BOOKS OF MOSES

WORSHIP THE LORD–EXODUS 34:10-17

Art Davison BOOKS OF MOSES 0 Comment
WORSHIP THE LORD
EXODUS 34:10-17

Key verse – 14, “For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God:”

Introduction:

Isaiah 2:8, “Their land also is full of idols; they worship the work of their own hands, that which their own fingers have made:” Today the idols of man are his material things. His pursuits for wealth and prestige have turned him away from the worship of the True God.
The Lord declares in His Word that “God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.” John 4:24.

I. WORSHIP THE LORD IN SPIRIT AND TRUTH
A. The Day of Worship, Acts 20:7, “And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight.”
1. A day that Jesus met with His disciples, John 20:19, “Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.
2. A day of fellowship, Acts 2:42, “And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.”
B. The Danger of diversion, Deuteronomy 11:16, “Take heed to yourselves, that your heart be not deceived, and ye turn aside, and serve other gods, and worship them;”
1. Take heed to your worship, John 4:23-24, “But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. 24-God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.”
2. Take heed to your ways, Psalm 39:1-2, “I said, I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue: I will keep my mouth with a bridle, while the wicked is before me. 2- I was dumb with silence, I held my peace, even from good; and my sorrow was stirred.”
3. Take heed that you do not turn aside from the Lord, Deuteronomy 5:32, “Ye shall observe to do therefore as the LORD your God hath commanded you: ye shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left.”
4. Take heed that you don’t rob God, Deuteronomy 26:10, “And now, behold, I have brought the firstfruits of the land, which thou, O LORD, hast given me. And thou shalt set it before the LORD thy God, and worship before the LORD thy God:”
5. Take heed to remember who the Lord is, Joshua 5:14, “And he said, Nay; but as captain of the host of the LORD am I now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto him, What saith my lord unto his servant?”
6. Take heed not to forget His house, Psalms 5:7, “But as for me, I will come into thy house in the multitude of thy mercy: and in thy fear will I worship toward thy holy temple.”
7. Take heed that your worship is not that of the unlearned, Acts 17:23, “For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you.”
a. Many today think that there is no need to study God’s Word, 2 Timothy 2:15, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”
b. Don’t be willfully ignorant, Psalm 73:21-22, “Thus my heart was grieved, and I was pricked in my reins. 22 So foolish was I, and ignorant: I was as a beast before thee.”
c. Let people know that you have been with Jesus, Acts 4:13, “Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.”

II. THE WORSHIP OF GOD BY THE UNBELIEVER
A. All that live upon the earth will worship God, Revelation 13:8, “And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.”
B. All men will acknowledge Him as Lord, Philippians 2:10, “That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;”
C. Before Herod He was mocked, Matthew 27:29, “And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews!”
D. The next time Jesus appears He will come as the King, Psalm 22:28, “For the kingdom is the LORD’S: and he is the governor among the nations.”
E. It will truly be a triumphal entry, Zechariah 9:9, “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.”
F. His enemies will be subdued, Psalm 72:9, “They that dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him; and his enemies shall lick the dust.

CONCLUSION
The Lord met with His people on the first day of the week after His resurrection. He still meets with us on that day and it is a day of learning and worship. It is a great tragedy when God’s people take it lightly and put other things in it’s place. If we think God does not take note of this, we are mistaken. Whatever the reason for missing God’s time of worship it is not sufficient.
Vital lessons are learned during that time of worship and we need those lessons in order to make our life count for Him.

WHEN HEAVEN IS LIKE IRON–LEVITICUS 26:1-5, 12-19

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WHEN HEAVEN IS LIKE IRON
LEVITICUS 26:1-5, 12-19

Introduction:

When man follows God there are many blessing to be had and enjoyed. However, when man chooses to go his own way and rejects God’s counsel and His ways, man suffers as if the heaven were like iron and the earth was made of brass.
Why not submit to His ways and do His commandments and enjoy His blessing in this life?
I. I WILL BE YOUR GOD

A. I have redeemed you, Psalm 71:23, “My lips shall greatly rejoice when I sing unto thee; and my soul, which thou hast redeemed.”

