Found throughout the Bible is these repeated phrases and words. I have enjoyed as God continues to reveal these truths to my soul. Documenting them is not so fun, but still all apart of the process. this study combines a few together. It is the word study of the verb action of 'do'. All word studies are use of verb tense of past, present & future. And it combines generally with the overall 'great questions of the bible'.
The consistent question and verb action of 'do' is found in this repeated question, 'What hast thou done?' But I have added some of the verses that answer that question from God and man. Starting in Genesis this devotional study and application is for my ministry's focus of nation, church, family and individual heart. May God speak, lead and bring to light our hearts in answer to the life question, '
'What hast thou done?'
Genesis 3:13, "And the Lord God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done?"
It is the beginning of sin in the Bible and in the history of man. My, how far we have come and multiplied in this active choice of man to sin against His God, Maker and Creator. And oh! how much it has costs us since then and continues to do so.
Here we have in chapter 3 of Genesis, the creation of man and woman and all that is by God's Divine hand. It is perfect and He is pleased with it all. Man is made in the image of God. We carry God's impression upon each living human soul. animals do not have this, man has this. The sin of today to make animals human is a complete veering away from this truth of the soul and creation of man and animals. God gave man reason and ability to worship and serve Him. No where is it mentioned that the rest of His creation is made or was made for the purpose of glorifying Him.
And He set man and woman in this garden of Eden to keep it. In chapter 3, the devil, Satan, enters into the serpent to come and destroy the work of God. This is Satan's one purpose, that whatever God has made, he will seek to undo it. So look upon all of God's creations and know that Satan is set against it.
--church;
--nations;
--man;
--family;
--kingdom of God;
--bible;
--society hierarchy;
--sexuality;
Note the attack by Satan to discredit and dismantle all that God has established in these things;he is ever vigilant and fierce in this pursuit. May we meet his path with our own steadfastness and loyalty to our Lord.
What did they do? They allowed and caused the whole of God's perfect creation to be lost by the choice to sin. God said don't look, touch or eat of the tree. They knew that, heard that and rejected that and fell prey to their own lusts and selfishness. And even though they knew it was wrong, sin, and disobedient. And has anything changed? We are still prone to this same act of disobedience and defiance. Knowing what God has said, we still choose to disobey.
Can you imagine the thoughts of Adam and Eve in contemplating ' what they did?' We damned an entire future of hope in the generations to come. Yet, we know that God knew of this and had already set into motion the plan of redemption for fallen man. For every child of God in Christ, they know the eternal glory of this plan.
II.
Leviticus 4:2, 13, 20, 22, 27;
4:2 "Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a soul shall sin through ignorance against any of the commandments of the Lord concerning things which ought not to be done; and shall do against any of them: v. 3 If the priest that is anointed do sin according to the sin of the people. . . "
4:13 "And if the whole congregation of Israel sin through ignorance, and the thing be hid from the eyes of the assembly, and they have done somewhat against any of the commandments of the Lord concerning things which should not be done, and are guilty"
4:20 And he shall do with the bullock as he did with the bullock for a sin offering, so shall he do with this: and the priest shall make an atonement for them, and it shall be forgiven them."
4:22 " when a ruler hath sinned, and done somewhat through ignorance against any of the commandments of the Lord his God concerning things which should not be done, and is guilty;"
4:27 "And if any one of the common people sin through ignorance, while he doeth somewhat against any of the commandments of the Lord concerning things which ought not to be done, and be guilty"
What hast thou done?
We see in this 4th chapter of Leviticus that God knows our failure and weakness and propensity to sin. He has known this all along in the Garden of Eden with Adam and Eve; and He knew it before time began in Genesis 1:1. God knew that in His Own creation of angels that they who were in bliss and perfection of His holiness, rebelled and ruined their eternity. It says that Lucifer, Satan, the Devil and his angels were cast out and cast down. And they will be vanquished in the lake of fire at the end.
Therefore, God knew that man would fall, and continue in this state of failure in sin, iniquity and transgression. He knew that our flesh, be contaminated would seek out evil and sin rather than good and holy. And He knew, knows, that men sin by choice and by ignorance. This chapter 4 is based on the sin of ignorance, the sin of not knowing.
As you read the 'do's and don'ts' of the Old Covenant, it seems that it may be hard to remember all that the Lord has commanded. What your allowed to eat and not eat, what your allowed to work and not work, or when you sacrifice and how you sacrifice. The Lord made the priest to be the keepers of the law and they were to know and to apply it to children of Israel. They were to teach them the good and right way so that it may go well with them.
Yet we see throughout the Old Testament the failure on the levels introduced to us here of the ignorance of the law. The priests were to know (v. 23); the whole congregation (2) surely out of 600,000 men their would be 1 that knew; and every individual was responsible for knowing (27). And the common man, as a parent, spouse, family was to teach each other in the home that good and right way. This was the plan that God established to maintain holiness in the body. And it is very much still mirrored in the creation of the church.
Let us look first at 'who has done this' this sin of ignorance. It is a chapter given for the exception of the whole and the individuals. All individuals are supremely responsible for their own actions. As is written in Romans, every one shall give an account of himself for everything he has done, whether it be good or bad. but as a body, a nation, a family, a church can help and aid in keeping others from sin. The breakdown as a whole and an individual is the avalanche of evil that destroys a people and a future. This has been evidenced throughout the Scriptures, history and homes.
The individual is responsible for taking it upon themselves to learn what is right in the sight of the Lord. They are given opportunity to learn through hearing and studying of the Word. For most of history and for a percentage of our nations today, many could not read, nor have access to learn by study. They were and are, fixed on by what they hear. Therefore, if a man taught the good and right way the people did right. But what happens when a wolf in sheep's clothing comes in and teaches falsely, the people are ravaged by sin.
