God has given us a glimpse of a future which is heavenly, eternal and glorious: ‘the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God - It shone with the glory of God.’ Is this ‘eternal life’ for everyone? Will all people ‘dwell in the House of the Lord for ever’? Will everyone be saved. Is this what the Word of God teaches? ‘God wants everyone to be saved’. He wants everyone to ‘come to the knowledge of the truth’, to ‘come to repentance’. Sadly, there are many who ‘refuse to love the truth and so be saved’ (Revelation 21:10-11; John 3:16; Psalm 23:6; 1 Timothy 2:3-4; 2 Peter 3:9; 2 Thessalonians 2:10). Who will be saved? - ‘only those, whose names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life’. ‘Come’ to Christ - ‘Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they...may go through the gates into the city’ (Revelation 21:27; Revelation 22:17,14).
Wednesday, 29 February 2012
Sunday, 12 February 2012
God ... at every point of the page ...
“It is no accident that God is the subject of the first sentence of the Bible, for this word dominates the whole chapter and catches the eye at every point of the page ... The passage, indeed the Book, is about Him, first of all; to read it with any other primary interest (which is all too possible) is to misread it.” (Derek Kidner, Genesis).
We need more than self distrust. We need trust in God.
“Self distrust is good, but only if it leads to trust in God. Otherwise it ends as spiritual paralysis, inability and unwillingness to undertake any course of action.” (Alan Cole, Exodus).
No self-salvation - Salvation must come from God.
“... no person can be his own saviour ... An individual must come before God in penitence, confess his sin and obtain pardon from a merciful God who repudiates sin but shows covenant love to the sinner.” (R. K. Harrison, Leviticus).
Jesus ... our peace
“In Jesus the full meaning of peace is revealed: he gave peace, made peace and is our peace (Jn. 14:27; Eph. 2:14f.).” (Gordon J Wenham, Numbers).
Sin and Salvation
“There is much in Judges to sadden the heart of the reader; perhaps no book in the Bible witnesses so clearly to our human frailty. But there are also unmistakable signs of the divine compassion and long-suffering. It may be that the modern reader of Judges will hear the warning voice of the Spirit, 'This is not the way, walk ye not in it.' Or, as the lives of these lesser-saviour are considered, there may be a realization of the need in modern times of a greater Saviour, of unblemished life, who is able to effect a perfect deliverance, not only in time but for eternity.” (Arthur E Cundall, Judges).
God's purpose
“A genealogy is a striking way of bringing before us the continuity of God's purpose through the ages. The process of history is not haphazard. There is a purpose in it all. And the purpose is the purpose of God.” (Leon Morris, Ruth).
Conversion - not superstition!
“God demands a conversion of the mind and heart as the basis of peace and security (cf. Is 26:3), not the superstitious veneration of a stone building or a traditionally sacred site” (R K Harrison, Jeremiah).
Living For Eternity
“A life which has never been laid open in penitence and faith before God has little permanence in eternity.” (R K Harrison, Lamentations).
Which is more important to you - your possessions or your God?
“Is it a time for you, you I say, to dwell in your roofed-in houses?' (Haggai 1:4). The reply might have been that it was unreasonable to expect anyone to live in a roofless house, but the question made its point. What worth did they set on their God, when they left His Temple in ruins?” (Joyce G Baldwin, Haggai).
We need the power of the Holy Spirit.
“Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts' (Zechariah 4:6) - Only if His Spirit governs every detail can service be glorifying to Him.” (Joyce G Baldwin, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi: An introduction and commentary).
Hearing all that God has to say to us - not only the things we want to hear!
“Far from being legalistic, Malachi has penetrated to the core of both the law and the prophets. His one great plea is for a personal relationship with the living God, who seeks men to 'walk with Him' (cf. 2:6). Malachi's remarkable ethical thrust has lost none of its cutting edge through the passing ot time. His teaching, both negative and positive, strikes at the heart of nominal, easy-going Christianity as it did at that of Judaism. Can it be that the book is disparaged because 'With man as the filter through which the word must pass ... it is inevitable that he will censor out what he does not wish to hear and audit only what he is predisposed to hear'?” (Joyce G Baldwin, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi: An introduction and commentary).
The Infinity of God - so infinite His grace
Where do we begin? Where do we end? There is no beginning. There is no end. This is infinity. It seems like infinity beckons us like a deep, dark hole. We are out of our depth. We grope about in the darkness. We wonder where we have come from. We wonder where we are going. When we speak of God, we speak of depth, but we do not speak of darkness. When we speak of ‘the deep things of God’ (1 Corinthians 2:10), we are not being lured by a faceless, nameless infinity, into a deep, dark hole. We are being led by the God of love, the God who gave His Son, Jesus Christ, to be our Saviour. He is leading us out of darkness. He is leading us into His light (1 John 4:8; John 3:16; 8:12).
His light is ‘unapproachable light’. Here, we find ourselves in the presence of infinity. It is not, however, an infinity which threatens to overwhelm us. It is an infinity which promises to welcome us. It is the infinity of His love. It is the infinity of His mercy. It is the infinity of His grace. In ourselves, we dare not approach His ‘unapproachable light’ (1 Timothy 6:16). Through Christ, we have ‘access’ (Ephesians 3:18) to His ‘unapproachable light’. Through Christ, we ‘draw near with confidence’ to ‘the King of kings and Lord of lords’ (1 Timothy 6:15). Our confidence comes from this – ‘the Lord of glory’ has made Himself known to us as ‘the King of love’ (1 Corinthians 2:8; Psalm 23:1, paraphrased).
When we speak of God, we must speak with humility. He is far greater than all of our words about Him can ever be. We must never forget that ‘the secret things belong to the Lord our God’. This, however, is not all that we can say about the Lord our God. We can also say this – ‘the things revealed belong to us’ (Deuteronomy 29:29). The infinite God has revealed Himself to us. This is what gives us confidence when we speak of God. Here, we have the mystery of revelation. There are ‘things’ which are beyond our understanding – ‘things which eye has not seen, and ear has not heard, and which have not entered into the heart of man’. These things have been revealed to us by God (1 Corinthians 2:9-10). God has revealed Himself to us without ceasing to be the infinite God. He has given to us a true knowledge of Himself without providing us with a full knowledge of Himself.
When we consider the great difference between ourselves and God, we must learn to echo the words of Isaiah. His thoughts are not our thoughts. His ways are not our ways. His thoughts are higher than our thoughts. His ways are higher than our ways (55:8-9). As we consider the nature of this great difference, we can learn much from observing the context within which Isaiah contrasts our thoughts with God’s thoughts, our ways with God’s ways. Isaiah speaks of divine grace (55:6-7). Here, we have the great difference between our thoughts and God’s thoughts, the great contrast between our ways and God’s ways. Confronted by our sin, we can only echo Isaiah’s confession, ‘Woe is me, for I am ruined!’ When, however, we listen for the Word of the Lord, we hear His word of grace, ‘your sin is forgiven’ (6:5, 7). This is the great difference between our thoughts and God’s thoughts. Our thoughts are centred upon our sin. His thoughts are centred upon His salvation. This is the great contrast between our ways and His ways. Our way is the way of sin. His way is the way of salvation.
