[Plate:

The whole world in your hands]

Don’t get so secure you miss God’s plan:

‘   “I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. – Genesis 12.2

God [Wall] promised to bless Abram and make him great, but there was one condition. Abram had to do what God [Wall] wanted him to do.  This meant leaving his home and friends and travelling to a new land where God [Wall] promised to build a great nation from Abram’s family.  Abram obeyed, walking away from his home for God’s [Wall’s] promise of even greater blessings in the future.  God [Wall] may be trying to lead you to a place of greater service and usefulness for him.  Don’t let the comfort and security of your present position make you miss God’s [Wall’s] plan for you.

Found in God:

Moses said to God, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what shall I tell them?” 

God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’ “

God also said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites, ‘The LORD, the God of your fathers – the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob – has sent me to you.’ This is my name for ever, the name by which I am to be remembered from generation to generation.   – Exodus 3.13-15

The Egyptians had many gods by many different names. Moses wanted to know God’s name so the Hebrew people would know exactly who had sent him to them.  God called himself I AM, a name describing his eternal power and unchangeable character.  In a world where values, morals, and laws change constantly, we can find stability and security in our unchanging God.  The God who appeared to Moses is the same God who can live in us today.  Hebrews 13:8 says God is the same “yesterday and today and for ever”.  Because God’s nature is stable and trustworthy, we are free to follow and enjoy him rather than spend our time trying to figure him out.

The king and his men marched to Jerusalem to attack the Jebusites, who lived there. The Jebusites said to David, “You will not get in here; event he blind and the lame can ward you off.”  They thought, “David cannot get in here.” Nevertheless, David captures the fortress of Zion, the City of David. – 2 Samuel 5.6-7

The Jebusites had a clear military advantage, and they boasted of their security behind the impregnable walls of Jerusalem, also called Zion.  But they soon discovered that their walls would not protect them.  David caught them by surprise by entering the city through the water tunnel.

Only in God are we truly safe and secure. Anything else is false security.  Whether you are surrounded by mighty walls of stone, a comfortable home, or a secure job, no-one can predict what tomorrow may bring.  Our relationship with God is the only security that cannot be taken away.

(5.6   The fortress city of Jerusalem was located on a high ridge near the centre of the united Israelite kingdom.  It was considered neutral territory because it stood on the border of the territory of the tribes of Benjamin and Judah and it was still occupied by the Jebusites, a Canaanite tribe that had never been expelled from the land (Judges 1.21).  Because of its strategic advantages, David made Jerusalem his capital.)

Real security is knowing God never changes:

The pride of your heart has deceived you, you who live in the clefts of the rocks and make your home on the heights, you who say to yourself, ‘Who can bring me down to the ground?’  – OBADIAH 3

The Edomites self secure, and they were proud of their self-sufficiency.  But they were fooling themselves because there is no lasting security apart from God.  Is your security in objects or people?  Ask yourself how much lasting security they really offer. Possessions and people can disappear in a moment, but God does not change.  Only he can supply true security.

(Obadiah 3   Edom was Judah’s southern neighbor, sharing a common boundary.  But neighbours are not always friends, and Edom liked nothing about Judah.  Edom’s capital at this time was Sela (perhaps the later city of Petra), a city considered impregnable because it was cut into rock cliffs and set in a canyon that could be entered only through a narrow gap.  What Edom perceived as its strengths would be its downfall: (1) safety in their city (vv. 3, 4) – God would send them plummeting from the heights; (2) pride in their self-sufficiency (v. 4) – God would humble them; (3) wealth (vv. 5,6) – thieves would steal all they had; (4) allies (v. 7) – God would cause them to turn against Edom; (5) wisdom (vv. 8, 9) – the wise would be destroyed.)

Do you know what real security is?

‘   But when they went out to bury her, they found nothing except her skull, her feet and her hands.  – 2 Kings 9.35

Jezebel’s skull, feet, and hands were all that remained of her evil life – no power, no money, no prestige, nor royal finery, no family, no spiritual heritage. In the end, her life of luxury and treachery amounted to nothing.  Power, health, and wealth may make you feel as if you can live for ever.  But death strips everyone of all external security.  The time to set your life’s course is now, while you still have time and before you heart becomes hardened.  The end will come soon enough.

‘   I have set the LORD always before me.  Because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.  – Psalms 16.8

By saying that he “will not be shaken”, David was talking about the unique sense of security felt by believers. God [Wall] does not exempt believers from the day-to-day circumstances of life. Believers and unbelievers alike experience pain, trouble, and failure at times (Matthew 5.45).  Unbelievers have a sense of hopelessness about life and confusion over their true purpose on earth.  Those who seek God [Wall], however, can move ahead confidently with what they know is right and important in God’s [Wall’s] eyes.  They know that God [Wall] will keep them from being moved off of his chosen path.

