"...man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the LORD."

Deuteronomy 8:3(b), RSV 

 

If you have made it this far. then you have learned a lesson in perseverance. Portions of the books of Moses are filled with such detailed information that the reader might become "bogged down" with all of the facts and be tempted to give up.

 

But if we did that, we would miss out on some of the most important lessons in all of Scripture!

 

For instance, we would have not only missed out on how God expects His words to be carried out to the letter, but also how that will never be done unless we have the right spirit. We would have missed out on His incredible plan to build a great nation from one man who had faith, and how He continued building that nation with the men and women of great faith who would also have vital roles in God's eternal purpose.

 

We would have missed reading of how perseverance to God's will is always pleasing and always rewarded, while faltering even in minor ways from His words will always end up in misery until repented of.

 

We would have missed out on His compassion, His love, and His unwavering faithfulness towards His creation. We would have missed how God could not bear the righteous being punished along side the wicked (Lot's family, Moses' family, Joshua and Caleb are but a few examples) and we would have missed how these same righteous people sometimes suffer due to the sins of others.

 

In short, had we failed to read all of the words of the Books of Moses our education would have been incomplete.

 

And that would have been a pity, for man lives "from every word that proceeds from the mouth of God!"

 

Aren't you glad that you are reading every word!

 

But He answered, "It is written,

'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God."

Matthew 4:4, RSV

 

Today is the 23rd day of the thirty day challenge to read through the Books of Moses. The reading for today is Numbers 25-30. May God richly bless your efforts to seek and live by every word!