Like Isaiah, we are led to worship. Our thoughts become an echo of the heavenly worship: ‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts’ (6:3). Our worship is grounded in divine grace. There is not only an awareness of the infinity of God. In our worship, we speak of God’s infinity – ‘Great God of wonders, all Thy ways are matchless’. This, however, is not the central focus of our worship. We speak also of God’s grace. Of all God’s matchless ways, there is one of His ways which is ‘unrivalled’. It is ‘grace’. This is what causes us to lift up our hearts and voices in joyful praise: ‘Who is a pardoning God like Thee? Or who has grace so rich and free?’ (Mission Praise, Combined Edition, (Marshall Pickering, London, 1990), 197). Above all the other features of God’s infinity, there is one that inspires our worship more than any other. It is His infinite grace. This is not an infinity that bewilders us. This is the ‘grace’ by which we are ‘saved’ (Ephesians 2:8). This is not an infinity that leaves us confused. This is the gospel which brings comfort. His ‘love’ is ‘amazing’. His ‘mercy’ is ‘immense’. His ‘grace’ is ‘infinite’ (Mission Praise, Combined Edition, (Marshall Pickering, London, 1990), 33). This is the gospel of Christ. This is not only the bridging of the gap between the infinite God and His finite creation. It is the work of redemption, accomplished by the holy God on behalf of sinful humanity.
When we look into ‘the face of Jesus Christ’ (2 Corinthians 4:6), we are in the presence of mystery. It is not, however, a mystery that leaves us baffled. It is the mystery of salvation. He is the God who ‘hides himself’. He is also our ‘Saviour’ (Isaiah 45:15). There is always more to God than we can ever hope to understand. He is ‘the eternal God’ (Deuteronomy 32:27). He reaches out to us without reducing Himself to the level of our limited understanding. He comes to us with a ‘love’ which ‘surpasses knowledge’ (Ephesians 3:19). He gives to us a ‘peace’ that ‘surpasses all understanding’ (Philippians 4:7). He fills us with a ‘joy’ that is ‘inexpressible’ (1 Peter 1:8). He saves us without removing the element of mystery. Salvation is never within our grasp. It is always His work. He is the God of salvation. We do not save ourselves. We can only receive salvation from him. We see the greatness of His holiness (Habakkuk 1:13). We see the greatness of our sin (Jeremiah 17:9). We rejoice in the greatness of His salvation (1 Timothy 1:15). We say, ‘His greatness is unsearchable’ (Psalm 145:3).
His light is ‘unapproachable light’. Here, we find ourselves in the presence of infinity. It is not, however, an infinity which threatens to overwhelm us. It is an infinity which promises to welcome us. It is the infinity of His love. It is the infinity of His mercy. It is the infinity of His grace. In ourselves, we dare not approach His ‘unapproachable light’ (1 Timothy 6:16). Through Christ, we have ‘access’ (Ephesians 3:18) to His ‘unapproachable light’. Through Christ, we ‘draw near with confidence’ to ‘the King of kings and Lord of lords’ (1 Timothy 6:15). Our confidence comes from this – ‘the Lord of glory’ has made Himself known to us as ‘the King of love’ (1 Corinthians 2:8; Psalm 23:1, paraphrased).
When we speak of God, we must speak with humility. He is far greater than all of our words about Him can ever be. We must never forget that ‘the secret things belong to the Lord our God’. This, however, is not all that we can say about the Lord our God. We can also say this – ‘the things revealed belong to us’ (Deuteronomy 29:29). The infinite God has revealed Himself to us. This is what gives us confidence when we speak of God. Here, we have the mystery of revelation. There are ‘things’ which are beyond our understanding – ‘things which eye has not seen, and ear has not heard, and which have not entered into the heart of man’. These things have been revealed to us by God (1 Corinthians 2:9-10). God has revealed Himself to us without ceasing to be the infinite God. He has given to us a true knowledge of Himself without providing us with a full knowledge of Himself.
When we consider the great difference between ourselves and God, we must learn to echo the words of Isaiah. His thoughts are not our thoughts. His ways are not our ways. His thoughts are higher than our thoughts. His ways are higher than our ways (55:8-9). As we consider the nature of this great difference, we can learn much from observing the context within which Isaiah contrasts our thoughts with God’s thoughts, our ways with God’s ways. Isaiah speaks of divine grace (55:6-7). Here, we have the great difference between our thoughts and God’s thoughts, the great contrast between our ways and God’s ways. Confronted by our sin, we can only echo Isaiah’s confession, ‘Woe is me, for I am ruined!’ When, however, we listen for the Word of the Lord, we hear His word of grace, ‘your sin is forgiven’ (6:5, 7). This is the great difference between our thoughts and God’s thoughts. Our thoughts are centred upon our sin. His thoughts are centred upon His salvation. This is the great contrast between our ways and His ways. Our way is the way of sin. His way is the way of salvation.
Like Isaiah, we are led to worship. Our thoughts become an echo of the heavenly worship: ‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts’ (6:3). Our worship is grounded in divine grace. There is not only an awareness of the infinity of God. In our worship, we speak of God’s infinity – ‘Great God of wonders, all Thy ways are matchless’. This, however, is not the central focus of our worship. We speak also of God’s grace. Of all God’s matchless ways, there is one of His ways which is ‘unrivalled’. It is ‘grace’. This is what causes us to lift up our hearts and voices in joyful praise: ‘Who is a pardoning God like Thee? Or who has grace so rich and free?’ (Mission Praise, Combined Edition, (Marshall Pickering, London, 1990), 197). Above all the other features of God’s infinity, there is one that inspires our worship more than any other. It is His infinite grace. This is not an infinity that bewilders us. This is the ‘grace’ by which we are ‘saved’ (Ephesians 2:8). This is not an infinity that leaves us confused. This is the gospel which brings comfort. His ‘love’ is ‘amazing’. His ‘mercy’ is ‘immense’. His ‘grace’ is ‘infinite’ (Mission Praise, Combined Edition, (Marshall Pickering, London, 1990), 33). This is the gospel of Christ. This is not only the bridging of the gap between the infinite God and His finite creation. It is the work of redemption, accomplished by the holy God on behalf of sinful humanity.
When we look into ‘the face of Jesus Christ’ (2 Corinthians 4:6), we are in the presence of mystery. It is not, however, a mystery that leaves us baffled. It is the mystery of salvation. He is the God who ‘hides himself’. He is also our ‘Saviour’ (Isaiah 45:15). There is always more to God than we can ever hope to understand. He is ‘the eternal God’ (Deuteronomy 32:27). He reaches out to us without reducing Himself to the level of our limited understanding. He comes to us with a ‘love’ which ‘surpasses knowledge’ (Ephesians 3:19). He gives to us a ‘peace’ that ‘surpasses all understanding’ (Philippians 4:7). He fills us with a ‘joy’ that is ‘inexpressible’ (1 Peter 1:8). He saves us without removing the element of mystery. Salvation is never within our grasp. It is always His work. He is the God of salvation. We do not save ourselves. We can only receive salvation from him. We see the greatness of His holiness (Habakkuk 1:13). We see the greatness of our sin (Jeremiah 17:9). We rejoice in the greatness of His salvation (1 Timothy 1:15). We say, ‘His greatness is unsearchable’ (Psalm 145:3).
Good preaching does its hearers good.
God’s Word does not return to Him empty. It accomplishes the purpose for which He sent it (Isaiah 55:11). Often, we feel like God’s Word returns to us empty. It never returns to Him empty. Wherever God’s Word is preached in the power of the Holy Spirit, God is at work. He is doing more than we realize. Some may refuse to listen to the voice of the Spirit – but the Spirit keeps on speaking to them, calling them to return to the Lord and receive His free gift of salvation: “Seek the Lord while He may be found; call on Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them turn to the Lord, and He will have mercy on them, and to our God, for He will freely pardon” (Isaiah 55:6-7). Let us pray that the Word of God will be spoken in the power of the Spirit of God: The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul (Psalm 19:7).
The Greatest Love Song
“I will sing for the one I love” (Isaiah 5:1).
