Interesting Interviews

Exodus 32, 1 Samuel 17, Job 1

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to an exciting episode of, “Interesting Interviews” starring, HolyEll and various characters throughout Bible history! I’m your host, “HolyEll”, and I’ll be bringing you all the details of tonight’s most fascinating scenes!

(“And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down out of the mount, the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him, Up, make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him. And Aaron said unto them, Break off the golden earrings, which are in the ears of your wives, of your sons, and of your daughters, and bring them unto me.”)

(HolyEll appears in the midst of Aaron the priest)

HolyEll: Excuse me sir. My name is HolyEll, and I would like to take a moment to better understand your perspective on an issue.

Aaron: Who are you? And, What are you wearing son?

HolyEll: I’m from a time in the future, and I traveled back to get a better understanding of some of the major decisions made in Bible history.

Aaron: Uhh I have no idea what you speak of. At any rate, you may deliver your inquiries.

HolyEll: Alright. Firstly, what are you doing sir?! Are you aware, your brother is currently in the presence of God, gathering essential instructions on how to lead all these people? Why have you allowed the people to cause you to give in to their nonsense?

Aaron: Well, umm… you see, my brother has been gone for quite some time, and the people have grown restless while awaiting his return. So, I submitted to their request to make gods, that will go before them.

HolyEll: A-Aron! Really sir? Do you not recall the recent miraculous events provided you by the hand of the almighty God? Have you so easily forgotten, your brother stood boldly before the Lord and obeyed as He commanded, so that the people could live and prosper? How could you allow yourself to go against the very God who saved and delivered you, in place of idols, which can do nothing except rot, and take up valuable space?

(HolyEll vanishes into thin air, as Aaron wonders in amazement.)

Aaron: Whe…where did he go. My Lord, he certainly made some valid points. Oh dear…

(“Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied. This day will the Lord deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.”)

(HolyEll appears in the midst of young David.)

HolyEll: Hey, hey, excuse me young man.

David: Hey there, can you give me a moment. I have a very important job to do right now.

HolyEll: Yes, I know the story, I meant well…right. Before you go to face that giant of a man over there, may I ask you a few questions?

David: I am very determined to fulfill this assignment, so could you make it quick?

HolyEll: Of course! Umm, aren’t you afraid to go up against that guy? I mean, just look at him. It looks like he eats buffalo for breakfast and dinner?

David: What’s a buffalo?

HolyEll: Nevermind that. I saw you pick up five smooth stones. Do you think they’ll work to defeat that big mammoth of a man?

David: I have the Lord on my side, and the extra stones are for anyone else who comes against me after I take the head of that uncircumcised Philistine.

HolyEll: Hey bro, do your thing homie!

(HolyEll vanishes into thin air, as David wonders in amazement.)

David: Bro?… Homie?…. prepare to meet your maker giant AAAHHHHH!

(“There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil… And the Lord said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the Lord.”)

Job: (Crying and lying on his face in agony)

HolyEll: Umm… excuse me sir. Sorry to bother you, but…may I sit with you for a moment?

Job: Good day to you son. How may help you?

HolyEll: Wow, you’re really nice! You’ve been lying here suffering for countless days, yet you maintain your character.

Job: How do you know about my suffering?

HolyEll: Let’s just say, a little birdie told me all about it. Anyhoo, may I ask you a few questions?

Job: At this point, you may ask as you please. I’ve lost everything. My children, my livestock, even my wife has spoken ill against the Lord. Nevertheless, I will not turn away from the hand of my God, because the Lord giveth, and the Lord taketh away.

HolyEll: Man, that’s deep. Mr Job, I’m fully aware of your situation, and how your close friends would not support you in your struggle. Although they meant well, they were unaware of God’s overall plan for your life.

Job: You speak as a wise man, son. Naked I came into this world, and naked I’ll leave. God is always righteous, even in His judgment. There is a reason for my suffering, but my God will continue to get all the glory.

HolyEll: Man…sniff sniff… you’re making me cry.

Job: It’s ok son. I’ve cried rivers of tears already. Just let it flow, and God will turn your tears into joy.

HolyEll: I came with intentions to encourage you, but you’ve blessed me more than I could imagine.

(HolyEll vanishes into thin air, as Job wonders in amazement.)

Job: Who was that young man? Reminds me of myself, during my younger days. Thank you Father for sending a listening ear. All glory belongs to you.

This concludes the exciting episode of, “Interesting Interviews”. Thanks for tuning in, and have a fantabulous journey!

Unclean!

