Read: Joshua 9:3-10:43; Luke 16:19-17:10; Psalm 83:1-18; Proverbs 13:4
The men of Gibeon deceived the Israelites into thinking they were from a land way beyond their boundaries so Israel would make a covenant of peace with them. Joshua should have asked the Lord if they should make a covenant with them, but he thought he could make one decision on his own. He did, and it was the wrong one. If he would have asked God, he would have told him the truth. Joshua made a covenant with them only to find out that they were the next towns on their path. Israel wanted to go kill them anyway but Joshua made them keep their covenant and instead made them servants of Israel. They would carry their water and chop down their wood.
When the five kings of the Amorites heard what the little towns had done, they set out to kill them. The Gibeonites sent messengers to Joshua to come and help them. They marched all night to Gibeon and then fought all day. As Israel was chasing them home, God threw huge hailstones at them and joined in the battle.
During that battle, Joshua asked God to stop the sun at noon and let it stay there so they could finish their war. God listen to Joshua and they had daylight for a whole day. They captured the five kings and hung them the next day and put them in a cave with rocks the opening. Sounds like Satan got so mad at God for taking his main leaders and did the same to God’s son when he came. Satan is never original, he copies God.
Joshua led his army to Lachish, Eglon, Hebron, and Debir, destoying their cities, killing their kings and leaving no survivors. Joshua did exactly what God told him to do.
In Luke, Jesus tells a parable about a rich man who enjoyed his wealth while a beggar sat outside his house suffering and hungry. They both died. The beggar was taken by angels to heaven while the rich man was buried in the ground. The rich man begged for Lazareth to bring a drop of water to soothe his thirst. Their roles were completely reversed in death. The beggar became the king and the rich man - the beggar.
Jesus went on to talk about forgiveness. He explained that the Pharisees and religious leaders were trying so hard to do the tangible things in their law while forgetting the matters of the heart like forgiveness. Obeying their laws were what a servant was required to do and it would not make them worthy to get to heaven. Heaven is a matter of the heart.
Lord, help us to guard our hearts and choose forgiveness rather than revenge. Remind us that we can’t do anything on our own but your wisdom and guidance is available to us for the asking.
Sunday, April 14, 2019
Saturday, April 13, 2019
Sat.’s Devo - The Love of Money
Read: Joshua 7:16-9:2; Luke 16:1-18; Psalm 82:1-8; Provers 13:2-3
Be sure your sins will find you out. Achan found out the hard way. He coveted a robe, some gold and silver of the spoil of Jericho and it cost him his life and the lives of his family. His sin caused 36 men to die needlessly. Once Joshua dealt with the sin in the camp, they could take the city and hang the king. Remember that these cities are spiritual strongholds that have to come down. They stand for the “giants in the land of our soul”. The king stands for the principality.
In Luke, Jesus dealt with the love of money also. He told a parable about an unrighteous money manager who was about to be fired by his boss. The manager realized he had a few more days in his job so he quickly went out and cut in half the debts of those who owed his boss money. He hoped that when he got fired, these people would be kind to him; he was buying their favor. The boss found out about it and commended him for his shrewdness.
The boss stood for God and the man was the Pharisees. They had used God’s money and their position for their own gain. They needed to wake up and see that their time was running out and they needed to do something to redeem themselves like this man did. It still seems wrong to cut the debt in half but for once his selfishness was helping the poor and helpless.
Jesus explained that worldly wealth is for us to help others on earth because when you leave you can’t take it with you. If God can trust us to handle money on earth then he can trust us with the true riches of his Word.
Jesus added that a man who puts his wife away and doesn’t divorce her legally makes her and him commit adultery if they want to remarry. This is a strange thing to say here but what he was referring to was the new covenant he was bringing. They were married to the law through Moses. They had to divorce that old covenant to receive a new one or they would be committing spiritual adultery. Romans 7 explains this in detail.
