My Summary
God initiates the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread as permanent instutions of Israel. God lays out guidelines intending for them to be a reminder to Israel of what is about to happen. The firstborn of Egypt die and Pharaoh and the Egyptians beg Israel to leave. Israel leaves and takes great wealth with them.
Random Historical Things
1. God says that if there is one who does not follow the Passover ritual he is cut off from Israel. There have been those who have interpreted that as meaning that they should be killed or banished. However, if you look closely it does not command anyone to cut them off, but God will be the One to cut them off from the blessings of following Him.
2. Were there really 600,000 men? That would mean 2 million or more Israelites. Given the size of people groups at the time, and the time required for that many people (even with God's blessing) to be born makes this number sound unlikely. It depends on your translation of the Hebrew words. The word for men actually means soldiers. The word translated thousand is also translated in the Old Testament as cattle, clan, divisions, families, oxen and tribes. It could mean that there were 600 families or clan, or it could mean that there were 600 units of soldiers or that each tribe could field 600 soldiers. This would put the total number of Israel at somewhere between 20,000 and 50,000 which is much more likely. Even given that some others accompanied them (vs. 38) it is unlikely that the number was much higher than 50,000.
And So What We Have Learned Applies to Our Lives Today...
1. When the movie "Prince of Egypt" was being shot the original script called for the line, "When God sees the sign on the doors." The religious experts working on the movie staff insisted that the line be changed, and so the line was changed to "When God sees the blood on the doors." The fact that it was blood was important. It was not just because blood was red and could be seen, but it was a sign of the blood of the Messiah. God was about to judge everyone for their sin, both Hebrew and Egyptians. However, the blood on the door showed the something had already been killed in that household. Likewise, when God judges us for our sin, He sees the blood of Christ on our hearts and know that the debt has already been satisfied. Although the blood of animals could not save the way Christ's blood could, it served as a symbol looking forward to when the blood of the perfect Lamb would wash away our sins completely.
2. Should we celebrate the passover today? God told the Israelites He wanted them to do these things to teach their children to remember God saving them from Egypt. Remember that the Passover and the blood was typological of the Christ who was to come. The ritual involved the flesh of an animal and the blood of that animal in order to remember the Passover. In the same way our communion today includes the bread (flesh) and the wine (blood) of Christ in order to remember the flesh pierced for us and the blood shed for us. So in a way we do continue the Passover, but we remember Christ as the completion of God's salvation plan.
3. It is amazing how God gets personal here. He is the one who will come down to kill the firstborn. He will see the mark on the door and pass over. Of course, God is everywhere and knows everything. He does not have to come anywhere or look anywhere. However, this type of language helps us see how God is with us and is actually moving. He is not the god of deism that is aloof and uninvolved. He is involved and moving in our lives!
4. Finally we see God's work of evangelism active in this story. His mighty works did not just judge, but moved some to follow Him. In verse 38 it says that other who were not Hebrew went with them. Whether these were Egyptians, other slaves or other people groups in the area is not clear. If you remember from the plague of hail there were Egyptians who believed Moses' warning because they feared God. So the nation of Israel was not just composed of "pure blood" Hebrew descended from Abraham. This goes hand in hand with what Paul taught. Paul taught that it was not physical descent from Abraham that made you chosen, but being a spiritual descendant by having faith in God. Through faith we can all be descendants of Abraham and heirs to the promises of God to those who follow Him!
Monday, March 28, 2011
Friday, March 25, 2011
Exodus 9-11: Pharaoh, Imma Let You Finish, But Israel Has the Best God of All Time
My Summary
The fifth through 9th plagues come and Pharaoh still has not agreed to let the people go. He has repented several times in order to get a plague lifted, but always hardens his heart when the plague is gone. Moses announces the 10th and final plague.
Random Historical Things
1. When it says that the disease killed "all" of the livestock there is an interesting Hebrew word being translated there. It can also mean "in all places" or be a figure of speech meaning "lots and lots." Obviously not all of Egypts cattle were killed since they are still around in future plagues.
2. When Moses says that there will come a hailstorm the likes of which have never been seen in Egypt before he is showing his Egyptian upbringing. In many ancient Egyptian tablets kings will write something like, "I have won a victory the likes of which has never been seen," or "I have build a palace which is greater than any since Egypt was founded." It was a commonly used phrase among Egyptian royalty.
3. Based on the crops that were damaged and those that the Bible says were not damaged we can fix the hail storm in sometime late January or early February.
4. If you read Revelation 16:17-21 you will see that the 7th plague in Exodus matches the seventh bowl of judgment in quite a few ways.
And So What We Have Learned Applies to Our Lives Today...
