Idols and the Living God

Hear ye the word which the LORD speaketh unto you, O house of Israel: 

Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them. 

For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe. 

They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not. 

They are upright as the palm tree, but speak not: they must needs be borne, because they cannot go. Be not afraid of them; for they cannot do evil, neither also is it in them to do good. 

 {Jeremiah 10:1-5}

One of the many reasons God commanded the Israelites to annihilate the pagan nations in the Promised Land of Canaan was to limit Israel's exposure to idol worship. Most (if not all) of these nations practiced some kind of idol worship. Rituals associated with this idol worship included showing respect and honor to statues - so-called "physical likenesses" of various man made deities and gods made out of wood, stone, bone, and precious metals - by exhibiting various body postures (such as bowing), burning incense, kissing or reverently touching various parts on the god's "likeness," providing offerings of fruit, animals, even humans (especially children). All of these things were done with the hope that the god would do something for them in return. Whether the god would grant your request varied from deity to deity. Some gods were thought to be temperamental and would (or would not) answer you based on how they felt on that particular day. Other gods based their answers on your moral uprightness, the quality of your sacrifice, your level of devotion to that particular deity/religion, etc. Sadly, many of these practices and beliefs are kept alive by various pagan cults and religions today. These practices, and the mindset(s) that result(s) from such practices, are just as deadly to people's spiritual lives today as they were all those years ago during the conquest of Canaan. 

As you probably know, Israel did not fully obey God's command to destroy all of the pagan nations living in Canaan, and they paid the price. A reading of the Old Testament reveals many, many times when the nation of Israel was captivated by and enslaved to idol worship due to the influence of those nations they allowed to  remain intact. Even Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, was led astray into the sin of worshiping pagan gods and deities. They became distracted and enamored by the fleshly appeal such worship has, and they left their first love - the God who led them out of bondage in Egypt, kept them alive in the Wilderness, and provided them a Promised Land to call their own - to follow after false gods made by the hands and minds of men.

Forasmuch as there is none like unto thee, O LORD; thou art great, and thy name is great in might. 

Who would not fear thee, O King of nations? for to thee doth it appertain: forasmuch as among all the wise men of the nations, and in all their kingdoms, there is none like unto thee. 

But they are altogether brutish and foolish: the stock is a doctrine of vanities. 

Silver spread into plates is brought from Tarshish, and gold from Uphaz, the work of the workman, and of the hands of the founder: blue and purple is their clothing: they are all the work of cunning men. 

But the LORD is the true God, he is the living God, and an everlasting king: at his wrath the earth shall tremble, and the nations shall not be able to abide his indignation. 

{Jeremiah 10:7-10}

Aren't you glad we serve a God who isn't made on a workbench in a woodcarver's or metalworker's shop? You never have to worry that He might not be in a mood to hear and/or answer your prayers. He is always consistent - "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever" (Hebrews 13:8). He loves you - yes, you! - and He has made a way for you to have a personal relationship with Him through the death of His Son, Jesus Christ, to pay the penalty for your sins. He has given you His precious words to read and study to help you get to know Him.

We serve the living God, my friends.

I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure: 

Isaiah 46:9-10

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Pride Destroys

God wants to be the center of your life, because that's where He belongs. Someone who is prideful believes they has need of nothing but deserves everything, because they placed themselves at the center of their life. God is constantly working to de-centralize humanity, this problem of pride. Pride is the root of a great many of the roadblocks we encounter in our spiritual life as we seek to learn and grow to become more like Christ.

James 4:6 says, "God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble." God wants your reliance and your focus to be on Him (as it should be), not on yourself.

Nebuchadnezzar was the king of Babylon and one of the world leaders of his day. He fought and conquered many nations, including Israel. He took everything from those he conquered, except their false gods. He knew he could get more cooperation from them if he let them keep their gods. This is the same tactic Satan uses today. He may take your marriage, your children, your health, your purity, your joy, your money, your peace of mind, your job, any number of things.

The one thing he will not take is your "god." Your "god" is anything you allow, out of the pride of your heart, to take the place of God or in place of obedience to God. Satan's goal is to turn your heart away from the one true God. He leaves your "god" in your life to accomplish that goal.

Some examples of "gods" would be:

• Alcohol
• Drugs (prescription or illegal)
• Independent spirit
• Anger
• Pleasure
• Work/career
• Pornography
• Self-destructive actions and thought patterns
• Jealousy
• Money
• Fame/popularity
• Eating disoders (anorexia/bulimia)

In Daniel 4, Nebuchadnezzar recounts the story of how his pride brought him very close to destruction.

