The Smile That Is Stronger Than The Sword

Numbers 22-24 describe the efforts of Balak to convince the prophet Baalam to put a curse on the children of Israel; within that account is the well-known event involving Baalam's donkey. In chapters 23 and 24, Baalam refuses to put a curse on the children of Israel, which places great fear in the life of Balak the king of Moab, especially since the memory of what the Lord did through the children of Israel with the Amorites is still on the mind of King Balak.

Chapter 25 begins with the proverbial smile that is stronger than the sword. While the sword of Balak and his armies was not able to defeat the Israelites, the women of Moab brought defeat within the camp. God commands Moses to kill all of the leaders of the people that have fallen prey to the harlots. The digression in the hearts of the children of Israel is evident when one of those leaders brings one of the harlots right into the camps of the children of Israel - seemingly, not even blushing about the sin. The end result is the death to 24,000 men!

Matthew Henry comments: "We are more endangered by the charms of a smiling world, than by the terrors of a frowning world." The frowning world is evident all around us: we need not look further than the evening news, the legislature, and the anti-Christians sentiments being introduced in the name of "education". The question for us to consider: how aware are we of the charms of the smiling world around us? The proverbial Moabite women who sneak into our hearts and homes inch-by-inch, and before long we are not even aware that we should be blushing! Boldness and pride have replaced shame! The smile is indeed stronger than the sword!

Do We Sanctify Him In Our Obedience?

Numbers 20 reveals the events that led to Moses and Aaron's sin of striking the rock instead of talking to the rock! Within the judgment that followed is a very humbling statement by the Lord. In verse 24, God states that their sin was a sin of rebellion against God's Word. That is not difficult to comprehend: if we disobey or disregard the commands of the Lord, it is rebellion. What is more descriptive is God's initial words to Aaron and Moses found in verse 12: "Because ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel..."

Our rebellion against the will and commands of God is not just simple rebellion; it is a compounded sin of rebellion. A sin of unbelief before our God, and a sin of disgrace of our God in the sight of those who are near us! When we disregard the Word of God, we prove our rebellion, but that rebellion shows our view of God to Him and to others: we show our disbelief and we show our lack of desire to sanctify (to separate and make holy) our God before others!

Could Leviticus Be Legalistic?

Read through the entire book of Leviticus and you will read the law regarding sin offerings...to the exact details; the consecretion of the priests for service...to the exact details; laws regarding food, purity, childbirth, leprosy, etc...again, each one to the exact, specific detail (or "the letter of the law"); and even more significant, the details often contain penalties if those exact details are not followed exactly!

Today, there is a strong movement away from anything that sets guidelines, standards, or simply the enforcement of any "laws"; all in the name of not being legalistic. Certainly, there is a need to not seek the WORKS in order to add or secure our faith (the believer's eternity was secured on the cross, not because of what we did, but because of what Christ did - Eph 2:8-9, Titus 3:5-6). However, does the term "legalistic" or "legalist" spill off our tongues simply because we do not like the rules or guidelines that are trying to be enforced? Think about it! We seldom define the guidelines we agree with as "legalistic"; but if the school, church, or home expects me to do, dress, or look a way differently than I desire to do, dress, or look - our quick response is to justify our refusal by using the word "legalist".

Why was God so specific about every little detail in the book of Leviticus - did it all really matter? The law has been fulfilled, but our God has not changed! A quick reading of the entire book will reveal something very interesting about the exactness of the law. To aid your quick reading, consider these verses: 11:44-45, 18:2, 18:4, 18:21, 18:30, 19:2-4, 19:10, 19:12, 19:14, 19:25, 19:31-32, 19:34, 19:36, 20:7, 20:24, 21:8, 21:12, 22:33, 23:22, 23:43, 24:22, 25:17, 25:38, 25:55, 26:1, 26:12-13, 26:44-45. Thirty-three times in the midst of the exact details of these laws is this phrase (or one similar): "for I am the Lord".

Do you see? When Paul wrote in Romans 3:20 that "by the law is the knowledge of sin", he was referring to the exact, succinctly detailed law which includes the book of Leviticus. The Old Testament law was not meant to turn man inward, but upward: "for I am the Lord"; and as man turns upward, he sees his own sin in view of the light of the Throne!

When was the last time that we faced the decision to follow or reject the "law" (most often called rules, guidelines, expectations, or standards) of an instituion, camp, college, church, or even our own home...and instead of looking at ourselves and determining that we would not concede, we instead looked upward and remembered that He indeed is the Lord! And then...instead of throwing out the term "legalist", have we considered our own rebellious nature that keeps us looking at ourself instead of looking up! Thirty-three times is certainly enough times to express a point: it is all about HIM, and little to do with us!

The Remedy For High Blood Pressure And Other Anxiety Concerns

Unprepared deadlines...an over-demanding boss...unexpected bills: what do we do when these concerns enter the course of our daily activity? If you are the average human, your response will contain one or more of these responses: anxiety, ringing hands, pacing, insomnia, increased blood pressure, and an entire encyclopedia of other health issues.

Exodus 14 describes perhaps one of the most anxious moments in the history of the children of Israel. They have finally been given their freedom from slavery...only to now be sitting on the river bank and watching the rapid approach of the Egyptian army! God spares them and divides the sea...but again, those Egyptians simply follow their same path. Imagine seeing the highly trained army approaching from behind with very little but desert in frontof them. Certainly they were in a no-possibility-of-winning situation! How many descendents of Abraham would have been suffering one or more of the list above?

Exodus 14:13 "And Moses said unto the people, Fear not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will shew you today..." If Moses were addressing us today, the verse would say: put away your anxiety medications, stop pacing back and forth, cease from ringing your hands, take a shower and stop your excessive sweating; because in the midst of this seemingly no-win situation, you are going to see God work!

How often do we limit the working of God in our life because we refuse to "fear not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord..." Instead of becoming anxious and upset in the next trial, we should get excited to watch the Lord do His work!

The Easy Way Is Not Always The Best Way!

How often do we seek the EASIEST way in an attempt to find the BEST way? If you are considering your own life, let me give you some avenues to mentally travel: how did you determine to accept your current job - how often have we given up or slowed down because the path was getting too difficult - how do you determine the best route between two locations?

Exodus 13:17-18 gives us a very interesting look into the work of God in our life. The Bible states that God led the children of Israel the long way between two paths, as opposed to leading them the most direct route. Step into their shoes: have you ever gotten lost on a journey, traveled for an extensive amount of time, only later to realize that you have not actually commuted a great distance in relation to the time spent. Imagine the children of Israel as they realized that they were not going the most direct route. We call it: "waisting our time".

We can read in verse 17 that the reason was based on the fact that God knew that if they traveled the EASY route, they would have faced certain trials, specifically war, causing them to want to return to Egypt! In essence they were not waisting their time by going the long way; God was actually keeping them in the path that He desired for them. The next time we have the impulse to seek the easy route - remember the children of Israel - what if they sought the easy route - they would have returned to bondage!