Category Archives: Loving / Kind

Character of God, Compassionate, Faith / Trusting God, Father / Yahweh, Fear / Reverence for God, Grace / Forgiveness, Justice / Judgment, Loving / Kind, Slow to Anger, Speaking, Through Prophets, Worthy of Fear / Reverence

How Would You Describe God? How Does He Describe Himself?

How would you describe God? Do you know how He describes Himself? The better we know Him, the more consistent our view of Him is with how He describes Himself.

The relationship that Moses experienced with Jehovah was quite amazing. Each time I read it, I think I appreciate the significance even  more. Moses became a righteous man and as he did so, God allowed Him closer and closer to His holy presence. Moses did not start out holy as if by birth. Not so. He had an anger problem and murdered a man. He lacked self confidence and even refused to obey God’s call at first to lead the people out of Egypt. Over the course of his lifetime, Moses became more obedient to God, more righteous. Moses experienced God in a personal way that most will never experience on this earth.

Exodus 34:1-9

The Two Tablets Replaced

      1Now the LORD said to Moses, “Cut out for yourself two stone tablets like the former ones, and I will write on the tablets the words that were on the former tablets which you shattered. 2“So be ready by morning, and come up in the morning to Mount Sinai, and present yourself there to Me on the top of the mountain. 3“No man is to come up with you, nor let any man be seen anywhere on the mountain; even the flocks and the herds may not graze in front of that mountain.” 4So he cut out two stone tablets like the former ones, and Moses rose up early in the morning and went up to Mount Sinai, as the LORD had commanded him, and he took two stone tablets in his hand. 5The LORD descended in the cloud and stood there with him as he called upon the name of the LORD. 6Then the LORD passed by in front of him and proclaimed, “The LORD, the LORD God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth; 7who keeps lovingkindness for thousands, who forgives iniquity, transgression and sin; yet He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished, visiting the iniquity of fathers on the children and on the grandchildren to the third and fourth generations.” 8Moses made haste to bow low toward the earth and worship. 9He said, “If now I have found favor in Your sight, O Lord, I pray, let the Lord go along in our midst, even though the people are so obstinate, and pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us as Your own possession.”

Not only can we reflect on this scripture and see the relationship Moses had with Jehovah, but we get insight into how Jehovah describes Himself!

compassionate, gracious, slow to anger, abounding in lovingkindness and truth, righteous judge for the guilty

Jehovah is indeed all these things. Sometimes we do not recognize the traits because we see things from our own, very limited, perspective instead of from God’s eternal perspective. We may act as if we, instead of God, are the center of all things and then we can’t seem to understand why things work out how they do. Truth is that this creation, our lives… are not just about “us”. They are about our relationship with our Creator and Father. While we may not have the same relationship Jehovah that Moses achieved, we should seek Him with all our heart, soul, mind and strength and strive to draw near to our loving Father in heaven.

The best way to come to know Him, is through Jesus Christ, the living example of God among us. That is a big part of why Jesus came to live among us and why it is documented so well in the Bible. Study, pray, and seek fellowship with other true believers who follow after Christ in thought and deed rather than only with words.

As you grow in faith and wisdom, you will see that your understanding of God will more and more align with how He describes Himself.

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Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? If you die today, do you know for sure that you would be with God in heaven? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Compassionate, Faith / Trusting God, Father / Yahweh, Fear / Reverence for God, Help / Serve Others, Holy, Interceding for Others, Loving / Kind, Merciful, Speaking, Through Prophets

Moses Intercedes Again For The People

If you read the preceding chapters you will refresh yourself on the sin and rebellion of God’s people against God when Moses went up Mount Sinai to be with Yahweh. Moses interceded with God on behalf of the people and God spared them by not destroying them. There were consequences and the people were kept at a distance from God due to their sin. God remained close Moses and Joshua, the righteous.

Now we see Moses intercede again on behalf of the people, that they would have the continued presence of God among them.

