Category Archives: Pride

When Holiness Contends with Wickedness (Exodus 32; Exodus 33)

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Scripture reading– Exodus 32-33

Moses and Joshua had been away from the people for “forty days and forty nights” (24:18). Moses’ appointment on Mount Sinai being ended, the LORD gave him “two tables of testimony, tables of stone, written with the finger of God” (31:18).

Exodus 32

Israel’s Provocation: Idolatry and Immorality (32:1-6)

In Moses’ absence, the people saw that he was “delayed to come down out of the mount” (32:1) and giving no thought of their covenant with the LORD, we read: they “gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him, Up, make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him” (32:1).

Now, Moses was not aware of events in Israel’s camp, but the LORD knows all things and heard the wicked demands of the people (32:1). He witnessed Aaron’s failure to hold the people to the covenant they vowed to the LORD, and heard when he yielded to their idolatrous demands. Rather than rebuke the people, Aaron accommodated them and “said unto them, Break off the golden earrings, which are in the ears of your wives, of your sons, and of your daughters, and bring them unto me” (32:2).

Tragically, the people complied with Aaron’s directives. He received their “golden earrings” and “fashioned it with a graving tool after he had made it a molten calf: and they said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt” (32:4). Aaron then accommodated their wickedness, and “built an altar before [the calf]; and [proclaimed]… Tomorrow is a feast to the Lord” (32:5). Having disavowed their covenant with the LORD, the people “offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play” (32:6). Thus the Scriptures revealed Israel not only committed idolatry, but did those things that were morally reprehensible.

The Wrath of the LORD and Moses’ Intercession (32:7-14)

The LORD, angered and provoked by the people’s sins, vowed to judge them in His wrath (32:7-10) and cut off the people as a nation. He declared He would covenant with Moses and “make of [him] a great nation” (32:10). Moses, however, interceded for the people, for he was jealous of the LORD’s testimony before Egypt and other nations. He implored the LORD, “Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, thy servants” (32:13) and reminded Him of His covenant promises. Then, in an act of mercy and grace, we read how the LORD heard Moses’ prayer, and He “repented [lit. had a change of mind or heart] of the evil [judgment; destruction] which he thought to do unto his people” (32:14).

Moses’ Loathing of Israel’s Idolatry (32:15-19)

Moses then descended the mount with “two tables of the testimony…in [his] hand: the tables [the Commandments] were written on both their sides; on the one side and on the other were they written. ¹⁶And the tables were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, graven upon the tables” (32:15-16).

Joshua, apparently unaware of the LORD’s revelation to Moses concerning the idolatrous state of Israel, heard a clammer of voices as they neared the camp and wondered if it was the “noise of war” (32:17). Moses knew it was the sound of frolicsome singing, and when “he saw the calf, and the dancing…[his] anger waxed hot, and he cast the tables out of his hands, and brake them beneath the mount” (32:19).

Aaron’s Tragic Failure and Defense (32:19-25)

Words fail me to describe this tragic moment in Israel’s history. How soon Israel turned from their covenant with the LORD and gave themselves to profound wickedness and idolatry! Incensed by the evil he witnessed, Moses “took the calf which they had made, and burnt it in the fire, and ground it to powder, and strawed it upon the water, and made the children of Israel drink of it” (32:19b-20). He rebuked his brother Aaron and questioned, “What did this people unto thee, that thou hast brought so great a sin upon them?” (32:21)

Unbelievably, Aaron’s retort reminds me of many in spiritual leadership today. Rather than assume responsibility for his failure, Aaron placed the guilt of his failings as a spiritual leader on the people and said, “thou knowest the people, that they are set on mischief” (32:22). The whole conversation that passed between Moses and Aaron was not recorded. Yet, the Scriptures record that Aaron was not only a spiritual failure as a leader, but he was implicated as a willing participant in their wickedness. We read: “Aaron had made [the people] naked unto their shame among their enemies” (32:25).

“Who is on the LORD’s side?” (32:26-29)

The time to stand for the LORD had come, and “Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, Who is on the Lord’s side? Let him come unto me. And all the sons of Levi [the priestly tribe of Moses and Aaron] gathered themselves together unto him” (32:26). Three thousand men were slain for their wickedness that day (32:28). Moses urged the people, and said, Consecrate yourselves to day to the Lord, even every man upon his son, and upon his brother; that he may bestow upon you a blessing this day” (32:29).

Moses’ Intercession and a Divine Reprieve (32:30-35)

The next day, Moses rebuked the people and said, “Ye have sinned a great sin: and now I will go up unto the Lord; peradventure I shall make an atonement for your sin” (32:30). Moses prayed and confessed the sins and wickedness of Israel, and interceded for the people saying, “Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin—; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written” (32:31-32). The LORD responded to Moses’ intercessory prayer (32:33) and, in the act of mercy and grace, gave Israel a reprieve from utter destruction. Though the tragic consequences of the people’s sins followed the nation, and He did not altogether stay His judgment (32:34-35), the Lord did not utterly destroy Israel.

Exodus 33

A Sorrow unto Repentance (33:1-6)

The prophet Jeremiah observed centuries later, “It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not” (Lamentations 3:22). Certainly, that truth is witnessed in Exodus 33 when the LORD’s judgment against Israel was stayed by His mercy. Still, the consequence of the nation’s sin was the sacrifice of His immediate presence (33:1-3). Wisely, the people mourned and responded by stripping themselves of outward adornments (33:6).

Moses: A Friend of God (33:7-11)

Though disappointed in the people, Moses fulfilled God’s desire and design for the Tabernacle. He pitched it outside the camp and “called it the Tabernacle of the congregation” (33:7). When the people observed Moses coming and going to the Tabernacle (33:8), “they rose up, and stood every man at his tent door” (33:8). As Moses entered the Tabernacle, the people observed the presence of the LORD descended like a “cloudy pillar” (33:9-10).

