Today’s reading includes Exodus 17:8-19:15, Matthew 22:34-23:12, Psalm 27:7-14, and Proverbs 6:27-35.  In Exodus 17:8-15, we find the following account:

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

So Joshua fought the Amalekites as Moses had ordered, and Moses, Aaron and Hur went to the top of the hill.  As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning.  When Moses’ hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it.  Aaron and Hur held his hands up—one on one side, one on the other—so that his hands remained steady till sunset.  So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the sword.

                                                            Exodus 17:8-13

 First, let’s reflect on the enemy they encountered?  Who were the Amalakites?  Remember that Esau was the unrighteous line of Isaac. Through his grandson, Amalek, came the Amalekites.  These were sore enemies of God’s people and had been for a very long time. Verse sixteen tells us that the Amalekites would indeed be enemies of God’s people for a very long time.

He said, “They have raised their fist against the LORD’s throne, so now^c the LORD will be at war with Amalek generation after generation.”

                                                               Exodus 17:16

We will see that to be true in the coming pages of God’s Word. But we also see another revelation of Who God is when another of His names is revealed.

Moses built an altar there and named it Yahweh-nissi (which means                                    “the LORD is my banner”).

                                                                                 Exodus 17:15

 According to Rabbi K.A. Schneider, “Banners are like today’s flags. They are lifted to a height where we can see as a reminder that symbolizes: security, hope, and freedom. With the Lord as our Banner we are assured victory, with the Lord as our Banner we can run and not grow weary, with the Lord as our Banner we will have peace and joy!”

Who was the most important character in this story?  God was!  All the secondary characters had equally important parts.  They each had a role to play.  Everyone had to depend on each other to have victory.  And it is the same with you and me.  We all have an important role to play in the kingdom of God.  And no job is above or greater than any other.  Even the smallest missing puzzle piece results in an unfinished puzzle.

We see Joshua fighting the battle, Aaron and Hur holding up the arms of weary Moses.  And we see Moses, despite his weariness, continuing to hold up the staff of God.  He did this for two reasons.  First, when the people saw him on the mountain holding up the staff, it was a visual of strength and perseverance that renewed their own strength and helped them continue in their own perseverance.  But he was also holding up the staff toward God, the only source of strength and victory.  He was pointing toward God, the Victor, so that the people who saw him would know where their strength should come.

I lift up my eyes to the mountains—

where does my help come from?

My help comes from the Lord,

the Maker of heaven and earth.

He will not let your foot slip—

he who watches over you will not slumber;

indeed, he who watches over Israel

will neither slumber nor sleep.

The Lord watches over you—

the Lord is your shade at your right hand;

the sun will not harm you by day,

nor the moon by night.

The Lord will keep you from all harm—

he will watch over your life;

the Lord will watch over your coming and going

both now and forevermore.

                                                                     Psalm 121

Psalm 36 is a song which recounts the great story we have been reading.  It celebrates the victorious hand of God over the people.  It celebrates the parting of the Red Sea and the defeat of kings along the way.  But with each line, it acknowledges that the victory was not for the sake of display power and strength, but the victory was for love.  Each line ends with a chorus of “His love endures forever.”

Moses raised his outstretched arm up to heaven.  But he was human and he cannot keep his arm outstretched for long.  But God can.  Yes, we reach up to God.  But the more important fact it that God’s mighty arm is outstretched to us.  He is God, we are not.

with a mighty hand and outstretched arm;

His love endures forever.

                                                                                Psalm 36:12

After the battle, the Lord had some strict instructions for them.

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

He told Moses to write down the details of this victory so that they would remember.  And he added… “and make sure Joshua hears it”  Why do you think that they wanted Moses to make sure Joshua heard all of the details of battle?  Because God knew what the future held for Joshua.  He knew how He would use Joshua to finally lead the people into the Promise Land.  He knew that Joshua would face these enemies again.  He knew that this was an extraordinary job, and He knew that Joshua was ordinary.  Joshua needed to remember, in order to have the courage and strength to face the days ahead.  Joshua needed to remember that during that battle, God had a much bigger picture taking place.  It was not just about Joshua’s role. God was putting all the pieces together for an extraordinary work.  Joshua needed to remember that because God had a most important leadership role for him to play in the future. And we, too, need to remember the faithful strenght of God on our behalf so that we can walk forward confidently in the knowledge that Yahweh-nissi, our Victory Banner, covers us with His love.

Today’s reading includes Exodus 15:19-17:7, Matthew 22:1-33, Psalm 27: Proverbs 6:20-26.

In today’s reading we find the people rejoicing in the great triumph of the Red Sea.  They had personally experienced a great miracle and a great victory from their oppressors.  It was over at last.  Their chains were gone.