But within our nation, today, we have every source of means to teach and learn the good way. Books, tapes, internet, schools, TV, etc. have multiple outlets to grow by leaps and bounds of grace and knowledge of our Lord. And where is given, much is required. What do you say of those nations? times of past? when men could not read, they had no access to the Word; are they to be judged along side of us today who have had the Word for so long? I think not. Our accountability will be far greater and worse. For even though we knew better and could have done better with access to the Word of God, we did not do better.
But God has always made a way by His Spirit, His church to bring the Word. Titus, chapter, 'the Gospel has appeared to all men'. And there is that means that men must put forth to strive to discern, know and grow in His knowledge. How precious is this book!!
And these individuals learning and gaining in the Word and ways of the Lord are to tell others these truths. Often it may not be received or accepted, but needless to say, we are to speak the truth, whether they have ears to hear or not. this is where God commanded for parents to bring up children in the Word and ways of the Lord. In the law, Moses spoke and said that they were to teach their children everywhere. In the home, walking, sitting, eating, always bring to rememberance the Word of God so that they would not be guilty of the sin of ignorance.
How many do you fear wake in sin, live in sin, practice sin without any knowledge that it is sin? Why? Because we do not know the Word of God, nor do we speak the Word of God.
III.
Numbers 22:28, "What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times?"
Numbers 23:11, "and Balak said unto Balaam, What hast thou done unto me?"
We have the story of Balaam before us with these two questions at two separate times to deal with.
1. What have I to do with thee?
2. What hast thou done unto me?
the first question is under the circumstances of the Balaam being disobedient and rising up and going to Balak for reward and recognition.
IV.
Deuteronomy 29:24, "Even all nations shall say, Wherefore hath the Lord done thus unto this land? what meaneth the heat of this great anger?"
In contrast to most of this study about, what man has done; now we see, what God has done. So often we are contemplating what we have done, or what others are doing. But a Christians supreme study is what has the Lord done, is doing and will do. so looking back into the past we see what the Lord has done. In other words, 'why has the Lord done this unto the land?' The question of the heat of His anger only exclaims for us to understand it more readily.
Now this passage comes right off the heels of chapter 28, the blessing and cursing chapter. And it even continues into chapter 29 of their choices sealing their future. So that if the Lord judges the land they will know why He did it. The previous verses make reference to God's anger and wrath on sodom and Gomorrah. And that the same response is repeated upon the land of the children of Israel for their waywardness.
And when God sends judgment on the land, even to annihilate it, they will ask, 'Why has the Lord done this? And they shall know that it was because of God's wrath for their sin, iniquity and trasngression. They would not hear Him, they would not obey Him. But let us remember that this just doesn't happen over night. God doesn't get up one day to say, 'This is your last day'. No; He has given time and space for them to repent, but they would not. He has sent His prophets and preachers to proclaim the truth, but they would not. Until that point comes, when mercy is cut off and now God's justice will be done.
Why has God done this? Because they would not hear, they would not change, they would not repent. they loved their sin and they would not relinquish it. 'And God gave them over to a reprobate mind' and there end was sealed and finished.
V.
Joshua 7:9 - ". . .and cut off our name from the earth: and what wilt thou do unto Thy great Name?"
Achan had sinned against the Lord. Israel had been defeated by the city of Ai and 36 men had died because of that sin. God had sworn that He would not help them nor be with them, so long as the sin remained. Joshua does not understand the nature of God and His high offense and being provoked to anger due to His children's sin. Joshua is pleading for an answer to why they was defeated. He was languish over self preservation for their posterity in the land among all these nations, who were their enemies. And at the last of this pleading with God, Joshua asks concerning about the great Name of God will be affected in this. 'What wilt Thou do about Thy great Name?'
God's Name will always be. Every knee will bow before the Lord Jesus and confess that Great Name. That Name which is above all Names that bring salvation is preserved and honored for ever and ever. Now the question is not what God will do about His great name, but what will we do about it?
To the lost, wicked world they take that great Name in vain daily. They hold no regard to that great Name. They disrepect and they do not fear His great Name. But they will, however, it will be too late. They know of that Name, 'for the Gospel hath appeared to all men' yet they do not receive it, nor honor His Name. By rejecting His Name to be stomped upon them as His children, they take on that other name of followers of Satan. Jesus said of the Pharisees, 'You are of your father, the devil'.
Joshua 7:19 - "I pray thee, glory to the Lord God of Israel, and make confession unto Him; and tell me now what thou hast done; hide it not from me."
In searching out wherein the sin of Israel lies, they had been instructed to take each tribe, each family, each name and give an answer whether they was guilty or not. and even though it is not posed as a question, it is set forth as a directive, 'tell me now what thou hast done'. He is granted the opportunity to make confession. and even though we know confession and repentance can be demonstrated, his judgment of death could not and would not be removed. For when he confessed to the crime and sin of stealing the gold and garments, they took him and his family and all that he had and destroyed it and removed it from the children of Israel.
