I recently read an interview with David Suzuki where he was asked –among other things- about political reform; how to give power to the people rather than politicians and their parties. He had what I thought was a very interesting answer. He said, ‘The solution to me is we need a system where politicians are drawn from a hat, the same way we need to set up our juries.' It has some merit. The word ‘democracy’ from the Greek roots ‘power’ and ‘people’ has come to mean ‘power to the people’ and way of drawing lots for political representation would give power to the people rather than the political parties. And actually, now that I remember it, that is the way that the first Greek democracies actually did operate, through the casting of lots. I thought it was very interesting that I read this while we have been studying Joshua.
It reminded me of the way government was run in the Book and the time of Joshua in the Bible and throughout the Old Testament at least until the time of King David.
Susan, last week, spoke about the allotment of the land in Joshua. Much of that was shown by casting lots. When we read about Achan in Bible study on Tuesday and the way his tribe, clan, family, and self was revealed to have disobeyed God was through the casting of lots.
In the Bible lots aren’t cast to give power to the people as David Suzuki suggested; lots are cast to discern the will of God. In the New Testament, even God’s choice of Matthias, the disciple to replace Judas, is revealed through the casting of lots.
Probably the most famous lots in the Bible actually have names? Do we know what they are called? Urim and Thummim. These were kept in the High Priest’s ephod? We don’t know exactly how these worked but we do know that that is often how they would seek God’s direction. The people would consecrate themselves, intentionally avoid ‘bad’ or various non-holy things; pray and ask God what to do. They would then wait for His answer to be revealed through the casting of these lots. God did reserve the right not to answer them too, like was the case with King Saul before he went to a medium and other times. But when they approached the Lord in a sincere, holy and pure manner that was one way in which the Lord answered them.
As we know, there are a few basic themes in the Bible that the different authors, books, letters/epistles, etc. keep coming back to over and over again over years, decades, centuries, millennia, and varied geography, location, and situation. One of these basic themes is that we should put our trust in God rather than in ourselves or anyone or anything else.
This week, I have had the chance to pray with and anoint a friend who was being tortured with some terrible dreams. The Lord is with her and He can and is delivering her from and through this. We can trust Him.
This week, a friend of mine called me frustrated by life, closemindedness in the world and society, and looking for some escape from the struggles all around and searching for meaning. We talked about how as we seek first God all else that we actually need will be added unto us – Matthew 6:33. We talked about how life is a process not a circumstance and the act of seeking God is finding Him. The means is the end. We can trust God. Life may not be easy bur we can trust Him in and with it.
This week I spoke with a friend who told me of the many people being shut out of the safety and security they have known for a long time. I heard of extended grieving and temptation to trepidation. But the Lord will prevail. He is bringing them through. We can trust the Lord.
This week I spoke with a friend who is concerned about the safety and the life of his child; he is concerned with his health and safety and custodial issues and the much more that is tied up with all of that. We spoke very much about how even in all of this we can trust God. No matter what happens, we can trust God to bring us through. This, I think, is the central theme of Joshua, a central theme of the Bible, and this, I think, is the key to navigating all the challenges that life sends our way. We can trust the Lord.
This week, yesterday, I went to the funeral of a friend. My friend died of due to his drug addiction. He had struggled against drugs the vast majority of his life. When I knew him well, he was walking with God and seeking God and even then was being attacked by the Enemy through addiction. I have seen many people delivered from the addiction but my friend lost his life to it. My friend has passed on to eternity now but I do not believe that the Enemy has won; because death has been defeated between the cross and the empty tomb and I know my friend loved the Lord and I know that the Lord never leave us nor forsake us. The Lord is with us, even in the very midst of our struggles.
I know that there are some serious challenges that people reading this today are facing and I want you to know that you do not need to face them on your own. The Lord is with us, even in the very midst of our struggles and we can trust Him with all of our challenges in life.
It reminded me of the way government was run in the Book and the time of Joshua in the Bible and throughout the Old Testament at least until the time of King David.
Susan, last week, spoke about the allotment of the land in Joshua. Much of that was shown by casting lots. When we read about Achan in Bible study on Tuesday and the way his tribe, clan, family, and self was revealed to have disobeyed God was through the casting of lots.
In the Bible lots aren’t cast to give power to the people as David Suzuki suggested; lots are cast to discern the will of God. In the New Testament, even God’s choice of Matthias, the disciple to replace Judas, is revealed through the casting of lots.
Probably the most famous lots in the Bible actually have names? Do we know what they are called? Urim and Thummim. These were kept in the High Priest’s ephod? We don’t know exactly how these worked but we do know that that is often how they would seek God’s direction. The people would consecrate themselves, intentionally avoid ‘bad’ or various non-holy things; pray and ask God what to do. They would then wait for His answer to be revealed through the casting of these lots. God did reserve the right not to answer them too, like was the case with King Saul before he went to a medium and other times. But when they approached the Lord in a sincere, holy and pure manner that was one way in which the Lord answered them.
As we know, there are a few basic themes in the Bible that the different authors, books, letters/epistles, etc. keep coming back to over and over again over years, decades, centuries, millennia, and varied geography, location, and situation. One of these basic themes is that we should put our trust in God rather than in ourselves or anyone or anything else.
This week, I have had the chance to pray with and anoint a friend who was being tortured with some terrible dreams. The Lord is with her and He can and is delivering her from and through this. We can trust Him.
This week, a friend of mine called me frustrated by life, closemindedness in the world and society, and looking for some escape from the struggles all around and searching for meaning. We talked about how as we seek first God all else that we actually need will be added unto us – Matthew 6:33. We talked about how life is a process not a circumstance and the act of seeking God is finding Him. The means is the end. We can trust God. Life may not be easy bur we can trust Him in and with it.
This week I spoke with a friend who told me of the many people being shut out of the safety and security they have known for a long time. I heard of extended grieving and temptation to trepidation. But the Lord will prevail. He is bringing them through. We can trust the Lord.
This week I spoke with a friend who is concerned about the safety and the life of his child; he is concerned with his health and safety and custodial issues and the much more that is tied up with all of that. We spoke very much about how even in all of this we can trust God. No matter what happens, we can trust God to bring us through. This, I think, is the central theme of Joshua, a central theme of the Bible, and this, I think, is the key to navigating all the challenges that life sends our way. We can trust the Lord.
This week, yesterday, I went to the funeral of a friend. My friend died of due to his drug addiction. He had struggled against drugs the vast majority of his life. When I knew him well, he was walking with God and seeking God and even then was being attacked by the Enemy through addiction. I have seen many people delivered from the addiction but my friend lost his life to it. My friend has passed on to eternity now but I do not believe that the Enemy has won; because death has been defeated between the cross and the empty tomb and I know my friend loved the Lord and I know that the Lord never leave us nor forsake us. The Lord is with us, even in the very midst of our struggles.
I know that there are some serious challenges that people reading this today are facing and I want you to know that you do not need to face them on your own. The Lord is with us, even in the very midst of our struggles and we can trust Him with all of our challenges in life.
More daily blogs at
More articles, sermons, and papers at
Comments
Post a Comment