Daily Notes & Observations: “Children are a Gift of the Lord” (Excerpt)

December 6, 2013 by

May 27

Children are a Gift of the Lord

Daily Notes & ObservationsListed among the gatekeepers was a man named Obed-edom. This man was blessed by the Lord because he kept the ark at his house for three months while David determined how to bring it to Jerusalem (2 Samuel 6:10-12). This passage explains how he was blessed.

“Obed-edom had sons: Shemaiah the firstborn, Jehozabad the second, Joah the third, Sacar the fourth, Nethanel the fifth, Ammiel the sixth, Issachar the seventh and Peullethai the eighth; God had indeed blessed him” (1 Chronicles 26:4-5).

This passage does not speak of Obed-edom being blessed with riches, long life, or success in his endeavors. It is possible he might have received these things, but this passage does not mention any of them. Instead, his eight sons were given as proof that “God had indeed blessed him.”

Many people in our society today view children as a burden rather than a blessing. They prefer the riches and success of the world and do not want kids (or too many kids) hindering their pursuits. It is easy for this mentality to influence Christians. But we must guard against a worldly mindset on this, just as we must on everything else (Romans 12:2).

Some will say that times are different now. In some ways they are. But one thing that has not changed and will not change is the fact that children are a blessing. We need to see them for what they are: a gift from God.

“Behold, children are a gift of the Lord, the fruit of the womb is a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one’s youth. How blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them; they will not be ashamed when they speak with their enemies in the gate” (Psalm 127:3-5).

Daily Notes & Observations contains 365 articles like the one above – one article per day that will take you through the Bible in a year. Be prepared to start your study on January 1st – order your copy today!

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Daily Notes & Observations: “The Slaughter of the Priests” (Excerpt)

December 5, 2013 by

April 14

The Slaughter of the Priests

Daily Notes & ObservationsThe reign of Saul provides a series of examples showing why it is dangerous to allow one man to hold such great power over a people. He went from being afraid to accept the throne to being willing to do anything to hold onto his power. The incident with the priests in Nob illustrates the degree of wickedness to which he had attained.

“Saul said to [Ahimelech the priest], ‘Why have you and the son of Jesse conspired against me, in that you have given him bread and a sword and have inquired of God for him, so that he would rise up against me by lying in ambush as it is this day?’

“Then Ahimelech answered the king and said, ‘…Did I just begin to inquire of God for him today? Far be it from me! Do not let the king impute anything to his servant or to any of the household of my father, for your servant knows nothing at all of this whole affair.’

“But the king said, ‘You shall surely die, Ahimelech, you and all your father’s household!’ And the king said to the guards who were attending him, ‘Turn around and put the priests of the Lord to death…’ But the servants of the king were not willing to put forth their hands to attack the priests of the Lord. Then the king said to Doeg, ‘You turn around and attack the priests.’ And Doeg the Edomite turned around at attacked the priests, and he killed that day eighty-five men who wore the linen ephod. And he struck Nob the city of the priests with the edge of the sword, both men and women, children and infants…” (1 Samuel 22:13-19).

Saul had no proof that Ahimelech did anything wrong, only a suspicion. But for one in a position of power who views himself as above the law and believes his highest priority is retaining power, mere suspicion was enough. He charged the innocent priest, tried him in his own mind, then executed his own perverted form of justice against him. Even when his servants were unwilling to carry out this order, they did not oppose the king. Saul then found someone who would punish the innocent priest. This punishment spilled over to the rest of the city and all the inhabitants were killed.

It’s amazing how one who was “hiding himself by the baggage” when he was set to be publicly announced as king (1 Samuel 10:22) could be so transformed after receiving such power.

Daily Notes & Observations contains 365 articles like the one above – one article per day that will take you through the Bible in a year. Be prepared to start your study on January 1st – order your copy today!

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Daily Notes & Observations: “Silence is Acceptance” (Excerpt)

December 4, 2013 by

March 7

Silence is Acceptance

Daily Notes & ObservationsThese were some of the instructions given regarding the making of vows to the Lord.

“Also if a woman makes a vow to the Lord, and binds herself by an obligation in her father’s house in her youth, and her father hears her vow and her obligation by which she has bound herself, and her father says nothing to her, then all her vows shall stand and every obligation by which she has bound herself shall stand. But if her father should forbid her on the day he hears of it, none of her vows or her obligations by which she has bound herself shall stand; and the Lord will forgive her because her father had forbidden her.