Leviticus 13:1-8

Leprosy, a name applied to several different diseases, was greatly feared in Bible times. Some of these diseases, unlike the disease we call leprosy or Hansen’s disease today, were highly contagious. The worst of them slowly ruined the body, and in most cases, were fatal. Lepers were separated from family and friends, and confined outside the camp. Since priests were responsible for the health of the camp, it was their duty to expel and readmit lepers. If someone’s leprosy appeared to go away, only the priest could decide if he was truly cured. Leprosy is often used in Bible times as an illustration of sin, because sin is contagious and destructive, and leads to separation.

(Life Application Study Bible pg. 198)

Listen, And Live

Jeremiah 38:1-6

When God spoke a word, in the scriptures, it was always in the best interest of those whom His words were directed, to take heed, and do as He commanded. God gave instruction, direction, or warning, so that those whom He called to serve His purpose, would fulfill what He expected from them, without distraction or delay.

In those times when men refused to follow God’s direct instructions, a hard lesson was usually associated with their disobedience. One such example can be found in the book of Numbers. Despite all his favor, fame, and miraculous works, Moses never stepped foot in the land of promise, due to his disobedience. During the time when Moses had led the children of Israel into the desert of Zin, where no food or water was to be found, the people had become hungry and parched. Things were so bad, that even Miriam, Moses’ sister, died, and was buried there. So, Moses and his brother Aaron prayed to God earnestly, and God appeared to them, then gave Moses a simple instruction; “Take the rod, and gather thou the assembly together, thou, and Aaron thy brother, and speak ye unto the rock before their eyes; and it shall give forth his water, and thou shalt bring forth to them water out of the rock: so thou shalt give the congregation and their beasts drink”. Obeying God couldn’t get any more simpler than that… right? Unfortunately, Moses had become so frustrated with the complaining people, that rather than speak to the rock as God commanded, he literally whacked it, not once, but TWICE, out of disgust for the rebellious people. Shame on you Moses lol. He was almost there too!

Our text gives another example of the importance of adhering to the voice of the Lord. God had given a word to the prophet Jeremiah, to warn the people of the city to flee toward the Chaldeans, so they might live, because their city would soon be overtaken by the Babylonian army. By this time in Scripture, Jeremiah had proven himself to be a true prophet of the living God, but his words weren’t received well by the princes who were gathered in his presence also. Rather than take heed to God’s life-saving warning, the men convinced the king, that Jeremiah was only weakening the hands of the military, as well as the people in the city, by uttering such hurtful words. The naive king gave in to the cries of the princes, and had the prophet Jeremiah thrown into the dungeon. To give a shortened version to the conclusion of this story, God took care of His prophet, and rescued him from certain death, but as for king Zedekiah and those who remained in the city, well… let’s just say they never saw the light of day, ever again (the details of their judgment are extremely graphic).

When God gives instruction to us today (as He expects us to obey the Bible), it would be wise for us to read, hear, study, and take heed. God knows what’s ahead of us, and desires that we not be overtaken with sin. But, we must trust that His Word is true, and willingly do those things He asked of us, in His Word.

Why does the living man complain?

Ell

Don’t doubt; Trust God’s promises

Numbers 13:1-2, 17, 25-28; 14:1-2, 5-10

Knowing God the way I do today, allows me to see things in Scripture differently than I did when I first began to meditate on the Word. When I use to read about the children of Israel, I had a slight case of envy for them, being that they were God’s chosen nation, set apart to establish His kingdom in the earth, and to be the line by which Christ was to come through. Unfortunately, the more you read about the ancient Israelites, the more disgust I’m certain you’ll develop for their consistent disobedient behavior, as I have as well.

God literally proved Himself, His amazing power, and sufficient grace and mercy to His people on multiple occasions, yet those miraculous acts weren’t enough to convince the privileged Israelites to commit their trust totally to Him. When they complained about being in bondage, and suffering persecution, God delivered them with a mighty hand. When they cried as they stood facing the Red Sea, while being pursued by a bloodthirsty Pharoah and his army, God parted the sea, allowed His people to cross over on dry land, then closed the waters to drown Israel’s pursuers. As the people roamed the wilderness, following God’s path to the Promise Land, their complaints reached elevated heights, as they assumed God brought them out of Egypt, only to kill them in the wilderness. So, God miraculously provided food for them, day and night. God provided top-notch protection for the people as He allowed pillars of cloud and fire to go ahead of them by day, and night as well. Out of all these things the Lord did for the children of Israel, they were nowhere close to being sold on His promise of Canaan, especially following the evil report of Giants and fortified buildings in the land.

I’m having trouble understanding the logic and reasoning of the people, because they saw God’s handiwork before their very eyes, yet when facing giants, they cowered in fear. God told them time and time again, the land was theirs, even though someone else attended to it until they arrived (which was actually a good thing). They were also promised God’s personal protection to aid them in taking what was rightfully theirs. But……some people…..no matter what you say, or do to convince them that their victory is indeed assured, they’ll prefer to hold on to their own fear, rather than confide in someone who’s already proven they can take care of them.