The Scriptures give us a remarkable portrait in Exodus 33:11, where we read, “And the Lord spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend.” Of Joshua, we read that when Moses left to return to the camp, he remained and “departed not out of the tabernacle” (33:11).

An Appeal for God’s Presence (33:15-22)

Moses dreaded the thought of proceeding on Israel’s journey without the LORD, and therefore pled, “If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence” (13:15). Yet, Moses was not satisfied only with the LORD’s presence; he prayed to the LORD, “shew me thy glory” (Exodus 33:18). God graciously replied to Moses, “Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live” (Exodus 33:20). So we learn no man can see God in His unveiled, heavenly glory; however, Moses was blessed with a glimpse of His glory while He sheltered him in the cleft of the rock (33:21-22).

Closing thoughts:

Among the statements that indicated Moses’ special relationship with God, we read: “And the LORD spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend” (33:11).

Imagine a relationship with God that is “face to face,” heart to heart, and friend to friend. Yet, that relationship is possible through Christ, for even His enemies accused Him and said Jesus was “a friend of publicans and sinners” (Matthew 11:19; Luke 7:34). Indeed He is, and waits for you to turn from your sins and accept Him as your Savior and Lord. He is “longsuffering to usward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9).

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Israel’s Long-awaited Exodus and a Short-lived Celebration (Exodus 14; Exodus 15)

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Scripture reading: Exodus 14; Exodus 15

Exodus 14

Showdown on the Seashore (14:1-10)

With the cloud overshadowing Israel by day and the pillar of fire giving the people light by night, Moses led a nation of more than one million souls to freedom. But to find liberty in another land, they had to travel according to the LORD’s command, bringing Israel to a seemingly precarious place encamped by the Red Sea (14:2).

In his grief, Pharaoh thrust the children of Israel out of the land. Yet, the LORD hardened the proud king’s heart (14:3-4), and Moses learned his conflict with Pharaoh was not yet ended. Spies of the king followed the movement of Israel and saw the multitude encamped by the sea. News of the encampment was sent to Pharaoh, who then set his army in array to pursue and overtake Moses and the people (14:5-7).

Having witnessed how God brought Pharaoh and Egypt to her knees, the people had departed “with an high hand” and were bold, triumphant, and rejoicing in their freedom (14:8). Yet, the celebration soon ended when Israel saw a great cloud of dust formed by the approach of six hundred chariots and soldiers. When Pharoah and his army drew near Israel’s encampment, “the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and, behold, the Egyptians marched after them; and they were sore afraid: and…cried out unto the Lord” (14:10).

Celebrations turned to Protestations (14:11-12)

With the Red Sea before them and Egypt’s army behind them, the people derided Moses, saying: “Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt?” (14:11)

Could you take a moment and consider the fickle nature of sinners?

Though Israel departed Egypt “with an high hand” (14:8), their delight was suddenly turned to moaning and despair. The people complained with a sentiment they would express on many occasions in the future and said: “For it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness” (14:12).

Moses’ Undaunted Faith (14:13-18)

Disappointed but unshaken by the people’s murmuring and the approach of Pharaoh’s army, Moses challenged the people saying, “Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever” (14:13). Then, Moses assured them, “The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace” (14:14).

Moses cried to the LORD, Who questioned him, saying, “Wherefore criest thou unto me? speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward” (14:15).

For Moses, the time for prayer was over, and it was time to step out on faith and trust the LORD, who commanded him: “Lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea” (14:16).

The LORD commanded Moses to be prepared, for when the waters of the sea opened, Pharaoh and his chariots would surely pursue the people into the midst of the sea (14:17), and Egypt would know the LORD when the king and his army are drowned in the sea (14:18).

The Provision and Providence of God (14:19-31)

The cloud that guided Israel out of Egypt moved rearward and became a barrier of darkness between the people and Pharaoh’s army (14:19-20). Then, Israel passed through the midst of the waters of the sea on dry ground (14:21-22). When the Egyptians pursued Israel into the midst of the Red Sea, the LORD brought the waters down and drowned them. “Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the sea shore… and the people feared the Lord, and believed the Lord, and his servant Moses.” (14:23-31).

Exodus 15

A Celebratory Song of Deliverance (15:1-21)

Standing triumphantly on the far shores of the Red Sea, Moses and the children of Israel broke into a song of praise and rejoicing (15:1-19). Moses led the song, and the men sang the refrain (15:1), while his sister Miriam “took a timbrel in her hand; and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances” (15:20) and singing the chorus (15:21).

Moses’ song celebrated and memorialized the great victory the LORD gave Israel over Pharaoh and Egypt. The news of Israel’s triumphant crossing of the Red Sea preceded them and struck fear and awe in the hearts of the enemies they faced in the wilderness and the Promised Land (15:14-16). What a grand celebration, and indeed one that should have continued for days and weeks; however, such was not the case.

A Crisis of Faith (15:22-25)

Israel was only three days journey into the wilderness when the people “found no water” (15:22) and “murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink?” (15:24). Sadly, whispering and grumbling became a sinful pattern that haunted Israel’s journey for forty years, and became a great sorrow to Moses and the LORD. Finally, Moses “cried unto the Lord; and the Lord shewed him a tree, which when he had cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet” (15:25).

Why did the LORD test Israel? (15:25)

The LORD “made for them a statute and an ordinance, and there he proved them” (15:25). To “prove” is to test and thereby reveal what manner of people Israel was. So they witnessed a great demonstration of God’s power and deliverance at the Red Sea, only to be found complaining and murmuring three days later.

