Moses led sheep to the “mountain of God”;
There he saw a bush burning unconsumed;
He went closer to see, for it was odd;
From it, God called him a new task assume!
“I have come down my people to set free;
You are to tell them I AM is my name;
Ask Pharaoh to let them come worship me,
But only plagues will his refusal tame!”
“Who am I,” asked Moses, “that I can do this?”
“I will go with you,” responded the Lord;
“To the land of Canaan, which I promised;
Then they’ll follow you, of their own accord!”
Flowing with milk and honey was the land
God had foretold would be theirs to command!
Scripture Quoted (NIV) [Brackets added]
Exodus 3:2—“There [Mount Horeb] the angel of the Lord [God] appeared to him [Moses] in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up.”
Exodus 3:5— " 'Do not come any closer,' said God, 'Take off your sandals, for the place where your are standing is holy ground.’ Then he said, ‘I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ At this, Moses hid his face because he was afraid to look at God.”
Exodus 3:19-20—“ ‘But I [God] know that the king of Egypt [Pharaoh] will not let you go unless a mighty hand compels him. So I will stretch out my hand and strike the Egyptians with all the wonders that I will perform among them. After that he will let you go.’ “
Commentary on Exodus 3 (NIV)
When God’s Master Plan provided for the now-massive family of Jacob to become the nation of Israel and leave Egypt for Canaan to possess it, Moses was the man He selected to lead them. As Moses was tending sheep in Midian, he saw a bush in flames but which was not consumed. It was “the angel of God”, a phrase used for God Himself in the Old Testament, come to call Moses to return to Egypt and lead Israel through the desert to the Promised Land. The presence of “flames” is a common phenomenon associated with God in the Bible, but most of the time the flames are not “hot” and do not burn like common flames on earth. In this case the bush blazing but not being consumed caught Moses’ attention, and he went to investigate, as God wished him to. Note that in these appearances to various men, God sometimes talked directly to them, but that He was in some form other than His actual being, for no one could see God’s face and live. It will not be like that in heaven after we die; we will see His face then.
Moses did not accept the call to the task immediately. He mentioned several objections, the first being, “Who am I” to do this? God responded to all his objections; in this case He said, “I will go with you.” Moses then asked, “What if the Hebrews ask me who you are?” God had always called Himself simply “God” in speaking with men; here He said, “I AM WHO I AM” , or just “I AM”. The Hebrew language doesn’t use vowels, and there is a problem in translation here. The original Hebrew was “JHVH”; this word translates to “Jehovah”, “Yahweh”, or even “Yeshua”. To Moses, God told him to tell the people that “I AM” is what He is to be called. I am sure a newcomer to the Bible gets confused with the many names used for “God”; it might be clearer if you just think “God” for any of them; after all, He is just one being.
God told Moses that He knew Pharaoh would not let the Israelites leave at first; so God would “stretch out His hand” with plagues and wonders and compel the king to let His people leave. He also told Moses they would not leave Egypt empty-handed—they would be loaded with gold and silver, coming out with most of the wealth of Egypt.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believed 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, January 30, 2011
Friday, January 28, 2011
Moses Flees For His Life (MP 37)
A pampered life of pomp and patronage,
Moses could have had if he so desired,
But Hebrew roots over royal advantage
He chose to honor when his youth expired!
He became saddened at his people’s plight;
An Egyptian man he killed in anger,
For harshly beating a poor Israelite,
And he fled Egypt, his life in danger!
In Midian he found a foster home,
And passed the years of his younger manhood;
Till God, responding to His children’s groan,
Called him to free them from Egypt for good!
Israel’s years of slavery would soon end,
Despite Pharaoh’s intent to keep them penned!
Scripture Quoted (NIV) [Brackets added]
Exodus 2:11-12—“One day, after Moses had grown up, he went out to where his people were and watched them at their hard labor. He saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his own people. Glancing this way and that and seeing no one, he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand.”
Exodus 2:15—“When Pharaoh heard of this, he tried to kill Moses, but Moses fled from Pharaoh and went to the land of Midian…”
Exodus 2:23-24—“During that long period [when Moses was away in Midian] the king of Egypt [Pharaoh] died. The Israelites groaned in their slavery and cried out, and their plea for help because of their slavery went up to God. God heard their groaning and he remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac and with Jacob.”
Commentary on Exodus 2:11-25 (NIV)
Moses was reared in the royal palace as the son of the daughter of Pharaoh and could have lived as an Egyptian prince all his life. However, he knew that he was a Hebrew, and considered himself to be one of them. The scripture above describes how he intervened with an Egyptian slave master who was beating an Israelite, killed the Egyptian, and hid his body in the sand, thinking the act was unobserved. The next day he was out again and saw two Hebrews fighting. He separated them, asking the stronger, “Why do you hit your brother?” The man snarled back, “Who made you judge and ruler over us? Are you going to kill me like you did the Egyptian yesterday?” By this, Moses knew his treasonable act was known and was alerted; he fled the country of Egypt.
