COUNSEL by Barri Cae Mallin
*
"Decisions are being made that appear that tiny
Israel
has lost. . . . Does any of this surprise the LORD? No."
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8. Abram
said to Lot, "Please, let there be no strife
between you and me, nor between my herdsmen and your herdsmen, for
we are brothers. 9. Is not the whole land before you? Please
separate from me; if to the left, then I will go to the right; or if
to the right, then I will go to the left." 10. Lot lifted up his
eyes and saw all the valley of the Jordan, that it was well watered
everywhere.
~ Genesis 13:8-10 ~ |
From time to time, each of us has to make crucial
decisions. It could be about the timing to purchase a home, who to marry,
what job to take, what school to enroll the children, and so on. Decisions
are never easy. We wish it were as easy as checking the urim and thummim,
the stones that the High Priest (Cohen Gadol) kept in the breastplate of his ephod. Sometimes we have to make a decision based on
little information.
Abram found himself in a place of great decision. Yet, the difference
between Lot and Abram was vast. Lot lifted up his
eyes and saw. Lot was the man of the flesh. He desired to
follow his eyesight. His cares were for the lust of the flesh, the lust of
the eyes and he saw the beautiful Jordan valley. He chose to select by
sight.
Abram, on the other hand, allowed the control to go to Lot and not please
himself. Abram walked by faith, not by sight. He believed before he could
see.
The LORD said to Abram, after Lot had
separated from him, "Now lift up your eyes and look from the place
where you are, northward and southward and eastward and westward;
for all the land which you see, I will give it to you and to your
descendants forever. I will make your descendants as the dust of the
earth, so that if anyone can number the dust of the earth, then your
descendants can also be numbered.”
~ Genesis 13:14-16 ~ |
Although Abram had a promise given to him by the LORD
(Genesis 12), he allowed Lot to decide where he wanted to dwell. Abram
yielded the decision to Lot. What a mighty man Abram was. Had the decision
been left up to me, I dare say that I would have been as gracious as
Abram. Yet, things looked bad to Abram, the land was barren, but things
turned out well. God spoke to Abram and confirmed His promise,
I will make your descendants as the dust of the
earth . . . all the land which you see, and I will give it to you.
These are tenuous days at best. Decisions are being made that appear that
tiny Israel has lost. Email boxes are full of petitions, encouragement to
fast and pray. Leaders are beseeching followers to pray as never before.
Does any of this surprise the LORD? No. God is sovereign. God has a plan.
Isaiah 46:10-11 says,
Remember the former things long past, For I am God, and there is
no other; I am God, and there is no one like Me, Declaring the end
from the beginning, And from ancient times things which have not
been done, Saying, "My purpose (etzah-tee) will be
established, And I will accomplish all My good pleasure." |
Why should we doubt our LORD? God has a purpose (etzah),
He has a plan, it is His plan.
Psalm 33:10 states The LORD nullifies the counsel
of the nations; He frustrates the plans of the peoples. The
LORD nullifies etzaht goyeem, the counsel of the nations, He makes
void the counsel. That word etzaht comes from the word etzah,
for counsel. One of the most beautiful names of our Messiah is Pheleh
Yo-etz, Wonderful counselor. The same word, etzah is the same
word for Counselor. In Ephesians 1:11 we see the Greek equivalent of this word etzah
as well: In Him also
we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His
purpose (etzah-tho), who works all things after the counsel (etzah) of His
will, to the end that we who were the first to hope in Messiah would be to
the praise of His glory.
For what do you still trust the LORD? As Abram did, so you should
now lift up your eyes and look from the place
where you are, northward and southward and eastward and westward; for all
the land which you see, I [the LORD] will give it to you and to your
descendants forever.
In these days of confusion, we can still stand on the etzah, the
counsel of our Pheleh Yo-etz, Wonderful Counselor. He who began a
good work in you will be faithful to complete it. To the praise of His
glory and grace.
* Copyright © Barri
Cae Mallin, 2011. *
Barri Cae Mallin holds a Ph.D.
in Biblical Studies from
Trinity Theological Seminary. Other
devotionals by
Barri Cae may be found at
www.barricae.com.
To receive them by email, inquire at
Barricae@comcast.net or
Contact
Barri Cae. *
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