But how quickly they forgot the power of God; how quickly their trust in Him waned.  Moses led the people through the desert and they became very thirsty.  When they finally came to the oasis of Marah, the water was too bitter to drink.  And so, they complained and turned against Moses.  They became as bitter as the water there.  And bitterness is never satisfying; it never quenches our thirsty souls.  They had forgotten their God, for if they had remembered Him, they would have known He could have provided water for them.  If He parted the Red Sea, He certainly could have provided them water to drink.  And yet, we see no reference of consulting or petitioning the Lord, only complaining.  Moses did what the people would not.  He cried out to the Lord for help and the Lord quickly responded.  The Lord showed him a piece of wood.  Moses threw the tree into the water and it made the water good to drink.  Many scholars believe this tree is reflective of the cross to come; for surely only the cross can provide the remedy to our bitter hearts and our thirsty souls.

It was at this bitter place that the Lord gave them a decree to follow, a standard with which to test their faithfulness to Him.

26 He said, “If you will listen carefully to the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in his sight, obeying his commands and keeping all his decrees, then I will not make you suffer any of the diseases I sent on the Egyptians; for I am the Lord who heals you.”

                                                                                                            Exodus 15: 26

This was a cause and effect statement.  If you, then I.  “If you listen and obey, then I will heal you, because that is Who I am.”  And at first, it appears they listened to Him.  And He led them to another oasis.  It was at this oasis of Elim they found 12 springs and 70 palm trees.  Look at those numbers.  What does that tell you?  This was an abundant, holy place of God’s provision.  A place to quench their thirst and rest in the shade.

The LORD himself watches over you!

The LORD stands beside you as your protective shade.

The sun will not harm you by day,

nor the moon at night.

                                                               Psalm 121:5-6

But then they traveled to the wilderness of Sin.  How interesting that the name of the wilderness was Sin.  They left a holy place of peace and rest and they entered the wilderness of sin.

Then the whole community of Israel set out from Elim and journeyed into the wilderness of Sin,[a] between Elim and Mount Sinai. They arrived there on the fifteenth day of the second month, one month after leaving the land of Egypt.[b] 2 There, too, the whole community of Israel complained about Moses and Aaron.

                                                                                                Exodus 16:1-2

If Elim represents the introduction to the God of our provision, Mount Sinai represents our final destination, our resting place.  And in between the two is the wilderness of Sin.  How true.  We come to saving knowledge of Lord and we bask in this new knowledge and relationship.  But we aren’t home yet.  And the land in between is often wrought with trials and temptations. This is life on earth.  It is our challenge until the day we go home.  And we can be bitter and complain and think that surely the time in slavery is better and have false memories of the “good ole days”, all the while ignoring the fact that our God is still providing for us and leading us day in and day out.  Or we can trust in the daily Provider, the sender of the manna.

God could have zapped them for their dishonoring forgetfulness, for their incessant complaining. But what did our good Father God do?  He rained down food from heaven.  Each day He provided.  And all they had to do is gather.

We, too, have a choice.  We can go out and gratefully gather what He has graciously provided, or we can complain and grumble and become bitter souls.  I have certainly chosen both paths at different times of my life. But today I choose to gratefully gather all the promises and provisions of my gracious, loving, forgiving God.

Today’s reading is Exodus 13:17-15:18, Matthew 21:23-46, Psalm 26:1-12, Proverbs 6:16-19.

Today, I saw an allegory of life, which I had not thought of before.  It was found in Exodus 13:17-18.

17 When Pharaoh finally let the people go, God did not lead them along the main road that runs through Philistine territory, even though that was the shortest route to the Promised Land. God said, “If the people are faced with a battle, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.” 18 So God led them in a roundabout way through the wilderness toward the Red Sea. Thus the Israelites left Egypt like an army ready for battle.

 Did you know that the route through the wilderness was God’s idea?  It was His plan, with His purpose.  He certainly could have led them the shortest route to the Promised Land.  There was a short cut, which I am sure the people would have selected, if given a vote.  But God did not give them a vote.  He knew that though the way through the wilderness was longer and harder, it would better prepare them for what the future held.  Matthew Henry suggests that God had much preparation in store for the people, for their good and for their future victory.  This is what he said in commentary of these verses.