Lord, help us to be trustworthy in all we do naturally and spiritually. Thank you for the new covenant of grace and power.
Be sure your sins will find you out. Achan found out the hard way. He coveted a robe, some gold and silver of the spoil of Jericho and it cost him his life and the lives of his family. His sin caused 36 men to die needlessly. Once Joshua dealt with the sin in the camp, they could take the city and hang the king. Remember that these cities are spiritual strongholds that have to come down. They stand for the “giants in the land of our soul”. The king stands for the principality.
In Luke, Jesus dealt with the love of money also. He told a parable about an unrighteous money manager who was about to be fired by his boss. The manager realized he had a few more days in his job so he quickly went out and cut in half the debts of those who owed his boss money. He hoped that when he got fired, these people would be kind to him; he was buying their favor. The boss found out about it and commended him for his shrewdness.
The boss stood for God and the man was the Pharisees. They had used God’s money and their position for their own gain. They needed to wake up and see that their time was running out and they needed to do something to redeem themselves like this man did. It still seems wrong to cut the debt in half but for once his selfishness was helping the poor and helpless.
Jesus explained that worldly wealth is for us to help others on earth because when you leave you can’t take it with you. If God can trust us to handle money on earth then he can trust us with the true riches of his Word.
Jesus added that a man who puts his wife away and doesn’t divorce her legally makes her and him commit adultery if they want to remarry. This is a strange thing to say here but what he was referring to was the new covenant he was bringing. They were married to the law through Moses. They had to divorce that old covenant to receive a new one or they would be committing spiritual adultery. Romans 7 explains this in detail.
Lord, help us to be trustworthy in all we do naturally and spiritually. Thank you for the new covenant of grace and power.
Friday, April 12, 2019
Fri.’s Devo - Jericho
Read: Joshua 5:1-7:15; Luke 15:1-32; Psalm 81:1-16; Provers 13:1
The kings of the Amorites heard of what God did at the Jordan River for the Israelites and they fell into fear and depression.
The Israelites were finally going to get to enter into the land they had spent their lives traveling to. God said it was time to circumcise the people since most of them were born after the last circumcision party. They named that place, “the hill of the foreskins” giving us a picture of what it looked like. This was a picture of Calvary. Jesus blood was shed on a hill. Now that they had received a type of salvation, they could cross over the Jordan River into the promises of God.
After the men were circumcised, it was Passover, the 14th of Nisan, the day Jesus died. They ate unleavened bread the next day, then on First fruits they only ate the produce of the land and the manna ended.
Joshua met a scout in God’s army who had come to recon the area to come up with a battle plan. God gave the plan to Joshua. He was to march the people quietly around the walls of Jericho, with the priest carrying the ark leading the procession. On the seventh day they were to walk around the city seven times and blow trumpets and shout. I can’t imagine the fear building up in the people’s hearts especially on the last day when they kept circling around the city. When they shouted, the walls came down and the people were destroyed except for Rahab and her family. God asked that the spoil of this city be given to him. This was the tithe offering. Achan, from the tribe of Judah, coveted some of the things they took from Jericho and hid them. They didn’t find out till they lost the next battle which was a very small city that should have been easy to take. When Joshua complained to the Lord, he told them why they had not succeeded. God told them to bring the tribes before him and he would chose the one who was guilty.
God also pronounced a curse on anyone who would try to rebuild Jericho. When that person laid its foundation, it would cost him his firstborn and when he put up the gates, it would cost him his youngest son.
I was told by our guide in Jerusalem that recently a wealthy man wanted to rebuild Jericho. He had three sons and when he laid the foundation, his firstborn son died. His youngest son begged him to stop building and he did. In 1 Kings 16:34 the same thing happened when Hiel went to build Jericho. He lost both sons.
God’s Word never “times out”!
