Date: Tue, 1 Aug 1995 11:02:56 +0200
Reply-To: Christian explanation of the Scriptures to Israel
Sender: Christian explanation of the Scriptures to Israel
From: Teus Benschop
Subject: The Scriptures opened, 42
Contents
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1. Deuteronomy 1:26,27 - Rebels against the LORD
2. Exodus 3 - Moses' call - The LORD's Name - part 1
3. Galatians 2:16, - Justified, not by the law, but by faith
1. Deuteronomy 1:26,27 - Rebels against the LORD
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Weekly reading: Deut 1:1 - 3:22
Notwithstanding ye would not go up,
but rebelled against the commandment of the LORD your God:
And ye murmured in your tents, and said,
Because the LORD hated us,
he hath brought us forth out of the land of Egypt,
to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites,
to destroy us.
The Israelites are standing before the borders of Canaan. They had
sent out spies, who brought back a good report of the land. Also the
LORD had commanded them, saying, go up, and possess the land. You
would think, that they, having a good report of the land, and having
God's command to enter it, would make haste to possess that good land,
flowing of mild and honey. But what says our text? It is more then
unbelievable, but they refused to enter the land. They would not go
up, but even rebelled against the command of the LORD, their God. This
is perverse wickedness of that people. The LORD has so abundantly
showed His grace towards them, in delivering them out of Egypt, and
leading them unto Canaan. And now they stand before the promised land,
they wickedly refuse to enter it. Yes, they feared the inhabitants,
they said. But that the more shows their unbelief, for they did not
trust that the LORD would help them in the battle. According to their
habit in the desert, they also this time rebelled against the LORD.
But this is not all. They made it still worse. They said that the
LORD hated them, in bringing them forth out of the land of Egypt. This
is more then wicked! The LORD, in His grace, delivered them, showing
them mercy. And what is their answer? "He hated us", they say. It is
unbelievable how far a man can go in his ungodly behaviour. Turning
all upside down, they say that God's love is hate! They said "Because
the LORD hated us, he has brought us forth out of the land of Egypt,
to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us". Now, it
is sure that they are lying. In their obstinacy, they make the LORD a
tyrant. His love, they turn into hate. His benefactions, they turn
into cruelty. His grace, they turn into evil. They pervert His
goodness. In short, they show who they really are, namely people
unworthy of even the least grace.
They said that is was the Lord's intention, in His hate, to
destroy them. It is sure, however, that not God destroyed them, but
that they did it themselves. By their disobedience, they have
destroyed themselves, because they afterwards perished in the desert,
during their journey of nearly forty years.
Often you hear the fable, that the Israelites were so very
obedient in the desert. But let we, instead of listening to these
fables, or better, to these lies, read our Bible. The Bible abundantly
testified the people's wickedness, and God's great grace. Always they
provoked Him to anger, and always God showed His grace. The goodness
of God appears the better, against the dark background of the people's
sins. That there afterwards entered a nation Israel into Canaan, that
is God's grace, and nothing else. It was because of the oath, He had
sworn to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, that they entered the land. God is
faithful to His oath, and that is the reason why the people afterwards
entered Canaan.
How was it possible, that the people so heavily accused God of
hating them, in bringing them out of Egypt? The cause cannot be in
God, for He had, in the preceding time, abundantly showed Himself
merciful towards them. What is then the cause? Why did they so heavily
accuse God? They did it because of their unbelief. They did not
believe that God would be with them. They saw some dangers, and did
not believe that the LORD would help them. Unbelief is therefore the
cause of their accusation and disobedience. God had often given the
promise, that He would be their God, but they refused to believe that.
It was their unbelief, which brought them destruction. It is also
our unbelief, which destroys us. When we not believe God on His Word,
we greatly harm ourselves. We also dishonour God, making Him a liar.
Let we then always believe Him on His Word. This is an impossible task
for us, but let we therefore pray for His help. Once a man said: "I
believe, LORD, help Thou mine unbelief". (Mark 9:24) It is so
difficult to believe the LORD, that He always had to give signs,
tokens, etc., to help the people in their belief. Let we then call on
the Name of the Lord, and ask that He will take away our disobedience,
and will give us true belief. It is well said, that unbelief is the
mother of all evils, but that belief is the mother of all good.
2. Exodus 3 - Moses' call - The LORD's Name - part 1
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In Exodus 3, we find that Moses keeps the flock of Jethro. God appears
to him in a burning bush, and sends him to deliver Israel. The Name of
the LORD is revealed to him. Moses hears what he must say to the
Israelites, and to Pharaoh. Pharaoh will be recalcitrant
1 Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in law, the
priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the backside of the
desert, and came to the mountain of God, [even] to Horeb.
In the previous chapter, we read that Moses fled out of Egypt. Through
his anger, he beat an Egyptian to death, and therefore he had to go on
the run. He came to Jethro, who gave him his daughter to a wife, and
because thus his father in law. He became a shepherd, keeping the
flock of Jethro. During forty years, he was a shepherd, and he had the
time to think about himself. He also had the time to unlearn his quick-
tempered character, and to become a very mild man. God, in His wisdom,
was educating him to become the later leader of Israel through the
desert. There is no better school than this, namely to keep a flock of
beasts in the desert. God knows how to educate His children, and how
to prepare them for their later tasks.