What was the “statute” and the “ordinance” God wanted Israel to learn? (15:26)

If Israel would “diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord… [and] do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes,” the LORD promised, “I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the Lord that healeth thee” (15:26).

Questions to consider:

1) How did Pharaoh respond when he heard Israel was encamped by the waters of the Red Sea? (Exodus 14:5-8)

2) How did Israel respond when they saw Pharaoh and his chariots approaching? (Exodus 14:10-12)

3) How did Moses and Israel celebrate their victory over Egypt? (Exodus 15:1-21)

4) Three days after their victory over Egypt, how did the LORD test Israel, and what spiritual lesson did He want the people to learn? (Exodus 15:22-27).

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The Passover: “Behold the Lamb” (The Institution and Significance of the Passover, Exodus 12) – Part 2 of 2 daily devotions.

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Scripture reading: Exodus 12

The Passover was instituted in Exodus 12 and took its name from the LORD, sparing His people the plague that struck the firstborn of Egypt (12:1-14, 27-28). The LORD instructed Moses and Aaron to speak to the people and say, “²This month shall be unto you the beginning of months…³In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb…⁵Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats: ⁶And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening” (12:2-6).

Moses instructed the people to put the blood of the sacrifice on the side posts and lintel [top of the door facing] of the houses (12:7). The LORD promised, saying “when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt” (12:12-13).

The Sacrificial Lamb (Exodus 12:8-11, 14-19)

Specific instructions were given for the sacrificial lambs (12:8-11, 14-19). We are reminded that the lambs were a “type,” meaning a picture of the ultimate sacrifice for sin, the Messiah, whose name they did not know and who would come in the Father’s time. Israel would have to trust in the substitutionary blood on their doorposts and know by faith that it represented God’s provision, sacrifice, and covenant with Abraham. The lamb was to be roasted whole (12:8-9), and the bones were not to be broken. (Jesus Christ’s death on the cross fulfilled that condition, John 19:31-37; Psalm 34:20). He was the perfect, sinless, spotless “Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world” John 1:29).

A second element of the Passover was “unleavened bread” (12:15, 17-20). Leaven, the equivalent of yeast today, was not used in bread during the Passover season. (The leaven used in ancient times was from fermented dough left over from the previous day.) Taking a pinch of fermented dough, and kneading it into a fresh batch of flour, would, in time, permeate the whole of the dough and cause the bread to rise.

The permeating nature of leaven is a symbol in the Scriptures of the nature of sin. Sin in our lives functions the same as leaven in the dough, for “a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump” (Galatians 5:9). In the same way that leaven was not to be in Passover bread, a believer is not to tolerate even a “little sin” in his life.

The Night of the Passover (Exodus 12:29-34)

The night of the Passover came, and “at midnight the Lord smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh… [to] the captive that was in the dungeon; and all the firstborn of cattle” (12:29). Pharaoh and all Egypt cried in anguish, “for there was not a house where there was not one dead” (12:30).

The king then sent for Moses and Aaron and charged them, “Rise up, and get you forth from among my people, both ye and the children of Israel; and go, serve the Lord, as ye have said. ³²Also take your flocks and your herds, as ye have said, and be gone; and bless me also” (12:31-32).

The same urgency took hold among the Egyptians, who urged Israel to depart “out of the land in haste; for they said, We be all dead men” (12:33). As God had commanded, the children of Israel required “of the Egyptians jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment: ³⁶And the Lord gave the people favour in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they lent unto them such things as they required. And they spoiled the Egyptians” (12:35-36).

Delivered Israel Out of Egypt (Exodus 12:37-51)

Thus, Israel was thrust out of Egypt. The people who began the exodus numbered 600,000 men, not including women and children (12:37). We also read that a “mixed multitude” went out with them. However, they were not of the lineage of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (12:38). Those non-Hebrew people would become a curse to Israel in her wilderness journey (Numbers 11:4).

The years of Israel’s stay in Egypt had been “four hundred and thirty years” (12:40). We read, “at the end of the four hundred and thirty years, even the selfsame day it came to pass, that all the hosts of the Lord went out from the land of Egypt” (12:41). The sparing of the firstborn and Israel’s exodus from Egypt is memorialized in a perpetual observance of the Passover (12:43). Also, the circumcision of males was to continue as a sign of that nation’s consecration to the LORD (12:44-48). Whether Hebrew or of the mixed multitude, there would be “One Law” that would serve the people (12:49).

Closing thoughts:

In conclusion, we are reminded that God is intolerant of sin among His people. As the leaven was put out, and forbidden in the households during the Passover (Exodus 12:15, 19-20), so should our sins be addressed and confessed in our lives and homes. Drawing a parallel between leaven and sin, Paul wrote in his first epistle to the believers in Corinth:

1 Corinthians 5:6b–8 – “Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? ⁷Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: ⁸Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.”

Questions to consider:

1) What conditions did God give for the Passover lamb? (Exodus 12:5)

2) What were God’s instructions for the blood of the lamb? (Exodus 12:6-7)

3) What did God say He would do on Passover night? (Exodus 12:12)

4) What did Pharoah do after his son died? (Exodus 12:30-32)

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Humility: The Essence of a Servant-Leader (Exodus 11) – Part 1 of 2 daily devotions.

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Scripture reading: Exodus 11-12

Exodus 11

The Man (or Woman) God Calls

Before the LORD sent the tenth, and final plague, He instructed Moses to communicate to the people that they would “borrow [to request or demand] of his neighbour, and every woman of her neighbour, jewels of silver, and jewels of gold” (11:2).

