Open Your Mouth and I Will Fill It

Then the Lord put out His hand and touched my mouth. And the Lord said to me, ‘Behold, I have put My words in your mouth.’” [1]

God is willing to put His Word in our mouths. Are we willing to receive it? His Word is powerful.

“The Word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” [2]

God’s Word is like a mirror that reflects to us where we are in our relationship with God, but with the added blessing of giving us hope that what we cannot change about ourselves, God can.

God transforms us as we offer ourselves to Him.

“I appeal to you… by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” [3]

God works in and through those who serve His Word.

“See, I have set you this day over nations and over kingdoms, to pluck up and to break down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant.” [4]

There is much that needs to be plucked up, broke down, destroyed and overthrown in the lives of people. For example, vertical sins such as not loving God. Deeming other people or things more important than one’s relationship with Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The sin of not believing what God says in His Word.

Then, there are the horizontal sins that we commit against ourselves and others. Sins like lying, stealing, jealousy, greed, fornication, selfishness, and the like. Sin needs to be brought to the foot of the cross of Jesus, confessed, repented of and renounced. Only with the Lord’s forgiveness, grace and Holy Spirit infilling are we transformed into His image.

The Word of the Lord is like a wrecking ball to that which is of no worth in one’s life. But the removal of that which is not beneficial for us and others is only stage one of the process.

The Word of the Lord also builds us up and plants in our lives what was not there before. For example, a close relationship between us and the Lord. A knowing that He exists and rewards us as we grow in His likeness.

“The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.” [5]

The fruits of the Holy Spirit help us to enjoy abundant life. The Holy Spirit is our advocate, comforter, and helper.

There are scoffers who reject God’s Word. Some scoffers delight in degrading and destroying those who bear witness to God’s Word and the testimony of Jesus. This is nothing new.

Lot’s sons-in-law scoffed when he told them that Sodom was about to be destroyed in an instant. The prophet Jeremiah’s people scoffed at his message from God that their city would be destroyed. “In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions.” Such scoff at the mention of a white throne judgment where those who counted the Lamb of God and His Word as trash are counted as trash and are thrown into the lake of fire with the devil and his angels! [6]

There is a lack of justice in this world but eventually the Lord will set everything right. Deniers and opposers of Christ will eventually lose everything. Those who profess and honor Christ have a sure inheritance from God.

“Everyone then who hears these words of Mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.” [7]

Let us who have the Word of God, rely on God to help us speak it. He says to us, “Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.” [8]

Speaking for God is always an act of faith. Faith that He will be with us! Testimonies about Jesus are what people need to hear.

God wants to save wicked people not destroy them.

“Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked, declares the Lord God, and not rather that he should turn from his way and live.” [9]

We have good news for those who cannot save themselves… which is all of us… Jesus Christ did everything necessary to secure our forgiveness. He gives believers in Him eternal life as a gift. A gift that He paid dearly for and of which we just need to believe Him for! [10]

[1] Jeremiah 1:9
[2] Hebrews 4:12
[3] Romans 12:1-2
[4] Jeremiah 1:10
[5] Galatians 5:22-23
[6] Genesis 19:14; Jeremiah 26:11; Jude 1:18; Revelation 20:11-15
[7] Matthew 7:24-27
[8] Psalm 81:10
[9] Ezekiel 18:23
[10] Ephesians 2:8-9

The Prophetic Nature of the Church

Jesus commissioned His Church to make disciples. He poured out His Holy Spirit on the Church. So, we have divine authorization and enduement of power to be His ambassadors. Now, we are called to operate as the holy prophets of old operated. We are called to “keep in step with the Spirit.” [1] We hear from God and speak for God as the Spirit gives utterance.

“They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” [2]

“The Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My Name, He will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.” [3]

There is a big difference between interpreting and proclaiming Scriptures by the power of the Holy Spirit and trying to do so without Him.

“Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual. The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.” [4]

The good news is that the Lord wants people to be able to understand and help others understand His Word.

The Holy Spirit helps us to proclaim the Bible rightly.

“No prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” [5]

The Holy Spirit gives prophetic revelation into God’s Word.

“And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, that I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your young men shall see visions, your old men shall dream dreams. And on My menservants and on My maid servants I will pour out My Spirit in those days; and they shall prophesy.” [6]

The good news about the prophetic role of the Church is that our role is to proclaim Christ as the Savior. We are not the saviors. He is! Our calling is to present His Word as the Holy Spirit leads us and believe in His power to convert souls and make disciples through us.

The Spirit of prophesy is the testimony of Jesus according to Revelation 19:10. The messages of the apostles in the Book of Acts bear witness to this truth.

“[Jesus Christ] whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began. For Moses truly said to the fathers, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your brethren. Him you shall hear in all things, whatever He says to you. And it shall be that every soul who will not hear that Prophet shall be utterly destroyed from among the people.’ Yes, and all the prophets, from Samuel and those who follow, as many as have spoken, have also foretold these days. You are sons of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘And in your Seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed.’ To you first, God, having raised up His Servant Jesus, sent Him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from your iniquities.” [7]

All God’s prophets bear witness to Jesus. “Every soul who will not hear that Prophet will be utterly destroyed.” That is very serious. The Spirit calls Paul’s listeners sons of the prophets. What are they to do? They are to receive Jesus as Messiah.

Peter preached, “ To Him all the prophets witness that, through His Name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins.” [8]

People with prophetic gifts are mentioned in the Book of Acts. These are not Scripture writing prophets like Isaiah, Jeremiah or Ezekiel. They are people who help the Church navigate through various situations.

“And in these days, prophets came from Jerusalem to Antioch.” “Now in the church that was at Antioch there were certain prophets and teachers…” “Now Judas and Silas, themselves being prophets also, exhorted and strengthened the brethren with many words.” “Now this man had four virgin daughters who prophesied. And as we stayed many days, a certain prophet named Agabus came down from Judea.” [9]

The Lord in His grace has allowed me to experience the blessing of receiving a download from His Spirit when asked to speak impromptu. This is what Paul did on occasion…

“After the reading of the Law and the Prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent to them, saying, ‘Men and brethren, if you have any word of exhortation for the people, say on.’” [10]

Scriptures from the Law and Prophets were read. Paul was asked if he had a word of exhortation for the people. Relying on the Holy Spirit, He did.

The word for exhortation in the original Greek text for the above verse is “Παρακλησεως” (paraklesis). It comes from the word “parakaleo” which means “to call to one’s side,” which is an act of comforting someone. In the New Testament, “paraklesis” is often used to describe the Holy Spirit's role as a comforter and advocate.

Paul’s message about Christ was sourced from the writings of Moses and the prophets…

“Therefore, having obtained help from God to this day I stand, witnessing both to small and great, saying no other things than those which the prophets and Moses said would come—that the Christ would suffer, that He would be the first to rise from the dead, and would proclaim light to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles.” “So when they had appointed him a day, many came to him at his lodging, to whom he explained and solemnly testified of the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus from both the Law of Moses and the Prophets, from morning till evening.” [11]

He asked one of his listeners if he believed the prophets…

“King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you do believe.” [12]

Paul was also given divine navigational messages from the Lord while traveling whereby he had peace in the midst of a storm and was able to convey that peace to others…

“And now I urge you to take heart, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship. For there stood by me this night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve, saying, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; you must be brought before Caesar; and indeed, God has granted you all those who sail with you.’ Therefore take heart, men, for I believe God that it will be just as it was told me. However, we must run aground on a certain island.” [13]

How many people are hearing the Word of God week after week, but not hearing or believing it? They need to believe that Jesus is the One and Only Savior of humankind. The One and Only Messiah. There is no other. Each of us must repent of our sins, ask God to forgive us, and ask God our Father in the Name of Jesus to fill us with His Holy Spirit.

Throughout history, there have been people who hear God’s Word but do not yield themselves to the Lord to do His transforming work in their lives. Paul spoke to such a crowd when he said, “The Holy Spirit spoke rightly through Isaiah the prophet to our fathers, saying, ‘Go to this people and say: hearing you will hear and shall not understand; and seeing you will see, and not perceive; for the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, so that I should heal them.’” [14]

There is none so blind as one who refuses to see.

The Lord provided for Paul. The Lord is no man’s debtor. No man can out give God. At the end of the Book of Acts, Paul has a home from which he continues his ministry of preaching and teaching the Word. I have to believe that this is what God did for all His prophets such as Elijah, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel. He provides for us as we bring His Word to the nations.

