They camped at Kadesh, and the wells were dry;
Against Moses the people did complain;
They said, “Moses brought us down here to die;
We should’ve died when the assembly was slain*!”
Moses prayed, and God replied, “Strike the stone
With your staff after the people gathered.”
Moses obeyed, like he did it alone,
As if the Lord’s power had not mattered!
“Listen, you rebels, must I strike this rock
For water?”, when the Lord made it be;
So God gave Moses an unpleasant shock,
Saying, “Because you did not honor me,
Into Canaan you surely will not go,
For I’m holy; you failed to treat me so!”
*the assembly slain: Numbers 16:49
*******************************************************
SPECIAL NOTICE: Beginning MARCH 9, I will start a new series in God’s Master Plan for the world---PROHECIES OF THE COMING MESSIAH! With Israel settled in Canaan, God revealed 340 forecasts of the future life of JESUS OF NAZARETH, every one of which was fulfilled! You will not want to miss any of these amazing prophecies and proofs of their fulillment! WILLIAM J.B. CRITTENDEN
*******************************************************
Scripture Quoted: Numbers 20:8-12 (NIV)
“So Moses took the staff from the Lord’s presence just as he commanded him. He and Aaron gathered the assembly together in front of the rock and Moses said to them, ‘Listen, you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock?’ Then Moses raised his arm and struck the rock twice with his staff. Water gushed out, and the community and their livestock drank. But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, ‘Because you did not trust in me enough to honor me as holy in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land I give them.’ “
Commentary on: Numbers 15:1-20:13 (NIV)
God led the Israelites away from Canaan back into the desert to begin their forty-year exile for refusing to trust Him enough to invade the Promised Land. Their morale was low, and some blamed Moses for their misfortunes; a Levite leader named Korah gathered a group of 250 influential men together and openly defied Moses. They thought he had overreached his authority, saying that God was with all the people and challenged his leadership. The Lord punished them severely, opened the ground and swallowed Korah and two of his closest conspirators, with their families and all their possessions. As a result, a large assembly of all the people gathered near the tabernacle and complained to Moses; God sent a plague among them, and they began dying. Moses had Aaron go into their midst with a censer of incense, and succeeded in stopping the plague after it had killed 14,700 people. After the plague stopped, God told Moses to have each of the 12 tribes to present a staff with their tribal leader’s name on it before the Lord in the tabernacle. Aaron’s staff would represent the Levites with the name of Moses on it. The staffs were erected before the altar. The next morning they found that Aaron’s staff had grown leaves and budded, producing almonds, proving that Aaron was God’s choice for chief priest and Moses was His choice to lead Israel.
After these tragic events, they stopped at a place named Kadesh and found no water to drink. Grumbling against Moses grew up again, and Moses prayed to God for help. God told him to gather all the people at the front of the Tent of Meeting (the tabernacle). There was a rock there, and God told Moses to strike the rock in front of the people, and water would be furnished. By this point poor Moses was angry with the repeated demands of the people, and possibly “puffed up” because God had so glorified him to them as their leader, that he wanted to “show off” his supreme power. He struck the rock and produced water, but his speech to them left God’s power completely out (see scripture quoted above). He spoke as if the miracle was coming from him and Aaron, when it was God’s power. This is a major principle to all who witness for God, even until today: In all things He must be given credit for every blessing received; God gets angry when He is the source of life itself, all our possessions, our healings from illness, and every good thing we have, and He wants to be acknowledged as the source. As a result of Moses’ gaffe, God decreed that Moses would not be allowed to enter the Promised Land when it was finally possessed by Israel.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him will not die, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)
“That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord’, and believe in your heart that God raised him from dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9)
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Friday, February 25, 2011
Israel Fails God Again (MP 51)
Despite Israel’s repeated wayward flings,
God gave in to Moses’ beseeching pleas,
Reducing His threatened punishing stings
By inflicting much lighter penalties!
He led them on to Canaan’s golden strand;
They camped outside, and ten were sent to spy;
Eight reported the people in the land
Were giants, too strong for Israel to try!
The Israelites accepted their account,
Grumbling, why God had brought them here to die,
As if He could not Canaanites surmount,
Though Moses assured them God would supply!
The whole tribe, God said again, He would destroy;
Moses pled Him a lesser fate employ!
*******************************************************
SPECIAL NOTICE: Beginning MARCH 9, I will start a new series in God’s Master Plan for the world---PROHECIES OF THE COMING MESSIAH! With Israel settled in Canaan, God revealed 340 forecasts of the future life of JESUS OF NAZARETH to them, every one of which was fulfilled! You will not want to miss any of these amazing prophecies and proofs of their fulillment! WILLIAM J.B. CRITTENDEN
*******************************************************
Scripture Quoted: Excerpts from Numbers 14:26-39 (NIV)
“… ‘As surely as I live, declares the Lord, I will do to you the very things I heard you say: In this desert your bodies will fall—every one of you twenty years old or more… Not one of you will enter this land … except Caleb … and Joshua … For forty years … you will suffer for your sins and know what it is like to have me against you …’ So the men Moses had sent to explore the land … those men responsible for spreading the bad report about the land were struck down and died in a plague before the Lord … only Joshua … and Caleb … survived.”
Commentary on: Numbers 10:11-14:45 (NIV)
God kept Israel in camp at Sinai about ten months, and He gave them a system of priests and religious laws, plus He organized the twelve tribes with social laws and a network of judges within the tribes to assist Moses in administering the new nation. Moses was given the total leadership as the chief priest as well as chief ruler. God organized their camp into assigned places for every tribe, civil and religious functions. The Sabbath day was a day of rest; no one was allowed to work. The pillar of cloud by day and fire by night was their guide; when it left the new tabernacle, they broke camp and moved on in a specified order; when the pillar stopped, they camped. Moses’ function was a shadow of that which is prophesied for Jesus Christ—Christ is to combine His leadership of the Kingdom of God as both King and High Priest, and He is to reign forever.
