Exodus 24:3-25:30; Matthew 24:37-51; Psalms 31:1-2; Proverbs 11:14

OT: “The Lord spoke to Moses: “Tell the Israelites to take an offering for me. You are to take my offering from everyone who is willing to give… They are to make a sanctuary for me so that I may dwell among them. You must make it according to all that I show you — the pattern of the tabernacle as well as the pattern of all its furnishings. “They are to make an ark of acacia wood, forty-five inches long, twenty-seven inches wide, and twenty-seven inches high. Overlay it with pure gold; overlay it both inside and out. Also make a gold molding all around it… Make a mercy seat of pure gold, forty-five inches long and twenty-seven inches wide. Make two cherubim of gold; make them of hammered work at the two ends of the mercy seat… The cherubim are to have wings spread out above, covering the mercy seat with their wings, and are to face one another. The faces of the cherubim should be toward the mercy seat… I will meet with you there above the mercy seat, between the two cherubim that are over the ark of the testimony; I will speak with you from there about all that I command you regarding the Israelites.”” (‭‭Exodus‬ ‭25:1-2, 8-11, 17-18, 20, 22 ‭CSB‬‬)

Many people view Exodus as the book where God gave Israel the Ten Commandments and the Law. The perspective is probably fueled by the Cecil B. De Mille film that gets shown on TV every year around Passover time. While it is true that God did give the Ten Commandments and the Law in the book of Exodus, it seems that the primary focus of the book is worship. The reason God gave for liberating the Israelites was for them to worship Him. After God gave the Ten Commandments and particulars of the Law, He called Moses up to the mountain to give him very specific plans for a tabernacle – a place where God could be present in the midst of His people, and that would serve as a focal point for worship. The Law was given to give the Israelites guidelines to follow so that they could remain a holy people… but why did He want them to be holy? A big motivator was that He could live among them so that they would be known as His people, graced by His presence, protection, power, and provision. But God is not willing to be worshipped in any way that we like – no, He is holy, and He must be worshiped in the specific way that He describes, so very careful attention and very specific instructions were given to Moses on the mountain so that God’s people would be able to abide with Him, draw near to Him and receive His blessing through holy and sanctified worship.

NT: “Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master has put in charge of his household, to give them food at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whom the master finds doing his job when he comes. Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. But if that wicked servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delayed,’ and starts to beat his fellow servants, and eats and drinks with drunkards, that servant’s master will come on a day he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” (‭‭Matthew‬ ‭24:45-51‬ ‭CSB‬‬)

There will come a day when Jesus Christ, the son of God will return to complete what He started, dwell with His faithful worshipping disciples, and establish His kingdom here on earth. The key to that is faithful worshipping disciples. Just as a bridegroom expects to return to a bride that has remained faithful, the Lord is expecting to return for a church that has remained faithful to Him, His word, His ways, and His will. Those who grow tired of waiting and become unfaithful will not be greeted warmly. So as we live here between what has already been accomplished by Christ and what has not yet come to pass, we remain faithful by the grace we receive through His Holy Spirit… we abide in Him and allow His words to abide in us by His Holy Spirit… we become the Lord’s dwelling place spiritually – the temple of the Holy Spirit… and we remain faithful worshipping disciples, doing His work and always ready for His return.

Psalms: “Lord, I seek refuge in you; let me never be disgraced. Save me by your righteousness. Listen closely to me; rescue me quickly. Be a rock of refuge for me, a mountain fortress to save me.” (‭‭Psalms‬ ‭31:1-2‬ ‭CSB‬‬)

As this was true for David, how much more true is it now of the Lord’s faithful disciples who have been given the gift of God’s Holy Spirit, who can now abide in Christ and truly find refuge in Him. As we make  God our primary pursuit, walk fully in the leading and empowering of His Holy Spirit, and lean not on our own understanding – He will eternally, now and forever, save us and be a rock, a refuge, and a fortress for us in the midst of any and all kinds of trials and difficulties. Trials and difficulties will come. Having Him as our refuge is the big difference maker.

Proverbs: “Without guidance, a people will fall, but with many counselors there is deliverance.” (‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭11:14‬ ‭CSB‬‬)

Living according to your own understanding will lead to a fall. Surrendering to the Lord fully, becoming the dwelling place for the Lord, and allowing Him to guide you through His words and the words He gives through trusted people will bring deliverance.

