Moses stretched his hand over the Red Sea;
The east wind blew, and the waters parted;
Dry ground appeared where water used to be—
High walls of water their safety guarded!
Israel crossed over, amazed and wide-eyed,
Walking between high angry and held-back pours;
Moses was last to climb the eastern side,
Barely in front of Pharaoh’s charging corps!
Then he turned and stretched out his hand again;
The high walls collapsed; all the army drowned,
Frantic scrambles to survive were in vain;
The sea rolled content over the dry ground!
God kept His promise to bring Israel out,
And of His great power, no man can doubt!
Scripture Quoted: Exodus 14:21-22 (NIV)
“Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and all that night the Lord drove the sea back with a strong east wind and turned it into dry land. The waters were divided, with a wall of water on their right and on their left.”
Commentary on: “God Parts The Red Sea”
The Israelites left Egypt a ravaged country. The Bible doesn’t actually state that Pharaoh drowned with his army, but it is implied. Secular history does not report that the departure of the Israelites was the event that cost Egypt the life of a Pharaoh and a huge amount of their gold, livestock, fighting-age men, and most of their hard labor force, but the account in the Bible does, and archeological evidence supports it. Scholars have located the remains of Joseph’s villa in Goshen and his empty tomb (Israel carried his bones back to Canaan). It is believed that the exodus of Israel occurred during the reign of Rameses II. Also, the remains of war chariots have been found in the Red Sea. God hardened Pharaoh’s heart time after time in order to show His great power, first, to Israelites that they would remember always what He had done for them; and second, that Egypt and all other nations of the world realize that the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Moses was not to be resisted.
When the Israelites were hemmed in by the deser and the ocean, they turned against Moses and God for leading them into a trap, but after escaping from Egypt on dry ground, they quickly rebounded to praise God and Moses. They celebrated by singing songs and swearing allegiance as they watched the bodies of Egypt’s fighting men drifting to the shores on both sides of the sea. However, the on-again, off-again nature of the people was just beginning to be revealed. No matter how much God and Moses did for them, it was never enough. They had short memories. Forty years later, when they finally ended their wandering and entered Canaan by crossing the Jordan River, God did it again—He parted the waters o the Jordan, and they crossed it on dry ground. Of all the miracles God performed for Israel, the parting of the Red Sea was considered by the people His greatest.
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him will not die, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)
“That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord’, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9)
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Friday, February 11, 2011
Israel Penned At The Red Sea (MP 44)
God led as a pillar of cloud by day,
And as a pillar of fire in the night;
He led them by the sea and desert way,
Which the Israelites regarded unright!
Hebrews’ trust was fickle, for they were prone
To turn from Moses and God in dismay
At any hardship or trouble unknown,
Expecting miracles to smooth the way!
The shorter route was through Philistine land,
But God knew they were unready for war;
God’s pow’r Pharaoh still did not understand,
So God planned one last plague to gild His star!
Thinking Israel was blocked by the Red Sea,
Pharaoh’s army charged to crush Israel’s spree!
Scripture Quoted (NIV)
Exodus 13:17—“When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country, though that was shorter. For God said, ‘If they face war they might change their minds and return to Egypt.’ “
Exodus 14:3-4—“ ‘Pharaoh will think, The Israelites are wandering around in confusion, hemmed in by the desert. And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and he will pursue them. But I will gain glory for myself …’ “
Exodus 14:10—“As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked up, and there were the Egyptians, marching after them. They were terrified and cried out to the Lord. They said to Moses, ‘Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us to the desert to die?’ “
Commentary on Exodus 13:17-14:12 (NIV)
Although the Israelite men were armed, their exodus had just begun, and they were moving in an unorganized heterogeneous mass, a mixture of men, women, children, and livestock. The shortest route to Canaan was eastward through Philistia. There was no Red Sea or desert to cross; however, the Philistines were certain to mount an armed resistance. Therefore God took them southward, which meant they had to choose between entering the desert or crossing the Red Sea.
In two days they reached a place that looked like a death trap—the desert to the south and the broad Red Sea to the east; they camped, unable to proceed. When they saw Pharaoh’s army—over six hundred chariots—approaching. the Hebrews cried out to God and turned on Moses. The race of Jacob’s offspring turned out to be obstreperous and fickle in the extreme; this was just the first of many such rebellious turnings against God and His prophets that they mounted during the next 1500 years of their history.
Of course, this outburst, nor any others that were to occur, was no surprise to God. He had known in advance every fault and shortcoming in every person before He released the first burst of energy to begin creation, and solutions for every setback were planned ahead of time. In this occasion, He was not finished with Pharaoh. It was His intent from the outset to reveal to mankind the full extent of His power by demolishing Pharaoh and Egypt completely, so that human beings would ascribe to Him the glory One of His immense might was due. God’s primary purpose in creating Man is to be glorified commensurate with One who is supreme. That’s the reason He hardened Pharaoh’s heart repeatedly: To demonstrate ever-increasing levels of power. He had an even greater feat yet to reveal. so He hardened Pharaoh’s heart once more, even though the slaying of Egypt’s firstborn sons had seemed stupendous enough. What He was about to do was even greater.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him will not die, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)
“That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord’, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9)
And as a pillar of fire in the night;
He led them by the sea and desert way,
Which the Israelites regarded unright!
