devoured – Praying Pint

53. Wilderness – 17.f. “They will forsake me and break my covenant that I have made with them”

Deu 31:14 And the LORD said to Moses, “Behold, the days approach when you must die. Call Joshua and present yourselves in the tent of meeting, that I may commission him.” And Moses and Joshua went and presented themselves in the tent of meeting. And the LORD appeared in the tent in a pillar of cloud. And the pillar of cloud stood over the entrance of the tent. And the LORD said to Moses, “Behold, you are about to lie down with your fathers. Then this people will rise and whore after the foreign gods among them in the land that they are entering, and they will forsake me and break my covenant that I have made with them. 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 devoured. And many evils and troubles will come upon them, so that they will say in that day, ‘Have not these evils come upon us because our God is not among us?And I will surely hide my face in that day because of all the evil that they have done, because they have turned to other gods. “Now therefore write this song and teach it to the people of Israel. Put it in their mouths, that this song may be a witness for me against the people of Israel. For when I have brought them into the land flowing with milk and honey, which I swore to give to their fathers, and they have eaten and are full and grown fat, they will turn to other gods and serve them, and despise me and break my covenant. And when many evils and troubles have come upon them, this song shall confront them as a witness (for it will live unforgotten in the mouths of their offspring). For I know what they are inclined to do even today, before I have brought them into the land that I swore to give.” So Moses wrote this song the same day and taught it to the people of Israel. And the LORD commissioned Joshua the son of Nun and said, “Be strong and courageous, for you shall bring the people of Israel into the land that I swore to give them. I will be with you.” When Moses had finished writing the words of this law in a book to the very end, Moses commanded the Levites who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD, “Take this Book of the Law and put it by the side of the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, that it may be there for a witness against you. For I know how rebellious and stubborn you are. Behold, even today while I am yet alive with you, you have been rebellious against the LORD. How much more after my death! Assemble to me all the elders of your tribes and your officers, that I may speak these words in their ears and call heaven and earth to witness against them. For I know that after my death you will surely act corruptly and turn aside from the way that I have commanded you. And in the days to come evil will befall you, because you will do what is evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking him to anger through the work of your hands.”

Moses and Joshua attended the Divine Majesty at the door of the tabernacle. Moses is told again that he must shortly die; even those who are most ready and willing to die, need to be often reminded of its coming. The Lord tells Moses, that, after his death, the covenant he had taken so much pains to make between Israel and their God, would certainly be broken. Israel would forsake Him; then God would forsake Israel. Justly does he cast those off who so unjustly cast him off. Moses is directed to deliver them a song, which should remain a standing testimony for God, as faithful to them in giving them warning, and against them, as persons false to themselves in not taking the warning. The word of God is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of men’s hearts, and meets them by reproofs and correction. Ministers who preach the word, know not the imaginations of men; but God, whose word it is, knows perfectly. (Henry)

After handing over the office to Joshua, and the law to the priests and elders, Moses was called by the Lord to come to the tabernacle with Joshua, to command him (צוּה), i.e., to appoint him, confirm him in his office. To this end the Lord appeared in the tabernacle (Deuteronomy 31:15), in a pillar of cloud, which remained standing before it, as in Numbers 12:5 (see the exposition of Numbers 11:25). But before appointing Joshua, He announced to Moses that after his death the nation would go a whoring after other gods, and would break the covenant, for which it would be visited with severe afflictions, and directed him to write an ode and teach it to the children of Israel, that when the apostasy should take place, and punishment from God be felt in consequence, it might speak as a witness against the people, as it would not vanish from their memory. The Lord communicated this commission to Moses in the presence of Joshua, that he also might hear from the mouth of God that the Lord foreknew the future apostasy of the people, and yet nevertheless would bring them into the promised land. In this there was also implied an admonition to Joshua, not only to take care that the Israelites learned the ode and kept it in their memories, but also to strive with all his might to prevent the apostasy, so long as he was leader of Israel; which Joshua did most faithfully to the very end of his life. (Keil)