Exodus 23:14-24:2; Matthew 24:29-36; Psalms 30:4-12; Proverbs 11:12-13

OT: “I am going to send an angel before you to protect you on the way and bring you to the place I have prepared. Be attentive to him and listen to him. Do not defy him, because he will not forgive your acts of rebellion, for my name is in him. But if you will carefully obey him and do everything I say, then I will be an enemy to your enemies and a foe to your foes. For my angel will go before you and bring you to the land of the Amorites, Hethites, Perizzites, Canaanites, Hivites, and Jebusites, and I will wipe them out. Do not bow in worship to their gods, and do not serve them. Do not imitate their practices. Instead, demolish them and smash their sacred pillars to pieces. Serve the Lord your God, and he will bless your bread and your water. I will remove illnesses from you. No woman will miscarry or be childless in your land. I will give you the full number of your days… I will set your borders from the Red Sea to the Mediterranean Sea, and from the wilderness to the Euphrates River. For I will place the inhabitants of the land under your control, and you will drive them out ahead of you. You must not make a covenant with them or their gods. They must not remain in your land, or else they will make you sin against me. If you serve their gods, it will be a snare for you.” (‭‭Exodus‬ ‭23:20-26, 31-33‬ ‭CSB‬‬)

God’s presence and favor is the big difference maker. But His presence and favor is not unconditional. Many people quote verses like these and claim these promises over their lives, but the ignore the conditions that qualify the promise. Whether His presence is The Angel of the Lord or the indwelling Holy Spirit, the same conditions apply: do not defy Him, obey Him, and do everything I say. The main reason these promises did not fully come to fruition was not because God was not able – it was because the people were not willing to follow the conditions. They defied the Lord and grieved Him tremendously through disobedience, lack of faith, and succumbing to the worship of other gods and idols. However, if we faithfully and lovingly obey the Lord and remain free and holy, His presence and favor remains.

NT: “Learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its branch becomes tender and sprouts leaves, you know that summer is near. In the same way, when you see all these things, recognize that he is near — at the door. Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. Now concerning that day and hour no one knows — neither the angels of heaven nor the Son — except the Father alone.” (‭‭Matthew‬ ‭24:32-36‬ ‭CSB‬‬)

Jesus was still talking about signs of the end of days and His return to establish His kingdom on earth. With most prophecy, there is an immediate or initial fulfillment, and then there is an ultimate fulfillment. With Jesus’ prophecy about the end of days, the same was true. There was an initial fulfillment when Rome ransacked Jerusalem and destroyed the temple – and the generation that was alive at that time lived to see that event. However, the ultimate fulfillment has not happened yet – and while that generation of people have long sense died, the generation of believers called the Church has not. So ultimately, the Church of the Lord will not pass away until all is ultimately fulfilled. And even beyond the end of days, the Lord’s words will never pass away. So we as the Church watch the signs and remain expectant and ready – but no one knows the exact time. Anyone who says that they have figured it out – they have not. There are definite signs, and the biggest one is the proclamation of the Gospel to every people group and ethnicity on the earth. The signs tell us when His return is near, but no one – not even Jesus Himself, knows the exact time, only the Father. So we actively wait, obeying His words, remaining faithful to Him; and actively watch things unfold on the earth with expectation.

Psalms: “Sing to the Lord, you his faithful ones, and praise his holy name. For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor, a lifetime. Weeping may stay overnight, but there is joy in the morning. When I was secure, I said, “I will never be shaken.” Lord, when you showed your favor, you made me stand like a strong mountain; when you hid your face, I was terrified… You turned my lament into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness, so that I can sing to you and not be silent. Lord my God, I will praise you forever.” (‭‭Psalms‬ ‭30:4-7, 11-12‬ ‭CSB‬‬)

There were times in David’s life when, through disobedience and sin, he fell out of favor with the Lord. Those were the times when, as David describes the experience, the Lord hid His face and David was terrified. Thankfully, God is a merciful and forgiving God. As quickly as we repent of our failings and turn our face back to Him, is how short His “anger” and our weeping lasts. As we remain in Him and He remains in us, and we maintain that union through confession and repentance, the Lords favor will last a lifetime. He will turn our lament into dancing and our grief to gladness. What a wonderful gift confession and repentance is!