Hebrews’ trust was fickle, for they were prone
To turn from Moses and God in dismay
At any hardship or trouble unknown,
Expecting miracles to smooth the way!
The shorter route was through Philistine land,
But God knew they were unready for war;
God’s pow’r Pharaoh still did not understand,
So God planned one last plague to gild His star!
Thinking Israel was blocked by the Red Sea,
Pharaoh’s army charged to crush Israel’s spree!
Scripture Quoted (NIV)
Exodus 13:17—“When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country, though that was shorter. For God said, ‘If they face war they might change their minds and return to Egypt.’ “
Exodus 14:3-4—“ ‘Pharaoh will think, The Israelites are wandering around in confusion, hemmed in by the desert. And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and he will pursue them. But I will gain glory for myself …’ “
Exodus 14:10—“As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked up, and there were the Egyptians, marching after them. They were terrified and cried out to the Lord. They said to Moses, ‘Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us to the desert to die?’ “
Commentary on Exodus 13:17-14:12 (NIV)
Although the Israelite men were armed, their exodus had just begun, and they were moving in an unorganized heterogeneous mass, a mixture of men, women, children, and livestock. The shortest route to Canaan was eastward through Philistia. There was no Red Sea or desert to cross; however, the Philistines were certain to mount an armed resistance. Therefore God took them southward, which meant they had to choose between entering the desert or crossing the Red Sea.
In two days they reached a place that looked like a death trap—the desert to the south and the broad Red Sea to the east; they camped, unable to proceed. When they saw Pharaoh’s army—over six hundred chariots—approaching. the Hebrews cried out to God and turned on Moses. The race of Jacob’s offspring turned out to be obstreperous and fickle in the extreme; this was just the first of many such rebellious turnings against God and His prophets that they mounted during the next 1500 years of their history.
Of course, this outburst, nor any others that were to occur, was no surprise to God. He had known in advance every fault and shortcoming in every person before He released the first burst of energy to begin creation, and solutions for every setback were planned ahead of time. In this occasion, He was not finished with Pharaoh. It was His intent from the outset to reveal to mankind the full extent of His power by demolishing Pharaoh and Egypt completely, so that human beings would ascribe to Him the glory One of His immense might was due. God’s primary purpose in creating Man is to be glorified commensurate with One who is supreme. That’s the reason He hardened Pharaoh’s heart repeatedly: To demonstrate ever-increasing levels of power. He had an even greater feat yet to reveal. so He hardened Pharaoh’s heart once more, even though the slaying of Egypt’s firstborn sons had seemed stupendous enough. What He was about to do was even greater.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him will not die, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)
“That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord’, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9)
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Israel's Migration Begins (MP 43)
Death ravaged Egypt that “Passover” night’
The death angel took ev’ry firstborn son;
He spared Israel, where lamb’s blood met his sight,
Hebrews having stained doors ere day was done!
Israelites left homes while darkness still reigned:
Six hundred thousand men, plus all the rest—
Flocks, plunder, and food to keep them sustained;
By freedom and God, may their trust be blest!
Two miles wide, and five times as many long,
The huge mass moved slowly to the unknown;
Moses herded the scattered rear of the throng,
Expecting Pharaoh his leave to disown!
Israel left Egypt, by God’s Master Plan,
Ready to nurture redemption for Man!
Scripture Quoted (NIV) [Brackets added)
Exodus 12:31-33—“During the night Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said, ‘Up! Leave my people, you and the Israelites! Go, worship the Lord as you have requested. Take your flocks and herds, as you have said, and go. And also bless me.’ The Egyptians urged the people to hurry and leave the country, ‘For otherwise,’ they said, ‘we will all\ die.' "
Exodus 42:38 —“Many other [Egyptian] people went up with them, as well as large droves of livestock [camels, cattle, donkeys, sheep, and goats], both flocks and herds.”
Exodus 12:42---Because the Lord kept vigil that night to bring them out of Egypt, on this night all the Iraelites are to keep vigil [remain awake] to honor the Lord for the generations to come.”
Commentary on: Israel’s Migration Begins
Though Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob lived about 500 years before Israel left Egypt, God’s promise to them that their descendants would own the land of Canaan was forty years from coming true. Israel lived in Egypt 430 years; God forced Pharaoh to free them the night Egypt’s firstborn sons died; now they were on their way back to Canaan, a nation of at least two million people. They intended to invade Canaan, the Promised Land, and with God’s help to conquer it. The date: 1500 B. C. Their trip would last forty years.