Moses went to Midian, a desert country to the southeast of Egypt. There he met Jethro, a Midianite priest with seven daughters. Moses was kind to the girls, who were being harassed by other shepherds, and was invited to live with them. He did so, becoming a shepherd over Jethro’s flocks; eventually he married Zipporah, one of Jethro’s daughters, and had a son. Mount Horeb, also called Mount Sinai and the “mountain of God”, was in the area used for pastures by Moses. It was at this mountain that God called Moses to return to Egypt and, with divine help, force Pharaoh to free the Children of Israel. It was also the mount where God met with the freed Israelites and gave them the Law by which they were to live.
“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)
Moses could have had if he so desired,
But Hebrew roots over royal advantage
He chose to honor when his youth expired!
He became saddened at his people’s plight;
An Egyptian man he killed in anger,
For harshly beating a poor Israelite,
And he fled Egypt, his life in danger!
In Midian he found a foster home,
And passed the years of his younger manhood;
Till God, responding to His children’s groan,
Called him to free them from Egypt for good!
Israel’s years of slavery would soon end,
Despite Pharaoh’s intent to keep them penned!
Scripture Quoted (NIV) [Brackets added]
Exodus 2:11-12—“One day, after Moses had grown up, he went out to where his people were and watched them at their hard labor. He saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his own people. Glancing this way and that and seeing no one, he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand.”
Exodus 2:15—“When Pharaoh heard of this, he tried to kill Moses, but Moses fled from Pharaoh and went to the land of Midian…”
Exodus 2:23-24—“During that long period [when Moses was away in Midian] the king of Egypt [Pharaoh] died. The Israelites groaned in their slavery and cried out, and their plea for help because of their slavery went up to God. God heard their groaning and he remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac and with Jacob.”
Commentary on Exodus 2:11-25 (NIV)
Moses was reared in the royal palace as the son of the daughter of Pharaoh and could have lived as an Egyptian prince all his life. However, he knew that he was a Hebrew, and considered himself to be one of them. The scripture above describes how he intervened with an Egyptian slave master who was beating an Israelite, killed the Egyptian, and hid his body in the sand, thinking the act was unobserved. The next day he was out again and saw two Hebrews fighting. He separated them, asking the stronger, “Why do you hit your brother?” The man snarled back, “Who made you judge and ruler over us? Are you going to kill me like you did the Egyptian yesterday?” By this, Moses knew his treasonable act was known and was alerted; he fled the country of Egypt.
Moses went to Midian, a desert country to the southeast of Egypt. There he met Jethro, a Midianite priest with seven daughters. Moses was kind to the girls, who were being harassed by other shepherds, and was invited to live with them. He did so, becoming a shepherd over Jethro’s flocks; eventually he married Zipporah, one of Jethro’s daughters, and had a son. Mount Horeb, also called Mount Sinai and the “mountain of God”, was in the area used for pastures by Moses. It was at this mountain that God called Moses to return to Egypt and, with divine help, force Pharaoh to free the Children of Israel. It was also the mount where God met with the freed Israelites and gave them the Law by which they were to live.
“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, January 26, 2011
Moses, God's First Prophet (MP 36)
None but God could have brought this life about,
That Moses be reared in the Pharaoh’s home,
For male Hebrew babes were to be snuffed out,
Pharaoh said; his daughter made him her own!
Saved to be God’s first prophet, Moses was;
How many Hebrew boys thrown in the Nile?
The world knows not, nor cares, but God sure does;
With Him’s the soul of ev’ry murdered child!
O Israel! Sing praise to God of that day,
For your exodus from Egypt loomed near;
Moses would free you, and show you the way;
Your deliverer has God sent you here!
He tended this infant with special care,
For the fate of Israel Moses would bear!
Scripture Quoted: Exodus 1:22-2:1-6 (NIV) [Brackets added]
“Then Pharaoh gave this order to all his people, ‘Every [Hebrew] boy that is born you must throw into the Nile, but let every girl live.’ Now a man of the house of Levi married a Levite woman, and she became pregnant and gave birth to a son. When she saw that he was a fine child, she hid him for three months. But when she could hide him no longer, she got a papyrus basket for him and coated it with tar and pitch. Then she placed the child in it and put it among the reeds along the bank of the Nile. His sister stood at a distance to see what would happen to him. Then Pharaoh’s daughter went down to the Nile to bathe, and her attendants were walking along the river bank. She saw the basket among the reeds and sent her slave to get it. She opened it and saw the baby. He was crying, and she felt sorry for him. ‘This is one of the Hebrew babies,’ she said.”
Commentary on Exodus 1:22-2:1-8 (NIV)
According to a poll taken among Jews worldwide, accorded to J. Vernon McGee, Moses is the forefather held in the highest esteem by most. His birth and rearing were miraculous, because Pharaoh (or Pharaohs) had enforced an edict for an unknown number of years that all Hebrew male infants were to be drowned in the Nile. He was hidden by his mother for three months; then she placed him in a basket floating in the Nile, watched by his sister. Pharaoh’s daughter found him and took him for her own. She even paid his mother to nurse him, although she probably didn’t know it was his mother. He became her son, and he lived in Pharaoh’s palace until grown as his adopted grandson. Many of the Hebrew boys were murdered, but God’s blessing on the Israelites caused some to live, and the number of Hebrews continued to multiply, despite the ruthless treatment by Egyptian rulers.
