NIV Application Commentary: Deuteronomy, 653.
[6] Eugene H. Merrill, Deuteronomy, vol. 4, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1994), 359.
[7] Peter C. Craigie, The Book of Deuteronomy, The New International Commentary on the Old Testament, 343.
[8] Eugene H. Merrill, Deuteronomy, vol. 4, The New American Commentary, 360.
[9] Earl S. Kalland, “Deuteronomy,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein, vol. 3 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1992), 172.
[10] Eugene H. Merrill, Deuteronomy, vol. 4, The New American Commentary, 361.
[11] Peter C. Craigie, The Book of Deuteronomy, The New International Commentary on the Old Testament, 345.
[12] Eugene H. Merrill, Deuteronomy, vol. 4, The New American Commentary, 362.
[13] Daniel I. Block, The NIV Application Commentary: Deuteronomy, 657.
[14] Peter C. Craigie, The Book of Deuteronomy, The New International Commentary on the Old Testament, 347.

Deuteronomy 28:15-68 - Introduction to the Curses & Review of Israel’s History

Deuteronomy 28:15-68
Dr. Steven R. Cook
Introduction
     Concerning Deuteronomy chapter 28, Thomas Constable states, “This section of Deuteronomy (chapters 27-28) is one of the most important ones in Scripture because it records the two options open to Israel as she entered the Promised Land. Obedience to the revealed Word of God would result in blessing, but disobedience would result in blasting.”[1] Dwight Pentecost adds, “For understanding and explaining Israel’s history as recorded throughout the Old Testament, there are perhaps no more important chapters than Deuteronomy 28–30.”[2]
     Moses, having previously stated God’s wonderful blessings for the obedient-to-the-Word Israelite (Deut 28:1-14), followed with God’s cursings that would come upon the one who was disobedient-to-the-Word (Deut 28:15-68). In Deuteronomy 28:15-68, Moses set forth the curses that God would bring upon Israel if they repeatedly violated His directives as found in the Deuteronomic law code. Moses used the Hebrew verb אָרָר arar six times, which means, “to bind with a curse.”[3] The form of the verb is passive, which meant a curse was received by the nation of Israel if they turned away from God. Victor Hamilton states that אָרָר arar means “to bind, hem in with obstacles, [or] render powerless to resist.”[4] The curses mentioned in Deuteronomy are reflexive of those who violate their covenant relationship with God. That is, they bring the curses on themselves by violating God’s Word.[5] God’s curses are His righteous response to unethical behavior among His people, and they could be avoided by simply walking in obedience with the Lord (Deut 28:15, 20, 45-47, 58-59, 62; 29:25-28; 30:17-18). If the Israelite was aligned with God’s Word in thought, speech, and conduct, it would open the channel for His blessing. However, if the Israelite turned from God’s path, it would open the channel of cursing. Dwight Pentecost states, “These curses were not viewed as punishment for disobedience as much as disciplines to bring a guilty people back to obedience to God.”[6] Jack Deere agrees, saying, “Each individual judgment essentially had one goal: to turn Israel from disobedience.”[7]However, the curses would lead to ultimate destruction if God’s people persisted in their sinful rebellion.
     This lengthy section can be viewed in two parts: 1) a statement of curses that reverse all God’s blessing (Deut 28:15-19), and 2) specific descriptions of the curses that God will send on Israel until they are destroyed (Deut 28:20-22, 24, 45, 48, 51, 61). God’s judgment upon His people was self-inflicted because they would not obey Him (Deut 28:20, 45, 47, 62). God executed these curses at various times when His people were disobedient to the covenant (see Judg 2:20-22; Jer 6:19; 11:9-11; 29:15-20; 34:17-20; Dan 9:4-6; Hos 8:1-3).
