The Blessing of God’s Plan within the Covenant of Christ (Deut. 33:1-29)

We will share the grace of God’s covenantal word with Deut. 33.  Before Moses passed away, God gave the Word of His covenantal blessings as a song for the Israelites to always remember.  God always fulfills the Word He has given. I believe our lives do not work out the way we desire, but it is according to God’s Word.  I believe the covenant is the grace of God to lay down all our thoughts, plans, desires that are not from God’s Word, but of love for ourselves.

There is a plan for which God has called us, and we must find that plan.  There is a reason why God has called us to Antioch Mission Church, and we must find that reason and plan.  There is a reason why God has called you to your field of studies or your job; you must find that reason. Finding that reason is the way we love Christ and the way we love God.  But the reason why people suffer on earth is that they live with their own thoughts, goals, and desires. That’s why there’s no choice but to have continuous suffering on earth. Today, may you have the blessing to receive God’s grace to seek what God desires through today’s worship.

We are nearing the end of Moses’ last mission.  God is explaining the blessing of the Israelites to each of the tribes, again.  We cannot go through all the tribes, but the one tribe who catches our attention is Levi.  The Levites received the blessing of the Urim and Thummim which are stones given to the priest.  We need to look more carefully into the Levites. 

Levi was one of the children of Jacob, and if you look at Gen. 34:7, Levi and Simeon were born of the same mother.  There was a daughter of the same mother, Dinah, and she was raped.  In Gen. 34:7, the two brothers were filled with so much rage, and in Gen. 34:25-26, they circumcised all the men in that area, then they killed all the men.  

Should we murder or not? Can we murder or not?  No.  But they did murder.  Whether we can murder or not is our standard; why do people murder on the battlefield, then?  People kill other people on the battlefield and we shouldn’t do that.  The Jehovah’s Witnesses don’t want to murder people, so they don’t go into the army.  

God told the Israelites to murder everyone in the land of Canaan; should we not do that? What is the standard?  It is God’s Word.  We keep deciding what is good or evil based on our actions. Their younger sister Dinah was raped, and God never gave them the Word to kill all the men in the region of Shechem, but they killed all the men because they could not hold their rage.  They had gone outside of God’s Word.  Should you do this or should you do that?  Whether you do this or do that, it is all wrong; we do everything following God’s Word for the glory of God.  

Jacob, their father, said nothing about that. When a situation like that happens, you should stop your children’s rage and go to worship before God, but at that time, Jacob’s spiritual state was very bad, and because he didn’t have that strength, he stayed still without any Word of God.  So, his children were not able to overcome their rage and went and killed all of the men.  In Gen. 49:5, as Jacob was about to pass away, he says about Simeon and Levi that their swords are weapons of violence.  In Gen. 49:6-7, it talks about their wrath, and in Gen. 49:7, “cursed be their anger.” 

These are the Levites.  Their anger, their wrath, their violence was uncontrollable.  What tribe was Moses from?  Yes, he was from the Levite tribe.  Moses also murdered somebody.  While he was the prince of Egypt, he couldn’t control his anger when he saw an Egyptian soldier harassing an Israelite, so he killed the Egyptian.

There is a spiritual stream within your family line, then how can we block that? We can never block that with our own strength, and because of that, you will continuously fail and be cursed, meaning it becomes a channel for Satan. That’s why there are shootings that happen in America. Then when is this curse cut off? 

In Exodus 32:28-29, the Israelites worshiped a golden calf, an idol, and then, in Exodus 32:28-29, when the Israelites worshiped the idol of the calf, God was so angry, He said, “Who will be the one to blot out the idol worshipers from the Book?” The Levites volunteered to kill all those people.  Among the people who worshiped idols, there were friends and family members of the Levites who followed the Word of God and killed them. In Exodus 32:29, Moses says, “You have been set apart from your brothers, and God blessed you this day.”  They were killing people again, but this killing was not out of anger; it was following God’s Word. That timing of Exodus 32 was when the curse of the Levites turned into their blessing.  

We see in Deut. 33, the tribe of the Levites are changed into the tribe of priests which is the tribe that actually saves people.  Everything in our past that was formed because we were separated from God becomes a channel for failure.  That could be our anger, it could be many different things, and if you just let them be, you will continue to fail because of that.  But the moment that turns into a blessing is when you obey and follow God’s Word.  Before that point, our nature doesn’t follow God’s Word; it follows according to our original nature.  But when we begin to follow God’s Word, the things in our past become a tool for God. That’s what we call the springboard.  It completely turns around to be used as a springboard.  