The king spake, and said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty? {Daniel 4:30}

Nebuchadnezzar was so filled with pride that he set himself up as god. He was completely self-absorbed and self-satisfied, even after he was warned by Daniel about God's imminent judgment (see v. 27).

God mercifully stayed His judgment for an entire year, giving Nebuchadnezzar plenty of time to repent. After voicing his prideful boast in verse 30, God decided that the time for judgment had come.

While the word was in the king's mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, saying, O king Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken; The kingdom is departed from thee. And they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field: they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and seven times shall pass over thee, until thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will. The same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar: and he was driven from men, and did eat grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hairs were grown like eagles' feathers, and his nails like birds' claws. {Daniel 4:31-33}

 Nebuchadnezzar believed in the existence of God. He knew God can work miracles, that He had the power to reveal mysteries to Daniel, that He had the power to deliver the Hebrews from their enemies. But Nebuchadnezzar's heart was filled with pride. He wanted to be the king of his life. God had to bring him to the end of himself, causing him to live as an animal for seven years, in order for him to humble himself before God.

And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation: And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?  At the same time my reason returned unto me; and for the glory of my kingdom, mine honour and brightness returned unto me; and my counsellors and my lords sought unto me; and I was established in my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added unto me.  Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase. {Daniel 4:34-37}

How have you displayed pride and/or self-absorption? How have you, like King Nebuchadnezzar, ignored God's Word and His warnings about that pride?

Take some time to get alone with God. Allow Him to show you your pride in its real light. Confess those areas of pride in your life and put God back on the throne of your life.

Pride erects a little kingdom of its own, and acts as sovereign in it.

William Hazlitt

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Hannah's Praise Song

Hannah's praise song (found in I Samuel 2:1-10) is one of my favorite passages of Scripture in the Old Testament. It's such a beautiful expression of Hannah's joy over God having answered her prayers for a son. The emotions she expresses are a step toward glorifying the Lord for His guidance in human affairs. It alternates between the themes of God's sovereignty and the reversal of human fortunes; it ends with the theme of kingship.

Hannah's praise song is a hymn to the God who reverses human fortunes by His mighty power, the Creator beyond all human understanding who protects those who are faithful to Him.

Hannah's Praise Song

My heart rejoiceth in the LORD, mine horn is exalted in the LORD: my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies; because I rejoice in thy salvation. 

There is none holy as the LORD: for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God. 

Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let not arrogancy come out of your mouth: for the LORD is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed. 

The bows of the mighty men are broken, and they that stumbled are girded with strength. 

They that were full have hired out themselves for bread; and they that were hungry ceased: so that the barren hath born seven; and she that hath many children is waxed feeble. 

The LORD killeth, and maketh alive: he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up. 

The LORD maketh poor, and maketh rich: he bringeth low, and lifteth up. 

He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory: for the pillars of the earth are the LORD'S, and he hath set the world upon them. 

He will keep the feet of his saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness; for by strength shall no man prevail. 

The adversaries of the LORD shall be broken to pieces; out of heaven shall he thunder upon them: the LORD shall judge the ends of the earth; and he shall give strength unto his king, and exalt the horn of his anointed. 

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Isaiah 40

{Isaiah 40} 

1  Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God.
2  Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the LORD'S hand double for all her sins.
3  The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
4  Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain:
5  And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.
6  The voice said, Cry. And he said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field:
7  The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: because the spirit of the LORD bloweth upon it: surely the people is grass.
8  The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.
9  O Zion, that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God!
10  Behold, the Lord GOD will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him.
11  He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.
12  Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and meted out heaven with the span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance?
13  Who hath directed the Spirit of the LORD, or being his counsellor hath taught him?
14  With whom took he counsel, and who instructed him, and taught him in the path of judgment, and taught him knowledge, and shewed to him the way of understanding?
15  Behold, the nations are as a drop of a bucket, and are counted as the small dust of the balance: behold, he taketh up the isles as a very little thing.
16  And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, nor the beasts thereof sufficient for a burnt offering.
17  All nations before him are as nothing; and they are counted to him less than nothing, and vanity.
18  To whom then will ye liken God? or what likeness will ye compare unto him?
19  The workman melteth a graven image, and the goldsmith spreadeth it over with gold, and casteth silver chains.
20  He that is so impoverished that he hath no oblation chooseth a tree that will not rot; he seeketh unto him a cunning workman to prepare a graven image, that shall not be moved.
21  Have ye not known? have ye not heard? hath it not been told you from the beginning? have ye not understood from the foundations of the earth?
22  It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in:
23  That bringeth the princes to nothing; he maketh the judges of the earth as vanity.
24  Yea, they shall not be planted; yea, they shall not be sown: yea, their stock shall not take root in the earth: and he shall also blow upon them, and they shall wither, and the whirlwind shall take them away as stubble.
25  To whom then will ye liken me, or shall I be equal? saith the Holy One.
26  Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things, that bringeth out their host by number: he calleth them all by names by the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in power; not one faileth.
27  Why sayest thou, O Jacob, and speakest, O Israel, My way is hid from the LORD, and my judgment is passed over from my God?
28  Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding.
29  He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.
30  Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall:
31  But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

