God's chosen people are placed in a unique position... they could live as a nation with Jehovah reigning and governing in their midst, or they could be no different than the neighboring cultures around them. Surely they will choose to follow Yahweh.
God's Word presented in song and verse.
in those quiet times spent alone with Him and in His Word. After nine years composing, arranging and recording... The Alpha & Omega Suite was finished at the end of 2008 and is ready for distribution in 2009! The Suite consists of thirty five parts which span two hours and forty minutes. This inspired music praises God and His Word; introduces His laws; His doctrines; His decrees; His covenants; and His grace to those who may never be exposed to His written Word otherwise. No glory, honor, or prestige is given to this earthly vessel, only to the One Who deserves it and is worthy of it!
Story behind the song
How often do we look at what our neighbors have and wish it were our own? Jeolousy blooms when we see they have a bigger house, a newer car, more possessions and all those fine things we long for. Our covetness means that instead of loving our neighbors, we love the possessions they own. The Israelites, God's chosen people whom He had hand-picked and set-apart were no different from us. Even after God freed them from Egyptian slavery, given them a land "flowing with milk and honey', and lived a safe life under the protective canopy of the Lord, they still lusted at what their neighbors had... which was so much less than what they already possessed!
No other nation or no other culture has ever possessed such an incredible history with God guiding, protecting and reigning right in their midst! No other group of people ever had the living God so closely identify with them and their culture that He would periodically make His prescence felt in beneficial and often majestic ways. These descendants of Abraham were indeed God's chosen and much cherished people! God had acted mightyly for them and had asked for very little in return... just their love, obedience, devotion and loyalty. Surely such a minor request wouldn't be hard to fulfil... or was it?
As it turned out, the newly-formed nation of Abraham's descendants wasted no time in straying from the righteous paths which God had clearly laid out for them... at every turn and opportunity which arose! Even as they reaped the benefits of God's divine protection and sustinance, they still disobeyed Him and chose the lesser riches of their tribal neighbors... even to the unbelievable extreme of adopting the blasphemous practice of worshipping alien, man-made dieties! This constituted the ultimate rebellion and insult to the one true living God who had done so much for them.
Did their lifestyle improve by adopting these foreign cultures and religions? Was it to their benefit? Did the foreign dieties provide them with anything minutely tangible or even minisculely detectable? Could the false compare to the real and authentic? Ironically, the opposite occurred. Disaster and turmoil transpired with every occurance of their rebellion while prosperity, comfort and security resulted whenever they obeyed the Lord. This is not surprising or unpredictable... it is exactly what God promised would happen! From the start He had foretold that prosperity and peace would blossom when they were faithful to Him, while tragedy and turmoil would be the consequence of rebelling and turning away. God, with His perfect sense of justice and accurate foreknowledge, knew exactly how His chosen people would behave as their nation developed and spread!
Israel's desire to be governed by a king was also representational of their overall lusts... they wanted to be grounded in this physical world, with all the many riches and temptations it offers. Typically, the more at-home they became with the world, the more distant they grew to their Lord. All areas of life which were supposed to be shared with God were given over to lesser, fleshly substitutes. The early warnings from God had been to flee sinful ways. He knew the weaknesses of humanity and how His people would not be able to resist the worldly practices of the gentiles. He also knew ahead of time that His people would choose earthly leaders to govern in His place.
We are blessed to have the Biblical account of ancient Jewish history with it's numerous and valuable lessons of human nature, manifested by frail weakness. When we see the short-comings of the chosen people and realize that they are so much like ourself... we give praise and thanks to God for His love and mercy; patience and forgiveness. Like the Israelites, we have that precious opportunity to draw near to Him and accept His gift of reconciliation, yet we would rather do things 'our way'! Biblical history also presents a wealth of detail about God and His interaction with mankind. The
Lyrics
(Verse 1)
Winds blowin' eastward, ever crossin' the plain. As Abram's children shouted with cheers!
Enterin' the land after God set them free. Nurturin' them forty long years!
Complainin' and rebellin' and wantin' their way! Yet God shown that He always cares.
Setten' up a golden cow... rejectin' their Lord. Though none other god compares.
They were clearin' the land and cleanin' it's stain. Conquerin' by God's ordained purge!
Fulfillin' a verdict given' centuries before. Their nations must never converge!
I have set you apart from others to be my own. My own.
(Verse 2)
Only empire ever have God reign in their midst. His standards the whole world would see!
Mustn't live like neighbors... but be set apart. Keepin’ all God's laws and decrees.
Doin’ what was right only in their own eyes. Truth ignored with a skeptic's denial.
Practicin' evil in the sight of the LORD. Prostitutin' to every wooden idol.
Refusin' to give up wicked-stubborn ways. Defiled the land, profaned God's name.
Provokin' Him to display a righteous wrath! So subject to foreign kings they became.
You should be pure because I, your Lord am holy. Am holy.
(Chorus)
You chose the small and lowly ones, to cripple the giants lame.
With so little faith like Gideon, they lay out their fleece of shame.
God owns all the land. But He allowed them to be it's caretakers.
By turnin’ our back on what God desires. Souls become so destitute.
We should reflect the character of God's nature in our actions and attitudes.
(Verse 3)
Surrounded on every side by corruptible. Sin overtakes while it exceeds.
The crowds picked the royal, so full of prestige. You choose what benefits their needs.
Looked at neighbors… lusted at all they have. Over and over Judah turned away.
They got what they wanted, offerin’ no answer at all. Gold only helped lead astray.
Foreign kings conquered and broke down strongholds. Led them off to distant lands.
Took their sons, stole their wealth, changed their names! Yet their rebellion still stands.
The multitudes are corrupt and vain but You saved a remnant... for Yourself.
(Chorus)
Instead of the one true living God, Who delivers and redeems the soul.
They shackled them self again and again. When only He can make them whole.
Your ways are not our ways. Too many choices, too many directions to go.
Why did they have to be so stubborn? Bringing troubles on all of a sudden.
Why did they desire a man to govern? When the king above rules with love’n.
