I Will Sing of Loving Kindness and Justice

“A Call to Prayer”

1 Timothy 2:
First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.                          

   

John 6:27

Do NOT labour for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting LIFE.

“The Revelation of Intercession”

Joshua 1:5

No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.

Joshua 1:16

Then they answered Joshua, "Whatever you have commanded us we will do, and wherever you send us we will go.

Joshua 1:18

Whoever rebels against your word and does not obey it, whatever you may command them, will be put to death. Only be strong and courageous!"

"Repentance and Mourning"

Exodus 33:1-4

Then the LORD said to Moses, 'Leave this place, you and the people you brought up out of Egypt, and go up to the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, saying, "I will give it to your descendants." I will send an angel before you and drive out the Canaanites. But I will not go with you, because you are a stiff-necked people and I might destroy you on the way. When the people heard these distressing words, they began to mourn and no one put on any ornaments"

An Appeal to Heaven” signified that when no hope, no justice, and no recourse remains, we make an appeal to heaven for divine intervention. Everlasting and “Evergreen,” are actually found in Genesis 21:33! This scripture tells us that before calling on Olam El, the Everlasting God, Abraham planted a tamarisk tree. Only after begin given the Appeal to Heaven flag, did God reveal to me that a tamarisk tree is actually an evergreen tree, a symbol of everlasting covenant with God.

Genesis 21:33

And Abraham planted a grove in Beersheba, and called there on the name of the LORD, the everlasting God.

“The Lord had said to them”

Exodus 33:5b-6

The Lord had said to them; “Now take off your ornament and I will decide what to do with you.” So the Israelites stripped off their ornaments at Mount Horeb.

God calls them to a time of mourning rather than lightness, to repentance rather than celebration and they respond. They finally are beginning to understand the seriousness of turning away from Yahweh to the gods of Egypt.

“God is threatening to remove his Presence from their camp”

When we repent, we can avoid discipline, but if we remain adamant in our opposition to God's will, we expose ourselves to God's terrible judgment. Two verses come to mind:

Hebrews 10:31

"It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God."

1 Corinthians 11:31-32

"But if we judged ourselves truly, we would not come under judgment. When we are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be condemned with the world."

1 John 4:16-18

And we have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

Having a healthy fear of God is a good thing - even though it is only a step on the way to maturity.

“At that the fire of Jehovah came falling”

Worshiping Baal

Exodus 32:1 to 40:38-Saturn/Cronus/ Ba‘al.

Ahead of that solitary prophet lay a day like no other in his life. As Elijah watched, the stage was being set for one of the most dramatic confrontations between good and evil that the world had ever seen. Of the worship of Baal and the Baal priesthood.

Exodus 32:1

When the people saw that Moses was so long in coming down from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron and said, "Come, make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don't know what has happened to him."

Exodus 40:38

So the cloud of the LORD was over the tabernacle by day, and fire was in the cloud by night, in the sight of all the Israelites during all their travels.

Some might assume that a story about Baal worship is irrelevant now, since we do not see temples and altars to Baal around us. But this account is not mere ancient history.

Romans 15:4

For everything that was written in the past was written for our instruction, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures, we might have hope.

The word “Baal” means “owner” or “master.” Jehovah told his people that they should choose him as their “Baal,” or husbandly owner

“Moses Intercedes One More Time”

Exodus 33:12-17

Moses said to the LORD, “See, you say to me, ‘Bring up this people,’ but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. Yet you have said, ‘I know you by name, and you have also found favor in my sight. Now therefore, I pray You, if I have found favor in Your sight, let me know Your ways that I may know You, so that I may find favor in Your sight. Consider too, that this nation is Your people. And He said, "My presence shall go with you, and I will give you rest." Then he said to Him, "If Your presence does not go with us, do not lead us up from here. "For how then can it be known that I have found favor in Your sight, I and Your people? Is it not by Your going with us, so that we, I and Your people, may be distinguished from all the other people who are upon the face of the earth?" The LORD said to Moses, "I will also do this thing of which you have spoken; for you have found favor in My sight and I have known you by name."

The people had experienced the Presence of the Lord in the pillar of cloud and fire-Exodus 13:21 Now God threatens to substitute a powerful intermediary, an angel, for his own Presence. While the people are humbling themselves before the Lord, Moses intercedes for them. Observe this remarkable dialog between Moses and the Lord.

Exodus 13:21

The LORD was going before them in a pillar of cloud by day to lead them on the way, and in a pillar of fire by night to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night.

Moses said to the LORD, 'You have been telling me, "Lead these people," but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. You have said, "I know you by name and you have found favour with me. If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favour with you. Remember that this nation is your people.'

“Come up here”

Exodus 33:12-14

The LORD replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” 

“On what bases does Moses appeal to God?”

God's promise to be with Moses personally not through an intermediary.

Exodus 3:12

And He said, "Certainly I will be with you, and this shall be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall worship God at this mountain."

“God's statement that he has found favour with God”

Moses' continued to desire to learn from God and please Him "teach me your ways”

God's declaration that the Israelites are "my treasured possession"

Exodus 19:5

Now then, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be My own possession among all the peoples, for all the earth is Mine                   

Moses reminds God, "Remember that this nation is your people."

In other words, Moses intercedes on a combination of;
1 God's Word and promises and 
2 Moses' own personal favour with God.

Moses can ask God for favours based on his personal relationship with him. Moses "hangs out" with God in the "tent of meeting" until his face glows

Exodus 33:7-11

For the LORD had said to Moses, “Say to the sons of Israel, ‘You are an obstinate people; should I go up in your midst for one moment, I would destroy you. Now therefore, put off your ornaments from you, that I may know what I shall do with you.” So the sons of Israel stripped themselves of their ornaments, from Mount Horeb onward. Now Moses used to take the tent and pitch it outside the camp, a good distance from the camp, and he called it the tent of meeting. And everyone who sought the LORD would go out to the tent of meeting which was outside the camp.

Exodus 34:33-35

When Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil over his face. But whenever Moses went in before the LORD to speak with Him, he would take off the veil until he came out; and whenever he came out and spoke to the sons of Israel what he had been commanded, the sons of Israel would see the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses’ face shone. So Moses would replace the veil over his face until he went in to speak with Him.

2 Corinthians 3:7, 13

"The LORD would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks with his friend"

Exodus 33:11

Thus the LORD used to speak to Moses face to face, just as a man speaks to his friend. When Moses returned to the camp, his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, would not depart from the tent.

Exodus 33:17

And the LORD said to Moses, 'I will do the very thing you have asked, because I am pleased with you and I know you by name.

Moses and Commander Joshua headed down the mountain and when they got close to camp they heard all the noise from the golden cow party and thought it must be some kind of a war going on.

“Worshipping of Baal - The Golden calf”

“Lessons for Leader-Intercessors”

1 Timothy 2:1

I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people

Ephesians 6:18

And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord's people.

Leaders are to intercede and pray for their people, even when their people have not acted in a worthy manner.

We intercede on the basis of God's promises. Therefore, we must know the Word. We must know intimately the promises of God we need to live in God’s Word ‘’The Manna of Heaven’’

‘’The Manna of Heaven’’

We intercede on the basis of our personal relationship with God, forged in prayer. Yes, in the New Testament, we come in Jesus' name, not our own John 16:23-26 But there is no substitute for getting to know God in prayer and having a personal relationship so that He is a personal friend. Jesus reminds us to develop our own prayer relationship with the Father.

John 16:23-26

“In that day you will not question Me about anything. Truly, truly, I say to you, if you ask the Father for anything in My name, He will give it to you. “Until now you have asked for nothing in My name; ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be made full. “These things I have spoken to you in figurative language; an hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figurative language, but will tell you plainly of the Father. “In that day you will ask in My name, and I do not say to you that I will request of the Father on your behalf; for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me and have believed that I came forth from the Father.