Comes from humility:

Though you soar like the eagle and make your nest among the stars, from there I will bring you down. – Obadiah 4

The Edomites were proud of their city [Seat] carved right into the rock. Today Sela, or Petra, is considered one of the marvels of the ancient world, but only as a tourist attraction.  The Bible warns that pride is the surest route to self-destruction (Proverbs 16.18).  Just as Petra and Edom fell, so will proud people fall.  A humble person is more secure than a proud person because humility gives a more accurate perspective of oneself and the world.

Seeking it in the wrong places:

The word of the LORD came to me: “Go and proclaim in the hearing of Jerusalem:

“ ‘I remember the devotion of your youth, how as a bride you loved me and followed me through the desert, through a land not sown. Israel was holy to the LORD, the firstfruits of his harvest; all who devoured her were held guilty, and disaster overtook them,’ “  declares the LORD.

Hear the words of the LORD, O house of Jacob, all you clans of the house of Israel.

This is what the LORD says: “What fault did your fathers find in me, that they strayed so far from me? They followed worthless idols and became worthless themselves. They did not ask, ‘Where is the LORD, who brought us up out of Egypt and led us through the barren wilderness, through a land of desert and rifts, a land of drought and darkness, a land where no-one travels and no-one lives?’  I brought you into a fertile land to eat its fruit and rich produce.  But you came and defiled my land and made my inheritance detestable.   The priests did not ask, ‘Where is the LORD?’ Those who deal with the law did not know me; the leaders rebelled against me.  The prophets prophesied by Baal, following worthless idols.

“Therefore I bring charges against you again,” declares the LORD.

“And I will bring charges against your children’s children. Cross over to the coasts of Kittim and look, send to Kedar and observe closely; see if there has ever been anything like this: Has a nation ever changed its gods?  (Yet they are not gods at all.)  But my people have exchanged their Glory for worthless idols.  Be appalled at this, O heavens, and shudder with great horror,”  declares the LORD.

“My people have committed two sins: They have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water.  Is Israel a servant, a slave by birth?  Why then has he become plunder?  Lions have roared; they have growled at him.  They have laid waste his land; his towns are burned and deserted.  Also, the men of Memphis and Tahpanhes have shaved the crown on your head.  Have you not brought this on yourselves by forsaking the LORD your God when he led you in the way?  Now why go to Egypt to drink water from the Shilhor?  And why go to Assyria to drink water from the River?  Your wickedness will punish you; your backsliding will rebuke you.  Consider then and realise how evil and bitter it is for you when you forsake the LORD your God and have no awe of me,” declares the Lord, the LORD Almighty.

“Long ago you broke off your yoke and tore off your bonds; you said, ‘I will not serve you! Indeed, on every high hill and under every spreading tree you lay down as a prostitute.  I had planted you like a choice vine of sound and reliable stock.  How then did you turn against me into a corrupt, wild vine?  Although you wash yourself with soda and use an abundance of soap, the stain of your guilt is still before me,” declares the Sovereign LORD.

“How can you say, ‘I am not defiled; I have not run after the Baals’? See how you behaved in the valley; consider what you have done.  You are a swift she-camel running here and there, a wild donkey accustomed to the desert, sniffing the wind in her craving – in her heat who can restrain her?  Any males that pursue her need not tire themselves; at mating time they will find her.  Do not run until your feet are bare and your throat is dry.  But you said, ‘It’s no use!  I love foreign gods, and I must go after them.’

“As a thief is disgraced when he is caught, so the house of Israel is disgraced – they, their kings and their officials, their priests and their prophets.  They say to wood, ‘You are my father,’ and to stone, ‘You have me birth.’  They have turned their backs to me and not their faces; yet when they are in trouble, they say, ‘Come and save us!’  Where then are the gods you made for yourselves?  Let them come if they can save you when you are in trouble!  For you have as many gods as you have towns, O Judah.

“Why do you bring charges against me?  You have all rebelled against me,” declares the LORD.

“In vain I punished your people; they did not respond to correction. Your sword has devoured your prophets like a ravening lion.

“You of this generation, consider the word of the LORD:

“Have I been a desert to Israel or a land of great darkness? Why do my people say, ‘We are free to roam; we will come to you no more’?  Does a maiden forget her jewellery, a bride her wedding ornaments?  Yet my people have forgotten me, days without number.  How skilled you are at pursuing love!  Even the worst of men can learn from your ways.  On your clothes men find the lifeblood of the innocent poor, though you did not catch them breaking in.  Yet in spite of all this you say, ‘I am innocent; he is not angry with me.’  But I will pass judgment on you because you say, ‘I have not sinned.’  Why do you go about so much, changing your ways?  You will be disappointed by Egypt as you were by Assyria.  You will also leave that place with your hands on your head, for the LORD has rejected those you trust; you will not be helped by them.