Knowing and being in covenant with God, knowing and receiving His blessings under this covenant, and being given clear warnings of blessings and curses is not enough for a person to walk in obedience and honor the covenant between God and us. There are two sides to a covenant and it requires both parties to fulfill their obligations of the covenant. It is not enough to just “know”. We can know of God and His promises, and yet not live for Him. We can know of His love, grace, and mercy, and yet not trust Him. We can know of His offer of salvation, and yet not believe it. We can know of His great might and awesome power, and yet not rely upon Him. We can know of His all-knowing of our thoughts and intents, and yet, still allow sinful thoughts into our minds. We can know of His in-filling Holy Spirit, and yet, not listen and follow its leading. We can have His Word readily at our fingertips, and yet, not read it. We can know of His healing powers, and yet, deny it for ourselves. We can know of His holiness, and yet, continue in our sinfulness. Knowing is not enough. There must be a reason, purpose, something more, something deeper driving us to more than knowing.

This covenant is offered to us by the Creator of all there is. Let this sink in. God, Creator of all there is, All-Powerful, Ever-Present, and All-knowing has made a covenant with His creation. This covenant is born out of grace, mercy, and love. Holiness reaches out to sinfulness and makes a covenant with those who would take hold of it, obey it, follow it, trust it, rely upon it, believe it, and cling to every word of it.

We live under a new covenant that came at a great cost for Jesus Christ, who was beaten, spit upon, whipped, flogged, ridiculed, nailed to the cross, and died. He is worthy of all honor, glory, praise, and worship. The redemption and salvation of our sinful souls have a very high cost, and yet, we give it little respect if we were to be honest with ourselves. Our time in His Word seems to be more of an afterthought, or a bit of an inconvenience, or a tick in the box of “living for Jesus”. Does this sound at all like the type of person who was thankful, repentant, humble, and wanting to bring honor and glory to Jesus Christ?

We intentionally choose to be always mindful of the covenant, the presence of God, the quiet whispers of the Holy Spirit, the sacrifice made for our redemption, and His worthiness of all our praise and worship, not only for what He has done but also for the promises of what He is doing and will do.

Growth, understanding, and wisdom of and about God are not obtained apart from His Word and a desire and seeking of it. This is an intentional choice. A life choice. A purposed life. A mindset and ever-present purpose to bring honor and glory to Jesus Christ. Every thought is taken captive, every word spoken is with grace, mercy, and kindness, and every action is subject to bringing honor and glory to Jesus.

The new covenant of redemption and salvation has two parties. God has given and fulfilled this blessed, graceful, and merciful covenant. Are we living up to our obligations of it?

48.e. “Wilderness” – 12.k. “Balaam’s Second Oracle”

Num 23:11-30 And Balak said to Balaam, “What have you done to me? I took you to curse my enemies, and behold, you have done nothing but bless them.” And he answered and said, “Must I not take care to speak what the LORD puts in my mouth?” And Balak said to him, “Please come with me to another place, from which you may see them. You shall see only a fraction of them and shall not see them all. Then curse them for me from there.” And he took him to the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, and built seven altars and offered a bull and a ram on each altar. Balaam said to Balak, “Stand here beside your burnt offering, while I meet the LORD over there.” And the LORD met Balaam and put a word in his mouth and said, “Return to Balak, and thus shall you speak.” And he came to him, and behold, he was standing beside his burnt offering, and the princes of Moab with him. And Balak said to him, “What has the LORD spoken?” And Balaam took up his discourse and said, “Rise, Balak, and hear; give ear to me, O son of Zippor: God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it? Behold, I received a command to bless: he has blessed, and I cannot revoke it. He has not beheld misfortune in Jacob, nor has he seen trouble in Israel. The LORD their God is with them, and the shout of a king is among them. God brings them out of Egypt and is for them like the horns of the wild ox. For there is no enchantment against Jacob, no divination against Israel; now it shall be said of Jacob and Israel, ‘What has God wrought!Behold, a people! As a lioness it rises up and as a lion it lifts itself; it does not lie down until it has devoured the prey and drunk the blood of the slain.” And Balak said to Balaam, “Do not curse them at all, and do not bless them at all.” But Balaam answered Balak, “Did I not tell you, ‘All that the LORD says, that I must do’?” And Balak said to Balaam, “Come now, I will take you to another place. Perhaps it will please God that you may curse them for me from there.” So Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor, which overlooks the desert. And Balaam said to Balak, “Build for me here seven altars and prepare for me here seven bulls and seven rams.” And Balak did as Balaam had said, and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.

