Exodus 23:10-13 Rest Your Land
- Very Simply- God is telling the Israelites how to manage their crops and lands while simultaneously telling them how to care for the poor among them, and staying focused
- Mimics Lev 25:18-22 which outlines how to store crops and receive blessings
- These outlines are not given at the same time but they deal with the same issue- Rest.
- “Dwell there in safety” “I will command my blessing on you” is the promise of Lev.
- I spent a lot of time reading and reflecting on what the Lord was trying to speak to us
- Here’s the issue with the application– We don’t have land to rest or crops to grow
- And As I prayed and I focused and researched and studied here’s what I saw-
- God owns all of us and all of it. He has every right to tell us what to do
- Think about this- As Christians- we believe that God owns history and that history is working towards God’s holy Goals. There is ‘world history’ but we believe that it’s God’s story
- As Christians, we have to be enveloped with this idea that this is God’s earth, we’re on it, and he is accomplishing his purposes within us. Seems like all I preach- fully submit to God.
1. God tells you what to do with your possessions
- Rest your land 10 “Six years you shall sow your land and gather in its produce, 11 but the seventh year you shall let it rest and lie fallow
- There is this idea that you should wrap your mind around it is this Psalm 24:1 The earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness, the world and those who dwell therein.
- Everything on this Earth and the earth itself belongs to God and him alone Haggai 2:8 The silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine,’ says the Lord of hosts. Deut 10:14 Indeed heaven and the highest heavens belong to the Lord your God, also the earth with all that is in it.”
- This concept and belief should infiltrate every and all concepts ideas plans and focuses
- I know we spoke a few weeks ago how you are allowed to own things, and you are, but you’re just a steward of what is God’s. God gives you possession, but its more of a lease
- The owner of something has the right to direct the implement and purpose of it.
- So God tells the Israelites- You have this land, but I’m going to tell you what to do with it.
- There’s some ecological benefits to following God’s plans
- Fallowing- resting land is still practiced today. It helps the land to rest it and rotate it.
- Some even follow 1 in 7 to this day. Reduces pests, helps soil recover, increases nutrients, etc
- Here’s the principle- What God tells you to do helps you even when it seems pointless
- But when God tells you what to do with your possessions, you trust that God knows best.
- Job 41:11 Who has preceded Me, that I should pay him? Everything under heaven is Mine.”
- He has a cattle on a thousand hills. All the fullness of the earth belongs to him.
- Do you know what this means to you?
- There is nothing you have or own that doesn’t belong to the Lord. (Army- destroy gov prop)
- This mindset will change the way you think about those things that are in your possession
- House, car, trailer, tools, money, how do you treat that which you have? Tight fist?
- The principle is that God can do more with your possessions if you do what he tells you
- Example- Tithing- All belongs to God- 10 belongs to the Lord. Counterintuitive- If I had more- I could do more- You’re taking 10%. Trust that what he says to do will do something for you
- He didn’t tell the people to rest the land and say “This will benefit you in the long run” he just says, “Do what I tell you” and the natural by-product is that It benefits the individual
- It’s a trust issue- Am I going to trust what God says and do what he says to do or not
- BC If it all belongs to him, he knows how best to manage it. SO if he says it, I’m gonna do it
- Colossians 1:16 All things were created through Him and for Him.”
2. God Tells you how to treat others
- that the poor of your people may eat; and what they leave, the beasts of the field may eat. In like manner you shall do with your vineyard and your olive grove. 12 Six days you shall do your work, and on the seventh day you shall rest, that your ox and your donkey may rest, and the son of your female servant and the stranger may be refreshed.
- It countercultural to believe that God can tell you what to do with your stuff, even more so to tell you how to treat people. Rest your land to help others and let your workers rest
- Here’s the principle- You don’t get to treat people how you want to treat them. God tells you
- Here’s a benefit of this scripture- Poor people get to eat by gleaning from the land-
- Sidenote- Ps Chris is Redemptive Botany- Grapes, oil, wheat, even the poor can commune
- But they still have to work for it. It’s not a handout for the lazy- its for those without land.
- God tells us how to treat people!
- John 13:34 Tells us to love one another, Eph 4:32 “And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.” Romans 12:10 “Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another.”
- Those are some high orders to meet up to! Love, Kindness, tenderhearted, forgiving, affectionate, honorable. GOD TELLS US HOW TO TREAT OTHERS- Every situation
- This is a reason why Christian community is so important. Been reading Church history- Monastic people wanted so deeply to commune w God, but ended up forgetting others
- God created us for relationship and created us to help those who need help!
- Romans 12:13 Distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality.
- Hebr 13:16 But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.
- God tells the Israelites- Don’t forget the poor among you- we shouldn’t either.
- You don’t leave your land, but read the room. Sometimes your abundance should go to those among us who need the help. People do this- cars, furniture, food, etc. Take them out to lunch!
- Obedience isn’t generosity- some people think this is generosity. Its not. You do what God says
- Philippians 2:3-4 “Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.”
- When’s the last time you sat down and looked at what you had and what could bless others?
- Everything you can sell doesn’t need to be sold. You can give away what you could sell.
- Generous- (of a person) showing a readiness to give more of something, as money or time, than is strictly necessary or expected.
