Reading
SAA Notes
Joshua’s setting apart as the next leader flows naturally into this chapter, which details the worship of God in ancient Israel. Worship was to be only in conformity with these general commands. Joshua’s victory leads believing Israel to worship God! Jesus’ victory will also lead you and I to corporate worship! Evangelicals today who believe that corporate worship is not necessary for spiritual health are not listening to this prophetic message.
SJA Notes
Here we read of how Israel was to worship the Lord. The offerings and sacrifices, the order and makeup of them.
And we know that Jesus shows us a deeper and fuller understanding of blood and sacrifice, of offering and worship.
Romans 12:1 tells us that we are to be living sacrifices.
So we can be encouraged from this passage on daily offerings that were made morning and evening. Our living sacrifice is to be morning and evening. Worship in all we do, absolutely, but also intentional and specific and set apart.
We set aside time to be with the Lord as individual sheep, kneeling before Him in prayer and working through His word.
We set aside time to be with our families, whatever makeup they are.
And we set aside time on Sundays each week to meet with God’s people to WORSHIP HIM (first and foremost, before human-to-human relational activities).
It’s hard and tough to do this. Israel didn’t do a great job of worshipping God. We often don’t either.
But we can give great thanks for Jesus! That through Him we can worship the Father in spirit and truth (John 4). Thank the Lord that the water He gives is a spring (never stagnant) of water, welling up to eternal life. It’s not a drop or a bucket or even a bath of water. It is a spring that continues to well up!
Hallelujah! We might at times stutter and flail around in our daily pursuit of holidays, but we have the water of life welling up in us. It doesn’t stop, it never ends. The Spirit continues to renew us, restore us, rescue us.
“The water that I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” John 4:14
* Dear Lord God,
Thank You for Your word that teaches us how to worship You.
Please help us to be careful with our worship, to not give it away to the world, to seek the freedom that comes from worshipping You the way You tell us to (and not any other way).
Please show us how to worship You Lord God, open the eyes and ears of our hearts to understand Your word.
Amen.