Monthly Archives: February 2015

Exodus 14:1 While You Keep Silent 3-1-15

Exodus Studies Pic

©1998-2015
Fellowship
Life of Moses
Lesson 23
While You Keep Silent…
Ex 14:1ff
3.1.15

Introduction… Ever had your back up against the wall or against the sea with no retreat in sight? Ever felt like you might have been put there unfairly by the Almighty’s providence—like this is NOT FAIR, God? I did everything I was supposed to do or what I felt led to do or thought was right, and yet here I am smack up against the eight ball and about to be run over? Not a fun feeling to have, is it?

How did you handle it? Did you cry, run, scream, groan, pout, numb out? How did it eventually turn out? Was it as bad as you thought? Did you live? Are you still alive? Did God see you through? What did his deliverance ultimately look like? Looking back, did you see perhaps that God had a greater, perhaps even more unpredictable and paradoxical plan or purpose that you could have never dreamed of?

In this story, God tells Israel to make a seemingly wrong turn—a wrong turn that puts the nation at great peril and causes its members to think that they were right to begin with in questioning the wisdom of God’s plan as expressed by Moses. It would seem that much like Israel, we want our salvation fully laid out with no unexpected twists and turns, even if the twists and turns save us from a far greater future danger.

One confusing, questionable turn that God has a far greater purpose for. Threat does not equal destruction, or at least our destruction, but rather evil’s. Our response to the overwhelming threat–to NOT fear, but to trust, be confidently still or silent and watch God go to work. Trust in God is a magnificent state of mind by which to sustain all of life’s many unexpected and overwhelming threats. In fact, trust is God’s great equalizer. Try it. Trust enough to be still in the midst of a great threat…

Your Servant,
Joe
Continue reading →

Exodus 13:off The Path Less Traveled 2-22-15

Exodus Studies Pic

©1998-2015
Fellowship
Life of Moses
Lesson 22
The Path Less Traveled…
(Reminding, Teaching, Worshiping and Trusting)
Ex 13:1ff
2.22.15

Introduction… In a world that can often times seem very discouraging, what best holds you faithful or accountable in your Spiritual journey or walk with God: prayer? Sunday worship? Daily devotional reading of the Bible? Teaching others? Small group Bible study? Inspirational music? A good friend? Your mate? Who or what best holds you accountable?

One of our church kids asked me for a recommendation to go to Christian-based prep school. I asked him why? Without hesitation, he answered that he believed it would be for advantageous for him Spiritually. When I asked why? he answered that it was not easy being a Christian at his local public school. When I asked why was this? he seemed to imply that there is fear and intimidation he must face about when he is openly honest about his faith or belief in God. So sad, but not unexpected.

Now whether he gets into his Christian prep school or not, and whether it works out as he hopes for, who knows, but I do know the kid is thinking, and he is seeking to think through a biblical-Spiritual lens. He wants to talk about God without threat, and who wouldn’t. Even in the sixth grade, that’s pretty cool and seemingly somewhat rare.

How many of us filter daily existence through this type of Spiritual lens—what allows me to discuss and talk about my faith freely, without fear of rebuke or repudiation

 path-less-traveled

“Two roads diverged in a wood, and I–I took the one less traveled by. And that has made all the difference.” Taken from “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost.

In a passage that at first glance appears fairly sedate compared to what we have been experiencing here lately, i.e. devastating plagues and miracles powerfully delivered by the hand of God upon a stubborn, polytheistic Egyptian dynasty (as summarized in the review below), there lies embedded some very powerful and practical tools for Spiritual accountability. See if you can find them and perhaps label them. Then compare them to what I have listed within my own applicational truths near the end of this study. Seek to walk away with something…something that counts…something that repeatedly and consistently holds you Spiritual accountable and in the process contributes to your ongoing Spiritual vitality and longevity. Continue reading →

Exodus 12:21-39 A Bloody Branch of Hyssop 2-15-15

Exodus Studies Pic

©1998-2015
Fellowship
Life of Moses
Lesson 21
A Bloody Branch of Hyssop…
Ex. 12:21-39
Orig. 4.27.03; ed. 2.15.15

WhiteHyssop1-b

Hyssop

Introduction… God’s deliverance can be seemingly so unpredictably swift–worshipfully simple to the faithful and yet, powerfully devastating to those caught in the crossfire of evil’s destruction.

Doesn’t it surprise how unpredictable life can be at times? Sometimes, it is seemingly not so good, and other times, it can be beyond our wildest hopes and dreams? But just about the time we think neither good or bad is coming, wham! It comes sudden and unexpected. Our only defense against life’s ups and downs is the simple—the tried and true…a simple meal eaten with friends in the presence and dependence of God. God never goes away, sees all and knows all. He is our salvation everyday. We eat simple meals in trust that he is delivering us everyday and that someday he will deliver us forever. Simple meals, eaten in the presence of God with like-minded friends. Does it get any better than this, be it the Passover lamb or the body’s communion with our Lord…

What were the devastating costs required for Yahweh God to redeem (or buy back), his chosen people, the Children of Israel, via their miraculous  Exodus (or way out) from harsh Egyptian enslavement?