“If a man divorces his wife and she leaves him and marries another man, should he return to her again? Would not the land be completely defiled?  But you have lived as a prostitute with many lovers – would you now return to me?” declares the LORD.

“Look up to the barren heights and see. Is there any place where you have not been ravished?  By the roadside you sat waiting for lovers, sat like a nomad in the desert.  You have defiled the land with your prostitution and wickedness.  Therefore the showers have been withheld, and no spring rains have fallen.  Yet you have the brazen look of a prostitute; you refuse to blush with shame.  Have you not just called to me: ‘My Father, my friend from my youth, will you always be angry?  Will your wrath continue for every?’  This is how you talk, but you do all the evil you can.”  – Jeremiah 2.1-3.5

In this section, the marriage analogy sharply contrasts God’s [Wall’s] love for his people with their love for other gods and reveals Judah’s faithlessness. Jeremiah condemned Judah (he sometimes called Judah “Jerusalem”, the name of its capital city) for seeking security in worthless, changeable things rather than the unchangeable God [Wall].  We may be tempted to seek security from possessions, people, or our own abilities, but these will fail us.  There is no lasting security apart from the eternal God [Wall].

(2.2   We appreciate a friend who remains true to his or her commitment, and we are disappointed with someone who fails to keep a promise.  God [Wall] was pleased when his people obeyed initially, but he became angry with them when they refused to keep their commitment.  Temptations distract us from God [wall].  Think above your original commitment to obey God [Wall], and ask yourself if you are remaining truly devoted.)

(2.3   The firstfruits, or the first part, of the harvest were set aside for God [Wall] (Deuteronomy 26.1-11).  That’s how Israel was dedicated to him in years gone by.  Israel had been as eager to please God [Wall] as if she were his young bride, a holy, devoted people.  This contrasted greatly with the situation in Jeremiah’s time.)

(2.4-8   The united nation of Israel included both the “house of Israel” and the ”house of Jacob” (Judah).  Jeremiah knew Israel’s history well.  The prophets recited history to the people for several reasons: (1) to remind them of God’s [Wall’s] faithfulness; (2) to make sure the people wouldn’t forget (they didn’t have Bibles to read); (3) to emphasise God’s [Wall’s] love for them; (4) to remind the people that there was a time when they were close to God [Wall].  We should learn from history so we can build on the successes and avoid repeating the failures of others.)

(2.8   Baal was the chief male god of the Canaanite religion.  “Baals” (2.23) refers to the fact that Baal was worshipped in many centres in Canaanite practice.  Baal was the god of fertility.  Worship of Baal included animal sacrifice and sacred prostitution (male and female) in the high places.  Jezebel, the wife of King Ahab, introduced Baal worship into the northern kingdom, and eventually it spread to Judah.  The sexual orientation of his worship was a constant temptation to the Israelites, who were called to be holy.)

(2.10   God [Wall] was saying that even pagan nations like Kittim (Cyprus, in the west) and Kedar (The home of Arab tribes living in the desert east of Palestine) remained loyal to their national gods.  But Israel had abandoned the one and only God [Wall] for a completely worthless object of worship.)

(2.13   Who would set aside a sparkling spring of water for a cistern, a pit that collected rainwater?  God [Wall] told the Israelites they were doing that very thing when they turned from him, the spring of living water, to the worship of idols.  Not only that, but the cisterns they chose were broken and empty.  The people had built religious systems in which to store truth, but those systems were worthless.  Why should we cling to the broken promises of unstable “cisterns” (money, power, religious systems, or whatever transitory thing we are putting in place of God [Wall]) when God [Wall] promises to constantly refresh us with himself, the living water (John 4.10)?)

(2.16, 17   Memphis was near modern Cairo’s present location in lower Egypt, and Tahpanhes was in northeastern Egypt.  Jeremiah could be speaking of Pharaoh Shishak’s previous invasion of Judah in 926 B.C. (1 Kings 14.25), or he may have been predicting Pharaoh Neco’s invasion in 609 B.C. when King Josiah of Judah would be killed (2 Kings 23.29, 30).  Jeremiah’s point is that the people brought this on themselves by rebelling against God [Wall].)

