faith in God

Constructive Faith

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1 Then Eliashib the high priest rose up with his brothers the priests, and they built the Sheep Gate. They consecrated it and set its doors. They consecrated it as far as the Tower of the Hundred, as far as the Tower of Hananel. 2 And next to him the men of Jericho built. And next to them Zaccur the son of Imri built.

3 The sons of Hassenaah built the Fish Gate. They laid its beams and set its doors, its bolts, and its bars. 4 And next to them Meremoth the son of Uriah, son of Hakkoz repaired. And next to them Meshullam the son of Berechiah, son of Meshezabel repaired. And next to them Zadok the son of Baana repaired. 5 And next to them the Tekoites repaired, but their nobles would not stoop to serve their Lord.

6 Joiada the son of Paseah and Meshullam the son of Besodeiah repaired the Gate of Yeshanah. They laid its beams and set its doors, its bolts, and its bars. 7 And next to them repaired Melatiah the Gibeonite and Jadon the Meronothite, the men of Gibeon and of Mizpah, the seat of the governor of the province Beyond the River. 8 Next to them Uzziel the son of Harhaiah, goldsmiths, repaired. Next to him Hananiah, one of the perfumers, repaired, and they restored Jerusalem as far as the Broad Wall. 9 Next to them Rephaiah the son of Hur, ruler of half the district of Jerusalem, repaired. 10 Next to them Jedaiah the son of Harumaph repaired opposite his house. And next to him Hattush the son of Hashabneiah repaired. 11 Malchijah the son of Harim and Hasshub the son of Pahath-moab repaired another section and the Tower of the Ovens. 12 Next to him Shallum the son of Hallohesh, ruler of half the district of Jerusalem, repaired, he and his daughters.

13 Hanun and the inhabitants of Zanoah repaired the Valley Gate. They rebuilt it and set its doors, its bolts, and its bars, and repaired a thousand cubits of the wall, as far as the Dung Gate.

14 Malchijah the son of Rechab, ruler of the district of Beth-haccherem, repaired the Dung Gate. He rebuilt it and set its doors, its bolts, and its bars.

15 And Shallum the son of Col-hozeh, ruler of the district of Mizpah, repaired the Fountain Gate. He rebuilt it and covered it and set its doors, its bolts, and its bars. And he built the wall of the Pool of Shelah of the king’s garden, as far as the stairs that go down from the city of David. 16 After him Nehemiah the son of Azbuk, ruler of half the district of Beth-zur, repaired to a point opposite the tombs of David, as far as the artificial pool, and as far as the house of the mighty men. 17 After him the Levites repaired: Rehum the son of Bani. Next to him Hashabiah, ruler of half the district of Keilah, repaired for his district. 18 After him their brothers repaired: Bavvai the son of Henadad, ruler of half the district of Keilah. 19 Next to him Ezer the son of Jeshua, ruler of Mizpah, repaired another section opposite the ascent to the armory at the buttress. 20 After him Baruch the son of Zabbai repaired another section from the buttress to the door of the house of Eliashib the high priest. 21 After him Meremoth the son of Uriah, son of Hakkoz repaired another section from the door of the house of Eliashib to the end of the house of Eliashib. 22 After him the priests, the men of the surrounding area, repaired. 23 After them Benjamin and Hasshub repaired opposite their house. After them Azariah the son of Maaseiah, son of Ananiah repaired beside his own house. 24 After him Binnui the son of Henadad repaired another section, from the house of Azariah to the buttress and to the corner. 25 Palal the son of Uzai repaired opposite the buttress and the tower projecting from the upper house of the king at the court of the guard. After him Pedaiah the son of Parosh 26 and the temple servants living on Ophel repaired to a point opposite the Water Gate on the east and the projecting tower. 27 After him the Tekoites repaired another section opposite the great projecting tower as far as the wall of Ophel.

28 Above the Horse Gate the priests repaired, each one opposite his own house. 29 After them Zadok the son of Immer repaired opposite his own house. After him Shemaiah the son of Shecaniah, the keeper of the East Gate, repaired. 30 After him Hananiah the son of Shelemiah and Hanun the sixth son of Zalaph repaired another section. After him Meshullam the son of Berechiah repaired opposite his chamber. 31 After him Malchijah, one of the goldsmiths, repaired as far as the house of the temple servants and of the merchants, opposite the Muster Gate, and to the upper chamber of the corner. 32 And between the upper chamber of the corner and the Sheep Gate the goldsmiths and the merchants repaired. – Nehemiah 3:1-32 ESV

Nehemiah had a plan for rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem but he would need manual labor to carry it out. This would be back-breaking work that required both strength and precision. Each work crew was assigned a gate to repair and, once the gate was completed, they were to construct the wall that led to the next gate. Their efforts needed to coordinate with the next team of builders so that the walls could be joined together seamlessly. This massive undertaking required brute force, keen engineering skills. craftsmanship, and a great deal of patience. But the people took on the project wholeheartedly and enthusiastically. Individuals from every walk of life joined in the effort, working side by side to see that the walls of their beloved city were rebuilt.

The work of rebuilding the walls began at the Sheep Gate at the northeastern corner near the Temple Mount. This section of the wall was repaired by the priests under the direction of Eliashib the high priest. He was the grandson of Jeshua, the former high priest, who had played a major role in rebuilding the altar of God so that the sacrificial system could be reinstituted.

Jeshua son of Jehozadak joined his fellow priests and Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel with his family in rebuilding the altar of the God of Israel. They wanted to sacrifice burnt offerings on it, as instructed in the Law of Moses, the man of God. Even though the people were afraid of the local residents, they rebuilt the altar at its old site. Then they began to sacrifice burnt offerings on the altar to the Lord each morning and evening. – Ezra 3:2-3 NLT

The Sheep Gate played an important part in the sacrificial system as well. Located near the Temple Mount, this gate provided easy access for the shepherds who tended the flocks used for the Temple sacrifices. The reconstruction of this gate became a high priority and was taken on by the priests themselves. Even the high priest rolled up his sleeves and joined in the work. Once they completed their gate, they consecrated it, setting it apart as holy to the LORD. This symbolic act was meant to remind the people that their work was to be done “as to the LORD” (Proverbs 16:3). The gates and walls were intended to provide protection, but they would also be a constant reminder of God’s presence, power, and provision.

It is interesting to note that the men of Jericho worked beside the priests. This brief reference would have struck a chord with the Jewish audience who read Nehemiah’s recounting of this momentous occasion. The mention of Jericho would have conjured up the stories they had been told as children. When the Israelites first crossed over the Jordan in their attempt to conquer the land of Canaan, they encountered the fortified city of Jericho. God gave Joshua the following instructions for taking this seemingly impenetrable city.

Now the gates of Jericho were tightly shut because the people were afraid of the Israelites. No one was allowed to go out or in. But the Lord said to Joshua, “I have given you Jericho, its king, and all its strong warriors. You and your fighting men should march around the town once a day for six days. Seven priests will walk ahead of the Ark, each carrying a ram’s horn. On the seventh day you are to march around the town seven times, with the priests blowing the horns. When you hear the priests give one long blast on the rams’ horns, have all the people shout as loud as they can. Then the walls of the town will collapse, and the people can charge straight into the town.” – Joshua 6:1-5 NLT

Just the day before, Joshua had encountered an unknown and well-armed soldier. When Joshua asked whether he was a friend or foe, the man said, “I am the commander of the Lord’s army” (Joshuah 5:14 NLT). This pronouncement caused Joshua to fall to the ground in fear and reverence. It was from this divine messenger that Joshua received his orders to take the city of Jericho. By following the LORD’s command, the Israelites enjoyed a surprisingly easy victory over their enemies.

When the people heard the sound of the rams’ horns, they shouted as loud as they could. Suddenly, the walls of Jericho collapsed, and the Israelites charged straight into the town and captured it. They completely destroyed everything in it with their swords—men and women, young and old, cattle, sheep, goats, and donkeys. – Joshua 6:20-21 NLT

The city of Jericho was eventually rebuilt and occupied by the Israelites. The walls that had fallen were restored, and the men who called this city their home came to assist in the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem. Those who had the joy of living in the place where God gave the Israelites their first victory were more than happy to play a role in rebuilding the walls of their capital city.

Nehemiah goes on to chronicle the various groups that participated in the rebuilding process. While these names are unknown to modern readers, their inclusion gives the impression that people from every walk of life took part in this God-ordained project. The work was not done by peasants alone. Everyone from the high priest to the local government officials played their part. It was a community-wide effort. But there is one side note that reveals at least one group who chose to bow out of the proceedings.

…the Tekoites repaired, but their nobles would not stoop to serve their Lord. – Nehemiah 3:5 ESV

These elitist upper-class snobs deemed themselves too high and mighty to get their hands dirty. But Nehemiah paints a much more harsh reality. He describes them as unwilling to serve their Lord. They were too good to serve Yahweh.

Yet, their less affluent neighbors labored diligently and willingly to rebuild not just one section of wall, but two.

…the Tekoites repaired another section opposite the great projecting tower as far as the wall of Ophel. – Nehemiah 3:27 ESV

No indictment is leveled against these unnamed nobles, but the Proverbs have much to say about men like them.

A man’s pride will bring him low, but a humble spirit will obtain honor. – Proverbs 29:23 BSB

When pride comes, disgrace follows, but with humility comes wisdom. – Proverbs 11:2 BSB

Before his downfall a man’s heart is proud, but humility comes before honor. – Proverbs 18:12 BSB

Despite the pompous attitude of the nobles of Tekoah, the work continued. Others pitched in and, over time, the gates were rebuilt and the walls were restored. This communal project was a testament to Nehemiah’s organizational skills and his powers of persuasion. He had successfully convinced the people of Judah to pool their efforts and accomplish a seemingly impossible task under less-than-ideal circumstances. They labored side by side for months on end, enduring harsh weather conditions and putting up with constant harassment from their enemies. Nehemiah’s description of their efforts makes it sound like everything went off without a hitch. He describes no injuries, setbacks, mishaps, or arguments. This was a do-it-yourself project of epic proportions that would have featured endless opportunities for frustration and confrontation. Mismeasured blocks would have needed to be repaired or replaced. Pulled muscles and broken limbs would have sidelined many, slowing down the work and increasing the workload of others.

And as the following chapter will reveal, the entire project was met with increasing hostility from the local inhabitants. Sanballat and Tobiah were relentless in their attacks, mocking the people of Judah for Don Quixote-like quest to do the impossible.

“What does this bunch of poor, feeble Jews think they’re doing? Do they think they can build the wall in a single day by just offering a few sacrifices? Do they actually think they can make something of stones from a rubbish heap—and charred ones at that?” – Nehemiah 4:2 NLT

“That stone wall would collapse if even a fox walked along the top of it!” – Nehemiah 4:3 NLT

But the work went on and the walls went up. Perseverance and patience were necessary. Faith was a non-negotiable requirement. Determination and cooperation were indispensable. And the people would need to constantly remember that they had Yahweh on their side. The words of Nehemiah needed to ring in their ears as they hammered, hauled, chiseled, and chipped their way to completion.

“The God of heaven will help us succeed. We, his servants, will start rebuilding this wall.” – Nehemiah 2:20 NLT

English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Jehovah-Nissi

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8 Then Amalek came and fought with Israel at Rephidim. 9 So Moses said to Joshua, “Choose for us men, and go out and fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand.” 10 So Joshua did as Moses told him, and fought with Amalek, while Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. 11 Whenever Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed, and whenever he lowered his hand, Amalek prevailed. 12 But Moses’ hands grew weary, so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it, while Aaron and Hur held up his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side. So his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. 13 And Joshua overwhelmed Amalek and his people with the sword.

