Tag Archives: Moses

Exodus 17:off When the Foes Keep Coming 5-3-15

©1998-2015
Fellowship
Life of Moses
Lesson 29
When the Foes Keep Coming…
Exodus 17:1ff

Introduction…What’s on your heart right now? Now? Are you at peace? Or are you burdened down with fear and worry? Are you arms lifted up and outstretched to heaven’s eventual triumph or are they fallen in fear and discouragement?

In both these divine rescues, Moses will be directed to use the rod or staff that God had given him to shepherd his people to deliver them, despite their lack of trust that indeed they will be delivered. Has God given you a staff? Something by which he will use to prove his deliverance in your current predicament?

Our hope or desire is never to be in stress or challenge, but without the stress or challenge, there is no dependence, no cry out to God for his deliverance, no hope of his love and no strengthening of faith or trust that he will provide because he has provided in the past. If you want to be freed from being an abused serf in someone else’ abundance to owning a piece of your own heaven, then be prepared for constant, challenge, risk and danger in getting there. But with that risk-filled journey comes a divine Deliverer—God—and that my friends, is the real journey…trusting the Invisible, the Divine.

General Introduction: Moses led by God is leading the children of Israel, perhaps as many as 2-3 million strong, away from Egypt and closer to the land promised to the forefathers many seven centuries before. But their journey is not without its problems.

Recent Studies…

After healing Marah’s bitter waters, Yahweh tests Israel with a lasting ordinance—if you keep my laws, I will keep you safe from all the things that the Egyptians feared. Ex. 15:22ff.

Now, with their backs seemingly up against another wall–the wall of daily sustenance in the desert, the whole community rises up to turn its collective fear and complaint towards God’s servants. Ex. 16:1ff.

Last Week… First the People are commanded to gather and keep enough manna only for that day; Second, they are told to gather twice as much on the sixth day and to save a portion of it for the seventh day because this day is to be a day of rest that belongs to the Lord. And yet despite God’s clear commands, some will still disobey God, attempting to gather too much manna or gathering it on the Seventh day. Both attempts fail, angering both Moses and Yahweh. Finally, Israel is told to set aside into perpetuity one daily sample so that generations to come may know how Yahweh God provided for his people during on their way to the Promised Land. Ex. 16:19-36.

Pray

Read Passage several times…

Ask Questions…

First Story…

Exod. 17:1 The whole Israelite community set out from the Desert of Sin, traveling from place to place as the LORD commanded. They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink.

Where is the Desert of Sin? Why was it called Sin? Was it a bad place? Is this where we get the biblical word “to sin,” as “to miss the mark” from? How far did they travel at any one time? Ten miles? Twenty? I can’t imagine how far over two million people can travel in a day, and how far of a line would the traveling caravan have stretched? Each new embarking had to be fraught with the peril of finding little to no water. What a seemingly impossible and desperate journey of trust, faith and courage. You can’t go back to Egypt. There are nations living in the land you are traveling to and there are so many people traveling there under harsh, desert conditions. It was certainly a journey of trust and dependence.

2 So they quarreled with Moses and said, “Give us water to drink.” Moses replied, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you put the LORD to the test?”

Why did they quarrel? Were they about to die of thirst? Why does Moses ask, “Why do you put the Lord to the test”? Did this represent Israel’s doubting that the Lord would provide for them?

3 But the people were thirsty for water there, and they grumbled against Moses. They said, “Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to make us and our children and livestock die of thirst?”

On the one hand this is understandable. Why would God do this? On the other hand, he has always provided before. Why would he not now? Is this “putting God to the test”? Oh, the struggle…to trust, based on previous provisions, or to doubt and panic?

4 Then Moses cried out to the LORD, “What am I to do with these people? They are almost ready to stone me.”

Because they can see you. They can’t stone a cloud. Been there and done that.

5 The LORD answered Moses, “Walk on ahead of the people. Take with you some of the elders of Israel and take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go.

Crazy faith?

6 I will stand there before you by the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will come out of it for the people to drink.” So Moses did this in the sight of the elders of Israel.

Horeb? Is this also Sinai, where the Children of Israel will receive the Law? Is this the place of their wedding with God, where they will receive their covenant and Law? How did this water come out of a rock? Was it like a spring?

7 And he called the place Massah and Meribah because the Israelites quarreled and because they tested the LORD saying, “Is the LORD among us or not?”

Second Story…

8 The Amalekites came and attacked the Israelites at Rephidim.

Are we at the same place or have we journeyed further? And who are the Amalekites? Were they fierce or were they just threatened? And how many? And is word out and the nations lining up to defend their lands?

9 Moses said to Joshua, “Choose some of our men and go out to fight the Amalekites. Tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill with the staff of God in my hands.”

Finally, a military force. And once again, the supernatural staff that turns into a snake and that smote the Nile, the Red Sea and now a rock to deliver water, is about to figure into the Children of Israel’s deliverance once again.

10 So Joshua fought the Amalekites as Moses had ordered, and Moses, Aaron and Hur went to the top of the hill.

11 As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning.

That’s a long time to hold up one’s arms. Why attach the battle’s success to Moses’ raised arms?

12 When Moses’ hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up –one on one side, one on the other –so that his hands remained steady till sunset.

A most logical and ingenious solution…keep the hands up anyway you can…

13 So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the sword.

14 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Write this on a scroll as something to be remembered and make sure that Joshua hears it, because I will completely blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven.”

Who were these people? Why did God want to wipe them out?

15 Moses built an altar and called it The LORD is my Banner.

16 He said, “For hands were lifted up to the throne of the LORD. The LORD will be at war against the Amalekites from generation to generation.”

Is God using the Children of Israel’s sojourn to judge pagan nations?

Who? (1^st) Israelites, LORD, Moses, our children, elders of Israel, (2^nd) in addition to the first story: Amakelites, Joshua, Aaron, Hur

Where? (1^st) from the Desert of Sin, traveling from place to place, Rephidim, out of Egypt, on ahead of the people, the Nile, rock of Horeb, in the sight of, Massah and Meribah, (2^nd) at Rephidim, go out, on top of the hill, in my hands, held up, under him, on one side, one on the other, under heaven, the throne of God

When? Tomorrow, as long as, whenever, when Moses’ hands grew tired, then the Lord, from generation to generation

What?

• The Israelites travel to Rephidim where there is no water.

• They begin to doubt and quarrel with Moses because of the lack of water. 2-3

• Moses cries out to God because they are about to stone him. 4

• The LORD directs Moses, along with the elders, to walk ahead of the people and to strike the rock of Horeb. 5-6a.

• Moses does and water comes gushing out. 6b

• Moses called this place Massah and Meribah because the people grumbled and doubted God’s presence. 7

• Then the Amakelites come out and attack them. 8

• Moses tells Joshua to go out and fight them. Moses will take the staff of God to the top of the overlooking hill. 9-10

• As long as Moses held his hands up, the Israelites were winning, but when he would drops his hands they began to lose. 11

• So they provided a rock for his to sit on and they held his arms up until sunset. Eventually the Israelites defeated the Amakelites. 12-13

• The Lord commanded Moses to write this down. 14

• After which he built an altar and named it “The Lord is my Banner.” 15-16

Summary…Via His staff, God delivers Israel from two fierce enemies; a scarcity of water and a fierce foe.

Why?

• People doubt quickly, even when God has provided many times before. In other words, people have short-term memories, and they panic. Been there and seen that.

• When desperate, the mob will point its finger or focus its blame on visible leadership. Someone has got to take the fall. If we can’t fix it, then the nation must have blood. It can’t be just to cry out to God for help.

• God is faithful. He delivers and protects his people, his charge…his responsibility.

• It is God who is our source of power and strength.

• God allows life’s different dangers to threaten us in order to see if we will trust in him.

• Leadership can’t do it all by themselves; they need those whom they lead’s support.

• It is appropriate and good to commemorate God’s deliverance.

• In delivering one person or set of people God may be judging or disciplining another person or group of people. God is multitasking in his purposes.

So What?

2003 Application…

Struggles…a busy day, finishing up this lesson, participating in a wedding at our church, finishing up the message. Sunday evening. Next week, Jordan has a college baseball tryout; I am trying to find a tractor, plant some grass on the ball field and prepare for the Carpenters’ return to our church, as well as Father’s Day, etc.

Truths…Don’t panic in the midst of a fierce foe; trust God even up to the last second.

Application…Keep walking ahead with the staff of God in my hand. The staff today, I would assume would be God’s Spirit—his power becoming my power—as particularly manifested via prayer and his word. I am going to trust God to get me through this next crucial week or so, walking by faith that indeed he will see me through.

On an average day, 288 million gallons of water, enough to fill St. Louis Cardinal’s Busch stadium in 33 hours, will bubble up from the earth beneath at Big Springs near Van Bure, MO.

2015 Application…

Thanksgiving…God has been faithfully gracious to me on so many levels here lately. My life is a thanksgiving. People have helped me at just the right moment too many times to mention; I had an amazing afternoon with my Spiritual daughter, who went to sleep that night dreaming of the Spiritual story that I had been waiting to tell her for ten years—that her safety and security is NOT in a guy, but eternally secure in her kinsman redeemer, Jesus. I am indeed blessed.

Struggle…trusting God that as he has so often delivered in the past, that he will deliver again and that it will be his weekend with our college friend Nancy, the most interesting person on the planet, here to sing and share at Fellowship this weekend. I want it to be a good weekend for her, for us and for Fellowship.

Truth…That as God has always provided for us in the past, he will continue to provide for us on our journey home. And yet, without hardship or stress, there is no provision, no trust, no deliverance. The world can be a very difficult place. Leaving Egypt, traveling to Canaan, and going through the desert to get there are all threats. Can we trust his provision in the midst of little being like heaven or perfect?

