What made the Jewish nation great?
(Deut. 4:1-9, 32-35; Num. 25:1-15; Matt. 15:8-9; Rev. 3:14-22) Blog Oct. 31-Nov. 6, 2021
Prepared by Richard A. Marin: Present Truth PO Box 700, Fallbrook CA 92088-0700 USA
REVIEW: On the Plains of Moab while under God’s sentence of death, Moses began his farewell address with a brief review of Israel’s history. If God’s people were to become a great nation, they must remember his loving care in their past history and trust his good laws for their future wellbeing. They were his Covenant people who he loved and for whom he desired everything good. As Moses continued his discourse, he reminded the people of God’s precepts and of his promises to care for them and deliver them from every foe. God’s greatest desire was that his people would love him in return.
A Great Nation
1. Considering the brief history he recounted in Deuteronomy 1-3, how does Moses begin chapter 4? Moses begins Deuteronomy 4 saying “take heed” (Deut. 4:1).
2. Of what did God especially want his people to be heedful? God wanted (& still does) his people to pay special attention to his laws & to remember & obey them (Deut. 4:1, 9).
3. How particular is God about the wording and content of his laws? God is so particular about the wording & content of his laws that he pronounces an eternal curse upon anyone who changes them (Deut. 4:2; 12:32; Prov. 30:5-6; Rev. 22:18-19).
4. In Christ’s day what had the Jewish people done with God’s Law? In Christ’s day the Jewish leaders had added numerous human traditions to God’s Law thus obscuring & making meaningless the glory of God’s commands (Matt. 15:8-9).
5. In our day what has “the man of sin” done to God’s Law? The man of sin has attempted to change God’s Law by changing the day of worship and by removing the second commandment (Dan. 7:25; 8:23; 2 Thes. 2:3-4; Rev. 13:5-6).
6. What is it that made the Jewish nation great? Moses clearly tells God’s people that it is God’s presence with them & his commandments that make them a great nation (Deut. 4:5-8, 32-35).
7. Why did God want to transform his people into a great nation? Just as he promised Abraham, God desired his people to be a blessing & to bring the light of salvation in him to the whole world. If the nations saw their obedience to God’s commandments, they would be considered a very wise nation (Gen. 12:2-3; Deut. 4:6; Isa. 49:6).
8. What often happens to those who become great? Often those who become great, become proud & forget what made them great (Eze. 16:13-15).
9. What must have happened to God’s people after defeating two mighty nations on the east side of the Jordan River? God’s people on the border of the Promised Land must have let pride enter their hearts after defeating Og & Sihon for Scripture teaches that shame follows pride (Prov. 11:2; Jer. 50:32).
The Last Great Fall
10. While on the borders of the Promised Land what exciting but shameful event happened to God’s people? After defeating two mighty nations God’s people were enticed into adultery & worship of idols by the Midianites at Baal Peor (Num. 25:1-3; Deut. 4:3-4).
11. How did God purify his people at Baal Peor? God slew 24,000 men who followed the sin of Baal Peor & raised up a faithful priest to make a blood atonement for his people (Num. 25:9-15; Deut. 4:3-4).
12. What should we learn from God’s reaction to the sin of Baal Peor? God’s destroying plague at Baal Peor should show us how serious he is about obedience to his laws (Deut. 5:11; Matt. 5:17-19).
13. Who was left alive to enter Canaan after the sin of Baal Peor? Those who escaped God’s destroying plague were those who stayed close to God & his sanctuary during the crisis of Baal Peor – they wept between the porch and the altar (Num. 25:6; Deut. 4:4; Joel 2:17).
God’s Great Nation Today
14. What became of the great Jewish nation who were God’s chosen people? After repeated chastening the nation of Israel was given her final opportunity when God visited her in the person of his Son. But rather than receiving their Messiah, Israel rejected him and put him to death. It was at that time that Jesus pronounced her doom as God’s great nation & they sealed their fate with the stoning of Stephen (Matt. 21:33-43; 23:38; Acts 7:51-53).
15. When God rejected the Jewish nation as his “great nation,” whom did he choose to replace her? All the promises made to Abraham & his descendants will be fulfilled in Jesus, the True Vine, & for all those found in him – that is his church (Matt. 10:1-4; John 15:1; Gal. 3:27-29).
16. When Jesus in the book of Revelation outlines the history of the Christian church from Pentecost to Paradise, what name does he give to the church of our day? Jesus calls his last church Laodicea, which means “the judging of the people” for in our day the hour of God’s final judgment is come (Rev. 3:14-22; 14:6).
17. What is the condition of the church of Laodicea? Laodicea claims to be very rich when in fact she is poor & lacks discernment & lacks confidence in the righteousness of Christ (Rev. 3:17).
18. Is it likely that God’s church on the brink of eternity experiences a great fall just prior to entering the joy of her Lord? Yes, since the church is spiritual Israel Paul warns us of being enticed into spiritual harlotry (into uniting with the worship of false gods) & John says that false worship will be Satan’s last deception (1 Cor. 10:6-11; Rev. 13:15).
19. Like Phinehas at Baal Peor, what will God use to purify his people during her last conflict? God will have an everlasting Priest who will rise up & make an atonement for his people who sigh & cry for all the abominations done in the church (Num. 25:6, 10-13; Deut. 4:4; Eze. 9:4-6).20. What hope is there for the church of Laodicea in light of her continued sinfulness? Laodicea’s hope does not lie in her achieving character perfection before final judgment. Her only hope lies in the mercy of God as she is examined in judgment & her only defense is prayer (Matt. 26:41; Rom. 11:30-36; Rev. 3:18-20).