“Then Paul dwelt two whole years in his own rented house, and received all who came to him, preaching the kingdom of God and teaching the things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ with all confidence, no one forbidding him.” [15]

[1] Galatian 5:16
[2] Acts 2:4
[3] John 14:26
[4] 1 Corinthians 2:12-14
[5] 2 Peter 1:20-21
[6] Acts 2:17-18
[7] Acts 3:21-26
[8] Acts 10:43
[9] Acts 11:27; Acts 13:1; Acts 15:32; Acts 21:9-10
[10] Acts 13:15
[11] Acts 26:22-23; Acts 28:23
[12] Acts 26:27
[13] Acts 27:22-26
[14] Acts 28:25-27
[15] Acts 28:30-31

Knowing the Lord

“This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” John 17:3

This morning, the Lord showed me through His prophet Jeremiah that knowing the Lord is the key issue that God is concerned about for each us. The Lord wants people to know Him. Those who refuse to know Him grieve His heart because they perish needlessly in their sins.

Prophets of God call people to know the Lord. The need to know the Lord is emphasized by the Old Testament prophets, by the Apostles and by the Lord Jesus Christ Himself.

During the days of Jeremiah the prophet, the people of Israel and Judah experienced a time of great tribulation under the Babylonian regime but out of this tribulation came forth a remnant of people who knew the Lord.

In the Book of Revelation, Jesus reveals an empire whom He metaphorically calls Babylon. Babylon is a kingdom ruled by people who do not know the Lord. There is a time of great tribulation due to the rule of Babylon, but then, after a season, the Lord intervenes and Babylon is destroyed. The devil, his false prophet, the beast, death and hades are thrown into the lake of fire. Afterwards, those who know the Lord live and reign with Christ in a kingdom that will never end. A kingdom full righteousness, peace and joy! [2]

The Lord expresses His concern about people not knowing Him throughout the Book of Jeremiah the prophet.

“For My people are foolish, they have not known Me. They are silly children, and they have no understanding. They are wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge.” [3]

“Thus says the Lord: let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, let not the mighty man glory in his might, nor let the rich man glory in his riches; but let him who glories glory in this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For in these I delight, says the Lord.” [4]

“Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah… I will put My law in their minds and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.” [5]

“The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.” [6]

“Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also, there was no more sea. Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, ‘Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.’ Then He who sat on the throne said, ‘Behold, I make all things new.’ And He said to me, ‘Write, for these words are true and faithful.’” [7]

“He [Jesus Christ God’s Son Savior] was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His Name.” [8]

Do you know God? If not, you can know Him. The Lord Jesus Christ is the One who brings God into the lives of those who receive Him.

[1] John 17:3
[2] Romans 14:17
[3] Jeremiah 3:22
[4] Jeremiah 9:23-24
[5] Jeremiah 31:31, 33-34
[6] Revelation 20:10-15
[7] Revelation 21:1-5
[8] John 1:10-12

WHOSOEVER

Thanks be to God for the Gospel! Paul exemplifies for us a life of gratitude to God for the Gospel.

“Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the Gospel of God.” [1]

Paul has a river of life proceeding from him. He is social media influencer for Jesus Christ. He joyfully extols the Gospel as having it’s roots in the writings of God’s prophets.

“Which He promised before through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures.” [2]

What was the promise of the prophets? They promised the Son of God! They promised the Messiah (Christ). Connected to King David’s family line via His conception by a virgin! Raised from the dead! Declared to be the Son of God by the power of the Holy Spirit! Having graced holy apostles with power to bring people from all nations to believe in His Name!

“Concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead. Through Him we have received grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith among all nations for His Name.” [3]

Paul celebrated the Romans who responded to the call of Jesus Christ. Called to be loved by God! Called to be holy! Grace to them! Peace from God to them! He thanked God that news of their faith in Christ was spreading everywhere. Even people living in the conquering empire of the world had humbled themselves and turned their lives over to Christ!

“[To] the called of Jesus Christ; to all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.” [4]

Paul repeats with resounding joy that he is serving the Gospel of God’s Son. He prays without ceasing for those who have a similar passion. He prays that God will make a way for him to be with them. He wants to impart spiritual gifts to them that will encourage both their faith and his.

“God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the Gospel of His Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers, making request if, by some means, now at last I may find a way in the will of God to come to you. For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift, so that you may be established—that is, that I may be encouraged together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me.” [5]

How does Paul perceive himself in the light of the Gospel?

“I am a debtor both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to wise and to unwise.” [6]

He is humbled by God’s grace. He is ready to share the Gospel with people who speak different languages, and who live by different customs than he does. He is wiling to share the Good News with educated and uneducated people. Paul’s just ready to preach the Gospel.

“I am ready to preach the Gospel to you… I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ. It [the Gospel of Christ] is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. For in it [the Gospel of Christ] the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, ‘The just shall live by faith.’” [7]

The Gospel of Christ is about the Son of God canceling your sin debts and issuing to you a royal pardon. A pardon that stems from His grace and love for you! How do you acquire this pardon? You profess faith in Christ as your Lord and Savior. You receive His Holy Spirit to help you live a new life.

The alternative to ignoring and denying salvation by faith in God’s grace is bad.

“The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness.” [8]

The truth of righteousness is embodied in Jesus Christ. All righteousness comes from God through His Son Jesus Christ. So, people who suppress the mentioning of the Name of Jesus are under God’s wrath. This truth is illustrated in the Book of Acts when a false prophet named Elymas Bar-Jesus tried to turn a Roman proconsul named Sergius Paulus from believing in Christ. God struck Elymas with a season of blindness. Previously, Christ had struck Paul with temporary blindness, and later, healed him. Jesus offered to Elymas the same opportunity he had offered to Paul to repent of his sin and to believe in Him via this miraculous sign. [9]

What happens when people reject Christ? The lights go out! Their thoughts and hearts become dark. They try replacing the Creator with created things which can never fill the void in our hearts that only He can fill.

“Although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man... …They worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.” [10]

God gives people freewill. We can choose to reject Christ and His Gospel, but we cannot choose the consequence of such a bad decision.

“Even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting.” “Who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.” [11]

Such words are hard to hear but hear them! God wants all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. [13] We have a mandate from the King of kings and Lord of lords to spread the message of the Gospel to all nations. To make disciples in His Name! May God graciously grant us the joy that He gave to Paul, namely, to proclaim Christ to the world! Let us labor to connect with the “whosoever.”

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that WHOSOEVER believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” [13]

[1] Romans 1:1
[2] Romans 1:2
[3] Romans 1:3-5
[4] Romans 1:6-8
[5] Romans 1:9-12
[6] Romans 1:14
[7] Romans 1:15-17
[8] Romans 1:18
[9] Acts 9:8-9, 18; 13:6-12
[10] Romans 1:22-25
[11] Romans 1:28; 32
[12] 1 Timothy 2:4
[13] John 3:16

Disciples

“A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, loving favor rather than silver and gold.” [1]

The good Name TO BE CHOSEN is the Name of Jesus Christ. His Name means Anointed Savior. His loving favor is what each OF US must have to enter heaven where the greatest treasures are stored. Treasures of peace, love and joy forevermore in the presence of God, the holy angels and the saints!

“A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself, but the simple pass on and are punished. By humility and the fear of the Lord are riches, honor, and life. Thorns and snares are in the way of the perverse; he who guards his soul will be far from them. Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” [2]

Prudence is to pray to our Heavenly Father to keep us from temptation and to deliver us from evil. May He keep us ever aware that He is God and we are not! He created and sustains the universe. We should listen constantly for His Spirit’s guidance and remember the lessons that He has taught us from our childhood until now.

“He who has a generous eye will be blessed, for he gives of his bread to the poor. Cast out the scoffer, and contention will leave; yes, strife and reproach will cease. He who loves purity of heart and has grace on his lips, the king will be his friend.” [3]

God is no one’s debtor. He blesses us when we give to God by giving to the poor. Scoffers will scoff at such advice because they do not believe in God or in His goodness. The King of kings, and Lord of lords, is the royal friend of the pure in heart, and of those with gracious lips.

Some pitfalls to avoid include building one’s life on what faithless people think, say and do. Don’t focus on what immoral people say and do. Such pits are for people that the Lord abhors. Receive correction because we all have foolishness in us that needs removed. Don’t exploit the poor and bless the rich! Give to those who cannot give back to you and God will bless you. What good is it if a man gain the whole world and lose his soul?

“The eyes of the Lord preserve knowledge, but He overthrows the words of the faithless. The lazy man says, ‘There is a lion outside! I shall be slain in the streets!’ The mouth of an immoral woman is a deep pit; he who is abhorred by the Lord will fall there. Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child; the rod of correction will drive it far from him. He who oppresses the poor to increase his riches, and he who gives to the rich, will surely come to poverty.” [4]

There is day of comeuppance for those who have taken advantage of others.

