This week's scriptures: Deuteronomy 1:1-3:22; Isaiah 1:1-27; Acts 9:1-21; 1 Timothy 3:1-7
The Book of Deuteronomy (Hebrew devarim = 'words') records Moses' summary of the instructions and teaching that God had given to His covenant people Israel to be a witness to the nations. These commandments contained both blessing and curse, life and death, and the promise both of God's presence if His people would trust and obey Him and of His discipline if they rebelled.
It is interesting that the word devarim is related to another word, devorim, that has the same 3-letter root (dalet-bet-resh), and means 'bees'. The link is that both God's words and the life of the bee are carefully ordered by the Creator. But the bee has a sting of discipline and rebuke that God uses in His Torah (His teaching for life) to deal with disobedience and rebellion.
Our thought this week is to consider how God's discipline of His covenant people Israel speaks to us in His dealings with us in these days. The Midrash tells us that Torah is as sweet as honey but also has a sting of rebuke; an elixir of life to the obedient, but a sting of death to the rebel.1
Israel's Presumption at the Gate of the Promised Land
After their experience of the awesome power and Presence of God at Mount Horeb, Israel moved to Kadesh Barnea (south of Beersheva) and sent 12 leaders to explore the hill-country of the Land that God had promised them. Moses reminded them that God had said: Do not be afraid of the people there. I will go before you and fight for you, as I did in Egypt, and in the desert. Indeed, He had carried them 'as a father carries his son', all the way (Deut 1:29-31).
But only Caleb and Joshua saw the goodness of God's promise, and the ten other leaders brought back an evil report, which made the people lose heart, and accuse God of bringing them into the desert to kill them. Even acknowledging their sin, in their presumption they thought that taking the land would be easy without God to protect them, but the Amorites in the land chased them back like a swarm of bees (Deut 1:44). This rebellion resulted in a further 40 years wandering in the wilderness until all that generation had died. It was a sting of discipline indeed.
Moses shows us the importance of warnings and admonition against the tendency to sin. Awareness of this is essential to the oversight of any endeavour. Overseers of any Godly project must model themselves on God's standards. Like Moses, they must be watchmen, encouragers and disciplinarians, and show by their actions that they are worthy of honour and respect, a requirement of all leaders both in Church and state.
The Nature of Discipline – Love and Correction
Discipline and unconditional love are two sides of the same coin, especially for children and those undergoing maturing tests and correction, even with a sting. They are necessary and vital elements of righteous leadership, whether by parents over their children, by prime ministers over the citizens in their nation, or by overseers (bishops) and pastors over their flocks. We see in the Haftarah (the weekly prophetic portion) that God regards Israel as His 'children' (Isa 1:2), and He is the Father of all to whom He has given life. Leaders that He raises up also have responsibility for Godly care over their 'children', and should reflect God's love and discipline to bring them to maturity.
Leaders need to rebuke and reform where there is sin or rebellion - but with love. Moses and Isaiah did this for Israel. Both called on heaven and earth to witness what the Lord had done for them (see Deut 32:1; Isa 1:2. Biblically, two witness are required to establish a matter - Deut 29:15). But man's inclination to sin requires correction as a way back to his relationship with a holy God, and the Midrash again comments the "You must learn from the animals how to serve Me – even the ox knows his maker".2 God sustains both but only man goes astray and turns to his own way (Isa 53:6). We all know that 2-years old toddlers do not need to be taught to rebel!
Sometimes, like Saul (Paul) on the road to Damascus, we too need a dramatic experience of the Lord Jesus to turn us back onto the correct path (Acts 9:4-8). Many of us remember about-turns in our life, whether through loving parents, through law-enforcement officers or through God Himself. The appropriate response to such correction is called repentance.
God's Way of Discipline – For Our Leaders Also
God has put His Spirit in mankind. His way is to discipline his 'children' with love, correction, encouragement, and more love. Every manager knows that that model works! And it comes straight from God's word (Heb 12:5-11). Through Moses, He says to us also, "Do not grumble, but trust Me, a Father who carries you as a father carries his son, all the way: do not be afraid; the Lord God Himself will fight for you" (Deut 1:31, 22). And through Isaiah He says, "Stop doing wrong; learn to do right. Seek justice; encourage the oppressed: I called Jerusalem as 'Sodom', yet, You will be called City of Righteousness" (Isa 1:10, 26).
It is righteousness that exalts a nation3 (has made even Britain 'great'), but sin is a disgrace to any people (Prov 14:34). If we in Britain turn back to God in repentance at this time, with thanksgiving for His mercy in the decision to leave the European Union, He may raise up, in both Church and government, the Godly leaders that we need, those who know God's pattern of love and discipline, according to the biblical pattern of overseers – above reproach, a model husband and father, of temperate behaviour, disciplined, a sober, gentle and abstemious teacher, humble, mature, and of good reputation (1 Tim 3:4-5).
In continuing to forsake God we will reject peace, and Brexit will only bring rebuke and confusion (Deut 28:20). We have spoken to the EU, but we now need urgently to speak to God, and to appoint Godly leaders.
Author: Greg Stevenson
References
1 Tz'enah Ur'enah, 2007. The Weekly Midrash, Vol 1:879, Mesorah Publications, NY.
2 Ibid, p990.
3 New Living Translation.