Exodus 33:12-23

Moses Intercedes

      12Then Moses said to the LORD, “See, You say to me, ‘Bring up this people!’ But You Yourself have not let me know whom You will send with me. Moreover, You have said, ‘I have known you by name, and you have also found favor in My sight.’ 13“Now therefore, I pray You, if I have found favor in Your sight, let me know Your ways that I may know You, so that I may find favor in Your sight. Consider too, that this nation is Your people.” 14And He said, “My presence shall go with you, and I will give you rest.” 15Then he said to Him, “If Your presence does not go with us, do not lead us up from here. 16“For how then can it be known that I have found favor in Your sight, I and Your people? Is it not by Your going with us, so that we, I and Your people, may be distinguished from all the other people who are upon the face of the earth?”

      17The LORD said to Moses, “I will also do this thing of which you have spoken; for you have found favor in My sight and I have known you by name.” 18Then Moses said, “I pray You, show me Your glory!” 19And He said, “I Myself will make all My goodness pass before you, and will proclaim the name of the LORD before you; and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show compassion on whom I will show compassion.” 20But He said, “You cannot see My face, for no man can see Me and live!” 21Then the LORD said, “Behold, there is a place by Me, and you shall stand there on the rock; 22and it will come about, while My glory is passing by, that I will put you in the cleft of the rock and cover you with My hand until I have passed by. 23“Then I will take My hand away and you shall see My back, but My face shall not be seen.”

Moses found favor in the sight of God. Moses was a righteous and faithful servant. As such, he drew near to God and God to him. When he interceded on behalf of the people, God listened because of this relationship and favor.

If we choose not to seek after God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength, do not expect to be able to effectively intercede for others. When you do draw near to God and wish to intercede, remain focused not only on the people, but also on God and His name… His kingdom… His glory.

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Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? If you die today, do you know for sure that you would be with God in heaven? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Father / Yahweh, Forgive Others / Seek Forgiveness, Grace / Forgiveness, Justice / Judgment, Loving / Kind, Merciful, Prayer, Rebuke Wrong Behavior, Repenting from Sin, Salvation

Can God Forgive My Sin?

All of us sin. Yes, all of us… even that one person you think is really righteous and does everything right. So what differentiates us in our lives and relationships with Jehovah, our Father in heaven? Let us consider David, who God said was a man after His own heart.

1 Samuel 13:14 (prophet Samuel speaking to King Saul)

14“But now your kingdom shall not endure. The LORD has sought out for Himself a man after His own heart, and the LORD has appointed him as ruler over His people, because you have not kept what the LORD commanded you.”

Was David free of sin? Absolutely not. Did God make a mistake when He said David was a man after His own heart? Absolutely not. One characteristic that seems to exemplify David is that He genuinely tried to follow God’s instructions and commands and when he messed up, he genuinely and wholeheartedly repented.

What a beautiful picture of a relationship with our Creator. Though there are often consequences for our sin, He still loves us and invites us to return to Him, with a repentant spirit. David turned from his sin and prayed for forgiveness and genuinely tried to change His behavior and attitudes to be in line with God’s direction.

Psalm 51

A Contrite Sinner’s Prayer for Pardon.

For the choir director. A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba.

     1Be gracious to me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness;
According to the greatness of Your compassion blot out my transgressions.

      2Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity
And cleanse me from my sin.

      3For I know my transgressions,
And my sin is ever before me.

      4Against You, You only, I have sinned
And done what is evil in Your sight,
So that You are justified when You speak
And blameless when You judge.

      5Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,
And in sin my mother conceived me.

      6Behold, You desire truth in the innermost being,
And in the hidden part You will make me know wisdom.

      7Purify me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

      8Make me to hear joy and gladness,
Let the bones which You have broken rejoice.

      9Hide Your face from my sins
And blot out all my iniquities.

      10Create in me a clean heart, O God,
And renew a steadfast spirit within me.

      11Do not cast me away from Your presence
And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.

      12Restore to me the joy of Your salvation
And sustain me with a willing spirit.

      13Then I will teach transgressors Your ways,
And sinners will be converted to You.

      14Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, the God of my salvation;
Then my tongue will joyfully sing of Your righteousness.

      15O Lord, open my lips,
That my mouth may declare Your praise.

      16For You do not delight in sacrifice, otherwise I would give it;
You are not pleased with burnt offering.

      17The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
A broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.

      18By Your favor do good to Zion;
Build the walls of Jerusalem.

      19Then You will delight in righteous sacrifices,
In burnt offering and whole burnt offering;
Then young bulls will be offered on Your altar.

