Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

Today’s devotion comes from Numbers 11:1-9.  Next devotion, God willing, will be come on Monday, June 30, 2014.  I plan to be in Gainesville, Georgia for the next few days.

“Now the people became like those who complain of adversity in the hearing of the Lord; and when the Lord heard it, His anger was kindled, and the fire of the Lord burned among them and consumed some of the outskirts of the camp.  The people therefore cried out to Moses, and Moses prayed to the Lord and the fire died out.  So the name of that place was called Taberah, because the fire of the Lord burned among them.

The rabble who were among them had greedy desires;  and also the sons of Israel wept again and said, “Who will give us meat to eat?  We remember the fish which we used to eat free in Egypt, the cucumbers and the melons and the leeks and the onions and the garlic, but now our appetite is gone.  There is nothing at all to look at except this manna.”

Now the manna was like coriander seed, and its appearance like that of bdellium.  The people would go about and gather it and grind it between two millstones or beat it in the mortar, and boil it in the pot and make cakes with it;  and its taste was as the taste of cakes baked with oil.  When the dew fell on the camp at night, the manna would fall with it.”  Numbers 11:1-9.  

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When we are faced with adversity, do we complain or are we composed?  Do we panic or are we patient?  

We read in today’s Scripture that Israel complained, and the LORD’s anger was kindled and burned.  The LORD’s anger burned some of the outskirts of the camp.  

Psalm 78 contains a panoramic summary of the history of God’s care for Israel in the wilderness and how Israel reacted to God.  I quote just the following verses.

“¹⁴ Then He led them with the cloud by day
And all the night with a light of fire.
¹⁵ He split the rocks in the wilderness
And gave them abundant drink like the ocean depths.
¹⁶ He brought forth streams also from the rock
And caused waters to run down like rivers.

Today’s devotion comes from Numbers 10:11-36.  Here is a link to this Scripture – http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Numbers+10&version=NASB

I quote the following verses.

“Then Moses said to Hobab the son of Reuel the Midianite, Moses’ father-in-law, “We are setting out to the place of which the Lord said, ‘I will give it to you’;  come with us and we will do you good, for the Lord has promised good concerning Israel.”  But he said to him, “I will not come, but rather will go to my own land and relatives.”  Then he said, “Please do not leave us, inasmuch as you know where we should camp in the wilderness, and you will be as eyes for us.  So it will be, if you go with us, that whatever good the Lord does for us, we will do for you.”  Numbers 10:29-32.

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Hobab was not a stranger to Moses, being Moses’ father-in-law, but he was an alien.  He had his own land and his own relatives.

We will use today’s Scripture to consider how to treat, in the language of Scripture, those aliens sojourning in the land with us, those strangers.

How do we treat strangers? 

“‘When a stranger resides with you in your land, you shall not do him wrong.   The stranger who resides with you shall be to you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt;  I am the Lord your God.”  Leviticus 19:33-34.

“9 The Lord protects the strangers;
He supports the fatherless and the widow,
But He thwarts the way of the wicked.
10 The Lord will reign forever,
Your God, O Zion, to all generations.
Praise the Lord!”  Psalm 146:9-10.

And, there is much more.

“25 As He says also in Hosea,

“I will call those who were not My people, ‘My people,’
And her who was not beloved, ‘beloved.’”
26 “And it shall be that in the place where it was said to them, ‘you are not My people,’
There they shall be called sons of the living God.”  Romans 9:25-26.

And so, as Israel itself was aliens in the land of Egypt, we should also consider that as Gentiles, we were aliens, strangers;  “remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.”  Ephesians 2:12.

“But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.”  Ephesians 2:13.  “So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God’s household, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit.”  Ephesians 2:19-22.

“Opening his mouth, Peter said:

“I most certainly understand now that God is not one to show partiality, but in every nation the man who fears Him and does what is right is welcome to Him.”  Acts 10:34-35.

There is certainly other Scripture to consider such as Proverbs 13:20:  “He who walks with wise men will be wise, But the companion of fools will suffer harm.”

“We urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone.”  1 Thessalonians 5:14.

But, we should not shut out strangers, just because they are strangers.  We should not wrong strangers, just because they are strangers.  We should not be aloof to strangers, just because they are strangers.

In conclusion, we will consider Jesus’ words in Matthew 25:31-46.