But the Israelites were a contentious people. They grew tired of eating the same food—manna and quail—and grumbled about not having the delicious fish and vegetables they had enjoyed in Egypt. They complained to Moses, until He asked God what he was to do; God’s response was to rain more quail upon the camp to a height of three feet deep. The Israelites had to eat it all for a month. Even His own siblings, Aaron and Miriam, spoke against Moses; God punished them by giving them leprosy; Miriam had to be confined outside the camp for seven days to become clean again, after Moses prayed to God to forgive them.
When they came near to Canaan, the land that God had promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob over 500 years before, they camped outside the border and sent 10 men into the land to explore its fertility, military strength and other information. After all the seemingly impossible things God had already done to get them to this point, you would think they would just go right in fearlessly, depending upon His omnipotence to give them victory; but no, they had to evaluate the situation for themselves, evidently depending upon their human strength, rather than depending upon the Lord. Of course, God cannot help but be offended when His followers depend solely on their own power rather than counting on Him to assist. The spies were gone 40 days; they brought back samples of the grapes and produce of the land, saying it was truly a land “flowing with milk and honey”. But eight of them reported falsely that the people were giants, much too strong for them to defeat in battle. Caleb and Joshua, the other two spies, disagreed, advising that Israel should immediately go in and take the land. The people, of course, believed the eight, and wailed that God had brought them out of Egypt into the desert to die, though Moses fell on his face before them, pleading for immediate invasion. God became so angry with Israel, that He struck down the eight false spies; then He turned the nation back, giving them 40 more years of wandering in the desert. All adults above 20 years of age, except Joshua and Caleb, would die; only the younger Israelites would go into Canaan. Of course, the wishy-washy Israelites repented and mounted an attack on their own without God, and got defeated with thousands of casualties.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not die, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)
“That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord’, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9)
God gave in to Moses’ beseeching pleas,
Reducing His threatened punishing stings
By inflicting much lighter penalties!
He led them on to Canaan’s golden strand;
They camped outside, and ten were sent to spy;
Eight reported the people in the land
Were giants, too strong for Israel to try!
The Israelites accepted their account,
Grumbling, why God had brought them here to die,
As if He could not Canaanites surmount,
Though Moses assured them God would supply!
The whole tribe, God said again, He would destroy;
Moses pled Him a lesser fate employ!
*******************************************************
SPECIAL NOTICE: Beginning MARCH 9, I will start a new series in God’s Master Plan for the world---PROHECIES OF THE COMING MESSIAH! With Israel settled in Canaan, God revealed 340 forecasts of the future life of JESUS OF NAZARETH to them, every one of which was fulfilled! You will not want to miss any of these amazing prophecies and proofs of their fulillment! WILLIAM J.B. CRITTENDEN
*******************************************************
Scripture Quoted: Excerpts from Numbers 14:26-39 (NIV)
“… ‘As surely as I live, declares the Lord, I will do to you the very things I heard you say: In this desert your bodies will fall—every one of you twenty years old or more… Not one of you will enter this land … except Caleb … and Joshua … For forty years … you will suffer for your sins and know what it is like to have me against you …’ So the men Moses had sent to explore the land … those men responsible for spreading the bad report about the land were struck down and died in a plague before the Lord … only Joshua … and Caleb … survived.”
Commentary on: Numbers 10:11-14:45 (NIV)
God kept Israel in camp at Sinai about ten months, and He gave them a system of priests and religious laws, plus He organized the twelve tribes with social laws and a network of judges within the tribes to assist Moses in administering the new nation. Moses was given the total leadership as the chief priest as well as chief ruler. God organized their camp into assigned places for every tribe, civil and religious functions. The Sabbath day was a day of rest; no one was allowed to work. The pillar of cloud by day and fire by night was their guide; when it left the new tabernacle, they broke camp and moved on in a specified order; when the pillar stopped, they camped. Moses’ function was a shadow of that which is prophesied for Jesus Christ—Christ is to combine His leadership of the Kingdom of God as both King and High Priest, and He is to reign forever.
But the Israelites were a contentious people. They grew tired of eating the same food—manna and quail—and grumbled about not having the delicious fish and vegetables they had enjoyed in Egypt. They complained to Moses, until He asked God what he was to do; God’s response was to rain more quail upon the camp to a height of three feet deep. The Israelites had to eat it all for a month. Even His own siblings, Aaron and Miriam, spoke against Moses; God punished them by giving them leprosy; Miriam had to be confined outside the camp for seven days to become clean again, after Moses prayed to God to forgive them.
When they came near to Canaan, the land that God had promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob over 500 years before, they camped outside the border and sent 10 men into the land to explore its fertility, military strength and other information. After all the seemingly impossible things God had already done to get them to this point, you would think they would just go right in fearlessly, depending upon His omnipotence to give them victory; but no, they had to evaluate the situation for themselves, evidently depending upon their human strength, rather than depending upon the Lord. Of course, God cannot help but be offended when His followers depend solely on their own power rather than counting on Him to assist. The spies were gone 40 days; they brought back samples of the grapes and produce of the land, saying it was truly a land “flowing with milk and honey”. But eight of them reported falsely that the people were giants, much too strong for them to defeat in battle. Caleb and Joshua, the other two spies, disagreed, advising that Israel should immediately go in and take the land. The people, of course, believed the eight, and wailed that God had brought them out of Egypt into the desert to die, though Moses fell on his face before them, pleading for immediate invasion. God became so angry with Israel, that He struck down the eight false spies; then He turned the nation back, giving them 40 more years of wandering in the desert. All adults above 20 years of age, except Joshua and Caleb, would die; only the younger Israelites would go into Canaan. Of course, the wishy-washy Israelites repented and mounted an attack on their own without God, and got defeated with thousands of casualties.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not die, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)
“That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord’, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9)
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Why God Gave The Mosaic Law (MP 50)
Men’s hearts were evil from birth, the Lord saw;
Untaught, they were more apt to sin than not;
At Sinai, through Moses, God gave His Law,
Meant to reduce sins, not death to unblot!