     The transmission of God’s law to subsequent generations was primarily the responsibility of the parents (Deut 6:1-9), and priests (Lev 10:8-11; Ezra 7:10; Mal 2:7). Failure to teach God’s law to subsequent generations of Israelites would create a theological vacuum in their souls which Satan would gladly fill. If God’s people operated by unethical standards, His judgments would fall upon them. God held His people accountable for their ethical behavior, even if/when the majority did not know or abide by His laws, as ignorance did not protect them from His judgments (see 2 Ki 22:1-13). However, His judgments did not happen right away, as God would send ample warnings through His prophets, who occasionally functioned as a prosecuting attorney (רִיב rib),[8] pointing out their violation of the law and the impending consequences if they did not turn back to the Lord (i.e., repent). When God’s prophet functioned as a prosecuting attorney for the Lord, he would present God’s case before the people (Hos 4:1-3; 12:2; Mic 6:1-2). The Hebrew verb רִיב rib, when used by the prophet, denotes “God’s lawsuit…against His own people.”[9] According to Earl Radmacher, “The Hebrew word refers to a formal complaint charging Israel with breaking the covenant.”[10] If Israel persisted in sin, God would execute His judgments in ever increasing severity, until they were eventually destroyed and removed from the land. Historically, we know God destroyed the ten northern tribes of Israel in 722 B.C. because His people had broken covenant with the Lord, and this occurred after repeated warnings through His prophets (2 Ki 17:1-23). The same judgment fell upon the two southern tribes of Judah in 586 B.C. when God raised up the Babylonians to defeat His people and take them into captivity (2 Ki 24:8-16), and this happened after repeated warnings by His prophets (Jer 7:25-26; 25:4-11; 29:18-19). Warren Wiersbe states:
"The fact that Israel is God’s chosen people and a special nation explains why He chastens them, for the greater the privilege, the greater the responsibility. “You only have I chosen of all the families of the earth; therefore, I will punish you for all your sins” (Amos 3:2). Divine election isn’t an excuse for human rebellion. “For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required” (Luke 12:48)."[11]
 
 
[1] Tom Constable, Tom Constable’s Expository Notes on the Bible (Galaxie Software, 2003), Dt 28:58.
[2] J. Dwight Pentecost, Thy Kingdom Come: Tracing God’s Kingdom Program and Covenant Promises throughout History (Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Publications, 1995), 105.
[3] Ludwig Koehler et al., The Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament (Leiden: E.J. Brill, 1994–2000), 91.
[4] Victor P. Hamilton, “168 אָרַר,” ed. R. Laird Harris, Gleason L. Archer Jr., and Bruce K. Waltke, Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament (Chicago: Moody Press, 1999), 75.
[5] We observe in Deuteronomy 27 how the verb אָרָר arar came upon the one who practiced idolatry (Deut 27:15), dishonored parents (Deut 27:16), secretly stole from a neighbor (Deut 27:17), injured the disabled (Deut 27:18), distorted justice due to the alien, orphan, or widow (Deut 27:19), practiced sexual perversion (Deut 27:20-23), secretly struck a neighbor (Deut 27:24), accepted a bribe to kill the innocent (Deut 27:25), or disobeyed any of God’s laws (Deut 27:26).
[6] J. Dwight Pentecost, Thy Kingdom Come, 106.
[7] Jack S. Deere, “Deuteronomy,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 312.
[8] The Hebrew verb רִיב rib is used some places in Scripture in a non-legal sense of people who fight with each other (Gen 13:7; Ex 17:7; Jer 15:10), as well as a legal sense in which one person takes up a lawsuit or legal case against another (Deut 17:8; 19:17; 21:5).
[9] Ludwig Koehler et al., The Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament, 1226.
[10] Earl D. Radmacher, Ronald Barclay Allen, and H. Wayne House, Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Commentary (Nashville: T. Nelson Publishers, 1999), 1029.
[11] Warren W. Wiersbe, Be Equipped, “Be” Commentary Series (Colorado Springs, CO: Chariot Victor Pub., 1999), 170–171.

