Category Archives: Prophecy

The Support of Ministers and the Character of Unfaithful Ministers (Deuteronomy 18)

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Scripture reading – Deuteronomy 18

Moses’ speech to the congregation continued in Deuteronomy 18, focusing on five concerns.

Provision for Those Who Minister (18:1-5)

Unlike other tribes, the Tribe of Levi had no physical inheritance in Canaan (18:1-2; Numbers 18:20, 23-24). Instead, the birthright of the Levites was a portion of the “offerings of the LORD made by fire” (18:1). The other tribes of Israel toiled in their fields, cared for their flocks and herds, and were enriched by the spoils of war. However, that was not the case with the Levitical tribe. It was the duty of the Levites to labor for the LORD as ministers and representatives of His people.

Therefore, the tribes of Israel were under obligation to not begrudge the Levites their portion of the offerings given to the LORD. It was “the priest’s due from the people, from them that offer a sacrifice” (18:3). Those who labored in ministry were to receive “the first-fruit” (18:4), for the Levite was “chosen…to stand to minister in the name of the Lord” (18:5).

Giving Ministers Their Due (18:6-8)

While the Twelve Tribes were assigned their portion of lands in Canaan, the Levites were allocated forty-eight towns and villages (Numbers 35:1-8; Joshua 21). Though a Levite owned his home and land for the care of his household, his zeal and calling was to minister for the LORD. Thus, a rotation of Levites ministered at the sanctuary and caused them to journey from their homes to the Tabernacle (18:6).

So, what became of a Levite’s home and land when he sojourned to minister at the Tabernacle? First, he was allowed “the sale [literally the leasing] of his patrimony [birthright, meaning his house and land]” (18:8). While the Levites would “have like portions to eat” of the offerings brought by the people to the sanctuary, he was also allowed revenue from leasing his properties to others in his absence.

All Occult Practices Were Condemned (18:9-14)

Idolatry, and practices of the occult observed by the Canaanites, were admonished and forbidden. God’s people were “not to learn to do after the abominations of those nations” (18:9). Moses warned there would be no tolerance of wicked practices, and named among them were human sacrifices (18:10a), divination (soothsaying), fortune telling (“observer of times”), witchcraft (sorcery), casting spells (“charmer”), medium (consulting with spirits), wizardry, and necromancy (seeking to contact the dead, 18:10-11).

Tragically, there is a growing tolerance and embrace of those evil practices in the 21^st century. The abortion of the unborn is touted as a right, while witchcraft, black magic, and wizardry have a growing following. Of course, this comes as no surprise, for the Book of Revelation warned that the occult would increase in the last days (Revelation 9:20-21; 18:2), and all who practice such will be cast into the lake of fire (Revelation 21:8; 22:14-15).

The Promise of a Coming Prophet (18:15-19)

Israel did not need soothsayers or fortune tellers, for the LORD had promised to put His Word in the mouth of His Prophet. So, Moses prophesied of the coming of a Prophet, One whom the “Lord thy God [would] raise up” (18:15). This Prophet was to be of Hebrew stock, for He would come “from the midst of thee (Israel), of thy brethren” (18:15).

Who was this Prophet (18:15-19)?

Some supposed it was Elijah. Others thought John the Baptist was the Prophet to come. The Scriptures, however, declare that the long-awaited Prophet was Jesus Christ.

John the Baptist said of Christ, “He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe’s latchet I am not worthy to unloose” (John 1:27). After Jesus performed the miracle of feeding the five thousand, some said of Him, “This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world” (John 6:14). We read again in John 7:40, “Many of the people therefore, when they heard this saying, said, Of a truth this is the Prophet” (7:40).

Prophets: True and False (18:20-22)

It was a serious matter when a man proposed to speak as the LORD’s prophet. Should a man prophesy, apart from the revelation of the LORD, we read, “that prophet shall die” (18:20). Some asked, “How shall we know the word which the Lord hath not spoken?” (18:21)

The answer: “When a prophet speaketh in the name of the Lord, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him” (18:22).