Those forty years of being a shepherd, must have been a trial for
Moses. Why had he learned so much in Egypt? Was it to spend the rest
of his time in the desert, with some sheep? Had his life no other
goal? Such questions, and many others, will undoubtedly have come up
in his mind. But God's ways are higher than our ways. God had a great
task for Moses, and there was no better preparation for him then here,
in the wilderness. You see the same in Joseph. He was sold as a slave
to Potiphar, and then was thrown in prison. He was there in a humble
state. Where was now his God? But it was God's preparation for his
later task of being a great ruler over Egypt, and moreover, to provide
food for his father's house.
Also John the Baptist grew up, "and was in the deserts till the
day of his shewing unto Israel". (Luke 1:80) God gave also to John
upbringing in the deserts, in order to suit him to his later task, to
become a preacher of the coming kingdom of heaven.
David was keeping the flock of his father, to be able, in later
years, to keep the flock of Israel. So also Moses did. He led the
flock of Jethro through the desert, during forty years. Later, he led
God's flock, Israel, during forty years, through the howling
wilderness.
Let we then learn from these men, that God often humbles His
children, to their best. When we are placed by Him in some state, low
or higher, let we be content in it. Let we leave to Him the course of
our lives, and we will find rest for our souls.
It is said, that Moses, in keeping the flock, "came to the
mountain of God, to Horeb." Why was mount Horeb called the mountain of
God? Not because this mountain was God's property, for the whole world
is of Him. But Horeb is called God's mountain, because God, in later
times, gave His commandments there, and appeared on that mountain in a
frightening way. The whole mountain, when God came down on it, shook,
"and the sight of the glory of the LORD was like devouring fire on the
top of the mount in the eyes of the children of Israel." (Exodus
24:17) Horeb is then called the mountain of God because of God's
glory, which was revealed there more then elsewhere.
2 And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire
out of the midst of a bush: And he looked, and, behold, the bush
burned with fire, and the bush [was] not consumed.
While Moses was leading his flock, the angel of the LORD appeared unto
him. Moses, doing his daily work in a faithful manner, experienced
God's grace in the appearance of the angel unto him. He considered
himself lost, cut off from Israel, and perhaps also cut off from the
God of Israel. But look, the LORD had not forgotten him, and sent His
angel. Let then those people, who think that they are cut off from
God's house, put their trust in God. He will not abandon and forget
them, but the time will come, that he will show His mercy.
The angel of the Lord appeared unto him. How? In a flame of fire,
out of the midst of a bush. That flame of fire indicated God's
holiness and justice. God is so holy, and righteous, that He, like a
flame, will devour all sin.
The bush was burning, but was not consumed. In this fire, we see
the state of the Israelites in Egypt. They were burned through the
flame of affliction, but yet they were not consumed. Why? Because the
Lord was in their midst, and protected them. In this flame of fire, we
also see the state of the present church in the world. Ceaselessly,
she is attacked by the whole world, satan, and hell. The church is
like a bush, being afire. But while God is in her midst, she may burn,
but will never be consumed.
3 And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great
sight, why the bush is not burnt.
When Moses saw that bush burning, he saw nothing special. It is common
in the desert, through the great drought, that a dry bush bursts into
flames, and it will very soon be consumed. When Moses saw that bush,
therefore, burning, that was a common thing. But now, behold, he saw
something striking. The bush kept burning, but was not consumed. How
could that be? Moses didn't know, and said "I will now turn aside, and
see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt". All the time the
bush was burning, the angel of the Lord was present there. But now,
Moses' attention was attracted, and he went to look at it.
It should therefore, also be a great wonder in our eyes, why the
church is burning for so many centuries, and still is not consumed.
Let then the heathen pay attention to it, and say, "Let's look why the
church is burning and is never consumed". Let also the Jews say the
same. It is sure, that, as soon as the approach the true church, and
investigate the matter, why the church is not consumed by so many
flames of hell, - as soon then, when they draw near, they will find
the Lord speaking to them.
4 And when the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called
unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses.
And he said, Here [am] I.
As soon as the LORD saw Moses coming, He called unto him out of the
midst of that bush. We see, in this verse, that the LORD is speaking.
He is in the midst of the bush. Two verses back, we saw that the
Person in the bush was called an angel of the LORD: "the angel of the
LORD appeared unto him". That same angel appears to be the LORD
Himself. The Angel of the LORD is in some degree distinguished from
the LORD, since He is called, the Angel *of* the LORD. But in this
verse, the same Angel is united with God, yea, He is God Himself. We
see then, that there is some distinction in the one Godhead. Yet, this
distinction makes not more Gods, but there is only one God. On this
verse, and on other like verses, is the Christian doctrine of the
Trinity based.
The LORD called Moses, and said: "Moses, Moses". And Moses, as an
obedient servant, immediately answers, saying: "Here am I". Moses did
not belong to those majority of mankind, who the LORD let call and
never answer or obey Him. They are called daily, by His Word. Also
daily, they refuse to come to Him. But Moses was a faithful servant.
