1 Corinthians 10:8 We must not indulge in sexual immorality as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in a single day.
Numbers 25:1-3 Now Israel remained in Acacia Grove, and the people began to commit harlotry with the women of Moab. They invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods. So Israel was joined to Baal of Peor, and the anger of the Lord was aroused against Israel.
When the Apostle Paul wrote this letter to the Corinthians, he was speaking to a church that was surrounded with sexual immorality. The city of Corinth was a haven of hedonism where many temples hosted hundreds of prostitutes which were visited by vast multitudes of foreigners. In the ancient world, the term “Corinthianize” indicated a life of sexual promiscuity.
Paul connects the situation in Corinth with that which is found in Numbers 25. With YHVH’s blessing on the young Israelite nation, the prophet Balaam was unable to obey the king of Moab’s (Balak) command to curse Israel. But because Balaam was a self-serving prophet, practicing both divination (Numbers 24:1) and giving voice to the words of YHVH, he was willing to advise Balak to seduce the men of Israel with the Moabite women, causing Israel to fall into idolatry which brought God’s judgment upon them. (Numbers 31:16) Balaam understood that living in holiness and sexual purity is a great protection, and that fornication and adultery would bring a curse with them.
Sexual sin is serious, and it is rampant in our time. There seems to be almost no escaping the temptation of licentiousness at every corner. But C.S. Lewis offered this advice to a friend, still worth heeding as much as possible: “We must learn by experience to avoid either trains of thought or social situations which for us (not necessarily for everyone) lead to temptations. Like motoring (driving) — don’t wait till the last moment before you put on the brakes, but put them on, gently and quietly, while the danger is still a good way off.”
The spirit of Corinth is everywhere, as we all can see. The greatest protection is abiding with the Lord in our determination to reject a “Corinthian” life of hedonism (living for pleasure), and to cultivate a godly and beautiful vision of marriage and sexuality, for ourselves and our loved ones. That vision will inspire us to navigate these licentious times, avoid trouble spots, and put on the brakes gently and firmly.
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[worthy_plugins_devotion_single_body]Rosh Hashanah traditionally marks the Jewish New Year. "Shanah" is a unique Hebrew word meaning "to repeat, revise, or go over again". As we begin the new year, with fall, then winter, spring, and summer, we remember the cyclical pattern of time in God's creation. The nature of life is to repeat itself -- to continue in a cycle, marked by Rosh HaShannah -- a New Year. Although time is moving in a direction toward a definite destiny determined by the Creator, it does so in cycles ... truly, "what goes around comes around".
Earlier this week, we celebrated the Biblical festival of Yom Teruah (Feast of Trumpets) otherwise known as Rosh Ha Shana. What's interesting about Rosh Ha Shana (the Jewish celebration of the New Year), is that it doesn't fall on the first day of the first month. It actually falls on the first day of the seventh month! It's difficult for outsiders to understand this concept, but if we study how the Jewish year begins and how God is outlining this age according to the Jewish feasts it all makes sense.
From Rosh HaShanah to Yom Kippur there are ten days. The Lord gave these days to Israel to prepare for His judgment. They became known as the Yamim Noraim – the "Days of Awe". It has been long believed that during these days one's final destiny was sealed concerning the Book of Life, God's eternal Book of Judgment. Thus every year the Jewish people have observed these days with great reverence and repentance so to be right with God and with men.
As we just celebrated one of the highest holy days of all the feasts of the Bible, Yom Turah (Feast of Trumpets) known in modern times as Rosh ha Shana (Head of the Year).
On the Hebrew calendar, we're at the end of the month of Elul. This particular month the shofar is sounded once a day as a call for the people to repent as we approach the Hebrew month of Tishri.
Often in the Bible you will see the word wind or breath. The root meaning of these words, both in Hebrew and Greek, is almost always Spirit. It is important to keep in mind that we can never dictate which direction the wind will blow. It would be absurd to think we could! The wind blows as it will. And in the same way, the Spirit of God blows where it wishes. Well if this is so, how can we be filled with the Spirit? Must we jump up and catch it and just hope for the best? No.
In Biblical times, the economy of the world was largely agricultural, so the meaning of “yoke” was easy to comprehend. To plow a field, you would place a yoke on a cow, ox, or horse with a plow attached and drive the animal forward to break up the ground preparing a field for sowing.