The Law was schoolmaster of wrong and right,
Teaching men and women to live serene,
To guide them to be righteous in God’s sight,
And showing them what “sin” is when it’s seen!
No man or woman ever kept the Law;
It caused more sins, in fact, for they were weak,
Doing wrong when they should have seen the flaw,
Their sinful natures new thrills prone to seek!
The Law was meant to prepare men for grace,
Not for their condemnations to replace!
*******************************************************
SPECIAL NOTICE: Beginning MARCH 9, I will begin a new emphasis in God’s Master Plan for the world---PROHECIES OF THE COMING MESSIAH! With Israel settled in Canaan, God revealed 340 forecasts of the life of JESUS OF NAZARETH, every one of which was fulfilled! You will not want to miss a single one of these amazing prophecies and proofs of their fulillment! WILLIAM J.B. CRITTENDEN
*******************************************************
Scripture Quoted (NIV) [Brackets added]
Exodus 19:5-6—“ ‘Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you shall be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, you shall be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ “ [God, speaking to Moses about Israel]
Matthew 5:17—“ ‘Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them, but to fulfill them.’ “ [Jesus the Messiah, speaking to Israelites]
Romans 3:20—“Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his [God’s] sight for obeying the law [Mosaic Law]; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin.”
Commentary on: The Mosaic Law
You must keep in mind the plight of Man—the human race was condemned to hell since Adam’s sin; God has a plan to redeem men and women who believe in the Messiah, Jesus Christ, but He will not be born until about 2 B. C.. That is 1500 years in the future for these Israelites camped at Sinai. God chose the nation Israel and made a covenant with them, but He did not promise to redeem them from that condemnation unless they obeyed the Law (Leviticus 18:5). The covenant is conditional upon their obedience to God’s decrees, including the Laws that He gave them through Moses. The Mosaic Law became the heart of Judaism, the religion by which Hebrews have lived for 3500 years, until this day. When God came to them as He promised them He would do, Israel’s leaders and priests rejected Him and exhorted the Roman governor Pontius Pilate to crucify Him, and Pilate did. God arose from the dead after three days and is living today, but Israel still has not accepted Him or His gift of eternal life.
When Jesus (God) did come, He told them He fulfilled the Law and the Prophets, which He did. Many Israelites did believe in Jesus as the Messiah, and Christianity began in the first century as a joint sect of Judaism, but by mutual agreement of Judaism and followers of Christ they soon parted. God gave the Mosaic Law to Israel as a preparatory system that pointed to the gospel of salvation by grace through faith and not of keeping a set of laws and rules which had been perverted from their true meanings. The word “Gentiles” was coined by Judaism to refer to all human beings not born of an Israelite mother; the word “Jews” came into use by the world as referring to Israelites when the tribe of Judah was the primary remnant; therefore every human being can be said to be either a Jew or a Gentile. God is supreme over all people, and any man or woman who believes in Jesus as Lord or God will have all his or her sins forgiven, his condemnation revoked, and will become a member of the kingdom of God, without doing any works such as circumcision, baptism, sacrifice, or church membership.
Therefore Jews must be redeemed in exactly the same way that Gentiles are saved; that is, by faith in Jesus Christ. The Bible prophesies that when God returns to earth in power and glory, He will pour out His grace on the remaining Jews, and they will accept Him as the Messiah they rejected and crucified (See Zechariah 12:10).
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him will not die, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)
“That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord’, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9)
Untaught, they were more apt to sin than not;
At Sinai, through Moses, God gave His Law,
Meant to reduce sins, not death to unblot!
The Law was schoolmaster of wrong and right,
Teaching men and women to live serene,
To guide them to be righteous in God’s sight,
And showing them what “sin” is when it’s seen!
No man or woman ever kept the Law;
It caused more sins, in fact, for they were weak,
Doing wrong when they should have seen the flaw,
Their sinful natures new thrills prone to seek!
The Law was meant to prepare men for grace,
Not for their condemnations to replace!
*******************************************************
SPECIAL NOTICE: Beginning MARCH 9, I will begin a new emphasis in God’s Master Plan for the world---PROHECIES OF THE COMING MESSIAH! With Israel settled in Canaan, God revealed 340 forecasts of the life of JESUS OF NAZARETH, every one of which was fulfilled! You will not want to miss a single one of these amazing prophecies and proofs of their fulillment! WILLIAM J.B. CRITTENDEN
*******************************************************
Scripture Quoted (NIV) [Brackets added]
Exodus 19:5-6—“ ‘Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you shall be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, you shall be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ “ [God, speaking to Moses about Israel]
Matthew 5:17—“ ‘Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them, but to fulfill them.’ “ [Jesus the Messiah, speaking to Israelites]
Romans 3:20—“Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his [God’s] sight for obeying the law [Mosaic Law]; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin.”
Commentary on: The Mosaic Law
You must keep in mind the plight of Man—the human race was condemned to hell since Adam’s sin; God has a plan to redeem men and women who believe in the Messiah, Jesus Christ, but He will not be born until about 2 B. C.. That is 1500 years in the future for these Israelites camped at Sinai. God chose the nation Israel and made a covenant with them, but He did not promise to redeem them from that condemnation unless they obeyed the Law (Leviticus 18:5). The covenant is conditional upon their obedience to God’s decrees, including the Laws that He gave them through Moses. The Mosaic Law became the heart of Judaism, the religion by which Hebrews have lived for 3500 years, until this day. When God came to them as He promised them He would do, Israel’s leaders and priests rejected Him and exhorted the Roman governor Pontius Pilate to crucify Him, and Pilate did. God arose from the dead after three days and is living today, but Israel still has not accepted Him or His gift of eternal life.