“31 “But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; 33 and He will put the sheep on His right, and the goats on the left.

34 “Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35 For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; 36 naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.’ 37 Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? 38 And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? 39 When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ 40 The King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’

41 “Then He will also say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels; 42 for I was hungry, and you gave Me nothing to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me nothing to drink; 43 I was a stranger, and you did not invite Me in; naked, and you did not clothe Me; sick, and in prison, and you did not visit Me.’ 44 Then they themselves also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not take care of You?’ 45 Then He will answer them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ 46 These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”  Matthew 25:31-46.

Generally, let us welcome and do good to strangers.

Today’s devotion comes from Numbers 10:1-10.

“1 The Lord spoke further to Moses, saying, 2 “Make yourself two trumpets of silver, of hammered work you shall make them;  and you shall use them for summoning the congregation and for having the camps set out.  3 When both are blown, all the congregation shall gather themselves to you at the doorway of the tent of meeting.  4 Yet if only one is blown, then the leaders, the heads of the divisions of Israel, shall assemble before you.  5 But when you blow an alarm, the camps that are pitched on the east side shall set out.  6 When you blow an alarm the second time, the camps that are pitched on the south side shall set out;  an alarm is to be blown for them to set out.  7 When convening the assembly, however, you shall blow without sounding an alarm.  8 The priestly sons of Aaron, moreover, shall blow the trumpets;  and this shall be for you a perpetual statute throughout your generations.  9 When you go to war in your land against the adversary who attacks you, then you shall sound an alarm with the trumpets, that you may be remembered before the Lord your God, and be saved from your enemies.  10 Also in the day of your gladness and in your appointed feasts, and on the first days of your months, you shall blow the trumpets over your burnt offerings, and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings;  and they shall be as a reminder of you before your God.  I am the Lord your God.”  Numbers 10:1-10.

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In today’s Scripture, there were various uses for blowing the silver trumpets for alerts and alarms, but we will focus on the last two uses which I put in bold italic font above, namely for summoning God to help in time of trouble (war) and for praising God in time of prosperity (gladness and feasts).

In trying to apply today’s Scripture, I thought:  “What are our silver trumpets?  How do we summon God and praise?”

Certainly, we can cite the means of praying, reading the Bible, singing songs, and attending church.  We can use our two lips.

But, so to speak, we can use our “TULIP”s as well.

We use our “TULIP”s to speak the truth of what God has done for us:  “Unconditional Election”, “Limited Atonement”, “Irresistible Grace”, and “Preservation of the Saints” in “TULIP”, the Five Points of Calvinism, the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation.

Thus, when we face trouble, we sound the alarm with our “TULIP”s, summoning God in faith, reminding God of all that He has done for us, and fitting our specific prayer request within His overall faithful “TULIP” care of us.

And, when we face prosperity, we praise God in faith with our “TULIP”s, remembering that God is our Faithful Father Who causes all things to work together for our good including, most importantly, our salvation through “TULIP”.

Consistent with our use of “TULIP”s, we read the following from the Heidelberg Catechism. 

Question 28.  What advantage is it to us to know that God has created, and by his providence doth still uphold all things? 

Answer.  That we may be patient in adversity;  thankful in prosperity;  and that in all things, which may hereafter befall us, we place our firm trust in our faithful God and Father, that nothing shall separate us from his love;  since all creatures are so in his hand, that without his will they cannot so much as move.

In final nutshell summary, through our use of “TULIP”s, we pray and praise remembering and reminding God of His gracious providence toward us.

Today’s devotion comes from Numbers 9:15-23.

“15 Now on the day that the tabernacle was erected the cloud covered the tabernacle, the tent of the testimony, and in the evening it was like the appearance of fire over the tabernacle, until morning.  16 So it was continuously; the cloud would cover it by day, and the appearance of fire by night.  17 Whenever the cloud was lifted from over the tent, afterward the sons of Israel would then set out;  and in the place where the cloud settled down, there the sons of Israel would camp.  18 At the command of the Lord the sons of Israel would set out, and at the command of the Lord they would camp; as long as the cloud settled over the tabernacle, they remained camped.  19 Even when the cloud lingered over the tabernacle for many days, the sons of Israel would keep the Lord’s charge and not set out.  20 If sometimes the cloud remained a few days over the tabernacle, according to the command of the Lord they remained camped.  Then according to the command of the Lord they set out.  21 If sometimes the cloud remained from evening until morning, when the cloud was lifted in the morning, they would move out; or if it remained in the daytime and at night, whenever the cloud was lifted, they would set out. 22 Whether it was two days or a month or a year that the cloud lingered over the tabernacle, staying above it, the sons of Israel remained camped and did not set out;  but when it was lifted, they did set out.  23 At the command of the Lord they camped, and at the command of the Lord they set out;  they kept the Lord’s charge, according to the command of the Lord through Moses.”  Numbers 9:15-23.