Moses was destined to be God’s Deliverer, His prophet called to confront Pharaoh and force him to let the Israelite nation leave Egypt and the long years of slavery. God used certain men and women as prophets (selected recipients of His words to Israel) over about 1500 years before the birth of Jesus Christ. The Old Testament, which is the Hebrew Bible, was written by these inspired (by the Holy Spirit, who is God in spirit form) men and women, and it contains many prophecies. Moses also fulfilled the dual role of ruler, or judge, and high priest in leading the Children of Israel from Egypt to Canaan, the Promised Land. Note that he was of the tribe of Levi, whose men were appointed as priests for the nation. Moses did not know that he was to do all this during his time spent in the palace; he did know he was a Hebrew.
"For God so loved the world that he sent his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him will not die, buy 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)
That Moses be reared in the Pharaoh’s home,
For male Hebrew babes were to be snuffed out,
Pharaoh said; his daughter made him her own!
Saved to be God’s first prophet, Moses was;
How many Hebrew boys thrown in the Nile?
The world knows not, nor cares, but God sure does;
With Him’s the soul of ev’ry murdered child!
O Israel! Sing praise to God of that day,
For your exodus from Egypt loomed near;
Moses would free you, and show you the way;
Your deliverer has God sent you here!
He tended this infant with special care,
For the fate of Israel Moses would bear!
Scripture Quoted: Exodus 1:22-2:1-6 (NIV) [Brackets added]
“Then Pharaoh gave this order to all his people, ‘Every [Hebrew] boy that is born you must throw into the Nile, but let every girl live.’ Now a man of the house of Levi married a Levite woman, and she became pregnant and gave birth to a son. When she saw that he was a fine child, she hid him for three months. But when she could hide him no longer, she got a papyrus basket for him and coated it with tar and pitch. Then she placed the child in it and put it among the reeds along the bank of the Nile. His sister stood at a distance to see what would happen to him. Then Pharaoh’s daughter went down to the Nile to bathe, and her attendants were walking along the river bank. She saw the basket among the reeds and sent her slave to get it. She opened it and saw the baby. He was crying, and she felt sorry for him. ‘This is one of the Hebrew babies,’ she said.”
Commentary on Exodus 1:22-2:1-8 (NIV)
According to a poll taken among Jews worldwide, accorded to J. Vernon McGee, Moses is the forefather held in the highest esteem by most. His birth and rearing were miraculous, because Pharaoh (or Pharaohs) had enforced an edict for an unknown number of years that all Hebrew male infants were to be drowned in the Nile. He was hidden by his mother for three months; then she placed him in a basket floating in the Nile, watched by his sister. Pharaoh’s daughter found him and took him for her own. She even paid his mother to nurse him, although she probably didn’t know it was his mother. He became her son, and he lived in Pharaoh’s palace until grown as his adopted grandson. Many of the Hebrew boys were murdered, but God’s blessing on the Israelites caused some to live, and the number of Hebrews continued to multiply, despite the ruthless treatment by Egyptian rulers.
Moses was destined to be God’s Deliverer, His prophet called to confront Pharaoh and force him to let the Israelite nation leave Egypt and the long years of slavery. God used certain men and women as prophets (selected recipients of His words to Israel) over about 1500 years before the birth of Jesus Christ. The Old Testament, which is the Hebrew Bible, was written by these inspired (by the Holy Spirit, who is God in spirit form) men and women, and it contains many prophecies. Moses also fulfilled the dual role of ruler, or judge, and high priest in leading the Children of Israel from Egypt to Canaan, the Promised Land. Note that he was of the tribe of Levi, whose men were appointed as priests for the nation. Moses did not know that he was to do all this during his time spent in the palace; he did know he was a Hebrew.
"For God so loved the world that he sent his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him will not die, buy 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, January 24, 2011
Nothing Surprises God (MP 35)
The first Plan God made was also the last;
He foreknew each of Man’s stumbles and falls;
God previewed them as if they had passed—
The cures fore-planned and ready for the stalls!
For Adam’s fall, redemption introduced;
To shrink too-long life-spans, the flood would fall;
For Babel’s o’er-reach, languages confused;
Israel’s enslavement, a prophet to call!
A prophet? From where, and just when, pray tell?
Selected in advance by God, of course;
By Him to Egypt had come Is-ra-el,
And by Him would they leave there, by His force!
God’s Master Plan won’t ever need patching,
No matter what sinful men are hatching!