When Jesus (God) did come, He told them He fulfilled the Law and the Prophets, which He did. Many Israelites did believe in Jesus as the Messiah, and Christianity began in the first century as a joint sect of Judaism, but by mutual agreement of Judaism and followers of Christ they soon parted. God gave the Mosaic Law to Israel as a preparatory system that pointed to the gospel of salvation by grace through faith and not of keeping a set of laws and rules which had been perverted from their true meanings. The word “Gentiles” was coined by Judaism to refer to all human beings not born of an Israelite mother; the word “Jews” came into use by the world as referring to Israelites when the tribe of Judah was the primary remnant; therefore every human being can be said to be either a Jew or a Gentile. God is supreme over all people, and any man or woman who believes in Jesus as Lord or God will have all his or her sins forgiven, his condemnation revoked, and will become a member of the kingdom of God, without doing any works such as circumcision, baptism, sacrifice, or church membership.
Therefore Jews must be redeemed in exactly the same way that Gentiles are saved; that is, by faith in Jesus Christ. The Bible prophesies that when God returns to earth in power and glory, He will pour out His grace on the remaining Jews, and they will accept Him as the Messiah they rejected and crucified (See Zechariah 12:10).
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him will not die, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)
“That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord’, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9)
Monday, February 21, 2011
Israel Worships A Golden Calf (MP 49)
Having promised God His laws to obey,
Within a month the Hebrews broke the vow;
They made an idol, with Moses away,
A calf of gold, before which they did bow!
Is there none on earth fit to live with God?
Are these not they from bondage He just freed?
Through the sea on dry ground, did they not trod?
Have they not sworn to obey God’s decrees?
An angry God said He would kill them all,
And build anew with Moses as the head;
Then Moses begged God to forgive their fall,
For what would Egypt say with Israel dead?
God pre-knew they’d be stubborn and stiff-necked,
And that His Messiah they would reject!
******************************************************
SPECIAL NOTICE: Beginning MARCH 9, I will start a new emphasis in God’s Master Plan for the world---PROHECIES OF THE COMING MESSIAH! With Israel settled in Canaan, God revealed 340 forecasts of the life of JESUS OF NAZARETH, every one of which was fulfilled! You will not want to miss a single one of these amazing prophecies and proofs of their fulillment! WILLIAM J.B. CRITTENDEN
*******************************************************
Scripture Quoted: Exodus 32:6-10 (NIV) [Brackets added]
“Then the Lord said to Moses [on top of Mt. Sinai], ‘Go down, because your people, whom you brought up out of Egypt, have become corrupt. They have been quick to turn away from what I commanded them and have made themselves an idol cast in the shape of a calf. They have bowed down to it and sacrificed to it and have said, These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt. I have seen these people,’ the Lord said to Moses, ‘and they are a stiff-necked people. Now leave me alone so that my anger may burn against them and that I may destroy them. Then I will make you into a great nation.’ “
Commentary on: The Golden Calf
The casual reader of the Bible account of Israel’s making and worshiping a golden calf so soon after hearing God give His Ten Commandments in person might think that He was shocked and surprised. No, He was not surprised, for He had known before creation everything they would do. This incident is just a sample of what is to become typical of this obstinate nation, not only during their formative stage but throughout their 3500-year history. Yes, even to this day Israel refuses to accept God as He has clearly taught that they must—through believing that Jesus of Nazareth is the Messiah sent from God. In fact, they rejected and crucified Him, denying then and now that He came forth from the grave and is Lord of the world today and will be forever.
After God’s extraordinary appearance on Mt. Sinai in smoke and fire, from which He spoke the Ten Commandments, the Israelites vowed they would obey them. The Second Commandment is: You shall not make any graven image nor worship idols. God called Moses to the top of the mountain and kept him there forty days, giving him various laws of how they were to conduct themselves in life, as well as the ways they were to worship Him. After Moses had been gone for some time, the people began grumbling and saying he would never return. They went to Aaron, Moses’ brother, who was in charge, and asked for an idol like those they were accustomed to back in Egypt. Incredibly, Aaron, the chief priest, agreed; he asked for gold jewelry and made a golden calf; they raised it and began worshiping it.
Moses succeeded in persuading God not to destroy the people (which God knew in advance He would not do) and came into the camp which was singing and dancing before the golden calf. In his anger he smashed the two stone tablets on which God had personally carved the Ten Commandments. He went to the gate of the camp and called for those who were to worship God to come to him. His own tribe, the Levites supported him. Next he threw the calf into the fire, ground it into particles of dust, put them in water, and made the people drink it. The next day he had his supporters put on their swords and ordered them to go through the camp killing their “brother, son, neighbor” (I am not sure which people were killed); three thousand were put to death that day.
There is no doubt that Aaron was greatly at fault for the incident. When Moses asked him how he could have done such a thing, his excuse was extremely lame. He said it was the people’s fault, for they were prone to do evil, and that when he put the jewelry into the fire, “out came the calf”, as if it were some kind of miracle. Whether he received any punishment at all is doubtful.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him sill not die, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)
“That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord’, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9)
Within a month the Hebrews broke the vow;
They made an idol, with Moses away,
A calf of gold, before which they did bow!
Is there none on earth fit to live with God?
Are these not they from bondage He just freed?
Through the sea on dry ground, did they not trod?
Have they not sworn to obey God’s decrees?
An angry God said He would kill them all,
And build anew with Moses as the head;
Then Moses begged God to forgive their fall,
For what would Egypt say with Israel dead?
God pre-knew they’d be stubborn and stiff-necked,
And that His Messiah they would reject!