5 And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off
thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest [is] holy ground.
That place whereon Moses stands is holy ground. Not that some ground
is holy in itself, but the place was sanctified through God's
presence. God was in the burning bush, and therefore the place was
holy. Moses had to put off his shoes from off his feet. This was a
sign of homage and reverence. He might also not draw nigh thither,
because God was there. It doesn't become a man to come too close to
God, for He is a burning fire, as we see in that burning bush. It
becomes us then, when we come before the face of the LORD, that we
behave ourselves suitable and reverent. When we have to do with God,
let we always keep in mind, that we are but men, and that He is the
high and holy God, the King of kings, the highest Majesty.
6 Moreover he said, I [am] the God of thy father, the God of
Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid
his face; for he was afraid to look upon God.
In the case Moses was not sure with Whom he had to do, whether an
angel, or any other being, God makes sure Who He is. He is the God of
Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. He said not: I *was*
the God of thy fathers, but He says: I *am* the God of thy fathers.
This speaking of God in the present tense means, that Abraham, Isaac
and Jacob are still alive. They are in heaven now, and the LORD is
their God.
When Moses perceived that he had to do with the one God of his
fathers, he "hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God". Moses
clearly showed that he had the fear of the LORD. That fear, all
children of the LORD have it. The wicked, however, draw nigh unto God
without fear, boast in His Name without reverence, in short, they show
that they have not the least amount of respect for Him. But Moses, a
faithful servant, hid his face in God's presence. We learn of this,
that, the more we see of God's holiness, the more we abandon our
looseness, and the more we show a godly fear. That holy God appears in
the flames of fire, in the burning bush. No wonder, when we meet God
in such a form, that we will show much fear.
(to be continued...)
3. Galatians 2:16, Justified, not by the law, but by faith
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Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law,
but by the faith of Jesus Christ,
even we have believed in Jesus Christ,
that we might be justified by the faith of Christ,
and not by the works of the law:
for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.
(Galatians 2:16)
We are "knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law".
We are knowing that, meaning, it is sure. It is a fundamental truth
that no man is justified by the works of the law. To know that, is it
necessary that God has taught it you. Many think still that it is
possible to be justified by the law. They decrease the demands of the
law, and give to their own works more merit then they deserve, and
then, they think to have kept the law. But we know that we are utterly
unable to keep God's holy law. We know that to be true, because God
has taught it to us. We always have tried to keep the law, in our
former lives. We tried it, and sometimes we thought that we succeeded.
When we did a deed, which seemed to be good, we got hope that we were
able to keep the law. But when we reflected on our seemingly good
deed, we discovered that we became proud on it. By our pride, we
wholly destroyed that good deed. As soon as we did something in own
power, we began to despise God, in thinking that we were able to serve
Him. More and more, we learned that a man is not justified by the
works of the law. Our daily transgressions were put before our eyes.
God said: Look, that are your sins. On the outside, they seem good,
but the inside is black of sins. The outward splendour of our deeds
was but a thin layer of hypocrisy. Step by step, we learned that we
cannot perform our deeds in such a way as the perfect holiness of God
demands.
It is true that the law says, that whosoever shall do the
commandments, shall live in them. That is true. The problem, however,
lies in us. We are not able to keep the commandments. The superficial
people deceive themselves, thinking to please God by their deeds. But
who take a look at his own works, will become frightened because of
its sins.
We will not be justified by the works of the law, but by the
faith in Jesus Christ. The righteous shall live by his faith, like
that is written in Scripture: "the just shall live by his faith."
(Habakkuk 2:4) Knowing then that the law condemns us, and that we will
live by faith, we have believed in Jesus Christ, that also we might be
justified by the faith in Him. The law has taught us, that we never
are able to keep it. The law has then revealed our wretched nature.
For, when there was no law, we also never would know that we are
transgressors. But now, the law made us known our transgressions. In
doing so, the law said: By me is only death for you, sinner! In this
way, we turned our backs on the law, because it was not able to
justify us. We turned not our backs to the law to despise it, but we
no longer expected life in it. Only by faith, the just shall live, as
the prophet Habakkuk said. That is why we have believed in Jesus
Christ.
"By the works of the law shall no flesh be justified". That is
plain language. No flesh shall be justified by the law. For, all flesh
has corrupted its way. God, on His throne in heaven, looks down upon
us, and sees that we daily corrupt both ourselves and His
commandments. "God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt;
for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth." (Genesis 6:12)
God, in His grace, offered to mankind, in the midst of a
perishing world, reconciliation through the faith in Jesus Christ.
Everybody then, who is called by God, will say: "I know that I am not
justified by the works of the law. The only way of being justified is
by the faith of Jesus Christ. Because I know these things, I have
believed in Jesus Christ, that I might be justified by the faith of
Christ. For, by the works of the law, I will never succeed, for by
mine own works, I will never be justified".
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Teus Benschop | t.benschop@pobox.ruu.nl | editor of the list Chr-Exp
"A Christian explanation of the Scriptures to Israel"
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