Solitary Place

Psalm 90:3 (NKJV) "You turn man to destruction, and say, "Return, O children of men." The Hebrew word for 'turn' is shuv, which also means repentance. It's a term used in traveling for someone to change directions from one way to another, before I've heard teachings about repentance and have always understood repentance as turning away from sin and turning toward God. In the last chapter of Joshua there is an emphasis made on the Israelites serving or worshipping YAHWEH alone, which the people turn back to after falling away almost every other generation and  after each judge. I think about sinful patterns in my life throughout the years, a sort of sin-repent-sin-repent cycle without true freedom or breakthrough it would seem that this is not representative of heart change. Judges 2:19 (NKJV) "They did not cease from their own doings nor from their stubborn way." What I find absolutely interesting is that YAHWEH left certain groups of Canaanites...

After Joshua facilitates the covenant between Israel and YAHWEH at Shechem the Israelites are sent out to inhabit the land of Canaan according to their land allotments and Joshua dies and is buried in his inherited land on the side of Mount Gaash. The covenant at Shechem is so important as the entire assembly of Israelites with the leaders, elders, rulers and judges all commit to serve YAHWEH worshipping Him only and then depart to their inheritance. The book of Judges opens with continued conquest and faithful obedience to fight against, destroy and push out the Canaanites, Perizzites and Jebusites in the land. Unfortunately the conquest proved incomplete and Israel allowed the Canaanites to live among them and instead of driving them out, as YAHWEH commanded through Joshua.  Joshua 23:11-13 (NKJV) "Take careful heed to yourselves, that you love the LORD your God. Or else, if indeed you do go back, and cling to the remnant of these nations - these that remain among you - and make...

After all the land allotments have been issued to the tribes of Israel, Caleb and Joshua, they all go out to the land and begin to settle into the promise that the LORD fulfilled. This has to be an amazingly settled feeling of peace and security for the Israelites, after having defeated 33 Canaanite kings conquering the land that the LORD promised Abraham hundreds of years earlier, to then begin settling in the existing cities and building new cities. Joshua commissions the tribes to their land allotments and warns them: Joshua 22:5 (NET) "But be very careful to do the commandment and the law which Moses, the LORD's servant, commanded you, to love." *Hebrew Translator Note Since the exodus from Egypt the people of Israel have been together en masse over the past 40+ years in the wilderness and through the entrance into Canaan and now all the tribes will split up into all their designated areas throughout the land of Israel. Joshua's word of caution encourages caution...

God is unendingly faithful and always fulfills his promises because He is good and is full of grace, mercy and lovingkindness. Even with the unfaithfulness and wickedness of our fallen nature, God makes good on His promises to His people. Trust and satisfaction in God is the best strategy for risk. Joshua 21:43-45 (NKJV) "So the LORD gave to Israel all the land of which He had sworn to give to their fathers, and they took possession of it and dwelt in it. The LORD gave them rest all around, according to all that He had sworn to their fathers. And not a man of all their enemies stood against them; the LORD delivered all their enemies into their hand. Not a word failed of any good thing which the LORD had spoken to the house of Israel. All came to pass." This is amazing. Knowing with great certainty that the LORD will indeed  fulfill all that He promises leaving no stone unturned because He is trustworthy and follows through on everything. If there were even a hint of doubt in...

Joshua has just finished the military campaign through Canaan conquering 31 city kings, the land allotment phase is now underway and we are beginning to see disobedience from the tribes of Israel. God's command to the Israelites is clear: drive out the Canaanites from the promised land. The land of Reuben and Gad were allotted, no indication of foreign peoples that needed to be destroyed since their land was conquered by Moses and the Israelites. Caleb is given the city of Hebron for his unwavering faithfulness to the LORD, Joshua 14:14 says, "he wholly followed the LORD God of Israel" what a legacy to leave! The cities in the land of Judah were largely conquered, verse 63 of chapter 15 indicates the Jebusites who inhabited Jerusalem were a people that the tribe of Judah could not  drive out.  Ephraim and Manasseh either did not or could not  drive out the Canaanites in the cities and towns of Gezer, Beth Shean, Ibleam, Dor, En Dor, Taanach and Megiddo. The passage indica...

