Saturday, March 24, 2018

Sat.’s Devo - Warfare and Truth

Read: Deuteronomy 2:1-3:29; Luke 6:12-38; Psalm 67:1-7; Proverbs 11:27
The Israelites had to pass through the land of Esau and God told them not to engage them in war because he had given that land to them. They were to pay them in silver for all the food and water they took from the land. God had helped the descendants of Esau drive out the giants from their land just as he would help the Israelites drive out the giants from their land.
God also told them not to engage the Ammonites in battle or take their land because that was the land he had given to the descendants of Lot.
But, when they came to the land of the Amorites, they were to engage them in battle and take their land. They took the land of Heshbon where Sihon was king, then the land of Bashan where Og was king. These were all giants. Og’s bed was thirteen feet long and six feet wide! Moses gave their land to the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh. They liked that land so much they asked to have that for their inheritance instead of land in Canaan.
Moses’ time was almost over so he encouraged Joshua that God would do to the kings in Canaan what he did to Sihon and Og. Moses was only allowed to go up on the mountain and look at the promised land before he was taken. He was not allowed to go in and walk on it because of his disobedience.
In Luke, Jesus began his most famous sermon we call the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus’ teaching was so radical to the teaching of the Pharisees. They taught that the wealthier you were meant that God was most pleased with you. Jesus taught that you were blessed if you were poor and that the kingdom of heaven was yours. The Pharisees did everything they could to alienate the people from God and Jesus taught that God wanted to be near them no matter who they were. They taught a religion of hopelessness and rules and Jesus taught of love and acceptance and forgiveness.

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