1. What I want to focus on in this application is the response of Pharaoh to God's judgment. At times Pharaoh acknowledges that Yahweh is a true God, accepts Yahweh's power and even seems to repent of his sins. Belief and repentance are two of the pillars of becoming a follower of God. However, there is a belief in God based on fear that does not lead to a saving faith. There is also a false repentance based on fear of punishment that does not indicate true repentance and change. Repentance is turning from sin and turning to God, but all Pharaoh did was say he was sorry in order to get the plagues to stop. True repentance is on the inside and God sees the heart. He can not be fooled by false belief and repentance. True faith and true repentance leads to change, but Pharaoh returned to his hardened self as soon as he got what he wanted. Yet after all that God was still patient with him and gave Pharaoh chance after chance even when Pharaoh continually lied to God and Moses. God is patient and kind and His judgment is executed with restraint to allow the opportunity for repentance. How sad that so many do not respond to God's judgment with true repentance, but with hard hearts. Let us always thank God for the work He did in our hearts to cause true repentance and the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
The fifth through 9th plagues come and Pharaoh still has not agreed to let the people go. He has repented several times in order to get a plague lifted, but always hardens his heart when the plague is gone. Moses announces the 10th and final plague.
Random Historical Things
1. When it says that the disease killed "all" of the livestock there is an interesting Hebrew word being translated there. It can also mean "in all places" or be a figure of speech meaning "lots and lots." Obviously not all of Egypts cattle were killed since they are still around in future plagues.
2. When Moses says that there will come a hailstorm the likes of which have never been seen in Egypt before he is showing his Egyptian upbringing. In many ancient Egyptian tablets kings will write something like, "I have won a victory the likes of which has never been seen," or "I have build a palace which is greater than any since Egypt was founded." It was a commonly used phrase among Egyptian royalty.
3. Based on the crops that were damaged and those that the Bible says were not damaged we can fix the hail storm in sometime late January or early February.
4. If you read Revelation 16:17-21 you will see that the 7th plague in Exodus matches the seventh bowl of judgment in quite a few ways.
And So What We Have Learned Applies to Our Lives Today...
1. What I want to focus on in this application is the response of Pharaoh to God's judgment. At times Pharaoh acknowledges that Yahweh is a true God, accepts Yahweh's power and even seems to repent of his sins. Belief and repentance are two of the pillars of becoming a follower of God. However, there is a belief in God based on fear that does not lead to a saving faith. There is also a false repentance based on fear of punishment that does not indicate true repentance and change. Repentance is turning from sin and turning to God, but all Pharaoh did was say he was sorry in order to get the plagues to stop. True repentance is on the inside and God sees the heart. He can not be fooled by false belief and repentance. True faith and true repentance leads to change, but Pharaoh returned to his hardened self as soon as he got what he wanted. Yet after all that God was still patient with him and gave Pharaoh chance after chance even when Pharaoh continually lied to God and Moses. God is patient and kind and His judgment is executed with restraint to allow the opportunity for repentance. How sad that so many do not respond to God's judgment with true repentance, but with hard hearts. Let us always thank God for the work He did in our hearts to cause true repentance and the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Exodus 8: Frogs and Gnats and Flies! Oh My!
My Summary
Pharaoh continues to refuse to let Israel go as the 2nd, 3rd and 4th plague hit Egypt.
Random Historical Things
1. Some theologians have drawn attention to Revelation 16:13-14 which depicts evil spirits as frogs. They say that these frogs were symbolic of the evil spirits that existed in Egypt because of their worship of false gods. Personally I think that is a stretch. It works just fine to have the frogs be an annoying and disgusting creature that God could use to show His power over the gods of Egypt and judge Pharaoh for not letting Israel go, but I thought it was worth mentioning.
2. One of Egypt's major gods had the responsibility for keeping the frog population in check. By God multiplying the frogs it showed the impotency of this god.
3. You may be wondering why Moses told Pharaoh that the Israelites' sacrifices would be detestable to the Egyptians. It is possible that the Israelites were going to sacrifice animals considered sacred to the Egyptians or possibly just because they were going to worship a God who was currently showing up the gods of their land.
And So What We Have Learned Applies to Our Lives Today...
1. God's power finally overwhelms the abilities of the Egyptian magicians. They are no longer even able to produce a cheap copy of God's miracles. They are forced to admit to Pharaoh that there is a god at work. They do not recognize Yahweh as the one true God, but only a very powerful god that seems to be more powerful than the gods of the Egyptian. How sad it is that so many recognize that there is a divine being. The acknowledge the existence of some god or power that controls things and created us. However, they never take the initiative to get to find out that this god is the God of the Bible, the God of Israel and the God of salvation. They never investigate to see if Jesus is God's Son who died for us to save us from their sins. God always remains vague to them. He is powerful maybe, but not the personal and supreme God of history of the Bible. Let us always declare the truth of Who God is to those who only know Him in the general sense!