Application…Today, this weekend, Sunday, this season in my life…these past thirty years at Fellowship, or almost forty years of deeply growing in my faith, or almost fifty since I trusted his sacrifice as an atoning payment for all my sinful imperfections, which is much, all represent my journey of having left the enslaving security of my own personal sinful Egypt and traveling through this world or life’s dangerous desert journey to my heavenly promise land, saturated with milk and honey. And with each trial or trying adventure is the moment in which I can panic, grumble and rebel because I see threat or to cry out to my Redeemer and trust his eventual deliverance. Each moment…Nothing has changed, except that with each trial and corresponding desperate trust comes greater confidence, hope, love and trust. I accept the journey. I want the Promise Land without the struggle, but I accept the journey. I accept the dangers. I accept the threats, but I also accept your deliverance…

Your struggles?

Truth?

Application?

Scripture quotations, unless noted otherwise, are taken from the Holy Bible: New International Version‚ NIV‚ Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers. All rights reserved.

Exodus 16:19-36 Sustainable Bread 4-25-15

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©1998-2015
Fellowship at Cross Creek
Life of Moses
Lesson 28
Sustainable Bread
Ex 16:19-36

Introduction: How would you feel if you skipped a meal? Okay, not the biggest loss in the world, but what about two meals? Now that is starting to push the envelope a bit? What about an entire day? Not the easiest thing to do, but it can be done, for some, is sadly the case? What about multiple days? Can you imagine fasting, perhaps just on juice and water, for an entire week? What about forty days? We take our daily food provision of food so for granted, so that even if we skip a meal or two or a few days worth of food, we can get very, very cranky, do we not? Now let me ask you another question? What about your daily Spiritual food allowance? Can anyone really imagine going very long without some thought or interaction with God or Spiritual truth? And yet some do it all the time. Some do it their entire lives. I can only imagine. My real concern is what kind of filter does that leave one for living life and making daily decisions? Where do ones ethics, values and morals arise from? Can this type of person really be trusted when it is all said and done? How do we know that when the chips are down, that in the end, this person won’t cut and run? We don’t. And yet, God’s children do. Why? Not enough Spiritual food. Not enough God. Not enough Spiritual nutrition. Want to have a reasonably healthy body, then eat well, sleep well and get plenty of exercise. Want to have a healthy mind, then Spiritually eat well, rest well and get plenty of Spiritual exercise in as you seek to fulfill your redeemed purpose in Christ—learn to love others well.

In the end, do you believe and trust that God’s Spirit will not only provide for my physical needs, but my Spiritual as well?

So here is my question: why might Yahweh be preparing his people for receiving his larger law in later chapters of Exodus via connecting their provision of daily manna with his Sabbath rest? Just something to think about, because that is what is just about to happen. The Spiritual and the physical are about to join. A legitimate resting from one’s labor…that is one in seven…is paramount to resting in God for one’s ongoing daily provision. Think about it.

This is an interesting section. Twice God seeks to meet his people’s needs and gives them specific directions how they are to do this? Twice some test him and fail to follow those specific directions. Twice someone gets angry. The first time, Moses; the second time, God. This chapter lays the powerful groundwork for the universal truth that God will meet our daily needs, while at the same time asking us for one day a week, set aside solely for enjoying him and his provision for those needs.

General Introduction: Moses, led by God, is leading the children of Israel, perhaps as many as 2-3 million strong, away from Egypt and closer to the land promised to the forefathers nearly seven centuries before. But their journey is not without its problems.

Recent Studies…

The sons and daughters of Israel sing out their praise to Yahweh because in what Yahweh God has just done in not only delivering Israel from utter annihilation at the hands of Pharaoh’s massive army, but in utterly annihilating Pharaoh’s army, Israel’s future, including her travel to and then being planted within her promised land is also secure. Ex. 15:1ff.

After healing Marah’s bitter waters, Yahweh tests Israel with a lasting ordinance—if you keep my laws, I will keep you safe from all the things that the Egyptians feared. Ex. 15:22ff.

Pray

Read Passage several times…(if more than 12 verses, I would read only twice).

Ask Questions…

19 Then Moses said to them, “No one is to keep any of it until morning.”

What are they supposed to do this? Eat it all during the day and perhaps through the night, but by morning is the manna decayed or rotten? So for some reason, this food is highly perishable? Interesting, would refrigeration have kept it fresh? Was this to show that God would and could meet their daily needs? Why not store it up? (This seems huge to me…)

20 However, some of them paid no attention to Moses; they kept part of it until morning, but it was full of maggots and began to smell. So Moses was angry with them.

Isn’t there always some who will try to cheat or bend the rules, test the limits? What are maggots? Fly larvae? Even if they had baked it, did it still go bad?

21 Each morning everyone gathered as much as he needed, and when the sun grew hot, it melted away.

Like dew on the ground that disappears with the morning sun? Does this mean, like water, it was highly volatile, turning from a more liquid dew to water in the atmosphere? Amazing…

“My first frost flower…..kind of a heart shape.

Perfect.” by Nancy Jesser Halsey (Posted on Facebook on November 13, 2014).

22 On the sixth day, they gathered twice as much –two omers for each person –and the leaders of the community came and reported this to Moses.

Why did the leaders feel this necessary to report this to Moses? Was this what they were supposed to do? Were the leaders concerned that the people should not have done this, just as they shouldn’t have on the other days when the manna had become rotten with fly maggots or larvae? And why did it work on the sixth day, but not any other day? Was this a miracle of God? How much is an omer? And notice, somehow divinely, much like your cell phone bill depends upon how many cell phones one has, the gatherable manna is pro-rated for the number of people per family, so that on that sixth day, if you had 6 people in your family, you were allowed to gather 12 omers for two days worth of manna, but if you had seven people, one could gather 14 omers, and if you gathered 15 omers, or one omer too much, then I suppose that extra omer would rot? So, in essence, much as the cell phone companies can track a persons calls and call minutes, texts and data usage, God, who created the laws of physics to do this kind of tracking to begin with, was able to do this with Israelite manna collection, even on that sixth day? Amazing…

23 He said to them, “This is what the LORD commanded: `Tomorrow is to be a day of rest, a holy Sabbath to the LORD. So bake what you want to bake and boil what you want to boil. Save whatever is left and keep it until morning.'”

So a person could both bake and boil manna?

Was this their first Sabbath because obviously, Yahweh had NOT given Moses Israel’s Laws or entered into a covenant with her yet? There was about to be a Law for Israel, but not yet. So the need to rest on the Sabbath is more important than the need to gather manna daily, not that gathering manna had to be necessarily difficult, which does beg the question, how long did it take to gather manna, and was it difficult or time consuming or easy? This says a lot about the importance of the Sabbath.

24 So they saved it until morning, as Moses commanded, and it did not stink or get maggots in it.

So, almost like a test, gathering twice as much manna on the sixth day did not result in the manna’s becoming full of maggots on the morning of the seventh day? Another miracle? A weekly suspension of natural laws related to the manna? What is God trying to teach Israel? Trust me? Listen to me? Worship me and I will meet your daily needs? I can make the bread rot one day and not the next.

25 “Eat it today,” Moses said, “because today is a Sabbath to the LORD. You will not find any of it on the ground today.

The manna didn’t even appear. Again amazing. So with the gathering of the daily manna, gathering too much of it that it became rotten with maggots, gathering twice as much on the sixth day and it not rotting with maggots on the seventh day and there being no manna to gather on the seventh day now clearly anchors or establishes the Sabbath in the minds and hearts of these early Israelites. The Sabbath was real. God was resting, and so should they. A precedent had been set—a day to recharge the batteries…and someday, a day to worship.

26 Six days you are to gather it, but on the seventh day, the Sabbath, there will not be any.”

What does Sabbath mean? Why did they call it Sabbath? Because it was the seventh day or a day of rest, when one ceases from their labors?

27 Nevertheless, some of the people went out on the seventh day to gather it, but they found none.

Just as there were some who had to test gathering too much on a normal day, some had to test gathering manna on the seventh day?

28 Then the LORD said to Moses, “How long will you refuse to keep my commands and my instructions?

This testing of God’s commands now provokes Yahweh who asks their leader and soon-to-be mediator of the covenant a question.

29 Bear in mind that the LORD has given you the Sabbath; that is why on the sixth day he gives you bread for two days. Everyone is to stay where he is on the seventh day; no one is to go out.”

Wow! Not even go out and play? Not even go out and worship? What was God trying to teach the people? Do our bodies, minds and souls need this kind of rest? I feel like mine does from time to time. Done; no juice; empty…

30 So the people rested on the seventh day.

Did they just sleep? Lie around? Play games inside? Talk? What did they do?

31 The people of Israel called the bread manna. It was white like coriander seed and tasted like wafers made with honey.

What is coriander seed? Honey…so it was sweet?

According to the book of Exodus, manna is white, like Coriander seed, (although modern-day coriander seed is yellow/brown).

32 Moses said, “This is what the LORD has commanded: `Take an omer of manna and keep it for the generations to come, so they can see the bread I gave you to eat in the desert when I brought you out of Egypt.'”

What is an omer? A quart? Why did God want to do this? To prove to later generations that this was not a myth? That it really was true?

33 So Moses said to Aaron, “Take a jar and put an omer of manna in it. Then place it before the LORD to be kept for the generations to come.”

Clay jar? Why would it not rot? Another miracle? I wonder how long it did last? Where did it eventually end up–lost with the ark (or box) of the covenant ? Did they keep it in the ark (box) containing the covenant (treaty/contract) that God and Israel are about to sign (or agree to)—that he will be their God and they will be his people?

34 As the LORD commanded Moses, Aaron put the manna in front of the Testimony, that it might be kept.

But what is the Testimony? The ark? Did they have it yet? Wasn’t this later?

35 The Israelites ate manna forty years, until they came to a land that was settled; they ate manna until they reached the border of Canaan.

That is a long time. So despite their eventual disobedience at Kadesh Barnea which turned a short journey into a forty year wandering, God still provided for their daily needs…interesting? Did they grow tired of the manna?

36 (An omer is one tenth of an ephah.)

What is an ephah?