For those who do not remember the details of David and Bathsheba, David committed adultery and then essentially killed the woman’s husband to cover his sin. This was no “small” sin. Yet we see a picture of a genuinely repentant heart turning back to God and asking forgiveness… and getting it.

Though sacrifices are no longer necessary for us as believers, since Jesus Christ has died as our sacrifice to cover our sins, there is still an important lesson in the closing scripture verses for us today. God does not delight in a public show of holiness and repentance (e.g. David making sacrifices) unless it is accompanied by a broken and contrite heart. This is true today. One can not simply keep sinning and just call on Jesus’ name to cover and forgive sins… without any true repentance in their heart. That is simply not how it works. We must truly turn away from our sin and seek the ways of God. We must be submitted to God.

What an amazing Father we have, who can forgive us no matter our transgressions! Come before Him today and humbly ask Him to reveal to you any sin in your life and to help you turn from it and restore or create a closer relationship with Him.

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Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? If you die today, do you know for sure that you would be with God in heaven? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

All Knowing, All Powerful / King of All, Father / Yahweh, Guide, Loving / Kind, Obeying God, Speaking, Through Prophets

Is Jehovah Is Too Busy To Get Into Details?

Our human nature typically feels best when we feel we have control of the details of our lives. It can be tempting to believe that Jehovah is too busy to really care about the details of our life, so we will just make all those decisions on our own. After all, He has a lot to look after, right?  Some even teach that we should pray not to the Father, but to dead people that are labeled saints. Somehow, we are to believe, Jehovah is not able to handle it all and must have the help of dead people for us to pray to? The truth is that we are to pray only to the Father, following the example of Jesus Christ. Never did he support or teach that we should pray to anyone except the Father. Jesus did not even teach that we should ever pray to Him… only in His name to the Father.

Jehovah is quite sufficient on His own to hear all our prayer and be involved in intimate details in our lives. Let us consider an example in Exodus. Several chapters provide painstaking detail of exactly what the Father wanted for His people to do in creating an altar and tabernacle in which He would dwell among them in the wilderness.

Exodus 27

The Bronze Altar

      1“And you shall make the altar of acacia wood, five cubits long and five cubits wide; the altar shall be square, and its height shall be three cubits. 2“You shall make its horns on its four corners; its horns shall be of one piece with it, and you shall overlay it with bronze. 3“You shall make its pails for removing its ashes, and its shovels and its basins and its forks and its firepans; you shall make all its utensils of bronze. 4“You shall make for it a grating of network of bronze, and on the net you shall make four bronze rings at its four corners. 5“You shall put it beneath, under the ledge of the altar, so that the net will reach halfway up the altar. 6“You shall make poles for the altar, poles of acacia wood, and overlay them with bronze. 7“Its poles shall be inserted into the rings, so that the poles shall be on the two sides of the altar when it is carried. 8“You shall make it hollow with planks; as it was shown to you in the mountain, so they shall make it.

Court of the Tabernacle

      9“You shall make the court of the tabernacle. On the south side there shall be hangings for the court of fine twisted linen one hundred cubits long for one side; 10and its pillars shall be twenty, with their twenty sockets of bronze; the hooks of the pillars and their bands shall be of silver. 11“Likewise for the north side in length there shall be hangings one hundred cubits long, and its twenty pillars with their twenty sockets of bronze; the hooks of the pillars and their bands shall be of silver. 12“For the width of the court on the west side shall be hangings of fifty cubits with their ten pillars and their ten sockets. 13“The width of the court on the east side shall be fifty cubits. 14“The hangings for the one side of the gate shall be fifteen cubits with their three pillars and their three sockets. 15“And for the other side shall be hangings of fifteen cubits with their three pillars and their three sockets. 16“For the gate of the court there shall be a screen of twenty cubits, of blue and purple and scarlet material and fine twisted linen, the work of a weaver, with their four pillars and their four sockets. 17“All the pillars around the court shall be furnished with silver bands with their hooks of silver and their sockets of bronze. 18“The length of the court shall be one hundred cubits, and the width fifty throughout, and the height five cubits of fine twisted linen, and their sockets of bronze. 19“All the utensils of the tabernacle used in all its service, and all its pegs, and all the pegs of the court, shall be of bronze.