Scripture Quotes (NIV) [Brackets added]
Isaiah 46:9b-11—“ ‘Remember the former things, those of long ago; I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is no one like me. I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times what is still to come. I say, My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please. From the east I summon a bird of prey; from a far-off land, a man [Abram] to fulfill my purpose. What I have said, that will I bring about; what I have planned, that will I do.’ “
1 Peter 1:18-21—“For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ [the Messiah, Jesus], a lamb without blemish or defect. He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope is in God.”
Commentary
At first glance, the Bible may seem like the story of God’s Plan for Man is a series of patches hurriedly made by Him to prop up mankind when it stumbles and falls, in order that a small remnant can limp into heaven bandaged and limping on crutches of grace. Nothing could be farther from the truth. God’s foreknowledge provided to Him the complete history of man before the universe was ever launched by Him with the Big Bang. His Plan included the cure for every foible and flaw of Man; God is no ambulance-chasing lawyer racing to accident after accident, and surprised to find Man fallen on his face again and again. He is not surprised at any sinful act—Adam’s disobedient eating of the forbidden fruit, Man’s sins and too-long life-spans that brought the flood, the arrogance of the tower-builders of Babel, or any of the disgraceful actions of today, like abortion, homosexual marriage, disintegration of two-sex families, or obsession with technology. He knew them all; in spite of that, He made Man anyway, with no change of purpose: Man, or at least those who believe in Him, will be His eternal dwelling-mate.
Isaiah the prophet quoted God Himself (above): “My purpose will stand…What I have planned, that will I do.” As one example, Peter told the Christians of Asia Minor (today’s Turkey) they “were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers ,,, with the precious blood of Christ (the Messiah Jesus, who was God in the flesh)”. Peter said this in the first century after the crucifixion of Jesus (quoted above); by “forefathers’ he meant Judaism and the Mosaic Law, which was “empty” in that it offered no redemption from the first sin of Adam. The Messiah, coming to earth as Jesus of Nazareth, offered the good news of redemption; that is, the condemnation, brought to every man and woman by Adam, could be nullified by belief in Jesus as being sent by God to the human race. Life after the crucifixion, in other words, was not “empty”; it offered to all people (including us today, for we are still in the “last times”) salvation as a free gift, but only if we “believe” in Jesus as the Messiah or “Christ” promised throughout the Old Testament. This redemption was not a “band-aid” God hurriedly added to His plan because Adam fouled up His Plan—it was included in the original Master Plan. So were all the other cures for all the falls Man will suffer.
“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)
He foreknew each of Man’s stumbles and falls;
God previewed them as if they had passed—
The cures fore-planned and ready for the stalls!
For Adam’s fall, redemption introduced;
To shrink too-long life-spans, the flood would fall;
For Babel’s o’er-reach, languages confused;
Israel’s enslavement, a prophet to call!
A prophet? From where, and just when, pray tell?
Selected in advance by God, of course;
By Him to Egypt had come Is-ra-el,
And by Him would they leave there, by His force!
God’s Master Plan won’t ever need patching,
No matter what sinful men are hatching!
Scripture Quotes (NIV) [Brackets added]
Isaiah 46:9b-11—“ ‘Remember the former things, those of long ago; I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is no one like me. I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times what is still to come. I say, My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please. From the east I summon a bird of prey; from a far-off land, a man [Abram] to fulfill my purpose. What I have said, that will I bring about; what I have planned, that will I do.’ “
1 Peter 1:18-21—“For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ [the Messiah, Jesus], a lamb without blemish or defect. He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope is in God.”
Commentary
At first glance, the Bible may seem like the story of God’s Plan for Man is a series of patches hurriedly made by Him to prop up mankind when it stumbles and falls, in order that a small remnant can limp into heaven bandaged and limping on crutches of grace. Nothing could be farther from the truth. God’s foreknowledge provided to Him the complete history of man before the universe was ever launched by Him with the Big Bang. His Plan included the cure for every foible and flaw of Man; God is no ambulance-chasing lawyer racing to accident after accident, and surprised to find Man fallen on his face again and again. He is not surprised at any sinful act—Adam’s disobedient eating of the forbidden fruit, Man’s sins and too-long life-spans that brought the flood, the arrogance of the tower-builders of Babel, or any of the disgraceful actions of today, like abortion, homosexual marriage, disintegration of two-sex families, or obsession with technology. He knew them all; in spite of that, He made Man anyway, with no change of purpose: Man, or at least those who believe in Him, will be His eternal dwelling-mate.
Isaiah the prophet quoted God Himself (above): “My purpose will stand…What I have planned, that will I do.” As one example, Peter told the Christians of Asia Minor (today’s Turkey) they “were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers ,,, with the precious blood of Christ (the Messiah Jesus, who was God in the flesh)”. Peter said this in the first century after the crucifixion of Jesus (quoted above); by “forefathers’ he meant Judaism and the Mosaic Law, which was “empty” in that it offered no redemption from the first sin of Adam. The Messiah, coming to earth as Jesus of Nazareth, offered the good news of redemption; that is, the condemnation, brought to every man and woman by Adam, could be nullified by belief in Jesus as being sent by God to the human race. Life after the crucifixion, in other words, was not “empty”; it offered to all people (including us today, for we are still in the “last times”) salvation as a free gift, but only if we “believe” in Jesus as the Messiah or “Christ” promised throughout the Old Testament. This redemption was not a “band-aid” God hurriedly added to His plan because Adam fouled up His Plan—it was included in the original Master Plan. So were all the other cures for all the falls Man will suffer.