In Luke, Jesus gives the parable of the prodigal son to explain to them why he ate and hung out with sinners. God doesn’t judge us by our wealth, clothes, or IQ. He created us and loves us all the same. It is the ones that stray that God has to go after and help, but he loves those who choose to stay close also. God doesn’t judge like we do with our natural eyes; God judges with his spiritual eyes that see down into the depths of our hearts.
Lord, thank you for your lovingkindness. You love us no matter how dirty or poor we are. You lift us out of the mud and wash us and make us righteous because of your blood.
The kings of the Amorites heard of what God did at the Jordan River for the Israelites and they fell into fear and depression.
The Israelites were finally going to get to enter into the land they had spent their lives traveling to. God said it was time to circumcise the people since most of them were born after the last circumcision party. They named that place, “the hill of the foreskins” giving us a picture of what it looked like. This was a picture of Calvary. Jesus blood was shed on a hill. Now that they had received a type of salvation, they could cross over the Jordan River into the promises of God.
After the men were circumcised, it was Passover, the 14th of Nisan, the day Jesus died. They ate unleavened bread the next day, then on First fruits they only ate the produce of the land and the manna ended.
Joshua met a scout in God’s army who had come to recon the area to come up with a battle plan. God gave the plan to Joshua. He was to march the people quietly around the walls of Jericho, with the priest carrying the ark leading the procession. On the seventh day they were to walk around the city seven times and blow trumpets and shout. I can’t imagine the fear building up in the people’s hearts especially on the last day when they kept circling around the city. When they shouted, the walls came down and the people were destroyed except for Rahab and her family. God asked that the spoil of this city be given to him. This was the tithe offering. Achan, from the tribe of Judah, coveted some of the things they took from Jericho and hid them. They didn’t find out till they lost the next battle which was a very small city that should have been easy to take. When Joshua complained to the Lord, he told them why they had not succeeded. God told them to bring the tribes before him and he would chose the one who was guilty.
God also pronounced a curse on anyone who would try to rebuild Jericho. When that person laid its foundation, it would cost him his firstborn and when he put up the gates, it would cost him his youngest son.
I was told by our guide in Jerusalem that recently a wealthy man wanted to rebuild Jericho. He had three sons and when he laid the foundation, his firstborn son died. His youngest son begged him to stop building and he did. In 1 Kings 16:34 the same thing happened when Hiel went to build Jericho. He lost both sons.
God’s Word never “times out”!
In Luke, Jesus gives the parable of the prodigal son to explain to them why he ate and hung out with sinners. God doesn’t judge us by our wealth, clothes, or IQ. He created us and loves us all the same. It is the ones that stray that God has to go after and help, but he loves those who choose to stay close also. God doesn’t judge like we do with our natural eyes; God judges with his spiritual eyes that see down into the depths of our hearts.
Lord, thank you for your lovingkindness. You love us no matter how dirty or poor we are. You lift us out of the mud and wash us and make us righteous because of your blood.
Thursday, April 11, 2019
Thurs.’s Devo - Crossing Jordan
Read: Joshua 3:1-4:24; Luke 14:7-35; Psalm 80:1-19; Proverbs 12:27-28
It was the day they were going to cross the Jordan River. It was the time of the year in which the river was overflowing its banks. God loves to show himself strong in the midst of impossible situations.
Joshua told the leaders of the tribes to come to the front and wait for the priest who were carrying the ark to go first. They were to stay a thousand yards behind the priests. When the priests feet stepped into the water the water would stop flowing and stand up like a wall upstream. All the nations who had spies watching would see the power of their god and be afraid. Also, the Israelites would recognize that God was exalting Joshua to be their leader.
When the priest got in the middle of the Jordan they stood and waited as the rest of Israel crossed. Each tribal leader was to pick up a stone out of the floor of the Jordan and carry it to the other side. It would stand as a memorial for generations to come. As soon as the priests stepped onto the other side of the Jordan, it burst forth with water.
God was teaching them to have memorials to remember what God had done for them in the past. We should do the same by writing down things the Lord does for us so we can leave it for our children’s children to read.