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In today’s Scripture, we read about the heavenly cloud of the presence of God which led Israel.  How glorious to be in the presence of God!  How glorious to be led by the presence of God!

“You will make known to me the path of life;
In Your presence is fullness of joy;
In Your right hand there are pleasures forever.”  Psalm 16:11.

“1 O God, we have heard with our ears,
Our fathers have told us
The work that You did in their days,
In the days of old.
2 You with Your own hand drove out the nations;
Then You planted them;
You afflicted the peoples,
Then You spread them abroad.
3 For by their own sword they did not possess the land,
And their own arm did not save them,
But Your right hand and Your arm and the light of Your presence,
For You favored them.”  Psalm 44:1-3.

“7 Where can I go from Your Spirit?
Or where can I flee from Your presence?
8 If I ascend to heaven, You are there;
If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there.
9 If I take the wings of the dawn,
If I dwell in the remotest part of the sea,
10 Even there Your hand will lead me,
And Your right hand will lay hold of me.
11 If I say, “Surely the darkness will overwhelm me,
And the light around me will be night,”
12 Even the darkness is not dark to You,
And the night is as bright as the day.
Darkness and light are alike to You.”  Psalm 139:7-12.

And, as glorious as it was, we have more than a heavenly cloud of presence of God outside of us to lead us. 

We have the indwelling of the Spirit of God to lead us. 

This indwelling of the Spirit of God first of all removes our heart of stone and replaces it with a heart of flesh so that instead of being stubborn and rebellious, we are cooperative and followers of God.

“Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you;  and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.  I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances.”  Ezekiel 36:26-27.

This indwelling of the Spirit of God bears the fruit of the Spirit within us and creates Godly desires which further prompt us to follow God.  “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control …”  Galatians 5:22-23.

“For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.”  Romans 8:14.

“Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord, equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever.  Amen.”  Hebrews 13:20-21.

Today’s devotion comes from Numbers 9:1-14.

“1 Thus the Lord spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the first month of the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt, saying, 2 “Now, let the sons of Israel observe the Passover at its appointed time.  3 On the fourteenth day of this month, at twilight, you shall observe it at its appointed time;  you shall observe it according to all its statutes and according to all its ordinances.”  4 So Moses told the sons of Israel to observe the Passover.  5 They observed the Passover in the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month, at twilight, in the wilderness of Sinai;  according to all that the Lord had commanded Moses, so the sons of Israel did.  6 But there were some men who were unclean because of the dead person, so that they could not observe Passover on that day;  so they came before Moses and Aaron on that day.  7 Those men said to him, “Though we are unclean because of the dead person, why are we restrained from presenting the offering of the Lord at its appointed time among the sons of Israel?”  8 Moses therefore said to them, “Wait, and I will listen to what the Lord will command concerning you.”

9 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 10 “Speak to the sons of Israel, saying, ‘If any one of you or of your generations becomes unclean because of a dead person, or is on a distant journey, he may, however, observe the Passover to the Lord.  11 In the second month on the fourteenth day at twilight, they shall observe it;  they shall eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. 1 2 They shall leave none of it until morning, nor break a bone of it;  according to all the statute of the Passover they shall observe it.  13 But the man who is clean and is not on a journey, and yet neglects to observe the Passover, that person shall then be cut off from his people, for he did not present the offering of the Lord at its appointed time.  That man will bear his sin.  14 If an alien sojourns among you and observes the Passover to the Lord, according to the statute of the Passover and according to its ordinance, so he shall do;  you shall have one statute, both for the alien and for the native of the land.’”  Numbers 9:1-14.

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The LORD made a temporary provision.  The LORD allowed those who were unable to take Passover on time, because they were temporarily unclean or on a trip, to take the Passover a month later.