John 16:27    

"The Father himself loves you because you have loved me"

So many people approach God only liturgically or at arm's length. But we are to develop a "face-to-face" relationship with God in prayer, an intimacy, like Jesus himself had. Jesus spent hours a day in prayer with the Father, and wouldn't do anything he didn't see the Father doing. He patterns that same intimacy for us, his disciples! Only as we become intimately acquainted with God and his ways can we do our job as leaders when there is a crisis.

John 5:19

Therefore, Jesus answered and was saying to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in like manner.

“Teach me you Ways”

Exodus 33:13

The Egyptians compelled the sons of Israel to labor rigorously;

Notice one other element of Moses' character: a longing to learn from God. He says,

Exodus 33:13

"If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favour with you."

Nahum 3:19

There is no healing of thy breach; thy wound is grievous; all that hear the report of thee clap the hands over thee; for upon whom hath not thy wickedness passed continually?

Notice the contrast when this is expressed by the Psalmist:

Psalm 103:7

"He made known his ways to Moses, His deeds to the people of Israel."

Here is a disciple lesson: seek to learn to know God intimately. The people were afraid of God and didn't want God to talk to them Exodus 20:19. They only saw God's mighty acts of power. But Moses sought to understand God himself. We followers of Christ can pray with the Psalmists, "Teach me your way, O Lord"-Psalm 25-4; 27:11; 86-11.                                                 

“God with Us”

Observe how important God's Presence is to Moses.

Exodus 33:15-16

Then Moses said to him, 'If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here. How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?'"

This "tent of meeting" is referred to when Moses speaks with the Lord "face to face", that is, intimately.

Exodus 34:33-35

When Moses finished speaking to them, he put a veil over his face. But whenever he entered the LORD's presence to speak with him, he removed the veil until he came out. And when he came out and told the Israelites what he had been commanded, they saw that his face was radiant. Then Moses would put the veil back over his face until he went in to speak with the LORD."

After the tabernacle was built, however, Moses would enter there and seek the Lord:

Numbers 7:89

"When Moses entered the Tent of Meeting to speak with the LORD, he heard the voice speaking to him from between the two cherubim above the atonement cover on the ark of the Testimony. And he spoke with him.

“Here he would receive additional revelations from the Lord”

The discipleship lesson I learn here from Moses is that we must keep pressing into God, not content with a status quo relationship, but always desiring more. Paul shared Moses' heart towards God:

"I regard everything as loss because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.”

I press on to make it my own.... This one thing I do…. forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead…. I press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 3:8

More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ,

Philippians 3:12

Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus.

Philippians 3:13-14

Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: “Forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

“Proclamation of the Name of Yahweh”

Exodus 34:5-7

The LORD descended in the cloud and stood there with him as he called upon the name of the LORD.  Then the LORD passed by in front of him and proclaimed, “The LORD, the LORD God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth;

We look at the declaration of Yahweh's name as He reveals His Glory to Moses.

Exodus 34:5-8

Then the LORD came down in the cloud and stood there with him and proclaimed his name, the LORD. And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, 'The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and Gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished.

Exodus 34:5-7

May the Grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

2 Corinthians 13:14

Remember, God lit the first fire on the altar. The Israelites were commanded to never let the fire go out.

The Levites were assigned to guard the flame. It was the Levites, who stood guard in the Holy Temple at night. There were twenty four specific points within the Temple where these guards stood watch; however, the purpose of this guard was to Honour the Divine Presence. No priests were assigned to guard the flame on the altar. Also, the sleeping Levite's garments.

Were only singed. There were never allowed to actually catch fire. No one ever ran through the Holy Temple naked.

“Holiness Means Separation”

By contrast to the concept of "spiritual" which seems to be rather unstable for our liking, since it can actually apply to things quite far from all which we have considered sacred. We find that the primary definition of "Holy" is "set apart to the service of God."

God Himself is called Holy because He is completely separate; unique and unequal in all of His creation. Nothing can be compared to Him because He is peerless. He is the Creator of the universe and all existence, and absolutely different from anything else that exists. It is in this light that Israel is collectively called upon to be a "Holy Nation", that is, a nation set apart from all others, completely different from any other, whose Divinely-mandated lifestyle serves as living proof that an entire nation can walk with God in its midst, it is a nation dwelling alone in peace; not counting itself among other nations"

Numbers 23:9

As I see him from the top of the rocks, And I look at him from the hills; Behold, a people who dwells apart, And will not be reckoned among the nations.

“Night-visions Night-watch”

Daniel 7:7

After this I saw in the night-visions, and, behold, a fourth beast, terrible and powerful, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth; it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with its feet: and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns.

Daniel 7:13

I saw in the night-visions, and, behold, there came with the Clouds of Heaven one like unto a Son of man, and He came even to the Ancient of Days, and they brought Him near before Him.

“Watch in the night"

“One of the three or four divisions of the night”

In Revelation, Jesus says “I know your works. You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead. Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die.

Through John, He was writing to the “dead” church. He was telling them that He would come as a thief to those who are not watching!

Revelation 3:1-3

And to the angel of the church in Sardis write: ‘The words of him who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. I know your works. You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead. Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God. And to the angel of the church in Sardis write: ‘The words of him who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. “‘I know your works. You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead.

Jeremiah 1:17

"Get yourself ready! Stand up and say to them whatever I command you. Do not be terrified by them, or I will terrify you before them.

Daniel 11:39

He shall deal with the strongest fortresses by the help of a foreign god: whoever acknowledges Him he will increase with glory; and he shall cause them to rule over many, and shall divide the land for a price.

Ezekiel 3:17

"Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the people of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me.

Revelation 2:21

But I have this against you, that you tolerate the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, and she teaches and leads My bond-servants astray so that they commit acts of immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols. I gave her time to repent, and she does not want to repent of her immorality. Behold, I will throw her on a bed of sickness, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of her deeds

Romans 2:4

Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God's kindness is intended to lead you to repentance.

1 Peter 1:13

Why gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought to you at the Revelation of Jesus Christ;

John 8:32

And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

“And you shall know the truth, 

and the truth shall make you free”

John 6:44

No man can come to me, except the Father which has sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.

Numbers 12:13

And Moses cried unto Jehovah, saying, 'O God, I pray Thee, give, I pray Thee, healing to her.

Romans 2:5

But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God's wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed.

2 Peter 3:9

The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

Psalms 103:3

Who is forgiving all thine iniquities, Who is healing all thy diseases,

Psalms 147:3

Who is giving healing to the broken of heart, And is binding up their griefs.

Proverbs 3:8

Healing it is to thy navel, And moistening to thy bones.

Proverbs 4:22

For life they 'are' to those finding them, And to all their flesh healing.

Proverbs 12:18

A rash speaker is like piercings of a sword - And the tongue of the wise is healing.

Proverbs 13:17

A wicked messenger falls into trouble, but a trustworthy envoy gains healing.

Proverbs 15:4

A healed tongue 'is' a tree of life - And perverseness in it - a breach in the spirit.

Proverbs 16:24

Sayings of pleasantness 'are' a honeycomb, Sweet to the soul, and healing to the bone.

Proverbs 17:22

A joyful heart promotes healing; but a broken spirit dries up the bones.

Proverbs 29:1

A man often reproved, hardening the neck, Is suddenly broken, and there is no healing.

Isaiah 19:22

Yahweh will strike Egypt, striking and healing. They will return to Yahweh, and he will be entreated by them, and will heal them.

Isaiah 53:5

And he is pierced for our transgressions, Bruised for our iniquities, The chastisement of our peace 'is' on him, And by his bruise there is healing to us.