Jeremiah 49:28-39 - When God Judges Gentile Nations

Jeremiah 49:28-39
Steven R. Cook
     God, who is “the Judge of all the earth” (Gen 18:25), had called Jeremiah to be His prophet, both to the Gentile nations (Jer 1:5, 10) and Judah (Jer 1:15-18; 2:1-2). Because Judah was in a special covenant relationship with God, Jeremiah was commissioned to speak to them first and to pronounce God’s “judgments on them concerning all their wickedness, whereby they have forsaken Me and have offered sacrifices to other gods, and worshiped the works of their own hands” (Jer 1:16). The first part of the book of Jeremiah was written primarily to Judah (Jeremiah chapters 2-45). But after God judged His people, He fixed His canons against the surrounding Gentile nations (Jeremiah chapters 46-52). God, having already judged Egypt (Jer 46:1-26), Philistia (Jer 47:1-7), Moab (Jer 48:1-47), Ammon (Jer 49:1-6), Edom (Jer 49:7-22), and Damascus (Jer 49:23-27), now renders His judgments against Kedar and the kingdoms of Hazor (Jer 49:28-33), and Elam (Jer 49:34-39).
Judgment Against Kedar, Hazor, and the Men of the East
     Jeremiah opens this pericope with a prophecy “Concerning Kedar and the kingdoms of Hazor, which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon defeated. Thus says the LORD, ‘Arise, go up to Kedar and devastate the men of the east’” (Jer 49:28). The Kedarites were a nomadic people descended from Ishmael (Gen 25:13), who later became known for their archery skills (Isa 21:16-17). They were also shepherds (Isa 60:7), lovers of war (Psa 120:5-7), and lived in unprotected villages (Jer 49:31). According to Radmacher, “The phrase men of the East is associated with the Arameans, Midianites, Amalekites, and other nomadic desert tribes (Gen 29:1; Judg 7:12).”[1] Though this passage refers to Kedar and the kingdoms of Hazor, it’s message is to Nebuchadnezzar, as the Lord instructs him to attack and destroy the men of this region. The word devastate translates the Hebrew verb שָׁדָד shadad, which means “to devastate, despoil, deal violently with.”[2] Keeping God’s sovereignty in primary view, the Babylonians never functioned as an independent power to do as they pleased, but were under God’s sovereign control to serve as His agent of judgment against others. Interestingly, the same verb is used later to described God’s judgments against the Babylonians (Jer 51:48, 53, 55-56).
     When God called the Babylonians to come against the Kedarites, we are told, “They will take away their tents and their flocks; they will carry off for themselves their tent curtains, all their goods and their camels, and they will call out to one another, ‘Terror on every side!’” (Jer 49:29). And the advice God gave to the Kedarites was, ‘“Run away, flee! Dwell in the depths, O inhabitants of Hazor,’ declares the LORD; ‘For Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon has formed a plan against you and devised a scheme against you’” (Jer 49:30). Though the men of Kedar and the kingdoms of Hazor would run for their lives, they could escape God’s judgment upon them. Nebuchadnezzar, whom God had raised up as His instrument of judgment, was unaware of God’s invisible hand that would guide him to victory.
     The Lord guided Nebuchadnezzar, saying, ‘“Arise, go up against a nation which is at ease, which lives securely,’ declares the LORD. ‘It has no gates or bars; they dwell alone. 32 Their camels will become plunder, and their many cattle for booty, and I will scatter to all the winds those who cut the corners of their hair; and I will bring their disaster from every side,’ declares the LORD” (Jer 49:31-32). The picture portrays the Kedarites and their neighbors as overly self-confident, at ease, living securely, not needing gates or bars for protection, and dwelling alone. Nebuchadnezzar would exploit this weakness and take their possessions as plunder.
     Most importantly in these verses is the revelation that the Lord Himself is the primary causal agent who brings judgment, saying, “I will scatter to all the winds” and “I will bring their disaster from every side” (Jer 49:32). God controls history according to His sovereign purposes. The end result of God’s judgment would be that “Hazor will become a haunt of jackals, a desolation forever; no one will live there, nor will a son of man reside in it” (Jer 49:33).