It is said (Deut. 32:10), He led them about, some hundreds of miles about, and yet (Ps. 107:7), He led them forth by the right way. God’s way is the right way, though it seem about. If we think he leads not his people the nearest way, yet we may be sure he leads them the best way, and so it will appear when we come to our journey’s end. Judge nothing before the time. 2. There was one reason why God did not lead them the nearest way, which would have brought them after a few days’ march to the land of the Philistines (for it was that part of Canaan that lay next to Egypt), namely, because they were not as yet fit for war, much less for war with the Philistines, Exod. 13:17. Their spirits were broken with slavery; it was not easy for them to turn their hands of a sudden from the trowel to the sword. The Philistines were formidable enemies, too fierce to be encountered by raw recruits; it was more suitable that they should begin with the Amalekites, and be prepared for the wars of Canaan by experiencing the difficulties of the wilderness. Note, God proportions his people’s trials to their strength, and will not suffer them to be tempted above what they are able, 1 Cor. 10:13. That promise, if compared with the foregoing verses, will seem to refer to this event, as an instance of it. God knows our frame, and considers our weakness and faintheartedness, and by less trials will prepare us for greater. God is said to bring Israel out of Egypt as the eagle brings up her young ones (Deut. 32:11), teaching them by degrees to fly. 

How does an eagle teach her young to fly? Little by little.  They are encouraged to flap their wings and hop from branch to branch.  They are then encouraged to catch the wind for further distances.  In time, they are able to soar.  But not at first.  At first they can simply hop and flap.  I have had many times that I have felt that I was only hopping and flapping through life.  But then God showed me how to soar.  How to catch the wind of the Holy Spirit and His Word.  Yes, it takes effort, but the result is like none other.  The view above all the daily, stressful, carnal view of life is much better indeed.  My niece recently began helping lead worship at her church.  I loved what she posted after the first time she had that opportunity.  Along with a photo of her singing with hand raised high, she posted these words: “So thankful for a season of being stretched and grown by Jesus. I’m convinced that when you’re doing what you were created to do it feels an awful lot like flying.”

So true.  But not always easy.  God does not usually choose the easy path for us.  But He does choose the best path for us.  The path may not be a straight shot, a short cut, but its difficulty will help prepare us for all we need in preparation for an abundant future, one of His own choosing.

Today’s reading is Exodus 12:14-13:16, Matthew 20:29-21:22, Psalm 25:16-23, Proverbs 6:12-15.

In today’s reading we come to the reason for the name of the book of Exodus.  They finally leave the slavery of Egypt.  They didn’t know what lay ahead, but they were ready to rid themselves of the shackles that had held them for so long.  And because they were ready, they were willing to listen to God’s instructions and follow it to the letter.  And what were those instructions?  Exodus 12:21 tells us.

21 Then Moses called all the elders of Israel together and said to them, “Go, pick out a lamb or young goat for each of your families, and slaughter the Passover animal. 22 Drain the blood into a basin. Then take a bundle of hyssop branches and dip it into the blood. Brush the hyssop across the top and sides of the doorframes of your houses. And no one may go out through the door until morning. 23 For the Lord will pass through the land to strike down the Egyptians. But when he sees the blood on the top and sides of the doorframe, the Lord will pass over your home. He will not permit his death angel to enter your house and strike you down.

 Hyssop grew freely in the land of Egypt.  They would have been familiar with hyssop because of its common occurrence in the landscape, but also because of its frequent use for cleansing and purification among the Egyptian priests.  Of course, those priests weren’t worshiping the One Living God.  And their use of hyssop involved eating it.  For them, the hyssop was the emphasis.  In God’s instructions, the hyssop was only a tool for application.  The blood was the emphasis. Later, hyssop was used for ritual cleansing and for sprinkling blood in the tabernacle. Here it was used in the first Passover in Egypt.  Moses summoned all the elders of Israel to select and slaughter the Passover lamb.  They were instructed to take a bunch of hyssop, dip it in blood, and put some of the blood on the top and sides of the doorframe.  The Lord would then “pass over” that door and not bring death to that home.

Hyssop was symbolic for cleansing, healing, and the forgiveness of sin.  Psalm 51 is David’s confession concerning his adulterous affair with Bathsheba.  Listen to what he said in Psalm 51:6-7:

            Surely you desire truth in the inner parts; you teach me wisdom in the inmost place.  Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.

These instructions of applying the blood over the doorpost with the hyssop was reflective of what was to come.  It was symbolic and prophetic.  It looked forward to the day that the Lamb of God would be slain so that death would forever pass over those who trust in the blood of the Lamb. It was perfect and complete timing when Jesus entered Jerusalem–knowing He would be entering to shed his blood—during the Passover celebration.

This week we have seen Moses overcome his slave mentality.  We have seen him overcome his shameful past and his insecurities.  Today, I want to push through to the practical and ask, what is your mentality?  How are you like Moses?  Do you have a slave mentality?  Do words of self-hatred and self-condemnation fly through your mind on a regular basis?  Do you feel unworthy to receive anything from the Lord?  Do you find yourself in bondage to the cycle of sin-slavery: sin which leads to guilt which leads to promises that we can’t keep which leads to more sin?  Even the great apostle Paul dealt with that in Romans 7:14-25:

“We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.

