Mar 9-15 Gods Word Is Not A Mystery

God’s Word Is Not A MysteryGod’s Word Is Not A Mystery

Today’s lesson is taken from

“The Word In Life”

Study Bible


For many people today, the Bible remains a closed book. One reason is that some people

have the mistaken idea that the Bible is a mysterious collection of encoded teachings that only a few wise or holy people can

interpret.


But God's Word is not a mystery. It never has

been. From the beginning of time. God has spoken clearly, in

terms that humans can understand.


Hebrews 1:1 NET After God spoke long ago in

various portions and in various ways to our

ancestors through the prophets,


2 in these last days he has spoken to us in a son,

whom he appointed heir of all things, and through

whom he created the world.


Moses reminded the Israelites of this fact as they prepared to enter

the Promised Land. God had given them His Law at Sinai (Deuteronomy 5:4-5, 22),


so there was no need to go searching to find out

what He wanted (Deuteronomy 30:11-14).He had already made plain what His will was.


He even wrote down His Law on stone tablets sothat the people would

have a permanent record of it.


Believers today also have a permanent, written record of God's Word—the Bible. And

though a few parts of Scripture may be hard to

understand, (2 Pet. 3:15-16) it is generally not a mystery.


We need not resort to subjective revelations or any other strange

practices to interpret its meaning.The Bible's message becomes

evident when we read it according to normal principles of reading.


However, the most important thing about Scripture is not just that we read it or study it, but

that we live it, that we obey the Lord. God did not give us His Word merely to inform us, but

to change our lives.


James 1:22 NET But be sure you live out the message and do not merely listen

to it and so deceive yourselves.

Moses' Swan SongMoses' Swan SongWhen an executive retires, it is common for the person to meet with the various lieutenants and

others that have been of support to offer final words and

instructions.

Moses' Swan SongMoses' Swan SongDeuteronomy 31:28 NET Gather to me all your tribal elders

and officials so I can speak to them directly of these things and call the heavens and the earth to

witness against them.

Moses' Swan SongMoses' Swan Song

29 For I know that after I die you will totally

corrupt yourselves and turn away from the path I have commanded you to

walk.


Disaster will confront you in the days to come because you will act

wickedly before the Lord, inciting him to anger

because of your actions."


Apparently Moses had real doubts as to whether the people would remain faithful to God after he

was gone.

Moses' Swan SongMoses' Swan SongHis concern raises the question

of how leaders can have confidence that the values and vision they have tried to honor

will be maintained by the organization after their

departure.


Solomon puzzled over that issue and

felt even greater doubts than Moses

(Eccl. 2:18-21):

Moses' Swan SongMoses' Swan SongAs he pointed out

ultimately there is no way to guarantee that one's

successors will act wisely or pass along worthy convictions to future

generations.


Still, there are some things that leaders

can do to help prolong their impact:

Moses' Swan SongMoses' Swan Song(1) Articulate values and dreams

frequently. Moses spelled out the Law twice—once in Exodus and again in Deuteronomy. He also caused it to be written on a

memorial for all to see.

Moses' Swan SongMoses' Swan SongLikewise, wise leaders know

how easy it is for their followers to become lost in the

tasks at hand, so that they forget the fundamental

purposes and perspectives behind the work.


(2) Mentor people. Moses mentored Joshua so that

he left behind a highly trained, qualified leader.

Moses' Swan SongMoses' Swan SongMentoring involves working transparently before others in a way that allows them to see not only what one does

and how, also why—the underlying motivations and passions that sustain the

leader's energy.

Moses' Swan SongMoses' Swan Song(3) Delegate to others.

Delegation doesn't mean just passing off work to someone

else. Rather, it involves assigning them tasks for which

they are qualified,

Moses' Swan SongMoses' Swan Songproviding the resources

necessary to accomplish those tasks (including authority), monitoring progress, and providing feedback and

evaluation both during and after the assignment.

Moses' Swan SongMoses' Swan SongThus delegation is an

investment, not an assignment. Moses would have worn himself out had he not

delegated authority to qualified leaders among the people.


Scripture mentions a number of transitions from one

leader to the next. Not all of them went as smoothly as the transfer of power from

Moses to Joshua.

The Consequences Of Sin The Consequences Of Sin God never delights in sin, but He

does delight in forgiving sin. (John 3:16-18; 1 John 1:9) He has promised

to remove the believer's guilt "as far as the east is from the

west." (Ps. 103:12)

The Consequences Of SinThe Consequences Of SinYet even though God deals with the wages of sin, (Rom. 6:23) He often leaves us to face the tragic consequences of

sin. Moses and Aaron committed acts that cost them participation in the

"land of milk and honey."

The Consequences Of SinThe Consequences Of SinEven though they doubtless

confessed their sins and offered the required

sacrifices to atone for them, they still had to face the consequences of their

disobedience.

The Consequences Of SinThe Consequences Of SinThis is a sobering lesson for us all. Like Moses and Aaron, we can find forgiveness of sin from God. But we are not immune to the practical effects of our sin.

The Consequences Of SinThe Consequences Of SinFor example, to recover from some sins we may have to live

under strong disciplines to avoid repeating the mistakes of

the past. Some sins produce indelible physical or emotional

marks.

The Consequences Of SinThe Consequences Of SinOr, like Zacchaeus, we may

need to make costly restitution to those we have wronged. In some cases, we may have to let go of certain relationships

that are permanently broken, at least in this world, as a result of

what we have done.

The Consequences Of SinThe Consequences Of SinSin does have a price. Christ paid the ultimate penalty for sin

on the Cross. But when it comes to the practical

consequences of our actions, we can often expect to pay for

those ourselves.