Judgment Against Elam
     Next, we are told about God’s judgment against Elam, as Jeremiah wrote, “That which came as the word of the LORD to Jeremiah the prophet concerning Elam, at the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah, saying: 35 Thus says the LORD of hosts, ‘Behold, I am going to break the bow of Elam, the finest of their might’” (Jer 49:34-35). Elam was located about two hundred miles to the east of Babylon, in what today would be part of Iran. According to Huey, “It was conquered by the Assyrians under Ashurbanipal, ca. 640 B.C., but regained its independence with Assyria’s collapse. It joined forces with Nabopolassar to destroy Nineveh in 612 B.C. The Babylonian Chronicle seems to indicate there was a conflict between Nebuchadnezzar and Elam, 596–594. In 539 the Elamites helped overthrow the Babylonian Empire.”[3]
     Just as God had declared judgment against Kedar and the kingdoms of Hazor, so He sovereignly declared, “I will bring upon Elam the four winds from the four ends of heaven, and will scatter them to all these winds; and there will be no nation to which the outcasts of Elam will not go” (Jer 49:36). Here is another reminder that God is the One who sets up kings and kingdoms and determines their duration of existence (see Dan 2:21; 4:25). And the Lord continued, saying, “So I will shatter Elam before their enemies and before those who seek their lives; and I will bring calamity upon them, even My fierce anger,’ declares the LORD, ‘And I will send out the sword after them until I have consumed them. 38 Then I will set My throne in Elam and destroy out of it king and princes,’ declares the LORD” (Jer 49:37-38). However, the God who promised to destroy Edom, also gave a promise of a future hope by restoring the nation. The Lord declared, ‘“But it will come about in the last days that I will restore the fortunes of Elam,’ Declares the LORD” (Jer 49:39). Here is a message of hope, as the God who chose to bring a nation down, also chose to elevate it again. The truth is all nations are subject to God’s sovereign rule, and their moral or immoral behavior will be met with His blessings or cursings.
Present Application
     The Bible reveals “God is the King of all the earth…He reigns over the nations; He sits on His holy throne” (Psa 47:7-8). It is God “who changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and establishes kings” (Dan 2:21; cf., Dan 4:17, 35). Furthermore, “The LORD is King forever and ever” (Psa 10:16a), for the “LORD has established His throne in the heavens, and His sovereignty rules over all” (Psa 103:19), and He “works all things after the counsel of His will” (Eph 1:11b), and “Whatever the LORD pleases, He does, in heaven and in earth, in the seas and in all deeps” (Psa 135:6). As sovereign God, He judges His world in righteousness.
     When individuals, groups, cities, and nations turn away from God, He will judge them according to His righteous character and moral laws. We know from Scripture that “the LORD is righteous, [and] He loves righteousness” (Psa 11:7), and “Righteous are You, O LORD, and upright are Your judgments” (Psa 119:137). For God, righteousness is an attribute, an inherent quality, not the adherence to laws beyond Himself (of which there are none). The righteousness of God may be defined as the intrinsic, immutable, moral perfection of God, from which He commands all things, in heaven and earth, and declares as good that which conforms to His righteousness and as evil that which deviates. Righteousness and justice are related words. The former speaks of God’s moral character, whereas the latter speaks of the actions that flow out of His character. Whatever God’s righteousness requires, His justice executes; either to approve or reject, to bless or condemn. God is “the Judge of all the earth” (Gen 18:25), and He “is a righteous judge, and a God who has indignation every day” (Psa 7:11).
     Though God judges, He is not One to judge quickly. It is written, “You, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness and truth” (Psa 86:15), and “the LORD is gracious and merciful; slow to anger and great in lovingkindness” (Psa 145:8). Peter reveals that God “is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance” (2 Pet 3:9). In this way, God is quick to warn and slow to judge. But God is not patient forever, and there are multiple accounts of judgment throughout Scripture. God judged the antediluvian world (Gen 6:1-7, 11-13; 7:21-24), the rebels at the Tower of Babel (Gen 11:1-9), the wicked citizens of Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen 19:24-25), the Egyptians (Deut 26:6-8; cf. Gen 15:13-14), the Canaanites (Lev 18:25; Deut 9:5), and the Babylonians (Jer 25:11-12). The book of Obadiah was written against the Edomites (Oba 1:1), and Nahum against the Ninevites (Nah 1:1). When Jesus was on the earth at the time of His first coming, He judged the religious leaders of his day (Matt 23:1-36), and pronounced judgment upon the nation of Israel for having rejected Him as their Messiah (Matt 23:37-39). In the future, God will judge Gentiles based on how they treat persecuted Jewish believers during the Tribulation (Matt 25:31-46). And God will judge all unbelievers at the Great White Throne judgment and will cast them into the Lake of Fire (Rev 20:11-15). God has also judged Satan (John 16:11), and will punish him in the future (Matt 25:41; Rev 20:10).
