A.8.1. Yahweh s Wars of Judgment Jason S. DeRouchie, Ph.D. (1/10)

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1 64 A.8.1. Yahweh s Wars of Judgment Jason S. DeRouchie, Ph.D. (1/10) Deut. 7:9 10. Know therefore that Yahweh your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations, and repays to their face those who hate him, by destroying them. He will not be slack with one who hates him. He will repay him to his face. End Army Limits Purpose Nature General 1. Yahweh does the fighting and alone gives victory thus Yahweh s wars are often called holy wars (Exod. 14:14; Deut. 1:30; 20:4; Josh. 23:3; Neh. 4:20; cf. Deut. 1:42; Josh. 1:9; chs. 7 8; Prov. 127:1b). 2. War is a religious undertaking, thus requiring various forms of self-denial and sacrifice (Exod. 19:15; Deut. 23:9 14; Josh. 5:1 15; 1 Sam. 13:1 15; 21:4 5; cf. 2 Sam. 11:1 13; 1 Cor. 7:5). 3. All precious metals won in battle belong to Yahweh; pagan shrines are destroyed (Num. 18:14; Deut. 7:5, 25 26; Josh. 6:19, 24). 4. Violators become the enemy (Num. 33:55 56; Deut. 8:19 20; cf. 7:4; 13:12 18; Josh. 7:11 12, 19 26). Judgment Wars of Annihilation 5. Yahweh s aggressive wars of retributive judgment against sustained wickedness and rebellion nothing to do with racism, nationalism, or prejudice; enemies of war are Yahweh s enemies, having worshipped other gods and having shown progressive and persistent hostility against Yahweh and his people (Deut. 7:9 10; 9:5 6). 6. (a) To root out wickedness by punishing sin (Deut. 7:9 10; 9:5 6; 1 Sam. 15:3, 18; cf. Gen. 15:16; Rom. 6:23); (b) to cleanse the land from defilement (Lev. 18:24 30; Isa. 24:4 6); (c) to protect God s people from apostasy and ultimate destruction (Exod. 23:33; Num. 33:35 36; Deut. 7:3 4, 25; 8:19 20; 20:16 18); (d) to display the greatness of God and his people (Exod. 15:11 18; Deut. 2:25; 4:32 35). 7. Yahweh alone initiates judgment wars of annihilation and specifies the opponents; where God uses human agency, as in the conquest of the Promised Land, war is only at his direction through a recognized prophet (Gen. 15:16; Exod. 23:23 33; Num. 13:1 2; 33:50 56; Deut. 2:19, 24, 37; 7:1 5, 16 26; 20:1 18; 24:17 19; Josh. 1:1 5; 9:14 15; 1 Sam. 23:1 5; cf. Isa. 53:10; Acts 2:23; 4:27 28). 8. All able-bodied men over twenty participate (Num. 26:2; cf. 32:6, 16 17, 26 27; Josh. 1:14). 9. Battle concluded when the entire enemy population is annihilated, including men, women, and children (Deut. 7:2, 16; 20:16; 25:19; cf. Deut. 2:34; 3:6; Josh. 6:21; 8:26; 10:40; 11:14; 1 Sam. 15:3). Judgment Wars of Defense and Subjugation 5. Yahweh s responsive wars of retributive judgment against aggressive hostility toward God and his people; enemies of war are Yahweh s enemies, having stood against Yahweh by refusing terms of peace and/or by assertively bringing war against Israel (Deut. 20:1, 10 15). 6. (a) To halt aggressive hostility against Yahweh and his people and (b) to display the seriousness of refusing Yahweh s terms of peace (Deut. 20:12 13). 7. The borders of Israel s Promised Land, within which all the tribal allotments fell (Gen. 17:8; Num. 34:1 12; Deut. 34:1 4; Josh ), and the borders of Israel s promised kingdom (Gen. 15:18 21; Exod. 23:31; Deut. 1:7; 11:24; Josh. 1:4; cf. 1 Kgs. 4:21 24) were not coterminous. Assuming all enemies within the Promised Land were destroyed (see judgment wars of annihilation), judgment wars of defense began when an enemy outside Israel s tribal borders aggressively encroached into the Promised Land; judgment wars of subjugation began when a nation outside the Promised Land but within the political sphere of sovereignty promised to Israel refused to surrender to Yahweh s terms of peace and thus become Israel s vassal (Deut. 20:11). 8. While participation in judgment wars of defense and subjugation appears to have been a public duty, new home owners, new business owners, and newly married men were excused from war (Deut. 20:5 8; 24:5; cf. Judg. 7:2 3; 1 Sam. 8:11 12). 9. Battle concluded when enemy aggression ceases and all armed enemy warriors are destroyed (Deut. 20:13).

