Numbers 6:1-27
Numbers 10:1-36
There seems to be a
deliberate retention of mystery concerning the Nazarites,
or maybe I am just so disconnected from being especially consecrated that I am
reading something that is not there. Perhaps
it is simply what it seems – a simple, but disciplined, God-specified way to
draw closer to the Lord, such as fasting.
I was noticing the
order of their offerings – sin, burnt, peace, unleavened bread, grain,
drink. Later (in ch
10), the trumpets are blown to rejoice over these offerings (except the sin
offering). When we confess our sins, we
come in brokenness; when we consecrate ourselves, we make peace with God
through the Bread of Life – sinless and broken for us; and when we offer the
fruit of our labor, then we do all with rejoicing.
The logistics of
millions of nomadic people moving essentially together is staggering to
consider, but it is springtime and the presence of the Lord draws us to the
Promise.
Numbers 11:1-13:33
I was curious why
the foreigners were traveling with the Israelites in the first place and then
why they didn’t just leave, but I guess there are always some who just want to
change you to something less, rather than just separate from you.
This section focuses
on the complaining of the people about their boredom with food, their
hardships, and even Moses’ wife. God was
angry. He punished and they repented.
Moses surprises me a
little here in questioning God’s ability to feed meat to all the people, but
even as he did, God was gathering the quail.
All the while, God is gracious to Moses who became overwhelmed by the
heavy responsibility.
This section
finishes with the fearful report from the scouts about Canaan; and Caleb’s
courage. Sometimes your best clue to God’s will is: which way is drawing the least
people? That would be God’s way, the
narrow way, the less traveled way.
Numbers 14:1-15:41
It
is so easy to criticize these people.
They seem such a mess. They
certainly have done wrong. Even God
confirms that. But I look back
truthfully on my life and I begin to understand how people who have had amazing
encounters with God can still mess up.
It’s so easy for us to look through this narrative’s window into the
lives of these people, see all the wrong, and judge them. But how would you feel if you had lived in a
glass house with microphones all your life, while a large audience was seated
comfortably just outside, watching, criticizing, judging. And then, every generation afterwards gets to
check out the film and the narrative.
What do you think? How active
would they be in picking every little thing apart?
They’ve got a lot of
splinters in their eyes, and even a few logs.
How about we just use their examples to whittle down that log in our own
eye?
In 14:11 God appears
to speak from the vantage point of man – within time and creation. He speaks passionately, and apparently
anthropomorphically, when He says, “How long…?”
Moses’ intercession
is first class advocacy and God agrees to forgive the sin, but also to punish
it.
God help us to
follow the example of Joshua and Caleb.
The people repented and even tried to make amends but it was too little,
too late.
In the instructions
regarding offerings, the Lord is careful and repetitive to say that the
foreigner is no different than an Israelite.
Numbers 16:1-18:32
The overriding theme
of this section is the identification of the difference between holy and
common. One is not holy by self-proclamation. God makes it clear in this whole section -
who can approach Him and who cannot.
Korah and his followers learned the lesson the
hard way. The Israelites received a hard
lesson regarding this when 14,700 died from a deadly plague; before Aaron
stopped the plague, by way of the redemptive action that was required.
God also makes clear
that while the Levites are responsible for ministry in the Sanctuary, only the
descendants of Aaron are responsible for the priestly duties.
The support of the
Levites will come from the tithe of Israel and the support of Aaron will come
from a tenth of the tithe that the Levites receive. Many of today’s Christian churches have
adopted this system to insure the support of their ministerial and
administrative hierarchies.
Numbers 19:1-21:35
I sense the ritual
regarding the Water of Purification had both practical and spiritual value. The
science of modern health shows the wisdom of hygiene in regards to dead
animals. In fact, the timing has been
confirmed as uncannily exact regarding the periods of defilement.
The cedarwood, the hyssop, and the scarlet thread are found in
this ritual, as well as on Golgotha. The
whole process speaks of Christ, conversion, cleansing, the Word, sin, etc.
There are so many
things in this section like Moses striking the rock in disobedience, the death
of Aaron, the bronze snake, and the victories over their enemies. How do I capture the heart of this in such
few words? I can’t.
Disobedience to God
can keep you from the Promised Land, the land where sin is to be battled,
defeated, destroyed, and peace and prosperity prevails. Everybody dies, but all who look to Jesus are
saved. In one way, it’s a no-brainer; in
another, it’s an all-brainer.
