Thou hast set our iniquities before thee, our secret sins in the light of thy countenance. For all our days are passed away in thy wrath: we spend our years as a tale that is told. The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away. Who knoweth the power of thine anger? even according to thy fear, so is thy wrath. So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.(Psalm 90:8-12)
Moses, who wrote Psalm 90, offers a succinct word of wisdom born from a life experience no others have seen. He counted 603,550 non-Levitical males over the age of twenty that fled from Egypt (Numbers 1:46). As you recall, their unbelief in the face of Jehovah’s wilderness provisions shortly after the start of the Exodus lengthened what should have been a 4-day journey into a 40-year death march, as all those over 20 died in the desert.
Simple math shows an average of 41 males each and every day were buried in the wilderness. Moses knew first hand that God is not mocked, and death is truly the wages of sin. It obviously left a very deep and lasting impression on Moses, as you can see in his words above.
As we start into our new year, allow me to make an application of Moses’ inspired insights to your life in particular. Let’s say you’re a 20-year male. According to Moses, you’ll likely die between the age of 70-80; let’s assume 75 if you do some exercise and eat healthy (?) like we’re supposed to. Taking into account time you’ll very likely spend eating, sleeping, working and commuting to a weekly job, that leaves 4 hours a day, or 3,348 discretionary days (9.1 years) of your life to propagate the gospel to the next generation. If you’re 40 years old, you’ve only got 2,130 days (5.8 years) left. And the 60-year old? The warranty on your washing machine may outlast you – 913 days, or 2.5 years. Sobering, isn’t it?
Exhort one another daily, while it is called today; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. … Today if ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts.
“Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the most High: And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.” (Psalm 50:14-15) As some have pointed out, American Christians have less room...[ abbreviated | read entire ]
“But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” (Matthew 9:13) Ah, mercy! We all love to be recipients of mercy, especially when a...[ abbreviated | read entire ]
Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle. (2 Thess. 2:15) As Protestant Christians, we no longer celebrate All Hallow’s Eve (10/31), an ancient holy day established...[ abbreviated | read entire ]
“And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind ...” (Romans 12:2a) If ever there was a time of intense battle for supremacy of ideas, our generation manifests itself a mental war zone. Two...[ abbreviated | read entire ]
“And it shall come to pass, when your children shall say unto you, What mean ye by this service? That ye shall say, It is the sacrifice of the LORD’S passover, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt, when he...[ abbreviated | read entire ]
“But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.” (Galatians 5:15) This week we consider an oft-neglected phrase, the one another commands. None want their church to self-destruct, but sadly it...[ abbreviated | read entire ]
(Ex 4:10) And Moses said unto the LORD, O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue. This week’s insert offers some helpful tips on evangelism....[ abbreviated | read entire ]
(Acts 1:8) But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. We introduce a series of short...[ abbreviated | read entire ]