      20“You shall charge the sons of Israel, that they bring you clear oil of beaten olives for the light, to make a lamp burn continually. 21“In the tent of meeting, outside the veil which is before the testimony, Aaron and his sons shall keep it in order from evening to morning before the LORD; it shall be a perpetual statute throughout their generations for the sons of Israel.

Next time you are facing difficult decisions, whether great or small, know that you can come prayerfully and humbly before our heavenly Father and ask for His help. He is able and willing to help us even in the small details of our lives. He may be the Creator of all, sustaining all things, but He is also our loving Father who cares very much for His children!

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Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? If you die today, do you know for sure that you would be with God in heaven? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Father / Yahweh, Guide, Loving / Kind

Does Jehovah Really Care About the Details of My Life?

At times it seems simply unbelievable that the Creator of the universe, and everything in it, is interested in my life. Who am I that He should be mindful of me? If you find yourself wondering from time to time if Jehovah cares about the details of the lives of His people, be encouraged. He absolutely does. As we study scripture we see over and over again that Jehovah cares about details. He is not too busy. He does not have limits or boundaries to how much He can oversee. If we listen, we will see evidence of His lovingkindness and His desire to guide His people even in details.

Consider, as one example, how involved Jehovah was in leading His people as they left slavery in Egypt and learned to follow Him. He did not tell them just to build Him a temple worthy of Him and then intend to come back later and sit in judgment as to whether they did well or poorly. He showed them and guided them in even the minute details.  Can you imagine how overwhelming it would be to try to design a holy place for Him without His help guiding us in the detail? We would hardly know where to begin. What a loving God!

Exodus 25:23-40

The Table of Showbread

      23“You shall make a table of acacia wood, two cubits long and one cubit wide and one and a half cubits high. 24“You shall overlay it with pure gold and make a gold border around it. 25“You shall make for it a rim of a handbreadth around it; and you shall make a gold border for the rim around it. 26“You shall make four gold rings for it and put rings on the four corners which are on its four feet. 27“The rings shall be close to the rim as holders for the poles to carry the table. 28“You shall make the poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold, so that with them the table may be carried. 29“You shall make its dishes and its pans and its jars and its bowls with which to pour drink offerings; you shall make them of pure gold. 30“You shall set the bread of the Presence on the table before Me at all times.

The Golden Lampstand

      31“Then you shall make a lampstand of pure gold. The lampstand and its base and its shaft are to be made of hammered work; its cups, its bulbs and its flowers shall be of one piece with it. 32“Six branches shall go out from its sides; three branches of the lampstand from its one side and three branches of the lampstand from its other side. 33“Three cups shall be shaped like almond blossoms in the one branch, a bulb and a flower, and three cups shaped like almond blossoms in the other branch, a bulb and a flower—so for six branches going out from the lampstand; 34and in the lampstand four cups shaped like almond blossoms, its bulbs and its flowers. 35“A bulb shall be under the first pair of branches coming out of it, and a bulb under the second pair of branches coming out of it, and a bulb under the third pair of branches coming out of it, for the six branches coming out of the lampstand. 36“Their bulbs and their branches shall be of one piece with it; all of it shall be one piece of hammered work of pure gold. 37“Then you shall make its lamps seven in number; and they shall mount its lamps so as to shed light on the space in front of it. 38“Its snuffers and their trays shall be of pure gold. 39“It shall be made from a talent of pure gold, with all these utensils. 40“See that you make them after the pattern for them, which was shown to you on the mountain.

The next time you find yourself thinking that you must manage all the details of your life and Jehovah does not really care… reconsider. Stop and pray. Ask for His help and guidance in even the details. Then listen carefully. The answer may not come in the manner it came to Moses. Jehovah may speak to you through others or in dreams or through insight He provides as you consider the problem. There are many ways He speaks to His people, when they stop long enough to ask and then listen.

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Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? If you die today, do you know for sure that you would be with God in heaven? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

All Knowing, Father / Yahweh, Holy, Learning To Pray Effectively, Loving / Kind

Is God a Micro-Manager?

