I wrote a study a while ago about God’s rebuke, but I want to focus on his instruction today. We see over and over in the story of the Israelites the rebuke of God, but what I don’t usually focus on his how he instructs his people. Throughout the prophets and the story of Moses, there are many instructions given to them about various things. There were many times that they were taught, commanded, or warned of something and they rebelled. I’d like to focus on the teaching.
Deuteronomy 8:1-3
1 “Every commandment that I am commanding you today you shall be careful to do, so that you may live and multiply, and go in and possess the land which the Lord swore [to give] to your fathers. 2 And you shall remember [always] all the ways which the Lord your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, so that He might humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart (mind), whether you would keep His commandments or not. 3 He humbled you and allowed you to be hungry and fed you with manna, [a substance] which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, so that He might make you understand [by personal experience] that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of the Lord.
Deuteronomy 8:5-6
5 Therefore, know in your heart (be fully cognizant) that the Lord your God disciplines and instructs you just as a man disciplines and instructs his son. 6 Therefore, you shall keep the commandments of the Lord your God, to walk [that is, to live each and every day] in His ways and fear [and worship] Him [with awe-filled reverence and profound respect].
With these two passages, we see that God basically told the Israelites that they were led through hard times to test them and turn them to His will. Through the whole chapter, He talks about how He fed them and took care of them, giving them what they need but not fulfilling desire. In the second passage, it’s key to notice that the hard times were explained as instruction and discipline the way that a man does to his son. In present day, we all go through hard times. I have heard many people say (flippant or not) that maybe they were having a hard time because God was testing them. According to this passage, that could definitely be true. However, in some cases, if not all, there is a lesson to be learned from the experience. As an adult in his late 30s, I can look back on life and think “wow, I was stupid” when realizing some of the things I did. My friend would say “that’s old folks’ wisdom” - wisdom that comes from experience. A focus on the instruction in the second passage would lead me to see that hard times or hard decisions could be or have been presented to me teach me something that I need to understand.
God counsels us in his instruction. David spoke of it many times.
Psalms 32:8
8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
I will counsel you [who are willing to learn] with My eye upon you.
He will show us the way but we have to be willing to learn. We have to be able to accept the guidance that He is giving us. We see the example of the Israelites and we think we’re not like them, but I have seen that I’m more like them than I thought I was. We see the fury of God at their disobedience and his punishment when he saw fit. God is not different today, but the process is different under the new covenant. Much like Moses with the Israelites, the Bible says that the Spirit intercedes and pleads our case. But the Spirit does more than that.
John 14:26
26 But the [a]Helper (Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor—Counselor, Strengthener, Standby), the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name [in My place, to represent Me and act on My behalf], He will teach you all things. And He will help you remember everything that I have told you.
The Holy Spirit teaches us and guides us. He is given to us in the name of Christ to teach us “all things” and help us to remember Jesus’ instructions and teachings. We can also get teaching from our main source - the Bible.
2 Timothy 3:16
16 All Scripture is God-breathed [given by divine inspiration] and is profitable for instruction, for conviction [of sin], for correction [of error and restoration to obedience], for training in righteousness [learning to live in conformity to God’s will, both publicly and privately—behaving honorably with personal integrity and moral courage];
The scriptures are God’s Word. We can use it for a list of things that boil down to instruction for how to live and remain in God’s will. Just learning the scriptures will teach us the way to go.
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