Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | October 12, 2022

“without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness” – “He (Christ) is the mediator of a new covenant, so that, …. those who have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.”

Today’s devotion comes from Exodus 24:1-8.

“Then He said to Moses, “Come up to the LORD, you and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu and seventy of the elders of Israel, and you shall worship at a distance.  Moses alone, however, shall come near to the LORD, but they shall not come near, nor shall the people come up with him.”

Then Moses came and recounted to the people all the words of the LORD and all the ordinances;  and all the people answered with one voice and said, “All the words which the LORD has spoken we will do!”  Moses wrote down all the words of the LORD.  Then he arose early in the morning, and built an altar at the foot of the mountain with twelve pillars for the twelve tribes of Israel.  He sent young men of the sons of Israel, and they offered burnt offerings and sacrificed young bulls as peace offerings to the LORD.  Moses took half of the blood and put it in basins, and the other half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar.  Then he took the book of the covenant and read it in the hearing of the people;  and they said, “All that the LORD has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient!”  So Moses took the blood and sprinkled it on the people, and said, “Behold the blood of the covenant, which the LORD has made with you in accordance with all these words.”  Exodus 24:1-8.

———————–

“Therefore even the first covenant was not inaugurated without blood.  For when every commandment had been spoken by Moses to all the people according to the Law, he took the blood of the calves and the goats, with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people, saying, “THIS IS THE BLOOD OF THE COVENANT WHICH GOD COMMANDED YOU.”  And in the same way he sprinkled both the tabernacle and all the vessels of the ministry with the blood.  And according to the Law, one may almost say, all things are cleansed with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.”  Hebrews 9:18-22.

“For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who have been defiled sanctify for the cleansing of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

For this reason He (Christ) is the mediator of a new covenant, so that, since a death has taken place for the redemption of the transgressions that were committed under the first covenant, those who have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.”  Hebrews 9:13-15. 

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him.  In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.  In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace which He lavished on us.  …”  Ephesians 1:3-8.

“But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, so that, just as it is written, “LET HIM WHO BOASTS, BOAST IN THE LORD.”  1 Corinthians 1:30-31.  

To sum up the previous two Scriptures, we are in Christ by God’s doing, not be our doing, not by our works nor even by as little as our will.  He “chose us”.  “He predestined us”.  Christ is our sanctification and our redemption through God’s choice, God’s predestination, and God’s work.   

Consider the following from the Canons of Dordt in the section titled SECOND HEAD OF DOCTRINE Of the Death of Christ, and the Redemption of Men Thereby.

Article 8.  For this was the sovereign counsel, and most gracious will and purpose of God the Father, that the quickening and saving efficacy of the most precious death of his Son should extend to all the elect, for bestowing upon them alone the gift of justifying faith, thereby to bring them infallibly to salvation:  that is, it was the will of God, that Christ by the blood of the cross, whereby he confirmed the new covenant, should effectually redeem out of every people, tribe, nation, and language, all those, and those only, who were from eternity chosen to salvation, and given to him by the Father; that he should confer upon them faith, which together with all the other saving gifts of the Holy Spirit, he purchased for them by his death;  should purge them from all sin, both original and actual, whether committed before or after believing;  and having faithfully preserved them even to the end, should at last bring them free from every spot and blemish to the enjoyment of glory in his own presence forever.

“For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified.”  Hebrews 10:14. 

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Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | October 11, 2022

“you shall not worship any other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God”

Today’s devotion comes from Exodus 23:31-33.

“I will fix your boundary from the Red Sea to the sea of the Philistines, and from the wilderness to the River Euphrates;  for I will deliver the inhabitants of the land into your hand, and you will drive them out before you.  You shall make no covenant with them or with their gods.  They shall not live in your land, because they will make you sin against Me;  for if you serve their gods, it will surely be a snare to you.”  Exodus 23:31-33.

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“Then God said, “Behold, I am going to make a covenant. Before all your people I will perform miracles which have not been produced in all the earth nor among any of the nations;  and all the people among whom you live will see the working of the LORD, for it is a fearful thing that I am going to perform with you.