Have a wonderful Lord's Day!

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Themes from Lamentations

The book of Lamentations describes the results of Babylon's destruction of Jerusalem (c. 587 B.C.). It is composed of five interconnected poems which describe a shift from horrible loss and personal shame to restored hope and prayer for God's renewing power.

The central passage in this book is 3:19-26.

Remembering mine affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall. My soul hath them still in remembrance, and is humbled in me. This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him. The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him. It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD. 

This passage affirms that belief in God's mercy and faithfulness is the key to a restored relationship with God. This is true even for those who deserve (and have perhaps already received) God's judgment. Hope is the byword in Lamentations.

Lamentations seems to have been written to be prayed aloud or sung in worship services in a spirit of repentance, asking God's forgiveness, and seeking restoration with Him.

Sadly, Lamentations is an often-neglected book. It presents several key concepts in a creative way during an important time in Israel's history.

These concepts are still applicable today. They include, but are not limited to:


1. It offers beautiful prayers that confess sin, express renewed hope, and declare total dependence on God's grace.

2. It is the only book of the Bible written by someone who endured a manifestation of "the day of the LORD" (see Joel 2:1-2; Amos 5:18; Zephaniah 1:14-16). This "day" is the day God comes to judge sin. It can occur in historical contexts, such as the fall of Jerusalem, or it can occur at the end of time (the final "day of the LORD"). Regardless, such "days" do occur, and warnings in the Bible about such days need to be taken seriously.

3. The book's authorship, setting, contents, and theology underline its value for understanding the nature of pain, sin, and redemption.

4. It affirms that Jerusalem fell
      a. because of the people's sins (1:18)
      b. because they rejected God's word sent through the prophets (2:8; 14, 17)
      c. because their leaders led them astray (4:13)
      d. because they did not heed God's warning (2:17).

5. It affirms God's faithful, unending mercy. God is not finished with His people, even when they sin greatly.

6. It affirms that prayers of confession, repentance, and petition are the means for restoring a broken relationship with God. Their honest expressions of pain and their dismay over what God has allowed to happen coincide with the prayers found in the Psalms. They also share the Psalms' emphasis on God's sovereignty as King of creation (Psalm 103:19).

Do you have any thoughts or additional themes from Lamentations that you would like to add? Don't hesitate to leave a comment!

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Names of God: El Roi

"The God who sees" or "the God who continually sees." 

  For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth... {2 Chronicles 16:9}

For he looketh to the ends of the earth, and seeth under the whole heaven; {Job 28:24} 

The LORD looketh from heaven; he beholdeth all the sons of men.  {Psalm 33:13}

 For the ways of man are before the eyes of the LORD, and he pondereth all his goings. {Proverbs 5:21}

The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.                          {Proverbs 15:3} 

 Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the LORD.            {Jeremiah 23:24}

The thought that God always sees us can be comforting and frightening at the same time. It's certainly nice to know that God sees when we're doing something that pleases Him or when we're being mistreated. But what about when we're choosing to act in a way we know dishonors God?

Let's examine both of these responses to this name of God through the lens of Scripture, starting with the "negative".

For his [God's] eyes are upon the ways of man, and he seeth all his goings. There is no darkness, nor shadow of death, where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves. {Job 34:21-22}

Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do. {Hebrews 4:13}

Nothing we do is overlooked by God. He sees everything.

He sees you when you witness to an unsaved friend, coworker, neighbor, or family member. He sees you when you are cross with your parents and when you are unkind to your sibling. He sees you when you decide to dishonor Him by putting harmful substances into your body and when you choose to use your body for immoral purposes. None of our actions escape God's notice. We cannot hide certain actions or pick and choose which deeds we want God to see. He sees all of them.

Because of Christ, your sins have already been paid for, but you will stand before God and give an account for everything you did on earth - good and bad.

Now, let's examine the "positive" side of the idea that God always sees us.