Taking just a few items, to some, may seem as a small thing. But again we are reminded that what sin is there in the eyes of the Lord that is a small thing? What sin is so small that does not take us back to see our Lord beaten and bruised and murdered on the cross? Was sin lightly esteemed by Him? For by His stripes we are made whole. the act of disobedience, the act of stealing, coveting was not and is not acceptable by the Lord. And let us not forget that 36 men died at the hands of Achan for his act of disobedience.
and the last phrase of this reminds us again that everyone shall give an account of himself before the Lord on judgment day, with every good and evil thing. 'What hast thou done? hide it not from Me." The Lord already knows our actions and repsonses, choices and decisions, and intent and reasons for why we do what we do, or want to do. And by this we know that nothing can be hid from Him. Achan is forced to confess and own up to his crime. And we shall have to give an account of ourselves before Him as well, and all the universe of creation shall know what we did and why we did it.
and this question again in light of its impact on family, nation, church, besides our own heart, let us understand 'what hast thou done decides the course of history for our future. The ownership of our past must be answered for. We must be given to claim responsibility for our choices. Herein we seek for the grace and mercy of God.
Joshua 9:24 - 25, "and they answered Joshua, and siad, Because it ws certainly told thy servants, how that the Lord thy God commanded His servant Moses to give you all the land, and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land from before you, therefore we were sore afraid of our lives because of you, and have done this thing. v. 25 And now, behold, we are in thine hand: as it seemeth good and right unto thee to do unto us, do."
The Gibeonites had deceived Joshua and the leadership of Israel. They had connived deal to preserve their life. Posing as a people from afar they used decpetion and lies to gain a deal, an oath from israel that they would enter into an agreement, an alliance. However, Joshua and Israel were strictly commanded not to make any agreements with the people of the promised land. And there is a little verse found in this chapter 9, verse 14, 'they asked not counsel of the Lord', but went ahead with their own mindset and made the agreement. Three days later they found out the truth.
and in these two verses, even though there is not the questions posed, 'What have you done?' but there is the emphasis of it in both verses. Let us look at these phrases:
--we was afraid for our lives, and we this is why we have done this;
--whatever you desire to do unto us, then do it;
Joshua 22:24, "And if we have not rather done it for fear of this things, saying, In time to come your children might speak unto our children, saying, What have ye to do with the Lord God of Israel?"
What have you to do with the Lord God? The children on the east of the Jordan, the 2 and 1/2 tribes of Israel were returning home. And they felt that the Jordan river would some how cause a division among the tribes of Isarel. That simply because they was on the east of the river that they would be counted as renegades or rebels and not included in Israel. So they make this altar to as a 'memorial' to always be there as a witness of who they was. The children and leaders of Israel thought that they had set it up as a false god and altar. and when they heard the explanation they rejoiced that it was not sin, but a favorable action.
but the question is still set for all to answer, 'What have you to do with the Lord God?' Is He your Lord and Savior? Are you following Him? To you love Him and obey Him? Ah, the answers given so that there might be great testimony of our Lord and all that He is to His children.
Joshua 24:7, "And when they cried unto the Lord, He put darkness between you and the Egyptians, and brought the sea upon them, and covered them; and your eyes have seen what I have done in Egypt: and ye dwelt in the wilderness a long season."
The Lord pronounces His great power in all that He has done to bring them out of Egypt, and to bring them into the promised land. And it is reminder again, to speak of what the Lord has done. God declares in the midst of this, "I have done this".
What did He do in Egypt? Here we recite again the 10 plagues. The awe-inspiring, powerful, miraclous wonders that He did. Name them and see the power of it:
1. water to blood;
2. frogs;
3. plague of lice;
4. flies;
5. murrain upon beasts;
6. boils on man;
7. hail and fire that fell on ground;
8. locusts;
9. 3 days of darkness;
10. death of first born;
who else could do such things? could bring a nation to its knees in weeks? No one but the Lord God and His mighty hand of power. This is what the Lord has done.
How can we not read Revelations and fear the 7 seals, the 7 trumpets, the 7 vials of wrath poured out on all of mankind and creation? Woe to the nations when these things begin to happen, yea, are even now happening.
VI.
Judges 2:2, "And ye shall make no league with the inhabitants of this land, ye shall throw down their altars: but ye have not obeyed My voice: why have ye done this?"
In this book of Judges we begin with the children of Israel not obeying the words of Moses, nor following through with Joshua and here the Lord God makes them give answer for their rebellion. It is not what have you done, for that is already answered, but 'why have you done this?'
and we are left to answer this question as well throughout our life. And we will answer before the judgment seat of Christ, not only what we have done, but why we have done it.
Judges 6:29, "Who hath done this thing?"
God is raising up Gideon to bring deliverance again to Israel for their rebellion and disobedience. And one of the first things that must be corrected is the false gods that are allowed and permitted in Israel. Gideon is instructed by the Lord to destroy the altar and place of worship of Baal. He goes and does this at night, turning it over, descreating and destroying it. The Lord would not share the same place with false gods. We would do well to learn this truth in our own hearts, homes and houses of worship.
The Lord is a jealous God and will not split the attention or heart of His servants. It is either Him all the way or the false god; 'you cannot serve God and mammon'.
Judges 8:2 - 3, "What have I done now in comparison of you? v. 3 what was I able to do in comparison of you?"
The question is put forth from Gideon to the men of Ephraim. Gideon had been selected and led of the Lord to deliver Israel out of the hands of captivity of Midian. The Lord gave victory to him and his 300 men. Yet, Satan must always stir the pot and cause division and turmoil. Instead of the men of Ephraim rejoicing that the enemy was defeated, they attack Gideon with threats and insults, because they had not had part in the battle or victory. Was it because of pride? because they wanted spoils? bragging rights? I know not, but they was used to assail Gideon over the victory. And Gideon used wisdom to employ for easing the tensions.
He gave them credit for killing and capturing two princes, Oreb and Zeeb. And this appeased their wrath, when he posed the question, 'what have I done in comparison to you all?' Both verse 2 & 3, makes this question to be put forth in comparison of someone else's great stride of victory. Yet, it does not detract from their own victory. Ephraim did do well in defeated the two princes; but Gideon defeated an entire national army.
