Day 34: Deuteronomy 6–10; Proverbs 7–11; Acts 7–9
I remember once being a witness to an accident which claimed the lives of two teenage girls. The police interviewed me about what I had seen. I shared how the tire on their vehicle blew and the van went out of control flipping down the highway. It was a terrible sight. I was shaken afterward and I wasn't in the wreck, I only witnessed it.
Imagine the sheer terror of those who witnessed God's appearance on Mt. Sinai when He spoke to them all the words of the Law. It so terrified the Israelites, they begged Moses to speak the words of the Law to them for they feared they would die if they listened directly to the voice of God.
Now as the people prepare to cross the Jordan and take possession of the Land, Moses speaks to them all the words, reminding them to keep all God's laws and commands and why. Keeping the law keeps Israel within God's blessing and protection. God will drive out the enemies from the Land and God will bless them with long life and much wealth.
They are warned not to get too proud thinking they are responsible for their own wealth and forget who gave them the Land and the wealth. They are to remain humble before God their deliverer and continue in His righteousness. They them selves have heard God's law and they have seen with their own eyes God's signs and wonders among them in the wilderness. Their healthy respect for the great and awesome God in their midst should cause them to remain obedient and never forget to love and worship the Lord.
The fear (or reverence) of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Pr. 9:10). And they repeat the words, "Hear O Israel, The Lord Thy God, the Lord is One. Love the Lord with all you heart, mind, soul and strength (Deut. 6:4)." Remember and teach your children and grandchildren.
But we humans are forgetful and we can be prideful. The leadership of Israel in the time of the early church had grown proud and could not see Jesus for who he is. This is made clear when Stephen, the first Martyr recounts for them the nations history and how they have always been a stiff-necked people who reject and kill God's prophets. Now the blood of the Son of Man is on their hands. When they hear Stephen's confrontation, they shout and cover their ears! They are deaf to the truth.
And when Saul hears the voice of the Lord, he asks, "Who are you, Lord?" Does he not know since he has authority from the Sanhedrin to punish and imprison the church? And he who claims to see, who claims to know God, becomes blind. He has a 3 day period of blindness as he prays for deliverance from Jesus who he had persecuted so ruthlessly. His 3 days of sightlessness parallels Jesus' three days of lifelessness. But God has mercy and sends Ananias to pray for him to regain his sight and to be filled with the Holy Spirit. Saul becomes Paul and begins preaching boldly the gospel that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God.
If obedience brings blessing and protection, rebellion brings curse and disease. God promised the Israelites that He would spare them the plague of Egypt if they kept His covenant carefully (Deut. 7:15). If they didn't He would afflict them. Paul is afflicted with blindness, but only for the purpose of converting him to faith in Jesus. In the same way, the terrible plagues on a rebellious Israel converted them to become a nation ready to possess the Promised Land.
What have I heard? What have I seen of this God who loves me and corrects me with discipline that I might share in His holiness? I have heard that He gives rest to the weary and I have seen that He is faithful always even when I have failed to be. God will never fail to be God. God is good all the time.
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