Abraham and Sarah desired a child. After decades of waiting, Sarah decided to take matters into her own hands.

Now Sarai Abram's wife bare him no children: and she had an handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar. And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the LORD hath restrained me from bearing: I pray thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may obtain children by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai. And Sarai Abram's wife took Hagar her maid the Egyptian, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife. {Genesis 16:1-3}

Abraham listened to Sarah's advice, and things took a turn for the worse.

And he went in unto Hagar, and she conceived: and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes. And Sarai said unto Abram, My wrong be upon thee: I have given my maid into thy bosom; and when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her eyes: the LORD judge between me and thee. But Abram said unto Sarai, Behold, thy maid is in thy hand; do to her as it pleaseth thee. And when Sarai dealt hardly with her, she fled from her face. {Genesis 16:4-6}

 Hagar met someone she didn't expect after she fled from Sarah.

And the angel of the LORD found her by a fountain of water in the wilderness, by the fountain in the way to Shur. And he said, Hagar, Sarai's maid, whence camest thou? and whither wilt thou go? And she said, I flee from the face of my mistress Sarai. 

And the angel of the LORD said unto her, Return to thy mistress, and submit thyself under her hands. I will multiply thy seed exceedingly, that it shall not be numbered for multitude. Behold, thou art with child, and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael; because the LORD hath heard thy affliction. And he will be a wild man; his hand will be against every man, and every man's hand against him; and he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren. 

And she called the name of the LORD that spake unto her, Thou God seest me: for she said, Have I also here looked after him that seeth me? Wherefore the well was called Beerlahairoi; {Genesis 16: 7-14}

Her encounters with El Roi, the God who sees, didn't stop there.

Several years later, Sarah conceived and bore Isaac.

And the child grew, and was weaned: and Abraham made a great feast the same day that Isaac was weaned. And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, which she had born unto Abraham, mocking. Wherefore she said unto Abraham, Cast out this bondwoman and her son: for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, even with Isaac. And the thing was very grievous in Abraham's sight because of his son. {Genesis 21: 8-11}

Hagar was forced to flee again, this time with her son.

"Hagar and Ishmael Perishing in the Desert"
by Gustave Dore

 And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and took bread, and a bottle of water, and gave it unto Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, and the child, and sent her away: and she departed, and wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba. 

And the water was spent in the bottle, and she cast the child under one of the shrubs. And she went, and sat her down over against him a good way off, as it were a bowshot: for she said, Let me not see the death of the child. And she sat over against him, and lift up her voice, and wept. {Genesis 21:14-16}

El Roi, the God who sees, saw Hagar's distress.

And the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven, and said unto her, What aileth thee, Hagar? fear not; for God hath heard the voice of the lad where he is. Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him in thine hand; for I will make him a great nation. 

And God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water; and she went, and filled the bottle with water, and gave the lad drink. {Genesis 21: 17b-19}

El Roi, the God who sees, saw the Israelites' bondage in Egypt.

And the LORD said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows; and I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey... {Exodus 3:7-8}

El Roi, the God who sees, does not see as humans see.

But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart. {I Samuel 16:7}

God sees you. Every part of you. Inside and out. Are you living your life in a way that brings Him glory and gladdens His heart as He watches you?

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Lessons from Isaiah

I recently did a study of the book of Isaiah. (Yes, I know it's Old Testament Prophecy. Yes, I know it's 66 chapters long. No, it wasn't boring in the least. :) ) I was pleasantly surprised and humbled to find that my skepticism about the modern-day relevance of this book was completely misguided.

Below is a list of some of the truths I learned and/or was reminded of through my study of Isaiah.


1. God is offended by religious ritual, however impressive, if it conceals an empty heart and a careless life (1:10-17; 58:1-12; 66:1-4).

2. God despises all manifestations of human pride (2:10-17; 10:33-34; 13:11; 16:6; 23:9; 28:1-4).

3. The idols that man creates are destined for destruction (2:20-21; 19:1; 31:6-7; 44:9-20; 46:1-7).

4. Though God's judgment will reduce His people to a remnant, His final purpose is the joyful triumph of His grace (1:9; 6:1-12; 35:1-10; 40:1-2; 49:13-16; 51:3; 54:7-8; 55:12-13).

5. God is able to judge people by rendering them deaf and blind to His word (6:9-10; 28:11-13; 29:9-14; 42:18-25).

6. The world's only hope is bound up in one man - the promised Davidic king, the servant of the Lord, the anointed preacher of the Gospel, and the lone victor over evil (4:2; 7:14; 9:2-7; 11:1-10; 42:1-9; 49:1-13; 50:4-9; 52:13-53:12; 63:1-6).

