Things New and Old: Do you delight in the number game? Resist the urge!

Things New and Old

Ancient truths revealed in the Scriptures are often forgotten, disbelieved or distorted, and therefore lost in the passage of time. Such ancient truths when rediscovered and relearned are 'new' additions to the treasury of ancient truths.

Christ showed many new things to the disciples, things prophesied by the prophets of old but hijacked and perverted by the elders and their traditions, but which Christ reclaimed and returned to His people.

Many things taught by the Apostles of Christ have been perverted or substituted over the centuries. Such fundamental doctrines like salvation by grace and justification have been hijacked and perverted and repudiated by sincere Christians. These doctrines need to be reclaimed and restored to God's people.

There are things both new and old here. "Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things" 2Ti 2:7.

Monday, July 3, 2023

Do you delight in the number game? Resist the urge!

Do you delight in the number game? Resist the urge!

(The Brother who introduced the service exhorted from this Scriptures. I was blessed. Thanks, Brother Woon.)

Read 2Sam 24
2 For the king said to Joab the captain of the host, which was with him, Go now through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan even to Beersheba, and number ye the people, that I may know the number of the people.
3 And Joab said unto the king, Now the LORD thy God add unto the people, how many soever they be, an hundredfold, and that the eyes of my lord the king may see it: but why doth my lord the king delight in this thing?....
10 And David's heart smote him after that he had numbered the people. And David said unto the LORD, I have sinned greatly in that I have done: and now, I beseech thee, O LORD, take away the iniquity of thy servant; for I have done very foolishly.

Despite his foolishness in the number game:

1. King David is tender-hearted:
a. He saw the foolishness of his number-loving game.
- he acknowledged his great sin to the LORD.

b. He took personal responsibility for his evil deed (v17 " Lo, I have sinned, and I have done wickedly: but these sheep, what have they done? let thine hand, I pray thee, be against me, and against my father's house." Taking responsibility is a rare grace!
- He defended the innocent, "but these sheep, what have they done?"

2. King David is wise:
- he chose to fall into the hand of the LORD instead of into the hands of man! " I am in a great strait: let us fall now into the hand of the LORD; for his mercies are great: and let me not fall into the hand of man." v14.

3. King David is obedient:
- he obeyed what prophet Gad instructed him to do. "Go up, rear an altar unto the LORD... And David, according to the saying of Gad, went up as the LORD commanded... And David built there an altar unto the LORD, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings."

4. King David is no freeloader:
- "Neither will I offer burnt offerings unto the LORD my God of that which doth cost me nothing. So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver."