It is not necessary to study the Bible to realise that in the sight of God there are two classes of people in the world. This soon becomes evident after a careful reading of that Book: and it has been so from the early days of the Scriptures. Indeed it MUST be so, because our Heavenly Father has given man a free will—there are those who will exercise that will wisely, while others will go the way of least resistance. The record tells of Cain and Abel—the one whose sacrifice was not accepted; the other unto whom and to whose offering “the Lord had respect”. Of Abel it is recorded (Hebrews 11:4) that “by faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous”. Again, the record tells of two brothers—Ishmael and Isaac—sons of Abraham. God revealed to Abraham that “in Isaac shall thy seed be called” Genesis 21:12) . Isaac had two sons—Jacob and Esau: the latter of whom “despised his birthright” (Genesis 25:34). Jacob’s was the line through whom the promises which God had made to Abraham were to be fulfilled. In each of these cases, God rejected one brother and chose the other. This was necessary for the outworking of His purpose: and it cannot be denied that, in each case, the chosen one showed more faith in God than did the other. This calls to mind the words of Hebrews 11:6 “without faith it is impossible to please God”.
The time came, however, when—instead of choosing an individual—God chose one nation from among the then known nations. The record will be found at Deuteronomy 7:6/8. What a glorious record is this book of Deuteronomy. They were a “holy” people—notice carefully that it is NOT recorded that they were a “righteous” people. They were a “separate” people; a people “set apart” from the surrounding nations (that is the meaning of the word “holy”) . In choosing them, God placed a responsibility upon them, as will be found at the same chapter and vv. 12-14. Perhaps v. 11 could be called their charter. How well Moses warned Israel of the temptations which would assail them—see ch. 8:10-14 and 17-20. How well God knew this people to whom He was giving the land is portrayed in ch. 9. Moses had told them of the nations whom God would dispossess of this land—of their power and their might and of their reputation (“Who can stand before them?”) and now read vv. 4-6. There is no doubt at all left in their minds regarding their own righteousness. Had they attended to God’s laws, they SHOULD have been more righteous than the dispossessed nations but were they? Why did they fail their God? Because they did not take notice of another commandment which God gave them through Moses (Exodus 34:11-16) . Notice particularly v. 12 “TAKE HEED TO THYSELF”. Is it by chance, do you think, that this warning is written in the singular—“thou,” “thyself”? You know that there is NOTHING of chance in the Scriptures of Truth. Was it written, do you think, that each individual of the nation should realise the responsibility placed on his or her shoulders by God? After all, individual responsibility is taught throughout the Scriptures—each one of us is responsible for his or her own salvation today. Israel failed God as a nation and they also largely failed Him as individuals. Despite the warning—“Take heed to thyself”—they forgot the laws of their God, the mighty One who had brought them out of the slavery of Egypt, and lusted after the idols of the nations about them. 1st and 2nd Kings graphically portray the gradual falling away of both portions of the nation: of the worship of heathen idols—Baal and Ashtoreth and other gods of the heathen nations. So often it is recorded of the 10 tribe portion that they “follow” the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, “who made them to sin”. The prophet Ezekiel also began to speak the judgments of God against the idolatry of Israel, but it is in his later chapters that the utter depravity of the people—led by the priests, the prophets and the princes—and their abominations in the sight of God are recorded.
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Author: G. Kennett
Keywords: clothing, fashion, immodest clothing, separation, be ye separate, separate
Bible reference(s): 2 Corinthians 6:17
Source: The Believer, No. 4, 1971.
Page indexed by: inWORD Bible Software.