The real test for a prophet was: Did every word of his prophecy come to pass? Because the word of a false prophet would fail, Israel had no reason to fear such a prophet (18:22).

Closing thoughts:

Believers are responsible for discerning whether or not the things taught are from the LORD. So many today propose teaching the Scriptures, but how many believers and ministries take the time and obligation to examine what is spoken?

We should be wary of any who propose a new “word of prophecy” or claim to have received a new revelation. Also, we dare not patronize a man or support a ministry that fails to speak and teach the whole counsel of God. Be forewarned: “If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: ¹⁹And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book” (Revelation 22:18–19).

Believers should demand absolute fidelity to the Scriptures, for the LORD speaks to us through the teaching and preaching of His Word.

Questions to consider:

1) How did Israel support the priests and Levites? (18:3-5)

2) What practices did the LORD forbid in the new land? (18:9-12)

3) What were the obligations of a prophet? (18:20)

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“In the Sovereignty of God, Dreams Do Come True” (Genesis 41-43)

Dear Heart of A Shepherd Readers,

I invite you to watch or listen to a message I preached at Hillsdale Baptist Church, Tampa, FL, on Sunday, May 7, 2023. Much of the sermon is narrative in style, but the content and applications are powerful.

Joseph’s brothers’ hatred brought him to Egypt, but God’s providence guided him from slavery and prison to serve as the ruler of Egypt and second only to Pharaoh. Two decades passed, and like many, Joseph’s brothers lived a lie and never confessed to their father that they had sold Joseph into slavery (left him believing a wild beast had killed his son). Yet, in the sovereignty of the LORD, Jacob’s sons would come face to face with their brother. (Genesis 42)

Text – Genesis 41-43
Topic – God’s Sovereignty and Providential Care
Series – “Logos: A Journey of Faith, Hope, and Love”

With the heart of a shepherd,

Travis D. Smith
Senior Pastor

Blessings or Curses: It’s Your Choice (Deuteronomy 11; Deuteronomy 12)

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Scripture reading – Deuteronomy 11-12

Moses’ second challenge to Israel began in Deuteronomy 5 and continued in today’s Scripture reading. Moses repeated the LORD’s covenant demand for Israel to “love the Lord thy God, and keep his charge, and his statutes, and his judgments, and his commandments, alway” (11:1). The detailed explanation of God’s covenant with Israel will continue to Deuteronomy 26:19.

Deuteronomy 11 – A Covenant that Promised Blessings and Cursing

The Great Works of the LORD (Deuteronomy 11:2-6)

Why should Israel love and obey the LORD? Because He had demonstrated “His greatness, His mighty hand, and His stretched out arm” (11:2) when He brought the plagues upon Egypt and Pharaoh (11:3). When He parted the Red Sea, He allowed Israel to pass through on dry ground. Then He sent the waters upon the Egyptians, drowning them, their horses, and chariots (11:4).

When “Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab,” rebelled (Numbers 16), the LORD judged them and their followers. “The earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their households, and their tents, and all the substance that was in their possession, in the midst of all Israel” (11:6).

The Conditions of God’s Blessing and Curses (Deuteronomy 11:7-15)

Moses reasoned that they were compelled to keep His commandments because the people had seen “all the great acts of the Lord which he did” (11:7). They were reminded that their strength, prosperity, and longevity as a nation was directly related to their obedience (11:8). Obey the LORD, keep His commandments, and Israel would inherit “a land that floweth with milk and honey” (11:9).

Nevertheless, the promise of God’s blessing was conditional (11:10-17). Should the people turn from the LORD and worship idols (11:16), His wrath would be kindled against them. He would then “shut up the heaven, that there be no rain, and that the land yield not her fruit” (11:17).

A Solemn Charge (Deuteronomy 11:18-32)

The people were again reminded that their covenant responsibility was to obey the commandments and teach them to their children (11:18-19). The LORD’s covenant with Israel was a conditional promise of both “a blessing and a curse” (11:26). Obey the LORD’S commandments, and He promised to bless them (11:27). Disobey the LORD, and He would curse them (11:28).