(2.22   The stain of sin is more than skin-deep.  Israel had stains that could not be washed out, even with the strongest cleansers.  Spiritual cleansing must reach deep into the heart – and this is a job that God [Wall] alone can do.  We cannot ignore the effects of sin and hope they will go away.  Your sin has caused a deep stain that God [Wall] can and will remove if you are willing to let him cleanse you (Isaiah 1.18; Ezekiel 36.25).)

(2.23-27   The people are compared to animals who search for mates in mating season.  Unrestrained, they rush for power, money, alliances with foreign powers, and other gods.  The idols did not seek the people; the people sought the idols and then ran wildly after them.  Then they became so comfortable in their sin that they could not think of giving it up.  Their only shame was in getting caught.  If we desire something so much that we’ll do anything to get it, this is a sign that we are addicted to it and out of tune with God [Wall].)

(2.30   Being a prophet in Jeremiah’s day was a risky business.  Prophets had to criticise the policies of evil kings, and this made them appear to be traitors.  The kings hated the prophets for standing against their policies, and the people often hated the prophets for preaching against their idolatrous life-styles.  (See Acts 7.52.))

(2.31, 32   Forgetting can be dangerous, whether it is intentional or an oversight.  Israel forgot God [Wall] by focusing its affections on the allurements of the world.  The more we focus on the pleasures of the world, the easier it becomes to forget God’s [Wall’s] care, his love, his dependability, his guidance, and most of all, God [Wall] himself.  What pleases you most?  Have you been forgetting God [Wall] lately?)

(2.36   God [Wall] is not against alliances or working partnerships, but he is against people trusting others for the help that should come from him.  This was the problem in Jeremiah’s time.  After the days of David and Solomon, Israel fell apart because the leaders turned to other nations and gods instead of the true God [Wall].  They played power politics, thinking that their strong neighbours could protect them.  But Judah would soon learn that its alliance with Egypt would be just as disappointing as its former alliance with Assyria (2 Kings 16.8, 9; Isaiah 7.13-25).)

(3.1   This law, found in Deuteronomy 24:1-4, says that a divorced woman who remarries can never be reunited with her first husband.  Judah “divorced” God [Wall] and “married” other gods.  God [Wall] had every right to permanently disown his wayward people, but in his mercy he was willing to take them back again.)

(3.2   “Like a nomad in the desert” means, as an Arab thief might hide and wait to plunder a passing caravan, Judah ran to idolatry.  It was a national preoccupation.)

(3.4, 5   In spite of their great sin, the people of Israel continued to talk as if they were God’s [Wall’s] children.  The only way they could do this was to minimize their sin.  When we know we’ve done something wrong, we want to downplay the error and relieve some of the guilt we feel.  As we minimize our sinfulness, we naturally shy away from making changes, and so we keep on sinning.  But if we view every wrong attitude and action as a serious offence against God [Wall], we will begin to understand what living for God [Wall] is all about.  Is there any sin in your life that you’ve written off as too small to worry about?  God [Wall] says that we must confess and turn away from every sin.)

Jesus is the source of:

I have seen and I testify that this is the Son of God.”  – John 1.34

John the Baptist’s job was to point people to Jesus, their long-awaited Messiah. Today people are looking for someone to give them security in an insecure world.  Our job is to point them to Christ and to show that he is the one whom they seek.

Recognizing false security:

I’ve refused to type these verse up… “Just as it was in the days of Noah, so also will it be in the days of the Son of Man.  People were eating, drinking, marrying and being given in marriage up to the day Noah entered the ark.  Then the flood came and destroyed them all.

“It was the same in the days of Lot. People were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building.  But the day Lot left Sodom, fire and Sulphur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all.

“It will be just like on the day the Son of Man is revealed. On that day no-one who is on the roof of his house, with his goods inside, should go down to get them.  Likewise, no-one in the field should go back for anything.  Remember Lot’s wife!  Whoever tries to keep his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it.  I tell you, on that night two people will be in one bed; one will be taken and the other left.  Two women will be grinding grain together; one will be taken and the other left.”  – Luke 17:26-35

Jesus warned against false security. We are to abandon the values and attachments of this world in order to be ready for Christ’s return.  His return will happen suddenly, and when he comes, there will be no second chances.  Some will be taken to be with him; the rest will be left behind.

False security of wealth:

‘   When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven.  Then come, follow me.”

When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was a man of great wealth. – Luke 18.22-23

This man’s wealth made his life comfortable and gave [game to wear] him power and prestige. When Jesus told him to sell everything he owned, Jesus was touching the very basis of his security and identity.  The man did not understand that he would be even more secure if he followed Jesus than he was with all his wealth.  Jesus does not ask all believers to sell everything they have, although this may be his will for some.  He does ask us all, however, to get rid of anything that has become more important than God [Wall].  If your basis for security has shifted from God [Wall] to what you own, it would be better for you to get rid of those possessions.