In Luke, Jesus was at the home of a Pharisee and he noticed how they fought for the important seats. Jesus told them that it would go better for them if they chose to let someone else give them that position other than themselves It might backfire if they exalted themselves.
Then, Jesus told a parable about a person giving the party and said that instead of inviting those that could reciprocate, he should ask those who can’t. He told another parable about a man who had a wedding feast and everyone of his friends that he invited had excuses why they couldn’t come. He went out and invited the poor and outcasts of society to fill their seats.
All of Jesus parables were teaching so much more than humility and honor. They were showing the Pharisees what God was doing in their generation. They had spent their lives trying to exalt themselves in front of man. They had invited the elite of society to be their priests and be a part of their religion, while making the rest of the people feel like outcasts. Because of their blindness about spiritual things, they would miss their invitation and it would be given to the very people the Pharisees thought were unworthy.
It was the day they were going to cross the Jordan River. It was the time of the year in which the river was overflowing its banks. God loves to show himself strong in the midst of impossible situations.
Joshua told the leaders of the tribes to come to the front and wait for the priest who were carrying the ark to go first. They were to stay a thousand yards behind the priests. When the priests feet stepped into the water the water would stop flowing and stand up like a wall upstream. All the nations who had spies watching would see the power of their god and be afraid. Also, the Israelites would recognize that God was exalting Joshua to be their leader.
When the priest got in the middle of the Jordan they stood and waited as the rest of Israel crossed. Each tribal leader was to pick up a stone out of the floor of the Jordan and carry it to the other side. It would stand as a memorial for generations to come. As soon as the priests stepped onto the other side of the Jordan, it burst forth with water.
God was teaching them to have memorials to remember what God had done for them in the past. We should do the same by writing down things the Lord does for us so we can leave it for our children’s children to read.
In Luke, Jesus was at the home of a Pharisee and he noticed how they fought for the important seats. Jesus told them that it would go better for them if they chose to let someone else give them that position other than themselves It might backfire if they exalted themselves.
Then, Jesus told a parable about a person giving the party and said that instead of inviting those that could reciprocate, he should ask those who can’t. He told another parable about a man who had a wedding feast and everyone of his friends that he invited had excuses why they couldn’t come. He went out and invited the poor and outcasts of society to fill their seats.
All of Jesus parables were teaching so much more than humility and honor. They were showing the Pharisees what God was doing in their generation. They had spent their lives trying to exalt themselves in front of man. They had invited the elite of society to be their priests and be a part of their religion, while making the rest of the people feel like outcasts. Because of their blindness about spiritual things, they would miss their invitation and it would be given to the very people the Pharisees thought were unworthy.
Wednesday, April 10, 2019
Wed.’s Devo - Moses Dies and Joshua Leads
Read: Deuteronomy 14:1-Joshua 2:24; Luke 13:22-14:6; Psalm 79:1-13; Proverbs 12:26
Three times it tells us that Moses died at 120 years of age. Every number in the Bible is significant. Moses was given the law on the first official Pentecost and there were 120 followers in the upper room when the Holy Spirit fell on them on the fulfillment of Pentecost in Acts.
Moses’ eyes hadn’t weakened or his natural strength diminished when God took him. Jude 9 tells us that the archangel, Michael contended with the devil over the body of Moses. We know that Michael won because we see his body reappear on the Mt. of Transfiguration in Matthew 17:2. There has never been a prophet like Moses who talked to God face to face.
God told Joshua it was time to step up and lead the people into the promised land. He reminded them of their borders and told him to be strong and courageous. He would be with him just like he was with Moses. That is our promise. We can remind ourselves that God is with us the same way he was with our greatest hero of the faith. God pours himself out without measure.