Pharaoh continues to refuse to let Israel go as the 2nd, 3rd and 4th plague hit Egypt.
Random Historical Things
1. Some theologians have drawn attention to Revelation 16:13-14 which depicts evil spirits as frogs. They say that these frogs were symbolic of the evil spirits that existed in Egypt because of their worship of false gods. Personally I think that is a stretch. It works just fine to have the frogs be an annoying and disgusting creature that God could use to show His power over the gods of Egypt and judge Pharaoh for not letting Israel go, but I thought it was worth mentioning.
2. One of Egypt's major gods had the responsibility for keeping the frog population in check. By God multiplying the frogs it showed the impotency of this god.
3. You may be wondering why Moses told Pharaoh that the Israelites' sacrifices would be detestable to the Egyptians. It is possible that the Israelites were going to sacrifice animals considered sacred to the Egyptians or possibly just because they were going to worship a God who was currently showing up the gods of their land.
And So What We Have Learned Applies to Our Lives Today...
1. God's power finally overwhelms the abilities of the Egyptian magicians. They are no longer even able to produce a cheap copy of God's miracles. They are forced to admit to Pharaoh that there is a god at work. They do not recognize Yahweh as the one true God, but only a very powerful god that seems to be more powerful than the gods of the Egyptian. How sad it is that so many recognize that there is a divine being. The acknowledge the existence of some god or power that controls things and created us. However, they never take the initiative to get to find out that this god is the God of the Bible, the God of Israel and the God of salvation. They never investigate to see if Jesus is God's Son who died for us to save us from their sins. God always remains vague to them. He is powerful maybe, but not the personal and supreme God of history of the Bible. Let us always declare the truth of Who God is to those who only know Him in the general sense!
Monday, March 21, 2011
Exodus 7: Snakes and Blood
My Summary
Moses and Aaron go before Pharaoh and tell him that God wants him to let Israel go. Pharaoh refuses and God causes the Nile to turn to blood.
Random Historical Things
1. There has been much debate among scholars and historians about whether the Nile river plague was natural or not. There is a natural occurrence which can cause the water of the Nile to turn red which occurs quite often. Some have said that God worked through this natural occurrence to accomplish His purposes. There are several reason to believe, however, that this was a completely supernatural action. God intended to show His power over the gods of Egypt, which would not be accomplished by something natural happened. The natural occuring even does not cause the fish to die while in this case the fish did die. The Bible also says that even the water held in jugs and jars turned to blood. So this was a miracle wrought by God.
2. The word for "snake" used here when Aaron throws down his staff down is a different word than is used when Moses does it at the burning bush. The word used here is a general word meaning "great reptile." There has been some speculation that it could have actually been an alligator. However, the symbol of Pharaoh's power was the snake, so a snake would have fit in better with God's plan of showing Himself greater than Pharaoh.
3. Christians are split is to whether the magicians of Egypt actually turned staffs into snakes with the power of Satan or whether it was a trick. Magicians in Cairo today know how to paralyze a snake by pinching a nerve near the head. The snake stays completely still and could be mistaken for a staff until woken up by being thrown on the ground. My personal belief is that it was a trick, since God intends for a miracle to be proof of His power and divinity. However, there are many Christians who think it was done by the power of Satan. Either way, God snakes ate up the magician's snakes so God wins.
And So What We Have Learned Applies to Our Lives Today...
1. The main point of the first plague, as well as all the others, is to show the supremacy of God over the gods of Egypt. God did not pick plagues at random. He embarks on a systematic assault on the realms and persons of the various gods of Egypt's pantheon. This first one was a big one. The Nile was the lifeblood of Egypt and was the most important of all the realms of the gods. For God to be able to take the life-giving Nile and turn it into something of death showed His power over many of Egypt's most powerful gods. Of course behind those gods is the power of satan and all of his fallen angels. Always remember brothers and sisters that God is ruler over all the realms and powers of the world. There is no foe He can not defeat and nothing that can hold you away from Him. The past, present and future of the world is in His hands. The battle is His and not yours!
2. An interesting side note in this chapter is the way we see Pharaoh's reaction to the miracle. He asks God for a sign, God gives him 2 signs (serpent and Nile) and Pharaoh still refuses to believe God. Pharaoh's heart is so hard (in the Hebrew literally his heart is too heavy) that he will not even believe after a miracle. So many people say," If God is real let Him give me a sign. Show me a miracle and then I will believe." We see here that even with a miracle people will not believe. They will find a way to explain it away even when God reaches down from the sky and causes a miracle right in front of their face. Without the working of the Spirit in our hearts, there is nothing that will cause us to believe in God.