14 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Write this as a memorial in a book and recite it in the ears of Joshua, that I will utterly blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven.” 15 And Moses built an altar and called the name of it, The Lord Is My Banner, 16 saying, “A hand upon the throne of the Lord! The Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.” – Exodus 17;8-16 ESV

YHWH–Nissi – the LORD is my Banner. Like many of the other names of God, this one was coined by one of His servants; in this case, it was Moses. While this is one of the more familiar names of God, its meaning is sometimes difficult to grasp. Yet the context of the story recorded in Exodus provides insight into what prompted Moses had in mind when he built an altar to God and named it “The LORD is my banner.

On this occasion, Moses is leading the people of Israel to the land of Canaan. He had been used by God to deliver them from their captivity in Egypt and was in the process of guiding them across the barren Sinai peninsula to the land that God had promised to them as their inheritance. While their escape from Egypt had been divinely orchestrated by God and inaugurated with their miraculous crossing of the Red Sea on dry ground, the rest of journey had not been easy or trouble-free.

One month after leaving Egypt, this rag-tag group of former slaves arrived at the wilderness of Sin, hungry and tired. It is estimated that there were as many as one and a half million men, women, and children under Moses’ direction and this large entourage would have consumed massive quantities of food and water. Moses was likely forced to ration their resources to ensure they could make it to Canaan without starving to death. So when they arrived at Sin, the people expressed their frustration with Moses, saying, “Would that we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the meat pots and ate bread to the full, for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger” (Exodus 16:2-3 ESV).

As the saying goes, they were not happy campers. Their excitement at leaving Egypt had long worn off and they had run out of patience with their newfound leader. Weariness and hunger clouded their collective memory and caused them to long for the “good old days” in Egypt. Somehow they forgot that they had been slaves laboring under the heavy hand of Pharaoh. But Moses took their complaint to God, who appeared to them and said, “At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall be filled with bread. Then you shall know that I am the Lord your God” (Exodus 16:12 ESV). And God delivered on His word. The next morning, the people woke up to find the ground covered in “a fine, flake-like thing, fine as frost on the ground” (Exodus 16:14 ESV). They were commanded to gather only as much as they needed to feed their family; no hoarding was allowed. Any excess they gathered would spoil before they could eat it. God was letting them know that He would be their provider and care for their needs all the way to the land of Canaan, and He did so for more than 40 years.

The people of Israel ate the manna forty years, till they came to a habitable land. They ate the manna till they came to the border of the land of Canaan. – Exodus 16:35 ESV

Eventually, the people moved on from the wilderness of Sin and traveled to a place called Rephidim, where they ran into another problem: There was no water for them to drink (Exodus 17:1). Once again, the people voiced their frustration to Moses.

“Why did you bring us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?” – Exodus 17:3 ESV

They were not being melodramatic or speaking in hyperbole; they feared for their lives. Moses recognized the extent of their anger and expressed his concern to God, stating, “What shall I do with this people? They are almost ready to stone me” (Exodus 17:4 ESV). As their leader, he knew he would be the one to bear the brunt of their anger and frustration but, once again, God intervened.

And the Lord said to Moses, “Pass on before the people, taking with you some of the elders of Israel, and take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock at Horeb, and you shall strike the rock, and water shall come out of it, and the people will drink.” – Exodus 17:5-6 ESV

This point in the story is critical to understanding what happens next. God gave Moses specific instructions. He was to use the staff of Aaron to strike a rock so that it would produce fresh water. This was the same staff that God used to turn the water of the Nile into blood (Exodus 7). This time, rather than transforming the source of life into death, God caused a barren rock to produce life-giving water to nourish his people.

But Moses adds an important addendum to this story, stating, “they tested the Lord by saying, ‘Is the Lord among us or not?’ (Exodus 17:7 ESV). The people didn’t just complain, they doubted God’s presence. They questioned His faithfulness and provision. Even though He had continued to provide them with manna every morning, they doubted His willingness or ability to care for their needs.

What happens next is important. Moses used Aaron’s rod to strike the rock and a stream of fresh water poured out. God came through in a big way. But after having their thirst miraculously quenched by God, another faith-testing trial took place. With the rock continuing to provide all the water they needed, the people enjoyed their respite in Rephidim. But their comfortable oasis in the wilderness was about to get uncomfortably crowded.

Then Amalek came and fought with Israel at Rephidim. – Exodus 17:8 ESV

This time, the problem was not a lack of food or water, but the presence of a formidable enemy. This would be their first real exposure to what the future held in store for them. Their destiny was Canaan, and when they arrived, they would find it filled with nations who would oppose their presence and resist their efforts to take up residence. If they couldn’t handle hunger and thirst, how would survive the many battles that lay ahead?

Faced with a formidable enemy, Moses instructed Joshua to form a militia. It is important to recognize that the Israelites were not a well-organized fighting force. Up until a month ago, they had been indentured servants and slaves. They would have had no weapons and little to no experience in warfare. But Joshua obeyed Moses and conscripted enough men to go into battle against the Amalekites. At the same time, Moses climbed a nearby hill carrying Aaron’s staff. The text doesn’t explain where Moses got the idea to do what he did, simply states, “Whenever Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed, and whenever he lowered his hand, Amalek prevailed” (Exodus 17:11 ESV). The staff that turned the water of the Nile into blood and produced water from a rock was used to bring victory in battle. As long as Moses held the staff aloft, the battle went in favor of the Israelites. But as soon as he grew weary and let his hands drop, the enemy prevailed.

Seeing the back and forth nature of the conflict and the obvious impact that staff was having, Aaron and Hur stepped in to provide assistance to their weary friend.

Aaron and Hur held up his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side. So his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. And Joshua overwhelmed Amalek and his people with the sword. – Exodus 17:12-13 ESV

Joshua and the people fought valiantly. Moses struggled to hold up the staff. Aaron and Hur provided much-needed support and encouragement. But God brought the victory. That’s the point of the story and the meaning behind the name YHWH–Nissi. Immediately after the battle, God gave Moses a message.

“Write this as a memorial in a book and recite it in the ears of Joshua, that I will utterly blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven.” – Exodus 17:14 ESV

This would not be a one-time battle with a single victorious outcome, but it would result in the eventual eradication of the Amalekites. They would show up again and would continue to dog the steps of the Israelites all along the way to Canaan. Just prior to their entry into the land of Canaan, God would command the Israelites to wipe out the Amalekites once and for all.

“Remember what Amalek did to you on the way as you came out of Egypt, how he attacked you on the way when you were faint and weary, and cut off your tail, those who were lagging behind you, and he did not fear God. Therefore when the Lord your God has given you rest from all your enemies around you, in the land that the Lord your God is giving you for an inheritance to possess, you shall blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven; you shall not forget.” – Deuteronomy 25:17-19 ESV

God didn’t wipe out the Amalekites at Rephidim, but He did prove to the Israelites that, with His help, they could be victorious. When Moses named the altar The LORD our Banner, he was making a statement about the ongoing presence and power of God. The staff he held in his hand throughout the battle was a symbol of God’s leadership, power, and provision. It had turned water into blood, produced water from a rock, and victory over the Amalekites.

The Hebrew word translated as “banner” is nēs and it can mean “something lifted up.” It was used to refer to a standard or banner that served to rally troops in the middle of a battle. In the case of the battle at Rephidim, Moses was lifting up the staff of Aaron that was to serve as a reminder of God’s power and provision. He was with them and He was providing for them. Whether they needed a sign to convince Pharaoh to let them go or water to help them keep going on, God could and would provide. When they needed a victory over their enemy, all they needed to do was look up and God showed up.

There is another point in the story of the Israelites when God forced the people to look up so that they could see His deliverance. On this occasion, they resorted to grumbling and complaining again, communicating their dissatisfaction with the manna and the lack of water. Angered by their lack of gratitude and absence of faith, God sent a plague of serpents to punish them. When Moses interceded on their behalf, God instructed him, “Make a fiery serpent and set it on a pole, and everyone who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live” (Numbers 21:8 ESV). Moses did as God instructed and when anyone was bit, all they had to do was look at the bronze serpent on the pole and they would be healed. This is a strange story that raises all kinds of questions until you read the commentary of Jesus, spoken centuries later.

“And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.” – John 3:14-15 ESV

The serpent was simply a sign or symbol of a future and greater source of healing. But in both cases, something had to be lifted up. The bronze serpent became the standard for healing. In the same way, as Jesus was lifted up on the cross, he became the standard for spiritual restoration and redemption. Later in John’s gospel, he records the promise that Jesus offered to all who looked to Him for salvation from sin and deliverance from death.

“And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” He said this to show by what kind of death he was going to die. – John 12:32-33 ESV

YHWH–Nissi – the LORD is my Banner. He is my standard, the one to whom I look in my time of greatest need; for salvation, daily sustenance, victory in battle, and the provision of my future inheritance.

So Jesus said to them, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own authority, but speak just as the Father taught me. And he who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to him.” As he was saying these things, many believed in him. – John 8:28-30 ESV

Look up and let YHWH–Nissi lift you up.

English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

God Chose, Now It’s Your Turn

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1 David assembled at Jerusalem all the officials of Israel, the officials of the tribes, the officers of the divisions that served the king, the commanders of thousands, the commanders of hundreds, the stewards of all the property and livestock of the king and his sons, together with the palace officials, the mighty men and all the seasoned warriors. 2 Then King David rose to his feet and said: “Hear me, my brothers and my people. I had it in my heart to build a house of rest for the ark of the covenant of the Lord and for the footstool of our God, and I made preparations for building. 3 But God said to me, ‘You may not build a house for my name, for you are a man of war and have shed blood.’ 4 Yet the Lord God of Israel chose me from all my father’s house to be king over Israel forever. For he chose Judah as leader, and in the house of Judah my father’s house, and among my father’s sons he took pleasure in me to make me king over all Israel. 5 And of all my sons (for the Lord has given me many sons) he has chosen Solomon my son to sit on the throne of the kingdom of the Lord over Israel. 6 He said to me, ‘It is Solomon your son who shall build my house and my courts, for I have chosen him to be my son, and I will be his father. 7 I will establish his kingdom forever if he continues strong in keeping my commandments and my rules, as he is today.’ 8 Now therefore in the sight of all Israel, the assembly of the Lord, and in the hearing of our God, observe and seek out all the commandments of the Lord your God, that you may possess this good land and leave it for an inheritance to your children after you forever.

9 “And you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father and serve him with a whole heart and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches all hearts and understands every plan and thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will cast you off forever. 10 Be careful now, for the Lord has chosen you to build a house for the sanctuary; be strong and do it.”

11 Then David gave Solomon his son the plan of the vestibule of the temple, and of its houses, its treasuries, its upper rooms, and its inner chambers, and of the room for the mercy seat; 12 and the plan of all that he had in mind for the courts of the house of the Lord, all the surrounding chambers, the treasuries of the house of God, and the treasuries for dedicated gifts; 13 for the divisions of the priests and of the Levites, and all the work of the service in the house of the Lord; for all the vessels for the service in the house of the Lord, 14 the weight of gold for all golden vessels for each service, the weight of silver vessels for each service, 15 the weight of the golden lampstands and their lamps, the weight of gold for each lampstand and its lamps, the weight of silver for a lampstand and its lamps, according to the use of each lampstand in the service, 16 the weight of gold for each table for the showbread, the silver for the silver tables, 17 and pure gold for the forks, the basins and the cups; for the golden bowls and the weight of each; for the silver bowls and the weight of each; 18 for the altar of incense made of refined gold, and its weight; also his plan for the golden chariot of the cherubim that spread their wings and covered the ark of the covenant of the Lord. 19 “All this he made clear to me in writing from the hand of the Lord, all the work to be done according to the plan.”

