Psalm 102: 27 shows us God is eternal and doesn’t change - “But thou art the same, and thy years shall have no end”. With this in mind as I have been reading through the Old Testament (OT) lately, I have been reminded that God cannot stand, and punishes sin. The thing that struck me was that the people who where being punished were not only the nations surrounding the Israelites, but the Israelites as well. God punished his chosen people. If we consider that the OT provides a history of God’s chosen people, then shouldn’t God’s chosen people of today (the church), be learning the lessons of history?
History is studied at school for students to understand the circumstances that led to particular events occurring, particularly those with devastating consequences eg World wars. It is hoped that from looking into the past, we can prevent a repeat of history as we are better equipped to realise the circumstances and intervene, and thus prevent the devastating consequences. It is with this attitude that we delve into the history lessons of the OT, to be better equipped to prevent the consequences, in this case, God’s punishment of his chosen people.
There are many cases where God does punish the Israelites the most obvious one being: after God saved His people by having them miraculously cross the Red Sea, (Ex 14: 13-31) not all of them entered the Promised Land (Josh 5: 6).
So if God punished His chosen people then, and He remains the same, what is to stop Him from punishing His chosen people today? Some have answered me, “That’s the Old Testament, we are under grace now. The price Jesus’ paid covers all my sin.” This is true, we are under a New Covenant through the blood of Jesus Christ, however, this does not give us a licence to sin or be blasé about the circumstances that lead to the punishment of God’s people (Disagree? See the New Testament verses 1 Peter 4:17-18 & Jude 5-7).
1Corinth 10: 1-12 warns us against such an attitude.
1 Corinthians 10
Warnings From Israel’s History
1 For I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers and sisters, that our ancestors were all under the cloud and that they all passed through the sea. 2 They were all baptised into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. 3 They all ate the same spiritual food 4 and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ. 5 Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them; their bodies were scattered in the wilderness.
6 Now these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did. 7 Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written: “The people sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in revelry.” 8 We should not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did—and in one day twenty-three thousand of them died. 9 We should not test Christ, as some of them did—and were killed by snakes. 10 And do not grumble, as some of them did—and were killed by the destroying angel.
11 These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the culmination of the ages has come. 12 So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall! (underline emphasis added).
Too many of today’s Christians respond to the word of God the same way King Jehoiakim did… Jer 36: 24a “ The king and all his attendants who heard all these words showed no fear”, resulting in his death and the Lord saying, “I will bring on them (him) …and on the people of Judah every disaster I pronounced against them, because they have not listened. (Jer 36: 31b)
In conclusion, let us learn lessons from the OT, and pay attention to His word and His warnings and “work out your salvation with fear and trembling (Phil 2:12b).
Today's blog entry (as most are) is a combined effort with my wife & fellow servant in the Lord's service.
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