To some, you may be surprised that the Ark of the Covenant is real and not just a storyline in a popular movie from a few decades ago. Indeed it is not only real, but Jehovah Himself designed it. In truth, it is one of many good examples that show us Jehovah’s great interest in details. We can have good discussion around why Jehovah gets into the detail of a very specific design… “Is He a micro-manager needing to be in control of every detail? or is it just that He loves His people and has a plan for them. He cares enough to lay out even minute details.” In fact, as we read on through the Bible, we will confirm many other instances where He gets involved and leads on even seemingly small and perhaps insignificant details. We must conclude He cares about His people even to a detailed level. He cares about leading them well. He cares about setting up holy things in a way that distinguishes them as set apart for His purpose and not just a few more items around the camp.

Exodus 25:10-22

Ark of the Covenant

      10“They shall construct an ark of acacia wood two and a half cubits long, and one and a half cubits wide, and one and a half cubits high. 11“You shall overlay it with pure gold, inside and out you shall overlay it, and you shall make a gold molding around it. 12“You shall cast four gold rings for it and fasten them on its four feet, and two rings shall be on one side of it and two rings on the other side of it. 13“You shall make poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold. 14“You shall put the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark, to carry the ark with them. 15“The poles shall remain in the rings of the ark; they shall not be removed from it. 16“You shall put into the ark the testimony which I shall give you.

      17“You shall make a mercy seat of pure gold, two and a half cubits long and one and a half cubits wide. 18“You shall make two cherubim of gold, make them of hammered work at the two ends of the mercy seat. 19“Make one cherub at one end and one cherub at the other end; you shall make the cherubim of one piece with the mercy seat at its two ends. 20“The cherubim shall have their wings spread upward, covering the mercy seat with their wings and facing one another; the faces of the cherubim are to be turned toward the mercy seat. 21“You shall put the mercy seat on top of the ark, and in the ark you shall put the testimony which I will give to you. 22“There I will meet with you; and from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim which are upon the ark of the testimony, I will speak to you about all that I will give you in commandment for the sons of Israel.

I believe that Jehovah cares about the detail here in large part to make the point to the people that these things are holy and set apart for His purpose. Details matter. The people are called to follow His direction in every detail. He wants to help people have the right attitude toward Him when they approach Him and the ark and mercy seat are symbolic of that interface between Creator and created.

Since our Creator does not change, we should take note that He wants us to take it seriously when we seek to come into His presence. Scripture clearly tells us He is like a Father and we can approach Him with anything, but let us also not forget that He is the holy Creator of all things. He is to be revered and respected. Let us challenge ourselves not to get so casual in our relationship with Him that we forget who He is and instead redefine Him in our own image and desires. He sets the agenda. He defines right and wrong. He directs every detail. Praise to Jehovah indeed that He also makes a way for us to come before Him and enter into His presence. He loves us!

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Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? If you die today, do you know for sure that you would be with God in heaven? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Father / Yahweh, Giving, Holy Spirit / Ruach HaKodesh, Jesus Christ / Yeshua, Loving / Kind, Money / Finances / Wealth, Speaking, Through Prophets

Jehovah Wishes To Dwell Among His People

Jehovah wishes to dwell among His people. When He first created man and woman, He put them in the garden of Eden where He could be with them. We see again as He leads His people out of Egypt and through the wilderness that He again wishes to dwell among them. It is love that draws Him to His people. Love for His people. He will lead, if only they will follow.

Exodus 25:1-9

Offerings for the Sanctuary

      1Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 2“Tell the sons of Israel to raise a contribution for Me; from every man whose heart moves him you shall raise My contribution. 3“This is the contribution which you are to raise from them: gold, silver and bronze, 4blue, purple and scarlet material, fine linen, goat hair, 5rams’ skins dyed red, porpoise skins, acacia wood, 6oil for lighting, spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense, 7onyx stones and setting stones for the ephod and for the breastpiece. 8“Let them construct a sanctuary for Me, that I may dwell among them. 9“According to all that I am going to show you, as the pattern of the tabernacle and the pattern of all its furniture, just so you shall construct it.

Jehovah wants to dwell among His people, if they will choose to be His people. As we progress through the scripture from Old to New Testament we see again His desire to dwell among us. He sends the Holy Spirit to dwell inside of each believer in Christ. He is our loving Father. We should welcome Him into our lives joyfully and with thanksgiving and praise. Who are we that the Creator of all things should want to dwell among us? For those who accept His offer of salvation through Jesus Christ, we are His children.