Exodus 22:14-23:13; Matthew 24:15-28; Psalm 30:1-3; Proverbs 11:9-11

OT: “You must not exploit a resident alien or oppress him, since you were resident aliens in the land of Egypt. You must not mistreat any widow or fatherless child. If you do mistreat them, they will no doubt cry to me, and I will certainly hear their cry… If you lend silver to my people, to the poor person among you, you must not be like a creditor to him; you must not charge him interest. If you ever take your neighbor’s cloak as collateral, return it to him before sunset. For it is his only covering; it is the clothing for his body. What will he sleep in? And if he cries out to me, I will listen because I am gracious.” (‭‭Exodus‬ ‭22:21-23, 25-27‬ ‭CSB‬‬)

In our church, we refer to the “quartet of the vulnerable.” The quartet of the vulnerable, includes the widow, orphan, poor, and alien. Through the past few chapters of Exodus, Moses documented specific laws that God’s people were to follow, specifically laying out how the Ten Commandments were to be practiced within the cultures present at that time in history. God took the time to include and make provisions for the vulnerable. God’s heart always goes out to the vulnerable, and His people should be no different. Instead of exploiting those who are vulnerable among us, we are to protect them and be gracious toward them, just as God protects and is gracious toward us. When we care for the vulnerable among us, we display the heart of God in a powerful way and allow the glory of His kingdom to shine in an otherwise harsh and unforgiving world.

Psalms: “I will exalt you, Lord, because you have lifted me up and have not allowed my enemies to triumph over me. Lord my God, I cried to you for help, and you healed me. Lord, you brought me up from Sheol; you spared me from among those going down to the Pit.” (‭‭Psalms‬ ‭30:1-3‬ ‭CSB‬‬)

God hears our cry for help. When we are overwhelmed by circumstances that are greater than we are – when we are oppressed by those who seek to overpower us and pin us to the ground – when we are vulnerable to sickness and death, God hears us when we cry out to Him and He helps us, He delivers us, and He heals us. Therefore, we both exalt God, and show the same mercy and grace to others.

Proverbs: “When the righteous thrive, a city rejoices; when the wicked die, there is joyful shouting. A city is built up by the blessing of the upright, but it is torn down by the mouth of the wicked.” (‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭11:10-11‬ ‭CSB‬‬)

When the righteous truly live righteously and are allowed to thrive, there is no oppression or exploitation. All (vulnerable and invulnerable alike) are afforded the same opportunities, and the city is blessed. However, if righteousness is oppressed by the ways of the dog-eat-dog, survival-of-the-fittest, each-man-for-his-own world system, instead of being a place of blessing, the city becomes a place of wickedness and destruction.

Exodus 21:22-22:13; Matthew 24:1-14; Psalms 29:3-11; Proverbs 11:8

NT: “While he was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples approached him privately and said, “Tell us, when will these things happen? And what is the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” Jesus replied to them, “Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and they will deceive many. You are going to hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, because these things must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise up against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these events are the beginning of labor pains. Then they will hand you over to be persecuted, and they will kill you. You will be hated by all nations because of my name. Then many will fall away, betray one another, and hate one another. Many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. Because lawlessness will multiply, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. This good news of the kingdom will be proclaimed in all the world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.”” (‭‭Matthew‬ ‭24:3-14‬ ‭CSB‬‬)

We live in a world and in the midst of a world system that is out of control. When mankind fell into sin, the delegated dominion-holder of the world abdicated that authority to Satan, and he has no desire to maintain peace and order. The further down the timeline of history we move, the more out of control things will become. All the while, faithful followers of God’s will and ways are to proclaim the good news of the Kingdom. As the world grows darker and darker, the gospel of the Kingdom burns brighter and brighter until all nations (ethnicities/tribes/people groups – not geopolitical nation states) have had the gospel communicated to them in a clear enough way that they are able to knowingly respond. Then, when all peoples have had the opportunity to hear and respond, the end of this chaotic mess will come as Jesus takes back His rightful rule on the earth. So until then, we expect challenges… we expect humanity to act chaotically… and in the midst of all the mess, we, as agents of the Kingdom, remain faithful to the King and continue proclaiming the goodness of the Kingdom.