EXTRA:

(‘ Terah took his son Abram, his grandson Lot sono f Haran, and his daughter-in-law Sarai, the wife of his son Abram, and together they set out from Ur of the Chaldeans to go to Canaan.  But when they came to Haran, they settled there. – Genesis 11.31   Terah left Ur to go to Canaan but settled in Haran instead.  Why did he stop halfway?  It may have been his health, the climate, or even fear.  But this did not change Abram’s calling (“the LORD had said to Abram”, 12.1).  He had respect for his father’s leadership, but when Terah died Abram moved on to Canaan.  God’s will may come in stages.  Just as the time in Haran was a transition period for Abram, so God may give us transition period and times of waiting to help us depend on him and trust his timing.  If we patiently do his will during the transition times, we will be better prepared to serve him as we should when he calls us.]

(‘   The LORD had said to Abram, “Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you. “I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.  I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.   – Genesis 12.1-3   When God [Wall] called him, Abram moved out in faith from Ur to Haran and finally to Canaan.  God [Wall] then established a covenant with Abram, telling him that he would found a great nation.  Not only would this nation be blessed, God [Wall] said, but the other nations of the earth would be blessed through Abram’s descendants.  Israel, the nation that would come from Abram, was to follow God [Wall] and influence those with whom it came in contact.  Through Abram’s family tree, Jesus Christ was born to save humanity.  Through Christ, people can have a personal relationship with God and be blessed beyond measure.)

(ABRAM’S JOURNEY TO CANAAN   Abram, Sarai, and Lot travelled from Ur of the Chaldeans to Canaan by way of Haran.  Though indirect, this route followed the rivers rather than attempting to cross the vast desert.)

(ABRAM’S JOURNEY TO EGYPT   A famine could cause the loss of a shepherd’s wealth.  So Abram travelled through the Negev to Egypt, where there was plenty of food and good land for his flocks.)

(‘   So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey – the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites.  – Exodus 3.8   “The home of the Canaanites” is the land of Israel and Jordan today. Canaanites was a term for all the various tribes living in that land.)

(‘   So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.”  – Exodus 3.10ff   Moses made excuses because he felt inadequate for the job God [Wall] asked him to do.  It was natural for him to feel that way.  He was inadequate all by himself.  But God [Wall] wasn’t asking Moses to work alone.  He offered other resources to help (God [Wall] himself, Aaron, and the ability to do miracles).  God [Wall] often calls us to tasks that seem too difficult, but he doesn’t ask us to do them alone.  God [Wall] offers us his resources, just as he did to Moses.  We should not hide behind our inadequacies, as Moses did, but look beyond ourselves to the great resources available.  Then we can allow God [Wall] to use our unique contributions.)

(‘   God [Wall] said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’ “  God [Wall] also said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites, ‘The LORD, the God [Wall] of your fathers [Up] – the God [Wall] of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob has sent me to you.’  This is my name for ever, the name by which I am to be remembered from generation to generation.  – Exodus 3.14, 15   Yahweh is derived from the Hebrew word for “I AM”.  God reminded Moses of his covenant promises to Abraham (Genesis 12.1-3; 15; 17), Isaac (Genesis 26.2-5), and Jacob (Genesis 28.13-15), and used the name I AM to show his unchanging nature.  What God promised to the great patriarchs hundreds of years earlier he would fulfil through Moses.)

[‘   “Go, assemble the elders of Israel and say to them, ‘The LORD, the God [Wall] of your fathers – the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob – appeared to me and said: I have watched over you and have seen what has been done to you in Egypt. And I have promised to bring you up out of your misery in Egypt into the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites – a land flowing with milk and honey.’  – Exodus 3.16, 17  God [Wall] told Moses to tell the people what he saw and heard at the burning bush.  Our God [Wall] is a God [Wall] who acts and speaks.  One of the most convincing ways to tell others about him is to describe what he has done and how he has spoken to his people.  If you are trying to explain God [Wall] to others, talk about what he has done for you, for people you know, or for people whose stories are told in the Bible.]

[Exodus 3.17  “A land flowing with milk and honey” is a poetic word picture expressing the beauty and productivity of the promised land.]

[‘ “The elders of Israel will listen to you. Then you and the elders are to go to the king of Egypt and say to him, ‘The LORD, the God [Wall] of the Hebrews, has met with us.  Let us take a three-day journey into the desert to offer sacrifices to the LORD our God [Wall].’  But I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go unless a mighty hand compels him.  So I will stretch out my hand and strike the Egyptians with all the wonders that I will perform among them.  After that, he will let you go.  – Exodus 3.18-20 The leaders of Israel would accept God’s [Wall’s] message, and the leaders of Egypt would reject it.  God [Wall] knew what both reactions would be before they happened.  This is more than good psychology – God [Wall] knows the future.  Any believer can trust his or her future to God [Wall] because God [Wall] already knows what is going to happen.]