Moses and Aaron go before Pharaoh and tell him that God wants him to let Israel go. Pharaoh refuses and God causes the Nile to turn to blood.
Random Historical Things
1. There has been much debate among scholars and historians about whether the Nile river plague was natural or not. There is a natural occurrence which can cause the water of the Nile to turn red which occurs quite often. Some have said that God worked through this natural occurrence to accomplish His purposes. There are several reason to believe, however, that this was a completely supernatural action. God intended to show His power over the gods of Egypt, which would not be accomplished by something natural happened. The natural occuring even does not cause the fish to die while in this case the fish did die. The Bible also says that even the water held in jugs and jars turned to blood. So this was a miracle wrought by God.
2. The word for "snake" used here when Aaron throws down his staff down is a different word than is used when Moses does it at the burning bush. The word used here is a general word meaning "great reptile." There has been some speculation that it could have actually been an alligator. However, the symbol of Pharaoh's power was the snake, so a snake would have fit in better with God's plan of showing Himself greater than Pharaoh.
3. Christians are split is to whether the magicians of Egypt actually turned staffs into snakes with the power of Satan or whether it was a trick. Magicians in Cairo today know how to paralyze a snake by pinching a nerve near the head. The snake stays completely still and could be mistaken for a staff until woken up by being thrown on the ground. My personal belief is that it was a trick, since God intends for a miracle to be proof of His power and divinity. However, there are many Christians who think it was done by the power of Satan. Either way, God snakes ate up the magician's snakes so God wins.
And So What We Have Learned Applies to Our Lives Today...
1. The main point of the first plague, as well as all the others, is to show the supremacy of God over the gods of Egypt. God did not pick plagues at random. He embarks on a systematic assault on the realms and persons of the various gods of Egypt's pantheon. This first one was a big one. The Nile was the lifeblood of Egypt and was the most important of all the realms of the gods. For God to be able to take the life-giving Nile and turn it into something of death showed His power over many of Egypt's most powerful gods. Of course behind those gods is the power of satan and all of his fallen angels. Always remember brothers and sisters that God is ruler over all the realms and powers of the world. There is no foe He can not defeat and nothing that can hold you away from Him. The past, present and future of the world is in His hands. The battle is His and not yours!
2. An interesting side note in this chapter is the way we see Pharaoh's reaction to the miracle. He asks God for a sign, God gives him 2 signs (serpent and Nile) and Pharaoh still refuses to believe God. Pharaoh's heart is so hard (in the Hebrew literally his heart is too heavy) that he will not even believe after a miracle. So many people say," If God is real let Him give me a sign. Show me a miracle and then I will believe." We see here that even with a miracle people will not believe. They will find a way to explain it away even when God reaches down from the sky and causes a miracle right in front of their face. Without the working of the Spirit in our hearts, there is nothing that will cause us to believe in God.
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Exodus 6: I Love Reading Genealogies, Don't You?
My Summary
God responds to Moses' questioning of God's plan. We see a genealogy of Aaron and Moses.
Random Historical Things
1. Exodus 12:40 states that Israel was in Egypt for 430 years. However, in the genealogies listed here there are only 4 generations from Jacob's sons to Moses and Aaron. However, if we remember from earlier postings, genealogies in the Bible often skip generations and only mention the important people.
2. Amram, Moses' father, apparently married his own aunt. The Mosaic law against this was not in place until Leviticus 18 so Amram broke no laws.
3. Many ancient kings began royal edicts or documend with, "I am (insert king's name)". For example the epic story of the ancient king Sargon began with, "I am Sargon, the mighty king..." We see God beginning His edicts the same way starting in verse 2.
And So What We Have Learned Applies to Our Lives Today...
1. God establishes Himself as the same God of history who interacted with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. It was important for Moses to realize that this God who did such mighty things for his ancestors was the same God helping him now. The covenant that God had made with the patriarchs was still intact and God was keeping His promises. When it does not seem like God is working in your life or in the world around you, look back at what He has done in history. It is the same God and His promises, plan and covenant is still active! The same God who heard the cries of Israel hears your cries as well. We do not worship a generic god, but a God who acts in history and continues to act to this day. We also are not the first followers of God. He has been working in and through His people for a long time and He has not stopped now!
2. I am amazed by the patience of God with Moses and the Israelites. They showed so little faith and even outright questioned God! Moses even brought up his lack of speaking ability again! God responds to insecurity and questioning with a declaration of His power and ability. He responded to doubts with affirmation that He was their God and they were His people. When you go through times of doubt and questioning, remember that God is your God! He is going to use you for His plan and He will have no problem making up for your lack of gifts. Just trust Him.