As Joshua leads the Israelites into the Promised Land and conquers the wicked kings in Canaan, the mighty hand of God is with them each step of the way giving them victory and favor. Psalm 85:13 (NKJV) "Righteousness will go before Him [the LORD], and shall make His footsteps our pathway." II Corinthians 5:21 (NKJV) "For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." Believers in Jesus have been made righteous before God because of radical humility and amazing grace. The pathway to righteousness is paved with suffering, troubles, persecution and ultimately death, but the destination and journey is advancing the kingdom of God and communion/close relationship with the Father. Last weekend at a men's breakfast I had the opportunity to encourage and pray with a young college-aged man who has a desire to grow in the fruit of the Spirit. He felt that he was deficient in kindness, gentleness and other virtues towar...

The episode of the Israelites with the deceptive Gibeonites subverting them into a covenant peace treaty is definitely not a high point in Joshua's leadership. Again the sin of presumption is front and center which highlights man's propensity to pride and fallen nature in his separation relationally from God. Joshua 9:14 (NKJV) "Then the men of Israel took some of their provisions; but they did not ask counsel of the LORD." "But they did not ask counsel of the LORD." How often do I impulsively, impatiently or mindlessly decide on something no matter how consequential, big or small decision and the outcome turns out negative? This is due to a deficiency of trust in the LORD. Trusting in the LORD means that despite my own clever time series analysis or human reasoning, justification or rationale, His  ways are higher and better than my own. How much of my decision-making requires yielding to the Holy Spirit? All of it .  Ephesians 5:18 (NKJV) "...be fille...

Obedience is the way of faithful God-fearers. The obedience of the children of Israel, that is the children of those who left Egypt initially led by Moses, is what sets them apart from their parents disobedient generation. God's enabling grace lies with those who faithfully obey his words. Joshua 5:6 (NKJV) "For the children of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness, till all the people who were men of war, who came out of Egypt, were consumed, because they did not obey the voice of the LORD - to whom the LORD swore to their fathers that He would give us, "a land flowing with milk and honey."" The LORD's promises are true and faithful, to receive the promises of the LORD, obedience must be our desire and will of our mind, heart and soul. Obedience to the voice of the LORD means there is a clear word from God, for believers remembering that the sin of presumption is acting or doing when it is unclear or when God has not given us permission  to do somethi...

I have always really enjoyed reading the book of Joshua, YAHWEH's commission to Joshua in chapter 1 is faith building and strengthening because of the truth that we are not to be afraid or dismayed because YAHWEH Himself  is with us giving courage and strength. In preparation to cross over into the promised land Joshua assembles the tribes of Reuben, Gad and Manasseh to accompany the rest of the Israelites in crossing the Jordan River to enter the land of milk and honey. Joshua reminded these eastern Jordan river tribes of what YAHWEH commanded and promised through Moses, the immediate response from the tribes is faith-filled obedience: Joshua 1:16 (NKJV) "All that you command us we will do, and wherever you send us we will go." O LORD may this be my perpetual prayer as I go throughout each day, faithful unhindered obedience to the will of God in all  my ways acknowledging God, yielding to the Holy Spirit's leading: active faith. I have recently been challenged by a p...

Throughout scripture we see and can understand clearly YAHWEH's heart for all mankind not only  His chosen people, the Israelites. In Moses' last days on earth YAHWEH gave Moses a song to write down which was to be taught to the Israelites to be a witness to YAHWEH, the last line of the song is notable as a non-Jewish God-fearing believer in Jesus Christ.  Deuteronomy 32:43 (NKJV) "Rejoice, O Gentiles, with His people; For He will avenge the blood of His servants, and render vengeance to His adversaries; He will provide atonement for His land and His people." Jesus Christ the Son of God was the perfect sacrifice, a holy atonement for the sins of mankind to be made righteous and restore relationship with God the Father. The beautiful truth in the word of God is that God desires all to know and be in relationship with Him, this is reflected perfectly in Deuteronomy 32:43 suggesting that Gentile people (non-Israelites) can rejoice in the once-and-for-all atoning blood sa...