20 Then David said to Solomon his son, “Be strong and courageous and do it. Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed, for the Lord God, even my God, is with you. He will not leave you or forsake you, until all the work for the service of the house of the Lord is finished. 21 And behold the divisions of the priests and the Levites for all the service of the house of God; and with you in all the work will be every willing man who has skill for any kind of service; also the officers and all the people will be wholly at your command.” – 1 Chronicles 28:1-21 ESV

Having completed all the plans and preparations for the building of the Temple, David assembled all those who served in any capacity within his government – “the leaders of the tribes, the commanders of the army divisions, the other generals and captains, the overseers of the royal property and livestock, the palace officials, the mighty men, and all the other brave warriors in the kingdom” (1 Chronicles 28:1 NLT). Solomon, who served as David’s co-regent, was among this throng of dignitaries and faithful servants of the king. As David’s heir and the God-appointed successor to the throne of Israel, Solomon would soon be inheriting all that his father possessed, including his great wealth, power, and reputation. But David’s greatest concern was not the fate of his legacy but the fear of his son and the people of Israel becoming unfaithful to God. 

He had taken great pains to prepare for the building of the Temple but he was less interested in the construction of a grand architectural specimen than the ongoing presence of God it was intended to house. David knew from experience how important the presence of God had been in his life. He revealed to the gathered assembly how God had rejected his offer “to build a Temple where the Ark of the Lord’s Covenant, God’s footstool, could rest permanently” (1 Chronicles 28:2 NLT). David knew that the Shekinah glory of God’s presence dwelled over the Mercy Seat that served as the lid to the Ark of the Covenant. He was aware of the instructions that God had given to Moses concerning this vital piece of sacred furniture that sat within the Holy of Holies in the Tabernacle.

“…you shall put the mercy seat on the top of the ark, and in the ark you shall put the testimony that I shall give you. There I will meet with you, and from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim that are on the ark of the testimony, I will speak with you about all that I will give you in commandment for the people of Israel.” – Exodus 25:21-22 ESV

David’s purpose for building the Temple in his capital city of Jerusalem was to ensure that God’s presence was always near. David was not attempting to relegate that omnipresent God to a single location. Nor was he trying to treat the Ark like some kind of magic talisman that would guarantee his son’s success and the kingdom’s longevity. He simply desired to construct a house for God that would be worthy of His glory and the focal point of the peoples’ worship.

Throughout his speech to the gathered assembly, David emphasized God’s sovereign role in his life. He could look back and see God’s hand orchestrating every detail of his rise from lowly shepherd to the throne of Israel. He had not earned or deserved his kingship. It had been the handiwork of his ever-present, all-powerful God.

“…the Lord, the God of Israel, has chosen me from among all my father’s family to be king over Israel forever.” – 1 Chronicles 28:4 NLT

“…he has chosen the tribe of Judah to rule, and from among the families of Judah he chose my father’s family.” – 1 Chronicles 28:4 NLT

“…from among my father’s sons the Lord was pleased to make me king over all Israel.” – 1 Chronicles 28:4 NLT

“…from among my sons…he chose Solomon to succeed me on the throne of Israel and to rule over the Lord’s kingdom.” – 1 Chronicles 28:5 NLT

David wanted everyone to know that this moment had been God-ordained. His presence before them as their king had been the sovereign work of God, not the result of his own ambition or self-effort. For David, it was important that the assembled dignitaries recognize God’s hand in all that had happened in their nation over the last four decades. David knew his days were numbered and he wanted the leaders of the nation to carry on his commitment of faithfulness to Yahweh. He knew his young son would need wise counsel and a constant reminder to keep God first. He reminded them that God had placed binding conditions on His promise to perpetuate David’s dynasty through Solomon.

“Your son Solomon will build my Temple and its courtyards, for I have chosen him as my son, and I will be his father. And if he continues to obey my commands and regulations as he does now, I will make his kingdom last forever.” – 1 Chronicles 28:6-7 NLT

The Temple would not be enough to guarantee God’s presence or the kingdom’s longevity; Solomon would need to obey the commands of God. But the king’s faithfulness would be impossible without the people’s full participation and support. It’s difficult to lead when no one is willing to follow.

So, David issued a challenge to the leadership of Israel intended to emphasize their responsibility to model faithfulness and obedience for the rest of the nation.

“So now, with God as our witness, and in the sight of all Israel—the Lord’s assembly—I give you this charge. Be careful to obey all the commands of the Lord your God, so that you may continue to possess this good land and leave it to your children as a permanent inheritance.” – 1 Chronicles 28:8 NLT

They could not pass the buck and place the burden of responsibility on Solomon alone. The future of the kingdom was in their hands. Their faithfulness would be vital to ensuring God’s ongoing presence and His provision for the nation’s needs. David Guzik provides a simple summation of David’s charge.

They were exhorted to be careful, in the sense that they had to regard this responsibility as important and worthy of attention.

They were exhorted to seek out the commandments of God, searching the Scriptures diligently.

They were exhorted to seek out all the commandments, and not compromise by focusing on a few favored commandments.

– David Guzik, 1 Chronicles: The Enduring Word Bible Commentary

As far as David was concerned, this was to be a community affair; everyone had a part to play. But David also knew that God was going to hold Solomon to a higher standard. As king, his son would need to exemplify what it means to “observe and seek out all the commandments of the Lord your God” (1 Chronicles 28:8 ESV). There is an old adage that states, “As the king goes, so goes the nation.” This would be true of Solomon and every other king who came after him. Their faithfulness to God would prove to be contagious. However, if they proved to be unfaithful, the people would follow their lead.

David knew that his young son would have his work cut out for him. While David had taken steps to leave his son all the resources and manpower to build the Temple, he could not leave behind his own faithfulness. Solomon would have to develop his own relationship with and reliance upon Yahweh. David had demonstrated his own dependence upon God but now Solomon would need to develop his own personal relationship with the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. This led David to issue a charge to Solomon in the presence of Israel’s leaders.

“…learn to know the God of your ancestors intimately. Worship and serve him with your whole heart and a willing mind. For the Lord sees every heart and knows every plan and thought. If you seek him, you will find him. But if you forsake him, he will reject you forever. So take this seriously. The Lord has chosen you to build a Temple as his sanctuary. Be strong, and do the work.” – 1 Chronicles 28:9-10 NLT

It all began with Solomon’s personal relationship with Yahweh. He would need to cultivate and maintain his reliance upon God, refusing to compromise his convictions or alter his allegiance in any way. David greatly desired that the Temple be built but he knew that it would prove futile if his son failed to remain faithful to God.

He followed up this charge with some last-minute instructions concerning the Temple, and then he issued one final word of encouragement to his heir-apparent.

“Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Don’t be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. He will see to it that all the work related to the Temple of the Lord is finished correctly. The various divisions of priests and Levites will serve in the Temple of God. Others with skills of every kind will volunteer, and the officials and the entire nation are at your command.” – 1 Chronicles 29:20-21 NLT

Solomon had a choice to make. The kingdom was his. So was the responsibility to build the Temple. His future was set. But as he prepared to begin his reign he would need to choose what kind of king he would be. Would he be faithful or faithless? Would he be obedient or prove to be obstinate and obsessed with doing his own will? David had done all he could do, now it was up to Solomon to choose. He faced the same choice as the people of Israel when they heard the final words of Joshua as he prepared to die and leave them with the task of completing the conquest of Canaan.

“Now therefore fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” – Joshua 24:14-15 ESV

English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Deadly Nature of Misplaced Trust

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1 Then Satan stood against Israel and incited David to number Israel. 2 So David said to Joab and the commanders of the army, “Go, number Israel, from Beersheba to Dan, and bring me a report, that I may know their number.” 3 But Joab said, “May the Lord add to his people a hundred times as many as they are! Are they not, my lord the king, all of them my lord’s servants? Why then should my lord require this? Why should it be a cause of guilt for Israel?” 4 But the king’s word prevailed against Joab. So Joab departed and went throughout all Israel and came back to Jerusalem. 5 And Joab gave the sum of the numbering of the people to David. In all Israel there were 1,100,000 men who drew the sword, and in Judah 470,000 who drew the sword. 6 But he did not include Levi and Benjamin in the numbering, for the king’s command was abhorrent to Joab.

7 But God was displeased with this thing, and he struck Israel. 8 And David said to God, “I have sinned greatly in that I have done this thing. But now, please take away the iniquity of your servant, for I have acted very foolishly.” 9 And the Lord spoke to Gad, David’s seer, saying, 10 “Go and say to David, ‘Thus says the Lord, Three things I offer you; choose one of them, that I may do it to you.’” 11 So Gad came to David and said to him, “Thus says the Lord, ‘Choose what you will: 12 either three years of famine, or three months of devastation by your foes while the sword of your enemies overtakes you, or else three days of the sword of the Lord, pestilence on the land, with the angel of the Lord destroying throughout all the territory of Israel.’ Now decide what answer I shall return to him who sent me.” 13 Then David said to Gad, “I am in great distress. Let me fall into the hand of the Lord, for his mercy is very great, but do not let me fall into the hand of man.”

14 So the Lord sent a pestilence on Israel, and 70,000 men of Israel fell. 15 And God sent the angel to Jerusalem to destroy it, but as he was about to destroy it, the Lord saw, and he relented from the calamity. And he said to the angel who was working destruction, “It is enough; now stay your hand.” And the angel of the Lord was standing by the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite. 16 And David lifted his eyes and saw the angel of the Lord standing between earth and heaven, and in his hand a drawn sword stretched out over Jerusalem. Then David and the elders, clothed in sackcloth, fell upon their faces. 17 And David said to God, “Was it not I who gave command to number the people? It is I who have sinned and done great evil. But these sheep, what have they done? Please let your hand, O Lord my God, be against me and against my father’s house. But do not let the plague be on your people.” – 1 Chronicles 21:1-17 ESV

The chronicler now includes a story that comes from the latter years of David’s reign. This less-than-flattering account parallels that of the prophet Samuel’s found in 2 Samuel 24. The author’s inclusion of this story seems intended to expose the danger of placing one’s trust in anyone or anything other than God. David, as king of the nation of Israel, makes a fateful decision to conduct a census of his people. But his real motivation was to determine the size of his army. Most commentators believe this event happened late in David’s reign and toward the end of his life. The nine-month-long process was conducted by the army under the direction of Joab, David’s military commander. To fulfill David’s command, Joab and his forces were required to traverse the length and breadth of the kingdom to conduct the census, a job that would have put them out of commission as a fighting force. So, scholars believe this “numbering of the people” required an extended period of peace, when there was no imminent threat of war. These ideal conditions would have been associated with the closing years of David’s reign.

But regardless of when it happened, the main concern is that it did happen. There is a bit of confusion with this point because there is a discrepancy between the two accounts recorded by the chronicler and Samuel. In the Book of 1 Chronicles, it states, “Then Satan stood against Israel and incited David to number Israel” (1 Chronicles 21:1 ESV). Yet, in his version of the story, Samuel states something quite different.

