Deut 5-9

5.
God is merciful to all those who follow His commandments. He will bless them with long life (physical and eternal) and all will be well.

The Ten Commandments are reiterated again. The order of these commandments itself indicate how our relationships should be prioritised. The first four relate to our relationship with God, the next with Family, and then our relationships with others.

- Thou shalt not worship other gods.
- Thou shalt not make graven images and worship it.
- Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord in vain.
- Honour the Sabbath and keep it holy.
- Honour thy father and mother, so that your days will be prolonged and you will be blessed.
- Thou shalt not kill.
- Thou shalt not commit adultery.
- Thou shalt not steal.
- Thou shalt not bear false witness.
- Thou shalt not covet.

6.
These commandments, given to the Israelites and to us (who follow the Lord), is to guide us to fear, obey, and serve the Lord, so that our lives will be prosperous and be prolonged- not just on earth, but in heaven also. We should do what is right and good in His sight (and not according to our perceptions, which are often flawed and shortsighted), so that all will be well.

The Lord our God is the only one Lord, for there aren’t any other gods. And our love for the Lord should be wholehearted and committed- with all our heart, all our mind, and all our soul. We shouldn’t tempt Him. This is the primary command.

The Lord’s words should be constantly meditated upon and should accompany us at all times. He will give us possessions which we didn’t build, earn, or toil hard for: cities, riches, wells, and vineyards. But during that time of wealth and prosperity, we shouldn’t forget the Lord who brought us out of the bondage of sin and various difficult times, who fought for us against our enemies, and who gave us all these rich possessions.

7.
When the Lord fights for us, He doesn’t target and vanquish the weak enemies, but those who are stronger and mightier than us. And we aren’t to cower in fright or to sit somewhere, lazily watching the TV, but to go out into the battlefield and to fight with all gusto, knowing that He is supporting us. We shouldn’t ever fear our mighty enemies but remember about the Lord’s strength and how He has helped us so far.

There a bit of ecosystem wisdom (v.22): how the enemies aren’t dealt with at once, but gradually, so that the wild beasts mayn’t increase and attack us!

We shouldn’t stray from the Lord- for He has specifically chosen us as His holy and special people. He chose us not because of any special or strong traits which we had/have (for we have none!), but because He loved us and brought/redeemed us with a mighty hand. He is faithful and merciful to all who love Him. If we follow His commandments, He will love us, bless us, multiply us, and bless all our efforts. Enemies/problems are delivered into our hands so that we can obliterate them.

8.
God rescued us from the bondage and servitude (of sin) and brought us to freedom. This was no easy journey- for He led us through great and terrible wildernesses (with serpents and scorpions) and through lands of drought. Such a journey, if embarked by an individual, would result in an utter failure. However, God sustained us. In the case of the Israelites, He quenched their thirst by providing water out of a rock of flint, he effaced their hunger by feeding them with manna (the realisation that man cannot live by bread or by material goods alone but needs the Word in order to live (v.3)). During that time in the wilderness, their garments didn’t soil neither did the feet hurt with all the walking.

I am sure that, if we glance back at our life, we too have had many experiences which resonate with the Israelites’ journey and how God sustained us through these.

The 40 years of additional wandering in the wilderness was to humble us, to prove us, to know what was in our heart- whether we will follow His commandments or not. It was a time of chastening, a mandatory process which only serves to help later- but only a Father chastens his son. But He brings us to an excellent, well-watered, and fertile land (which lacks nothing), and we are showered with multiple blessings. But we can maintain these blessings only if we follow the Lord’s commandments, walk in His ways, and fear Him. We are warned not to forget God during the time of plenty, not to become proud, nor to think that we achieve fame/power because of our own talents. It is God who gives us power and might to amass wealth, and so we must praise Him when we partake in enjoying all these wealth/material goods.

Numbers 30, 32, 34; Deuteronomy 1-4

30.
There is a stress on the seriousness we should give to our vows to God.

32.
Following the Lord should be done wholeheartedly: this is exactly why Caleb and Joshua were blessed and were invested with God’s power, authority, and the land.

34.
Although God had given a certain inheritance to the Israelites, they never possessed it to the full extent, even during the Age of the Kings. Our inheritance is the promised eternal inheritance which can never perish, spoil, or fade.

Deuteronomy

1.
God faithfully keeps His promises. He had promised the land to the fathers, and not only does He do it, He has also multiplied them. Because of His faithfulness and integrity, we shouldn’t fear, neither be discouraged.

