HALF WAY
THERE!
We are half way through the Bible Challenge! I
know our family has really enjoyed reading God's Word. We hope you are too!
It's a great accomplishment. Let's see it through to the end!
These are a few helpful footnotes from Chapter 17.
The people took on the characteristics of the
idols and imitated the godless nations around them. Israel had forgotten the
importance and benefits of obeying God's word. The king and the people were
mired in wickedness. Time and again God had sent prophets to warn them of how
far they had turned away from him and to call them to turn back.
God's patience and mercy are beyond our ability
to understand. He will pursue us until we either respond to him or, by our own
choice and hardness of heart, make ourselves unreachable. Then God's judgment
is swift and sure. The only safe course is to turn to God before our
stubbornness puts us out of his reach.
Divination means witchcraft, and sorcery is
consulting evil spirits. Forms of witchcraft, fortunetelling and black magic
were forbidden by God (Deuteronomy 18:9-14). They were wrong because they
sought power and guidance totally apart from God, his law, and his Word. Isaiah
echoed this law and prophesied of the complete destruction these occult
practices would bring to those who participated in them.
Israel was taken into exile just as God's
prophets had warned. Whatever God predicts will come to pass. This, of course,
is good news to those who trust and obey him -- they can be confident of his
promises; but it is bad news to those who ignore or disobey him. Both
the promises and warnings God has given in his Word will surely come
true.
The new settlers in Israel worshiped God
without giving up their pagan customs. They worshiped God to appease him rather
than to please him, treating him as a good luck charm or just another idol to
add to their collection. A similar attitude is common today. Many people claim
to believe in God while refusing to give up attitudes and actions that God
denounces. God cannot be added to the values we already have.
He must come first, and his Word must shape all our actions and
attitudes.
All footnotes taken from the Life Application Study Bible, NIV
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