Who? Moses, them (Israelites), No one, some of them, everyone, he, each person, leaders of the community, LORD, some of the people, everyone, no one, the people, people of Israel, Aaron, Israelites

Where? On the ground, went out, stay where he is, go out, in the desert, in front of the Testimony, came to a land, the border of Canaan

When? Then Moses said, until morning, began to smell, each morning, when the sun grew hot, on the sixth day, tomorrow, a day of rest, a holy Sabbath, until morning, eat it today, today, six days, seventh day, the Sabbath, seventh day, then the LORD, how long, Sabbath, sixth day, two days, seventh day, seventh day, generations to come, when I brought you out of Egypt, then place it, generations to come, forty years, until they reached

What?

The Gathering of Just Enough Manna for Each Day

• Moses commands the people to not keep the manna until morning…or a whole day…use it up or throw it out that night (because God is going to provide again tomorrow). 19

• However Moses becomes angry because some test God anyway and keep it until morning; it becomes full of maggots and smells. 20

The Gathering of Twice the Daily Amount on the Sixth Day

• Each gathered as much as he needed each morning until the sun melted the dew away. 21

• Then the leaders of the community reported that on the sixth day they gathered twice as much. 22

• In contrast to every other day, Moses tells them that this seventh day is to be a day or rest which is sacred or belongs to the LORD. Therefore, they are bake or boil it on the sixth day and save it to the next day. 23

• They did this and sure enough, unlike the other days when some tried to save it, and it rotted, this day the manna does not spoil. 24

• Moses then told them to eat it that day because not only would it not spoil, but more importantly there would be none to gather in the morning in the first place, thus making this next day a special day of the week. 25-26

• But again we have people who test the Lord and fail to follow his clear instructions. They went out on the seventh day, and there was no manna, much like many businesses feel that they can’t afford to close on a Sunday. 27

• This time the LORD gets angry and asks a prophetic question to Moses: “How long will you refuse to keep my commands?” 28

• He goes on to say that I want you to keep in mind that I have given you the Sabbath…as a day or rest. That is why you are to gather twice as much on the sixth day (presumably Friday) and not go out on Saturday. 29

• So the people did rest on the seventh day (Saturday). 30

The Saving of a Sample for Generations to Come

• Ultimately the people called the bread manna. It was white and tasted like sweet wafers. 31

• Moses then said that the LORD had commanded them to take a jar, put about the same amount of manna they gathered everyday in it and then place it before God for generations to come. So Aaron put the manna in front of the Testimony to be kept. 32-33

• Israel ate the manna for forty years until they reached the Promised Land (note: had they obeyed at Kadesh Barnea and takend the Promise Land as originally commanded, eating of manna might have only been for a few months. Instead due to their disobedience, their dependence upon manna lasted for over forty years).

Summary….

This Week…First the People are commanded to gather and keep enough manna only for that day; some disobey. Their extra manna spoils, and Moses becomes angry concerning their testing of Yahweh’s commands. 19-20.

Second, they are told to gather twice as much on the sixth day and to save a portion of it for the seventh day because this day is to be a day that belongs to their Deliverer, Yahweh God, and they are to rest in his provision. Again, a few test God by going out to gather manna, and there is no manna. This time God becomes angry. 21-30.

Third, Israel is told to set aside one daily sample before Yahweh so that generations may know how Yahweh provided for his people. 31-36.

Bottom line…God provides in a very unique manner. And make no mistake about it, it is God meeting the need. Why else would the manna rot every other day they attempted to keep it overnight, but on the seventh day, it did not rot and was not on the ground. God had a purpose: for the nation to not only trust that God would provide for his people on a daily basis, but that one day in seven they were to recognize this daily provision by not going out to gather the bread.

Tissot The Gathering of the Manna (color)

Why? (What truths do I learn about God, man, people, myself, life?)

• Obedience and trust matter to the Provider; details count as well.

• God can and does provide for his children daily.

• God desires some form of worship or recognition. Some ceasing from the normal or daily activities to recognize that he is the one that is ultimately meeting and providing for our needs.

• Some people will test the limits or the boundaries of God’s provision regardless.

• That much like Moses, God too will express his feelings about his children’s lack of trust and obedience.

• That God didn’t just make plain bread, but made it desirable by ensuring it was also sweet to the taste. My family once had a maid who also cooked and who added a little sugar to turnip greens and squash to make them more desirable to us younger kids. Thank God!

• God knows and understands our need to rest and recuperate. Life is not all about work. Though work does provide for our needs, and there are some who like to work and some that don’t like to work. In the end, there must be a balance. Too little is costly and so is too much. Too much may sound good in theory, but in the end, it leads to burn out. Therefore there is a portion of our life’s budget that should be devoted to taking a break…resting. The grind should not go on forever, and in so doing, this should prevent the burnout that so many so often feel, especially concerning their labors.

• In the end, God is a good, kind and fair employer. He provides just enough work to keep us out of trouble, but not too much to turn us into slaves to our desires or insecurities.

• It is important to remember things—especially important moments of God’s provision We do this in baptism and the Lord’s Supper—we remember not only how our Lord was baptized or immersed and observed that last Passover with his disciples, but we commemorate both our new birth in Christ as well as his sacrifice to atone for our sins until his Return.

So What?

2003 Application (one year after we moved into our new church home)…

Struggle? My seemingly trivial concern made large.

Major concern for the moment…only for this moment…is my grass. This may seem trivial to some. But it is important to me for the following reasons. I over-seeded and fertilized the Bermuda seed over the rye grass in the outfield just over a couple of weeks ago. Therefore the seed did not have as much access to the soil as it normally would have. The seed is so light and would have landed softly on the rye grass. So we mowed it to further spread the seed. Then the rains stopped and we just had to depend upon our in ground water system (thank God for that).

Now I have to go on vacation for two weeks. Which is not too bad, except for the fact that I have the sides/ foul lines and in front of the church to plant as well and will have to manually water these sections.

Because the seedbed needs to be lightly water 3-6 times a day, this is a lot of work and water management, moving hoses and sprinklers. It will require all most constant attention until the seedbed is established, which should take about three plus weeks.

Add to this that the ground has to be prepared/scratched and, at some point in time, some rocks will need to be picked up.

Finally all the seed needs to be planted by the end of July/the first of August. The reason for this is that the seed needs 70 degree nights to properly germinate and this has been the coolest summer in quite some time (hardly any 70 degree night so far through June).

So bottom line, I have a seedbed that needs to be properly prepared, and I have seed that needs to be critically constantly watered. I need heat—warm nights. I need lots of water…and water moved around properly. Or it all waits again until next year…which can happen. That’s why giving up two weeks in July for vacation is tough, but this is the only time Rhonda can go because of her work. She would stay, but I can’t do that to her nieces and nephew, since we rarely get to see them because they live in California. We really need to go.

Truth? Joe, God knows your need. He will provide your daily needs and not before.

Application? Can I trust him? Can I trust him with respect to my vacation or a momentary season of Sabbath (rest)? We have not taken any time off in two years besides an occasional weekend—which I am trying to do better at, utilizing my associate pastor to teach more in my place.

It is time to go. Trust me, Joe. No matter what happens. Can you trust me with almost blind faith? Can you rest in me? No matter what happens? Whether the grass grows or not, whether the seed germinates or not? Whether the rocks are picked up or not? Whether there is any rain or not? Whether it is warm enough at night or not? Whether there is enough water or time or help or not? Can you trust me?

Yes, Lord. I can and must. I place this field, its preparation, its seed, its water, its temperature in your hands…succeed or fail. It belongs to you. I hope to achieve my objective within the timetable I desire, but if you see fit not to, I will accept your will. It’s your field LORD, not mine. And you know when you want the family of God to play on it and not a moment sooner.

Note: I have learned a lot over the years with respect to planting, watering and fertilizing grass. I have also made tons of mistakes. The grass is still there, at least on the ball field. It appears to be a variegated mess of both cool and warm season grass, along with lots of broad leaf weeds, but it survives. Not having a consistent watering source for the cool season grasses under the trees and around the church has been more of a nightmare. I have replanted on more than one occasion. Attempting to allow it to go dormant during the hot summers has been for the most part a failure. But I was such a novice and so nervous 12 years ago when we last studied the Life of Moses. In the end, life has moved on, along with lots of hard work and with some successes and many failures. That’s just life. With just about every thing there is a learning curve, a preserving and surviving. We have survived, this much I can say. How well have we done is much more to difficult to measure.

2015 Application…

Thanksgiving…It feels like for the most part it has been a productive week. Last Sunday went fairly well. I think I made my point, though slightly rushed near the end. My flock was thinking about the depths and honesty of prayer, including asking for what we need and why we are asking it. In the end, if we really understood we were talking to the Creator of the Universe, we might stop lying to ourselves, because we are certainly not fooling God (1 John 3:18ff), for God knows all and is greater than our hearts according to John. Ineffective, shallow prayers only dull the specificity, truth and power of what we are asking, not only on our own behalf, but on behalf of others, which is perhaps much much more critical to sustainable, Spiritual fruit bearing.

Also did some intense, but hopefully profitable counseling, a lot of much-needed mowing, and enjoyed some intimate time with my wife this weekend. It was a good week.

Struggle…While I am being held accountable to finish up some holes in Sustainable Love, which is really, really wonderful, I feel like there are a lot of people I need to pastorally check on. Regardless of how well a pastor attempts to study, compose, teach, write, counsel, manage and pastor, just like a patient probably needs an annual checkup or physical, the sheep need periodic checkups or check-ons by those who have been tasked the responsibility of watching over them. In other words, it still takes one-on-one to make sure that they understand and are applying what is being taught or valued.

Truth…More effort or work to fully secure or satisfy one’s future needs is a futile canard. It can all be, and quite often is, taken away in a moment, either by death or by personal or historical ruin. Nothing is for sure. Nothing–except God, and Evil, as the Scriptures teach, until the Creator judges this fallen world and replaces this corrupted world with his New Heavens and Earth. But God has promised to meet our daily needs (Matt. 6:25ff), and in so doing, when we do focus, work, trust, seek his leadership, care for others and rest in him, what we are supposed to have for our ultimate good, regardless of the times (Romans 8:28ff), be they blessing or persecution, will be graciously provided for us, and that my friends, you can take to an eternal bank where there is never a shortage of peace of mind that one can draw upon at any moment of any given time or situation. Amen. Amen.

