Simple But Challenging

Shortly before his death, Moses once again challenged the people of Israel with following God's ways. He reminded them of the abundant blessing God would give if they would "obey the LORD your God to keep His commandments and His statutes which are written in this book of the law" and if they would "turn to the LORD your God with all your heart and soul" (Deuteronomy 30:10).

People today, just like in Moses' day, might protest. They might say it isn't that easy. After all, how could man really know what God wants him to do? God may seem remote and inaccessible, too lofty to be known, too complex to be understood. To think that a mere man would be able to really know what God wants and actually be able to do it - well, it just isn't reasonable. God is distant in the heavens and unknowable. Therefore, by no fault of his own, man misses out on the blessings God says are available, simply because he can't possibly meet God's mysterious expectations.

Anyone who thinks such thoughts is wrong. Yes, God is lofty and complex. However, He has not made it hard for man to know Him. Rather, He has made it easy. He has revealed something of Himself in every man, giving man an innate sense that there is a God that he should seek. God has magnificently declared Himself through the glories of creation. God's greatest revelation is through His written Word, the Bible that He has preserved and protected and made abundantly available.

Moses confronted Israel with the accessibility of knowing God and His desires. "For this commandment which I command you today is not too difficult for you, nor is it out of reach. It is not in heaven, that you should say, 'Who will go up to heaven for us to get it for us and make us hear it, that we may observe it?' Nor is it beyond the sea, that you should say, 'Who will cross the sea for us to get it for us and make us hear it, that we may observe it?' But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may observe it" (Deuteronomy 30:11-14).

The truth is that the difficulty in following God's way is not because the way is difficult to know. Rather, it is for modern Christians exactly what it was for Israel: the rebelliousness of the human heart.

Regarding Israel, Moses stated, "For I know your rebellion and your stubbornness ... you have been rebellious against the LORD" (Deuteronomy 31:27). Regarding man in general, God declares, "The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick" (Jeremiah 17:9). Sadly, man's natural inclination is not toward God. Man naturally rebels against the very God that he should follow.

God, on the other hand, does want a relationship with man and does indeed want to bless those whose follow Him. God calls and draws mankind. God makes His instructions and desires accessible and understandable. He rewards those who seek Him and gives wisdom to those who ask. He helps those who try to walk in His ways and He gives them more and more light.

Yes, it is possible to know God's way and to follow Him. It really isn't that difficult in terms of knowing what God wants. It is only difficult because of the rebellion that lingers in the heart.

"Make me walk in the path of Your commandments. ... Incline my heart to Your testimonies ... Turn away my eyes from looking at vanity, and revive me in Your ways" (Psalm 119:35-37).

Parenting Contrasts

Every child must make his own choice to follow God, but in most cases parents are the strongest influence over their children's choices. Certainly, parents have the greatest potential to impact their children toward or away from God. While there are no perfect parents, the Bible does provide examples of both exemplary and pitiful parenting moments.

Samson's parents had some exemplary moments. They lived during a time of oppression by the Philistines; this oppression lasted forty years. Samson served as a judge for twenty years, and the victory at his death brought the end of the oppression. Since Samson probably needed to grow close to adulthood before he began judging, his birth probably happened near the beginning of the Philistine oppression.

This means that Manoah and his wife faced two major problems in their life and marriage. First, they lived through the transition into Philistine bondage. Quite possibly this happened after they were married. They had experienced freedom. Their married life probably started in freedom. They had every expectation of a good life and of normal prosperity. The Philistine oppression changed all that. If the habitual record of Judges is any indication, they probably became poor and their livelihood became uncertain.

The second problem was barrenness. We don't know how long the couple had been married, but it was long enough to declare that "his wife was barren and had borne no children" (Judges 13:2). This was a personal heartbreak and a social shame. This couple was bearing heavy burdens and could have turned away from God, as many around them were doing. (Outside oppression happened because of Israel's spiritual rebellion.)

Manoah and his wife did not turn from God. They were faithful enough to be entrusted with a special task and to receive special communication from God. God chose them as the parents of the next judge. God sent an angel to the woman to reveal her special task. The angel gave special instructions regarding herself and the child, instructions that God entrusted to her with the expectation that she was devoted enough to Him to follow His instructions.

When the wife told Manoah of her angelic visit, she reported the details with every indication that she intended to do what was asked of her. She made no protests about not wanting to obey God or follow His plan. Manoah's response also indicated his intention to obey. In fact, Manoah wanted more instructions! He prayed and asked for the angel to come back and give them guidance as to how to follow God's plan. "Then Manoah entreated the LORD and said, 'O Lord, please let the man of God whom You have sent come to us again that he may teach us what to do for the boy who is to be born'" (13:8).

When the angel returned to clarify the instructions, Manoah and his wife welcomed him. They asked for guidance. They listened. They honored him with a meal, which became an offering to God. They fell on their faces in worship. Although they did not hear from the angel again, they realized God's pleasure with them (13:23) and they followed God's instructions. These parents took seriously the charge given to them by God.

Immediately after the conclusion of Samson's story, the Bible talks of another young man named Micah and his mother. Micah's tribe, Ephraim, was just east of Samson's tribe, Dan, so both had probably been under the same Philistine oppression, but that oppression was now over. Every indication is that Micah's family existed during a time of freedom from oppression. The mom even owned 1,100 pieces of silver. They had every reason to follow God. But they didn't.

Micah stole the 1,100 pieces of silver from his mom. He later confessed and returned the money. Both his confession and his mother's response are interesting. "He said to his mother, 'The eleven hundred pieces of silver which were taken from you, about which you uttered a curse in my hearing, behold, the silver is with me; I took it'" (17:2). The mom can't be blamed for her son's theft, but the story makes it apparent that she was not a godly mother trying to raise a godly son. She had cursed when her money was discovered missing.

When the money was returned, her response was shocking and insightful. "And his mother said, 'Blessed be my son by the LORD'" (17:2). She showed no concern that her son had stolen. In fact, she blessed her son! Apparently, her only concern was that she got her money back. What difference did the character and choices of her son make? She had her money!

The mom was so happy to have her money back that she did what sounds somewhat spiritual, (but was really far from it). "His mother said, 'I wholly dedicate the silver from my hand to the LORD'" (17:3). Then she promptly revealed that she was lying when she gave only two hundred pieces of the silver. She also promptly revealed that she wasn't really giving it to the LORD, because she had the coins made into idols.

As if this were not bad enough, the mom continued to lead her son astray by placing the idols in his home. Sure enough, Micah followed his mom's lead into idolatry. He created a shrine for the idols. He made more idols. He made apparel for idol worship and set one of his own sons as priest. He later replaced his son with a young Levite whom he recruited and paid to be his own personal priest in his idol worship, because he thought a Levite would be more advantageous to him (17:13).

Did these parents impact their children? Without doubt. Samson had godly parents who wanted to do the right thing. Samson himself had both victories and deep struggles, but he ended up returning to God. Micah had a wicked mother whom he followed in doing evil. Samson served God (imperfectly), but Micah rejected God (completely).

Misunderstood Intentions

Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh claimed possessions on the east side of the Jordan River. Moses granted their request with the condition that they first help the rest of the nation of Israel conquer the land west of the Jordan (Numbers 32). The two-and-a-half tribes met that condition. When the land of Israel was basically conquered (Joshua 21:43-44), Joshua released these tribes to claim their eastern possessions (Joshua 22:1-4).

Moses had entertained reservations about the proposal from the start. One of his particular concerns was that the isolation of these tribes would make it easy for them to wander away from God. When the tribes made their request, he had warned them, "If you turn away from following Him, He will once more abandon [Israel] in the wilderness, and you will destroy all these people" (Numbers 32:15). Their rebellion could bring God's judgment on the entire nation.