  • Moses makes 12 appearances before Pharaoh.
  • There are 39 mentions of Israel’s “release” or “deliverance” in order to celebrate a festival to Yahweh God in the desert.
  • 7  times Yahweh predicts that Pharaoh will not listen to Moses.
  • In order to motivate Pharaoh to release his enslaving grip upon the Israelites, Yahweh unleashes 10 Consecutive, Pervasive and Devastating Curses upon Egypt.
  • 10 times the text clearly says that Yahweh God distinguishes between Israel and Egypt with respect to the plagues’ devastating affects. 
  • Neither Pharaoh’s diviners nor his gods are any match for Yahweh’s mighty hand.  

In delivering Israel from Egypt, Yahweh God could be defeating as many as 118 Egyptian deities.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Egyptian_deities

It is also interesting to note that Yahweh’s last and greatest curse against Egypt, the curse of Egypt’s firstborn, is not just directed against the firstborn of man and beast, but also “against all the gods of Egypt” (Ex. 12:12).

  • Under intense national pain and pressure, on several occasions, Pharaoh will express a momentary remorse and contrition for not releasing Israel to worship.

Pharaoh is momentarily contrite (3x) while admitting sin (2x) and asking Moses to prayerfully intercede on behalf of Pharaoh’s disobedience to Yahweh for not releasing the Israelite as commanded by Yahweh, in order that they may fully serve Yahweh God in the desert with sacrifices (4x); Once Pharaoh  even asks for forgiveness.

  • 7x Pharaoh will declare that Israel can go and sacrifice (after plagues 2, 4, 7, 8, 9 [2x]; 10); 
  • But because of the hardening of his heart, Pharaoh will change his mind and recant his promise 4x; 
  • In fact, there are 17 references to the “hardening” of Pharaoh’s heart.

Moses makes mention of this “hardening” a total of 17 times, with 9 references being attributed directly to Yahweh’s divine intervention, 6 neutral occurrences, which could be inferred to as being attributed to Yahweh and 3 more occurrences in which Pharaoh and his servants are given the credit of “hardening” their own hearts.”

  • 4x Pharaoh unsuccessfully attempts to make a bargain with God or Moses so that not all of Israel will go and worship.
  • So what’s the point to all this protracted salvific drama? 

So with this one protracted drama acted out on history’s stage, God reveals the truth concerning God and man. God is big; man is small. Though for a time, it may seem that man can be God, when man attempts to play God, he is ultimately crushed by God, and those who choose to keep God, God and man, man, or those that ally themselves with God through faith, with will not only be delivered from corrupt man, but will be rewarded for their trust. Continue reading →

Ex 12:1-16 A Simple Meal 2-8-15

Exodus Studies Pic

©1998-2015
Fellowship
Life of Moses
Lesson 20: A Simple Meal…
Ex 12:1-16 (17-20)
Orig. 4.1.203; Ed. 2.8.15

Introduction…

Interesting how meals play such a significant role in special occasions such as birthdays, anniversaries, Thanksgiving and Christmas. I suppose if we are going to eat, we might as well enjoy it, and therefore, food or meals or wonderfully prepared meals seem to play such a logical role in most special occasions.

Don’t you think it is interesting that a meal plays such an important role in Israel’s ultimate deliverance? Why do you think this is so? Why would God connect his greatest, most devastating and deadly plague to a simple sacrificial meal? How does this meal…the Passover…relate to our meal that commemorates our Lord’s sacrifice for sin?

Some interpret that the early church’s “breaking of bread, as described in Acts 2:42ff was actually their observing the Lord’s sacrifice—his broken body and shed blood–at every meal. If so, why do you think observing the Lord’s communion with them at every meal was so important to them? Could it possibly have had anything to do with that they might have been thinking that his return to establish his earthly kingdom was imminent? Therefore with every meal, they were expressing their hope that their Savior was about to return and be with them again? And yet, as we know, this turned out not to be God’s plan? Why not? So that the message of his story would expand to the utter most parts of the world and that others would also be allowed to share in this most meaningful and yet simplest of meals?

The Bigger Picture of Israel’s Miraculous Exodus from Egypt: Between Exodus chapters 3 through 14…

• Moses makes 12 appearances before Pharaoh.

• There are 39 mentions of Israel’s “release” or “deliverance” in order to celebrate a festival to Yahweh God in the desert.

• There are 10 Consecutive, Pervasive and Devastating Curses are Unleashed upon Egypt.

• 10x the text clearly says that Yahweh God distinguishes between Israel and Egypt with respect to the plagues’ devastating affects.

• Neither Pharaoh’s diviners nor his gods are any match for Yahweh’s mighty hand.