Application…It is not about getting everything done. That will never never never ever happen. Why? Because it can always be better, and there will always be needs…wants, desires. This is NOT and never will be a perfect world, not until Christ returns, and even then, despite the King of Kings presence, it will have its sinfully, flawed corruption. What does all this mean? I work for a King, and I take his orders. Much like was the case when I worked on a farm as a young boy, if he wants me to work in one field one day and somewhere else the next day, that is his divine prerogative….because I have the promise that he works everything out for my…our…good and that he will never leave me, nor forsake. What else is there? I have God. End of story. I have my reward…my provision…my comfort…my hope…my joy…my strength…my pleasure…my purpose…my stewardship. And much like my imperfect attempts to grow and maintain the church’s grounds and grasses, so will be my pastoring and anything else I attempt to do. Whether I like it or not, I am in process, even at the ripe old age of 58, even after having pastored the same essential flock for almost thirty years. We will survive, and it will be far less than perfect, and that is okay. Very imperfectly, I am about my Father’s business, and as I am about it, he has promised to meet my daily needs, and so far – for more than thirty, in fact, all of my life, he has. What more is there really? Peace of mind? He has given me that too, but not based on the outward circumstances, but His Spirit who is constantly teaching me God’s truth. Provision, purpose, peace of mind…I am blessed. We are blessed.

Sincerely,

Your servant,

Joseph M. Cross

Your struggle?

Truth?

Application?

Your student’s struggles?

Truth?

Applications?

Exodus 16:1-18 A New Kind of Daily Bread 4-19-15

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©1998-2015
Fellowship
Life of Moses
Lesson 27
A New Kind of Daily Bread: Manna from Heaven…
Ex 16:1-18
4.19.15

Introduction: Have you been hungry lately? Are you a bit hungry now? Have you ever felt like what it truly is to be hungry? Anyone ever fasted before? When you are hungry, you are….. Grouchy? Whining? Irritable? What is your first thought? And then when you have satisfied your hunger, then what? Do you get hungry again? Why? How do you know that you are hungry? What is hunger’s function to the human body? What about Spiritual food? Just like real food, do you think that the soul needs Spiritual food everyday or as often as we need physical food? What do you think happens to the soul when not fed Spiritually? What about starving the soul over a long period of time? How do you think the human soul compensates? And what would satisfy the soul like no other food?

Background Introduction: Moses led by God is leading the children of Israel, perhaps as many as 2-3 million strong, away from Egypt and closer to the land promised to the forefathers seven centuries before. But their journey is not without its problems.

Recent Studies…

After healing Marah’s bitter waters, Yahweh tests Israel with a lasting ordinance—if you keep my laws, I will keep you safe from all the things that the Egyptians feared. Ex. 15:22ff.

Now, with their backs seemingly up against another wall–the wall of daily sustenance in the desert, the whole community rises up to turn its collective fear and complaint towards God’s servants…

Pray

Read Passage several times…

Ask Questions…

Exod. 16:1 The whole Israelite community set out from Elim and came to the Desert of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after they had come out of Egypt.

Is this a month later, because didn’t they come out on the fifteenth day of the first month or Passover?

2 In the desert the whole community grumbled against Moses and Aaron.

The whole community…all several million?

3 The Israelites said to them, “If only we had died by the LORD’s hand in Egypt! There we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted, but you have brought us out into this desert to starve this entire assembly to death.”

Did they really think that God who had done all these great miracles would let them down now? Were they completely out of food?

4 Then the LORD said to Moses, “I will rain down bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day. In this way I will test them and see whether they will follow my instructions.

Why are the instructions so important? Don’t most people fail to follow instructions? Why? An easier way? Too lazy too read. Think they can figure it out on their own?

5 On the sixth day they are to prepare what they bring in, and that is to be twice as much as they gather on the other days.”

Why just the sixth day?

6 So Moses and Aaron said to all the Israelites, “In the evening you will know that it was the LORD who brought you out of Egypt,

7 and in the morning you will see the glory of the LORD, because he has heard your grumbling against him. Who are we, that you should grumble against us?”

So their grumbling is not really against Moses, but God?

8 Moses also said, “You will know that it was the LORD when he gives you meat to eat in the evening and all the bread you want in the morning, because he has heard your grumbling against him. Who are we? You are not grumbling against us, but against the LORD.”

9 Then Moses told Aaron, “Say to the entire Israelite community, `Come before the LORD, for he has heard your grumbling.'”

10 While Aaron was speaking to the whole Israelite community, they looked toward the desert, and there was the glory of the LORD appearing in the cloud.

Like a tornado? Bright light? Lightning? Fire?

11 The LORD said to Moses,

12 “I have heard the grumbling of the Israelites. Tell them, `At twilight you will eat meat, and in the morning you will be filled with bread. Then you will know that I am the LORD your God.'”

13 That evening quail came and covered the camp, and in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp.

14 When the dew was gone, thin flakes like frost on the ground appeared on the desert floor.

15 When the Israelites saw it, they said to each other, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was. Moses said to them, “It is the bread the LORD has given you to eat.

16 This is what the LORD has commanded: `Each one is to gather as much as he needs. Take an omer for each person you have in your tent.'”

How much is this?

17 The Israelites did as they were told; some gathered much, some little.

18 And when they measured it by the omer, he who gathered much did not have too much, and he who gathered little did not have too little. Each one gathered as much as he needed.

How did this happen?

Who? (Just hit the main characters…) The whole Israelite community, Moses and Aaron, LORD, Who are we (v. 7), each one, person (v. 16), some, he who had gathered much, he who gathered little…

Where? Set out from Elim (if anyone has a map in the back of their Bible this might be worth looking up; in fact drawing a larger map for the next year would be very helpful), Desert of Sin, between Elim and Sinai, out of Egypt, there we sat around pots, in the desert, from heaven, go out, bring in, before the Lord, toward the desert (v. 10), in a cloud, covered the camp, around the camp, on the ground appeared on the desert floor, in your tent

When? on the fifteenth day of the second month after they had come out of Egypt, then the Lord said, each day, for that day, on the sixth day, the other days, in the evening, in the morning, when he gives, while Aaron was speaking, at twilight, in the morning then you will know, that evening, in the morning, when the dew, when the Israelites, when they measured it.

What?

• At Sin the nation grumbled against Moses and Aaron. 1-2

• Did you bring us out here to die? In Egypt we had food, but now we are starving. 3

• God tells Moses I will rain down bread from heaven; Gather only enough for that day; in this way I will test their ability to follow directions. 4

• On the sixth day they are to gather twice as much. 5

• Moses and Aaron tell the people what God had said. 6

• They also tell them they will see the glory of God because you really grumbled at God, not them. 7-8

• Moses tells Aaron to tell the people to bring their complaint to God. 9

• While Aaron spoke, they saw God’s glory in the desert. 10

• God said to Moses to tell the Israelites I have heard your grumbling; At evening you will eat meat, and in the morning you will be filled with bread, and then you will know that I am God. 11-12

• That evening quail appeared and the next morning dew appeared. 13

• When the dew was gone, thin flakes were left, and the Israelites asked what is it? 13-14a

• They were told by Moses it was the bread of God. Each is to gather only as much as he needs. One omer per person. 14b-16

• No mattered how much each gathered, it came out exactly as God had said. 17-18

Summary….The people complain; God tells Moses he will meet their need; they are to meet God out in the desert; they see the glory of God; God answers their complaint; quail appear in the evening and manna, the next morning; they are only to gather what they need; it works out this way.

Bottom line…While the people take their complaint to Moses before taking it to God, God wants to meet them in the desert. There he displays his power and tells them he will meet their need. That evening and the next day, God did indeed.

Why? (What truths do I learn about God, man, people, myself, life?)

• People can tend to doubt quickly; I mean super quickly. We want to see our future salvation now. We want no threat, and there better be no threat on the horizon either. That is why it is difficult for man ever to be safe or rich or secure enough. For human nature it is never enough, and never enough leads man to idolatry, or trusting the things or the gifts over the giver of the gifts in the first place, that is God, again because after all, human nature is quite often at war or in denial with our spiritual nature. What is seen is secure, even if only momentary, until whatever it is runs out, and then we want more. To trust the Spiritual first can be a difficult counter-intuitive

• Humans tend to view life rather quickly through their stomachs. No food, or perhaps even the threat of not having food or something to eat can push people to do things that they might not ordinarily do, like fight for food, or in this case, quickly turn on the human version of the divine leadership that has miraculously bought them their freedom, something they have not enjoyed for perhaps quite some time, and protection. It’s the old adage, what have you done for me lately, God?

• In seeking human solutions first, people tend to complain to man before God. After all, what can a spiritual being that sometimes I believe in and trust, and sometimes doubt, do for me in a real crisis?

• For many, they tend to usually assume the worst, in any given situation, and sometimes this is true, but certainly NOT with God. With God there is always hope. God is hope, even if, we are only rescued from this sinful, evil existence to be with him forever.

• The future or what people don’t know about it is very scary or frightening to them.

• People would rather have the familiar, though of lesser quality, than the unknown, though of a potentially greater, more Spiritual and sustainable quality.

• God’s instructions as to exactly what to do to experience his daily deliverance and provision seem very important to God. In other words, some of the details within boundaries, in this case, do matter.

• God wants us to outright confront him when we have a problem. He is big enough to take it…in this case, even out in the desert.

• In the end and whether we would like to admit it or not, though it looks as if it is directed at the human or human leadership, when we do complain, there is an implied element to our complaint being directed at the divine.

• God is powerful and can do anything, including feed three million people in the desert, and if God can do this, he can do ANYTHING that I truly need, ask or desire to fulfill my godly function in Christ.

• Though seemingly invisible, God is always there with us, ready to step in and meet our needs, whether we think so or not.

• God met the complaining Israelites’ need exactly–not too much, not too little, but fairly.

