Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Joshua Built an Altar (Josh. 8:30-31)



10/2/2009 9:10 AM

SPIRITUAL DIARY

My Worship Time                                        Focus:  Joshua built an altar

Bible Reading & Meditation                                  Reference:  Joshua 8:30-31

            Message of the verses:  “30 ¶  Then Joshua built an altar to the LORD, the God of Israel, in Mount Ebal, 31  just as Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded the sons of Israel, as it is written in the book of the law of Moses, an altar of uncut stones on which no man had wielded an iron tool; and they offered burnt offerings on it to the LORD, and sacrificed peace offerings.”
            The section in the book of the law of Moses referred to here is Leviticus 27:1-8:  “1 Then Moses and the elders of Israel charged the people, saying, "Keep all the commandments which I command you today. 2  "So it shall be on the day when you cross the Jordan to the land which the LORD your God gives you, that you shall set up for yourself large stones and coat them with lime 3  and write on them all the words of this law, when you cross over, so that you may enter the land which the LORD your God gives you, a land flowing with milk and honey, as the LORD, the God of your fathers, promised you. 4  "So it shall be when you cross the Jordan, you shall set up on Mount Ebal, these stones, as I am commanding you today, and you shall coat them with lime. 5  "Moreover, you shall build there an altar to the LORD your God, an altar of stones; you shall not wield an iron tool on them. 6  "You shall build the altar of the LORD your God of uncut stones, and you shall offer on it burnt offerings to the LORD your God; 7  and you shall sacrifice peace offerings and eat there, and rejoice before the LORD your God. 8  "You shall write on the stones all the words of this law very distinctly.’”
            One may ask why this altar was built with uncut stones, stones that no man had worked on to make beautiful, and the answer is that this pictures the work of salvation done by the Lord with witch nothing can be done by man on his own to help in this process.  “8  For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9  not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.”
            Joshua was obeying all that was written in the Law of Moses by building this altar and then there would be peace offerings sacrificed on it to thank the Lord for His goodness to the nation of Israel.

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  Obedience is what I see in this section of Scripture; for Joshua did all the things that the Lord had told Moses to write down in the Law.  He did not forget to obey this command when the children of Israel got to this city. 
            Obedience to the commands of the Lord shows my love for the Lord who sent His Son to die in my place so that I may have eternal life.


My Steps of Faith for Today:

  1. Give myself to the Lord for worship and service.
  2. Trust the Lord to guide my steps today.
  3. Put on the spiritual armor to be protected in the battle today.
  4. Continue to learn contentment.
  5. Remember the truth of my memory verse for this week.  (Phil. 4:8)

Memory verse for the week:                                               Philippians 4:8

  1. And now, dear brothers and sisters, let me say one more thing as I close this letter.  Fix your thoughts what is true and honorable and right.  Think about things that are pure and lovely and admirable.  Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.  (NLT)

10/2/2009 10:12 AM

             

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