******************************************************
SPECIAL NOTICE: Beginning MARCH 9, I will start a new emphasis in God’s Master Plan for the world---PROHECIES OF THE COMING MESSIAH! With Israel settled in Canaan, God revealed 340 forecasts of the life of JESUS OF NAZARETH, every one of which was fulfilled! You will not want to miss a single one of these amazing prophecies and proofs of their fulillment! WILLIAM J.B. CRITTENDEN
*******************************************************
Scripture Quoted: Exodus 32:6-10 (NIV) [Brackets added]
“Then the Lord said to Moses [on top of Mt. Sinai], ‘Go down, because your people, whom you brought up out of Egypt, have become corrupt. They have been quick to turn away from what I commanded them and have made themselves an idol cast in the shape of a calf. They have bowed down to it and sacrificed to it and have said, These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt. I have seen these people,’ the Lord said to Moses, ‘and they are a stiff-necked people. Now leave me alone so that my anger may burn against them and that I may destroy them. Then I will make you into a great nation.’ “
Commentary on: The Golden Calf
The casual reader of the Bible account of Israel’s making and worshiping a golden calf so soon after hearing God give His Ten Commandments in person might think that He was shocked and surprised. No, He was not surprised, for He had known before creation everything they would do. This incident is just a sample of what is to become typical of this obstinate nation, not only during their formative stage but throughout their 3500-year history. Yes, even to this day Israel refuses to accept God as He has clearly taught that they must—through believing that Jesus of Nazareth is the Messiah sent from God. In fact, they rejected and crucified Him, denying then and now that He came forth from the grave and is Lord of the world today and will be forever.
After God’s extraordinary appearance on Mt. Sinai in smoke and fire, from which He spoke the Ten Commandments, the Israelites vowed they would obey them. The Second Commandment is: You shall not make any graven image nor worship idols. God called Moses to the top of the mountain and kept him there forty days, giving him various laws of how they were to conduct themselves in life, as well as the ways they were to worship Him. After Moses had been gone for some time, the people began grumbling and saying he would never return. They went to Aaron, Moses’ brother, who was in charge, and asked for an idol like those they were accustomed to back in Egypt. Incredibly, Aaron, the chief priest, agreed; he asked for gold jewelry and made a golden calf; they raised it and began worshiping it.
Moses succeeded in persuading God not to destroy the people (which God knew in advance He would not do) and came into the camp which was singing and dancing before the golden calf. In his anger he smashed the two stone tablets on which God had personally carved the Ten Commandments. He went to the gate of the camp and called for those who were to worship God to come to him. His own tribe, the Levites supported him. Next he threw the calf into the fire, ground it into particles of dust, put them in water, and made the people drink it. The next day he had his supporters put on their swords and ordered them to go through the camp killing their “brother, son, neighbor” (I am not sure which people were killed); three thousand were put to death that day.
There is no doubt that Aaron was greatly at fault for the incident. When Moses asked him how he could have done such a thing, his excuse was extremely lame. He said it was the people’s fault, for they were prone to do evil, and that when he put the jewelry into the fire, “out came the calf”, as if it were some kind of miracle. Whether he received any punishment at all is doubtful.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him sill not die, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)
“That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord’, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9)
Saturday, February 19, 2011
God's Ten Commandments (MP 48)
God made men and women with Him to dwell;
He loved them all, not wishing one to die,
But ev’ry one became condemned to hell,
And there was none to live with God on high!
So He nurtured Israel through whom He’d come,
Bringing redemption for those who believe;
That they sin less than their forebears had done,
He decreed laws their excesses to decrease!
Ten Commandments God ordered Israel keep;
So they’d not forget, He wrote them in stone;
Keeping God’s laws did not salvation reap,
But less evil might be seen in God’s own!
These commands were His basics and His first,
Meant to make His people special on earth!
************************************************************
SPECIAL NOTICE: Beginning MARCH 9, I will begin a new emphasis in God’s Master Plan for the world---PROHECIES OF THE COMING MESSIAH! With Israel settled in Canaan, God revealed 340 forecasts of the life of JESUS OF NAZARETH, every one of which was fulfilled! You will not want to miss a single one of these amazing prophecies and proofs of their fulillment! WILLIAM J.B. CRITTENDEN
************************************************************
Scripture Quoted (NIV)
Exodus 20:1-17—“And God spoke all these words: ‘I am the Lord your God … You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself an idol … You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God … Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy … Honor your father and your mother … You shall not murder. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal. You shall not give false witness against your neighbor. You shall not covet …’ “
Commentary on “God’s Ten Commandments”
We must keep in mind the predicament in which the human race has been in since the first man Adam disobeyed God and brought condemnation upon all mankind. God created the universe and man so that He would have fellowship with men and women eternally. As a result of Adam’s sin, no one could ever qualify to escape physical death or being assigned to hell eternally; therefore if no system of redemption from the penalty of man’s sin was ever provided, there would be none to join with God ever. God included in His Master Plan a redemptive system; in order to set redemption for men in motion, God planned to come to earth Himself in the body of a man. However, He would not come for another 1500 years. His method included the nation of Israel, begun by Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; their descendants have reached about two million people, and are now free from slavery in Egypt. Israel has become a nation in migration to the Promised Land.
God led the Israelites out of bondage three months ago. He gathers them about Mount Sinai in the desert to begin their organization into a nation. He gives them the Ten Commandments (See above), not as a means of saving them from condemnation, but to prepare them morally and spiritually for His later coming as the Messiah. His laws and commandments are meant to control the sinful nature that is within each person born since Adam. God wants to see less sin from Israel than has been shown by all those who have lived before. Israel is chosen by Him to be a nation of priests to the world; their behavior needs to be an example and a guide to the other nations of the world. By obeying God’s laws and commands, the people of Israel will not earn their ways to heaven and escape hell, but they will prepare the way for Jesus (God) and be first to be offered redemption and salvation when Jesus (God) comes the first century A.D. God’s system for salvation is based upon faith in Jesus Christ through grace, not upon obedience to His laws.