• God tests or examines his children to see if they will be obedient. Probably, God tests his children to expose them and where they are Spiritually.

• God values a day of rest for his Creation and his Creatures—what an interesting, paradoxical and intriguing thought…one day in seven. Trust me on the other six days and I will provide for you on that seventh. Can you trust me? Can you let go? Can you do what you need to do—rest? Rest, recharge, reflect, think, pray, ponder, enjoy–just be?

So What?

2004 Application…

Struggle? Will God provide for me with respect to finishing my message today—illustrations and applications? Will God cause my Bermuda experiment to work—planting over the rye on the outfield? Will I be able to plant more areas and have them watered even while Rhonda and I go on vacation? I could go on an on…but that is enough.

Truth? God knows my need; God will provide.

Application? Today, my Bermuda grass and all my other needs in the future. Don’t look back to Egypt; look forward to the Promise land. At the same time, trust God’s daily provision, rather than building up huge storehouses. God wants me trust him that the manna will be there everyday.

2o15 Application…

Thanksgiving…That I am here, alive and hopefully still being used by God to affect Christ-like Spiritual development in the lives of others. That is nothing to take for granted. It is a gift of God. Thanks, God. Thanks for still seeking to refine and use me to Spiritually love others and inspire others to Spiritually love others. It is the greatest calling. Nothing greater. Nothing more valuable. It is life itself—our reason for taking up space on this planet; our reason for birth; our reason for Spiritual rebirth. Thank you, God for your daily provision. Thank you for YOU!

Struggle…Navigating my time, thoughts, efforts and actions through life’s dangerous coral reef over the next few hours and days.

Truth…Of course, I will complain. Of course, I will get to moments when I don’t see the solutions or God’s imminent provision, but that is okay. It is okay to take my complaint, my need, my struggle to God and allow and wait for his answer, his solution, his provision…his daily provision…

Application…Help me finish this lesson now, Lord? Am I to mow before it rains? What direction do I take for tomorrow’s teaching? 1 John 5? Matt. 6? Romans 8? Along side the summary of Christ’s empowering words to his disciples about the readily available resources we have through his Spirit, if we only ask, having had our hearts purged of impure motivations and desires and asking according to what you know to be in our best interest? Can you help me nail it down a bit more specifically, God? What is it that you want me to teach? To say? And what about tomorrow at Bill’s memorial? It’s your words, your moment, Lord. Allow me to bring glory to you only. Hone my thoughts and words, Lord. Speak and teach through your servant…

Your Thanksgiving?

Your Struggle?

Truth?

Application?

Your servant,

Joseph M. Cross

Exodus 15:22ff Trusting the Cure! 4-11-15

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Fellowship

Life of Moses

Lesson 26

Trusting the Cure!

Ex 15.22ff

4.11.15

Introduction… Have you been tested lately…in school? At your work? In life? At the doctor’s office?

How do you think you did on the test? What did the test reveal about you? About others? Was it good or bad or both?

What makes for a good test? What about a bad test? What is the purpose of testing?

Isn’t it to reveal the truth or some approximation of the truth…either what I know or don’t know about a certain subject or am I up to some task, skill or responsibility? And the purpose for this testing is either to make sure I do know what to do or how to respond, and if I don’t, then to learn it?

So are tests good for us or not? What if we were never tested?

What did your last test of any kind reveal about your relationship with God? Regardless of your test results, is God your cure?

Previous Lesson… The sons and daughters of Israel sing out their praise to Yahweh because in what Yahweh God has just done in not only delivering Israel from utter annihilation at the hands of Pharaoh’s massive army, but in utterly annihilating Pharaoh’s army, Israel’s future, including her travel to and then being planted within her promised land is also secure. Ex. 15:1ff.

General Overview…Exodus 1-14…

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

Moses makes 12 appearances before Pharaoh, with 39 mentions of Israel being “released” or “delivered” to celebrate a festival to Yahweh God in the desert. 7 times Yahweh accurately predicts to Moses that Pharaoh will not listen to Moses.

But in order to motivate Pharaoh to release his enslaving grip of Israel, Yahweh unleashes 10 pervasive and devastating curses upon Egypt. And 10 times the text clearly says that Yahweh God distinguishes between Israel and Egypt with respect to unleashing the plagues’ devastating affects upon Egypt.

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.

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

Under intense national pain and pressure, Pharaoh is finally and momentarily contrite 3x, while admitting his sin 2x and asking Moses 4x to prayerfully intercede on his behalf of Pharaoh. Once even, Pharaoh asks for forgiveness.

And in fact, 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. Of the 17 references to the “hardening” of Pharaoh’s heart. 9 references are attributed directly to Yahweh’s divine intervention, 6 are neutral occurrences, which could be inferred to as being attributed to Yahweh, and 3 more credit Pharaoh and his servants with the “hardening” of their own hearts.”

In addition, 4x Pharaoh unsuccessfully attempts to bargain with God or Moses so that not all of Israel may go and worship, but for God, there is no compromise. All of Israel must go. No one is to be left behind. No compromise. God will not bargain with nor share his glory with a earthly king who claims divinity.

The Big Picture…

Thus with one protracted drama, acted out on history’s grand stage, God reveals the painful, but obvious and clear truth concerning himself and his broken creatures–God is big; the creatures are small.

And though for a time, it may seem that the creature is capable of being or imitating God, when the creature attempts to play or challenge God, the creature is ultimately crushed by God himself—the Creator will not be robbed of his true glory–and those who chose to keep God…God, and man… man…or those that, through trust and obedience, ally themselves with their Creator, will not only be delivered or saved from the corruptness of other creatures attempting to rob God of his glory, but the righteous will also be rewarded for their trust in God, no matter what!

In other words, despite the temptation to only see life through the visible–but limited–salvation is recovered in a fallen, imperfect world via trusting the holy invisible Creator of the Universe!

Life is about faith…regardless of how man attempts to portray it…

Pray

Read the Passage two-three times…

Ask Questions (no answers)…

Ex. 15:22 Then Moses led Israel from the Red Sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur; and they went three days in the wilderness and found no water.

(Did Israel have water to begin with? I can only imagine how much water it takes the meet the needs of several million traveling pilgrims. No doubt since the Red Sea’s water is salty, any water they possessed had to have come from wells, rivers, springs or marshes. The Children of Israel being three days in the desert with little to no water reserves was a catastrophe of immense proportions, perhaps as great as what they could have faced back at the Red Sea. It would seem that this journey is just one catastrophe after another just waiting to occur. And it is interesting to note that Moses is leading Israel away from the Red Sea. Is this because God or the cloud is leading Moses or Israel in this direction by design? And “three days” into the wilderness certainly bears some similarities to God’s original command to Moses back in Ex. 3:18, and repeated in 5:3; 8:27 and Numbers 10:33; 33:8 in which the journey out into the desert to worship God or celebrate a feast unto Yahweh (7:16; 8:1, 21; 9:1, 13; 10:3, 9, 26) is always three days. Now Israel is three days out into the wildnerness.

Ex. 3:18…and you with the elders of Israel will come to the king of Egypt and you will say to him, ‘The Lord, the God of the Hebrews, has met with us. So now, please, let us go a three days’ journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God.’ 19 But I know that the king of Egypt will not permit you to go, except under compulsion. 20 So I will stretch out My hand and strike Egypt with all My miracles which I shall do in the midst of it; and after that he will let you go. 21 I will grant this people favor in the sight of the Egyptians; and it shall be that when you go, you will not go empty-handed. )

23 When they came to Marah, they could not drink the waters of Marah, for they were bitter; therefore it was named Marah.

(Finally, water, but it’s bitter. Could it still be drunk or did the “bitterness” presume the water was unfit to drink, perhaps spoiled by sulfur? Doesn’t “Marah” mean bitter, and doesn’t the proper name “Mary” derive from this Hebrew word for “bitterness”?)

24 So the people grumbled at Moses, saying, “What shall we drink?”

(Doesn’t “grumble” mean to “speak beneath one’s breath or hushed tones,” suggesting that the people were not speaking directly to Moses, but instead were passively aggressively gossiping and grumbling among themselves, something just as deadly for not only for the leadership…i.e. Moses, but for the nation itself? Note: it is much easier to complain behind someone’s back in order to create a mob mentality that it is to speak about concerns openly and honestly.)

25 Then he cried out to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a tree; and he threw it into the waters, and the waters became sweet.

(Much as the people cried out to Moses when their backs were up against the Red Sea and Pharaoh’s chariots were bearing down on them, once again, the people cry out to Moses, who in turn is forced to cry out to God for relief. What’s a tree got to do with things? It should be noted that more than likely for the people this appeared to be the end of the road because bitter waters are not de-bittered in a moment. Rather, a new source of water must be found. Instead, God is about to demonstrate that once again, he can do all things, including making bitter water sweet.)

There He made for them a statute and regulation, and there He tested them.

(God anchors his deliverance here with a new law or statue, no doubt a foreshadow of a much greater and extensive national covenant that the Children of Israel are about to enter into with Yahweh God at Mt. Sinai. What was the test—the bitter waters…to see if they would cry out to or trust God for their deliverance? Did they past the test because they cried out not to God, but God’s human representative?)

26 And He said, “If you will give earnest heed to the voice of the Lord your God, and do what is right in His sight, and give ear to His commandments, and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have put on the Egyptians; for I, the Lord, am your healer.”

(Yahweh-Rapha…I AM the Healer? I healed the bitter waters and I will protect you from the deadly diseases that you rightly fear? Their cure…listen and faithfully carry out the commandments and statues that God is about to give them. Worship me and you will remain healthy.)

27 Then they came to Elim where there were twelve springs of water and seventy date palms, and they camped there beside the waters.

(An oasis? New waters? More waters?)

Who’s?

Where’s?

When’s?

What’s?

• Having witnessed Yahweh deliver the Israelites from their most eminent threat, Moses now leads the Israelites three days away from the Red Sea into the desert. There is now no turning back.

• After that third day into the Desert of Shur the Israelites find themselves at a location with water, but the water is bitter and undrinkable, thus it was called Marah with means bitter.