Deuteronomy 12

It might be argued that Deuteronomy 5-11 was the preface to the “statutes and judgments” recorded in Deuteronomy 12. Having presented to the people the choices and consequences for obeying or disobeying the LORD, Moses revealed the prohibitions and required the Tabernacle would be the central place of worship.

Destroy all Idols and Places of Idol Worship (Deuteronomy 12:1-3)

Israel was commanded to destroy all idols and every place of idol worship and sacrifice (12:1-3). There were no exceptions! Whereas the heathen sacrificed and served “their gods, upon the high mountains, and upon the hills, and under every green tree” (12:2), Israel was warned not to follow their ways.

The Tabernacle: Israel’s Central Place of Worship (Deuteronomy 12:5-14)

The people were commanded that only in “the place which the Lord your God shall choose out of all your tribes to put his name there, even unto his habitation [the Tabernacle] shall ye seek, and thither thou shalt come” (12:5). The Tabernacle was the place God chose.

There was one place of sacrifice, and that was the altar in the Tabernacle court (12:6). There was one place the tithes and offerings (above that which was the portion of the Levites) might be eaten, and that was before the Tabernacle (12:7-14).

The Slaughter of Beasts for Meat (Deuteronomy 12:15-25)

Offerings and sacrifices were to be given only at the Tabernacle. Yet, because of the geographical distance of the tribes from the Tabernacle (12:21), animals slaughtered for their meat would no longer be brought to the Tabernacle (12:10-15; Leviticus 17:3-6). Nevertheless, all sacrifices were to be offered at the Tabernacle, which was “the place which the LORD thy God hath chosen” (12:21).

There was also the prohibition on the matter of blood. Unlike the heathen and their sacrifices, Israel was commanded, “Ye shall not eat the blood; ye shall pour it upon the earth as water” (12:17, 23-25; Leviticus 17:10).

Closing thoughts:

Moses warned the people not to adopt the heathen’s ways of worship nor enquire, “How did these nations serve their gods?” (Deuteronomy 12:30b) The forms of worship followed by the wicked were an abomination to God, for in their depravity, they sacrificed “their sons and their daughters…to their gods” (Deuteronomy 12:31). Moses warned that the LORD would accept nothing less than obedience. The people were “not [to] add thereto, nor diminish from” His commandments (Deuteronomy 12:32).

Some today would suggest that the law and commandments of the LORD are unimportant. Yet, the God of the Old Testament is the God of the New, and He continues to command that His people should be holy.

1 Peter 1:15-16 – “But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; ¹⁶Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.”

Questions to consider:

1) What did the LORD promise Israel if the people would love and obey Him? (Deuteronomy 11:13-15)

2) When and where were parents to teach their children the words of the LORD? (Deuteronomy 11:19)

3) What was Israel commanded to do to the idols and worship places of the heathen? (Deuteronomy 12:2-3)

4) What was the only place Israel could offer sacrifices to the LORD? (Deuteronomy 12:5-7, 11)

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Did You Make a Vow? You’d Better Keep It! (Leviticus 26; Leviticus 27)

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Scripture reading – Leviticus 26-27

Today’s devotion marks the end of our journey through the Book of Leviticus. Remember, the sacrifices the priests offered on behalf of Israel were a prefigure of the ultimate sacrifice—Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, who is our “once, and for all” sacrifice for sin (Hebrews 10:10).

Leviticus 26

The LORD’s Covenant

The LORD invited Israel to obey His laws and keep His commands (26:3).

The Promise of Blessings for Obedience to the Law (26:3-13)

Memorializing His covenant with Israel, the LORD repeated His conditional promise to make the land fruitful ifthe people would “walk in [His] statutes, and keep [His] commandments, and do them” (26:3). He promised peace (26:6), military successes (26:6-7), and an increase in population (26:9). The LORD assured the nation they would never go wanting (26:10). He promised He would dwell in their midst, saying:

“I will walk among you, and will be your God, and ye shall be my people. ¹³I am the Lord your God, which brought you forth out of the land of Egypt, that ye should not be their bondmen; and I have broken the bands of your yoke, and made you go upright” (26:11-13).