“So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!”

But there is good news which Paul found, which I found and which you, too, can find:  Jesus came to set the captives free!  In his very first sermon, Jesus stood up and proclaimed the fulfillment of prophesy found in Isaiah 61:1-3:

“The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me,

       because the LORD has anointed me

       to preach good news to the poor.

       He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,

       to proclaim freedom for the captives

       and release from darkness for the prisoners, [a]

to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor

       and the day of vengeance of our God,

       to comfort all who mourn,

and provide for those who grieve in Zion—

       to bestow on them a crown of beauty

       instead of ashes,

       the oil of gladness

       instead of mourning,

       and a garment of praise

       instead of a spirit of despair.

       They will be called oaks of righteousness,

       a planting of the LORD

       for the display of his splendor.”

 Through the shed blood of Jesus, we can be released from the slavery of sin.

Do you, like Moses, run and hide from your past mistakes?  The truth is that your past is a part of you and it will catch up with you.  The only way to deal with it is looking at it squarely.  In Ephesians six, we are told about the wonderful armor of God that we are each given:  the breastplate of righteousness, the helmet of salvation, the belt of truth, the shoes of peace, the shield of faith and the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God.  Each piece of armor is ours to take and wear and use so that we can stand firm.  However, think for a moment about the placement of the pieces of armor—.they are all on the front.  If we don’t face our sin, our fears, our anger and our past, we can get hit from behind.

Moses eventually overcame his past, his slave mentality, and his life of mediocrity when he stopped running.  He did not run from the voice of God in the burning bush.  He stopped, stood face to face with God and took off his running sandals, because he knew he was standing on holy ground.  I’m sure he was terribly afraid, but after he quit running and saw God for who He really is, he craved that presence.  Later, he spent much time in the Tent of Meeting where the presence of God was the strongest; and once, he begged to see the full glory of God.  It was said of Moses that he talked with God as a friend.  That could only take place when he quit running and began to allow the Great Physician to heal his past.  Jesus can do the same for you, if you will let Him.

I don’t know what trials, past, or insecurities are a part of your life.  But God does know.  And He adores you.  Today, run to Him.

Today’s reading includes Exodus 10:1-12:13, Matthew 20:1-28, Psalm 25:1-15, Proverbs 6:6-11.

Today I saw something in the story of Moses that I never had reflected upon.  I have always known that the story included the goal of freedom—both physically and spiritually.  God’s people were slaves in Egypt and He wanted to set them free.  It was time.  He had heard their prayers and seen their tears.  It was time for the release, time for the freedom.  That is itself is a great story.  I know there have been times in my life that I needed to be set free.  There have been times that I have felt bound up with habits and thought patterns that were not healthy.  And I needed God’s amazing grace.  And I received God’s amazing grace.  And He set me free!  This is my story and this is what I know to be true.  But today I saw the “why” behind the freedom.  When I first saw it, I began to look throughout the chapters of this story and it was repeated over and over.  The “why” was worship.  It was first established at the burning bush:

11 But Moses protested to God, “Who am I to appear before Pharaoh? Who am I to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt?”

12 God answered, “I will be with you. And this is your sign that I am the one who has sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God at this very mountain.”

From the beginning the purpose of ending the slavery was not only because of the misery of the people, it was because the people needed to be free to worship God.  They weren’t set free to go and do whatever they wanted.  They were set free to go and offer themselves to God—a different, beautiful, voluntary slavery to the only One who deserves to be served no matter the cost.

Exodus 10:3 says:

So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said, “This is what the Lord, the God of the Hebrews, says: How long will you refuse to submit to me? Let my people go, so they can worship me.

Worship is mentioned throughout the story as the purpose of the freedom.  Look at Exodus 8:1, Exodus 9:1, Exodus 9:13, and Exodus 10:24.  The “why” of God’s desire for the people to be free is so that they could worship.  And what is worship?  It is far more than church attendance.  It is more than singing hymns or praise songs; more even than prayer.  Romans 12:1-2 says this:

            Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

If we truly want to worship God, we will trade our dark spiritual slavery, for spiritual servanthood filled with the Light of the World.  We will make our whole lives, each day, each minute, an act of worship for our Lord.  Keith Green wrote these lyrics in his song, Make My Life A Prayer To You:

Make my life a prayer to You

I want to do what You want me to

No empty words and no white lies

No token prayers, no compromise.

I want to shine the light You gave

Through Your Son You sent to save us

From ourselves and our despair

It comforts me to know You’re really there.

May that be our prayer today.