Psalms: “The Lord sits enthroned over the flood; the Lord sits enthroned, King forever. The Lord gives his people strength; the Lord blesses his people with peace.” (‭‭Psalms‬ ‭29:10-11‬ ‭CSB‬‬)

The most catastrophic event in recorded history was the great flood of Noah, where the entire population, save one family, was wiped out. Even during that catastrophe, God’s purposes for humanity and the world were not ended. There is no natural disaster, virus, plague, financial downfall, evil event, etc that can derail God’s ultimate plan and purpose for humanity and the world. Nothing can, nor will ever knock Him off His throne of sovereignty. And for those who trust in Him… who are faithful to Him… who look to Him instead of being panicked by the events of the world – to those people, He will give of His strength and bless them with His peace. Proper perspective changes everything. So, as this psalm stated at the beginning, Ascribe to the Lord the glory and strength that is due His name, come under His kingdom power, protection, provision, and purpose, and He will bless you with peace and strength. A peace and strength that demonstrates the validity of His glorious gospel.

Exodus 21:1-21; Matthew 23:27-39; Psalms 29:1-2; Proverbs 11:7

NT: “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which appear beautiful on the outside, but inside are full of the bones of the dead and every kind of impurity. In the same way, on the outside you seem righteous to people, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness. “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You build the tombs of the prophets and decorate the graves of the righteous, and you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, we wouldn’t have taken part with them in shedding the prophets’ blood.’ So you testify against yourselves that you are descendants of those who murdered the prophets… Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her. How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!” (‭‭Matthew‬ ‭23:27-31, 37‬ ‭CSB‬‬)

This section comprises the last of the woes that Jesus delivered to the scribes and Pharisees. In essence, He said that because of their hyper-religiosity and fixation on outward appearances instead of the inward state of their heart, they were not truly part of the Family of God, but were descendants of of those throughout history who were motivated by the enemy to destroy the prophets of the Kingdom for their own self-preservation. Instead of coming out of the darkness, they chose to try and extinguish the light and keep everyone in the dark. Jesus then finishes this with a lament for the city of Jerusalem and the people of Israel as a whole. God so dearly wants to protect and cover people with His hand and shelter them from the ravages of a world gone rogue, but people refuse. Sometimes it boggles my mind how strong pride can be in people, to the point where they will outright reject care, protection, provision, etc. That embedded sin of pride and self-sufficiency is so strong. We would rather save face than be saved. Lord, I don’t want to be like the Pharisees, where I get so caught up in preferential religious practice that I remove myself from the flow of your grace and at the same time prevent others from receiving your grace. I don’t want to be so set on self-preservation… preservation of position… preservation of reputation… preservation of possessions, that I end up becoming a walking deception full of lawlessness and hypocrisy. I don’t want to become so consumed in my identity that I reject You and who You want me to be. I always want to be willing to come under your wing and trust you completely.

Psalms: “Ascribe to the Lord, you heavenly beings, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness.” (‭‭Psalms‬ ‭29:1-2‬ ‭CSB‬‬)

This goes a long way in remaining humble: ascribing to the Lord the glory and the strength that is due Him. Many are consumed with making sure that glory is ascribed to them, but David says be consumed instead with ascribing proper glory and strength to the Lord… and worship Him. It is then that we are able to see things with the right perspective, and can weigh any and all fears and challenges against who He is instead of who we are. This is how you move from fear to faith – ascribing glory and strength to the Lord.

Exodus 19:16-20:26; Matthew 23:13-26; Psalms 28:6-9; Proverbs 11:5-6

OT: “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the place of slavery. Do not have other gods besides me. Do not make an idol for yourself, whether in the shape of anything in the heavens above or on the earth below or in the waters under the earth. Do not bow in worship to them, and do not serve them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, bringing the consequences of the fathers’ iniquity on the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate me, but showing faithful love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commands. Do not misuse the name of the Lord your God, because the Lord will not leave anyone unpunished who misuses his name. Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy… Honor your father and your mother so that you may have a long life in the land that the Lord your God is giving you. Do not murder. Do not commit adultery. Do not steal. Do not give false testimony against your neighbor. Do not covet your neighbor’s house. Do not covet your neighbor’s wife, his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.” (‭‭Exodus‬ ‭20:2-8, 12-17‬ ‭CSB‬‬)

