Wealth
There is always a happy time, which should be spent worshipping the
Creator of heaven and earth. Israel had such happy times and these
were called the Sabbaths of the Lord. Israel were instructed to
observe these Sabbaths and these were their happy days because they
spent them worshipping without any distractions. God was with them
always. God commanded them to observe the Sabbaths and when they did so
they were protected and were free people. When they followed and
observed the Torah they were blessed. There is also a curse on people
who did not heed God's commands.
Deut 16:1-2 "Observe the month of Abib, and keep the passover of
the Lord your God. For in the month of Abib the Lord your God brought
you out of Egypt and you shall offer the Passover sacrifice to the Lord
your God from the flock or the herd at the place which the Lord will
choose to make his name dwell there."
When Israel was liberated from Egypt by God they were given
commandments to be followed, including observing special days during
which they were to make sacrificial offerings. This shows how God had
blessed them in those days in that they had a flock or herd from which
to offer a sacrifice. These offerings were to be eaten by the people
themselves which was a very good thing to do. You sacrifice your lamb
and you eat the meat; all the meat, nothing should remain for the next
day. The bread and the meat were eaten at a single supper.
Thereafter, for the next six days, they had to eat before the Lord
their God unleavened bread, and on the seventh day there was a solemn
assembly and they had to do no work on such days.
Deut 16: 9-11 "You shall count seven weeks; begin to count from the
time you first put the sickle to the standing grain. Then you shall
keep the feast of weeks to the Lord your God". We see again how God had
blessed Israel as a nation. For a whole nation to rejoice in feasting
for seven weeks, slaughtering flocks and herds for such a long period
is such a blessing and a fulfillment of God's words that Israel was a
land flowing with milk and honey without there being a need to import
food from other nations. We look forward to the coming Kingdom where
everyone will eat and rejoice. But before that there is hope in our
lifetime that God will bless us if we keep His commandments.
Deut16:16-17 "Three times a year all your males shall appear before
the Lord your God at the place which he will choose: at the feast of
unleavened bread, at the feast of weeks and at the feast of booths.
They shall not appear before the Lord empty handed, every man shall
give as he is able according to the blessing which the Lord your God
has given you".
When we meet together, we must be able to give back to the Lord as
much as we are able to give in thanks for that with which he has
blessed us. Never should we go empty handed. It is up to us to do our
part, to believe and be baptized, to live in faith and to preach the
gospel. Let us hope in the Lord and seek His blessing, rejoicing in
Him. In Matt.5:3-11 each verse starts with the word blessed. We are
called for a blessing just as Israel was liberated from Egypt to a
blessed land of milk and honey. We believe in Jesus the Christ and we
were baptized in obedience, looking for a blessing from the Lord our
God.
Deut 28:1-15 "If you obey the voice of the Lord your God, being
careful to do all his commandments which I command you this day, the
Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth and
all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, if you obey
the voice of the Lord your God".
Blessings from God are conditional on our obedience to His
commands. Jesus said go and preach the gospel and whoever believes and
is baptized will be saved. We must continue in faith until the coming
of the Lord, breaking bread and drinking wine and rejoicing in our
hope. Jesus said we have no life if we do not break bread and drink
wine in memory of him.
As God blessed Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and saved Lot, so let Him bless us.
Gal.3:9 "So then, those who are men of faith are blessed with Abraham who had faith." Amen
Bro A Liwawa (Neno, Malawi)
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