7. God is actively using creation and history, even the wrongdoings of man, for His own glory (10:5-19; 13:1-27:13; 36:1-39:8; 40:12-26; 44:24-45:13).

8. With a great and holy God ruling all things, man's duty is a repentant trust in Him alone (7:9; 10:20; 12:2; 26:3-4; 28:12, 16; 30:15-18; 31:1; 32:17-18; 36:1-37:38; 40:31; 42:17; 50:10; 55:1-7; 57:13, 15; 66:2).

9. When God's people feel abandoned by God, they often (foolishly) put their trust in worldly powers (7:1-8:22; 28:14-22; 30:1-17; 31:1-3; 39:1-8; 40:27; 49:14; 51:12-13).

10. God will uphold His own cause with a world-transforming display of His glory (4:2-6; 11:10; 35:1-12; 40:3-5; 52:10; 59:19; 60:1-3; 66:18).

11. God uses predictive prophecy to prove that His hand is guiding human history (41:1-4, 21-29; 44:6-8; 44:24-45:13; 46:8-11; 48:3-11).

12. The wrath of God is to be feared above all else (5:25; 9:12, 17, 19, 21; 10:4-6; 13:9, 13; 30:27; 34:2; 59:18; 63:1-6; 66:15-16, 24).


Do you have any thoughts to add to this? Don't be shy!

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Achan's Sin

What is the definition of sin?


The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines sin as "transgression of the law of God." The American Heritage College Dictionary defines sin as “deliberate disobedience to the known will of God.”  


With those definitions in mind, let's take a look at a story from the Old Testament that illustrates these definitions of sin. 

But the children of Israel committed a trespass in the accursed thing: for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took of the accursed thing: and the anger of the LORD was kindled against the children of Israel. {Joshua 7:1}

 When the Israelites were about to take the city of Jericho, God gave specific instructions that no Israelite should take any spoils for himself, yet Achan did so. He gave into temptation and deliberately disobeyed the known will of God.

Next stop: Ai, an easy victory.

Or was it?

And Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is beside Bethaven, on the east side of Bethel, and spake unto them, saying, Go up and view the country. And the men went up and viewed Ai. And they returned to Joshua, and said unto him, Let not all the people go up; but let about two or three thousand men go up and smite Ai; and make not all the people to labour thither; for they are but few. So there went up thither of the people about three thousand men: and they fled before the men of Ai. And the men of Ai smote of them about thirty and six men: for they chased them from before the gate even unto Shebarim, and smote them in the going down: wherefore the hearts of the people melted, and became as water. {Joshua 7:2-5}

Achan's sin cost Israel victory at Ai. Many innocent lives were lost, and the conquest of Canaan was delayed.

And Joshua rent his clothes, and fell to the earth upon his face before the ark of the LORD until the eventide, he and the elders of Israel, and put dust upon their heads. And Joshua said, Alas, O Lord GOD, wherefore hast thou at all brought this people over Jordan, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us? would to God we had been content, and dwelt on the other side Jordan! O Lord, what shall I say, when Israel turneth their backs before their enemies! For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land shall hear of it, and shall environ us round, and cut off our name from the earth: and what wilt thou do unto thy great name? 

And the LORD said unto Joshua, Get thee up; wherefore liest thou thus upon thy face? Israel hath sinned, and they have also transgressed my covenant which I commanded them: for they have even taken of the accursed thing, and have also stolen, and dissembled also, and they have put it even among their own stuff. Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies, but turned their backs before their enemies, because they were accursed: neither will I be with you any more, except ye destroy the accursed from among you.  

Up, sanctify the people, and say, Sanctify yourselves against to morrow: for thus saith the LORD God of Israel, There is an accursed thing in the midst of thee, O Israel: thou canst not stand before thine enemies, until ye take away the accursed thing from among you. In the morning therefore ye shall be brought according to your tribes: and it shall be, that the tribe which the LORD taketh shall come according to the families thereof; and the family which the LORD shall take shall come by households; and the household which the LORD shall take shall come man by man. And it shall be, that he that is taken with the accursed thing shall be burnt with fire, he and all that he hath: because he hath transgressed the covenant of the LORD, and because he hath wrought folly in Israel. {Joshua 7:6-15}  

 Notice what God said when Joshua asked him why this happened: "Israel has sinned." Not "Achan," "Israel." One man's decision to transgress the law of God tainted the entire nation.  

