READING FOR NOVEMBER 28, 2024: DEUTERONOMY 19, 1 JOHN 5, PSALM 119:97-104 DEUTERONOMY 19 Some of you may remember the Iraq War. The initial phase of toppling the government was not long. It was signified by President Bush flying onto an aircraft carrier and speaking under a huge banner that proclaimed, “Mission Accomplished.” As multiple accounts now report, there was little to no thought given about what to do next. Thus, the violence dragged on for many years and many thousands subsequently lost their lives. In this chapter, Moses goes over what should be done after Israel settles into its land. God anticipates that all will not be perfect. Accidental deaths and intentional murders will occur which will need just structures in response.
Moses told Israel to designate three cities of refuge. (Today certain American cities have named themselves as sanctuary cities for immigrants.) If someone accidently caused the death of another, that person could flee to such a city to escape any potential retribution from the deceased person’s family. The need to relocate perhaps indicates a degree of culpability, but the safety provided acknowledges that the result was entirely unintentional. Moses even provides a concrete illustration of how this might work. If and when Israel’s borders expand, Moses directs them to add three more cities. Thus, this plan has contingencies based on what develops. Good planning.
If, however, a truly guilty person flees to a city of refuge, the elders will see to it that murderer is extradited in order to be punished by the aggrieved party. Moses states that punishing the guilty is required for national well-being. Our holy God has deemed that all sin must be punished. Hence, Jesus had to be punished for our sins on the cross. This doctrine is offensive to some who have an incomplete and unbiblical understanding of God’s love, holiness, and justice.
The remainder of the chapter deals with property rights and judicial process. The latter process has informed our current system of justice regarding the importance of truthful eye-witness testimony. This concept was later adopted for church discipline by Jesus (Matt. 18:15-18): “Now if your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that on the testimony of two or three witnesses every matter may be confirmed.” The last verses are famous for their reference to an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. This is a graphic way of saying state punishment should be proportional to the crime. Not only is it just but it helps deter future offenses. Jesus, however, commands a more merciful response from Christians who are personally violated (Matt. 5:38-42). This will show the world we are Christians (Matt. 5:45), command attention from unbelievers (Rom. 12: 20), and overcome evil with good (Rom 12: 21).
READING FOR NOVEMBER 28, 2024 CONTINUED: 1 JOHN 5, PSALM 119:97-104 1 JOHN 5 John states if we believe, as in fully trusting in Him and His work, that Jesus is the Christ/Messiah, then we are born again. This is what Jesus told Nicodemus he must do in John 3. If we are so born again, then we must in turn love all others who have also been born again. No exceptions. And what is a test to prove we are born again? Here John says it is if we obey God’s commandments and don’t find them to be burden. This is God’s pathway to a victory.
Just earlier, John said it’s essential to believe Jesus was the Christ/Messiah. Here he says we must also believe He is the Son of God. Both titles refer only to Jesus. The reference to water and blood could mean Jesus’s baptism and resurrection or it could mean that Jesus was fully a physical human, thus refuting the Gnostics. Both observations are biblical, so any ambiguity shouldn’t be problematic. The King James Version reads as follows for verse seven: “For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.” While this statement about the Trinity is true, these words are not found in the earliest manuscripts of 1 John and should not be considered authentic.
Verses 9-12 emphasize that the testimony of God about Jesus is much greater than that of man. What is the testimony of God? Certainly, that would include the Holy Spirit: “When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, namely, the Spirit of truth who comes from the Father, He will testify about Me” (John 15:26). Verses 13-14 clarify that we don’t have eternal life without believing in Jesus. We can be certain that we have eternal life if we do believe. Can this be any clearer? An immediate and wonderful extra benefit believers have is receiving anything we ask of God that is according to His will. Conversely, verse 26 warns of a sin leading to death. Given the preceding context, that may refer to the sin of rejecting Jesus.
PSALM 119:97-104 The Psalmist promises that if we love and constantly meditate on the scriptures, we can be wiser than those who oppose us. Do we feel inadequate to speak about Jesus to those who don’t believe? The solution is simple. It’s not rocket science; It is commitment to God’s word. And it’s not too late for us to start. Chuck Colson was well known as the first person in the Nixon administration to be incarnated for Watergate. Then this happened: “His mid-life religious conversion sparked a radical life change that led to the founding of his non-profit ministry Prison Fellowship to a focus on Christian worldview teaching and training around the world. Colson was also a public speaker and the author of more than 30 books” (from Wikipedia). Because he complied with God precepts (vs.100), he no longer pursued evil ways (vs. 101). One trick of the enemy is making us think God’s word is boring and inhibiting. If we truly hang on every word as our loving God’s gift to us for that moment, it will become sweeter than honey. Those of us who can remember receiving love letters know the feeling.