“Be sure to observe what I am commanding you this day:  behold, I am going to drive out the Amorite before you, and the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Perizzite, the Hivite and the Jebusite.  Watch yourself that you make no covenant with the inhabitants of the land into which you are going, or it will become a snare in your midst.  But rather, you are to tear down their altars and smash their sacred pillars and cut down their Asherim —for you shall not worship any other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God— otherwise you might make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land and they would play the harlot with their gods and sacrifice to their gods, and someone might invite you to eat of his sacrifice, and you might take some of his daughters for your sons, and his daughters might play the harlot with their gods and cause your sons also to play the harlot with their gods.”  Exodus 34:10-16.

The sad history of Israel is that despite the warnings and promises, and despite God’s guidance, protection, miracles, and provision of the promised land flowing with milk and honey, Israel rebelled against God and played the harlot with other gods.

But, there is hope!

Christ died for God’s elect, and His offering perfected God’s elect.

“For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified. And the Holy Spirit also testifies to us; for after saying,

“THIS IS THE COVENANT THAT I WILL MAKE WITH THEM
AFTER THOSE DAYS, SAYS THE LORD:
I WILL PUT MY LAWS UPON THEIR HEART,
AND ON THEIR MIND I WILL WRITE THEM,”

He then says,

“AND THEIR SINS AND THEIR LAWLESS DEEDS
I WILL REMEMBER NO MORE.” Hebrews 10:14-17.

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Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | October 10, 2022

“But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it.”

Today’s devotion comes from Exodus 23:28-30.

“I will send hornets ahead of you so that they will drive out the Hivites, the Canaanites, and the Hittites before you.  I will not drive them out before you in a single year, that the land may not become desolate and the beasts of the field become too numerous for you.  I will drive them out before you little by little, until you become fruitful and take possession of the land.”  Exodus 23:28-30. 

———————–

“The LORD your God will clear away these nations before you little by little;  you will not be able to put an end to them quickly, for the wild beasts would grow too numerous for you.”  Deuteronomy 7:22.

We may wonder.  If the LORD is going to do all these wonderful things for us in guiding us, protecting us, and otherwise blessing us, in summary establishing us in the promised land, then why does He allow any wicked to be around us? 

Today’s Scripture gives a specific clear answer for the specific situation facing Israel:  “that the land may not become desolate and the beasts of the field become too numerous for you.”  Verse 29.

For us today, I will give three Scriptures which gives us some insight as to why the LORD allows some wicked to be around us.

I will start with Jesus’ parable of the Tares among Wheat.  

“Jesus presented another parable to them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field.  But while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went away.  But when the wheat sprouted and bore grain, then the tares became evident also.  The slaves of the landowner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field?  How then does it have tares?’  And he said to them, ‘An enemy has done this!’  The slaves *said to him, ‘Do you want us, then, to go and gather them up?’  But he *said, ‘No;  for while you are gathering up the tares, you may uproot the wheat with them.  Allow both to grow together until the harvest;  and in the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather up the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them up;  but gather the wheat into my barn.”’”  Matthew 13:24-30.

“What if God, although willing to demonstrate His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction?  And He did so to make known the riches of His glory upon vessels of mercy, which He prepared beforehand for glory, even us, whom He also called, not from among Jews only, but also from among Gentiles.”  Romans 9:22-24.

“For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope;  for who hopes for what he already sees?  But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it.”  Romans 8:24-25.

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Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | October 9, 2022

“In Your lovingkindness You have led the people whom You have redeemed; In Your strength You have guided them to Your holy habitation.”

Today’s devotion comes from Exodus 23:20-27.

