Reflections on Deuteronomy 5-8

On July 7, 2016 By BrianIn OT Reflections

Our passage today teaches us about God and how we should respond to him.

Saving God (5:6-21) – God saved the people of Israel from slavery. In response, they were to obey him. God has saved us from slavery to sin through Jesus Christ. In response, God expects us to obey him. Are you responding properly to your Savior?
Great God (5:22-33) – In the fire and thunder of Sinai, the people got a glimpse of God’s greatness. The goal was that the people might fear God with a reverent awe. Do you have a reverent fear of God? Do you treat him with reverence and awe?
One God (6:4-5) – There is only one God. That being said, we owe him all of our allegiance. We are to love him with all of our being, with every part of who we are, with all that we have. In what ways are you loving or failing to love God with your thoughts, words, actions, time, finances, activities, work, rest, family, relationships?
Loving God (7:6-15) – God showed his incredible love to the people of Israel by making them his treasured possession, delivering them from Egypt, and blessing them. Note that his love was based not on them, but simply his act of love. In response, again they are to obey God’s commands. To what extent have you grasped God’s love for you? He loves you not because you are lovable, but simply by his choice to love you. Ponder his amazing love for you. How will you respond?

Reflections on Deuteronomy 1-4

On July 5, 2016 By BrianIn OT Reflections

Moses reminds the people of their history with the intent that they learn from it and serve God alone.

Unfaithfulness – Throughout the discourse, Moses reminds the people of their unfaithfulness and the consequences of their unfaithfulness. He challenges them to learn from their past unfaithfulness and be faithful to God. What can you learn from Israel’s past unfaithfulness?
God is near – Despite their unfaithfulness, God is with them. He is always near, and so they can call upon him in prayer (4:7). What needs do you have? Remember that God is with you, and you can talk to him anytime.
Guard your soul – Moses challenges them to “keep your soul diligently” (4:9). They must guard their hearts lest they be led astray. Are you keeping your soul diligently? What dangers do you need to guard against?
One God – Moses teaches the people that there is only one God over all the earth; therefore, they should not serve the false gods of the nations around them. In the midst of the religious pluralism of our day, let us remember there is only one true God, and let us serve him alone.

Deuteronomy 1-8: Fear Our Great God

On July 4, 2016 By BrianIn OT Studies

(1-8) What do you learn about God from this passage? List His attributes and actions.

Taken all together, what picture of God does this passage paint?

(7) And this God is our God. What does 7:6 tell us about being his people (see also I Peter 2:9)?

How does this encourage you? Challenge you?

(1-8) As God’s people, we should fear our great God (5:29, 6:2, 6:13, 6:24, 8:6). We need to take God seriously. What does that look like according to the following verses?

5:29, 6:2, 6:24, 8:6 –

6:5 –

4:15-19, 5:7-10, 7:3-5, 7:16 –

4:9, 4:23, 6:6-12, 8:2, 8:11-14, 8:19 –

What are some practical things that we can do to apply these verses?

1:21, 1:29-30, 3:2, 3:22, 7:17-21 –

In what situations in your life do you need to apply these verses?

Reflections on Numbers 33-36

On June 30, 2016 By BrianIn OT Reflections

God continues to teach the people through Moses to prepare them to enter the land.

Pagan influences – Israel is to drive out the inhabitants and destroy all of their religious objects, lest they be ensnared by pagan influences. What pagan influences from our culture have influenced you? How can you protect yourself from the pagan influences around you?
Cities of Refuge – God required Israel to designate cities of refuge for people to run to who accidentally killed another person, lest the dead person’s kin in wrath killed the accidental killer. Our sins are not accidental, and God’s wrath justly rests on us. The wages of sin is death. But Jesus is our city of refuge that we can run to and find safety and deliverance from God’s wrath. Praise the Lord for your Savior today!
Polluted Land – This idea of the land being polluted by sin has come up before (see for instance Leviticus 18:24-28), and here it is again (Numbers 35:33-35). Consider the sins of our country, and how polluted our land has become. God’s judgment is surely coming. Cry out to God for mercy, and a revival that turns the hearts of the people from the idols of our land to the one true God! May he start with his church!

Reflections on Numbers 30-32

On June 28, 2016 By BrianIn OT Reflections1 Comment

God instructs Israel to attack those who had led them into idolatry.

Evil advice – Balaam may not have been able to curse Israel, but apparently he came up with the plan to ensnare Israel (31:16). What evil ideas do you need to beware of lest you are ensnared?
God’s preservation – After the huge battle, Israel counts their men – and miraculously not one has been killed. God will not always work this miracle. Our times are in his hands. But in this situation, God miraculously preserved them. How has God preserved you? Will you trust him with your life?
Offering to God – In response to God’s preservation, they give a special offering to God. Have you ever offered a special gift to God in response to his special preservation or care in your life? Do you respond with gratitude for his blessings?

Numbers 30-36: The Land

On June 27, 2016 By BrianIn OT Studies

(30) God promised Abraham that his descendants would receive the land of Canaan. Now in Numbers, his descendants are preparing to enter the land. God is faithful to keep his promises. In that context, what does God expect his people to do (v1-2)? Practically, how should this effect our words and actions?