So Joshua rose up early in the morning, and brought Israel by their tribes; and the tribe of Judah was taken: And he brought the family of Judah; and he took the family of the Zarhites: and he brought the family of the Zarhites man by man; and Zabdi was taken: And he brought his household man by man; and Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was taken. And Joshua said unto Achan, My son, give, I pray thee, glory to the LORD God of Israel, and make confession unto him; and tell me now what thou hast done; hide it not from me. 

And Achan answered Joshua, and said, Indeed I have sinned against the LORD God of Israel, and thus and thus have I done: When I saw among the spoils a goodly Babylonish garment, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight, then I coveted them, and took them; and, behold, they are hid in the earth in the midst of my tent, and the silver under it.           {Joshua 7:16-21}

 What happened after Achan came clean?

So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran unto the tent; and, behold, it was hid in his tent, and the silver under it. And they took them out of the midst of the tent, and brought them unto Joshua, and unto all the children of Israel, and laid them out before the LORD. 

And Joshua, and all Israel with him, took Achan the son of Zerah, and the silver, and the garment, and the wedge of gold, and his sons, and his daughters, and his oxen, and his asses, and his sheep, and his tent, and all that he had: and they brought them unto the valley of Achor. 

And Joshua said, Why hast thou troubled us? the LORD shall trouble thee this day. And all Israel stoned him with stones, and burned them with fire, after they had stoned them with stones. And they raised over him a great heap of stones unto this day. So the LORD turned from the fierceness of his anger. Wherefore the name of that place was called, The valley of Achor, unto this day. {Joshua 7:22-26}

 Achan's sin cost him not just his own life, but the lives of his family and livestock as well.

We are no better than Achan; we are capable of the same sins he committed - giving in to the temptation of the lust of the eyes and deliberately disobeying the known will of God. The difference is, we are sinners saved by the grace of God. Because of Christ’s atonement for the sins of mankind, we no longer must atone for our sins in the sense that Achan did. The Old Testament law no longer applies because Christ’s blood covers our sins. Even though we are free from the burden of paying for our sins ourselves, this does not mean we are free from the consequences that result from our sin.

{ You can choose your sin, but you cannot choose the consequences. Rand Hummel }

The next time you are tempted to sin, remember Achan. The spoils he took seemed so appealing at the time, but they ended up hurting his nation and resulted in the death of innocent Israelites, his family, and himself. The next time doing wrong looks so appealing, think about what taking that path might entail for yourself and for those close to you.

It just might save your life.

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Take a Stand

"Vashti Refuses the King's Summons"
by Edwin Long

During my last semester of college, I was required to do an in-depth study of a piece of art as part of the requirements for an art appreciation class. As I wandered the halls of the Bob Jones University Museum & Gallery, I came upon a painting entitled "Vashti Refuses the King's Summons" by Edwin Long. This painting depicts the moment after Queen Vashti has refused the King's request for her to appear before him and his guests at a royal orgy (see Esther 1 for the whole story).

"Vashti" is an absolutely stunning painting to see in person - the small photo reproduction in this post doesn't do it justice. Long painted this piece in such a realistic way I half expected the figures to step out of the frame! I was so taken with it that I purchased a small copy to add to my art collection (the original was a bit out of my price range ;) ).

As I was studying "Vashti" and thinking about the story that inspired it, I was reminded that doing the right thing is usually not easy or popular. Not much is know about Vashti apart from this story (to my knowledge, at least). From what little we know of her, it is obvious that she wasn't afraid to take a stand for what she knew was right.

{ What's popular isn't always right. What's right isn't always popular. }

Vashti was the wife of King Ahasuerus of Persia, and, consequently, the Queen of Persia. From what we can tell from Scripture, Ahasuerus wasn't the most morally upright man of the day. He had a problem with lust and drunkenness, and often combined the two by hosting royal orgies. Orgies were parties where immoral behavior and drunkenness were encouraged among those in attendance. This was the sort of function at which a drunk Ahasuerus called for Vashti to appear. In ancient Persia, the King's word was law - even his smallest wish. The penalty for failing to comply with Ahasuerus' laws/wishes was anything from exile to death, depending on his mood. Vashti knew the risks and chose to take a stand in spite of the very real possibility that she could be executed for doing so. What a courageous woman!

Vashti lost her place as Queen, but she kept her character intact. Her courage in the face of such formidable consequences is commendable and inspiring.

Don't be afraid to take a stand for righteousness. It might not be easy, popular, or comfortable, but we are called to do it.