Right before Moses announces Joshua the new leader of Israel in these last chapters of the book of Deuteronomy there is an interesting prophecy that God makes over the people of Israel demonstrating God's sovereignty as all-knowing. There is a prophecy in 30:3 indicating that the LORD will bring back the people of Israel from captivity, which as we progress through the Bible and is corroborated with extra-Biblical historical sources is the Babylonian, Assyrian and Persian captivity. The emphasis here is blessing for returning to God and it's so interesting that there is a correlation between life and blessing next to death and cursing as it relates to the choice to obey God's voice because of love for the LORD through walking in His ways and keeping His commandments.  Deuteronomy 30:19-20 (NKJV) "I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live; that you may love the LORD your God, that you m...

There is blessing for those who obey the LORD and curses for idolatry and disobedience. The amazing thing is that even at the end of 40 years in the wilderness God was prophesying through Moses the unfaithfulness of the Israelites, captivity and wayward kings. Through it all God’s character of grace, mercy and love is consistent, and ultimately it is His desire that Israel please Him through obedience.  Deuteronomy 29:29 (NKJV) “The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of the LORD.”  That we may do all the words of the LORD, that is the cry of my heart and work of my hand today. God reveals His will to us little by little that we might be spurred on to obedience and please him with our lives as sacrifices holy unto the LORD.  Psalm 40:8 (NKJV) “I delight to do your will, O my God, and your law is written within my heart.”

God is righteous and does not take pleasure in bringing destruction upon mankind, because he is holy and just wrongdoing deserves death.  Deuteronomy 24:16 (NIV) "Parents are not to be put to death for their children, nor children put to death for their parents; each will die for their own sin." Earlier in the news this week I read that the state of California is proposing legislation to convict parents of their minor children's truancy, while admittedly this is a complex and deeply layered legal governance issue it loosely relates to this verse in today's reading. The phrase, 'each will die for their own sin' poses a stark contrast to a worldly understanding of morality in how some sin is better or worse than other types. Moses makes the moral standard of God abundantly clear: the wages of sin is death and every  person will die for the sins they commit. God is consistent in this all throughout scripture, in Ezekiel 18 the Sovereign LORD himself declares, ...

According to the law of Moses rebellion is punishable by death. Rebellion is is knowing what is right and intentionally doing the opposite, the opposite of rebellion is obedience unto the LORD. The emphasis in Deuteronomy 21:18 is on the parental  voice  of instruction and the voice of chastening or discipline. Deuteronomy 21:18-19 (NKJV) "If a man has a stubborn and rebellious son who will not obey the voice of his father or the voice of his mother, and who, when they have chastened him, will not heed them, then his father and his mother shall take hold of him and bring him out to the elders of his city, to the gate of his city." The voice  of instruction from the LORD comes in so many ways, since we know that all authority comes from God we can know certainly that we are to yield to those figures like our earthly parents, spiritual leaders, government leaders and our employer. Other ways the LORD speaks instruction and truth to us is through His word, visions and dreams...

In Deuteronomy 17 Moses documents prophetically that the Israelites will desire to have a king rule over them just like all the nations around them in Canaan. This comes to fulfillment after the leadership of Joshua and the judges beginning with Saul then King David the Great. Verses 18-20 are so important for believers today, the emphasis on leadership as a king over Israel seems to be central to adherence and knowing the Mosaic Law through writing out the Torah, reading it for the sole purpose of observing the words and statutes of the law to fear the LORD. Because the fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, it is through devoting ones life to studying, reading and writing God's law that one becomes set apart and locked in on the true reason and purpose for living: to worship and glorify God. There is a humble pleasure in approaching the throne of grace each morning, a joy in reading the word of God and an overwhelming peace that transcends understanding with the feeding ...