Numbers 22:1-24:25
Balaam is a very
interesting person. If it were not for
commentary provided in the New Testament, we might even mistake him as occasionally
godly. He spoke to God and God spoke to
him, seemingly directly. But it
apparently is a relationship like portrayed in Job, between God and satan. Balaam seems to know his limitations.
I was bewildered for
a bit about God becoming furious with Balaam for going to see Balak when God was the One telling him to go. But apparently what made God furious was Balaam’s plans.
He was not going with the intent of doing what God told him to do, but
rather what Balak would tell him to do.
His prophetic
utterances are profound, especially his prophecy regarding the coming Christ in
24:17. “A Star will rise from Jacob; a
Scepter will emerge from Israel.”
God uses whoever He
chooses and no resistance can triumph over Him.
Numbers 25:1-26:65
It is kind of
startling to read about the men flirting with the Moabite women, because of all
that had happened before. But
considerable time had passed and none of us should be too shocked at what
sinfully short memories we have.
While I am sure the
Lord was angry about the defilement and the attendance of sacrifices, this
passage specifically says He was angry because they joined into the worship of
Baal of Peor.
Sin tends to lead to more sin, doesn’t it?
God’s promise to Phinehas makes me think that we should look to his
descendants to discover the shift from Eli’s descendants to Zadok’s.
Finally, the fact that
God called for a second census following the plague, makes me wonder if at
least one reason was to show us that it was Simeon’s descendants who were
“dirty dancin’” with the Moabite women.
Numbers 27:1-29:40
The verses about the
gals wanting land prove that God thinks no less of women than men. [That seems to me a worthy note, since I have
run into some who think differently.]
This means they are equal. It
does not mean they have the same roles.
The simple testimony of different physique teaches even a child that
truth. A man is best fulfilled when he
performs the role God gave him, and a woman is best fulfilled when she performs
the role God gave her.
It is of course no
surprise that Joshua should be the replacement for Moses. “Joshua” means the salvation of God. It is the message of the Bible - the Law
cannot save you. If you would turn the
land of battles into the land of victory, you must follow Jesus, Whose name
comes to us from the Anglicized Greek rendering of Joshua. Joshua and Jesus are the same name – not the
same person – but the same name! So
those who say they have never seen the name, Jesus, in the Old Testament,
should take another look. J
Just one quick note
about the festivals – they all point or teach of Jesus - His attributes, His
life, and His passion. There’s that
Person, Jesus showing up again in the Old Testament! Come to think of it, the Old Testament
presents Jesus with much more clarity than the surface readers would have us
believe. The problem is, most preferred
then (as they do now) to avoid the implications of a suffering Christ, so they
simply did not see the Christ of the Bible.
But not all, i.e. Simeon and Anna (in the Temple),
John the Baptist, etc.
Jesus makes it clear
(Jn 5:39), He’s there – but do we want to see Him?
Numbers 30:1-31:54
Concerning vows, it
is clear that keeping a promise is important to God, but I recall that Jesus
said we should not even make vows. I
think we should remember that we are made in God’s image and God keeps His
promises, but we should especially remember that while we are made in God’s
image, we are not God and we cannot very well say “Not my will, but Yours be
done, Lord,” when we are making personal vows that will bind us to our will.
Once again, the vows
give us clear insight into God’s will for the roll of man and woman. In fact, the section concludes with a comment
that it is all about relationships in the family (rather than vows).
Finally, we are
reminded of our sinfulness by the soldiers trying to keep the idolatrous and
deceitful women of Midian alive. Also note the purification process and God’s
equity with the spoils.
Numbers 32:1-33:56
The possession of
land on the east side of Jordan has always been a little puzzling to me, but it
seems to be of the Lord because of what Moses said at verse 32:22. While we believe the Exodus, wilderness, and
Jordan crossing are literal accounts, the allegorical
value of them is undeniable in teaching and preaching. Several sermons and writings in the New
Testament refer to this allegorical value as clear typology of the processes of
salvation, sanctification, etc.; given to us for our edification. What puzzles me is how this “east side
possession” fits into the allegorical view of the Exodus, the wilderness, and
crossing the Jordan.
I suppose there are
some who are willing to help others take possession of the Promise but then
prefer themselves to retreat to the temporal comforts and hang on to the
temporal riches outside. And God grants
this.