Again the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he incited David against them, saying, ‘Go, number Israel and Judah.’” – 2 Samuel 24:1 ESV

So, which was it? Did Satan incite David to number Israel or was it God? While this may appear to be a contradiction, it is only a matter of perspective. We know from the book of James that God does not tempt anyone to sin.

God is never tempted to do wrong, and he never tempts anyone else. – James 1:13 NLT

But God does discipline His people for their sins. He also has a track record of using others to accomplish His will, including the kings of foreign nations and even Satan himself. In the book of Exodus, we read how God hardened the heart of Pharaoh so that he would refuse to let the people of Israel go. But Pharaoh’s stubborn refusal would result in yet another display of God’s glory and greatness. All of this was so that the people of Israel, having lived in Egypt for 400 years, would know that their God was greater than the gods of Egypt. God was not forcing Pharaoh to do something against his will; He was taking advantage of Pharaoh’s predisposition for doing evil. God could have prevented Pharoah from refusing to let Israel go, but He chose not to. Pharaoh’s heart was already hardened toward the people of God so, in essence, God refused to soften his heart. It’s all a matter of perspective.

In the case of David and his numbering of the people of Israel, it seems that God desired to punish Israel for their past disobedience, so he allowed Satan to entice David to take the census. God could have prevented Satan from having any influence over His servant, but He allowed the enemy to play a decisive role in His plan to discipline His own people. The sovereign God of the universe was in control at all times, but He allowed Satan to be the instigator behind David’s rebellious decision to do what he did.

But this begs the question: Why was God so upset with David taking a census? What was so wrong with David using his authority as commander-in-chief to determine the size of his army? The problem doesn’t appear to be with the taking of the census itself; it was the motivation behind doing it, to begin with. It was David who wrote:

Some trust in chariots and some in horses,
but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. – Psalm 20:7 ESV

Another anonymous psalm states a similar truth:

The best-equipped army cannot save a king,
    nor is great strength enough to save a warrior.
Don’t count on your warhorse to give you victory—
    for all its strength, it cannot save you. – Psalm 33:16-17 NLT

In taking a census of his fighting forces, David revealed that he placed his hope in his army, not God. He was placing his confidence in the size of his mighty military machine, not the power of God Almighty. Over his lifetime, David built a sizeable reputation around his role as the warrior-king. He had fought and won many battles with the aid of his formidable army. He knew that a successful kingdom required a well-trained fighting force to survive and, as he neared the end of his life, he desired to know what kind of army he was leaving his successor.

David already had a large standing army made up of professional full-time soldiers. Yet David wasn’t satisfied with the army he had; he wanted to know how many potential recruits he could muster if the need arose. So he sent his military commander and his armed forces on an assignment to scour the land and determine the exact number of men he could conscript for military service. It’s important to remember that this was probably done in a time of peace when there was no pressing need for a larger army. But David wanted to know.

In a way, David put the entire nation at risk just to accomplish his goal. By sending his army on this lengthy and ill-conceived assignment, he made the nation vulnerable to assault from outside forces. With his army deployed across the nation, David would have found it difficult to reassemble them in the event of an enemy attack. But this was not what made his decision sinful; it was his lack of trust in God.

But David was not alone in this regard because it appears that the people shared his distrust of God. The account in Second Samuel opens with the statement, “the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he incited David against them” (2 Samuel 24:1 ESV). We’re not told why God was angry with the nation but it would appear that at the heart of the issue was their lack of trust. As the king and legal representative of the people, David was displaying the attitude of the entire nation.

Somewhere along the way, the Israelites had lost faith in God and had begun to place their trust in someone or something else. Perhaps they had become comfortable with David as their king and grown confident in his military prowess and the army’s ability to protect them from their enemies. If they were enjoying a period of relative peace, they probably wrote this off to David’s leadership skills and the presence of his mighty men of valor. By the latter years of David’s reign, Israel had become a powerful nation and a force to be reckoned with, and their success had probably produced a fair amount of over-confidence.

As is usually the case, when things go well, people tend to forget about God. In times of relative peace and tranquility, it’s easy to lose our awareness of our need for God. Whatever it was that the Israelites had done, God was angry with them and He used David to bring about a fitting punishment for their sin.

David, against the better judgment of Joab, commanded the census be taken, and nine months later he received the news for which he was looking.

In all Israel there were 1,100,000 men who drew the sword, and in Judah 470,000 who drew the sword. – 1 Chronicles 21:5 ESV

One million five hundred and seventy thousand men. That’s a huge army by any standard, and it must have made David proud to know that he had those kinds of numbers at his disposal. This news would have fed his pride and boosted his ego. He was a powerful king with a formidable army that would have struck fear into any other nation that even considered attacking Israel. But David’s moment of ego-driven ecstasy was short-lived. After getting what he believed to be good news, David had a bad premonition. Samuel’s account states that “David’s conscience began to bother him…” (2 Samuel 24:10 NLT).

He had second thoughts about what he had done. Perhaps he remembered the words of his own psalm. Whatever the case, his heart became burdened as his eyes were opened to the reality of what he had done. But there was more to David’s regret than meets the eye. The chronicler adds, “God was very displeased with the census, and he punished Israel for it” (1 Chronicles 21:7 NLT). No details are provided as to what God did to punish Israel, but it seems that God’s actions got David’s attention. He realized that his census-taking had resulted in God’s judgment and Israel’s suffering.

Then David said to God, “I have sinned greatly by taking this census. Please forgive my guilt for doing this foolish thing.” – 1 Chronicles 21:8 NLT

This was not David’s first rodeo. He had sinned before and knew what it was like to come under conviction for his disobedience. But the key lesson in this passage is that David recognized his sin and confessed it before God. He admitted his guilt and sought God’s forgiveness. He didn’t attempt to blame someone else for his actions. He makes no excuses. More importantly, he didn’t ignore his sin or act as if nothing had happened.

If you only read the Second Samuel account, it appears as if David confessed his sin long before God did anything to discipline him for it. But the chronicler makes it clear that David’s confession came as a result of God’s discipline. God was angry with David’s decision and chose to pour out His judgment on the very people David had just numbered. They suffered because David sinned. He had chosen to put his faith in the size of his army. Those 1,570,000 men were members of the nation of Israel and God had the power to eliminate each and every one of them if He so chose. David was placing his trust in human resources rather than God Almighty.

Trust in God is a vital characteristic of the child of God. The Proverbs state:

Trust in the Lord with all your heart;
    do not depend on your own understanding.
Seek his will in all you do,
    and he will show you which path to take. – Proverbs 3:5-6 NLT

In numbering the people, David illustrated his failure to trust God. He put his hope and trust in something he could see and count. He placed his confidence in the physical size of his army, not the invisible might of his God. It’s always easier to trust in something we can see and touch than to place our confidence in a God who is hidden from our eyes. But God had proven Himself faithful to David time and time again. He had rescued him repeatedly. He had protected and provided for him throughout his life. But here, near the end of his life, David put his trust in something other than God, and he paid the consequences for his sin.

It is so important to remember that “we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12 NLT). If we put out hope and confidence in the things of this world, we will lose the battle. We are in a spiritual conflict that requires faith and hope in God. The size of our bank account or investment portfolio will not help us in this battle. Our physical strength will be no match for the spiritual enemies we face. David could number his army, but it would not be his source of salvation in a time of need.

But David had to learn his lesson and, sadly, the people of Israel went along for the ride. The chronicler reveals that “the Lord sent a plague upon Israel, and 70,000 people died as a result. And God sent an angel to destroy Jerusalem” (1 Chronicles 21:14-15 NLT).

This devastating outcome left David stunned and in a state of mourning. He was shocked by the sheer number of innocent lives that were lost as a result of his sin. This led him to cry out to God and offer himself as a willing substitute for their suffering.

“I am the one who called for the census! I am the one who has sinned and done wrong! But these people are as innocent as sheep—what have they done? O Lord my God, let your anger fall against me and my family, but do not destroy your people.” – 1 Chronicles 21:17 NLT

David learned a powerful lesson. His flippant decision to number his people proved costly because he had failed to trust God. But now, he was learning that God alone can save. God alone deserved his trust. God alone was the one who warranted his full attention, affection, and hope.

English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

An Army of One

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1 Again the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he incited David against them, saying, “Go, number Israel and Judah.” 2 So the king said to Joab, the commander of the army, who was with him, “Go through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan to Beersheba, and number the people, that I may know the number of the people.” 3 But Joab said to the king, “May the Lord your God add to the people a hundred times as many as they are, while the eyes of my lord the king still see it, but why does my lord the king delight in this thing?” 4 But the king’s word prevailed against Joab and the commanders of the army. So Joab and the commanders of the army went out from the presence of the king to number the people of Israel. 5 They crossed the Jordan and began from Aroer, and from the city that is in the middle of the valley, toward Gad and on to Jazer. 6 Then they came to Gilead, and to Kadesh in the land of the Hittites; and they came to Dan, and from Dan they went around to Sidon, 7 and came to the fortress of Tyre and to all the cities of the Hivites and Canaanites; and they went out to the Negeb of Judah at Beersheba. 8 So when they had gone through all the land, they came to Jerusalem at the end of nine months and twenty days. 9 And Joab gave the sum of the numbering of the people to the king: in Israel there were 800,000 valiant men who drew the sword, and the men of Judah were 500,000.

10 But David’s heart struck him after he had numbered the people. And David said to the Lord, “I have sinned greatly in what I have done. But now, O Lord, please take away the iniquity of your servant, for I have done very foolishly.” – 2 Samuel 24:1-10 ESV

This closing chapter of the book of 2 Samuel does not end with David’s death but with an unflattering recounting of another one of David’s sins against God. This time, he will be guilty of taking a census to determine the size of his army. Most commentators believe this event happened late in David’s reign and toward the end of his life. The nine-month-long process was conducted by the army under the direction of Joab, David’s military commander. To fulfill David’s command, Joab and his forces were required to traverse the length and breadth of the kingdom to conduct the census, a job that would have put them out of commission as a fighting force. So, scholars believe this “numbering of the people” required an extended period of peace, when there was no imminent threat of war. The latter years of David’s reign were the only time this could have happened.

But regardless of when it happened, the main concern is that it did happen. There is a bit of confusion with this point, because the book of 1 Chronicles, in recording this same episode, tells us, “Then Satan stood against Israel and incited David to number Israel” (1 Chronicles 21:1 ESV). Yet, this version of the story states something quite different.

Again the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he incited David against them, saying, ‘Go, number Israel and Judah.’” – 2 Samuel 24:1 ESV

So, which was it? Did Satan incite David to number Israel or was it God? While this may appear to be a contradiction, it is only a matter of perspective. We know from the book of James that God does not tempt anyone to sin.

God is never tempted to do wrong, and he never tempts anyone else. – James 1:13 NLT

But God does discipline His people for their sins. He has a track record of using others to accomplish His will, including the kings of foreign nations and even Satan himself. In the book of Exodus, we read how God hardened the heart of Pharaoh so that he would refuse to let the people of Israel go. But Pharaoh’s stubborn refusal would result in yet another display of God’s glory and greatness. All of this was so that the people of Israel, having lived in Egypt for 400 years, would know that their God was greater than the gods of Egypt. God was not forcing Pharaoh to do something against his will; He was taking advantage of Pharaoh’s predisposition for doing evil. God could have prevented Pharoah from refusing to let Israel go, but He chose not to. Pharaoh’s heart was already hardened toward the people of God so, in essence, God refused to soften his heart. It’s all a matter of perspective.

