Confessions of a Church: Delayed Obedience
The Psalm writer wrote: Open my eyes, that I may behold Wonderful things from Your law. As we come before a Holy God and hear his word, may we have eyes open to the wonderful and fearful things from his law. May it move us to repent and seek forgiveness, fear disobedience, and live in light of the grace we have received. This is the word of God. It is eternally true and applicable for all of life.
Deuteronomy 1:34-46 “Then the Lord heard the sound of your words, and He was angry and took an oath, saying, ‘Not one of these men, this evil generation, shall see the good land which I swore to give your fathers, except Caleb the son of Jephunneh; he shall see it, and to him and to his sons I will give the land on which he has set foot, because he has followed the Lord fully.’ The Lord was angry with me also on your account, saying, ‘Not even you shall enter there. Joshua the son of Nun, who stands before you, he shall enter there; encourage him, for he will cause Israel to inherit it. Moreover, your little ones who you said would become a prey, and your sons, who this day have no knowledge of good or evil, shall enter there, and I will give it to them and they shall possess it. But as for you, turn around and set out for the wilderness by the way to the Red Sea.’ “Then you said to me, ‘We have sinned against the Lord; we will indeed go up and fight, just as the Lord our God commanded us.’ And every man of you girded on his weapons of war, and regarded it as easy to go up into the hill country. And the Lord said to me, ‘Say to them, “Do not go up nor fight, for I am not among you; otherwise you will be defeated before your enemies.”’ So I spoke to you, but you would not listen. Instead you rebelled against the command of the Lord, and acted presumptuously and went up into the hill country. 44 The Amorites who lived in that hill country came out against you and chased you as bees do, and crushed you from Seir to Hormah. Then you returned and wept before the Lord; but the Lord did not listen to your voice nor give ear to you. So you remained in Kadesh many days, the days that you spent there.
Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires— Galatians 5:24.
Are you crucifying the flesh, right this very minute, or is that something you plan on getting to tomorrow?
And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.— Matthew 10:38.
Have you taken up your cross, dear Christian, or are you instead carrying around some precious sins which, once they lose their luster, then you’ll put them down and take up the cross.
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.— Ephesians 6:12.
This presupposes that there are things to struggle against, actively, right now, for the one who claims Christ as Lord. Are you making war against these spiritual forces of wickedness in the Heavenly places in your homes, hearts, and in the world? Or, have you decided to allow the professional, paid ministers to do this work while you grow fat, dumb, and happy partaking of all the flesh satisfying “fun stuff” in the life of the Church?
“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”— Matthew 3:2.
Are you repenting of your sins, right now, or saving some for when the time is more opportune? “Well, it is Thanksgiving. Surely of all the sins, gluttony can be overlooked during this Holiday.”
Delayed obedience is disobedience.
Obedience which does not conform to the standard presented by the One in authority to whom obedience is due, is disobedience.
Grumbling in the midst of “obedience”, is disobedience.
Israel learned this lesson the hard way. Here and in the previous few verses we are reminded that the LORD had commanded Israel to advance into the land of the Amorites, only to have Israel respond with grumbling and unbelief. God’s response was one of righteous anger, referring to the men as an “evil generation”.
In God’s rebuke of Israel, He made it clear that this rebellious generation would not see the land which He swore to give to their fathers (Deut 1:35), and as a result, He commanded them to turn around and set out for the wilderness by the way to the Red Sea (Deut 1:40).
God caught them in their rebellion, rebuked them as a loving father would do, and then disciplined them by withholding the promised land from those in rebellion.
Let me attempt to paint a practical picture for you of what occurred here.
“Son, we are going to Dave and Busters. At Dave and Busters there are games, glorious amounts of fatty, rich food, visual delights and entertainments to satisfy all of your video game and pizza roll cravings. Aside from all of that, you and I will get to spend time together, fellowshipping, and enjoying the delights of being in communion. All that you need, I will provide for you there. I have gone there before you, and know that everything I say is true. The only caveat is, it’s raining, 30 miles away, 33 degrees outside, and we will have to walk from the house to the car and from the car to the entrance. You will get cold, you will get wet, but trust me, it will be worth it.”
Well, your son, who is accustomed to the easy life: Air Jordans which never wear out, an endless supply of breadsticks which magically appear on a plate as he is playing x-box, chick-fil-a nuggets seemingly falling down from the heavens, and double filtered premium spring water to drink says, “Gee dad, that sounds lame. I mean, isn’t there an easier, less painful way? I mean, I know you have supplied me with endless breadsticks, chicken nuggets, and the best, purest water, I know that everything you have said and done to this point in my life has been for my good and come true, but….this is a bridge too far. You don’t love me, you hate me and want me to go outside with my fragile immune system and catch a cold, or (gasp), covid?”