Isaiah speaks here of our love for God. When we speak of our love for God, we must always remember this: God’s love for us comes before our love for Him. We sing to the One who has loved us. The song we sing to Him is the song of love: “Loving Him who first loved me.”
Shine, Jesus, shine.
“You transplanted a vine from Egypt. You drove out the nations and planted it. You cleared the ground for it, and it took root and filled the land” (Psalm 80:8-9).
When we read here about a “vine”, we should remember that Jesus said, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). We read here that the vine “filled the land.” Let us pray for our land – “Shine, Jesus, shine. Fill this land with the Father’s glory.”
Praying for preachers
Lord, we pray for those who have been called to bring Your Word to Your people.
May their words help us to be “in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day” (Revelation 1:10).
May their words help us to be “in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day” (Revelation 1:10).
May their words be a living echo of the words of Jesus our Saviour:
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He has anointed me to preach the gospel” (Luke 4:18).
May their words help us to “hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches” (Revelation 2:7).
May their words help us to “worship You in Spirit and in truth” (John 4:24).
May their words help us to “pray in the Spirit” (Ephesians 6:18).
May their words help us to say, “The Lord has blessed us. Praise His holy Name.”
Worshipping God and Walking with Him
Lord, You’re calling us to worship You.
You’re calling us to walk with You.
How are we to worship You?
How are we to walk with You?
Help us to listen to what You’re saying to us.
May we be changed by the Word that You’re speaking to us.
As we are gathered together for worship,
may we be filled with the power of Your Spirit.
As we go out from the place of worship,
may we walk with You in the power of Your Spirit –
and may we always say,
“To God be the glory! Great things He has done.”
Amen
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This prayer was originally posted online at Sanctuary First.
God is preparing us for His glorious future.
We thank You, our Father, that You have sent Your Holy Spirit to live in our hearts.
We thank You that the new life in the Spirit is just the beginning.
You are preparing us for the greater ‘glory that will be revealed in us’(Romans 8:18).
We thank You that the Holy Spirit is ‘the guarantee of our inheritance’ -
He is the starter which whets our appetite for the main course!
With Him in our hearts, we long for more.
We long for Your glorious future.
We’re not staggering along on a dead-end street.
We’re walking tall.
We’re travelling with You, Lord.
You’re leading us on to Your glory.
May we always be led by Your Spirit.
May we keep on growing in Your Spirit.
Catching a glimpse of God's glorious Kingdom
We thank You, Lord, that You have given us a glimpse of a future which is heavenly, eternal and glorious.
We thank You that You have shown us the way to eternal life.
Jesus is the Way.
He is the true and living Way.
When our future seems bleak,
help us to look to You and Your future.
Help us to look to Jesus.
Sometimes, we wonder,
“What’s the world coming to?”
Help us to turn this question around and say,
with confident faith, “Jesus Christ is coming to the world.”
We long for a place in Your heavenly and eternal Kingdom.
Help us, here-and-now,
to find a place in our hearts for Jesus.
May others see Jesus in us –
and catch a glimpse of Your glorious Kingdom.
In Jesus name
Trusting in our Saviour
When our future seems so uncertain,
help us, Lord, to put our trust in You.
Help us to remember Your Son, Jesus.
Help us to remember that He is our Saviour.
When we fear the worst,
may we always remember that our Saviour is absolutely trustworthy and completely dependable.
When our love for Him seems so weak,
may we remember that His love is never weak.
It’s always strong.
When we fail Him,
may we remember that He will never fail us.
His love is an unfailing love.
When we’re feeling down, may the love of Jesus lift us up.
When we don’t feel like singing,
may we look to You to fill our hearts with praise to you.
In our Saviour’s Name
The Rock of our Salvation
Lord, we remember what You have done for us.
We remember Your Son, Jesus Christ.
We rejoice in Him.
He died for us.
He rose again for us.
We look forward to His Return –
the Day when ‘He will swallow up death for ever.’
On that Day,
Lord,
You 'will wipe away the tears from all faces.'
On that Day,
we will say,
‘Lord, You are our God;
we have trusted in You,
and You have saved us.’
On that Day,
we will ‘rejoice and be glad in Your salvation.’
Here and now,
may we learn to trust in You.
May we know that You are 'the everlasting Rock' –
‘the Rock of our salvation.’
Thursday, 9 February 2012
Exodus 1:1-2:25
Circumstances change. God does not change. Joseph was no longer there. God was still there. Joseph had become part of the past. God was making plans for the future. Joseph had been a highly significant man within the history of Israel. Now, the scene was set for the emergence of a new spiritual leader, a man of even greater importance within the history of God’s people. That man was Moses. It was a new situation. There was to be a new spiritual leader. Joseph’s time had ended. Moses’ time was about to begin. It was a new situation, a situation which required a new leader. The arrival of Moses was not immediate. Nevertheless, the perfect plan of God was in process. God was at work. He was preparing His people for Moses. He was preparing Moses for his God-given work of leadership.
Why was Moses’ life preserved at the time of his birth? Was he just lucky? No! There is something else here. The hand of the Lord is at work. God looks upon this newborn baby and says, ‘This child must not die. I have great plans for him. I have a special purpose for his life.’
The times were difficult for the people of Israel. The loss of Joseph was a great loss (1:8-11). It was not an insurmountable loss (1:12). When things get tough, the Lord’s people rise to the challenge. They do not rise in their own strength. They go to God in their weakness. They look to Him for His strength (2:23).
What was happening at this time? God was preparing His people for a new situation. He was also preparing Moses to be the man who would lead them into this new situation. Oppression was to be replaced by redemption. The people needed to be prepared for this. They needed to become a prayerful people. They needed to become a people who were learning to call upon the Lord. They needed to learn to look to the Lord for His help. God was preparing His people. He was leading them to pray for and for and expect His deliverance. God is bringing His people to an end of themselves. He is bringing them to the point where they long for His deliverance. When God’s people pray, God’s purpose moves forward (2:23-25).
The stage is set for a mighty work of God. The Lord’s people face a crisis-situation. They are being oppressed by the Egyptians. God sees what is happening. He is making His plans. He will give His people a better future. It seemed like God was doing nothing about Israel’s problems – ‘a long time passed’ (2:23). God was not standing back, paying no attention to what was going on. He was busy, preparing Moses to be the leader of His people. He was taking steps towards the great event of deliverance from the oppressors. God was looking ahead to the Exodus and the journey from the land of bondage to the land of promise. Remembering ‘His promise to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob’ (2:24), God was about to fulfil this promise with a mighty demonstration of His saving power. When nothing seems to be happening, we must not give up. God has not given up on us. He waits for us to call upon Him. He waits for us to pray for His blessing.
Exodus 3:1-22
The people had prayed. Now, God was about to answer prayer. Moses had not yet taken centre stage. He was still waiting in the wings – ‘keeping the flock of his father-in-law Jethro’ (3:1). Soon, the time of preparation would be over. The time of ministry was soon to begin. The call of God would bring Moses into a new situation. No longer would he be a shepherd, looking after sheep. Soon, he would be a shepherd of souls. He will care for the people of God. He will lead them into their new situation, the situation of redemption. The time of Joseph had ended. The time of Moses was about to begin. The time of oppression was almost over. The time of deliverance was drawing near.
The story of Moses continues. It is not merely a human story. Moses was called to be a servant of God’s people. He was to be their leader. He would play an important part in bringing God’s blessing to the people of Israel. He was not to be a ‘lone ranger’. He was to ‘assemble the leaders of Israel’ (v. 16). He was to share with them the Lord’s vision for His people’s future. God was taking them away from their ‘misery’. He was leading them on to blessing. He was taking them out of Egypt. He was taking them to a new land - ‘a land flowing with milk and honey’. Moses was not to go to Pharaoh as a ‘lone ranger’ – ‘you and the leaders must go to the King of Egypt’ (v. 18). There are important lessons for God’s servants in every generation. We move forward together. We move forward as ‘one body in Christ’.