In the case of David and his number of the people of Israel, it seems that God desired to punish Israel for their disobedience, so he allowed Satan to entice David to take the census. God could have prevented Satan from having any influence over His servant, but He allowed the Enemy to play a decisive role in His plan to discipline His own people. The sovereign God of the universe was in control at all times, but Satan was the instigator behind David’s rebellious decision to do what he did.

But this begs the question: Why was taking a census so bad? What was so wrong with David, as commander-in-chief, desiring to determine the size of his army? The problem doesn’t appear to be with the taking of the census itself; it was the motivation behind doing it to begin with. It was David who wrote:

Some trust in chariots and some in horses,
but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. – Psalm 20:7 ESV

Another anonymous psalm states a similar truth:

The best-equipped army cannot save a king,
    nor is great strength enough to save a warrior.
Don’t count on your warhorse to give you victory—
    for all its strength, it cannot save you. – Psalm 33:16-17 NLT

In taking a census of his fighting forces, David revealed that his hope and trust were in his army, not God. He was placing his confidence in the size of his mighty military machine, not the power of God Almighty. Over his lifetime, David had built a sizeable reputation around his role as the warrior-king. He had fought and won many battles with the aid of his formidable army. He knew that a successful kingdom required a sizeable fighting force to survive and, as he neared the end of his life, he desired to know what kind of army he was leaving his successor.

It is obvious that David had a standing army made up of professional full-time soldiers because they were the ones who would be conducting his census. But David wasn’t satisfied with the army he had; he wanted to know how many potential recruits he could muster if the need arose. So he sent his military commander and troops to scour the land and determine the exact number of men he could conscript for military service. It’s important to remember that this was probably done in a time of peace when there was no pressing need for a larger army. But David wanted to know.

In a way, David put the entire nation at risk just to accomplish his goal. By sending his army on this lengthy and ill-conceived assignment, he made the nation vulnerable to assault from outside forces. With his army deployed across the nation, David would have found it difficult to reassemble them in the event of an enemy attack. But this was not what made his decision sinful; it was his lack of trust in God.

But David was not alone in this regard because it appears that the people shared his distrust of God. The chapter opens with the statement, “the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he incited David against them” (2 Samuel 24:1 ESV). We’re not told why God was angry with the nation but it would appear that their lack of trust was at the heart of the issue. As the king and legal representative of the people, David was displaying the attitude of the entire nation. The Israelites had lost faith in God and had begun to place their trust in someone or something else. Perhaps they had become comfortable with David as their king and grown confident in his military prowess and the army’s ability to protect them from enemies. By the latter years of David’s reign, Israel had become a powerful nation and a force to be reckoned with, and their success had probably produced a fair amount of over-confidence. As is usually the case, when things go well, people tend to forget about God. In times of relative peace and tranquility, it’s easy to lose the need for God. Whatever it was that the Israelites had done, God was angry with them and He used David to bring about a fitting punishment for their sin.

David, against the better judgment of Joab, commanded the census be taken, and nine months later he received the news for which he was looking.

…in Israel there were 800,000 valiant men who drew the sword, and the men of Judah were 500,000. – 2 Samuel 24:9 ESV

One million three hundred thousand men. That’s a huge army by any standard, and it must have made David proud to know that he had those kinds of numbers at his disposal. This news would have fed his pride and boosted his ego. He was a powerful king with a formidable army at his disposal. But David’s moment of ego-driven ecstasy was short-lived. After getting what he believed to be good news, David had a bad premonition.

…after he had taken the census, David’s conscience began to bother him… – 2 Samuel 24:10 NLT

He had second thoughts about what he had done. Perhaps he remembered the words of his own psalm. Whatever the case, his heart became burdened as his eyes were opened to the reality of what he had done.

“I have sinned greatly by taking this census. Please forgive my guilt, Lord, for doing this foolish thing.” – 2 Samuel 24:10 NLT

This was not David’s first rodeo. He had sinned before and knew what it was like to come under conviction for his disobedience. But the key lesson in this passage is that David recognized his sin and confessed it before God. He admitted his guilt and sought God’s forgiveness. He didn’t attempt to blame someone else for his actions. He didn’t make excuses. And, more importantly, he didn’t ignore his sin and act as if nothing had happened.

It’s interesting to note that David confessed his sin long before God did anything to discipline him for it. Sometimes, we can sin against God and be completely comfortable with our actions – until He chooses to punish us. Too often, we only recognize and confess our sins after God disciplines us. But David confessed his sin before God had done anything. His heart was sensitive enough to recognize the error of his ways and to admit his disobedience to God. He didn’t wait until God’s judgment fell on him.

Trust in God is a vital characteristic of the child of God. The Proverbs state:

Trust in the Lord with all your heart;
    do not depend on your own understanding.
Seek his will in all you do,
    and he will show you which path to take. – Proverbs 3:5-6 NLT

In numbering the people, David illustrated his failure to trust God. He put his hope and trust in something he could see and count. He placed his confidence in the physical size of his army, not the invisible might of his God. It’s always easier to trust in something we can see and touch than to place our confidence in a God who is hidden from our eyes. But God had proven Himself faithful to David time and time again. He had rescued him repeatedly. He had protected and provided for him throughout his life. But here, near the end of his life, David put his trust in something other than God, and he would pay the consequences for his sin.

It is so important for us to remember that “we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12 NLT). If we put out hope and confidence in the things of this world, we will lose the battle. We are in a spiritual battle that requires faith and hope in God. The size of our bank account or investment portfolio will not help us in this conflict. Our physical strength will be no match for the spiritual enemies we face. David could number his army, but it would not be his source of salvation in a time of need. God alone can save. God alone deserves our trust. God alone is the one who warrants our attention, affection, and hope.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Self-Delusion of Self-Preservation

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1 Now the Philistines had gathered all their forces at Aphek. And the Israelites were encamped by the spring that is in Jezreel. 2 As the lords of the Philistines were passing on by hundreds and by thousands, and David and his men were passing on in the rear with Achish, 3 the commanders of the Philistines said, “What are these Hebrews doing here?” And Achish said to the commanders of the Philistines, “Is this not David, the servant of Saul, king of Israel, who has been with me now for days and years, and since he deserted to me I have found no fault in him to this day.” 4 But the commanders of the Philistines were angry with him. And the commanders of the Philistines said to him, “Send the man back, that he may return to the place to which you have assigned him. He shall not go down with us to battle, lest in the battle he become an adversary to us. For how could this fellow reconcile himself to his lord? Would it not be with the heads of the men here? 5 Is not this David, of whom they sing to one another in dances,

‘Saul has struck down his thousands,
    and David his ten thousands’?”

6 Then Achish called David and said to him, “As the Lord lives, you have been honest, and to me it seems right that you should march out and in with me in the campaign. For I have found nothing wrong in you from the day of your coming to me to this day. Nevertheless, the lords do not approve of you. 7 So go back now; and go peaceably, that you may not displease the lords of the Philistines.” 8 And David said to Achish, “But what have I done? What have you found in your servant from the day I entered your service until now, that I may not go and fight against the enemies of my lord the king?” 9 And Achish answered David and said, “I know that you are as blameless in my sight as an angel of God. Nevertheless, the commanders of the Philistines have said, ‘He shall not go up with us to the battle.’ 10 Now then rise early in the morning with the servants of your lord who came with you, and start early in the morning, and depart as soon as you have light.” 11 So David set out with his men early in the morning to return to the land of the Philistines. But the Philistines went up to Jezreel. – 1 Samuel 29:1-11  ESV

While Saul was busy consulting with a witch, David was consorting with the enemy. According to 1 Samuel 27:7, David had been living in the land of Philistia for 16 months, and he had pulled it off by living a lie. He had deceived King Achish into believing he had turned his back on Israel and had chosen to join forces with the Philistines. Evidently, David had been convincing. If there had been an Academy Awards that year, David would have won an Oscar for Best Actor in a Drama. He had completely fooled Achish into believing he was a faithful friend and ally. David’s performance had left Achish fully convinced and willing to defend him to the rest of the Philistine commanders.

“This is David, the servant of King Saul of Israel. He’s been with me for years, and I’ve never found a single fault in him from the day he arrived until today.” – 1 Samuel 29:3 NLT

Even after Achish heard the concerns of his fellow officers, he refused to buy into their fears and expressed to David his unwavering confidence in his faithfulness.

“I swear by the Lord that you have been a trustworthy ally. I think you should go with me into battle, for I’ve never found a single flaw in you from the day you arrived until today” – 1 Samuel 29:6 NLT

“As far as I’m concerned, you’re as perfect as an angel of God.” – 1 Samuel 29:9 NLT

But while David’s performance had been convincing, it didn’t come without a cost. The longer he stayed in Philistia and kept up his ruse, the more dangerous his predicament would become. It was only a matter of time before David found himself in the awkward and unenviable spot of having to display his true colors. He couldn’t keep up this charade forever. In time, the nations of Israel and Philistia would find themselves at war and David would be caught in the middle. That is exactly the scenario recorded in chapter 29.

The Philistines had gathered all their troops to do battle with the Israelites. King Achish and his men arrived at Aphek on Philistia’s northern border with Israel. Bringing up the rear of his column was none other than David and his 600 fighting men. The significance of this moment is monumental. Here is David, the God-appointed, Spirit-anointed future king of Israel, riding among the forces of the Philistines, one of the greatest enemies of the people of God. This was no longer one of David’s cleverly disguised raids against Israelite enemies (see 1 Samuel 27:8-12). An all-out war between the Israelites and the Philistines was about to take place and David would have to make a decision. Would he fight with the Philistines and risk the wrath of God? Or would he do exactly what the Philistine commanders feared and turn against them in battle and become their adversary (1 Samuel 29:4)?

Without reading ahead, it’s easy to assume that David would have chosen the latter path. After all, he had passed up two opportunities to raise his hand against the Lord’s anointed (1 Samuel 24:6; 1 Samuel 26:9); so why would he suddenly change course and wield his sword against God’s chosen people?

If he did, he would find himself facing two foes: Achish and Saul. For the last 16 months, Saul had abandoned his hunt for David but his hatred for him remained undiminished. He most likely believed David was a traitor who hoped to steal the crown of Israel with the aid of the Philistines. So, if Saul met David on the battlefield, he would see him as an enemy, no matter which side he chose to fight for.

David was in a predicament. His plan to escape Saul’s wrath by living among the Philistines seemed like the logical thing to do at the time, but it appears that he made his decision without input from God. There is no indication that God directed David’s actions or ordered his escape into Philistine territory. Now David was faced with the inevitable consequences of his Godless decision. But while David had left God out of his plan, God had not left David. The Almighty may not have approved of David’s strategy, but He was committed to David’s well-being and future.

Despite David’s actions, God knew David’s heart. Years earlier, when Samuel the prophet was surveying the sons of Jesse looking for the next king of Israel, God told him, “The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16:9 NLT). While David’s decision-making may have been suspect, his motivation was not, and God knew it.

David had been trying to do the right thing. He was still a faithful servant and all the while he lived in Philistia, he continued to fight against the enemies of Israel. But his self-inspired strategy for self-preservation produced a less-than-ideal outcome that only the sovereign hand of God could resolve.

As David and his men arrived at the Philistine camp at Aphek, the other Philistine lords were furious that Achish had brought this former Israeli commander and his men into battle with them. They questioned his reasoning and intelligence. Who in his right mind would allie himself with the man who killed the Philistine champion, Goliath? And, to make matters worse, Achish was the king of Gath, the hometown of Goliath. Yet here he was riding into camp with the man who had songs written about his military exploits against the Philistines.