These are Ten Commandments given by the Lord to a people who had just come out of a pagan land where they had lived for over 400 years. The first half are about honoring God and the second half are about honoring one another. By following these commandments, the Israelites would separate themselves from the rest of the word as a holy people dedicated to the Lord and His ways. The fact that God specifically calls out these ten things indicates that the rest of the world was involved in doing the opposite. First and foremost – Don’t worship any other god but Me. This is primary and key. Without following that first command, none of the others would be possible. The second: don’t create idols to worship. Unlike any other god, the True and Living God didn’t want His people worshipping any man-made attempt at representing Him. He would not be reduced to a man-made idol, and He would not share His glory with any man-made substitution for His greatness. One of my favorite promises in scripture is tied to that command: Those who choose to worship idols will pass down the consequences of that choice to their descendants – but for those who choose to reject other gods and idols and choose to honor and love the Lord God alone, they will be blessed for a thousand generations. Other gods and idols can take many different forms. In some parts of the world, there are literal gods and idols that people sacrifice to. In other parts of the world, people sacrifice their lives to wealth, fame, prominence, materiality, etc. and reduce God to something that He is not… an angry, hateful, unmerciful and distant deity… or maybe a benevolent uncle that always gives them what they ask for and never challenges them when they are wrong. Whatever form it takes, we as the people of God are to reject all of it and worship God and God alone as He has revealed Himself by the written word and the Living Word. When we choose to do that, all the other commandments will fall into place by His grace.

NT: “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You shut the door of the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. For you don’t go in, and you don’t allow those entering to go in… Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You pay a tenth of mint, dill, and cumin, and yet you have neglected the more important matters of the law — justice, mercy, and faithfulness. These things should have been done without neglecting the others. Blind guides! You strain out a gnat, but gulp down a camel! “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup, so that the outside of it may also become clean.” (‭‭Matthew‬ ‭23:13, 23-26‬ ‭CSB‬‬)

Put simply, the scribes and Pharisees had strayed away from worshipping the True God and were instead worshipping (and forcing others to worship) a god of their own construction. They had  developed a complicated network of rules and requirements and had made those self-made rules and requirements idols that they were bowing down to. As Jesus said, they had, for all intents and purposes, slammed the door on the character and nature of the True God and were forcing people to worship their own version of a very legalistic, nit-picky, unforgiving, and unmerciful god. By choosing to worship their version of God and removing themselves from the grace of God, they became guilty of transgressing other areas of the law as well. But they couldn’t let other people know that, so they kept the outside clean by feigning righteousness through their many requirements while remaining full of sin and hypocrisy inside. The fate of the scribes and Pharisees could too easily become ours if we fail to know the True and Living God and allow the Holy Spirit to remind us of Who He truly is as we daily study His word and allow the Living Word to abide in us.

Exodus 18:13-19:15; Matthew 23:1-12; Psalms 28:1-5; Proverbs 11:4

OT: “In the third month from the very day the Israelites left the land of Egypt, they came to the Sinai Wilderness… Moses went up the mountain to God, and the Lord called to him from the mountain: “This is what you must say to the house of Jacob and explain to the Israelites: ‘You have seen what I did to the Egyptians and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. Now if you will carefully listen to me and keep my covenant, you will be my own possession out of all the peoples, although the whole earth is mine, and you will be my kingdom of priests and my holy nation.’ These are the words that you are to say to the Israelites.”” (‭‭Exodus‬ ‭19:1, 3-6‬ ‭CSB‬‬)

This was God’s original intention for the nation of Israel – that they would be a holy nation, set apart to the Lord, all serving  the role of priest to the rest of the world… a kingdom of priests. Priests are mediators and chief Kingdom agents. Being a holy nation was not unto exclusivity. God wanted Israel to be holy that they might be His agents to the World and making the Kingdom inclusive to those who would choose to come to God, not exclusive to only the Jewish people. What an awesome privilege! According to 1 Peter 2:9-10, that privilege has now been granted to those who place their faith in and follow the Lord Jesus Christ.