This seems a strange request for a people preparing to sojourn in the desert; however, I suggest two motives for the demand. First, the Egyptians had enslaved God’s people for four centuries, and the value of what they demanded in precious metals would scarcely be regarded as full payment for their toil. A second purpose, the “jewels of silver, and jewels of gold” would be required to decorate the tabernacle and fabricate vessels that would later be used in worship.

Before I address the tenth plague, consider what the LORD had done in this contest between Pharaoh and His servant Moses.

The LORD had magnified Moses in Egypt, and the fears he had entertained in returning from the wilderness were overcome by God giving him “favour in the sight of the Egyptians” (11:3a). Forty years of herding his father-in-law’s sheep had humbled this once proud prince of Egypt. However, the LORD had so magnified him that he became “very great in the land of Egypt, in the sight of Pharaoh’s servants, and in the sight of the people” (11:3).

Forty years earlier, Moses’ flight into the wilderness left behind everything that gave him rank and privilege as a prince in Egypt. Now, having departed from the quiet pastoral life of a shepherd, God had blessed and elevated him above the king of Egypt in the eyes of the people.

The Tenth Plague

The final plague severely affected Egypt’s proud, obstinate king. The Egyptians viewed Pharaoh as a god (though human, they believed he was an intermediary between the gods and humanity), and the tenth plague assailed the king and his son, the future heir to Egypt’s throne. Thus, Moses prophesied, “Thus saith the Lord, About midnight will I go out into the midst of Egypt: ⁵And all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die…⁶And there shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as there was none like it, nor shall be like it any more” (11:4-6).

The LORD promised to spare Israel’s firstborn and “put a difference between the Egyptians and Israel” (11:7), but only if the people followed the Word of the LORD as Moses instructed. If they refused to obey God’s Word, they would be no different from Egypt. But, as we will see in Exodus 12, God did withhold His judgment of Israel because of the blood of the Passover (12:13). (The succeeding devotion will establish the central meaning of the Passover and its significance, Exodus 12).

Moses: A Model of Humility.

Take a moment and reflect on Moses’ example of humility. When God called and commanded him to leave his sheep and return to Egypt, the once proud prince of Egypt protested. Moses asked God, “Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh?” (3:11a) The solitude of the desert and the calling and promises of God did so transform his life that we will later read in the Scriptures, “Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth” (Numbers 12:3).

Closing thought:

It is rare to find a man or woman of great talents and abilities humble enough to trust, obey, and serve the LORD!

Unlike Moses, who was a model of humility and meekness, our society, including churches, has produced a generation given to “selfies” and self-promotion, the antithesis of humility. Is it possible that the dearth of men and women entering ministry indicates a generation too proud to serve?

In his epistle to believers in Corinth, Paul wrote: “Not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: ²⁷ But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty…²⁹ That no flesh should glory in his presence.” (1 Corinthians 1:26-29).

There is a desperate need for men and women humble enough for God to use (1 Corinthians 1:26-29) and bold enough to declare the Word of the LORD unapologetically!

* A second devotional will follow and focus on Exodus 12.

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Spiritual Challenge: Never Ignore the Prospects of a Pandemic (Exodus 9; Exodus 10)

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Scripture reading assignment: Exodus 9-10

Our study in the Book of Exodus continues with the contest between Moses, God’s messenger, and Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. Four judgments have befallen the nation, and each has been followed by Pharaoh hardening his heart and refusing to let the children of Israel go so that they “may serve” the LORD.

Exodus 9

The Fifth, Sixth, and Seventh Plagues (9:3-35)

The fifth plague that befell Egypt afflicted the “cattle which [was] in the field, upon the horses, upon the asses, upon the camels, upon the oxen, and upon the sheep” (9:3). The disease was “a very grievous murrain,” an epidemic so severe that “all the cattle of Egypt died.” But, as a testimony of God’s sovereignty and love of His people, none of the livestock of Israel perished (9:4-7). Yet, “the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, and he did not let the people go” (9:7b).

The sixth plague began when Moses gathered “handfuls of ashes of the furnace, and [sprinkled] it toward the heaven in the sight of Pharaoh” (9:8), and boils broke out on man and beast (9:8-11). The affliction of the boils was so painful that even Pharaoh’s magicians “could not stand before Moses” (9:11). And yet, “the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh, and he hearkened not unto them; as the Lord had spoken unto Moses” (9:12).

The seventh plague destroyed all the crops of Egypt when the LORD rained down hail upon their fields (9:13-35). This time, however, some of Pharaoh’s servants believed the warnings of Moses. They made their servants and livestock take shelter in their houses (9:20). Pharaoh confessed, “I have sinned this time: the Lord is righteous, and I and my people are wicked” (9:27). The king promised to let Israel go; however, when the hail ceased, “the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, neither would he let the children of Israel go; as the Lord had spoken by Moses” (9:35).

Exodus 10

The Eighth and Ninth Plague (10:2-29)

Egypt’s crops and livestock losses brought the suffering of hunger and famine. Perhaps you have wondered why the LORD did not simply deliver Israel from bondage rather than judge Egypt with ten plagues. The answer is found in Exodus 10.

Exodus 10:2 – “And that thou mayest tell in the ears of thy son, and of thy son’s son, what things I have wrought in Egypt, and my signs which I have done among them; that ye may know how that I am the LORD.”

More than delivering His people from slavery, the LORD wanted Israel to know and remember through successive generations all He had done in Egypt. His dealings with Pharaoh were to serve as a lasting testimony of God’s person, power, and presence among His chosen people. Israel was a nation of slaves, but their God was the Creator and Sovereign of nature. He would bring the greatest ruler and the most powerful country in the ancient world to her knees.