Now it is not the point nor purpose of comparing for pride, ego, self-exlatation, spite, belittling and such motives. Comparisons are used to better oneself and edify and encourage the other person. When you look back on the countless souls of God's kingdom, great men and women of God, one might compare themselves and say, 'I will never do anything in comparison to them'. but this is a statement of hell, a statement that demeans and causes us to look at self, instead of the God that did the great work through the other person.
Would any one have suspected Saul would become Paul? or Peter after denying Christ 3 times on that cursed night, would rise to bring forth the first fruits of Pentecost? Or what shall we say of Brainerd? of Billy Sunday? of Praying Hyde? and such like of men and women that empowered by God, thought liitle of in the eyes of the world, but great for the kingdom.
And if God could and can use such men and women of faith for His purpsoes, then howmuch more you and I? What have we done in comparsion to them? Nothing perhaps, but who is to say what may be in the future. What have done in comparison to them? It is a goal to not only learn and savor what God did in them, but to also employ great things for the advancement of our Lord's kingdom.
Be very cautious in this comparison. It is a fine line of appreciated and envy when men do such things. so long as the mind is given to what the Lord did, and for Who's purpose it is all about, one will not likely go astray. But at the moment of comparison for self, ego or vanity, then know that sin lies at the door.
What have I done in comparison to you? - is to drive us that there is a better way, a higher path of holiness. The definition of a Christian is to be Christ-like. We are to be in comparison to Christ in all our ways. ARe we? Are you comparing your life, choices, day in and day out, "am I like You O Christ? Pleasing to the Father and bringing glory to You?" and the command is still true even though men may dismiss it so easily, 'be thou perfect' 'be ye holy'. These two are one in the same.
Judges 9:48, "What ye have seen me do, make haste, and do as I have done."
Abimelech is a wicked man. He had killed all of the sons of Gideon, his father, except one. All for the purpose of taking control. So as we look at this verse, it is not for us to see what he has done, and repeat his wickedness. But we are to see what pleases the Lord and make haste and do that which is right in the sight of the Lord.
We see this in the kings. they either did right in the sight of the Lord, or did evil in the sight of the Lord. If the kings that followed had simply said, 'The Lord blessed them and helped them, therefore I will do as they have done'; all would have been well. But we see the progression of evil in the kings of Israel, and sometimes in Judah, that they not only did what the previous kings did in evil before the Lord, but the phrase testifies of their wickedness, 'they did worse than those that were before them'.
So when we ask this question it is understand, we are to do goo in His sight. We are to make haste in this action and do as those that are counted saints have done before us. Jeremiah writes about, returning to the 'old paths' and those that walked these paths must find that path and walk it as well. I often joke about only reading 'dead saints'. It is because of this truth, that if they were marked faithful, holy, right in the sight of the Lord and God used them and blessed them, then why wouldn't I look what they did, make haste and do as they have done? For it is right.
Jesus said, 'What you have seen me do, you shall do greater things than these.' What a promise and directive for us to examine Him and see wherein He worked and labored and do as He did and strive to do better.
II Samuel 13:12 "And she answered him, Nay, my brother, do not force me; for no such thing ought to be done in Israel: do not thou this folly."
David has sinned. The Lord has pronounced that out of his own home, shall arise evil against him. and this is the beginning of this. Ammon rapes Tamar. David does nothing about it, but allows for it to stand. But Tamar's brother seeths, plots and is used as the spear to assualt David throughout the next chapters of II Samuel. And all of these involved die and are vanished away. Ammon killed by Absalom, Tamar driven into his house and never heard from again, and Absalom killed by Joab for insurrection against David. And all of this, for Davids sin against the Lord. Don't think lightly of sin, there is a great price to pay for it.
And for us, there are 3 'do''s here for us to pay attention to for our walk with the Lord and in answering the question, 'what hast thou done?'
--do not force me;
--these things ought not to be done;
--do not thou this folly;
Each of these are important for us to understand and apply, to keep us holy and far from sin.
1. Do not force me. Satan does not force us to sin. It is the weakness of men that they choose to sin. They are not forced, they are yielded to it.
But Tamar, as in many other cases, they are faced with that circumstance of being forced into a way of life, into sin, by corruption, and sheer power. Prayer of deliverance, of overcoming, of victory is to be laid out here. These are the exceptions to sin, when men have no control but forced into the sin, as in this case of rape.
II Samuel 24:3 "And Joab said unto the king, Now the Lord thy God add unto the people, how many soever they be, an hundredfold, and that the eyes of my lord the king may see it: but why doth my lord the king delight in this thing?"
God was angry with Israel, it says 'again'. Yet, we do not know exactly what sin it is that angered the Lord. WE can only assume that the false worship of false gods. And in His anger He moved David to rise up and number the people. The Lord had warned through Moses that they would be as the stars in the sky, or the sand on the seashore; and they was not to number them. So David numbering them was a sin. God did this for His purpsose. And when the order from the king went forth, Joab and the other leaders knew that this was not right and protested. And herein we have the question, 'why do you want to do this?'
'Why do you delight in doing this?' And this is our focus and study. What is it that you delight in? Is it the Lord, is it the things of this world? Do you delight and enjoy the things of Spirit or self? What brings delight in you.
II Samuel 24:10 "And David's heart smote him after that he had numbered the people. And David said unto the Lord, I have sinned greatly in that I have done: and now, I beseech thee, O Lord, take away the iniquity of thy servant; for I have done very foolishly."