NT: “The scribes and the Pharisees are seated in the chair of Moses. Therefore do whatever they tell you, and observe it. But don’t do what they do, because they don’t practice what they teach. They tie up heavy loads that are hard to carry and put them on people’s shoulders, but they themselves aren’t willing to lift a finger to move them. They do everything to be seen by others: They enlarge their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels. They love the place of honor at banquets, the front seats in the synagogues, greetings in the marketplaces, and to be called ‘Rabbi’ by people… The greatest among you will be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.” (‭‭Matthew‬ ‭23:2-7, 11-12‬ ‭CSB‬‬)

I think that part of the reason Jesus chastised the scribes and Pharisees so much was because they had the awesome privilege of bringing people to God… to explain His ways… to teach His laws… to serve as mediator between a holy God and the people that He so dearly loved… showing them the way to righteousness. Instead, the scribes and Pharisees turned their position into an exclusive club only opened to them. They lorded their position over the people, were more concerned with their position and significance, and kept people from the presence of God by burdening them with impossible requirements that they were not willing to meet themselves. Jesus stated here, as He had stated at other times – authority is given so that you may serve, not lord. The way up in the Kingdom of God is the way down. Humble yourself and serve, and you will be exalted by The King. Exalt yourself, and you will eventually be humiliated.

Proverbs: “Wealth is not profitable on a day of wrath, but righteousness rescues from death.” (‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭11:4‬ ‭CSB‬‬)

King Solomon, who at the time was one of the wealthiest people on the planet, discovered that wealth can only go so far. Wealth can’t rescue you from death and it definitely cannot protect you from the judgement of God. Chasing after position, significance, power, wealth – while somewhat beneficial in this life, is of no benefit in the life hereafter. Our life now is but a tiny scratch on the endless timeline of eternity. So what are we living for? A virtual 15 minutes of fame here and now or blessing for all of eternity?

Exodus 18:1-12; Matthew 22:34-46; Psalm 27:11-14; Proverbs 11:1-3

OT: “Moses’s father-in-law, Jethro, along with Moses’s wife and sons, came to him in the wilderness where he was camped at the mountain of God. He sent word to Moses, “I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you with your wife and her two sons.” So Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, bowed down, and then kissed him. They asked each other how they had been and went into the tent. Moses recounted to his father-in-law all that the Lord had done to Pharaoh and the Egyptians for Israel’s sake, all the hardships that confronted them on the way, and how the Lord rescued them. Jethro rejoiced over all the good things the Lord had done for Israel when he rescued them from the power of the Egyptians. “Blessed be the Lord,” Jethro exclaimed, “who rescued you from the power of Egypt and from the power of Pharaoh. He has rescued the people from under the power of Egypt! Now I know that the Lord is greater than all gods, because he did wonders when the Egyptians acted arrogantly against Israel.” Then Jethro, Moses’s father-in-law, brought a burnt offering and sacrifices to God, and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat a meal with Moses’s father-in-law in God’s presence.” (‭‭Exodus‬ ‭18:5-12‬ ‭CSB‬‬)

For some reason, I never noticed this before… but Moses’ testimony of the goodness and greatness of God convinced a pagan priest to proclaim his loyalty to the True and Living God. It was through Moses’s verbal declaration of God’s demonstrations that caused Jethro (the priest of Midian) to proclaim, “Now I know that the Lord is greater than all gods” and offer a sacrifice of worship to the Lord. How many times would that occur in our lives if we actually declared the goodness and greatness of God to others? Do we even open our lives up to God’s great works through obeying Him in faith? God is good and He is great! We need to believe that, act on that, and declare and demonstrate that to others… and then we will see others declare, like Jethro, “Now I know that the Lord is greater!”

NT: “When the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they came together. And one of them, an expert in the law, asked a question to test him: “Teacher, which command in the law is the greatest?” He said to him, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and most important command. The second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets depend on these two commands.”” (‭‭Matthew‬ ‭22:34-40‬ ‭CSB‬‬)

The Sadducees tried to trip up Jesus with a question around the resurrection from the dead, and that attempt failed. So the Pharisees tried to trip up Jesus with a question from the law – to see if He would single out one law to the exclusion of others. When they asked Him the question, His response didn’t even come from the law. Instead, he gives not one, but two commands that basically form the framework for all of the Judaic laws: 1) Love the Lord with your entire being, and 2) love others in the same way you love yourself. All other God-inspired laws hang on those two key commands – and the Pharisees had no argument against it. So, if we treat those 2 commands as primary, we also will fulfill the intention of all God’s laws. Love God completely and supremely, and in loving God completely, love people sacrificially and treat them fairly with honor and respect.