God is just. In fact, He tells the Israelites not to be respecters of persons, and that the large and the small should be treated equally.

In the case of the Israelites, God guided them through the wilderness, just like a father taking care of his son. He went before them, showing the way and finding the perfect and comfortable places to pitch their tents. Even in the wilderness, the Israelites lacked nothing because of God, who had also blessed the works of their hands. Yet, they repeatedly disobeyed and rebelled against God and His advices, with disastrous consequences. The fact remains that God knows the best way and we should obey Him wholeheartedly.

Sometimes, God’s will includes fighting with enemies- but we do so with His obvious encouragement, and thus we should never be discouraged or fearful. But in the Israelites’ dealings with the people of Seir, God advises them not to meddle with them and not to covet their lands, but to buy food and drink.

2.
We might expect a bed of roses with God on our side. It’s a far cry from that. We may expect to make friends and have people rejoice upon seeing us. But there are many who fear and tremble, and thus might try to sting us.

3.
Even when we have fearsome enemies and daunting problems, we needn’t fear- for the Lord will take care of us! This advice is given to Joshua who is told not to fear his mighty opponents, but to realise that the Lord will fight for them.
Now, having God fighting for us doesn’t mean sitting on an armchair and relaxing while He did the fighting- no, Joshua fought and the Lord worked His power through him.

4.
We are a chosen and great nation- for we have God close to us, we have the authority to call upon Him at any time, and we follow righteous commandments instituted by God.

Life (both physical and eternal) and the ability to possess and sustain blessings are ensured by following God’s commandments, taking care of our soul, and cleaving to Him. We shouldn’t amend the commandments according to our whims and fancies. God’s word is wisdom and understanding.

We shouldn’t make and worship graven images. Although this might not be generally applicable in the literal sense in the western world, this also means that we shouldn’t worship the modern graven images such as wealth, fame, power, and the like.

God has brought us out of the captivity of sin so that we will worship Him and claim inheritance. He has constantly appeared in our life so that we will believe in Him. If we seek the Lord, with all our heart and with all our soul, we will find Him. Even in times of trouble and persecution, if we remain obedient and turn to God (instead of turning to solutions which the human mind would ordinarily devise), He being merciful, will not forsake or destroy us, or forget the promise which He made to us. He is with us, so that we can overcome our problems and claim our rightful inheritance.

Numbers 21-29

21.

We always find the Israelites grumbling against God and Moses, especially during unsavoury stints in deserts, valleys, and wastelands. Although our lives may not feature such physical/geographical areas, we do have emotional/spiritual times of depression, troubles, unproductivity and separation from God.

In this chapter, the Israelites grumble and God sends fiery serpents which bites and kills many. When the people admitted their sins and asked for forgiveness, Moses intercedes for them. God commands him to make a fiery serpent (of brass) and hang it on a pole so that if anyone bitten by the snakes looks at it, they will live. The onus was on the people to look up at the brass serpent and claim healing. Jesus too was crucified for our sins (the fiery serpent of brass on the pole is symbolic of sin being nailed to the cross during Jesus’ crucifixion) - he died and resurrected. We should look at him, accept this sacrifice, and believe in him. We did not ask God for this, but He had mercy on us.

God gives them water to quench their thirst during their tough times in the desert- as for us, we should drink from the eternal waters which won’t make us thirsty ever again.

Despite God being with them, the Israelites had to go through problems. But God helped them to deal with it. Whoever came to fight against them were defeated.

This chapter refers to two (presumably lost?) books: book of the wars of the Lord (v. 14) and proverbs (v. 27).

22.

Balaam doesn’t seem to be a false prophet- for his divination was from God. However, he demanded fees for divination (v. 7) and is condemned in the NT for loving the wages of wickedness (2 Peter 2:15) and rushing for profit (Jude v.11). When the elders visited Balaam, he obeys God who tells him not to go. When the princes visit him with more rewards, God tells him to go with them if they come to call him. Nonetheless, Balaam gets up in the morning and leaves. Perhaps he misinterpreted God’s message, or maybe he thought that he was permitted to leave. In any case, God was angry with him since he left without being invited.

The faithful ass sees the angel standing against them and tries to deviate, and is treated badly by Balaam. This animal could see something which wise Balaam couldn’t.

The angel seems to be angry at the ill-treatment of the ass too! God does love animals!

Are we like Balaam when our determined plans meet obstacles? Are these posed by God because He doesn’t want us to take that route? Or is it an hindrance by the devil which we need to surmount? Pray!

23.

