Joshua 10:7-11 Holy God; Holy Jesus

Joshua 10:7-11 (NASB) “So Joshua went up from Gilgal, he and all the people of war with him and all the valiant warriors.   The LORD said to Joshua, "Do not fear them, for I have given them into your hands; not one of them shall stand before you."  So Joshua came upon them suddenly by marching all night from Gilgal.  And the LORD confounded them before Israel, and He slew them with a great slaughter at Gibeon, and pursued them by the way of the ascent of Beth-horon and struck them as far as Azekah and Makkedah.  As they fled from before Israel, while they were at the descent of Beth-horon, the LORD threw large stones from heaven on them as far as Azekah, and they died; there were more who died from the hailstones than those whom the sons of Israel killed with the sword.”

Who is Jesus to you?  Do you think of Jesus with the long flowing hair and smooth nearly effeminate features hung on so many Sunday School walls when we were kids?  Do you picture the Jesus who said, "Permit the children to come to Me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.” Luke 18:16b (NASB)  Is God to you you a bit firmer as  you consider passages such as, Matthew 21:12 (NASB)  “And Jesus entered the temple and drove out all those who were buying and selling in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who were selling doves.”  Is He more ?  Is He safe passage?  “Jesus *said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.’” John 14:6 (NASB) 

While all these pieces of Jesus are true if left in isolation or even filled in with like passages it paints an incomplete portrait of our Lord and Savior. 

While it is true that Jesus is love, (1 John 4:8) there is much more to Him than our image of love.  Love is in fact more than warm and fuzzy.  Love is Holy.  Holy is incapable of tolerating anything unholy.  Holy equals Righteous.  And now you’re starting to get nervous – am I right?

Well, we’ve glossed over a few things that we have to go back and clear up.  First, that passage we quoted that says, Jesus is Love – actually says this, “The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love.” 1 John 4:8 (NASB)  So the first two points to make are first, Jesus is not referenced by name, it is “God” with a capital G who is mentioned.  And second, if you do not love, you do not know God.

So how can you get away with saying “Jesus is Love” Dale?  -- Here’s how.  John also writes,  “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” John 1:1 (NASB)  So, the Word equals God.  So what you say – that doesn’t make Jesus equal to God.  Read on my friend.  “And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.  John *testified about Him and cried out, saying, "This was He of whom I said, 'He who comes after me has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me.'" For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace.  For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ.” John 1:14-17  So, Jesus is God and Jesus is Love.

Where did I come up with this God is Holy stuff and who says anyone or anything is unholy?  We can clear this one up pretty quick with a New Testament quote from Peter, “Because it is written, ‘YOU SHALL BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY.’" 1 Peter 1:16 (NASB) and the other part comes from Paul, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” Romans 3:23 (NASB)  Do we have to point out that sin is somehow less than holy?  That is clearly short of God’s standard of holiness.

Ok – what has this got to do with the passage from Joshua.  Simply this.  Joshua picked up the mantle as it were from Moses who had led God’s chosen people out of Egypt through the wilderness and to the Promised Land.  Moses led them there not once but twice you might recall.  On the first trip they arrived and sent twelve spies into the land to check it out and only two came back with reports that they should enter in.  Those two were Caleb and Joshua.

Because Moses failed to lead God’s people into the Promised Land they had to wander the wilderness another forty years and when they came back another generation had been raised up.  Only this new generation plus the two Caleb and Joshua were allowed to enter in.  Only Caleb and Joshua who had given the report that the inhabitants of the land could be defeated plus the new generation not yet circumcised until just before entering in as a way to separate the generations.

What was God’s command to Joshua and His people upon entering the Promised Land?    "Moses My servant is dead; now therefore arise, cross this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them, to the sons of Israel.  Every place on which the sole of your foot treads, I have given it to you, just as I spoke to Moses.  From the wilderness and this Lebanon, even as far as the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and as far as the Great Sea toward the setting of the sun will be your territory.  No man will be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I have been with Moses, I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you. Be strong and courageous, for you shall give this people possession of the land which I swore to their fathers to give them.”  Joshua 1:2-6 (NASB)

He said take the land I am giving to you.  He said no one there will stand against you.  In later passages as the various battles are depicted even more explicit instructions are given about leaving no survivors.  This holy God commands utter destruction.

So my question comes back to this.  Who is Jesus to you?  Is He only the warm and fuzzy Teddy Bear Jesus or is He your Holy God Jesus?  For me, He is both.  AMEN!

Exodus 26:15-25 Architect, Engineer and Designer

Exodus 26:15-25  "Then you shall make the boards for the tabernacle of acacia wood, standing upright.  Ten cubits shall be the length of each board and one and a half cubits the width of each board.  There shall be two tenons for each board, fitted to one another; thus you shall do for all the boards of the tabernacle.  You shall make the boards for the tabernacle: twenty boards for the south side.  You shall make forty sockets of silver under the twenty boards, two sockets under one board for its two tenons and two sockets under another board for its two tenons;  and for the second side of the tabernacle, on the north side, twenty boards,  and their forty sockets of silver; two sockets under one board and two sockets under another board.  For the rear of the tabernacle, to the west, you shall make six boards.  You shall make two boards for the corners of the tabernacle at the rear.  They shall be double beneath, and together they shall be complete to its top to the first ring; thus it shall be with both of them: they shall form the two corners.  There shall be eight boards with their sockets of silver, sixteen sockets; two sockets under one board and two sockets under another board.” (NASB)

This week I am taking some vacation time off of work but as many are these days – this is a “Staycation”.  So, I needed a project.  We’ve had a covered area by our pool with slotted wood since it was built more than 15 years ago and I’ve wanted to make that a solid all weather roof for some time.  This is the time.  Construction, or shall I say – destruction started on Monday.