“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, January 22, 2011
Israelites Enslaved (MP 34)
Troubles began as soon as Joseph died;
Israelites spread o’er choice Egyptian soil;
Their numbers grew fast and wealth multiplied;
God blessed the Hebrews’ industry and toil!
Pharaohs who knew not Joseph were alarmed,
And resolved to limit their spread and size;
“Kill the boys, but let not the girls be harmed,”
Their midwives were ordered, to slow the rise!
All Hebrews were enslaved to work for the kings;
With brick and mortar, pyramids were built,
Tombs and shrines, cities; other wondrous things,
Beaten and driven to the ruthless hilt!
But the more mistreated, the more they grew,
God being determined to see them through!
Scripture Quoted (NIV)
Exodus 1:11-14—“So they put slave masters over them to oppress them with forced labor, and they built Pithom and Rameses as store cities for Pharaoh. But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and spread; so the Egyptians came to dread the Israelites and worked them ruthlessly. They made their lives bitter with hard labor in brick and mortar and with all kinds of work in the fields; in all their hard labor the Egyptians used them ruthlessly.”
Exodus 1:23—“Then Pharaoh gave this order to all his people: ‘Every boy that is born, you must throw him in the Nile, but let every girl live.’ “
Commentary on Genesis 47 through Excdus 1 (NIV)
God spoke to Jacob at night while still in the Promised Land and assured him that it was in His Master Plan that Jacob and family move to Egypt. God promised to be with them in Egypt, make them a mighty nation, and bring them back to Canaan (See Genesis 46:3-4). The Israelites arrived in Egypt about 1880 B.C., settling in Goshen near the city they built while under slavery called Rameses. According to archeological evidence, Joseph lived in a large villa in the area near them in retirement; his tomb has been found absent skeletal remains, for his bones were carried back to Canaan by the Israelites. Egyptian history identifies a new regime called “Hykos” took over the rule of Egypt about 1690 B.C., which is likely the “Pharaoh who did not know about Joseph” (See Exodus 1:8), and when the enslavement of the Israelites began; this was 190 years after their arrival. They left Egypt for Canaan in the exodus after a total of 430 years in Egypt (See Exodus 12:40), which means their ruthless oppression lasted 240 years. It is horrible to think about.
While Joseph still lived and reigned, Jacob died in Egypt at the age of 147. Jacob blessed his 12 sons before he died, and Judah was told the “scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his knees” (See Genesis 49:10), which is a prophecy that Jesus (God) will come from the tribe of Judah about 1900 years later. After Jacob’s death a huge funeral procession made up of Egyptian officials and Jacob’s sons and family members carried his body back to Canaan to be buried in the field bought by Abram from a Hittite, where he and Sarai were already interred. They mourned for seven days, which made a great impression on the surrounding Canaanites.
The Hykos Pharaoh wished to stop the growth of Israelite fighting men, so he ordered the Hebrew midwives to kill the babies born if they were boys, but to let the girls live. The midwives obeyed God and did not kill the boys, and God blessed them by giving them children of their own, When called on the carpet by Pharaoh, the midwives told him the baby boys were born before they arrived, and he did not punish them. The Israelites kept growing in number and spreading, so the Pharaoh ordered all Egyptian people to throw the newborn boys in the Nile to drown. This was the policy for more than 200 years.
All this time Israelite men, women, and children worked at hard labor on two or three treasure storage cities, in the fields, and were ruthlessly killed, beaten and used. Nevertheless, God blessed them, and they kept on growing in number and spreading.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten 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 God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9)
Israelites spread o’er choice Egyptian soil;
Their numbers grew fast and wealth multiplied;
God blessed the Hebrews’ industry and toil!
Pharaohs who knew not Joseph were alarmed,
And resolved to limit their spread and size;
“Kill the boys, but let not the girls be harmed,”
Their midwives were ordered, to slow the rise!
All Hebrews were enslaved to work for the kings;
With brick and mortar, pyramids were built,
Tombs and shrines, cities; other wondrous things,
Beaten and driven to the ruthless hilt!
But the more mistreated, the more they grew,
God being determined to see them through!
Scripture Quoted (NIV)
Exodus 1:11-14—“So they put slave masters over them to oppress them with forced labor, and they built Pithom and Rameses as store cities for Pharaoh. But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and spread; so the Egyptians came to dread the Israelites and worked them ruthlessly. They made their lives bitter with hard labor in brick and mortar and with all kinds of work in the fields; in all their hard labor the Egyptians used them ruthlessly.”