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Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? If you die today, do you know for sure that you would be with God in heaven? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Discipline / Correction, Guide, Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law, Justice / Judgment, Love, Loving / Kind, Sin

We Are To Be Judged For Our Actions And Intent

Jehovah knows that even His people will continue to sin. That does not mean he endorses or approves of it, but He does prepare for it. Jehovah established ordinances for His people to help govern them. Much of legal system in the United States can trace its heritage back to Judeo Christian values. Our Father provided thoughtful guidance for us to govern by, knowing that people would sin.

Exodus 21:12-36

Personal Injuries

      12“He who strikes a man so that he dies shall surely be put to death. 13“But if he did not lie in wait for him, but God let him fall into his hand, then I will appoint you a place to which he may flee. 14“If, however, a man acts presumptuously toward his neighbor, so as to kill him craftily, you are to take him even from My altar, that he may die.

      15“He who strikes his father or his mother shall surely be put to death.

      16“He who kidnaps a man, whether he sells him or he is found in his possession, shall surely be put to death.

      17“He who curses his father or his mother shall surely be put to death.

      18“If men have a quarrel and one strikes the other with a stone or with his fist, and he does not die but remains in bed, 19if he gets up and walks around outside on his staff, then he who struck him shall go unpunished; he shall only pay for his loss of time, and shall take care of him until he is completely healed.

      20“If a man strikes his male or female slave with a rod and he dies at his hand, he shall be punished. 21“If, however, he survives a day or two, no vengeance shall be taken; for he is his property.

      22“If men struggle with each other and strike a woman with child so that she gives birth prematurely, yet there is no injury, he shall surely be fined as the woman’s husband may demand of him, and he shall pay as the judges decide. 23“But if there is any further injury, then you shall appoint as a penalty life for life, 24eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, 25burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise.

      26“If a man strikes the eye of his male or female slave, and destroys it, he shall let him go free on account of his eye. 27“And if he knocks out a tooth of his male or female slave, he shall let him go free on account of his tooth.

      28“If an ox gores a man or a woman to death, the ox shall surely be stoned and its flesh shall not be eaten; but the owner of the ox shall go unpunished. 29“If, however, an ox was previously in the habit of goring and its owner has been warned, yet he does not confine it and it kills a man or a woman, the ox shall be stoned and its owner also shall be put to death. 30“If a ransom is demanded of him, then he shall give for the redemption of his life whatever is demanded of him. 31“Whether it gores a son or a daughter, it shall be done to him according to the same rule. 32“If the ox gores a male or female slave, the owner shall give his or her master thirty shekels of silver, and the ox shall be stoned.

      33“If a man opens a pit, or digs a pit and does not cover it over, and an ox or a donkey falls into it, 34the owner of the pit shall make restitution; he shall give money to its owner, and the dead animal shall become his.

      35“If one man’s ox hurts another’s so that it dies, then they shall sell the live ox and divide its price equally; and also they shall divide the dead ox. 36“Or if it is known that the ox was previously in the habit of goring, yet its owner has not confined it, he shall surely pay ox for ox, and the dead animal shall become his.

One of the things that stands out to me as I read is that Jehovah puts emphasis on “intent”. Look at the difference between verse 13 and 14. Jehovah judges both actions and intent and measures out justice based on both.

     12“He who strikes a man so that he dies shall surely be put to death. 13“But if he did not lie in wait for him, but God let him fall into his hand, then I will appoint you a place to which he may flee. 14“If, however, a man acts presumptuously toward his neighbor, so as to kill him craftily, you are to take him even from My altar, that he may die.

So, too, with reference to the ox. If the owner was negligent, knowing the ox had a tendency to gore things… the punishment is different and more harsh.

It is simple and straightforward to summarize that both our actions and our intentions matter to Jehovah and we are to be held accountable for both.

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Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? If you die today, do you know for sure that you would be with God in heaven? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Compassionate, Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law, Love, Loving / Kind

Law of God Is Based on Love For God and Others; It Is Not Bondage

Many look for ways to interpret God’s laws as harsh or irrelevant. Let us be careful not to begin with a biased opinion based on what is taught by man about God’s law. Instead, let us read God’s word to understand what He shows us about His law. The law and commands of God are based on loving God and loving others.