Right off the bat I met with the unexpected as I brought out my trusty wrecking bar to pop off the 2x2 redwood that was simply nailed up there.  Oops!  Not nailed, it had been screwed down.  Every piece had been screwed in place which of course made for good construction but made my job of taking it apart a challenge.  Out comes the electric drill with Phillips head screw driver attachment and away we go.  What I discovered of course was that I did not know what I was getting into as I began even the demolition phase.

By Tuesday morning I was ready to go shopping for materials having a pretty good idea of what I wanted to do from a construction standpoint.  Well, I didn’t have an inventory of the hardware store in mind as I put the thoughts in my head so there was quite a process of wandering and pondering as I pieced the project together mentally gathering the necessary materials.

It worked out that the measurements would provide for a two foot spacing.  So, I put the first hanger up and measured out two more feet to the next position.  Two more feet and – TROUBLE.  A light fixture and conduit was exactly in that position so I couldn’t put it there.  I had to deviate and go with two and a half feet on that one.  Then back to two feet for the remainder.

I’m not done with the project but I will just guarantee there will be unexpected challenges as I design as I build.  And that is the point of the passage I chose today from Exodus which is a portion of the detailed instructions given to Moses by God to the people of Israel for building the Tabernacle.  The Tabernacle was the precursor of the Temple and housed the Arc of the Covenant.  It was the portable version carried by Israel as they wandered through the desert on their way to the Promised Land.

So what is the significance?

God did not simply say, Moses – run down to Lowes and pick up a few rugs and some lumber and build me a tent.  He gave very detailed instructions.  This was the Lord’s house and He wanted it made a particular way.  He gave detailed instructions to Moses to have the Tabernacle materials prepared and ultimately constructed.  As they moved through the desert for decades, the Tabernacle went with them.  It was taken apart and then put back together in each new location.

God also provided the artisans with the skills to prepare the various pieces of silverwork, tapestries and woodwork.  None of this should be lost on us as we observe what God did in providing for the building of His Tabernacle.

So what?  How does this matter to me?

Well, our God does not change.  The God that provided that detail to Moses in building that Tabernacle is the same God that is living and active today.  He is at work with His plan and we know by observing His ways that His method is not to get into a project and decide what happens next on the fly.  His plan has been established from the beginning.  And His plan is detailed down to the finest point, we don’t need to wonder whether that is true.  Thankfully, we have passages like this to see a glimpse of the detail our Lord considers.

It is unlikely that any one of us will be asked by God to build Him a tent.  But we do know that every Christian is considered a part of the body of Christ (see 1 Cor 12) and as such has a function to fulfill.  In context our function is not a haphazard unplanned effort that we make up on the fly.  Our Lord has a design in mind. 

OK – so, I’m supposed to be working on some project.  What?  How?

I cannot tell you what your project for God is but I know He has something in mind for you.  I do know that doing nothing is NOT it.  Discerning God’s will for your life is an ongoing process and it involves time in His word, time under Biblical teaching, time in prayer and time in fellowship with believers to gain godly counsel.  This passage comes to mind, "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” Matthew 6:33 (NASB)

Our steps are laid before us – we simply need to walk in them. AMEN!

Psalm 78:18-20 Be Content

Psalm 78:18-20  “And in their heart they put God to the test By asking food according to their desire.  Then they spoke against God; They said, ‘Can God prepare a table in the wilderness?  ‘Behold, He struck the rock so that waters gushed out, And streams were overflowing; Can He give bread also? Will He provide meat for His people?’" (NASB)

After much persuasion by the appeal of Moses and the plagues of God Pharaoh let the people of Israel go out of Egypt.  Of course he thought better of his decision only to have his army destroyed when the Red Sea came crashing in on them after Israel passed through.  After such a miraculous deliverance you would think the people of Israel would have been on their face and totally in awe of their God.  You would have thought they would have been attentive to every word Moses had to say to them from God so that every move they made and every word they said would be pleasing to their deliverer.

But sorry to say, their memories were short.

Out in the wilderness God provided for the people of Israel every morning providing for them manna.  As best I can understand it this was a bread like substance that would form with the dew and would be gathered each morning.  They could gather just what they needed for that day because it would not last.  Keeping and eating manna beyond that day would at least result in a spoiled meal if not sickness from the eating.  The bottom line is that God provided all the needs for His people as they were moving through the wilderness.

The people though became restless with the same old thing day after day.  They weren’t satisfied with just having their needs met they complained for variety and they challenged Moses to use his staff to provide water when God hadn’t given that instruction.  And they begged for meat instead of plain old manna.  Well, God gave them meat.  He gave them birds from the sky and they ate.  They ate too much and some ate so much they actually died.

God can always provide.  He can always provide enough and He can always provide too much.  Which will it be?  What will you ask for?  Maybe the better question is what is it that makes you happy?  With what are you content?  If God promises to meet you’re every day needs with that we should be content.  When He does provide that extra something special that’s great, enjoy!  But beware – too much of a good thing may kill you!  AMEN!