The king of Moab was understandably disturbed. He paid good money for a curse against Israel, and the prophet blessed them instead. Balaam spoke as a true prophet, but a corrupt prophet. We sense that he was disappointed that he couldn’t please the king who promised him lots of money. Balaam had already told Balak that he could only speak what the LORD told him. Balak wanted to change the word Balaam spoke over Israel from a blessing to a curse. Balak hoped that by changing the place where Balaam stood and changing the perspective he had as he looked out on Israel, then the prophecy would change. Because Balaam seemed so impressed by the size of Israel in the first oracle (Numbers 23:10), Balak thought it was better to put him in a place where he could only see a portion of Israel for the second oracle.

Once again, Balaam could only speak the word that God put in his mouth. Balaam either could not or would not create his own message and claim it was from the LORD simply to please King Balak.

God is not a man, and can’t be bribed or impressed with riches.

God does not lie, and He does not change His mind (that He should repent) as man does.

God always performs His word. If God has spoken, He will perform it.

God has all strength, and has the power to perform what He promises.

One important feature of the Mosaic covenant was its promise of blessing and cursing (as in Leviticus 26). God promised to bless a generally obedient Israel, and curse a generally or significantly disobedient Israel. When Balaam noted that God had not observed iniquity in Jacob nor has He seen wickedness in Israel, it was a way to say “Therefore, under God’s covenant with them, they will be blessed.” For there is no sorcery against Jacob, nor any divination against Israel: This was a strong and direct way for God to say to Balak (and Balaam), “You can’t curse Israel. Your sorcery can have no effect.” Instead of being defeated by sorcery or divination, Israel was like the lion that will devour its prey.

Balak was very frustrated and essentially said, “If you can’t curse them, then at least don’t go and bless them!”

Balaam is again presented as corrupt, but not a false messenger or prophet. Balaam’s greed and corruption were not a good example. Balaam simply could not shape God’s message to please his audience. (Guzik)

A person can study Scripture for years and gain much knowledge about them. They can quote them, hang them on the walls in their homes, and even make some decisions about how they interact with others based on them. It is not about knowing scripture but rather knowing Jesus Christ the redeemer and savior of which scripture speaks. Without this godly wisdom, all of the knowledge of scripture is fruitless in a person’s redemption. A person may know of Jesus through scripture but they do not know Him. They may know He is the Son of God, Lamb of God, Redeemer, Savior, and coming again King but they do not know Him. They have not seen the need for this savior. They have not seen their sin. They have lived in such a way that for all practical reasons, they are a great person void of vises others fall prey to. Yet their heart is void of Jesus Christ and the indwelling Holy Spirit.

Don’t get me wrong, knowing God’s Word, feeding on His Word, desiring to be taught by His Word so that you might live in such a way that continues to grow in a fuller understanding and knowledge of God’s grace, mercy, and love so that you will honor and glorify Jesus Christ in thought, word, and deed – this is not only good but beneficial to our faithful walk to eternity in heaven.

37.x. “Whatever God has said to you, do.”

Genesis 31:8 If he said, The spotted shall be your wages,’ then all the flock bore spotted; and if he said, ‘The striped shall be your wages,’ then all the flock bore striped. Thus God has taken away the livestock of your father and given them to me. In the breeding season of the flock I lifted up my eyes and saw in a dream that the goats that mated with the flock were striped, spotted, and mottled. Then the angel of God said to me in the dream, ‘Jacob,’ and I said, ‘Here I am!’ And he said, ‘Lift up your eyes and see, all the goats that mate with the flock are striped, spotted, and mottled, for I have seen all that Laban is doing to you. I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed a pillar and made a vow to me. Now arise, go out from this land and return to the land of your kindred.’” Then Rachel and Leah answered and said to him, “Is there any portion or inheritance left to us in our father’s house? Are we not regarded by him as foreigners? For he has sold us, and he has indeed devoured our money. All the wealth that God has taken away from our father belongs to us and to our children. Now then, whatever God has said to you, do.”