The story of Moses is the story of God at work in human history. God is working out His purpose of salvation. This is the great story of which the story of Moses is only a part. Moses was called to serve the Lord. We are called to serve the Lord. As we look together at the Old Testament story, with its many changes in circumstances, we must learn to see that the one constant factor is God Himself. Joseph comes. Joseph goes. Joseph is replaced by Moses. Moses comes. Moses goes. Moses is replaced by Joshua. Through all the changes, God remains the same – the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Joshua. This God is our God. He had plans for His people, Israel. He was giving them a brighter and better future. He has plans for us. He holds our future in His hands. He is leading us forward into His future – a future filled with His blessing.
The Exodus was a mighty miracle of God’s love and power. It was not, however, the end of Israel’s problems. They were to face forty years of wilderness wanderings. In all of this, God did not lose sight of His saving purpose. He did not abandon His people. He will not abandon us. God had great things planned for His people. He was leading them on to better things. He is preparing a great future for us. He is leading us to a place that is far more wonderful than ‘the land flowing with milk and honey’. He is leading to His eternal Kingdom. In all the changing circumstances of our life, we must never lose sight of this – the God of heaven is building ‘a Kingdom which shall never be destroyed, a Kingdom which shall stand for ever’ (Daniel 2:44).
In announcing His purpose of redemption, God identified Himself with the mysterious words, ‘I am who I am’ (v. 14). In this Name, we have the divine promise; ‘I will be there for you. I will be present for you. I will be effective for you’. In this Name, we have a declaration of God’s faithfulness. God’s promise is utterly reliable. We can stand upon His Word, confident that He will never fail those who put their trust in Him. The words, ‘I am who I am’ may be mysterious. They are not, however, an evasion of the question, ‘Who are You?’ They are God’s way of saying to us, ‘I am there for you. You can count on Me.’ We learn who God is as we walk with Him. We observe what He does for us. We learn that He is the God who is completely trustworthy. We learn that He is the God who is worthy of all praise, glory and honour.
When we walk with God, walking in the pathway of His redemption, we leave behind the life that is depicted in the word, ‘Egypt’. ‘Pharaoh’ has no power over us. We have been set free by the Lord, the God of our salvation. As we walk with God, we learn that we have no need to go back to the world’s way of living. Our trust is in the Lord, the God of grace. He fulfils His purpose in us. With Him, we ‘walk in newness of life’ (Romans 6:4). We are ‘changed’ by Him, as He leads us on ‘from glory to glory’ (2 Corinthians 3:18). Walking with Him, we are travelling towards the full revelation of His glorious salvation. With this glorious destination ahead of us, we ‘rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory’ as (1 Peter 1:8-9).
Exodus 4:1-31
In Moses, there is great weakness. In the Lord, there is great strength. By himself, Moses was completely out of his depth. With God, Moses went from strength to strength. He had God’s promise as well as God’s command: ‘Now go, and I will help you speak and will teach you what to say’ (v. 12). Moses was not to be left on his own. As well as having the help of the Lord, he also had the help of his brother, Aaron: ‘I will help both of you speak and I will teach you what to do’ (v. 15). Moses and Aaron were not to work in isolation from the other ‘leaders of the people of Israel’. They were to share with them ‘everything the Lord had said’ (vs. 29-30). God’s Word to Israel was a Word of power – He ‘did miraculous signs for the people’ (v. 30). It was also a Word of love – ‘the Lord was concerned about the people of Israel’ (v. 31).
Before the Exodus could take place, two obstacles needed to be overcome – the apathy of the people (v.1) and the resistance of Pharaoh (5:2). These obstacles need to be dealt with in the right order – first, the people of God, and, then, the working of God in the world.
How did God prepare Moses for overcoming these obstacles?
* He assured Moses that He – the Lord – had called him to this work and that He – the Lord – would be with him (vs. 1-5).
* He sent Moses as a man whose sin had been forgiven (vs. 6-7).
* He gave His Word to Moses (v. 12).
Once the people had given their support to Moses (vs. 29-31), the stage was set for Moses to turn towards Pharaoh. Before we turn our attention to Pharaoh, we must ask ourselves an important question: ‘Is our response like Israel’s response – “the people believed … they bowed their heads and worshipped” (v. 31)?’ or “Is it more like Pharaoh’s response – ‘Who is the Lord that I should obey Him … ?” (5:2)?’
Exodus 5-12
It gets worse before it gets better. Things seemed to be going from bad to worse for God’s people. They became ‘discouraged’ (6:9). They were unable to look beyond their present difficulties. They needed the Lord’s Word of encouragement – ‘The Egyptians will know that I am the Lord when I use My power against Egypt and bring the Israelites out of there’ (7:5). Before there was salvation for Israel, there was judgment for Egypt. The judgments upon Egypt (‘the plagues’) were a call to repentance. If there had been a willingness to listen to God’s Word at the beginning, these ‘plagues’ would not have happened. More disobedience meant more ‘plagues’. Each ‘plague’ was a call to repentance as well as a judgment on disobedience. Each ‘plague’ could have been the last – if Pharaoh had said ‘Yes’ to the Lord. Pharaoh said ‘No’, and the ‘plagues’ continued.
Let’s think about the hardening of Pharaoh. Scripture tells us that God Himself said, ‘I will harden Pharaoh’s heart’ (4:21; 7:3). What does this mean? It means that the more Pharaoh heard God’s Word, the harder his heart became. God was saying to Pharaoh – ‘Let My people go’. The effect was quite the opposite. The more Pharaoh heard this Word, the harder his heart became.
This is a Word which must hear. We must receive its message to us. This is speaking about something which happens today. This is Gospel-hardening. The more people hear the gospel, the harder they become. The Gospel does not come to such people as a hard Word. It comes us a Word which speaks of God’s love. It comes as a Word that is designed to lead them to know the love of God. Some people hear the Gospel of God’s love, and they become harder and harder. The more they hear of the free grace of God, the more they retreat into legalistic morality and become hardened against the Gospel. This is a matter of eternal importance. Do not become Gospel-hardened. Let the Gospel break down your hardness.
Gospel-hardening is progressive. The more the Gospel is heard, the harder the Gospel-hardened person becomes. Nevertheless, it must be emphasized that Gospel-hardening is not irreversible. The process of Gospel-hardening can be gloriously and marvellously reversed. How is this process of Gospel-hardening to be reversed? There is only way. It is through the Gospel itself which can reverse this process. The Gospel itself shows the way from hardness to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. You can be converted. As God’s Word comes to you, in all its seriousness, you are called to decision. You can become more hardened against the Gospel. You can allow the Gospel to break down your hardness. This is the ‘either-or’, presented to us by the Gospel. There is no middle course. Will the preaching of the Gospel make us harder against Christ? Will the preaching of the Gospel lead us to Christ? The Word of God comes to us, in the power of the Spirit, inviting us to come to Christ. We are called to come to Christ. Along with this call to come to Christ, there is also the warning concerning the consequences of refusing Him. The call to receive Christ as Saviour is a matter of the greatest urgency. This is impressed upon us in two very serious passages of Scripture: ‘He who is often reproved, yet stiffens his neck, will suddenly be broken beyond healing’ (Proverbs 29:11); ‘Today, when you hear God’s voice, do not harden your hearts’ (Hebrews 4:7).
