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.

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.

Psalm 121

This psalm is meant to be recited before embarking on a journey.

1I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.

This can interpreted in two ways:

- I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills. Where will my help come from? Will the mountains give me safety?

- I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from where my help comes (allusion to Horeb from where God communicated with Moses?)

One must place trust in the Lord and not on humans. The psalmist who doesn’t talk about lifting his eyes towards the king or the temple, but towards the Lord.

2My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.

It is the powerful Lord (the creator of heaven and earth) who helps me. A nondescript human is helped by none other than the maker of heaven and earth! How much more protected can one be?

3He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber.

The Lord will not permit your foot to waver in any circumstances. He will keep you strong, and will guide you. The Lord is your keeper (He is your guardian)- He will not fall asleep.

4Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.

The guardian of Israel shall neither take a nap or sleep. He is always vigilant.

5The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand.

The Lord is physically very close to you- He is as close as your shadow; Shade can also imply a spiritual being = so, it could mean that He is present next to you.

6The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.

The Lord’s presence ensures that you won’t be harmed by the sun, or by the moon.

7The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul.

The Lord shall preserve you from all evil. He will take care of your soul (which is far much more important)

8The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.

The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in, from today and forever.