“Behold, I am going to send an angel before you to guard you along the way and to bring you into the place which I have prepared.  Be on your guard before him and obey his voice;  do not be rebellious toward him, for he will not pardon your transgression, since My name is in him.  But if you truly obey his voice and do all that I say, then I will be an enemy to your enemies and an adversary to your adversaries.  For My angel will go before you and bring you in to the land of the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Canaanites, the Hivites and the Jebusites;  and I will completely destroy them.  You shall not worship their gods, nor serve them, nor do according to their deeds;  but you shall utterly overthrow them and break their sacred pillars in pieces.  But you shall serve the LORD your God, and He will bless your bread and your water;  and I will remove sickness from your midst.  There shall be no one miscarrying or barren in your land;  I will fulfill the number of your days.  I will send My terror ahead of you, and throw into confusion all the people among whom you come, and I will make all your enemies turn their backs to you.”  Exodus 23:20-27.   

—————–

“11 “Who is like You among the gods, O LORD?
Who is like You, majestic in holiness,
Awesome in praises, working wonders?
12 “You stretched out Your right hand,
The earth swallowed them.
13 “In Your lovingkindness You have led the people whom You have redeemed;
In Your strength You have guided them to Your holy habitation.
14 “The peoples have heard, they tremble;
Anguish has gripped the inhabitants of Philistia.
15 “Then the chiefs of Edom were dismayed;
The leaders of Moab, trembling grips them;
All the inhabitants of Canaan have melted away.
16 “Terror and dread fall upon them;
By the greatness of Your arm they are motionless as stone;
Until Your people pass over, O LORD,
Until the people pass over whom You have purchased.
17 “You will bring them and plant them in the mountain of Your inheritance,
The place, O LORD, which You have made for Your dwelling,
The sanctuary, O LORD, which Your hands have established.
18 “The LORD shall reign forever and ever.” Exodus 15:11-18.

God guides, protects, and also otherwise blesses His people, the people who He has redeemed, the people whom He has purchased, His elect, His chosen ones, with the goal of bringing them into the place that He has prepared, His holy habitation, the promised land, heaven.   

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him.  In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.  In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace which He lavished on us.  …”  Ephesians 1:3-8.

Consider the following from the Canons of Dordt in the section titled FIRST HEAD OF DOCTRINE Of Divine Predestination which states “election is the fountain of every saving good”.  

Article 9.  This election was not founded upon foreseen faith, and the obedience of faith, holiness, or any other good quality of disposition in man, as the pre-requisite, cause or condition on which it depended;  but men are chosen to faith and to the obedience of faith, holiness, etc., therefore election is the fountain of every saving good;  from which proceed faith, holiness, and the other gifts of salvation, and finally eternal life itself, as its fruits and effects, according to that of the apostle:  “He hath chosen us (not because we were) but that we should be holy, and without blame, before him in love,”  Ephesians 1:4.

We treasure the fictional thought of the “Fountain of Youth” and chase after products that are promoted as coming from it.  

How much more should we treasure the truth that “election is the fountain of every saving good” and chase after election from which proceeds salvation, heaven, and immortality!     

“And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.  For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren;  and these whom He predestined, He also called;  and these whom He called, He also justified;  and these whom He justified, He also glorified.

What then shall we say to these things?  If God is for us, who is against us?  He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?”  Romans 8:28-32.

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Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | October 2, 2022

“For Christ our Passover also has been sacrificed. Therefore let us celebrate the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.”

Today’s devotion comes from Exodus 23:14-19.  I am going on a vacation.  Next devotion, God willing, will be next Sunday, October 9, 2022.

Here is a link to this Scripture – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exodus+23&version=NASB1995

I quote only the following verses.

“Three times a year you shall celebrate a feast to Me.  You shall observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread; for seven days you are to eat unleavened bread, as I commanded you, at the appointed time in the month Abib, for in it you came out of Egypt.  And none shall appear before Me empty-handed.  Also you shall observe the Feast of the Harvest of the first fruits of your labors from what you sow in the field;  also the Feast of the Ingathering at the end of the year when you gather in the fruit of your labors from the field.”  Exodus 23:14-16. 

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“And afterward Moses and Aaron came and said to Pharaoh, “Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, ‘Let My people go that they may celebrate a feast to Me in the wilderness.’”  Exodus 5:1.

“Clean out the old leaven so that you may be a new lump, just as you are in fact unleavened.  For Christ our Passover also has been sacrificed.  Therefore let us celebrate the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.”  1 Corinthians 5:7-8.