• The people begin to “murmur” or “grumble” what water can we drink? A possible rebellion against Moses’ questionable decision to lead them into the desert is beginning to build and swell.

• In response, Moses once again, as he did when Israel had their backs up against the Red Sea, cries out to Yahweh, and Yahweh shows Moses a tree, which Moses tosses into the waters, making them no longer bitter and therefore drinkable.

• In that critical moment, Yahweh begins to test Israel by laying the foundation for the covenant he is about to enter into with Israel. He makes a binding ordinance with them—if they listen, pay attention to, guard and keep his commands, then the Israelites will never have to fear the constant and growing set of plagues and diseases that the non-believing Egyptians were forced to endure and suffer. As I healed these bitter waters before you today, I can also keep you safe from all harm. You just have to remain faithful to the commands or laws that I am about to give you. I am Yahweh your healer.

• Shortly after this, they come to the oasis at Elim where there is plenty of water, so they camp there.

Summary… After healing Marah’s bitter waters, Yahweh tests Israel with a lasting ordinance—if you keep my laws, I will keep you safe from all the things that the Egyptians feared.

Why’s? Why did God include this passage in his timeless word? Or What do I learn about God? Life? People? Myself?

• God has a purpose. We may not always understand it and seldom agree with it, but why would we? Our natural intention is not to put ourselves in positions of stress, not necessarily or intentionally. No doubt many of our foolish decisions do put us in very difficult and sometimes stressful situations, but it is not always by design. Human nature is to, quite often, take the path of least resistance rather than the more difficult and less-traveled road or path. In this case, instead of remaining close to a momentarily-humbled, but still mighty and civilized Egyptian culture, one in which Israel had existed within for most of their seven hundred year history as a people. Moses now does something many great leaders, as well as, insane leaders–he makes a radical, almost suicidal turn straight into the desert for three days. It is as if he is leading Israel straight down the gangplank, only instead of a ocean of water, this gangplank leads into a dry ocean of sand with little water. Is this God’s plan? Could God, via his Spiritually-chosen and prepared leadership, lead his people on such a seemingly suicidal journey? Yes, he can, does and is. With God all things are possible. They key is is God in the venture. If God is, there is no impossible.

• And now the test or lesson begins. There is water, but the water is bitter. So close and yet so far away. Water, but major disappointment when the water is discovered to be undrinkable. Can you imagine the people’s disappointment. Once again, it seems that God has delivered us, only to leave us hanging again. What is going on? Why isn’t his deliverance secure? When do we get to rest—in the Promise Land? But first we must make this testing, trying, faith-proving journey. There must be repeated threat after repeated threat, but in those threats, can and will God deliver? If so, what is God trying to teach Israel? That they can depend up on him no matter what? And why is this so so important? Because, even when they get into the Land, Israel needs to be firmly convinced that their salvation is not in themselves, their leadership or their comfortable situation. Rather it is in God and God alone. Worship, love, obey, listen to God, and Israel will thrive—leaving Egypt, in the desert and in their Promised Land.

• It’s not only human nature to whine, complain and grumble when things do go perfectly or the way in which we want them to go, but much like a contagious disease, grumbling is also quite contagious. Once it begins, its momentum is difficult to arrest. Just witness modern day’s social media mob lynchings. There is a rush to judgment, with little pause to get all the facts. The crowd wants blood. It is human nature. Beware. The same forces were marshaled to turn a crowd that had been highly supportive of Jesus as Israel’s promised Messiah into a mob screaming for his crucifixion. Bizarre, but real, and it has something to do the crowd’s contagion. I mean who wants to risk going against the mob. Like the sudden immenseness of a earthquake-caused tsunami wave, a quiet crowd seems incredibly susceptible to being transformed into an unruly mob. In this case, it was the disappointment of having discovered bitter water as opposed to non-bitter water, but for billions of others, it can be million other things.

• It is interesting that shortly after that Marah’s bitter waters were healed, Israel comes to the oasis of Elim. Isn’t that so often the case. There is the test, and then there is the relief. Relief was just around the corner, but disappointment of unmet expectations combined with the whining of many others can be a deadly contagion in and of itself, no less deadly that the plagues which God had used to redeem Israel from their bondage in Egypt. Be patient. Don’t freak out when the water is bitter. Stay calm. God’s immediate healing, as well as, more longer-term sustainable relief may just be around the corner. Are we going to trust through the disappointment or, like children, are we going to throw our Spiritual temper tantrum? God you were supposed to…

Thousand Palms Oasis Preserve near Palm Springs, CA

So What’s? How does this truth personally apply to one of my life’s struggles?

Thanksgiving… Finished a major section of SLove—the frailty of the Greek concept of eros or sexual or romantic love. I say finished. Is anything ever really finished? But in general, what I was wanting to say, I said it, though it did take 4,000 plus words, which can be a lot, but at the same point, it is a start. It’s an important concept, whether in the end, I make it in fewer words or not. And the reason that this is a praise, is because I had really struggled in finding a reasonable window of time to be able to remember even where I was so that I could continue my thought stream, so Shelly and I came up with another plan to hold me accountable…smaller goals on a shorter time scale. This time it worked. Thank God!

Also, after less than two weeks since Rhonda’s mom broke her hip and having surgery to repair it, she returns to her apartment today! Her memory struggles cold be a real wild card though.

Struggle… Depending upon how I view it, I may have a lot to do with not a lot of time to do it in over the next two days. It’s been a productive week, but it would seem it needs to get even more productive. Time is precious, but perhaps more important is God’s will and desire within these precious moments. He knows me; he knows my tasks and purposes; he knows my time and he knows any obstacles that are about to appear in my path. The key is to do what he wants, not what I want.

Truth… God’s unpredictable and seemingly counter-intuitive testing and leading, followed by his lessons, truth and longer term relief in contrast to his children’s contagious whining when expectations are not immediately met.

Application… I want to whine. I want to panic when things are not going my way or I anticipate the pressures. I may not be a crowd or a restless, impatient and disappointed mob, but my mind often acts that way.

In fact, I am watching golfers at the Masters Golf Tournament do it right now. They miss a few shots, lose a few strokes to par, miss a put, and you can see the disappointment, the let down, the defeatism within their body language. Their performance on the golf course has not met their expectations, and now their response, to these shots, affect their upcoming shots. I mean it doesn’t make logical sense to respond to adversity or fear with quiet confidence—quiet confidence in what? Myself? God? That the odds or my luck will change? But for the believer, he has been healed. He has God; he has a relationship with God through his faith in the Son of God’s atonement, healing or payment for one’s sinful imperfection. I have been healed. I am healed, at least Spiritually.

And if I trust this truth, this fact, then regardless of what happens or might happen, I am safe. I am secure. My ultimate deliverance from God’s righteous judgment is absolutely secure. So what difference does it really make if my back is to the Red Sea and Pharaoh’s chariots are in hot pursuit, or whether I have journeyed three days into a desert ocean with exhausted water resources and have finally found water, but discover it is undrinkable, or if I think I have too much to do and too little time to get it all done? My responsibility is to do what it has always been.

Just as the golfer can only focus on one swing of the golf club at a time, regardless of his last shot, his last several shots, his score, his lack of practice or a swing coach or how every one else is responding, so the believer can only focus on being in the moment—what is God’s Spirit teaching, leading or inspiring me to do…now? Not an hour from now, not three days ago, or a year ago. Now! Now…what is God’s truth? What does obedience to his will, his truth, his commands look like?

So far now, finish this study. That’s it. After that, can I trust that because I am healed through Christ, his Spirit will give me my next Spiritual task to do?

What about you? Struggle? Truth? Application?

What about your students? Their struggles (list a few; think about several of your students)?

Applications?…

Scripture quotations taken from the New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968,1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation Used by permission.” (www.Lockman.org).

Exodus 14:15ff Into Life’s Sea! 3-15-15

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Fellowship
Life of Moses
Lesson 23
Into Life’s Sea!
Ex 14:15ff

3.15.15

Introduction…Have you ever read or heard a story or watched a film in which the protagonist had absolutely no means of escape—they had reached the end of their rope, only to have the author or writer, much like a magician pulling a rabbit out a hat, write the script in such a manner in which the character is unexpectedly delivered? I mean you the reader saw no means of escape, and then suddenly the unexpected happens and what was not possible is possible? I meant that is good writing or story telling, and the tighter the jam and the more unexpected, but realistic rescue, the better the story.

I remember watching the earlier episodes of the cliff-hanger 24. Every episode ended with special agent Jack Bauer or someone close to him, including his family, about to be killed. One couldn’t wait until the next episode to see how this plot device would find its resolution. Since I watched the episodes on DVD, I remember watching like two-thirds of a season one night. I would tell myself I was only going to watch a few minutes of the next episode to see how Jack would save the world, but again and again, I would watch the full episode which would lead to another cliff-hanger ending, which would lead to my repeated bargaining that I would only watch a few minutes of the next episode. And this all took place, according to the show’s premise in one 24 hour day. I mean think about it, the writers got me to buy into Jack saving the world 24 times in one season or day! Thus the power of the cliff-hanger.

Well, life can seem like a cliff-hanger at times. Ever had your back completely up against a wall with seemingly no means or way of escape? How did your drama turn out? Did God rescue you? Did you live to tell about it? How?

Previous Lesson… Yahweh uses the Israelites as a trap in order to destroy Pharaoh’s armies and bring Yahweh his true glory.
Ex. 14:1ff.

General Overview…Exodus 1-14…

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

1) Moses makes 12 appearances before Pharaoh.

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

3) 7 times Yahweh predicts that Pharaoh will not listen to Moses.

4) In order to motivate Pharaoh to release his enslaving grip upon the Israelites, Yahweh unleashes 10 Consecutive, Pervasive and Devastating Curses upon Egypt.

5) 10 times the text clearly says that Yahweh God distinguishes between Israel and Egypt with respect to the plagues’ devastating affects.

6) 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

7) 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).