David is not asking a question, as per our study, but he makes two directives of 'do' that we must look at in answer to 24:3. 'Why do you take delight in doing this?' And here we have David confessing specifically that that which he had done was sin and that ownership he had done foolishly.
there is the study first of the pronouns used in this confession of David's. this is also found in Psalm 51 of David's great psalm of confession when he sinned by murdering Uriah and adultery with Bathsheba. "I" have done this. 'I have sinned, I have done this. . .I have done very foolishly'. three times David owns the choice as king, and the action taken, fully knowing now that he has sinned against the Lord, and provoked Him to anger. He confesses, but repentance is not possible here. Too many fail in understanding this truth. The people had already been numbered by Joab and the total was given, 1.3 million.
When such sins are committed, one can confess and sorrow over them, but they cannot be undone. Just as when David Murdered Uriah; he confessed guilt in this, but simply by confessing the sin does not restore Uriah. the deed was done, and the sin was now to be dealt with. God, I believe, for I cannot prove this by Scripture, waits to see the right reaction by His people in confession. As only God judges and knows the intents of the heart, He knows truly what is right in the response. Yet, we see many that may say the same words as David but their sorrow over the sin is not the same. Only God knows the truly repentant soul that actually expresses godly sorrow unto repentance.
David owns his sin, and professes that he has done wrong and that his actions and choices were foolish. This is an example set forth for all the church today in ownership of person sins, family sins, church sins and national sins. Is this any where to be found today? It is a hard thing to find. But let us understand that it is a right way of doing it.
II Samuel 24:17 "And David spake unto the Lord when he saw the angel that smote the people, and said, Lo, I have sinned, and I have done wickedly: but these sheep, what have they done? let Thine hand, I pray thee, be against me, and against my father's house."
Dave had confessed, yet the Lord spoke and declared that punishment of this sin on the nation must happen. This again shows us the false idea that simply because we confess sin, does not remove the punishment of the choices. Example: a drunkard may confess that sin and repent of it, but after 20 or 30 years of hard drinking, the punishment of sclerosis of the liver still remains. The sin forgiven, but the reactions of the sin still remain. And God's hand had gone out against the people in a severe way.
the choice was offered - 7 years of famine; 3 months running before thine enemies or 3 days of disease. Most might consider the shorter time duration as the better punishment; yet, we know that 70,000 people died.
II Kings 4:2 "And Elisha said unto her, What shall I do for thee? tell me, what hast thou in the house? And she said, Thine handmaid hath not any thing in the house, save a pot of oil."
The prophet is used here to preform 1 of his 16 miracles. This woman was a wife of the sons of the prophets; perhaps Elisha knew her and her family. But the need is presented, the creditor is come and there is nothing to pay them with. she requests help from the man of God, an extension of the arm of God. she had two sons and if she was not able to pay, they would take the children to pay the debt.
The two questions set before the woman, 'what shall I do for you?' and 'what do you have in the house?' are both for the answer to this dilemma. The need is presented and now an answer must be given. direction must be ascerted; provision to meet the crisis.
And as we face life today, the uncertainties, the issues, the crisises, we here the question being asked, 'What shall I do for you?' and how much more when we approach before the throne of God bringing our supplications, petitions and requests, that He says to us, 'what shall I do for you?'
I Chronicles 21: 3 "And Joab answered, The Lord make His people an hundred times so many more as they be: but my lord the king, are they not all my lord's servants? why then doth my lord require this thing? why will he be a cause of trespass to Israel?"
why then doth my lord require this thing?
We see David calling for the Joab to number the people. Something that Moses said that they was never to do. Joab knew this, and thus he was seeking to stop David from sinning against the Lord. thus the question, 'why are you asking for this my king?' that is the background for the setting of this question.
For the church and for us personally, there are few meditations to consider in light of this question:
1. When we look at this question it is from Joab to King David. But turn the pronouns from an earthly king to our heavenly King. Why then does my Lord Jesus require this thing? For it is repeated in the Gospels as well, that the Lord does require of us several things. And desiring to be faithful followers, we should know what our Lord requires and why He requires it.
I Chronicles 21:8 "And David said unto God, I have sinned greatly, because I have done this thing; but now, I beseech thee, do away the iniquity of thy servant; for I have done very foolishly."
There is no question put forth in this verse of our theme, 'What hast thou done?' But there are 3 times 'do' is used here in a very needful understanding:
--'I have done this thing';
--'do away the iniquity of thy servant';
--'for I have done very foolishly';
David has understood and it has been revealed to him, that the order to number the people has provoked the Lord to anger. We read in II Samuel that David simply got up one more and wanted to know how many people there was. Here in I Chronicles it says, 'Satan rose up and tempted David to number the people'. That is a huge contrast. It is one thing, to me, for Satan to tempt us and we give place to him and sin; compared to our own flesh of self sinning against the Lord. Neither should happen, but unfortuinately, we know that reality is different for so many in the church. David is now made aware of his trespass and we see him take 3 'do' actions that answers the questions 'What hast thou done?'
'What hast thou done?'
David answers to the questsion, 'I have done this thing'; Ownership of the sin and decision to number the people.
'what hast thou done?'
David asks for the Lord to do away with the sin. And every Christian desires to know the assurance when asking of God, 'what hast Thou done?' He answers, 'I have taken away your sin and made you whole'.
'What hast thou done?"
David in ownership of humility attests, 'I have done foolishly'.
I Chronicles 21:17 "And David said unto God, Is it not I that commanded the people to be numbered? even I it is that have sinned and done evil indeed; but as for these sheep, what have they done? let Thine hand, I pray thee, O Lord my God, be on me, and on my father's house; but not on Thy people, that they should be plagued."