3. The patriarchs knew of God as El Shaddai. Although the exact meaning of this is debated, the idea is that the patriarchs knew God through His mighty acts. God had not revealed all of Himself to them. They knew He was a God who helped them and made a covenant with them, but their understanding of God rested mostly on the actions they had witnessed. Verse 2 says that God is now revealing Himself not just as the Lord of power, but as the personal Yahweh that will be Israel's God. He is revealing a personal aspect of Himself that will be new to the chosen people. He is not just a mighty God, but He is their God. The God who has chosen them to be His personal people. Praise God for revealing Himself to us as our God! Praise Him for being a personal and real God to us. Although His power is certainly amazing, praise God that we know that we are His!
God responds to Moses' questioning of God's plan. We see a genealogy of Aaron and Moses.
Random Historical Things
1. Exodus 12:40 states that Israel was in Egypt for 430 years. However, in the genealogies listed here there are only 4 generations from Jacob's sons to Moses and Aaron. However, if we remember from earlier postings, genealogies in the Bible often skip generations and only mention the important people.
2. Amram, Moses' father, apparently married his own aunt. The Mosaic law against this was not in place until Leviticus 18 so Amram broke no laws.
3. Many ancient kings began royal edicts or documend with, "I am (insert king's name)". For example the epic story of the ancient king Sargon began with, "I am Sargon, the mighty king..." We see God beginning His edicts the same way starting in verse 2.
And So What We Have Learned Applies to Our Lives Today...
1. God establishes Himself as the same God of history who interacted with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. It was important for Moses to realize that this God who did such mighty things for his ancestors was the same God helping him now. The covenant that God had made with the patriarchs was still intact and God was keeping His promises. When it does not seem like God is working in your life or in the world around you, look back at what He has done in history. It is the same God and His promises, plan and covenant is still active! The same God who heard the cries of Israel hears your cries as well. We do not worship a generic god, but a God who acts in history and continues to act to this day. We also are not the first followers of God. He has been working in and through His people for a long time and He has not stopped now!
2. I am amazed by the patience of God with Moses and the Israelites. They showed so little faith and even outright questioned God! Moses even brought up his lack of speaking ability again! God responds to insecurity and questioning with a declaration of His power and ability. He responded to doubts with affirmation that He was their God and they were His people. When you go through times of doubt and questioning, remember that God is your God! He is going to use you for His plan and He will have no problem making up for your lack of gifts. Just trust Him.
3. The patriarchs knew of God as El Shaddai. Although the exact meaning of this is debated, the idea is that the patriarchs knew God through His mighty acts. God had not revealed all of Himself to them. They knew He was a God who helped them and made a covenant with them, but their understanding of God rested mostly on the actions they had witnessed. Verse 2 says that God is now revealing Himself not just as the Lord of power, but as the personal Yahweh that will be Israel's God. He is revealing a personal aspect of Himself that will be new to the chosen people. He is not just a mighty God, but He is their God. The God who has chosen them to be His personal people. Praise God for revealing Himself to us as our God! Praise Him for being a personal and real God to us. Although His power is certainly amazing, praise God that we know that we are His!
Monday, March 7, 2011
Exodus 5: The Nerve of Those Hebrew Slaves...
My Summary
Moses and Aaron meet with Pharaoh to ask for three days off for Israel.
Random Historical Things
1. It may seem strange to us today that Moses and Aaron were so easily admitted into Pharaoh's presence. After all, Pharaoh was one of the most powerful leaders in the world. It was ancient customer, however, for the king to set aside a period of time where the common folk could come and petition him for something. This is also probably the avenue the Hebrew overseers used to petition Pharaoh.
2. It is obvious that there were Hebrew overseers working for the Egyptians assisting them with overseeing the work of the slaves. One wonders how easy it was for the people who knew them to accept them as part of Israel once the nation was free.
And So What We Have Learned Applies to Our Lives Today...
1. It is important to realize the combatants in the coming struggle. This struggle is not between Israel and Egypt, Pharaoh (the man) and Moses or even slaves and masters. This struggle is between the gods of Egypt (symbolized by Pharaoh) and God. God is going to show that the gods of the this world have no power. God is in control and He will not be thwarted or stopped by anyone. We do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against spirits. The battle is not between the saved and unsaved, but it is between God and Satan. God will always win! The god of this world could not keep the Israelites in slavery to him and he can not keep us either because God has freed us!
2. Imagine you are a Israelite in slavery. Your people have been enslaved for 400 years. All of a sudden Moses comes and says that the God of your ancestors is going to free you. Moses goes in to talk to Pharaoh, and the result is that your work is made twice as hard, but you are still expected to come up with the same results every day. I wonder how many Israelites kept their faith in God, and how many got upset with God. They called out to God for help and He takes them from bad to worse! What they don't realize is that their deliverance is so close! So if you ask God for help, and things actually seem to go in the wrong direction, trust God's plan. You never know what He has right around the corner!
