Beware of Coming Deception
By Bruce Wells
By Bruce Wells
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I don't know about you, but when I read the Bible, from time to time I come across examples of God dealing with one of His servants in a way that, at least initially, really surprises me. But then, when I look at what is going on, I get more insight into the situation.
One example is Moses. Moses led the people of Israel out of Egypt. He led them through the red sea. He led them for 40 years through the wilderness. Then, at Kadesh, Moses didn't follow God's direction, didn't sanctify God before the congregation during one incident, and God says: "OK, since you did this, you won't be able to come into the promised land with the people." Moses died, and was not able to enter the new land. I felt sorry for Moses.
Then, when King David was bringing the ark up to Jerusalem, the ark was being carried on a wagon, instead of being born on the priest's shoulders as God had ordered them to do in His law. And the oxen pulling the wagon stumbled, and the ark started to tip. And one of those helping to bring the ark up, a man named Uzzah, put out his hand to steady the ark, and God struck him dead. You shake your head, and say "what's going on here? Why did God do that? And you maybe feel sorry for Uzzah.
Well, in this week's Scripture passage, we come across a man called "a man of God." No name! This man -- a prophet -- was on a mission from God. He was doing what God had commanded. Then, another prophet lies to the man of God, and tells him that God had given the man of God a change in orders. So this first prophet swallows the lie, and God takes his life. And you scratch your head: "What's going on here?"
I don't know about you, but when I read the Bible, from time to time I come across examples of God dealing with one of His servants in a way that, at least initially, really surprises me. But then, when I look at what is going on, I get more insight into the situation.
One example is Moses. Moses led the people of Israel out of Egypt. He led them through the red sea. He led them for 40 years through the wilderness. Then, at Kadesh, Moses didn't follow God's direction, didn't sanctify God before the congregation during one incident, and God says: "OK, since you did this, you won't be able to come into the promised land with the people." Moses died, and was not able to enter the new land. I felt sorry for Moses.
Then, when King David was bringing the ark up to Jerusalem, the ark was being carried on a wagon, instead of being born on the priest's shoulders as God had ordered them to do in His law. And the oxen pulling the wagon stumbled, and the ark started to tip. And one of those helping to bring the ark up, a man named Uzzah, put out his hand to steady the ark, and God struck him dead. You shake your head, and say "what's going on here? Why did God do that? And you maybe feel sorry for Uzzah.
Well, in this week's Scripture passage, we come across a man called "a man of God." No name! This man -- a prophet -- was on a mission from God. He was doing what God had commanded. Then, another prophet lies to the man of God, and tells him that God had given the man of God a change in orders. So this first prophet swallows the lie, and God takes his life. And you scratch your head: "What's going on here?"
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