Today’s Devotion
Topic : Let Us Fear God!
Text: Number 11: 1- 3
1. Now the people complained about their hardships in the hearing of the LORD, and when he heard them his anger was aroused. Then fire from the LORD burned among them and consumed some of the outskirts of the camp. 2. When the people cried out to Moses, he prayed to the LORD and the fire died down. 3 So that place was called Taberah, because fire from the LORD had burned among them. Amen
Our God is a consuming fire! He hates sin and can never condone iniquity. He would in times past instantly punish individuals and generations who blasphemed His sacred name and treated His word with contempt. He wouldn’t tolerate any insolence from His creation while He remained our source.
You remember the unfortunate death of Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu, when they offered “unauthorised fire” before the Lord. Fire came out from the presence of the Lord and consumed them, and they died before the Lord (Lev 10: 1- 2). “Moses then said to Aaron, “This is what the Lord spoke of when he said: “‘Among those who approach me I will be proved holy; in the sight of all the people I will be honored.’ ”Aaron remained silent. (Lev 10: 3).
The standard has not changed in our day, beloved. Jehovah our God is still proved as Holy among those who approach Him. Ever loving, ever powerful, ever forgiving and ever just.
It is “because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail” (Lam 3: 22), in spite of our very blasphemous and treacherous behaviour. For we are worse today than those who were under the law. The simple reason being that, though not under grace, majority of them were rather spared than destroyed because they really made efforts to honor God.
However, we have become more treacherous and abominable. Right before the eyes of God we totally disregard His word and do the unspeakable. We steal, fight, fornicate, lie and kill. We only clean our mess, hide it from all and pretend we are still in great standing with God.
But let us not be deceived brethren, God can not be mocked. Whatsoever we sow, is exactly what we will reap. The only reason why we are spared the instant justice and punishment of God is the sacrifice Christ made on the cross for our sake. That sacrifice did (and still does) one of two things:
I. It forgives our sins and reconciles us back to God by allowing mercy to intervene where justice recommends punishment and where the law condemns to death.
ii. It also defers all instant punishments of sin (not so we continue in our inquity); but for a particular day called the JUDGMENT DAY where all mankind will be judged according to their deeds. The “deferred” punishment is so, just to afford all men the opportunity to come to the saving knowledge of Christ and have their sins paid for and their lives freed from eternal condemnation.
However, we take that for granted all the time, don’t we? We act like a people who by their good deeds merit every pardon received. Yet it is a universal truth that, but for grace, many of us would have been consumed for the way we live, choices we make and the things we say that totally disregard God. We are still here because of the atoning blood of Christ.
“What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?” (Rom 6: 1-2).
Begin to pray now as we begin a new week. In all things and at all times, ask that the fear of God takes control of your life, so that you can honor Him totally regardless of the circumstance you find yourself. Jehovah is God, Let all the earth honor Him as such. HE IS GOD!
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