“Do not rob the poor because he is poor, nor oppress the afflicted at the gate; for the Lord will plead their cause and plunder the soul of those who plunder them.” [5]

Other pitfalls to avoid include befriending angry people; taking loans from those who can take away your everything; and moving outside the boundary lines that your Heavenly Father has set for you.

“Make no friendship with an angry man, and with a furious man do not go, lest you learn his ways and set a snare for your soul. Do not be one of those who shakes hands in a pledge, one of those who is surety for debts; if you have nothing with which to pay, why should he take away your bed from under you? Do not remove the ancient landmark which your fathers have set.” [6]

“Do you see a man who excels in his work? He will stand before kings; he will not stand before unknown men.” [7]

Be teachable! Be patient with yourself as you take two steps forward and one step back on the road towards being a person of great value to God, country, family and yourself. Professionals have been coached by professionals. The learned have learned from the learned. In fact, our Lord Jesus Christ, the supreme teacher of all teachers is seeking apprentices. Disciples!

[1] Proverbs 22:1
[2] Proverbs 22:3-6
[3] Proverbs 22:9-11
[4] Proverbs 22:12-15
[5] Proverbs 22:22-23
[6] Proverbs 22:24-28
[7] Proverbs 22:29

Conversion

In 1524, the Lord inspired Martin Luther to compose a song. The first verse goes like this…

“May God bestow on us His grace, with blessings rich provide us,
And may the brightness of His face to life eternal guide us
That we His saving health may know, His gracious will and pleasure,
And also to the heathen show Christ's riches without measure
And unto God convert them.”

God has empowered certain men throughout the ages to join His mission of converting non-believers into believers in God.

One day, Paul the Apostle was making an offering to the Lord when persecutors of the Christian faith, seized him, dragged him out of the temple, and started beating him. A garrison of Roman soldiers rescued Paul from his attackers, but the soldiers also bound him with two chains. As the soldiers carried Paul to safety, Paul asked the commander for permission to speak to the crowd. Miraculously, the commander allowed him to do so. [1]

Paul testified of his conversion experience to Christ. Some of Paul’s listeners had probably seen Jesus of Nazareth crucified in their city. Paul explained how Jesus appeared to him when he was on his way to arrest followers of Jesus. He explained to the crowd how he was blind for a time until Jesus sent one of His disciples (Ananias) to him, and restored his sight…

“Then a certain Ananias, a devout man according to the Law, having a good testimony with all the Jews who dwelt there.” [2]

It is easy for us as readers to glide over the words, “certain,” “devout,” and “having a good testimony with all the Jews who dealt there.” Living as that certain person in this world filled with temptations and evil is not easy. Ananias had a high regard for God’s Words. He measured his thoughts and actions against what he learned from God via God’s Word. All the Jews in his surrounding area knew of his devotion to God.

“[Ananias] came to me [Saul of Tarsus]; and he stood and said to me, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight.’ And at that same hour I looked up at him.” [3]

Praise God for physical and spiritual eyesight! It is a blessing to see the person in front of you. It is very wonderful to have your eyes opened to God! To know that He does exist, that He knows your name, and that He has a divine purpose for your existence on earth!

“Then he [Ananias] said, ‘The God of our fathers has chosen you that you should know His will, and see the Just One, and hear the voice of His mouth.” [4]

God chooses whom He wills to serve Him. At first Ananias had questioned God’s choice. He said to God, “Lord, I have heard from many things about this man, how much harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem. And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your Name.” [5]

Was God sending Ananias to his death? No, the Lord was sending him to serve a man whose life would impact the people of our world for many generations.

The Lord said to Ananias, “Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My Name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel. For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My Name’s sake.” [6]

The Lord was bringing about the transformation in Saul’s life so that people of future generations could see what Christ does in the life of someone whom He anoints with His Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit transformed a persecutor of the Name of Jesus into a proclaimer of His Name. Saul’s ministry was not going to be bound by what the majority of believers consider a reasonable service unto God. No, he would teach, preach and persuade non-Jews, kings and his own people the Jews to believe in and serve Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

“You [Saul] will be His [Christ’s] witness to all men of what you have seen and heard. And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the Name of the Lord.” [7]

Thanks be to God for leaders who speak directly from God to people and say to them, “You are witnesses for Christ! What are you waiting for? For lightning to strike? No, get right with God! If you haven’t yet been baptized, be baptized! Wash away your sins by repenting of them before God and by asking Him to forgive them and to help you not to sin anymore. Call upon His Name, the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. He can change your life as He did Saul’s and make you a part of His global mission to present the Gospel to the whosoever’s of the world.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” [8]

[1] Acts 21:26-40
[2] Acts 22:12
[3] Acts 22:13
[4] Acts 22:14
[5] Acts 9:13-14
[6] Acts 9:15-16
[7] Acts 22:15-16
[8] John 3:16

Receiving and Giving from the Lord Jesus by His Spirit

The people formed an idol and gave it glory while Moses was up on the mountain meeting with God. Afterwards, God said to Moses, “I will send My Angel before you… I will not go up in your midst, lest I consume you on the way, for you are a stiff-necked people.” [1]

“When the people heard this bad news, they mourned, and no one put on his ornaments.” [2]

Next, “Moses took his tent and pitched it outside the camp, far from the camp, and called it the tabernacle of meeting. And it came to pass that everyone who sought the Lord went out to the tabernacle of meeting which was outside the camp.” [3]

The Holy Spirit reminded me of a New Testament reference to this passage, “The bodies of those animals, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned outside the camp. Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered outside the gate.” [4]

God atoned for sin outside the camp because atonement involved bloodshed and death. Thus, Christ, suffered outside the camp. It is God’s grace that His Son would become an outsider for us so we could become insiders with God.

“Therefore let us go forth to Him, outside the camp, bearing His reproach. For here we have no continuing city, but we seek the one to come. Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His Name. But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.” [5]

We also should go outside the camp. Outside the four walls of our gathering places to do good and share because God is well pleased with such sacrifices! Heaven is our home. Earth is just a temporary mission field for us.

“So it was, whenever Moses went out to the tabernacle, that all the people rose, and each man stood at his tent door and watched Moses until he had gone into the tabernacle. And it came to pass, when Moses entered the tabernacle, that the pillar of cloud descended and stood at the door of the tabernacle, and the Lord talked with Moses. All the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the tabernacle door, and all the people rose and worshiped, each man in his tent door. So the Lord spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend...” [6]

The people showed reverence to God by standing at their tent doors when Moses met with God. They worshiped God when they saw the cloudy pillar of God’s presence above the tabernacle. Reverence and worship towards God are commendable traits, but how much better when we meet with God face to face and endeavor to be His faithful friend.

Moses prayed, “If I have found grace in Your sight, show me now Your way, that I may know You and that I may find grace in Your sight. And consider that this nation is Your people.” The Lord responded to his request, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” [7]

There is rest for the soul and peace that passes all understanding in God’s presence.

Moses wanted God’s presence. He prayed, “If Your Presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here. For how then will it be known that Your people and I have found grace in Your sight, except You go with us? So, we shall be separate, Your people and I, from all the people who are upon the face of the earth.” [8]

The Lord’s presence in our lives is what makes us unique among all people.

Jesus said to His disciples, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Amen.” [9]

Jesus with us [Emmanuel] is the authority by which we speak. Jesus with us is the rubber stamp of God’s approval on our ministry. Jesus empowers and guides us in our discipleship efforts among the nations. His presence with us is the constant that we need to bring people that are outside the camp into the camp, and to baptize them in the Name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and then, to disciple them.

Moses prayed, “Please, show me Your glory.” [10]

The Lord agreed! “I will make all My goodness pass before you, and I will proclaim the Name of the Lord before you. I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. You cannot see My face; for no man shall see Me, and live. Here is a place by Me, and you shall stand on the rock. So it shall be, while My glory passes by, that I will put you in the cleft of the rock and will cover you with My hand while I pass by. Then I will take away My hand, and you shall see My back; but My face shall not be seen.” [11]

God reveals Himself to those who seek Him. And what do we learn when we meet with God? We learn that He is good, gracious and compassionate. Jesus Christ revealed God to us in the Gospels by doing among us what was good, gracious and compassionate.