1. He broke your yoke, and made you walk upright, v. 13, “I am the LORD your God, which brought you forth out of the land of Egypt, that ye should not be their bondmen; and I have broken the bands of your yoke, and made you go upright.”
2. That you might serve God uprightly, Psalm 116:16, “O LORD, truly I am thy servant; I am thy servant, and the son of thine handmaid: thou hast loosed my bonds.”
a. An understanding servant, Psalm 119:125, “I am thy servant; give me understanding, that I may know thy testimonies.”
b. Knowing that HE loosed our bonds of slavery, Psalm 107:14-16, “He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and brake their bands in sunder. 15- Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! 16- For he hath broken the gates of brass, and cut the bars of iron in sunder.”
B. “I will walk among you,” Deuteronomy 23:14, “For the LORD thy God walketh in the midst of thy camp, to deliver thee, and to give up thine enemies before thee; therefore shall thy camp be holy: that he see no unclean thing in thee, and turn away from thee.”
1. Your camp shall be holy, Ephesians 1:4, “According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
a. Your family life should be a testimony for Christ, Ephesians 5:21-33.
b. Your personal life should be restricted to fellowship with God’s people, 2 Corinthians 6:14, “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?
2. That the Lord see no unclean thing and turn away, 2 Corinthians 6:17-18, “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, 18- And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.”
C. You shall be my people, Ezekiel 11:20, “That they may walk in my statutes, and keep mine ordinances, and do them: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God.”
1. God is not ashamed to be called their God, Hebrews 11:16, “But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.”
2. We shall be His people, Romans 9:25, “As he saith also in Osee, I will call them my people, which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not beloved.” [Osee = Hosea]

II. IF YOU WILL NOT HEARKEN UNTO ME

A. If you will not do ALL my commandments, Hebrews 12:25, “See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven:”

1. To fail in one point is to be guilty of ALL, James 2:10, “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.”
2. We become guilty before God, Romans 3:19, “Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.”
B. If you despise His statutes, Acts 13:41, “Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish: for I work a work in your days, a work which ye shall in no wise believe, though a man declare it unto you.”
1. Unbelief is the product of an evil heart, Hebrews 3:12, “Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.”
2. The unfaithful will cast His Word behind their backs, Nehemiah 9:26, “Nevertheless they were disobedient, and rebelled against thee, and cast thy law behind their backs, and slew thy prophets which testified against them to turn them to thee, and they wrought great provocations.”
C. “I will set my face against you,” Psalm 68:1-2, “Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered: let them also that hate him flee before him. 2- As smoke is driven away, so drive them away: as wax melteth before the fire, so let the wicked perish at the presence of God.”
1. The lost man having rejected God’s Word will flee before the Lord, Psalm 68:1, “Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered: let them also that hate him flee before him.”
2. But where shall they go? Psalm 139:7, “Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?”
3. It is better to trust Him and be glad, James 4:7-8, “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8- Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.”

CONCLUSION

Heaven does not have to be as iron and the earth as brass. Man can have God’s blessing if he will trust the Lord and follow His precepts.

The Psalmist writes in Psalm 64:10, “The righteous shall be glad in the LORD, and shall trust in him; and all the upright in heart shall glory.” There is happiness in the Lord, but it is your choice to make.

WHAT UNBELIEF CAN DO–NUMBERS 14:1-24

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WHAT UNBELIEF CAN DO
NUMBERS 14:1-24
Introduction:
Israel was in the area of Kadesh Barnea just south of the Promised Land. They had sent out 12 spies and they had returned. Ten of the spies had returned with a bad report and suggested that Israel was not capable of conquering the land. Only Caleb and Joshua had returned with a good report saying that they should go up right away to possess the land.
Israel refused to go and God had pronounced the death sentence on that generation with the exception of Caleb and Joshua. All of this was because of UNBELIEF.

I. THROUGH UNBELIEF, ISRAEL CONTESTED THE WORD OF GOD AS IF HE WAS A MAN THAT WOULD LIE.

A. God has promised to give them the land, Genesis 13:14-18.

1. God had promised to make Abraham, the father of the Hebrews, a great nation, Genesis 12:1-3.
2. He promised that Abraham’s seed would be a blessing to all of the families of the earth, Genesis 12:3, “And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.”
3. He promise a goodly land, Exodus 3:8, “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; unto the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites.
B. He had had taken care of their needs.
1. Manna for bread, Exodus 16:15, “And when the children of Israel saw it, they said one to another, It is manna: for they wist not what it was. And Moses said unto them, This is the bread which the LORD hath given you to eat.”
2. Quail for meat, Exodus 16:13, “And it came to pass, that at even the quails came up, and covered the camp: and in the morning the dew lay round about the host.”

