TITLE: God, our teacher By David McArdle 09/05/08 |
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God, your teacher
“ … You shall not do … nor are you to do … you shall not … “ [Lev. 18.3 NASB]
From a very early spiritual age, every child of God has desired, in one form or another, for God to specifically teach him, especially when we are facing, very common, directional problems or, family related behavioural questions, which we cannot always adequately and satisfactorily answer.
However, in this verse, God is patiently instructing His people, using three very clearly detailed restrictive commands. Now, this is interesting, for we sometimes think that God’s words of instruction and enlightenment to His people, should always sound good, be positive and also be encased in comforting and familiar theological phrases.
But here, He is teaching His people, whom He desires above all else to be holy, from the ungodly behaviour of the people who surrounded them, and to walk continually in the paths of holiness and righteousness.
Now most of us, if the truth were told, would prefer for ourselves and especially our children, to permanently mix with those who are godly and most definitely not with the deliberately wicked, those openly hostile and haters of God and who would, in a moment, if given the opportunity, defile and destroy our families, irreparably.
But here, God uses the powerful, but godless Egyptians and the extremely wicked Canaanites and their companions in crime, to get His will and principles of holiness across to the people whom He has chosen.
In our day, our best young men and ladies, leave the holy sanctuary where their behaviour has been impeccable and go and train with similarly minded people, in a theological teaching environment.
At that time, however, the most powerful man in the world was Pharaoh and not too far away from where he exerted his supreme power, there were seven very wicked nations coming to the fore.
And yet, God used the very source of wickedness, the Egyptians, and the seven-fold tentacles of the most despicable behaviour which He ever allowed to exist and remain, to teach His people priceless theological truths and very holy principles, the like of which there is no guarantee they would receive where they were going.
Today, rather than be continually discontented, seriously frustrated and permanently wishing that you or your family were somewhere else. Look away to God, listen attentively to Him and keep in mind that the place where you are, may turn out to be “ … The gate of heaven.” [Genesis 28.17]. [David McArdle]
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