Heeding God's Warnings (Deut. 31:14-22)

7/16/2009 10:33 AM

 

SPIRITUAL DIARY

 

My Worship Time                                        Focus:  Heeding God’s warnings

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                        Reference:  Deut. 31:14-22

 

            Message of the verses:  “14 ¶  Then the LORD said to Moses, "Behold, the time for you to die is near; call Joshua, and present yourselves at the tent of meeting, that I may commission him." So Moses and Joshua went and presented themselves at the tent of meeting. 15  The LORD appeared in the tent in a pillar of cloud, and the pillar of cloud stood at the doorway of the tent. 16  The LORD said to Moses, "Behold, you are about to lie down with your fathers; and this people will arise and play the harlot with the strange gods of the land, into the midst of which they are going, and will forsake Me and break My covenant which I have made with them. 17  "Then My anger will be kindled against them in that day, and I will forsake them and hide My face from them, and they will be consumed, and many evils and troubles will come upon them; so that they will say in that day, ‘Is it not because our God is not among us that these evils have come upon us?’ 18  "But I will surely hide My face in that day because of all the evil which they will do, for they will turn to other gods. 19  "Now therefore, write this song for yourselves, and teach it to the sons of Israel; put it on their lips, so that this song may be a witness for Me against the sons of Israel. 20  "For when I bring them into the land flowing with milk and honey, which I swore to their fathers, and they have eaten and are satisfied and become prosperous, then they will turn to other gods and serve them, and spurn Me and break My covenant. 21  "Then it shall come about, when many evils and troubles have come upon them, that this song will testify before them as a witness (for it shall not be forgotten from the lips of their descendants); for I know their intent which they are developing today, before I have brought them into the land which I swore.’

    22 ¶  So Moses wrote this song the same day, and taught it to the sons of Israel.”

            Moses is about to die and be taken away from the children of Israel and Joshua will become the leader of Israel.  God calls to Moses that he might bring Joshua along with Moses to the tent of meetings where the Lord would speak to them and commission Joshua as the leader of the nation of Israel.  God would speak to them out of the pillar of fire and what He was about to tell them was what would become the history of the nation of Israel.  God tells it in a song and the song will be written down by Moses and he will teach it to the leaders who will in turn teach it to all of the people.  The song has four parts in it and this will be the theme of the next four SD’s.  The character of God (verses 32:1-4); the kindness of God to His people (verses 5-14); the faithfulness of God in chastening His people (verses 15-25); and the vengeance of God against His adversaries (Verses 26-43).

            Israel would not just be influenced by their neighbors to worship idols, but according to verse twenty prosperity will also be a reason for them to turn their back against the Lord and worship idols.

 

            Spiritual meaning for my life:  Idols are anything that comes between the Lord and me so that I will have trouble with my worship of Him and affluence is also a reason why I would bring things (which are idols) between God and me and prohibit true worship of the Lord.

 

My Steps of Faith for Today:

 

1. Give myself to the Lord for worship in service today.
2. Trust the Lord to guide my path today.
3. Continue to learn contentment.
4. Keep a short list of sins between me and the Lord.
5. Put on the spiritual armor; the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shoes of the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit.

 

7/16/2009 11:16 AM