- Being giving is EXPECTED and NECESSARY. You’re not being generous. You’re being obedient
- Doing MORE than required is generous. Doing what is expected is not. No thank you. Just do it
- Galatians 6:2 “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.”
3. God tells you what to do with your time
- Are you feeling it yet? God wants all your possessions and wants you to help others.
- Guess what. He wants your time as well. Your stuff isn’t yours. Neither is your time.
- Six years. Six days. These are units of measure in regards to time. God is saying. Time is mine.
- Man, that’s a bit excessive isn’t it? Not really.
- Picture yourself, born, live on this earth, why? To prepare you for eternity. That’s the goal.
- Some people don’t believe that life is to prepare you for eternity, but it is.
- Ephesians 5:15-16 “See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.”
- The time you have is so limited. I’ve been very reflective lately about this- Almost 50. Less time left than I’ve lived. Maybe 30 or 40. Maybe. Who knows. But this life is but a blink for eternity.
- James 4:13 For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.
- Psalm 90:12 “So teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.”
- When God says for us to sabbath the land and sabbath our time, it seems like he’s taking something from us that belongs to us that we could use for something more productive.
- Proverbs 6:6 Go to the ant, you sluggard! Consider her ways and be wise,
- You hear that, as a doer, and the idea of giving up 15% of my time seems a lot.
- God wants 100% of what I have, 10% of my wealth and 15% of my time.
- I can use the 15% to earn back the 10 he took, but no. He says- rest. Do nothing.
- Ecclesiastes 3:1 “To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven.”
- Just like possessions and money, we realize that when God demands something he gives more
- Just like land, we do better with rest as well. Do not think that you are better than God
- IF God rested, you need to rest. Unapologetically. Take time to rest and rejuvenate.
- But how do we apply this scripture to our lives for today?
- Firstly, we do need to rest. But the PRINCIPLE is that God owns our time. He sets schedule
- Seasons come from God. Days come from God. He created time and controls the cycles.
- He also controls YOUR time. You must sleep. You can’t live without it. You MUST rest. 1/3 of life
- But there’s other time. God owns the Sabbath, it belongs to him. God requires you to set apart time to worship him. This doesn’t negate grace.
- Acts 3:1 Now Peter and John went up together to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour.
- These are Jesus’ earliest disciples. Why are they going to temple? I thought the grace of Jesus set everyone free from every obligation and requirement of worship?
- Do you know who says that? Lazy people and preachers who want to sell you licentiousness
- God still has demands on your time! Demands to pray, serve, rest and worship!
- Christians today are weak bc they have been taught to be weak and demand nothing
- Early Christians, studied for a year before baptism and then joined. Do you think these dudes were absent from public worship? Did they need to be chided? No worldly amusements to entice them to be absent. Their lives were CENTERED around God UNAPOLOGETICALLY.
- Most of us are good about this- some need to change. God demands gathered worship
- Honestly- I don’t get people who constantly need convincing. I got saved. Its my everything
- Matthew 6:33-34 “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”
- Israel went through periods of disobedience where they didn’t follow these practices
- It didn’t go well for them. Their land didn’t produce and they were thrust into famine.
4. God tells you what to do with your life
- Be circumspect, make no mention of other Gods
- This is an ownership statement. “Don’t even make mention of other Gods”
- Exodus 20:3 “You shall have no other gods before Me.”
- Deuteronomy 6:13-14 “You shall fear the Lord your God and serve Him, and shall take oaths in His name. You shall not go after other gods, the gods of the peoples who are all around you.”
- There Is an element of complete allegiance that is required from the people of God
- God owns our possessions, actions, time and allegiance.
- This is very difficult for people to want to hold onto their own identity.
- And its different nowadays. We don’t go down to the local deity and worship
- Sidenote- In the time of the Roman empire, It was a requirement for everyone to worship the state- Even Christians- some went and purchased a fake document to show they did but didn’t
- It created a problem in the church- how are we going to treat those who acquiesce to culture?
- It’s a same problem today. Many people want to take on the moniker of Christian without any abiding commitment to the things of God.
- The early Church was much more demanding than today- weren’t allowed in if not saved.
- US? Attend infrequently, we’ll watch your kids, treat you nice and make you feel good
- Its damaging! Giving people a false sense of salvation and religious practice.
- Joshua 24:14 “Now therefore, fear the Lord, serve Him in sincerity and in truth, and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the River and in Egypt. Serve the Lord!”
- In America today, the option isn’t to serve other Gods, most don’t.
- The two biggest Gods today are the state (like The Ceasars and Constantine) and money
- Ya’ll need to jettison your political rhetoric that puts far too much faith in this broken system
- State worshippers. Bowing to a false God. This is not the most important election in history
- We are to vote and make change, and Christians are best to do it, but its where your HEART is
- This is why talking about money reveals worship. The more I talk about it, the more will leave
- Psalm 81:9 “There shall be no foreign god among you; nor shall you worship any foreign god.”
- And I don’t want Mammon worshippers in our church. Those w right hearts don’t care.
- Don’t even make mention of any other God. He owns all of you. Even your thoughts.
- Your desire should only be for the Lord, Nothing else, and no one else. No other desires.
- John 4:23-24 “But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”
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