Previously, after the people formed an idol and gave it glory, Moses was angry and broke the stone tablets that had the Ten Commandments on them. So, the Lord asked Moses to make two new tablets, and to write on them the commandments. [12]

While Moses was receiving the Ten Commandments for a second time, “The Lord descended in the cloud and stood with him there and proclaimed the Name of the Lord. And the Lord passed before him and proclaimed, ‘The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for 1,000’s, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin, by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children’s children to the third and the fourth generation.’” [13]

Mary alluded to this passage in her song of praise to the Lord when she sang, God’s “mercy is on those who fear Him from generation to generation.” [14]

God proclaimed His Name to Moses because only in His Name is there salvation. No one else’s name has the power to save from death and give eternal life.

God is merciful, gracious, long-suffering, abounding in goodness and truth. If we don’t know God in this way, we don’t know God well. He forgives iniquity (unfairness), transgressions (crossing lines) and sin (missing the mark). He shows mercy to thousands but will not say someone is innocent when they are not (by no means clearing the guilty). Without believing in Christ, without receiving the Holy Spirit, we are guilty because we have not received the means by which God makes us right.

“Behold, I make a covenant. Before all your people I will do marvels such as have not been done in all the earth, nor in any nation; and all the people among whom you are shall see the work of the Lord. For it is an awesome thing that I will do with you. Observe what I command you this day. Behold, I am driving out from before you the Amorite and the Canaanite and the Hittite and the Perizzite and the Hivite and the Jebusite.” [15]

The Lord presence with us is an attention grabber. A people influencer! People see God’s work in our lives. God drove out the practitioners of evil spirit activities before His people. God drives out evil spirits by His Spirit. He clears the land of our soul from that which kept us from knowing and loving Him. We read about this in the testimony of Mary Magdalene. “Certain women [were with Jesus] who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities—Mary called Magdalene, out of whom had come seven demons.” [16]

“When Moses came down from Mount Sinai… Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone while he talked with Him.” The people were afraid to come near him. Afterward when they did, he gave them as commandments all that the Lord had spoken with him on Mount Sinai.” [17]

The Lord references this miracle in His letter to the Corinthians, saying, “Clearly you are an epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart.” [18]

God meets with us and dwells within us by His Spirit. He gives to us His Word: “Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God, who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.” [19]

If we only had the letters of the Bible and no Holy Spirit, we would misunderstand, misinterpret and misinform our listeners about God, but we do have the Holy Spirit. The Spirit helps us to explain the Word of God accurately.

Moses had the ministry of death, that is the Law, which condemns sinners, yet his face shined for God as he spoke what God gave him to say. “If the ministry of death, written and engraved on stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of the glory of his countenance, which glory was passing away, how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious? For if the ministry of condemnation had glory, the ministry of righteousness exceeds much more in glory.” [20]

We have the ministry of righteousness because whosoever believes in Christ is made righteous from all things that the Law of Moses condemned us for doing. Christ takes our sins away and fills us with His Spirit so we can live a new life full of God’s grace, love and peace.

“When one turns to the Lord, the veil [between the person and God] is taken away.” [21]

“We all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.” The key to transformation is to meet with God via His Word and by His Spirit. [22]

[1] Exodus 33:2-3
[2] Exodus 33:4
[3] Exodus 33:7
[4] Hebrews 13:11-12
[5] Hebrews 13:13-16
[6] Exodus 33:8-11
[7] Exodus 33:13-14
[8] Exodus 33:15-16
[9] Matthew 28:18-20
[10] Exodus 33:18
[11] Exodus 33:19-23
[12] Exodus 34:1-4, 28
[13] Exodus 34:5-7
[14] Luke 1:50
[15] Exodus 34:10-11
[16] Luke 8:2
[17] Exodus 34:29-32
[18] 2 Corinthians 3:3
[19] 2 Corinthians 3:5-6
[20] 2 Corinthians 3:7-9
[21] 2 Corinthians 3:17
[22] 2 Corinthians 3:18

Consecrated to the Lord for His Service

The Lord set the pattern of things to come with His servant Moses. Two lambs were to be sacrificed daily continually. One lamb in the morning and one at twilight! This was done at third hour of the day (9 am) and the ninth hour (3 pm). Jesus was crucified at the third hour, and Jesus died at the ninth hour. The previous lambs pointed to the Lamb, namely, Jesus Messiah. The flour mixed with oil and the wine that were offered with the previous lambs, pointed to Jesus who instituted the elements of bread and wine to represent His flesh and blood given as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. [1]

“This shall be a continual burnt offering throughout your generations at the door of the tabernacle of meeting before the Lord, where I will meet you to speak with you. And there I will meet with the children of Israel, and the tabernacle shall be sanctified by My glory. So I will consecrate the tabernacle of meeting and the altar. I will also consecrate both Aaron and his sons to minister to Me as priests. I will dwell among the children of Israel and will be their God. And they shall know that I am the Lord their God, who brought them up out of the land of Egypt, that I may dwell among them. I am the Lord their God.” [2]

God now tabernacles among us via the atoning sacrifice of Messiah who removes our sin. He sanctifies us with His glory. His glory in this regard is the Holy Spirit. God dwells among us, and we know that our God is God via the Holy Spirit bearing witness with our spirit.

“He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.” “The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.” [3]

“When you take the census of the children of Israel for their number, then every man shall give a ransom for himself to the Lord, when you number them, that there may be no plague among them when you number them.” The Lord required a half shekel price for the ransom of people in Israel who were 20-years old and above. This half shekel was levied when a census was taken. The Lord required the half shekel to avert a plague from breaking out among them as happened in the days of King David. That plague ended when David offered a sacrifice to the Lord on the land where Solomon later built the temple. Jesus spoke of His body as the new temple of God. [4]

The Lord instructed Moses to make a basin out of bronze for washing the hands and feet of the priests. They were to wash before entering the tabernacle of meeting. Jesus washed the feet of the disciples before they were filled with the Holy Spirit and became a part of His body, the new temple where God meets with His people. [5]

The Lord instructed Moses to compose a special anointing oil with which to anoint the priests. It contained myrrh, cinnamon, cane, and cassia. He also instructed Moses to compose incense for the altar of prayer consisting of sweet spices, stacte, and onycha and galbanum, and pure frankincense. God led the magi to bring to baby Jesus gold, frankincense, and myrrh. This symbolizes His anointing to carry out priestly service for God. Jesus also declared that the Spirit of the Lord had anointed Him for ministry. [6]

The artisans who built the first tabernacle were anointed by the Holy Spirit with wisdom, understand and knowledge in all workmanship. Christ was filled with the Spirit for ministry and fills those who serve Him with the Holy Spirit. “The Lord spoke to Moses, saying: ‘See, I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. And I have filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship, to design artistic works, to work in gold, in silver, in bronze, in cutting jewels for setting, in carving wood, and to work in all manner of workmanship. And I, indeed I, have appointed with him Aholiab the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan; and I have put wisdom in the hearts of all the gifted artisans, that they may make all that I have commanded you.’” [7]

The Lord sanctified a day each week for people to rest in Him. The violation of the rest day yielded death. He gave Moses the law written on two tables of stone. They were written by the finger of God. Spiritually speaking, people who fail to rest in the Lord, refusing to trust in Him, will not reach the Promised Land. The alternative to everlasting paradise is everlasting hell.

“The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ‘Speak also to the children of Israel, saying: surely My Sabbaths you shall keep, for it is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I am the Lord who sanctifies you. It is a sign between Me and the children of Israel forever; for in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day He rested and was refreshed.” “He gave Moses two tablets of the Testimony, tablets of stone, written with the finger of God.” Jesus calls us to rest in Him. He writes His Word on our hearts. If God’s people refuse to refresh themselves in Christ, not only do they suffer, but the whole world suffers for the lack of the witness of Christ in the earth. [8]

When the people of God fill themselves with other gods bad things happen. While Moses was on the mountain receiving from God, the people of Israel fashioned an idol of gold and began to worship it. Their spiritual adultery reflected their physical adultery. Moses cast the two tablets of God down and broke them. This act symbolized their breaking of the Lord’s commandments. Afterwards Moses reduced their idol to powder and placed the powder in their drinking water and made them drink it. Their betrayal of God was a bitter taste in His mouth and the consequence of their sin was a bitter taste in their mouths. [9]

Moses wanted to atone for their sins because God was about to destroy them. Moses raised two concerns with God: 1) God’s reputation as Deliverer was at stake, and 2) God’s promise to Abraham was that he would have descendants as numerous as the stars, and that his descendants would inherit the land. Moses offered to give himself as an atoning sacrifice saying, “O, these people have committed a great sin and have made for themselves a god of gold! Yet now, if You will forgive their sin—but if not, I pray, blot me out of Your book which You have written.” “And the Lord said to Moses, ‘Whoever has sinned against Me, I will blot him out of My book.’” [10]

The Lord Jesus Christ is God’s atoning sacrifice for our sins. The Apostle Paul declared to his fellow believers in Ephesus, “I kept back nothing that was helpful, but proclaimed it to you, and taught you publicly and from house to house, testifying to Jews, and also to Greeks, repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.” The ministry which He received from the Lord Jesus was to testify to the Gospel of the grace of God.” [11]

Praise God for His grace to us in Christ Jesus! May our Heavenly Father help each of us to consecrate ourselves unto the Lord for His service. Let us wash ourselves in the wash basin of God’s Word. Let us rest and trust in Him. Offer up sweet aromatic prayers to God as we intercede for sinners. Be filled until overflowing with testimonies about Christ by His Spirit.

