“Hatred stirs up strife,
but love covers all offenses.”

Proverbs 10:12

Our fellowship with one another in Christ is sacred and beyond price. God made peace only through the blood of the cross (Eph. 2:11-22). Therefore unity is no achievement of ours but a costly blessing from God. This is why Paul urges Christians to strive to maintain that priceless unity Jesus died to create (Eph. 4:1-3) and speaks so severely against those who would disrupt it (Rom. 16:17-18). “How good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity!” (Psa. 133:1)

How does division occur within the church? Sometimes it is caused by valid doctrinal disagreements. But many other times division can traced back to certain people and the cause of strife is due mainly to attitudes not issues. Hence the proverb, “Drive out a scoffer, and strife will go out, and quarreling and abuse will cease.” (Prov. 22:10)

Usually strife within the church can be traced back to someone with a contentious spirit. If that person is removed, suddenly there is peace. The challenge and command of God is that we would be the kind of people who have the opposite, positive leavening effect on the church. We want to refresh others, not drain them; to build up and heal, not tear down and destroy; to encourage, not demoralize others. The primary way we do this is through loving one another as God loves us. Love is the stalwart guardian of our Christian unity.

Consider Proverbs 10:12 above. The proverbs in the Bible are written using poetic parallelism where the second line of the proverb reinforces the first. Proverbs 10:12 uses antithetical parallelism where line A and line B are opposites. Line A tells us what hatred does while line B tells us what love does instead.

How does love “cover” sin? Certainly not by hiding sin through deceit nor by ignoring sin through neglect (1 Cor. 13:6). To understand the proverb, consider Psalm 32:1 which communicates the same concept in a slightly different way: “Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.” David uses synonymous parallelism here: transgression being forgiven (line A) is synonymous with sin being covered (line B). Therefore, love “covers” sin through forgiveness. Let’s bring that reasoning back to Proverbs 10:12. Whereas hatred looks for trouble and investigates the weaknesses of others and broadcasts their faults, with love there is a willingness to forgive others their faults and show mercy.

The apostle Peter quotes Proverbs 10:12. “Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.” (1 Pet. 4:8) Peter says our love for one another must be a muscular, diligent, thorough and committed love (the word translated “earnestly” was used of athletes straining toward the finish line). When we love one another “earnestly” we refuse to allow sin to divide us through hatred, bitterness and resentment. We will deal with sin in a discrete, kind and merciful way. In other words, we will “be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave [us].” (Eph. 4:32). Any grievance we have with each other is insignificant compared to what we’ve already been forgiven by God (Mt. 18:21-35).

James also quotes Proverbs 10:12. “My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.” (Jas. 5:19-20) When we seek to restore the spiritually wayward we are demonstrating what love covering a multitude of sins looks like. Leading a soul back to the Lord and being a peacemaker is the most loving and Christian thing we could do: Jesus came to seek and save the lost (Lk. 19:10).

Years ago a Christian family from Kentucky lost their son in a car crash caused by a drunk driver. The parents, overwhelmed with loss, went to every court hearing of the man responsible until the husband finally realized his hatred was consuming him. He decided instead to meet the man and offer to study the Bible with him. To his surprise, he agreed and as the studies progressed, the man was receptive and converted to Christ. He served his sentence in prison but when his time was up he had nowhere to go. Amazingly, the very family who had lost their son through the sinful actions of this man welcomed him into their home. They sought to bring good out of a disastrous situation and their love covered a multitude of sins. We need this kind of faithful love if we are to “maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”

“Those who honor me I will honor, and those who despise me shall be lightly esteemed.”

1 Samuel 2:30

Sometimes the biblical authors give us little clues, inconspicuous literary nudges, to help us understand what the text is about. There is no shortage of this kind of thing in the artfully composed book of Samuel. Let’s focus on just two examples.

The first example is found in 1 Samuel 15. This is the story of king Saul’s rebellion against God’s commands that led to his being rejected as king. God, through his prophet Samuel, had instructed Saul to defeat the Amalekites and to “devote to destruction all that they have.” This meant they were to utterly defeat the enemies and were not permitted to keep any of the spoil of battle for themselves (see Achan’s sin in Joshua 7). Saul roundly defeated the Amalekites but spared the king and the best animals. The people devoted to destruction “all that was despised and worthless” but kept the rest (1 Sam. 15:7-9). The Lord revealed Saul’s actions to Samuel and the prophet went to confront the errant king early the next morning.