But, the LORD did not excuse those who were able to take the Passover on time exactly as required, but who neglected to take it on time as exactly required for possible various reasons.  It may not have been convenient for them (possible reason for their neglect – verse 13) ) or customary to them (such as if they were an alien sojourning in the land, they would still be subject to the same law – verse 14).

How does this Scripture apply to us? 

There are many who think the lesson is simply that we cannot be excused from the requirements of the Law because it is inconvenient to us or strange to us.  They think that all we need is more time:  a second chance or even a repeated series of forgivenesses and retrys until we get it right.

But, are we truly able to obey the requirements of the Law?

No!  We can be given a second chance and all the rest of chances, and we will still be unable to obey the requirements of the Law.  Although “the Law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good” (Romans 7:12), the problem is sin within us.

“For while we were in the flesh, the sinful passions, which were aroused by the Law, were at work in the members of our body to bear fruit for death.”   Romans 7:5.  “But sin, taking opportunity through the commandment, produced in me coveting of every kind …”  Romans 7:8 “and this commandment, which was to result in life, proved to result in death for me;  for sin, taking an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me and through it killed me.”  Romans 7:10-11.

Are we, nevertheless, even though we will never get it right, forced to go through life continually in bondage to the Law?

Is there only a temporary provision for us? 

Or, does today’s Scripture give us hope that God may have made a permanent provision for us?

Praise God!  God did indeed make a permanent provision for us!

“For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did:  sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.”  Romans 8:3-4.

“But now we have been released from the Law, having died to that by which we were bound, so that we serve in newness of the Spirit and not in oldness of the letter.”  Romans 7:6.

“Therefore, my brethren, you also were made to die to the Law through the body of Christ, so that you might be joined to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God.”  Romans 7:4.

Today’s devotion comes from Numbers 8:5-26.  Here is a link to this Scripture – http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Numbers+8&version=NASB

I quote the following verses.

“Thus you shall separate the Levites from among the sons of Israel, and the Levites shall be Mine.  Then after that the Levites may go in to serve the tent of meeting.  But you shall cleanse them and present them as a wave offering;  for they are wholly given to Me from among the sons of Israel.  I have taken them for Myself instead of every first issue of the womb, the firstborn of all the sons of Israel.  For every firstborn among the sons of Israel is Mine, among the men and among the animals;  on the day that I struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt I sanctified them for Myself.  But I have taken the Levites instead of every firstborn among the sons of Israel.  I have given the Levites as a gift to Aaron and to his sons from among the sons of Israel, to perform the service of the sons of Israel at the tent of meeting and to make atonement on behalf of the sons of Israel, so that there will be no plague among the sons of Israel by their coming near to the sanctuary.”  Numbers 8:14-19.

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Today’s Scripture reminds us of God’s strong claim of ownership of us, His people. 

“Thus you are to be holy to Me, for I the Lord am holy;  and I have set you apart from the peoples to be Mine.”  Leviticus 20:26.

But, being owned by God has its privileges.

“1 But now, thus says the Lord, your Creator, O Jacob,
And He who formed you, O Israel,
“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by name;  you are Mine!
2 “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
And through the rivers, they will not overflow you.
When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched,
Nor will the flame burn you.
3 “For I am the Lord your God,
The Holy One of Israel, your Savior;
I have given Egypt as your ransom,
Cush and Seba in your place.
4 “Since you are precious in My sight,
Since you are honored and I love you,
I will give other men in your place and other peoples in exchange for your life.
5 “Do not fear, for I am with you;
I will bring your offspring from the east,
And gather you from the west.
6 “I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’
And to the south, ‘Do not hold them back.’
Bring My sons from afar
And My daughters from the ends of the earth,
7 Everyone who is called by My name,
And whom I have created for My glory,
Whom I have formed, even whom I have made.”  Isaiah 43:1-7.

“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 8:32.

In conclusion, our only comfort in life and death is that we are owned by God and belong to Him.

Question 1.  What is thy only comfort in life and death? 

Answer.  That I with body and soul, both in life and death, am not my own, but belong unto my faithful Savior Jesus Christ; who, with his precious blood, hath fully satisfied for all my sins, and delivered me from all the power of the devil;  and so preserves me that without the will of my heavenly Father, not a hair can fall from my head;  yea, that all things must be subservient to my salvation, and therefore, by his Holy Spirit, he also assures me of eternal life, and makes me sincerely willing and ready, henceforth, to live unto him.  Heidelberg Catechism.