“While they were eating, Jesus took some bread, and after a blessing, He broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat;  this is My body.”  And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you;  for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins.”  Matthew 26:26-28.

“Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, you righteous ones;
And shout for joy, all you who are upright in heart.” Psalm 32:11.

“Sing for joy in the LORD, O you righteous ones;
Praise is becoming to the upright.” Psalm 33:1.

“For You, O LORD, have made me glad by what You have done,
I will sing for joy at the works of Your hands.” Psalm 92:4.

“O sing to the LORD a new song,
For He has done wonderful things,
His right hand and His holy arm have gained the victory for Him.” Psalm 98:1.

“Sing to the LORD a new song;
Sing to the LORD, all the earth.
2 Sing to the LORD, bless His name;
Proclaim good tidings of His salvation from day to day.
3 Tell of His glory among the nations,
His wonderful deeds among all the peoples.

…

8 Ascribe to the LORD the glory of His name;
Bring an offering and come into His courts.
9 Worship the LORD in holy attire;
Tremble before Him, all the earth.
10 Say among the nations, “The LORD reigns;
Indeed, the world is firmly established, it will not be moved;
He will judge the peoples with equity.” Psalm 96:1-3 and 8-10.

“Shout joyfully to the LORD, all the earth.
2 Serve the LORD with gladness;
Come before Him with joyful singing.
3 Know that the LORD Himself is God;
It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves;
We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.

4 Enter His gates with thanksgiving
And His courts with praise.
Give thanks to Him, bless His name.
5 For the LORD is good;
His lovingkindness is everlasting
And His faithfulness to all generations.” Psalm chapter 100.

“Praise the LORD!
I will give thanks to the LORD with all my heart,
In the company of the upright and in the assembly.
2 Great are the works of the LORD;
They are studied by all who delight in them.
3 Splendid and majestic is His work,
And His righteousness endures forever.
4 He has made His wonders to be remembered;
The LORD is gracious and compassionate.
5 He has given food to those who fear Him;
He will remember His covenant forever.” Psalm chapter 111:1-5.

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Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | September 30, 2022

“be on your guard; and do not mention the name of other gods, nor let them be heard from your mouth.”

Today’s devotion comes from Exodus 23:13.

“Now concerning everything which I have said to you, be on your guard;  and do not mention the name of other gods, nor let them be heard from your mouth.”  Exodus 23:13.

—————–

This law follows the first commandment:  “You shall have no other gods before Me.”  Exodus 20:3.

Sometimes, laws give the reason for their existence as we saw yesterday in the immediate preceding verse.  For example, we read:  “Six days you are to do your work, but on the seventh day you shall cease from labor so that your ox and your donkey may rest, and the son of your female slave, as well as your stranger, may refresh themselves.”  Exodus 23:12. 

We could speculate on the reason for the law in today’s Scripture, but we may be wrong, and this law stands alone without stating the reason for its existence.   

“Do not be wise in your own eyes;
Fear the LORD and turn away from evil.” Proverbs 3:7.

But, how often does a preacher and teacher think he is excused from the law to not mention the name of other gods, because he is teaching history or supporting his good point which justifies it!

“… be on your guard;  and do not mention the name of other gods, nor let them be heard from your mouth.”  Verse 13.

Is it profitable to personify and name things as if she or he had a mind of her own?  Could that not tempt others to fear them as a god?

There could be a better way to describe those things.   

But, whether or not there is a better way to describe those things, “… be on your guard;  and do not mention the name of other gods, nor let them be heard from your mouth.”  Verse 13.

“The LORD has established His throne in the heavens,
And His sovereignty rules over all.” Psalm 103:19.

“9 “Remember the former things long past,
For I am God, and there is no other;
I am God, and there is no one like Me,
10 Declaring the end from the beginning,
And from ancient times things which have not been done,
Saying, ‘My purpose will be established,
And I will accomplish all My good pleasure’;
11 Calling a bird of prey from the east,
The man of My purpose from a far country.
Truly I have spoken; truly I will bring it to pass.
I have planned it, surely I will do it.” Isaiah 46:9-11.

