Seven Things to Remember as seen in Deuteronomy – Part 5

Despite all God had done for Israel it seems they kept messing up. Why were they so forgetful? Sometimes my wife tells me I forgot to do something she told me to do and she gets upset with me. I think the years have proven true some of the stereotypes we men have been labeled with. I tend to remember the things I want to remember and forget the things that really aren’t important to me. If we men were being completely honest we would probably have to admit we forget things we really didn’t want to do in the first place and then we face the wrath of our women. Israel was no different. So, God reminds them in Deuteronomy 9:7:

 
Remember and do not forget how you provoked the LORD your God to wrath in the wilderness. From the day you came out of the land of Egypt until you came to this place, you have been rebellious against the LORD.

If it were not for the good graces of God, the Jews would have been wiped out for as we read in the previous verse from Deuteronomy 9:6 when God told them, “Know, therefore, that the LORD your God is not giving you this good land to possess because of your righteousness, for you are a stubborn people.”

Not only were they stubborn, they just didn’t believe God’s promises as we read from Hebrews 3:19 So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief.

We are no different than Israel. We are stubborn sometimes, insisting on doing it our way. Sometimes we just don’t believe God and our faith fails us. We are afraid to step out in faith and lay hold of what God has given us. So we flounder in our Christian walk. We step in and out of our sins. We wander in our own wilderness and provoke God in our stubborn, sinful activity.

Praise God our Father that He has not left us alone to wander in our own flesh. He has given us the Bible to light our way and His Holy Spirit to guide us and teach us in our journey. No, we cannot earn God’s salvation but this does not mean we wander aimlessly or set up camp to dwell in a live of disobedience. We must fight the good fight in defeating the enemies that want to keep us out of the spiritual land of Canaan, where in Christ we can find rest.

Hebrews 4:11
 Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience.

As we read our Bibles and the old stories of Israel we must remember and learn. God gave us His Word to help us as we read in Hebrews 4:12 which says “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”

Let us never forget we are not alone in this fight.

Hebrews 4:14-16
Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.
Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

We must remember that we, too, have provoked God. But thanks be to God, He sent Jesus to save us. He provided the way. He gave us clear instructions.

1 John 1:8-9
 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Remember your sins and confess them. Then remember after that to move on because the blood of Christ has cleansed us from all unrighteousness. Don’t be rebellious. Don’t be stubborn. Believe God. Take the land He has given you.