Today’s devotion comes from Numbers 8:1-4.

“Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to Aaron and say to him, ‘When you mount the lamps, the seven lamps will give light in the front of the lampstand.’”  Aaron therefore did so;  he mounted its lamps at the front of the lampstand, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.  Now this was the workmanship of the lampstand, hammered work of gold;  from its base to its flowers it was hammered work; according to the pattern which the Lord had shown Moses, so he made the lampstand.”  Numbers 8:1-4.

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“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.”  Ephesians 2:10.

Jesus is the “Light of the world”.  John 8:12 and John 9:5.  But, as God’s workmanship, we also are “the light of the world”.  Matthew 5:14.

“You are the light of the world.  A city set on a hill cannot be hidden;  nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.  Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”  Matthew 5:14-16.

In addition to God making us as “His workmanship” to give light, God positions us so that, in the language of Matthew 5:14-16, we are not put under a basket, but rather we are put on a lampstand to give light to all who are in the house.  We especially give light to those who are in the house of God.

We see in today’s Scripture that God instructed the lamps to be mounted, so that “the seven lamps will give light in the front of the lampstand”.  Likewise, we are positioned by God so that our light will shine before men in such a way that they will see our good works and glorify God.

Today’s devotion comes from Numbers Chapter 7.  Here is a link to this Scripture – http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Numbers+7&version=NASB

I quote the following verses.

“1 Now on the day that Moses had finished setting up the tabernacle, he anointed it and consecrated it with all its furnishings and the altar and all its utensils;  he anointed them and consecrated them also.  2 Then the leaders of Israel, the heads of their fathers’ households, made an offering (they were the leaders of the tribes;  they were the ones who were over the numbered men). …

10 The leaders offered the dedication offering for the altar when it was anointed, so the leaders offered their offering before the altar. 11 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Let them present their offering, one leader each day, for the dedication of the altar.”

12 Now the one who presented his offering on the first day was Nahshon the son of Amminadab, of the tribe of Judah;  13 and his offering was one silver dish whose weight was one hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering;  14 one gold pan of ten shekels, full of incense;  15 one bull, one ram, one male lamb one year old, for a burnt offering;  16 one male goat for a sin offering;  17 and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, five male lambs one year old.  This was the offering of Nahshon the son of Amminadab.  …”  Numbers Chapter 7:  Verses 1-2 and 10-17.

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I quoted just the first offering on the first day by Nahshon the son of Amminadab, the leader of the tribe of Judah.  But, God thought it was important enough to list in precise detail in His Word the next eleven offerings by the next eleven leaders of the next eleven tribes of Israel, even though the offerings were identical.  Each of the leaders and each of the tribes were obviously different, but they offered the same offering.

The precise detailed listing of each offering even though they were the same over so many verses should lead us to consider that God does not want His worship to be “willy-nilly” or “anything goes”.  God wants His worship to be regulated according to His desires and His Word.  Today, each of the ministers of each denomination are obviously different, but that does not give them the excuse to fashion their worship service to their own desires to do anything they want.

And so, today, we again see Biblical support for the Regulative Principle of Worship in Reformed Doctrine.

Here is an article on it titled “The Regulative Principle of Worship (1)” by Griess Cory, in “O Come Let Us Worship” Volume 88/2012 Issue: 14, 4/15/2012 of the Standard Bearer, a publication of the Protestant Reformed Churches in America.

Here is a link to the article – – http://standardbearer.rfpa.org/articles/regulative-principle-worship-1

I quote the following part of this article:

“When John Calvin was asked to give his opinion regarding what were the most important issues in the Reformation of the church in the sixteenth century, he said this: “If it be inquired, then, by what things chiefly the Christian religion has a standing existence amongst us, and maintains its truth, it will be found that the following two not only occupy the principal place, but comprehend under them all the other parts, and consequently the whole substance of Christianity, a knowledge first of the mode in which God is duly worshipped; and secondly, of the source from which salvation is to be obtained.”1

So important is right worship, that to Calvin it was a more significant issue in the church even than the doctrines of salvation. This is so because salvation is a means to the end of worship. The church exists for worship. The church trains her members and their children so that there is worship. The church does mis­sions so that there might be worship where there was not worship before. Indeed, the chief end of man is to worship.

