Today I have set before you Life and Death,
Blessing and Cursing.
Choose Life!
That you and your descendants may live.
Deuteronomy 30:19 BSB
Eight days later the disciples were together again, and this time Thomas was with them. The doors were locked; but suddenly, as before, Jesus was standing among them. “Peace be with you,” He said. Then He said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and look at My hands. Put your hand into the wound in My side. Don’t be faithless any longer. Believe!” John 20:26-27.
The number eight is very interesting, for it represents: Life, regeneration, resurrection, new beginnings! In Genesis it is written: The Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the Breath of Life, and the man became a living being (Genesis 2:7).
But everything human has its limits and end no matter how extensive, noble, and excellent; however, God’s Word is exceedingly broad and extends without limits into eternity (Psalm 119:96 AMP). And a person without the Spirit cannot understand because the things of God are spiritually discerned (1 Corinthians 2:14).
As David pondered his relationship with God he wrote: What is man Lord that you care for him? You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor. You made him ruler over the works of Your hands. You put everything under his feet (Psalm 8:4-6).
Regretfully, instead of having complete trust in God and His Word, man was not only befuddled by the power of witchcraft, we have become adept at wielding this evil power with deceptive and manipulative words (Micah 5:12). But God has said, “By your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned,” Matthew 12:37.
What say you? For those who do not believe the Truth God bestows, live to carry out their father’s desire. The devil! A murderer from the beginning, “But God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from this tree, and you must not touch it, or you will die,” Genesis 3:3. Because there is no Truth in him, mankind came to know and feel and experience LOSS, at the touch of evil: and evil is certainly what we gained: Pride and sin, fear and death – the last enemy of God’s to be destroyed (1 Corinthians 15:26).
Mankind, destined to experience loss because “the liar” was believed, destined to die once (Hebrews 9:26); but also destined to face Death a second time if we remain driven by the evil force of sin and pride and fear. For one day we each will return to the ground, from which we were taken; dust we are and to dust we will return (Genesis 3:19).
Yes, God gave us life and He shows us His unfailing love and kindness so the touch of Good would continue to be known and felt and experienced. But this is what was concealed in God’s heart, what was in His mind, if we sinned, He would be watching us and would not let our offense go unpunished. If we are guilty – Woe to us! (Job 10:12).
But God has always given us His Word to make known the Path of Life. That we may be filled with joy in His presence and receive from His right-hand eternal pleasures (Psalm 16:11). The Old Testament was composed with words of prophecy for the worship and glory of God! For the One whose right is exalted! For the Lord whose right hand does valiantly and achieves strength!
So, the people of God could joyously say: I shall not die but live! I shall declare the works and recount the illustrious acts of the Lord (Psalm 118:16-17 AM).
In the New Testament, which is also filled with words of prophecy, God unveiled the Word of Truth, Christ Jesus, Who strengthens and encourages and comforts (1 Corinthians 14:3 NLT) so the people of God would be composed, wearing faith and love for a coat of mail, and helmeted with the hope of salvation (2 Thessalonians 5:8 Goodspeed).
While lastly, in the Book of Revelation God revealed the Word of Life, Christ Jesus, Who is the Spirit of Prophecy (Revelation 19:10). And above all, it must be understood no prophecy in the Scriptures ever came from the prophet’s own understanding, or from human initiative or interpretation. Men spoke from God as they were moved by Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:21 NLT).
Throughout the entirety of God’s Book, over the many years and the many different authors, the Bible was miraculously fashioned so the image of “God’s dearly loved Son, Who brings Him great joy,” (2 Peter 1:17 NLT) would emerge. The One whose heart is glad and whose tongue rejoices, whose body rests securely! For God did not abandon Him to the grave! Nor did He let His Holy One see decay,” Psalm 16:9-10.
God’s Breath of Life has power to revive our soul; how essential to guard our heart, for it is the wellspring of life! (Proverbs 4:23). That we would never cease to proclaim: Blessed are they who find Wisdom, who gain Understanding (Proverbs 3:13). That we would always profess proudly: Wisdom is the Tree of Life, and those who lay hold of godly wisdom will be greatly blessed (Proverbs 3:18).
Yes, blessed are they who take refuge in the Lord, His saints, who seek Wisdom as if searching for hidden treasures, for they will come to understand the reverent and worshipful fear of the Lord and discover knowledge of our omniscient God (Proverbs 2:4-5).
So, pay close attention to what the prophets wrote, for their words are like a lamp shining in a dark place – until the Day dawns, and Christ the Morning Star shines in our heart (2 Peter 1:19 NLT). For it is impossible to imagine the power of the Almighty; though He is just and righteous, He does not destroy us. No wonder people everywhere fear Him. All who are wise show Him reverence (Job 37:23-24 NLT).
For the Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and His understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak (Isaiah 40:28-29).
Yes, the beginning of Wisdom is Fear of the Lord! And the beginning of Understanding is knowledge of the Holy One (Proverbs 9:10). The One Who has become for us Wisdom from God – our righteousness, holiness, and redemption (1 Corinthians 1:30). Who leads the wise upward on the path of Life to keep the portion God has given Him from going down to the grave (Proverbs 15:24).
And when the Lord sees all that is accomplished by His anguish, He will be satisfied. And because of His experience, God’s Righteous Servant will make it possible for many to be counted right with God, for He will bear all their sins. He will be given the honors of a victorious soldier because He exposed Himself to Death.
Yes, He was counted among the rebels. He bore the sins of many and interceded for rebels (Isaiah 53:11-12 NLT). Before God’s Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us, before His glory, the glory of the One and Only, Who came from the Father full of grace and truth (John 1:14) was ever seen, the Lord interceded for mankind.
How amazing to know we are precious and honored in His sight. Because the Lord loves us, He gave men in exchange for God’s people. Yes, He gave people in exchange for our life (Isaiah 43:4).
God so loved the world He gave His One and Only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but instead, have eternal life. God did not send His Son into the world to condemn it, but to save the world through Jesus (John 3:16-17).
How the fountain of Life has been sought, only to be found in the fear of the Lord, which turns people from the snares of Death (Proverbs 14:27), for the love of Christ constrains us (2 Corinthians 5:14 NTV). People chosen by God to become a royal priesthood devoting our entire being – body, soul, and spirit – to God because of all He has done for us.
A holy nation – people who refuse to copy the behaviors and customs of this world, allowing God to transform us into a new person by changing the way we think.
People who have chosen the true way to worship God, offering their body as a living and holy sacrifice – the kind God will find acceptable. For this is how we will learn to know God’s will for us, which is good and pleasing and perfect (Romans 12:1-2 NLT).
A people belonging to God: “They will be Mine in the day when I make up My treasured possession. I will spare them, just as in compassion a man spares his son who serves him. And the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not will be seen,” Malachi 3:17-18.
God gives us the Breath of Life, but when His Word is embraced, this Breath of Life the Lord gives: “Receive Holy Spirit,” John 20:22. “The words I have spoken to you are Spirit and they are Life. The Spirit gives Life, the flesh counts for nothing,” John 6:63.
By the same Word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly people. But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with mankind, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to Repentance (2 Peter 3:7-9).
Choose Life!
That you may love the Lord your God,
Obey Him, and hold fast to Him.
For He is your life!
Deuteronomy 30:20 BSB