When might someone be excused from keeping their vow (v3-16)? Do you think this principle applies today? Explain.

(33) As they prepare to enter the land, Moses reviews their journey. Again, God has been faithful. Have you ever reviewed your life journey? Give one example of God’s faithfulness.

(33) As they enter the land, they are to drive out its inhabitants and all their pagan influences. Why would this be important?

How does chapter 25 point to the urgency of this command? What did God have Israel do in response (chapter 31)? What does that tell you about God and sin?

We can’t drive pagan influences from our land today, but we can seek to drive pagan influences from our church and homes. What might that look like?

(35) Scattered throughout the land, there were to be six cities of refuge. What were they for? How do they point to Jesus (Hebrews 6:16)?

What principles were used to determine if someone committed murder or not? How does this relate to teaching in the New Testament (Matthew 5:21-22, I John 3:15)?

If a person killed another by accident, how long was he required to stay in the city of refuge to escape the avenger? How might this point to Jesus?

What did murder do to the land? What does that tell us about our own land?

Reflections on Numbers 26-29

On June 23, 2016June 28, 2016 By BrianIn OT Reflections

God gives instructions for the people before they enter the land. Consider:

Preparation – Once again it is time to prepare to enter the land. God tells them to count the men able to go to war. They work out details regarding the inheritance of the land. The transition of leadership from Moses to Joshua begins. What is God calling you to do? Are you doing what is necessary to prepare?
Time – God describes how the people are to use their time, taking breaks from their regular work for Sabbaths and festivals. God is king over our time as well. Are you using your time in a way that pleases the Lord?
Sacrifices – Consider how many animals were required to fulfill all of the sacrifices in chapters 28-29! In Jesus we have a better sacrifice whose single sacrifice forever paid the debt of our sins (Hebrews 10:11-14), making any other sacrifice unnecessary. Praise the Lord!

Reflections on Numbers 22-25

On June 21, 2016 By BrianIn OT Reflections

God’s people face opposition from the outside. Observe:

God’s Sovereignty – God gives the Amorites and the land of Bashan into Israel’s hands. King Balak of Moab is afraid, and so he tries to get Balaam to curse Israel for him. God won’t allow Balaam to do it, but instead requires Balaam to bless Israel. Throughout, we are reminded that God is sovereign over all the nations. And he is still in control today in our world!
Prophecy – Balaam is required to speak the words God gives him, and as he speaks, he predicts the coming of a king (24:17). Many years later a star will proclaim the birth of a king – our Savior!
Idolatry – The people of Moab living around Israel invited Israel to join with them in their sacrifice and worship of other gods. Many of the people of Israel joined them. How does our culture invite us to worship other gods? Have you had people invite you to join them in following another god or in disobeying the one true God? How might the example of Israel in this passage help you to stand firm for the one true God?

Numbers 22-29: Our Sovereign King

On June 20, 2016 By BrianIn OT Studies

(22-24) God is sovereign even over pagan prophets and nations. Trace His sovereign control through the story of Balak and Balaam. What examples do you see in 22:1-21, 22:22-41, 23:1-24:25?

How do these examples encourage you as you see pagan opposition to the church around the world?

(22-24) God is also sovereign over time, as he makes promises that he then fulfills. In what ways do Balaam’s oracles restate the Abrahamic Covenant’s promise of many people, land, a great nation, and blessing?

Who do you think Balaam’s oracle in 24:17-19 refers, and why?

God is able and faithful to keep his promises. Why is that important to you today?

(25) In what ways does Israel rebel against their King in this passage? How does God respond?

What did Phineas do? How do his actions point to Jesus?

(26-27) After 40 years, they prepare again to enter the land. God calls them to take another census. What purposes does the census have (26:2, 52-56, 63-65)? How do these purposes point to God as their sovereign king?

(28-29) As their King, God determines how they are to use their time, keeping regular Sabbaths and festivals. What would it look like for us to apply this principle to our own lives – how does God expect us to use our time?

Consider how many animals and how much grain would be required for the daily, weekly, monthly, and annual sacrifices. How is Jesus a better sacrifice (Hebrews 10:11-14)?

Reflections on Numbers 19-21

On June 16, 2016 By BrianIn OT Reflections

In our passage, we see our failure and God’s salvation.

Cleansing – God requires the sacrifice of a red heifer. The ashes would be mixed with water to provide cleansing to those who became unclean. Jesus sacrificed himself that he might cleanse us from all our sins. Praise the Lord for his cleansing work in your life!
Fall of a leader – Moses was given a relationship with God that few others on earth could claim. Knowing God as he did, he should have treated God with proper respect. But in a moment of weakness, he failed – and was refused entry into the land. How quickly we can fall! Watch your life closely! And cry out to God for grace to stand!
Bronze snake – In response to their complaining, God sends fiery serpents into their midst, and many die. In response to their cries, God tells Moses to make a bronze snake. When anyone is bitten, they are to look on the bronze snake, and they will live. Jesus takes this episode as an example to us (John 3:14-16). As they had to look to the bronze snake to be saved, so we must look to Jesus to be saved. Faith is essentially looking to God. Are you looking to God for your salvation?