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OceanSide church of Christ
Read devotionals for June 2023
July 1, 2023
Deuteronomy 7:1 – When the Lord thy God shall bring thee into the land whither thou goest to possess it, and hath cast out many nations before thee, the Hittites, and the Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, seven nations greater and mightier than thou.
Thought: When Israel crossed the Jordan, they were going to fight against seven different nations that occupied the land of Canaan. Moses describes them as being “greater and mightier” than Israel. Their strength would be easily overcome by the power of God. But, why would God drive these people from their homeland? Why would God slay them and give the land to the Jews. The answer lies in one word: “Sin.” The iniquity of these nations was great, and they deserved to be punished.
Genesis 15:13-16
July 2, 2023
Deuteronomy 7:2, 3 – And when the Lord thy God shall deliver them before thee; thou shalt smite them, and utterly destroy them; thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor show mercy unto them: neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son.
Thought: The seven nations that dwelled in the land of Canaan were extremely evil individuals. When evil is tolerated, it can influence the one who tolerates it. When evil is tolerated, there are often compromises that are made. Compromise leads to acceptance. Acceptance leads to practice. Practice leads to support and promotion of evil. If Israel was going to remain a holy nation, it had to completely divorce itself from the sinful tribes of Canaan. They could not fellowship them at all.
II Corinthians 6:14-18
July 3, 2023
Deuteronomy 7:4 – For they will turn away thy son from following me, that they may serve other gods: so will the anger of the Lord be kindled against you, and destroy thee suddenly.
Thought: When Israel entered into Canaan, they were to completely annihilate the seven Canaanites nations that were there. They were to have absolutely nothing to do with them. The Lord gave this command because he knew the influence evil can have on His people. “For they will turn away thy son from following me, that they may serve other gods.” Fun, the fulfillment of fleshly desires, and false promises are made by the wicked. Sadly, God’s people are deceived and brought to ruin.
Judges 2:11-15
July 4, 2023
Deuteronomy 7:5 – But thus shall ye deal with them; ye shall destroy their altars, and break down their images, and cut down their groves, and burn their graven images with fire.
Thought: Sometimes we read the words of the Bible without really thinking about the implications of what is said. The Canaanite tribes were idolatrous people. They often had one main god and a multitude of lesser gods. Altars, images, and groves to these gods were everywhere. The Lord commanded Israel to destroy them all. All of them were to be broken down and the graven images burned with fire. The best way to safeguard God’s children from error is to destroy it all.
Exodus 23:23-24
July 5, 2023
Deuteronomy 7:6 – For thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy God: the Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all the people that are upon the face of the earth.
Thought: Moses describes God’s people in four ways in this verse. First, he states that they are a holy people. The word “holy” involves three concepts: purity, being set apart, and a special purpose. Second, he reveals that they are chosen. Out of all the nations on the earth, God chose them to be His covenant people. Third, he describes them as being “special.” The word “special” means “treasured” or “valuable.” Lastly, he notes that they are “above all the people that are upon the face of the earth.”
I Peter 2:9
July 6, 2023
Deuteronomy 7:7, 8 – The Lord did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people: but because the Lord loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers, hath the Lord brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.
Thought: Moses reminded Israel that they were not loved and chosen because they were a nation of many people. They were loved because of the oath which God had sworn unto their fathers. Hundreds of years before Israel became a nation, God made a promise to the patriarchs that He would make a nation of their descendants. Too, He would bless the world through their seed. The fulfillment of this promise was not based on Israel’s greatness. It was based solely on God’s faithfulness.
Isaiah 51:2
July 7, 2023
Deuteronomy 7:9 – Know therefore that the Lord thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations.
Thought: Israel was God’s covenant people. In other words, Israel and God bound themselves together with a contract. Israel had obligations to God. God had obligations to Israel. When individuals are in a covenant relationship, it is important for them to know the other party is faithful. God assured Israel that He was faithful. In fact, He had proved His faithfulness to the patriarchs of old. Now, it was up to Israel to love God and keep His commandments. Covenants work both ways.
Lamentations 3:22-24
July 8, 2023
Deuteronomy 7:10 – And repayeth them that hate him to their face, to destroy them: he will not be slack to him that hateth him, he will repay him to his face.
Thought: In the previous verse, Moses told Israel that God would keep His covenant and show mercy on them that love Him and keep His commandments. On the other hand, those who hate Him and rebel against His covenant will be hated by God. This involves God’s righteous indignation against them. Moses says God will repay them to their face. He will destroy them. He will not be slack toward them. God will pour out indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish on all who hate Him.