The text repeats the alternating words of “listen/hear” and “noise/voice.” When Samuel gave his instructions to Saul for the battle he told him to “listen to the voice of the Lord.” (15:1)  God told Samuel that Saul had not listened to his voice (15:11). When Samuel confronted Saul the morning after the battle Saul assured him that he had listened to the voice of God (15:13). But Samuel hears the noise of the livestock (15:14) and says that Saul has listened to the voice of the people instead of the voice of God (15:19-24).

Another example of this subtle wordplay is found in chapters 2-4. A single Hebrew root conveys both the literal idea of “weight/heaviness” and the metaphorical idea of “honor/glory.” We sometimes use the word “gravity” to speak of one’s significance, nobility, importance, heaviness or clout.

Eli the priest gave “honor” to his sons instead of God by allowing them to fatten themselves on the best parts of the meat from the sacrificial offerings (1 Sam. 2:29). Eli’s sons, Hophni and Phinehas, showed they didn’t know the Lord by treating his sacrifices with such contempt (1 Sam. 2:12, 17). Eli tried to rebuke them but it was a case of too-little-too-late. God said to Eli: “those who honor me [ascribe weight to me] I will honor, and those who despise me shall be lightly esteemed [considered light].” (1 Sam. 2:30) Later, when Israel was defeated in battle, the news came back to Eli at Shiloh. When he heard the report of his sons’ deaths and the capture of the ark by the Philistines, “Eli fell over backward from his seat by the side of the gate, and his neck was broken and he died, for the man was old and heavy.” (1 Sam. 4:18) The loss of the ark, the symbol of God’s presence with his people, prompted the naming of Eli’s grandson Ichabod (“the glory is no more”; 4:21).

There are many other examples we could site from Samuel but why did the author include them? We must understand that these are not just little Easter eggs hidden in the text for Hebrew scholars to enjoy. These are powerful, if subtle, literary devices to grab the attention of the careful reader. They invite us to ask ourselves, “Am I listening to the voice of God?” The Hebrew word for listen includes the idea of obedience. Are we really hearing him? Or are we like Saul who gave only partial obedience, which is really disobedience? They invite us to ask ourselves, “Am I honoring God in my life?” Do we ascribe to the Lord the weight, the glory, the significance his name deserves? Our priorities in life, the decisions we make, and what we are willing to put up with—they all tell on us. Eli’s failure to discipline his sons led to their destruction and his sorrow. These verbal clues in the text aren’t always apparent in our English translations but if we are willing to study we will see them. The only question is when we see them will we learn from them?

“Ah, stubborn children,” declares the Lord,
    “who carry out a plan, but not mine,
and who make an alliance, but not of my Spirit,
    that they may add sin to sin;

who set out to go down to Egypt,
    without asking for my direction,
to take refuge in the protection of Pharaoh
    and to seek shelter in the shadow of Egypt!”

Isaiah 30:1-2

We all make plans to achieve our goals. We all have plans that fill our calendars. But a question worth asking is, “Do my plans harmonize with God’s plans?” God challenged ancient Israel with this question. They had made their plans, they were weaving their web, but all without ever consulting God. Their vision of the future was out of step with God’s Spirit. They were ready to move before asking God for directions.

In their case, they were headed south to Egypt (of all places) to make a military alliance to shield them from violence in the north. They sought “refuge” and “shelter,” not under the protective wings of the Lord, but from Pharaoh. In resting their hope in a brittle human empire, in making flesh their strength (Jer. 17:5), Israel had spurned the God of their salvation in the process.

So the Lord calls them “stubborn children.” I wonder if sometimes the Lord doesn’t say the same of us. We make plans. Do they harmonize with the Lord’s? (Prov. 16:1, 3, 9; 19:21) We enter into partnerships. Do those alliances agree with God’s Spirit? (2 Cor. 6:14-18) We usually make plans and strike deals with others to secure our future, to give us some sense of peace, to find refuge. Upon what basis are we seeking protection? “Some trust in chariots and some in horses” (Psa. 20:7), others in politicians, business moguls, retirement plans, spiritual gurus or nuclear armaments.

When our plans are not rooted in the Lord’s will, we soon “go astray in spirit” and sin is so easily added to sin. We’ve all been there. What should we do then? In the preceding verses, Isaiah 29:23-24, God prophesied that Israel would eventually turn back to him.

“Jacob shall no more be ashamed,
    no more shall his face grow pale.

For when he sees his children,
    the work of my hands, in his midst,
    they will sanctify my name;
they will sanctify the Holy One of Jacob
    and will stand in awe of the God of Israel.

And those who go astray in spirit will come to understanding,
    and those who murmur will accept instruction.”