For this reason we have taken up a series on three great principles regarding the public corporate worship of the church. So far we have seen that public worship is a covenantal assembly gathered to meet with God. We have seen that God carries out that meeting as a dialogue between Himself and His people. Now we see that God is the one who in His sovereignty regu­lates what takes place in that covenantal assembly. He decides what brings Him glory and what will bring us into the experience of the covenant of grace. This is the regulative principle of worship.

The regulative principle of worship is the principle that God in His Word tells us how to worship Him. What God commands in worship must be done, and what He does not command in worship is forbidden. This principle arises first of all out of the second com­mandment. In the first commandment God commands us whom to worship—“no other gods but Me” In the second commandment God speaks to us about how to worship Him. Exodus 20:4: “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.”

Negatively, the second commandment tells us we are not to worship Him by graven images. Israel was tempted by this. When they made the golden calf, they weren’t thinking that the actual calf was their god; rather they were attempting to worship Jehovah as represented by that calf. The issue was the mode and manner of worship. The calf was not a new god; it was a new way to worship Jehovah God.

God says in the second command, “I will not be wor­shiped that way.” The Heidelberg Catechism expands the application of the principle that God speaks to how He will be worshiped. The Heidelberg says it is not up to the imaginations of men how God will be worshiped, but rather He will be worshiped in no other way than He has commanded in His Word. He is the sovereign God and He determines how He will be worshiped.

We can state that positively as well. “Worship Me,” God is saying in the second commandment. “And worship me, the way I desire to be worshiped.” That’s the regulative principle—worship God in the way He wants; He’s the one being worshiped, after all. It’s for Him. Give Him what He desires. This is the question we are asking when we speak of the regulative principle of worship: what does God want in the worship of His name? When we come for this covenantal dialogue, what exactly does He want to take place? What are the elements of this dialogue that God requires? May we add different elements to the covenantal meeting?

When people deal with these issues concerning wor­ship, they often begin by asking the wrong question. Some begin by asking, “What will be the most appeal­ing to people? What will allow people to showcase their individual talents the best and make them feel most special? What will be the elements that are most like the culture around us? What will be the most fun for us?” Or on the other side of the coin, sometimes the first question people ask is, “What are our favorite songs from childhood? Or what have we always done?” But none of these questions address the essence of it.

The question first of all is, how does God desire to be worshiped? What does His Word say about the public worship of His name? In worship God speaks to us, and we respond in love for Him. He is the audience, not us. Therefore the question is, what does He desire from us? What will please Him? What brings Him more glory? …”

Today’s devotion comes from Numbers 6:22-27.

“22 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 23 “Speak to Aaron and to his sons, saying, ‘Thus you shall bless the sons of Israel. You shall say to them:

24 The Lord bless you, and keep you;

25 The Lord make His face shine on you,
And be gracious to you;

26 The Lord lift up His countenance on you,

And give you peace.’

27 So they shall invoke My name on the sons of Israel, and I then will bless them.”   Numbers 6:22-27.

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Do we really believe God will bless us?  Or, do we just wait and see? 

Do we really believe that God will fully bless us?  Or, do we just believe that the blessing will be “just” heaven? 

Do we treasure the benediction with eager open hands full of faith?  Or, do we just view the benediction as an unimportant conclusion to the worship service? 

Our belief that God will bless us is important.  It is an element of faith.  “And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.”  Hebrews 11:6.

Our belief that God will bless us is so important that He interposed an oath.

“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.  For men swear by one greater than themselves, and with them an oath given as confirmation is an end of every dispute.  In the same way God, desiring even more to show to the heirs of the promise the unchangeableness of His purpose, interposed with an oath, so that by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge would have strong encouragement to take hold of the hope set before us.  This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil, where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us, having become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.”  Hebrews 6:13-20.

And, the consequences of unbelief can be severe.

“Take care, brethren, that there not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God.”  Hebrews 3:12.

“Therefore, let us fear if, while a promise remains of entering His rest, any one of you may seem to have come short of it.  For indeed we have had good news preached to us, just as they also;  but the word they heard did not profit them, because it was not united by faith in those who heard.”  Hebrews 4:1-2.