Their custom was to knead dough for bread the day before it was baked. After mixing the dough, yeast was ordinarily put in it so that it would rise during the night before baking. On this particular night, they failed to put yeast in the dough, for the hurry they were in, packing and preparing to leave their Egyptian homes forever. So the women wrapped cloth around the kneading troughs with unleavened dough inside and carried the uncooked dough on their shoulders. When they stopped the next night, there was not time enough to let the dough rise with yeast, so the Hebrews ate unleavened bread on their migration trek.
Plunder was a fact of life in these times. The Egyptian people were so anxious to hurry the Israelites off on the journey, that they gave them all their gold and silver, their herds and flocks, and anything else they wanted. Much of the wealth of Egypt migrated with the Hebrews to Canaan. Most of it ended up in Solomon’s temple 600 years later.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him will not die, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)
“That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord’, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9)
The death angel took ev’ry firstborn son;
He spared Israel, where lamb’s blood met his sight,
Hebrews having stained doors ere day was done!
Israelites left homes while darkness still reigned:
Six hundred thousand men, plus all the rest—
Flocks, plunder, and food to keep them sustained;
By freedom and God, may their trust be blest!
Two miles wide, and five times as many long,
The huge mass moved slowly to the unknown;
Moses herded the scattered rear of the throng,
Expecting Pharaoh his leave to disown!
Israel left Egypt, by God’s Master Plan,
Ready to nurture redemption for Man!
Scripture Quoted (NIV) [Brackets added)
Exodus 12:31-33—“During the night Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said, ‘Up! Leave my people, you and the Israelites! Go, worship the Lord as you have requested. Take your flocks and herds, as you have said, and go. And also bless me.’ The Egyptians urged the people to hurry and leave the country, ‘For otherwise,’ they said, ‘we will all\ die.' "
Exodus 42:38 —“Many other [Egyptian] people went up with them, as well as large droves of livestock [camels, cattle, donkeys, sheep, and goats], both flocks and herds.”
Exodus 12:42---Because the Lord kept vigil that night to bring them out of Egypt, on this night all the Iraelites are to keep vigil [remain awake] to honor the Lord for the generations to come.”
Commentary on: Israel’s Migration Begins
Though Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob lived about 500 years before Israel left Egypt, God’s promise to them that their descendants would own the land of Canaan was forty years from coming true. Israel lived in Egypt 430 years; God forced Pharaoh to free them the night Egypt’s firstborn sons died; now they were on their way back to Canaan, a nation of at least two million people. They intended to invade Canaan, the Promised Land, and with God’s help to conquer it. The date: 1500 B. C. Their trip would last forty years.
Their custom was to knead dough for bread the day before it was baked. After mixing the dough, yeast was ordinarily put in it so that it would rise during the night before baking. On this particular night, they failed to put yeast in the dough, for the hurry they were in, packing and preparing to leave their Egyptian homes forever. So the women wrapped cloth around the kneading troughs with unleavened dough inside and carried the uncooked dough on their shoulders. When they stopped the next night, there was not time enough to let the dough rise with yeast, so the Hebrews ate unleavened bread on their migration trek.
Plunder was a fact of life in these times. The Egyptian people were so anxious to hurry the Israelites off on the journey, that they gave them all their gold and silver, their herds and flocks, and anything else they wanted. Much of the wealth of Egypt migrated with the Hebrews to Canaan. Most of it ended up in Solomon’s temple 600 years later.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him will not die, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)
“That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord’, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9)
Monday, February 7, 2011
God Reveals His Power To Men (MP 42)
Each was more ruinous than the one before,
A plague for ev’ry time Pharaoh said no;
After nine no’s, Egypt, reeling and sore,
Suffered the tenth, and Pharaoh begged them go!
Water turned to blood; frogs teemed ev’rywhere;
Gnats, flies, and locusts in turn swarmed the land;
All livestock died; hail beat crops and trees bare;
Darkness reigned three days; boils festered on Man!
And lastly, Egypt’s firstborn sons were all slain;
None was spared, not even Pharaoh’s own son;
Moses did not have to ask him again—
Israel was free, bondage in Egypt done!
God’s power had been revealed to all men;
Who would dare oppose God, and hope to win?
Scripture Quoted: Exodus 11:4-8 (NIV) [Brackets added]
“So Moses said [to Pharaoh on his last visit], ‘This is what the Lord says: About midnight I will go throughout Egypt. Every firstborn son in Egypt will die, from the firstborn son of Pharaoh, who sits on the throne, to the firstborn son of the slave girl, who is at her hand mill, and all the firstborn of the cattle as well. There will be a loud wailing throughout Egypt—worse than there has ever been or ever will be again. But among the Israelites not a dog will bark at any man or animal [the Israelites were not harmed by any of the plagues]. Then you will know that the Lord makes a distinction between Egypt and Israel. All these officials of yours will come to me, bowing down before me and saying: Go, you and all the people who follow you. After that I will leave!’ Then Moses, hot with anger, left Pharaoh.”