Under their Egyptian taskmasters, the people of Israel had to work hard. This hard work was done unwillingly. They did not want to be the slaves of the Egyptians. They hated every minute of the hard work which was forced upon them by the Egyptians. Israel’s constant desire was for freedom from their captivity in Egypt. When we work as servants of Jesus Christ, we are to serve Him with gladness. We are to serve Him with love. We serve the Lord in the knowledge that our true freedom is found when we are captives of Christ: ‘Make me a captive, Lord, and then I shall be free’.
To the outward observer, hard work has similar characteristics, whether it is done by prisoners of war or those who are doing the kind of work they really want to be doing. When, however, we go to the heart of the matter, to the matter of the heart, we find that there is a radical difference between work which is done willingly and work which id done out of love for Jesus. Our attitude towards Jesus Christ is absolutely crucial in the whole of life. What we make of life, with its many different circumstances, is vitally related to our attitude to Jesus Christ. This lesson is emphasized more clearly as we look at Israel’s situation in the fuller context of the work of God. While Israel was working hard for the Egyptians, God was working hard for the Israelites.
The activity of God is seen in the series of connected events known as ‘the plagues’. Outwardly, ‘the plagues’ can be described in a simple and straightforward manner. In 7:14-24, we read of the turning of the Nile to blood. In chapter 8, we read of the plagues of frogs, gnats (or mosquitoes) and flies. Chapter 9 tells us about the death of the Egyptian cattle, the plague of boils and sores and the hailstorms and thunderstorms. This is followed, in chapter 10, by the plague of locusts and the three days’ darkness. The final event in the series is the death of the Egyptian first-born (11:1-12:30).
More plagues meant more opportunities for repentance. God was calling upon Pharaoh to change his mind. He needed to change his mind about God. He needed to change his mind about the people of God. The call for repentance was ignored. Pharaoh put on a show of repentance (9:27-28; 10:16-17). He didn’t really mean it. He was a man of unbelief (9:35). God confirmed him in his unbelief (10:20).
The inner meaning of ‘the plagues’ is quite different for the believer and the unbeliever. For unbelieving Egypt, ‘the plagues’ are God’s pronouncement of judgment. For God’s believing people, ‘the plagues’ are a part of His way of showing to them His salvation.
The same set of circumstances can produce hardness of heart in the unbeliever while leading the believer on to greater faith.
The first nine ‘plagues’ provide the build-up to and the backcloth for the most powerful of all ‘the plagues’ – the death of the Egyptian first-born. The final ‘plague’ – the death of the Egyptian firstborn – marked the end of the road for Pharaoh – ‘the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart’ (11:10). God was saying, ‘Enough is enough.’ God was going to bring His people out of Egypt – with or without Pharaoh’s permission. There were good things happening – ‘the Lord made the Egyptians kind to the people. And Moses was highly respected by Pharaoh’s officials and all the Egyptians’ (11:33). This, however, did not change the fact that Pharaoh was resisting God. This resistance did not hinder God’s great plan of salvation.
In this tenth and final ‘plague’, the issues of salvation and judgment become absolutely clear. In this ‘plague’, we see the radical difference between the believer who is saved by the powerful love of God and the unbeliever upon whom the judgment of God is decisively pronounced. For unbelieving Egypt, there was the death of the first-born. For God’s believing people, there was the Passover. As we think together of God’s activity in salvation and judgment, we must relate both salvation and judgment to the love of God. Salvation speaks to us of the wonderful thing God has done, is doing and will do for His believing people whom He loves with an everlasting love. Judgment speaks to us of the seriousness of man’s rejection of the love of God. Those who repeatedly reject the love of God deliberately place themselves under the judgment of God. The ten ‘plagues’ speak to us of God’s judgment. They also speak to us of the God of love who longs for sinners to return to Him. The very fact that there are ten ‘plagues’, rather than a single decisive judgment, serves to underline the love of God. Each of the ‘plagues’ came as the invitation of God’s love, inviting Pharaoh to turn from his sin. Each ‘plague’ came as a call to Pharaoh to obey the Lord. Time and time again, the invitation of God’s love- so freely given by the Lord – was rejected.
The Word of God says to us, ‘Don’t be like Pharaoh. Don’t reject the love of God.’ The Word of God points us unmistakably to the Lord Jesus Christ who shed His blood for our sins. The heart of the message of the Gospel is contained in the words of 12:13 – ‘when I see the blood, I will pass over you’. This text contains a clear prophetic reference to the death of Jesus Christ for sinners. We can come to understand the significance of Jesus’ death for us by looking at what happened on the night of the Passover. On the Passover night, the angel of death passed over, in mercy, only those households over whose doors the blood had been sprinkled. This merciful ‘passing over’ had nothing to do with the character or the works of those in the houses. It had everything to do with the blood under which they had taken refuge: ‘When I see the blood, I will pass over you.’ The angel of death was not instructed to check out the character-traits or the religious observance of those in the houses. The angel of death was to look for the blood on the doors: ‘When I see the blood I will pass over you.’ The only criterion for ‘passing over’ was the blood. It was not the blood and something else. It was not a matter of ‘Look for the blood and then take a peep through the window to see what’s going on inside’. There was no peeping needed. There was no peeping allowed. The blood was the all-important factor – ‘When I see the blood I will pass over you.’
The same principle is true today. We are put right with God on the basis of Christ’s death for us. Believing that Christ shed His blood for my sins, I am forgiven by God and declared to be righteous in His sight – ‘My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.’
Exodus 13-15
The purpose of the Passover was to build a bridge between the past, the present and the future: ‘Remember this day – the day when you left Egypt, the land of slavery. The Lord used His mighty hand to bring us out of slavery in Egypt’ (13:14). The Lord was in control. This is what we must remember when we think about these events. Once the people of Israel came out of Egypt, the Lord continued to be in control of their journey. In 13:17-18, we read that God closed one door – ‘the shortest route’ – and opened another door. God’s perfect way may not always be ‘the shortest route. It is His way. His way is always the best way.
The Exodus could be described as the Great Escape. It was the escape of the Israelites from their bondage in Egypt. It should be pointed out that the word, ‘escape’, does not begin to describe what really what happened in the Exodus. This was more than the Great Escape. This was the Great Deliverance. It was not so much the escape of Israel. It was the deliverance of Israel by God. This was not about what Israel did for herself. This is a declaration of what God did for Israel. It is the action of God on behalf of His people, Israel. It is this divine work of redemption that stands at the very heart of the book of Exodus. This is not about what we can do for ourselves. It’s about what God has done for us in Christ. Our whole attention is directed away from ourselves to Christ.
There are three high-points in the book of Exodus – the Passover, the Exodus and the giving of the Ten Commandments. It is most important that we understand the order in which these events took place. This is of great importance to us if we are to understand what God is saying to us concerning salvation in Christ.
The meaning of the Passover is summed up in the words: ‘When I see the blood I will pass over you.’ The full meaning of these words is found in the death of Jesus, ‘our Passover Lamb’ – ‘the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world’ (1 Corinthians 5:7; John 1:29).
The tremendous event of the Exodus is described thus: ‘By strength of hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt, from the bondage … by a strong hand the Lord brought us out of bondage’ (13:14, 16). Here, we catch a glimpse of something even greater than the Exodus. God raised His Son from the dead. When God put His mighty work of deliverance into effect, Egypt could not hold His people any longer. The power of God was greater than the power of Egypt. In Christ’s resurrection, we see something greater. The power of God is greater than the power of death. Death could hold Christ no longer. God raised Him from the dead.
The Ten Commandments are not given before or apart from the Passover and the Exodus. They come after these great events. They are given on the basis of the Passover and the Exodus. The Ten Commandments are introduced with a declaration of God’s work of redemption: ‘I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage’ (20:2). It is no nameless, faceless, unknown God who addresses the people of Israel in the Ten Commandments. It is the God of the Passover. It is the God of the Exodus. This is the God whose great work of salvation finds its fulfilment in the death and resurrection of Christ. In our thinking about the Ten Commandments, we need to keep the death and resurrection of Christ at the very centre of our attention.
