journey on: see the great and awesome God who keeps his covenant of unfailing love

Zechariah 9:10-12

New Living Translation (NLT)

¹⁰ I will remove the battle chariots from Israel
    and the warhorses from Jerusalem.
I will destroy all the weapons used in battle,
    and your king will bring peace to the nations.
His realm will stretch from sea to sea

    and from the Euphrates River to the ends of the earth.
¹¹ Because of the covenant I made with you,
    sealed with blood,
I will free your prisoners
    from death in a waterless dungeon.
¹² Come back to the place of safety,
    all you prisoners who still have hope!
I promise this very day
    that I will repay two blessings for each of your troubles. 

Genesis 17:7

“I will confirm my covenant with you and your descendants after you, from generation to generation. This is the everlasting covenant: I will always be your God and the God of your descendants after you.

Genesis 17:6-8 (in Context) Genesis 17 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations

Deuteronomy 4:26

“Today I call on heaven and earth as witnesses against you. If you break my covenant, you will quickly disappear from the land you are crossing the Jordan to occupy. You will live there only a short time; then you will be utterly destroyed.

Deuteronomy 4:25-27 (in Context) Deuteronomy 4 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations

2 Kings 8:19

But the Lord did not want to destroy Judah, for he had made a covenant with David and promised that his descendants would continue to rule, shining like a lamp forever.

2 Kings 8:18-20 (in Context) 2 Kings 8 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations

 

2 Chronicles 15:12

Then they entered into a covenant to seek the Lord, the God of their ancestors, with all their heart and soul.

2 Chronicles 15:11-13 (in Context) 2 Chronicles 15 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations

 

Nehemiah 1:5

Then I said, “O Lord, God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps his covenant of unfailing love with those who love him and obey his commands,

Nehemiah 1:4-6 (in Context) Nehemiah 1 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations

 

Psalm 103:17-18

¹⁷ But the love of the Lord remains forever
    with those who fear him.
His salvation extends to the children’s children
¹⁸     of those who are faithful to his covenant,
    of those who obey his commandments!

end times witnessing: Draw near to God

1. Hebrews 4:16
   Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
   Hebrews 4:15-16 (in Context) Hebrews 4 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations
2. Hebrews 7:19
   (for the law made nothing perfect); but on the other hand, a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God.
   Hebrews 7:18-20 (in Context) Hebrews 7 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations
3. Hebrews 7:25
   Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.
   Hebrews 7:24-26 (in Context) Hebrews 7 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations
4. 9:¹² he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. ¹³ For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, ¹⁴ how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God,purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.
5. Hebrews 10:1
6. [ Christ's Sacrifice Once for All ] For since the law has but a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form of these realities, it can never, by the same sacrifices that are continually offered every year, make perfect those who draw near.
   Hebrews 10:1-3 (in Context) Hebrews 10 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations
7. ^{Hebrews 10:19} Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, ²⁰ by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, ²¹ and since we have a great priest over the house of God, ²² let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. ²³ Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. 
8. James 4:8
   Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
   James 4:7-9 (in Context) James 4 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations
9. Hebrews 11:5-7 By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God. ⁶ And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. ⁷ By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.
10. Leviticus 9:7
    Then Moses said to Aaron, “Draw near to the altar and offer your sin offering and your burnt offering and make atonement for yourself and for the people, and bring the offering of the people and make atonement for them, as theLord has commanded.”
    Leviticus 9:6-8 (in Context) Leviticus 9 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations
11. Isaiah 29:12-14 And when they give the book to one who cannot read, saying, “Read this,” he says, “I cannot read.” 13 And the Lord said: “Because this people draw near with their mouth and honor me with their lips, while their hearts are far from me, and their fear of me is a commandment taught by men, 14 therefore, behold, I will again do wonderful things with this people, with wonder upon wonder; and the wisdom of their wise men shall perish,     and the discernment of their discerning men shall be hidden.”
12. Isaiah 48:15-17 I, even I, have spoken and called him; I have brought him, and he will prosper in his way. 16 Draw near to me, hear this from the beginning I have not spoken in secret, from the time it came to be I have been there.” And now the Lord God has sent me, and his Spirit. 17 Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “I am the Lord your God, who teaches you to profit, who leads you in the way you should go.
13. Jeremiah 30:21
    Their prince shall be one of themselves; their ruler shall come out from their midst; I will make him draw near, and he shall approach me, for who would dare of himself to approach me? declares the Lord.
    Jeremiah 30:20-22 (in Context) Jeremiah 30 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations
14. Ezekiel 43:19
    you shall give to the Levitical priests of the family of Zadok, who draw near to me to minister to me, declares the Lord God, a bull from the herd for a sin offering.
    Ezekiel 43:18-20 (in Context) Ezekiel 43 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations

Journey to see God: know the covenant God

The watchman’s journey to see God continues. Today’s message is for all who earnestly seek God. God hears and answers your prayers. Do not give up!
This morning the watchman woke around 4am. For today’s message, he was asked to read Joshua 7. He realized it was not a pleasant message but he obeyed. Indeed it was about how Israel was defeated at Ai after a resounding victory at Jericho. But as he read he understood the reason for this message today.

1. The Lord is a covenant keeping God.
2. He wants His people to keep His covenant.
3. He wants His people to know He is holy and sets apart. His people must know Him in Spirit and in Truth. Only by fully obeying His divine instructions and setting themselves apart from the world and its way then they would be able to know and worship God in Spirit and in Truth.
4. He shows that when they break covenant with Him they would have no protection from Him, because He would withdraw His presence. They would be no match to their enemies in the spiritual realm no matter how strong they think they are and how weak their enemy seems in the physical realm. They have become “doomed to destruction” (Joshua 7:12).

For Christians, in practical terms, this means:
(A) There are two things to do (as faith in action) before the Lord to keep covenant:

1. build altar and give sacrifices (ministering to the Lord: in prayers, worship in Spirit and in truth -His words)
2. read and listen to the word of God (being spoken, read, proclaimed, prayed)

(B) There are two things (the things that break covenant) to avoid doing:

1. do not hang on to things that the Lord has set apart to destroy (as an offering to the Lord).
2. do not take the things that the Lord has set apart for His treasury (do not even put them among your own personal belongings! To the Lord that is deliberate hiding). The Lord described this ‘crime’ in Joshua 7:11 “Israel has sinned, and they have also transgressed My covenant which I commanded them. For they have even taken some of the accursed things, and have both stolen and deceived; and they have also put it among their own stuff.”

100. The Result of disobedience to the divine instructions of God: 1. the culprit will be completely destroyed (in this case the person Achan, his family and all his belongings).
     2. he will also bring trouble and curse to his nation (36 soldiers from the camp of Israel were killed by the enemy from Ai, which was physically weaker than Israel. The Israelite had 30000 mighty men of valor whereas the entire population of the city of Ai was only 12000! )

RELEVANT VERSE FROM THE WORD OF GOD
(The watchman’s study notes are in brackets, using NKJV verses to illustrate)
The Bible version New Living Translation (NLT) is used here (as led by the Holy Spirit today)
Joshua 6:17-19 Jericho and everything in it must be completely destroyed[a] as an offering to the Lord. Only Rahab the prostitute and the others in her house will be spared, for she protected our spies. 18 “Do not take any of the things set apart for destruction, or you yourselves will be completely destroyed, and you will bring trouble on the camp of Israel. 19 Everything made from silver, gold, bronze, or iron is sacred to the Lord and must be brought into his treasury.”
Footnotes: a. Joshua 6:17 The Hebrew term used here refers to the complete consecration of things or people to the Lord, either by destroying them or by giving them as an offering; similarly in 6:18, 21.
(The divine instruction is clear and specific: on this occasion, the Lord specified a curse and a consecration (a) Curse: the city of Jericho, except for Rehab and all who are with her in her house, be doomed for destruction, it and all who are in it. (Joshua 6:17a) (b) Consecration: all the silver and gold, and vessels of bronze and iron, are consecrated to the Lord; they shall come into the treasury of the Lord. (Joshua 6:19))
Joshua 6:21 They completely destroyed everything in it with their swords—men and women, young and old, cattle, sheep, goats, and donkeys. Joshua 6:24 Then the Israelites burned the town and everything in it. Only the things made from silver, gold, bronze, or iron were kept for the treasury of the Lord’s house.
Joshua 7:1 Ai Defeats the Israelites 7 But Israel violated the instructions about the things set apart for the Lord.[a] A man named Achan had stolen some of these dedicated things, so the Lord was very angry with the Israelites. Achan was the son of Carmi, a descendant of Zimri[b] son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah.
Footnotes:

1. Joshua 7:1 The Hebrew term used here refers to the complete consecration of things or people to the Lord, either by destroying them or by giving them as an offering; similarly in 7:11, 12, 13, 15.
2. Joshua 7:1 As in parallel text at 1 Chr 2:6; Hebrew reads Zabdi. Also in 7:17, 18.

(The divine instruction demands 100% compliance: partial compliance is of no effect in the spiritual realm. See the terrible result as follows.)
Joshua 7:4-5 So approximately 3,000 warriors were sent, but they were soundly defeated. The men of Ai 5 chased the Israelites from the town gate as far as the quarries,[a] and they killed about thirty-six who were retreating down the slope. The Israelites were paralyzed with fear at this turn of events, and their courage melted away.
Footnotes:

1. Joshua 7:5 Or as far as Shebarim.

Joshua 7:12-13 That is why the Israelites are running from their enemies in defeat. For now Israel itself has been set apart for destruction. I will not remain with you any longer unless you destroy the things among you that were set apart for destruction.
(The divine instruction when fully complied will bring the presence of the holy God and victory over the spiritual enemies. Otherwise, mortals are doomed to destruction. Ephesians 6:12 “for we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.”)
13 “Get up! Command the people to purify themselves in preparation for tomorrow. For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: Hidden among you, O Israel, are things set apart for the Lord. You will never defeat your enemies until you remove these things from among you.
(The divine instruction says: cleanse your temple! This includes your body, soul -your mind and your emotion- and spirit.)
Joshua 7:25-26 Then Joshua said to Achan, “Why have you brought trouble on us? The Lord will now bring trouble on you.” And all the Israelites stoned Achan and his family and burned their bodies. 26 They piled a great heap of stones over Achan, which remains to this day. That is why the place has been called the Valley of Trouble[a] ever since. So the Lord was no longer angry.
Footnotes:

1. Joshua 7:26 Hebrew valley of Achor.

Joshua 8:30-32 The Lord’s Covenant Renewed 30 Then Joshua built an altar to the Lord, the God of Israel, on Mount Ebal. 31 He followed the commands that Moses the Lord’s servant had written in the Book of Instruction: “Make me an altar from stones that are uncut and have not been shaped with iron tools.”[a] Then on the altar they presented burnt offerings and peace offerings to the Lord. 32 And as the Israelites watched, Joshua copied onto the stones of the altar[b] the instructions Moses had given them.
Footnotes:

1. Joshua 8:31 Exod 20:25; Deut 27:5-6.
2. Joshua 8:32 Hebrew onto the stones.

Joshua 8:33-35 Then all the Israelites—foreigners and native-born alike—along with the elders, officers, and judges, were divided into two groups. One group stood in front of Mount Gerizim, the other in front of Mount Ebal. Each group faced the other, and between them stood the Levitical priests carrying the Ark of the Lord’s Covenant. This was all done according to the commands that Moses, the servant of the Lord, had previously given for blessing the people of Israel.
34 Joshua then read to them all the blessings and curses Moses had written in the Book of Instruction. 35 Every word of every command that Moses had ever given was read to the entire assembly of Israel, including the women and children and the foreigners who lived among them.
(The divine instruction is practical: Joshua followed exactly according to what Moses had written. Every word and every command was read and reaffirmed. He demonstrated to the entire congregation by his faithful and obedient deed: build the altar, copy the covenant, read the entire word of God.)
(In summary, Joshua believed and practiced the entire word of God, according to what the Lord has instructed him at the beginning of his take over of national leadership from Moses. Joshua 1:8 “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.”)