Commentary on: God Reveals His Power To Men (Exodus 7-11)
God’s Master Plan could have omitted the smaller first 9 plagues on Egypt; He could have used the slaying of the firstborn sons first, and Pharaoh would have relented and let Israel leave at once. However, God had planned to employ the lesser plagues so that Pharaoh would harden his heart, allowing God to reveal to Hebrews, Egyptians, and the world His mighty power. As it turned out, Egypt was so disastrously ruined by the whole series of plagues that it has never regained its former power and glory. All camels, donkeys, sheep and goats were dead; all the trees had lost their fruit and leaves; all the corn and grain crops were destroyed; the firstborn sons of the nation were dead, weakening Egypt’s military strength; most of Egypt’s gold, silver, and other valuables were carried off by Israel; their entire labor force was gone in one day, along with half their population, foodstuff, and valuables. Even some Egyptians went along and converted to Judaism. God wanted the world to know how foolish any nation would be who harmed Israel or set themselves as opposed to God. He had pledged to Abraham in Genesis 12:3 that any nation who harms Israel will in turn be harmed by God. This scripture passage is relevant to the Israel of today (2011); if the U. S. drops its protection of Israel or tries to force the nation to make a peace treaty with the Palestinians which leaves Israel vulnerable to obliteration, as the Arab nations have repeatedly called for, our own nation is at risk to receive similar treatment to that received by Egypt.
Through His prophet Moses, God told the Israelite women to ask Egyptian women for their jewelry before leaving Egypt. Many of the Egyptians were favorably disposed toward Israel (See Exodus 12:35-36), and the others had seen so much destruction from the God of Israel they were afraid they would all die; therefore, they gave the Israelites everything they wanted. God instructed Moses to set up a memorial called Passover for Israel to celebrate annually. The name signifies the “passing over” of God’s angel of death of houses marked on the lintels of the front doors with lamb’s blood.
Unwittingly Pharaoh, by hardening his heart and refusing so many times to let Israel go, became an instrument of God in His Master Plan for the world. God makes use of believers and non-believers in order to implement His plan of redemption for men from condemnation. Being used by God does not necessarily mean that an individual or a nation is in God’s will.
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him will not die, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)
“That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord’, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9)
A plague for ev’ry time Pharaoh said no;
After nine no’s, Egypt, reeling and sore,
Suffered the tenth, and Pharaoh begged them go!
Water turned to blood; frogs teemed ev’rywhere;
Gnats, flies, and locusts in turn swarmed the land;
All livestock died; hail beat crops and trees bare;
Darkness reigned three days; boils festered on Man!
And lastly, Egypt’s firstborn sons were all slain;
None was spared, not even Pharaoh’s own son;
Moses did not have to ask him again—
Israel was free, bondage in Egypt done!
God’s power had been revealed to all men;
Who would dare oppose God, and hope to win?
Scripture Quoted: Exodus 11:4-8 (NIV) [Brackets added]
“So Moses said [to Pharaoh on his last visit], ‘This is what the Lord says: About midnight I will go throughout Egypt. Every firstborn son in Egypt will die, from the firstborn son of Pharaoh, who sits on the throne, to the firstborn son of the slave girl, who is at her hand mill, and all the firstborn of the cattle as well. There will be a loud wailing throughout Egypt—worse than there has ever been or ever will be again. But among the Israelites not a dog will bark at any man or animal [the Israelites were not harmed by any of the plagues]. Then you will know that the Lord makes a distinction between Egypt and Israel. All these officials of yours will come to me, bowing down before me and saying: Go, you and all the people who follow you. After that I will leave!’ Then Moses, hot with anger, left Pharaoh.”
Commentary on: God Reveals His Power To Men (Exodus 7-11)
God’s Master Plan could have omitted the smaller first 9 plagues on Egypt; He could have used the slaying of the firstborn sons first, and Pharaoh would have relented and let Israel leave at once. However, God had planned to employ the lesser plagues so that Pharaoh would harden his heart, allowing God to reveal to Hebrews, Egyptians, and the world His mighty power. As it turned out, Egypt was so disastrously ruined by the whole series of plagues that it has never regained its former power and glory. All camels, donkeys, sheep and goats were dead; all the trees had lost their fruit and leaves; all the corn and grain crops were destroyed; the firstborn sons of the nation were dead, weakening Egypt’s military strength; most of Egypt’s gold, silver, and other valuables were carried off by Israel; their entire labor force was gone in one day, along with half their population, foodstuff, and valuables. Even some Egyptians went along and converted to Judaism. God wanted the world to know how foolish any nation would be who harmed Israel or set themselves as opposed to God. He had pledged to Abraham in Genesis 12:3 that any nation who harms Israel will in turn be harmed by God. This scripture passage is relevant to the Israel of today (2011); if the U. S. drops its protection of Israel or tries to force the nation to make a peace treaty with the Palestinians which leaves Israel vulnerable to obliteration, as the Arab nations have repeatedly called for, our own nation is at risk to receive similar treatment to that received by Egypt.
