２
We should be humbled under the mighty hand of God, which carries out the government of God—1 Pet. 5:6:
ａ
In verse 6 the mighty hand of God refers to God’s administrating hand seen especially in His judgment—1:17; 4:17.
ｂ
To be humbled under God’s mighty hand is to be made humble by God; however, we must cooperate with God’s operation and be willing to be made humble, lowly, under His mighty hand—5:6.
Ⅱ
The book of Deuteronomy speaks regarding the governmental administration of God—16:18-20; 17:8-20; 19:15-21; 21:1-9, 18-23; 22:13-30; 24:1-4, 7, 16; 25:1-3, 5-16:
Ａ
The expression governmental administration is not found in Deuteronomy, but if we read this book thoroughly, we will see that it is a book of God’s government, even His governmental administration.
Ｂ
God’s dealing with His people was an exercise of His governmental administration—Rev. 3:19:
１
The wise God is a perfecting Father who loves His children and deals with them governmentally; He disciplines us for the purpose of perfecting us—Heb. 12:6.
２
The children of Israel were disciplined for their mistakes—Num. 12:1-16; 14:39-45; 16:1-50.
３
Even Moses was disciplined by God for his mistake in 20:2-13:
ａ
Moses made a serious mistake, which God could not tolerate, because it touched His administration—vv. 10-12.
ｂ
God’s administration is righteous, and even though He loved Moses, He could not for this reason fail to exercise His administration.
ｃ
Moses offended God, and as a result, he lost his right to enter into the good land—v. 12; Deut. 3:23-29:
⑴
Jehovah allowed Moses to view the land, but He did not permit him to go in—34:1, 4.
⑵
Rather, “Moses the servant of Jehovah died there in the land of Moab according to the word of Jehovah”—v. 5.
⑶
Moses served God faithfully for forty years, but because his mistake involved God’s governmental administration, he lost the right to enter into the good land—4:21.
ｄ
Moses’ being refused in the matter of entering and possessing the good land shows God’s righteous governmental administration; this was an instance of God’s governmental administration, of God’s governmental dealing—1:37:
⑴
The way God dealt with Moses in not allowing him to enter into the good land caused the children of Israel to have more fear of God’s righteous dealing—4:21.
⑵
The punishment Moses suffered was a perfecting to the children of Israel; they should have learned from this how fearful the righteous God is in His governmental dealings—32:52.
Morning Nourishment
1 Pet. 5:6 Therefore be humbled under the mighty hand of God that He may exalt you in due time.Heb. 12:6 For whom the Lord loves He disciplines, and He scourges every son whom He receives.
God’s judgment is carried out in the environment arranged according to His sovereignty…. In 1 Peter 5:6 the mighty hand of God refers to God’s administrating hand seen especially in His judgment.
In saving us, God’s hand is mighty. But we see much more of the might of His hand in His judgment. Suppose a certain brother continues to enjoy worldly entertainment long after he has been saved. Although he has truly been saved, he still loves the world. But one day he has a car accident, an accident arranged by the mighty hand of God, and that accident causes him to seek the Lord in a deeper way than he ever did before. This is an illustration of God’s hand exercised in judgment.
According to Peter’s word in 5:6-8, we need to do three things that are related to our experience of the mighty hand of God. First, we should humble ourselves under God’s mighty hand. Second, we should cast all our anxiety on Him. Third, we need to be sober and watch. Everything that happens to us is under God’s mighty hand. There is no need for us to worry or be anxious. We should simply humble ourselves under God’s mighty hand and not resist it. Then we should cast all the troubles that cause our anxiety upon the Lord. Along with this, we need to be sober and watchful. (Life-study of 1 Peter, pp. 307-308)
Today’s Reading
Although we cannot find the expression governmental administration in Deuteronomy, if we read this book thoroughly, we will see that it is a book of God’s government, even of His governmental administration. Moses often spoke explicitly about love, but the matter of God’s governmental administration is implied. If we get into the depth of this book, we will realize that God’s dealing with His people here is a kind of governmental administration.Because God is wise, He does not spoil His children. He is a perfecting Father who loves His children and who deals with them governmentally…. He disciplines us for the purpose of perfecting us.
Because God loved [the children of Israel], He did not let them get by with their mistakes. Even Moses was disciplined by God for his mistake in Numbers 20:1-13. Moses became angry with the rebellious people, and instead of speaking to the rock, as God had charged him to do, he smote the rock a second time. This offended God, and as a result Moses lost his right to enter into the good land….That was an instance of God’s governmental administration.
In Deuteronomy 3:23-29 we see that Moses was refused in the matter of entering into the God-promised good land…. Moses being refused by God in this matter showed God’s righteous governmental administration. In Numbers 20 Moses had made a serious mistake, a mistake which God could not tolerate because it touched His administration. God’s governmental administration is righteous, and even though He loved Moses, He could not for this reason fail to exercise His administration. Moses served God faithfully for forty years, but because his mistake involved God’s governmental administration, he lost the right to enter into the good land.
The way God dealt with Moses in not allowing him to enter into the good land caused the children of Israel to have more fear of God’s righteous dealing. To be sure, God is a loving God, but His love is a perfecting love, not a spoiling love. God’s dealing with Moses helped to perfect the children of Israel. They should have learned from this how fearful the righteous God is in His governmental dealings. (Life-study of Deuteronomy, pp. 15, 35)
Further Reading: Life-study of Deuteronomy, msgs. 2-5, 9, 15, 20, 23, 25, 29