When we’ve gone astray in spirit, we must come back to square one: God is God. Therefore we must stand in awe of him, sanctify his name, seek to understand his will and accept his instruction. When our plans lead us into darkness we must reorient ourselves according to the light of God’s purpose.

It’s not that we shouldn’t make plans or enter partnerships to achieve goals but that we must do so according to God’s plans and God’s goals, “if the Lord wills” (Jas. 4:15). God reveals his plans for our individual lives, our marriages, our carriers, our relationships, our families, our congregations and our futures in his word. We exclude him to our own peril. If we build on any other foundation, our plans won’t stand (Mt. 7:24-27). Ask for his direction, seek shelter in his shadow, take refuge in his protection: “Blessed are all who take refuge in him!” (Psa. 34:8)

So make your plans but remember it’s God’s plans before ours, God’s name above ours and God’s will not ours.

(This article is derived from Jason Hardin's article "You Who Carry Out a Plan But Not Mine")

Leviticus is a tough read for many reasons and is sometimes neglected. A helpful way to better understand and appreciate the book is to read it in light of what precedes it.

Exodus — Leviticus comes into better focus when read in the light of Exodus. The Lord redeemed the Israelites from slavery in Egypt (Ex. 1-15) and entered into a covenant relationship with them at Mt. Sinai (Ex. 20-24). But for what purpose? To what end? The title of Leviticus may hint at the answer. The English word “Leviticus” comes from a Greek word meaning “things concerning Levites.” But this incorrectly suggests Leviticus is only about the priests. Leviticus is about much more than priestly duties. In fact, it’s about the sanctification of an entire nation. The Hebrew title more accurately reflects the meaning of the book: ‘wayyiqra’ means “and he called”. That makes more sense as God called Abraham (Isa. 51:2; Heb. 11:8; cf. Gen. 12:1-4) and his descendants for a special purpose.

Israel was called to be different from the nations. What’s more, they were to do this with the Lord himself dwelling in their midst in the tent of meeting (Ex. 25-31, 35-40). To dwell with a holy God necessitated Israel become holy too. So God provided a series of laws to direct Israel in everyday living so that they could become “a kingdom of priests and a holy nation” (Ex. 19:3-6). Through his instructions in Leviticus, God set up an earthly society where his holiness and wishes for humanity could be seen in the corporate life of a special nation. To the Hebrew, Leviticus was a practical guide to dwelling with God.

Creation — Leviticus can be further appreciated in light of the more distant preceding context of creation. The formation of Israel is deeply rooted in Genesis 1-2. In many ways, God’s purpose for Israel as a nation is a return to his purpose for all humanity in creation. We can see parallels in the realms of separation, blessing and calling.

1. Separation — God separated (Hebrew ‘hibdil’) the various aspects of creation into their proper place and brought order to a chaotic situation (Gen. 1:4, 6-8, 17-18). Was not the Lord doing same thing in Leviticus with Israel? He brought order to the nation of Israel by separating ('hibdil') things into their proper place, distinguishing between the holy and the common, the clean and the unclean (Lev. 10:8-11; 11:44-47; 20:24-26).
2. Blessing — God created Adam and Eve, brought them into his ordered world and poured his blessings upon them. He gave them the blessing of fruitfulness (Gen. 1:28); he placed them in a lush garden where all their physical needs would be met (Gen. 2:8-25); he gave them a Sabbath rest (Gen. 2:2-3); and most importantly, he dwelt with them (Gen. 3:8a). Did not the Lord also make Israel fruitful (Lev. 26:9), place them in a lush land where all their physical needs were met (Lev. 26:3-6, 10); give them a Sabbath rest (Lev. 23:3; 25:1-7); and most importantly, dwell with them (Lev. 26:11f)?
3. Calling — God called humanity for a purpose. Humans are special in creation in that they uniquely reflect God’s image (Gen. 1:26-28). Humans were meant to represent God, ruling the earth on his behalf in a way that reflects God’s character; ruling with justice, mercy, kindness, righteousness, holiness and love (Psa. 86:15; 89:14; 96:10; 97:2; 103:8; cf. Psa. 8). Humanity had a mission: to subdue and fill the earth with God’s kingdom (Gen. 1:28). Did not God also call Israel for the same purpose (Lev. 19:2; Ex. 19:3-6)? The nation of Israel was meant to show the world what walking with God looked like. By obeying God’s law they would become living signposts pointing back to Eden and God’s original intent for humanity: to walk in rich fellowship with God and to enjoy his care and blessing, to live with him and to reflect him to the world.