Joshua also shared this concern. When he released the tribes to go to their possessions, he cautioned: "Only be very careful to observe the commandment and the law which Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, to love the LORD your God and walk in all His ways and keep His commandments and hold fast to Him and serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul" (Joshua 22:5). Because they would be separated from the rest of Israel, the danger for them to fall was especially strong.

The first thing the eastern tribes did when they entered their possession was to build an altar (Joshua 22:10).This did not go over well with the rest of Israel, who assumed the worst. They thought that these tribes had immediately taken advantage of their separation and independence to rebel and embrace false worship. The rest of Israel, committed to following God, was so upset that they prepared to go to war against the erring tribes (22:12).

In advance of the war, they sent a delegation to express their grievance. The representatives indicted, "What is this unfaithful act which you have committed against the God of Israel, turning away from following the LORD this day, by building yourselves an altar, to rebel against the LORD this day?" (22:16). They reminded the erring tribes of past rebellions and of the subsequent judgment that could fall on the entire nation.

That the delegation was sent before the battle commenced was providential. The truth was that the altar had not been built out of rebellion. It was never intended to be used in false worship. Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh were quick to set the record straight. They recognized the legitimacy of the concern that had been expressed by Moses and Joshua. They saw the potential ease with which they could fall into false worship, and they wanted to prevent such a failure. More specifically, they recognized the danger of not being considered a true part of the God-worshiping nation of Israel.

The three tribes explained, "Truly we have done this out of concern, for a reason, saying, 'In time to come your sons may say to our sons, "What have you to do with the LORD, the God of Israel?"'" (22:24). They continued, "Therefore we said, 'Let us build an altar, not for burnt offering or for sacrifice; rather it shall be a witness between us and you and between our generations after us, that we are to perform the service of the LORD before Him'" (22:27).

The altar had not been built for false worship. It had not even been built for unlawful worship of the true God. Rather, it had been built as a sign of remembrance and solidarity. It was intended to remind everyone that the three tribes still followed the same true God. It was a visible confirmation of their devotion to God in spite of their geographic separation from the rest of Israel.

The representatives and the rest of the tribes were pleased with this answer. All ended well, but it easily could have ended in disaster. This story reveals three important lessons.

First, there is a danger inherent in separation or alienation from the rest of God's people. Isolation invites disaster. Everyone in this story - Moses, Joshua, the three tribes, and the nine tribes - saw the danger. Without being surrounded by the structure and support of other godly people, it is easy to fall. While isolation is sometimes unavoidable, purposefully seeking to be on the fringes or independent is a recipe for disaster. The isolated individual is not in a good spot. Far too often, even well-intentioned individuals will eventually fall.

Second, when someone is isolated or alienated, it is particularly easy for others to misconstrue his actions and purposes. There is already a level of uncertainty about the one who is isolated. There is less connection and less knowledge of his situation. There is less communication that would help to clarify. There is a lack of unity and fellowship that would build bonds. The rest of the body of Christ is not really in a good spot as relates to the one who is separated. Misunderstanding, though not always warranted, is almost inevitable.

Third, there is a proper way of handling misunderstandings. In this case, the situation was handled well. Granted, the immediate gathering of an army for war was a little hasty (although warranted if the conclusion had been correct). Thankfully, people took time to communicate, expressing concern and listening to answers before taking action. This proper procedure led to a positive resolution and even a strengthening of the bond between the two parties.

This positive resolution will not always be possible, in part because of the first danger. Unfortunately, there will be many cases in which the isolated party, in his risky situation, has indeed fallen into error; sometimes he wants to stay that way. Restoration is best when that is possible, and clarification is best when that is needed. Both deliberate isolation and hasty judgments should be avoided.

Personal Terms of Worship

It isn't hard to find people who broadly define worship in order to suit their own preferences. Whether among nominal Christians, weak Christians, or even the unsaved, God and prayer and worship have become rather nebulous ideas. Such spiritual things have fallen into the realm of personal preference, with people daring anyone to question what God means to them and taking offense if someone tells them their way isn't right.