There are two times in this verse that 'do' is put forth. One is the question of our study, 'what have they done?' It is a plural of our questions, 'they' or 'we'. But the other use is David's ownership 'I have sinned and done evil'.
The first use is David answering 'what hast thou done?' David replies, 'i have sinned and done evil indeed'. Ah, it is the confession of the brokenhearted and humbled before the Lord. The soul that sins, it shall die. And we know quite well all our sin and evil.
II Chronicles 7:21, "And this house, which is high, shall be an astonishment to every one that passeth by it; so that he shall say, Why hath the Lord done this unto this land, and unto this house?"
Why has the Lord done this? It is not what man has done or did, but what the Lord has done. We see in Scripture that the Lord does things by 3 ways:
1. He does it by His Own hand and choosing;
2. He allows for Satan to work;
3. He allows for the response due to men's choices to reap what they have sown;
Isaiah 5:4, "What could have been done more to My vineyard, that I have not done in it? wherefore when I looked, that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes? v. 5 And now go to; I will tell you what I will do to My vineyard: I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be eaten up; and break down the wall thereof, and it shall be trodden down."
God is asking the question, 'what more could I have done?' for His people. We are in study of this for 'what we could do, or should have been done', to learn from all this. But now we see the opposite of God asking, what He could have done. Now let us first understand that God does not ask questions because He does not know the answer. Yea, the Lord is Omniscient and He knows all things past, present and future. Therefore, as in other passages of Scripture He asks the question to force the answer.
the reality of the answer to this, is that God has verily done all that He needed to do for His people. None will stand and accuse God on judgment day of saying He came short. Or they have come up with a better plan. Which of course is to make the assumption that there is something lacking in God; of which there is nothing lacking in Him, only in us. We understand then that He asks this question to press the answer from us, 'what more could be done? Absolutely nothing.
He has done all things well. His Divine love, grace, mercy, longsuffering, faithfulness is complete. and because His sufficiency has been rejected then He will judge and meet these that have rejected Him and His good favor. This is what He will do now to those that have spurred His great love. He will judge them and He will take away safety, provision, deliverance and will allow for the enemy to vanquish them.
Jeremiah 2:18 - "And now what hast thou to do in the way of Egypt, to drink the waters of Sihor? or what hast thou to do in the way of Assyria, to drink the waters of the river?"
Twice in this verse it is presented that they are turning else where than the Lord. There are looking to Egypt and the Assyrians rather than looking to the Lord. Men devise and work to set up their own help; this is called humanism. How often the children of God are guilty of looking to the hands of men rather than the arm of God. And the question of them is asked of us, 'what are you doing turnign unto them?'
What are you doing church? Christian? in turning to the things, people and moments of this world? None of these things will sustain or bring glory and honor to our Lord. We fall prey to humanism out of pride and self-reliance rather than trusting in Him. Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Too many in the church and in the Christian heart operate on sight and faith is not found there. We must answer this question of 'what are you doing in going this way?' and if found going the wrong way, confess, repent and turn again to the Lord.
Jeremiah 2:23 "How canst thou say, I am not polluted, I have not gone after Baalim? see thy way in the valley, know what thou hast done. . .. "
God calls them to give an account of their sin in idolatry. They followed and served Baal. Yet, when confronted with this sin, they boasted and claimed that they were not guilty. And the Lord reveals to them, as He reveals in all, their very actions and intents; 'know what thou hast done in the valley of serving Baal' God knows, and the heart it truly knows, even though one may seek to forget or cover it up. The Lord reveals the secret things of man whether they be right or not.
Again we are pressed to force an answer to the church and from our own hearts, 'know what you have done". the very reason, intent and action taken was what you have done. Do not sugar-coat it, nor minimize it, but know it is known of the Lord. How many things are in our decisions, choices, and behaviors that the Spirit saying unto the church, 'do you not know what you have done?'
It is a time reference questions as well. By that I mean, that in the moment, one can be asked, 'do you know what you are doing? the consequences, the reaction to this choice. And it can hold a futuristic accountability as well: do you know what this will mean in years to come? For example, Supreme Courts decisions are in the moment with no thought, nor weight given to their resolves. In the moment of 1973 Roe vs. Wade, 'do you know what you are doing? And of course they say, 'it is for the betterment of the womans choice, her own personal preference'. But in almost 50 years since then, we are able to say now, 'Do you know that that decision has cost 60 million babies their life? Do you know what you have done? You have removed an entire generation from our population.
Know what you have done. For you will give an answer for it and its repercussions. As the pebble is thrown into the still pond or lake, it creates waves that generate outward; so also, a choice in knowing what you are doing has the same affect on others around you and for years to come.
Jeremiah 11:8, "Yet they obeyed not, nor inclined their ear, but walked every one in the imagination of their evil heart: therefore I will bring upon them all the words of this covenant, which I commanded them to do: but they did them not."
Not a question but a statement from the Lord in answer to the question, 'What did you do, or did not do?' He declares they would not obey Him, they would not listen to Him and they followed after the evil of their heart. And God reminds them that He commanded them to obey Him, and if not, He would judge them. Therefore, 'what hast thou done?' they were told what to do, but they didn't do it. so their answer would be, "I didn't do what I was supposed to do." James tells us, 'To him that knoweth to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin."
so here is the same message for the church today and our very own hearts, 'have you done what He told you, what He commanded you to do?' It is the confession of the soul that sees and knows his sin, that says, 'I did them not. I know You told me Lord, but I didn't do it." No Christian, no church says that without sorrow, grief and shame. And to the soul that can honestly say, 'I didn't do what He told me to do' without shame, or remorse; your salvation is to be called into question. For a Christian knows the price paid for their sin on the cross; they know by His stripes we are made whole. and that is not a little thing to us, it is major. and to knwo that we would hear Him, know His commandments, and then seek to blatantly disobey Him shows our lack of love and surrender to His Lordship.