[1] Exodus 29:38-46; Mark 15:25, 33; Matthew 26:26-28

[2] Exodus 29:42-46

[3] 1 John 2:2; Romans 8:16

[4] Exodus 30:11-16; 2 Samuel 24; 2 Chronicles 3.1; John 2:19-21

[5] Exodus 30:17-21; John 13:1-17

[6] Exodus 30:22-38; Matthew 2:1-11; Luke 4:18-19

[7] Exodus 31:1-6; Luke 4:1; Acts 2:4

[8] Exodus 31:12-18; Mark 6:31; Matthew 11:28-30; 2 Corinthians 3:3

[9] Exodus 32:1-6, 15-16, 19-21, 35; Revelation 8:11-13; Revelation 15:1; 16:9

[10] Exodus 32:7-14, 30-34

[11] Acts 20:20-21, 24

Moses and Jesus Messiah

“Beginning with Moses and all the prophets, He [Jesus] interpreted [διερμηνευσεν] to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.” [1]

Moses and the prophets are best interpreted by Jesus because they bear witness to Jesus.

The Greek word for “interpreted” (hermēneuō) in the above verse is the word from which we get the English word hermeneutics.
Hermeneutics is the study of the various theories and approaches for interpretation.

“No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.” [2]

The Greek word for “declared” (εξηγησατο) in the above verse is the word from which we get the English word exegesis which means to explain. Jesus has been with the Father and is one with the Father so there is no one better to explain the Father to us than Jesus. In fact, Jesus said, “He who has seen Me has seen the Father.” [3]

We look to Jesus to exegete a Biblical text. Exegesis means “drawing out” the meaning of a text by carefully considering the author’s original context and intended meaning, while eisegesis means “reading into” a text, essentially imposing your own interpretations and ideas onto the material, rather than letting the text speak for itself; in simpler terms, exegesis is trying to understand what the text actually says, while eisegesis is making the text say what you want it to say.

Understanding the Trinity helps us to understand the following passages from Exodus better.

“Behold, I send an Angel (messenger) before you to keep you in the way and to bring you into the place which I have prepared. Beware of Him and obey His voice; do not provoke Him, for He will not pardon your transgressions; for My Name is in Him. But if you indeed obey His voice and do all that I speak, then I will be an enemy to your enemies and an adversary to your adversaries.” [4]

The translators capitalized the word “Angel” to indicate that it refers to God. Dr. Martin Luther learned that Scripture interprets Scripture, so, to understand one verse we look at other verses that relate to it. This is what the New Testament writers did. They often interpreted things that Jesus said or did by connecting it to an Old Testament passage. This Old Testament passage relates to what Jesus said about the Holy Spirit. “Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men. Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come.” [5]

The Holy Spirit is God’s messenger. He is the One who leads God’s people. To blaspheme Him is to commit an unforgiveable sin. The Lord tells us to neither grieve nor quench the Holy Spirit. “There are three that bear witness in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are One.” We need to heed God’s leading to accurately represent Him. [6]

“Now He said to Moses, “Come up to the Lord, you, and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and 70 of the elders of Israel, and worship from afar.” “After these things the Lord appointed 70 others also and sent them two by two before His face into every city and place where He Himself was about to go.” [7] We see in Moses a similar approach to ministry as Jesus.

“So Moses came and told the people all the Words of the Lord and all the judgments. And all the people answered with one voice and said, ‘All the Words which the Lord has said we will do.’” “Then they said to Him, ‘What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?’ Jesus answered and said to them, ‘This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.’” [8] We followers of Moses and the followers of Jesus respond in a similar way to their leadership. They speak of wanting to do God’s will, but in both cases, fail to do so.

“Moses took the blood, sprinkled it on the people, and said, ‘This is the blood of the covenant which the Lord has made with you according to all these words.’” “Then He [Jesus] took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, ‘Take this and divide it among yourselves; for I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.’ And He took bread, gave thanks, and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.’ Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you.’” [9] We have both Moses and Jesus speaking God’s Word to their listeners and speaking of a blood covenant existing between God and them.

“Then Moses went up, also Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and 70 of the elders of Israel, and they saw the God of Israel. And there was under His feet as it were a paved work of sapphire stone, and it was like the very heavens in its clarity. But on the nobles of the children of Israel He did not lay His hand. So, they saw God, and they ate and drank.” [10] The disciples of Jesus see God in Him and eat and drink with Him.

“Then the Lord said to Moses, “Come up to Me on the mountain and be there; and I will give you tablets of stone, and the law and commandments which I have written, that you may teach them.” Jesus gave a new commandment to His disciples. “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples if you have love for one another.” [11]

“Moses arose with his assistant Joshua, and Moses went up to the mountain of God.” “So Moses went into the midst of the cloud and went up into the mountain. And Moses was on the mountain 40 days and 40 nights.” “And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.” “Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to the disciples, ‘Sit here while I go and pray over there.’” [12] Both Moses and Jesus go before God after giving God’s commandments and making blood covenants with their followers.

Moses spoke of the coming Messiah with the following words, “The Lord your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your midst, from your brethren. Him you shall hear.” Thus, Jesus, “Beginning with Moses and all the prophets, interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.” [13] Jesus Christ is the Prophet Moses spoke of.

It is vital to remember that Jesus is called the Word of God. To explain the Scripture accurately, we need to be in a relationship with Jesus and we need to depend on Jesus to help us.

The Lord told Moses, “You shall put the mercy seat on top of the ark, and in the ark you shall put the Testimony that I will give you. And there I will meet with you, and I will speak with you from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim which are on the ark of the Testimony, about everything which I will give you in commandment to the children of Israel.” John used the term hilastērion, the Greek word for mercy seat, writing, “He [Christ] is the mercy-seat for all our sins and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.” [14] It is from the forgiveness of our sins in Christ that the communications line between God and people is opened. It was after Christ paid the price for the sins of the world that the Holy Spirit was sent to fill the lives of God’s witnesses.

Our goal as witnesses for Christ is to provide for people dependable teaching, preaching and discussion about God. The Lord warns the brotherhood of believers, “My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment.” We should not approach representing God lightly. As Paul said to Timothy, “Study to shew yourself approved unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” [15] We need to make sure our words line up with Scripture and that they glorify Jesus Christ as Lord.

[1] Luke 24:27
[2] John 1:18
[3] John 14:9
[4] Exodus 23:20-22
[5] Matthew 12:31–32
[6] Ephesians 4:30; 1 Thessalonians 5:19-22; 1 John 5:7
[7] Exodus 24:1; Luke 10:1
[8] Exodus 24:3; John 6:28-29
[9] Exodus 24:6-8; Luke 22:17-22
[10] Exodus 24:9-11
[11] Exodus 24:12; John 13:34-35
[12] Exodus 24:13, 18; Matthew 26:30, 36
[13] Deuteronomy 18:15; Luke 24:27
[14] Exodus 25:21-22; 1 John 2:2
[15] James 3:1; 2 Timothy 2:15

Accurately, Vigorously Testify that Jesus is Messiah

The Holy Spirit used the Apostle Paul to lead people to Christ. He is an example for us who pray that God would use us in the same way.

“He [Paul] reasoned (διελεγετο - discussed) in the synagogue every Sabbath and persuaded (επειθεν - to endeavor to convince) both Jews and Greeks.” [1]

Paul went to gatherings of religious people (both Jews and Greeks) and entered into discussions with them for the purpose convincing them to believe in Jesus Christ.

“Paul was compelled by the Spirit and testified (διαμαρτυρομενος – give solemn testimony – the word martyr is contained in this word) to the Jews that Jesus is the Christ.” [2]

Paul did not grieve the Spirit. He welcomed the Holy Spirit to compel him to testify with great conviction that Jesus is the Messiah. The first one that needs to be convicted that Christ is the One and only Messiah is the speaker. If he is not convicted as to who Christ is how can he convict those who listen to him to believe?