II. THEY OPPOSE GOD’S POWER AS THOUGH SEVEN NATIONS WOULD TAX HIS STRENGTH.
A. Unbelief in the face of God’s miracles.
1. They all had seen God work through the Ten Plagues in Egypt, Exodus 5-12.
2. They had seen how God had opened the Red Sea before their eyes, Exodus 14:16, 21, “But lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea. 21-And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the LORD caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided.”
3. They had seen the Egyptian army try to cross that same sea only to be destroyed, Exodus 14:26-28, “And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand over the sea, that the waters may come again upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots, and upon their horsemen. 27-And Moses stretched forth his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to his strength when the morning appeared; and the Egyptians fled against it; and the LORD overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea. 28-And the waters returned, and covered the chariots, and the horsemen, and all the host of Pharaoh that came into the sea after them; there remained not so much as one of them.
B. God’s patience wears thin, Numbers 14:11, “And the LORD said unto Moses, How long will this people provoke me? and how long will it be ere they believe me, for all the signs which I have shewed among them?”
1. The Lord threatens to destroy them, v. 12.
2. Moses intercedes for the people, vs. 13-19.

III. THEY INVALIDATED GOD’S GOODNESS AS IF HE WAS WORKING FOR THEIR DESTRUCTION.

A. Their father Abraham, had greater faith, Romans 4:20, “He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;”

B. Because of UNBELIEF Israel was broken off, Romans 11:20, 23, “He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; 23-And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be grafted in: for God is able to graff them in again.”
C. The Gentiles have obtained mercy because of Israel’s unbelief, Romans 11:30, “For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief:”
D. These disobedient Hebrews entered not into the Promised Land because of UNBELIEF, Hebrews 3:19, “So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.”

CONCLUSION

An entire generation died needlessly because they refused to believe God. They all went to Hell for lack of faith in the Lord. Don’t let that be your destination.

WHAT NATION IS THERE SO GREAT?–DEUTERONOMY 4:1-8

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WHAT NATION IS THERE SO GREAT?
DEUTERONOMY 4:1-8
Introduction:
What nation is there so great as America today? We are the defenders of liberty and democracy. We have been blessed above many other nations.
Israel was in such a position hundreds of years ago. They were on the brink of entering the Promised Land and the man of God, Moses, was giving them instruction from the very mouth of God. Here he explains that the statutes of God are everything that concern morals and the rites and ceremonies of religion. Judgments are all matters of civil right and wrong. God gave His people instruction as to how they were to live and honor Him each day.

I. HEARKEN TO THE STATUTES…

A. Statutes that contain the GREAT COMMANDSMENTS OF GOD:

1. To LOVE the Lord God, Deuteronomy 6:5, “And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.”
a) These words MUST BE IN your heart, Deuteronomy 6:6, “And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:”
b) These words are THE HOPE of the NEXT GENERATION, Deuteronomy 6:7, “And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.”
2. To love thy NEIGHBOR as yourself, Matthew 22:39, “And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.”
a. CONSIDER your BROTHER in the Lord, Romans 12:9-10, “Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. 10- Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;”
1) Let it be manifested in acts of kindness AS TAUGHT in the Word, 1 John 3:18, “My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.”
2) Love one another with a pure heart FERVENTLY [INTENSELY], 1 Peter 1:22, “Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:”
b. We are to love our neighbor AS MUCH AS we love ourselves, Leviticus 19:18, “Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the LORD.
1) Let us PLEASE our neighbor, Romans 15:2, “Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification.”
2) Even Christ pleased NOT Himself, Romans 15:3, “For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me.”
B. Statutes that CONTAIN the GREAT CONCERNS of OUR OWN SOULS:
1. To “HEARKEN” – “To give CAREFUL ATTENTION” to the Word of God, Ezekiel 11:20, “That they may walk in my statutes, and keep mine ordinances, and do them: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God.”
2. To MAINTAIN the DIVINE LAW PURE and ENTIRE among them, v. 2.
a. That you REMEMBER to be OBEDIENT and HOLY, Numbers 15:40, “That ye may remember, and do all my commandments, and be holy unto your God.”
b. That you shall NOT DO WHAT IS RIGHT in your OWN EYES, Deuteronomy 12:8, “Ye shall not do after all the things that we do here this day, every man whatsoever is right in his own eyes.”
c. That you TURN NOT the right hand or the left to leave the Lord, Joshua 1:7, “Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest.”

