Remind God?

Numbers 31:54 NLT

So Moses and Eleazar the priest accepted the gifts from the generals and captains and brought the gold to the Tabernacle as a reminder to the Lord that the people of Israel belong to him.

Numbers 10:10 NLT

Blow the trumpets in times of gladness, too, sounding them at your annual festivals and at the beginning of each month. And blow the trumpets over your burnt offerings and peace offerings. The trumpets will remind the Lord your God of his covenant with you. I am the Lord your God.”

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God knows everything. God made the covenant promises to Abraham and then repeated these to, Jacob, and on then to His People through Moses.

So why is it that these two passages tell God's people to remind God?

Can you think of other places in the Bible that God asks people to remind him?

I've had a look at these passages in two passages in a number of other versions of the English Bible. (NASB, ESV, AMP, MSG, NCV, NIV, )

New Living Translation seems to be the only one with this nuance. Making God the one to be reminded. 

But even if it is a fluke of a less than accurate translation. What caused the translators to make this change?

Does God need reminding?

Didn't effectively Moses remind God of his reputation in Exodus 32 when God was going to destroy his people and Moses pleads with God to save them.

"So the Lord changed His mind about the harm which He said He would do to His people," (Exodus 32:14, NASB).

Victoria quay, Sheffield UK

In this passage not only does God get a reminder but it appears as if he changes his mind.

And then there is Korah's rebellion in Numbers 16, where it sounds as if God is going to wipe them all out and again Moses pleads with God and God seems to change his declared course.

 20Then the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying,21“Separate yourselves from among this congregation, that I may consume them instantly.”22But they fell on their faces and said, “O God, God of the spirits of all flesh, when one man sins, will You be angry with the entire congregation?”

Are our prayers a reminder to God?

What do you think?

Write me and tell me: wkbode@gmail.com or reply here and make a comment.

Controversial and of another time?

Leviticus 18:1-5 NLT

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Give the following instructions to the people of Israel. I am the Lord your God. So do not act like the people in Egypt, where you used to live, or like the people of Canaan, where I am taking you. You must not imitate their way of life. You must obey all my regulations and be careful to obey my decrees, for I am the Lord your God. If you obey my decrees and my regulations, you will find life through them. I am the Lord.

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"I am the Lord, " and" for I am the Lord your God. " are two constantly repeated phrases throughout what maybe arguably some of the most distasteful verses in the Bible. I say that it is distasteful for many reasons but to the uninitiated these three chapters of Leviticus refer to the actual sacrifice of humans. And not just any human sacrifice but the sacrifice of children by burning to death. Historical records from sources other than the Bible describe events where hundreds of children were killed at one time.

But to be fair, child sacrifice may be the most detestable reference in Leviticus chapters 18,19 and 20 but they are currently not the most controversial.

I want to really encourage you to read these chapters for yourself. But mostly to see the context and associations.

Ultimately my purpose today is to draw your attention to the overriding theme that underlines and punctuates these detestable and controversial behaviours.

Over and over God simply reminds his people that he is the Lord. He is adamant that as he lays out these prohibitions his people are clear He is God. There is not a lot of explanation, as to why particular behaviour is forbidden. What is crystal clear is that God is large and in charge.

This world is run by the Lord's agenda. He is God. God is making sure everyone knows the rules come from him.

God needs no other reason than he is. Are we God? No!

Who is God? The Lord is. So whatever has become of these commands for today and if you've not read them carefully you'll not be able to easily pick and choose what is still detestable out, from what is not currently relevant.

These three chapters are part of a whole. And the overriding and inescapable fact is that God is the author of these words.

You've got to ask yourself," What does God expect of me today?" How do I emphasis that I get He is Lord and God?

Get God right?

Originally wrttien 12/23/11

https://soundcloud.com/wkbode/theology101

Psalm 144:3-4

3 O LORD, what are human beings that you should notice them, mere mortals that you should think about them?4 For they are like a breath of air; their days are like a passing shadow.

Psalm 144 http://www.youversion.com/bible/nlt/ps/144/3-4

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The impact of this passage depends to some extent on your theology. Simply,

Do you correctly understand  who and what God is?

God is eternal! That is, God has always been and will always be. God is above and outside of time and space. He can enter time and space as we know but unlike us God exists equally beyond past, present, and future.

God is life. All that is life comes from God and is sustained by God. There is no life without God. God is described with some accuracy by three uncommon words, omnipotence, omnipresence, and omniscience.

We say God is omnipotent and by that we mean God has all power. No person, being, or circumstance is beyond the power of God. God or particular members of the God head (Father, Son, or Holy Spirit) do at times choose to work within certain relationships and rules that voluntarily appear to limit his power.