2 65 Spoils Examples 10. Once ## 3 and 9 are met, God s people may enjoy all other spoils of war (Deut. 2:34 35; 3:6 7; Josh. 8:2, 27; 11:14). 14 Flood (Gen. 6:5 7, 11 13); incineration of Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen. 18:20 21; 19:24 25; Jude 7); conquest of Canaan (Gen. 15:16; Deut. 7:25 26; 9:5 6; 20:16 18); destruction of the Amalekites (Exod. 17:14; Deut. 25:17 19; 1 Sam. 15:3, 18). 10. Once ## 3 and 9 are met, all other spoils of war including women, children, and animals may be incorporated into Israel s community (Deut. 20:14). Plagues and destruction of Egypt after Pharaoh s refusal to let Israel go (Exod. 7 15); Deborah and Barak s defeat of Sisera (Judg. 4 5); Israel s battles against the Philistines, including David s defeat of Goliath (1 Sam. 4, 13:1 6, 14, 17, etc.); David s numerous victories over the border countries, resulting in rest from all his surrounding enemies (2 Sam. 7:1; 8:1 14; cf. 1 Kgs. 4:21 24); perhaps the deaths of Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:1 11) and Herod (12:23). Cross of Christ (Isa. 53:4 9; Rom. 3:25; 4:24 25; 2 Cor. 5:21; 1 Peter 2:22 25; 1 John 4:10); Final judgment Day of Yahweh (Joel 2:11; Amos 5:18 20; 1 Thess. 5:2 3; 2 Thess. 1:5 10). Lasting Significance 1. Yahweh takes sin seriously and has declared war against all wickedness (Rom. 1:18; 6:23); his day of judgment is at hand (Joel 2:11; Amos 4:12; 5:18 20; 1 Thess. 5:2 3; 2 Thess. 1:5 10; Jude 6 7). 2. In love, God sent his messenger, Jesus, to proclaim good news i.e., the Great King reigns and offers terms for peace (Isa. 52:7 10; 61:1 4; John 3:16, 36; Eph. 2:17 18; cf. Matt. 4:16 17, 23; Mark 1:14 15; Luke 4:16 21, 42 43). 3. Rejecting God s terms of peace will result in the destruction (i.e., sacrifice) of the wicked (Deut. 7:9 10; Jer. 18:7 10; Heb. 10:26 27; cf. Jer. 46:10; Ezek. 39:17, 20 21; Isa. 22:12 14; 34:1 2; Zeph. 1:7 9). 4. For all who accept God s terms of peace, Christ s sacrifice on the cross satisfied God s wrath, breaking the stronghold of evil against them (Col. 2:13 15; Heb. 2:14; 1 Peter 3:22; cf. 2 Cor. 4:2 4; Eph. 2:1 7) and enabling God to justly forgive and support them (Rom. 3:23 26; 5:9 10; 8:29 32; 1 John 4:9 10). 5. While all authority in heaven and on earth is Christ s (Matt. 28:18), Jesus kingdom is not of this world and will progress through prayer and persuasion and not through blade or pistol (Matt. 26:52; John 18:36; Acts 1:1 8) by suffering to bring life not to cause death (Mark 10:45; Col. 1:24). 6. The coming of Christ inaugurated the year of Yahweh s favor in anticipation of the day of vengeance of our God (Isa. 61:2; cf. Luke 4:19; 2 Cor. 6:2). As ambassador s of the Messiah (Isa. 59:15 21; cf. Acts 13:45-48; 26:15 23), the church is engaged in spiritual battle (2 Cor. 10:3 6; Eph. 6:10 12; 1 Peter 5:6 11) in which we must take up the mission of Christ to proclaim the terms of peace (Matt. 28:18 20; Rom. 1:16 17; 10:12 17; 2 Cor. 5:18 21) and to be a neighbor loving, forgiving, praying for, and doing good to even one s enemies (Matt. 5:44; Luke 6:27, 35; 10:25 37; Rom. 12:17 21), confident that the Day of Yahweh will ultimately come. 7. Today Jew and Gentile in Christ stand together as one people of God with no ties to political parties or provinces; therefore, physical conquest, defense, or subjugation is not part of the church s mission (Eph. 2:13 16; cf. Rom. 2:28 29; 3:29 30; 11:5, 11 32; 1 Cor. 12:13; Gal. 3:28). 8. Physical wars today are not necessarily wrong but are not directly about Jesus kingdom (though he controls all, Matt. 28:18; cf. Dan. 2:44; 4:34 35; Eph. 1:11) or about God s people standing as his agents of wrath. Rather, they are about the defense and expansion of human, earthly kingdoms, which God establishes and destroys (Ps. 75:7; Prov. 21:1; Dan. 2:21; 4:17; 5:21; Rom. 13:1) and which he commissions to do good and to uphold justice in the light of good (Rom. 13:4). (On just war, see Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica, pt. II-II, q. 40; John Calvin, The Institutes of the Christian Religion, IV. xx. 11.) Prepared by Jason S. DeRouchie. 14 The complete destruction of all livestock at Jericho (Josh. 6:21) does not appear to have been the norm, as is clear from the explicit mention that livestock could be preserved in the battle against Ai and beyond (8:2).