The eighth plague of locusts devastated Egypt and devoured what was left of the nation’s vegetation (10:3-20). Heavy darkness was the ninth plague that befell Pharaoh and Egypt (10:21-29), and the Egyptians were oppressed and frightened by the darkness. Yet, Israel was spared, and God’s people enjoyed the warmth of the light in their dwellings.

Pharaoh then sought a compromise with Moses and would have allowed the people to depart, but not with their livestock (10:24-25). Moses, however, refused (10:26), and “the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he would not let them go” (10:27). Furious with Moses, Pharaoh warned, “take heed to thyself, see my face no more; for in that day thou seest my face thou shalt die” (10:28).

Conclusion

Strong and confident in the LORD, Moses answered the king and declared: “Thou hast spoken well, I will see thy face again no more” (10:29). The stage was set for the final judgment and the humiliation of Pharaoh.

Questions to consider:

1) What message did God send Pharaoh when the fifth plague killed all the cattle of Egypt? (Exodus 9:3-7)

2) The king confessed, “I have sinned this time: the Lord is righteous, and I and my people are wicked” (9:27). How can we know Pharaoh had not sincerely repented? (Exodus 9:34-35)

3) What purpose did the ten plagues that befell Egypt serve? (Exodus 10:2)

4) What spiritual purpose could a plague or pandemic serve in our day?

5) According to 1 John 1:9 and 1 John 2:3-5, two things prove the sincerity of our confession and repentance of sin. What are they?

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Harden, not Your Heart! (Exodus 6; Exodus 7)

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Scripture reading: Exodus 6-7

We have already considered the first clash of wills between Pharaoh and Moses (Exodus 5). Moses turned to the LORD and prayed when he was accosted and accused by the ones he loved and came to deliver (5:22-23). Pharaoh, however, turned a deaf ear to Moses’ requests and remained unmoved and unwilling to let the people go.

Exodus 6

God Heard and Answered Moses’ Prayer

Moses had to remember that the LORD is faithful to hear and answer prayer. So, the LORD assured him: “Now shalt thou see what I will do to Pharaoh: for with a strong [mighty] hand shall he let them go, and with a strong [mighty] hand shall he drive them out of his land” (6:1). The LORD promised to not only deliver Israel from slavery, but assured Moses when He was finished dealing with Pharaoh, the king would drive Israel out of Egypt!

What was Moses learning about God and his commission to serve Him?

He learned that Israel’s liberation depended not on him, but on whom he served. So we read, “God spake unto Moses, and said unto him, I am the Lord [Yahweh; eternal, self-existent]: ³And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty [El Shaddai], but by my name JEHOVAH [Yahweh] was I not known to them” (6:2-3). Though Israel had lost faith in God, He had not forgotten His covenant with them (6:4-5). In a series of “I wills,” the LORD reminded Moses of all He had promised (6:6-8).

Yet, when Moses spoke to the people all the LORD conveyed to him, “they hearkened not unto [him]” (6:9). The LORD then came to Moses and instructed him to go to Pharaoh and command the king, “let the children of Israel go out of his land” (6:11). Moses, however, was discouraged by the rejection of his people. He wondered aloud if his people spurned his words, why should Pharaoh hear him, a man “of uncircumcised lips [i.e., poor speech]?” (6:12)

Three Genealogies: Reuben, Simeon, and Levi

Notice that the dialog between the LORD and Moses was interrupted by the genealogies of three sons of Jacob: Reuben, Simeon, and Levi (6:14-27). The Scriptures remind us how Reuben, the firstborn of Jacob, committed incest with his father’s concubine (6:14; Genesis 35:22). Simeon, the second, and Levi, the third-born son, had raged against the Shechemites and revenged the rape of their sister Dinah by murdering the men of Shechem (Genesis 34).

Thirdly, the lineage of Levi is of particular interest in our narrative, for Moses and Aaron were sons of the tribe of Levi, the priestly tribe. The LORD had chosen the tribe of Levi to represent the people before Him (6:16-27).

Exodus 7

Exodus 7 recorded the second dramatic confrontation between Moses and Pharaoh; however, there was already a dynamic change in the relationship between the two. For the LORD had magnified Moses’ standing and “made [him] a god to Pharaoh” (7:1). Then, the LORD instructed Moses to command the king to “send the children of Israel out of his land” (7:2). God, however, cautioned Moses saying, He would “harden Pharaoh’s heart, and multiply [His] signs and…wonders in the land of Egypt” (7:3).

Proud and obstinate, Pharaoh and Egypt would suffer God’s judgment in a series of ten plagues that brought that nation to its knees and revealed that the God of Israel was the God of Heaven (7:4-5).

Moses and Aaron, with God’s power and His Word as their authority, stood before Pharaoh, and “Aaron cast down his rod before [the king], and before his servants, and it became a serpent” (7:10). Undeterred the king’s advisors, displayed the power of evil and cast down their rods which also became serpents (7:11-12a). Finally, the rod of Aaron, now transformed into a serpent, displayed the supremacy of Israel’s God and devoured the rods of Pharaoh’s magicians (7:12).

What was Pharaoh’s response?

God “hardened” his heart (7:13), as He had said He would (7:14). (In effect, Pharoah hardened his heart when he rebelled against the Lord. Incidentally, we do the same when we disallow God’s Word in favor of our will and become hard-hearted and self-willed.)

The first of a series of judgments then followed (7:14-12:36).

The first plague was the waters of the Nile River were turned to blood (7:15-18), the fish died, and the stench of their rotting flesh filled Egypt (7:19-21). Nevertheless, Pharaoh’s magicians seemed to duplicate the water turning to blood (7:22), and Pharaoh turned away, and his heart was hardened (7:24).