The people of Israel were to remember. They were to remember the Passover. They were to remember the Exodus. They were to remember the Exodus. They were to remember the giving of the Law. We too must remember. We must remember Christ crucified for us. We must remember, with thanksgiving, that we have received the forgiveness of sins through faith in Christ our Saviour. We must remember that Christ has been raised from the dead for us. We must remember, with gratitude, that Christ has come to live in our hearts. We must remember that the Law of God has been given to lead us to Christ. We must remember, with rejoicing, that, alongside God’s Law which shows us God’s will, we have God’s Spirit, who enables us to do God’s will: ‘we serve not under the old written code but in the new life of the Spirit’ (Romans 7:6); ‘God has made us competent to be ministers of a new covenant, not in a written code but in the Spirit; for the written code kills but the Spirit gives life’ (2 Corinthians 3:6).
In 14:31, we read of ‘the great power of the Lord.’ As we consider His great power, we worship Him: ‘I will sing to the Lord. He has won a glorious victory … The Lord is my strength and my song. He is my Saviour. This is my God and I will praise Him … ’ (15:1-2). In the work of God’s redemption, we see His love and His power – ‘Lovingly, You will love the people You have saved. Powerfully, You will guide them to Your holy dwelling’ (15:13). Here, we see the greatness of God’s power. It is power which serves the purpose of His love. The Lord is King – ‘The Lord will rule as King for ever and ever’ (15:18). He is not a tyrant. He is not a dictator. He is the King of love. He loves us. We are to love Him – living for Him and looking to Him to fulfil His promises in our lives.
Exodus 16-19
The Lord provides. Through the provision of manna and water, the Lord sustains His people. Strong in Him, they press on to victory. This is a picture of the Christian life. Before we can be soldiers of Christ, we must receive our strength from the Lord. We come to Him, looking for strength – His strength. Jesus is the Bread of Life. He is the Living Water (John 6:51; 4:14). Strengthened by Him, we will not be defeated. We will be victorious – ‘more than conquerors through Him who loved us’. His love will give us the victory. Nothing will be able to separate us from His love (Romans 8:37-39). In the provision of manna and water, we see love. In the victory over the Amalekites, we see the victory of love: ‘Love has the victory forever’. In the Exodus, God revealed His love for His people. In the wilderness, He continues to show His love for them. In love, He gives them the victory.
In 16:1, we read of a journey from ‘Elim’ to ‘the Desert (or Wilderness) of Sin’. ‘Elim’ was a good place to be. It had ‘twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees’. In one sense, ‘the Wilderness of Sin’ was simply a geographical location - a wilderness which lay between Elim and Mount Sinai. ‘The Wilderness of Sin’ is more than a geographical location. It is a word of warning. We read about ‘the Wilderness of Sin’. We hear God’s warning, ‘Do not go into the wilderness of sin.’
What happened when the people of Israel went into the Wilderness of Sin? – ‘The whole congregation of the people murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness’ (16:2).
Murmur – what a horrible word! The very sound of the word is sinister. They murmured. There was something wrong in ‘the Wilderness of Sin’. There was something wrong with the people. In one sense, the place was just a place – a place in which the people were to learn how to trust God. There was, however, something wrong with the people. They were murmuring. They had been redeemed. They had been delivered from their slavery in Egypt. Now, they wanted to go back to Egypt. They had been redeemed. They had made some spiritual progress. Now, they wanted to go back to the way things were before they had been redeemed by the Lord. What about you? Do you feel like you want to go back to ‘Egypt’? Do you feel like you want to return to a worldly way of living? Where are you now in relation to God? Are you determined to go on with God? Perhaps, if you are honest with yourself and with God, you may have to say, ‘I am in the wilderness of sin.’ To acknowledge honestly that you are in the wilderness of sin is the first step towards getting out of this wilderness. It is the first step in your return to the Lord. It is the first step in your walk with Him. God does not want you to remain in the wilderness of sin. He wants to lead you out of the wilderness of sin.
In 17:1, we read, ‘All the congregation of the people of Israel moved on from the Wilderness of Sin by stages, according to the commandment of the Lord’.
They moved on ‘according to the commandment of the Lord’. God wants us to move on with Him. He does not want us to stand still. He wants us to move on in our obedience to Him.
They moved on ‘by stages’. Some were the first to make the move. Others came along behind them. It is still the same today. Some make the first move. They go on with God, making significant spiritual progress. Others lag behind. It seems that they will never make any significant move towards God. What about you? Are you going on with God? Are you holding back from following Christ?
The people of Israel had moved on from the Wilderness of Sin. They still had problems – ‘there was no water for the people to drink’, ‘the people found fault with Moses’ (17:1-2). They were still murmuring.
How did God respond to His murmuring people? He was gracious to them. Twice – in chapter 16 and chapter 17 – God provided for them. This is the ‘amazing grace’ of God. He is so patient with us. He is so faithful in His love for us. He does not want to leave us in the wilderness of sin. He does not want us to remain trapped in the wilderness of murmuring. He wants to lead us into rest – ‘Come to Me, all who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest’ (Matthew 11:28). He wants to lead us into rejoicing –‘These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full’ (John 15:11). Are we ready to follow Him?
The Word of God tells us what God has done for His people: ‘the Lord saved them’ (18:8). The Word of God teaches us that being saved by the Lord places us under responsibility to be obedient to Him (19:4-5).
Exodus 21-30
21:1-23:33
Our obedience to God is to take shape within the varied circumstances of everyday life. At the heart of our obedience, there is to be compassion. Our compassion is to be an expression of God’s compassion (22:21, 28; 23:9). At the heart of our obedience, there is to be worship (23:14). Taking compassion and worship together, we come to the very heart of our obedience to God. It is not compassion without worship. It is not worship without compassion. The spiritual and the social belong together. We need spiritual foundations leading to social effects. The social does not stand on its own. There needs to be spiritual depth. The ‘spiritual’ does not stand on its own. It is empty formality if it does not lead to a change in our way of living from day to day.
24:1:27:21
‘The glory of the Lord’ (24:16-17) – God is to be glorified in all that we do. Symbolic of God’s glory is the frequent reference to ‘gold’ or ‘pure gold’. God’s glory is to shine brightly among God’s people. If God is to be glorified among us, if our lives are to be like ‘pure gold’, we must be like ‘pure virgin olive oil’, keeping our ‘lamps’ burning for Him (27:20-21).
God will not be glorified if we are not looking to Him to keep our lamps burning for Him – ‘Give me oil in my lamp keep me burning’, ‘Shine, Jesus, shine. Fill this land with the Father’s glory. Blaze, Spirit, blaze. Set our hearts on fire.’
The blessing we read about here is not simply for those who are already God’s people. It is also for those who will be reached for Christ and won for Him as the Lord’s G people rise to the challenge of carrying Christ to ‘this land’ and to ‘the nations.’
28:1-30:38
In all our worship and in all of life, we are to be ‘holy to the Lord’ (28:36). Holiness lies at the heart of God’s instructions to His people. God speaks of the special blessing of His ‘presence’ at ‘the tent of meeting’ – ‘My glory will make this place holy’ (29:42-43).
The holiness of God is full of love. He lives among His people as the God of redemption: ‘I brought them out of Egypt so that I might live among them’ (29:45-46). In the Lord’s presence, there is grace – ‘in the Lord’s presence … the sins in their lives are removed’ (30:16). This redemption is given to us by the grace of God. We are assured of God’s salvation through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.