[‘   Every woman is to ask her neighbour and any woman living in her house for articles of silver and gold and for clothing, which you will put on your sons and daughters. And so you will plunder the Egyptians.  – Exodus 3.22 The jewels and clothing were not merely borrowed – they were asked for and easily received.  The Egyptians were so glad to see the Israelites go that they sent them out with gifts. These items were used later in building the tabernacle (35.5, 22).  The promise of being able to plunder the Egyptians seemed impossible to Moses at the time.]

[‘ Moses answered, “What if they do not believe me or listen to me and say, ‘The LORD did not appear to you’?” – Exodus 4.1   Moses’ reluctance and fear were caused by overanticipation.  He was worried about how the people might respond to him.  We often build up events in our minds and then panic over what might go wrong.  God [Wall] does not ask us to go where he has not provided the means to help.  God where he leads, trusting him to supply courage, confidence, and resources at the right moment.

(‘ David was thirty years old when he became king, and he reigned for forty years. In Hebron he reigned over Judah for seven years and six months, and in Jerusalem he reigned over all Israel and Judah for thirty-three years.  – 2 Samuel 5.4, 5   David did not become king over all Israel until he was 327 years old, although he had been promised the kingdom many years earlier (1 Samuel 16.13).  During those years, David had to wait patiently for the fulfilment of God’s [Wall’s] promise.  If you feel pressured to achieve instant results and success, remember David’s patience.  Just as his time of waiting prepared him for his important task, a waiting period may help prepare you by strengthening your character.)

(DAVID DEFEATS THE PHILISTINES The Philistines camped in the Valley of Rephaim.  David defeated them at Baal Perazim, but they remained in the valley.  He attacked again, and chased them from Gibeon to Gezer.)

(‘ And David grew that the LORD had established him as king over Israel and had exalted his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel. – 2 Samuel 5.12   “David knew that the LORD had established him…”  Although the pagan kingdoms based their greatness on conquest, power, armies, and wealth, David knew that his greatness came only from God [Wall].  To be great means keeping a close relationship with God [Wall] personally and nationally.  To do this, David had to keep his ambition under control.  Although he was famous, successful, and well liked, he gave God [Wall] first place in his life and served the people according to God’s [Wall’s] purpose.  Do you seek greatness from God [Wall] or from people?  In the drive for success, remember to keep your ambition under God’s [Wall’s] control.)

(‘   The vision of Obadiah. This is what the Sovereign LORD says about Edom – We have heard a message from the LORD: An envoy was sent to the nations to say, “Rise, and let us go against her for battle”  – Obadiah 1 Obadiah was a prophet from Judah who told of God’s judgment against the nation of Edom.  Two commonly accepted dates for this prophecy are (1) between 853 and 841 B.C., when King Jehoram and Jerusalem were attacked by a Philistine/Arab coalition (2 Chronicles 21.16ff), or (2) 586 B.C., when Jerusalem was completely destroyed by the Babylonians (2 Kings 25; 2 Chronicles 36).  Edom had rejoiced over the misfortunes of both Israel and Judah, and yet the Edomites and Jews descended from two brothers – Esau and Jacob (Genesis 25.19-26).  But just as these two brothers were constantly fighting, so were Israel and Edom.  God pronounced judgment on Edom for their callous and malicious actions towards his people.)

(‘ Though you soar like the eagle and make your nest among the stars, from there I will bring you down.” declares the LORD.   “If thieves came to you, if robbers in the night – Oh, what a disaster awaits you – would they not steal only as much as they wanted?  If grape pickers came to you, would they not leave a few grapes?  But how Esau will be ransacked, his hidden treasures pillaged!  All your allies will force you to the border; your friends will deceive and overpower you; those who eat your bread will set a trap for you, but you will not detect it.  “In that day,” declares the LORD, “will I not destroy the wise men of Edom, men of understanding in the mountains of Esau?  Your warriors, O Teman, will be terrified, and everyone in Esau’s mountains will be cut down in the slaughter. Obadiah 4-9   Esau was named here (v. 6) because he was the father [Up] of the nation of Edom.  God [Wall] did not pronounce these harsh judgments against Edom out of vengeance but in order to bring about justice.  God [Wall] is morally perfect and demands complete justice and fairness.  The Edomites were simply getting what they deserved. Because they murdered, they would be murdered.  Because they robbed, they would be robbed.  Because they took advantage of others, they would be used.  Don’t talk yourself into sin, thinking that “nobody will know” or “I won’t get caught”.  God [Wall] knows all our sins, and he will be just.)