Their disagreement with Achish’s decision was unanimous and unwavering.

“Send him back to the town you’ve given him!” they demanded. “He can’t go into the battle with us. What if he turns against us in battle and becomes our adversary? Is there any better way for him to reconcile himself with his master than by handing our heads over to him?” – 1 Samuel 29:4 NLT

They saw David as a threat and Achish as a fool. To them, everything about this scenario was wrong and David had to go. Outnumbered and unable to defend his decision, Achish reluctantly gave in to their demands. Always the performer, David reacted with surprise when Achish ordered him and his men to return to Ziklag.

“What have I done to deserve this treatment?” David demanded. “What have you ever found in your servant, that I can’t go and fight the enemies of my lord the king?” – 1 Samuel 29:8 NLT

It’s interesting to note that David used similar words when questioning Saul’s unjust treatment of him.

“Why do you listen to the people who say I am trying to harm you? This very day you can see with your own eyes it isn’t true.” – 1 Samuel 24:9-10 NLT

“Why are you chasing me? What have I done? What is my crime?” – 1 Samuel 26:18 NLT

David couldn’t understand why Saul was out to kill him. But he knew exactly why the Philistines were suspicious of his motivation and worried about his allegiance. Ever the dedicated thespian, David feigned surprise and did his best to act offended by the assertions of the Philistine commanders.

But in reality, this was the best thing that could have happened to David and his men. God had intervened and spared them from having to go into battle. At the very last minute, God stepped in and providentially protected David from the mess he had created. But as the next chapter will reveal, God’s timely rescue of David would not prevent him from experiencing the fruit of his godless decision-making. David had determined to make plans without God’s input and he would have to suffer the consequences. God protected David from having to go into battle with the Philistines, but David would not escape the discipline of God.

God had plans for David that included the years he spent hiding and wandering in the wilderness. God could have put David on the throne the very day Samuel anointed him, but David was not yet ready to be king; he needed to be prepared for the role. He had to learn the lessons God had for him, and a big part of God’s preparation for David would be found in his failure to trust God.

His tendency to make decisions without God’s input would teach him the danger of autonomy in the life of the servant of God. Decisions made apart from God will never result in the blessings of God. Trying to do God’s will his own way would never produce God’s results. This phase of David’s life would provide yet another valuable opportunity for him to learn to trust God, rather than himself.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Much-Needed Words from a Well-Tested Saint

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1 Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus,

2 To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons:

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. – Philippians 1:1-2 ESV

As we begin our study of Paul’s letter to the believers in Philippi, we must establish the historical context behind this document. Obviously, the opening line, which serves as the salutation to the letter, establishes Paul as its author. But we also find the name of Timothy, his young protégé and spiritual son in the faith. Timothy was alongside Paul as he penned this letter while under house arrest in Rome.

Paul’s arrival in Rome had been the culmination of a series of complicated and, obviously, God-ordained events that began with a plot on his life. Paul had returned to Jerusalem to meet with James and the other leaders of the Jerusalem church. He made a report regarding his work among the Gentiles, and this news was met with great joy. But, while James and his associates were excited about the obvious evidence of God’s hand upon Paul and his missionary efforts, they reported that the believing Jews in Jerusalem were less-than-enthusiastic about Paul’s work. Some disturbing rumors had reached their ears that Paul had been teaching that Jews who came to faith in Christ no longer had to keep the law of Moses. James presented Paul with the basic gist of the rumor.

“…they have been told about you that you teach all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or walk according to our customs.” – Acts 21:21 ESV

One can understand why this news would have upset the Jewish believers in Jerusalem. Ever since the birth of the Church at the Feast of Pentecost, the vast majority of its converts had been Jews who continued to practice all the rites and rituals of Judaism. In the Book of Acts, Luke records that these new believers had not viewed their decision to follow Christ as a replacement for Judaism.

…all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. – Acts 2:44-47 ESV

Since they viewed Jesus as their long-awaited Messiah, they believed He would be a champion of the Mosaic Law. Yet, Paul was allegedly teaching something quite contrary and concerning.

James was concerned that once these Jews heard that Paul was in town, they would stir up trouble for him. So, he recommended that Paul go through a period of purification, signaling to his critics that he was still a faithful Jew. Paul had agreed to the recommendation and, as the seven days of purification were coming to a close, he had made his way to the temple to complete the process. But Paul ended up being accused of bringing a Gentile into the restricted area of the temple reserved solely for Jews. A mob descended upon him intending to put him to death but Paul was rescued by Roman soldiers and placed under arrest. This led a small faction of the Jews to swear an oath among themselves that they would fast from food or drink until they had put Paul to death.

When the plot was exposed, Paul was shipped to Caesarea where he appeared before the Roman governor, Felix. Paul would remain in Caesarea for two years, under house arrest. Eventually, Felix was replaced by Festus, who decided to send Paul back to Jerusalem for trial. But Paul, knowing that he would not receive a fair trial in Jerusalem, appealed to his right as a Roman citizen to appear before Caesar in Rome. He was granted his request and shipped to Rome where he remained for two years under house arrest, awaiting trial before Caesar. It was while in Rome that Paul wrote this letter.

But why is any of this background information relevant? It is because the entire letter to the Philippian believers is filled with words of encouragement. Here was a man who had spent years facing trumped-up charges that had left him imprisoned for a crime he had not committed. He was still facing a plot on his life and the prospect of appearing before Caesar with no guarantee that his trial would end in either his acquittal or release.  In fact, he would tell his brothers and sisters in Philippi:

For I fully expect and hope that I will never be ashamed, but that I will continue to be bold for Christ, as I have been in the past. And I trust that my life will bring honor to Christ, whether I live or die. – Philippians 1:21 NLT

Long before Paul ever arrived in Rome, he made a similar statement to the believers living there.

If we live, it’s to honor the Lord. And if we die, it’s to honor the Lord. So whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. – Romans 14:8 NLT

So, here was Paul, writing to the believers in Philippi and attempting to encourage them in their faith. The words that Paul writes to these people carry far more significance and weight when you consider the circumstances under which he wrote them. Consider this well-known declaration by Paul found later on in his letter.

I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. – Philippians 4:11-12 NLT

He follows this expression of contentment in the face of adversity with the confident assertion, “For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:13 NLT). This was a man who knew what he was talking about. He was not offering pious-sounding platitudes, but well-tested counsel based on his own personal experience.

Paul had a strong attachment to the believers in Philippi because he had played a major role in their coming to faith. In the book of Acts, Luke records Paul’s arrival in Philippi, a Roman colony. Paul had the privilege of leading a woman named Lydia to Christ, along with her entire household. Her home became the meeting place for the fledgling congregation. It was in Philippi that Paul and Silas were imprisoned for casting a demon out of a young slave girl whose masters profited from her use as a fortune teller. Once freed from her demon, her value as a soothsayer was greatly diminished and her owners turned their anger against Paul and Silas. After having been severely beaten, Paul and his companions were imprisoned. But Paul was not one to let obstacles stand in his way, even the bars of a prison cell. It was while in prison that Paul and Silas led to Christ the jailer in charge of their care.

Once released from jail, Paul and Silas eventually made their way to Thessalonica, but it seems that Paul made at least one return trip to Philippi sometime before the penning of this letter to them. It was a direct response to a gift he had received from them that had been delivered by a man named Epaphroditus. Paul would use this young man to deliver his letter, allowing him to return home and put any concern they had over his well-being to rest. It seems that Ephaphroditus had become deathly sick during his time in Rome, but had recovered.

I have thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, and your messenger and minister to my need,  for he has been longing for you all and has been distressed because you heard that he was ill. – Philippians 2:25-26 ESV

Paul was happy to send Ephaphroditus home with a word of commendation, praising him for risking his life to minister to Paul’s needs.

But back to Paul’s salutation or greeting. He describes himself and Timothy as servants. The Greek word he used is doulos, and it refers to a bondservant or slave. It literally meant, “one who is subservient to, and entirely at the disposal of, his master; a slave.”

Rather than present himself as some kind of superior leader who deserves respect and honor, Paul refers to himself as a lowly slave. This is the same designation Paul used when writing to the church in Rome.

Paul, a servant [doulos] of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God. – Romans 1:1 ESV

Little did he know that, when he wrote these words, they would be prophetic. He would later become like a slave, living under the authority of the Roman government and completely subservient to their will. But he would still be serving Christ even while subject to the power and control of Rome.

Paul addresses his letter “to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi.” He refers to them as “saints,” using the Hebrew word hagios, which carries a depth of meaning. It is often translated as “holiness” but can also mean “to be set apart.” According to Thayer’s Greek Lexicon, hagios was used “of things which on account of some connection with God possess a certain distinction and claim to reverence.” Like the temple itself and the items found within it, believers have been set apart by God for His use. They belong to Him. This is what led Paul to tell the believers in Rome:

Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. – Romans 6:13 ESV

Paul had a deep desire to see his brothers and sisters in Christ live up to their calling as children of God. He will plead with them to live lives that are set apart, reflecting their unique status as saints of God.

Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel… – Philippians 1:27 ESV

Here was a man well-acquainted with suffering for his faith. He had first-hand experience with what happens when you live as hagios in a world that stood in direct opposition to all he believed in and stood for. At the core of Paul’s message to the Philippian church will be his call to spiritual maturity in the face of adversity. They were a relatively healthy congregation but were surrounded by darkness and faced with the constant temptation to compromise their faith. Paul will use his own walk with Christ as an example of what holiness looks like in real life.

But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. – Philippians 3:13-14 ESV

Paul knew that this determination to press on and strive for the goal of Christ-likeness would require the grace and peace of God. But his confidence in God’s faithfulness to provide the strength needed to reach the prize was based on personal experience, not speculation. This is what allowed him to boldly proclaim, “I can do all things through him who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13 ESV).

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Message (MSG) Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson

A Seer With Poor Insight

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1 Then the people of Israel set out and camped in the plains of Moab beyond the Jordan at Jericho. 2 And Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites. 3 And Moab was in great dread of the people, because they were many. Moab was overcome with fear of the people of Israel. 4 And Moab said to the elders of Midian, “This horde will now lick up all that is around us, as the ox licks up the grass of the field.” So Balak the son of Zippor, who was king of Moab at that time, 5 sent messengers to Balaam the son of Beor at Pethor, which is near the River in the land of the people of Amaw, to call him, saying, “Behold, a people has come out of Egypt. They cover the face of the earth, and they are dwelling opposite me. 6 Come now, curse this people for me, since they are too mighty for me. Perhaps I shall be able to defeat them and drive them from the land, for I know that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed.”

7 So the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the fees for divination in their hand. And they came to Balaam and gave him Balak’s message. 8 And he said to them, “Lodge here tonight, and I will bring back word to you, as the Lord speaks to me.” So the princes of Moab stayed with Balaam. 9 And God came to Balaam and said, “Who are these men with you?” 10 And Balaam said to God, “Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, has sent to me, saying, 11 ‘Behold, a people has come out of Egypt, and it covers the face of the earth. Now come, curse them for me. Perhaps I shall be able to fight against them and drive them out.’” 12 God said to Balaam, “You shall not go with them. You shall not curse the people, for they are blessed.” 13 So Balaam rose in the morning and said to the princes of Balak, “Go to your own land, for the Lord has refused to let me go with you.” 14 So the princes of Moab rose and went to Balak and said, “Balaam refuses to come with us.”