Stand Strong And Hang On!Stand Strong And Hang On!

Was Joshua hard of hearing? The Lord reminded him three

times to be "strong" and "courageous." There must have been an important message in

those words.


Joshua 1:6 NET Be strong and brave! You must lead these people in the conquest of this land that I solemnly

promised their ancestors I would hand over to them.


7a,b Make sure you are very strong and brave! Carefully obey all the law my servant Moses charged you to keep!


9 I repeat, be strong and brave! Don't be afraid

and don't panic, for I, the Lord your God, am with

you in all you do."

Stand Strong And Hang On!Stand Strong And Hang On!The Hebrew word for "strong" refers to "sound legs," while the

one for "courage" refers to "having a secure grasp." The point is clear: God was telling Joshua that his success as a

leader depended on whether he could stand strong and hold on

tightly!


Joshua had already experienced situations in which he was forced to

take a strong stand in the face of opposition.


For instance, when the Israelites were poised to enter Canaan 40 years earlier, Joshua had

been one of only two men who insisted that the nation should

move forward under God's power.


What was Joshua to keep a "secure grasp" on?

God's plans, purposes, and values as found in the "Book of the Law"


Joshua 1:8 NET This law scroll must not leave your lips! You must memorize it day

and night so you can carefully obey all that is

written in it. Then you will prosper and be successful.


Joshua's example urges believers to consider:

What do we stand for—and on? What are we

holding onto with a secure grasp?

Success And Prosperity Success And Prosperity

Who among us does not want to succeed in life and

prosper in performing tasks? Joshua certainty did. As he prepared to lead his

people into Canaan,

Success And ProsperitySuccess And Prosperity

God told him of a way to have success and

prosperity.

(Joshua 1:8) Is there a secret to success here for all of us?


Some believe that God wants His children to prosper,

especially materially and financially, and they turn to Bible verses such as Josh. 1:8

to support their claim.


But a careful reading of the text shows us

some important qualifications:


God made a conditional promise to Joshua and Israel. Imagine opening someone else's birthday presents and claiming

them.


That's exactly what we would be doing with the promises that God made to His people Israel if we were to claim those gifts

for ourselves.


God's words to Joshua are a case in point. The Lord was commissioning General Joshua to take

the Promised Land.


As part of His instructions, He gave Joshua a

condition followed by a promise: If you hold

unswervingly to the Law, then you will succeed-


-succeed in terms of conquering Canaan and settling the land.

It was a specific promise for a certain

occasion.

Success And ProsperitySuccess And ProsperityThe emphasis was on the blessing that comes from

obedience. Still we might be tempted to use Joshua 1:8 in a general way to claim that God

blesses people who obey Him.


Thus success and prosperity would be claimed as rewards for good behavior.

Success And ProsperitySuccess And ProsperityBut the emphasis of the passage is not on the blessing but on the

doing of the Law. That is, following God's ways are

inherently good for us. They are themselves the reward.


Deuteronomy 29:9 NET “Therefore, keep the

terms of this covenant and obey them so that

you may be successful in everything you do.

Success And ProsperitySuccess And ProsperityFor example, loving one's neighbor as oneself (Lev 19:18) means having a neighbor to

love. Not committing adultery (Ex. 20:14)

means stability and trust in one's home life.


The benefits come in the doing itself, not

in some "payoff" that God gives for good

behavior.

Success And ProsperitySuccess And ProsperityThe Bible does not promise

earthly riches. When we consider what the Bible has to say about success and prosperity in general, we

find no support for the idea that God has promised them to His children.

Success And ProsperitySuccess And ProsperityActually, we are discouraged

from seeking material prosperity as an end in

itself. God may allow us to have health and wealth, but

we ought not to expect them.

Success And ProsperitySuccess And ProsperityIf there is any "secret to success"

in Josh. 1:8, it is this: True success means faithfully following God

in the places where we find ourselves. Joshua's

responsibility was to lead Israel into the land. What

responsibilities has God given you?

Survival, Success, And Salvation Survival, Success, And Salvation

Perhaps two million or more people left Egypt at the start of the Exodus. Of the grown men who began, only two made it to

Canaan. Joshua was one of those men; the other was

Caleb.

Survival, Success, And SalvationSurvival, Success, And Salvation

Their minority report after spying out Canaan showed a trust in

God that resulted in exemption from the sentence passed on

the other Hebrews age 20 and older: 40 years in the

wilderness until death took them before they could enter

the Promised Land.


Even Moses was not to reach Canaan. (Deut. 34:1-6) Shortly

before his death, he passed the mantle of military, political, and spiritual leadership to Joshua,

who was "full of the spirit of wisdom."


In that role, Joshua continued to model the

faithfulness he had shown 40 years earlier. He readily submitted to God's authority and put worship before war

and conquest.


As a result, the Lord was with him, and he enjoyed success in carrying out God's

purposes.


Joshua a savior; a deliverer

(same as Jehoshua, Jeshua, Oshea) Jesus

savior; deliverer (Hitchcock)


Je'sus. (saviour).The Greek form of the name,

Joshua or Jeshua,a contraction of Jehoshua, that is, "help of Jehovah" or

"saviour". (Smith)


It was appropriate that Joshua's name was the same as Jesus'. Just as Jesus completed the work of salvation, so Joshua

completed the work that Moses had started by leading God's

people into the Promised Land.


By his name and by his life, Joshua demonstrated the

salvation that comes from God. Jesus likewise demonstrated salvation from death when He

rose from the grave. He provides redemption from

eternal death for all who obey Him.

Spiritual

Mar 9-15 Gods Word Is Not A Mystery