Through His prophet Moses, God told the Israelite women to ask Egyptian women for their jewelry before leaving Egypt. Many of the Egyptians were favorably disposed toward Israel (See Exodus 12:35-36), and the others had seen so much destruction from the God of Israel they were afraid they would all die; therefore, they gave the Israelites everything they wanted. God instructed Moses to set up a memorial called Passover for Israel to celebrate annually. The name signifies the “passing over” of God’s angel of death of houses marked on the lintels of the front doors with lamb’s blood.
Unwittingly Pharaoh, by hardening his heart and refusing so many times to let Israel go, became an instrument of God in His Master Plan for the world. God makes use of believers and non-believers in order to implement His plan of redemption for men from condemnation. Being used by God does not necessarily mean that an individual or a nation is in God’s will.
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him will not die, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)
“That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord’, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9)
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Moses First Confronts Pharaoh (MP 41)
“Let my people go, that they worship me,
Says the Lord God of Israel.” Moses said,
When first he faced Pharaoh, Israel to free,
After he’d convinced Hebrews that God led!
Answered Pharaoh, “This Lord God I’ve not known;
I will not let these lazy people go!
What’s more, now they must find straw on their own,
Making as many bricks, to keep the flow!”
The people were worked harder than before,
And Moses they blamed for making things worse;
“You put a sword in Pharaoh’s hand,” they swore,
Greeting Moses and Aaron with a curse!
God’s Plan purposely hardened Pharaoh’s heart,
So God’s mighty power He could impart!
Scripture Quoted (NIV) [Brackets added)
Exodus 5:6-8—“That same day [when Moses first confronted him] Pharaoh gave the order to the slave drivers … ‘You are no longer to supply the people with straw for making bricks; let them go and gather their own straw. But require them to make the same number of bricks as before; don’t reduce the quota. They are lazy; that is why they are saying, Let us go and sacrifice to our God.’ “
Exodus 5:20-21—“When they [the Israelites appointed foremen] left Pharaoh, they found Moses and Aaron waiting to meet them, and they said, ‘May the Lord look upon you and judge you! You have made us a stench to Pharaoh and his officials and have put a sword in their hands to kill us.’ “
Exodus 6:1—“Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘ Now you will see what I will do with Pharaoh: Because of my mighty hand he will let them go; because of my mighty hand he will drive them out of his country.’ “
Commentary on “Moses First Confronts Pharaoh”
God’s Master Plan, complete before creation, provided that Egypt, an ancient nation that refused to comply with God’s desire to set His Chosen nation Israel free, would receive a calamitous judgment. Had Pharaoh complied with Moses’ demand to let the Hebrews go, God would not have sent ten horrible plagues upon Egypt that left them in ruins. God actually hardened Pharaoh’s heart on purpose, so that He could reveal His stupendous power to the world; Egypt was to be an example forever to any nation that ignored God and refused to comply with His commandments. Even today, the United States (and all nations) needs to be fearful of the retribution of God upon it for defying Him and His teachings. Our national leaders should read the Bible and realize that abortion, euthanasia, approval of homosexuality, promiscuity, persecution of Christianity, abandonment of Israel, and many other worldly pursuits that God detests is certain to bring His wrath upon us as it did to Egypt. Revealing His mighty power to the world also induce God’s people Israel to a stronger belief in Him and brings non-believers to belief. As I write this, Dec. 31, 2010, news reports announce that President Obama has issued an executive order for his health care officials to set up a panel whose duties will include setting medical conditions at which human lives may be terminated when all reasonable hope of survival is gone; a “death panel”, in other words. Had such a panel existed in 1982, I would not be alive today. God still performs miracles.
Moses was 80 years old when he first confronted Pharaoh. It was a sort of homecoming for him, because as a three-month old baby he had first come to the royal palace, a Hebrew adopted by the former Pharaoh’s daughter. It would be interesting to know what Moses was thinking on this occasion, or whether the current Pharaoh or any of his officials remembered Moses. We can be sure that he spoke the Egyptian language fluently; since he had been out of the country in Midian 40 or more years, it is doubtful if his rearing in the palace was helpful in his present task. It is obvious that Pharaoh hated to lose the Israelites, for they were extremely helpful in the building of pyramids, cities, and other government structures, many of which still exist.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him will not die, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)
“That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord’, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9)
Says the Lord God of Israel.” Moses said,
When first he faced Pharaoh, Israel to free,
After he’d convinced Hebrews that God led!
Answered Pharaoh, “This Lord God I’ve not known;
I will not let these lazy people go!
What’s more, now they must find straw on their own,
Making as many bricks, to keep the flow!”
The people were worked harder than before,
And Moses they blamed for making things worse;
“You put a sword in Pharaoh’s hand,” they swore,
Greeting Moses and Aaron with a curse!