But the true Christian says, 'I know what He has commanded and I have done it.' This is the child of obedience. 'If ye love Me, ye will keep My commandemtns.' Let this be your testimony brethren. Seek to know His Word, hear Him and follow and obey. The signs of your loyalty to Him is found in your obedience.
but too often today, there is the opposite, 'I knew it, but I wouldn't do it.' And Satan takes it another level down by causing the people to be ignorant of His commands. If he can keep them from knowing the Word, the commands, then they can revel and practice in sin. Granted they may not be judged as severe for ignorance, but Satan still owns them. 'the truth shall set you free, and ye shall be free indeed.' But it they don't know the truth, then they remain in sin. This is a scheme of Satan as well to damn the souls of men. But God has made a way for them to know His commands and remove this hindrance and obstacle to obedience. And the greater evil is of His people, who knows but won't do.
Jeremiah 13:23, "Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil."
God puts forth the question here, 'can the Ethiopian change his skin color?" No. 'Can the leopard remove his spots?" No. Then can one do good that is accustomed to do evil? No. what hast thou done? I have done evil, and it is impossible for me to do good. Wow. what a verse from the Lord. This whole section of verses 22 - 27 reference God's wrath and judgment for there choices and lifestyles of choosing evil rather than good. There comes a point of cut off for man, when God says, 'your done'.
We see for the church to know this truth and know that there is none good, no not one. Born in sin and yet out of God's grace and mercy salavation delivers us from evil. But where no salvation is evil continues, with no good thing. this is the reality of most men. 'Broad and wide is the gate and the path that leads to destruction and many there be that go in thereat'. Many.
Why are these judgments and evil abounding? Men love to do evil and reject the good.
Jeremiah 15:5, "For who shall have pity upon thee, O Jerusalem? or who shall bemoan thee? or who shall go aside to ask how thou doest?"
Not 'what are you doing?' but 'how are you doing?' And sometimes the asking and answering of this question is just as needful for our study and contemplation. the reality of our physical, emotional, and spiritual lives are very much intertwined. To understand this is needful for us to adapt and prevail, that though the flesh fail, the spirit still prevails. 'The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak' is the case of our human abilities failing. How much more then to answer this question in light of God's promise to not leave us and that He will sustain us.
If by looking unto our conditions we will be prone to let them guide us and shape us rather than to what the Lord has said. Too many in the church live like this in the flesh and not in the Spirit. And therefore in answer to the question, they answer from their flesh and its conditions rather than from God's perspective and His promises of victory and overcoming. 'all things are possible through Christ Jesus'. 'With men it is impossible, but with God all things are possible.'
Let the two of flesh and Spirit come together to answer this question in light of His glory and honor. And let it not be simply a physical report or lethargic report of, 'I guess ok'.
Jeremiah 18:12 & 13, "and they said, there is no hope: but we will walk after our own devices, and we will every one do the imagination of his evil heart. v. 13 Therefore thus saith the Lord; Ask ye now among the heathen, who hath heard such things: the virgin of Israel hath done a very horrible thing."
Two acts of 'what hast thou done?' in this verse. first, they have done the imaginations of their evil hearts. Secondly, they have done a very horrible thing. But both are found in sin against the Lord. It is two definitions of the same action, they have sinned against the Lord.
The one shows the fulfillment of Scripture, 'out of the hearts proceeds this wicked things' and out of their hearts they do evil deeds. Their evil hearts produce evil imaginations, which they bring to reality by their choice of actions. the understanding of these actions is the reply of the second statment. The horrible thing that they have done is in sinning against the Lord. This action provokes Him to anger; turns Him away from them; sets judgment into motion; condemsn their actions and rewards accordingly. All these things show forth the truth of what you sow is what you reap. Out of evil hearts comes evil deeds and these evil things are horrible in the sight of the Lord.
Jeremiah 22:8, "And many nations shall pass by this city, and they shall say every man to his neighbour, Wherefore hath the Lord done thus unto this great city?"
Why has the Lord done this? What has He done? The people did sin, and the Lord rewarded them accordingly to their deeds. And understanding the severity of the Lord's wrath is imperative of this question. This was no small outpouring of His anger and wrath; but severe judgment fell on them. Almost, but not quite complete annihilation.
Jeremiah 30:15, "Why criest thou for thine affliction? thy sorrow is incurable for the multitude of thine iniquity: because thy sins were increased, I have done these things unto thee."
It is not the form of our study question, but it is still the answer to the question. And we have not stopped upon every use of question and answer of 'what hast thou done', but only certain of these that should make us to consider it.
We see in this one verse a full description of sorrow, affliction and grief. What hast thou done to receive the wrath of the Lord and cause this pain? Your sins increased and worst yet, it is incurable for the multitude of your iniquities. Herein we see they sinned, they incrased that sin and God hast done what? He has answered their sin with great wrath and indignation.
What hast thou done O nation? what hast thou done O church? O wandering heart? You have multiplied your sins and inquities. You have increased and they have swallowed you whole. And what has God done in response to this sin? He has met us in our sin and judged us. An incurable affliction; the wages of sin is death.
consider the magnitude of this verse in light of our study. See wherein our great sin lies and lament. Cry out in confession, repentance and whole heartedneess of pleading for mercy before it is too late.