Exodus 1:23—“Then Pharaoh gave this order to all his people: ‘Every boy that is born, you must throw him in the Nile, but let every girl live.’ “
Commentary on Genesis 47 through Excdus 1 (NIV)
God spoke to Jacob at night while still in the Promised Land and assured him that it was in His Master Plan that Jacob and family move to Egypt. God promised to be with them in Egypt, make them a mighty nation, and bring them back to Canaan (See Genesis 46:3-4). The Israelites arrived in Egypt about 1880 B.C., settling in Goshen near the city they built while under slavery called Rameses. According to archeological evidence, Joseph lived in a large villa in the area near them in retirement; his tomb has been found absent skeletal remains, for his bones were carried back to Canaan by the Israelites. Egyptian history identifies a new regime called “Hykos” took over the rule of Egypt about 1690 B.C., which is likely the “Pharaoh who did not know about Joseph” (See Exodus 1:8), and when the enslavement of the Israelites began; this was 190 years after their arrival. They left Egypt for Canaan in the exodus after a total of 430 years in Egypt (See Exodus 12:40), which means their ruthless oppression lasted 240 years. It is horrible to think about.
While Joseph still lived and reigned, Jacob died in Egypt at the age of 147. Jacob blessed his 12 sons before he died, and Judah was told the “scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his knees” (See Genesis 49:10), which is a prophecy that Jesus (God) will come from the tribe of Judah about 1900 years later. After Jacob’s death a huge funeral procession made up of Egyptian officials and Jacob’s sons and family members carried his body back to Canaan to be buried in the field bought by Abram from a Hittite, where he and Sarai were already interred. They mourned for seven days, which made a great impression on the surrounding Canaanites.
The Hykos Pharaoh wished to stop the growth of Israelite fighting men, so he ordered the Hebrew midwives to kill the babies born if they were boys, but to let the girls live. The midwives obeyed God and did not kill the boys, and God blessed them by giving them children of their own, When called on the carpet by Pharaoh, the midwives told him the baby boys were born before they arrived, and he did not punish them. The Israelites kept growing in number and spreading, so the Pharaoh ordered all Egyptian people to throw the newborn boys in the Nile to drown. This was the policy for more than 200 years.
All this time Israelite men, women, and children worked at hard labor on two or three treasure storage cities, in the fields, and were ruthlessly killed, beaten and used. Nevertheless, God blessed them, and they kept on growing in number and spreading.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten 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 God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9)
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Jacob's Family Comes To Egypt (MP 33)
All went well with Joseph’s plan, and God’s, too;
The seven rich years reaped abundant grain,
And plenty was stored to feed Egypt through;
Their neighbors, as well, under Joseph’s reign!
Joseph’s brothers came to Egypt to buy,
For Canaan suffered during the lean years;
Jacob rejoiced that Jacob was the guy
Running Egypt, and he wept happy tears!
At Joseph’s request, his family moved,
From Canaan to Egypt, and there they stayed;
At first they were welcomed, and well approved,
But they grew so much, Egypt got afraid!
They dwelled down there four hundred thirty years,
Until God’s great Deliverer appears!
Scripture Quoted: Genesis 45:8-11 (NIV) [Brackets added]
“ ‘So then, [Joseph speaking to his brothers that sold him down to Egypt] it was not you who sent me here, but God. He made me father to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household and ruler of all Egypt. Now hurry back to my father [Jacob] and say to him, This is what your son Joseph says; God has made me lord of all Egypt. Come down to me. Don’t delay. You shall live in the region of Goshen and be near me—you, your children and grandchildren, your flocks and herds, and all that you have. I will provide for you there, because five years of famine are still to come. Otherwise you and your household and all who belong to you will be destitute.’ “
Commentary
God’s Master Plan required that Jacob’s family be isolated in Egypt for 430 years before attaining nationhood as His special race of Israel; that was the reason He caused them to sell Joseph to the caravan going to Egypt in the first place. His plan called for the Canaanites to remain in the land of Canaan until their depravity in sin, which included the sacrifice of babies to idols, had risen to its fullest; also, He wanted Jacob’s family to multiply with pure blood lines from Abram into a large enough tribe that it could conquer all the tribes then living in Canaan. Therefore, when Joseph’s ten brothers came to Egypt to buy grain after the seven abundant years and two of the lean years, Joseph knew them immediately, but they did not recognize him. He put them through a tough ordeal, but in the end he welcomed them with forgiveness. He learned that his mother Rachel had born another child who was his full brother. Jacob had a total of 12 sons, each of whom fathered one of the twelve tribes of Israel; however, instead of Joseph’s one tribe, he had two sons by his Egyptian wife, Manasseh and Ephraim; they were each given a share of the land of Canaan.