“He [Paul] continued there a year and six months, teaching the Word of God among them.” [3]

Paul was willing to stay one place for more than a year to teach them the Word of God. So, he entered discussions about Christ, testified about Christ as a witness standing before a jury would do, and taught people about Christ. In other words, the Holy Spirit led him to use various approaches to conveying the Word of God to people.

“He [Paul] himself entered the synagogue and reasoned (διελεγετο - discussed) with the Jews.” [4]

Here again, Paul is in a religious gathering place discussing what the Bible says about Christ with the people gathered there.

“He [Paul] departed and went over the region of Galatia and Phrygia in order to strengthen (στηριζων - also stabilizing) all the disciples.” [5]

The Holy Spirit led Paul to strengthen and/or stabilize disciples. Disciples are learners. People who want to learn about Christ.

“Now a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man and mighty in the Scriptures.” [6]

It is important to know the Scriptures well if you are going to try to share them with others. As Paul wrote to his protégé Timothy, “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” [7]

“This man [Apollos] had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things of the Lord, though he knew only the baptism of John.” [8]

Apollos did not have a thorough knowledge of the Gospel, but what he did know, he taught accurately. Apollos is a great example for people who want to share with others about Jesus. He did not teach things he could not teach accurately, but that which he could, he did.

“When Aquila and Priscilla heard him, they took him aside and explained (exegeted) to him the way of God more accurately.” [9]

Aquila and Priscilla are great examples as well. They helped the new preacher of the Gospel with knowledge about Jesus that he lacked. Apollos is a good example for new preachers in that he was willing to listen to couples who were willing to teach him things he did not know. He did not allow his ego to stifle his need to grow in the grace of Christ.

“He [Apollos] vigorously refuted (διακατελέγχομαι - to maintain discussion strenuously and thoroughly, to totally refute) the Jews publicly, showing from the Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ.” [10]

Apollos worked at his ministry. He had inspiration from the Holy Spirit. He also had a willing heart and mind to do perspiration for the sake helping others to believe that Jesus is the Messiah. The Scripture says that Apollos was eloquent. This means that Apollos worked on his presentation of God’s Word so that people wanted to hear what he had to say.

May the Lord raise up more people who are willing to accurately, vigorously testify that Jesus is Messiah! Amen.

[1] Acts 18:4
[2] Acts 18:5
[3] Acts 18:11
[4] Acts 18:19
[5] Acts 18:23
[6] Acts 18:24
[7] 2 Timothy 2:15
[8] Acts 18:25
[9] Acts 18:26
[10] Acts 18:28

I Delight to Do Your Will

“I delight to do Your will, O my God; Your law is within my heart.” [1]

Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane while facing His crucifixion: “Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me: nevertheless not My will, but Yours be done.” [2]

Jesus submitted His flesh’s will to the will of another, namely God. He did in a garden that which our first parents, Adam and Eve, failed to do. Then, He yielded His sinless self to take the punishment that we sinners deserve.

“This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” [3]

Praise be to God for giving His Son Jesus Christ to atone (cover – remove from before God) our sins! Praise God, the Holy Spirit is now free to fill and empower us to live a Christlike life.

Jesus taught His disciples to pray, “Our Father, who are in heaven, hallowed be Your Name. Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” [3] To be Christlike, it is necessary for us to have a high regard for God and His Name. To be Christlike is to do that which is done in heaven here on earth, namely God’s perfect will. This prayer is a foundation of the Christian life.

God does mighty works through those who trust in Him. Moses responded to God’s calling on his life, “O Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue.” Gideon responded to God’s calling on his life, “But Lord, how can I rescue Israel? My clan is the weakest in the tribe of Manasseh, and I am the least important member of my family.” Jeremiah responded to God’s calling on his life, “Behold, I do not know how to speak, for I am only a youth.” [5] But God was with them. His grace was sufficient for as long as they were willing to serve Him. God did great exploits through them as they submitted to the leading of His Word and Spirit.

Once, Jesus Christ stood and cried out, saying, “’If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’ But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive.” [6]

Thanks be to God for quenching the thirsting of our souls to be like Him and serve Him. Thanks be to God for the Holy Spirit who fills, guides us, and empowers us to do the will of God which He reveals to us in the Scriptures. To delight to do God’s will! Amen! May it be so!

Thanks to Messiah, we can say as Mary did, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for He has looked on the humble estate of His servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for He who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is His Name.” [7]

[1] Psalm 40:8
[2] Luke 22:42
[3] 1 John 4:10
[4] Matthew 6:9-10
[5] Exodus 4:10; Judges 6:15; Jeremiah 1:6
[6] John 7:37-39
[7] Luke 1:46-49

Faith in God’s Name and in His Rest

“You shall not take the Name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His Name in vain.” [1]

Martin Luther wrote, “We should so fear and love God as not to curse, swear, conjure, lie, or deceive by His name, but call upon Him in every time of need, and worship Him with prayer, praise, and thanksgiving.” [2]

“The Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His Name in vain” is a weighty incentive not to do it. The Name of the Lord is above every other name. One day every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. [3]

There is power in the Name of the Lord! There is healing in the Name of the Lord! There is salvation in the Name of the Lord. Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord!

“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore, the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.” [4]

Martin Luther wrote, “We should so fear and love God as not to despise His Word and the preaching of the Gospel, but deem it holy, and willingly hear and learn it.” [5]

God who created and sustains the universe rests one day in seven. So can and so should we. He made the Sabbath for our sakes so we could enjoy one day per week with Him in worship, have fellowship with other Christians, and be spiritually edified.

The Lord is trustworthy in these matters. He honors those who honor His Name. He honors those who honor Him with their time, treasure and talent. No one can outgive God.

The second and third commandments should not be deemed as obligations but as worship and as thanksgiving to the God of grace, kindness and love.

“Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” [6]

Faith in Christ is the key to entering the eternal Promised Land to be with God and His people. We honor the Name of Jesus because His Name literally means Savior/Salvation. We honor the Sabbath because it is our act of faith in God as our Provider, Sustainer and Protector.

“For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.” [6]

[1] Exodus 20:7
[2] Martin Luther’s Small Catechism, page 14
[3] Philippians 2:8-11
[4] Exodus 20:8-11
[5] Martin Luther’s Small Catechism, page 14
[6] Hebrews 10:23-25
[7] 1 John 5:4

Rulers Need to Hear the Word of God

Throughout history nations of people have suffered the consequences of rulers who squandered the nation’s manpower and financial resources. Some rulers indulged in alcoholism, wild parties and sexual immorality. Some built palaces of ice on a whim. Some sent hundreds of thousands of young people to their death over crazy aspirations to expand their nation’s holdings. What should we who are ruled by such rulers do?

The Bible is a rich resource of answers to this question. In fact, I cannot touch on all the areas of wisdom it has to offer in a short article like this one, but I will focus on a few.

The starting point for any aspiration for improvement is to look to the Lord for help. When Moses and his people where attacked by Amalek and his army, what did Moses, the man of God, do? He gave his general, Joshua, orders to assemble soldiers and fight Amalek, but then he prayed. As long as Moses prayed for his army, they prevailed, but when he grew weary of praying, the enemy army began to win. Two men helped Moses keep praying until the victory was secured. The future of the nation depended on their faith in God to answer their prayers.

“Now Amalek came and fought with Israel in Rephidim. And Moses said to Joshua, ‘Choose us some men and go out, fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in my hand.’ So Joshua did as Moses said to him and fought with Amalek. And Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. And so it was, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed; and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. But Moses’ hands became heavy; so, they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it. And Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. So Joshua defeated Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.” [1]

In fact, the people of God are mandated by God to pray for those who are in authority.

“I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.” [2]

Do we want a quiet and peaceable life with godliness (or godlikeness) and reverence? Then, pray, make supplications, intercede for national rulers, give thanks for them. It only takes one bad leader to cause a major problem for all nations. But, on the other hand, one good leader can help many others to see the abundant blessings that good leadership yields.

People in charge of armies and national treasuries have many people trying to influence them. The Roman proconsul Sergio Paulus had a bad advisor trying to keep good advisors away from him. The Apostle Paul rebuked the bad man, and the Lord struck that advisor with blindness. The Roman proconsul became a believer in the Lord after that incident. The Word of the Lord can change the course of a nation for the betterment of all.

“Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him [Elymas] and said, “O full of all deceit and all fraud, you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease perverting the straight ways of the Lord?” [3]

“Holy Spirit, please rebuke bad influencers of our leaders and authority figures. Please thwart their efforts to pervert the ways of the Lord. In the Name of Jesus Christ, I pray, Amen.”