God’s words never change- neither does His blessings. No enchantment or divination will happen against us because God is with us.

24.

Balaam used to seek/practice enchantments/sorcery (which certainly doesn’t come from the Lord), but he decides not to do this against the Israelites since the Lord is with them. Thus Balaam conveys the Lord’s blessings, ‘Israel shall be like peaceful valleys, well-watered gardens, well-watered trees, and strong as unicorn’. He also prophesises about Jesus- the star coming out of Jacob, a scepter rising out of Israel, and a ruler coming out of Jacob.

25.

The Israelites again become unfaithful. They worshipped other Gods and were sexually depraved.

27.

Zelophehad’s daughters stood up for their rights. Thus, we too should courageously stand up and claim what’s ours. Instead of pooh-paahing their requests, Moses gave this true weightage.

Joshua is appointed as a shepherd of the flock, an authority given by God since he is willing, eager to serve Him, and an appropriate example to the flock.

My thoughts on: Exodus 14-20

15.

This very song of praise is sung in Revelations:
- In the impossible situation, when the Israelites faced annihilation, the Lord (the man of war) fought for them and threw the Egyptians (a mighty force- in strength, manpower, and military advancement, when compared to the Israelite slaves) into the sea.
- He (the Lord) is glorious.
- He is merciful.
- He guides us (the redeemed), accompanies us, and plants us in the appropriate place which He Himself has made for us to dwell in (the Sanctuary).
- He does wonders.
- He triumphs.
- He is our strength.
- He is our song.
- He is our salvation.
- He overthrows those that rise up against Him.

But the Israelites start grumbling again, when they reach the bitter waters of Marah after not finding water for three days. But the Lord uses a natural object (a tree’s bark) to transform the bitter water into a sweet one.

He also gives the following 3 guidelines for those who want prevention, healing, and deliverance from the plagues and diseases:-
- listen to His commandments,
- obey His commandments, and
- do what is right according to Lord’s views.

Then, they reach the very fertile Elim.

16.
Even though the Lord takes care of them, the Israelites persist in grumbling, especially when they reminiscence about the culinary delights at Egypt. The Lord listens to their grumblings, and sustains them in the desert, for 40 years, by sending the ‘daily bread’ (and not more) of manna and quails, of which only a specific amount should be collected (to see if the Israelites obey Him). More of Lord’s glory is shown to strengthen their faith.

The Lord takes care of our needs (spiritual, physical, and material), but provides only the essential amount of that which is absolutely indispensable, i.e He doesn’t give us more than we need. But even when times are tough, when our faith is buffeted, we should trust that He will provide for us- daily, monthly, and annually. In our lives, Jesus is our manna (as he says in John 6: 48-51).

17.
Again, the Israelites complain when they reach a droughty place. Water is provided out of a rock when it was smote with Moses’ staff.

The question is whether they should have complained? Should they have trusted that the Lord will provide?

The power of the staff/prayer is again demonstrated in Joshua’s battle against Amalek.

18.
Although he was not an Israelite, Jethro perceives God’s power, and makes burnt offerings. Jethro’s advices are heeded by Moses. Sometimes, God does use humans to guide us!

19.
God protects and delivered us. But if we obey and keep God’s commandments, He will:
- consider us as a peculiar treasure over all the inhabitants of the world. For the earth is the Lord’s.
- make us into a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation.

The Lord’s presence makes any place holy.

20.
God gives the Ten Commandments.
The first four commandments are about us loving the God who loves us. Our love for Him should be exclusive and reverential.

1. God delivered the Israelites out of slavery and a hopeless state (as for us, we have been delivered out of the slavery of sin and the disillusionment of a corporeal life). We should have no other gods apart from Him. Therefore, we should not worship other deities, nor should we have any influence/factors in our lives which occupies a higher position (than God).

2. We should not make any graven images (i.e any sculptures, resembling any object- alive or otherwise), worship (or even bow before it), or serve these. In our modern lives, we may not worship graven images, but their position might be occupied by anything (e.g. money, status) which we give much importance to.

3. We shouldn’t take the name of the Lord in vain (as someone who often exclaims ‘Oh my God’….. I feel quite guilty!).

4. We should remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy.

The next six commandments relate to our love for others- our parents, husbands/wives, and neighbours.

5. We should honour our father and mother, in order to get long life.

6. We should not murder.

7. We should not commit adultery.

8. We should not steal.

9. We should not give false witness.

10. We should not covet anything of anyone.

Jesus summarised the 10 commandments into two:
- Love the Lord,
- Love thy neighbour.