15 Once again Balak sent princes, more in number and more honorable than these. 16 And they came to Balaam and said to him, “Thus says Balak the son of Zippor: ‘Let nothing hinder you from coming to me, 17 for I will surely do you great honor, and whatever you say to me I will do. Come, curse this people for me.’” 18 But Balaam answered and said to the servants of Balak, “Though Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the command of the Lord my God to do less or more. 19 So you, too, please stay here tonight, that I may know what more the Lord will say to me.” 20 And God came to Balaam at night and said to him, “If the men have come to call you, rise, go with them; but only do what I tell you.” 21 So Balaam rose in the morning and saddled his donkey and went with the princes of Moab. – Numbers 22:1-21 ESV

God was leading the people of Israel ever closer to the borders of Canaan. The day was drawing nearer when they would be expected to cross over the Jordan River and begin their conquest of the land God promised to them as their rightful inheritance. All the battles in which they had recently been engaged had been meant to prepare them for the confrontations they would face in the conquest of their new homeland. While God had designated Canaan as their future home, it would not come without a fight or apart from faith in His power and providence.

News of the Israelites’ recent victory over the Amorites had begun to spread and the surrounding nations began to grow wary of this new kid on the block. The reputation of the Israelites had begun to change. They were no longer viewed as just a large but seemingly harmless group of former slaves and sheep herders. They had proved themselves to be a formidable fighting force that could easily overwhelm the small nation-states that occupied Canaan and the surrounding lands. With their conquest of the Amorites, the Israelites had become a real and present danger.

The Jordan River formed the eastern border of the land of Canaan, so when the Israelites set up camp on the plains of Moab, they were within “spitting distance” of the promised land. But news of their arrival soon reached the ears of Balak, the king of Moab, and he was not pleased.

Balak son of Zippor, the Moabite king, had seen everything the Israelites did to the Amorites. And when the people of Moab saw how many Israelites there were, they were terrified. The king of Moab said to the elders of Midian, “This mob will devour everything in sight, like an ox devours grass in the field!” – Numbers 22:2-4 NLT

The Israelites had descended upon Moab like a plague of locusts and Balak feared the worst. He realized that a group this large would require a source of food and envisioned them plundering the surrounding farms, orchards, and vineyards to fill their stomachs. Motivated by his growing sense of dread, Balak reached out to the elder of nearby Midian in an attempt to form an alliance against their newfound enemy.

When the Israelites had first appeared within the borders of Moab, the Moabites had extended a degree of tolerance, accepting payment in return for food and water. They probably assumed the Israelites would move on to greener pastures. But when Balak heard that the Israelites had set up camp on the plains, he became more than a bit concerned about the long-term implications of this latest report.

Unwilling to take on the Israelites in a head-to-head battle, he came up with a less risky plan. He sent for a diviner named Balaam. This man was some sort of pagan magician or soothsayer, and he had a reputation for his ability to pronounce curses. This led Balak to send emissaries to Balaam with the following message:

“Please come and curse these people for me because they are too powerful for me. Then perhaps I will be able to conquer them and drive them from the land. I know that blessings fall on any people you bless, and curses fall on people you curse.” – Numbers 22:6 NLT

Nowhere in the text does it indicate that Balaam was a worshiper of Yahweh, the God of the Israelites. However, he was believed to have supernatural abilities that allowed him to pronounce blessings and curses at will. Balak wanted this powerful “wizard” to work his magic and call down a curse upon the host of Israelites camping on his doorstep.

Balak is not specific regarding the nature of the curse he has in mind, but it seems that he was hoping for some kind of spell that might weaken the Israelite forces and make their defeat easier. In a sense, he was looking for a miracle, and he was willing to pay for it. No doubt, Balak believed that Balaam would invoke the assistance of some kind of deity or supernatural power. He seemed to understand that the defeat of the Israelites would require divine intervention.

When the envoys delivered the money and Balak’s message to Balaam, this so-called diviner agreed to consider the king’s proposition. But first, he asked for time to consult “the Lord” (Numbers 22:8 ESV). What’s interesting about this statement, is that Balaam used the proper name of Israel’s God – יְהֹוָה (Yᵊhōvâ). This doesn’t mean that Balaam was a worshiper of Jehovah, but may simply indicate that he knew the name of Israel’s God and was going to begin by seeking that deity’s permission to issue the curse. Rather than pit one god against another, Balaam was going to attempt to turn Israel’s God against them. But Balaam never got a chance to solicit an opinion from Jehovah because God came calling on him.

That night God came to Balaam and asked him, “Who are these men visiting you?” – Numbers 22:9 NLT

God was already aware of the situation but He went ahead and asked Balaam to summarize what was going on, beginning with the identity and mission of the visitors. This nocturnal encounter must have caught Balaam by surprise. There’s even a question of whether Balaam had ever intended to seek a word from Jehovah. It seems much more likely that Balaam would have returned to the messengers with some story he had concocted overnight. But instead, God showed up and provided this self-proclaimed prophet with a message meant solely for him.

“Do not go with them. You are not to curse these people, for they have been blessed!” – Numbers 22:12 NLT

Balaam was to show these men the door, and God made it crystal clear that the last thing Balaam should consider doing was to issue a curse upon the people of Israel. It’s not that God feared Balaam’s curse, but that Balaam needed to know that Israel was under God’s blessing. It was Balaam who needed to be afraid because God had promised to curse anyone who treated Abraham’s descendants with contempt.

“I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you.” – Genesis 12:3 NLT

Even a fake curse would be met with God’s vengeance. If Balaam had decided to make a quick buck by going with the men and pronouncing a curse on the Israelites, he would have come to regret it.

Balaam didn’t take this word from Jehovah lightly. He may have been a false prophet but he recognized a real prophecy when He heard one. So, the next morning, he delivered to Balak’s messengers some disappointing news.

“Go on home! The Lord will not let me go with you.” – Numbers 22:13 NLT

But when the envoys returned with the bad news, Balak refused to accept it. Desperate for divine help, he sent an even larger contingent of dignitaries to persuade Balaam, and they were armed with an even greater offer of reward. Yet, Balaam remained adamant and refused to accept their bribe.

“Even if Balak were to give me his palace filled with silver and gold, I would be powerless to do anything against the will of the Lord my God. But stay here one more night, and I will see if the Lord has anything else to say to me.” – Numbers 22:18-19 NLT

At this point, it appears as if Balaam has had a “come-to-Jesus-moment.” He now refers to Jehovah as “my God.” Something has happened. This pagan prognosticator has suddenly realized that Jehovah is the one true God. Unlike all the other times Balaam had sought divine help, on this occasion, he had received an actual answer. Jehovah, the God of Israel had spoken, and Balaam was not about to risk angering an actual, bonified deity.

As before, Balaam invites the men to spend the night and agrees to seek additional insight from Jehovah. During the night, God spoke to Balaam again.

That night God came to Balaam and told him, “Since these men have come for you, get up and go with them. But do only what I tell you to do.” – Numbers 22:20 NLT

And having heard from the Lord, Balaam did just as he was told.

…the next morning Balaam got up, saddled his donkey, and started off with the Moabite officials. – Numbers 22:21 NLT

Yet, as the next verse points out, “God was angry that Balaam was going…” (Numbers 22:22 NLT). This pseudo-prophet was about to learn a painful lesson on the sovereignty and omniscience of Jehovah. The God of the Israelites was not some figment of man’s imagination but the all-powerful, all-knowing God of the universe. He had peered into Balaam’s heart and knew exactly what this pride-filled and profit-hungry man was thinking. Balaam was still hoping to cash in on this opportunity and was already formulating a plan to give Balak what he wanted while lining his own pockets.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Fear, Faithfulness, and Fruit

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1 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Send men to spy out the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the people of Israel. From each tribe of their fathers you shall send a man, every one a chief among them.” 3 So Moses sent them from the wilderness of Paran, according to the command of the Lord, all of them men who were heads of the people of Israel. 4 And these were their names: From the tribe of Reuben, Shammua the son of Zaccur; 5 from the tribe of Simeon, Shaphat the son of Hori; 6 from the tribe of Judah, Caleb the son of Jephunneh; 7 from the tribe of Issachar, Igal the son of Joseph; 8 from the tribe of Ephraim, Hoshea the son of Nun; 9 from the tribe of Benjamin, Palti the son of Raphu; 10 from the tribe of Zebulun, Gaddiel the son of Sodi; 11 from the tribe of Joseph (that is, from the tribe of Manasseh), Gaddi the son of Susi; 12 from the tribe of Dan, Ammiel the son of Gemalli; 13 from the tribe of Asher, Sethur the son of Michael; 14 from the tribe of Naphtali, Nahbi the son of Vophsi; 15 from the tribe of Gad, Geuel the son of Machi. 16 These were the names of the men whom Moses sent to spy out the land. And Moses called Hoshea the son of Nun Joshua.

17 Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan and said to them, “Go up into the Negeb and go up into the hill country, 18 and see what the land is, and whether the people who dwell in it are strong or weak, whether they are few or many, 19 and whether the land that they dwell in is good or bad, and whether the cities that they dwell in are camps or strongholds, 20 and whether the land is rich or poor, and whether there are trees in it or not. Be of good courage and bring some of the fruit of the land.” Now the time was the season of the first ripe grapes.

21 So they went up and spied out the land from the wilderness of Zin to Rehob, near Lebo-hamath. 22 They went up into the Negeb and came to Hebron. Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai, the descendants of Anak, were there. (Hebron was built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.) 23 And they came to the Valley of Eshcol and cut down from there a branch with a single cluster of grapes, and they carried it on a pole between two of them; they also brought some pomegranates and figs. 24 That place was called the Valley of Eshcol, because of the cluster that the people of Israel cut down from there. – Numbers 13:1-24 ESV

After a brief seven-day delay in which Miriam was punished for attempting to lead a coup against her own brother, God led the people to Kadesh-Barnea. They were now on the edge of the land of Canaan. This had been their destination all along; the place that God had promised to give them as their inheritance. Now they stood on the banks of the Jordan River, ready to cross over and begin their conquest of the land.

But as a test of their resilience and reliance upon Him, God instructed Moses to select one man from each of the twelve tribes to go on a recognizance mission. These 12 men were to sneak into the land of Canaan to spy out the enemy’s strength and verify the agricultural quality of the land itself.

“Go north through the Negev into the hill country. See what the land is like, and find out whether the people living there are strong or weak, few or many. See what kind of land they live in. Is it good or bad? Do their towns have walls, or are they unprotected like open camps? Is the soil fertile or poor? Are there many trees? Do your best to bring back samples of the crops you see.”  (It happened to be the season for harvesting the first ripe grapes.) – Numbers 13:17-20 NLT

According to Moses’ account of this event, recorded in the book of Deuteronomy, the sending of the spies had actually been the people’s idea.

“But you all came to me and said, ‘First, let’s send out scouts to explore the land for us. They will advise us on the best route to take and which towns we should enter.’

“This seemed like a good idea to me, so I chose twelve scouts, one from each of your tribes. They headed for the hill country and came to the valley of Eshcol and explored it. They picked some of its fruit and brought it back to us. And they reported, ‘The land the Lord our God has given us is indeed a good land.’”  – Deuteronomy 1:22-25 NLT

They petitioned Moses to send in spies and God went along with the plan but it appears that God had a different agenda than that of the people. Their reason for sending in spies was to determine whether there was any hope of defeating the nations that already occupied the land. But God agreed to send in spies so that they might give witness to the truth concerning the abundance and fruitfulness of the land. In other words, as far as God was concerned, this was a fact-finding mission. This was not a specially formed committee to determine or decide whether or not the land was hospitable or conquerable. That was not an option. The conquest of the land was not up for debate and therein lay the test.