Even though Laban tried to cheat Jacob, God protected him all the time. God showed Jacob that He was greater and able to overcome what any man might do to Jacob. God’s presence was with Jacob, just as God had promised. Jacob not only believed that he had acted properly toward Laban, but he also believed that his wives knew of his righteous conduct and Laban’s unfair treatment of him. It is good to remember times and places where the LORD did great works for us and has met us in wonderful ways. As we remember them, God reminds us He is still the same God who met our needs then and wants to meet our needs now. Rachel and Leah noted that their father Laban had already used any potential inheritance they may have once received (also completely consumed our money). This meant they were happy to leave their homeland with Jacob and return to Bethel and the land promised to Jacob. (Guzik)

Jacob believed the dream from God to leave Laban. However, he has a young family and the journey is 450 miles. He will need the support of his wives – well least he wanted their support. Explaining the dream and their fathers treatment of his wages for the last 6 years really said it all. Still there appears to be a bit of greed or cultural inheritance expectations in the response by Leah and Rachel. This may have been how God moved them to think about the last six years; our inheritance is gone, we are treated like foreigners rather than family, our father has taken away money of which should be ours through inheritance and has been given to you by God, it belongs to us, we don’t need anymore evidence that God is leading and blessing you (us), Whatever God has said to you, do!! Understand this fully and apply it fully.

We might be thinking, “if God would speak to me in a dream I would surely do what He says”. Remember we are pre-Moses and there is no written word of God, no nation of Israel, only promises made by God through a dream. However, we live in a time where there is the written Word of God, by men inspired by the Holy Spirit, for our knowledge and understanding of God’s s awesome power, love, mercy, grace, promises, plans, purpose, will, commands, guides, direction, eternity, heaven, hell, judgment, wrath, anger, Jesus Christ, redemption, salvation, repentance, obedience, trust, resurrection, faith, and hope, etc… We have been given the Word of God so that we might honor and glorify Jesus Christ in all we think, say, and do.

IS OUR RESPONSE STILL THE SAME????? “WHATEVER GOD HAS SAID, DO IT?????

If only we would have a deep heart desire to know Him more and more with a seeking mind, and a firm determination to honor and glorify Jesus Christ, maybe then we would consider LISTENING FOR AND TO God speaking into our lives. There should be no room for neglect and complacency that is so common in today’s Christian.

32.w. “Other seeds fell on good soil”

Matthew 13:1 That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. And great crowds gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat down. And the whole crowd stood on the beach. And he told them many things in parables, saying: “A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, but when the sun rose they were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away. Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. He who has ears, let him hear.”

We would normally look at this scripture and say it is speaking to those who proclaim the Word of God and the results they will see in the unsaved people to whom they have proclaimed. I think there is another important application for the believer. In order for God’s Word to have meaning, application, and purpose in our lives our ground of hearts and minds must be prepared for seeding. If we neglect God’s Word there is no seeding. If we neglect God’s Word there is no watering of previously planted seed. How is there to be any growth or harvest when there is neglect? This would be like a farmer who plants no seed and wonder why there is no harvest. Sounds foolish, doesn’t it. But, this is exactly what happens when God’s Word is neglected. There is no growth, no meaning, no application, no purpose in our lives. Neglecting God’s Word is an intentional choice. Oh, we can come up with thousands of reasons and excuses but the fact remains – we choose to neglect it. This should not be. How are we to honor and glorify Jesus Christ in all we think, say, and do if our hearts and minds neglect the very seed of God’s Word. We do well to think hard about the soil of our hearts and minds. Are they prepared and ready for the Seeds of God’s Word? If seeds of God’s Word are not planted there will be no holiness harvested in our life for the glory and honor of Jesus Christ. If there is no watering of the seeds of God’s Word in our life there will be no holiness harvest for the honor and glory of Jesus Christ. “He who has ears, let him hear”

Let God’s Word find “good soil” for which to plant and grow in your life.

32.v. “A sower went out to sow”

Matthew 13:1 That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. And great crowds gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat down. And the whole crowd stood on the beach. And he told them many things in parables, saying: “A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, but when the sun rose they were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away. Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. He who has ears, let him hear.”

This scripture has much meaning and application. God’s Word, the Seed, proclaimed by a person will not always have a salvation result in its hearers. To some the Word of God passes them by for their heart is closed to things of God. When they hear His Word it has no meaning, no application, and no purpose. Though the person may be standing right in front of the proclaimer of God’s Word it is as if nothing is heard for they are stone deaf to it. We should not be shocked that this occurs no matter how eloquent and persuasive our speech for we were much like them until our ears were opened and our hearts softened to things of God. I have no idea how a person’s heart can be so stone-hard and their rejection of God’s Word so firm. The aspects of birds devouring, stony ground, and being choked out by thorns are pictures of how the Word of God has no effect or little to no effect or no lasting effect in the life of the hearer.