Joshua told the people to prepare provisions, because in three days they were going to cross the Jordan. He secretly sent out two men to spy out the land. He probably remembered that Moses sent out 12 and only two, himself one of them, came back with a good report, so he wasn’t going to take the chance of that. He sent only two! They went to stay at the house of Rehab the harlot. She told them of the fear her people had about them. She hid them and kept them from being arrested and killed. For payment she asked that her household be saved when they came and took the city. The spies agreed if she would use the same scarlet thread that they escaped on to hang outside her window they would be saved. She told the men to hide in the field for three days. The spies returned with their good news on the very day Joshua told the people to be ready to move.
In Luke, Jesus was asked if only a few would be saved. He said that the way was narrow and once the door was shut, no one would be able to get in even though they would beat on the door. This reminds me of Noah and the people of his day. They didn’t want to have anything to do with him while he was building the ark but once the storm came down, they all wanted in. It was too late and the door was shut.
Jesus said that the people would be surprised at the ones who God saved and promoted in his kingdom. The Pharisees didn’t like the sound of that because they did everything to let the people know how holy they were and how they would have the most important places in heaven.
The Pharisees tried to drive Jesus out of their town with threats of what Herod would do to him. Jesus couldn’t be intimidated but he was leaving because he had to die in Jerusalem where they killed all the other prophets.
Lord, your plan has been established from the beginning of time and all our days have been appointed. What do we have to be afraid of! You are in control!
Three times it tells us that Moses died at 120 years of age. Every number in the Bible is significant. Moses was given the law on the first official Pentecost and there were 120 followers in the upper room when the Holy Spirit fell on them on the fulfillment of Pentecost in Acts.
Moses’ eyes hadn’t weakened or his natural strength diminished when God took him. Jude 9 tells us that the archangel, Michael contended with the devil over the body of Moses. We know that Michael won because we see his body reappear on the Mt. of Transfiguration in Matthew 17:2. There has never been a prophet like Moses who talked to God face to face.
God told Joshua it was time to step up and lead the people into the promised land. He reminded them of their borders and told him to be strong and courageous. He would be with him just like he was with Moses. That is our promise. We can remind ourselves that God is with us the same way he was with our greatest hero of the faith. God pours himself out without measure.
Joshua told the people to prepare provisions, because in three days they were going to cross the Jordan. He secretly sent out two men to spy out the land. He probably remembered that Moses sent out 12 and only two, himself one of them, came back with a good report, so he wasn’t going to take the chance of that. He sent only two! They went to stay at the house of Rehab the harlot. She told them of the fear her people had about them. She hid them and kept them from being arrested and killed. For payment she asked that her household be saved when they came and took the city. The spies agreed if she would use the same scarlet thread that they escaped on to hang outside her window they would be saved. She told the men to hide in the field for three days. The spies returned with their good news on the very day Joshua told the people to be ready to move.
In Luke, Jesus was asked if only a few would be saved. He said that the way was narrow and once the door was shut, no one would be able to get in even though they would beat on the door. This reminds me of Noah and the people of his day. They didn’t want to have anything to do with him while he was building the ark but once the storm came down, they all wanted in. It was too late and the door was shut.
Jesus said that the people would be surprised at the ones who God saved and promoted in his kingdom. The Pharisees didn’t like the sound of that because they did everything to let the people know how holy they were and how they would have the most important places in heaven.
The Pharisees tried to drive Jesus out of their town with threats of what Herod would do to him. Jesus couldn’t be intimidated but he was leaving because he had to die in Jerusalem where they killed all the other prophets.
Lord, your plan has been established from the beginning of time and all our days have been appointed. What do we have to be afraid of! You are in control!
Tuesday, April 9, 2019
Tues.’s Devo - The Blessings of the Tribes
Read: Deuteronomy 33:1-29; Luke 13:1-21; Psalm 78:65-72; Proverbs 12:25
Moses blessed the people but first he made sure that they knew that it was God who was their king who had brought them from Egypt to where they were now. The blessings he gave them complement the ones that Jacob gave his sons in Genesis 49. I noticed that Issachar was left out of Moses’ blessing and I have no idea why. In 1 Chronicles 12 we have the tribes listed and a description of their gifts. Of Issachar, it says in verse 32 that they were men that had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do. In other words, they understood what time they were living in and what God was doing then. Every Christian is a member of a tribe and they bear the gifts of that tribe. It helps to understand what tribe you are in so that you will know what your mission is. If you don’t know, ask God; he will show you.