The curses can never be changed into a blessing unless it is through Christ, unless it is through the cross.  If, for example, the Levites had not followed God’s Word within His time schedule, the Levites would continue to be in curses.  The fact that you follow God’s Word throughout the week means you follow the covenant, and then, one day, your life will be an instrument or tool for blessings.  However, people who have the confidence to say they can change their past into a blessing for themselves do not need to worship, they do not need to receive God’s Word because they think they can do it by themselves. 

Everyone except for  those people have to follow after God’s Word as the Levites did, then, this seat today is the beginning of blessings. You have to recognize this as a blessing for you to be a person of blessings. If you lived diligently without the problems of your past being resolved, it won’t work out, so working hard is a good thing, but the problems of your past must be solved.  You need to know the fact that they have already been finished, and that is why we hold onto God’s Word in faith. It has already been finished and it will be finished and we follow, holding onto God’s Word, in faith. That faith is given to us by God’s grace so you must remain within God’s grace.  Then, your past will be a springboard for blessings regardless of you. Then, you will be used as the Tribe of Priests who save other people. 

In the role of the priest, everyone uses a sword to cut up the sacrifices and offerings.  In the past, they would use their sword for their anger and wrath, but then they used their sword to follow God’s word, then now, it is used to save people. That sword is a talent given by God. It’s about whether the talent is used for curses or blessings.  Christ changed that on the cross.  The moment you believe in and hold onto that, it will be an instrument used to bless and save others. 

That’s the Tribe of Levi.  You already know the other tribes, but we’ll start reading from Deut. 33:26.  “There is no one like the God of Jeshurun,” which is another word for Israel, “who rides on the heavens to help you and on the clouds in his majesty.” God is helping us, He is riding across the heavens and clouds to help you. No one helps you other than the Triune God. Do not rely on people; God must move. Humanism neglects this fact and keeps you using your own brain.  We don’t use our calculations because we want to, but it’s our nature and we do it automatically.  Our nature needs to be to kneel before and to stand before God, but instead, we always stand before people. God knows this already and desires to give us His grace through His Word today as well. 

Deut. 33:27, the eternal God is your refuge. Our refuge is not people, our refuge is not some vacation.  I’m not telling you to look down on people or never go on vacations, but I’m saying, don’t rely on that; otherwise you’ll have to follow and chase those things your whole life because only God is our refuge.  There are many refugees in America, including Karen people, but if you see America as a refuge, that will be a big problem.  America may seem physically better but you must not rely on that.  While you’re in America, God, the Triune God, must be your refuge.

When you’re tired, exhausted, and in difficulty, you must stand before God.  You shouldn’t stand before people, trying to get them to understand your perspective.  Stop continuously doing other things. There is no one who can continuously give you strength other than the Triune God.  “Underneath are the everlasting arms,” meaning He will hold onto us.  The role of the arms is to embrace, and He guides us forward.  May you rely on that God.

God is guiding you forward throughout the week through the Word; do not ever trust in your own thoughts. We do not believe in God because we believe in our thoughts.  Gal. 2:20 means my thoughts have been crucified on the cross, and the words of Christ’s life are my path and my Lord.  “He will drive out your enemy before you, saying, ‘Destroy him!”  Satan, the ruler of the kingdom of the air, controls the earth. Because Satan controls the kingdom of the air, no one can overcome Satan.  Satan moves the entire world with the love of ourselves, love of money, and of success, and there’s no way we can overcome that.  

How can we overcome that enemy? There’s no way to overcome the enemy other than the name of Christ.  We cannot overcome unless it is the blessing of the throne of the Triune God. You need to know these three kingdoms well. The kingdom of the world, people are studying and working just to eat and make a living.  If you lived in America for a long time, you know that kingdom well, but because you don’t know about the kingdom of Satan, the ruler of the kingdom of the air, you’re taken in by that.  America is a comfortable land to live in physically, but why are the children collapsing? Satan moves the kingdom of the air with power and there’s no one who can overcome that. 

That’s why we can only overcome if it is through Christ, by receiving the power of the blessing of the throne of heaven.  That’s the person who will use their business to find the 70 disciples in the 70 regions.  With your hard work, you can barely eat and make a living; you cannot save yourself and the region.  People who come to that conclusion quickly will be able to go into the main point of life.  We are fighting, already having won.  He has already finished the problems of our past, present, and future, and He fills us with power. 