Things got even worse when the people threatened to stone the very men who led them, and had faith in God to deliver the land into their hands. While Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before the people, no doubt as a sign of “what do I do now, these people are hopeless”, Joshua and Caleb became angry, tore their clothes, then reminded the people that with God, there is nothing to fear. If God hadn’t stepped in to protect His men, that mob of cowards would have probably stoned them to death.

Fear can cause us to make unwise decisions. The next time you’re faced with a challenging situation, rather than doubt God and react out of fear, pray to Him, and ask for wisdom to make the right choices, and courage to see the process through. God wants the best for you, but you must trust that His word is true, despite what comes against you.

Walk in love,

Ell

God decides who will enter Canaan

Deuteronomy 1:34-40

How does it make you feel, when you discover that some people, even your closest friends, don’t trust your words? In moments when you’re most sincere, no matter what you say to convince some, your credibility isn’t strong enough to sway their acceptance toward what you speak as truth. Unlike the boy who cried wolf so much, until people literally ignored him, there will be times in our lives when our words will fall on deaf ears, even when those words are intended to save someone’s life. Situations like these make me ANGRY 😡😡😡, because I have a heart of compassion for literally everyone, and when my words are ignored, it makes me feel as if I’m unappreciated, or disrespected in a sense. I don’t claim to know everything, but I do have a portion of godly wisdom that guides my thoughts and actions, of which I willingly share with others, so as to help them avoid snares and traps set by the enemy.

If we get a bit worked up when people ignore us, imagine how God feels when His chosen people refuse to obey His commands. Of all the people God delivered from Egyptian oppression, only two of the original multitude were allowed to enter the land of promise. That’s shocking, because over 2 million people left Egypt, and crossed the Red Sea. So, why were only two men of all those people granted access to Canaan, and not the others (the children who had no knowledge between good and evil during that time were allowed in as well)? The short answer is, because of their disobedience, and unbelief. When we disobey God, we miss out on a lot of great blessings He intended for us to have. God told the people the land was theirs, and all they had to do was go and take it. Unfortunately, Caleb and Joshua were the lone two with enough sense to know that with God, they already had the victory. Sadly, Moses, along with majority of those he led, were not allowed to enter into Canaan (The reason God was angry with Moses was because he smote the rock two times, instead of speaking to it, as God commanded him to. Numbers 20:8-13).

Obeying God’s commands may not make us popular with the world, but the rewards for simple obedience to His will, far outweigh anything this world has to offer. In the same way Joshua and Caleb witnessed many get rejected from entering the Promised Land, there is coming a day when those who refuse to accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior will be denied access into eternal glory. What a sad day, when all those who choose to live their “best lives now”, and refuse to plan for a more secure eternity, will hear God say, “depart from me”. Build your hope on things that hold eternal relevance, and trust God in all things, because walking the path of your own wisdom will only cause you to miss an opportunity to receive all the promises God has in store for you.

Walk in love,

Ell

Aaron performs the atoning sin

Leviticus 16:11-19

“And Jesus cried with a loud voice, and gave up the ghost. And the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom” (Mark 15:37-38). In the past, the way into the Holy of Holies in Heaven was only accessed by priests, but after Jesus died, access was made possible to all men through His blood. Now all men can approach God on their own, without relying on priests to go on their behalf.

Priests in the past were to present to God two sacrifices for themselves, one sin offering, and another burnt offering. A young bullock was required for a sin offering, and a ram for the latter. The sin offering for the people required the blood of a goat. Offerings brought to God during these times were extremely detailed in their presentation. Unlike men today who bring God whatever they feel is enough, and drop it in an offering basket, Aaron and the priests of the past were required to follow a strict order, so that their offerings would be suitable and acceptable to God. The detail of the offerings is listed in the lesson text, so I won’t bother mentioning all of it here.

My purpose in this lesson is to simply point out the importance of giving to God from the heart, and not out of simple habit. God gave us EVERYTHING!!!! We have life, health, strength in our bodies, sound minds, and a list of attributes that would take days to write, so when we give to God, it should be our best! Before we approach God with our gift, whether it be monetary, or even our own selves, we must first be sure to ask God to remove any sin that may be nestled away somewhere in our hearts. There are times when we may do things unpleasing to God unawares, and only He has the power to remove it from our lives. After our sins have been confessed and covered by the blood of Jesus, we are then free to present to God our gifts. We give to God, not because He needs it, but to show that we are grateful for all He does for us, and to assist those in ministry who require funds to maintain balance in churches and communities. Take full advantage of your opportunity to come to God freely, and allow Him the chance to pour into you all you need to live a life that is holy, acceptable, and pleasing in His sight.

Walk in love,

Ell