Numbers 14:1 – 15:16
Notable 14:3 “Moses said to the LORD, “Then the Egyptians will hear about it! By your power you brought these people up from among them.”
Wow! God is really angry. None of us want to be in the room when mom gets angry much less God. Yet, here is Moses, not only in the room but is politely challenging Him. If you didn’t know who Moses was talking to, it would read like a human-human conversation. I wish I would have such boldness to speak to God like that and such courtesy. It is either feast or famine with me. Either I speak to God as some disconnected middle management person I need something from but don’t really expect much action, or I yell and whine.
What is also impressive here, is how Moses speaks to appeal for the lives of his people. He could have spoken of their innate goodness, or how he had been leading them for so long that it felt like he was being ripped off. Instead he appeals to God about how he would be seen among those who didn’t believe in him anyway. I don’t know when I have ever prayed for the church so that God’s name wouldn’t be damaged among people who don’t care. It is easy to give up as a Christian to care about such things.
In America, after I don’t know how many sex scandals, the unchurched population just assumes we are all hypocrites. Speak of creation and you are an ignorant nut, uneducated and in need of remedial science. We get used to it. I know how badly the church is seen in the eyes of the world, you are evil and worthy of being stuck down by God whoever He/She/It is. It is interesting that Moses appeals to God concerning His reputation when the people in Egypt consider this batch of people runaway slaves with some zealot leader who Osiris needs to kill anyway.
Mark 14:53 – 72
Notable Verse –v.68 “But he denied it. “I don’t know or understand what you’re talking about,” he said, and went out into the entryway.”
I can’t imagine many more painful verses in the Bible than this one. We can read of the torture and death of Jesus, but behind the horror, is the truth that it was done on our behalf, but to deny Jesus, after witnessing so much, the miracles, the teaching, the transfiguration, watching a man sweat blood in fear is somehow unbelievable. And yet, I am not surprised. How many times in word, thought or deed to I say to others “Jesus, never heard of him.” What do I think I am gaining? A moment of peace without being laughed at? Respect in the eyes of people who I honestly don’t really respect? There doesn’t seem to be any rational reason to deny Jesus. Under torture I can believe it. I have had medical procedures done that were so painful, it would be easy to imagine myself denying Jesus if only the doctors would stop (that is shameful enough to write) but when I deny Jesus for nothing, not even 30 pieces of silver. I have to come to the conclusion, at least Judas was paid. Peter and I have done it for free. It is a horrifying realization that in some ways I am worse than Judas. Thankfully Jesus’ death paid for that sin as well.
Psalm 53:1-6
Notable Verse – v.4 “Will the evildoers never learn— those who devour my people as men eat bread and who do not call on God?”
Every day I blog on the persecuted church and every day the stories are just as shocking. Christians less than 100 miles from my house are being imprisoned and killed. Churches in India, Nigeria, Sri Lanka, and Indonesia are burning; Christians being chased from their homes is more countries than I can count. Every day some new tragedy comes across the wire and all I can do is pass it on and say please pray. And yet through all of this the church not only survives but flourishes. When will evildoers learn – you can’t stop the church because we serve an unbeatable God. If I die in some random or calculated attack, there will always be someone to take my place. There is a great comfort in knowing that I am not that important, the message will go on. The message is eternal and you can’t stop eternity from continuing.
Proverbs 11:4
“Wealth is worthless in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death.”
I read this today and wondered if we are in the day of wrath. Where has wealth gotten people? The won has gone from 800-1000 to the dollar to 1500, in America businesses are failing, “stable” industries and services are collapsing. Wealth will not buy us deliverance. There is no stimulus package to spare us from death. There is only righteousness.