Matthew 22:36-40

36“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” 37And He [Jesus] said to him, “ ‘YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.’ 38“This is the great and foremost commandment. 39“The second is like it, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’ 40“On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.”

The law of God is not bondage from which we must be set free. May it never be. The law is perfect. It sets us free from sin!

Psalm 19:7

   7The law of the LORD is perfect, restoring the soul;
The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.

Psalm 119:44-45

     44So I will keep Your law continually,
Forever and ever.

      45And I will walk at liberty,
For I seek Your precepts.

Obeying God’s law leads to blessing; rebelling against it to a curse. The law is provided for our benefit, to guide us in the right ways… not as bondage!

Deuteronomy 11:26-28

     26“See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse: 27the blessing, if you listen to the commandments of the LORD your God, which I am commanding you today; 28and the curse, if you do not listen to the commandments of the LORD your God, but turn aside from the way which I am commanding you today, by following other gods which you have not known.

Let us look at an example in Exodus 21. God spoke to His people about slavery. This scripture is often misunderstood. We think of slavery as cruel and forced bondage without hope. The slavery we are familiar with in the United States is different than that from Israel’s past. Without dwelling on that detailed study here… just watch how God’s focus is protecting the rights of those who may be subjected to slavery. God was providing protection and a path to freedom, if desired. God’s law provided amazing consideration for how to treat slaves for their protection.

Exodus 21:1-11

      1“Now these are the ordinances which you are to set before them:

      2“If you buy a Hebrew slave, he shall serve for six years; but on the seventh he shall go out as a free man without payment. 3“If he comes alone, he shall go out alone; if he is the husband of a wife, then his wife shall go out with him. 4“If his master gives him a wife, and she bears him sons or daughters, the wife and her children shall belong to her master, and he shall go out alone. 5“But if the slave plainly says, ‘I love my master, my wife and my children; I will not go out as a free man,’ 6then his master shall bring him to God, then he shall bring him to the door or the doorpost. And his master shall pierce his ear with an awl; and he shall serve him permanently.

      7“If a man sells his daughter as a female slave, she is not to go free as the male slaves do. 8“If she is displeasing in the eyes of her master who designated her for himself, then he shall let her be redeemed. He does not have authority to sell her to a foreign people because of his unfairness to her. 9“If he designates her for his son, he shall deal with her according to the custom of daughters. 10“If he takes to himself another woman, he may not reduce her food, her clothing, or her conjugal rights. 11“If he will not do these three things for her, then she shall go out for nothing, without payment of money.

God’s law was not telling people to have slaves, but protecting and caring for those individuals who may find themselves in that situation. Providing hope and a path to freedom and care for their families. God’s law showed the Israelites how to love one another in that circumstance.

Let us prayerfully reflect on the love of God and love of others that is the solid foundation of all of God’s laws and commands. Let us not be quick to discard His law, but rather seek to understand it in proper context.

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Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? If you die today, do you know for sure that you would be with God in heaven? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Loving / Kind

I Learned A Lot From A Bible Study I Could Not Finish

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There are many great Bible studies that we can learn from and use to grow closer to Jehovah. We can study on our own and supplement with other resources from sources we validate as genuine followers of Christ. Typically we expect to finish a Bible study when we begin it. After conducting quite a few, I found one I could not finish. I was searching for all the places where the Bible references love so that I would study and compare and reflect on God’s love for us, the love He calls us to have for one another and for Him.  After quite some time I realized there seemed to be limitless references to love throughout scripture. I actually started to feel disappointed that it would be so hard to finish.

It was then that God showed me I was missing the point. As I contemplated if and how I would finish studying all application of “love” in scripture, the Spirit spoke to me. That was the point. God’s love is so boundless that even just to study it and try to understand it reveals to us how great His love is for us. I continue to study God’s love, but now I do so in more manageable increments… I still have not run out of scripture to study about God’s love. When I get through it all, I can study it again and learn even more. Our heavenly Father is truly wonderful!

1 John 3:1

1See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are.

1 John 4:7-13

7Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 8The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love. 9By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him. 10In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12No one has seen God at any time; if we love one another, God abides in us, and His love is perfected in us. 13By this we know that we abide in Him and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit. 14We have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son to be the Savior of the world.

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Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? If you die today, do you know for sure that you would be with God in heaven? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.