8) Under intense national pain and pressure, Pharaoh is momentarily contrite (3x) while admitting his sin (2x), as well as, asking Moses to prayerfully intercede on behalf of Pharaoh’s disobedience to Yahweh for not having released the Israelite as commanded by Yahweh in order that the Israelites may fully serve Yahweh God in the desert with a festival of sacrifices (4x); Once even, Pharaoh asks for forgiveness.

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

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

11) 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.”

12) 4x Pharaoh unsuccessfully attempts to make 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 divine drama?

With this one protracted drama acted out on history’s grand stage, God reveals the truth concerning himself and his broken creature. God is big; the creature is small. And though for a time, it may seem that the creature is capable of being or imitating God, when the creature attempts to play God, he is ultimately crushed by God himself—the Creator will not be robbed of his true glory–and those who chose to keep God, God, and man, man–or those, that through trust and obedience, ally themselves with their Creator will not only be delivered or saved from the creature’s corruptness, but rewarded for their incredible trust! In other words, despite the temptation to only see life through the visible, but limited, salvation is found in a fallen, imperfect world through trusting the holy invisible—God!

Pray

Read the Passage two-three times…

Ask Questions (no answers)…

15 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to Me? Tell the sons of Israel to go forward.

So the Israelites, seemingly trapped between the sea and Pharaoh’s fast-approaching military onslaught, have turned on Moses and are now regretting their decision to leave Egypt. Moses in turn has tried to calm the people by telling them to be silent and witness Yahweh’s deliverance.

And now God asks, “Why are you crying out to me?” Why wouldn’t they, unless, steeled by ten previous acts of God, they wouldn’t possibly imagine God bringing them out into the desert to die? I mean it would make sense. Why go to all the trouble of delivering them in the process to drop the ball now? And yet, aren’t most of us like the Israelites, asking God, What have you done for me lately? Like today? When will we ever learn that the God of Creation is the same, yesterday, today and tomorrow and who has continually delivered us again and again, as well as so many others, can and will deliver us from our latest fear or threat?

God tells them to go forward as if nothing has changed. Stick with the plan. But forward leads into the sea, God. That doesn’t make sense. Faith. Trust…that the invisible, heaven is real and that it can impose its will upon the earth or the physical at any given moment. Be silent! Go forward! The LORD will fight for you!

16 As for you, lift up your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it, and the sons of Israel shall go through the midst of the sea on dry land.

Divide the sea? Are you kidding? I mean the other ten plagues were amazing, but this–this miraculous act of God–seems that much more staggering than everything that has already taken place.

17 As for Me, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they will go in after them; and I will be honored through Pharaoh and all his army, through his chariots and his horsemen.

No, God. It’s one thing to part the sea, but to allow Pharaoh’s chariots to march in after us, why? They will slaughter us? How will you be honored by this, LORD?

18 Then the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord, when I am honored through Pharaoh, through his chariots and his horsemen.”

Somehow, God is about to be honored by the Egyptian pursuit of the Israelites into the about to be parted Red Sea.

19 The angel of God, who had been going before the camp of Israel, moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud moved from before them and stood behind them.

So the angel of God who seems to be cloaked in a great cloud and who has been leading them now moves backward to protect them.

20 So it came between the camp of Egypt and the camp of Israel; and there was the cloud along with the darkness, yet it gave light at night. Thus the one did not come near the other all night.

So it would seem that night was approaching or that this event possibly even took place at night?

21 Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the Lord swept the sea back by a strong east wind all night and turned the sea into dry land, so the waters were divided.

A wind from the northern Arabian peninsula or Saudi Arabia today? Or perhaps even further from present-day Iraq?

Note: the Hebrew verb translated “swept” here is the Hebrew verb halek or “to walk.” Literally, Yahweh caused the waters “to walk” back until they were joined together in the shape of a wall “chowmah.”

Note: it would seem that something very much akin to how water molecules within a tree’s vascular delivery system, using the laws of adhesion, cohesion and surface tension, overcome the forces of gravity and climb as a high as 300 feet in order to deliver water to the tree’s leaves for the process of cellular photosynthesis might have taken place here. In other words, the east wind creates an air tunnel in which the water molecules cling to one another, defeating gravity and thus forming two walls of water.

22 The sons of Israel went through the midst of the sea on the dry land, and the waters were like a wall to them on their right hand and on their left.

23 Then the Egyptians took up the pursuit, and all Pharaoh’s horses, his chariots and his horsemen went in after them into the midst of the sea.

24 At the morning watch, the Lord looked down on the army of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and cloud and brought the army of the Egyptians into confusion.

25 He caused their chariot wheels to swerve, and He made them drive with difficulty; so the Egyptians said, “Let us flee from Israel, for the Lord is fighting for them against the Egyptians.”

Is this a momentary delaying action of God on behalf of the Israelites, so that instead of catching up to and capturing the Israelites, the Egyptians doubt and attempt to turn around? But it’s too late…

26 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea so that the waters may come back over the Egyptians, over their chariots and their horsemen.”

27 So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to its normal state at daybreak, while the Egyptians were fleeing right into it; then the Lord overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea.

So even in the Egyptians’ attempt to flee in panic, it is too late. Nothing will save them from God’s mighty judgment.

28 The waters returned and covered the chariots and the horsemen, even Pharaoh’s entire army that had gone into the sea after them; not even one of them remained.

Utter annihilation…

29 But the sons of Israel walked on dry land through the midst of the sea, and the waters were like a wall to them on their right hand and on their left.

30 Thus the Lord saved Israel that day from the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore.

31 When Israel saw the great power which the Lord had used against the Egyptians, the people feared the Lord, and they believed in the Lord and in His servant Moses.

Thus, this would seem to serve as the 11th plague or miracle?

The creature doing, over a long period of time, in the modern times, what the Creator did in a moment during ancient times. This is the new Panama Canal being built across Panama’s land bridge. Of course, Yahweh created a momentary land bridge through the open sea, whereas the new Panama Canal represents a water bridge over land.

Who’s?

Where’s?

When’s?

What’s?

• Yahweh asks Moses why is Israel crying out to him? Tell them to go forward.

• As the Israelites go forward into the sea, God tells Moses to stretch out his staff over the sea so that the staff will divide the waters and thus allow the Israelites to go forward on dry land, as if they see were not there at all.

• In so doing, God will once again, harden the Egyptian’s heart so they will foolishly go against their instincts and pursue the Israelites into the divided sea. When the Egyptians do this, God will be honored.

• That night the angel of LORD dwelling within the pillared cloud by day that also appears as pillar of fire at night comes between the Israelite and Egyptians camps, thus protecting the Israelites.

• Moses then stretches out his hand over the sea, and, using a strong east wind, God parts the sea, so that the Israelites bravely crossed the sea on dry land.

• Eventually the Egyptians also entered into the sea in pursuit of the Israelites, but at some point in time the LORD causes the chariots to swerve and have difficulty.

• At this point, realizing that the LORD was fighting for the Israelites once again, the Egyptians attempt to retreat, but it is too late. Moses once again stretches out his hand, and the divided waters return together, drowning all of Pharaoh’s chariots and horsemen, even washing their bodies up on the shore.

• Thus the LORD saved Israel from the hand of the Egyptians and the Israelites feared the LORD and trusted his servant Moses.

Summary… Yahweh first parts the sea, allowing the Israelites to escape the pursuing Egyptians, but then after Israel safely reaches the other side of the sea, Yahweh causes the waters to return together, drowning Pharaoh’s chariots and horsemen and in so doing, saves the Israelites from the Egyptians.

Why’s? Why did God include this passage in his timeless word? Or What do I learn about God? Life? People? Myself?

• When it seems that a believer or a community of believers backs are up against the wall and there is no escape, that this is simply not true. With God there is always a means of escape. How? Who knows? But with God all things are possible, even the using of an east wind to divide the waters of a sea so that an entire nation can walk to safety through the sea on dry land.

• Sometimes following God’s will is nothing more than moving forward, even if moving forward seems impossible on first glance. It’s as if God seems to be saying to the Israelites…you know what to do. Do it!

But God?

What did I say? Move forward. Don’t stop, even if slowly. Just keep moving. Stop doubting. I brought you to this point; I am not about to abandon you. What you don’t see is a greater purpose—not just your momentary safety, but the destruction of your greatest threat. Trust me. Just keep moving.

• Much like the fiery pillar of cloud, does the Spirit protect God’s children today?

• God can and does harden hearts for his greater purposes. In this case, when God hardens the Egyptians’ hearts, they foolishly pursue the Israelites on into the Red Sea. I mean think about it. Why would they think that they could do the same as the Israelites? They have just suffered through ten miraculous, destructive plagues in which Egypt took a beating. Why would participating in the impossible—crossing the Red Sea on dry land—not be a foolish strategy. And yet, God harden their hearts so that they wouldn’t think about it, but instead, seeing vulnerable Israelites, the Egyptians could smell blood in the water. And yet it was there own destruction they were foolishly pursuing. It’s called a trap, and the Egyptians fell for it hook, line and sinker. God will not be trifled with.

• The victory that God fought on behalf of the Israelites was a total one. Yahweh delivers and Yahweh delivers completely.

So What’s? How does this truth personally apply to one of my life’s struggles?

Thanksgiving… Feels like I have gotten a lot done here lately. Still a lot more to do.

But I did get to babysit my Spiritual granddaughter today as her mother had some cavities filled at the dentist. I was nervous at first, but the pacifier saved me. One elderly lady did ask me when was the last time I had done something like this? I said 27 years ago and then tried to relax. Later she commented, “now you have it down”.

Also enjoyed taking pics and visiting with my church family at a fun-filled Taco Wednesday. Apparently, I was so busy, I got to eat two tacos with no fixins while on the run. But it was a joy to see everyone enjoying themselves. In addition, since this was serving as a rescheduling of our winter tradition of Taco Sunday, our out-of-town taco posse was not there. They had come up a week and half before, bought the food, cooked the meat and then got snowed out, so Fellowship’s “B” team stepped up, did an amazing job and still cooked, prepared and served over 250 tacos.