YAHWEH the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel is a God of justice, He is not unjust. In the LORD's instruction to Moses in Deuteronomy 16 upright justice administration is outlined with an emphasis placed on the result of justice: living in and inheriting the promised land that God is giving them in Canaan.  Deuteronomy 16:19 (NKJV) "You shall not pervert justice; you shall not show partiality, nor take a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and twists the words of the righteous." It is not difficult for the American mind to understand the biblical standard of justice as compared to the culture of justice in the court system which seems rife with perversion, partiality and bribes. While disheartening that unrighteousness seems to be prevailing God-fearing believers can know certainly that the LORD God Almighty is the just judge who reigns with kingdom authority over and above all human authority and power on the earth. Western political culture is no comparison to...

The LORD is loving, kind and fully of mercy and grace, these passages today describe the reward for those who love, obey, listen and worship the LORD properly by destroying false gods and rejecting apostate religion. Deuteronomy 11 reiterates some components of the Shema from chapter 6, often in scripture when a phrase or passage is repeated there is important emphasis and attention that is to be focused on with great consequence.  Deuteronomy 11:18 (NKJV) "Therefore you shall lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul, and bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes." With the sheer volume of information both to be taken in and accessible at any point in time on a typical day in western culture in 2026, it is easy to be distracted with words, ideas and knowledge. In modern practice what does look like to lay up the words of God in our heart and soul? Hearkening back to chapter 8 and the command to remember the LORD ways w...

These chapters of Deuteronomy are written by Moses who is communing and receiving word from the LORD for the Israelites as they begin to enter the promised land after the 40 years. As I read through chapter 9 today I was understanding some interesting similarity to the way God speaks and views the righteousness and unrighteousness of mankind.  Deuteronomy 9:5-6 (NKJV) "It is not because of your righteousness or the uprightness of your heart that you go in to possess their land, but because of the wickedness of these nations that the LORD your God drives them out from before you, and that He may fulfill the word which the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. therefore understand that the LORD your God is not giving you this good land to possess because of your righteousness, for you are a stiff-necked people." This is interesting to me because it levels the playing field for man by God asserting that it's not because of mankind's goodness or righte...

Deuteronomy 5 is a review of the decalogue and reiteration to the Israelites of how they must be careful to do as the LORD has commanded walking in the right ways so that it goes well with them in the promised land.  Deuteronomy 5:32-33 (NKJV) "Therefore you shall be careful to do as the LORD your God has commanded you; you shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left. You shall walk in all the ways which the LORD your God has commanded you, that you may live and and that it may be well with you, and that you may prolong your days in the land which you shall possess." Followed by the shema in chapter 6 which in Hebrew means 'to hear' these passages are packed with promises of God for those who obey, love and fear the LORD with all their heart. To be careful to do what the LORD has commanded means to be boldly cautious and intentional. Obeying God is not a restrictive or stifling way of life, rather it is a life of prosperity and spiritually fulfilling life t...

A question I have written on a pale yellow sticky note sitting on the desk in my office says, 'Q: What does it mean to live victoriously? a.k.a. victorious life ' I think often about the difference between walking out and speaking life through victorious speech and the alternative of self-defeating language and living. There is wisdom in understanding our fallen human nature and tendencies to sin while knowing that we are no longer sinners, we are saints who sometimes sin. Our testimony is one of ever increasing faith, it's a witness of the power and righteousness of God placing no emphasis on deprecating and defeated living narratives reinforcing wrong identity . One thing I hear often in Christian circles is the phrase, "I am just a sinner saved by grace" sometimes it also takes this form: "We're all broken, we're all messed up, we all make mistakes, but thank you Jesus!" This is not a compelling witness, there's no faith in this witness. I...

In these first few chapters of Deuteronomy after Israel's exodus from Egypt and 40 desert years Moses reviews their history of God's hand of power, provision, protection and purpose. Consistently the Israelites are faced with the decision of operating in faith and courage in the way God has for them though they continually with stubborn hearted rebellion walk in fear and discouragement. The theme of presumption continues to resurface in the story of the Israelites and I am greatly convicted of this even in my own life. Deuteronomy 1:42-43 (NKJV) "And the LORD said to me, 'Tell them, "Do not go up nor fight, for I am not among you; lest you be defeated before your enemies."' So I spoke to you; yet you would not listen, but rebelled against the command of the LORD, and presumptuously went up into the mountain." This presumption is referring to when the Israelites invaded the Amorites on a mountain after the 12 spies came back with a bad report from Can...