“However, if she should marry while under her vows or the rash statement of her lips by which she has bound herself, and her husband hears of it and says nothing to her on the day he hears it, then her vows shall stand and her obligations by which she has bound herself shall stand. But if on the day her husband hears of it, he forbids her, then he shall annul her vow which she is under and the rash statement of her lips by which she has bound herself; and the Lord will forgive her” (Numbers 30:3-8).

By God’s design, the unmarried daughter living at home was to submit to her father. Likewise, the married woman was to submit to her husband as the head of the household. For these women, any vows they made to the Lord had to be approved by either their fathers or their husbands.

However, the fathers or husbands had to explicitly forbid these vows in order to annul them. If he said nothing, the vows stood.

The lesson for us is this: silence is a form of acceptance. If something is wrong, improper, immoral, etc., we need to speak up against it. Silence implies consent. So when we are in a position to speak out against something that is wicked or foolish, we ought to take the opportunity.

Daily Notes & Observations contains 365 articles like the one above – one article per day that will take you through the Bible in a year. Be prepared to start your study on January 1st – order your copy today!

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Daily Notes & Observations: “During Plowing Time and Harvest You Shall Rest” (Excerpt)

December 3, 2013 by

February 10

“During Plowing Time and Harvest You Shall Rest”

Daily Notes & ObservationsThough the Sabbath law had already been given to the Israelites, the Lord provided further instructions regarding the application of the command:

“You shall work six days, but on the seventh day you shall rest; even during plowing time and harvest you shall rest” (Exodus 34:21).

From the beginning, God has expected man to work hard (Genesis 3:19). The wise man gives this admonition: “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might” (Ecclesiastes 9:10). Paul tells Christians: “Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men” (Colossians 3:23). So this instruction to the Israelites was not advocating slothfulness but that they strictly obey the commandment of God.

Man often wants to bend the rules, including the commandments of God. Excuses are made for sin based upon certain conditions that exist. The idea that many have is that God’s instructions can either be changed or disregarded altogether if the situation demands it.

The Israelites could have been tempted to use this same kind of “situation ethics.” During times of plowing and harvest, there is naturally more work of a pressing nature that needs to be done. They could have reasoned that the Sabbath law requiring rest did not apply to these seasons when there was so much work to do. This kind of reasoning would have been wrong.

When God gives a command, only He can give exceptions to it. It is not our place to decide that certain laws of God can be set aside when they interfere with our activities. We are to “seek first His kingdom and His righteousness” (Matthew 6:33).

Rather than trying to fit God into our busy schedules, we must build our schedules around God and our obligations to serve Him.

Daily Notes & Observations contains 365 articles like the one above – one article per day that will take you through the Bible in a year. Be prepared to start your study on January 1st – order your copy today!

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Daily Notes & Observations: “Carry My Bones Up From Here” (Excerpt)

December 2, 2013 by

January 29

“Carry My Bones Up From Here”

Daily Notes & ObservationsBefore Joseph’s death, he charged his brethren to do something regarding his remains.

“Then Joseph made the sons of Israel swear, saying, ‘God will surely take care of you, and you shall carry my bones up from here’” (Genesis 50:25).

There are two noteworthy points about Joseph’s statement here.

First, Joseph knew that God would deliver the children of Israel out of Egypt. God made a promise to Abraham that his descendants would possess a certain land. That land was not Goshen in Egypt, but Canaan. By faith, Joseph gave instructions based upon this future event that he was sure would happen (cf. Hebrews 11:22).

Second, Joseph wanted to be numbered with his brethren, not with the Egyptians. By this point he had lived in Egypt for most of his life. But he did not hold any sentimental attachment to the land of Egypt. When the Israelites finally left Egypt, he wanted to be sure that his bones were carried out with them.

We should learn some lessons from Joseph’s statement which he made before his death. First, just as he had faith in God’s promise, we must have faith in God’s promises as well. We have “a hope both sure and steadfast” (Hebrews 6:19) in heaven because of Christ.

Second, as Joseph recognized that he belonged in Canaan, rather than in Egypt, we must remember that this world is not our home. We are just “aliens and strangers” (1 Peter 2:11). “Our citizenship is in heaven” (Philippians 3:20).

Daily Notes & Observations contains 365 articles like the one above – one article per day that will take you through the Bible in a year. Be prepared to start your study on January 1st – order your copy today!

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