Fri.’s Devo - A Witness

Read: Joshua 22:21-23:16; Luke 20:P27-47; Psalm 89:14-37; Proverbs 13:17-19 The people of Reuben, Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh had been accused of setting up a pagan altar to worship other gods. They finally got to explain that it was not an altar to offer sacrifices but a memorial to remind them and the other tribes that they were part of Israel and worshiped the same god they did. Once Eleazar the priest heard their explanation he was satisfied as well as Joshua and the other tribal leaders. They named the memorial “Witness” because it was a witness between the tribes on the west side of the Jordan and the tribes on the east side of the Jordan that the Lord is their God too. *** Joshua became old and knew he was soon going to die so he called all the elders, leaders, judges and officers to him to have one last meeting. He reminded them of all God had done for them and why. He warned them to obey all the things Moses wrote in the Book of Instruction and not to deviate one iota. He told them not to even mention the names of their gods, much less swear by them and serve them or worship them. He reminded them how the Lord drove out the enemies before them and would continue to do so. All the promises that God gave them had come true. But also, everything he promised for the bad would also happen if they turned away. *** Jesus was approached by the Sadducees who didn’t believe in the resurrection. They asked him an off-handed question to trick him. He saw straight through it and proved to them that there was a resurrection, gaining the respect of the Pharisees who believed in the resurrection. Then he proved that the Messiah was not the son of David but the Lord of David. He was constantly schooling the professors of the day which made them so mad. *** He confronted them openly with their hypocrisy. Today he pointed out how they loved to look important and pious when they were really cheating widows out of their property while covering it up with long prayers in public to look good. He wanted them to know that they didn’t look good in heaven and they wouldn’t get away with it in the resurrection. *** Lord, help us to remember all the promises you have fulfilled in our lifetime. Thank you for all the witnesses we have in our lives to remind us of your faithfulness and goodness.