Pastor Ovid Need

NOTE: The lessons are old, and I would love to go back and add to them, but that would require hundreds of hours.Time also prevents correcting minor errors, e.g., abbreviations in text, wrong abbreviations, mixed tenses in a sentence (though I have tried to catch all of them), caps, etc. There are also some comments at the end of the chapters.

Place your answer in the space provided. Put ANS before each answer. Capitalize, ANS:

We have covered the covenant a little bit both from the OT and NT. I would strongly suggest those who have a problem with this check out the word covenant in a good concordance and look up all of the references. This will make it abundantly clear as the Holy Spirit will use scripture to explain scripture.

In this lesson we would like to complete Deut., chp. seven.

1. V. 15 bears special attention in our day of uncontrollable disease. This would be a reference back to Deut. 6:5. The best protection in the world against the sickness and diseased of our day is what, v. 12? ________________________________________________________________________

V. 16 contains the warning against the gods of this world influencing God's people. We can see this more fully over in Ps. 106:34-48. There we see what happened to them as they allowed these heathen gods to remain and be a snare unto them. Probably one of the major devices of the devil is this joining, not only with the people of the heathens around us (even out of pity), but also serving their gods; accepting as our hope and salvation the same thing which they accept as their hope and salvation (not in the sense of heaven, but in the sense of having our needs met here or having our problems solved). It is so easy to get caught up in the affairs and thinking of the world to where we also believe the cure for societies ills is through political means. Elect the right people, pass the right laws and our problems are solved. No, our answer is still in the hearts of men as they turn back to the Lord God. Yes, we should vote and stand for right and against evil. Yes, we must seek to get leaders according to God's heart, Hosea 8:4. But, we must also keep in mind, the world's answer lies in the right combination of men enforcing the right combination of laws. God's answer lies in the return of His people to His Word. Salvation of society or of the individual doesn't lie in these political means. These are the world's devices to undermine the real answer, II Cor. 2:11; I Tim. 3:7; 6:9.

It is worth our attention to note vv. 13 and 14. The land of Canaan worshiped Ashtoreth. She was the female deity of the Canaanites and represented fertility of people, animals and land. The danger was that they would be influenced to believe their prosperity came from these heathen means (gods). This danger is very real today. God's people are in grave danger of thinking their prosperity comes from the same means which the world's crowd uses. We can find this record in Jer. 44 as God's people were afraid to turn their back on "the queen of heaven" and return to the Lord God of heaven. Asaph observed this problem as he looked around at the heathen's prosperity, Ps. 73.

2. What is the grave danger which Asaph warns us of, Ps. 73:3?
____________________________________________________________________________________

a. What is the assurance we have from God as to those who seem to prosper outside of God's covenant-law, 18, 19, 27? _____________________________________________________________

V. 27 says, "all". The indication of this verse shows us this passage (Ps. 73) is primarily directed toward God's people. To go a whoring from God would require being "married" to Him at one time. If this isn't the context of this Scripture it most definitely is an application. Here are those who are trying to stand true to the principles of God's Word and it seems all they get for their dedication is plagues and chastisement, v. 14. Then the ones of v. 14 look around and see others who profess to be Christians compromising, seemingly, on everything. The ones of v. 14 see those who are compromising prosper. Everything seems to go right for them. Their every desire is fulfilled.

This would be very applicable to those of us who stand against the control or involvement of the state into the church. It seems it is the "small churches" which can see the problem and stand against it. As we look around at the churches who are married to the state we could sure grow envious as we see them grow and prosper, v. 3. They have no problems and offend very few people. This could cause us to wonder if God even knows what is going on. V. 28 gives us our answer. This fits with David's observation in Ps. 37. There he identifies the wicked as those who ignore God's law, vv. 30-31.

It is very difficult to comprehend that the difference between God's blessing and wrath here in this life is based on His people's relationship and attitude toward His total law-word, and not according to how we feel, or the words we use, or even the prosperity which might be experienced, Rom. 1:18.

b. Where did Asaph "find this out," vv. 17, 28?

_______________________________________

3. What is the temptation in Deut. 7:17?

__________________________________________________

a. What is the answer for this temptation, v. 18, 19? ________________________________

Notice that any victory which we might obtain in the Lord will be a little at a time, vv. 20- 24. This would fit in well with our Lord's words in Lk. 16:10-12. Only as we claim and are faithful over the little bit which the Lord might see fit to allow us to "possess" or have, can we expect to be given any more by Him. We must learn to be faithful over the little before we can ask or expect any more. Far too often we expect large results immediately if God is in it, but we see here it is only a little at a time. Large, quick results are not a sign that God is in it, I Tim. 6:5. Only the basic Word of God shows if He is in it or not. Everything must be in relationship to His law-word, Col. 3:22.

4. What is the promise contained in Deut. 7:24? This promise will not stand alone. It can only stand with v. 12. ______________________________________________________________________

VV. 25-26 God is people were to have such a complete confidence in their Lord God of being able to accomplish, v. 23, to even deliver these kings into their hands that they would hold their false gods in utter contempt, even burning them. They were not to desire their gold or any other thing of value that these false gods might contain.

To bring something into our homes which the Lord holds as such an abomination will also bring the same curse which is upon that abominable thing upon the home. Achan proved this, Joshua 7.

For us: Let us be careful that we don't start believing that our method of success is the same method which the world uses or that even carnal Christians use. We must not forget that all of our strength and success lies in Deut. 7:12. To depart at all from this and follow after the heathen's methods will result in 7:26.

In closing, can you list some of the world's methods of "success" that are so convincing and alluring to us in our day?

____________________________________