3 66 A.9.1. The Attractions of Idolatry Jason S. DeRouchie, Ph.D. (1/10) Deut. 5:6 9. I am Yahweh your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them; for I Yahweh your God am a jealous God. Judg. 2:1 12. And the people of Israel did what was evil in the sight of Yahweh and served the Baals. And they abandoned Yahweh, the God of their fathers, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt. They went after other gods, from among the gods of the peoples who were around them, and bowed down to them. And they provoked Yahweh to anger. Ps. 115:4 8. There idols are silver and gold, the work of human hands. They have mouths, but do not speak; eyes, but do not see. They have ears, but do not hear; noses, but do not smell. They have hands, but do not feel; feet, but do not walk; and they do not make a sound in their throat. Those who make them become like them; so do all who trust in them. Eph. 5:5. You may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Attraction Description Yahwistic Contrast 1. Guaranteed (Idols; earthly powers) 2. Selfish & Works- Oriented (Materialism; legalism) 3. Easy (Ethical relativity; no covenant Do you ever pray and feel that God is not there? An idol was a visible, tangible, physical representation that was considered to transmit the presence of a deity. Are you ever prone toward selfrighteousness or tempted with materialism? Through feeding offerings to an idol/god, people believed they obligated the god to multiply their crops, fertility, cattle, etc.; therefore, worship was driven by the pursuit of earthly profit or pleasure, and blessing was considered a wage earned (Hos. 2:12; 9:1; Mic. 1:7; Rom. 4:4; Eph. 5:5; Col. 3:5). Do you ever find it easier to please men rather than God or to love yourself over others? The one true God declared that idols are controlled by demons and that such gods are worthless nothings, being made of mere wood and holding no ultimate power (Deut. 32:17; Jer. 10:14 15; Isa. 41:24, 29; 44:14 20; 1 Cor. 8:4; 10:19 20). While Yahweh is spirit, cannot be seen, and is incomparable to any created thing (Deut. 4:12, 15 19; Isa. 40:18 26; John 4:24), he nevertheless knows all things, is over all things, and is present and active in all things (Gen. 1:1; Exod. 4:11; Deut. 32:39; 1 Sam. 2:6 8; Jer. 10:11 13; Isa. 42:5; 44:24; 45:7; 48:12 13; Dan. 2:20 21; Acts 17:24 28; Rom. 11:36; Eph. 1:11; 4:6; Col. 1:16; Heb. 1:3). He alone can save, and he will work for those who wait for him (Isa. 40:27 31; 43:10 13; 45:20 22; 63:4; cf. Rom. 8:31 32). True worship excludes all self-exalting, human boasting (Jer. 9:23 24; Rom. 3:27; 4:2; 1 Cor. 4:7; Eph 2:9; James 4:16) and considers God as the supreme treasure of all reality (Exod. 15:11; Matt. 13:44 46; 1 Cor. 10:31; Rev. 4:11). God declares that idolatry is of no true profit (Jer. 2:11; Isa. 44:9) and that he alone can satisfy and sustain fully and eternally (Hab. 3:18; Ps. 16:11; Neh. 8:10; John 6:35; Phil. 3:8). Such gain is not enjoyed by pursuing or placing one s hope in wealth (Matt. 6:19 20; 1 Tim. 6:9 10, 17) or self-effort (1 Sam. 2:30; Jer. 9:23 24; Rom. 3:27; 1 Cor. 4:7; Eph 2:9; James 4:16). Rather, salvation and satisfaction is enjoyed only by faith in all God is for us in Jesus (Gen. 15:6; John 1:12; 6:35; Rom. 5:1, 9; 8:32; Eph. 2:8). And those who live by faith will renounce things of this world (Phil. 3:7 8; Heb. 12:1 2), abound in love (Gal. 5:6), and pursue godliness with contentment (1 Tim. 6:6) and humility with God-dependence (Ps. 23:17; 1 Peter 5:5). As the creator, God owes humanity nothing (Isa. 45:9; Rom. 9:20), but as a just judge, he owes humans punishment (John 3:18; Rom. 6:23a; 11:35; Eph. 2:3), for everyone has exchanged the treasure of God for empty idols that cannot save or satisfy (Jer. 2:11 13; Rom. 1:22 23; 3:23). No amount of human effort or sacrifice can remove this dept; death alone will satisfy it. As such, any blessing from God must come by grace as a gift and not by any works (Ezek. 20:44; Rom. 3:23 34; 4:4 5; Eph. 2:8 9). In Matthew 7:13 14, Jesus declared the way to destruction is easy but the way to life is hard. As modeled perfectly by Christ (Matt. 20:28; Phil. 2:8), relationship with God calls for daily dying to self (Matt. 16:24; 20:26 27) and for persevering surrender to God and his ways (Josh.

4 67 obligations) 4. Convenient (Anywhere; anytime) 5. Normal (Everybody s doing it) Idolatry called for frequent and generous outward sacrifices with no covenantal, heart-generated, ethical obligations to the gods or neighbors. Do you ever find that following God gets in the way of your own agenda? While the expectation for frequent and generous offerings was expected, such worship of idols could be performed whenever and wherever one so chose on every hill and under every green tree (1 Kgs. 14:23; 2 Kgs. 17:10). Are you ever prone to follow the crowd, even when you know the majority is wrong? Idolatry was the way of life in the ancient world and stood in direct contrast to Israel s minority view that there was a single God over all, who redeemed a people for relationship (Deut. 4:32 40). Three features characterized most ancient idolatry: (1) polytheism (believing in or worship of more than one god) (2 Kgs. 17:16); (2) syncretism (the [inconsistent] amalgamation of different religions / worldviews) (2 Kgs. 17:33); (3) pantheism (the belief that God and the universe are somehow one or that nature is a manifestation of the divine) (Jer. 8:2). 24:15; 1 Kgs. 18:21; 1 Cor. 10:31). The result is a whole-hearted, lifeencompassing, community-embracing love for him and our neighbors (Lev. 19:18; Deut. 6:4 9; Matt. 7:12; 22:37 40; Luke 10:25 37; Rom. 13:8 10; 1 Cor. 13:1 3). This kind of service-oriented living is not easy. Indeed, it is impossible (Rom. 8:7; 1 Cor. 2:14), apart from the Spiritempowering New Covenant grace secured in Christ that enables us to do hard things (Deut. 29:4; 30:6; Jer. 31:33 34; Ezek. 36:26 27; Matt. 19:26; 1 Cor. 15:10; Phil. 2:12 13; Col. 1:28 29; Gal. 5:22 23). Biblical love must be an overflow of faith (Gal. 5:16), for through faith alone do we trust God to do for us what we can not do on our own (Gen. 15:6 with 18:14; Rom. 4:18 21; 14:23; Heb. 11:6; cf. 1 Peter 4:11). While the Israelites were called to love God always and everywhere, they were charged to destroy all pagan shrines on the hills and under every green tree and were prohibited from offering sacrifices anywhere but at a single, central shrine, where God made his presence known (Deut. 12:2 28). Initially, this was located wherever the ark and tabernacle were present, but eventually it constituted the temple in Jerusalem. Three times a year the entire nation was to assemble to worship God and to enjoy his fellowship at this central sanctuary (Exod. 23:14 19; Deut. 16:16), and such a tri-annual commitment would have necessitated for many costly and time-consuming travel. Today, holy, pleasing, and acceptable worship is found when we continually present ourselves spiritually as living sacrifices, proclaiming God s excellencies, abstaining from fleshly passions, living honorably, doing good, and sharing what we have (Matt. 16:24; Rom. 12:1; Heb. 13:15 16; 1 Peter 2:5, 9, 11 12). Such a God-dependent and God-exalting lifestyle is not always convenient, but it is right, good, and necessary. Jesus declared that few people follow the hard path that leads to life but that many follow the easy path to destruction (Matt. 7:13 14). Similarly, Paul stressed (Phil. 3:18 19): Many walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things. What is normal in this world is rebellion against God and its resulting death (1 Kgs. 8:46; Rom. 3:23; Eph. 2:1, 3). However, standing firm in the Lord and convinced that our citizenship is in heaven (Phil. 3:20; 4:1), followers of God must not love the world or the things in the world (1 John 2:15) and must not be conformed to this world (Rom. 12:2) or the passions of [our] former ignorance (1 Peter 1:14). Instead, we must be transformed by the renewal of [our] mind (Rom. 12:2) and be holy in all [our] conduct (1 Peter 1:15), fearing God rather than men (Matt. 10:28; Acts 5:29). (1) Contrary to polytheism, we must affirm in word and deed that an idol has no real existence, and that there is no God but one (1 Cor. 8:4; cf. Deut. 32:39; 1 Sam. 2:2; Isa. 45:21 22), and that Jesus is the divine, crucified, Messiah (1 Cor. 12:3; 1 John 2:22; 4:2 3). (2) Contrary to syncretism, we must stress in word and deed that no one can serve two masters (Matt. 6:24); that whoever believes in [Jesus] is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already (John 3:18); and that if you live according to the flesh, you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live (Rom. 8:13) there are only two ways, and you can t walk on both (Ps. 1; Matt. 6:13 14; 1 John 3:10). (3) Contrary to pantheism, we must celebrate in word and deed that God is eternally and wholly distinct from his creation yet sovereign

5 68 6. Logical (Specialization system) 7. Sensuous (If it feels good, do it!) When you are sick, would you rather see a specialist or a general practitioner? Ancient people believed in three categories of gods: personal, family, and national. While all Israelites would have affirmed Yahweh as their national god (for he had created the nation, redeeming them from Egypt), many did not hesitate to pay homage to other deities in family or personal worship. National gods were considered regionalized, bearing oversight of specific geographical regions (see 1 Kgs. 20:23, 28; 2 Kgs. 5:15, 17; Jon. 1:3). Furthermore, in ancient idolatry, all gods were considered specialists in some aspect of world or nature. For example, Baal of Canaan was the young weather god (Judg. 2:11, 13); Ashtoreth his consort, the mother goddess of love and fertility (2:13); Chemosh of Moab, the god of war (11:24); and Dagon of Philistia, the god of grain (16:23). Others gods controlled life, death, light, evil, water, etc. Such specialization made it logical for people to seek expert help rather than go to Yahweh, who had to manage all things. Do you ever turn away from God toward worldly pleasures? Focused on what is earthly, idolatry was gratifying to the physical senses and fleshly desires. It could include bowing down and kissing idols (1 Kgs. 19:18); an array of visual images and smells (Ezek. 8:10 12); over it (Gen. 1:1; Exod. 4:11; Deut. 32:39; 1 Sam. 2:6 8; Jer. 10:11 13; Isa. 42:5; 44:24; 45:7; 48:12 13; Dan. 2:20 21; Acts 17:25; Rom. 11:36; Eph. 1:11; 4:6; Col. 1:16; Heb. 1:3) and that humanity is unique of all creation in our capacity and calling to display / image the glory of God (Gen. 1:26 28; Rom. 8:29; 2 Cor. 3:18; Col. 3:10). A major aspect of prophetic rhetoric in the Bible is the charge that Yahweh alone is God (Deut. 32:39; 1 Sam. 2:2; Isa. 45:21 22; Matt. 23:9; Mark 