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Facing the Giants

"David" by Michelangelo

"Teenage Boy Kills Local Terror, Goliath." I imagine that would have been the headline article for the newspapers in Israel when David killed Goliath. (I realize newspapers didn't exist in David's day, just my overactive imagination at work here. ;) ) How remarkable that a teenage shepherd boy took down a nearly 10-foot tall military powerhouse that had the armies of Israel quaking in their sandals for well over a month (40 days)! I think it's safe to assume that no one other than David could have imagined how the encounter between the boy with a sling and the giant with the full trappings of war would conclude.  (You can find the full account of this remarkable story in I Samuel 17.)

While it's unlikely that any of us will ever confront a physical giant like Goliath, many (if not all) of us face spiritual giants that are just as formidable and deadly. There names are Fear, Doubt, Temptation, and Pride.

{Fear} This giant is aroused by danger, evil, pain, concern, or anxiety. It hinders us from facing difficult circumstances with faith. It prevents us from doing the right or "hard" thing because of the possibility of failure or rejection.

{Doubt} This giant holds us captive when we question or are uncertain about promises God has given us in His Word. Doubting means that we consider God's Word questionable or unreliable.

{Temptation} This giant rears its ugly head when we are slack in guarding our minds, bodies, and souls from the alluring siren calls of the world to engage in sinful activities or thought patterns that are contrary to the way we have been called to live.

{Pride} This giant comes on the scene when we have an unbiblical view of ourselves, high or low. We can become overly confident in our own abilities or consumed with our failures; both are expressions of pride.

How are we to fight against such formidable giants?

Fight Fear with Faith. Deuteronomy 31:6; Joshua 1:3-9; 1 Chronicles 28:20; Psalm 23:4; Psalm 27:1; Psalm 56:3-4; Isaiah 41:10; Isaiah 54:4; Matthew 10:26; Matthew 10:28; Romans 8:28; 1 Corinthians 16:13; 2 Corinthians 4:7-11; Philippians 4:6-7; 2 Timothy 1:7; Hebrews 13:5-6; 1 Peter 5:7.

Fight Doubt with Truth. Psalm 15:1-2; Psalm 25:5; Psalm 43:3; Psalm 86:11; Psalm 119:160; Matthew 17:20; Luke 18:27; John 8:31-32; John 17:17; 2 Corinthians 9:8; Ephesians 4:25; Philippians 4:13; Philippians 4:19; 1 John 1:8. 

Fight Temptation with Purity. Psalm 119:11; Proverbs 7:25-26; Matthew 5:27-29; Matthew 26:41; Romans 1:18-32; 1 Corinthians 6:18-20; 1 Corinthians 10:13; James 1:12-14; Galatians 5:16-25; Philippians 4:8; Ephesians 5:3; Colossians 3:5-10; 1 Thessalonians 4:3; 2 Timothy 2:22; Titus 2:12; Hebrews 2:18; James 1:12-14; James 4:7; 1 John 2:14-17. 

Fight Pride with Humility. Deuteronomy 12:4;  Obadiah 1:3; 2 Chronicles 26:16; Psalm 10:4; Psalm 138:6; Psalm 147:6; Proverbs 3:34; Proverbs 8:13; Proverbs 11:2; Proverbs 13:10; Proverbs 15:33; Proverbs 16:5; Proverbs 16:18-19; Proverbs 18:12; Proverbs 21:4; Proverbs 22:4; Proverbs 25:9; Proverbs 26:12; Proverbs 29:23; Isaiah 2:11; Isaiah 5:21; Isaiah 23:9; Daniel 5:20; Matthew 18:3-4; Luke 14:7-11; Luke 22:24-27; Mark 9:35; Romans 12:3; 1 Corinthians 3:18; Ephesians 4:2; Philippians 2:1-11; James 4:6; 1 Peter 5:2-6.

Ask the Lord to help you identify areas where these giants have taken hold in your life. As He brings those areas to light, it can be discouraging to see how easy it is for them to creep in and take us captive. Just remember: the same God who enabled David to defeat Goliath is the same God who will help you bring down the giants in your life, as well.

"David with the Head of Goliath" by Caravaggio 

Please comment below: What giants have you faced in your life? How has the Lord enabled you to defeat them? What verses have helped you and/or encouraged you in this process?

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Names of God: Jehovah-Jireh

"The Lord our Provider" or "the Lord who provides." Not "the Lord our Sometimes Provider" or "the Lord who might provide if he feels like it." He has promised to always provide for the needs of His children.