In Luke, men brought news to Jesus of the violent deaths some of the Galileans had died of. Jesus reminded them of the 18 men who had died when the tower at Shiloh had fallen. He kept bringing them back to their lives. These people died a horrible death, but instead of dwelling on their death, they needed to pay attention to their own lives. Death will be their fate one day so they needed to pay attention to where they would spend the after life.
Jesus gave them a parable showing them how God looked at these people’s death. These men where like a fig tree planted in the vineyard. When they didn’t bear fruit, God cultivated their hearts and gave them one more year to repent and bear fruit.
He demonstrated this in his next miracle. A woman came to him who had a spirit of weakness. Because she humbled herself, Jesus set her free and caused her to stand straight and be able to walk in freedom.
The president of the synagogue, who represents the fig tree who refused to bear fruit, stood up and was indignant that Jesus would heal on the Sabbath. He was really indignant that Jesus would heal a woman who he didn’t think had worth and that Jesus could do what he couldn’t. Jesus called him a hypocrite and told him why. Jesus explained that the man unloosed his donkey on the Sabbath and He was unloosing a woman who was a daughter of Abraham which was so much more important than his donkey. Jesus was right when he said that the religious leaders strained at a gnat and swallowed a camel.
Lord, help us to see beyond our natural reasoning to see the kingdom of heaven. Let us be motivated by love and compassion.
Moses blessed the people but first he made sure that they knew that it was God who was their king who had brought them from Egypt to where they were now. The blessings he gave them complement the ones that Jacob gave his sons in Genesis 49. I noticed that Issachar was left out of Moses’ blessing and I have no idea why. In 1 Chronicles 12 we have the tribes listed and a description of their gifts. Of Issachar, it says in verse 32 that they were men that had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do. In other words, they understood what time they were living in and what God was doing then. Every Christian is a member of a tribe and they bear the gifts of that tribe. It helps to understand what tribe you are in so that you will know what your mission is. If you don’t know, ask God; he will show you.
In Luke, men brought news to Jesus of the violent deaths some of the Galileans had died of. Jesus reminded them of the 18 men who had died when the tower at Shiloh had fallen. He kept bringing them back to their lives. These people died a horrible death, but instead of dwelling on their death, they needed to pay attention to their own lives. Death will be their fate one day so they needed to pay attention to where they would spend the after life.
Jesus gave them a parable showing them how God looked at these people’s death. These men where like a fig tree planted in the vineyard. When they didn’t bear fruit, God cultivated their hearts and gave them one more year to repent and bear fruit.
He demonstrated this in his next miracle. A woman came to him who had a spirit of weakness. Because she humbled herself, Jesus set her free and caused her to stand straight and be able to walk in freedom.
The president of the synagogue, who represents the fig tree who refused to bear fruit, stood up and was indignant that Jesus would heal on the Sabbath. He was really indignant that Jesus would heal a woman who he didn’t think had worth and that Jesus could do what he couldn’t. Jesus called him a hypocrite and told him why. Jesus explained that the man unloosed his donkey on the Sabbath and He was unloosing a woman who was a daughter of Abraham which was so much more important than his donkey. Jesus was right when he said that the religious leaders strained at a gnat and swallowed a camel.
Lord, help us to see beyond our natural reasoning to see the kingdom of heaven. Let us be motivated by love and compassion.
Monday, April 8, 2019
Mon.’s Devo - Moses’ Last Words
Read: Deuteronomy 32:28-52; Luke 12:35-59; Psalm 78:56-64; Proverbs 12:24
Moses ended his song with hope even though the song is mostly filled with doom and destruction because of their disobedience. He called them senseless people with no discernment. He promised them that he would one day judge their sins and have compassion on those who had ruled over them. He would use their enemies to discipline them. God would kill and destroy that he might resurrect and redeem a people that loved him. Then he would take vengeance on their enemies and avenge the blood of their people.