When the full story of Joseph is known and considered, it becomes clear how important his role was in the development of the nation of Israel; also, his obedience to the will of God establishes him as one of the most righteous men who ever lived. Yes, as a youngster he was obnoxious to his brothers; however, it was that overbearing manner that motivated them to set God’s Plan into motion. His childhood dreams of his brothers bowing down to him came to fulfillment in the days when they were seeking food, and he was in control of the world’s biggest supply of food. They bowed until he made himself known to them and probably afterward, too. How extraordinary, that a young Hebrew slave could rise to such an exalted position in a foreign nation at exactly the proper time to save the ones that had sent him into slavery! But Pharaohs came, and Pharaohs went, and when Joseph’s benefactor went down, the new Pharaoh didn’t extend the same compassion to the Israelites; in fact, the time came that the Egyptians began to fear the growing number of Hebrews, and it resulted in the enslavement of the entire tribe. That, too, was a part of God’s Master Plan. Keep reading these blogs, and you will find how marvelous and astounding God’s Plan really was!
“For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten 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 seven rich years reaped abundant grain,
And plenty was stored to feed Egypt through;
Their neighbors, as well, under Joseph’s reign!
Joseph’s brothers came to Egypt to buy,
For Canaan suffered during the lean years;
Jacob rejoiced that Jacob was the guy
Running Egypt, and he wept happy tears!
At Joseph’s request, his family moved,
From Canaan to Egypt, and there they stayed;
At first they were welcomed, and well approved,
But they grew so much, Egypt got afraid!
They dwelled down there four hundred thirty years,
Until God’s great Deliverer appears!
Scripture Quoted: Genesis 45:8-11 (NIV) [Brackets added]
“ ‘So then, [Joseph speaking to his brothers that sold him down to Egypt] it was not you who sent me here, but God. He made me father to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household and ruler of all Egypt. Now hurry back to my father [Jacob] and say to him, This is what your son Joseph says; God has made me lord of all Egypt. Come down to me. Don’t delay. You shall live in the region of Goshen and be near me—you, your children and grandchildren, your flocks and herds, and all that you have. I will provide for you there, because five years of famine are still to come. Otherwise you and your household and all who belong to you will be destitute.’ “
Commentary
God’s Master Plan required that Jacob’s family be isolated in Egypt for 430 years before attaining nationhood as His special race of Israel; that was the reason He caused them to sell Joseph to the caravan going to Egypt in the first place. His plan called for the Canaanites to remain in the land of Canaan until their depravity in sin, which included the sacrifice of babies to idols, had risen to its fullest; also, He wanted Jacob’s family to multiply with pure blood lines from Abram into a large enough tribe that it could conquer all the tribes then living in Canaan. Therefore, when Joseph’s ten brothers came to Egypt to buy grain after the seven abundant years and two of the lean years, Joseph knew them immediately, but they did not recognize him. He put them through a tough ordeal, but in the end he welcomed them with forgiveness. He learned that his mother Rachel had born another child who was his full brother. Jacob had a total of 12 sons, each of whom fathered one of the twelve tribes of Israel; however, instead of Joseph’s one tribe, he had two sons by his Egyptian wife, Manasseh and Ephraim; they were each given a share of the land of Canaan.
When the full story of Joseph is known and considered, it becomes clear how important his role was in the development of the nation of Israel; also, his obedience to the will of God establishes him as one of the most righteous men who ever lived. Yes, as a youngster he was obnoxious to his brothers; however, it was that overbearing manner that motivated them to set God’s Plan into motion. His childhood dreams of his brothers bowing down to him came to fulfillment in the days when they were seeking food, and he was in control of the world’s biggest supply of food. They bowed until he made himself known to them and probably afterward, too. How extraordinary, that a young Hebrew slave could rise to such an exalted position in a foreign nation at exactly the proper time to save the ones that had sent him into slavery! But Pharaohs came, and Pharaohs went, and when Joseph’s benefactor went down, the new Pharaoh didn’t extend the same compassion to the Israelites; in fact, the time came that the Egyptians began to fear the growing number of Hebrews, and it resulted in the enslavement of the entire tribe. That, too, was a part of God’s Master Plan. Keep reading these blogs, and you will find how marvelous and astounding God’s Plan really was!
“For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten 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, January 18, 2011
Joseph Interprets Pharaoh's Dreams (MP 32)
At last a summons from the palace came;
Pharaoh had had two dreams, meanings unknown;
Joseph’s cupbearer friend mentioned his name,
As a dream diviner who’s never wrong!
He breathed a prayer thanking God for his call,
Shaved and dressed, reported to the throne-room;
The dreams recounted; the court waited all,
To see if Joseph would fizzle or boom!
“Egypt will enjoy seven years of rich crops,
Followed by seven years of sowings that fail;
Store one-fifth the grain in years that are tops,
So you’ll have food in the years that are frail!
Joseph’s wise answer so impressed the king,
That he was put in charge of ev’rything!
Scripture Quoted: Genesis 41:41-43 (NIV)
“Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, ‘I hereby put you in charge of the whole land of Egypt.’ Then Pharaoh took his signet ring from his finger and put it on Joseph’s finger. He dressed him in robes of fine linen and put a gold chain around his neck. He had him ride in a chariot as his second-in-command, and men shouted before him, ‘Make way!’ Thus he put him in charge of the whole land of Egypt.”