Romans 2:8-9
July 9, 2023
Deuteronomy 7:11 – Thou shalt therefore keep the commandments, and the statutes, and the judgments, which I command thee this day, to do them.
Thought: Again, Moses reminds Israel to keep the commandments, statutes, and judgments of God. Some thoughts are in order about Moses’ constant reminder. First, Moses is speaking to the children of Israel for the last time. He wants to remind them of what’s really important. Second, God is sovereign over all. He deserves man’s obedience. Third, Israel made a covenant with God. In order to obtain God’s blessings, they had to obey. Fourth, man has a tendency to forget and needs to be reminded.
1 John 2:3-5
July 10, 2023
Deuteronomy 7:12 – Wherefore it shall come to pass, if ye hearken to these judgments, and keep, and do them, that the Lord thy God shall keep unto thee the covenant and the mercy which he sware unto they fathers.
Thought: Individuals often look upon God’s commandments as being difficult, unfair, or enslaving. Obedience is sometimes seen through a negative lens. Man believes that he knows what is best for his life. He thinks he should be able to live however he desires to live. What men often forget is that obedience to God is tied to His covenant with God. If man fulfills his part of the covenant, then God responds by fulfilling His obligations to man. God’s part of the covenant involves blessings galore.
Psalm 98:2-3
July 11, 2023
Deuteronomy 7:13 – And he will love thee, and bless thee, and multiply thee: he will also bless the fruit of thy womb, and the fruit of thy land, thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep, in the land which he sware unto thy fathers to give thee.
Thought: Moses had exhorted the Israelites to keep their part of the covenant with God. He knew that faithful obedience would be rewarded with God’s faithfulness to the covenant. This would involve wonderful blessing for the Jews. Just listen to the first three blessings: “And I will love thee, and bless thee, and multiply thee.” Does Israel need anything else? No, but Moses innumerate seven other things God promised to multiply unto Israel in the rest of the verse. Obedience brings blessings!
Proverbs 10:22
July 12, 2023
Deuteronomy 7:14 – Thou shalt be blessed above all people: there shall not be male or female barren among you, or your cattle.
Thought: The blessings to Israel just continue to flow from the storeroom of God. First, God promises that they would be “blessed above all people.” It is difficult to top that blessing. Second, no male or female in Israel would be barren. Having children was an important aspect of life at that time in history. Children were gifts from God. Those who had them were blessed. If Israel remained faithful to God’s covenant, all would be blessed with them. Too, they would have cattle, a sign of prosperity.
Psalm 127:3-4
July 13, 2023
Deuteronomy 7:15 – And the Lord will take away from thee all sickness, and will put none of the evil diseases of Egypt, which thou knowest upon thee: but will lay them upon all them that hate thee.
Thought: All humans know that sickness is an evil aspect of life. It brings pain to the body. It causes a person to slow down and be less productive. Sickness can bring great sorrow to the individual and his family. Sickness can also bring a person to poverty. If Israel would commit to the Law of Moses, God promised to take away “all sickness,” even those they had experienced in Egypt that were common to that nation. In addition, God said he would inflict those diseases upon Israel’s enemies.
Deuteronomy 28:27
July 14, 2023
Deuteronomy 7:16 – And thou shalt consume all the people which the Lord thy God shall deliver thee; thine eye shall have no pity upon them: neither shalt thou serve their gods; for that will be a snare unto thee.
Thought: Sometimes God’s people are “too nice.” They are so nice that they refuse to destroy evil. They are so nice that they compromise with evil. These are dangerous practices. Failing to rid oneself of evil only puts a snare in one’s life. Moses commanded Israel to “consume all the people” and to “have no pity upon them, and not to serve their gods. “…for that will be a snare unto thee.” Evil must be exposed and terminated. Evil’s influence will harm God’s people and separate them from God.
Psalm 106:34-36
July 15, 2023
Deuteronomy 7:17, 18 – If thou shalt say in thine heart, These nations are more than I; how can I dispossess them? Thou shalt not be afraid of them; but shalt well remember what the Lord thy God did unto Pharaoh, and unto all Egypt.
Thought: God’s people are rational thinkers. They look at the facts and attempt to come to rational conclusions. The problem, however, is they sometimes fail to think spiritually. When Israel entered into Canaan, they were going to face a multitude of people. Too, they were very strong and well-fortified. Rationally, they might ask themselves: “How can I dispossess them?” It was then they needed to think spiritually. “Remember what the Lord they God did…” This is the key to victory.