In delivering Israel from Egypt, Yahweh God could be defeating as many as 118 Egyptian deities.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Egyptian_deities

It is also interesting to note that Yahweh’s last and greatest curse against Egypt, the curse of Egypt’s firstborn, is not just directed against the firstborn of man and beast, but also “against all the gods of Egypt” (Ex. 12:12).

In Moses’ Song of Deliverance after the salvific crossing of the Red Sea, he will ask, “Who is like you among the gods, O Yahweh?” (Ex. 15:11).

Later, when Moses is met by his father-in-law, Jethro, in the wilderness, where Moses first received his commission by Yahweh to administer Israel’s deliverance from Egypt, Jethro will bless Moses with these words: “Now I know that Yahweh is greater than all the gods” (Ex. 18:11).

And beginning with Ex. 20:2ff when Yahweh and Israel ratify their covenant together as God and nation, Yahweh makes it perfectly clear to Israel 9 more times just in the book of Exodus, your worship of me is exclusionary:

I am Yahweh your God, who brought you out of slavery in Egypt. Unlike, Egypt, you shall have no other gods before me; nor shall you make any idols for yourselves, and you shall certainly not worship them for I am a jealous God, and you have just seen how easily I was able to humble and humiliate the greatest nation on the planet and its semi-divine leader. Believe you me, I will not spare my rod of discipline for your disobedience to my covenant–upon you who have seen my grace–for at least four generations to come.

• Under intense national pain and pressure, on several occasions, Pharaoh will express a momentary remorse and contrition for not releasing Israel to worship.

Pharaoh is momentarily contrite (3x) while admitting sin (2x) and asking Moses to prayerfully intercede on behalf of Pharaoh’s disobedience to Y. for not releasing the Israelite as commanded by Y. in order that they may fully serve Y. God in the desert with sacrifices (4x); Once Pharaoh even asks for forgiveness.

• 7x Pharaoh will declare that Israel can go and sacrifice (after plagues 2, 4, 7, 8, 9 [2x]; 10);

• But because of the hardening of his heart, Pharaoh will change his mind and recant his promise 4x;

• 4x Pharaoh unsuccessfully attempts to make bargain with God or Moses so that not all of Israel will go and worship.

• At the same time, there are 17 references to the “hardening” of Pharaoh’s heart.

Moses makes mention of this “hardening” a total of 17 times, with 9 references being attributed directly to Yahweh’s divine intervention, 6 neutral occurrences, which could be inferred to as being attributed to Yahweh and 3 more occurrences in which Pharaoh and his servants are given the credit of “hardening” their own hearts.”

• 7 times Yahweh predicts that Pharaoh will not listen.

So what’s the point to all this protracted salvific drama?

Undisputed Truth about both man’s Mighty Creator and the Creator’s fickle creature.

What’s the point to all of this back and forth “repenting” for not releasing Israel and then changing her mind again not to “release” Israel?

Perhaps there are several reasons, two of which are: 1) whether influenced by God or not, the obvious fickleness and stubbornness of man’s fallen, sinful will. To one degree or another, don’t we all go back and forth in our thinking, feeling and behaving? We believe pain has taught us, but once the pain has subsided and goes away, seemingly, we must make sure that the pain we suffered was a really a consequence of our behavior, and so, we must repeatedly learn our painful lesson again and again, until we are finally crushed and left with no other conclusions nor any other means of escape or rationalization.

As fallen, deceitful creatures, we can be very obstinate in our willingness to truly learn who is really in charge and who is really our salvation. So it was with Pharaoh, who, blinded by centuries of handed wealth and power, never seemed to fully accept or embrace who was really in charge.

2) Yahweh tells Moses, before and during the unleashing of the plagues, that “I will harden Pharaoh’s heart that I may multiply my signs and wonders in the land of Egypt, and when Pharaoh refuses to listen, I will lay my hand on Egypt and bring out…my people the sons of Israel” (7:2-3; 11:9-10).

“The Egyptians shall know that I am I AM (Yahweh) and that there is no one like me in all the earth. For if by now I had put forth my hand…, you would have been cut off from the earth, but for this reason I have allowed you to remain—to show you my power and in order to proclaim my name through all the earth” (9:14-15).

In other words, the greater Egypt’s resistance, the greater her defeat and the greater, her overcomer, Yahweh God.

Finally, when Pharaoh’s pursuing cavalry is about to be utterly annihilated, Yahweh declares, “I will be honored through Pharaoh and all his army, and the Egyptians will know that I AM is that one God that truly exists, and not man’s many gods (14:3, 17).

Summary…

So with this one protracted drama acted out on history’s stage, God reveals the truth concerning God and man. God is big; man is small. Though for a time, it may seem that man can be God, when man attempts to play God, he is ultimately crushed by God, and those who chose to keep God God and man man, or those that ally themselves with God through faith, with will not only be delivered from corrupt man, but will be rewarded for their trust.

Thanks,
Your servant,
Joe  Continue reading →