Commentary
After thirteen years of slavery and imprisonment, Joseph had finally reached the pinnacle that God’s Master Plan had set for him—the second highest position in Egypt. He had been despised by his ten older brothers in Canaan; they had captured him as a 17-year old boy and sold him into slavery. Circumstances had compelled him to serve Potiphar as a slave, but God’s help in working things out for his good caused a chain of events which eventually landed him next to Pharaoh in power in Egypt (Romans 8:28). The reason God helps some human beings is because they love him and He has a purpose for their lives. Only believers in Jesus Christ as Lord receive that Godly help today.
Now we will see why God’s Plan needed an ally in such a powerful post in Egypt. Remember that God had chosen Abraham and Sarah to give birth to a son at 100 and 90 years of age respectively. The son Isaac’s descendants would grow into a nation Chosen by God to give birth to the Messiah (which means Christ or King of the Kingdom of God), who would be Jesus of Nazareth and who would offer redemption from the condemnation of death for all men and women. Isaac then fathered Jacob, and Jacob’s name was changed to Israel, and that would be the name of the Chosen Nation. Joseph was one of 12 sons of Jacob, and he would be responsible for causing the Israelites to re-locate to Egypt, where for 430 years they could grow into a multitude of people. Israel would be the nation though which God would reveal Himself to the world as Savior and Redeemer and Father by adoption to all who accepted His Son Jesus as Christ the Lord. Joseph’s life was a key instrument in the making of Israel into its intended role in the Master Plan of God.
The famine that Joseph predicted would come after seven years of plenty, and it would affect Canaan, as well. After 10 or so years with Joseph’s storing of plenty of grain in Egypt, Jacob sent Joseph’s ten brothers to Egypt to buy grain for food to use in Canaan. After a series of complicated machinations, Joseph identified himself to his brothers, who had been bowing down to him as his youthful dreams had presaged; he forgave them and convinced Jacob and all his sons’ families to move to Egypt, where he gave them the very fertile land of Goshen. God’s plans for Israel will continue to develop in my next blogs.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten 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)
Pharaoh had had two dreams, meanings unknown;
Joseph’s cupbearer friend mentioned his name,
As a dream diviner who’s never wrong!
He breathed a prayer thanking God for his call,
Shaved and dressed, reported to the throne-room;
The dreams recounted; the court waited all,
To see if Joseph would fizzle or boom!
“Egypt will enjoy seven years of rich crops,
Followed by seven years of sowings that fail;
Store one-fifth the grain in years that are tops,
So you’ll have food in the years that are frail!
Joseph’s wise answer so impressed the king,
That he was put in charge of ev’rything!
Scripture Quoted: Genesis 41:41-43 (NIV)
“Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, ‘I hereby put you in charge of the whole land of Egypt.’ Then Pharaoh took his signet ring from his finger and put it on Joseph’s finger. He dressed him in robes of fine linen and put a gold chain around his neck. He had him ride in a chariot as his second-in-command, and men shouted before him, ‘Make way!’ Thus he put him in charge of the whole land of Egypt.”
Commentary
After thirteen years of slavery and imprisonment, Joseph had finally reached the pinnacle that God’s Master Plan had set for him—the second highest position in Egypt. He had been despised by his ten older brothers in Canaan; they had captured him as a 17-year old boy and sold him into slavery. Circumstances had compelled him to serve Potiphar as a slave, but God’s help in working things out for his good caused a chain of events which eventually landed him next to Pharaoh in power in Egypt (Romans 8:28). The reason God helps some human beings is because they love him and He has a purpose for their lives. Only believers in Jesus Christ as Lord receive that Godly help today.
Now we will see why God’s Plan needed an ally in such a powerful post in Egypt. Remember that God had chosen Abraham and Sarah to give birth to a son at 100 and 90 years of age respectively. The son Isaac’s descendants would grow into a nation Chosen by God to give birth to the Messiah (which means Christ or King of the Kingdom of God), who would be Jesus of Nazareth and who would offer redemption from the condemnation of death for all men and women. Isaac then fathered Jacob, and Jacob’s name was changed to Israel, and that would be the name of the Chosen Nation. Joseph was one of 12 sons of Jacob, and he would be responsible for causing the Israelites to re-locate to Egypt, where for 430 years they could grow into a multitude of people. Israel would be the nation though which God would reveal Himself to the world as Savior and Redeemer and Father by adoption to all who accepted His Son Jesus as Christ the Lord. Joseph’s life was a key instrument in the making of Israel into its intended role in the Master Plan of God.
The famine that Joseph predicted would come after seven years of plenty, and it would affect Canaan, as well. After 10 or so years with Joseph’s storing of plenty of grain in Egypt, Jacob sent Joseph’s ten brothers to Egypt to buy grain for food to use in Canaan. After a series of complicated machinations, Joseph identified himself to his brothers, who had been bowing down to him as his youthful dreams had presaged; he forgave them and convinced Jacob and all his sons’ families to move to Egypt, where he gave them the very fertile land of Goshen. God’s plans for Israel will continue to develop in my next blogs.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten 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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