Psalms: “I would have lost heart, unless I had believed That I would see the goodness of the LORD In the land of the living. Wait on the LORD; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the LORD!” (‭‭Psalms‬ ‭27:13-14‬ ‭NKJV‬‬)

It is one things to trust in the goodness of God and hope that you will one day experience His goodness in eternity. But hope deferred makes the heart sick, and it can be very discouraging to hope for something that you never see. Thankfully, God allows those who trust in Him to experience His goodness in the here and now. This is especially true on this side of the cross, resurrection, and ascension – for Jesus has given His disciples the gift of the Holy Spirit. And by the Holy Spirit, we don’t just experience the goodness of God – the Goodness of God abides in us and works through us to touch and impact the land of the living. So don’t be hasty to make things happen in your own time and in your own way. Trust in, surrender to, place your faith on the Lord and He will strengthen your heart and fill you with His goodness.

Proverbs: “When arrogance comes, disgrace follows, but with humility comes wisdom. The integrity of the upright guides them, but the perversity of the treacherous destroys them.” (‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭11:2-3‬ ‭CSB‬‬)

Just as Jethro ascertained that what happened to Pharaoh and the Egyptians was because of their arrogance, arrogance inevitably brings disgrace. But when we humble ourselves, we are able to receive wisdom and guidance.

Exodus 16:19-17:16; Matthew 22:23-33; Psalms 27:7-10; Proverbs 10:31-32

OT: “The entire Israelite community left the Wilderness of Sin, moving from one place to the next according to the Lord’s command. They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink. So the people complained to Moses, “Give us water to drink.” “Why are you complaining to me?” Moses replied to them. “Why are you testing the Lord?” But the people thirsted there for water and grumbled against Moses. They said, “Why did you ever bring us up from Egypt to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?” Then Moses cried out to the Lord, “What should I do with these people? In a little while they will stone me!” The Lord answered Moses, “Go on ahead of the people and take some of the elders of Israel with you. Take the staff you struck the Nile with in your hand and go. I am going to stand there in front of you on the rock at Horeb; when you hit the rock, water will come out of it and the people will drink.” Moses did this in the sight of the elders of Israel.” (‭‭Exodus‬ ‭17:1-6‬ ‭CSB‬‬)

In John 7, it speaks of Jesus attending the Feast of Tabernacles. During the feast, the Jews remembered how the Lord provided for them as they wandered in the wilderness. On the last day of the feast, the Priest would pour out a pitcher of water on the ground symbolizing this very account from Exodus – when God provided water out of a rock. Jesus, at that moment, cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me… He who believes in Me, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” When we submit our lives to Jesus and follow Him, though He may lead us through dry and barren places, we are never dry and barren. He, the source of all life and refreshment, bubbles up in us and through us life and refreshment – just as He did with Moses when he struck the rock.

Exodus 15:19-16:18; Matthew 22:1-22; Psalms 27:4-6; Proverbs 10:29-30

OT: “The Lord made a statute and ordinance for them at Marah, and he tested them there. He said, “If you will carefully obey the Lord your God, do what is right in his sight, pay attention to his commands, and keep all his statutes, I will not inflict any illnesses on you that I inflicted on the Egyptians. For I am the Lord who heals you.” Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs and seventy date palms, and they camped there by the water… The entire Israelite community grumbled against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. The Israelites said to them, “If only we had died by the Lord’s hand in the land of Egypt, when we sat by pots of meat and ate all the bread we wanted. Instead, you brought us into this wilderness to make this whole assembly die of hunger!” …So Moses and Aaron said to all the Israelites, “This evening you will know that it was the Lord who brought you out of the land of Egypt, and in the morning you will see the Lord’s glory because he has heard your complaints about him. For who are we that you complain about us?” Moses continued, “The Lord will give you meat to eat this evening and all the bread you want in the morning, for he has heard the complaints that you are raising against him. Who are we? Your complaints are not against us but against the Lord.” …So at evening quail came and covered the camp. In the morning there was a layer of dew all around the camp. When the layer of dew evaporated, there were fine flakes on the desert surface, as fine as frost on the ground. When the Israelites saw it, they asked one another, “What is it?” because they didn’t know what it was. Moses told them, “It is the bread the Lord has given you to eat.” (‭‭Exodus‬ 15:25b-27; ‭16:2-3, 6-8, 13-15‬ ‭CSB‬‬)

