Pastor’s Bible Reading Schedule:
Numbers 31-33
As Israel stood at the edge of the Jordan River across from Jericho, their history in the wilderness closed with a summary of their wanderings. The list of places where they had traveled brought back memories of God’s sustaining grace and power. The people rarely responded with gratitude fit for the occasion but instead often complained of the conditions of their desert wanderings. This is so familiar with how we approach life and the graciousness of God toward us.
Scripture makes clear, however, that authority is never given so that a person can abuse or neglect someone else. In Scripture, authority is given only so the person in authority can exercise his authority for the benefit of the people under him. All authority is to be benevolent authority, and it is to be submissive to the needs of those under him. At the same time, the person in authority is not free to disregard the authority of the people over him. The first creates tyranny while the second creates anarchy. Only the biblical balance works. The person under authority must, of course, disobey if the authority asks him to do something contrary to God’s ordained law as outlined in His Holy Word.
Israel departed from Egypt a day following the first Passover in full view of all the Egyptians. Even then, Israel was a conquering nation whose destination was elsewhere. God also brought judgment on the Egyptian gods. The Lord shamed the gods who were supposed to protect Egypt. God will do the same thing today with the false gods around us in America. The problem among Christians is, that too many of them are worshipping them alongside the world. We must learn to be distinctly different from the world.
The Lord instructed Moses to tell the Israelites to destroy the depraved Canaanites in a campaign that would lead them to conquer the promised land. With all their cult images and seductive sexual ceremonies, the Canaanites were a threat to the pure worship of the Lord. Therefore, they had to drive the Canaanites out of the land. God particularly commanded them to destroy all images or idols and to obliterate any sign of the Canaanite religion.
In a final warning, the Lord predicted what would happen if they failed to drive out the inhabitants of the land. The pagan Canaanites would surely erode Israel’s spiritual distinctives and ultimately destroy it. When Israel later succumbed, the Lord subjected them to a fate similar to what was supposed to happen to the Canaanites. May we as Christians in America heed the same warning!
Prayer Requests:
Personal
- Lord, please help me to demonstrate gratitude for the blessings and privilege of living in America.
- Lord, please help me to take the material blessings and use them for your glory and not be entangled with the false worship of stuff.
- Lord, please help me to stand in contrast to a world who worships money and fame.
Political
- Representative Tyrone Carter – District 6 – Detroit
- Representative Brenda Carter – District 29 – Sylvan Lake
- Senator Stephanie Chang – District 1 – Detroit