II. WHAT NATION IS THERE SO GREAT, WHO HAS GOD SO CLOSE TO THEM?

A. God blesses those that KEEP His ways, Proverbs 8:32, “Now therefore hearken unto me, O ye children: for blessed are they that keep my ways.”

B. God’s people need to LOOK UNTO THE ROCK from whence they were hewn, Isaiah 51:1, “Hearken to me, ye that follow after righteousness, ye that seek the LORD: look unto the rock whence ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence ye are digged.”
C. God has prospered us and NOT WE OURSELVES 2 Chronicles 26:5, “And he sought God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding in the visions of God: and as long as he sought the LORD, God made him to prosper.”
1. He has been GOOD TO US, Psalms 34:8, “O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.”
2. He has CHOSEN us to be His people, Psalms 33:12, “Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance.”
3. He has CAUSED us to SIT in heavenly places, Ephesians 2:6, “And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:”
4. He has blessed us with ALL SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS, Ephesians 1:3, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:”

CONCLUSION

God has been very good to our nation and to each of us as His people. The future is blessed for those who know Him as Savior.

WHAT GOD KEEPS–NUMBERS 6:22-27

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WHAT GOD KEEPS
NUMBERS 6:22-27

Key verse: v. 24, “The LORD bless thee, and keep thee.”

Introduction:
Since God is omnipotent, when He keeps something, it is permanent—a fact readily seen in Scriptures. The true child of God should constantly rejoice in God’s keeping power.
The security of the Believer is one of the doctrines of the Word of God that Satan hates and he has tried for centuries to destroy this doctrine. However, God continues to KEEP His people in many ways. Listed here are a number of examples of what God keeps:

I. HE KEEPS US FROM LOSING OUR SALVATION

A. He is able, Jude 24, “Now unto Him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy”

1. To keep us from falling, Romans 8:31, “What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?”
2. To present us faultless before His presence, Revelation 14:5, “And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God.”
B. By the power of His name, John 17:11, “Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are.”
1. To keep us from evil, John 17:15, “I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.”
2. He keeps us night and day, Isaiah 27:3, “I the LORD do keep it; I will water it every moment: lest any hurt it, I will keep it night and day.”

II. HE KEEPS US FROM STUMBLING

A. He will keep the feet of His saints, 1 Samuel 2:9, “He will keep the feet of his saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness; for by strength shall no man prevail.”

1. Our steps are established by the Lord, Psalm 37:23-24, “The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way. 24- Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand.”
2. The Lord preserves our goings and comings, Psalm 121:8, “The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.”
B. His angels have charge over us, Psalm 91:11-12, “For He shall give His angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. 12- They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.”

III. HE KEEPS US AS A TREASURE

A. We are the Apple of His Eye, Psalm 17:8, “Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings.”

1. He found us in a desert land, Deuteronomy 32:10, “He found him in a desert land, and in the waste howling wilderness; he led him about, he instructed him, he kept him as the apple of his eye.”
2. The Lord protects those that are precious to Him, Zechariah 2:8, “For thus saith the LORD of hosts; After the glory hath he sent me unto the nations which spoiled you: for he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye.”
B. We are His jewels, His special treasure, Malachi 3:17, “And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels [Heb. special treasure]; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.”

IV. THE LORD KEEPS US IN THE PEACE OF GOD

A. The Peace that passes understanding, Philippians 4:7, “And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

1. It is to know Christ, Ephesians 3:19, “And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.”
2. It is like eating hidden manna, Revelation 2:17, “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.”
B. God’s peace is a perfect peace, Isaiah 26:3, “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.”
1. God offers His peace to those who will trust Him, Isaiah 57:19, “I create the fruit of the lips; Peace, peace to him that is far off, and to him that is near, saith the LORD; and I will heal him.”
2. For those who will not trust Christ there is no peace, Isaiah 57:20-21, “But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt. 21- There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked.”

CONCLUSION

“The LORD bless thee, and keep thee” are great words to hear. It is to know that the Lord is protecting us from every sort of evil. He allows us to go through difficulty, but His protection is always there to lean on during those times.