Moses and Aaron meet with Pharaoh to ask for three days off for Israel.
Random Historical Things
1. It may seem strange to us today that Moses and Aaron were so easily admitted into Pharaoh's presence. After all, Pharaoh was one of the most powerful leaders in the world. It was ancient customer, however, for the king to set aside a period of time where the common folk could come and petition him for something. This is also probably the avenue the Hebrew overseers used to petition Pharaoh.
2. It is obvious that there were Hebrew overseers working for the Egyptians assisting them with overseeing the work of the slaves. One wonders how easy it was for the people who knew them to accept them as part of Israel once the nation was free.
And So What We Have Learned Applies to Our Lives Today...
1. It is important to realize the combatants in the coming struggle. This struggle is not between Israel and Egypt, Pharaoh (the man) and Moses or even slaves and masters. This struggle is between the gods of Egypt (symbolized by Pharaoh) and God. God is going to show that the gods of the this world have no power. God is in control and He will not be thwarted or stopped by anyone. We do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against spirits. The battle is not between the saved and unsaved, but it is between God and Satan. God will always win! The god of this world could not keep the Israelites in slavery to him and he can not keep us either because God has freed us!
2. Imagine you are a Israelite in slavery. Your people have been enslaved for 400 years. All of a sudden Moses comes and says that the God of your ancestors is going to free you. Moses goes in to talk to Pharaoh, and the result is that your work is made twice as hard, but you are still expected to come up with the same results every day. I wonder how many Israelites kept their faith in God, and how many got upset with God. They called out to God for help and He takes them from bad to worse! What they don't realize is that their deliverance is so close! So if you ask God for help, and things actually seem to go in the wrong direction, trust God's plan. You never know what He has right around the corner!
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Exodus 4: Leaving on That Midnight Train to Egypt
My Summary
Moses said, "What if they don't believe me?" God told him to throw his staff on the ground and it turned into a snake. God had Moses grab the snake and it turned back into a staff. God said that would be a sign that it really was God who had sent Moses. Then God made Moses' hand leprous, and then God made it whole again. God said if they didn't believe the first sign to show them the second. God also told him if they did not believe either sign Moses could turn water from the Nile into blood. Moses protested that he was not an eloquent speaker. God reminded Moses that it is He who gives me the ability to speak or not speak and He would tell Moses what to say. Moses asked for God to send someone else, but God became angry with Moses. He told Moses that Aaron the Levite, Moses' brother, could speak for Moses. God would tell Moses what to say and Moses would tell Aaron what to say. Moses got permission from Jethro and started back for Egypt with the Lord's promise that those who wanted to kill him were dead. God tells Moses to perform the signs for Pharaoh and to tell Pharaoh to let the Hebrew go since they are God's children. However, God will harden Pharaoh's heart and Pharaoh will not listen, so God will kill Pharaoh's firstborn. On the way God was going to kill Moses, but Moses' wife circumcised Moses' son and God was appeased. Moses met Aaron and together they met with the elders of Israel. They showed them the signs, the elders believed and fell down and worshiped.
Random Historical Things
1. It is interesting that the signs given to Moses by God all were similar to things that the Egyptian magicians were renowned for. Even the idea of the staff being important is from Egyptian culture. The Egyptians would have seen the staff as a symbol of leadership and the signs as directly attacking their gods.
2. The word for leprousy used here can be used for many different types of skin dieseases including the one we would think of as leprousy.
And So What We Have Learned Applies to Our Lives Today...
1. What are we to think about Moses arguing with God over whether or not to go to Egypt? Theologians differ in opinion over whether Moses was just doubtful about his abilities, or was being directly disobedient to God. We can see for sure, however, that God was very patient with Moses, answering his questions and assuring his doubts. Even when God got angry at Moses for continuing to question, He still provided Aaron to serve as Moses' speaker. When God calls us to something we should always obey Him right away. However, we are weak and do not always immediately obey God. He will provide the help and abilities that we need, however, if we will only trust Him and follow!
2. It is a most interesting diversion from the line of thought in the chapter when we learn that God almost killed Moses (or Moses son? There is an indefinite article leaving it up to us to decide who that is) on the way to Egypt. Apparently, Moses had not circumcised his son as God has commanded all of Israel's descendants to do. The ironic thing is that Moses was on his way to tell Pharaoh that God was going to punish Pharaoh for not following God's commands. Yet Moses was living in a constant state of obvious disobedience to God. We see Moses' wife as the hero here, taking the initiative to circumcise Moses' son and satisfy God. When we are looking outward at sin, we must always be sure we have faced the sin within. We must never be guilty of charging others to obey God in an area where we are blatantly disobeying Him. Check the speck before you reach for the plank!