For seven days, the people were plagued with thirst and hunger (for the fish of the Nile was a primary source of food, 7:24-25). The king, however, refused to humble himself and set Israel free.

Closing thought

When Moses turned the water of the Nile River to blood, he displayed the sovereignty and power of Israel’s God over one of Egypt’s gods (for the Egyptians worshipped the Nile). Nevertheless, although they could not escape God’s wrath, Pharaoh and Egypt defied the LORD. Indeed, nine more judgments would follow before Pharaoh humbled himself and acknowledged Israel’s God was LORD.

Questions to consider:

Moses had asked the LORD, “when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them?” (Exodus 3:13) In Exodus 6, God answered Moses’ questions in a series of revelations concerning His name.

1) By what names did God reveal Himself to Moses? (Exodus 6:2-3)

2) What had God promised to do for His people? (Exodus 6:6-8)

3) Moses feared he was inadequate to speak to Pharaoh. What was God’s answer to his fear? (Exodus 7:1-2)

4) What fears do you use as an excuse not to obey and serve the LORD?

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Scandalous Grace and Divine Providence (Genesis 38-39)

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Scripture reading – Genesis 38-39

Genesis 37 concluded with Joseph’s brothers returning to Canaan with his bloodied tunic. Deceiving their father and breaking his heart, they led him to believe Joseph was dead (37:29-35). Meanwhile, Joseph was transported to Egypt, and there he was sold to an Egyptian named “Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh’s, and captain of the guard”(37:36).

Genesis 38 – Judah, an Inauspicious Beginning of a Royal Lineage

The study of Joseph’s life was intersected briefly as the focus shifted to Judah (29:35), the fourth-born son of Jacob (38:1). Although his lineage will be a royal one of whom king David and Jesus Christ will be born (Mary and Joseph were both descendants of Judah), our introduction to Judah in Genesis 38 is an ignoble one.

Failing to evidence the character of a righteous man, we find Judah had a close friendship with “a certain Adullamite, whose name was Hirah” (38:1). Adullam was located in the pastoral lands of southern Judah. It was probably while shepherding his father’s flocks that he became an acquaintance of Hirah. Judah’s questionable friendship led to an interest in a woman named Shuah, a Canaanite, and not one God or his father would have approved (38:2).

Judah took Shuah as his wife, and she conceived three sons (38:3). The firstborn was named Er (38:3), the second son was Onan (38:4), and the third-born son was Shelah (38:5). Er, Judah’s firstborn, took a wife named Tamar; however, before she conceived, the LORD slew him because he was “wicked in the sight of the LORD” (38:6-7). Following the custom of a man marrying his brother’s widow to perpetuate his lineage, Onan, Judah’s second son, rejected Tamar. As a result, the LORD “slew him also” (38:10). Twice a widow, Judah then sent Tamar to her father’s home, vowing she would be given an opportunity to marry his youngest son, a promise he had no intent to keep (38:11).

Learning Judah was a widower (38:12) and realizing he had deceived her, Tamar set on a course to ensnare her father-in-law. Concealing her identity and posing as a prostitute (38:14), she tempted Judah. Unfortunately, he foolishly turned aside and negotiated a price for her favors (38:15-17). Tamar, however, was a shrewd woman, and until Judah could fulfill her fee, she demanded a pledge, a deposit, that would serve as her security. Judah then presented her with personal items that would be easily identifiable: a “signet” that would be used to seal documents, his bracelets, and his staff (38:18).

Genesis 38:18-30

“She conceived by him.” (38:18b). Although a simple, four-worded phrase, it serves as a reminder that actions have consequences. Three months after she conceived, Judah learned that Tamar was with child, and he was told that “she [was] with child by whoredom” (38:24).

Hypocritically, Judah condemned Tamar to “be burnt” (38:24b); however, she produced the personal items he had left with her: “the signet, and bracelets, and staff” (38:25). Acknowledging they were his, he confessed, “She hath been more righteous than I; because that I gave her not to Shelah, my son. And he knew her again no more” (38:26).

Tamar conceived twin sons by Judah; thus, Pharez, the older son, and Zarah became his heirs. He evidenced sincere repentance when he confessed his sin, which was seen in his withdrawal from her (38:26b).

The story of Judah and Tamar is a testimony of God’s grace and forgiveness, for their sons are named in the lineage of kings and Christ (Matthew 1:3). Pharez, the firstborn son, is in the direct line of the Messiah.

Genesis 39 – The Providence of God: The LORD is with us!

Following the life of Joseph is akin to a spiritual rollercoaster with incredible highs, followed by events that would threaten to plunge most men into a slough of despair.

Rather than give in to despondency and bitterness, Joseph’s faith in the LORD remained unshaken, and he rose from slave to steward over Potiphar’s household (37:36). Even when his master’s wife endeavored to entrap him in her lusts (39:7), Joseph refused her advances. He reasoned, “how then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?” (39:9)

Although a young man, Joseph did not rationalize sin and instead resisted it (39:9-11). When Potiphar’s wife thrust herself upon him, he ran from her embrace, leaving behind the garment she had seized from him (39:12-13). When she falsely accused him of indiscretion, Joseph held his peace and was sentenced to prison (39:19-23). Yet, when he was a prisoner and wrongfully accused, he prospered. Why? “Because the Lord was with him, and that which he did, the Lord made it to prosper” (39:23).

Closing thoughts – I look forward to sharing the rest of the story, the testimony of God’s providences in Joseph’s life, and how the LORD made him prosper even in the darkest times!

Questions to Consider

1) Did you notice the double standard Judah and his culture held for men as contrasted with women? (Genesis 38:24-36)

2) How do a person’s actions reveal their character?