“To you it was shown that you might know that the LORD, He is God;  there is no other besides Him.  Out of the heavens He let you hear His voice to discipline you;  and on earth He let you see His great fire, and you heard His words from the midst of the fire.  Because He loved your fathers, therefore He chose their descendants after them.  And He personally brought you from Egypt by His great power, driving out from before you nations greater and mightier than you, to bring you in and to give you their land for an inheritance, as it is today.  Know therefore today, and take it to your heart, that the LORD, He is God in heaven above and on the earth below;  there is no other.  So you shall keep His statutes and His commandments which I am giving you today, that it may go well with you and with your children after you, and that you may live long on the land which the LORD your God is giving you for all time.”  Deuteronomy 4:35-40.

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Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | September 29, 2022

“so that the needy of your people may eat” – “so that your ox and your donkey may rest, and the son of your female slave, as well as your stranger, may refresh themselves.”

Today’s devotion comes from Exodus 23:10-12.

“You shall sow your land for six years and gather in its yield, but on the seventh year you shall let it rest and lie fallow, so that the needy of your people may eat;  and whatever they leave the beast of the field may eat.  You are to do the same with your vineyard and your olive grove.

“Six days you are to do your work, but on the seventh day you shall cease from labor so that your ox and your donkey may rest, and the son of your female slave, as well as your stranger, may refresh themselves.”  Exodus 23:10-12. 

————————

“Bless the LORD, O my soul!
O LORD my God, You are very great;
You are clothed with splendor and majesty,
2 Covering Yourself with light as with a cloak,
Stretching out heaven like a tent curtain.
3 He lays the beams of His upper chambers in the waters;
He makes the clouds His chariot;
He walks upon the wings of the wind;
4 He makes the winds His messengers,
Flaming fire His ministers.

5 He established the earth upon its foundations,
So that it will not totter forever and ever.
6 You covered it with the deep as with a garment;
The waters were standing above the mountains.
7 At Your rebuke they fled,
At the sound of Your thunder they hurried away.
8 The mountains rose; the valleys sank down
To the place which You established for them.
9 You set a boundary that they may not pass over,
So that they will not return to cover the earth.

10 He sends forth springs in the valleys;
They flow between the mountains;
11 They give drink to every beast of the field;
The wild donkeys quench their thirst.
12 Beside them the birds of the heavens dwell;
They lift up their voices among the branches.
13 He waters the mountains from His upper chambers;
The earth is satisfied with the fruit of His works.

14 He causes the grass to grow for the cattle,
And vegetation for the labor of man,
So that he may bring forth food from the earth,
15 And wine which makes man’s heart glad,
So that he may make his face glisten with oil,
And food which sustains man’s heart.” Psalm 104:1-15.

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Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | September 28, 2022

“For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love which you have shown toward His name” – “now, will not God bring about justice for His elect who cry to Him day and night, and will He delay long over them?”

Today’s devotion comes from Exodus 23:6-9.

“You shall not pervert the justice due to your needy brother in his dispute.  Keep far from a false charge, and do not kill the innocent or the righteous, for I will not acquit the guilty.

“You shall not take a bribe, for a bribe blinds the clear-sighted and subverts the cause of the just.

“You shall not oppress a stranger, since you yourselves know the feelings of a stranger, for you also were strangers in the land of Egypt.”  Exodus 23:6-9.

——————  

The theme of the recent devotions has been how much God loves justice.  

“Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne;
Lovingkindness and truth go before You.” Psalm 89:14.

“He loves righteousness and justice;
The earth is full of the lovingkindness of the LORD.” Psalm 33:5.

In addition, in the last devotion, we were pleased to acknowledge that God does similar things as He commands us.

Today’s Scripture gives us the duties to “not pervert justice”, to not “subvert the cause of justice”, and “You shall not oppress a stranger”.  

So, putting these two principles together, God’s general love of justice and that God does similar things as He commands us, we can take great hope that God will certainly “not pervert justice” nor “subvert the cause of justice”.