The Bible records many, many examples of God's provision. God promised to provide a son for the childless Abraham. Abraham's barren wife, Sarah, miraculously bore Isaac several years later (see Genesis 15-18 and Genesis 21 for the full account). God rescued the children of Israel from their multiple centuries of bondage in Egypt and provided for their material needs as He led them through the wilderness to the Promised Land (see Exodus for the whole story). God used ravens to provide for Elijah's material needs while he hid from his enemies (see I Kings 17:2-6). God worked through Elijah to provide food for the widow of Zarephath and her son (I Kings 17:7-24). The list goes on and on.

Seeking to try Abraham's faith once again,God told Abraham to give Isaac back to the Him in the form of a burnt offering.

Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee to the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains, which I will tell thee of {Genesis 22:2}.

If you are a parent, you can imagine the incredible pain Abraham must have struggled with when God commanded him to sacrifice Isaac. He had waited so long for God to fulfill His promised provision of a son, and now it seemed that God was going to remove this precious child from him.

Nevertheless, he obeyed.

And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass [donkey], and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God told him {Genesis 22:3}. 


Notice what he says when Isaac asks him about the sacrifice.

And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering? And Abraham said, My son, God will provide Himself a lamb for a burnt offering {Genesis 22:7-8}.


What incredible faith in God's provision!

Right as Abraham is about to kill Isaac on the altar, a heavenly presence identified as "the angel of the LORD" (v. 11) stops him.

And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing to him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me. {Genesis 22:12}.


Because of Abraham's faith and obedience, God provided a ram for Abraham to sacrifice in place of Isaac.

God promises to meet any need we have.

But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. {Philippians 4:19}

However, sometimes what we think of as "needs" are really just wants. This raises a very important question: How do we distinguish between a need and a want? Paul answers that question in a letter to Timothy.


But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment [clothing] let us be therewith content. {I Timothy 6:6-8}


What need do you have today? Perhaps you have unpaid bills, an empty pantry, a threadbare closet, or a bank balance in the red. These situations can easily dishearten us and cause our faith to falter in God's promises to provide for our needs. Remember that God is bigger than any need you face. He is Jehovah-Jireh: the Lord YOUR Provider. 

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Washed Clean

As I write this, rain is tapping away at the windowsill. The taps are becoming progressively louder as the rain starts coming down harder. At first glance out the window, it looks to be a dreary scene.

The rain has lightened up to a soft drizzle now.

On a second, more concentrated look out the window, I see it - a bush situated right underneath the window. I remember noticing the other day that this particular bush was covered in pollen and spider webs. Thanks to the rain, the bush is now free from the pollen and spider webs. It has been washed clean from all the filth I had noticed before. I couldn't help but be reminded of how Christ's atonement on the Cross gave my soul a similar cleansing when I accepted Him as my Savior.

(I realize this comparison/illustration breaks down, but bear with me a little.)

Back in in the days of the Old Testament, those who loved and feared God were required to make sacrifices to make restitution for their sins (you can read more about this in the first five books of the Old Testament, Genesis-Deuteronomy). Blood had to be spilled to cover their sins, because "without the shedding of blood is no remission [pardon/forgiveness]," Hebrews 9:22b. This wasn't just a one-time event. They had to take a sacrifice to the Tabernacle or the Temple (depending on when they lived) every day of their lives.

Approximately 2,000 years ago, God sent His Son to serve as the once-for-all sacrifice for all mankind. Christ was the Lamb "who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God" (Hebrews 9:14). The little phrase "without spot" carries big significance. God required a perfect sacrifice to make restitution for the sins of Old Testament believers. When Christ came to earth to die for us, that standard had not changed. He couldn't just be "good enough" - he had to be perfect, sinless, something  humans can never be no matter how hard we try. Christ had such great compassion and love for us pitiful, sinful, hopeless creatures that he "washed us from our sins in his own blood" (Revelation 1:5), something we could never do for ourselves.

The rain washed away the impurities I saw on the bush outside my window. The bush had no way of removing the filth itself; it was helpless. Similarly, you and I are completely helpless to cleanse our sinful hearts to be the perfect sacrifice that God requires to atone for sin. When we accepted Christ, Christ's blood washes us clean from all the "dust" and "spider webs," all the impurities of our sinfulness, once and for all. That doesn't mean we never sin again - we still have our sinful nature, and it will remain until we die. But our sins - past, present, and future - are already paid for. We do not have the burden of them on our shoulders anymore because of what Christ did for us on the Cross.

If you know Christ as your Savior, you have great cause to rejoice: you are washed clean of your sins by the blood of the Lamb - FOREVER!

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