Grumbling and a lack of gratitude, undergirded by unbelief, led to Israel rejecting the promises and commands of God, and subsequently led to their defeat at the hands of the Amorites.
Once Israel was reminded of the anger of the LORD regarding disobedience, and the penalties for said disobedience, they did what every good little Pharisee does: they attempted to conform outwardly, after the fact. After God had given them a follow up command through the prophet “turn around and set out for the wilderness by the way to the Red Sea”, they wrongly believed that they now had the liberty to obey God on their terms, ignoring the fact that God was disciplining them by having them turn back.
The command was given, Israel said “No”, the warning against disobedience was restated, new commands were given to “turn around”, and Israel sought to appease God by showing Him how obedient they would be now, when they wanted to, in their timing, in their way, and with their strength.
Girding up their loins, they set out to go up against the Amorites, believing it to be easy because “Hey, we are God’s people. We will be obedient now, at the time of our choosing, and God will see just how obedient and devoted we are”, and were even warned against it and told that they would be defeated. It is said that they acted presumptuously, which means they were acting arrogantly, presuming, rash, and taking liberties which they did not have. They were their own highest authority. They set the standard for when obedience to God was fitting, and when it was not.
And they were crushed for it (Deut 1:44).
There was much weeping, sort of like when your child gets caught in disobedience and wails loudly to show you just how sorry they are. Only, unlike you, God did not relent. He carried out His discipline, because a father disciplines the son whom He loves (Heb 12:6). Additionally, we know from scripture that Godly sorrow is meant to lead one to repentance, that He resists the proud and gives grace to the humble (James 4:6). In our passage today, we see that God did not give ear to them. Why? Weren’t their tears enough? Were they not sorry? It is clear that their sins had made a separation between them and their God (Isaiah 59:2), and that this weeping was the weeping of a spoiled child who got caught, rather than the weeping of one who had a broken and contrite heart which God does not despise (Psalm 51:17). They had acted arrogantly, believing they could pick and choose the time, place, and means of their obedience to God, and this proved costly.
Brothers and sisters, where are you delaying this morning? Where has God called you to, yet because of unbelief, you grumble and drag your feet?
What enemies are before you which God has called you to make war against, yet you cower in fear and let them remain in the land? Laziness? Lust? Covetousness?
Where have you been disobedient to God’s plan for your life, and sought to instead obey your way, and as a result, you find everything laid waste?
Repent brothers and sisters. Right now. Do not tarry in your sins. The Lord Jesus calls you to purity, to holiness (1 Thessalonians 4:7). Why linger in sin and presume upon the riches of God’s grace? Shall we continue in sin so that grace may abound (Romans 6:1)? May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it (Romans 6:2)?
Jesus said that He came that we might have life, and have it abundantly (John 10:10). Won’t you put your faith in Him today, trust in the risen Savior, be filled with the Holy Spirit, and walk in the newness of life (Romans 6:4)?
If you are able at this time, please kneel as we confess our sins before the Throne of Grace.
THOU RIGHTEOUS AND HOLY SOVEREIGN,
In whose hand is our lives and whose are all
our ways,
Keep us from fluttering about religion;
fix us firm in it,
for we are irresolute;
our decisions are smoke and vapour,
and we do not glorify thee,
or behave according to thy will;
Cut us not off before my thoughts grow
to responses,
and the budding of our souls into full flower,
for thou art forbearing and good,
patient and kind.
Save us from ourselves,
from the artifices and deceits of sin,
from the treachery of our perverse nature,
from denying thy charge against our offences,
from a life of continual rebellion against thee,
from wrong principles, views, and ends;
for we know that all our thoughts, affections,
desires and pursuits are alienated from thee.
We have acted as if we hated thee, although thou art
love itself;
have contrived to tempt thee to the uttermost,
to wear out thy patience;
have lived evilly in word and action.
Had we been princes
we would long ago have crushed such rebels;
Had we been a father
We would long since have rejected our child.
O, thou Father of our spirit,
thou King of our lives,
cast us not into destruction,
drive us not from thy presence,
but wound our hearts that they may be healed;
break it that thine own hand
may make it whole.
In Jesus’ Name we pray, Amen.
(Prayer adapted from the Valley of Vision prayer titled “The cry of a convicted sinner”)
Listen now to the comforting assurance of the grace of God, promised in the gospel to his church:
Philippians 4: 4-7 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
To all those who thus repent and seek Jesus Christ for their salvation, your sins are forgiven in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Lift up your hearts!
(From the 11/21/2021 liturgy of Sovereign King Church written by Aaron Sabie.)