12:29, 32, 34; 1 Cor. 8:4; 1 Tim. 2:5; James 2:19) the one from whom, through whom, and to whom everything exists, whether in heaven or on earth, visible or invisible (Rom. 11:36; Eph. 4:6; Col. 1:16; cf. Gen. 1:1; Exod. 4:11; Deut. 32:39; 1 Sam. 2:6 8; Jer. 10:11 13; Isa. 42:5; 44:24; 45:7; 48:12 13; Dan. 2:20 21; Acts 17:25; Eph. 1:11; Heb. 1:3). He alone upholds the future, and he alone can save (Isa. 42:8 9; 43:10 13; 44:7 8; 45:20 22; 46:8 11). While humans inwardly know of God s eternal power and divine nature, in their unrighteousness they suppress the truth, dishonoring God, not giving him thanks, and even approving of others who turn from him (Rom. 1:18 21, 32). Exchanging the glory of God for idols (1:23), they become like what they worship empty and lifeless (2 Kgs. 17:15; Jer. 2:5; Ps. 115:8), futile in their thinking and darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart (Eph. 4:17 18; cf. Rom. 1:21). God declared that the wisdom of the world is folly with God (1 Cor. 3:19) and that idolaters are stupid and without knowledge, for the idols they worship are worthless, a work of delusion (Jer. 10:14 15). He also asserted, If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness, he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing (1 Tim. 6:3 4). Furthermore, the natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned (1 Cor. 2:14). The wisdom that comes from God is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away (2:7), and the Spirit that gives right understanding is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God (2:12). The teachings of idolatry have indeed the appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh (Col. 2:23). Being driven by jealousy and selfish ambition, the world s wisdom is earthly, unspiritual, demonic, promoting disorder and every vile practice (James 3:16), but the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, fully of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere (3:17). God declares that the sensuous practices of idolatry are abominations against which he will act in wrath (Ezek. 8:17 18; cf. ch. 23). Moses forbade cult prostitution (Deut. 23:17), and its extraction was a focused part of Josiah s reforms (2 Kgs. 23:6 7). Paul stressed that those who live in the passions of the flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and of the mind are children of wrath (Eph. 2:3), and John asserted that all that is in the world the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and the pride of possessions is not from the Father but is from the world. (1 John 3:16). He then wrote, The world is passing

6 69 cutting of the body, loud cries, and weeping (1 Kgs. 18:28; Ezek. 8:14); heavy feasting, drinking, and drunkenness (Amos 2:8; Acts 15:20 21; 21:25; 1 Cor. 8:4 13); and sacred sex. The latter included temple prostitution, wherein it was believed that engaging in symbolic intercourse on the temple compound would stimulate the gods to produce fertility on earth (1 Kgs. 14:24; 2 Kgs. 23:7; Jer. 5:7; Ezek. 23; Amos 2:7 8; Mic. 1:7; Job 36:14). away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever (3:17). Therefore, Paul wrote (Rom. 13:12 14): we must cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires. This can only be done in the context of the grace of God, which trains us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ (Tit. 2:11 13). Significantly, such living in the present age does not mean God forbids sex in marriage or celebrating his goodness through food and fellowship, for everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving (1 Tim. 4:4 5; cf. Eccl. 9:7 10; Esth. 9:19, 22; Neh. 8:10; Rom. 14:6; Heb. 13:4). Some of the above material is adapted from Douglas K. Stuart, Exodus, NAC (Nashville: B&H Academic, 2006),