The sixth commandment of the decalogue, "You shall not murder" is clear and in conjunction with Numbers 35 in the context of cities of refuge unintentional killing is to be intentionally investigated because the death penalty for murder is a perfectly just response. Earlier this year in studying Genesis I was intrigued with the way that Eve and Leah cried out to the LORD thanking Him for helping them to bring a son into the world - God being the giver of life the marriage bed is barren without the LORD. In the same way as Job declared when his children and all his earthly possessions were stripped from him when he declared, "the LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised." God gives life and God takes life away in His timing for His purpose and glory. In all my ways and words I pray that my life honors my Creator acknowledging the giver of life - who am I that you are mindful of me O LORD? I thank you for the abundant life that you ha...

Chronologically the Israelites are finishing up their 40 years in the wilderness, chapter 33 outlines their journey from departure in Ramses, Egypt to camping by the Jordan river near Jericho in the plains of the land of Moab. While the chapter is a simple review or outline of every major stop the Israelites took as led by God it is important to take a step back and remember all the miraculous works the LORD has done and the ways He provided along the way over the years just as He did for Israel. Just as we remember the good things God did for Israel and personally in our own lives and journey, some of the city names have negative experiences with them - most notably with the Israelites complaining, sin and presumption. When remembering all that God has done we are reminded of our own faithlessness, shortcomings and sin while recalling God's mighty hand, outstretched arm and goodness every step of the way, this is echoed in the psalm of David in the glory of God and His goodness to...

With all the unrest, threats of wars, nation rising against nation, kingdom against kingdom I am freshly reminded today that the Kingdom of God prevails over all things. Nothing we are experiencing now or throughout history takes God by surprise, while it may not be easy to reconcile humanly speaking, we can know certainly that our sovereign God has all power and authority. I am comforted in today's psalm which declares the mercies, salvation, praise, justice and blessing of God to whom we shall rightly fear and worship with all that we have and all that we are, today this is my prayer: Psalm 67 (NKJV) "God be merciful to us and bless us, and cause His face to shine upon us, that Your way may be known on earth, Your salvation among all nations. Let the peoples praise You, O God; Let all the peoples praise You. Oh, let the nations be glad and sing for joy! For You shall judge the people righteously, and govern the nations on earth. Selah. Let the peoples praise You, O God; Let ...

 Numbers chapter 30 is all about God's law concerning vows. A vow is a promise, which are similar to covenants which emphasize agreement and commitment between two individuals. In the context of this scripture a vow is a binding oath to a verbal agreement which requires action or follow-through such that the person who makes the vow does not break their word. It is of great importance for someone who is making a vow to do so carefully so that the words are not hasty or improper, especially because the vows outlined in this passage are specifically between individual men or women and God - commitments to God carry weight upon the vow-maker to keep or maintain the vow.  I think about what kind of vows a person might make before the LORD, my grandmother at the age of 17 took a vow of teetotalism and at 96 years old by the grace of God she has maintained sobriety. Other vows people might take are ones relating to consecration or separateness from the world, this is different from ...

When surrounded by wavering faith, complaining and rebellion against Moses and God there are two Israelite men who stand firm on the promises of God: Joshua and Caleb. Moses makes a petition to God that a man lead the Israelites after he is gathered after death by the people before they enter into the promised land of Canaan. YAHWEH chooses Joshua, a faithful, steadfast man who will succeed Moses leading the Israelites.  Numbers 27:18 (NKJV) "And the LORD said to Moses: "Take Joshua the son of Nun with you, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand on him;" Back in chapter 11 the LORD instructed Moses to gather 70 elders who consecrated themselves on whom the LORD came down in the cloud and took the Spirit that was on Moses and placed the same Spirit on the 70 which caused a prophecy breakout at the Tabernacle. Two of these 70 continued prophesying, filled with the Spirit, in the camp of the Israelites - to which Joshua became alarmed and alerted Moses to which he r...