This assurance must never lead to arrogant presumption. We must never take God’s grace for granted. We are to pray for an ongoing experience of God’s grace. It is through the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit that we ‘grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ’ (2 Peter 3:18). We must never presume upon the continued blessing of the Holy Spirit. We look to God for grace, never forgetting this: ‘Holy to the Lord’ (30:37).
Exodus 31-34
The history of Israel is like a rollercoaster ride. It’s full of highs and lows. We read of the Lord giving His Word to Moses (31:18). This is followed by the people rebelling against God (32:1).
Though the sin of the people is very great, the mercy of God is even greater. To those who had rebelled against Him, God continues to speak His Word of grace – ‘My presence will go with you, and I will give you peace’ (33:14).
Often, we feel like God won’t want to have anything more to do with us. God is the God of grace. He is also the God of glory. He reveals His glory to us (33:18-22). His full glory is too much for us. He gives us a glimpse of His glory. He does not overwhelm us by showing us too much of His glory. He shows us just enough to create in us a thirst for more of His glory.
What we have here is grace and glory together. When the glory seems too much, the grace of God breaks in. The God of grace assures us that we belong to Him. In grace, He shows us His glory. It is the glory of His love. This love is the greatest love of all. There is no love like the love of God.
34:1-35
Moses received the Word from the Lord and brought the Word to the people. With God’s Word of grace – ‘the Lord, a compassionate and merciful God …’ – there is also His Word of warning – ‘He never lets the guilty go unpunished …’ (vs. 6-7). Hearing God’s Word of warning, together with His Word of grace, Moses pleads with God for mercy – ‘Lord, please, go with us …’ (v. 9). The Lord promises to give his blessing again – ‘I’m making My promise again’. This promise of His blessing is accompanied by His call to obedience – ‘Do everything I command today’ (v. 11).
‘I am making a covenant with you’ (v. 10). The word, ‘covenant’, emphasizes the gracious, undeserved character of God’s promise. God’s promise does not come to a deserving people. It comes to God’s forgiven people. The difference between being deserving and being forgiven is very important. The person who thinks he deserves God’s blessing knows nothing of confession of sin. He has never come to God as an undeserving sinner, saying, ‘Father, I have sinned against you.’ The forgiven sinner is the person who has confessed his sin to God. It is to such people that God says, ‘The best is yet to be.’ It is with this confidence in God that we are called to move into the future.
When Moses came to the people, from God’s presence, his ‘face was shining’ (vs. 30, 35). This was a sign of the power of the Spirit filling him, giving him strength, equipping him for the work of ministry.
Exodus 35-40
35:1-36:38
The work of God requires the work of a large number of people who pool their resources together to see that God’s work is done. When there is this willing spirit among God’s people, God’s work moves forward. This willing spirit comes from the Lord Himself – ‘The Lord has filled Bezalel with the Spirit of God.’
Through the Spirit of God, we receive gifts which are put to good use in the service of God (35:31). We are to use these gifts in the service of the Lord (35:34). When God’s work is done in God’s way – ‘as the Lord has commanded’ (36:1) - , there will be God’s blessing: ‘The people are bringing much more than we need for doing the work the Lord has commanded us to do’ (36:5).
37:1-29
Many times over, we read the word, ‘gold’. Beyond the gold, there is the great God, the God of glory, the God who is worthy of all praise. We look beyond the furnishings of the place of worship to the God, who is worshipped. In our hearts, we say, ‘My God, how wonderful You are.’
Many people place great value on gold, but they do not worship God. They make much of the glory of gold, but they do not give glory to God. How sad it is that so many people value the things of this world yet they do not acknowledge the greatness of the god who created our world.
We must learn to look beyond this world. We must learn to say, in our hearts, ‘I’d rather have Jesus than silver or gold. I’d rather have Jesus than riches untold.’
The Lord must always be more important to us than anyone or anything else. We must not let ‘gold’ become our ‘god’. We must look beyond the ‘gold’. We must look to our God.
38:1-40:38
All of this may seem so strange to us. There is one thing – among all the many details – which we must not miss. They ‘made everything that the Lord commanded’. They ‘followed the Lord’s instructions’ (38:26, 29, 31-32, 42-43).
God’s people are called to be obedient to Him. We are not to do what we want. We are to do what He commands. We are to follow His instructions. There can be no ‘anointing’ if there is no obedience. The two go together – obedience and anointing. We are to do everything the Lord commands us. We are to follow His instructions (40:16, 19).
Such obedience to God will involve putting His Word at the centre of our lives. His Word is not so much a Word of demand as a Word of ‘promise’. It is not so much a Word of law as a Word of ‘mercy’ (40:20). Our obedience to God is grounded in our experience of His ‘promise’ of ‘mercy’. Having received the ‘mercy’ of God, promised to us in Jesus Christ, we follow the Lord’s instructions (30:21, 23, 27, 29, 32).
When we have ‘finished the work’ God has given us to do, we must look to Him to send His blessing – ‘the glory of the Lord filled the tent’ (40:34-35).
In all the strangeness of the world of Old Testament worship, there are deep, spiritual lessons for us. There are lessons which enable us to go on with the Lord. We receive His mercy. We obey His Word. We experience His glory.
God is good to us. He shows His mercy to us. He puts a new Spirit within us. He gives to us the Spirit of obedience. He sends His glory so that we might rejoice in His presence and be strengthened by His presence.
"In the beginning, God ... " - The Bible's first verse
* "In the beginning, God" (Genesis 1:1)
Here, we are taken back to eternity, back to the eternal God. There is nothing beyond this. There is nothing beyond Him.
* "God created the heaven and the earth" (Genesis 1:1).
He is the Lord of heaven and earth. The mention of heaven and earth in the Bible's opening verse sends our minds on from the beginning to the middle and the end of God's great Story of salvation. At the heart of this wonderful Story, there is Jesus Christ who came from heaven to earth for us. The Story moves on to the marvellous fulifilment of God's plan of salvation. The Lord Jesus will come to take us from earth to heaven to share with Him in the glory of eternal life.
Here, we are taken back to eternity, back to the eternal God. There is nothing beyond this. There is nothing beyond Him.
* "God created the heaven and the earth" (Genesis 1:1).
He is the Lord of heaven and earth. The mention of heaven and earth in the Bible's opening verse sends our minds on from the beginning to the middle and the end of God's great Story of salvation. At the heart of this wonderful Story, there is Jesus Christ who came from heaven to earth for us. The Story moves on to the marvellous fulifilment of God's plan of salvation. The Lord Jesus will come to take us from earth to heaven to share with Him in the glory of eternal life.
"In the beginning, God ... " (Genesis 1:1-2:4)
Genesis 1:1
"In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth" - This is our only starting-point. We begin with the eternal God. Before there was creation, there is God. There is nothing beyond God. He is the Beginning.
Genesis 1:2
"darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of face of the waters."
Before the Spirit of God has done his powerful work in our hearts, we remain in darkness. We can do nothing about this. The light does not come from ourselves. It comes from the Lord.
Genesis 1:3
"And God said, Let there be light: and there was light."
This is the mighty work of God. Through His amazing grace, He brings us out of His darkness and into His light.
Genesis 1:4
"the light was good"
What a wonderful blessing it is when the light of the Lord shines in our hearts.
Genesis 1:5
"Day and Night"
It's like the difference between Day and Night. What a great change there is in us when the Lord brings us out of our darkness and into His light.
Genesis 1:6
"a firmament"
We have a firm foundation upon which to build our faith. There is solid ground upon which we can take our stand. The sold ground is Jesus Christ. He is the firm Foundation.
