20 May 2005
Moshe said, “If you will listen intently to the voice of YHWH you God, do what he considers right, pay attention to his mitzvoth, and observe his laws, I will not afflict you with any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians: because I am YHWH your healer. (Sh’mot [Exodus] 15:26)
The Red Sea has been crossed, Moshe and Miriam have praised God, and they are preparing to follow the pillar of fire by night and pillar of smoke by day to cross the desert. YHWH has thoroughly demonstrated to the Hebrews and Egyptians who is truly Lord, yet we find this little reminder here. One would think that after the miracles performed on their behalf by YHWH working through Moshe, that the people would have obeyed instantly, but apparently not, even after all those miracles they must be reminded, and reminded and reminded and reminded. Now it is important to note, with the warning comes a conditional blessing, “if you will listen intently…I will not afflict you.”
Today there is a divide in Christianity. There are two schools of thought. If I have faith in Jesus, then I am saved, or I am saved by my works. Neither, yet both are true. Faith is what saves us, but we are saved to do works. James tells us, that faith without works is completely dead, or in other words, if Jesus is your Saviour, then he is your Lord as well. As I look around me, the number of people who tell me they are Christians flusters me. I think of one who tells me at least his live in girl friend and children hear about Jesus. While hearing about Jesus is well and good and important, that lady and the children will not see or understand Jesus, unless they see the power in this man’s life. Jesus commands our obedience. What does a live in girl-friend learn of Christian commitment? What do the children learn of obedience when their mother enters the country illegally, drives without a license and lives with someone without being married to them? The point is of course that they learn nothing except to disobey.
Obedience is both hard and easy. Do you really want Jesus as your Lord? You must make the decision whether he is to be your ultimate boss or not. Jesus is either Lord of all or he is not Lord at all. The decision is ours. Once we make that decision and surrender to him, he will give us the power to overcome all, as long as we keep our eyes on him, obeying where we can (and trusting him to help us obey when we cannot obey under our own strength), asking his help when we need it, and studying and obeying his word.
Now the passage says, “I will not afflict you…because I am YHWH your healer, so if you want God to afflict you, then ignore his word. If you want his power in your life follow and obey it. There is a Rabbinic belief about the 613 mitzvoth (commandments) found in the Tanakh or Old Testament. God does not indicate that any are more important than any others, nor for the most part does he indicate rewards for any particular Mitzvoth. This is so that we will obey them all equally out of love for God, and not seeking the reward. It is like tithing. If we tithe seeking God’s blessing on our lives(especially financial as the prosperity Gospel churches preach), then we will receive little or no reward. If instead we tithe because we love God and want to spread his kingdom, the blessings as He promises will be abundant. More than likely they will not be financial, (especially if one hasn’t learned to manage money yet). The primary blessing that God gives us is shalom, a deep inner peace that comes from truly walking with Jesus. As I read the lives of the saints, I am always impressed at their tranquillity and joy in being able to die for the Lord. I especially recall the martyrs of Uganda, who went to their deaths (rather than submit to abominable sexual acts with the king) singing hymns, and the blessing followed them, as the church in Uganda is one of the fastest growing in Africa. We must learn to obey out of love, not in self seeking. We must seek the healer not for healing but for Himself. We must ask him to bless us, but not for our happiness, but that we may be a blessing to further the Kingdom, and we must love Him enough to seek with all our lives to glorify his name. Doesn’t it seem that after we have been delivered from sin and death, we could learn to obey Him?
Shalom and blessings in the Name of Yeshua
+Mar Michael Abportus
mjthan@quik.com
The Red Sea has been crossed, Moshe and Miriam have praised God, and they are preparing to follow the pillar of fire by night and pillar of smoke by day to cross the desert. YHWH has thoroughly demonstrated to the Hebrews and Egyptians who is truly Lord, yet we find this little reminder here. One would think that after the miracles performed on their behalf by YHWH working through Moshe, that the people would have obeyed instantly, but apparently not, even after all those miracles they must be reminded, and reminded and reminded and reminded. Now it is important to note, with the warning comes a conditional blessing, “if you will listen intently…I will not afflict you.”
Today there is a divide in Christianity. There are two schools of thought. If I have faith in Jesus, then I am saved, or I am saved by my works. Neither, yet both are true. Faith is what saves us, but we are saved to do works. James tells us, that faith without works is completely dead, or in other words, if Jesus is your Saviour, then he is your Lord as well. As I look around me, the number of people who tell me they are Christians flusters me. I think of one who tells me at least his live in girl friend and children hear about Jesus. While hearing about Jesus is well and good and important, that lady and the children will not see or understand Jesus, unless they see the power in this man’s life. Jesus commands our obedience. What does a live in girl-friend learn of Christian commitment? What do the children learn of obedience when their mother enters the country illegally, drives without a license and lives with someone without being married to them? The point is of course that they learn nothing except to disobey.
Obedience is both hard and easy. Do you really want Jesus as your Lord? You must make the decision whether he is to be your ultimate boss or not. Jesus is either Lord of all or he is not Lord at all. The decision is ours. Once we make that decision and surrender to him, he will give us the power to overcome all, as long as we keep our eyes on him, obeying where we can (and trusting him to help us obey when we cannot obey under our own strength), asking his help when we need it, and studying and obeying his word.
Now the passage says, “I will not afflict you…because I am YHWH your healer, so if you want God to afflict you, then ignore his word. If you want his power in your life follow and obey it. There is a Rabbinic belief about the 613 mitzvoth (commandments) found in the Tanakh or Old Testament. God does not indicate that any are more important than any others, nor for the most part does he indicate rewards for any particular Mitzvoth. This is so that we will obey them all equally out of love for God, and not seeking the reward. It is like tithing. If we tithe seeking God’s blessing on our lives(especially financial as the prosperity Gospel churches preach), then we will receive little or no reward. If instead we tithe because we love God and want to spread his kingdom, the blessings as He promises will be abundant. More than likely they will not be financial, (especially if one hasn’t learned to manage money yet). The primary blessing that God gives us is shalom, a deep inner peace that comes from truly walking with Jesus. As I read the lives of the saints, I am always impressed at their tranquillity and joy in being able to die for the Lord. I especially recall the martyrs of Uganda, who went to their deaths (rather than submit to abominable sexual acts with the king) singing hymns, and the blessing followed them, as the church in Uganda is one of the fastest growing in Africa. We must learn to obey out of love, not in self seeking. We must seek the healer not for healing but for Himself. We must ask him to bless us, but not for our happiness, but that we may be a blessing to further the Kingdom, and we must love Him enough to seek with all our lives to glorify his name. Doesn’t it seem that after we have been delivered from sin and death, we could learn to obey Him?
Shalom and blessings in the Name of Yeshua
+Mar Michael Abportus
mjthan@quik.com
posted by The Synod of Saint Timothy at 21:04
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