April 19th – Deuteronomy 30:11-20, Deuteronomy 31:1-29 Luke 19:11-44 Psalm 48:1-8

Deut 31:29

For I know that after my death you will surely act corruptly and turn aside from the way that I have commanded you. And in the days to come evil will befall you, because you will do what is evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking him to anger through the work of your hands.”

This is one of Moses’ final statements to the people. He’s winding down… he’s about to go up the mountain and die, never to be in the promised land himself.

And he knew the people were going to fail.

He knew that after his death that they’d act corruptly. And that God would be angry with them.

Moses had described all the blessing and the curses; and he knew they’d fail. Can you imagine how that felt? How his heart must have broken for them?

But there was nothing he could do. He couldn’t effect how they’d live in the coming generations – all he could do was leave them with the law of God, knowing they had a guide to live by.

When we teach and speak into others lives, all we can do is share what God has spoken. All we can do is guide and lead and encourage.

But how they live and move with that… you cannot be responsible for that.

If you speak to someone knowing that they are not going to take it on board, you still have to share it. You still have to pass on the responsibility of living right. Moses could have stepped back – He could have seen that they’d fail so thought what’s the point in trying? But He didn’t.

Neither should we. We must speak truth and leave it up to the people to decide if they will follow.

Luke 19:41-44

And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it, saying, “Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes.

For the days will come upon you, when your enemies will set up a barricade around you and surround you and hem you in on every side and tear you down to the ground, you and your children within you. And they will not leave one stone upon another in you, because you did not know the time of your visitation.” 

This temple was one of the wonders of the world. It was a source of great pride for the nation. This city was an amazing place. To imagine it’s destruction would have been inconceivable.

Yet what Jesus said would come to pass. The siege of Jerusalem, led by the Roman Titus, was a terrible event. So great was the slaughter that the sanctuary ran like a river of blood.

Josephus claims that 1.1 million people were killed during the siege.

It seemed impossible when Jesus said it that this could have occurred. But there’s nothing in this world, nothing that we have – any of us – that cannot be taken in a moment no matter how big or impressive it seems today.

We are so proud of the culture and society that we’ve built – but it’s all temporary.

None of it will last.

The only thing that can never be taken away from you is the love of God. Your relationship with Him is the only true permanent achievement you can ever make. Keep invested in that, and it will last forever.

Look after your relationship with God more than you look after your car, your home or anything else you have in this world.