You may not think it fair of God to lay this responsibility upon a people who cannot redeem themselves during their lifetimes long before Jesus comes with a plan of salvation. I am happy to tell you that they were given a way to escape hell. You can read it for yourself in Hebrews Chapter 11. Many men and women beginning with Adam and Eve have been saved by “election”, in which God selects those whose obedience and righteous living He counted as faith in Christ. Abraham, for example, who obeyed God’s call to move to Canaan and many other things asked of him, was redeemed and is in heaven today. Some are listed in Hebrews 11, but there are surely many more whose names are not given.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him will not die, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)
“That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord’, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9)
He loved them all, not wishing one to die,
But ev’ry one became condemned to hell,
And there was none to live with God on high!
So He nurtured Israel through whom He’d come,
Bringing redemption for those who believe;
That they sin less than their forebears had done,
He decreed laws their excesses to decrease!
Ten Commandments God ordered Israel keep;
So they’d not forget, He wrote them in stone;
Keeping God’s laws did not salvation reap,
But less evil might be seen in God’s own!
These commands were His basics and His first,
Meant to make His people special on earth!
************************************************************
SPECIAL NOTICE: Beginning MARCH 9, I will begin a new emphasis in God’s Master Plan for the world---PROHECIES OF THE COMING MESSIAH! With Israel settled in Canaan, God revealed 340 forecasts of the life of JESUS OF NAZARETH, every one of which was fulfilled! You will not want to miss a single one of these amazing prophecies and proofs of their fulillment! WILLIAM J.B. CRITTENDEN
************************************************************
Scripture Quoted (NIV)
Exodus 20:1-17—“And God spoke all these words: ‘I am the Lord your God … You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself an idol … You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God … Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy … Honor your father and your mother … You shall not murder. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal. You shall not give false witness against your neighbor. You shall not covet …’ “
Commentary on “God’s Ten Commandments”
We must keep in mind the predicament in which the human race has been in since the first man Adam disobeyed God and brought condemnation upon all mankind. God created the universe and man so that He would have fellowship with men and women eternally. As a result of Adam’s sin, no one could ever qualify to escape physical death or being assigned to hell eternally; therefore if no system of redemption from the penalty of man’s sin was ever provided, there would be none to join with God ever. God included in His Master Plan a redemptive system; in order to set redemption for men in motion, God planned to come to earth Himself in the body of a man. However, He would not come for another 1500 years. His method included the nation of Israel, begun by Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; their descendants have reached about two million people, and are now free from slavery in Egypt. Israel has become a nation in migration to the Promised Land.
God led the Israelites out of bondage three months ago. He gathers them about Mount Sinai in the desert to begin their organization into a nation. He gives them the Ten Commandments (See above), not as a means of saving them from condemnation, but to prepare them morally and spiritually for His later coming as the Messiah. His laws and commandments are meant to control the sinful nature that is within each person born since Adam. God wants to see less sin from Israel than has been shown by all those who have lived before. Israel is chosen by Him to be a nation of priests to the world; their behavior needs to be an example and a guide to the other nations of the world. By obeying God’s laws and commands, the people of Israel will not earn their ways to heaven and escape hell, but they will prepare the way for Jesus (God) and be first to be offered redemption and salvation when Jesus (God) comes the first century A.D. God’s system for salvation is based upon faith in Jesus Christ through grace, not upon obedience to His laws.
You may not think it fair of God to lay this responsibility upon a people who cannot redeem themselves during their lifetimes long before Jesus comes with a plan of salvation. I am happy to tell you that they were given a way to escape hell. You can read it for yourself in Hebrews Chapter 11. Many men and women beginning with Adam and Eve have been saved by “election”, in which God selects those whose obedience and righteous living He counted as faith in Christ. Abraham, for example, who obeyed God’s call to move to Canaan and many other things asked of him, was redeemed and is in heaven today. Some are listed in Hebrews 11, but there are surely many more whose names are not given.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him will not die, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)
“That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord’, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9)
Thursday, February 17, 2011
The People Ask For A Prophet (MP 47)
Israel met with God where Moses was called
From the burning bush that was not consumed;
Thund’rous clouds of smoke Mount Sinai assumed;
People shrank back in fear; some even crawled!
They begged Moses, “Ask God to speak through you;
If He speaks directly to us, we will die!”
God knew they would fear long before their cry,
And in advance had planned what He would do!
From among them a prophet would be born,
One who will redeem their wages of sin,
And whose words will offer salvation to men—
God will come Himself, the earth to adorn!
This in His Plan ere creation began,
All complete, coming together for Man!
Scripture Quoted (NIV) [Brackets added]
Exodus 19:16-18—“Then Moses led the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. Mount Sinai was covered with smoke, because the Lord descended on it in fire. The smoke billowed up like smoke from a furnace, and the whole mountain trembled violently.”