God’s Plan purposely hardened Pharaoh’s heart,
So God’s mighty power He could impart!
Scripture Quoted (NIV) [Brackets added)
Exodus 5:6-8—“That same day [when Moses first confronted him] Pharaoh gave the order to the slave drivers … ‘You are no longer to supply the people with straw for making bricks; let them go and gather their own straw. But require them to make the same number of bricks as before; don’t reduce the quota. They are lazy; that is why they are saying, Let us go and sacrifice to our God.’ “
Exodus 5:20-21—“When they [the Israelites appointed foremen] left Pharaoh, they found Moses and Aaron waiting to meet them, and they said, ‘May the Lord look upon you and judge you! You have made us a stench to Pharaoh and his officials and have put a sword in their hands to kill us.’ “
Exodus 6:1—“Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘ Now you will see what I will do with Pharaoh: Because of my mighty hand he will let them go; because of my mighty hand he will drive them out of his country.’ “
Commentary on “Moses First Confronts Pharaoh”
God’s Master Plan, complete before creation, provided that Egypt, an ancient nation that refused to comply with God’s desire to set His Chosen nation Israel free, would receive a calamitous judgment. Had Pharaoh complied with Moses’ demand to let the Hebrews go, God would not have sent ten horrible plagues upon Egypt that left them in ruins. God actually hardened Pharaoh’s heart on purpose, so that He could reveal His stupendous power to the world; Egypt was to be an example forever to any nation that ignored God and refused to comply with His commandments. Even today, the United States (and all nations) needs to be fearful of the retribution of God upon it for defying Him and His teachings. Our national leaders should read the Bible and realize that abortion, euthanasia, approval of homosexuality, promiscuity, persecution of Christianity, abandonment of Israel, and many other worldly pursuits that God detests is certain to bring His wrath upon us as it did to Egypt. Revealing His mighty power to the world also induce God’s people Israel to a stronger belief in Him and brings non-believers to belief. As I write this, Dec. 31, 2010, news reports announce that President Obama has issued an executive order for his health care officials to set up a panel whose duties will include setting medical conditions at which human lives may be terminated when all reasonable hope of survival is gone; a “death panel”, in other words. Had such a panel existed in 1982, I would not be alive today. God still performs miracles.
Moses was 80 years old when he first confronted Pharaoh. It was a sort of homecoming for him, because as a three-month old baby he had first come to the royal palace, a Hebrew adopted by the former Pharaoh’s daughter. It would be interesting to know what Moses was thinking on this occasion, or whether the current Pharaoh or any of his officials remembered Moses. We can be sure that he spoke the Egyptian language fluently; since he had been out of the country in Midian 40 or more years, it is doubtful if his rearing in the palace was helpful in his present task. It is obvious that Pharaoh hated to lose the Israelites, for they were extremely helpful in the building of pyramids, cities, and other government structures, many of which still exist.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him will not die, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)
“That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord’, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9)
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Israel Worships God For The First Time (MP 40)
To worship God Israel did not yet know,
Though He’d spoken to fathers of the race;
To them as a whole Moses was to go,
Forming a nation that seeks for God’s face!
Moses knew the name of God, and His power;
His tasks for God were Israelites to free,
To teach them God was their mighty tower,
Revealing I AM as their leaning tree!
He told them God had heard their plaintive cry,
And Moses was before Pharaoh to stand;
“Israel’s God says their chains must be laid by;
Let them come worship me, is my demand!”
Moses revealed God’s signs, and they believed,
Accepting Moses as prophet and liege!
Scripture Quoted: Exodus 4:29-31 (NIV)
“Moses and Aaron brought together all the elders of the Israelites, and Aaron told them everything the Lord had said to Moses. He also performed the signs before the people, and they believed. And when they heard that the Lord was concerned about them and had seen their misery, they bowed down and worshiped.”
Commentary on Exodus 4:18-31 (NIV)
God had been working hard for 500 years on His Master Plan for the world to develop and organize the nation of Israel as the first step in His Plan for redeeming men and women; keep in mind that since Adam’s sin in the Garden of Eden, all his descendants were condemned. But God loved the world so much—that is, He loved Man so much—that He had voluntarily included the redemption of Man in His Plan. He had revealed Himself by speaking to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and now Moses; but most of the children of Jacob didn’t know much about God. They had no written Bible; no priests; no organized system of religion. In Egypt they were surrounded by Egyptian idols; they intermarried with Egyptians; and other than the males being circumcised as a token of God’s promises to Abraham, they had no images of any god. In fact, many of them had drifted into idolatry, having been in Egypt more than 400 years.
Moses teamed up with his brother Aaron, and they called a meeting of all the elders of the 12 tribes of Israelites and told them what God had said to Moses on Mount Horeb, or Sinai. God had told Moses His name—I AM, which Moses now revealed to Hebrews for the first time. Remember that because of translation from the Hebrew language (which has no vowels), it can be Jehovah, Yahweh, or Yeshua. Now, in modern times, we may use these, or a number of other synonyms for God, such as the Lord, Christ, the Father, the Holy Spirit or Holy Ghost, even Jesus, and many more. God knew a lot about Israel and considered them His Chosen People; until Moses, the Hebrew people knew very little about God.