Acts 18:9-10
July 16, 2023
Deuteronomy 7:19 – The great temptations which thine eyes saw and the signs, and the wonders, and the mighty hand, and the stretched out arm, whereby the Lord thy God brought thee out: so shall the Lord thy God do unto all the people of whom thou art afraid.
Thought: If Israel’s heart were to fear the nations of Canaan as they entered in to conquer the land, they were told to remember what the Lord had done to Pharaoh. They had witnessed the ten plagues that God brought upon Egypt. The land of Egypt was devastated. Pharaoh was completely defeated. That same mighty hand and stretched out arm would now fight for them as they entered the Promised Land. If the world power could be overcome, surely God could drive out the Canaanite nations.
Jeremiah 32:20-22
July 17, 2023
Deuteronomy 7:20 – Moreover the Lord thy God will send the hornet among them, until they are left, and hide themselves from thee, be destroyed.
Thought: When dealing with God, we are dealing with the Creator of the Universe. Everything is under His control. He has charge of the insects, the animals, the weather, and the hosts of heaven. Nothing is outside His authority. When Israel fought against the Canaanites, God was going to use stinging insect, hornets, to help drive out these evil people. Most of us have experienced the sting of a bee or wasp. We know exactly why the Canaanites would run from them. What an arsenal!
Joshua 24:12-13
July 18, 2023
Deuteronomy 7:21 – Thou shalt not be affrighted at them: for the Lord thy God is among you, a mighty God and terrible.
Thought: Fear is a devastating negative emotion. For some people, it doesn’t take much to light the emotion of fear. When fear is present, it keeps one from getting the job done. It often enables the enemy to prevail. Moses understood fear. Thus, he exhorts the Israelites not to be afraid of the Canaanites. However, he gives them a good reason not to fear. “…for the Lord thy God is among you, a mighty God and terrible.” This same God is with us. We, too, should not be afraid of our enemies.
Nehemiah 1:5
July 19, 2023
Deuteronomy 7:22 – And the Lord thy God will put out those nations before thee by little and little: thou mayest not consume them at once, lest the beasts of the field increase upon thee.
Thought: God is wise. When He acts, He acts on man’s behalf. In this verse, the Lord provides the Israelites the reason as to why the Canaanites would not be driven out all at once. Instead, they would be driven out little by little. Israel did not have enough people to occupy the territory completely when they first conquered the land. Houses, businesses, storehouses, barns, and other structures needed to be inhabited to be maintained. If not, the beasts of the field would occupy and destroy these structures.
Exodus 23:29-30
July 20, 2023
Deuteronomy 7:23 – But the Lord thy God shall deliver them unto thee, and shall destroy them with a mighty destruction, until they be destroyed.
Thought: Slowly driving out the adversaries in the land of Canaan might have caused Israel some concern. As long as they were present, they were a threat. God, therefore, reassures them that He will ultimately deliver them unto the Israelites. In the end, they would be destroyed “with a mighty destruction.” God does not want His people to fear. He wants them to be convinced that His presence will be among them. Too, He wants them to remember that He will grant them ultimate victory.
II Peter 2:9
July 21, 2023
Deuteronomy 7:24 – And he shall deliver their kings into thine hand, and thou shalt destroy their name from under heaven: there shall no man be able to stand before thee, until thou have destroyed them.
Thought: Three promises are given to Israel regarding the overthrow of the Canaanite nations in this verse. First, God would capture their kings. If their rulers were conquered, there was certain victory. Second, their names would be destroyed from under heaven. This did not mean their name would perish. Their name up to this point involved their might and strength. God would destroy their powerful reputation. Third, no man would be able to stand before them. Victory was certain.
Joshua 10:24-25
July 22, 2023
Deuteronomy 7:25 – 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.
Thought: The graven images of the Canaanite tribes were made of silver, gold, and other precious materials. Some of them were very costly. God, however, wanted them burned with fire. He did not want Israel to possess them in any form or fashion. He noted the reason for this prohibition: “…lest thou be snared therein.” If man does not practice the proper restraints on evil, he is easily tempted to participate therein. Idolatry was an abomination to God. It was a total rejection of Him for nothing.
I Corinthians 8:4
July 23, 2023
Deuteronomy 7:26 – 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.
Thought: Moses continues to warn God’s people about the graven images. He commands them not to bring them into their houses. Idols were cursed things. In other words, they were devoted to destruction. Those who supported them were also cursed, that is, devoted to destruction. The attitude Israel was to manifest toward other gods was to detest them and to utterly abhor them. Idolatry was to stink in the nostrils of the Israelites. Every aspect of idolatry was to be put away from them.