Moses said, "What if they don't believe me?" God told him to throw his staff on the ground and it turned into a snake. God had Moses grab the snake and it turned back into a staff. God said that would be a sign that it really was God who had sent Moses. Then God made Moses' hand leprous, and then God made it whole again. God said if they didn't believe the first sign to show them the second. God also told him if they did not believe either sign Moses could turn water from the Nile into blood. Moses protested that he was not an eloquent speaker. God reminded Moses that it is He who gives me the ability to speak or not speak and He would tell Moses what to say. Moses asked for God to send someone else, but God became angry with Moses. He told Moses that Aaron the Levite, Moses' brother, could speak for Moses. God would tell Moses what to say and Moses would tell Aaron what to say. Moses got permission from Jethro and started back for Egypt with the Lord's promise that those who wanted to kill him were dead. God tells Moses to perform the signs for Pharaoh and to tell Pharaoh to let the Hebrew go since they are God's children. However, God will harden Pharaoh's heart and Pharaoh will not listen, so God will kill Pharaoh's firstborn. On the way God was going to kill Moses, but Moses' wife circumcised Moses' son and God was appeased. Moses met Aaron and together they met with the elders of Israel. They showed them the signs, the elders believed and fell down and worshiped.
Random Historical Things
1. It is interesting that the signs given to Moses by God all were similar to things that the Egyptian magicians were renowned for. Even the idea of the staff being important is from Egyptian culture. The Egyptians would have seen the staff as a symbol of leadership and the signs as directly attacking their gods.
2. The word for leprousy used here can be used for many different types of skin dieseases including the one we would think of as leprousy.
And So What We Have Learned Applies to Our Lives Today...
1. What are we to think about Moses arguing with God over whether or not to go to Egypt? Theologians differ in opinion over whether Moses was just doubtful about his abilities, or was being directly disobedient to God. We can see for sure, however, that God was very patient with Moses, answering his questions and assuring his doubts. Even when God got angry at Moses for continuing to question, He still provided Aaron to serve as Moses' speaker. When God calls us to something we should always obey Him right away. However, we are weak and do not always immediately obey God. He will provide the help and abilities that we need, however, if we will only trust Him and follow!
2. It is a most interesting diversion from the line of thought in the chapter when we learn that God almost killed Moses (or Moses son? There is an indefinite article leaving it up to us to decide who that is) on the way to Egypt. Apparently, Moses had not circumcised his son as God has commanded all of Israel's descendants to do. The ironic thing is that Moses was on his way to tell Pharaoh that God was going to punish Pharaoh for not following God's commands. Yet Moses was living in a constant state of obvious disobedience to God. We see Moses' wife as the hero here, taking the initiative to circumcise Moses' son and satisfy God. When we are looking outward at sin, we must always be sure we have faced the sin within. We must never be guilty of charging others to obey God in an area where we are blatantly disobeying Him. Check the speck before you reach for the plank!
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Exodus 3: Goodness, Gracious, Great Bush of Fire!
My Summary
Moses was watching Jethro's flocks when the angel of the Lord appeared as a fire in a bush. When Moses went over to see the fire, the Lord called to Him from the bush. The Lord told him not to come close but to take off his shoes on this holy ground. The Lord told Moses that He was the God of his ancestors and Moses hid his face. God told Moses that He was going to use bring Israel out of their oppression and into the Promised Land and He wanted Moses to go tell Pharaoh. Moses asked, "Who am I to do this?" God told Moses that He would be with him. Moses asked God's name in case the Hebrews asked who had sent him. God told him to tell the Hebrew that I Am, the God of their ancestors was Who had sent him. God told him to assemble the elders and tell them that God was going to bring them to the Promised Land. Moses and the elders were to go ask Pharaoh for permission to go into the desert to offer sacrifices to God, but God knew that Pharaoh would not let them go unless He compelled him. God promised Moses that He would bring Israel out and the Egyptians would even give them gifts on the way out.
Random Historical Things
1. We learned back in Genesis from Joseph that the Egyptians despised shepherds. Moses had gone from being Egyptian royalty to being a shepherd!
And So What We Have Learned Applies to Our Lives Today...
1. It is important to see that God knew how Pharaoh would respond to Moses' request. There are those today who subscribe to "openness" theology which states that God can not (or will not) see past human decisions. He can have a pretty good idea of what we will do, but He does not know for sure until we make the decision. This is though to protect free will from God's pesky interference. Although there are a whole Bible full of other things that speak against this theology, there is a clear example here. God already knew what Pharaoh was going to say and do even though Pharaoh had not even had the question put to him yet. God already knew that the Egyptians would decide to give the Hebrews presents on the way out. God knows everything that will ever happend and includes all in His plan!
