Posts Tagged ‘treasured possession’
Scripture reading for October 5th: Malachi 1-4
“You have said harsh thing against Me,” says the Lord. “Yet you ask, ‘what have we said against You?’” “You have said, ‘It is futile to serve God. What did we gain by carrying out His requirements and going about like mourners before the Lord Almighty? But now we call the arrogant blessed. Certainly the evil-doers prosper, and even those who challenge God escape.’” (Malachi 3:13-15)
In times of trouble and apostasy, it is easy for God’s people to begin to think that they don’t count for much. Evil is prospering everywhere and wicked people seem to get by with murder and stealing. Even those in the church who are complacent seem to be getting by. What profit is there in going to church and serving God anyway? This was a question of the people in Malachi’s day.
“Then those who feared the Lord talked with each other, and the Lord listened and heard. A scroll of remembrance was written in His presence concerning those who feared the Lord and honored His name.” “They will be mine,” says the Lord Almighty, “in the day I take up my treasured possession. I will spare them just as in compassion a man spares his son who serves him. And you will again see a distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not.” (Malachi 3:16-18)
There were some who continued to trust God. They met together and encouraged one another to stay strong. God was listening to them and making a note of each person! It is encouraging to know that God is interested in the faithful! He is a God of encouragement and hope and lets the faithful know it! (Romans 15:13) God promises help for the faithful! They will escape the coming judgment. There will be a visible difference between the righteous and the wicked on that coming day!
“‘Surely the day is coming; it will burn like a furnace. All the arrogant and every evildoer will be stubble and that day that is coming will set them on fire,’ says the Lord Almighty. . . .’But you who revere My name, the Sun of Righteousness will rise with healing in its wings. . . .Then you will trample down the wicked; they will be ashes under the soles of your feet when I do these things,’ says the Lord Almighty.” (Malachi 4:1-3)
Scripture reading for February 27th: Deuteronomy 21-26
Everyone needs encouragement and God offers that to His children. In the New Testament, He is known as a God of hope and encouragement! (Romans 15:5-6) His word also gives hope and encouragement to His people and as Moses ends this second message, he speaks a wonderful word of encouragement.
“You have declared this day that the Lord is your God and that you will walk in His ways, that you will keep His decrees, commands and laws, and that you will obey Him. And the Lord has declared this day that you are His people, His treasured possession as He promised, and that you are to keep all His commands. He has declared that He will set you in praise, fame, and honor high above all the nations He has made and that you will be a people holy to the Lord your God, as He has promised.” (Deuteronomy 26:17-19)
This conclusion sums up the covenant promises and conditions that each party verbally agreed to do. God’s people promised to walk in God’s ways and keep His laws and fully obey Him. They willingly offered their pledge of faithfulness. God, Himself, adopted the Israelites as His very own people. In fact, they were his treasured possession. God kept them as a man would keep a very special treasure. He would guard them and watch over them with great care.
God further promised to set His people above the other nations and give them praise and fame and honor. This praise and fame and honor would come from their “holiness”. They would be whole because obedience to God’s law brings perfect love and healing into our life. Those who fully followed and obeyed the Lord would enjoy exaltation by the Lord Himself!
It is interesting to note that God’s people failed to fully keep the law. Only Jesus Christ, the Son of God who came from this set-apart nation would be able to do this. Because He did, He was set on high above all and given a name above every name. (Philippians 2:8-11) When we put our trust in Jesus Christ, we become God’s treasured possession too! “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.” (1st Peter 2:9)