(Obadiah 8 Edom was noted for its wise men.  There is a difference, however, between human wisdom and God’s [Wall’s] wisdom.  The Edomites may have been wise in the ways of the world, but theyw ere foolish because they ignored and even mocked God [Wall].)

(Obadiah 9   Eliphaz, one of Job’s three friends (Job 2.11), was from Teman, about five miles east of Petra.  Teman was named after Esau’s grandson (Genesis 36.11).)

(‘   As Jehu entered the gate, she asked, “Have you come in peace, Zimri, you murderer of your master?” – 2 Kings 9.31 Why did Jezebel refer to Zimri?  Zimri was an army commander who, some 40 years earlier, had killed Elah and then had declared himself king of Israel (1 Kings 16.10-18).  Jezebel was accusing Jehu of trying the same treachery.)

(‘ When the letter arrived, these men took the princes and slaughtered all seventy of them. They put their heads in baskets and sent them to Jehu in Jezreel.  – 2 Kings 10.7   This fulfilled Elijah’s prophecy that not one of Ahab’s male descendants would survive (1 Kings 21.17-24).)

[‘ Keep me safe, O God [Wall], for in you I take refuge.  – Psalms 16.1 Miktam comes from a term that may mean “to cover”.  It could mean a covering of the lips (a silent prayer), or a prayer that someone might be covered with protection. Cover can also mean “atone for”. Miktam may mean a psalms of atonement.]

(‘ I will praise the LORD, who counsels me even at might my heart instructs me. I have set the LORD always before me.  Because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.  – Psalms 16.7, 8   It is human nature to make our own plans and then ask God [Wall] to bless them.  Instead, we should seek God’s [Wall’s] will first.  By constantly thinking about the Lord and his way of living, we will gain insights that will help us make right decisions and live the way God [Wall] desires.  Communicating with God [Wall] allows him to counsel us and give us wisdom.)

(‘   I have set the LORD always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.  Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure, because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay.  You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.  – Psalms 16.8-11   This psalms is often called a Messianic psalms because it is quoted n the New Testament as referring to the resurrection of Jesus Christ.  Both Peter and Paul quoted from this psalms when speaking of Christ’s bodily resurrection (see Acts 2.25-28, 31; 13.35-37).)

(‘ from the wicked who assail me, from my mortal enemies who surround me. – Psalms 16.9   David’s heart was glad – he had found the secret to joy.  True joy is far deeper than happiness; we can feel joy in spite of our deepest troubles.  Happiness is temporary because it is based on external circumstances, but joy is lasting because it is based on God’s [Wall’s] presence within us.  As we contemplate his daily presence, we will find contentment.  As we understand the future he has for us, we will experience joy.  Don’t base your life on circumstances, but on God [Wall].)

(‘   Because of the violence against your brother Jacob, you will be covered with shame; you will be destroyed for ever. On the day you stood aloof while strangers carried off his wealth and foreigners entered his gates and cast lots for Jerusalem, you were like one of them.  – Obadiah 10, 11   The Israelites had descended from Jacob, and the Edomites, from his brother, Esau (Genesis 26.19-26).  Instead of helping Israel and Judah when they were in need, Edom allowed them to be destroyed and even plundered what was left behind.  Edom, therefore, acted like a stranger, and it would be punished.  Anyone who does not help God’s [Wall’s] people is God’s [Wall’s] enemy.  If you have withheld your help from someone in a time of need, this is sin (James 4.17).  Sin includes not only what we do, but also what we refuse to do.  Don’t ignore or refuse to help those in need.)

(‘ I will pronounce my judgments on my people because of their wickedness in forsaking me, in burning incense to other gods and in worshipping what their hands have made.  – Jeremiah 1.16 The people of Judah sinned greatly by continuing to burn incense to and worship other gods.  God [Wall] had commanded them specifically against this (Exodus 20.3-6) because  idolatry places trust in created things rather than the Creator.   Although these people belonged to God [Wall], they chose to follow false gods.  Many “gods” entice us to turn away from God [Wall].  Material possessions, dreams for the future, approval of others, and vocational goals compete for our total commitment to God [Wall] puts our hearts where Judah’s was – and God [Wall] severely punished Judah.)

