March 24, 2021
The Obstruction of Sin and Unbelief
After the success of Israel’s victory at Jericho, the people of Israel broke faith with their covenant with the Lord. Achan’s individual act of rebellion infects the entire Israelite camp, causing them to be defeated by the men of Ai.
Sin was holding Israel back from receiving the inheritance of the Promised Land. The Lord commands Israel to remove it from their midst or be devoted to destruction. Punishment fell on Achan because he "saw" and "took" things against the commandment of the Lord (Joshua 7:20-21).
When the Israelites listened to the word of the Lord, victory was theirs. When they were obedient to the Lord’s instructions, He defeated their enemies. Monuments were set in place to help them remember the faithfulness of the Lord.
“And he began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”- Luke 4:21
The temptation of Jesus in the wilderness is the final piece of His preparation before His public ministry begins. The devil questions Jesus’ identity as the Son of God, challenging the divine proclamation from Luke 3:22.
Jesus was grounded in truth and knew the Bible. So when the devil came at him with temptations, He resisted by drawing from Scripture. Jesus quotes Deuteronomy 8:3, Deuteronomy 6:13, and Deuteronomy 6:16, showing that He had stored up the "word in [his] heart" (Psalm 119:11).
Next, Jesus spoke truth to those of His hometown of Nazareth. But due to the unbelief of people who knew Him only as “Joseph’s son,” He was unable to do the same signs and miracles He would do in other places. Jesus refers to the ministry of the prophets Elijah and Elisha to remind the people that when they reject God’s prophets, God sends them elsewhere.
Make It Personal
- How do you set “monuments” in place in your life to help you remember the Lord’s faithfulness to you?
- How do you resist when you feel tempted to sin?
- Is there anything in your life that may be blocking your belief in Jesus?