After reviewing the
wilderness journey a solemn warning finishes this section. A warning is given to “cleanse” the land of
its current occupants, or else the same judgment of displacement would happen
to Israel. Rather prophetic, isn’t it?
Numbers 34:1-36:13
When I consider the
boundaries, it causes many thoughts. The
people of God have boundaries and those boundaries are not set by anyone but
God. Jesus expressed those boundaries in
2 commandments, “Love God and love your neighbor.”
Also, more literally
approached, we see God’s love for the nations around Israel. God’s judgment was limited. Israel was a special people for God, but God
“loved the world.”
The
administration system for land division showed simple wisdom, including taking
care of the servants of God (Levites).
The cities of refuge
speak powerfully to both the concept of justice and the concept of mercy.
And God graciously
responds to the alert concerns about the loss of ancestral lands through women
inheriting land.
Deuteronomy 1:1-3:20
This section begins
the book of Deuteronomy, which is mostly a review of much in the previous 3
books. It is Moses’ final instructions
and historical review to a new generation. The generation of
adult males of 40 years before were dead in the wilderness because of
unbelief. Moses would also die soon
because of his disobedience.
This is a sad
section because of the response to God.
God provides constant, loving, caring attention. And He is responded to with unbelief,
disobedience, complaining, and at times it seems, blasphemy.
The children of
Israel traveled from Mount Sinai to Kadesh Barnea. The journey
should have taken about 11 days typically, but theirs took 38 years. Unbelief – God help us!
But God’s promise
stands true, and victory over Sihon and Og starts the process of receiving
that promise. Reuben, Gad, and half of
Manasseh acquired that land, but would continue fighting until their brothers
were at peace.
Deuteronomy
3:21-5:33
This section is all
about obedience and the resultant blessings.
So much of the heart of God is seen in this section.
I thought it was
interesting how Moses seems to displace his responsibility for God’s anger toward
him. In verses 3:26 and 4:21 – twice
Moses says to the children of Israel, it was “because of you,” God was angry
with me. It seems like he would say, “It
was because of me.” But he does
not. It also seems to reveal that he is
holding a grudge regarding his failure.
Maybe we could all take a lesson from this.
There is also much
revelation of the magnitude of God’s love in this section because God knows
that His warnings will not be heeded.
This whole idea, I think, is summed up in one word. In verse 5:29 God says, “Oh, that they would
always have hearts like this…” That word
“Oh” coming from the heart of an “Omni-“ God amazes
and touches me like nothing else.
Deuteronomy 6:1-9:29
How do I even hint at
the content of this section in such a restrictive space? It can’t be done. Nevertheless, I plow on.
The people are
reminded of the commands of God summed up in one, “Love the Lord your God with
all your heart, soul, and strength.” In
verse 6:25 we learn a very important fact: “We are righteous when we obey all
the commands the Lord our God has given us.”
But before this section is over we discover: “The Lord your God is not
giving you this good land because you are righteous, for you are not. You are a stubborn people.” Of course, the Psalmist and the Apostle take
it a step further by announcing the cold fact that “there is none righteous,
not even one.”
The Israelites were
saved from destruction through Moses’ intercession; today we are saved from
damnation by the intercession of Jesus, Who provided Himself as a sinless
sacrifice for us. There has never been
one person saved by personal worthiness – it is only the grace of God.
Deuteronomy
10:1-12:32
There is so much for
the people of Israel to learn and so much that we must learn. It seems we never learn from God’s loving
instruction, but rather from loving discipline.
Thank you Lord for loving us as Your children,
for if you did not discipline, we would know you had turned away from our
foolishness. The people of Israel (and
us) have a rough road ahead because the heart is sinful and the will is
stubborn.
This section is all
about relationship and the part religion plays in it. We should not put religion and relationship
in opposition to each other. God (not
man) will give us the relationship that facilitates true religion. James wrote about “true religion.” False religion is manmade and does not come
from or lead to a true relationship with God.
True religion flows from true relationship. It is not manmade. It is clearly prescribed by God. We “do” because we love; not love because we
“do.”
That is why this
section begins with 2 stone tablets, and a call to love and obedience; and ends
with, “Do not add or subtract from [the commands].”
Deuteronomy
13:1-16:17
I think every new
Christian or even anyone considering Christianity should be forced to read and
re-read Deuteronomy 13. We are commanded
to love God and that love will be tested.