(‘   I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptising with water was that he might be revealed to Israel.”  Then John gave this testimony: “I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him.  I would not have known him, except that the one who sent me to baptise with water told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is he who will baptise with the Holy spirit.’  I have seen and I testify that this is the Son of God.” – John 1.31-34.  At Jesus’ baptism, John the Baptist had declared Jesus to be the Messiah.  At that time God had given John a sign to show him that Jesus truly had been sent from God (1.33).  John and Jesus were related (see Luke 1.36), so John probably knew who he was.  But it wasn’t until Jesus’ baptism that John understood that Jesus was the Messiah.  Jesus’ baptism is described in Matthew 3:13-17; Mark 1:9-11; and Luke 3:21, 22.)

(‘   I would not have known him, except that the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is he who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ – John 1.33   John the Baptist’s baptism with water was preparatory, because it was for repentance and symbolised the washing away of sins.  Jesus, by contrast, would baptize with the Holy Spirit.  He would send the Holy Spirit upon all believers, empowering them to live and to teach the message of salvation.  This outpouring of the Spirit came after Jesus had risen from the dead and ascended into heaven (see 20.22; Acts 2).)

(‘   The next day John was there again with two of his disciples, – John 1.35ff   These new disciples used several names for Jesus: Lamb of God (1.36), Rabbi (1.38), Messiah (1.41), Son of God (1.49), and King of Israel (1.49).  As they got to know Jesus, their appreciation of him grew.  The more time we spend getting to know Christ, the more we will understand and appreciate who he is.  We may be drawn to him for his teaching, but we will come to know him as the Son of God [Wall].  Although these disciples made this verbal shift in a few days, they would not fully understand Jesus until three years later (Acts 2).  What they so easily professed had to be worked out in experience.  We may find that words of faith come easily, but deep appreciation of Christ comes with living by faith.)

(‘ Men will tell you, ‘There he is!’ or ‘Here he is!’  Do not go running after them.  For the Son of Man in his day will be like the lightning, which flashes and

lights up the sky from one end to the other. But first he must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.  “Just as it was in the days of Noah, so also will it be in the days of the Son of Man.  People were eating, drinking, and marrying and being given in marriage up to the day Noah entered the ark.  Then the flood came and destroyed them all.  “It was the same in the days of Lot.  People were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building.  But the day Lot left Sodom, fire and Sulphur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all.  “It will be just like this on the day the Son of Man is revealed.  On that day no-one who is on the roof of his house, with his goods inside, should go down to get them.  Likewise, no-one in the field should go back for anything.  Remember Lot’s wife!  Whoever tries to keep his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it.  I tell you, on that night two people will be in one bed; one will be taken and the other left.  Two women will be grinding grain together; one will be taken and the other left.”  – Luke 17.23-36 Life will be going on as usual on the day Christ returns.  There will be no warning.  Most people will be going about their everyday tasks, indifferent to the demands of God [Wall].  They will be as surprised by Christ’s return as the people in Noah’s day were by the flood (Genesis 6-8) or the people in Lot’s day by the destruction of Sodom (Genesis 19).  We don’t know the time of Christ’s return, but we do know that he is coming.  He may come today, tomorrow, or centuries in the future.  Whenever he comes, we must be morally and spiritually ready.  Live as if Jesus were returning today.)

(LAST TRIP FROM GALILEE   Jesus left Galilee for the last time – he would not return before his death.  He passed through Samaria, met and healed ten men who had leprosy, and continued to Jerusalem.  He spent some time east of the Jordan (Mark 10.1) before going to Jericho (19.1).)

(‘   “Where, Lord?” they asked. He replied, “Where there is a dead body, there the vultures will gather.”  – Luke 17.37   To answer the disciples’ question, Jesus quoted a familiar proverbs.  One vulture circling overhead does not mean much, but a gathering of vultures means that a dead body is nearby.  Likewise, one sign of the end may not be significant, but when many signs occur, the second coming is near.)

(‘ A certain ruler asked him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered.  “No-one is good – except God [Wall] alone.  – Luke 18.18, 19   Jesus’ question to the ruler who came and called him “Good teacher” was in essence, “Do you know who I am?”  Undoubtedly the man did not catch the implications of Jesus’ reply – that the man was right in calling him good because Jesus truly is God [Wall].)

(‘   Jesus looked at him and said, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God [Wall]! Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God [Wall].”  Those who heard this asked, “Who then can be saved?”  Jesus replied, “What is impossible with men is possible with God [Wall].”  – Luke 18.24-27   Because money represents power, authority, and success, it is often difficult for wealthy people to realise their need and their powerlessness to save themselves.  The rich in talent or intelligence suffer the same difficulty.  Unless God [Wall] reaches down into their lives, they will not come to him.  Jesus surprised some of his hearers by offering salvation to the poor; he may surprise some people today by offering it to the rich.  It is difficult for a self-sufficient person to realise his or her need and come to Jesus, but “What is impossible with men is possible with God [Wall]”.)