2. The closeness of God and the holiness of God are contrasted here. God beckons Moses close to Him. He is not a distant God who does not want us near Him. He welcomes us into His presence. However, He does not lose His holiness. Moses has to approach God on God's terms and recognize that this ground has become holy since God's presence is there. We can approach God through the blood of Christ, but we must always remember that God is holy and there is a certain amount of respect and humility we should have for Him and Who He is.
3. God cared for the troubles of the Israelites. Even though He was the One who had led them into Egypt where they were suffering, God was not indifferent to their struggles. We can know that when we struggle and suffer in life, God knows and cares. He is grieved over His children's pain and suffering. He does not cause those things for no reason, but He always has a plan to do what is best for His glory, His kingdom and His children. If God is allowing you to struggle, and you have prayed but He has not delivered you, believe that He knows, He cares and He has a plan!
4. The final thing I would draw your attention to in this chapter is God's declaration to Moses that His name is I AM. God is the self existent One. In the Old Testament world, a name meant a lot about the thing being named. Although we have many names for God, God refuses to be totally defined by a name. He is. There is no description or label that can completely define Him. He is. God does help us to understand Him by describing Himself. He told Moses to tell the Hebrews that He was the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Since there were many "gods" in the OT world it was important that they know it was Yahweh commanding them. Before He gives that specification, however, He tells Abraham that primarily, His name is I AM. Forever past, forever present and forever future, I AM that I AM.
Lots of application because this is a very theological chapter! Thanks for reading, look later today for the post about Exodus 4. After a 2 week hiatus we are back on track!
Moses was watching Jethro's flocks when the angel of the Lord appeared as a fire in a bush. When Moses went over to see the fire, the Lord called to Him from the bush. The Lord told him not to come close but to take off his shoes on this holy ground. The Lord told Moses that He was the God of his ancestors and Moses hid his face. God told Moses that He was going to use bring Israel out of their oppression and into the Promised Land and He wanted Moses to go tell Pharaoh. Moses asked, "Who am I to do this?" God told Moses that He would be with him. Moses asked God's name in case the Hebrews asked who had sent him. God told him to tell the Hebrew that I Am, the God of their ancestors was Who had sent him. God told him to assemble the elders and tell them that God was going to bring them to the Promised Land. Moses and the elders were to go ask Pharaoh for permission to go into the desert to offer sacrifices to God, but God knew that Pharaoh would not let them go unless He compelled him. God promised Moses that He would bring Israel out and the Egyptians would even give them gifts on the way out.
Random Historical Things
1. We learned back in Genesis from Joseph that the Egyptians despised shepherds. Moses had gone from being Egyptian royalty to being a shepherd!
And So What We Have Learned Applies to Our Lives Today...
1. It is important to see that God knew how Pharaoh would respond to Moses' request. There are those today who subscribe to "openness" theology which states that God can not (or will not) see past human decisions. He can have a pretty good idea of what we will do, but He does not know for sure until we make the decision. This is though to protect free will from God's pesky interference. Although there are a whole Bible full of other things that speak against this theology, there is a clear example here. God already knew what Pharaoh was going to say and do even though Pharaoh had not even had the question put to him yet. God already knew that the Egyptians would decide to give the Hebrews presents on the way out. God knows everything that will ever happend and includes all in His plan!
2. The closeness of God and the holiness of God are contrasted here. God beckons Moses close to Him. He is not a distant God who does not want us near Him. He welcomes us into His presence. However, He does not lose His holiness. Moses has to approach God on God's terms and recognize that this ground has become holy since God's presence is there. We can approach God through the blood of Christ, but we must always remember that God is holy and there is a certain amount of respect and humility we should have for Him and Who He is.
3. God cared for the troubles of the Israelites. Even though He was the One who had led them into Egypt where they were suffering, God was not indifferent to their struggles. We can know that when we struggle and suffer in life, God knows and cares. He is grieved over His children's pain and suffering. He does not cause those things for no reason, but He always has a plan to do what is best for His glory, His kingdom and His children. If God is allowing you to struggle, and you have prayed but He has not delivered you, believe that He knows, He cares and He has a plan!
4. The final thing I would draw your attention to in this chapter is God's declaration to Moses that His name is I AM. God is the self existent One. In the Old Testament world, a name meant a lot about the thing being named. Although we have many names for God, God refuses to be totally defined by a name. He is. There is no description or label that can completely define Him. He is. God does help us to understand Him by describing Himself. He told Moses to tell the Hebrews that He was the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Since there were many "gods" in the OT world it was important that they know it was Yahweh commanding them. Before He gives that specification, however, He tells Abraham that primarily, His name is I AM. Forever past, forever present and forever future, I AM that I AM.
Lots of application because this is a very theological chapter! Thanks for reading, look later today for the post about Exodus 4. After a 2 week hiatus we are back on track!
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