So, let us be encouraged.  Let us grow in knowledge and faith.  Let us take hold of the hope set before us.  Let us reach out eagerly for the benediction and promises of God with open hands full of faith.

“7 You have put gladness in my heart,
More than when their grain and new wine abound.
8 In peace I will both lie down and sleep,
For You alone, O Lord, make me to dwell in safety.”  Psalm 4:7-8.

“The Lord will give strength to His people;
The Lord will bless His people with peace.”  Psalm 29:11.

“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,”  Ephesians 1:3.

“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.”  Romans 8:28.

“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 8:32.

“For the Lord God is a sun and shield;  The Lord gives grace and glory;  No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly.”  Psalm 84:11.

“Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life,
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”  Psalm 23:6.

Today’s devotion comes from Numbers 6:1-21.  Here is a link to this Scripture – http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Numbers+6&version=NASB

I quote the following verses.

“1  Again the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them, ‘When a man or woman makes a special vow, the vow of a Nazirite, to dedicate himself to the Lord, 3 he shall abstain from wine and strong drink; he shall drink no vinegar, whether made from wine or strong drink, nor shall he drink any grape juice nor eat fresh or dried grapes.  4 All the days of his separation he shall not eat anything that is produced by the grape vine, from the seeds even to the skin.

5 ‘All the days of his vow of separation no razor shall pass over his head.  He shall be holy until the days are fulfilled for which he separated himself to the Lord;  he shall let the locks of hair on his head grow long.

6 ‘All the days of his separation to the Lord he shall not go near to a dead person.  7 He shall not make himself unclean for his father or for his mother, for his brother or for his sister, when they die, because his separation to God is on his head.  8 All the days of his separation he is holy to the Lord.   …

21 “This is the law of the Nazirite who vows his offering to the Lord according to his separation, in addition to what else he can afford; according to his vow which he takes, so he shall do according to the law of his separation.”  Numbers Chapter 6:  Verses 1-8 and 21.

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From time to time, we may have zeal like the Nazirite.  We may dedicate our self to God and separate our self to God, even like a monk.  But, any such faith in our own dedication and in our own separation and in our own general will-power in misplaced.

Our faith should be in God.  It is God Who sets apart.  It is God Who blesses His beloved, His chosen ones. 

“But know that the Lord has set apart the godly man for Himself;
The Lord hears when I call to Him.”  Psalm 4:3.

“1 Unless the Lord builds the house,
They labor in vain who build it;
Unless the Lord guards the city,
The watchman keeps awake in vain.
2 It is vain for you to rise up early,
To retire late,
To eat the bread of painful labors;
For He gives to His beloved even in his sleep.”  Psalm 127:1-2.

“12 Remember His wonderful deeds which He has done,
His marvels and the judgments from His mouth,
13 O seed of Israel His servant,
Sons of Jacob, His chosen ones!
14 He is the Lord our God;
His judgments are in all the earth.”  1 Chronicles 16:12-14.  See also Psalm 105:5-7.

“12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord,
The people whom He has chosen for His own inheritance.”  Psalm 33:12.

” “But now listen, O Jacob, My servant,
And Israel, whom I have chosen:
2 Thus says the Lord who made you
And formed you from the womb, who will help you,
‘Do not fear, O Jacob My servant;
And you Jeshurun whom I have chosen.
3 ‘For I will pour out water on the thirsty land
And streams on the dry ground;
I will pour out My Spirit on your offspring
And My blessing on your descendants;
4 And they will spring up among the grass
Like poplars by streams of water.’
5 “This one will say, ‘I am the Lord’s’;
And that one will call on the name of Jacob;
And another will write on his hand, ‘Belonging to the Lord,’
And will name Israel’s name with honor.”  Isaiah 44:1-5.

“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;”  1 Peter 2:9.

The promises of God are to and for His elect.  “I will surely bless you and I will surely multiply you.”

“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.  For men swear by one greater than themselves, and with them an oath given as confirmation is an end of every dispute.  In the same way God, desiring even more to show to the heirs of the promise the unchangeableness of His purpose, interposed with an oath, so that by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge would have strong encouragement to take hold of the hope set before us.  This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil, where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us, having become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.”  Hebrews 6:13-20.

“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. …”  Ephesians 1:3-4.

“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 9:23-24.

“so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.  For by grace you have been saved through faith;  and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;  not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.”  Ephesians 2:7-9.