3) When Joseph resisted Potiphar’s wife’s advances, how did she react to his refusal? (Genesis 39:13-18)

4) Why did Joseph continue to prosper, even when falsely accused and imprisoned? (Genesis 39:20-21)

5) How do you respond when falsely accused?

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There Are Times God Must Break You Before He Can Bless You (Genesis 32)

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Scripture reading – Genesis 32

The Backdrop to Events in Genesis 32

A Review of Genesis 31

After twenty years of shepherding his father-in-law’s flocks, the LORD commanded Jacob to go home: “Return unto the land of thy fathers…and I will be with thee” (31:3).

Jacob secretly departed Padanaram, where he had served his father-in-law Laban (31:17-20). He crossed the Euphrates river and put as much distance as possible between himself and Laban. Finally, he set his face toward Canaan and arrived at Mount Gilead on the east side of the Jordan River (31:21).

Jacob’s stealth parting gave him a three-day start before the news reached Laban that he and his family had taken flight (31:22). Laban set out in anger and pursued Jacob for seven days before overtaking him at Mount Gilead. Thankfully, what ill intentions Laban might have had, were confronted by God, who came to him “in a dream by night, and said unto him, Take heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad” (31:24).

The verbal confrontation between Jacob and Laban was recorded in Genesis 31:26-42, and the amicable resolution between the two followed in Genesis 31:43-55. Then, setting a pillar of stones as a memorial to their covenant of peace, “Laban departed, and returned unto his place” (31:55)

Genesis 32

Facing Your Greatest Enemy, and Greatest Fears (32:1-12)

Jacob continued his journey to Canaan, and God gave him a vision of an angelic host that accompanied him. Therefore, he named the place Mahanaim, meaning “God’s Camp” (32:1-2).

Twenty years had passed since Jacob stole his brother’s birthright and fled Canaan. His return home took him through Edom, his brother Esau’s land and country (32:3). Though two decades in the making, Jacob’s anticipated reunion with his brother revived the memory of Esau’s threats and his fears. (I am reminded of the proverb, “A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city: and their contentions are like the bars of a castle.”Proverbs 18:19)

Jacob feared Esau because his brother was a warrior (27:40), and he was a shepherd. Understanding he might face his brother’s wrath, Jacob plotted to defuse his brother’s fury (32:4-8). However, when he received the news that Esau was coming with four hundred men, he prepared himself and his household for the worst (32:6). Jacob proceeded to divide his home and hoped to spare his family from a total loss should Esau and his men attack (32:7-8).

In the same way, you might forget God’s promises in a time of trouble; Jacob had forgotten the host of angels that appeared to him along the way (32:1-2). Nevertheless, when he prayed and rehearsed those things the LORD commanded him, he remembered His promise saying, “I will deal well with thee” (32:9). Jacob then cast himself upon God’s mercies and confessed, “¹⁰I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth, which thou hast shewed unto thy servant; for with my staff I passed over this Jordan; and now I am become two bands” (32:10).

Jacob understood that should Esau seek vengeance, he would be unable to deliver himself and his family from his brother’s hand. Therefore, Jacob prayed, “Deliver me, I pray thee, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau: for I fear him, lest he will come and smite me, and the mother with the children” (32:11). He reminded the LORD of His promise, saying, “And thou saidst, I will surely do thee good, and make thy seed as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude” (32:12).

An Appeasement (32:13-23)

Hoping to appease his brother’s wrath, Jacob sent gifts ahead of his family (32:9-23). Knowing he would face his brother the next day, Jacob spent the night alone and pondered what the morning would bring him and his family (32:13, 24-32). In the night’s solitude, the LORD appeared to Jacob as a man (a theophany, God appearing in a physical body) and wrestled with his body (“for “Jacob’s thigh was out of joint”) and soul throughout the night (32:24-32).

A New Name (32:27-32)

Even though his hip was displaced, Jacob wrestled with the LORD until he received assurance of His blessing (32:25-28). Then, the LORD blessed Jacob (whose name meant trickster or schemer) and gave him the name “Israel,” meaning one who has power with God (32:28).

The following morning, Israel, a man transformed by God’s grace and promises, faced his brother. He had spent his life scheming and wrestling with God; however, Jacob was changed after seeing “God face to face” (32:30). No longer a man that relied on his wit, the painful limp in his stride was a reminder of the night God broke his will (32:30-31). Jacob had come to the end of himself, and the God of his grandfather Abraham, and his father, Isaac, was his God. He was Israel and a new man. Had you seen him, you would know him; for he was a man with a limp whose faith was in the LORD.

Closing thoughts – Friend, are you living the life of Jacob depending on your wits, or are you Israel, one who has seen “God face to face” (32:30)? When Jacob yielded his will to God, he was transformed for he believed His Word and rested in His promises.

Remember, the hurts, sorrows, and disappointments you bear are God’s tools to draw sinners to Himself. You, too, can become Israel by trusting Jesus Christ as your Savior (2 Corinthians 5:17). In the words of A.W. Tozer, “The Lord cannot fully bless a man until He has first conquered him.”

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Don’t Trifle with God! (Job 37)

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Scripture reading – Job 37

Job 37 brings us to the final chapter in Elihu’s protracted admonition of Job. Like his other friends, the younger Elihu suggested Job’s troubles had come because he had provoked the wrath of God. Humiliated by his sorrows, and troubled by friends who showed him no pity, Job remained silent throughout Elihu’s indictment.