Jeremiah 48:19, "O inhabitant of Aroer, stand by the way, and espy; ask him that fleeth, and her that escapeth, and say, What is done?"
The wrath of the Lord has fallen. nations have been destroyed, cities upeneded, and lives removed from the earth. And as the enemy moves forward accomplishing the Lord's purposes, the people are fleeing from the war torn areas. And in their escaping, the question is asked, 'what is done?'
What has happened? And the answer. The enemy has come; lives are lost; the cities and homes are consumed and life as we know it is no more. This is the destruction and decision of the Lord for those that rejoiced when Israel and Judah was judged by the Lord for their sins. do not laugh, rejoice and celebrate the hand of the Lord against your enenmy. For are we not yet without sin? Is our lives perfect before Him? Then we have no room to say of them, 'they got what was coming to them'. Alloow for the Lord to do what the Lord desires to do; 'shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?' Yes He shall.
what is done? The Lord has done that which He saw fit. He did to the enemies of Israel; He did it to Israel; He has done it to kingdoms, empires and nations; He will do it to us and His church. and anything that He does is right; for the Lord is righteouess and greatly to be praised.
Ezekiel 5:7, "Therefore thus saith the Lord God, Because ye multiplied more than the nations that are round about you, and have not walked in My statutes, neither have kept My judgments, neither have done according to the judgments of the nations that are round about you:"
The Lord has answered the questions to 'what have you done'. they have not kept, walked, or obeyed the commands, statutes, laws, of the Lord. And further they have not done this in knowing what the Lord did to the nations that were before them for their huge offence against the Lord. The Lord has judged them and sent His wrath upon them for their choice to disobey and not listen to Him.
we also, see in answer to the question, 'What hast thou done?' that they have not learned from the sins of others. The other nations had committed the great abominations of murder, idols, fornication and abuse. God warned the children of Israel to not repeat their offences for He would destroy them because of it. And here in this verse, 'you have not done according to the judgments of the nations' which I did to them.
And here in our present estate for our nation and for the church, we have not done according to the judgments on past societies of legalizing homosexuality, abuse of drugs, lasciviousness, lusts, adultery, theft, idols and abandonment of God. No empire, nation, kingdom has continued once they perverted themselves, the land and the generations.
Daniel 4:35, ". . .and He doeth according to His will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay His hand, or say unto Him, What doest Thou?"
It is quite the declaration of the Lord in this verse and one that we should know well. the Lord does according to His Own will and way. And who is the creature to say to the Creator, 'what does thou?' We have no right to question the ways of the Lord. For we know certainly that in all His ways, they are right. He cannot make mistakes, nor sin. OUr confidence should rest in this knowledge of the Lord.
But men are given to question the Lord, for often they do not know these truths. Therefore these truths are not apart of our grounded process. but those that do know their God, rest in Him and do not question Him. But there are many in the church that say, 'why Lord?' This comes from lack of faith and understanding of His Word and ways. It is easy for them to question what they do not understand and are found in ignorance of . But the true saint anchored in the knowledge of the Word of God can say with Job, 'the Lord giveth, and the Lord taketh away, blessed be the Lord." 'Though the Lord slay me, yet will I worship Him.' Job knew there was an explanation to the Lord's doing and allowance and he gave the right answer.
Hosea 6:4, "O Ephraim, what shall I do unto thee? O Jacob, what shall I do unto thee? for your goodness is as a morning cloud, and as the early dew it goeth away."
The Lord is asking what shall I do in answer to the question what has ephraim and Jacob done. What did they do? They sinned against the Lord. They sinned, as Jeremiah points out to us, in 4 main ways, with many offshoots of other sins that came from these 4 main ones. 1. They would listen to Him; they had ears but they would not hear. 2. They forsook the ways and words of the Lord. 3. They forgot the Lord and would not remember Him nor His ways. 4. They worshipped idols rather than the Lord God, which He commanded them not. IN all these ways they provoked the Lord to anger and repsonse. Now, He answers them for what they have done, 'what shall I do unto thee?'
How much more should we know the answer to this in regards for which the Lord will pronounce it unto us. 'What shall I do unto you?' For the individuals soul, in which you and i must look inwardsly. what shall the Lord do unto me? He shall receive me into His Presence. Not for me being a 'good man'; a preachers' son; a preacher; or anything of me. but He shall receive me because I receive His Son's atonement and righteousness to cover me. What shall the Lord do unto His Own Son? He pronounces honor and glory. And all those that come unto the Son and receive Him as Lord and Master receive from the Father His grace and mercy.
what shall be done unto those that do not receive Him? the very opposite response. He shall meet them in their lost estate; their rejection of His Son and their life long pattern of evil. He shall judge them and pour out His wrath on them. And they shall perish for ever and ever in the lake of fire.
What shall be done unto His church? He shall make us white and ordain His bride with favor. All our iniquities and failures that has caused blemish and sin must be dealt with and answered for. The command to the 7 churches in Revelation 2 & 3 He rewards their good deeds, and tells them to repent of their wrong deeds. but they are still His children and His bride.
What shall be done unto a nation? The nation that fear the Lord and does His ways shall be rewarded with blessing and favor. The nation, as Ephraim and Jacob that rejects and turns away from Him shall receive His curse and judgments.
Started: September 3, 2016
Continued: 9/4;9/12;9/20; 9/27; 9/29; 9/30;10/3; 10/4;10/12; 10/17; 10/24; 10/26; 11/1; 11/23; 11/30; 12/1; 12/5; 12/7; 12/15; 12/17;
Finished:
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