The Promise of Judgment (26:14-39)

There was also the conditional promise of God’s judgment should the nation disobey His Law and Commandments (26:14-39). If the people showed contempt for the Law, God promised Israel would be punished with sickness (26:16-17), increased suffering (26:18), famines (26:19), and barrenness in the land (26:20), all as a natural consequence for straying from righteousness. If the people continued their rebellion, the LORD warned they would suffer plagues, childlessness, a dying population, and the land would become desolate (26:21-22).

Leviticus 26:23-26 states three punishments that come upon a disobedient people: Wars (26:23-25), Plagues (26:25), and Famine (26:26). Should the people continue to disobey the LORD, four devastating punishmentswould follow and mark the severest stage of God’s judgment: Famine would drive the people to cannibalize their children (26:29; 2 Kings 6:28-29; Lamentations 2:20; 4:10); towns and holy places would be destroyed (26:31), the land would be left desolate (26:32), and the people would be dispersed among the heathen (26:33).

The Promise of Mercy (26:40-46)

God promised mercy to those who confessed their sin (26:40). In confessing sin; the nation opened the pathway for God to remember His covenant with Israel (26:44-46).

Leviticus 27

Laws Concerning What Is Vowed and Sanctified to the LORD

Vows were deemed holy, and that which a man sanctified and dedicated to the LORD was to be fulfilled (27:1-8). For instance, should a vow be made to serve in the Tabernacle, but he not be needed, the priest was instructed to place a value upon that which was committed to the LORD and assess its value in shekels of silver (27:3-8).

A distinction was made in the value of clean and unclean beasts vowed to the LORD (27:9-13). Remembering the LORD accepted only that which was perfect and clean, an unclean beast that failed God’s standard was assessed a value by the priests, redeemed for its value, and an additional “fifth part” required (27:11-13).

An important matter was raised concerning an owner who desired to redeem or purchase what he had dedicated to the LORD but desired to retain. For example, to buy what one dedicated to the LORD (i.e., beasts, a house, crops of a field) required a priest to establish its monetary value (27:14-25). For an owner to claim what he dedicated to the LORD not only required him to pay its value, but also recompense one-fifth part more to redeem (27:13, 15, 19).

Closing thoughts:

The lesson for Israel was that whatever one dedicates to the LORD is sacred and His alone. Refuse to give the LORD His part; you will not obtain His blessing. To change your heart and keep what was dedicated to the LORD required not only its value but a payment of one-fifth more to redeem.

What about you? Have you kept your vows to the LORD? Have you forgotten the vows you made to Him, whether publicly or privately? Do you remember the decision you made to surrender your life to Him? Could your struggles in life be related to a failure to keep your vows to the LORD?

Ecclesiastes 5:4-5 – ⁴ When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed. ⁵ Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.

Remember, what you vow to the LORD, He will not forget!

Questions to consider:

1) What did God promise if Israel kept His statutes and commandments? (Leviticus 26:3-7)

2) What did God warn would become of Israel if the people broke His Laws and Commandments? (Leviticus 26:14-20)

3) What were the consequences for Israel if the people refused to heed God’s judgments and repent? (Leviticus 26:21-25)

4) What did God promise He would remember and not forget? (Leviticus 26:44-45)

5) What portion of a man’s flock or herd was to be dedicated to the LORD? (Leviticus 27:32)

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Jehovah-nissi: The LORD My Banner (Exodus 16-17)

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Scripture reading: Exodus 16-17

We have considered the faithlessness of the children of Israel who, after the miracle of the Red Sea crossing, turned from celebrating Egypt’s defeat to murmuring “against Moses, saying, What shall we drink?” (15:24).

Exodus 16

Daily Complaining, Daily Manna, and Daily Meat

In Exodus 15, the people complained about a lack of water; in Exodus 16, they complained about a lack of food. When the people left Egypt, they must have packed enough provisions for a month; however, when their supplies were exhausted, they began to murmur against Moses and Aaron. The people complained that they would have been better off dying in Egypt than following Moses into the desert only to starve and die (16:2-3). (Notice how soon they forgot God’s miraculous provision of water, Exodus 15.)