What does any of this have to do with us? Humanity failed in Eden and was ejected from God’s presence. Israel failed as a nation and was similarly exiled. We too have fallen short of our created purpose (Rom. 3:23). But where all of humanity and Israel failed, Christ was victorious. Jesus fulfilled God’s intentions for humanity (Heb. 2:6-8; cf. Psa. 8) and is able to “bring many sons to glory” (Heb. 2:10).

Therefore, in Christ we can share in his victory. Through Jesus, God has created a new nation and sanctified a new people, a new Israel (Rom. 2:28-29; Gal. 6:16; Eph. 2:11-22). Has not God also called us through the gospel (2 Thess. 2:14) in order to separate us from the world (1 Pet. 1:14-16) and bless us (Gal. 3:8-9) so that he might again walk with us (2 Cor. 6:16)? Leviticus is an integral part of our spiritual heritage and deserves our attention and appreciation.

But he answered, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone,
    but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

Matthew 4:4

Immediately after Jesus’ baptism and the public pronouncement from heaven revealing him as the Father’s beloved Son with whom he is well pleased (Mt. 3:17), itself a combined quotation joining the messianic concepts of royalty from Psalm 2:7 with servanthood from Isaiah 42:1, one would think it would be time for Jesus to march into Jerusalem and start preaching the kingdom of God. Instead, he is led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil (Mt. 4:1).

This divinely orchestrated showdown between the Messiah and the source of evil was vital for several reasons. The wilderness setting reminds us of Israel’s wandering where the Lord tested his covenant people to know what was in their heart (Deut. 8:2, 16). Israel failed the test and instead put God to the test on several occasions (Num. 14:22). But where all Israel failed, Jesus succeeded and remained faithful. After forty days of fasting, an echo of Israel’s forty years of wandering, the tempter came to him with a series of temptations. Each time, Jesus relied on the Scriptures, particularly those ‘wilderness’ Scriptures from the book of Deuteronomy, to overcome the temptation. He was tempted but he never succumbed, he never sinned. In this truth is his glory and our hope (Heb. 2:18; 4:15).

How did Jesus’ trust in the Scriptures help him? Since he overcame these temptations as a human with the same tools available to us, he provides us with a pattern to follow and proves that sin doesn’t have to be inevitable. Each time he is tempted he says “It is written” and proceeds to quote from Deuteronomy. By saying “It is written,” Jesus means it remains written. Nothing has changed. The words God spoke through Moses were still true. Consider what this means for us.

God’s word remains true even though it’s old— Over a thousand years separated Jesus from Moses. Many kingdoms of men had come and gone but God’s word remained: “The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever” (Isa. 40:6-9). God’s ancient wisdom has stood the test of time and has helped our Lord and our forefathers gain perspective and spiritual strength. There is no modern wisdom that can compare to God’s heavenly wisdom. It is an anchor that keeps our souls moored to truth (Heb. 6:19).

God’s word remains true even though it’s been translated — Jesus quoted from a Greek translation called the Septuagint (LXX) yet he still considered it God’s word. It still maintained divine authority though it had been copied, recopied and translated. No two languages are equal so there are notable differences in wording between the Masoretic texts and the Greek. Despite this, the Septuagint retained the original meaning and Jesus could confidently quote it as God’s word: “It is written.” Not all translations are accurate but Jesus’ quotation of the Septuagint proves that just because God’s word is translated doesn’t mean it has lost its divine authority.

God’s word remains true even though the situation has changed — Moses wrote Deuteronomy before Israel crossed the Jordan and took the Promised Land. But Jesus appropriated the text for his individual situation. Words to a nation, words to an individual—they still apply. We go through times of peace and times of war, times of prosperity and times of financial crisis, the good, the bad and the ugly. But while our situation changes, God’s word remains the same. It can teach, warn and encourage in various situations simply because of who spoke it (2 Tim. 3:16-17). We need to remember that whatever our situation we can find help and guidance in God’s word.

Consider John Clifford’s poem entitled The Anvil:

Last eve I passed beside a blacksmith’s door,
And heard the anvil ring the vesper chime;
Then, looking in, I saw upon the floor,
Old hammers, worn with beating years of time.

“How many anvils have you had,” said I,
“To wear and batter all these hammers so?”
“Just one” said he, and then, with twinkling eye,
“The anvil wears the hammers out you know.”

And so, thought I the anvil of God’s Word,
For ages sceptic blows have beat upon;
Yet, though the noise of falling blows was heard,
The anvil is unharmed – the hammers gone!