Of all the decalogue commandments the most important and difficult to follow are the first and second because they involve man's proper orientation to and worship of God.  Exodus 20:3,4 (NKJV) "You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself a carved image - any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them." The Israelites while in the wilderness outside the land of Canaan, while they had the hand of the LORD's blessing and victory in battles there was much grumbling, complaining and sexual immorality. After spying out the land of Canaan resulting in perpetual unbelief, unsuccessful military campaign against the Amalekites, Korah's mutinous rebellion against Moses, persistent complaining, turning out victorious against the Canaanites, Sihon and Og, rising up in pride and mistrust against the LORD and the instance of Balaa...

As the people of Israel are led by the LORD through the wilderness they are coming into contact with the hostile  people of the land through which they have to pass beginning with the Moabites, Canaanites and  Amorites. The LORD was strengthening the Israelites in their journey and giving them victory over their enemies which was striking fear and dread in the hearts of the kings and Mesopotamian people, so much so that Moabite king Balak hired Balaam a diviner to curse Israel. Through a series of revelations Balaam receives a word and instruction from the LORD but chooses instead to do the opposite and goes to Moab to satisfy the request to curse. What I find most interesting is Balaam's willingness to obey the command of the Angel of the LORD.  Numbers 22:38 (NKJV) "the word that God puts in my mouth, that I must speak." As we read throughout the gospel of John, Jesus consistently only did and spoke what the Father instructed him, in terms of surrender of the will I thi...

The children of Israel are in the desert wilderness of Zin in Kadesh which is in the northeastern part of the Sinai Peninsula close to Egypt in the broader Negev desert. Lacking water the Israelite tribes go to Moses and complain contentiously against Moses and Aaron, and ultimately God because all authority belongs to God, that there is no water and that they would have much rather remained as slaves in Egypt with food and water supply or died with the rest of the rebellious. Seeking the word of the LORD Moses and Aaron fall before God and the glory of YAHWEH appears to them and gives specific instruction for Moses to speak to a rock for water to come forth in front of the entire assembly. Similar to my thoughts on Sunday  regarding Korah's rebellion and the sin of presumption, it would seem to me that Moses had a bit of unbelief and possibly pride in his heart against God to which He says: Numbers 20:12 (NIV) "But the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, "Because you did not t...

Rebellion and complaining mark the generation of Israelites that perish in the wilderness who do not enter the promised land of Canaan. Korah's rebellion at first glance seems reasonable, while Levites themselves are keepers of the Tabernacle and are the holy priesthood it is abundantly clear from even a glance at the book of Leviticus that each clan of Levite have specific responsibilities and are set apart for a specific purpose and task. Similar to the uprising by Miriam and Aaron the rebellion of Korah arose from a place of jealousy and classist superiority. Korah's argument is that the entire  congregation of Levites are holy because YAHWEH is among them but then in pride and presumption accuse Moses of self exaltation. What's even worse is that a few from the tribe of Reuben falsely accuse Moses of acting like an oppressive prince over them, these behaviors and accusations anger Moses. After assembling and separating the rebellious households from the rest of the Isra...

There are a lot of themes in today's reading worth discussing, for sake of time I'll overview the main points then drill down into what stood out prominently to me. Chapter 14 starts right after the 12 spies return with a bad report regarding the land of Canaan, despite the courageous boldness and faith-filled report by Joshua and Caleb the Israelites cried, wept and complained to Moses wishing they had died in Egypt or the wilderness. Joshua and Caleb reiterate the good report of the land of Canaan and reaffirm that the LORD is with them and for the Israelite people to not be afraid . To this the Israelites called to stone them. By this point God threatens to destroy the Israelites and promote Moses making him a nation greater and mightier. Moses does some pleading in prayer (see Psalm 90) and reminds God of his character, which he established when revealing Himself to Moses by passing in front of him earlier in the timeline of Exodus. Numbers 14:18 (NKJV) "The LORD is lo...