Exodus 20:18-19—“When the people saw the thunder and lightning and heard the trumpet and saw the mountain in smoke, they trembled with fear. They stayed at a distance and said to Moses, ‘Speak to us yourself and we will listen. But do not have God speak to us or we will die.’ “
Deuteronomy 18_19—“ ‘I [God speaking to Moses] will raise up for them [Israel] a prophet [Jesus] like you from among their brothers; I will put my words into his mouth, and he will tell them everything I command him.’ “ [Moses, quoting God’s prophecy of Messiah in Deuteronomy in response to the people’s request]
John 5:45-47—“ 'But do not think I [Jesus] will accuse you [for not believing Him] from the Father. Your accuser is Moses, on whom your hopes are set. If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me. But since you do not believe what he wrote, how are you going to believe what I say?’ “
Commentary on “The People Ash For A Prophet”
God wanted to speak to the assembly of all Israelites when they first arrived at Mount Sinai thee months after crossing the Red Sea out of Egypt. He was in the midst of billowing smoke and fire on top of the mountain. The sight and sounds and trembling of the mountain caused by God’s presence so frightened the people that they feared to meet directly with God and asked Moses to continue bringing God’s message to them. As a result God agreed, and He spoke through the prophet Moses so long as He lived; then He spoke through other prophets, such as Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Joel, Amos, Zechariah, and others; however God promised in Deuteronomy 18 (partially quoted above) that He would send the Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth. This prophecy and more than 300 others in the Old Testament speaks clearly of the coming of Jesus, who was God Himself come to earth to bring redemption to Man. Jesus used this prophecy in speaking to the Jews (See John 5:45-47 above), but they did not believe He was sent from God, although He met the words of Moses’ prophecy and all the others precisely. Therefore, He told them that Moses himself would accuse them of unbelief in Jesus, rather than Jesus having to accuse them. They didn’t believe the words of Jesus, and they crucified Him for claiming to be the Son of God. The Pharisees and priests will stand condemned at the Last Judgment for their disbelief in heir own prophets.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him will not die, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)
“That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord’, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9)
From the burning bush that was not consumed;
Thund’rous clouds of smoke Mount Sinai assumed;
People shrank back in fear; some even crawled!
They begged Moses, “Ask God to speak through you;
If He speaks directly to us, we will die!”
God knew they would fear long before their cry,
And in advance had planned what He would do!
From among them a prophet would be born,
One who will redeem their wages of sin,
And whose words will offer salvation to men—
God will come Himself, the earth to adorn!
This in His Plan ere creation began,
All complete, coming together for Man!
Scripture Quoted (NIV) [Brackets added]
Exodus 19:16-18—“Then Moses led the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. Mount Sinai was covered with smoke, because the Lord descended on it in fire. The smoke billowed up like smoke from a furnace, and the whole mountain trembled violently.”
Exodus 20:18-19—“When the people saw the thunder and lightning and heard the trumpet and saw the mountain in smoke, they trembled with fear. They stayed at a distance and said to Moses, ‘Speak to us yourself and we will listen. But do not have God speak to us or we will die.’ “
Deuteronomy 18_19—“ ‘I [God speaking to Moses] will raise up for them [Israel] a prophet [Jesus] like you from among their brothers; I will put my words into his mouth, and he will tell them everything I command him.’ “ [Moses, quoting God’s prophecy of Messiah in Deuteronomy in response to the people’s request]
John 5:45-47—“ 'But do not think I [Jesus] will accuse you [for not believing Him] from the Father. Your accuser is Moses, on whom your hopes are set. If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me. But since you do not believe what he wrote, how are you going to believe what I say?’ “
Commentary on “The People Ash For A Prophet”
God wanted to speak to the assembly of all Israelites when they first arrived at Mount Sinai thee months after crossing the Red Sea out of Egypt. He was in the midst of billowing smoke and fire on top of the mountain. The sight and sounds and trembling of the mountain caused by God’s presence so frightened the people that they feared to meet directly with God and asked Moses to continue bringing God’s message to them. As a result God agreed, and He spoke through the prophet Moses so long as He lived; then He spoke through other prophets, such as Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Joel, Amos, Zechariah, and others; however God promised in Deuteronomy 18 (partially quoted above) that He would send the Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth. This prophecy and more than 300 others in the Old Testament speaks clearly of the coming of Jesus, who was God Himself come to earth to bring redemption to Man. Jesus used this prophecy in speaking to the Jews (See John 5:45-47 above), but they did not believe He was sent from God, although He met the words of Moses’ prophecy and all the others precisely. Therefore, He told them that Moses himself would accuse them of unbelief in Jesus, rather than Jesus having to accuse them. They didn’t believe the words of Jesus, and they crucified Him for claiming to be the Son of God. The Pharisees and priests will stand condemned at the Last Judgment for their disbelief in heir own prophets.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him will not die, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)
“That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord’, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9)
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
God Provides For Israel (MP 46)
Israel’s high praise for God did not long last;
For three days without fresh water they marched;
Grumbling grew greater the greater they parched,
“We had plenty of water in the past!”
Bitter-tasting water God led them to;
The people cried for water that was good;
God showed Moses a certain piece of wood;
When placed in the water, it sweetened through!
God told them, “Listen sharp to all I say:
Do right in my eyes; obey my commands;
Keep all my decrees; you’re safe in my hands,
For I am the Lord, who shows you the way!”
He led them to a place of twelve springs,
Seventy palm trees, and other good things!
Scripture Quoted: Exodus 15:19-24 (NIV)
“When Pharaoh’s horses, chariots and horsemen went into the sea, the Lord brought the waters of the sea back over them, but the Israelites walked through on dry ground. Then Miriam the prophetess, Aaron’s sister, took a tambourine in her hand and all the women followed her, with tambourines and dancing. … Then Moses led Israel from the Red Sea and they went into the Desert of Shur. For three days they traveled in the desert without finding water. When they came to Marah, they could not drink its water because it was bitter. … So the people grumbled against Moses, saying, ‘What are we to drink?’ “
Commentary on: God Provides For Israel
The Israelites had a great celebration of singing praises to God and dancing on the eastern shore of the Red Sea after God drowned the pursuing Egyptians and let them cross on dry ground. Moses’ and Aaron’s sister Miriam led the women in a dance of thanksgiving. When they moved off from the sea, it was a different story—they plunged into the desert and trekked for three days without finding fresh water. The complaints to Moses and God cranked up again. We will find that Israel was made up of obstreperous people who were quick to find fault with those that did the most for them.