Elymas earned more than a rebuke. He got a consequence. Paul declared… “’Now, indeed, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you shall be blind, not seeing the sun for a time.’ And immediately a dark mist fell on him, and he went around seeking someone to lead him by the hand.” [4]

The Lord was gracious to limit the sentence of this false prophet’s blindness. He had been a blind guide leading blind followers. Now, he needed a trustworthy seeing-guide who would not take advantage of his plight.

Throughout the Bible, God tells us of the people that He graciously raised up to advocate for the betterment of people. Moses was one of them. He spoke to the King of Egypt about freeing Hebrew slaves. At first, the king refused to do so. He did not know the Lord. But the Lord dealt with his hard heart via judgments on his nation. Then, he let the slaves go. And when he hardened his heart once more, the Lord slew him and his entire army in a moment.

The prophets confronted kings and queens about their bad choices because they knew that the Lord would back up His Word to them in one way or another in due season.

As God’s people scattered throughout the earth, we should seek the Lord to help us speak for God. Moses tried to convince God that he had the wrong man for the job. Jeremiah told God that he was too young. God was patient and worked with them as they followed His lead.

The Holy Spirit helps God’s servants to know what to say when they stand before rulers.

“When you are brought before synagogues, rulers and authorities, do not worry about how you will defend yourselves or what you will say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say.” [5]

For examples of the Holy Spirit carrying out this promise, read the Book of Acts. When servants of God’s Word were brought before authorities, He gave them the right words to say.

[1] Exodus 17:8-13
[2] 1 Timothy 2:1-2
[3] Acts 13:9-10
[4] Acts 13:11
[5] Luke 12:12

Preaching Christ in Spite of Opposition

His name was Elymas bar-Jesus or son of Jesus. He practiced sorcery and was a false prophet. The consequences of his bad choices caught up with him on the day that he tried to prevent Paul and Barnabas from sharing the Word of God with the Roman proconsul on the island of Paphos. Paphos is a city on the southwest coastline of the Island of Cyprus in the Mediterranean Sea, near to modern day Syria and Turkey.

The Roman proconsul of Paphos, Sergius Paulus, is declared an intelligent man. “He called for Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the Word of God. But Elymas the sorcerer (for so his name is translated) withstood them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith.” [1]

I wonder how many intelligent mayors, parliamentarians, legislators, senators, judges, governors, prime ministers, presidents, and kings today have someone like Elymas whispering in their ears to reject Christ and Christ’s servants?

“Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him [Elymas] and said, “O full of all deceit and all fraud, you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease perverting the straight ways of the Lord?” [2]

The Holy Spirit empowered Paul to boldly and publicly rebuke Elymas. The man was a deceiver, fraudster, son of the devil, and an enemy of righteousness. “Holy Spirit, please rebuke the men and women today who are negatively influencing our leaders and authority figures. Please thwart their efforts to pervert the ways of the Lord. In the Name of Jesus Christ, I pray, Amen.”

Elymas earned more than a rebuke. He needed a consequence. So, Paul declared… “’Now, indeed, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you shall be blind, not seeing the sun for a time.’ And immediately a dark mist fell on him, and he went around seeking someone to lead him by the hand.” [3]

The Lord was gracious to limit the season of this false prophet’s blindness. He had been a blind guide leading blind followers. Now, he needed a trustworthy seeing-guide who would not take advantage of his plight.

Earlier, the apostles had prayed thus, “Why did the nations rage, and the people plot vain things? The kings of the earth took their stand, and the rulers were gathered against the Lord and against His Christ. Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your Word, by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the Name of Your holy Servant Jesus.” [4]

Rather than pray for protection, they prayed for boldness and miracles to happen in the Name of Jesus. Recently, I have been praying in accordance with Psalm 2. The Lord says, “Ask of Me, and I will give You the nations for Your inheritance, and the ends of the earth for Your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron; You shall dash them to pieces like a potter’s vessel. Now therefore, be wise, O kings; be instructed, you judges of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and you perish in the way, when His wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him.” [5] I pray that the Lord will dash the unbelief that overshadows so many kings, leaders and people, and grant them salvation so that they kiss (worship) the Son of God, Jesus Christ.

The good news about the Roman Proconsul Sergius Paulus is, “Then the proconsul believed, when he saw what had been done, being astonished at the teaching of the Lord.” [6]

Paul went on from there to preach to a gathering of Jews and God-fearers. He addressed them thus, “Men of Israel, and you who fear God…” “Men and brethren, sons of the family of Abraham, and those among you who fear God, to you the Word of this salvation has been sent.” [7] What a blessing it is for a preacher to find a group of people who fear God. They want someone to share with them what God has to say about saving their souls.

Paul spoke the truth when He told his listeners that “through this Man [referring to Jesus Christ] is preached to you the forgiveness of sins.” In fact, “By Him everyone who believes is justified from all things from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses.” [8]

God’s forgiveness of our sins is the most important issue for humanity, not what political pundits preach. To get one’s name in the Lamb’s Book of Life, one must accept and profess the blood of the Lamb as the only efficacious atoning sacrifice to cleanse sins away.

Paul warned deniers and rejectors of this truth, saying, “Beware therefore, lest what has been spoken in the prophets come upon you.” [9]

“The Word of the Lord was being spread throughout all the region. But the Jews stirred up the devout and prominent women and the chief men of the city, raised up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their region. But they shook off the dust from their feet against them and came to Iconium. And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.” [10]

Obviously, the aforementioned devout and prominent women and chief men of the city were deceived by the devil to persecute Paul and Barnabas. They had their own sort of Elymas speaking in their ears to influence them to make bad choices. They rejected the servants of the Lord who came with the good news of salvation. Thankfully, the Holy Spirit kept Paul and Barnabas from bitterness and sadness. He filled them with Himself and with great joy.

[1] Acts 13:6-8
[2] Acts 13:9-10
[3] Acts 13:1
[4] Acts 4:25-26, 29-30
[5] Psalm 2:8-12
[6] Acts 13:12
[7] Acts 13:16, 26
[8] Acts 13:38-39
[9] Acts 13:40
[10] Acts 13:49-52

Serving the Lord with Gladness

The Lord instructed Moses, “You shall say to him [Pharoah], the Lord God of the Hebrews has sent me to you, saying, ‘Let My people go, that they may serve Me.’” [1]The issue here is that mighty king wants what belongs to God to belong to him, namely, God’s people service and loyalty.

Six times the Lord said to the King of Egypt through His servant Moses, “Let My people go, that they may serve Me.’” [2]

The Lord makes way for us to transfer our service of other things and people, to serving Him as we trust in Him and follow His leading.

The Pharoah did not want to release God’s people from serving him, so, the Lord gave the king warnings of consequences for non-compliance. When the king doubted and dismissed God, the Lord carried out the consequences.

“Thus says the Lord: By this you shall know that I am the Lord. Behold, I will strike the waters which are in the river with the rod that is in my hand, and they shall be turned to blood. [3]

“If you refuse to let them go, behold, I will smite all your territory with frogs.” [4]

“If you will not let My people go, behold, I will send swarms of flies on you and your servants, on your people and into your houses. The houses of the Egyptians shall be full of swarms of flies, and also the ground on which they stand.” [5]

“If you refuse to let them go, and still hold them, behold, the hand of the Lord will be on your cattle in the field, on the horses, on the donkeys, on the camels, on the oxen, and on the sheep—a very severe pestilence.” [6]

“I will send all My plagues to your very heart, and on your servants and on your people, that you may know that there is none like Me in all the earth. As yet you exalt yourself against My people in that you will not let them go.” [7]

“If you refuse to let My people go, behold, tomorrow I will bring locusts into your territory.” [8]

The distinction that God made between His people and Pharoah’s was another sign to Pharoah that it was He, the Lord, acting on behalf of the slaves.

“In that day I will set apart the land of Goshen, in which My people dwell, that no swarms of flies shall be there, in order that you may know that I am the Lord in the midst of the land. I will make a difference between My people and your people. Tomorrow this sign shall be.” [9]

“’The Lord will make a difference between the livestock of Israel and the livestock of Egypt. So, nothing shall die of all that belongs to the children of Israel.’ Then the Lord appointed a set time, saying, ‘Tomorrow the Lord will do this thing in the land.’” [10]

The Lord wanted the King of Egypt to know without a doubt that the earth belonged to Him.