So, the spies went and they saw, and when they returned they reported the facts just as they had witnessed them. They even brought back physical evidence of the land’s long-rumored fruitfulness.

When they came to the valley of Eshcol, they cut down a branch with a single cluster of grapes so large that it took two of them to carry it on a pole between them! They also brought back samples of the pomegranates and figs. – Numbers 16:23 NLT

When the 12 men returned to the Israelite camp, they brought good news. They verbally and unanimously affirmed the land’s fruitfulness and provided a jaw-dropping show-and-tell that gave irrefutable proof that the land was bountiful and rich just as God had said it would be. The people’s mouths must have watered at the sight of the giant cluster of grapes that required two men to carry it. And to convince their fellow Israelites that there was more fruit where this came from, they declared that they had named the spot where they found the grapes the “Valley of Clusters.” It was an entire region filled with oversized bunches of sun-ripened grapes.

To a people who had spent a year living at the base of Mount Sinai in the relatively barren Arabian peninsula, this news must have sounded like music to their ears. They could already envision the overflowing vats and the sweet taste of the wine that awaited them in the promised land. For people who had already proven to be driven by their appetites, this news must have been too good to be true. Having just come off their month-long diet of nothing but quail, the thought of quenching their thirst with fine wine must have been irresistible.

Things were looking up. The long journey to the promised land was about to come to an end and the final destination sounded like it was going to be all that they had hoped for. But what the people didn’t realize was that there was going to be bad news mixed with the good news, and that is where the test would come in. The land was fruitful, just as God had told them it would be. But God had also warned that the land would be occupied.

When God initially issued His call for Moses to deliver His people from their captivity in Egypt, He declared, “I have come down to rescue them from the power of the Egyptians and lead them out of Egypt into their own fertile and spacious land. It is a land flowing with milk and honey—the land where the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites now live” (Exodus 3:8 NLT). He let Moses know that their future inheritance would be filled with good things to eat but that it would also be overflowing with nations that were going to be far from hospitable or accommodating.

He had never told them that conquering the land of Canaan would be easy. In fact, long before they arrived at the border of Canaan, God had told them what would be required of them.

“For my angel will go before you and bring you into the land of the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Canaanites, Hivites, and Jebusites, so you may live there. And I will destroy them completely. You must not worship the gods of these nations or serve them in any way or imitate their evil practices. Instead, you must utterly destroy them and smash their sacred pillars.” – Exodus 23:23-24 NLT

From day one, He had warned them that the land would be filled with other inhabitants. He told them that they would have to remove those inhabitants from the land but He also assured them that His presence would assure them of certain victory.

God never told them that occupying the land would be a cakewalk. But He did assure them of victory – as long as they obeyed Him. So, as they heard the report of the agricultural superiority of the land, they were ready to break camp and head to the Valley of Clusters. But little did they know that the good news was about to take a bad turn. All their dreams of fine wine and blissful days basking in the bounty in Canaan were about to be dashed by the distasteful news of insurmountable foes and impregnable fortresses. So, what would they do? How would they respond? Would they display trust in God and enter the land or allow fear to get the best of them? Would the promise of fruitfulness trump their fear of failure?

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Greatest Gift of All

/ kdmiller55 / 2 Comments

1 Then Job answered the Lord and said:

2 “I know that you can do all things,
    and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted.
3 ‘Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?’
Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand,
    things too wonderful for me, which I did not know.
4 ‘Hear, and I will speak;
    I will question you, and you make it known to me.’
5 I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear,
    but now my eye sees you;
6 therefore I despise myself,
    and repent in dust and ashes.”

7 After the Lord had spoken these words to Job, the Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite: “My anger burns against you and against your two friends, for you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has. 8 Now therefore take seven bulls and seven rams and go to my servant Job and offer up a burnt offering for yourselves. And my servant Job shall pray for you, for I will accept his prayer not to deal with you according to your folly. For you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has.” 9 So Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite went and did what the Lord had told them, and the Lord accepted Job’s prayer. – Job 42:1-9 ESV

Job had been in search of answers from God but, instead, he had ended up discovering God himself. His quest for justice, vindication, and explanations for his suffering had forced him the seek God and, in the end, what he found eclipsed his any of his expectations. Job’s unexpected and unwanted sufferings actually brought him closer to God. Ever since his trials had begun, Job had been in a constant search for relief and redemption, and while he received those things in full, they were nothing when compared to his restored relationship with God.

Job has suffered much at the hands of Satan, but also as a result of the critical words of his friends. But as the book comes to an end, God has stepped into the scene and administered a profound theological lesson that has left Job virtually speechless. The only words that come out of his mouth are statements of praise and contrition.

“I know that you can do anything,
    and no one can stop you.” – Job 42:2 NLT

“I was talking about things I knew nothing about,
    things far too wonderful for me.” – Job 42:3 NLT

“I take back everything I said,
    and I sit in dust and ashes to show my repentance.” – Job 42:6 NLT

Job’s encounter with God left him a changed man, and while the restoration of his health and wealth would have an impact on his life, it was the change within his heart that produced the greatest transformation. Job confessed that his relationship with God had been dramatically altered because his understanding of the Almighty had been greatly expanded. His suffering and subsequent face-off with God had opened his eyes to things he had never considered before. His knowledge of God had moved from the head to the heart. Rather than having to rely on purely theoretical concepts, Job had moved to an experiential understanding of God.

“I had only heard about you before,
    but now I have seen you with my own eyes.” – Job 42:5 NLT

God had become real and relatable. He was no longer distant and disconnected from Job’s daily life, but was an up-close and personal God who had chosen to meet with Job face to face.

He has spoken and condemned Eliphaz and his friends as having spoken out of turn. In fact, God tells them, ” you have not been right in what you said about me” (Job 42:7 NLT). He commands them to offer burnt offerings for their sin and to have Job pray for them. If they don’t, God would be forced to deal with them according to their folly.

After 42 chapters of dialogue, the most important part of the story of Job seems to be the lessons he learns about his God. Up until this point, Job’s understanding of God was based on what he had heard about God. His was an academic, intellectual understanding of God, and it showed up in his diatribes against God. But now he realized that he was wrong. He had spoken out of turn and out of ignorance. But now, Job’s view of God had changed because he had experienced and heard from Him.

And isn’t that what God is always trying to do – reveal Himself to men? He wants us to know Him, not just know about Him. He wants us to experience Him – in all His power, mercy, grace, and love. That is why He sent His Son – as a living revelation of God on earth in the form of a man. In Jesus, we see the character of God come alive. He gave us an up-close and personal glimpse of God.

For in Christ the fullness of God lives in a human body. – Colossians 2:9 NLT

For God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ. –  Colossians 1:19 NLT

It was the apostle Peter who encouraged followers of Christ to “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18 NLT). Yet, for too many of us, our knowledge of God is what we have heard, read, or assumed. Our understanding of God is limited to what we have been taught or told. It lacks the personal, experiential touch.

Our God ends up being distant and, at times, a little difficult to know. But God wants us to know Him. He wants us to see and experience Him in our everyday lives. He challenges us get to know Him better.

“Stop your striving and recognize that I am God!” – Psalm 46:10 NET

In Hebrew, that word “recognize” means “to know, realize, see, find out, discern, or to know by experience.” God wants us to know beyond a shadow of a doubt that He truly is who He says He is. He wants us to know by experience that He is God.

It is in the daily experiences of life that God wants to reveal Himself, including our trials and difficulties. He wants to display His glory and goodness in those impossible situations that come our way; in our relationships, finances, health, homes, workplaces, and those moments of doubt and fear.

Job didn’t come to know God because God blessed him. The restoration of Job’s health and wealth were not the impetus for his improved understanding of God; it was he because actually heard from God. God spoke to Job and the truth about Himself. He gave Job a glimpse of His power and majesty by comparing Himself to His own creation.

The interesting thing is, He never gave Job an explanation for what had happened. He never defended Himself to Job because He didn’t have to. He was God. He simply reminded Job who it was he was complaining to. He reminded Job of His power and sovereign will. God didn’t owe Job an explanation. He also didn’t owe Job reparations or compensation of any kind. But Job learned that he owed God reverence and respect.

With Job on his knees in repentance, God turns his attention to Eliphaz and his friends, and He shows them no mercy.

“I am angry with you and your two friends, for you have not spoken accurately about me, as my servant Job has.” – Job 42:7 NLT

What happens next appears to be a test of the validity of Job’s heart transformation. God commands Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar to offer an atoning sacrifice for having misrepresented themselves as His spokesmen and for having misspoken about His character. They had neither heard from God nor fully understood the nature of God but they had not let that stop them from speaking on behalf of God. So, God required them to make atonement for their sins, and then he commanded Job to pray for them.

“My servant Job will pray for you, and I will accept his prayer on your behalf. I will not treat you as you deserve, for you have not spoken accurately about me, as my servant Job has.” – Job 42:8 NLT

One can only imagine how difficult this assignment would have been for Job. These three men had caused him untold amounts of grief and suffering. They had berated and belittled him. They had falsely accused him. And now, God was asking Job to act as their intercessor. If Job would pray for them, God would withhold His judgment of them. That means that Job held their lives in his hands. He could have refused to petition the Lord on their behalf. In his anger and resentment, He could have chosen to get even and give them over God’s judgment. But he didn’t. His heart had been changed and his desire to please God was greater than his need for vengeance or vindictiveness.

We know Job prayed because the text tells us “the Lord accepted Job’s prayer” (Job 42:9 NLT). The sacrifices were made, Job’s supplication was offered up to God, and Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar were forgiven.

Four separate times in these verses, God refers to Job as his servant. He wants Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar to understand that their estimation and subsequent condemnation of Job had been totally wrong. They had declared Job to be wicked and immoral. They had accused him of committing acts of injustice and unrighteousness. And yet, God repeatedly refers to him as “my servant Job” (Job 42:7, 8). Job’s sufferings had not been a sign of sin. His losses had not been evidence of wrongdoing. Throughout it all, Job had remained a servant of God. He was a suffering saint who endured tremendous pain and loss in this life but whose relationship with God had remained unchanged.

In the 11th chapter of Hebrews, the author chronicles the lives of Old Testament saints who, like Job, exhibited faith in the midst of sorrow and loss. These men and women were willing to endure great pain while still holding onto to their belief in the goodness and greatness of God.

…others were tortured, refusing to turn from God in order to be set free. They placed their hope in a better life after the resurrection. Some were jeered at, and their backs were cut open with whips. Others were chained in prisons. Some died by stoning, some were sawed in half, and others were killed with the sword. Some went about wearing skins of sheep and goats, destitute and oppressed and mistreated. They were too good for this world, wandering over deserts and mountains, hiding in caves and holes in the ground.

All these people earned a good reputation because of their faith, yet none of them received all that God had promised. For God had something better in mind for us, so that they would not reach perfection without us. – Hebrews 11:35-40 NLT

Job’s reputation was restored. His integrity and good name were vindicated. But God was not done. In a demonstration of divine mercy and grace, God will prove Job’s innocence by putting everything back to the way it was before Satan entered the scene. God will graciously and abundantly bless His servant Job and allow him to once again experience the joys of his former life. But the greatest gift Job received was his restored relationship with God.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.