A Higher Standard
Scripture: Deuteronomy 3:23, 25-27
“At that time I pleaded with the Lord and said...25 Please let me cross the Jordan to see the wonderful land on the other side, the beautiful hill country and the Lebanon mountains.’26 “But the Lord was angry with me because of you, and he would not listen to me. ‘That’s enough!’ he declared. ‘Speak of it no more. 27 But go up to Pisgah Peak, and look over the land in every direction. Take a good look, but you may not cross the Jordan River."
Observations:
In an ironic twist of events, Moses, the man of God and leader of Israel, at the end of his life made a single mistake that cost him entrace to the Promised Land. Because he disobeyed God's command to speak to the rock instead of hitting it with a stick to get water for the people, he was punished. It doesn't seem fair? It makes sense that God punished the rest of the Israelites when they defiantly rejected His commands, worshiped other gods, and hardened their hearts against Him. But Moses up until this point in the wilderness was the one who was holding it all together, and yet one slip up with God and he forfeits any inheritance in the good Land God was about to give to everyone else because of his faithfulness over the last 40 years! What's up with that? God never explains His reasoning for why He did what He did, instead He defends it even after Moses made a special request for God to change His mind(vs. 23-25). But in the very same way that God held other leaders over the people more accountable for their actions, Moses, as the highest ranking leader among the Israelites, was held to a higher standard of obedience with greater consequences.
Application:
In light of all that we have been given and entrusted by God with, we must come to the same conclusion as Jesus "a servant who knows what the master wants, but isn’t prepared and doesn’t carry out those instructions, will be severely punished. 48 But someone who does not know, and then does something wrong, will be punished only lightly. When someone has been given much, much will be required in return; and when someone has been entrusted with much, even more will be required." (Luke 12:47-48). Paul even pointed out that we who live under the New Covenant have been shown even greater things than Moses experienced (2 Corinthians 3:10). As followers of Christ because we possess a greater knowledge and power through the Holy Spirit, we have a much greater obligation and responsiblity to obey God's commands. Through Christ we have been called to live by a higher standard with greater consequences that affect both here and also eternity. You can never underestimate the importance of the instruction to "be careful how you live...Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do." (Ephesians 5:15, 17).
Prayer:
Father, more than ever we need your Spirit to lead our lives and empower us to live in a way that demonstrates our obedience to You. Help us to grasp the awesome responsiblity of reflecting Your glory to the world. Help us to understand Your will in everything so that we will be found faithful. Amen.
Daily Bible Reading Plan
“At that time I pleaded with the Lord and said...25 Please let me cross the Jordan to see the wonderful land on the other side, the beautiful hill country and the Lebanon mountains.’26 “But the Lord was angry with me because of you, and he would not listen to me. ‘That’s enough!’ he declared. ‘Speak of it no more. 27 But go up to Pisgah Peak, and look over the land in every direction. Take a good look, but you may not cross the Jordan River."
Observations:
In an ironic twist of events, Moses, the man of God and leader of Israel, at the end of his life made a single mistake that cost him entrace to the Promised Land. Because he disobeyed God's command to speak to the rock instead of hitting it with a stick to get water for the people, he was punished. It doesn't seem fair? It makes sense that God punished the rest of the Israelites when they defiantly rejected His commands, worshiped other gods, and hardened their hearts against Him. But Moses up until this point in the wilderness was the one who was holding it all together, and yet one slip up with God and he forfeits any inheritance in the good Land God was about to give to everyone else because of his faithfulness over the last 40 years! What's up with that? God never explains His reasoning for why He did what He did, instead He defends it even after Moses made a special request for God to change His mind(vs. 23-25). But in the very same way that God held other leaders over the people more accountable for their actions, Moses, as the highest ranking leader among the Israelites, was held to a higher standard of obedience with greater consequences.
Application:
In light of all that we have been given and entrusted by God with, we must come to the same conclusion as Jesus "a servant who knows what the master wants, but isn’t prepared and doesn’t carry out those instructions, will be severely punished. 48 But someone who does not know, and then does something wrong, will be punished only lightly. When someone has been given much, much will be required in return; and when someone has been entrusted with much, even more will be required." (Luke 12:47-48). Paul even pointed out that we who live under the New Covenant have been shown even greater things than Moses experienced (2 Corinthians 3:10). As followers of Christ because we possess a greater knowledge and power through the Holy Spirit, we have a much greater obligation and responsiblity to obey God's commands. Through Christ we have been called to live by a higher standard with greater consequences that affect both here and also eternity. You can never underestimate the importance of the instruction to "be careful how you live...Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do." (Ephesians 5:15, 17).
Prayer:
Father, more than ever we need your Spirit to lead our lives and empower us to live in a way that demonstrates our obedience to You. Help us to grasp the awesome responsiblity of reflecting Your glory to the world. Help us to understand Your will in everything so that we will be found faithful. Amen.
Daily Bible Reading Plan
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