Each Christian should be consecrated to God and all of his or her
associations should be consecrated to God as much as is in his power, and if
there seems to be insufficient power then cry out to God, Who is the only
source of any effective power anyhow.
Chapter 14 has been
studied and proven to be the soundest advice ever presented on nutrition, as
well as financial giving and management.
While some “experts” may snub their noses at it, none have ever proven
it to be anything but the best advice.
This system of
administration (and worship to God) in the release of debtors, slaves, and in
the remembering and celebrating of God’s past and present blessings; just makes
sense - but until one tries, one can never know.
Deuteronomy
16:18-21:9
This section is rich
with instruction regarding the system of justice to be employed in Israel
regarding crime, land ownership, requirements for conviction, and even
protection for those who are suspected of a crime but have not been convicted.
Again, the system of
support for the priests and Levites is reviewed. It is interesting the Lord God “suggests”
that the people will later want a king and He gives the guidelines for
selecting a king, which of course we know the people do not obey (because of
Saul).
God also makes it clear
that most of what is on our television sets today is detestable and disgusting
to the Lord. We are told to stay away
from mediums, séances, witchcraft, fortune telling (much of what people today
consider harmless fun). Indeed, it
should sober us considerably that this message goes out to the people of God,
where it is ultimately disobeyed. The
familiarity feels perilous to me. What
about you?
We also read of the
rules of engagement in war. This section
is also replete with examples of mercy within the systems and rules.
Deuteronomy
21:10-25:19
This section deals
considerably with practical regulations that will insure Israel is naturally
blessed. In other words, these are
regulations that help them to obey natural law and therefore all the best that
the land and their community offers. We
are shown how they were to treat captive women, rights of the firstborn,
rebellious sons (stoning?hmmm),
and various other regulations that can insure blessings.
Some things not only
offend the natural laws of God, but some things offend the holiness of God
directly. These are the things He
detests. Several items regarding sexual
purity are dealt with and then a small listing of those who should be excluded
from the assembly of the Lord.
Finally, there are
those issues that deal with the health and social well-being of the community
such as how to dispose of sewage outside the camp, loans to fellow Israelites,
divorce and remarriage, etc.
God is intimately
concerned with the welfare of people, physically and spiritually. Always has been – always will be.
Deuteronomy
26:1-29:1
God loves His
special people so much that He gives them instruction, re: what they should
already know to do. They are to give
thanks and praise to God for His abundant provision. But how often do we forget God when all is
good? How often do we forget that all
the good is from God? God knows this and
lovingly gives His people precise instructions, including what to say in their
thanksgiving ceremony, so they will always remember the awesome deliverance of
God.
Then there is a
general listing of blessing for obedience and cursing for disobedience. The only specific listing given here is of
the cursing from Mt. Ebal although it is implied that
blessings are listed from Mt. Gerizim. Notable also is the only altar required. We must always remember that we are
disobedient, but all our deserved curses have been received and endured by our
innocent Savior, Jesus. I think the
curses are listed because they are more than warnings; they are prophecies.
Deuteronomy
29:2-31:29
Once again I witness
how alive God’s Word is. I do not know if 29:4 is a figure of
speech. It seems in the context of this
section it is, because otherwise it would appear to blame God rather than the
people for their unbelief, disobedience, and rebellion. The context is a call from God to obey and be
a truly holy nation and receive the blessings that come as a result; or else
disobey and receive the curses that come from that. It is true that God knew the people would
disobey, but we should not conclude that God was faking it with a less than
genuine offer. Certainly there were some
who obeyed and remained true, but as a nation they did not. The choice of life and death (ch 30) is not a fake opportunity – it is genuine.
We need God’s
intervention – God’s draw to choose Him, because we are so depraved, but in
order for choice to be genuine, it must be rejectable. Let’s love Him!
Deuteronomy
31:30-32:52
Psalm 90
Oh God, what more
can we desire – what more can we ask than that you would make our work for the
beauty of Your glory successful? However, there is another request that must
be included and it must be first. It is,
“Create in me a clean heart.” For
without a Spirit-filled heart – without a regenerated heart, all of my efforts
will be of sinful influence – a dark mosaic at best.
And so Moses closes
his Psalm 90 and his life on earth.