On What Basis Does God Judge Israel and Gentile Nations?
     As a nation, Israel was and is unique in human history, for it’s the only nation that was created by God as a theocracy. Speaking to Israel, God said, “I am the LORD, your Holy One, the Creator of Israel, your King” (Isa 43:15; cf. Isa 43:1). Israel was a theocracy, and God was their Judge, Lawgiver, and King (Isa 33:22). As such, God gave Israel specific laws to direct their lives (Lev 27:34). The Mosaic Law was the standard by which Israel lived rightly before the Lord and was the basis for blessing or cursing, depending on their obedience or disobedience to His directives (Deut 11:26-28). Reading through Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, First and Second Kings, and all the OT prophets, one can see a consistent pattern of God blessing or cursing His people depending on whether they obeyed or disobeyed His written directives. God was extremely patient with His people when they disobeyed, repeatedly warning them about His coming judgments, but the historical trend was that of rebellion (Jer 25:4-7). Because of rampant idolatry, human sacrifice, and other egregious sins, God eventually destroyed the ten northern tribes of Israel in 722 B.C. (2 Ki 17:7-23), and the two southern tribes of Judah in 586 B.C. (Jer 25:8-11). The fear of the Lord and obedience to Him would have prevented their destruction, but the nation chose otherwise.
     The Gentile nations did not possess the Mosaic Law as Israel did; however, a Gentile nation could be blessed or cursed, and this depended on at least two factors. First, God would bless or curse a Gentile nation depending on how it treated Israel. God told Abraham, the progenitor of Israel, “I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse” (Gen 12:3). According to Allen Ross, “Those who blessed Abram would receive blessing from God; that is, those who supported and endorsed him in his faith would actually find enrichment. Conversely, if anyone treated Abram lightly, he must be cursed.”[4] God’s promise to bless or curse was based on the covenant that started with Abraham and extended to his descendants forever (Gen 17:7).[5] Concerning the curse, Arnold Fruchtenbaum states:
"The first word for curse is kalal, which means “to treat lightly,” “to hold in contempt,” or “to curse.” To merely treat Abram and the Jews lightly is to incur the curse of God. The second word for curse used in this phrase (him that curses you will I curse) is aor, from the Hebrew root arah, which means “to impose a barrier,” “to ban.” This is a much stronger word for curse than the first one in the phrase…Therefore, even a light curse against Abram or against the Jews will bring a heavier curse from God."[6]
     Second, a Gentile nation could be blessed or cursed depending on whether they pursued godly virtues or wickedness. Scripture reveals, “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people” (Prov 14:34). Biblically, there is a sense in which God’s laws are written on the hearts of all people. Paul wrote, “For when Gentiles who do not have the Law do instinctively the things of the Law, these, not having the Law, are a law to themselves, in that they show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them” (Rom 2:14-15).[7] God has placed within each person a moral sense of right and wrong. Everyone knows it’s right to be honest, kind, courteous, patient, helpful to the weak, honoring to parents, faithful to one’s spouse, etc. On the other hand, everyone knows it’s wrong to murder, steal, lie, commit adultery, etc.[8] And how people behave collectively has results upon their city or nation. The Lord told Jeremiah, “At one moment I might speak concerning a nation [גּוֹי goy] or concerning a kingdom to uproot, to pull down, or to destroy it; if that nation against which I have spoken turns from its evil, I will relent concerning the calamity I planned to bring on it” (Jer 18:7-8). This is what happened when Jonah preached God’s message of pending judgment to the Ninevites (Jonah 1:1-2; 3:1-4), and when they believed and repented (Jonah 3:5-9), He relented (Jonah 3:10). There is hope for any nation that has turned away from God, but only if the leadership and people turn to God and pursue righteousness in conformity with His character.