Once again, Moses cried to the LORD. God responded and promised to “rain bread from heaven” (16:4), sufficient for a day that He might “prove [the people], whether they will walk in my law, or no” (16:4). The LORD promised on the sixth day he would provide twice the daily manna, that the people might store enough for the Sabbath (16:5). Moses and Aaron encouraged the people, how the LORD would provide them bread in the morning, and “in the evening flesh to eat” (16:6-8). Moses also taught a spiritual truth all believers should understand and God’s faithful ministers should remember: “The Lord heareth your murmurings which ye murmur against him: and what are we? your murmurings are not against us, but against the Lord” (16:8b).

Faithful to His promise, quail covered the camp each evening and provided the people with meat. Each morning they found a small round bread they called “manna” (16:15). Moses then instructed the men to gather only enough for their households, “every man according to his eating” (16:18). Moses also admonished, “Let no man leave of it till the morning” (16:19).

What lesson did the LORD teach Israel by providing them daily provisions?

He taught the people to look to Him for their daily needs; yet, some failed to trust the LORD and hoarded more manna than they could eat, and “it bred worms, and stank [rotted]” (16:20). As promised, the day before the Sabbath, the LORD provided enough for the day and the day after (16:22-26). Thus, the people did not need to seek provisions for the Sabbath, “so the people rested on the seventh day” (16:30). As a reminder of God’s faithfulness, Moses directed Aaron to “take a pot” and store “manna therein, and lay it up before the LORD to be “kept” as a lasting “Testimony” (16:33-34).

Closing thought:

Thus did the LORD provide for Israel for “forty years, until they came to a land inhabited; they did eat manna, until they came unto the borders of the land of Canaan” (16:35).

Exodus 17

Israel continued her journey in the “wilderness of Sin” and encamped in Rephidim, where “there was no water for the people to drink” (17:1). Once again, the people questioned, “Is the LORD among us, or not?” (17:7). Again, they accused Moses of bringing them out of Egypt to kill them (17:3). The criticism became so vicious, that Moses feared the people were “almost ready to stone” him (17:4). The LORD then commanded Moses to take the rod he carried when the waters of the Red Sea were divided, and stand “upon the rock in Horeb; and… smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink” (17:5-6).

Israel witnessed the LORD’s compassion and provision for their needs; however, the Gospel of John reveals a greater truth. While the “rock in Horeb” supplied water to Israel, it was merely a type, a prophetic picture of Jesus Christ. The water that flowed from the rock in Horeb quenched the temporal thirst of Israel. Christ, however, promised He could give water so that a soul might “never thirst,” for He was the “well of water springing up into everlasting life” (John 4:14).

Israel’s First War (17:8-16)

After departing Egypt and crossing the Red Sea, the children of Israel encountered their first enemy when the Amalekites, descendants of Esau (Jacob’s twin brother), came to war against them (17:8). Moses summoned Joshua. He commanded him to choose men in Israel to “fight with Amalek” (17:9).

While Joshua led Israel to war in the valley, Moses stood on the “top of the hill with the rod of God in [his] hand” (17:9). When the arms of Moses were outstretched, Israel prevailed. Still, when his arms grew heavy, the battle went against the nation (17:11). Finally, sitting down on a rock, Moses’ brother steadied one arm. At the same time, a man named Hur held the other aloft (17:12). Thus, Israel prevailed, and “Joshua discomfited [defeated] Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword” (17:13).

Closing thoughts:

Israel’s first battle in the wilderness served as a reminder that the LORD was on their side. The LORD commanded Moses to write the victory in a book and exhorted him to rehearse the victory “in the ears of Joshua” (17:14). As a memorial to the victory, Moses “built an altar, and called it Jehovah-nissi,” meaning “The LORD is My Banner” (17:15).

Questions to consider:

A sinful pattern of failing to obey and trust the LORD has emerged in our study of Israel. Therefore, let me encourage you to consider that those who complain are like Israel and are given to exaggeration and accusations.