Ecclesiastes 4:12

And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not easily broken.

“The Threefold Cord of Prevailing Prayer”

“Will Sing of Loving Kindness and Justice”

Psalm 101:1

Will Sing of Loving Kindness and Justice; to You, LORD, I will sing praise.  

Psalm 101:7-8

He who practices deceit shall not dwell within My House; He who speaks falsehood shall not maintain his position before Me. Every morning I will destroy all the wicked of the land, So as to cut off from the city of the LORD all those who do iniquity.

Every morning I will destroy all the wicked of the land,

eliminating everyone who practices iniquity from the LORD's city.

Psalm 46:4

There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the Holy Place where the Most High dwells.

“I have Cried Day and Night Before You”

Psalm 88:112

Will Your wonders be made known in the darkness? And Your righteousness in the land of forgetfulness? But I, O LORD, the God of my Salvation, have cried out to You for help, And in the morning my prayer comes before You. O LORD, why do You reject my soul? Why do You hide Your face from me.

Psalm 5:3

In the morning, LORD, You hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly.

Psalm 30:2

LORD my God, I called to you for help, and you healed me.

Psalm 5:2-4

Heed the sound of my cry for help, my King and my God, For to You I pray. In the morning, O LORD, You will hear my voice; In the morning I will order my prayer to You and eagerly watch. For You are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness; No evil dwells with You.…

Psalm 55:17

Evening, morning and noon I cry out in distress, and he hears my voice.

Psalm 59:16

But I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of Your love; for you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble.

Matthew 6:22

The eyes are the windows of your soul. "The light of the body is the eye: if your eye be single, your whole body shall be full of light.

Luke 11:34-36

The eye is the lamp of your body; when your eye is clear, your whole body also is full of light; but when it is bad, your body also is full of darkness. Then watch out that the light in you is not darkness. Therefore, if your whole body is full of light, and no part of it dark, it will be just as full of light as when a lamp shines its light on you.

Psalm 88:13

But I cry to you for help, LORD; in the morning my prayer comes before you.

Psalm 119:147

I rise before dawn and cry for help; I have put my hope in Your Word.

Psalm 130:5

I wait for the LORD, my whole being waits, and in his word I put my hope.

Isaiah 50:4

The Sovereign LORD has given me a well-instructed tongue, to know the word that sustains the weary. He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being instructed.

Habakkuk 2:1

I will stand at my watch and station myself on the ramparts; I will look to see what he will say to me, and what answer I am to give to this complaint.

“Woe to the Chaldeans”

Habakkuk 2:7-9

Will not your creditors rise up suddenly, And those who collect from you awaken? Indeed, you will become plunder for them. "Because you have looted many nations, All the remainder of the peoples will loot you. Because of human bloodshed and violence done to the land, To the town and all its inhabitants. "Woe to him who gets evil gain for his house To put his nest on high, To be delivered from the hand of calamity

Isaiah 33:1

Woe to you, destroyer, you who have not been destroyed! Woe to you, betrayer, you who have not been betrayed! When you stop destroying, you will be destroyed; when you stop betraying

Jeremiah 50:14

"Take up your positions around Babylon, all you who draw the bow. Shoot at her! Spare no arrows, for she has sinned against the LORD.

  

Jeremiah 51:56

A destroyer will come against Babylon; her warriors will be captured, and their bows will be broken. For the LORD is a God of retribution; he will repay in full.

It's childish. Pride. Again He's in rebellion. We all have our tests. May our hearts really be dealt with before we're but in the spectacle of the public eye.  The furnace is needed.  It will save us from every false covering.

  

1Samuel 15:22-23

Samuel speaks:  "Does God delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of God. Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed then the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of God, He has also rejected you from being king.

Isaiah 6:3

And one called to another and said: “Holy, Holy, Holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of His Glory!

God Bless

Josie Hagen