Remember Who He Is and What He’s Done
By Joe Mack Cherry
I. Introduction
A. The Bible is a book of Gems
1. I am not one to purposely watch a movie 14 times.
2. Some people read novels multiple times; I don’t think I’ve ever read the same book twice.
3. The Bible is a book that never gets old.
B. Chronological Bible
1. Started reading again Jan. 1st
2. A couple of days ago I stopped at a passage I’ve read over many times.
3. I’d like to share the passage and look at its context in light of our lives today.
II. The Lesson
A. Background
1. The Children of Israel were on the east bank of the Jordan ready to enter the promise land.
2. Moses addresses the people twice in a matter of days. He recounts the love and faithfulness God showed toward Israel, as well as His punishments for wrongdoing.
3. Moses will not cross over into it due to his sin.
4. You’ll find the whole passage in Deut. 7-9
B. The Passage
1. Read Deut. 9:1-6/Deut. 8: 17-18
2. Three admonishments Moses gave to the people.
a. They would be going up against giants, but God would go ahead as He had for 40 years. Remember what happened the last time you doubted Me.
b. God didn’t do it because they were righteous or numerous (Deut. 7:7-8) but because the other nations were evil. He was fulfilling the promise He made to their ancestors. Evidence of God’s providence. In modern terms, Moses tells them to keep it real.
c. Don’t get too glad you’re living.
C. Giants
1. We all face giants in our lives.
a. The children of Israel were about to come face to face and hand to hand in combat with people that were conservatively 7’-9’+ tall. These people were called Anakin, Rephaim, Emim, Nephilim. You might remember one descendant of the Anakin; his name was Goliath who stood 9’9” tall. The Lord let little David conquer this giant to everyone’s amazement!
b. The giants we face today are probably a little different – unless you’re a professional basketball player.
c. Modern day giants
i. Many people struggle with drugs and alcohol
ii. Many people struggle with sexual addictions
iii. Many people struggle with pride.
iv. Anything that comes between us and God can be perceived as a giant and the inference is usually that we can’t defeat a giant.
2. God went before the Israelites all during their wandering and made the them victorious. There were times that He allowed them to be defeated due to disobedience.
a. I think of the song we often sing that starts out, “In heavenly armor we’ll enter the land, the battle belongs to … (whom? The Lord!). No weapon that’s fashioned against us can stand; the battle belongs to the Lord.
b. The giants we face today, plainly stated are our sins!
c. Just like God went before the Children of Israel so He could hand them victory, Jesus Christ went to the cross to give us victory/salvation over our giants. Talk about good news!
D. What and Why God does things for us.
1. Here in Deut. God is fulfilling a promise He made to Abraham in Genesis.
a. Some 30+ times the Bible tells us that God is Faithful.
b. Look again at Deut. 9:4-5 – you might say our blessings come from God in spite of us not because of us. Grace!
c. Rom. 5:8 – ‘While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”
d. God promised the Jews (and us) through the prophets that Christ would come. Let me say something again, God is faithful.
2. How God went before us, in re: our sinful nature.
a. The book of Revelation describes Christ as the Lamb that was slain before
the foundation of earth was laid.
b. I Pet. 1: 20 – Christ was chosen before the creation of the world to shed
His blood for our sins.
c. II Pet. 2:9 – we are a chosen people for God’s own possession.
3. Why does He do things for us? Jo. 3:16, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” God loves everyone!
4. God does things in His own time.
E. Don’t get too glad you’re living.
1. There was an older man that worked for my dad and uncle at the stockyards. When wild calves would unload my cousins, my brother and I would get in the pens and taunt them. They ran after us and we’d jump up on the fences and laugh. Mr. Tommy used to say, “You boys better not get too glad you’re living!” We got too glad a time or two and we paid for it!!
2. In Deut. 8: 17-18 – Moses warns the Israelites against getting comfortable long enough to think their prosperity was of their own doing.
a. King Nebuchadnezzar learned that lesson the hard way, remember? He looked at his kingdom gloated. That cost him seven years of living like an animal. God demands and deserves respect and thanks for all we have comes from His bountiful hand.
b. The rich man in the parable recorded in Luke 12 didn’t fare as well as the old testament king.
c. Paul reminded the assembly on Mars Hill that Christ is how we live, move and have our very being.
3. Pharisees thought much too highly of themselves and their self-perceived holiness. No wonder Christ was as hard on them as He was.
4. I Cor. 10:31 – do all things to the glorify God.
F. A Blessing and a Curse
1. Moses told the Israelites that they were living under both a blessing and a curse. It all depended on how they maintained their relationship with God.
2. Our God is a jealous God! Deut. 4:24 - …God is a consuming fire; our God is a jealous God.
III. Closing
A. God always has a plan
1. He had it before He formed the earth.
2. When we do not follow it, there are consequences.
a. Israelites had to wander 40 years and suffered other punishments but did make it to the promised land.
b. II Pet. 3:9 – “God is not slack concerning His promises as some men count slackness; but He is long-suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”
3. There is a promise land for us; it’s called heaven.
B. Our successes are His
1. James tells us He is the giver of all good things.
2. We can do nothing without God/Christ.
3. Moses and Aaron did great things for God!
4. Our successes should glorify God, not us.
C. This week
1. Look back at those times and thank God for carrying you through whatever battle you may have had with a giant in your life.
2. Share the victories God has given you in life.
3. Most of all, let them know that God will carry them just as