If no seed is planted how will anything ever grow? This is very clear and understandable. The results of growth after planting are surely not known at the time of planting. We must never look upon a person and make judgment on the type of soil their heart and mind. Plant we must. God’s Word is powerful and is able to produce a bountiful harvest in the most unlikely of the hearts of people.

11.w. “Kings they scoff, and at rulers they laugh and God says, “All your fortresses are like fig trees with first-ripe figs”

Nahum 3:12 All your fortresses are like fig trees with first-ripe figs— if shaken they fall into the mouth of the eater. Behold, your troops are women in your midst. The gates of your land are wide open to your enemies; fire has devoured your bars.

Habakkuk 1:10     At kings they scoff, and at rulers they laugh. They laugh at every fortress, for they pile up earth and take it.

Isaiah 19:16   In that day the Egyptians will be like women, and tremble with fear before the hand that the LORD of hosts shakes over them.

Jeremiah 51:30    The warriors of Babylon have ceased fighting; they remain in their strongholds; their strength has failed; they have become women; her dwellings are on fire; her bars are broken.

Psalms 107:16    For he shatters the doors of bronze and cuts in two the bars of iron.

Isaiah 45:1-2     Thus says the LORD to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have grasped, to subdue nations before him and to loose the belts of kings, to open doors before him that gates may not be closed: “I will go before you and level the exalted places, I will break in pieces the doors of bronze and cut through the bars of iron,

As people, we build fortresses around ourselves to protect us. The better the fortress the more secure we get the impression and sense of impregnable protection. We can see this in nations that build armies and weapons systems as virtual fortress walls of protection. We can see it in the ancient Walls of China. We can see it in security and alert systems. All of these virtual and physical “fortresses” are designed to give us peace of mind against the outbreak of wars, lawlessness, and other acts of violence. They have been needed and used since the fall of mankind. As individuals, we too, build fortresses. Our homes are protected by deterrents like door locks, deadbolts, security cameras, fences, walls, and alarm systems. These are designed to give us protection and warning against intruders, looters, and violence. Some will open carry or conceal and carry firearms where allowed. Their fortress is the firearm. We build other fortresses too. We build financial fortresses where we amass money/savings for security in the future. There are other items we buy and store to complete our fortress of security. Are they necessary? I would have to think it is. Until the return of Christ, there will continue to be those whose hearts and minds are bent on doing evil. They are intentional in this choice of sinful behavior. The problem with fortresses is we soon become more and more reliant in them. When this occurs our reliance and focuses on Jesus Christ seems to change. We rest in our fortress and confuse this needed safety with no need for Jesus Christ in our lives, we will fall to the belief that we have power, self-reliance, and self-security. Pride in our fortress replaces the need for Jesus Christ in our daily lives. The warnings given in scripture warn us against this potential pitfall. When we are secure in our fortress(es) more than our need for Jesus Christ we are open to all kinds of temptations of neglect and complacency of God’s Word, humble service, seeking His will, seeking His guidance, listening for His quiet small voice, following and obeying, trusting and relying on and in Jesus Christ. God has demonstrated and communicated His anger against all who rely more on their fortresses/pride/power than humbly serving, thanking, worshiping, praising, honoring, and glorifying Him. This goes for individuals and nations. He will break down the iron bars of our fortresses and show us how feeble our attempts are at self-security, self-reliance, and self-preservation. Fortresses are not bad but the reliance on them over Jesus Christ is very bad and leads to all kinds of sinful thoughts and actions.

11.v. ” If you will not listen, if you will not take it to heart to give honor to my name”

Nahum 3:5 Behold, I am against you, declares the Lord of hosts, and will lift up your skirts over your face; and I will make nations look at your nakedness and kingdoms at your shame. I will throw filth at you and treat you with contempt and make you a spectacle. And all who look at you will shrink from you and say, “Wasted is Nineveh; who will grieve for her?” Where shall I seek comforters for you?