When we submit to the Lord and come under His care and provision, there is no reason to worry or fear. At the waters of Marah, where the water was undrinkable, God revealed Himself to Israel in a new way: He was (and Is) the Lord who heals. Just as He healed the waters, He can and will heal us as we submit to Him and come under His care. What a timely word that is. As the world is in hysterical fear over the coronavirus, hear the Lord say now as He said then, “If you submit to My will, obey My words, and walk in My ways, I will not inflict the illnesses on you that are being inflicted on those outside of my covering. I AM the Lord who heals you.” And to seal His promise and to remind them of His faithfulness, He led Israel to Elim. The numbers 12 and 70 are significant – for that is what the family of Israel was when the went to Egypt: 12 sons and 70 people. Now they were a nation and He would cover them, heal them, provide for their daily sustenance if they submitted to Him.

NT: “Once more Jesus spoke to them in parables: “The kingdom of heaven is like a king who gave a wedding banquet for his son. He sent his servants to summon those invited to the banquet, but they didn’t want to come. Again, he sent out other servants and said, ‘Tell those who are invited: See, I’ve prepared my dinner; my oxen and fattened cattle have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.’ But they paid no attention and went away, one to his own farm, another to his business, while the rest seized his servants, mistreated them, and killed them…Then he told his servants, ‘The banquet is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. Go then to where the roads exit the city and invite everyone you find to the banquet.’ So those servants went out on the roads and gathered everyone they found, both evil and good. The wedding banquet was filled with guests. When the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who was not dressed for a wedding. So he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without wedding clothes?’ The man was speechless. Then the king told the attendants, ‘Tie him up hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ For many are invited, but few are chosen.”” (‭‭Matthew‬ ‭22:1-6, 8-14‬ ‭CSB‬‬)

Jesus shared one more parable to the religious leaders that were gathered together to challenge Him. The people who were initially invited to the King’s banquet were the religious elite, who liked the idea of being inhabitants in the King’s land but wanted nothing to do with the King or honoring His son. So the King (Father God) opened up His banquet to any who would come… and many from all walks of life took Him up on His invitation. But among those who responded to the invitation, there was one who was not properly clothed. Many are invited to respond to the Father’s invitation to come into His presence and feast with Him, but only those who are properly clothed may remain. What are we to be clothed in? We are to be clothed in Christ. When we place our faith in and on Christ and obey His words, we abide in Him, and it is by abiding in Him that we are able to abide with the Father. First we have to respond to the call… lay down our agendas and heed the Father’s invitation. Then we have to be properly clothed in Christ by dying to ourselves and being born again into new life in Him… then we are able to abide with the King and be satisfied with all His blessings.

Psalms: “I have asked one thing from the Lord; it is what I desire: to dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, gazing on the beauty of the Lord and seeking him in his temple. For he will conceal me in his shelter in the day of adversity; he will hide me under the cover of his tent; he will set me high on a rock. Then my head will be high above my enemies around me; I will offer sacrifices in his tent with shouts of joy. I will sing and make music to the Lord.” (‭‭Psalms‬ ‭27:4-6‬ ‭CSB‬‬)

King David’s one desire… his primary pursuit, was to abide with the Lord. He went to great lengths to move the Ark of the Covenant into Jerusalem so that he could be near to the Lord and live in close proximity to His presence – but it is only in Christ that we are truly able to abide with the Lord forever. Now look at the benefits of abiding. Those benefits are ours if we lay aside our worldly pursuits and worries and submit to Him. He will heal us, He will provide for us, and He will protect us always as we are clothed in Christ, ever seated at His banquet of blessing.