God revealed to Moses His supernatural power. Since we have been looking at Man over God’s shoulder, so to speak, by reading this series of poems, scriptures, and commentaries, we know a lot about what He can do; for example, He launched this gigantic expanding universe with His spoken word alone. But the men and women we have been studying have been unaware of God’s mighty power. True, Abraham and Sarah gave birth to Isaac after she was too old to give birth, but God did most of His miracles behind the scenes. Now, however, He has shown Moses a flaming bush that is not consumed; He has taught Moses to throw his staff on the ground and it will turn into a snake; to put his hand in his bosom and pull it out covered in leprosy; and to pour water on the ground and have it turn into blood. These “signs” only work in front of Hebrews or Pharaoh, in order to prove God is Who He says He is. (When God came to earth as the man, Jesus of Nazareth, He performed hundreds of miracles, such as healing, turning water into wine, walking on water, raising the dead, etc. They had a wonderful effect in convincing people to believe that He was sent from God. The miracle is, how can we humans NOT believe in God?)
After Moses and Aaron had told the Israelites what God had said to Moses and shown them the three miraculous signs, they believed in God and bowed down and worshiped Him for the first time. What a momentous occasion! They also accepted Moses as the leader of Israel and the prophet of God.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him will not die, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)
“That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord’, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9)
Though He’d spoken to fathers of the race;
To them as a whole Moses was to go,
Forming a nation that seeks for God’s face!
Moses knew the name of God, and His power;
His tasks for God were Israelites to free,
To teach them God was their mighty tower,
Revealing I AM as their leaning tree!
He told them God had heard their plaintive cry,
And Moses was before Pharaoh to stand;
“Israel’s God says their chains must be laid by;
Let them come worship me, is my demand!”
Moses revealed God’s signs, and they believed,
Accepting Moses as prophet and liege!
Scripture Quoted: Exodus 4:29-31 (NIV)
“Moses and Aaron brought together all the elders of the Israelites, and Aaron told them everything the Lord had said to Moses. He also performed the signs before the people, and they believed. And when they heard that the Lord was concerned about them and had seen their misery, they bowed down and worshiped.”
Commentary on Exodus 4:18-31 (NIV)
God had been working hard for 500 years on His Master Plan for the world to develop and organize the nation of Israel as the first step in His Plan for redeeming men and women; keep in mind that since Adam’s sin in the Garden of Eden, all his descendants were condemned. But God loved the world so much—that is, He loved Man so much—that He had voluntarily included the redemption of Man in His Plan. He had revealed Himself by speaking to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and now Moses; but most of the children of Jacob didn’t know much about God. They had no written Bible; no priests; no organized system of religion. In Egypt they were surrounded by Egyptian idols; they intermarried with Egyptians; and other than the males being circumcised as a token of God’s promises to Abraham, they had no images of any god. In fact, many of them had drifted into idolatry, having been in Egypt more than 400 years.
Moses teamed up with his brother Aaron, and they called a meeting of all the elders of the 12 tribes of Israelites and told them what God had said to Moses on Mount Horeb, or Sinai. God had told Moses His name—I AM, which Moses now revealed to Hebrews for the first time. Remember that because of translation from the Hebrew language (which has no vowels), it can be Jehovah, Yahweh, or Yeshua. Now, in modern times, we may use these, or a number of other synonyms for God, such as the Lord, Christ, the Father, the Holy Spirit or Holy Ghost, even Jesus, and many more. God knew a lot about Israel and considered them His Chosen People; until Moses, the Hebrew people knew very little about God.
God revealed to Moses His supernatural power. Since we have been looking at Man over God’s shoulder, so to speak, by reading this series of poems, scriptures, and commentaries, we know a lot about what He can do; for example, He launched this gigantic expanding universe with His spoken word alone. But the men and women we have been studying have been unaware of God’s mighty power. True, Abraham and Sarah gave birth to Isaac after she was too old to give birth, but God did most of His miracles behind the scenes. Now, however, He has shown Moses a flaming bush that is not consumed; He has taught Moses to throw his staff on the ground and it will turn into a snake; to put his hand in his bosom and pull it out covered in leprosy; and to pour water on the ground and have it turn into blood. These “signs” only work in front of Hebrews or Pharaoh, in order to prove God is Who He says He is. (When God came to earth as the man, Jesus of Nazareth, He performed hundreds of miracles, such as healing, turning water into wine, walking on water, raising the dead, etc. They had a wonderful effect in convincing people to believe that He was sent from God. The miracle is, how can we humans NOT believe in God?)