Ezekiel 14:7-8
July 24, 2023
Deuteronomy 8:1 – All the commandments which I command thee this day shall ye observe to do, that ye may live, and multiply, and go in and possess the land which the Lord sware unto your fathers.
Thought: When Moses exhorts Israel to obey the commands of God, he also notes the blessings that are attached to the obedience. If they were obedient, they would live, multiply, and possess the Promised Land. Yes, the Israelites were the servants of God, but He would treat them like His children. They did not serve just to serve. They served a God who loved them and wanted to shower blessings upon them. Dear readers, God is not harsh and cruel toward His people. He loves and blesses them.
I Thessalonians 4:1-2
July 25, 2023
Deuteronomy 8:2 – And thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no.
Thought: God often tests His people. He longs for their allegiance to Him to be truly genuine, that is, originating from the heart. After the first generation of Israelites rebelled at Kadesh, God drove them into the wilderness. There they were proven and humbled for forty years. Would the next generation be loyal? Would they love the Lord their God? Would their hearts be true? Would they keep the commandments of God? Temptation, struggle, and hardship are often ways to answer these questions.
Malachi 3:2-3
July 26, 2023
Deuteronomy 8:3 – And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord doth man live.
Thought: God sometimes puts individuals through tests in order to humble them. Through the process, they must learn to trust God to provide for their needs. The children of Israel suffered hunger. They felt the pain that came from a lack of food. They realized they had no way to provide for their own needs. God, then, fed them with manna. It was a food that man had never seen before. It was collected daily, except on the Sabbath. Israel learned that man lives by God’s Word and not by physical food alone.
Exodus 16:12-15
July 27, 2023
Deuteronomy 8:4 – Thy raiment waxed not old upon thee, neither did thy foot swell, these forty years.
Thought: In difficult conditions, fabric wears easily. It rips. It gets old and brittle. Clothes usually have to be cast into the trash after several years of wear. This did not happen to the clothing of the Israelites in the wilderness. Their clothes did not get old. Their clothes did not wear out. It would be interesting to see how long it took them to realize this. Too, their feet did not swell while walking all those miles in the wilderness. In marvelous ways, God was taking care of His people. He is the same God today.
Nehemiah 9:21
July 28, 2023
Deuteronomy 8:5 – Thou shalt also consider in thine heart, that, as a man chasteneth his son, so the Lord thy God chasteneth thee.
Thought: When life gets difficult, we often ridicule God. We have this mistaken notion that since God loves us, He should always make our lives a bed of roses. Well, parents love their children, but there are times when they have to chasten them. This chastening takes many forms. Even though the child does not enjoy the discipline, he understands it. Too, he knows it springs from his parents’ love. Why can this knowledge be applied to God? He is our spiritual Father. There are times He must chasten us.
Proverbs 3:11-12
July 29, 2023
Deuteronomy 8:6 – Therefore thou shalt keep the commands of the Lord thy God, to walk in his ways, and to fear him.
Thought: Once again, Moses exhorts Israel to keep the commandments of the Lord. When a person does this, he walks in the way of the Lord. Too, he manifests the fact that he is one who truly fears and respects God. We might wonder why Moses constantly exhorts the nation of Israel to keep the commands. Perhaps he knows that man has a tendency to violate God’s commands. Man ignores them. Man forgets them. Man does part of them. Man learns to manipulate them. No! Man needs to keep the commands!
Matthew 19:16-17
July 30, 2023
Deuteronomy 8:7 – For the Lord thy God bringeth thee into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and depth that spring out of the valleys and hills.
Thought: God was to be obeyed because He was blessing Israel abundantly by giving them the land of Canaan. It was not a dry, hot desert with no water. Instead, it was a land that flowed with brooks of water. It was an inheritance that possessed fountains and springs in abundance. Water is one of the most important elements of life. Humans need it. Animals need it. Crops need it. When it is found in great supply, there is prosperity. This one resource would enable Israel to excel over her neighbors.
Psalm 65:9-10
July 31, 2023
Deuteronomy 8:8 – A land of wheat, and barley, and vines, and fig trees, and pomegranates; a land of oil olive, and honey.
Thought: In the previous verse, Moses told Israel about the water supply that was found in the Promised Land. Now, he reveals many of the food items that Israel would find there. Israel would not go hungry. The land would produce a variety of food for them from wheat to honey and from barley to olive oil. Truly, the land of Canaan flowed with milk and honey. If only Israel would obey God, they would live a life of abundance. They would not suffer thirst or hunger. Their needs would be supplied.
Psalm 23:1-3
Read devotionals for August 2023