The Song of Moses in
Deuteronomy is a song of sadness, a song of prophecy, and ultimately, a song of
triumph. The glory of God is never
absent from it although it is also laced by references to the pathetic ways of
man. Moses shows the people (and us) that
this song is more than “mere words” – they are your life!
Moses broke faith
with the Lord and could not enter the Promised Land, but with Christ he has
entered (and so will we!).
Deuteronomy
33:1-34:12
Joshua 1:1-2:24
Moses’
blessings on the tribes of Israel come together to make a beautiful
benediction. This is the way man should bless others and
avoid curses. Moses said startling
little about the tribe of Dan. I wonder
if he knew what horrible things they would do in the future.
After Moses’ death,
the Lord charges Joshua with the responsibility of leading the army against the
(city) nations to the west. Then Joshua
charges the Israelites, making sure that the men of Reuben, Gad, and the
half-tribe of Manasseh are included.
The story of Rahab is a beautiful story about the grace of God and the
sinfulness of man. It is reminiscent of
Noah’s Ark, which protected the entire family as long as they stayed inside the
Ark. Rahab
must keep her family before God – and she must mark her residence with the
scarlet rope.
May we all remain
(or abide) in Christ and may our identity be the Crimson Cord of Calvary. Amen.
Joshua 3:1-6:27
Joshua was expecting
great things to happen, but he still had to exhort the people to “Purify yourselves…” Wouldn’t
it be wonderful if we lived more in Holy Communion with the Father, more filled
with His Spirit, more committed to His Son?
God clearly
established Joshua as the leader to be treated with respect equal to that of
Moses. This was done through the miracle
of the crossing of the Jordan on dry ground during the season in which it
overflowed its banks. Not only did this
establish Joshua before the Israelites, it also established all Israel before
the Amorites.
Joshua has what
appears to be an encounter with Jesus; specifically, a Christophany,
a pre-incarnate appearance of Jesus.
And this section
tells us of the wonderful testimony of Rahab and her
powerful faith. She and her family were
saved by the safety of her dwelling, clearly marked by the scarlet cord. Of course, more appropriately she was saved
through obedience regarding the scarlet cord.
Joshua 7:1
1 Chronicles 2:7
Joshua 7:2-9:27
In our present age
many (even in the church) believe God is a great benevolent being who loves all
so much that he just winks at sin. He is
something less than holy. They should
take another look at the cross. This
section opens with the exposure of the sin of Achan. It is a frightening reading because Achan simply got a little greedy, which just about captures
all of America today. Granted, America
is not a theocracy like Israel, but greed always brings undesirable
consequences (sooner or later) to a man (and his family).
After dealing with Achan and defeating Ai, Joshua and the people renewed their
covenant with the Lord. Ironically,
shortly after that, they failed to seek the Lord about the Gibeonites
even as they considered the possibility of deception. As a result, they disobeyed God and made a
treaty with those that should have been destroyed.
Have you made a
treaty with certain sins? Have you
compromised? The solution is
repentance. The Lord is merciful to
those who despise their inclination to rebellion, and find their delight in
Him.
Joshua 10:1-12:6
This section gives
the accounts of the defeats of the many kings and destruction of the many
cities of the South and the North. It
seems the process is speeded up by the kings forming alliances and going up
against Joshua in greater numbers. This
does not hinder the victories of God’s people one bit.
I wondered about the
5 kings of the South that Joshua killed and buried in a cave. Joshua then destroyed their cities and the
Bible says captured and killed their kings.
This confused me at first, but it is reasonable that some time elapsed
after the killing of the 5 kings at the cave and the cities simply installed
new kings.
The land west of the
Jordan has always been symbolic of the Promise of triumph over evil, the Land
of assured victory when one remains surrendered to the Lord. Yes, there are battles, but victory is the
Lord’s. The triumphs east of the Jordan
let us know that the victories begin even as we approach God’s Promise. Eyes fixed – hearts surrendered.
Joshua 12:7-15:19
And
now, ‘The West Side Story.” The other side of the Jordan and wow is the
list impressive. Thirty-one kings – 31
cities – 31 victories – 31 enemies who had reached the fullness of their sins –
fullness destroyed. But somehow Joshua
had left work unfinished; specifically, the lands of the Canaanites and the Sidonians, including the Philistines. These countries would provide grief for the
Israelites for centuries to come. Why
did they stop short on obeying God’s instructions? All this land was promised but not all was
taken. Why were they busy dividing land
when only a portion of it had been taken possession of?
