Deuteronomy 31:6 "He will never leave you nor forsake you."
Joshua 1:5 "I will never leave you nor forsake you."
I Chronicles 28:20 "He will not leave you nor forsake you."
Hebrews 13:5 "I will never leave you nor forsake you."
What is interesting about these quotes is that they come all come at a time of great transition in the Israel's history. In the first two, Israel has been wandering in the wilderness and is now coming to the edge of the promise land. Moses promises the people that God will not leave them. Then God himself promises Joshua that he will not leave them.
In I Chronicles David is passing the torch to Solomon. He reminds Solomon that God will not abandon him, especially as he seeks to build the Temple.
Finally, in Hebrews the shadows are passing away. The Temple, the sacrifices, the priesthood are all about to be gone. For the readers of Hebrews there is a great temptation to go back to the shadows and abandon Christ. The writer of Hebrews is urging his readers to not shrink back. Why? God will be with them.
These quotes are not there to put on a poster with a sunset so that we might have warm and fuzzy feelings in our hearts. These verses are there to remind us to press forward. To keep conquering those who oppose the Kingdom as Joshua did. To keep building the house of God as Solomon did. To toss off everything that would keep us from pressing forward to Christ, as the writer of Hebrews urged his readers. These verses are not a sentimental call to ponder God's presence. These verses are a call to battle, a battle we are assured to win because the King of Kings is with us.
Joshua 1:5 "I will never leave you nor forsake you."
I Chronicles 28:20 "He will not leave you nor forsake you."
Hebrews 13:5 "I will never leave you nor forsake you."
What is interesting about these quotes is that they come all come at a time of great transition in the Israel's history. In the first two, Israel has been wandering in the wilderness and is now coming to the edge of the promise land. Moses promises the people that God will not leave them. Then God himself promises Joshua that he will not leave them.
In I Chronicles David is passing the torch to Solomon. He reminds Solomon that God will not abandon him, especially as he seeks to build the Temple.
Finally, in Hebrews the shadows are passing away. The Temple, the sacrifices, the priesthood are all about to be gone. For the readers of Hebrews there is a great temptation to go back to the shadows and abandon Christ. The writer of Hebrews is urging his readers to not shrink back. Why? God will be with them.
These quotes are not there to put on a poster with a sunset so that we might have warm and fuzzy feelings in our hearts. These verses are there to remind us to press forward. To keep conquering those who oppose the Kingdom as Joshua did. To keep building the house of God as Solomon did. To toss off everything that would keep us from pressing forward to Christ, as the writer of Hebrews urged his readers. These verses are not a sentimental call to ponder God's presence. These verses are a call to battle, a battle we are assured to win because the King of Kings is with us.
No comments:
Post a Comment