Genesis 1:7
"the waters"
In the days of Noah, there was a great flood. All around us there is danger. The flood threatens to overwhelm us. How are we to be saved from drowning? There is one way of salvation. Jesus Christ is our Saviour.
Genesis 1:8
"Heaven"
What a wonderful word this is! What a wonderful Saviour Jesus is. He is the way to heaven (John 14:6).
Genesis 1:9
"gathered together unto one place"
What a release of the living waters of God's Spirit there is when the Lord's people are gathered together with a real desire to give praise and glory to Him.
Genesis 1:10
"the gathering together of the waters"
When we are gathered together in the Lord's House, we must pray that the Spirit of God will be at work among us, bringing to us a mighty river of blessing.
Genesis 1:11
"the fruit tree yielding fruit"
We bear fruit as we build our lives on the Word of the Lord (Psalm 1). There is the fruit of the Spirit in our own lives (Galatians -23). There is the fruit of God at work in the lives upon whom we are able to exert a life-changing influence for God (Psalm 126:5-6).
Genesis 1:12
"God saw that it was good."
What a good thing it is for the people of God to bear fruit in their lives and in winning others for the Saviour.
Genesis 1:13
"the third day"
We read these words, and our thoughts move forward to the mighty miracle of Jesus' resurrection from the dead - "on the third day God raised Him from the dead."
Genesis 1:14
"lights"
We think of the sun and the moon. There is a greater Son - our Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ. When the sun and the moon are no more, there will be Jesus, the King of creation, the Lord of glory. His reign shall never come to an end. It will be the reign of His everlasting love. When the light of the sun and moon are no longer shining, the light of Christ's love will be shining brightly (Revelation 22;5) - shining "not for the years of time alone, but for eternity."
Genesis 1:15
"light upon the earth"
As we read these words, we rejoice in this - Jesus is the Light of the world" (John ).
Genesis 1:16
"the stars"
As we read about the stars, our thoughts turn to the star which led the wise men to Bethlehem
Genesis 1:17
"light upon the earth"
Where does light come from? Do we look inside our own minds? No! We look to Him who "came down from heaven to earth - Jesus Christ our Saviour."
Genesis 1:18
"rule over the day and the night"
Beyond the "rule" of "the two great lights", there is the "rule" of the Lord. He is the King of creation. He is the King of salvation. He is "the King of kings" (Revelation ).
Genesis 1:19
"the evening and the morning"
The morning is bright with new beginnings. In the evening, we feel weary. In all life's changing circumstances, let us look to the Lord. When we feel strong, let us say, "My strength comes from the Lord." When we feel weak, let us pray, "Lord, I am weak. You are strong. I bring my weakness to You. Give me your strength."
Genesis 1:20
"Let the waters bring forth abundantly"
What abundance of blessing there is when the living waters of the Holy Spirit are flowing freely among the Lord's people (John -39; Ezekiel 47:5,9).
Genesis 1:21
"great whales"
Remember "the great fish" that swallowed Jonah (Jonah ). This was God's way of showing us that "salvation comes from the Lord" (Jonah 2:9). From the story of Jonah's mighty deliverance, we look on to the mighty miracle of Jesus' resurrection from the dead. He died, but He did not remain dead. He rose from the dead.
Genesis 1:22
"God blessed them"
What a great thing it is to be blessed by the Lord. Without His blessing, we have nothing. We must never forget these challenging words of Jesus; "Without Me, you can do nothing" (John 15:5). What a great challenge they are to our human pride. When we think we can manage on our own, Jesus reminds us, "You are nothing, you have nothing and you can do nothing without My blessing." With His blessing, everything changes. This is the great change which God has brought into our life - "In Christ, He has blessed us with every spiritual blessing" (Ephesians 1:3).
Genesis 1:23
"the evening and the morning"
The repeated pattern of nature - evening, morning, evening, morning ... - speaks to us of God's great faithfulness. Without the sustaining power of God of perfect faithfulness and constant love, our world would return to chaos - "without form and void" (1:2). Whatever changes may take place in our world, let us never forget this: God's mercies are renewed every morning. He is the God of great faithfulness (Lamentations ).
Genesis 1:24
The "beast"
Whenever we read, in God's Word, about "the beast", we are reminded that we face constant and determined from Satan, the enemy of our souls. Whenever we feel that Satan is getting the upper hand, let us remind him that Jesus is Lord.
Genesis 1:25
"every thing that creeps upon the earth"
Creep - Isn't that such a sinister word? Satan creeps around, doing no good. There is One who does nothing but good - our Lord Jesus Christ. He will never be defeated by Satan. Let us rejoice in this: Jesus gives His victory to us.
Genesis 1:26
"in God's image"
This doesn't sound like a true description of the way we really are! We are sinners. We have lost our way. It's a reminder of what God created us to be. It's His high calling for us. He calls us to be like Him. He calls us to bring glory to Him.
Genesis 1:27
"male and female"
We belong together. We're not to compete with each other. We are to help each other to love the Lord more and more as we journey through life together.
Genesis 1:28
"dominion"
We are given dominion. God has dominion. Let us never forget this. We must not think too highly of ourselves. We can never think too highly of the Lord.
Genesis 1:29
"meat"
We need the strong meat of God's Word if we are to grow strong in the Lord. Let us feed on the Word of God. Let us pray that our hunger will increase. The more we hunger for the Lord, the more fully He will satisfy us.
Genesis 1:30
"I have given"
The gift of God - Life is God's gift. He is our Creator. Salvation is God's gift. Jesus is our Saviour. The Holy Spirit is God's gift. He has come to live in us. He will take us to live with God - to give glory to God forevermore.
Genesis 1:31
"everything was very good"
When we look at the world as we know it, it's hard to take this in! We must take our stand upon God's Word. There was a time when "everything was good." There was a time before our sin spoiled everything. There will, again, be a time when everything will be a good. There will be a time when sin will be no more. It will be a time of giving glory to God forevermore.
Genesis 2:1
"finished"
We read about the finished work of creation and we think of Jesus' words from the Cross, "It is finished." This is the finished work of Christ. He has completed the work that was required by the holy God for sinners to receive forgiveness.
Genesis 2:2
"He rested"
After creation, there was rest. After crucifixion, there was resurrection. We rest in the risen Lord. We rest in His perfect sacrifice for the forgiveness of our sins. We rejoice in His triumph over death. We remind Satan that he has been defeated by our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.
Genesis 2:3
"holy"
When God blesses us, He makes us holy. He has not given to us the forgiveness of our sins and left us just the way we were before we came in faith to Christ. We come to the Saviour - "Just as I am" - but do not remain the same. God has given us new life - the life of the Holy Spirit. From the moment we receive God's forgiveness, we begin our new journey on the High Way of holiness (Isaiah 35:8). We will often wander away from this High Way, but the Lord keeps on bringing us back. He brings us back to the Cross where we find forgiveness. He brings us back to the risen Lord, who empowers us for walking with God in holy living. When we see that our forgiveness and holiness comes from Jesus Christ, crucified for us and risen for us, we give all the glory to God. This is not our own doing. It is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes (Psalm 118:23).
Genesis 2:4
"This is the history"
This is His Story. This is God's Story. In this great Story of creation, which leads on to the great Story of salvation, we read about the God who has done for us what we could never do for ourselves. we could not create ourselves. We could not save ourselves. We have been created by God. We have been saved by God. Apart from the work of God, we would have no life. Our life has come from Him. Apart from the work of God, we would have no new life. It is through His mighty power that we have become "a new creation in Christ Jesus" (2 Corinthians 5:17). Apart from the work of God, we would have no hope of eternal life - "God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son" (1 John 5:11). In ourselves, there is no hope. In the great God of our salvation, we have this glorious hope - "the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 6:23).
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