Ezekiel 23:25  And I will direct my jealousy against you, that they may deal with you in fury. They shall cut off your nose and your ears, and your survivors shall fall by the sword. They shall seize your sons and your daughters, and your survivors shall be devoured by fire.

Jeremiah 13:22    And if you say in your heart, ‘Why have these things come upon me?’ it is for the greatness of your iniquity that your skirts are lifted up and you suffer violence.

Habakkuk 2:16     You will have your fill of shame instead of glory. Drink, yourself, and show your uncircumcision! The cup in the LORD’s right hand will come around to you, and utter shame will come upon your glory!

Malachi 2:2     If you will not listen, if you will not take it to heart to give honor to my name, says the LORD of hosts, then I will send the curse upon you and I will curse your blessings. Indeed, I have already cursed them, because you do not lay it to heart.

Malachi 2:9     and so I make you despised and abased before all the people, inasmuch as you do not keep my ways but show partiality in your instruction.”

Isaiah 14:16-19 Those who see you will stare at you and ponder over you: ‘Is this the man who made the earth tremble, who shook kingdoms,  who made the world like a desert and overthrew its cities, who did not let his prisoners go home?’  All the kings of the nations lie in glory, each in his own tomb;  but you are cast out, away from your grave, like a loathed branch, clothed with the slain, those pierced by the sword, who go down to the stones of the pit, like a dead body trampled underfoot.

“Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatever a man sows, that shall he also reap.” Do you ever wonder what is keeping God from just displaying the full force of His wrath and anger? It is His promise of redemption, not wishing any should perish but that all would come to the knowledge of salvation, forgiveness, and eternal life through Jesus Christ. His grace, mercy, and love are what keeps His wrath and anger at bay. It will not be like this forever. There is coming a time when He will call His children home to be with him forevermore. Then there will be a time of unleashing His wrath and anger and judgment. We see where He has felt with individuals, cities, and nations but a time is coming when it will be on all of those who have defied Him and His offer of salvation and forgiveness. A time is coming and when it comes it will not be compared to any other time in the history of mankind. Believing that it will not happen in your lifetime does not make it so. Believing you will, at some time in the future, make things right with God means you are choosing to deny Him right now. This choice has eternal consequences. Open your heart to the Good News message of Jesus Christ. You will find peace for your soul that you never thought possible, and a life with purpose, meaning, and eternal life with Jesus Christ.

10.w. “Your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.”

Micah 3:4 Then they will cry to the Lord, but he will not answer them; he will hide his face from them at that time, because they have made their deeds evil. Thus says the Lord concerning the prophets who lead my people astray, who cry “Peace” when they have something to eat, but declare war against him who puts nothing into their mouths. Therefore it shall be night to you, without vision, and darkness to you, without divination. The sun shall go down on the prophets, and the day shall be black over them; the seers shall be disgraced, and the diviners put to shame; they shall all cover their lips, for there is no answer from God.

Deuteronomy 31:17-18    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 devoured. And many evils and troubles will come upon them, so that they will say in that day, ‘Have not these evils come upon us because our God is not among us?’  And I will surely hide my face in that day because of all the evil that they have done, because they have turned to other gods.

Deuteronomy 32:19-20   “The LORD saw it and spurned them, because of the provocation of his sons and his daughters.  And he said, ‘I will hide my face from them; I will see what their end will be, for they are a perverse generation, children in whom is no faithfulness.

Isaiah 59:1-15    Behold, the LORD’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear dull, that it cannot hear;  but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.

How sad, terrible, and overwhelming to have God hide His face from His people? How big is the separation when there is no answer from God? When there is sin in our lives and in our nations and we have known what it means to seek and follower after God but have willfully chosen paths away from Him can we expect and answer from Him? The answer to this is yes and no. When we come to our senses like the prodigal son He is there with expectant arms wide open. It is in the time between our unfaithfulness and willing disobedience, and a drought of God’s Word in our life when we will find that it is not so much Him speaking into our lives but rather we are not listening. The worst part of this is that we choose to not listen and then wonder why, when troubles find their way into our lives, God does not seem to be anywhere near us. God orchestrates and/or allows troubles to come on individuals and nations. He has used these times to draw them back to Him, recognizes their sin, repents, and turns away from that which was appalling to obedience to Him. As a nation, we find ourselves in a time now that prudent minds would seek God with a humble heart. But this isn’t what we do, is it? We look to local, state, and federal governments to answer our questions and fix the troubles we are facing. Could it be that God is taking away (hopefully temporarily) that which we hold so dear in this world? I do know this unless we turn to Him with humbleness and repentant hearts our nation will go from worse to worse. Seek Him, dive deep into His Word, and open the ears to your hearts, minds, and souls.