     What influence do we, as Christians, have on our country? As God’s people living in the dispensation of the church age, He directs us to learn and live His Word (2 Tim 2:15; 3:16-17), live by faith (Heb 10:38; 11:6), advance to spiritual maturity (Eph 4:11-16; 1 Pet 2:2), share the gospel (Mark 16:15; 1 Cor 15:3-4), make disciples (Matt 28:19-20), live holy lives (1 Pet 1:15-16), and do good (Gal 6:10; Tit 2:11-14). In this way, God may use us to help shape our nation in godly ways, which will influence its educational, political, economic, and social views for the better. We are, after all, to be a light to the world (Matt 5:14; Eph 5:8).
 
[1] Earl D. Radmacher, Ronald Barclay Allen, and H. Wayne House, Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Commentary (Nashville: T. Nelson Publishers, 1999), 942.
[2] Ludwig Koehler et al., The Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament (Leiden: E.J. Brill, 1994–2000), 1419.
[3] F. B. Huey, Jeremiah, Lamentations, vol. 16, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1993), 406.
[4] Allen P. Ross, Creation and Blessing: A Guide to the Study and Exposition of Genesis (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 1998), 263.
[5] To love Israel is not a blanket endorsement of all their beliefs and behaviors. God, who loves Israel and chose them to be His people (Deut 7:6-8), also called them to be holy (Ex 19:5-6; Lev 11:45), and promised blessing or cursing, based on their obedience or disobedience to Him (Deut 28:1-68). Israel can and does fail, often rejecting God’s love for them and walking in the ways of the world (see 2 Ch 36:15-16; Jer 7:25-26; 25:4-7; Ezek 16; Matt 23:1-39; Acts 7:51-53; 1 Th 2:14-16). The national rejection and crucifixion of Jesus (Matt 27:22-23; Acts 2:22-23; 4:27-28), Israel’s promised Messiah (Deut 18:15; Isa 7:14; 9:6-7;53; 61:1; Matt 1:1, 17; Luke 1:31-33), was their greatest failure. Did Israel act alone in crucifying Jesus, their Messiah? No! God foretold Israel’s Messiah would suffer and die (Psa 22:11-18; Isa 53); and, according to His sovereignty, He used wicked men, both Jews and Gentiles, to accomplish His will (Acts 2:22-23; 4:27-28).
[6] Arnold G. Fruchtenbaum, Ariel’s Bible Commentary: The Book of Genesis, 1st ed. (San Antonio, TX: Ariel Ministries, 2008), 242.
[7] The human conscience, when working properly, serves as a moral compass. But because of willful and persistent sin, the conscience can become weak (1 Cor 8:7), callous (1 Tim 4:2), defiled (Tit 1:15), or evil (Heb 10:22). Persistent sin can damage the conscience so that it fails to operate properly.
[8] The unbeliever can live morally according to the dictates of a healthy conscience, and though not saved, can receive some blessings in this life. Conversely, a Christian can turn away from the faith and pursue wickedness, and this results in divine discipline and the forfeiture of eternal rewards.

Jeremiah 36:1-32 - Jeremiah Commanded to Write a Scroll

In this pericope, God gave His Word to Jeremiah, who dictated it to his friend, Baruch, who wrote it down on a scroll (Jer 36:1-4). Because Jeremiah was under some restraint, he instructed his friend, Baruch, to read it publicly in the temple (Jer 36:5-8), during a period of a fast (Jer 36:9-10). Baruch’s reading the scroll caught the attention of a city official, Micaiah, who reported it to the royal palace (Jer 36:11-13). Baruch was then asked to read the scroll to other city officials in the palace (Jer 36:14-19), who then took the scroll and had it read to King Jehoiakim, who rejected the message and burned the book (Jer 36:20-26). However, the scroll was rewritten (Jer 36:27-28), and God’s judgment was pronounced on Jehoiakim and his household because of the king’s negative volition (Jer 36:29-32). For complete study notes, see following link: https://thinkingonscripture.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Jeremiah-36.pdf