1-10 God's Fidelity Assured
- If after you have been exiled you return to God, he will "restore your fortunes and have compassion on you...."
- God will "circumcise your heart...." Even in Old Testament times, God wanted the hearts of his people, not just our resigned obedience.
- The commandment you receive is not too hard, nor too far away
- It's a simple choice: Follow God, and you will live, grow in number, and be blessed in your new land. Turn to other gods, and you will perish.
- Choose life. See, God is pro-life!
1-8 Joshua to Succeed Moses
- Moses to the people (not speaking for God, but for himself this time)
- At 120 years old, I am no longer able to get about, and God has told me I will not cross the Jordan
- Joshua will go with you
- God will destroy the nations for you
- Be strong and bold...it is the LORD your God who goes with you; he will not fail you nor forsake you."
- Moses to Joshua: "Be strong and bold...It is the LORD who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed." One can't help but be touched by this scene, this passing of the baton from Moses to Joshua. It must have been with a combination of emotions that Moses does this: Sadness, yes, but maybe also relief from the responsibility and satisfaction that he had brought the Israelites this far.
- Moses writes down the law and gives it to the priests, the sons of Levi
- Instruction: Read it every 7th year during the festival of booths before all Israel - men, women, children, and resident aliens
- Moses and Joshua at tabernacle; God appears in the pillar of cloud
- God tells Moses that the people will forsake him for other gods, and he will in turn forsake them.
- So write this song as a witness for me against them, for they will begin taking my gifts for granted, serve other gods and despise my covenant
- To Joshua: "Be strong and bold...."
- Moses writes the law, and tells Levites, Take this law as a witness against you, because I know you're going to rebel against God, and you will have trouble. Here, Moses summarizes God's prophecy, yet coming from him it sounds bitter and accusatory.
1, 6 "The mighty one, God the LORD, speaks and summons the earth.... The heavens declare his righteousness, for God himself is judge."
1 Corinthians 1
1-9 Salutation
- From Paul, an apostle, and Sosthenes
- To the church of God (the sanctified ones, saints,) and all those everywhere who call on our Lord Jesus Christ
- I thank God for you, because you:
- have received the grace of God
- have been enriched by him
- have been strengthened by the testimony of Christ
- are not lacking in any spiritual gift
- will be strengthened by him unto the end
- will therefore be blameless
- were called into the fellowship of God's Son, for God is faithful.
10-17 Divisions in the Church
- I appeal to you to be united in mind and purpose
- For I hear you are divided over whose disciples you are
- I'm glad I baptized so few of you.
- The gospel is what's important; not the vessel that carries it. When the vessel (man) becomes the important thing, the cross loses its power.
- The cross is the power of God -- to those being saved. So maybe an indication of our salvation is our faith in the power of the cross.
- The world won't find God through its own wisdom.
- The power is not in wisdom (for the Greeks) or signs (which the Jews want)
- It's in the weakness of the cross.
- What is God's choice?
- For the foolish to shame the wise;
- For the weak to shame the strong;
- For the low and despised to reduce to nothing things that are.
- Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.
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