God will promise to
do His part to make all provision for you including to enable
your helpless soul to receive Him, but He does not override His own gift of
choice to you.
I am amazed at this
woman, Achsah.
She seemed to have more of a head for business than her husband. Besides, what is the Negev without springs?
Joshua 15:20-17:18
This section lists
the towns and boundaries of Judah, Ephraim, and West Manasseh. Because of what I have read regarding their
past and their future, (not to mention in this present section), I am again
saddened. I suppose it is good to
celebrate what they did have as the blessings of God, but it seems that God wanted
to give them so much more; and yet to their shame, they satisfied themselves
much too easily. It is heartbreaking to
read that they could not take Jerusalem.
Of course, I know that David will later drive out the Jebusites, but I think if the leaders of Judah had inquired
of the Lord, he would have guided them regarding the weakness of the town.
The section closes
with Ephraim and Manasseh asking Joshua for more land, but when he gives it to them, they claim that the people there are too strong to be
driven out. Talk about deja’vu! These guys
should know better and Joshua pretty much tells them that. My paraphrase of Joshua would be, “Shut up
and get busy!”
Joshua 18:1-19:48
It is kind of
humorous that Joshua has to “get after” the 7 tribes who had not taken
possession of their land. I think I
understand what these people were feeling.
They had learned how to be together – how to hover around the Tabernacle
and a certain feeling of security was established in this even when they left
the wilderness area and began fighting.
Taking possession of the land probably had a strong feeling of
uncertainty and so even though they knew they needed to get down to business,
they somehow continued clinging to the old ways.
Joshua said they
would cast sacred lots. This seems kind
of sad to me, because it represents a devolution in
how God communicates with His people. He
used to speak directly to them. He now
uses indirect means that seem mystical.
Later He will use prophets. In
our day, God speaks to us by His Spirit through His written Word. And we speak to Him through Jesus, by Whom we have access to the throne of God.
Joshua 19:49-21:45
1 Chronicles 6:54-81
After the division
of the land was complete, then the special allotments were taken care of,
except for Caleb who got his pick right up front. But even he is affected by these special
allotments on the tail end. Joshua gets
to pick himself a town, which he chooses in the hill country of course, and
then rebuilds the town. I suppose most
of these towns showed much battle damage, as well as neglect from being
abandoned after the people (who lived there before) were destroyed.
The descendents of
Aaron shared 13 cities with a portion of the Kohathites. It appears they tried to stay relatively close
to where they would need to fulfill their duties in the Tabernacle.
Joshua 21:43-45
seemed a little odd to me because I thought that the Israelites never did fully
conquer and take possession of all the land the Lord had promised them. Of course, there are several possible
reconciliations, but this is not the format for that discussion.
Joshua 22:1-24:33
I have mixed
feelings about the altar that Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh built. Based on Eleazar’s
words, it was ultimately acknowledged as a good thing, but it startles me that
they did not trust God to preserve their heritage and it surprises me that they
did not communicate about this with the other tribes. Were they all oblivious to this potential? On the other hand, there is a certain loveliness in their intent. They loved their heritage and their brothers
and they cared deeply about that identity.
Joshua’s words
regarding the land, the enemies, and the covenant renewal are quite revealing
of human nature. First, there is a sadness when I think that much of the allotted land was
still not conquered even after a long time.
Also, after encouraging the decision to serve the Lord, Joshua suddenly
makes it crystal clear that they are totally incapable of serving the
Lord. The reason?
– God is holy. Joshua’s warning is
actually a prophecy.
Judges 1:1-3:30
I noted an apparent
paradox in Judges 1:8 and 1:21. While I
cannot confirm it with detailed study in this setting, I suspect the variation
has to do with chronology and there are obviously things going on between these
accounts that would easily clarify.
The message at Bokim is a message for America. Indeed it is a message not just for Israel
and America, but for all people everywhere.
Turn from all false gods in the land and destroy their altars.
And so begins what
has often been called “the sin cycle.”
What amazes me is that even after constant repetition over 1000’s of
years, the cycle goes on in country after country. This is one area that people do not seem to
learn from history. Perhaps an
underlying lesson here is what happens when parenting is poor. If children are not taught properly to follow
God, they will most certainly follow their own way, which ends in destruction.
Ó
2007 C. E. Briggs