1) Of what evil did the people accuse Moses? (Exodus 16:3)

2) Why did the LORD warn the people not to hoard daily manna? (Exodus 16:4b)

3) On what day was Israel not to gather manna? (Exodus 16:23-26, 30)

4) What did God command Moses to do that the people might have water to drink? (Exodus 17:5-6)

5) What lesson was Joshua to learn from his first battle with the Amalekites? (Exodus 17:13-16)

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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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Christ, Our Passover (Exodus 13)

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Scripture reading: Exodus 13

Review (Exodus 12)

The slaying of the firstborn of Egypt was the tenth and final plague, and it moved Pharaoh to thrust Israel out of the land where they had lived for 430 years (12:40-41). Having established the Passover as a perpetual memorial of the night the firstborn of Egypt were slain, God spared the households in Israel and all those who believed God and applied the lamb’s blood to the door posts (12:1-28, 43-51).

Exodus 13

The LORD then commanded that the firstborn of every household, both children and beast, be sanctified (set apart and dedicated) to the LORD as a memorial to Him (13:1-2). Remembering His covenant with their forefathers, the LORD promised to bring Israel into “a land flowing with milk and honey” (13:5). There, they were commanded to observe seven days of “unleavened bread” and to keep the feast of the Passover (13:6). Thus, being reminded of Israel’s sudden departure from Egypt and serving as a lasting memorial to the LORD’s deliverance (13:7).

Promising He would bring Israel into the “land of the Canaanites” as He had vowed (13:11), the people were to dedicate the firstborn male of every beast to the LORD (13:11-12). The firstborn of “clean” beasts were to be sacrificed, including lambs, kids of goats, and calves (Exodus 22:30; Numbers 18:17-18). Because the ass (donkey) was declared unclean, the firstborn of an ass would be redeemed with a lamb (the lamb being a sacrificial substitute). The clean (lambs, calves, or kids of goats) were to be sacrificed in the place of unclean beasts (13:13)

While some heathen nations sacrificed their firstborn sons and daughters to idols, Israel was commanded to redeem her firstborn (13:13b). Bearing in mind the sanctity of human life and that all humanity is sinful and universally “unclean” in the sight of God, the price of a firstborn’s redemption in Israel was set as “five sheckles” (Numbers 3:47; 18:16). Also, the people were to instruct their sons concerning the meaning of redemption (13:14-16).

The LORD knew that a nation of slaves would not be ready for the challenges of war against those nations that inhabited the land He promised His people (13:17). Therefore, rather than lead Israel on a direct route out of Egypt through the land occupied by the Philistines, the LORD guided Israel into the “wilderness of the Red Sea” (13:18). Also, fulfilling the vow their forefathers had made to Joseph, his bones were taken up from Egypt. He would be buried in Canaan (13:19).

As a visible testimony of God’s presence and providential care of His people, the LORD promised to shadow Israel with a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night (13:21-22).

Closing thoughts:

To spare Israel the tenth plague and the death of the firstborn, the LORD required the lamb’s blood be placed upon the doorposts. Without the blood, the firstborn of the household would be slain. (So it is for all sinners, for “without shedding of blood is no remission [forgiveness; deliverance],” Hebrews 9:22).

Remember, all the sacrificed lambs were a type, a picture, of God’s punishment of sin that would be satisfied in the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus Christ. The author of Hebrews wrote: “So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many” (Hebrews 9:28). Paul wrote in his letter to Corinth, “For He [God] hath made Him [Jesus Christ] to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21).

If you have not, will you confess you are a sinner and trust Jesus Christ as your Redeemer?

Romans 6:23 – ²³For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Questions to consider:

1) Who did the LORD command Israel to sanctify, dedicate, and set apart to Him? (Exodus 13:1-2, 11-16)

2) What did unleavened bread memorialize? (Exodus 13:3, 6-7)

3) Why did the LORD lead Israel through the wilderness and not “through the way of the land of the Philistines?” (Exodus 13:17-18)

4) What two things did the LORD give Israel as a testimony of His presence and protection? (Exodus 13:21-22)

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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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Mailing Address:
Heart of A Shepherd Inc
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