February 18th - A Prohibition of Pagan Practices

A Prohibition of Pagan Practices

(Exodus 22:20; 23:13; 34:17)

(Leviticus 18:21; 19:4, 27-28; 20:1-5; 26:1)

(Deuteronomy 5:5-10; 12:1-31; 13:6-18; 14:1-2; 16:21-22; 17:2-7)

Moloch – The Ammonite Idol

Artist Unknown

18^th Century

Recorded between 1450 and 1400 B.C., today’s Bible readings focus on several of the Mosaic laws. These patriarchal principles gave God’s people guidelines for holy and harmonious living.

For several days, our journey through The Daily Bible in Chronological Order – 365 Daily Readings will take us through various thematic sections of the Mosaic Law. Today, we read warnings against pagan practices and idolatry.

The Greatest Commandment

Moses clearly repeated the Lord’s greatest law of all:

“I am the Lord your God

who brought you out of the land of Egypt,

out of the house of slavery.

You shall have no other gods before Me.”

(Deuteronomy 5:6-7, NASB, emphasis added)

This statement was the first of the Ten Commandments, and it appeared many times in Scripture:

Exodus 20:2-17

Leviticus 26:1

Deuteronomy 5:6-7

Deuteronomy 6:4

Psalm 81:10

In the New Testament, Jesus echoed this truth as well, along with an update for a personal attitude check:

“Jesus replied:

‘”Love the Lord your God with all your heart

and with all your soul and with all your mind.”

This is the first and greatest commandment.

And the second is like it:

“Love your neighbor as yourself.”’”

(Matthew 22:37-39, NIV and Mark 12:27-29, NIV)

Basically, the religious and ceremonial laws of the Mosaic statutes could be summed up in the greatest commandment: loving, honoring and worshipping the one true God alone.

What About Moloch?

Although we will likely look more closely at the Ammonites and their worship of the false god Moloch in subsequent Bible readings, the subject merits mention here. Moses explained to the Israelites how the Lord prohibited them from participating in pagan ceremonies and dabbling in idolatry.

Why did Moses focus specifically mention Moloch?

Moloch was an ancient Eastern idol and perhaps even a fallen angel, according to some accounts. Pagan peoples attempted to appease this angry idol, presumably to earn blessing and good fortune on their lives, by sacrificing their children to him through a fiery rite.

Moses’ warning, directly quoting the Lord, was without question:

"’'Do not give any of your children

to be sacrificed to Moloch,

for you must not profane

the name of your God.

I am the Lord.’”

(Leviticus 18:21, NIV)

In recent decades, Bible scholars have linked the ancient sacrifices to Moloch with current abortion practices. Clearly, this is an ethical and eternal issue. How many children have we sacrificed, or allowed to be sacrificed, this way? And what will be our level of accountability for failing to prevent this destruction of life?

“’And if the people of the land do at all hide their eyes

from the man when he gives one of his children

[as a burnt offering] to Molech [the fire god]

and they overlook it or neglect to take legal action to punish him,

winking at his sin,

and do not kill him [as My law requires],

then I will set My face against that man and against his family

and will cut him off from among their people,

him and all who follow him to [unfaithfulness to Me,

and thus] play the harlot after Molech.’”

(Leviticus 20:4-5, Amplified)

Certainly, radicals have used this verse irrationally and out of context to justify violence against those who have slain the unborn. On the other hand, does this Mosaic admonition from the Lord not serve as a stern warning to us all? Will we someday be called to face the millions of children that have been killed for convenience? Will the Lord hold us accountable somehow for ignoring these untimely deaths?

Please join me, in praying that the Lord will turn the hearts of all peoples to worship and serve Him alone.

Will you pray with me?

Jehovah, Master, Lord and God,

We praise and honor You.

Reveal to us

Any idols we may still hold

In our lives

And in our hearts.

Guide us to remove

Anything that hinders

Our worship of You alone.

Stir the hearts of people everywhere,

And incite a hunger in their hearts

To know and honor You.

We pray for Your mercy

For the many unborn children

Who have been killed for human convenience.

May this tragedy be terminated

Through Your power.

Convict our consciences,

And turn our hearts

To You.

Amen.

February 16th - Reviewing the Rules

Reviewing the Rules

(Deuteronomy 4:44 – 8:20)

Moses Teaching the People of Israel

Artist Unknown

Moses' second address to the Israelites contained a proviso, a promise and a key principle.

As God's agent, or intermediary, Moses reviewed the law of the Lord. This Mosaic teaching includes many primary elements of God's covenant with His people, pointing them toward obedience and the fear of the Lord, even as they would venture into the Promised Land.

The Proviso

The ancient Hebrews understood the awe of God. They knew the danger of taking the Lord lightly.

“For what mortal man has ever heard

the voice of the living God speaking out of fire,

as we have, and survived?”

