Judges: Chap 2: How does a sinner follow a righteous conditional covenant? Adjustment to God's plan in grace.

Title: Judges: Chap 2: How does a sinner follow a righteous conditional covenant? Adjustment to God's plan in grace.        

 

Announcements / opening prayer:

 

 

The Israelite could consider himself forgiven of an iniquity as he offered the proper sin offering, during which ritual he was to understand that another would bear the burden of his sin and to this the proper response was a contrite heart that was broken of all pride.

 

For this principle we examined Psa 51.

 

An Israelite could not consider himself forgiven, which in essence referred to his fellowship with God, if he simply went through the ritual of the sin offering with no regard to his obligation to God or fear of God.

 

Now, we must understand that forgiveness wasn't in the offering at all. The offering has a purpose in both teaching and reminding. Man's attitude towards God is of supreme importance. At the moment of gospel hearing it is his faith that leads to salvation and in the believer's walk in this life, his faith towards the word of God and his attitude towards what that word reveals will determine whether his life was spent in fellowship with God or in carnal separation from God.

 

The blood sacrifice of the Mosaic law was only a covering over sin until the true sacrifice came through Christ on Cavalry.

 

ROM 3:21 But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets,

 

ROM 3:22 even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction;

 

ROM 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

 

ROM 3:24 being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus;

 

ROM 3:25 whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed;

 

ROM 3:26 for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

 

When we consider the forgiveness of God towards an Israelite we are actually addressing the fellowship of that Israelite with God. If he offered the sacrifice but rejected its meaning he was not in fellowship with God.

 

If he was to reject the true meaning of the blood sacrifices then he would not be in fellowship with God and so he would be under the curses of the Law.

 

The great prophet Isaiah revealed this in the eighth century BC, just a few decades before the destruction of the northern kingdom.

 

ISA 1:1 The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, concerning Judah and Jerusalem which he saw during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.

 

ISA 1:2 Listen, O heavens, and hear, O earth; For the Lord speaks, "Sons I have reared and brought up, But they have revolted against Me.

 

ISA 1:3 "An ox knows its owner, And a donkey its master's manger, But Israel does not know, My people do not understand."

 

ISA 1:4 Alas, sinful nation, People weighed down with iniquity, Offspring of evildoers, Sons who act corruptly! They have abandoned the Lord, They have despised the Holy One of Israel, They have turned away from Him.

 

ISA 1:5 Where will you be stricken again, As you continue in your rebellion? The whole head is sick, And the whole heart is faint.

 

ISA 1:6 From the sole of the foot even to the head There is nothing sound in it, Only bruises, welts, and raw wounds, Not pressed out or bandaged, Nor softened with oil.

 

ISA 1:7 Your land is desolate, Your cities are burned with fire, Your fields —  strangers are devouring them in your presence; It is desolation, as overthrown by strangers.

 

ISA 1:8 And the daughter of Zion is left like a shelter in a vineyard, Like a watchman's hut in a cucumber field, like a besieged city.

 

The shelter in the vineyard and the watchmen's hut in the cucumber field were little one man temporary shelters in which a lone man would keep watch during the season when the fruit was ripe. It was temporary and feeble and this is what Israel had become. The besieged city is also left desolate.

 

ISA 1:9 Unless the Lord of hosts Had left us a few survivors, We would be like Sodom, We would be like Gomorrah.

 

ISA 1:10 Hear the word of the Lord, You rulers of Sodom; Give ear to the instruction of our God, You people of Gomorrah [sarcastic warning].

 

ISA 1:11 "What are your multiplied sacrifices to Me? "Says the Lord. "I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams, And the fat of fed cattle. And I take no pleasure in the blood of bulls, lambs, or goats.

 

ISA 1:12 "When you come to appear before Me, Who requires of you this trampling of My courts?

 

ISA 1:13 "Bring your worthless offerings no longer, Incense is an abomination to Me. New moon and sabbath, the calling of assemblies-I cannot endure iniquity and the solemn assembly.

 

ISA 1:14 "I hate your new moon festivals and your appointed feasts, They have become a burden to Me. I am weary of bearing them.

 

ISA 1:15 "So when you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide My eyes from you, Yes, even though you multiply prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are covered with blood.

 

ISA 1:16 "Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; Remove the evil of your deeds from My sight. Cease to do evil,

 

It is obvious that they will not make themselves clean by performing another sacrifice or ritual. They must decide to remove their evil and follow the Lord's law in love.

 

This cannot be lip service only. There must be inward reflection and examination and then inward change, and such change in manifested in action.

 

ISA 1:17 Learn to do good; Seek justice, Reprove the ruthless; Defend the orphan, Plead for the widow.

 

Inward change (learn to do good), apply that change (seek justice), move from self to others (reprove the ruthless), and sacrificially give to them who suffer (defend the orphan and widow).

 

ISA 1:18 "Come now, and let us reason together, "Says the Lord, "Though your sins are as scarlet, They will be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They will be like wool.

 

ISA 1:19 "If you consent and obey, You will eat the best of the land;

 

ISA 1:20 "But if you refuse and rebel, You will be devoured by the sword. "Truly, the mouth of the Lord has spoken.

 

The Israelite who perceived the sacrifices properly, though a sinner, would find himself under the blessings of the law. It was not then and is not now based upon isolated sins that all believers commit from time to time but whether he possesses within himself a contempt for the plan of God and the ways of God.

 

PRO 20:25

It is a snare for a man to say rashly, "It is holy!"

And after the vows to make inquiry.

 

Amos prophesied this in the seventh century BC, just prior to the destruction of the kingdom.

 

AMO 5:21 "I hate, I reject your festivals,

Nor do I delight in your solemn assemblies.

 

AMO 5:22 "Even though you offer up to Me burnt offerings and your grain offerings, I will not accept them;

And I will not even look at the peace offerings of your fatlings.

 

AMO 5:23 "Take away from Me the noise of your songs;

I will not even listen to the sound of your harps.

 

AMO 5:24 "But let justice roll down like waters

And righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.

 

Therefore, it was not to be a fearful thing to offer the sacrifice but one of contriteness and thankfulness. Every offering should have reaffirmed God's covenant with Israel and cause each one to love the Lord his God even deeper.

 

The Law of Moses contained 613 commandments and being a conditional covenant, it provided blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience, EXO 15:26.

 

613 commands is a sobering reality, but if one truly did love the Lord then these commands were a source of rejoicing and not a burden. All the commands in some way pointed towards the salvation on mankind through the Messiah as well as Israel's salvation and deliverance, they just had to be understood in this light, and when they were, they were a joy to fulfill.