For example, the TV series The Waltons included an episode in which John Boy was asked to fill in for the pastor one week and give a sermon. This led to an exploration of the differing religious philosophies of those in his family and ultimately a sermon that propounded that anyone can worship God in his own way. The grandfather, though a faithful church member and speaker of flowery prayers, didn't actually care much for church (except for the singing); he found God in nature and claimed that sitting on the mountainside was the ultimate in worship. The portrayal of the father is even more shocking. Throughout the entire series, he is portrayed as having rejected God, which is an ongoing source of conflict between his rebel ways and his wife's strong faith. He consistently rebuffs the church and any personal need for God. Nevertheless, he is portrayed as also worshiping God in his way by loving his children, and in a later episode, he declares that somewhere along the way he has come to believe in God, without any evidence of a decision or change in his life or philosophy.

In modern society, it is common to see athletes kneel or point to heaven. People frequently say their thoughts and prayers are with those who are suffering some tragedy. People claim that God did something for them. Certainly, some of those instances are genuine, but many are empty. People wanting to affirm their Christian beliefs might talk about loving their neighbor and being kind to people as the definitive substance of their faith. They will liken taking care of their family and loving their children to being a Christian. They might say that they worship God every day just by living, and that no formal worship is required. Others equate solitude or thinking time or enjoyment of nature as their time with God. Though perhaps merely a deflection of the question, some will even claim that they worship God on the golf course every Sunday.

There are elements of truth in each of these. Someone who truly is a Christian will be kind to his neighbors, will love his children, will honor God in the daily routine of life, will profit from quiet times of meditation, and will even be able to commune with God during times of pleasure and relaxation. All of those things are part of being a Christian and part of worshiping God, but none of them alone can serve as a substitute for genuine devoted worship.

God Himself defines what being a Christian is and what worshiping Him means. He repeatedly had to challenge the people of Israel with His demands. They wanted to worship God on their own terms. At times they went through the prescribed rituals without any genuine heart belief. They made idols like the golden calf so they could have a god they could see. They set up their own places of worship, and they even utilized the altars of heathen gods for their worship of God. Just like modern society, as long as there were words or actions that gave assent to God, they thought that was sufficient.

In Deuteronomy 12, God provided some correction and guidance regarding worship, which He urged His people to "carefully observe" (v. 1).

First, they were to "utterly destroy all the places where the [heathen] nations ... serve their gods, on the high mountains and under every green tree" (v. 2). They were to tear down the altars, smash them, burn the false gods, cut down the idols, and obliterate their names - total destruction. God knew it would be a temptation to adapt the heathen altars and use them to worship Him, and He didn't want to allow for any chance of that. Worse, if the heathen places of worship remained, eventually some of God's people would start to worship the heathen gods.

Second, the Israelites were to "seek the LORD at the place which the LORD your God will choose from all your tribes, to establish His name there for His dwelling, and there you shall come" (v. 5). God would decide where they were supposed to worship, and He would designate a specific and special place where His worshipers were to gather. That is where they were supposed to bring their tithes and offerings and sacrifices (v. 6). That is where they were to worship together with their families (v. 7).

Third, they were not to do their own thing. To some extent that was their practice prior to entering the land, owing somewhat to their transient lifestyle and lack of permanency. God wanted the individual determinations of worship to cease. "You shall not do at all what we are doing here today, every man doing whatever is right in his own eyes" (v. 8).

God emphasized the importance of His instructions by repeating them. Verse 11 reiterates that they were to gather and bring offerings to "the place in which the LORD your God will choose." Verse 12 restates that it is there that they should worship with their families. Verse 13 again cautions not to worship in the common and easily accessible altars of the false gods, "but in the place which the LORD chooses" (v. 14).

Worship is not about what an individual wants, not about the method he chooses, and not about the place he prefers. Worship is not mixed with or conformed to worldly practices. It is special and unique, because the God who is special and unique has designed it.