God knew how they would turn from Him time after time before He chose Israel’s forefathers—Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, yet He repeatedly blessed them and provided for all their needs. You recall that He led them in a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. He was constant with this blessing the entire forty years of their wandering. God provided a piece of wood at Marah to sweeten the water so that they could drink it. Finding water in the desert was a big problem, but God kept them supplied. In Exodus 17 He told Moses to strike a rock with his staff and water gushed out.
God provided bread from heaven. Thin white wafers called “manna” lay on the ground every morning; there were two full quarts a day for each person. It was gathered every morning and consumed during the day or disposed of, except on Friday twice as much fell, for Saturday was the Sabbath, a day of rest. In the evening, doves fell to the ground all over their camp, which supplied their meat.
In those days it was impossible for two million people carrying gold and other valuables and huge numbers of livestock to migrate across territory occupied by many tribes without having to fight their way. The first group to attack Israel was the Amalekites very soon in their journey. Moses appointed Joshua as commander of Israel’s fighting forces. Joshua and his chosen men went out to meet the attackers, and Moses, Aaron and Hur went up to the top of a mountain overlooking the battleground, Moses stretched both arms up to God—as long as his arms were raised, the Israelites were winning, but when they were lowered to rest, they began losing. So Aaron and Hur placed a stone for Moses to sit upon; one stood on one side and held up Moses’ arm; the other stood on the other side and held the other arm up. His arms were raised all day, and God gave Israel the victory. In everything that God did on behalf of Israel, He tried to accentuate to the people their complete dependence upon Him. If you observe mankind in the 21st century, you will quickly see that none of the governments look to God for His assistance in war or in keeping the peace, and very few people and institutions depend upon God for success either. Although God knew in advance mankind in general would never trust their safety or success to Him, nevertheless He showed us in many ways the importance of depending on Him rather than upon man’s own ingenuity and resources. His complete provision for Israel was essential for their safety and success. Our United States of America founding fathers launched this nation under God and tried to impress upon the consciences of its future citizens the importance of our dependence upon God. However, our current President Obama seems to be trying to remove us from dependence upon God. Bad for our safety and success.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him will not die, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)
“That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord’, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9)
For three days without fresh water they marched;
Grumbling grew greater the greater they parched,
“We had plenty of water in the past!”
Bitter-tasting water God led them to;
The people cried for water that was good;
God showed Moses a certain piece of wood;
When placed in the water, it sweetened through!
God told them, “Listen sharp to all I say:
Do right in my eyes; obey my commands;
Keep all my decrees; you’re safe in my hands,
For I am the Lord, who shows you the way!”
He led them to a place of twelve springs,
Seventy palm trees, and other good things!
Scripture Quoted: Exodus 15:19-24 (NIV)
“When Pharaoh’s horses, chariots and horsemen went into the sea, the Lord brought the waters of the sea back over them, but the Israelites walked through on dry ground. Then Miriam the prophetess, Aaron’s sister, took a tambourine in her hand and all the women followed her, with tambourines and dancing. … Then Moses led Israel from the Red Sea and they went into the Desert of Shur. For three days they traveled in the desert without finding water. When they came to Marah, they could not drink its water because it was bitter. … So the people grumbled against Moses, saying, ‘What are we to drink?’ “
Commentary on: God Provides For Israel
The Israelites had a great celebration of singing praises to God and dancing on the eastern shore of the Red Sea after God drowned the pursuing Egyptians and let them cross on dry ground. Moses’ and Aaron’s sister Miriam led the women in a dance of thanksgiving. When they moved off from the sea, it was a different story—they plunged into the desert and trekked for three days without finding fresh water. The complaints to Moses and God cranked up again. We will find that Israel was made up of obstreperous people who were quick to find fault with those that did the most for them.
God knew how they would turn from Him time after time before He chose Israel’s forefathers—Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, yet He repeatedly blessed them and provided for all their needs. You recall that He led them in a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. He was constant with this blessing the entire forty years of their wandering. God provided a piece of wood at Marah to sweeten the water so that they could drink it. Finding water in the desert was a big problem, but God kept them supplied. In Exodus 17 He told Moses to strike a rock with his staff and water gushed out.
God provided bread from heaven. Thin white wafers called “manna” lay on the ground every morning; there were two full quarts a day for each person. It was gathered every morning and consumed during the day or disposed of, except on Friday twice as much fell, for Saturday was the Sabbath, a day of rest. In the evening, doves fell to the ground all over their camp, which supplied their meat.
In those days it was impossible for two million people carrying gold and other valuables and huge numbers of livestock to migrate across territory occupied by many tribes without having to fight their way. The first group to attack Israel was the Amalekites very soon in their journey. Moses appointed Joshua as commander of Israel’s fighting forces. Joshua and his chosen men went out to meet the attackers, and Moses, Aaron and Hur went up to the top of a mountain overlooking the battleground, Moses stretched both arms up to God—as long as his arms were raised, the Israelites were winning, but when they were lowered to rest, they began losing. So Aaron and Hur placed a stone for Moses to sit upon; one stood on one side and held up Moses’ arm; the other stood on the other side and held the other arm up. His arms were raised all day, and God gave Israel the victory. In everything that God did on behalf of Israel, He tried to accentuate to the people their complete dependence upon Him. If you observe mankind in the 21st century, you will quickly see that none of the governments look to God for His assistance in war or in keeping the peace, and very few people and institutions depend upon God for success either. Although God knew in advance mankind in general would never trust their safety or success to Him, nevertheless He showed us in many ways the importance of depending on Him rather than upon man’s own ingenuity and resources. His complete provision for Israel was essential for their safety and success. Our United States of America founding fathers launched this nation under God and tried to impress upon the consciences of its future citizens the importance of our dependence upon God. However, our current President Obama seems to be trying to remove us from dependence upon God. Bad for our safety and success.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him will not die, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)
“That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord’, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9)
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