NUMBERS & DEUTERONOMY

Today is Sunday!  I sure love Sundays!  I am excited about preaching the message that God has laid on my heart.  I will start a four week series this morning and I'm excited to see how God will speak to the hearts of His people.  I finished up Numbers today and got seven chapters into Deuteronomy.  Numbers is full of truths and so is Deuteronomy.  Let me jump right into sharing: 1) CITIES AND SUBURBS- In Numbers 35, God told the Israelites to give to the Levites cities and suburbs.  Forty-two cities in all were to be given them and six of these would be the cities of refuge that one could run to and stay in if they accidentally took a life.  God had spoken of this before, but now He mentions it again with the extra cities the Levites will be given.  Keep in mind that the Levites would not be given a possession of land other than cities to live in.  So it was Israel's responsibility to take care of the priestly tribe.  The cities are not mentioned because they have not yet entered into the promised land, but that will come later, and they will be mentioned by name when they conquer the land.  Now, the suburbs are the land around the cities, and according to verse 5, this land is the two thousand cubits around each city.  (About 3,000 feet)  This will be land for their cattle and sheep, and perhaps some gardens around the city as well.  So we see that God has in mind that His men are taken care of.  Please see that your man of God is taken care of as well.  2) Deuteronomy is called: "the second law".  In chapter five, we will see the ten commandments given again as they first were in Exodus 20.  Not only this, but God speaks to Moses and Moses reminds the people of God's laws, commandments, statutes, and judgments.  The book is to prepare God's people for the promised land.  This is Moses last time to speak to them, and it is full of reminders and challenges to live for God.  It is a wonderful book.  Each chapter is longer so it takes more time, but each chapter is full of things that will speak to your heart. 3) BURNING BUSH--BURNING MOUNTAIN.  In Deuteronomy 4, we see Moses reminding the people that they saw the burning Mountain of Horeb, and that they heard the voice of God speaking out to them.  And they saw Moses go up the mount and come back down from the mount.  They heard God and did not die.  He reminds them that "thine eyes have seen" vs. 9.  Now remember that Moses was called out of the burning bush back in Exodus.  We see that God spoke out of a burning bush for Moses, but out of the burning mountain of fire for His people.   Notice verse 11:  "And ye came near and stood under the mountain; and the mountain burned with fire unto the midst of heaven, with darkness, clouds, and thick darkness."  Now verse 33- "Did ever people hear the voice of God speaking out of the midst of the fire, as thou hast heard, and live?"  God had manifested Himself to His people!  He still does today by His Holy Spirit, by His Word, by His Creation, by His People, and by His Preacher.  Let us be reminded also of that. 4) WE BECOME WHAT WE EMBRACE- In Deuteronomy 7:25-26 it says: "The graven images of their gods shall ye burn with fire: thou shalt not desire the silver or gold that is on them, nor take it unto thee, lest thou be snared therein: for it is an abomination to the LORD thy God. 26  Neither shalt thou bring an abomination into thine house, lest thou be a cursed thing like it: but thou shalt utterly detest it, and thou shalt utterly abhor it; for it is a cursed thing."  In other words, IF they embraced the gods, silver, or gold (these accursed things), then they would become cursed for having embraced them.  This is what will happen to Achan in the book of Joshua.  If we embrace the world, we become like the world.  On the other hand we see in Deuteronomy 7:11-15, that IF we embrace God's commandments, and statutes, and judgments, to hearken, and keep, and to do them; that God will love us, bless us, and multiply us.  And He will bless them above all people and put none of these diseases upon them that the land was full of.  This is a short description of what God said He would do for the people.  If they embrace the accursed things, they become accursed; if they embrace the things of God, they become blessed!  We become, what we embrace!!  Choose wisely dear friend! Well, time has come and gone.  Still more to share, but no more time to share them.  What a wonderful thing to look into God's Word and have it speak to you each day.  Let God speak to your heart today in Church.  Let us seek to obey His voice and embrace Him with all of our being.  May God bless!  Pastor Mike Mutchler Dr. Mike Mutchler - Pastor  Grand View Baptist Church 14855 S. Leland Road Beavercreek, OR 97004 tel: 503-348-6090