“…Be strong and of good courage, for the LORD your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not LEAVE YOU NOR FORSAKE YOU.” (Deut. 31:6) This was written to encourage the people of Israel, including Joshua, Solomon, and Hezekiah’s military officers. Their Old Testament reality presented their lives with insurmountable challenges, and God wanted them to know clearly that THEY COULD TRUST HIM to lead them to victory. It was a call to obedience amidst great adversity. Two verses later God repeated, “The Lord Himself goes before you and will be with you; HE WILL NEVER LEAVE YOU NOR FORSAKE YOU. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” (Deut. 31:8) When we promise “always” or “never” we are incapable of upholding it. Thus the infamous saying, “NEVER SAY NEVER!” However, when God promises “always” or “never” He can be FULLY TRUSTED TO HONOR HIS WORD, “God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and WILL HE NOT MAKE IT GOOD?” (Num. 23:19)
Imagine having to follow Moses. Joshua’s call was to lead the Israelites into the promised land Moses had been guiding them towards for forty years. No pressure. Joshua had witnessed the flaws of his mentor. Surely, he harbored doubts of his own. But God assured him, “No one will be able to stand against you as long as you live. For I WILL BE WITH YOU as I was with Moses. I will not fail you or abandon you.” (Josh. 1:5)
The legacy of our Heavenly Father’s character echoes in Solomon’s confirmation as the temple in Jerusalem finally came to fruition: “May the LORD our God BE WITH US as He was with our ancestors; may He never leave us or abandon us.” (1 Kings 8:57). The word “LORD”, capitalized, is significant. It means YAHWEH, the highest and most emphatic expression of our loving and compassionate Father. He is our Dad, who loves us perfectly. It’s writing style that simultaneously honors Him for all He is and brings Him close to us as the compassionate Creator of our being. (Gen. 28:15) “Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land. For I WILL NOT LEAVE YOU until I have done what I have promised you.”
We see the same concept in principle, both spiritual and physically. The author, writing primarily to vigorously remind believers that efforts to earn their salvation was not biblical. Ridding their lives of rules in exchange for a way of life demanded they put their trust in Christ alone. “Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” (Heb. 13:5)
Your Personal Pastor -Bill Stockham