After Moses and Aaron had told the Israelites what God had said to Moses and shown them the three miraculous signs, they believed in God and bowed down and worshiped Him for the first time. What a momentous occasion! They also accepted Moses as the leader of Israel and the prophet of God.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him will not die, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)
“That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord’, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9)
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Moses Accepts God's Call (MP 39)
God’s call for Moses His people to free,
Was not accepted by him right away;
“What if the Hebrews won’t listen to me?
My speech is slow; I don’t know what to say!
Please send someone else, this hard task to do,”
He objected. God countered ev’ry one,
Till in anger, “Aaron will speak for you;
I will give you words till the job is done!
Your brother speaks well, and is on his way;
He will be your mouth, and you God to him;
Your staff will miraculous signs display;
A successful team you will make with them!”
So Moses heeded the summons of God,
And with wife and sons back to Egypt trod!
Scripture Quoted: Exodus 4:10-12 (NIV)
“Moses said to the Lord, ‘O Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue.’ The Lord said to him, ‘Who gave man his mouth? Who makes him deaf or mute? Who gives him sight or makes him blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.’ “
Commentary on Exodus 4:1-17 (NIV)
Men have always underestimated the miraculous power of God, which is understandable, since men’s limitations are constantly with them. In Genesis 18:14 God said to Abraham, “Is anything impossible for the Lord?” Here in Exodus 4 Moses doubts his own ability to free Israel from the powerful grip of Pharaoh without comprehending that He who made the universe is calling him to the task and will certainly be able to provide whatever is necessary to succeed in the task. You must realize that the Hebrews had very little knowledge of God. There was no Bible, no prophets, no priests, no churches or synagogues. They hadn’t known His name until He told Moses He was I AM. It was somewhat miraculous that Noah, Abraham, Jacob and Joseph had obeyed Him as well as they had during their lifetimes. Moses was now to change all that, however; when he finished his work, Israel had the Pentateuch, weitten by Moses, the first five written books of the Bible and knew a great deal about their Creator.
God gave Moses three miraculous signs in this first encounter—turning his staff into a snake and back again to a staff by throwing it down and picking it up by its tail; making his hand turn white with leprosy and back to normal; and turning water from the Nile into blood by pouring it on dry ground. These signs were to be used to convince the Israelites that Moses was really called by God so that they would follow him. Moses was to use these and many more miracles in his leadership of Israel out of Egypt, through the forty years in the desert, and bringing them to the Jordan River which was the border of Canaan. Aaron, his brother who was still in Egypt, was to join Moses in the task. He was reluctant to begin the work God gave him, but Moses did accept the responsibility and was faithful in its fulfillment until he died.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him will not die, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)
“That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord’, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9)
Was not accepted by him right away;
“What if the Hebrews won’t listen to me?
My speech is slow; I don’t know what to say!
Please send someone else, this hard task to do,”
He objected. God countered ev’ry one,
Till in anger, “Aaron will speak for you;
I will give you words till the job is done!
Your brother speaks well, and is on his way;
He will be your mouth, and you God to him;
Your staff will miraculous signs display;
A successful team you will make with them!”
So Moses heeded the summons of God,
And with wife and sons back to Egypt trod!
Scripture Quoted: Exodus 4:10-12 (NIV)
“Moses said to the Lord, ‘O Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue.’ The Lord said to him, ‘Who gave man his mouth? Who makes him deaf or mute? Who gives him sight or makes him blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.’ “
Commentary on Exodus 4:1-17 (NIV)
Men have always underestimated the miraculous power of God, which is understandable, since men’s limitations are constantly with them. In Genesis 18:14 God said to Abraham, “Is anything impossible for the Lord?” Here in Exodus 4 Moses doubts his own ability to free Israel from the powerful grip of Pharaoh without comprehending that He who made the universe is calling him to the task and will certainly be able to provide whatever is necessary to succeed in the task. You must realize that the Hebrews had very little knowledge of God. There was no Bible, no prophets, no priests, no churches or synagogues. They hadn’t known His name until He told Moses He was I AM. It was somewhat miraculous that Noah, Abraham, Jacob and Joseph had obeyed Him as well as they had during their lifetimes. Moses was now to change all that, however; when he finished his work, Israel had the Pentateuch, weitten by Moses, the first five written books of the Bible and knew a great deal about their Creator.
God gave Moses three miraculous signs in this first encounter—turning his staff into a snake and back again to a staff by throwing it down and picking it up by its tail; making his hand turn white with leprosy and back to normal; and turning water from the Nile into blood by pouring it on dry ground. These signs were to be used to convince the Israelites that Moses was really called by God so that they would follow him. Moses was to use these and many more miracles in his leadership of Israel out of Egypt, through the forty years in the desert, and bringing them to the Jordan River which was the border of Canaan. Aaron, his brother who was still in Egypt, was to join Moses in the task. He was reluctant to begin the work God gave him, but Moses did accept the responsibility and was faithful in its fulfillment until he died.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him will not die, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)
“That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord’, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9)
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