Consider the Majesty of God Displayed in Creation (Job 37:1-5)

Speaking figuratively, Elihu encouraged Job to “hear attentively the noise [rumbling] of [God’s] voice, and the sound that goeth out of his mouth. ³He [God] directeth it [the thunder] under the whole heaven, And his lightning unto the ends of the earth” (37:2-3). Elihu observed, the sound of thunder was the voice of God, and He “thundereth marvellously with his voice; Great things doeth he, which we cannot comprehend” (37:5).

God is the Director of the Snow, Ice, Rains, and Wind (Job 37:6-13)

Not only is the majesty of God displayed in thunderstorms, but in them He displays His power and authority over nature. The LORD guides the snow, ice, rain, and winds where He wills. He controls winter weather, and sends spring showers (37:6). He is able to stop all human activity with a storm, and “He sealeth up the hand of every man; that all may know His work” (37:7a).

Speaking allegorically, Elihu suggested frost was “the breath of God” (37:10), and the clouds a reminder of His presence and providence (37:11). The movement of storms and winds accomplish God’s will, and “do whatsoever He commandeth them upon the face of the world in the earth” (37:12b). Some storms come as a manifestation of divine judgment (“correction”), and others as an expression of God’s mercy (37:13).

Elihu’s Parting Admonition: No Man Dare Judge Divine Providence (Job 37:14-20)

After he illustrated the nature and power of God in His creation, Elihu challenged: “Hearken [Listen] unto this, O Job: Stand still, and consider the wondrous works of God” (37:14). Man cannot know why God sends the lightning, nor why He distributes the clouds as He does (37:15-16). Irrespective of a man’s attempt to control nature, he is nothing for God orders nature, and spreads out the sky as He wills. The sky above is like a metal mirror, displaying the glory of God (37:18; Psalm 19:1).

Earlier, Job had complained, if he were he given opportunity, he would ask God to explain the reason for all he suffered (Job 13:8, 18-22). Therefore, Elihu, having described the majesty of God revealed in His creation, remembered Job’s complaint, and challenged him, “¹⁹Teach us what we shall say unto Him; For we cannot order our speech by reason of darkness” (37:19). In other words, Elihu suggested, should any man be so foolish as to question God’s providence, “surely he [would] be swallowed up” and destroyed by Him (37:20).

Closing thoughts – The Majesty of Almighty God (Job 37:21-24)

Some scholars suggest, as Elihu concluded his speech, he saw and felt an unusual stirring in nature, a “a bright light…in the clouds,” and a rising wind coming out of the north (37:21-22).

Elihu observed, no man can measure, define, or find El Shaddai, “the Almighty” (37:23). God is all powerful, and just, and “He will not afflict” or oppress for the purpose of doing evil (37:23b). He is Sovereign, and to be feared and revered (37:24a). The LORD respects no man who thinks himself wise (37:24).

Seeing the approach of a great storm, Elihu and Job’s friends fell silent. Even Job, who boasted he would have a word with God, did not speak. It was “then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind” (38:1).

Our next devotional study will consider God’s counsel to Job and his “friends” (Job 38-41). For now, let’s conclude with a warning from LORD:

Matthew 10:28 – ²⁸And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear Him [the LORD] which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

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Elihu: An Exhibition in Youthful Zeal (Job 32)

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Scripture reading – Job 32

Job 31 recorded Job’s final reply to the allegation that his troubles were those prescribed to wicked men. When Job finished his retort, his friends were silent, and “ceased to answer Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes” (32:1). In chapter 32, we learned there was a younger man who had listened to the dispute between Job and his friends.

“Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite, of the kindred of Ram” (32:2b), had deferred to his elders. Finally, the silence of Job’s “friends” stirred him to no longer hold his tongue. Exhibiting the zeal of youth, he confessed he was stirred to indignation, not only by Job, whom he observed, “justified himself rather than God” (32:2c), but “also against his three friends…because they had found no answer, and yet had condemned Job” (32:3).

Seeing the conversation between Job and his friends ended with no resolution, Elihu determined he would no longer be silent (32:4-8). He observed a profound and enduring truth: “Great men are not always wise: Neither do the aged understand judgment” (32:9). Then, he demanded his elders would listen and weigh his opinion in the matter of Job and his afflictions (32:10).

Elihu’s words were lofty, but his spirit was negative (32:12). Though young, he boasted he had discernment in the matter of Job’s afflictions that was not yet expressed (32:14-17). Elihu spoke allegorically in terms every man would understand. His enthusiasm, coupled with likening his spirit to a new wine skin that was ready to burst (32:18-19), resulted in boasting when he proclaimed, “For I am full of matter [words], The spirit within me constraineth [compels] me. ¹⁹Behold, my belly is as wine which hath no vent; It is ready to burst like new bottles” (Job 32:18–19).

Unable to contain himself any longer, Elihu asserted: “²⁰I will speak, that I may be refreshed [relieved]: I will open my lips and answer. ²¹Let me not, I pray you, accept [favor] any man’s person, Neither let me give flattering titles unto man. ²²For I know not to give flattering titles [puff up others]; In so doing my maker [Creator] would soon take me away [seize by force]” (Job 32:20–22).

Though the youngest of the men, Elihu’s youthful zeal demanded a hearing. Although young, he was wise in much he observed. He then began a monologue of judgment and condemnation that would last for six of the remaining chapters in the Book of Job. Yet, as we will see, when the LORD addressed the contention between Job and his “friends,” He will disregard everything Elihu said.

Closing thoughts – Elihu’s assessment was correct when he said, old age is not indicative of spiritual maturity, wisdom, or understanding. However, let us also observe how religious zeal, without godly wisdom and understanding is injurious. I close with Solomon’s challenge that all believers would be wise to heed:

Proverbs 4:7 – “⁷Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: And with all thy getting get understanding.”

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