9.v. “Because I will do this to you, prepare to meet your God,”

Amos 4:4 “Come to Bethel, and transgress; to Gilgal, and multiply transgression; bring your sacrifices every morning, your tithes every three days; offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving of that which is leavened, and proclaim freewill offerings, publish them; for so you love to do, O people of Israel!” declares the Lord God. “I gave you cleanness of teeth in all your cities, and lack of bread in all your places, yet you did not return to me,” declares the Lord. “I also withheld the rain from you when there were yet three months to the harvest; I would send rain on one city, and send no rain on another city; one field would have rain, and the field on which it did not rain would wither; so two or three cities would wander to another city to drink water, and would not be satisfied; yet you did not return to me,” declares the Lord. “I struck you with blight and mildew; your many gardens and your vineyards, your fig trees and your olive trees the locust devoured; yet you did not return to me,” declares the Lord. “I sent among you a pestilence after the manner of Egypt; I killed your young men with the sword, and carried away your horses, and I made the stench of your camp go up into your nostrils; yet you did not return to me,” declares the Lord. “I overthrew some of you, as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, and you were as a brand plucked out of the burning; yet you did not return to me,” declares the Lord. “Therefore thus I will do to you, O Israel; because I will do this to you, prepare to meet your God, O Israel!” For behold, he who forms the mountains and creates the wind, and declares to man what is his thought, who makes the morning darkness, and treads on the heights of the earth— the Lord, the God of hosts, is his name!

This is very breathtaking news that Amos was prophesying. God spoke to His people through Amos and proclaimed their sin and His actions that were intended to bring them back to Him. What does it say they did? “yet you did not return to Me”. Five times He reminded them that He was the one that was the author of the trial they were going through. Five separate times He caused trials to bring them back to Himself but they chose to remain oblivious to these trials coming from His hand. How many years did all of this transpire over and how many people allowed themselves to be led astray by the words of others who stood fast in their belief that God was not behind the calamities that they were experiencing? What need is there to come to God if He is not seen as the author of their trials? What need is there to acknowledge their sinful ways, repent and turn back to God? Belief, or the lack thereof, has a way of defining the way we see what is happening and how we live each day. Let it not be said of us “yet you did not return to me”

9.e. “When he calls to me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him.”

Joel 1:19 To you, O Lord, I call. For fire has devoured the pastures of the wilderness, and flame has burned all the trees of the field. Even the beasts of the field pant for you because the water brooks are dried up, and fire has devoured the pastures of the wilderness.

Psalms 50:15    and call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me.”

Psalms 91:15   When he calls to me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him.

Micah 7:7    But as for me, I will look to the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me.

Habakkuk 3:17-18     Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls,  yet I will rejoice in the LORD; I will take joy in the God of my salvation.

Luke 18:1     And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart

Luke 18:7   And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them?

Philippians 4:6-7     do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.  And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

The people of Judah are going through trouble, granted it is a consequence of their unrepentant hearts, but they are truly going through something terrible. We go through trials and troubles. Some of these are a result of the consequences of our doing and others because of the consequences of others. These all are known by God. There is no surprise to God and all of these trials and troubles should bring us humbly before God, calling on His name, expect deliverance, and glorify Him. What really happens and how do we react in times of trials and troubles? Do we run to Jesus Christ first or to something / somewhere else? Are you able to say in the midst of trials and troubles “yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation?” When things are going well are we rejoicing and glorifying Jesus? Or are we just living in the moment of the ease of life, not giving much thought or care to live humble serving, following, trusting, and obeying Jesus Christ? Do we need trials and troubles to bring us back to Jesus Christ? Do we need trials and troubles to reset our focus on what is truly important in life this side of eternity? Think about it. Do we seek and desire Jesus Christ’s influence and leading in our life more when things are going well or when things are upended? We do well to set Jesus Christ first in all things and at all times.