Moses and Joshua stood together and said all God’s words to the people. Moses urged them that these were not just words but they were their life. Obeying them will cause them to live long in the land.
After Moses had delivered his speech, he went up on Mt. Nebo to view the land of Canaan. Because he struck the rock instead of speaking to it and ruined the picture God was going to use to teach his ways, Moses would not be able to enter the land he had spent over forty years traveling to. The cost of disobedience is high and God wanted the people to see that. God is no respecter of persons, he is a holy God.
In Luke, Jesus was talking in riddles about his second coming and the rapture. The rapture of the church takes place before the wedding. The second and third watch have to do with the other seasons when God will gather his people up. God has three great harvest times. The first is the barley harvest which happens around Passover, Unleavened Bread and First fruits. The church will be taken to be the bride and go to the wedding. The second harvest is at Pentecost when the 144,000 Jews will be martyred for their new faith in the Lord. That will be the ingathering at the wheat harvest. The last watch or harvest will be in the fall at the Feast of Trumpets when Jesus will come through the clouds with the saints and gather the last of the fruit into the barns. The fruit harvest is the grapes and the olives. They will go through the winepress of persecution.
Jesus is not the thief in verse 39; Satan is the thief. The day of the Lord is the last day when the world will be judged. The thief will break into their houses and destroy. First Thessalonians 5:4 says, “But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.” His warning is to stay awake and doing his will, gladly anticipating his return.
Jesus came to bring fire to the earth and kindle an unquenchable thirst and hunger for him. This fire is not compatible with evil or complacency.
Lord, help us to keep our lamps full of the Holy Spirit and fire. May we not get weary in waiting for your return.
Moses ended his song with hope even though the song is mostly filled with doom and destruction because of their disobedience. He called them senseless people with no discernment. He promised them that he would one day judge their sins and have compassion on those who had ruled over them. He would use their enemies to discipline them. God would kill and destroy that he might resurrect and redeem a people that loved him. Then he would take vengeance on their enemies and avenge the blood of their people.
Moses and Joshua stood together and said all God’s words to the people. Moses urged them that these were not just words but they were their life. Obeying them will cause them to live long in the land.
After Moses had delivered his speech, he went up on Mt. Nebo to view the land of Canaan. Because he struck the rock instead of speaking to it and ruined the picture God was going to use to teach his ways, Moses would not be able to enter the land he had spent over forty years traveling to. The cost of disobedience is high and God wanted the people to see that. God is no respecter of persons, he is a holy God.
In Luke, Jesus was talking in riddles about his second coming and the rapture. The rapture of the church takes place before the wedding. The second and third watch have to do with the other seasons when God will gather his people up. God has three great harvest times. The first is the barley harvest which happens around Passover, Unleavened Bread and First fruits. The church will be taken to be the bride and go to the wedding. The second harvest is at Pentecost when the 144,000 Jews will be martyred for their new faith in the Lord. That will be the ingathering at the wheat harvest. The last watch or harvest will be in the fall at the Feast of Trumpets when Jesus will come through the clouds with the saints and gather the last of the fruit into the barns. The fruit harvest is the grapes and the olives. They will go through the winepress of persecution.
Jesus is not the thief in verse 39; Satan is the thief. The day of the Lord is the last day when the world will be judged. The thief will break into their houses and destroy. First Thessalonians 5:4 says, “But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.” His warning is to stay awake and doing his will, gladly anticipating his return.
Jesus came to bring fire to the earth and kindle an unquenchable thirst and hunger for him. This fire is not compatible with evil or complacency.
Lord, help us to keep our lamps full of the Holy Spirit and fire. May we not get weary in waiting for your return.
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