(Deuteronomy 5:26, NIV)

Today, we tend to regard God considerably more casually. Indeed, the Lord welcomes us into His Presence, in the Name of Jesus. Still, I wonder if we take our great and glorious God too lightly sometimes. Do we focus wholly on the love of the Lord, forgetting His remarkable righteousness and power?

Our God is holy. There is no one like Him. A healthy fear, or at least a worthy respect, is due Him. Although we need not be afraid of God, if we belong to Him, we surely must hold Him in awe.

The Promise

God’s covenant with His people offers a promise of abundant life, now and in eternity.

“So Moses told the people,

‘You must be careful to obey all the commands

of the Lord your God,

following his instructions in every detail.

Stay on the path

that the Lord your God has commanded you to follow.

Then you will live long and prosperous lives

in the land you are about to enter and occupy.’”

(Deuteronomy 5:32-33. NLT)

Although the faithful live by the grace of God, does He not desire to bless us for obeying Him? Surely we cannot earn His favor. Still, the benefits of following His leading cannot be counted.

What better way is there to thank the Lord for His great gift of salvation than to seek to obey Him? He longs to prosper us, in a host of ways, if we will but serve Him.

The Shema

The Principle

The premier commandment of the Lord offers a purpose for His people. Jewish families still treasure this short passage of Scriptures. Known as the “Shema,” these verses are regarded among the most sacred sections of the entire Bible.

The “Shema” includes a reason for living, a guide for parenting and a methodology for Scripture memorization.

“Hear, O Israel:

The Lord our God, the Lord is one.

Love the Lord your God with all your heart

and with all your soul and with all your strength.

These commandments that I give you today

are to be upon your hearts.

Impress them on your children.

Talk about them when you sit at home

and when you walk along the road,

when you lie down and when you get up.

Tie them as symbols on your hands

and bind them on your foreheads.

Write them on the doorframes of your houses

and on your gates.”

(Deuteronomy 6:4-9, NIV)

May God’s Word be so central in our hearts and in our homes.

Will you pray with me?

Lord of Lords,

How grateful we are

That You invite us to meet and speak with You.

Remind us that You alone are holy.

May we ever hold You in awe,

Even as we adore You.

Give us the strength

And courage

And will

To obey You daily.

May we hold You and Your Word

In such high esteem

That we post reminders

Wherever we are.

May Your legacy of faith

Begin with us

And pass to our families

For generations to come.

Amen.

January 31st - Jealous But Just

Jealous But Just

(Exodus 32-34)

The Adoration of the Golden Calf

By Nicholas Poussin

c1634

Have you ever had a mountaintop experience with God? Moses surely did, spending 40 days and night on Mount Sinai with the Lord (see Exodus 24:18). Moses had his head in the cloud, to be sure, and the cloud was the Presence of God Himself.

Suddenly, God ended their wonderful meeting, sending Moses back to confront the people. The Hebrews had talked Aaron into constructing a golden idol, shaped like a calf, from their precious jewelry. God was jealous of the people’s affection, and justly so, as they engaged in idolatry.

In anger, Moses tossed the Ten Commandments to the ground, smashing the stone tablets to bits. Soon, three thousand men had been slain by the swords of the Levites.

But Moses prayed for the people to be restored to the Lord. Moses became an intermediary between God and His people, asking the Lord for mercy on their behalf.

The prayer of Moses pierces my soul:

“Then Moses returned to the Lord and said,

‘Oh, these people have committed a great sin,

and have made for themselves a god of gold!

Yet now, if You will forgive their sin –

but if not, I pray,

blot me out of Your book

which You have written.’”

(Exodus 32:31-32, NKJV)

Moses was willing to offer his own salvation, in exchange for the people’s salvation. This servant-hearted leader asked the Lord to accept his life, in place of the lives of the people. Seeing his faith, the Lord chose mercy.

The Apostle Paul expressed a similar level of commitment toward those to whom he was ministering:

“For I could wish that I myself were cursed

and cut off from Christ

for the sake of my brothers,

those of my own race, the people of Israel.”

(Romans 9:3-4a, NIV)

How earnestly do we pray for others to be delivered by God? What are their souls worth to us? What are we willing to sacrifice, so that others might know the Lord? Will we give our time, our talents and more towards that end?

What could be worth more than seeing others come to experience a personal relationship with our great God, the Lord of goodness, mercy and compassion? May we pray that many will know Him, and may He make us faithful in this very prayer.

“The Lord replied,

‘I will make all my goodness pass before you,

and I will call out my name, Yahweh, before you.

For I will show mercy to anyone I choose,

and I will show compassion to anyone I choose.’”

(Exodus 33:19, NLT)

Will you pray with me?

Righteous Lord,

You have said You are a jealous God,

As You deserve to be.

No one else deserves our allegiance,

Our loyalty or our love.

Show us the idols we have raised in our lives.

Grant us the strength to cast them out.

Give us the depth of devotion

To pray more consistently

And to invest ourselves more heartily

In Your ministry to the lost.

Teach us to care more deeply,

And create in us a craving

To see people come to know You

Now and forever.

We honor You.

Amen.