God is everywhere. That is not to say that everything is a God. That is to say that you can be nowhere in heaven or earth that God is absent. You can not escape the presence of God. God's presence is experienced by his grace in greater or lesser ways. But be assured God is there. Rejoice when you are blessed with a greater sense of his presence or if and when he chooses to display his presence in a more physical way. The fact that we know God is everywhere is described as God's omnipresence.

Lastly, God knows everything! Not only is God everywhere but he is aware of everything all at once. Not only all that can be observed by us but in every sense. God knows the thoughts and intents of every heart. All movements and motives of all things are within his knowledge. God not only knows the fact but he also understands everything. God is all wise. His knowledge exists perfectly within his perfect wisdom.

We say sometimes that God is other. What we mean by this is that God is beyond us. Unlike us. God is perfect. He is so different from us as to invoke the Psalmist to say, "O LORD, what are human beings that you should notice them.." Do you regard God as awesome? For he is! Do you think sometimes that you know better than God how to rule this world, run the show, fix the situation, treat the just or unjust? You do not know better than God!

God has done no wrong and you have. He saw you. He knows your heart. He was there. So it is even more compelling to read the last verse of this
Psalm, "15 Yes, joyful are those who live like this!

Joyful indeed are those whose God is the LORD." So this verse says you will have a joy in life if you live like you understand that God is in charge! The verse says, God is the Lord! By all definitions God is indeed the Lord. But do you live as if God is the Lord? Do you see him as the source of all life? Your judge and provider. Do you  humble yourself and respond like verses 3 and 4 with a humility of recognition that God is greater and God is good? Isn't this all the more amazing when you then read that God becomes a babe and comes to live and die among us? How much greater is the overwhelming "otherness" of God when you grasp he entered into this world as a man. Lived as a helpless child. Suffered humiliation. And he did all this to rescue a rebellious people. Who are you that GOD would have done that for you?

Psalm 144
A psalm of David.
1 Praise the LORD, who is my rock.
He trains my hands for war
and gives my fingers skill for battle.2 He is my loving ally and my fortress,
my tower of safety, my rescuer.
He is my shield, and I take refuge in him.
He makes the nations submit to me.3 O LORD, what are human beings that you should notice them,
mere mortals that you should think about them?4 For they are like a breath of air;
their days are like a passing shadow.5 Open the heavens, LORD, and come down.
Touch the mountains so they billow smoke.6 Hurl your lightning bolts and scatter your enemies!
Shoot your arrows and confuse them!7 Reach down from heaven and rescue me;
rescue me from deep waters,
from the power of my enemies.8 Their mouths are full of lies;
they swear to tell the truth, but they lie instead.9 I will sing a new song to you, O God!
I will sing your praises with a ten-stringed harp.10 For you grant victory to kings!
You rescued your servant David from the fatal sword.11 Save me!
Rescue me from the power of my enemies.
Their mouths are full of lies;
they swear to tell the truth, but they lie instead.12 May our sons flourish in their youth
like well-nurtured plants.
May our daughters be like graceful pillars,
carved to beautify a palace.13 May our barns be filled
with crops of every kind.
May the flocks in our fields multiply by the thousands,
even tens of thousands,14 and may our oxen be loaded down with produce.
May there be no enemy breaking through our walls,
no going into captivity,
no cries of alarm in our town squares.15 Yes, joyful are those who live like this!
Joyful indeed are those whose God is the LORD.

Does the right starting point = a favorable destination

Proverbs 9:10-12 NLT

Fear of the LORD is the foundation of wisdom.
Knowledge of the Holy One results in good judgment. Wisdom will multiply your days
and add years to your life. If you become wise, you will be the one to benefit.
If you scorn wisdom, you will be the one to suffer.

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The fountain of youth,  the secret of success, or the path of enlightenment all seem to be at least in part descriptive of the promise that comes with wisdom.
Wisdom for many always to be an elusive character trait that is often misunderstood. Take a moment and try and define wisdom.

So where does one begin if they want wisdom? Proverbs 9 implies that wisdom starts with God. Do you believe in God? Do you recognise he is all powerful? Do you remember that he made you? You are designed by him. You personally are God's intimate creation.
So with this relationship it is obvious that you are under him. And since you are his creation, you are meant to serve his purposes. You are designed to fulfil his will for you. God has every right to judge your performance. He has no equal.
So to respect him is your place. To understand his power is great, and his righteousness is unparalleled should make you crystal clear that you are completely dependant upon him.
The more you see who he is and understand who he is, the more you will gain wisdom. The more you agree with him and live in your rightful place before him, the more that your life will realise his great promises.

So let's look at those promises.

Wisdom
Understanding
Long life
Good judgment
And benefit rather than suffering for your foolishness.

Make wisdom your goal.

Make knowing God rightly your goal.
Make a reformation of your own place before God your goal.
Make worship your goal.

What are your thoughts on wisdom and the great of God?