As it is Rhonda’s spring break from school, we plan to get away and go back to my hometown to check on those, who, for the most part, played significant roles in my Spiritually development. Since my mother no longer lives there, but lives near my brother in another part of the state, I haven’t been back to the home of my roots in quite a few years. The health of the farmer I worked for as a youth has become quite fragile, and I want to make sure I see him. After that, Rhonda and I plan to take a few days to revisit some of the annual Spring Pilgrimages in Mississippi and Louisiana.

In other words, God has been very gracious, fitting together my life schedule here lately, and I am very grateful.

Struggle…It seems that during this later part of the winter, as winter has seemingly struggled to release its unforgiving grip, quite a few of the sheep have been struggling as well. Not quite sure what to make of it. Perhaps it is just a season. But despite my reasonable best efforts to check on them, I am afraid I have missed a few. Spiritually shepherding can be quite a fragile process at times. It seems all it takes is one mistake, one slip up, one momentary neglect and you can lose a sheep really fast. So despite getting a lot done, as well as, not getting even more done, such as the writing I am committed to doing, I still fall short in my shepherding. True Spiritual shepherding is not for the faint of heart.

Truth… There is always Spiritual escape, salvation and deliverance, even when are backs are seemingly backed up against the Red Sea with Pharaoh and his armies in white hot pursuit. Just keep moving forward. We live, walk, trust, not by sight, but by faith or trust—trust that not all is seen, but that there is much NOT seen, including God, his heaven and angels, and that when we as obedient children of faith seek his deliverance, he hears our cries for help and causes the waters to walk up into walls so that we might pass through our seemingly desperate moments into our salvation. And as he parts the sea, he protects our backs with his presence. And someday, his righteous truth will destroy our enemies, which are also his enemies. We need to just keep moving forward, even if slowly, even if into what appears the impossible. Amen! Because it is through the impossible that God, through his saving of the children of Israel through the Red Sea, seeks to save us through and from.

Application… I can’t think of too many days or seasons of my over thirty years of pastoring God’s flocks or over forty years of seeking to walk with God that my life has NOT been at the mercy of some kind of threat. Life has never really been easy, and yet, God has proved himself worthy of trust, prayer, hope and obedience again and again and again. In fact, threat forces me to seek, trust and love him, and in doing so, more and more, I have learned to live in his peace, despite life’s constant threats. In other words, life’s threats will probably never cease. If it is not one thing, it will be something else, but what is constant is God and his Spirit, presence, peace and protection. It is not the absent of threat that gives me peace, but trusting God’s presence in the midst of threat that gives me lasting peace, and no one can put a value on that. If I could give anything to anyone, this is perhaps the one thing I would want to give away—the ability to be at Spiritual peace, regardless of the seemingly outwardly or inwardly circumstances. It is a power beyond all powers…a truth beyond all truths. Thus, regardless of my present schedule, dreams, hopes, frustrations and failures, my peace is not in the untrained, fickle outward, but the everlasting, constant inward—that God is with me and has promised to deliver me through his Son and Spirit… no matter what! And you can take that to the bank. Why are you crying out to Me? Tell my children to move forward! That is my mission; my purpose; my singular calling, and that is what I hope to continue to preach, pray, sing and do until my dying breath… Tell my children to move forward!

What about you? Struggle? Truth? Application?

What about your students? Their struggles (list a few; think about several of your students)?

Applications?…

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

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©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

“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

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©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

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

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©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

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.

• 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 →

Exodus 11:1-10 About Midnight… 1-25-15

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©1998-2015
Fellowship
Life of Moses
Lesson 19
About Midnight…
Ex 11:1-10
Orig. 4.16.3; Updated: 1.25.15

Looking Back So Far…

Moses Makes 12 Appearances Before Pharaoh.

From Exodus 3-14, at the divine command of Yahweh (I AM), the children of Israel’s God, Moses, not once or twice or even three times, but an exhausting 12 times, will stand before Egypt’s mighty ruler, the pharaoh, whom the Egyptians consider to be divine as well, warning him to release the enslaved children of Israel, including their women, children and livestock, in order that they might travel three days into the desert so that they may hold a pilgrim festival to the God of their forefathers, Yahweh God.

39 Occurrences of “Release” or “Deliverance” are Mentioned.

In addition, in these 12 critical chapters, the writer of Exodus, presumably Moses, will make mention of Egypt’s “release” of Israel a whopping 24 times. Add this to another 15 mentions of Israel being “delivered out of Egypt,” and the reader is told 39 times why Israel’s God, Yahweh, is using these series of divine plagues or curses, to cause the mighty Egypt to “release” its grip of God’s now-enslaved people, Israel.

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

At the same time, in one of the great plot twists of all-time, Yahweh God seems to have little interest in a direct approach that would cause Egypt to release its crushing grip on her enslaved serfs. Instead, using something akin to a modern-day top ten count down, Yahweh, while sparing his enslaved child, Israel, any pain, will inflict ten consecutively, pervasively and devastating curses upon Egypt, with the last being a curse that crushes the once-mighty collective psyche of the nation that had once constructed the great Pyramids.

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

Neither Pharaoh’s Diviners nor gods are any Match for Yahweh’s Mighty Hand.

And for a brief moment, as society often seems to be able to do, but only for a brief moment, Egypt will appear to keep up with Yahweh’s divine power. Pharaoh’s wise men, astrologers and magicians, along with their pre-curse turning of their own staffs turning into snakes, as Moses’ staff had become (although Moses’ staff/snake was able to devour the magician’s many staffs/snakes), will somehow manage to replicate the appearance of the first two curses. But after that, as far as the magicians’ abilities are concerned, they are done for, and by the 6th plague, when they are woefully inflicted by the plague’s festering boils, they refuse to even make an appearance before Pharaoh due to their hideous condition.

In Delivering Israel from Egypt. Yahweh God Defeats as Many as 118 Egyptian gods and goddesses.

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. Believe you me, I will not spare your discipline for at least four generations.”

It is interesting to note that in defeating Egypt, Yahweh, not only defeated her seemingly-divine pharaoh and his diviners, but in doing so, he also invalidated the power and strength of her many gods and goddesses, which Wikipedia numbers as many as 118, including Ra, the sun god; Isis, the mother god, also linked with motherhood, protection and magic; Amun, the creator god and preeminent deity during the New Kingdom (c. 1550 BC – c. 1077 BC), Astarte or Ishtar, the warrior goddess; Baal, the sky and storm god (also worshiped during the New Kingdom); Hapi, the personification of the Nile’s annual flooding; Heka, the personification of magic; Heket, the frog goddess said to protect women in childbirth and Hesat and Mehet-Weret, maternal cow goddesses, just to name of few.

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

Under Intense National Pain and Pressure, Pharaoh Expresses a Momentary Remorse and Contrition on 3 Occasions.

7x Pharaoh, you can go and sacrifice (2, 4, 7, 8, 9 [2x]; 10); 4x, because of the hardening of his heart, he will change his mind and recant his promise; 4x Pharaoh unsuccessfully attempts to bargain with God or Moses.

At the Same Time, there are 17 References to the “Hardening” of Pharaoh’s Heart.

Yahweh goes about his indirect and dynamic plot build up via the on again off again “hardening” of Pharaoh and his ministers’ hearts—in other words, although Egypt will be humbled by each plague, after the plague or curse ceases, once again, her heart will be “hardened” towards the “releasing” of Israel in order to celebrate a pilgrim feast to her God, Yahweh.

7 Times Yahweh Predicts that Pharaoh Will Not Listen.

On 7 more occasions, the Scripture will say that Pharaoh “refused to listen” as God also predicted 7 times.

What’s the Point to all this Protracted Drama? Undisputed Truth…about both a Mighty Creator and his 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 as taught us, but once the pain has subsided, seemingly, we must make sure that the pain we suffered was a really a consequence of our behavior, and so, we have to repeatedly learn our painful lesson, until we are finally crushed and left with no other conclusions and no 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, probably blinded by centuries of handed wealth and power, never seemed to get who really was in charge.

2) And secondly, 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 I AM..that God, not many gods, exists (14:3, 17).

So with this one protracted drama, God reveals not only the smallness and immaturity of fickle, human man, including one of the world’s great powers and its seemingly divine leader, but God’s true greatness, wisdom, power and his desire to deliver those who truly trust in him.

Thanks,
Your servant,
Joe

Continue reading →

Exodus 10:off Fighting the Locust Wind 1-11-15

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Introduction…

I remember about seven or eight years ago, in my early fifties, after receiving a couple of traffic tickets in a row, one for driving my son’s four-wheel drive with recently expired plates in the snow to pick up my son at the airport; another was when a policeman said I did not slow down quickly enough in a school zone, even though it had snowed that day and school was not in session, and even though I knew it was a speed trap and was slowing down at the time. After that, I said it was not worth it. After 35 years of driving, the Law had finally broken my spirit. Not that I still don’t speed at times, but before there wasn’t really a heart to obey the speed limit. Now, I don’t mind. What broke me? Two back-to-back tickets.

So what does it take to break you? When was the last time you attempted to plead your case to a policeman, judge, parent, teacher, girlfriend, boyfriend, customer service representative, coach etc.?

Did it work? Was is successful? Did they listen?

Ever not received mercy? What did you do after that? Did you shape up?

Were you motives genuine? Or were you conniving or being manipulative with no intention of shaping up?

What’s the key to working people?

If you received mercy, what did you do with that mercy? Did you take advantage of it? Did you blow it off? Or did you shape up and get your act together?

Watch Pharaoh’s manipulations. In the end, is it getting Pharaoh or Egypt anywhere, or it is just delaying the inevitable, and possibly even making the inevitable more painfully destructive? When you take on the God of the Universe, you always lose. He will NOT be manipulated. Only a fool attempts to manipulate God. Only a fool….

Thanks,
Your servant,
Joe
Continue reading →

Imperfect Pastor

An Imperfect Pastor for An Imperfect Church

Tag Archives: Moses

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

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

Exodus 11:1-10 About Midnight… 1-25-15

Exodus 10:off Fighting the Locust Wind 1-11-15