“For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love which you have shown toward His name, in having ministered and in still ministering to the saints.  And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence so as to realize the full assurance of hope until the end, so that you will not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

For when God made the promise to Abraham, since He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself, saying, “I WILL SURELY BLESS YOU AND I WILL SURELY MULTIPLY YOU.”  And so, having patiently waited, he obtained the promise.”  Hebrews 6:10-13.  

“now, will not God bring about justice for His elect who cry to Him day and night, and will He delay long over them?  I tell you that He will bring about justice for them quickly.  …”  Luke 18:7-8.   

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Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | September 27, 2022

“For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.”

Today’s devotion comes from Exodus 23:4-5.

“If you meet your enemy’s ox or his donkey wandering away, you shall surely return it to him.  If you see the donkey of one who hates you lying helpless under its load, you shall refrain from leaving it to him, you shall surely release it with him.”  Exodus 23:4-5.

————-

Today’s Scripture is like other Scriptures which not only gives us a duty to do good things but also gives us a hope that our LORD will do similar good things.  

Specifically, today’s Scripture gives us a duty to show mercy and do good to others even to our enemies.  Our hope is that our LORD will see us, who by our nature of “Total Depravity” hate Him, “lying helpless under its load” of sin and slavery to Satan, but will nevertheless show mercy to us and do good to us.   

“For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.  For one will hardly die for a righteous man;  though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die.  But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.  Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him.  For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.”  Romans 5:6-10.

“And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience.  Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.  But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.”  Ephesians 2:1-7.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR and hate your enemy.’  But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven;  for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.”  Matthew 5:43-45.

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Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | September 26, 2022

“You shall not distort justice; you shall not be partial, … Justice, and only justice, you shall pursue”

Today’s devotion comes from Exodus 23:1-3.

“You shall not bear a false report;  do not join your hand with a wicked man to be a malicious witness.  You shall not follow the masses in doing evil, nor shall you testify in a dispute so as to turn aside after a multitude in order to pervert justice;  nor shall you be partial to a poor man in his dispute.”  Exodus 23:1-3.

—————–

“You shall not distort justice;  you shall not be partial, and you shall not take a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and perverts the words of the righteous.  Justice, and only justice, you shall pursue, that you may live and possess the land which the LORD your God is giving you.”  Deuteronomy 16:19-20.

Today’s Scripture presents specific examples and specific dangers of being a false witness which are within the scope of the ninth commandment: “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.”  Exodus 20:16.

“16 There are six things which the LORD hates,
Yes, seven which are an abomination to Him:
17 Haughty eyes, a lying tongue,
And hands that shed innocent blood,
18 A heart that devises wicked plans,
Feet that run rapidly to evil,
19 A false witness who utters lies,
And one who spreads strife among brothers.” Proverbs 6:16-19.

We can easily understand how the wicked can use a false witness to be malicious.  We can easily understand how masses can be stirred up to do evil and pervert justice by false witnesses.  We can easily understand how some can be tempted to be partial to the poor, thinking that they were doing good by, so to speak, pressing down the scale of justice in favor of the poor thus balancing the scales of justices, in their perverted sense of justice.  

As one example, we remember what some did to Stephen.

“And Stephen, full of grace and power, was performing great wonders and signs among the people.  But some men from what was called the Synagogue of the Freedmen, including both Cyrenians and Alexandrians, and some from Cilicia and Asia, rose up and argued with Stephen.  But they were unable to cope with the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking.  Then they secretly induced men to say, “We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and against God.”  And they stirred up the people, the elders and the scribes, and they came up to him and dragged him away and brought him before the Council.  They put forward false witnesses who said, “This man incessantly speaks against this holy place and the Law;  for we have heard him say that this Nazarene, Jesus, will destroy this place and alter the customs which Moses handed down to us.”  Acts 6:8-14.

“A worthless man digs up evil,
While his words are like scorching fire.” Proverbs 16:27.

But, there is hope!

“and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.

Therefore, laying aside falsehood, SPEAK TRUTH EACH ONE of you with his neighbor, for we are members of one another.”  Ephesians 4:24-25. 

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