Deut. 33:28.  The children of God will live in a safe place, where is that?  Is it in America? Is it in Hawaii? Where is it?  Do we have to go to some jungle in Brazil? Where is secure and safe? Is it in your own family? Where is it? It is within Christ.  That is how we will be saved from Satan and disasters.  It doesn’t matter how much someone tries to protect you; they cannot block disasters, isn’t that right?  People are trying to live in space now, but Satan lives there, too.  You know the ruler of the kingdom of the air, right? That’s the authority of Satan.  

So, it doesn’t matter even if you try to leave earth.  If you leave earth, it may be different in nature than on earth, but Satan holds onto that with authority as well.  If people live in space, we go there for missions.  I think maybe that’s not possible in our lives, but maybe in the lives of our future generations.  But if you know the spiritual mystery, you’ll be used wherever you go. 

Deut. 33:29.  We are blessed, “Blessed are you.” It’s the same as Psalm 1.  Who is the one who is blessed? The one who has Christ because Christ Himself is the blessing.  You shouldn’t judge yourself with the things you see with your eyes.  If you follow after the things you see with your eyes, you will lose hold of this blessing.  The standard is Christ, the Triune God. I am a child of God, that is your identity and standard. It’s okay even if I’m poor, even if I’m weak, even so, everyone has their talents.  You use that as your talent to bless and save other people. That’s your identity.

Our youth and future generations, do not be deceived. The devil continues to deceive you with your studies and present reality. That’s not you; those things are not the answer, they’re just things you need as you live life, but what is your true identity? I’m a remnant, I’m a child of God, this person’s identity is using their talents to do America and world evangelization. That message must go into them.  Then, their spirit will come back to life.

If your spirit comes into life, it changes the physical into blessings and it won’t take place if you tell them what to do legalistically.  It won’t work if you tell them to snap out of it and to study well. You’re a child of God; you’ll do world evangelization and the evidence is the cross of Christ. The Lord Who has all authority in heaven and on earth is with you always and forever. That is your  identity.  When you remember that, when God gives you strength, you can even study. You shouldn’t keep nagging about their studies; God will guide them down the correct path. If you give them spiritual strength, they will be restored.

It’s the same for church officers.  Do not look at the state of yourself that keeps failing, do not hold onto your pride either. Those things will cause you to fail. Hold onto your spiritual identity.  The evidence of that is Christ, it is not me.  But you keep falling into looking at yourself. You must not look at yourself; you must look at Christ.  Then you will realize, “I may be older but I’ll use everything I’ve lived through to save other people,” and that’s your identity.  

So, God’s standard and His covenant is to save all of my field, family, and the church. That’s why it says, “Blessed are you, O Israel!” You are the people of God; that’s true happiness.  Being blessed is happiness.  “Who is like you, a people saved by the LORD? He is your shield and helper,” so continuously we are told, He is helping you, He is shielding you.  I hope you will challenge, holding onto His covenant. 

“Your glorious sword,” meaning God will fight.  It seems like we’re fighting the spiritual battle but that’s not true; just have faith and God will fight–”Your enemies will cower before you,” why? Because God fights through me so Satan is bound to kneel. “You will trample down their high places.”  Gen. 3:15, the Christ will trample the head of Satan.  It is talking about the Christ.  That Christ is with you forever and always, even now.  So, I can trample on Satan in the name of Christ as well. That’s the blessing we have been promised.  

We restore this blessing within Christ.  It is not you; it is within Christ, and that’s why you must not lose hold of the covenant, you must not lose of the covenant of Christ. You must always remember, it is not my actions, it is within Christ, and God gives you this blessing on the basis of the cross of Jesus Christ.  That’s how we save the 237 nations, we save the 5000 unreached tribes, why? Because God gives us this blessing.  May the talent you have be changed into an instrument to save others. That’s the covenant God has given us, I hope you will love this covenant. That is the way to victory, then according to God’s covenant, you will save.  May you enjoy this blessing throughout the week.  

Prayer

Now may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the unending love of God, and the indwelling, working, guidance, and communion of the Holy Spirit, be upon all the heads of all the people of God, the people of all nations, and the remnants who desire hold to the covenant for world evangelization, be with us from now until forevermore always, amen.