“So Moses said to him, ‘As soon as I have gone out of the city, I will spread out my hands to the Lord; the thunder will cease, and there will be no more hail, that you may know that the earth is the Lord’s. But as for you and your servants, I know that you will not yet fear the Lord God.” “My signs which I have done among them, that you may know that I am the Lord.” [11]

The Lord also had a word for the slaves of Egypt. They were to place the blood of an unblemished lamb on their door posts and eat the meat of it along with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. This meal is called the Passover Feast because the angel of death passed over homes marked with blood. The death of the firstborns of Egypt in one night convinced Pharoah to release the slaves. The freed slaves were to celebrate the Passover Feast on an annual basis. [12]

God’s plagues against Pharoah yielded deliverance for the slaves. In a similar way, the plagues in Revelation diminish and destroy the power of abusive atheistic rulers and reflect God’s faithfulness to bless those who bless His servants and curse those who curse them.

“It came to pass at midnight that the Lord struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sat on his throne to the firstborn of the captive who was in the dungeon and all the firstborn of livestock. So Pharaoh rose in the night, he, all his servants, and all the Egyptians; and there was a great cry in Egypt, for there was not a house where there was not one dead. Then he called for Moses and Aaron by night, and said, ‘Rise, go out from among my people, both you and the children of Israel. And go, serve the Lord as you have said. Also take your flocks and your herds, as you have said, and be gone; and bless me also.” [13]

The Lord led the Egyptians to give their articles of silver, articles of gold, and clothing to the slaves. “The Lord had given the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they granted them what they requested. Thus, they plundered the Egyptians.” [14]

The Lord also called the Israelites to consecrate their firstborn male children and male animals to the Lord. This ritual plus the annual keeping of the Passover Feast was designed to remind them that it was HE and not them who delivered them from bondage.

“Remember this day in which you went out of Egypt, out of the house of bondage; for by strength of hand the Lord brought you out of this place.” “It shall be as a sign to you on your hand and as a memorial between your eyes, that the Lord’s law may be in your mouth; for with a strong hand the Lord has brought you out of Egypt. You shall therefore keep this ordinance in its season from year to year.” [15]

The Lord led His people like a shepherd leads his sheep. He was with them. “The Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so as to go by day and night. He did not take away the pillar of cloud by day or the pillar of fire by night from before the people.” [16]

Later, when Pharoah and his army pursued the slaves, the people complained to Moses, “Is this not the word that we told you in Egypt, saying, ‘Let us alone that we may serve the Egyptians?’” Moses said to them, “Do not be afraid. Stand still and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever. The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.” [17]

“The Angel of God, who went before the camp of Israel, moved, and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud went from before them and stood behind them. So it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel. Thus, it was a cloud and darkness to the one, and it gave light by night to the other, so that the one did not come near the other all that night.” [18]

The Lord divided the sea before His people. They crossed over to the other shore without loss of life, but when the Egyptian army followed after them, the Lord caused the sea to fall upon and crush them. Contrary to “The Ten Commandments” the movie, no Egyptian survived. “Not so much as one of them remained.” [19]

The proper response to God’s acts of deliverance and redemption is to gather and worship Him. To sing to the Lord!

“Then Moses and the children of Israel sang this song to the Lord, and spoke, saying: ‘I will sing to the Lord, for He has triumphed gloriously! The horse and its rider He has thrown into the sea! The Lord is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation; He is my God, and I will praise Him; my father’s God, and I will exalt Him.’” [20]

The proper response to the Lord’s grace is to make music and dance to HIM.

“Then Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took the timbrel in her hand; and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances. And Miriam answered them: ‘Sing to the Lord, for He has triumphed gloriously! The horse and its rider He has thrown into the sea!’” [21]

Later, when the people came to water, but it was too bitter to drink, the Lord showed Moses a tree. The Lord used the tree to make the bitter waters sweet. Then, the Lord told them that if they followed Him, they would not experience the diseases Egyptians experienced. It is through the tree [the cross] of Christ that God sweetens our lives and heals us. In Christ we have the greatest liberation and redemption. One day, all of us who trust Him will be delivered from the devil forever. He will never abuse us again through his servants. Plus, we will have good health and live forever with God in paradise.

“When they came to Marah, they could not drink the waters of Marah, for they were bitter. Therefore, the name of it was called Marah. And the people complained against Moses, saying, ‘What shall we drink?’ So he cried out to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a tree. When he cast it into the waters, the waters were made sweet. There He made a statute and an ordinance for them, and there He tested them, and said, ‘If you diligently heed the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have brought on the Egyptians. For I am the Lord who heals you.’” [22]

[1] Exodus 7:16
[2] Exodus 7:16; 8:1, 20; 9:1, 13; 10:3
[3] Exodus 7:17
[4] Exodus 8:2
[5] Exodus 8:21-23
[6] Exodus 9:2-3
[7] Exodus 9:14, 17
[8] Exodus 10:4
[9] Exodus 8:22-23
[10] Exodus 9:4-5
[11] Exodus 9:29-30; 10:2
[12] Exodus 12:1-28
[13] Exodus 12:29-32
[14] Exodus 12:35-36
[15] Exodus 13:1-3, 9-10
[16] Exodus 13:21-22
[17] Exodus 14:12-14
[18] Exodus 14:19-20
[19] Exodus 14:21-31
[20] Exodus 15:1-2
[21] Exodus 15:20-21
[22] Exodus 15:22-26

Entering the Promised Land

His mother was his father’s sister. He was 80 and his brother was 83 but “just as the Lord commanded them, so they did. They spoke to Pharaoh.” [1]

The fact that God used elderly men to speak to the most powerful king on earth is a sign from God. A sign that the power to bring evil empires down and to bring His people into paradise rests with God not in human muscle.

The Book of Exodus is similar to the Book of Revelation in that it is a book of signs. Signs that God exists! Signs that He intervenes in human time and space to deliver His people from abusive rulers! The plagues and pestilences that God issues in Exodus and Revelation decimate the dictatorships of cruel bullies and assure His people that He keeps His promises.

The Lord’s servants, Moses and Aaron, confront the king of Egypt about his labor practices. The people of God need time off to worship the Lord. “Moses and Aaron went in and told Pharaoh, ‘Thus says the Lord God of Israel: Let My people go, that they may hold a feast to Me in the wilderness.’” [2]

The Pharaoh responded to the Lord’s demand, “Who is the Lord, that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I do not know the Lord, nor will I let Israel go.” He told his officers, “You shall no longer give the people straw to make brick as before.” “You shall lay on them the quota of bricks which they made before. You shall not reduce it. For they are idle; therefore, they cry out, saying, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to our God.’ Let more work be laid on the men, that they may labor in it, and let them not regard false words.” [3]

The King of Egypt did not believe God’s Word, and he was not going to give people a day off to worship the Lord. God had to speak to him with signs and wonders. God promises to do the same in the Book of Revelation to the ruling kingdom of the world in the last days.

Things got worse before they got better. The Pharoah gave the workers extra work to do and yet had the foreman over the workers beaten when they failed to produce as much per day as they did previously under better conditions. When the foreman complained about the beatings, the Pharoah accused them of being lazy. “He said, ‘You are idle! Idle! Therefore, you say, let us go and sacrifice to the Lord.’” [4]

God’s people complained to Moses about the poor outcome of their faith in his words. Moses complained to God. [5]

The Lord assured Moses that He had heard the groanings of His people. He remembered His covenant to bring them to the Promised Land. To be their God! [6]

Moses assured God’s people that God would come through for them “but they did not heed Moses, because of anguish of spirit and cruel bondage.” [7]

Then, the Lord began to work His signs in the sky, land and water for Pharoah. Each plague was an opportunity for the proud Pharoah to humble himself before the Lord and to serve God rather than his own evil ambitions. He chose to die in his unbelief. God’s people on the other hand were liberated from his abusive treatment and brought into a beautiful land.

Revelation chapters 21-22 contain the description of the beautiful place that God is bringing those whose names are in the Lamb’s Book of Life. [8] How does one get his or her name in the Lamb’s Book of Life? The answer is by believing in and professing the Lamb (Jesus Christ) as one’s Lord and Savior.

It is important to believe. Don’t be like the Pharoah who hardened his heart!

It is important to observe the Sabbath Day to keep it holy. To worship the Lord! As the Bible says, “Let us not forsake the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but let us exhort one another, especially as you see the Day approaching.” [9]

“The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants—things which must shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John, who bore witness to the Word of God, and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, to all things that he saw.” [10]

God’s promises in Revelation shall surely come to pass even as His promises did in Exodus.

[1] Exodus 6:20; 7:6-7
[2] Exodus 5:1
[3] Exodus 5:2, 7-9
[4] Exodus 5:10-17
[5] Exodus 5:21-23
[6] Exodus 6:5-7
[7] Exodus 6:9
[8] Revelation 21:27
[9] Hebrews 10:25
[10] Revelation 1:1-2